Trump news – live: Jan 6 panel to reveal ‘surprising’ new material as Biden insists he can beat Trump again

The select committee investigating the 6 January attack on the US Capitol is set to hold another hearing tomorrow, a session that member Zoe Lofgren says wil include “pretty surprising” new material gleaned from a flood of testimony and evidence.

“We’re going to be going through, really some of what we’ve already found,” she told CNN yesterday, “but augmenting with new material that we’ve discovered through our work throughout this summer.”

On another front, Joe Biden said on Tuesday that he believes he “can beat Donald Trump again”. Both men are widely expected to run again in 2024, but neither has publicly made their plans official.

Meanwhile, the Department of Justice has asked the Supreme Court to refrain from intervening in an ongoing dispute between the government and former president Donald Trump over classified documents found during the 8 August search of his Mar-a-Lago property.

Key points

• Jan 6 hearing to reveal “surprising” new material

• Speculations are rife that Tulsi Gabbard can be Trump’s VP choice

• Data shows Trump legal fees eat up money that could be spent on other GOP candidates

• DoJ asks Supreme Court to stay out of Trump Mar-a-Lago document case

• Report: Trump lawyer Christina Bobb cooperating with Justice Department

Zoe Lofgren: “surprising” new Jan 6 material to be revealed

12:01 , Andrew Naughtie

With the latest January 6 hearing scheduled for 1pm ET tomorrow, panel member Zoe Lofgren yesterday told CNN’s Wolf Blitzer that the session will cast a wide net to unpack what the committee has learned in recent months.

“I do think that it will be worth watching,” she said. “There’s some new material that, you know, I found as we got into it, pretty surprising.”

Watch her interview below (the discussion starts at about 3:16).

Trump legal fees eat up money that could be spent on other GOP candidates, data shows

11:30 , Andrew Naughtie

The nearly 20 major lawsuits and investigations facing Donald Trump are draining millions of dollars away from supporting other GOP candidates, according to campaign filings.

So far, according to election filings tracking spending through the end of August, Donald Trump’s Save America leadership political action committee has spent about as much paying Mr Trump’s legal bills as it has backing Republicans in the midterms.

The group has spent $8.4m on GOP campaigns and committees, while doling out $7m on legal fees and another $2m to nonprofits run by former top Trump officials.

Josh Marcus has more.

Trump legal fees eat up money that could be spent on other GOP candidates, data shows

Tulsi Gabbard’s ties to secretive cult may explain her perplexing political journey

11:00 , Shweta Sharma

Tulsi Gabbard has staked out extreme positions on LGBT+ rights, spread disinformation about Ukrainian biolabs, and claimed she was being shadowbanned by Big Tech while using her vast social media footprint to label Joe Biden a “warmonger”.

In one breath Gabbard expresses a desire to bring love and aloha from her native Hawaii to the world, in the next she is fanning conspiracy theories on Tucker Carlson’s Fox News show.

Read Bevan Hurley‘s special report

Tulsi Gabbard’s ties to secretive cult may explain her perplexing political journey

‘I believe I can beat Donald Trump again’: Biden

10:15 , Shweta Sharma

Joe Biden has said he is confident he can beat Donald Trump again if the two rematch in the 2024 presidential elections.

Speaking to CNN’s Jake Tapper he will think about whether to seek another term after the midterm elections in November.

“Is one of the calculations that you think you’re the only one who can beat Donald Trump?” Tapper asked.

“I believe I can beat Donald Trump again,” Mr Biden responded.

Both Mr Trump and the president are teasing the idea of re-running the elections but have stopped short of announcing plans for the bid.

Trump shares bizarre nature documentary voiceover video of himself

09:30 , Oliver O'Connell

Donald Trump has shared a bizarre video clip of himself during his presidential days – but with a voiceover imitating a nature documentary valorising the lion.

The clip, roughly one minute and 20 seconds long, was posted on his Truth Social account late on Monday and shows him waving to people while the narrator can be heard saying, “This lion, he’s the king of the jungle... huge mane, he’s so big, he’s so hot”.

Read more:

Trump shares bizarre nature documentary video about himself

Trump’s comment that JD Vance is an ‘ass-kisser’ thrown in his face

08:30 , Oliver O'Connell

Representative Tim Ryan threw back former president Donald Trump’s words at his Republican opponent JD Vance in their debate for Ohio’s open Senate seat on Monday evening.

Toward the end of the debate, Mr Ryan hit out at Mr Vance for seeking Mr Trump’s endorsement. During a rally in Youngstown last month, Mr Trump pointed to Mr Vance, who he has endorsed, for courting him.

“JD is kissing my ass, he wants my support so much,” Mr Trump said at the time.

“And that’s bad, because that means JD Vance is going to do whatever he wants,” Mr Ryan said.

Eric Garcia watched the debate live from Ohio.

Tim Ryan calls JD Vance an ‘ass-kisser’ after Trump remarks in Ohio Senate debate

Speculations are rife that Tulsi Gabbard can be Trump’s VP choice

08:12 , Shweta Sharma

After her decision to quit Democratic Party, several are speculating that former congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard could be Donald Trump’s choice for running mate in the 2024 elections.

During Tuesday’s broadcast, Fox News host Greg Gutfeld praised her and said even though he disagrees with her on many things but she could be a possible choice for Mr Trump.

“The thing I like about Tulsi... she’s the definition of an individual,” he said. “Look, I disagree with her on probably at least 30 percent, maybe 40 percent of the things... I think she’s going to be Trump’s VP... that’s where this is going.”

A poll by Newsmax’s journalist Alex Salvi asked people if Ms Gabbard was “really a viable candidate to be a Republican Vice President pick.

While 44 per cent of respondents said “no” as of Tuesday night about 37 per cent said “yes”.

“Lot of chatter today about Tulsi joining a Trump ticket,” Jack Posobiec, a ring-wing commentator said in a tweet.

Midterms 2022: Crucial races to watch as election day nears

07:00 , Oliver O'Connell

Election Day is less than a month away and the 2022 midterm races are entering their final sprint.

Republicans are still hope that Americans’ frustration with inflation and the economy, as well as rising crime, will obfuscate their concerns about the Supreme Court’s Dobbs v Jackson Women’s Health Organization decision overturning Roe v Wade.

Conversely, Democrats hope to make abortion a centrepiece of the election, but also hope to point “MAGA Republicans” as threats to democracy and highlight the January 6 insurrection.

Eric Garcia looks at the most important elections to watch this cycle.

Most important midterm election a month out from Election Day 2022

Why has Kanye West turned on Jared Kushner?

05:30 , Oliver O'Connell

Kanye West took issue with a figure he’d previously professed his love for in his wide-ranging interview with Fox News’s Tucker Carlson: Jared Kushner.

Throughout the explosive Thursday night sitdown between the pair, Kanye addressed a number of topics, including his pro-life stance, his decision to don a red MAGA cap, labelled the body positive moment “demonic” and admonished the fashion industry for encouraging his ex-wife, Kim Kardashian, to “stick her a** out” for magazines.

In one of the more zany and unexpected exchanges, Kanye sharply criticised Mr Kushner, a former senior White House adviser to his father-in-law, Donald Trump, insinuating that he was a person solely motivated by financial gain.

Johanna Chisholm takes a look at the relationship between the two.

Why has Kanye West turned on his old friend Jared Kushner?

Fact check: Sorting presidential papers in an ex-bowling alley

04:00 , Oliver O'Connell

At a rally for Nevada Republicans on Saturday, former President Donald Trump argued against the federal probe into the storage of classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago estate by falsely suggesting that past presidents did the same thing.

Read more:

FACT FOCUS: Sorting papers and facts in an ex-bowling alley

Trump claims Bill Clinton ‘lost’ the nuclear codes

03:15 , Oliver O'Connell

As federal investigators continue to probe which White House materials Donald Trump took to his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida, the former president is claiming Bill Clinton lost the nuclear codes while in office.

On Monday evening, Mr Trump reposted a statement on Truth Social from former Clinton military aide Robert “Buzz” Patterson, who wrote that, “Just a reminder, but Bill Clinton actually LOST the nuclear codes during my tenure with him. We weren’t raided.”

Josh Marcus has the story.

Donald Trump claims Bill Clinton ‘lost’ the nuclear codes

Cassidy Hutchinson reportedly testifies in Georgia election probe

02:30 , Oliver O'Connell

The former White House aide whose bombshell testimony gave House January 6 committee members a window into former president Donald Trump’s actions on the day of the Capitol riot is reportedly cooperating with a Georgia-based criminal probe into Mr Trump’s push to overturn the 2020 election there.

According to CNN, former Mark Meadows assistant Cassidy Hutchinson is now aiding Fulton County, Georgia, district attorney Fani Willis’ ongoing probe into whether Mr Trump or his associates violated Georgia election laws by pressuring Peach State officials to throw out ballots after Mr Trump became the first Republican to lose there in decades.

Andrew Feinberg reports.

Ex-White House aide Cassidy Hutchinson reportedly testifies in Georgia election probe

Trump claims he ‘destroyed’ late-night stars Kimmel and Colbert

01:45 , Oliver O'Connell

Donald Trump claimed that he’s behind the decreasing ratings of late-night programmes hosted by the likes of Jimmy Kimmel, Stephen Colbert, and Trevor Noah, and congratulated Greg Gutfeld, Fox News’ late-night host, for his recent viewing figures.

Gustaf Kilander has the story.

Trump takes credit for a late night host’s success, claims he ‘destroyed’ Colbert

Most Americans don’t trust the Supreme Court

01:00 , Oliver O'Connell

A new survey shows that more than half of Americans do not trust the Supreme Court as it begins a new term.

An Annenberg Public Policy Center poll found that 53 per cent of American adults do not trust the Supreme Court, with the same number of Americans saying they disapprove of the job the court is doing.

Eric Garcia reports.

Majority of Americans don’t trust the current Supreme Court

Donald Trump woos Christian right in newly released video

Wednesday 12 October 2022 00:15 , Oliver O'Connell

Donald Trump and his daughter Ivanka Trump are heard wooing Christian right leaders ahead of the 2016 election in a newly unearthed audio recording.

The tape is featured in the new documentary Battleground, directed by Cynthia Lowen, which takes a close look at anti-abortion activists. According to the documentary, the audio was taken during a closed-door meeting between Trump and leaders of the Christian right, 40 days before the 2016 election.

Trump was reported to have met with conservative Christians in June of that year. The audio in the documentary was recorded during a different meeting, on 29 September 2016.

Clémence Michallon has the details.

Donald and Ivanka Trump woo Christian right in newly released tape

Christina Bobb now cooperating with DoJ on missing documents case, report says

Tuesday 11 October 2022 23:40 , Oliver O'Connell

The right-wing TV anchor-turned-attorney for former president Donald Trump, who signed a false certification telling the Department of Justice that the ex-president had turned over all classified documents in his possession, is now cooperating with federal prosecutors in the investigation into Mr Trump.

According to NBC News, attorney Christina Bobb met with federal investigators and provided information on two other attorneys who had a hand in submitting the statement to the government.

Andrew Feinberg reports.

Trump lawyer cooperating with Justice Department on missing documents case

Adam Kinzinger endorses Democrats against GOP election deniers

Tuesday 11 October 2022 23:20 , Oliver O'Connell

Adam Kinzinger may not be running for reelection this year, but that isn’t stopping him from doing what he still can to challenge election deniers on every possible front.

John Bowden reports.

Adam Kinzinger endorses Dems against GOP election deniers

Trump dossier source trial begins

Tuesday 11 October 2022 23:00 , Oliver O'Connell

A Russian analyst who played a major role in the creation of a flawed dossier about former President Donald Trump fabricated one of his own sources and concealed the identity of another when interviewed by the FBI, prosecutors said Tuesday.

The allegations were aired in opening statements in the jury trial of Igor Danchenko, who is indicted on five counts of making false statements to the FBI, in U.S. District Court in Alexandria.

Read more:

Trial begins for analyst who was source for Trump dossier

Where can you watch the next Jan 6 hearing?

Tuesday 11 October 2022 22:41 , Oliver O'Connell

The House select committee investigating the Capitol insurrection on 6 January 2021 is holding a number of public hearings as it explores the circumstances that led to the shameful events of that day.

The next hearing, which could be the last public meeting of the panel, is set to begin at 1pm EST on Thursday, 13 October.

Here’s where to watch:

How to watch the Jan 6 committee hearings

Data shows Trump legal fees eat up money that could be spent on other GOP candidates

Tuesday 11 October 2022 22:23 , Oliver O'Connell

The nearly 20 major lawsuits and investigations facing Donald Trump are draining millions of dollars away from supporting other GOP candidates, according to campaign filings.

Josh Marcus reports.

Trump legal fees eat up money that could be spent on other GOP candidates, data shows

New poll shows Raphael Warnock gaining on Herschel Walker in Georgia senate race

Tuesday 11 October 2022 22:00 , Oliver O'Connell

Democratic incumbent Senator Raphael Warnock took the lead in Georgia in his race against Republican Herschel Walker, a new Emerson College poll showed.

The poll showed that 48 per cent of likely supporters would cast their vote for Mr Warnock, compared to 46 per cent who said they would vote for Mr Walker, a former running back for the University of Georgia. The survey showed that Mr Warnock’s support increased by four points while Mr Walker’s support declined by about two points.

Eric Garcia reports.

Georgia poll shows support for Herschel Walker dips as Democrat Raphael Warnock gains

DoJ asks Supreme Court to stay out of Trump Mar-a-Lago document case

Tuesday 11 October 2022 21:49 , Oliver O'Connell

The Department of Justice has asked the Supreme Court to refrain from intervening in an ongoing dispute between the government and former president Donald Trump over classified documents found during the 8 August search of his Mar-a-Lago property.

Andrew Feinberg has the latest.

Justice Department asks Supreme Court to stay out of Trump document case

Where in the world is Madison Cawthorn?

Tuesday 11 October 2022 21:30 , Oliver O'Connell

Madison Cawthorn appears to be done with Congress, both in the electoral and literal senses.

The first-term House member from North Carolina lost his primary to Chuck Edwards, a member of the state’s Senate, after a series of embarrassing videos leaked and Mr Cawthorn lost the support of his party’s leaders in the House and Senate thanks to comments he made about his colleagues supposedly using drugs and having sex parties.

Now, The Washington Post reports that Mr Cawthorn has virtually ceased operations in his district office, which is described as no longer being regularly staffed, including vital constituent work which includes the more mundane but still important duties like helping residents of his district obtain federal services or report problems in the area.

John Bowden reports.

Madison Cawthorn goes AWOL. Where is the GOP rep as his term in Congress ends?

Jared Kushner suggested Kanye West-led White House ‘healing church service’ after George Floyd killing

Tuesday 11 October 2022 21:00 , Oliver O'Connell

Former president Donald Trump‘s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, reportedly suggested having a “healing church service” led by Kanye West to ease tensions after the killing of George Floyd, a new book claims.

The New York Times‘ Maggie Haberman details the strange suggestion in her book “Confidence Man: The Making of Donald Trump and the Breaking of America.”

The exchange happened in the weeks after Mr Floyd was murdered by former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin.

Graig Graziosi has the details.

Jared Kushner suggested ‘healing church service’ after George Floyd killing

Everything you need to know about the January 6 hearings so far

Tuesday 11 October 2022 20:30 , Oliver O'Connell

With the next House select committee hearing on the 6 January 2021 attack on the US Capitol scheduled for Thursday lunchtime, here is everything you need to know about what has transpired so far.

The Jan 6 hearings so far: Everything you need to know

Ahead of Eagles NFL matchup, Fetterman needles Dr Oz over Dallas Cowboys fandom

Tuesday 11 October 2022 20:00 , Oliver O'Connell

Pennsylvania Senate candidate John Fetterman is not backing down from his meme offensive.

Even as the race tightens and Mr Fetterman faces a surge of attacks from Fox News hosts and other GOP-aligned sources, the brash lieutenant governor is pressing on with his efforts to paint his opponent as a carpetbagging New Jerseyan.

The latest salvo from Mr Fetterman comes in the form of a billboard placed outside of Lincoln Financial Field in south Philadelphia. The message, viewable from I-95, declares that his opponent Dr Mehmet Oz is a fan of the Dallas Cowboys (rivals of Philadelphia’s Eagles) and urges voters to “elect a real Pennsylvanian”.

John Bowden has the story.

Fetterman needles Dr Oz over Dallas Cowboys fandom ahead of Eagles NFL matchup

John Bolton claims US could assassinate Putin if nuclear weapon used

Tuesday 11 October 2022 19:30 , Oliver O'Connell

The United States could assassinate Vladimir Putin if Russia uses a nuclear weapon in its conflict with Ukraine, former National Security Adviser John Bolton has claimed.

Mr Bolton, a Republican who served under Donald Trump, made the claims during an interview with Andrew Marr on UK radio station LBC News.

Graeme Massie has the story.

US could assassinate Putin if Russia uses nuclear weapon in Ukraine, says John Bolton

Trump shares bizarre nature documentary voiceover video of himself

Tuesday 11 October 2022 19:00 , Oliver O'Connell

Donald Trump has shared a bizarre video clip of himself during his presidential days – but with a voiceover imitating a nature documentary valorising the lion.

The clip, roughly one minute and 20 seconds long, was posted on his Truth Social account late on Monday and shows him waving to people while the narrator can be heard saying, “This lion, he’s the king of the jungle... huge mane, he’s so big, he’s so hot”.

Maroosha Muzaffar reports.

Trump shares bizarre nature documentary video about himself

Ideas for Trump response to George Floyd murder included Kanye West church service

Tuesday 11 October 2022 18:30 , Oliver O'Connell

In the aftermath of the murder of George Floyd by police officers in May 2020, White House staff wanted to show that then-president Donald Trump was engaged in the broader national conversation about racial discrimination, according to Maggie Haberman’s new book.

This reportedly included the suggestion that Kanye West lead a “healing church service on the South Lawn” of the White House.

Chief of Staff Mark Meadows pushed back saying that Trump supporters did not like the rapper, Haberman writes, and so the idea went nowhere.

Save America PAC spends almost half funds on Trump lawyers, report says

Tuesday 11 October 2022 18:00 , Oliver O'Connell

The Washington Post reports that half of the money raised by Donald Trump’s Save America PAC has been spent on his legal bills and two nonprofits employing former members of his administration rather than Republican congressional campaigns.

Per the Post:

The group has contributed about $8.4 million so far directly to Republican campaigns and committees, while devoting $7 million to Trump’s lawyers and another $2 million to the nonprofits, which employ former members of his administration, including former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows. Legal fees are expected to climb, Trump advisers say, as he employs a growing retinue of lawyers to fend off federal, state and county-level investigations.

Christina Bobb: a perspective

Tuesday 11 October 2022 17:30 , Andrew Naughtie

The news that Trump lawyer Christina Bobb has talked to investigators probing the Mar-a-Lago documents came with a crucial detail: the false statement she signed included a disclaimer that the information she was testifying to had been “provided” to her, rather than coming from her directly.

This has left many onlookers pointing out that Ms Bobb would not have insisted this be added just in case it became relevant...

More on the Clinton nuclear codes story

Tuesday 11 October 2022 17:00 , Andrew Naughtie

As the documents found by the FBI at Mar-a-Lago are reviewed by a court-appointed special master, Mr Trump has turned to another line of defence: pointing to former presidents’ supposed mishandling of sensitive documents.

His latest claim, or rather the latest he has recirculated, is an old story alleging that Bill Clinton briefly mislaid the nuclear codes at the end of his presidency.

Mr Trump shared the story on Truth Social in the form of a tweet from Buzz Patterson, who served as a senior military aide to Mr Clinton from 1996 to 1998, during which time he was one of a handful of people who carried the so-called “nuclear football”.

But is the story true – and if it is, what bearing, if any, does it have on the current imbroglio?

Read more:

Did Bill Clinton really ‘lose’ the nuclear codes as Trump claimed?

ICYMI: Trump lawyer has talked to feds in Mar-a-Lago probe

Tuesday 11 October 2022 16:30 , Andrew Naughtie

According to NBC News, one of Donald Trump’s attorneys, Christina Bobb, met with federal investigators on Friday to provide information on two other attorneys who had a hand in submitting a false statement to the government.

The Friday meeting reportedly ended with Ms Bobb naming Mr Trump’s previous lead counsel, Evan Corcoran, as the person who drafted a false certification telling the Department of Justice that the ex-president had turned over all classified documents in his possession.

Ms Bobb, who was one of Mr Trump’s official custodians of records at the time, also named Trump lawyer Boris Epshteyn as having been involved in the discussions leading up to submission of the false statement but did not have a role in drafting it.

Andrew Feinberg has more:

Trump lawyer cooperating with Justice Department on missing documents case

Trump-backed candidate apparently flailing as Libertarian rises

Tuesday 11 October 2022 16:00 , Andrew Naughtie

Among the several Trump-backed candidates who are struggling to pull even in supposedly winnable races is Arizona’s Blake Masters, who has become a controversial figure thanks to his history of racist online posts and extreme positions.

Now, a new poll has shown that his support has still not improved – and that instead, Libertarian Party candidate Marc Victor is apparently gaining ground.

Even assuming that all of Mr Victo’s voters are in fact reluctant Republicans who will “come home” to Mr Masters in November, the 15 points he garners in the poll would only just put Mr Masters ahead of his Demcoratic rival, incumbent Mark Kelly.

Kinzinger backs state-level Democratic candidates

Tuesday 11 October 2022 15:00 , Andrew Naughtie

Adam Kinzinger, one of two Republicans sitting on the January 6 select committee, has issued a batch of endorsements – and is backing a list of Democrats.

Specifically, he is getting behind nominees for secretary of state posts and governorships, the two offices that in every state carry the most power when it comes to overseeing and influencing the execution and certification of election results.

Among the states where Mr Kinzinger is weighing in is Pennsylvania, whose GOP gubernatorial nominee Doug Mastriano attended Donald Trump’s 6 January rally and has repeatedly propagated conspiracy theories about the “theft” of the 2020 election.

Cassidy Hutchinson reportedly testifies in Georgia election probe

Tuesday 11 October 2022 14:30 , Andrew Naughtie

The former White House aide whose bombshell testimony gave House January 6 committee members a window into former president Donald Trump’s actions on the day of the Capitol riot is reportedly cooperating with a Georgia-based criminal probe into Mr Trump’s push to overturn the 2020 election there.

According to CNN, former Mark Meadows assistant Cassidy Hutchinson is now aiding Fulton County, Georgia, district attorney Fani Willis’ ongoing probe into whether Mr Trump or his associates violated Georgia election laws by pressuring Peach State officials to throw out ballots after Mr Trump became the first Republican to lose there in decades.

Andrew Feinberg has the latest.

Ex-White House aide Cassidy Hutchinson reportedly testifies in Georgia election probe

GOP trying to weaken Democrats’ grip on Texas border

Tuesday 11 October 2022 14:00 , Andrew Naughtie

As Democrats embark on another October blitz in pursuit of flipping America’s biggest red state, Republicans are taking a swing of their own: making a play for the mostly Hispanic southern border on 8 November after years of writing off the region that is overwhelmingly controlled by Democrats.

Read more:

GOP makes push to weaken Democrats' grip on Texas border

The story behind Trump’s claim that Bush senior stashed documents in a bowling alley

Tuesday 11 October 2022 13:30 , Andrew Naughtie

Donald Trump accused former president George HW Bush of hiding classified documents in a “bowling alley” during a rally in Arizona on Sunday.

Mr Trump claimed that many former presidents had stored millions of pages of documents in warehouses “with damaged main doors”.

The former president said that senior Bush “took millions and millions of documents to a former bowling alley pieced together with what was then an old and broken Chinese restaurant”.

“They put them together. And it had a broken front door and broken windows. Other than that it was quite secure,” Mr Trump added.

Maroosha Muzaffar has more.

The story behind Trump’s claim that Bush senior stashed documents in a bowling alley