Trump says he has chosen VP running mate as he insists his ‘rambling’ is a sign of ‘genius’: Live updates
Trump spends weekend campaigning in DC and Philadelphia as speculation over running mate grows ahead of first debate against President Joe Biden
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Donald Trump is back on the campaign trail, imploring conservative Christians at the Faith and Freedom Coalition conference in Washington, DC to vote for him in an energetic and joke-filled speech, and telling a crowd in Philadelphia that his rambling is a sign of genius.
At the DC event, he bragged about having pitched a UFC league for migrants, claimed he has taken “more wounds” than any other president, and reeled out his bizarre stories about sharks, batteries, and Hannibal Lecter.
In Philadelphia, Trump told NBC News that he has chosen his running mate, that he hasn’t told anyone who it is yet, but they will be at the first presidential debate on Thursday when he faces Joe Biden.
Meanwhile, on Friday, Judge Aileen Cannon entertained a motion from Trump’s legal team that Jack Smith was unlawfully appointed as special counsel in the Mar-a-Lago classified documents case.
The Trump argument that Smith’s appointment was illegal stems from the claim that Attorney General Merrick Garland doesn’t have the legal authority to appoint a special counsel who the Senate hasn’t confirmed.
Cannon seemed skeptical but also said that the prosecution’s argument was an excessively “malleable” reading of the Constitution.
Accused adulterer Trump who paid to keep Stormy Daniels affair secret professes ‘love’ for the Ten Commandments
Who is Jack Smith? The special prosecutor who could take down Trump
Trump attorneys in classified documents case are challenging prosecutor's appointment
Aileen Cannon: The judge with Trump’s fate in her hands was appointed by him
Trump proposes automatic green cards for foreign nationals who graduate from US colleges
VIDEO: Trump's Legal Team Challenges Special Counsel's Appointment
Trump attorneys argue classified documents case should be thrown out
Attorneys for former President Donald Trump argued in court in Fort Pierce, Florida on Friday that the case against him for hoarding classified documents should be thrown out because Special Counsel Jack Smith was unlawfully appointed.
It’s a longshot claim based on the notion prevalent in some right-wing groups that Smith should’ve been approved by the Senate following his appointment by Attorney General Merrick Garland.
The special counsel’s office said the argument was “unsound,” according to The Washington Post. They added that Garland has the legal authority to appoint attorneys for Department of Justice duties.
Other challenges of a similar nature, such as against former Special Counsel Robert Mueller, have been thrown out in court.
Trump’s lawyer said during the hearing on Friday that differences exist in their legal arguments compared to the ones made against Mueller in Washington DC.
Cannon seemed skeptical of the argument.
“The District court in D.C. did a fairly comprehensive review,” she said, according to The Post.
The hearing is just one of five hearings that Cannon has scheduled over the course of three days. Several hearings are set to take place on Monday and Tuesday, such as a hearing on whether Smith’s role is funded legally.
Trump attorney Emil Bove argued on Friday that Garland has said on a number of occasions that Smith is acting independently, which would make him a “principal officer” that has to be approved by the Senate.
James Pearce, for the prosecution, argued that many officials at the Department of Justice aren’t confirmed by the Senate but can make significant decisions.
He added that accepting the defense’s argument would have “pernicious consequences.”
Cannon appeared interested in the notion surrounding Smith’s independence, asking if Garland would have looked at the Trump indictment before filing.
Pearce said special regulations mean that the attorney general will review major decisions in the case, probably including the indictment.
Three outside lawyers are now arguing about the appointment of Smith. Cannon took the unusual step of allowing outside groups to join the hearing.
Trump could see an easy win in the polls after the first debate — but not because of Biden’s age
Donald Trump may see a bump in the polls after the first debate because of a long-running trend: Incumbents tend to do worse in the first debate of the presidential election season.
Presidential debate historian Alan Schroeder explained to NBC News that a president’s life exists in a “protected bubble.” The first debate takes them outside of that bubble, where they’re forced to face off against a pumped up opponent who’s been itching for a showdown.
The first debate in this election cycle will be hosted by CNN in Atlanta on June 27. Biden is heading to Camp David on Thursday night to begin his preparations.
Incumbents tend to grow accustomed to the deference they’re shown within the White House, and after four years, they’re in for a rude awakening when their opponent throws punches on the debate stage, Schroeder said, noting that presidents tend not to hear much “conflicting information” during their four years in the “bubble.”
Trump could see an easy win in the polls after the first debate
Incumbents tend to do worse in the first debate of the presidential election season as they step out of their ‘protected bubble’
Cannon seems skeptical of Trump’s argument Smith was appointed illegally
During the morning session in the proceedings in the courtroom in Fort Pierce, Judge Aileen Cannon heard arguments from Trump’s defense attorney Emil Bove, while James Pearce argued for the office of the special counsel, according to Lawfare.
The focus of the Friday hearing is whether Special Counsel Jack Smith was lawfully appointed.
The judge questioned both Bove and Pearce about their arguments, focusing her queries on textual analysis of statutes and regulations governing the Department of Justice under which Attorney General Merrick Garland made the appointment of Jack Smith.
During parts of the hearing, Cannon seemed to be skeptical of Trump’s argument that Smith was appointed illegally. But she also seemed not to be in agreement with the prosecution. She said that their statutory analysis appeared to be an excessively “malleable” reading of the Constitution, Lawfare reported.
During the afternoon session, non-parties will make their arguments.
Trump suggests CIA was behind push to stop him releasing JFK assassination files
Former President Donald Trump spoke about releasing the files surrounding the assassination of President John F Kennedy in a recent podcast appearance, suggesting the CIA had applied pressure to stop some information being released.
Trump appeared on the All-In Podcast on Thursday, hosted by Silicon Valley technology investors, and spoke on an array of topics, from his political rival President Joe Biden and their upcoming debate to suggesting that foreign students should get green cards after they graduate US college.
The former president was also questioned by venture capitalist and podcast host Chamath Palihapitiya over a promise he made during his presidency that he would release files pertaining to the assassination of Kennedy that occurred on November 22, 1963.
“I actually did do it,” Trump said. “I released a lot, as you know, but when it came to the whole thing, I was hit by some people that work for me that are great people, that you would respect and they asked me not to do it.
“And I’m saying why. Tell me why. And they said, ‘Sir, I think it needs a little more time’.”
Trump says he was stopped from releasing all JFK files
Former president suggests he may release files surrounding the infamous 1963 murder if he’s re-elected
Reclusive banking heir billionaire gave Trump $50m one day after hush money conviction
A donor gave $50 million to Donald Trump’s campaign on the day of the former president’s hush money conviction, according to new filings.
The huge sum, donated by Timothy Mellon to Trump Super PAC MAGA Inc., was the largest federal individual campaign contribution so far this election cycle.
The donation made up most of the $68.8 million MAGA Inc. raised in May.
Filings show the donation was made on May 31, the same day that Trump became the first US president in history to receive a criminal conviction after he was convicted of 34 felony counts of falsifying business records.
Reclusive banking billionaire gave Trump $50m one day after hush money conviction
The huge sum, donated by businessman Timothy Mellon to Trump Super PAC MAGA Inc., is the largest federal individual campaign contribution so far this election cycle
Trump set to ask judge to revoke prosecutors’ access to memos by ex-attorney
Donald Trump is set to ask Judge Aileen Cannon next week to restrict the access of prosecutors to memos created by Trump’s former attorney which became evidence of his attempts to obstruct the probe, according to The Guardian.
The request is set to be made on Tuesday during a sealed hearing.
Last month, Trump challenged prosecutors’ access to the transcripts of voice memos created by former Trump attorney Evan Corcoran.
The former president’s legal team is expected to claim that none of the memos should’ve been handed to prosecutors on the crime-fraud exception.
The exception allows prosecutors to view privileged communications between an attorney and a defendant if the legal advice was used as part of a crime.
Trump ally Bannon asks the Supreme Court to delay his 4-month prison sentence on contempt charges
Steve Bannon, a longtime ally of former President Donald Trump, asked the Supreme Court on Friday to delay his prison sentence while he fights his convictions for defying a subpoena from the House committee that investigated the attack on U.S. Capitol.
The request came after a federal appeals court panel rejected his bid to avoid reporting to prison by July 1 to serve his four-month sentence. It was addressed to Chief Justice John Roberts, who oversees emergency appeals from courts in Washington, D.C.
U.S. District Judge Carl Nichols had previously delayed Bannon’s prison term as he appealed but ordered him to turn himself in after an appeals court panel upheld his contempt of Congress convictions.
Bannon was convicted nearly two years ago of two counts of contempt of Congress: one for refusing to sit for a deposition with the Jan. 6 House Committee and the other for refusing to provide documents related to his involvement in Trump’s efforts to overturn his 2020 presidential election loss to Democrat Joe Biden.
Bannon has cast the case as politically motivated, and his attorney David Schoen has said the case raises “serious constitutional issues” that need to be examined by the Supreme Court.
His lawyer has also argued that the former adviser didn’t ignore the subpoena but was still negotiating with the congressional committee when he was charged. His previous attorney told him that the subpoena was invalid because the Republican former president has asserted executive privilege and the committee would not allow a Trump lawyer in the room.
In court papers, Bannon’s lawyers also argued that there is a “strong public interest” in allowing him to remain free in the run-up to the 2024 election because Bannon is a top adviser to Trump’s campaign.
Ex-Trump aide Steve Bannon loses appeal over jail sentence meaning he’ll go to prison within days
A federal appeals court has shot down former Donald Trump adviser Steve Bannon’s request to stay out of prison while he appeals his conviction for defying a subpoena to testify in an investigation over the US Capitol attack.
Bannon’s bid was denied by a three-judge panel on Thursday at the US Circuit Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia after they came to a 2-1 ruling, in which two judges said that his arguments did not present a “substantial question” of law that could see his conviction reversed.
“Bannon’s proposal – that to prove willful default, the government must establish that the witness knew that his conduct was unlawful – cannot be reconciled with the Supreme Court’s approach to the statute,” Judges Cornelia Pillard and Bradley Garcia said in the order.
The third judge, Justin Walker, however, said that “Bannon should not go to prison before the Supreme Court considers his forthcoming petition,” in a two-page dissent.
On Friday, Bannon submitted his appeal to the nation’s highest court.
He must turn himself over to federal prison by July 1 to serve a four-month sentence.
Ex-Trump aide Steve Bannon loses appeal over jail sentence
The appeals court ruled 2-1 to reject the former White House strategist’s attempt to stay out of prison
Manhattan DA requests that Judge Merchan keep in place elements of Trump gag order
The office of Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg has asked that Judge Juan Merchan, who oversaw Trump’s hush money trial, extend large parts of a gag order that was placed on the former president.
The prosecutors pointed to dozens of death threats made against Bragg and other officials.
The order was issued before the hush money trial began in the middle of April. It restricts his ability to attack jurors, witnesses, court staff, and the judge’s family members. It doesn’t stop Trump from criticizing Bragg or Merchan.
Prosecutors said in a filing that the judge does not have to enforce the gag order in relation to trial witnesses but that he should keep the parts linked to jurors, prosecutors, as well as court staff, and their families.
The NYPD has recorded 56 “actionable threats” since the start of April, an affidavit included in the filing states.
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