Trump and Biden agree to mic-muting at first debate as ex-president appeals to Black voters in Detroit: Live

The final details of the highly-anticipated live debate between Donald Trump and Joe Biden have been released by CNN.

The 90-minute debate, set to take place in Atlanta on June 27, will mark the first in-person showdown of the 2024 race between the two rivals.

According to the rules, microphones will be muted until the chosen candidate’s turn to speak, and there will be no studio audience, something that Trump is known to have played off in the past.

The event will also include two commercial breaks and campaign staff may not interact with their candidate during that time.

On Saturday, Trump hosted back-to-back events in Michigan. The former president and convicted felon hosted a roundtable with members of the community at the 180 Church in downtown Detroit, which serves a predominantly Black congregation.

He also made an appearance at the “People’s Convention” for political advocacy group Turning Point Action, which the Anti-Defamation League says has been linked to extremists.

Trump celebrated his 78th birthday on Friday in the company of his “Club 47 USA” fan organization in West Palm Beach, Florida.

Key Points

• Trump celebrates 78th birthday with fee-paying fan club members

• Republicans reveal what Trump said during his closed-door DC meeting

• Presidential contender sparks fury with Milwaukee comment

• Trump talks Russia, election and the border on Logan Paul’s podcast

• Biden wishes Trump a happy birthday ‘from one old guy to another’

• Watch: ‘Morning Joe’ mocks Trump Milwaukee remarks with breakfast beers

Trump hears from members of Detroit community

22:15 , Mike Bedigan

Donald Trump attacked the Biden administration’s economic and immigration policies, saying they had negatively impacted the Black community.

The former president heard stories and took questions as part of a roundtable discussion at the 180 Church on Staurday afternoon.

One woman, Valerie – who runs after school programs in the community – was described as a “big fan” of Trump.

Introducing her, the rountable moderator: “Valerie is with us, and I heard also, she’s a fan, like a big one.

“I’m gonna say it because I don’t want her to get in trouble. What she said to me backstage was that Melania is in trouble. She better watch out. That’s what she told that’s what she told me. I promise,” the moderator said, prompting laughter.

“We’re still in church,” the pastor reminded him.

Trump claims his administration achieved lowest ever African American unemployment rate

22:00 , Mike Bedigan

Detroit church sings happy birthday to Trump

21:45 , Mike Bedigan

Donald Trump’s roundtable session in downtown Detroit ended with members of the community singing him Happy Birthday.

The former president smiled and laughed, and nodded his head along to the song.

Happy birthday: Republicans now want to rename the oceans after Trump

21:45 , Mike Bedigan

A proposed bill from a House Republican would rename coastal waters around the US after former president Donald Trump, whose administration rolled back dozens of environmental rules while he was in office.

Legislation from Florida Representative Greg Steube would rename the US Exclusive Economic Zone to the “Donald John Trump Exclusive Economic Zone of the United States.”

Alex Woodward has the details:

Republicans now want to rename the oceans after Donald Trump

Trump: ‘Black community is being hurt by illegal aliens’

21:18 , Mike Bedigan

Donald Trump told supporters in Detroit that the Black community was being hurt by “illegal aliens” entering the country through the southern border.

“They’re taking your jobs,” he said.

“You’ve heard that, but they’re coming into your community, and they’re taking your jobs. They’re affecting the African Americans, and then after that, the Hispanic Americans, more than any other group.”

Michigan matters

21:15 , Mike Bedigan

Few states are expected to matter more in November than Michigan, which Joe Biden carried by less than 3 percentage points four years ago.

The African Americans demographic is especially important to the Democrats – it made up the backbone of Biden’s political base in 2020. But less than five months before Election Day, Black voters are expressing modest signs of disappointment with the 81-year-old president.

Michael Whatley, the new chairman of the Republican National Committee, told Michigan Republicans at a dinner on Friday that the state could not be more important.

“Everybody knows if we don’t win Michigan, we’re not going to have a Republican in the White House,” Whatley said. “Let me be more blunt: If we don’t win Michigan, we’re not going to have Donald Trump in the White House.”

“We are going to determine the fate of the world in this election in November,” he added.

Trump has argues he can pull in more Black voters due to his economic and border security message, and that his felony indictments make him more relatable.

Trump begins address at Detroit church

21:08 , Mike Bedigan

Trump’s roundtable at Detroit church to start soon

20:57 , Mike Bedigan

Donald Trump’s Saturday roundtable at 180 Church on Detroit’s west side is due to begin shortly.

“President Donald J. Trump, 45th President of the United States of America, will visit Detroit to listen to members of the community,” a statement from Trump’s campaign said.

“President Trump will discuss how Joe Biden has failed the great people of Detroit and the State of Michigan.”

Trump arrives for campaign events in Michigan

20:46 , Mike Bedigan

Biden pokes fun at Trump on former president’s birthday

20:15 , Mike Bedigan

Watch: Lawrence O’Donnell roasts Ted Cruz for supporting Trump in live broadcast

19:45 , Mike Bedigan

Trump to attend back-to-back campaign events in Michigan

19:15 , Mike Bedigan

Donald Trump is scheduled to host back-to-back events in Michigan on Saturday. The former president and convicted felon will host a roundtable at 180 Church in downtown Detroit, which serves a predominantly Black congregation.

He will then then appear at the “People’s Convention” of political advocacy group Turning Point Action, which the the Anti-Defamation League says has been linked to a variety of extremists.

Trump humiliates Marjorie Taylor Greene, telling her to ‘be nice’ to Speaker Johnson

18:45 , Oliver O’Connell

Donald Trump tried to quell divisions within the House Republican conference on Thursday when he stopped by Washington DC to attend meetings with the full House and Senate Republican caucuses.

But he did so in a very Trumpian way — by publicly humiliating one of his own allies, Georgia Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene.

John Bowden reports from Washington, DC:

Trump humiliates Marjorie Taylor Greene by telling her to ‘be nice’ to Speaker

In pictures: Trump addresses supporters at birthday celebration

18:20 , Mike Bedigan

Watch: Trump addresses importance of debating Biden ahead of election

17:50 , Mike Bedigan

Larry Hogan couldn’t care less about Trump’s endorsement

14:45 , Oliver O’Connell

Donald Trump endorsed current Senate candidate Larry Hogan this week — but that doesn’t mean the former Maryland governor will be retuning the favor.

The former president endorsed Hogan for the Maryland Senate on Thursday, saying, “We have to straighten out our country. So, I’d like to see him when he’s somebody that can win…And I would like to see him win.” Trump continued, “I think he has a good chance to win. I would like to see him win. And we’ve got to take the [Senate] majority.”

A Hogan campaign official told Fox News in response that the Republican Senate candidate doesn’t feel the same way: “Governor Hogan has been clear he is not supporting Donald Trump, just as he didn’t in 2016 and 2020.”

The former governor has made his views clear about the former president in the past.

Kelly Rissman reports:

Maryland GOP Senate nominee could care less about Donald Trump’s endorsement

ICYMI: ‘Morning Joe’ mocks Trump Milwaukee remarks with breakfast beers

13:45 , Oliver O’Connell

Trump claims Nancy Pelosi’s daughter said the two would be ‘perfect together’

10:45 , Oliver O’Connell

Funnily enough, the Pelosi family deny this bizarre flight of fancy that emerged from the House Republican meeting on Thursday.

Kelly Rissman has the story:

Trump claims Nancy Pelosi’s daughter said the two would be ‘perfect together’

ICYMI: Trump sits down with Logan Paul to talk Putin, 2024 election and border

08:45 , Oliver O’Connell

Alex Woodward writes:

Donald Trump continued his internet clout-chasing campaign for the presidency with an appearance on Logan Paul’s podcast, where he raised baseless claims about the 2020 presidential election and his felony convictions, said he will end Russia’s war in Ukraine, and repeated his campaign rally promises on immigration.

The social media influencer and professional wrestler, whose IMPAULSIVE podcast draws millions of listeners, also asked the convicted former president about aliens, Drake and Kendrick Lamar, Elon Musk, artificial intelligence, chicken nuggets and cereal.

Read on…

Trump talks Russia, election and the border on Logan Paul’s podcast

Bankrupt Giuliani has one less thing to worry about after Hunter Biden drops lawsuit

06:45 , Oliver O’Connell

Hunter Biden is dropping his lawsuit against Rudy Giuliani and his former attorney over his so-called “laptop from hell.”

Last year, Hunter sued Giuliani and his former attorney Robert Costello for alleged violations of computer fraud and data access over the notorious laptop left at a Delaware computer repair shop. The president’s son claimed that Giuliani, Costello and other unnamed people are “among those who have been primarily responsible for what has been described as the ‘total annihilation’ of Plaintiff’s digital privacy.”

The first son accused them of violating computer fraud and data access laws.

Katie Hawkinson reports:

Bankrupt Rudy has one less thing to worry about after Hunter Biden drops his lawsuit

ICYMI: Biden wishes Trump a happy birthday ‘from one old guy to another’

03:45 , Oliver O’Connell

Joe Biden wished Donald Trump a happy birthday on Friday, “from one old guy to another.”

Biden offered the birthday wish in a post on X, offering Trump the platitude that “age is just a number,” likely a not-so-subtle reference to the numerous concerns raised over both men’s ages as one of them will take the White House in November.

The post wasn’t all chummy birthday wishes though…

Biden wishes Trump a happy birthday ‘from one old guy to another’

DNC to put up billboards of Trump’s Milwaukee comment across city

02:45 , Oliver O’Connell

The Democratic National Committee is putting up billboards in 10 locations across Milwaukee featuring former president Donald Trump’s reported slating of the city that will host the Republican National Convention next month.

During a meeting with House Republicans on Thursday, Trump reportedly called Milwaukee, Wisconsin a “horrible city”.

Republicans scrambled to defend the former president, first denying he said it, then giving different explanations about the context before Trump spokesperson Steven Cheung wrote that he had been referring to crime and voter fraud.

Nevertheless, the damage was done and the comment spread like wildfire with the Democrats seizing on it, given the importance of Wisconsin in the upcoming election.

DNC Spokesperson Addy Toevs said in a statement: “Donald Trump has made his contempt for Wisconsinites and their home clear. Just yesterday, he called Milwaukee – which will host the RNC in July – a ‘horrible city.’ The dislike is mutual – in 2020, Wisconsin handed Trump a one way ticket back to exile in Mar-a-Lago and sent President Biden to the Oval Office. In November, they’ll do it again.

“Thanks to President Biden, Wisconsinites are seeing job creation, higher wages, and lower costs on things like prescription drugs and health care. That’s in sharp contrast to Trump, who cost Wisconsin more than 80,000 jobs during his term, incentivized companies to ship jobs overseas, and rolled back worker protections. Trump hates Milwaukee because Milwaukeeans know exactly who he is – a sore loser who they’re going to make a two-time loser this November.”

Watch: Jeffries slams GOP colleagues for meeting with ‘insurrectionist-in-chief’

01:45 , Oliver O’Connell

Trump praises AI written speeches and jokes about getting rid of his speechwriters

Saturday 15 June 2024 00:45 , Oliver O’Connell

Donald Trump threatened to fire his speechwriter in Apprentice-style as he discussed the merits of artificial intelligence (AI), and claimed to have previously used a computer-generated speech.

The former president told Logan Paul that he had once had a speech rewritten in 15 seconds by an AI program, which he described as “super duper”.

Mike Bedigan reports:

Trump praises AI written speeches and jokes about getting rid of his speechwriters

Tonight: Trump holding birthday rally for hardcore fans

Friday 14 June 2024 23:45 , Oliver O’Connell

Donald Trump turns 78 years old today and will celebrate his birthday in the company of his “Club 47 USA” fan organisation in West Palm Beach, Florida, delivering a keynote address to guests paying between $35 and $60 for the pleasure of wishing him well.

According to a flyer for the celebration, the party-cum-rally will take place at the Palm Beach County Convention Center near his Mar-a-Lago home from 3pm ET, with the former president taking to the stage to speak at approximately 7pm local time.

Joe Sommerlad has the details as the time nears where Trump will take the stage:

Trump holding birthday rally for hardcore fans – but they have to pay to attend

Ivanka Trump wishes her father happy birthday

Friday 14 June 2024 23:15 , Oliver O’Connell

ICYMI: Trump sits down with Logan Paul

Friday 14 June 2024 22:45 , Oliver O’Connell

Meet the Aussie pop star turned Trump’s biggest fundraiser in London

Friday 14 June 2024 22:15 , Oliver O’Connell

Over twenty years ago, Holly Valance was starring on an Australian soap opera and topping charts with bubbly pop singles.

Now, she’s a top moneymaker for Donald Trump abroad.

Imagine going back and explaining this to someone 20 years ago…

Katie Hawkinson reports:

Holly Valance: Pop star turned Trump’s biggest fundraiser in London

Fauci recounts expletive-laden lecture he got from Trump when stock market didn’t increase enough on vaccine news

Friday 14 June 2024 22:00 , Oliver O’Connell

President Donald Trump unleashed an expletive-filled rant about the stock market not increasing enough when the first Covid-19 vaccine trials were successful, Dr Anthony Fauci has recounted.

Fauci, one of the nation’s top infectious disease experts who helped lead the US response to the COVID-19 pandemic until 2022, is publishing On Call: A Doctor’s Journey in Public Service next week. His chapter on working with Trump during the pandemic is aptly titled, “He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not,” according to The New York Times’ review of the book.

Katie Hawkinson reports:

Fauci recounts expletive-laden lecture he got from Trump during COVID pandemic

In pictures: Crowd gathers for Trump birthday celebration

Friday 14 June 2024 21:50 , Oliver O’Connell

Full story: DOJ won’t prosecute Garland after Republicans vote to hold him in contempt

Friday 14 June 2024 21:45 , Oliver O’Connell

Alex Woodward reports:

The Department of Justice will not pursue a criminal case against Attorney General Merrick Garland after House Republicans voted to hold him in contempt of Congress for defying a subpoena for audio tapes from an interview with President Joe Biden.

On Wednesday, the House of Representatives voted 216 to 207 to hold Garland in contempt, with only one Republican joining Democratic members in opposition, marking the House GOP’s latest move in a flailing investigation into the president and his administration.

Continue reading…

DOJ won’t prosecute Merrick Garland after GOP contempt stunt

Watch: ‘Morning Joe’ mocks Trump Milwaukee remarks with breakfast beers

Friday 14 June 2024 21:20 , Oliver O’Connell

‘Meandering’ Trump ‘doesn’t know what he’s talking about’ say CEOs at DC meeting

Friday 14 June 2024 21:00 , Oliver O’Connell

Donald Trump spoke at a meeting of major CEOs as part of his return to Washington, DC on Thursday as the assumed Republican candidate for president.

CNBC’s Andrew Ross Sorkin reports that his remarks didn’t exactly hit home with the business leaders…

Several CEOs “said that [Trump] was remarkably meandering, could not keep a straight thought [and] was all over the map,” Sorkin said on Friday morning edition of Squawk Box.

He added that the same CEOs struck by Trump’s lack of focus “walked into the meeting being Trump supporter-ish or thinking that they might be leaning that direction”.

“These were people who I think might have been actually predisposed to [Trump, but] actually walked out of the room less predisposed” to him, Sorkin said.

One CEO who spoke to CNBC said “Trump doesn’t know what he’s talking about” and that he did not explain any of his policy proposals.

Sorkin told MSNBC’s Morning Joe later on Friday morningthat at one point Trump discussed his plan to bring the corporate tax rate down from 21 per cent to 20 per cent … and was asked about why he had chosen that number.

“And he said, ‘Well, it’s a round number,” Sorkin reported. “That unto itself had a number of CEOs shaking their heads.”

Trump was reportedly subdued in the meeting and there was no noticeable applause from attendees according to two people. One speculated that a low-key approach may have been an attempt to make the event feel “more like a business meeting than a speech”.

CNBC reached out to the Trump campaign but did not receive any comment.

Biden wishes Trump a happy birthday ‘from one old guy to another’

Friday 14 June 2024 20:45 , Oliver O’Connell

Joe Biden wished Donald Trump a happy birthday on Friday, “from one old guy to another.”

Biden offered the birthday wish in a post on X, offering Trump the platitude that “age is just a number,” likely a not-so-subtle reference to the numerous concerns raised over both men’s ages as one of them will take the White House in November.

The post wasn’t all chummy birthday wishes though…

Biden wishes Trump a happy birthday ‘from one old guy to another’

Trump used DC trip for debate prep as face-off with Biden nears

Friday 14 June 2024 20:33 , Oliver O’Connell

As part of his busy Thursday in Washington, DC, Donald Trump used some of this time for debate prep, The New York Times reports.

Having met with House Republicans in the morning, and then their counterparts in the Senate around lunchtime, the former president held meetings at the Republican National Committee headquarters near Capitol Hill in the afternoon.

While traditionally debate prep often involves an adviser playing the role of the opposition candidate, there are no plans for that according to his aides.

Trump’s preparation so far is in the format of policy sessions. On Thursday he met with senators Marco Rubio of Florida and Eric Schmitt of Missouri, the Times reports, citing five sources familiar with the meeting. Members of Trump’s staff were also present.

The session on Thursday concerned how to push back on questions concerning Trump’s efforts to cling to power after the 2020 election, culminating in the attack on the US Capitol by the pro-Trump on January 6, 2021. The campaign understands that this could be a big issue for swing voters, and the Biden team is making that a central part of its messaging. For example, what could Trump say if he is asked about pardoning those who attacked Congress that day?

The Times reports that one idea discussed was to frame President Joe Biden as a different kind of threat (something the former president has said before), with a focus on the migration crisis at the border, censorship of free speech, and the prosecutions of Trump, now a convicted felon after being found guilty of 34 counts of falsifying business records in a Manhattan court.

Trump aides involved in the debate prep included Jason Miller, top advisers, Susie Wiles and Chris LaCivita; communications director Steven Cheung; and policy advisers Ross Worthington and Vince Haley.

Logan Paul interview: Trump calls 6’9 Barron a ‘good looking guy’ and shares details on his athletic career

Friday 14 June 2024 20:15 , Oliver O’Connell

Donald Trump bragged about 6’9 son Barron’s impressive height and described him as a “beautiful boy” as he sat down with YouTube influencer and part-time WWE wrestler Logan Paul on his Impaulsive podcast.

While Trump can be equally vicious to rivals and Republicans who cross him, he is frequently complimentary of his children — sometimes too complimentary — and lauded Barron’s athleticism in the interview.

“I couldn’t get him to play basketball. He plays soccer,” Trump told Paul. “He’s a good athlete too. Good student, good athlete.”

Graig Graziosi has the story:

Trump calls son Barron a ‘good looking guy’ during Logan Paul podcast

DoJ won’t prosecute AG Garland for contempt of Congress

Friday 14 June 2024 19:58 , Oliver O’Connell

The Department of Justice won’t prosecute Attorney General Merrick Garland for contempt of Congress, saying his refusal to provide a congressional committee with audio of Joe Biden’s interview in the classified documents investigation was not a crime.

In a letter to House Speaker Mike Johnson, Assistant Attorney General Carlos Felipe Uriarte cited the department’s longstanding policy not to prosecute for contempt of Congress officials who don’t comply with subpoenas because of a president’s claim of executive privilege.

The House voted on Wednesday to hold Garland in contempt of Congress for refusing to turn over the audio recordings of Biden’s interview with special counsel Robert Hur. The White House accused Republicans of wanting the audio only so they could chop them up and edit them for political purposes.

On the last day to comply with the Republicans’ subpoena for the audio, the White House blocked the release by invoking executive privilege.

The 216-207 vote fell along party lines, with Republicans coalescing behind the contempt effort despite reservations among some of the party’s more centrist members. Only one Republican, Rep David Joyce of Ohio, voted against it.

With reporting by the Associated Press

Larry Hogan couldn’t care less about Trump endorsement

Friday 14 June 2024 19:45 , Oliver O’Connell

Donald Trump endorsed current Senate candidate Larry Hogan this week — but that doesn’t mean the former Maryland governor will be retuning the favor.

The former president endorsed Hogan for the Maryland Senate on Thursday, saying, “We have to straighten out our country. So, I’d like to see him when he’s somebody that can win…And I would like to see him win.” Trump continued, “I think he has a good chance to win. I would like to see him win. And we’ve got to take the [Senate] majority.”

Kelly Rissman reports:

Maryland GOP Senate nominee could care less about Donald Trump’s endorsement

Watch: Morning Joe rips New York Post for pushing disinformation on Biden

Friday 14 June 2024 19:15 , Oliver O’Connell

Mike Tyson says Trump was treated like a Black person in court

Friday 14 June 2024 18:45 , Oliver O’Connell

Andrew Feinberg writes:

Former world heavyweight boxing champion turned convicted rapist Mike Tyson is defending former President Donald Trump by suggesting that the ex-president’s experience with the legal system is akin to how Black people are treated in America.

The ex-professional fighter known as Iron Mike made the head-turning comments in an interview with Semafor for a story examining the coterie of Black celebrities from the 1980s and 1990s who have long traveled in the felonious ex-president’s social circle and are supporting him as he looks to return to the White House following this year’s presidential election.

Trump himself has drawn criticism from some Black politicians and leaders by suggesting that his status as a convicted felon would endear him to Black Americans.

Continue reading…

Mike Tyson says Donald Trump was treated like a black person in court

Trump daughters-in-law wish him happy birthday

Friday 14 June 2024 18:30 , Oliver O’Connell

Both of Donald Trump’s daughters-in-law have also taken to social media to wish the former president a happy birthday.

Kimberly Guilfoyle, the fiancé of Donald Trump Jr, posted that she hoped he would “continue to inspire millions of Americans”.

Lara Trump, RNC co-chair, and wife of Eric Trump, reposted happy birthday wishes from other accounts to her Instagram story, adding her own message. One image was of a young Trump on top of his eponymous tower in Midtown Manhattan in the early 1980s.

Trump claims Nancy Pelosi’s daughter said the two would be ‘perfect together’

Friday 14 June 2024 18:15 , Oliver O’Connell

Funnily enough, the Pelosi family deny this bizarre flight of fancy that emerged from the House Republican meeting on Thursday.

Kelly Rissman has the story:

Trump claims Nancy Pelosi’s daughter said the two would be ‘perfect together’

Ivanka Trump wishes her father happy birthday

Friday 14 June 2024 17:56 , Oliver O’Connell

ICYMI: Trump sits down with Logan Paul to talk Putin, 2024 election and border

Friday 14 June 2024 17:45 , Oliver O’Connell

Alex Woodward writes:

Donald Trump continued his internet clout-chasing campaign for the presidency with an appearance on Logan Paul’s podcast, where he raised baseless claims about the 2020 presidential election and his felony convictions, said he will end Russia’s war in Ukraine, and repeated his campaign rally promises on immigration.

The social media influencer and professional wrestler, whose IMPAULSIVE podcast draws millions of listeners, also asked the convicted former president about aliens, Drake and Kendrick Lamar, Elon Musk, artificial intelligence, chicken nuggets and cereal.

Read on…

Trump talks Russia, election and the border on Logan Paul’s podcast

Biden wishes Trump a happy birthday: ‘Age is just a number’

Friday 14 June 2024 17:36 , Oliver O’Connell

President Joe Biden has wished former president Donald Trump a happy 78th birthday, saying: “Take it from one old guy to another: Age is just a number.”

He adds: “This election, however, is a choice.”

An accompanying video shows the stark contrast between the two candidates in this November’s presidential election.

Watch below:

Bankrupt Giuliani has one less thing to worry about after Hunter Biden drops lawsuit

Friday 14 June 2024 17:15 , Oliver O’Connell

Hunter Biden is dropping his lawsuit against Rudy Giuliani and his former attorney over his so-called “laptop from hell.”

Last year, Hunter sued Giuliani and his former attorney Robert Costello for alleged violations of computer fraud and data access over the notorious laptop left at a Delaware computer repair shop. The president’s son claimed that Giuliani, Costello and other unnamed people are “among those who have been primarily responsible for what has been described as the ‘total annihilation’ of Plaintiff’s digital privacy.”

The first son accused them of violating computer fraud and data access laws.

Katie Hawkinson reports:

Bankrupt Rudy has one less thing to worry about after Hunter Biden drops his lawsuit

DNC to put up billboards of Trump’s Milwaukee comment across city

Friday 14 June 2024 16:45 , Oliver O’Connell

The Democratic National Committee is putting up billboards in 10 locations across Milwaukee featuring former president Donald Trump’s reported slating of the city that will host the Republican National Convention next month.

During a meeting with House Republicans on Thursday, Trump reportedly called Milwaukee, Wisconsin a “horrible city”.

Republicans scrambled to defend the former president, first denying he said it, then giving different explanations about the context before Trump spokesperson Steven Cheung wrote that he had been referring to crime and voter fraud.

Nevertheless, the damage was done and the comment spread like wildfire with the Democrats seizing on it, given the importance of Wisconsin in the upcoming election.

DNC Spokesperson Addy Toevs said in a statement: “Donald Trump has made his contempt for Wisconsinites and their home clear. Just yesterday, he called Milwaukee – which will host the RNC in July – a ‘horrible city.’ The dislike is mutual – in 2020, Wisconsin handed Trump a one way ticket back to exile in Mar-a-Lago and sent President Biden to the Oval Office. In November, they’ll do it again.

“Thanks to President Biden, Wisconsinites are seeing job creation, higher wages, and lower costs on things like prescription drugs and health care. That’s in sharp contrast to Trump, who cost Wisconsin more than 80,000 jobs during his term, incentivized companies to ship jobs overseas, and rolled back worker protections. Trump hates Milwaukee because Milwaukeeans know exactly who he is – a sore loser who they’re going to make a two-time loser this November.”

Here’s Alex Lang’s report on the remarks from yesterday:

Donald Trump blasts RNC host Milwaukee as a ‘horrible city’

Buildings, golf courses, steaks… oceans?

Friday 14 June 2024 16:25 , Oliver O’Connell

A proposed bill from a House Republican would rename coastal waters around the US after former president Donald Trump, whose administration rolled back dozens of environmental rules while he was in office.

Legislation from Florida Representative Greg Steube would rename the US Exclusive Economic Zone to the “Donald John Trump Exclusive Economic Zone of the United States.”

That area spans roughly 4.3 million nautical miles and “extends no more than 200 nautical miles from the territorial sea baseline and is adjacent to the 12 nautical mile territorial sea of the US” and its territories, according to the National Ocean Service.

Alex Woodward has the story:

Republicans now want to rename the oceans after Donald Trump

Supreme Court strikes down Trump-era ban on ‘bump stocks’

Friday 14 June 2024 16:05 , Oliver O’Connell

The Supreme Court said a ban on bump stocks — devices that can be added to semi-automatic firearms to make them fire faster — was unconstitutional, striking down a Trump-era law that was put into place after the deadliest mass shooting in U.S. history.

In a 6-3 ruling issued on Friday, Justice Clarence Thomas wrote for the majority that the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) incorrectly ruled that a bump stock turns a semiautomatic rifle into a machine gun.

Ariana Baio has been following the case:

Supreme Court overturns ‘bump stock’ ban, allowing guns to fire faster

Watch: Jeffries slams GOP colleagues for meeting with ‘insurrectionist-in-chief’

Friday 14 June 2024 15:55 , Oliver O’Connell

Trump holding birthday rally for hardcore fans – but they have to pay to attend

Friday 14 June 2024 15:45 , Oliver O’Connell

Here’s a little more on Trump’s Florida fan club forking over as much as $60 today to watch the man wasting his birthday by ranting about “rigged” trials, electric boat batteries and Joe Biden when he could be doing his weird little dance to the Village People and scoffing cake.

Trump holding birthday rally for hardcore fans – but they have to pay to attend

Did Don Jr just break the law by meeting with Viktor Orban?

Friday 14 June 2024 15:15 , Oliver O’Connell

Experts say the former president’s son may have violated the Logan Act during his visit to Budapest this week, Katie Hawkinson reports.

EXCLUSIVE: Did Donald Trump Jr just break the law by meeting with Viktor Orban?

Watch: Trump ‘startled’ CEOs with meandering remarks at DC meeting

Friday 14 June 2024 14:45 , Oliver O’Connell

Donald Trump spoke at a meeting of major CEOs as part of his return to Washington, DC on Thursday as the assumed Republican candidate for president.

CNBC’s Andrew Ross Sorkin reports that his remarks didn’t exactly hit home with the business leaders…

Democrat revives Rudy Giuliani’s drag act with Trump in Congress

Friday 14 June 2024 14:30 , Joe Sommerlad

California representative Robert Garcia deserves a huge round of applause as he used Pride month to speak up for trans rights yesterday, delivering a brief history of cross-dressing in America and resurrecting a certain clip of “America’s mayor” to make his point.

Ingraham hails the ‘Age of Trump’

Friday 14 June 2024 14:00 , Joe Sommerlad

It’s definitely not a cult though, right guys? We’re still feeling good about that?

Also on Fox, here’s Trump surrogate Doug Burgum claiming that his hero’s alleged passion for customer service is what makes him a great leader. Merciful heavens…

All of which makes it a fine time to drop Eric Garcia’s latest on Republican grovelling and why the party can no longer seperate itself from Trump, even if wanted to.

Republicans can’t separate themselves from Trump now — even if they want to

JD Vance liked series of anti-Trump tweets in 2016 and 2017

Friday 14 June 2024 13:30 , Joe Sommerlad

The Ohio senator, long thought to be a front-runner to be Trump’s next running mate, reportedly liked a series of Twitter posts eight years ago accusing the Republican candidate of “serial sexual assault” and calling him “one of USA’s most hated, villainous, douchey celebs,” according to CNN.

He also liked tweets attacking Trump over his response to deadly violence at the ”Unite the Right” rally in Charlottesville and tipping Vance himself for a post in a future Hillary Clinton cabinet.

Old deleted tweets by the Hillbilly Elegy author, which were previously reported, included one in which he wondered whether Trump was “America’s Hitler”.

Vance recently spoke up for Trump outside his hush money trial in New York and helped organise his recent $12m donation event in San Francisco from cryptocurrency entrepreneurs, so has clearly been on quite a journey, something he himself has openly acknowledged in interviews.

He responded to CNN in a statement yesterday by saying: “I’m proud to be one of his strongest supporters in the Senate today and I’m going to do everything in my power to ensure President Trump wins in November – the survival of America depends on it.”

Behold the front page!

Friday 14 June 2024 13:15 , Joe Sommerlad

Trump humiliates Marjorie Taylor Greene by telling her to ‘be nice’ to speaker

Friday 14 June 2024 13:00 , Joe Sommerlad

The Republican tried to quell divisions within the House GOP conference on Thursday during his huddle with his representatives and senators.

But he did so in a very Trumpian way — by publicly humiliating one of his own allies, Georgia congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene.

The ex-president was reported by Politico’s Olivia Beavers to have singled out the outspoken conservative gadfly during his remarks to Republicans in the lower chamber.

Pointing to Mike Johnson, the speaker of the House who recently survived an effort led by Greene to remove him, Trump called out Greene: “Hello Marjorie… are you being nice to him?”

John Bowden has more.

Trump humiliates Marjorie Taylor Greene by telling her to ‘be nice’ to Speaker

Trump claims Pelosi’s daughter said they would be ‘perfect together’

Friday 14 June 2024 12:30 , Joe Sommerlad

Possibly even weirder than Trump’s Milwaukee remark yesterday was his claim to his fellow Republicans that one of former Democratic House speaker Nancy Pelosi’s daughters once told him the two would be “perfect together” – a comment that drew the immediate ire of her family.

“Nancy Pelosi’s daughter is a wacko,” Trump allegedly said on Capitol Hill. “Her daughter told me if things were different Nancy and I would be perfect together. There’s an age difference though.”

The former speaker is just seven years older than Trump, who happens to be 24 years older than his wife Melania.

Incensed by this, Pelosi’s daughter, Christine Pelosi, immediately jumped on the claim, tweeting: “Speaking for all 4 Pelosi daughters – this is a LIE. His deceitful, deranged obsession with our mother is yet another reason Donald Trump is unwell, unhinged and unfit to step foot anywhere near her – or the White House.”

Nancy Pelosi could not resist appearing on MSNBC last night with Lawrence O’Donnell to shoot down the story herself.

Kelly Rissman reports.

Trump claims Nancy Pelosi’s daughter said the two would be ‘perfect together’

Trump weighs in on Drake vs Kendrick beef

Friday 14 June 2024 12:00 , Joe Sommerlad

And finally, here’s Tom Murray on Trump’s true passion: celebrity gossip.

Trump weighs in on Drake vs Kendrick beef in Logan Paul podcast interview

Trump praises AI written speeches and jokes about getting rid of his speechwriters

Friday 14 June 2024 11:30 , Joe Sommerlad

Mike Bedigan has this on what Trump had to say about the potential of artificial intelligence to help him phone-in his public addresses even further.

Trump praises AI written speeches and jokes about getting rid of his speechwriters

Trump gives surprising answer on existence of UFOs

Friday 14 June 2024 11:00 , Joe Sommerlad

Let’s take a closer look at some of the key exchanges from this Frost/Nixon for the energy drink generation.

First up, here’s Josh Marcus on El Presidente’s views on the existence of aliens.

I want to believe: Trump gives surprising answer on the existence of UFOs

Trump talks Russia, election and the border on Logan Paul’s podcast

Friday 14 June 2024 10:30 , Joe Sommerlad

The former president’s interview with social media celebrity Logan Paul for his Impaulsive podcast also dropped yesterday.

The episode began with questions about Trump’s felony convictions and why he is running again – allowing him to reel off many of his familiar diatribe of falsehoods from his rallies – before moving on to a wide variety of topics, from aliens to Drake and Kendrick Lamar and on to Elon Musk, artificial intelligence, chicken nuggets and cereal.

Here’s an overview from Alex Woodward.

Trump talks Russia, election and the border on Logan Paul’s podcast

Trump sparks fury with ‘horrible’ Milwaukee comment

Friday 14 June 2024 10:00 , Joe Sommerlad

During his meeting with House representatives, Trump sparked fury by reportedly calling the city of Milwaukee “horrible” a month before it hosts the Republican National Convention.

Speaker Mike Johnson was out quickly on Fox to deny that any such thing was said but he appeared not to have got the memo…

Among the angry backlash was this from US vice president Kamala Harris and the following superb line from Wisconsin Democratic congresswoman Gwen Moore.

Here’s more from Alex Lang.

Donald Trump blasts RNC host Milwaukee as a ‘horrible city’

Republicans reveal what Trump said during his closed-door DC meeting

Friday 14 June 2024 09:30 , Joe Sommerlad

Trump was back in Washington DC on Thursday to meet with the House and Senate GOP, who presented him with a cake featuring 47 candles in tribute to his hopes of becoming America’s 47th president.

It was his first time time back on Capitol Hill since January 6 2021, a fact not acknowledged by either the man himself or his Republican allies, who were heckled as “bootlickers” and advised not to “drink the Kool-Aid” by protesters.

But Bennie Thompson, who served as the chairman of the House select committee that investigated the Capitol riot, put out a statement that said Trump “still presents the same dire threat to our democracy that he did three years ago — and he’d be wise to head back to Mar-a-Lago and await his sentencing.”

Here’s Eric Garcia and Katie Hawkinson on what those present said Trump talked to them about, from abortion and immigration to the war in Ukraine and the US economy.

Republicans reveal what Trump said during his closed-door DC meeting with them

Trump celebrates 78th birthday with fee-paying fan club members

Friday 14 June 2024 09:17 , Joe Sommerlad

Donald Trump turns 78 today and will reportedly celebrate his birthday in the company of his “Club 47 USA” fan organisation in West Palm Beach, Florida, with the guests paying between $35 and $60 for the pleasure of paying court to the presidential candidate.

Turning a year older will not help Trump’s argument that it is he that is young at heart and mentally vigorous and Joe Biden who is too senile or cognitively impaired for the White House at 81.

Here’s Jesse Watters on Fox News attempting to pre-empt the argument by insisting that Trump’s recent ravings about electric boats and sharks are really just “common sense” being unfairly spun by the media.

And, for balance, here are Michael Cohen’s sweary thoughts on the same incident.

If you missed that wild anecdote from his recent Las Vegas rally, here’s my report on the response it got.

Stephen King compares Trump to a ‘senile uncle’ over weird shark rant

ICYMI: Having survived the McCarthy revenge tour, Nancy Mace must now deal with Trump

Friday 14 June 2024 08:30 , Oliver O’Connell

South Carolina Rep Nancy Mace is once again the victory of a Republican primary election against an opponent backed by a prominent foe.

The congresswoman won the Republican primary in South Carolina’s 1st congressional district over challengers Catherine Templeton and William Young; as votes came in, Mace pulled to an early lead and was declared the victor early on Tuesday evening.

Her victory comes after former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy targeted her as one of the eight Republicans responsible for kicking him out of the speaker’s chair last fall.

John Bowden was following the race:

Nancy Mace survived Kevin McCarthy’s ‘revenge tour’. Now she has to deal with Trump

Trump’s MAGA allies forced to face jeering protesters

Friday 14 June 2024 06:30 , Oliver O’Connell

Donald Trump’s closest congressional allies were forced to walk through protesters while they marched to meet with the former president during his first visit to the Capitol since a mob of his supporters stormed the halls of Congress on January 6.

Republican Reps. Lauren Boebert, Matt Gaetz, Marjorie Taylor Greene and Jim Jordan passed through protesters blasting them for their “failed coup” to reverse Trump’s loss in the 2020 election.

Others shouted out “bootlicker” and “don’t drink the Kool-Aid.”

Another protester in a bear costume held up a sign reading “bigger tax breaks, bigger profit.”

Alex Woodward reports on the scene:

Trump’s MAGA allies forced to face heckling protesters before meeting ex-president

What did Trump discuss with GOP House members?

Friday 14 June 2024 04:30 , Oliver O’Connell

Eric Garcia and Katie Hawkinson report:

Donald Trump met with House Republicans on Thursday, marking his first visit to the Hill since before the January 6, 2021 Capitol riots.

The former president met with members of his party behind closed doors, just weeks ahead of the Republican National Convention — where Trump will be named the party’s presidential nominee — and five months ahead of the 2024 election.

Dueling protesters heckled Republicans as they filed into the Capitol Hill Club, where Republicans often hold their meetings.

Read more…

Republicans reveal what Trump said during his closed-door DC meeting with them

Trump makes bizarre claim Nancy Pelosi’s daughter said the two would be ‘perfect together’

Friday 14 June 2024 02:30 , Oliver O’Connell

Republican presidential frontrunner Donald Trump told his party’s members that Democrat Nancy Pelosi ‘sdughter said the two would be “perfect together” – a comment that drew the immediate ire of her family.

“Nancy Pelosi’s daughter is a whacko,” Trump allegedly said on Capitol Hill on Thursday while speaking to House Republicans. “Her daughter told me if things were different Nancy and I would be perfect together.”

Kelly Rissman has the story:

Trump claims Nancy Pelosi’s daughter said the two would be ‘perfect together’

‘Trump too small’ can’t be trademarked, Supreme Court rules

Friday 14 June 2024 01:30 , Oliver O’Connell

A man’s attempt to trademark the phrase “TRUMP TOO SMALL” has run its course after the Supreme Court ruled that the law protecting individuals from having their name trademarked without their consent does not violate the First Amendment.

In a unanimous decision on Thursday, Justice Clarence Thomas said the law restricting the trademarking of names reflects the, “historic rationale of identifying the source of goods” to ensure “customers know the source of a product”.

“A party has no First Amendment right to piggyback off the goodwill another entity has built in its name,” Justice Thomas added.

Ariana Baio reports on the court’s decision:

Hands off: ‘Trump too small’ can’t be trademarked, Supreme Court rules

Kamala Harris joins the Milwaukee discourse

Friday 14 June 2024 01:00 , Oliver O’Connell

ICYMI: Jimmy Kimmel compares Trump to Hunter Biden

Friday 14 June 2024 00:30 , Oliver O’Connell

Late-night host Jimmy Kimmel drew a comparison between Donald Trump and Hunter Biden after the former president admitted he owned a gun.

Trump made the confession during his pre-sentencing probation interview on Monday, a required step after he was found guilty of 34 counts of falsifying business records in the hush money trial in New York City on May 31. The first-ever convicted former president had three firearms, two of which were handed to NYPD last March while a third weapon was “lawfully moved to Florida,” CNN reported.

Speaking about the weapon, Kimmel said on his Wednesday show: “That could be a violation of his parole and could be another potential felony.” He then joked: “Who does this guy think he is, Hunter Biden?”

Kelly Rissman has the story:

Jimmy Kimmel compares Trump to Hunter Biden in latest late-night rant

Liz Cheney reacts to Trump and McConnell making peace

Friday 14 June 2024 00:00 , Oliver O’Connell

Former Republican Rep Liz Cheney took to X to share her thoughts on Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and former president Donald Trump making peace having not spoken since December 2020 — prior event to the January 6 attack on the US Capitol.

She wrote: “Mitch McConnell knows Trump provoked the violent attack on our Capitol and then ‘watched television happily’ as his mob brutally beat police officers and hunted the Vice President.

“He knows Trump refused for hours to tell his mob to leave and ‘even then with police officers bleeding…he kept repeating his election lies and praising the criminals.’

“He knows Trump committed a ‘disgraceful dereliction of duty’ and is a danger to our Republic. Trump and his collaborators will be defeated, and history will remember the shame of people like @LeaderMcConnell who enabled them.”

Cheney was one of two Republicans — alongside Adam Kinzinger — who joined the House select committee that investigated the event of January 6.

Trump gives surprising answer on the existence of UFOs

Thursday 13 June 2024 23:45 , Oliver O’Connell

Josh Marcus reports:

Donald Trump has revealed whether he believes in UFOs during an interview with social media personality Logan Paul released on Thursday.

While the former president said he doesn’t personally believe in UFOs, he acknowledged the growing contingent of people in- and outside of government who believe aliens exist might have a point.

Trump described meeting with military pilots who had strange encounters with unidentified anomalous phenomena, as the government refers to them.

Read the full story…

I want to believe: Trump gives surprising answer on the existence of UFOs

Trump ‘ready to burn it all down’ as he returns to Capitol Hill, Biden campaign says

Thursday 13 June 2024 23:30 , Oliver O’Connell

As Donald Trump returns to the place where a riotous mob of his supporters tried to block certification of his 2020 election loss, President Joe Biden’s re-election campaign is reminding voters of the ex-president’s willingness to embrace violence for political ends in a new advertisement.

The 30-second television spot, called Burn, opens with scenes of the January 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol and a narrator stating that Trump “lit a fire in this country” that day before recalling how the riot left 140 police officers with injuries.

Andrew Feinberg reports:

Biden campaign says Trump ‘ready to burn it all down’ as he returns to Capitol Hill

Logan Paul interview: Trump asked about upcoming debate on CNN

Thursday 13 June 2024 23:06 , Oliver O’Connell

Donald Trump was asked about his upcoming presidential debate on CNN against Joe Biden.

Trump: When they gave me the option, they said, would you do it and they didn’t want to do it. He didn’t want to do it. So they gave me everything. Fake Tapper.

And lots of other people that were going to, you know, were involved on CNN, they wanted to be seated, which I didn’t like I said we should stand and I think we won that point. But I would have agreed to whatever I had to agree to because they didn’t want to do it. They thought that I wouldn’t do it because it’s CNN but I’ve done plenty of CNN, I did a town hall. Not so long ago was CNN that worked out well. But I think there’ll be fair, I think they’re going to try and be fair.

I mean, it’s fair as they can be. But I think it’s important for there to be a debate. So they said you want to debate Yep, I’ll accept. You don’t even have to tell me that. They said CNN, they said, the different people that are involved, but it let’s see what happens. I used to get along with Jake Tapper. We’ll see what happens. But it doesn’t matter. Whatever it is it is…

[After saying there was a 10 per cent chance CNN would be fair, he continued…]

No, they’re fake news? No, they’re so bad. One of the good terms, right, fake news, but no, I don’t think so. I thought maybe, you know, I had one with Kaitlan Collins, about four or five months ago. It was one of the highest rated shows they’ve ever had. And I really thought they were gonna go maybe sort of in the middle. But I was wrong about, I as I’m getting on and I’m hearing the way I’m being announced they said they these people are playing hardball. They’re making a big mistake, but with the ratings for this debate, I guess will be quite, quite good.

The debate is set for June 27.

A source close to Paul’s team told The Independent that it was Trump’s camp who reached out to them asking for an interview. The podcast team has also reached out to President Biden’s people with an offer to come on the show as a guest so that they can provide their audience with both sides.

Furious Trump told Speaker Johnson ‘we have to overturn this’ in F-bomb tirade after conviction

Thursday 13 June 2024 23:00 , Oliver O’Connell

Donald Trump was so angry when the guilty verdict was read aloud at his New York hush money trial last month that he was heard afterwards subjecting Mike Johnson, the Republican speaker of the House of Representatives, to a foul-mouthed rant by phone, according to a new report.

Politico’s Playbook newsletter recounts that the GOP presidential contender was overheard “dropping frequent F-bombs” in his call with Johnson on May 30 as he told the speaker: “We have to overturn this.”

Joe Sommerlad has the story:

Furious Trump told Speaker Johnson ‘we have to overturn this’ after conviction

Exclusive: Did Donald Trump Jr just break the law during his meeting with Hungarian leader Viktor Orban?

Thursday 13 June 2024 22:40 , Oliver O’Connell

Katie Hawkinson writes:

Donald Trump Jr, four months after being hit with a $4 million fine and a ban on serving as an officer of a New York company for two years, is seeking opportunities elsewhere — namely, Hungary.

The former president’s eldest child arrived in Budapest on Thursday morning on an invitation from the Budapest Chamber of Commerce and Industry. There, he met with Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and gave a talk entitled “The World According to Donald Trump Jr.,” an event first reported by Hungarian journalist Szabolcs Panyi.

Trump Jr’s visit focused on discussions about “the future of Hungarian-American relations, the ongoing Russian-Ukrainian war, and opportunities for peace creation,” according to Zoltan Kovacs, spokesperson for Orbán’s office.

Multiple legal experts say foreign policy discussions between Trump Jr — who is not employed by the US government — and a foreign prime minister raise questions about the Logan Act, which prohibits unauthorized diplomatic activity in certain circumstances.

Read on…

EXCLUSIVE: Did Donald Trump Jr just break the law by meeting with Viktor Orban?

Trump endorses Larry Horgan for Senate

Thursday 13 June 2024 22:23 , Oliver O’Connell

Donald Trump told Fox News congressional correspondent Aishah Hasnie that he is endorsing Governor Larry Hogan of Maryland for the Senate.

The news is slightly surprising given Hogan’s comments that people should “respect the verdict” in the NY hush money trial and allies of the former president signaled that there would be an impending assault on his candidacy.

Hogan has never been an ally of Donald Trump. He supported both impeachment inquiries into the ex-president, distinguishing himself as a member of a small minority of his party’s elected officials. The ex-governor also issued a scathing condemnation of the Republican then-president after January 6, during which he sent Maryland police to aid law enforcement at the US Capitol.

Nevertheless, Trump said today: “I’d like to see him win. I think he has a good chance to win… I know other people made some strong statements, but I can just say from my standpoint, I’m about the party and I’m about the country. And I would like to see him win.”

Perhaps what is most confusing is that Hogan has previously said he will not vote for Trump and has reaffirmed that an endorsement from the former president is a gift to his Democrat rival Angela Alsobrooks.

Republicans can’t separate themselves from Trump now — even if they want to

Thursday 13 June 2024 21:50 , Oliver O’Connell

Eric Garcia writes:

Marc Molinaro is the exact type of Republican who should be trying to distance himself from Donald Trump. The Cook Political Report rates his race as a toss-up, and his district — New York’s 19th — voted for President Joe Biden in 2020.

Under typical circumstances, endangered incumbents hope to create some distance from a nominee who may drag them down. Joe Manchin, the now-retiring independent senator who won in coal-friendly West Virginia, famously shot an Obama-era climate bill with a rifle despite being a Democrat. And before she put herself in the running to be Trump’s running mate, Representative Elise Stefanik voted against the Trump tax cuts.

Yet Molinaro, a freshman Republican, joined his colleagues in heading over to the Capitol Hill Club on Wednesday morning to hear the former president rally the troops.

Read on…

Republicans can’t separate themselves from Trump now — even if they want to

Watch: Logan Paul releases teaser of interview with Trump

Thursday 13 June 2024 21:37 , Oliver O’Connell

After surviving Kevin McCarthy’s ‘revenge tour’, Nancy Mace now has to deal with Trump

Thursday 13 June 2024 21:30 , Oliver O’Connell

South Carolina Rep Nancy Mace is once again the victory of a Republican primary election against an opponent backed by a prominent foe.

The congresswoman won the Republican primary in South Carolina’s 1st congressional district over challengers Catherine Templeton and William Young; as votes came in, Mace pulled to an early lead and was declared the victor early on Tuesday evening.

Her victory comes after former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy targeted her as one of the eight Republicans responsible for kicking him out of the speaker’s chair last fall.

John Bowden reports:

Nancy Mace survived Kevin McCarthy’s ‘revenge tour’. Now she has to deal with Trump

‘This is what we’re reduced to’: Trump gives mugshot T-shirt to Logan Paul

Thursday 13 June 2024 21:00 , Oliver O’Connell

Donald Trump has promoted his upcoming interview with Logan Paul on his Impaulsive podcast by appearing in a video in which he presents the host with a pair of MAGA caps and two T-shirts bearing the infamous mugshot from his arraignment in Fulton County, Georgia, last summer.

Joe Sommerlad reports:

Trump gives mugshot T-shirt to Logan Paul: ‘This is what we’re reduced to’

Watch: GOP rep changes tack on reaction to Trump remark

Thursday 13 June 2024 20:45 , Oliver O’Connell

Trump humiliates Marjorie Taylor Greene, telling her to ‘be nice’ to Speaker Johnson

Thursday 13 June 2024 20:30 , Oliver O’Connell

John Bowden reports from Washington, DC:

Donald Trump tried to quell divisions within the House Republican conference on Thursday when he stopped by Washington DC to attend meetings with the full House and Senate Republican caucuses.

But he did so in a very Trumpian way — by publicly humiliating one of his own allies, Georgia Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene.

Continue reading…

Trump humiliates Marjorie Taylor Greene by telling her to ‘be nice’ to Speaker

In pictures: Trump meets with Senate Republicans

Thursday 13 June 2024 20:23 , Oliver O’Connell

Biden and Milwaukee mayor join in reaction to Trump ‘horrible’ comment

Thursday 13 June 2024 20:15 , Oliver O’Connell

President Joe Biden gave his two cents response to Donald Trump’s remark that Milwaukee was “horrible”, posting: “I happen to love Milwaukee” along with a picture of him and the Milwaukee Bucks who won the NBA championship in 2021.

Meanwhile, Mayor Cavalier Johnson retorted: “All of us lived through his presidency, so right back at ya, buddy.”

Watch: Murkowski skipped Trump meeting, not happy with either candidate

Thursday 13 June 2024 20:10 , Oliver O’Connell

Jimmy Kimmel compares Trump to Hunter Biden

Thursday 13 June 2024 20:06 , Oliver O’Connell

Late-night host Jimmy Kimmel drew a comparison between Donald Trump and Hunter Biden after the former president admitted he owned a gun.

Trump made the confession during his pre-sentencing probation interview on Monday, a required step after he was found guilty of 34 counts of falsifying business records in the hush money trial in New York City on May 31. The first-ever convicted former president had three firearms, two of which were handed to NYPD last March while a third weapon was “lawfully moved to Florida,” CNN reported.

Speaking about the weapon, Kimmel said on his Wednesday show: “That could be a violation of his parole and could be another potential felony.” He then joked: “Who does this guy think he is, Hunter Biden?”

Kelly Rissman has the story:

Jimmy Kimmel compares Trump to Hunter Biden in latest late-night rant

Senate Republicans block legislation to protect IVF

Thursday 13 June 2024 19:59 , Oliver O’Connell

Senate Republicans have blocked a bill to protect in vitro fertilization (IVF).

The Right to IVF Act, championed by a group of Democrats, will not be voted on by the US Senate as nearly every GOP member voted to block cloture — that is, an end to debate — on the legislation.

“It’s a very sad day for millions of Americans who want to become parents but struggle with infertility,” Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said after the vote. “Today, nearly every Republican just blocked a bill that would’ve protected peoples’ access to IVF.”

Katie Hawkinson and Eric Garcia report from Capitol Hill:

Senate Republicans block legislation to protect IVF

McConnell greets Trump

Thursday 13 June 2024 19:55 , Oliver O’Connell

Donald Trump and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell spoke for the first time today since December 2020 at the former president’s meeting with Republican lawmakers.

House Judiciary Committee holds hearing on Trump hush money case

Thursday 13 June 2024 19:43 , Oliver O’Connell

The Republican-led House Judiciary Committee today held a hearing on Donald Trump’s hush money trial that began some 90 minutes late so that GOP members could attend the party meeting with the former president.

Just 45 minutes in, an extended recess was called because a motion to compel Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg was introduced, Rep Pramila Jayapal posted on X. She noted that Bragg is already scheduled to testify on July 12…

Rep Jerry Nadler accused Republicans of trying to rehabilitate 34-time convicted felon Trump with the hearing.

Rep Adam Schiff wasn’t going to let them get away with that.

Witness Norm Eisen, senior fellow in governance at the Brookings Institution, was asked by GOP Rep Chip Roy whether non-disclosure agreements like the one at the center of the Trump hush money case were illegal.

Eisen responded that when an NDA is used to facilitate an illegal campaign contribution over $127,000 in excess of the legal limits, then yes, they are.

Poll: Nearly half of US adults approve of Trump’s conviction

Thursday 13 June 2024 19:30 , Oliver O’Connell

Gustaf Kilander has the details:

Almost half of all American adults approve of the conviction of former President Donald Trump, an AP-NORC poll shows.

Trump became the first former US president to be convicted of felony charges after he was found guilty on 34 counts of falsifying business records in connection to a hush money payment to adult actor Stormy Daniels who alleged she had an affair with Trump in 2006. The payment was made shortly before the 2016 election in the wake of the Access Hollywood tape in which Trump bragged about sexually assaulting women.

Forty-eight percent approve of the conviction, according to the poll, while 29 percent disapprove and 21 percent say they have no opinion.

Read on…

Nearly half of US adults approve of Trump’s conviction, poll shows

Full story: Trump blasts RNC host Milwaukee as a ‘horrible city’ ahead of party’s gathering

Thursday 13 June 2024 19:15 , Oliver O’Connell

Donald Trump called Milwaukee a “horrible city” in front of top Republicans – despite the party holding its national convention there in the coming weeks.

On Thursday, Trump was in Washington, DC, to meet with Republican leaders. It is the former president’s first visit to the Hill since Jan. 6, when a mob stormed the Capitol to protest his losing the 2020 election.

At one point, Trump told the Republicans “Milwaukee, where we are having our convention, is a horrible city,” according to Jake Sherman of Punchbowl News.

Alex Lang has the story:

Donald Trump blasts RNC host Milwaukee as a ‘horrible city’

Watch: Trump asserts unity in Republican Party after meeting with lawmakers

Thursday 13 June 2024 19:04 , Oliver O’Connell

Trump campaign scrambles to react to Milwaukee remark

Thursday 13 June 2024 19:00 , Oliver O’Connell

The Trump campaign has scrambled to try and tamp down reaction to the former president calling Milwaukee “horrible” during a meeting with House Republicans — an especially awkward remark given the city will host this year’s GOP convention.

A statement emailed out by the campaign reads as follows:

FAKE NEWS: Debunking “Milwaukee” Hoax

In a desperate attempt to get likes, Fake News Jake Sherman—who wasn’t even in the room—falsely claimed that President Trump called Milwaukee a “horrible city.” It’s a total lie.

President Trump was explicitly referring to the problems in Milwaukee, specifically violent crime and voter fraud.

Multiple members of Congress—including members of Wisconsin’s own delegation—instantly debunked Fake Sherman’s false claim:

Rep. Bryan Steil (WI-01): “I was in the room. President Trump did not say this. There is no better place than Wisconsin in July.”

Rep. Glenn Grothman (WI-06): President Trump was “concerned about the election in Milwaukee” and “felt we need to do better in urban centers around the country.”

Rep. Tom Tiffany (WI-07): President Trump’s remarks were “in the context of election integrity … I think he lumps [election integrity and crime] together.”

Rep. Derrick Van Orden (WI-03): “@realDonaldTrump was specifically referring to … the CRIME RATE in Milwaukee.”

Rep. Jim Banks (IN-03): “I was in the meeting. President Trump never disparaged Milwaukee. Just another Democrat hoax.”

Aide to Rep. Scott Fitzgerald (WI-05): President Trump’s remarks “were about election integrity.”

‘Thanks!’

Thursday 13 June 2024 18:45 , Oliver O’Connell

The jury foreperson in Donald Trump’s hush money trial ended the verdict note to the judge, alerting the world that they had reached a decision in the first criminal case of a former US president but needed 20 minutes to fill out the forms, ended his request with a cheerful and polite: “Thanks!”

Republicans reveal what Trump talked about in his closed-door meeting at Capitol Hill

Thursday 13 June 2024 18:30 , Oliver O’Connell

Eric Garcia and Katie Hawkinson report for The Independent from Capitol Hill:

Donald Trump met with House Republicans on Thursday, marking his first visit to the Hill since before the January 6 2021 Capitol riots.

There, Trump is meeting with members of his party behind closed doors, just weeks ahead to the Republican National Convention — where Trump will be named the GOP presidential nominee — and just months ahead of the 2024 election.

Outside of the meeting dueling protesters heckled Republicans as they filed into the Capitol Hill Club, where Republicans often hold their meetings. Some protesters held signs calling Republicans “boot licker” and warned them “don’t drink the Kool-Aid.”

Continue reading…

Trump returns to Capitol Hill to “make majorities” for Republicans

‘Horrible’ Milwaukee remark argument continues

Thursday 13 June 2024 18:24 , Oliver O’Connell

The blowback from Donald Trump’s remark in which he reportedly referred to Republican convention host city Milwaukee as “horrible” continues.

Dan Shafer, a political columnist from Milwaukee, collected three different explanations for the comment from three different Wisconsin Republicans.

Jake Sherman of Punchbowl News, who first reported the former president’s remarks about the largest city in a state that the Republican Party likely needs to win in November, replied that their explanations proved Trump said it:

To which Trump campaign spokesperson Steven Cheung responded: “Wrong. Total bullshit. He never said it like how it’s been falsely characterized as. He was talking about how terrible crime and voter fraud are.”

That kind of makes those who first claimed he hadn’t said it at all look bad…

Click here to read the full blog on The Independent’s website