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  • President Trump says Intel agreed to give US a stake in its company

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    President Donald Trump on Friday announced the U.S. government has secured a 10% stake in struggling Silicon Valley pioneer Intel in a deal that was completed just a couple weeks after he was depicting the company’s CEO as a conflicted leader unfit for the job.“The United States of America now fully owns and controls 10% of INTEL, a Great American Company that has an even more incredible future,” Trump wrote in a post.The U.S. government is getting the stake through the conversion of $11.1 billion in previously issued funds and pledges. All told, the government is getting 433.3 million shares of non-voting stock priced at $20.47 apiece — a discount from Friday’s closing price at $24.80. That spread means the U.S. government already has a gain of $1.9 billion, on paper.The remarkable turn of events makes the U.S. government one of Intel’s largest shareholders at a time that the Santa Clara, California, company is i n the process of jettisoning more than 20,000 workers as part of its latest attempt to bounce back from years of missteps taken under a variety of CEOs.Intel’s current CEO, Lip-Bu Tan, has only been on the job for slightly more than five months, and earlier this month, it looked like he might be on shaky ground already after some lawmakers raised national security concerns about his past investments in Chinese companies while he was a venture capitalist. Trump latched on to those concerns in an August 7 post demanding that Tan resign.But Trump backed off after the Malaysian-born Tan professed his allegiance to the U.S. in a public letter to Intel employees and went to the White House to meet with the president, leading to a deal that now has the U.S. government betting that the company is on the comeback trail after losing more than $22 billion since the end of 2023. Trump hailed Tan as “highly respected” CEO in his Friday post.In a statement, Tan applauded Trump for “driving historic investments in a vital industry” and resolved to reward his faith in Intel. “We are grateful for the confidence the President and the Administration have placed in Intel, and we look forward to working to advance U.S. technology and manufacturing leadership,” Tan said.Intel’s current stock price is just slightly above where it was when Tan was hired in March and more than 60% below its peak of about $75 reached 25 years ago when its chips were still dominating the personal computer boom before being undercut by a shift to smartphones a few years later. The company’s market value currently stands at about $108 billion – a fraction of the current chip kingpin, Nvidia, which is valued at $4.3 trillion.The stake is coming primarily through U.S. government grants to Intel through the CHIPS and Science Act that was started under President Joe Biden’s administration as a way to foster more domestic manufacturing of computer chips to lessen the dependence on overseas factories.But the Trump administration, which has regularly pilloried the policies of the Biden administration, saw the CHIPs act as a needless giveaway and is now hoping to make a profit off the funding that had been pledged to Intel.”We think America should get the benefit of the bargain,” U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said earlier this week. “It’s obvious that it’s the right move to make.”About $7.8 billion had been been pledged to Intel under the incentives program, but only $2.2 billion had been funded so far. Another $3.2 billion of the government investment is coming through the funds from another program called “Secure Enclave.”Although U.S. government can’t vote with its shares and won’t have a seat on Intel’s board of directors, critics of the deal view it as a troubling cross-pollination between the public and private sectors that could hurt the tech industry in a variety of ways.For instance, more tech companies may feel pressured to buy potentially inferior chips from Intel to curry favor with Trump at a time that he is already waging a trade war that threatens to affect their products in a potential scenario cited by Scott Lincicome, vice president of general economics for the Cato Institute.“Overall, it’s a horrendous move that will have real harms for U.S. companies, U.S. tech leadership, and the U.S. economy overall,” Lincicome posted Friday.The 10% stake could also intensify the pressure already facing Tan, especially if Trump starts fixating on Intel’s stock price while resorting to his penchant for celebrating his past successes in business.Nancy Tengler, CEO of money manager Laffer Tengler Investments, is among the investors who abandoned Intel years ago because of all the challenges facing Intel.“I don’t see the benefit to the American taxpayer, nor do I see the benefit, necessarily to the chip industry,” Tengler said while also raising worries about Trump meddling in Intel’s business.“I don’t care how good of businessman you are, give it to the private sector and let people like me be the critic and let the government get to the business of government.,” Tengler said.Although rare, it’s not unprecedented for the U.S. government to become a significant shareholder in a prominent company. One of the most notable instances occurred during the Great Recession in 2008 when the government injected nearly $50 billion into General Motors in return for a roughly 60% stake in the automaker at a time it was on the verge of bankruptcy. The government ended up with a roughly $10 billion loss after it sold its stock in GM.The U.S. government’s stake in Intel coincides with Trump’s push to bring production to the U.S., which has been a focal point of the trade war that he has been waging throughout the world. By lessening the country’s dependence on chips manufactured overseas, the president believes the U.S. will be better positioned to maintain its technological lead on China in the race to create artificial intelligence.Even before gaining the 10% stake in Intel, Trump had been leveraging his power to reprogram the operations of major computer chip companies. The administration is requiring Nvidia and Advanced Micro Devices, two companies whose chips are powering the AI craze, to pay a 15% commission on their sales of chips in China in exchange for export licenses.

    President Donald Trump on Friday announced the U.S. government has secured a 10% stake in struggling Silicon Valley pioneer Intel in a deal that was completed just a couple weeks after he was depicting the company’s CEO as a conflicted leader unfit for the job.

    “The United States of America now fully owns and controls 10% of INTEL, a Great American Company that has an even more incredible future,” Trump wrote in a post.

    The U.S. government is getting the stake through the conversion of $11.1 billion in previously issued funds and pledges. All told, the government is getting 433.3 million shares of non-voting stock priced at $20.47 apiece — a discount from Friday’s closing price at $24.80. That spread means the U.S. government already has a gain of $1.9 billion, on paper.

    The remarkable turn of events makes the U.S. government one of Intel’s largest shareholders at a time that the Santa Clara, California, company is i n the process of jettisoning more than 20,000 workers as part of its latest attempt to bounce back from years of missteps taken under a variety of CEOs.

    Intel’s current CEO, Lip-Bu Tan, has only been on the job for slightly more than five months, and earlier this month, it looked like he might be on shaky ground already after some lawmakers raised national security concerns about his past investments in Chinese companies while he was a venture capitalist. Trump latched on to those concerns in an August 7 post demanding that Tan resign.

    But Trump backed off after the Malaysian-born Tan professed his allegiance to the U.S. in a public letter to Intel employees and went to the White House to meet with the president, leading to a deal that now has the U.S. government betting that the company is on the comeback trail after losing more than $22 billion since the end of 2023. Trump hailed Tan as “highly respected” CEO in his Friday post.

    In a statement, Tan applauded Trump for “driving historic investments in a vital industry” and resolved to reward his faith in Intel. “We are grateful for the confidence the President and the Administration have placed in Intel, and we look forward to working to advance U.S. technology and manufacturing leadership,” Tan said.

    Intel’s current stock price is just slightly above where it was when Tan was hired in March and more than 60% below its peak of about $75 reached 25 years ago when its chips were still dominating the personal computer boom before being undercut by a shift to smartphones a few years later. The company’s market value currently stands at about $108 billion – a fraction of the current chip kingpin, Nvidia, which is valued at $4.3 trillion.

    The stake is coming primarily through U.S. government grants to Intel through the CHIPS and Science Act that was started under President Joe Biden’s administration as a way to foster more domestic manufacturing of computer chips to lessen the dependence on overseas factories.

    But the Trump administration, which has regularly pilloried the policies of the Biden administration, saw the CHIPs act as a needless giveaway and is now hoping to make a profit off the funding that had been pledged to Intel.

    “We think America should get the benefit of the bargain,” U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said earlier this week. “It’s obvious that it’s the right move to make.”

    About $7.8 billion had been been pledged to Intel under the incentives program, but only $2.2 billion had been funded so far. Another $3.2 billion of the government investment is coming through the funds from another program called “Secure Enclave.”

    Although U.S. government can’t vote with its shares and won’t have a seat on Intel’s board of directors, critics of the deal view it as a troubling cross-pollination between the public and private sectors that could hurt the tech industry in a variety of ways.

    For instance, more tech companies may feel pressured to buy potentially inferior chips from Intel to curry favor with Trump at a time that he is already waging a trade war that threatens to affect their products in a potential scenario cited by Scott Lincicome, vice president of general economics for the Cato Institute.

    “Overall, it’s a horrendous move that will have real harms for U.S. companies, U.S. tech leadership, and the U.S. economy overall,” Lincicome posted Friday.

    The 10% stake could also intensify the pressure already facing Tan, especially if Trump starts fixating on Intel’s stock price while resorting to his penchant for celebrating his past successes in business.

    Nancy Tengler, CEO of money manager Laffer Tengler Investments, is among the investors who abandoned Intel years ago because of all the challenges facing Intel.

    “I don’t see the benefit to the American taxpayer, nor do I see the benefit, necessarily to the chip industry,” Tengler said while also raising worries about Trump meddling in Intel’s business.

    “I don’t care how good of businessman you are, give it to the private sector and let people like me be the critic and let the government get to the business of government.,” Tengler said.

    Although rare, it’s not unprecedented for the U.S. government to become a significant shareholder in a prominent company. One of the most notable instances occurred during the Great Recession in 2008 when the government injected nearly $50 billion into General Motors in return for a roughly 60% stake in the automaker at a time it was on the verge of bankruptcy. The government ended up with a roughly $10 billion loss after it sold its stock in GM.

    The U.S. government’s stake in Intel coincides with Trump’s push to bring production to the U.S., which has been a focal point of the trade war that he has been waging throughout the world. By lessening the country’s dependence on chips manufactured overseas, the president believes the U.S. will be better positioned to maintain its technological lead on China in the race to create artificial intelligence.

    Even before gaining the 10% stake in Intel, Trump had been leveraging his power to reprogram the operations of major computer chip companies. The administration is requiring Nvidia and Advanced Micro Devices, two companies whose chips are powering the AI craze, to pay a 15% commission on their sales of chips in China in exchange for export licenses.

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  • Moscow noncommittal on Trump proposal for Zelensky-Putin meeting

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    The presidents of Russia and Ukraine may finally meet to discuss peace after 3½ years of war, President Trump said Monday, hosting European leaders at the White House in a push to resolve the conflict.

    But it is unclear whether the Kremlin has agreed to the proposal, telling reporters only that Russian President Vladimir Putin would consider “raising the level” of negotiations between Russia’s and Ukraine’s representatives.

    Trump proposed that Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky meet one-on-one “at a location to be determined,” taking a call with the Russian leader in the middle of a high-stakes meeting with Zelensky and his European counterparts.

    “After that meeting takes place, we will have a Trilat, which would be the two Presidents, plus myself,” Trump wrote on social media. “Again, this was a very good, early step for a War that has been going on for almost four years.”

    The president’s statement came after European leaders urged Trump to “put pressure” on Russia, after his meeting with Putin in Alaska last week sparked widespread fears over the fate of U.S. support for security on the continent.

    The meeting had a historic flavor, with six European heads of government, the NATO secretary general and the president of the European Commission all converging on Washington for discussions with the president.

    Trump first met with Zelensky in the Oval Office, striking an affable tone after their last, disastrous meeting in the room in February. This time, Trump emphasized his “love” for the Ukrainian people and his commitment to provide security guarantees for Kyiv in an ultimate peace settlement with Russia.

    Zelensky offered only praise and gratitude to Trump, telling reporters that they had their “best” meeting yet.

    But an expanded meeting with Zelensky and the chancellor of Germany, the presidents of France and Finland, the prime ministers of the United Kingdom and Italy, and the heads of NATO and the European Commission hinted at a more challenging road ahead for the burgeoning peace effort.

    President Trump speaks to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, left foreground, as French President Emmanuel Macron listens during a meeting at the White House on Aug. 18, 2025.

    (Alex Brandon / Associated Press)

    “The next steps ahead are the more complicated ones now,” German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said. “The path is open — you opened it, but now the way is open for complicated negotiations, and to be honest, we would all like to see a ceasefire, at the latest, from the next meeting on.”

    “I can’t imagine the next meeting would take place without a ceasefire,” Merz added. “So let’s work on that. And let’s put pressure on Russia.”

    Emmanuel Macron, the French president, sat sternly throughout the start of the meeting before echoing Merz’s call.

    “Your idea to ask for a truce, a ceasefire, or at least to stop the killings,” Macron said, “is a necessity, and we all support this idea.”

    Trump had been in agreement with his European counterparts on the necessity of a ceasefire for months. Zelensky first agreed to one in March. But Putin has refused, pressing Russian advantages on the battlefield, and in Anchorage on Friday, he convinced Trump to drop his calls for an immediate halt to the fighting.

    “All of us would obviously prefer an immediate ceasefire while we work on a lasting peace. Maybe something like that could happen — as of this moment, it’s not happening,” Trump said at the meeting. “But President Zelensky and President Putin can talk a little bit more about that.”

    “I don’t know that it’s necessary,” Trump added. “You can do it through the war. But I like the ceasefire from another standpoint — you immediately stop the killing.”

    The European leaders all emphasized to Trump that they share his desire for peace. But the president of the commission, Ursula von der Leyen, called for a “just” peace, and Zelensky would not engage publicly with reporters on Putin’s central demand: a surrender of vast swaths of Ukrainian territory to Russian control.

    Putin first invaded Ukraine in 2014, occupying the Crimean peninsula in a stealth operation and funding an attack on the eastern region of Donbas using proxy forces. But he launched a full-scale invasion of the entire country in 2022, leading to the bloodiest conflict in Europe since World War II.

    In a hot mic moment, before the media were ushered out of the expanded meeting with European leaders, Trump told Macron that he believes the Russian president and former KGB officer would agree to a peace deal because of their personal relationship.

    He “wants to make a deal for me,” he said, “as crazy as it sounds.”

    ‘Article 5-like’ guarantees

    European leaders said that detailed U.S. security guarantees — for Ukraine specifically, and more broadly for Europe — were at the top of the agenda for Monday’s meetings, including the prospect of U.S. troops on the ground in Ukraine to enforce any future peace settlement.

    Asked whether U.S. forces would be involved, Trump did not rule it out, stating, “We’ll be talking about that.”

    “When it comes to security, there’s going to be a lot of help,” he said in the Oval Office. “It’s going to be good. They are first line of defense, because they’re there — they are Europe. But we’re going to help them out, also. We’ll be involved.”

    Von der Leyen, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer praised the Trump administration for discussing what it called “Article 5-like” security guarantees for Ukraine, referencing a provision of the North Atlantic Treaty Organizaton charter that states that an attack on one member is an attack on all.

    But the provision also provides countries in the alliance with broad discretion on whether to participate in a military response to an attack on a fellow member.

    Starmer and Macron have expressed a willingness for months to send British and French troops to Ukraine. But the Russian Foreign Ministry said Monday that Moscow would oppose the deployment of NATO troops to the country as “provocative” and “reckless,” creating a potential rift in the negotiations.

    A dark-bearded man, in dark suit, walks with another man, in suit and red tie, and a woman in a white suit

    President Trump walks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and White House protocol chief Monica Crowley in the White House on Aug. 18, 2025.

    (Alex Brandon / Associated Press)

    Despite the gulf between Europe and Russia, Trump expressed hope throughout the day that he could schedule a trilateral meeting with Putin and Zelensky.

    He planned on calling Putin shortly after European leaders left the White House, he told reporters, only to interrupt the meeting to call the Russian leader with the proposal for bilateral talks.

    Trump’s team floated inviting Zelensky to attend the negotiations in Alaska on Friday, and Zelensky has said he is willing to participate in a trilateral meeting. He repeated his interest to Trump on Monday and asked him to attend.

    It is unclear whether Moscow will agree to a summit involving Zelensky in any capacity. Ahead of Friday’s meeting, Russian officials said that conditions weren’t right for direct talks between Putin and the Ukrainian president. The Russian leader has repeatedly questioned Zelensky’s legitimacy and has tried to have him assassinated on numerous occasions.

    Quiet on territorial ‘swaps’

    In the Oval Office, a Fox News reporter asked Zelensky whether he was “prepared to keep sending Ukrainian troops to their deaths,” or whether he would “agree to redraw the maps” instead. The Ukrainian president demurred.

    “We live under each day attacks,” Zelensky responded. “We need to stop this war, to stop Russia. And we need the support — American and European partners.”

    Trump and his team largely adopted Putin’s position Friday that Russia should be able to keep the Ukrainian territory it has occupied by force — and possibly even more of Donetsk, which is part of the Donbas region and remains in Ukrainian control — in exchange for an end to the fighting. But European officials were silent on the idea on Monday.

    The Ukrainian Constitution prohibits the concession of territory without the support of a public referendum, and polls indicate that 3 in 4 Ukrainians oppose giving up land in an attempt to end the war.

    Steve Witkoff, the president’s envoy for special missions, said Sunday that Putin agreed to pass legislation through the Kremlin that would guarantee an end to wars of conquest in Ukraine, or elsewhere in Europe.

    But Russia has made similar commitments before.

    In 1994, the United States and Britain signed on to a agreement in Budapest with Ukraine and Russia that ostensibly guaranteed security for Kyiv and vowed to honor Ukraine’s territorial integrity. In exchange, Ukraine gave up its nuclear weapons.

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    Michael Wilner

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  • Putin and Trump conclude ‘productive’ summit but provide no details

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    ANCHORAGE — Three hours of negotiations with Vladimir Putin over Russia’s war in Ukraine were “extremely productive,” but only Kyiv can decide whether a deal toward a ceasefire is possible, President Trump said Friday, capping a historic summit with the Russian leader.

    At a news conference at a U.S. air base in Alaska, the two men alluded to agreements made, but offered no details and took no questions. “We didn’t get there,” Trump said.

    “I believe we had a very productive meeting. There were many, many points that we agreed on,” Trump said, adding: “There’s no deal until there’s a deal. I will call up NATO in a little while. I will call up various people.

    “It’s ultimately up to them,” he added.

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    Standing alongside Trump, Putin warned Europe not to “torpedo the nascent progress” of “the agreement that we’ve reached.”

    “We’re convinced that, in order to make the settlement last in the long term, we have to eliminate all the primary roots, the primary causes of the conflict,” Putin said. “Naturally, the security of Ukraine should be ensured as well.”

    The talks were the first high-level negotiations in Russia’s years-long military campaign, a war of conquest that has resulted in Europe’s bloodiest conflict since World War II.

    Trump had said before the summit he would know if Putin was serious about peace within minutes of their meeting. Yet, before the talks began, the Russian leader, a global pariah since launching his full-scale invasion of Ukraine three years ago, received a red carpet arrival on American soil and a greeting of applause from the U.S. president.

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    It was an extraordinary welcome for Putin, whose government has called the United States an “enemy state” and who faces an arrest warrant from the International Criminal Court over war crimes in Ukraine. Putin’s war has led to 1.4 million casualties, according to independent analysts, including 1 million dead and wounded among Russian soldiers alone.

    At the end of their news conference, Putin suggested Trump visit Moscow for their next summit. Trump said he would consider it.

    The high-stakes summit came amid ongoing Russian strikes on civilian targets. Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelensky, condemned Russian forces for striking a market in Sumy mere hours before the Alaska summit.

    “On the day of negotiations, the Russians are killing as well,” Zelensky said in a statement. “And that speaks volumes.”

    Zelensky was not invited to the Anchorage negotiations. But Trump said he hoped his meeting Friday would lead to direct talks “very shortly.”

    The Ukrainian president met with Britain’s prime minister in recent days, and planned to meet with French President Emmanuel Macron after the Alaska summit.

    Speaking with reporters aboard Air Force One on his way to Anchorage, Trump suggested he had planned to take a tougher line with Putin, threatening to walk if he didn’t see immediate progress.

    “I want to see a ceasefire,” Trump said. “I don’t know if it’s going to be today, but I’m not going to be happy if it’s not today.”

    The two men were scheduled to meet privately, accompanied only by interpreters, before joining their aides for a working lunch. But in-flight, Trump’s plans changed to include his secretary of State and national security advisor, Marco Rubio, as well as his special envoy to the conflict, Steve Witkoff.

    Whether Putin is ready to implement an immediate ceasefire is far from clear, with the Russian Foreign Ministry stating this week that the Kremlin’s war aims are “unchanged.” Over the past week, with the presidential summit scheduled, the Russian army launched an aggressive attempt to breech the Ukrainian front lines.

    Trump’s deference toward Putin has been a fixture of his time in office, with the president often refusing to criticize the Russian leader. But his tone began to shift toward Putin at a NATO summit in June, held in The Hague, where European leaders agreed to significant defense spending commitments in a bid to keep Trump on their side.

    Since then, Trump has repeatedly expressed “disappointment” with Putin’s refusal to heed his calls for a ceasefire, authorizing the deployment of Patriot missiles in Ukraine and the shipment of other U.S. military equipment.

    The Trump administration set a deadline of Aug. 8 for Putin to demonstrate he was seriously committed to peace negotiations, or otherwise face a new round of sanctions, this time targeting its trading partners. Witkoff, a real estate investor with no experience in the region and no diplomatic background, was dispatched to Moscow for meetings with Kremlin leadership.

    Within hours of Witkoff’s departure, White House planning for the summit was underway.

    The summit came together with so little time that the White House and the Kremlin struggled to secure hotels and venue spaces across Anchorage. The Kremlin press corps, comprising roughly 50 journalists, found itself sleeping on American Red Cross cots on the floor of a University of Alaska sports center.

    President Trump meets with Russia's President Vladimir Putin. Secretary of State Marco Rubio sits to the side of Trump.

    President Trump meets with Russia’s President Vladimir Putin. At right is Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

    (Julia Demaree Nikhinson / Associated Press)

    Trump received Putin on the tarmac of the U.S. air base with a U.S. stealth bomber flying overhead, flanked by U.S. fighter jets and Air Force One. The two men then entered the “Beast,” the official presidential vehicle, for a short ride that included no aides or translators.

    On his way to Anchorage, Trump said that Putin would face “economically severe” consequences if the negotiations failed to yield progress toward peace. He said that only Ukraine could decide whether to cede territory to Moscow. And he expressed support for U.S. security guarantees for Ukraine in any future peace agreement, so long as they fall short of NATO membership for the beleaguered nation.

    “Yes, it would be very severe,” Trump said. “Very severe.”

    Putin brought several Russian business leaders along with him from Moscow, according to the Kremlin, a sign he had hoped to begin discussions on normalizing relations with Washington. But Trump said he would not discuss business opportunities until the war is settled. Despite bringing his Treasury and Commerce secretaries to Alaska alongside him, a lunch scheduled to include an expanded circle of their aides, to discuss matters other than Ukraine, did not appear to go forward.

    European leaders have urged Trump to approach Putin with a firm hand after months of applying pressure on Zelensky to prepare to make concessions to Moscow.

    Trump had said in recent days that a peace deal would include the “swapping” of land, a prospect roundly rejected in Kyiv. But the Ukrainian constitution prohibits territorial concessions without the support of a public referendum.

    He seemed to soften that stance ahead of the Friday meetings.

    “They’ll be discussed, but I’ve got to let Ukraine make that decision,” the president said of land swaps. “I’m not here to negotiate for Ukraine. I’m here to get them to the table.”

    The summit is the first of its kind between a U.S. and Russian president since 2021.

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    Michael Wilner

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  • Commentary: Trump wants troops in D.C. But don’t expect him to stop there

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    Well, at least they’re not eating the cats and dogs.

    To hear President Trump tell it, Washington, D.C., has become a barbarous hellhole — worse even than Springfield, Ohio, it would seem, where he accused Black immigrants, many from Somalia, of barbecuing pets last year during the campaign.

    Back then, Trump was just a candidate. Now, he’s the commander in chief of the U.S. military with a clear desire to use troops of war on American streets, whether it’s for a fancy birthday parade, to enforce his immigration agenda in Los Angeles or to stop car thefts in the nation’s capital.

    “It’s becoming a situation of complete and total lawlessness,” Trump said during a Monday news conference, announcing that he was calling up National Guard troops to help with domestic policing in D.C.

    “We’ll get rid of the slums, too. We have slums here. We’ll get rid of them,” he said. “I know it’s not politically correct. You’ll say, ‘Oh, so terrible.’ No, we’re getting rid of the slums where they live.”

    Where “they” live.

    While the use of the military on American streets is alarming, it should be just as scary how blatantly this president is tying race not just to crime, but to violence so uncontrollable it requires military troops to stop it. Tying race to criminality is nothing new, of course. It’s a big part of American history and our justice system has unfortunately been steeped in it, from the Jim Crow era to the 1990s war on drugs, which targeted inner cities with the same rhetoric that Trump is recycling now.

    The difference between that last attack on minorities — started by President Nixon and lasting through Presidents Reagan and George H.W. Bush, also under the guise of law and order — and our current circumstances is that in this instance, the notion of war isn’t just hyperbole. We are literally talking about soldiers in the streets, targeting Black and brown people. Whether they are car wash employees in California or teenagers on school break in D.C., actual crimes don’t seem to matter. Skin color is enough for law enforcement scrutiny, a sad and dangerous return to an era before civil rights.

    “Certainly the language that President Trump is using with regard to D.C. has a message that’s racially based,” said Erwin Chemerinsky, the dean of the UC Berkeley School of Law.

    Chemerinsky pointed out that just a few days ago, the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals called out the Trump administration for immigration raids that were unconstitutional because they were basically racial sweeps. But he is unabashed. His calls for violence against people of color are escalating. It increasingly appears that bringing troops to Los Angeles was a test case for a larger use of the military in civilian settings.

    President Trump holds up a chart in front of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth during Monday’s news conference announcing the deployment of troops in Washington, D.C.

    (Alex Brandon / Associated Press)

    “This will go further,” Trump ominously said, making it clear he’d like to see soldiers policing across America.

    “We have other cities also that are bad, very bad. You look at Chicago, how bad it is,” he went on. “We have other cities that are very bad. New York has a problem. And then you have, of course, Baltimore and Oakland. We don’t even mention that anymore, they’re so, they’re so far gone.”

    In reality, crime is dropping across the United States, including in Washington. As the Washington Post pointed out, violent crime rates, including murders, have for the most part been on a downward trend since 2023. But all it takes is a few explosive examples to banish truth from conscientiousness. Trump pointed out some tragic and horrific examples — including the beating of Edward “Big Balls” Coristine, a former employee of the president’s Department of Government Efficiency who was attacked after attempting to defend a woman during a carjacking recently, not far from the White House.

    These are crimes that should be punished, and certainly not tolerated. But the exploitation we are seeing from Trump is a dangerous precedent to justify military force for domestic law enforcement, which until now has been forbidden — or at least assumed forbidden — by the Posse Comitatus Act of 1878.

    This week, just how strong that prohibition is will be debated in a San Francisco courtroom, during the three-day trial over the deployment of troops in Los Angeles. While it’s uncertain how that case will resolve, “Los Angeles could provide a bit of a road map for any jurisdiction seeking to push back against the Trump administration when there’s a potential threat of sending in federal troops,” Jessica Levinson, a constitutional legal scholar at Loyola Law School, told me.

    Again, California coming out as the biggest foil to a Trump autocracy.

    But while we wait in the hopes that the courts will catch up to Trump, we can’t be blind to what is happening on our streets. Race and crime are not linked by anything other than racism.

    Allowing our military to terrorize Black and brown people under the guise of law and order is nothing more than a power grab based on the exploitation of our darkest natures.

    It’s a tactic Trump has perfected, but one which will fundamentally change, and weaken, American justice if we do not stop it.

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    Anita Chabria

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  • Trump seeks $1-billion fine against UCLA. Newsom says ‘we’ll sue,’ calling it extortion

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    Hours after the Trump administration demanded that the University of California pay a $1-billion fine to settle federal accusations of antisemitism in exchange for restoring frozen grant funding to UCLA, Gov. Gavin Newsom called the proposal “extortion” and said the state will go to court to protect the nation’s premier university system.

    “We’ll sue,” Newsom said during a news conference with Texas legislators over California’s effort to counter a contentious Republican redistricting plan in that state.

    President Trump is “trying to silence academic freedom” by “attacking one of the most important public institutions in the United States of America,” Newsom said, adding that he would “stand tall and push back against that, and I believe every member of California Legislature feels the same way.”

    The federal government on Friday said UC should pay the billion-dollar fine in installments and contribute $172 million to a fund for Jewish students and other individuals affected by alleged violations of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act. The statute covers illegal discrimination related to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, including Jewish and Israeli identity.

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    In addition, the Trump administration demanded sweeping campus changes encompassing protests, admissions, gender identity in sports and housing, the abolition of scholarships for racial or ethnic groups, and submission to an outside monitor over the agreement, according to four UC senior officials who have reviewed the proposal.

    “He has threatened us through extortion with a billion-dollar fine, unless we do his bidding,” Newsom said.

    “We will not be complicit in this kind of attack on academic freedom on this extraordinary public institution. We are not like some of those other institutions,” he said.

    The governor appeared to be referring to controversial and costly deals the Trump administration secured from Columbia and Brown universities over charges similar to those facing UCLA, deals Newsom criticized a day earlier in public remarks.

    In a statement Friday that UC was “reviewing” the terms, UC President James B. Milliken, who oversees the 10-campus system that includes UCLA, also seemed to rebuff the demand.

    “As a public university, we are stewards of taxpayer resources and a payment of this scale would completely devastate our country’s greatest public university system as well as inflict great harm on our students and all Californians,” Milliken said. “Americans across this great nation rely on the vital work of UCLA and the UC system for technologies and medical therapies that save lives, grow the U.S. economy, and protect our national security.”

    UC Regents Chair Janet Reilly told The Times the university was still willing to negotiate with the Trump administration but not on “unacceptable” terms.

    “Demand for a $1 billion payment from UCLA, coupled with conditions that contradict the university’s values, is unacceptable,” Reilly said, describing it as a “financial burden” that would be “catastrophic for our students, research, our patients and the people of California.

    “The university remains willing to engage in a constructive and good faith dialogue with the federal government but the University of California will always stand firm in protecting the integrity and values of our institution,” Reilly said.

    A spokesperson for UCLA Chancellor Julio Frenk referred The Times to Milliken’s statement. Federal negotiations are being handled on a UC-wide level.

    UC is grappling with how to restore $584 million in frozen medical and science grant funds to UCLA. If the deal was accepted, it would be the largest settlement between a university and the Trump administration, far surpassing a $221-million agreement that Columbia University announced last month. Harvard is also reportedly considering a settlement involving a hefty fine.

    “We would never agree to this,” said one of the UC officials who is involved in the deliberations with the Trump administration. “It is more money than was frozen at UCLA. So how does that make sense?”

    But another senior UC official said the figure was understandable if it resolved all federal investigations across the system, even if UC may not ultimately agree to it. The federal proposal focuses on UCLA only, not all campuses.

    Any payment would be a political liability for the university and state leaders in deep-blue California, where Trump’s policies are highly unpopular. A billion dollars would be a financial burden for a university system that is already facing a hiring freeze, budget squeezes, deferred state funding and scattered layoffs.

    UC and individual campuses are under multiple federal investigations into alleged use of race in admissions, employment discrimination against Jews, civil rights complaints from Jewish students and improper reporting of foreign donations.

    UCLA has faced the most charges from the government of any UC or public university, many of them tied to a 2024 pro-Palestinian encampment.

    The encampment, which unsuccessfully demanded the university divest from weapons companies tied to Israel’s war in Gaza, was targeted in a violent overnight attack last spring and was later the subject of federal lawsuit by pro-Israel Jewish students. The students, along with a professor, accused UCLA of enabling antisemitism by not shutting down the encampment, which plaintiffs said blocked pro-Israel Jews from campus pathways. UCLA settled the suit for $6.45 million, including more than $2 million in donations to Jewish nonprofits.

    The Trump administration’s Friday offer follows a similar playbook to agreements it reached with Columbia and Brown universities to restore federal funding and resolve allegations of civil rights violations against Jewish and Israeli students.

    Trump wants to remake universities, which he has called “Marxist” hotbeds of liberalism and anti-Israel sentiment. During his second term, federal agencies have suspended or canceled billions in federal medical and science grants related to gender, LGBTQ+ issues or in response to campuses it accuses of being antisemitic. The White House has also attacked campus diversity programs and admissions practices as being illegal discrimination against white and Asian Americans.

    University leaders have challenged the notion that cutting medical research helps protect Jewish people. “This far-reaching penalty of defunding life-saving research does nothing to address any alleged discrimination,” Frenk, the UCLA chancellor, said in a campus letter this week.

    At UCLA, Trump’s demands include an end to scholarships that focus on race or ethnicity, the sharing of admissions data with the government and changes to campus protest rules. The Trump administration is also proposing that UCLA Health and the medical school cease gender-affirming care for transgender people.

    UC has already overhauled practices in some areas called for by the Trump administration — including a ban on protest encampments and the abolition of diversity statements in hiring.

    The Trump administration is also saying it wants an outside monitor to oversee the agreement.

    The proposal came one day after Newsom said UC should not bend “on their knees” to Trump. Newsom, a Democrat, has fashioned himself as a national anti-Trump figure and is considering a presidential run in 2028.

    The university system, run by Milliken — who assumed his role only last week — and the Board of Regents, is independent under the state Constitution. But the governor can exercise political sway over the regents, whose members he appoints. Newsom also holds an ex-officio seat on the board.

    Kaleem reported from Los Angeles and Wilner from Washington. Times staff Writer Taryn Luna in Sacramento and Seema Mehta in Los Angeles contributed to this report.

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    Jaweed Kaleem, Michael Wilner

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  • ‘Do not despair,’ Harris tells supporters as she concedes the election

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    WASHINGTON —  Vice President Kamala Harris on Wednesday acknowledged her defeat to President-elect Donald Trump in a speech marked by emotion as well as a resolve to never give up the fight for a more just union.

    “My heart is full today, full of gratitude for the trust you have placed in me, full of love for our country, and full of resolve,” Harris told supporters at Howard University, her alma mater.

    Harris’ 12-minute speech, behind bulletproof glass in front of the brick, flag-lined Frederick Douglas Memorial Hall, took place less than 24 hours on the site where her supporters had gathered to celebrate what they had hoped would be the election of the first female president.

    On Tuesday night, revelers were dancing to 1990s hip-hop but grew somber as states began falling for Trump. On Wednesday, supporters and staffers embraced, wiped away tears and questioned whether this nation would ever elect a woman, notably a Black woman, president.

    “The outcome of this election is not what we wanted, not what we fought for, not what we voted for,” Harris told the crowd. “But … hear me when I say, the light of America’s promise will always burn bright, as long as we never give up and as long as we keep fighting.”

    Harris, typically stoic from her days as a prosecutor, displayed flashes of disappointment and sadness after telling the crowd that she was proud of the whirlwind campaign they ran over 107 days after President Biden announced he would not seek reelection.

    “Now, I know folks are feeling and experiencing a range of emotions right now. I get it,” she said, with a wry chuckle. “But we must accept the results of this election.”

    The crowd booed when she said that she had spoken with Trump earlier in the day to congratulate him. But as she continued speaking, they soon returned to cheering as she described the peaceful transition of power, which she pledged to assist him with, as a bedrock of democracy.

    “A fundamental principle of American democracy is that when we lose an election, we accept the results,” Harris said, her voice quivering. “That principle, as much as any other, distinguishes democracy from monarchy or tyranny, and anyone who seeks the public trust must honor it. At the same time, in our nation, we owe loyalty not to a president or a party, but to the Constitution of the United States.”

    She did not mention that, before the election, Trump and other leading Republicans had hedged on whether they would accept the results, saying they would have to see if the balloting was conducted fairly and properly.

    However, these statements were clearly an allusion to the former president’s refusal to accept the 2020 election outcome and the ensuing insurrection on Jan. 6, 2021, as Congress worked to certify the electoral college vote.

    Harris said that while she accepted the election results, she refused to concede the fight for freedom, opportunity and fairness that girded her campaign.

    “That is a fight I will never give up,” she said.

    She implored young people not to give up on fighting for their ideals because of her loss.

    “Do not despair. This is not a time to throw up our hands,” Harris said. “This is a time to roll up our sleeves. This is a time to organize, to mobilize and to stay engaged for the sake of freedom and justice and the future that we all know we can build together.”

    She concluded with one of her favorite adages — that the stars can only be seen when the night sky is dark. “I know many people feel like we are entering a dark time,” she said. “For the benefit of us all, I hope that is not the case. But here’s the thing, America. If it is, let us fill the sky with the light of a brilliant, brilliant billion … stars, the light, the light of optimism, of faith, of truth and service.”

    After Harris concluded speaking and walked back into Memorial Hall, the music stopped playing as crews began dismantling the stage.

    Several current members of Alpha Kappa Alpha, the historically Black sorority Harris joined at Howard, gathered in a circle. The young women, wearing dresses in various shades of pink, one of the sorority’s colors, softly sang their national hymn.

    “Through the years as we struggle // With main and with might // To capture a vision fair // There is one thing that spurs us // To victory’s height // With a fellowship sincere and rare // O, Alpha Kappa Alpha // Dear Alpha Kappa Alpha”

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    Seema Mehta

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  • Interactive Map: Where are the presidential candidates on Nov. 3?

    Interactive Map: Where are the presidential candidates on Nov. 3?

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    Interactive Map: Where are the presidential candidates on Nov. 3?

    The election is two days away, and candidates Vice President Kamala Harris, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, former President Donald Trump and Ohio Sen. JD Vance are not slowing down, with 11 public events scheduled across them today, Sunday, Nov. 3. Harris will be spending the day in Michigan, making stops in Detroit and Pontiac before speaking at a GOTV rally at Michigan State University, aimed at encouraging students to vote. Meanwhile, Trump will host rallies in three swing states: Pennsylvania, North Carolina and Georgia. For the second day in a row, Vance will be out campaigning with Donald Trump Jr., holding rallies in Raleigh, North Carolina, Aston, Pennsylvania and Derry, New Hampshire. Walz will also be campaigning with a family member of his running mate, as Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff will join him at a GOTV rally near Atlanta that will include musical performances from Jon Bon Jovi, The War and Treaty and Michael Stipe. He’ll then head to Charlotte, North Carolina, for a political event in the evening.Below is Hearst Television’s candidate tracker. Track where the presidential and vice presidential nominees have visited and held events since July 21, when Harris entered the race.

    WASHINGTON —

    The election is two days away, and candidates Vice President Kamala Harris, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, former President Donald Trump and Ohio Sen. JD Vance are not slowing down, with 11 public events scheduled across them today, Sunday, Nov. 3.

    Harris will be spending the day in Michigan, making stops in Detroit and Pontiac before speaking at a GOTV rally at Michigan State University, aimed at encouraging students to vote. Meanwhile, Trump will host rallies in three swing states: Pennsylvania, North Carolina and Georgia. For the second day in a row, Vance will be out campaigning with Donald Trump Jr., holding rallies in Raleigh, North Carolina, Aston, Pennsylvania and Derry, New Hampshire. Walz will also be campaigning with a family member of his running mate, as Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff will join him at a GOTV rally near Atlanta that will include musical performances from Jon Bon Jovi, The War and Treaty and Michael Stipe. He’ll then head to Charlotte, North Carolina, for a political event in the evening.

    Below is Hearst Television’s candidate tracker. Track where the presidential and vice presidential nominees have visited and held events since July 21, when Harris entered the race.

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  • Interactive Map: Where are the presidential candidates on Nov. 1?

    Interactive Map: Where are the presidential candidates on Nov. 1?

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    Interactive Map: Where are the presidential candidates on Nov. 1?

    It’s the final days of the campaign and the candidates are busier than ever, with nine public events scheduled today, Friday, Nov. 1, between Vice President Kamala Harris, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, former President Donald Trump and Ohio Sen. JD Vance. Other than one Vance event in North Carolina, all eight appearances will be in the neighboring states of Wisconsin and Michigan, putting the candidates in close proximity to each other. Harris will host a Get Out The Vote community event in Appleton, Wisconsin, followed by a “When We Vote We Win” GOTV rally in Milwaukee with remarks by Cardi B and musical performances by GloRilla, Flo Milli, MC Lyte, The Isley Brothers and DJ GEMINI GILLY. Trump is also set to host a rally in Milwaukee, as well as one in Warren, Michigan. Meanwhile, Walz will deliver remarks at three campaign events in Michigan and Vance will also host a rally in the Wolverine State. Below is Hearst Television’s candidate tracker. Track where the presidential and vice presidential nominees have visited and held events since July 21, when Harris entered the race.

    WASHINGTON —

    It’s the final days of the campaign and the candidates are busier than ever, with nine public events scheduled today, Friday, Nov. 1, between Vice President Kamala Harris, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, former President Donald Trump and Ohio Sen. JD Vance.

    Other than one Vance event in North Carolina, all eight appearances will be in the neighboring states of Wisconsin and Michigan, putting the candidates in close proximity to each other. Harris will host a Get Out The Vote community event in Appleton, Wisconsin, followed by a “When We Vote We Win” GOTV rally in Milwaukee with remarks by Cardi B and musical performances by GloRilla, Flo Milli, MC Lyte, The Isley Brothers and DJ GEMINI GILLY. Trump is also set to host a rally in Milwaukee, as well as one in Warren, Michigan. Meanwhile, Walz will deliver remarks at three campaign events in Michigan and Vance will also host a rally in the Wolverine State.

    Below is Hearst Television’s candidate tracker. Track where the presidential and vice presidential nominees have visited and held events since July 21, when Harris entered the race.

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  • The Harris/Walz campaign has its own Fortnite map

    The Harris/Walz campaign has its own Fortnite map

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    We’re in the final stretch of the 2024 presidential election and both sides are pulling out all the stops to get those all-important undecided voters. The Harris/Walz campaign is exploring an unconventional option: a map in Epic Games’ mega online multiplayer hit Fortnite.

    The “Freedom Town, USA” map available at 7331-5536-6547 is a little different from the usual Fortnite matches. Forbes senior contributor Paul Tassi played the new map and reported that there aren’t any guns in Freedom Town (probably for obvious reasons). Instead, the game focuses on racing with cars and parkour style. The map also has some campaign signs and decorations for Vice President Kamala Harris and Gov. Tim Walz’s presidential run.

    Video games have become a cornerstone of the Harris/Walz campaign. Harris’ camp has its own Twitch page that’s been broadcasting games like World of Warcraft and the latest Madden title as a way to spark discussions with the voting public. The Fortnite map, however, doesn’t look like it’s doing a great job of getting the message out to players. As of this story’s publishing, the map only has less than 300 active players.

    Political ads and recruitment in video games isn’t just limited to this campaign cycle. Then-candidate Barack Obama’s 2008 campaign introduced the concept to politics when they purchased ads in 18 games including Need for Speed: Carbon and Madden NFL 13 on Microsoft’s Xbox Live service and the mobile version of Tetris, according to NPR.

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    Danny Gallagher

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  • Harris and Trump campaigns appeal to right-leaning, religious voters

    Harris and Trump campaigns appeal to right-leaning, religious voters

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    Both the Harris and Trump campaigns are intensifying their efforts in battleground states with just two weeks left until Election Day.Former President Donald Trump will campaign for a second straight day in North Carolina after making his pitch to Christian voters a day prior. He postponed a speech at a gun rights conference in Georgia and scheduled a last-minute rally in the Tar Heel state Tuesday as some polling suggests Harris is gaining support there.In a rally before faith leaders in the battleground state, Trump touched on culture war issues, including transgender and parental rights.”Christians will not be safe with Kamala Harris as president,” Trump warned. “Your religious liberty will be gone. Your free speech will be gone, your Second Amendment will be gone, and parental rights will be gone forever.”Earlier, Trump surveyed storm damage and repeated false claims about FEMA misusing taxpayer money.”They spent a lot of money on having illegal people come into our country,” Trump said.Meanwhile, Vice President Kamala Harris made her pitch to Trump-hesitant voters in three “Blue wall” states Monday.In separate events in Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Wisconsin, she campaigned alongside a familiar but unlikely ally, former Congresswoman Liz Cheney, (R) Wyoming. Both aimed their messages at Trump-wary voters in counties that could decide the election.”We might not agree on every issue but she is somebody you can trust,” Cheney said. “You can vote your conscience and never have to say a word to anybody. There will be millions of Republicans who do that on November 5th.”While Harris will not hold public events, she will sit for an interview that will air Tuesday night on NBC Nightly News.In her place, former President Barack Obama and running mate Tim Walz will host a rally in Wisconsin where in-person, early voting kicks off.Republicans are also holding events to encourage early voting in favor of Trump. His campaign is pushing for all forms of voting, including by mail and in-person, to maximize votes. Trump lost Wisconsin by just under 21,000 votes in the 2020 election.

    WASHINGTON —

    Both the Harris and Trump campaigns are intensifying their efforts in battleground states with just two weeks left until Election Day.

    Former President Donald Trump will campaign for a second straight day in North Carolina after making his pitch to Christian voters a day prior. He postponed a speech at a gun rights conference in Georgia and scheduled a last-minute rally in the Tar Heel state Tuesday as some polling suggests Harris is gaining support there.

    In a rally before faith leaders in the battleground state, Trump touched on culture war issues, including transgender and parental rights.

    “Christians will not be safe with Kamala Harris as president,” Trump warned. “Your religious liberty will be gone. Your free speech will be gone, your Second Amendment will be gone, and parental rights will be gone forever.”

    Earlier, Trump surveyed storm damage and repeated false claims about FEMA misusing taxpayer money.

    “They spent a lot of money on having illegal people come into our country,” Trump said.

    Meanwhile, Vice President Kamala Harris made her pitch to Trump-hesitant voters in three “Blue wall” states Monday.

    In separate events in Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Wisconsin, she campaigned alongside a familiar but unlikely ally, former Congresswoman Liz Cheney, (R) Wyoming. Both aimed their messages at Trump-wary voters in counties that could decide the election.

    “We might not agree on every issue but she is somebody you can trust,” Cheney said. “You can vote your conscience and never have to say a word to anybody. There will be millions of Republicans who do that on November 5th.”

    While Harris will not hold public events, she will sit for an interview that will air Tuesday night on NBC Nightly News.

    In her place, former President Barack Obama and running mate Tim Walz will host a rally in Wisconsin where in-person, early voting kicks off.

    Republicans are also holding events to encourage early voting in favor of Trump. His campaign is pushing for all forms of voting, including by mail and in-person, to maximize votes. Trump lost Wisconsin by just under 21,000 votes in the 2020 election.

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  • Harris’ doctor reports VP in ‘excellent health.’ Her campaign wants to draw contrast with Trump

    Harris’ doctor reports VP in ‘excellent health.’ Her campaign wants to draw contrast with Trump

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    WASHINGTON — Vice President Kamala Harris is in “excellent health” and “possesses the physical and mental resiliency” required to serve as president, her doctor said in a letter released Saturday that summarizes her medical history and status.

    Dr. Joshua Simmons, a U.S. Army colonel and physician to the vice president, wrote that Harris, 59, maintains a healthy, active lifestyle and that her most recent physical last April was “unremarkable.”

    She “possesses the physical and mental resiliency required to successfully execute the duties of the Presidency, to include those as Chief Executive, Head of State and Commander in Chief,” he wrote in a two-page letter.

    Harris’ campaign hopes to use the moment to draw a contrast with Republican Donald Trump, who has released only limited information about his health over the years, and raise questions about his fitness to serve, according to a campaign aide who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive matters.

    Trump has released very little health information, including after his ear was grazed by a bullet during an assassination attempt in July.

    Simmons, who said he has been Harris’ primary care physician for the past 3 1/2 years, said the vice president has a history of allergies and urticaria, also known as hives, for which she has been on allergen immunotherapy for the past three years.

    Simmons said Harris’ latest blood work and other test results were “unremarkable.”

    Also in the report: Harris wears contact lenses for mild nearsightedness; her family history includes maternal colon cancer; she is up to date on preventive care recommendations, including having a colonoscopy and annual mammograms.

    As Harris’ office released the medical report, her campaign highlighted recent media reports raising questions about Trump’s health and mental acuity and his failure to provide information about health status and medical history.

    Trump, 78, eagerly questioned President Joe Biden’s health when the 81-year-old president was seeking reelection. Since Biden was replaced on the ticket with Harris, Trump’s own health has drawn more attention.

    Last November, Trump marked Biden’s birthday by releasing a letter from his physician that reported the former president was in “excellent” physical and mental health.

    The letter posted on Trump’s social media platform contained no details to support its claims – measures like weight, blood pressure and cholesterol levels, or the results of any test.

    Copyright © 2024 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.

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    AP

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  • Harris touts ‘border security and stability’ at Arizona campaign stop

    Harris touts ‘border security and stability’ at Arizona campaign stop

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    DOUGLAS, Ariz. — 

    Amid relentless criticism from former President Trump that she is responsible for out-of-control illegal immigration, Vice President Kamala Harris on Friday made her first visit to the U.S.-Mexico border since 2021, announcing more stringent measures she would take as president to restrict border entry.

    “The United States is a sovereign nation, and I believe we have a duty to set rules at our border, and to enforce them,” Harris told a crowd in Douglas, Ariz., gathered in a small auditorium at Cochise College Douglas Campus, where the stage was flanked by large signs that read, “Border security and stability.” “We are also a nation of immigrants. The United States has been enriched by generations of people who have come from every corner of the world to contribute to our country and to become part of the American story.”

    Harris said she would go beyond Biden administration policies to further restrict border access outside of official ports of entry.

    Earlier in the afternoon, Harris visited a port of entry less than 10 miles from the campaign event. Two Border Patrol agents walked with her along the towering fence, which was built during the Obama administration. Harris later told reporters that she had thanked them for their work.

    “They’ve got a tough job and they need, rightly, support to do their job. They are very dedicated,” she said. “And so I’m here to talk with them about what we can continue to do to support them.”

    She advocated for hiring more officers and adding more fentanyl detection systems at border entry points.

    “I reject the false choice that suggest we must either choose between securing our border or creating a system of immigration that is safe, orderly and humane,” Harris said. “We can and we must do both.”

    Immigration reform has bedeviled presidents of both parties for decades.

    A bipartisan proposal earlier this year that combined increased funding for border security and foreign aid for Ukraine appeared to be the first breakthrough until it was derailed when Trump urged Republicans to oppose it.

    Kamala Harris speaks at Cochise College Douglas Campus in Douglas, Ariz., on Friday.

    (Carolyn Kaster / Associated Press)

    That deal fell short of comprehensive plans discussed for decades that would revamp the asylum system and the legal immigration process and provide a pathway to citizenship for an estimated 11 million people in the country without legal authorization, including those who arrived as children. Harris on Friday mentioned farm workers and immigrants who arrived as children, known as “Dreamers.”

    “As president, I will put politics aside to fix our immigration system and find solutions to problems which have persisted for far too long,” Harris said.

    In advance of Harris’ visit to the border, Trump pointed to reports that there are more than 425,000 convicted criminals who are in the country illegally but not detained by federal authorities, according to data provided by Immigration and Customs Enforcement in response to a lawmaker’s request.

    That includes more than 13,000 convicted of homicide and more than 15,800 convicted of sexual assault, according to the ICE data shared on X, formerly Twitter, by Rep. Tony Gonzales (R-Texas).

    Trump said Thursday that 21 million people entered the country illegally in just the last four years. He framed the bipartisan effort that he helped defeat as “her atrocious border bill.”

    “It was not a border bill. It was an amnesty bill … ,” he said at a news conference in Manhattan. “Fortunately Congress was too smart for it.”

    The bill would not have provided a path to citizenship for people who lack legal status.

    The GOP nominee’s appearance at Trump Tower was reminiscent of his 2015 campaign announcement there, notably his references to other nations purposefully sending criminals to the United States.

    His remarks included multiple falsehoods, such as saying Harris approved a raft of changes to the nation’s immigration policies that as vice president she had no control over, and that she was the Biden administration’s “border czar.” She had been charged with trying to improve conditions in Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras to stop those nations’ residents from fleeing their homelands.

    That assignment has been a political headache for Harris — drawing criticism from the left and right.

    In a 2021 visit to Central America, Harris told would-be migrants that they would be deported if they crossed the border, angering allies of immigrants who said they were fleeing poverty, corruption and violence.

    “Do not come,” she said at the time. “You will be turned back.”

    On the same trip, Harris laughed off questions in a nationally televised interview about why she had not yet visited the border as vice president, inflaming critics on the right.

    Both political parties are hyper-focused on immigration because while the presidential race is very tight in the polling, Trump has a double-digit edge on the issue of border security. That edge has narrowed, however, since President Biden decided not to seek reelection and Harris garnered the support to become the Democratic presidential nominee.

    Border stops hit a record in December, with agents making nearly 250,000 arrests. As the political problem raged, Biden signed an order in June to heavily restrict asylum claims, prompting a sharp drop in border encounters, to fewer than 60,000 in July and August.

    Republicans have been hammering the issue, with GOP members of Congress filing a resolution that “strongly condemns the Biden Administration and its Border Czar, Kamala Harris’s, failure to secure the United States border” one day after the president announced he would not seek reelection.

    While some of the former president and his allies’ claims are demonstrably false and have been denounced by GOP elected officials, such as allegations that Haitian migrants are eating pets in Springfield, Ohio, concerns among some voters about the impact of an insecure border on the economy, crime and the fentanyl crisis are palpable in many communities.

    Friday’s visit was Harris’ second to Arizona since she became the Democratic presidential nominee, according to the Harris-Walz campaign. While Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff and others have swung through the southwestern battleground state, Harris has focused much of her in-person campaigning in critical states farther east, such as Pennsylvania, Michigan and Georgia.

    Hours before the vice president landed in Arizona, Republicans held a press call featuring two mothers whose daughters were raped and killed by immigrants who were in the country illegally and the mother of a teenage son who overdosed on fentanyl. The women lambasted Harris for the administration’s immigration policy and for visiting the border so close to the election.

    “I’m trying very hard not to cry. We live 1,800 miles away from the border,” said Patty Morin, the mother of Rachel Morin, a mother of five who was brutally attacked while walking a bucolic and well-traveled public trail in Maryland. Her body was discovered in a drain pipe.

    “No one is safe in America, no one is safe. If you have a sanctuary city in your state, you’re not safe,” she said. “They have bused, flown, trained illegal immigrants to literally every nook and cranny and every tiny town in the whole of the United States.”

    Such fears are among the reasons the Harris campaign released an ad about immigration in Arizona on Friday, and visited the Southern border less than a month and a half before election day. As vice president, she previously visited the region once in 2021, when she toured the port of entry and border operation in El Paso.

    Mehta reported from Phoenix and Pinho reported from Douglas. Times staff writers Noah Bierman and Andrea Castillo contributed to this report from Washington, D.C.

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    Seema Mehta, Faith E. Pinho

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  • Step into the Oval Office: New DC exhibit offers life-sized presidential experience

    Step into the Oval Office: New DC exhibit offers life-sized presidential experience

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    “The People’s House” opens Monday to the public in Washington D.C., offering visitors an immersive experience to a life-sized replica of the Oval Office. Curators say the exhibit gives people a chance to act as a sitting president or as a cabinet member.The experience also allows visitors to attend a cabinet meeting and vote on a course of action for the president. There are virtual recreations of other parts of the West Wing, such as the Cabinet Room where leaders advise the president. Innovative technology provides experiences of the State Floor, including the East, Green, Blue, and Red Rooms.The centerpiece of the experience is The Oval Office replica, complete with exact copies of President Joe Biden’s desk and armchairs, even down to the family Bible. The White House Historical Association says the decor will change with each sitting president.”When a family comes to Washington D.C. and they have a limited amount of time, we hope they have the opportunity to get a White House tour, but most won’t have that,” White House Historical Association President Stewart McLaurin said. “So, to learn about the presidency and the White House, you simply come across the street of the White House to 1700 Pennsylvania Avenue and we give you that experience to learn.”The White House Historical Association raised $60 million for the project and is trying to raise $50 million to keep it going. Timed tickets to “The People’s House” are free.

    WASHINGTON —

    “The People’s House” opens Monday to the public in Washington D.C., offering visitors an immersive experience to a life-sized replica of the Oval Office. Curators say the exhibit gives people a chance to act as a sitting president or as a cabinet member.

    The experience also allows visitors to attend a cabinet meeting and vote on a course of action for the president. There are virtual recreations of other parts of the West Wing, such as the Cabinet Room where leaders advise the president. Innovative technology provides experiences of the State Floor, including the East, Green, Blue, and Red Rooms.

    The centerpiece of the experience is The Oval Office replica, complete with exact copies of President Joe Biden’s desk and armchairs, even down to the family Bible. The White House Historical Association says the decor will change with each sitting president.

    “When a family comes to Washington D.C. and they have a limited amount of time, we hope they have the opportunity to get a White House tour, but most won’t have that,” White House Historical Association President Stewart McLaurin said. “So, to learn about the presidency and the White House, you simply come across the street of the White House to 1700 Pennsylvania Avenue and we give you that experience to learn.”

    The White House Historical Association raised $60 million for the project and is trying to raise $50 million to keep it going.

    Timed tickets to “The People’s House” are free.

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  • Key Tips For Consuming Marijuana At The Local Fair

    Key Tips For Consuming Marijuana At The Local Fair

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    Fall is the time county fairs, carnivals, and more come to time…while engaging in the fun, there are few tip to know if you are going to consuming marijuana

    September is a highlight for country fairs followed by October for the Halloween carnivals. Elephant ears, Ferris wheels and midways all appeal to our childlike delight for fun, excitement, different foods and more. But what if you want to chill out while attending? Well here are key tips for consuming marijuana at the local fair?

    RELATED: The Best Refreshing Cocktails

    With over 50% of the country having access to legal marijuana, some are taking it for granted like it a beer and is accepted everywhere. But it is wise to think ahead, especially since you are with large groups of people – including families and kids. The Minnesota State Fair is the largest daily attended fair and the Texas State Fair, which is the largest in the country by total attendance, drew a peak daily attendance in 2023 of 141,410 but a total attendance of 2,341,449. Some parts of the fair are geared for kids, others for a mixed crowd, like the pirate ship and roller coasters.

    Fairs are a sensation extravaganza. The lights, noises, movements, smells and food appeal to all the senses. The midway is the main path or street fairgoers walk along to find sideshows, concession stands, and other amusements.

    The first thing is be discreet, fairs are family events. Consider a vape or gummies over smoking. They provide less smell, so are less noticeable. With a vape you can also manage your high.

    If you are new to consuming marijuana, consider a low level high so you aren’t overwhelmed by the mass amount of sensations. It will also let you experience both things without freaking out. Part of a gummy might put you in the right spot to absorb everything going on and appreciate it at the next level.

    RELATED: How To Keep The Munchies From Ruining Your Diet

    The fair is about food, so know if you are prone to the munchies, this will be a fiesta of flavors. Consider eating beforehand or know this will be a cheat day. From fried butter to hot dogs, it is all going to look good.

    Start slow on the rides. Let the high settle into your mind and body before boarding the scrambler. This gives your body time to adjust so there isn’t any unpleasant surprises.

    RELATED: Player Says 9 Out Of 10 NFL Athletes Use Marijuana

    Some fun fact, cotton candy was originally called “fairy floss” and was invented in 1897 by candy makers William Morris and John C. Wharton of Nashville, Tennessee. It was introduced in 1904 at the St. Louis World’s Fair.

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    Anthony Washington

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  • Presidential Elections Are All Over The Board For Marijuana

    Presidential Elections Are All Over The Board For Marijuana

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    It is an odd, odd one – this year election is all over the board, especially for marijuana

    This presidential election is turning out to be one for the history books. With Biden dropping out, a Kennedy becoming a major player, AI, and a nation on edge, it is becoming a year which is flustering the public. Few expect a clear outcome the night of the election and worries abound for the results. One key group worried is the cannabis industry, the presidential elections are all over the board for marijuana.

    RELATED: California or New York, Which Has The Biggest Marijuana Mess

    While state legalization is increasing and consumer use is significantly growing, federal restrictions along with chaos in New York and California caused the industry to crash in 2022 and it has struggled ever since. The Biden administration’s last minute push to follow through on the 2020 campaign to help the industry has become a dud. The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has delayed any action until December, guaranteeing zero industry support for 2024.  While all this is bad news, the candidates positions involve and change.

    Photo by KellyJHall/Getty Images

    In the GOP camp, the presidential nominee has been indifferent toward marijuana. While he doesn’t drink, he seems to flow with popular opinion. He just posted support of recreational legalization in Florida (against his foe DeSantis) and seems to be positive toward the industry. But his team has made it clear cannabis is bad. The GOP Vice President candidate has not be a fan, voted against in the Senate and has been quiet on his stance.  House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) is taking the place of Senator Mitch McConnell (R-KY) in trying to be a cannabis killer.

    The GOP has an “extra man” in Robert Kennedy,Jr who has been positioned as a top tier leader. Kennedy is pro marijuana and recently attacked the Democratic Presidential candidate for her history against marijuana.

    In the Democratic team, Biden was very slow in supporting the industry. Aside from pardons, which helped some individuals, it took 3 years for him to make a move.  Thousands of small mom and pop businesses in the industry placed hope in him, but have had struggled to pay bills. A seasoned policy lawmaker, it seems Biden’s team played a reschedule date game to see if they can convince younger voters. When it wasn’t needed, the DEA left the cannabis industry to twist in the wind. Harris has changed from being anti-marijuana during her time in California to being seemingly open to increased legalization. She has brought it up in her campaign, but it isn’t a major policy plank.

    RELATED: Player Says 9 Out Of 10 NFL Athletes Use Marijuana

    The only clear record is the Democratic Vice Presidential Tim Walz. As Governor of Minnesota, he has been a clear champion of legal cannabis. He seems to understand the medical benefits, the economic value to states, how it supports mom and pop businesses, can help veterans and reduces crime. He seems to be the only real champion.

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    Terry Hacienda

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  • Colorado delegates attending Democratic National Convention say energy is ‘out of this world’

    Colorado delegates attending Democratic National Convention say energy is ‘out of this world’

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    CHICAGO — Democrats from across the country, including dozens of delegates from Colorado, are gathered in Chicago this week for the Democratic National Convention (DNC).

    “The energy here is just out of this world,” said Joe Salazar, a former state representative who is one of 72 Colorado delegates at the convention. “It’s a lot different than what we thought it was going to be six weeks ago. The energy here is just like, it’s electrifying.”

    Serena Thomas from Fort Collins is also a delegate at the convention. She said the historic nomination of a Black and Asian woman for president of a major party is inspiring.

    “It’s just something that so many people in this country need and want to see,” Thomas said.

    Vice President Kamala Harris will formally accept the party’s nomination for president on Thursday. University of Denver political science professor Phil Chen said it’ll be a big moment for Harris.

    “It’s a real chance to introduce herself to the nation where most of the attention is going to be on the Democrats,” said Chen. “We don’t tend to know a ton about our vice presidents. We know maybe who they are. We don’t really know their life stories for the most part.”

    Large crowds of pro-Palestinian protesters have gathered outside the convention demanding the U.S. stop giving military aid to Israel.

    “This is an important voice within the Democratic Party at this point. It’s a way to have their voices heard,” said Chen.

    Colorado Democrats said the protests show the diversity of the party. They believe that diversity will give them an advantage heading into the fall.

    “The Democratic Party, we have a big tent under which we stand, and that includes all of those voices,” said Miller.

    President Joe Biden will address the convention on Monday night. Governor Tim Walz will accept the party’s nomination for vice president on Wednesday.

    Other speakers scheduled for the convention include former President Barack Obama, former President Bill Clinton, and former Secretary of State and 2016 Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton.

    The convention will run through Thursday.

    Coloradans making a difference | Denver7 featured videos

    At Denver7, we’re committed to making a difference in our community. We’re standing up for what’s right by listening, lending a helping hand and following through on promises. See that work in action, in the featured videos in the playlist above.

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  • Your Voice: What was your initial reaction to Biden pulling out of the campaign, and what do you want to see happen next?

    Your Voice: What was your initial reaction to Biden pulling out of the campaign, and what do you want to see happen next?

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    Vice President Kamala Harris embraces President Joe Biden in Raleigh, N.C., March. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Matt Kelley)

    Bernita Lawrence

    Conyers

    “I was upset that he dropped out of the race. [But] I woke up today with a different outlook because I don’t like a quitter, and I wouldn’t say I liked the fact that the Democrats were not being unified like the Republicans. But I wanted Kamala to be at the top of the ticket in the future, and now she is. I do feel encouraged today with Kamala at the top of the ticket. So, I’m looking forward to the first black female president. I do hope that she does unify the country.”

    Douglas Johnson

    College Park

    “I was happy he dropped out, but I’m stuck with who will replace him. I’m all for Black women. Let’s get together and uplift and empower our Black women. But I don’t think she’s authentic. I’ve been reading a lot of your articles where she kept black men [locked up] and incriminated a lot of black men that she could have helped them. I wish it were somebody like Joe that was more authentic. At one point, she was claiming she was Indian and not necessarily black. To me, it’s no different than what Trump is doing. I don’t want him. I know he doesn’t like us, but she pretends she is for us only for her cause. That’s what she’s done her whole life.”

    Lorene Hill

    Newnan

    “I believe it will be an interesting race because One, she’s Black. Two, she’s a woman. Third, there was still some controversy about how she was as a D.A. On the other hand, Trump has a lot of followers, but in my opinion, he’s a cult leader. [I hope] people get out and vote for who [they feel is] their best person that they think will take care of our country.”

    Marc Smith

    Atlanta

    “I was relieved because I was really for Biden and his family and relieved that maybe there’s a chance of beating Trump. I hope that Kamala gets the nomination, that she wins, and that people accept that you can have a female president. It’d be great to have the first black female president. I mean, we’re in peril. We’re in a moment of crisis. And she’s running against a guy that has 34 felonies. So, I don’t know how that’s a choice.”

    The post Your Voice: What was your initial reaction to Biden pulling out of the campaign, and what do you want to see happen next? appeared first on The Atlanta Voice.

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    Vincent Christie

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  • Your Voice: What was your initial reaction to the assassination attempt on Republican candidate Donald Trump?

    Your Voice: What was your initial reaction to the assassination attempt on Republican candidate Donald Trump?

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    Beverly Baker

    Atlanta

    “My initial reaction was it was an inside job. I believe that the shooter and also the victim were part of Donald Trump’s plan. This is just a derailment to get off the subject of what he’s facing, and I truly believe it is an inside job. I do. I believe it was an inside job until I see proof that this man was not part of a plan.”

    Omari Stennet

    Covington

    “I think it was absurd. I think it was uncalled for. I’m not a big fan of politics like that. I’m not even a big fan of Donald Trump. However, he’s for the people from listening to Donald Trump and what he represents and speaks about. And all he wanted to do was the right thing. So I don’t I don’t want him to get killed. I don’t want anybody to get killed. But, you know, I thought it was absurd. And I’m more than grateful that he survived. And I wish the best for him. I don’t want anything to happen to Donald Trump. And that’s my answer. It’s good.”

    Francesca Lowe

    Fayetteville

    “I didn’t believe it. I didn’t know what was going on. I didn’t hear about it. My coworker just told me. And the first thing that came to mind was that it was staged. It was not real to provoke sympathy or empathy. I’m not sure which one. That’s it.”

    Roger Williams

    Atlanta

    “My first reaction to what happened to Trump is that I believe the government set it up because a real sniper is not going to miss; if they wanted to shoot you, they would have shot you. A real sniper is not going to miss. I think it was politically set up for him to get more votes, get more attention, and for him to make history because he was almost assassinated. I mean, it’s all publicity.”

    The post Your Voice: What was your initial reaction to the assassination attempt on Republican candidate Donald Trump? appeared first on The Atlanta Voice.

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    Vincent Christie

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  • Trump Rally Shooting Aftermath: ‘No Place For Political Violence?’ This Is America

    Trump Rally Shooting Aftermath: ‘No Place For Political Violence?’ This Is America

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    The United States is increasingly a cesspool of violence and the Donald Trump rally shooting on Saturday reflects the real state of America and its policies. As new details emerge about the alleged gunman, who was registered to Trump’s own party, there are more questions than answers.

    Source: The Washington Post / Getty

    As BOSSIP previously reported, the incident left one rally attendee dead, whom officials have identified as former Buffalo Township Fire Chief, Corey Comperatore. Another attendee was critically injured, and Trump sustained a wound to his ear.

    New Details Emerge About The Alleged Shooter

    According to USA Today, the alleged shooter was Thomas Matthew Crooks, a 20-year-old registered Republican from Bethel Park, Pennsylvania. Secret Service agents identified and quickly killed him shortly after he allegedly fired multiple shots. Following the shooting, the internet is circulating with Trump’s defiant but dangerously timed fist-pumping gesture.

    The attack has flooded social media with outlets and individuals in a frenzy, as reactions range from concern to outright denial. 

    Some dismissed the severity of the event, while others concocted conspiracy theories, including racist-driven claims that the event was staged to appeal to black voters.

    This reflects a troubling desensitization to violence and a detachment from the traumatic realities of recent years, such as the pandemic, police brutality, and ongoing wars.

    The tension and dissension of this upcoming election have reached an all-time high. 

    According to Newsweek, Witness Greg Smith saw Crooks with a rifle on a rooftop near the rally minutes before shots were fired. Smith and others attempted to alert the police, but their warnings went unheeded for several crucial minutes.

    “We noticed the guy bear-crawling up the roof of the building beside us, 50 feet away,” Smith recounted to the BBC. “He had a rifle; we could clearly see a rifle. We’re pointing at him, the police are down there running around on the ground, we’re like ‘Hey man, there’s a guy on the roof with a rifle’… and the police did not know what was going on.”

    To many, the scene was unreal. AP News states that Trump is “fine” and being treated for his injuries. 

    Leaders Condemn “Political Violence,” Critics Call Out Increasingly Violent U.S. Policies

    US-VOTE-POLITICS-TRUMP

    Source: KENA BETANCUR / Getty

    Former President Barack Obama swiftly condemned the act, emphasizing the need for civility and respect in politics. The Hill states that there was a sentiment of reform needed in politics. 

    “There is absolutely no place for political violence in our democracy,” Obama stated on X. 

    He also expressed relief that Trump was not seriously hurt and wished him a quick recovery, a sentiment echoed by Michelle Obama.

    The incident has also caused many to reflect on the irony of gun violence used towards Trump. For a leader who believes in less structure surrounding gun reform, many are calling out his party’s policies that enabled the violence he experienced and often worse for civilians without Secret Service protection. 

    There is an urgent need to address violent policies within the U.S. Despite the “no violence in politics” rhetoric, the U.S. government harbors numerous policies that perpetuate violence. Trump himself has supported several such policies:

    – Gun Control: Trump has consistently opposed stricter gun control measures, including high-capacity weapons used in mass murders.

    – Military Interventions: U.S. involvement in foreign conflicts often leads to long-term instability and violence.

    – Criminal Justice System: Policies emphasizing punitive measures over rehabilitation can exacerbate cycles of violence.

    – Immigration Enforcement: Aggressive tactics towards immigrants result in human rights abuses and violence.

    – Police Practices: Excessive use of force, militarized arsenals, and lack of accountability too often risk and end lives rather than protecting or policing them.

    President Joe Biden also condemned the violence, stating, “There’s no place in America for this type of violence. It’s sick. It’s sick.”

    Many Republicans quickly blamed the violence on Biden and his allies, arguing that sustained attacks on Trump as a threat to democracy have created a toxic environment. However, under Project 2025, Trump’s closest policy advisors proposed dismantling much of the federal government as we know it.

    The controversial plan includes expanded presidential power over the justice system, higher taxes for low-income earners to benefit the wealthy, removing workplace diversity programs, ending the Department of Education, and even criminalizing pornography.

    Others in opposition quickly responded to hold Trump accountable for his actions leading up to the shooting. Keep in mind that Trump also called for more shootings during BLM protests, mocked the near-fatal attack on Nancy Pelosi’s husband by a political extremist, and his party fought to protect people who hit or run over protesters with their cars.  

    Let’s Be Real: The U.S. Needs Reflection And Reform

    As we move forward, it’s essential to not only condemn violent acts but also to tackle the systemic issues that enable such violence. This requires a commitment to non-violence, comprehensive gun control, and reforms across various sectors.

    Let’s use this moment to reflect on our values and work towards a united, safer nation.

    Despite the chaos, it is crucial for voters to remain informed and focused on the impact of the upcoming election. Results of past elections, including local leadership, ultimately took us to this point and the 2024 outcomes could shape the country’s future for generations. 

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    Lauryn Bass

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  • Column: Instead of just criticizing Biden, maybe George Clooney should take his place

    Column: Instead of just criticizing Biden, maybe George Clooney should take his place

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    SACRAMENTO — 

    OK, my choice to replace President Biden as the Democratic nominee is George Clooney.

    Yes, I am semi-serious. No, I don’t expect anyone else to take me seriously — let alone the Oscar-winning actor.

    His lifestyle, privacy and pay would suffer immensely — even if a $400,000 salary plus free housing, food and travel would sound very alluring to most people. Even with the hefty workload increase.

    Why Clooney?

    Most importantly, he’d whip the dangerous Donald Trump easily, probably by a landslide. Clooney’s a better actor. That’s all Trump is, besides a compulsive liar. Clooney is much more.

    He has an easy smile that exudes sincerity and is extraordinarily telegenic. Trump pouts and frowns and is a horror show.

    Clooney exhibits conviction and is a humanitarian. Trump displays self-centered opportunism and sows hate.

    Clooney is relatively young for a presidential candidate these days. He’s an upbeat 63. Trump is a whiny, grouchy 78.

    Why else?

    Clooney had the guts, unlike most leading Democratic politicians, to be straight with the public, call it like he saw it and urge Biden to quit running for reelection. This was just weeks after he co-hosted a record $30-million, star-studded Hollywood fundraiser for the president.

    “I love Joe Biden. … In the last four years, he’s won many of the battles he faced. But the one battle he cannot win is the fight against time. None of us can,” Clooney wrote in a New York Times op-ed.

    He referred to the 81-year-old president’s disastrous debate performance against Trump.

    The Biden he saw at the fundraiser wasn’t the Biden of four years ago, Clooney wrote, “he was the same man we all witnessed at the debate. …

    “Our party leaders need to stop telling us that 51 million people didn’t see what we just saw…. The [ABC] George Stephanopoulous interview only reinforced what we saw the week before. … Is it fair to point these things out? It has to be. … We are not going to win in November with this president. …

    “Top Democrats … need to ask this president to voluntarily step aside. … Would it be messy? Yes. Democracy is messy. But would it enliven our party and wake up voters who, long before the June debate, had already checked out. It sure would.”

    Agreed.

    Biden has been a good president despite a few screwups, most notably on illegal immigration. But that doesn’t mean he’d be effective in a second term.

    And Biden’s candidacy is not sustainable. Support among Democratic members of Congress is cracking.

    Much more importantly, voters have been telling pollsters for months that they desire a younger Democratic standard bearer. But the party didn’t listen. Now, Biden is losing more ground to Trump and there’s even speculation about some blue states turning purple.

    Patrons watch President Biden debate former President Trump at a watch party on June 27 in Scottsdale, Ariz.

    (Ross D. Franklin / Associated Press)

    Biden loyalists, like California Gov. Gavin Newsom, may loudly sing the president’s praises, but too many voters have lost confidence in his mental acuity. They doubt his ability to beat Trump and perform adequately in the Oval Office if he does.

    Biden’s hourlong news conference Thursday night went OK.

    Freed from the inane two-minute time limit on answering questions in the TV debate, Biden was able to respond with thoughtful replies. He particularly was impressive when answering a foreign policy question about dealing with China and Russia.

    But he awkwardly flubbed the first question. Biden was asked whether he was concerned about Vice President Kamala Harris’ ability to beat Trump if she were the nominee.

    “Look, I wouldn’t have picked Vice President Trump to be vice president did I think she was not qualified to be president. So, let’s start there,” he replied.

    That could be dismissed as a minor slip of the tongue, but the president did a similar name botch an hour earlier. At a Washington ceremony, Biden accidentally introduced Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky as the Russian tyrant who invaded Zelensky’s country.

    “Ladies and gentlemen, President Putin,” Biden said, before quickly catching himself.

    Then there was the July 4 radio interview when Biden said: “I’m proud to be … the first vice president, the first Black woman to serve with a Black president.”

    He was scrambling his often-used line about being proud of serving with the first Black president and also choosing the first Black woman as vice president. It was a too-common verbal fumble that accentuates voters’ concern about the president’s decline.

    Clooney’s a world-class communicator.

    He’s a Kentucky native who conceivably could draw support from Southern border states. Remember that wonderful “O Brother, Where Art Thou” flick when he played a lead bluegrass singer? Sure, he was an escaped convict, but that was just pretend. Trump’s a true-life convicted felon.

    Clooney piloted the swordfishing boat Andrea Gail into “The Perfect Storm” and it perished, but I’m confident he wouldn’t sink the ship of state.

    Look how he cleverly and deftly upended the corrupt corporate attorney who tried to kill him in “Michael Clayton.”

    And showed his environmental creds and family values in “The Descendants.”

    Politicians should never underestimate the voters’ desire to be entertained.

    Yes, Clooney is just a movie star who has never served in public office. But neither had actors Ronald Reagan and Arnold Schwarzenegger before they were elected California governor.

    And Trump, a reality TV star, had never held office either before shockingly being elected president. In his case, it showed.

    All right, Clooney is not going to be nominated for president. Democrats haven’t the imagination.

    But they should entertain us at their August convention by engaging in a competitive, wide-open contest for the best candidate to stop Trump. And it’s not Biden.

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    George Skelton

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