Trump sits down with Sean Hannity in first interview since becoming president: Live updates

The veteran Democrat tried to rise above politics but it surely evidently didn’t work with Donald Trump, writes John Bowden.

Maybe one of the disturbing moments of final evening’s interview was the president reflecting that it was “unhappy” that his predecessor Joe Biden had uncared for to pardon himself earlier than leaving workplace, hinting darkly that he might be positioned beneath investigation.

Right here’s Katie Hawkinson on Trump in Mafia Don mode.

Donald Trump sat down with Fox Information’s Sean Hannity on Wednesday evening for his first TV interview since returning to the White Home.

The president took questions on every thing from his controversial determination to pardon nearly all January 6 defendants, even those that had assaulted law enforcement officials, the way forward for TikTok and the federal response to the Los Angeles wildfires.

Right here’s a collection of selection clips:

Andrew Feinberg has this report on the president’s risk to close down the Federal Emergency Administration Company (FEMA) for “getting in the way in which” of catastrophe response.

CNN anchor Jim Acosta accused Rep. Tim Burchett (R-TN) on Wednesday of “partaking in a sport of whataboutism” and refusing to “take a stand” on President Donald Trump’s blanket pardons of January 6 rioters, all whereas questioning if Republicans had been now “betraying the blue.”

After months of flirting with the concept of releasing what he known as the “J6 hostages,” Trump returned to the White Home and determined to problem sweeping pardons to just about 1,600 defendants who had been convicted of crimes associated to the violent Capitol riots, which had been sparked by Trump’s efforts to overturn his 2020 electoral loss.

Amongst these given clemency included over 600 individuals who had been charged with assaulting, resisting, or impeding legislation enforcement officers. Moreover, Trump both pardoned or commuted the sentences of former Proud Boys chief Enrique Tarrio, Oath Keepers founder Stewart Rhodes and 13 of their acolytes who had been convicted of seditious conspiracy or different violent crimes associated to the January 6 assault. This was regardless of Vice President JD Vance assuring the general public that no person who “dedicated violence that day” ought to obtain a pardon.

“We’ll must see,” Trump mentioned.

Prosecutors charged a Wisconsin man who allegedly instructed police he tried to burn down a congressman’s workplace as a result of he was upset with the federal TikTok ban with a number of counts on Wednesday, together with arson.

Fond du Lac County District Lawyer Eric Toney filed a criticism in opposition to 19-year-old Caiden Stachowicz charging him with felony arson, making terrorist threats, tried housebreaking and property injury. He would face greater than 50 years behind bars if convicted on all counts.

Stachowicz, of Menasha, was scheduled to make his preliminary courtroom look Wednesday morning. On-line courtroom data didn’t record an legal professional for him.

Saudi Arabia’s Crown prince Mohammed bin Salman instructed Donald Trump early on Wednesday that Riyadh was planning to speculate a minimum of $600 billion into the US over the following 4 years, in response to the Saudi Press Company.

Bin Salman was reportedly the primary international chief to have a cellphone name with the newly-installed Trump.

The leaders additionally reportedly discussing potential partnerships to fight terrorism and additional cooperation to advertise peace and stability within the Center East.

Throughout his inauguration on Monday, Trump mentioned he would make Saudi Arabia his first worldwide go to if the nation purchased a minimum of $450 billion value of American-made merchandise. He made the identical deal in 2017, and when Saudi Arabia hit the purpose, Trump saved his phrase and visited the dominion earlier than he went wherever else.

What large ticket gadgets did the crown prince purchase from the US to persuade Trump to go to?

Then-Consultant Tulsi Gabbard criticized the transfer, citing the nation’s file of human rights abuses, The Hill reported.

On the time, she mentioned the dominion was “a rustic with a devastating file of human rights violations at house and overseas and has an extended historical past of offering assist to terrorist organizations that threaten the American folks.”

Within the current day, Gabbard is awaiting affirmation to turn into Trump’s Director of Nationwide Intelligence.

Senator Adam Schiff responded to Donald Trump’s interview with Sean Hannity, calling three of the president’s claims lies, after which suggesting the 78-year-old was “slowing down.”

Trump advised that Schiff begged former President Joe Biden for a pardon, that somebody taped his name with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, and that his name with the chief was “excellent.” “’Schiff begged for a pardon’” Nope. Fairly the other. Trump’s cellphone name with Zelensky was taped. Fallacious once more. ‘It was an ideal name.’ Oh please, not that once more. 3 lies a minute. Trump have to be slowing down,” Schiff wrote.

A federal choose revived a lawsuit difficult entry to the abortion drug mifepristone simply days earlier than the 52nd anniversary of the landmark Roe v. Wade determination.

After the Supreme Court docket overturned Roe in 2022, anti-abortion advocates launched a barrage of litigation, together with a federal go well with in Texas aimed toward mifepristone, one drug in a two-drug routine utilized in remedy abortions.

Months after the Supreme Court docket threw out a problem to mifepristone’s FDA approval, a federal choose in Texas on Thursday allowed a 2022 lawsuit to be revived, probably opening the floodgates for restricted entry. The widely-used drug was authorized by the Meals and Drug Administration 25 years in the past. Nevertheless, the FDA has eased restrictions on the drug.