Category Archives: Donald Trump

In his nine months in office, Attorney General Merrick Garland has done a great deal to restore integrity and evenhanded enforcement of the law to an agency that was badly misused for political reasons under his predecessor. But his place in history will be assessed based on the challenges that confronted him. And the overriding test that he and the rest of the government face is the threat to our democracy from people bent on destroying it.

Mr. Garlands success depends on ensuring that the rule of law endures. That means dissuading future coup plotters by holding the leaders of the insurrection fully accountable for their attempt to overthrow the government. But he cannot do so without a robust criminal investigation of those at the top, from the people who planned, assisted or funded the attempt to overturn the Electoral College vote to those who organized or encouraged the mob attack on the Capitol. To begin with, he might focus on Mark Meadows, Steve Bannon, Rudy Giuliani, John Eastman and even Donald Trump all of whom were involved, in one way or another, in the events leading up to the attack.

Almost a year after the insurrection, we have yet to see any clear indicators that such an investigation is underway, raising the alarming possibility that the Biden Justice Department may never bring charges against those ultimately responsible for the attack.

While the department has filed charges against more than 700 people who participated in the violence, limiting the investigation to these foot soldiers would be a grave mistake: As Joanne Freeman, a Yale historian, wrote this month about the insurrection, Accountability the belief that political power holders are responsible for their actions and that blatant violations will be addressed is the lifeblood of democracy. Without it, there can be no trust in government, and without trust, democratic governments have little power.

The legal path to investigate the leaders of the coup attempt is clear. The criminal code prohibits inciting an insurrection or giving aid or comfort to those who do, as well as conspiracy to forcibly prevent, hinder or delay the execution of any law of the United States. The code also makes it a crime to corruptly impede any official proceeding or deprive citizens of their constitutional right to vote.

Based purely on what we know today from news reports and the steady stream of revelations coming from the House select committee looking into the attack, the attorney general has a powerful justification for a robust and forceful investigation into the former president and his inner circle. As White House chief of staff, Mark Meadows was intimately involved in the effort to overturn the election. He traveled to Georgia last December, where he apparently laid the groundwork for the phone call in which the president pressured Georgias secretary of state, Brad Raffensperger, to find 11,780 votes. Representative Jim Jordan of Ohio reportedly promoted a scheme to pressure Vice President Mike Pence to reject duly certified Joe Biden electors. And from their war room at the Willard Hotel, several members of the presidents inner circle hatched the legal strategy to overturn the results of the election.

Mr. Trump himself sat back for three hours while his chief of staff was barraged with messages from members of Congress and Fox News hosts pleading with him to have the president call off the armed mob whose violent passion he had inflamed. That evidence, on its own, may not be enough to convict Mr. Trump, but it is certainly enough to require a criminal investigation.

And yet there are no signs, at least in media reports, that the attorney general is building a case against these individuals no interviews with top administration officials, no reports of attempts to persuade the foot soldiers to turn on the people who incited them to violence. By this point in the Russia investigation, the special counsel Robert Mueller had indicted Paul Manafort and Rick Gates and secured the cooperation of George Papadopoulos after charging him with lying to the F.B.I. The media was reporting that the special counsels team had conducted or scheduled interviews with Mr. Trumps aides Stephen Miller and Mr. Bannon, as well as Attorney General Jeff Sessions.

Of course, there is no way to know for sure whether Mr. Garlands Department of Justice is investigating the leaders of the attack behind closed doors. Justice Department policy does not permit announcing investigations, absent exceptional circumstances. Mr. Garland, unlike his predecessor William Barr, plays by the book, keeping quiet about investigations until charges are filed. But the first of the rioters to plead guilty began cooperating with the Justice Department back in April. If prosecutors have been using their cooperation to investigate the top officials and operatives responsible for the siege of the Capitol and our democracy, there would likely be significant confirmation in the media by now.

It is possible that the department is deferring the decision about starting a full-blown investigative effort pending further work by the House select committee. It is even conceivable that the department is waiting for the committees final report so that federal prosecutors can review the documents, interviews and recommendations amassed by House investigators and can consider any potential referrals for criminal prosecution.

But such an approach would come at a very high cost. In the prosecution business, interviews need to happen as soon as possible after the events in question, to prevent both forgetfulness and witness coordination to conceal the truth. A comprehensive Department of Justice investigation of the leadership is now more urgently needed than ever.

It is also imperative that Mr. Trump be included on the list of those being investigated. The media has widely reported his role in many of the relevant events, and there is no persuasive reason to exclude him.

First, he has no claim to constitutional immunity from prosecution. The Department of Justices Office of Legal Counsel has recognized such immunity only for sitting presidents because a criminal trial would prevent them from discharging the duties of their office. Mr. Trump no longer has those duties to discharge.

Nor is exclusion of the former president remotely justified by the precedent President Gerald Ford set in pardoning Richard Nixon to help the country heal from Watergate. Even our proud tradition of not mimicking banana republics by allowing political winners to retaliate against losers must give way in the wake of violence perpetrated to thwart the peaceful transition of power. Refusing to at least investigate those who plot to end democracy and who would remain engaged in efforts to do so would be beyond foolhardy.

Furthermore, the pending state and local investigations in New York and Atlanta will never be able to provide the kind of accountability the nation clearly needs. The New York case, which revolves around tax fraud, has nothing to do with the attack on our government. The Atlanta district attorney appears to be investigating Mr. Trumps now infamous call to Mr. Raffensperger. But that is just one chapter of the wrongdoing that led up to the attack on the Capitol.

Significantly, even if the Atlanta district attorney is able to convict Mr. Meadows and Mr. Trump for interfering in Georgias election, they could still run for office again. Only convicting them for participating in an insurrection would permanently disqualify them from office under Section 3 of the 14th Amendment.

Some have expressed pessimism that the Department of Justice would be able to convict Mr. Trump. His guilt would ultimately be for a jury to decide, and some jurors might believe he deluded himself into believing his own big lie and thus genuinely thought he was saving, rather than sabotaging, the election. But concerns about a conviction are no reason to refrain from an investigation. If anything, a federal criminal investigation could unearth even more evidence and provide a firmer basis for deciding whether to indict.

To decline from the outset to investigate would be appeasement, pure and simple, and appeasing bullies and wrongdoers only encourages more of the same. Without forceful action to hold the wrongdoers to account, we will likely not resist what some retired generals see as a march to another insurrection in 2024 if Mr. Trump or another demagogue runs and loses.

Mr. Garland has long been a highly principled public servant focused on doing the right thing. But only by holding the leaders of the Jan. 6 insurrection all of them to account can he secure the future and teach the next generation that no one is above the law. If he has not done so already, we implore the attorney general to step up to that task.

Laurence H. Tribe (@tribelaw) is a university professor emeritus at Harvard Law School. Donald Ayer (@DonaldAyer6) was a U.S. attorney in the Reagan administration and deputy attorney general in the George H.W. Bush administration. Dennis Aftergut (@dennisaftergut) is a former assistant U.S. attorney.

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Opinion | Will Donald Trump Get Away With Inciting an Insurrection? - The New York Times

(John Locher | AP) In this Feb. 19, 2020, file photo former U.S. Sen. Harry Reid listens during an interview in Las Vegas. Reid died Tuesday at age 82. In one of his final extended interviews in 2021, Harry Reid talked with The Salt Lake Tribune about the Capitol siege, fringe groups, Mitt Romney, Joe Biden and Donald Trump.

| Dec. 29, 2021, 2:10 a.m.

| Updated: 3:23 p.m.

Former Nevada Sen. Harry Reid, who rose to Senate majority leader to become the highest-ranking elected Latter-day Saint in U.S. history, died Tuesday at age 82.

In one of his final extended interviews, the Democrat appeared on The Salt Lake Tribunes Mormon Land podcast after the Capitol siege.

During it, he discussed the pain he felt seeing the place he labored for 34 years years being ransacked; the need for top leaders in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to warn members to beware of aligning with fringe groups and causes; his reconciliation with Sen. Mitt Romney after the 2012 presidential election; his affection for President Joe Biden the nicest guy in the world, he said and his disdain for his predecessor.

Donald Trump will go down ... as the worst president in the history of the country. And that says a lot because weve had some pretty bad ones, Reid said. ... So good riddance.

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Hear what Harry Reid said about Capitol siege, Trump, Biden, Romney in one of his final interviews - Salt Lake Tribune

A pro-Trump mob gathers in front of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6 in an effort to disrupt the ratification of Joe Biden's Electoral College victory. So far, more than 700 people have been charged with crimes due to their actions that day. Brent Stirton/Getty Images hide caption

A pro-Trump mob gathers in front of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6 in an effort to disrupt the ratification of Joe Biden's Electoral College victory. So far, more than 700 people have been charged with crimes due to their actions that day.

This year was supposed to be one of recovery, but it has been far from that.

It began with the insurrection at the Capitol, a second impeachment of former President Donald Trump and President Biden's inauguration. As the year went on, Trump continued to lie about the election results while he remained one of the most popular figures among Republicans.

With new coronavirus variants, the deadly pandemic has continued to drag on. And even though the stock market has boomed and unemployment is down, Americans have felt the pinch of rising prices. Biden has paid the political price, ending the year with his approval ratings at their lowest point since his taking office.

As we count down to the New Year, we asked our readers what they thought were the top political stories of 2021. More than 1,000 responded. Here's what they picked:

As he promised on the campaign trail, Biden ended the United States' almost 20-year war in Afghanistan, America's longest war. But the withdrawal of troops was chaotic and deadly, with 13 U.S. servicemembers and some 170 Afghans killed in a suicide bombing by the Kabul airport. The U.S. and its Afghan allies didn't foresee the speed at which the Taliban would take control of the country. It has meant a reversal of years of progress for women's rights in Afghanistan, and it hurt U.S. credibility abroad and Biden's credibility at home that he could govern competently.

The Windy Fire blazes through the Long Meadow Grove of giant sequoia trees on Sept. 21 near California Hot Springs. David McNew/Getty Images hide caption

Floods, tornadoes, fires and drought all were too common in 2021. Multiple one-in-1,000-year events aren't supposed to happen in a single year, but that's exactly what happened in 2021, as the climate continues to change and legislators appear paralyzed to find solutions. And as global emissions and temperatures continue to rise, the number of weather disasters is likely only to increase.

This year has seen the Trump wing of the Republican Party continue to be ascendant, led by brash and controversial far-right voices in the House. GOP members like Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia and Lauren Boebert of Colorado seem more in touch with the base than Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy and Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell.

The intra-party divisions came to a head with an altered anime video by Rep. Paul Gosar, R-Ariz. that showed him killing New York Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and attacking Biden with knives. The House censured Gosar, but only two Republicans voted with Democrats Liz Cheney of Wyoming and Adam Kinzinger of Illinois, both of whom have already broken with Trump.

President Biden and Vice President Harris arrive on the South Lawn of the White House on Nov. 15 for a signing ceremony for the infrastructure bill. Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images hide caption

President Biden and Vice President Harris arrive on the South Lawn of the White House on Nov. 15 for a signing ceremony for the infrastructure bill.

They were elected largely in response to Trump and the coronavirus pandemic. Trump was one of the most divisive figures in the history of the office, and Biden ran as something of a panacea. And his running mate, Kamala Harris, was a historic pick: the first woman, first Asian American and first Black vice president.

Their supporters saw a brighter day on the horizon, but that would soon dim. Biden was able to get through a COVID relief bill and eventually infrastructure legislation, but Democratic infighting got most of the attention. The right found its footing in opposition to Biden; Biden's popularity hit its lowest point at the end of the year; and Harris' favorability ratings tanked. The duo has to hope for a turnaround in the pandemic and for inflation to recede to turn around their prospects.

The Democratic-led congressional committee looking into what happened on Jan. 6 hit its stride toward the end of the year. It issued dozens of subpoenas, held Trump officials who didn't cooperate in contempt, and read explosive text messages from the former president's son and Fox News personalities, all urging Trump's then-chief of staff to get him to call off the insurrection. The clock is ticking on the committee, however, if it hopes to piece together all of what was happening behind the scenes. Republicans are favored to take back control of the House in 2022 and in all likelihood would shut down the investigation.

Trump lost the 2020 presidential election. But he was never able to accept that. For a man who built his brand on "winning," losing was unacceptable. He's lost plenty in his life. He's taken businesses into bankruptcy and written off almost $1 billion in losses. But he was always able to spin his way out of those things. That was far more difficult to do with a presidential election. So his only off-ramp was to lie about what happened. Trump has continued to falsely assert he won when he didn't and managed to convince millions of his followers of the same the first time since the Civil War that there wasn't a peaceful transfer of power with both sides accepting the outcome.

Demonstrators gather outside of the Texas State Capitol in Austin during a voting rights rally on July 8. Tamir Kalifa/Getty Images hide caption

States have moved in opposite directions this year when it comes to voting laws: Democratic-led states like Nevada or California have codified expansions offered during the pandemic, while Republican-led states have enacted new restrictions on voting. The most notable changes have happened in those GOP-led states, like Arizona, Georgia, Florida, Texas, Iowa and Montana. Most of these states enacted an omnibus package with many new restrictions, such as to mail-in voting, all in the name of "restoring election integrity." Some other key states would have joined them, had they not had Democratic governors veto the legislation.

More than 800,000 Americans have now died amid the pandemic. Biden was close to declaring independence from the virus in July as a result of widespread distribution of the vaccine and dropping case numbers. But the delta variant led to more infections and more restrictions, and fears began to rise again toward the end of the year with the massive surge in cases due to the omicron variant, which has infected many who are vaccinated.

Demonstrators gather in front of the U.S. Supreme Court on Dec. 1 as the justices hear arguments in a key case about a Mississippi abortion law. Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images hide caption

The landmark Supreme Court decision that made abortion legal in this country appears in jeopardy. Trump's appointment of three conservative-leaning justices has meant that this year the high court took steps to gut Roe v. Wade. All indications are that it will uphold restrictions, like a 15-week ban in Mississippi, and it has so far let a Texas law stand that has all but shut down access to abortion in the state.

No shock here. This was an unprecedented event that capped off a chaotic Trump presidency. A mob of pro-Trump supporters breached the Capitol building and marauded through the halls in an attempt to disrupt the ceremonial counting of states' votes that confirmed Biden's victory in the 2020 election. Despite the violent images broadcast on television, the handful of deaths, 140 members of law enforcement who were injured and more than $1 million in damage as a result, some on the right continue to dismiss what happened, calling it a peaceful protest. So far, more than 700 people have been charged with crimes due to their actions that day.

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Insurrection, voting laws and more: NPR readers' top political news of 2021 - NPR

Trump winning kind of showed, Hey, anybody can do this, said Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.), a former college football coach elected in 2020. President Trump opened the doors for a lot of people. Hes not a lawyer. He hadnt been in politics before. Hes an outsider. So that influenced my decision.

I started a trend, didnt I? Tuberville quipped.

Missouri's Roy Blunt, the No. 4 Senate GOP leader, took the well-traveled route to the upper chamber spending nearly a decade and a half in the House before moving up, with leadership credentials to boot. But Blunt said he's not surprised that Trump's background has inspired more celebrities to mull runs for office.

The logical response to President Trumps election would be people running who dont have political experience but have wide recognition, said Blunt, who is retiring next year. Two House Republicans are vying in the primary to replace him, but they're currently trailing the state's former governor and sitting attorney general.

Running as a household name certainly has its perks, particularly in a costly statewide race. Besides the obvious name recognition, they can raise money more easily or tap their own personal fortunes to fund their campaigns than their competition while claiming the outsider status often coveted in congressional runs. And with the wide reach of cable talk shows, already well-known candidates can communicate to voters fairly easily without paying for advertisements.

On the other hand, celebrity candidates can be unaccustomed to the intense vetting and media scrutiny that comes with running for office.

I joke that the most expensive walk in Washington is from the House to the Senate, said Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), another onetime House member. Celebrity gives you an instant attention, but it also has a downside. You have to prove that youre more than a celebrity.

Walker, for one, is facing questions about his marital history and academic credentials in the Georgia Senate race. Oz has to battle skepticism about his promotion of scientifically dubious remedies on his show, not to mention his Pennsylvania residency given his years living in New Jersey.

The celebrity doctor has emphasized that he grew up in the Philadelphia region, votes in the state and went to graduate school there. Oz has also defended his medical advice. He told a Senate panel that he has given the products he promotes to his family, but also said he recognized that oftentimes they don't have the scientific muster to present as fact.

Theres also the stark knowledge gap that virtually any candidate who came to Congress through entertainment or sports would confront when it comes to writing legislation. Longtime lawmakers warn that the resulting erosion of policy prowess could lead to further partisanship in a chamber thats already bitterly divided.

These celebrities dont come here with an interest in legislating. They come here with an interest in grandstanding and getting TV clips, because thats what theyve spent their entire career doing, said Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), who also began his career in the House after time in the state legislature.

My worry is that as you get more people here who have no experience in cutting a deal, it makes a place thats already pretty dysfunctional even worse," Murphy added.

That shift away from Hill deal-cutting practice could be dramatic in the next Congress: All five of the Senate Republicans who've announced their retirements next year are former House members, with collective decades of bipartisanship under their belts.

And the Senate GOP conference could see several new members with zero legislative experience. In addition to Oz and Walker, author J.D. Vance is mounting his own campaign in Ohio.

A spokesperson for Oz said in a statement that he has "spent his career empowering patients and audiences alike to change their lives for the better and is "an outsider." The spokesperson added that "it's that outside the Beltway, people-first mentality that Dr. Oz champions and will make D.C. more accountable when he becomes the next Senator for Pennsylvania."

Fame outside of politics "gets your foot in the door, that gets eyeballs on you, but you still got to perform, said Rep. Tim Ryan (D-Ohio), the current frontrunner in his party's primary to capture that Buckeye State Senate seat next year.

Trump had that. He obviously was able to convince a large part of the country that he was the real deal, said Ryan, who's spent 18 years in the House. But he warned that "when the lights come on, youve got to be able to perform. People are gonna love you if you're a celebrity, and it's more romanticized. But then they take a good close look at you, and you're gonna pass muster or not.

Democrats have seen celebrity candidates on their side of the aisle, too.

Most recently, there was billionaire Mike Bloomberg, whose bid for president tanked but not before racking up endorsements from Hill Democrats. (Bloomberg also served as New York City mayor.) Perhaps the most famous examples are former Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.), a Saturday Night Live comedian turned political activist, and pro basketball player turned senator, Bill Bradley of New Jersey.

And some Democratic candidates have achieved rock star status just by running repeatedly for higher office; former Rep. Beto ORourke recently launched a campaign for Texas governor after two consecutive unsuccessful bids for the White House and the Senate.

It can be hard to go from a position where people like you and say kind things to you and then when you become a candidate and your words get dissected and it actually matters how youre able to handle that is, I think, important , observed Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska). Im not suggesting that a football star or a TV personality cant do that, but I do think that sometimes its just harder for them.

Walker and Ozs candidacies, of course, dont quite mean that celebrity will become a requirement for GOP Senate viability. GOP Reps. Vicky Hartzler and Billy Long are trying to replace Blunt in Missouri, while Rep. Ted Budd (R-N.C.) has Trump's backing in the race to succeed retiring Sen. Richard Burr (R-N.C.). And first-term Republican Sens. Kevin Cramer of North Dakota, Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee and Roger Marshall of Kansas are all former House members.

Despite his own roots in the House, Cramer said hes come to appreciate higher-profile Senate candidates for at least one reason: Being elected to Congress isnt the biggest thing thats ever happened to them. And I think thats sort of nice.

Theres no question that Donald Trump broke the mold, Cramer added. I dont know that hes the new mold, but he certainly broke the old one.

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Senate GOP feels another Trump effect: The rise of celeb candidates - POLITICO

Dont Look Up It came to Netflix just a few days ago and it is already one of the most viewed titles on the platform. This film starring Jennifer Lawrence, Leonardo DiCaprio and Meryl Streep, is a satire on the climate crisis that the planet is going through.

Directed Adam McKay, the film shows how we behave as a society in the era of social networks and the power of corporations, the media and technology; as well as the little interest of world leaders in the face of these problems.

Dont Look Up revolves around scientists, the Dr. Randall Mindy (DiCaprio) and Kate dibiasky (Lawrence), who discover evidence that a destructive meteorite is approaching Earth and will destroy humanity within 6 months.

Desperate, scientists alert the government of U.S and the whole world of what is coming. From the president (Streep) to a couple of renowned television hosts (Blanchett and Perry). However, no one takes them seriously until the irremediable end.

Netflix

The film is based on really possible events, according to its slogan. In addition, some of its protagonists are inspired by real life media figures; here we tell you who it could be.

Janie Orlean Maryl Streep

Meryl Streep plays an ignorant president of the United States, Janie Orlean. The first reference when watching the movie is to Hilary clinton.

However, the figure of the president in Dont Look Up has characteristic attitudes of Donald trump. Janie Orlean is portrayed as a former television star who leaves show business to pursue a political career.

Netflix

Something similar to the case of the magnate, who prior to his political career was best known for being one of the most famous billionaires in the United States and who appeared on all kinds of TV shows as a guest.

In the film, Janie is incredulous of the discovery of the asteroid, just as Donald Trump did in real life with his denial about the health emergency derived from the covid-19.

It should be noted that the director himself, Adam McKay, said in an interview with Deadline that he took inspiration from politicians such as Bill Clinton, Barack Obama, Ronald Reagan, among others.

Jason Orlean Jonah Hill

In the film Jason Orlean he is the son of the president Janie Orlean and serves as an important coordinator of the Cabinet of the Presidency of the United States; which reveals the nepotism that exists in the film.

Jason represents a superficial person, disinterested in political affairs and who never tires of flattering his mother and highlighting her qualities.

Netflix

This character refers to Ivanka Trump and her husband, Jared kushner. Donald Trump appointed Kushner as one of the supervisors of the response to the covid-19 emergency, without him having experience or knowledge in health and epidemiological issues.

Regarding Ivanka, she was also part of the advisory team of her fathers government.

Cate Blanchett host Brie Evantee

In a comedy like Dont Look Up, the role of the media it is of utmost importance. The tape shows how they downplay it (like everyone else) and try to minimize the discovery. Here Cate blanchett, plays host Brie Evantee of the morning newscast The Daily Rip.

This character could be like any American newscaster. In an interview with Vanity Fair, the filmmaker said that the Brie characters winks with the famous presenter of NBCs Morning Joe, Mika Brzezinski, were coincidental.

Netflix

The New York Times

During the development of the film a medium called the New York Herald appears. McKay told Vanity Fair that it is a direct reference to the American newspaper The New York Times and his altruistic airs.

Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerber?

The film makes a satire on the big names in the technology sector through the character of Peter Isherwell (played by Mark Rylance).

Isherwell is the owner of the technology company Bash, recognized among other things for marketing high-end smartphones every year. In this reference, Bash would be Apple and Peter is a Steve Jobs involved in politics.

Netflix

It also refers to Elon Musk and his countless companies such as Tesla, SpaceX, etc.

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Did Donald Trump inspire character from 'Don't Look Up'? They are the celebrities who used Netf - Central Valley Business Journal

UFC is not just the biggest MMA promotion, but it is one of the biggest brands in the world. It has a huge fan following, and it just seems to keep growing. UFC President Dana White is the reason for the success that the UFC has found.

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However, it wasnt always like this. When White (and the Fertitta brothers) bought the promotion back in 2001, they struggled to get the eyeballs on the sport, and few venues wanted to entertain them. They struggled to break even on their investment, but there was one man that supported them from day one.

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According to Dana White, Donald Trump was that guy. In a recent interview, White praised the former U.S. President. He said, When we first bought this thing, this thing had such a bad stigma attached to it that venues didnt even want us to come there He got it, he loved it, and he said wed love to have you at the Taj Mahal. Cut us a great deal, showed up for the first fight of the night, and stayed till the last fight of the night. Watched the whole show, both the shows that we at the Taj.

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And then after that, every good thing that ever happened to me in my career, Trump would reach out, out of the blue. And say congratulations, Im so happy for you. I knew you guys were going to make it. Couldnt be a nicer guy, he added.

Donald Trump has always been one of the main benefactors of the UFC and Dana White. He was there for the company when they needed support to find their feet. Once, when Trump called the UFC president to speak at one of his conventions, White obliged.

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White said, He calls me up and says, I would like you to speak for me at the convention. Everybody and I mean f***ing everybody told me not to do it Im like, Are you crazy, man? Just for the record, when Trump called me he said, Uh, listen, if you dont want to do this, I completely understand. Its no big deal. But I would be honored if you would speak at the convention.

Yeah, theres no f***ing way in hell Im not doing that for him. Then once I spoke, you know, our friendship went to a whole another level.

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Watch this story: Top 5 Biggest Rivalries in the History of the UFC

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Dana White Reveals How Donald Trump Played an Instrumental Role in the Success of the UFC - EssentiallySports

Donald Trump Jr. started a chant of "let's go, Brandon" at a weekend conference hosted by the conservative organization Turning Point USA on Sunday. Full video of Trump's speech was not immediately available, but Newsmax journalist Benny Johnson shared a clip on his Twitter account:

The four-day event, known as AmericaFest, is being held in Phoenix, Arizona, and also features speeches from Charlie Kirk, Sarah Palin, Rep. Marjorie Taylor-Greene (R-Ga.), Tucker Carlson, and Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.).

"How about a 'Let's go, Brandon'?" Trump said as he took the stage. The crowd obliged. After about 30 seconds of chanting, Trump added, "You know there's another way to say that, but I will not condone that kind of behavior from you fine, young individuals."

"Let's go, Brandon" became a euphemism for "F--k Joe Biden" after a sportscaster mistook the latter for the former at an October NASCAR race.

In his speech, Trump criticized progressive attempts to promote gender equity and transgender inclusion, The Independent reports. "Just like when they talk about the breakdown of the labor force between men and women. Why don't they ever talk about that there's a grossly underrepresented portion of ... female bricklayers," he said, adding sarcastically "I think that's a disgrace."

He also claimed China is "laughing" at the U.S. over attempts by the U.S. Air Force to "make sure you have plenty of transgender pilots." The Air Force announced in April that it would be implementing new policies to ensure equitable treatment for airmen who have undergone a gender transition or are in the process of transitioning.

He went on to criticize his alma mater, the University of Pennsylvania, for allowing transgender swimmer Lia Thomas who recently won a race by an unheard-of 38 seconds, according to the Daily Mail to compete on the women's team.

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Donald Trump, Jr. starts 'Let's go, Brandon' chant at ...

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DALLAS Former President Donald Trump downplayed the seriousness of the Jan. 6 insurrection an attack that led to five deaths and cost millions of dollars in damages to the U.S. Capitol during stops in Houston and Dallas this weekend.

What happened on Jan. 6 was a protest against a rigged election, that's what it was, Trump said to cheers Sunday at American Airlines Center in Dallas. This wasn't an insurrection.

During a four-stop tour with former Fox News host Bill OReilly revisiting his presidency, Trump hammered on the false insistence that he, in fact, won the 2020 election even after multiple failed legal attempts by Trump to challenge the election results and his own attorney generals assurance that the election was accurate and secure.

In his remarks, Trump said he wished lawmakers had more protection during the Jan. 6 attack and that he asked for 10,000 National Guard troops to be present at the Capitol that day a claim that has been debunked.

The former president made no mention of the revelation last week that several Fox News hosts implored his former chief of staff through text messages to urge Trump to call off the rioters.

Nearly a year out of office, Trump still looms large in Texas.

His nod is highly coveted among Texan Republican candidates eager to prove to primary voters theyre loyal to the former president. But Trump wasnt here to stump for those he endorsed Gov. Greg Abbott, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and Attorney General Ken Paxton.

Trumps obsession with spreading falsehoods about the election may have inspired state Republican lawmakers this year to pass the sweeping voting restrictions bill. He also directly pressured top GOP leaders, including Abbott, to pursue audits of local election results even though Trump won Texas.

Trumps remarks about the insurrection this weekend drew swift condemnation from Texas Democrats, who accused the former president of perpetrating the big lie that he won the election not President Joe Biden.

This is dangerous, and it is a poor reflection for Americas commitment to democracy for the rest of the world to see, U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee said in a statement to the Houston Chronicle.

Trumps first stop on Sunday was at the First Baptist Dallas Church headed by Robert Jeffress, one of Trumps earliest supporters among evangelical Christian leaders and later an informal adviser to the president to give what was billed as a special Christmas greeting to the congregation.

But Trump regularly veered into political territory in his 12-minute speech. The former president, who wanted to pull U.S. troops from combat in Afghanistan, blasted Bidens withdrawal there as the most embarrassing day in the history of our country. He alluded to the countrys inflation crisis, rising violent crime and to problems at the U.S.-Mexico border.

I will say that there's a lot of clouds hanging over our country right now, very dark clouds, Trump said. But we will come back bigger and better and stronger than ever before.

Trump entered the church stage left at Jeffress side to a standing ovation, many congregants holding their phones aloft to get a snapshot of the former president.

As Trump sat in the front row, Jeffress called him a great friend to me, one of my closest friends and a great friend of Christians everywhere.

I can say this without any dispute at all: He is the most pro-life, pro-religious liberty, pro-Israel president in the history of the United States of America, Jeffress said.

Later Sunday afternoon, attendees who paid up to $200 for admission stood for more than an hour in the cold outside of the American Airlines Center to see Trump and OReilly. Lines stretched around the arena and onto adjacent blocks. Many wore classic Trump garb like hats with his slogan Make America Great Again.

Inside, large sections of the arena were filled, though there were many visibly empty seats the number of which grew slightly throughout the event as some attendees trickled out after an intermission. Other sections were blocked off entirely.

During the Dallas show, Trump nodded at Abbotts move to build a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border using state funds and private donations, though he didnt mention the governor by name. He also shouted out Paxtons lawsuits against major social media companies a source of ire for the former president, still resentful that Twitter banned him from the platform in January.

Trump took a swipe at Abbott's Democratic challenger former Congressman Beto ORourke. Two years ago, ORourke defended his support for a mandatory assault weapon buyback program in the wake of a mass shooting in his hometown of El Paso that killed 23 people.

Trump predicted ORourkes positions on gun policy would help Republicans keep Texas bright, beautiful red.

He's against guns, God and what else? Trump said of ORourke. How is he going to do in Texas? He should not be a problem.

A spokesperson for the ORourke campaign did not immediately provide a response.

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Donald Trump rehashes old grievances on Texas trip - The Texas Tribune

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House Speaker Donald Trump could there be a worse idea? - Daily Union

Donald Trump brought his son Eric then 11 years old onto a flight with Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell, according to flight logs revealed on Monday as part of Maxwell's child-sex-trafficking trial.

The Trumps flew with Epstein and Maxwell aboard a Grumman Gulfstream II private jet from Palm Beach, Florida, to Teterboro Airport in New Jersey on August 13, 1995, the flight logs showed.

These flight logs show that Trump traveled on Epstein's private jets far more frequently than previous sets of records associated with Epstein's aircraft had indicated. According to the logs, Trump also flew on one of Epstein's planes four times in 1993, twice in 1994, and again in 1997.

A spokesperson for the Trump Organization did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment.

The 118-page collection of flight records was kept by one of Epstein's two pilots, David Rodgers, and made public on Monday as evidence in Maxwell's trial.

Along with citing who was traveling with Epstein on the flights, the records include the date, aircraft make and model, points of departure and arrival, number of landings, and the pilot's signature.

Rodgers testified during the trial that he was sometimes vague in listing who was traveling on Epstein's plane and would include descriptions of people like "single female" instead of their names.

Earlier this year, the Federal Aviation Administration accidentally sent Insider a set of over 2,000 flight records associated with Epstein.

The records held data for four private jets registered to Epstein between 1998 and 2006. Other notable passengers on Epstein's jets, according to the flight records, included former President Bill Clinton, lawyer Alan Dershowitz, and Prince Andrew all of whom were previously revealed to have traveled with Epstein.

The flights with Trump occurred over a decade before Epstein, a billionaire Wall Street financier, would plead guilty to child-prostitution charges in Florida in 2008. Epstein was investigated by the FBI as early as 2006 and had been accused of abusing girls in the early 2000s.

Epstein was granted immunity from federal prosecution at the time of his conviction in a deal with then-US attorney Alexander Acosta. The convicted sex offender only served 13 months and was allowed to leave jail six days a week as part of a work-release program one that Epstein should not have qualified for.

Epstein would later be arrested in 2019 and accused by prosecutors of trafficking dozens of young girls for sex.

Epstein died by suicide while awaiting trial in a Manhattan jail that year.

Maxwell, on trial in Manhattan federal court this month, is being accused of sex-trafficking girlswith Epstein and participating in sexual abuse herself.

Prosecutors in Maxwell's trial used the flight records to try to demonstrate that some of the accusers in the case traveled on Epstein's planes with Maxwell.

She has pleaded not guilty to the charges.

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Donald Trump, 11-year-old son Eric once flew with Jeffrey Epstein: records - Business Insider