Trump and Biden gear up for head-to-head debate as Farage claims former president ‘learned a lot from me’: Live

Donald Trump and Joe Biden are preparing for their first prime-time televised presidential debate of 2024 later this week in what promises to be a pivotal moment for both campaigns.

The rivals will go head-to-head on CNN on Thursday evening, with the president taking time out at Camp David in Maryland to prepare.

Trump, meanwhile, has been back on the campaign trail, imploring conservative Christians at the Faith and Freedom Coalition conference in Washington DC to vote for him in an energetic and joke-filled speech over the weekend and telling a crowd in Philadelphia that his trademark rambling approach to public addresses is a sign of genius.

At the DC event, he bragged about having pitched a UFC league for migrants, claimed he has taken “more wounds” than any other president and reeled off his now-customary, if bizarre, stories about sharks, batteries and Hannibal Lecter.

Meanwhile, Nigel Farage, leader of the Reform UK party, has attempted to take credit for the Republican’s success.

“He’s learned quite a lot from me, I think it goes both ways,” Farage told ITV.

“He was watching my speeches in the European Parliament for many years… before he decided to run.”

Key Points

• Donald Trump and Joe Biden gear up for head-to-head debate

• Nigel Farage claims Trump ‘learned a lot from me’

• Trump mixes up Jan 6 riot ‘suspects’ with Russian spies in rambling speech at Christian faith conference

• Republican claims he suggested setting up a ‘migrant fighting league’ to UFC boss

• Trump says he has finally chosen a running mate (but it’s a secret)

Farage claims Trump ‘learned a lot from me’

09:30 , Joe Sommerlad

Nigel Farage, the toad-like leader of the Reform UK party, has attempted to take credit for the Republican’s success.

“He’s learned quite a lot from me, I think it goes both ways,” he told ITV.

“He was watching my speeches in the European Parliament for many years… before he decided to run.”

Here’s more from William Warnes.

Nigel Farage claims Donald Trump ‘learned quite a lot from me’

Trump and Biden gear up for head-to-head debate

09:09 , Joe Sommerlad

Donald Trump and Joe Biden are preparing for their first prime-time televised presidential debate of 2024 later this week in what promises to be a pivotal moment for both campaigns.

The rivals will go head-to-head on CNN on Thursday evening, with the president taking time out at Camp David in Maryland to prepare.

Trump, meanwhile, has been back on the campaign trail, imploring conservative Christians at the Faith and Freedom Coalition conference in Washington DC to vote for him in an energetic and joke-filled speech over the weekend and telling a crowd in Philadelphia that his trademark rambling approach to public addresses is a sign of genius (more on which shortly).

On Sunday, former White House physician turned Texas GOP congressman Ronny Jackson (whom Trump mistakenly called “Ronny Johnson” last week) was out on Fox News warning against Biden using medication to get him through the debate, another obvious attempt by the right to smear the president and get their excuses in early.

Here’s Oliver O’Connell on the “traps” Trump risks falling into on the debate stage.

These are the debate ‘traps’ Republicans fear Trump may fall into

Trump says he suggested setting up a UFC migrant fighting league

07:30 , Oliver O’Connell

“Actually, not the worst idea I’ve ever had,” Trump told an audience of conservative Christians.

Trump says he suggested setting up a migrant fighting league to UFC’s Dana White

Trump says he’s picked his vice-presidential running mate

05:30 , Oliver O’Connell

Donald Trump says he has chosen his running mate for November’s presidential election.

But he’s not giving anything away yet…

Trump says he’s picked his vice-presidential running mate

Analysis: Trump wants Republicans to ‘swamp’ early voting and mail-in ballots. But he can’t stop lying about elections

03:30 , Oliver O’Connell

Alex Woodward writes:

Former president Donald Trump wants you to vote early or cast a ballot by mail. He also thinks that mail-in voting is irreparably corrupt and should be banned.

His campaign and the Republican Party want to “promote the use of absentee and mail ballots and early in-person voting.”

They’re also suing states to block mail-in ballots, even in states where most people vote by mail.

Continue reading…

Trump wants Republicans to vote early. But he can’t stop lying about elections

Trump mixes up Jan 6 riot ‘suspects’ with Russian spies

01:30 , Oliver O’Connell

Giving his customary shout-outs to lawmakers in attendance at an event in Washington, DC on Saturday, Donald Trump gave a somewhat confused version of a story involving one of his allies in Congress.

Read on…

Trump mixes up Jan 6 riot ‘suspects’ with Russian spies in rambling speech

Accused adulterer Trump professes ‘love’ for the Ten Commandments

Monday 24 June 2024 00:30 , Oliver O’Connell

Donald Trump declared his “love” for the Ten Commandments and called for them to be displayed in schools and “many other places” in an all-caps, late-night post on his social media platform, Truth Social.

His post came after Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry signed legislation this week that requires the display of the Ten Commandments in every public classroom in the state, a move that will be challenged in court.

Martha McHardy reports.

Trump, an accused adulterer with Stormy Daniels, talks ‘love’ for Ten Commandments

Trump campaign walks back Trump promise of green cards for all foreign graduates

Sunday 23 June 2024 23:30 , Oliver O’Connell

Donald Trump’s campaign is walking back a promise from the former president that he would automatically give green cards to all overseas students studying in the US once they graduate after an outcry from conservative immigration groups.

Trump campaign walks back green cards for all foreign graduates plan

Evangelical Christians on why they’re still backing Trump

Sunday 23 June 2024 22:30 , Oliver O’Connell

Bel Trew reports from the Faith & Freedom Coalition’s annual conference in Washington, DC:

Wearing cowboy hats bejewelled with “Free Trump” broaches and waving American flags, evangelical Christians promised to vote for Donald Trump at a key gathering on Saturday, saying that, while he is not perfect, “he’ll do the right thing for America.”

Continue reading…

‘We’ve all broken the Ten Commandments’: The evangelicals still backing Trump

Veepstakes: It looks like it’s game over for Noem

Sunday 23 June 2024 22:00 , Oliver O’Connell

Kristi Noem, the South Dakota governor once believed favorite to join Donald Trump on the Republican Party ticket in November’s presidential election, may be officially out of the running.

Her chances appeared to be dashed after she published a memoir that included the story of how she once executed the family dog in a gravel pit.

Here’s what we found out today:

Kristi Noem appears to confirm she won’t be Trump’s running mate

Republicans fear Trump could fall into debate ‘traps’

Sunday 23 June 2024 21:30 , Oliver O’Connell

With just days to go before Donald Trump and Joe Biden face off in the first presidential debate, Republicans are concerned about the possibility of the former president walking into a trap in front of a national audience.

Read on…

These are the debate ‘traps’ Republicans fear Trump may fall into

Trump posts frenetic ‘no tax on tips’ TikTok

Sunday 23 June 2024 21:11 , Oliver O’Connell

Who is Donald Trump’s running mate?

Sunday 23 June 2024 21:00 , Oliver O’Connell

He’s keeping his cards close to his chest on that…

Trump says he’s picked his vice-presidential running mate

Watch: Warren warns of Trump’s possible second term agenda

Sunday 23 June 2024 20:45 , Oliver O’Connell

Karl Rove tells Fox News that Trump is falling in polls since his conviction

Sunday 23 June 2024 20:30 , Oliver O’Connell

Karl Rove says Donald Trump’s conviction in his New York hush money trial is indeed having an impact on polling.

Speaking on Fox News on Sunday, the veteran Republican strategist said that the numbers show voters are moving away from the former president now that he is a convicted felon.

Rove was asked about the latest polling by Paul Gigot, host of The Journal Editorial Report and the editorial page editor of The Wall Street Journal.

Continue reading…

Karl Rove tells Fox News that Trump is falling in polls since his conviction

Trump says he suggested setting up a UFC migrant fighting league

Sunday 23 June 2024 20:00 , Oliver O’Connell

“Actually, not the worst idea I’ve ever had,” Trump told a crowd of conservative Christians.

Trump says he suggested setting up a migrant fighting league to UFC’s Dana White

Trump mixes up Jan 6 riot ‘suspects’ with Russian spies in rambling speech

Sunday 23 June 2024 19:30 , Oliver O’Connell

Giving his customary shout-outs to lawmakers in attendance at an event in Washington, DC on Saturday, Donald Trump gave a somewhat confused version of a story involving one of his allies in Congress.

Read on…

Trump mixes up Jan 6 riot ‘suspects’ with Russian spies in rambling speech

Sunday 23 June 2024 19:00 , Oliver O’Connell

Trump claims he’s taken ‘more wounds’ than any other president

Donald Trump’s numerous celebrity obsessions over the years

Sunday 23 June 2024 18:30 , Oliver O’Connell

Celebrities hanging around with US presidents is not a new phenomenon — but when it comes to hating on fellow celebrities no one does it quite like former president Donald Trump.

Other presidents simply befriended celebs — Bill Clinton famously played his saxophone for Arsenio Hall and has been photographed with numerous A-listers, including Brad Pitt, Tom Cruise, and Charlize Theron, among others, both during and after his presidency.

Barack Obama’s inauguration was attended by Jay Z, Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs, and Magic Johnson, and former First Lady Michelle Obama’s 50th birthday party was held on Oprah Winfrey’s estate.

But Trump has been starting fights and insulting other famous people for years — here’s some who’ve caught his attention and wrath.

The good, the bad, the ‘unusually attractive’: Donald Trump’s celebrity obsessions

Feature: A Texas Democrat voted against rights for trans kids. This queer Black mom challenged her – and won

Sunday 23 June 2024 18:00 , Oliver O’Connell

Alex Woodward writes:

Lauren Ashley Simmons was heartbroken.

Simmons, a queer Black woman and labor organizer from Houston, watched her Democratic state representative break with her party and vote in favor of three Republican-led bills limiting rights for transgender teens and children. All of them became law.

Those laws supported by State Rep. Shawn Thierry “put a target on some families that are already extremely vulnerable and dealing with so much, living in a state like Texas,” Simmons tells The Independent.

“To know that this Democrat representative for a big blue district in a pretty blue city turned her back – that betrayed and hurt me,” she says. “But then knowing that people had to leave the state, it really sent me over the edge.”

So Simmons ran against her.

Continue reading…

A Texas Dem voted against trans kids. This queer Black mom challenged her and won

Watch: Eric Trump says father will ‘do awesome’ at Thursday’s debate

Sunday 23 June 2024 17:30 , Oliver O’Connell

Analysis: Lauren Boebert’s replacement will deliver voters’ verdict on the grassroots MAGA brand

Sunday 23 June 2024 17:00 , Oliver O’Connell

Sheila Flynn writes:

Khaki sleeves rolled up and safety goggles adjusted, Ron Hanks stares into the sight of a high-powered rifle before pulling the trigger on Colorado’s arid plains – ostensibly blowing up an office copier disguised as a voting machine in a video political campaign ad.

The attention-grabbing clip vaulted Hanks into headlines during his unsuccessful Senate campaign two years ago; now he’s followed it up with equally hard-nosed, gun-themed and solemn campaign ads – as the combat veteran vies to fill the seat being vacated by MAGA firebrand Rep. Lauren Boebert.

Read on…

Lauren Boebert’s replacement will deliver voters’ verdict on grassroots MAGA brand

Veepstakes: Trump running mate contender Burgum called out for dictator comments

Sunday 23 June 2024 16:40 , Oliver O’Connell

North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum, seen as a possible contender to join Donald Trump’s ticket as his running mate, was called out on Sunday morning by CNN’s Kaitlan Collins for calling President Joe Biden a dictator.

Watch below:

Watch: Refute? Refutal? Refuttal?

Sunday 23 June 2024 16:20 , Oliver O’Connell

Full story: Trump says he’s picked his vice-presidential running mate

Sunday 23 June 2024 16:00 , Oliver O’Connell

Donald Trump says he has chosen his running mate for November’s presidential election.

The all-but-certain Republican nominee told NBC News reporters ahead of a rally in Philadelphia on Saturday (June 22) that he has picked his potential vice president.

Read on…

Trump says he’s picked his vice-presidential running mate

Trump mocked for half empty Philadelphia venue

Sunday 23 June 2024 15:30 , Oliver O’Connell

After digesting those highlights from Donald Trump’s Philadelphia rally last night, you might be wondering how well it was attended given that the city is something of a Democrat stronghold.

Well, Tennessee Democratic election commissioner Chris Jackson posted this video that shows an excited crowd on the lower level of the Liacouras Center at Temple University, but an entirely empty upper level.

Jackson then got into quite an amusing back-and-forth with disgraced former Trump lawyer Jenna Ellis about crowd size which is worth a click.

Conservative Iraq War veteran Peter Henlein made the same observation and compared the crowd with Trump’s exaggerated numbers for his rallies in Wildwood, New Jersey, and the Bronx in New York City which he claims pulled in 107,000 and 30,000 people respectively.

[Estimates of the crowd size in Wildwood, New Jersey range from 30,000 to 60,000 people, and law enforcement sources put the Bronx rally crowd at 8,000-10,000 people]

Boebert rival teases her with ad filmed in Beetlejuice theater

Sunday 23 June 2024 15:00 , Oliver O’Connell

Colorado Republican Rep Lauren Boebert’s Democratic rival posted a hilarious new ad speaking from the lawmaker’s seat during her scandalous Beetlejuice outing last fall.

Democratic Congressional hopeful John Padora sat in a maroon movie theater chair, saying in his new ad: “I’m sitting in the very same seat Lauren Boebert got kicked out of. The same way she got kicked out of Colorado’s 3rd Congressional district.”

Kelly Rissman has the story.

Lauren Boebert rival releases ad filmed in Beetlejuice theater she was kicked out of

And finally…

Sunday 23 June 2024 14:42 , Oliver O’Connell

“Now the fake news will say, ‘Trump is rambling.’ No, it’s genius what I’m doing up here, but nobody understands.”

OK then.

“We will fight this scum that we have to beat. We will fight them, and we will win.”

Inspiring words.

Watch: More highlights of Trump’s rally in Philadelphia

Sunday 23 June 2024 14:36 , Oliver O’Connell

Those pesky pollsters.

Oddly specific…

Debate rules state that candidates’ microphones will be shut off when they are not answering a question, so Trump may not have much choice.

He still doesn’t get how tariff costs are passed on to consumers in the US.

Let’s hear it for “luxuriant hair”… 💇‍♀️

Watch: Highlights of Trump’s rally in Philadelphia

Sunday 23 June 2024 14:22 , Oliver O’Connell

Imagine how surreal it would be to run into Trump in a Walgreens and you both had to patiently wait while they unlocked the “steel” to get your “little bar of soap”…

Crime is in fact down.

What a badge of honor.

He really loves this migrant fight league idea. Disturbing.

Huh?

Trump says he has chosen his running mate (but it’s a secret)

Sunday 23 June 2024 14:06 , Oliver O’Connell

Donald Trump told NBC News reporters Jake Taylor and Dasha Burns on Saturday evening that he has chosen his vice presidential running mate.

Speaking to them at Tony and Nick’s Steaks in Philadelphia ahead of his rally in the traditionally Democrat city, the former president also said that he hasn’t yet told the person he has selected.

Whoever it is will be at the first presidential debate on Thursday, hosted by CNN at its Atlanta studios. Trump will face off against President Joe Biden for 90 minutes at 9pm with Jake Tapper and Dana Bash asking the questions.

Evangelicals on why they’re still backing Trump: ‘We’ve all broken the Ten Commandments’

Sunday 23 June 2024 14:00 , Oliver O’Connell

Bel Trew reports from the ‘Road to Majority’ policy conference in Washington, DC.

Wearing cowboy hats bejewelled with “Free Trump” broaches and waving American flags, evangelical Christians promised to vote for Donald Trump at a key gathering on Saturday, saying that while he is not perfect “he’ll do the right thing for America”.

Trump was the keynote speaker at the Faith & Freedom Coalition in Washington DC, a gathering of politically influential conservative Christian activists who advocate for strict abortion restrictions and a tougher stance on the southern border.

There he called on his religious supporters to go to the polls in a speech which notably quickly glossed over abortion, which has become a sensitive issue for the presumptive Republican presidential nominee.

Continue reading…

‘We’ve all broken the Ten Commandments’: The evangelicals still backing Trump

Analysis: Trump wants Republicans to ‘swamp’ early voting and mail-in ballots. But he can’t stop lying about elections

Sunday 23 June 2024 13:36 , Oliver O’Connell

Alex Woodward writes:

Former president Donald Trump wants you to vote early or cast a ballot by mail. He also thinks that mail-in voting is irreparably corrupt and should be banned.

His campaign and the Republican Party want to “promote the use of absentee and mail ballots and early in-person voting.”

They’re also suing states to block mail-in ballots, even in states where most people vote by mail.

Continue reading…

Trump wants Republicans to vote early. But he can’t stop lying about elections

Trump mixes up Jan 6 riot ‘suspects’ with Russian spies

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

Giving his customary shout-outs to lawmakers in attendance at an event in Washington, DC on Saturday, Donald Trump gave a somewhat confused version of a story involving one of his allies in Congress.

Read on…

Trump mixes up Jan 6 riot ‘suspects’ with Russian spies in rambling speech

Trump says he suggested setting up a UFC migrant fighting league

Sunday 23 June 2024 12:00 , Oliver O’Connell

Donald Trump told a room of conservative Christians that he pitched a migrant fighting league to UFC president and CEO Dana White.

“Not the worst idea I’ve ever had,” he told the conference in Washington on Saturday.

Trump says he suggested setting up a migrant fighting league to UFC’s Dana White

Trump’s fundraising has massively overtaken Biden’s but what will he do with the cash?

Sunday 23 June 2024 11:00 , Oliver O’Connell

Eric Garcia writes:

Former president Donald Trump blew out President Joe Biden in fundraising in May. According to campaign filings, Biden and the Democratic National Committee raised only $85 million in May, while Trump and the Republican National Committee raised $141 million.

Finding the reason for Trump’s cash advantage is not hard: On the second-to-last day of May, a jury found Trump guilty of 34 counts of falsifying business records as part of a conspiracy to influence the 2016 presidential election. The day after the conviction, Trump’s campaign reported that it had raised $34.8 million in just 24 hours.

Read on…

Trump’s fundraising has massively overtaken Biden’s. What will he do with the cash?

Reclusive banking heir billionaire gave Trump $50m one day after hush money conviction

Sunday 23 June 2024 09:00 , Oliver O’Connell

A donor gave $50 million to Donald Trump’s campaign on the day of the former president’s hush money conviction, according to new filings.

The huge sum, donated by Timothy Mellon to Trump Super PAC MAGA Inc., was the largest federal individual campaign contribution so far this election cycle.

The donation made up most of the $68.8 million MAGA Inc. raised in May.

Filings show the donation was made on May 31, the same day that Trump became the first US president in history to receive a criminal conviction after he was convicted of 34 felony counts of falsifying business records.

Reclusive banking billionaire gave Trump $50m one day after hush money conviction

Criminal charges against Trump’s ‘fake electors’ in Nevada dismissed by judge

Sunday 23 June 2024 07:00 , Oliver O’Connell

A judge in Nevada has dismissed a criminal case against six so-called “fake electors” who tried to overturn Donald Trump’s loss in the 2020 presidential election.

Friday’s ruling marks the first time that a case related to the Trump campaign’s efforts to reverse his election results has been dismissed.

Clark County District Court Judge Mary Kay Holthus found that the case from state prosecutors was filed in the wrong county.

Alex Woodward reports.

Judge dismisses criminal charges against Trump’s ‘fake electors’ in Nevada

Trump suggests CIA stopped him releasing JFK assassination files

Sunday 23 June 2024 05:00 , Oliver O’Connell

Former President Donald Trump spoke about releasing the files surrounding the assassination of President John F Kennedy in a recent podcast appearance, suggesting the CIA had applied pressure to stop some information from being released.

Amelia Neath has the story.

Trump says he was stopped from releasing all JFK files

Trump proposes green cards for foreign graduates

Sunday 23 June 2024 03:00 , Oliver O’Connell

Former President Donald Trump has expressed interest in granting green cards to international students who graduate from US universities.

Speaking on The All-In Podcast on Thursday, Trump said: “What I want to do, and what I will do, is you graduate from a college, I think you should get automatically, as part of your diploma, a green card to be able to stay in this country.”

That move wouldn’t only apply to graduates of four-year universities either, Trump clarified.

Michelle Del Rey reports on the proposal.

Trump wants to give green cards to foreign graduates of US colleges

Trump mixes up Jan 6 riot ‘suspects’ with Russian spies

Sunday 23 June 2024 02:00 , Oliver O’Connell

Giving his customary shout-outs to lawmakers in attendance at an event in Washington, DC on Saturday, Donald Trump gave a somewhat confused version of a story involving one of his allies in Congress.

Read on…

Trump mixes up Jan 6 riot ‘suspects’ with Russian spies in rambling speech

Watch: Refute? Refutal? Refuttal?

Sunday 23 June 2024 01:00 , Oliver O’Connell

Supreme Court: Domestic abuse survivor will ‘sleep better’ after ruling banning abusers from possessing guns

Sunday 23 June 2024 00:00 , Oliver O’Connell

Laura Morris thought she died when she was struck by a bullet fired from her husband’s gun. Now, four decades after surviving the incident, she now gets to “sleep a little better” knowing that there is a law keeping firearms out of the hands of domestic abusers will remain in place.

Morris, who has a bullet in her shoulder, told The Independent she was “thrilled” after the Supreme Court upheld the federal law in United States v Rahimi on Friday.

Kelly Rissman reports.

Domestic abuse survivor will ‘sleep better’ after Supreme Court ruling

Evangelicals on why they’re still backing Trump: ‘We’ve all broken the Ten Commandments’

Saturday 22 June 2024 23:30 , Oliver O’Connell

Bel Trew reports from the ‘Road to Majority’ policy conference in Washington, DC.

Wearing cowboy hats bejewelled with “Free Trump” broaches and waving American flags, evangelical Christians promised to vote for Donald Trump at a key gathering on Saturday, saying that while he is not perfect “he’ll do the right thing for America”.

Trump was the keynote speaker at the Faith & Freedom Coalition in Washington DC, a gathering of politically influential conservative Christian activists who advocate for strict abortion restrictions and a tougher stance on the southern border.

There he called on his religious supporters to go to the polls in a speech which notably quickly glossed over abortion, which has become a sensitive issue for the presumptive Republican presidential nominee.

Continue reading…

‘We’ve all broken the Ten Commandments’: The evangelicals still backing Trump