Trump news - live: Trump under fire for QAnon display at Ohio rally

Former President Donald Trump has come under fire for openly embracing QAnon during his rambling speech to an under-capacity crowd at the Covelli Centre in Youngstown, Ohio, on Saturday night, ostensibly in support of Republican Senate candidate JD Vance. At one point he compared the GOP nominee to North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.

“This is the week when Trump became Qanon. This isn’t a political statement; it just is, however disturbing. Week began with images of Trump on Truth Social wearing a Q pin and promoting their slogans; it ends with Q music and the Q ‘one’ sign by crowd at his rally,” CNN analyst Juliette Kayyem tweeted.

In an earlier post on Truth Social, Mr Trump called the event a “sold out juggernaut” and claimed that without his rallies and endorsements, most candidates such as Vance would lose.

In his remarks, he also levelled new, outlandish accusations at the Biden administration by claiming that federal authorities are now threatening his supporters with decades in prison unless they agree to say negative things about him.

Key points

• Trump claims supporters threatened with jail for refusing to denounce him

• Matt Gaetz wanted Trump to give him pre-emptive pardon over sex investigation, report says

• Ted Cruz urges GOP governors to send half a million migrants to Washington, DC

• Will the Jan 6 committee bring an October surprise for midterms?

• Jan 6 panel: ‘Trump’s pressure campaign spanned numerous contested states’

• Did Trump compare JD Vance to Kim Jong-un?

Trump under fire for QAnon display at Ohio rally: ‘He has gone completely insane’

20:30 , Gustaf Kilander

Donald Trump has come under fire for his descent into the QAnon conspiracy theory movement during his Youngstown, Ohio rally in support of Republican Senate candidate JD Vance.

“This is the week when Trump became Qanon. This isn’t a political statement; it just is, however disturbing. Week began with images of Trump on Truth Social wearing a Q pin and promoting their slogans; it ends with Q music and the Q ‘one’ sign by crowd at his rally,” CNN analyst Juliette Kayyem tweeted on Saturday.

Author Kurt Eichenwald added that “this week, Trump posted QAnon memes, played QAnon theme music at his rally, and stood by as the crowd raises their fingers in the QAnon salute. This is the GOP’s supposed leader. Every Republican needs to be asked about it - and don’t let them walk away. ‘Do you support QAnon?’”

“He has gone full QAnon, and that cult knows it. Trump has always been mentally ill, but this is a whole new level. He has gone completely insane,” he tweeted.

The author went on to lay out a lot of the bizarre theories within the movement.

Read more:

Trump under fire for QAnon display at Ohio rally: ‘He has gone completely insane’

The Wire creator blasts Trump supporters’ bizarre one-fingered salute

19:45 , Gustaf Kilander

WATCH: Marjorie Taylor Green threatens for defund education to stop teachers from ‘brainwashing’ students

19:00 , Gustaf Kilander

WATCH: Donald Trump compares his own Senate candidate to Kim Jong-un in bizarre rally speech

18:15 , Gustaf Kilander

WATCH: Trump claims his supporters are jailed for refusing to say bad things about him

17:30 , Gustaf Kilander

Is Trump fans’ ‘weird’ one-finger salute at rally a QAnon tribute?

16:45 , Gustaf Kilander

Donald Trump’s supporters raised their fingers in a bizarre straight-arm salute as the former president spoke at a rally in Youngstown, Ohio to boost Republican Senate nominee JD Vance.

As dramatic music played in the background, Mr Trump delved further into the depths of the baseless QAnon conspiracy theory.

Mr Trump spoke about Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the issue of “fake news”, and Hunter Biden’s laptop.

Watchdog Media Matters noted that the song played at the rally appeared to have been released under the name Wwg1wga, which is the QAnon slogan. It stands for “where we go one, we go all”.

Media Matters researcher Alex Kaplan tweeted on Saturday that “Trump this summer used the song in a campaign-style video he posted on Rumble and Truth Social”.

“As they did when Trump previously used the song, QAnon figures are claiming the use of the song brings some kind of legitimacy for them,” he added.

Read more:

What’s behind Trump fans’ ‘weird’ one-finger salute at rally

Democrats and GOP neck and neck in new poll as Biden rating rises and Trump’s goes down

15:58 , Eric Garcia

A new NBC News poll shows that voters are evenly split about whether they want Democrats or Republicans to control Congress while President Joe Biden’s approval rating inched up and former president Donald Trump’s took a dip.

Republican consulting firm Public Opinion Strategies and Hart Research Associates surveyed 1,000 registered voters between 9 September and 13 September. The poll had a margin of error of 3.1 percentage points.

Mr Biden’s approval rating moved up three points since August to 45 per cent, his highest approval rating since October of last year. His approval rating moved down three points to 52 per cent.

Mr Biden’s polling improvement comes after a streak of policy victories. Last month, Mr Biden signed legislation to support the manufacturing of semiconductors in the United States as well as the Inflation Reduction Act, the United States’ single largest investment in combating climate change that would also allow Medicare to negotiate drug prices.

In addition, last month, Mr Biden announced his plan to give up to $10,000 worth of student debt relief for people making up to $125,000, with Pell Grant recipients receiving up to $20,000 in debt cancellation. That likely contributed to his approval rating among 18-to-34-year-olds jumping from 36 to 48 per cent.

Read more:

Democrats and GOP neck and neck in new poll as Biden rating rises and Trump’s drops

Trump claims supporters threatened with jail for refusing to denounce him

15:15 , Oliver O’Connell

Former president Donald Trump on Saturday levelled new, outlandish accusations at the Biden administration by claiming that federal authorities are now threatening his supporters with decades in prison unless they agree to say negative things about him.

Mr Trump made the bizarre claim not ten minutes into a subdued, rambling speech to an under-capacity crowd at the Covelli Centre in Youngstown, Ohio.

Andrew Feinberg reports.

Trump claims his supporters are threatened with jail for refusing to denounce him

Trump under fire for QAnon display at Ohio rally: 'He has gone completely insane’

14:36 , Gustaf Kilander

Marjorie Taylor Greene threatens to defund Education Department

14:15 , Oliver O'Connell

Marjorie Taylor Greene has threatened to “defund” the Department of Education to prevent teachers from “brainwashing” American children.

The right-wing lawmaker from Georgia made the bizarre threat as she warmed up the crowd at the Donald Trump rally in Youngstown, Ohio, on Saturday night.

Graeme Massie reports.

Marjorie Taylor Greene threatens to defund Education Department

Amid special master process DoJ appeals ruling on seized Trump Mar-a-Lago papers

13:30 , Oliver O'Connell

The Department of Justice on Friday appealed a federal judge’s ruling restricting it from using classified documents seized at Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate.

In an evening filing, the DOJ asked the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals for a partial stay of a lower court ruling barring investigators from using the materials they seized in an August FBI search of the former president’s home until a court-appointed special master could review the documents.

Josh Marcus has the details.

DOJ appeals ruling preventing it from using Trump’s seized Mar-a-Lago documents

Report: Matt Gaetz wanted Trump to give him pre-emptive pardon over sex investigation

12:45 , Oliver O'Connell

Matt Gaetz told a former White House staffer that he was hoping to get a pre-emptive pardon from then-President Donald Trump concerning an investigation into him by the Department of Justice, a report has said.

The allegation came in testimony given to the House Select Committee investigating the Capitol riot on January 6, 2021, The Washington Post reported.

Gustaf Kilander has the story.

Gaetz wanted Trump to give him pre-emptive pardon over sex investigation, report says

Migrants sent to Kamala Harris’ residence for second time this week

12:00 , Oliver O'Connell

A group of migrants have been sent by bus from Texas and dropped off outside the vice president’s residence in Washington, DC for the second time this week.

A further 50 migrants were driven to the Naval Observatory, where Kamala Harris and Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff live, in northwest Washington on Saturday morning.

Gustaf Kilander reports from Washington, DC.

Migrants sent to VP’s residence from Texas for second time this week

DeSantis hammered in Florida newspapers for migrant ‘political stunt’

11:00 , Oliver O'Connell

Ron DeSantis is getting slammed in Florida newspapers for his political stunt flying migrants to the Massachusetts island of Martha’s Vineyard.

“The governor likes to pander to communities like mine, traumatized by political persecution and violence,” Maria Corina Vegas, deputy state director of the American Business Immigration Coalition, told The Miami Herald. “This is a new low, even for this governor.”

Mr DeSantis flew the refugees from Texas to Martha’s Vineyard using taxpayer funds to boost his potential 2024 presidential campaign, critics told the Orlando Sentinel.

Gustaf Kilander reports.

DeSantis hammered in Florida newspapers for ‘political stunt’

Ted Cruz forced to admit trafficking migrants to Martha’s Vineyard is illegal

10:00 , Oliver O'Connell

Ted Cruz was forced to admit by Sean Hannity that the transportation of undocumented migrants from Florida to Martha’s Vineyard by Ron DeSantis was likely illegal.

The Florida governor has been widely criticised for flying two planeloads of Venezuelans to the upscale island, where Barack Obama has a $12m home, as part of a Republican immigration publicity stunt.

Mr Cruz, a US Senator from Texas, cast doubt on the legality of the move when he appeared on Sean Hannity’s Fox News show.

Graeme Massie reports.

Ted Cruz forced to admit trafficking migrants to Martha’s Vineyard is illegal

Ted Cruz says half a million migrants should be sent to DC

09:00 , Oliver O'Connell

Ted Cruz has called for half a million undocumented migrants to be sent to Washington DC as part of a Republican attempt to punish Democratic-supporting areas of the country over immigration policy.

The Canadian-born US senator has thrown his support behind Texas Governor Greg Abbott and Florid Governor Ron DeSantis for their widely-criticized immigration publicity stunts.

Ted Cruz says half a million migrants should be sent to DC

Trump shares nasty body-shaming photo of Chris Christie

08:00 , Oliver O'Connell

Former President Donald Trump has continued using his custom-built Twitter knockoff Truth Social to bully his political detractors, this time taking aim at former Republican governor of New Jersey Chris Christie.

Mr Trump’s account posted an image of a man leaning over a buffet counter with his back to the camera, along with a caption needling Mr Christie.

Graig Graziosi reports.

Trump shares nasty body-shaming photo after Chris Christie criticises him

Phony document lands on court docket in Trump search case

06:00 , Oliver O'Connell

When a government document mysteriously appeared earlier this week in the highest profile case in the federal court system, it had the hallmarks of another explosive storyline in the Justice Department’s investigation into classified records stored at former President Donald Trump’s Florida estate.

The document purported to be from the U.S. Treasury Department, claimed that the agency had seized sensitive documents related to last month’s search at Mar-a-Lago and included a warrant ordering CNN to preserve “leaked tax records.”

The document remained late Thursday on the court docket, but it is a clear fabrication. A review of dozens of court records and interviews by The Associated Press suggest the document originated with a serial forger behind bars at a federal prison complex in North Carolina.

Read more:

Phony document lands on court docket in Trump search case

04:59 , Oliver O'Connell

Marjorie Taylor Greene threatens to defund Education Department

04:00 , Oliver O'Connell

Marjorie Taylor Greene has threatened to “defund” the Department of Education to prevent teachers from “brainwashing” American children.

The right-wing lawmaker from Georgia made the bizarre threat as she warmed up the crowd at the Donald Trump rally in Youngstown, Ohio, on Saturday night.

Graeme Massie reports.

Marjorie Taylor Greene threatens to defund Education Department

In pictures: Donald Trump holds Save America rally in Youngstown, Ohio

03:20 , Oliver O'Connell

Trump claims supporters threatened with jail for refusing to denounce him

02:41 , Oliver O'Connell

Former president Donald Trump on Saturday levelled new, outlandish accusations at the Biden administration by claiming that federal authorities are now threatening his supporters with decades in prison unless they agree to say negative things about him.

Mr Trump made the bizarre claim not ten minutes into a subdued, rambling speech to an under-capacity crowd at the Covelli Centre in Youngstown, Ohio.

Trump claims his supporters are threatened with jail for refusing to denounce him

02:27 , Oliver O'Connell

The former president concludes his remarks and does a little dance on the stage to “Hold on I’m Coming” by Sam & Dave.

02:24 , Oliver O'Connell

As Trump moves toward the end of his speech, creepy music has begun to play over his remarks and many in the crowd have raised an arm into the air, extending a finger.

It is cult-like.

And just utterly bizarre.

02:15 , Oliver O'Connell

In an unexpected moment, Trump brought up the infamous allegation of the existence of the “pee tape” of him with Russian sex workers, imagining having to explain it to his wife, Melania.

02:04 , Oliver O'Connell

Is a vote for JD Vance a vote for Kim Jong Un?

01:59 , Oliver O'Connell

A quick reminder of where JD Vance used to stand on Donald Trump.

01:55 , Oliver O'Connell

Trump, referring to a New York Times story about how he injects himself into congressional races, manages to humiliate JD Vance in passing: “JD is kissing my ass, of course he wants my support!”

01:52 , Oliver O'Connell

Commenting on Tim Ryan, former President Trump tells the crowd the Democrat Senate candidate wants to kill them.

Mr Trump also called Mitch McConnell a “disgrace” rounding out a week of criticising the Republican Minority Leader in the Senate. He tells JD Vance to do something about it.

01:49 , Oliver O'Connell

...which seems quite topical given this week’s migrant stunts.

01:47 , Oliver O'Connell

He also added human traffickers to the death penalty list.

01:45 , Oliver O'Connell

Trump reiterates his call for the death penalty for all drug dealers, repeating an anecdote of a conversation he had with President Xi Jinping of China.

This week, experts and the people who were given a reprieve by the former president warned The Independent’s Josh Marcus and Alex Woodward against the dangers of his rhetoric.

Donald Trump helped release drug prisoners. Now he wants to execute them

01:38 , Oliver O'Connell

Donald Trump accuses President Joe Biden of keeping gas prices low ahead of the election.

01:32 , Oliver O'Connell

Back on the topic of immigration, Trump claims he invented the term “caravans” and once again refers to migrants as murderers and rapists.

01:28 , Oliver O'Connell

In another moment former president Trump bemoans leaving his “luxurious and enjoyable life” to run for office and that he has been persecuted ever since.

01:22 , Oliver O'Connell

The former president says those attacking the MAGA movement “have no idea of the sleeping giant they have awoken”.

01:18 , Oliver O'Connell

Anti-Trump group The Republican Accountability Project fact-checks Trump in realtime, correcting his assertion that his supporters are being jailed for refusing to say bad things about him.

“No, Donald, they are being jailed because they broke the law.”

01:13 , Oliver O'Connell

In a particularly odd moment, former President Trump claims that CNN changed the colour of the lights behind President Biden’s primetime speech to pink from red to make it “look better”...

01:10 , Oliver O'Connell

Donald Trump baselessly claims that January 6 committee witnesses are being blackmailed by the government into saying bad things about him.

01:03 , Oliver O'Connell

Donald Trump claims that the stock market has the “seven worst days” in the history of the country.

This is not true. It was the worst week since June.

Lincoln Project calls Trump fandom ‘a cult'

01:00 , Oliver O'Connell

Sunday 18 September 2022 00:56 , Oliver O'Connell

Much of the speech has so far focussed on scare-mongering about crime and immigration.

Trump acknowledges big football game in Ohio tonight

Sunday 18 September 2022 00:52 , Oliver O'Connell

Former President Donald Trump begins his Youngstown speech by acknowledging the big football game tonight — Toledo v Ohio State.

True to form, he somehow makes it about himself.

Trump takes to the stage

Sunday 18 September 2022 00:44 , Oliver O'Connell

Donald Trump has taken to the stage of the Covelli Center in downtown Youngstown, Ohio.

“God Bless the USA” is playing as he waves to the crowd. As the song winds down the crowd chants: “USA! USA! USA!”

Trump greeted at airport by Ohio governor

Sunday 18 September 2022 00:22 , Oliver O'Connell

Former president Donald Trump was greeted at Youngstown Warren Regional Airport by Ohio Governor Mike DeWine.

Mr DeWine thanked Mr Trump for his recent endorsement but will not be attending the rally this evening as he is attending his granddaughter’s cross country meet.

Appeals court sets deadline for Trump to respond to DoJ Mar-a-Lago papers motion

Sunday 18 September 2022 00:18 , Oliver O'Connell

Voices: The hilarious irony of the Mike Lindell FBI drama

Sunday 18 September 2022 00:16 , Oliver O'Connell

This whole conspiracy is like Watergate if it happened in the movie Idiocracy, writes Ahmed Baba.

The hilarious irony of the Mike Lindell FBI drama

Meanwhile, Biden arrives in UK for funeral of Queen Elizabeth II

Saturday 17 September 2022 23:55 , Oliver O'Connell

Joe Biden has touched down at Stansted Airport for his UK visit to attend the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II.

The US President and first lady Jill Biden arrived at the London airport on Air Force One just before 10pm on Saturday.

Emily Atkinson reports from London.

President Joe Biden touches down in UK ahead of Queen’s funeral

Greene threatens to do away with Department of Education

Saturday 17 September 2022 23:45 , Oliver O'Connell

In another part of her speech, Rep Marjorie Taylor Greene threatened to defund the Department of Education, accusing the federal government of wanting to replace parents and brainwash children.

Watch below:

Marjorie Taylor Greene hails ‘one true leader’ of GOP

Saturday 17 September 2022 23:30 , Oliver O'Connell

Speaking at this evening’s Save America rally in Youngstown, Ohio, Marjorie Taylor Greene, hailed one-term president Donald Trump as the “one true leader of the Republican Party”.

“He’s the one we elected in 2016,” the Georgia representative said. “And the one we re-elected in 2020, who won the election by the way.”

“And the one we will make our next president of the United States of America,” Ms Greene added.

Watch below:

‘We’re ready to fight’: Woman attending Trump rally says she’s January 6 defendant

Saturday 17 September 2022 23:15 , Gustaf Kilander

Mike Lindell tells Trump rallygoers he prayed for Democrats to win to prove elections are rigged

Saturday 17 September 2022 22:30 , Gustaf Kilander

Woman who drove more than five hours to Trump rally admits gas prices are ‘not too bad'

Saturday 17 September 2022 21:45 , Gustaf Kilander

Julia Ioffe says Trump voters have ‘a lot to repent for’

Saturday 17 September 2022 21:15 , Gustaf Kilander

Trump defends much-mocked legal team

Saturday 17 September 2022 20:36 , Gustaf Kilander

Donald Trump took to Truth Social on Saturday to lash out at his critics amid mounting legal problems.

“I have great lawyers and legal teams, working closely together, to guard against the Greatest Witch Hunt of all times,” he wrote.

“Many lawyers want to come on board,” he claimed. “Prosecutorial misconduct and Weaponization, the likes of which [have] never been seen before, is taking place at many different Radical left Democrat levels. I don’t know how much more our Country will be willing to withstand? “

“We are living in a very angry and troubled failing Nation. We are, indeed, a Nation in decline!!!” he said.

VIDEO: Donald Trump invited to US memorial service for Queen Elizabeth II

Saturday 17 September 2022 20:03 , Gustaf Kilander

‘He didn’t do anything wrong but they are trying to make his life hell,’ Trump associate says Gaetz told him, according to report

Saturday 17 September 2022 19:00 , Gustaf.Kilander

Johnny McEntee said Matt Gaetz told him that “he didn’t do anything wrong but they are trying to make his life hell, and you know, if the president could give him a pardon, that would be great”.

Mr Gaetz added to Mr McEntee that he had made the request to then-White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows, according to The Post.

Mr McEntee was asked by the panel if Mr Gaetz made the request within the context of DoJ’s investigation into allegations that he may have violated federal laws against sex trafficking.

“I think that was the context, yes,” Mr McEntee said, according to those with knowledge of the testimony.

Matt Gaetz wanted Trump to give him pre-emptive pardon over sex investigation, report says

Saturday 17 September 2022 18:16 , Gustaf Kilander

Matt Gaetz told a former White House staffer that he was hoping to get a pre-emptive pardon from then-President Donald Trump concerning an investigation into him by the Department of Justice, a report has said.

The allegation came in testimony given to the House Select Committee investigating the Capitol riot on January 6, 2021, The Washington Post reported.

People with knowledge of his testimony say Johnny McEntee told the panel that the Florida Republican told him during a short meeting “that they are launching an investigation into him or that there’s an investigation into him”. Mr McEntee didn’t specify who was investigating the congressman.

Read more:

Gaetz wanted Trump to give him pre-emptive pardon over sex investigation, report says

MAGA dating app sent cease and desist letter over name struggling to recruit women

Saturday 17 September 2022 18:15 , Gustaf Kilander

The MAGA dating app The Right Stuff has yet to be launched but it’s struggling to recruit women and has been sent a cease and desist letter over its name, The Daily Beast has reported.

The app, supported by billionaire Peter Thiel, is set to be launched later this month. It was co-founded by Johnny McEntee, Donald Trump’s former body man. He was brought in by Ryann McEnany, the sister of former White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany.

The Daily Beast writes that Ryann McEnany “has been assigned a particularly tough task: convincing attractive, conservative women to sign up”.

“Hi, I’m working with John McEntee’s team on an exclusive conservative dating app called The Right Stuff that’s expected to launch this summer! We would love to get you on our list for early access to the app,” she has written in Instagram messages to possible users, according to The Daily Beast.

Jan 6 panel: ‘Trump’s pressure campaign spanned numerous contested states’

Saturday 17 September 2022 17:30 , Gustaf Kilander

Ted Cruz urges GOP governors to send half a million migrants to Washington, DC

Saturday 17 September 2022 16:45 , Gustaf Kilander

DeSantis hammered by Florida newspapers for 'political stunt' flying Venezuelan to Martha's Vineyard

Saturday 17 September 2022 16:04 , Gustaf Kilander

Migrants sent to VP’s residence from Texas for second time this week

Saturday 17 September 2022 15:30 , Gustaf Kilander

Will the Jan 6 committee bring an October surprise for midterms?

Saturday 17 September 2022 15:00 , Oliver O'Connell

The House select committee investigating the riot on January 6 will likely not release its report about the attempted insurrection before the election, Axios reported. But that doesn’t mean it could not make news before 8 November.

Chairman Bennie Thompson told reporters that he didn’t want the committee to be “perceived as a partisan committee ... we’ve been fairly free of those kind of complaints, and we would not want to interfere with the election.”

At the same time, the chairman said that the time before 28 September, before the House leaves for campaign season, “won’t be a quiet period” and “the goal is to have … some information pushed out, obviously, before the November election,” though the committee might have an interim report during that time.

Eric Garcia reports from Capitol Hill.

January 6 committee could bring October surprise for the midterms

Fox News poll: Trump was wrong over Mar-a-Lago papers

Saturday 17 September 2022 14:15 , Oliver O'Connell

A new Fox News poll shows a solid two-thirds majority of voters believe it was “inappropriate” for former president Donald Trump to have taken a stash of more than 11,000 documents belonging to the government at the end of his term in the White House.

The survey also found that just 26 per cent of US voters believe Mr Trump’s actions were “appropriate,” compared with the 65 per cent who said it was not.

Andrew Feinberg looked at the survey.

Fox News’ own poll says Trump was wrong in Mar-a-Lago paper case

Just like Dr Oz... Doug Mastriano was registered to vote in New Jersey until last year

Saturday 17 September 2022 13:30 , Oliver O'Connell

Doug Mastriano, the Republican nominee for governor in Pennsylvania, was registered to vote in neighbouring New Jersey until he launched his gubernatorial campaign last year, The New Jersey Globe reported.

Mr Mastriano, whom former president Donald Trump endorsed in the gubernatorial primary, reportedly was registered to vote in the state neighbouring Pennsylvania until 2021, when election officials changed his voter status to inactive.

Eric Garcia has the story.

Pennsylvania GOP candidate Mastriano was registered to vote in New Jersey until 2021

Trump tried twice to appoint loyalists as AG to fire Mueller, book reveals

Saturday 17 September 2022 12:45 , Oliver O'Connell

Former president Donald Trump was so intent on firing the Department of Justice special counsel charged with investigating his 2016 campaign’s potential ties with Russia that he offered the job of attorney general to two members of his cabinet on condition that they would carrying out his wish.

In their upcoming book The Divider: Trump in the White House 2017-2021, authors Peter Baker and Susan Glasser report how Mr Trump responded to then-White House counsel Don McGahn’s refusal to order the firing of ex-FBI Director Robert Mueller by asking members of his cabinet to relieve then-attorney general Jeff Sessions and promptly sack the widely-respected ex-prosecutor.

Andrew Feinberg has the story for The Independent from Washington, DC.

Trump asked two different cabinet members to fire Robert Mueller, book reveals

Trump amplifies and openly embraces QAnon conspiracy theories

Saturday 17 September 2022 12:00 , Oliver O'Connell

After winking at QAnon for years, Donald Trump is overtly embracing the baseless conspiracy theory, even as the number of frightening real-world events linked to it grows.

On Tuesday, using his Truth Social platform, the Republican former president reposted an image of himself wearing a Q lapel pin overlaid with the words “The Storm is Coming.” In QAnon lore, the “storm” refers to Trump’s final victory, when supposedly he will regain power and his opponents will be tried, and potentially executed, on live television.

As Trump contemplates another run for the presidency and has become increasingly assertive in the Republican primary process during the midterm elections, his actions show that far from distancing himself from the political fringe, he is welcoming it.

Trump openly embraces, amplifies QAnon conspiracy theories

The FBI seizure of Mike Lindell’s phone — Everything we know so far

Saturday 17 September 2022 11:15 , Oliver O'Connell

MyPillow CEO and Trump ally Mike Lindell makes a lot of outrageous claims related to the 2020 election, but this one was serious.

On Tuesday, the millionaire businessman and prominent 2020 election denier said he had his phone seized by the FBI in Minnesota while driving through a fast-food pickup window, which the agency later confirmed.

Here’s everything you need to know about what happened.

Everything we know about the FBI seizure of Mike Lindell’s phone at Hardee’s

Trump helped release drug prisoners but now he wants to execute them

Saturday 17 September 2022 10:15 , Oliver O'Connell

After helping release people convicted of drug crimes, Donald Trump now wants the death penalty for those same offences. Experts and the people given a reprieve by the former president warn The Independent’s Josh Marcus and Alex Woodward against the dangers of his rhetoric.

Donald Trump helped release drug prisoners. Now he wants to execute them

Lindsey Graham called Trump ‘a lying motherf***er’, book reveals

Saturday 17 September 2022 09:15 , Oliver O'Connell

South Carolina senator Lindsey Graham attempted to defend his defence of then-president Donald Trump’s conduct during his first impeachment, describing him to a pair of veteran Washington reporters as a liar and using expletives.

In their upcoming book The Divider: Trump in the White House 2017-2021, authors Peter Baker and Susan Glasser recall how they met with Mr Graham outside a Washington DC steakhouse less than 48 hours after House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced an impeachment inquiry into whether Mr Trump had extorted the president of Ukraine in a now-infamous July 2019 phone call. The Independent obtained a copy ahead of its 20 September publication date.

Andrew Feinberg reports on the South Carolina senator’s colourful choice of words.

Lindsey Graham called Trump ‘a lying motherf***er’ during Ukraine impeachment

Nevada’s GOP governor nominee says he would fight against national abortion ban

Saturday 17 September 2022 08:15 , Oliver O'Connell

Nevada’s GOP governor nominee said Thursday he would fight against a national abortion ban if congress were to pass one.

“It’s the vote of the people within the state of Nevada, and I will support that,” Clark County Sheriff Joe Lombardo, who is anti-abortion, said in a press gaggle next to Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin after the two spent the day campaigning across the state. “That is an issue that doesn’t need to be in politics.”

Nevada voters codified the right to abortion up to 24 weeks into law in a 1990 referendum vote.

GOP governor nominee says he'll fight US abortion ban

ICYMI: Judge picks Trump’s nominee as special master in Mar-a-Lago probe

Saturday 17 September 2022 07:15 , Oliver O'Connell

A Florida Judge has appointed Donald Trump’s nominee as special master in the FBI investigation into top secret papers seized by agents from his Mar-a-Lago estate.

Judge Raymond Dearie will now review materials seized during the raid of the former president’s estate in August after Mr Trump successfully demanded one be appointed.

The request was approved by US District Judge Aileen Cannon, who was appointed by Mr Trump, and Judge Dearie was a candidate that the Justice Department had said earlier this week that it could also accept.

Graeme Massie reports.

Judge appoints Trump’s nominee as special master to oversee secret files

King Charles’ history with US presidents

Saturday 17 September 2022 06:15 , Oliver O'Connell

Hanging out with Richard Nixon‘s daughter Tricia at a White House “supper-dance.” Swapping stories with Ronald Reagan about horseback riding. Bending the ears of Donald Trump and Joe Biden about climate change.

King Charles III, who became head of state following the death of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, has made the acquaintance of 10 of the 14 U.S. presidents who have held office since he was born in 1948.

Charles' history with US presidents: He's met 10 of past 14

White House press secretary loses patience with Fox reporter’s repetitive question on migrants

Saturday 17 September 2022 04:15 , Oliver O'Connell

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre on Friday ended up in a testy exchange with Fox News correspondent Jacqui Heinrich after the reporter asked a question that had already been covered in the day’s daily briefing.

Ms Jean-Pierre spent a significant portion of Friday’s session discussing the Biden administration’s response to Republican governors using buses and airplanes to send asylum-seekers to Democratic-led jurisdictions to punish state and local leaders for not supporting harsher border policies.

Andrew Feinberg reports on what happened next.

White House press secretary loses patience with repetitive question from Fox reporter

Fox News cuts migrant interview as reporter can’t speak Spanish

Saturday 17 September 2022 03:15 , Oliver O'Connell

A Fox News reporter admitted he wasn’t able to fully translate comments in Spanish as he interviewed a group of mostly Venezuelan migrants who were bused outside of vice-president Kamala Harris’s residence in Washington, DC, by Texas governor Greg Abbott on Thursday.

Josh Marcus reports.

Fox News cuts off interviewing migrants on buses as reporter can’t speak Spanish

Trump shares nasty body-shaming photo of Chris Christie

Saturday 17 September 2022 02:15 , Oliver O'Connell

Former President Donald Trump has continued using his custom-built Twitter knockoff Truth Social to bully his political detractors, this time taking aim at former Republican governor of New Jersey Chris Christie.

Mr Trump’s account posted an image of a man leaning over a buffet counter with his back to the camera, along with a caption needling Mr Christie.

Graig Graziosi reports.

Trump shares nasty photo of Chris Christie for criticising him in interview

Concerns for midterms over breaches of voting machines

Saturday 17 September 2022 01:30 , Oliver O'Connell

Sensitive voting system passwords posted online. Copies of confidential voting software available for download. Ballot-counting machines inspected by people not supposed to have access.

The list of suspected security breaches at local election offices since the 2020 election keeps growing, with investigations underway in at least three states -- Colorado, Georgia and Michigan. The stakes appeared to rise this week when the existence of a federal probe came to light involving a prominent loyalist to former President Donald Trump who has been promoting voting machine conspiracy theories across the country.

While much remains unknown about the investigations, one of the most pressing questions is what it all could mean for security of voting machines with the midterm elections less than two months away.

Midterm elections 2022 - live: Will ‘October surprise’ shake up the campaign?

CBS News: Some Jan 6 defendants arrested again since Capitol riot

Saturday 17 September 2022 00:45 , Oliver O'Connell

CBS News reports:

A CBS News review of US Justice Department court filings shows a growing number of Jan 6 defendants have been arrested again, for subsequent crimes involving guns, drugs and domestic abuse. The new charges complicate their ability to secure lenient sentences in their cases related to the rioting on Jan 6, 2021, and they potentially jeopardize attempts by other Capitol riot defendants to secure pretrial releases in their cases.

The Justice Department has charged approximately 870 people with crimes in relation to the Capitol attack. A small percentage — several dozen — are being held in pre-trial detention. Thirty of the defendants are being detained in the Washington, DC, jail.

Trump invited to US service for Queen Elizabeth II

Saturday 17 September 2022 00:00 , Oliver O'Connell

Former president Donald Trump has been invited by the British government to a memorial service for Queen Elizabeth II in Washington DC, after being left out of the guest list for the funeral in London.

An invitation to the event describes it as “a Service of Thanksgiving for the Life of Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II,” reported The Telegraph.

Invitations to Mr Trump and other living ex-presidents, including Barrack Obama, Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton and their spouses, were sent out on Thursday.

Sravasti Dasgupta reports.

Trump invited to US service for Queen Elizabeth II after being snubbed from funeral

‘It doesn’t look that bad’: Tucker Carlson backs DeSantis’s Martha’s Vineyard migrant planes

Friday 16 September 2022 23:20 , Oliver O'Connell

Fox’s Tucker Carlson raged at “liberals” for what he perceived as their uneven and hypocritical reaction to migrants being flown into Martha’s Vineyard by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis.

In a segment on his Thursday night program, the right-wing pundit specifically took filmmaker Ken Burns to task over comments the American documentarian had made earlier that day that compared the Florida governor to an authoritarian leader.

Johanna Chisholm has the story.

Tucker Carlson backs Martha’s Vineyard migrant planes: ‘It doesn’t look that bad’

Fox News poll: Trump was wrong in Mar-a-Lago paper case

Friday 16 September 2022 22:50 , Oliver O'Connell

A new Fox News poll shows a solid two-thirds majority of voters believe it was “inappropriate” for former president Donald Trump to have taken a stash of more than 11,000 documents belonging to the government at the end of his term in the White House.

The survey also found that just 26 per cent of US voters believe Mr Trump’s actions were “appropriate,” compared with the 65 per cent who said it was not.

Andrew Feinberg reports from Washington, DC.

Fox News’ own poll says Trump was wrong in Mar-a-Lago paper case

Don Jr jokes about violence against migrants after DeSantis flight stunt

Friday 16 September 2022 22:20 , Oliver O'Connell

Donald Trump Jr appeared to joke about violence against migrants arriving in the US, while he voiced his support for Gov Ron DeSantis’s programme to send two flights of the recently arrived people to Martha’s Vineyard this week.

The former president’s son, who is executive vice president at his father’s Trump Organization, took to multiple social media platforms on Thursday to tear down people who support more progressive border policies by sharing a series of memes that depict scenes where migrants were attacked by border officials on the US southern border.

Don Jr jokes about migrants in Instagram post as he backs Martha’s Vineyard flights

Trump could face October Surprise from Jan 6 committee

Friday 16 September 2022 21:50 , Oliver O'Connell

The House select committee investigating the Capitol riot on January 6 will likely not release its report about the attempted insurrection before the election, Axios reported. But that doesn’t mean it could not make news before 8 November.

Chairman Bennie Thompson told reporters that he didn’t want the committee to be “perceived as a partisan committee ... we’ve been fairly free of those kind of complaints, and we would not want to interfere with the election.”

At the same time, the chairman said that the time before 28 September, before the House leaves for campaign season, “won’t be a quiet period” and “the goal is to have … some information pushed out, obviously, before the November election,” though the committee might have an interim report during that time.

Eric Garcia has the latest.

January 6 committee could bring October surprise for the midterms

Sarah Huckabee Sanders reveals thyroid cancer operation

Friday 16 September 2022 21:27 , Oliver O'Connell

Former Trump press secretary and current Arkansas gubernatorial candidate Sarah Huckabee Sanders has revealed she underwent successful surgery to remove her thyroid and surrounding lymph nodes following a cancer diagnosis.

Kristi Noem rants about Newsom’s abortion billboard campaign in her state

Friday 16 September 2022 21:20 , Oliver O'Connell

California Governor Gavin Newsom launched a multi-state billboard campaign in parts of the country where abortion is the most restricted, to play up his state’s progressive laws that protect a person’s right to the procedure.

South Dakota Kristi Noem was not amused.

Johanna Chisholm has the full details.

Governors call out Newsom’s abortion-rights billboard campaign in red states

Tomi Lahren evacuated as crowd of protesters pound on doors of speech

Friday 16 September 2022 21:05 , Oliver O'Connell

A speech from right-wing commentator Tomi Lahren at the University of New Mexico ended in chaos on Thursday night, as a large, fiery crowd of student protestors prompted state and campus police to shut down the event and evacuate guests.

Josh Marcus has the story.

Tomi Lahren evacuated as protesters pound doors at University of New Mexico speech

Trump has gone full QAnon in recent weeks

Friday 16 September 2022 20:50 , Oliver O'Connell

In the summer of 2020, as an obscure conspiracy ideology called QAnon began growing in prominence, then-president Donald Trump said he hadn’t really heard of the movement, but though its supporters were patriots and should be praised for backing his administration.

“I’ve heard these are people that love our country,” he said at a White House press briefing that August. “I don’t really know anything about it, except that they do supposedly like me,” he added.

The president didn’t seem deterred when a reporter laid out just how outlandish the movement’s claims really were: that a cabal of Satan-worshiping paedophile Democrats controlled the “deep state,” and could only be vanquished by Mr Trump.

“I haven’t heard that, but is that supposed to be a bad thing or a good thing?,” he said, continuing, “If I can help save the world from problems, I’m willing to do it.”

Two years later, the former president has gone full QAnon as he positions himself for a potential 2024 president run.

Josh Marcus reports for The Independent on what has changed.

Donald Trump has gone full QAnon in recent weeks

‘Literally human trafficking’: Hillary Clinton slams DeSantis migrant flights

Friday 16 September 2022 20:25 , Oliver O'Connell

Hillary Clinton has branded the situation in Martha’s Vineyard “literally human trafficking” after Florida Governor Ron DeSantis unexpectedly flew a group of migrants to the Massachusetts island.

The former secretary of state appeared on MSNBC’s Morning Joe on Friday morning where she agreed with host Joe Scarborough that the migrants were being “taken advantage of” by Republican lawmakers.

Rachel Sharp reports.

Hillary Clinton says sending migrants to Martha’s Vineyard is ‘human trafficking’

John Fetterman is searching for votes in ‘ruby red’ Trump country - will the strategy pay off?

Friday 16 September 2022 20:02 , Oliver O'Connell

Richard Hall reports for The Independent on how Pennsylvania Democratic candidate for the Senate is hoping to chip away at Trump’s support in rural parts of the state.

John Fetterman is searching for votes in ‘ruby red’ Trump country. Will it work?

Trump attacks Chris Christie with nasty body-shaming post

Friday 16 September 2022 19:56 , Oliver O'Connell

After calling Mitch McConnell an “absolute loser” this morning, the former president has climbed further into the gutter by taking aim at former New Jersey governor Chris Christie with a nasty body-shaming post on Truth Social.

Could House Jan 6 committee release interim report before midterms?

Friday 16 September 2022 19:25 , Oliver O'Connell

Axios reports that the January 6 committee is on a potential collision course with the midterm elections in November.

The panel investigating the attack on the US Capitol plans to hold at least one more hearing in late September and release early findings and recommendations before the 8 November election.

There is a virtual meeting today to set a schedule for upcoming hearings, keeping in mind that the committee has an expiration date of 31 December.

Committee members told Axios that the final report will likely come after the election, but there will be plenty of news before voters head to the ballot box.

Chairman Thompson told the outlet that the time between an expected 28 September hearing and the election “won’t be a quiet period”.

He added that “the goal is to have … some information pushed out, obviously, before the November election”.

The panel may release its interim report in that window.

Some committee members say that whatever they do will be denounced as partisan, but that they have a job to do and that’s too important to base on one date in November.

National Guard activated to assist with DeSantis migrants flown to Martha’s Vineyard

Friday 16 September 2022 19:10 , Oliver O'Connell

Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker announced he plans to activate the National Guard, among the relief efforts his administration is supplying for the 50 migrants who were flown into Martha’s Vineyard under Governor Ron DeSantis’s controversial relocation program.

“The island communities are not equipped to provide sustainable accommodation, and state officials developed a plan to deliver a comprehensive humanitarian response,” said the governor’s office in a statement released Friday.

Johanna Chisholm reports.

National Guard activated to assist migrants flown to Martha’s Vineyard by DeSantis

Only 26 per cent of voters say appropriate for Trump to take home government documents

Friday 16 September 2022 18:40 , Oliver O'Connell

A new Fox News poll shows a solid two-thirds majority of voters believe it was “inappropriate” for former president Donald Trump to have taken a stash of more than 11,000 documents belonging to the government at the end of his term in the White House.

The survey also found that just 26 per cent of US voters believe Mr Trump’s actions were “appropriate,” compared with the 65 per cent who said it was not.

Andrew Feinberg takes a look at the latest data.

Two-thirds of voters say Trump’s removal of documents ‘inappropriate,’ poll finds

Book reveals Trump tried replacing AG with two cabinet members in order to fire Mueller

Friday 16 September 2022 18:10 , Oliver O'Connell

Former president Donald Trump was so intent on firing the Department of Justice special counsel charged with investigating his 2016 campaign’s potential ties with Russia that he offered the job of attorney general to two members of his cabinet on condition that they would carrying out his wish.

In their upcoming book The Divider: Trump in the White House 2017-2021, authors Peter Baker and Susan Glasser report how Mr Trump responded to then-White House counsel Don McGahn’s refusal to order the firing of ex-FBI Director Robert Mueller by asking members of his cabinet to relieve then-attorney general Jeff Sessions and promptly sack the widely-respected ex-prosecutor.

Andrew Feinberg has the latest excerpt from the soon-to-be-released book.

Trump asked two different cabinet members to fire Robert Mueller, book reveals

Tucker Carlson claims ‘liberal’ Ken Burns compared DeSantis’ treatment of migrants to Holocaust

Friday 16 September 2022 17:40 , Oliver O'Connell

Fox’s Tucker Carlson raged at “liberals” for what he perceived as their uneven and hypocritical reaction to migrants being flown into Martha’s Vineyard by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis.

In a segment on his Thursday night program, the right-wing pundit specifically took filmmaker Ken Burns to task over comments the American documentarian had made earlier that day that compared the Florida governor to an authoritarian leader.

Joanna Chisholm reports on Carlson’s comments.

Tucker Carlson claims Ken Burns compared DeSantis’ treatment of migrants to Holocaust

Biden slams GOP governors’ migrant flights: ‘Playing politics with human beings’

Friday 16 September 2022 17:10 , Oliver O'Connell

President Joe Biden on Thursday slammed Texas Governor Greg Abbott and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis’ for using bus and plane-loads of migrants as a way to punish leaders of Democratic-led state and local governments.

Speaking at the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute’s annual gala, Mr Biden hit out at the GOP governors less than a day after Mr Abbott sent two busloads of South and Central American asylum seekers to Washington and Mr DeSantis funded a planeload of migrants’ transportation from Texas to Massachusetts.

Andrew Feinberg reports on the president’s comments.

Biden slams GOP governors’ migrant flights: ‘Playing politics with human beings’

Marjorie Taylor Greene accused of kicking gun control activist

Friday 16 September 2022 16:40 , Oliver O'Connell

Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene appeared to kick a young gun control activist outside the Capitol when the pro-gun Republican was confronted about mass shootings in the US.

Ms Greene also asked another activist questioning her about gun safety to move to another country.

Alisha Rahaman Sarkar reports.

Marjorie Taylor Greene appears to kick gun control activist

Trump oversaw ‘coordinated, multi-step effort to overturn an election'

Friday 16 September 2022 16:20 , Oliver O'Connell

House select committee chair Bennie Thompson: “There can be no doubt that there was a coordinated, multi-step effort to overturn an election overseen and directed by Donald Trump... And so, there needs to be accountability. Accountability under the law. Accountability to the American people.”

Martha’s Vineyard community galvanised to aid migrants sent as part of DeSantis stunt

Friday 16 September 2022 16:10 , Oliver O'Connell

Republican Governor Ron DeSantis of Florida faced international condemnation and scrutiny as the latest GOP governor escalating the party’s widely derided scheme of shipping vulnerable groups of migrants out of their states in cold protest of President Joe Biden.

But the arrival of 50 migrants on Martha’s Vineyard – known as a summer getaway for wealthier Americans – has galvanised communities across the small island off the coast of Massachusetts, providing immediate shelter and relief for a group of people and families deceptively collected into planes out of Texas, more than 2,000 miles away, at taxpayers’ expense.

Alex Woodward reports on how a community came together to help the new arrivals.

The GOP sent migrants to Martha’s Vineyard to stoke panic. It didn’t work

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