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Trump praised as ‘real man’ by Putin; Democrat lawmakers targeted with Thanksgiving bomb threats: Live updates

Russian president full of praise for ‘intelligent and experienced’ US president-elect after election victory

Oliver O'Connell,James Liddell
Thursday 28 November 2024 20:11 GMT
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Trump’s Mexico border claims stumps New York Times reporter

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Donald Trump has been praised as a “real man” and “intelligent” by Russian President Vladimir Putin who suggested the incoming administration will “find a solution” to end Russia’s war in Ukraine.

Putin made the remarks in Kazakhstan on Thursday, the first time he has publicly congratulated Trump on his election victory, saying he acted “courageously” after July’s assassination attempt.

In Florida, the president-elect wished Happy Thanksgiving to all, including “Radical Left Lunatics who have worked so hard to destroy our Country, but who have miserably failed”. Since he entered politics, the president-elect’s pugnacious holiday messages have become something of a tradition.

Trump also claims to have had a “wonderful” conversation with Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum a day after she published a scathing open letter to him about migration, fentanyl trafficking, and tariffs.

Trump wrote on Truth Social that Sheinbaum agreed to “stop migration through Mexico,” which would “effectively” close the southern border.

The Mexican president corrected this account on X: “We reiterate that Mexico’s position is not to close borders but to build bridges between governments and between peoples.”

Democratic lawmakers in Connecticut found themselves the target of bomb threats over the Thanksgiving holiday, similar to those called in against some of Trump’s cabinet picks.

Awkward moment Trump asks Musk a baffling question at SpaceX launch

Kai Trump captured an awkward moment between her grandfather Donald Trump and Space X boss Elon Musk during his SpaceX rocket launch earlier this month.

The 17-year-old political scion accompanied the president-elect and Musk to watch the Starship rocket launch in Brownsville, Texas, on November 19.

Kai, who was filming her behind-the-scenes vlog for X and YouTube, captured the moment that Musk informed Trump that the booster wouldn’t be able to return to the launch site after the mission director called off the catch four minutes into the launch.

James Liddell details the exchange below.

Awkward moment Trump asks Musk a baffling question at SpaceX launch

President-elect’s teen granddaughter Kai Trump captured the exchange for her behind-the-scene vlog

James Liddell28 November 2024 11:21

Pete Hegseth says ‘he will not be intimidated’ after bomb threat against him, wife and seven kids

James Liddell28 November 2024 11:02

Sheinbaum responds to Trump immigration claims: ‘Mexico’s position is not to close borders’

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum appeared to deny Donald Trump’s claims that southern border was “effectively” closed.

Trump took to Truth Social on Wednesday following a “wonderful” conversation with Sheinbaum a day after she published a scathing open letter to him about migration, fentanyl trafficking and tariffs.

“She has agreed to stop Migration through Mexico, and into the United States, effectively closing our Southern Border,” Trump said in the post.

In a second Truth Social post, he added: “Mexico will stop people from going to our Southern Border, effective immediately.”

Sheinbaum took to X about an hour after Trump’s post to share her own recollection of the phone call.

“In our conversation with President Trump, I explained to him the comprehensive strategy that Mexico has followed to address the migration phenomenon, respecting human rights,” according to a Google translation of Sheinbaum from Spanish.

“Thanks to this, migrants and caravans are assisted before they reach the border. We reiterate that Mexico’s position is not to close borders but to build bridges between governments and between peoples.”

James Liddell28 November 2024 10:41

Mark Zuckerberg spotted at Mar-a-Lago months after Trump threatened to jail him

Mark Zuckerberg has been spotted at Mar-a-Lago months after President-elect Donald Trump threatened to imprison him.

Stephen Miller confirmed Zuckerberg’s visit to Fox News.

“Yes, that’s correct,” Miller, who has been tapped to serve as Trump’s deputy chief of staff for policy, told Fox News.

“Mark Zuckerberg has been very clear about his desire to be a supporter of and a participant in this change that we’re seeing all around America, all around the world, with this reform movement that Donald Trump is leading.

Michelle Del Ray has the full story.

Mark Zuckerberg spotted at Mar-a-Lago months after Trump threatened to jail him

President-elect wanted to throw Meta boss in jail over election interference claims

James Liddell28 November 2024 10:22

Trump shares Thanksgiving well-wishes ‘to all’ – including ‘radical left lunatics’

Donald Trump wished Americans a “happy Thanksgiving” on social media before his message devolved into a wild rant “radical left lunatics”.

Last month, the then-GOP presidential nominee suggested deploying the National Guard and military on Election Day to control “radical left lunatics”.

Trump has since resurfaced the phrase during his festive well-wishes.

“Happy Thanksgiving to all,” the president-elect wrote on Truth Social early on Thursday morning.

He then made a swift segue: “Including to the Radical Left Lunatics who have worked so hard to destroy our Country, but who have miserably failed, and will always fail, because their ideas and policies are so hopelessly bad that the great people of our Nation just gave a landslide victory to those who want to MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!”

“Don’t worry, our Country will soon be respected, productive, fair, and strong, and you will be, more than ever before, proud to be an American!”

James Liddell28 November 2024 10:01

Elon Musk accuses Trump impeachment witness of ‘treason’ and calls for ‘appropriate penalty’

Elon Musk, the world’s wealthiest man and President-elect Donald Trump’s “first buddy,” took to his social media platform X to ominously accuse the key witness in Trump’s first impeachment of treason while calling for him to “pay the appropriate penalty.”

Musk, who has been tasked by Trump to lead an outside agency on government efficiency named after a meme, took issue on Wednesday with comments made by former National Security Council official Alexander Vindman during an appearance on MSNBC.

Justin Barangoa reports.

Elon Musk calls for ‘appropriate penalty’ against Alexander Vindman for ‘treason’

The world’s richest man, who is also closely intertwined with the incoming Trump administration, raised eyebrows on Wednesday when he accused one of his critics of treason

Oliver O'Connell28 November 2024 09:40

ICYMI: Trump cabinet picks targeted by bomb threats and swatting

A number of Donald Trump’s cabinet picks have been targeted by bomb threats and swatting attacks, the president-elect’s transition team has said.

Gustaf Kilander has the details.

Trump cabinet picks including Matt Gaetz targeted by bomb threats and swatting

Gaetz and Elise Stefanik among those targeted at their homes in incidents being investigated by the FBI

Oliver O'Connell28 November 2024 09:20

Trump’s new trade chief backed US-UK deals — which could come at expense of Brexit reset

Donald Trump’s new trade chief has previously called for deals with the UK, it has emerged, as the president-elect’s team seeks to force Keir Starmer to choose between the US and the EU.

Last year, Jamieson Greer voiced support for trade agreements with Britain during evidence to Congress.

The Independent’s Whitehall editor Kate Devlin reports from London.

Donald Trump’s new trade chief backed trade deals with UK

Jamieson’s Greer’s comments to US Congress last year have emerged as Mr Trump’s team urged Britain to ditch the ‘socialist’ EU and embrace an agreement with the US - or face huge tariffs

Oliver O'Connell28 November 2024 09:00

Ray Epps’ January 6 defamation lawsuit against Fox News tossed by federal judge

The man at the center of unhinged January 6 “false flag” conspiracy theories trumpeted by MAGA media, including Tucker Carlson, has had his defamation lawsuit against Fox News thrown out of court.

United States District Judge Jennifer L. Hall granted the right-wing network’s motion to dismiss Ray Epps’s case on Wednesday, agreeing that he had failed to prove that Fox News had committed “actual malice” against him.

Justin Barangoa has the details.

Former Trump supporter’s defamation lawsuit against Fox News tossed by federal judge

United States District Judge Jennifer L. Hall granted the right-wing network’s motion to dismiss Ray Epps’s case

Oliver O'Connell28 November 2024 08:30

Five Republican senators could thwart Trump’s agenda — here’s who they are...

Eric Garcia writes:

Donald Trump’s nominees will now need to be confirmed by the Senate, which Republicans control with a 53-seat majority. Trump got a reality check last week when Matt Gaetz, the embattled former Republican congressman, pulled his nomination for attorney general after it became clear he would face Senate opposition.

During his presidency, Biden had to grapple with Joe Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema, the conservative Democrats-turned-independents, when he wanted to pass anything. Now Trump may face his own bloc of opposition within his party. Here are the Republican senators who could be a roadblock to Trump’s agenda.

Continue reading...

The five Republican senators who could thwart Trump’s agenda and nominees

Trump’s nominees will now need to be confirmed by the Senate, which Republicans control with a 53-seat majority

Oliver O'Connell28 November 2024 08:00

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