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Trump implies 'second amendment folks' could stop Clinton judge picks – live
Trump implies 'second amendment folks' could stop Clinton judge picks – live
(35 minutes later)
9.49pm BST
21:49
US Secret Service, on Donald Trump’s comments:
The Secret Service is aware of the comment.
9.49pm BST
21:49
The NRA might have changed the channel a little early.
.@RealDonaldTrump is right. If @HillaryClinton gets to pick her anti-#2A #SCOTUS judges, there’s nothing we can do. #NeverHillary
9.43pm BST
21:43
Donald Trump’s campaign’s initial clarification of his remarks in Wilmington, North Carolina, today was to blame the “dishonest media” for quoting Trump as saying that the use of firearms could be considered a logical recourse in the event of Hillary Clinton’s selection of supreme court justices. So, in the interest of providing as much information as possible to American readers and voters, here are Trump’s full comments regarding the Second Amendment today:
Hillary wants to abolish, essentially, the Second Amendment. By the way, if she gets to pick, if she gets to pick her judges, nothing you can do, folks. Although the Second Amendment people, maybe there is, I dunno. But I tell you what, that will be a horrible day. If Hillary gets to put her judges in, right now we’re tied. You see what’s going on. We’re tied ‘cause Scalia, this was not supposed to happen. Justice Scalia was going to be around for ten more years, at least, and this is what happened. That was a horrible thing, So now look at it. So Hillary essentially wants to abolish the second amendment.
Now speaking to the NRA folks, who are great: when you, when you, and I tell you, so they endorsed me. They endorsed me very early. My sons are members. I’m a member. If you, we can add, I think the National Rifle Association, we can add the Second Amendment to the justices, they almost go, in a certain way, hand and hand. Now the justices are going to do things that are so important. And we have such great justices. You saw my list of eleven that have been vetted and respected and have gotten great, and they, a little bit, equate.
But if you don’t do what’s the right thing, you’re not going to have - either you’re not going to have a Second Amendment or you’re not going to have much of it left. And you’re not going to be able to protect yourselves, which you need. Which you need! When the bad guys burst into your hours, they’re not looking about Second Amendments and ‘do I have the right to do this.’ The bad guys aren’t going to be giving up their weapons. But the good people will say, ‘oh, well, that’s the law.’ No, no. Not going to happen. We can’t let it happen. We can’t let it happen.
9.30pm BST
21:30
Video: Donald Trump implying that the use of firearms might be adequate response to Hillary Clinton’s selection of supreme court justices.
9.29pm BST
21:29
Roger Stone, an informal adviser to the Trump campaign, implied last month to internet agitator Milo Yiannopoulos that the notion of discrediting the election as “illegitimate” is part of Trump’s campaign strategy.
“I think we have widespread voter fraud, but the first thing that Trump needs to do is begin talking about it constantly,” Stone said. “He needs to say for example, today would be a perfect example: ‘I am leading in Florida. The polls all show it. If I lose Florida, we will know that there’s voter fraud. If there’s voter fraud, this election will be illegitimate, the election of the winner will be illegitimate, we will have a constitutional crisis, widespread civil disobedience, and the government will no longer be the government.’”
“If you can’t have an honest election, nothing else counts,” Stone continued. “I think he’s gotta put them on notice that their inauguration will be a rhetorical, and when I mean civil disobedience, not violence, but it will be a bloodbath. The government will be shut down if they attempt to steal this and swear Hillary in. No, we will not stand for it. We will not stand for it.”
9.26pm BST
21:26
Ex-CIA director Michael Hayden, on Trump’s comment:
If someone said that outside hall, they’d be in a police wagon being questioned by Secret Service.
9.22pm BST
21:22
Note: Threatening to kill, kidnap, or inflict bodily harm on a presidential candidate is a felony, punishable with up to five years in prison.
9.14pm BST
9.14pm BST
21:14
21:14
The last time that a major candidate joked - or appeared to offhandedly suggest - that their opponent be assassinated, it helped result in their resounding defeat.
The last time that a major candidate joked - or appeared to offhandedly suggest - that their opponent be assassinated, it helped result in their resounding defeat.
In 2010, Nevada senate candidate Sharron Angle said in a radio interview that the Second Amendment’s right to bear arms could be construed to encourage firearm-bearing Americans to throw off the shackles of elected officials, including her then-opponent, senate minority leader Harry Reid.
In 2010, Nevada senate candidate Sharron Angle said in a radio interview that the Second Amendment’s right to bear arms could be construed to encourage firearm-bearing Americans to throw off the shackles of elected officials, including her then-opponent, senate minority leader Harry Reid.
“I feel that the Second Amendment is the right to keep and bear arms for our citizenry,” Angle said at the time. “This not for someone who’s in the military. This not for law enforcement. This is for us. And in fact when you read that Constitution and the founding fathers, they intended this to stop tyranny. This is for us when our government becomes tyrannical.”
“I feel that the Second Amendment is the right to keep and bear arms for our citizenry,” Angle said at the time. “This not for someone who’s in the military. This not for law enforcement. This is for us. And in fact when you read that Constitution and the founding fathers, they intended this to stop tyranny. This is for us when our government becomes tyrannical.”
“t’s to defend ourselves. And you know, I’m hoping that we’re not getting to Second Amendment remedies. I hope the vote will be the cure for the Harry Reid problems.”
“t’s to defend ourselves. And you know, I’m hoping that we’re not getting to Second Amendment remedies. I hope the vote will be the cure for the Harry Reid problems.”
9.07pm BST
9.07pm BST
21:07
21:07
Members of Congress are already responding to Donald Trump’s comments, reading them as a call for Hillary Clinton’s assassination or that of her would-be supreme court nominee:
Members of Congress are already responding to Donald Trump’s comments, reading them as a call for Hillary Clinton’s assassination or that of her would-be supreme court nominee:
Donald Trump suggested someone kill Sec. Clinton. We must take people at their word. @SecretService must investigate #TrumpThreat.
Donald Trump suggested someone kill Sec. Clinton. We must take people at their word. @SecretService must investigate #TrumpThreat.
Was @realDonaldTrump suggesting his supporters shoot Hillary? Shoot her nominee? Who knows. It's all so disgusting and embarrassing and sad.
Was @realDonaldTrump suggesting his supporters shoot Hillary? Shoot her nominee? Who knows. It's all so disgusting and embarrassing and sad.
9.03pm BST
9.03pm BST
21:03
21:03
Clinton campaign: 'What Trump is saying is dangerous'
Clinton campaign: 'What Trump is saying is dangerous'
In comment provided to the Guardian, Hillary Clinton campaign manager Robby Mook called Trump’s suggestion that firearms be used in response to Hillary Clinton’s nomination of supreme court judges “dangerous.”
In comment provided to the Guardian, Hillary Clinton campaign manager Robby Mook called Trump’s suggestion that firearms be used in response to Hillary Clinton’s nomination of supreme court judges “dangerous.”
This is simple - what Trump is saying is dangerous. A person seeking to the be President of the United States should not suggest violence in any way.
This is simple - what Trump is saying is dangerous. A person seeking to the be President of the United States should not suggest violence in any way.
9.01pm BST
9.01pm BST
21:01
21:01
Donald Trump campaign: '2nd Amendment people have amazing spirit and are tremendously unified'
Donald Trump campaign: '2nd Amendment people have amazing spirit and are tremendously unified'
Donald Trump’s presidential campaign has responded to accusations that the candidate implied that the use of firearms might be an appropriate response to Hillary Clinton’s election to the presidency and nomination of supreme court judges, blasting “dishonest media” for quoting Trump.
Donald Trump’s presidential campaign has responded to accusations that the candidate implied that the use of firearms might be an appropriate response to Hillary Clinton’s election to the presidency and nomination of supreme court judges, blasting “dishonest media” for quoting Trump.
“It’s called the power of unification – 2nd Amendment people have amazing spirit and are tremendously unified, which gives them great political power,” Jason Miller, the campaign’s senior communications adviser, said in a statement. “And this year, they will be voting in record numbers, and it won’t be for Hillary Clinton, it will be for Donald Trump.”
“It’s called the power of unification – 2nd Amendment people have amazing spirit and are tremendously unified, which gives them great political power,” Jason Miller, the campaign’s senior communications adviser, said in a statement. “And this year, they will be voting in record numbers, and it won’t be for Hillary Clinton, it will be for Donald Trump.”
8.59pm BST
20:59
The Guardian’s David Smith has more on Rudy Giuliani’s introduction of Donald Trump in Wilmington, North Carolina, in which he implied that Hillary Clinton should face a similar punishment to a man who was executed by Iran for spying.
Trump was introduced by Rudy Giuliani, the former New York mayor, who brought up the case of Shahram Amiri, an Iranian nuclear scientist executed for spying for the US. Clinton received emails mentioning him on her controversial personal server when she was secretary of state.
Giuliani said: “Remember Hillary told us there was no top secret information on her emails? Remember she told us that. Well, she lied! And I don’t know the connection between that and the death of Mr Amiri, but what I do know is it put a lot more attention on him when they found those emails. It certainly put him at great risk, even if they didn’t find them, and it shows you that when the director of the FBI said she was extremely careless, he was being kind.”
But Giuliani repeatedly waved away chants of “Lock her up!” from the crowd.
Related: Trump hints at assassination of Hillary Clinton by gun rights supporters
8.54pm BST
20:54
Priorities Action USA, a Super-Pac that supports Democratic candidates, has issued a succinct statement in response to Donald Trump’s apparent implication that firearms might be used in response to Hillary Clinton’s selection of supreme court justices in an email titled “Donald Trump Just Suggested That Someone Shoot Hillary Clinton”:
THIS IS NOT OK.
8.52pm BST
20:52
The apparent implication that the use or ownership of firearms would be a potential recourse for Hillary Clinton’s selection of supreme court justices from Donald Trump this afternoon is not the first time that such a suggestion has come out of the Trump campaign.
Trump’s adviser on veterans issues, Al Baldasaro, called for Clinton’s execution by firing squad in a radio interview last month. “This whole thing disgusts me, Hillary Clinton should be put in the firing line and shot for treason,” Baldasaro said, calling Clinton a “piece of garbage.”
Trump campaign spokesperson Hope Hicks said that Trump’s campaign was “incredibly grateful for [Baldasaro’s] support, but we don’t agree with his comments.” Baldasaro was later investigated by the US Secret Service for the comments.
The Guardian has reached out to the US Secret Service regarding Trump’s comments today.
Updated
at 8.56pm BST
8.32pm BST
20:32
Donald Trump: 'Second Amendment folks' may prevent Clinton from selecting judges
Speaking at a rally in Wilmington, North Carolina, Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump appeared to suggest the use of firearms as a solution to rival Hillary Clinton choosing federal judges in the event of her election.
“Hillary wants to abolish, essentially abolish the second amendment, and by the way, and if she gets to pick, if she gets to pick her judges, nothing you can do, folks. Although the second amendment people, maybe there is, I dunno,” Trump said.
The audience cheered and whistled.
“But I’ll tell you what, that will be a horrible day,” Trump continued. “If Hillary gets to put her judges... right now, we’re tied - you see what’s going on. We’re tied, ’cause, Scalia, this was not supposed to happen. Justice Scalia was going to be around for ten more years, at least, and this is what happens. That was a horrible thing.”
The Guardian has reached out to the Trump campaign for clarification of the comment.
Updated
at 8.42pm BST
8.26pm BST
20:26
Appearing at a campaign rally in North Carolina, Donald Trump lashed out at Hillary Clinton as Isis’ “most-valuable player,” and forewarned that voter fraud will rob him of victory in the general election if his followers are not vigilant.
“If I’m Isis, I call her up and give her the Most Valuable Player award,” Trump said of his general election opponent, further saying that the late general George Patton is “spinning in his grave” over American military operations fighting Isis.
He then elaborated on a frequent theme from his recent rallies, declaring that his possible loss in the general election would be the result of voter fraud.
“Voter ID, what’s with that? What’s with voter ID? Why aren’t we having voter ID?” Trump asked the crowd. “In other words, I wanna vote. Here’s my identification. I wanna vote. As opposed to somebody coming up and voting 15 times for Hillary. Well, and I will not tell you to vote 15 times. I will not tell you to do that, okay? You won’t vote 15 times, but people will. They’ll vote many times. And how that could have happened is unbelievable and the governor just told me that they’re going before the United States supreme court. Justice Roberts. And maybe they can get a stay. let’s see what happens, okay? Let’s see what happens. That’s a very important thing.”
7.19pm BST
19:19
Sabrina Siddiqui
Russell Simmons, the American entrepreneur and founder of Def Jam Records, said his one-time friend Donald Trump has “fueled a lot of hate” in the pursuit of the presidency.
Appearing on the inaugural episode of Politics for Humans, a podcast hosted by Guardian US political reporter Sabrina Siddiqui, Simmons recalled taking Trump to a mosque in New York City years before he sought the Republican nomination for president. Back then, Trump, who as the Republican nominee has proposed banning all Muslim immigration to the US, was more amenable to meeting with Muslim leaders.
“He was very kind and that was the end of it,” Simmons said.
“But years later this fire has come up. He’s fueled a lot of hate and a lot of people are ignorant, and he’s helped to promote that ignorance.”
Simmons said he was once good friends with Trump - they traveled together to Trump’s Florida resort Mar-A-Lago each weekend, and Simmons even recalled being present for the real estate mogul’s first date with his wife Melania Trump. But the Trump he now sees on the campaign trail is someone he no longer recognizes.
“It’s scary, you don’t want him to be president for God’s sake,” Simmons said, adding that Trump was “a grudge carrier” and the two no longer speak. “He don’t talk to me after I said I’d rather Kim Kardashian be president.”
In the podcast, which examines the Black Lives Matter movement, Simmons also reflected on his experience as a black male and encounters with law enforcement.
“As a young person, I was always afraid of the police, and I have had experiences of being mistreated and yelled at and talked down to,” Simmons said.
Listen to the podcast here:
Related: Russell Simmons talks Black Lives Matter – Politics for humans podcast
7.09pm BST
19:09
Donald Trump holds rally in North Carolina
Watch it live here:
6.58pm BST
18:58
Donald Trump will commit to debates - with conditions
After being challenged by opponent Hillary Clinton to accept the terms of three upcoming presidential debates after quibbling on the schedule, Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump told Time in an interview that he will commit to the debates - but some of the terms might be “renegotiated.”
“I will absolutely do three debates,” Trump said. “I want to debate very badly. But I have to see the conditions.”
The nonpartisan organization in charge of general-election debates, the Commission on Presidential Debates, selected the dates, format and venues of the three presidential debates and single vice-presidential debate in September of last year - but that hasn’t kept Trump from insisting that the schedule was “rigged” by Clinton’s team.
“I renegotiated the debates in the primaries, remember?” Trump said, of the primary debates, one of which he elected not to appear on. “They were making a fortune on them and they had us in for three and a half hours and I said that’s ridiculous. I’m sure they’ll be open to any suggestions I have, because I think they’ll be very fair suggestions. But I haven’t [seen the conditions] yet. They’re actually presented to me tonight.”
Trump also declared that he is willing to veto the selection of moderators, which have not been announced.
“I’ll have to see who the moderators are,” Trump said. “Yeah, I would say that certain moderators would be unacceptable, absolutely. I did very well in the debates on the primaries. According to the polls, I won all of them. So I look forward to the debates. But, yeah, I want to have fair moderators … I will demand fair moderators.”
Last night, Clinton’s campaign released a statement urging Trump to commit to the debates, calling it “concerning that the Trump campaign is already engaged in shenanigans around these debates.”
The three debates are scheduled for 26 September in Hempstead, New York; 9 October in St. Louis; and 19 October in Las Vegas. The lone vice-presidential debate will be held on 4 October in Farmville, Virginia.
6.46pm BST
18:46
Former nuclear launch officer: Trump 'mentally unfit' to oversee nuclear arsenal
In a damning editorial published in the Los Angeles Times, a former Minuteman III nuclear launch officer wrote that Donald Trump “cannot be trusted” to responsibly wield America’s nuclear arsenal.
The op-ed, titled “I was a Minuteman III nuclear launch officer. Take it from me: We can’t let Trump become president,” was penned by John Noonan, who worked more than 300 nuclear “alerts,” 24-hour shifts in which he was entrusted with the execution of US nuclear protocols if so ordered by the president. Noonan “spent five years of my life as a Minuteman III launch officer,” and an additional year as an instructor.
In the piece, Noonan expressed horror at Trump’s apparent fascination with nuclear weapons, and his lack of familiarity with the concept of deterrence as a strategy.
“It gives me no pleasure to say this, but I believe my party’s nominee for president is mentally unfit to assume this heavy responsibility,” Noonan, a longtime Republican, wrote. “Trump cannot be trusted with weapons that can kill millions ... These duties are simply too grave to entrust to a man who has exhibited sociopathic and chronically narcissistic behavior throughout his checkered career.”
6.24pm BST
18:24
Bernie Sanders campaigns against Debbie Wasserman Schultz
Citing the hacking of Democratic National Committee emails that revealed bias against his presidential campaign among senior members of the party, Vermont senator and former Democrat Bernie Sanders is using his considerable fundraising apparatus to kick Debbie Wasserman Schultz out of Congress.
“This race is very important for Our Revolution because if we can win this tough fight in Florida, it will send a clear message about the power of our grassroots movement that will send shockwaves through the political and media establishments,” Sanders penned in an email to his followers.
“The recent emails leaked from Democratic Party staff showed that under Debbie Wasserman Schultz, DNC staff were not exactly fair and even-minded during the presidential primary,” Sanders continued. “What was revealed wasn’t much of a shock to us, because we knew all along that the establishment wasn’t on our side.”
After her resignation as chair of the DNC, however, Sanders wrote that “we have the opportunity to transform the Democratic Party and open up its doors to working people and young people - people who want real change.”
