Donald Trump is facing a fresh storm of criticism following a report that he once said he needed “the kind of generals that Adolf Hitler had.”
“I need the kind of generals that Hitler had,” the Republican presidential nominee allegedly declared, according to The Atlantic. “People who were totally loyal to him, that follow orders.”
The claim has been vehemently denied by Trump’s campaign.
Trump’s former chief of staff John Kelly also told The New York Times that the former president praised Hitler multiple times, warning that the GOP candidate meets the definition of a fascist.
Kamala Harris meanwhile took part in an interview with NBC News on Tuesday night and will follow that with a CNN town hall with Anderson Cooper in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, today taking questions from undecided swing state voters as Trump campaigns in Georgia and JD Vance visits Nevada.
The Republican’s White House predecessor Barack Obama was joined on stage by Eminem in Detroit, Michigan, last night as the duo campaigned for Harris.
The rapper introduced Obama, who repaid the favor by reciting the lyrics to his hit track “Lose Yourself.”
Key Points
- Donald Trump reportedly said he needs ‘the kind of generals that Hitler had’
- Trump on murdered soldier: ‘It doesn’t cost $60k to bury a f***ing Mexican!’
- Eminem introduces Barack Obama at Kamala Harris rally in Detroit
- Fiery Harris says electing her is key to US ‘moving on’ from Trump
- Tim Walz attacks ‘dips***’ Elon Musk as Trump’s ‘running mate’
Tim Walz voted in Minnesota this morning
16:25
Oliver O'Connell
Kamala Harris’s running mate Governor Tim Walz voted in St Paul, Minnesota this morning. He was joined at the Ramsey Government Center by his wife Gwen Walz and their son Gus, who is voting for the first time, NBC News reports.
“To have my son with me, Gus, to vote for the first time, exciting, an opportunity to turn the page on the chaos of Donald Trump and a new way forward,” the Democratic vice presidential nominee said after he voted.
Early voting began in St Paul on September 20.
The governor also took the opportunity to talk to the press about John Kelly’s comments regarding Donald Trump being a fascist.
MOMENTS AGO: Gov. Tim Walz speaks after voting early this morning and addresses John Kelly's comments about former President Trump. pic.twitter.com/yhfY3qEKeW
— MSNBC (@MSNBC) October 23, 2024
Mapped: Where is abortion on the ballot?
16:20
Oliver O'Connell
This story is part of an investigative series and new documentary, The A-Word, by The Independent examining the state of abortion access and reproductive care in the US after the fall of Roe v Wade.
As voters across the United States head to the polls on November 5, some citizens will have a crucial question to consider as they fill out their ballots: Should their states protect the right to an abortion?
Alicja Hagopian looks at where voters will have a chance to protect reproductive rights this November.
Former aide to Gen John Kelly implores voters to listen to warning about Trump
16:12
Andrew Feinberg
A former top aide to Gen John Kelly is defending his former boss and says voters should listen to what he has to say about former president Donald Trump's unfitness for office.
Kevin Carroll, a retired US Army colonel who served as a senior counselor to Kelly when Kelly was Trump's homeland security secretary, told reporters on a conference call Wednesday that Kelly's choice to speak out against the ex-president is “no small step” for the retired US Marine general.
“He's seen Donald Trump up close in a way that very few other Americans have, and he's warning us that a second Trump term would be dangerous,” he said. “Leaders like General Kelly are warning us that Trump has no empathy, that he's increasingly unstable and unfit, and that he's more extreme than ever. I think we have an obligation to take General Kelly and these other leaders such as Secretary Esper, Secretary Mattis, Chairman Milley, seriously when they say these things.”
Carroll also said Kelly is trying to warn Americans that the “guardrails” that kept Trump from abusing much of his power “won't exist” in a second Trump administration because Trump would prioritize loyalty to him over all else when staffing his second-term staff.
“General Kelly is warning us that Trump is seeking the power to do anything he wants, anytime he wants. Trump is now running to give himself unprecedented, unchecked ... extreme powers. He's surrounding himself with little loyalists and toadies who will green light every one of his wishes, letting him bulldoze the tenants of our democracy and lock up fellow Americans, including sitting members of Congress, whom he calls the enemy within,” he said.
New Harris campaign ad features Capitol Police Sgt Aquilino Gonell slamming Trump over Jan 6
16:07
Oliver O'Connell
The Harris-Walz campaign has launched a new ad in English and Spanish targeting Latino voters called “Real Heroes”.
The ad highlights Donald Trump's failure to take his oath to defend the Constitution seriously, and features former Capitol Police Sergeant Aquilino Gonell slamming the former president for calling January 6 insurrectionists “warriors” while actively insulting those who defended the Capitol.
Watch below:
America’s ‘war on women’: The Independent’s film and investigative series examines reproductive rights post-Roe
16:00
Oliver O'Connell
An investigative series and documentary — The A-Word— from The Independent this week uncovers this “war on women” and the politically volatile debate over the future of critical healthcare for tens of millions of Americans.
Read more and watch the full documentary here:
Fox News host tries to justify Trump allegedly wanting ‘kind of generals that Hitler had’
15:40
Oliver O'Connell
As we have reported, Donald Trump is facing a fresh storm of criticism following a report that he once said he needed “the kind of generals that Adolf Hitler had”. The claim is vehemently denied by the Trump campaign.
“I need the kind of generals that Hitler had,” the Republican presidential nominee allegedly declared, according to The Atlantic. “People who were totally loyal to him, that follow orders.”
Brian Kilmeade, co-host of Fox & Friends, stepped up this morning to try and justify why the former president would want such generals, implying that maybe Trump wanted German generals under Hitler who weren’t Nazis...
Watch below as he explains:
Fox host Brian Kilmeade justifies Trump wanting German generals
— Lis Power (@LisPower1) October 23, 2024
Kilmeade: I can absolutely see him go it'd be great to have German generals that actually do what we ask them to do, maybe not fully being cognizant of the third rail of German generals who were Nazis or whatever pic.twitter.com/6lpjH6foEk
The Lincoln Project posted on X in response: “There's an ‘enemy within’ alright, and it's Americans who will justify any admiration of literal Nazis.”
They added: “Fox is not your friend.”
Comedian Mrs Betty Bowers tweeted: “Wanting the generals who lost the war is such a Donald Trump thing to do.”
Watch: Former Trump aide says John Kelly’s comments on former president should be believed
15:20
Oliver O'Connell
John Kelly, Trump’s longest-serving Chief of Staff, was handpicked for the role. As a decorated retired general & Gold Star father, he is a good, honorable man.
— Sarah Matthews (@SarahAMatthews1) October 23, 2024
If he says Trump praised Hitler, met the definition of a fascist, & would govern like a dictator if allowed—we should… pic.twitter.com/gBPuy5qD4b
House leadership to join Trump at Madison Square Garden rally
15:15
Oliver O'Connell
Punchbowl News reports that Speaker of the House Mike Johnson and other members of the Republican party leadership in the lower chamber of Congress will join former president Donald Trump at his rally this Sunday in Madison Square Garden in New York.
House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, House GOP Conference Chair Elise Stefanik and other GOP lawmakers are also expected to attend the sold out event that will also function as a big fundraiser for the campaign, just nine days out from the election.
Rudy Giuliani ordered to turn over penthouse to defamed election workers
15:05
Joe Sommerlad
“America’s Mayor’s” spectacular fall from grace contines apace.
Alex Woodward has the latest on the consequences Rudy faces for pushing Trump’s big lie.
‘I watched Trump’s audience leave a rally early – and asked them why’
14:45
Joe Sommerlad
Here’s what John Bowden found out from Trump rallygoers in Greenville, North Carolina, this week when he stopped them to ask why they were leaving early.
Lincoln Project attempts to sow discord in Trump campaign with latest ad
14:42
Oliver O'Connell
Speaking of Trump campaign manager Chris LaCivita, here’s anti-Trump conservative group The Lincoln Project with their latest ad calling out the enormous salary he is reportedly earning:
“I’ve got a business proposition for you Donald, you can pay me a mere $15 million and I’ll wreck your campaign even harder,” said Rick Wilson, Co-Founder of the Lincoln Project. “He’s draining you like a cash cow Donald, if only you were with it enough to realize.”
Well, this is awkward...
14:32
Oliver O'Connell
CNN’s KFile has a new report out saying that Donald Trump’s campaign manager Chris LaCivita shared posts in 2021 saying Trump’s lies caused the violence on January 6.
That would be the same campaign manager who is reportedly being paid $22m for the 2024 election cycle.
LaCivita was not alone as a number of conservatives and Republicans broke ranks with the then-president and blamed him for the violence that day.
Among the posts shared by him was the statement condemning the attack on the Capitol issued by former president George W Bush. He also liked a post by former Republican Rep Barbara Comstock of Virginia, who called on the cabinet to remove Trump using the 25th Amendment.
Per CNN:
In a series of reposts on X – formerly Twitter – LaCivita shared comments calling January 6 an “insurrection” that was fueled by Trump’s baseless election lies. Some of those posts have since been deleted from LaCivita’s feed, but CNN was able to review them on the Internet Archive WayBack Machine, which archives internet webpages.
On January 6, 2021, LaCivita reposted several posts that harshly condemned Trump, suggesting that even some of his closest allies once viewed the deadly outcome as a direct result of Trump’s lies.
In a statement to CNN, Lacivita said his likes and retweets on January 6 were not supportive statements.
“Retweets and likes are not endorsements. I’m focused on winning the election two weeks from now, and not distractions from CNN,” he said.
Watch: Obama shocks residents as he walks to post box to cast vote in presidential election
14:25
Joe Sommerlad
Campaign schedule: Who’s doing what where on Wednesday
14:05
Joe Sommerlad
Here’s a look at where the election’s main players will be today (all times ET):
- JD Vance is visiting Las Vegas, Nevada 1pm
- Donald Trump is taking part in a town hall in Zebulon, Georgia 3pm
- Vance in Reno, Nevada 4.30pm
- Tim Walz in Louisville, Kentucky 5pm
- Donald Trump Jr in Queen Creek, Arizona 6pm
- Doug Emoff in Miami, Florida 6.30pm
- Trump rallying in Duluth, Georgia 7pm
- Emoff in Coral Gables, Florida 7.30pm
- Kamala Harris is taking part in a live town hall in Pennsylvania on CNN 9pm
Other things going on today:
- Harris is pre-recording an interview with Telemundo
- Bill Clinton will be in Phoenix, Arizona
- Jill Biden will be in Reno, Nevada
Early voting numbers are in. Here’s why Democrats shouldn’t panic
13:45
Joe Sommerlad
With two weeks to go until the election, early voting is now in full swing in many states.
And that’s led to a fresh outbreak of fretting and nervousness among Democrats, writes John Bowden.
Insiders worry that Harris’s hold on the ‘blue wall’ is slipping
13:25
Joe Sommerlad
Democratic insiders are worrying that Vice President Kamala Harris’s grip on the so-called “blue wall” may be slipping, and with it, the election.
Presidents Barack Obama and Joe Biden got to the White House by winning Wisconsin, Michigan and Pennsylvania, but three people with knowledge of the Harris campaign’s strategy have told NBC News that recent discussions have focused on the possibility that Michigan or Wisconsin may end up in Donald Trump’s win column.
If Harris doesn’t win both Wisconsin and Michigan, she has to pick up one or two other swing states to claim the presidency even if she wins Pennsylvania.
Here’s more from Gustaf Kilander.
McDonald’s where Trump worked fryer is review bombed on Yelp: ‘Senile old man got bronzer on my fries’
13:05
Joe Sommerlad
The Pennsylvania McDonald’s restaurant where Trump worked the fryer for a campaign photo-op on Sunday has been inundated with fake reviews on Yelp in the wake of his stunt.
"Senile old man got bronzer on my fries, didn’t wear gloves,” one person joked, leaving a one-star rating.
“The fries were too salty as if someone who lost a major election had been crying over them for an hour,” another person jested.
Rhian Lubin has more.
Biden says Trump should be ‘locked up’ – then quickly corrects himself
12:45
Joe Sommerlad
The president made the controversial remark at the Democratic Party‘s headquarters in Concord, New Hampshire, on Tuesday as he warned that democracy hangs in the balance as Trump continues to close in on Kamala Harris in the polls.
“I know this sounds bizarre. If I said this five years ago, you’d lock me up,” Biden said, claiming that the Supreme Court’s July presidential immunity ruling would mean Trump, a convicted felon, could “eliminate” his enemies.
“We gotta lock him up,” he said to applause, before leaving a roughly five-second pause and then quickly backtracking.
“Politically, lock him up,” he clarified.
James Liddell has more.
Watch: AOC calls out Trump and Musk for ‘laughing at’ working people
12:25
Joe Sommerlad
The New York congresswoman was not messing around here.
Trump up early with new Harris attack ad
12:05
Joe Sommerlad
See now, if the Republican nominee didn’t stay up late and get up early posting nonsense like this online, he might be less exhausted and not have to cancel so many events.
Harris is a former California attorney general – how likely is it she thinks defunding the police is the answer to anything?
And why would anyone believe in “demoralizing” the police? What end would that serve?
And how would you even go about it – cruel name-calling? Taking their lunch money?
Trump says Obama is ‘exhausted’ and ‘looks old’ at 63
11:45
Joe Sommerlad
“I’m glad they’re bringing him out. The reason they’re bringing him out – because he doesn’t even want to do it. I think he’s exhausted,” Trump said yesterday of his predecessor, a full 15 years younger than him and having the time of his life on stage in Detroit with Eminem.
“I watched him talking. I think the guy’s exhausted.”
That unconvincing attack came just hours after the Republican had scrapped another campaign event, as we’ve just seen.
Rhian Lubin has more.
Trump cancels another event, this time with RFK Jr – hours after labelling Harris ‘lazy as hell’
11:25
Joe Sommerlad
One event the Republican did not take part in yesterday was a planned appearance with Robert F Kennedy Jr and Tulsi Gabbard for a health-focused virtual town hall, with his team citing only “changes in Trump’s schedule”.
The switch-up is the latest in a series of cancelled or rescheduled appearances in recent days, which has fueled reports that the former president, 78, is becoming too “exhausted” to fully campaign in the tight race against Kamala Harris.
The Republican has backed out of planned interviews with CNBC’s Squawk Box, The Shade Room podcast and NBC.
The campaign has pushed back on this narrative, however, calling the exhaustion claim “unequivocally false.”
Josh Marcus reports.
Latino supporters lay hands on Trump and pray for him
11:05
Joe Sommerlad
Before his return to North Carolina on Tuesday, the Republican took part in a Latino roundtable event at Doral in Florida, which took on a queasily religious tone as the attendees reached out for Trump in prayer and called on him to “make America godly again”.
Here’s more from Gustaf Kilander.
Tim Walz attacks ‘dips***’ Elon Musk as Trump’s ‘running mate’
10:45
Joe Sommerlad
Also on rollicking form in Madison, Wisconsin, last night was Harris’s vice presidential nominee, who ripped into Trump and Musk with venom.
Tim Walz: "Being at McDonald's, he looks much more like Ronald McDonald ... and Ronald wears less makeup ... everything about this guy is fake ... next he's gonna be telling you he's a cop or construction worker. Because he dances to the Village People." pic.twitter.com/9NoWiHMAci
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) October 22, 2024
Tim Walz: "He's talking about using the army against folks. We know where that's going." pic.twitter.com/nafSS0MtEn
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) October 22, 2024
His warm-up man, West Wing actor Bradley Whitford, wasn’t bad either.
"What in god's name is happening right now? ... he's a 34 count convicted felon and adjudicated rapist ... he brags about sexual assault. He mocks the disabled " - @BradleyWhitford in Madison warms up for Walz and Obama by making the case against Trump - & he DOES NOT mince words pic.twitter.com/tJRIlK5jCd
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) October 22, 2024
Eric Garcia reports.
Fiery Kamala Harris says electing her is key to US ‘moving on’ from Trump and rejects ‘concessions’ on reproductive rights
10:25
Joe Sommerlad
The Democrat was in no mood to cut deals in her NBC News interview with Hallie Jackson last night, also refusing to blame sexism or racism for preventing her taking a big lead in the polls and insisting the country is “absolutely” ready for a woman of color in the White House.
"Let me tell you what's gonna help us move on: I get elected president of the United States" -- Hallie Jackson asks Kamala Harris if she would considering pardoning Trump but Harris isn't having any of that nonsense pic.twitter.com/or0nc6RyN4
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) October 22, 2024
"Absolutely" -- Kamala Harris to NBC on if America is ready for a woman of color to be president pic.twitter.com/HUViZ7s21H
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) October 22, 2024
NBC: What reproductive rights concessions would be on the table to get Republican votes? Religious exemptions?
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) October 22, 2024
KAMALA HARRIS: I don't think we should be making concessions when we are talking about a fundamental freedom to make decisions about your own body pic.twitter.com/wAPzWBk5IL
Here’s James Liddell on Harris declining to be drawn on whether she would pardon Trump from the Oval Office.
Trump insults rivals and praises Xi Jinping at North Carolina rally
10:05
Joe Sommerlad
This was the Republican nominee on stage in Greensboro yesterday, calling both Kamala Harris and Tim Walz “stupid”, Obama “a jerk”, AOC “a young girl” and also suggesting Harris might be on drugs, in amongst all the usual preposterous scaremongering and false promises about migrants and the economy.
Trump: "If she becomes president of this country, this country's finished." (Translation: He might be going to prison.) pic.twitter.com/iYC149fDwH
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) October 22, 2024
Trump on President Xi: "The fake news hates when I say he's a brilliant man. He runs 1.4 billion people with an iron first ... am I allowed to say he's smart? He's a fierce man. I get along with him very well." pic.twitter.com/UzuXPzb3ac
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) October 22, 2024
Trump, slurring heavily, says Tim Walz is "the stupidest man I've ever seen run for office." pic.twitter.com/G5VbOuO2Mp
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) October 22, 2024
Trump refers to AOC as a "young girl" and calls global warming "nonsense" pic.twitter.com/y1H37JasLQ
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) October 22, 2024
"Does she drink? Is she on drugs? I don't know. I have no idea. shhhhhhhhhhhhh" -- Trump on Kamala Harris pic.twitter.com/kKxUo2SySI
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) October 23, 2024
He also welcomed Tulsi Gabbard aboard as full-on MAGA and forgot how French fries are cooked, despite making a batch himself at a Pensylvania McDonald’s as recently as Sunday.
Trump on his McDonald's stunt: "Those french fries were good. They were right out of the-- they were right out of whatever the hell they make 'em out of."
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) October 23, 2024
(The word he's looking for is "fryer.") pic.twitter.com/mJR7uh7e5H
Trump spoke for almost two hours – exhausting for all concerned.
Trump on murdered soldier: ‘It doesn’t cost $60k to bury a f***ing Mexican!’
09:45
Joe Sommerlad
The Hitler remark wasn’t the only shocking line in that Atlantic piece.
Trump also reportedly declared that “it doesn’t cost 60,000 bucks to bury a f***ing Mexican” after receiving the bill for a murdered soldier’s funeral, which he had previously offered to pay.
Vanessa Guillen, a 20-year-old Army private, was bludgeoned to death in April 2020 by a fellow soldier at Fort Hood in Texas and her burned remains were only discovered two months later.
Following the tragic incident, Trump invited Guillen’s family to the White House, where he described the young woman as a “spectacular person” and said he could help the family out “financially” and with funeral arrangements.
However, in a meeting in December 2020, Trump reportedly flew into a rage after being presented with the invoice for her burial.
Mike Bedigan reports.
Eminem introduces Barack Obama at Kamala Harris rally in Detroit
09:25
Joe Sommerlad
Barack Obama was joined on stage by Eminem as he campaigned for Kamala Harris in Detroit, Michigan, on Tuesday.
The rapper introduced Obama, who repaid the favor by reciting the lyrics to “Lose Yourself”.
Rapper Eminem introduces former President Barack Obama at a Detroit rally for Vice President Kamala Harris. pic.twitter.com/SGURWEGAMw
— MSNBC (@MSNBC) October 23, 2024
Eminem and Obama in new photo. pic.twitter.com/a4MTuWq22T
— Pop Base (@PopBase) October 23, 2024
You can see the big moment for yourself below.
Donald Trump reportedly said he needs ‘the kind of generals that Hitler had’
09:05
Joe Sommerlad
The Republican presidential nominee is facing a fresh storm of criticism after it was reported that he once said he needed “the kind of generals that Adolf Hitler had”, according to a new report in The Atlantic citing two people who claim to have heard him say it at the White House.
“I need the kind of generals that Hitler had,” Trump allegedly declared.
“People who were totally loyal to him, that follow orders.”
The claim has been vehemently denied by Trump’s campaign but comes hot on the heels of his former chief of staff John Kelly telling The New York Times that the former president meets the definition of a fascist and will govern as a dictator if re-elected.
Kelly on tape saying Trump praised Hitler multiple times pic.twitter.com/JWZjTwbc4y
— Acyn (@Acyn) October 23, 2024
Here’s Mike Bedigan’s report
Good morning!
08:45
Joe Sommerlad
Hello and welcome to The Independent’s live coverage of the US presidential election, as the race for the White House between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump enters its final days.