Donald Trump is livid at his portrayal in the new film The Apprentice, and the director has responded to the Republican presidential candidate's rant, thanking him for helping in its publicity.

In a Truth Social post&nbsp;on Monday (Oct 13), Trump called the film a "fake and classless movie". He wondered if the makers had the right to use the name without approval, as&nbsp;The Apprentice was also the name of his reality show back in the day.

Watch: Another Assassination Attempt On Trump?

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Wishing that the film will 'hopefully bomb', the former US president called it a "cheap, defamatory, and politically disgusting hatchet job, put out right before the 2024 Presidential Election, to try and hurt the Greatest Political Movement in the History of our Country, “MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!”&nbsp;

Disagreeing with the portrayal of his former wife in the film, he said Ivana "was a kind and wonderful person, and I had a great relationship with her until the day she died."

"The writer of this pile of garbage, Gabe Sherman, a lowlife and talentless hack, who has long been widely discredited, knew that, but chose to ignore it," he added.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/harris-labels-trump-unstable-unhinged-over-enemy-within-comment-puts-him-on-big-screen-in-pennsylvania-767499">Also read: Harris labels Trump 'unstable, unhinged' over 'enemy within' comment, puts him on big screen in Pennsylvania</a>

"So sad that HUMAN SCUM, like the people involved in this hopefully unsuccessful enterprise, are allowed to say and do whatever they want in order to hurt a Political Movement, which is far bigger than any of us," Trump said.

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<h2>The Apprentice: What is the film about?</h2>

The Apprentice, directed by Ali Abbasi narrates the life of Trump as a New York real estate businessman mentored by Roy Cohn. Trump is portrayed by Sebastian Stan while Jeremy Strong of Succession fame&nbsp;plays Cohn. Maria Bakalova features as Ivana Trump.

Having premiered at the Cannes Festival this May, The Apprentice is now running in theatres. Ahead of its Cannes screening, the Trump campaign had even threatened to sue the film's makers, calling it 'pure fiction'.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/kamala-harris-goes-full-trump-challenges-78-year-old-republican-to-reveal-his-health-report-766957">Also read: Kamala Harris goes full Trump, challenges 78-year-old Republican to reveal his health report</a>

“We will be filing a lawsuit to address the blatantly false assertions from these pretend filmmakers. This garbage is pure fiction which sensationalizes lies that have been long debunked," said the campaign in a statement at the time, while calling the movie an "election interference by Hollywood elites, who know that President Trump will retake the White House."

<h2>What did the director say about Trump's reaction to The Apprentice?</h2>

In a chat with TMZ, director Ali Abbasi said Trump's rants are helping the film. "Thanks to him, we get better publicity and we get more people to come and watch it now. So, I'm grateful," he told the entertainment website.

Separately in a post on X, Abbasi wrote: “Thanks for getting back to us, Donald Trump. I am available to talk further if you want.”

The film, as Trump wished, is not a box office hit, having collected only $1.5 million in its opening weekend, according to reports.

(With inputs from agencies)

Donald Trump is livid at his portrayal in the new film The Apprentice, and the director has responded to the Republican presidential candidate's rant, thanking him for helping in its publicity.

Donald Trump is livid at his portrayal in the new film The Apprentice, and the director has responded to the Republican presidential candidate's rant, thanking him for helping in its publicity. In a Truth Social post on Monday (Oct 13), Trump called the film a "fake and classless movie". He wondered if the makers had the right to use the name without approval, as The Apprentice was also the name of his reality show back in the day. Watch: Another Assassination Attempt On Trump? × Wishing that the film will 'hopefully bomb', the former US president called it a "cheap, defamatory, and politically disgusting hatchet job, put out right before the 2024 Presidential Election, to try and hurt the Greatest Political Movement in the History of our Country, “MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!” Disagreeing with the portrayal of his former wife in the film, he said Ivana "was a kind and wonderful person, and I had a great relationship with her until the day she died." "The writer of this pile of garbage, Gabe Sherman, a lowlife and talentless hack, who has long been widely discredited, knew that, but chose to ignore it," he added. Also read: Harris labels Trump 'unstable, unhinged' over 'enemy within' comment, puts him on big screen in Pennsylvania "So sad that HUMAN SCUM, like the people involved in this hopefully unsuccessful enterprise, are allowed to say and do whatever they want in order to hurt a Political Movement, which is far bigger than any of us," Trump said. × The Apprentice: What is the film about? The Apprentice, directed by Ali Abbasi narrates the life of Trump as a New York real estate businessman mentored by Roy Cohn. Trump is portrayed by Sebastian Stan while Jeremy Strong of Succession fame plays Cohn. Maria Bakalova features as Ivana Trump. Having premiered at the Cannes Festival this May, The Apprentice is now running in theatres. Ahead of its Cannes screening, the Trump campaign had even threatened to sue the film's makers, calling it 'pure fiction'. Also read: Kamala Harris goes full Trump, challenges 78-year-old Republican to reveal his health report “We will be filing a lawsuit to address the blatantly false assertions from these pretend filmmakers. This garbage is pure fiction which sensationalizes lies that have been long debunked," said the campaign in a statement at the time, while calling the movie an "election interference by Hollywood elites, who know that President Trump will retake the White House." What did the director say about Trump's reaction to The Apprentice? In a chat with TMZ, director Ali Abbasi said Trump's rants are helping the film. "Thanks to him, we get better publicity and we get more people to come and watch it now. So, I'm grateful," he told the entertainment website. Separately in a post on X, Abbasi wrote: “Thanks for getting back to us, Donald Trump. I am available to talk further if you want.” The film, as Trump wished, is not a box office hit, having collected only $1.5 million in its opening weekend, according to reports. (With inputs from agencies)

Trump is livid at his portrayal in new biopic The Apprentice, calls it a hatchet job; director says...

As the clock ticks and we get closer to the inaugural Republican presidential debate of the 2024 campaign, eight contenders&nbsp;have announced their eligibility to participate in the Milwaukee event.

These contenders have successfully fulfilled the polling and donor prerequisites outlined by the Republican National Committee (RNC). However, for several candidates, the window to secure a spot on the stage is rapidly closing, as per an analysis by the Associated Press.

<h2>Qualification requirements</h2>

To participate in the debate scheduled for August 23, candidates must fulfil specific criteria established by the RNC.

These criteria necessitate attaining a minimum of 1 per cent&nbsp;support in three reputable national polls, or a combination of national and early-state polls conducted between July 1 and August 21.

Additionally, contenders&nbsp;must garner a minimum of 40,000 donors, including at least 200 from 20 or more states.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/struggling-us-presidential-hopeful-ron-desantis-sacks-campaign-chief-623663">Struggling US presidential hopeful Ron DeSantis sacks campaign chief</a>

<h2>Contenders&nbsp;set to participate</h2>

Several contenders have already confirmed their qualification:

<ol>
	<li>
	Donald Trump: As the front-runner, Trump exceeded both the polling and donor requirements. However, he has hinted at the possibility of boycotting the debate and hosting a rival event.
	</li>
	<li>
	Ron DeSantis: A prominent contender and Florida governor, DeSantis met polling and fundraising prerequisites. However, his campaign recently faced challenges, including staff departures and financial concerns.
	</li>
	<li>
	Tim Scott: South Carolina senator Scott, a prolific fundraiser with a substantial war chest, is poised to seize the opportunity to make an impression.
	</li>
	<li>
	Nikki Haley: The sole female candidate in the GOP race, Haley's campaign boasts substantial contributions and she has exceeded the polling threshold.
	</li>
	<li>
	Vivek Ramaswamy: Despite initially being lesser known, the biotech entrepreneur has gained traction, meeting donor criteria.
	</li>
	<li>
	Chris Christie: The former New Jersey governor, positioning himself as a staunch challenger to Trump, has garnered the necessary donors and poll support.
	</li>
	<li>
	Doug Burgum: North Dakota governor Burgum creatively employed a gift card initiative to reach the donor requirement, aided by advertising campaigns in key early-voting states.
	</li>
	<li>
	Mike Pence: Trump's former vice president secured sufficient donors, dispelling doubts about his eligibility for the debate.
	</li>
</ol>

Also watch |&nbsp;Trump's team seeks lax rules for proposed protective order

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<h2>Contenders&nbsp;on the cusp</h2>

However, a few&nbsp;contenders are racing against the clock:

<ol>
	<li>
	Asa Hutchinson: The former Arkansas governor has met polling prerequisites but is striving to meet the donor threshold.
	</li>
	<li>
	Francis Suarez: Miami's mayor is close to fulfilling the donor requirement and employs creative approaches, including offering tickets to sports events in exchange for contributions.
	</li>
	<li>
	Larry Elder: The conservative radio host's campaign has criticised the qualification criteria while experiencing a surge in donors, but he has not met polling requirements.
	</li>
	<li>
	Perry Johnson: Johnson, a lesser-known businessman, has successfully acquired donors and reached 1 per cent&nbsp;in a qualifying poll, positioning himself on the edge of eligibility.
	</li>
	<li>
	Will Hurd: Despite potential qualification, Hurd's commitment to withholding support from the eventual nominee jeopardises his debate participation.
	</li>
</ol>

As the debate draws near, the spotlight remains on&nbsp;contenders working tirelessly to meet the criteria, ensuring their voices are heard on the national stage.

(With inputs from agencies)

&nbsp;

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As the clock ticks and we get closer to the inaugural Republican presidential debate of the 2024 campaign, eight contenders have announced their eligibility to participate in the Milwaukee event.

As the clock ticks and we get closer to the inaugural Republican presidential debate of the 2024 campaign, eight contenders have announced their eligibility to participate in the Milwaukee event. These contenders have successfully fulfilled the polling and donor prerequisites outlined by the Republican National Committee (RNC). However, for several candidates, the window to secure a spot on the stage is rapidly closing, as per an analysis by the Associated Press. Qualification requirements To participate in the debate scheduled for August 23, candidates must fulfil specific criteria established by the RNC. These criteria necessitate attaining a minimum of 1 per cent support in three reputable national polls, or a combination of national and early-state polls conducted between July 1 and August 21. Additionally, contenders must garner a minimum of 40,000 donors, including at least 200 from 20 or more states. Also read | Struggling US presidential hopeful Ron DeSantis sacks campaign chief Contenders set to participate Several contenders have already confirmed their qualification: Donald Trump: As the front-runner, Trump exceeded both the polling and donor requirements. However, he has hinted at the possibility of boycotting the debate and hosting a rival event. Ron DeSantis: A prominent contender and Florida governor, DeSantis met polling and fundraising prerequisites. However, his campaign recently faced challenges, including staff departures and financial concerns. Tim Scott: South Carolina senator Scott, a prolific fundraiser with a substantial war chest, is poised to seize the opportunity to make an impression. Nikki Haley: The sole female candidate in the GOP race, Haley's campaign boasts substantial contributions and she has exceeded the polling threshold. Vivek Ramaswamy: Despite initially being lesser known, the biotech entrepreneur has gained traction, meeting donor criteria. Chris Christie: The former New Jersey governor, positioning himself as a staunch challenger to Trump, has garnered the necessary donors and poll support. Doug Burgum: North Dakota governor Burgum creatively employed a gift card initiative to reach the donor requirement, aided by advertising campaigns in key early-voting states. Mike Pence: Trump's former vice president secured sufficient donors, dispelling doubts about his eligibility for the debate. Also watch | Trump's team seeks lax rules for proposed protective order Contenders on the cusp However, a few contenders are racing against the clock: Asa Hutchinson: The former Arkansas governor has met polling prerequisites but is striving to meet the donor threshold. Francis Suarez: Miami's mayor is close to fulfilling the donor requirement and employs creative approaches, including offering tickets to sports events in exchange for contributions. Larry Elder: The conservative radio host's campaign has criticised the qualification criteria while experiencing a surge in donors, but he has not met polling requirements. Perry Johnson: Johnson, a lesser-known businessman, has successfully acquired donors and reached 1 per cent in a qualifying poll, positioning himself on the edge of eligibility. Will Hurd: Despite potential qualification, Hurd's commitment to withholding support from the eventual nominee jeopardises his debate participation. As the debate draws near, the spotlight remains on contenders working tirelessly to meet the criteria, ensuring their voices are heard on the national stage. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

US Elections 2024: Everyone who has made it to the first Republican presidential debate

Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy is making a bold move by embracing Bitcoin as a campaign donation and unveiling a proposal to loosen tax restrictions on Bitcoin mining in the United States.&nbsp;

Talking to CBS News, Ramaswamy expressed hope that the thriving Bitcoin ecosystem can empower him to achieve his goals as the potential US president.

"The thriving Bitcoin universe should actually better empower me to do what I want to do as the US president, which is to stabilise the US dollar as a unit of measurement and put the Federal Reserve back in its place with that as its single mandate," he said.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/justin-trudeau-and-giorgia-melonis-public-disagreement-at-g7-summit-potshots-fly-over-lgbtq-righs-594773">Justin Trudeau and Giorgia Meloni spar publicly over LGBTQ rights at G7 summit</a>

As per the CBS News report, Ramaswamy's new Bitcoin policy will be announced at the Bitcoin 2023 conference in Miami.

However, the Republican is not the first candidate to accept digital currency donations. Senator Rand Paul achieved the distinction way back in 2016. He also accepted the digital currency as donations to his White House campaign.&nbsp;

Others who have announced a bid for the White House, such as President Joe Biden, Senator Tim Scott, former UN Ambassador and South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley, and former President Donald Trump are not currently accepting cryptocurrency contributions.

He said that by accepting Bitcoin,&nbsp;he wants to demonstrate the cryptocurrency's lack of threat.

"Right now, I'm more focused on policy. It also just gives people the choice to donate to the campaign in Bitcoin and signal that we're not threatened by it," he said.&nbsp;

One crucial aspect of Ramaswamy's proposal is advocating for the freedom to mine Bitcoin within the United States.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/at-g7-biden-vows-response-if-china-acts-against-taiwan-asserts-unwavering-support-for-ukraine-594776">At G7, Biden vows 'response' if China acts against Taiwan, asserts unwavering support&nbsp;for&nbsp;Ukraine</a>

Bitcoin mining is an energy-intensive process, and the US has recently become the premier location for mining after China curtailed its mining activities to address energy consumption concerns.&nbsp;

However, the Biden administration has proposed a 30 per cent tax on the electricity used by cryptocurrency mining operations in its 2024 budget.&nbsp;Given the Republican control in the House, it is unlikely that such a tax would be passed.&nbsp;

Ramaswamy vehemently opposes this tax and considers it unfair and an abuse of federal power.&nbsp;

He argues that Bitcoin miners should not be treated differently from any other energy consumer.&nbsp;The entrepreneur, as per the report, said,&nbsp;"We'll put that into the rules and preserve the freedom to mine by rescinding and committing against any special taxes for the utilisation of energy for purposes of mining."

Although Bitcoin's value has soared over the past decade, it remains highly volatile due to market uncertainty and government regulations. Despite this volatility, Ramaswamy believes that cryptocurrencies can offer an alternative to individuals concerned about the strength of the US dollar.

(With inputs from agencies)

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Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy is making a bold move by embracing Bitcoin as a campaign donation and unveiling a proposal to loosen tax restrictions on Bitcoin mining in the United States.

Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy is making a bold move by embracing Bitcoin as a campaign donation and unveiling a proposal to loosen tax restrictions on Bitcoin mining in the United States. Talking to CBS News, Ramaswamy expressed hope that the thriving Bitcoin ecosystem can empower him to achieve his goals as the potential US president. "The thriving Bitcoin universe should actually better empower me to do what I want to do as the US president, which is to stabilise the US dollar as a unit of measurement and put the Federal Reserve back in its place with that as its single mandate," he said. Also read | Justin Trudeau and Giorgia Meloni spar publicly over LGBTQ rights at G7 summit As per the CBS News report, Ramaswamy's new Bitcoin policy will be announced at the Bitcoin 2023 conference in Miami. However, the Republican is not the first candidate to accept digital currency donations. Senator Rand Paul achieved the distinction way back in 2016. He also accepted the digital currency as donations to his White House campaign. Others who have announced a bid for the White House, such as President Joe Biden, Senator Tim Scott, former UN Ambassador and South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley, and former President Donald Trump are not currently accepting cryptocurrency contributions. He said that by accepting Bitcoin, he wants to demonstrate the cryptocurrency's lack of threat. "Right now, I'm more focused on policy. It also just gives people the choice to donate to the campaign in Bitcoin and signal that we're not threatened by it," he said. One crucial aspect of Ramaswamy's proposal is advocating for the freedom to mine Bitcoin within the United States. Also read | At G7, Biden vows 'response' if China acts against Taiwan, asserts unwavering support for Ukraine Bitcoin mining is an energy-intensive process, and the US has recently become the premier location for mining after China curtailed its mining activities to address energy consumption concerns. However, the Biden administration has proposed a 30 per cent tax on the electricity used by cryptocurrency mining operations in its 2024 budget. Given the Republican control in the House, it is unlikely that such a tax would be passed. Ramaswamy vehemently opposes this tax and considers it unfair and an abuse of federal power. He argues that Bitcoin miners should not be treated differently from any other energy consumer. The entrepreneur, as per the report, said, "We'll put that into the rules and preserve the freedom to mine by rescinding and committing against any special taxes for the utilisation of energy for purposes of mining." Although Bitcoin's value has soared over the past decade, it remains highly volatile due to market uncertainty and government regulations. Despite this volatility, Ramaswamy believes that cryptocurrencies can offer an alternative to individuals concerned about the strength of the US dollar. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy accepts Bitcoin as campaign donation

Two supporters of the Republican candidate Donald Trump&nbsp;were arrested today while taking part in a demonstration outside US Embassy in Kampala.

&nbsp;

The two Ugandan men attempted to enter the embassy grounds in the capital. They carried placards, one with the slogan &quot;A vote for Trump is a vote against African dictatorship!&quot;.

&nbsp;

The men,&nbsp;named by local media as Bigirwa Moses and Allan Kitonsa,&nbsp;are members of the youth wing of Uganda&#39;s Democratic Party, AFP reported.

&nbsp;

&quot;Today&#39;s protest was not sanctioned by the Democratic Party. Perhaps overzealous young people, excited by what`s taking place in America, were just seeking media attention,&quot; Kakande told AFP, saying that in his view the billionaire Republican candidate was not suitable for the White House.

&nbsp;

The men will likely be charged with unlawful assembly, police spokesman Emilian Kayima said. She also described the incident as &quot;embarrassment by two young men who appeared to be seeking political clout&quot;.

&nbsp;

A spokesman for the US Embassy in Kampala confirmed the incident but declines to comment.

&nbsp;

(With inputs from AFP)

They carried placards, one with the slogan: 'A vote for Trump is a vote against African dictatorship!'

Two supporters of the Republican candidate Donald Trump were arrested today while taking part in a demonstration outside US Embassy in Kampala. The two Ugandan men attempted to enter the embassy grounds in the capital. They carried placards, one with the slogan "A vote for Trump is a vote against African dictatorship!". The men, named by local media as Bigirwa Moses and Allan Kitonsa, are members of the youth wing of Uganda's Democratic Party, AFP reported. "Today's protest was not sanctioned by the Democratic Party. Perhaps overzealous young people, excited by what`s taking place in America, were just seeking media attention," Kakande told AFP, saying that in his view the billionaire Republican candidate was not suitable for the White House. The men will likely be charged with unlawful assembly, police spokesman Emilian Kayima said. She also described the incident as "embarrassment by two young men who appeared to be seeking political clout". A spokesman for the US Embassy in Kampala confirmed the incident but declines to comment. (With inputs from AFP)

Trump supporters arrested while protesting outside US embassy in Uganda

President Barack Obama assailed Donald Trump and the Republican party for &quot;loose talk&quot; and anti-Muslim rhetoric on Tuesday, warning that their populist election message was dangerous and un-American. 
 
Tearing into &quot;politicians who tweet and appear on cable news shows,&quot; an irate Obama said right-wing bombast and &quot;yapping&quot; had whipped up anger but done nothing to prevent terrorism. 
 
The killing of 49 people at a gay nightclub in Orlando -- by a self-described Islamic State sympathizer -- has poured kerosene on already angry election-year debates over guns, terrorism, sex and faith. 
 
The bloody attack prompted Trump to repeat his controversial proposal to ban all Muslims from entering the United States on counterterrorism grounds. 
 
Obama took issue with Trump&#39;s plan. 
 
&quot;Where does this stop?&quot; Obama demanded, shedding his usual &#39;no drama Obama&#39; public persona to denounce &quot;language that singles out immigrants and suggests entire religious communities are complicit in violence.&quot; 
 
&quot;Are we going to start treating all Muslim Americans differently? Are we going to start subjecting them to special surveillance? are we going to start discriminating them because of their faith?&quot; 
 
&quot;We&#39;re starting to see where this kind of rhetoric and loose talk and sloppiness about who exactly we&#39;re fighting, where this can lead us.&quot; 
 
Obama&#39;s message was echoed by his would-be heir Hillary Clinton, the presumptive Democratic nominee for president. 
 
The two had been scheduled to campaign together on Wednesday, but the event was postponed following the Orlando shooting. 
 
Nonetheless, they seemed to be on the same page when it came to Trump, making a concerted effort to paint him as, in Clinton&#39;s words, lacking substance, &quot;temperamentally unfit and totally unqualified to be commander-in-chief.&quot; 
 
&quot;We don&#39;t need conspiracy theories and pathological self-congratulations. We need leadership, common sense, and concrete plans because we are facing a brutal enemy.&quot; 
 
Not a strategy 
 
Trump and his fellow Republicans regularly upbraid Obama as being weak on terror, citing his refusal to use the term &quot;radical Islam.&quot; 
 
&quot;What exactly would using this label accomplish?&quot; Obama asked. 
 
&quot;What exactly would it change? Would it make ISIL less committed to trying to kill Americans?&quot; he said, using an alternate acronym for the Islamic State group. &quot;Would it bring in more allies? Is there a military strategy that is served by this?&quot; 
 
&quot;The answer is none of the above,&quot; said Obama. 
 
&quot;There&#39;s no magic to the phrase &#39;radical Islam&#39;. It&#39;s a political talking point. It&#39;s not a strategy.&quot; 
 
&quot;Not once has an advisor of mine said, &#39;man, if we really use that phrase, we&#39;re going to turn this whole thing around.&#39;&quot; 
 
Trump, who has long fostered conspiracy theories about Obama&#39;s birthplace, has appeared to suggest that the president may even be in league with jihadists. 
 
&quot;Look, we&#39;re led by a man that either is not tough, not smart or he&#39;s got something else in mind,&quot; Trump told Fox News. 
 
&quot;He doesn&#39;t get it or he gets it better than anybody understands -- it&#39;s one or the other, and either one is unacceptable,&quot; he added. 
 
Obama said the idea that the administration is confused about the enemy &quot;would come as a surprise to the thousands of terrorists who we&#39;ve taken off the battlefield.&quot; 
 
While parrying his political foes, Obama also sought to show Americans that the war against the Islamic State in Syria, Iraq and Libya, while slow, was being won. 
 
He said the number of foreign fighters joining the extremists was plummeting. 
 
&quot;ISIL lost nearly half of the populated territory it had in Iraq and it will lose more. ISIL continues to lose ground in Syria as well,&quot; Obama said after a meeting of his National Security Council. 
 
&quot;In short, our coalition continues to be on offense. ISIL is on defense.&quot; 
 
(AFP)

Irate President says right-wing bombast and 'yapping' have whipped up anger but done nothing to prevent terrorism

President Barack Obama assailed Donald Trump and the Republican party for "loose talk" and anti-Muslim rhetoric on Tuesday, warning that their populist election message was dangerous and un-American. Tearing into "politicians who tweet and appear on cable news shows," an irate Obama said right-wing bombast and "yapping" had whipped up anger but done nothing to prevent terrorism. The killing of 49 people at a gay nightclub in Orlando -- by a self-described Islamic State sympathizer -- has poured kerosene on already angry election-year debates over guns, terrorism, sex and faith. The bloody attack prompted Trump to repeat his controversial proposal to ban all Muslims from entering the United States on counterterrorism grounds. Obama took issue with Trump's plan. "Where does this stop?" Obama demanded, shedding his usual 'no drama Obama' public persona to denounce "language that singles out immigrants and suggests entire religious communities are complicit in violence." "Are we going to start treating all Muslim Americans differently? Are we going to start subjecting them to special surveillance? are we going to start discriminating them because of their faith?" "We're starting to see where this kind of rhetoric and loose talk and sloppiness about who exactly we're fighting, where this can lead us." Obama's message was echoed by his would-be heir Hillary Clinton, the presumptive Democratic nominee for president. The two had been scheduled to campaign together on Wednesday, but the event was postponed following the Orlando shooting. Nonetheless, they seemed to be on the same page when it came to Trump, making a concerted effort to paint him as, in Clinton's words, lacking substance, "temperamentally unfit and totally unqualified to be commander-in-chief." "We don't need conspiracy theories and pathological self-congratulations. We need leadership, common sense, and concrete plans because we are facing a brutal enemy." Not a strategy Trump and his fellow Republicans regularly upbraid Obama as being weak on terror, citing his refusal to use the term "radical Islam." "What exactly would using this label accomplish?" Obama asked. "What exactly would it change? Would it make ISIL less committed to trying to kill Americans?" he said, using an alternate acronym for the Islamic State group. "Would it bring in more allies? Is there a military strategy that is served by this?" "The answer is none of the above," said Obama. "There's no magic to the phrase 'radical Islam'. It's a political talking point. It's not a strategy." "Not once has an advisor of mine said, 'man, if we really use that phrase, we're going to turn this whole thing around.'" Trump, who has long fostered conspiracy theories about Obama's birthplace, has appeared to suggest that the president may even be in league with jihadists. "Look, we're led by a man that either is not tough, not smart or he's got something else in mind," Trump told Fox News. "He doesn't get it or he gets it better than anybody understands -- it's one or the other, and either one is unacceptable," he added. Obama said the idea that the administration is confused about the enemy "would come as a surprise to the thousands of terrorists who we've taken off the battlefield." While parrying his political foes, Obama also sought to show Americans that the war against the Islamic State in Syria, Iraq and Libya, while slow, was being won. He said the number of foreign fighters joining the extremists was plummeting. "ISIL lost nearly half of the populated territory it had in Iraq and it will lose more. ISIL continues to lose ground in Syria as well," Obama said after a meeting of his National Security Council. "In short, our coalition continues to be on offense. ISIL is on defense." (AFP)

Obama finally talks back to Trump: Says you're dangerous, and you're un-American

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump suggested on Friday that Clinton&#39;s secret service guards should disarm and &#39;&#39;see what happens to her&#39;&#39;. 
 
Trump was speaking at a rally in Miami. 
 
&quot;I think that her bodyguards should drop all weapons,&quot; the real estate billionaire told his supporters. &quot;I think they should disarm. Immediately. What do you think. Yes? Take their guns away. She doesn&#39;t want guns. Take them. Let&rsquo;s see what happens to her. Take their guns away, OK. It will be very dangerous.&quot; 
 
The presidential nominees are protected by secret service agents. 
 
&quot;Whether this is done to provoke protesters at a rally or casually or even as a joke, it is an unacceptable quality in anyone seeking the job of commander-in-chief,&quot; Clinton campaign manager Robby Mook said in a statement. 
 
&quot;He is unfit to be President and it is time Republican leaders stand up to denounce this disturbing behaviour in their nominee.&quot; 
 
Trump has said in the past that Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton wants to ban all guns. While Clinton supports stricter gun control measures, she has never suggested a ban on Second Amendment - US Constitution&#39;s clause that enshrines the rights of Americans to bear arms. 
 
Members of Clinton&#39;s government-appointed guard detail should abandon their weapons because she wants to &quot;destroy your Second Amendment,&quot; Reuters reported Trump as saying. 
 
Stuart Stevens, a political consultant,&nbsp;who worked on Republican Mitt Romney&#39;s 2012 presidential campaign tweeted: &#39;The Secret Service should investigate this threat&#39;. 
&nbsp;

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
The Secret Service should investigate this threat <a href="https://t.co/XQuUkrU71U">https://t.co/XQuUkrU71U</a>
&mdash; stuart stevens (@stuartpstevens) <a href="https://twitter.com/stuartpstevens/status/776929108219535360">September 16, 2016</a></blockquote>

&nbsp;

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
Campaigns always attract random nuts who have to be weeded out. It&#39;s just unusual to nominate one. <a href="https://t.co/UR8IIqPlDT">https://t.co/UR8IIqPlDT</a>
&mdash; stuart stevens (@stuartpstevens) <a href="https://twitter.com/stuartpstevens/status/776989872582172672">September 17, 2016</a></blockquote>

&nbsp;

 
Last month, Trump had suggested in a rally that gun-owners or the supporters of Second Amendment could stop Clinton from winning the White House. 
 
&quot;If she gets to pick her judges, nothing you can do folks,&quot; Trump said. &quot;Although the Second Amendment people &nbsp;- maybe there is, I don&#39;t know.&quot; 
 
Trump also accepted in a statement today that President Barack Obama was born in the United States after claims that Obama&#39;s father, a Kenyan Muslim, founded the violent Islamic State group. He, however, blamed Clinton for starting the &#39;birther controversy&#39;. 
 
&quot;Her campaign of 2008 started the birther controversy. I finished it. I finished it. You know what I mean,&quot; Trump said. 
 
(WION with inputs from agencies)

&nbsp;

He said Clinton's guard detail should voluntarily disarm because she wants to 'destroy your second amendment'

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump suggested on Friday that Clinton's secret service guards should disarm and ''see what happens to her''. Trump was speaking at a rally in Miami. "I think that her bodyguards should drop all weapons," the real estate billionaire told his supporters. "I think they should disarm. Immediately. What do you think. Yes? Take their guns away. She doesn't want guns. Take them. Let’s see what happens to her. Take their guns away, OK. It will be very dangerous." The presidential nominees are protected by secret service agents. "Whether this is done to provoke protesters at a rally or casually or even as a joke, it is an unacceptable quality in anyone seeking the job of commander-in-chief," Clinton campaign manager Robby Mook said in a statement. "He is unfit to be President and it is time Republican leaders stand up to denounce this disturbing behaviour in their nominee." Trump has said in the past that Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton wants to ban all guns. While Clinton supports stricter gun control measures, she has never suggested a ban on Second Amendment - US Constitution's clause that enshrines the rights of Americans to bear arms. Members of Clinton's government-appointed guard detail should abandon their weapons because she wants to "destroy your Second Amendment," Reuters reported Trump as saying. Stuart Stevens, a political consultant, who worked on Republican Mitt Romney's 2012 presidential campaign tweeted: 'The Secret Service should investigate this threat'. The Secret Service should investigate this threat https://t.co/XQuUkrU71U — stuart stevens (@stuartpstevens) September 16, 2016 Campaigns always attract random nuts who have to be weeded out. It's just unusual to nominate one. https://t.co/UR8IIqPlDT — stuart stevens (@stuartpstevens) September 17, 2016 Last month, Trump had suggested in a rally that gun-owners or the supporters of Second Amendment could stop Clinton from winning the White House. "If she gets to pick her judges, nothing you can do folks," Trump said. "Although the Second Amendment people - maybe there is, I don't know." Trump also accepted in a statement today that President Barack Obama was born in the United States after claims that Obama's father, a Kenyan Muslim, founded the violent Islamic State group. He, however, blamed Clinton for starting the 'birther controversy'. "Her campaign of 2008 started the birther controversy. I finished it. I finished it. You know what I mean," Trump said. (WION with inputs from agencies)

Trump suggests Clinton's guards disarm, and 'see what happens to her'

The US presidential campaign rhetoric sharpened on Thursday as both Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump accused each other of bigotry. 
 
Republican presidential nominee Trump called Clinton a &quot;racist&quot; for trying to garner votes of the minorities while doing nothing for them.&nbsp;His Democratic rival lashed out at him for bringing hate politics into the mainstream.&nbsp; 
 
Clinton listed a series of episodes that showed her rival in a dark light during a campaign event in Reno, Nevada. She dredged up Trump&#39;s history of apparently refusing to rent out houses to&nbsp;Latinos and black people. 
 
She also pointed out about black employees working in his casinos having&nbsp;previously sued Trump.&nbsp; 
 
Trump&#39;s appointment of&nbsp;Steven Bannion as his new campaign chief was also skewered by Clinton. She said the appointment showed Trump&#39;s advocacy of the so-called white nationalist&#39;s&nbsp;&#39;alt-right&#39; movement.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;A man with a long history of racial discrimination who traffics in dark conspiracy theories drawn from the pages of supermarket tabloids and the far dark reaches of the internet should never run our government or command our military,&quot; Clinton said. 
 
Speaking in New Hampshire later, Trump slammed his opponent&#39;s argument of him being discriminatory. He said the continuous attack on such lines&nbsp;was &quot;tired&nbsp;(and)&nbsp;disgusting&quot;. 
 
Instead, Clinton is the one who &quot;sees people of colour only as votes not as human beings worthy of a better future&quot;, he said during his speech.&nbsp; 
 
Later, during an interview with&nbsp;the CNN, he called Clinton &quot;totally bigoted&quot;. 
 
The escalation of verbal attacks between the two adversaries came in the wake of a&nbsp;survey handing Clinton a 10-point lead&nbsp;in the presidential race. The survey, conducted by&nbsp;Quinnipiac University, is an important one as it handed Clinton the backing of majority of the respondents.

 
(WION with inputs from agencies) &nbsp;

The escalation of verbal attacks came in the wake of a?survey handing Clinton a 10-point lead?in the presidential race

The US presidential campaign rhetoric sharpened on Thursday as both Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump accused each other of bigotry. Republican presidential nominee Trump called Clinton a "racist" for trying to garner votes of the minorities while doing nothing for them. His Democratic rival lashed out at him for bringing hate politics into the mainstream. Clinton listed a series of episodes that showed her rival in a dark light during a campaign event in Reno, Nevada. She dredged up Trump's history of apparently refusing to rent out houses to Latinos and black people. She also pointed out about black employees working in his casinos having previously sued Trump. Trump's appointment of Steven Bannion as his new campaign chief was also skewered by Clinton. She said the appointment showed Trump's advocacy of the so-called white nationalist's 'alt-right' movement. "A man with a long history of racial discrimination who traffics in dark conspiracy theories drawn from the pages of supermarket tabloids and the far dark reaches of the internet should never run our government or command our military," Clinton said. Speaking in New Hampshire later, Trump slammed his opponent's argument of him being discriminatory. He said the continuous attack on such lines was "tired (and) disgusting". Instead, Clinton is the one who "sees people of colour only as votes not as human beings worthy of a better future", he said during his speech. Later, during an interview with the CNN, he called Clinton "totally bigoted". The escalation of verbal attacks between the two adversaries came in the wake of a survey handing Clinton a 10-point lead in the presidential race. The survey, conducted by Quinnipiac University, is an important one as it handed Clinton the backing of majority of the respondents. (WION with inputs from agencies)

Clinton, Trump trade racism charges

US Republican Donald Trump yesterday repeated his attack on President Barack Obama that he helped &quot;found&quot; Islamic State and railed against media reports that his campaign is failing, at a campaign rally in Connecticut, a state where he has a long-shot of being victorious. 
 
Speaking for more than an hour in a sweltering room, Trump spent a significant portion of his speech complaining about the media. 
 
He again threatened to revoke the press credentials of The New York Times. The credentials allow reporters access to press-only areas of his campaign events. He has already banned other outlets, including The Washington Post. 
 
On Saturday, the New York newspaper published an article detailing failed efforts to make Trump focus his campaign on the general election. 
 
&quot;These are the most dishonest people,&quot; Trump said. &quot;Maybe we&#39;ll start thinking about taking their press credentials away from them.&quot; 
 
Trump visiting Connecticut, a heavily Democratic state, raised eyebrows among many Republicans. 
 
&quot;It&#39;s asinine that he would be in Connecticut holding a public rally less than 90 days before the election,&quot; said Republican strategist Matt Mackowiak. &quot;You don&#39;t see Hillary publicly campaigning in Idaho and Mississippi. I have to think this proves the candidate is running the campaign, which explains why it&#39;s such a disaster of biblical proportions.&quot; 
 
At several points the crowd chanted &quot;lock her up,&quot; a frequent campaign rally chant in reference to Trump&#39;s Democratic rival Hillary Clinton. 
 
Trump told the crowd that normally he responds by saying he intends instead to defeat her in the November 8 election, but this time added, &quot;You know what? You have a point!&quot; 
 
Trump also dropped his recent efforts to say he was not being serious when he said Obama was the &quot;founder&quot; of the Islamic State militant group . 
 
&quot;It&#39;s the opinion of myself and a lot of people that he was the founder,&quot; Trump told the crowd. 
 
Democrats and Republicans alike have criticized Trump&#39;s assertion as patently false. 
 
Trump took a detour from attacking Clinton&#39;s economic record to discuss the 1998 scandal involving White House intern Monica Lewinsky and former President Bill Clinton, whom Republicans attempted to impeach. 
 
&quot;Remember when he said, he did not have sex with that woman, and a couple of weeks later, oh you got me,&quot; Trump said, to cheers. He then made reference to a blue dress that became a symbol in the investigation. &quot;I&#39;m so glad they kept that dress, so glad they kept that dress, because it shows what the hell they are.&quot; 
 
(Reuters)

Trump threatened to revoke the daily's press credentials. He has already banned other outlets, including The Washington Post

US Republican Donald Trump yesterday repeated his attack on President Barack Obama that he helped "found" Islamic State and railed against media reports that his campaign is failing, at a campaign rally in Connecticut, a state where he has a long-shot of being victorious. Speaking for more than an hour in a sweltering room, Trump spent a significant portion of his speech complaining about the media. He again threatened to revoke the press credentials of The New York Times. The credentials allow reporters access to press-only areas of his campaign events. He has already banned other outlets, including The Washington Post. On Saturday, the New York newspaper published an article detailing failed efforts to make Trump focus his campaign on the general election. "These are the most dishonest people," Trump said. "Maybe we'll start thinking about taking their press credentials away from them." Trump visiting Connecticut, a heavily Democratic state, raised eyebrows among many Republicans. "It's asinine that he would be in Connecticut holding a public rally less than 90 days before the election," said Republican strategist Matt Mackowiak. "You don't see Hillary publicly campaigning in Idaho and Mississippi. I have to think this proves the candidate is running the campaign, which explains why it's such a disaster of biblical proportions." At several points the crowd chanted "lock her up," a frequent campaign rally chant in reference to Trump's Democratic rival Hillary Clinton. Trump told the crowd that normally he responds by saying he intends instead to defeat her in the November 8 election, but this time added, "You know what? You have a point!" Trump also dropped his recent efforts to say he was not being serious when he said Obama was the "founder" of the Islamic State militant group . "It's the opinion of myself and a lot of people that he was the founder," Trump told the crowd. Democrats and Republicans alike have criticized Trump's assertion as patently false. Trump took a detour from attacking Clinton's economic record to discuss the 1998 scandal involving White House intern Monica Lewinsky and former President Bill Clinton, whom Republicans attempted to impeach. "Remember when he said, he did not have sex with that woman, and a couple of weeks later, oh you got me," Trump said, to cheers. He then made reference to a blue dress that became a symbol in the investigation. "I'm so glad they kept that dress, so glad they kept that dress, because it shows what the hell they are." (Reuters)

Trump rails against New York Times in response to reports of failing campaign

Republican Donald Trump took steps to steer his White House campaign back into favour with his party establishment yesterday by endorsing US house of representatives speaker Paul Ryan and two Republican senators seeking re-election, after expressing coolness towards them earlier this week. 
 
&quot;I need a Republican senate and a house to accomplish all of the changes that we have to make,&quot; Trump said during a rally in Green Bay, in northern Wisconsin, Ryan&#39;s home state. He also endorsed senators John McCain of Arizona and Kelly Ayotte of New Hampshire, whom he called a &quot;rising star&quot;. 
 
&quot;We will have disagreements, but we will disagree as friends,&quot; Trump said. 
 
Ryan, the top US elected Republican, had no plans to attend the event, in a sign of lingering frictions between the pair. His Republican primary challenger, businessman Paul Nehlen, did attend, according to a spokesman. 
 
Trump earlier this week refused to endorse Ryan when he told The Washington Post he was &quot;not quite there yet&quot;, using the same phrase Ryan had used about Trump before finally endorsing him. He said in the same interview that McCain had not done enough for veterans and criticised Ayotte for distancing herself from him during the campaign. 
 
Ryan, who was earlier endorsed by Trump&#39;s vice presidential running mate, Mike Pence, is viewed by establishment Republicans as a possible presidential candidate in the future. He is expected to win a challenge for his House seat in next week&#39;s Republican primary. 
 
Trump&#39;s endorsement emerged as he took other steps to get his campaign back on track after days of controversy and falling poll numbers that have given Democrat Hillary Clinton the advantage in the race to the November 8 election. 
 
In the latest Reuters/Ipsos poll released yesterday, Clinton&#39;s lead over Trump narrowed to less than three percentage points, down from nearly eight points on Monday. 
 
Trump yesterday announced he was setting up an advisory team to help guide him on economic policy. The group relies heavily on hedge fund managers and investment bankers, a group Trump has railed against in the past, and includes no women. 
 
In addition, Trump plans to release his framework for boosting the US economy in a speech in Detroit on Monday, an event that will offer him a chance to avoid theatrics and detail how he would handle economic issues if elected. 
 
Trump economic adviser Stephen Moore told Reuters that the candidate&#39;s plan would focus on four areas: tax, deregulation, energy policy and trade. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s going to be an all-encompassing look at how we reform the economy,&rdquo; Moore said. 
 
At a rally in Des Moines, Trump showed newfound discipline, mostly sticking to his central charge that Clinton is the &quot;queen of corruption&quot;. He defended himself against her charge that he is temperamentally unfit for the White House. 
 
&quot;All my life I&#39;ve been told, &#39;You have the greatest temperament,&#39;&quot; he said.&nbsp;He urged voters to also consider his vice presidential running mate, who appeared with him at the event.&nbsp;&quot;If you don&#39;t like me, that&#39;s okay, vote for Pence, because it&#39;s the same thing,&quot; he said. 
 
Trump also defended himself against what he called the news media&#39;s claim that he kicked a baby out of an event earlier this week in Virginia. &quot;I love babies,&quot; he said. 
 
&quot;Short-circuited&quot; 
 
Clinton sought to take advantage of Trump&#39;s dip in the polls at a conference of minority journalists in Washington, where she pledged an all-out fight for comprehensive immigration reform if she wins the November 8 election. 
 
At the event, Clinton did what she has rarely done during the presidential campaign: take questions from reporters. 
 
She addressed two of the largest issues that continue to dog her campaign: the controversy over her use of a private email server while she was secretary of state during the Obama administration, and continuing scepticism among voters about her trustworthiness. 
 
Clinton conceded that she had &ldquo;short-circuited&rdquo; earlier in the week in interviews when she had asserted that FBI director James Comey had concluded that she had been truthful in her statements about the&nbsp;use of the private server. 
 
Clinton had repeatedly said publicly that she never sent emails containing classified material, a finding that Comey contradicted at the conclusion of the FBI&rsquo;s probe in July, when he rebuked her for &quot;extremely careless&quot; handling of classified information while recommending that no criminal charges be filed. 
 
Yesterday, Clinton maintained that &ldquo;I never sent or received anything marked classified&rdquo;, while acknowledging that some material she sent may retroactively have been considered classified by other government agencies.&nbsp;Republicans have repeatedly charged that Clinton endangered national security with her handling of classified material. 
 
The email controversy has fuelled a perception among a majority of voters that Clinton is untrustworthy. &ldquo;I take it seriously,&rdquo; she said. &ldquo;It doesn&rsquo;t make me feel good when people say those things. And I recognise that I have work to do.&rdquo; 
 
Still, as she has often done during her career, Clinton attributed much of her low standing on this issue to attacks from Republicans. &ldquo;Maybe just maybe when I&rsquo;m actually running for a job, there is a real benefit to those on the other side to try and stir up as much concern as possible,&rdquo; she said. 
 
Finance and industry leaders 
 
Trump&#39;s campaign said his economic advisory panel included former steel executive Dan DiMicco, Howard Lorber, CEO of tobacco company Vector Group Ltd, and Trump campaign finance chairman and investment manager Steven Mnuchin. 
 
Hedge fund managers John Paulson and Steve Feinberg, anti-tax advocacy group Club for Growth&#39;s Stephen Moore, and David Malpass, who has served under previous Republican administrations in the Treasury and State Departments, were also named. 
 
Billionaire investor Carl Icahn turned down an invitation to join the group because he is considering funding a Super PAC focussed on regulatory reform, Icahn&#39;s general counsel told Reuters yesterday. 
 
Trump&#39;s moves came after many Republicans urged the candidate to correct course following a tumultuous week. 
 
The real estate mogul and former reality television star was caught up for days in a public spat with the parents of a Muslim American soldier killed in Iraq. The parents had spoken out against Trump at last week&#39;s Democratic National Convention. Many Republicans, including Ryan, McCain and Ayotte, were critical of Trump&#39;s insistent attacks on the parents. 
 
(Reuters)

Paul Ryan, the top US elected Republican who the establishment sees as a possible future presidential candidate, skipped the rally

Republican Donald Trump took steps to steer his White House campaign back into favour with his party establishment yesterday by endorsing US house of representatives speaker Paul Ryan and two Republican senators seeking re-election, after expressing coolness towards them earlier this week. "I need a Republican senate and a house to accomplish all of the changes that we have to make," Trump said during a rally in Green Bay, in northern Wisconsin, Ryan's home state. He also endorsed senators John McCain of Arizona and Kelly Ayotte of New Hampshire, whom he called a "rising star". "We will have disagreements, but we will disagree as friends," Trump said. Ryan, the top US elected Republican, had no plans to attend the event, in a sign of lingering frictions between the pair. His Republican primary challenger, businessman Paul Nehlen, did attend, according to a spokesman. Trump earlier this week refused to endorse Ryan when he told The Washington Post he was "not quite there yet", using the same phrase Ryan had used about Trump before finally endorsing him. He said in the same interview that McCain had not done enough for veterans and criticised Ayotte for distancing herself from him during the campaign. Ryan, who was earlier endorsed by Trump's vice presidential running mate, Mike Pence, is viewed by establishment Republicans as a possible presidential candidate in the future. He is expected to win a challenge for his House seat in next week's Republican primary. Trump's endorsement emerged as he took other steps to get his campaign back on track after days of controversy and falling poll numbers that have given Democrat Hillary Clinton the advantage in the race to the November 8 election. In the latest Reuters/Ipsos poll released yesterday, Clinton's lead over Trump narrowed to less than three percentage points, down from nearly eight points on Monday. Trump yesterday announced he was setting up an advisory team to help guide him on economic policy. The group relies heavily on hedge fund managers and investment bankers, a group Trump has railed against in the past, and includes no women. In addition, Trump plans to release his framework for boosting the US economy in a speech in Detroit on Monday, an event that will offer him a chance to avoid theatrics and detail how he would handle economic issues if elected. Trump economic adviser Stephen Moore told Reuters that the candidate's plan would focus on four areas: tax, deregulation, energy policy and trade. “It’s going to be an all-encompassing look at how we reform the economy,” Moore said. At a rally in Des Moines, Trump showed newfound discipline, mostly sticking to his central charge that Clinton is the "queen of corruption". He defended himself against her charge that he is temperamentally unfit for the White House. "All my life I've been told, 'You have the greatest temperament,'" he said. He urged voters to also consider his vice presidential running mate, who appeared with him at the event. "If you don't like me, that's okay, vote for Pence, because it's the same thing," he said. Trump also defended himself against what he called the news media's claim that he kicked a baby out of an event earlier this week in Virginia. "I love babies," he said. "Short-circuited" Clinton sought to take advantage of Trump's dip in the polls at a conference of minority journalists in Washington, where she pledged an all-out fight for comprehensive immigration reform if she wins the November 8 election. At the event, Clinton did what she has rarely done during the presidential campaign: take questions from reporters. She addressed two of the largest issues that continue to dog her campaign: the controversy over her use of a private email server while she was secretary of state during the Obama administration, and continuing scepticism among voters about her trustworthiness. Clinton conceded that she had “short-circuited” earlier in the week in interviews when she had asserted that FBI director James Comey had concluded that she had been truthful in her statements about the use of the private server. Clinton had repeatedly said publicly that she never sent emails containing classified material, a finding that Comey contradicted at the conclusion of the FBI’s probe in July, when he rebuked her for "extremely careless" handling of classified information while recommending that no criminal charges be filed. Yesterday, Clinton maintained that “I never sent or received anything marked classified”, while acknowledging that some material she sent may retroactively have been considered classified by other government agencies. Republicans have repeatedly charged that Clinton endangered national security with her handling of classified material. The email controversy has fuelled a perception among a majority of voters that Clinton is untrustworthy. “I take it seriously,” she said. “It doesn’t make me feel good when people say those things. And I recognise that I have work to do.” Still, as she has often done during her career, Clinton attributed much of her low standing on this issue to attacks from Republicans. “Maybe just maybe when I’m actually running for a job, there is a real benefit to those on the other side to try and stir up as much concern as possible,” she said. Finance and industry leaders Trump's campaign said his economic advisory panel included former steel executive Dan DiMicco, Howard Lorber, CEO of tobacco company Vector Group Ltd, and Trump campaign finance chairman and investment manager Steven Mnuchin. Hedge fund managers John Paulson and Steve Feinberg, anti-tax advocacy group Club for Growth's Stephen Moore, and David Malpass, who has served under previous Republican administrations in the Treasury and State Departments, were also named. Billionaire investor Carl Icahn turned down an invitation to join the group because he is considering funding a Super PAC focussed on regulatory reform, Icahn's general counsel told Reuters yesterday. Trump's moves came after many Republicans urged the candidate to correct course following a tumultuous week. The real estate mogul and former reality television star was caught up for days in a public spat with the parents of a Muslim American soldier killed in Iraq. The parents had spoken out against Trump at last week's Democratic National Convention. Many Republicans, including Ryan, McCain and Ayotte, were critical of Trump's insistent attacks on the parents. (Reuters)

Trump, looking to right campaign ship, endorses house speaker, senators

Donald Trump sensationally challenged Russia yesterday to hack into Hillary Clinton&#39;s emails as a furious Democratic campaign accused the Republican nominee of inviting foreign spies to meddle in the US presidential election. 
 
At a sweeping news conference, the New York billionaire tried to undermine his White House rival, astonishingly implied that Vladimir Putin used a racial slur against President Barack Obama and promised a heyday of US-Russian relations under a Trump presidency. 
 
His remarks provoked outrage from the Clinton campaign and left some Republicans wincing as his running mate hurriedly clarified that the party was not soft on Moscow and Trump tried to roll back his remarks. 
 
Attacking Clinton as she prepares to accept her party&#39;s formal nomination, Trump turned his guns on a previous email scandal dating back to her time as secretary of state and more than 30,000 emails deleted on grounds of being personal and not related to her job. 
 
&quot;Russia, if you&#39;re listening, I hope you&#39;re able to find the 30,000 emails that are missing. I think you will probably be rewarded mightily by our press,&quot; Trump said. 
 
The Clinton camp responded immediately and furiously. 
 
&quot;This has to be the first time that a major presidential candidate has actively encouraged a foreign power to conduct espionage against his political opponent,&quot; Clinton&#39;s senior policy advisor Jake Sullivan said. 
 
&quot;This has gone from being a matter of curiosity, and a matter of politics, to being a national security issue.&quot; 
 
Emails, emails, emails 
 
While the FBI declined to recommend charges against Clinton over the email scandal, its conclusion that she was &quot;extremely careless&quot; with classified information has seen the Democrat lose her polling advantage to Trump. 
 
The row spotlights deep US distrust of Russia, fueling yet another day of headlines about whether Russian agents may have hacked into Democratic Party emails which, once leaked, hugely embarrassed the Clinton campaign. 
 
Those emails leaked by WikiLeaks showed the extent to which party leaders sought to undermine Clinton&#39;s rival Bernie Sanders, even questioning his religious faith, and forced the Democratic National Committee chair to resign. 
 
The Clinton team blamed that leak on Moscow and accused Russia of conniving to get Trump elected. Obama also gave an interview refusing to rule out that Russia was trying to pull strings. 
 
&#39;Nothing to do with Russia&#39; 
 
Trump has frequently voiced admiration for Putin, who has been in power for 17 years as president or prime minister and refuses to grant unconditional support for NATO allies in the Baltic should they face hostile acts. 
 
Moscow &quot;probably isn&#39;t&quot; behind the Democratic National Committee email hack, said Trump, who is yet to receive his first government intelligence briefing. 
 
&quot;I have nothing to do with Russia,&quot; he insisted. 
 
Almost before Trump left the building, his running mate, Indiana Governor Mike Pence, sought to clarify that the Republican ticket was not in cahoots with Moscow, and attempted to shift the focus back to attacking the Democrats. 
 
&quot;If it is Russia and they are interfering in our elections, I can assure you both parties and the United States government will ensure there are serious consequences,&quot; he said. 
 
&quot;The American people now have absolute and further proof of the corruption that exists around Hillary Clinton. It should disqualify her from office.&quot; 
 
Kremlin denies 
 
Trump tweeted: &quot;If Russia or any other country or person has Hillary Clinton&#39;s 33,000 illegally deleted emails, perhaps they should share them with the FBI!&quot; 
 
The Kremlin denies interfering in the US election. 
 
&quot;Russia has never interfered and does not interfere in internal affairs, especially in the electoral processes of other countries,&quot; Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters yesterday. 
 
Trump meanwhile said the Russian leader has no respect for Clinton or Obama. 
 
&quot;I think he does respect me,&quot; the real estate tycoon said, hinting that the Russian leader had used America&#39;s most charged racial slur against Obama. 
 
&quot;He mentioned the N word one time. I was shocked to hear him mention the N word,&quot; he said. &quot;A total lack of respect for President Obama.&quot; 
 
Trump spearheaded the so-called birther movement, which undermined America&#39;s first black president by claiming that he was not born in the United Sates. 
 
&quot;I would treat Vladimir Putin firmly,&quot; said the Republican nominee, adding that he would rather have a friendly Russia to &quot;knock out ISIS together,&quot; referring to the Islamic State extremist group, which controls territory in Iraq and Syria. 
 
(AFP)

'Russia, if you're listening, I hope you're able to find the 30,000 emails that are missing'

Donald Trump sensationally challenged Russia yesterday to hack into Hillary Clinton's emails as a furious Democratic campaign accused the Republican nominee of inviting foreign spies to meddle in the US presidential election. At a sweeping news conference, the New York billionaire tried to undermine his White House rival, astonishingly implied that Vladimir Putin used a racial slur against President Barack Obama and promised a heyday of US-Russian relations under a Trump presidency. His remarks provoked outrage from the Clinton campaign and left some Republicans wincing as his running mate hurriedly clarified that the party was not soft on Moscow and Trump tried to roll back his remarks. Attacking Clinton as she prepares to accept her party's formal nomination, Trump turned his guns on a previous email scandal dating back to her time as secretary of state and more than 30,000 emails deleted on grounds of being personal and not related to her job. "Russia, if you're listening, I hope you're able to find the 30,000 emails that are missing. I think you will probably be rewarded mightily by our press," Trump said. The Clinton camp responded immediately and furiously. "This has to be the first time that a major presidential candidate has actively encouraged a foreign power to conduct espionage against his political opponent," Clinton's senior policy advisor Jake Sullivan said. "This has gone from being a matter of curiosity, and a matter of politics, to being a national security issue." Emails, emails, emails While the FBI declined to recommend charges against Clinton over the email scandal, its conclusion that she was "extremely careless" with classified information has seen the Democrat lose her polling advantage to Trump. The row spotlights deep US distrust of Russia, fueling yet another day of headlines about whether Russian agents may have hacked into Democratic Party emails which, once leaked, hugely embarrassed the Clinton campaign. Those emails leaked by WikiLeaks showed the extent to which party leaders sought to undermine Clinton's rival Bernie Sanders, even questioning his religious faith, and forced the Democratic National Committee chair to resign. The Clinton team blamed that leak on Moscow and accused Russia of conniving to get Trump elected. Obama also gave an interview refusing to rule out that Russia was trying to pull strings. 'Nothing to do with Russia' Trump has frequently voiced admiration for Putin, who has been in power for 17 years as president or prime minister and refuses to grant unconditional support for NATO allies in the Baltic should they face hostile acts. Moscow "probably isn't" behind the Democratic National Committee email hack, said Trump, who is yet to receive his first government intelligence briefing. "I have nothing to do with Russia," he insisted. Almost before Trump left the building, his running mate, Indiana Governor Mike Pence, sought to clarify that the Republican ticket was not in cahoots with Moscow, and attempted to shift the focus back to attacking the Democrats. "If it is Russia and they are interfering in our elections, I can assure you both parties and the United States government will ensure there are serious consequences," he said. "The American people now have absolute and further proof of the corruption that exists around Hillary Clinton. It should disqualify her from office." Kremlin denies Trump tweeted: "If Russia or any other country or person has Hillary Clinton's 33,000 illegally deleted emails, perhaps they should share them with the FBI!" The Kremlin denies interfering in the US election. "Russia has never interfered and does not interfere in internal affairs, especially in the electoral processes of other countries," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters yesterday. Trump meanwhile said the Russian leader has no respect for Clinton or Obama. "I think he does respect me," the real estate tycoon said, hinting that the Russian leader had used America's most charged racial slur against Obama. "He mentioned the N word one time. I was shocked to hear him mention the N word," he said. "A total lack of respect for President Obama." Trump spearheaded the so-called birther movement, which undermined America's first black president by claiming that he was not born in the United Sates. "I would treat Vladimir Putin firmly," said the Republican nominee, adding that he would rather have a friendly Russia to "knock out ISIS together," referring to the Islamic State extremist group, which controls territory in Iraq and Syria. (AFP)

Trump encourages Russia to find Clinton's 'missing' emails

The FBI will recommend to the Justice Department that no prosecution is warranted as a result of its year-long investigation into Hillary&nbsp;Clinton&#39;s use of a private email server while secretary of state, agency Director James Comey said today.

Comey said the probe found there was evidence of extremely careless handling of emails by Clinton, now the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, and that at least 110 emails contained classified information at the time they were sent.

But he said the FBI&#39;s judgment was that &quot;no reasonable prosecutor&quot; would bring charges against&nbsp;Clinton, who had a voluntary 3-1/2-hour interview with the Federal Bureau of Investigation on Saturday in Washington.

&quot;We cannot find a case that would support bringing criminal charges on these facts,&quot; Comey told reporters in Washington.

The FBI has been investigating whether&nbsp;Clinton&nbsp;broke the law as result of a personal email server kept in her Chappaqua, New York, home while she was secretary of state from 2009 to 2013. One of the questions is whether she mishandled classified information on the server.

The investigation has dogged&nbsp;Clinton&#39;s campaign for the past year, as she and her staff struggled to respond to accusations that her use of the server in violation of State Department protocol indicated she was untrustworthy and considered herself above the law.

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump has said the investigation should disqualify Clinton&nbsp;from being president. 
 
(Reuters)

The bureau found evidence of extremely careless handing of emails but said 'no reasonable prosecutor' would bring charges against her

The FBI will recommend to the Justice Department that no prosecution is warranted as a result of its year-long investigation into Hillary Clinton's use of a private email server while secretary of state, agency Director James Comey said today. Comey said the probe found there was evidence of extremely careless handling of emails by Clinton, now the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, and that at least 110 emails contained classified information at the time they were sent. But he said the FBI's judgment was that "no reasonable prosecutor" would bring charges against Clinton, who had a voluntary 3-1/2-hour interview with the Federal Bureau of Investigation on Saturday in Washington. "We cannot find a case that would support bringing criminal charges on these facts," Comey told reporters in Washington. The FBI has been investigating whether Clinton broke the law as result of a personal email server kept in her Chappaqua, New York, home while she was secretary of state from 2009 to 2013. One of the questions is whether she mishandled classified information on the server. The investigation has dogged Clinton's campaign for the past year, as she and her staff struggled to respond to accusations that her use of the server in violation of State Department protocol indicated she was untrustworthy and considered herself above the law. Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump has said the investigation should disqualify Clinton from being president. (Reuters)

Prosecution of Clinton not warranted in email case, FBI to tell Justice Department

Republican Donald Trump said today that if elected president on November 8 he would be open to drawing NATO forces into the fight against Islamic State militants in a new mission for an alliance he has called obsolete. 
 
Trump made the comments in an interview with ABC News. The presumptive Republican presidential nominee has for months raised questions about the money the United States pours into NATO, which he says needs to be reconfigured to take account of today&#39;s threats. 
 
&ldquo;I like the idea of using NATO and also neighbours that aren&rsquo;t in NATO and take them out. You gotta take them out,&rdquo; Trump said. 
 
Under President Barack Obama, the United States has relied heavily on US airstrikes to attack Islamic State targets in Syria and Iraq. Republicans have criticised this policy as not enough to stop the militants. 
 
Trump said the idea of using the Cold War-era alliance would be to ease the load on American forces. 
 
&quot;I don&rsquo;t want to get too much of ours involved. I want NATO to be involved,&rdquo; Trump said. &ldquo;We spend a tremendous amount of money on NATO. We take care of countries that frankly should be taking care of themselves in terms of economically.&rdquo; 
 
Trump&#39;s comments came amid an uproar over a meeting between former president Bill Clinton and attorney general Loretta Lynch at a time when Clinton&#39;s wife, Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, is under federal investigation. 
 
The private meeting took place on Lynch&#39;s plane after she landed in Phoenix on Monday night and Bill Clinton was leaving the airport after a rally he held for his wife earlier that day. 
 
Hillary Clinton is under an FBI investigation for her use of a private email server when she was President Barack Obama&#39;s first-term secretary of state. 
 
Trump told conservative radio talk show host Mike Gallagher that the meeting was proof of his charge that the US political system is &quot;rigged&quot; in favor of political elites. 
 
&quot;It&#39;s unheard of,&quot; Trump told ABC News. &quot;You have this massive investigation on emails and they&#39;d have a meeting like this.&quot; 
 
Lynch, appointed to her position by Obama more than a year ago, said she did not discuss the email investigation or other pending matters before the justice department with Bill Clinton. 
 
&quot;When I was landing at the airport, I did see president Clinton at the Phoenix airport as I was leaving and he spoke to myself and my husband on the plane,&quot; Lynch told reporters. 
 
&quot;Our conversation was a great deal about grandchildren. It was primarily social and about our travels. He mentioned the golf he played in Phoenix and he mentioned travels he had to West Virginia...But there was no discussion of any matter pending for the department or any matter pending before any other body,&quot; Lynch said. 
 
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is investigating Hillary Clinton about her email use and has already interviewed some of her aides. The investigation into whether laws were broken as a result of the server kept in her New York home has overshadowed Clinton&#39;s campaign. 
 
Special counsel 
 
Obama is preparing to campaign with Hillary Clinton for the first time in her 2016 White House bid. They are to appear together in Charlotte, North Carolina, on Tuesday. A Reuters/Ipsos poll this week showed Clinton 11 points ahead of the billionaire businessman 
 
At the White House, spokesman Josh Earnest made clear that Obama believes an impartial investigation is crucial and noted that Lynch had said the conversation was benign. 
 
&quot;I think the bottom line is simply that both the president and the attorney general understand how important it is for the department of justice to conduct investigations that are free of political interference,&quot; Earnest told reporters. 
 
US senator John Cornyn of Texas, the Number 2 Senate Republican, cited the incident in renewing his call for an independent counsel to take over the Clinton probe from the FBI. 
 
(Reuters)

'I like the idea of using NATO and also neighbours that aren?t in NATO and take them out. You gotta take them out,' he told ABC News

Republican Donald Trump said today that if elected president on November 8 he would be open to drawing NATO forces into the fight against Islamic State militants in a new mission for an alliance he has called obsolete. Trump made the comments in an interview with ABC News. The presumptive Republican presidential nominee has for months raised questions about the money the United States pours into NATO, which he says needs to be reconfigured to take account of today's threats. “I like the idea of using NATO and also neighbours that aren’t in NATO and take them out. You gotta take them out,” Trump said. Under President Barack Obama, the United States has relied heavily on US airstrikes to attack Islamic State targets in Syria and Iraq. Republicans have criticised this policy as not enough to stop the militants. Trump said the idea of using the Cold War-era alliance would be to ease the load on American forces. "I don’t want to get too much of ours involved. I want NATO to be involved,” Trump said. “We spend a tremendous amount of money on NATO. We take care of countries that frankly should be taking care of themselves in terms of economically.” Trump's comments came amid an uproar over a meeting between former president Bill Clinton and attorney general Loretta Lynch at a time when Clinton's wife, Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, is under federal investigation. The private meeting took place on Lynch's plane after she landed in Phoenix on Monday night and Bill Clinton was leaving the airport after a rally he held for his wife earlier that day. Hillary Clinton is under an FBI investigation for her use of a private email server when she was President Barack Obama's first-term secretary of state. Trump told conservative radio talk show host Mike Gallagher that the meeting was proof of his charge that the US political system is "rigged" in favor of political elites. "It's unheard of," Trump told ABC News. "You have this massive investigation on emails and they'd have a meeting like this." Lynch, appointed to her position by Obama more than a year ago, said she did not discuss the email investigation or other pending matters before the justice department with Bill Clinton. "When I was landing at the airport, I did see president Clinton at the Phoenix airport as I was leaving and he spoke to myself and my husband on the plane," Lynch told reporters. "Our conversation was a great deal about grandchildren. It was primarily social and about our travels. He mentioned the golf he played in Phoenix and he mentioned travels he had to West Virginia...But there was no discussion of any matter pending for the department or any matter pending before any other body," Lynch said. The Federal Bureau of Investigation is investigating Hillary Clinton about her email use and has already interviewed some of her aides. The investigation into whether laws were broken as a result of the server kept in her New York home has overshadowed Clinton's campaign. Special counsel Obama is preparing to campaign with Hillary Clinton for the first time in her 2016 White House bid. They are to appear together in Charlotte, North Carolina, on Tuesday. A Reuters/Ipsos poll this week showed Clinton 11 points ahead of the billionaire businessman At the White House, spokesman Josh Earnest made clear that Obama believes an impartial investigation is crucial and noted that Lynch had said the conversation was benign. "I think the bottom line is simply that both the president and the attorney general understand how important it is for the department of justice to conduct investigations that are free of political interference," Earnest told reporters. US senator John Cornyn of Texas, the Number 2 Senate Republican, cited the incident in renewing his call for an independent counsel to take over the Clinton probe from the FBI. (Reuters)

If elected president, Trump pledges to use NATO in fight against ISIS

Donald Trump offered a message of ethnic harmony yesterday at a Christian evangelical conference. He was trying to calm concern about his criticism of a Mexican-American judge. 
 
In a departure from his usual freewheeling style, Trump read a carefully scripted speech from a teleprompter as part of a new push by his campaign to tone down the outspoken New Yorker&#39;s harsh rhetoric. 
 
Trump&#39;s remarks included a wide-ranging attack on Democratic rival Hillary Clinton. The 69-year-old said that money aimed at resettling Syrian refugees in the United States should instead be spent on tackling poverty in US cities. 
 
Speaking to the annual conference of the conservative Faith &amp; Freedom Coalition, Trump did not mention the controversy over his charge that US District Judge Gonzalo Curiel cannot treat him fairly because of his Mexican heritage. However, he did make a point of saying that he would represent all Americans if elected president on November 8. 
 
&quot;Freedom of any kind means no one should be judged by their race or their colour and the tone of his hue,&quot; Trump said. &quot;Right now, we have a very divided nation. We&#39;re going to bring our nation together.&quot; 
 
Paul Ryan, the top elected US Republican, had criticised Trump for what he called a &quot;textbook definition of a racist comment&quot; for his remarks about the judge. Other Republican leaders warned Trump to change his tone or risk losing their support. 
 
Mitt Romney, the 2012 Republican presidential nominee who led a movement to derail Trump&#39;s nomination, told CNN he would not consider running for the White House. 
 
Romney blasted Trump for comments that he said denigrated Mexicans, women and religion. 
 
&quot;Presidents have an impact on the nature of our nation and trickle-down racism, trickle-down bigotry and trickle-down misogyny - all these things are extraordinarily dangerous to the heart and character of America,&quot; he said. 
 
Romney said he expects Trump to get the Republican nomination but added that he will not vote for either Trump or Clinton. He left open the possibility of casting a ballot for the Libertarian Party candidate, former New Mexico Governor, Gary Johnson. 
 
As Trump sought to rally more Republicans behind him, Clinton met with US Senator Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts to try and shore up support from the left wing of the Democratic Party. 
 
Clinton later addressed the Planned Parenthood Action Fund, the non-partisan arm of the women&#39;s health group, and had Trump trained in her sights. 
 
&ldquo;This is a man who has called women pigs, dogs and disgusting animals, it&rsquo;s kind of hard to imagine counting on him to respect our fundamental rights,&rdquo; said Clinton, the first woman to become the presumptive presidential nominee of a major party. 
 
Clinton leads Trump by 11 percentage points, nearly the same as a week ago, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll released yesterday. 
 
The real estate mogul&#39;s struggle to unify Republicans behind his insurgent candidacy was apparent at the evangelical Faith &amp; Freedom conference where several speakers studiously avoided speaking his name. 
 
Former campaign rival Carly Fiorina steered clear of Trump, speaking instead of the need to prevent liberal policies taking hold. 
 
US Representative Virginia Foxx, a North Carolina Republican, said a Republican president is needed, without mentioning Trump. 
 
&quot;We don&#39;t want this contest this fall to just be a contest of personalities,&quot; she said. 
 
But conference organiser Ralph Reed was adamant in his support for Trump, saying the New Yorker has energised the evangelical vote in a way that past Republican presidential nominees failed to do. 
 
&quot;We understand that perfection is not the measure that should be applied,&quot; Reed told the crowd. 
 
 
SYRIAN REFUGEES 
 
Trump yesterday criticised Clinton&#39;s willingness to accept thousands of Syrian refugees into the United States and challenged her to &quot;replace her support for increased refugee admission&quot; in favour of a new jobs program for inner cities. 
 
He stopped short of repeating his call for a temporary ban on Muslims entering the United States, a proposal that has drawn heavy fire from Republicans and Democrats. 
 
&quot;We have to temporarily stop this whole thing with what&rsquo;s going on with refugees where we don&rsquo;t know where they&rsquo;re coming from,&quot; Trump said. &quot;We have to use the money to take care of our poorest Americans so they can come out of this horrible situation that they&#39;re in.&quot; 
 
Yesterday at the funeral of boxing champion Muhammad Ali, a convert to Islam, one speaker, a rabbi, inveighed against politicians promoting intolerance of Muslims. 
 
&quot;We will not tolerate politicians or anyone else putting down Muslims and blaming Muslims for a few people,&quot; said Rabbi Michael Lerner, the editor of Tikkun magazine, who said he attended the ceremony in Louisville, Kentucky, as a representative of American Jews. 
 
Trump said Clinton&#39;s refusal to use the phrase &quot;radical Islamic terrorism&quot;, favoured by Republicans to describe violent Islamist militants, makes her unfit to be president.

The US Republican presidential candidate says freedom means nobody should be judged based on their race or skin colour

Donald Trump offered a message of ethnic harmony yesterday at a Christian evangelical conference. He was trying to calm concern about his criticism of a Mexican-American judge. In a departure from his usual freewheeling style, Trump read a carefully scripted speech from a teleprompter as part of a new push by his campaign to tone down the outspoken New Yorker's harsh rhetoric. Trump's remarks included a wide-ranging attack on Democratic rival Hillary Clinton. The 69-year-old said that money aimed at resettling Syrian refugees in the United States should instead be spent on tackling poverty in US cities. Speaking to the annual conference of the conservative Faith & Freedom Coalition, Trump did not mention the controversy over his charge that US District Judge Gonzalo Curiel cannot treat him fairly because of his Mexican heritage. However, he did make a point of saying that he would represent all Americans if elected president on November 8. "Freedom of any kind means no one should be judged by their race or their colour and the tone of his hue," Trump said. "Right now, we have a very divided nation. We're going to bring our nation together." Paul Ryan, the top elected US Republican, had criticised Trump for what he called a "textbook definition of a racist comment" for his remarks about the judge. Other Republican leaders warned Trump to change his tone or risk losing their support. Mitt Romney, the 2012 Republican presidential nominee who led a movement to derail Trump's nomination, told CNN he would not consider running for the White House. Romney blasted Trump for comments that he said denigrated Mexicans, women and religion. "Presidents have an impact on the nature of our nation and trickle-down racism, trickle-down bigotry and trickle-down misogyny - all these things are extraordinarily dangerous to the heart and character of America," he said. Romney said he expects Trump to get the Republican nomination but added that he will not vote for either Trump or Clinton. He left open the possibility of casting a ballot for the Libertarian Party candidate, former New Mexico Governor, Gary Johnson. As Trump sought to rally more Republicans behind him, Clinton met with US Senator Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts to try and shore up support from the left wing of the Democratic Party. Clinton later addressed the Planned Parenthood Action Fund, the non-partisan arm of the women's health group, and had Trump trained in her sights. “This is a man who has called women pigs, dogs and disgusting animals, it’s kind of hard to imagine counting on him to respect our fundamental rights,” said Clinton, the first woman to become the presumptive presidential nominee of a major party. Clinton leads Trump by 11 percentage points, nearly the same as a week ago, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll released yesterday. The real estate mogul's struggle to unify Republicans behind his insurgent candidacy was apparent at the evangelical Faith & Freedom conference where several speakers studiously avoided speaking his name. Former campaign rival Carly Fiorina steered clear of Trump, speaking instead of the need to prevent liberal policies taking hold. US Representative Virginia Foxx, a North Carolina Republican, said a Republican president is needed, without mentioning Trump. "We don't want this contest this fall to just be a contest of personalities," she said. But conference organiser Ralph Reed was adamant in his support for Trump, saying the New Yorker has energised the evangelical vote in a way that past Republican presidential nominees failed to do. "We understand that perfection is not the measure that should be applied," Reed told the crowd. SYRIAN REFUGEES Trump yesterday criticised Clinton's willingness to accept thousands of Syrian refugees into the United States and challenged her to "replace her support for increased refugee admission" in favour of a new jobs program for inner cities. He stopped short of repeating his call for a temporary ban on Muslims entering the United States, a proposal that has drawn heavy fire from Republicans and Democrats. "We have to temporarily stop this whole thing with what’s going on with refugees where we don’t know where they’re coming from," Trump said. "We have to use the money to take care of our poorest Americans so they can come out of this horrible situation that they're in." Yesterday at the funeral of boxing champion Muhammad Ali, a convert to Islam, one speaker, a rabbi, inveighed against politicians promoting intolerance of Muslims. "We will not tolerate politicians or anyone else putting down Muslims and blaming Muslims for a few people," said Rabbi Michael Lerner, the editor of Tikkun magazine, who said he attended the ceremony in Louisville, Kentucky, as a representative of American Jews. Trump said Clinton's refusal to use the phrase "radical Islamic terrorism", favoured by Republicans to describe violent Islamist militants, makes her unfit to be president.

Stung by criticism, Donald Trump vows to work for ethnic harmony

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