Graham stands by 15-week abortion ban despite Trump criticism
Former President Donald Trump’s announcement that he supports a state-by-state approach to abortion has received pushback from both sides of the aisle. Pro-life lawmakers criticized the announcement, saying they want a national abortion ban. Those who are pro-choice said Trump took credit for overturning Roe v. Wade and would go even further if he could.
“The states will determine by a vote or legislation, or perhaps both, and whatever they decide must be the law of the land, or in this case the law of the state,” Trump said in a video statement on Monday, April 8.
Trump then went on Truth Social to say that one of his closest allies in Congress, Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., is doing a great disservice to the Republican Party and country by advocating for a national 15-week ban.
In 2022, Graham introduced a bill that would ban abortion after 15 weeks with exceptions for rape, incest and risks to the health of the mother. Graham has previously said that he will reintroduce the bill before the November elections.
“The state’s rights approach, to me, you sort of abandoned your position on late-term abortion,” Graham told reporters.
Graham explained his stance, saying 15 weeks is the point at which a baby can feel pain.
“I think Trump is right in this regard, it’s a state issue up to a point,” Graham said. “As that child develops, I think the American people find a consensus around 15 weeks that they’d like to limit abortion.”
Republican lawmakers told Straight Arrow News they agree with President Trump’s new position. They contend it is consistent with what the American people want and aligned with the Supreme Court’s Dobbs decision.
“The Supreme Court has turned it back over to voters, we’ve got to let voters sort through this,” Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., said. “This is a tough issue. It’s a complex issue. And I think for those of us who are pro-life, we’ve got to go out and make that moral case to voters.”
“President Trump’s comments yesterday were anything but extreme, they are mainstream,” Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., said.
Democrats, including President Biden, said if Republicans gain control of Congress and the White House in November, they will pass a national abortion ban and President Trump will sign it.
“The Trump smokescreen simply is a disguise for a Republican strategy and plan to pass a national abortion ban,” Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., said. “They’ve made it clear. And that’s why this election is so urgently important.”
“I don’t know where he stands on this issue,” Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., said of Trump. “I think it’s pretty clear that he’s trying to find the best political position to help him in November.”
Since the 2022 Dobbs decision, 21 states enacted abortion restrictions earlier in pregnancy than the standard set by Roe v. Wade, according to The New York Times. Twenty-six states kept abortion legal or enacted new protections, and three states have had their bans blocked in court.
Trump’s comments about Russia and NATO spark controversy
Donald Trump made remarks on Saturday, Feb. 10, about NATO that criticized some members at a campaign rally in South Carolina. The former president has often described NATO as a flawed international partnership, accusing some countries of not pulling their financial weight in the alliance, and the U.S. having to overcompensate.
During his political rally, Trump said he told a NATO ally that if they didn’t pay, they’d be cut out. Therefore, that country would no longer be protected under a NATO policy that promises if a NATO country is attacked, then NATO as a whole will respond.
“One of the presidents of a big country, he stood up, said, ‘Well sir, if we don’t pay and we’re attacked by Russia, will you protect us?’” Trump told the crowd in South Carolina. “I said, ‘You didn’t pay? You’re delinquent?’ He said, ‘Yes.’ Let’s say that happened, no, I would not protect you. In fact, I would encourage them to do whatever the hell they want. You got to pay, you got to pay your bills.”
Left-leaning news outlets like CNN described Trump’s words as “incendiary remarks” that sent “very real shudders through Europe.”
“Favoring foes over friends, Trump threatens to upend international order” the New York Times wrote.
Politico’s headline read “‘Enough to make Reagan ill’: Trump’s NATO remarks under fire.”
Politico’s headline quotes former U.S. Congressman Adam Schiff, D. Schiff and many Democrats were critical of Trump’s comments. The White House even called it “appalling and unhinged.”
However, on the other side of the aisle, Republicans came to the former president’s defense.
Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., was asked about Trump’s comments on CNN on Feb. 11. Rubio said that Trump doesn’t “talk like a traditional politician” and that Trump “used leverage to get people to stand up to the plate.”
The former president’s comments were not well-received by NATO. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said Trump undermined national and international security, putting American and European soldiers at risk.
During his campaign rally, Trump brought up NATO’s financial commitments in a comparison to countries giving aid to Ukraine. Trump argued that the U.S. should only provide foreign aid in the form of a loan while Congress currently weighs a foreign aid package.
Ronna McDaniel offers to step down as RNC chair after meeting with Trump
Republican National Committee Chair Ronna McDaniel is in charge of fundraising for the GOP and choosing how to spend millions to campaign for the Republican Party. She has been heading the RNC since 2017, however, McDaniel is likely to step down from her position following a meeting with former President Donald Trump.
McDaniel offered to step down after the South Carolina primary on Feb. 24. The announcement came after a visit to Mar-a-Lago where she was said to have met with Trump for several hours.
Trump has voiced displeasure over the lack of funds available for Republicans to campaign with, especially during an election year where he is the party’s frontrunner.
In an interview with Fox News on Feb. 4, Trump hinted at changes in the RNC.
“I think she did OK, initially, in the RNC,” Trump said. “I would say right now, there’ll probably be some changes made.“
Nikki Haley loses Nevada primary to ‘none of these candidates’
The winner of Tuesday night’s, Feb. 6 Nevada Republican primary has been declared, and it wasn’t Nikki Haley, who was the only major candidate on the ballot. The winner was the “none of these candidates” option. It got the most votes, at 62%, with Haley capturing 32%.
According to an NPR analysis, Haley spent nothing on advertising in Nevada. Her focus has said to have shifted to her home state of South Carolina after New Hampshire’s first-in-the-nation primary in January. Early voting in South Carolina’s primary begins on Feb. 12, with Haley’s defeat in Nevada’s primary the stakes are raised as her campaign could come to an end in her home state if she can’t edge out former President Donald Trump.
Former President Donald Trump did not compete in the primary, opting to participate in Thursday’s, Feb. 8, caucuses, which will award Nevada’s delegates to the winner. Haley became the first candidate for either the GOP or Democratic party to lose to the “none of these candidates” option since it was introduced in Nevada in 1975. Meanwhile, President Joe Biden won the state’s Democratic primary.
Trump is expected to win the Nevada caucus because he will be the only viable option on the ballot, as Haley is not eligible to enter the Nevada caucus after running in the state’s primary. If she had won the Nevada primary it would have only been a symbolic victory for her campaign as the states delegates are awarded to the winner of the state’s caucus.
Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley has requested Secret Service protection. Haley’s campaign did not provide any specific threats that prompted the request. Still, the former ambassador to the United Nations has been the target of at least two “swatting” incidents. According to a Reuters report, one incident on Dec. 30, 2023, and one on Jan. 1, 2024 where callers filed false reports looking to generate a significant response by law enforcement.
“Part of running for public life is that you’re going to deal with the threats that are there. That’s not going to deter me. Does it mean we have to put a few more bodies around us? Yes, that’s fine,” Haley said while at a campaign stop in South Carolina.
There have also been protesters at her recent campaign events opposing her support for Ukraine and Israel. Speaking to the Wall Street Journal, Haley confirmed the application for protection with the Department of Homeland Security, saying, “We’ve had multiple issues.” Haley added, “It’s not going to stop me from doing what I need to do.”
Haley remains the last remaining opponent to former President Donald Trump for the 2024 GOP nomination. Despite losing to Trump in the Iowa caucuses and New Hampshire’s first-in-the-nation primary, Haley says she will continue her campaign and not drop out of the 2024 presidential race.
Nevada holds its Republican and Democratic primary elections on Tuesday, Feb. 6. The Nevada Republican Party will host a caucus on Thursday, Feb. 8.
There will be both a Republican primary held and a caucus in Nevada. GOP voters in the state can participate in both, but only results from the caucus will count.
Republican presidential hopefuls had to choose which contest they wanted to participate in — either the primary or the caucus. Nikki Haley chose the primary while Trump will participate in the caucus. The primary is considered a throw-away given the Republican Party’s rules on electing their party’s candidate through the caucus.
So, why is Nevada’s process so convoluted? In 2021, the state passed a law replacing the long-used caucus system with a primary after multiple problems in the Democratic caucuses in 2020. The GOP disagreed with the law and, unsuccessfully, even sued to try and have it changed.
Every registered voter in Nevada receives a ballot in the mail. The GOP decided they will still hold the mandatory primary but they’re sticking with the traditional caucus and said those votes will be the only ones that count, citing concerns over mail-in-ballot fraud.
Haley could have chosen to fight Trump for delegates by appearing on the caucus ballot. However, even if Haley wins the primary, it won’t count for anything. Haley has largely ignored the state and has marched on to her home state of South Carolina.
Since Nevada isn’t expected to hold a competitive GOP primary race, a lot of people are looking ahead to the South Carolina Republican primary on Feb. 24. However, Trump held rallies over the weekend in Las Vegas, noting Haley’s absence.
Where does the 2024 election stand after New Hampshire primary?
The New Hampshire primary is in the rearview mirror as the South Carolina primary approaches in February. Currently, the contest is strongest between two key candidates: Democratic incumbent President Joe Biden and Republican candidate, former President Donald Trump. So, where does the 2024 presidential election currently stand?
On Tuesday night, Jan. 23, in New Hampshire, Biden secured a significant victory through a write-in campaign, despite not appearing on the ballot due to new Democratic National Committee rules acknowledging South Carolina as the first Democratic primary race. However, he didn’t collect any delegates.
With 94% of the vote counted, Biden garnered nearly 54.8% of it, while his closest challenger, Rep. Dean Phillips, D-Minn., only received 19.6%.
On the Republican side, Trump won with a double-digit lead over his rival, former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley. Trump got 54% of the vote and Haley got 43%.
“And, you know, we have to do what’s good for our party,” Trump said in a speech after winning New Hampshire. “And [Haley] was up, and she was doing like a speech like she won. She didn’t win, she lost. And then I looked at the polls. She was talking about most win-ability, who is going to win. And I had one put up. I don’t know if you see it, but I had one put up. We’ve won almost every single poll in the last three months against crooked Joe Biden. Almost every poll. And she doesn’t win those polls!”
After suffering back-to-back losses to the former president, Haley acknowledged she lost New Hampshire but said she’s not throwing in the towel just yet.
“This race is far from over,” Haley said after acknowledging Trump’s win. “There are dozens of states left to go. And the next one is my sweet state of South Carolina! At one point in this campaign, there were 14 of us running, and we were at 2% in the polls. Well, I’m a fighter, and I’m scrappy, and now we’re the last one standing next to Donald Trump. And today we got close to half of the vote. We still have a way to go, but we keep moving up.”
Haley is hoping to move up to a firs-place win in her home state when South Carolina holds its Republican primary on Feb. 24. Democrats will hold their first primary of the season in South Carolina on Feb. 3.
In a recent state poll highlighted by the Wall Street Journal, Haley is trailing Trump by 30 percentage points.
Several prominent Republicans, including Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott, whom Haley appointed to the U.S. Senate while she was governor of South Carolina, are both endorsing Trump. Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., is also endorsing Trump.
However, according to a memo sent out by Haley’s campaign, the team is banking on staying in the race until at least Super Tuesday, which will take place on March 5 this year. Sixteen states will hold their primaries, and 874 delegates are up for grabs.
“After Super Tuesday, we will have a very good picture of where this race stands,” the memo stated.
President Biden stated Tuesday night that it was “clear” Trump would be the Republican nominee.
“There was some history that was made tonight,” Republican National Committee Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel told Fox News after polls closed in New Hampshire. “We’ve never had a nominee in our party that has won without winning either Iowa or New Hampshire. Donald trump is the first, ever, to win both. I’m looking at the math and the path moving forward, and I don’t see it for Nikki Haley. I think she’s run a great campaign, but I do think there’s a message coming out from the voters which is very clear: we need to unite around our eventual nominee which is going to be Donald Trump.”
Trump wins New Hampshire Republican primary: The Morning Rundown, Jan. 24, 2024
With a commanding lead, former President Donald Trump is declared the winner in New Hampshire. And scientists put out a grave warning as the Doomsday Clock nears midnight. These stories and more highlight The Morning Rundown for Wednesday, Jan. 24.
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“Well, I want to thank everybody,” former President Donald Trump said. “This is a fantastic state. This is a great, great state. You know we won New Hampshire three times now, three, three.”
With 91% of the estimated vote in as of late Tuesday night, Jan. 23, Trump held a double-digit lead over Haley, with the former president at 54% and the former U.N. ambassador at 43%. While she came in second, following her third-place finish in last week’s Iowa caucuses, Haley said despite her critics claiming the race is over, she is not going anywhere.
“I have news for all of them. New Hampshire is first in the nation; it is not the last in the nation,” Haley said.
On the Democratic side, President Joe Biden won thanks to a write-in campaign since the president did not put his name on the ballot following a disagreement between the Democratic National Committee and New Hampshire Democrats. Biden and the DNC see South Carolina as the state to hold the first Democratic primary in the country. That primary will take place on Feb. 3, 2024.
There was also a shakeup in Biden’s reelection campaign on Tuesday. Two White House aides are moving over to help run his reelection bid.
US military strikes Iran-backed militia groups in Iraq and Yemen
As tensions in the Middle East continue to grow, the U.S. announced it had struck targets in Yemen and Iraq on Tuesday, Jan. 23. According to U.S. Central Command, U.S. forces conducted strikes in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen after locating two anti-ship missiles aimed at the Southern Red Sea, determining they posed an imminent threat to merchant vessels and Navy ships.
A short time earlier, at the direction of President Joe Biden, U.S. forces conducted strikes in Iraq targeting Iran-backed groups, including the Kataib Hezbollah Militia, in response to an attack on U.S. forces that injured four Americans at al-Asad Airbase on Saturday, Jan. 20.
According to reports, the militia group launched a barrage of missiles at the base, two of which made it through defense systems, making it the most serious attack on the base this year by the militia group. According to Central Command, U.S. strikes hit the Iranian-backed Kataib Hezbollah’s headquarters, training facilities, and some munitions storage areas.
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin called the strikes in Iraq a direct response to attacks on U.S. personnel, while the Iraqi prime minister called the strikes an irresponsible escalation and considered them to be “hostile acts.”
Turkey approves Sweden’s NATO membership after months of delay
Sweden’s chances of becoming a member of NATO became even more of a possibility on Tuesday, Jan. 23, thanks to Turkey. Turkish legislators endorsed Sweden’s membership with a vote of 287-55 after having delayed it for over a year.
Turkey had accused Sweden of being too lenient toward groups deemed by Turkey as security threats. Over the past year, Sweden has altered its anti-terrorism laws. The Swedish prime minister responded on “X,” saying, “Today we are one step closer to becoming a full member of NATO.”
U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said this was welcomed news, calling Sweden a “strong, capable defense partner” and adding that bringing Sweden into NATO will make the alliance “safer and stronger.” This leaves Hungary as the only NATO ally to not yet ratify Sweden’s accession. NATO requires unanimous approval from all members to add another country.
Doomsday Clock set to 90 seconds to midnight
The apocalypse is nearing, at least according to atomic scientists and their Doomsday Clock. On Tuesday, Jan. 23, the science-oriented nonprofit organization, the Bulletin of Atomic Scientists, set the Doomsday Clock to 90 seconds to midnight for the second year.
This is the closest to the hour of midnight the clock has ever been in its 77 years, with midnight representing the hour when the Earth will become unlivable. The scientists set the clock each year based on what they call “existential” risks to the planet and humans. The group said this year, the concerns were centered on the wars in Ukraine and Gaza, nuclear threats, climate change and the rise of artificial intelligence.
Netflix adds 13.1 million subscribers, beating Wall Street expectations
Netflix has reasons to celebrate Wednesday morning, Jan. 24, announcing it has gained millions of subscribers and surpassed Wall Street expectations. The streaming giant said on Tuesday, Jan. 23, it added 13.1 million subscribers in the fourth quarter, nearly 5 million more than expected.
This brings the total number of its paid subscribers to 260.8 million, which is more than any of its streaming competition. Netflix said its crackdown on password sharing is a success, making sure those who enjoy the service are paying for it too. The company said its focus is on expanding its entertainment offerings, from live events to sports content to video games, and increasing its advertising business.
The nominations for the 96th annual Academy Awards were announced on Tuesday, Jan. 23, and as usual, there were plenty of surprises, as well as some significant snubs. Christopher Nolan’s three-hour blockbuster “Oppenheimer” led the field with 13 nominations, including best picture and director and acting nominations for Cillian Murphy, Robert Downey Jr., and Emily Blunt.
The film’s partner in this past summer’s “Barbenheimer” craze, “Barbie,” the top-grossing film of the year, garnered eight nominations, including best picture and two for acting. However, “Barbie’s” director Greta Gerwig and star Margot Robbie were both left out of their respective categories. Ryan Gosling, who was nominated, called out the snubs and said they were the two people “most responsible for the history-making globally celebrated film.”
Speaking of history, Lily Gladstone, the star of “Killers of the Flower Moon,” became the first Native American nominated for best actress. The 2024 Oscars air on March 10 on ABC.
Special Forces candidates head to the backwoods of North Carolina
People living in parts of North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee are going to be hearing plenty of gunfire and may see some flares falling from the sky for the next couple of weeks. Don’t worry, there’s no actual combat, just the next crop of U.S. Army Special Forces candidates trying to earn their green berets.
It’s basically finals week, only instead of all-night study sessions, approximately a hundred or so Special Forces students will participate in a simulation to help guerilla fighters in their fictitious war against the oppressive powers of “Pineland.”
The Special Forces candidates couldn’t do the exercise alone, so the Army hired people who lived in the area to play the parts of guerilla fighters and opposition forces.
Robin Sage is considered one of the U.S. military’s premiere unconventional warfare exercises. It spans more than two dozen counties in North Carolina and dips into South Carolina and Tennessee as well.
The Army says it works diligently to coordinate the exercise with local law enforcement and residents, that way no one is caught unaware and wondering why more than 100 special operators are roaming through the North Carolina back country with a couple hundred guerilla fighters.
The future Green Berets are tasked with training and advising the guerilla fighters in weapons handling, communications, field medicine, and demolition. The idea behind the exercise is for the soldiers to equip the guerillas with everything they need to fight for their independence.
Once Robin Sage is complete, and if the Special Forces candidates prove to their evaluators they have what it takes to graduate, the candidates will earn their coveted berets and be assigned to one of the Army’s Special Forces units.
Fake robocalls, push for Biden write-in: What’s happening with Dems in NH
Voters will cast their ballots in the nation’s first primary of the 2024 presidential election on Tuesday, Jan. 23. However, Democrat incumbent President Joe Biden will not be on the ballot. Twenty-one other Democratic candidates will be present, but there are zero delegates up for grabs due to the Democratic National Committee’s new rules for 2024.
The DNC, under pressure from Biden, declared South Carolina would be the first official primary for Democrats. However, New Hampshire refused to budge, citing a state law that its contest must be held seven days before any other primary.
Biden elected to skip the primary, choosing to not even campaign there. The DNC deemed the New Hampshire contest “meaningless” and declared no delegates would be up for grabs this time around.
New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu, R, is fighting back against those decisions.
“After Joe Biden and the Democratic Party tried and failed to strip New Hampshire of its first-in-the-nation presidential primary, they are now so worried that Joe Biden will suffer further embarrassment that they have called our primary ‘meaningless.,’” Sununu said. “New Hampshire voters have always turned national expectations on their head. This year will be no different, whether Joe Biden and the DNC like it or not.”
Other Democratic candidates who will appear on the primary’s ballot, such as Rep. Dean Phillips, D-Minn., and author Marianne Williamson, called the DNC’s decision “voter suppression.”
“The Democratic Party should be investing in democracy,” Phillips said during the Democratic primary debate. “Promoting debate, promoting candidates and promoting voters.”
“It should be you, the people of New Hampshire, the people of every other state should decide who is the best Democratic nominee,” Williamson said.
Phillips also mocked Biden for his New Hampshire absence since his last official visit in April 2022.
Over the last several months, there’s been a grassroots effort by Democratic volunteers to get independents and Democrats to write in Biden’s name on the ballot in New Hampshire.
“You know the value of voting Democratic when our votes count. It’s important that you save your vote for the November election,” a call obtained by NBC News said.
At this time, it is unclear who is behind the robocalls.
Phillips and Williamson are hoping the write-in effort will fail as they seek to gain some notoriety heading into South Carolina’s primary.
There’s been heavy focus on the Republican side, as former President Donald Trump and former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley try to win over the Granite State’s delegates.