Two members of Donald Trump’s legal team were spotted by Politico entering the Washington DC headquarters of the Department of Justice late Monday morning as the agency continues to lead a pair of investigations into the former president.
The two attorneys spotted were Evan Corcoran and Lindsey Halligan, according to Politico, who primarily work on the ex-president’s legal defence against an investigation into his handling of presidential records, including classified materials.
Meanwhile, the ex-president is facing criticism from his rivals for the Republican presidential nomination after congratulating North Korean leader Kim Jong-un on his country being admitted to the World Health Organisation’s Executive Board. And his own vice president has just jumped into the race — now running against him.
Reacting at a campaign appearance in Iowa, Florida governor Ron DeSantis said: “I was surprised to see that. I mean, one, Kim Jong-un is a murderous dictator.”
Nikki Haley, Mr Trump’s former ambassador to the UN, responded equally strongly during a CNN town hall event, remarking: “Kim Jong-un is a thug. I don’t think we should congratulate dictators.”
Key Points
Mike Pence files paperwork to enter 2024 race
17:05 , John Bowden
Mike Pence, the ex-Indiana governor who spent four years as then-president Donald Trump’s loyal vice President until he became persona non grata in MAGA circles for certifying their defeat in the 2020 election, has officially declared himself a candidate for the GOP nomination in next year’s Republican presidential primary.
Mr Pence on Monday filed paperwork with the Federal Election Commission to register his candidacy for the 2024 presidential election, capping months of speculation over whether Mr Trump’s former right-hand man would challenge his old running mate, who is seeking to reclaim his former place at the head of the executive branch amid multiple criminal probes into his conduct.
Read more in The Independent:
Mike Pence files paperwork to jump into crowded 2024 GOP primary race
Two Trump attorneys spotted entering DoJ headquarters
16:29 , John Bowden
Two members of Donald Trump’s legal team were spotted by Politico entering the Washington DC headquarters of the Department of Justice late Monday morning as the agency continues to lead a pair of investigations into the former president.
The two attorneys spotted were Evan Corcoran and Lindsey Halligan, according to Politico, who primarily work on the ex-president’s legal defence against an investigation into his handling of presidential records, including classified materials.
Read more here.
Lauren Boebert confirms former WWE star is not her father
16:04 , John Bowden
A former WWE wrestler who had a fling with Lauren Boebert’s mother in the 1980s has taken a second DNA test to conclusively prove he is not the congresswoman’s biological father.
Stan Lane, 69, was accused by the Colorado Republican’s mother Shawn Roberts Bentz decades ago of fathering the child while he was working for Championship Wrestling in Florida.
He submitted to a court-ordered DNA paternity test in the 1980s to settle a child support dispute, which found that he and the 36-year-old lawmaker were not related.
However, doubts persisted after a lab technician who took Mr Lane’s DNA was later convicted of taking a bribe to switch samples in a separate case.
Bevan Hurley picks up the story.
Lauren Boebert confirms former WWE star is not her father
Nikki Haley faces scathing criticism for transgender comments
15:28 , John Bowden
Presidential candidate Nikki Haley is facing strong resistance from the left over her assertion during a CNN town hall that the acceptance of transgender persons could be contributing to rates of suicide among teenage girls.
“My daughter ran track in high school. I don’t even know how I would have that conversation with her. How are we supposed to get our girls used to the fact that biological boys are in their locker rooms?“ Ms Haley asked.
“And then we wonder why a third of our teenage girls seriously contemplated suicide last year,” the former governor continued.
The remarks earned criticism from Chasten Buttigieg, among others, for the shocking and baseless assertion that the small segment of American children were somehow to blame for their fellows’ deaths.
“Nikki Haley suggesting that 1/3 of American teenage girls are contemplating suicide because of the existence of trans people is an unserious, untrue, and hateful thing to say. But hate is the point, isn’t it?” wrote Mr Buttigieg on Monday.
Texas bans gender-affirming care for minors
14:45 , Joe Sommerlad
Texas has become the most populous state to ban gender-affirming care for minors after governor Greg Abbott signed legislation on Friday.
Texas joined at least 18 other states that have enacted similar bans.
Every major medical organisation, including the American Medical Association, has opposed the bans and supported the medical care for youth when administered appropriately.
Lawsuits have been filed in several states where bans have been enacted this year.
Texas bans gender-affirming care for minors
Biden looking to shore up Hispanic support ahead of 2024
14:15 , Joe Sommerlad
Joe Biden vowed in 2020 to work “like the devil” to energise Hispanic voters and flew to Florida seven weeks before Election Day to do just that.
But, as he stepped to the podium at a Hispanic Heritage Month event near Disney World, Biden declared, “I just have one thing to say”, and used his phone to play part of “Despacito.”
It was meant to salute the singer of the reggaeton hit, Luis Fonsi, who had introduced him.
But the gesture triggered online backlash from some Hispanics who saw it as playing to belittling stereotypes — proof that while outreach is important, failing to strike the right tone can undermine it.
“The details actually matter for people because it’s respecting their background, respecting their history, respecting their culture,” said Grecia Lima, national political director of the progressive activist group Community Change Action.
President Biden isn’t the first politician to strike a sour note trying to connect across cultural lines but the blowback he encountered illustrates a bigger challenge he faces while seeking a second term.
Biden, looking to shore up Hispanic support, faces pressure to get 2024 outreach details right
Biden set for critical talks on Ukraine
13:45 , Joe Sommerlad
President Joe Biden is welcoming Denmark and Britain’s prime ministers to Washington this week for talks that will focus heavily on what lays ahead in the war in Ukraine – including the recently-launched effort to train, and eventually equip, Ukraine with American-made F-16s fighter jets
Here’s everything you need to know about the president’s diplomatic schedule.
Biden set for critical talks on Ukraine this week with Denmark’s Frederiksen, UK’s Sunak
Showtime documentary on DeSantis’s Guantanamo Bay career mysteriously dropped
13:15 , Joe Sommerlad
A Vice documentary about Republican presidential candidate Ron DeSantis’s earlier career as a US Navy lawyer serving at the Guantanamo Bay detention facility in Cuba has been mysteriously dropped from Showtime’s schedules, according to The Hollywood Reporter, with no explanation given.
The episode had been due to air on 28 May and an advanced screener was made available to journalists but that has since been dropped and the 4 June instalment of the series is now being referred to as episode four, rather than the one originally slated, entitled: “The Gitmo Candidate & Chipping Away.”
“We don’t comment on scheduling decisions,” a Showtime spokesperson told THR.
A Vice spokesperson told the same outlet: “As with all current affairs programming there can be scheduling changes, and we are very much still in discussion about the scheduling of this episode. We are proud of our reporting and of our continuing partnership with Showtime.”
Mysterious.
DeSantis wraps up first early states tour
12:45 , Joe Sommerlad
Florida governor Ron DeSantis wrapped up his first tour of early voting states as a presidential candidate on Friday, showcasing his personal side in South Carolina with a lighthearted sit-down with his wife and an emotional moment with a military spouse.
You can read more about the candidate’s debut week below.
DeSantis wraps up 1st early states tour as candidate with more personal touch in South Carolina
Lauren Boebert confirms former WWE star is not her father
12:15 , Joe Sommerlad
A former WWE wrestler who had a fling with Lauren Boebert’s mother in the 1980s has taken a second DNA test to conclusively prove he is not the congresswoman’s biological father.
Stan Lane, 69, was accused by the Colorado Republican’s mother Shawn Roberts Bentz decades ago of fathering the child while he was working for Championship Wrestling in Florida.
He submitted to a court-ordered DNA paternity test in the 1980s to settle a child support dispute, which found that he and the 36-year-old lawmaker were not related.
However, doubts persisted after a lab technician who took Mr Lane’s DNA was later convicted of taking a bribe to switch samples in a separate case.
Bevan Hurley picks up the story.
Lauren Boebert confirms former WWE star is not her father
McEnany v Trump: What happened?
11:45 , Joe Sommerlad
In a moment that shocked some — but came as no surprise to others — Donald Trump turned against his former White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany last week for allegedly broadcasting inaccurate poll numbers.
Ms McEnany, who served as the former president’s fourth press secretary, was known as one of his most loyal aides and staunch defenders, something she continued when she joined Fox News as a contributor after he lost the 2020 election and left office.
Nevertheless, Mr Trump pulled no punches in a Truth Social Post, complaining about a segment from her show in which he claimed she misreported the scale of his lead over Ron DeSantis.
You can more about their falling-out below.
Trump attorneys couldn’t find classified document he said he had on tape, report says
Jack Dorsey endorses Robert F Kennedy Jr for president
11:15 , Joe Sommerlad
Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey has officially endorsed anti-vaxxer and bitcoin enthusiast Robert F Kennedy Jr for president.
Mr Dorsey shared a YouTube link to a Fox News interview of John F Kennedy’s 69-year-old nephew on Sunday, titled “Robert F Kennedy Jr argues he can beat Trump and DeSantis in 2024”.
Mr Dorsey quote tweeted the link, commenting: “He can and will.”
RFK Jr announced his bid for the Democratic presidential nomination in April and hit the campaign trail for the first time last week.
Maroosha Muzaffar has more.
Jack Dorsey endorses Robert F Kennedy Jr for president
Nikki Haley rebukes Trump for supporting ‘thug’ Kim Jong-un and sitting on fence over Ukraine
10:45 , Joe Sommerlad
Donald Trump is facing criticism from his rivals for the Republican presidential nomination after congratulating North Korean leader Kim Jong-un on his country being admitted to the World Health Organisation’s Executive Board.
Reacting at a campaign appearance in Iowa, Florida governor Ron DeSantis said: “I was surprised to see that. I mean, one, Kim Jong-un is a murderous dictator.”
Nikki Haley, Mr Trump’s former ambassador to the UN, responded equally strongly during a CNN town hall event, remarking: “Kim Jong-un is a thug. I don’t think we should congratulate dictators.”
The former South Carolina governor, the only woman in the race, also took her competitors to task over their comments on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, saying: “For them to sit there and say that this is a territorial dispute – that’s just not the case, or to say that we should stay neutral.
“It’s in the best interest of our national security for Ukraine to win.”
Mr Trump continues to dominate the field among potential Republican primary voters with 49 per cent of support, according to the latest Reuters/Ipsos opinion poll. Mr DeSantis is next with 19 per cent and Ms Haley way behind on 4 per cent.
Trump makes misleading claim that New York hush money case could be dropped
09:45 , Megan Sheets
Donald Trump has misleadingly claimed that prosecutors in New York could soon be forced to drop hush money charges against him.
In a 12.24am all caps post on Truth Social on Sunday, Mr Trump wrote that “legal experts are saying” Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg will have to drop his “weak and disparaged case against ‘Trump’”.
Mr Trump claimed that the DA’s financial crimes investigator Jeremy Rosenberg had “corruptly colluded with a disgraced, disbarred, and convicted felon & perjurer”, referring to his former attorney turned bitter enemy Michael Cohen.
The outburst came soon after the publication of a New York Post story claiming Mr Rosenberg had been suspended by the DA’s office over his contact with Mr Cohen.
Read more:
Trump makes misleading claim that New York hush money case could be dropped
The case of the missing classified document
07:45 , Oliver O’Connell
Donald Trump’s attorneys have been unable to find the classified document described in a recording of a 2021 conversation that is now in the possession of prosecutors, CNN reports.
Earlier this week, the network broke the news that a recording existed of the former president acknowledging that he had held onto a classified Pentagon document outlining a potential attack on Iran.
Citing two sources, CNN now reports that attorneys for Mr Trump could not find the document he referred to when they turned over material in mid-March in response to a federal subpoena relating to the investigation.
Read more…
Trump attorneys couldn’t find classified document he said he had on tape, report says
ICYMI: DeSantis defines ‘woke’ after Trump claimed ‘half the people can’t’
05:45 , Megan Sheets
Ron DeSantis has presented his definition of his favourite word – “woke” – days after Donald Trump said “half the people” can’t define it.
“Look, we know what woke is, it’s a form of cultural Marxism,” Mr DeSantis told NBC News journalist Dasha Burns on a campaign stop in Iowa on Saturday.
“It’s about putting merit and achievement behind identity politics, and it’s basically a war on the truth. And as that has infected institutions, and it has corrupted institutions. So, you’ve got to be willing to fight the woke, we’ve done that in Florida, and we proudly consider ourselves the state where woke goes to die.”
Two days earlier, Mr Trump took a veiled shot at the Florida governor by criticising overuse of the Republican buzzword at his own campaign event in Iowa on Thursday.
“I don’t like the term ‘woke’ because I hear, ‘Woke, woke, woke.’ It’s just a term they use, half the people can’t even define it, they don’t know what it is,” Mr Trump said at the Westside Conservative Club in Urbandale, Iowa.
DeSantis defines ‘woke’ after Trump claimed ‘half the people can’t’
Federal judge recuses himself from Disney v DeSantis
03:45 , Oliver O’Connell
A federal judge set to preside over Disney’s lawsuit against Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has recused himself from the case, citing a relative who owns stocks in the company, according to an order filed on 2 June.
US District Judge Mark E Walker, who was appointed to the federal judiciary by Barack Obama, responded to a motion from Mr DeSantis’s legal team seeking his removal from the case.
Alex Woodward has the details.
Judge in Disney v DeSantis recuses himself and accuses attorneys of ‘judge-shopping’
DeSantis condemns Trump for congratulating ‘murderous dictator’ Kim Jong-un
02:45 , Megan Sheets
Donald Trump is under fire from Republicans for complimenting North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un after his country was admitted to the World Health Organisation’s Executive Board.
“Congratulations to Kim Jung Un!” the former president wrote on Truth Social, misspelling his name while sharing news of the admission.
The post drew immediate condemnation from GOP presidential candidates and state party leaders – including his top 2024 rival Ron DeSantis.
Asked about the post at an Iowa campaign event on Saturday, the Florida governor said: “I was surprised to see that. I mean, one, Kim Jong-un is a murderous dictator.”
Mr DeSantis noted that North Korea recently sentenced a family with a young infant to life in prison – before shifting his condemnation to the WHO.
Read more:
DeSantis condemns Trump for congratulating ‘murderous dictator’ Kim Jong-un
Trump reacts to report Pence won’t face charges for classified documents
01:45 , Oliver O’Connell
“I’m at least as innocent as he is.”
Trump rages that Pence won’t face charges for classified documents
Classified documents grand jury expected to meet this week
Monday 5 June 2023 00:45 , Megan Sheets
A grand jury hearing evidence in the federal investigation into Donald Trump’s handling of classified documents is expected to reconvene this week, according to a new report.
The news signals that Special Counsel Jack Smith’s probe into the former president may be moving closer to a possible indictment, according to NBC News.
The grand jury has been hearing evidence and witness testimony for several months, but had been on a recent hiatus, according to the report.
Read more:
New development in Trump’s classified documents case as grand jury expected to meet
Sweeping racketeering case possible as Georgia could widen probe to other states, report says
Sunday 4 June 2023 23:45 , Oliver O’Connell
A Georgia prosecutor’s criminal investigation into Donald Trump’s alleged interference in the 2020 presidential election has reportedly expanded its scope to include activities in Washington DC and several other states, suggesting that Atlanta-area district attorney Fani Willis is exploring a racketeering case against the former president and his allies.
Alex Woodward reports.
Georgia Trump investigation could include other states in racketeering case: report
Marjorie Taylor Greene U-turns on release of Jan 6 tapes
Sunday 4 June 2023 22:45 , Megan Sheets
Marjorie Taylor Greene has blamed liberal philanthropist George Soros and supposed concerns for Capitol security for abruptly reversing her position on releasing footage of the January 6 riot.
After previously calling for the tapes of the insurrection to be shared publicly, the Georgia congresswoman said on Friday that it could endanger the safety at the Capitol and of those who were present during the rioting but did not commit any crimes.
“If we released these video tapes just widely for the public — number one, we put the security of the Capitol at risk, because there’s over 1,700 video cameras,” she said in an interview with the right-wing Real America’s Voice channel.
Read more:
Marjorie Taylor Greene U-turns on Jan 6 tapes – citing Capitol security fear
‘Are you blind?’: DeSantis lashes out at reporter on New Hampshire campaign visit
Sunday 4 June 2023 21:45 , Oliver O’Connell
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis snapped at a reporter, asking him “are you blind?” after they asked him why he wouldn’t take questions from potential voters.
Mr DeSantis — who formally announced his 2024 presidential candidacy during a buggy Twitter spaces event hosted by Elon Musk — held a campaign event in New Hampshire on Thursday, after which he refused to take any questions.
Read more…
DeSantis lashes out at reporter on New Hampshire campaign visit: ‘Are you blind?’
Trump’s town halls expose media’s inability to fact-check a fountain of nonsense
Sunday 4 June 2023 19:45 , Megan Sheets
Donald Trump finished his town hall on Fox News on Thursday evening after making another whirlwind of false claims about a wide range of topics — the 2020 election, his trade policy, and his efforts to remain in the presidency to name a few.
The roughly hour-long performance was notable only for its rigid adherence to form: the ex-president spat out mistruths and conspiracies faster than any journalist could respond, not that Fox’s Sean Hannity ever meaningfully pushed back at all.
But the similarities between Mr Trump’s appearances on Fox News and its second-place rival, CNN, a few weeks earlier beg the question: why does cable news keep doing this?
John Bowden reports.
Trump’s Fox and CNN town halls expose media’s fact-checking weakness
‘I did it for 30 years’: Roger Stone caught on hot mic explaining how to manipulate Trump
Sunday 4 June 2023 17:45 , Oliver O’Connell
Longtime Donald Trump ally Roger Stone was caught on audio explaining how he allegedly manipulated the former president for decades.
Mr Stone, who served as a formal adviser to Mr Trump during his first presidential campaign, is the subject of the Danish documentary A Storm Foretold which refers to Mr Stone as “Trump’s political godfather.”
Despite Mr Stone publicly boasting about Mr Trump’s abilities and image, in private it seems he felt differently.
Ariana Baio has the story.
Roger Stone caught on hot mic explaining how he manipulated Trump
DeSantis defines ‘woke’ after Trump said ‘half the people can’t’
Sunday 4 June 2023 15:45 , Megan Sheets
Ron DeSantis has provided his own definition of his favourite word – “woke” – calling it “basically a war on the truth”.
The Florida governor was asked for his definition during a campaign stop in Iowa on Saturday – days after Donald Trump said “half the people” can’t define it.
“Look, we know what woke is, it’s a form of cultural Marxism,” he told NBC News journalist Dasha Burns. “It’s about putting merit and achievement behind identity politics, and it’s basically a war on the truth. And as that has infected institutions, and it has corrupted institutions. So, you’ve got to be willing to fight the woke, we’ve done that in Florida, and we proudly consider ourselves the state where woke goes to die.”
In a veiled shot at Mr DeSantis, Mr Trump criticised the GOP’s overuse of the word at his own campaign event in Iowa on Thursday.
“I don’t like the term ‘woke’ because I hear, ‘Woke, woke, woke.’ It’s just a term they use, half the people can’t even define it, they don’t know what it is,” he said.
Hours later, Mr Trump used the word himself at a Fox News town hall.
DeSantis condemns Trump’s congratulation of Kim Jong-un
Sunday 4 June 2023 15:19 , Megan Sheets
Ron DeSantis has joined Republicans rebuking Donald Trump for congratulating North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un after his country was admitted to the World Health Organisation’s Executive Board.
“Congratulations to Kim Jung Un!” the former president wrote on Truth Social on Friday, misspelling his name while sharing news of the admission.
Asked about the post at an Iowa campaign event on Saturday, the Mr DeSantis said: “I was surprised to see that. I mean, one, Kim Jong-un is a murderous dictator.”
The Florida governor noted that North Korea recently sentenced a family with a young infant to life in prison – before shifting his condemnation to the WHO.
“The World Health Organisation is a bankrupt organisation,” he said. “Like, Kim Jong-un is bad but joining that, we need to be getting out of that, and rejecting the WHO lockdown treaty and not congratulating about being involved in the WHO.”
Read more:
Trump slammed for congratulating Kim Jong-un – with awkward spelling error
Trump makes misleading claim about New York hush money probe
Sunday 4 June 2023 14:19 , Megan Sheets
Donald Trump took to Truth Social early Sunday morning to claim that Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s investigation into alleged hush money payments is on the rocks.
In all-caps, the ex-president wrote: “Wow! Legal experts are saying that D.A. Alvin Bragg will be immediately forced to drop his weak & disparaged case against “Trump” because his top investigator, Jeremy Rosenberg, corruptly colluded with a disgraced, disbarred, and convicted felon & perjurer in attempting to frame me with a “crime” that doesn’t even exist. They apparently became close friends with lifestyle money spent, a crime. This on top of Clinton lawyer turned prosecutor, Mark Pomerantz, illegally writing a book on the case!”
He appeared to be referring to a New York Post article which claimed that Mr Rosenberg had been suspended for “contact” with Mr Trump’s former attorney Michael Cohen.
The report, citing unnamed law enforcement sources, specifically states that the suspension “might not affect the case against Trump”.
‘Not inspiring’: Trump and Maga allies mock Biden for Air Force graduation fall
Sunday 4 June 2023 13:45 , Oliver O’Connell
Donald Trump and his Maga fans have mocked Joe Biden after he tripped and fell at the Air Force Graduation ceremony in Colorado.
The president dropped to his knees after stumbling over a sandbag after two hours on stage at the service academy in Colorado Springs on Thursday.
Mr Biden, 80, did not appear hurt by the fall and continued to stand on stage until the ceremony ended several minutes later, according to the White House pool.
Read more…
Trump and Maga allies mock Biden for Air Force graduation fall
Grand jury examining Trump classified documents case expected to meet after break
Sunday 4 June 2023 13:25 , Megan Sheets
There could soon be movement in the investigation into Donald Trump’s handling of classified documents after his presidency, as NBC News reports the federal grand jury hearing evidence in the case is expected to meet this week.
NBC’s report late Saturday night, citing “multiple people familiar with the investigation”, is causing a stir as it comes after lull in case activity at the court in recent weeks.
The Justice Department, which is overseeing the probe led by Special Counsel Jack Smith, declined to comment to the network and it is unclear whether prosecutors are preparing to seek an indictment.
The NBC report follows a string of new allegations related to the special counsel probe. Last week, multiple reports alleged that Mr Trump was caught on tape in 2021 acknowledging that he had held onto a classified Pentagon document outlining a potential attack on Iran. It later emerged that the document in question is missing.
Mr Trump has continued to profess that he did nothing wrong, most recently at a Fox News town hall on Thursday.
Trump downplays legal threat of secret papers recording
Sunday 4 June 2023 11:45 , Oliver O’Connell
Donald Trump returned to a familiar refrain on Thursday, insisting once again that he had done nothing wrong even as new challenges pop up seemingly every day for the ex-president who faces a bevy of criminal and civil investigations.
Mr Trump returned to Iowa for a town hall-styled event with his favoured cable network, Fox News, moderated by primetime opinion host Sean Hannity, who is now the Fox star probably closest to the former president given the firing of Tucker Carlson, the network’s previous star pundit.
And confronted with a new leaked recording indicating that Mr Trump knew that he was retaining classified materials after his presidential term ended, he once again insisted that he had done nothing wrong.
John Bowden reports.
Trump plays down legal threat of secret papers recording at Fox News town hall
Trump surprises crowd by mocking people who say ‘woke’
Sunday 4 June 2023 07:45 , Oliver O’Connell
Donald Trump surprised a crowd in Iowa by mocking people obsessed with using the Republican buzzword “woke”, insisting that most people cannot even define what it means.
The former president has himself regularly used the phrase to attack opponents, and just last month his eldest son, Donald Trump Jr, announced the launch of a “non-woke men’s lifestyle magazine.”
Graeme Massie has the story.
Trump surprises Iowa crowd by mocking people who say ‘woke’
Woman interrupts DeSantis speech to claim her son’s murder was covered up
Sunday 4 June 2023 03:45 , Oliver O’Connell
Gov Ron DeSantis’ presidential campaign event in Manchester, New Hampshire was interrupted by a woman who claimed that her son’s murder had been covered up in Florida.
The woman who made the accusation was led out of the facility where the rally was being held. As she was walking out of the event, the woman threw down a DeSantis hat she was holding and vowed to replace it with a hat representing former President Donald Trump.
Abe Asher reports.
Woman interrupts DeSantis speech to claim her son’s murder was covered up in Florida
FBI offers to show GOP chair document allegedly relating to Biden family
Saturday 3 June 2023 23:45 , Oliver O’Connell
The FBI offered Friday to show top lawmakers next week a bureau document that purports to relate to President Joe Biden and his family following weeks of demands by congressional Republicans and a contempt threat against Director Christopher Wray.
In a statement, the FBI said it would produce the document in a secure location inside the US Capitol for the Republican chairman of the House Oversight Committee, Rep. James Comer, and the panel’s top Democrat, Jamie Raskin of Maryland.
Read more:
FBI offers to show GOP chairman document that purports to relate to Biden, his family
DeSantis wraps up first early states tour
Saturday 3 June 2023 21:45 , Oliver O’Connell
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis was wrapping up his first tour of early voting states as a presidential candidate on Friday, showcasing his personal side in South Carolina with a lighthearted sit-down with his wife and an emotional moment with a military spouse.
Read more…
DeSantis wraps up 1st early states tour as candidate with more personal touch in South Carolina
DeSantis campaigning in Iowa today
Saturday 3 June 2023 21:18 , Megan Sheets
Ron DeSantis is once again on the campaign trail – making stops in Iowa on Saturday.
The Florida governor was seen shaking hands at the Iowa state fairgrounds before giving a speech filled with perhaps his favourite word: “woke”.
“As president, I recognize that the woke mind virus represents a war on the truth so we will wage a war on the woke,” he said in a video posted to Twitter by @acyn.
“We will fight the woke in education, we will fight the woke in corporations, we will fight the woke in the halls of Congress.”
McEnany v Trump: What happened?
Saturday 3 June 2023 19:45 , Oliver O’Connell
In a moment that shocked some — but came as no surprise to others — Donald Trump turned on his former White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany on Tuesday night for allegedly sharing inaccurate poll numbers.
Ms McEnany, who served as the former president’s fourth press secretary, was known as one of his most loyal aides and staunch defenders, something she continued when she joined Fox News as a contributor after he lost the 2020 election and left office.
Nevertheless, the former president pulled no punches in a Truth Social Post, complaining about a segment in which he claims she misreported his lead over Florida Governor Ron DeSantis.
Read more…
Why did Donald Trump turn on Kayleigh McEnany?
Florida congressman shouts ‘f*** Ron DeSantis’ on stage at Paramore concert
Saturday 3 June 2023 18:28 , Megan Sheets
Maxwell Alejandro Frost has laughed off criticism after he yelled “F*** Ron DeSantis” while performing on stage at a Paramore concert on Friday night.
The Florida congressman was asked by lead singer Hayley Williams if he had a message for the crowd as he took the stage to perform “Misery Business” with the group at the Capitol One Arena in Washington DC.
The Gen Z Democrat lawmaker responded: “F*** Ron DeSantis! F*** fascism!”
When a clip of Mr Alejandro Frost’s outburst was posted to Twitter by the Conservative War Machine account, he replied “lol they’re so mad”.
“I said what I said,” he wrote in another post.
Read more:
Florida congressman shouts ‘f*** Ron DeSantis’ on stage at Paramore concert
The case of the missing classified document
Saturday 3 June 2023 17:45 , Oliver O’Connell
Donald Trump’s attorneys have been unable to find the classified document described in a recording of a 2021 conversation that is now in the possession of prosecutors, CNN reports.
Earlier this week, the network broke the news that a recording existed of the former president acknowledging that he had held onto a classified Pentagon document outlining a potential attack on Iran.
Citing two sources, CNN now reports that attorneys for Mr Trump could not find the document he referred to when they turned over material in mid-March in response to a federal subpoena relating to the investigation.
Read more…
Trump attorneys couldn’t find classified document he said he had on tape, report says
Federal judge recuses himself from Disney v DeSantis
Saturday 3 June 2023 15:45 , Oliver O’Connell
A federal judge set to preside over Disney’s lawsuit against Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has recused himself from the case, citing a relative who owns stocks in the company, according to an order filed on 2 June.
US District Judge Mark E Walker, who was appointed to the federal judiciary by Barack Obama, responded to a motion from Mr DeSantis’s legal team seeking his removal from the case.
Alex Woodward has the details.
Judge in Disney v DeSantis recuses himself and accuses attorneys of ‘judge-shopping’
Trump slammed for congratulating Kim Jong-un
Saturday 3 June 2023 15:16 , Megan Sheets
Donald Trump is under fire from Republicans for complimenting North Korean dictator Kim Jong-Un after his country was admitted to the World Health Organisation’s Executive Board.
“Congratulations to Kim Jung Un!” the former president wrote on Truth Social, misspelling his name while sharing news of the admission.
The post drew immediate condemnation from GOP presidential candidates and state party leaders.
“Kim Jong Un starves his own people,” Mr Trump’s former UN ambassador and 2024 opponent Nikki Haley said on Twitter.
Read more from Bevan Hurley:
Trump slammed for congratulating Kim Jong-un – with awkward spelling error
DOJ will not charge Pence for classified documents
Saturday 3 June 2023 12:45 , Oliver O’Connell
The Department of Justice will not charge former vice president Mike Pence for any potential mishandling of classified documents and has closed its investigation, CNN reported.
The department sent a letter saying it will not charge Mr Pence after the former vice president’s attorney found classified documents in his home in Indiana. Mr Pence had asked his attorney to search his home after news reports that President Joe Biden had classified documents at his own personal residence.
Eric Garcia reports.
Trump rages that Pence won’t face charges for classified documents
Sweeping racketeering case possible as Georgia could widen probe to other states, report says
Saturday 3 June 2023 09:45 , Oliver O’Connell
A Georgia prosecutor’s criminal investigation into Donald Trump’s alleged interference in the 2020 presidential election has reportedly expanded its scope to include activities in Washington DC and several other states, suggesting that Atlanta-area district attorney Fani Willis is exploring a racketeering case against the former president and his allies.
Alex Woodward reports.
Georgia Trump investigation could include other states in racketeering case: report
‘Are you blind?’: DeSantis lashes out at reporter on New Hampshire campaign visit
Saturday 3 June 2023 06:45 , Oliver O’Connell
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis snapped at a reporter, asking him “are you blind?” after they asked him why he wouldn’t take questions from potential voters.
Mr DeSantis — who formally announced his 2024 presidential candidacy during a buggy Twitter spaces event hosted by Elon Musk — held a campaign event in New Hampshire on Thursday, after which he refused to take any questions.
Read more…
DeSantis lashes out at reporter on New Hampshire campaign visit: ‘Are you blind?’
Vivek Ramaswamy to call for end to US support for Ukraine
Saturday 3 June 2023 04:45 , Oliver O’Connell
Vivek Ramaswamy, the biotech entrepreneur and anti-woke asset manager turned Republican presidential hopeful, has a plan for ending Russia‘s year-and-a-half war on Ukraine – sort of.
Andrew Feinberg filed this story from New Hampshire.
Vivek Ramaswamy to call for end to US support for Ukraine
‘I did it for 30 years’: Roger Stone caught on hot mic explaining how to manipulate Trump
Saturday 3 June 2023 02:45 , Oliver O’Connell
Longtime Donald Trump ally Roger Stone was caught on audio explaining how he allegedly manipulated the former president for decades.
Mr Stone, who served as a formal adviser to Mr Trump during his first presidential campaign, is the subject of the Danish documentaryA Storm Foretold which refers to Mr Stone as “Trump’s political godfather.”
Despite Mr Stone publicly boasting about Mr Trump’s abilities and image, in private it seems he felt differently.
Ariana Baio has the story.
Roger Stone caught on hot mic explaining how he manipulated Trump
Trump’s town halls expose media’s inability to fact-check a fountain of nonsense
Saturday 3 June 2023 01:45 , Oliver O’Connell
Donald Trump finished his town hall on Fox News on Thursday evening after making another whirlwind of false claims about a wide range of topics — the 2020 election, his trade policy, and his efforts to remain in the presidency to name a few.
The roughly hour-long performance was notable only for its rigid adherence to form: the ex-president spat out mistruths and conspiracies faster than any journalist could respond, not that Fox’s Sean Hannity ever meaningfully pushed back at all.
But the similarities between Mr Trump’s appearances on Fox News and its second-place rival, CNN, a few weeks earlier beg the question: why does cable news keep doing this?
John Bowden reports.
Trump’s Fox and CNN town halls expose media’s fact-checking weakness
‘Not inspiring’: Trump and Maga allies mock Biden for Air Force graduation fall
Saturday 3 June 2023 00:45 , Oliver O’Connell
Donald Trump and his Maga fans have mocked Joe Biden after he tripped and fell at the Air Force Graduation ceremony in Colorado.
The president dropped to his knees after stumbling over a sandbag after two hours on stage at the service academy in Colorado Springs on Thursday.
Mr Biden, 80, did not appear hurt by the fall and continued to stand on stage until the ceremony ended several minutes later, according to the White House pool.
Read more…
Trump and Maga allies mock Biden for Air Force graduation fall
Trump downplays legal threat of secret papers recording
Friday 2 June 2023 23:45 , Oliver O’Connell
Donald Trump returned to a familiar refrain on Thursday, insisting once again that he had done nothing wrong even as new challenges pop up seemingly every day for the ex-president who faces a bevy of criminal and civil investigations.
Mr Trump returned to Iowa for a town hall-styled event with his favoured cable network, Fox News, moderated by primetime opinion host Sean Hannity, who is now the Fox star probably closest to the former president given the firing of Tucker Carlson, the network’s previous star pundit.
And confronted with a new leaked recording indicating that Mr Trump knew that he was retaining classified materials after his presidential term ended, he once again insisted that he had done nothing wrong.
John Bowden reports.
Trump plays down legal threat of secret papers recording at Fox News town hall
Arkansas librarians are suing to block state law that threatens them with jailtime
Friday 2 June 2023 23:15 , Oliver O’Connell
A coalition of librarians, libraries, patrons, bookstores and publishers are suing officials in the state of Arkansas after passage of a sweeping state law that could threaten librarians with jail and heavy fines for materials in their collections.
Arkansas is among four states that have recently enacted state laws that make it easier to prosecute libraries, librarians and booksellers over explicit content, as Republican lawmakers and right-wing activists target LGBT+ content and descriptions of gender identity and sexuality in a nationwide campaign taking aim at materials in classrooms and on bookshelves.
Alex Woodward reports.
Arkansas librarians are suing to block state law that threatens them with jailtime
Trump’s lawyers ask judge to exit criminal case
Friday 2 June 2023 23:00 , Oliver O’Connell
Within hours of his historic arraignment this spring, Donald Trump fixed his ire on the judge, complaining that he’s “a Trump hating-judge” with a family full of “Trump haters.”
On Friday, the former president’s lawyers doubled down on that criticism, demanding Judge Juan Manuel Merchan step aside from his New York City criminal case because of what they say is anti-Trump bias and a conflict of interest arising from his daughter’s work for some of Trump’s Democratic rivals.
Read more…
Donald Trump’s lawyers ask judge to exit criminal case, echoing claims of political bias
Trump surprises crowd by mocking people who say ‘woke’
Friday 2 June 2023 22:45 , Oliver O’Connell
Donald Trump surprised a crowd in Iowa by mocking people obsessed with using the Republican buzzword “woke”, insisting that most people cannot even define what it means.
The former president has himself regularly used the phrase to attack opponents, and just last month his eldest son, Donald Trump Jr, announced the launch of a “non-woke men’s lifestyle magazine.”
Graeme Massie has the story.
Trump surprises Iowa crowd by mocking people who say ‘woke’
Woman interrupts DeSantis speech to claim her son’s murder was covered up
Friday 2 June 2023 22:15 , Oliver O’Connell
Gov Ron DeSantis’ presidential campaign event in Manchester, New Hampshire was interrupted by a woman who claimed that her son’s murder had been covered up in Florida.
The woman who made the accusation was led out of the facility where the rally was being held. As she was walking out of the event, the woman threw down a DeSantis hat she was holding and vowed to replace it with a hat representing former President Donald Trump.
Abe Asher reports.
Woman interrupts DeSantis speech to claim her son’s murder was covered up in Florida
FBI offers to show GOP chair document allegedly relating to Biden family
Friday 2 June 2023 22:00 , Oliver O’Connell
The FBI offered Friday to show top lawmakers next week a bureau document that purports to relate to President Joe Biden and his family following weeks of demands by congressional Republicans and a contempt threat against Director Christopher Wray.
In a statement, the FBI said it would produce the document in a secure location inside the US Capitol for the Republican chairman of the House Oversight Committee, Rep. James Comer, and the panel’s top Democrat, Jamie Raskin of Maryland.
Read more:
FBI offers to show GOP chairman document that purports to relate to Biden, his family
Trump demands Fox News embrace MAGA in all-caps Truth Social rant to ‘MAGADONIANS’
Friday 2 June 2023 21:51 , Oliver O’Connell
Donald Trump is demanding Fox News embrace MAGA in an all-caps Truth Social rant to his supporters — “MAGADONIANS”.
The former president wrote:
FOX SHOULD EMBRACE MAGA. THEIR PRIMETIME VIEWERSHIP IS DOWN 37% FROM JUST A YEAR AGO, ALL BECAUSE THE VERY SMART, EVEN BRILLIANT, MAGADONIANS KNOW THAT, DESPITE ALL THE FAKE LIP SERVICE, FOXNEWS IS PUSHING RON DESANCTUS, OR ANYONE ELSE FOR THAT MATTER, BECAUSE THEY HATE THE GREATEST “AMERICA FIRST” PRESIDENT TO EVER PUT ON A SUIT AND TIE, ME. THEY ARE ALL GLOBALISTS, AND GLOBALISTS WILL NEVER, MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!!!
He added:
WE ARE MAGADONIANS, WE ARE VERY SMART, WE STICK TOGETHER AS ONE, WE FOLLOW TRUTH SOCIAL, WE PUT “AMERICA FIRST,” AND WE WILL “MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!”