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In Context: What Trump said about Cheney facing a firing squad

In Context: What Trump said about Cheney facing a firing squad

EXPLAINER With widespread interpretations of Trump’s remarks, we review his comments in their original context. So what did he say — and what did he likely mean? By Amy Sherman | PolitiFact Published On 2 Nov 20242 Nov 2024 Former US President Donald Trump called former US Republican lawmaker Liz Cheney a “radical war hawk” and said she should see how it feels to face guns “trained on her face”. Trump made the comments to former Fox News host Tucker Carlson at an October 31 campaign event in Glendale, Arizona. Carlson asked Trump whether it was “weird” for him to see Cheney, the daughter of former Republican Vice President Dick Cheney, campaigning against him. Liz Cheney has vocally supported Kamala Harris, the Democratic presidential candidate, and her father also said he would vote for Harris. With widespread interpretations of Trump’s remarks, we review his comments in their original context. So what did he say – and what did he likely mean? Trump’s answer to Carlson’s question lasted several minutes and covered his feelings about former President George W. Bush and Dick Cheney; the pardon of Lewis “Scooter” Libby, who was a former Dick Cheney aide; and the US House Select Committee that investigated the January 6, 2021 assault on the US Capitol. Trump’s comments about Liz Cheney and a firing squad drew the most public attention. When asked about Liz Cheney campaigning for Harris, Trump said, “Well, I think it hurts Kamala a lot. Actually. Look, [Cheney is] a deranged person. The reason she doesn’t like me is that she wanted to stay in Iraq.” Trump covered many other topics, then said, “I don’t want to go to war. [Liz Cheney] wanted to go, she wanted to stay in Syria. I took [troops] out. She wanted to stay in Iraq. I took them out. I mean, if it were up to her, we’d be in 50 different countries. And you know, number one, it’s very dangerous. Number two, a lot of people get killed. And number three, I mean, it’s very, very expensive.” Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump participates in a fireside chat with Tucker Carlson at ‘Tucker Carlson Live on Tour’ at Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale, Arizona, on October 31, 2024 [Brendan McDermid/Reuters] Later, Trump added, “I don’t blame [Dick Cheney] for sticking with his daughter, but his daughter is a very dumb individual, very dumb. She is a radical war hawk. Let’s put her with a rifle standing there with nine barrels shooting at her, OK? Let’s see how she feels about it. You know, when the guns are trained on her face.” Liz Cheney replied on November 1 on X: “This is how dictators destroy free nations. They threaten those who speak against them with death. We cannot entrust our country and our freedom to a petty, vindictive, cruel, unstable man who wants to be a tyrant.” Her post included the hashtags #Womenwillnotbesilenced and #VoteKamala. Some people, including former Republican presidential candidate and Illinois representative Joe Walsh, a Trump critic, said Trump’s main point was about Liz Cheney’s stance on war. Trump’s campaign defended his remarks, publishing multiple statements: Campaign spokesperson Karoline Leavitt wrote on November 1 on X: “To every FAKE NEWS reporter taking President Trump’s words out of context: President Trump was CLEARLY explaining that warmongers like Liz Cheney are very quick to start wars and send other Americans to fight them, rather than go into combat themselves. In a November 1 statement to the press, the Trump campaign wrote, “The press has been disgracefully covering these remarks by saying that President Trump suggested that Liz Cheney should be put in front of a ‘firing squad’. Are these reporters malicious or dumb? President Trump was clearly describing a combat zone.” In another November 1 statement to the press, the campaign wrote, “Nowhere did President Trump suggest War Hawk Liz Cheney be put in front of a ‘firing squad’, be ‘executed’, or be ‘shot’ — he was making the point that War Hawks are quick to start endless foreign wars and send other Americans to fight, with zero regard for the human cost.” In 2002, Dick Cheney made the George W. Bush administration’s case for preemptive military action against Iraq based on allegations about weapons of mass destruction. In 2007, the Institute for Defense Analyses, a nonprofit research branch of the Pentagon’s Joint Forces Command, completed an assessment of the Bush administration’s rationale, basing its conclusions on more than half a million captured Iraqi documents. That study “found no ‘smoking gun’ (i.e., direct connection) between Saddam’s Iraq and al-Qaida”. When Liz Cheney represented Wyoming as a Republican in Congress, she supported Trump’s legislative agenda while he was president but broke with him after the January 6, 2021, assault on the Capitol. She dismissed Trump’s false claims of a fraudulent 2020 election and has blamed him for inciting the Capitol riot. Cheney served on the US House January 6 select committee that held public hearings about the riot. She lost her reelection bid in 2022. Adblock test (Why?)

Rashida Tlaib refuses to endorse Kamala Harris as Gaza war takes toll on Dem voter base

Rashida Tlaib refuses to endorse Kamala Harris as Gaza war takes toll on Dem voter base

Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., refused to endorse Vice President Kamala Harris at a rally in Detroit, Michigan on Friday. Tlaib appeared alongside fellow “squad” member Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., and members of the United Auto Workers union. While Ocasio-Cortez and other speakers threw their support behind Harris, Tlaib only urged Michiganders to get out and vote and didn’t mention Harris, according to the Detroit News. “Don’t underestimate the power you all have,” she told rally-goers. “More than those ads, those lawn signs, those billboards, you all have more power to turn out people that understand we’ve got to fight back against corporate greed in our country. … We’ve got to make sure that the nonpartisan part of the ballot gets filled in.” Tlaib has been heavily critical of the Biden-Harris administration’s handling of Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza. Her stance mirrors that of many Muslims and Arabs in the U.S., a demographic that has a large representation in Michigan. PROTESTERS INTERRUPT KAMALA HARRIS’ MICHIGAN RALLY: ‘NO MORE GAZA WAR!’ Tlaib issued her most stark rejection of the Harris-Walz ticket in September during an appearance on MSNBC. She said at the time that she had many consituents come to her saying they did not feel their could support Harris and she told them, “there’s other people on this ballot that support a ceasefire. There’s other people on this ballot that can protect our community.” GAZA PROTESTERS PLAGUE HARRIS RALLIES: ‘WISH I COULD VOTE FOR U’ There are multiple third-party candidates for president on the ballot in Michigan, including Jill Stein and left-wing activist Cornel West. Harris’ campaign is attempting to play both sides of the Gaza conflict, appealing to Jewish voters in Pennsylvania by highlighting her support for Israel’s autonomy, while condemning the violence in Gaza in ads aimed at Michigan Muslims. A report from CNN on Friday put a spotlight on the Harris campaign’s divergent Facebook ads. “And let me be clear- I will always stand up for Israel’s right to defend itself,” Harris says in the Facebook ad, which had been taken from her DNC convention speech. “And I will always ensure Israel has the ability to defend itself because the people of Israel must never again face the horror that a terrorist organization called Hamas caused on October 7, including unspeakable sexual violence and the massacre of young people at a music festival.” After an edit, Harris adds, “And know this: I will never hesitate to take whatever action is necessary to defend our forces and our interests against Iran and Iran-backed terrorists.” Meanwhile, the Harris campaign launched a separate ad, this one aimed at Arab-Americans in Michigan, expressing solidarity with civilians in Gaza. “What has happened in Gaza over the past nine months is devastating,” Harris says in the ad. “We cannot allow ourselves to become numb to the suffering and I will not be silent.” In another speech featured in the same ad,” Harris says, “Our common humanity compels us to act.” The video itself is captioned as “VP Harris has been working to end the suffering in Gaza.”

Georgia GOP threatens lawsuit against deep-blue Fulton County over extended absentee voting

Georgia GOP threatens lawsuit against deep-blue Fulton County over extended absentee voting

Georgia Republicans are vowing to sue the Democratic stronghold of Fulton County after it announced extended elections office hours on Friday. The threat came after the state GOP learned that election officials in the county, which includes Atlanta, are planning to open four election offices this weekend ‘to accommodate voters seeking to hand-return their absentee ballots.’ “This is a blatant violation of Georgia law . . . which states ‘all drop boxes shall be closed when the advance voting period ends,’” the Georgia GOP said in a statement late on Friday. Fulton County is expected to be key to Democrats’ chances of winning Georgia again in 2024 – something that Republicans alluded to in their statement. MIKE JOHNSON KICKS OFF SWING-STATE TOUR AS GOP CLINGS TO HOUSE CONTROL “To make matters worse, the four election office locations are situated in areas of the county that will clearly favor Democrat candidates,” the statement said. Fulton County was one of several to announce it would keep election offices open this weekend for voters turning in their existing absentee ballots in-person. Drop boxes are a way for voters to turn in their absentee ballots at elections offices without human contact, which is different from submitting them in person at the office itself. Drop boxes were available through Georgia’s early voting period from Oct. 15 through Nov. 1. But Republicans are arguing that the extended hours for turning in absentee ballots over the weekend run afoul of the state’s rules. ‘TIPPING THE SCALES’: HOUSE GOP LEADERS RIP ACTBLUE AFTER DEM FUNDRAISING GIANT HIT WITH SUBPOENA Fox News Digital reached out to the Fulton County government and Kamala Harris presidential campaign for comment. NPR reporter Stephen Fowler wrote on X of the lawsuit threat, “Multiple counties are doing it, and there’s nothing illegal about it – these aren’t drop boxes.” It comes after a Fulton County Superior Court judge rejected Republicans’ bid to force the county to hire more Republican poll workers for Election Day on Tuesday. State, federal and local Republican parties accused the Fulton County Department of Registration and Elections of not hiring enough GOP poll workers. They alleged that nine out of 45 qualified applicants were hired to help with early voting, while just six of 62 were hired for Election Day, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Judge Kevin Farmer said the case would be looked at further but declined to order emergency measures to force more Republican poll workers in by Tuesday. ‘ILLEGAL, UNCONSTITUTIONAL AND VOID’: GEORGIA JUDGE STRIKES DOWN NEW ELECTION RULES AFTER LEGAL FIGHTS Fulton County has seen more than 439,000 active voters cast absentee or early in-person ballots during Georgia’s early voting period. A significant majority of those were women over men – 55.9% to 43.8%. Roughly 72% of the county’s White voters turned out during that period, as well as 49% of Black active voters there. Former President Trump lost Georgia to President Biden by less than 12,000 votes in 2020. Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more at our Fox News Digital election hub. 

Indiana AG to probe reported ‘unsustainable’ influx of Haitian migrants into state’s small towns

Indiana AG to probe reported ‘unsustainable’ influx of Haitian migrants into state’s small towns

FIRST ON FOX: Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita is investigating coordinated efforts by international and local nonprofit organizations, as well as employers and a health department, to bring migrants —including those without legal status — into Indiana communities. “Illegal immigration caused by ‘border czar’ Kamala Harris’ perversion and misapplication of federal law has made every state a border state and imposed unsustainable costs on Logansport and other cities across the nation,” Rokita told Fox News Digital in a statement.  “It has also created serious sex and labor trafficking risks in all communities. I’m creatively trying to use every tool in the law to stop the Left’s intentional destruction of Indiana.” Logansport has a population of 18,366 according to the 2020 Census. Rokita’s office filed six Civil Investigative Demands (CID) on Friday, Fox News Digital learned first. The recipients are: the Cass County Health Department, Berry Global packaging company, the Evansville-based nonprofit God is Good foundation, the Jackson County Industrial Development Corporation, the Logansport Community School Corporation and the Tent Partnership for Refugees, a network of over 400 major companies connecting refugees to jobs. HAITIAN MIGRANTS OVERWHELMING SMALL INDIANA TOWN: ‘IT’S JUST OVERRUN’ The investigations will take place in Evansville, Logansport, and Seymour, as officials believe the influx of noncitizens is an alleged “coordinated effort” between nonprofits and employers to attract migrant workers.  Rokita’s office said the swift increase in immigrant populations has led to overcrowded housing, with multiple families and sometimes dozens of individuals living in homes meant for single families. The crisis has also raised concerns about possible labor trafficking. The investigative demand for Cass County Health Department comes as the health department has been inspecting apartments and residences, according to the CID.  Investigators are also seeking to know if any individuals residing in overcrowded residences were employed by or contracted to provide services for the owner or manager, as well as the number of individuals observed in the residence and their citizenship status. TRUMP SOUNDS ALARM ON ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT MURDERERS: ‘A LOT OF BAD GENES IN OUR COUNTRY’ Last month, residents in the town of Logansport, Indiana, said that an influx of migrants from Haiti and other countries into their little town is overwhelming services. Logansport’s mayor estimates the population has grown by 20%-30% since 2021, most of that being Haitians moving in. More than 3,000 Haitians have arrived. Meanwhile, in numbers first reported by the New York Post, the number of Haitian students in the schools has gone from 14 to 207. HAITIAN MIGRATION ROILS TOWN IN KEY BATTLEGROUND STATE WITH SIGNS OF PRO-TRUMP SUPPORT ON THE RISE  Others have pointed to other effects of Haitian migration, with one mother telling the Post her daughter was accosted by Haitian migrants as she walked to a nearby coffee shop. Multiple residents also told Fox News the new arrivals make them feel uncomfortable and unsafe, with one woman saying some of the male Haitian migrants in town would “stop in front of our porch and just stop and stare. They don’t say a word. They just stare. It’s unnerving.” Fox News DIgital’s Adam Shaw, Garrett Tenney and Patrick McGovern contributed to this report.

‘This man stood up’: Pro-Trump group launches blistering seven-figure ad buy as closing pitch to voters

‘This man stood up’: Pro-Trump group launches blistering seven-figure ad buy as closing pitch to voters

FIRST ON FOX: A pro-Trump group has launched a seven-figure ad buy as a closing pitch for the former president after the clip went viral on social media. On Friday, Building America’s Future (BAF), a conservative nonprofit, released the clip titled “Moments” that it says highlights the “attacks on Donald Trump and his supporters in recent months.” The ad, posted on X by Elon Musk and others, has garnered over 20 million views on X.  “Think about all they’ve done to Donald Trump,” the ad says. “First it was hoaxes, witch hunts, and impeachments. Then it was FBI raids, courtrooms, and mug shots. Finally, it was bullets in a Pennsylvania field. JENNIFER LOPEZ CRIES WHILE ENDORSING HARRIS AFTER SHE’S AMBUSHED BY DIDDY QUESTION AS SPECULATION MOUNTS “And after all that, this man stood up, with blood draining down his face, pumped his fist in the air and told us to ‘Fight. Fight. Fight.’” The ad then plays a clip from Trump saying. “America’s future will be bigger, better, bolder, brighter, happier, stronger, free-er, greater, and more united than ever before. And we will Make America Great Again.” HARRIS CAMPAIGN DISHES OUT SIX-FIGURE DONATIONS TO GROUPS WHO SUPPORT DEFUNDING POLICE, REPARATIONS “We know what they think of us,” a narrator says before a clip of President Biden speaking. “The only garbage I see floating out there is his supporters,” Biden says, echoing his comment that sparked a political firestorm earlier this week.  “So, if Donald Trump can get through all of that, We can get out to vote,” the ad closes. BAF will begin airing the ad as part of a $1.2 million spend on national television across battleground states as well as paid digital and texting.