Trump news - live: Trump speechless as he’s called out for drug execution hypocrisy in Fox interview
Donald Trump was left speechless during his latest interview with Fox News journalist Bret Baier when the host pointed out that, had Mr Trump’s proposed policy of executing convicted drug dealers been active during his presidency, among its victims would have been Alice Johnson, a woman to whom Mr Trump granted clemency after being persuaded to do so by a campaign led by Kim Kardashian protesting her innocence.
“No, no. No. Under my pl.... Under that? UHHHHHHHHHHH...” Mr Trump flubbed, subsequently accusing the host of being “hostile” to him.
Meanwhile, a new CNN poll has recorded a six point drop in support for the former president among conservatives, his approval rating down from 53 per cent in mid-May to 47 per cent in mid-June in the wake of his 37 criminal count federal indictment over the classified documents scandal.
All of which follows Trump-appointed Judge Aileen Cannon moving on Tuesday to set a trial date of 14 August 2023 to hear that case in Fort Pierce, Florida.
A federal grand jury indicted Mr Trump for allegedly willfully mishandling classified documents, obstruction of justice and making false statements, to which he pleaded not guilty at his Miami arraignment last week.
Key Points
Trump called out for drug execution plan in Fox interview
Hunter Biden reaches deal with Justice Department to plead guilty to three federal charges
Trump campaign rakes in cash after arrest
Trump is a ‘criminal’ and DeSantis is a ‘fascist,’ poll finds
Trump drops below 50 per cent among Republican voters in new poll
10:15 , Oliver O’Connell
Donald Trump’s grasp over the GOP primary base appears to be slipping after the news of his second criminal indictment broke this month.
But a new CNN poll shows that even an active prosecution for alleged criminal retention of classified materials hasn’t undone Mr Trump’s lead over his rivals just yet.
John Bowden reports.
Trump drops below 50 per cent among GOP in new CNN poll following second indictment
ICYMI: Trump stumbles when Fox host tells him his plan to execute drug offenders would include people he pardoned
09:45 , Oliver O’Connell
Donald Trump was left speechless during his latest interview with Fox News journalist Bret Baier this week when the host pointed out that, had Mr Trump’s proposed policy of executing convicted drug dealers been active during his presidency, among its victims would have been Alice Johnson, a woman to whom Mr Trump granted clemency after being persuaded to do so by a campaign led by Kim Kardashian protesting her innocence.
“No, no. No. Under my pl.... Under that? UHHHHHHHHHHH...” Mr Trump flubbed, subsequently accusing the host of being “hostile” to him.
Trump stumbles when confronted by Fox host over demands to execute drug offenders
Amid rumours over testimony, Trump staffers are using the rat emoji to describe Mark Meadows
09:15 , Oliver O’Connell
Donald Trump’s close allies and aides have started using the rat emoji in text message discussions about his former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows, a report says.
The phrase – which can be used to describe an informer – became popular in the former president’s inner circle after Mr Meadows’s lawyer was vague about whether he is cooperating with special counsel Jack Smith, reports Rolling Stone.
Graeme Massie reports on the ð.
Trump staffers using the rat emoji to describe Mark Meadows amid testimony rumours
Fox News confronts Trump with all aides he appointed – and then turned on
08:45 , Oliver O'Connell
It was awkward.
Fox confronts Trump with lengthy list of aides he appointed – and then turned on
Fox News reminds Trump of his promises over classified docs
06:45 , Oliver O'Connell
With former President Donald Trump under indictment for mishandling classified documents after leaving the White House, Fox News on Monday played a compilation of Mr Trump promising to protect classified information as president during his 2016 campaign.
Abe Asher has the story.
Fox plays clips of Trump promising to protect classified information in 2016
Refusing to commit to first GOP debate, Trump calls Fox News ‘hostile’
04:45 , Oliver O'Connell
Donald Trump declined to commit to attending the first Republican Party primary debate on Fox News in an interview which aired Tuesday evening, even denouncing the channel as “hostile” during a contentious interview with Bret Baier.
The former president was clearly unhappy with Baier’s unmoving explanation of his 2020 election loss, which the former president has long contested despite having been proven wrong in his countless conspiracies about election fraud and malign activity.
John Bowden reports.
Trump calls Fox News ‘hostile’ as he declines to commit to first GOP debate
How might Trump’s penchant for talking pose problems as Mar-a-Lago criminal case moves ahead?
03:45 , Oliver O'Connell
Criminal defendants are routinely advised to avoid commenting on pending charges against them. But Donald Trump, the former president and current White House hopeful, is no ordinary defendant.
In his first televised interview since his arraignment last week on federal charges, the former president acknowledged that he delayed turning over boxes of documents despite being asked to do so, drew factually incorrect parallels between his case and classified document probes concerning other politicians, and claimed he didn’t actually have a Pentagon attack plan that the indictment says he boasted about to others.
Those comments — like any remarks made by a defendant about an ongoing case — could complicate his lawyers’ work, potentially precluding defenses they might have otherwise wanted to make or alternately boxing them into certain arguments so as to remain consistent with their clients’ claims. The interview could give the Justice Department compelling, and admissible, insight into Trump’s state of mind as the case moves forward, allowing prosecutors to preemptively attack defenses he might intend to invoke.
Read on...
Trump's penchant for talking could pose problems as Mar-a-Lago criminal case moves ahead
Chris Christie delivers epic Twitter takedown of Trump boasts
02:45 , Oliver O'Connell
Chris Christie unleashed an epic Twitter takedown of Donald Trump’s White House hiring practices after the former president bragged about bringing on “the best” staff.
Abe Asher reports.
Chris Christie delivers epic takedown of Trump over his White House staff
Everything you need to know about Hunter Biden’s plea deal
01:45 , Oliver O'Connell
The announcement that federal prosecutors have reached a plea deal with President Joe Biden’s son Hunter over tax and gun charges marks the likely end of a five-year Justice Department investigation that has dogged the Biden family.
It doesn’t, however, mean that congressional Republicans are done with their own wide-ranging probe into nearly every facet of Hunter Biden‘s business dealings, including examining foreign payments and other aspects of his finances.
Read more...
What to know about Hunter Biden's plea deal in federal tax and gun case
Trump and GOP fume over Hunter Biden’s ‘traffic ticket’ indictment
Thursday 22 June 2023 00:45 , Oliver O'Connell
Republicans were unimpressed and fumed at the Department of Justice on Tuesday after the agency announced that President Joe Biden’s son Hunter would be charged with firearm and tax offences.
The reactions poured in on social media through comments to reporters just minutes after the indictment was announced, with none other than former President Donald Trump leading the charge.
John Bowden reports.
Donald Trump and GOP fume over Hunter Biden’s ‘traffic ticket’ indictment
Judge Aileen Cannon sets trial date for Trump’s Mar-a-Lago classified documents case
Wednesday 21 June 2023 23:45 , Oliver O'Connell
Judge Aileen Cannon has set a date for the trial in the classified documents case against former President Donald Trump.
The Trump-appointed judge has signed a court order listing the trial as starting on 14 August of this year in Fort Pierce, Florida.
“This case is hereby set for a Criminal Jury Trial during the two-week period commencing August 14, 2023, or as soon thereafter as the case may be called,” the court order states.
“Any change of plea must be taken prior to 5:00 p.m. on the last business day before trial is scheduled to begin,” it adds.
The court order is likely to be challenged as motions are filed, including requests for the trial to be delayed.
Trump-appointed judge sets trial date in classified documents case
Wall Street Journal under fire for Justice Alito op-ed
Wednesday 21 June 2023 23:15 , Oliver O'Connell
The Wall Street Journal has come under fire for allowing Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito to pen a defensive op-ed amid scrutiny on an undisclosed luxury fishing trip taken with a prominent conservative donor.
The right-wing justice preemptively wrote the op-ed denying wrongdoing before an investigation into his conduct was released by ProPublica.
Graeme Massie has the details for The Independent.
Wall Street Journal under fire for Justice Alito op-ed on controversial fishing trip
Trump says family will not return to West Wing jobs if he wins in 2024
Wednesday 21 June 2023 22:45 , Oliver O'Connell
Donald Trump said on Monday night that the days of his family serving in the White House are over if he wins another term in office in the 2024 election.
The former president made the remarks in an extensive interview with Bret Baier of Fox News that was taped at his Bedminster summer home on his golf course in New Jersey.
Here’s what he said:
Trump says Ivanka, Don Jr and Eric will not return to White House if he wins in 2024
Trump rants over poll showing him losing to Biden
Wednesday 21 June 2023 22:15 , Oliver O'Connell
Former president Donald Trump reacted angrily on Monday after Fox News highlighted a Quinnipiac University poll showing him as trailing President Joe Biden by a four-point margin.
Mr Trump wrote on his Truth Social website that the respected polling organisation had released a “bad poll” and accused Quinnipiac of using too few Republican voters in the sample of Americans who were surveyed. Mr Trump argued that the poll actually showed that he was in the lead over Mr Biden.
Read more...
Trump rants on Truth Social over poll showing him losing to Biden
Brit Hume rips ‘incoherent’ Trump after Bret Baier interview
Wednesday 21 June 2023 21:45 , Oliver O'Connell
Fox News has continued to cement its latest falling out with former president Donald Trump, with one longtime analyst saying he was “incoherent” in an interview with host Bret Baier.
Brit Hume, discussing the interview with his colleague Baier on Monday, dismissed the former president’s legal arguments over accusations of mishandling classified documents and suggested they would not hold up in a court of law.
“I will say a couple of things, one thing is his answer on the matters of the law seem to me to verge on incoherent,” Hume said.
Fox News host rips ‘incoherent’ Trump after Bret Baier interview
Exclusive: Marjorie Taylor Greene names her price for McCarthy – impeach Joe Biden
Wednesday 21 June 2023 21:21 , Oliver O'Connell
Far-right Republican congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene has told The Independent that a vote to impeach President Joe Biden is her price after she steadfastly supported House Speaker Kevin McCarthy throughout the current Congress.
Ms Greene’s words come after her rival in the House GOP conference, Lauren Boebert, said she would file a privileged motion to impeach Mr Biden. Ms Greene said she would vote for the motion despite their disagreements.
Eric Garcia reports from Capitol Hill for The Independent.
Marjorie Taylor Greene names her price for McCarthy: Impeach Joe Biden
Despite audio recording, Trump denies ever having secret document about attacking Iran
Wednesday 21 June 2023 21:15 , Oliver O'Connell
Former president Donald Trump denied that he ever possessed a secret document about attacking Iran despite the fact a recording exists that had him discussing a document he kept from his presidency.
Mr Trump spoke in an interview with Fox News anchor Bret Baier at his property in Bedminster, New Jersey less than a week after he pleaded not guilty to 37 charges in a federal court in Miami for his arraignment in Miami. A federal grand jury had indicted him for allegedly willfully mishandling of classified documents, obstruction of justice and making false statements.
Late last month, CNN reported that federal prosecutors had obtained audio of a recording in the summer of 2021 where Mr Trump acknowledged that he had held onto a classified document from the Pentagon detailing a potential attack on Iran.
But Mr Trump denied there was a document.
Trump denies ever having secret document about Iran despite ‘unclassified’ recording
After second indictment Trump drops below 50% among GOP voters in new CNN poll
Wednesday 21 June 2023 20:45 , Oliver O'Connell
Donald Trump’s grasp over the GOP primary base appears to be slipping after the news of his second criminal indictment broke this month.
But a new CNN poll shows that even an active prosecution for alleged criminal retention of classified materials hasn’t undone Mr Trump’s lead over his rivals just yet.
The survey, released on Wednesday, found that Mr Trump’s share of the likely GOP primary vote has dropped below 50 per cent — a welcome sign for his multitude of competitors, including Florida Gov Ron DeSantis and Senator Tim Scott.
John Bowden has the details.
Trump drops below 50 per cent among GOP in new CNN poll following second indictment
January 6 rioter filmed shocking Michael Fanone with stun gun shouts ‘Trump won!’ as he is sentenced
Wednesday 21 June 2023 20:10 , Oliver O'Connell
A California man who drove a stun gun into a police officer’s neck during one of the most violent clashes of the US Capitol riot was sentenced on Wednesday to more than 12 years in prison.
Daniel “DJ” Rodriguez yelled, “Trump won!” as he was led out of the courtroom where US District Judge Amy Berman Jackson sentenced him to 12 years and seven months behind bars for his role in the 6 January 2021 attack. Only two other January 6 defendants have received longer prison terms so far after hundreds of sentencings for Capitol riot cases.
Read more...
Capitol rioter filmed shocking officer with stun gun shouts ‘Trump won!’
Why could Trump’s penchant for talking pose problems as Mar-a-Lago criminal case moves ahead?
Wednesday 21 June 2023 19:30 , Oliver O'Connell
Criminal defendants are routinely advised to avoid commenting on pending charges against them. But Donald Trump, the former president and current White House hopeful, is no ordinary defendant.
In his first televised interview since his arraignment last week on federal charges, the former president acknowledged that he delayed turning over boxes of documents despite being asked to do so, drew factually incorrect parallels between his case and classified document probes concerning other politicians, and claimed he didn’t actually have a Pentagon attack plan that the indictment says he boasted about to others.
Those comments — like any remarks made by a defendant about an ongoing case — could complicate his lawyers’ work, potentially precluding defenses they might have otherwise wanted to make or alternately boxing them into certain arguments so as to remain consistent with their clients’ claims. The interview could give the Justice Department compelling, and admissible, insight into Trump’s state of mind as the case moves forward, allowing prosecutors to preemptively attack defenses he might intend to invoke.
Read more...
Trump's penchant for talking could pose problems as Mar-a-Lago criminal case moves ahead
Trump lawyer John Eastman’s expert witness in disbarment hearing barred for not being an expert
Wednesday 21 June 2023 19:15 , Oliver O'Connell
Which is awkward.
Eric Garcia reports.
John Eastman’s expert witness in disbarment hearing is barred for not being an expert
Christie delivers epic Twitter takedown of Trump boasts about hiring ‘the best people’
Wednesday 21 June 2023 19:00 , Oliver O'Connell
Chris Christie unleashed an epic Twitter takedown of Donald Trump’s White House hiring practices after the former president bragged about bringing on “the best” staff.
“It’s plain and simple: Either Donald Trump doesn’t know how to pick personnel, or he’s the worst manager in the history of the American presidency,” Mr Christie, who is vying for the Republican presidential nomination against Trump, tweeted on Monday.
And he brought the receipts as Abe Asher reports.
Chris Christie delivers epic takedown of Trump over his White House staff
Trump and GOP fume over Hunter Biden’s ‘traffic ticket’ indictment
Wednesday 21 June 2023 18:30 , Oliver O'Connell
Republicans were unimpressed and fumed at the Department of Justice on Tuesday after the agency announced that President Joe Biden’s son Hunter would be charged with firearm and tax offences.
The reactions poured in on social media through comments to reporters just minutes after the indictment was announced, with none other than former President Donald Trump leading the charge.
The twice-indicted ex-president, himself facing more than 60 criminal charges across two prosecutions, raged that the Department of Justice was supposedly giving Mr Biden a “traffic ticket” — though the DoJ’s statement indicated that Mr Biden would be forced to report to a probation officer for up to two years.
John Bowden reports on the reaction in Washington, DC.
Donald Trump and GOP fume over Hunter Biden’s ‘traffic ticket’ indictment
ICYMI: Judge Aileen Cannon sets trial date for Trump classified documents case
Wednesday 21 June 2023 18:00 , Oliver O'Connell
Judge Aileen Cannon has set a date for the trial in the classified documents case against former President Donald Trump.
The Trump-appointed judge has signed a court order listing the trial as starting on 14 August of this year in Fort Pierce, Florida.
Gustaf Kilander has the story.
Trump-appointed judge sets trial date in classified documents case
Trump says family will not return for West Wing jobs if he wins in 2024
Wednesday 21 June 2023 17:30 , Oliver O'Connell
Donald Trump said on Monday night that the days of his family serving in the White House are over if he wins another term in office in the 2024 election.
The former president made the remarks in an extensive interview with Bret Baier of Fox News that was taped at his Bedminster summer home on his golf course in New Jersey.
Read more...
Trump says Ivanka, Don Jr and Eric will not return to White House if he wins in 2024
Democrats downplay Hunter Biden’s plea deal, while GOP sees chance to deflect from Trump
Wednesday 21 June 2023 17:00 , Oliver O'Connell
Democrats, already anxious about President Joe Biden‘s reelection prospects, are seeking to downplay — or ignore altogether — revelations that the president’s son has entered into a plea deal with federal prosecutors over tax offenses and a gun charge.
And as Democrats dodge, former President Donald Trump and his Republican allies seized on the extraordinary legal development to tighten his grip on the GOP and deflect from his own legal shortcomings.
Read more...
Democrats downplay Hunter Biden's plea deal, while Republicans see opportunity to deflect from Trump
China calls Biden comments calling leader Xi a dictator 'extremely absurd and irresponsible'
Wednesday 21 June 2023 16:30 , Oliver O'Connell
China has called reported comments by US president Joe Biden describing Chinese leader Xi Jinping as a dictator “extremely absurd and irresponsible.”
The new clash of words comes just over a day after US secretary of state Antony Blinken concluded a visit to Beijing that sought to break the ice in a relationship that has hit a historical low.
Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said on Wednesday President Biden’s comments at a fundraiser in California “go totally against facts and seriously violate diplomatic protocol, and severely infringe on China’s political dignity.”
Here’s more.
China calls Biden comments calling leader Xi a dictator 'extremely absurd and irresponsible'
His penchant for talking could pose problems for Trump as Mar-a-Lago criminal case moves ahead
Wednesday 21 June 2023 16:00 , Joe Sommerlad
Criminal defendants are routinely advised to avoid commenting on pending charges against them. But Donald Trump, the former president and current White House hopeful, is no ordinary defendant.
In his first televised interview since his arraignment last week on federal charges, the former president acknowledged that he delayed turning over boxes of documents despite being asked to do so, drew factually incorrect parallels between his case and classified document probes concerning other politicians, and claimed he didn’t actually have a Pentagon attack plan that the indictment says he boasted about to others.
Those comments — like any remarks made by a defendant about an ongoing case — could complicate his lawyers’ work, potentially precluding defenses they might have otherwise wanted to make or alternately boxing them into certain arguments so as to remain consistent with their clients’ claims. The interview could give the Justice Department compelling, and admissible, insight into Trump’s state of mind as the case moves forward, allowing prosecutors to preemptively attack defenses he might intend to invoke.
Here’s more.
Trump's penchant for talking could pose problems as Mar-a-Lago criminal case moves ahead
Trump claimed Durham report would uncover ‘crime of the century.’ Here’s what it really found
Wednesday 21 June 2023 15:50 , Oliver O'Connell
Special Counsel John Durham is on Capitol Hill today to explain the findings of his four-year investigation into the FBI’s probe of alleged ties between former president Donald Trump’s 2016 campaign and the Russian government. His report concluded that the Mueller probe into Russian collusion went too far.
In the nearly 300-page document, Mr Durham levelled withering criticism against the FBI but offered little new information and few significant revelations beyond the general assertion that the FBI did not have the evidence necessary to expand the probe into a full-scale investigation, but did have the authority and reason to launch a preliminary investigation of the facts.
Mr Durham’s own investigation resulted in just one criminal conviction, as a report on the findings of that investigation found that the FBI was justified to open a preliminary probe into the matter.
Nonetheless, it will give fodder to Trump supporters who have long denounced the Russia investigation, as well as Trump opponents who say the Durham team's meagre court record shows their probe was politically motivated.
Read more...
What did the Durham probe uncover?
Voices: Hunter Biden’s case throws a wrench in Republican rhetoric about ‘two-tiered’ justice
Wednesday 21 June 2023 15:30 , Joe Sommerlad
The Independent’s Eric Garcia writes:
Ever since former president Donald Trump announced his indictment two weeks ago, most Republicans have crowed about a supposedly two-tiered system of justice that held the former president and GOP frontrunner to a different standard than President Joe Biden and his son Hunter Biden.
This thesis led House Republicans to create a special subcommittee on “weaponisation” of the federal government that came after the multiple probes into Mr Trump’s misconduct. To Republicans, the contrast showed how the so-called “deep state” specifically targeted conservatives while someone like Mr Biden was allowed to walk free.
But the news on Tuesday that Hunter Biden would plead guilty to two charges of failing to pay taxes, and would enter a pretrial diversion agreement for a charge related to the unlawful possession of a firearm, seemed to scramble the argument Republicans have made.
Hunter Biden’s case throws a wrench in Republican rhetoric about ‘two-tiered’ justice
Joe Biden defends son Hunter Biden after deal with DoJ to plead guilty to federal charges
Wednesday 21 June 2023 15:00 , Joe Sommerlad
President Biden said he is proud of his son Hunter Biden, after the younger man reached a plea deal with the Department of Justice, agreeing to plead guilty to federal charges following an investigation into his taxes.
The president was responding to shouted questions from reporters in San Francisco, who asked if he had spoken to his son.
Eric Garcia and Megan Sheets report.
Joe Biden defends son Hunter Biden after deal with DoJ to plead guilty to charges
Trump stumbles when told his plan to execute drug offenders would include people he pardoned
Wednesday 21 June 2023 14:30 , Oliver O'Connell
Donald Trump issued pardons and commuted dozens of sentences for people incarcerated for drug crimes while he was in the White House.
His administration also hailed the passage of the First Step Act during his presidency as a rare bipartisan achievement towards criminal justice reform.
But during his presidency, and throughout his 2024 campaign for the Republican nomination for president, with a string of violent, provocative statements from inside the White House and to crowds at campaign rallies, he has called for executing people convicted for drug crimes.
This led to an awkward moment during a Fox New interview last night.
Trump stumbles when confronted by Fox host over demands to execute drug offenders
Boebert’s attempt to impeach Biden had Republicans ‘rolling eyes’
Wednesday 21 June 2023 14:00 , Joe Sommerlad
Lauren Boebert’s latest stunt to impeach Joe Biden even had Republicans “rolling their eyes” at the Colorado congresswoman, according to Democratic lawmakers.
Ms Boebert, a far-right GOP congresswoman for the mercifully uninitiated, introduced articles of impeachment against the president for “dereliction of duty” at the US southern border with Mexico.
She claimed the Biden administration allowed more than 1.5 million illegal immigrants to “invade” the border and “illicit fentanyl” to kill more than 100,000 US citizens.
“I am bringing my articles of impeachment against Joe Biden to the House Floor in a privileged motion, meaning that every Member of Congress must vote on holding Joe Biden accountable,” she tweeted on Tuesday evening.
This is not the first time Ms Boebert has tried such a stunt.
Graeme Massie has more.
Boebert’s latest attempt to impeach Biden had Republicans ‘rolling eyes’
Trump staffers are using the rat emoji to describe Mark Meadows
Wednesday 21 June 2023 13:30 , Joe Sommerlad
Donald Trump’s close allies and aides have started using the rat emoji in text message discussions about his former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows, according to Rolling Stone.
Graeme Massie has more.
Trump staffers using the rat emoji to describe Mark Meadows amid testimony rumours
Fox confronts Trump with lengthy list of aides he appointed – and then turned on
Wednesday 21 June 2023 13:00 , Joe Sommerlad
Here’s Shweta Sharma with more from the Trump and Baier show.
Fox confronts Trump with lengthy list of aides he appointed – and then turned on
Trump called out for drug execution plan in Fox interview
Wednesday 21 June 2023 12:33 , Joe Sommerlad
In the latest instalment of Donald Trump’s extended with Bret Baier on Fox News, the former president was caught off guide while bragging about his proposed policy of executing drug dealers when Baier pointed out that, had it been active during his presidency, Alice Johnson would have been one of its victims, a woman to whom Mr Trump had granted clemency after being persuaded to do so by a campaign protesting her innocence led by Kim Kardashian.
“No, no. No. Under my pl.... Under that? UHHHHHHHHHHH...” Trump flubbed.
Trump brags to Bret Baier about granting Alice Johnson clemency.
Baier informs him that she would be killed under his policy proposal of executing drug dealers.
Trump is caught off guard: "No, no. No. Under my pl–. Under that? UHHHHHHHHHHH..." pic.twitter.com/WxSWOIQVi5— MeidasTouch (@MeidasTouch) June 20, 2023
Elsewhere, he accused Baier of being “hostile” and declined to commit to attending the first Republican Party primary debate on the channel.
Here’s more from John Bowden.
Trump calls Fox News ‘hostile’ as he declines to commit to first GOP debate
Christie delivers epic Twitter takedown of Trump boasts about hiring ‘the best’ White House staff
Wednesday 21 June 2023 11:45 , Oliver O'Connell
Chris Christie unleashed an epic Twitter takedown of Donald Trump’s White House hiring practices after the former president bragged about bringing on “the best” staff.
“It’s plain and simple: Either Donald Trump doesn’t know how to pick personnel, or he’s the worst manager in the history of the American presidency,” Mr Christie, who is vying for the Republican presidential nomination against Trump, tweeted on Monday.
Abe Asher has the story.
Chris Christie delivers epic takedown of Trump over his White House staff
Georgia officials won’t take over elections in state’s most populous county
Wednesday 21 June 2023 10:45 , Oliver O'Connell
Georgia’s State Election Board won’t take over running elections in the state’s most populous county, ending an investigation that had sparked fears of partisan meddling.
The board voted unanimously on Tuesday to end its performance review of Fulton County nearly two years after it had begun.
Multiple board members said that they want the county to continue to work on improvements before the 2024 election and not to backslide on work already done.
Read more...
Georgia officials won't take over elections in state's largest, Democrat-heavy county
Will Trump drag down the Republican Party after his indictments?
Wednesday 21 June 2023 09:45 , Oliver O'Connell
Donald Trump‘s grip on the Republican faithful was evident from the moment he left the federal courthouse in Miami last week.
Fresh off becoming the first former president to face criminal charges levied by the government he once oversaw, Trump’s motorcade moved through a crowd of hundreds of mostly adoring fans. He met more supporters at a Cuban restaurant in Little Havana, a Miami neighborhood that, like much of south Florida, has swung toward Republicans in recent years.
A federal indictment on charges of mishandling the nation’s most sensitive national security secrets would doom any other White House hopeful. But Trump’s reception in Miami — and the more than $7 million he raised after the indictment — was a reminder of the central tension coursing through the Republican Party as the 2024 presidential primary gets underway.
Read more...
Trump faces questions about whether he'll drag down the Republican Party after his indictments
Everything you need to know about Hunter Biden's plea deal
Wednesday 21 June 2023 08:45 , Oliver O'Connell
The announcement that federal prosecutors have reached a plea deal with President Joe Biden’s son Hunter over tax and gun charges marks the likely end of a five-year Justice Department investigation that has dogged the Biden family.
It doesn’t, however, mean that congressional Republicans are done with their own wide-ranging probe into nearly every facet of Hunter Biden‘s business dealings, including examining foreign payments and other aspects of his finances.
Read more...
What to know about Hunter Biden's plea deal in federal tax and gun case
Trump and GOP fume over Hunter Biden’s ‘traffic ticket’ indictment
Wednesday 21 June 2023 06:45 , Oliver O'Connell
Republicans were unimpressed and fumed at the Department of Justice on Tuesday after the agency announced that President Joe Biden’s son Hunter would be charged with firearm and tax offences.
The reactions spilt out on social media through comments to reporters throughout the mid-morning just minutes after the indictment was announced, with none other than former President Donald Trump leading the charge.
John Bowden tracked their reactions.
Donald Trump and GOP fume over Hunter Biden’s ‘traffic ticket’ indictment
ICYMI: Trump-appointed judge sets Mar-a-Lago classified documents trial date
Wednesday 21 June 2023 04:45 , Oliver O'Connell
Judge Aileen Cannon has set a date for the trial in the classified documents case against former President Donald Trump.
The Trump-appointed judge has signed a court order listing the trial as starting on 14 August of this year in Fort Pierce, Florida.
“This case is hereby set for a Criminal Jury Trial during the two-week period commencing August 14, 2023, or as soon thereafter as the case may be called,” the court order states.
Gustaf Kilander has the story.
Trump-appointed judge sets trial date in classified documents case
Trump says Ivanka, Don Jr and Eric will not return to the White House
Wednesday 21 June 2023 03:45 , Oliver O'Connell
Donald Trump said on Monday night that the days of his family serving in the White House are over if he wins another term in office in the 2024 election.
The former president made the remarks in an extensive interview with Bret Baier of Fox News that was taped at his Bedminster summer home on his golf course in New Jersey.
“I said, ‘That’s enough for the family,’” he said when asked about the prospects of a second term. “It’s too painful for the family. My family has been through hell.”
Read more...
Trump says Ivanka, Don Jr and Eric will not return to White House if he wins in 2024
Fox News host rips ‘incoherent’ Trump
Wednesday 21 June 2023 02:45 , Oliver O'Connell
Fox News has continued to cement its latest falling out with former president Donald Trump, with one longtime analyst saying he was “incoherent” in an interview with host Bret Baier.
Brit Hume, discussing the interview with his colleague Baier on Monday, dismissed the former president’s legal arguments over accusations of mishandling classified documents and suggested they would not hold up in a court of law.
“I will say a couple of things, one thing is his answer on the matters of the law seem to me to verge on incoherent,” Hume said.
Read more...
Fox News host rips ‘incoherent’ Trump after Bret Baier interview
Voices: Hunter Biden’s case throws a wrench in Republican rhetoric about ‘two-tiered’ justice
Wednesday 21 June 2023 02:15 , Oliver O'Connell
Eric Garcia writes:
Ever since former president Donald Trump announced his indictment two weeks ago, most Republicans have crowed about a supposedly two-tiered system of justice that held the former president and GOP frontrunner to a different standard than President Joe Biden and his son Hunter Biden.
This thesis led House Republicans to create a special subcommittee on “weaponisation” of the federal government that came after the multiple probes into Mr Trump’s misconduct. To Republicans, the contrast showed how the so-called “deep state” specifically targeted conservatives while someone like Mr Biden was allowed to walk free.
But the news on Tuesday that Hunter Biden would plead guilty to two charges of failing to pay taxes, and would enter a pretrial diversion agreement for a charge related to the unlawful possession of a firearm, seemed to scramble the argument Republicans have made.
Read more...
Hunter Biden’s case throws a wrench in Republican rhetoric about ‘two-tiered’ justice
