Trump says he will stop using taxpayer funds for self-promoting ads after backlash – US politics live
The Guardian US
T
The Guardian US
Original Source
President Donald Trump says he will stop using taxpayer funds for self-promoting advertisements after facing significant backlash. The announcement comes amid broader controversy over his recent comments suggesting Iran could target major U.S. cities.
From 1h ago
‘No city is expendable’: Republican candidate for competitive San Diego House seat slams Trump’s rally comments
Jim Desmond, the Republican candidate for a competitive San Diego based House seat has pushed back on Donald Trump’s comments at a rally in Nebraska on Monday, where the president said that Iran could “take out” Los Angeles and San Diego, and it would be “a small price to pay for keeping the world safe”.
Desmond said that he “vehemently” disagrees with Trump’s comments.
“America must stand up to Iran and defend our interests, but the first responsibility of our Commander in Chief is to protect the American people and our homeland,” Desmond, the former mayor of San Marcos, said in a statement. He’s set to face Marni Von Wilpert, a lawyer and member of San Diego’s city council, for the state’s 48th congressional district – which was redrawn in response to Proposition 50.
Desmond, also a navy veteran, said that he “served to protect Americans, not write off American cities as an acceptable price of war”.
It’s a notable rebuke from a Republican in a closely watched contest that could help the party retain their razor-thin majority in the lower chamber.
“No American city is expendable, and no American family should ever be treated as collateral damage,” Desmond added.
Share
Key events
The White House’s rapid response account has reposted and refuted the Los Angeles Times’ reporting of last night’s rally – where Donald Trump said that Iran could “take out” Los Angeles and San Diego, and it would be a “small price to pay”.
On X, the White House called the outlet “buffoons” and insisted that Trump was saying the US is “fighting to STOP Iran from having the ability to take out LA and San Diego with a nuclear weapon – which they would if they had the chance.”
Share
Paramount and Warner Bros close $110bn merger, paving way for new media giant
Two media giants, Paramount and Warner Bros Discovery, have completed their $110bn merger, creating a new entertainment powerhouse, Skydance.
The deal, fiercely contested by several state attorneys general over potential antitrust concerns, formally closed on Tuesday.
The combined company is now led by David Ellison, the son of billionaire Oracle founder Larry Ellison, a longtime ally of Donald Trump. Skydance brings together two of Hollywood’s remaining legacy studios, alongside major television networks, streaming platforms and news operations. Under one corporate roof now sit assets including HBO Max, CNN, CBS, Paramount+, and several film franchises.
Journalists at CBS News and CNN have raised concerns about the possibility of newsroom consolidation and the job cuts that could follow. Press freedom advocates have also warned that the deal could increase political pressure on the companies’ news divisions.
Since taking over Paramount, Ellison has reoriented the CBS network in an editorial direction more favorable to the president, especially under the leadership of CBS News’s embattled editor-in-chief, Bari Weiss.
However, Ellison sought to reassure critics in March, pledging that CNN would retain its editorial independence amid reports that Weiss could be considered for a senior leadership role at the network. Mark Thompson, the current CNN CEO, remains in place.
Share
Trade deficit widens in August, marking new high
According to the latest data from the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) the US trade deficit for August has widened, and is now sitting at $105.6bn – up by more than 13% compared to July’s revised figures.
The new numbers show that there has been an increase in imports of semiconductors, manufacturing material and gold. The deficit is now the highest it’s been since Donald Trump announced his sweeping rounds of tariffs last April.
Share
‘No city is expendable’: Republican candidate for competitive San Diego House seat slams Trump’s rally comments
Jim Desmond, the Republican candidate for a competitive San Diego based House seat has pushed back on Donald Trump’s comments at a rally in Nebraska on Monday, where the president said that Iran could “take out” Los Angeles and San Diego, and it would be “a small price to pay for keeping the world safe”.
Desmond said that he “vehemently” disagrees with Trump’s comments.
“America must stand up to Iran and defend our interests, but the first responsibility of our Commander in Chief is to protect the American people and our homeland,” Desmond, the former mayor of San Marcos, said in a statement. He’s set to face Marni Von Wilpert, a lawyer and member of San Diego’s city council, for the state’s 48th congressional district – which was redrawn in response to Proposition 50.
Desmond, also a navy veteran, said that he “served to protect Americans, not write off American cities as an acceptable price of war”.
It’s a notable rebuke from a Republican in a closely watched contest that could help the party retain their razor-thin majority in the lower chamber.
“No American city is expendable, and no American family should ever be treated as collateral damage,” Desmond added.
Share
Donald Trump will begin his day in Washington. At 1pm ET, he and first lady Melania Trump will welcome Gold Star families to the White House for a reception. We’ll then hear from the president at 4pm ET when he travels to Baltimore County, Maryland, where’s he due to deliver remarks at Tradepoint Atlantic, an industrial center. According to the Baltimore Banner – a local outlet – Anduril Industries, a defense technology manufacturer is expected to make an announcement about the company’s future at the facility.
A reminder that Anduril Industries is owned by Palmer Luckey, a top Trump donor. The Guardian has previously reported that Luckey’s company has received billions in contracts from the administration for drones, autonomous jet fighters and space-based interceptors.
Last week, Pete Hegseth also announced that Luckey, Elon Musk and Newt Gingrich will co-lead a government project to study the “future of warfare”.
Share
Robert Tait
In Donald Trump’s telling, he’s a model of incorruptible self-sacrifice.
“I’m the only president that donated his salary,” he told a group of cheering supporters at a Hispanic heritage month celebration in the White House last week, before conceding that George Washington – “a very wealthy person” – might have beaten him to the punch.
“They pay me $550,000 a year, and in my first term, I donated it,” he continued. “In my second term I donated it too. I donated it to fixing the White House. I donated the salary into the White House preservation.”
Trump’s ethical self-depiction was undercut in startling fashion a day later when the crypto company that runs his memecoin offered “the most exclusive dinner in the world” at the president’s members-only Trump National club in Washington.
“Join three legends and featured speaker Donald J Trump,” gushed the invite to the 185 biggest investors in the Trump coin. The top 29 buyers were promised an invitation to an additional “VIP reception with your favourite president and one of the legends”. For the top four donors, a Trump 18-karat gold watch lay in store.
The aim appeared to be to boost sales of the memecoin – called $Trump – over the next two months. Trump personally profits from the coin, and disclosures show he made about $636m from it last year.
With just over a month to go before November’s midterm elections, Democrats seized on the dinner invitation as a political gift as they try to convert concerns over Trump’s perceived corruption into a groundswell of outrage. They theorize it will power a “blue wave” that could enable the party to retake control of the House of Representatives and the Senate on 3 November.
Share
Trump suggests he would let Iran ‘take out’ Los Angeles or San Diego
Lauren Gambino
Leaders in California have denounced Donald Trump as “reckless” and “deranged” after the US president suggested Iran could “take out” Los Angeles and San
‘No city is expendable’: Republican candidate for competitive San Diego House seat slams Trump’s rally comments
Jim Desmond, the Republican candidate for a competitive San Diego based House seat has pushed back on Donald Trump’s comments at a rally in Nebraska on Monday, where the president said that Iran could “take out” Los Angeles and San Diego, and it would be “a small price to pay for keeping the world safe”.
Desmond said that he “vehemently” disagrees with Trump’s comments.
“America must stand up to Iran and defend our interests, but the first responsibility of our Commander in Chief is to protect the American people and our homeland,” Desmond, the former mayor of San Marcos, said in a statement. He’s set to face Marni Von Wilpert, a lawyer and member of San Diego’s city council, for the state’s 48th congressional district – which was redrawn in response to Proposition 50.
Desmond, also a navy veteran, said that he “served to protect Americans, not write off American cities as an acceptable price of war”.
It’s a notable rebuke from a Republican in a closely watched contest that could help the party retain their razor-thin majority in the lower chamber.
“No American city is expendable, and no American family should ever be treated as collateral damage,” Desmond added.
Share
Key events
The White House’s rapid response account has reposted and refuted the Los Angeles Times’ reporting of last night’s rally – where Donald Trump said that Iran could “take out” Los Angeles and San Diego, and it would be a “small price to pay”.
On X, the White House called the outlet “buffoons” and insisted that Trump was saying the US is “fighting to STOP Iran from having the ability to take out LA and San Diego with a nuclear weapon – which they would if they had the chance.”
Share
Paramount and Warner Bros close $110bn merger, paving way for new media giant
Two media giants, Paramount and Warner Bros Discovery, have completed their $110bn merger, creating a new entertainment powerhouse, Skydance.
The deal, fiercely contested by several state attorneys general over potential antitrust concerns, formally closed on Tuesday.
The combined company is now led by David Ellison, the son of billionaire Oracle founder Larry Ellison, a longtime ally of Donald Trump. Skydance brings together two of Hollywood’s remaining legacy studios, alongside major television networks, streaming platforms and news operations. Under one corporate roof now sit assets including HBO Max, CNN, CBS, Paramount+, and several film franchises.
Journalists at CBS News and CNN have raised concerns about the possibility of newsroom consolidation and the job cuts that could follow. Press freedom advocates have also warned that the deal could increase political pressure on the companies’ news divisions.
Since taking over Paramount, Ellison has reoriented the CBS network in an editorial direction more favorable to the president, especially under the leadership of CBS News’s embattled editor-in-chief, Bari Weiss.
However, Ellison sought to reassure critics in March, pledging that CNN would retain its editorial independence amid reports that Weiss could be considered for a senior leadership role at the network. Mark Thompson, the current CNN CEO, remains in place.
Share
Trade deficit widens in August, marking new high
According to the latest data from the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) the US trade deficit for August has widened, and is now sitting at $105.6bn – up by more than 13% compared to July’s revised figures.
The new numbers show that there has been an increase in imports of semiconductors, manufacturing material and gold. The deficit is now the highest it’s been since Donald Trump announced his sweeping rounds of tariffs last April.
Share
‘No city is expendable’: Republican candidate for competitive San Diego House seat slams Trump’s rally comments
Jim Desmond, the Republican candidate for a competitive San Diego based House seat has pushed back on Donald Trump’s comments at a rally in Nebraska on Monday, where the president said that Iran could “take out” Los Angeles and San Diego, and it would be “a small price to pay for keeping the world safe”.
Desmond said that he “vehemently” disagrees with Trump’s comments.
“America must stand up to Iran and defend our interests, but the first responsibility of our Commander in Chief is to protect the American people and our homeland,” Desmond, the former mayor of San Marcos, said in a statement. He’s set to face Marni Von Wilpert, a lawyer and member of San Diego’s city council, for the state’s 48th congressional district – which was redrawn in response to Proposition 50.
Desmond, also a navy veteran, said that he “served to protect Americans, not write off American cities as an acceptable price of war”.
It’s a notable rebuke from a Republican in a closely watched contest that could help the party retain their razor-thin majority in the lower chamber.
“No American city is expendable, and no American family should ever be treated as collateral damage,” Desmond added.
Share
Donald Trump will begin his day in Washington. At 1pm ET, he and first lady Melania Trump will welcome Gold Star families to the White House for a reception. We’ll then hear from the president at 4pm ET when he travels to Baltimore County, Maryland, where’s he due to deliver remarks at Tradepoint Atlantic, an industrial center. According to the Baltimore Banner – a local outlet – Anduril Industries, a defense technology manufacturer is expected to make an announcement about the company’s future at the facility.
A reminder that Anduril Industries is owned by Palmer Luckey, a top Trump donor. The Guardian has previously reported that Luckey’s company has received billions in contracts from the administration for drones, autonomous jet fighters and space-based interceptors.
Last week, Pete Hegseth also announced that Luckey, Elon Musk and Newt Gingrich will co-lead a government project to study the “future of warfare”.
Share
Robert Tait
In Donald Trump’s telling, he’s a model of incorruptible self-sacrifice.
“I’m the only president that donated his salary,” he told a group of cheering supporters at a Hispanic heritage month celebration in the White House last week, before conceding that George Washington – “a very wealthy person” – might have beaten him to the punch.
“They pay me $550,000 a year, and in my first term, I donated it,” he continued. “In my second term I donated it too. I donated it to fixing the White House. I donated the salary into the White House preservation.”
Trump’s ethical self-depiction was undercut in startling fashion a day later when the crypto company that runs his memecoin offered “the most exclusive dinner in the world” at the president’s members-only Trump National club in Washington.
“Join three legends and featured speaker Donald J Trump,” gushed the invite to the 185 biggest investors in the Trump coin. The top 29 buyers were promised an invitation to an additional “VIP reception with your favourite president and one of the legends”. For the top four donors, a Trump 18-karat gold watch lay in store.
The aim appeared to be to boost sales of the memecoin – called $Trump – over the next two months. Trump personally profits from the coin, and disclosures show he made about $636m from it last year.
With just over a month to go before November’s midterm elections, Democrats seized on the dinner invitation as a political gift as they try to convert concerns over Trump’s perceived corruption into a groundswell of outrage. They theorize it will power a “blue wave” that could enable the party to retake control of the House of Representatives and the Senate on 3 November.
Share
Trump suggests he would let Iran ‘take out’ Los Angeles or San Diego
Lauren Gambino
Leaders in California have denounced Donald Trump as “reckless” and “deranged” after the US president suggested Iran could “take out” Los Angeles and San
🔗 Share Article
Tags:#الولايات المتحدة الأمريكية#دونالد ترامب#السياسة الأمريكية#الانتخابات#الفساد السياسي#العلاقات الأمريكية الإيرانية
Source: The Guardian US
For Context
Related reads from the same topic or latest developments
