Trump to host rally in South Bronx after classified documents hearing becomes chaotic shouting match: Latest news

Speaking of ring-kissers, Texas senator Ted Cruz was confronted with his flagrant hypocrisy by Kaitlan Collins on CNN last night.

Briefly, and improbably, the face of the resistance, “Birdbrain” now becomes the latest Republican to eat her words, set aside months of personal insults and abuse and dutifully kiss the ring.

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Or, I don’t know, this?

Here’s John Bowden on the latest member of the GOP to sell off their hard-won credibility at a low, low price.

With his travel schedule badly hampered by the Manhattan hush money criminal trial and his near-daily court commitments, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee has had to get creative with campaigning ahead of the 2024 election.

Today, Trump is set to hold a rally in New York, his first in the Empire State in eight years, and not in a MAGA stronghold like the rural north, western region or even the borough of Staten Island.

No no. Trump is heading to the South Bronx.

His campaign has filed a permit for a 3,500-person gathering in Crotona Park at 6pm on Thursday 23 May.

Trump is expected to use the rally to talk about the economy, crime rates, and the migrant crisis.

“New Yorkers have suffered greatly thanks to Biden’s failed policies,” the campaign said, announcing the event.

Here’s more from Oliver O’Connell.

A hearing in Trump’s classified documents case devolved into a chaotic shouting match on Wednesday as lawyers fought over claims of a threat allegedly made to a defense attorney.

The hearing on Wednesday morning had been scheduled for Walt Nauta, Trump’s co-defendant and valet, to share arguments that the office of special counsel Jack Smith had vindictively and selectively charged him with offenses.

Judge Aileen Cannon, who was appointed by Trump, did not issue a ruling, according to CNN.

The hearing was quickly taken over by a disagreement over an August 2022 meeting including prosecutor Jay Bratt and Stanley Woodward, Nauta’s defense attorney, who claimed in court and legal filings that Bratt tried to convince Nauta to cooperate with the prosecution against Trump by threatening to affect the possible nomination of a judgeship.

Nauta argues that he was charged for not cooperating with the Justice Department and its probe into Trump’s alleged mishandling of classified files.

Here’s more on the row from Gustaf Kilander.

Today’s big event in Trumpworld is the former president’s first New York rally in eight years as he takes to the rally stage in Crotona Park in the South Bronx.

Here he is cheerleading for it last night:

There was also plenty more vitriol against his enemies in the legal sphere, with “Deranged” Justice Department special counsel Jack Smith back in his sights.

The Republican presidential candiate is also continuing to push that the lie that the FBI agents who raided Mar-a-Lago in August 2022 in search of the secret files he had stolen from the US government were prepared to kill him.

The reason that operation became necessary was because he refused to co-operate with the National Archives when it requested its material back.

Trump spent yesterday fundraising in Houston and Dallas and afterwards was up late on his social media platform, thanking Texas governor Greg Abbott and lieutenant-governor Dan Patrick for their support (Patrick was also at his trial in Manhattan earlier this week).

Among his more interesting posts, amid the usual stew of dubious graphs, Fox quotes and campaign videos, was this pledge to ensure the release of Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, who has been in prison in Vladimir Putin’s Russia for over a year on trumped up spying charges.

Trump has rarely shown much interest in his plight before.

“Trump posted a video touting how great a second Trump term would be ending with ‘MAGA!!’,” Late Show host Colbert explained. “But in grayscale underneath is the headline: ‘Industrial strength significantly increased driven by the creation of a unified Reich’.”

“Unified yike,” the host reacted. “That’s not a dog whistle that’s a whistle made of dog.”

The three variations come with tag lines such as “fighting for justice” with an image of Mr Giuliani from his time as US attorney for the Southern District of New York; “enjoying life,” with an image of a flip-flop-wearing Mr Guiliani sitting on a beach; and “America’s mayor,” with an image of a smiling Mr Giuliani holding a cup.

While former president Donald Trump has chosen to sell sneakers and bibles to cover his legal fees, his former lawyer is flogging three coffee types: “bold,” “morning,” and decaf. The bags weigh two pounds each and can be purchased for $29.99.

The coffee will begin shipping in June with the first 100 bags signed by the former mayor.

“You’re not just treating yourself to exceptional coffee, you’re also supporting our cause,” Mr Giuliani said in a new video advertisement on X.