Welcome to our live updates of US politics and the war in Iran.

Donald Trump has threatened to widen the war in the Middle East.

On Monday, US time, the US President said he would “bomb the s**t” out of ally Oman if it joined forces with Iran to control the Strait of Hormuz.

The Strait flows through both countries and there are concerns the pair could charge fees for ships to pass through.

Trump berates reporter during fiery press conference

The US Supreme Court has batted away an attempt by Donald Trump to avoid paying $US5 million ($8m) to a writer who alleged sexual abuse and defamation.

Mr Trump’s lawyers had asked the Supreme Court to overturn an appeal he lost in another court in a case brought by E Jean Carroll. He has denied any wrong doing.

Meanwhile, Mr Trump has – yet again – said the area around the Reflecting Pools in Washington DC was vandalised.

The US President shared a photo of the large stretch of patchy grass, which appears dead in some sections, in a post on social media.

“Look what VANDALS did to the grass connecting the vandalised World War II Monument and the vandalised Reflecting Pool, which will be opened again, and better than ever, shortly,” he wrote.

Read on for more updates.

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