Republican presidential candidates head to Milwaukee for first GOP primary debate while Trump sits out: Live

Eight Republican candidates for the party’s nominee in the 2024 election are readying themselves for their showdown on Wednesday night when they take to the stage in Wisconsin for the first debate of the presidential campaign.

With the notable absence of Donald Trump hanging over proceedings, the Republican National Committee is pressing ahead with the event, hosted by Fox News and moderated by presenters Bret Baier and Martha MacCallum.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy will stand centre stage respectively flanked by former Vice President Mike Pence and former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley.

Beyond them will be former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie to the left and South Carolina Senator Tim Scott to the right. The two end spots will be occupied by former Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson on the left and North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum on the right.

Mr DeSantis has fallen back in the polls but remains in second place, though significantly behind former president Trump. Other candidates will be looking for a breakout moment to get their campaigns on a firmer footing to better challenge the one-term president as he faces multiple criminal charges.

Key points

• DeSantis and Ramaswamy to stand centre stage at first GOP debate

• Trump confirms he will not attend GOP debate

• What are the presidential candidates’ net worths?

• Debate in Wisconsin shines a spotlight on one of the few remaining swing states

• When is the first 2024 Republican presidential primary debate and how can you watch it?

• Who are the GOP debate moderators Bret Baier and Martha MacCallum?

In his new book 'The Fall,' author Michael Wolff foresees the demise of Fox News

22:45 , Oliver O'Connell

The next book from “Fire and Fury” author Michael Wolff is both a recounting of the recent past and a prediction for the near future.

Wolff’s “The Fall: The End of Fox News and the Murdoch Dynasty” will come out Sept. 26, publisher Henry Holt announced Tuesday. A spokesperson told The Associated Press that Wolff, whose previous books include “Rupert Murdoch, The Man Who Owns the News,” interviewed “people throughout the Murdoch organization, including many with direct knowledge of Murdoch and his family.”

Wolff will offer behinds-the-scenes accounts of everything from Tucker Carlson’s ousting, to Rupert Murdoch’s clashes with former President Donald Trump to tensions within the Murdoch family that mirror HBO’s “Succession.” Fox’s decline is inevitable, Wolff contends.

“I have been telling the story of the great power of Rupert Murdoch and Fox News for many years,” he said in a statement. “This power is now reaching a natural end and ‘The Fall’ brings the story to its closing act.”

Wolff is best known for “Fire and Fury,” his tell-all about the Trump administration that sold millions of copies despite allegations from some mentioned in the book that he had misquoted or misrepresented them.

Read more:

In his new book 'The Fall,' author Michael Wolff foresees the demise of Fox News

Federal court denies Meadows bid to stave off arrest

22:38 , Oliver O'Connell

A federal court judge has denied former White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows’s bid to stave off arrest or immediately remove his criminal case in Fulton County to federal court.

A similar decision was made earlier in the case of Trump administration lawyer Jeff Clark.

They will both be arrested by the end of the week.

From praying after the Access Hollywood tape to condemning January 6: Everything Mike Pence has said about Trump

22:30 , Kelly Rissman

Former Vice President Mike Pence has become much more emboldened in his criticism of his former boss, Donald Trump, in recent months, but has refused to stoop to Mr Trump’s online admonishments and name-calling tactics.

Mr Pence is trying to pave a pathway back to the White House – without his name on a ballot next to Mr Trump. But it’s no secret that the former vice president isn’t polling particularly well, with just over five per cent in the polls, putting him in fourth place in a crowded GOP field.

The man who was once described as “cartoonishly loyal as Trump’s vice president” (and who once praised Trump every 12 seconds for three minutes straight during a 2017 Cabinet meeting) is now taking harsher stances and carefully distancing himself, at times, from the former president.

Mr Pence has a signature style, one that has been well curated from decades ago after losing a House race; in 1991, he vowed to avoid negative campaign attacks. This promise seemed to inform a lot of Mr Pence’s responses to significant events in which his former boss found himself in hot water. Rather than pointing fingers, the former Indiana governor tends to turn the conversation to the American public and tread diplomatically.

Read more:

Everything Mike Pence has said about Donald Trump

Former Trump and Pence staffer shares her predictions for debate

22:28 , Oliver O'Connell

Alyssa Farah Griffin, the former Trump and Pence White House staffer who has since forged a broadcast career on The View and as a commentator for CNN, has reshared her predictions for tonight’s debate. She made the original post on Sunday.

-Nikki Haley wins the night-DeSantis takes the most blows-Vivek chips away at RDS’ populist support-Tim Scott sees a boost-Christie has the most viral moments & makes progress on margins w/Trump skeptical R’s-Pence gets most applause on life/ social issues

North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum will debate after injury

22:22 , Oliver O'Connell

“Doug feels very strongly that his voice is necessary on the stage this evening, and has said he will fight through the pain and challenge standing in order to make that happen,” NBC reports his campaign as saying.

Five things to watch during the first Republican primary debate

22:20 , Oliver O'Connell

Here’s what Republicans have told The Independent’s Eric Garcia that they expect from tonight’s debate.

Five things to watch during the first Republican primary debate

Trump responds to Giuliani surrender

22:10 , Oliver O'Connell

Former president Donald Trump broke a prolonged silence on social media today to briefly comment on the arrest of former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani and rail against the charges against him and his allies.

He posted on Truth Social:

The greatest Mayor in the history of New York City was just ARRESTED in Atlanta, Georgia, because he fought for Election Integrity. THE ELECTION WAS RIGGED & STOLLEN. HOW SAD FOR OUR COUNTRY. MAGA!

[Yes, he misspelled stolen, again...]

What is stollen? The German cake that Donald Trump accidentally promoted

Jeff Clark to be arrested as judge denies effort to stay Fulton County proceedings

22:02 , Oliver O'Connell

Trump administration lawyer Jeff Clark will be arrested this week regarding charges related to his alleged efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election in Georgia.

A federal judge has denied his effort to stay the Fulton County proceedings and stave off his arrest while he tried to send the case to federal court.

Jenna Ellis and Sidney Powell’s booking mugshots

21:53 , Oliver O'Connell

Rudy Giuliani’s booking mugshot

21:49 , Oliver O'Connell

Watch: Giuliani seen leaving bail bonds office after arrest

21:44 , Oliver O'Connell

Full story: Giuliani gives awkward laugh over whether he regrets Trump relationship during Georgia surrender

21:40 , Oliver O'Connell

Rudy Giuliani called his arrest an “attack on the American people” outside a Georgia jail, where he surrendered to law enforcement for his part in the alleged 2020 election interference plot.

The former New York City mayor and former attorney to Donald Trump spoke to reporters outside the Fulton County Jail in Atlanta.

He gave an awkward laugh when asked if he regretted his long working relationship with Mr Trump.

Here’s the full story from outside the jail:

Rudy Giuliani gives awkward laugh over whether he regrets Trump relationship

Republicans for Ukraine group to air ad during debate

21:30 , Gustaf Kilander

Who is taking part in the Republican debate tonight?

21:25 , Oliver O'Connell

Eight Republican presidential candidates have met the Republican National Committee’s (RNC) new criteria to participate in the first GOP debate on 23 August.

Here’s who will be lining up on stage in Milwaukee:

Watch: Combative Giuliani lashes out at Fulton County DA Fani Willis in chaotic scenes outside jail

21:18 , Oliver O'Connell

Trump releases his own GOP debate bingo card

21:11 , Oliver O'Connell

Donald Trump has released his own debate bingo card ahead of the first faceoff of the 2024 GOP primary.

Mr Trump also announced that his interview with Tucker Carlson will be shown at 9pm ET, serving as counterprogramming to the GOP debate.

Kelly Rissman reports.

Trump mocks GOP as he announces Tucker Carlson interview will clash with debate

Watch: Giuliani says ‘very honoured to be involved in this case'

21:04 , Oliver O'Connell

Biden campaign put up Dark Brandon billboards around Milwaukee ahead of debate

21:00 , Gustaf Kilander

Media scrum surrounds Giuliani as he leaves Fulton County Jail

20:52 , Oliver O'Connell

Jen Psaki says Trump has given major clue that he’s scared of legal peril

20:50 , Oliver O'Connell

Former White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki believes that Donald Trump has given a major clue that he’s scared of his escalating legal troubles.

Ms Psaki, who went from the White House briefing room to taking a spot as a talking head at MSNBC, said that Mr Trump is showing “unusual” signs of fear in the face of his various indictments.

The former president is currently facing a total of 91 charges after being indicted in New York, Georgia, and twice by the federal government – at a time when he is pursuing the 2024 presidential election.

Read more:

Psaki says Trump has given major clue that he’s scared of legal peril

Booking photo for Kenneth Chesebro revealed

20:46 , Oliver O'Connell

Full story: Rudy Giuliani says he feels ‘very, very good’ as he surrenders in Georgia on RICO charges

20:40 , Oliver O'Connell

Rudy Giuliani has claimed that he feels “very, very good” ahead of his arrival at a Georgia jail, where he surrendered to law enforcement for his part in the 2020 election interference plot.

The former New York City mayor and former attorney to Donald Trump spoke to reporters as he left his apartment in New York City on Wednesday morning to travel to Fulton County Jail in Atlanta.

The former Trump attorney surrendered at the Fulton County Jail on Wednesday afternoon, where his bail was set at $150,000.

Read on...

Rudy Giuliani says he feels ‘very, very good’ as he surrenders in Georgia

Watch: Giuliani surrenders to authorities at Fulton County Jail

20:35 , Oliver O'Connell

Biden asked about GOP debate

20:34 , Oliver O'Connell

Having emerged from pelodog, a pilates and spin studio in Lake Tahoe, President Joe Biden — in addition to making brief remarks on the plane crash in Russia — was asked about tonight’s upcoming Republican primary debate.

Asked if he was going to watch the Republican debate, he replied: “I’m going to try to see — get as much as I can, yes.”Asked what his expectations were, he smiled broadly and laughed: “I have none.”“Thank you all,” he added and then walked to the waiting car.He was wearing a blue ballcap, aviators, and a teal sweater. He had what looked to be an iced coffee in his hand.

Giuliani and Powell surrender to Fulton County Jail

20:24 , Oliver O'Connell

Former Trump attorneys Rudy Giuliani and Sidney Powell have surrendered to authorities at Fulton County Jail to face charges relating to the 2020 Georgia election interference case.

Mr Giuliani’s bond was confirmed set at $150,000 around lunchtime and Ms Powell’s was set at $100,000 on Wednesday morning.

The former mayor of New York faces 13 counts relating to efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election in Georgia, whereas Ms Powell faces 16 counts, including two counts of conspiracy to commit election fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit computer theft.

She is accused of conspiring to allegedly encourage and help people tamper with ballot markers and machines inside an elections office in Coffee County.

Biden comments on plane crash in Russia

20:15 , Oliver O'Connell

Monday will be a busy court day for Trump and his allies

20:10 , Oliver O'Connell

Scott MacFarlane of CBS News notes that Trump-related courtroom drama does not abate after the weekend.

Former Trump trade adviser Peter Navarro’s contempt of Congress case has a hearing scheduled for Monday at 9.30am in Washington, DC.

In the very next courtroom, there is a trial date hearing for Donald Trump’s federal election interference trial at 10am (unlikely he will attend).

Meanwhile, down in Fulton County, Georgia, there is a 10am hearing as to whether Mark Meadows can have his case shifted to federal court.

Busy times...

Meanwhile, President Biden is on vacation in Lake Tahoe

20:05 , Oliver O'Connell

President Joe Biden and his family are currently on vacation in Lake Tahoe.

Mr Biden has been briefed about the plane crash in Russia that was said to be carrying Russian mercenary leader Yevgeny Prigozhin who led a failed coup attempt against Vladimir Putin two months ago today.

He has also been briefed on reports of an active shooter in Pittsburgh.

“The President, First Lady, and members of their family are taking a Pilates class followed by a spin class,” the White House informs the press.

Several family members were spotted by pool reporters, including granddaughters Maisy and Naomi, and her husband Peter Neal. At one point, Hunter Biden’s young son, Beau, ran along the sidewalk and into the fitness studio.

How to watch Trump’s Tucker Carlson interview airing during GOP debate

20:00 , Kelly Rissman

After Donald Trump declared that he would not be participating in the first GOP primary debate on Wednesday, the former president has something else up his sleeve: an interview with disgraced Fox News host Tucker Carlson.

Mr Trump confirmed his absence on Truth Social, explaining, “The public knows who I am & what a successful Presidency I had…I WILL THEREFORE NOT BE DOING THE DEBATES!”

Read more:

How to watch Trump’s Tucker Carlson interview airing during GOP debate

Watch: Gov Doug Burgum has arrived in debate spin room on crutches after basketball accident

19:55 , Oliver O'Connell

‘Ron DeSantis has never learned how to take a punch'

19:50 , Oliver O'Connell

The Democratic operative Joshua Karp who advised Andrew Gillum and Charlie Crist, the gubernatorial nominees in Florida who lost to Mr DeSantis in 2018 and 2022 has shared his insights on how to debate the governor.

Mr Karp advised his candidates to keep eye contact with Mr DeSantis, especially when attacking him. Get him to start complaining and whining. Don’t be so sure that he’s all that well-prepared and be on the lookout for his prepared lines.

“Basically from the jump, it was clear he hadn’t prepared at all,” Mr Karp told The Daily Beast.

“A win for DeSantis is coming out of the debate looking like the frontrunner on a stage that doesn’t have Donald Trump,” he added. “Like, give the Republican Party a picture of a party that doesn’t have Donald Trump in it.”

“Ron DeSantis has never learned how to take a punch,” Mr Karp told the outlet. “He can’t counterpunch with more force. The big test of this debate is whether he is able to control those bad instincts that he’s got.”

Fulton County AG responds to Jeff Clark bid to move charges to federal court

19:47 , Oliver O'Connell

Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis has responded to former Trump administration lawyer Jeff Clark’s bid to transfer his charges to federal court, saying his reasoning is based on a “misread of the applicable statutes, a misapprehension of the binding case law, and a fundamental misunderstanding of criminal procedure.”

She sarcastically adds: “As inconvenient as modern air travel can admittedly be, whatever nuisance involved in the defendant securing a flight to Atlanta ... is self-evidently insufficient justification.”

Watch: Marjorie Taylor Greene claims not to know who some GOP candidates are

19:43 , Oliver O'Connell

“These candidates, I don’t even know who some of them are. I was surprised that I didn’t know who the governor of North Dakota and some other people were. They really don’t have a chance.”

— Georgia Rep Marjorie Taylor-Greene

Report: Giuliani bond set at $150,000 in Fulton County

19:36 , Oliver O'Connell

What the GOP candidates have said about transgender rights: Ron DeSantis

19:35 , Oliver O'Connell

As governor of Florida, Ron DeSantis has rapidly implemented some of the most aggressive anti-transgender legislation seen across the US.

In May, the Florida governor signed a bill banning children from undergoing gender-affirming medical care and criminalising medical providers who offer it to patients.

The bill also allows transgender children to be taken from their parents and placed into state custody should parents try to seek gender-affirming care.

Mr DeSantis has called gender-affirming care “mutilation” and “wrong” saying that “it has no place in our society”.

Last year, Mr DeSantis also notably spearheaded a bill, nicknamed the “Don’t Say Gay” law, that prohibits the discussion of sex or gender in schools – including a child’s preferred pronouns.

Despite his action and rhetoric, when Mr DeSantis was questioned about what he would do if his child was gay or transgender, he responded: “Well, my children are my children… We’ll leave that – we’ll leave that between my wife and I.”

Analysis: Chris Christie is on a mission against his old friend Trump

19:30 , Oliver O'Connell

Could a man who once helped mould Donald Trump’s rise to power be the one to finally break his hold on the Republican Party?

Chris Christie is betting so.

John Bowden reports.

Christie is on a mission to take down ‘scared’ Trump – starting with the debate

Kenneth Chesebro files demand for speedy trial

19:25 , Ariana Baio

Kenneth Chesebro, former attorney for Donald Trump’s campaign who was recently indicted alongside the ex-president, has filed a demand for a speedy trial in Fulton County, Georgia.

Citing a law for his right to a speedy trial, Mr Chesebro demanded his trial date occur “within the terms of the court the indictment was filed (e.g. first Monday in January, March, May, July, September, and November)”.

First Georgia codefendant turns on Trump and claims he was only following ex-president’s orders

19:00 , Rachel Sharp

The first codefendant in Donald Trump’s Georgia criminal case has shown signs of turning on him, claiming that he was only following the former president’s orders when he took part in the election interference plot.

David Shafer, the former chairman of the Georgia Republican Party and a longtime member of the Georgia state Senate, claimed in a court filing on Monday that he merely “acted at the direction of the incumbent President and other federal officials”.

“Attorneys for the President and Mr. Shafer specifically instructed Mr. Shafer, verbally and in writing, that the Republican electors’ meeting and casting their ballots on December 14, 2020 was consistent with counsels’ advice and was necessary to preserve the presidential election contest,” the filing states.

Mr Shafer is also seeking to have the criminal case moved to federal court.

His filing suggests that he – and potentially others – could turn on the former president in the case.

Read more:

Georgia codefendant turns on Trump and claims he was only following orders

Jail where Trump will be booked in Georgia has long been plagued with violence

18:40 , AP

Former President Donald Trump is expected to surrender on Thursday at the jail in Georgia‘s most populous county — an overcrowded facility with a reputation for violence and neglect that has prompted a federal investigation into conditions there.

Trump will be released from Fulton County Jail in Atlanta, known colloquially as the Rice Street jail, once he is booked on charges of illegally scheming to overturn his 2020 election loss in Georgia.

Not all criminal defendants are handled that way. Others have spent months, or even years, there before they were indicted.

Here’s a look at the jail and what Trump might experience when he turns himself in:

WHAT MIGHT TRUMP’S BOOKING LOOK LIKE?

Jail where Trump will be booked in Georgia has long been plagued with violence

Ron DeSantis isn’t over yet – here’s why

18:20 , Eric Garcia

Ron DeSantis has faced a flurry of negative headlines in recent weeks as his poll numbers have declined and his campaign sheds staff.

But his supporters and other insiders say that it is too early to count out the Florida governor as he prepares to take the debate stage in Milwaukee on Wednesday. With former president Donald Trump electing to sit out of the first debate, Mr DeSantis will likely be the subject of most attacks given that he has consistently polled in second place behind the former president.

A recent NBC News/Des Moines Register/Mediacom poll found that 42 per cent of Iowa caucus-goers prefer the former president as their first choice, with Mr DeSantis in a distant second at 19 per cent. At the same time, a combined 57 per cent of poll respondents said that the party needed new leadership, with 38 per cent of those caucus goers listing Mr DeSantis as their first choice.

With its heavy churchgoing population, Iowa offers Mr DeSantis his best position to beat Mr Trump, given his policies on attacking “wokeness” and restricting how sexual orientation, gender identity and race are taught in schools, as well as his signing of a six-week abortion ban.

Read more:

Ron DeSantis isn’t over yet – here’s why

Two candidates suing GOP for being left out of debate: ‘They’re cherrypicking’

18:00 , Gustaf Kilander

Two Republican presidential candidates are suing the Republican National Committee for not allowing them to take part in the first primary debate in Milwaukee.

California conservative radio host Larry Elder and Michigan businessman Perry Johnson reportedly didn’t meet the qualifications set by the RNC, which the candidates dispute. The requirements included donations from 40,000 individuals with at least 200 in 20 or more states, reaching at least one per cent in two national polls and one poll from one of the states that vote early, and agreeing to the pledge of loyalty to support the eventual nominee.

Mr Elder, who has previously run for governor of California, claimed the RNC had “rigged” the process and that he had indeed qualified, but that the RNC didn’t accept some of the polls he cited.

Mr Johnson ran for governor of Michigan in 2022. He also claimed that he has met the requirements, saying that the RNC “knew who they wanted to ban” and that they made “a flawed decision”.

But he didn’t outline why the RNC rejected his argument that he had qualified for the debate stage in his statement.

Read more:

Two candidates suing GOP for being left out of debate: ‘They’re cherrypicking’

Chris Christie is on a mission to take down ‘scared’ Donald Trump – starting with first debate

17:40 , John Bowden

Could a man who once helped mould Donald Trump’s rise to power be the one to finally break his hold on the Republican Party?

Chris Christie is betting so.

The former New Jersey governor is running a combative, anti-establishment campaign on behalf of the establishment — the old Republican establishment, the Reagan GOP, against what is now the actual leadership of the Republican Party: Donald Trump, and his inner circle of loyalists, attack dogs and sycophants.

His wager? That he understands the strengths and weaknesses of Mr Trump better than any candidate on the debate stage, an understanding which combined with a punchy, charismatic frontman can spell doom for the Trump campaign. It’s a risky bargain, but surely no riskier than the respective gambits being waged quietly by every single Republican presidential candidate apparently hoping that Mr Trump will drop out under a mountain of legal battles or otherwise spontaneously implode before it is too late.

As it stood ahead of the first Republican debate, Mr Christie is beginning to see at least the whisperings of success. He’s overtaken Ron DeSantis and others in polls of New Hampshire, the first primary state where he hopes to be competitive for the top slot. And, perhaps most importantly, he has been credited at least in the media as being the reason why Donald Trump is skipping the debates entirely.

Read more:

Christie is on a mission to take down ‘scared’ Trump – starting with the debate

Trump mocks GOP as he announces Tucker Carlson interview will directly clash with debate: ‘Sparks will fly’

17:20 , Kelly Rissman

Former President Donald Trump announced that his interview with Tucker Carlson will be shown at 9pm ET, serving as counterprogramming to the first Republican primary debate.

Mr Trump wrote on Truth Social on Wednesday: “MY INTERVIEW WITH TUCKER CARLSON WILL BE AIRED TONIGHT AT 9:00 P.M. ‘SPARKS WILL FLY.’ ENJOY!”

It is still unclear where the interview with Carlson will be shown, but many assume it will be aired on X, seeing as the platform airs the former Fox News host’s new show, “Tucker on Twitter.”

Mr Trump’s post seemed to mock the Republican Party – and Fox News – as he seeks to lure viewers away from other candidates and the network, which he has recently bashed.

The 2024 GOP frontrunner has repeatedly declared that he would not be participating in the debate – which is scheduled to be broadcast on Wednesday on Fox News.

Read more:

Trump mocks GOP as he announces Tucker Carlson interview will clash with debate

What the GOP candidates have said about transgender rights: Nikki Haley

17:00 , Ariana Baio

Nikki Haley has repeatedly denounced transgender female athletes competing on sports teams consistent with their gender identity, calling it “the women’s issue of our time”.

The former South Carolina governor and United Nations ambassador went as far as to accuse transgender athletes of contributing to “a third of our teenage girls seriously [contemplating] suicide last year.”

Ms Haley told ABC News 4 in May that she opposes gender-affirming healthcare for minors saying: “You shouldn’t allow a child to have gender-changing procedure until the age of 18 when they are an adult and they can make that decision.”

She added: “We shouldn’t have taxpayer dollars going to that.”

Rudy Giuliani arrives in Atlanta for arrest

16:50 , Gustaf Kilander

Rudy Giuliani has landed in Atlanta to surrender to prosecutors following his indictment in the Georgia election subversion case.

The former Trump lawyer was spotted leaving a private plane and entering a vehicle at Dekalb-Peachtree Airport, according to CNN.

Mr Giuliani has said that his legal woes had led to financial struggles – he recently listed his Manhattan three-bedroom apartment for sale at $6.5m.

Sidney Powell strikes $100,000 bail agreement with Georgia prosecutors

16:40 , Gustaf Kilander

Former Trump lawyer Sidney Powell has agreed to a $100,000 bail agreement with prosecutors in Georgia.

She’s set to be subject to the same release conditions as the other defendants in the case. While Ms Powell has yet to turn herself in, the conditions state that she must surrender by noon on Friday.

Ms Powell was one of the lawyers pushing baseless allegations of fraud following the 2020 election.

What the GOP candidates have said about transgender rights: Donald Trump

16:20 , Ariana Baio

While in office, Donald Trump rolled back a slew of rights protecting transgender people.

This included axing policies that allowed trans people to serve in the military and that protected trans patients from discrimination by doctors, hospitals and health insurance companies.

But if he were re-elected, Mr Trump has promised to go even further by punishing doctors and hospitals for providing gender-affirming care to minors which includes revoking Medicaid and Medicare qualifications.

The former president has also repeatedly mocked transgender athletes during speeches.

North Dakota Gov Doug Burgum’s debate attendance in question after basketball injury

16:00 , Gustaf Kilander

North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum’s debate attendance is in question after he was injured playing basketball with his staff.

On Tuesday, he was taken to an emergency room in Milwaukee, Wisconsin – where the debate will take place tonight – and it remains unclear if he’ll be able to stand in time for tonight’s debate, according to CNN.

Read more:

North Dakota Gov Doug Burgum’s debate attendance in question after basketball injury

Rudy Giuliani says he feels ‘very, very good’ as he heads to Georgia to surrender on RICO charges

15:40 , Rachel Sharp

Rudy Giuliani has claimed that he feels “very, very good” as he heads to Georgia to face arrest for his part in the 2020 election interference plot.

The former New York City mayor and former attorney to Donald Trump spoke to reporters as he left his apartment in New York City on Wednesday morning to travel to Fulton County Jail in Atlanta.

“I’m going to Georgia, and I’m feeling very very good about it, because I feel like I’m defending the rights of all Americans as I did so many times as a United States attorney,” he said.

Read more:

Rudy Giuliani says he feels ‘very, very good’ as he heads to Georgia to surrender

What the GOP candidates have said about transgender rights

15:20 , Ariana Baio

Over the last three years, the US has seen a record number of anti-transgender laws passed in states – restricting, and sometimes criminalising, youth access to gender-affirming care, diminishing trans visibility in classrooms and limiting participation in athletics.

So far in 2023, there have been over 566 anti-transgender bills introduced in government, according to a trans legislation tracker. Of that, 83 have passed and 358 are ongoing.

The mounting legislation is largely the result of a campaign by conservatives to create false narratives vilifying transgender people, as they seek to maintain a stronghold over their constituents.

Most likely, the 2024 Republican nominee for president will share similar rhetoric to other anti-transgender rights politicians.

Here’s what each GOP presidential candidate has said about transgender rights to date:

What the GOP candidates have said about transgender rights

Trump codefendant posts smiling mugshot after surrendering to Fulton County Jail: ‘New profile picture’

15:00 , Rachel Sharp

Donald Trump’s codefendant has posted his smiling mugshot on social media and boldly described it as his “new profile picture” after surrendering to Fulton County Jail to face charges in the election interference case.

David Shafer, the former chairman of the Georgia Republican Party and a longtime member of the Georgia state Senate, surrendered to authorities in Georgia in the early hours of Wednesday morning to face charges.

Online jail records reveal that he was arrested on Wednesday 23 August by Fulton County Sheriff’s Office and booked into Fulton County Jail before being released on bond later.

Following his arrest, he shared his booking photo on X, formerly known as Twitter.

“Good morning! #NewProfilePicture,” he captioned the mugshot in which he beamed at the camera.

Read more:

Trump codefendant proudly posts smiling mugshot after Georgia arrest

How will Trump will be arrested in Fulton County? This viral TikTok explains it all...

14:40 , Oliver O'Connell

A recently uploaded TikTok video has gone viral that gives viewers insight into how former President Donald Trump will be booked after he turns himself in to authorities in Fulton County, Georgia, later this week.

In a segment recorded on August 18, TikTok personality Chris Mowrey sets the scene outside the jail — walking viewers through the logistics of where the lockup is located, where media covering the arraignment will gather and some of the precautions law enforcement officials are taking in advance of the former president’s visit

Abe Asher has the story.

Tiktok video breaking down how Trump will be arrested in Fulton County goes viral

Meadows asks federal court to block his arrest on Georgia election charges

14:20 , Oliver O'Connell

Attorneys for Mark Meadows, the ex-North Carolina congressman who served as Donald Trump’s final White House chief of staff Mark Meadows, have filed an emergency motion seeking a federal court order barring Fulton County, Georgia authorities from arresting him while a request to move the racketeering and election interference case against him from state court is pending.

Andrew Feinberg reports.

Mark Meadows asks federal court to block his arrest on Georgia election charges

DeSantis responds to Trumpworld ‘listless vessels’ blowback

14:00 , Oliver O'Connell

Ron DeSantis is doubling down after calling Donald Trump and some of his supporters “listless vessels” in a weekend interview that enraged Trumpworld and drew criticism from the ex-president’s allies who accused him of insulting GOP voters.

John Bowden reports.

DeSantis responds to Trumpworld blowback over ‘listless vessels’ remark

Kinzinger thinks Trump is ‘scared to death’ of one 2024 GOP rival in particular

13:40 , Oliver O'Connell

Former Republican congressman Adam Kinzinger said that former president Donald Trump is “scared to death” of his former confidant Chris Christie, the former governor of New Jersey.

Eric Garcia reports.

Adam Kinzinger thinks Trump is ‘scared to death’ of this 2024 GOP rival

Everything Mike Pence has said about Donald Trump

13:20 , Oliver O'Connell

Here are all of the things Mr Pence has said about Mr Trump, both while he was in office and after, showcasing his transformation from the former president’s right-hand man to Mr Trump’s competitor for the Republican nomination.

Everything Mike Pence has said about Donald Trump

GOP debate: Who are the partners of the presidential candidates?

13:00 , Oliver O'Connell

You might be familiar with the candidates themselves by now but you may not be so well acquainted with their families. Here is a brief introduction to their better halves.

Who are the Republican presidential candidates’ partners?

Are Trump’s codefendants going to turn on him? New court filing suggests so...

12:40 , Rachel Sharp

The first codefendant in Donald Trump’s Georgia criminal case has shown signs of turning on him, claiming that he was only following the former president’s orders when he took part in the election interference plot.

David Shafer, the former chairman of the Georgia Republican Party and a longtime member of the Georgia state Senate, claimed in a court filing on Monday that he merely “acted at the direction of the incumbent President and other federal officials”.

“Attorneys for the President and Mr. Shafer specifically instructed Mr. Shafer, verbally and in writing, that the Republican electors’ meeting and casting their ballots on December 14, 2020 was consistent with counsels’ advice and was necessary to preserve the presidential election contest,” the filing states.

Read on...

Georgia codefendant turns on Trump and claims he was only following orders

How to watch Trump’s Tucker Carlson interview

12:20 , Oliver O'Connell

Kelly Rissman reports.

How to watch Trump’s Tucker Carlson interview airing during GOP debate

Poll reveals MAGA followers believe Trump over family and friends

12:00 , Oliver O'Connell

MSNBC host Joe Scarborough compared supporters of Donald Trump to cult followers after a new poll revealed that they trusted the former president more as a source of true information over their loved ones.

The latest CBS survey conducted between 16 and 18 August found that 71 per cent of US adult residents believed the former president as telling the truth, while 63 per cent picked friends and family. Conservative media figures stood at 56 per cent, and religious leaders gathered about 30 per cent fewer votes than the former president, gathering 42 per cent of the votes.

The CBS poll also showed Mr Trump was the preferred candidate for 62 per cent of Republican voters, with Ron DeSantis trailing at 16 per cent.

Namita Singh has the details.

Poll reveals followers believe Trump over family and friends

Georgia codefendant turns on Trump and claims he was only following ex-president's orders

11:40 , Rachel Sharp

The first codefendant in Donald Trump’s Georgia criminal case has shown signs of turning on him, claiming that he was only following the former president’s orders when he took part in the election interference plot.

David Shafer, the former chairman of the Georgia Republican Party and a longtime member of the Georgia state Senate, claimed in a court filing on Monday that he merely “acted at the direction of the incumbent President and other federal officials”.

“Attorneys for the President and Mr. Shafer specifically instructed Mr. Shafer, verbally and in writing, that the Republican electors’ meeting and casting their ballots on December 14, 2020 was consistent with counsels’ advice and was necessary to preserve the presidential election contest,” the filing states.

Mr Shafer is also seeking to have the criminal case moved to federal court.

His filing suggests that he – and potentially others – could turn on the former president in the case.

Mr Shafer is one of 19 defendants charged with running a criminal enterprise to keep Mr Trump in power at all costs.

He is charged with eight counts over his part in the scheme where he allegedly played a pivotal role in the fake electors plot in the state.

According to the indictment, Mr Shafer convened 16 fake electors in the Georgia state capitol on 14 December 2020 to sign a certificate falsely declaring Mr Trump as the winner of the state.

Key takeaways Trump’s Georgia indictment: Mob boss law, 30 mystery co-conspirators and an unmasked plot

11:20 , Namita Singh

Rachel Sharp reports on some of the key takeaways in the 98-page indictment.

Key takeaways from the sweeping Georgia indictment against Trump and his allies

A look at the candidates participants debating Wednesday night

11:00 , Namita Singh

Ron DeSantis: The Florida governor has long been seen as Donald Trump’s top rival, finishing a distant second to him in polls in early-voting states and in national polls as well, and raising an impressive amount of money.

But Mr DeSantis’ campaign has struggled in recent weeks to live up to high expectations. He let go of more than one-third of his staff as federal filings showed his campaign was burning through cash at an unsustainable rate.

Tim Scott: The South Carolina senator has been looking for a breakout moment. The first debate could be his chance.

A prolific fundraiser, Mr Scott entered the summer with $21m cash on hand.In one debate-approved poll in Iowa, he joined Mr Trump and Mr DeSantis in reaching double digits. The senator has focused much of his campaign resources on the leadoff GOP voting state, which has a large number of white evangelical voters.

Nikki Haley: She has blitzed early-voting states with campaign events, walking crowds through her successes ousting a longtime South Carolina lawmaker, then becoming the state’s first female and first minority governor.

Also serving as Mr Trump’s UN ambassador for about two years, she frequently cites her international experience, focusing on the threat China poses to the United States.

Vivek Ramaswamy: The biotech entrepreneur and author of “Woke, Inc.: Inside Corporate America’s Social Justice Scam” is an audience favorite at multi-candidate events and has polled well despite not being nationally known when he entered the race.

Mr Ramaswamy’s campaign says he met the donor threshold earlier this year, but this summer he rolled out “Vivek’s Kitchen Cabinet” to boost his donor numbers even more by letting fundraisers keep 10 per cent of what they bring in for his campaign.

Chris Christie: The former New Jersey governor opened his campaign by portraying himself as the only candidate ready to take on Trump. Christie called on the former president to “show up at the debates and defend his record,” calling him “a coward” if he doesn’t.

Last month, Christie — who kicked off his campaign in June — told CNN that he surpassed “40,000 unique donors in just 35 days.” He also has met the polling requirements.

Doug Burgum: A wealthy former software entrepreneur now in his second term as North Dakota’s governor, he has been using his fortune to boost his campaign.

He announced a program last month to give away $20 gift cards — “Biden Relief Cards,” hitting president Joe Biden’s handling of the economy — to as many as 50,000 people in exchange for $1 donations. Critics have questioned whether the offer violates campaign finance law.

Mike Pence: Donald Trump’s vice president had met the polling threshold but struggled to amass a sufficient number of donors, raising the possibility he might not qualify for the first debate.

But on 8 August, his campaign announced that it had crossed the 40,000 donor threshold, and also that he had become the first candidate to formally submit his donor count to the RNC for verification.

Asa Hutchinson: The former two-term Arkansas governor was the final candidate to meet the RNC’s qualifications. Satisfying the polling requirements but slowly working on passing the donor threshold, Hutchinson said Sunday on CNN that he had finally surpassed 40,000 unique donors.

Mr Hutchinson is running in the mold of an old-school Republican and has differentiated himself from many of his GOP rivals in his willingness to criticize Mr Trump. He posted pleas on Twitter for $1 donations to help secure his slot.

John Eastman self-surrenders in Fulton County

10:40 , Oliver O'Connell

Donald Trump’s former attorney John Eastman, a key architect of the scheme to change the results of the 2020 election, surrendered on criminal charges in Georgia on Tuesday.

The ex-Trump campaign legal mind was the second co-defendant of 19 known to have surrendered this week following the unsealing of a sprawling indictment last week charging Mr Trump, Mr Eastman and others with numerous felonies related to the election-tampering effort, including a violation of the state’s RICO law.

John Bowden reports.

Trump lawyer John Eastman surrenders in Fulton County

What’s next for Donald Trump after his Georgia indictment

10:20 , Namita Singh

Donald Trump will face yet another arraignment, this time in Fulton County, Georgia, after he was indicted on 13 charges related to his alleged efforts to overturn the 2020 election in the state.

On 14 August evening, Mr Trump was charged with violating the RICO Act as well as other charges alleging conspiracy, making false statements and filing false documents related to his combined efforts with 18 other named defendants in changing election results.

The charges stem from an investigation by Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis into Mr Trump and his allies’ actions in the state in the days and weeks after the 2020 election.

These actions included an infamous phone call that Mr Trump made to Brad Raffensperger, Georgia’s Republican secretary of state, in which Mr Trump asked him to “find” 11,780 votes. It also detailed a plot to install fake state electors.

Now, Mr Trump will have to add another series of court hearings for this case, including his official arraignment, to his already packed schedule.

Here’s what we know about what’s next for Mr Trump in the Georgia indictment.

What’s next for Donald Trump after his Georgia indictment?

Two more Trump codefendants surrender to authorities in Georgia

10:06 , Rachel Sharp

Two more codefendants in Donald Trump’s election interference case in Georgia have now surrendered to authorities.

Online jail records reveal that Cathy Latham and David Shafer were booked into Fulton County Jail in the early hours of Wednesday morning.

As of 5am ET, records show that they had both been released from the jail.

Now, a total of four codefendants have turned themselves into authorities.

Scott Hall, a former bail bondsman in Atlanta, was the first co-defendant to surrender on Tuesday. Attorney John Eastman then also surrendered the same day.

How are candidates for debate shortlisted?

10:00 , Namita Singh

Donald Trump won’t be on the Republican debate stage on Wednesday. But the former president is driving the conversation on and off the debate stage anyway.

Trump supporters including representative Marjorie Taylor Greene will be in Milwaukee. There are questions about how many of his campaign surrogates will be allowed into Fox News’ spin room. The network has restricted their access unless they are the guests of another media organization.

Eight other candidates met the donor and polling qualifications to be on stage, according to the Republican National Committee. For those who didn’t, missing the debate could be a decisive moment in their campaigns.

Conservative radio host Larry Elder has said he plans to sue the RNC over being left out, despite what he says is proof that he qualified for the debate. It also wasn’t immediately clear what Miami Mayor Francis Suarez — who didn’t make the cut — would do, following his Iowa State Fair comments that he might drop out of the race if that happened.

To qualify for the 23 August debate, candidates needed to satisfy polling and donor requirements set by the RNC: at least one per cent in three national polls or a mix of national and early-state polls deemed acceptable by the committee, between 1 July and 21 August , and a minimum of 40,000 donors, with 200 in 20 or more states.

Candidates also needed to commit at least 48 hours before the Wednesday evening debate, according to RNC criteria, which also required participants to sign a pledge promising to support the party’s eventual nominee.

Trump teases ‘very busy’ night during GOP debate

09:40 , Rachel Sharp

Donald Trump has teased that he will be having a “very busy” night on Wednesday during the first Republican debate.

“I WILL BE VERY BUSY TOMORROW NIGHT - ENJOY!!!” he posted on Truth Social on Tuesday night.

Eight GOP presidential hopefuls will take to the stage in Wisconsin for the debate at 9pm ET.

Mr Trump is skipping the event – but is instead holding a rival, though pre-recorded, interview with Tucker Carlson at the time.

First mugshots of Trump codefendants released

09:22 , Rachel Sharp

The first mugshots of Donald Trump’s codefendants in the Georgia election interference case have been released.

Scott Hall and John Eastman were the first to surrender to authorities in Fulton County on Tuesday.

Will Trump go to prison?

09:00 , Oliver O'Connell

America wants to know...

Will Donald Trump go to prison?

ICYMI: Scott Hall becomes first Trump co-defendant to surrender for arrest in Georgia

08:30 , Namita Singh

Scott Hall has become the first co-defendant of Donald Trump to surrender to authorities on Georgia to face charges over their alleged efforts to overturn the 2020 election in the state.

Fulton County Jail records reveal that Mr Hall was arrested on Tuesday 22 August by Fulton County Sheriff’s Office on seven charges.

Rachel Sharp reports.

Scott Hall becomes first Trump co-defendant to surrender for arrest in Georgia

Who takes advantage of Donald Trump’s absence in the Republican debate

08:00 , Namita Singh

Eight Republican candidates will meet on the debate stage for the first time Wednesday night in what may be the biggest moment in the GOP’s young 2024 presidential primary so far.

The overwhelming front-runner in the contest, former president Donald Trump, won’t participate.He says he’s so far ahead that he’d be helping his opponents by showing up. But his absence also offers them opportunity.

Who is likely to gain from his absence? Report:

Who takes advantage of Donald Trump's absence and other things to watch in the Republican debate

GOP debate: What is the net worth of each candidate?

07:30 , Oliver O'Connell

Ahead of Wednesday’s showdown, here’s a guide to the personal wealth of those taking part, with a brief outline of how they made their fortunes.

Fellow candidates Will Hurd, Perry Johnson, Francis Suarez and Larry Elder have not been included as, at the time of writing, they had not met the threshold to earn spots on the debate stage.

What are the Republican presidential candidates’ net worths?

Trump won’t be at the GOP’s first presidential debate. But his presence will be felt

07:00 , Namita Singh

He’ll be missing from the stage, but former president and GOP frontrunner Donald Trump will nonetheless loom large at the first Republican presidential primary debate Wednesday night as the candidates hoping to take on Democrat Joe Biden in November face off for the first time.

Trump won't be at the GOP's first presidential debate. But his presence will be felt

A major witness in the Mar-a-Lago document case flipped his testimony after switching from Trump PAC lawyer

06:31 , Namita Singh

A key witness in the special counsel’s classified documents case against Donald Trump reversed his testimony and implicated the former president and his associates after switching from a lawyer paid for by a Trump PAC group, according to a filing from the special counsel’s office.

Last month, Yuscil Taveras, the former director of IT at Mar-a-Lago, identified in some court documents as Trump Employee 4, switched from his attorney Stanley Woodward to a public defender.

At the same time, he gave federal officials new statements they said implicated the former president and his employees Walt Nauta and Carlos de Oliviera in an alleged scheme to delete security footage relating to the the handling of classifed documents.

My colleague Josh Marcus has more:

A witness in the Mar-a-Lago case flipped testimony after switching from Trump lawyer

Fox News’ ability to pivot again tested by Trump's decision to back out of debate

06:30 , Oliver O'Connell

If 2023 has taught anything to the people running Fox News, it’s the importance of being able to pivot.

The decision by former President Donald Trump to skip Wednesday’s first debate of the 2024 presidential primary season likely deprives Fox of a huge late-summer audience. Even worse for the network, Trump has talked of appearing in an online interview with former Fox star Tucker Carlson at the same time.

Trump’s announcement on Sunday wasn’t necessarily a surprise. Fox debate moderators Bret Baier and Martha MacCallum had been preparing for two events — one if he were there and one if he wasn’t.

Trump's decision to back out of debate tests Fox News' ability to pivot again

Trump claims $200,000 bond was set so he doesn’t ‘fly to Russia'

05:30 , Oliver O'Connell

Donald Trump has claimed that he was slapped with a high bond in his Georgia election interference case so that he doesn’t fly to Russia to “share a gold-domed suite” with Vladimir Putin.

The former president agreed on Monday to his bond being set at $200,000 as he faces 13 charges including racketeering over his efforts to overturn the 2020 election in the state.

Read on...

Trump claims bond set at $200k so he won’t flee to Russia to be with Putin

Recap: Trump says he will be arrested in Georgia on Thursday

04:45 , Oliver O'Connell

Former president Donald Trump will officially be arrested and booked on racketeering and conspiracy charges in Fulton County, Georgia on Thursday, one day before the court-ordered deadline for the ex-president and his 18 co-defendants to surrender to authorities.

Here’s what we know, so far...

Trump will be arrested in Georgia on Thursday for alleged efforts to subvert election

John Eastman gets $100,000 bail in Georgia election case

04:00 , Oliver O'Connell

John Eastman, the former Chapman University law professor who was indicted along with former president Donald Trump and 17 other co-conspirators by a Fulton County, Georgia grand jury last week, has been allowed to remain free pending trial on $100,000 bail.

Andrew Feinberg reports.

Trump co-defendant John Eastman gets $100,000 bail in Georgia election case

Even following indictments, Trump and his allies double down on election lies

03:15 , Oliver O'Connell

A federal indictment and one in Georgia charging Donald Trump with lying about the 2020 election to overturn President Joe Biden’s win have done nothing to slow the geyser of election falsehoods flowing from the former president and his supporters.

Read on...

Trump and his allies double down on election lies following indictments

Viral video questioning DeSantis debate leaks appears to show him on edge

02:30 , Oliver O'Connell

GOP presidential hopeful and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has once again found himself made a punching bag online after he was caught in an embarrassing video on the campaign trail.

Graig Graziosi reports.

DeSantis appears on edge in viral video questioning his debate leaks

Abortion right: What the GOP candidates have said

01:45 , Oliver O'Connell

The issue of abortion rights in the United States is staring the 2024 GOP presidential candidates in their faces as they prepare to kick their campaigns into high gear.

Since the Supreme Court overturned the landmark case Roe v Wade (1973) last summer, abortion has become a top concern for many voters.

Though the anti-abortion stance has long been associated with the Republican Party, approximately 61 per cent of adults in the US believe abortion should be legal in all or most cases, according to Pew Research Center – that statistic includes Republican and Democratic voters.

As Americans look toward their next Republican presidential nominee, no doubt many will be considering where the candidate stands on abortion when determining who they support.

Here is what each GOP presidential candidate has said on the issue.

What the GOP candidates have said about abortion rights

Analysis: Trump’s barely veiled ‘riggers’ dog whistle underlines former president’s history of racist statements

01:00 , Oliver O'Connell

Facing four criminal indictments as he seeks the Republican nomination for president, Donald Trump has repeatedly lashed out at the prosecutors and judges handling his cases, while his supporters spin volatile rhetoric into threats of political violence.

His inflammatory remarks, threats to political rivals and borderline incitement have galvanised his supporters, who echo and amplify his statements and hear his alleged dogwhistles loud and clear.

Mr Trump has repeatedly said he is the “least racist” person, but his statements surrounding the criminal cases against him are seen as some of his most explicit and most desperate racist attacks yet, following decades of bigoted statements.

Alex Woodward reports.

Trump’s barely veiled ‘riggers’ dog whistle underlines history of racist statements

GOP senator calls Trump’s classified documents case a ‘slam dunk’

Wednesday 23 August 2023 00:15 , Oliver O'Connell

One of the Republican senators who voted to convict Donald Trump for his role in the January 6 Capitol riot has described the criminal case regarding the former president’s handling of classified documents as a “slam dunk”.

Senator Bill Cassidy (R-LA) spoke to Kasie Hunt on CNN’s “State of the Union” on Sunday where he said that Mr Trump should drop out of the 2024 presidential race.

Eric Garcia reports.

Republican senator calls Trump’s classified documents case a ‘slam dunk’

Mayor Francis Suarez unhappy about being excluded from debate

Tuesday 22 August 2023 23:50 , Oliver O'Connell

Miami Mayor Francis Suarez echoes Larry Elder in his criticism of being excluded from tomorrow night’s Republican debate due to ineligible poll numbers but says he respects “the rules and process set forth by the RNC”.

In a statement, he said:

Throughout the debate verification process, my team was in touch with the RNC as we worked towards meeting the qualifications for the first debate.

On Thursday afternoon, in consultation with the RNC, we believed the polling requirement would be met by two polls that were yet to be reported.

On Monday night, we learned that a Cygnal poll would not be counted due to its affiliation with Vivek Ramaswamy’s campaign, despite multiple published reports confirming the poll was not paid for by any campaign. Two polls were certified by the RNC - Kaplan and Morning Consult (Aug 11-13) - however, we believed an equivalent Morning Consult poll (July 1-3) showing me at over 1% would certainly be certified.

I am sorry that this debate will not include my perspectives from the largest growing voting block in our country - young, conservative Hispanics. Additionally, Republicans will not be able to hear my story of how conservative principles of keeping taxes low, keeping people safe and focusing on creating prosperity for all created the most successful big city in America.

I respect the rules and process set forth by the RNC, and I look forward to working with my party to ensure we win back the White House and restore the path to a brighter future for our country.

Trump attacks Fox News for using ‘worst’ photos of him

Tuesday 22 August 2023 23:30 , Oliver O'Connell

Donald Trump has taken to lashing out at Fox News, claiming that the network is working with other Republican candidates to figure out who can beat him in the GOP primary, while using unflattering “orange” photos of him and negative polls.

Read more...

Trump attacks Fox for using ‘worst’ photos of him: ‘Especially the big orange one’

Watch: Fani Willis denies Meadows extension

Tuesday 22 August 2023 23:05 , Oliver O'Connell

DeSantis responds to Trumpworld ‘listless vessels’ blowback

Tuesday 22 August 2023 22:45 , Oliver O'Connell

Ron DeSantis is doubling down after calling Donald Trump and some of his supporters “listless vessels” in a weekend interview that enraged Trumpworld and drew criticism from the ex-president’s allies who accused him of insulting GOP voters.

John Bowden reports.

DeSantis responds to Trumpworld blowback over ‘listless vessels’ remark

How will Trump will be arrested in Fulton County? This viral TikTok explains it all...

Tuesday 22 August 2023 22:30 , Oliver O'Connell

A recently uploaded TikTok video has gone viral that gives viewers insight into how former President Donald Trump will be booked after he turns himself in to authorities in Fulton County, Georgia, later this week.

In a segment recorded on August 18, TikTok personality Chris Mowrey sets the scene outside the jail — walking viewers through the logistics of where the lockup is located, where media covering the arraignment will gather and some of the precautions law enforcement officials are taking in advance of the former president’s visit

Abe Asher has the story.

Tiktok video breaking down how Trump will be arrested in Fulton County goes viral

Analysis: Ron DeSantis isn’t over yet – here’s why

Tuesday 22 August 2023 22:15 , Oliver O'Connell

Ron DeSantis supporters tell Eric Garcia there is still time for the governor to break through, even as he becomes a target during Wednesday’s debate.

Ron DeSantis isn’t over yet – here’s why

Kinzinger thinks Trump is ‘scared to death’ of this 2024 GOP rival

Tuesday 22 August 2023 22:00 , Oliver O'Connell

Former Republican congressman Adam Kinzinger said that former president Donald Trump is “scared to death” of his one-time confidant Chris Christie, the former governor of New Jersey.

Eric Garcia reports.

Adam Kinzinger thinks Trump is ‘scared to death’ of this 2024 GOP rival

Meanwhile on Truth Social...

Tuesday 22 August 2023 21:55 , Oliver O'Connell

Having been silent all day, former president Donald Trump fired up his Truth Social machine this afternoon to issue his latest missal:

I WILL BE VERY BUSY TOMORROW NIGHT - ENJOY!!!

He then took aim at New Hampshire Governor Chris Sununu, who has said the Republican Party will lose the presidential election with Trump as the nominee.

I was beating “Governor” Chris Sununu in his home State, New Hampshire, by so much, almost 50 Points, that he didn’t have the courage to run. He’s a selfish guy who should have run for the Senate, but now he’s stuck in never, never land, lonely and virtually unelectable!

He then added:

BEST POLL NUMBERS EVER, STAY TUNED!!!

Watch: Jason Miller and Matt Gaetz confident Trump surrogates will be in debate spin room

Tuesday 22 August 2023 21:48 , Oliver O'Connell

Trump plan for surrogates to represent him at debate hits snag

Tuesday 22 August 2023 21:34 , Oliver O'Connell

Building on earlier reporting that only participating candidates and campaigns will be welcome in the Fox News spin room after the GOP debate, The New York Times has obtained a memo first report by Axios that states that representatives of nonparticipating candidates will only be allowed in as guests of media organisations.

“In addition to the (5) Spin Room credentials referenced in a previous email, we’ll also issue (1) Media Row credential to any participating candidate/campaigns,” the memo says. “Any non-participating candidate/campaign is welcome in the Spin Room or Media Row as a guest of one of the media organizations with positions in those locations, using one of their credentials.”

Here’s our earlier reporting:

Fox won’t let Trump aides into post-debate ‘spin room’ as ex-president skips event

Everything Mike Pence has said about Trump, from praying after the Access Hollywood tape to condemning January 6

Tuesday 22 August 2023 21:30 , Oliver O'Connell

Former Vice President Mike Pence has become much more emboldened in his criticism of his former boss, Donald Trump, in recent months, but has refused to stoop to Mr Trump’s online admonishments and name-calling tactics.

Mr Pence is trying to pave a pathway back to the White House – without his name on a ballot next to Mr Trump. But it’s no secret that the former vice president isn’t polling particularly well, with just over five per cent in the polls, putting him in fourth place in a crowded GOP field.

The man who was once described as “cartoonishly loyal as Trump’s vice president” (and who once praised Trump every 12 seconds for three minutes straight during a 2017 Cabinet meeting) is now taking harsher stances and carefully distancing himself, at times, from the former president.

Kelly Rissman reports on what Mr Pence has said about his former boss.

Everything Mike Pence has said about Donald Trump

Kayleigh McEnany rips Trump’s decision to skip debate

Tuesday 22 August 2023 21:20 , Oliver O'Connell

Donald Trump‘s former White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany thinks her former boss is making a “miscalculation” by choosing to skip the first GOP primary debate.

The comments came after Mr Trump made it clear in a post on Truth Social that he plans to sit out the first debate in the GOP presidential primary race, citing his position as the front runner and arguing that participating would only provide his opponents the chance to sell themselves by attacking him.

Graig Graziosi has the story.

Former ally Kayleigh McEnany rips Trump’s decision to skip debate

Full story: Meadows asks federal court to block his arrest on Georgia election charges

Tuesday 22 August 2023 21:02 , Oliver O'Connell

Attorneys for Mark Meadows, the ex-North Carolina congressman who served as Donald Trump’s final White House chief of staff Mark Meadows, have filed an emergency motion seeking a federal court order barring Fulton County, Georgia authorities from arresting him while a request to move the racketeering and election interference case against him from state court is pending.

Andrew Feinberg has the latest.

Mark Meadows asks federal court to block his arrest on Georgia election charges

Watch: Eastman vows to contest ‘every count of the indictment'

Tuesday 22 August 2023 20:50 , Oliver O'Connell

Meadows asks federal court to issue an order preventing DA Fani Willis from seeking his arrest

Tuesday 22 August 2023 20:45 , Oliver O'Connell

Trump supporter downs sign to take photo with Tim Scott

Tuesday 22 August 2023 20:40 , Oliver O'Connell

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