Trump news – live: Trump accused of skipping Miami restaurant check as GOP torn over indictment reaction

Former President Donald Trump visited the iconic Versailles restaurant in Miami after being arraigned on 37 federal charges on Tuesday and bombastically announced that there would be “food for all.”

There was just one problem: according to a report in the Miami New Times, Mr Trump never picked up the tab…

Mr Trump’s visit to the Cuban restaurant functioned largely as a campaign stop after he spent the morning in federal court on charges that he mishandled classified documents and impeded the government’s attempts to get them back.

The fallout from his arraignment that day continues, with fellow Republicans torn over how to respond to the party’s defacto leader being charged with federal crimes.

While many GOP lawmakers are attacking the justice system and engaging in a round of “whataboutism” regarding President Joe Biden and the Clintons and alleged misdeeds on their part, a solid block is forming who decry Mr Trump’s actions and say he will pay a high price for them and that it is all his fault.

Chris Christie, Bill Barr, Karl Rove, and Mike Pompeo are all in this category, and some primary rivals, notably Mike Pence and Nikki Haley have also rebuked the former president.

Key Points

• Trump declared ‘food for all’ in post-arrest stop at Miami cafe – but reportedly skipped bill

• Karl Rove says Trump and America will pay high price for ex-president’s ‘reckless petulance’

• Trump rejected attorneys’ efforts to settle classified documents case and avoid indictment

• Trump campaign rakes in cash after arrest

• Defiant Trump accuses ‘corrupt’ Biden of undermining democracy with federal charges

Five takeaways from Trump’s post-arrest speech in Bedminster

07:59 , Josh Marcus

Donald Trump was in typical form on Tuesday evening as he appeared before a throng of supporters in Bedminster, New Jersey, to denounce his latest criminal indictment.

The ex-president delivered a roughly 30-minute address to a crowd of fans who descended upon the golf club to hear him swipe at political rivals and anyone else whose own actions he thought could be used to paint his own as harmless.

It was a rambling speech broken up by an impromptu singing of “Happy Birthday” from Mr Trump’s harmonically-challenged fans, whose rendition of the tune dissolved into a slurred mess by the conclusion.

So what can we learn from the former president’s remarks?

John Bowden reports.

What we learned from Trump’s post-arrest speech

Trump lawyer who dropped out of classified papers case has now withdrawn from CNN lawsuit

07:00 , Josh Marcus

The attorney who recently withdrew from former president Donald Trump’s case regarding his alleged mishandling of classified documents has now also withdrawn from Mr Trump’s lawsuit against CNN.

James Trusty sent a motion to withdraw as an attorney to the US District Court for the Southern District of Florida on Friday, asking to pull out of the case.

“Mr Trusty’s withdrawal is based on irreconcilable differences between Counsel and Plaintiff and Counsel can no longer effectively and properly represent plaintiff,” the motion read. The motion said that Mr Trusty’s withdrawal did not adversely affect Mr Trump as oral arguments on CNN’s motion to dismiss had not been scheduled, discovery had not yet begun and no deadlines are pending.

Eric Garcia reports.

Trump lawyer who dropped out of classified papers case withdraws from CNN lawsuit

Special counsel Jack Smith stared at Trump throughout historic court appearance, report says

06:00 , Josh Marcus

Special Counsel Jack Smith reportedly stared down former President Donald Trump throughout the entirety of Mr Trump’s arraignment in Miami on Tuesday.

Hugo Lowell of The Guardian and other journalists reported that Mr Smith sat in the front row during Mr Trump’s arraignment on federal charges related to his handling of classified documents after leaving the White House in 2021 and “stared towards the former president for essentially the entire appearance.”

Mr Smith was appointed by Attorney General Merrick Garland to oversee the Department of Justice’s investigation into Mr Trump’s handling of classified documents and his attempts to overturn the reuslt of the 2020 presidential election.

Abe Asher reports.

Special counsel Jack Smith stared at Trump throughout court appearance, report says

Ex-Trump lawyer turned witness against him loses bid for release from probation

05:00 , Josh Marcus

Former President Donald Trump‘s onetime personal lawyer and the key witness against him in his New York state criminal prosecution lost his bid Friday for early release from probation following a three-year prison sentence after federal prosecutors said he’s lying again.

U.S. District Judge Jesse M. Furman in Manhattan cited Michael Cohen‘s recent comments in a book and television appearance as reasons to conclude that early release from court supervision would not ensure rehabilitation and deterrence from future crimes.

The credibility of Cohen — who served as Trump’s personal lawyer from his early 2017 inauguration until his 2018 arrest — will be scrutinized if a jury ever hears the state criminal case filed against Trump over payments Cohen says he made on Trump’s behalf to silence two women who claimed they had affairs with Trump before the Republican became president.

Ex-Trump lawyer turned witness against him loses bid for release from probation

Trump doesn’t need to win for the US to keep drifting to the right

04:00 , Josh Marcus

Lawmakers in state capitols this year have been flexing their superpowers.

In North Carolina, a new supermajority of Republicans enacted abortion restrictions. In Vermont, a new supermajority of Democrats imposed a climate-sensitive home heating law. And in Montana, a GOP supermajority booted a transgender lawmaker from the House floor.

In each case, the views of their political opponents ultimately were irrelevant.

By at least one measure, political power is at its highest mark in decades. That’s because Republicans or Democrats hold majorities so large in 28 states that they could override gubernatorial vetoes without any help from the minority party.

“Supermajorities give one party a lot of power to do what they want to do,” said Steven Rogers, a political scientist at Saint Louis University who focuses on elections and state legislatures.

More details here.

Supermajorities in state capitols push controversial policies to the edge

Participants at Trump's Jan. 6 rally push false election claims in Virginia legislative campaigns

03:00 , Josh Marcus

Most Republican candidates running for the Virginia legislature this year are centering their pitches to voters on issues such as education, the cost of living and gun rights.

But for a small segment of contenders, former President Donald Trump‘s false claims of a rigged 2020 election have remained an important campaign selling point heading into Tuesday’s primary.

“There’s still an underlying distrust of the election process by Republicans,” said state Sen. Amanda Chase, who is in a three-way primary for a GOP-leaning seat in suburban Richmond.

Participants at Trump's Jan. 6 rally push false election claims in Virginia legislative campaigns

Biden sharpens labour message as he prepares for campaign against Trump

02:00 , Josh Marcus

Joe Biden got his 2024 presidential re-election campaign underway in Philadelphia on Saturday by continuing to pitch voters on his pro-labour bonafides.

The Democrat told an audience of union members at the Philadelphia Convention Center he would keep trying to boost the working and middle class with “Bidenomics,” which he framed as opposed to the ideas of Republicans, who recently unveiled a series of tax proposals that would funnel benefits overwhelmingly to the wealthiest Americans.

“They are coming for your jobs. They are coming for your future. They are coming for the future we are building fo your kids and grandkids,” Mr Biden told the crowd. “And when they come as they did this past week with the trickle down economics plan, cut taxes for the rich, who do you think they are carrying the water for?...Who do you think is going to start carrying the burden? You are. Working people in this country.”

More details in our full story.

Biden warns unions Republicans ‘coming for your jobs’ in 2024 speech in Philadelphia

Can a Gen Z leader take North Carolina back from Trump?

01:00 , Josh Marcus

The last time that a Democratic presidential candidate won North Carolina, Anderson Clayton could not vote.

But now, the 25-year-old chairwoman of the North Carolina Democratic Party has a task that would overwhelm operatives twice her age: flip North Carolina blue for the first time in 16 years.

“Like, I know that we either win in 2024, and we do amazing things and we go forward as a state and as a nation, or we regress backwards,” she told The Independent in an interview. “It really is now or never for North Carolina, in my opinion.”

Eric Garcia has the full story.

The 25-year-old party chairwoman who wants to turn North Carolina blue

Why are so many politicians talking about the royals?

00:04 , Josh Marcus

Donald Trump and Joe Biden made strange royal references this weekend.

In a rant on his Truth Social page on Saturday, Mr Trump referred to himself as “The King” in an extended, somewhat inscrutable metaphor about the relationship between him and Fox News.

“Well, it’s happened, just as I predicted,” Mr Trump wrote. “The Golden Goose that was so beautiful is being slaughtered by Fools. MAGA has left Fox for more promising “prairies.” Long live the King. The only solution for Fox News is to bring back Trump Allies and MAGA—Backing No Personality Ron DeSanctimonious has been a disaster….”

See what else the leading 2024 candidates are saying about the monarchs in our full story.

Trump says ‘Long live the King’ in rant day after Biden said ‘God save the Queen’

Classified documents filing hints at ‘ongoing investigations’ related to Trump

23:00 , Josh Marcus

Even with two indictments targeting him, Donald Trump may be facing still more legal scrutiny.

In a Friday filing related to the classified document case against the former president, federal prosecutors mentioned discovery information related to “ongoing investigations” that could “identify uncharged individuals” somehow connect with Mr Trump

Officials did not specific what those investigations might be.

Regardless, Mr Trump is still in a heap of legal trouble.

All the investigations Trump still faces following his second arrest

Americans want Trump to be pardoned in documents case, poll finds

22:30 , Josh Marcus

Americans think Donald Trump should be pardoned in the name of national unity, a Harvard CAPS / Harris poll found.

A survey of 2,090 registered voters found that while 58 per cent of Americans think the classified documents case against Donald Trump is substantial, 53 per cent would support a pardon.

Predictably, a majority of Republicans supported the move, while a minority of Democrats did.

Trump putting country through “angst and turmoil,” Romney says

22:00 , Josh Marcus

Donald Trump’s federal indictment for mishandling classified documents is putting the US through “angst and turmoil,” according to US senator Mitt Romney, one of the few top Republicans in Congress who consistently criticised the former president.

“I’m angry. The country is going to go through tumult as a result of one thing — President Trump didn’t turn over military documents when he was asked to do so,” the Utah senator told MSNBC. “All he had to do was hand them in.”

Georgia secretary of state Brad Raffensperger challenges Donald Trump to debate 2020 claims

21:30 , Josh Marcus

Georgia secretary of state Brad Raffensperger is clearly getting a little tired of Donald Trump’s 2020 election conspiracies.

The Republican official and avowed Trump supporter has been the target of numerous attacks from the former president, after he refused to give into Mr Trump’s explicit attempts to tamper with the election outcome in the battleground state.

“We’ll have a debate,” Mr Raffensperger told WRBL. “I’ll bring a copy of my letter to Congress and I’ll bring a copy of my book, Integrity Counts.

“We’ll debate the issues point by point,” he added.

Here’s more on how Mr Trump attempted to steal the election in Georgia.

Bizarre Lincoln Project ad appears to show Donald Trump on a toilet

21:00 , Josh Marcus

The anti-Trump admakers at the Lincoln Project are the latest group of people to mock Donald Trump for allegedly storing classified documents in a bathroom at Mar-a-Lago.

The former president is accused in his federal indictment of keeping important materials “in various locations at The Mar-a-Lago Club-including in a ballroom, a bathroom and shower, an office space, his bedroom, and a storage room”.

In response, the anti-Trump Republican group releaased a video on Saturday, entitled “Pissed,” showing a man appearing to be Donald Trump angrily sending social media posts while sitting on the toilet as a mocking female voice insults him.

ICYMI: Donald Trump is still pulling in millions in campaign cash after indictment

20:37 , Josh Marcus

Days after Donald Trump was arraigned on 37 federal charges related to his alleged retention of classified documents, he was back fundraising for his presidential run – raking in over $7m, according to his campaign.

“The American people will not stand for this corrupt attempt to interfere in the 2024 election against the leading candidate for President who will demolish the Deep State and finish the job of draining the Swamp,” Trump spokesperson Liz Harrington announced in a statement on Wednesday.

The former president’s campaign accused federal officials of “weaponizing the justice system” against him.

Get all the details in our full story.

Trump fundraises over $7m from post-arraignment appearances

Donald and Ivanka Trump remain close despite indictment woes

19:30 , Josh Marcus

Ivanka Trump is reportedly remaining loyal to her father, even as he battles federal indictments and descends further into anger and conspiracy theories.

“It has been a rough period for all of the Trump kids, but Ivanka has always been especially close to her father,” a source close to the Trump family told People.

“She loves him, her kids love him, and they are still a close family. But Ivanka does not want to be involved with the legal issues. She is removed from it and has adapted well to Miami. Her whole family loves it.”

In early-primary Iowa, some voters tired of the Trump show

19:10 , Josh Marcus

Iowa, which will hold the crucial first Republican presidential caucaus next year, some voters are tiring of the spectacle and investigations that always seem to trail Donald Trump.

“I love everything he stands for and I want his policies to be enacted,” 58-year-old engineer Gina Singer of the town of Pella, told the Associated Press. “But they’ll just keep on going after him. So, I’m looking for someone else. Both things can be true.”

The sentiment is felt in other key primary states as well.

“Right now I am a Trump supporter,” 76-year-old Karen Szelest of Indian Land, South Carolina, added in an interview with the AP. “However, I think they’re doing everything they can to have him not run for president of the United States. And I think perhaps, for the betterment of the country, I may vote for somebody else because they keep going after Trump, going after Trump, going after Trump.”

Arnold Schwarzenegger says Trump won’t be re-elected in 2024

18:50 , Josh Marcus

The Governator has spoken.

Former California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger doesn’t think Donald Trump can win re-election in 2024.

“I’m not worried about it because I don’t think it’s going to happen,” he told CNN’s Chris Wallace.

“I just don’t think that you get re-elected with 30% or 33% of the people voting for you in your polls...it’s not enough,” he added. “You need the swing voters. You need the independents. You need everybody to jump in there in order to win. You have to drag a lot of people over across that line. And so the question in, can he do that? I believe he can’t.”

Is Donald Trump starting to crack under the pressure?

18:30 , Josh Marcus

Donald Trump is a man who rarely shows any doubt in public. His social media feeds and speeches are a non-stop list of brags and outrageous claims.

But the former president may be fraying under the pressure more than he’s letting on.

Deborah Acosta, a reporter at The Wall Street Journal, told MSNBC on Saturday that during his recent indictment in Miami, Mr Trump had an expression of sadness on his face she’d never seen before.

“When he got up and turned to leave the courtroom, he was looking down at the ground and he was pressing his lips, pursing them tightly together,” she said. “And then the corners of his mouth just dropped into the deepest frown I’ve ever seen on anyone in my entire life.”

It’s an expression Mr Trump had in New York when he was indicted earlier this year on hush money charges, our correspondent Richard Hall noted at the time.

Inside a Manhattan courtroom, the spell was broken and Trump was finally humbled

Trump store selling gold-plated AirPod knockoffs

18:03 , Josh Marcus

Donald Trump may not be the most technologically savvy person in the world – in office, he reportedly had aides print out every email he received, so he could read and mark up a hard copy — but that hasn’t stopped him from trying to cash in on the hype surrounding Apple’s AirPod wireless earbuds.

The Trump store, the retail arm of the Trump Organization, is currently selling $35 wireless headphones that look like a close knockoff of the Apple original.

They promise to “add a touch of luxury” to your listening experience by featuring a Trump logo and gold finish.

Here’s more on Donald Trump’s weird relationship with tech and paper.

Pence accuses Trump of ‘walking away’ from conservative principles

17:30 , Josh Marcus

Former vice-president Mike Pence is the former latest ally to turn on Donald Trump.

The former president’s 2024 rival told NBC News, in an interview that will air in full on Sunday on Meet the Press, that Mr Trump is “walking away” from conservative principles.

“Look, in 2016, Donald Trump promised to govern as a conservative,” he said. “But he makes no such promise today. Not only has he been walking away from a clear commitment to the right to life, but, look, we have a national debt the size of our nation’s economy.”

“Donald Trump’s position on the national debt is identical to Joe Biden’s,” he added. “And to me the Republican Party has to be the party of growth and fiscal responsibility and reform.”

Trump once celebrated inclusion of trans people in his beauty pageant

17:10 , Josh Marcus

In the spring and summer of 2012, Donald Trump once celebrated including trans women in his Miss Universe pageant.

In an interview, Mr Trump praised Miss USA, Olivia Culpo, who spoke about how trans women should be included in the pageant because “today where there are so many surgeries and so many people out there who have a need to change for a happier life, I do accept that because I believe it’s a free country.”

“She gave a great answer, a very tough question – on transgender – just the question everybody wants to hear, and she gave a great answer and she really did a great job,” Mr Trump told Fox and Friends June.

“Her answer was a very intelligent answer and that’s one of the reasons I assume the judges picked her,” he said later that month, according to CNN, which unearthed the footage.

It’s a far cry from how Donald Trump talks about trans people now, refering to them hatefully as victims of a “cult of gender ideology.”

Donald Trump is still cruising in the polls, despite indictment

16:50 , Josh Marcus

A second criminal indictment, this time for allegedly mishandling classified documents, hasn’t seemed to put much of a dent in the Trump 2024 campaign.

In polling since the charges dropped, Mr Trump has retained majority support in the Republican party, hovering between 51 and 53 per cent and leading his closest rival, Florida governor Ron DeSantis, by at least 30 points in three major national polls, Politico notes.

Here’s more info on the indictment.

A timeline of the investigation into Trump’s Mar-a-Lago documents

Trump slams Fox News for abandoning ‘King’ of MAGA – himself

16:30 , Josh Marcus

Another morning, another day full of angry Donald Trump posts on social media.

The former president entered the weekend railing at his usual list of perceived enemies, including his former ally Fox News.

In a hard-to-follow post on Truth Social, Mr Trump slammed the network for ceasing to feature him as prominently as it has in previous years

“The Golden Goose that was so beautiful is being slaughtered by Fools,” Mr Trump wrote. “MAGA has left Fox for more promising “prairies.” Long live the King. The only solution for Fox News is to bring back Trump Allies and MAGA—Backing No Personality Ron DeSanctimonious has been a disaster….”

Here’s some of our reporting on how their once fruitful relationship between Fox and...”The King”... has soured.

Trump attacks Murdoch, tells him to ‘get out of news’ over Fox Dominion testimony

Trump fumes at Rupert Murdoch over his bombshell Fox News Dominion testimony

Voices: How is Joe Biden really doing?

15:45 , Oliver O'Connell

Eric Garcia writes:

With all the attention focused on Miami and former president Donald Trump’s arraignment, many Americans might be forgiven if they forgot that Joe Biden currently occupies the White House.

Mr Biden campaigned betting on the American public’s Trump fatigue. During the 2020 campaign, he famously said people would not have to worry about his tweets when he took office, after Mr Trump sent out 140-character decrees at all hours.

That turned out to be enough for him to not only win the Democratic nomination but beat Mr Trump in the general election. Mr Biden rightly guessed the American public did not like having to think about their president’s latest erratic words or deeds and going about their merry way.

But just as Mr Biden doesn’t dominate the headlines with negative coverage, it also means that his approval rating hardly improves when things go his way.

Continued...

How is Joe Biden really doing?

John Kelly says says Trump is ‘scared s***less’

15:15 , Oliver O'Connell

President Donald Trump’s former chief of staff, John Kelly, panned a short address given by his former boss on Tuesday as nothing more than panicked bluster in response to two criminal indictments filed by prosecutors in New York and the US Department of Justice.

Mr Kelly spoke to The Washington Post after the ex-president appeared at his resort in Bedminster, New Jersey, in front of a crowd of $1,000-a-pop attendees gathered hastily to hear his post-arraignment remarks.

Here’s what he said:

Trump is ‘scared s***less’, ex-White House chief of staff says

And here’s Mr Trump’s response:

John Kelly pretended to be a “tough guy,” but was actually weak and ineffective, born with a VERY small “brain.” He had a hard time functioning in a political world, and was truly an exhausted and beaten man when I fired him. In the end he was a “mummy” who sat in his office and stared at the ceiling - he was “shot.” I’ll never forget how his very nice wife told me that “John loves you, and respects you more than anyone, he will always say the BEST things about you.” Oh well, so much for that!

Trump 2024 campaign fundraises over $7m from post-arraignment appearances

14:45 , Oliver O'Connell

A day after Donald Trump was arraigned on 37 federal charges related to his alleged retention of classified documents, he was back fundraising for his presidential run – raking in over $7m, according to his campaign.

Read more...

Trump fundraises over $7m from post-arraignment appearances

What. is the ‘Clinton socks case’ that Trump says gets him off the hook – and is he right?

14:15 , Oliver O'Connell

For Americans who lived through the 1990s, the words “Clinton” and “socks” may bring to mind a whimsical image of a certain famous feline, of the black-and-white tuxedo variety, who prowled the most prestigious halls of American power at a time when the US was emerging as the world’s sole unchallenged superpower.

But for former president Donald Trump, those two words represent the latest attempt to manifest a legal defence for his alleged unlawful retention of hundreds of documents with classification markings at levels up to “top secret,” long after his term.

Andrew Feinberg explains.

Trump says ‘Clinton socks case’ gets him off the hook – what was it and is he right?

RECAP: All the lawsuits and criminal charges involving Trump and where they stand

13:45 , Oliver O'Connell

Here’s what you need to know about all the major investigations and lawsuits against Donald Trump.

All the investigations Trump still faces following his second arrest

Trump now blames ‘mutants’ for indictment

12:45 , Oliver O'Connell

No, really.

Rachel Sharp reports.

Trump now blames ‘mutants’ for indictment in latest Truth Social rant

Report: Trump was not interested in negotiating settlement over mishandling of secret papers

11:45 , Oliver O'Connell

A current member of former President Donald Trump’s legal team suggested as far back as 2022 that his client should seek a settlement with the federal government over allegations that he retained presidential records and classified materials including, reportedly, defence documents.

That lawyer was Christopher Kise, according to the Washington Post, who was seen with the twice-impeached ex-president as recently as Tuesday for the latter’s appearance before a Miami judge.

John Bowden has the details.

Trump was not interested in negotiating settlement over mishandling of secret papers

Christie calls Trump ‘failed leader’ who ‘doesn’t care about the American people’

10:45 , Oliver O'Connell

Following the arraignment of Donald Trump on federal criminal charges, more of the Republican primary candidates appear to be finding their footing and changing their tune from their initial response to the indictment against him.

One particularly vocal critic from the get-go has been former Trump ally and former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, who has long-aligned himself as anti-Trump and is now running against him for the 2024 GOP nomination.

During an appearance on Fox News on Wednesday, Mr Christie did not hold back when asked how he would differentiate himself on the debate stage from Mr Trump.

Here’s what he said:

Chris Christie calls Trump ‘failed leader’ who ‘doesn’t care about American people’

‘Major outrage’ if Trump is indicted over January 6, says Lindsey Graham

09:45 , Oliver O'Connell

Trump loyalist Lindsey Graham was back in the running for the former president’s most vocal cheerleader in the Senate this week after he warned a CNN reporter that the GOP would revolt if Donald Trump were to face a third criminal indictment relating to January 6.

The South Carolina Republican, who actually made a show of publicly breaking with Mr Trump in the hours after the attack on the Capitol only to glom back onto the bandwagon when things cooled down, spoke in the halls of Congress this week after the former president was formally arraigned in a Miami courtroom for the alleged illegal retention of presidential records and classified documents.

John Bowden reports from Washington, DC.

Lindsey Graham says it would be a ‘major outrage’ if Trump is indicted over January 6

Trump gloats as New York golf club tax investigation dropped

08:45 , Oliver O'Connell

Former President Donald Trump got some good legal news on Thursday when the Westchester County, New York district attorney confirmed that a two-year investigation into the Trump Organization’s valuation of a golf club there has been closed and will not result in any criminal charges.

News of the closure of the investigation was first reported by Insider on Wednesday.

Read more...

Trump gloats as golf club tax investigation ends: ‘When do I get my reputation back?’

Trump and America will pay high price for ex-president’s ‘reckless petulance’, says Karl Rove

07:45 , Oliver O'Connell

Karl Rove, deputy chief of staff to President George W Bush, eviscerated Donald Trump over the 37 charges he faces relating to the classified documents he hoarded at Mar-a-Lago in an opinion column, “Trump invited this indictment”, published by The Wall Street Journal on 14 June.

He echoed some other Republicans — including Bill Barr, Chris Christie, and Mike Pompeo — in his criticism of the former president, though certainly not all of his fellow Republicans.

“The blame for this calamity rests solely on Mr Trump and his childish impulse to keep mementos from his time in the Oval Office, no matter what the law says,” wrote Mr Rove.

Continued...

Karl Rove blames Trump’s ‘reckless petulance’ for classified documents indictment

Trump declared ‘food for all’ in post-arrest stop at Miami cafe... but did he pay for it?

06:45 , Oliver O'Connell

When former President Donald Trump visited the iconic Versailles restaurant in Miami after being arraigned on 37 federal charges, he announced that there would be “food for all.” There was just one problem: according to a report in the Miami New Times, Mr Trump never picked up the tab.

Abe Asher has the story.

Trump declared ‘food for all’ at Miami cafe – but skipped the bill

Following years of attacking democratic traditions, Trump promises payback for prosecution

05:45 , Oliver O'Connell

As Donald Trump became the first former president to face federal charges, he and his supporters went through a familiar routine of mounting a victimhood defense in the face of unprecedented allegations of wrongdoing. But this time, the stakes are higher.

Trump upped the level of his claims and threats as he faces the potential of years in prison if convicted on 37 charges of obstruction, illegal retention of defense information and other violations. Hours after pleading not guilty, Trump claimed he is being targeted by the special prosecutor, who is nonpartisan, for political reasons and vowed to retaliate against President Joe Biden if he is elected president in 2024.

Read more...

Trump's promise of payback for prosecution follows years of attacking democratic traditions

DeSantis taunts Newsom over 2024 run: ‘Stop pussyfooting around’

04:45 , Oliver O'Connell

As Donald Trump does what he does best and sucks the political oxygen out of the room, over in what feels issue-wise like a proxy 2024 election race, the Republican governor of Florida Ron DeSantis had a feisty message for his California counterpart Democrat Governor Gavin Newsom.

Read more...

DeSantis taunts Newsom over 2024 run as California governor celebrates Disney Pride

Trump lawyer withdraws from CNN suit after dropping out of classified papers case

03:45 , Oliver O'Connell

The attorney who recently withdrew from former president Donald Trump’s case regarding his alleged mishandling of classified documents has now also withdrawn from Mr Trump’s lawsuit against CNN.

James Trusty sent a motion to withdraw as an attorney to the US District Court for the Southern District of Florida on Friday, asking to pull out of the case.

Eric Garcia reports.

Trump lawyer who dropped out of classified papers case withdraws from CNN lawsuit

Biden snaps at reporter over ‘big guy’ controversy question

02:45 , Oliver O'Connell

A reporter who asked President Joe Biden a question related to the various conspiracies and theories surrounding his son’s business dealings received a short dismissal in response on Thursday.

John Bowden reports.

Biden snaps back as reporter asks him about ‘big guy’ controversy

‘This F***ing Guy’ campaign against Trump launched by Democratic group

01:45 , Oliver O'Connell

A Democratic super PAC has launched a campaign against former president Donald Trump on the eight-year anniversary of his announcement that he was running for president.

American Bridge, a super PAC founded by former right-wing journalist-turned-Democratic-operative David Brock, announced the campaign entitled “This F***ing Guy” to remind people of the chaos surrounding the former president.

Eric Garcia reports.

Democratic group launches ‘This F***ing Guy’ campaign against Trump

Shocking emails reveal Donald Trump Jr making offensive comments

Saturday 17 June 2023 00:45 , Oliver O'Connell

A New York judge will soon decide whether to make public a tranche of emails between Donald Trump Jr and a friend in which both men use offensive and bigoted language.

According to The Wall Street Journal, the emails in question are part of a legal defence mounted by a New York hedge fund seeking to prevail in a long-running legal dispute with the friend of Mr Trump, an ex-employee called Gentry Beach over tens of millions of dollars in compensation.

Andrew Feinberg has the story for The Independent.

Shocking emails reveal Trump Jr’s offensive comments about Mexicans and Black people

Top takeaways from Trump’s post-arrest speech in Bedminster

Friday 16 June 2023 23:45 , Oliver O'Connell

Donald Trump was in typical form on Tuesday evening as he appeared before a throng of supporters in Bedminster, New Jersey, to denounce his latest criminal indictment.

The ex-president delivered a roughly 30-minute address to a crowd of fans who descended upon the golf club to hear him swipe at political rivals and anyone else whose own actions he thought could be used to paint his own as harmless.

It was a rambling speech broken up by an impromptu singing of “Happy Birthday” from Mr Trump’s harmonically-challenged fans, whose rendition of the tune dissolved into a slurred mess by the conclusion.

But it was also revealing in that it previewed the roughshod defence that Mr Trump and his legal team apparently hope to make before a judge, as the former president aimed a shotgun-like spray of similar accusations at nearly every other prominent occupant of the White House of the past decade and a half.

So what can we learn from the former president’s remarks?

John Bowden reports.

What we learned from Trump’s post-arrest speech

Voices: How is Joe Biden really doing?

Friday 16 June 2023 23:15 , Oliver O'Connell

Eric Garcia writes:

With all the attention focused on Miami and former president Donald Trump’s arraignment, many Americans might be forgiven if they forgot that Joe Biden currently occupies the White House.

Mr Biden campaigned betting on the American public’s Trump fatigue. During the 2020 campaign, he famously said people would not have to worry about his tweets when he took office, after Mr Trump sent out 140-character decrees at all hours.

That turned out to be enough for him to not only win the Democratic nomination but beat Mr Trump in the general election. Mr Biden rightly guessed the American public did not like having to think about their president’s latest erratic words or deeds and going about their merry way.

But just as Mr Biden doesn’t dominate the headlines with negative coverage, it also means that his approval rating hardly improves when things go his way.

Continued...

How is Joe Biden really doing?

‘Try being 110: Biden jokes he’s tired because of his age

Friday 16 June 2023 23:00 , Oliver O'Connell

President Joe Biden joked about his age as he spoke at the National Safer Communities Summit in West Hartford, Connecticut, focusing on reducing gun violence.

“I know many people here who have been impacted by gun violence, lost someone they loved, fought so hard for so many years,” Mr Biden said.

“A lot of you are tired. They’re tired. I get it. Try being 110 and doing it again,” he added to laughter from the audience.

Gustaf Kilander reports.

Biden jokes he’s tired because of his age: ‘Try being 110’

John Kelly says Trump is ‘scared s***less’

Friday 16 June 2023 22:45 , Oliver O'Connell

President Donald Trump’s former chief of staff, John Kelly, panned a short address given by his former boss on Tuesday as nothing more than panicked bluster in response to two criminal indictments filed by prosecutors in New York and the US Department of Justice.

Mr Kelly spoke to The Washington Post after the ex-president appeared at his resort in Bedminster, New Jersey, in front of a crowd of $1,000-a-pop attendees gathered hastily to hear his post-arraignment remarks.

John Bowden reports.

Trump is ‘scared s***less’, ex-White House chief of staff says

Watch: Trump’s tirade against Bill Barr

Friday 16 June 2023 22:30 , Oliver O'Connell

Fox News producer out after onscreen message calling President Biden a 'wannabe dictator'

Friday 16 June 2023 22:15 , Oliver O'Connell

A longtime producer for Tucker Carlson is out at Fox News after he was deemed responsible for the on-air headline that referred to President Joe Biden as a “wannabe dictator” because of the indictment of former President Donald Trump.

The producer, Alex McCaskill, confirmed his exit in an Instagram post. Fox News did not comment on Friday.

Read more...

Fox News producer out after onscreen message calling President Biden a 'wannabe dictator'

DeSantis under fire after vetoing local funding because lawmakers didn’t endorse him

Friday 16 June 2023 22:00 , Oliver O'Connell

A pair of Florida elected officials are livid after Governor Ron DeSantis used his budget veto power to retaliate against them for not supporting his bid to become the GOP’s nominee in next year’s general election.

Andrew Feinberg has the details.

DeSantis under fire after vetoing local funding because lawmakers didn’t endorse him

Watch: DeSantis says Trump going soft on abortion

Friday 16 June 2023 21:45 , Oliver O'Connell

Friday 16 June 2023 21:29 , Oliver O'Connell

The Truth Social posts keep coming (but at least the video portion seems to be over).

Trump’s GOP rivals grapple with their response to his legal woes

Friday 16 June 2023 21:15 , Oliver O'Connell

Just last week, former Vice President Mike Pence said he hoped federal prosecutors would not bring charges against former President Donald Trump. On Wednesday, a day after Trump was arraigned on dozens of felony counts related to classified documents, Pence described the allegations as “a very serious matter.”

“I cannot defend what is alleged,” Pence, who is now challenging Trump for the Republican presidential nomination, said on CNBC.

The former vice president’s evolving message highlights the high-stakes dilemma for Trump’s Republican rivals, who are struggling to find a clear and consistent strategy to take on the frontrunner as Trump’s unprecedented legal troubles threaten to dominate all other issues in the 2024 presidential contest.

Read more...

Trump’s GOP rivals grapple with their response a

Trump lawyer withdraws from CNN lawsuit having dropped out of classified papers case

Friday 16 June 2023 20:45 , Oliver O'Connell

The attorney who recently withdrew from former president Donald Trump’s case regarding his alleged mishandling of classified documents has now also withdrawn from Mr Trump’s lawsuit against CNN.

James Trusty sent a motion to withdraw as an attorney to the US District Court for the Southern District of Florida on Friday, asking to pull out of the case.

Eric Garcia reports.

Trump lawyer who dropped out of classified papers case withdraws from CNN lawsuit

Friday 16 June 2023 20:35 , Oliver O'Connell

Video ten — the last one — ooph, more than two and a half minutes long. It begins with a full-on attack on his former attorney general Bill Barr. He also namechecks other former administration figures before returning to his attacks on Mr Barr. The former attorney general has criticised Trump numerous times on TV recently, including here, here, and here, where he says his former boss is “toast”.

For good measure, here’s a piece by Ariana Baio on all of the former Trump allies who have changed their tune since he was indicted on federal charges.

(There was an eleventh clip of Jesse Watters on Fox News talking about the Bidens).

Barr, Pompeo, Pence: The Trump allies who have now changed their tune over indictment

FIN

Friday 16 June 2023 20:25 , Oliver O'Connell

There’s a sidebar post in the midst of this slew of videos, in which the former president wonders: “Why would Devon Archer “flip” on Joe and Hunter Biden when the DOJ & FBI don’t want him to flip. They are exerting no pressure on him, only on Republicans. He will flip in 2024, when I am President. There must be real accountability for crimes the likes of which our Country has never seen before!”

Mr Trump is referring to this story, but is he doubting its veracity?

Continued...

Friday 16 June 2023 20:15 , Oliver O'Connell

Video seven concerns “the Radical Left” and what they are doing to America and says that China has taken over Cuba and Russia wouldn’t have attacked Ukraine if he was president. We’re now approaching the free-association speech portion of the afternoon.

Video eight is a quickie: “They want to take away my FREEDOM because I will NEVER let them take away your FREEDOM…”, he’s standing in the way etc; we’ll take back the country on November 5 etc.

In video nine, we’re treated to a bit of a remix of the earlier clips: “They come at me from left, they come at me from right — the RINOs, the communists…” etc

Continued...

Friday 16 June 2023 20:00 , Oliver O'Connell

In video four he proclaims: “It’s no coincidence that these fake charges against me came down the VERY SAME DAY evidence revealed Joe Biden—a VERY CROOKED president—took a $5 million bribe from Ukraine!”

Mr Trump claims in the fifth video clip: “Joe Biden will forever be remembered as not only the most corrupt and incompetent president in the history of our country—but perhaps even more importantly, the president who together with a band of his closest Thugs, Misfits, and Marxists tried to destroy American democracy!”

In video six he calls Special Counsel Jack Smith “deranged” and repeats his conspiracies about Mr Biden and Hillary Clinton — here’s why those cases are different. Mr Trump also mentions the allegations about bribery and the current president.

Continued...

Trump posts 10 talking head videos to Truth Social targeting the Bidens, Bill Barr, Jack Smith and others

Friday 16 June 2023 19:46 , Oliver O'Connell

Former president Donald Trump has posted ten straight-to-camera talking head videos to Truth Social over the past hour predominantly focused on Joe Biden and Hunter Biden.

In the first video, he lauds Tucker Carlson for his theory that the Washington establishment is coming after him for his criticism of their failed foreign policy agenda, globalist trade deals etc and that he put America first and can end the Russian war on Ukraine and prevent World War Three.

In the second video (a repost?), he read out his Truth Social post in which he said “America went to bed with tears in its eyes”.

The third video is his repeated threat to “GO AFTER THE MOST CORRUPT PRESIDENT IN THE HISTORY OF THE USA, JOE BIDEN, THE ENTIRE BIDEN CRIME FAMILY”.

Continued...

Republicans amplify attacks on US justice system

Friday 16 June 2023 18:45 , Oliver O'Connell

Moments after Donald Trump pleaded not guilty to federal charges that he hoarded classified documents and then conspired to obstruct an investigation about it, the Republicans in Congress had his back.

Speaker Kevin McCarthy dashed off a fundraising email decrying the “witch hunt” against the former president and urging donors to sign up and “stand with Trump.”

Read more...

'Stand with Trump' becomes rallying cry as Republicans amplify attacks on US justice system

Biden returns to union roots to kickstart 2024 campaign

Friday 16 June 2023 18:15 , Oliver O'Connell

Joe Biden opened his 2020 presidential run at a Pittsburgh union hall, declaring, “I’m a union man. Period.” As he gears up for reelection, the president’s first political rally is being held at a union gathering on the other side of Pennsylvania, punctuating just how much Biden is counting on labor support to carry him to a second term — especially in a critical battleground state.

The symmetry is no accident. Rallying labour activists on Saturday at Philadelphia‘s convention centre can help Biden’s campaign spark enthusiasm and tap early organizing muscle. That may eventually boost Democratic voter turnout in the city’s suburbs and other key parts of Pennsylvania, which in 2020 helped him flip the state where Biden was born from Donald Trump.

Read more...

Biden is returning to his union roots as his 2024 campaign gears up

Newest GOP candidate Suarez tries to draw differences to other primary challengers

Friday 16 June 2023 17:45 , Oliver O'Connell

Miami Mayor Francis Suarez, the newest candidate in the Republican presidential field, drew some distinctions between himself and his rivals Thursday, suggesting that the six-week abortion ban signed into law by Florida Governir Ron DeSantis is too severe and showing an openness to changing the country’s immigration system.

He spoke with the Associated Press:

Suarez backs 15-week federal abortion ban, says he has 'credibility' on immigration conversation

ICYMI: Trump gloats as New York golf club tax investigation dropped

Friday 16 June 2023 17:15 , Oliver O'Connell

Former President Donald Trump got some good legal news on Thursday when the Westchester County, New York district attorney confirmed that a two-year investigation into the Trump Organization’s valuation of a golf club there has been closed and will not result in any criminal charges.

News of the closure of the investigation was first reported by Insider on Wednesday.

Abe Asher has the details.

Trump gloats as golf club tax investigation ends: ‘When do I get my reputation back?’

‘This F***ing Guy'

Friday 16 June 2023 17:07 , Oliver O'Connell

A Democratic super PAC has launched a campaign against former president Donald Trump on the eight-year anniversary of his announcement that he was running for president.

American Bridge, a super PAC founded by former right-wing journalist-turned-Democratic-operative David Brock, announced the campaign entitled “This F***ing Guy” to remind people of the chaos surrounding the former president.

Eric Garcia has the details.

‘Why’d you ask such a dumb question?’ snaps Biden

Friday 16 June 2023 16:50 , Oliver O'Connell

A reporter who asked President Joe Biden a question related to the various conspiracies and theories surrounding his son’s business dealings received a short dismissal in response on Thursday.

John Bowden reports on the president’s blunt response.

Biden snaps back as reporter asks him ‘dumb question’ about ‘big guy’ controversy

Shocking emails reveal Don Jr making offensive comments about Mexicans and Black people

Friday 16 June 2023 16:40 , Oliver O'Connell

A New York judge will soon decide whether to make public a tranche of emails between Donald Trump Jr and a friend in which both men use offensive and bigoted language.

According to The Wall Street Journal, the emails in question are part of a legal defence mounted by a New York hedge fund seeking to prevail in a long-running legal dispute with the friend of Mr Trump, an ex-employee called Gentry Beach over tens of millions of dollars in compensation.

Andrew Feinberg reports.

Shocking emails reveal Trump Jr’s offensive comments about Mexicans and Black people

Did Trump skip out on the bill at Miami Cuban restaurant?

Friday 16 June 2023 16:30 , Oliver O'Connell

When former President Donald Trump visited the iconic Versailles restaurant in Miami after being arraigned on 37 federal charges, he announced that there would be “food for all.” There was just one problem: according to a report in the Miami New Times, Mr Trump never picked up the tab.

Abe Asher reports.

Trump declared ‘food for all’ at Miami cafe – but skipped the bill

Trump lawyers file notice confirming compliance with judge’s order to contact DOJ

Friday 16 June 2023 16:23 , Oliver O'Connell

Trump lawyers Todd Blanche and Chris Kise have filed the notice confirming they’ve complied with Judge Aileen Cannon’s order to contact the Department of Justice about expediting any necessary security clearances for the classified documents prosecution of former president Donald Trump to proceed.

Watch: Burgum sidestep Trump pardon question

Friday 16 June 2023 16:10 , Oliver O'Connell

2024 GOP presidential candidate North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum sidesteps when asked if he would pardon Donald Trump: “I just tend to stay away from hypotheticals … If you wanna ask someone about pardoning President Trump, I mean, ask Biden. He could do it right now.”

Promise of payback for prosecution by Trump follows years of attacking democratic traditions

Friday 16 June 2023 16:05 , Oliver O'Connell

As Donald Trump became the first former president to face federal charges, he and his supporters went through a familiar routine of mounting a victimhood defense in the face of unprecedented allegations of wrongdoing. But this time, the stakes are higher.

Trump upped the level of his claims and threats as he faces the potential of years in prison if convicted on 37 charges of obstruction, illegal retention of defense information and other violations. Hours after pleading not guilty, Trump claimed he is being targeted by the special prosecutor, who is nonpartisan, for political reasons and vowed to retaliate against President Joe Biden if he is elected president in 2024.

Read more...

Trump's promise of payback for prosecution follows years of attacking democratic traditions

Watch: Today in ‘whataboutism’

Friday 16 June 2023 15:40 , Oliver O'Connell

Gov Ron DeSantis

Rep Elise Stefanik

Rep Mike Waltz

Trump responds to Kelly saying former president is ‘scare s***less'

Friday 16 June 2023 15:10 , Oliver O'Connell

President Donald Trump’s former chief of staff, John Kelly, panned a short address given by his former boss on Tuesday as nothing more than panicked bluster in response to two criminal indictments filed by prosecutors in New York and the US Department of Justice, John Bowden reports.

Mr Kelly spoke to The Washington Post after the ex-president appeared at his resort in Bedminster, New Jersey, in front of a crowd of $1,000-a-pop attendees gathered hastily to hear his post-arraignment remarks.

And he chalked up the president’s threats to go after Joe Biden and his family with the full power of a weaponised Department of Justice as president to little more than a tantrum.

“He’s scared s***less,” said Mr Kelly. “This is the way he compensates for that. He gives people the appearance he doesn’t care by doing this.”

“For the first time in his life, it looks like he’s being held accountable. Up until this point in his life, it’s like, ‘I’m not going to pay you. Take me to court.’ He’s never been held accountable before,” added the former senior White House official and retired Marine Corps general.

Here’s what his former boss had to say on Truth Social this morning:

John Kelly pretended to be a “tough guy,” but was actually weak and ineffective, born with a VERY small “brain.” He had a hard time functioning in a political world, and was truly an exhausted and beaten man when I fired him. In the end he was a “mummy” who sat in his office and stared at the ceiling - he was “shot.” I’ll never forget how his very nice wife told me that “John loves you, and respects you more than anyone, he will always say the BEST things about you.” Oh well, so much for that!

Here is our full report on Mr Kelly’s remarks:

Trump is ‘scared s***less’, ex-White House chief of staff says

Trump hits out at the Lincoln Project’s latest ads

Friday 16 June 2023 14:50 , Oliver O'Connell

This morning former president Donald Trump posted: “The Perverts and Misfits of the Lincoln Project have (barely!) gotten together again after their disgusting scandal, and pieced together some ads. They are running on fumes. Were they ever prosecuted for their crimes? Are their donors under investigation? Check it out!”

Here’s what’s got him so worked up:

They’ve used that creepy whispering format before in previous ads to wind up the former president.

Here’s the internal scandal Mr Trump was referring to at the organisation:

Lincoln Project co-founder calls for group to be ‘reformed or shut down’

Rove says Trump and America will pay high price for ex-president’s ‘reckless petulance’

Friday 16 June 2023 12:45 , Oliver O'Connell

Karl Rove, deputy chief of staff to President George W Bush, eviscerated Donald Trump over the 37 charges he faces relating to the classified documents he hoarded at Mar-a-Lago in an opinion column, “Trump invited this indictment”, published by The Wall Street Journal on 14 June.

He echoed some other Republicans — including Bill Barr, Chris Christie, and Mike Pompeo — in his criticism of the former president, though certainly not all of his fellow Republicans.

“The blame for this calamity rests solely on Mr Trump and his childish impulse to keep mementos from his time in the Oval Office, no matter what the law says,” wrote Mr Rove.

Read more...

Karl Rove blames Trump’s ‘reckless petulance’ for classified documents indictment

Report: Trump declared ‘food for all’ in post-arrest stop at Miami cafe – but skipped the bill

Friday 16 June 2023 12:15 , Oliver O'Connell

When former President Donald Trump visited the iconic Versailles restaurant in Miami after being arraigned on 37 federal charges, he announced that there would be “food for all.” There was just one problem: according to a report in the Miami New Times, Mr Trump never picked up the tab.

Abe Asher has the details.

Trump declared ‘food for all’ at Miami cafe – but skipped the bill, report says

DeSantis taunts Newsom: ‘Stop pussyfooting around’

Friday 16 June 2023 11:15 , Oliver O'Connell

As Donald Trump does what he does best and sucks the political oxygen out of the room, over in what feels issue-wise like a proxy 2024 election race, the Republican governor of Florida Ron DeSantis had a feisty message for his California counterpart Democrat Governor Gavin Newsom.

Read more....

DeSantis taunts Newsom over 2024 run as California governor celebrates Disney Pride

Lindsey Graham says it would be a ‘major outrage’ if Trump indicted over Jan 6

Friday 16 June 2023 10:15 , Oliver O'Connell

Trump loyalist Lindsey Graham was back in the running for the former president’s most vocal cheerleader in the Senate this week after he warned a CNN reporter that the GOP would revolt if Donald Trump were to face a third criminal indictment relating to January 6.

John Bowden reports.

Lindsey Graham says it would be a ‘major outrage’ if Trump is indicted over January 6

Fox News cuts off White House briefing just as ‘wannabe dictator’ Biden chyron mentioned

Friday 16 June 2023 08:45 , Oliver O'Connell

Fox News appeared to mute and cut off a White House briefing on Wednesday when Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre condemned the network for calling President Joe Biden a “wannabe dictator”.

Graig Graziosi has the story.

Fox News cuts off White House briefing as Biden ‘dictator’ chyron mentioned

Mike Pence spars with right-wing radio host

Friday 16 June 2023 07:15 , Oliver O'Connell

Former vice president Mike Pence got into a heated exchange with a right-wing radio host about whether he would pardon former president Donald Trump were he to become president.

Mr Pence appeared on “The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show” on Wednesday where he was asked by Mr Travis if he would pardon Mr Trump if he were facing prison time by the time Mr Pence potentially became president.

Eric Garcia reports.

Mike Pence spars with right-wing radio host over question of Trump pardon

Eric Trump forgets Barron’s age as he goes on bizarre Newsmax rant

Friday 16 June 2023 05:45 , Oliver O'Connell

Eric Trump proved the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree this week – when a rambling rant on Newsmax saw him widely mocked on social media.

The son of former president Donald Trump lashed out at the Democratic Party in a fiery monologue where he claimed the party would raid his teenage half-brother Barron’s underwear drawer.

Rachel Sharp has the story.

Eric Trump mocked over bizarre Newsmax rant about Barron’s underwear drawer

Indictment is all the fault of ‘mutants’, according to Trump

Friday 16 June 2023 04:15 , Oliver O'Connell

Donald Trump’s indictment is not only an extension of the “biggest witch hunt of all time”, but mutants are involved too – that is according to the former president’s latest bizarre rant on Truth Social.

In a characteristically rambling post on the social meda site on Wednesday, Mr Trump said that the indictment “hoax” was the fault of misfits, marxists and communists – as well as “mutants”.

Rachel Sharp reports.

Trump now blames ‘mutants’ for indictment in latest Truth Social rant

Recap: Is Donald Trump going to prison?

Friday 16 June 2023 03:15 , Oliver O'Connell

It’s the question everyone wants to know the answer to...

Is Donald Trump going to prison?

Report: Trump was not interested in negotiating settlement over mishandling of secret papers

Friday 16 June 2023 02:15 , Oliver O'Connell

A current member of former President Donald Trump’s legal team suggested as far back as 2022 that his client should seek a settlement with the federal government over allegations that he retained presidential records and classified materials including, reportedly, defence documents.

That lawyer was Christopher Kise, according to the Washington Post, who was seen with the twice-impeached ex-president as recently as Tuesday for the latter’s appearance before a Miami judge.

John Bowden reports.

Trump was not interested in negotiating settlement over mishandling of secret papers

Karl Rove says Trump and America will pay high price for ex-president’s ‘reckless petulance’

Friday 16 June 2023 01:15 , Oliver O'Connell

Karl Rove, deputy chief of staff to President George W Bush, eviscerated Donald Trump over the 37 charges he faces relating to the classified documents he hoarded at Mar-a-Lago in an opinion column, “Trump invited this indictment”, published by The Wall Street Journal on 14 June.

He echoed some other Republicans — including Bill Barr, Chris Christie, and Mike Pompeo — in his criticism of the former president, though certainly not all of his fellow Republicans.

“The blame for this calamity rests solely on Mr Trump and his childish impulse to keep mementos from his time in the Oval Office, no matter what the law says,” wrote Mr Rove.

Read more...

Karl Rove blames Trump’s ‘reckless petulance’ for classified documents indictment

Voices: Trump’s indictment puts his Republican opponents in an impossible position

Friday 16 June 2023 00:15 , Oliver O'Connell

The wrath of GOP voters means Republican primary candidates cannot offer even the mildest critiques of him.

Eric Garcia explains:

Trump’s indictment puts his Republican opponents in an impossible position

Asked about allegations of bribery, Biden chuckles

Thursday 15 June 2023 23:45 , Oliver O'Connell

President Joe Biden chuckled and walked off when he was asked about allegations of bribery from his time as vice president pushed by congressional Republicans.

“Are there tapes that you accepted bribes, President Biden? Is that true?” Mr Biden was asked by the New York Post on Tuesday as he left an event attended by US diplomats at the White House.

Mr Biden stopped walking for a moment before smiling and chuckling, shaking his head as he carried on down the hall.

Gustaf Kilander reports from Washington, DC.

Biden chuckles when asked about bribery allegations from time as vice president

World leaders stay quiet on Trump indictment

Thursday 15 June 2023 23:15 , Oliver O'Connell

In the final days of the 2016 U.S. election campaign, European Union leader Donald Tusk could no longer contain himself: “One Donald is more than enough!” he wrote on Twitter. When Trump was elected less than a week later, it made for an awkward start to what proved to be four difficult years of trans-Atlantic relations.

As Trump becomes the first former president to face federal charges that could put him in jail, many Europeans are watching the case closely. But hardly a single world leader has said a thing recently about the man leading the race for the Republican party nomination.

Continue reading...

Everyone’s got something to say about Trump – except these world leaders

Meanwhile in another classified documents case...

Thursday 15 June 2023 22:45 , Oliver O'Connell

US Air National Guard member Jack Teixeira was indicted by a federal grand jury in Boston on Thursday for allegedly leaking highly classified materials on social media, according to the Justice Department.

The Massachusetts man, 21, could face a sentence of 10 years in prison and a fine of $250,000 if convicted.

Developing story...

Jack Teixeira indicted for sharing classified defence documents on Discord

Criminal probe into Trump Westchester golf course is closed, DA says

Thursday 15 June 2023 22:40 , Oliver O'Connell

Per CBS News:

A two-year criminal investigation into the Trump Organization's valuations of a golf club in Westchester County, New York, has been closed, the county's district attorney, Miriam Rocah, confirmed Thursday.

“Part of why I'm saying anything at all is that I think it's really important, more important than ever in our country, to make sure that people understand that we have independent prosecutors, we have a justice system that operates independent of politics,” Rocah, a Democrat, told CBS News after a press conference announcing arrests and other updates in several cold case homicides.

“I can stand here and proudly say that I'm one of those prosecutors, and I look at every subject of any investigation, every organization that's a subject of an investigation, the same way.”

Newsom responds to DeSantis taunt

Thursday 15 June 2023 22:35 , Oliver O'Connell

What happened to Trump’s ‘food for all’ promise?

Thursday 15 June 2023 22:30 , Oliver O'Connell

When former President Donald Trump visited the iconic Versailles restaurant in Miami after being arraigned on 37 federal charges, he announced that there would be “food for all.” There was just one problem: according to a report in the Miami New Times, Mr Trump never picked up the tab.

Abe Asher reports.

Trump declared ‘food for all’ at Miami cafe – but skipped the bill, report says

Trump asks when all charges will be dropped

Thursday 15 June 2023 22:25 , Oliver O'Connell

Former president Donald Trump has broken a lengthy Truth Social silence by asking when all the charges against him will be dropped and when everything will be returned to him.

No, really...

Here’s what he posted:

SO NOW THAT EVERYONE UNDERSTANDS THAT THE PRESIDENTIAL RECORDS ACT, PLUS THE CLINTON SOCKS CASE, TOTALLY EXONERATED ME FROM THE CONTINUING WITCH HUNT BROUGHT ON BY CORRUPT JOE BIDEN, THE DOJ, DERANGED JACK SMITH, AND THEIR RADICAL LEFT, MARXIST THUGS, WHEN ARE THEY GOING TO DROP ALL CHARGES AGAINST ME, APOLOGIZE, AND RETURN EVERYTHING THAT WAS ILLEGALLY TAKEN (FOURTH AMENDMENT) FROM MY HOME? THIS WAS NOTHING OTHER THAN ELECTION INTERFERENCE!!!

And then he added:

PROSECUTORIAL MISCONDUCT AT A LEVEL SELDOM SEEN IN OUR COUNTRY BEFORE

And then:

AFTER GOING THROUGH A CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION FOR TWO YEARS BY THE DISTRICT ATTORNEYS OFFICE IN WESTCHESTER COUNTY, NEW YORK, IT WAS JUST ANNOUNCED THAT THE CASE HAS BEEN DROPPED, AND NO CHARGES WILL BE FILED. THIS WAS THE HONORABLE THING TO DO IN THAT I DID NOTHING WRONG, BUT WHERE AND WHEN DO I GET MY REPUTATION BACK? WHEN WILL THE OTHER FAKE CASES AGAINST ME BE DROPPED? ELECTION INTERFERENCE!!!

Trump says he didn’t return classified boxes because they contained ‘shoes and shirts and everything’

Thursday 15 June 2023 22:15 , Oliver O'Connell

Former President Donald Trump has finally addressed the reason he allegedly failed to return boxes of classified documents to the federal government: he’d put his clothes in them.

No, really.

Abe Asher has the story.

Trump says he refused to give back boxes because they contained ‘shoes and shirts’

Dates for the calendar: Trump’s current legal schedule

Thursday 15 June 2023 22:02 , Oliver O'Connell

Explained: ‘Beautiful mind paper boxes’

Thursday 15 June 2023 21:52 , Oliver O'Connell

It came up in the indictment and had more than a few people scratching their heads — why were the boxes of classified materials at Mar-a-Lago referred to as “beautiful mind paper boxes” by some of his aides?

The phrase does refer to the Russell Crowe movie A Beautiful Mind as most expected. Maggie Haberman, Alan Feuer and Michael Schmidt of The New York Times explain:

During former President Donald J Trump’s years in the White House, his aides began to refer to the boxes full of papers and odds and ends he carted around with him almost everywhere as the “beautiful mind” material.

It was a reference to the title of a book and movie depicting the life of John F. Nash Jr., the mathematician with schizophrenia played in the film by Russell Crowe, who covered his office with newspaper clippings, believing they held a Russian code he needed to crack.

The phrase had a specific connotation. The aides employed it to capture a type of organized chaos that Mr Trump insisted on, the collection and transportation of a blizzard of newspapers and official documents that he kept close and that seemed to give him a sense of security.

One former White House official, who was granted anonymity to describe the situation, said that while the materials were disorganized, Mr Trump would notice if somebody had rifled through them or they were not arranged in a particular way. It was, the person said, how “his mind worked.”

Trump appears to wield infamous Sharpie to sign arraignment bond document

Thursday 15 June 2023 21:45 , Oliver O'Connell

It was a feature of his presidency and sometimes a source of amusement, but Donald Trump’s love of Sharpie marker pens has resurfaced as he signed the bond document at his arraignment on federal charges in Miami on Tuesday.

Read more...

Trump appears to wield infamous Sharpie to sign bond document at arraignment

DeSantis taunts Newsom over 2024 run as California Gov celebrates Disney Pride: ‘Stop pussyfooting around'

Thursday 15 June 2023 21:30 , Oliver O'Connell

As Donald Trump does what he does best and sucks the political oxygen out of the room, over in what feels issue-wise like a proxy 2024 election race, the Republican governor of Florida Ron DeSantis had a feisty message for his California counterpart Democrat Governor Gavin Newsom.

Read more...

DeSantis taunts Newsom over 2024 run as California governor celebrates Disney Pride