The race for the White House remained essentially a dead heat on Sunday — with nine days to go until Election Day.
Former President Donald Trump delivered a speech Sunday afternoon at New York’s Madison Square Garden. After making several stops in Philadelphia on Sunday, Vice President Kamala Harris is holding a rally there Sunday afternoon.
Latest Developments
Oct 27, 10:15 PM
Trump advisers propose bypassing FBI security clearance for appointees: Memo
Some of former President Donald Trump’s advisers have proposed a plan, should he win the election, that would allow Trump to grant security clearances to a large number of his appointees without using the traditional background check process by the FBI, according to a memo described to ABC News that has circulated among his top aides.
The proposal in the memo — which has circulated among a small group and is being promoted in part by Trump’s top legal adviser Boris Epshteyn — would essentially allow Trump to quickly install a group of loyalists without them being subject to the typical FBI background checks, according to sources.
The New York Times first reported the news.
It proposes using investigators in the private sector to conduct background checks instead of the FBI, and would clear the way for Trump to essentially install a large number of his political appointees on Day 1 on the basis they’d been approved to receive classified briefings, sources said.
The approach would raise significant questions about safeguards that could be bypassed as a result of such an approach, which runs contrary to how typical presidential transition operations have sought to prepare personnel for higher-level posts in an administration.
Some of Trump’s advisers have a complicated history with background checks and therefore distrust the vetting process typically undertaken by the FBI. It’s unclear how many people the alleged proposal in the memo would apply to, but people familiar with it say it would cover a huge portion of Trump’s political appointees.
-ABC News’ Katherine Faulders, Will Steakin and John Santucci
Oct 27, 10:03 PM
Trump campaign distances from comic who disparaged Puerto Rico at MSG rally
Comedian Tony Hinchcliffe, who called Puerto Rico “a floating island of garbage” at former President Donald Trump’s Madison Square Garden rally on Sunday, faces growing backlash from Republicans — including Trump’s own campaign.
“This joke does not reflect the views of President Trump or the campaign,” Trump campaign’s senior adviser Danielle Alvarez wrote in a statement to ABC News.
Senate Republican Rick Scott — who has long supported statehood for Puerto Rico — also wrote on X that the joke was not funny and “bombed for a reason,” while House Republican Maria Salazar said on the platform that she was “disgusted” by Hinchcliffe’s rhetoric, which ” does not reflect GOP values.”
The Republican Party of Puerto Rico also denounced Tony Hinchcliffe’s comments in a statement on Sunday, with party chair Angel Cintrón writing that they were “unfortunate, ignorant, and entirely reprehensible.”
He added that the comments do not represent the values of any Puerto Ricans, Democrat or Republican, on the island or throughout the United States.
Notably, while Puerto Rico does not vote for president in the general election, since it is a U.S. territory, the Republican Party of Puerto Rico held a primary in April as part of its presidential nominating process. That primary was won by Donald Trump, who netted the territory’s delegates.
Hinchcliffe has not yet issued a formal response as the GOP distances itself from him.
He did, however, quickly reply to Tim Walz when the Democratic governor of Minnesota called him a “jackwad,” writing on X, “These people have no sense of humor. Wild that a vice presidential candidate would take time out of his ‘busy schedule’ to analyze a joke taken out of context to make it seem racist.”
Hinchcliffe continued, “I love Puerto Rico and vacation there. I made fun of everyone…watch the whole set. I’m a comedian Tim…might be time to change your tampon.”
The controversy is not a first for Hinchcliffe, who has a history of making racially charged jokes.
In 2021, he came under fire after calling fellow comedian Peng Dang racist names in a mocking Chinese accent. It was during a Big Laugh Comedy show in Austin, Texas, where Dang had just introduced Hinchcliffe to the stage after doing a series of jokes related to #StopAsianHate. During the set, Hinchcliffe reportedly further made racist jokes against Chinese people.
After the incident, Hinchcliffe was reportedly removed from his agency, WME, and dropped from a scheduled episode on Joe Rogan’s podcast. He was also reportedly forced to cancel several upcoming shows.
-ABC News’ Lalee Ibssa, Soorin Kim, Oren Oppenheim and Kelsey Walsh
Oct 27, 9:07 PM
Trump concludes Madison Square Garden rally with anti-immigrant rhetoric
While Trump started his speech with “a message of hope,” he quickly went into his usual stump speech, disparaging immigrants and emphasizing a campaign promise to enact mass deportations on “Day 1.”
“On Day 1, I will launch the largest deportation program in American history to get the criminals out. I will rescue every city and town that has been invaded and conquered, and we will put these vicious and bloodthirsty criminals in jail. They kick them the hell out of our country as fast as possible,” Trump said.
Trump then promised to deliver the death penalty for migrants who kill Americans or police officers.
“I’m here by calling for the death penalty for any migrant that kills an American citizen or law enforcement officer,” Trump said.
Calling on supporters to turn out on Election Day, Trump said, “With your help, from now until Election Day, we will restore America’s promise. We will put America first, and we will take back the nation that we all love.”
-ABC News’ Lalee Ibssa
Oct 27, 8:46 PM
Trump calls for American flag burning to be punishable by 1 year in jail
While speaking to his crowd of supporters at Madison Square Garden Sunday, former President Donald Trump suggested a bill be created to punish anyone who burns an American flag with a year in jail.
“I would like to suggest that we put in a bill that if you burn the American flag — one year in jail,” Trump said.
Flag burning is not illegal in the U.S. because it is protected by the First Amendment as a form of symbolic speech.
Oct 27, 8:14 PM
Trump doubles down on ‘enemy from within’ rhetoric
Former President Donald Trump renewed his previous comments suggesting political opponents are a threat to the U.S., calling them “enemies from within.”
“When I say ‘the enemy within,’ the other side goes crazy,” Trump said Sunday on the Madison Square Garden stage. “They have done very bad things, they are indeed the enemy from within,” he said.
Trump previously floated the rhetoric during an appearance on Fox News earlier this month.
“I think the bigger problem are the people from within,” Trump told Fox News anchor Maria Bartiromo, claiming Democrats are more of a threat to the 2024 presidential election than top foreign adversaries such as China and Russia.
“We have some very bad people. We have some sick people, radical left lunatics,” Trump said at the time.
Trump suggested deploying the military against them on American soil, arguing without proof they would be more likely to sow chaos on Nov. 5 than his supporters — despite what transpired on Jan. 6, 2021.
“I think it should be very easily handled by, if necessary, by National Guard, or if really necessary, by the military, because they can’t let that happen,” Trump told Bartiromo.
Oct 27, 8:45 PM
Trump repeats falsehoods about FEMA and Springfield
During his campaign rally at Madison Square Garden on Sunday, former President Donald Trump attacked FEMA and the Biden-Harris administration’s hurricane response.
He called their response to Hurricane Helene “egregious” and “the worst response in North Carolina and other states since Katrina.”
“They haven’t even responded in North Carolina. There’s nobody, they don’t see any FEMA,” Trump falsely claimed about the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
Turning his attention to illegal immigration, the former president again repeated falsehoods about Springfield, Ohio.
“You take a look at Springfield, Ohio,” he said, “… where 30,000 illegal migrants were put into a town of 50,000 people.”
Oct 27, 7:35 PM
DNC projects messages about Trump onto Madison Square Garden during rally
During former President Trump’s rally at Madison Square Garden in New York City on Sunday, the DNC projected artwork that reads “Trump = Unhinged,” “Trump Praised Hitler,” “Trump = Unfit,” “Trump = Unstable” and “Trump = Cheat.”
Oct 27, 7:18 PM
Trump takes the stage at Madison Square Garden
“I’m thrilled to be back in this city I love,” former President Donald Trump said as he took the stage at New York City’s Madison Square Garden.
Oct 27, 8:25 PM
Melania Trump speaks at Trump’s Madison Square Garden rally
Former President Donald Trump’s wife, Melania, took the stage at Madison Square Garden in an unannounced appearance.
“Please welcome our next Commander in chief. My husband, President Donald J. Trump,” Melania introduced her husband to a heartfelt embrace from the sold-out crowd.
During her brief statement, the former first lady welcomed supporters to New York by painting the city as the beacon of opportunity; however, her speech turned when she claimed the city had lost its spark due to a declining economy and unsafe environment.
Her remarks foreshadowed her husband’s speech as she pointed to immigration and the economy.
“Today, a declining quality of life coupled with economic instability makes it difficult for businesses to thrive,” Melania said.
“Crime is on the rise while public safety diminishes, creating an environment where families with young children choose to relocate. And this story repeats itself from coast to coast across our nation. This is America.”
Melania closed by asking the crowd to envision a country with a “shared vision that builds on American greatness.”
“Envision a wonderful America where the seeds of security, prosperity, and health are so and once again, for the benefit of our families. Let us start together with a shared vision that builds on American greatness. Let’s seize this moment and create a country for tomorrow, the future that we deserve.”
Oct 27, 8:12 PM
Elon Musk leads ‘USA’ chant at Trump’s Madison Square Garden rally
Elon Musk took the stage at former President Donald Trump’s campaign event at Madison Square Garden Sunday, leading the crowd in a “USA” chant and urging attendees to vote early.
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