US politics live: Donald Trump’s attempt to prosecute political nemesis fails again

Donald Trump’s administration has failed, for the second time in a week, to advance his vendetta against a hated opponent.

Welcome to our live coverage of US politics.

Donald Trump’s Justice Department has suffered a quite spectacular faceplant, failing again, for a second time, to convince a grand jury to indict one of the President’s most hated political enemies.

Mr Trump has repeatedly ordered his Attorney-General, Pam Bondi, to go after New York Attorney-General Letitia James, who oversaw the fraud case against him while he was between presidencies.

The case has been dogged by problems from the start.

Legal journalist Adam Klasfeld put it this way: “Trump’s Justice Department humiliates itself again.”

No word yet on whether prosecutors will try for a lucky number three.

Details are still emerging of the oil tanker the US seized off the coast of Venezuela in what is a major escalation of the US’ actions in relation to the Maduro regime in Caracas.

The vessel is accused of flying under a false flag, masking its position and shipping sanctioned oil to and from Iran. Venezuela has said it was “international piracy”.

Read on for more updates.

Originally published as US politics live: Donald Trump’s attempt to prosecute political nemesis fails again