Trump serves meals at Texas border event: Live news today

Donald Trump made a weekend appearance in Texas on Sunday and visited the US-Mexico border.

Greg Abbott, the state’s Republican governor, endorsed him for the White House in 2024 this past week.

Mr Trump served food to members of the National Guard and others stationed at the border for the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday before delivering remarks to his supporters at a rally.

The former president may still appear on the 2024 primary presidential ballot in Colorado, a state judge ruled – shutting down efforts to remove the former president by invoking the 14th Amendment.

The attempt to remove Mr Trump from the ballot was based on the claim that he is constitutionally barred from office because of the January 6 insurrection.

Key Points

• Colorado judge rules Trump can remain on 2024 primary ballot

• Trump loses bid for mistrial in New York fraud case

• Trump instantly lashes out at court clerk as soon as gag order lifted

• Judge rejects Trump attempt to remove Jan 6 responsibility statements from federal indictment

• Fulton County prosecutors propose 5 August trial date for Trump

Happening now: Fulton County judge considers revoking Trump co-defendant’s bond

18:33 , Oliver O'Connell

Watch the live feed

A judge in Atlanta is set to hear arguments Tuesday on a request to revoke the bond of one of former President Donald Trump’s co-defendants in the Georgia case related to efforts to overturn the 2020 election.

Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis last week filed a motion asking county Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee to revoke the bond of Harrison Floyd. She wrote in her motion that Floyd has been attempting to intimidate and contact likely witnesses and his co-defendants in violation of the terms of his release.

Floyd’s attorneys wrote in a court filing that Willis’ allegations are without merit and that the motion is a “retaliatory measure” against their client. Floyd “neither threatened or intimidated anyone and certainly did not communicate with a witness or co-defendant directly or indirectly,” they wrote.

Here’s a recap of how Mr Floyd ended up here:

Georgia prosecutors want Trump’s co-defendant jailed for witness intimidation

Much has been made of Biden’s age, but Trump is only four years younger...

18:30 , Oliver O'Connell

When Donald Trump was inaugurated in January 2017, he became the oldest commander-in-chief sworn in at the age of 70 years and 220 days old.

That was surpassed by his successor Joe Biden, who was 78 years and 61 days when he became the country’s 46th president in January 2021.

Before Mr Trump, Ronald Reagan was the oldest person to assume the presidency at 69 years and 349 years old at his first inauguration in 1981.

Reagan was the oldest president when he left office at the age of 77 in 1989, just 22 days away from turning 78.

But depending on who wins the 2024 presidential election, a new record could be set as both Mr Biden and Mr Trump are running for reelection.

Graeme Massie reports.

How old is Donald Trump and how does his age compare to other presidents?

Pizzagate: The Return

18:00 , Oliver O'Connell

Elon Musk has now amplified the widely debunked “Pizzagate” conspiracy theory on X, just days after he sparked outrage for pushing an antisemitic conspiracy theory.

On Monday, an X user attempted to link the founder of Media Matters – the left-leaning non-profit group that last week accused X of promoting adverts from global companies alongside pro-Hitler content – to the owner of the so-called “Pizzagate restaurant”.

Mr Musk then boosted the post by replying to it, with the one-word phrase: “Weird.”

Now, the three-year-old conspiracy theory and baseless claims of its ties to Media Matters have been promoted to the tech mogul’s 160 million followers.

Martha McHardy has the story.

Elon Musk amplifies Pizzagate conspiracy theory

‘Propaganda’ Trump interview slammed by ex-Univision boss

17:30 , Oliver O'Connell

Univision’s former president has joined the growing criticism of the Hispanic network over an interview with Donald Trump that was panned by journalists for softball questions.

Reporters at the network, which has US offices and merged with a Mexican media giant in 2022, have found themselves at the middle of a discussion over their network’s ability to cover the 2024 presidential race fairly and accurately after Mr Trump sat down with Enrique Acevedo for an interview that aired just over a week ago. Mr Trump did not face any difficult questions about his criminal prosecutions or policy positions in the interview, and was also able to spout unfounded claims about his immigration policies without accurate pushback from Acevedo.

The controversy has grown over the past several days as prominent Latino Americans such as comedian John Leguizamo have called for boycotts of the network in response.

John Bowden reports.

Ex-Univision boss slams network’s Trump interview as ‘propaganda’

NY fraud trial: McConney tears up on witness stand

17:07 , Oliver O'Connell

Questioning turns to a discussion of the Trump golf course properties, some of which were built from scratch and others of which were bought and rehabilitated by the Trump Organization, with a 30 per cent premium added to their value as a “fully operational branded facility”.

Mr McConney says that this premium was added as the clubs were taken into a new more luxurious category. Asked if Mazars were notified of this premium, he replies that they were and he does not recall getting any pushback from the accountants about the premium.

Direct examination of Mr McConney concludes with the witness crying and getting emotional when asked why he no longer works for the Trump Organization. A court officer hands him a tissue.

He says he was very proud of his work for the company and wishes the accusations of misrepresenting assets would stop.

Before cross-examination begins, Justice Arthur Engoron and counsel for the New York Attorney General’s office ask if he is OK.

Full story: Trump’s Truth Social sues 20 media outlets over financial loss reports

16:45 , Oliver O'Connell

Donald Trump’s Truth Social platform has filed a lawsuit against 20 media organisations for making what it claims to be defamatory statements about the company’s financial losses.

In the lawsuit, filed in the 12th Judicial Court of Sarasota County, Florida, on Monday, Trump Media & Technology Group (TMTG) accuses the “reckless and malicious” outlets of falsely reporting that the company had lost $73m since its launch.

The company claims that the “false reporting” was part of a “seemingly coordinated effort to destroy TMTG and Truth Social”.

“This case is about an unprecedented and seemingly coordinated media campaign, by no less than 20 major media outlets, to attack Trump Media & Technology Group (“TMTG”) and its social media platform, Truth Social, by falsely reporting that TMTG had lost $73 million,” the lawsuit reads.

“This number was an utter fabrication. Each defendant, in apparent coordination, reported the exact same false number within approximately 24 hours of one another, each citing to a public Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) filing, in which the mystery $73 million loss appears nowhere.”

Rachel Sharp has the details.

Trump’s Truth Social sues 20 media outlets over financial loss reports

NY fraud trial: Mar-a-Lago valuation

16:27 , Oliver O'Connell

Trump co-defendant Jeff McConney is asked about the valuation of the Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, where former president Donald Trump now lives. Mr McConney concedes that in 2014 they valued it as a private residence when it is not. Local law states that it can only be used as a private members’ club.

With its function restricted to that of a social club, the value of the property was constrained compared to if it was a plot of land that could be developed in any way.

Mr McConney says he does not recall why they valued it in this way but says: “Our intention was always to reflect as best we could the value of these properties.”

Nevertheless, a key part of the New York Attorney General’s case is that this was done to inflate the net worth of Mr Trump.

Watch: Former Trump staffer and Jan 6 witness throws support behind Biden

16:14 , Oliver O'Connell

Trump to attend Palmetto Bowl college football clash this weekend

16:04 , Oliver O'Connell

The Post & Courier reports:

Former President Donald Trump will attend the Clemson-South Carolina game this weekend, bringing the Republican front-runner to Williams-Brice Stadium for the state’s biggest college football spectacle of the year.

Trump’s presidential campaign confirmed the visit Nov. 21 to The Post and Courier after increasing levels of chatter, rumors and speculation peaked in recent days that he would take up supporter Gov. Henry McMaster’s standing invitation to attend a game.

Asked if Trump would be attending as McMaster’s guest, Trump’s spokesman Steven Cheung replied: “I believe McMaster will be a guest of POTUS.”

In addition to the governor, Trump is expected to be joined at the game by U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., and Lt. Gov. Pam Evette. All are members of the Trump campaign’s South Carolina leadership team.

15:44 , Oliver O'Connell

Part of the issue here is that there were also units in the building that were rent-stabilised and these were listed in the spreadsheet and would have a material effect on the valuation of the building. McConney says Mazars was fully aware of this.

Judge Arthur Engoron ruled before the trial that fraud took place regarding the presentation of the statements of financial condition to banks and insurers, however, the trial is proceeding to establish whether the defendants did so “intentionally and materially”.

NY fraud trial: Trump Park Avenue

15:33 , Oliver O'Connell

Proceedings in the Lower Manhattan court begin with Mr McConney being asked about Trump Park Avenue, a former historic hotel where Ivanka Trump had the exclusive right to purchase the unit she leased for $14.264m.

A spreadsheet shows this price was set “notwithstanding the filing of any amendment to [the] offering plan that may increase the [price] of the unit”.

The New York Attorney General claims that while Ms Trump has the right to buy the unit at that set price, the company valued it substantially higher.

Mr McConney says the information regarding the apartment and that it may increase in price due to amendments to the offering plan was all disclosed to Mr Bender at Mazars who is copied in on the email that the spreadsheet is attached to.

Jimmy Kimmel noticed a specific word Trump used in his ‘golden shower’ story

15:25 , Oliver O'Connell

Late-night host Jimmy Kimmel zeroed in on Donald Trump’s latest wild claim during his show on Monday night.

At a rally in Iowa at the weekend, the former president brought up allegations in former British spy Christopher Steele’s unverified dossier that he hired sex workers to urinate on him during a trip to Moscow.

Mr Trump told his supporters in Iowa that his wife, Melania Trump, did not believe the allegations about the so-called golden showers because he is a “germaphobe,” he claimed.

“Actually that one, she didn’t believe. Because she said, ‘He’s a germaphobe, he’s not into that, you know? He’s not into golden showers as they say they call them,’” Mr Trump said.

Following the rally, Mr Kimmel zeroed in on the former president’s unprompted remarks.

Martha McHardy has the story.

Jimmy Kimmel zeroes in on one revealing word in Trump’s ‘golden shower’ story

Today in court in New York: McConney testimony resumes

15:01 , Oliver O'Connell

The civil fraud trial of Donald Trump and the Trump Organization continues today at the New York State Supreme Court in Lower Manhattan with co-defendant Jeff McConney’s testimony as a witness for the defence.

The former controller of the Trump real estate empire, who earlier testified as a witness for the prosecution, spent much of yesterday on the witness stand shifting the blame for any discrepancies in the Trump Organization’s statements on financial condition onto Mazar’s accountant Donald Bender, who earlier said the company withheld records needed to accurately assess its finances.

The statements of financial record are at the heart of the fraud charges brought against Mr Trump, his company, key executives, and his two eldest sons by New York Attorney General Letitia James.

Mr McConney returned to the witness stand just after 10am for further direct examination by Mr Trump’s defence lawyer Jesus Suarez.

CREW files Colorado Supreme Court appeal over Trump 14th amendment ruling

14:50 , Oliver O'Connell

The plaintiffs in the Colorado 14th Amendment case that questioned Donald Trump’s eligibility to be on the ballot in the state in the 2024 election after having fermented an insurrection at the US Capitol in January 2021 have filed an appeal of the lower court’s ruling that kept the former president on the ballot.

A statement from CREW (Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington) reads:

“We always knew this case would end up before the Colorado Supreme Court, and have been preparing for that from the beginning,” CREW President Noah Bookbinder said. “We are planning to build on the trial judge’s incredibly important ruling that Donald Trump engaged in insurrection, and we are ready to take this case as far as necessary to ensure that Donald Trump is removed from the ballot.”

The court held that the six voters stated a claim under Colorado law, that Section 3 may be enforced through state ballot access laws, that the petition does not raise a non-justiciable political question and that the First Amendment does not shield Trump’s incitement. The only question left to be decided is whether the oath Trump took as president-elect subjects him to the 14th Amendment’s disqualification clause.

Trump’s lawyers have already indicated to the Colorado Supreme Court that they will appeal the trial court’s decision.

“While Donald Trump is taking a victory lap claiming he won decisively in district court, it’s telling that his lawyers are attempting to overturn that so-called ’victory,’” Bookbinder said.

You can read their full court filing here and below is our earlier coverage of the judge’s ruling in the case:

Colorado judge rules Trump can remain on 2024 primary ballot

Trump marks Biden’s birthday with doctor’s note claiming he’s lost weight

14:35 , Oliver O'Connell

Donald Trump is in “excellent” health, according to a note he shared on Monday on social media, as both he and his potential 2024 opponent Joe Biden face continued questions about their age and mental fitness for the White House.

“I am pleased to report that President Trump’s overall health is excellent,” the former president’s physician, Bruce Aronwald, wrote in a letter Mr Trump shared on Truth Social. “His physical exams were well within the normal range and his cognitive exams were exceptional.”

The letter added that Mr Trump was showing improved results on certain tests, likely because of “weight reduction.”

Josh Marcus reports.

Trump posts doctor note claiming he’s lost weight as Biden marks 81st birthday

Speaker Johnson met with Trump at Mar-a-Lago

14:30 , Oliver O'Connell

House Speaker Mike Johnson met with former president Donald Trump on Monday night at Mar-a-Lago, according to a person familiar with what happened.

The speaker was attending a fundraiser for close Trump ally Rep Bilirakis of Florida.

2024 presidential debate dates announced

14:13 , Oliver O'Connell

The dates and venues for the three 2024 presidential debates have been announced.

The debates, which will take place in September and October will be staged at US university campuses in the states of Texas, Virginia and Utah.

The news was announced by the nonpartisan, nonprofit Commission on Presidential Debates (CPD) on Monday.

The first debate will take place on 16 September at Texas State University in San Marcos. It will be followed by the second at Virginia State University in Petersburg on 1 October.

The final debate will take place just over a week later at The University of Utah, in Salt Lake City, on 9 October.

Mike Bedigan has further details:

Dates and venues for three 2024 presidential debates announced

Analysis: Can Lachlan Murdoch rein in scandal-hit Fox as 2024 election looms?

13:45 , Oliver O'Connell

Bevan Hurley writes:

As anointed son Lachlan Murdoch took the stage at Fox Corporation’s annual meeting in Los Angeles on Friday, he touted the potential windfall the company hoped to see from the 2024 US presidential election.

With national and local political races “heating up”, he told the gathering of execs including father Rupert, board members and shareholders that he expected next year’s pivotal election would drive “strong results across our news properties and local stations”.

The meeting rubber stamped Lachlan’s takeover as chair of Fox Corporation, days after he officially took charge of the Murdochs’ publishing division News Corp as the chosen child.

Less than a year out from the 2024 presidential election, with the warning signs for democracy flashing red and Donald Trump declaring his authoritarian intentions if reelected, the 52-year-old arguably has the power to shape US politics more than any other executive in the country.

Read the full article:

Can Lachlan Murdoch rein in scandal-hit Fox as 2024 election looms?

Yesterday in court in DC: Judges aren’t buying Trump’s gag order appeal

13:15 , Oliver O'Connell

A three-judge federal appeals court panel appears skeptical of arguments from Donald Trump’s legal team to overturn a gag order that blocks the former president from attacking witnesses and prosecutors in a criminal conspiracy case surrounding his attempts to overturn the 2020 presidential election.

But the judges also appear likely to narrow the scope of the order, hoping to balance First Amendment protections and political speech against the wave of threats and harassment unleashed by Mr Trump and his supporters towards the prosecutors, judges, witnesses and prospective jurors involved with a growing list of litigation against him.

The gag order imposed by US District Judge Tanya Chutkan last month blocked Mr Trump from launching a “pretrial smear campaign” as he seeks the 2024 Republican nomination for president, the judge wrote.

That order was paused by the appeals court in Washington DC, which heard arguments in the case on Monday during a hearing that lasted nearly three hours. A ruling is not immediately expected.

Alex Woodward followed the hearing for The Independent.

‘You’re a lawyer, Mike’: Liz Cheney scorns GOP senator for promoting latest Jan 6 conspiracy

12:45 , Oliver O'Connell

The former co-chair of the January 6 investigation in the House brawled with Senator Mike Lee, a fellow Republican, on X, formerly Twitter, over the weekend after he resurfaced a conspiracy regarding the attack on the Capitol.

Mr Lee, a conservative on the right wing of the US Senate, pointed to recently-released footage of Capitol Police officers having relatively peaceful interactions with riot participants as evidence that Donald Trump’s supporters were actually welcomed into the Capitol during the attack.

John Bowden reports from Washington, DC:

Liz Cheney chides GOP senator for promoting latest Jan 6 conspiracy

Trump attorney asks Fulton County DA for help accessing federal evidence in DC case

12:15 , Oliver O'Connell

Donald Trump’s attorney in the sprawling Fulton County election interference case in Georgia has asked District Attorney Fani Willis — who brought the case against the former president and his 18 co-defendants — for help gaining access to lists of evidence disclosed to Mr Trump’s defence team in his federal election interference case.

A protective order handed down by Judge Tanya Chutkan, at the request of Department of Justice special counsel Jack Smith, prevents the disclosure of evidence ahead of the trial.

Georgia attorney Steve Sadow has asked Ms Willis to contact Mr Smith and ask if he will disclose discovery letter and lists of evidence to her, which she can then share with him as he builds his defence case in the state criminal indictment.

Given both cases involve interference in the 2020 election, there is potential for crossover between the two criminal cases against the former president.

The federal trial is currently scheduled for 4 March 2024, whereas Georgia prosecutors have asked for a trial date in early August 2024. The timing of Mr Trump’s two other criminal trials is expected to change but the New York hush-money trial is currently scheduled for 25 March, and the federal classified documents trial is set for 20 May.

What a tangled web.

Special counsel Jack Smith gets 32 of Trump’s private Twitter messages

11:45 , Oliver O'Connell

Elon Musk’s X platform handed over 32 direct messages from Donald Trump’s account with the social media platform to special counsel Jack Smith as part of his election subversion probe.

The former president was a voracious user of his @realDonaldTrump as he tried to overturn Joe Biden’s 2020 election victory, but was suspended by the platform, formerly known as Twitter, in the wake of the January 6 attack “due to the risk of further incitement of violence.”

Last November, following Mr Musk’s $44bn purchase of the social media app, the billionaire said that banning Mr Trump had been a mistake. The former president, who has a financial stake in Truth Social, said that he would never return to Twitter, but in August posted there for the first time in two years.

But that has not stopped federal prosecutors from getting access to a string of Mr Trump’s private messages from the high-profile account, according to court filings.

Graeme Massie has the details.

Capitol officer’s bodycam shows Jan 6 attacks two weeks before suicide

10:45 , Oliver O'Connell

Newly released video footage has captured the cruel attacks and terrifying situation that a Capitol police officer endured just two weeks before he took his own life.

Officer Jeff Smith’s body camera footage reveals the harrowing reality of what unfolded in the halls of the Capitol building on January 6 2021.

In it, the officer is seen facing a barrage of physical and verbal attacks from rioters.

People are screaming and lining the walls of the monument as officers pass by.

One woman is seen telling Smith: “Get a real job. We don’t support y’all anymore.”

Outside, someone else is yelling repeatedly: “You stand with criminals! You stand with criminals!”

Kelly Rissman reports.

Capitol officer’s bodycam shows Jan 6 attacks two weeks before suicide

Not enough food for Trump at Texas Thanksgiving lunch

09:45 , Oliver O'Connell

While at a Thanksgiving dinner event commending US troops serving at the Southern Border, former President Donald Trump jokingly complained that organisers didn’t save him a plate of food.

“The food looked very good,” the former president said at a luncheon for Texas State Patrol officers. “I wanted to have some but they didn’t have any for me.

“They had none left. That’s not good. That’s my kind of food too.”

Mr Trump later took to Truth Social, his social media platform, to thank the officials.

Trump complains that there wasn’t enough food for him at Texas Thanksgiving lunch

Yesterday in court: Judges aren’t buying Trump’s gag order appeal

08:45 , Oliver O'Connell

A three-judge federal appeals court panel appears skeptical of arguments from Donald Trump’s legal team to overturn a gag order that blocks the former president from attacking witnesses and prosecutors in a criminal conspiracy case surrounding his attempts to overturn the 2020 presidential election.

But the judges also appear likely to narrow the scope of the order, hoping to balance First Amendment protections and political speech against the wave of threats and harassment unleashed by Mr Trump and his supporters towards the prosecutors, judges, witnesses and prospective jurors involved with a growing list of litigation against him.

The gag order imposed by US District Judge Tanya Chutkan last month blocked Mr Trump from launching a “pretrial smear campaign” as he seeks the 2024 Republican nomination for president, the judge wrote.

That order was paused by the appeals court in Washington DC, which heard arguments in the case on Monday during a hearing that lasted nearly three hours. A ruling is not immediately expected.

Alex Woodward reports.

Judges aren’t buying Trump’s gag order appeal

Tim Ryan: Democrats must fix their ‘brand’ – and ditch Biden – to win in 2024

06:45 , Oliver O'Connell

Democrats saw a series of welcome victories across Ohio, Virginia, and Kentucky last week as voters in statewide elections delivered the GOP key defeats chiefly tied to the issue of abortion rights.

Left-leaning activists in Virginia and Ohio in particular appeared energised by their victories, a much-needed boost to their confidence and optimism after heartbreaking defeats for the party in 2022 and 2021. Ohioans saw the election of author and Trump convert JD Vance to the US Senate, while Virginians witnessed the downfall of Terry McAuliffe, their state’s former governor, as he sought to defeat Republican Glenn Youngkin. Both were considered blows to Joe Biden for different reasons — in Virginia, Mr McAuliffe ran aligned with Mr Biden and was beaten soundly just months into the latter’s presidency, and in Ohio the president lost a much-needed opportunity to pick up a vote for his agenda in the US Senate.

But 2024 is on the horizon, and Democrats are looking ahead to the future — though not without some considerable sense of unease. Their incumbent president remains in serious trouble, if the polling is to be believed, based on concerns about his age and ability to represent America through a time of multiple global crises. At the same time, the prospect of a Trump victory — with the former president openly plotting to unleash the powers of the federal government on his political enemies — presents a real reason to be concerned about the country’s future.

Enthusiastic as they are about the party’s victory on a ballot initiative enshrining abortion rights in the state’s constitution, Ohio Democrats are cognizant of the fact that no such issue will be as directly on the ballot next year. What that means for Joe Biden and other Democrats is simple: they’ll be running on their own political reputations, and that of the national Democratic Party.

If you listen to former Congressman Tim Ryan, that’s a real problem.

Read the full article

How old is Trump and how does that compare to other presidents?

04:45 , Oliver O'Connell

When Donald Trump was inaugurated in January 2017, he became the oldest commander-in-chief sworn in at the age of 70 years and 220 days old.

That was surpassed by his successor Joe Biden, who was 78 years and 61 days when he became the country’s 46th president in January 2021.

Before Mr Trump, Ronald Reagan was the oldest person to assume the presidency at 69 years and 349 years old at his first inauguration in 1981.

Reagan was the oldest president when he left office at the age of 77 in 1989, just 22 days away from turning 78.

But depending on who wins the 2024 presidential election, a new record could be set as both Mr Biden and Mr Trump are running for reelection.

How old is Donald Trump and how does his age compare to other presidents?

ICYMI: Trump reshares Melania’s response to ‘golden shower’ claims

03:45 , Oliver O'Connell

Donald Trump looked back on the wild allegations about him getting a “golden shower” from sex workers in Russia during an unbelievable moment at an Iowa rally.

Speaking in Fort Dodge on Saturday, the former president brought up the mostly-debunked 2016 dossier in which ex-British spy Christopher Steele alleged Mr Trump had paid sex workers to urinate on him in a Moscow hotel.

Mr Trump gave a rambling retelling of his conversation with wife Melania after the claims emerged.

Trump shares Melania’s response to ‘golden shower’ claims

DeSantis: Both Trump and Biden are too old to run the country

02:45 , Oliver O'Connell

Ron DeSantis has said he thinks both Donald Trump and Joe Biden are too old to run the country as the president celebrates his 81st birthday today.

Speaking to CNN’s Jake Tapper on Sunday, the Florida governor and 2024 hopeful claimed that he is in the “prime of my life” while his two rivals are far from it.

“I just think that that’s something that has been shown with Joe Biden. Father Time is undefeated. Donald Trump is not exempt from any of that,” he said.

Mr DeSantis, 45, said that running the White House is “not a job for somebody that is pushing 80”.

“I will serve two terms, deliver big results, and get the country moving again,” he told CNN.

Rachael Sharp reports on the Florida governor’s remarks.

Today in court: Judges aren’t buying Trump’s gag order appeal

01:45 , Oliver O'Connell

A three-judge federal appeals court panel appears skeptical of arguments from Donald Trump’s legal team to overturn a gag order that blocks the former president from attacking witnesses and prosecutors in a criminal conspiracy case surrounding his attempts to overturn the 2020 presidential election.

But the judges also appear likely to narrow the scope of the order, hoping to balance First Amendment protections and political speech against the wave of threats and harassment unleashed by Mr Trump and his supporters towards the prosecutors, judges, witnesses and prospective jurors involved with a growing list of litigation against him.

The gag order imposed by US District Judge Tanya Chutkan last month blocked Mr Trump from launching a “pretrial smear campaign” as he seeks the 2024 Republican nomination for president, the judge wrote.

That order was paused by the appeals court in Washington DC, which heard arguments in the case on Monday during a hearing that lasted nearly three hours. A ruling is not immediately expected.

Judges aren’t buying Trump’s gag order appeal

Trump posts doctor note claiming he’s lost weight as Biden marks 81st birthday

01:15 , Mike Bedigan

In a doctor’s note shared on Monday, Donald Trump boasted he was in “excellent health, as both he and his potential 2024 opponent Joe Biden face continued questions about their age and mental fitness for the White House.

The letter added that Mr Trump was showing improved results on certain tests, likely because of “weight reduction.”

Josh Marcus has the full story:

Trump posts doctor note claiming he’s lost weight as Biden marks 81st birthday

Meet Argentina’s new MAGA-like leader

00:45 , Oliver O'Connell

South America’s Trump wins election: Meet Argentina’s new MAGA-like leader

Analysis: Trump un-gagged could prime his fraud trial for more chaos

23:45 , Oliver O'Connell

Alex Woodward writes:

For six weeks, lawyers with New York Attorney General Letitia James put more than two dozen witnesses on the stand and introduced dozens of documents to connect Donald Trump and his business empire to a decade of fraud allegations.

When the attorney general handed the case to his team of lawyers on 13 November, their first witness was Donald Trump Jr, who spent several hours testifying to his father’s “artistry” and “sexy” properties.

Two days later, Mr Trump’s attorneys demanded a mistrial. They lost. His attorneys also sued the judge overseeing the case, hoping to strike down a gag order that has blocked the former president from attacking court staff. They won.

Read more...

Trump attorney asks Fulton County DA for help accessing federal evidence in DC case

23:15 , Oliver O'Connell

Donald Trump’s attorney in the sprawling Fulton County election interference case in Georgia has asked District Attorney Fani Willis — who brought the case against the former president and his 18 co-defendants — for help gaining access to lists of evidence disclosed to Mr Trump’s defence team in his federal election interference case.

A protective order handed down by Judge Tanya Chutkan, at the request of Department of Justice special counsel Jack Smith, prevents the disclosure of evidence ahead of the trial.

Georgia attorney Steve Sadow has asked Ms Willis to contact Mr Smith and ask if he will disclose discovery letter and lists of evidence to her, which she can then share with him as he builds his defence case in the state criminal indictment.

Given both cases involve interference in the 2020 election, there is potential for crossover between the two criminal cases against the former president.

The federal trial is currently scheduled for 4 March 2024, whereas Georgia prosecutors have asked for a trial date in early August 2024. The timing of Mr Trump’s two other criminal trials is expected to change but the New York hush-money trial is currently scheduled for 25 March, and the federal classified documents trial is set for 20 May.

What a tangled web.

Another Jan 6 committee? Majorie Taylor Greene wants a Maga version

22:45 , Oliver O'Connell

Marjorie Taylor Greene continues to fight her quixotic crusade to prove that the thousands of Trump supporters seen on video attacking the Capitol on January 6 were actually being controlled by a shadowy federal conspiracy.

The Georgia congresswoman on Sunday reacted to the decision this past week by the new Speaker of the House, Mike Johnson, to release all of the footage gathered and compiled by the now-shuttered select committee to investigate the attack. According to Ms Greene, hidden within the more than 40,000 hours of footage of Trump fans battering police officers and committing other crimes on camera is irrefutable proof of a government conspiracy.

The Trump-aligned GOP, and its conspiracy magnets like Ms Greene, have long latched on to the desperate allegation that the FBI was seemingly in control of the riot from the beginning, and that the president’s supporters would have remained peaceful were it not for secretive government agents egging them on. In reality, no such evidence of government agents directing the crowd has been uncovered, and FBI Director Christopher Wray has testified under oath that those allegations are nothing more than nonsense.

Marjorie Taylor Greene wants another January 6 select committee

Trump ahead of Biden in new poll as Israel criticism hurts president

22:15 , Oliver O'Connell

A new poll from NBC News this weekend shows President Joe Biden in his worst position yet — with no signs of clearer skies ahead.

The sitting president now trails his likely 2024 challenger, Donald Trump, among voters nationally; despite the ex-president’s ongoing legal escapades, Mr Biden trails his opponent 46-44.

The reason for his continued slide is clear: Americans are quickly souring on the president’s handling of US foreign policy and America’s presence on the world stage. The spiraling conflict in Israel has only served to turn America’s youngest voters, long a Democratic-leaning demographic, against the president as seven in ten voters age 18-34 disapprove of Mr Biden’s response.

His approval rating is now at 40 per cent — the lowest recorded by NBC at any point during Mr Biden’s presidency. This poll also marks the first time Mr Biden has trailed Mr Trump in an NBC survey.

John Bowden has the details of the latest poll.

Trump leads Biden in new poll as Israel conflict fuels criticism

Ramaswamy slams ex-DNC chair for ‘racist’ mockery of name

21:45 , Oliver O'Connell

Vivek Ramaswamy has hit out at a former chair of the Democratic National Committee, after she “intentionally” mispronounced his name and said that he should “go home”.

Donna Brazile, a political strategist and ABC News commentator, made the remarks while appearing on Real Time With Bill Maher – and was called out for apparent “racism”.

In a clip of an exchange with Maher, circulated online, Brazile says “Vivek needs to shut the hell up and go home, I’m tired of him.”

After Maher corrected her on her pronunciation of the Republican presidential hopeful’s first name, Brazile replied “Well whatever…” and proceeded to mispronounce his second name also.

Mike Bedigan has the story.

Vivek Ramaswamy slams ex-DNC chair for ‘racist’ mockery of name

Trump campaign releases former president’s medical report

21:23 , Oliver O'Connell

The Trump campaign has released a medical report on the health of the former president — neatly timed for the 81st birthday of his Democratic opponent, President Joe Biden.

Dr Bruce Aronwald writes in a letter dated today, that Donald Trump’s overall health is “excellent”, his physical exams are within the normal range and his cognitive exams were “exceptional”.

He also writes that the 77-year-old former president has also lost weight through “an improved diet and continued daily physical activity, while maintaining a rigrous schedule”.

Mr Trump will reportedly “continue to enjoy a healthy active lifestyle for years to come”.

Notably, there are almost no specific details given about his health.

Liz Cheney chides GOP senator for promoting new Jan 6 conspiracy

21:15 , Oliver O'Connell

The former co-chair of the January 6 investigation in the House brawled with Senator Mike Lee, a fellow Republican, on X, formerly Twitter, over the weekend after he resurfaced a conspiracy regarding the attack on the Capitol.

Mr Lee, a conservative on the right wing of the US Senate, pointed to recently-released footage of Capitol Police officers having relatively peaceful interactions with riot participants as evidence that Donald Trump’s supporters were actually welcomed into the Capitol during the attack.

John Bowden reports from Washington, DC.

Liz Cheney chides GOP senator for promoting latest Jan 6 conspiracy

Analysis: Can Lachlan Murdoch rein in scandal-hit Fox as 2024 election looms?

20:45 , Oliver O'Connell

Bevan Hurley writes:

As anointed son Lachlan Murdoch took the stage at Fox Corporation’s annual meeting in Los Angeles on Friday, he touted the potential windfall the company hoped to see from the 2024 US presidential election.

With national and local political races “heating up”, he told the gathering of execs including father Rupert, board members and shareholders that he expected next year’s pivotal election would drive “strong results across our news properties and local stations”.

The meeting rubber stamped Lachlan’s takeover as chair of Fox Corporation, days after he officially took charge of the Murdochs’ publishing division News Corp as the chosen child.

Less than a year out from the 2024 presidential election, with the warning signs for democracy flashing red and Donald Trump declaring his authoritarian intentions if reelected, the 52-year-old arguably has the power to shape US politics more than any other executive in the country.

Read the full article:

Can Lachlan Murdoch rein in scandal-hit Fox as 2024 election looms?

McConney returns to stand at Trump NY fraud trial

20:17 , Alex Woodward

Donald Trump’s co-defendant in his civil fraud trial in New York, Jeff McConney, is back on the stand as a witness for the defence. He testified as a witness for the prosecution some weeks ago.

Mr McConney was the controller of the Trump Organization and was responsible for the company’s statements of financial condition from 2011 to 2017 though distanced himself from accountancy firm Mazars who prepared the statements.

“We as the Trump Organization didn’t prepare the statement,” said Mr McConney.

Donald Bender with Mazars already testified in the trial as the very first witness eight weeks ago, telling the attorney general’s team that the Trump Organization appeared to withhold information from him in the preparation of the statements.

Today, Mr McConney claims that Bender could’ve asked for anything he wanted from the Trump Organization. He said he never hid anything from him.

Judge Arthur Engoron and the attorney general’s team have previously hinted this kind of argument isn’t gonna work, pointing to an example of tax preparers who base their filings off the documents you give them.

X gives special counsel Jack Smith 32 of Trump’s private messages

20:00 , Oliver O'Connell

Elon Musk’s X platform handed over 32 direct messages from Donald Trump’s account with the social media platform to special counsel Jack Smith as part of his election subversion probe.

The former president was a voracious user of his @realDonaldTrump as he tried to overturn Joe Biden’s 2020 election victory, but was suspended by the platform, formerly known as Twitter, in the wake of the January 6 attack “due to the risk of further incitement of violence.”

Last November, following Mr Musk’s $44bn purchase of the social media app, the billionaire said that banning Mr Trump had been a mistake. The former president, who has a financial stake in Truth Social, said that he would never return to Twitter, but in August posted there for the first time in two years.

But that has not stopped federal prosecutors from getting access to a string of Mr Trump’s private messages from the high-profile account, according to court filings.

Graeme Massie has the details.

Twitter gives special counsel Jack Smith 32 of Trump’s private messages

Not enough food for Trump at Texas Thanksgiving lunch

19:40 , Oliver O'Connell

While at a Thanksgiving dinner event commending US troops serving at the Southern Border, former President Donald Trump jokingly complained that organisers didn’t save him a plate of food.

“The food looked very good,” the former president said at a luncheon for Texas State Patrol officers. “I wanted to have some but they didn’t have any for me.

“They had none left. That’s not good. That’s my kind of food too.”

Mr Trump later took to Truth Social, his social media platform, to thank the officials.

MIchelle Del Rey reports.

Trump complains that there wasn’t enough food for him at Texas Thanksgiving lunch

Trump attorney asks Fulton County DA for help accessing federal evidence in DC case

19:32 , Oliver O'Connell

Donald Trump’s attorney in the sprawling Fulton County election interference case in Georgia has asked District Attorney Fani Willis — who brought the case against the former president and his 18 co-defendants — for help gaining access to lists of evidence disclosed to Mr Trump’s defence team in his federal election interference case.

A protective order handed down by Judge Tanya Chutkan, at the request of Department of Justice special counsel Jack Smith, prevents the disclosure of evidence ahead of the trial.

Georgia attorney Steve Sadow has asked Ms Willis to contact Mr Smith and ask if he will disclose discovery letter and lists of evidence to her, which she can then share with him as he builds his defence case in the state criminal indictment.

Given both cases involve interference in the 2020 election, there is potential for crossover between the two criminal cases against the former president.

The federal trial is currently scheduled for 4 March 2024, whereas Georgia prosecutors have asked for a trial date in early August 2024. The timing of Mr Trump’s two other criminal trials is expected to change but the New York hush-money trial is currently scheduled for 25 March, and the federal classified documents trial is set for 20 May.

What a tangled web.

Read the full court filing here.

19:20 , Oliver O'Connell

Trump vows to ‘take over’ Washington DC: ‘We are going to make it beautiful’

Democrats must fix their ‘brand’ – and ditch Biden – to win in 2024, says Tim Ryan

19:00 , Oliver O'Connell

Democrats saw a series of welcome victories across Ohio, Virginia, and Kentucky last week as voters in statewide elections delivered the GOP key defeats chiefly tied to the issue of abortion rights.

Left-leaning activists in Virginia and Ohio in particular appeared energised by their victories, a much-needed boost to their confidence and optimism after heartbreaking defeats for the party in 2022 and 2021. Ohioans saw the election of author and Trump convert JD Vance to the US Senate, while Virginians witnessed the downfall of Terry McAuliffe, their state’s former governor, as he sought to defeat Republican Glenn Youngkin. Both were considered blows to Joe Biden for different reasons — in Virginia, Mr McAuliffe ran aligned with Mr Biden and was beaten soundly just months into the latter’s presidency, and in Ohio the president lost a much-needed opportunity to pick up a vote for his agenda in the US Senate.

But 2024 is on the horizon, and Democrats are looking ahead to the future — though not without some considerable sense of unease. Their incumbent president remains in serious trouble, if the polling is to be believed, based on concerns about his age and ability to represent America through a time of multiple global crises. At the same time, the prospect of a Trump victory — with the former president openly plotting to unleash the powers of the federal government on his political enemies — presents a real reason to be concerned about the country’s future.

Enthusiastic as they are about the party’s victory on a ballot initiative enshrining abortion rights in the state’s constitution, Ohio Democrats are cognizant of the fact that no such issue will be as directly on the ballot next year. What that means for Joe Biden and other Democrats is simple: they’ll be running on their own political reputations and that of the national Democratic Party.

If you listen to former Congressman Tim Ryan, that’s a real problem.

Read the full article

DeSantis: Trump and Biden are too old to run the country

18:40 , Oliver O'Connell

Ron DeSantis has said he thinks both Donald Trump and Joe Biden are too old to run the country as the president celebrates his 81st birthday today.

Speaking to CNN’s Jake Tapper on Sunday, the Florida governor and 2024 hopeful claimed that he is in the “prime of my life” while his two rivals are far from it.

“I just think that that’s something that has been shown with Joe Biden. Father Time is undefeated. Donald Trump is not exempt from any of that,” he said.

Mr DeSantis, 45, said that running the White House is “not a job for somebody that is pushing 80”.

Rachel Sharp has the story.

DeSantis says both Trump and Biden are too old to run the country

Capitol officer’s bodycam shows Jan 6 attacks two weeks before suicide

18:20 , Oliver O'Connell

Newly released video footage has captured the cruel attacks and terrifying situation that a Capitol police officer endured just two weeks before he took his own life.

Officer Jeff Smith’s body camera footage reveals the harrowing reality of what unfolded in the halls of the Capitol building on January 6 2021.

In it, the officer is seen facing a barrage of physical and verbal attacks from rioters.

People are screaming and lining the walls of the monument as officers pass by.

One woman is seen telling Smith: “Get a real job. We don’t support y’all anymore.”

Outside, someone else is yelling repeatedly: “You stand with criminals! You stand with criminals!”

Kelly Rissman reports.

Capitol officer’s bodycam shows Jan 6 attacks two weeks before suicide

Full story: Judges aren’t buying Trump’s gag order appeal

17:54 , Oliver O'Connell

A three-judge federal appeals court panel appears sceptical of arguments from Donald Trump’s legal team to overturn a gag order that blocks the former president from attacking witnesses and prosecutors in a criminal conspiracy case surrounding his attempts to overturn the 2020 presidential election.

But the judges also appear likely to narrow the scope of the order, hoping to balance First Amendment protections and political speech against the wave of threats and harassment unleashed by Mr Trump and his supporters towards the prosecutors, judges, witnesses and prospective jurors involved with a growing list of litigation against him.

The gag order imposed by US District Judge Tanya Chutkan last month blocked Mr Trump from launching a “pretrial smear campaign” as he seeks the 2024 Republican nomination for president, the judge wrote.

That order was paused by the appeals court in Washington DC, which heard arguments in the case on Monday during a hearing that lasted nearly three hours.

Alex Woodward reports.

Judges aren’t buying Trump’s gag order appeal

17:10 , Oliver O'Connell

DC hearing wraps up with no ruling on future of partial gag order

17:00 , Oliver O'Connell

The panel of judges in Washington, DC have concluded the hearing on the future of the partial gag order imposed on former president Donald Trump by Judge Tanya Chutkan.

They heard two hours and twenty minutes of arguments and will now consider their opinion.

Meanwhile, in Manhattan...

16:54 , Oliver O'Connell

Day 32 and week eight of Donald Trump’s civil fraud trial is underway in the New York State Supreme Court in Lower Manhattan, with the defence’s sixth expert witness kicking off the day.

David Miller, who has worked in insurance for four decades, took the stand to argue that there was no insurance fraud because insurer Zurich did not examine Mr Trump’s financial statements and rubberstamped the insurance as a favour to broker Aon.

16:43 , Oliver O'Connell

One of the judges emphasised that this is a challenging balance to make and that they have to use a delicate “scalpel” in this case to determine what Trump could or could not say.

VanDevender responds that District Court Judge Tanya Chutkan has already struck an appropriate balance.

In one potential scenario that the judges float, a Democratic nominee brings a Trump trial witness on stage at a campaign rally to talk about why Trump should not be re-elected — would the former president be prohibited from calling the witness “a liar”?

The special counsel’s attorney responds yes if it goes to the substance of their testimony.

A judge asks: “What if Trump calls a witness an 'untruth speaker'... instead of ‘a liar’?”

16:09 , Alex Woodward

The panel is extremely skeptical of Trump’s argument but they want to zero in on the scope of the order supported by Jack Smith’s team. How is the court supposed to differentiate between “adverse conduct” and just expressive views in our “social media world” that can’t be held responsible?

VanDevender goes down the list of “sheer number of occurrences” from Trump already.

A judge asks about proposed restrictions on “inflammatory language,” which doesn’t give “much balance at all to the First Amendment’s vigorous protection of political speech,” she says.

15:58 , Alex Woodward

After touring a number of hypothetical situations in which the former president might intimidate a witness or juror, Sauer steps down with the judging panel promising him time for rebuttal later.

They are now hearing from Cecil VanDevender from the special counsel’s office.

He is asked why Trump’s comments create a “systemic risk” to the judicial system.

VanDevender replies: “It creates a world in which public servants will have to decide, ‘Do I want to handle this kind of case … or in doing so will I be threatened, my family be threatened?’ There’s a chilling effect and a pall cast on the whole proceedings … How likely are you to quit if your family received a death threat?”

15:20 , Alex Woodward

The judges are extremely sceptical of Sauer’s arguments against preventative measures intended to protect witnesses and other parties in a trial, insisting that Trump’s speech because he’s running for office, is “core political speech” protected under the First Amendment.

Does he need to break the law first? What else needs to happen to stop him from undermining the integrity of a trial and the safety of anyone involved? Sauer equivocates.

15:04 , Alex Woodward

Judge Bradley Garcia cuts to the heart of the issue with Trump’s statements: “This is predictably going to intensify. Why isn’t the district court justified taking a proactive measure … and stepping in to protect the integrity of the trial?”

DC gag order hearing underway

14:46 , Alex Woodward

One of the appellate court judges is trying to get Trump’s attorney John Sauer to answer what kind of behaviour from his client would require a gag order.

The judge notes that Jack Smith’s team already found a pattern “whereby when the defendant has publicly attacked individuals … those people are threatened and harassed.”

Jack Smith’s team described that dynamic in a court filing as “part of a pattern, stretching back years, in which people publicly targeted” by Trump are “subject to harassment, threats, and intimidation.”

Trump “seeks to use this well-known dynamic to his advantage,” they added, and “it has continued unabated as this case and other unrelated cases involving the defendant have progressed.”

Sauer says that precedent for an order like this would require “imminently impending danger” or an “imminently impending threat.”

“We are nowhere near that in this case,” he says.

Listen to the oral arguments: Live

Analysis: Trump un-gagged could prime his fraud trial for more chaos

14:39 , Oliver O'Connell

Alex Woodward writes:

For six weeks, lawyers with New York Attorney General Letitia James put more than two dozen witnesses on the stand and introduced dozens of documents to connect Donald Trump and his business empire to a decade of fraud allegations.

When the attorney general handed the case to his team of lawyers on 13 November, their first witness was Donald Trump Jr, who spent several hours testifying to his father’s “artistry” and “sexy” properties.

Two days later, Mr Trump’s attorneys demanded a mistrial. They lost. His attorneys also sued the judge overseeing the case, hoping to strike down a gag order that has blocked the former president from attacking court staff. They won.

Meanwhile, other members of Mr Trump’s legal team – a stable of attorneys defending him in four criminal cases and lawsuits across the country – are preparing for a separate courtroom battle to revoke a different gag order that prevents him from attacking witnesses and others in case accusing him of a conspiracy to overturn 2020 presidential election results.

In a filing to a federal judge, Mr Trump’s attorneys argued that the gag order blocks his “core political speech” – including his abilities to spread false claims about the chief court clerk in his fraud trial, in a courthouse that has been inundated with threatening messages.

Continue reading...

Trump un-gagged could prime his fraud trial for more chaos

DeSantis says both Trump and Biden are too old to run the country

14:00 , Rachel Sharp

Ron DeSantis has said he thinks both Donald Trump and Joe Biden are too old to run the country as the president celebrates his 81st birthday today.

Speaking to CNN’s Jake Tapper on Sunday, the Florida governor and 2024 hopeful claimed that he is in the “prime of my life” while the two men are far from it.

“I just think that that’s something that has been shown with Joe Biden. Father Time is undefeated. Donald Trump is not exempt from any of that,” he said.

Mr DeSantis, 45, said that running the White House is “not a job for somebody that is pushing 80”.

“I will serve two terms, deliver big results, and get the country moving again,” he told CNN.

“That’s what Republican voters want to see.”

Read the full story:

DeSantis says both Trump and Biden are too old to run the country

What’s going on in Trumpworld today?

13:40 , Rachel Sharp

- Donald Trump’s legal team will continue his defence case in the New York civil fraud trial.

- A Washington DC appeals court will hear arguments from the former president’s legal team as to why the gag order in his federal election interference case should be scrapped.

WATCH: Trump brags Taliban leader was ‘nice to him’– not Biden

13:20 , Rachel Sharp

Capitol officer’s bodycam shows Jan 6 attacks two weeks before suicide

13:00 , Rachel Sharp

Newly released video footage has captured the cruel attacks and terrifying situation that a Capitol police officer endured just two weeks before he took his own life.

Officer Jeff Smith’s body camera footage reveals the harrowing reality of what unfolded in the halls of the Capitol building on January 6 2021.

In it, the officer is seen facing a barrage of physical and verbal attacks from rioters.

People are screaming and lining the walls of the monument as officers pass by.

One woman is seen telling Smith: “Get a real job. We don’t support y’all anymore.”

Read the full story:

Capitol officer’s bodycam shows Jan 6 attacks two weeks before suicide