Trump sits down with Dr Phil after he accepts rules in ABC debate – live

Trump sits down with Dr Phil after he accepts rules in ABC debate - live
Related: Donald Trump claims Barack and Michelle Obama were ‘nasty’ to him at Democratic convention

Donald Trump says that “God’s hand” was involved in saving him during an assassination attempt so that he could save America – and the world.

The Republican presidential candidate addressed the attempt on his life last month at a rally in Pennsylvania during a sit-down interview with Dr Phil in Las Vegas on Tuesday.

In the hour-long, free-wheeling interview, Trump said that being president was more dangerous than a racing driver; insisted that he isn’t a threat to democracy; pushed the “Big Lie” that he had won the 2020 election; and baselessly claimed mail-in voter ballots would result in “massive fraud.”

Ahead of the interview, Trump said that he had reached an agreement with Democratic rival Kamala Harris over the rules for their first presidential debate next month.

Also on Tuesday, Special Counsel Jack Smith unveiled a fresh indictment against Trump for his alleged illegal attempts to reverse his 2020 election loss.

Meanwhile, Arlington National Cemetery officials say that Donald Trump’s campaign staff verbally abused and pushed aside a cemetery official who objected to filming and photography at gravesites during a recent visit, NPR reports. The incident occurred on Monday as the former president participated in a wreath-laying ceremony, according to the outlet. The Trump campaign has denied that the incident took place.

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RFK to follow Trump on Dr Phil – interview to broadcast on Wednesday

On Wednesday evening a pre-recorded Dr Phil interview, this time with Robert F Kennedy Jr will broadcast.

The former independent presidential candidate dropped out of the race on Friday, and threw his support behind Trump.

Speaking about RFK Jr’s endorsement during his own interview on Tuesday, Trump told Dr Phil: “I’m very honored. He’s a smart guy, a different kind of a guy, he loves our country. He has some very good views on a lot of things. I’ve known him for a long time, we’re somewhat friendly actually.

However, he remaiend cagey on whether Kennedy Jr would be given a job, adding: “I think he’s going to be a great asset. Will I have him in the administration? I don’t know. We haven’t discussed it. But he adds a lot to the election.”

Mike Bedigan28 August 2024 05:01

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Watch: Trump’s full interview with Dr Phil

See below for Donald Trump’s full, hour-long, prime-time interview with clincal psychologist-turned TV show host, Dr Phil.

Mike Bedigan28 August 2024 04:00

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New audio reveals JD Vance accusing childless left of ‘trying to brainwash the minds of our children

In the latest audio recording to resurface, Republican vice presidential candidate JD Vance can once again be heard going after women without children as somehow being harmful to other people’s kids.

Justin Rohrlich has more:

Mike Bedigan28 August 2024 03:30

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Tim Walz gets real — about gutters — on TikTok show

Democratic vice presidential candidate Tim Walz took to TikTok to talk gutters on Tuesday – noting that this aspect of home ownership often remains “neglected”, when asked for his hot take.

Gustaf Kilander has more:

Mike Bedigan28 August 2024 03:00

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Watch: ‘I’m not a threat to democracy’: Trump accuses democrats for recent assassination attempt

‘I’m not a threat to democracy’: Trump accuses democrats for recent assassination attempt
Mike Bedigan28 August 2024 02:31

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Trump cagey over whether RFK will have a role in hypothetical second administration

Trump’s interview with Dr Phil comes a day before former independent presidential candidate Robert F Kennedy Jr will sit down with the TV host.

Kennedy dropped out of the race on Friday, and threw his support behind Trump.

Speaking about RFK Jr’s  endorsement, Trump told Dr Phil: “I’m very honored. He’s a smart guy, a different kind of a guy, he loves our country. He has some very good views on a lot of things. I’ve known him for a long time, we’re somewhat friendly actually.

“I think he’s going to be a great asset. Will I have him in the administration? I don’t know. We haven’t discussed it. But he adds a lot to the election.”

Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump shakes hands with Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. at a campaign rally at the Desert Diamond Arena, Friday, Aug. 23, 2024, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump shakes hands with Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. at a campaign rally at the Desert Diamond Arena, Friday, Aug. 23, 2024, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) (AP)
Mike Bedigan28 August 2024 02:05

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Trump clarifies remarks about ‘being a dictator on day one’

Trump attempted to clarify his previous remarks about wanting to be a “dictator for one day” and ensuring people would “not have to vote again” if he were president.

At a conservative event last month, Trump said: “You’ve got to get out and vote. In four years, you don’t have to vote again, we’ll have it fixed so good you’re not going to have to vote.”

But in his interview with Dr Phil, Trump hit back at suggestions that the remarks referred to the ending of democratic elections. “I said to the Christians, we’ve got to win this election,” he said. “We win this election, I’ll straighten everything out in less than four years by a lot.

“Then you don’t have to. It doesn’t matter. In other words, I’m saying you don’t have to vote doesn’t mean we’re not going to have elections. You’re going to have elections, but you have to vote this time because we have to win.”

He added: That’s what I meant, and I said it, and everybody knows I said it that way, and everybody agrees that I said it that way.”

Trump went on to clarify that his comments to Fox News’ host Sean Hannity in December about being “a dictator for one day” were in jest, and were really referring to his desire to get work quickly.

“It was said with a chuckle,” he said. “The audience laughed, I laughed, we all laughed, but they take it, and they cut it… and it says, ‘I want to be a dictator.’

Mike Bedigan28 August 2024 01:55

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Trump says he is ‘not a threat to democracy at all’

Donald Trump says that, despite the rhetoric of the Harris campaign, that his is “not a threat to democracy at all.”

Speaking to TV show host Dr Phil, the former president suggested that such rhetoric was also responsible for the attempt on his life at a campaign rally in Pennsylvania.

“They’re saying, I’m a threat to democracy. No, they’re a threat. They’ve weaponized government. They’re a threat. But that turned to be like one of their lines. ‘You know that Trump is a threat?’

“I’m not a threat to democracy at all. They are a threat to democracy. But they would say that that was standard line. Just keep saying it. And you know that can get assassins, or potential assassins going. That’s a terrible thing.”

“It was a standard line for them. Donald Trump, a threat to democracy. I’m just the opposite. I’m the one that fixed our military. I’m the one I did so much. I also took a bullet. But maybe that bullet is because of their rhetoric, you know, it’s really nasty rhetoric in the Democrat convention.

“My name was mentioned, hundreds of times.”

Mike Bedigan28 August 2024 01:46

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Trump campaign staff had altercation with official at Arlington National Cemetery

Arlington National Cemetery officials say that Donald Trump’s campaign staff verbally abused and pushed aside a cemetery official who objected to filming and photography at gravesites during a recent visit, NPR reports.

The incident occurred on Monday as the former president participated in a wreath-laying ceremony, according to the outlet.

A source with knowledge of the incident told NPR the cemetery official tried to prevent Trump staffers from filming and photographing in a section where recent US casualties are buried. The source said Arlington officials had made clear that only cemetery staff members are authorized to take photographs or film in the area, known as Section 60.

When the cemetery official tried to prevent Trump campaign staff from entering Section 60, campaign staff verbally abused and pushed the official aside, according to the source.

The Trump campaign has denied that the incident took place.

Mike Bedigan28 August 2024 01:26

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Trump says being president is ‘much more dangerous than a race car driver’

Donald Trump said that being president was “probably the most dangerous profession” – including a race car driver.

Asked by Dr Phil whether the attempt on his life had changed him, he replied: “A lot of people ask me, and a lot of people say, like, ‘have you developed any fear of, you know, doing this.’

“Look, being president is a dangerous job. It’s much more dangerous than a race car driver than anything, is probably the most dangerous profession. If you think about it, just go up and down the list.”

Mike Bedigan28 August 2024 01:25

Source: independent.co.uk