What's happening on the campaign trail today
- Former President Donald trump rallied in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, before he traveled to Washington, D.C., to address Moms for Liberty. The nominally nonpartisan political organization, which started as a group of parents protesting Covid restrictions, has become a major political player in the Republican Party.
- trump's running mate, Sen. JD Vance, earlier today responded to questions regarding trump's plan to provide coverage for in-vitro fertilization treatment, saying the specifics of how the policy would get implemented would "get worked out in the legislative process."
- Second gentleman Doug Emhoff is hitting the campaign trail on behalf of Vice President Kamala Harris, speaking at campaign receptions in their home state, California, and in Aspen, Colorado.
- Harris and her running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, did the first sit-down interview of their campaign yesterday. CNN's Dana Bash pushed Harris on her policy evolutions, prompting her to respond, “My values have not changed.”
Harris' interview last night was watched by 6.3 million TV viewers
Harris' interview last night with CNN anchor Dana Bash was watched by 6.3 million TV viewers, according to data from the media measurement company Nielsen.
Nielsen said the interview's performance exceeded a recent Fox News interview with Vance on the first day of the Republican National Convention last month. That interview was watched by 6.18 million TV viewers, the company said.
Democrats highlight trump saying he'd vote against amendment that would broaden abortion access
Harris released a campaign statement bashing trump for saying he'd oppose an abortion-related ballot measure in Florida that would broaden abortion access.
"Donald trump just made his position on abortion very clear: He will vote to uphold an abortion ban so extreme it applies before many women even know they are pregnant," Harris said in the statement, referring to Florida's six-week law.
She reaffirmed her commitment to signing a bill to "restore reproductive freedom," saying, "I trust women to make their own health care decisions and believe the government should never come between a woman and her doctor."
Separately, Democratic National Committee spokesperson Maddy Mundy said that trump "opened the floodgates to attacks on women’s reproductive freedoms," pointing to his connection with the Supreme Court's overturning of Roe v. Wade.
"As Floridians mobilize to fight for their rights, they head to the polls knowing that the only candidates at the top of the ticket fighting for their reproductive freedoms are Vice President Harris and Governor Walz," Mundy said.
Walz responds to trump's IVF proposal, saying women 'don't trust them'
During a fundraising stop in Bethesda, Maryland, tonight, Walz referred to trump's position on IVF, after the former president told NBC News yesterday that as president, he would fight to make the government or insurance companies pay for IVF treatments.
"We might have to change, I guess, our talking points on this because apparently their position on IVF and fertility has changed today or something," Walz told the crowd at an outdoor gathering of about 150 people. "Look, women don’t trust them. They don’t trust women, so why the hell would women trust them? No one’s believing that."
Walz's wife, Minnesota first lady Gwen Walz, also spoke about access to fertility treatments, saying if trump had his way, she would never have become a mother.
The Democratic vice presidential nominee has been accused of lying about using IVF to conceive his children. Tim Walz has never directly said he and his wife had their children via IVF, but some of his past statements have implied that was the case. Gwen Walz said she had undergone a different fertility treatment called intrauterine insemination.
trump's mispronunciations during rally
trump mispronounced Rep. Guy Reschenthaler's name at the rally, saying, "Guy Resenshaler — thaler. Guy Rethenshaler."
"That's the toughest name in all of show business," trump commented.
Earlier, trump incorrectly pronounced the word "acclimated," saying instead that people were getting "acclimented."
"You know what that means, 'acclimented?'" he added.
Judge rejects trump bid to move NY case to federal court — for now
A federal judge today rejected trump's filing attempting to move his New York state criminal case into federal court on technical grounds.
U.S. District Judge Alvin Hellerstein said the motion was not properly filed and that trump's attorneys need his permission to file the request. The docket entry also directed trump's lawyer to refile with instructions on how to do so properly. If Hellerstein were to proceed with a hearing on the request, it could potentially result in the former president's Sept. 18 sentencing on falsifying business records charges being delayed.
“Contrary to the wishes of Radical Liberals, President trump’s powerful petition to remove the Manhattan DA’s Witch Hunt to federal court has not been ruled on by a judge. In a standard procedural move, today, the clerk’s office asked President trump’s legal team to file in a specific format and we are working with them to make sure it is properly filed on the electronic system,” Steven Cheung, trump's campaign spokesperson, said following the ruling.
Hellerstein denied trump's first attempt to move the case last year, finding the hush money case didn't have to do with his presidential duties. trump's attorneys contend the Supreme Court's July 1 ruling on presidential immunity earlier this year demands a different result now.
trump has also asked the judge presiding over the criminal case to delay the sentencing on similar grounds. Judge Juan Merchan has yet to rule.
trump knocks Harris over her reversal on fracking
trump took aim at Harris over her reversal on supporting a ban on hydraulic fracturing, a method of harvesting natural gas or oil known as “fracking.”
"She’s vowed repeatedly that we will ban fracking," trump told the Johnstown, Pennsylvania, crowd. "People of Pennsylvania are smart. They’re not going to fall for it," trump said, adding that without fracking "you don't have a Commonwealth."
Harris said during a CNN interview that aired last night that her values have remained consistent, even as she faces criticism over switching her positions on some issues, such as fracking.
She highlighted the Biden administration’s success in passing the Inflation Reduction Act, which included significant spending to combat climate change.
“That tells me, from my experience as vice president, we can do it without banning fracking,” Harris said.
Harris said during the 2020 Democratic presidential primaries that she favored banning fracking.
Protester interrupts trump rally
A protester at the trump rally jumped over a barricade, hopped onto the right side of a press riser and started yelling at trump.
It was unclear what the protester was saying. He was quickly handcuffed and removed from the rally by security. trump acknowledged the scuffle but continued speaking, saying, “He is on our side.”
After the rally, a campaign official told NBC News that an "individual jumped the press barricade and got up onto the riser" about 75 yards from trump. The person is now in questioning with local law enforcement, according to the campaign official.
trump provides more details on lead-up to Arlington Cemetery incident
trump detailed the lead-up to a reported altercation at Arlington National Cemetery after his campaign was criticized for allegedly pushing a cemetery employee.
"I don’t need publicity," trump said at his rally in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, adding that he had taken several photos with families the cemetery at their request.
"It was so beautiful. And we left, and everything was nice. And then later on that day, I heard that we were using graves of those soldiers for public relations purposes," trump said.
The Army said yesterday that a trump aide had “abruptly pushed aside” a cemetery employee who tried to enforce restrictions on photography on the grounds.
trump, who said the Gold Star families asked him to be there and spent time with him at his Bedminster retreat, did not directly address the altercation, but instead took aim at the Biden administration over its withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021.
"Joe Biden killed those young people because he was incompetent. And then they tell me that I used their graves for public relations services and I didn’t. And I’ll tell you what, it was a disgrace, and she was involved," trump said, pointing a finger at Harris over the decision.
trump falls in line with anti-abortion groups on Florida amendment issue
trump, doing damage control for recent remarks on abortion that put him to the left of many members of his party, said he would be voting "no" on an abortion amendment that will be on the ballot in Florida this fall, falling in line with anti-abortion groups.
"You need more time than six weeks," he previously said in reference to Florida's six-week ban, indicating that he differs from many within his party who support stricter limits.
He continued by attacking Democrats for the prospect of abortions at nine months. (Late-term abortions are very rare.) Harris and many Democrats have been pushing to reinstate abortion rights nationwide consistent with those afforded by Roe v. Wade.
trump falsely claimed that some states allow babies to be executed after birth.
"All of that stuff is unacceptable, so I’ll be voting no for that reason," he said.
If passed, the amendment would prevent the government from implementing laws that restrict abortion before viability, which is considered to be at about 24 weeks into a pregnancy.
trump slams Harris' CNN interview
Speaking at a rally in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, trump slammed Harris' interview with CNN, which aired last night.
trump called the interview "weak," saying he did not think Harris would be able to handle President Xi Jinping of China if she were elected.
As has become a pattern for trump, he slammed Harris for not doing many interviews prior to this one. This was the first sit-down interview of her candidacy.
What to know about trump's debate prep
trump is not conducting anything we would consider traditional “prep” in the sense that there’s no podium, and nobody playing Harris, according to two senior campaign officials.
One of these officials notes trump’s habit of calling around to friends and allies to bounce ideas about topics — at any time, with or without notice — is in full effect now. (He’s basically workshopping ideas all the time).
Asked about Tulsi Gabbard’s involvement, the other official told NBC News that she’s been helpful in getting trump to think about the pivot from attacking Harris, to his policies or what he would do differently. Taking things one step beyond the attack lines he gives at rallies, into a better debate answer. The campaign official says they’ve been trying to get her involved for a while.
PA court says date problems aren’t enough to toss a ballot
Mail ballots submitted without a date, or with an inaccurate date, shouldn’t be rejected, a Pennsylvania court ruled on Friday.
“The dating provisions serve no compelling government interest,” the Commonwealth Court said in a majority opinion. “The refusal to count undated or incorrectly dated but timely mail ballots submitted by otherwise eligible voters because of meaningless and inconsequential paperwork errors violates the fundamental right to vote recognized in the free and equal elections clause.”
A group of voting rights advocates went to court in May seeking to block the dating provision, which required election officials to reject ballots with problematic dates even if that ballot reached officials by the statutory deadline: 8 p.m. on Election Day. The Republican National Committee and Pennsylvania GOP stepped in support of the dating provision, arguing it was important to election integrity.
In a statement, the RNC condemned the ruling and promised to appeal it.
“Today’s decision striking down the dated ballot requirement was an example of the worst kind of judicial activism. Courts should not undermine election confidence and integrity by striking down commonsense election laws enacted by the people’s representatives. We will continue to defend the law and Pennsylvania voters, and intend to appeal this decision immediately,” said RNC Election Integrity Communications Director Claire Zunk.
President of anti-abortion group says she spoke with trump yesterday
The president of the Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America, a prominent anti-abortion group, told NBC News in a statement today that she chatted with trump yesterday evening after the former president told NBC News that Florida’s six-week abortion ban is “too short” and would not weigh in decisively on a ballot measure aimed at expanding abortion access in the state.
Marjorie Dannenfelser said, “I spoke with President trump (last) evening. He has not committed to how he will vote on Amendment 4. President trump has consistently opposed abortions after five months of pregnancy. Amendment 4 would allow abortion past this point. Voting for Amendment 4 completely undermines his position.
"We strongly support Florida’s current heartbeat law. For anyone who believes in drawing a different line, they still must vote against Amendment 4, unless they don’t want a line at all. Amendment 4 would lock unlimited abortion into the state constitution, preventing the Florida legislature from enacting any changes," she added.
Defamed election workers seeking Rudy Giuliani’s homes and World Series rings
The two Georgia election workers defamed by Rudy Giuliani are seeking to take possession of his multimillion-dollar homes in New York and Florida and some of his valuable personal property, including three Yankees World Series rings.
Ruby Freeman and her daughter, Wandrea “Shaye” Moss, were awarded $146 million in damages last year after a judge found Giuliani liable for repeatedly defaming them by falsely accusing them of election fraud during the 2020 presidential election. They filed the action seeking to get ahold of his properties in federal court in New York on Friday.
The pair are also seeking Giuliani’s 1980 Mercedes-Benz SL500, signed Reggie Jackson picture, signed Joe DiMaggio shirt and three Yankees World Series rings he was given during his time as New York City mayor. They also want a diamond ring he owns and his collection of about two dozen luxury watches.
Ron DeSantis is in hot water for golf course plan
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — A proposal to put golf courses in a Florida state park — which has landed Gov. Ron DeSantis in hot water politically — involved two of the biggest names in professional golf history: Tiger Woods and Jack Nicklaus.
The proposal to build courses at Jonathan Dickinson State Park in Southeast Florida is now put on hold after bipartisan pushback and protests across the state. But had the idea received state approval, and both Woods and Nicklaus would have been involved in course-design work.
“There were actually going to be at least two courses; one would be a Tiger course and one would be a Jack course,” Eugene Stearns, an attorney who represents Nicklaus, told NBC News.
trump biopic 'The Apprentice' sets pre-election release date
“The Apprentice,” a film dramatizing Donald trump’s rise in New York City real estate and his relationship with political power broker Roy Cohn, has found a distributor that will debut the film in the final stretch of the presidential election, according to a source with knowledge of the deal.
The independent distributor Briarcliff Entertainment plans to release the movie on Oct. 11, the source said. Sebastian Stan stars as trump and Jeremy Strong of “Succession” fame plays Cohn, one of the former president’s mentors.
“The Apprentice” premiered in May at the 77th Cannes Film Festival, where it immediately turned into a sociopolitical lightning rod. In a statement at the time, trump campaign spokesman Steven Cheung blasted the movie as “pure malicious defamation.”
“We will be filing a lawsuit to address the blatantly false assertions from these pretend filmmakers,” Cheung said. “This garbage is pure fiction which sensationalizes lies that have been long debunked.” (It’s unclear whether the campaign has filed suit.)
trump in damage-control mode over abortion backlash from the right
Reporting from Washington
Former President Donald trump is in damage control on abortion after telling NBC News that Florida’s six-week ban is “too short” and declining to take a clear stance on a state ballot measure that would expand access to the procedure.
The backlash from anti-abortion advocates was fierce, with some warning that the Republican presidential nominee was risking support from a key bloc of the party’s base in the 2024 election.
Alarmed by what she saw, Marjorie Dannenfelser, president of the influential anti-abortion group Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America, called trump on Thursday to ask for clarity on his comments, according to a source with knowledge of the conversation. trump told her that he didn’t state a position on an amendment on his home state’s ballot this fall, which would bar restrictions on abortion before fetal viability, around the 24th week of pregnancy.
Vance says that trump would welcome a Democrat in a future Cabinet
Vance said in an interview on Fox News this morning that a future trump Cabinet could feature a Democrat, though the examples he then gave were people who have left the Democratic Party.
"Oh, of course we would," he said when asked if a second trump administration would have a Democrat in the Cabinet.
"We actually got a lot of great Democratic support," he continued. "We just got RFK, of course. Tulsi Gabbard, who endorsed the president in just the last couple of days. If you look at the trump movement in 2024, it’s actually the common sense big tent movement in American politics. We don’t agree on everything, of course."
RFK Jr., who endorsed trump for president last week, and former Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, who has also publicly backed the former president, are no longer Democrats.
Gwen Walz attacks trump and Vance over their IVF and childbearing comments
Gwen Walz, wife of Democratic vice presidential nominee Tim Walz, attacked trump and Vance in remarks at a campaign stop in Virginia this morning over their comments regarding IVF and teachers who don't have children.
Minnesota's first lady said that she read that Vance once said he was really "disturbed" by teachers who don't have their own children. She said that she took that personally because of her prior struggles with infertility.
"I think it is [personal] for millions of Americans," she said at the Educators for Harris-Walz event in Manassas. "We do not take kindly to folks like JD Vance telling us when or how to start our families."
She put on her glasses and said she wanted to use her "teacher voice." She said, "Mr. Vance, how about you mind your own business."
Gwen Walz said that people won't stand for trump trying to "rewrite his record on reproductive health care."
"He tried that yesterday," she said. "Here are the facts, and there aren't any alternatives to these. Donald trump is the one who took down Roe and put access to IVF at risk. That's a fact. He's running on a platform that puts these treatments at risk nationwide, and that's a fact, but he knows that that position is wildly unpopular, and guess what? That's a fact, so now he is trying to convince us that he won't follow through on it if he wins, well, we won't let him get away with it, right?"
Her comment comes in response to trump's remarks in an interview with NBC News yesterday in which he said, if elected, he would get the government or insurance companies to cover the cost of IVF services.
trump reiterates that he's unsure of how he will vote on Florida abortion amendment
During a newly released clip of trump's Wednesday interview with the Daily Mail, trump reiterated that he did not know how he would vote on Florida's ballot initiative in November and that he wants more than six weeks.
"I’ll be expressing that soon. But I want more than six weeks. And in Florida, we have a six-week program, and that’s what I believe that you’re voting on, and I think it should be more than six weeks," he said.
The former president made similar comments during an NBC News interview yesterday prior to his remarks in Potterville, Michigan.
Democratic PAC to run ad during football games hitting Senate candidate for mispronouncing 'Yuengling'
Reporting from New York
A Super PAC backing Sen. Bob Casey, D-Pa., is set to launch a six-figure TV ad buy targeting Republican Dave McCormick for mispronouncing the name of a famed Pennsylvania beer.
The ad is the latest piece of a broader strategy to attack McCormick, a Pennsylvania native who grew up in the state, for spending years living in Connecticut — a strategy used by Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., in his 2022 run against celebrity doctor Mehmet Oz, who lived in New Jersey.
The ad, cut by Senate Majority PAC, a Democratic group, targets McCormick for pronouncing Yuengling as “Yangling” during a podcast interview last year.
“Here in PA we know our football, hoagies, and beer and then there’s Dave McCormick,” the voiceover begins, adding, “Yangling? Maybe if he’d lived here, he’d know how to say it. But McCormick lived in a Connecticut mansion, made millions on Wall Street outsourcing jobs. Money he’s using to try to buy our Senate seat. Dave McCormick … he’s not from here and he’s sure not for us.”
The ad will air during the Penn State football game Saturday in the Pittsburgh, Philadelphia and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton media markets, as well as on ABC during college football games Saturday and Sunday in those markets plus Johnstown, the PAC said.
The ad comes after McCormick’s team earlier this week on Twitter highlighted a report of a Latin American gang shooting in Philadelphia, Mississippi, mistaking it for Pennsylvania's largest city.
“We made a mistake on our tweet, and that’s not nearly as bad as Bob Casey making a mistake leaving the border wide open,” McCormick’s team followed up after the mix-up was publicized.
Pointing to the Philadelphia mix-up as well as the Yuengling episode, Hannah Menchoff, a Senate Majority PAC spokesperson, said, “Pennsylvanians will always see McCormick as the out-of-touch carpetbagger he is.”
McCormick’s team has for months strongly pushed back on the attacks on his career as a hedge-fund executive and his residence in Connecticut. It has pointed to McCormick’s generational roots in Pennsylvania, his growing up in the state and his Pittsburgh home, saying he “no longer rents or lives at any property in Connecticut.”
"Dave is a seventh generation Pennsylvanian, West Point graduate and combat veteran who is committed to bringing strong leadership to Washington on behalf of PA," Elizabeth Gregory, a McCormick spokesperson, said in a statement. "Weak career politician Bob Casey will do anything to distract from how he’s completely failed Pennsylvanians, driving record high cost of living, enabling open borders and a fentanyl epidemic, and violent crime."
Harris campaign targets young voters on Snapchat
Harris's campaign started running this digital ad today on Snapchat geared toward younger voters. It’s short (8 seconds in length), and features the text “Vote For Our Future” on screen the whole time.
The spot is part of their Welcome Back to Campus Campaign. It’s only scheduled to run through tomorrow. The data from Snapchat indicates that they’ve spent $8,000 (which is on the high end for an ad that’s only been running for a few hours on Snapchat) and has received 141,000 impressions, so far.
Vance says specifics on trump's proposed IVF policy would be 'worked out in the legislative process'
Vance this morning responded to comments trump made in an interview with NBC News yesterday that he would support mandating that government or insurance companies pay for IVF treatments. When asked if it was a similar notion to Obamacare, he dodged the question.
"You have insurance companies that obviously are forced to cover a whole host of services. The president explicitly said that he wants insurers to cover additional fertility treatments," he said. "I think it's also important to point out that it's become way too expensive to raise a family in this country."
He did not offer specifics about how IVF would be paid for under the proposed policy, saying, "all details get worked out in the legislative process."
An NBC News estimate, based on 2022 data from HHS, found that Americans spend roughly $7.8 billion on IVF treatments.
The real story behind the Harris-trump hot mic feud
In an election where neither party agrees on much, both agree on this: The first presidential debate of the year was catastrophic for President Joe Biden, who was ousted as the presumptive nominee of his party as a direct result.
So as the scheduled Sept. 10 debate on ABC approaches, it’s no surprise now that Team trump would want to keep the conditions of June’s debate precisely intact — and that Vice President Kamala Harris’ team wouldn’t.
That leads to the most recent dustup — which has now drawn out for days — over microphones, a topic that’s proven to be the stickiest of all. The issue is whether a candidate’s microphone should be muted when it is not their turn to speak.
Republicans want them muted; Democrats don’t.
Arizona college students say gun violence is an important issue to them
NBC News asked three students from Arizona State University about their most important issues. Two brought up gun violence.
"I do believe that we do have a big problem with gun violence around the United States, and I believe it’s very important to solve that if eliminating guns or restricting the access of guns to people who can’t or shouldn’t have access to that," Ritvik Vasisht, 20, said. "And I don’t believe as high schoolers or as students just in general, it should be a big worry that we need to be safe."
Isaac Young, 19, said, he worries about gun violence in his hometown of Detroit.
"It’s really big there, and I think what I really want to see a change in is just building up these poor economies of Detroit used to be once in a lifetime, like the place to be," Young said.
Finn Smith, 20, explained why environmental policy is important to him.
"The environment’s really important," said Smith, who is from Minnesota. "And so environmental policy, especially how we’re going to take care of the world, what the world’s going to look like years from now. That’s important to me, because I’m young, that world is the world that I’m going to live in."
Five takeaways from Harris’ first major interview as the Democratic nominee
Harris gave her first sit-down interview yesterday since she became the Democratic presidential nominee, touching on her agenda for 2025 and a series of topics that she has so far avoided — and drawing instant criticism from trump.
Harris presented herself as a pragmatist in the long-anticipated interview, given to CNN’s Dana Bash alongside her running mate, Tim Walz. She sought to strike a balance between defending the Biden-Harris administration’s legacy and charting her own path if she is elected president while taking questions about how some of her policy positions have changed since the last time she ran for president.
Harris defends her policy changes in first interview: ‘My values have not changed’
Harris was pressed about her policy evolutions yesterday in her first interview since she became the Democratic Party’s presidential nominee, sitting alongside Walz.
The highly anticipated interview, with CNN’s Dana Bash, came after pressure had been building for Harris to answer more questions from impartial journalists and fully sketch out how her vision differs from Biden's. She has largely avoided doing either in the 39 days since he decided not to run for re-election and endorsed her instead.
In his new book, trump threatens to imprison Mark Zuckerberg and says he ‘got along well’ with Putin
In a new book of photographs, trump describes his term in office and his post-presidency in his own words, captioning photos of key moments in his political career.
The trump-authored book, titled “Save America,” includes his recollections of meetings with foreign leaders, photos of family milestones and appearances alongside celebrity golfer Jack Nicklaus and musician Kid Rock, according to excerpts obtained by NBC News. It is set to be released Tuesday.
Harris allies announce reproductive freedom bus tour
Harris campaign allies will hit the campaign trail next week for a "reproductive freedom" bus tour, which will kick off on trump's home turf in Palm Beach, Florida.
The first stop, on Tuesday, will feature Sen. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota, Harris campaign manager Julie Chavez Rodriguez and TV personality Ana Navarro, according to the campaign.
The bus tour will make at least 50 stops this fall, the campaign said in a news release. Second gentleman Doug Emhoff and Minnesota first lady Gwen Walz will make stops on the tour "in the coming weeks," the campaign said.
"This election is about freedom — and the American people want and deserve the freedom to make their own health care decisions," Chavez Rodriguez said in a statement.
Keep calm and get under his skin: How Harris is preparing for her first trump debate
Harris has been diligently preparing for the debate stage for months — first by gearing up to face the Republican vice presidential nominee and now, over the past several weeks, to debate trump, according to four sources familiar with her preparations.
The prep sessions have been sandwiched between campaign stops, official duties as vice president and preparation for her first joint interview with Walz, which aired last night on CNN, the sources said.