Trump begins filling key administration roles as White House transition begins

President-elect Donald Trump has named the first-ever female chief of staff as he starts his transition to the White House.

Trump is already working to fill key roles in his administration and cabinet. He announced Susie Wiles, who spearheaded his campaign, as chief of staff. The appointees will help push his agenda that includes mass deportation, more tariffs and extending tax cuts.

‘We are going to fix everything about our country. We made history for a reason tonight, and the reason is going to be just that. We overcame obstacles that nobody thought possible, and it is now clear that we’ve achieved the most incredible political thing,” Trump said early Wednesday in declaring victory in the election.

Trump beat Democrat Kamala Harris – who conceded the race on Wednesday afternoon.

On Thursday, President Joe Biden spoke from the White House and assured Americans there will be a “peaceful and orderly” transition.

“Yesterday, I spoke with President-elect Trump to congratulate him on his victory, and I assured him, I will direct my entire administration work with his team to ensure a peaceful and orderly transition,” Biden said in a short speech in front of staff and press.

Key Points

• Donald Trump celebrates election win by planning cabinet picks

• Election 2024 results breakdown: The electoral college, turnout, tightest races and who controls Congress

• Trump says his mass deportation plan has ‘no price tag’

• Five of the most shocking results from the 2024 election

• Biden speaks on Harris election loss: ‘The will of the people always prevails’

Why Trump will likely never see the inside of a prison cell — or be sentenced at all

02:40 , Oliver O’Connell

In theory, the next President of the United States is supposed to face sentencing for his New York criminal trial conviction at the end of the month.

But following his election win this week it is looking increasingly likely that won’t happen and Donald Trump will once again evade repercussions for his actions.

Ariana Baio reports.

Why Trump will likely never see the inside of a prison cell — or be sentenced at all

Joe Rogan now realizes voting works

02:10 , Oliver O’Connell

Joe Rogan elevated an election integrity conspiracy theory while celebrating Donald Trump’s presidential win, suggesting if the former president had not won the election, it may have been “rigged”.

“So, turns out voting works. It’s real,” Rogan said with delight on Thursday’s episode of The Joe Rogan Experience.

Ariana Baio reports.

Joe Rogan now realizes voting works – but only because Trump won

EDITORIAL: Europe cannot rely on Trump’s protection – it must take the lead on defence

01:40 , Oliver O’Connell

As the US takes its isolationist turn and pivots its own defence efforts towards the Indo-Pacific and China, it is vital that Europe, including Britain, looks to its own resources.

Europe cannot rely on Trump’s protection – it must take the lead on defence

Elon Musk: King of the MAGA media universe

01:10 , Oliver O’Connell

Io Dodds writes:

Elon Musk is now unquestionably the king of MAGA media.

Tech journalist Charlie Warzel once named it “the new media Upside Down”, riffing on Stranger Things. Sean Illing at Vox referred to it as “the fantasy-industrial complex”. Wikipedia simply calls it the “right-wing alternative media”.

To Musk, a born-again MAGA crusader who has spent the last two years reshaping one of the world’s major social networks in his image, this parallel universe of algorithm-aided disinformation is simply “citizen journalism” — even if his description does sound a lot like traditional journalism.

And after Donald Trump’s victory this week, the MAGA media universe might just be the new mainstream media.

Continue reading…

Elon Musk is now king of the MAGA media universe

After being busted for allegedly sexting a minor, a local Michigan official just got re-elected

00:40 , Oliver O’Connell

Ken Fletcher, a Michigan Democrat, was re-elected on Tuesday – months after police arrested him for allegedly sexting a minor.

The Delta Township supervisor is facing charges of accosting a child for immoral purposes and using a computer to commit a crime. Officials arrested him in September and he resigned from his post.

Michelle Del Rey has the story.

A Michigan official was re-elected after allegedly sexting a minor

Defamation case judge slams Giuliani’s ‘farcical’ excuses for failing to turn over property

00:10 , Oliver O’Connell

Donald Trump’s former attorney Rudy Giuliani could be held in contempt of court if he fails to turn over property to election workers he defamed in the aftermath of the 2020 presidential election.

The cash-strapped former New York City mayor was ordered to a federal court hearing in Manhattan on Thursday after attorneys for a mother-daughter pair of election workers accused him of moving around and hiding a long list of valuables he has been court-ordered to turn over.

Alex Woodward has been closely following the case.

Judge slams Giuliani’s ‘farcical’ excuses in election workers defamation case

Full story: Trump says his mass deportation plan has ‘no price tag’ as he prepares to boot millions from the country

Thursday 7 November 2024 23:50 , Oliver O’Connell

Donald Trump has repeatedly promised to carry out the “largest deportation operation in American history,” deploying federal, state and local law enforcement to arrest, jail and deport potentially millions of people living in the country without legal permission.

A militarized operation would depend on detention camps to hold people marked for removal, and would invoke a centuries-old law previously used to detain Japanese Americans during the Second World War.

President-elect Trump told NBC News on Thursday, two days after defeating his Democratic rival Kamala Harris, that he has “no choice” but to implement large-scale deportations when he takes office in January.

Alex Woodward reports.

Trump says his mass deportation plan has ‘no price tag’

Election night ratings drop sharply from 2020 and 2016

Thursday 7 November 2024 23:30 , AP

The idea of grabbing some popcorn and watching television to see who America has chosen for its next president was far less appealing this year than in the past.

The Nielsen company said that 42.3 million people watched election night returns between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump pour in Tuesday night. That’s down sharply from the 56.9 million who watched in 2020, when Trump competed against Joe Biden, and the 71.4 million who tuned in on election night 2016, Nielsen said.

Election night is often known as the Super Bowl for TV news, but this year even the NFL’s conference championship games were watched by more people.

Continue reading…

Election night television viewership drops sharply from 2020 and 2016

Full story: Trump makes first key administration pick and moves campaign head into top White House post

Thursday 7 November 2024 23:15 , Oliver O’Connell

Donald Trump has made the first key appointment of his upcoming administration, announcing that campaign manager Susie Wiles will become his White House Chief of Staff.

In a statement, the Trump-Vance transition team said: “Susie Wiles just helped me achieve one of the greatest political victories in American history, and was an integral part of both my 2016 and 2020 successful campaigns.”

Mike Bedigan reports.

Trump plans to appoint campaign head as White House chief of staff

Major abortion rights victories on Election Day still under threat from Trump and his allies

Thursday 7 November 2024 23:10 , Oliver O’Connell

Alex Woodward and Bel Trew write:

Two years after the Supreme Court revoked a constitutional right to abortion, millions of voters across the country directly weighed in on the future of reproductive healthcare access in their states.

Voters in seven of 10 states with abortion rights measures on their ballots have agreed to expand protections or enshrine a right to abortion in their own state’s constitutions, effectively redrawing the map for abortion access.

But those victories — from Arizona to Colorado, Missouri, Montana and elsewhere — were followed by warnings from abortion rights advocates that president-elect Donald Trump’s incoming administration, and an emboldened Republican-dominated Congress, could soon upend hard-fought, newly enshrined protections.

Continue reading…

Abortion rights win major victories on Election Day. Trump could threaten them

After years of Trump bashing it, Republicans now praise early voting

Thursday 7 November 2024 22:55 , Oliver O’Connell

Prominent Republicans are praising early voting after Donald Trump’s win over Kamala Harris, despite years of the president-elect and his allies baselessly bashing the practice as fraudulent.

Former Republican National Committee Chair Ronna McDaniel told NewsNation on Wednesday that an increase in early voting must be the “norm going forward” for the GOP.

“It was so critical that President Trump, he spoke out on this. I mean, there’s no better person that’s going to get voters to change their habits, to believe in it than President Trump,” she said.

Josh Marcus reports.

Changing their tune: GOP now promoting early voting after Trump’s win

BREAKING: Trump names camaign co-chair Susie Wiles as chief of staff

Thursday 7 November 2024 22:48 , Oliver O’Connell

President-elect Donald Trump has named campaign chief Susie Wiles as his White House chief of staff. She will be the first woman to hold the role when he takes office on January 20, 2025.

“Susie Wiles just helped me achieve one of the greatest political victories in American history, and was an integral part of both my 2016 and 2020 successful campaigns,” President-elect Trump said. “Susie is tough, smart, innovative, and is universally admired and respected. Susie will continue to work tirelessly to Make America Great Again. It is a well deserved honor to have Susie as the first-ever female Chief of Staff in United States history. I have no doubt that she will make our country proud.”

A look back at our (mostly correct) Senate predictions after Trump’s big win

Thursday 7 November 2024 22:30 , Oliver O’Connell

A week ago, The Independent made a list of predictions for the US Senate, thinking it unlikely but possible that Democrats would hold the chamber. After a surprisingly powerful performance by Donald Trump on election night, it’s clear that won’t be happening.

John Bowden looks at what we got right and what we got wrong…

A look back at our election predictions after Trump’s big win

Democrat at heart of Trump impeachment wins Virginia seat against ‘fake family’ Republican

Thursday 7 November 2024 22:25 , Oliver O’Connell

A Democrat, who was partly responsible for kickstarting Donald Trump’s first impeachment, has won a congressional seat in Virginia against a Republican candidate accused of parading a “fake family.”

Yevgeny “Eugene” Vindman defeated Derrick Anderson on Tuesday to win the competitive seat in Central and Northern Virginia, according to The Associated Press.

His victory kept the seventh district, which is one of the state’s most purple, in Democratic hands, and put him in line to succeed Abigail Spanberger – a former intelligence officer who vacated the seat to run for governor.

Mike Bedigan reports.

Democrat at heart of Trump impeachment wins seat against ‘fake family’ Republican

Five of the most shocking results from the 2024 election

Thursday 7 November 2024 22:10 , Oliver O’Connell

The 2024 presidential election completely upended many people’s expectations. After Democrats booted Joe Biden from the top of their ticket to put Kamala Harris in place, she lost all seven of the major battleground states.

And now, as Republicans plan to drag Democrats’ “political dead bodies through the streets and burn them,” and Democrats deal with a reckoning, a few trends have emerged that continue to baffle some onlookers.

Here are five major shocks of the 2024 presidential election — and why they might have happened:

The five most shocking results from the election

Trump attorney’s phone tapped by Chinese hackers, report says

Thursday 7 November 2024 22:05 , Oliver O’Connell

One of President-elect Donald Trump’s attorneys has been told by the FBI that his cellphone was tapped by Chinese hackers, CNN reports. The network cites three sources familiar with the matter.

Tapping the phone of Todd Blanche, who represented Trump in his hush money criminal trial, was part of a wide-ranging operation targeting top Republicans and Democrats in US politics that has been underway for months.

Per CNN:

The FBI informed the attorney, Todd Blanche, last week that the hackers were able to obtain some voice recordings and text messages from his phone, but that none of the information was related to Trump, one of the sources said. The FBI provided Blanche, who has had to start using a different number after the breach, what the hackers obtained, including communications with family, the source said.

Blanche is the second of two Trump attorneys believed to be targeted by foreign hackers.

In August, CNN reported that attorney Lindsey Halligan was targeted as part of a separate Iranian hacking effort.

Putin congratulates Trump on his election victory

Thursday 7 November 2024 21:56 , AP

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday congratulated Donald Trump on his election victory in his first public comment on the U.S. vote, and he praised the president-elect’s courage during the July assassination attempt.

“His behavior at the moment of an attempt on his life left an impression on me. He turned out to be a brave man,” Putin said at an international forum following a speech in the Black Sea resort of Sochi.

“He manifested himself in the very correct way, bravely as a man,” he added.

Putin also said that what Trump has said “about the desire to restore relations with Russia, to help end the Ukrainian crisis, in my opinion, deserves attention at least.”

The Kremlin earlier welcomed Trump’s claim that he could negotiate an end to the conflict in Ukraine “in 24 hours” but emphasized that it will wait for concrete policy steps.

″I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate him on his election as president of the United States of America,” Putin said in a question-and-answer session at the conference.

As to what he expects from a second Trump administration, Putin said, “I don’t know what will happen now. I have no idea.”

“For him, this is still his last presidential term. What he will do is his matter,” added Putin, who this year began a fifth term that will keep him in power until 2030 and could seek six more years in office after that.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Thursday the Kremlin is not ruling out the possibility of contact between Putin and Trump before the inauguration, given that Trump “said he would call Putin before the inauguration.”

Peskov has emphasized that Moscow views the U.S. as an “unfriendly” country that is directly involved in the Ukrainian conflict. He dismissed arguments that Putin’s failure to reach out quickly to Trump could hurt future ties, saying that Moscow’s relations with Washington already are at the “lowest point in history” and arguing that it will be up to the new U.S. leadership to change the situation.

The Kremlin’s cautious stand reflected its view of the U.S. vote as a choice between two unappealing possibilities. While Trump is known for his admiration of Putin, the Russian leader has repeatedly noted that during Trump’s first term, there were “so many restrictions and sanctions against Russia like no other president has ever introduced before him.”

‘I’m going to destroy you’: Inside the war between Trump’s new and former campaign managers

Thursday 7 November 2024 21:50 , Oliver O’Connell

As Donald Trump’s victory became increasingly apparent on Tuesday night, tensions behind the scenes were reportedly already ramping up between those vying for influence in the president-elect’s future administration.

Specifically, Trump’s 2024 campaign chief Chris LaCivita and Corey Lewandowski, who ran his 2016 campaign, were said to be at each other’s throats.

Mike Bedigan has the story.

Inside the war between Trump’s new and former campaign managers

‘You can’t love your country only when you win’

Thursday 7 November 2024 21:48 , Oliver O’Connell

ANALYSIS: I reported from across Pennsylvania through the election. The key to Trump’s victory was staring us right in the face

Thursday 7 November 2024 21:40 , Oliver O’Connell

Richard Hall writes:

In the college town of Indiana, at the country fair in Bloomsburg, and in the former industrial boomtown of Scranton, the message was the same: working-class Pennsylvanians were struggling to get by.

As I traveled throughout the state during this presidential campaign, from Pittsburgh to Philadelphia and the rural stretches in between, inflation and pessimism about the economy were at the forefront of people’s minds.

It would prove to be the deciding factor in the crucial swing state — and across the country.

Continue reading…

I reported from across Pennsylvania throughout the election. This is how Trump won

Judge denies Jan 6 defendant attempt to hold off sentencing in hope of Trump pardon

Thursday 7 November 2024 21:33 , Oliver O’Connell

A judge has denied a January 6 defendant’s bid to stave off sentencing in the hope of receiving a pardon from Donald Trump when he takes office in January 2020.

“The potential future exercise of discretionary pardon power … is irrelevant to the court’s obligation to carry out the [court’s] legal responsibilities.”

What can Biden still do before he leaves office?

Thursday 7 November 2024 21:30 , Gustaf Kilander

In two and a half months, President-Elect Donald Trump will enter the Oval Office as the 47th president of the US.

The Biden Administration is now in a mad dash to Trump-proof their accomplishments and enact any reforms they may wish to make a reality.

But how much can Joe Biden realistically achieve in this short window, particularly when his successor is likely to make sweeping changes to government when he returns to the White House? s

Below we look at some of the subjects Biden could tackle before his time is up:

What lame duck president Joe Biden can still do before he leaves office

Democrats turn their rage on one man after crushing election defeat: Joe Biden

Thursday 7 November 2024 21:20 , Oliver O’Connell

The blame game for Kamala Harris’ loss is in full flow, with top Democratic staffers in Washington reportedly placing the blame at President Joe Biden’s feet.

Their reactions, as reported by Politico, come two days after Harris lost her bid for the White House some five months after unexpectedly joining the race.

Katie Hawkinson reports.

Democrats turn their rage on one man after crushing election defeat: Joe Biden

GOP picks up Pennsylvania Senate seat

Thursday 7 November 2024 21:15 , Oliver O’Connell

The Associated Press has called the US Senate race in Pennsylvania for Republican Dave McCormick.

He beat incumbent Democrat Bob Casey.

Anne Selzer explains why her Iowa poll might have helped Trump

Thursday 7 November 2024 21:10 , Oliver O’Connell

Ann Selzer’s much-watch Iowa poll, which showed Kamala Harris heading into Election Day with a surprise three-point lead, was one of numerous election forecasts that ultimately failed to predict the result in 2024.

Trump, who openly mocked the poll during late rallies, appears to have won the state by more than 10 percent with 95 percent of the votes counted.

In a post-mortem on Thursday, Selzer explained how she’s thinking through the discrepancy between what actually happened and what was forecast in the Des Moines Register / Mediacom Iowa poll.

Josh Marcus reports.

Ann Selzer explains why her very wrong Iowa poll may have helped Trump

‘No price tag’ to mass deportation plan says Trump

Thursday 7 November 2024 20:59 , Oliver O’Connell

President-elect Donald Trump has told NBC News that there is “no price tag” to his plan to begin mass deportations of undocumented immigrants in the US illegally, reiterating that his first priority upon taking office would be to make the border “strong and powerful”.

Per NBC News:

“We obviously have to make the border strong and powerful and, and we have to — at the same time, we want people to come into our country,” he said. “And you know, I’m not somebody that says, ‘No, you can’t come in.’ We want people to come in.”

As a candidate, Trump had repeatedly vowed to carry out the “largest deportation effort in American history.” Asked about the cost of his plan, he said, “It’s not a question of a price tag. It’s not — really, we have no choice. When people have killed and murdered, when drug lords have destroyed countries, and now they’re going to go back to those countries because they’re not staying here. There is no price tag.”

Any mass deportation plan would be a huge logistical and financial challenge requiring the involvement of a number of federal agencies.

The president-elect partially credits his win in the election as being down to his message on the border and immigration.

EU leaders tell Trump to stand up to ‘bully’ Putin

Thursday 7 November 2024 20:50 , Oliver O’Connell

Keir Starmer and fellow European leaders have urged Donald Trump to stand up to the “bully” Vladimir Putin as they digest the potential consequences of the historic Republican election victory.

Volodymyr Zelensky made a desperate appeal at the European Political Community (EPC) summit in Budapest for leaders to continue their support Ukraine’s war amid fears that Mr Trump will try to force a deal involving concessions.

It came as Sir Keir faces increasing pressure to prioritise a new post-Brexit defence pact with the EU, with concerns growing that Mr Trump may also dilute support for Nato and focus US military objectives elsewhere.

The Independent’s political editor David Maddox reports from London.

EU leaders tell Trump: stand up to ‘bully’ Putin

ANALYSIS: Conservatives hate Mitch McConnell. But he’s the architect of the Trump comeback

Thursday 7 November 2024 20:30 , Oliver O’Connell

Eric Garcia explains that while MAGA may hate Mitch McConnell, a decision he made in February 2021 sowed the seeds that allowed the movement to grow and thrive and return Trump to the Oval Office.

Mitch McConnell was the true architect of Trump’s second term

Watch: Fed chair says he wouldn’t leave job even if Trump asked him to resign

Thursday 7 November 2024 20:15 , Oliver O’Connell

Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell says he wouldn’t leave his job even if Donald Trump asked him to resign when he takes office.

When asked if the president has the power to fire or demote him, Powell reminded reporters that was “not permitted under the law”.

Punisher logo with Trump’s hair projected on water tower, sparking outrage

Thursday 7 November 2024 20:10 , Oliver O’Connell

A MAGA supporter has sparked outrage in a Massachusetts town for projecting an edited version of The Punisher skull logo wearing Donald Trump’s hair.

The day after the Republican nominee triumphed in the 2024 election, an image associated with the popular comic book character topped with the president-elect’s well-known hairstyle was displayed on a water tower in the Town of Hanson.

Inga Parkel has the story.

MAGA fan sparks outrage for projecting Punisher logo with Trump’s hair on water tower

Watch: Karine Jean-Pierre says Biden will not pardon Hunter in final weeks of presidency

Thursday 7 November 2024 20:00 , Oliver O’Connell

Democratic Wisconsin governor vows to always fight for better future after Trump takes state

Thursday 7 November 2024 19:56 , Oliver O’Connell

Wisconsin’s Democratic Governor Tony Evers has released a statement on the 2024 election and Trump’s win in the Badger State: “Wisconsin is a purple state. For many Wisconsinites, the presidential election results were a victory, and for nearly as many Wisconsinites, a loss to grieve.”

The governor noted that a record number of people in the state had voted (3.4 million) and had done so for the first time in more than a decade no longer under “some of the most undemocratic, gerrymandered legislative maps in America”.

While Evers reiterates that he will be a governor for all Wisconsinites and will “do the right thing when it matters most”, he also tried to soothe the fears of those hoping for a Kamala Harris victory.

To the Wisconsinites worried about what the future may bring, let me be clear: I will always fight to protect our LGBTQ families and kids, especially our trans and nonbinary kids. I will always fight for women, access to affordable healthcare, and reproductive freedom. I will always fight to reverse the climate crisis and to leave our kids and grandkids with a more sustainable, better world than the one we inherited. I will always fight to defend democracy and the basic institutions on which our country was built. And I will always — always — fight for our kids and for the better future they deserve.

Calls to LGBT+ crisis hotlines surge amid Trump election win

Thursday 7 November 2024 19:50 , Oliver O’Connell

LGBT+ crisis hotlines have been inundated with phone calls from young people distressed by Donald Trump’s victory in the 2024 US presidential election, according to reports.

The Trevor Project, a nonprofit collective dedicated to supporting queer youths and preventing suicide, revealed it had experienced a nearly 200 percent increase in conversations with election-related keywords such as “election” and “rights.”

Meredith Clark reports from New York.

LGBT+ crisis hotlines reported a month’s worth of calls amid Trump election win

Watch: Karine Jean-Pierre blames ‘global headwinds’ amid criticism that Biden’s unpopularity led to Harris deafeat

Thursday 7 November 2024 19:45 , Oliver O’Connell

Fed cuts interest rates as inflation continues steady decline

Thursday 7 November 2024 19:37 , AP

The Federal Reserve cut its key interest rate Thursday by a quarter-point in response to the steady decline in the once-high inflation that had angered Americans and helped drive Donald Trump’s presidential election victory this week.

The rate cut follows a larger half-point reduction in September, and it reflects the Fed’s renewed focus on supporting the job market as well as fighting inflation, which now barely exceeds the central bank’s 2% target.

Thursday’s move reduces the Fed’s benchmark rate to about 4.6%, down from a four-decade high of 5.3% before September’s meeting. The Fed had kept its rate that high for more than a year to fight the worst inflation streak in four decades. Annual inflation has since fallen from a 9.1% peak in mid-2022 to a 3 1/2-year low of 2.4% in September.

In a statement after its latest meeting ended, the Fed said the “unemployment rate has moved up but remains low,” while inflation has fallen closer to the central bank’s target but “remains somewhat elevated.”

UK seaside town Clacton prepares to roll out the red carpet for Trump

Thursday 7 November 2024 19:30 , Oliver O’Connell

Trump cheerleader Nigel Farage, leader of Reform UK and member of parliament for Clacton, a seaside town on the Essex coast, spent election night in the US with Donald Trump.

Has he already persuaded the president to visit his constituency if and when, as expected, Trump visits London?

David Maddox reports.

Nigel Farage’s Clacton prepares to roll out the red carpet for Donald Trump

Newsom says California ‘ready to fight’ as he moves to protect state from Trump administration

Thursday 7 November 2024 19:20 , Oliver O’Connell

California Governor Gavin Newsom has called an emergency special session to “help bolster our legal resources and protect our state against any unlawful actions by the incoming Trump Administration.”

“Whether it be our fundamental civil rights, reproductive freedom, or climate action — we refuse to turn back the clock and allow our values and laws to be attacked.”

The special session will begin on December 2.

“The freedoms we hold dear in California are under attack — and we won’t sit idle,” Newsom said in a statement. “California has faced this challenge before, and we know how to respond.”

On Wednesday, he posted on X: “Kamala Harris set out to fight to defend our fundamental freedoms and build a country that works for everyone. She stood up for working families, decency, and opportunity.

“Though this is not the outcome we wanted, our fight for freedom and opportunity endures.

“California will seek to work with the incoming president — but let there be no mistake, we intend to stand with states across our nation to defend our Constitution and uphold the rule of law.

“Federalism is the cornerstone of our democracy. It’s the United STATES of America.”

‘Your body, my choice’: Spike in online misogyny after Trump victory

Thursday 7 November 2024 19:10 , Oliver O’Connell

Women are facing a barrage of deeply misogynistic comments online following Donald Trump’s US presidential election victory.

The Republican candidate defeated Kamala Harris following a chaotic campaign dogged by anger, insults and division, winning 51 percent of the popular vote on Wednesday, 6 November.

In the wake of the former president’s shocking political comeback, women have reported men are writing “your body, my choice” on their social media posts, among other troubling reproductive rights remarks.

Lydia Spencer-Elliott reports.

‘Your body, my choice’: Women report rise in online misogyny following Trump victory

Watch LIVE: Karine Jean-Pierre hold White House briefing

Thursday 7 November 2024 19:00 , Oliver O’Connell

‘Straight up BS’: DNC chair hits back after Bernie Sanders slams party’s approach to election

Thursday 7 November 2024 18:55 , Oliver O’Connell

Democratic National Committee chair Jaime Harrison has hit back after Independent Senator for Vermont Bernie Sanders wrote a scathing critique of the party’s approach to the election, saying it had abandoned working-class people and so they had abandoned them.

Harrison wrote on X: “This is straight up BS… Biden was the most-pro worker President of my life time- saved Union pensions, created millions of good paying jobs and even marched in a picket line and some of MVP’s plans would have fundamentally transformed the quality of life and closed the racial wealth gap for working people across this country. From the child tax credits, to 25k for a down payment for a house to Medicare covering the cost of senior health care in their homes. There are a lot of post election takes and this one ain’t a good one.

Elon Musk’s estranged trans daughter doesn’t see her future being in US

Thursday 7 November 2024 18:50 , Oliver O’Connell

Elon Musk’s estranged daughter, Vivian Jenna Wilson, has spoken out following the 2024 US presidential election results.

On Wednesday (November 6), Republican candidate Donald Trump claimed victory over Vice President Kamala Harris resulting in many women and members of the LGBT+ community expressing fear over regressive policies. One of these people was Musk’s 20-year-old transgender daughter who is an outspoken champion of transgender rights.

Musk has shown his support for the now-president-elect on multiple occasions throughout his campaign with rumors that he could play a role in Trump’s administration.

Brittany Miller has the story.

Elon Musk’s estranged trans daughter says she doesn’t ‘see a future’ in the US

‘You come for my people, you come through me’

Thursday 7 November 2024 18:40 , Oliver O’Connell

Democratic Illinois Governor JD Pritzker has spoken to the press for the first time since Donald Trump’s presidential election win, saying he expects to work with the new administration.

However, the surrogate for Kamala Harris issued a warning: “You come for my people, you come through me.”

The governor was referring to minority and underserved communities in Illinois who remember the “chaos, retribution and disarray radiated from the White House the last time Donald Trump occupied,” Politico reports.

Pritzker said his administration “was not unprepared” for Trump’s victory and had taken proactive steps to protect abortion rights and other laws that might be impacted by decisions coming out of Washington.

He said the state would take action if the new administration tried to circumvent federal government grants to Illinois and that he’s had similar conversations with other governors.

“We have like minds about protecting certain rights and making sure that we’re going to be able to withstand four years of a Donald Trump presidency and also the areas where we might work with the administration, whatever those may be,” Pritzker said.

‘Nostradamus’ bashes rival pollster after both election predictions flopped

Thursday 7 November 2024 18:30 , Oliver O’Connell

With Donald Trump heading back to the White House, it’s not just the Democrats who face a reckoning, but pollsters as well.

Multiple high-profile polling gurus failed to accurately predict what ended up being a decisive victory for the former president on Tuesday, and now some of the experts are taking pot-shots at each other.

Political pollster and historian Allan Lichtman took a swipe at fellow elections forecaster Nate Silver on Wednesday, saying that ‘unlike his rival’ he will admit he was wrong about the 2024 result.

Ariana Baio has the story.

‘Nostradamus’ of polling bashes rival after both election predictions flopped

Axelrod: ‘Biden could not have won this race’

Thursday 7 November 2024 18:20 , Oliver O’Connell

Speaking on CNN, Obama campaign strategist David Axelrod says Joe Biden could not have the 2024 election had he remained in the race and not passed the torch to Kamala Harris.

“Joe Biden could not have won this race,” he said on CNN. “Whether fair or unfair, he had a very low approval rating and people lost confidence in him, and the debate was the culmination of it, just in his stamina and his ability to do the job.”

He added: “Maybe Joe Biden should have decided very early that one term was enough and given the party a chance to have a primary election. And maybe the outcome could have been different, but it might not have been.”

Vance speaks with UK counterpart

Thursday 7 November 2024 18:10 , Oliver O’Connell

Vice President-elect JD Vance has spoken with Angela Rayner, the deputy prime minister of the United Kingdom.

Rayner said it was good to speak with him and that they could build on the special relationship between the two countries.

Trump’s campaign co-chair favorite to be chief of staff, report says

Thursday 7 November 2024 17:59 , Oliver O’Connell

NBC News reports that Donald Trump’s unassuming co-campaign chief Susan Wiles is seen as the frontrunner to become his White House chief of staff. The network cites six sources familiar with the discussions inside the campaign.

If chosen, Wiles would become the first female White House chief of staff in history.

Per NBC:

“She has commanded a ton of respect amongst the staff, as well as loyalty. She doesn’t play games. And she means what she says: On the campaign, she said we are checking egos at the door and held everyone to it,” said one campaign official, who, like others in this piece, was granted anonymity to speak candidly or because they were not authorized to speak on the record. “The team of rivals concept did not apply here.”

“Susie is as good as they get,” a second Trump campaign official said. “She ran a great campaign and has the respect of all — including Democrats who recognize her talent. She’d make for a great chief of staff and would serve at the president’s pleasure. After all, it is his White House.”

A third Trump campaign official said Wiles is already playing the de-facto chief of staff role and that staffers widely want her to get the job. A large staff meeting is taking place at the campaign headquarters on Thursday, and Wiles will lead it.

Here’s our profile on the “ice maiden” who could make West Wing history:

Meet the ‘ice maiden’ behind Trump’s victory who could be his new chief of staff

Biden promises ‘peaceful and orderly’ transition to Trump

Thursday 7 November 2024 17:50 , Oliver O’Connell

Four years after Donald Trump refused to acknowledge losing the 2020 presidential election, President Joe Biden said his administration would honor Trump’s victory over Vice President Kamala Harris by facilitating a “peaceful and orderly transition” to the incoming Republican administration.

In remarks delivered from the White House Rose Garden on Wednesday to an audience that included a large portion of Biden’s cabinet, plus his granddaughter, Finnegan Biden, the president called the American electoral system “the greatest experiment in self-government in the history of the world.”

“The people vote and choose their own leaders, and they do it peacefully. And we’re in a democracy — the will of the people always prevails,” he said.

Andrew Feinberg reports from Washington, DC.

Biden promises ‘peaceful and orderly’ transition to Trump

Watch: Biden echoes Harris, saying ‘setbacks are unavoidable but giving up is unforgivable’

Thursday 7 November 2024 17:30 , Oliver O’Connell

Biden on US election result: Setbacks are unavoidable but giving up is unforgivable

Who is on Trump’s enemies list?

Thursday 7 November 2024 17:10 , Oliver O’Connell

For years, Donald Trump has threatened to go after countless political rivals who he claims have wronged him.

In speeches to supporters and rants on his Truth Social platform, he has on multiple occasions vowed to seek “retribution” and called his political opponents the “enemies from within.”

During an interview with Dr Phil in June, he issued an especially ominous threat. “Well, revenge does take time. I will say that. And sometimes revenge can be justified,” he said.

Rhian Lubin reports.

Trump’s enemies list: political rivals and organizations he threatened to go after

‘The will of the people always prevails’: Biden promises ‘peaceful and orderly’ transition to Trump

Thursday 7 November 2024 16:49 , Andrew Feinberg

Four years after Donald Trump refused to acknowledge losing the 2020 presidential election, President Joe Biden said his administration would honor Trump’s victory over Vice President Kamala Harris by facilitating a “peaceful and orderly transition” to the incoming Republican administration.

In remarks delivered from the White House Rose Garden to an audience that included a large portion of Biden’s cabinet and his granddaughter, Finnegan Biden, the president called the American electoral system “the greatest experiment in self-government in thehistory of the world.”

“The people vote and choose their own leaders, and hey do it peacefully. And we’re in a democracy — the will of the people always prevails,” he said.

Biden promises ‘peaceful and orderly’ transition to Trump after Harris loss

WATCH: Biden praises Harris while promising peaceful transition of power to Trump

Thursday 7 November 2024 16:47 , Gustaf Kilander