Donald Trump returned to the venue in Butler, Pennsylvania where he survived an assassination attempt just three months ago.
Billionaire and ardent Trump supporter Elon Musk joined the former president onstage at the rally, marking the first time the Tesla CEO has publicly appeared at a Trump campaign event since he endorsed him shortly after the shooting in July.
Musk falsely claimed that Democratic officials want to strip Americans’ of their voting rights, and suggested that if Trump does not win against Kamala Harris in November, “this will be the last election.”
JD Vance, Eric Trump and his wife Lara Trump — the co-chair of the Republican National Committee — and other high-profile Trump allies and donors joined the rally. The family of Corey Comperatore, a former fire chief who was killed in the attack, also was in attendance.
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. There is “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 returns to the scene of his assassination attempt. A lot has changed since then
- Elon Musk in a ‘dark MAGA’ hat joins Trump in Butler
- Trump falsely suggests Democrats ‘tried to kill me'
- Trump repeats false claims about migrant children
- Can Kamala Harris beat Donald Trump? Latest poll updates
JD Vance confirms to reporters that second Trump administration would seek to defund Planned Parenthood
04:00
Graig Graziosi
JD Vance reportedly said that a potential second Trump administration would seek to defund Planned Parenthood.
“On the question of defunding Planned Parenthood…our view is we don’t think that taxpayers should fund late term abortions,” he told Real Clear Politics. “That has been a consistent view of the Trump campaign the first time around, it will remain a consistent view.”
While Planned Parenthood does provide reproductive healthcare services, Vance is lying. The organization does not “fund late term abortions.”
Planned Parenthood does provide women’s healthcare services — like cancer screenings — in addition to abortions.
Vance tells RCP that a Trump administration would seek to defund Planned Parenthood.
— Philip Melanchthon Wegmann (@PhilipWegmann) October 5, 2024
“On the question of defunding Planned Parenthood…our view is we don't think that taxpayers should fund late term abortions. That has been a consistent view of the Trump campaign the first time… pic.twitter.com/vNfzLt4Kli
WATCH: Lara Trump vows to prosecute 'illegal citizens' for 'cheating' in elections
03:45
Graig Graziosi
ICYMI: Kamala Harris to appear on ‘Call Her Daddy’ podcast
03:15
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.
White House debunks Trump claim that Hurricane Helene survivors were only given $750 payments
02:45
Graig Graziosi
A spokesperson for FEMA debunked claims made by Donald Trump during his Butler, Pennsylvania rally on Saturday that “they” — Democrats — only gave $750 to victims of Hurricane Helene. Later claims circulating on social media claimed that the funds were only “a loan,” which FEMA denied.
“This is not true. We do not ask for this money back,” FEMA spokesperson Jaclyn Rothenberg wrote on X.
This is not true. We do not ask for this money back. https://t.co/P4D9edAD8g
— Jaclyn Rothenberg (@FEMAspox) October 5, 2024
The White House issued a statement on Friday responding to Trump’s claims.
“More than 6,400 Federal personnel are on the ground, and more than $110 million in Federal assistance has been given to survivors, with more to come. We are sparing no resource as we work to ensure communities across the Southeast have prompt access to Federal resources that will enable them to both purchase essential items and begin their road to recovery and rebuilding,” the White House wrote in its statement.
The White House said the $750 figure is just an initial disbursement for people who immediately need financial assistance.
“It is an upfront, flexible payment to help cover essential items like food, water, baby formula, breastfeeding supplies, medication and other emergency supplies. There are other forms of assistance that you may qualify for to receive, and Serious Needs Assistance is an initial payment you may receive while FEMA assesses your eligibility for additional funds. $750 is what is immediately available to eligible survivors. In addition, survivors may qualify for more FEMA financial assistance, including to repair storm-related damage to homes and property, find a temporary place to stay, and receive compensation for lost crops and livestock.”
Harris, Walz to appear on “60 Minutes” interview that Trump turned down
02:19
Graig Graziosi
Vice President Kamala Harris and Governor Tim Walz will appear on a special edition of 60 Minutes on Monday.
According to 60 Minutes, the program offered an interview to the Trump campaign, which initially agreed, but then later declined the sit down.
Monday, on a special election edition of 60 Minutes: Bill Whitaker sits down with Vice President Kamala Harris and Governor Tim Walz as the race for the White House enters its final month.
— 60 Minutes (@60Minutes) October 5, 2024
The Republican ticket declined 60 Minutes' interview request, after initially accepting. pic.twitter.com/gUQiom97DJ
Trump falsely suggests his rivals ‘tried to kill me’ as he rallies at site of assassination attempt
01:55
Graig Graziosi
Full story: Donald Trump returned to the site where he was nearly assassinated this summer, but his brush with death doesn’t appear to have changed him in the slightest.
On Saturday evening, Trump returned to Butler, Pennsylvania — walking out a live rendition of “God Bless the USA” by Lee Greenwood — and opened with the words “as I was saying,” referencing the fact that his previous rally at the site ended abruptly when a gunman fired at AR-15 toward the stage, grazing his ear and killing one attendee and injuring two others.
Rather than giving the former president a new perspective on the political temperature in the country, Trump’s rhetoric appears to have become more volatile; during the rally, he suggested that his political opponents “maybe tried to kill me.”
READ MORE:
Trump, surrounded by teleprompters, asks “isn’t it nice to have a president that doesn’t need a teleprompter?”
01:51
Graig Graziosi
Trump, with a teleprompter visible next to him, says "isn't it nice to have a president that doesn't need a teleprompter" pic.twitter.com/3keGmZ7R3A
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) October 5, 2024
Full story: ‘Dark MAGA’ Elon Musk rallies onstage with Trump in Pennsylvania
Sunday 6 October 2024 00:55
Alex Woodward
Elon Musk, the CEO of X and Tesla, made the brazenly false claim that Democrats were going to eliminate elections in the US as he rallied onstage next to Donald Trump on Saturday night.
Trump — returning to the site where he was nearly assassinated in July — introduced Musk as the man who “saved free speech“ and as a “rocket builder,” claiming his company Space X was the only reason that American astronauts can return to space.
The world’s wealthiest man took the stage in a black “Make America Great Again” hat and told the crowd he was “dark MAGA” — seemingly referencing the fringe far-right meme — before taking a swipe at President Joe Biden and suggesting that Democrats were trying to strip away Americans’ rights to free spech, to bear arms, and to vote.
Trump falsely claims that migrant children are ‘dead, in slavery or just plain missing'
Sunday 6 October 2024 00:20
Alex Woodward
Trump repeated his false statements that tens of thousands of migrant children are missing or dead or “in slavery.”
He blamed Kamala Harris for children he claims are “dead, in slavery or just plain missing” after crossing the US-Mexico border.
He is radically misrepresenting a report from the Department of Homeland Security’s inspector general that blamed ICE for failing to consistently “monitor the location and status of unaccompanied migrant children” once they are released from federal government custody.
The report noted that more than 291,000 unaccompanied migrant children had not, as of May 2024, received a notice to appear in court. But there are many reasons why that would happen, from missing or not-yet updated paperwork to families who failed to make it to court, among other reasons.
His statement also comes as he faces scrutiny once again for his administration’s own family separation policy, in which federal authorities separated children including infants from thier parents or guardians after entering the US. Thousands had not yet been reunited with their families as of earlier this year.
Trump repeatedly claims Biden-Harris response to Hurricane Helene is ‘worse’ than Katrina
Sunday 6 October 2024 00:14
Alex Woodward
Thoughout his rally, Trump has repeatedly and falsely claimed that the Biden-Harris administration response to Hurricane Helene is “the worst job ever done on helping people through the ravages of a hurricane” — including Hurricane Katrina.
Trump has falsely claimed that the federal government’s emergency agencies have misspent billions of dollars or not at all.
“This is a Katrina for them,” he said on Saturday. “They say it’s the worst job ever done on helping people through the ravages of a hurricane.”
Photos: Elon Musk joins Trump onstage in Butler
Sunday 6 October 2024 00:04
Alex Woodward
Elon Musk, the world’s wealthiest person, spoke onstage at a campaign rally alongside Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania, marking the first time that the billionaire has publicly campaigned with the former president since declaring his support this summer.
“Dark MAGA” Elon Musk rallies onstage with Trump in Pennsylvania, suggests Democrats will eliminate elections in America
Saturday 5 October 2024 23:50
Graig Graziosi
Elon Musk, the CEO of X and Tesla, made a plea for Americans to vote for Trump during the former president’s rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.
He said he believed that if Trump loses, it would be the last election in America, insinuating that Democrats would eliminate elections under a Kamala Harris administration.
There is no evidence supporting that claim.
Trump calls Elon Musk to the stage
Saturday 5 October 2024 23:47
Graig Graziosi
Donald Trump Elon Musk up to the stage during his rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, and claimed that SpaceX was the “only reason” America can still send astronauts into space.
Musk came up tot he stage and took a swipe at Joe Biden, calling him a president who “couldn’t climb a flight of stairs” before comparing him to Trump, praising the former president for taking a bullet.
He then falsely claimed that Democrats were trying to take away Americans’ rights to vote, their right to bear arms, and their right to free speech.
WATCH: Trump recalls 'as I was saying' as he speaks in Butler first time since assassination attempt
Saturday 5 October 2024 23:45
Graig Graziosi
Trump says countries across the globe have released more than “13,000 murderers” into the US
Saturday 5 October 2024 23:41
Graig Graziosi
Trump said more than “13,000 murderers” have been let into the US during Joe Biden’s administration.
During his campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, he said countries “all over the world” were releasing muderers and human traffickers into the US.
There is no evidence supporting Trump’s claim that countries are intentionally “releasing” anyone into the US.
Trump talks about his “beautiful life” before a medical issue in the crowd stalls the rally
Saturday 5 October 2024 23:35
Graig Graziosi
Trump boasted about his properties and the “beautiful life” he could have if he weren’t running for president during his rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.
“I could have such a beautiful life,” Trump said, before boasting of his properties. “I could be in Monte Carlo, but I’d rather be in Butler.”
A short time later, someone in the crowd suffered a medical issue, briefly interrupting the rally. Trump stopped, saying “take your time, doctor” and waited for the individual to receive medical care before continuing.
During the downtime, the crowd started singing the national anthem.
Trump suggests the government is paying for “sex change operations for illegal aliens"
Saturday 5 October 2024 23:29
Graig Graziosi
Trump suggested on Saturday during his rally in Butler, Pennsylvania that migrants in “holding bins” were being given government sponsored “sex change operations.”
“Who wants sex change operations for illegal aliens in holding bins?”
The dubious claim has been a frequent talking point among Republicans, who have made both illegal immigration and opposition to transgender individuals a main focus of the 2024 campaign.
Trump insinuates Democrats “maybe tried to kill me"
Saturday 5 October 2024 23:25
Graig Graziosi
Donald Trump said that Democrats “maybe tried to kill me” during his rally in Butler, Pennsylvania — the site of his attempted assassination by Thomas Matthew Crooks in July — after which the crowd chanted “fight fight fight.”
There is zero evidence that Democrats had anything to do with Crooks’s shooting.
Earlier in the night Trump’s son, Eric, made similar false insinuations.
Conservative campaigner courts Amish voters with “raw milk” before Trump walked out at Butler rally
Saturday 5 October 2024 23:21
Graig Graziosi
Conservative social media influencer and campaigner Scott Presler made an appeal to the Amish in Pennsylvania on Saturday before Donald Trump appeared at his Butler rally.
He told them Trump’s White House wouldn’t take their “raw milk” and would provide them a country where they could afford to have families with 10 children.
Scott Presler on stage at the Trump rally in Butler: "We will protect your raw milk" pic.twitter.com/cgArEBHZtF
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) October 5, 2024
It’s not the first time Republicans have courted the Amish vote in Pennsylvania.
READ MORE:
Trump recognizes those killed and wounded during his July assassination attempt
Saturday 5 October 2024 23:15
Graig Graziosi
Trump recognized Corey Comperatore, David Dutch and James Copenhaver, the men wounded during the July 13 assassination attempt at his rally in Pennsylvania.
Comperatore was killed in the attack. Trump called him a “folk hero,” a “brave guy,” and a “protector.”
He also noted that Copenhaver could not be at the rally because he was having surgery related to the shooting. Dutch was present at the rally on Saturday.
He then asked the crowd to join him in a moment of silence for Comperatore, during which time bells tolled and a singer sang “Ave Maria.”
Trump thanks Secret Service agents for saving him during Butler assassination attempt
Saturday 5 October 2024 23:08
Graig Graziosi
Trump thanked the US Secret Service members who “threw their bodies on top of mine,” saying there “was not even a moment of doubt in their mind” when they moved in to assist him.
The Secret Service faced severe scrutiny in the aftermath of the assassination attempt in July. Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle resigned in the wake of the assassination attempt.
Trump starts off rally with “as I was saying"
Saturday 5 October 2024 23:04
Graig Graziosi
Donald Trump started his Saturday rally in Butler, Pennsylvania with the words “as I was saying,” referencing that his last rally in Butler ended abruptly when Thomas Matthew Crooks tried to assassinate him.
“By the hand of providence and the grace of God, that villain did not succeed in his goal,” Trump said.
The former president walked out to the stage to a live rendition of “God Bless the USA” sung by Lee Greenwood.
Trump takes the stage in Butler for the first time since the assassination attempt against him
Saturday 5 October 2024 23:04
Kelly Rissman
Donald Trump walked onto the stage to a live rendition of “God Bless the USA” sung by Lee Greenwood.
The former president returned to the Butler stage less than three months after a lone gunman tried to take his life. One supporter in the crowd died and two others were injured. Trump suffered a wound to his ear.
Trump started his rally, as promised, right where he left off in July: “As I was saying...”
The July 13 rally was interrupted just a few minutes in when shots rang out. Trump ducked behind a podium and Secret Service rushed to the stage to huddle around the former president, who eventually got up, with blood smattered across his face.
“The vicious monster unleashed pure evil from his sniper’s perch,” he said of the shooter.
Who is Lara Trump’s ‘friend’ Scott Presler?
Saturday 5 October 2024 22:55
Kelly Rissman
“Donald Trump took a bullet for us. Please use your ballot and have his back on November 5,” Scott Presler told the crowd on Saturday.
The controversial campaigner, who boasts millions of followers across his various social media accounts, has been trying to urge Trump supporters in Pennsylvania to sign up for mail-in ballots — a message that directly contradicts that of the former president, who has repeatedly ragged on mail-in voting.
“Democrats vote for 50 days, Republicans vote for 12 hours. If we are going to be competitive in this election, then we must use an ‘all of the above’ approach to voting,” Presler previously told The Independent.
Presler’s efforts have won the support of Eric and Lara Trump.
Richard Hall has the full story.
Lara Trump addresses crowd
Saturday 5 October 2024 22:45
Kelly Rissman
God “spared Donald Trump’s life because he was not finished with Donald Trump. He did it not once but twice,” said Lara Trump, Eric’s wife and the co-chair of the RNC, referring to the two assassination attempts against the former president in the past two months.
The former president operates with “strength and faith,” he said.
Lara Trump also mentioned the RNC’s efforts toward what she called “transparent elections.”
“If you are a person considering cheating our elections, we will find you, we will track you down, we will prosecute you to the full extent of the law. If you’re an illegal citizen voting in our election, we will prosecute you to the full extent of the law — and you’re leaving this country.”
Her claims come after Trump and his allies have been baselessly claiming that the 2020 election was “stolen” from him.
Eric Trump takes the stage
Saturday 5 October 2024 22:40
Kelly Rissman
“They tried to kill him. The Democratic party can’t do anything right,” Eric Trump, the former president’s son said as he took the stage on Saturday evening.
“They” have been after his father since he walked down the golden escalator, he said.
He didn’t define “they,” but it seemed to refer to the Justice Department which has been investigating his father, the suspected Butler shooter, and perhaps the Democrats.
“The good news? Help is on the way,” he said, referring to his father.
The younger Trump sparked the crowd to chant: “Fight! Fight! Fight!”
Who is Steve Witkoff?
Saturday 5 October 2024 22:34
Alex Woodward
Steve Witkoff, an investor and longtime Trump ally, was with the former president at Mar-a-Lago during the last alleged assassination attempt.
He has donated more than $2 million to Trump-connected PACs, and he briefly testified during the fraud trial in Manhattan.
Witkoff called the former president a “dear friend” on the stage of the Butler rally on Saturday.
Saturday 5 October 2024 22:30
Kelly Rissman
Acting Secret Service Director Ronald Rowe said in September that the agency has been providing the “highest levels” of protections for presidential candidates since the July 13 assassination attempt.
The agency has endured intense scrutiny, prompting its chief at the time to resign after the July attack.
The agency’s “failures in planning, communications, security, and allocations of resources… were foreseeable, preventable, and directly related to the events resulting in the assassination attempt,” the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs report said.
A number of security measures have been put in place for Saturday, a law enforcement told The Independent. The Secret Service will work out of a “unified command post” with state, local and federal partners, a source in law enforcement familiar with the plan said. There will be “a large coordinated presence of law enforcement,” the source added.
The agencies have “secured some of the sight lines,” like the rooftop from which the 20-year-old shooter opened fire. Drones will also be on the site; in July, the drone system was experiencing technical difficulties.
Trump has faced two attempts against his life in the past few months. But since the first attack, Trump made it clear that he planned on returning to the Butler site.
A week ahead of the Saturday rally, Trump anticipated the venue would be the “safest place on Earth.” He quipped that he’ll start the Saturday rally right where he left off in July: “I think I’ll start the speech by saying, ‘As I was saying.’”
Investigation into the July 13 shooter, revisited
Saturday 5 October 2024 22:17
Kelly Rissman
The investigation into the Butler rally shooting suspect is still underway — and a motive has yet to be uncovered.
In August the FBI revealed the suspect, who was shot dead on the scene by Secret Service agents, engaged in “detailed attack planning” leading up to the rampage.
The agency conducted a deep dive into his search history from 2019 until 2024, discovering that the 20-year-old supsect had looked up information related to explosives, like how to make a bomb from fertilizer,” and “how do remote detonators work.”
The investigation led to “valuable insight into his mindset, but not a definitive motive,” an agent said in August.
ICYMI: Bruce Springsteen endorses Kamala Harris for US president
Saturday 5 October 2024 22:00
Kelly Rissman
Who will be in attendance at Trump’s Butler rally?
Saturday 5 October 2024 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’
Saturday 5 October 2024 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
Saturday 5 October 2024 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
Saturday 5 October 2024 21:00
Kelly Rissman
Kamala Harris to appear on ‘Call Her Daddy’ podcast
Saturday 5 October 2024 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
Saturday 5 October 2024 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
Saturday 5 October 2024 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’
Saturday 5 October 2024 18:45
Kelly Rissman
Trump is returning to the scene of his assassination attempt — a lot has changed since then
Saturday 5 October 2024 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?
Saturday 5 October 2024 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
Saturday 5 October 2024 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
Saturday 5 October 2024 16:45
Kelly Rissman
Trump is returning to site of assassination attempt
Saturday 5 October 2024 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?
Saturday 5 October 2024 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
Saturday 5 October 2024 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
Saturday 5 October 2024 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
Saturday 5 October 2024 14:30
Oliver O'Connell
Nude Trump statue appears again in new city after vanishing in Vegas
Saturday 5 October 2024 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
Saturday 5 October 2024 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
Saturday 5 October 2024 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.
