Cheatle made false statements about FBI’s assassination investigation: Green
House Homeland Security Committee Chairman Mark Green, R-Tenn., said former Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle made false statements to him about the FBI’s investigation into the assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump. According to Green, Cheatle told him the FBI was prohibiting her from talking to her own people because of the ongoing investigation. When he asked the FBI, it said that was not true.
“She said that the FBI had constrained her from, you know, talking to her own people because it was an active investigation. I talked to the deputy director of the FBI and he said that wasn’t true,” Green said.
Green did not say Cheatle lied, he said she made a false statement according to the FBI.
This type of discrepancy is exactly what House leadership wants to clear up with a new bipartisan task force. Speaker Mike Johnson and Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries announced the chamber will vote to approve an investigative panel during the week of July 21.
However, Green said his committee should be the one taking the lead because it has jurisdiction over the Secret Service. He added there’s no reason for there to be a task force because it could be duplicative with his committee.
“We’re the authorizers for Secret Service. We know everything about it,” Green said.
Green said his committee will look into other angles of the incident even if the task force is approved.
The task force will be comprised of seven Republicans and six Democrats, and it will have subpoena power. Rep. Jared Moskowitz, D-Fla., said he applied to be a member.
“We need a committee solely focused on what the specific failures were and how we fix them,” Moskowitz said. “After the shooting in my hometown in Parkland, at my high school, Marjory Stoneman Douglas, we established the Marjory Stoneman Douglas School Safety Commission to find out what failed that day. There were obvious failures, but behind the scenes, what failed that day. How did that happen? We need to do the same thing here.”
Cheatle resigned Tuesday morning after bipartisan calls for her to do so. Lawmakers on Capitol Hill said they agreed with her decision and wished her the best in her future endeavors.
Secret Service Director Cheatle resigns after testimony on assassination attempt
Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle announced she is stepping down from her job in an email on Tuesday, July 23. Cheatle testified in front of Congress on Monday about the Secret Service’s response to the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump.
Cheatle’s testimony led to frustration from both sides of the aisle, where she was often unable or unwilling to answer House representatives’ questions.
“I’m unable to answer details of exactly how the individual accessed the roof at this time,” Cheatle said.
Before her testimony, many had already been calling for Cheatle to step down. Following her appearance in front of Congress, more lawmakers began to express that sentiment.
“If you have an assassination attempt on a president, a former president or a candidate, you need to resign,” Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., said.
“It is my firm belief, Director Cheatle, that you should resign,” Committee Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., said.
Cheatle was first appointed by President Joe Biden in 2022. Originally, Cheatle was adamant that she would not step down from her position as director following the assassination attempt.
“I think that I am the best person to lead the Secret Service at this time,” she told lawmakers.
“In light of recent events, it is with a heavy heart that I have made the difficult decision to step down as your director,” the email read. “The Secret Service’s solemn mission is to protect our nation’s leaders and financial infrastructure. On July 13, we fell short on that mission.”
It has been disclosed that officials at the Secret Service had denied requests from Trump’s campaign for increased protection in the two years leading up to the shooting. However, before the shooting, protection for Trump was increased due to an alleged assassination threat from an Iranian group.
During the shooting, Trump and two people were injured and one person was killed.
VP Harris secures enough delegate support to become Democratic nominee
The Democratic Party rallies around Kamala Harris, with the vice president securing enough delegate support to be the party’s nominee. And the story of a 21-year-old archer looking to make her mark at the Olympics. These stories and more highlight The Morning Rundown for Tuesday, July 23, 2024.
VP Harris secures enough delegate support to become Democratic nominee
Vice President Kamala Harris has secured the majority of Democratic delegates’ support across more than half of U.S. states — enough to potentially win the party’s nomination to become the presidential candidate. Harris will make her first campaign stop in Wisconsin Tuesday, July 23, as endorsements and donations continue to pour in.
She could become the party’s nominee by Aug. 7, when delegates vote in a Democratic National Convention “virtual roll call” well ahead of the actual convention on Aug. 19.
Harris has also secured another big endorsement — former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. And in the first 24 hours of campaigning, Harris raised a staggering $81 million.
On the Republican side, former President Donald Trump’s newly announced vice presidential pick J.D. Vance made his first solo campaign appearance in Virginia on Monday, July 22, during which he said Vice President Harris “is a million times worse” than President Joe Biden at the head of the Democratic ticket.
Netanyahu visits the U.S. to meet with Biden, Harris, Congress
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has arrived in the U.S. for a visit with top political leaders. A meeting with President Joe Biden is reportedly to take place on Thursday, July 25, as the president recovers from COVID-19, with the White House saying he’s nearly symptom-free.
On Wednesday, July 24, Netanyahu is set to deliver a speech to Congress. He’s expected to thank the U.S. for its ongoing support for Israel in its war against Hamas.
Netanyahu is focused on shoring up bipartisan support for Israel as the country continues to fight not only Hamas but is facing growing security threats from Iranian-backed groups in Lebanon and Yemen.
Netanyahu says Israel will still be a “key U.S. ally” to whoever replaces lame-duck President Joe Biden.
The prime minister is also expected to meet with presidential candidate Kamala Harris during his visit. Reports show he has also reached out to former President Trump to potentially meet with him before departing the U.S., but it’s unclear if that meeting will take place this week.
In their appeal Monday, July 22, Trump’s attorneys called the ruling “draconian” and repeated arguments they used during the bench trial The attorneys said allegations made by New York’s attorney general were outside the statute of limitations and revolved around deals that had “no victims and no losses.”
A spokesperson for the New York State attorney general said they are confident this appeal will go nowhere.
An appeals court says it will hear oral arguments in late September.
House Republicans want CrowdStrike CEO to testify over outage
Congress is calling on CrowdStrike’s CEO to testify over the July 19 outage that grounded multiple airlines, knocked banks and hospitals offline, and impacted millions around the world. Impacts from the software glitch are still being felt, especially by Delta Air Lines.
Delta saw hundreds more flight cancellations on Monday, July 22, due to its “crew-tracking software” still not working right after CrowdStrike’s disruption.
Republican leaders of the House Homeland Security Committee said they want CEO George Kurtz to explain what exactly went wrong.
So far, it has been revealed a glitched update to CrowdStrike’s security software caused computers powered by Microsoft Windows to crash. Microsoft said on Saturday, July 20, about 8.5 million devices were affected.
Lawmakers call on Secret Service director to resign during testimony
On Monday, July 22, Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle testified before Congress. She answered questions surrounding Trump’s near assassination at a Pennsylvania rally.
Since her testimony, both Democrats and Republicans are ramping up their calls for the director to resign over what they call a “botched operation.”
“It is my firm belief, Director Cheatle, that you should resign,” Rep. James Comer, R-Ky., told her.
“If you have an assassination attempt on a president, a former president or a candidate, you need to resign,” Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., added.
Cheatle responded, saying, “I think that I am the best person to lead the Secret Service at this time.”
Members were openly frustrated with Cheatle and demanded answers about the agency’s planning for the rally and the ongoing investigation into the shooting. She was largely unable or unwilling to provide information.
“I’m unable to answer details of exactly how the individual accessed the roof at this time,” Cheatle said. “I personally do not review security plans for events that take place across the country.”
You can read more in Ray Bogan’s full report here.
FAA investigating Southwest flight that flew just 150 ft. over Tampa waters
Federal investigators want to know why a Southwest Airlines jet flew as low as 150 feet above water while still five miles out from the Tampa Bay airport where it was set to land. The incident happened on July 14.
The Federal Aviation Administration says that far out from its designated landing spot, the plane should have been more than 1,000 feet above the water.
The flight from Columbus, Ohio was flying through stormy weather when it happened and ended up being rerouted to Fort Lauderdale as a result of the storms.
A similar incident happened last month in Oklahoma City, when a Southwest jet flew unusually low while still miles away from the airport. The FAA is still investigating that incident, as well.
21-year-old archer looking to make her mark at Olympic games
A 21-year-old archer is looking to make her mark at her first Olympic games as a member of Team USA. San Diego’s Catalina Gnoriega is on target for the Paris games.
“It’s a dream come true,” Gnoriega said. “There are so many people who dream of that for so long and work so hard. It’s really such a good feeling. It’s a dream come true to be able to say I made it. I’m going to go compete there.”
First picking up the bow and arrow at age 12, Gnoriega gravitated to the independence the sport provides an athlete and the opportunity to hone your craft while staying in the zone.
“It’s hard to pinpoint what it is exactly, but I like that it’s individual and like I’m able to focus on myself, I was always like that, especially when I was a kid, that drew me in,” Gnoriega said. “All I had to do was show up and shoot.”
Now 21, whether she’s competing as an individual or part of a team, Gnoriega will have her parents there in Paris to cheer her on. She says they’re the ones who supported her through it all, as she proudly represents her Mexican-American heritage as a member of Team USA.
“It’s crazy,” Gnoriega said. “It’s such an honor. It’s crazy to think that I’m on the same team as someone like Simone Biles and these other people who are incredible — I’m on that same team. That’s such an incredible feeling. I just can’t believe it.”
And she’s now on the hunt for her next target — Olympic medals.
“The goal would be to get medals, but overall, I just want to go have fun,” Gnoriega said. “Do what I know how to do. Just shoot and trust myself and enjoy it because it, hopefully, it’s not just once, but it’s kind of like a once in a lifetime opportunity. I just want to enjoy it.”
Comer, Raskin call on Secret Service Director Cheatle to resign
Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle did not instill confidence in her leadership during a hearing on Capitol Hill Monday, July 22. Members on both sides of the aisle called on her to resign or be fired for her agency’s failure to stop the assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump.
“It is my firm belief, Director Cheatle, that you should resign,” Committee Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., said.
🚨BREAKING- Chairman James Comer and Ranking Member Jamie Raskin call for United States Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle to resign.
Director Cheatle:
On July 13, 2024, the United States Secret Service under your leadership failed to protect former President Donald Trump… pic.twitter.com/rTgMjmyGzr
“If you have an assassination attempt on a president, a former president or a candidate, you need to resign,” Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., said.
Cheatle indicated she doesn’t plan on going anywhere and will continue leading the investigation.
“I think that I am the best person to lead the Secret Service at this time,” Cheatle told lawmakers.
Members were openly frustrated with Cheatle and demanded answers about the agency’s planning for the rally and the ongoing investigation into the shooting. She was largely unable or unwilling to provide information.
“I’m unable to answer details of exactly how the individual accessed the roof at this time,” Cheatle said.
“I personally do not review security plans for events that take place across the country,” she told another lawmaker.
Cheatle also dodged questions from Rep. Gerry Connolly, D-Va., which he appeared to be asking in an attempt to make a point about gun violence. However, she kept dodging, drawing his ire.
“I’m asking you, did the availability of that AR-15, which is replicated all across America, make your job harder or easier,” Connolly questioned. “And you’re not willing to answer that question. And you think, and you wonder, why we might have a lack of confidence in your continued ability to direct this agency.”
Cheatle was also asked about inconsistencies with information that has been released. For instance, the day after the shooting, Secret Service spokesman Anthony Guglielmi said, “There’s an untrue assertion that a member of the former president’s team requested additional resources and that those were rebuffed. This is absolutely false.”
A week later Guglielmi put out another statement acknowledging some additional assets had been denied, but not for the rally.
“In some instances where specific Secret Service specialized units or resources were not provided, the agency made modifications to ensure the security of the protectee,” Guglielmi told The New York Times. “This may include utilizing state or local partners to provide specialized functions or otherwise identifying alternatives to reduce public exposure of a protectee.”
“What a change from ‘absolutely false, unequivocally false’, to, ‘Oh, by the way, there were some times where we didn’t give them what they wanted.’ That’s a huge change in five days,” Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, said. “And the fact that you can’t answer how many times you did that, that’s pretty darn frustrating, not just for me, but for the country.”
The Department of Homeland Security announced the creation of an independent review panel, which will take 60 days to lead an inquiry into the planning and failures at Trump’s campaign event.
Panel members will include: former Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano, former adviser to President Bush Frances Townsend, former Deputy Attorney General Mark Filip and David Mitchell, who has held state level law enforcement positions in both Delaware and Maryland.
Questions mount over security failures in Trump assassination attempt
Five days after the assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump, questions remain about the shooter. Officials want to know how the shooter, Thomas Matthew Crooks, got onto the roof of the American Glass Research (AGR) building and was detected by the Secret Service 20 minutes before he fired several shots, grazing Trump’s ear and striking three people in the crowd.
Volunteer firefighter and father, 50-year-old Corey Comperatore, was killed shielding his wife and daughter from the gunfire.
At the RNC on Wednesday, July 17, Lawmakers could be seen on video pressing U.S. Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle for answers and accountability.
Tom Knights, the township manager of Butler, Pennsylvania, said the city told the Secret Service two days before the rally that local police did not have the resources to secure the building.
“I was indicated we did not have the manpower to, to, you know, take that task on as well based on the number of officers on duty,” Knights said.
He said the Secret Service and local police walked around the site to assess it days before the rally. Several buildings, including the AGR building, were identified as “areas of concern.”
Secret Service Director Cheatle has said the Secret Service was supposed to be on the roof of the AGR building but those plans changed due to safety concerns of a “sloped” roof.
Knights also confirmed that one to two local SWAT and sniper team members were stationed inside the AGR building during the rally, while Crooks was on the roof.
Additionally, two Pittsburgh police motorcycle officers who claimed to have received authorization to assist with Trump’s motorcade were removed from the unit after the shooting, according to a report from WPXI News.
That decision sparked controversy within the department.
Those officers were also injured by shrapnel and could be seen on video helping two wounded victims in the crowd. According to the report, sources inside the department said the officers did not receive proper permission to assist with the motorcade.
Secret Service Director Cheatle told ABC News that the shooting never should have happened.
“What I would say is Secret Service is responsible for the protection of the former president,” Cheatle said. “The buck stops with me. I am the director of the Secret Service. It’s something that’s unacceptable and it shouldn’t happen again.”
Cheatle is expected to testify in front of a House Oversight Committee on Monday, July 22.
Meanwhile, the attempted assassination remains under investigation.
Secret Service director agrees to testify before Congress
Calls from top Republican leaders in Congress are growing for the director of the Secret Service to step down following the July 13 assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump in Pennsylvania. Kimberly Cheatle has agreed to a subpoena issued by House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer on Wednesday, July 17, demanding she testify publicly, potentially on July 22.
Comer said there has been a lack of transparency and failure to cooperate with the committee.
House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., and Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., are among those who are calling for Cheatle to step down. She has indicated she has no intention of doing so.
At the Republican National Convention Wednesday, July 17, a group of GOP senators confronted the Secret Service director on the floor, demanding answers and accountability.
🚨FULL VIDEO: Secret Service Director REFUSES to answer to the American people. pic.twitter.com/MPVOke5zhY
With investigations into the Secret Service’s protocols underway, new details are emerging. ABC News reports law enforcement officials said 20 minutes passed from when Secret Service snipers first spotted the gunman on the rooftop of a building outside the rally’s security zone and the time he fired at former President Trump.
JD Vance accepts GOP’s nomination for vice president
Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, will address the Republican National Convention (RNC), formally accepting the party’s nomination for vice president. And the Secret Service director is confronted at the convention, as lawmakers seek answers following the assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump. These stories and more highlight The Morning Rundown for Thursday, July 18, 2024.
JD Vance accepts GOP’s nomination for vice president
Former President Donald Trump is slated to address the Republican National Convention on its fourth and final day, Thursday, July 18. Vance will formally accept the party’s presidential nomination just days after Trump survived assassination attempt during a campaign rally. Day 3, meanwhile, served as an introduction for Ohio Sen. J.D. Vance to the GOP and the nation as Trump’s running mate.
“So tonight, Mr. Chairman, I stand here humbled and I’m overwhelmed with gratitude to say I officially accept your nomination to be vice president of the United States of America,” Vance said.
With the former president in attendance, Vance addressed the Milwaukee crowd on Wednesday, July 17, speaking about his humble upbringing in southwest Ohio and his vision for the future of America while attacking President Joe Biden’s record. Calling the president a “career politician,” the 39-year-old senator pointed out Biden has been in politics longer than he has been alive.
“When I was in the fourth grade a career politician by the name of Joe Biden supported NAFTA, a bad trade deal that sent countless good jobs to Mexico,” Vance said. “When I was a sophomore in high school that same career politician named Joe Biden gave China a sweetheart trade deal that destroyed even more good American middle-class manufacturing jobs. When I was a senior in high school that same Joe Biden supported the disastrous invasion of Iraq. And at each step of the way in small towns like mine in Ohio or next door in Pennsylvania or Michigan, in states all across our country, jobs were sent overseas and our children were sent to war.”
In an emotional moment during his speech, Vance turned the spotlight to his mother, Beverly, whose struggles with addiction were documented in his memoir “Hillbilly Elegy.”
“I’m proud to say that tonight my mom is here 10 years clean and sober,” he said. “I love you, Mom.”
The crowd broke out in a chant of “JD’s mom!”
Another of Vance’s relatives also made her introduction. His wife, Usha, spoke in support of her husband.
The daughter of Indian immigrants, Usha Vance said despite their very different backgrounds, the two were able to fall in love while attending Yale Law School. She called it a “testament to this great country.”
The night also featured heavy criticism of President Biden’s foreign policies, with Gold Star families — relatives of the 13 service members killed during the U.S.’ withdrawal from Afghanistan — taking the stage. A 99-year-old World War II veteran spoke as well, declaring “America is still worth fighting for.”
Just hours after being released from a Miami prison, former Trump adviser Peter Navarro got a standing ovation from the convention crowd as he walked to the podium. Navarro served a four-month sentence for refusing to cooperate with the Jan. 6 Committee’s investigation. He told the RNC his sentencing was their “wake up call.”
The night also featured members of the Trump family, including Donald Trump’s 17-year-old granddaughter, Kai, who shared her view of her grandfather.
“The media makes my grandpa seem like a different person, but I know him for who he is,” Kai Trump said. “He’s very caring and loving he truly really wants the best for this country, and he will fight every single day to make America great again.”
Secret Service director agrees to testify before Congress
Calls from top Republican leaders in Congress are growing for the director of the Secret Service to step down following the July 13 assassination attempt on former President Trump in Pennsylvania. Kimberly Cheatle has agreed to a subpoena issued by House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer on Wednesday, July 17, demanding she testify publicly next week.
Comer said there has been a lack of transparency and failure to cooperate with the committee.
House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., and Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., are among those who are calling for Cheatle to step down. She has indicated she has no intention of doing so.
At the Republican National Convention Wednesday night, a group of GOP senators confronted the Secret Service director on the floor, demanding answers and accountability.
With investigations into the Secret Service’s protocols underway, new details are emerging. ABC News reports law enforcement officials said 20 minutes passed from when Secret Service snipers first spotted the gunman on the rooftop of a building outside the rally’s security zone and the time he fired at former President Trump.
Support for President Joe Biden within his own party seems to be waning even more. New reports say former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi told the president in a recent conversation that polling shows he can’t win over Trump, and he could ruin Democrats’ chances of winning other races if he stays on the ticket.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., have also reportedly both spoken with the president privately to discuss concerns over his refusal to step down.
The president has been insistent he will stay in the race. In an interview that aired Wednesday, July 17, Biden told BET’s Ed Gordon there’s only one way he’d reevaluate running.
“Is there anything that you would look to, you personally, not anybody else, not other pundits, not even perhaps family members, that you would look to, to say, if I see that, I will reevaluate?” Gordon asked.
“If I had some medical condition that emerged,” President Biden said. “If somebody, if the doctors came to me and said, ‘you got this problem, that problem.’”
The White House has confirmed the president tested positive for COVID-19 after an event in Las Vegas on Wednesday. Officials said he has mild symptoms and he cut his campaign visit to Nevada short after the diagnosis, canceling an event aimed at garnering support from Latino voters.
Biden is expected to remain in isolation at his home in Delaware for several days.
U.S. military to dismantle Gaza humanitarian aid pier
Pentagon officials said it will not be reattached to the shore in Gaza. Instead, it’s to be permanently dismantled.
Since it opened in May, the pier has only seen about 20 days of operational use because of bad weather and rough seas. Humanitarian aid is now beginning to be brought in through an Israeli port instead.
Las Vegas’ iconic ‘Mirage’ shuts down for good
The iconic Mirage Hotel and Casino on the Las Vegas strip has officially shut down after more than three decades in business. The Mirage, which opened in 1989, is known for revolutionizing the casino resort industry and reshaping Las Vegas as a tourist destination.
The 3,000-room resort will now undergo a three-year renovation. It’s set to reopen in 2027 as Hard Rock Las Vegas — with a 700-foot-tall hotel tower in the shape of a guitar, similar to Hard Rock’s Hollywood, Florida hotel and casino.
FX, Netflix dominate 2024 Emmy nominations
The nominations for the 76th annual Primetime Emmy Awards are in, with FX leading the charge. FX’s historical drama “Shogun” topped the list with the most nominations — 25 — and its comedy-drama “The Bear” followed closely with 23 nominations of its own.
When it comes to networks, Netflix is continuing its reign with 107 nominations this year.
This will technically be the second Emmy Awards ceremony this year, after the 2023 awards were postponed after Hollywood actors and writers went on months-long strikes last year. The 75th annual Emmy Awards ceremony was held in January.
The 2024 awards show will be held Sept. 15 at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles.
Reports: Secret Service ramped up Trump security weeks ago over Iranian plot
Secret Service security was reportedly already ramped up around former President Donald Trump weeks before the Saturday, July 13 assassination attempt, after U.S. intelligence officials say they found evidence of an Iranian plot to kill him. According to multiple reports, the agency increased resources and assets for Trump’s protection in June.
So far, intelligence officials have found no ties between the shooting and the Iranian plot.
Sources familiar with the matter say Iran has been making these types of threats since the former president Trump ordered the airstrike that killed Iranian military general Qasem Soleimani in January 2020.
Haley among former rivals to show support for Trump at RNC
Former rivals of Donald Trump call for unity during the second day of the Republican National Convention (RNC). And President Joe Biden is reportedly planning to back sweeping changes for the Supreme Court. These stories and more highlight The Morning Rundown for Wednesday, July 17, 2024.
Haley among former rivals to show support for Trump at RNC
The message on the second day of the RNC was one of unity as several former rivals of former President Donald Trump took the stage in Milwaukee to show their support for the GOP nominee — including Trump’s former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley. The former South Carolina governor and Trump’s last competitor in the primary race was greeted by cheers and a few boos from the convention crowd as she stepped to the microphone Tuesday night, July 16.
With Trump in attendance, Haley removed any doubt over her choice for president.
“I’ll start by making one thing perfectly clear: Donald Trump has my strong endorsement,” she said. “Period.”
Haley then turned her attention to the Republican voters who backed her during the primaries.
“We should acknowledge there are some Americans who don’t agree with Donald Trump 100% of the time,” Haley said. “I happen to know some of them, and I want to speak to them tonight … My message to them is simple: you don’t have to agree with Trump 100% of the time to vote for him.”
Haley also said she agrees with Trump more often than not.
“Donald Trump has been demonized,” DeSantis said. “He’s been sued, he’s been prosecuted and he nearly lost his life. We cannot let him down, and we cannot let America down.”
Day 3 will be headlined by Trump’s running mate, Ohio Sen. J.D. Vance, who will address the convention Wednesday night, July 17.
Reports: Secret Service ramped up Trump security weeks ago over Iran threat
It has been revealed that the Secret Service security was already ramped up around former President Donald Trump weeks before Saturday’s assassination attempt, after U.S. intelligence officials say they found evidence of an Iranian plot to kill him. According to multiple reports, the agency increased resources and assets for Trump’s protection in June.
So far, intelligence officials have found no ties between last weekend’s shooting and the Iranian plot.
Sources familiar with the matter say Iran has been making these types of threats since former president Trump ordered the airstrike that killed Iranian military general Qasem Soleimani in January 2020.
Reports: Biden planning to back major changes to Supreme Court
Reports say President Biden told lawmakers in the Congressional Progressive Caucus during a virtual meeting Saturday, July 13, that he had been consulting constitutional scholars on the matter for more than a month.
The proposals, which could be unveiled in the coming weeks, would need congressional approval, which is not likely given Republican control of the House and the slim Democratic majority in the Senate.
Elon Musk moving SpaceX, X headquarters out of California over new law
Calling it the “final straw” on X, Musk made the announcement in response to California’s Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom signing a new law that bars school districts from requiring teachers to notify parents if their children ask to change their gender identification.
Supporters of the law say it protects children from being forced into being outed and creates a safe place for them in school, while critics say it infringes on parents’ right to be informed.
‘Rust’ armorer’s lawyers call for new trial or case to be dismissed
Lawyers for the armorer of the film “Rust,” who was convicted of involuntary manslaughter in the 2021 deadly on-set shooting of a cinematographer, are asking for a new trial or to have her case thrown out entirely in the wake of actor Alec Baldwin’s case being dismissed. They also want her released from prison, where she’s serving an 18-month sentence following her conviction in March.
Attorneys filed a motion on behalf of Hannah Gutierrez-Reed over “severe and ongoing discovery violations by the state.” It was revealed during Baldwin’s trial that the special prosecutor in the case had suppressed evidence, which is why his case was dropped.
Oakland A’s rookie throws fastest pitch in All-Star Game history
The best in baseball battled it out in the MLB All-Star Game in Arlington, Texas Tuesday, July 16, with one rookie pitcher throwing his name into the history books. Oakland A’s closer Mason Miller not only struck out Los Angeles Dodgers star player Shohei Ohtani in his All-Star Game debut, the 25 year old followed that up by throwing the fastest pitch ever recorded at an All-Star Game.
Miller threw a 103.6 miles per hour fastball to Phillies shortstop Trea Turner, striking him out too. Miller ended up throwing eight pitches that reached triple digits during his 12-pitch inning.
Trump appears at Republican National Convention; Vance nominated as VP
Days after surviving an assassination attempt, former President Donald Trump made an appearance at the Republican National Convention (RNC) and named J.D. Vance his vice president pick. And the Secret Service director answers questions as the agency is under fire following the deadly shooting. These stories and more highlight The Morning Rundown for Tuesday, July 16, 2024.
Trump appears at Republican National Convention; Vance nominated as VP
The Republican National Convention kicked off Monday, July 15, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, just two days after former President Donald Trump survived the assassination attempt during a campaign rally in Pennsylvania. Day one saw Trump officially secure the GOP’s nominee for president with Ohio Sen. J.D. Vance becoming the party’s nominee for vice president.
While Trump’s presence on the first day was not a guarantee when the event began, all questions were answered just after 9 p.m. central time, when the former president made his entrance. He was wearing a bandage over his ear and met with cheers from the emotional convention crowd along with chants of “we want Trump!” and “fight!”
Trump joined his running mate in the stands. During the Roll Call of the States earlier in the day, Trump received the delegates needed to become the GOP’s nominee, with his son Eric making it official.
“On behalf of our entire family and on behalf of the 125 delegates in the unbelievable state of Florida, we hereby nominate every single one of them for the greatest president that’s ever lived,” Eric Trump said. “And that’s Donald J. Trump, hereby declaring him the Republican nominee for President of the United States of America.”
Speculation surrounding Trump’s VP pick came to an end not long after, with Vance officially joining the ticket.
Secret Service director, President Biden answer questions on security
As the investigation continues into the assassination attempt against former President Trump that left one spectator dead, the Secret Service is facing tough questions on its protocols and how the gunman was able to get so close to the former president. In her first network interview since the July 13, shooting, Secret Service Director Kim Cheatle spoke to ABC News, saying this was an incident that should have never happened.
“What I would say is the Secret Service is responsible for the protection of the former president,” Cheatle said. “The buck stops with me. I am the director of the Secret Service. It was unacceptable and it’s something that shouldn’t happen again.”
.@PierreTABC has an exclusive interview with Kim Cheatle, the Director of the Secret Service, with Cheatle saying, "The buck stops with me." The interview comes as new video shows the alleged gunman climbing onto the roof moments before he fired. https://t.co/mwmiaP88Tbpic.twitter.com/7rZokWLCh4
President Biden has ordered an “independent review” of the agency’s protocol, though Cheatle said she already plans to make immediate changes.
In an interview with NBC News on Monday, July 15, Biden was asked his thoughts on the Secret Service.
“Do you have confidence in the Secret Service,” Nightly News anchor Lester Holt asked. “Do you feel safe?”
“I feel safe with the Secret Service,” Biden assured him. “But look, you saw the — what we did see was the Secret Service who responded risked their lives responding. They were ready to give their lives for the president. The question is: Should they have anticipated what happened? Should they have done what they needed to do to prevent this from happening? That’s the question that’s — that’s an open question.”
In the interview, the president was also pressed on the calls from members of his party for him to step aside as the Democratic nominee. Biden said he’s holding to his decision to remain in the race, reiterating his performance at the June 27 debate was just a bad night.
Elon Musk to donate $45 million a month to new pro-Trump super PAC
Billionaire Elon Musk says he’s planning on donating $45 million a month to a pro-Trump super PAC, according to a Wall Street Journal report. The group, called America PAC, launched in June and is backing former President Donald Trump’s 2024 campaign.
Records show Musk did not donate to it in June, and it’s unclear if he’s donated yet in July. Other backers of the PAC include former U.S. Ambassador to Canada Kelly Craft and crypto billionaires Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss.
In March, Musk said he would not contribute to either former President Trump’s or President Biden’s campaigns. However, on Saturday, July 13, following the assassination attempt, Musk posted to X that he fully endorsed Trump.
Trump-appointed judge drops classified docs case, special counsel to appeal
Special Counsel Jack Smith said he’ll appeal a federal judge’s decision to dismiss former President Trump’s classified documents case. Florida Judge Aileen Cannon — who was appointed to her seat by Trump — dropped the case Monday.
Cannon ruled Smith’s appointment as prosecutor for the case violated the appointments clause of the Constitution because he was given the job by Attorney General Merrick Garland. In her ruling, Cannon said the Constitution’s appointments clause requires “officers of the United States” be appointed by the president and confirmed by the Senate.
Trump was accused of illegally retaining hundreds of classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida after leaving the White House in January 2021. He had denied any wrongdoing.
Hacker group claims it leaked Disney’s Slack, internal info
Data from Disney’s internal Slack communications program has been leaked online by an activist hacking group, including discussions about ad campaigns and studio technology.
According to the Wall Street Journal, the hackers say they also published data that contains information about unreleased projects, interview candidates, some logins and images of employees’ dogs. The leak totaled roughly 1.2 terabytes of information dating back to 2019.
A spokesperson for the group, called NullBulge, said it targeted Disney for how it “handles artists’ contracts, its approach to AI and its blatant disregard for the consumer.”
The cave was found not far from where astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin landed 55 years ago.
In a paper published in “Nature Astronomy,” an Italian-led team said it found evidence of a sizable cave accessible from the deepest known pit on the moon. The pit is called the Sea of Tranquility, found about 250 miles from Apollo 11’s landing site.
So far, they’ve only gotten a look at the initial part of the cave, but scientists estimate it’s at least 130 feet wide and tens of yards long.