US elections live updates: Trump and Harris hit battleground states

Senate Republicans could block Robert F Kennedy Jr from joining a possible second Trump cabinet, according to Semafor.

Kennedy Jr claims Trump has promised him “control” over multiple health agencies, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

He told followers in a livestream on Monday that Trump would put him in charge of the Departments of Health and Agriculture if he wins a second term.

In August, the 70-year-old suspended his independent campaign for president and backed the Republican billionaire. He previously made a run in the Democratic primary before switching to an independent bid.

But Kennedy Jr might struggle to be confirmed in the Senate even if the Republicans control the chamber.

One person close to the Trump campaign told Semafor that there’s “appetite at the highest levels of the Trump campaign to take on a fight to get Kennedy confirmed.”

However, three congressional aides told the outlet that Kennedy would be difficult to confirm even in a GOP-controlled Senate.

A GOP aide told Semafor they “highly” doubted Kennedy’s chances to be confirmed, and another aide added: “There’s some deference afforded to an incoming president, but I don’t think [Kennedy] would be a shoo-in.”

Companies whose businesses rely on foreign suppliers are getting ready to hike their prices if Donald Trump wins the election in response to his expected tariff policies, according to The Washington Post.

Producers of clothing, shoes, baby products, auto parts and hardware, as well as other items, say they’re set to pass on any rise in costs to the consumer in the event of a Trump victory.

The chief executive of Columbia Sportswear, Timothy Boyle, told The Post: “We’re set to raise prices.”

He added: “We’re buying stuff today for delivery next fall. So we’re just going to deal with it and we’ll just raise the prices. … It’s going to be very, very difficult to keep products affordable for Americans.”

At her second rally of the day, Kamala Harris told supporters in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania: “I’ve lived the promise of America.”

“I saw how hard my mother worked to give her daughters the same chances our country gave her,” she said.

“Growing up I was blessed to have family by blood and family by love, who instilled in me… the values that have always defined our nation at its best.”

Puerto Rican-Dominican artist, Nicky Jam, has “renounced” his endorsement of Donald Trump, following the continuing fallout over remarks made by comedian Tony Hinchcliffe at a recent rally at Madison Square Garden in New York.

In a video posted in Spanish on social media, the artist – real name Nick Rivera Caminero – said he had initially supported Trump because of the effects the poor US economy was having on immigrants.

“The reason that I supported Donald Trump is because I thought he would be better on the economy in the US where a lot of Latinos live – myself included,” he said. “There are a lot of immigrants who are suffering because of the economy and as a businessman I thought this was the best movement.”

“Never in my life did I think that just one month later a comedian would show up and criticize my country, and speak poorly of my country. And for that, I revoke any support for Donald Trump.”

Caminero backed Trump at a rally in Vegas last month. The former president accidentally misgendered the artist while touting the endorsement, saying that he loved “her” music.

Rudy Giuliani’s sexual assault case hearing spiraled into chaos for two hours that ended with the former New York City mayor being muted by the judge.

The first oral arguments in the civil suit, brought by accuser Noelle Dunphy, unfolded on Wednesday after a series of delays in the case that was first filed in early 2023. Dunphy, who claims to be his former employee, is accusing Giuliani of wide-ranging misconduct, including sexual harassment, assault, battery and a hostile work environment. The hearing was streamed online and journalists were allowed to watch.

The remote hearing was plagued by technical difficulties, high-pitched acoustic feedback and confusion. At one point, Lev Parnas, a Ukrainian businessman and former Giuliani associate-turned-critic, tried to be admitted to the virtual meeting — a move that the ex-mayor vocally objected to. The judge didn’t let Parnas in. Justin Kelton, Dunphy’s lawyer, said he was a potential witness in the case.

Donald Trump is considering withholding federal police grants to local agencies that refuse to carry out his mass deportation plan, a report claims.

The former president has said that, if elected, he will implement a drastic plan to remove migrants and immigrants who have come to the United States – especially via the US –Mexico border.

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