We’ve spent years discussing foreign election interference in US democracy, but now the interference is coming from inside the White House. Donald Trump welcomed Russia’s help in 2016, allegedly extorted Ukraine and publicly solicited help from China, writes Ahmed Baba.

In his desperate attempts to cling onto power, he’s proven no institution is beyond the reach of his grip, and now, he’s set his authoritarian sights on the US Postal Service (USPS).

The theory that President Trump is sabotaging the USPS in order to suppress the vote was given credence by his own words. While many have pointed to President Trump’s interview on Fox News last week where he openly admitted to blocking more than $25 billion in USPS funding to sabotage mail-in voting, there’s another Fox interview that further highlights his motives. 

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An employee at the restaurant, the Fig & Olive, claimed his colleague had suffered a broken nose in the incident.

House minority leader Kevin McCarthy has condemned QAnon adherents, saying there is “no room” for the conspiracy theory in the Republican party.

In an interview with Fox News on Thursday, Mr McCarthy, Republican representative for California’s 23rd district, was asked whether he was worried about candidates who have won primaries who were affiliated with groups like QAnon.

“Let me be very clear,” Mr McCarthy said. “There is no place for QAnon in the Republican party.”

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“I think he’s a kook, I think he’s crazy, I think he’s unfit for office,” Republican senator Lindsey Graham says in the clip.

Dozens of former Republican members of Congress and national security officials who have served under Republican presidents on Friday denounced Donald Trump as “dangerously unfit” to serve. 

“We are profoundly concerned about the course of our nation under the leadership of Donald Trump,” the signatories said in a statement. 

“Through his actions and his rhetoric, Trump has demonstrated that he lacks the character and competence to lead this nation and has engaged in corrupt behavior that renders him unfit to serve as President.”

The signatories include Admiral Steve Abbot, John Negroponte, former director of national intelligence, former congressman Jim Leach and William Taft, former deputy secretary of defence.

Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump and their family joined a funeral procession from the White House as the body of the president’s late brother Robert Trump was carried into a hearse on Friday.

Robert Trump, the president’s younger brother, died on 16 August. He was 71. Details of his illness have not been released.

Bagpipes played alongside the procession as pallbearers carried Robert’s casket into a hearse waiting near the North Portico of the White House. A service was held in the East Room, which has rarely been used for funeral services. 

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The 2nd US Circuit Court of Appeals denied Mr Trump’s request to immediately put Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr’s subpoena on hold while Mr Trump appeals to try to get it invalidated.
 

The appeals court said it would hold a hearing on the request for a delay, but not until 1 September. After winning a lower court ruling, Mr Vance’s office had agreed not to enforce the subpoena before 28 August.
 

The DA’s office declined to comment on what the appeals court ruling might mean for that time frame. Messages were sent to Mr Trump’s lawyers.
 

The case has already been to the Supreme Court and back, and Mr Trump has said he expects it to end up there again.
 

Even if the tax records ultimately are subpoenaed, they would be part of a confidential grand jury investigation and not automatically made public.
 

The Supreme Court ruled last month that the presidency in itself does not shield Mr Trump from Mr Vance’s investigation.