By Monica Sager, Alex Backus, and Daniel Orton
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Ryan Wesley Routh, the man suspected of carrying out an apparent attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump earlier this month, will remain in custody while awaiting trial, a judge ruled Monday.
A letter submitted to the court by prosecutors today, apparently penned by Routh and addressed to "The World," read: "This was an assassination attempt on Donald Trump but I failed you. I tried my best and gave it all the gumption I could muster."
Read more: Ryan Routh's Creepy Letter About Assassination Attempt: 'Tried My Best'
📊 With just 43 days to go until Election Day, polls still show a tight race, especially across battleground states.
⏪ICYMI: Trump said he won't debate Harris again because it's "too late" and has ruled out running in 2028 if he loses in November.
Live updates have ended.
Sep 23, 2024 at 04:48 PM EDT
Campaign events happening tomorrow
Former President Donald Trump will be in Savannah, Georgia tomorrow. He is scheduled to speak at the Johnny Mercer Theatre Civic Center at 1 p.m. ET.
Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff will deliver remarks at a campaign reception in Austin, Texas and then later in Houston.
Tomorrow was one of the proposed dates for the vice presidential debate; however, it will be held next week.
Sep 23, 2024 at 04:47 PM EDT
Ryan Routh’s creepy letter about assassination attempt: “tried my best”
Ryan Wesley Routh allegedly sent a message to the world if he were to fail in his apparent assassination attempt of former president Donald Trump, claiming he gave it his best and offering a $150,000 reward to "whomever can complete the job."
Routh was allegedly seen by Secret Service pointing a rifle through the fence of Trump's golf club in West Palm Beach. He did not fire any shots before fleeing the scene.
He was arrested later that day in Martin County. He is charged with possession of a firearm while a former felon and possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number.
The Justice Department revealed details about Routh's motivations in a newly filed detention memo. The department said Routh expressed a desire to kill Trump in a note turned in by an unidentified citizen.
Read more from Newsweek's Jenna Sundel
...
Sep 23, 2024 at 04:45 PM EDT
Trump and Harris are both more popular than ever
Three months ago, as spring turned to summer in the U.S., voters were staring down the barrel of a presidential race that many found hard to get excited over, if not downright unpalatable. Poll after poll showed voters were practically begging Democrats and Republicans to nominate candidates other than Joe Biden and Donald Trump. These were the "double haters" who, it was thought then, would be determining the election.
Now, after a summer that saw one of those candidates drop out of the race, the other become the target of two assassination attempts, and a third vault to her party's nomination without any struggle, both parties are heading toward November with standard-bearers that are actually somewhat popular — at least by the standards of today's polarized electorate.
Vice President Kamala Harris and former president Donald Trump now appear to have near-identical favorability ratings among voters, with each candidate seeing a notable boost over the past month.
Read more from Newsweek's Dan Gooding
...
Sep 23, 2024 at 04:30 PM EDT
Harris, Walz lose ground with women voters in Minnesota
A new poll of Minnesota voters found that former President Donald Trump may be winning back support from some women, while Vice President Kamala Harris has won over some male voters.
Democrats are on a decades-long winning streak in Minnesota, having carried the state in every presidential race since 1972, but Republicans expressed optimism about expanding the battleground into the state over the summer as polls suggested Trump was well-positioned to beat President Joe Biden in November.
But fortunes flipped for Democrats after Biden, facing cratering poll numbers and concerns about his age, withdrew from the race in July. Harris emerged as the Democratic nominee and has generated record-breaking fundraising and turned around a dire polling situation, as recent surveys now paint the race as a toss-up.
Read more from Newsweek's Andrew Stanton
Sep 23, 2024 at 04:21 PM EDT
Trump speaks with farmers in Pennsylvania
Former President Donald Trump told farmers in Pennsylvania that the capital gains tax is "the worst" plan proposed by Vice President Kamala Harris.
"It's a communist thing," Trump said. "You have every business person, every company leaving this country. It's called an unrealized capital gain. It's concept that's been talked about for years. I don't know if any country has even done it, but she [Harris] wants to do it here."
Trump said "now that I'm with farmers," he realized that the tax could "hurt farmers worse than any of them." He said appraisers, lawyers and accountants will make "a lot of money."
Sep 23, 2024 at 04:11 PM EDT
Americans losing faith in Secret Service
The Secret Service's motto is "worthy of trust and confidence"—but Americans seem less likely to agree with that assessment now than at any point in the past decade, according to a survey.
The number of people who believe the agency is doing an excellent or even a good job has plunged dramatically compared with last year, falling by 23 points, while the number who believe it is doing a poor job has spiked by exactly the same amount. The figures are the worst reported in the 10 years that the annual survey has been conducted.
It comes after the Secret Service was roundly criticized following the first assassination attempt on Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, who was left bloodied after a bullet clipped his ear at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on July 13. Thomas Matthew Crooks killed an audience member and injured two more after he opened fire at the event, before the 20-year-old was himself shot and killed by a Secret Service sniper.
Read more from Newsweek's Chloe Mayer
Sep 23, 2024 at 03:57 PM EDT
Whoopi Goldberg defends Janet Jackson over Harris racial remarks
The View hosts Whoopi Goldberg and Alyssa Farah Griffin defended Janet Jackson after recent backlash for a comment she made about Vice President Kamala Harris during her interview with The Guardian.
In the interview, Jackson was asked about her political stance as the 2024 presidential election approaches. The interviewer noted "America could be on the verge of voting in its first Black female president."
Jackson responded, "Well, you know what they supposedly said? She's not Black. That's what I heard—that she's Indian. Her father's White. That's what I was told. I mean, I haven't watched the news in a few days."
Read more from Newsweek's Courtney McGinley
Sep 23, 2024 at 03:43 PM EDT
NY: Supreme Court gives Letitia James deadline in RFK Jr. case
The U.S. Supreme Court has given New York Attorney General Letitia James until Wednesday to respond to an emergency request from Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who is seeking to have his name restored to New York's presidential ballot.
In an emergency petition filed Monday, Kennedy argued that New York judges wrongly disqualified him due to a residency dispute. Kennedy argued that his supporters in the state "have a constitutional right to have Kennedy placed on the ballot — and to vote for him, whether he is campaigning for their vote or not."
Kennedy Jr.'s name was removed from New York's ballot on September 7 after a judge ruled against him in a dispute over his listed residence. Kennedy's main argument is that his temporary residence in Katonah, New York, meets the state's requirements.
Read more from Newsweek's Jesus Mesa
Sep 23, 2024 at 03:34 PM EDT
New details emerge about Ryan Routh as judge rules to keep him jailed
New details emerged about the suspect in the apparent assassination attempt of former president Donald Trump as a judge ruled to keep him locked up on Monday.
The Justice Department alleged that 58-year-old Ryan Wesley Routh expressed a desire to kill the former president in a note and kept a handwritten list of dates and venues where Trump was expected to appear.
Routh is charged with possession of a firearm while a former felon and possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number.
Read more from Newsweek's Jenna Sundel
...
Sep 23, 2024 at 03:31 PM EDT
How to watch: Trump’s Pennsylvania rally
Former President Donald Trump is set to take the stage in Indiana, Pennsylvania in a few hours, in an effort to stir up support in one of this year's most critical swing states.
The rally will be held in Indiana County, in the west central region of Pennsylvania. The event will be hosted at the Kovalchick Convention and Athletic Complex, located on the campus of Indiana University of Pennsylvania.
Doors are now open, with the former president scheduled to appear at 7 p.m.
Watch here:
Sep 23, 2024 at 03:21 PM EDT
Trump slams DOJ, FBI’s “mishandling” of assassination attempts
Former President Donald Trump slammed the Department of Justice and FBI's "mishandling and downplaying" of the two assassination attempts he has faced this summer.
"The DOJ and FBI have a Conflict of Interest since they have been obsessed with "Getting Trump" for so long," Trump wrote on Truth Social Monday.
He also called the charges brought against Ryan Routh, the man who tried to shoot Trump in Florida, a "slap on the wrist." Routh is expected to still face federal charges.
Read the full statement on Trump's Truth Social:
Sep 23, 2024 at 03:13 PM EDT
Open Secrets: Harris campaign spends whopping $435M
According to Open Secrets, which shows money in politics, Kamala Harris for the People has been the top spending candidate committee in the 2024 cycle. The committee has spent $435,620,329.
That is $264,192,393 above the second highest candidate committee spending totals.
By comparison, according to Open Secrets, The Donald J Trump Republican Nominee Fund 2024 has spent $171,427,936.
Sep 23, 2024 at 02:52 PM EDT
Exclusive: Trump drops Springfield visit as governor warns of “strain” on city
Donald Trump has no plans to visit Springfield, Ohio, despite pledging to do so at a rally last week, Newsweek can reveal.
The city was unwittingly thrust into the national spotlight this month after the former president and his running mate, Sen. JD Vance, amplified claims that its Haitian migrant community were killing and eating residents' pets.
At a rally in Long Island on September 18, Trump said that he planned to visit Springfield in the next two weeks. However, two sources familiar with the matter have said Trump is not expected to visit the city in the near future.
It comes as Ohio's Republican Governor Mike DeWine warned that a visit from Trump would "strain" relations with the local community and slammed the former president for what he called "hurtful" rhetoric.
Read more from Newsweek's Dan Gooding
Sep 23, 2024 at 02:43 PM EDT
Florida nurse: Ryan Routh talked about “killing world leaders”
A Palm Beach County traveling nurse told The Palm Beach Post that Ryan Routh, the suspect in the recent apparent assassination attempt of former President Donald Trump, is a "legitimate psychopath."
"I saw Ryan kick a homeless man once who asked him for money," Chelsea Walsh, who met Routh in Ukraine in 2022, told the outlet. "He had no empathy. He had no remorse. Psychopaths are rare, and he is one."
Walsh added that Routh "frequently talked about killing world leaders."
--Monica Sager
Related: Ryan Wesley Routh's 'Hostile and Manipulative' Ukraine Messages Revealed
Sep 23, 2024 at 02:23 PM EDT
Mark Robinson denies appointing far-right fraudster as campaign chief
North Carolina gubernatorial hopeful Mark Robinson has denied that a controversial far-right figure with a history of spreading conspiracy theories has joined his campaign team.
Jack Burkman said in a post on X Sunday that he had assumed the position of Robinson's acting campaign manager and was looking "forward to a BIG victory in November!"
The announcement came after several members of Robinson's campaign left their roles in the wake of a recent bombshell CNN report.
Robinson, who has already been accused of Holocaust denial and of pushing antisemitic tropes, is alleged to have described himself as a "Black Nazi" on a pornographic message board site several years ago, among other claims. Robinson has denied the allegations as "salacious tabloid trash" and vowed to stay in the race for North Carolina governor.
Read more from Newsweek's Ewan Palmer
...
Meanwhile, the Republican Governors Association has no plans to commit additional spending on behalf of Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson, as reported by the National Review.
"We don't comment on internal strategy or investment decisions, but we can confirm what's public — our current media buy in North Carolina expires tomorrow, and no further placements have been made," RGA communications director Courtney Alexander said. "RGA remains committed to electing Republican Governors all across the country."
--Monica Sager
Sep 23, 2024 at 02:08 PM EDT
Trump to attend Al Smith Dinner, Harris to break tradition and skip
Former President Donald Trump posted to Truth Social that he will attend the 79th annual Al Smith Dinner on Oct. 17 in New York City. Vice President Kamala Harris, meanwhile, is breaking with presidential tradition and not attending the event to instead campaign in a battleground state.
"It will be great to see so many wonderful people there, including Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan. We know the Spirit of Al Smith, the first Catholic Nominee of a Major Party, and John F. Kennedy, the FIRST Catholic President, will be in the room with us that night," Trump posted on Truth Social Monday.
Trump called it "sad, but "not surprising" that Vice President Kamala Harris is not attending.
"I don't know what she has against our Catholic friends, but it must be a lot, because she certainly hasn't been very nice to them," Trump wrote.
Sep 23, 2024 at 01:54 PM EDT
Montana voting system shut down after Harris left off ballot
Montana's election season has gotten off to a rocky start after absentee voters realized Kamala Harris was not a listed candidate on their ballot.
The state was forced to shut down its electronic absentee voter system after it went live on September 20, when a voter reported that there was no option to vote for the vice president.
Max Himsl, a Montana voter living in the UK, reported the issue when trying to fill out his ballot online, according to the Daily Inter Lake, a local newspaper. He reported it right away to the Flathead County Election Department on Friday, September 20.
As a precaution, the Secretary of State's office took down the electronic absentee system for troubleshooting, although it insisted that very few voters had been affected by this issue.
Read more from Newsweek's Sophie Clark
Sep 23, 2024 at 01:39 PM EDT
Biden, Melania Trump’s TV appearances this week
President Joe Biden is scheduled to appear ABC's The View Wednesday as a live, in-studio guest.
Meanwhile, former first lady Melania Trump will sit down with Fox News' Ainsley Earhardt for her first interview during this 2024 campaign cycle. The interview will air on Thursday.
Sep 23, 2024 at 01:21 PM EDT
Vance prepares for VP debate against Walz
Sen. JD Vance is preparing for next week's vice presidential debate against Gov. Tim Walz.
The New York Times reported that House Majority Whip Tom Emmer is standing in for Walz in debate practices. NBC News also suggested that campaign senior advisor Jason Miller and Vance's wife, Usha, are closely involved.
Meanwhile, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg is standing in as Vance in Walz's debate prep in Minneapolis, ABC News reported.
CBS News is hosting the first and only scheduled vice presidential debate in New York City on Tuesday, Oct. 1. CBS anchors Norah O'Donnell and Margaret Brennan will serve as moderators.
What to expect: Vance is likely to try to tie Walz to the more progressive wing of the Democratic Party, who urged Harris to pick him over other potential running mates. He will likely knock Walz on issues like inflation and immigration, which has been a sore spot for Democrats.
Walz, meanwhile, will likely draw attention to Vance's statements on cultural issues like abortion and LGBTQ+ rights. Reproductive rights in particular have proven to be a salient issue for Democrats, and Vance's anti-abortion positioning could alienate swing voters, Democrats believe.
Read more from Newsweek's Andrew Stanton
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Sep 23, 2024 at 01:15 PM EDT
Photos: Security outside courthouse where Ryan Routh set to appear
We are standing by as Ryan Wesley Routh, the suspect in the apparent assassination attempt on Donald Trump, is expected to make an appearance in a federal courtroom. Today, a judge is expected to decide whether the 58-year-old may be released on bail before his trial begins.
Members of the Department of Homeland Security and Federal Protective Service police are seen outside of the Paul G. Rogers Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse in West Palm Beach, Florida.
Sep 23, 2024 at 01:04 PM EDT
Mike Johnson demands answers on Trump campaign hacks
House Speaker Mike Johnson says that President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris are "unwilling to hold Iran accountable for its cyberattack on President Trump's campaign."
"Remember, this is the same regime that tried to assassinate Trump," Johnson posted to X on Monday. "Congress is demanding answers."
In a letter written to the U.S. intelligence community, Johnson claimed that Harris is Iran's "preferred candidate" in the 2024 presidential election, Fox News reports.
Read more: US Intelligence Officials Say Iran Was Behind Trump Campaign Hack
Sep 23, 2024 at 12:55 PM EDT
Nate Silver “little surprised” by latest Harris-Trump polling
The Silver Bullet, a newsletter by pollster Nate Silver, shows Vice President Kamala Harris receiving an average of 49.2% of support nationwide in 2024 presidential general election polls–accounting for each poll's quality, sample size and recency.
Former President Donald Trump, on the other hand, receives 46.3% of the vote.
Among contested states, Harris is leading in Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin, Nevada, Minnesota and New Mexico. Trump leads in North Carolina, Georgia, Arizona, Florida, and Texas.
Monday, Silver posted to X that he is "a little surprised that the model didn't move more toward Trump, but a poor series of NYT [The New York Times] polls for Harris in GA, AZ and NC was offset by a strong poll for her in Wisconsin."
--Monica Sager
Sep 23, 2024 at 12:41 PM EDT
Marjorie Taylor Greene slams release of Ryan Routh letter
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene condemned the release of the letter penned by Ryan Wesley Routh, the suspect in the second assassination attempt against former President Donald Trump in Florida.
"The DOJ, which is trying to put Trump in prison, is now offering a bounty on Trump's head by releasing this," Greene posted on X Monday. "Why else would they release this?"
Sep 23, 2024 at 12:19 PM EDT
Some Florida ballots reissued after misspelling Walz’s name
More than 250 Palm Beach County ballots had to be reissued due to misspelling the name of Democratic vice presidential nominee, Gov. Tim Walz, CNN reports.
The Palm Beach County Supervisor of Elections announced that Walz's name was incorrectly labeled as "Tom" on the affected ballots, which were emailed to overseas voters last Friday.
"The error was isolated to 257 electronic ballots," the Florida county's elections supervisor Wendy Sartory Link said to CNN.
The office became aware of the error less than 18 hours after the ballots were sent and "immediately corrected" it.
Link said the vendor for the ballots had made a manual change "without authorization" and incorrectly typed "Tom." She added, however, that the error will not affect the counting of the votes.
Sep 23, 2024 at 12:01 PM EDT
Congress scrambles to ensure presidential candidates’ safety
Lawmakers are racing to ensure the U.S. Secret Service has the money and resources it needs to protect presidential candidates amid increasing threats of violence.
With the election just weeks away, it's unclear how much can be done, or if extra funding will make an immediate impact.
After a gunman was arrested on former President Donald Trump's golf course, the House passed bipartisan legislation on Friday, 405-0. The bill requires the Secret Service to use the same standards for assigning agents to major candidates as they do for presidents and vice presidents.
The agency has told Congress it already increased Trump's security, but lawmakers want it codified into law.
Read more from Newsweek's Amir Daftari
Sep 23, 2024 at 11:49 AM EDT
Eric Trump on assassination attempts against his father–”this has to stop”
Eric Trump, the son of former President Donald Trump, addressed the second assassination attempt against his father during an interview on the The Megyn Kelly Show.
"This has to stop," Eric Trump said on The Megyn Kelly Show. "This has to stop. We can't allow people with AR-15s, with AK-47s within 300 yards of the president. This has to stop. We have to do a better job."
Trump's second son said it "drives him crazy" when Vice President Kamala Harris says his father is a "threat to democracy."
"They're going after him every single way," Eric Trump said. "They've gone after him legally. They've tried to impeach him. They tried to take him off the ballot in states... they've done everything they could. They've weaponized the judicial system, DAs, AGs. They've gone after him civilly. And now twice in five weeks, as we approach 50 days away from election day, they tried to kill him. They will stop at nothing."
Eric Trump said he is worried the government is not protecting his father.
Read more from Newsweek's Monica Sager and Dan Gooding
Sep 23, 2024 at 11:29 AM EDT
Poll: Trump ahead in three swing states
Former President Donald Trump posted to Truth Social for the first time on Monday, sharing a screengrab of Interactive Polls showing results of recent polling from The New York Times and Siena College.
The poll is broken down by battleground states, showing Trump ahead of Vice President Kamala Harris in Arizona, North Carolina and Georgia.
--Monica Sager
Context: According to the latest New York Times-Siena College poll of likely voters, conducted between September 17 and 21, Trump is leading the vice president in the key sunbelt states of Georgia, Arizona and North Carolina.
What about the issues? Regardless of voting intentions, 55 percent of those polled said that Trump would handle the economy better than Harris, who won the confidence of only 42 percent on this issue.
The former president holds a similar lead when it comes to immigration, 54 percent to 43, ut falls behind Harris on the abortion question, with only 41 percent trusting Trump compared to 53 percent for the vice president.
Read more from Newsweek's Hugh Cameron
Sep 23, 2024 at 11:13 AM EDT
New details on Ryan Wesley Routh emerge before judge’s ruling
New details are emerging about the suspect in the apparent assassination attempt of former president Donald Trump ahead of his detention hearing on Monday.
The Justice Department alleged that 58-year-old Ryan Wesley Routh expressed a desire to kill the former president in a note and kept a handwritten list of dates and venues where Trump was expected to appear.
The new details about Routh were included in a detention memo filed by the Justice Department. The department is expected to argue that Routh remains in jail while his case proceeds.
The note said "Dear World" and was left at the home of an unidentified person who contacted law enforcement after Routh was arrested.
Authorities who searched Routh's car found a handwritten list of dates in August, September and October with where Trump has appeared or was expected to appear, prosecutors said.
Read more from Newsweek's Jenna Sundel
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Sep 23, 2024 at 10:52 AM EDT
Lindsey Graham: Mark Robinson “deserves chance to defend himself”
South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham said on NBC News that Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson "deserves a chance to defend himself."
"The charges are beyond unnerving," Graham said. "If they're true, he's unfit to serve for office. If they're not true, he has the best lawsuit in the history of the country, for libel. He's claiming they were artificially created and that CNN passed it along to be true."
Graham offered advice to Robinson, suggesting he hires "the best lawyer" and "sue the hell out of CNN because what they're saying about him is just unbelievable."
CNN reported last week that Robinson made disturbing posts on an adult website over a decade ago. The posts allegedly included racially charged remarks, inappropriate sexual content, and praise for Nazi ideology. Robinson has strongly denied the claims.
Graham doesn't see the scandal affecting former President Donald Trump's campaign.
"Trump won in 2016 and 2020 when the governor candidate lost both times. I don't think this hurts Trump," Graham said.
--Monica Sager
Sep 23, 2024 at 10:43 AM EDT
Robert Reich: Political uproar is Trump’s fault
While there has been a lot of debate as to what has caused recent political uproar—from suspicious packages to assassination attempts—former labor secretary-turned-political commentator Robert Reich said in his newsletter Monday that former President Donald Trump is really at the center of it.
"The most significant cause of the upsurge in political violence—including the two attempts on Trump's life—is Trump himself, along with his close allies Vance and Elon Musk, and other cranks and crackpots that have come along for the ride," Reich said.
Reich pointed to "Trump's proclivity for violence" with the Jan. 6 insurrection, as he "urged his followers to march... knowing they were carrying deadly weapons."
--Monica Sager
Sep 23, 2024 at 10:36 AM EDT
Scandal-hit North Carolina gubernatorial candidate Mark Robinson soldiers on, says he’s hiring new staff
North Carolina's Republican gubernatorial candidate Mark Robinson is holding campaigning events today, as several of his officials stepped down.
"We're small business people," Robinson said in Wilkesboro, North Carolina. "We're here for all of the parents out there losing their children to fentanyl. We're here for all of the people struggling to keep their businesses open. We're here for the people who are struggling to give their children a decent education."
Robinson said he is not at the campaign event to discuss "false lies."
Robinson, who is currently the state's lieutenant governor, was the focus of a CNN investigation published on September 19 about inflammatory comments he reportedly made on a website messaging board years ago.
Robinson has denied writing the comments, but multiple staffers for his campaign stepped down in the wake of the scandal.
Robinson told local news reporters at his Wilkesboro event that he is working to hire new people who can "still take us to victory."
"They don't want to talk about what's going on right now," he said. "They want to talk about what possibly happened 15 years ago."
--Monica Sager
Read more from Newsweek's Jesus Mesa: Mark Robinson Speaks Out After Campaign Staff Departures: 'Ready to React'
Sep 23, 2024 at 10:26 AM EDT
Harris campaign launches IVF ad campaign
Vice President Kamala Harris' campaign released a new ad today featuring a first-hand testimony from an Arizona woman on the threats to IVF treatment nationwide.
Yesenia Gamez, a resident in Tucson and military spouse, is undergoing treatment while she and her husband move around the country.
The new ad comes a week after Republican vice presidential nominee Ohio Sen. JD Vance "skipped" voting with the Senate, where "Republicans once again blocked IVF protections," according to the Harris campaign.
IVF (In Vitro Fertilization) is a medical procedure where an egg is fertilized by sperm outside the body and then implanted into the uterus to assist with conception.
A Vance spokesperson previously told Newsweek that both former President Donald Trump and the senator "have made themselves crystal clear: They fully support guaranteed IVF access for every American family."
The ad will run across battleground state television and on digital platforms and social media, YouTube and CTV.
--Monica Sager
Sep 23, 2024 at 10:16 AM EDT
Mike Johnson’s Funding Move Sparks MAGA Fury: ‘Caved’
Multiple MAGA supporters are angry over the short-term spending bill that House Speaker Mike Johnson announced on Sunday to avoid a government shutdown, which does not include a Donald Trump-backed election measure.
The stopgap move, set to fund the government through December 20, notably excludes The Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act (SAVE Act), which would require proof of citizenship in the voter registration process.
Last week, Trump publicly urged Republicans to allow a government shutdown if they are unable to include the SAVE Act in the government funding bill."
Several conservative figures have spoken out against Johnson for the move, saying he has "caved" and calling him a "RINO (Republican In Name Only) disappointment."
Media personality Nick Sortor said: "Speaker Mike Johnson has CAVED, and will bring a Continuing Resolution (CR) to the floor WITHOUT the SAVE Act, per Punchbowl.
Read more from Jordan King
Sep 23, 2024 at 10:05 AM EDT
Donald Trump Gets Bad News in Voter Fraud Lawsuit
The lawsuit filed by Donald Trump against Gretchen Whitmer over the new voter registration locations she established in Michigan has been deemed "speculative" by the Department of Justice.
The DOJ said the former president's lawsuit made against the Michigan governor in July should be dismissed in a motion released on September 20. The department wrote that the lawsuit "failed to identify any concrete or particularized injury that flows from two Federal agencies providing nonpartisan voter registration services that many Federal, State, and local offices also provide."
The DOJ added that, as the lawsuit did not "establish constitutional standing," even if the court were to consider its claims, the allegations "are meritless as a matter of law."
Read more from Jasmine Laws
Sep 23, 2024 at 09:54 AM EDT
Donald Trump’s celebrity endorsements
A live blog reader earlier today said "not one single golf celebrity has endorsed Trump." Another reader replied that the Republican presidential nominee had endorsements from "nine celebrities."
Newsweek decided to clear things up.
Both candidates have received a slate of celebrity endorsements, and Trump's backers come from a wide range of backgrounds. Considering the former president's love of golf, it's unsurprising that he met some of them on the green before they endorsed him.
Musician Robert James Ritchie, also known as Kid Rock, endorsed Trump after reportedly becoming friends with him while playing golf together, as did Green Bay Packer quarterback Brett Favre.
Additionally, professional golfer John Daly also endorsed Trump, and claimed that most professional golfers wanted him to be president again.
Trump's most prominent celebrity endorsements include:
- Elon Musk- CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, who publicly endorsed Trump and expressed interest in serving the country in a second Trump administration.
- Lil Wayne- the rapper, who supports Trump's efforts in criminal justice reform.
- Jake and Logan Paul- YouTubers and influencers, both brothers endorsed Trump, with Jake even donating to his campaign.
- Adin Ross- a popular streamer, collaborated with Trump on a live stream, drawing significant attention.
- Dana White- UFC President Dana White is one of Trump's long-time allies and was chosen to introduce him at the Republican National Convention, praising his toughness and resilience.
- Hulk Hogan- The wrestling legend made a dramatic endorsement at the RNC, calling Trump his "hero" and "the greatest president of the United States."
- Amber Rose- The rapper and reality TV star spoke at the RNC, emphasizing that she felt Trump's policies made American families safer and wealthier.
- Anuel AA- The Puerto Rican music star showed his support for Trump during a rally in Pennsylvania, solidifying his endorsement
--Theo Burman
Read more from Newsweek's Lydia Mee: Danica Patrick Defends Political Stance At Donald Trump Campaign Event
Sep 23, 2024 at 09:44 AM EDT
Suspect in apparent Trump assassination attempt left letter detailing plans, prosecutors say
A letter, apparently penned by Ryan Wesley Routh, suggests that former President Donald Trump was the target of an assassination attempt on September 15.
The letter was submitted by federal prosecutors to the District Court of the Southern District of Florida on Monday, and was reportedly obtained by a civilian witness who claimed that Routh had dropped off a box at his residence several months before the apparent assassination attempt.
According the filing, the witness opened the box after learning of the incident at Trump International Golf Club, and found "ammunition, a metal pipe, miscellaneous building materials, tools, four phones, and various letters."
One handwritten letter, addressed to "The World," read: "This was an assassination attempt on Donald Trump but I failed you. I tried my best and gave it all the gumption I could muster."
The letter went on to offer $150,000 to "whomever can complete the job," and claimed that Trump "is unfit to be anything, much less a U.S. president."
Routh is set to appear in federal court on Monday morning, where a judge will decide whether he may be released on bail before his trial begins.
Routh has been charged with two federal gun-related charges: possession of a firearm as a convicted felon and possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number.
However, on September 18, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis announced that the state would be launching a parallel criminal investigation into Routh, pursuing the more serious charges of attempted murder.
--Hugh Cameron
Sep 23, 2024 at 09:40 AM EDT
Latest polls: Harris remains ahead nationally against Trump
Read more about the latest polling here
Sep 23, 2024 at 09:29 AM EDT
Mark Robinson Is ‘White Supremacy in Blackface’: Raphael Warnock
Georgia Sen. Raphael Warnock called North Carolina Republican gubernatorial nominee Mark Robinson "white supremacy in blackface" after CNN reported that he had he made disturbing posts on a pornography website's message board more than a decade ago.
The CNN report, published on September 19, unearthed posts that it said Robinson left on the message board where he referred to himself as a "black NAZI" and slammed the late Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. as a "commie bastard" and "worse than a maggot."
The report also alleged that Robinson, North Carolina's sitting lieutenant governor who would be the state's first Black governor if elected, also expressed support for reinstating slavery.
Robinson denied the posts detailed in CNN's report were his and insisted he would remain in the race. His campaign communications director blamed the report on Robinson's Democratic opponent, Josh Stein, saying in a statement to Newsweek that everything Stein and Democrats say about Robinson "is either an outright lie or twisted so far out of context it might as well be."
Read more from Khaleda Rahman
Sep 23, 2024 at 09:19 AM EDT
Donald Trump’s Repeated Pet Eating Claims Spark Anger With Florida Haitians
A protest has been held by members of the Haitian community in Florida in response to Donald Trump's false claims that migrants have been eating people's pets in Ohio.
The former president and his 2024 running mate, JD Vance, have been widely condemned for repeating the suggestion that people in the Haitian population in the Ohio town of Springfield have been eating pet cats and dogs, as well as wildlife such as local geese.
On Sunday, around 200 people attended a protest outside North Miami City Hall to call out the remarks from the Republican White House hopefuls. Many of those in attendance were part of South Florida's Haitian community.
Read more from Ewan Palmer
Sep 23, 2024 at 09:08 AM EDT
Trump Visit Will Strain Ohio Haiti Community: Republican Governor
Republican Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine has claimed former President Donald Trump's proposed visit to Springfield, Ohio, will strain relations with the Haitian community.
At a rally in Long Island on September 18, Trump said he planned to visit Springfield in the next two weeks.
Springfield has been at the forefront of the immigration debate after false claims began circulating on social media about pets being stolen and eaten by Haitian migrants in the town of Springfield, Ohio.
The allegations were amplified by Trump during the presidential debate against Vice President Kamala Harris.
Read more from Billal Rahman
Sep 23, 2024 at 09:05 AM EDT
US Military Likely to Resist Trump’s Mass Deportation Plan—Legal Analyst
The U.S. military is likely to resist former President Donald Trump's mass deportation plan, according to legal analyst Joseph Nunn on Sunday, saying that it would undercut other priorities and damage morale.
Immigration is among the top issues ahead of the 2024 presidential election as the country experiences heightened levels of migrant border crossings. There were more than 2.4 million encounters at the U.S.-Mexico border during the 2023 fiscal year, up from roughly 1.7 million in 2021, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) data.
This comes as Trump, the GOP presidential nominee, will face off against Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic presidential nominee, in November.
Read more from Natalie Venegas
Sep 23, 2024 at 08:52 AM EDT
Nebraska Change That Could Hand Donald Trump Win Is ’50/50’—Lindsey Graham
Republican South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham has described the chances of Nebraska changing how it hands out its Electoral College votes before November's election as "50/50."
Graham is among several Donald Trump supporters pushing for Nebraska to switch to a winner-takes-all system and recently traveled to the state to meet with GOP lawmakers to discuss bringing forward the change.
Currently, Nebraska divides up its five Electoral College votes by giving one to the winner of each of the state's three congressional districts, with two votes going to the presidential candidate who wins the popular vote statewide.
Read more from Ewan Palmer
Sep 23, 2024 at 08:41 AM EDT
Latest polls: What would the Electoral College look like if the US voted today?
When mapped onto the Electoral College, today's polling data shows that Vice President Kamala Harris would narrowly win the election.
According to the latest polling data from FiveThirtyEight, mapped by Newsweek, Harris would win Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin, and Nevada, giving her 276 Electoral College votes. Trump would win Georgia, Arizona, and North Carolina, giving him 262 electoral college votes.
New polling gave Trump a boost in the Sun Belt, allowing him to narrowly retake the lead in the polling averages for Georgia and North Carolina, where much of his recent campaigning has focused on.
Additionally, Harris would win one district in Nebraska and Trump would win one district in Maine.
--Theo Burman
Sep 23, 2024 at 08:30 AM EDT
Democrats label Trump a ‘chicken’ for ducking debate
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The Democrats launched a new billboard campaign on Monday, dubbing former President Donald Trump a chicken for not agreeing to take part in another debate with Vice President Kamala Harris.
The billboards, depicting Trump in a chicken suit, will be on display outside his rally tonight in Indiana, Pennsylvania, the Democratic National Convention said in a press release.
Harris agreed on Saturday to a second debate with her Republican rival on CNN next month, but Trump said at a rally on Saturday in North Carolina that it was "too late" for another debate, as voting has already started in some states.
CNN proposed October 23 for the debate. Trump and Joe Biden's last debate in 2020 was held on October 22, and Trump debated former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton for the final time on October 19, 2016.
"It wasn't so long ago that Donald Trump boasted he'd debate 'anytime, anywhere,'" said DNC Deputy Communications Director Abhi Rahman in a statement, "but after Vice President Kamala Harris held him to account for his failures as president and dangerous second term agenda in their first debate, it's no surprise Trump's turned chicken – too scared to face the music again.
When approached for comment, a Trump campaign spokesperson pointed Newsweek to the former president's comments at the rally on Saturday.
--Daniel Orton
Sep 23, 2024 at 08:24 AM EDT
Trump Branded ‘Unfit’ As 700 Security Officials Back Kamala Harris
A group of former senior national security leaders have formally endorsed Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris, describing her opponent Donald Trump as "impulsive," "ill-informed" and "unfit."
The National Security Leaders for America released a statement endorsing Harris on Sunday, signed by more than 700 members. The letter brands Trump as being "unfit" for the job of Commander-in-Chief, and a threat to the country's democratic system.
"This election is a choice between serious leadership and vengeful impulsiveness. It is a choice between democracy and authoritarianism. Vice President Harris defends America's democratic ideals, while former President Donald Trump endangers them," the group's statement said.
Read more from Alia Shoaib
Sep 23, 2024 at 07:48 AM EDT
Your questions, answered: How are Secret Service agents protecting presidents chosen?
Following the apparent attempted assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump on September 15, which was thwarted when a member of his security detail spotted the barrel of a gun in a hedge, one of our live blog readers asked:
"This group of Secret Service personnel; were they permanently assigned to Trump? Did Trump personally choose this SS crew for protection?"
Live news reporter Marni Rose McFall looked into it, speaking to former Secret Service agent Cheryl Tyler, who provided some answers.
Read Marni's chat with Tyler here
Sep 23, 2024 at 07:40 AM EDT
Top Republican warns of ‘transplanted COVID voters’ tipping the scales in swing states
Pat McCrory, the former governor of North Carolina, said on CNN this morning that his home state had seen "tens of thousands" of new voters moving there from other states to escape urban areas during the worst parts of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, and that swing states were disproportionately affected by this migration.
McCrory said: "We know that not only North Carolina but Georgia, Florida, Nevada, Arizona, there are what I call the 'transplant COVID votes.' So many people during COVID moved to North Carolina from New York, Pennsylvania, and California.
"So we've never voted in North Carolina when these are tens of thousands of people are here. And I think the unknown is: what type of voter moved during COVID to these Sun Belt states, and how will they vote?
"And I think this is going to occur in all of these swing states. For states like Michigan and Pennsylvania, people moved from those states to the Sun Belt states. So, this could even have an impact on Pennsylvania and Michigan. We don't who that voter is at this point in time."
--Theo Burman
Sep 23, 2024 at 07:35 AM EDT
Latest Harris vs. Trump polls: Who’s ahead in the swing states?
Read more about the latest polls and betting odds here
Sep 23, 2024 at 07:27 AM EDT
Kamala Harris Raises $27 Million at One New York Event
Vice President Kamala Harris achieved a substantial fundraising milestone on Sunday, pulling in $27 million at a packed New York City event—her largest haul since taking over as the Democratic Presidential candidate from Joe Biden.
The infusion of cash comes as she prepares to face formidable competition from well-funded outside groups supporting former President Donald Trump, according to a campaign aide who spoke on the condition of anonymity to The Associated Press.
The lavish fundraiser took place at Cipriani Wall Street, an opulent venue adorned with towering Greek Revival columns.
During her address, Harris took aim at Trump, criticizing his reluctance to engage in further debates.
Read more from Shamim Chowdhury
Sep 23, 2024 at 07:17 AM EDT
Chris Christie predicts Trump will U-turn on “no more debates” pledge
During an appearance on ABC News, Chris Christie predicted that Donald Trump could actually agree to do another presidential debate with Kamala Harris, despite the former president's claims that it was "too late" to do another.
The former New Jersey governor, who helped coach Trump for his debates in the 2016 and 2020 elections before a falling out between the two, said that Trump was too fixated on the polling to ignore the challenge issued by the Harris campaign, and that debates were the only way to change the trajectory of the election.
Christie said: "You know how much he focuses on the polling numbers. He focuses a lot on that and he's going to need something to change it. In today's media landscape, absent a big mistake by one or the other, this is the only thing that could change the needle.
"His confidence isn't shaken. He will convince himself that if she gets in the ring with him again, that he'll knock her out. I think he'll eventually capitulate."
In response to news that Vice President Kamala Harris had agreed to a CNN debate in October, Trump said at a rally on Saturday that it was "too late" to have another debate as "voting has already started."
--Theo Burman
Sep 23, 2024 at 07:10 AM EDT
How Kamala Harris Wins ‘Pink’ North Carolina: Donna Brazile
Political strategist Donna Brazile said she believes Vice President Kamala Harris can win North Carolina, a key swing state that is turning "pink," if her campaign employs specific strategies, during an interview on ABC News on Sunday.
In an interview with George Stephanopoulos and Chris Christie, Brazile, an ex-DNC interim chair and former campaign manager, said that North Carolina "is a tough state, it's getting bluer by the minute, maybe pink," and the Harris campaign can win it by finding rural voters and tying gubernatorial candidate Mark Robinson to Donald Trump.
"The Democrats have an opportunity to go to eastern North Carolina, to go beyond Charlotte and Raleigh, the triangle, and to find those voters in the rural areas," Brazile said. "If they can find those voters in the rural areas."
Read more from Maya Mehrara
Sep 23, 2024 at 06:57 AM EDT
Former Republican North Carolina governor says Robinson scandal could cost Trump up to 30,000 votes
Pat McCrory, the former Republican governor of North Carolina, said on CNN this morning that the Mark Robinson scandal could flip the state blue, as new ads from the Harris campaign attempt to tie the beleaguered lieutenant governor with the former President.
McCrory who served as the Tar Heel State's governor for almost 15 years from 1995-2009, said that the race was incredibly tight in his home state, and that Robinson's refusal to drop out following a bombshell CNN report about comments he allegedly made on a porn website years ago, could drive voters away.
McCrory said: "Every vote makes a difference. And right now, the Republicans are running away from Robinson as quick as they can. His finance manager and his campaign manager resigned yesterday, the Trump people have actually quit being with him for the past month.
"The Harris campaign is going to try to connect the two as much as possible to impact 20 or 30,000 votes, which could make the difference in the presidential campaign right here in North Carolina.
"If that sort of report was directed toward me, when I was running for office, I'd be fighting it legally, and Robinson doesn't seem to be doing that."
--Theo Burman
Sep 23, 2024 at 06:29 AM EDT
Janet Yellen praises Biden, Harris for ‘economic success’
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In a tacit endorsement of the vice president's 2024 campaign, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen has heaped praise on the economic record of the Biden-Harris administration.
"While there's more to do to bring down the cost of living, Americans can feel optimistic about their economic futures," Yellen wrote in a Sunday op-ed for The Wall Street Journal. "Because wages have risen faster than prices, the typical American can now afford more goods and services than before the pandemic."
"None of this has happened by chance," Yellen continued, claiming that Harris and Biden had inherited an economy on the brink of collapse.
"In that first year, our administration provided financial support to households and prevented an eviction crisis. We vaccinated millions to save lives and allow businesses to reopen safely."
Yellen went on to argue that the pair successfully navigated the "energy shock" caused by the invasion of Ukraine, and made critical investments in such "cutting-edge industries" as clean energy and semiconductor manufacturing.
In a slight against Trump, without naming the former president directly, Yellen added that tax cuts for higher earners would "explode the federal deficit," and that pursuing "nontargeted, nonstrategic international economic policies" would only worsen Americans' cost of living crisis.
According to the latest national NBC News poll, Trump holds a strong lead on both inflation and the economy.
--Hugh Cameron
Sep 23, 2024 at 06:21 AM EDT
Kamala Harris Will Flip Two Critical Trump States, Says Ex-RNC Chair
Vice President Kamala Harris is within striking distance of taking two major swing states, which would spell doom for Donald Trump's campaign, according to a former Republican National Committee chair.
The Democratic nominee could potentially pick up North Carolina and Florida, instantly winning the election, according to top Republican Michael Steele, who headed the party's committee from 2009 to 2011.
If Harris won North Carolina and Florida, along with every other non-swing state that President Joe Biden won in 2020, she would receive 272 Electoral College votes, enough to win the election, even if former President Donald Trump won every other swing state. With 16 votes from Georgia as well, Harris would have 288 votes.
Read more from Theo Burman
Sep 23, 2024 at 06:19 AM EDT
Democratic Muslim Mayor Backs Trump in Key Swing State
The Democratic mayor of the only Muslim-run city in the United States has endorsed former president Donald Trump, giving him a boost in a key swing state.
In a surprising political turn, Amer Ghalib, the mayor of Hamtramck, Michigan, threw his support behind Trump's bid for the White House in the 2024 presidential election. Ghalib said on Sunday that the Republican candidate is a "man of principles" and "the right choice for this critical time," despite their disagreements on key political issues.
Read more from Billal Rahman
Sep 23, 2024 at 06:17 AM EDT
Latest NYT poll: Trump ahead in key Sun Belt states
New polls from The New York Times and Siena College out Monday morning showed Trump ahead in Arizona, Georgia and North Carolina.
The former president lost Arizona and Georgia to Joe Biden in 2020, and North Carolina was his narrowest margin of victory in any state he won that year. The Tar Heel state has not voted for a Democrat since 2008.
NYT/Siena College (Sept. 17-21)
Arizona
🔵Harris 45%
🔴Trump 50% (+5)
Georgia
🔵Harris 45%
🔴Trump 49% (+4)
North Carolina
🔵Harris 47%
🔴Trump 49% (+2)
--Daniel Orton
Sep 23, 2024 at 06:08 AM EDT
Kamala Harris Sees Historic Surge in Popularity—New Poll
Vice President Kamala Harris' favorability has experienced an increase of 16 points since July, a historic rise comparable only to the surge in standing for then-President George W. Bush following the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, according to an NBC News poll that was published on Sunday.
The new poll, which was conducted from September 13 to 17 of 1,000 registered voters, represents the most significant rise for any major party presidential candidate in NBC News polls during this period.
Read more from Gabe Whisnant
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