Trump news: President calls out ‘Barack Hussain Obama’ as supporter at Florida rally appears to make ‘white power’ symbol
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Donald Trump returned to the campaign trail on Friday with a rally targeting senior voters at The Villages retirement community in Florida.
Trump made eyebrow-raising claims like Biden taking away seniors' air conditioning and remembering Barack Hussain Obama, as a member of the crowd appeared to make the so-called "white power" dog whistle in the background.
Biden, meanwhile, returned to his home state of Delaware to outline his coronavirus pandemic plan a day after the US hit a record for the number of new Covid-19 cases, announcing a mask mandate on all interstate transportation and in all federal buildings.
The candidates were coming off their final in-person debate, which turned out to be a remarkably civil affair with lower ratings than their previous encounter.
Trump was also back to work in the White House to announce an historic peace deal between Israel and Sudan, with five more - including Saudi Arabia - expected to be announced after the dam broke with United Arab Emirates and Bahrain in recent weeks.
Trump tried to get Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu to attack Biden on a phone call in front of reporters. Bibi did not take the bait, with commentators noting that he is probably keeping a keen eye on the current polling numbers.
Veteran GOP pollster Frank Luntz said that Trump may have won the battle of the last debate, but Biden has won the war. He says it's "impossible" for the president turning around voter sentiment this late in the election cycle.
Trump is also up against a campaign that has broken all records for its spend on television and digital advertising in a presidential election, with still more than a week to go before polls close.
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President Trump tested negative on his way to the final presidential debate
Donald Trump tested negative for coronavirus on the plane on the way to the final presidential debate in Nashville, Tennessee.
“We tested him on the way here (on the plane) and he tested negative,”said White House chief of staff Mark Meadows.
President Trump was joined on the flight by Jared Kushner, Ivanka Trump, Dan Scavino, Tiffany Trump, Jason Miller and Robert O’Brien.
Biden campaign says he will fight back if President Trump attacks his family
During a press call with reporters, including ones from NBC News, the Biden campaign's deputy manager Kate Bedingfield said that the team expects President Trump to "continue to bully” the former vice president’s son Hunter Biden during tonight’s final presidential debate.
Mr Trump has repeatedly attacked Hunter over the last few weeks and has claimed without evidence that he and his father are “a crime family”.
Ms Bedingfield told reporters: “Here's the thing, these attacks are backfiring on Trump. You know, despite leveling them in the first debate, poll after poll showed voters resoundingly thought Biden won that debate because voters are sick and tired of Trump's lies and we've heard the same debunked attacks for over a year.”
The Biden campaign said that if Mr Trump attacks Mr Biden, then he will criticise him for spreading misinformation.
President Trump is planning on bringing an associate of Hunter Biden to the final presidential debate
Donald Trump is planning on bringing Tony Bobulinksi, an associate of Democratic nominee Joe Biden’s son, Hunter Biden, to Thursday night's debate, according to Fox News.
Bobulinski claims that he was CEO of Sinohawk Holdings, a firm that he alleged was “a partnership between the Chinese operating through CEFC/Chairman Ye and the Biden family", Fox News reported.
The Biden team has called the allegations surrounding Hunter Biden a “smear campaign”.
Mr Trump’s stunt is similar to one that he deployed during a 2016 debate with then Democratic nominee, Hillary Clinton, when he invited women who have accused former president Bill Clinton of sexual abuse to sit in the audience.
Louise Boyle has more here.
Trump to bring Hunter Biden's ex-business associate Tony Bobulinski to final debate
Mr Trump’s stunt is similar to one that he deployed during a 2016 debate with then Democratic nominee, Hillary Clinton
President Trump mocked on Twitter after sharing a photo of a book of accomplishments that shows only a blank page
Donald Trump is being mocked on Twitter after sharing a photo of a book supposedly filled with his healthcare accomplishments that appears to show nothing but a blank page.
In the post on Twitter, Mr Trump bragged about White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany bestowing a huge book of his healthcare accomplishments to 60 Minutes correspondent Lesley Stahl.
However, the only photograph that displays the book open appears to expose a page that is blank. Journalists and politicians were quick to point out the detail to the president.
Louise Hall has more here.
Trump tweets photo of healthcare accomplishments book showing blank page
Post comes after president walked out of 60 minutes interview with Lesley Stahl
Donald Trump Jr mocked for claiming he worked his way up in the Trump Organisation
Mr Trump Jr, 42, made the claims on Thursday, while attempting to criticise Joe Biden’s son Hunter Biden.
“My father gave me an opportunity to work my way up in his company. Joe gave his son China,” the president’s eldest child wrote on Twitter.
Social media users were confused about Mr Trump Jr’s claims, as he has worked for the Trump Organisation for nearly two decades and currently serves as their executive vice president.
James Crump has more here.
Social media rips Don Jr to shreds for claiming he worked his way to top
'The most hilarious tweet I've ever read on this site'
Opposing sides of landmark gay marriage case unite to oppose Trump's court pick
Opposing sides of a landmark gay marriage case have united to oppose Donald Trump’s Supreme Court pick Amy Coney Barrett.
Jim Obergefell and Rick Hodges both have their names on the court’s historic ruling that legalised gay marriage in the US in 2015.
Now they have banded together to oppose Ms Barrett’s nomination to the country’s highest court amid fears she and the other conservative justices could put gay marriage at risk.
The Independent’s Graeme Massie has the report.
Opposing sides of landmark gay marriage case unite to oppose Trump's court pick
Amy Coney Barrett served on board of private school with anti-gay policies
Kayleigh McEnany plays chicken with Twitter’s censorship hammer again
The White House press secretary, previously blocked from her personal Twitter account for posting The New York Post story on Hunter Biden’s alleged laptop, is testing the tech platform’s censorship hammer again.
She just tweeted out text messages purported to be from Hunter Biden arranging a meeting between Joe Biden and Chinese energy company CEFC.
“Dad not in now until 11 – lets me I and Jim (Biden) meet at 10 at Beverly Hilton where he’s staying,” Hunter Biden allegedly said in the text.
Your move Jack Dorsey.
Nancy Pelosi dodges question on Joe and Hunter Biden corruption claims
As soon as the madam speaker was asked about “allegations of corruption involving Joe Biden in recent days”…, Pelosi cut off the reporter mid-question.
“Excuse me… I’m sorry I’m not answering your questions ok we’re talking about the coronavirus, that’s what I, I don’t have all day for questions, that’s what we’re taking now,” Pelosi said.
Whistleblower Edward Snowden granted permanent residency in Russia
Edward Snowden has been granted permanent residency rights to live in Russia in a step towards citizenship, according to Reuters.
Mr Snowden's lawyer Anatoly Kucherena told the outlet that the request had been delayed longer than normal due to the coronavirus pandemic.
“His residency permit was expiring and we asked to extend it,” Mr Kucherena told Reuters. “We submitted the documents in April and we got the permanent residency rights (on Thursday)."
Whistleblower Edward Snowden granted permanent residency in Russia, reports say
The former CIA and NSA contractor's residency was set to expire this year
Democrat Senators ask FBI not to investigate Joe Biden corruption claims
Chuck Schumer and Ron Wyden wrote to FBI Director Christopher Wray saying an investigation into allegations of corruption against Joe Biden would “undermine the rule of law”.
“We write regarding press reports concerning materials allegedly describing activities by Hunter Biden, and found on a laptop at a Delaware repair shop. We are deeply concerned about the possibility that in response to these reports the Trump Administration will take actions before Election Day that would seek to damage the Democratic presidential candidate and undermine the rule of law,” they begin.
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