List of All Articles with Tag 'us politics'

Donald Trump has posted a fake clip of Ron DeSantis’ 2024 launch on Twitter Spaces – featuring George Soros, Adolf Hitler and the devil. The former president went on the attack against the Florida governor before, during and after the hotly-anticipated launch event, as the two men prepare to go head-to-head for the Republican nomination. In one of his most bizarre attacks, Mr Trump posted a two-minute video on his Truth Social page which had been doctored to look like Mr DeSantis’ Twitter Spaces event. However, the participants in the fake event included Nazi leader Hitler, billionaire businessman Mr Soros, World Economic Forum chairman Klaus Schwab, late former vice president Dick Cheney, the FBI and the devil – as well as Musk, Mr DeSantis and Mr Trump. The clip suggested that the medley of participants were all backing Mr DeSantis’ run for president while also poking fun at the technical glitches that plagued the Florida governor’s launch event, with a coughing Mr Sorors – a constant target of far-right conspiracy theories – struggling to connect with the participants at the start. It also pushed a conspiracy that the FBI if out to “take out” Mr Trump, with a fake agent joining the call and asking: “So how are we going to take out Trump guys?” After being told the event is open to the public, the fake FBI agent quickly leaves the call. Following a brief and chaotic announcement from Mr DeSantis, a fake Mr Trump jumps into the conversation at the end where he vows to fight back against each of the call participants. “Hold your horses Elon, the real president is going to say a few words,” he says. “Devil, I’m going to kick your a** very soon. Hitler you’re already dead, Dick Cheney it sounds like you’ll be joining Hitler very soon. “Klaus Schwab and George Soros, I’m putting both your a**es in jail and Ron DeSanctimonious you can kiss my big, beautiful 2024 presidential a**. Trump 2024 baby, let’s go.” Mr Trump made several other posts mocking Mr DeSantis’ entrance into the 2024 race, branding it a “disaster” and posting a video of a Tesla rocket with “Ron” written over it crashing. Mr DeSantis’ hotly-anticipated 2024 campaign launch plunged into chaos on Wednesday night when it was marred by technical glitches from the off. The Florida governor, 44, chose to announce his presidential run in an unconventional way – in a Twitter Spaces event with Musk and controversial entrepreneur David Sacks. But, the event got off to a rocky start when it crashed several times and the sound repeatedly dropped out. While Musk claimed the servers were overwhelmed by the sheer amount of people tuning in to listen, Mr DeSantis faced ridicule for the underwhelming launch from online commentators and both sides of the political aisle. Mr Trump’s son Don Jr coined the term “DeSaster” – a hashtag that soon began trending on Twitter – while Mr Trump ally Matt Gaetz simply tweeted: “DeSedative”. President Joe Biden also joined in the ridicule, posting a link to his donation page with the quip: “This link works.” Democratic congresswoman AOC joked that she had more viewers join her online when she famously played Among Us on Twitch. Mr DeSantis, who is seen as Mr Trump’s biggest rival for the Republican vote, sought to brush off the debacle in a Fox News interview. In the launch, he laid out his plans for his campaign run – speaking mostly about the issues of the right-wing culture war that he has made a centrepiece of his role as Florida governor. “I am running for president of the United States to lead our great American comeback,” Mr DeSantis said. “American decline is not inevitable. It is a choice,” he said. “And we should choose a new direction, a path that will lead to American revitalisation.” Read More Ron DeSantis news – live: Elon Musk’s Twitter Spaces crashes ruining Florida governor’s 2024 campaign launch Ron DeSantis mocked yet again for campaign ad packed with Elon Musk footage Can Ron DeSantis beat Donald Trump? These Florida political veterans aren’t so sure Can Ron DeSantis beat Donald Trump? These Florida political veterans aren’t so sure DeSantis aide voices confusion about history of US flag after campaign teaser video Elon Musk’s Twitter Spaces crashes ruining Ron DeSantis’s 2024 campaign launch – live

Oprah Winfrey is reportedly being considered to replace Dianne Feinstein should the 89-year-old California senator choose to retire. A list of names, that includes the talk show host, is being considered, according to the Associated Press. This comes as Ms Feinstein’s office confirmed last week that the longest-serving Democrat in the current US Senate is suffering health complications from a recent case of shingles. A spokesperson told CNN that Ms Feinstein experienced Ramsay Hunt syndrome and encephalitis as part of the diagnosis. “While the encephalitis resolved itself shortly after she was released from the hospital in March, she continues to have complications from Ramsay Hunt syndrome,” the spokesperson said on Thursday. Ms Feinstein returned to the Senate earlier this month after her bout of shingles to cast her vote. Following her return, she spoke to reporters and denied she was ever absent. She has faced calls to resign due to questions around her cognitive abilities. Governor Gavin Newsom has the authority to name a successor to fill Ms Feinstein’s seat if a vacancy arises. He could even pick himself, though that is unlikely. State rules dictate when an election would have to be held. According to the AP report, the governor could also select a caretaker. Voters would then decide in next year’s election on someone who would hold the seat but is not a Senate candidate. The report said that is where names like Winfrey’s come up. Winfrey, a famous celebrity and media proprietor, happens to meet Mr Newsom’s pledge to appoint a Black woman to the seat. However, the governor might find it challenging to land on someone willing to take a short-term appointment. Mr Newsom recently said in an interview that he was swamped with recommendations for how to fill the possible Senate vacancy. He called Ms Feinstein a mentor and one of his closest friends, and said he hoped he never had to make the decision to fill her seat. “I get it. For those who say, ‘Enough of Newsom making these picks!’ I get it. I’m with you. I understand,” he was quoted as saying to Fox 11 TV in Los Angeles. Winfrey is one of the world’s most famous media personalities, and has a multi-billion-dollar net worth. Her talk show – The Oprah Winfrey Show – which ran for 25 years until 2011, was one of the biggest daytime talk shows of all time. While she said she will never run for president in the wake of Donald Trump’s victory in 2016, she admitted she had considered it briefly. Read More Diane Feinstein denies she was ever absent from US Senate after months spent recovering from shingles California governor faces tough question of who would replace Dianne Feinstein if she steps down The danger of America’s ageing politicians Louis Vuitton takes Baroque and botanical cues from Italy's Isola Bella for Cruise 2024 collection Tina Turner, unstoppable superstar whose hits included 'What's Love Got to Do With It,' dead at 83 California governor faces tough question of who would replace Dianne Feinstein

Ron DeSantis’ hotly-anticipated 2024 campaign launch fell flat on Wednesday night when it was marred by technical glitches from the off. The Florida governor, 44, chose to announce his presidential run in an unconventional way – in a Twitter Spaces event with Elon Musk and David Sacks. But, the event got off to a rocky start when it crashed several times and the sound repeatedly dropped out. While Musk claimed the servers were overwhelmed by the sheer amount of people tuning in to listen, Mr DeSantis faced ridicule for the underwhelming launch from online commentators and both sides of the political aisle. His main Republican rival Donald Trump jumped at the chance to brand the launch a “disaster” while his son Don Jr coined the term “DeSaster” – a hashtag that soon began trending on Twitter. President Joe Biden also joined in the ridicule, posting a link to his donation page with the quip: “This link works.” Meanwhile, AOC joked that she had more viewers join when she famously played Among Us on Twitch. Mr DeSantis, who is seen as Mr Trump’s biggest rival for the Republican vote, sought to brush off the debacle in a Fox News interview. Read More Ron DeSantis 2024 launch with Elon Musk derailed by tech issues amid awkward jokes about ‘melting servers’ Trump and DeSantis' rivalry intensifies as Florida governor formally enters 2024 presidential race His 2024 launch was laughable but DeSantis could be more dangerous than Trump Billionaires, media bashing and woke ‘bubbles’: Key takeaways from Ron DeSantis’ campaign rollout

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy appears set to send members home after votes on Thursday, signaling that debt negotiations with the White House will continue as the risk of a first-ever default grows.

Donald Trump has called for a meeting with Attorney General Merrick Garland in the clearest sign yet that an indictment could be on the horizon following the criminal investigation into the former president’s handling of classified documents. In a letter, posted on Truth Social, Mr Trump’s attorneys claimed that he had been “treated unfairly” and was the victim of “ongoing injustice” by Special Counsel Jack Smith who is leading the probe into the trove of documents found at Mar-a-Lago after Mr Trump left office. It’s common for defence lawyers to seek meetings with the Justice Department when potential indictments are looming, but it’s unusual to seek a meeting with the AG himself. The letter was sent the same day that Mr Trump appeared in court by video for a second hearing in his criminal case on Tuesday. The former president was on screen in the Manhattan Criminal Court so that Judge Juan Merchan could make sure he understood the terms of the protective order in the case. Judge Merchan also set a trial date for 25 March 2024 – in the midst of the Republican primaries. Mr Trump appeared visibly annoyed by this, throwing his arms in the air. Read More Trump dubs DeSantis 2024 launch ‘DISASTER’ and crack bizarre joke about ‘red button’ and ‘friend’ Kim Jong-un Donald Trump Jr and George Santos ridicule disastrous DeSantis 2024 launch on Twitter Friends to foes: How Trump and DeSantis' relationship has deteriorated over the years

The day after Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton accused the state House speaker of presiding over the chamber while drunk and called on him to resign, a House ethics panel on Wednesday heard explosive testimony from investigators detailing what they described as years of misconduct by the attorney general.

Chinese government-backed hackers are likely pursuing cyber capabilities that could be used to "disrupt critical communications" between the US and the Asia Pacific region in the event of a future US-China crisis, Microsoft warned on Wednesday.

FBI Director Christopher Wray and House Oversight Chairman James Comer are scheduled to meet in the coming days as the Kentucky Republican continues to escalate his investigation into President Joe Biden's business dealings, a spokesperson for the FBI told CNN.

Ron DeSantis's choice fuels questions over how he handles scrutiny, our North America editor says.

A 14-year veteran of the Internal Revenue Service went public for the first time Wednesday as the whistleblower claiming to have information about alleged mishandling and political interference in an ongoing criminal probe into Hunter Biden.

The Twitter launch of Ron DeSantis’s 2024 bid for the White House was struck by early tech issues with the sound repeatedly dropping out. The Twitter Spaces event crashed several times on Wednesday evening, with Twitter owner Elon Musk saying the servers appeared to be overwhelmed by the sheer amount of people trying to listen. Donald Trump took aim at Mr DeSantis, writing on Truth Social: “Wow! The DeSanctus TWITTER launch is a DISASTER! His whole campaign will be a disaster. WATCH!” Mr DeSantis officially entered the 2024 presidential race on Wednesday, after months of speculation, having filed paperwork with the Federal Election Commission. Mr DeSantis, 44, is seen as Mr Trump’s biggest rival for the Republican vote with several Republican lawmakers and right-wing media rallying behind him after the midterms. However, the latest polls show Mr DeSantis trailing Mr Trump. This comes as Mr DeSantis is going to war with Disney and pushing back on the NAACP’s advisory warning travellers that Florida is “openly hostile” towards Black people, people of colour, and LGBT+ people due to his laws. Read More Elon Musk complains about David Duke comparison during disastrous DeSantis 2024 launch event Ron DeSantis 2024 launch with Elon Musk derailed by tech issues amid awkward jokes about ‘melting servers’ Trump dubs DeSantis 2024 launch ‘DISASTER’ and crack bizarre joke about ‘red button’ and ‘friend’ Kim Jong-un Donald Trump Jr and George Santos ridicule disastrous DeSantis 2024 launch on Twitter Boycott Florida? Warnings from civil rights groups call attention to ‘hostile’ DeSantis agenda

Donald Trump mocked the disastrous Twitter Spaces launch of Ron DeSantis’s bid for the White House as he made a bizarre joke about Kim Jong-un. The one-term president took to his Truth Social platform to poke fun at the Florida governor, whose campaign launch descended into chaos as Twitter crashed immediately as he tried to present his candidacy to Elon Musk. “Rob,” My Red Button is bigger, better, stronger, and is working (TRUTH!), yours does not! (per my conversation with Kim Jung Un, of North Korea, soon to become my friend!)” Mr Trump wrote on Truth Social. Mr Trump tweeted in January 2018 that the “nuclear button” in Washington DC was “much bigger and more powerful” than the North Korean dictator’s “and my button works!” Meanwhile, Donald Trump Jr, the eldest son of the one-term president, took to Twitter to ridicule his father’s main rival for the GOP presidential nomination, branding the campaign launch a “DeSaster.” “DeSantis is making JEB! look high energy right now,” he added. The Twitter event, which began at 6pm ET, was plunged into chaos when it was hit by tech issues and dropped audio almost immediately. David Sacks, one of the moderators of the event, said the massive number of participants was “melting the servers”. Despite the mocking he has received for the event, Mr DeSantis told Mr Musk as it ended: “We should do it again.” Earlier he laid out why he was running for president, before mostly talking about right-wing culture war issues beloved by many of his supporters. “I am running for president of the United States to lead our great American comeback,” Mr DeSantis said. “American decline is not inevitable. It is a choice,” he said. “And we should choose a new direction, a path that will lead to American revitalization.” Read More 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 As Oregon Senate GOP boycott hits 'crucial point,' governor begins talks Boycott Florida? Warnings from civil rights groups on ‘hostile’ DeSantis agenda Donald Trump Jr and George Santos ridicule DeSantis for 2024 launch on Twitter