Donald Trump talks to reporters as he heads to the Marine One helicopter

Republicans are reportedly backing away from opportunities to defend Donald Trump after the impeachment inquiry took another dramatic turn on Thursday night when the House Intelligence Committee released 25 pages of damning text messages from US special envoy Kurt Volker exposing the extent of American diplomatic pressure on Ukraine in the run-up to the notorious Volodymyr Zelensky call on 25 July.

The texts reveal the administration suggested Mr Trump would not meet face-to-face with Mr Zelensky without a commitment from his country that it would investigate his domestic political rival Joe Biden, a step Ukrainian officials had begun to prepare for.

The situation has since been branded a “constitutional crisis” by an ex-director of the US Office of Government Ethics as the president continues to lash out angrily over the the affair, declaring he has “an absolute right, perhaps even a duty” to investigate graft even if it involves seeking foreign insistence.

Mr Trump, for his part, has doubled down on his belief that is within his power fo ask foreign powers to launch investigations, even amid the criticism he has received.

Meanwhile, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has fought back accusations that she went easy on a "supporter" who claimed people need to start eating babies in order to fight climate change.

Everyone Trump has fired or forced out Show all 13 1 /13 Everyone Trump has fired or forced out Everyone Trump has fired or forced out John Bolton Trump claimed to have fired Bolton, his national security adviser, while Bolton claimed he offered to resign. An anonymous White House source that Bolton's departure came as a result of the national security adviser working too independently of the president AFP/Getty Everyone Trump has fired or forced out Anthony Scaramucci Scaramucci lasted only six days in his role as Trump's communications director before being fired by John Kelly, the incoming chief of staff Getty Everyone Trump has fired or forced out Rick Perry Rick Perry announced his resignation just as he became embroiled in the president's impeachment scandal. The White House said Mr Perry was asked by Donald Trump to work with Rudy GIuliani in regards to Ukraine. AP Everyone Trump has fired or forced out Rex Tillerson Tillerson, Trump's first secretary of state, was fired after a series of clashes with the president over policy Getty Everyone Trump has fired or forced out James Mattis Mattis served as secretary of defense from the beginning of Trump's administration until retiring on 1 January 2019. However, the president later claimed that he had "essentially fired" Mattis Getty Everyone Trump has fired or forced out James Comey Comey was fired as director of the FBI early in Trump's presidency after serving in the role for four years prior. His dismissal is widely thought to have been related to the Russia investigation Getty Everyone Trump has fired or forced out Reince Priebus Priebus, Trump's first chief of staff, was forced out after six tumultuous months AFP/Getty Everyone Trump has fired or forced out David Shulkin Veterans affairs secretary Shulkin claims that he was fired, the White House claims that he resigned Getty Everyone Trump has fired or forced out John Kelly Kelly, Trump's second chief of staff, was forced out after 17 months in office. His departure was a confused affair though it is clear that Trump wanted Kelly out AFP/Getty Everyone Trump has fired or forced out Michael Flynn Flynn lasted 24 days as Trump's national security adviser before being fired for lying to the FBI Getty Everyone Trump has fired or forced out Lee Cisna Cisna served as director of citizen and immigration services between October 2017 and June 2019 before being asked to resign amid a major personnel change in the department of homeland security Everyone Trump has fired or forced out Madeline Westerhout Westerhout served as Trump's personal assistant after leaking private information about his family AFP/Getty Everyone Trump has fired or forced out Mira Ricardel Ricardel was forced out of her role as Deputy National Security Advisor after first lady Melania Trump publicly called for her to be fired

Ms Ocasio-Cortez, a prominent liberal in the House, has charged that the person was actually a Trump supporter keen on making her look bad.