Donald Trump is heading back to the venue in Butler, Pennsylvania where he survived an assassination attempt just three months ago.
Billionaire and ardent Trump supporter Elon Musk announced he will be speaking at the rally, marking the first time the Tesla CEO will publicly appear at a campaign event for the former president since he endorsed Trump in July right after the harrowing July 13 incident.
JD Vance, Eric Trump and his wife Lara Trump — the co-chair of the RNC — and other high-profile guests will also be in attendance.
The family of Corey Comperatore, a former fire chief who was killed in the attack, will also attend Saturday’s Butler rally, ABC News reported.
After a series of failures by the Secret Service at the July 13 rally, revealed in a damning Congressional report, the agency has provided a number of security enhancements. Since the harrowing incident, the Secret Service has said it has increased its security presence around Trump so he has the “highest level of security” that the agency provides.
There will be “a large coordinated presence of law enforcement” at the rally, a source in law enforcement familiar with the plan told The Independent.
Key Points
- Trump is heading to Butler, Pennsylvania to hold a rally at the site of his first assassination attempt
- New jobs numbers are very good news for Harris and Biden
- Polls: Who’s ahead in Georgia and Michigan as Trump and Harris visit key states?
- Elon Musk to join Donald Trump as he returns to scene of assassination attempt in Pennsylvania
- Can Kamala Harris beat Donald Trump? Latest poll updates
- Trump is returning to the scene of his assassination attempt — a lot has changed since then
Who will be in attendance at Trump’s Butler rally?
21:45
Kelly Rissman
The 5pm rally at the site of the first assassination attempt against Donald Trump is set to be ‘different’ from the typical Trump rally, his campaign has said.
For one, it will feature a number of “special guests,” according to the campaign.
JD Vance, Trump’s running mate, first took the stage, saying it was “incredible how Trump responded to all of this,” referring to the attempt on Trump’s life.
Elon Musk announced he was speaking at the event.
The former president’s son Eric Trump and his wife Lara, who also co-chairs the RNC, Republican members of Congress, and the family of the man killed at the July 13 rally — Corey Comperatore — will also be present.
You can tune in here.
‘Past his sell-by-date’
21:30
Kelly Rissman
Best-selling author and vocal Trump critic Stephen King has once again called out the former president — this time for refusing to release his medical records.
In 2015, Trump provided a four-paragraph letter from his doctor, who claimed he would be the “healthiest person ever elected to the presidency.” But now, the 78-year-old who would be 82 at the end of his term, should he be re-elected, has still not released his medical records.
Inga Parkel has the full story.
Trump touches down in Butler, Pennsylvania just ahead of rally at site of first assassination attempt against him
21:15
Kelly Rissman
Just landed in Pennsylvania! Butler— @realDonaldTrump is on his way! pic.twitter.com/c7URDxfweH
— Steven Cheung (@TheStevenCheung) October 5, 2024
WATCH: Vietnam vet gives Trump Purple Heart despite ex-president famously dodging service there
21:00
Kelly Rissman
Kamala Harris to appear on ‘Call Her Daddy’ podcast
20:30
Graig Graziosi
Vice President Kamala Harris reportedly sat down for an interview on the Call Her Daddy podcast this week, with the episode set to release sometime next week.
The Democratic presidential candidate’s appearance on the mega popular podcast was confirmed by a campaign spokesperson to Axios, the outlet reports.
Call Her Daddy is Spotify’s second-biggest podcast, coming in just behind the Joe Rogan Experience.
Alex Cooper, the creator and host of Call Her Daddy, recorded her episode with Harris on Tuesday, according to Axios. The outlet reports that the episode will focus on reproductive rights and abortion as well as other issues important to women voters.
Read the full story.
Elon Musk will not only be attending the rally, but speaking at it, he announces
20:00
Kelly Rissman
Headed to Pennsylvania to speak at the @realDonaldTrump rally in Butler!
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) October 5, 2024
Florida is nearing toss-up status: poll
19:29
Kelly Rissman
Donald Trump’s lead in his home state of Florida has dwindled, putting it in play for Kamala Harris, a poll suggests.
The former president leads the vice president by just two percentage points in the Sunshine State, where he has his Mar-a-Lago residence, according to a Thursday survey by Napolitan News Service conducted by RMG Research, which has historically favored Republicans.
There appeared to be stark age and race divides in the poll’s findings.
Read the full story...
WATCH: Megyn Kelly baffled how Harris’s messaging on economy is 'somehow getting through’
18:45
Kelly Rissman
Trump is returning to the scene of his assassination attempt — a lot has changed since then
18:14
Kelly Rissman
Donald Trump is heading back to the Butler, Pennsylvania venue where he survived an assassination attempt three months ago — but the 2024 race has dramatically changed since then.
July 13 — the day that a lone gunman opened fire at the Butler rally, killing one, and injuring others, including the former president — marked a pivotal moment in the highly contested race.
Since then, President Joe Biden dropped out of the race, a heavily scrutinized Secret Service identified its failures and underwent sweeping changes, Trump picked JD Vance as his running mate, enthusiasm for Vice President Kamala Harris grew and Trump lost his lead in the polls, and yet another assassination attempt against Trump unfolded on September 15 at his golf course.
Read the full story...
Who is ahead in swing states?
17:45
Kelly Rissman
Kamala Harris and Donald Trump are neck-and-neck in most swing states, polls show.
The vice president is up by less than a point in Pennsylvania ahead of when Trump is set to return to the site of his assassination attempt on Saturday. Barack Obama is expected to make an appearance at a Harris campaign stop in Pittsburgh next week, which could lend her a boost in the must-win state.
Also on Saturday, Harris is heading to North Carolina to survey the devastation caused by Hurricane Helene. Trump currently has a narrow lead — less than one percentage point — in the battleground state, polls show.
Meanwhile, in Georgia, Trump leads by 1.4 per cent as of October 4, according to FiveThirtyEight. The state recently saw a victory for abortion rights, as a judge ruled that the state’s harsh six-week ban on abortions was unconstitutional. State officials have already appealed the ruling. The decision comes days after it was revealed that two women died in Georgia due to delays in care caused by law’s confusing language.
July 13 shooting victims to be honored at the rally
17:15
Kelly Rissman
Elon Musk and Dave McCormick are expected to attend Trump’s rally in Butler on Saturday evening.
JD Vance will also join Trump.
Corey Comperatore, the former fire chief killed in the harrowing incident, and other victims of the shooting will reportedly be honored at the campaign event.
A reporter posted a photo of the event venue, showing seats reserved for Comperatore’s family, who are expected to be in attendance.
A seat is saved for Corey Comperatore!
— Vanessa Broussard (@VanessaBNews) October 5, 2024
#Butler pic.twitter.com/ZyXzQ8UYTW
ICYMI: Trump breaks silence over abortion rift with Melania
16:45
Kelly Rissman
Trump is returning to site of assassination attempt
16:07
Kelly Rissman
On Saturday, the former president is set to head back to the Butler, Pennsylvania venue where a 20-year-old gunman tried to take his life.
One supporter was killed and two others were injured. Trump left with an ear wound — and a vow to return to the venue in the swing state soon.
His rally will see enhanced security and a cameo from billionaire Elon Musk.
Trump promised to pick up where he left off on July 13. He told a crowd in Erie, Pennsylvania earlier this week: “I think I’ll start the speech by saying, ‘As I was saying.’”
Who’s leading in the polls?
16:00
Alicja Hagopian
In less than 32 days, Vice President Kamala Harris will go head-to-head with Donald Trump as Americans cast their votes in the 2024 election.
In a polling twist, Republican JD Vance has ridden the wave of success from the vice presidential debate against Tim Walz to see a significant boost in his favorability; which was previously at record-low levels.
Meanwhile, Harris maintains a narrow lead over Trump, but a new poll suggests that a growing number of Republicans may vote Democrat next month.
Just 1 percent of voters have said the debate changed their minds about how they will vote. So how will Harris and Trump fare in November?
Here’s the latest.
Another day, another fake celebrity endorsement
15:30
Kelly Rissman
Donald Trump once again shared a false endorsement from a prominent figure on his Truth Social account.
Some may remember how the former president previously posted photos suggesting Taylor Swift had endorsed him.
Now, Trump’s account shared a message saying JPMorgan ChaseCEO Jamie Dimon has endorsed him.
Graig Graziosi has the full story.
Marjorie Taylor Greene says ‘they’ control the weather
15:00
Oliver O'Connell
Is this the sequel to “Jewish Space Lasers”?
Controversial Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene has claimed that a mysterious “they” can control the weather after Hurricane Helene killed more than two dozen people in her state and a total of 200 across the US.
Greene, a Republican from Georgia, made the post on X late Thursday night: “Yes they can control the weather. It’s ridiculous for anyone to lie and say it can’t be done.”
She did not elaborate on who “they” are.
Katie Hawkinson has the story.
Watch: Liz Cheney mocks Trump’s fake tan
14:30
Oliver O'Connell
Nude Trump statue appears again in new city after vanishing in Vegas
14:00
Oliver O'Connell
A 43-foot tall nude effigy of Donald Trump has reportedly reappeared behind a marijuana dispensary in Arizona, after disappearing last week from beside a highway near Las Vegas.
Josh Marcus has the story of Trump on tour...
Coming up today: Elon Musk to join Trump at Butler campaign rally
13:30
Oliver O'Connell
Elon Musk has announced he will join Donald Trump at his rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on Saturday as the Republican presidential candidate returns to the scene of the July assassination attempt for the very first time.
The controversial tech billionaire turned staunch Trump ally announced his attendance in a post on X in the early hours of Friday morning.
“I will be there to support!” he wrote in response to a post from the former president promoting the “historic” event on Saturday.
Joe Sommerlad has the story.
Trump refuses to release medical records
12:30
Oliver O'Connell
Since Donald Trump first emerged on the scene of American politics in 2015, he has refused to provide a glimpse into his medical records.
If Trump, 78, succeeds in November, he will become the oldest person ever to serve as president, ousting the current record-holder, Joe Biden. When his potential second term ends, he will be 82 years old.
Despite his advanced age, Trump has refused to provide any glimpse into his records. When asked about his health in 2015, he provided a four-paragraph letter from his doctor, who claimed he would be the “healthiest person ever elected to the presidency.”
Graig Graziosi has the story.
ICYMI: Liz Cheney dubs Trump ‘petty, vindictive and cruel’ as she campaigns with Harris
11:30
Oliver O'Connell
Vice President Kamala Harris on Thursday stood alongside former Wyoming representative Liz Cheney — one of the most conservative women to ever serve in Congress — to accept her endorsement in this year’s presidential election and warn of the dire consequences of re-electing Donald Trump to the White House.
Andrew Feinberg reports.
10:30
Oliver O'Connell
Citing Trump, Biden says he can’t guarantee election will be peaceful
09:30
Oliver O'Connell
Citing his predecessor’s history of inciting violence, President Joe Biden on Friday warned that he could not guarantee that the coming presidential election and transition period would be a peaceful, as he made his first appearance in the White House press briefing room since taking office 1,353 days ago.
Asked if he has confidence that the 2024 election would be both free and fair as well as peaceful, Biden told reporters he has confidence that the November 5 election will be “free and fair” but he demurred on the latter, citing previous actions by his predecessor, former president Donald Trump.
“The things that Trump has said and the things that he said last time out when he didn’t like the outcome of the election were very dangerous,” Biden said.
Andrew Feinberg reports from Washington, DC.
Democrats fear Netanyahu pushing Middle East war to influence US election
08:30
Oliver O'Connell
Democrats fear Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is escalating tensions in the Middle East in order to influence the outcome of the U.S. election.
This past week, Israel has increased its attack on Lebanon, targeting the Iranian-backed militant group Hezbollah, and vowed to make Iran “pay” for its recent missile attack.
Though the United States supports Israel and provides military aid, the recent escalation appears to be a defiant move against Democratic President Joe Biden who has long desired a ceasefire deal.
Ariana Baio reports.
Why this week’s jobs numbers are very good news for Harris and Biden
07:30
Oliver O'Connell
The US economy added 254,000 jobs in September, blowing past expectations after the Federal Reserve’s announcement that it would slash interest rates, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
The number exceeded expectations from economists. Earlier in the week, ADP projected that the economy added 143,000 jobs in September.
The numbers are a boost to President Joe Biden, who is not seeking re-election. Biden touted the positive numbers in a statement on Friday.
Eric Garcia reports.
Retired New Jersey State Police trooper who stormed Capitol is sentenced to probation
06:30
AP
A retired New Jersey State Police trooper who stormed the U.S. Capitol with a mob of Donald Trump supporters was sentenced to probation instead of prison on Friday, as the federal courts reached a milestone in the punishment of Capitol rioters.
Videos captured Michael Daniele, 61, yelling and flashing a middle finger near police officers guarding the Capitol before he entered the building on Jan. 6, 2021.
Read on...
Republicans in Congress leave Helene victims hanging
04:30
Oliver O'Connell
Eric Garcia writes:
On Thursday evening, Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia tweeted: “Yes they can control the weather. It’s ridiculous for anyone to lie and say it can’t be done.”
This is wholly unsurprising for Greene, the right-wing firebrand and conspiracymonger who once mused about the possibility of Jews controlling space lasers for the purpose of starting wildfires. The more surprising aspect is that it reflects the approach the Republican Party is taking generally to Hurricane Helene: rather than doing its job and offering concrete aid to people suffering from the devastation, GOP lawmakers are devolving into conspiracy theories and, like everything else, fearmongering about undocumented immigrants.
Continue reading...
Nude Trump statue appears again in new city after vanishing in Vegas
03:30
Oliver O'Connell
A 43-foot tall nude effigy of Donald Trump has reportedly reappeared behind a marijuana dispensary in Arizona, after disappearing last week from beside a highway near Las Vegas.
Josh Marcus has the story.
MAGA congressman seen in photo wearing blackface
02:30
Oliver O'Connell
MAGA lawmaker Mike Lawler has been forced to apologize after a photo emerged of him wearing blackface at a Halloween college party.
The photo of the 38-year-old rising House star, published by The New YorkTimes, shows Lawler dressed as Michael Jackson at a party at Manhattan College in October 2006.
In the image, Lawler, who is in a close-run race to hold onto his seat, is sporting a red leather Thriller jacket and striking one of Jackson’s signature poses. His face has been visibly darkened.
James Liddell has the story.
Trump says he’ll set up an anti-woke task force in US military to monitor generals
02:04
Josh Marcus
During a campaign event on Friday in North Carolina, Donald Trump said he would create a task force to monitor “woke generals” and eliminate diversity trainings in the military.
“They’re gone,” Trump told the crowd, referring to the generals.
The proposal came in response to a question from Matthew Lohmeier, a former F-15 pilot who was relieved of his command in Trump’s Space Force in 2021 after criticizing diversity and inclusion training on a conservative podcast.
More details in our full story.
Alyssa Farah Griffin gets emotional over Liz Cheney ‘speaking out’ against Trump
01:30
Oliver O'Connell
Alyssa Farah Griffin, former Donald Trump aide-turned-TV presenter, has praised longtime Republican Liz Cheney for putting aside her “ambition” and “career” to endorse Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential election.
On the latest episode of The View, co-host Griffin appeared to get emotional as she spoke out in awe of Cheney, who on Thursday (October 3) pledged her support of Vice President Harris.
“Liz Cheney is one of the people I admire most,” the former Pentagon Press Secretary, 35, said on the latest episode of the ABC talk show.
Inga Parkel has the story.
Trump campaign encourages early voting again, even though it also hates that
01:00
Josh Marcus
The Trump campaign is once again encouraging its supporters to vote early, despite Donald Trump’s regular attacks on mail-in voting.
This time, it was RNC co-chair Lara Trump who closed today’s North Carolina rally with a call for early votes.
So what does Trump actually think about early voting? Well, it depends on the day.
JD Vance praises Marjorie Taylor Greene hours after she suggested Hurricane Helene was man-made
Saturday 5 October 2024 00:45
Josh Marcus
Senator JD Vance had kind words for Republican Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene — just hours after she suggested that a mysterious “they” can control the weather and inflicted Hurricane Helene on Republican voters in Georgia and North Carolina.
Greene is well known for repeating nonsense conspiracy theories. She’s voiced her belief in “Jewish space lasers”and has been cozy with QAnon ideas both before and during her time in office.
She made her latest bizarre claim on X, this time concerning the weather.
“Yes, they can control the weather. It’s ridiculous for anyone to lie and say it can’t be done,” Greene wrote.
Graig Graziosi reports.
Trump falsely claims he gave military the biggest pay raise
Saturday 5 October 2024 00:40
Josh Marcus
During his North Carolina town hall on Friday, Donald Trump just claimed he gave the military the largest pay raise in its history.
In fact, in late 2023, it was Joe Biden who gave the military its largest basic pay raise in decades.
Trump and Anna Paulina Luna slam Harris on Hurricane Helene response
Saturday 5 October 2024 00:37
Josh Marcus
Donald Trump and Representative Anna Paulina Luna are both tearing into the Biden-Harris administration’s response to Hurricane Helene.
Trump claimed the response was the worst disaster response since Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans, while Representative Luna baselessly accused federal officials of cutting off aid because conservative communities were among those that got hit by the storm.
In fact, Asheville, one of the cities facing the most storm destruction, is highly Democratic, and sits in a county that went for Joe Biden in 2020.
Stephen Colbert points out ‘weird word choice’ in Trump court filing
Saturday 5 October 2024 00:30
Oliver O'Connell
Stephen Colbert has pointed out a “weird word choice” in special counsel Jack Smith’s latest court filing regarding Donald Trump in the federal election interference case.
The 165-page dossier, which was unsealed by a federal judge in Washington, DC, on Wednesday, alleges that Trump intentionally lied to voters, election officials, and even his vice president in a “desperate” effort to cling to power. It marks the most detailed case laid out by prosecutors to date, coming after the Supreme Court ruling granted him some immunity from criminal prosecution.
Kevin E G Perry reports on what word caught Colbert’s eye.
Did Kamala Harris really ‘lose' thousands of migrant kids?
Saturday 5 October 2024 00:29
Josh Marcus
Trump just brought up the now-familiar Republican claim that Kamala Harris lost hundreds of thousands of migrant kids on her watch.
As usual for the Trump campaign, the comment is related to a kernel of actual fact and a whole lot exagerration.
“300,000 children are missing during the Biden reign,” Trump said.
“Many of them are dead. Many of them are in sex slavery. Many of them are in slavery, period,” Trump continued.
Here’s the actual news that spawned this GOP smear, an inspector general report that found that hundreds of thousands of migrant children hadn’t appeared in removal proceedings because they hadn’t been immediately served with notices to appear.
Trump takes the stage in Fayetteville
Saturday 5 October 2024 00:22
Josh Marcus
Donald Trump is campaigning in Fayetteville, North Carolina, at the moment, an important appearance in a state still recovering from the impact of Hurricane Helene.
We’ll be following the latest live.
Why JD Vance kept making that face during the debate
Saturday 5 October 2024 00:16
Josh Marcus
Vice Presidential contender JD Vance is opening up about that viral debate look in his first interview since he went head-to-head with Minnesota Governor Tim Walz on Tuesday.
Vance, the junior Republican senator from Ohio, and Walz, Democratic governor of Minnesota, debated each other in what is likely to be the last match-off before election day. Poll watchers declared the event essentially a tie. According to a CBS News poll, 42 percent of debate watchers said Vance won the debate, while 41 percent thought Walz emerged as the winner.
JD Vance kept breaking the fourth wall tonight during the VP Debate. It was giving Jim Halpert from The Office vibes pic.twitter.com/nkPutrrjCq
— DEL (@delinthecity_) October 2, 2024
During a recent podcast recording, Vance addressed a snapshot of him from the event that’s now gone viral. In one moment, he’s seen looking into the TV cameras in what social media has called a Jim Halpert from The Office look.
Michelle Del Rey explains.
Cheney dubs Trump ‘petty, vindictive and cruel’ as she campaigns with Harris
Saturday 5 October 2024 00:00
Oliver O'Connell
Vice President Kamala Harris on Thursday stood alongside former Wyoming representative Liz Cheney — one of the most conservative women to ever serve in Congress — to accept her endorsement in this year’s presidential election and warn of the dire consequences of re-electing Donald Trump to the White House.
In an unprecedented joint appearance with the former House GOP conference chair in Ripon, Wisconsin — the place where the Republican Party was first formed more than 150 years ago — Harris said upholding the US Constitution should be a “basic requirement” for seeking and holding the highest office in the United States.
Andrew Feinberg filed this report after last night’s event.
Harris campaign still keeping Uncommitted Movement at arm’s length
Friday 4 October 2024 23:55
Josh Marcus
The Uncommitted Movement, a group which has pushed the Harris campaign and Biden administration to cut off military aid to Israel, appears to still not be finding purchase with the vice president.
That’s even as she visits Michigan, which is home to a large population of Palestinian-Americans, with reports Harris plans to meet with Arab-American leaders.
