Trump campaigns in Minnesota, predicting he will win the traditionally Democratic state in November
Former President Donald Trump used a day off from his hush money trial Friday to headline a Republican fundraiser in Minnesota, a traditionally Democratic state that he boasts he can carry in November.
Melania Trump is set to make a return to her husband's campaign with a rare political appearance
Former first lady Melania Trump is making a return to her husbandโs presidential campaign with a rare political appearance after months of being absent from Donald Trumpโs latest run for the White House.
Here's where all the cases against Trump stand as he campaigns for a return to the White House
From allegations of plotting to overturn an election he lost to illegally stowing classified documents at his Florida estate, former President Donald Trump faces four criminal indictments in four different cities as he vies to reclaim the White House.
Rosalynn Carter honored by family, friends, first ladies and presidents -- including husband Jimmy
Rosalynn Carter was remembered Tuesday as a former U.S. first lady who leveraged her fierce intellect and political power to put her deep Christian faith into action by always helping others, especially those who needed it most.
What we know about Trump's actions as insurrection unfolded
Members of the House committee investigating the Jan. 6 U.S. Capitol insurrection are holding their first prime-time hearing to share what they have uncovered about then-President Donald Trumpโs efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 election.
Trump-backed candidates face scrutiny after minimal vetting
As former President Donald Trump has waded into contested primaries across the country, trying to exact revenge and remake the Republican Party in his image, he has endorsed a series of candidates facing serious allegations, especially concerning their treatment of women.
Subpoenas could shed light on how Jan. 6 rally came together
The latest round of subpoenas from the House committee investigating the Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection may help uncover the degree to which former President Donald Trump, his campaign and White House were involved in planning the rally that preceded the riot.
Jill Biden's travel shows breadth covered by first lady
Within the span of 36 hours this past week, Jill Biden went from clinking cups of beer with Doug Emhoff, the vice president's spouse, at a baseball game in Houston to joining the president in Florida to comfort families affected by the collapsed condominium building in Surfside.
Jill Biden sees teachable moment in the depths of a pandemic
(Mandel Ngan/Pool via AP, File)WATERFORD, Pa. โ Jill Biden sees a teachable moment in the depths of the coronavirus pandemic. She's still teaching, virtually from the White House, and pining for the day she can go back to the classroom. Jill Biden quickly set her agenda as first lady by highlighting all three of her longtime causes in her first weeks. ___There apparently are no incognito errand runs for Jill Biden. Ad___After Jill Biden released a photo of herself at the counter of The Sweet Lobby, the boutique bakery wasn't the only thing that became an instant hit.
President Biden memorializes half-million American lives lost to COVID-19
I know what itโs like to not be there when it happens," said Biden, who has long addressed grief more powerfully than perhaps any other American public figure. AdAfter he spoke, the president along with first lady Jill Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris and her husband Doug Emhoff stood outside the White House for a moment of silence at sundown. In one of his many symbolic breaks with his predecessor, Biden has not shied away from offering remembrances for the lives lost to the virus. The COVID-19 death total in the United States had just crossed 400,000 when Biden took the oath of office. The administration says it expects to have enough vaccine available for every American by the end of July.
Even without listening, US lives in Limbaughโs media world
Limbaugh, the talk radio host who became the voice of American conservatism, has died. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky, File)NEW YORK โ You didn't have to like or even listen to Rush Limbaugh to be affected by what he did. Bumper stickers proclaimed, โRush is Right.โโThere is no talk radio as we know it without Rush Limbaugh. As Limbaugh's political strength became evident, many Republican politicians felt they couldn't cross him, or run the risk of alienating his millions of listeners, Hemmer said. โMany of these listeners didn't care if Rush Limbaugh crossed the line (of propriety),โ she said.
Jill Biden signals she'll be more active as first lady
First lady Jill Biden's necklace says "Mama," as she takes a tour of Whitman-Walker Health, Friday, Jan. 22, 2021, in Washington. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin, Pool)WASHINGTON โ Five days into her new role, Jill Biden signaled Monday that she'll be a more active first lady, with a trio of virtual appearances before governors' spouses, young Latinos and library officials. Jill Biden's early moves seemed designed to signal that she intends to be more active than her predecessor, Melania Trump. On Monday, Jill Biden took on the role of top surrogate for the president, encouraging unity and promising the administration would listen to all voices. Joe Biden was a U.S. senator for 36 years, followed by eight years as vice president.
Trump shuns 'ex-presidents club' โ and the feeling is mutual
Now that he's left office, it's hard to see him embracing the stately, exclusive club of living former presidents. โHe kind of laughed at the very notion that he would be accepted in the presidents club,โ said Kate Andersen Brower, who interviewed Trump in 2019 for her book โTeam of Five: The Presidentsโ Club in the Age of Trump." Obama, Bush and Clinton recorded their video after accompanying Biden to lay a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Solider following the inauguration. When Hurricane Katrina blasted the Gulf Coast, Bush, father of the then-current president George W. Bush, called on Clinton to boost Katrina fundraising relief efforts. Obama tapped Clinton and the younger President Bush to boost fundraising efforts for Haiti after its devastating 2010 earthquake.
Comforting rituals show in media's depiction of inauguration
(David Tulis/Pool Photo via AP)NEW YORK โ After Air Force One took Donald Trump out of Washington, an unusual Inauguration Day quickly felt more traditional โ even comforting โ for people watching at home. "What we're seeing today is an ejection of insurrection.โTrump skipped the inauguration of his successor, the first president to break that tradition since 1869. โIf Democrats need thousands of troops to occupy the Capitol on Inauguration Day, then it seems possible that their candidate wasn't actually elected by the people,โ Sharp said. โHe said that there is truth and there are lies, lies that are told for power and lies that are told for profit,โ Wallace said. The Washington Post updated its count of lies and misstatements by Trump: 30,534 heading into his last day as president.
Photos show a heavily guarded Washington D.C. as city prepares for Biden inauguration, Trump departure
(Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images) (2021 Getty Images)A member of National Guard is seen ahead of the inauguration of U.S. President-elect Joe Biden on January 20, 2021 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Erin Schaff - Pool/Getty Images) (2021 Pool)A Washington D.C. Metro police woman works outside the White house ahead of Inauguration Day ceremonies, Wednesday, Jan. 20, 2021, in Washington. All rights reserved)Security officers speak before Inauguration Day ceremonies outside the White House, Wednesday, Jan. 20, 2021, in Washington. All rights reserved)The sun rises behind the White House at dawn, Wednesday, Jan. 20, 2021, in Washington. The White House is seen in the early morning before Inauguration Day ceremonies, Wednesday, Jan. 20, 2021, in Washington.
The Latest: Trump predicts โsuccessโ for new administration
The federal government has launched a new website that will serve as a clearinghouse for records from former President Donald Trumpโs administration. Biden brought a dark blue rug out of storage to replace a lighter colored one installed by former President Donald Trump. Workers removed the giant sign from the departmentโs C Street lobby on Wednesday shortly after President Joe Biden was inaugurated. ___4:55 p.m.President Joe Biden has directed that federal agencies halt all rulemaking until his administration has time to review proposed regulations. Former President Donald Trump flew to Florida before Biden was sworn into office.
President-elect Biden arrives in Washington with big plans, big problems
โTo heal we must remember," the incoming president told the nation at a sunset ceremony at the Lincoln Memorial. โBetween sundown and dusk, let us shine the lights into the darkness ... and remember all who we lost,โ Biden said. โTonight, we grieve and begin healing together.โBeyond the pandemic, Biden faces no shortage of problems when he takes the reins at the White House. Biden at his Delaware farewell, held at the National Guard/Reserve Center named after his late son Beau Biden, paid tribute to his home state. As Biden made his way to Washington, five of his Cabinet picks were appearing Tuesday before Senate committees to begin confirmation hearings.
Biden, Harris take break from inaugural prep to mark MLK day
Flags are placed on the National Mall, looking towards the Washington Monument, and the Lincoln Memorial, ahead of the inauguration of President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris, Monday, Jan. 18, 2021, in Washington. As Biden and Harris took breaks from their inaugural preparations to honor the civil rights hero Monday, outgoing President Donald Trump remained out of public view at the White House for the sixth straight day. Biden transition officials, including incoming Homeland Security adviser Liz Sherwood-Randall and the deputy attorney general nominee, Lisa Monaco, held a videoconference with acting heads and career staff from national security agencies to discuss the security situation surrounding Inauguration Day. Even before the Jan. 6 insurrection at the Capitol, inauguration festivities were expected to be muted due to the virus. Mayor Muriel Bowser urged residents to stay away from the city on Inauguration Day.
'Rooting hard for you': Will departure notes end with Trump?
Ron.โThus was born the tradition of departing presidents leaving a handwritten note in the Oval Office for their successors. President Donald Trump has refused to accept the results of Novemberโs election and vowed not to attend Joe Bidenโs inauguration on Wednesday. I know you will feel that, too,โ Bush wrote in the note, adding, "I wish you great happiness here. Updegrove said even if the note tradition stops with Trump, it could easily start again when Biden leaves office. He has already been vice president and spent 36 years in the Senate, where tradition and bipartisan congeniality are strong.
Records: Trump allies behind rally that ignited Capitol riot
It said that if any former employees or independent contractors for the campaign took part, โthey did not do so at the direction of the Trump campaign.โAt least one was working for the Trump campaign this month. The APโs review found at least three of the Trump campaign aides named on the permit rushed to obscure their connections to the demonstration. Between mid-March and mid-November, Donald J. Trump for President Inc. paid Wren $20,000 a month, according to Federal Election Commission records. Maggie Mulvaney, a niece of former top Trump aide Mick Mulvaney, is listed on the permit attachment as the โVIP Lead.โ She worked as director of finance operations for the Trump campaign, according to her LinkedIn profile. Trumpโs presidential campaign paid Event Strategies $1.3 million in 2020 for โaudio visual services,โ according to the campaign finance records.
Inauguration Day also is move in/out day at the White House
A van arrives to pick up boxes that were moved out of the Eisenhower Executive Office building, inside the White House complex, Thursday, Jan. 14, 2021, in Washington. Inauguration Day is also moving day at the White House. The process would continue during the ceremony and the parade down Pennsylvania Avenue to the White House. โThey basically have the moving trucks waiting outside the White House gates,โ said Matt Costello, a historian at the White House Historical Association. The chief usher reports to Melania Trump, who toured the White House living quarters in November 2016 when she accompanied Donald Trump to the White House for a post-election meeting with then-President Barack Obama.
Jill Biden to name director for military families program
(AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)WASHINGTON โ Days before Joe Biden becomes president, incoming first lady Jill Biden is taking a step toward fulfilling a campaign promise to revive a support program for military families that she once led with former first lady Michelle Obama. Jill Biden on Thursday was naming an executive director of that program, known as Joining Forces. Rory Brosius, 37, is on the president-elect's transition team and was a senior adviser to Jill Biden during the campaign. โMilitary families still needed support,โ Brosius told The Associated Press in a telephone interview before she was to join Jill Biden for a virtual listening session with organizations that support military families. Jill Biden continued her work with military families through the Biden Foundation after leaving the White House in 2017.
Delayed Kennedy Center Honors to be rescheduled for mid-May
(Photo by Brent N. Clarke/Invision/AP)WASHINGTON โ Five months after they were postponed because of the coronavirus, the annual Kennedy Center Honors are coming back in May, possibly in a series of small events, organizers announced Wednesday. The centerpiece event for Washingtonโs Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts normally happens in December, but it was postponed last year amid the pandemic. But even with COVID-19 vaccines gradually rolling out across the country, Kennedy Center President Deborah Rutter knew the usual concert would not be possible in May. โIt's normally such a festive event, and I'm sure that will come across.โBrooks is no stranger to the Kennedy Center Honors process. Trump and first lady Melania Trump generally stayed away from Kennedy Center events, but Rutter hopes to get President-elect Joe Biden involved this year.
First Lady Melania Trump breaks silence, says sheโs โdisappointedโ by Capitol riot
President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump step off Air Force One at Andrews Air Force Base, Md., Thursday, Dec. 31, 2020. โ Melania Trump said Monday that she is โdisappointed and disheartenedโ by the deadly riot at the Capitol last week by supporters of her husband. โI am disappointed and disheartened with what happened last week,โ she wrote in a White House blog post released before sunrise. Trump encouraged his supporters to flock to Washington last Wednesday, the day set for Congress to certify the presidential vote. After addressing a rally near the White House in which he encouraged his supporters to keep fighting, they stormed the Capitol.
A farewell to @realDonaldTrump, gone after 57,000 tweets
This Friday, Jan. 8, 2021 image shows the suspended Twitter account of President Donald Trump. It began with a May 4, 2009, tweet promoting Donald Trump's upcoming appearance on David Letterman's show. โI said, โLetโs call you @realDonaldTrump โ youโre the real Donald Trump,โโ recalled Costanzo. In its most popular tweet, on Oct. 2, 2020, @realDonaldTrump announced that Trump and first lady Melania Trump had contracted the coronavirus. Trump deleted 1,166 tweets and, in his final months on the platform, had 471 tweets flagged by Twitter for misinformation, according to Factba.se.
A farewell to @realDonaldTrump, gone after 57,000 tweets
This Friday, Jan. 8, 2021 image shows the suspended Twitter account of President Donald Trump. It began with a May 4, 2009, tweet promoting Donald Trump's upcoming appearance on David Letterman's show. โI said, โLetโs call you @realDonaldTrump โ youโre the real Donald Trump,โโ recalled Costanzo. In its most popular tweet, on Oct. 2, 2020, @realDonaldTrump announced that Trump and first lady Melania Trump had contracted the coronavirus. Trump deleted 1,166 tweets and, in his final months on the platform, had 471 tweets flagged by Twitter for misinformation, according to Factba.se.
Trump to skip Biden swearing-in โ Biden's fine with that
Biden said he was just fine with that, calling it โone of the few things we have ever agreed on." โDonald Trump doesnโt want to be in Washington as the second-fiddle loser standing on stage with Joe Biden,โ he said. โTo all of those who have asked, I will not be going to the Inauguration on January 20th,โ Trump said in a tweet. White House counsel Pat Cipollone has repeatedly warned Trump that he could be deemed responsible for inciting Wednesdayโs violence. On Capitol Hill, Democrats laid plans to impeach Trump a second time, with articles of impeachment expected to be introduced on Monday.
Trump finally faces reality โ amid talk of early ouster
WASHINGTON โ With 13 days left in his term, President Donald Trump finally bent to reality Thursday amid growing talk of trying to force him out early, acknowledging heโll peacefully leave after Congress affirmed his defeat. Trump led off a video from the White House by condemning the violence carried out in his name a day earlier at the Capitol. Deprived of that social media lifeblood, Trump remained silent and ensconced in the executive mansion until Thursday evening. Staff-level discussions on the matter took place across multiple departments and even in parts of the White House, according to two people briefed on the talks. Few aides had any sense of the presidentโs plans, with some wondering if Trump would largely remain out of sight until he left the White House.
4 dead after Trump supporters stormed US Capitol
Angry supporters of President Donald Trump stormed the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday in a chaotic protest aimed at thwarting a peaceful transfer of power. ___7:55 p.m.Stephanie Grisham, chief of staff and press secretary for first lady Melania Trump, has resigned following violent protests at the U.S. Capitol by supporters of President Donald Trump. On an American Airlines flight from Dallas, a large contingent of Trump supporters got in an angry yelling match with other passengers after one of the presidentโs supporters projected โTrump 2020โ on the cabin ceiling and walls. President Trump lost.โ___6:25 p.m.President Donald Trump has appeared to justify the violent occupation of the U.S. Capitol by his supporters. The mostly maskless crowd stormed the Capitol earlier Wednesday as lawmakers were meeting to certify President-elect Joe Bidenโs win.
Clues about post-Trump politics await in Georgia
โThe party has a real choice to make on where we go from here,โ said Michael McNeely, a former Georgia Republican vice chairman. Trump fueled Republican turnout, especially in rural areas and small towns, that overwhelmed Democrats in states less diverse than Georgia. Plenty of Georgia Republicans embrace Trumpโs imprint, at least publicly. โAbsolutely four Republican votes in this house,โ she said, including her young adult children casting absentee ballots. But all three are Democratic districts, and they include the two most concentrated Democratic districts, the 4th and 5th in the metro Atlanta core.
Trump returns to White House early, offers year-end message
As the end of his presidency neared, Trump cut short his stay at his Mar-a-Lago club in Florida and got back to the White House a day ahead of schedule. The White House didn't give a reason for Trump's early return, and the schedule change means Trump will miss the glitzy New Yearโs Eve party held annually at his Palm Beach club. During his vacation, Trump also took near daily swipes on Twitter at Georgia Republican Gov. He went as far as barring them from his Christmas Day remarks to the troops, the type of event the White House typically opens for news coverage. McConnell blocked attempts by Democrats to force a vote in that chamber on the higher payments sought by Trump.
Trump golfs in Florida as COVID relief hangs in the balance
WEST PALM BEACH โ President Donald Trump spent his Christmas golfing in Florida as a government shutdown looms and COVID relief hangs in the balance. Trump, at his Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach for the holidays, had no events on his public schedule after throwing the future of a massive COVID relief and government funding bill into question. It said only: โDuring the Holiday season, President Trump will continue to work tirelessly for the American People. โAt a meeting in Florida today, everyone was asking why arenโt the Republicans up in arms & fighting over the fact that the Democrats stole the rigged presidential election?โ Trump tweeted Thursday. He has been egged on by allies like his lawyer, former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani, who accompanied the president to Florida aboard Air Force One.
Trump golfs in Florida as COVID relief hangs in the balance
WEST PALM BEACH โ After tossing a grenade that threatens to blow up a massive COVID relief and government funding bill and force a government shutdown in the midst of a pandemic, President Donald Trump spent his Christmas Eve golfing in Florida. Failure to agree on the bill could deny checks to millions of Americans on the brink. Reporters were given no details of his schedule for the day, but told that, โAs the Holiday season approaches, President Trump will continue to work tirelessly for the American People. The idea was swiftly rejected by House Republicans during a rare Christmas Eve session, leaving the proposal in limbo. In Florida, Trump continued to rail against the results, complaining to members that he had been robbed of the election and voicing frustrations about the year-end spending bill.
With a video filmed in secret, Trump keeps sowing chaos
President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump walk to board Marine One on the South Lawn of the White House, Wednesday, Dec. 23, 2020, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)WASHINGTON โ The video message that plunged Washington into chaos was filmed in secret. On Wednesday, few Republicans or even White House staffers knew what Trump plans next, in a return to the around-the-clock chaos of his first months in office. โThere are mixed signals from the White House leaving more confusion than calm,โ Biden noted on Wednesday. Trump personally played little role in the negotiations, though the White House had initially sent signals that he would sign the bill.
New round of Trump clemency benefits Manafort, other allies
FILE - In this Thursday, June 27, 2019 file photo, Paul Manafort arrives in court in New York. President Trump's former campaign manager is to be arraigned on state mortgage fraud charges. Manafort, who led Trump's campaign during a pivotal period in 2016 before being ousted over his ties to Ukraine, was among the first people charged as part of Muellerโs investigation into ties between the Trump campaign and Russia. Though the charges against Manafort did not concern the central thrust of Mueller's mandate โ whether the Trump campaign and Russia colluded to tip the election โ he was nonetheless a pivotal figure in the investigation. Trump and the elder Kushner knew each other from real estate circles and their children were married in 2009.
Pence, top congressional leaders get vaccines; Trump absent
Vice President Mike Pence receives a Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine shot at the Eisenhower Executive Office Building on the White House complex, Friday, Dec. 18, 2020, in Washington. Conspicuously absent: President Donald Trump, who has remained largely out of sight five days into the largest vaccination campaign in the nationโs history. Trump did appear at a White House โsummitโ ahead of the Food and Drug Administration's approval of the Pfizer vaccine last week. โDonโt let Joe Biden take credit for the vaccines,โ Trump has told reporters. โIt simply isnโt good enough to have Vice President Pence as a proxy."
Trump's move to his Florida estate challenged by neighbor
The president and first lady Melania Trump changed their legal residence from New York City to Palm Beach last year. Trump purchased Mar-a-Lago for $10 million in 1985 from the estate of Marjorie Merriweather Post, the owner of General Foods. Before he became president, Trump and the town often clashed over the club's operation. He unsuccessfully sued Palm Beach County because jetliners taking off from the nearby international airport flew over the mansion. Palm Beach is one of Florida's most exclusive towns, with a median home price of over a million dollars.
Macron is the latest world leader to catch COVID-19
French President Emmanuel Macron reacts as he meets Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Costa, Wednesday, Dec. 16, 2020 in Paris. French President Emmanuel Macron has tested positive for COVID-19, the presidential Elysee Palace announced on Thursday. DONALD TRUMPPresident Donald Trump announced in October that he and his wife, first lady Melania Trump, tested positive for the coronavirus. BORIS JOHNSONThe British prime minister was the first major world leader confirmed to have COVID-19, after facing criticism for downplaying the pandemic. Other top officials in former Soviet states who were infected include Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin.
Pandemic doesnโt break first lady holiday hospital tradition
(AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)WASHINGTON โ Melania Trump didn't let the coronavirus pandemic break a decades-long tradition of first ladies visiting a Washington children's hospital at the holidays. On Tuesday, she made her fourth and final holiday visit as first lady to Children's National Hospital. The hospital tweaked the holiday program to safely accommodate the visit during the pandemic, which has claimed more than 300,000 lives in the United States. In past years, Mrs. Trump read to a big crowd of patients and their families, hospital staffers and singers and dancers. During her time as first lady, Mrs. Trump has raised awareness about the harmful effects of bullying.
First lady urges kindness during holiday clouded by pandemic
First lady Melania Trump offers hand sanitizer to a child as she participates in the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve's Toys for Tots Drive at Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling in Washington, Tuesday, Dec. 8, 2020. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)WASHINGTON โ Melania Trump is encouraging people to perform small acts of kindness to help lift the spirits of others who are feeling blue during the pandemic-tinged holiday season. She also thanked men and women serving in the U.S. military who won't be with their families at the holidays because they are stationed overseas. After her remarks, the first lady put on a face mask and helped dozens of children who participated in the event sort a variety of toys into separate boxes labeled for boys and girls. She also sat with groups of children at tables as they made Christmas cards, and later gave out bags printed with the โBe Bestโ logo.
First lady announces new White House tennis pavilion
Weeks before her family turns the White House over to President-elect Joe Biden, Melania Trump announced that a new tennis pavilion on the south grounds is ready for action. The first lady's office said Monday that the pavilion's design was inspired by the architectural style of the White House, especially the East and West Wings. A colonnade, parapet wall and fanlight windows tie the new building to the look and feel of the White House. The White House did not disclose the cost. Completion of the tennis pavilion follows the first lady's redesign of the White House Rose Garden earlier this year.
Lawmakers who met with Giuliani scramble after COVID news
The president on Sunday, Dec. 6, 2020 confirmed in a tweet that Giuliani had tested positive for the virus. On numerous occasions, Giuliani met with officials for hours at a time without wearing a mask, including hearings last week with state lawmakers in Arizona, Georgia and Michigan. Giuliani spoke for hours last week before a Republican-led committee in Lansing investigating alleged election irregularities. Giuliani traveled last Monday to Phoenix, where he met with Republican legislators for an hourslong hearing in which he was maskless. The Arizona Republican Party tweeted a photo of Giuliani and several state GOP lawmakers standing shoulder-to-shoulder and maskless.
The Latest: Trump urges backers to 'take revenge' by voting
โLet them steal Georgia again, youโll never be able to look yourself in the mirror,โ Trump told rallygoers. David Perdue and Kelly Loeffler are trying to defeat Democrats Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock, respectively, and keep the Senate under Republican control. ___8:40 p.m.President Donald Trump suggested at a big gathering on behalf of Republican senators Kelly Loeffler and David Perdue that he was reluctant to hold another campaign rally. โI shouldnโt do this for them,โ Trump said โIt costs too much money.โ___8:15 p.m.President Donald Trump ripped Republican Gov. ___7:35 p.m.President Donald Trump kicked off his Saturday night rally in Georgia for Republican Sens.
President Trump presses own grievances at rally for Georgia senators
โLet them steal Georgia again, youโll never be able to look yourself in the mirror,โ Trump told rallygoers. The Jan. 5 Senate runoffs in Georgia will determine the balance of power in Washington after Biden takes office. Democrats need a Georgia sweep to force a 50-50 Senate and position Vice President-elect Kamala Harris as the tiebreaking vote. Chants of โFight for Trumpโ drowned out the two senators as they briefly spoke to the crowd. Hours before the event, Trump asked Georgia Gov.
Ivanka Trump deposed as part of inauguration fund lawsuit
Ivanka Trump, who was deposed on Tuesday, tweeted that she gave attorneys from the D.C. attorney generalโs office an email she wrote on Dec. 14, 2016, where she instructed the Trump hotel to charge a โfair market rate," which she said the the hotel did. As part of the suit, the attorneys have subpoenaed records from Ivanka Trump, first lady Melania Trump, Thomas Barrack Jr., a close friend of the president who chaired the inaugural committee, and others. Racine has accused the committee of misusing nonprofit funds and coordinating with the hotelโs management and members of the Trump family to arrange the events. In a statement, Alan Garten with the Trump Organization said that โMs. Trumpโs only involvement was connecting the parties and instructing the hotel to charge a โfair market rate,โ which the hotel did.โ
โAmerica the Beautifulโ is White House theme for Christmas
WASHINGTON โ First responders and frontline workers being challenged by the deadly coronavirus pandemic are highlighted in White House Christmas decorations that also give a special nod to Melania Trump's redesigned Rose Garden. Itโs the final Christmas in the White House for the Trump family, although the president continues to insist โ despite evidence to the contrary โ that he won the Nov. 3 election. The recording of the July 2018 conversation was made and released to CNN by Stephanie Winston Wolkoff, who was fired from the White House earlier that year. A few miles north of the White House, the wrapping also came off the Christmas decorations at Vice President Mike Pence's official residence on the grounds of the Naval Observatory. The home is decorated with natural and rustic elements, including pine cones, seasonal berries, burlap, galvanized aluminum and plaid ribbon, along with seven Christmas trees and 35 wreaths.
White House still planning holiday parties, despite warnings
First lady Melania Trump stands next to the 2020 Official White House Christmas tree as it is presented on the North Portico of the White House, Monday, Nov. 23, 2020, in Washington. โIt is a longstanding tradition for people to visit and enjoy the cheer and iconic dรฉcor of the annual White House Christmas celebrations." That includes smaller guest lists, requiring masks, encouraging social distancing on the White House grounds and hand sanitizer stations placed throughout the State Floor. Surgeon General Jerome Adams on Monday repeatedly evaded questions about indoor holiday parties scheduled at the White House while calling other Americans' indoor gatherings potential โsuper-spreaderโ events. Not long after, the first lady attended a small outdoor ceremony on the White House driveway to mark the arrival of the large Christmas tree that will adorn the White House Blue Room.
Spokesman: Trump's eldest son tests positive for coronavirus
FILE - In this Nov. 2, 2020, file photo President Donald Trump watches as Donald Trump Jr. speaks at a campaign event at the Kenosha Regional Airport in Kenosha, Wis. A spokesman says President Donald Trumps eldest son, Donald Trump Jr., has been infected with the coronavirus. The spokesman says the younger Trump learned his diagnosis earlier this week, has no symptoms and has been quarantining. (AP Photo/Morry Gash, File)
Trump tweets Don Jr doing well after coronavirus infection
FILE - In this Nov. 2, 2020, file photo President Donald Trump watches as Donald Trump Jr. speaks at a campaign event at the Kenosha Regional Airport in Kenosha, Wis. A spokesman says President Donald Trumps eldest son, Donald Trump Jr., has been infected with the coronavirus. (AP Photo/Morry Gash, File)WASHINGTON โ President Donald Trump said Saturday his eldest son, Donald Trump Jr., is doing โvery wellโ in quarantine after becoming infected with the coronavirus. โMy son Donald is doing very well. President Trump, first lady Melania Trump and their son Barron have all recovered from their coronavirus infections in October. Donald Trump Jr.โs girlfriend, Kimberly Guilfoyle, tested positive for the coronavirus in July.
President Donald Trump to mark Veterans Day at Arlington National Cemetery
President Donald Trump will participate in the Veterans Day observance at Arlington National Cemetery on Wednesday, emerging in public for the first time since his failed reelection bid to take part in the annual presidential rite. First Lady Melania Trump and Vice President Mike Pence and his wife, Karen, will also be in attendance. The president and Robert Wilkie, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, are expected to lay a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. The president made no public comments since President-elect Joe Biden surpassed the 270 electoral votes on Saturday needed to win the presidency. Trumpโs tweets were swiftly flagged by the social media network as disputed claims about election fraud.
Trump's silent public outing belies White House in tumult
Trump's appearance at the annual Veterans Day commemoration at Arlington National Cemetery was his first public outing for official business in more than a week. Staff working from the White House thinned out after chief of staff Mark Meadows confirmed last week that he had tested positive for the virus. Outside the White House, one prominent former ally turned Trump critic warned that the president was doing potentially irreparable damage to the Republican Party. White House spokesman Judd Deere said he was โnot awareโ of any communications between the White House and the GSA administrator on ascertainment. The Biden transition team has published an ethics plan and the Trump administration earlier established a White House Transition Coordinating Council as required by law.
Trump election party draws scrutiny as guests test positive
The White House has repeatedly refused to say who else has tested positive, even as the virus continues to spread. The latest White House cluster, coming just a month after Trump's own diagnosis and hospitalization, includes a top Trump campaign official as well as a handful of undisclosed White House staff, officials said. The White House has been increasingly secretive about outbreaks. The White House did not respond to specific questions about the current outbreak, but said that contact tracing had been conducted by the White House Medical Unit, consistent with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines. The latest outbreak came less than two weeks after several aides to Vice President Mike Pence, including his chief of staff, tested positive for the virus.
World leaders hope for fresh start after Biden win
Other leaders who supported Trump, including President Rodrigo Duterte of the Philippines, congratulated Biden, indicating they rejected Trumpโs claim the election wasnโt over. Prime Minister Scott Morrison of Australia told reporters he looked forward to a โgreat partnershipโ with Washington. Prime Minister Imran Khan of Pakistan said he looked forward to working together to end illegal tax havens and on peacemaking in Afghanistan. Others expressed hope Biden will help to heal divisions in American society and global politics. Prime Minister Janez Jansa was the only leader who congratulated Trump even before all votes were counted and showed support after Bidenโs win was announced.
Biden defeats Trump for White House, says 'time to heal'
People streamed into Black Lives Matter Plaza near the White House, near where Trump had ordered the clearing of protesters in June, waving signs and taking cellphone pictures. Throughout the campaign, Trump repeatedly refused to commit to a peaceful transfer of power, arguing without evidence that the election could be marred by fraud. On Saturday, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell had not yet made any public statements -- either congratulating Biden or joining Trumpโs complaints. There was another COVID-19 outbreak in the White House this week, which sickened his chief of staff Mark Meadows. Biden, born in Scranton, Pennsylvania, and raised in Delaware, was one of the youngest candidates ever elected to the Senate.
Trump chief of staff Meadows diagnosed with COVID-19
White House chief of staff Mark Meadows arrives to hear President Donald Trump speak on election night in the East Room of the White House, Wednesday, Nov. 4, 2020, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)WASHINGTON โ President Donald Trump's chief of staff Mark Meadows has been diagnosed with the coronavirus as the nation sets daily records for confirmed cases for the pandemic. Two senior administration officials confirmed Friday that Meadows had tested positive for the virus, which has killed more than 236,000 Americans so far this year. They offered no details on when the chief of staff came down with the virus or his current condition. One administration official said several other staffers had tested positive as well.
World waits nervously, impatiently for US election result
So the world's realization Wednesday that the U.S. election winner might not be known for days or longer was jarring for a planet weaned on American speediness. Government leaders scrambled to digest the delay and ordinary people swapped views, hopes and fears on feeds and phones. Gloating was heard from parts of the world that have been on the receiving end of U.S. criticism about their elections and governance. โIโm hearing it may take some time before things are sorted out,โ said the Japanese finance minister, Taro Aso. In the vacuum, there was also points-scoring, with some in Russia, Africa and elsewhere claiming that the electoral process was exposing the imperfections of American democracy.
Victory celebration without a victory as 2020 race dangles
President Donald Trump arrives with first lady Melania Trump to speak in the East Room of the White House, early Wednesday, Nov. 4, 2020, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)WASHINGTON โ It was a victory celebration without a victory. Empty wine glasses littered a table in the East Room of the White House. As Election Day came and went without a verdict in the presidential race, President Donald Trump grew agitated. At 2:21 a.m., the president took the stage before a well-lubricated crowd in the East Room and falsely claimed he had won.
2020 Latest: Biden campaign willing to fight Trump in court
President Donald Trump and his Democratic challenger, Joe Biden, are in a tight battle for the White House. ___2:40 a.m.President Donald Trump is vowing to ask the Supreme Court to weigh in on the inconclusive election. Nebraska, one of two states that divides its electoral votes, has five total electoral votes up for grabs. The Republican nominee on Wednesday was awarded six electoral votes from Iowa and three electoral votes from Montana. Biden nets 74 electoral votes for the three Western states, while Trump takes four electoral votes from Idaho.
Presidency hinges on tight races in battleground states
Vote tabulations routinely continue beyond Election Day, and states largely set the rules for when the count has to end. Several states allow mailed-in votes to be accepted after Election Day, as long as they were postmarked by Tuesday. Democrats typically outperform Republicans in mail voting, while the GOP looks to make up ground in Election Day turnout. Trump kept several states, including Texas, Iowa and Ohio, where Biden had made a strong play in the final stages of the campaign. The momentum from early voting carried into Election Day, as an energized electorate produced long lines at polling sites throughout the country.
The Latest: Trump predicts he'll 'so easily' win Michigan
Beaver County is home to the kind of blue-collar voters who have abandoned the Democratic Party in recent years and helped deliver Republican Donald Trump a win in 2016. President Donald Trump won all five states in 2016. The region was once a major hub of anthracite coal mining, and the county backed Republican Donald Trump in 2016 after previously supporting Democrat Barack Obama. Special counsel Robert Mueller found multiple links between the Russian government and the Trump campaign, but ultimately did not establish that the Trump campaign conspired with Russia to interfere in the election. ___9:05 a.m.Joe Biden is defending Dr. Anthony Fauci after President Donald Trump suggested heโd dismiss the nationโs top infectious disease expert after Election Day.
Road to 270: Biden has options, Trump walks narrow path
The former vice president is competitive in all the battleground states Trump carried in 2016 and has put a handful of traditional Republican states, including Georgia and Arizona, in play. They would give Biden 279 electoral votes, as long as he wins all the other states in Clinton's column. Under this scenario, Biden would not need to win any other states Trump won in 2016. Once reliably Republican Arizona, offering exactly 11, and North Carolina, with 15, are states Trump won four years ago that are well within Biden's reach. He's also competing for Ohio, which Trump won by 8 percentage points in 2016; Iowa, which Trump won by nearly 10 percentage points; and Georgia, which Trump carried by 5 percentage points.
The Latest: Biden: I've learned from Clinton campaign errors
WASHINGTON โ The Latest on the presidential campaign (all times local):9:20 p.m.Joe Biden says he has learned from the mistakes that Hillary Clinton's campaign made four years ago in the Midwest. After her stunning loss to Donald Trump in 2016, many Democrats criticized her campaign as overconfident and too complacent. President Donald Trump and Democrat Joe Biden are campaigning hard to win both states, where Trump scored narrow victories in 2016. The campaign announced in addition to his Monday trip to the state, Biden will campaign in Philadelphia on Sunday. The Minnesota Department of Health has linked 28 coronavirus cases to other recent Trump campaign events in the state.
As virus surges, Trump rallies keep packing in thousands
Thousands of President Donald Trump's supporters regularly cram together at campaign rallies around the country โ masks optional and social distancing frowned upon. Trump rallies are among the nation's biggest events being held in defiance of crowd restrictions designed to stop the virus from spreading. Some states have fined venues that host Trump rallies for violating caps on crowd size. But Iโm not canceling, and weโll find out what happens.โThe Trump campaign blamed the dispute on โfree speech-stifling dictates" of Democratic Gov. He calls the Trump rallies โsuper-spreader eventsโ and says he's listening to the warnings of public health experts.