Christie says DeSantis put 'politics ahead of his job' by not seeing Biden during hurricane visit
Republican presidential hopeful Chris Christie says Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis put “politics ahead of his job” by declining to meet with President Joe Biden during Biden's weekend visit to survey Hurricane Idalia’s damage in DeSantis’ state.
DeSantis won't meet with Biden during president's trip to survey Idalia damage
Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ office says he has no plans to meet with President Joe Biden when the Democrat flies to Florida this weekend to survey damage from Hurricane Idalia, suggesting that doing so could hinder disaster response because of the logistics involved.
Fox News reaches 12.8 million viewers for GOP primary debate, despite Donald Trump's absence
Fox News reached an estimated 12.8 million viewers on two television channels and its streaming network for the first GOP presidential primary debate of the 2024 season, even though former President Donald Trump skipped it.
Trump praises Jan. 6 crowd, repeats election lies in online interview while skipping GOP debate
Donald Trump skipped the debate stage typically relished by presidential candidates on Wednesday and instead appeared in an online interview peppered with his election lies, attacking his rivals and praising the crowd of supporters he spoke to before they stormed the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.
Republican candidates fight each other, and mostly line up behind Trump, at the first debate
The Republican presidential candidates vying to be the leading alternative to front-runner Donald Trump fought -- sometimes bitterly – over abortion rights, U.S. support for Ukraine and the future of the party during the first primary debate of the 2024 campaign.
The GOP presidential debate puts a spotlight on Wisconsin, one of the few remaining swing states
When Republican candidates for president gather for their first debate Wednesday in Milwaukee, the spotlight will not only be on them but also on Wisconsin’s role as one of a shrinking handful of genuine battleground states.
Mike Pence to launch campaign for president in Iowa June 7
Former Vice President Mike Pence will officially launch his widely expected campaign for the Republican nomination for president in Iowa next week, adding another candidate to the growing GOP field and putting him in direct competition with his former boss.
Supreme Court sides with ex-Cuomo aide, others convicted of corruption related to 'Buffalo Billion'
The Supreme Court has ruled for a onetime top aide to ex-New York Gov_ Andrew Cuomo and for others who were convicted of corruption related to an economic development project known as the “Buffalo Billion.”.
DeSantis drops provocations — for now — in response to Ian
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has whipsawed his way through the national conversation this month, first by putting migrants on planes or buses to Democratic strongholds and then shifting to a more traditional role of crisis manager as Hurricane Ian barreled into his state.
What we know about Trump's actions as insurrection unfolded
Members of the House committee investigating the Jan. 6 U.S. Capitol insurrection are holding their first prime-time hearing to share what they have uncovered about then-President Donald Trump’s efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 election.
Takeaways: Trump's big defeat; election denial backfiring
Former President Donald Trump’s crusade for vengeance suffered two devastating blows when Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp and Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger won their primaries despite rejecting Trump’s entreaties to reverse his 2020 election loss.
Iowa GOP open to non-Trump prospects as 2024 gets underway
Former President Donald Trump’s persistent flirtation with another White House run is doing little to discourage other potential Republican candidates from stepping up their activity in Iowa, the state that will formally launch the nomination process.
Virginia preps for more bad weather amid storm of questions
With more bad weather looming, Virginia officials are seeking to reassure the public they are prepared as they reacted to harsh criticism of their response to a storm earlier this week that left hundreds of motorists stranded on Interstate 95.
Pence navigates Trump's shadow during New Hampshire visit
Former Vice President Mike Pence visited early-voting New Hampshire, where he delivered a speech railing against President Joe Biden’s handling of the economy, schmoozed with local activists, dropped by holiday parties, shopped at a local bakery and raised money for state Republicans.
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Chris Christie joins Mets' board of directors under Cohen
Christie has joined the board of directors of the New York Mets. His son Andrew has worked for the team since 2018 and is the Mets' coordinator of international scouting. Chris Christie has joined the board of directors of the New York Mets. Jeanne Melino also joined the Mets board under new owner Steve Cohen, and New York said Friday she will be hired by the team as senior vice president of the Amazin’ Mets Foundation. The Mets' board also includes chairman emeritus Fred Wilpon and vice chairman Andrew Cohen, who is not related to Steve.
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'I don’t need the vaccine': GOP worries threaten virus fight
Laura Biggs, a 56-year-old who has already recovered from the virus, is wary of taking the vaccine. “The way I feel about it is: I don’t need the vaccine at this point," she said. She said partisan differences were obvious among her friends and family in all aspects of the pandemic, including vaccine acceptance. I don’t think it is the way God intended for us to be,” said Holloway. “The people who voted for Trump and don’t want to take the vaccine are committed in their opposition.
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'I don’t need the vaccine': GOP worries threaten virus fight
Laura Biggs, a 56-year-old who has already recovered from the virus, is wary of taking the vaccine. “The way I feel about it is: I don’t need the vaccine at this point," she said. She said partisan differences were obvious among her friends and family in all aspects of the pandemic, including vaccine acceptance. I don’t think it is the way God intended for us to be,” said Holloway. “The people who voted for Trump and don’t want to take the vaccine are committed in their opposition.
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Trump remains defiant amid calls to resign
President Donald Trump speaks during a rally protesting the electoral college certification of Joe Biden as President, Wednesday, Jan. 6, 2021, in Washington. Yet Trump will try to go on offense in his last 10 days, with no plans of resigning. Instead, Trump is planning to lash out against the companies that have now denied him his Twitter and Facebook bullhorns. Cut off from the social media channels that have been the lifeblood of his presidency, Trump will nonetheless try to go on offense in his last 10 days, with no plans of resigning. Instead, Trump is planning to lash out against the companies that have now denied him his Twitter and Facebook bullhorns.
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Trump remains defiant amid calls to resign
Cut off from the social media channels that have been the lifeblood of his presidency, Trump will nonetheless try to go on offense in his last 10 days, with no plans of resigning. Instead, Trump is planning to lash out against the companies that have now denied him his Twitter and Facebook bullhorns. Trump has not taken any responsibility for his role in inciting Wednesday's violence amid a rebellion from members of his own party and ongoing efforts to remove him from office. Concerns continued to bubble through the weekend about how Trump, who thrives on chaos and attention, might respond. While his legacy will surely forever be stained by Wednesday’s violence, aides nonetheless are pushing Trump to spend his final days trumpeting his policy achievements.
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Republican Party faces defining moment under Trump's shadow
NEW YORK – The Republican Party is facing a defining moment. But what comes next for the Republican Party is anything but clear. Trump’s hold over his adopted party has been all but absolute in his time in office. If he does, the Republican Party could continue to shape itself in his image. “I believe he will have as much hold over the party as he wants to,” said Alice Stewart, a Republican strategist who advised Cruz's 2016 campaign.
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New round of Trump clemency benefits Manafort, other allies
FILE - In this Thursday, June 27, 2019 file photo, Paul Manafort arrives in court in New York. President Trump's former campaign manager is to be arraigned on state mortgage fraud charges. Manafort, who led Trump's campaign during a pivotal period in 2016 before being ousted over his ties to Ukraine, was among the first people charged as part of Mueller’s investigation into ties between the Trump campaign and Russia. Though the charges against Manafort did not concern the central thrust of Mueller's mandate — whether the Trump campaign and Russia colluded to tip the election — he was nonetheless a pivotal figure in the investigation. Trump and the elder Kushner knew each other from real estate circles and their children were married in 2009.
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Kushner pardon revives 'loathsome' tale of tax evasion, sex
After Charles Kushner discovered his brother-in-law was cooperating with federal authorities, the wealthy real estate executive and father of President Donald Trump’s son-in-law, Jared, hatched a scheme for revenge and intimidation. Kushner later pleaded guilty to tax evasion and making illegal campaign donations in a case tailor-made for tabloid headlines. Christie did not respond to a request for comment on Trump's decision to pardon a man he'd sent to prison. Kushner eventually pleaded guilty to 18 counts including tax evasion and witness tampering. But Charles Kushner told The New York Times in 2018 that he wasn't interested in clemency, saying he “would prefer not to have a pardon” because it would garner publicity.
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Analysis: Biden prioritizes experience with Cabinet picks
President-elect Joe Bidens first wave of Cabinet picks and choices for his White House staff have prized staying power over star power, with a premium placed on government experience and proficiency as he looks to rebuild a depleted and demoralized federal bureaucracy. President-elect Joe Biden has prized staying power over star power when making his first wave of Cabinet picks and choices for White House staff, with a premium placed on government experience and proficiency as he looks to rebuild a depleted and demoralized federal bureaucracy. “Collectively, this team has secured some of the most defining national security and diplomatic achievements in recent memory — made possible through decades of experience working with our partners,” Biden said Tuesday as he unveiled his national security team. His choice for national security adviser, Jake Sullivan, was the deputy to that post under President Barack Obama. ___EDITOR'S NOTE — Jonathan Lemire has covered the White House and national politics for The Associated Press since 2013.
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Biden signals sharp shift from Trump with Cabinet picks
The picks include former Secretary of State John Kerry to take the lead on combating climate change. “America will soon have a government that treats the climate crisis as the urgent national security threat it is,” Kerry said. At 43, he will be one of the youngest national security advisers in history. Blinken, 58, served as deputy secretary of state and deputy national security adviser during the Obama administration and has close ties with Biden. Blinken recently participated in a national security briefing with Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris and weighed in publicly just last week on notable foreign policy issues in Egypt and Ethiopia.
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Trump team making false argument about his 2016 transition
President Barack Obama shakes hands with President-elect Donald Trump in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, Thursday, Nov. 10, 2016. President Trump and his allies are harking back to his own transition four years ago to make a false argument that his own presidency was denied a fair chance for a clean launch. Press secretary Kayleigh McEnany laid out the case from the White House podium last week. That's a far cry from the description issued by McEnany as pressure mounts for Trump to concede and for his administration to begin cooperating with Biden's transition team. But Trump's team largely ignored advice from Obama staffers, leaving briefing books unopened and ignoring special iPads loaded with materials.
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Biden expected to nominate Blinken as secretary of state
FILE - In this Thursday, Sept. 29, 2016, file photo, Deputy Secretary of State Antony Blinken testifies on Capitol Hill in Washington, before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing on Syria. Blinken is the leading contender to become President-elect Joe Biden's nominee for secretary of state, according to multiple people familiar with the Biden team's planning. – President-elect Joe Biden is expected to nominate Antony Blinken as secretary of state, according to multiple people familiar with the Biden team's planning. Blinken, 58, served as deputy secretary of state and deputy national security adviser during the Obama administration and has close ties with Biden. Biden's secretary of state would inherit a deeply demoralized and depleted career workforce at the State Department.
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Romney: Trump's election fraud claim wrong, 'reckless'
(AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)WASHINGTON – Key Republican lawmakers, including 2012 presidential nominee Mitt Romney, on Friday slammed President Donald Trump's unsubstantiated claim that Democrats are trying to “steal” the election. But some GOP leaders struck a more neutral tone — and others urged the White House to fight. But Trump “is wrong to say the election was rigged, corrupt and stolen,″ Romney said on Twitter. Before Trump's speech in the White House briefing room, several Republicans challenged his attempts to halt vote-counting in Pennsylvania and other battleground states. "It is critical that we give election officials time to complete their jobs, and that we ensure all lawfully cast ballots are allowed and counted,'' she said in a statement.
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Some in GOP break with Trump over baseless vote-fraud claims
Trump did not back up his claims with any details or evidence, and state and federal officials have not reported any instances of widespread voter fraud. Counting votes is often “long” and “frustrating,” Romney said. Most in the GOP take pains to avoid directly criticizing Trump, even when they find his conduct unhelpful or offensive to their values and goals. But one of Trump’s top congressional supporters said he supports efforts to question the vote counting process and is donating money to shore up legal challenges. Chris Christie, a Trump ally who is an analyst for ABC News, said there was no basis for Trump's argument.