Trump news - live: Trump ‘superhero’ announcement revealed as approval drops to lowest since 2015

The much-anticipated “major announcement” from Donald Trump on Thursday was met with less fanfare than the ex-president perhaps hoped as he unveiled his plans to release digital trading cards.

“These limited edition cards feature amazing ART of my Life & Career! Collect all of your favorite Trump Digital Trading Cards, very much like a baseball card, but hopefully much more exciting,” wrote Mr Trump on Truth Social while sharing a picture of one of the cards.

Meanwhile, a new national poll found that Mr Trump’s favourability rating has dropped to its lowest level since 2015, as a separate one from the Wall Street Journal found that Florida Governor Ron DeSantis is outpacing the one-term president among likely GOP primary voters in a hypothetical 2024 matchup.

The poll, released Wednesday from Quinnipiac University, showed that just 31 per cent of registered voters surveyed hold a favourable opinion of the twice-impeached president, with 59 per cent holding an unfavourable view.

Meanwhile, January 6 select committee Chair Bennie Thompson told reporters the panel’s final meeting will take place early next week and the release of its final report will be on 21 December.

Key points

• Trump’s approval rating drops to lowest level since 2015

• Trump unveils digital trading cards

• Trump Organization lost secret contempt trial in 2021

• House oversight committee asks Archives to review Trump storage unit

• Adam Schiff says Jan 6 panel has found 'evidence of criminality’

Former Trump lawyer says he’s ‘sure’ his former client will be criminally referred over Jan 6

17:25 , Johanna Chisholm

A former Trump attorney confirmed to CNN on Wednesday night that he suspects that his former client, Donald Trump, will be criminally referred to the Justice Department when the House Select committee investigating the Capitol riot submits their referrals next week.

“Do you have any doubt that the committee will have a criminal referral for Trump himself?” asked CNN host Erin Burnett to Ty Cobb, a former lawyer of the ex-president.

“I do not,” said Mr Cobb. “I think they started out with that as a goal. And I think they certainly have put forth evidence which would justify, even in the absence of cross-examination, which I think is an unfortunate product of the committee’s constitution. But even without cross-examination, clearly the evidence that they have put forward justifies them to make criminal referral,” said Mr Cobb, just days ahead of when the panel is expected to announce their decision on criminal referrals to the Department of Justice.

“Their referral is largely symbolic, of course,” Mr Cobb added. “The Justice Department is not required to do anything in response to it. But, yes, I’m sure they will for the former president.”

Elaine Chao says she won’t respond to Trump’s racist attack on her

17:05 , Johanna Chisholm

Former Trump administration Secretary of Transportation Elaine Chao has said she won’t respond to the racist name-calling the former president engaged in during a rant aimed at Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell.

Graig Graziosi reports.

Trump’s transport secretary says she won’t respond to his racist attack on her

Trump’s ‘guarantees’ tickets to attend Gala Dinner with former president with digital trading card promo

16:50 , Johanna Chisholm

Included in the digital trading card release announced by Donald Trump on Thursday were several sweepstakes offers, including one where customers who buy 45 digital trading cards would reportedly be “guaranteed ticket to attend the Gala Dinner with Trump in South Florida”.

“Purchase 45 Digital Trading Cards today and get a guaranteed ticket to attend the Gala Dinner with Trump in South Florida. You will also receive 45 entries into the sweepstakes and 45 Digital Trading Cards. Subject to the Terms & Conditions and Official Sweepstakes Rules,” wrote the promotion on Mr Trump’s recently launched website for the NFTs.

Some of the “rare” digital trading cards that individuals can purchase include animated pictures of the 45th president posing in front of the Hollywood sign, wearing a cowboy hat while holstering a gun, posing in front of the Statue of Liberty while giving a thumbs up and one where the ex-president is swinging a golf club while adorned in a red MAGA hat.

Critics pan Trump for digital trading cards unveiling

16:30 , Johanna Chisholm

The feedback to Donald Trump’s announcement on Thursday being that he plans to start selling digital trading cards was greatly anticipated when audiences were unaware of what he was teeing up. Now that the cat is out of the Truth Social bag, they were equally quick to begin venting their frustrations that the “major announcement” was none other than a money grab.

“OH MY F***ING GOD TRUMP’S MAJOR ANNOUNCEMENT IS *DIGITAL* TRADING CARDS FEATURING HIS OWN BIG DUMB STUPID PUMPKIN FACE and holy shit he’s selling them for a hundred bucks I shit you not. I wish I was making this up. And the rubes are going to eat this s**t right up,” Jeff Tiedrich wrote.

New York Times reporter Maggie Haberman, the author of the book Confidence Man, which profiles the former president and his rise to power, contextualised the ex-president’s announcement by explaining how he’d once wanted to wear a Superman shirt while being wheeled out of a hospital after being treated for a few days for fatigue.

“Trump wanted to be wheeled out of Walter Reed in a Superman shirt under his actual shirt. Aides talked him out of it (and then Meadows devoted several lines in his book to claiming it hadn’t happened). So instead he does it virtually and tries to make money off it,” tweeted Ms Haberman upon learning of his plans to start selling virtual baseball cards of himself adorned in the DC hero’s costume.

Gustaf Kilander has more details here.

Trump ridiculed for ‘major announcement’ that he’s selling digital trading cards

Trump panned for ‘major announcement’ being that he plans to sell digital trading cards

16:09 , Johanna Chisholm

With all the hype and anticipation, many seemed to be let down by Donald Trump finally unveiling on Thursday morning his “major announcement” was that he plans to begin selling digital trading cards.

“MAJOR ANNOUNCEMENT! My official Donald Trump Digital Trading Card collection is here! These limited edition cards feature amazing ART of my Life & Career! Collect all of your favorite Trump Digital Trading Cards, very much like a baseball card, but hopefully much more exciting,” posted the former president on Truth Social. “GET YOUR CARDS NOW! Only $99 each! Would make a great Christmas gift. Don’t Wait. They will be gone, I believe, very quickly!”

David Taintor has more here.

Trump finally makes ‘major announcement’ – and it has nothing to do with his campaign

Sen John Kennedy mocked for adoring praise of Elon Musk

16:05 , Johanna Chisholm

GOP Senator John Kennedy has been widely mocked for praising Elon Musk as having “oranges the size of beachballs”.

The Louisana Republican appeared to mix his metaphors while contrasting the Twitter CEO with Democrat Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez during an interview with Fox News on Wednesday.

Upset at a new climate change-themed documentary, To The End, in which Ms Ocasio-Cortez appears, Mr Kennedy said the movie had made him “appreciate Elon Musk that much more”.

Mr Musk had taken a “very corouageous stand on the First Amendment” since his $44bn purchase of Twitter, he told Fox News.

For that, detractors were “beating on him like he stole Christmas”, Mr Kennedy said.

“He’s tough as a pine knot. He’s got oranges the size of beachballs. Thanks to Elon Musk, we’re going to have to get some new conspiracy theories because the old ones turned out to be true.”

My colleague Bevan Hurley has more details here.

Senator mocked for praise of Elon Musk: ‘He’s got oranges the size of beachballs’

Jan 6 committee chairman says criminal referrals are ‘done'

15:46 , Johanna Chisholm

Rep Bennie Thompson, the chairman of the House select committee investigating the January 6, 2021, insurrection, told a group of reporters on Thursday that criminal referrals are “done” and that the panel is working to get their report to the printers by noon today ahead of its 21 December release to the public.

“A @January6thCmte update, courtesy of @BennieGThompson, who tells reporters they’re trying to get their report to the printer by noon today, referrals are “done” and we’ll get just about everything on Monday - just probably not transcripts, etc.,” tweeted NBC News reporter Garrett Haake.

A day earlier, the committee said that it was planning to hold its final public meeting on Monday, as the pressure mounts on the panel to file its findings before the year is out as Republicans are expected to dissolve the committee when they take over the chamber in the next Congress.

Donald Trump shares his own polls as national ones reveal 7-year low approval ratings

15:23 , Johanna Chisholm

A national poll released Wednesday found that Donald Trump’s favourability rating has dropped to its lowest level since 2015, marking a seven-year low for the former president who just last month launched his bid for 2024.

In an effort to perhaps pushback on that headline grabbing survey, alongside one from the Wall Street Journal that found that that Florida Governor Ron DeSantis is outpacing the one-term president among likely GOP primary voters in a hypothetical 2024 matchup, Mr Trump began sharing his own polling results on Truth Social which painted an entirely different picture.

The survey asked 480 people, according to the screenshot of the results, if the Republican primary were held today, how they would vote between the two candidates, Gov DeSantis and Mr Trump. Mr Trump’s polling found that 58 per cent of GOP voters would cast their ballot for the former president in the Republican primary while 36 per cent would give their support to the Florida governor.

In other results from the poll, it asked people surveyed if Donald Trump were the Republican candidate in 2024, would voters strongly support his candidacy or strongly oppose.

Watch: Donald Trump shares bizarre ‘superhero’ video teasing next announcement

15:05 , Johanna Chisholm

ICYMI: Trump Organization trial juror lifts lid on deliberations and reveals why panel voted to convict

14:45 , Johanna Chisholm

A New Yorker who sat on the jury that found two Trump Organization companies guilty of criminal tax fraud has revealed how the panel referred to the former president as “Joe Smith” during deliberations.

The unnamed jurist told the Daily Beast that they had coined the pseudonym to avoid feelings of bias against Donald Trump.

“I constantly fought my knee-jerk belief that of course anything with the name Trump on it is crooked,” the juror told the Daily Beast.

After a six-week trial in Manhattan, the jury took just two days to convict the Trump Corporation, the Trump Payroll Corporation, and the Trump Organization’s long-time chief financial officer, Allen Weisselberg, of a 15-year scheme to defraud tax atuhorities by failing to report payroll taxes for top executives.

Bevan Hurley has the full report here.

Trump Organization trial juror reveals why panel voted to convict

Trump labels the US a ‘mess’ ahead of surprise announcement

14:25 , Johanna Chisholm

Donald Trump posted on his preferred social media platform of choice, Truth Social, on Thursday morning ahead of what he’s described as his “major announcement”.

“This country is a MESS,” wrote the former president, while re-truthing a post from days before that incorrectly claimed that the 2020 election was stolen.

Michael Flynn speculates that Trump’s ‘major announcement’ is Speaker bid

14:05 , Johanna Chisholm

Michael Flynn, a former national security adviser in the Trump administration, waxed on Truth Social on Wednesday night that his former boss’s “major announcement” on Thursday could be tied to the Speaker race.

While re-Truthing a post from someone who had also speculated about the 45th president throwing his name in the race for House Speaker, in which they claimed, “nothing prevents the Speaker of the House/Temporary President from being a candidate for President and having his name on the ballot when the new election is held,” Mr Flynn wrote back: “Why not? if there is one thing sorely lacking, it is honest authentic and fiercely independent leadership lacking across all of the federal government.”

Roger Stone expresses enthusiasm for Trump making a bid for Speaker in lead up to ‘big' announcement

13:45 , Johanna Chisholm

Roger Stone, the onetime political ally and strategist for Donald Trump, threw his support behind the former president should he decide to announce his bid for Speaker.

“Wouldn’t it be GREAT if Donald Trump announced he was running for Speaker of the House tomorrow?” tweeted Mr Stone from his recently reinstated account late Wednesday night.

On Wednesday, the former president released a bizarre video in which he teased a “big announcement” being made on Thursday, without providing details or context as to what it would be about.

Mr Stone speculated, and perhaps even hoped, that said announcement could be for the 45th president announcing that he intends to run for speaker of the House, despite Rep Kevin McCarthy being the clear frontrunner in the race since Republicans flipped the chamber in the November midterms.

More than half of Americans believe Trump should be disqualified from 2024 ballot over Constitution remarks

13:25 , Johanna Chisholm

Earlier this month, former US President Donald Trump stunned Americans - yet again - when he made the unprecedented remark on social media that he believed part of the Constitution should be terminated as he continued to relitigate the results of the 2020 election.

“A Massive Fraud of this type and magnitude allows for the termination of all rules, regulations, and articles, even those found in the Constitution,” wrote Mr Trump on Truth Social, as he repeated his previously debunked claims of election fraud. “Our great ‘Founders’ did not want, and would not condone, False & Fraudulent Elections!”

Those remarks earned him a verbal lashing from his critics and even some members of his own party, but it appears that more than half of Americans believe that the repercussions should be taken one step further.

In a recent poll from Quinnipiac University, released Wednesday, it found that 51 per cent of registered voters think the twice-impeached president’s comment earlier this month should boot his name off the ballot in 2024. Forty per cent said they believe the remarks shouldn’t disqualify him from launching his third attempt for president, a campaign effort that was officialised last month.

When broken down by party affiliation, 86 per cent of Democratic voters and 52 per cent of independent voters said they believe he should be disqualified over his remarks, while just 17 per cent of Republicans agreed.

ICYMI: Jan 6 committee will hold final public meeting and publish report next week

13:05 , Johanna Chisholm

The congressional committee investigating the January 6 insurrection by Donald Trump’s supporters will hold its final public meeting next week, according to its chair.

Representative Bennie Thompson says that the House select committee will hold the meeting on Monday 19 December and that its final report will be published on 21 December.

Jan 6 committee will hold final public meeting and publish report next week,

Trump hits 7-year low in new national poll as Joe Biden's approval climbs

12:46 , Johanna Chisholm

In yet another sign of the times and perhaps an indicator that Donald Trump’s popularity within the American zeitgeist might be waning, a new national poll shows that the 45th president’s popularity among voters has hit its lowest point in over seven years.

The poll, released Wednesday from Quinnipiac University, showed that just 31 per cent of registered voters surveyed hold a favourable opinion of the twice-impeached president, with 59 per cent holding an unfavourable view.

Those poll results, coming just one month after the former president launched his 2024 campaign for the White House, represent the lowest rating he’s received since July 2015, when he launched his first and only successful campaign for the Oval Office, Quinnipiac reported.

For independent voters, the one-term president fared even worse, collecting just 25 per cent of voters with a favourable opinion of him, while 62 per cent held an unfavourable view.

Republicans, however, maintained a majority favourable view of Mr Trump, with 70 per cent holding a favourable opinion and only 20 per cent saying they saw him in an unfavourable light.

Still, Quinnipiac reported, those figures represent the lowest opinion that the former president’s own party has held of him since March 2016.

The new national polling arrives alongside a survey from the Wall Street Journal which found that Florida Governor Ron DeSantis is outpacing Mr Trump among likely GOP primary voters in a hypothetical 2024 matchup.

According to the survey of 1,500 respondents, Mr Trump trails his onetime follower by 14 points, and also lags behind him in popularity.

Rep Adam Kinzinger says Trump is ‘guilty of a crime’

12:25 , Johanna Chisholm

Rep Adam Kinzinger, one of two Republicans who sit on the January 6 House Select committee investigating the violent insurrection on the Capitol, told CNN during an exclusive interview that he “absolutely” believes that Donald Trump is guilty of a crime.

“On a personal basis, but not speaking for the committee ... do you think that Donald Trump has committed a prosecutable crime related to January 6?” asked CNN host Jake Tapper.

“Look, I have to caveat it with that I am not a Justice Department official, they have different levels of standards. I think he’s guilty of a crime,” said the Republican congressman from Illinois. “He knew what he did, we’ve made that clear. He knew what was happening prior to January 6. He pressured the Justice Department officials to say, ‘just say the election was stolen’.”

Watch the full clip of the interview below.

Eric Trump, Donald Trump Jr and Candace Owens paid $137,000 for brief speeches at Kentucky governor candidate rally

12:05 , Johanna Chisholm

Back in the spring, Republican Kentucky candidate for governor and a self-described “legal outlaw” Eric Deters held a right-wing rally labelled the “Freedom Fest”, attracting central figures from the MAGA movement - including the former president’s own sons.

Reporting from Joe Sonka with the Courier Journal recently uncovered that those minutes-long speeches delivered by Eric Trump and Donald Trump Jr - with the former’s address lasting for about 11 minutes while the later topped out at just 16 minutes - led to the pair taking home a whopping pay cheque for more than a $100,000 combined.

“Looks looks Eric Deters paid Candace Owens, Eric Trump and Trump Jr. $137k to give brief speeches at his “freedom fest” rally this summer. What a bargain, but I guess that’s what friends are for,” tweeted Mr Sonka while sharing pictures of the cheque that was allegedly cut to the group of MAGA loyalists.

The Daily Beast had reported on the seemingly controversial decision for the former president’s sons to headline at Freedom Fest last spring, highlighting how it seemed disloyal for the two Trumps to stump for the Republican candidate for governor when their own father had endorsed Mr Deter’s rival in the primary - Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron.

The Kentucky gubernatorial race is set to take place on 7 November 2023, with the primaries for both the Republican and Democratic candidates taking place on 16 May.

Eric Trump claims that its ‘unfair’ how he’s been treated by the media

11:45 , Johanna Chisholm

Eric Trump, Donald Trump’s second oldest son, took to the airwaves on Wednesday night to vent his frustration to how he’s been treated by the media, claiming that the critiques he’s received have been “unfair” given how much he purports to have done for the country.

“Contributed tens of millions of dollars to the US economy, hires thousands of American workers every single year, lives an honest life. No drugs, no nonsense,” he said during an appearance on Newsmax, first shared by Twitter sleuth Ron Filipkowski.

White House casts doubt on claims that Trump administration tried to free Paul Whelan

11:23 , Johanna Chisholm

The Biden administration is pushing back on claims by ex-Trump administration figures who have suggested Russia was willing to release former US Marine Paul Whelan before President Joe Biden was elected in 2020.

Mr Whelan has been held captive by Russia since 28 December 2018, when he was arrested on what officials there said were charges of espionage. Although members of Mr Whelan’s family were able to secure at least one meeting with Mr Trump’s then-national security adviser, John Bolton, in mid-2019, the former president never once mentioned Mr Whelan’s name during his time in office and Trump administration officials never made any concerted public push to draw attention to Mr Whelan’s plight or call for him to be freed.

On Tuesday, Mr Trump’s final national security adviser, Robert O’Brien, told The Hill that he felt his Russian counterpart had committed to freeing Mr Whelan and another US Marine Corps veteran held in Russia, Trevor Reed, in exchange for the scheduling of future summits between American and Russian leaders. He further claimed that the offer was rescinded after Mr Trump lost the 2020 election to Mr Biden.

Asked about those claims by The Independent, National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby said he had no “visibility” into conversations between Moscow and the previous administration, but said the Biden administration had never had any indication that freeing Mr Whelan had ever been on the table.

Andrew Feinberg has the details here in his conversation with National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby.

White House casts doubt on claims that Trump administration tried to free Paul Whelan

Trump Organization was held in contempt of court at secret trial

10:45 , Oliver O'Connell

The Trump Organization was held in contempt of court last year at a secret trial, according to a report.

The New York Times reported that a newly unsealed court document released on Tuesday revealed information about the one-day contempt trial.

The trial was held after prosecutors with the Manhattan district attorney’s office requested that the company be punished for “willfully disobeying” four grand jury subpoenas and three court orders.

Trump Organization was held in contempt of court after losing secret trial

Intel analyst tried to stop Jan 6 attack, report says

09:45 , Oliver O'Connell

A domestic terrorism intelligence analyst tried to prevent the January 6 attack on the US Capitol after accidentally stumbling across plans for it online, according to a report.

The analyst, who worked for the Department of Homeland Security, had gone online to look at fishing spots near Washington DC and instead uncovered a pro-Trump plot to execute members of Congress and prevent the certification of Joe Biden’s win, reported Yahoo! News.

Graeme Massie has the story.

Intel analyst tried to stop Jan 6 attack after stumbling across online plans

Watch: Trump shares bizarre ‘superhero’ video

07:45 , Oliver O'Connell

Donald Trump shares bizarre ‘superhero’ video teasing next announcement

CNN poll: Trump has lowest favourability since being elected president

05:45 , Oliver O'Connell

While CNN’s latest poll shows President Joe Biden’s popularity has improved, with his favourability standing at 42 per cent, up from this summer’s low of 36 per cent, there has been no such shift for former President Donald Trump.

Just 31% in the new poll rate him positively, the smallest share to do so since before he was elected president, while 60% hold an unfavorable view. And a broad majority say they see Trump’s views and policies as too extreme – 68% say so, including 45% of Republicans and Republican-leaning independents – while only 32% see the former president as generally mainstream.

Support for Trump among GOP voters declined throughout 2022

04:45 , Oliver O'Connell

CNN’s latest poll also reports that support for former President Trump has been declining throughout 2022. In January 50 per cent of Republican-aligned voters hoped he would be the party’s nominee in 2024. That fell to 44 per cent in July and 38 per cent now.

There were steep drops in support for Mr Trump among Republicans over 65 (55 per cent down to 37 per cent), white voters with college degrees (31 per cent down to 16 per cent), and people who describe themselves as very conservative (65 per cent 42 per cent).

Little appetite for Biden-Trump 2024 rematch

03:45 , Oliver O'Connell

A new poll from CNN and SSRS shows there is little appetite among registered voters for a Joe Biden v Donald Trump rematch in 2024.

The majority of voters in each party want to see someone new nominated for the next election cycle.

About 6 in 10 Republicans and Republican-leaning independents say they want their party to nominate someone other than former President Donald Trump in 2024 (62%), while a similar 59% of Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents say they’d like to see someone other than President Joe Biden at the top of their ticket in the next presidential election.

The poll found that when pressed, a majority of those who want a new candidate would still vote for either Mr Biden or Mr Trump if they were the nominee.

Trump teases ‘major announcement’ on Thursday

02:45 , Oliver O'Connell

Donald Trump shared a bizarre video depicting himself as a “superhero” on his social media platform Truth Social in which he teased a “major announcement”.

The announcement is set to be made on Thursday, 15 December, according to the video posted by the former president on Wednesday.

Trump shares bizarre video teasing ‘major announcement’

US sues Arizona over shipping containers on Mexico border

01:45 , Oliver O'Connell

The US government sued Arizona Governor Doug Ducey and the state on Wednesday over the placement of shipping containers as a barrier on the border with Mexico, saying it is trespassing on federal lands.

The complaint filed in US District Court comes three weeks before the Republican governor steps aside for Democratic Governor-elect Katie Hobbs, who has said she opposes the construction.

US sues Arizona over shipping containers on Mexico border

Hutchinson says Trump worst choice for GOP in 2024

Wednesday 14 December 2022 23:45 , Oliver O'Connell

Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson, who is considering running for president, on Tuesday called a third Donald Trump White House bid the “worst scenario” for Republicans and said his call for terminating parts of the Constitution hurts the country.

In an interview with The Associated Press, Hutchinson said he planned to make a decision early next year on whether to seek the Republican presidential nomination. Hutchinson, 72, leaves office in January after serving eight years as Arkansas’ governor.

The AP Interview: Hutchinson says Trump worst choice for GOP

Jan 6 committee to hold final meeting and publish report next week

Wednesday 14 December 2022 22:45 , Oliver O'Connell

The congressional committee investigating the January 6 insurrection by Donald Trump’s supporters will hold its final public meeting next week, according to its chair.

Representative Bennie Thompson says that the House select committee will hold the meeting on Monday 19 December and that its final report will be published on 21 December.

Graeme Massie reports.

Jan 6 committee will hold final public meeting and publish report next week,

Who has their sights set on the White House in 2024?

Wednesday 14 December 2022 22:15 , Oliver O'Connell

With less than two years remaining until US voters will decide who will serve as president of the United States from January 2025 to January 2029, former Republican government officials are starting to jockey for position in the coming fight for the 2024 GOP presidential nomination, while at least one prominent Democrat (California governor Gavin Newsom) has reportedly pledged not to challenge President Joe Biden in a Democratic primary.

As the 2024 campaign takes shape, here are the names you need to know:

Who is running for president in 2024?

Trump Organization lost secret trial

Wednesday 14 December 2022 21:45 , Oliver O'Connell

The Trump Organization was held in contempt of court last year at a secret trial, according to a report.

The New York Times reported that a newly unsealed court document released on Tuesday revealed information about the one-day contempt trial.

Sravasti Dasgupta reports.

Trump Organization was held in contempt of court after losing secret trial

White House responds to revelation of text from GOP lawmaker to Mark Meadows

Wednesday 14 December 2022 21:15 , Oliver O'Connell

Three days before President Joe Biden’s inauguration, Republican US Rep Ralph Norman texted then-White House chief of staff Mark Meadows to urge Donald Trump to “declare marshall [sic] law” in an apparent attempt to keep him in office.

Alex Woodward has the story.

White House responds to ‘disgusting’ text from GOP lawmaker to Mark Meadows

DeSantis rises as GOP voters soured on Trump

Wednesday 14 December 2022 20:45 , Oliver O'Connell

Republican voters have soured on former president Donald Trump following a disappointing midterm election for the GOP, with Florida Governor Ron DeSantis holding a significant lead in a hypothetical head-to-head primary matchup, a new Wall Street Journal poll has found.

Andrew Feinberg reports.

GOP voters have soured on Trump as DeSantis rises, poll finds

Trump Organization trial juror lifts lid on deliberations

Wednesday 14 December 2022 20:15 , Oliver O'Connell

A New Yorker who sat on the jury that found two Trump Organization companies guilty of criminal tax fraud has revealed how the panel referred to the former president as “Joe Smith” during deliberations.

The unnamed jurist told the Daily Beast that they had coined the pseudonym to avoid feelings of bias against Donald Trump.

Bevan Hurley reports.

Trump Organization trial juror reveals why panel voted to convict

Doubt cast on claims that Trump administration tried to free Paul Whelan

Wednesday 14 December 2022 19:45 , Oliver O'Connell

The Biden administration is pushing back on claims by ex-Trump administration figures who have suggested Russia was willing to release former US Marine Paul Whelan before President Joe Biden was elected in 2020.

Andrew Feinberg reports from Washington, DC.

White House casts doubt on claims that Trump administration tried to free Paul Whelan

CNN poll: Trump has lowest favourability since being elected president

Wednesday 14 December 2022 19:15 , Oliver O'Connell

While CNN’s latest poll shows President Joe Biden’s popularity has improved, with his favourability standing at 42 per cent, up from this summer’s low of 36 per cent, there has been no such shift for former President Donald Trump.

Just 31% in the new poll rate him positively, the smallest share to do so since before he was elected president, while 60% hold an unfavorable view. And a broad majority say they see Trump’s views and policies as too extreme – 68% say so, including 45% of Republicans and Republican-leaning independents – while only 32% see the former president as generally mainstream.

Support for Trump among GOP voters declined throughout 2022

Wednesday 14 December 2022 18:45 , Oliver O'Connell

CNN’s latest poll also reports that support for former President Trump has been declining throughout 2022. In January 50 per cent of Republican-aligned voters hoped he would be the party’s nominee in 2024. That fell to 44 per cent in July and 38 per cent now.

There were steep drops in support for Mr Trump among Republicans over 65 (55 per cent down to 37 per cent), white voters with college degrees (31 per cent down to 16 per cent), and people who describe themselves as very conservative (65 per cent 42 per cent).

Little appetite for Biden-Trump 2024 rematch

Wednesday 14 December 2022 18:15 , Oliver O'Connell

A new poll from CNN and SSRS shows there is little appetite among registered voters for a Joe Biden v Donald Trump rematch in 2024.

The majority of voters in each party want to see someone new nominated for the next election cycle.

About 6 in 10 Republicans and Republican-leaning independents say they want their party to nominate someone other than former President Donald Trump in 2024 (62%), while a similar 59% of Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents say they’d like to see someone other than President Joe Biden at the top of their ticket in the next presidential election.

The poll found that when pressed, a majority of those who want a new candidate would still vote for either Mr Biden or Mr Trump if they were the nominee.

Trump teases ‘major announcement’ with bewildering video

Wednesday 14 December 2022 17:45 , Oliver O'Connell

It’s been about a month since his low-energy 2024 announcement. Maybe this a second attempt at capturing the base’s attention?

Trump shares bizarre video teasing ‘major announcement’

Schiff: Facebook must uphold Trump ban

Wednesday 14 December 2022 17:15 , Andrew Naughtie

Donald Trump has yet to take advantage of his reinstatement to Twitter, seemingly because he would rather double down on promoting his own platform, Truth Social. But he may yet have a chance to return to Facebook if its time-limited ban on him is not renewed in the next few weeks.

January 6 committee member Adam Schiff is raising the alarm about what might happen if parent company Meta allows the former president to start posting again:

Trump trails “major announcement” with laser-eyed superhero avatar

Wednesday 14 December 2022 16:45 , Oliver O'Connell

Having fallen flat with his announcement of a new presidential campaign last month, Donald Trump is now trailing a “major announcement” tomorrow, sharing a video on Truth Social that depicts him as a musclebound suited superhero with laser eyes – but offering no indication what he might be about to announce.

Mr Trump has a record of either postponing genuinely major announcements at the last minute or framing predictable or inconsequential events as “major” in hopes of attracting more positive attention, so it is unclear what he might be planning and whether it will in fact ever become clear.

DeSantis tops Trump in 2024 poll

Wednesday 14 December 2022 16:20 , Andrew Naughtie

Republican voters have soured on former president Donald Trump following a disappointing midterm election for the GOP, with Florida Governor Ron DeSantis holding a significant lead in a hypothetical head-to-head primary matchup, a new Wall Street Journal poll has found.

The survey of 1,500 respondents found Mr Trump trailing Mr DeSantis by a margin of 52 per cent to 38 per cent among voters who self-identified as likely to vote in a Republican primary in 2024.

Mr DeSantis also holds an advantage over Mr Trump when it comes to favourability among the general public, with 43 per cent of registered voters saying they view him favourably, compared with just 36 per cent who say the same about the twice-impeached ex-president.

Andrew Feinberg reports.

GOP voters have soured on Trump as DeSantis rises, poll finds

Congressman who called for “marshall law” before Jan 6 only regrets misspelling it

Wednesday 14 December 2022 15:45 , Andrew Naughtie

GOP Congressman Ralph Norman was revealed this week to have texted Mark Meadows, Donald Trump’s last White House chief of staff, demanding that “marshall law” be imposed to avert a Biden presidency.

Now, HuffPost reports that despite the ensuing outcry, Mr Norman is only embarrassed by his garbled typing.

The Biden administration has condemned Mr Norman’s text. “Plotting against the rule of law and to subvert the will of the people is a disgusting affront to our deepest principles as a country,” White House deputy press secretary Andrew Bates said in a statement. “We all, regardless of party, need to stand up for mainstream values and the Constitution, against dangerous, ultra MAGA conspiracy theories and violent rhetoric.”

Read more from Alex Woodward:

White House responds to ‘disgusting’ text from GOP lawmaker to Mark Meadows

ICYMI: The Trump Organization’s secret court defeat

Wednesday 14 December 2022 15:15 , Andrew Naughtie

The Trump Organization was held in contempt of court last year at a secret trial, according to a report.

The New York Times reported that a newly unsealed court document released on Tuesday revealed information about the one-day contempt trial.

The trial was held after prosecutors with the Manhattan district attorney’s office requested that the company be punished for “willfully disobeying” four grand jury subpoenas and three court orders.

The report added that the judicial order dated 8 December 2021, was unsealed by the judge who presided over the tax fraud trial of the Trump Organization, which ended last week with the conviction of the company.

Sravasti Dasgupta reports.

Trump Organization was held in contempt of court after losing secret trial

Jan 6 committee withdraws Roger Stone subpoena

Wednesday 14 December 2022 14:45 , Andrew Naughtie

As it wraps up its work and prepares for possible criminal referrals to the Department of Justice, the January 6 select committee is withdrawing subpoenas it issued to key players in the insurrection who have refused to testify to investigators.

Among those no longer facing a demand to testify is longtime extremist Republican operative Roger Stone, whose associations with the Proud Boys in particular have drawn the committee’s interest. The subpoena may have been pulled, but given his closeness both to the Trump inner circle and violent groups present on the day of the attack, he is expected to figure in the Justice Department’s separate January 6 investigation.

Poll gives DeSantis lead over Trump

Wednesday 14 December 2022 14:15 , Andrew Naughtie

A new poll released by the Wall Street Journal has a topline finding that will surely enrage Donald Trump: Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has for the first time apparently pulled ahead in the Republican 2024 primary stages, beating the former president by 52 to 38 among likely GOP primary voters.

Mr DeSantis also boasts an 86 per cent approval rating among the same group, as opposed to Mr Trump’s 74 per cent.

US Capitol Police officer who testified at Jan 6 hearing resigns

Wednesday 14 December 2022 13:45 , Andrew Naughtie

A US Capitol police officer is resigning, seeking to continue recovering both “physically and mentally” from the trauma of the January 6 insurrection at the US Capitol in 2021.

“It is with immense sadness that I announce my formal separation from the Department effective December 17, 2022 to continue to focus on healing, both physically and mentally, from injuries I sustained in the line of duty on January 6, 2021,” US Capitol police sergeant Aquilino Gonell wrote in a letter to his superiors.

“After speaking with my orthopedic doctor, my mental health providers, and my family, I think it’s in my best interest to take time off away from the daily reminders that keep re-triggering my trauma,” he added.

Josh Marcus reports.

Capitol police officer injured in January 6 resigns to allow healing ‘mentally’

Elaine Chao says she won’t respond to Trump’s racist attack on her

Wednesday 14 December 2022 13:15 , Andrew Naughtie

Former Trump administration Secretary of Transportation Elaine Chao has said she won’t respond to the racist name-calling the former president engaged in during a rant aimed at Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell.

Graig Graziosi reports.

Trump’s transport secretary says she won’t respond to his racist attack on her

Oath Keepers: Report says hundreds of people on leaked member list worked for Homeland Security

Wednesday 14 December 2022 12:45 , Oliver O'Connell

A membership list for a far-right anti-government militia group, whose leader and several members have been convicted of seditious conspiracy against the US, includes current or former employees of the US Department of Homeland Security, the federal agency tasked with defending the nation against extremist groups.

A report from the Project on Government Oversight and the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project discovered more than 300 people previously or currently employed by the DHS listed on a membership list for the Oath Keepers.

Alex Woodward has the details.

Hundreds of people on leaked Oath Keepers member list worked for DHS, report finds

House GOP deny far-right links to mass shooter and Pelosi attacker in spite of evidence

Wednesday 14 December 2022 12:15 , Andrew Naughtie

The House Judiciary Committee has concluded a seven-part series of hearings on white supremacist violence and far-right antidemocratic threats in the US, with hours of testimony addressing the scope and scale of white nationalism, political violence, and threats to LGBT+ people.

After Democratic chair Jamie Raskin (who also sits on the January 6 committee) made plain that “the threats have not subsided at all and are very much still with us today”, his GOP colleague Andy Biggs falsely claimed that the racist gunman who carried out a massacre at a grocery store in Buffalo this year was “an admitted socialist”. Another Republican, Byron Donalds, claimed that the Democrats are trying to link white supremacism to right-wing politics for their own cynical ends.

Alex Woodward reports on the committee’s final hearing before Republican lawmakers take majority control of the House.

House Republicans deny far-right links to racist Buffalo massacre

Jan 6 rioter who assaulted police officers gets five years in prison

Wednesday 14 December 2022 11:45 , The Associated Press

A Tennessee man who authorities say came to Washington ahead of the Jan. 6, 2021, riot prepared for violence in a car full of weapons and assaulted officers who were trying to defend the Capitol was sentenced Friday to more than five years behind bars.

Ronald Sandlin, 35, of Millington, Tennessee, pleaded guilty in September to conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding and assaulting, resisting, or impeding officers.

Two other men were separately each sentenced Friday to four years in prison Friday for their actions connected to the riot.

Rioter who assaulted cops at Capitol gets 5 years in prison

Trump Organization lost secret 2021 contempt trial

Wednesday 14 December 2022 11:24 , Andrew Naughtie

The Trump Organisation was held in contempt of court last year at a secret trial, according to a report.

The New York Times reported that a newly unsealed court document released on Tuesday revealed information about the one-day contempt trial.

The trial was held after prosecutors with the Manhattan district attorney’s office requested that the company be punished for “willfully disobeying” four grand jury subpoenas and three court orders.

The report added that the judicial order dated 8 December 2021, was unsealed by the judge who presided over the tax fraud trial of the Trump Organisation, which ended last week with the conviction of the company.

Sravasti Dasgupta has more.

Trump Organisation was held in contempt of court in 2021 after losing secret trial

McConnell hits out at Trump’s midterm picks when asked about ‘candidate quality’

Wednesday 14 December 2022 10:45 , Oliver O'Connell

Mitch McConnell has hit out at Donald Trump and claimed that “candidate quality” led to the GOP’s poor performance in November’s midterm elections.

The Senate minority leader blamed the former president’s endorsements in 2022 primaries for defeats in important swing states last month.

Mr McConnell made the acerbic comments during his weekly press conference after being asked if he would play a more active role in identifying candidates in 2024.

Graeme Massie reports.

Mitch McConnell hits out at Trump’s midterm picks and blames ‘candidate quality’

Biden signs Respect for Marriage Act, repealing 1996 anti-LGBT+ law

Wednesday 14 December 2022 09:45 , Oliver O'Connell

More than a quarter-century after Congress enacted a federal ban on recognising marriages between two people of the same sex, President Joe Biden has signed into law bipartisan legislation guaranteeing same-sex married couples and interracial married couples the right to be treated as legally-married spouses in all 50 states.

Andrew Feinberg reports for The Independent from the White House.

Biden signs Respect for Marriage Act, repealing 1996 anti-LGBT+ law