List of All Articles with Tag 'us politics'

Ron DeSantis has presented his definition of his favourite word - “woke” - days after Donald Trump said “half the people” can’t define it. “Look, we know what woke is, it’s a form of cultural Marxism,” Mr DeSantis told NBC News journalist Dasha Burns on a campaign stop in Iowa on Saturday. “It’s about putting merit and achievement behind identity politics, and it’s basically a war on the truth. And as that has infected institutions, and it has corrupted institutions. So, you’ve got to be willing to fight the woke, we’ve done that in Florida, and we proudly consider ourselves the state where woke goes to die.” Two days earlier, Mr Trump took a veiled shot at the Florida governor by criticising overuse of the Republican buzzword at his own campaign event in Iowa on Thursday. “I don’t like the term ‘woke’ because I hear, ‘Woke, woke, woke.’ It’s just a term they use, half the people can’t even define it, they don’t know what it is,” Mr Trump said at the Westside Conservative Club in Urbandale, Iowa, on Thursday. During the event, Mr Trump attacked trans athletes, a popular right-wing grievance, calling it a “woke” issue before catching himself. “I guess they define that as ‘woke,’ but that’s all woke. We have to bring common sense back to the country,” he said. Hours later, Mr Trump repeatedly used the word during a Fox News town hall with Sean Hannity. The former president regularly uses “woke” to attack opponents, and just last month his eldest son, Donald Trump Jr, announced the launch of a “non-woke men’s lifestyle magazine.” The magazine, which is called Field Ethos, says that it will focus on “a forgotten lifestyle to those who refuse to conform,” with fishing and hunting articles written by “old-school adventurers who make no apologies for who we are.” Mr DeSantis is also obsessed with the term and has said as president he would destroy the “woke mind virus.” In 2021, Mr DeSantis also signed into law Florida’s “Stop WOKE Act,” which banned college professors in the state from teaching critical race theory. Read More DeSantis news — live: Florida governor defines ‘woke’ and vows to dismantle Biden policies on Iowa visit DeSantis condemns Trump for congratulating ‘murderous dictator’ Kim Jong-un Trump news — live: Classified documents grand jury slated to meet as Trump claims trouble in New York case Ivanka and Jared split over attending Trump 2024 launch – follow live Why was Donald Trump impeached twice during his first term? Four big lies Trump told during his 2024 presidential announcement

Texas has become the most populous state to ban gender-affirming care for minors after Gov Greg Abbott signed legislation on Friday. Texas joined at least 18 other states that have enacted similar bans. Every major medical organization, including the American Medical Association, has opposed the bans and supported medical care for youth when administered appropriately. Lawsuits have been filed in several states where bans have been enacted this year. Last year, Mr Abbott became the first governor to order the investigation of families who were receiving care. The investigations were later halted by a Texas judge. The GOP-controlled Legislature sent the bill to Mr Abbott last month. Republicans in the Senate took the final vote over the objections from Democrats, who used parliamentary maneuvers to delay passage but could not derail it entirely. Transgender rights activists have disrupted the Texas House with protests from the chamber gallery, which led to state police forcing demonstrators to move outside the building. Read More Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide

President Joe Biden will "at some point" meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping, according to White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan, as the two countries work to reset normal relations amid what has been an extremely tumultuous and tense year in the relationship.

Democratic Rep. Jamie Raskin of Maryland said Sunday that he is "seriously considering" a bid for Senate and expects to announce a decision before July 4.

A grand jury hearing evidence in the federal investigation into Donald Trump’s handling of classified documents is expected to reconvene this week, according to a new report. The news signals that Special Counsel Jack Smith’s probe into the former president may be moving closer to a possible indictment, according to NBC News. The grand jury has been hearing evidence and witness testimony for several months, but had been on a recent hiatus, according to the report. Prosecutors are investigating whether Mr Trump mishandled classified documents and later obstructed efforts to retrieve them. The development comes after CNN revealed that the Trump legal team had been unable to locate a classified document he referred to on tape. The network had earlier broke the news that a recording existed of the former president acknowledging that he had held onto a classified Pentagon document outlining a potential attack on Iran. Attorneys for Mr Trump could not find the document he referred to when they turned over material in mid-March in response to a federal subpoena relating to the investigation, according to the report. Mr Trump has already been indicted in New York on state charges that he paid illegal hush money payments in the lead up to the 2016 presidential election. But should Mr Smith move forward with the indictment, it would be the first time a sitting or former US president has faced federal charges. Mr Trump has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing. In June 2022, FBI agents visited his private club Mar-a-Lago to retrieve documents he had taken with him when he left the White House. Mr Trump turned over 38 classified documents, and his attorneys pledged in writing that they had completed a thorough search of the property. The Justice Department obtained a search warrant for the former president’s home in August, and later said they retrieved 300 papers marked classified. Mr Trump’s attorneys sought to blame the oversight on White House staff in a letter to Congress in April. He could face charges relating to the handling of classified documents or obstructing investigators from recovering the materials. Mr Trump has previously said that he had the power to declassify documents simply by “thinking about it”. Read More Trump news – latest: Classified documents scandal ramps up as Trump congratulates Kim Jong-un Classified document Trump admitted he had on tape is now missing, report says Trump reacts to report Pence won’t face charges for classified documents: ‘I’m at least as innocent as he is’ Ivanka and Jared split over attending Trump 2024 launch – follow live Why was Donald Trump impeached twice during his first term? Four big lies Trump told during his 2024 presidential announcement

New movement may be coming in the investigation into Donald Trump’s handling of classified documents - as the ex-president claims his legal troubles up in New York could soon disappear. NBC News reported that the federal grand jury hearing evidence in the classified documents case is expected to meet this week following a “hiatus”. The Justice Department declined to comment and it is unclear whether Special Counsel Jack Smith is preparing to seek an indictment. Meanwhile, Mr Trump took to Truth Social to claim that Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s case “hush money” case is on the rocks. In all-caps, the ex-president wrote: “Wow! Legal experts are saying that D.A. Alvin Bragg will be immediately forced to drop his weak & disparaged case against “Trump” because his top investigator, Jeremy Rosenberg, corruptly colluded with a disgraced, disbarred, and convicted felon & perjurer in attempting to frame me with a “crime” that doesn’t even exist.” He appeared to be referring to a New York Post article which claimed Mr Rosenberg was suspended for “contact” with Mr Trump’s former attorney Michael Cohen. The report, citing unnamed law enforcement sources, specifically states that the suspension “might not affect the case against Trump”. Read More New development in Trump’s classified documents case as grand jury expected to meet this week Trump slammed for congratulating Kim Jong-un - with awkward spelling error Trump wants New York judge removed in Manhattan hush-money case

Former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley entered the Republican primary in February with a call for "generational change." But her message has largely been drowned out by former President Donald Trump and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who are dueling for support from the GOP's right-wing base.

A veteran from New Hampshire has been charged with threatening to kill a sitting US senator by phone, stating he was angry over the politician's alleged handling of veteran benefit programs, according to federal authorities.

A Trump-appointed federal judge in Tennessee has ruled that a state law limiting public drag show performances represented an "unconstitutional restriction on the freedom of speech."

President Joe Biden signed into law Saturday a bill to suspend the nation's debt limit through January 1, 2025, to avert a first-ever US default.

Maxwell Alejandro Frost has laughed off criticism after he yelled “F*** Ron DeSantis” while performing on stage at a Paramore concert on Friday night. The Florida congressman joined the rock band for a barnstorming rendition of their hit song “Misery Business”during a show at Capitol One Arena in Washington DC. Lead singer Hayley Williams asked if he had a message for the crowd as he took the stage, with the Gen Z Democrat lawmaker responding: “F*** Ron DeSantis! F** fascism!” When a clip of Mr Alejandro Frost’s outburst was posted to Twitter by the Conservative War Machine account, he replied “lol they’re so mad”. “I said what I said,” he wrote in another post. The 26-year-old shared several photos of himself with Williams onstage and after the show. “Very grateful for this moment. I’ve been practicing in the shower for YEARS,” he posted alongside a video of him rocking out with the band. Earlier this week Williams told fans during a performance at the Adjacent Music Festival in Atlantic City, New Jersey, that anyone who votes for Mr DeSantis is “dead” to her. “I’ll be happy to tell you I’m very f***ing comfortable talking politics,” Williams told the crowd. “If you vote for Ron DeSantis, you’re f***ing dead to me. Is that comfortable enough for anyone?” Mr DeSantis announced his candidacy for the 2024 Republican presidential primary last week. During a campaign event in South Carolina on Friday, a woman in the crowd shouted “You’re a f***ing fascist” at the Florida governor. Paramore’s This Is Why Tour continues in Cleveland on Sunday. Read More DeSantis news – live: Florida governor snaps at protester calling him ‘fascist’ in latest campaign outburst Paramore’s Hayley Williams says anyone who votes for Ron DeSantis is ‘dead to me’ Congressman walks out of House hearing after apologising to arrested Parkland parent DeSantis, Pence and other GOP 2024 hopefuls, but not Trump, set to appear at Iowa rally Trump’s classified papers scandal ramps up as he congratulates dictator - lates Ron DeSantis snaps back as heckler at campaign event calls him a ‘fascist’

Donald Trump is under fire from Republicans for complimenting North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un after his country was admitted to the World Health Organisation’s Executive Board. “Congratulations to Kim Jung Un!” the former president wrote on Truth Social, misspelling his name while sharing news of the admission. The post drew immediate condemnation from GOP presidential candidates and state party leaders. “Kim Jong Un starves his own people,” Mr Trump’s former UN ambassador and 2024 opponent Nikki Haley said on Twitter. “It’s a total farce that North Korea has a leading role at the World Health Organisation.” Georgia Governor Brian Kemp wrote: “Taking our country back from Joe Biden does not start with congratulating North Korea’s murderous dictator.” Former GOP Maryland governor Larry Page also derided Mr Trump: “Kim Jong-un is an enemy of America who threatens peace and freedom. The fact that Trump delusionally believes otherwise makes him a useful idiot for China and unfit to be president.” Mr Trump famously enjoyed a warm relationship with Mr Kim during his one-term presidency, frequently praising the 39-year-old despot and becoming the first sitting US leader to visit the isolated communist country. He even bragged about exchanging “love letters” with Mr Kim, who frequently threatens the US and its allies with nuclear attack. Others pointed out the peculiarity of their relationship. “Donald Trump fangirling over a dictator like Kim Jong-un feels very on brand for a wannabe dictator like Trump,” one Twitter user posted. Dr Jong Min Pak this week became the first North Korean official to be appointed for a three-year term to the WHO’s executive board. “What this means is that one of the world’s most horrific regimes is now a part of a group that sets and enforces the standards and norms for the global governance of health care,” UN Watch executive director Hillel Neuer said in a statement. “It is an absurd episode for a key UN agency that is in much need of self-reflection and reform.” Others to join the executive board are Australia, Barbados, Cameroon, Comoros, Lesotho, Qatar, Switzerland, Togo and Ukraine. Several recent appointments of serial human rights abusers to leadership roles in international organisations have also faced condemnation. Russia took charge of the United Nations Security Council in April, while Iran is chairing the UN Human Rights Council 2023 Social Forum. A South Korean lawmaker this week said that Mr Kim was obese and suffering from severe insomnia and alcohol addiction. Read More Trump news – latest: Trump tells Fox News he’d have the US ‘hopping again’ Trump wants New York judge removed in Manhattan hush-money case Kim Jong-un may be suffering from insomnia and ‘worsening alcohol dependency’ Ivanka and Jared split over attending Trump 2024 launch – follow live Why was Donald Trump impeached twice during his first term? Four big lies Trump told during his 2024 presidential announcement