Trump v Harris live: Trump meets with Ukraine’s Zelensky as Harris heads to the southern border
Harris and Trump are extremely close in key swing states of Georgia and Arizona as the former president prepares to meet with Volodymyr Zelensky after an apparent U–turn
Your support helps us to tell the story
My recent work focusing on Latino voters in Arizona has shown me how crucial independent journalism is in giving voice to underrepresented communities.
Your support is what allows us to tell these stories, bringing attention to the issues that are often overlooked. Without your contributions, these voices might not be heard.
Every dollar you give helps us continue to shine a light on these critical issues in the run up to the election and beyond
Eric Garcia
Washington Bureau Chief
Donald Trump is meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at Trump Tower today after the former president initially canceled the meeting.
Trump confirmed he will meet with Zelensky after the Ukrainian leader spoke with President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris on Thursday.
The Ukrainian leader said he was there to present the “victory plan” to Trump, which he also shared with Biden and Harris. Zelensky said he and Trump share a “common view that the war...has to be stopped, and [Vladimir] Putin can’t win and Ukrainians have to prevail.”
Trump, for his part, claimed that if he’s elected in November he could negotiate an end to the Russia-Ukraine war before he formally takes office in January 2025.
Back on the campaign trail, Harris will visit the US-Mexico border later today in Arizona.
There, the vice president plans to stress that Border Patrol agents need more resources and that combating the flow of fentanyl across the border will be a priority of her potential presidency, CBS News reports.
This visit comes as Harris takes a three-point lead on Trump in the swing state of Georgia, according to a Fox News poll.
Trump repeats bizarre claim that he could end Russia-Ukraine war as he meets with Zelensky
Trump says he believes Eric Adams was indicted for criticizing Biden’s migrant policy
Impeachment witness says it’s ‘embarrassing’ that Trump only just found out about WWII and Napoleon
Latest Trump bling unveiled - $100k bejeweled ‘victory’ watches
Nikki Haley: ‘I haven’t forgotten’ about Trump dissing my husband and calling me ‘bird brain’
Steve Bannon calls on voters to support Trump from prison
Steve Bannon, Donald Trump’s former White House adviser currently in federal prison after he was convicted of contempt of Congress, has penned an op-ed in a right-wing media outlet calling on voters to support the former president.
“President Trump risks his life daily to save our country,” Bannon wrote from the Danbury prison in Connecticut for The National Pulse. “Every day, he faces tremendous opposition and challenges, but he continues to fight for the American people.”
“Through your work, show him that you have his back,” Bannon added. “Let’s demonstrate our commitment to this cause by putting everything we have into these final weeks.”
“Remember: Victory is at hand.”
Trump repeats bizarre claim that he could end Russia-Ukraine war as he meets with Zelensky
Former president Donald Trump repeated a bizarre boast that he could, if elected president in November, negotiate an end to the nearly three-year-old Russian war against Ukraine before he formally takes office in January 2025.
Read more from The Independent’s Andrew Feinberg as Trump meets with Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky:
Trump repeats bizarre claim that he could end Russia-Ukraine war as he meets Zelensky
Trump has frequently implied that he would cut defense aid to Ukraine as a way to force a settlement to the war
ICYMI: Trump forced to scrap outdoor rally in Wisconsin due to Secret Service shortages
Former President Donald Trump has been forced to cancel an outside rally in Wisconsin because of shortages within the Secret Service.
The rally was planned for Saturday at an airport, but the agency said it didn’t have the staff needed to secure the area, according to CBS News. The former president is instead set to speak at a smaller indoor venue in Prairie du Chien in the southwestern part of the state on the border with Iowa.
The Secret Service said it was low on personnel because of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, where they have to provide security for foreign leaders during their time in the US.
Read more:
Trump forced to scrap outdoor rally in Wisconsin due to Secret Service shortages
Agency official says ‘our personnel and equipment are being pushed to their limits to sustain the current operational tempo’
Trump begins meeting with Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky
Donald Trump is meeting with Volodymyr Zelensky, one day after President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris met with the Ukrainian leader.
Trump and Zelensky shook hands, with the former president calling it “an honor” to meet him.
Video: Donald Trump announces new line of Trump watches selling for $100,000 each
Donald Trump has announced yet another piece of merch for his supporters to snatch up: $100,000 watches.
“The Trump Victory Tourbillon” bejeweled golden watch is available for $100,000. Significantly cheaper options are also available with the “fight fight fight” watch coming in three colors – Onyx Gold for $799 and Red Silver and Silver Gold both for $499 each.
Marjorie Taylor Greene melts down over House Speaker: ‘I don’t think Republicans deserve to be re-elected’
Marjorie Taylor Greene has launched a furious tirade at House Speaker Mike Johnson after he pushed through legislation to avoid a government shutdown, accusing him of being “a Speaker for the Democrats.”
Johnson defied Donald Trump on Wednesday by letting the House of Representatives vote to approve a spending bill to keep the government funded until December, even though it included no provisions to tighten elections.
Trump had previously called on House Republicans not to agree to a continuing resolution without the Save Act, which claimed it would prevent illegal immigrants from voting. This is even though US law already prohibits such a practice in federal elections.
Read more:
Marjorie Taylor Greene’s meltdown after House Speaker avoids government shutdown
The Speaker defied Donald Trump by letting the House vote to approve a spending bill to keep the government funded until December, even though it included no provisions to tighten elections
Can Harris beat Trump?
The candidates are preparing for an intense final stretch of the campaign, with the needle ready to swing either way.
So how will Harris and Trump fare in November?
Here’s what the latest polls say about the 2024 presidential election, from the Independent’s data correspondent.
Can Kamala Harris beat Donald Trump? Latest poll updates from the 2024 election
Here’s what the latest polls say about the 2024 presidential election, from The Independent’s data correspondent
Trump mocked for ‘limited WWII knowledge'
Retired U.S. Army lieutenant colonel and Trump impeachment witness Alexander Vindman has mocked the former president for what he saw as the Republican’s limited historical knowledge, after Trump seemed to describe just learning about WWII history during a recent campaign stop.
At a rally in Savannah, Georgia, on Tuesday, the former president took aim at Joe Biden’s vow the U.S. will continue supporting Ukraine until it finishes fighting off the invasion from Russia.
“Biden says, ‘We will not leave until we win,’” Trump said. “What happens if they win? That’s what they do, is they fight wars. As somebody told me the other day, they beat Hitler, they beat Napoleon. That’s what they do. They fight. And it’s not pleasant.”
Vindman, who served on the National Security Council, and whose family immigrated to the U.S. from the Soviet Union, took issue with these comments.
Josh Marcus has the details.
Impeachment witness says it’s ‘embarrassing’ that Trump just found out about WWII
Ex-president has insisted US ‘get out’ of Ukraine-Russia war
Harris ‘focusing on winning across the Rust Belt’ - strategist
Harris and her campaign are focusing on winning across the Rust Belt as opposed to the Sun Belt, according to a Democratic strategist based in Pennsylvania.
“Looking at spending and stops, it’s hard not to conclude that winning Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Michigan is plan A for Harris to win,” Mike Mikus told POLITICO. “Based on everything I’m seeing, Harris is stronger in the Rust Belt than the Sun Belt. Both are going to be very close either way.”
Since becoming the Democratic presidential nominee, the polls have narrowed in the Sun Belt battleground states. But, while the polls are still close, Harris is performing better in Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin.
Harris is in Arizona today, the first time she has been out West in weeks.
Ted Cruz calls Zelensky an ‘absolute moron’ for attacking Trump and Vance
Ted Cruz has waded into the tension surrounding Volodymyr Zelensky and Donald Trump by calling the Ukrainian president “an absolute moron.”
The senator was criticizing the Ukrainian leader for comments he made in a New Yorker interview, where he said Trump “doesn’t really know how to stop the war” and called his running mate, JD Vance, “too radical.”
Cruz hit back on his podcast, Verdict, where he slammed Zelensky.
“Who the hell is Zelensky to be trying to interfere in our election, the arrogance of this guy...In congress this guy has gotten Republican support for military aid – do you want to find a way for that to disappear? This is an awfully good way to do it.”
He added: “And the guy, I’ve got to say, is an absolute moron for coming to the US six weeks before the election and attacking Trump and Vance.”
Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article
Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments