Politics

Former Senator Joe Lieberman dies at 82

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(NEW YORK) -- Former Sen. Joe Lieberman has died, his family announced Wednesday. He was 82 years old.

Lieberman died in New York City "due to complications from a fall," his family said in a statement.

"His beloved wife, Hadassah, and members of his family were with him as he passed. Senator Lieberman's love of God, his family, and America endured throughout his life of service in the public interest," the statement read.

Lieberman, a prominent Jewish politician who represented Connecticut, was Al Gore's running mate on the Democratic ticket in 2000. A political maverick who ultimately became an independent, he also nearly joined former Arizona Republican Sen. John McCain's presidential ticket as his running mate. The two were friends and were both defense hawks, advocating for a muscular U.S. posture abroad.

Lieberman became a player on the political scene again in recent years as the founding chair of the No Labels party, which is weighing launching a "unity ticket" in this year's presidential race, though no major candidates have said they plan to join.

Lieberman "meant so much to so many," No Labels said in a statement following his passing. "He was a beloved husband, father and grandfather. He was a senator and a statesman. He was the founding chairman and moral center of the No Labels movement.

"His unexpected passing is a profound loss for all of us," the statement continued.

"Senator Lieberman was a singular figure in American political life who always put his country before party. He was a deeply principled and pragmatic leader who believed public service was a privilege and who dedicated his life to the betterment of others. As a four-term senator, he led passage of transformative bipartisan legislation that made America's air and water cleaner, that made us safer after 9/11, and that expanded equality and opportunity for all," the statement continued, in part.

"Senator Lieberman leaves behind a void that cannot be filled," No Labels added. "But we are honored to have known him and we hope his family can find comfort in the difficult days ahead knowing the tremendous impact that he had."

Lieberman's funeral will be held Friday at Congregation Agudath Sholom in his hometown of Stamford, his family said.

Lieberman's former running mate, Al Gore, released a statement on X saying he was "profoundly saddened."

"I am profoundly saddened by the loss of Joe Lieberman. First and foremost, he was a man of devout faith and dedication to his family," Gore's statement read.

"Joe was a man of deep integrity who dedicated his life to serving his country. He was a truly gifted leader, whose affable personality and strong will made him a force to be reckoned with. That's why it came as no surprise to any of us who knew him when he'd start singing his favorite song: Frank Sinatra's 'My Way.' And doing things Joe's way meant always putting his country and the values of equality and fairness first.

"His fierce dedication to these values was clear even as a young man. When he was about to travel to the South to join the Civil Rights Movement in the 1960s, he wrote: 'I am going because there is much work to be done. I am an American. And this is one nation, or it is nothing.' Those are the words of a champion of civil rights and a true patriot, which is why I shared that quote when I announced Joe as my running mate.

"It was an honor to stand side-by-side with him on the campaign trail. I'll remain forever grateful for his tireless efforts to build a better future for America," Gore's statement concluded.

Former President George W. Bush released a statement, calling Lieberman "one of the most decent people" he met in Washington.

"Laura and I are saddened by the loss of Joe Lieberman. Joe was as fine an American as they come and one of the most decent people I met during my time in Washington," his statement read. "As a Democrat, Joe wasn't afraid to engage with Senators from across the aisle and worked hard to earn votes from outside his party. He engaged in serious and thoughtful debate with opposing voices on important issues. And in both loss and victory, Joe Lieberman was always a gentleman. I'm grateful for Joe's principled service to our country and for the dignity and patriotism he brought to public life. As Laura and I pray for Hadassah and the Lieberman family, we also pray that Joe's example of decency guides our Nation's leaders now and into the future."

In a statement on X, former President Barack Obama expressed his condolences.

"Joe Lieberman and I didn't always see eye-to-eye, but he had an extraordinary career in public service, including four decades spent fighting for the people of Connecticut. He also worked hard to repeal "Don't Ask Don't Tell" and helped us pass the Affordable Care Act. In both cases the politics were difficult, but he stuck to his principles because he knew it was the right thing to do. Michelle and I extend our deepest condolences to Hadassah and the Lieberman family," his statement read.

Connecticut lawmakers honored Lieberman after news of his death broke.

"Connecticut is shocked by Senator Lieberman's sudden passing. In an era of political carbon copies, Joe Lieberman was a singularity. One of one. He fought and won for what he believed was right and for the state he adored. My thoughts are with Hadassah and the entire family," Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., wrote on X, formerly Twitter.

"On world and national stages, he helped to define and frame an era of history," Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., said in a statement. "He was a fierce advocate, a man of deep conscience and conviction, and a courageous leader who sought to bridge gaps and bring people together. He was dedicated to family and faith, and he was a role model of public service. He never ceased listening to both friends and adversaries. He leaves an enduring legacy as a fighter for consumers, environmental values, civil rights, and other great causes of our time and he was tireless in working for Connecticut no matter how far or high he went."

Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont, who beat Lieberman in the 2006 Senate Democratic primary but then lost to him in the general election when Lieberman ran as an independent, said they had ideological differences but honored Lieberman as "a man of integrity and conviction" and that "we stayed in touch as friends in the best traditions of American democracy" after their race was over.

Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., called his longtime friend's passing "devastatingly sad."

"Just heard of my dear friend Joe Lieberman's passing. As I am just now leaving Israel, so many emotions. This is devastatingly sad. I feel fortunate to have been in his presence, traveling the world in support of America's interests as we saw it," Graham said in a statement.

"To Hadassah, I know your heart is broken, but please understand your legion of friends love you dearly. To the Lieberman family, we will be with you through this journey. I look forward to sharing more thoughts about this wonderful man and the incredible life he lived.

"The good news, he is in the hands of the loving God. The bad news, John McCain is giving him an earful about how screwed up things are," Graham said, adding: "Rest in peace, my dear friend. From the Last Amigo."

Lieberman was the first Jewish American on a major party's presidential ticket and was known for his Jewish observance.

"Sen. Joe Lieberman was a true trailblazer, and represented the hopes, aspirations, and ideals of the Jewish community in the United States," the Jewish Federations of North America wrote on X. "As the first member of the Jewish community to run on a major party presidential ticket, he broke barriers and showed us what was possible, and always did so while holding strong to his values and moral outlook. Jewish Federations mourn his passing, and our thoughts are with his family at this difficult time."

The National Council of Jewish Women also mourned the loss of Lieberman, writing on X: "A trailblazer as the first Jewish candidate on the national ticket of a major party, he championed abortion access, LGBTQ+ equality and gun safety. Our communities are safer because of his leadership. May his memory be for a blessing."

"Joe Lieberman was a true mensch and a great American," former Sen. Norm Coleman, chairman of the Republican Jewish Coalition, said in a statement. "Time and again, Senator Lieberman put principle over politics. He was a shining example of all that's good and decent about public service. And he was a committed and proud Jew who served his country with distinction... I am proud to have known Joe and the Republican Jewish Coalition was proud to work with him over the years."

ABC News' Rick Klein, Kelsey Walsh, Mariam Khan and Oren Oppenheim contributed to this report.

Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.


What states could vote on abortion access, reproductive rights in November?

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(WASHINGTON) -- Advocates in as many as 14 states hope to get measures related to reproductive rights and abortion access on the 2024 general election ballot during a presidential election year, and as abortion access remains a major flash point in the United States, including at the Supreme Court.

It's not the first time abortion has been on the ballot. A ballot measure that supported abortion access passed in Ohio in 2023, while initiatives in Kansas and Kentucky saying the state constitutions don't protect abortion were defeated, respectively, by voters in 2022. Observers have speculated that the issue of reproductive rights is galvanizing voters across the political spectrum.

Here's a look at where reproductive rights might be on the ballot in November.

Where are initiatives confirmed on the ballot?

In two states, Maryland and New York, a measure that relates to reproductive rights is confirmed to be on the November ballot. Abortion is already broadly allowed in both states, and in New York until fetal viability, according to research by the Guttmacher Institute.

In Maryland, voters will decide on an act that would enshrine the right to get an abortion in the Maryland Constitution.

In New York, voters will see the Equal Rights Amendment constitutional amendment on the ballot, which would prohibit discrimination on the basis of various characteristics, including "reproductive health care and autonomy," according to the bill's text.

Where are initiatives gathering signatures?

In Arizona, advocates are gathering signatures for the Arizona Abortion Access Act ballot initiative, which would amend the state's constitution to prohibit the state from legislating against abortion up until fetal viability, and it would enshrine other abortion protections into law. Currently, according to the Guttmacher Institute, abortion is banned after 15 weeks in Arizona and under a variety of restrictions.

Arizona will also feature a high-profile Senate race on the ballot in November, likely between Republican candidate Kari Lake and Democratic candidate Rep. Ruben Gallego.

In Arkansas, groups are collecting signatures to get the Arkansas Abortion Amendment on the ballot. The initiative would amend the state constitution to prohibit the government from banning abortion further than 18 weeks and includes exceptions for rape, incest and the mother's health. Abortion is currently fully banned in Arkansas, with few exceptions.

In Colorado, where abortion is not restricted but where state Medicaid coverage for abortion is usually prohibited, dueling initiatives are currently gathering signatures.

The Right to Abortion initiative would "ensure the right to abortion" in the state constitution, according to the text of the initiative, while the Equal Protection of Every Living Child in Colorado initiative would add to state statutes language banning abortion fully in the state, framed around protecting children beginning at conception.

In Florida, the Amendment to Limit Government Interference with Abortion is a ballot initiative that would amend the state's constitution to prohibit the government from legislating about abortion "before viability or when necessary to protect the patient's health," according to the initiative.

In January, the petition surpassed the required number of signatures but is currently held up due to a challenge from Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody, which the Florida Supreme Court is supposed to rule on by April 1.

In Missouri, the Right to Reproductive Freedom ballot initiative would enshrine the right to reproductive freedom relating to reproductive health care, according to the petition text. Abortion is currently fully banned in the state with few exceptions.

In Montana, which allows abortion until fetal viability, a proposed ballot initiative would affirm in the state's constitution "the right to make and carry out decisions about one's own pregnancy, including the right to abortion" and would prohibit the government from "denying or burdening the right to abortion before fetal viability," according to the group Montanans Securing Reproductive Rights.

Montanans voted down in 2022 a measure that would have restricted abortion access. In November 2024, the state will also have a high-profile Senate race on the ballot, likely between Democratic incumbent Sen. Jon Tester and Republican candidate Tim Sheehy.

In Nebraska, the Protect the Right to Abortion initiative by the Protect Our Rights coalition would amend the state constitution to allow abortion up until fetal viability. Abortion is currently banned after 12 weeks in Nebraska.

Separate initiatives that would restrict abortion access or procedures have also been introduced in Nebraska, including a Protect Women and Children initiative that would ban most abortions after the first trimester. The initiative was launched in early March, according to Omaha ABC affiliate KETV. That initiative is not yet listed by the Nebraska Secretary of State's Office.

In Nevada, the Nevadans for Reproductive Freedom Political Action Committee is currently collecting signatures to put an initial vote to add a section enshrining the "fundamental right to reproductive freedom" into the state's constitution. Under the proposed section, according to the petition's text, the state would be allowed to legislate about abortion after fetal viability unless a health care provider says abortion is necessary. Abortion is currently banned after 24 weeks in Nevada.

If the initiative makes the ballot and passes in 2024, it would still need to pass another vote in 2026 to amend the state's constitution.

In South Dakota, which almost fully bans abortion, a proposed constitutional amendment would guarantee abortion access to preserve the life and health of pregnant women, would prohibit an abortion ban before the end of the first trimester, and would allow the state to regulate abortion through the end of the second trimester, according to the proposed amendment. A ban would be allowed at the beginning of the third trimester under the proposed amendment.

Where are initiatives undergoing state legislative action?

In Maine and Pennsylvania, proposed constitutional amendments to enshrine reproductive rights are currently in progress in the respective state legislatures.

In Iowa and also in Pennsylvania, amendments that would say there is no constitutional right to abortion in those states are in progress in those respective legislatures, as well.

The initiatives in those respective states need to go through various votes by the state legislatures before they can potentially be on the general election ballot.

ABC News' Libby Cathey, Hannah Demissie, Nicholas Kerr, Kendall Ross, and Kelsey Walsh contributed to this report.

Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.


Democrats sound alarm on RFK Jr. and new running mate, Shanahan

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(WASHINGTON) -- Democrats are leaving no room for doubt on how they view former party colleague turned independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and his freshly minted vice presidential pick, deep-pocketed lawyer Nicole Shanahan: the pair are a danger to voters and present as a "spoiler" ticket, destined to siphon votes from President Joe Biden and deliver the White House to former President Donald Trump.

In a Democratic National Committee press call on Tuesday night, several party surrogates called Kennedy's presidential bid "disgusting" and a ploy to reelect Trump.

"All he can do is take away votes from President Biden and make it easier for Donald Trump to win. And we simply can't afford to let that happen," said Pennsylvania Lt. Gov. Austin Davis.

Michigan state Sen. Mallory McMorrow said the Kennedy ticket is "disgusting and an abuse of our democracy."

"There is absolutely no path for Kennedy to become president and he knows that," McMurrow said. "That is why he picked a VP who can fund -- who can buy his way onto the ballot in a number of state," McMurrow said. "First of all, that's disgusting and an abuse of our democracy. Second, that means that him being in the race means that there is a greater likelihood that Donald Trump will become president again."

Kennedy is working to gain access to each state's ballot, a painstaking and expensive process that requires dispatching volunteers to gather thousands of signatures. Initial news of Kennedy's consideration of Shanahan as his running mate prompted speculation that he simply wanted to tap her financial resources to help him cover the high cost of ballot access in each state.

Shanahan, who has donated millions of dollars to a pro-Kennedy Super PAC, partly bankrolled half of the $7 million used to create an ad that ran during this year's Super Bowl and displeased several members of Kennedy's extended family for its riffing on a John F. Kennedy Jr. campaign ad.

Several high-profile Democrats on the call pointed to praise of Kennedy's ticket from Republican hard-liners as justifications to their concerns -- one of the freshest examples as recent Wednesday morning, with Trump himself saying on his social media platform that Kennedy's candidacy is "great for MAGA."

"I love that he is running!" Trump wrote.

The DNC has sharpened its messaging significantly, assembling a team to combat third-party and independent challengers led by veteran strategist and firebrand Lis Smith -- with much of that ammo pointed directly at Kennedy, and now, Shanahan.

This tactic to combat Kennedy and other potential challenges by the official arm of the Democratic party is a marked change from past cycles, when concerns about third-party challengers such as Green Party's Jill Stein and Libertarian Gary Johnson were met with much less public consternation.

The DNC also tapped Smith's former deputy, Matt Corridoni, to be the spokesperson for the effort to thwart third-party and independent challengers.

"We're facing an unprecedented election and we know the GOP is already working to prop up third-party candidates like Robert Kennedy Jr. to make them stalking horses for Donald Trump," Corridoni said in a statement to ABC News earlier this month. "With so much on the line, we're not taking anything for granted. We're going to make sure voters are educated and we're going to make sure all candidates are playing by the rules."

ABC News' Will McDuffie contributed to this story.

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There's a long road ahead to cleaning up Baltimore's Key Bridge collapse: Not 'quick or easy or cheap'

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(WASHINGTON) -- In the wake of the Francis Scott Key Bridge's partial collapse in Baltimore on Tuesday, "Rebuilding will not be quick or easy or cheap," Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said.

"But we will get it done," he told reporters at a White House press briefing on Wednesday.

Buttigieg reiterated the federal government's support for recovery, cleanup and construction efforts in the months -- and perhaps years -- to come but also acknowledged there will be logistic obstacles.

"It's not going to be simple," the transportation secretary said.

The original bridge took some five years to complete, he noted.

"That does not necessarily mean it will take five years to replace, but that tells you what went into that original structure going up," he said, adding, "We need to get a sense of the conditions, of the parts that look OK to the naked eye, but we just don't know yet, especially in terms of their foundational infrastructure."

"This will be a long and difficult path," he said, "but we will come together and rebuild."

Buttigieg said that he didn't yet have a precise price tag for the rebuild but stressed that there are ways for the federal government to begin providing emergency funding right away to aid the recovery.

“We don't have dollar estimates yet, but we actually have provisions that allow us to begin releasing funding even while that is being determined," he said. "My understanding is as we speak this afternoon, an emergency relief funding request has come in from the Maryland state [transportation department]. We’ll be processing that immediately to start getting them what they need."

Buttigieg said that he expects the White House will need lawmakers to authorize additional money beyond the approximately $1 billion allocated by the 2021 infrastructure law for potential emergency relief.

"It is certainly possible -- I would go so far as to say likely -- that we may be turning to Congress in order to help top up those funds," he said, "but that shouldn’t be a barrier to the immediate next few days beginning to get the ball rolling."

A cargo ship crashed into the bridge early on Tuesday, causing a near-total collapse of the span and halting vessel traffic into and out of the Port of Baltimore.

Buttigieg said at Wednesday's briefing that he’s concerned about the local economic impact of the port's ongoing closure.

"No matter how quickly the channel can be reopened, we know that it can't happen overnight, and so we're going to have to manage the impacts in the meantime," he said. "We’re working to mitigate some of those impacts."

He said he’ll be meeting Thursday with shippers and other supply chain partners to "understand their needs" during this disruption.

"That said, the Port of Baltimore is an important port, so for our supply chains and for all the workers who depend on it for their income, we’re going to help to get it open as soon as safely possible," he added.

President Joe Biden has likewise pledged his administration's muscle to the rebuilding efforts, saying in remarks from the White House on Tuesday afternoon that "it's my intention that the federal government will pay for the entire cost of reconstruction in that bridge. I expect the Congress to support my effort."

"This is going to take some time," the president said then. Nonetheless: "We're not leaving until this job gets done."

The crash appeared to be accidental, not intentional, officials have said.

Two people were rescued from the Patapsco River and at least six people remain missing, according to officials. The search-and-rescue mission for the missing construction workers was suspended Tuesday evening; operations then shifted to a recovery phase.

ABC News' Sam Sweeney contributed to this report.

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Israel agrees to reschedule delegation visit to the White House: US official

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(WASHINGTON) -- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has agreed to reschedule his delegation's visit to the White House after he canceled the trip on Monday, a U.S. official told ABC News on Wednesday.

"The prime minister's office has agreed to reschedule the meeting dedicated to Rafah. We are now working to find a convenient date," the official told ABC News.

Israel pulled its delegation earlier this week after the U.S. allowed, through abstention, for the U.N. Security Council to adopt a resolution demanding an immediate humanitarian cease-fire in Gaza for the remaining days of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan -- and potentially longer.

The resolution called for the unconditional release of hostages being held by Hamas terrorists, though it did not explicitly tie that with a temporary cease-fire. The resolution further urged that the humanitarian pause should then lead "to a lasting sustainable ceasefire."

The White House said on Monday that it was "disappointed" and "kind of perplexed" that Israel canceled the delegation's planned visit to the U.S.

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre confirmed that the U.S. and Israel are working to set a date for the Israeli delegation's visit to discuss Rafah.

"We're working to set a date. The Prime Minister's Office agreed to reschedule this meeting," she told ABC's Selina Wang.

"We are working to convene ... that meeting, an important meeting on Rafah. And when we have a date, certainly we'll share that with you."

The decision to reschedule came after several members of President Joe Biden's Cabinet held "constructive discussions" with Israel's Defense Minister Yoav Gallant this week in Washington, D.C., the official said.

The official said that Rafah, a city in the south of Gaza bordering Egypt, was "one of the many topics discussed" during meetings with National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan, Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and CIA Director Bill Burns.

Netanyahu said that a victory against Hamas is "impossible" without the Israel Defense Forces entering Rafah to eliminate the rest of the terrorist group's battalions.

Hamas waged an attack on Israel on Oct. 7, which has led to months of conflict.

In the Gaza Strip, more than 31,000 people have been killed by Israeli forces since Oct. 7, according to Gaza's Hamas-controlled Ministry of Health. In Israel, at least 1,200 people have been killed by Hamas and other Palestinian militants since Oct. 7, according to Israeli officials.

The White House has said Biden has "deep concerns" Israel will not do enough to prevent civilian casualties as it goes after Hamas fighters in Rafah.

The Israeli military said that it plans to direct many of the displaced Palestinians living in Rafah toward "humanitarian islands" in the center of the territory ahead of any invasion.

ABC News' Selina Wang and Sarah Beth Hensley contributed to this report.

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RNC won't pay Trump's legal bills, daughter-in-law Lara says, insisting 2020 election is 'in the past'

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(WASHINGTON) -- Former President Donald Trump's daughter-in-law, recently elected Republican National Committee co-chair Lara Trump, said in a new interview that the national party doesn't plan to pay his ongoing legal bills and maintained that donors could opt-out of contributing funds for that if they want to.

Lara Trump also differed with her father-in-law on the importance of early and mail voting while insisting that Republicans are moving past 2020 election -- though, like Donald Trump, she continued to raise doubts about the results without offering any evidence of widespread fraud.

Appearing on NBC News on Wednesday, Lara Trump discussed a new joint fundraising committee linking the party and the Trump campaign.

The fine print on how that new joint committee is arranged suggests a priority is funneling money into the Trump campaign as well as a political action committee, Save America, that has paid a significant portion of Donald Trump's ongoing legal bills. One upcoming fundraiser for the new joint committee shows that Save America is ahead of groups like the RNC and 40 state party committees when it comes to the order for how donations are disbursed.

Lara Trump said on NBC, however, that donors don't have to give money that way.

"Anyone who does not want to contribute to that very small amount of money is able to opt out of that … [If you] don't want that specific amount to go to Donald Trump's legal bills, then you are very -- you can very easily opt out of that," she said.

She was referencing how the Trump campaign and the RNC are now raising money together through the joint fundraising committee -- where a small part of that money goes to Trump's Save America leadership PAC, which is able to pay the former president's legal bills. But donors could also choose to donate directly to the RNC or to a different fundraising vehicle that doesn't include Save America, according to an RNC spokesperson.

Though legal bills make up nearly 80% of Save America's total expenditures so far this year, according to financial filings, a Trump spokesman said in a statement that Save America also "covers a very active and robust post-Presidency office and other various expenses."

Lara Trump said on NBC that the RNC "does not support paying his legal bills, no." A previous effort to pass a formal resolution preventing that failed within the party, however.

Having said before becoming co-chair that "every penny" of the party's funds should be prioritized toward Donald Trump's reelection, Lara Trump has since modified that stance. On Wednesday, she appeared to take an expanded view of the party's responsibilities, noting that they'd also prioritize down-ballot races: "I will ensure that every penny of every dollar is going to causes that Republican voters care about."

Views on 2020 election

Lara Trump again voiced support for early voting and vote-by-mail efforts.

Donald Trump has occasionally spoken positively on in-person early voting, especially during the South Carolina primary last month when he repeatedly told his supporters at campaign rallies to go vote as early voting was underway.

Mail-in voting, however, is something he continues to publicly rail against, baselessly suggesting they allow illegitimate ballots.

"Anytime the mail is involved, you're going to have cheating," Donald Trump falsely claimed during an interview with GB News' Nigel Farage last week.

However, Lara Trump claimed on NBC that the former president would change his tune due to what she called the election security initiatives that the RNC is working on.

"We have to start encouraging Republican voters to do things like voting early, trust mail-in voting. These are ways that we actually can have a big lead as we head into Election Day," she said. "And these are things that traditionally Republicans have sort of shied away from. You look at things like legal ballot harvesting -- we've never embraced that as a party. We're embracing it this election cycle."

Of her father-in-law, she said, "I actually think if you talk to him right now, you will see that he is very much embracing early voting."

And though she claimed that "we're past that" when talking about the 2020 election, which Donald Trump continues to falsely claim was marred by fraud, Lara Trump also pushed unfounded claims about the security of that race.

"I think that's in the past. We learned a lot. Certainly we took a lot of notes," she initially said on NBC, referring to 2020.

When asked how Republican voters would trust the results of the 2024 election if Donald Trump loses and continues to doubt the results, she added, "I think that we're putting a lot of things in play right now at the RNC that are going to ensure that people have more trust."

She contrasted that with 2020, alleging that "there were so many issues in that election," drawing pushback from NBC about the multiple audits and lawsuits that ultimately found that the results of the election were legitimate.

Numerous local elections officials, from both political parties, certified the 2020 election results across the country and found there wasn't widespread fraud. No major legal challenge to the election was successful either.

ABC News has confirmed the RNC has been asking those seeking employment within the organization if they believe the 2020 election was stolen, according to a source familiar with the matter.

As first reported by The Washington Post, over the past few weeks, advisers to former President Trump have asked current and potential RNC staffers about their views on the 2020 presidential election -- serving as an apparent litmus test for hiring.

In a statement, RNC spokesperson Danielle Alvarez told ABC News: "Potential staffers who worked on the front line in battleground states or are currently in states where fraud allegations have been prevalent were asked about their work experience. We want experienced staff with meaningful views on how elections are won and lost and real experience-based opinions about what happens in the trenches."

'The reason that I'm here'

In her NBC interview, Lara Trump also seemed to split with the former president on abortion, though she claimed they were on the same page. She said that he "agrees with allowing the states to decide," though he has not publicly taken a position on backing a nationwide ban, as some Republicans have proposed.

He has said the issue is "probably better" to leave to the states. In private, he has expressed support for a 16-week national abortion ban with exceptions for rape, incest and to save the life of the mother, ABC News reported in February, citing two sources.

At the time, the Trump campaign did not deny the reporting but issued a statement that said he would work to find middle ground on abortion.

Lara Trump on NBC on Wednesday also dismissed criticisms of nepotism in her new role.

"I think the reason that I'm here is to assure people who ever had any question as to how their money is being spent -- can they trust the RNC? Can they donate to this entity?" she said. "Trust me, I am the daughter-in-law of Donald Trump."

ABC News' Hannah Demissie, Katherine Faulders and Rachel Scott contributed to this report.

Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.


Five takeaways as Supreme Court questions sweeping challenge to abortion pill access

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(WASHINGTON) -- The U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday heard a challenge to the Food and Drug Administration's regulation of mifepristone, a widely used drug used in medication abortions.

In what was the most significant reproductive rights case brought before the high court since its conservative majority overruled Roe v. Wade in 2022, most of the justices, across ideological lines, appeared skeptical of restricting access to the abortion pill nationwide and repeatedly questioned whether the group of anti-abortion doctors who brought the case had standing to sue and seek such a sweeping remedy.

A decision in the case is expected by the end of June.

Here are five key takeaways from the roughly two hours of arguments.

Standing at center of debate: 'You need a person'

The arguments largely revolved around whether the anti-abortion plaintiffs, the Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine, had standing to bring this case -- specifically whether their clients had suffered the kind of injury from the FDA's regulation needed to meet the legal requirement to challenge it.

"The FDA approved mifepristone based on the agency's scientific judgment that the drug is safe and effective," Solicitor General Elizabeth Prelogar, representing the federal government, said in her opening statement.

"Americans have used mifepristone to safely end their pregnancies. Respondents may not agree with that choice, but that doesn't give them ... standing or a legal basis to upend the regulatory scheme," she continued.

While mifepristone was first approved in 2000, Tuesday's hearing more specifically examined the claim that the FDA improperly relaxed regulations around using the pill in 2016 and 2021.

Prelogar argued that the doctors cited by the Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine as having suffered conscience harm -- because they oppose abortion but contend they are forced to be connected to treating abortion patients through the widespread use of mifepristone -- don't "come within 100 miles" of standing as established by the Supreme Court precedent.

Justice Elena Kagan pressed the counsel for the group on this point directly, asking her: "You need a person ... So who's your person?"

Senior counsel Erin Hawley, defending the doctors, argued they did have proper standing because the FDA's "outsourcing of abortion drug harm to respondent doctors forces them to choose between helping a woman with a life-threatening condition and violating their conscience."

Anti-abortion doctors voice conscience objections

Hawley argued not having a nationwide injunction of mifepristone may require the anti-abortion doctors to treat people experiencing abortion complications and "take an unborn life."

Hawley also invoked the specter of an "intolerable" choice created by the widespread use of mifepristone if an anti-abortion doctor must consider treating abortion patients in an emergency situation or not.

She said plaintiffs have treated people experiencing abortion complications "dozens of times" and even said treatment may require "scraping out a uterus," She did not provide specific numbers.

However, Justice Amy Coney Barrett noted that two of the doctors cited by Hawley do not appear to have ever participated themselves in an abortion to terminate an embryo or a fetus. Barrett asked Hawley: "Do you want to address that?"

Hawley answered that precedent showed a doctor could claim harm of conscience and the FDA's action with regards to mifepristone created "substantial risk" that they'd have to ultimately confront a situation requiring them to, in her words, end the life of an unborn baby.

Prelogar said the federal government does believe that, with some exceptions, individual doctors still have broad "conscience protections" if they oppose abortion and decline to provide access to mifepristone and that federal laws already protect doctors in this situation.

Justices question if a sweeping ban is necessary

As Hawley voiced the objections of the anti-abortion plaintiffs, some justices pressed whether a sweeping ban was truly necessary.

if a nationwide reversal of the FDA's approval of mifepristone is needed because the court could simply rule that doctors do not need to prescribe the pill if they have conscience objections.

"Do we have to entertain your argument that no one in the world can have this drug in order to protect your client?" Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson asked Hawley.

"It makes sense for individual doctors to seek a [conscience] exemption but they already have that," Jackson said at one point in the arguments. "What they are asking for here is -- in order to prevent them from ever having to do these kinds of procedures -- that everyone else should be prevented from getting access to that medication. How is that not overbroad?"

Several other justices, including conservative-leaning Neil Gorsuch, also appeared leery of reinstating sweeping limits on the drug nationwide when only a handful of doctors were alleging harm.

"This case seems like a prime example of turning what could be a small lawsuit into a nationwide legislative assembly on an FDA rule or any other federal government action," Gorsuch said.

Hawley argued that given the "emergency nature" that could require doctors to treat women suffering abortion complications that result in terminating an embryo or a fetus, it is "impracticable" to have the doctors rely solely on their personal conscience objections without broader restrictions.

Gorsuch pressed Hawley on what he called a "rash of universal injunctions" the court has had to review, which appeared to reference the ruling from Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk of the Northern District of Texas, who outright suspended the FDA's original approval of mifepristone potentially blocking access to the abortion medication across the country.

Kacsmaryk's decision led to the appellate fight which came before the high court this week.

Questions over potential 'harms' and FDA regulation

Prelogar and Jessica Ellsworth, who represented mifepristone manufacturer Danco Labs, both advocated for the drug's safety and defended the FDA's judgment -- warning of broader consequences for all drug approvals if the agency's expertise were, in their view, invalidated or undercut by the courts.

Justice Samuel Alito noted to Prelogar that the plaintiffs argued in court filings that studies have shown after the 2021 change from the FDA, which allowed mifepristone to be mailed, that there was an increase in emergency room visits.

Prelogar said the agency acknowledged that while some studies have shown the availability of abortion pills by mail led to more ER visits, this did not equate to "more serious adverse effects."

"Many might go because they are experiencing heavy bleeding which mimics a miscarriage and they need to know whether or not they are having a complication," she said.

Alito also asked Jessica Ellsworth, representing the drug manufacturer, if she believed FDA was "infallible" -- which she rejected.

Alito further questioned whether the FDA should have continued requiring prescribers to report non-fatal complications of mifepristone.

Justice Jackson, following up on whether Ellsworth believed the FDA was "infallible," pondered the alternative of having courts interpreting medical studies without specialized scientific knowledge.

"I think we have significant concerns about that," Ellsworth said, noting that Judge Kacsmaryk in Texas relied on, in part, two studies that were retracted earlier this year.

What about the Comstock Act?

Justices Clarence Thomas and Alito repeatedly asked counsels about the relevance of the Comstock Act, a 151-year-old law under which it's illegal to use carriers like the United States Postal Service to mail "obscene" materials such as drugs that induce abortions.

Prelogar told Alito she did not believe the law fell under the FDA's "lane" of responsibilities when he asked whether the agency should consider Comstock's provisions when regulating mifepristone.

Thomas questioned Ellsworth on why the legislation doesn't prohibit her company from mailing and advertising the pill.

Ellsworth responded that the Comstock Act has not been enforced for "over 100 years" and that she didn't believe this case presented the court an opportunity to "opine" on its reach. She also noted the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruling on mifepristone did not consider the Comstock Act argument made by the anti-abortion group.

"The FDA routinely approves drugs whose manufacturer and distribution is restricted by other laws, like the Controlled Substances Act, environmental laws, customs laws and so on," she said. "I think this court should think hard about the mischief it would invite if it allowed agencies to start taking action based on statutory responsibilities that Congress has assigned to other agencies."

ABC News' Devin Dwyer and Lalee Ibssa contributed to this report.

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Austin to Israeli defense minister: 'Civilian casualties [are] far too high' in Gaza

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(WASHINGTON) -- Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin met with Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant on Tuesday -- a day after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu canceled the delegation to the United States that was going to discuss plans for an operation in Rafah.

Israel pulled its delegation after the U.S. allowed, through abstention, for the U.N. Security Council to adopt a resolution demanding an immediate humanitarian cease-fire in Gaza for the remaining days of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan -- and potentially longer.

The resolution called for the unconditional release of hostages being held by Hamas terrorists, though it did not explicitly tie that with a temporary cease-fire. The resolution further urged that the humanitarian pause should then lead "to a lasting sustainable ceasefire."

In brief remarks ahead of their meeting at the Pentagon on Tuesday, Austin said in his strongest terms yet that humanitarian considerations, such as the 1.5 million Palestinian civilians currently sheltering in Rafah and the acute threat of famine, must be confronted amid the war in Gaza.

"In Gaza today, the number of civilian casualties is far too high and the amount of humanitarian aid is far too low. Gaza is suffering a humanitarian catastrophe and the situation is getting even worse," Austin said ahead of a meeting with Gallant, who was at the Pentagon after meetings at the White House and State Department on Monday.

Austin raised humanitarian priorities as Israel plans an offensive in Rafah, a city in the south of Gaza bordering Egypt, a campaign Netanyahu has said is needed to root out Hamas. The White House has said Biden has "deep concerns" Israel will not do enough to prevent civilian casualties as it goes after Hamas fighters in the city.

The Israeli military said that it plans to direct many of the displaced Palestinians living in Rafah toward "humanitarian islands" in the center of the territory ahead of any invasion.

Hamas, a U.S.-designated terrorist group, waged an attack on Israel on Oct. 7, which has led to months of conflict.

In the Gaza Strip, more than 31,000 people have been killed by Israeli forces since Oct. 7, according to Gaza's Hamas-controlled Ministry of Health. In Israel, at least 1,200 people have been killed by Hamas and other Palestinian militants since Oct. 7, according to Israeli officials.

"We continue to share the goal of seeing Hamas defeated, so we'll discuss alternative approaches to target Hamas elements," Austin said, adding that there would be a discussion about "how we can dramatically and urgently ease the humanitarian crisis in Gaza."

Gallant did not mention humanitarian conditions or "alternative" military approaches in Gaza or Rafah, but previewed a discussion on continued U.S.-Israeli security cooperation.

"Today, we will discuss the developments in Gaza and the means to achieve our goals: the destruction of Hamas organization and bringing back the Israeli hostages back home," Gallant said.

Austin reiterated that the United States is an ally to Israel, saying that "we continue to share the goal of seeing Hamas defeated."

"Our security bond is unshakeable. The United States is Israel's closest friend, and that won't change," Austin said.

Yet Austin's characterization of the situation on the ground as a "catastrophe" is a more direct assessment than the Pentagon has previously offered -- as the Biden administration continues to warn of dire humanitarian consequences in the Gaza Strip.

After the U.S. changed course by foregoing a veto at the Security Council, the State Department said during Secretary Antony Blinken's meeting with Gallant on Monday, Blinken "reiterated opposition to a major ground operation in Rafah."

While Austin did not express public opposition to a military campaign in Rafah, in addition to his call for security "alternatives," he appealed for stepped-up humanitarian measures -- beyond aid corridors by the sea that the Pentagon is spearheading.

"We need immediate increases and assistance to avert famine, and our work to open a temporary humanitarian corridor by sea will help, but the key is still expanding aid deliveries by land," he said.

A report out earlier this month found that famine is "imminent" in northern Gaza amid ongoing high levels of food insecurity on the Gaza Strip as the Israel-Hamas war rages on.

President Joe Biden recently announced an "emergency" military mission to construct a port in the Mediterranean Sea on Gaza's coast to get humanitarian aid in.

A senior defense official said the port's main feature will be a temporary pier that will "provide the capacity for hundreds of additional truckloads of assistance each day."

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Texas Rep. Troy Nehls' campaign finances being investigated by ethics committee, he says

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(WASHINGTON) -- The House Ethics Committee is investigating Rep. Troy Nehls, R-Texas, the panel said in a statement on Tuesday.

The committee did not specify what it is investigating and said it will make another announcement on the matter by May 10. The issue was first flagged to the committee by the independent Office of Congressional Ethics in December.

"The Committee notes that the mere fact of a referral or an extension, and the mandatory disclosure of such an extension and the name of the subject of the matter, does not itself indicate that any violation has occurred, or reflect any judgment on behalf of the Committee," Mississippi Rep. Michael Guest, the ethics chair, and Pennsylvania Rep. Susan Wild, the ranking Democrat, said in the statement.

Nehls stressed his cooperation and transparency in a statement issued after the ethics committee's announcement.

He also said the matter had to do with campaign money.

"I look forward to assisting the House Committee on Ethics inquiry into my campaign's finances," he said. "My campaign has complied with every Federal Election Commission (FEC) law, and my books are open."

A former sheriff, Nehls was first elected in 2020.

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RFK Jr. names Nicole Shanahan as his running mate

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(OAKLAND, Calif.) -- Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has named Nicole Shanahan as his running mate.

Kennedy spoke glowingly about Shanahan on stage during his announcement event in Oakland, California, citing, among other attributes, her passion for health care.

He also said choosing a young running mate was crucial. Shanahan, a lawyer and tech entrepreneur in the Bay Area, is 38.

The announcement follows a selection process in which he vetted an eclectic group of high-profile people, including New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers, former professional wrestler Jesse Ventura and television host Mike Rowe.

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

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Biden pledges support for Baltimore in wake of Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse

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(WASHINGTON) -- President Joe Biden gave remarks Tuesday on the Baltimore bridge collapse, telling residents "we're going to stay with you as long as it takes."

"It's my intention that the federal government will pay for the entire cost of reconstruction in that bridge. I expect the Congress to support my effort," Biden said from the White House.

"This is going to take some time," the president said, adding, "We're not leaving until this job gets done."

Personnel on the ship alerted the Maryland Department of Transportation that they lost control of the vessel, and local authorities were able to close the bridge before it was struck, "which undoubtedly saved lives," Biden told reporters.

A cargo ship crashed into Baltimore's Francis Scott Key Bridge early Tuesday morning, causing a near-total collapse of the span and halting vessel traffic into and out of the Port of Baltimore.

A search-and-rescue effort is underway, with divers and emergency personnel desperately combing the Patapsco River for people believed to have fallen from the collapsing bridge into the frigid water below, officials said. At least six people are unaccounted for, officials said.

It appears the crash was a "terrible accident," Biden said.

He said the search and rescue operation is the top priority.

Biden, who noted he's been over the bridge many times, said he plans to visit Baltimore as soon as possible.

"Ship traffic and the port of Baltimore has been suspended until further notice. And we'll need to clear that channel before the ship traffic can resume," the president said.

"Our prayers are with everyone involved in this terrible accident and all the families, especially those waiting for news of their loved one right now," Biden said. "I know every minute in that circumstance feels like a lifetime, you just don't know. It's just terrible."

"We're incredibly grateful for the brave rescuers who immediately rushed to the scene and to the people of Baltimore. I want to say, we're with you," the president said. "We're going to stay with you, as long as it takes. And like the governor said, 'you're Maryland tough, you're Baltimore strong and we're going to get through this together.'"

Biden convened senior members of his team Tuesday morning for a briefing on the ongoing response and directed them to ensure all federal resources are made available, the White House said.

ABC News' Mariam Khan, Kevin Shalvey and Emily Shapiro contributed to this report.

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13 protesters arrested near Supreme Court ahead of abortion pill arguments

ABC News

Capitol Police on Tuesday morning arrested 13 protesters who were demonstrating against the Supreme Court's examination of restrictions to the abortion pill mifepristone.

The Supreme Court justices on Tuesday are hearing arguments over whether the Food and Drug Administration lawfully relaxed restrictions to make it easier to access the drug to end a pregnancy. Mifepristone, the first pill taken in a two-drug regimen for a medication abortion, is the most common method of abortion in the country.

Capitol Police said the 13 protesters were moving around the Capitol grounds and "illegally blocking roads and then a walkway."

"Our officers warned the group to stop blocking the walkway or they would be arrested. They refused, so our officers arrested them,” a Captiol Police spokesperson said.

Throughout the morning, there were large competing demonstrations outside the building. Small groups of pro-abortion rights demonstrators staged sit-ins on sidewalks and roadways.

It's not yet clear if the protesters were part of a specific group.

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Trump co-defendant Michael Roman subpoenaed, Kenneth Chesebro interviewed in Arizona 2020 election probe: Sources

Fulton County Sheriff's Office

Michael Roman, a former Trump campaign aide who was indicted alongside the former president in the Georgia election interference case, has been subpoenaed as part of a separate probe in Arizona investigating efforts to overturn the 2020 election results in that state, according to a source familiar with the matter.

The subpoena, which has not been previously reported, comes as part of an ongoing investigation by Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes, whose office previously confirmed to ABC News she was investigating the so-called "alternate elector" plot in the state.

"We will announce something in the relatively near future," Mayes said recently of the investigation.

Attorney Kenneth Chesebro, who is accused of helping devise the Trump campaign's fake elector plan, sat for an interview with investigators in Arizona in recent weeks, sources also told ABC News. Chesebro was indicted in the Georgia investigation and took a deal with prosecutors, changing his plea to guilty to a single felony charge and agreeing to cooperate.

A source said Chesebro was not subpoenaed in Arizona and sat for the interview voluntarily.

An attorney for Roman and a spokesperson for the Arizona attorney general's office declined to comment to ABC News.

A spokesperson for the Trump campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

ABC News previously obtained a Dec. 6, 2020, memo authored by Chesebro, that laid out a plan for "alternate" electors to meet, vote, and send in their certificates to be counted in a proposal that prosecutors said was designed to "mimic as best as possible the actions of the legitimate Biden electors, and that on January 6, the Vice President [would] open and count the fraudulent votes, setting up a fake controversy that would derail the proper certification of Biden as president-elect."

Roman was previously indicted in Georgia in August alongside Trump and 17 others over allegations that the group attempted to overturn that state's election results. He pleaded not guilty to the seven counts he faces, which include charges relating to his alleged efforts to help coordinate and appoint alternate slates of electors.

The indictment alleges Roman was involved in that effort in multiple states.

"I need a tracker for the electors," Roman allegedly wrote in a December, 2020 email, according to the indictment, in which he allegedly instructed individuals associated with the Trump campaign to update a spreadsheet listing presidential elector nominees in Georgia, Arizona, Michigan, and other battleground states.

Prosecutors in multiple other states have also brought charges over the alleged effort to submit alternate slates of electors. In June, prosecutors in Michigan filed felony charges against 16 Republicans over their alleged efforts to replace Michigan's electoral votes for Joe Biden with electoral votes for then-President Donald Trump, with nine of them subsequently pleading not guilty.

In December, the Nevada attorney general indicted six so-called alternate electors for falsely portraying themselves as Nevada's duly-elected presidential electors. Earlier this month, Politico reported the office had issued a number of grand jury subpoenas.

In November, Mayes told CNN that the Arizona investigation was "robust."

"We're going to make sure that we do it on our timetable, applying the resources that it requires to make sure that justice is done, for not only Arizonans, but for the entire country," she said.

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Trump appears to blame Israel for antisemitism, says Israel 'made a very big mistake' and is 'losing a lot of support'

Andrea Renault/Star Max/GC Images

(WASHINGTON) -- Former President Donald Trump appeared to blame Israel for antisemitism, saying Israel made a "big mistake" in its response to Hamas' attack on Oct. 7 and is "losing a lot of support" from around the world. But he also noted that he would have responded "very much the same" as Israel did against such an attack.

Sitting down at Mar-a-Lago over the weekend with Israeli outlet Israel Hayom, which is owned by the late major Republican megadonor and casino mogul Sheldon Adelson's family, Trump said "that's because you fought back," when he was asked how he would deal with a wave of antisemitism in the wake of the Israel-Hamas war.

"Well, that's because you fought back. And I think Israel made a very big mistake," Trump reportedly said in a part of the interview that was released only in text, calling attention to the harrowing images from the war released by the Israeli government.

"I wanted to call [Israel] and say don't do it. These photos and shots. I mean, moving shots of bombs being dropped into buildings in Gaza," Trump reportedly continued. "And I said, Oh, that's a terrible portrait. It's a very bad picture for the world. The world is seeing this ... every night, I would watch buildings pour down on people. It would say it was given by the Defense Ministry, and said whoever's providing that, that's a bad image."

When Israel Hayom followed up, claiming terrorists are hiding in buildings, Trump reportedly responded: "Go and do what you have to do. But you don't do that."

"And I think that's one of the reasons that there has been a lot of kickback. If people didn't see that, every single night I've watched every single one of those. And I think Israel wanted to show that it's tough, but sometimes you shouldn't be doing that," the former president continued.

Hamas carried out an unprecedented incursion from Gaza into southern Israel by air, land and sea on Oct. 7, 2023, killing more than 1,200 people and taking 253 others hostage, according to Israeli authorities. More than 31,400 Palestinians have been killed and more than 72,000 others have been injured in Gaza since Oct. 7, amid Israel's ongoing ground operations and aerial bombardment of the strip, according to the Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry.

The Israel Defense Forces has said it is only targeting Hamas and other militants in Gaza and alleges that Hamas deliberately shelters behind civilians, which the group denies.

In another part of the interview, released as a part of a 10-minute edited video, Trump warned Israel that it's "losing a lot of support" from the world and urged it to end the war.

"I will say Israel has to be very careful because you're losing a lot of the world. You're losing a lot of support," Trump said, going beyond his usual line of calling for peace. "But you have to finish up. You have to get the job done. And you have to get on to peace. You have to get on to a normal life for Israel and for everybody else."

When asked how he would react to an attack like that of Hamas on Oct. 7, Trump said he would "act very much the same as you did," saying "you would have to be crazy not to."

Throughout the Israel Hayom interview, Trump blamed President Joe Biden, saying, in part: "But it was an attack that I blame on Biden because they have no respect for him."

Later in the interview, Trump said he believed Israel needs to improve in "public relations," claiming that pro-Israel forces were much stronger in the United States in the past.

On the campaign trail, Trump has branded himself as the most pro-Israel U.S. president in history, often touting his role in the first term moving the U.S. Embassy in Israel to Jerusalem and claiming he'd stand with Israel "all the way 100% without hesitation" after the Hamas attack last year.

Trump himself has not refrained from making disparaging comments about the war, telling a group of Jewish Republicans in Las Vegas last year: "The conflict between Israel and Hamas is not a conflict between two equal sides. This is a fight between civilization and savagery. Between decency and depravity and between good and evil."

"There can be no sympathy, no excuses and no escape for these monsters and we will do what has to be done," Trump said at the Republican Jewish Coalition conference in Las Vegas.

After he recently faced backlash for saying Jewish Democrats "hate Israel" and "should be ashamed of themselves," Trump again echoed a similar sentiment over the weekend, claiming Jewish Americans should not vote for Democrats.

"I think that means you should never vote for them. How could a Jewish person vote for Kamala Harris?" Trump said, when asked about Vice President Kamala Harris' stepdaughter Ella Emhoff reportedly helping raise money for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), the main U.N. humanitarian organization operating in Gaza and some of whose staff have been accused by Israel of participating in the Oct. 7 attack.

"You might have Kamala Harris if this doesn't work out, you have her right now. If something happened to [Biden], you have her," Trump said.

Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.


White House 'disappointed' Israel canceled delegation to discuss Rafah after UN cease-fire vote

Caroline Purser/Getty Images

(WASHINGTON) -- The White House is "disappointed" and "kind of perplexed" that Israel canceled a delegation's planned visit to the U.S. to discuss the expected military invasion of Rafah, in southern Gaza, amid ongoing concerns from President Joe Biden, an administration spokesman said Monday.

Israel pulled its delegation after the U.S. allowed, through abstention, for the U.N. Security Council to adopt a resolution demanding an immediate humanitarian cease-fire in Gaza for the remaining days of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan -- and potentially longer.

The resolution called for the unconditional release of hostages being held by Hamas terrorists, though it did not explicitly tie that with a temporary cease-fire. The resolution further urged that the humanitarian pause should then lead "to a lasting sustainable ceasefire."

The proposal passed the council in a 14-0 vote on Monday, with the U.S. abstaining due to the lack of condemnation of Hamas, officials said.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office, in announcing the delegation would no longer be visiting, called the U.S. abstention a change in position -- something the Biden administration rejected.

"We're very disappointed that they won't be coming to Washington, D.C., to allow us to have a fulsome conversation with them about viable alternatives to going in on the ground in Rafah," White House National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby told reporters in a gaggle as news broke of Israel's decision.

Netanyahu's office also contended that the U.S. declining to block the cease-fire resolution "hurts both the war effort and the effort to release the abductees, because it gives Hamas hope that international pressure will allow them to accept a ceasefire without the release of our abductees."

But Kirby maintained that the U.S. abstaining from the U.N. vote was not a shift in policy, saying the U.S. has been "clear and consistent" about support for a cease-fire and hostage deal and that it still had "Israel's back."

"The prime minister's office seems to be indicating through public statements that we somehow changed here. We haven't," Kirby said later on Monday at the White House daily briefing. "And we get to decide what our policy is. It seems like the prime minister's office is choosing to create a perception of daylight here when they don't need to do that."

Kirby also expanded on why the U.S. was willing to abstain now rather than veto the resolution, as it has done to previous such proposals in the past.

"The ones we vetoed didn't condemn Hamas," he said from the podium. "This one didn't condemn Hamas, which is why we couldn't support it. But we didn't veto it because, in general, unlike previous iterations, this one did fairly capture what has been our consistent policy which is linking a hostage deal in the release of those men and women, with of course, a temporary cease-fire."

According to an administration official, the resolution's wording evolved in a way that made the U.S. comfortable with abstaining.

Among the tweaks, this official said, mentions of the hostages and the cease-fire were combined while the word "permanent" was removed while describing a pause in the conflict, though other language about building a longer end to the fighting remained.

State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller, like Kirby, also called the resolution consistent with the administration's long-term position. He described Israel's withdrawal of the delegation as "surprising" given the U.S. had been in contact with Israel's government on this resolution.

Both Miller and Kirby repeatedly told reporters that the resolution is "non-binding" though António Guterres, the secretary-general of the U.N., wrote on X that "this resolution must be implemented. Failure would be unforgivable."

Netanyahu didn't call Biden about his decision to cancel the delegation's trip, for which the U.S. was already preparing, the administration official said, and Biden has not reciprocated.

Still, Kirby at the White House briefing defended the relationship between Biden and Netanyahu amid America's vocal position on Rafah.

"These are two leaders who have known each other for going on now four decades, and they haven't in the past agreed on everything and they don't agree on everything right now," Kirby said when responding to a reporter's question about whether this represented a "new low" for them.

"They both agree on one really important thing and that is the importance of the state of Israel, the importance of the security of the Israeli people and the importance of making sure an attack like the 7th of October doesn't happen again," Kirby said.

Biden had requested the Israeli delegation in a call last week with Netanyahu in light of what the White House called his "deep concerns" for civilians should Israel launch a large-scale incursion into Rafah, a city bordering Egypt, where more than 1 million civilians are thought to be sheltering as Israel continues to go after Hamas fighters in Gaza in the wake of Hamas' Oct. 7 attack.

Kirby on Monday would not give insight into who would have taken part in the canceled talks between the White House and the Israelis, which the administration official said were set for Wednesday.

Kirby also noted administration officials are still meeting with Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant on Monday and Tuesday.

Those discussions will include "ample" discussion of Israel's plan for Rafah, he said.

The administration has said a major ground operation in Rafah would be a "mistake" and worsen an already dire humanitarian crisis in Gaza, where more than 31,000 people have died since the war began, according to the Hamas-run health ministry there.

Vice President Kamala Harris, in an interview with ABC News, didn't rule out consequences if Israel were to invade Rafah.

Netanyahu insists that going into Rafah is crucial for dismantling Hamas' fighting capabilities to prevent future terror attacks.

"We are determined to complete the elimination of these battalions in Rafah, and there is no way to do this without a ground incursion," he said last week.

The Israelis have also said they could move civilians from the city to "humanitarian islands," though the U.S. remains publicly skeptical.

When pressed on Monday by ABC News Senior White House Correspondent Selina Wang about how the U.S. can convince Israeli officials to change their stance on Rafah without meeting with the delegation, Kirby replied, "We'll have to see, won't we?"

"It's certainly not ideal they won't be coming to D.C. ... that doesn't mean our ability to talk to them and have conversations have been eliminated," he said.

ABC News' Will Gretsky contributed to this report.

Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.


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