Trump v Harris live: Trump returns to X ahead of Elon Musk interview as Harris pulls ahead in the polls

PoliticsOpinion
13 Aug 2024 • 5:07 AM MYT
The Independent
The Independent

The world’s most free-thinking newspaper

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Former President Donald Trump is once again posting on X, formerly Twitter, ahead of his live interview on the social media platform with Elon Musk this evening.

Trump posted a video recapping the last eight years, going all the way from his 2016 election victory, through his recent indictments, and looking ahead to the showdown in November.

This comes as Democratic presidential contender Kamala Harris pulls ahead in the polls, leading in FiveThirtyEight’s polling average by 2.4 points as of Monday.

Meanwhile, Harris raised $12m from a high-profile fundraiser in her home state of California on Sunday after concluding her tour of the swing states with new running mate Tim Walz in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Joined by former House speaker Nancy Pelosi and state governor Gavin Newsom for the event in a hotel ballroom in San Francisco, Harris told her audience, “It’s good to be home,” before warning that healthcare, abortion access, and LGBT+ rights would all be placed under threat during a second Trump term.

“We know what we need to do – we need to knock on doors, we need to register folks to vote, we need to get people to the polls. And every day matters,” she said.

Key Points

  • Kamala Harris raises $12m at California fundraiser
  • Elon Musk to interview Donald Trump live on X
  • Trump to sue Justice Department for $100m over 2022 Mar-a-Lago raid
  • Trump shares vastly different messages on Truth Social and X
  • Kamala Harris cements her lead over Trump in three key states as she hits the campaign trail with Tim Walz

Donald Trump is invoking AI in the most dangerous possible way

22:00

Andrew Griffin

It was part of a long post in which he accused Kamala Harris and her campaign of “cheating”. He falsely claimed – despite the evidence – that she had used artificial intelligence to create a “fake crowd picture” that suggested there was a large turnout when in fact “there was nobody there”.

Mr Trump even pointed to what he suggested was evidence. The cheating was “later confirmed by the reflection of the mirror like finish of the Vice Presidential plane”, he posted.

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FBI says it’s investigating hacking of Trump campaign documents

21:58

Gustaf Kilander

The FBI has said that it is investigating the alleged hacking of Trump campaign materials.

The Trump campaign has placed the blame on Iran, which has faced similar accusations in the past.

“We can confirm the FBI is investigating this matter,” the bureau said in a statement, according to The Washington Post.

The bureau said on Saturday that it was aware of press reports of the alleged hacking.

The Trump campaign said it had been hacked when reporters received copies of a vetting document of Trump’s running mate JD Vance.

JD Vance issues stern warning: ‘Don’t come after my wife’

21:30

Lucy Leeson

Ohio senator JD Vance has issued a stern warning to far-right white supremacists urging them: “Don’t come after my wife”.

The vice presidential hopeful defended his wife, Usha Vance, during an interview on ABC News This Week on Sunday (11 August).

Since joining Donald Trump’s presidential campaign, his wife Usha and their three children have been subject to a slew of public racist attacks over their Indian heritage.

During the ABC interview, Vance was asked about a recent attack from white supremacist and right-wing media personality Nick Fuentes.

Vance replied: “What kind of man marries Usha? A very smart man and a very lucky man, importantly.

“Don’t attack my wife. She’s out of your league.”

Trump escalates feud with popular governor in key swing state

21:00

Gustaf Kilander

Donald Trump is escalating his feud with the popular Georgia Governor Brian Kemp despite the risk of losing support in a key swing state.

Trump took aim at Kemp during a press conference at Mar-a-Lago on August 8 when he was asked if there was any way to improve their relationship.

“I don’t know if I can or not. I got him elected. Without me, he wouldn’t be governor. I got him elected, he was doing terribly,” Trump said. “When you get someone elected, they’re supposed to like you.”

Trump went on to say that the battleground state is important in the November election and that he was “leading in Georgia by a lot.” He was up by 0.3 percent in Georgia on Monday, according to FiveThirtyEight’s polling average.

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Trump shares vastly different messages on Truth Social and X

20:30

Gustaf Kilander

Donald Trump is back and posting on X again, now sharing vastly different messages on the platform compared to Truth Social.

“Kamala Harris just said, after 10 years of weak statements, and 3 1/2 years of REALLY WEAK ACTIONS, that she wants to get tough on the Border. Well, why hasn’t she done it, it’s almost four years too late. She’s all talk, NO ACTION!” Trump wrote on Truth Social on Monday. “Our Country is being absolutely obliterated by her, our wonderful ‘Border Czar,’ allowing millions of people to pour in, totally unchecked and unvetted, with large numbers of terrorists, and many others from prisons and mental institutions. Because of her, we have become a DUMPING GROUND FOR THE WORLD. KAMALA BROKE IT, I WILL FIX IT!”

Meanwhile, on X, he asked his followers, “Are you better off now than you were when I was president? Our economy is shattered. Our border has been erased. We’re a nation in decline. Make the American Dream AFFORDABLE again. Make America SAFE again. Make America GREAT Again!”

Republican strategists have called on the former president to focus more on policy and less on personal attacks against his Democratic opponent, Vice President Kamala Harris.

McCarthy urges Trump to focus on issues not personalities

20:00

Gustaf Kilander

Kamala Harris cements her lead over Trump in three key states as she hits the campaign trail with Tim Walz

19:30

Alicja Hagopian

Kamala Harris has a four-point lead over Donald Trump in Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin, according to a fresh poll from The New York Times and Siena College.

The polls were conducted from August 5 to 9, with 1,973 likely voters (around 650 from each state). Harris, the Democratic nominee for president, unveiled her running mate, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, on August 6.

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Five western leaders issue joint statement on Middle East

19:14

Gustaf Kilander

In a joint statement, the leaders of the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, and Italy said on Monday that they discussed the situation in the Middle East.

“We expressed our full support for ongoing efforts to de-escalate tensions and reach a ceasefire and hostage release deal in Gaza,” they said. “We endorsed the joint call from President Biden, President Sisi of Egypt, and Amir Tamim of Qatar to renew talks later this week with an aim to concluding the deal as soon as possible, and stressed there is no further time to lose.”

“All parties must live up to their responsibilities. In addition, unfettered delivery and distribution of aid is needed. We expressed our support for the defense of Israel against Iranian aggression and against attacks by Iran-backed terrorist groups,” they added. “We called on Iran to stand down its ongoing threats of a military attack against Israel and discussed the serious consequences for regional security should such an attack take place.”

Biden, Clintons, and Obama to speak at DNC

19:03

Gustaf Kilander

Secret Service under fire for breaking into local salon ahead of Kamala Harris’s campaign event

19:00

Rhian Lubin

The Secret Service has come under fire for breaking into a local salon ahead of a major Kamala Harris campaign event last month.

Businesswoman Alicia Powers said she was left feeling “violated” after a Secret Service agent was filmed covering up one of the salon’s security cameras with tape, broke into the business and allegedly allowed people to use the bathroom without her permission.

The incident took place on July 27 when the vice president was speaking at a fundraiser at the Colonial Theater in Pittsfield, Massachusetts – Harris’s first major in-person fundraiser since she launched her presidential campaign. Organizers said that Harris raked in over $1.4m for her campaign from the event.

The performing arts space is located behind Powers’ Four One Three salon.

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Trump’s insult to Harris: That she sounds more like ‘Trump than Trump’

18:40

James Liddell

Donald Trump has thought up a new insult for his Democratic rival Kamala Harris: that she sounds more like “Trump than Trump.”

In his latest Truth Social rant on Monday, the former president hit out at the vice president by likening her to him and claiming she has “flip-flopped” on her policies.

“Kamala Harris has flip-flopped on virtually every policy she has supported and lived by for her entire career, from the Border to Tips, and the Fake News Media isn’t reporting it,” he wrote on Monday morning.

“She sounds more like Trump than Trump, copying almost everything,” he continued.

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VIDEO: Trump, Harris look to gather undecideds

18:25

Gustaf Kilander

Republican pollster on why Trump is his own worst enemy right now: ‘His head is exploding’

17:55

Joe Sommerlad

A leading Republican pollster has argued that the former president is his own worst enemy as he tries to regain the White House.

Frank Luntz told CNN this weekend that Trump would improve his standing in the presidential race if he focused on the issues instead of personal attacks.

The Republican’s polling numbers have declined since President Joe Biden left the race and Vice President Kamala Harris took up the mantle for the Democrats.

Luntz argued that Trump’s personal attacks are pushing away voters who may otherwise have backed him.

“He’s been very negative and very hostile,” Luntz said, adding that he has “lost his balance.”

Gustaf Kilander has more.

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Trump returns to X/Twitter as he promotes interview with Elon Musk

17:46

Gustaf Kilander

Vance forced to defend wife Usha against white supremacists: ‘She’s out of your league’

17:35

Joe Sommerlad

The GOP vice presidential hopeful has been forced to defend his wife, Usha Vance, and their children against racist attacks from far-right white supremacists.

Here’s Katie Hawkinson on what Vance had to say when asked about online abuse by Jonathan Karl of ABC News.

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McCarthy, Sharpton deride Trump over latest crowd size obsession

17:15

Joe Sommerlad

Former GOP House speaker Kevin McCarthy and the Reverend Al Sharpton have both been taking the Republican presidential nominee to task this morning over his latest futile and dishonest attacks on Kamala Harris’s ability to draw a crowd, which is clearly beginning to frighten him.

Trump returns to X with new post

16:55

Joe Sommerlad

This ad, STILL leaning into the Dark Knight Rises-era Christopher Nolan aesthetic he stole in 2017, is the first thing Trump has posted on X/Twitter, other than his Georgia mugshot, since January 8 2021.

It comes, of course, ahead of tonight’s Elon Musk interview.

Here’s more from Andrew Griffin.

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Trump spokesman complains media ‘in the tank’ for Harris

16:35

Joe Sommerlad

Steven Cheung is angry about Time magazine’s new cover when surely it would be remiss of them not to cover the Kamala phenomenon right now, whatever their political allegiance.

Republicans, of course, always play entirely fair and square at all times and do not know the meaning of the phrase “shameless partisan political chicanery”.

Isaac Hayes’s estate threatens to sue Trump for using hit song at rallies

16:15

Joe Sommerlad

The family of the late soul superstar Isaac Hayes has demanded that Trump and his campaign pay $3m for alleged unauthorized use of the song “Hold On, I’m Comin’” at his rallies and in promo videos.

Hayes died in August 2008 but co-wrote the song in question with David Porter.

It became a hit for the duo Sam & Dave in 1966.

The late musician’s family hace sent Trump and his campaign a notice of copyright infringement on August 11, according to a post shared on X by Isaac Hayes III.

Here’s more from Kelly Rissman.

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Trump’s Truth Social derangement continues: ‘A completely fraudulent campaign!!!’

15:55

Joe Sommerlad

He’s really been bashing away at that keyboard this morning, absolutely fuming about Kamala Harris and his general inability to make a dent in her popularity.

Here’s Trump’s latest fury post.

In other MAGA social news, the GOP contender appears to have resumed advertising on X again – a tactic that just so happens to coincide with his Elon encounter this evening.

Trump to sue Justice Department for $100m over 2022 Mar-a-Lago raid, Fox reports

15:37

Joe Sommerlad

The Republican presidential nominee is set to sue the US government after agents raided his home on August 8 2022 in search of the boxes and boxes of classified documents he took from the White House and then refused to return to the National Archives when politely asked, as Joe Biden and Mike Pence did in similar circumstances.

According to a memo obtained by Fox News, Trump’s lawyers intend to argue the Justice Department acted with “clear intent to engage in political persecution”.

They are claiming “tortious conduct by the United States against President Trump”, the memo indicates.

The agents’ findings eventually led special counsel Jack Smith to issue a 37-count indictment against Trump, accusing him of willful retention of national defense information, conspiracy to obstruct justice and false statements.

Trump pleaded not guilty to all of that and the case was finally dismissed last month by US District Judge Aileen Cannon after a series of tortuous hearings and confusing orders.

She was appointed to the bench by, er, Donald J Trump.

Here’s James Liddell’s report.

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Trump and Harris now both advocate no tax on tips – but what are the pitfalls?

15:15

Joe Sommerlad

Here’s the Republican fuming about Kamala pinching his idea over the weekend...

...and here’s Oliver O’Connell to explore the ramifications of their now-shared policy.

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New poll shows Harris taking away key advantage from Trump

14:45

Joe Sommerlad

A new survey from The Financial Times and the University of Michigan shows the Vice President eating away at one of Trump’s key political advantages.

Here’s John Bowden with fresh reason for Donald to rage, rage against the dying of the light.

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Vance brands Walz a ‘schoolyard bully’ for calling him ‘weird’

14:15

Joe Sommerlad

This is at least an interesting riposte from Vance to his counterpart’s energy and aggression, invoking Walz’s past as a high school teacher.

James Liddell reports.

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John Oliver trolls Vance’s ‘desperate’ smear attempts on Walz’s military record

13:45

Joe Sommerlad

We’ve already seen the Republican’s weak defence of this “stolen valor” attack on Tim Walz to Dana Bash.

Here’s Myriam Page on the late-night comic’s reaction.

“The Trump campaign has currently got absolutely nothing,” says Oliver.

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Trump has yet another meltdown over crowd sizes as he falsely claims Harris’s rally was fake and AI generated

13:15

Joe Sommerlad

Here’s James Liddell on the Republican’s latest preposterous attack on his Democratic rival.

This nonsense comes just days after he claimed to have drawn a larger crowd than Dr Martin Luther King managed for his celebrated “I Have a Dream” speech on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in August 1963.

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Truth Social: Trump up early to rage against Harris

13:05

Joe Sommerlad

The Republican presidential nominee is sounding more unhinged than ever this morning as he attacks his Democratic rival in a pair of posts on Truth Social, bizarrely claiming in the first that Kamala “sounds more like Trump than Trump”, seemingly still annoyed by the “no tax on tips” policy echo.

In a follow-up, he makes this meaningless declaration this in all-caps:

Let’s let California Congressman Eric Swalwell take this one...

Walz offers his ‘thoughts from the road’ after battleground states tour

12:45

Joe Sommerlad

Here’s the Minnesota Governor reflecting on what was not “a normal week” by anybody’s standards.

Walz did well in Vegas over the weekend, attacking Trump over Project 2025 and the “weird crap” his policies amount to.

Ariana Baio has this on his emotional appeal to voters as the “Midwestern Dad” they lost to partisan division.

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Biden admits he became a ‘distraction’ in first interview since leaving presidential race

12:15

Joe Sommerlad

President Joe Biden gave his first interview since stepping down from the pursuit of a second term in the White House, again stressing his belief that democracy itself is on the ballot in November and the importance of beating Trump once again.

Biden also conceded that he had allowed speculation about his future to become a “distraction” before making way for Harris.

Here’s Oliver O’Connell on what the President had to tell Robert Costa of CBS News.

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Photo supposedly of Vance in drag at college party goes viral

11:45

Joe Sommerlad

A former Yale contemporary of JD Vance claims to be the source of this image of what appears to be the Republican vice presidential nominee dressed as a lady at a college party in 2012 and insists it is real.

A campaign spokesman approached by news outlets has meanwhile declined to deny it but offered no further comment.

Here’s more from Ellie Abraham.

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JD Vance refuses to back down on ‘childless cat lady’ comments

11:15

Joe Sommerlad

The unhappy Republican’s running mate JD Vance attempted to make a case for the GOP ticket on Sunday as he faces yet another week of backlash around his insults regarding “childless cat ladies” – by which he meant Democrats and Americans without children.

CNN’s Dana Bash questioned Vance on State of the Union about whether he viewed stepparents like Kamala Harris and adoptive parents like Pete and Chasten Buttigieg as real parents in light of his weird and nasty comment.

John Bowden has more on his response.

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Truth Social: Trump gripes about election and attempts to take credit for 2028 Olympics

10:45

Joe Sommerlad

The former president continues to whine on social media about his electoral plight, much as he did during last week’s live meltdown from Mar-a-Lago.

To freshen things up, he’s also been busy attempting to take credit for Los Angeles securing the next Olympic Games, having no doubt been watching the closing ceremony in Paris on TV at the time.

You know what might lighten the mood Don?

Doing some actual campaigning.

Weekend rally highlights: Harris in Vegas vs Trump in Montana

10:15

Joe Sommerlad

Here’s a study in contrasts.

Harris took the fight to Trump in the desert gambling Mecca...

...while the Republican continued to flail desperately in his attacks on the Democrat and her running mate Tim Walz and spent time fat-shaming local senator Jon Tester.

More?

Here’s Oliver O’Connell on Trump’s bizarre claim that nobody