House Oversight Committee asks Secret Service chief to testify on Trump assassination attempt


The House Oversight Committee is summoning the head of the U.S. Secret Service to testify on the deadly shooting at former President Trump’s rally on Saturday night.

“Today, President Donald Trump survived an assassination attempt when a gunman fired a weapon at him at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania,” House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., wrote in a letter to Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle. “At least one bystander is dead.”

Comer then lauded the agents who leaped on Trump seconds after he was grazed on the ear by a bullet while he spoke with supporters in Butler.

BIDEN SPOKE WITH TRUMP FOLLOWING SHOOTING AT PENNSYLVANIA RALLY

House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer

Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., of the House Oversight and Accountability Committee, is summoning the head of the Secret Service. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)

“The tremendous bravery of the individual United States Secret Service agents who protected President Trump, eliminated the gunman, and possibly averted more loss of life cannot be overstated,” Comer said. 

“The Committee on Oversight and Accountability has initiated an investigation into today’s assassination attempt on President Trump and requests your voluntary appearance at a full Committee hearing on July 22, 2024.”

That hearing would fall a week after the Republican National Convention (RNC), where Trump is set to be formally declared the GOP nominee for president.

In addition to Comer’s panel, the House Homeland Security Committee said earlier it was also seeking more information on Saturday’s events.

EYEWITNESS ACCOUNTS POUR IN FOLLOWING TRUMP ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT IN PENNSYLVANIA: ‘JUST BLOOD EVERYWHERE’

Trump holds fist

Republican candidate Donald Trump is seen with blood on his face surrounded by Secret Service agents as he is taken off the stage at a campaign event at Butler Farm Show Inc. in Butler, Pennsylvania, July 13, 2024 (Rebecca Droke/AFP via Getty Images)

“The Committee has been in contact with the United States Secret Service and has just requested an official briefing for our members on the attempted assassination of President Trump this evening in Pennsylvania,” the Homeland Security Committee said in a statement. 

Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., vowed to summon Cheatle “and other appropriate officials from DHS and the FBI” before the House to demand answers.

Meanwhile, Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., is putting pressure on Cheatle to ensure Americans that the upcoming Republican and Democratic conventions will be secure.

“The Director of the Secret Service needs to come out ASAP and let us know how this happened and how everyone at the RNC and DNC conventions will be safe,” Scott wrote on X.

PENNSYLVANIA TRUMP RALLY SHOOTING SUSPECT PICTURED AFTER DEADLY ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT

Donald Trump is moved from the stage at a campaign rally

Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump is moved from the stage. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

It comes after Trump was struck in the ear and another rally attendee was killed when a gunman opened fire from a nearby roof toward the beginning of the ex-president’s remarks. Two more people were critically injured, according to the Secret Service, and the shooter was killed by law enforcement.

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Trump was escorted off-stage by a group of Secret Service agents who pounced on him immediately after he went down behind his podium, but not before pumping a fist in the air and mouthing “fight” to his supporters.

The Trump campaign indicated hours later that he would still be attending the RNC.



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Trump campaign, RNC to ‘proceed with’ convention in aftermath of rally shooting


Former President Trump’s campaign and the Republican National Committee have emphasized that the party’s upcoming convention will “proceed” following the deadly shooting at a Trump rally in Pennsylvania on Saturday.

“President Trump looks forward to joining you all in Milwaukee as we proceed with our convention to nominate him to serve as the 47th President of the United States,” Trump co-campaign managers Susie Wiles and Chris LaCivita said in a statement.

The statement was also signed by Republican National Committee chair Michael Whatley and co-chair Lara Trump, the former president’s daughter-in-law.

The Republican National Convention, where Trump will be formally nominated as the GOP’s 2024 standard-bearer, is scheduled to kick off on Monday in Milwaukee, the largest city in swing-state Wisconsin.

BIDEN SAYS HE’S ‘PRAYING’ FOR TRUMP AFTER SHOOTING AT FORMER PRESIDENT’S RALLY 

The Republican National Convention gets underway in Milwaukee, Wisconsin on Monday July 15, 2024

An exterior view of Milwaukee’s Fiserv Forum, where the Republican National Convention kicks off on Monday, July 15, 2024 (Fox News – Monica Oroz)

Reince Priebus, chair of the Milwaukee convention host committee and a former RNC chair who later served as Trump’s first White House chief of staff, noted in a statement that “guests have already begun to arrive in Wisconsin, and we look forward to working with the Republican National Committee to welcome everyone to Milwaukee this week.”

The statements from the Trump campaign, the RNC and the host committee were issued a couple of hours after the former president was rushed from the stage after shots rang out at his rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, which is located north of Pittsburgh in the western part of the Keystone State.

EYEWITNESS ACCOUNTS POUR IN FOLLOWING TRUMP ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT IN PENNSYLVANIA: ‘JUST BLOOD EVERYWHERE’

Donald Trump gestures with a bloodied face as multiple shots rang out during a campaign rally

Republican presidential candidate and former U.S. President Donald Trump gestures with a bloodied face as multiple shots rang out during a campaign rally at the Butler Farm Show in Butler, Pennsylvania, on Saturday. (REUTERS/Brendan McDermid)

The Secret Service reported that “a suspected shooter fired multiple shots toward the stage from an elevated position outside of the rally venue. US Secret Service personnel neutralized the shooter, who is now deceased.”

“One spectator was killed, two spectators were critically injured,” the Secret Service added in their statement.

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The shooting took place minutes after Trump began speaking at his rally, and the visibly bloodied former president was rushed off the stage by Secret Service agents.

“I was shot with a bullet that pierced the upper part of my right ear,” Trump said in a social media post.

Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more at our Fox News Digital election hub.



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RNC’s Secret Service clash thrust back into spotlight after deadly Trump rally shooting


A months-long fight between former President Trump’s campaign and the Secret Service under President Biden’s administration is back in the spotlight as the Republican National Convention approaches on the heels of an assassination attempt on Trump. 

“My staff and I are in contact with those coordinating security planning for the RNC and will continue to be in close communication as we learn more about this situation,” Gov. Tony Evers, D-Wis., wrote on X. 

Trump was injured in an assassination attempt during a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on Saturday night but was treated at a local hospital and is OK. After shots were fired at the event, Trump was seen with blood on his face and being escorted off-stage by Secret Service agents. 

GOP PRAYS FOR TRUMP AFTER SHOTS FIRED, FORMER PRESIDENT RUSHED OFF STAGE

As planning was underway for next week’s convention, where Trump will be made the official Republican nominee for president, Republicans and law enforcement and Secret Service leaders fought over security measures. 

In a May letter, Republican National Committee counsel Todd R. Steggerda wrote to Kimberly A. Cheatle, the director of the Secret Service, “Your failure to act now to prevent these unnecessary and certain risks will imperil tens of thousands of convention attendees, inexcusably forcing them into close proximity to the currently planned First Amendment Zone,” reported the New York Times

TRUMP JR. SAYS FATHER ‘IN GREAT SPIRITS’ AT HOSPITAL AFTER SHOTS FIRED DURING PA RALLY

Republican National Convention Milwaukee

The Fiserv Forum stands illuminated at night ahead of the 2024 Republican National Convention on July 12, 2024 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (PATRICK T. FALLON/AFP via Getty Images)

The Secret Service pushed back on Steggerda’s concerns at the time, claiming numerous meetings between convention staff and leaders had occurred, and they felt “confident in the security plan being developed.”

At the center of security concerns was a First Amendment zone for protesters which initially would have allowed demonstrators to be within close proximity of convention-goers — something Republicans took issue with. Republicans pushed repeatedly to move the zone further away from the convention site. 

The RNC notably expects more than 50,000 to attend the convention. 

BIDEN BRIEFED ON TRUMP RALLY SHOOTING: ‘I’M PRAYING FOR HIM’

Donald Trump gestures with a bloodied face as multiple shots rang out during a campaign rally

Republican presidential candidate and former U.S. President Donald Trump gestures with a bloodied face as multiple shots rang out during a campaign rally at the Butler Farm Show in Butler, Pennsylvania, U.S., July 13, 2024.  (REUTERS/Brendan McDermid)

While Republicans sought to push demonstrators further from the convention site, activists worked at the same time to gain greater access to the RNC. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and the Coalition to March on the RNC 2024 had filed a lawsuit against Milwaukee, claiming their First Amendment rights were being violated. The groups specifically wanted to parade near Fiserv Forum, where the RNC would be. 

Earlier this month, U.S. District Judge Brett Ludwig handed a defeat to the groups, ruling they don’t have the right to protest directly in front of the RNC, per the Associated Press

Donald Trump gestures with a bloodied face as multiple shots rang out during a campaign rally

Republican presidential candidate and former U.S. President Donald Trump is assisted by security personnel after gunfire rang out during a campaign rally at the Butler Farm Show in Butler, Pennsylvania, U.S., July 13, 2024.  (REUTERS/Brendan McDermid)

At one point, Democratic Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson, characterized the clash, saying, “Demonstrators would like to go on stage at Fiserv Forum, and the RNC would rather that they be on the moon. But we have to strike the right balance to make sure that they are able to exercise their First Amendment rights. And I think we’ve done that,” according to Politico.

However, the “balance” has come back under scrutiny after the assassination attempt against Trump. 

WATCH: MOMENT YOU HEAR GUNFIRE RING OUT JUST BEFORE SECRET SERVICE SHIELDS TRUMP

“The Director of the Secret Service needs to come out ASAP and let us know how this happened and how everyone at the RNC and DNC conventions will be safe,” remarked Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., on X.

Scott, a member of the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, also demanded a hearing before next month to get answers from both the Department of Homeland Security, DHS and the Secret Service about how the assassination attempt was able to happen and how it is being investigated. 

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The Secret Service and the RNC did not immediately provide comment to Fox News Digital. 

In a statement after the incident, Trump’s campaign reiterated his intention to attend the RNC, saying, “President Trump looks forward to joining you all in Milwaukee as we proceed with our convention to nominate him to serve as the 47th President of the United States. As our party’s nominee, President Trump will continue to share his vision to Make America Great Again.”





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Dramatic video of Trump shows moments leading to shooting: ‘He’s got a gun!’


A dramatic video filmed at former President Trump’s rally in Pennsylvania on Saturday shows the chaotic moments after attendees realized that someone was armed.

A video, filmed from the audience, shows Trump on stage speaking. Within a few seconds, someone can be heard shouting: “He’s got a gun!”

Several people in the crowd seemed to realize that an individual was armed before any shots rang out. The footage shows those nearby descending into pandemonium.

“He’s got a gun!” shouts one of the attendees.

BIDEN BRIEFED ON TRUMP RALLY SHOOTING: ‘I’M PRAYING FOR HIM’

Screengrab from Trump rally shooting video

Jaw-dropping footage shows the moments shortly before, during and after the Trump rally shooting on Saturday. (TMX)

“He’s on the roof!” shouts another.

Multiple shots could then be heard ringing out. The video, still rolling, shows attendees running for cover.

A voice could be heard advising others not to go near the building where the shooter was situated.

Within seconds, the video showed that the shooter had been neutralized. One eyewitness said that he saw the gunman’s lifeless body.

“He’s dead. I just seen his hair go up. They shot him in the head,” the man said.

Officials later confirmed on Saturday that the gunman was killed, along with another person at the rally. The assassination attempt has led to an outpouring of sympathy from both sides of the political aisle, with President Biden reporting that he offered his well-wishes to Trump over the phone.

WORLD LEADERS REACT TO SHOOTING AT TRUMP RALLY: ‘SHOCKED’ AT ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT

The crowd reacts after shots were fired at republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump's rally

The crowd reacts after shots were fired at republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump’s rally on July 13, 2024, in Butler, Pennsylvania.   (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

“I have been briefed on the shooting at Donald Trump’s rally in Pennsylvania,” Biden’s initial statement began. “I’m grateful to hear that he’s safe and doing well.”

“I’m praying for him and his family and for all those who were at the rally, as we await further information, “Jill and I are grateful to the Secret Service for getting him to safety,” Biden added. “There’s no place for this kind of violence in America. We must unite as one nation to condemn it.”

Attorney General Merrick Garland also confirmed that the Department of Justice is investigating the shooting.

“I have been briefed on the shooting at former President Trump’s rally, and have briefed the President. The FBI, ATF, U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Pennsylvania, and the Department’s National Security Division are currently working with the Secret Service as well as state and local law enforcement partners on the ground in Butler, Pennsylvania,” Garland said.

Trump holds fist

Republican candidate Donald Trump is seen with blood on his face surrounded by Secret Service agents as he is taken off the stage at a campaign event at Butler Farm Show Inc. in Butler, Pennsylvania, July 13, 2024. Rebecca Droke/AFP via Getty Images (Rebecca Droke/AFP via Getty Images)

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“My heart is with the former President, those injured, and the family of the spectator killed in this horrific attack,” he added.



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Trump rally assassination attempt witness says ‘everybody hit ground’


A woman who was at former President Trump’s rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on Saturday described the moment she and “everybody hit the ground” during the possible assassination attempt.

Saurabh Sharma, the president of American Moment, a Washington D.C.-based training nonprofit, told Fox News Digital that audience members initially thought the gunfire was fireworks and “instantly hit the ground.”

“I remember hearing two sounds. They were pretty light,” Sharma said. “We thought they were fireworks, but everyone instantly hit the ground. I think the president hit the ground as well. And the Secret Service obviously swarmed over him.”

She said that attendees started to look around, but others encouraged people to “stay down.”

SHOOTING AT TRUMP RALLY BEING INVESTIGATED AS POSSIBLE ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT

The crowd reacts after shots were fired at republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump's rally

The crowd reacts after shots were fired at republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump’s rally on Saturday, in Butler, Penn.   (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

Sharma shared that she spotted the former president and the presumptive Republican presidential nominee waving to the audience and “pumping his fist.”

She said that he “seemed okay.”

“I couldn’t see blood from my angle,” she said. “I only saw the blood in the videos.”

A person is removed by state police from the stands after guns were fired at Republican candidate Donald Trump

A person is removed by state police from the stands after guns were fired at Republican candidate Donald Trump at a campaign event at the Butler Farm Show grounds in Butler, Penn. (Rebecca Droke/AFP via Getty Images)

The rally attendee said that the “real story” was to the left of the stage at Butler Farm Show grounds.

“They [Secret Service personnel] went down the stage behind where everything was set up,” she said. “There was a huge commotion in the bleachers.”

ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT ON TRUMP AT PENNSYLVANIA RALLY LEAVES 2 HURT, 2 DEAD, INCLUDING SHOOTER

There was a lot of blood…

— Saurabh Sharma, eyewitness at Trump rally

“There was a lot of blood,” Sharma said. “You could see a lot of people that had blood on their shirts, and it looked like a body got carried out.”

A campaign rally site for Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump

Trump’s campaign said in a statement that the former president was “fine” after a shooting at his rally in Butler, Penn. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

Sharma said that the people who attended the event in the pivotal battleground state were left “stunned.”

“That whole rally was pretty, pretty stunned by the whole thing,” she said. “People weren’t really loud. They were muttering to themselves.”

“No one seemed freaked out either,” she said. “They were just in a little bit of a daze walking out. There was a single scream.”

Sharma added that the atmosphere following the gunfire was one of “stunned silence” rather than a “stampeding to leave.”

Stunned silence was really the feeling…

— Saurabh Sharma, eyewitness at Trump rally

“But stunned silence was really the feeling. And on the walk out, everyone was pretty somber,” she said. “No one was in a rush or stampeding to leave.”

A Secret Service member and the crowd is seen at republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump's rally

A Secret Service member reacts after gunshots were fired during former President Donald Trump’s rally on Saturday, in Butler, Penn. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

She said that people were left wondering if the former president was “okay” and a “couple of people were crying.”

Sharma said that one woman kept repeating, “They tried to kill him, they tried to kill him.”

“It was a pretty strange scene,” she said.

A Secret Service member and members of the crowd are seen at republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump's rally

People hit the ground after gunfire erupted during Republican presidential candidate and former President Donald Trump’s rally Saturday, in Butler, Penn.   (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

Sharma said that there are “no rules” in this election cycle, saying that it’s a “crazy, crazy time in the country.”

TRUMP RETURNS TO PENNSYLVANIA FOR PRE-CONVENTION RALLY IN SWING STATE

“I think this is going to make the RNC have the gravity that it would have never had,” she said. “It’s one of those times in American history where all bets are off. There are no rules. And, I just hope that the president is completely unharmed at the end of this.”

“It’s just it’s a crazy, crazy time in the country,” she said.

Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump is rushed offstage by U.S. Secret Service agents

Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump is rushed offstage by Secret Service agents after being grazed by a bullet during a rally in Butler, Penn.  (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

The gunfire erupted onstage shortly after Trump began speaking at the packed rally in the swing state of Pennsylvania.

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The U.S. Secret Services said in a press release, that the suspected shooter fired from an “elevated position” and killed at least one person and “critically injured” two others.

The alleged shooter was killed by Secret Service personnel. The suspect’s identity has not been released.





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Suspected Trump assassination attempt shines light on rally security


The assassination attempt, as it is being described by Fox News sources, against former President Trump at his Saturday rally in Pennsylvania is shining light on the security process for those in attendance.

Press and general attendees all go through a rigorous screening process operated by the Secret Service, which includes detailed searches of everyone entering into a rally venue.

The press is screened in a separate que than the public, and are usually told to remove all electronic equipment and metal, similar to the screening process of an airport.

ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT ON TRUMP AT PENNSYLVANIA RALLY LEAVES 2 HURT, 2 DEAD INCLUDING SHOOTER

A law enforcement officer move during republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump's rally

A law enforcement officer move during republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump’s rally on July 13, 2024 in Butler, Pennsylvania.   (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

Secret Service, when necessary, relies on Transportation Security Administration (TSA) agents from nearby towns to help with screening, but its unclear if that was the case for Trump’s Saturday rally.

When a rally is held outside, as was Saturday’s, the Secret Service still sets up tents, tables and magnetometers common at large events.

Trump, as a former president, still has a significant Secret Service detail, and anyone meeting with the president or in proximity must be cleared. Traditionally, this is done with a social security number, date of birth, and other vital information.

SPORTS STARS REACT TO SHOOTING AT DONALD TRUMP RALLY

A campaign rally site for Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump is empty and littered with debris

A campaign rally site for Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump is empty and littered with debris Saturday, July 13, 2024, in Butler, Pa.  (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

The Secret Service confirmed in a statement following the shooting that “a suspected shooter fired multiple shots toward the stage from an elevated position outside of the rally venue.” It’s unclear at this time at what point the shooter was detected or how he was able to get within full view of Trump unhindered.

Trump took to Truth Social just hours after the shooting, praising the Secret Service for their actions in protecting him.

“I want to thank The United States Secret Service, and all of Law Enforcement, for their rapid response on the shooting that just took place in Butler, Pennsylvania,” Trump wrote. “Most importantly, I want to extend my condolences to the family of the person at the Rally who was killed, and also to the family of another person that was badly injured.” 

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Donald Trump Truth Social

Former President Trump posted on Truth Social following his suspected assassination attempt at his rally in Butler County, Pennsylvania. (Donald Trump/Truth Social)

“It is incredible that such an act can take place in our Country. Nothing is known at this time about the shooter, who is now dead. I was shot with a bullet that pierced the upper part of my right ear. I knew immediately that something was wrong in that I heard a whizzing sound, shots, and immediately felt the bullet ripping through the skin. Much bleeding took place, so I realized then what was happening. GOD BLESS AMERICA!”

Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more at our Fox News Digital election hub.



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Trump says he was ‘shot with a bullet’ in assassination attempt at Pennsylvania rally


Former President Trump confirmed he was “shot with a bullet” that “pierced” the upper part of his right ear at his rally in Pennsylvania on Saturday. 

Gunfire broke out at the Trump rally shortly after the former president began speaking at the Butler Farm Show grounds.

The attack on the former president is being investigated as an assassination attempt, according to Fox News sources.

Trump put out a statement on his Truth Social account Saturday evening. 

Donald Trump gestures with a bloodied face as multiple shots rang out during a campaign rally

Republican presidential candidate and former U.S. President Donald Trump is assisted by security personnel after gunfire rang out during a campaign rally at the Butler Farm Show in Butler, Pennsylvania, U.S., July 13, 2024.  (REUTERS/Brendan McDermid)

“I want to thank The United States Secret Service, and all of Law Enforcement, for their rapid response on the shooting that just took place in Butler, Pennsylvania,” Trump said. “Most importantly, I want to extend my condolences to the family of the person at the Rally who was killed, and also to the family of another person that was badly injured. It is incredible that such an act can take place in our Country.” 

Trump said, “Nothing is known at this time about the shooter, who is now dead.” 

Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump is surrounded by U.S. Secret Service agents at a campaign rally

Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump is surrounded by U.S. Secret Service agents at a campaign rally, Saturday, July 13, 2024, in Butler, Pa. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

“I was shot with a bullet that pierced the upper part of my right ear,” the former president said. “I knew immediately that something was wrong in that I heard a whizzing sound, shots, and immediately felt the bullet ripping through the skin.” 

Donald Trump gestures with a bloodied face as multiple shots rang out during a campaign rally

Republican presidential candidate and former U.S. President Donald Trump is assisted by security personnel after gunfire rang out during a campaign rally at the Butler Farm Show in Butler, Pennsylvania, U.S., July 13, 2024.  (REUTERS/Brendan McDermid)

The former president added that “much bleeding took place, so I realized then what was happening.” 

“GOD BLESS AMERICA!” he said. 

Trump was rushed from the stage by Secret Service agents after the bullet purportedly pierced his ear. 

Donald Trump covered by U.S. Secret Service agents

Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump covered by U.S. Secret Service agents at a campaign rally, Saturday, July 13, 2024, in Butler, Pa. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

As they led him away, with blood dripping down his cheek and his right ear, the former president and presumptive Republican nominee raised his arms defiantly.

Trump was heard telling his security team, “let me get my shoes,” as they brought him to his feet and hustled him off-stage. 

Moments after Trump was rushed from the stage, Trump campaign communication director, Steven Cheung, said that the former president “is fine.”

“President Trump thanks law enforcement and first responders for their quick action during this heinous act,” Cheung told Fox News Digital. “He is fine and is being checked out at a local medical facility.”

Donald Trump reacts as multiple shots rang out during a campaign rally

Republican presidential candidate and former U.S. President Donald Trump reacts as multiple shots rang out during a campaign rally at the Butler Farm Show in Butler, Pennsylvania, U.S., July 13, 2024.  (REUTERS/Brendan McDermid)

The chief of communications for the U.S. Secret Service, Anthony Gugliemi put out a statement Saturday evening. 

“During former President Trump’s campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania on the evening of July 13th at approximately 6:15 p.m., a suspected shooter fired multiple shots toward the stage from an elevated position outside of the rally venue,” he said. “US Secret Service personnel neutralized the shooter, who is now deceased. US Secret Service quickly responded with protective measures and the former president is safe and being evaluated. One spectator was killed, two spectators were critically injured. The incident is currently under investigation and the Secret Service has formally notified the Federal Bureau of investigation.”

President Biden reacted Saturday evening, saying he had been briefed on the incident and is “praying for him and his family.”

“I have been briefed on the shooting at Donald Trump’s rally in Pennsylvania. I’m grateful to hear that he’s safe and doing well. I’m praying for him and his family and for all those who were at the rally, as we await further information,” Biden said.

Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump is surrounded by U.S. Secret Service agents at a campaign rally

Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump is surrounded by U.S. Secret Service agents at a campaign rally, Saturday, July 13, 2024, in Butler, Pa. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

Biden added that there was “no place for this kind of violence in America.”
 
“Jill and I are grateful to the Secret Service for getting him to safety,” he said. “There’s no place for this kind of violence in America. We must unite as one nation to condemn it.”



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Congressional Democrats condemn political violence after shots at Trump rally


Democratic leaders in Congress are condemning political violence after shots were reportedly fired at former President Trump’s rally in Pennsylvania on Saturday.

“My thoughts and prayers are with former President Trump. I am thankful for the decisive law enforcement response. America is a democracy. Political violence of any kind is never acceptable,” House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., said on X.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., wrote, “I am horrified by what happened at the Trump rally in Pennsylvania and relieved that former President Trump is safe. Political violence has no place in our country.”

President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris were also briefed on the incident as it continues to unfold.

TRUMP RETURNS TO PENNSYLVANIA FOR PRE-CONVENTION RALLY IN SWING STATE

Donald Trump is surrounded by U.S. Secret Service agents at a campaign rally

Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump is surrounded by U.S. Secret Service agents at a campaign rally, Saturday, July 13, 2024, in Butler, Pa. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

Trump was addressing a crowd in Butler, Pennsylvania just days before he’s set to be named as Republicans’ 2024 presidential nominee at the Republican National Convention in Wisconsin.

Eyewitnesses who were present reportedly said they heard multiple shots ring out at the rally before Trump appeared to grab his neck, ducked behind the podium and was surrounded by Secret Service. He was then escorted off-stage with a defiant first pump. 

The Secret Service said Trump is safe.

“Political violence is unacceptable and un-American. Grateful that the former President is safe. Our thoughts are with him and everyone in attendance at the rally,” said House Democratic Caucus Chair Pete Aguilar, D-Calif.

Former Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said, “As one whose family has been the victim of political violence, I know firsthand that political violence of any kind has no place in our society. I thank God that former President Trump is safe. As we learn more details about this horrifying incident, let us pray that all those in attendance at the former President’s rally today are unharmed.”

SOFTENED ABORTION LANGUAGE IN TRUMP-APPROVED GOP PLATFORM IRKS SOME SOCIAL CONSERVATIVES

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries

Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries spoke out soon after the reports came out (Getty Images)

Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., one of Trump’s loudest critics in Congress, also publicly expressed condemnation of the reported events.

“Horrified by this apparent assassination attempt. There is no place for political violence in our democracy. Absolutely none. Grateful for the swift response by law enforcement and Secret Service. Wishing President Trump a swift recovery,” Schiff wrote on X.

Several high-profile Democratic governors have also come out to condemn the reported violence.

Pennsylvania-Budget

Gov. Josh Shapiro, D-Pa., speaks at a campaign event, Tuesday, April 16, 2024, in Scranton, Pa. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

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Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro said he has been briefed on the incident and said in a statement, “Violence targeted at any political party or political leader is absolutely unacceptable. It has no place in Pennsylvania or the United States.”

“Violence has no place in our politics or communities. I am grateful for the quick response by law enforcement today and hope former President Trump is not seriously injured,” wrote North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper.



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Possible gunfire breaks out at Trump rally in Pennsylvania


Former President Trump was rushed off the stage by the Secret Service at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on Saturday, after apparent gunshots rang out.

Gunfire appeared to break out shortly after Trump began speaking at the rally at Butler Farm Show grounds on Saturday evening.

TRUMP RETURNS TO PENNSYLVANIA FOR PRE-CONVENTION RALLY IN SWING STATE

Republican presidential candidate former President Trump is surrounded by U.S. Secret Service agents at a campaign rally on Saturday, July 13, 2024 in Butler, Pennsylvania.

Republican presidential candidate former President Trump is surrounded by U.S. Secret Service agents at a campaign rally on Saturday, July 13, 2024 in Butler, Pennsylvania. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

The former president had just begun to fire up the crowd when as many as five shots were heard, and he went down, surrounded by Secret Service agents.

“And then the worst president in the history of our country took over. And look what happened to our country. Probably 20 million people [came in illegally]. And, you know, that’s a little bit old, that chart… that chart’s a couple of months old. And if you want to really see something that sad, take a look at what happened over…” Trump said before gunfire rang out.

Trump

Republican presidential candidate former President Trump is surrounded by U.S. Secret Service agents at a campaign rally on Saturday, July 13, 2024 in Butler, Pennsylvania. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

As they led him away, with what appeared to be blood on his head, he raised his arms defiantly.

Trump was heard telling his security team, “let me get my shoes,” as they brought him to his feet and hustled him off-stage. 

Trump

Republican presidential candidate former President Trump is surrounded by U.S. Secret Service agents at a campaign rally on Saturday, July 13, 2024 in Butler, Pennsylvania. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

The frantic scene captured rally-goers racing out after shots rang out.

There is no information on whom the shooter may have been or if any arrests have been made.

Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump is rushed offstage

Republican presidential candidate former President Trump is rushed offstage during a rally on July 13, 2024 in Butler, Pennsylvania. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

In a statement, the Secret Service spokesperson Anthony Guglielmi said that they have “implemented protective measures.”

“An incident occurred the evening of July 13 at a Trump rally in Pennsylvania,” Guglielmi “The Secret Service has implemented protective measures and the former President is safe. This is now an active Secret Service investigation and further information will be released when available.”

Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump is rushed offstage during a rally

Republican presidential candidate former President Trump is rushed offstage during a rally on July 13, 2024 in Butler, Pennsylvania. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

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In a statement, Trump’s communication director, Steven Cheung, said that the former president “is fine.”

“President Trump thanks law enforcement and first responders for their quick action during this heinous act,” Cheung said. “He is fine and is being checked out at a local medical facility.”





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Trump returns to Pennsylvania for pre-convention rally in swing state


Former President Trump returned to the swing state of Pennsylvania on Saturday just two days before Republicans gather for the convention and prepare to nominate him for the third consecutive time. 

Trump’s trip and rally to Butler County, in Western Pennsylvania, was set to begin at 5 p.m. at the Butler Farm Show grounds. 

Pennsylvania, with 19 electoral votes, is one of the most vital battleground states that Trump’s campaign has focused on.

The former president held a rally last month at Temple University in Philadelphia.

TRUMP DROPS MAJOR HINT ON HIS RUNNING MATE, AND TIMING OF ANNOUNCEMENT

Trump supporters

Supporters of Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump attend a campaign event in Butler, Pa., on Saturday.  (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

Female Trump supporter

Supporters of Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump attend a campaign event in Butler, Pa., on Saturday.  (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

Trump has strung out his choice of running mate, leaving speculation soaring about whom the former president will choose.

TRUMP’S ODDS OF WINNING PRESIDENCY SOAR AS BIDEN FACES GROWING SCRUTINY

The most-mentioned possibilities are North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum, Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, Ohio Sen. J.D. Vance and Tim Scott of South Carolina.

Vance, in nearby Ohio, will not be in attendance at the rally, Fox News has learned.

Republicans at Trump rally

A man holds a sign as he and others wait for Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump to speak at a campaign event in Butler, Pa.  (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

The Democratic Party has been engulfed in a crisis since President Biden’s dismal debate performance that has sparked calls for him to step aside, leaving Trump mainly out of the spotlight.

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The former president has made just a few public appearances over the course of the last few weeks, while Biden has kicked into high gear to quell fears about his mental acuity.





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Will Trump reveal running mate from convention podium Monday night reality TV style?


MILWAUKEE — Eight years ago, Donald Trump named his running mate three days before the start of the Republican National Convention in Cleveland.

“I am pleased to announce that I have chosen Governor Mike Pence as my Vice Presidential running mate. News conference tomorrow at 11:00 A.M.” Trump wrote in a tweet July 15, 2016.

Fast-forward eight years, and with just two days to go until the start of the 2024 GOP convention in battleground Wisconsin’s largest city, the once and possibly future president has yet to make any announcement.

THIS POPULAR GOP GOVERNOR SAYS TRUMP WILL DO WELL IN HIS SWING STATE

The Republican National Convention gets underway in Milwaukee, Wisconsin on Monday July 15, 2024

The Fiserv Forum, where the Republican National Convention gets underway in Milwaukee Monday, July 15, 2024 (Fox News/Monica Oroz)

With President Biden facing a rising chorus of calls from fellow Democrats to end his re-election campaign amid increasing concerns about his ability to serve another four years in the White House after his damaging debate performance last month, Trump has been in no rush to steal the political spotlight.

But in the past couple of days, the former president has indicated he’d like to unveil his running mate at the convention.

TRUMP HANDICAPS THREE OF HIS TOP RUNNING MATE CONTENDERS 

“I’d love to do it during the convention,” Trump said on Fox News’ “Hannity” at the beginning of the week.

Two days later, he emphasized on “The Brian Kilmeade Show on Fox Radio” that, “You know, in the old days, they did it during the convention, and it kept the convention very exciting, actually. So, we’ll see about that.”

On Thursday, in an appearance on “The Clay Travis & Buck Sexton Show,” the former president reiterated his desire to announce his running mate during the convention. He likened the unveiling of his pick to his one-time reality TV show on NBC that further vaulted the national identity of the real estate and business mogul. 

“It’s like a highly sophisticated version of ‘The Apprentice’ if you think about it,” Trump said.

TRUMP DROPS MAJOR HINT IN VEEPSTAKES

A Trump campaign official, who asked for anonymity, told Fox News “there is an opportunity to do that.”

“We are prepared when President Trump announces his choice,” the official said.

An announcement at the convention would be a dramatic finale to a process that in recent weeks has increasingly grabbed attention.

But the clock’s ticking for Trump. 

Trump at Virginia rally

Former President Trump, a Republican presidential candidate, speaks during a rally at Greenbrier Farms June 28, 2024, in Chesapeake, Va. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

The convention kicks off Monday, and Trump will have to name his running mate before a roll call is held to formally nominate that person. While party officials have yet to reveal when the roll call will be held, it will have to be before Wednesday evening, when the vice presidential nominee will address the delegates from the podium. 

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As for whom Trump will pick, he’s indicated that his short list includes senators J.D. Vance of Ohio and Marco Rubio of Florida and North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum. The former president has also praised Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina.

Trump told Fox News’ Kilmeade this week, ­­­­­”I think I’m pretty well set in my own mind.”

Top advisers insist Trump’s the only person who knows the identity of the vice presidential nominee.

“For the record, I don’t know who it is!” Trump co-campaign manager Chris LaCivita wrote in a social media post, pointing to the intense speculation about the former president’s running mate.

Trump campaign senior adviser Brian Hughes reiterated to Fox News that “anyone claiming to know who or when President Trump will choose his VP is lying, unless the person is named Donald J. Trump.”

Once the announcement is made, the Trump campaign says it’s ready to quickly print signs, shirts, hats and other merchandise emblazoned with the GOP 2024 ticket, officials confirmed.

“Whenever that decision is made, we are ready to go,” another Trump campaign adviser, who also asked to remain anonymous, told Fox News.

Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more at our Fox News Digital election hub.



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Biden to speak to two House Dem groups while hunkered down in dreary Delaware ahead of high-stakes interviews


President Biden is spending his weekend away from the White House at his Delaware beach house, a well-known retreat for the president, ahead of high-stakes interviews and the Republican Party’s convention next week.

Following a Friday evening campaign event in Michigan, the president’s weekend at Rehoboth Beach has been largely quiet after he acknowledged on Thursday that he needs to “pace” himself yet insisted he should take on a more robust schedule ahead of the 2024 election.

Biden is expected to take part in two conference calls on Saturday with House Democrats – the New Dems Coalition and the Congressional Progressive Caucus – but has no public events on his Saturday Rehoboth schedule. Thirteen Democrats in the New Dems Coalition have called for Biden to step aside in the 2024 race.

It has been reported that the president may also attend a church service during his weekend trip.

BIDEN TELLS MICHIGAN CROWD HE’S ‘NOT GOING ANYWHERE’ AMID CHANTS OF ‘DON’T YOU QUIT’

Joe Biden, Rehoboth Beach vacation home

Sources near the president’s vacation home in Sussex County, Delaware, told Fox News Digital there has been little movement by the Secret Service since the president’s arrival in town Friday evening. (Getty Images/Fox News)

With sporadic rain expected for the remainder of the day in Rehoboth Beach, Biden remained hunkered down amid growing calls from members of his own party to withdraw from the race for the White House.

Sources near the president’s vacation home in Sussex County, Delaware, told Fox News Digital there has been little movement by the Secret Service since the president’s arrival in town Friday evening.

When the president returns to work next week, he will be forced to shift gears for a series of additional high-stakes interviews amid the Republican National Convention, which is taking place in Milwaukee from July 15 to 18.

Biden is slated to take part in a taped, one-on-one interview with “NBC Nightly News” anchor Lester Holt on Monday from Austin, Texas. That interview, which will mark the president’s second cable news appearance since his rocky debate last month, will air in its entirety at 9 p.m. ET the same day.

The president will also take part in two additional interviews next week, according to Dylan Byers, a senior correspondent for Puck News.

Byers reported Thursday that Biden would take part in a Tuesday interview with a “Black national media outlet” during the NAACP Conference, and another on Wednesday with a “Latino national media outlet.”

Those interviews will come as Biden continues his attempt to convince members of his own party, as well as voters from different corners of America who have concerns about his age and mental acuity, that he is up to the task of four more years in the White House.

‘UNDERDOG’ BIDEN STILL HAS TIME TO TURN CAMPAIGN AROUND BEFORE THE ELECTION, DEMOCRAT STRATEGISTS SAY

Rehoboth Beach, Biden

Images from gloomy Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, show road closures amid the president’s weekend visit and a parking lot staged with government vehicles. (Fox News)

A large majority of Americans want Biden to drop out of the race, including a majority of his own supporters, according to a Thursday poll from ABC News and the Washington Post that was released ahead of his press conference.

A full 67% of respondents said Biden should drop out of the race, and 85% say he is too old to serve out a second term. Meanwhile, 60% of respondents also said former President Trump is too old for a second term, up from 44% in the spring of 2023.

Among Democrats and voters who said they lean Democratic, 62% said Biden needs to drop out of the race. Even among self-professed Biden supporters, 54% said he needs to drop out.

However, the poll found that Biden and Trump are virtually tied, despite voters’ lack of confidence in Biden, with 46% saying they would vote for the current president and 47% saying they support Trump.

A total of 18 elected Democrats have called on Biden to step aside in the White House race.

Biden Detroit Rally

President Biden during a campaign event in Detroit, Michigan, on July 12, 2024. (Emily Elconin/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

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Despite the calls for him to withdraw from the race, Biden told supporters at his Detroit rally on Friday that he is “not going anywhere.”

“You made me the nominee, no one else. Not the press, not the pundits, not the insiders, not donors — you the voters. You decided, no one else, and I’m not going anywhere,” he declared.

Fox News’ Chad Pergram and Anders Hagstrom contributed to this report.





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Trump and allies thrilled with Biden press conference: ‘Too much gold not to use’


Donald Trump’s presidential campaign and allies see President Biden’s highly anticipated and much-scrutinized news conference as a win-win for the former president.

“It appears Biden did enough to convince his apologists that he should remain on the ballot, but he also reinforced what the American people know. Their lives are being hurt by his weakness and failure on a daily basis,” a Trump campaign official, who asked for anonymity to speak more freely, told Fox News Digital after Thursday night’s press conference.

As the president continues to push back against a rising chorus of calls from within the Democratic Party for him to step aside and end his 2024 re-election campaign following last month’s disastrous debate performance with Trump, the news conference didn’t appear to do any further damage. But it’s also doubtful it will stem the growing movement to urge Biden to drop out of the race.

FIRST ON FOX: TOP PRO-TRUMP SUPER PAC SHOWCASES MASSIVE FUNDRAISING HAUL

President Biden news conference

President Biden at a news conference during the NATO Summit in Washington, D.C., Thursday, July 11, 2024. (Graeme Sloan/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Trump’s campaign hopes Biden stays in the race. Trump’s campaign appears to believe he is the weakest candidate for the former president to face. The Trump campaign continues to argue the 81-year-old Biden isn’t physically or mentally up to the task of serving as president.

WATCH: BIDEN’S REACTION TO MIXING UP NAMES 

After Biden mistakenly referred to Vice President Kamala Harris as “Vice President Trump,” Trump’s social media account quickly shared a clip of the moment, with the former president writing, “Great job, Joe!”

Trump also posted on social media some of the other stumbles and gaffes by the president at the high-stakes news conference.

Donald Trump Jr., who’s a top surrogate for this father, said on his Rumble livestream that Biden did “fine enough to be able to stay in it” but later shared a social media post that blended the faces of Trump and Harris together and said “Vice President Trump.”

Veteran Republican consultant Dave Carney told Fox News the news conference “couldn’t have been better.”

“He didn’t drool, he didn’t fall, he didn’t freeze up,” Carney, who steers a leading pro-Trump super PAC, noted.

SOURCES SAY BIDEN FUNDRAISING TAKES A HIT AMID RISING CALLS FROM DEMOCRATS FOR PRESIDENT TO END 2024 CAMPAIGN

But Carney argued that nothing Biden said at the news conference was “reassuring” to voters or to America’s allies.

He argued that when it comes to Biden’s candidacy, things remain “unsettled,” and for Republicans, “unsettled is good.”

Donald Trump

Former President Trump speaks during a campaign event at Historic Greenbrier Farms in Chesapeake, Va., June 28, 2024. (Parker Michels-Boyce/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Longtime Republican strategist Mike Biundo told Fox News the president “did enough not to get kicked out of the race but not enough to look like a competent candidate.”

“From the Republican and the Trump side, I think it’s a 100% win-win for us,” added Biundo, who served as a top adviser on Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign.

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Since the June 27 debate in Atlanta, the Trump campaign and super PACs supporting the former president have refrained from using clips of the president’s stumbles in ads. They’ve mostly laid low and allowed the media spotlight to remain on Biden and the Democratic Party turmoil over his candidacy.

Asked if Trump’s campaign or allied groups should use clips of the gaffes from the news conference in ads, Biundo said, “I’ve always been a big believer when someone’s doing damage to themselves, you allow them to do the damage, and you get out of the way.

“But some of those clips are just too much gold not to use.”

Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more at our Fox News Digital election hub.



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Conservatives rip RNC for giving ‘SlutWalk’ organizer Amber Rose a speaking slot


Several conservative entities expressed outrage on Friday after news broke that Amber Rose, the model and TV personality and ex-girlfriend of Kanye West, would be speaking at the Republican National Convention (RNC).

Critics called out the GOP for giving such prominence to Rose, a rapper and model who also wrote “How to Be a Bad B—h,” with one critic sharing a video of her discussing Satanism.

“George W. Bush, Mitt Romney, Paul Ryan, Liz Cheney, Nikki Haley, and Ron DeSantis weren’t invited to speak at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee next week. But no worries. Rapper and model Amber Rose will give a speech,” read a post on X from the account “Republicans Against Trump.”

“Wait until Trump finds out about this tweet,” they added, citing Rose’s adamant opposition to Trump in 2016.

TRUMP EX MARLA MAPLES RESPONDS TO VEEP TALK: ‘I’M OPEN… TO SERVE’

Kanye West and Amber Rose.

Kanye West and Amber Rose. (Michael Loccisano/Getty Images)

“Man, f— the fact he’s old, and f— the fact that he was on TV,” Rose wrote at the time, calling the now-GOP nominee a “sexual predator.”

More recently, however, Rose has posted photos to social media of herself in a bikini wearing a “MAGA” hat, endorsed the presumptive GOP nominee in May and shared another photo of herself with the former president and former first lady Melania Trump.

“Is Donald Trump not for women’s rights issues? – He’s trying to Make America Great Again – that’s for women too,” Rose told a TMZ camerawoman.

“I think [getting convicted in New York] helps him more,” she added, citing the “injustice” it represented.

“We just did our research and we’re not brainwashed anymore by the left,” Rose added.

The Lincoln Project, a consortium of anti-Trump activists on the right, also lamented the move, saying, “This is what the Republican Party has become.”

Conservative “Blaze” host Steve Deace commented, “If this is winning the culture war it’s for a culture I want no part of.”

TRUMP SON-IN-LAW MICHAEL BOULOS MEETS WITH DOZENS OF ARAB-AMERICAN LEADERS IN EFFORT TO CURRY FAVOR

Donald Trump and Amber Rose split

Former President Trump and Amber Rose. (Bill Pugliano/Getty Images | Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic)

Fox News Digital also reached out to evangelical leader Ralph Reed and the Faith & Freedom Coalition for comment.

A representative for the Family Research Center, a pro-life, pro-family group on the right, also did not respond by press time.

Longtime conservative columnist Jonah Goldberg, who has criticized Trump in the past, wrote simply, “Res ipsa loquitur.”

The phrase comes from Latin, roughly describing something that “speaks for itself.”

Podcaster Dr. Taylor Marshall criticized the contrast between Rose speaking this year and previous Trump-nominating conventions where Sister Deirdre Byrne, a pro-life nun, as well as pro-life activist Abby Johnson were given speaking slots.

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Donald Trump interview

Former President Trump speaks at the Republican National Convention headquarters in Washington, D.C., on June 13. (Fox News)

“Now they will platform Amber Rose who is the founder of “The Slut Walk” and vocally pro-abortion and pro-LGBT. This is a hard left turn into degeneracy,” Marshall said.

However, at least one conservative activist welcomed Rose’s speaking slot.

Xaviaer DuRousseau, who has appeared on “The Ingraham Angle” in the past as a young conservative voice, said he cannot wait to hear Rose “speak truth at the RNC.”

“Amber Rose is one of many Black Americans who finally woke up from the Left’s lies after doing her own research about President Trump,” he said, calling her addition to the guest list proof the convention will be a “historic event.”

Clips of Rose’s past controversial comments began making the rounds online after the news broke, with X user Peter Henlein sharing the following clip of a past interview with the Philadelphia native.

“I’m not a Satanist… Satanists are just atheists as well, but they’re just more political. OK. They, they have, like — it’s actually a very rational, logical religion. They help a lot of people, a lot of women to get abortions in Southern states that, you know, where they’re illegal,” she said in the clip.

The Republican National Committee did not respond to a request for comment at press time.



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Biden rejects calls to resign at Detroit rally amid cheers of ‘Don’t you quit’


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President Biden left no ambiguity about his intentions to stay in the 2024 election during a Michigan rally on Friday.

Speaking in Detroit to a crowd that Democrats say passed 2,000 attendees, Biden characterized himself as a people’s champion under siege by elitist powers in Washington, D.C.

“I’m the nominee of this party, because 14 million Democrats like you voted for me in the primaries,” Biden told the crowd. 

‘UNDERDOG’ BIDEN STILL HAS TIME TO TURN CAMPAIGN AROUND BEFORE THE ELECTION, DEMOCRAT STRATEGISTS SAY

Biden Detroit Rally

Biden speaks to the crowd during a campaign event in Detroit, Michigan. The president left no ambiguity on whether he intended to continue his 2024 re-election campaign. (Emily Elconin/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

He continued, “You made me the nominee, no one else. Not the press, not the pundits, not the insiders, not donors — you the voters. You decided, no one else, and I’m not going anywhere.”

The Detroit crowd offered multiple coordinated cheers in support of Biden, including “Don’t you quit” and “We’ve got your back.”

Biden faces increased calls to step down as the Democratic nominee following his performance at the first presidential debate, however, strategists with knowledge of presidential campaigns say irreversible damage has not been done to his re-election efforts.

“You’ve probably noticed a lot of speculation lately. What’s Joe Biden going to do? Is he going to stay in the race? Is he going to drop out?” Biden shouted during the rally. “Here’s my answer — I am running, and we’re going to win.”

DEMOCRATIC OFFICIALS ADMIT HAVING BIDEN CONCERNS AT JUNETEEENTH CONCERT: ‘HE SEEMED ALTERED’

Biden Detroit Rally

Supporters attend the campaign rally held by Biden at Renaissance High School in Detroit, Michigan. (Kyle Mazza/Anadolu via Getty Images)

Democrats are nervous as the calendar marches towards August, when the national convention will be held to confirm the party’s nominee.

Biden has stated on several occasions that he will not be stepping down as the nominee, but he continues to face pressure from members within his own party to consider dropping out of the 2024 race.

“The president has been clear — he’s the elected nominee, and he is not budging from that position unless god himself intervenes,” Democrat strategist Mark Penn told Fox News Digital when asked about the state of Biden’s campaign.

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Biden Detroit Rally

Biden has defied a chorus of Democratic lawmakers and media pundits that have called for his resignation from the 2024 presidential race. Whether the president decides to step down becomes increasingly relevant as the Democratic National Convention draws nearer in August. (Emily Elconin/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

“Right now, Donald Trump is clearly leading, but it’s nowhere near double digits, so the race remains within the ability of a few percent of switching voters to change the outcome and, as events like the debate show, there’s plenty of game-changing possibilities.”

Reports have also surfaced that former President Barack Obama has been working “behind the scenes” to force Biden out of the race. Multiple media outlets reported Thursday morning on Obama’s alleged efforts, including Politico, which stated that the former president had been given a “heads-up” by Clooney about his guest essay.

A source close to Obama declined to comment on the reports but pointed Fox News Digital to the former president’s statements in support of Biden, both at the Los Angeles fundraiser that became the subject of Clooney’s op-ed and following the debate.

Fox News Digital’s Aubrie Spady contributed to this report.



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The 2024 Republican National Convention: What to know


The 2024 Republican National Convention starts its celebratory programming Monday as Republicans officially nominate President Trump for the third time and will spend four nights in Milwaukee, Wisconsin rallying support ahead of November’s election.

Where the action will take place

The main action for the quadrennial event will be held from July 15-18 at the Fiserv Forum, an arena that is the home of the Milwaukee Bucks professional basketball team. More than 50,000 people, including hundreds of journalists from around the world, are expected to attend.

There will be the usual convention tasks throughout the four days. Delegates, almost 2,400 of them, must approve a platform and formally designate the presidential ticket: Trump and his yet-to-be-named running mate. They’ll hear from both national candidates and a slew of others rallying support for Trump and taking aim at Democrats.

SOFTENED ABORTION LANGUAGE IN TRUMP-APPROVED GOP PLATFORM IRKS SOME SOCIAL CONSERVATIVES

An exterior view of the Fiserv Forum, where the Republican National Convention gets underway in Milwaukee, Wisconsin on Monday July 15, 2024

An exterior view of the Fiserv Forum, where the Republican National Convention gets underway in Milwaukee, Wisconsin on Monday July 15, 2024

Who are the speakers?

The RNC has not yet released the full detailed schedule for the event, but several speakers have already been announced including Donald Trump Jr. who reportedly will occupy the speaking slot directly in front of his father.

Also speaking at the convention, Florida Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis, former First Lady Melania Trump, Teamsters President Sean O’Brien, UFC President Dana White, model Amber Rose, South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem, and Indiana Congressman Jim Banks.

There will also be several everyday Americans impacted by President Biden’s disastrous economic and border policies, in addition to skyrocketing crime, slated to speak. 

Michael Morin, the brother of Rachel Morin, the Maryland mother of 5 who was brutally murdered by an illegal immigrant, will be speaking. Fraternity brothers from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill who went viral for saving the American flag at an anti-Israel protest are also expected to speak, among others.

Trump is expected to accept the nomination with a speech on July 18, the final night of the convention, and his vice presidential pick is expected to be announced by July 15. Trump’s VP will then address the convention on July 17.

HALEY URGES HER CONVENTION DELEGATES TO SUPPORT TRUMP: ‘REPUBLICAN UNITY’

Donald Trump arrives to Trump Tower after being found guilty

Donald Trump arrives to Trump Tower, Thursday, May 30, 2024 after being found guilty on 34 counts of falsifying business records in the first degree. (Felipe Ramales for Fox News Digital)

How to watch

Fox News Media will present special live coverage of the 2024 Republican National Convention beginning Sunday, July 14th through Thursday, July 18th.

“Originating from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, the network’s convention coverage will be available across all of FOX News Media’s platforms, including FOX News Channel (FNC), FOX Business Network (FBN), FOX News Audio, FOX News Digital and FOX Nation,” a press release said.

What are the themes?

“Make America Wealthy Again” is the theme for Monday’s program, which will focus on how “President Trump’s America First economic policies slashed cumbersome regulations, cut tax rates, and reworked trade deals to create a fairer playing field for American industry and workers.”

Tuesday’s theme will be “Make America Safe Once Again” where the focus will be on skyrocketing crime in many cities causing them to become what the campaign calls “hollowed out, dystopian nightmares thanks to Joe Biden and Democrats’ woke soft-on-crime and open border policies.

“Make America Strong Once Again” will highlight Trump’s foreign policy accomplishments and agenda as the theme for Wednesday.

On Thursday, the final day, the theme will be, “Make America Great Once Again.”

“President Donald J. Trump will usher in a new golden age for America. At home and abroad, America’s standing will be restored,” the campaign says.

“American families will once again experience prosperity, safety, and strength. Our decaying and decrepit cities and communities will experience a resurgence. Americans will once again have reason to harbor hope and optimism for the future of our country. President Trump will Make America Great Once Again!”

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Donald Trump wearing a red make america great again hat

Presumptive GOP nominee Donald Trump at rally (Sean Rayford/Getty Images)

What’s happening with the party platform?

The Republican Party’s platform, a formal statement of policy positions, was approved by its platform committee and released on Monday. It is expected to be approved on the first day of the national convention next week.

The 16-page platform embraces Trump’s position that the issue of abortion is to be determined by individual U.S. states. It makes no mention of a federal ban or protecting a fetus as a person under the U.S. Constitution – tenets that have been included in past platforms and were demanded by a cadre of influential evangelicals.

The platform, which is not binding, also pledges that Trump and Republicans will build a missile defense shield over the United States, carry out “the largest deportation in American history” of people in the country illegally, make permanent Trump’s signature tax cuts and pass “large tax cuts for workers.” It says they will demolish foreign drug cartels, protect Medicare and Social Security benefits, and support public funds being used for private school tuition.

Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report



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Mexican man charged with killing two children in Wisconsin is in US illegally


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A Mexican man accused of stabbing three people, including two children who died of their injuries, is in the U.S. illegally, federal authorities confirmed to Fox News Digital on Friday.

Victor Manuel Gomez-Acosta, a Mexican illegal immigrant, was charged with two counts of first-degree intentional homicide, attempted first-degree homicide and operating under the influence after being arrested in Abbotsford, Wisconsin.

The Colby-Abbotsford Police Department said that two children were found dead at the scene with stab wounds, while an adult woman was also stabbed but was given medical care. Gomez-Acosta was found inside the residence and was apprehended. He was later transported to a medical center after police found self-inflicted stab wounds.

ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT SUSPECTED IN MARYLAND MOM RACHEL MORIN’S MURDER FACES MAXIMUM PENALTY IF CONVICTED

Victor Manuel Gomez-Acosta

This image shows Victor Manuel Gomez-Acosta, charged with homicide.

According to WQOW, the victims are Gomez-Acosta’s wife and daughters. The outlet, citing the criminal complaint, reported that the children were found in one of their bedrooms. One had been stabbed 16 times and the other 20 times. His wife was reportedly stabbed approximately 17 times, with one of the wounds cutting her vocal cords.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) confirmed to Fox News Digital that Gomez-Acosta is in the country illegally and that it has placed a detainer on him following his arrest on July 9. A detainer is a request that, once released from custody, he be transferred to ICE for deportation.

ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT ARRESTED IN BROAD DAYLIGHT RAPE OF 13-YEAR-OLD IN NEW YORK PARK

Migrant Crossings At Southern Border Increase Ahead Of Title 42 Expiration

The U.S. has been facing a massive border crisis since 2021. It has become a top political issue ahead of the November election. (John Moore/Getty Images)

Gomez-Acosta entered the U.S. legally in Sept. 2016, via the port of entry in Laredo, Texas. However, according to the agency, he failed to depart at the time specified as part of his entry conditions.

The arrest comes days before the Republican National Convention, which is being held in Milwaukee. Illegal immigration and border security are expected to be top issues for speakers and delegates, and both have been shown to be top priorities for voters ahead of the November election.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE COVERAGE OF THE BORDER SECURITY CRISIS

Republicans have blamed the Biden administration for fueling the ongoing border crisis, which has set record numbers over the past three years. They blame policies including the narrowing of ICE enforcement and the rolling back of Trump-era policies like wall construction and the Remain-in-Mexico policy.

“Time and time again, we have seen the tragic consequences of Joe Biden’s border crisis; yet, the president refuses to reverse course,” Rep. Tom Tiffany, R-Wis., told Fox News Digital. “No town is immune, even our towns up north in Wisconsin are feeling the horrific impact.”

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The Biden administration has said it is dealing with a hemisphere-wide crisis which needs funding and reforms from Congress to fix what it says is a “broken” immigration system. It has pointed to efforts it has made in lieu of that action, including a recent executive order which has limited entries and seen a short-term reduction of 40%. It has also said that a majority of all southern encounters during the past three fiscal years have resulted in a removal, return or expulsion.



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Melania Trump expected to appear at Republican National Convention


Former first lady Melania Trump is expected to appear at the Republican National Convention next week in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, according to a report.

Two individuals familiar with the situation told the Associated Press that the former first lady will attend the convention, where her husband, former President Donald Trump, is set to be nominated.

The convention, which is set to run from July 15 through 18, would be one of Melania Trump’s first appearances in months in support of her husband’s presidential campaign.

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Melania Trump

Melania Trump is seen leaving Trump Tower in New York City. The former first lady is expected to speak at the Republican National Convention next week. (MEGA/GC Images)

Melania Trump has kept a low profile in the years since she lived in the White House, reportedly focusing most on raising teenage son Barron.

She has briefly popped up on major occasions to appear with Donald Trump, such as his Super Tuesday victory party and his 78th birthday party in June.

Donald Trump has described her as a “private” person who does not enjoy being in the spotlight but endures the pressure for his sake.

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Melania Trump Donald Trump

Republican presidential candidate, former President Donald Trump, arrives at the home of billionaire investor John Paulson, with former first lady Melania Trump in Palm Beach, Florida.  (Alon Skuy/Getty Images)

“You know, a lot of first ladies would go out — they want to be everywhere. They get angry at their husband, because he’s not introducing them,” Trump said at a Fox News townhall in February. “If I didn’t introduce Melania, she’d be very happy about it. She’s just a different kind of a person.”

He has praised the attention she pays to Barron, as well her personal charitable endeavors.

“Her life revolves around that boy. It’s so important to her,” Trump said at the townhall. “At the same time, it also revolves around our country and the success of our country. She’s raised a lot of money for charity. She’s a private person.”

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Former President Donald Trump on stage

Trump arrives for his campaign rally at the Trump National Doral Golf Club in Doral, Florida.  (Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

Another member of the Trump clan — Lara Trump — currently serves as the Republican National Committee co-chair.

Donald Trump Jr., Eric Trump, Ivanka Trump and others are also expected to be in attendance.



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Top Dem plots tying SCOTUS funding to ‘enforceable’ ethics code amid Thomas, Alito controversies


A top Senate appropriator is considering fencing off operational funding for the Supreme Court in the fiscal year 2025 spending bill and forcing the court to enforce an ethics code in order to access it following controversies over Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito’s wives’ political behavior and gifts the justices have been given by wealthy friends. 

In the next appropriations measure to fund the “general government,” which includes the Supreme Court, the appropriations subcommittee chairman is “definitely” looking into reviving a proposal this year to compel the court to implement an enforceable code of ethics.

The Appropriations Subcommittee on Financial Services and General Government Chairman Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., told Fox News Digital on Thursday about a proposal he advanced last year “to fence [off] some of the Supreme Court funding,” except for money for protection. 

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Chris Van Hollen, Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito

Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., left, is considering tying operational funding for the Supreme Court to its enforcement of an ethics code.  (Getty Images)

His idea at the time was to fence off some of the court’s operational funding “until the Supreme Court implemented an enforceable code of ethics similar to that that applies to lower courts,” he said.

Now, as the Supreme Court and Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito have come under renewed scrutiny for alleged unethical conduct, Van Hollen is “looking at doing that again.”

Renewed calls from Democrats for an ethics code to be enforced for justices of the Supreme Court stacked up last year following a report that detailed Thomas’ friendship with billionaire real estate tycoon Harlan Crow and some of the lavish gifts he’d received from him. 

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Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas

A report last year detailed Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas’ friendship with billionaire real estate tycoon Harlan Crow and some of the lavish gifts he’d received from him. (Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

The effort gained steam again this summer after reports earlier in the year about an upside-down American flag and an “Appeal to Heaven” flag that were flown at Alito’s homes. Some claimed the upside-down American flag was a sign of support for those who rioted at the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. However, Alito said the flag was flown by his wife in a dispute with a neighbor. 

Several Senate Democrats called on both Alito and Thomas to recuse themselves from cases having to do with the 2020 election, suggesting they cannot be impartial in the matter. In particular, the justices were asked to recuse from the matter of former President Trump’s immunity, which was ruled on earlier this month. 

Neither Thomas nor Alito recused themselves from the case. In a 6-3 decision, the high court determined Trump has substantial immunity from prosecution as it relates to official acts that are committed while in office. The immunity does not extend to unofficial acts.

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Alito and his wife at Billy Graham funeral

An upside-down American flag was displayed outside Justice Samuel Alito’s home on Jan. 17, 2021, days after former President Trump supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol. Alito said the flag was flown by his wife in a dispute with a neighbor. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais, File)

Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., was one of the more vocal Democrats calling for their recusal. He told Fox News Digital earlier this summer that he heard “some discussion” about including the Supreme Court Ethics, Recusal, and Transparency Act in the annual appropriations bill. 

I think we should use every tool available to compel the Supreme Court to adopt a truly enforceable code of ethics,” he said at the time.  

The bill has yet to be brought to the Senate floor for a vote, despite Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., having the ability to do so. Schumer’s office didn’t respond to a request for comment last month about whether he would take up the bill and if there was enough Democratic support to warrant doing so. 

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Justice Alito, Sen .Sheldon Whitehouse split

Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I., right, revived an ethics concern he had with Justice Alito last year amid the ongoing backlash to flags flown at the justice’s homes. (Getty Images)

Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I., has led his colleagues on the bill and advocated for its passage once again in the wake of the Alito controversy. The senator recently told Fox News Digital that he had spoken to Schumer about bringing the bill to the floor for a vote, but that it was dependent on scheduling. 

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According to Sen. Peter Welch, D-Vt., who has joined calls to pass the legislation, his “preference” is not the route of appropriations. 

The senator said he’d rather “we have a straight-up discussion about Supreme Court ethics.”

“Everybody should want a court that has credibility and respect for Republicans and Democrats, because all of us have to abide by the decisions they make,” he explained last month. “So, I’d rather have a straight, standalone approach.”





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Popular governor of swing state says post-Biden-Trump debate ‘it’s a coin toss’


EXCLUSIVE – NEWFIELDS, N.H. – Gov. Chris Sununu for a couple of years has been one of former President Trump’s most vocal GOP critics.

But New Hampshire’s popular Republican governor says that his state “is very much in play for the former president,” who next week officially becomes the GOP’s 2024 presidential nominee.

It’s been nearly a quarter-century since a Republican carried swing state New Hampshire in a presidential election. You have to go back to then-Texas Gov. George W. Bush in 2000. 

But in the wake of two recent polls that indicated a margin-of-error race in New Hampshire and following President Biden’s extremely rough debate performance two weeks ago, Republicans are increasingly hopeful they can bring an end to the losing streak.

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NH may be in play for Trump

Former President Donald Trump speaks during a campaign event in Laconia, New Hampshire, on Monday, Jan. 22, 2024, on the eve of the state’s first-in-the-nation presidential primary.  (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

“It’s going to be a coin toss. It’s really at the end of the day going to be a 50-50 state,” Sununu said in a national exclusive interview with Fox News Digital in his hometown in New Hampshire’s Seacoast region.

Sununu predicted that Trump “is going to do very, very well in a swing state like New Hampshire.”

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The governor, pointing to a rising chorus of calls by elected Democrats for Biden to end his presidential re-election campaign amid deep concerns over his physical and cognitive ability to steer the country for another four years, argued that “there’s going to be a voter turnout problem on the Democrat side.”

He said that also working against the Democrats in New Hampshire are “the pains of inflation,” which he said “are very, very, real for average families out there. They need to see a change.”

Joe Biden, Donald Trump

President Biden and former President Trump face off in a debate in Atlanta, Georgia on June 27, 2024. (Getty Images)

Sununu is far from the only Republican in New Hampshire who’s optimistic.

“I firmly believe that New Hampshire is very much in play,” Steve Stepanek, the senior Trump adviser in the state, told Fox News days after the debate.

Democrats obviously disagree.

Former longtime Democratic state party chair and former Democratic National Committee member Kathy Sullivan spotlighted that “New Hampshire is not Trump-friendly territory” and that “there’s nothing changing the dynamic now in terms of Biden versus Trump in New Hampshire.” 

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Democrats also currently hold a very large organizational advantage over the GOP when it comes to ground-game operations in New Hampshire.

The Biden re-election team and the state Democratic coordinated campaign have 14 field offices across New Hampshire, with boots on the ground since January. Meanwhile, the Trump team and the GOP currently have one field office in addition to the campaign’s state headquarters.

“New Hampshire Democrats will continue to use our robust, grassroots campaign infrastructure to reach Granite Staters in every corner of New Hampshire to ensure we come together and re-elect President Biden and Vice President Harris in November — the stakes could not be higher,” longtime state Democratic Party chair Ray Buckley emphasized in a statement.

Gov. Chris Sununu of New Hampshire says his state is in play in the presidential election

Republican Gov. Chris Sununu of New Hampshire is interviewed by Fox News Digital, on July 11, 2024, in Newfields, N.H.  (Fox News – Paul Steinhauser)

Sununu won’t be heading to Milwaukee, Wisconsin for next week’s Republican National Convention.

“I’ve got a job to do here,” he emphasized. 

But the governor, who in recent years has been a frequent guest on the national broadcast and cable news networks, said he would “doing a lot of media” remotely.

The big announcement coming out of the convention will be Trump’s naming of a running mate.

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“I don’t think it will make a huge difference in terms of whether Trump will be successful in terms of the campaign, but it will surely make a difference in terms of the former president’s ability to be productive once he gets back into office,” Sununu said. 

Sununu made a pitch for Trump to name a governor, noting that “obviously I’m pretty biased in that direction that you need a CEO, a partner, a manager that can help take care of a lot of the other things that the president – being a 24-7 type job – may not be able to handle.”

Doug Burgum is on Donald Trump's running mate short list, sources tell Fox News

North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum speaks at a news conference with fellow Republican governors, at an oil refinery in Chalmette, Louisiana on June 3, 2024. New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu is seen standing to the right behind Burgum. (Fox News – Paul Steinhauser)

Asked about North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum, who is considered to be on the short list for running mate, the governor had plenty of praise.

Sununu, who joined Burgum on the campaign trail in New Hampshire last year as Burgum unsuccessfully ran for the White House, said “Doug Burgum is incredible. He’s a great friend. He was a great governor. He’d be a great asset towards the Trump administration.”

Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more at our Fox News Digital election hub.



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