Trump news – live: Kevin McCarthy unsure Trump ‘strongest’ Republican candidate against Joe Biden in 2024

Despite his large lead in a crowded Republican primary field, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy says he does not know if Donald Trump is the “strongest” candidate to take on President Joe Biden in the 2024 election.

In an interview on CNBC, Mr McCarthy said Mr Trump can beat Mr Biden but that he’s not sure another Republican couldn’t do better. Later in the day, the speaker appeared to walk back the remarks by telling Breitbart that the former president is “stronger today than he was in 2016”.

On Monday night, bombshell audio revealed the former president apparently bragging about possessing still-classified military documents about Iran after he left the White House.

In the recording, from a July 2021 meeting at Mr Trump’s Bedminster golf club and released by CNN, the former president is heard audibly shuffling the documents.

Mr Trump took to Truth Social to fume about the tape, railing against “Deranged Special Prosecutor” Jack Smith and baselessly accusing the DOJ and FBI of leaking it.

Meanwhile, Mr Trump’s co-defendant in the classified documents case, his aide Walt Nauta, has had his arraignment in Miami postponed after his flight was delayed by bad weather in New Jersey.

Key Points

• CNN plays tape of Trump appearing to show off military documents that he says are still classified

• At least five Secret Service agents have testified before Jan 6 grand jury, report says

• Supreme Court dismisses case in which Democratic lawmakers sued over Trump hotel lease

• Trump’s chief of staff said his ideas were ‘flat-out illegal,’ book alleges

Trump-appointed judge denies special counsel’s request to seal witness list

04:45 , Oliver O'Connell

The judge overseeing the federal case against Donald Trump has denied special counsel Jack Smith’s motion to seal the list of witnesses that the former president is barred from contacting.

In a ruling on Monday, US District Judge Aileen Cannon – who was appointed by Mr Trump and is now overseeing the criminal case over his handling of classified documents on leaving the White House – said that the government had not provided a reason as to why the list needed to be kept from public view.

Ariana Baio reports.

Trump judge denies request to seal witness list in classified documents case

Florida’s largest police union ditches Trump

03:45 , Oliver O'Connell

The largest police union in Florida is breaking with former president Donald Trump to endorse the state’s governor, Ron DeSantis, in the 2024 Republican presidential primary.

Given his recent polling in early-voting states such as New Hampshire, this is a little bit of good news for the Florida governor.

Eric Garcia reports.

Florida’s largest police union ditches Trump to endorse DeSantis

Earlier: Trump co-defendant Walt Nauta’s arraignment postponed

02:45 , Oliver O'Connell

Former President Donald Trump’s longtime aide, Walt Nauta, could not be arraigned on Tuesday morning as scheduled after his lawyer told the judge that Mr Nauta could not get to Florida due to travel problems.

A new arraignment has been set for 6 July. There are reports that Mr Nauta was going to ask for a delay in the proceedings as he has been unable to retain local counsel.

Read more...

Trump co-defendant Walt Nauta’s arraignment postponed

Trump recording: George Conway calls former president a ‘sociopathic criminal’

01:45 , Oliver O'Connell

George Conway, a conservative attorney and the co-founder of the Lincoln Project, characterised Donald Trump as a “sociopathic criminal“ while discussing the damning audio capturing the former president laughing about mishandling sensitive government documents.

Mr Conway made the comments Monday during an appearance on CNN.

Graig Graziosi reports.

George Conway calls Trump a ‘sociopathic criminal’ over classified papers tape

‘It was nasty, unfriendly, no smiling’, says Trump of latest Fox interview

Wednesday 28 June 2023 00:45 , Oliver O'Connell

Former president Donald Trump slammed Fox News host Bret Baier on Monday evening, a week after their interview where Mr Trump revealed he took documents. Mr Trump is facing a federal indictment over his retention of classified documents, including some related to national defence information.

Mr Trump spoke on Newsmax on Monday evening and complained about the interview.

Eric Garcia reports from Washington, DC.

Trump hits out at Fox News’s Bret Baier after incriminating interview

Fox News airs new conspiracy White House ‘drummed up’ Russia coup to distract from Hunter Biden

Wednesday 28 June 2023 00:15 , Oliver O'Connell

Fox News‘ Maria Bartiromo served up a new conspiracy theory to the network’s viewers, suggesting the US was “drumming up” news of internal strife in Russia to distract from Hunter Biden news.

During Fox & Friends on Sunday, Bartiromo complained about a “double standard” she sees when it comes to Hunter Biden, and insisted that the biggest story of the weekend was not the dramatic break between the Wagner Group mercenaries and their Russian benefactors, but rather the president’s son.

Graig Graziosi has the details.

Fox News host says White House ‘drummed up’ Russia coup to distract from Hunter Biden

Trump mocked for bursting into bizarre moaning sounds in speech

Tuesday 27 June 2023 23:45 , Oliver O'Connell

Former president Donald Trump faced online mockery after making a series of strange grunting and moaning noises during his speech at the Oakland County Republican Party Lincoln Day Dinner.

This past weekend, Mr Trump attended the dinner in Oakland, Michigan to be honoured as “Man of the Decade”.

Ariana Baio reports.

Trump mocked for bursting into bizarre moaning sounds at Michigan GOP dinner

Voices: Florida man Ron DeSantis has no juice

Tuesday 27 June 2023 23:15 , Oliver O'Connell

Eric Garcia writes:

After the 2022 midterm elections, Florida Gov DeSantis emerged as nearly bulletproof. As he likes to tell voters on the stump, his nearly 20-point re-election victory served as a bright spot in an otherwise rough election night for Republicans.

But despite kicking off his 2024 presidential campaign in a glitchy Twitter conversation with SpaceX executive Elon Musk, the former GOP golden boy has failed to launch. His candidacy has been riddled with stories of awkward retail politicking and losing endorsements to former president Donald Trump. Now there is also evidence that his campaign is on the downturn.

Read more...

Florida man Ron DeSantis has no juice

Trump fumes about ‘illegally leaked’ recording

Tuesday 27 June 2023 22:45 , Oliver O'Connell

Donald Trump has taken to Truth Social to fume about a bombshell leaked audio tape where he is heard discussing holding onto “secret” classified documents after leaving office – and admitting that he knows he cannot declassify them.

In the recording, captured during a July 2021 meeting at Mr Trump’s Bedminster golf club and released by CNN on Monday, the former president is heard boasting and laughing with associates about possessing “highly confidential” military documents about Iran.

Rachel Sharp reports.

Trump fumes about ‘illegally leaked’ CNN tape of him boasting about classified papers

Tuesday 27 June 2023 22:31 , Oliver O'Connell

Watch: Trump responds to recording obtained by CNN

Tuesday 27 June 2023 22:25 , Oliver O'Connell

Former president Donald Trump responds to the broadcast of a recording of him discussing classified documents he took with him from the White House when leaving office.

He says that he both didn’t see the recording and that you can hear the rustle of the paper, having previously said he had no classified documents.

Mr Trump continues to deny he did anything wrong.

‘Couldn’t be more incriminating’ say Trump critics of CNN audio recording

Tuesday 27 June 2023 22:15 , Oliver O'Connell

Critics slammed Donald Trump after he appeared to flaunt his possession of classified military documents in an audio clip aired by CNN.

The former president, who was indicted earlier this month and charged with 37 counts related to his alleged mishandling of classified documents after leaving the White House, apparently showed the papers relating to a possible attack on Iran that he said were drawn up by US military joint chief of staff Mark Milley and which he himself said were still classified.

Namita Singh reports.

Trump critics say bombshell secret papers audio has ex-president ‘dead to rights

Watch: Former NSA and FBI director speaks out against Trump over Mar-a-Lago documents

Tuesday 27 June 2023 22:04 , Oliver O'Connell

General Michael Hayden says he has never seen anything like this in 40 years in intelligence and Donald Trump must face consequences for his actions.

Is Trump the best candidate to beat Biden? McCarthy not so sure...

Tuesday 27 June 2023 21:45 , Oliver O'Connell

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy demurred on Tuesday on the question of whether former President Donald Trump is best candidate Republicans can put forward to face President Joe Biden next November.

In an interview on CNBC, Mr McCarthy said Mr Trump can beat Mr Biden but that he’s not sure another Republican couldn’t do better.

Abe Asher reports on what he said.

Is Trump the best candidate to beat Biden? Kevin McCarthy says ‘I don’t know’

Ivanka Trump dismissed from New York AG fraud lawsuit filed against her father

Tuesday 27 June 2023 21:22 , Oliver O'Connell

A New York appeals court dismissed Ivanka Trump on Tuesday from a wide-ranging fraud lawsuit brought against her father and his company last year by the state’s attorney general.

The civil lawsuit, brought by New York Attorney General Letitia James, accused former President Donald Trump of padding his net worth by billions of dollars and misleading banks, insurance companies and others about the value of his assets, including golf courses and the Mar-a-Lago estate. It named his three eldest children — Ivanka, Donald Jr and Eric Trump — as defendants, along with multiple Trump Organization executives.

Read more...

Ivanka Trump dismissed from fraud lawsuit filed against her father by New York attorney general

Stephen Miller floated blowing up migrant boats with drones, book claims

Tuesday 27 June 2023 21:15 , Oliver O'Connell

A new book from a former Trump administration appointee accuses top former White House official Stephen Miller of a desire to break international law with a suggestion to use military force against unarmed civilians attempting to migrate to the US.

A spokesperson for Mr Miller denied that the conversation, first detailed in an upcoming book by Miles Taylor, took place. Excerpts of the book were obtained by Rolling Stone and published on Tuesday.

John Bowden reports from Washington, DC.

Book claims ex-Trump aide Stephen Miller wanted to blow up migrant boats with drones

Ditching Trump, Florida’s largest police union endorses DeSantis

Tuesday 27 June 2023 20:45 , Oliver O'Connell

The largest police union in Florida is breaking with former president Donald Trump to endorse the state’s governor, Ron DeSantis, in the 2024 Republican presidential primary.

The Florida Police Benevolent Association, which touts 30,000 members, announced that it had endorsed Mr DeSantis on Monday, giving the governor a boost. Florida FBA President John Kazanjian said in a statement that Mr DeSantis was the best choice for the union’s members.

Eric Garcia has the story.

Florida’s largest police union ditches Trump to endorse DeSantis

Watch: Trump continues to maintain innocence despite recording

Tuesday 27 June 2023 20:30 , Oliver O'Connell

GOP presidential candidate stumped by question about Uighurs

Tuesday 27 June 2023 20:15 , Oliver O'Connell

Miami Mayor Francis Suarez revealed he doesn’t know who the Uighurs are in an interview with conservative talk show host Hugh Hewitt on Tuesday morning.

Mr Suarez, who launched his campaign for the Republican nomination for President earlier this month, is a longshot candidate in the crowded Republican primary field.

Audio clips like the ones he produced in his interview with Hewitt are unlikely to help his odds, as Abe Asher reports.

GOP presidential candidate stumped by question about Uighurs: ‘What’s a Uighur?’

Watch: Haley says voters should have say on Trump recordind

Tuesday 27 June 2023 19:55 , Oliver O'Connell

SCOTUS rejects fringe theory that could give GOP state lawmakers unchecked election authority

Tuesday 27 June 2023 19:45 , Oliver O'Connell

The US Supreme Court has shot down a fringe legal theory supported by Republican officials and Donald Trump’s allies that was invoked to try to toss out election results and radically reshape the nation’s elections.

A 6-3 decision in Moore v Harper on 27 June determined that Republican-drawn congressional districts in North Carolina amounted to a partisan gerrymander that violated the state’s constitution, but the majority dismissed the so-called “independent state legislature” theory that fuelled the state’s arguments.

Alex Woodward explains.

Supreme Court rejects GOP theory that opponents warned could sow election chaos

Watch: ‘The View’ hosts predict prison time for Trump

Tuesday 27 June 2023 19:30 , Oliver O'Connell

Georgia elections official to speak to federal investigators about Trump efforts to undo 2020 loss

Tuesday 27 June 2023 19:15 , Oliver O'Connell

Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger is scheduled to speak to federal prosecutors from the office of special counsel Jack Smith, who is investigating efforts by former President Donald Trump and his allies to overturn his 2020 election loss.

In a rambling phone call on Jan. 2, 2021, Trump suggested Raffensperger, the top elections official in Georgia, could help “find” the votes necessary to reverse Democrat Joe Biden’s narrow presidential election win in the state. The call came after Trump and his allies spent weeks insisting without evidence that widespread election fraud was the cause of his loss in Georgia and publicly berating Raffensperger for failing to take steps to reverse it.

The secretary of state’s office on Tuesday confirmed that he would speak to special counsel Jack Smith’s prosecutors Wednesday in Atlanta. The planned interview was first reported by The Washington Post.

Read more...

Georgia elections official to speak to federal prosecutors probing Trump's efforts to undo 2020 loss

Watch: Trump says indictment ‘big beautiful badge of honour’

Tuesday 27 June 2023 18:54 , Oliver O'Connell

Polls lift confident Trump in New Hampshire

Tuesday 27 June 2023 18:51 , Oliver O'Connell

Watch: Trump revives slogan from The Apprentice

Tuesday 27 June 2023 18:49 , Oliver O'Connell

Voices: The Trump audio reveals key details we didn’t know before. He should be worried

Tuesday 27 June 2023 18:45 , Oliver O'Connell

Ahmed Baba writes:

Classified documents could be heard loudly rustling with laughter filling the room as the former President appeared to casually commit multiple federal crimes. This newly released audio of Donald Trump not only showcases the strength of Special Counsel Jack Smith’s case, it also undercuts Trump’s shifting defenses. This tape has some key new details that weren’t previously reported or included in Trump’s federal indictment.

Continued...

The Trump audio reveals key details we didn’t know before. He should be worried

Bad news for DeSantis in latest polling from New Hampshire

Tuesday 27 June 2023 18:30 , Oliver O'Connell

Following the release of the latest polling from New Hampshire, The Independent’s Eric Garcia writes: “DeSantis is fighting a war on two fronts. He not only fails to pick up Trump’s voters, but the split GOP field means that voters who are “dating” other candidates are looking elsewhere. A five-point(!) jump for Christie and a three-point jump for Tim Scott.”

Trump-appointed judge denies special counsel’s request to seal witness list

Tuesday 27 June 2023 18:15 , Oliver O'Connell

The judge overseeing the federal case against Donald Trump has denied special counsel Jack Smith’s motion to seal the list of witnesses that the former president is barred from contacting.

In a ruling on Monday, US District Judge Aileen Cannon – who was appointed by Mr Trump and is now overseeing the criminal case over his handling of classified documents on leaving the White House – said that the government had not provided a reason as to why the list needed to be kept from public view.

Ariana Baio has the details.

Trump judge denies request to seal witness list in classified documents case

Watch: DeSantis distances self from Jan 6

Tuesday 27 June 2023 18:00 , Oliver O'Connell

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis was asked in New Hampshire if Donald Trump violated the peaceful transfer of power on January 6th.

He replied that if the election is about relitigating the past, then Republicans will lose, but if it is about challenging President Joe Biden’s record then they can win.

Mr DeSantis recalled on 5 January there was a peaceful transition of power from his first to his second administration, pointedly saying it was because he won.

He added: “I wasn’t anywhere near Washington that day. I have nothing to do with what happened that day. Obviously, I didn’t enjoy seeing what happened.”

Trump mocked for bursting into bizarre moaning sounds at speech

Tuesday 27 June 2023 17:45 , Oliver O'Connell

Former president Donald Trump faced online mockery after making a series of strange grunting and moaning noises during his speech at the Oakland County Republican Party Lincoln Day Dinner.

This past weekend, Mr Trump attended the dinner in Oakland, Michigan to be honoured as “Man of the Decade”.

Ariana Baio reports.

Trump mocked for bursting into bizarre moaning sounds at Michigan GOP dinner

‘Planned in plain sight’: Senate’s Jan 6 report blasts missed warning signs

Tuesday 27 June 2023 17:30 , Oliver O'Connell

A new report from the Senate Homeland Security Committee offers a withering look at the inability of America’s intelligence agencies to guard against insurrection following the January 6 attack on the US Capitol.

The report was finally released this week, more than two years after hundreds of Donald Trump’s supporters stormed the US Capitol and prevented, for several hours, the certification of the 2020 election while lawmakers hid in fear for their lives. Helmed by Democratic Senator Gary Peters of Michigan, the committee spent months investigating a fundamental question that has remained despite months of hearings in the House last year by the select committee to investigate the attack on the Capitol: Why DC-area law enforcement, including US Capitol Police, were caught so off-guard by the violence.

John Bowden reports from Washington, DC.

Senate’s Jan 6 report blasts missed warning signs: ‘Planned in plain sight’

Full story: Walt Nauta’s arraignment postponed

Tuesday 27 June 2023 17:15 , Oliver O'Connell

Former President Donald Trump’s longtime aide, Walt Nauta, could not be arraigned on Tuesday morning as scheduled after his lawyer told the judge that Mr Nauta could not get to Florida due to travel problems.

A new arraignment has been set for 6 July. There are reports that Mr Nauta was going to ask for a delay in the proceedings as he has been unable to retain local counsel.

Mr Nauta couldn’t get a flight to Miami on Monday due to storms in the New York-New Jersey area.

Read more...

Trump co-defendant Walt Nauta’s arraignment postponed

Watch: Former NSA and FBI director speaks out against Trump over Mar-a-Lago documents

Tuesday 27 June 2023 17:12 , Oliver O'Connell

General Michael Hayden says he has never seen anything like this in 40 years in intelligence and Donald Trump must face consequences for his actions.

Watch: Nikki Haley slams Trump’s China record

Tuesday 27 June 2023 16:45 , Oliver O'Connell

George Conway calls Trump a ‘sociopathic criminal’

Tuesday 27 June 2023 16:25 , Oliver O'Connell

George Conway, a conservative attorney and the co-founder of the Lincoln Project, characterised Donald Trump as a “sociopathic criminal“ while discussing the damning audio capturing the former president laughing about mishandling sensitive government documents.

Mr Conway made the comments Monday during an appearance on CNN.

Graig Graziosi has the story.

George Conway calls Trump a ‘sociopathic criminal’ over classified papers tape

Who is Walt Nauta?

Tuesday 27 June 2023 16:05 , Oliver O'Connell

While all eyes were on Donald Trump’s arraignment on federal charges of mishandling top secret material at a Miami courthouse on Tuesday, a personal aide who was virtually unknown just days ago sat beside him in the dock.

Walt Nauta, 40, is charged alongside his longtime boss and alleged co-conspirator with helping to conceal some of the nation’s most sensitive documents from federal investigators.

He was arrested, fingerprinted, and unlike Mr Trump, had his mugshot taken ahead of the arraignment.

Bevan Hurley reports.

Who is Donald Trump’s indicted ‘body man’ Walt Nauta?

Trump hits out at Fox News’s Bret Baier after ‘nasty’ incriminating interview

Tuesday 27 June 2023 15:42 , Oliver O'Connell

Former president Donald Trump slammed Fox News host Bret Baier on Monday evening, a week after their interview where Mr Trump revealed he took documents. Mr Trump is facing a federal indictment over his retention of classified documents, including some related to national defence information.

Mr Trump spoke on Newsmax on Monday evening and complained about the interview.

Eric Garcia reports.

Trump hits out at Fox News’s Bret Baier after incriminating interview

DeSantis claims immunity from Disney lawsuit in motion to dismiss case

Tuesday 27 June 2023 15:20 , Oliver O'Connell

Attorneys for Ron DeSantis have filed a motion in federal court to dismiss the Walt Disney Company’s lawsuit that accuses the Florida governor’s administration of illegal political retaliation.

The lawsuit filed on 26 April accuses the governor’s administration of waging a “relentless campaign to weaponize government power against Disney in retaliation for expressing a political viewpoint” following a series of punitive measures from Florida Republicans targeting the company for its public opposition to what opponents called the state’s “Don’t Say Gay” law.

Alex Woodward has the details.

DeSantis claims immunity from Disney lawsuit in motion to dismiss retaliation case

Trump bodyman arraignment postponed until 6 July

Tuesday 27 June 2023 15:05 , Oliver O'Connell

Walt Nauta, Donald Trump’s valet and codefendant has had his arraignment postponed from today until after the holiday weekend due to flight disruption at Newark Airport in New Jersey.

He will now be arraigned on 6 July.