Trump openly asks Ukraine, China to investigate Biden

In front of television cameras at the White House on Thursday, President Donald Trump publicly urged two other nations to open an probe into the family of his possible 2020 election opponent, as the President said Ukraine and China should investigate former Vice President Joe Biden and his son Hunter.

"If they were honest about it, they would start a major investigation into the Bidens," Mr. Trump said first about the government of Ukraine.

"Likewise, China should start an investigation into the Bidens," the President added, just before leaving for a day of events in Florida.

Democrats said the President was simply confirming what lawmakers suspected, that Mr. Trump was trying to use foreign nations to impact the U.S. elections.

“Soliciting a foreign power to investigate your political opponent is an abuse of power. That's why Congress started a formal impeachment inquiry,” said Rep.  Ted Lieu (D-CA).

“The fact you are doing this in the open only makes it worse for you,” Lieu added on Twitter.

The call for Ukraine and China to investigate Biden echoed the President's line from the 2016 campaign, where he urged Russia to find Hillary Clinton's missing emails.

“Russia, if you're listening, I hope you're able to find the 30,000 emails that are missing," the President said.

Investigators found that several hours later, the Russians started to send phishing emails to officials on the Clinton campaign and at the Democratic National Committee.

Cox Media Group