Trump’s taunt on Biden

US President Donald Trump yesterday openly called on China and Ukraine to investigate his potential 2020 election rival Joe Biden, taunting Democrats seeking his impeachment for inviting foreign election interference.

Mr Trump blasted his accusers as “maniacs” pursuing “impeachment crap”.

As a former State Department diplomat testified in Congress on his role in the Ukraine scandal, Mr Trump called for Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky and Chinese leader Xi Jinping to go after Mr Biden, who leads the race for the Democratic presidential nomination.

“I would say that President Zelensky, if it were me, I would recommend that they start an investigation into the Bidens,” Mr Trump said.

“Likewise, China should start an investigation into the Bidens, because what happened in China is just about as bad as what happened with Ukraine.”

Adam Schiff, the Democrat leading the impeachment probe in the House of Representatives, said Mr Trump was acting “with impunity” in the face of the law.

Mr Trump alleged Mr Biden, as vice-president in 2014, tried to block a Ukraine corruption probe into his son Hunter’s business partner, a Ukraine gas tycoon, using US aid as leverage.

He also claimed Hunter used his stature to raise $1.5 billion in 2013 from China for a new investment vehicle in Beijing.

Joe Biden’s campaign called Mr Trump’s comments already-debunked “conspiracy theories” and accused him of “a grotesque choice of lies over truth and self over the country.”