Trump to announce abortion policy today after claiming record-busting $50m fundraiser haul: Live

Former US first lady Melania Trump, who has largely been missing-in-action throughout her husband Donald Trump’s latest presidential run, is due to make her first campaign appearance of 2024 later this month – albeit without leaving the comfort of her own home.

According to Politico, Ms Trump will host a fundraiser for the Log Cabin Republicans (LCB) group on Saturday 20 April, an event being held at the Trumps’ Mar-a-Lago home in Palm Beach, Florida.

LCB describes itself as “the nation’s largest Republican organisation dedicated to representing LGBT conservatives and allies”.

Joe Sommerlad has the story:

Is it a bird? Is it a plane? Is it the moon crossing the sun? No, it’s Donald Trump’s head.

Seven years on from the notorious moment where he stared directly at the sun during the last solar eclipse over the US, the former president is jumping on the sungazing bandwagon yet again.

On Sunday night, Mr Trump posted a bizarre campaign ad on Truth Social where his own head takes on the role of the moon – blocking out the sun and plunging America into total darkness.

The video begins with the words “the most important moment in human history is taking place in 2024” emblazoned over an image of the flaming sun, while dramatic music plays in the backdrop.

Read the full story here:

Donald Trump has made the outrageous claim that President Joe Biden was on drugs when he delivered his barn-storming State of the Union address last month, without providing any evidence to substantiate the allegation.

Asked by Mr Hewitt about his probable rival, Mr Trump said: “I think what happened is, you know, that white stuff that they happened to find, which happened to be cocaine in the White House, I don’t know, I think something’s going on there.

“I watched his State of the Union, and he was all jacked up at the beginning. By the end, he was fading fast. There’s something going on there.”

Here’s what else he said:

Ms Greene suggested God was responsible for the geological event, adding that it was a sign of things to come.

“Earthquakes and eclipses and many more things to come,” she said. “I pray that our country listens.”

Her post later had a community note added to it, denouncing the messages.

“Earthquakes happen all the time, all around the world, we can follow them realtime using USGS resources,” it said. “Eclipses are not random, they follow strict mathematical rules and can be predicted centuries before they happen. NASA has a site listing eclipses until the year 3000.”

The Colorado representative was allegedly cut off from alcohol by a server at the New York Young Republican Club’s Manhattan gala, an incident seen by several witnesses, according to CNN.

The Secret Service was also reportedly forced to intervene in her repeated attempts to take selfies with the event’s guest of honour, former president Donald Trump.

In a statement to The Independent, Gavin Wax, president of the New York Young Republican Club, said: “If you’re asking if Congresswoman Boebert had a good time at one of our galas, the answer is ‘I hope so’.

“Everyone knows the New York Young Republican Club throws the best galas. Congresswoman Boebert was in NYC for a good time not a long time. We will happily welcome her back this year.”

Donald Trump has explained why wife Melania has been largely absent from his 2024 presidential campaign.

The former first lady was last seen on Easter Sunday after lunch at Mar-a-Lago with her teenage son Barron but has been almost entirely absent from both Mr Trump’s campaign events, and his multiple criminal and civil trials.

During the 2016 and 2020 campaigns, Ms Trump often stayed at home while Mr Trump was campaigning. In an interview with 20/20 in 2015, she explained that she wanted to be there for Barron who was nine at the time.

After Mr Trump won the White House in 2016, Mrs Trump didn’t move from the family’s New York penthouse until June 2017.

The Hollywood star, also known by his wrestling moniker The Rock, shared the surprise revelation in an interview with Fox News in the run-up to WWE event WrestleMania 40, where he performed in the ring for the first time since 2016.

His reversal arrives four years after the Jungle Cruise and Black Adam star threw his support behind Biden over Republican candidate Donald Trump, telling his fans: “[Endorsing] is something that I’ve certainly not done in the past, so I’m gonna go big.

“As a registered independent for years now with centrist ideologies, I do feel that vice president Biden and senator Harris are the best choice to lead our country, and I am endorsing them to become president and vice president of our united states.”

However, Johnson has now expressed regret over his decision to share the news and said he will not be endorsing Biden for his rematch against Trump in the forthcoming US election, telling Fox News: “I will keep my politics to myself.”

Trump told conservative radio show host Hugh Hewitt earlier this week: “I think what happened is, you know, that white stuff that they happened to find, which happened to be cocaine in the White House, I don’t know, I think something’s going on there.

“I watched his State of the Union, and he was all jacked up at the beginning. By the end, he was fading fast. There’s something going on there.”