Trump camp tries to distance from racist MSG rally opener; Harris heads to Michigan: Election live updates

Politics
29 Oct 2024 • 12:34 AM MYT
The Independent
The Independent

The world’s most free-thinking newspaper

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Donald Trump peddled lies and anti-immigration rhetoric and derided Vice President Kamala Harris during a blockbuster campaign rally at Madison Square Garden in New York City on Sunday.

The Republican nominee, who appears to stand little chance of winning his home state on November 5, was nevertheless joined by an army of MAGA cheerleaders, including his running mate JD Vance, billionaire Elon Musk, ex-Fox News host Tucker Carlson, wrestler Hulk Hogan and even his wife, Melania Trump.

But the spectacle was marred by controversy after comedian Tony Hinchcliffe delivered a bad taste set in which he made a racist joke about Puerto Rico, forcing the Trump campaign to distance itself from his comments amid a mounting backlash.

“This joke does not reflect the views of President Trump or the campaign,” spokesperson Danielle Alvarez said in a statement.

The rally came as Vice President Harris and her deputy Tim Walz announced a swing state blitz for the final week before Election Day, beginning in Michigan on Monday.

Harris spent the penultimate weekend of the campaign making a series of stops near Philadelphia after rallying with Beyonce and Michelle Obama.

Key Points

  • Donald Trump pushes anti-immigrant fear-mongering and slams enemies at Madison Square Garden rally
  • Trump campaign forced to back away from comedian Tony Hinchcliffe’s racist Puerto Rico joke
  • Republican nominee’s ‘lifelong friend’ calls Kamala Harris the ‘antichrist’ in New York
  • Harris rallies her supporters in Philadelphia ahead of final swing state blitz
  • Where are the candidates campaigning on Monday?

President Joe Biden casts his ballot

16:48

Ariana Baio

President Joe Biden arrived in Wilmington, Delaware this morning to cast his ballot in the 2024 presidential election – likely a bittersweet moment for the president who initially believed he would be voting for himself had his party not pushed him out.

Monday morning, Biden arrived at the polling location and waited in line. While waiting he greeted other voters, according to the White House poll report.

Hundreds of ballots burned in Oregon after ‘incendiary’ device placed inside box

16:00

Ariana Baio

Hundreds of ballots were burned inside a ballot box that was set on fire after “an incendiary device” was placed inside the box, police say.

Authorities in Portland, Oregon said police officers received a call around 6 a.m. local time that there was a fire inside a ballot box approximately a block away from the Multnomah County Elections Office.

By the time police arrived, a nearby person had begun to put the fire out.

The Clark County elections auditor told KATU that only a few ballots could be saved. Anyone who placed a ballot in the box after 11 a.m. on Saturday can request a replacement from the auditor’s office.

Police say some sort of incendiary device was placed inside the ballot box and started the fire.

Lawsuit accuses Elon Musk of ‘illegal lottery scheme’ with $1 million giveaway to registered voters

15:30

Alex Woodward

Philadelphia’s district attorney is suing Elon Musk’s political action committee to stop his multimillion-dollar stunt that the Department of Justice has warned could be illegal.

A lawsuit filed in Pennsylvania on Monday by District Attorney Larry Krasner argues that Musk’s Donald Trump-supporting America PAC “hatched an illegal lottery scheme to influence voters in that election.”

“America PAC and Musk must be stopped, immediately,” before Election Day, according to the lawsuit, which was first reported by The Philadelphia Inquirer.

“Though Musk says that a winner’s selection is ‘random,’ that appears to be false,” according to the lawsuit. “Multiple winners that have been selected are individuals who have shown up at Trump rallies in Pennsylvania.”

The lawsuit marks the first legal action against the billionaire’s stunt, which offered people who signed the PAC’s petition supporting First and Second Amendment rights the chance to win a random daily $1 million prize drawing.

AOC mocks Trump with McDonald’s E. coli conspiracy

15:00

Joe Sommerlad

Tim Walz teamed up with Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez for a Sunday campaign appearance on Twitch as they played video games and the New York Democrat promoted a McDonald’s conspiracy involving Trump.

Here’s John Bowden to explain.

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Harris’s team keeps Biden from campaign in ‘slow-moving breakup’

14:40

Joe Sommerlad

The Democrat’s campaign is reportedly keeping President Joe Biden at arm’s length as the 81-year-old is itching to get out on the campaign trail for his former running mate.

Three people told Axios that the Harris campaign keeps saying that they’ll get back to the president’s team on when to send him out into the field.

The Harris campaign views Biden as a political liability but doesn’t want to say directly that they don’t want him to stump for the vice president.

Democrats and some of Biden’s staff keep walking on eggshells around Biden’s ego and feelings, according to the outlet.

Gustaf Kilander has more on a really rather sad state of affairs.

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Historic gender gap will likely decide if Trump or Harris wins

14:20

Joe Sommerlad

With just over a week left before Election Day, a historic gender gap is emerging that may decide whether Trump or Harris wins the White House.

Recent national polling has noted that women decisively backed the Vice President 53 percent to 36 over her Republican rival.

The figures are an almost exact mirror image when it comes to men, who support Trump 53 percent to 36 percent over Harris.

If such margins hold until Election Day, it would be the biggest disparity since a gender gap emerged more than four decades ago, in 1980, according to USA Today/Suffolk University, which carried out the survey.

Mike Bedigan reports.

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Hulk Hogan struggles with trademark routine during surprise appearance at Trump rally

14:00

Joe Sommerlad

Hogan, real name Terry Bollea, has become an outspoken supporter of Trump this election cycle, even going as far as to joke about bodyslamming Kamala Harris and questioning her ethnicity.

Having raised eyebrows at the RNC in August, the former WWE champion, 76, was a surprise speaker at the Republican’s rally at Madison Square Garden yesterday.

In typically over-the-top fashion, Hogan made his entrance to his “Real American” theme song while waving the American flag.

He then attempted to rip his shirt from his own chest, a routine that he has done since the 1980s – only to get into a real tussle with the top.

Here’s more from Greg Evans.

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New poll finds most voters believe Trump won’t accept election loss

13:40

Joe Sommerlad

The majority of American voters believe Donald Trump will not accept the 2024 presidential election result if he loses to Kamala Harris, according to a new poll.

The CNN poll, conducted by SSRS, found that, if the former president loses next week, only 30 percent of all registered voters believe he will accept the result and concede to his opponent.

By contrast, 73 percent believe Harris will accept the election result if she loses.

Here’s more from Rhian Lubin.

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Michelle Obama hits out at difference in expectations towards the two candidates and issues stark warning on abortion

13:20

Joe Sommerlad

“I hope you’ll forgive me if I’m a little frustrated that some of us are choosing to ignore Donald Trump’s gross incompetence, while asking Kamala to dazzle us at every turn,” the former first lady said in Kalamazoo, Michigan, over the weekend.

“I hope that you’ll forgive me if I’m a little angry that we are indifferent to his erratic behavior, his obvious mental decline, his history as a convicted felon, a known slum lord, a predator found liable for sexual abuse.”

It was barnstorming stuff from a truly great public speaker, who also warned men about being part of the conservative “assault” on reproductive rights by voting for the Republican ticket before returning to her initial theme by saying of Harris: “We expect her to be intelligent, articulate, have a clear set of policies, and never show too much anger… But for Trump? We expect nothing at all. No understanding of policy, no ability to put together coherent arguments.”

Ooof.

Mike Bedigan has more.

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JD Vance calls ex-Marine John Kelly ‘disgruntled’ over Hitler claim

13:00

Joe Sommerlad

Before Sunday’s rally, Trump’s running mate was interview by CNN’s Jake Tapper for State of the Union and took the opportunity to accuse the former president’s ex-White House chief of staff of being disaffected as the reason for his coming forward last week to warn of Trump’s authoritarian tendencies.

John Bowden reports.

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Who is incendiary comic Tony Hinchcliffe?

12:40

Joe Sommerlad

The man who could theoretically have just cost Trump Pennsylvania by trashing the 500,000 Puerto Ricans who live there styles him as a controversial comedian and podcaster who will “never apologize” for offensive jokes.

Rhian Lubin reports.

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Fox and Friends hosts defend Hinchcliffe joke as AOC condemns ‘hate rally'

12:20

Joe Sommerlad

Leaping to the defence of Trump Madison Square Garden rally and Tony Hinchcliffe’s Puerto Rico joke in particular, Brian Kilmeade said on Fox’s flagship show: “That was part of the pre-show; that was two hours before the president spoke.

“It’s amazing, the cover of The New York Times [reads] ‘Trump at Garden, a closing carnival of grievances, misogyny and racism.’ Only somebody who works for the Harris campaign pretending to be a reporter for The New York Times would write something like that.

“You don’t point out that RFK, the most famous Democratic family, actually was one of the featured speakers around,” Kilmeade continued.

“The most famous inventor in the world, Elon Musk. That stands out? No. A comedian with a successful podcast. You lose some off-color.”

Co-host Lawrence Jones helped him out by adding: “But you lose goodwill when before that rally even started, they called it a Nazi rally. Before they even took the stage, they had already said that it was going to be a racist rally

“Number two, maybe it’s just me… I have a dark sense of humor, you know, And so I, like... maybe this was not the appropriate format for the comedian to be there? But it’s comedy.”

Yep, just comedy. Nothing to see here folks.

Meanwhile, on Morning Joe, AOC saw things rather differently, you might not be too surprised to hear.

Where are the candidates campaigning on Monday?

12:00

Joe Sommerlad

Here’s a quick look at today’s schedule, with just eight days to go:

  • Kamala Harris will visit Corning Inc’s Hemlock Semiconductor facility in Michigan to talk to workers and tour the assembly line before touring a labor union training facility.
  • She will then appear together with running mate Tim Walz in Ann Arbor, an event that will also feature a performance by singer-songwriter Maggie Rogers.
  • Harris will also be on the Club Shay Shay podcast.
  • Donald Trump will meanwhile attend the National Faith Advisory Summit in Atlanta, Georgia, before rallying in the same city later.
  • His running mate JD Vance will be speaking in Racine, Wisconsin.

Watch: Tucker Carlson falsely brands Harris ‘Samoan-Malaysian’ at Trump rally

11:40

Joe Sommerlad

First she “happened to turn Black”, now they’re just picking random races to suggest the VP is somehow inauthentic in her public presentation, unlike, oh I don’t know, a spray-tanned billionaire man-of-the-people say?

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‘I was with Trump fans that flooded the streets outside MSG with red hats. The scenes were weird even for NYC’

11:20

Joe Sommerlad

Ariana Baio has this on her experiences navigating a sea of red-capped Juggalos on the streets of Midtown yesterday, which was weird, she says, “even for New York City”.

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Republicans, Bad Bunny and J Lo lead backlash to Hinchcliffe’s racist Puerto Rico joke at Trump’s MSG rally

11:00

Joe Sommerlad

Here’s Rhian Lubin with more on the angry reaction to Tony Hinchcliffe’s nasty Puerto Rico joke yesterday, which could just cost Trump Pennsylvania.

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Trump warns against migrants from ‘Congo prisons’ and calls the press ‘enemy of the people’ at MSG

10:40

Joe Sommerlad

When the Republican presidential nominee himself finally took the stage, he cranked up the fear-mongering rhetoric with even less concern for the facts than usual.

Deeply, deeply disturbing stuff that voters should think very carefully about before casting their ballots next week.

‘Trump and his friends smiled and partied at Madison Square Garden – then they got mean’

10:20

Joe Sommerlad

Before we get to the headline act himself, here’s a little highlights package featuring some of the many MAGA celebrities speaking at Madison Square Garden yesterday and making total spectacles of themselves.

Feast your eyes upon the pop fascist showmanship of Alina Habba, Rudy Giuliani, Stephen Miller, RFK Jr, Tucker Carlson, Hulk Hogan, JD Vance, Don Jr and Elon Musk.

Fortunately for us, Alex Woodward is here to make sense of it all.

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Harris-Walz to barnstorm all seven swing states this week

10:00

Joe Sommerlad

Let’s pivot briefly back to the Democratic ticket to remind ourselves what normal political campaigning looks like.

Kamala Harris spent the penultimate weekend of the campaign making a series of stops near Philadelphia as she and running mate Tim Walz announced a swing state blitz for the final full week of the election race.

Both the Democratic nominee and her deputy will head to Wisconsin and Michigan today and go on from there.

Here’s more on their plans from Andrew Feinberg.

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Trump pal calls Harris the ‘antichrist’ at New York rally

09:40

Joe Sommerlad

Another controversial speaker at The Garden was Queens resident David Rem, a 60-year-old sanitation worker who was billed as the former president’s “lifelong friend”.

Rem took to the stage brandishing a crucifix to tell the MAGA faithful that Trump’s election rival was the Devil.

Here’s Justin Rohrlich with more on a new addition to the rogue’s gallery.

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Trump campaign forced to back away from comedian Tony Hinchcliffe’s racist Puerto Rico rally joke

09:20

Joe Sommerlad

The Donald’s big spectacle was marred by controversy, however, after comedian Tony Hinchcliffe delivered a bad taste set in which he made a racist joke about Puerto Rico, forcing the Trump campaign to distance itself from his comments amid a mounting backlash – not least because at least half a million people of Puerto Rican origin live in the pivotal swing state of Pennsylvania.

“There’s a lot going on, like, I don’t know if you know this but there’s literally a floating island of garbage in the middle of the ocean right now,” the comic said.

“I think it’s called Puerto Rico.”

“This joke does not reflect the views of President Trump or the campaign,” spokesperson Danielle Alvarez said in a hasty statement.

Among those decrying the remarks was New York City Mayor Eric Adams and local Democratic Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.

A number of Republicans have also hit out angrily at Hinchcliffe, with Florida Senator Rick Scott commenting:

GOP Representatives Carlos Gimenez, Anthony D’Esposito and Maria Elvira Salazar also expressed their offence.

A host of Latino celebrities including Jennifer Lopez, Ricky Martin and Bad Bunny have meanwhile moved quickly to express their support for Kamala Harris.

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Donald Trump pushes anti-immigrant fear-mongering and slams enemies at Madison Square Garden rally

09:00

Joe Sommerlad

Good morning!

Donald Trump peddled lies and anti-immigration rhetoric and bashed Vice President Kamala Harris during a blockbuster campaign rally at Madison Square Garden in New York City on Sunday.

The Republican nominee, who appears to have little chance of winning his home state on November 5, was nevertheless joined by an army of 30-some speakers, which included his running mate JD Vance, billionaire Elon Musk, ex-Fox News host Tucker Carlson, Robert F Kennedy Jr, Tulsi Gabbard, Dr Phil, Hulk Hogan and his sons Don Jr and Eric and even his wife Melania.

“I’m here today with a message of hope for all Americans,” Trump told his crowd at The Garden when he got up to speak for himself.

“I will end inflation. I will stop the invasion of criminals coming into our country. And I will bring back the American dream, we need the American dream to come back home. Our country will be bigger, better, bolder, richer, safer and stronger than ever before.”

Uh huh.

Here’s a full report from Ariana Baio.

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Trump says we’re “very close to World War III,” absurdly suggests draft would be reintroduced under Harris

08:00

Graig Graziosi

Donald Trump claimed that the US was “very close to World War III,” and said that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel would not have occurred if he had been president.

“All those people would be alive,” Trump claimed.

He then pivoted to inflation, claiming there would have been no inflation under his presidency. He said inflation was caused in part by government overspending on the “Green New Scam” — referencing the Green New Deal — which is incorrect.

Trump then insinuated that Kamala Harris would lead the US into another war, and baselessly suggested that the draft might be reintroduced under her leadership.

There is no evidence to believe that the draft will be reintroduced.

Trump said that he “got along” with the world leaders, and claimed he told Russian President Vladimir Putin “don’t go in” to Ukraine.

Trump: “This will be America’s new golden age,” talks taxes and claims he’ll cut Americans’ energy bills in half within one year

07:00

Graig Graziosi

Donald Trump said that his possible next term would usher in “America’s new golden age,” and said that it would happen “very quickly” once he takes office.

He said “Kamala Harris, you’re fired,” — invoking his Apprentice catch-phrase — to wild applause.

Trump accused Kamala Harris, specifically, of causing inflation, pushing for higher taxes, and killing jobs. Harris, even if she wanted to, has no such power to do any of what he claims.

The former president said he would “massively cut taxes,” including “no tax on tips, no tax on overtime, and no tax on Social Security benefits for our seniors.”

He also announced a tax credit program for caregivers who are taking care of a parent or family member, and said he’d make interest on car loans tax deductible, so long as the car is made in the US.

He provided no details as to how any of those programs would work.

Trump also said the US would achieve energy independence, and claimed that within one year he’d cut Americans’ energy prices in half — via “drill baby drill” policies.

He then lied to the crowd and claimed thee was “nobody” doing hurricane relief work in North Carolina after Hurricane Helene.

Trump said that the federal government could not help in North Carolina because it spent all of its disaster relief funds flying illegal immigrants into the US on “jets.”

FEMA has been active in North Carolina following the hurriance, and no FEMA disaster relief funds were used to fly migrants into the US or house them at the southern border. Trump is repeating a long-debunked lie that he and other Republicans have been pushing since Hurricane Helene.

He claimed the response to Hurricane Helene was worse than the response to Hurricane Katrina.

Melania Trump makes surprise appearance at her husband’s Madison Square Garden rally

06:00

Graig Graziosi

Melania Trump took the stage at her husband’s New York City rally to “Paradise City” by Guns n’ Roses, then launched into a bleak, but misguided, diatribe about how bad things are in the Big Apple — and the rest of the country.

The former first lady has made few appearances with her husband on the campaign trail. She attended the RNC in Milwaukee and the Al Smith dinner in New York City but has, for the most part, been absent. On Sunday, her speech was a surprise, as she was not on a pre-released list of speakers.

She came out to the famous Guns n’ Roses song, as frontman Axl Rose has spoken out against Donald Trump‘s use of the band’s songs without permission. The lively crowd launched into applause when Elon Musk introduced her.

READ MORE:

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Elon Musk speaks at Donald Trump’s Madison Square Garden rally

05:00

Graig Graziosi

Tesla and X CEO Elon Musk spoke at Donald Trump’s Sunday rally, where he once again introduced himself as “dark, gothic MAGA.”

Musk, who Trump has tapped to help allegedly reduce “waste” in the federal government through the “department of government efficiency,” said he thought he could help the US save “two trillion dollars.”

He called all federal spending “taxation.”

After explaining how he intended to gut the federal government, the crowd chanted “Elon.” The Tesla CEO ate up the adoration, saying “this is the kind of positive energy America is all about,” before leading a “USA” chant.

He then called for Republicans to make the margin of victory for Donald Trump in the 2024 election “so big that you know what can’t happen.”

His unsubtle omission suggested that Democrats would try to steal the election from Trump if the former president doesn’t win in 2024 by an overwhelming majority of votes.

RFK Jr speaks at Trump rally, says Democratic Party was the “party of the CIA”

03:59

Graig Graziosi

Robert F Kennedy Jr — fresh off a scandal involving him carrying on a relationship with a reporter and bizarre stories about his dead brain worms, a dead bear cub, and a dead whale carcass — spoke in support of Donald Trump on Sunday.

RFK Jr initially tried to primary Joe Biden but then ran as an independent. He ultimately dropped out backed Trump.

“I didn’t leave the Democratic Party, the Democratic Party left me,” he told the cheering crowd.

He said that the modern Democratic Party was the “party of war, the party of the CIA,” and was “dismantling women’s sports by letting men play women’s sports.”

“We don’t even know how Kamala Harris received the nomination,” RFK Jr said.

He also accused the Democrats of giving us the “sickest children in the world,” though it is typically Republicans who oppose agricultural and food production regulations.

The former primary candidate claimed that Trump would “rebuild the middle class,” despite the fact that Trump’s tax cut was responsible for a massive transfer of wealth from the middle class to the richest Americans during his term.

Former US Rep Tulsi Gabbard says voting for Harris will end in “nuclear war”

03:00

Graig Graziosi

The parade of defeated primary opponents continued at Donald Trump’s New York rally; former US Representative Tulsi Gabbard — who failed a Democratic presidential primary run in 2020 — took the stage. Gabbard recently announced she was joining the Republican Party.

“A vote for Kamala Harris is a vote for Dick Cheney,” Gabbard said, claiming that it was a vote for “nucelar war.”

She insited that Trump would keep the US out of war and would stop the nation’s involvement in ongoing conflicts around the world.

Former Vice President Dick Cheney and his daughter, Former Representative Liz Cheney, have both voiced their opposition to Trump.

She also claimed a vote for Harris was a vote for “censorship” and the “erosion” of American’s Constitutional rights.

Former Donald Trump attorney and New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani takes the stage, repeats conspiracy theories and misinformation

02:00

Graig Graziosi

Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani — fresh off a judge’s decision to turn over his property to Georgia election workers he defamed — took the stage at Madison Square Garden for Donald Trump’s rally on Sunday.

He started with an impression of Pope John Paul II calling New York city great.

Within a minute of being on the stage, he had referenced 9/11 and the New York Yankees.

Giuliani bungled a reference to East Palestine, Ohio by calling it “New Palestine” and referenced a “subway derailment.” East Palestine was the victim of a Norfolk Southern train carrying toxic chemicals that derailed and polluted the city. There is no subway system in East Palestine.

The former mayor then discussed 9/11 again and likened it to the October 7 Hamas attack in Israel. He said he was “on the side of Israel” and claimed that Palestinians were taught from the age of 2 to kill Americans.

At one point Giuliani said “I’m not gonna do conspiracy, but I’m not not gonna do conspiracy,” after which he immediately posited the baseless conspiracy theory that Democrats were behind the assassination attempt on Trump, saying “they better not do it again.”

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AOC asks Puerto Rican Democrats to send clip of MAGA podcaster’s racist remark to their families

00:50

Graig Graziosi

Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has asked her Puerto Rican Democratic followers to widely share a clip of MAGA pdocaster Tony Hinchcliffe’s racist remarks about Puerto Rico to their families in an effort to convince them not to back Donald Trump in the upcoming election.

Hinchcliffe called Puerto Rico a “floating island of garbage” during a speech he gave to open Donald Trump’s Sunday campaign rally at Madison Square Garden. He also made vulgar and racist remarks about Latinos in general.

She cut detractors claiming she’s overly-sensitive off at the pass, saying she “doesn’t give a s*** about crude humor,” but was annoyed that Hinchcliffe didn’t “own” his words when he insisted he was making fun of “everyone” during his opening set.

Trump wraps his Madison Square Garden rally

00:37

Graig Graziosi

Donald Trump’s Madison Square Garden rally has ended.

A live rendition of “New York, New York” began after his finished. Trump stood on stage with former First Lady Melania Trump during the song, mugging his approval of the singer throughout the song.

Immdiately after “New York, New York” ended, “YMCA” began and Trump left the stage.

Trump supports limitation of free speech rights in the US, says American flag burners should be jailed for a year

00:28

Graig Graziosi

Donald Trump suggested a bill that would see individuals who burn the American flag put in jail for a year.

The burning of the flag is a protected means of protest, and to criminalize it would be to limit Americans’ free speech rights — rights that people like Trump and his new buddy, Elon Musk, frequently claim they champion.

Trump jokes he’s not “100 percent sure” his father is in heaven before insisting that he is a “good person"

00:22

Graig Graziosi

Donald Trump joked that he wasn’t “100 percent sure” that his fat