Elon Musk exports MAGA civil war to UK as he claims Nigel Farage ‘doesn’t have what it takes’: Live
The president-elect weighed in on a reconciliation package, reportedly telling the House Speaker he prefers one piece of legislation
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Elon Musk is exporting the MAGA civil war to the United Kingdom as he claims Nigel Farage “doesn’t have what it takes” to lead the Reform Party.
Musk declared on X this weekend that the UK’s Reform Party “needs a new leader,” taking a shot at the right-wing leader. Farage was quick to respond: “Well, this is a surprise! Elon is a remarkable individual but on this I am afraid I disagree.”
The split appears to stem from Farage’s refusal to join Musk in calling for the release of jailed far-right political activist Tommy Robinson.
Meanwhile, President-elect Donald Trump met with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni for an informal visit at Mar-a-Lago on Saturday evening.
Trump praised Meloni to reporters as they stood outside his Palm Beach, Florida estate.
“I’m here with a fantastic woman, the prime minister of Italy,” he said. “She’s really taken Europe by storm, and everyone else, and we’re just having dinner tonight.”
Trump also wants one reconciliation package rather than the GOP leadership’s two-bill strategy, re-elected House Speaker Mike Johnson reportedly informed Republicans Saturday — a sign that the president-elect may be already testing the unity of his party.
Biden set to give two final speeches as he looks to secure legacy before Trump’s return
Mike Johnson may be the speaker, but Democrats will still have power
Trump has two years to cause real chaos and harm and only these people will be able to stop him
MAGA-world in meltdown after seeing George Soros getting Medal of Freedom
ICYMI: What happens if the US bans TikTok?
With every passing day, the US government inches closer to doing something unprecedented: banning a social media app used by an estimated 170 million Americans each month.
But what would happen next?
Find out below:
What happens if the US bans TikTok?
TikTok wouldn’t simply vanish off your smartphone – but in the long term, banning the Chinese video app could rip the heart out of American youth culture, writes Io Dodds
Musk’s support for the far right in Germany is part of a bigger plan that threatens eight decades of progress
As Germans headed into a year gripped by foreboding, I was reminded of an episode a decade ago that struck me then as absurd, and that now makes me marvel at its prescience.
I was chairing a conference about the internet in Berlin, sponsored by Google, when one of the participants suggested that the German government should establish a public internet company. Silicon Valley, she proffered earnestly, was the preserve of the American super-rich and could not be trusted to tell the truth or preserve democracy.
I scoffed at the idea, though I was too polite to say so. Half of her analysis was, and still is, impossibly quaint and ridiculous. The notion of the state being relied upon to provide an online platform for comment and information – in the very country of Goebbels and the Stasi – stretches credulity. But I must admit that the speaker foresaw the malignancy of the likes of Elon Musk far earlier than I, or anyone I know, ever did.
Keep reading:
Musk’s support for the far right in Germany is part of a bigger and darker plan
The tech billionaire is meddling in elections across Europe, and his latest move to support the AfD is proof he is determined to undermine democracy in a country that knows better than any what far-right dictatorship can bring, writes John Kampfner
Melania documentary to be screened by Amazon in latest Trump connection with Jeff Bezos
Incoming first lady Melania Trump will be the subject of a new documentary directed by Brett Ratner and distributed by Amazon Prime Video.
The streaming arm of the tech giant got exclusive licensing rights for a streaming and theatrical release later this year, the company said Sunday.
Read more:
Melania documentary to be screened by Amazon in latest Trump connection with Bezos
Incoming first lady will be the subject of new film directed by Brett Ratner
Republican Senator says Mike Johnson wouldn’t be speaker without Trump’s support
Republican Senator Jim Banks revealed he believes Speaker Mike Johnson wouldn’t have won his leadership role without President-elect Donald Trump’s support.
“Donald Trump weighed in in support of Mike Johnson. I don’t think Mike Johnson would be Speaker of the House this morning if Donald Trump wouldn’t have weighed in last week, spent political capital helping him get elected on one vote,” Banks told CNN on Sunday.
“And to me, that’s a positive sign that House Republicans are unified behind Donald Trump, the Trump agenda,” he added.
Chuck Schumer denies his party ‘misled’ Americans about Biden’s decline
Chuck Schumer denied on Sunday that his party misled the public about the extent of Joe Biden’s decline as presidential insiders tell news publications that the lame-duck president still believes he could have won the 2024 election.
The leader of the Senate Democratic caucus, now in the minority in the upper chamber, sat down with NBC’s Meet the Press and spoke about the incumbent president’s legacy in an interview on Sunday.
Keep reading:
Chuck Schumer denies his party ‘misled’ Americans about Biden’s decline
Senate Democratic leader pushes back against voter anger which cost his party the 2024 election
MAGA-world in meltdown after George Soros awarded the Medal of Freedom
Conservative commentators were outragedafter the Biden administration gave billionaire investor and Democratic mega-donor George Soros the Medal of Freedom.
Former Trump adviser Steve Bannon called on the incoming Trump administration to rescind the medal, the nation’s highest civilian honor.
“Send a team to track down Soros and take the medal back,” Bannon said on his War Room podcast. “It is a disgrace that a demonic individual like that—who has been going out of his way to try to destroy this country, to mock this constitutional republic, which he hates and has dedicated his life to destroying—that we would be presenting him, awarding him, the highest civilian honor that you can give.”
Read more:
MAGA-world in meltdown after seeing George Soros awarded Medal of Freedom
Soros has long been lightning rod for conservatives due to prolific funding for Democrats and progressive causes
Trump has two years to cause real chaos and harm and only these people will be able to stop him
After he was elected president of the United States for the second time in November, Donald Trump’s announcements of his nominees to head-up his various government departments have caused more than a few eye rolls across America.
And with just a few weeks to go, people are bracing themselves for the potential chaos the new personnel could bring.
Keep reading:
Only these people will be able to stop Trump from two years of chaos and harm
The American system is known for its checks and balances so even the most powerful president doesn’t have absolute control, but looking at Trump’s appointments as well as plans like Project 2025, Alex Hannaford asks who, if anyone, can stop him from wreaking serious havoc in his second term?
Elon Musk says Reform needs new leader and Nigel Farage ‘doesn’t have what it takes’
Elon Musk has suggested that Reform UK needs to replace Nigel Farage with a new leader amid a row between the pair over jailed political activist Tommy Robinson.
The Tesla tycoon said Mr Farage, who founded the party and is credited with its recent surge in the polls, “does not have what it takes”.
His call for change comes as a bitter blow after days of Mr Farage fawning over the world’s richest man, describing him as “a hero” and claiming he makes Reform “look cool”.
Keep reading:
Elon Musk says Reform needs new leader and Nigel Farage ‘doesn’t have what it takes’
The Tesla tycoon is reported to be considering donation of up to $100m to party
Biden set to give two final speeches as he looks to secure legacy before Trump’s return
President Joe Biden plans to deliver two final speeches as he seeks to underscore his legacy before leaving office and making way for President-elect Donald Trump, according to a report.
His first speech, which Biden intends to deliver after he comes back from Italy on January 12, will be dedicated to foreign policy, NBC News reported. His second and final speech as president will be a farewell address reflecting on his 50-plus years in public service.
Neither speech has been fully drafted, but the broad strokes of them have been established, sources told the outlet.
Read on:
Biden to give two final speeches as he looks to secure legacy before Trump’s return
President Joe Biden is set to leave office in two weeks as Donald Trump returns to the White House
Donald Trump is returning to the White House. Unlike most in his shoes, a pet is not coming with him
When President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden’s belongings are swiftly removed from the White House during President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration, one thing that will leave with them will almost certainly not be replaced – a White House pet.
Unlike the official residence of the British Prime Minister, there is no “chief mouser” for the Executive Office of the President who remains in office from administration to administration.
Read on:
Trump’s return to the White House will make it pet-free again
President-elect’s status as a pet-free president makes him an outlier among American chief executives
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments