Donald Trump branded Vladimir Putin’s ‘buddy In vileness’ by Nancy Pelosi
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Donald Trump said that he would commit to debating president Joe Biden “as many [times] as necessary” should he secure the GOP nomination, at a townhall event in South Carolina on Tuesday, during which he compared his own legal struggles to the plight of late Russian dissident Alexei Navalny.
The former president gave a typically lively performance during the interview with Fox News’ Laura Ingraham, in which he discussed his various ongoing court cases, as well as the shocking death of Navalny, a long-time skeptic of Russian president Vladimir Putin.
Asked if felt like he was at risk of becoming a “political prisoner”, following the multiple lawsuits being brought against him, Mr Trump singled out the $350m judgement handed down by New York judge Arthur Engoron.
“It’s a form of Navalny,” he said, adding “It is a form of communism or fascism.”
Despite Mr Trump’s brief praise of Navalny as “very brave”, the Russian activist was less complimentary – having issued a chilling warning about what a second presidential term for Mr Trump could mean in one of his final letters before he died.
According to The New York Times, Navalny described the prospect of a second Trump term as “really scary”.
Nancy Pelosi urges ‘grotesque’ Donald Trump to have intervention
Nancy Pelosi believes Donald Trump needs an “intervention” – and has described the former US president as “grotesque”. The veteran Democrat added that there is “no use” in talking to Mr Trump “because he is just in a world of his own”. “Have an intervention into your mental health, your political viability,” Ms Pelosi said of her political rival. “He is really grotesque, and it is really a shame… He has ventured into the global scene by his chumminess with [Vladimir] Putin.”
Oliver O’Connell21 February 2024 03:30
Can Trump appeal his fraud verdict? Can he afford it?
The former president has 30 days from the ruling to come up with the cash or secure a bond to appeal the $364m verdict against him, a figure that is growing to nearly half a billion dollars with daily interest.
Alex Woodward looks at his options:
Oliver O’Connell21 February 2024 02:30
FBI informant charged with lying about Biden could threaten US elections with Russian intel, DOJ warns
A former FBI informant charged with fabricating corruption allegations against President Joe Biden and his son Hunter Biden is “actively peddling new lies” that threaten US elections after meeting with Russian intelligence officials, according to federal law enforcement.
Alex Woodward has the full story:
Mike Bedigan21 February 2024 02:30
Watch: Manchin asked if Trump has moral fibre to be president
Oliver O’Connell21 February 2024 01:30
New Jersey is a ‘strong, great Trump state’ claims Trump
Donald Trump claimed that New Jersey was a “strong and great Trump state” as he speculated over upcoming battleground states for 2024.
New Jersey is typically considered a stronghold of the Democratic Party and has supported the Democratic candidate in every presidential election since 1992.
“New Jersey – very strong and great Trump state. I think we have a chance if you win any of them, you automatically win the election…. Virginia’s another one. New Mexico we did great in New Mexico. I think we have a really shot good shot there.
Referring to one of his multiple recent legal challenges, he continued: “You know, Colorado is very interesting because of all this mess. We had this group of people trying to take somebody out of the ballot. They’re saying we’re doing very well in Colorado.
“I think we’re doing well everywhere, but we’re beating [Joe Biden] nationally by a lot. In fact, right now we’re winning the popular vote by a lot.”
Mike Bedigan21 February 2024 01:12
VP choice ‘has no impact’ says Trump
Asked when he would announce his choice for vice president (VP), Mr Trump said: “One thing that always surprises me is that the VP choice has absolutely no impact. It’s whoever the President is.”
But he continued: “It’s a very important position… You would like to get somebody that could help you from the voter standpoint… And I always say I want people with common sense, because there’s so many things happening in this country that don’t make sense.”
Mike Bedigan21 February 2024 01:04
Biden has told campaign to highlight the ‘crazy s***’ Trump says, report claims
Joe Biden has reportedly told his campaign aides to hone in on former President Donald Trump’s more extreme comments and statements, to highlight the differences between the two 2024 frontrunners.
On Tuesday night Mr Trump took part in a townhall event hosted by Fox News, in which he said Angela Merkel had “destroyed Germany”, claimed that he could beat Abraham Lincoln in the next election, should he return from the dead, and resurrected his infamous adjective “bigly”.
Read more from Dan Gooding here:
Mike Bedigan21 February 2024 00:54
Nikki Haley watching Trump’s South Carolina townhall event
Mike Bedigan21 February 2024 00:45
Trump says Alexei Navalny’s death was a ‘very sad situation’
Donald Trump described the death of anti-Putin activist Alexei Navalny as “a horrible thing”, describing him as “a very brave guy”.
The former president previously said in a post on his platform TruthSocial that the death of Navalny had made him “aware of what was happening in our Country” but not expanded on the thought.
Speaking at a Fox News townhall event on Tuesday he said: “It’s a very sad situation and he was very brave.
“He was a very brave guy because he went back [to Russia], he could have stayed away, and frankly, probably would have been a lot better off staying away and talking from outside of the country as opposed to having to go back in because people thought that could happen, and it did happen.
“And it’s a horrible thing, but it’s happening in our country too.”
He continued: “We are turning into a communist country in many ways, and if you look at it, I’m the leading candidate. I’d never heard of being indicted before, I got indicted four times, I have eight or nine trials – all because of the fact that I’m in politics.”
Mike Bedigan21 February 2024 00:36
What to expect at Republicans’ CPAC event this week
Once again, a throng of conservative activists, Republican elected officials and young right-wingers will descend on National Harbor just outside of Washington, DC for the annual Conservative Political Action Conference.
CPAC has served multiple purposes throughout the years. It often showcases new conservative talent, sets the tone for what major policies conservatives will champion in the next election and often allows potential candidates for president to test the waters. Indeed, in 2011, Donald Trump gave his first political speech at the conservative gathering. It debuted his conservative star turn and laid the groundwork for him becoming the Republican nominee for president in 2016 and winning the presidency.
This year, though, with Mr Trump being the presumptive nominee, CPAC – which runs from Wednesday to Saturday – will have a different tone and will serve as a booster for his campaign against Joe Biden in the general election.
Here’s what to expect this week at CPAC:
Eric Garcia21 February 2024 00:30
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