IN PICS | Trump supporters gather outside his Mar-a-Lago estate, say FBI raid a 'witch hunt'

A prominent Kremlin propagandist recently praised former American president Donald Trump's views on sexuality and advocated for Moscow to support him in the 2024 election so he may surprise the American government.

The renowned radio host Solovyov played snippets from Trump's mocking of "woke beliefs" being taught in schools and the military, including the LGBTQ perspective on sexuality and gender identity, on the most recent episode of the Russian programme "Sunday Evening with Vladimir Solovyov." Solovyov defended Trump's views on the LGBTQ community in response, stating that he shared them with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

"Simply put, those are our guys," Solovyov said, as quoted by The Daily Beast. "There are obviously shared values and common understanding between Trump, Orbán, and Putin—but not between Trump and Zelensky."

For the government-owned All-Russia State Television and Radio Broadcasting Company, Solovyov has been a well-known presenter (VGTRK). Putin has given the host numerous honours for promoting Russian propaganda, including the Order of Merit for the Fatherland, IV degree in July 2022 and the Order of Service to the Fatherland in 2014. 
 
Watch: Donald Trump asks Vladimir Putin for a political favor 
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According to the U.S. Department of State, Solovyov is "the most ardent Kremlin propagandist around" for spreading untrue assertions that "Ukraine is a Nazi state." He is also well known for his anti-Western and anti-Ukraine hatred and misinformation.

Trump, who is currently the front-runner in the Republican primary, is considering a bid for the presidency in 2024. In a programme on Tuesday, Solovyov used the term "krasavchik," a general term of fondness in Russian, to say, "Of course Trump is a beaut."

The host of Evening with Vladimir Solovyov added, "I am deeply sure that there would not have been a February 24 if Trump had been around." He was alluding to the day when Russia invaded Ukraine.

He claimed that during the meetings in December, when tensions were high due to a Russian build-up of troops on its border with Ukraine, Trump would not have acted as "disrespectfully as Biden and his staff."

Trump has frequently been charged with prejudice against the LGBTQ community. Just hours after taking office in January 2017, Trump deleted any references to LGBTQ+ concerns from the official White House website. According to the Human Rights Campaign, Trump has also chosen anti-LGBTQ judges and repealed Obama-era rules that shielded transgender and non-binary workers from workplace discrimination.

Andrey Sidorov, a guest on the programme and the deputy dean of foreign politics at Moscow State University, claimed that Trump might cause a "complete internal breakdown" in the United States and undermine a robust political system during the program's broadcast. Additionally, Sidorov told Solovyov that he thought Moscow ought to "if we could" assist Trump in 2024.

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A prominent Kremlin propagandist recently praised former American president Donald Trump's views on sexuality and advocated for Moscow to support him in the 2024 election so he may surprise the American government.

A prominent Kremlin propagandist recently praised former American president Donald Trump's views on sexuality and advocated for Moscow to support him in the 2024 election so he may surprise the American government. The renowned radio host Solovyov played snippets from Trump's mocking of "woke beliefs" being taught in schools and the military, including the LGBTQ perspective on sexuality and gender identity, on the most recent episode of the Russian programme "Sunday Evening with Vladimir Solovyov." Solovyov defended Trump's views on the LGBTQ community in response, stating that he shared them with Russian President Vladimir Putin. "Simply put, those are our guys," Solovyov said, as quoted by The Daily Beast. "There are obviously shared values and common understanding between Trump, Orbán, and Putin—but not between Trump and Zelensky." For the government-owned All-Russia State Television and Radio Broadcasting Company, Solovyov has been a well-known presenter (VGTRK). Putin has given the host numerous honours for promoting Russian propaganda, including the Order of Merit for the Fatherland, IV degree in July 2022 and the Order of Service to the Fatherland in 2014. Watch: Donald Trump asks Vladimir Putin for a political favor According to the U.S. Department of State, Solovyov is "the most ardent Kremlin propagandist around" for spreading untrue assertions that "Ukraine is a Nazi state." He is also well known for his anti-Western and anti-Ukraine hatred and misinformation. Trump, who is currently the front-runner in the Republican primary, is considering a bid for the presidency in 2024. In a programme on Tuesday, Solovyov used the term "krasavchik," a general term of fondness in Russian, to say, "Of course Trump is a beaut." The host of Evening with Vladimir Solovyov added, "I am deeply sure that there would not have been a February 24 if Trump had been around." He was alluding to the day when Russia invaded Ukraine. He claimed that during the meetings in December, when tensions were high due to a Russian build-up of troops on its border with Ukraine, Trump would not have acted as "disrespectfully as Biden and his staff." Trump has frequently been charged with prejudice against the LGBTQ community. Just hours after taking office in January 2017, Trump deleted any references to LGBTQ+ concerns from the official White House website. According to the Human Rights Campaign, Trump has also chosen anti-LGBTQ judges and repealed Obama-era rules that shielded transgender and non-binary workers from workplace discrimination. Andrey Sidorov, a guest on the programme and the deputy dean of foreign politics at Moscow State University, claimed that Trump might cause a "complete internal breakdown" in the United States and undermine a robust political system during the program's broadcast. Additionally, Sidorov told Solovyov that he thought Moscow ought to "if we could" assist Trump in 2024. (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.

Trump is one of our guys, and he has to win the election: Russian State Television

Former US president Donald Trump has said that he has made up his mind about running for president again in 2024 US Presidential Election. In an interview given to New York Magazine, he said that only question in his mind was when to announce his decision.

“I would say my big decision will be whether I go before or after,” he said, in an apparent reference to midterm elections due towards the end of this year. He was quoted by New York Magazine.

Trump's four years at the helm of world's only superpower was tumultuous to say the least. From discussing policy decisions on Twitter to taking America out of some of the most important international accords, he constantly made news.

Trump was impeached twice. He has been at the focus of investigation after deadly US Capitol Hill riots.&nbsp;

However, his hold on the Republican Party appears intact.

Current US President Joe Biden, whose victory over Trump in 2020 was almost perceived as USA coming back on track, has lost face and attracted heavy criticism especially after America's hasty exit from Afghanistan and return of the Taliban. Political experts have been quoted in media as saying that this and other issues surrounding gaffe-prone Biden have created a certain perceived power vacuum that Trump may seek to exploit when he gets chance.

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Former US president Donald Trump has said that he has made up his mind about running for president again in 2024 US Presidential Election. In an interview given to New York Magazine, he said that only question in his mind was when to announce his decision.

Former US president Donald Trump has said that he has made up his mind about running for president again in 2024 US Presidential Election. In an interview given to New York Magazine, he said that only question in his mind was when to announce his decision. “I would say my big decision will be whether I go before or after,” he said, in an apparent reference to midterm elections due towards the end of this year. He was quoted by New York Magazine. Trump's four years at the helm of world's only superpower was tumultuous to say the least. From discussing policy decisions on Twitter to taking America out of some of the most important international accords, he constantly made news. Trump was impeached twice. He has been at the focus of investigation after deadly US Capitol Hill riots. However, his hold on the Republican Party appears intact. Current US President Joe Biden, whose victory over Trump in 2020 was almost perceived as USA coming back on track, has lost face and attracted heavy criticism especially after America's hasty exit from Afghanistan and return of the Taliban. Political experts have been quoted in media as saying that this and other issues surrounding gaffe-prone Biden have created a certain perceived power vacuum that Trump may seek to exploit when he gets chance. You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. WATCH WION LIVE HERE ×

I've made up my mind, says Donald Trump on 2024 presidential run

The House committee probing the 2021 assault on the US Capitol will examine connections between associates of former president Donald Trump and far right-wing extremist groups at its seventh hearing on Tuesday, as reported by AFP. Democratic Representative Zoe Lofgren said, "We are going to be connecting the dots during these hearings between these groups and those who were trying -- in government circles -- to overturn the election."&nbsp;

The lawmaker from California told CNN the session would focus on ties between members of Trump's inner circle and the Proud Boys and the Oath Keepers. Members of the two militia groups stormed the Capitol on January 6, 2021, along with thousands of Trump supporters in a bid to prevent certification of Democrat Joe Biden's election victory.

Jason Van Tatenhove, a former member of the Oath Keepers, is expected to testify at Tuesday's televised hearing, which begins at 1:00 pm (1700 GMT) and is expected to last at least two hours. Five members of the Proud Boys were indicted on seditious conspiracy charges in June in connection with the assault on the Capitol. Eleven members of the Oath Keepers have also been charged with seditious conspiracy and three of them have pleaded guilty.

Also Read:<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/lgbt-community-parade-in-madrid-demanding-end-of-animal-cruelty-496131">&nbsp;In pics: LGBT community parade in Madrid demanding end of animal cruelty</a>

A select committee aide said Tuesday's hearing will focus on a tweet Trump sent on December 19 telling his supporters to come to Washington on January 6 and promising it will be 'wild'. The aide said, "They immediately started answering his call by zeroing in on that date. We'll talk about how that was a pivotal moment that spurred a chain of events." The tweet was sent a little more than an hour after Trump met at the White House with his lawyer Rudy Giuliani, former general Mike Flynn, and Sidney Powell, another attorney.

More than 850 people have been arrested in connection with the storming of Congress by Trump supporters. Still, only those 16 face seditious conspiracy charges, which carry a sentence of up to 20 years in prison. The committee is trying to determine whether Trump or his associates had a role in planning or encouraging the violent attack on Congress, and has subpoenaed numerous advisors and aides to the former president. Excerpts may be played on Tuesday from an eight-hour interview the committee held on Friday with former Trump White House counsel Pat Cipollone.

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The House committee probing the 2021 assault on the US Capitol will examine connections between associates of former president Donald Trump and far right-wing extremist groups at its seventh hearing on Tuesday, as reported by AFP.

The House committee probing the 2021 assault on the US Capitol will examine connections between associates of former president Donald Trump and far right-wing extremist groups at its seventh hearing on Tuesday, as reported by AFP. Democratic Representative Zoe Lofgren said, "We are going to be connecting the dots during these hearings between these groups and those who were trying -- in government circles -- to overturn the election." The lawmaker from California told CNN the session would focus on ties between members of Trump's inner circle and the Proud Boys and the Oath Keepers. Members of the two militia groups stormed the Capitol on January 6, 2021, along with thousands of Trump supporters in a bid to prevent certification of Democrat Joe Biden's election victory. Jason Van Tatenhove, a former member of the Oath Keepers, is expected to testify at Tuesday's televised hearing, which begins at 1:00 pm (1700 GMT) and is expected to last at least two hours. Five members of the Proud Boys were indicted on seditious conspiracy charges in June in connection with the assault on the Capitol. Eleven members of the Oath Keepers have also been charged with seditious conspiracy and three of them have pleaded guilty. Also Read: In pics: LGBT community parade in Madrid demanding end of animal cruelty A select committee aide said Tuesday's hearing will focus on a tweet Trump sent on December 19 telling his supporters to come to Washington on January 6 and promising it will be 'wild'. The aide said, "They immediately started answering his call by zeroing in on that date. We'll talk about how that was a pivotal moment that spurred a chain of events." The tweet was sent a little more than an hour after Trump met at the White House with his lawyer Rudy Giuliani, former general Mike Flynn, and Sidney Powell, another attorney. More than 850 people have been arrested in connection with the storming of Congress by Trump supporters. Still, only those 16 face seditious conspiracy charges, which carry a sentence of up to 20 years in prison. The committee is trying to determine whether Trump or his associates had a role in planning or encouraging the violent attack on Congress, and has subpoenaed numerous advisors and aides to the former president. Excerpts may be played on Tuesday from an eight-hour interview the committee held on Friday with former Trump White House counsel Pat Cipollone. (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.

US House committee to focus on Trump, Proud Boys and Oath Keepers at Capitol riot hearing

US state lawmakers and poll workers described Tuesday how their lives had been upended by threats of violence as Donald Trump singled them out in his bid to overturn the 2020 US election.

Trump was personally involved in an intense campaign of pressure on officials in key swing states he had lost to Joe Biden, the fourth congressional hearing into the former president's bid to cling to power after his defeat was told.

Members of the committee probing the January 2021 assault on the US Capitol that followed the election have spent much of June setting out their initial findings that Trump led a multi-pronged conspiracy to overturn the results, culminating in the insurrection in Washington.

On Tuesday they heard from poll worker Shaye Moss, who was falsely accused by Trump and his lawyer Rudy Giuliani alongside her mother Ruby Freeman of "rigging" the election count in Georgia with "suitcases" full of ballots for Biden.&nbsp;

Moss, who is Black, described people making "hateful" and "racist" threats of violence following the baseless accusations, including one message saying: "Be glad it's 2020 and not 1920."

"This turned my life upside down. I no longer give out my business card, I don't transfer calls," Moss testified.

"I don't want anyone knowing my name... I don't go to the grocery store. Haven't been anywhere at all."

Freeman said in her deposition she had lost her good name and sense of security because "number 45 and his ally Rudy Giuliani decided to scapegoat me and my daughter Shaye, to push their own lies about how the presidential election was stolen."

The mother and daughter were among poll workers or election officials in several states who found themselves pressured to thwart the will of millions of voters based on bogus claims of fraud, the panel said.

Rusty Bowers, speaker of the Arizona House of Representatives, testified that he asked Giuliani "on multiple occasions" for evidence of his stolen election claims.

He told committee members Giuliani said "we've got lots of theories, we just don't have the evidence."

Trump issued a statement, read out during the hearing, attempting to discredit Bowers, calling him a "RINO" -- Republican In Name Only -- and claiming that the lawmaker had told Trump the election was rigged and that Trump had in fact won Arizona. 
Bowers said both claims were false.

'Part of the playbook'

Committee chairman Bennie Thompson had started the hearing by asserting that Trump "pressuring public servants into betraying (their) oath was a fundamental part of the playbook."

Liz Cheney, the committee's vice chair, said Trump was aware that his false claims of fraud could lead to violence, but he assumed a "direct and personal role" in the disinformation campaign anyway.

US presidents are not elected directly by citizens, but chosen by "electors" named to a body called the electoral college by the party that wins the presidential vote in each state.

The committee says a key plank of the plot to subvert the 2020 election was getting pro-Trump Republicans in swing states won by Biden to submit official-looking but fake certificates claiming they were the legitimate electors.

The committee says Trump pressed his vice president Mike Pence to accept these "fake electors" when he was overseeing certification of Biden's victory on January 6, 2021.&nbsp;

Pence ultimately refused to recognize the pro-Trump slates and the president's supporters rioted for hours at the Capitol in unprecedented scenes of brutality that led to at least five deaths.

Sexualized threats

At one point after the election, Trump personally called Republican National Committee chairwoman Ronna McDaniel to get involved in his pressure campaign, according to videotaped testimony by McDaniel.

Trump put on his lawyer John Eastman, McDaniel said, "to talk about the importance of the RNC helping the campaign gather these contingent electors."

The exchange is crucial because the committee has promised to provide evidence of a direct link between Trump and the scheme to put forward the false electors.

In-person witnesses included Georgia secretary of state Brad Raffensperger, whom Trump pushed to "find" enough votes to overcome Biden's lead in the battleground state in a phone call that is the subject of a state-level criminal probe.

Raffensperger revealed that 28,000 Republicans voted down-ballot in Georgia in 2020 but skipped the presidential race, which Biden won by just 12,000 votes. 
The official described being inundated with vile messages and said his wife began receiving "sexualized" threats after Trump made them briefly infamous among his supporters.&nbsp;

He also described a break-in at his widowed daughter-in-law's home sparked by the election fraud claims.

"Moments require you to stand up and take the shots, and do your job, which is what we did," he told the hearing.

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US state lawmakers and poll workers described Tuesday how their lives had been upended by threats of violence as Donald Trump singled them out in his bid to overturn the 2020 US election.

US state lawmakers and poll workers described Tuesday how their lives had been upended by threats of violence as Donald Trump singled them out in his bid to overturn the 2020 US election. Trump was personally involved in an intense campaign of pressure on officials in key swing states he had lost to Joe Biden, the fourth congressional hearing into the former president's bid to cling to power after his defeat was told. Members of the committee probing the January 2021 assault on the US Capitol that followed the election have spent much of June setting out their initial findings that Trump led a multi-pronged conspiracy to overturn the results, culminating in the insurrection in Washington. On Tuesday they heard from poll worker Shaye Moss, who was falsely accused by Trump and his lawyer Rudy Giuliani alongside her mother Ruby Freeman of "rigging" the election count in Georgia with "suitcases" full of ballots for Biden. Moss, who is Black, described people making "hateful" and "racist" threats of violence following the baseless accusations, including one message saying: "Be glad it's 2020 and not 1920." "This turned my life upside down. I no longer give out my business card, I don't transfer calls," Moss testified. "I don't want anyone knowing my name... I don't go to the grocery store. Haven't been anywhere at all." Freeman said in her deposition she had lost her good name and sense of security because "number 45 and his ally Rudy Giuliani decided to scapegoat me and my daughter Shaye, to push their own lies about how the presidential election was stolen." The mother and daughter were among poll workers or election officials in several states who found themselves pressured to thwart the will of millions of voters based on bogus claims of fraud, the panel said. Rusty Bowers, speaker of the Arizona House of Representatives, testified that he asked Giuliani "on multiple occasions" for evidence of his stolen election claims. He told committee members Giuliani said "we've got lots of theories, we just don't have the evidence." Trump issued a statement, read out during the hearing, attempting to discredit Bowers, calling him a "RINO" -- Republican In Name Only -- and claiming that the lawmaker had told Trump the election was rigged and that Trump had in fact won Arizona. Bowers said both claims were false. 'Part of the playbook' Committee chairman Bennie Thompson had started the hearing by asserting that Trump "pressuring public servants into betraying (their) oath was a fundamental part of the playbook." Liz Cheney, the committee's vice chair, said Trump was aware that his false claims of fraud could lead to violence, but he assumed a "direct and personal role" in the disinformation campaign anyway. US presidents are not elected directly by citizens, but chosen by "electors" named to a body called the electoral college by the party that wins the presidential vote in each state. The committee says a key plank of the plot to subvert the 2020 election was getting pro-Trump Republicans in swing states won by Biden to submit official-looking but fake certificates claiming they were the legitimate electors. The committee says Trump pressed his vice president Mike Pence to accept these "fake electors" when he was overseeing certification of Biden's victory on January 6, 2021. Pence ultimately refused to recognize the pro-Trump slates and the president's supporters rioted for hours at the Capitol in unprecedented scenes of brutality that led to at least five deaths. Sexualized threats At one point after the election, Trump personally called Republican National Committee chairwoman Ronna McDaniel to get involved in his pressure campaign, according to videotaped testimony by McDaniel. Trump put on his lawyer John Eastman, McDaniel said, "to talk about the importance of the RNC helping the campaign gather these contingent electors." The exchange is crucial because the committee has promised to provide evidence of a direct link between Trump and the scheme to put forward the false electors. In-person witnesses included Georgia secretary of state Brad Raffensperger, whom Trump pushed to "find" enough votes to overcome Biden's lead in the battleground state in a phone call that is the subject of a state-level criminal probe. Raffensperger revealed that 28,000 Republicans voted down-ballot in Georgia in 2020 but skipped the presidential race, which Biden won by just 12,000 votes. The official described being inundated with vile messages and said his wife began receiving "sexualized" threats after Trump made them briefly infamous among his supporters. He also described a break-in at his widowed daughter-in-law's home sparked by the election fraud claims. "Moments require you to stand up and take the shots, and do your job, which is what we did," he told the hearing. You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. WATCH WION LIVE HERE ×

Trump pressure to flip election 'upended' lives, hearing told

Turkey rebuffed international pressure to curb its <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/strategically-brilliant-trump-defends-syria-pullout-condemned-by-house-in-bipartisan-vote-256357">deadly offensive against Kurdish forces</a> in Syria on Wednesday as US President Donald Trump dispatched his deputy Mike Pence to Ankara to demand a ceasefire.

But President Recep Tayyip Erdogan vowed that Turkey's operation -- which has been facilitated by the withdrawal of US troops from northern Syria -- would continue.

On another front, Kurdish forces struck a desperate deal with Damascus and stepped aside to allow Syrian regime troops and allied Russian soldiers enter the border town of Kobane on Wednesday, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

Kobane is a highly symbolic town for Syria's Kurds, whose forces had in 2015 wrested the town from Islamic State (IS) group control in an epic battle backed by the US-led coalition.

Days after US troops abruptly began withdrawing, clashes continued across the region on Thursday, with Kurdish fighters in the border town of Ras al-Ain burning tyres in a bid to blind Ankara's warplanes and digging in against a ground offensive by Turkish-backed Syrian rebels.

Watch: China's game-plan in Syria

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The Turkish operation, now in its second week, has triggered a flurry of diplomacy among major powers.

Trump sent Pence along with his top diplomat Mike Pompeo to Turkey amid the greatest crisis in relations for decades between the NATO allies, with talks due in Ankara early Thursday.&nbsp;

Facing a barrage of criticism in Washington for abandoning the Kurds, Trump has slapped sanctions on three Turkish ministers and raised tariffs on its steel industry.

Pence's office said the US would pursue "punishing economic sanctions" unless there was "an immediate ceasefire".

"Don't be a fool," Trump warned Erdogan in an extraordinary letter sent the day Turkey launched its incursion into northeastern Syria -- warning history risked branding him a "devil."

In language shorn of diplomatic niceties Trump began the letter, dated October 9, with an outright threat.

"You don't want to be responsible for slaughtering thousands of people, and I don't want to be responsible for destroying the Turkish economy -- and I will." he wrote in the missive, whose authenticity was confirmed to AFP by the White House.

But Erdogan told the Turkish parliament that the only way to solve Syria's problems was for the Kurdish forces to "lay down their arms... destroy all their traps and get out of the safe zone that we have designated."

Trump says Kurds 'protected'

Trump again dismissed the idea that pulling out 1,000 troops -- practically the entire US contingent in the region -- had been a betrayal of Kurdish militants who bore the brunt of the fight against IS in recent years.&nbsp;

"The Kurds are very well protected," Trump told reporters at the White House. "By the way, they are not angels."

Trump also said he believed the Kurdish PKK are "more dangerous of a terrorist threat" than IS, echoing Erdogan's rhetoric.

Ankara says Syria's main Kurdish force, the People's Protection Units (YPG), is a "terrorist" offshoot of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), which has waged a bloody insurgency inside Turkey since 1984.

Moscow has stepped into the void left by the US withdrawal, deploying patrols to prevent clashes between Syrian and Turkish forces.

The Kremlin and the Turkish presidency said Erdogan would meet his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin in the coming days, as both sides seek to prevent a war between Turkey and Syria.

The Turkish government can count on widespread support for its operation at home, where a decades-long bloody insurgency by Kurdish militants has killed tens of thousands of people.

But Western powers fear it will endanger the battle against IS. Thousands of IS prisoners are held in Kurdish-run camps in the region.

Europe has taken an increasingly tough line with Turkey and several countries, including Britain, France and Germany, have imposed arms embargoes on Turkey over the operation.&nbsp;

Jihadist fears

The UN Security Council warned in a unanimously adopted statement of a risk of "dispersion" of jihadist prisoners but stopped short of calling for an end to Turkey's offensive.

The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces said Wednesday it was "freezing" operations against IS.

The force's head Mazloum Abdi told Kurdish television channel Ronahi it would make do with "defensive" operations against the group, which maintains sleeper cells and a presence in Syria's vast desert despite its territorial defeat.

Since launching their assault on October 9, Turkey and its Syrian rebel proxies have secured more than 100 kilometres (60 miles) of the border, but Ras al-Ain has held out.

Erdogan wants to create a buffer zone stretching 30 kilometres from the border into Syrian territory.

He wants to destroy Kurdish hopes of an autonomous enclave that could serve as a launchpad for attacks in Turkey, and to resettle some of the 3.6 million Syrian refugees Ankara is hosting.

The offensive has left dozens of civilians dead, mostly on the Kurdish side, and displaced at least 160,000 people.

Hundreds of Syrian Kurds entered neighbouring Iraqi's Kurdish autonomous region Wednesday, mostly women and children.

Turkey rebuffed international pressure to curb its deadly offensive against Kurdish forces in Syria on Wednesday as US President Donald Trump dispatched his deputy Mike Pence to Ankara to demand a ceasefire.

Turkey rebuffed international pressure to curb its deadly offensive against Kurdish forces in Syria on Wednesday as US President Donald Trump dispatched his deputy Mike Pence to Ankara to demand a ceasefire. But President Recep Tayyip Erdogan vowed that Turkey's operation -- which has been facilitated by the withdrawal of US troops from northern Syria -- would continue. On another front, Kurdish forces struck a desperate deal with Damascus and stepped aside to allow Syrian regime troops and allied Russian soldiers enter the border town of Kobane on Wednesday, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. Kobane is a highly symbolic town for Syria's Kurds, whose forces had in 2015 wrested the town from Islamic State (IS) group control in an epic battle backed by the US-led coalition. Days after US troops abruptly began withdrawing, clashes continued across the region on Thursday, with Kurdish fighters in the border town of Ras al-Ain burning tyres in a bid to blind Ankara's warplanes and digging in against a ground offensive by Turkish-backed Syrian rebels. Watch: China's game-plan in Syria × The Turkish operation, now in its second week, has triggered a flurry of diplomacy among major powers. Trump sent Pence along with his top diplomat Mike Pompeo to Turkey amid the greatest crisis in relations for decades between the NATO allies, with talks due in Ankara early Thursday. Facing a barrage of criticism in Washington for abandoning the Kurds, Trump has slapped sanctions on three Turkish ministers and raised tariffs on its steel industry. Pence's office said the US would pursue "punishing economic sanctions" unless there was "an immediate ceasefire". "Don't be a fool," Trump warned Erdogan in an extraordinary letter sent the day Turkey launched its incursion into northeastern Syria -- warning history risked branding him a "devil." In language shorn of diplomatic niceties Trump began the letter, dated October 9, with an outright threat. "You don't want to be responsible for slaughtering thousands of people, and I don't want to be responsible for destroying the Turkish economy -- and I will." he wrote in the missive, whose authenticity was confirmed to AFP by the White House. But Erdogan told the Turkish parliament that the only way to solve Syria's problems was for the Kurdish forces to "lay down their arms... destroy all their traps and get out of the safe zone that we have designated." Trump says Kurds 'protected' Trump again dismissed the idea that pulling out 1,000 troops -- practically the entire US contingent in the region -- had been a betrayal of Kurdish militants who bore the brunt of the fight against IS in recent years. "The Kurds are very well protected," Trump told reporters at the White House. "By the way, they are not angels." Trump also said he believed the Kurdish PKK are "more dangerous of a terrorist threat" than IS, echoing Erdogan's rhetoric. Ankara says Syria's main Kurdish force, the People's Protection Units (YPG), is a "terrorist" offshoot of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), which has waged a bloody insurgency inside Turkey since 1984. Moscow has stepped into the void left by the US withdrawal, deploying patrols to prevent clashes between Syrian and Turkish forces. The Kremlin and the Turkish presidency said Erdogan would meet his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin in the coming days, as both sides seek to prevent a war between Turkey and Syria. The Turkish government can count on widespread support for its operation at home, where a decades-long bloody insurgency by Kurdish militants has killed tens of thousands of people. But Western powers fear it will endanger the battle against IS. Thousands of IS prisoners are held in Kurdish-run camps in the region. Europe has taken an increasingly tough line with Turkey and several countries, including Britain, France and Germany, have imposed arms embargoes on Turkey over the operation. Jihadist fears The UN Security Council warned in a unanimously adopted statement of a risk of "dispersion" of jihadist prisoners but stopped short of calling for an end to Turkey's offensive. The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces said Wednesday it was "freezing" operations against IS. The force's head Mazloum Abdi told Kurdish television channel Ronahi it would make do with "defensive" operations against the group, which maintains sleeper cells and a presence in Syria's vast desert despite its territorial defeat. Since launching their assault on October 9, Turkey and its Syrian rebel proxies have secured more than 100 kilometres (60 miles) of the border, but Ras al-Ain has held out. Erdogan wants to create a buffer zone stretching 30 kilometres from the border into Syrian territory. He wants to destroy Kurdish hopes of an autonomous enclave that could serve as a launchpad for attacks in Turkey, and to resettle some of the 3.6 million Syrian refugees Ankara is hosting. The offensive has left dozens of civilians dead, mostly on the Kurdish side, and displaced at least 160,000 people. Hundreds of Syrian Kurds entered neighbouring Iraqi's Kurdish autonomous region Wednesday, mostly women and children.

YouTube pulls video posted by US Capitol riot probe

Former US president Donald Trump has failed to convince New York's highest court to halt deposition in a state investigation into his family's real estate business. This means that Trump will have to testify next month.

In a brief order, the state Court of Appeals dismissed the appeal because "no substantial constitutional question is directly involved."

Donald Trump, Donald Trump Jr. and Ivanka Trump are scheduled to testify under oath starting on July 15, and continuing the following week, in state Attorney General Letitia James three-year-old civil probe.

No immediate comments from Trump's and James' office were forthcoming, said Reuters.

Attorey Geneal James is investigating whether Trump Organization misled lenders and tax authorities, by inflating real estate values to get better loan terms and lowering those values to save on taxes.

Trumps argued before the court that testifying would result in violation of their constitutional rights. They said that their words could be used against them in a related criminal investigation led by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg.

They had agreed to testify so long as the Court of Appeals did not issue a stay.

Trump, a Republican, has repeatedly denied wrongdoing. He has also called James' probe a politically motivated witch hunt, and James a racist. James is a Democrat, and is Black.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

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Former US president Donald Trump has failed to convince New York's highest court to halt deposition in a state investigation into his family's real estate business.

Former US president Donald Trump has failed to convince New York's highest court to halt deposition in a state investigation into his family's real estate business. This means that Trump will have to testify next month. In a brief order, the state Court of Appeals dismissed the appeal because "no substantial constitutional question is directly involved." Donald Trump, Donald Trump Jr. and Ivanka Trump are scheduled to testify under oath starting on July 15, and continuing the following week, in state Attorney General Letitia James three-year-old civil probe. No immediate comments from Trump's and James' office were forthcoming, said Reuters. Attorey Geneal James is investigating whether Trump Organization misled lenders and tax authorities, by inflating real estate values to get better loan terms and lowering those values to save on taxes. Trumps argued before the court that testifying would result in violation of their constitutional rights. They said that their words could be used against them in a related criminal investigation led by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg. They had agreed to testify so long as the Court of Appeals did not issue a stay. Trump, a Republican, has repeatedly denied wrongdoing. He has also called James' probe a politically motivated witch hunt, and James a racist. James is a Democrat, and is Black. (With inputs from agencies) You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. WATCH WION LIVE HERE ×

Trump will have to testify in New York probe, efforts to avoid fail

The then United States President Donald Trump reportedly approved to ‘hang Mike Pence’ chants by rioters, expressing support for hanging his Vice President during the US Capitol Hill riots on January 6, 2021.

The New York Times reported, that two witnesses have confirmed to the House Committee investigating the Capitol Hill Riots that Mark Meadows, then Trump’s chief of staff, heard Trump “saying something to the effect of, maybe Mr Pence should be hung”. Cassidy Hutchinson, a former aide to Mr Meadows, and one more witness are said to have confirmed his statement.

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The January 6th Committee has an inside witness that Trump floated the idea of having Mike Pence hanged, per the NY Times. It took the committee a long time to crack Trump’s inner circle. But now it’s exposed Trump’s actions as a sedition, domestic terrorism, and murder plot.
— Palmer Report (@PalmerReport) <a href="https://twitter.com/PalmerReport/status/1529540484493877252?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 25, 2022</a></blockquote>
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On January 6, 2021, a mob in support of Trump took over the Capitol Building in Washington D.C. disrupting a joint Congress session assembled to count electoral votes that would formalise Joe Biden’s victory in the Presidential elections. The mob intended to overturn Trump’s defeat in the 2020 US Presidential elections.

A gibbet was set up outside the Capitol building by the rioters. The angry mob wanted to hang Pence because of Trump advisors’ efforts to pursue him to reject electoral college results, but he did not concede.

After Pence said that he did not believe he had the authority to reject electoral college votes, Trump tweeted that "Mike Pence didn't have the courage to do what should have been done to protect our country and our Constitution, giving States a chance to certify a corrected set of facts, not the fraudulent or inaccurate ones which they were asked to previously certify. The USA demands the truth!"

Both Pence and Trump are planning to run as the Republican Presidential candidate in the 2024 US Presidential elections.&nbsp;

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The then United States President Donald Trump reportedly approved to ‘hang Mike Pence’ chants by rioters, expressing support for hanging his Vice President during the US Capitol Hill riots on January 6, 2021.

The then United States President Donald Trump reportedly approved to ‘hang Mike Pence’ chants by rioters, expressing support for hanging his Vice President during the US Capitol Hill riots on January 6, 2021. The New York Times reported, that two witnesses have confirmed to the House Committee investigating the Capitol Hill Riots that Mark Meadows, then Trump’s chief of staff, heard Trump “saying something to the effect of, maybe Mr Pence should be hung”. Cassidy Hutchinson, a former aide to Mr Meadows, and one more witness are said to have confirmed his statement. The January 6th Committee has an inside witness that Trump floated the idea of having Mike Pence hanged, per the NY Times. It took the committee a long time to crack Trump’s inner circle. But now it’s exposed Trump’s actions as a sedition, domestic terrorism, and murder plot. — Palmer Report (@PalmerReport) May 25, 2022 × On January 6, 2021, a mob in support of Trump took over the Capitol Building in Washington D.C. disrupting a joint Congress session assembled to count electoral votes that would formalise Joe Biden’s victory in the Presidential elections. The mob intended to overturn Trump’s defeat in the 2020 US Presidential elections. A gibbet was set up outside the Capitol building by the rioters. The angry mob wanted to hang Pence because of Trump advisors’ efforts to pursue him to reject electoral college results, but he did not concede. After Pence said that he did not believe he had the authority to reject electoral college votes, Trump tweeted that "Mike Pence didn't have the courage to do what should have been done to protect our country and our Constitution, giving States a chance to certify a corrected set of facts, not the fraudulent or inaccurate ones which they were asked to previously certify. The USA demands the truth!" Both Pence and Trump are planning to run as the Republican Presidential candidate in the 2024 US Presidential elections. 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.

Witnesses testify Trump approved 'hang Mike Pence' slogans by US Capitol Hill Rioters

Russia has released an updated list of notable US names who are banned from entering the country, reported CNN. US President Joe Biden has been included. Some other names include US Vice President Kamala Harris, Facebook Mark Zuckerberg and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

Interestingly former US president Donald Trump has not been included in this list, said CNBC. While in office, Trump was viewed to be leaning towards Russian President Vladimir Putin. Trump has in past even gone against his own intelligence's opinion to publicly praise Putin.

The list is largely being viewed as a symbolic step taken by Russia to retaliate against Western sanctions. With new updates, the list now includes 963 Americans who are permanently banned from entering Russia.

World at War: Russia captures Mariupol, the biggest battlefield of the Ukraine war

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The US has led the charge to impose sanctions on Russia in the wake of Ukraine invasion. The crippling sanctions have made situation difficult for Russian economy but there are few signs, if any, that the sanctions are proving to be a deterrent against further military action in Ukraine.

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/biden-approves-40-billion-in-aid-for-ukraine-armoured-vehicles-air-defences-in-package-481055">Biden approves $40 billion in aid for Ukraine: Armoured vehicles &amp; air defences in package</a>

The updated list has majority of US Senators and members of the House of Representatives. It also mentions current and former government officials, journalists and more.

Even Senator John McCain who died in 2018, has been included in the list.

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Russia has released an updated list of notable US names who are banned from entering the country, reported CNN. US President Joe Biden has been included. Some other names include US Vice President Kamala Harris, Facebook Mark Zuckerberg and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

Russia has released an updated list of notable US names who are banned from entering the country, reported CNN. US President Joe Biden has been included. Some other names include US Vice President Kamala Harris, Facebook Mark Zuckerberg and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. Interestingly former US president Donald Trump has not been included in this list, said CNBC. While in office, Trump was viewed to be leaning towards Russian President Vladimir Putin. Trump has in past even gone against his own intelligence's opinion to publicly praise Putin. The list is largely being viewed as a symbolic step taken by Russia to retaliate against Western sanctions. With new updates, the list now includes 963 Americans who are permanently banned from entering Russia. World at War: Russia captures Mariupol, the biggest battlefield of the Ukraine war × The US has led the charge to impose sanctions on Russia in the wake of Ukraine invasion. The crippling sanctions have made situation difficult for Russian economy but there are few signs, if any, that the sanctions are proving to be a deterrent against further military action in Ukraine. Also Read | Biden approves $40 billion in aid for Ukraine: Armoured vehicles & air defences in package The updated list has majority of US Senators and members of the House of Representatives. It also mentions current and former government officials, journalists and more. Even Senator John McCain who died in 2018, has been included in the list. WATCH WION LIVE HERE ×

Biden permanently banned from entering Russia, Trump isn't

Former US President Donald Trump regularly asked White House national security officials if China possessed a "hurricane gun" that could fire damaging man-made storms at the US, according to Rolling Stone magazine.

According to three unnamed former officials, the one-term president asked to know if such a weapon constituted an act of war and whether his military could react against the nuclear power.

"It was almost too stupid for words," one source told the magazine, which said that the person was "intimately familiar" with Trump’s questioning.

"I did not get the sense he was joking at all," the source added.

While in the White House, Trump seemed to have a strong personal interest in storms, suggesting that the military should bomb hurricanes before they hit land.

Watch | Former US President Donald Trump's supporters accused of intimidation in the 2020 elections

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According to Axios, in 2019, the then-president inquired about the storms' threat to the US mainland with national security and homeland security agencies.

In the Oval Office, Trump discussed Hurricane Dorian and stood alongside a National Hurricane Center map that seemed to have been tampered with using a black pen.

In an apparent attempt to back up a false assertion made by Trump earlier, the image was changed to show the hurricane's route striking Alabama.

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Former US President Donald Trump regularly asked White House national security officials if China possessed a "hurricane gun" that could fire damaging man-made storms at the US, according to Rolling Stone magazine.

Former US President Donald Trump regularly asked White House national security officials if China possessed a "hurricane gun" that could fire damaging man-made storms at the US, according to Rolling Stone magazine. According to three unnamed former officials, the one-term president asked to know if such a weapon constituted an act of war and whether his military could react against the nuclear power. "It was almost too stupid for words," one source told the magazine, which said that the person was "intimately familiar" with Trump’s questioning. "I did not get the sense he was joking at all," the source added. While in the White House, Trump seemed to have a strong personal interest in storms, suggesting that the military should bomb hurricanes before they hit land. Watch | Former US President Donald Trump's supporters accused of intimidation in the 2020 elections According to Axios, in 2019, the then-president inquired about the storms' threat to the US mainland with national security and homeland security agencies. In the Oval Office, Trump discussed Hurricane Dorian and stood alongside a National Hurricane Center map that seemed to have been tampered with using a black pen. In an apparent attempt to back up a false assertion made by Trump earlier, the image was changed to show the hurricane's route striking Alabama. WATCH WION LIVE HERE

Is China shooting us with a 'Hurricane Gun'? Trump repeatedly asked

The New York Times reported on Thursday that former President Donald Trump discussed secretly conducting a missile assault on Mexico in 2020 with Defense Secretary Mark Esper to "destroy the drug labs."

According to Esper's upcoming memoir, A Sacred Oath, Trump, who was enraged by drug trafficking across the US-Mexico border, asked at least twice about "quietly" firing Patriot missiles into Mexico and then claiming credit.

According to reports, Esper was afraid that Trump might use the military to help him win, and he urged others in the Pentagon to be on the lookout for "strange" directives from the White House.

This book isn’t the first time Esper has talked about Trump’s plans to take on the drug cartels.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/cant-you-just-shoot-them-new-book-makes-explosive-claim-about-donald-trumps-handling-of-protests-475980">Also read | 'Can't you just shoot them': New book makes explosive claim about Donald Trump's handling of protests</a>

Last year, he told the New York Times that Trump had to be persuaded out of invading Mexico in a rash plan to stop the flow of drugs at the source.

Trump has also recommended murdering migrants attempting to enter the United States through the Mexican border.

According to Axios, Trump had proposed&nbsp;that Black Lives Matter protesters demonstrating outside the White House in the summer of 2020 should also be shot, according to Esper.

According to Axios in 2019, Trump regularly discussed using nuclear weapons to avoid hurricanes in discussions with national security officials. Officials respectfully dismissed Trump's offer to "nuke" the storms to prevent them from making landfall in the United States, according to Axios.

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Decode the geostrategy, diplomacy, and ideologies of the world’s unending wars. Catch our special series ‘World at War’ every Saturday at 8:30 PM IST and Sunday at 10:30 PM IST only on WION.

The New York Times reported on Thursday that former President Donald Trump discussed secretly conducting a missile assault on Mexico in 2020 with Defense Secretary Mark Esper to "destroy the drug labs.

The New York Times reported on Thursday that former President Donald Trump discussed secretly conducting a missile assault on Mexico in 2020 with Defense Secretary Mark Esper to "destroy the drug labs." According to Esper's upcoming memoir, A Sacred Oath, Trump, who was enraged by drug trafficking across the US-Mexico border, asked at least twice about "quietly" firing Patriot missiles into Mexico and then claiming credit. According to reports, Esper was afraid that Trump might use the military to help him win, and he urged others in the Pentagon to be on the lookout for "strange" directives from the White House. This book isn’t the first time Esper has talked about Trump’s plans to take on the drug cartels. Also read | 'Can't you just shoot them': New book makes explosive claim about Donald Trump's handling of protests Last year, he told the New York Times that Trump had to be persuaded out of invading Mexico in a rash plan to stop the flow of drugs at the source. Trump has also recommended murdering migrants attempting to enter the United States through the Mexican border. According to Axios, Trump had proposed that Black Lives Matter protesters demonstrating outside the White House in the summer of 2020 should also be shot, according to Esper. According to Axios in 2019, Trump regularly discussed using nuclear weapons to avoid hurricanes in discussions with national security officials. Officials respectfully dismissed Trump's offer to "nuke" the storms to prevent them from making landfall in the United States, according to Axios. WATCH WION LIVE HERE Decode the geostrategy, diplomacy, and ideologies of the world’s unending wars. Catch our special series ‘World at War’ every Saturday at 8:30 PM IST and Sunday at 10:30 PM IST only on WION.

Trump wanted to secretly launch missiles on Mexico drug lords, labs: Ex-defence secretary

Former President Donald Trump requested that his $10,000-per-day contempt of court penalties be suspended, stating in an interview that the judge in the case is "unfair", according to a Bloomberg report.

"We have a judge who has been unbelievably harsh," Trump remarked over the phone on Monday, a week after state court Judge Arthur Engoron declared that Trump broke a court order by missing a March 31 deadline to reply to the state's document demand.

"We’ve given millions and millions of pages and he says give more, give more, always give more," Trump said.

Alina Habba, Trump's lawyer, requested a New York appellate court to put the fine on hold, saying it was "patently illegal and unconstitutional by law."&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/tough-luck-us-judge-quashes-donald-trumps-request-to-end-contempt-of-court-ruling-upholds-hefty-fine-475223">Also read | Tough luck: US judge quashes Donald Trump’s request to end contempt of court ruling, upholds hefty fine</a> 
 
She maintains that her client's personal records are not responsive to the subpoena.

The arguments were filed a week after Manhattan State Supreme Court Judge Arthur Engoron ruled that Trump and his attorneys had failed to show that they conducted a proper search for records sought by New York Attorney General Letitia James, a Democrat, in a civil investigation into his business dealings.

After failing to deliver any papers by the March 31 date set by the subpoena, James sought the court to punish Trump for contempt.&nbsp;

Watch | Gravitas: Meet France's Donald Trump who is running for President

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She has said that her investigation has discovered evidence that Trump may have misrepresented the worth of properties like skyscrapers and golf courses on financial documents for more than a decade.

Trump, a Republican, has been battling James in court over her probe, which he has termed a "witch hunt" because it is politically motivated.

Habba told Engoron a week ago that she visited with Trump to make sure he didn't have any records, which he didn't. She presented further documents outlining the document search on Friday, including an affidavit in which Trump said he didn't have any paperwork. Engoron criticised the affidavit for its lack of specificity.

Habba said in his written submissions to the state's appellate division on Monday that the daily fine "is not only unjustified, but also clearly unlawful and illegal by law."

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Former President Donald Trump requested that his $10,000-per-day contempt of court penalties be suspended, stating in an interview that the judge in the case is "unfair", according to a Bloomberg report.

Former President Donald Trump requested that his $10,000-per-day contempt of court penalties be suspended, stating in an interview that the judge in the case is "unfair", according to a Bloomberg report. "We have a judge who has been unbelievably harsh," Trump remarked over the phone on Monday, a week after state court Judge Arthur Engoron declared that Trump broke a court order by missing a March 31 deadline to reply to the state's document demand. "We’ve given millions and millions of pages and he says give more, give more, always give more," Trump said. Alina Habba, Trump's lawyer, requested a New York appellate court to put the fine on hold, saying it was "patently illegal and unconstitutional by law." Also read | Tough luck: US judge quashes Donald Trump’s request to end contempt of court ruling, upholds hefty fine She maintains that her client's personal records are not responsive to the subpoena. The arguments were filed a week after Manhattan State Supreme Court Judge Arthur Engoron ruled that Trump and his attorneys had failed to show that they conducted a proper search for records sought by New York Attorney General Letitia James, a Democrat, in a civil investigation into his business dealings. After failing to deliver any papers by the March 31 date set by the subpoena, James sought the court to punish Trump for contempt. Watch | Gravitas: Meet France's Donald Trump who is running for President She has said that her investigation has discovered evidence that Trump may have misrepresented the worth of properties like skyscrapers and golf courses on financial documents for more than a decade. Trump, a Republican, has been battling James in court over her probe, which he has termed a "witch hunt" because it is politically motivated. Habba told Engoron a week ago that she visited with Trump to make sure he didn't have any records, which he didn't. She presented further documents outlining the document search on Friday, including an affidavit in which Trump said he didn't have any paperwork. Engoron criticised the affidavit for its lack of specificity. Habba said in his written submissions to the state's appellate division on Monday that the daily fine "is not only unjustified, but also clearly unlawful and illegal by law." WATCH WION LIVE HERE

$10,000-a-day fine for contempt of court: Trump says judge in the case is 'unfair'

A brag about rioting to an Uber driver has led to arrest of a Capitol rioter by FBI in the US. Capitol Hill riots on January 6, 2021 were perpetrated by supporters of US President Donald Trump. Jerry Braun, one of the rioters, took an Uber to go home after the violence on the day. He had an eye-injury caused due to the scuffles during the rioting.

The driver noticed the injury and asked about it and the general mayhem on Capitol Hill.

“Well it started around, right when I got there. I tore down the barricades,” Braun bragged.

The conversation was recorded on the camera the taxi driver had installed inside the vehicle. The driver asked Braun why he tore down the barricades.

“Well, because, so we could get to the Capitol,” Braun replied.

“Well, how’d that work out for ya?” asked the driver

“Well, it looks like, uh, Biden’s gonna be our president,” said Braun. The conversation from the recording was reported by The Guardian.

The recording and tip-off from the Uber driver sent the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) on a 15-month investigation.

Braun got off the vehicle at Holiday Inn in Arlington, Virginia. Authorities found that he had checked in on January 5 and checked out after two days. Authorities got his phone number and address from the inn. Braun was from South El Monte, California.

Just getting Braun's whereabouts may not have been fully enough to build a watertight case against him. Guardian reported that to ascertain whether he really was Jerry Braun, FBI compared his images from the Uber taxi to those with California state authorities. It was a match.

Investigators then started to sift through the footage of the Capitol Hill riots. They found Braun scuffling with people, even raising a wooden plank againsy a security official. He also appeared to assault a person who was wearing a helmet with letters 'Press' on it.

Braun was arrested earlier this month on April 12.

A brag about rioting to an Uber driver has led to arrest of a Capitol rioter by FBI in the US. Capitol Hill riots on January 6, 2021 were perpetrated by supporters of US President Donald Trump.

A brag about rioting to an Uber driver has led to arrest of a Capitol rioter by FBI in the US. Capitol Hill riots on January 6, 2021 were perpetrated by supporters of US President Donald Trump. Jerry Braun, one of the rioters, took an Uber to go home after the violence on the day. He had an eye-injury caused due to the scuffles during the rioting. The driver noticed the injury and asked about it and the general mayhem on Capitol Hill. “Well it started around, right when I got there. I tore down the barricades,” Braun bragged. The conversation was recorded on the camera the taxi driver had installed inside the vehicle. The driver asked Braun why he tore down the barricades. “Well, because, so we could get to the Capitol,” Braun replied. “Well, how’d that work out for ya?” asked the driver “Well, it looks like, uh, Biden’s gonna be our president,” said Braun. The conversation from the recording was reported by The Guardian. The recording and tip-off from the Uber driver sent the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) on a 15-month investigation. Braun got off the vehicle at Holiday Inn in Arlington, Virginia. Authorities found that he had checked in on January 5 and checked out after two days. Authorities got his phone number and address from the inn. Braun was from South El Monte, California. Just getting Braun's whereabouts may not have been fully enough to build a watertight case against him. Guardian reported that to ascertain whether he really was Jerry Braun, FBI compared his images from the Uber taxi to those with California state authorities. It was a match. Investigators then started to sift through the footage of the Capitol Hill riots. They found Braun scuffling with people, even raising a wooden plank againsy a security official. He also appeared to assault a person who was wearing a helmet with letters 'Press' on it. Braun was arrested earlier this month on April 12.

FBI arrests Capitol Hill rioter after he brags about crime to Uber driver

Former US President Doald Trump said in an interview with Stuart Varney of Fox Business on March 21 that if he were president right now, he would threaten Vladimir Putin with nuclear war.&nbsp;

"I listened to him constantly using the N-word. That’s the N-word, and he’s constantly using it: the nuclear word," Trump said.

"We say, ’Oh, he’s a nuclear power.’ But we’re a greater nuclear power. We have the greatest submarines in the world, the most powerful machines ever built…. You should say, ‘Look, if you mention that word one more time, we’re going to send them over and we’ll be coasting back and forth, up and down your coast. You can’t let this tragedy continue. You can’t let these, these thousands of people die, "he added.

The US reaction has been dictated by Russia's standing as a nuclear-armed power, particularly in Biden's reluctance to adopt steps, such as a Nato-enforced no-fly zone over Ukraine, that may lead to direct physical confrontation with Russia.

Trump was defeated in the 2020 presidential election by Joe Biden, who is now dealing with Russia's invasion of Ukraine.&nbsp; 
 
Watch | The U.S. warns against conflict on NATO soil amid the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/the-us-warns-against-conflict-on-nato-soil-amid-the-ongoing-russian-invasion-of-ukraine-465890/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

(With inputs from agencies)

Former US President Doald Trump said in an interview with Stuart Varney of Fox Business on March 21 that if he were president right now, he would threaten Vladimir Putin with nuclear war.

Former US President Doald Trump said in an interview with Stuart Varney of Fox Business on March 21 that if he were president right now, he would threaten Vladimir Putin with nuclear war. "I listened to him constantly using the N-word. That’s the N-word, and he’s constantly using it: the nuclear word," Trump said. "We say, ’Oh, he’s a nuclear power.’ But we’re a greater nuclear power. We have the greatest submarines in the world, the most powerful machines ever built…. You should say, ‘Look, if you mention that word one more time, we’re going to send them over and we’ll be coasting back and forth, up and down your coast. You can’t let this tragedy continue. You can’t let these, these thousands of people die, "he added. The US reaction has been dictated by Russia's standing as a nuclear-armed power, particularly in Biden's reluctance to adopt steps, such as a Nato-enforced no-fly zone over Ukraine, that may lead to direct physical confrontation with Russia. Trump was defeated in the 2020 presidential election by Joe Biden, who is now dealing with Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Watch | The U.S. warns against conflict on NATO soil amid the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine (With inputs from agencies)

If I was the US President, I’d threaten to drop a nuclear bomb on Russia: Trump

Former US president Donald Trump's now social media app, Truth Social was launched on Apple store late on Sunday (ET). The app may mark Trump's return to social media after he was banned from popular platforms like Facebook, Twitter etc last year. The platforms had taken action against Trump over January 6, 2021 attack on US Capitol.

The app was available shortly before midnight ET and was the top free app available on the App Store early Monday. Truth Social was automatically downloaded to Apple Inc devices belonging to users who had pre-ordered the app.

Many users reported either having trouble registering for an account or were added to a waitlist with a message: "Due to massive demand, we have placed you on our waitlist."

The app has been available for people invited to use it during its test phase, Reuters previously reported.

Trump was banned from Twitter Inc, Facebook and Alphabet Inc's YouTube following the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol by his supporters, after he was accused of posting messages inciting violence.

Led by former Republican U.S. Representative Devin Nunes, Trump Media &amp; Technology Group (TMTG), the venture behind Truth Social, joins a growing portfolio of technology companies that are positioning themselves as champions of free speech and hope to draw users who feel their views are suppressed on more established platforms.

So far none of the newer companies, which include Twitter competitors Gettr and Parler and video site Rumble, have come close to matching the popularity of their mainstream counterparts.

"This week we will begin to roll out on the Apple App Store. That's going to be awesome, because we're going to get so many more people that are going to be on the platform," Nunes said in a Sunday appearance on Fox News' "Sunday Morning Futures with Maria Bartiromo".

"Our goal is, I think we're going to hit it, I think by the by the end of March we're going to be fully operational at least within the United States," he added.

Truth Social's app store page detailing its version history showed the first public version of the app, or version 1.0 was available a day ago, confirming a Reuters report. The current version 1.0.1 includes "bug fixes," according to the page.

(With inputs from agencies)

Former US president Donald Trump's now social media app, Truth Social was launched on Apple store late on Sunday (ET). The app may mark Trump's return to social media after he was banned from popular platforms like Facebook, Twitter etc last year.

Former US president Donald Trump's now social media app, Truth Social was launched on Apple store late on Sunday (ET). The app may mark Trump's return to social media after he was banned from popular platforms like Facebook, Twitter etc last year. The platforms had taken action against Trump over January 6, 2021 attack on US Capitol. The app was available shortly before midnight ET and was the top free app available on the App Store early Monday. Truth Social was automatically downloaded to Apple Inc devices belonging to users who had pre-ordered the app. Many users reported either having trouble registering for an account or were added to a waitlist with a message: "Due to massive demand, we have placed you on our waitlist." The app has been available for people invited to use it during its test phase, Reuters previously reported. Trump was banned from Twitter Inc, Facebook and Alphabet Inc's YouTube following the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol by his supporters, after he was accused of posting messages inciting violence. Led by former Republican U.S. Representative Devin Nunes, Trump Media & Technology Group (TMTG), the venture behind Truth Social, joins a growing portfolio of technology companies that are positioning themselves as champions of free speech and hope to draw users who feel their views are suppressed on more established platforms. So far none of the newer companies, which include Twitter competitors Gettr and Parler and video site Rumble, have come close to matching the popularity of their mainstream counterparts. "This week we will begin to roll out on the Apple App Store. That's going to be awesome, because we're going to get so many more people that are going to be on the platform," Nunes said in a Sunday appearance on Fox News' "Sunday Morning Futures with Maria Bartiromo". "Our goal is, I think we're going to hit it, I think by the by the end of March we're going to be fully operational at least within the United States," he added. Truth Social's app store page detailing its version history showed the first public version of the app, or version 1.0 was available a day ago, confirming a Reuters report. The current version 1.0.1 includes "bug fixes," according to the page. (With inputs from agencies)

Trump's Truth Social app tops download chart on Apple's App Store

Donald Trump's new social media venture, Truth Social, appears set to launch in Apple's App Store on Monday, according to posts from an executive on a test version viewed by Reuters, potentially marking the return of the former president to social media on the U.S. Presidents Day holiday.

In a series of posts late on Friday, a verified account for the network's chief product officer, listed as Billy B., answered questions on the app from people invited to use it during its test phase. One user asked him when the app, which has been available this week for beta testers, would be released to the public, according to screenshots viewed by Reuters.

"We're currently set for release in the Apple App store for Monday Feb. 21," the executive responded.

The launch would restore Trump's presence on social media more than a year after he was banned from Twitter Inc, Facebook and Alphabet Inc's YouTube following the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol by his supporters, after he was accused of posting messages inciting violence.

On Feb. 15 Trump's eldest son Donald Jr. posted on Twitter a screenshot of his father's verified @realDonaldTrump Truth Social account with one post, or "truth," that he uploaded on Feb. 14: "Get Ready! Your favorite President will see you soon!"

Led by former Republican U.S. Representative Devin Nunes, Trump Media &amp; Technology Group (TMTG), the venture behind Truth Social, will join a growing portfolio of technology companies that are positioning themselves as champions of free speech and hope to draw users who feel their views are suppressed on platforms such as Twitter, Facebook and YouTube. So far none of the companies, which include Twitter competitors Gettr and Parler and video site Rumble, have come close to matching the popularity of their mainstream counterparts.

In addition to the post disclosing Monday's launch date, the screenshots seen by Reuters show the app is now at version 1.0, suggesting it has reached a level ready for public release. As late as Wednesday, it was at version 0.9, according to two people with access to that version.

A representative for TMTG did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Apple's App Store listing indicates that Truth Social is expected to be released on Feb. 21, a date that a source familiar with the venture confirmed in January. But in recent weeks Nunes had said publicly that the app would launch by the end of March.

On Friday, Nunes was on the app urging users to follow more accounts, share photos and videos and participate in conversations, in an apparent attempt to drum up activity, according to a person with knowledge of the matter.

Among Nunes' posts, he welcomed a new user who appeared to be a Catholic priest and encouraged him to invite more priests to join, according to the person with knowledge of the matter.

NO WAY TO EDIT 'TRUTHS'

The chief product officer's other responses during Friday's question-and-answer session suggested the startup's features would resemble those of Twitter.

Asked whether users would be able to edit their "truths," the executive replied "not yet." The ability to edit posts after publication is something Twitter users have long sought.

The next significant feature released on the platform will be direct messages, or DMs, between users, the executive wrote.

The company is also considering allowing users to sign up to receive notifications when others post content, the executive said. He signaled that the ability to block other users would be an important component.

"There will always be block functionality in the app," he wrote.

Truth Social will issue a policy on verified accounts "in the coming weeks," the executive added.

Even as details of the app begin trickling out, TMTG remains mostly shrouded in secrecy and is regarded with skepticism by some in tech and media circles. It is unclear, for example, how the company is funding its current growth.

TMTG is planning to list in New York through a merger with blank-check firm Digital World Acquisition Corp (DWAC), and stands to receive $293 million in cash that DWAC holds in a trust, assuming no DWAC shareholder redeems their shares, TMTG said in an Oct. 21 press release.

Additionally, in December TMTG raised $1 billion committed financing from private investors; that money also will not be available until the DWAC deal closes.

Digital World's activities have come under scrutiny from the Securities and Exchange Commission and the U.S. Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, according to a regulatory filing, and the deal is likely months away from closing.

Donald Trump's new social media venture, Truth Social, appears set to launch in Apple's App Store on Monday, according to posts from an executive on a test version viewed by Reuters, potentially marking the return of the former president to social media on the U.

Donald Trump's new social media venture, Truth Social, appears set to launch in Apple's App Store on Monday, according to posts from an executive on a test version viewed by Reuters, potentially marking the return of the former president to social media on the U.S. Presidents Day holiday. In a series of posts late on Friday, a verified account for the network's chief product officer, listed as Billy B., answered questions on the app from people invited to use it during its test phase. One user asked him when the app, which has been available this week for beta testers, would be released to the public, according to screenshots viewed by Reuters. "We're currently set for release in the Apple App store for Monday Feb. 21," the executive responded. The launch would restore Trump's presence on social media more than a year after he was banned from Twitter Inc, Facebook and Alphabet Inc's YouTube following the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol by his supporters, after he was accused of posting messages inciting violence. On Feb. 15 Trump's eldest son Donald Jr. posted on Twitter a screenshot of his father's verified @realDonaldTrump Truth Social account with one post, or "truth," that he uploaded on Feb. 14: "Get Ready! Your favorite President will see you soon!" Led by former Republican U.S. Representative Devin Nunes, Trump Media & Technology Group (TMTG), the venture behind Truth Social, will join a growing portfolio of technology companies that are positioning themselves as champions of free speech and hope to draw users who feel their views are suppressed on platforms such as Twitter, Facebook and YouTube. So far none of the companies, which include Twitter competitors Gettr and Parler and video site Rumble, have come close to matching the popularity of their mainstream counterparts. In addition to the post disclosing Monday's launch date, the screenshots seen by Reuters show the app is now at version 1.0, suggesting it has reached a level ready for public release. As late as Wednesday, it was at version 0.9, according to two people with access to that version. A representative for TMTG did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Apple's App Store listing indicates that Truth Social is expected to be released on Feb. 21, a date that a source familiar with the venture confirmed in January. But in recent weeks Nunes had said publicly that the app would launch by the end of March. On Friday, Nunes was on the app urging users to follow more accounts, share photos and videos and participate in conversations, in an apparent attempt to drum up activity, according to a person with knowledge of the matter. Among Nunes' posts, he welcomed a new user who appeared to be a Catholic priest and encouraged him to invite more priests to join, according to the person with knowledge of the matter. NO WAY TO EDIT 'TRUTHS' The chief product officer's other responses during Friday's question-and-answer session suggested the startup's features would resemble those of Twitter. Asked whether users would be able to edit their "truths," the executive replied "not yet." The ability to edit posts after publication is something Twitter users have long sought. The next significant feature released on the platform will be direct messages, or DMs, between users, the executive wrote. The company is also considering allowing users to sign up to receive notifications when others post content, the executive said. He signaled that the ability to block other users would be an important component. "There will always be block functionality in the app," he wrote. Truth Social will issue a policy on verified accounts "in the coming weeks," the executive added. Even as details of the app begin trickling out, TMTG remains mostly shrouded in secrecy and is regarded with skepticism by some in tech and media circles. It is unclear, for example, how the company is funding its current growth. TMTG is planning to list in New York through a merger with blank-check firm Digital World Acquisition Corp (DWAC), and stands to receive $293 million in cash that DWAC holds in a trust, assuming no DWAC shareholder redeems their shares, TMTG said in an Oct. 21 press release. Additionally, in December TMTG raised $1 billion committed financing from private investors; that money also will not be available until the DWAC deal closes. Digital World's activities have come under scrutiny from the Securities and Exchange Commission and the U.S. Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, according to a regulatory filing, and the deal is likely months away from closing.

Trump's Truth Social app set for release Monday in Apple App Store, per executive

US National Archives and Records Administration told US Congress in a letter that former US president Donald Trump took classified material to his Florida home from the White House.&nbsp;

The Archives said it had informed the Department of Justice, which would handle any investigation.

"NARA has identified items marked as classified national security information within the boxes," David Ferriero, the archivist of the United States, said in a letter to Democratic U.S. Representative Carolyn Maloney, chair of the House of Representatives oversight committee.

Maloney's committee has been looking into Trump's handling of records by the Republican president, who left office in January 2021.

"These new revelations deepen my concern about former President Trump’s flagrant disregard for federal records laws and the potential impact on our historical record," Maloney said in a statement.

"The National Archives did not 'find' anything, they were given, upon request, presidential records in an ordinary and routine process to ensure the preservation of my legacy and in accordance with the Presidential Records Act," Trump said in a written statement.

"If this was anyone but “Trump,” there would be no story here."

The letter from Ferriero also said that some White House staff conducted official business using nonofficial electronic messaging accounts that were not copied or forwarded into official electronic messaging accounts and that it was in the process of obtaining some of those missing records.

The Washington Post reported last week that some of the documents taken to Trump's home were marked as classified, which could intensify the legal pressure Trump or his aides could face.

The Presidential Records Act requires the preservation of memos, letters, notes, emails, faxes and other written communications related to a president's official duties.

Claiming executive privilege, Trump sued unsuccessfully to stop the release of records from his White House, including to the House select committee investigating the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol by Trump supporters.

(With inputs from agencies)

US National Archives and Records Administration told US Congress in a letter that former US president Donald Trump took classified material to his Florida home from the White House.

US National Archives and Records Administration told US Congress in a letter that former US president Donald Trump took classified material to his Florida home from the White House. The Archives said it had informed the Department of Justice, which would handle any investigation. "NARA has identified items marked as classified national security information within the boxes," David Ferriero, the archivist of the United States, said in a letter to Democratic U.S. Representative Carolyn Maloney, chair of the House of Representatives oversight committee. Maloney's committee has been looking into Trump's handling of records by the Republican president, who left office in January 2021. "These new revelations deepen my concern about former President Trump’s flagrant disregard for federal records laws and the potential impact on our historical record," Maloney said in a statement. "The National Archives did not 'find' anything, they were given, upon request, presidential records in an ordinary and routine process to ensure the preservation of my legacy and in accordance with the Presidential Records Act," Trump said in a written statement. "If this was anyone but “Trump,” there would be no story here." The letter from Ferriero also said that some White House staff conducted official business using nonofficial electronic messaging accounts that were not copied or forwarded into official electronic messaging accounts and that it was in the process of obtaining some of those missing records. The Washington Post reported last week that some of the documents taken to Trump's home were marked as classified, which could intensify the legal pressure Trump or his aides could face. The Presidential Records Act requires the preservation of memos, letters, notes, emails, faxes and other written communications related to a president's official duties. Claiming executive privilege, Trump sued unsuccessfully to stop the release of records from his White House, including to the House select committee investigating the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol by Trump supporters. (With inputs from agencies)

Donald Trump took classified material from White House, says US National Archives

While he was president, Donald Trump was known to destroy, tear up, remove and even flush White House documents down the toilet. He often eschewed the White House switchboard, using his own cellphone or those of his aides to communicate.

The practices, which have drawn fresh attention as a result of the House investigation into the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol, have raised the question of whether Trump’s norm-breaking behavior was also a crime.

The House Oversight Committee said this week that Trump’s handling of documents appeared to constitute “serious violations” of the Presidential Records Act and announced an investigation of it.

The National Archives consulted the Justice Department about Trump’s record preservation practices after it discovered he had taken more than a dozen boxes of presidential files, including what it believes are classified documents, with him when he left office. The Washington Post reported that some of them were clearly marked “top secret.”

And his use of cellphones to conduct official business has led to large gaps in the official White House logs of his calls on Jan. 6, 2021, hampering investigators’ efforts to construct an accurate record of what he was doing during the riot. If he failed to preserve cellphone records and turn them over to the National Archives, that, too, could run afoul of the law.

Here’s what the Presidential Records Act is and why Trump’s behavior may have violated it.

Presidents don’t own their documents.

In 1978, after Watergate, Congress enacted the Presidential Records Act, which made a president’s documents the property of the United States, not his personal property, and laid out a process for ensuring that Congress and the public could eventually gain access to them.

It was aimed at preventing future presidents from doing what Richard M. Nixon wanted to after he resigned in disgrace, when he planned to destroy recordings that documented steps he and others took in response to the Watergate investigation.

The law requires that a president’s records be turned over to the National Archives once he leaves office and that they be made available to the public 12 years later — although certain entities, such as congressional investigators, can obtain them sooner.

The act excludes a president’s personal records — identified as those “of a purely private or nonpublic character” — from preservation requirements and grants a president a “high degree of discretion over what materials are to be preserved,” according to the Congressional Research Service.

It also provides a process for destroying records that typically includes seeking permission from the archivist of the United States, who may consult with Congress. There is no indication that Trump did so in the cases in question.

Trump openly flouted the requirements.

The House Oversight Committee has asked the National Archives to provide information regarding its communications with Trump’s team about 15 boxes of White House records discovered at Mar-a-Lago, his residence in Palm Beach, Florida, after he left office.

Trump had been loath to return the materials despite repeated efforts by the National Archives to obtain them, and at one point, the agency threatened to send a letter to Congress or the Justice Department if he continued to withhold the boxes, according to a person familiar with private discussions.

“If former President Trump was intentionally destroying records or hiding records from the National Archives — where they are legally required to be kept — he must be held accountable,” said Rep. Carolyn Maloney, D-N.Y., chair of the oversight panel.

Steven Aftergood, director of the Federation of American Scientists Project on Government Secrecy, said it appeared that Trump had violated the Presidential Records Act, given his penchant for ripping up documents.

“Any act of unauthorized destruction or unauthorized removal of records is contrary to law,” Aftergood said.

The question of Trump’s cellphone use is murkier. The act was written before the invention of email or cellphones, so it does not mention either. But given the purpose of the law — ensuring a complete record of presidential business — some experts believe Trump’s practices violated its spirit, if not its letter.

There are few consequences for Trump’s actions under the Presidential Records Act.

A flaw some experts see in the Presidential Records Act is its lack of a strong enforcement mechanism.

Under the law, the archivist has the “ultimate responsibility” for assuring the preservation and integrity of presidential records, Aftergood said.

“But the archives does not have its own police force and doesn’t have much investigative capability to speak of,” he said. “They can ask questions and they can write sternly worded letters. But the response depends on the White House or the president or the agency involved.”

Destroying documents could violate other laws.

Trump’s practice of ripping up documents could open him to additional criminal exposure, if the destruction of documents were part of an effort to impede an investigation.

“There could be liability under an obstruction statute, but the context and the facts would be critical there,” said David H. Laufman, a former Justice Department lawyer who oversaw the investigation into former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s use of a private email server.

“If there’s some intent to destroy documents to preclude a government agency from carrying out its lawful function, there could be a conspiracy to defraud the United States,” Laufman said.

But he cautioned that the Justice Department is often reluctant to pursue prosecutions that have no historical precedent, and the agency has never charged a former president with the destruction or removal of records.

“In a case involving a former president, the burden should be particularly high for particular conduct that has not been the basis of prior enforcement action,” Laufman said.

Trump could face consequences for his handling of classified information.

Criminal codes, which carry jail time, prohibit conduct that “willfully injures or commits any depredation against any property of the United States” or “willfully and unlawfully conceals, removes, mutilates, obliterates or destroys” government documents.

Samuel Berger, a national security adviser to President Bill Clinton, pleaded guilty in 2015 to a misdemeanor charge for removing classified material from a government archive.

Presidents have the power to decide what is classified and what is not — but only while they are in office.

“That could present a complicating factor for prosecutors in evaluating their likely success if they were to charge him or others with a crime,” Laufman said.

While he was president, Donald Trump was known to destroy, tear up, remove and even flush White House documents down the toilet. He often eschewed the White House switchboard, using his own cellphone or those of his aides to communicate.

While he was president, Donald Trump was known to destroy, tear up, remove and even flush White House documents down the toilet. He often eschewed the White House switchboard, using his own cellphone or those of his aides to communicate. The practices, which have drawn fresh attention as a result of the House investigation into the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol, have raised the question of whether Trump’s norm-breaking behavior was also a crime. The House Oversight Committee said this week that Trump’s handling of documents appeared to constitute “serious violations” of the Presidential Records Act and announced an investigation of it. The National Archives consulted the Justice Department about Trump’s record preservation practices after it discovered he had taken more than a dozen boxes of presidential files, including what it believes are classified documents, with him when he left office. The Washington Post reported that some of them were clearly marked “top secret.” And his use of cellphones to conduct official business has led to large gaps in the official White House logs of his calls on Jan. 6, 2021, hampering investigators’ efforts to construct an accurate record of what he was doing during the riot. If he failed to preserve cellphone records and turn them over to the National Archives, that, too, could run afoul of the law. Here’s what the Presidential Records Act is and why Trump’s behavior may have violated it. Presidents don’t own their documents. In 1978, after Watergate, Congress enacted the Presidential Records Act, which made a president’s documents the property of the United States, not his personal property, and laid out a process for ensuring that Congress and the public could eventually gain access to them. It was aimed at preventing future presidents from doing what Richard M. Nixon wanted to after he resigned in disgrace, when he planned to destroy recordings that documented steps he and others took in response to the Watergate investigation. The law requires that a president’s records be turned over to the National Archives once he leaves office and that they be made available to the public 12 years later — although certain entities, such as congressional investigators, can obtain them sooner. The act excludes a president’s personal records — identified as those “of a purely private or nonpublic character” — from preservation requirements and grants a president a “high degree of discretion over what materials are to be preserved,” according to the Congressional Research Service. It also provides a process for destroying records that typically includes seeking permission from the archivist of the United States, who may consult with Congress. There is no indication that Trump did so in the cases in question. Trump openly flouted the requirements. The House Oversight Committee has asked the National Archives to provide information regarding its communications with Trump’s team about 15 boxes of White House records discovered at Mar-a-Lago, his residence in Palm Beach, Florida, after he left office. Trump had been loath to return the materials despite repeated efforts by the National Archives to obtain them, and at one point, the agency threatened to send a letter to Congress or the Justice Department if he continued to withhold the boxes, according to a person familiar with private discussions. “If former President Trump was intentionally destroying records or hiding records from the National Archives — where they are legally required to be kept — he must be held accountable,” said Rep. Carolyn Maloney, D-N.Y., chair of the oversight panel. Steven Aftergood, director of the Federation of American Scientists Project on Government Secrecy, said it appeared that Trump had violated the Presidential Records Act, given his penchant for ripping up documents. “Any act of unauthorized destruction or unauthorized removal of records is contrary to law,” Aftergood said. The question of Trump’s cellphone use is murkier. The act was written before the invention of email or cellphones, so it does not mention either. But given the purpose of the law — ensuring a complete record of presidential business — some experts believe Trump’s practices violated its spirit, if not its letter. There are few consequences for Trump’s actions under the Presidential Records Act. A flaw some experts see in the Presidential Records Act is its lack of a strong enforcement mechanism. Under the law, the archivist has the “ultimate responsibility” for assuring the preservation and integrity of presidential records, Aftergood said. “But the archives does not have its own police force and doesn’t have much investigative capability to speak of,” he said. “They can ask questions and they can write sternly worded letters. But the response depends on the White House or the president or the agency involved.” Destroying documents could violate other laws. Trump’s practice of ripping up documents could open him to additional criminal exposure, if the destruction of documents were part of an effort to impede an investigation. “There could be liability under an obstruction statute, but the context and the facts would be critical there,” said David H. Laufman, a former Justice Department lawyer who oversaw the investigation into former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s use of a private email server. “If there’s some intent to destroy documents to preclude a government agency from carrying out its lawful function, there could be a conspiracy to defraud the United States,” Laufman said. But he cautioned that the Justice Department is often reluctant to pursue prosecutions that have no historical precedent, and the agency has never charged a former president with the destruction or removal of records. “In a case involving a former president, the burden should be particularly high for particular conduct that has not been the basis of prior enforcement action,” Laufman said. Trump could face consequences for his handling of classified information. Criminal codes, which carry jail time, prohibit conduct that “willfully injures or commits any depredation against any property of the United States” or “willfully and unlawfully conceals, removes, mutilates, obliterates or destroys” government documents. Samuel Berger, a national security adviser to President Bill Clinton, pleaded guilty in 2015 to a misdemeanor charge for removing classified material from a government archive. Presidents have the power to decide what is classified and what is not — but only while they are in office. “That could present a complicating factor for prosecutors in evaluating their likely success if they were to charge him or others with a crime,” Laufman said.

Trump flouted Presidential Records Law. Will he face consequences?

Former US President Donald Trump teased on Saturday (local time) that he may run to become US president in the 2024&nbsp;US Presidential Election and said that if he becomes president, he would pardon those facing criminal charges over the Capitol Hill attack.

In the aftermath of the US Presidential Election 2020, Trump had repeatedly claimed that the election was rigged against him. After his rally in Washington on January 6, his supporters had attacked US Capitol Building in which US Congress was in the process to certify Joe Biden's election victory.

On Saturday, Trump was speaking at a rally in Conroe, Texas.&nbsp;

"If I run and if I win, we will treat those people from Jan. 6 fairly," Trump said to applause. "We will treat them fairly. And if it requires pardons we will give them pardons. Because they are being treated so unfairly."

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Thousands of Trump supporters had stormed the Capitol on January 6, 2021. This was considered the worst assault on US Congress since the War of 1812.

One police officer who responded to the scene died the day after the attack, while four others who guarded the Capitol died later by suicide. About 140 police officers were injured during the hours-long attack. Four rioters also died. More than 700 people have been charged with joining in the assault.

Trump's rally has come just when Joe Biden's approval ratings were plummeting. A recent Pew survey revealed that Biden's support among African-American voters was diminishing as well.

(With inputs from agencies)

Former US President Donald Trump teased on Saturday (local time) that he may run to become US president in the 2024 US Presidential Election and said that if he becomes president, he would pardon those facing criminal charges over the Capitol Hill attack.

Former US President Donald Trump teased on Saturday (local time) that he may run to become US president in the 2024 US Presidential Election and said that if he becomes president, he would pardon those facing criminal charges over the Capitol Hill attack. In the aftermath of the US Presidential Election 2020, Trump had repeatedly claimed that the election was rigged against him. After his rally in Washington on January 6, his supporters had attacked US Capitol Building in which US Congress was in the process to certify Joe Biden's election victory. On Saturday, Trump was speaking at a rally in Conroe, Texas. "If I run and if I win, we will treat those people from Jan. 6 fairly," Trump said to applause. "We will treat them fairly. And if it requires pardons we will give them pardons. Because they are being treated so unfairly." × Thousands of Trump supporters had stormed the Capitol on January 6, 2021. This was considered the worst assault on US Congress since the War of 1812. One police officer who responded to the scene died the day after the attack, while four others who guarded the Capitol died later by suicide. About 140 police officers were injured during the hours-long attack. Four rioters also died. More than 700 people have been charged with joining in the assault. Trump's rally has come just when Joe Biden's approval ratings were plummeting. A recent Pew survey revealed that Biden's support among African-American voters was diminishing as well. (With inputs from agencies)

Donald Trump teases presidential run, says would pardon Capitol Hill attack accused

On January&nbsp;11, not quite a year after Donald and Melania Trump left the White House and less than a week after the anniversary of the attack on the Capitol that took place in his name, four years or so after putting her trademarks on ice and shuttering her QVC jewelry line and her skin-care line, Melania Trump returned to the public eye with a new kind of personal brand and a new kind of merch to go with.

The vehicle: a 14-day auction on melaniatrump.com of three pieces that comprise what is called the Head of State Collection.

The name is presumably a wink-wink-nudge-nudge reference to the star lot: what the website describes as an “iconic broad-brimmed, one-of-a-kind hat” originally worn by Melania Trump in 2018 during the state visit of the French president, Emmanuel Macron, and his wife, Brigitte, and signed by Trump. (Also on the block: a 2021 watercolour by French artist Marc-Antoine Coulon of Trump in said hat, signed by the artist and subject, and a nonfungible token, or NFT, of the artwork.) The opening bid was set at approximately $250,000 for the group.

The auction follows the sale in December of a group of limited-edition NFTs made of a watercolour of Trump’s eyes, also by Coulon and titled “Melania’s Vision,” which sold for $150 apiece. And it will be followed, according to the original announcement, by more such presumably Trump-inspired NFTs.

According to the website, “a portion of the proceeds derived from this auction” will go to charitable initiatives supported by Trump’s Be Best initiative, though it doesn’t specify how much or where the remaining proceeds will go. (Emails to her office requesting specific information were not returned.)

And thus is fulfilled the promise first revealed in Trump's 2017 libel suit against the website of The Daily Mail, claiming an article it published had harmed her marketability and thus impinged potential plans to “launch a broad-based commercial line in multiple product categories.” Including, perhaps, “apparel, accessories, shoes, jewellery, cosmetics, hair care, skin care and fragrance.” (The suit was settled, with the Daily Mail apologizing and paying damages.)

At the time, the suggestion that Trump might monetise her time in the White House, and the public eye, was dismissed by her team. “The first lady has no intention of using her position for profit and will not do so,” her lawyer, Charles Harder, said in a statement. “It is not a possibility.” That statement, seemingly, has limits.

If what is being sold is not exactly the clothing line many were expecting, or even a perfume, Trump’s new approach to product is nevertheless both familiar and revealing: It is rooted in the decorative yet alienated image-making she embraced as first lady, redolent of breaking norms, and seemingly governed by rules all its own.

After all, while former first ladies have traditionally made money from memoirs of their experience or speeches (also, in the Obamas’ case, documentary films and podcasts), it is pretty unheard-of for them to make money from selling off a relic of that experience.

“I think it’s unprecedented in modern times,” said Kate Andersen Brower, the author of “First Women: The Grace and Power of America’s Modern First Ladies,” of the Head of State sale. “Generally, it’s not seen as a thing to do.”

Traditionally, when an item of clothing is worn by a first lady during an occasion of state, it is donated to the National Archives or a museum such as the Smithsonian since it is considered a part of the historical record, with a soft power value that is impossible to quantify.

Indeed, according to Trump’s website, the reason for starting her new venture with the hat lies in the importance of the French state visit. “Mrs. Trump recognized this important moment for the country, and accordingly, a great deal of consideration went into the planning,” it explains. That planning included the ordering up of a one-off made-in-New York hat to match a Michael Kors suit Trump had planned to wear.

Of course, the hat prompted head-scratching from observers pretty much from the get-go. In shadowing her face almost completely, while being impossible to miss, it represented the first lady’s famous ambivalence toward her role; in appropriating the cultural tropes of the good guy (the white hat), it also teased the public obsession with searching her clothes for clues to her relationship with her husband. For many, it contained multitudes.

Especially because it proved but the first of a series of controversial hats Trump would wear throughout her time as first lady. There was the pith helmet she modeled on safari in Kenya and a cream fedora she wore while posing in front of the sphinx in Egypt, both of which prompted unfortunate comparisons with colonialists and seemed to reflect the extent to which Trump saw her position as just playing a role.

In selling the hat, which was created by Hervé Pierre, the French-born, New York designer-turned-stylist who was the closest thing to a fashion collaborator she had during her time in the White House (he made her inaugural ballgown), Trump seems to be sloughing off the detritus of her White House years one piece at a time like an irritating memory.

And she is doing so in a way that ensures that this one piece of history, at least, is owned only by one person. It’s the antithesis of the idea that a first lady should represent the nation writ large, but is entirely in line with the Trumps’ worldview and their approach to their role, which saw members of the family use the president’s position in the White House to benefit their hotels and golf courses, their potential future business endeavors. Why should that end just because they are no longer in office?

As always with Melania Trump, it’s hard to know what exactly she is thinking, since she’s not saying much of anything, just as she didn’t say much of anything during her time in Washington. Instead, it often seemed as if she let her outfits speak for her. Which is another reason those outfits mattered so much. They were the Rosetta Stone of her tenure in the East Wing, now apparently being lost to the private market; disappearing into the metaverse.

As a result, it is hard not to wonder what might come next. The Manolo Blahnik towering stilettos she wore as she embarked on a trip with her husband to the scene of the Hurricane Harvey devastation in Texas with a close-up of her ankles? The “I Really Don’t Care, Do U?” jacket she wore to visit immigrant children who had been separated from their parents at the border with a back silhouette? The pink pussy-bow blouse she wore to a debate after the “Access Hollywood” tape scandal with a sketch of her neck? A lock of her famously flowing hair?

Whatever it is, the idea seems to be to sell herself as a muse. From the White House to your house, with only a crypto cash register in between.

On January 11, not quite a year after Donald and Melania Trump left the White House and less than a week after the anniversary of the attack on the Capitol that took place in his name, four years or so after putting her trademarks on ice and shuttering her QVC jewelry line and her skin-care line, Melania Trump returned to the public eye with a new kind of personal brand and a new kind of merch to go with.

On January 11, not quite a year after Donald and Melania Trump left the White House and less than a week after the anniversary of the attack on the Capitol that took place in his name, four years or so after putting her trademarks on ice and shuttering her QVC jewelry line and her skin-care line, Melania Trump returned to the public eye with a new kind of personal brand and a new kind of merch to go with. The vehicle: a 14-day auction on melaniatrump.com of three pieces that comprise what is called the Head of State Collection. The name is presumably a wink-wink-nudge-nudge reference to the star lot: what the website describes as an “iconic broad-brimmed, one-of-a-kind hat” originally worn by Melania Trump in 2018 during the state visit of the French president, Emmanuel Macron, and his wife, Brigitte, and signed by Trump. (Also on the block: a 2021 watercolour by French artist Marc-Antoine Coulon of Trump in said hat, signed by the artist and subject, and a nonfungible token, or NFT, of the artwork.) The opening bid was set at approximately $250,000 for the group. The auction follows the sale in December of a group of limited-edition NFTs made of a watercolour of Trump’s eyes, also by Coulon and titled “Melania’s Vision,” which sold for $150 apiece. And it will be followed, according to the original announcement, by more such presumably Trump-inspired NFTs. According to the website, “a portion of the proceeds derived from this auction” will go to charitable initiatives supported by Trump’s Be Best initiative, though it doesn’t specify how much or where the remaining proceeds will go. (Emails to her office requesting specific information were not returned.) And thus is fulfilled the promise first revealed in Trump's 2017 libel suit against the website of The Daily Mail, claiming an article it published had harmed her marketability and thus impinged potential plans to “launch a broad-based commercial line in multiple product categories.” Including, perhaps, “apparel, accessories, shoes, jewellery, cosmetics, hair care, skin care and fragrance.” (The suit was settled, with the Daily Mail apologizing and paying damages.) At the time, the suggestion that Trump might monetise her time in the White House, and the public eye, was dismissed by her team. “The first lady has no intention of using her position for profit and will not do so,” her lawyer, Charles Harder, said in a statement. “It is not a possibility.” That statement, seemingly, has limits. If what is being sold is not exactly the clothing line many were expecting, or even a perfume, Trump’s new approach to product is nevertheless both familiar and revealing: It is rooted in the decorative yet alienated image-making she embraced as first lady, redolent of breaking norms, and seemingly governed by rules all its own. After all, while former first ladies have traditionally made money from memoirs of their experience or speeches (also, in the Obamas’ case, documentary films and podcasts), it is pretty unheard-of for them to make money from selling off a relic of that experience. “I think it’s unprecedented in modern times,” said Kate Andersen Brower, the author of “First Women: The Grace and Power of America’s Modern First Ladies,” of the Head of State sale. “Generally, it’s not seen as a thing to do.” Traditionally, when an item of clothing is worn by a first lady during an occasion of state, it is donated to the National Archives or a museum such as the Smithsonian since it is considered a part of the historical record, with a soft power value that is impossible to quantify. Indeed, according to Trump’s website, the reason for starting her new venture with the hat lies in the importance of the French state visit. “Mrs. Trump recognized this important moment for the country, and accordingly, a great deal of consideration went into the planning,” it explains. That planning included the ordering up of a one-off made-in-New York hat to match a Michael Kors suit Trump had planned to wear. Of course, the hat prompted head-scratching from observers pretty much from the get-go. In shadowing her face almost completely, while being impossible to miss, it represented the first lady’s famous ambivalence toward her role; in appropriating the cultural tropes of the good guy (the white hat), it also teased the public obsession with searching her clothes for clues to her relationship with her husband. For many, it contained multitudes. Especially because it proved but the first of a series of controversial hats Trump would wear throughout her time as first lady. There was the pith helmet she modeled on safari in Kenya and a cream fedora she wore while posing in front of the sphinx in Egypt, both of which prompted unfortunate comparisons with colonialists and seemed to reflect the extent to which Trump saw her position as just playing a role. In selling the hat, which was created by Hervé Pierre, the French-born, New York designer-turned-stylist who was the closest thing to a fashion collaborator she had during her time in the White House (he made her inaugural ballgown), Trump seems to be sloughing off the detritus of her White House years one piece at a time like an irritating memory. And she is doing so in a way that ensures that this one piece of history, at least, is owned only by one person. It’s the antithesis of the idea that a first lady should represent the nation writ large, but is entirely in line with the Trumps’ worldview and their approach to their role, which saw members of the family use the president’s position in the White House to benefit their hotels and golf courses, their potential future business endeavors. Why should that end just because they are no longer in office? As always with Melania Trump, it’s hard to know what exactly she is thinking, since she’s not saying much of anything, just as she didn’t say much of anything during her time in Washington. Instead, it often seemed as if she let her outfits speak for her. Which is another reason those outfits mattered so much. They were the Rosetta Stone of her tenure in the East Wing, now apparently being lost to the private market; disappearing into the metaverse. As a result, it is hard not to wonder what might come next. The Manolo Blahnik towering stilettos she wore as she embarked on a trip with her husband to the scene of the Hurricane Harvey devastation in Texas with a close-up of her ankles? The “I Really Don’t Care, Do U?” jacket she wore to visit immigrant children who had been separated from their parents at the border with a back silhouette? The pink pussy-bow blouse she wore to a debate after the “Access Hollywood” tape scandal with a sketch of her neck? A lock of her famously flowing hair? Whatever it is, the idea seems to be to sell herself as a muse. From the White House to your house, with only a crypto cash register in between.

Selling Melania Trump, one NFT at a time

Metal detectors screen lawmakers for weapons at the doors of the House chamber. Staff members are frightened to come to work. Anxious police officers worry about a future attack, even as they relive the one that took place. The citadel of democracy is almost inaccessible to the public it is supposed to welcome and serve.

The January&nbsp;6, 2021, assault has shaken the foundations of the Capitol, a symbol of American strength and unity, transforming how lawmakers view their surroundings and one another. A dark mood lingers, and the scars will be long in healing.

“I have colleagues, to be honest with you, I can’t stand looking at, and I don’t want to get into an elevator with them when we are going to roll-call votes,” said Rep. Jim McGovern, D-Mass., referring to Republicans he considers complicit in the attack a year ago and unapologetic about it today.

The Capitol has been the site of significant violence over the centuries. There was its torching by British troops in 1814, the bloody caning of Sen. Charles Sumner in 1856, a spray of gunfire from the House spectator’s gallery by Puerto Rican nationalists that wounded five representatives in 1954, the murder of two Capitol Police officers standing guard in 1998, and the killing of another at a traffic barricade last April.

But the attack of a year ago was uniquely shattering in that it was a brutal effort by marauding Americans to keep former President Donald Trump in office despite his election loss by interrupting one of the nation’s essential civic functions: the tallying of the electoral votes for president. Lawmakers who were on hand are still struggling to comprehend it.

“That’s the difference,” said Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, who had argued that Congress should shut down Thursday to spare staff workers the trauma of reliving a horrific day. “The last time the Capitol was breached and taken over was in 1814 by British forces. Here, we had our fellow Americans storming the Capitol.”

The events of last year have turned everyday spaces in the Capitol into testaments to what transpired. Here is a spot where they fought their way into the building; there is a window they broke or a wall they scaled.

A heavily-trafficked marble staircase on the Senate side of the building is no longer just a way to reach the second floor. It is now etched in memory as the stairway where Officer Eugene Goodman, acting alone, diverted a mob away from a set of back stairs, allowing Vice President Mike Pence and senators to escape unharmed to a secure location before the intruders breached the Senate chamber.

Senators cannot help but look at the presiding officer’s desk in their inner sanctum and remember that it was roughly commandeered by Trump supporters — one shirtless and wearing horns on his head — who rifled through the historic desks in a chamber considered sacred by its usual occupants.

“Have you ever had your house broken into or been a victim of a burglary, and when you walked back into the house, it felt differently, it felt violated?” asked Sen. Richard Durbin, D-Ill. “I felt that way for the longest time — and I still do.”

In the House, the speaker’s lobby, a narrow, portrait-lined hallway off the floor where lawmakers could relax and kibitz with reporters, is now the place where the mob tried to break through glass and a hastily erected barricade before one of them, Ashli Babbitt, was shot and killed.

McGovern, chair of the House Rules Committee, who was presiding over the chamber just moments before, was standing near the entryway as the intruders approached the door, putting them within reach of lawmakers.

“If you want me to describe what hate looks like, I tell you it is what I saw in the eyes of those people smashing the windows to try to get to us,” said McGovern. “I still have a tough time coming to grips with the fact that it happened. All of us have to walk through the speaker’s lobby every day and relive that day.”

For others, the ever-present reminders of the attack are the officers who were charged with repelling it as best they could, sustaining serious injuries as they did so.

“I remember them with their faces cut, and I see and talk to them every day,” said Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., who as chair of the Rules Committee was a central figure in the counting of electoral ballots. “It is the faces of the officers that trigger that day for me. It is a constant reminder of what they did and what they are still up against.”

One of the joys of the Capitol before the assault and the ongoing pandemic was its status as a working landmark, a place where nationally recognized political figures hurried through hallways crowded with school groups and awestruck tourists craned their necks to peer up at the dome from the Rotunda.

But continuing health and security concerns have kept the building mostly closed off, even after the National Guard troops summoned to secure the Capitol in the wake of the riot were sent home and the 7-foot-high, razor-wire-topped fence that ominously encircled the complex was removed.

Much of the time, the once-vibrant Capitol seems eerily empty and footsteps echo loudly off the marble floors.

“It is sad,” said Rep. Steny Hoyer, D-Md., the House majority leader, who has spent countless hours in the Capitol over the last 40 years and said he hoped it could host visitors again at some point. “It is a stark change.”

In the ensuing 12 months, Democrats and Republicans have inhabited almost parallel universes when it comes to the assault.

Democrats, via a special House committee formed after the Senate rejected a bipartisan commission, continue to press for accountability for those who took part and those who instigated it, starting with Trump. Republicans have increasingly sought to play down or even deny the attack, characterizing it as little more than a routine protest.

It appears few Republicans will be on hand to commemorate the anniversary, with many senators scheduled to be at a funeral for a former colleague in Georgia. The only Republican lawmakers who have publicized an event are two far-right members of the House closely allied with Trump, Marjorie Taylor Greene and Matt Gaetz, who have promised to “expose the truth” about Jan. 6 during a news conference on Capitol Hill.

Republicans say they see partisanship at work, calling the metal detectors outrageous and accusing Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Democrats of trying to win political advantage by demonizing their party. On Wednesday, Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., one of the chief objectors to counting the electoral ballots a year ago, said in an op-ed for Fox News that the “day’s true legacy was the left’s attempt to use the Capitol unrest to foster a permanent climate of fear and oppression.”

Other Republicans have tried to deflect responsibility, faulting the Democratic speaker for the inadequate security preparations at the Capitol that allowed the breach to occur, or changing the subject altogether.

“I think we’ve gotten over it,” Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., the minority leader, said in a recent interview. “We’ve gotten back to normal and are doing the people’s business and having raucous debates over how we see things.”

But to Democrats, there will not be any getting over it until Republicans disavow Trump’s claim that the election was stolen and acknowledge that the Jan. 6 assault was a criminal attempt to overturn legitimate election results.

“When there are people in the Senate who refuse to tell their supporters the truth about Donald Trump’s big lie, I think it has made it harder to work together,” said Sen. Michael Bennet, D-Colo. “They certainly know better, and it has created a real risk to democracy.”

But Hoyer still holds out hope.

“Ultimately, I believe democracy really works,” he said. “It doesn’t work overnight, and it doesn’t work perfectly. But ultimately, people get what they want over time.”

Metal detectors screen lawmakers for weapons at the doors of the House chamber. Staff members are frightened to come to work. Anxious police officers worry about a future attack, even as they relive the one that took place.

Metal detectors screen lawmakers for weapons at the doors of the House chamber. Staff members are frightened to come to work. Anxious police officers worry about a future attack, even as they relive the one that took place. The citadel of democracy is almost inaccessible to the public it is supposed to welcome and serve. The January 6, 2021, assault has shaken the foundations of the Capitol, a symbol of American strength and unity, transforming how lawmakers view their surroundings and one another. A dark mood lingers, and the scars will be long in healing. “I have colleagues, to be honest with you, I can’t stand looking at, and I don’t want to get into an elevator with them when we are going to roll-call votes,” said Rep. Jim McGovern, D-Mass., referring to Republicans he considers complicit in the attack a year ago and unapologetic about it today. The Capitol has been the site of significant violence over the centuries. There was its torching by British troops in 1814, the bloody caning of Sen. Charles Sumner in 1856, a spray of gunfire from the House spectator’s gallery by Puerto Rican nationalists that wounded five representatives in 1954, the murder of two Capitol Police officers standing guard in 1998, and the killing of another at a traffic barricade last April. But the attack of a year ago was uniquely shattering in that it was a brutal effort by marauding Americans to keep former President Donald Trump in office despite his election loss by interrupting one of the nation’s essential civic functions: the tallying of the electoral votes for president. Lawmakers who were on hand are still struggling to comprehend it. “That’s the difference,” said Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, who had argued that Congress should shut down Thursday to spare staff workers the trauma of reliving a horrific day. “The last time the Capitol was breached and taken over was in 1814 by British forces. Here, we had our fellow Americans storming the Capitol.” The events of last year have turned everyday spaces in the Capitol into testaments to what transpired. Here is a spot where they fought their way into the building; there is a window they broke or a wall they scaled. A heavily-trafficked marble staircase on the Senate side of the building is no longer just a way to reach the second floor. It is now etched in memory as the stairway where Officer Eugene Goodman, acting alone, diverted a mob away from a set of back stairs, allowing Vice President Mike Pence and senators to escape unharmed to a secure location before the intruders breached the Senate chamber. Senators cannot help but look at the presiding officer’s desk in their inner sanctum and remember that it was roughly commandeered by Trump supporters — one shirtless and wearing horns on his head — who rifled through the historic desks in a chamber considered sacred by its usual occupants. “Have you ever had your house broken into or been a victim of a burglary, and when you walked back into the house, it felt differently, it felt violated?” asked Sen. Richard Durbin, D-Ill. “I felt that way for the longest time — and I still do.” In the House, the speaker’s lobby, a narrow, portrait-lined hallway off the floor where lawmakers could relax and kibitz with reporters, is now the place where the mob tried to break through glass and a hastily erected barricade before one of them, Ashli Babbitt, was shot and killed. McGovern, chair of the House Rules Committee, who was presiding over the chamber just moments before, was standing near the entryway as the intruders approached the door, putting them within reach of lawmakers. “If you want me to describe what hate looks like, I tell you it is what I saw in the eyes of those people smashing the windows to try to get to us,” said McGovern. “I still have a tough time coming to grips with the fact that it happened. All of us have to walk through the speaker’s lobby every day and relive that day.” For others, the ever-present reminders of the attack are the officers who were charged with repelling it as best they could, sustaining serious injuries as they did so. “I remember them with their faces cut, and I see and talk to them every day,” said Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., who as chair of the Rules Committee was a central figure in the counting of electoral ballots. “It is the faces of the officers that trigger that day for me. It is a constant reminder of what they did and what they are still up against.” One of the joys of the Capitol before the assault and the ongoing pandemic was its status as a working landmark, a place where nationally recognized political figures hurried through hallways crowded with school groups and awestruck tourists craned their necks to peer up at the dome from the Rotunda. But continuing health and security concerns have kept the building mostly closed off, even after the National Guard troops summoned to secure the Capitol in the wake of the riot were sent home and the 7-foot-high, razor-wire-topped fence that ominously encircled the complex was removed. Much of the time, the once-vibrant Capitol seems eerily empty and footsteps echo loudly off the marble floors. “It is sad,” said Rep. Steny Hoyer, D-Md., the House majority leader, who has spent countless hours in the Capitol over the last 40 years and said he hoped it could host visitors again at some point. “It is a stark change.” In the ensuing 12 months, Democrats and Republicans have inhabited almost parallel universes when it comes to the assault. Democrats, via a special House committee formed after the Senate rejected a bipartisan commission, continue to press for accountability for those who took part and those who instigated it, starting with Trump. Republicans have increasingly sought to play down or even deny the attack, characterizing it as little more than a routine protest. It appears few Republicans will be on hand to commemorate the anniversary, with many senators scheduled to be at a funeral for a former colleague in Georgia. The only Republican lawmakers who have publicized an event are two far-right members of the House closely allied with Trump, Marjorie Taylor Greene and Matt Gaetz, who have promised to “expose the truth” about Jan. 6 during a news conference on Capitol Hill. Republicans say they see partisanship at work, calling the metal detectors outrageous and accusing Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Democrats of trying to win political advantage by demonizing their party. On Wednesday, Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., one of the chief objectors to counting the electoral ballots a year ago, said in an op-ed for Fox News that the “day’s true legacy was the left’s attempt to use the Capitol unrest to foster a permanent climate of fear and oppression.” Other Republicans have tried to deflect responsibility, faulting the Democratic speaker for the inadequate security preparations at the Capitol that allowed the breach to occur, or changing the subject altogether. “I think we’ve gotten over it,” Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., the minority leader, said in a recent interview. “We’ve gotten back to normal and are doing the people’s business and having raucous debates over how we see things.” But to Democrats, there will not be any getting over it until Republicans disavow Trump’s claim that the election was stolen and acknowledge that the Jan. 6 assault was a criminal attempt to overturn legitimate election results. “When there are people in the Senate who refuse to tell their supporters the truth about Donald Trump’s big lie, I think it has made it harder to work together,” said Sen. Michael Bennet, D-Colo. “They certainly know better, and it has created a real risk to democracy.” But Hoyer still holds out hope. “Ultimately, I believe democracy really works,” he said. “It doesn’t work overnight, and it doesn’t work perfectly. But ultimately, people get what they want over time.”

One year later, assault still casts a pall over the Capitol and its occupants

Donald Trump and his allies are scheduling events and raising money for initiatives intended to make the former president a central player in the midterm elections, and possibly to set the stage for another run for the White House.

He and groups allied with him are planning policy summits, more rallies and an elaborate forum next month at his Mar-a-Lago resort for candidates he has endorsed and donors who give as much as $125,000 per person to a pro-Trump super PAC.

The efforts seem intended to reinforce the former president’s grip on the Republican Party and its donors amid questions about whether Trump will seek the party’s nomination again or settle into a role as a kingmaker.

Taken together, the pro-Trump groups form a sort of shadow political party that could help start another presidential campaign and, if that were successful, shape his administration. They include Trump’s own PACs, which amassed more than $100 million by last summer, employ an overlapping roster of former top officials from his administration and have signalled that they intend to embrace policies and candidates supported by Trump.

The groups have also helped reinforce his properties as a center of Republican power, holding events at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida, and at the Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster, New Jersey. Trump has welcomed to the clubs a stream of Republicans seeking his political blessing, issuing nearly 100 endorsements to aligned candidates, including challengers to GOP incumbents who voted for Trump’s impeachment or supported the certification of his loss to President Joe Biden in the 2020 election.

The candidate forum at Mar-a-Lago is being planned for Feb. 23 by a super PAC run by some of Trump’s closest allies called Make America Great Again, Again! Inc., according to an email to donors from Roy W. Bailey, a Texas businessman and Republican fundraiser.

“There will be an all-day candidate forum with back-to-back speeches from the endorsed candidates and familiar faces in the Trump orbit,” wrote Bailey, who was a leading fundraiser for Trump’s campaigns and inaugural committee, then registered to lobby his administration. “We want those who attend to leave thinking that it was the best political event they have ever attended."

Donors who raise $375,000 will be invited to a private dinner with Trump.

Bailey noted that the PAC’s national finance director was Kimberly Guilfoyle, who is dating Trump’s son Donald Trump Jr., and that its board included Pam Bondi, the former Florida attorney general who advised Trump during his first impeachment; Richard Grenell, who was Trump’s ambassador to Germany and acting head of national intelligence; and Matthew G. Whitaker, who was acting attorney general.

The forum is for federal candidates endorsed by Trump. It is not clear how many of them intend to attend. But some, including Harriet Hageman, who is mounting a primary challenge against Rep. Liz Cheney of Wyoming, one of Trump’s harshest Republican critics, and Kelly Tshibaka, who is running in the primary against Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, have been asked to hold the date, according to a person familiar with the planning who was not authorized to discuss it.

Still, Trump’s political activities have generated some grumbling within his circle of supporters.

One donor who had supported Trump’s campaigns said he was leery about donating to Make America Great Again, Again! because of concerns that the money would be wasted. Citing events at the former president’s properties as an example, the donor, who insisted on anonymity to avoid antagonizing Trump and his allies, said he declined invitations to the February candidate forum and to a $125,000-a-plate fundraising dinner with Trump held by the super PAC last month at Mar-a-Lago.

Other donors and party leaders worry about the damage that could be done by Trump’s backing of primary challenges to Republicans who pushed back against his false claims that the 2020 election was stolen.

Trump was impeached twice, including after his supporters stormed the Capitol seeking to disrupt the certification of Biden’s victory. Since then, he has been banned from the social media accounts he had wielded so effectively to generate attention and punish enemies without spending any money.

While Trump has announced the formation of his own media company, including a new social network to reinsert himself into the conversation, it has yet to launch and its financing has come under scrutiny from securities regulators.

Trump’s team also has continued fundraising voraciously online for various PACs that he directly controls, compiling a war chest of more than $100 million last summer, and his team has continued financing campaign-style rallies. He has plans for one in Arizona this month and more to follow, according to a person familiar with the matter.

Many of Trump’s rallies in 2021 were paired with private donor round tables to raise money for his super PAC. He is planning more rallies in 2022 at locations chosen to help the candidates he has endorsed, according to people familiar with the plans.

Groups allied with him have stepped up their fundraising in recent months, indicating they intend to spend funds to promote his causes and endorsements.

A nonprofit group called America First Policy Institute, which was started last year to serve as a think tank for Trump world, has the look of a Trump administration in waiting. It raised more than $20 million last year and has 110 employees, including Bondi, Whitaker and a number of former Trump Cabinet members, such as David Bernhardt (who ran the Interior Department), Rick Perry (Energy Department) and Andrew Wheeler (Environmental Protection Agency).

The group held two events with Trump at his properties — a fundraising gala at Mar-a-Lago in November, and an event at Bedminster in July with Bondi to promote a lawsuit filed by Trump against tech companies that barred or limited his use of their platforms — and it is planning twice-a-year policy summits around the country.

The next summit, planned for April in Atlanta, could feature Trump, according to the group’s president, Brooke Rollins, who served as director of the White House Domestic Policy Council under Trump and says she remains in contact with Trump about her group’s efforts.

She said her group’s goal was to persuade Americans to support policies like those that Trump pursued as president, and “not about getting anyone reelected,” although she said she hoped the group’s efforts would shape the debates around the midterms and the 2024 presidential election.

“The metric of a successful policy organization is how much those policies are part of the debate,” she said.

A linked nonprofit group called America First Works is promoting policies that comport with Trump’s agenda. They include voting rules that make it “hard to cheat,” according to a fact sheet that seems to echo Trump’s false claims that the 2020 election was stolen, which his allies have been relying on to reshape election laws in a manner that could favour Republicans.

But the raft of new groups has brought with it some of the drama and infighting that marked Trump’s campaigns and presidency.

A previous iteration of the super PAC behind the Mar-a-Lago forum was replaced after one of its founders, former Trump campaign manager Corey Lewandowski, was accused of sexual misconduct by a donor.

That super PAC, which reported $5.6 million in the bank in mid-August, was supplanted by the new PAC, according to a statement announcing the shift in October that said the assets of the old PAC would be transferred to the new one.

The statement called the new group “the ONLY Trump-approved super PAC.”

Donald Trump and his allies are scheduling events and raising money for initiatives intended to make the former president a central player in the midterm elections, and possibly to set the stage for another run for the White House.

Donald Trump and his allies are scheduling events and raising money for initiatives intended to make the former president a central player in the midterm elections, and possibly to set the stage for another run for the White House. He and groups allied with him are planning policy summits, more rallies and an elaborate forum next month at his Mar-a-Lago resort for candidates he has endorsed and donors who give as much as $125,000 per person to a pro-Trump super PAC. The efforts seem intended to reinforce the former president’s grip on the Republican Party and its donors amid questions about whether Trump will seek the party’s nomination again or settle into a role as a kingmaker. Taken together, the pro-Trump groups form a sort of shadow political party that could help start another presidential campaign and, if that were successful, shape his administration. They include Trump’s own PACs, which amassed more than $100 million by last summer, employ an overlapping roster of former top officials from his administration and have signalled that they intend to embrace policies and candidates supported by Trump. The groups have also helped reinforce his properties as a center of Republican power, holding events at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida, and at the Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster, New Jersey. Trump has welcomed to the clubs a stream of Republicans seeking his political blessing, issuing nearly 100 endorsements to aligned candidates, including challengers to GOP incumbents who voted for Trump’s impeachment or supported the certification of his loss to President Joe Biden in the 2020 election. The candidate forum at Mar-a-Lago is being planned for Feb. 23 by a super PAC run by some of Trump’s closest allies called Make America Great Again, Again! Inc., according to an email to donors from Roy W. Bailey, a Texas businessman and Republican fundraiser. “There will be an all-day candidate forum with back-to-back speeches from the endorsed candidates and familiar faces in the Trump orbit,” wrote Bailey, who was a leading fundraiser for Trump’s campaigns and inaugural committee, then registered to lobby his administration. “We want those who attend to leave thinking that it was the best political event they have ever attended." Donors who raise $375,000 will be invited to a private dinner with Trump. Bailey noted that the PAC’s national finance director was Kimberly Guilfoyle, who is dating Trump’s son Donald Trump Jr., and that its board included Pam Bondi, the former Florida attorney general who advised Trump during his first impeachment; Richard Grenell, who was Trump’s ambassador to Germany and acting head of national intelligence; and Matthew G. Whitaker, who was acting attorney general. The forum is for federal candidates endorsed by Trump. It is not clear how many of them intend to attend. But some, including Harriet Hageman, who is mounting a primary challenge against Rep. Liz Cheney of Wyoming, one of Trump’s harshest Republican critics, and Kelly Tshibaka, who is running in the primary against Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, have been asked to hold the date, according to a person familiar with the planning who was not authorized to discuss it. Still, Trump’s political activities have generated some grumbling within his circle of supporters. One donor who had supported Trump’s campaigns said he was leery about donating to Make America Great Again, Again! because of concerns that the money would be wasted. Citing events at the former president’s properties as an example, the donor, who insisted on anonymity to avoid antagonizing Trump and his allies, said he declined invitations to the February candidate forum and to a $125,000-a-plate fundraising dinner with Trump held by the super PAC last month at Mar-a-Lago. Other donors and party leaders worry about the damage that could be done by Trump’s backing of primary challenges to Republicans who pushed back against his false claims that the 2020 election was stolen. Trump was impeached twice, including after his supporters stormed the Capitol seeking to disrupt the certification of Biden’s victory. Since then, he has been banned from the social media accounts he had wielded so effectively to generate attention and punish enemies without spending any money. While Trump has announced the formation of his own media company, including a new social network to reinsert himself into the conversation, it has yet to launch and its financing has come under scrutiny from securities regulators. Trump’s team also has continued fundraising voraciously online for various PACs that he directly controls, compiling a war chest of more than $100 million last summer, and his team has continued financing campaign-style rallies. He has plans for one in Arizona this month and more to follow, according to a person familiar with the matter. Many of Trump’s rallies in 2021 were paired with private donor round tables to raise money for his super PAC. He is planning more rallies in 2022 at locations chosen to help the candidates he has endorsed, according to people familiar with the plans. Groups allied with him have stepped up their fundraising in recent months, indicating they intend to spend funds to promote his causes and endorsements. A nonprofit group called America First Policy Institute, which was started last year to serve as a think tank for Trump world, has the look of a Trump administration in waiting. It raised more than $20 million last year and has 110 employees, including Bondi, Whitaker and a number of former Trump Cabinet members, such as David Bernhardt (who ran the Interior Department), Rick Perry (Energy Department) and Andrew Wheeler (Environmental Protection Agency). The group held two events with Trump at his properties — a fundraising gala at Mar-a-Lago in November, and an event at Bedminster in July with Bondi to promote a lawsuit filed by Trump against tech companies that barred or limited his use of their platforms — and it is planning twice-a-year policy summits around the country. The next summit, planned for April in Atlanta, could feature Trump, according to the group’s president, Brooke Rollins, who served as director of the White House Domestic Policy Council under Trump and says she remains in contact with Trump about her group’s efforts. She said her group’s goal was to persuade Americans to support policies like those that Trump pursued as president, and “not about getting anyone reelected,” although she said she hoped the group’s efforts would shape the debates around the midterms and the 2024 presidential election. “The metric of a successful policy organization is how much those policies are part of the debate,” she said. A linked nonprofit group called America First Works is promoting policies that comport with Trump’s agenda. They include voting rules that make it “hard to cheat,” according to a fact sheet that seems to echo Trump’s false claims that the 2020 election was stolen, which his allies have been relying on to reshape election laws in a manner that could favour Republicans. But the raft of new groups has brought with it some of the drama and infighting that marked Trump’s campaigns and presidency. A previous iteration of the super PAC behind the Mar-a-Lago forum was replaced after one of its founders, former Trump campaign manager Corey Lewandowski, was accused of sexual misconduct by a donor. That super PAC, which reported $5.6 million in the bank in mid-August, was supplanted by the new PAC, according to a statement announcing the shift in October that said the assets of the old PAC would be transferred to the new one. The statement called the new group “the ONLY Trump-approved super PAC.”

As midterms and 2024 loom, Trump's political operation revs up

Former US first lady Melania Trump said on Tuesday (January 4) that she would auction a famed white hat she wore in 2018, with accompanying physical and digitized NFT drawings.

The three "important one-of-a-kind signed items" commemorate an April 2018 state visit by French President Emmanuel Macron to Washington -- the first of the Trump presidency.

Bidding for this lot called the "Head of State Collection" will be held online between January 11 and 25, using the cryptocurrency Solana (SOL).

According to her website, where the auction was announced, bidding will begin at $250,000, currently equivalent to 1,416 SOL.

French-American designer Herve Pierre made the wide-brimmed hat at the request of Mrs Trump, who wore it as she accompanied French first lady Brigitte Macron around Washington.

The autographed collection also includes physical and digital paintings of Trump wearing the hat, both created by French artist Marc-Antoine Coulon.

The announcement states that a "portion" of the proceeds will go towards scholarships for children &nbsp;in foster care to learn computer skills.

Trump's office did not immediately respond to an email by AFP inquiring about the size of the portion that will be donated.&nbsp;

In her first public project since leaving the White House, Trump announced last month that she would be joining the crypto trend by launching her own platform to sell NFTs (non-fungible tokens).

"I am proud to announce my new NFT endeavor, which embodies my passion for the arts, and will support my ongoing commitment to children through my Be Best initiative," Trump said in a statement at the time.

"Through this new technology-based platform, we will provide children computer science skills, including programming and software development, to thrive after they age out of the foster community."

Using the blockchain technology behind cryptocurrencies, NFTs transform anything from illustrations to memes into virtual collectors' items that cannot be duplicated.

NFTs rocketed into the mainstream last year and are now traded at major auction houses, generating several hundred million dollars in transactions every month.

(With inputs from agencies)

Former US first lady Melania Trump said on Tuesday (January 4) that she would auction a famed white hat she wore in 2018, with accompanying physical and digitized NFT drawings.

Former US first lady Melania Trump said on Tuesday (January 4) that she would auction a famed white hat she wore in 2018, with accompanying physical and digitized NFT drawings. The three "important one-of-a-kind signed items" commemorate an April 2018 state visit by French President Emmanuel Macron to Washington -- the first of the Trump presidency. Bidding for this lot called the "Head of State Collection" will be held online between January 11 and 25, using the cryptocurrency Solana (SOL). According to her website, where the auction was announced, bidding will begin at $250,000, currently equivalent to 1,416 SOL. French-American designer Herve Pierre made the wide-brimmed hat at the request of Mrs Trump, who wore it as she accompanied French first lady Brigitte Macron around Washington. The autographed collection also includes physical and digital paintings of Trump wearing the hat, both created by French artist Marc-Antoine Coulon. The announcement states that a "portion" of the proceeds will go towards scholarships for children in foster care to learn computer skills. Trump's office did not immediately respond to an email by AFP inquiring about the size of the portion that will be donated. In her first public project since leaving the White House, Trump announced last month that she would be joining the crypto trend by launching her own platform to sell NFTs (non-fungible tokens). "I am proud to announce my new NFT endeavor, which embodies my passion for the arts, and will support my ongoing commitment to children through my Be Best initiative," Trump said in a statement at the time. "Through this new technology-based platform, we will provide children computer science skills, including programming and software development, to thrive after they age out of the foster community." Using the blockchain technology behind cryptocurrencies, NFTs transform anything from illustrations to memes into virtual collectors' items that cannot be duplicated. NFTs rocketed into the mainstream last year and are now traded at major auction houses, generating several hundred million dollars in transactions every month. (With inputs from agencies)

Melania Trump set to auction hat, NFT from Macron visit

Former Senator David Perdue knows how to crash a party. When he announced that he would seek the 2022 Republican nomination for governor in Georgia, challenging the incumbent, Brian Kemp, he did more than enter a primary race. He illustrated the dangers facing the G.O.P. in the coming year.

Georgia Republicans are divided over former President Donald Trump and torn between mainstream credibility and the conspiratorial fringe. Mr. Perdue — an ally of Mr. Trump — has made these divisions worse. The beneficiary? The Democrat Stacey Abrams.

Republicans worry about internal strife and outlandish messages that turn off swing voters because everything else is going their way. The party did well in last month’s elections. President Biden’s low approval ratings endanger Democrats in Congress, where Republicans must net only five seats in the House and one in the Senate to seize control.

Republican strength at the state level gives the party an advantage in drawing new maps of congressional districts, which will amplify their slim lead in the FiveThirtyEight estimate of the congressional generic ballot.

Yet history shows how expectations can be thwarted. Republicans have experienced hopeful times before — only to have the moment pass. They believed that disapproval of President Bill Clinton’s conduct would expand their majorities in 1998. They ended up losing five House seats. They believed that Mr. Trump would rally the base to support two incumbent senators during runoffs in Georgia last January. They lost both seats and Senate control.

Time and again, the biggest obstacle to a red wave hasn’t been the Democratic Party. It’s been the Republican Party.

Republican victories in the midterms next year are far from preordained. Glenn Youngkin’s win in Virginia looks much harder to replicate elsewhere than it did on election night. Republican leaders continue to fear Mr. Trump and his supporters, and they are divided over candidate selection, message and agenda. The result is a unique combination of external strength and internal rot: An enthusiastic and combative Republican Party that despite its best efforts may soon acquire power it has done nothing to deserve.

It will be hard for the party to appeal to the suburban independents who decide elections, though Mr. Youngkin’s success suggests a path. He is the first Republican elected governor of Virginia in over a decade because of his emphasis on kitchen-table issues like rising prices and school closures. He ignored immigration, encouraged vaccination while opposing government mandates and stayed clear of Mr. Trump during the general election. He focused on parental involvement in education and planted himself firmly in the center-right of the political mainstream. When asked about a Trump rally where the Pledge of Allegiance was recited to a flag supposedly connected to the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol, Mr. Youngkin called it “weird and wrong.” One Republican senator joked in private that Mr. Youngkin had figured out how to hold Mr. Trump’s hand — under the table and in the dark.

Other candidates won’t be as skilled or as lucky as Mr. Youngkin. Republicans lost winnable Senate seats in 2010 and 2012 because of flawed nominees like Sharron Angle in Nevada, Christine O’Donnell in Delaware, Todd Akin in Missouri and Richard Mourdock in Indiana. Past may be prologue if Republicans nominate Trump allies whose record or rhetoric are questionable and extreme. Last month, one Trump-endorsed candidate for Senate, Sean Parnell of Pennsylvania, suspended his campaign after he lost a custody battle against his estranged wife. The Trump endorsees Kelly Tshibaka of Alaska and Herschel Walker of Georgia are untested on the campaign trail. In races where Mr. Trump hasn’t yet endorsed, Blake Masters of Arizona, Eric Greitens of Missouri and J.D. Vance of Ohio may secure the MAGA base by forfeiting viability in the general election.

Mr. Trump remains the central figure in the G.O.P. Party elites try to ignore him as he spends many days fighting Republicans rather than Democrats and plotting his revenge against the 10 Republican House members who voted for his second impeachment, the seven Republican senators who voted to convict him and the 13 House Republicans who voted for the bipartisan infrastructure bill. Mr. Trump targets his enemies with primary challenges, calls for “audits” and “decertification” of the 2020 presidential results and howls at Mitch McConnell for not being “tough.” His imitators within the party are a font of endless infighting and controversy and undermine the authority of the House Republican leader, Kevin McCarthy. Mr. Trump would have it no other way.

The former president was content to keep a distance for this year’s races for governor. He won’t be so quiet next year — especially if he concludes that a successful midterm is a key step to his restoration to power in 2024. A more visible and vocal Trump has the potential to help Republicans in solid red states but doom them in purple or blue ones. Yet control of the Senate hinges on the results in Nevada, Arizona, Georgia, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania and New Hampshire — states Mr. Trump lost in 2020.

Mr. Youngkin showed that a positive message attuned to middle-class priorities repels Democratic attacks. If Republicans campaign on a unified message that applies conservative principles to inflation, the border, crime, education and health care, they might be able to avoid being tagged as the party of extremism, conspiracy and loyalty to Mr. Trump. Their problem is they have no such message.

Mr. McConnell has reportedly told Senate Republicans that they won’t release an agenda before the midterms. He’s worried that specific proposals are nothing but fodder for Democratic attacks. What should worry him more are rudderless Republican candidates who allow their Democratic opponents to define them negatively — and then, if they still win, take office in January 2023 with no idea what to do.

In an ideal world, more Republicans would think seriously about how best to provide individuals and families the resources necessary to flourish in today’s America. They would spend less time attacking one another and more time offering constructive approaches to inflation and dangerous streets. They would experiment with a ranked-choice primary system that played a role in Mr. Youngkin’s nomination in Virginia and in the law-and-order Democrat Eric Adams’s win in New York City’s mayor’s race. Interested Republicans would declare today that Mr. Trump won’t deter them from seeking the presidency — reminding him that renomination is not guaranteed.

But that’s not the world we live in. Republicans appear either unwilling or unable to treat the former president as a figure from the past whose behavior has done the party more harm than good. They take false comfort in the idea that midterm elections are “thermostatic,” the inevitable repudiation of the governing party that is climatic in nature. They assume they will win next year without doing anything of significance. And they may be right.

Former Senator David Perdue knows how to crash a party. When he announced that he would seek the 2022 Republican nomination for governor in Georgia, challenging the incumbent, Brian Kemp, he did more than enter a primary race.

Former Senator David Perdue knows how to crash a party. When he announced that he would seek the 2022 Republican nomination for governor in Georgia, challenging the incumbent, Brian Kemp, he did more than enter a primary race. He illustrated the dangers facing the G.O.P. in the coming year. Georgia Republicans are divided over former President Donald Trump and torn between mainstream credibility and the conspiratorial fringe. Mr. Perdue — an ally of Mr. Trump — has made these divisions worse. The beneficiary? The Democrat Stacey Abrams. Republicans worry about internal strife and outlandish messages that turn off swing voters because everything else is going their way. The party did well in last month’s elections. President Biden’s low approval ratings endanger Democrats in Congress, where Republicans must net only five seats in the House and one in the Senate to seize control. Republican strength at the state level gives the party an advantage in drawing new maps of congressional districts, which will amplify their slim lead in the FiveThirtyEight estimate of the congressional generic ballot. Yet history shows how expectations can be thwarted. Republicans have experienced hopeful times before — only to have the moment pass. They believed that disapproval of President Bill Clinton’s conduct would expand their majorities in 1998. They ended up losing five House seats. They believed that Mr. Trump would rally the base to support two incumbent senators during runoffs in Georgia last January. They lost both seats and Senate control. Time and again, the biggest obstacle to a red wave hasn’t been the Democratic Party. It’s been the Republican Party. Republican victories in the midterms next year are far from preordained. Glenn Youngkin’s win in Virginia looks much harder to replicate elsewhere than it did on election night. Republican leaders continue to fear Mr. Trump and his supporters, and they are divided over candidate selection, message and agenda. The result is a unique combination of external strength and internal rot: An enthusiastic and combative Republican Party that despite its best efforts may soon acquire power it has done nothing to deserve. It will be hard for the party to appeal to the suburban independents who decide elections, though Mr. Youngkin’s success suggests a path. He is the first Republican elected governor of Virginia in over a decade because of his emphasis on kitchen-table issues like rising prices and school closures. He ignored immigration, encouraged vaccination while opposing government mandates and stayed clear of Mr. Trump during the general election. He focused on parental involvement in education and planted himself firmly in the center-right of the political mainstream. When asked about a Trump rally where the Pledge of Allegiance was recited to a flag supposedly connected to the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol, Mr. Youngkin called it “weird and wrong.” One Republican senator joked in private that Mr. Youngkin had figured out how to hold Mr. Trump’s hand — under the table and in the dark. Other candidates won’t be as skilled or as lucky as Mr. Youngkin. Republicans lost winnable Senate seats in 2010 and 2012 because of flawed nominees like Sharron Angle in Nevada, Christine O’Donnell in Delaware, Todd Akin in Missouri and Richard Mourdock in Indiana. Past may be prologue if Republicans nominate Trump allies whose record or rhetoric are questionable and extreme. Last month, one Trump-endorsed candidate for Senate, Sean Parnell of Pennsylvania, suspended his campaign after he lost a custody battle against his estranged wife. The Trump endorsees Kelly Tshibaka of Alaska and Herschel Walker of Georgia are untested on the campaign trail. In races where Mr. Trump hasn’t yet endorsed, Blake Masters of Arizona, Eric Greitens of Missouri and J.D. Vance of Ohio may secure the MAGA base by forfeiting viability in the general election. Mr. Trump remains the central figure in the G.O.P. Party elites try to ignore him as he spends many days fighting Republicans rather than Democrats and plotting his revenge against the 10 Republican House members who voted for his second impeachment, the seven Republican senators who voted to convict him and the 13 House Republicans who voted for the bipartisan infrastructure bill. Mr. Trump targets his enemies with primary challenges, calls for “audits” and “decertification” of the 2020 presidential results and howls at Mitch McConnell for not being “tough.” His imitators within the party are a font of endless infighting and controversy and undermine the authority of the House Republican leader, Kevin McCarthy. Mr. Trump would have it no other way. The former president was content to keep a distance for this year’s races for governor. He won’t be so quiet next year — especially if he concludes that a successful midterm is a key step to his restoration to power in 2024. A more visible and vocal Trump has the potential to help Republicans in solid red states but doom them in purple or blue ones. Yet control of the Senate hinges on the results in Nevada, Arizona, Georgia, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania and New Hampshire — states Mr. Trump lost in 2020. Mr. Youngkin showed that a positive message attuned to middle-class priorities repels Democratic attacks. If Republicans campaign on a unified message that applies conservative principles to inflation, the border, crime, education and health care, they might be able to avoid being tagged as the party of extremism, conspiracy and loyalty to Mr. Trump. Their problem is they have no such message. Mr. McConnell has reportedly told Senate Republicans that they won’t release an agenda before the midterms. He’s worried that specific proposals are nothing but fodder for Democratic attacks. What should worry him more are rudderless Republican candidates who allow their Democratic opponents to define them negatively — and then, if they still win, take office in January 2023 with no idea what to do. In an ideal world, more Republicans would think seriously about how best to provide individuals and families the resources necessary to flourish in today’s America. They would spend less time attacking one another and more time offering constructive approaches to inflation and dangerous streets. They would experiment with a ranked-choice primary system that played a role in Mr. Youngkin’s nomination in Virginia and in the law-and-order Democrat Eric Adams’s win in New York City’s mayor’s race. Interested Republicans would declare today that Mr. Trump won’t deter them from seeking the presidency — reminding him that renomination is not guaranteed. But that’s not the world we live in. Republicans appear either unwilling or unable to treat the former president as a figure from the past whose behavior has done the party more harm than good. They take false comfort in the idea that midterm elections are “thermostatic,” the inevitable repudiation of the governing party that is climatic in nature. They assume they will win next year without doing anything of significance. And they may be right.

Will Trump Ruin a Red Wave in 2022?

The speech, riddled with attacks on the news media, elites and immigrants, with a fiery orator whipping up thousands of flag-waving supporters, was reminiscent of a Donald Trump campaign stop from years past.

But the scene was in France, last weekend, where Éric Zemmour, a polarizing far-right polemicist who has scrambled French politics, launched his presidential campaign with a rally in front of thousands of ardent supporters.

“On est chez nous!” (“This is our home!”), they chanted in a cavernous convention center filled with spotlights, speakers and giant screens in Villepinte, a suburb northeast of Paris.

At one point during the rally, anti-racism activists were attacked in the sort of brawl rarely seen at French political events. Earlier in the day, fans booed a television news crew, forcing it to be temporarily evacuated, and several journalists reported being insulted and beaten.

The outcome of Zemmour’s campaign remains unclear four months before France’s presidential election, with President Emmanuel Macron still ahead in the polls, and fierce competition emerging from the right. But the rally offered a glimpse of where the election could head, and which Trumpian tones it could take.

Unlike Marine Le Pen, the candidate of the traditional far right, who has long sought success by softening her party’s far-right views, Zemmour has bet that a full-on promotion of his reactionary ideas can fuel his rise.

He has done so by mastering the codes of social and news media, and by appealing to a somewhat wealthier and more educated base than the traditional far right. Recent polls suggest this approach has worked; about 15% of French voters say they intend to vote for him in the first round of voting.

“He’s the one who breaks a dam,” said Vincent Martigny, a professor of political science at the University of Nice. Voters who once balked at supporting Le Pen have now embraced his more extremist ideas, Martigny said.

But this quest to stake out a position on the extreme right may also backfire, as shown at last Sunday’s rally, when dozens of his supporters attacked anti-racism activists. The violent brawl could stain his image and undermine his attempts to broaden his electoral base, according to political analysts.

Still, as with Trump, no scandal to date has done any lasting damage to Zemmour’s political ambitions as he taps into widespread fears that French identity is being whittled away by immigration. Those fears have been heightened by a number of terrorist attacks in recent years, some committed by the children of immigrants.

Last Sunday's crowd of about 12,000 people in the Villepinte convention center reflected some of the forces that have fueled the candidate’s meteoric rise — upper-middle-class voters and some segments of an educated, affluent youth.

Men close to retirement age in hunting jackets and loafers waved French flags and cheered alongside young people dressed in crisp polo shirts; many displayed Roman Catholic crosses around their necks.

“Zemmour is someone who can actually make our ideas triumph and save France,” said Marc Perreti, a 19-year-old student from Neuilly-sur-Seine, a wealthy suburb of Paris.

In contrast with the affluent voters seen at Zemmour’s rally, Le Pen’s support comes mainly from the working class. A recent study showed Zemmour scoring well among the upper middle class, at 16% compared with 6% for Le Pen.

There was widespread nodding at the rally when Zemmour talked of France’s “great downgrading, with the impoverishment of the French, the decline of our power and the collapse of our school.”

And there were loud cheers when he mentioned “the great replacement, with the Islamization of France, mass immigration and constant insecurity.”

The so-called great replacement, a contentious theory that claims the West’s population is being replaced by immigrants, has been cited by white supremacists in mass shootings in Christchurch, New Zealand, and El Paso, Texas.

But Sophie Michel, a former history teacher and a mother of nine, said she believed the theory, pointing to the growing number of immigrant families living in her apartment building in western Paris.

“We’re the last white people there,” she said. “This is for real.”

The name of Zemmour’s new party, Reconquest, evokes the centuries-long period known as the Reconquista, when Christian forces drove Muslim rulers from the Iberian Peninsula.

Two of Michel’s children also attended the rally, along with hundreds of young people. Hortense Bergerault, 17, said she followed Zemmour on Instagram, where he has nearly 150,000 followers, ranking only behind Macron and Le Pen among the presidential candidates. “I have many friends who are really into it,” she said.

Martigny, the political scientist, said Zemmour was the product of “culture wars” that had gradually spread far-right ideas across society, especially through Fox News-style news networks, clearing “a space for a Trumpian player in the French political life.”

“They have understood that there is no lasting political victory without a prior cultural victory,” Martigny said of Zemmour’s team.

This cultural win was evident in Villepinte, where many supporters referred to Zemmour’s books and TV appearances as eye-opening experiences. Some wore baseball caps reading “Ben voyons!” — a rejoinder that Zemmour often uses to dismiss criticism and that roughly translates to “Oh, come on!” The crowd even chanted the phrase when Zemmour, speaking from his lectern, mocked those accusing him of being a fascist.

Antoine Diers, a spokesperson for Zemmour’s campaign, said that although France and the United States were two different countries, they had “obviously” looked at Trump’s 2016 presidential run “because it was a success.”

Raphaël Llorca, a French communications expert and member of the Fondation Jean-Jaurès research institute, said Zemmour had successfully waged a “battle of the cool” designed to popularize his extreme ideas and “reduce the cost of adherence” to the far right.

His YouTube campaign-launching video, riddled with cultural references, has drawn nearly 3 million viewers — evidence of his command of pop culture codes, Llorca said.

“The cool is a way to defuse and neutralize otherwise extremely violent” ideas, he added.

In October, Zemmour said his success would depend on his ability to appeal to both the conservative, bourgeois electorate and that of the Yellow Vests, the mostly working-class movement that protested against economic injustice that Le Pen has long courted.

Whether he can achieve that balancing act is far from clear, as shown by the attendance at the rally. The main economic proposal he outlined last weekend — slashing business taxes — is unlikely to speak to working-class voters.

Zemmour’s theatrical entrance into the convention center, to the sound of dramatic music, did little to eclipse the fact that he has so far failed to garner support from any major political figure or party. This remains a major difference from Trump, who could count on the powerful Republican Party and solid financial backing.

Zemmour said he was the target of the media and the elites. He praised the crowd before him for standing up to these attacks. “The political phenomenon of these rallies, it’s not me, it’s you!” he shouted.

But some of his supporters might also prove to be his greatest liability.

Midway through his speech, dozens of sturdy militants threw punches at several activists from SOS Racisme, an anti-racism organization, who had stood on chairs at the rally and revealed T-shirts spelling out the phrase “NO TO RACISM.”

Prosecutors have opened investigations into the violence, including one against a man who lunged at and grabbed Zemmour as he walked toward the stage.

Diers, the spokesperson, said the anti-racism activists had acted provocatively and that he had called on supporters “not to use force unreasonably.”

Llorca, the communications expert, said that with such a polarizing campaign, Zemmour risked “being overwhelmed” by the extremism of his own supporters.

The French news media later reported that some of those who had attacked the anti-racism activists were neo-Nazi militants. As they chased down the activists toward the entrance hall, wearing black mufflers that hid their faces, they were stopped by a security staff member.

“Thank you for being there,” he told them. “You did the job!”

The speech, riddled with attacks on the news media, elites and immigrants, with a fiery orator whipping up thousands of flag-waving supporters, was reminiscent of a Donald Trump campaign stop from years past.

The speech, riddled with attacks on the news media, elites and immigrants, with a fiery orator whipping up thousands of flag-waving supporters, was reminiscent of a Donald Trump campaign stop from years past. But the scene was in France, last weekend, where Éric Zemmour, a polarizing far-right polemicist who has scrambled French politics, launched his presidential campaign with a rally in front of thousands of ardent supporters. “On est chez nous!” (“This is our home!”), they chanted in a cavernous convention center filled with spotlights, speakers and giant screens in Villepinte, a suburb northeast of Paris. At one point during the rally, anti-racism activists were attacked in the sort of brawl rarely seen at French political events. Earlier in the day, fans booed a television news crew, forcing it to be temporarily evacuated, and several journalists reported being insulted and beaten. The outcome of Zemmour’s campaign remains unclear four months before France’s presidential election, with President Emmanuel Macron still ahead in the polls, and fierce competition emerging from the right. But the rally offered a glimpse of where the election could head, and which Trumpian tones it could take. Unlike Marine Le Pen, the candidate of the traditional far right, who has long sought success by softening her party’s far-right views, Zemmour has bet that a full-on promotion of his reactionary ideas can fuel his rise. He has done so by mastering the codes of social and news media, and by appealing to a somewhat wealthier and more educated base than the traditional far right. Recent polls suggest this approach has worked; about 15% of French voters say they intend to vote for him in the first round of voting. “He’s the one who breaks a dam,” said Vincent Martigny, a professor of political science at the University of Nice. Voters who once balked at supporting Le Pen have now embraced his more extremist ideas, Martigny said. But this quest to stake out a position on the extreme right may also backfire, as shown at last Sunday’s rally, when dozens of his supporters attacked anti-racism activists. The violent brawl could stain his image and undermine his attempts to broaden his electoral base, according to political analysts. Still, as with Trump, no scandal to date has done any lasting damage to Zemmour’s political ambitions as he taps into widespread fears that French identity is being whittled away by immigration. Those fears have been heightened by a number of terrorist attacks in recent years, some committed by the children of immigrants. Last Sunday's crowd of about 12,000 people in the Villepinte convention center reflected some of the forces that have fueled the candidate’s meteoric rise — upper-middle-class voters and some segments of an educated, affluent youth. Men close to retirement age in hunting jackets and loafers waved French flags and cheered alongside young people dressed in crisp polo shirts; many displayed Roman Catholic crosses around their necks. “Zemmour is someone who can actually make our ideas triumph and save France,” said Marc Perreti, a 19-year-old student from Neuilly-sur-Seine, a wealthy suburb of Paris. In contrast with the affluent voters seen at Zemmour’s rally, Le Pen’s support comes mainly from the working class. A recent study showed Zemmour scoring well among the upper middle class, at 16% compared with 6% for Le Pen. There was widespread nodding at the rally when Zemmour talked of France’s “great downgrading, with the impoverishment of the French, the decline of our power and the collapse of our school.” And there were loud cheers when he mentioned “the great replacement, with the Islamization of France, mass immigration and constant insecurity.” The so-called great replacement, a contentious theory that claims the West’s population is being replaced by immigrants, has been cited by white supremacists in mass shootings in Christchurch, New Zealand, and El Paso, Texas. But Sophie Michel, a former history teacher and a mother of nine, said she believed the theory, pointing to the growing number of immigrant families living in her apartment building in western Paris. “We’re the last white people there,” she said. “This is for real.” The name of Zemmour’s new party, Reconquest, evokes the centuries-long period known as the Reconquista, when Christian forces drove Muslim rulers from the Iberian Peninsula. Two of Michel’s children also attended the rally, along with hundreds of young people. Hortense Bergerault, 17, said she followed Zemmour on Instagram, where he has nearly 150,000 followers, ranking only behind Macron and Le Pen among the presidential candidates. “I have many friends who are really into it,” she said. Martigny, the political scientist, said Zemmour was the product of “culture wars” that had gradually spread far-right ideas across society, especially through Fox News-style news networks, clearing “a space for a Trumpian player in the French political life.” “They have understood that there is no lasting political victory without a prior cultural victory,” Martigny said of Zemmour’s team. This cultural win was evident in Villepinte, where many supporters referred to Zemmour’s books and TV appearances as eye-opening experiences. Some wore baseball caps reading “Ben voyons!” — a rejoinder that Zemmour often uses to dismiss criticism and that roughly translates to “Oh, come on!” The crowd even chanted the phrase when Zemmour, speaking from his lectern, mocked those accusing him of being a fascist. Antoine Diers, a spokesperson for Zemmour’s campaign, said that although France and the United States were two different countries, they had “obviously” looked at Trump’s 2016 presidential run “because it was a success.” Raphaël Llorca, a French communications expert and member of the Fondation Jean-Jaurès research institute, said Zemmour had successfully waged a “battle of the cool” designed to popularize his extreme ideas and “reduce the cost of adherence” to the far right. His YouTube campaign-launching video, riddled with cultural references, has drawn nearly 3 million viewers — evidence of his command of pop culture codes, Llorca said. “The cool is a way to defuse and neutralize otherwise extremely violent” ideas, he added. In October, Zemmour said his success would depend on his ability to appeal to both the conservative, bourgeois electorate and that of the Yellow Vests, the mostly working-class movement that protested against economic injustice that Le Pen has long courted. Whether he can achieve that balancing act is far from clear, as shown by the attendance at the rally. The main economic proposal he outlined last weekend — slashing business taxes — is unlikely to speak to working-class voters. Zemmour’s theatrical entrance into the convention center, to the sound of dramatic music, did little to eclipse the fact that he has so far failed to garner support from any major political figure or party. This remains a major difference from Trump, who could count on the powerful Republican Party and solid financial backing. Zemmour said he was the target of the media and the elites. He praised the crowd before him for standing up to these attacks. “The political phenomenon of these rallies, it’s not me, it’s you!” he shouted. But some of his supporters might also prove to be his greatest liability. Midway through his speech, dozens of sturdy militants threw punches at several activists from SOS Racisme, an anti-racism organization, who had stood on chairs at the rally and revealed T-shirts spelling out the phrase “NO TO RACISM.” Prosecutors have opened investigations into the violence, including one against a man who lunged at and grabbed Zemmour as he walked toward the stage. Diers, the spokesperson, said the anti-racism activists had acted provocatively and that he had called on supporters “not to use force unreasonably.” Llorca, the communications expert, said that with such a polarizing campaign, Zemmour risked “being overwhelmed” by the extremism of his own supporters. The French news media later reported that some of those who had attacked the anti-racism activists were neo-Nazi militants. As they chased down the activists toward the entrance hall, wearing black mufflers that hid their faces, they were stopped by a security staff member. “Thank you for being there,” he told them. “You did the job!”

Echoes of Trump at a rally for France’s far-right upstart

If the US election 2020 were held a year later, in November 20201, more Americans would have voted in favour of the former reality TV star, Donald Trump, rather than for Joe Biden.<o:p></o:p>

As per a survey conducted by the new Harvard CAPS-Harris poll, 48 per cent Americans claimed that they would have voted for Donald Trump, whereas only 45 per cent promised to back Biden.

<o:p></o:p>

The survey was released exclusively to The Hill.

<o:p>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-election-2024-poll-shows-80-republicans-want-donald-trump-to-run-422257">US election 2024: Poll shows 80% Republicans want Donald Trump to run</a></o:p>

When it came to American men, 50 per cent of men backed <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/donald-trump?page=1">Trump</a> and only 43 per cent supported Biden, whereas in women the vote was equally split at 46 per cent. <o:p></o:p>

However, in the urban population it was Biden who won the votes by 20 percentage point and by four percentage points in suburban areas. The rural population, however, said they would have liked to see Trump continue with his term as Trump led by 33 percentage points in those areas in this survey.<o:p></o:p>

This poll comes at a time when there are murmurs about whether or not Donald Trump will re-run for US election 2024. The data collected by this survey shows that if Trump contests, he may actually have a fair chance at winning back the control of White House, irrespective of the impeachment cases on him in the past.

<o:p>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-election-2024-former-us-president-donald-trump-favourite-candidate-biden-lagging-behind-420648">US election 2024: Former US President Donald Trump favourite candidate, Biden lagging behind</a></o:p>

"The collapse of Biden has led to a surge for President Trump on all fronts both in the GOP primary and in a potential general election," pollster&nbsp;Mark Penn was quoted by The Hill.<o:p></o:p>

This data shows an opposite reality of what really happened in US election 2020. Joe Biden had conquered the elections last year by nearly seven million votes, owing to his strong presence in Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania.<o:p></o:p>

The new survey also goes in line with a survey conducted by Quinnipiac University in October 2021 in which it was revealed that nearly 80 per cent of Republicans want former President Donald Trump to run in the US election 2024.<o:p></o:p>

If the US election 2020 were held a year later, in November 20201, more Americans would have voted in favour of the former reality TV star, Donald Trump, rather than for Joe Biden.

If the US election 2020 were held a year later, in November 20201, more Americans would have voted in favour of the former reality TV star, Donald Trump, rather than for Joe Biden. As per a survey conducted by the new Harvard CAPS-Harris poll, 48 per cent Americans claimed that they would have voted for Donald Trump, whereas only 45 per cent promised to back Biden. The survey was released exclusively to The Hill. Also read | US election 2024: Poll shows 80% Republicans want Donald Trump to run When it came to American men, 50 per cent of men backed Trump and only 43 per cent supported Biden, whereas in women the vote was equally split at 46 per cent. However, in the urban population it was Biden who won the votes by 20 percentage point and by four percentage points in suburban areas. The rural population, however, said they would have liked to see Trump continue with his term as Trump led by 33 percentage points in those areas in this survey. This poll comes at a time when there are murmurs about whether or not Donald Trump will re-run for US election 2024. The data collected by this survey shows that if Trump contests, he may actually have a fair chance at winning back the control of White House, irrespective of the impeachment cases on him in the past. Also read | US election 2024: Former US President Donald Trump favourite candidate, Biden lagging behind "The collapse of Biden has led to a surge for President Trump on all fronts both in the GOP primary and in a potential general election," pollster Mark Penn was quoted by The Hill. This data shows an opposite reality of what really happened in US election 2020. Joe Biden had conquered the elections last year by nearly seven million votes, owing to his strong presence in Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania. The new survey also goes in line with a survey conducted by Quinnipiac University in October 2021 in which it was revealed that nearly 80 per cent of Republicans want former President Donald Trump to run in the US election 2024.

Donald Trump would have won if US election were held today: Poll

Former US president Donald Trump was given the&nbsp;‘black belt’ title in taekwondo even though he has never practised the sport.

He was given the honourary ninth dan certificate, the highest level in martial arts by Kukkiwon, the headquarters of the World Taekwondo Academy.&nbsp;

The organisation's president, Lee Dong-seop, visited Trump's residence in Florida&nbsp;on November 19 to present him the black belt.

Responding to the gesture, Trump said he was honoured to receive the award.

“It is my honor to receive Honorary Dan Certificate and I think Taekwondo is magnificent martial art for self-defense. I wish to see Kukkiwon Taekwondo Team’s demonstration,” Kukkiwon quoted Trump as saying in its Facebook post.

The organisation said that the ceremony was “not related to any other political issues”.

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A South Korean resident in the United States reportedly organised the meeting.

“I came to know that Donald Trump is quite interested in Taekwondo,” Daily Mail quoted Lee as saying.

The former president vowed that he would look to wear the taekwondo clothing in Congress should he make a return to the White House in the future.&nbsp;

Notably, Trump isn’t the only world leader to receive the honours. Before him, Russian President Vladimir Putin was facilitated with the coveted rank. Putin had also not practised taekwondo when he was awarded in 2013.

(With inputs from agencies)

Former US president Donald Trump was given the ‘black belt’ title in taekwondo even though he has never practised the sport. He was given the honourary ninth dan certificate, the highest level in martial arts by Kukkiwon, the headquarters of the World Taekwondo Academy.

Former US president Donald Trump was given the ‘black belt’ title in taekwondo even though he has never practised the sport. He was given the honourary ninth dan certificate, the highest level in martial arts by Kukkiwon, the headquarters of the World Taekwondo Academy. The organisation's president, Lee Dong-seop, visited Trump's residence in Florida on November 19 to present him the black belt. Responding to the gesture, Trump said he was honoured to receive the award. “It is my honor to receive Honorary Dan Certificate and I think Taekwondo is magnificent martial art for self-defense. I wish to see Kukkiwon Taekwondo Team’s demonstration,” Kukkiwon quoted Trump as saying in its Facebook post. The organisation said that the ceremony was “not related to any other political issues”. × A South Korean resident in the United States reportedly organised the meeting. “I came to know that Donald Trump is quite interested in Taekwondo,” Daily Mail quoted Lee as saying. The former president vowed that he would look to wear the taekwondo clothing in Congress should he make a return to the White House in the future. Notably, Trump isn’t the only world leader to receive the honours. Before him, Russian President Vladimir Putin was facilitated with the coveted rank. Putin had also not practised taekwondo when he was awarded in 2013. (With inputs from agencies)

Donald Trump honoured with black belt in taekwondo despite not playing the sport

The conference hall was packed, with a crowd of more than 1,000 cheering attacks on the press, the liberals and the politically correct. There was Donald Trump Jr. warning that the Chinese could meddle in the election, a Tennessee congressman who voted against certifying the 2020 vote, and the president complaining about voter fraud.

In many ways, the September gathering looked like just another CPAC, the annual conservative political conference. But it was happening in Brazil, most of it was in Portuguese and the president at the lectern was Jair Bolsonaro, the country’s right-wing leader.

Fresh from their assault on the results of the 2020 US&nbsp;presidential election, former President Donald Trump and his allies are exporting their strategy to Latin America’s largest democracy, working to support Bolsonaro’s bid for reelection next year — and helping sow doubt in the electoral process in the event that he loses.

They are branding his political rivals as criminals and communists, building new social networks where he can avoid Silicon Valley’s rules against misinformation and amplifying his claims that the election in Brazil will be rigged.

For the American ideologues pushing a right-wing, nationalist movement, Brazil is one of the most important pieces on the global chess board. With 212 million people, it is the world’s sixth-largest nation, the dominant force in South America, and home to an overwhelmingly Christian population that continues to shift to the right.

Brazil also presents a rich economic opportunity, with abundant natural resources made more available by Bolsonaro’s rollback of regulations, and a captive market for the new right-wing social networks run by Trump and others.

For the Brazilian president, who finds himself increasingly isolated on the world stage and unpopular at home, the American support is a welcome boost. The Trump name is a rallying cry for Brazil’s new right and his efforts to undermine the U.S. electoral system appear to have emboldened Bolsonaro and his supporters.

But Brazil is a deeply divided nation where the institutions safeguarding democracy are more vulnerable to attack. The adoption of Trump’s methods could prove destabilizing in a country with a history of political violence and military rule.

“Bolsonaro is already putting it into people’s heads that he won’t accept the election if he loses,” said David Nemer, a University of Virginia professor from Brazil who studies the country’s far-right.

Steve Bannon, Trump’s former chief strategist, has said Bolsonaro will only lose if “the machines” steal the election. Rep. Mark Green, R-Tenn., who has pushed laws combating voter fraud, met with lawmakers in Brazil to discuss “voting integrity policies.”

And Bolsonaro’s son, Eduardo Bolsonaro, gave perhaps his most elaborate presentation on what he said were manipulated Brazilian elections in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. He was at an August event hosted by Mike Lindell, the pillow executive being sued for defaming voting-machine makers.

Authorities, including academics, Brazil’s electoral officials and the US&nbsp;government, all have said that there has not been fraud in Brazil’s elections.

Trump’s circle has cosied up to other far-right leaders, including in Hungary, Poland and the Philippines, and tried to boost rising nationalist politicians elsewhere. But the ties are the strongest in Brazil.

WhatsApp groups for Jair Bolsonaro supporters recently began circulating the trailer for a new series from Fox News host Tucker Carlson that sympathizes with the Jan. 6 Capitol riot, Nemer said. The United States, which has been a democracy for 245 years, withstood that attack. Brazil passed its constitution in 1988 after two decades under a military dictatorship.

“What concerns me is how fragile our democratic institutions are,” Nemer said.

The U.S. interest in Brazil is not only political. Two conservative social networks run by allies of Trump, Gettr and Parler, are growing rapidly here by leaning into fears of Big Tech censorship and by persuading Bolsonaro to post on their sites — the only world leader to do so. Trump’s own new social network, announced last month, is partially financed by a Brazilian congressman aligned with Bolsonaro.

The Trumps, the Bolsonaros, Green and Bannon did not respond to repeated requests for comment.

Bolsonaro’s fraud claims have worried officials in the Biden administration, according to two U.S. officials who spoke on the condition of anonymity. In August, Jake Sullivan, President Joe Biden’s national security adviser, travelled to Brazil and advised Bolsonaro to respect the democratic process.

In October, 64 members of Congress asked Biden for a reset in the United States’ relationship with Brazil, citing Bolsonaro’s pursuit of policies that threaten democratic rule.

For Bolsonaro, the Republicans’ support comes at a crucial moment. The pandemic has killed more than 610,000 Brazilians, second only to the 758,000 deaths in the United States. Unemployment and inflation have risen. And Brazil’s Supreme Court and Congress are closing in on investigations into him, his sons and his allies.

Late last month, a Brazil congressional panel recommended that Bolsonaro be charged with “crimes against humanity,” asserting that he intentionally let the coronavirus tear through Brazil in a bid for herd immunity. The panel blamed his administration for more than 100,000 deaths.

Minutes after the panel voted, Trump issued his endorsement. “Brazil is lucky to have a man such as Jair Bolsonaro working for them,” he said in a statement. “He is a great president and will never let the people of his great country down!”

In 2018, Bolsonaro was carried to victory by the same populist wave that buoyed Trump. The comparisons between Bolsonaro, a former army paratrooper with a penchant for insults and off-the-cuff tweets, and Trump were instant.

“They say he’s the Donald Trump of South America,” Trump said in 2019. “I like him.”

To many others, Bolsonaro was alarming. As a congressman and candidate, he had waxed poetic about Brazil’s military dictatorship, which tortured its political rivals. He said he would be incapable of loving a gay son. And he said a rival congresswoman was too ugly to be raped.

Before the pandemic, Bolsonaro had been good for US&nbsp;business.

The Trump and Bolsonaro administrations signed pacts to increase commerce. US&nbsp;investors plowed billions of dollars into Brazilian companies. And Brazil spent more on U.S. imports, including fuel, plastics and aircraft.

Now a new class of companies is salivating over Brazil: conservative social networks.

Gettr and Parler, two Twitter clones, have grown rapidly in Brazil by promising a hands-off approach to people who believe Silicon Valley is censoring conservative voices. One of their most high-profile recruits is Bolsonaro.

Gettr’s CEO, Jason Miller, is Trump’s former spokesperson. He said that Bolsonaro and his sons’ activity on his site has been a major boost for business. The 4-month-old app already has nearly 500,000 users in Brazil, or 15% of its user base, its second-largest market after the United States. Gettr is now advertising on conservative Brazilian YouTube channels. “I had Brazil identified from day one,” Miller said.

Parler said Brazil is also its No. 2 market. Both companies sponsored CPAC in Brazil.

Bolsonaro will likely soon have another option. Last month, Trump announced he was starting his own social network. The company financing his new venture is partly led by Luiz Philippe de Orleans e Bragança, a Brazilian congressman and Bolsonaro ally.

The first week of September was a critical moment for the Bolsonaro presidency. Facing political crises, he called for nationwide demonstrations on Sept. 7, Brazil’s Independence Day, to protest his enemies in the Supreme Court and on the left.

The weekend before, just down the road from the presidential palace, Bolsonaro’s closest allies gathered at CPAC.

During the conference, the head of Project Veritas, the conservative group that secretly records journalists to try to expose liberal bias, told the audience that he aimed to expand to Brazil.

Afterward, Eduardo Bolsonaro brought several Americans to the presidential palace. Miller of Gettr and two men connected to Project Veritas sat outside with Jair Bolsonaro and his sons. They talked for more than an hour, Miller said. The Brazilians wanted to “kick the tires” on Gettr, he said.

The next day, Brazil’s federal police detained Miller at the airport. A Supreme Court judge had ordered police to question him about how Gettr might be used to spread misinformation in Brazil. “It was just farcical,” Miller said.

At the same time, hundreds of thousands of Bolsonaro supporters in yellow and green were filling the national esplanade in Brasília. Pro-Bolsonaro banners hung from government buildings.

Bolsonaro gave a fiery speech. Then he flew to Sao Paulo, where he used Miller’s detainment as evidence of judicial overreach. He told the crowd he would no longer recognize decisions from a Supreme Court judge.

He then turned to the election.

“We have three alternatives for me: Prison, death or victory,” he said. “Tell the bastards I’ll never be arrested.”

The conference hall was packed, with a crowd of more than 1,000 cheering attacks on the press, the liberals and the politically correct. There was Donald Trump Jr.

The conference hall was packed, with a crowd of more than 1,000 cheering attacks on the press, the liberals and the politically correct. There was Donald Trump Jr. warning that the Chinese could meddle in the election, a Tennessee congressman who voted against certifying the 2020 vote, and the president complaining about voter fraud. In many ways, the September gathering looked like just another CPAC, the annual conservative political conference. But it was happening in Brazil, most of it was in Portuguese and the president at the lectern was Jair Bolsonaro, the country’s right-wing leader. Fresh from their assault on the results of the 2020 US presidential election, former President Donald Trump and his allies are exporting their strategy to Latin America’s largest democracy, working to support Bolsonaro’s bid for reelection next year — and helping sow doubt in the electoral process in the event that he loses. They are branding his political rivals as criminals and communists, building new social networks where he can avoid Silicon Valley’s rules against misinformation and amplifying his claims that the election in Brazil will be rigged. For the American ideologues pushing a right-wing, nationalist movement, Brazil is one of the most important pieces on the global chess board. With 212 million people, it is the world’s sixth-largest nation, the dominant force in South America, and home to an overwhelmingly Christian population that continues to shift to the right. Brazil also presents a rich economic opportunity, with abundant natural resources made more available by Bolsonaro’s rollback of regulations, and a captive market for the new right-wing social networks run by Trump and others. For the Brazilian president, who finds himself increasingly isolated on the world stage and unpopular at home, the American support is a welcome boost. The Trump name is a rallying cry for Brazil’s new right and his efforts to undermine the U.S. electoral system appear to have emboldened Bolsonaro and his supporters. But Brazil is a deeply divided nation where the institutions safeguarding democracy are more vulnerable to attack. The adoption of Trump’s methods could prove destabilizing in a country with a history of political violence and military rule. “Bolsonaro is already putting it into people’s heads that he won’t accept the election if he loses,” said David Nemer, a University of Virginia professor from Brazil who studies the country’s far-right. Steve Bannon, Trump’s former chief strategist, has said Bolsonaro will only lose if “the machines” steal the election. Rep. Mark Green, R-Tenn., who has pushed laws combating voter fraud, met with lawmakers in Brazil to discuss “voting integrity policies.” And Bolsonaro’s son, Eduardo Bolsonaro, gave perhaps his most elaborate presentation on what he said were manipulated Brazilian elections in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. He was at an August event hosted by Mike Lindell, the pillow executive being sued for defaming voting-machine makers. Authorities, including academics, Brazil’s electoral officials and the US government, all have said that there has not been fraud in Brazil’s elections. Trump’s circle has cosied up to other far-right leaders, including in Hungary, Poland and the Philippines, and tried to boost rising nationalist politicians elsewhere. But the ties are the strongest in Brazil. WhatsApp groups for Jair Bolsonaro supporters recently began circulating the trailer for a new series from Fox News host Tucker Carlson that sympathizes with the Jan. 6 Capitol riot, Nemer said. The United States, which has been a democracy for 245 years, withstood that attack. Brazil passed its constitution in 1988 after two decades under a military dictatorship. “What concerns me is how fragile our democratic institutions are,” Nemer said. The U.S. interest in Brazil is not only political. Two conservative social networks run by allies of Trump, Gettr and Parler, are growing rapidly here by leaning into fears of Big Tech censorship and by persuading Bolsonaro to post on their sites — the only world leader to do so. Trump’s own new social network, announced last month, is partially financed by a Brazilian congressman aligned with Bolsonaro. The Trumps, the Bolsonaros, Green and Bannon did not respond to repeated requests for comment. Bolsonaro’s fraud claims have worried officials in the Biden administration, according to two U.S. officials who spoke on the condition of anonymity. In August, Jake Sullivan, President Joe Biden’s national security adviser, travelled to Brazil and advised Bolsonaro to respect the democratic process. In October, 64 members of Congress asked Biden for a reset in the United States’ relationship with Brazil, citing Bolsonaro’s pursuit of policies that threaten democratic rule. For Bolsonaro, the Republicans’ support comes at a crucial moment. The pandemic has killed more than 610,000 Brazilians, second only to the 758,000 deaths in the United States. Unemployment and inflation have risen. And Brazil’s Supreme Court and Congress are closing in on investigations into him, his sons and his allies. Late last month, a Brazil congressional panel recommended that Bolsonaro be charged with “crimes against humanity,” asserting that he intentionally let the coronavirus tear through Brazil in a bid for herd immunity. The panel blamed his administration for more than 100,000 deaths. Minutes after the panel voted, Trump issued his endorsement. “Brazil is lucky to have a man such as Jair Bolsonaro working for them,” he said in a statement. “He is a great president and will never let the people of his great country down!” In 2018, Bolsonaro was carried to victory by the same populist wave that buoyed Trump. The comparisons between Bolsonaro, a former army paratrooper with a penchant for insults and off-the-cuff tweets, and Trump were instant. “They say he’s the Donald Trump of South America,” Trump said in 2019. “I like him.” To many others, Bolsonaro was alarming. As a congressman and candidate, he had waxed poetic about Brazil’s military dictatorship, which tortured its political rivals. He said he would be incapable of loving a gay son. And he said a rival congresswoman was too ugly to be raped. Before the pandemic, Bolsonaro had been good for US business. The Trump and Bolsonaro administrations signed pacts to increase commerce. US investors plowed billions of dollars into Brazilian companies. And Brazil spent more on U.S. imports, including fuel, plastics and aircraft. Now a new class of companies is salivating over Brazil: conservative social networks. Gettr and Parler, two Twitter clones, have grown rapidly in Brazil by promising a hands-off approach to people who believe Silicon Valley is censoring conservative voices. One of their most high-profile recruits is Bolsonaro. Gettr’s CEO, Jason Miller, is Trump’s former spokesperson. He said that Bolsonaro and his sons’ activity on his site has been a major boost for business. The 4-month-old app already has nearly 500,000 users in Brazil, or 15% of its user base, its second-largest market after the United States. Gettr is now advertising on conservative Brazilian YouTube channels. “I had Brazil identified from day one,” Miller said. Parler said Brazil is also its No. 2 market. Both companies sponsored CPAC in Brazil. Bolsonaro will likely soon have another option. Last month, Trump announced he was starting his own social network. The company financing his new venture is partly led by Luiz Philippe de Orleans e Bragança, a Brazilian congressman and Bolsonaro ally. The first week of September was a critical moment for the Bolsonaro presidency. Facing political crises, he called for nationwide demonstrations on Sept. 7, Brazil’s Independence Day, to protest his enemies in the Supreme Court and on the left. The weekend before, just down the road from the presidential palace, Bolsonaro’s closest allies gathered at CPAC. During the conference, the head of Project Veritas, the conservative group that secretly records journalists to try to expose liberal bias, told the audience that he aimed to expand to Brazil. Afterward, Eduardo Bolsonaro brought several Americans to the presidential palace. Miller of Gettr and two men connected to Project Veritas sat outside with Jair Bolsonaro and his sons. They talked for more than an hour, Miller said. The Brazilians wanted to “kick the tires” on Gettr, he said. The next day, Brazil’s federal police detained Miller at the airport. A Supreme Court judge had ordered police to question him about how Gettr might be used to spread misinformation in Brazil. “It was just farcical,” Miller said. At the same time, hundreds of thousands of Bolsonaro supporters in yellow and green were filling the national esplanade in Brasília. Pro-Bolsonaro banners hung from government buildings. Bolsonaro gave a fiery speech. Then he flew to Sao Paulo, where he used Miller’s detainment as evidence of judicial overreach. He told the crowd he would no longer recognize decisions from a Supreme Court judge. He then turned to the election. “We have three alternatives for me: Prison, death or victory,” he said. “Tell the bastards I’ll never be arrested.”

Bolsonaro-Trump connection threatening Brazil’s elections

In what can be called a temporary victory for former US president Donald Trump, a federal appeals court of the country granted a hold sought by the leader to block the National Archives from handing over documents to the January 6 House committee. &nbsp;

Claiming executive privilege over around 700 records related to the Capitol riot, Trump sued the House and the National Archives. &nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-judge-tells-michigan-state-to-pay-626-mn-to-flint-residents-over-contaminated-water-supply-428507" hreflang="en">US judge tells Michigan state to pay $626 mn to Flint residents over contaminated water supply</a>

Earlier this week, a federal judge had rejected attempts by former president to stop the delivery of the first batch of documents, which was slated to happen on Friday. After this, his team appealed. &nbsp;

The order of US Court of Appeals in the district of Columbia sets oral arguments to take place at 9:30 am on November 30. &nbsp;&nbsp;

The three judges on the panel, who made the decision, were appointed by either ex-President Barack Obama or President Joe Biden. &nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/boy-in-us-state-of-alabama-sets-record-as-most-premature-baby-to-survive-428538" hreflang="en">Boy in US state of Alabama sets record as most premature baby to survive</a>

The case seems to make its way to the Supreme Court. &nbsp;

"Presidents are not kings, and Plaintiff is not President," said Judge Tanya Chutkan of the US District Court in Washington, DC. &nbsp;

White House has declined to support Trump's claims of executive privilege. &nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

In what can be called a temporary victory for former US president Donald Trump, a federal appeals court of the country granted a hold sought by the leader to block the National Archives from handing over documents to the January 6 House committee.

In what can be called a temporary victory for former US president Donald Trump, a federal appeals court of the country granted a hold sought by the leader to block the National Archives from handing over documents to the January 6 House committee. Claiming executive privilege over around 700 records related to the Capitol riot, Trump sued the House and the National Archives. Also Read: US judge tells Michigan state to pay $626 mn to Flint residents over contaminated water supply Earlier this week, a federal judge had rejected attempts by former president to stop the delivery of the first batch of documents, which was slated to happen on Friday. After this, his team appealed. The order of US Court of Appeals in the district of Columbia sets oral arguments to take place at 9:30 am on November 30. The three judges on the panel, who made the decision, were appointed by either ex-President Barack Obama or President Joe Biden. Also Read: Boy in US state of Alabama sets record as most premature baby to survive The case seems to make its way to the Supreme Court. "Presidents are not kings, and Plaintiff is not President," said Judge Tanya Chutkan of the US District Court in Washington, DC. White House has declined to support Trump's claims of executive privilege. (With inputs from agencies)

Temporary victory? US court blocks National Archives from sharing Trump records with riots panel

Shares of the blank-check acquisition company that plans to publicly list former US&nbsp;President Donald Trump's new social media venture fell on Monday after an eye-watering rally last week, as a short-seller said it was betting against the company.

Digital World Acquisition (DWAC.O), a Miami-based special purpose acquisition company (SPAC), fell 10.98 per cent, its first declining session since announcing Wednesday it would merge with Trump's media company to create a social media app called TRUTH Social. read more

The stock surged following the announcement and remains up over 700 per cent&nbsp;since the deal was unveiled.

Also Read |<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/the-world-has-found-a-way-to-do-this-the-us-lags-on-paid-leave-423985">&nbsp;The world ‘has found a way to do this’: The US lags on paid leave</a>

Earlier on Monday, short seller Iceberg Research tweeted it was betting against the company’s shares.

“We are short $DWAC. Now that initial excitement has passed, we see only risks for investors in near future. Based on Trump's track record, at current price, renegotiation is likely to keep more of the merged company for him,” Iceberg Research tweeted.

Iceberg, which publishes a blog with its research on Wordpress, gained attention in 2015 for highlighting what it called aggressive accounting practices at Hong Kong-based commodities trader Noble Group. Noble denied the allegations but subsequently saw its profits collapse and was forced to sell most of its assets.

The company said earlier this year that it was short popular meme stock AMC Entertainment Holdings (AMC.N).&nbsp;

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Digital World Acquisition's recent surge is reminiscent of the meme stock frenzy earlier in 2021, when an army of retail investors on Reddit fueled hyper-rallies in GameStop Corp (GME.N), AMC Entertainment Holdings and other stocks.

Twitter (TWTR.N), Facebook (FB.O) and other social media platforms banned Trump from their services after hundreds of his supporters rioted at the U.S. Capitol on January&nbsp;6.

TRUTH Social is set for a beta launch next month and full rollout in the first quarter of 2022.

SPACs allow private companies to publicly list their shares while sidestepping traditional initial public offerings.

Shares of the blank-check acquisition company that plans to publicly list former US President Donald Trump's new social media venture fell on Monday after an eye-watering rally last week, as a short-seller said it was betting against the company.

Shares of the blank-check acquisition company that plans to publicly list former US President Donald Trump's new social media venture fell on Monday after an eye-watering rally last week, as a short-seller said it was betting against the company. Digital World Acquisition (DWAC.O), a Miami-based special purpose acquisition company (SPAC), fell 10.98 per cent, its first declining session since announcing Wednesday it would merge with Trump's media company to create a social media app called TRUTH Social. read more The stock surged following the announcement and remains up over 700 per cent since the deal was unveiled. Also Read | The world ‘has found a way to do this’: The US lags on paid leave Earlier on Monday, short seller Iceberg Research tweeted it was betting against the company’s shares. “We are short $DWAC. Now that initial excitement has passed, we see only risks for investors in near future. Based on Trump's track record, at current price, renegotiation is likely to keep more of the merged company for him,” Iceberg Research tweeted. Iceberg, which publishes a blog with its research on Wordpress, gained attention in 2015 for highlighting what it called aggressive accounting practices at Hong Kong-based commodities trader Noble Group. Noble denied the allegations but subsequently saw its profits collapse and was forced to sell most of its assets. The company said earlier this year that it was short popular meme stock AMC Entertainment Holdings (AMC.N). Also Read | US warns climate poses ‘emerging threat’ to financial system Digital World Acquisition's recent surge is reminiscent of the meme stock frenzy earlier in 2021, when an army of retail investors on Reddit fueled hyper-rallies in GameStop Corp (GME.N), AMC Entertainment Holdings and other stocks. Twitter (TWTR.N), Facebook (FB.O) and other social media platforms banned Trump from their services after hundreds of his supporters rioted at the U.S. Capitol on January 6. TRUTH Social is set for a beta launch next month and full rollout in the first quarter of 2022. SPACs allow private companies to publicly list their shares while sidestepping traditional initial public offerings.

Shares of SPAC, the firm linked to Trump social media venture, down as short seller targets it

The US committee investigating the Capitol riot&nbsp;has voted to recommend criminal prosecution against Donald Trump’s former chief strategist Steve Bannon after he refused to testify before the committee relating to their inquiry into the January 6 insurrection.

The US House of Representatives committee approved the contempt of Congress unanimously on Monday, sending the report to the Democratic-controlled House, which is expected on Thursday to authorize the panel to go to court to punish Bannon for his non-compliance.

If the full chamber approves the matter, it would be referred to the justice department, which has the final say on bringing charges.

If convicted, Bannon could face a fine and up to one year in prison.

“It is essential that we get Mr Bannon’s factual and complete testimony in order to get a full accounting of the violence of January 6th and its causes,” Guardian quoted Bennie Thompson, the chairman of the select committee, as saying.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-sues-us-committee-investigating-jan-6-capitol-hill-riots-to-block-release-of-white-house-records-421934">Trump sues US committee investigating Jan 6 Capitol Hill riots to block release of White House records</a>

“Bannon will comply with our investigation or he will face the consequences. We cannot allow anyone to stand in the way of the select committee as we work to get to the facts. The stakes are too high,” he said.

According to experts, this process is rarely invoked and rarely leads to jail time. However, the House's pursuit of criminal charges may be more about making an example out of Bannon and sending a message to other potential witnesses.

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Former US president Trump had urged former aides to reject the House committee's requests, claiming the right to withhold information because of executive privilege —a legal provision that protects many White House communications.

Watch

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-pure-harassment-trump-slams-lawsuit-against-him-422149/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

He filed a lawsuit on Monday seeking to block the House inquiry from obtaining records from the US National Archives.

President Joe Biden's administration says Trump has no legitimate privilege claim.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/donald-trump-rejects-invite-to-testify-at-impeachment-trial-after-capitol-riots-361597">Donald Trump rejects invite to testify at impeachment trial after Capitol riots</a>

In August, the committee had requested that the National Archives, which is the custodian of the Trump White House’s records, submit a long list of records from the former President`s time in office and the aftermath of the Capitol riot.

The request is part of the panel's ongoing and intensifying investigation into how a mob of Trump's supporters breached the Capitol on January 6 trying to stop a Congressional joint session from certifying the 2020 presidential election result.

(With inputs from agencies)

The US committee investigating the Capitol riot has voted to recommend criminal prosecution against Donald Trump’s former chief strategist Steve Bannon after he refused to testify before the committee relating to their inquiry into the January 6 insurrection.

The US committee investigating the Capitol riot has voted to recommend criminal prosecution against Donald Trump’s former chief strategist Steve Bannon after he refused to testify before the committee relating to their inquiry into the January 6 insurrection. The US House of Representatives committee approved the contempt of Congress unanimously on Monday, sending the report to the Democratic-controlled House, which is expected on Thursday to authorize the panel to go to court to punish Bannon for his non-compliance. If the full chamber approves the matter, it would be referred to the justice department, which has the final say on bringing charges. If convicted, Bannon could face a fine and up to one year in prison. “It is essential that we get Mr Bannon’s factual and complete testimony in order to get a full accounting of the violence of January 6th and its causes,” Guardian quoted Bennie Thompson, the chairman of the select committee, as saying. Also read | Trump sues US committee investigating Jan 6 Capitol Hill riots to block release of White House records “Bannon will comply with our investigation or he will face the consequences. We cannot allow anyone to stand in the way of the select committee as we work to get to the facts. The stakes are too high,” he said. According to experts, this process is rarely invoked and rarely leads to jail time. However, the House's pursuit of criminal charges may be more about making an example out of Bannon and sending a message to other potential witnesses. Also read | US lawmakers grill tech CEOs on Capitol riot, getting few direct answers Former US president Trump had urged former aides to reject the House committee's requests, claiming the right to withhold information because of executive privilege —a legal provision that protects many White House communications. Watch He filed a lawsuit on Monday seeking to block the House inquiry from obtaining records from the US National Archives. President Joe Biden's administration says Trump has no legitimate privilege claim. Also read | Donald Trump rejects invite to testify at impeachment trial after Capitol riots In August, the committee had requested that the National Archives, which is the custodian of the Trump White House’s records, submit a long list of records from the former President`s time in office and the aftermath of the Capitol riot. The request is part of the panel's ongoing and intensifying investigation into how a mob of Trump's supporters breached the Capitol on January 6 trying to stop a Congressional joint session from certifying the 2020 presidential election result. (With inputs from agencies)

Capitol riot: US committee votes to hold criminal contempt charge against Trump’s ex-aide Steve Bannon

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