Melania says Trump has always known her pro-abortion views as Harris grilled on Netanyahu in media blitz: Live
VP will sit for interviews with 60 Minutes, The View, Colbert and Howard Stern one month before Election Day
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
Melania Trump told Fox News on Sunday that her views on abortion came as no surprise to her husband.
“Yes, he knew my position and my beliefs since the day we met, and I believe in individual freedom,” she told host Maria Bartiromo.
“I want to decide what I wanted to do with my body. I think I don’t want government in my personal business,” she added.
Hours later her husband will rally in Wisconsin, just one day after he held a lie-filled event with Elon Musk at the venue in Butler, Pennsylvania where he survived an assassination attempt just three months ago. At Saturday’s rally, he suggested that his political opponents “maybe tried to kill me.” He will rally in Juneau, Wisconsin on Sunday afternoon.
Meanwhile, Kamala Harris will go on a media blitz this week as she sits down for interviews with The View, late-night host Stephen Colbert and radio host Howard Stern with just 30 days left until Election Day.
In a preview for her interview with 60 Minutes, Harris was pressed about the US’s relationship with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu nearly one year after Hamas attacks on October 7 — questions she largely dodged.
Lara Trump addresses crowd
God “spared Donald Trump’s life because he was not finished with Donald Trump. He did it not once but twice,” said Lara Trump, Eric’s wife and the co-chair of the RNC, referring to the two assassination attempts against the former president in the past two months.
The former president operates with “strength and faith,” he said.
Lara Trump also mentioned the RNC’s efforts toward what she called “transparent elections.”
“If you are a person considering cheating our elections, we will find you, we will track you down, we will prosecute you to the full extent of the law. If you’re an illegal citizen voting in our election, we will prosecute you to the full extent of the law — and you’re leaving this country.”
Her claims come after Trump and his allies have been baselessly claiming that the 2020 election was “stolen” from him.
Eric Trump takes the stage
“They tried to kill him. The Democratic party can’t do anything right,” Eric Trump, the former president’s son said as he took the stage on Saturday evening.
“They” have been after his father since he walked down the golden escalator, he said.
He didn’t define “they,” but it seemed to refer to the Justice Department which has been investigating his father, the suspected Butler shooter, and perhaps the Democrats.
“The good news? Help is on the way,” he said, referring to his father.
The younger Trump sparked the crowd to chant: “Fight! Fight! Fight!”
Who is Steve Witkoff?
Steve Witkoff, an investor and longtime Trump ally, was with the former president at Mar-a-Lago during the last alleged assassination attempt.
He has donated more than $2 million to Trump-connected PACs, and he briefly testified during the fraud trial in Manhattan.
Witkoff called the former president a “dear friend” on the stage of the Butler rally on Saturday.
Since July 13, both presidential candidates have the ‘highest level’ of security protection
Acting Secret Service Director Ronald Rowe said in September that the agency has been providing the “highest levels” of protections for presidential candidates since the July 13 assassination attempt.
The agency has endured intense scrutiny, prompting its chief at the time to resign after the July attack.
The agency’s “failures in planning, communications, security, and allocations of resources… were foreseeable, preventable, and directly related to the events resulting in the assassination attempt,” the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs report said.
A number of security measures have been put in place for Saturday, a law enforcement told The Independent. The Secret Service will work out of a “unified command post” with state, local and federal partners, a source in law enforcement familiar with the plan said. There will be “a large coordinated presence of law enforcement,” the source added.
The agencies have “secured some of the sight lines,” like the rooftop from which the 20-year-old shooter opened fire. Drones will also be on the site; in July, the drone system was experiencing technical difficulties.
Trump has faced two attempts against his life in the past few months. But since the first attack, Trump made it clear that he planned on returning to the Butler site.
A week ahead of the Saturday rally, Trump anticipated the venue would be the “safest place on Earth.” He quipped that he’ll start the Saturday rally right where he left off in July: “I think I’ll start the speech by saying, ‘As I was saying.’”
Investigation into the July 13 shooter, revisited
The investigation into the Butler rally shooting suspect is still underway — and a motive has yet to be uncovered.
In August the FBI revealed the suspect, who was shot dead on the scene by Secret Service agents, engaged in “detailed attack planning” leading up to the rampage.
The agency conducted a deep dive into his search history from 2019 until 2024, discovering that the 20-year-old supsect had looked up information related to explosives, like how to make a bomb from fertilizer,” and “how do remote detonators work.”
The investigation led to “valuable insight into his mindset, but not a definitive motive,” an agent said in August.
ICYMI: Bruce Springsteen endorses Kamala Harris for US president
Who will be in attendance at Trump’s Butler rally?
The 5pm rally at the site of the first assassination attempt against Donald Trump is set to be ‘different’ from the typical Trump rally, his campaign has said.
For one, it will feature a number of “special guests,” according to the campaign.
JD Vance, Trump’s running mate, first took the stage, saying it was “incredible how Trump responded to all of this,” referring to the attempt on Trump’s life.
Elon Musk announced he was speaking at the event.
The former president’s son Eric Trump and his wife Lara, who also co-chairs the RNC, Republican members of Congress, and the family of the man killed at the July 13 rally — Corey Comperatore — will also be present.
You can tune in here.
‘Past his sell-by-date’
Best-selling author and vocal Trump critic Stephen King has once again called out the former president — this time for refusing to release his medical records.
In 2015, Trump provided a four-paragraph letter from his doctor, who claimed he would be the “healthiest person ever elected to the presidency.” But now, the 78-year-old who would be 82 at the end of his term, should he be re-elected, has still not released his medical records.
Inga Parkel has the full story.
Stephen King calls out ‘old man’ Trump for refusing to release medical records
Former president has refused to release his medical records despite growing concern about the possibility of him becoming the oldest president
Trump touches down in Butler, Pennsylvania just ahead of rally at site of first assassination attempt against him
WATCH: Vietnam vet gives Trump Purple Heart despite ex-president famously dodging service there
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