Category: Politics

(WASHINGTON) — A panel of three former President Donald Trump-appointed U.S. Court of Appeals judges heard oral arguments on Tuesday over a lower court ruling on a Mississippi election law that allows the state to continue counting mail-in absentee ballots if they’re received within five days of Election Day.

It’s a significant case for its potentially wide-ranging implications in other states — some pivotal battlegrounds — that currently allow elections officials to accept late-arriving ballots. If the Republicans who brought the case prevail in peeling back these mail-in voting provisions, the general election could become even closer across the country. This case is also considered by experts to be one of the likeliest election-related suits to reach the U.S. Supreme Court before Election Day.

Around 20 states, including Mississippi, count mail ballots that arrive after Election Day but are postmarked on or before. They include Nevada, Virginia, Ohio, Maryland, California and New York. Disqualifying late-arriving ballots would be a major change in those states.

National and statewide Republicans had sued Mississippi’s secretary of state and other election officials in January over the mail-in ballot policies of the Republican-leaning state, which adopted legislation in 2020 that permits mail ballots postmarked by Election Day and that arrive up until five days after to be accepted.

The Republican National Committee, Mississippi Republican Party and two individuals are seeking to overturn that COVID-era law. A similar challenge was brought by the Libertarian Party of Mississippi, which also testified on Tuesday.

In July, a district court rejected the lawsuit, concluding that Mississippi’s absentee ballot receipt deadline does not conflict with federal statutes.

On Tuesday, a panel of three Trump-appointed conservative judges in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit — judges James Ho, Kyle Duncan and Andrew Oldham — heard the Republicans’ arguments to reverse that decision.

The arguments centered on a familiar Trump argument regarding elections: that Election Day is simply a “day” and not a prolonged voting period. The court considered precedents like RNC v. DNC, and federal laws like the Uniformed And Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act.

GOP lawyer Conor Woodfin said on Tuesday that the “consummation date” for ballot receipt should not be up for “subjective” interpretation in each individual state — that Election Day should be the final day for acceptance.

“The original public meaning of Election Day is the day that ballots are received by election officials,” Woodfin said. “In Mississippi, it means the day for postmarking a ballot, in other states like Nevada and New Jersey, you don’t even need a postmark, but that’s not how courts interpret statutes.”

“The meaning of Election day is not up to the subjective views of each state. Instead, text and history tell us what those words mean and historical practice is especially important when applying words like ‘election’ that are rich with historical meaning,” he continued. “For decades after Congress established the uniform national election day, those words meant the day that ballots are received by election officials.”

Scott Stewart on behalf of the Mississippi Secretary of State said on Tuesday that the district court was correct to uphold Mississippi’s ballot receipt law that the 5th Circuit court should affirm the decision.

He said that the petitioners — when grappling with concepts like early voting — have been unable to “locate a single definition” on ballot receipt.

“My friends [on the other side] say that ballot receipt is the definitive Election Day act. That is quite a statement for a party that has been unable to locate a single definition that mentions ballot receipt. I’ve just never seen a plain text case prevail with that kind of an absence,” he said.

The Democratic National Committee as an intervener in the case also countered the Republican petitioners. Its counsel, Donald Verrilli, said the definition of “election” suggests that votes cast by Election Day would be qualifying.

“The meaning of the word ‘election,’ as the Supreme Court said… has been the same since the founding to today — and it is the final collective choice of an officer by qualified electors,” Verrilli said.

“So the day of the election is the day on which that final collective choice must be consummated. That is what it means. That is what our position rests on…their position departs dramatically from that meaning,” he added.

Verrilli was asked to expand upon the term “collective” in the definition.

“What final collective choice means is that the process requires that all votes that are going to go into the determination of who holds the office are cast by Election Day. It doesn’t say anything about the manner in which they are cast,” he said. “That is something that the Constitution delegates expressly to state officials with. Of course, federal backstop and states have made different policy choices about that very thing.”

The hearing on Tuesday comes as in-person and mail-in absentee ballots became available on Monday across Mississippi for the upcoming general election.

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(WASHINGTON) — Young voters overwhelmingly support Vice President Kamala Harris’ bid for the White House, according to new polling out Tuesday from the Institute of Politics at the Harvard Kennedy School.

In fact, Harris now has a resounding lead with adults under 30, dominating former President Donald Trump by 17 points, 46% to 29%, per the poll, in a five-way matchup that includes some third-party candidates. That gap widens among registered voters, and the gulf is largest among likely voters — Harris leading among likely voters under 30 years old with 61% to Trump’s 30%, the poll found.

Each candidate still may have room to grow support among this demographic, however: in that matchup, 18% of adults under 30 said they don’t know yet who they’ll vote for.

In a head-to-head matchup, Harris has the support of 54% of adults under 30, while Trump has the support of 33%. Around one-in-10 said they don’t know yet.

“In just a few weeks, Vice President Harris has drummed up a wave of enthusiasm among young voters,” Harvard Public Opinion Project chair Anil Cacodcar said in a statement. “Harris is enjoying a perfect storm of personal appeal, policy support, and positive reach on social media.”

Harris’ gains come as her campaign and many top surrogates have worked to reach the country’s youngest voters, in part by joining TikTok, and engaged in non-traditional interviews, including participating in WIRED magazine’s popular interview video series.

Her campaign account “Kamala HQ” has amassed a serious following online, with over 4.5 million TikTok followers. Her personal account boasts more than five million followers as well.

Trump and his campaign have also attempted to reach younger voters. The former president’s personal TikTok account reaches 11.4 million followers — and he’s been a guest on several high-profile influencer podcasts, in part to pitch himself to young men.

Harvard’s polling data also indicated signs of a gender gap in Harris’ support. Although a majority of adult men and women under 30 still support Harris, women support the vice president by much higher margins.

Among male likely voters, Harris has 53% support while Trump has 36%; among female likely voters, Harris has 70% support while Trump has 23%, according to the Harvard IOP poll.

The groundswell of under-30 support follows a summer of Harris-friendly memes and internet phenomena, alongside a number of high-profile celebrity endorsements, the preeminent blessing from pop mega-star Taylor Swift, who backed the Harris-Walz ticket hours after the ABC News presidential debate.

The Harvard IOP poll also asked younger voters about who they trust more on a host of issues.

Among the full sample of adults ages 18-29 polled, Trump leads, albeit within the margin of error, by 1 percentage point on the economy and by a few on immigration, national security and defense, and the Israel-Hamas war. Harris leads with a more than 30-point margin on climate change and abortion, with a smaller lead on some other issues.

The poll was conducted by the Harvard IOP and Ipsos from Sept. 4-16, in the field both before and after the ABC News presidential debate on Sept. 10. The poll’s margin of error is +/- 2.65% for the full sample of U.S. residents ages 18-29; the likely voter margin of error is +/- 3.63%; and for registered voters the margin of error is +/- 3.08%.

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(WASHINGTON) — Outgoing West Virginia Independent Sen. Joe Manchin said Tuesday he won’t back Vice President Kamala Harris’ White House bid after she came out in favor of changing Senate rules to pass abortion protection laws.

“I’m not endorsing her,” Manchin told reporters Tuesday.

Earlier, Manchin was more vociferous about Harris’ announcement that she’d be in favor of scrapping the chamber’s 60-vote filibuster to pass a law reviving the abortion protections that existed under Roe v. Wade, the Supreme Court decision that was scrapped in 2022.

“Shame on her,” Manchin, who is retiring and left the Democratic Party earlier this year, told CNN. “She knows the filibuster is the Holy Grail of democracy. It’s the only thing that keeps us talking and working together.”

Outgoing Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, I-Ariz., another retiring Democrat-turned-independent and filibuster defender, also panned the idea, saying it would open the door to further restrictions by a future Republican Senate majority.

“To state the supremely obvious, eliminating the filibuster to codify Roe v Wade also enables a future Congress to ban all abortion nationwide,” Sinema posted on X. “What an absolutely terrible, shortsighted idea.”

Harris, who along with President Joe Biden, had supported changing Senate rules to help restore Roe v. Wade’s protections, which allow abortions until a fetus is viable. She reiterated her stance in an interview with Wisconsin Public Radio.

“I’ve been very clear: I think we should eliminate the filibuster for Roe,’ Harris said. “Fifty-one votes would be what we need to actually put back in law the protections for reproductive freedom and for the ability of every person and every woman to make decisions about their own body and not have their government tell them what to do.”

Harris’ comments come as she pivots to the center to win over undecided voters, but abortion remains a key issue that fires up the Democratic base and helped the vice president find her footing in office. She has been particularly vocal on the issue after reports of two Georgia women’s deaths seemingly due to delayed treatment after undergoing medication abortions.

Still, it’s unclear if Democrats would have the votes to pass any abortion protections, as their 51-49 majority hangs by a thread this November due to a formidable map that has them defending seats in several purple states and the red states of Montana and Ohio.

Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer was circumspect on what kind of legislation Democrats would push, only saying Tuesday that “it’s something our caucus will discuss in the next session of Congress.”

Former President Donald Trump celebrated Manchin’s saying he wouldn’t endorse Harris.

“Congratulations to Senator Joe Manchin for not endorsing Radical Kamala Harris because of her DEATH WISH for the Filibuster and the Rule of Law. Joe knows that only the 45th President of the United States, Donald J. Trump, can protect our Country, our People, and Make America Great Again,” Trump posted on his social media platform.

ABC News’ Lalee Ibssa contributed to this report.

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(WASHINGTON) — The Senate on Tuesday unanimously passed a House bill that would require an equal standard of U.S. Secret Service protection to be applied to presidents and all major party candidates.

The bill, which cleared the House last Friday, a week after the second apparent assassination attempt on President Donald Trump, will now head to President Joe Biden’s desk for final approval.

Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., brought the bill forward for unanimous approval on Tuesday afternoon.

“We all know why this legislation is needed. In a span of just 65 days … President Trump has been the target of two assassination attempts,” Scott said. “I’m proud to lead this effort in the Senate. I’m on the floor today to request the immediate passage of the Enhanced Presidential Security Act so we can send this good and necessary to President Biden’s desk so it may become law. Our action today goes beyond the simple language of this bill.”

Sen. Chris Murphy, the Chairman of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security, and a Democrat, said that he did not believe the legislation would have any meaningful impact on the security posture surrounding Trump but did not object to it moving forward.

As noted, Acting Secret Service Director Ronald Rowe has stated that Trump is already receiving the highest level of U.S. Secret Service protection.

Murphy said the upcoming supplemental funding for the Secret Service set to be included in the short-term funding measure is a more meaningful approach to upping Trump’s security.

“Let’s move ahead with this bill. I don’t think it actually solves the problem. Let’s pass the additional money so they have everything they need to get the job done. And then let’s sit down and have a broader conversation about why we have seen this spike in political violence, what other ways Republicans and Democrats can come together,” Murphy said.

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(NEW YORK) — Monday’s bombshell report alleging infidelity and possible violations of House ethics rules by Rep. Anthony D’Esposito, R-N.Y., is rattling his reelection bid in a key Long Island district. But it’s not just New York’s 4th Congressional District that’s at stake.

D’Esposito, a former police detective, allegedly hired his longtime fiancée’s daughter and his mistress to work in his district office, jobs that received taxpayer-funded salaries, The New York Times reported Monday. The first-term lawmaker was already facing a tough reelection bid in a race that political handicappers rate a tossup as he wages a rematch against Democrat Laura Gillen, who he beat by less than 4 points in 2022.

D’Esposito’s district is one of over a dozen that President Joe Biden won in 2020 and is at the heart of the path to the House majority for either party — meaning that any slip-up could not just cost him his seat but also Republicans their already wafer-thin control of the chamber.

“This could be absolutely transformative and a real shot in the arm for the Democratic efforts to retake the House. The path back to power runs right through New York, and any shift in the political winds in any of these so-called Biden districts that are held by vulnerable Republicans could shake the math up. And Anthony D’Esposito just got that much more vulnerable,” said New York-based Democratic strategist Jon Reinish.

“This is a moderate suburban district, but transgressions like this are not smiled upon. So, yeah, this action just in and of itself could alter the balance of power.”

The New York Times report sent shockwaves through Washington and Long Island Monday just six weeks before Election Day.

Republicans are vying to defend their 220-212 majority in the House — an edge so painfully narrow it causes persistent headaches for GOP leaders to move legislation through the chamber. Seventeen Republican-held seats up for grabs this year were won by Biden four years ago, easily enough to offset the chamber’s current margin.

Long Island has gained heightened attention for veering right in recent years, culminating in a Republican sweep in 2022, including for D’Esposito.

However, Democrat Tom Suozzi retook one of those Long Island districts in a special election triggered earlier this year by the resignation of scandal-plagued former Republican Rep. George Santos and Democrats are hopeful that energy around Vice President Kamala Harris could lift up candidates down the ballot in November — an advantage the party didn’t enjoy in the 2022 midterms.

That makes running airtight races crucial for a GOP wary of doing anything to build on Democrats’ existing edge in those 17 majority-making districts.

“It’s an earthquake for D’Esposito,” said former Rep. Steve Israel, who used to represent a Long Island district and headed House Democrats’ campaign arm for two terms. “The fact is that it is a Democratic district that supported Biden, which means if you’re a Republican, you can’t afford mistakes, you cannot afford scandals, you cannot afford to lose yardage. And this particular story sets D’Esposito back significantly.”

“In a Trumpian environment where scandals don’t seem to matter, it’s possible for D’Esposito to survive,” Israel added. But “he now has spent more money than he wanted, the [National Republican Congressional Committee] has to come in and patch up the deficiencies. It’s not a headache, it’s a migraine.”

Republicans who spoke to ABC News argued that the scandal wasn’t quite so detrimental but conceded that the news wouldn’t help D’Esposito or the larger party’s prospects this November.

“Certainly, this type of news hurts. All depends on what if any lead he already has,” said New York GOP strategist Tom Doherty, who said he still believes Republicans will “do well” in Nassau County, where part of D’Esposito’s district lies.

“In a tight race where there’s a segment that may care about that or may be concerned about whether or not someone should have been on a payroll or not, that could make a difference, absolutely,” added one New York Republican strategist. “It can be harmful at the margins, and it depends on how close the race is to see if it matters or not.”

For his part, D’Esposito has hammered The New York Times over its report — without directly denying its allegations — while allies have come out behind him.

“The latest political tabloid garbage being peddled by The New York Times is nothing more than a slimy, partisan ‘hit piece’ designed to distract Long Islanders from Democrats’ failing record on border security, the economy, and foreign policy. My personal life has never interfered with my ability to deliver results for New York’s 4th district, and I have upheld the highest ethical standards of personal conduct,” D’Esposito said Monday.

“It’s a partisan hit piece that would not surprise anyone, and a tight election cycle in a seat that’s, it’s, it’s hotly contested, but he’s been a very strong advocate for his district. I’ve been up there a lot. I know the people of his district, and they are, they’re great champions of him and he of them,” Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., added Tuesday.

And, other Republicans argued, scandals just make less of an impact in an era dominated by seemingly historic controversies at the presidential level.

“I don’t see this making much of a difference at the voting booth. Voters understand that real life can be tricky,” said New York GOP strategist William O’Reilly, who added that scandals like this “definitely” pack less of a punch in the Trump era.

Some Democrats also sounded a hesitant note, arguing that the story could deal significant damage but that it’s taking place on terrain increasingly favorable to Republicans like D’Esposito.

“The question is, does this seal the deal? The answer is, no. Long Island is leaning much more red, much more Trump. Could this be something that puts Laura Gillen over the top or closes the race? Yeah, it could,” said New York Democratic strategist Hank Sheinkopf, who added that concerns about crime could dovetail with D’Esposito’s background as a detective.

Still, voters in D’Esposito’s district backed Biden by double digits in 2020, and operatives anticipated chatter of the scandal to spread like wildfire in the district.

“You’ve got to be able to amplify it, particularly with undecided voters. There’s a significant cohort of those voters in NY-04. The advantage they have is that they don’t really have to spend the money on it. The earned media will take care of that for them. I woke up this morning to an inbox filled with emails from Democrats and Republicans alike chattering about the news,” Israel said. “It will become its own narrative.”

“This revelation certainly does not help Republicans retain control of the House,” he added. “This is an obstacle in that path.”

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(WASHINGTON) — With about six weeks until Election Day, former President Donald Trump will deliver remarks on the tax code and U.S. manufacturing in battleground Georgia on Tuesday.

Vice President Kamala Harris has her own economic speech scheduled for Wednesday in Pennsylvania, another critical swing state. Later this week, she will travel to Arizona for some campaign events and to visit the southern border, according to a source familia with her plans.

Here’s how the news is developing:

Trump, in Georgia, hits on economy, immigration and more

In remarks in battleground Georgia focused on the economy and the tax code, Trump said dealing with immigration is first step in his economic plan.

In Savannah, Trump again said migrants with legal protected status in Springfield, Ohio, need to be deported and repeated his discriminatory and false argument that undocumented immigrants were stealing jobs from Black and Hispanic communities. He went on to call on local officials to “move the people back to the country from which they came.”

Trump spent much of his speech focused on increasing domestic production by tariffing other countries, telling Georgians they soon would be “stealing” jobs from other countries.

“Vote for Trump, and you will see a mass exodus of manufacturing from China to Pennsylvania, from Korea to North Carolina, from Germany to right here in Georgia, they’re going to come to Georgia, from Germany and a lot of other places,” he claimed.

“I’m outlining today, not only will we stop our businesses from leaving for foreign lands, but under my leadership, we’re going to take other countries’ jobs. Did you ever hear that expression before? Have you ever heard that? ‘We’re going to take other countries’ jobs.’ It’s never been stated before. We’re going to take their factories,” Trump claimed.

The former president also touched on Ukraine, just hours after President Joe Biden urged world leaders gathered at the United Nations General Assembly to never “waver” in support for Ukraine.

“I think that we’re stuck in that war unless I’m president. I’ll get it done. I’ll get it negotiated,” Trump claimed — a campaign pledge he often repeats but offers no specifics on how to accomplish.

Trump then seemingly praised Russia.

“That’s what they do, is they fight wars,” he said. “As somebody told me the other day, they beat Hitler, they beat Napoleon. That’s what they do. They fight and it’s not pleasant.”

ABC News’ Lalee Ibssa, Soorin Kim and Kelsey Walsh

Nebraska governor won’t call special session to change electoral votes system

Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen released a statement Tuesday confirming he has “no plans” to call a special session before the November general election — meaning that the Republican-led effort to change the state electoral college to winner-take-all is tabled, for now.

“My team and I have worked relentlessly to secure a filibuster-proof 33-vote majority to get winner-take-all passed before the November election,” Pillen said. “Given everything at stake for Nebraska and our country, we have left every inch on the field to get this done.”

“Unfortunately, we could not persuade 33 state senators,” he added.

Pillen specifically cited opposition from state Sen. Mike McDonnell, who on Monday said he would not support such a change before the 2024 election.

The switch would have likely benefitted Trump and made the electoral map more difficult for Harris.

-ABC News’ Brittany Shepherd and Oren Oppenheim

Trump attacks Harris’ plan to visit the border

Trump is now weighing in on Harris’ plans to visit the southern border this Friday in Arizona, labelling the visit as “political” and accusing her of attempting to “con the public” of her border record.

“After almost four years, Border Czar Kamala Harris has decided, for political reasons, that it’s time for her to go to our broken Southern Border. What a disgrace that she waited so long,” Trump wrote on his social media, repeating his disparaging rhetoric on migrants.

While Harris has been to the southern border, the trip marks her first visit since lauched her campaign at the end of July.

Trump has made immigration central to his 2024 campaign, pledging mass deportations and a border shutdown among other hard-line policies. He visited the border last month, the same day Harris formally accepted the Democratic nomination for president.

ABC News’ Soorin Kim, Lalee Ibssa and Kelsey Walsh

Harris planning a visit to southern border this week: Source

Vice President Harris is planning to visit the southern border during her visit to Arizona on Friday, according to a source familiar.

This would be Harris’ first visit to the southern border since she jumped to the top of the ticket at the end of July.

Immigration has been a big issue in the 2024 race, with Donald Trump and Republicans inaccurately calling Harris the “border czar” and blaming her for the border crisis. Harris, in turn, argues that Trump and Republicans are at fault for killing the bipartisan border bill earlier this year.

Harris has overseen the Biden administration’s efforts to address the root causes of migration as vice president, and visited the border in 2021, after she came under fire for not having done so.

Trump expected to return to Butler for a rally on Oct. 5: Sources

Trump is expected to return to Butler, Pennsylvania, the city of his first assassination attempt, next Saturday for a rally, according to multiple sources familiar with his plans.

The rally is scheduled for Oct. 5.

Trump has long promised to return to Butler to honor the victims who died at his July rally.

“I WILL BE GOING BACK TO BUTLER, PENNSYLVANIA, FOR A BIG AND BEAUTIFUL RALLY, HONORING THE SOUL OF OUR BELOVED FIREFIGHTING HERO, COREY, AND THOSE BRAVE PATRIOTS INJURED TWO WEEKS AGO. WHAT A DAY IT WILL BE — FIGHT, FIGHT, FIGHT! STAY TUNED FOR DETAILS,” Trump wrote on his social media platform in July.

NBC News was first to report the news.

ABC News’ Katherine Faulders, Lalee Ibssa, Kesley Walsh and Soorin Kim

Harris won’t attend the Al Smith dinner, a presidential campaign staple

Vice President Harris will not attend the Al Smith dinner next month in New York, breaking with tradition of major party nominees sharing laughs at the benefit dinner, and will instead be on the campaign trail, a campaign official confirmed to ABC News.

“She is going to be campaigning in a battleground state that day, and the campaign wants to maximize her time in the battlegrounds this close to the election,” the official said.

The dinner, which benefits Catholic Charities, is scheduled for Oct. 17. It has become a traditional stop on the presidential campaign trail, with both the Republican and Democratic nominees attending and delivering remarks full of roasts. In recent years, both nominees attended the gala, including in 2008, 2012, 2016, and 2020. (The latter was virtual because of the COVID-19 pandemic.)

The official also added that Harris’ team informed the dinner’s organizers she would be absent, but was willing to attend in a later year as president.

ABC News’ Fritz Farrow, Gabrielle Abdul-Hakim and Will McDuffie

Melania Trump to sit for her 1st interview of 2024 election cycle

Former first lady Melania Trump will sit down for her first interview of the 2024 election cycle with Fox News’ Ainsley Earhardt as she continues to promote her new book.

The interview is set to air on Thursday, Fox announced on Monday.

While Melania Trump has remained relatively quiet this campaign cycle, mainly appearing with the former president at closed-door events, she has been more active online recently as she launches her forthcoming memoir, “Melania.”

Her book is scheduled to be released on Oct. 8. Her website describes it in part as “the powerful and inspiring story of a woman who has defined personal excellence, overcome adversity, and carved her own path.”

ABC News’ Lalee Ibssa, Soorin Kim and Kelsey Walsh

Trump again says it’s too late for another debate amid challenges from Harris

Trump is again ruling out another debate against Harris, arguing it would be “a very bad thing” for the country.

“Well, I’ve already done two debates, and they, you know, we’re good, but to do a third one, everybody’s voting now, and it’s very late to be doing a third debate,” Trump told Fox News correspondent Bill Melugin in a phone conversation that aired Monday morning.

Harris said over the weekend she accepted an offer from CNN for a debate on Oct. 23.

Her team has also noted that there have been presidential debates in years past in the final weeks before Election Day.

“The final 2020 debate was October 22,” the Harris campaign wrote on X. “The proposed CNN debate is October 23.”

Trump also debated Hillary Clinton for a third time around the same timeframe: Oct. 19, 2016.

Trump slightly leads in Arizona, about even in North Carolina: Polls

A set of New York Times/Siena College polls found Trump slightly leads Harris in Arizona and they are about evenly matched in North Carolina.

Among likely voters in Arizona, Trump leads Harris 50% to 45% in a head-to-head matchup. In a six-way matchup with other candidates, Trump still leads Harris 48% to 43%.

In North Carolina, Trump also leads Harris among likely voters 49% to 47%. He also leads by 2 percentage points in a six-way matchup. The lead, however, is within the poll’s margin of error.

Arizona and North Carolina are considered crucial battlegrounds this election, along with Georgia. According to 538’s polling average, Trump is ahead slightly in each of the three Sun Belt states.

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(INDIANA, Penn.) — Former President Donald Trump appears to be trying out a new line in an effort to appeal to women — a group where polls show he is behind.

In a rally in battleground Pennsylvania on Monday, Trump said that he will be a “protector” of women and repeated a claim that they “will no longer be thinking about abortion” if he wins the White House — though he often brags about his role in the Supreme Court’s decision to overrule Roe vs. Wade, which secured the constitutional right to abortion. He said similar remarks on social media and a rally over the weekend.

In an effort to court women voters, Trump said at his rally in Indiana, Pennsylvania, Monday evening that he will make the country safer for women and claimed that women are “poorer, less healthy, less safe, more stressed, depressed and unhappy” than they were four years ago.

“I want to be your protector. As president, I have to be your protector,” Trump said.

He touted his abortion policy suggesting that women will no longer be thinking about it — and celebrated his appointment of three U.S. Supreme Court justices who helped overrule Roe vs. Wade.

“You will no longer be thinking about abortion,” Trump said. “Because we’ve done something that nobody else could have done. It is now where it always had to be, with the states and a vote of the people.”

Abortion remains a top issue for voters — especially women — in the upcoming election. Both Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris are working to connect with voters on the topic in what’s expected to be a close contest in November.

And polling shows Trump has some ground to cover with women. Harris leads Trump by nine points (53% to 44%) among women, according to a recent ABC News/Ipsos poll.

Monday was not the first time Trump has said women will “no longer be thinking about abortion” if he becomes president again. Trump made the same claim in a social media post late Friday night, which he then repeated during a rally in Wilmington, North Carolina, on Saturday afternoon.

“Women will be happy, healthy, confident and free,” Trump said at the North Carolina rally of winning the election. “You will no longer be thinking about abortion, because it is now where it always had to be with the states and with the vote of the people. The people are now voting, and many of those votes are far more liberal than we thought.”

Trump added that women’s “lives will be happy, beautiful, and their lives will be great again. So women, we love you. We’re going to take care of you.”

Trump is working to appeal to women, which come after a jury last year found him liable of sexually abusing and defaming E. Jean Carroll. Also, the former president has made demeaning comments about women in the past.

In response to Trump’s latest comments about protecting women, the Harris campaign said “Trump snapped” and that “women aren’t stupid.”

“Trump thinks he can control women — he’s wrong,” Harris campaign spokesperson Sarafina Chitika said in a statement Saturday. “He’s terrified that women across the country will vote like our lives and freedoms depend on it, because they do. Women aren’t stupid.”

Harris, who could become the first female president, focused on abortion policy during campaign events in Georgia last week. During them, she slammed Trump on his abortion stance, arguing that it’s impossible to do what’s in the best interest for women and children and also enforce abortion bans.

Polling suggests Harris is gaining momentum nationally, leading Trump 48.3% to 45.6%, according to 538’s polling average. However, a set of New York Times/Siena College polls show a tighter race with Trump leading in the battleground states of Arizona and North Carolina.

Women at Trump’s North Carolina event shared their reactions to the former president’s remarks on the topic.

Sarah Cooper from Wilmington, North Carolina, said that “abortion is an important topic, but we’re glad that he has brought it back to the state level. It really shouldn’t be a federal issue.”

Laura Hinton from Rocky Point, North Carolina, told ABC News that she has “mixed emotions” on abortion.

“I have mixed emotions on the abortion topic in general, because I had to do a medical procedure. So when that happens, I think it definitely needs to be there to protect us, allowing us to make that decision, to keep us safe,” Hinton said.

Still, she said her feelings on abortion would not prevent her from voting for Trump.

“As far as the ballot box this time, I don’t know that would stop me from voting for him, even if that were the case, because, again, he’s put it back in the state’s hands, not in the federal aspect of it.”

-ABC News’ Fritz Farrow, Gabriella Abdul-Hakim, Will McDuffie and Sarah Beth Hensley contributed to this report.

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(WASHINGTON) — Senators grilled Novo Nordisk CEO Lars Jørgensen Tuesday at a hearing over the costs of Ozempic, Wegovy and similar weight loss drugs, requesting explanations for why the U.S. faces a higher list price than other countries.

Since first entering the market nearly six years ago, the drugs have risen in popularity for diabetic patients and others looking to combat obesity. But doctors and patients have faced challenges in access and affordability.

Sitting in front of a chart showing the lower prices for Wegovy and Ozempic in other countries, Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., the chair of the Senate Health Committee, pressed Jørgensen on why it’s fair to charge more in the U.S.

“All we are saying, Mr. Jørgensen, is treat the American people the same way that you treat people all over the world. Stop ripping us off,” Sanders said to Jørgensen.

Sanders asked Jørgensen why the U.S. faced higher prices. Novo Nordisk charges $969 per month for Ozempic in the U.S., compared to $155 per month in Canada and $59 in Germany. For Wegovy, the price is $1,349 per month in the U.S., but $265 in Canada and $137 in Germany.

“Bottom line is, you are charging the American people substantially more for the same exact drug than you are charging people in other countries. And my question is, why?” Sanders asked.

The CEO said the company was spending $30 billion to increase its production and access to the drugs. He also highlighted a 40% decrease in cost since Ozempic came on the market and a sliding scale of costs for people across the U.S., including programs for low-income Americans to access the medicine for cheaper.

But ultimately, Jørgensen cast the blame on the complexities of the U.S. health care system.

“Senator, we are very committed to make sure that Americans have access at an affordable price point for our medicines. There’s nothing we would rather see happen. We have just announced $30 billion in investments to increase capacity to serve these patients. There is a market we have to operate in, and we negotiate hard to make sure that Americans have access,” he said.

“With that said, it is clear that patients too often struggle to navigate the complex US health care system. It’s also clear that no single company alone can solve such vast and complicated policy changes,” Jørgensen added.

Novo Nordisk isn’t responsible for deciding what price patients pay their insurance companies, he said, and he argued that pharmacy benefit managers, or companies that help oversee prescription drug benefits and control costs, get in the way of companies passing discounts on directly to patients.

But Jørgensen didn’t provide a direct answer to why the U.S. faces a higher list price than other countries, instead pointing to “a very complex market and very complex health care system that creates a lot of misunderstandings.”

“Everyone blames everyone else,” Sanders said, from pharma companies to PBMs to insurance companies.

Sanders connected the high prices of Wegovy and Ozempic to something he’s made the center point of his career, including his 2016 and 2020 campaigns: corporate greed.

“Are they acting illegally by charging us some such high prices? Are they violating the law? No, they’re not. What they’re doing is perfectly lawful. They are simply taking advantage of the fact that, until very recently, the United States has been the only major country on earth not to negotiate the cost of prescription drugs,” Sanders said.

“In other words, Novo Nordisk and other drug companies, not just Novo Nordisk, can charge us as much as the market can bear, and that is precisely what they are doing,” he added.

Jørgensen and a handful of Republican senators, including ranking member Sen. Bill Cassidy, pointed out that wholesale prices don’t offer a completely apples-to-apples picture because, in the U.S., insurance and rebates typically reduce the price patients pay by a significant amount.

“There is a tension, a tension between the need to incentivize innovation and the ability to afford that innovation. We are here struggling with that balance,” Cassidy, who is a physician, said. “If anyone thinks going after big pharma is the silver bullet that if you do that, boom, health care costs or drug costs go down, they don’t understand what happens with pricing a drug.”

Sanders dismissed that argument, however, saying it’s still unfair for the initial list prices to be higher in the U.S. It trickles down to the U.S. patient, Sanders said, leaving Americans with higher prices even with rebates or insurance. Of course, uninsured Americans — around 8% of the country — also pay the full list price.

“Even factoring in all of the rebates that [pharmacy benefit managers] receive, the net price for Ozempic is still nearly $600 — over nine times as much as it costs in Germany. And the estimated net price of Wegovy is over $800 — nearly four and a half times as much as it costs in Denmark,” Sanders said.

When it comes to insurance coverage, drug prices become a “pass through to the insurance companies” resulting in higher plan prices, Sanders argued.

“What must also be understood is that not everybody can take advantage of the net price of these drugs. If you are uninsured, you pay the full list price. If you have a large deductible, you pay the full list price. If you have co-insurance, the percentage of the price you pay at the pharmacy counter is based on the list price,” Sanders said.

Novo Nordisk continued to place the blame on health insurance middlemen for the high drug prices in a statement released after the hearing.

“Our hope is that the conversation with the HELP Committee will result in real and tangible solutions that benefit patients and allow millions of people living with these serious and chronic diseases to be the direct beneficiaries of real change,” the company said. “While no single company can fix the American healthcare system alone, we look forward to continuing to work with policymakers and other stakeholders toward meaningful solutions for the people who rely on our medicines.”

ABC News’ Eric Strauss contributed to this report.

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(NEW YORK) — President Joe Biden delivered his farewell address to world leaders at the United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday, seeking to burnish his foreign policy legacy amid international turmoil.

“This is the fourth time I’ve had the great honor speaking to this assembly as president of the United States,” Biden said as he began his remarks. “It will be my last. I’ve seen a remarkable sweep of history.”

Biden also took a moment, near the end of his speech, to poignantly reflect on his decision to end his campaign for reelection.

“There’s so much more I want to get done,” Biden said. “As much as I love the job, I love my country more. I decided after 50 years of public service, it’s time for a new generation of leadership to take my nation forward.”

“My fellow leaders, let us never forget, some things are more important than staying in power. It’s your people,” he said, prompting applause. “It’s your people that matter the most. Never forget, we are here to serve the people, not the other way around.”

Even though Biden came into office with decades of foreign policy experience, he leaves behind a mixed record.

Biden touted his administration’s rebuilding of alliances, saying when he came into office he was “determined to rebuild my country’s alliances and partnerships to a level not previously seen.”

“We did just that,” Biden said.

But the two wars that started under his administration have no clear end in sight.

His presidency is winding down as the conflict in Ukraine continues to rage and the risk of an all-out war between Israel and Lebanon increases.

The president has said a top priority before the end of his administration is to end Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza, but negotiations to achieve a cease-fire have stalled.

Tuesday’s speech marked one of his last high-profile chances to rally world leaders.

“Will we sustain our support to help Ukraine win this war and preserve its freedom, or walk away, let aggression be renewed and a nation be destroyed? I know my answer,” Biden said. “We cannot grow weary. We cannot look away and we will not let up on our support for not Ukraine.”

Both Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris will meet separately with Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House later this week. Harris will not be at UNGA.

With nearly 500 people killed in Lebanon on Monday alone from Israeli strikes, the escalating tensions in the Middle East and the threat of an all-out war between Israel and Hezbollah, will surely overshadow other topics at the U.N.

Speaking on the escalation, Biden warned in his speech that “full-scale war is not in anyone’s interest.”

“A diplomatic solution is still possible,” he said. “In fact, it remains the only path to lasting security to allow the residents of both countries to return to their homes on the border safely. That’s what we’re working tirelessly to achieve.”

A senior administration said this meeting will allow for a range of officials to be in the same room to talk about the situation.

“This is one of the advantages of U.N. General Assembly. You literally have the whole world here. So, when you do have crises of the day, they’ll be addressed. And I have no doubt that the situation in the Middle East will be an important theme in a lot of a lot of the meetings, not just that the president has, but other senior U.S. officials who will be convening to talk about — about various aspects of the crisis and what we can do to stabilize the situation,” the official said.

“I think it’s an opportunity to talk about what we have achieved and what we what we still need to do, given a situation that is just heartbreaking where hostages have not been returned, the humanitarian situation in Gaza, and as you know, just such a sensitive issue, and such a delicate and dangerous situation between Israel and Lebanon right now,” the official said.

The president “should’ve been more outspoken from the beginning about what Israel is doing,” said Ian Bremmer, president and founder of Eurasia Group, adding that “Netanyahu constantly bites the hand that feeds him.”

Notably, even though Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will be at UNGA, there are currently no plans for Biden and Netanyahu to meet on the sidelines.

Where Biden has made strides is in stabilizing relations with China and strengthening alliances in the Indo-Pacific region: Biden launched a new security partnership with Australia, the U.K. and U.S. (AUKUS); he brought together Japan and South Korea — two countries with a rocky history — to work with the U.S. on defense and economic cooperation; Vietnam upgraded the U.S. to its highest level of diplomatic relations. (Biden is meeting with Vietnam’s general secretary this week.)

All of those relationships are part of Biden’s strategy to counter China’s influence in the region.

“These partnerships are not against any nation,” Biden said at UNGA. “They’re building blocks for a free, open, secure, peaceful Indo-Pacific.”

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(WASHINGTON) — With about six weeks until Election Day, former President Donald Trump will deliver remarks on the tax code and U.S. manufacturing in battleground Georgia on Tuesday.

Vice President Kamala Harris has her own economic speech scheduled for Wednesday in Pennsylvania, another critical swing state. Later this week, she will travel to Arizona for some campaign events and to visit the southern border, according to a source familia with her plans.

Here’s how the news is developing:

Harris planning a visit to southern border this week: Source

Vice President Harris is planning to visit the southern border during her visit to Arizona on Friday, according to a source familiar.

This would be Harris’ first visit to the southern border since she jumped to the top of the ticket at the end of July.

Immigration has been a big issue in the 2024 race, with Donald Trump and Republicans inaccurately calling Harris the “border czar” and blaming her for the border crisis. Harris, in turn, argues that Trump and Republicans are at fault for killing the bipartisan border bill earlier this year.

Harris has overseen the Biden administration’s efforts to address the root causes of migration as vice president, and visited the border in 2021, after she came under fire for not having done so.

Trump expected to return to Butler for a rally on Oct. 5: Sources

Trump is expected to return to Butler, Pennsylvania, the city of his first assassination attempt, next Saturday for a rally, according to multiple sources familiar with his plans.

The rally is scheduled for Oct. 5.

Trump has long promised to return to Butler to honor the victims who died at his July rally.

“I WILL BE GOING BACK TO BUTLER, PENNSYLVANIA, FOR A BIG AND BEAUTIFUL RALLY, HONORING THE SOUL OF OUR BELOVED FIREFIGHTING HERO, COREY, AND THOSE BRAVE PATRIOTS INJURED TWO WEEKS AGO. WHAT A DAY IT WILL BE — FIGHT, FIGHT, FIGHT! STAY TUNED FOR DETAILS,” Trump wrote on his social media platform in July.

NBC News was first to report the news.

ABC News’ Katherine Faulders, Lalee Ibssa, Kesley Walsh and Soorin Kim

Harris won’t attend the Al Smith dinner, a presidential campaign staple

Vice President Harris will not attend the Al Smith dinner next month in New York, breaking with tradition of major party nominees sharing laughs at the benefit dinner, and will instead be on the campaign trail, a campaign official confirmed to ABC News.

“She is going to be campaigning in a battleground state that day, and the campaign wants to maximize her time in the battlegrounds this close to the election,” the official said.

The dinner, which benefits Catholic Charities, is scheduled for Oct. 17. It has become a traditional stop on the presidential campaign trail, with both the Republican and Democratic nominees attending and delivering remarks full of roasts. In recent years, both nominees attended the gala, including in 2008, 2012, 2016, and 2020. (The latter was virtual because of the COVID-19 pandemic.)

The official also added that Harris’ team informed the dinner’s organizers she would be absent, but was willing to attend in a later year as president.

ABC News’ Fritz Farrow, Gabrielle Abdul-Hakim and Will McDuffie

Melania Trump to sit for her 1st interview of 2024 election cycle

Former first lady Melania Trump will sit down for her first interview of the 2024 election cycle with Fox News’ Ainsley Earhardt as she continues to promote her new book.

The interview is set to air on Thursday, Fox announced on Monday.

While Melania Trump has remained relatively quiet this campaign cycle, mainly appearing with the former president at closed-door events, she has been more active online recently as she launches her forthcoming memoir, “Melania.”

Her book is scheduled to be released on Oct. 8. Her website describes it in part as “the powerful and inspiring story of a woman who has defined personal excellence, overcome adversity, and carved her own path.”

ABC News’ Lalee Ibssa, Soorin Kim and Kelsey Walsh

Trump again says it’s too late for another debate amid challenges from Harris

Trump is again ruling out another debate against Harris, arguing it would be “a very bad thing” for the country.

“Well, I’ve already done two debates, and they, you know, we’re good, but to do a third one, everybody’s voting now, and it’s very late to be doing a third debate,” Trump told Fox News correspondent Bill Melugin in a phone conversation that aired Monday morning.

Harris said over the weekend she accepted an offer from CNN for a debate on Oct. 23.

Her team has also noted that there have been presidential debates in years past in the final weeks before Election Day.

“The final 2020 debate was October 22,” the Harris campaign wrote on X. “The proposed CNN debate is October 23.”

Trump also debated Hillary Clinton for a third time around the same timeframe: Oct. 19, 2016.

Trump slightly leads in Arizona, about even in North Carolina: Polls

A set of New York Times/Siena College polls found Trump slightly leads Harris in Arizona and they are about evenly matched in North Carolina.

Among likely voters in Arizona, Trump leads Harris 50% to 45% in a head-to-head matchup. In a six-way matchup with other candidates, Trump still leads Harris 48% to 43%.

In North Carolina, Trump also leads Harris among likely voters 49% to 47%. He also leads by 2 percentage points in a six-way matchup. The lead, however, is within the poll’s margin of error.

Arizona and North Carolina are considered crucial battlegrounds this election, along with Georgia. According to 538’s polling average, Trump is ahead slightly in each of the three Sun Belt states.

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