Trump took the stage at event outside Phoenix on Friday, where he was joined by Robert F Kennedy Jr.
Trump said Kennedy, who had earlier endorsed him, “brought together people from across the political spectrum grounded in the values of his father, Robert F. Kennedy, a great man, and his uncle John F. Kennedy.”
The former president told the crowd that he’d appoint an independent commission to investigate presidential assassinations, a subject both men can relate to personally after a gunman injured Trump last month at a rally in Pennsylvania.
Kennedy praised Trump for what he said were commitments to tackle chronic illness, improve the quality of food, and end foreign wars.
The independent candidate suspended his presidential campaign on Friday and announced his support for Trump, as he slammed Democrats and baselessly claimed a vast media conspiracy to elect Kamala Harris.
Members of the Kennedy family called RFK Jr’s endorsement a “betrayal of the values that our father and family hold most dear” and a “sad ending to a sad story.”
On Thursday night, as Harris delivered her acceptance speech at the Democratic National Convention, Trump launched into a live trolling by unleashing a stream of inflammatory falsehoods across 59 posts — more than one per minute Harris spoke — and repeatedly referring to his rival as “Comrade Kamala Harris” and as a “Marxist.”
Key Points
- RFK Jr. joins Trump onstage to huge applause
- Donald Trump blasts ‘all talk’ Kamala Harris in furious Truth Social ‘fact check’ of DNC speech
- Secret Service members placed on leave after Trump shooting
- RFK Jr. praises Trump for stance on health issues and foreign wars
- Catless child man JD Vance struggles to order donuts and make small-talk
Watch: Kamala Harris vs Donald Trump, through their keynote convention speeches
13:00
Alex Woodward
12:00
Alex Woodward
Donald Trump’s campaign and associated political groups have spent $28 million at his businesses throughout his three presidential campaigns.
The biggest bill: a $1.9 million purchase by Trump’s campaign and associated committees at private aviation firm TAG Air.
RFK Jr’s VP pick says ‘we’d never sell out campaign’ — just hours before he endorsed Trump
11:00
Alex Woodward
Robert F Kennedy Jr’s running mate Nichole Shanahan said their campaign would never “sell out” just hours before RFK Jr endorsed Donald Trump.
“It’s not what we would ever choose to do nor are we defeated in this moment, but I have to say something. We are up against something that is unprecedented,” she said.
‘He’s never changed, he never will:’ Exonerated Central Park 5 warn against Trump after his death penalty crusade
10:00
Alex Woodward
When five Black and Latino teenagers were wrongly convicted of the rape of a jogger in New York City’s Central Park in 1989, Donald Trump bought out full-page ads in newspapers with a headline screaming to “BRING BACK THE DEATH PENALTY.”
Thirty-five years later, one of those teens — now 50 years old and a city councilman representing Harlem — warned Americans about the danger of a second Trump term, as he backed the woman running against him.
What does Trump think about Republicans at the DNC? Michael Cohen: ‘I don’t care about his feelings’
09:00
Alex Woodward
Michael Cohen was among many former and current Republicans at the Democratic National Convention, appearing either virtually, on stage or in the crowd.
Asked by CNN’s Jim Acosta how he thinks his former boss feels about the anti-Trump GOP joining Democrats in Chicago, Cohen said, “I don’t really care what he’s thinking.”
“This isn’t about him,” said Cohen, who is currently asking the Supreme Court to get involved in his lawsuit against Trump over his retaliatory incarceration. Cohen also was a star witness against his former boss during his hush money trial, which Trump lost.
“It’s not my first Democratic convention that I have ever been at. This is a massive mistake that is regularly made by people,” Cohen said. “I have been a Democrat virtually my entire life.”
Cohen said he doesn’t care “about his feelings.”
“What I care about is seeing a big, gigantic blue wave come November and not just for Kamala Harris and Tim Walz but the entire down ballot,” he said.
Democrats to RFK Jr: ‘Good riddance’
08:00
Alex Woodward
In response to Robert F Kennedy Jr’s announcement that he is suspending his presidential bid, Democratic National Committee had two words: “good riddance.”
His announcement “should come as no surprise, his candidacy has never been anything other than a spoiler campaign for Trump,” according to the DNC.
“He was recruited into the race by MAGA Republicans like Steve Bannon, he was propped up by Trump’s largest donor, and he parroted MAGA attacks on Democrats.”
DNC senior advisor Mary Beth Cahill said that “the more voters learned about RFK Jr. the less they liked him.”
“Donald Trump isn’t earning an endorsement that’s going to help build support, he’s inheriting the baggage of a failed fringe candidate,” she added. “Good riddance.”
Trump on the Taylor Swift AI debacle: ‘I don’t know anything about that’
07:00
Alex Woodward
Days after Donald Trump reposted AI-generated images of Taylor Swift supporting his bid for president, the Republican nominee denied knowing “anything about them.”
Cats or kids? Women at the DNC react to JD Vance
06:00
Alex Woodward
ICYMI: Secret Service puts ‘multiple’ agents on leave over Trump assassination attempt investigation
05:00
Alex Woodward
The US Secret Service has reportedly placed multiple agents on leave, including the agent in charge of the Pittsburgh field office, in the aftermath of an assassination attempt against Donald Trump.
The agency’s internal affairs division continues to investigate how a 20-year-old gunman armed with an AR-15-style rifle was able to fire at the former president during a campaign rally in Pennsylvania on July 13, grazing his ear and killing one attendee and injuring two others.
How polls say RFK Jr’s supporters will vote now that he’s dropped out of the race
04:00
Alex Woodward
The Independent’s analysis finds strong support in swing states and a bipartisan following — but possible bad news for Kamala Harris.
More from data correspondent Alicja Hagopian:
Does Trump have PTSD?
03:00
Alex Woodward
Donald Trump’s behavior in recent weeks has reportedly raised concerns in his camp that he could be suffering from PTSD, as he is said to be replaying the clip of the assassination attempt “over and over again.”
One close Republican ally recently told Vanity Fair that he “may actually legit have PTSD.”
The Independent’s Rhian Lubin spoke to some experts to find out.
Photos: Trump packs the house in Arizona
02:45
Josh Marcus
In an election that’s seen competing claims from each campaign the other isn’t really drawing big crowds, today’s rally in Arizona will be hard to argue with.
The Trump campaign appeared to fill most of the arena in Glendale.
On November 5th, we will save our economy.
— Team Trump (Text TRUMP to 88022) (@TeamTrump) August 24, 2024
We will rescue our Middle Class.
We will reclaim our sovereignty and restore our borders.
We will put AMERICA FIRST—and we will take back our country!
THANK YOU, ARIZONA! pic.twitter.com/4u8kbTHPdj
Our full recap of Trump’s Arizona rally
02:25
Josh Marcus
Trump’s Arizona rally had a lot of drama: a surprise guest, some major false claims, and an endorsement that could sway the direction of the 2024 election.
Here’s our full recap.
ICYMI: Members of Kennedy family call RFK Jr.’s endorsement of Trump a ‘betrayal'
02:04
Josh Marcus
Members of the Kennedy family are disgusted that Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. is endorsing Donald Trump.
They weighed in today on social media to show their dismay.
Never been less surprised in my life. Been saying it for over a year — RFKjr is for sale, works for Trump. Bedfellows and loving it.
— Jack Schlossberg (@JBKSchlossberg) August 23, 2024
Kamala Harris is for the people — the easiest decision of all time just got easier.
I am sharing a personal statement that my family and I have made in response to my brother’s announcement. pic.twitter.com/j7vTTabNYZ
— Kerry Kennedy (@KerryKennedyRFK) August 23, 2024
More pictures of Trump’s Glendale rally
01:35
Josh Marcus
Donald Trump falsely claims Kamala Harris lost hundreds of thousands of migrant kids who ended up ‘sex slaves’ or dead
01:26
Josh Marcus
Donald Trump is falsley claiming Kamala Harris lost more than 300,000 migrant children, most of whom ended up dead or sex slaves.
“She allowed them to be trafficked into our country,” Trump said. “Many of them are in sex slavery or dead, probably mostly dead.”
Trump is exaggerating here.
The former president is refering to a recent report from the Department of Homeland Security’s Inspector General, which found that between 2019 and 2023, ICE was “not able to account” for all the locations of 32,000 unaccompanied minors who had been settled in the U.S. after exiting immigration detention while they awaited next steps, and more than 291,000 of the kids were not placed into removal proceedings because ICE had never served them notices to appear or scheduled a court date for them.
What Trump declined to mention was that this period involved two of his own years in office.
Here’s our full report on what the IG report actually says.
Trump is still complaining the Joe Biden is out of the race
01:19
Josh Marcus
Does Donald Trump...miss Joe Biden?
The former president has complained on multiple occasions today in Arizona about how he’s now facing Kamala Harris instead of the Democratic incumbent.
“I was up 18 points, they said, ‘Joe, you can’t win, you’re getting out of the race,’” Trump said.
The former president accused Democrats of carrying out an “unconstitutional coup” to elevate Harris.
“She’s the only person ever to get a nomination of the party without getting one vote,” Trump said. “Hey, maybe she’s smarter than we think. You know you could look at it that way.”
Trump again denies knowing what Project 2025 is, despite close ties
01:12
Josh Marcus
Donald Trump is again claiming he isn’t familiar with Project 2025, telling the crowd in Arizona he doesn’t know “what the hell” the far-right model agenda even is.
Here’s more of our reporting on Project 2025, which makes Trump’s claim on the subject very hard to believe.
Watch: Donald Trump announces plans to release remaining JFK records
01:08
Josh Marcus
Both Donald Trump and RFK Jr. have been impacted by political assassinations in their lifetimes, the former with a recent shooting attempt on the campaign trail, and the latter with the infamous assassinations of his father and uncle.
Onstage in Arizona, Trump said “in honor of Bobby” he would be releasing the remaining JFK assassination records as part of a commission investigating presidential assassinations.
President Trump:
— Daniel Baldwin (@baldwin_daniel_) August 23, 2024
“In honor of Bobby, I am announcing tonight that upon my election I will establish a new independent presidential commission on assassination attempts. They will be tasked with releasing all the remaining documents pertaining to the assassination of JFK.” pic.twitter.com/aEEtbQZF9i
RFK Jr. praises Trump for stance on health issues and foreign wars
Saturday 24 August 2024 00:58
Josh Marcus
What exactly unites RFK Jr. and Donald Trump?
The independent candidate, speaking to the crowd in Glendale, said it came down to health issues and foreign policy.
“Our children are the unhealthiest, sickest in the world. Don’t you want healthy children? Don’t you want the chemicals out of our food?” Kennedy asked the crowd.
“That’s what President Trump told me that he wanted,” he added, arguing Trump will tackle corporate influence over regulations on food.
“He also told me he wanted to end the grip of the neocons on U.S. foreign policy,” Kennedy continued. “He said he didn’t want any more $200bn wars in Ukraine that we could use that money back here in the United States.”
RFK Jr. joins Trump onstage to huge applause
Saturday 24 August 2024 00:48
Josh Marcus
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. joined Donald Trump onstage, receiving a rock star’s welcome, complete with pyrotechnics and a Foo Fighters song.
Onstage, Trump praised RFK Jr., who he said “brought together people from across the political spectrum grounded in the values of his father, Robert F. Kennedy, a great man, and his uncle John F. Kennedy.”
The crowd then began chanting, “Bobby! Bobby!”
Are Democrats really joining the Trump campaign ‘like wildfire'?
Saturday 24 August 2024 00:42
Josh Marcus
Donald Trump is claiming scores of Democrats are switching to back his campaign.
“They are joining like wildfire,” the former president said tonight in Glendale.
The polls say otherwise.
Read our analysis on the polls here.
Trump begins with insults and 2020 election lies
Saturday 24 August 2024 00:36
Josh Marcus
Donald Trump is beginning his Arizona rally with familiar bits of his stump speech, branding Kamala Harris “Comrade Kamala,” and falsely claiming he won the 2020 election by “millions, millions” more votes than in 2016.
Trump takes the stage in Arizona
Saturday 24 August 2024 00:30
Josh Marcus
Donald Trump has taken the stage in Glendale.
Follow live for all the latest news on his big speech.
Secret Service puts ‘multiple’ agents on leave over Trump assassination attempt investigation
Saturday 24 August 2024 00:27
Josh Marcus
The US Secret Service has reportedly placed multiple agents on leave, including the agent in charge of the Pittsburgh field office, in the aftermath of an assassination attempt against Donald Trump.
Their leaves comes as the agency’s internal affairs division continues to investigate how a 20-year-old gunman armed with an AR-15-style rifle was able to fire at the former president during a campaign rally in Pennsylvania on July 13, grazing his ear and killing one attendee and injuring two others.
“Five or six” agents have been placed on leave as “disciplinary action,” according to MSNBC.
Kari Lake threatens ‘largest repatriation operation this world has ever seen'
Saturday 24 August 2024 00:20
Josh Marcus
Kari Lake, who is running for Senate in Arizona, is echoing calls from Donald Trump to pursue a mass deportation operation in office, telling the crowd today in Glendale she wants “the largest repatriation option this world has ever seen.”
“We will define the drug cartels as foreign terrorists and we will use every ounce of energy our law enforcement and military has to put them out of business for good,” she said.
Here’s more on Trump’s immigration proposals.
Trump’s Arizona rally in pictures
Saturday 24 August 2024 00:11
Josh Marcus
The RFK Jr. campaign’s mixed messaging on Trump
Saturday 24 August 2024 00:09
Josh Marcus
Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s running mate Nichole Shanahan expressed doubts about Donald Trump and said their campaign would never “sell out,” hours before RFK Jr. endorsed the former president.
“We would never sell out this campaign ever. It’s not what we would ever choose to do nor are we defeated in this moment, but I have to say something. We are up against something that is unprecedented,” she said in a podcast interview.
More details here.
Trump expected soon at event in Glendale
Saturday 24 August 2024 00:01
Josh Marcus
Donald Trump is expected to take the stage any minute in Arizona.
The former president was expected to appear at 7pm ET today at Glendale’s Desert Diamond Arena.
Fans turned out for hours outside the arena ahead of the event.
Trump to headline Glendale, Arizona event with far-right Turning Point
Saturday 24 August 2024 00:00
Alex Woodward
A long line of Trump-allied Arizona candidates are speaking at a rally in Glendale, Arizona, where Trump is set to deliver remarks after receiving Robert F Kennedy Jr’s endorsement.
Rally speakers include former Republican congressional nominee Abe Hamadeh, who also lost a race for state attorney general, and Kari Lake, a close Trump ally who is running for US Senate.
Anti-trans activist Riley Gaines also spoke at the rally.
“How amazing was it to see Bobby Kennedy Jr endorse Donald Trump?” asked Turning Point’s Charlie Kirk, whose far-right activist group is co-hosting the event.
What does Trump think about Republicans at the DNC? Michael Cohen: ‘I don’t care about his feelings'
Friday 23 August 2024 22:32
Alex Woodward
Michael Cohen was among many former and current Republicans at the Democratic National Convention, appearing either virtually, on stage or in the crowd.
Asked by CNN’s Jim Acosta how he thinks his former boss feels about the anti-Trump GOP joining Democrats in Chicago, Cohen said, “I don’t really care what he’s thinking.”
“This isn’t about him,” said Cohen, who is currently asking the Supreme Court to get involved in his lawsuit against Trump over his retaliatory incarceration. Cohen also was a star witness against his former boss during his hush money trial, which Trump lost.
“It’s not my first Democratic convention that I have ever been at. This is a massive mistake that is regularly made by people,” Cohen said. “I have been a Democrat virtually my entire life.”
Cohen said he doesn’t care “about his feelings.”
“What I care about is seeing a big, gigantic blue wave come November and not just for Kamala Harris and Tim Walz but the entire down ballot,” he said.
Watch: Trump celebrates RFK Jr’s endorsement
Friday 23 August 2024 22:00
Alex Woodward
RFK Jr’s wife Cheryl Hines says she ‘deeply’ respects his decision to support Trump
Friday 23 August 2024 22:00
Alex Woodward
Robert F Kennedy Jr once joked that his wife would divorce him if he supported Donald Trump. The actor Cheryl Hines has reportedly privately worried about her husband’s endorsement.
In a statement on Friday, she said she “deeply” respects his decision, but she does not mention whether she is also joining in support of Trump.
“I deeply respect the decision Bobby made to run on the principle of unity,” she wrote.
The decision has been made to suspend my husband's, Robert Kennedy Jr.'s, presidency and I'd like to extend a sincere, deeply heartfelt thank you to every person who has worked so tirelessly and lovingly on his campaign. They have accomplished feats that were said to be…
— Cheryl Hines (@CherylHines) August 23, 2024
Kennedy family calls RFK Jr’s Trump endorsement ‘betrayal'
Friday 23 August 2024 21:29
Alex Woodward
As Robert F Kennedy Jr. announced the end of his presidential campaign and endorsement of Trump, members of the Kennedy famiyl said his endorsement is a “betrayal of the values that our father and family hold most dear.”
“It is a sad ending to a sad story,” they wrote.
The statement was signed by Kathleen Kennedy Townsend and Courtney, Kerry, Chris and Rory Kennedy, children of Robert F Kennedy, who was assassinated while campaigning for the Democratic presidential nomination in 1968.
I am sharing a personal statement that my family and I have made in response to my brother’s announcement. pic.twitter.com/j7vTTabNYZ
— Kerry Kennedy (@KerryKennedyRFK) August 23, 2024
Full story: RFK Jr ‘suspends’ presidential campaign and endorses Trump as he rails against ‘rigged’ system
Friday 23 August 2024 20:51
Alex Woodward
Dark horse presidential contender and well-known vaccine skeptic Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced Friday that he is suspending his independent bid for the White House and throwing his support to Donald Trump.
“The mainstream of American politics and journalism derided my decision [to run],” Kennedy, 70, insisted during a press conference Friday afternoon, where he railed against chronic disease, “corruption” in health agencies, and the Democratic Party.
“In an honest system, I believe that I would have won the election,” the independent candidate claimed, slamming the media, without evidence, as being “tainted by government propaganda.”
Justin Rohrlich has more:
Meanwhile in Vegas, Trump welcomes RFK’s support
Friday 23 August 2024 20:39
Alex Woodward
Trump opened his remarks in Las Vegas to gush over Robert F Kennedy Jr’s endorsement.
“That’s big,” Trump said. “He’s a great guy, respected by everybody.”
Trump is set to hold an event outside Phoenix on Friday where he will be “joined by a special guest” — fuelling speculation that Kennedy will be joining him.
RKF Jr says endorsing Trump is ‘agonizing’ and destroying, but will give him ‘internal peace’
Friday 23 August 2024 20:36
Alex Woodward
Endorsing Trump is “agonizing” and will hurt his relationships with his wife and family, but there is a “certainty, that this is what I meant to do,” according to Robert F Kennedy Jr.
“That certainty gives me internal peace,” he said.
He largely based his decision around what he thinks a Trump administration will do to combat chronic disease, which he blames on pharmaceutical companies and healthcare agencies.
He said Trump was “anxious” to talk with Kennedy about chronic disease and “explore avenues of cooperation” when they talked on the phone after his assassination attempt. They also met in person the next day.
“A few weeks later, I met again with President Trump and his family members and closest advisers in Florida in a series of long, intense discussions, I was surprised to discover that we are aligned on many key issues. In those meetings, he suggested that we join forces as a unity party, we talked about Abraham Lincoln’s Team of Rivals,” he said.
Democrats to RFK Jr: ‘Good riddance'
Friday 23 August 2024 20:25
Alex Woodward
In response to Robert F Kennedy Jr’s announcement that he is suspending his presidential bid, Democratic National Committee had two words: “good riddance.”
His announcement “should come as no surprise, his candidacy has never been anything other than a spoiler campaign for Trump,” according to the DNC.
“He was recruited into the race by MAGA Republicans like Steve Bannon, he was propped up by Trump’s largest donor, and he parroted MAGA attacks on Democrats.”
DNC senior advisor Mary Beth Cahill said that “the more voters learned about RFK Jr. the less they liked him.”
“Donald Trump isn’t earning an endorsement that’s going to help build support, he’s inheriting the baggage of a failed fringe candidate,” she added. “Good riddance.”
RFK Jr says he discussed a ‘unity’ ticket to ‘join forces’ with Trump
Friday 23 August 2024 20:17
Alex Woodward
Despite being a “ferocious critic of many of the policies during his first administration,” Robert F Kennedy Jr says he is “aligned on many issues” with Donald Trump.
He said the former president proposed that they “join forces” as a “unity party,” where they could both disagree publicly and privately, “but we are aligned with each other on other key issues.”
Kennedy say he is not ‘ending’ his campaign, only withdrawing from battleground states
Friday 23 August 2024 20:08
Alex Woodward
Robert F Kennedy Jr says he is not “terminating” his presidential campaign, but he is withdrawing his name from ballots in battleground states where his presence — which could draw thousands of votes that could be the difference between a Trump or Harris victory — could be a “spoiler.”
“I am simply suspending it, and not ending it. My name will remain on the ballot in most states,” he said.
RFK Jr begins remarks by slamming Democratic party and thanking his campaign staff
Friday 23 August 2024 19:55
Alex Woodward
Robert F Kennedy Jr, moments before he announces he’s dropping out of the presidential race, recounts why he left the Democratic Party, the party of his family, by accusing the party of abandoning the “core values” he grew up with.
He accused the media of conspiring to wage a censorship campaign that ignores him to help elect Kamala Harris.
Kennedy said the Democratic Party is no longer “champions of the Constitution” or civil rights, nor standing against authoritarianism, colonialism, imperialism and “unjust wars,” nor does it stand for government transparency or the environment, according to Kennedy.
“I began this journey as a Democrat, the party of my father, my uncle, the party I pledged my own allegiance to long before I was old enough to vote,” he said. “I left that party in October because it had departed so dramatically from the core values I grew up with.
After President Biden dropped out of the race, Democrats’ “media organs” had “engineered a surge of popularity” around Harris based on “nothing,” only “smoke and mirrors,” Kennedy claimed.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Address to the Nation https://t.co/Wf4xt12GSX
— Robert F. Kennedy Jr (@RobertKennedyJr) August 23, 2024
Just in: RFK Jr is endorsing Trump, according to court filings
Friday 23 August 2024 19:27
Alex Woodward
Moments before his remarks from Arizona, Robert F Kennedy Jr’s team revealed in a court filing in Pennsylvania that he will be endorsing Donald Trump after dropping out.
Kennedy had been challenging attempts to keep him off the ballot in the state.
But “as a result of today’s endorsement of Donald Trump for the office of President of the United States hereby withdraw their opposition,” the filing states.
RFK Jr to make announcement about the future of his campaign
Friday 23 August 2024 19:00
Alex Woodward
Independent presidential candidate Robert F Kennedy Jr is delivering remarks about “his path forward” and is expected to announce his withdrawal from the race.
His announcement comes after his withdrawal from Arizona ballots, though his campaign submitted ballot signatures in at least two New England states on Friday.
Trump is scheduled to deliver remarks from Arizona later today, where he is touting a “special guest,” fueling speculation that Kennedy is endorsing him.
Watch live:
Trump claims he ‘will be great for women and their reproductive rights'
Friday 23 August 2024 18:35
Alex Woodward
In a post on his Truth Social on Thursday, after spending hours raging against Kamala Harris and Tim Walz online and on various right-wing media networks, Trump posted a single sentence:
“My Administration will be great for women and their reproductive rights.”
Trump, of course, has repeatedly taken credit for the Supreme Court overturning Roe v Wade, and his running mate JD Vance has said he wants abortion to be illegal. Vance also recently joined efforts among members of Congress calling on the Justice Department to ban abortion drugs in the mail, a key component of Project 2025’s anti-abortion crusade.
Trump has not presented any plans to protect abortion rights and reproductive healthcare decisions.
Does Trump have PTSD?
Friday 23 August 2024 18:15
Alex Woodward
Donald Trump’s behavior in recent weeks has reportedly raised concerns in his camp that he could be suffering from PTSD, as he is said to be replaying the clip of the assassination attempt “over and over again.”
