Trump grilled by Fox News presenter over all the aides that turned against him
Bombshell audio has revealed Donald Trump apparently bragging about possessing still-classified military documents about Iran after he left the White House.
In the recording, from a July 2021 meeting at Mr Trump’s Bedminster golf club and released by CNN, the former president is heard audibly shuffling documents and describing his “big pile of papers” to associates.
“These are the papers,” Mr Trump says, referring to a military document concerning Iran. “This was done by the military and given to me.”
Mr Trump took to Truth Social on Monday night to fume about the tape, railing against “Deranged Special Prosecutor” Jack Smith and baselessly accusing the DOJ and FBI of leaking it.
“The Deranged Special Prosecutor, Jack Smith, working in conjunction with the DOJ & FBI, illegally leaked and “spun” a tape and transcript of me which is actually an exoneration, rather than what they would have you believe. This continuing Witch Hunt is another ELECTION INTERFERENCE Scam. They are cheaters and thugs!” he wrote.
Meanwhile, Mr Trump’s co-defendant in the classified documents case, his aide Walt Nauta, has had his arraignment in Miami postponed after his flight was delayed by bad weather in New Jersey.
Key Points
Show latest update
Watch: Haley says voters should have say on Trump recordind
Oliver O’Connell27 June 2023 19:55
SCOTUS rejects fringe theory that could give GOP state lawmakers unchecked election authority
The US Supreme Court has shot down a fringe legal theory supported by Republican officials and Donald Trump’s allies that was invoked to try to toss out election results and radically reshape the nation’s elections.
A 6-3 decision in Moore v Harper on 27 June determined that Republican-drawn congressional districts in North Carolina amounted to a partisan gerrymander that violated the state’s constitution, but the majority dismissed the so-called “independent state legislature” theory that fuelled the state’s arguments.
Oliver O’Connell27 June 2023 19:45
Georgia elections official to speak to federal investigators about Trump efforts to undo 2020 loss
Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger is scheduled to speak to federal prosecutors from the office of special counsel Jack Smith, who is investigating efforts by former President Donald Trump and his allies to overturn his 2020 election loss.
In a rambling phone call on Jan. 2, 2021, Trump suggested Raffensperger, the top elections official in Georgia, could help “find” the votes necessary to reverse Democrat Joe Biden’s narrow presidential election win in the state. The call came after Trump and his allies spent weeks insisting without evidence that widespread election fraud was the cause of his loss in Georgia and publicly berating Raffensperger for failing to take steps to reverse it.
The secretary of state’s office on Tuesday confirmed that he would speak to special counsel Jack Smith’s prosecutors Wednesday in Atlanta. The planned interview was first reported by The Washington Post.
Oliver O’Connell27 June 2023 19:15
Watch: Trump says indictment ‘big beautiful badge of honour’
Oliver O’Connell27 June 2023 18:54
Voices: The Trump audio reveals key details we didn’t know before. He should be worried
Classified documents could be heard loudly rustling with laughter filling the room as the former President appeared to casually commit multiple federal crimes. This newly released audio of Donald Trump not only showcases the strength of Special Counsel Jack Smith’s case, it also undercuts Trump’s shifting defenses. This tape has some key new details that weren’t previously reported or included in Trump’s federal indictment.
Oliver O’Connell27 June 2023 18:45
Bad news for DeSantis in latest polling from New Hampshire
Following the release of the latest polling from New Hampshire, The Independent’s Eric Garcia writes: “DeSantis is fighting a war on two fronts. He not only fails to pick up Trump’s voters, but the split GOP field means that voters who are “dating” other candidates are looking elsewhere. A five-point(!) jump for Christie and a three-point jump for Tim Scott.”
Oliver O’Connell27 June 2023 18:30
Trump-appointed judge denies special counsel’s request to seal witness list
The judge overseeing the federal case against Donald Trump has denied special counsel Jack Smith’s motion to seal the list of witnesses that the former president is barred from contacting.
In a ruling on Monday, US District Judge Aileen Cannon – who was appointed by Mr Trump and is now overseeing the criminal case over his handling of classified documents on leaving the White House – said that the government had not provided a reason as to why the list needed to be kept from public view.
Ariana Baio has the details.
Oliver O’Connell27 June 2023 18:15