Trump agrees to ABC News debate with Harris

(PHILADELPHIA) — Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump met for the first time Tuesday in their first presidential debate of the 2024 election, hosted by ABC News.

The high-stakes, 90-minute debate is being held at Philadelphia’s National Constitution Center, with Trump and Harris arguing their case for the White House.

As the Democratic and Republican nominees debate the most pressing topics facing the nation, ABC News is live fact-checking their statements for answers that are exaggerated, need more context or are false.

Please check back for ongoing updates.

HARRIS CLAIM: 16 Nobel laureates say Trump’s plan would increase inflation and land us in a recession

FACT-CHECK: Mostly true

Harris correctly describes what the Nobel laureates said about inflation during a Trump presidency: “There is rightly a worry that Donald Trump will reignite this inflation.” But while the group describes Harris’ agenda as “vastly superior” to Trump’s, their letter doesn’t specifically predict a recession by the middle of 2025. Rather, the group wrote: “We believe that a second Trump term would have a negative impact on the U.S.’s economic standing in the world and a destabilizing effect on the U.S.’s domestic economy.”

The 16 economists are George Akerlof, Angus Deaton, Claudia Goldin, Oliver Hart, Eric S. Maskin, Daniel L. McFadden, Paul R. Milgrom, Roger B. Myerson, Edmund S. Phelps, Paul M. Romer, Alvin E. Roth, William F. Sharp, Robert J. Shiller, Christopher A. Sims, Joseph Stiglitz and Robert B. Wilson.

-PolitiFact’s Louis Jacobson

HARRIS CLAIM: Trump wants “20% tax on everyday goods” that would cost families “about $4000 more a year”

FACT-CHECK: True, but needs context

Trump has proposed a universal “10-20%” tariff on all U.S. imports, from cars and electronics to wine, food products and many other goods. He has also proposed a 60% tariff on imports from China. Vice President Harris called the plan “Trump’s sales tax,” though the former president has not explicitly proposed such a tax. Independent economists, however, say the proposed import tariffs would unquestionably result in higher prices for American consumers across the board.

The precise financial impact on families is hard to predict and estimates vary widely — from additional annual costs per household of $1,700 to nearly $4,000, depending on the study. Trump has not called for any tax hikes for American families.

He has proposed exempting Social Security benefits and tips from taxation, as well as extending individual tax cuts enacted in 2017.

-ABC News’ Devin Dwyer

TRUMP CLAIM: Trump says “We have inflation like very few people have ever seen before. Probably the worst in our nation’s history.”

FACT-CHECK: False, but it was very high

It’s true that early in Joe Biden’s presidency the annual inflation rate peaked at roughly 9 percent (June of 2022), but that’s not the highest it’s ever been. There are several examples of the inflation rate being much higher than 9 percent in the U.S, including in the immediate aftermath of WWII and during the oil embargo and shortages of the late 70’s and early 1980s.

But, there are several examples of the inflation rate being much higher than 9 percent in the U.S., including in the immediate aftermath of WWII and during the oil embargo of the late 70’s and early 1980s when the inflation rate peaked at 14.5 percent. The inflation rate as of July 2024 is at 2.9 percent annual inflation, the lowest it has been in 3 years. It should also be noted that President Biden has falsely claimed that he inherited a high rate from his predecessor. In fact, inflation was at 1.4 percent when he took office.

*Data for this fact check was gathered from Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, or St. Louis Fed

HARRIS CLAIM: Trump left us the worst unemployment since the Great Depression

FACT-CHECK: Needs context

The unemployment rate peaked at 14.8% in April 2020 when Trump was in office – that was indeed the highest level since the Great Depression, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. But unemployment rapidly declined to 6.4% in January 2021 by the time Trump left office, as the economy started to rebalance. And that 6.4% unemployment rate is still better than the 10% peak during the Great Recession in October 2009.

If you eliminate pandemic statistics, the lowest unemployment rate under Trump was just slightly higher than the lowest point under Biden. Both were good: 3.5% under Trump and 3.4% under Biden at their lowest respectively, according to data provided by the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis and Bureau of Labor Statistics.

HARRIS CLAIM: Trump “killed” bill that would have secured border

FACT-CHECK: True

Earlier this year, a bipartisan group of senators unveiled a $20 billion plan to substantially bolster security along the U.S.-Mexico border. It would have added hundreds of border patrol and ICE agents and asylum officers; funded construction of new border wall; expanded detention facilities; ended “catch and release;” effectively closed the border entirely when illegal crossings surge; and raised the bar for asylum claims, according to the bill.

The influential Border Patrol union, which has previously endorsed Trump, publicly backed the bill. But hours after the draft legislation was unveiled on Feb. 5, Trump urged his party to oppose the bill, even as many Republicans have spent years lobbying for some of the security measures included in the deal.

“I’ll fight it all the way,” Trump told supporters at a Las Vegas rally Feb. 8. “A lot of the senators are trying to say, respectfully, they’re blaming it on me. I say, that’s okay. Please blame it on me.” Trump openly invoked election-year politics as a motivation for his position: “This Bill is a great gift to the Democrats, and a Death Wish for The Republican Party. It takes the HORRIBLE JOB the Democrats have done on Immigration and the Border, absolves them, and puts it all squarely on the shoulders of Republicans,” Trump wrote on social media. The bill failed a key Senate procedural vote in May, with all but one Republican voting against it, including all those involved in crafting the deal.

TRUMP CLAIM: Haitian migrants eating pets in Ohio

FACT-CHECK: False

According to the city of Springfield, Ohio, these claims are false. A city spokesperson tells ABC News there have been “no credible reports or specific claims of pets being harmed, injured or abused by individuals in the immigrant community.”

Rumors that migrants from Haiti are stealing and eating animals there have run rampant after a series of claims spread widely online, amplified by social media posts from leading political figures in recent days.

“Additionally, there have been no verified instances of immigrants engaging in illegal activities such as squatting or littering in front of residents’ homes. Furthermore, no reports have been made regarding members of the immigrant community deliberately disrupting traffic,” the spokesperson added.

The House Judiciary GOP X account used AI tools to show Trump holding cats and ducks, portraying him as a savior of animals.

One of the main images circulating online, showing a man holding a dead goose, was taken not in Springfield but in Columbus, Ohio, two months ago. The resident who captured the image told ABC News he was surprised to see his image used to ” push false narratives.”

According to the Springfield News-Sun, the Springfield Police Department has not received any reports of pets being stolen and eaten. The city even created a webpage debunking some claims.

Migrants have been drawn to the region because of low cost of living and work opportunities, the city says on its site. The city estimates there are around 12,000 to 15,000 immigrants living in the county, and that the rapid rise in population has strained housing, health care, and school resources. But the city also says that the migrants are in the country legally and that many are recipients of Temporary Protected Status from the federal government.

HARRIS CLAIM: Trump ‘intends on implementing’ Project 2025

FACT-CHECK: Needs context

Conservative allies and former advisors to Donald Trump published a 900-page policy blueprint in April 2023 to help a new Republican administration transition to power. The effort – dubbed Project 2025 – was organized by the Heritage Foundation, a prominent right-wing think tank. It details proposals for staffing the government and restructuring federal agencies, writing regulations, managing the economy and ensuring national security.

Harris claims Trump “intends on implementing” the “detailed and dangerous” plan if he wins a second term. But Trump denies any association with Project 2025, saying on social media in July: “I have not seen it, have no idea who is in charge of it,” and also publicly denounced its substance as “seriously extreme” and developed by the “severe right.”

“I disagree with some of the things they’re saying and some of the things they’re saying are absolutely ridiculous and abysmal,” Trump posted on social media. Many of the document’s priorities, however, are broadly championed by Trump, including construction of a border wall, mass deportation of undocumented immigrants and banning transgender athletes from women’s sports, among other things.

Dozens of former members of his administration were involved in the project, including former cabinet secretaries and West Wing aides. Many of the same people helped craft the Republican Party platform, ABC News has reported. Speaking at a Heritage Foundation event in April 2022, Trump said: “This is a great group and they’re going to lay the groundwork and detail plans for exactly what our movement will do… when the American people give us a colossal mandate to save America.”

HARRIS CLAIM: ‘If Donald Trump were to be reelected, he will sign a national abortion ban.’

FACT-CHECK: False

Trump has said he has “no regrets” in selecting the Supreme Court justices who overturned the constitutional right to an abortion. But he also repeatedly has promised that if elected, he will not sign a federal abortion ban into law and will leave the issue up to the states. One open question this year had been whether he would enforce the Comstock Act, an 1873 law that prohibits mailing materials used in abortions.

Among other things, the law would make it illegal to ship the drug mifepristone, which is used to terminate early pregnancies. The Biden administration has said the law is unenforceable because the drug has medical uses other than abortion, and it would be impossible to know how the drug was being used. Trump’s running mate, JD Vance, and other conservatives have called for the enforcement of the law.

In an August interview with CBS News, Trump said that while “we will be discussing specifics of it,” he will not enforce the Comstock Act.

TRUMP CLAIM: Trump said ‘they didn’t fire anybody having to do with Afghanistan.’

FACT-CHECK: True, but needs context.

It is accurate that no one with a direct role in the chaotic withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan in 2021 has been held publicly accountable.

Trump appears to be specifically referring to a suicide bombing that killed 13 U.S. service members. U.S. Central Command ultimately concluded that the bombing was not preventable and that members of a Marine sniper team were mistaken when they told others they had the suicide bomber in their sights.

Trump, congressional Republicans and several Gold Star families say they believe these investigations have not gone far enough.

TRUMP CLAIM: Kamala Harris wants to ban fracking

FACT-CHECK: Needs context

It’s true that Harris once called to ban fracking altogether, but she has since said she changed her policy view. During a CNN town hall on climate change in 2019 when she was still a Senator, Harris said, “There’s no question I’m in favor of banning fracking.” Fracking is short for “hydraulic fracturing,” and it’s a technique used in the extraction of oil and natural gas from underground rock formations.

Harris also said she backed California’s efforts to stop the practice in her home state when she was the state’s attorney general. However, she eventually changed her view on fracking when she became Biden’s running mate in 2020. During an October 2020 segment on ABC’s The View, Harris said neither she nor Biden would ban fracking. Harris reiterated that she would not ban fracking during the ABC News Presidential Debate.

TRUMP CLAIM: Trump said ‘I’d like to give you 10,000 National Guard soldiers. They rejected me. Nancy [Pelosi] rejected me.’

FACT-CHECK: False

The final report by the bipartisan Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Attack on the United States Capitol determined there was “no evidence” to support the claim that Trump gave an order “to have 10,000 troops ready for January 6th.”

The report quoted President Trump’s Acting Secretary of Defense Christopher Miller, who directly refuted this claim under oath, saying, “There was no direct order from the President” to put 10,000 troops to be on the ready for January 6th.

Instead, the report noted that when Trump referenced that number of troops, it was not to protect the Capitol but that he had “floated the idea of having 10,000 National Guardsmen deployed to protect him and his supporters from any supposed threats by left-wing counter-protesters.”

HARRIS CLAIM: If elected, Trump would be immune from criminal prosecution

FACT-CHECK: Partly true

Vice President Harris claimed Trump would be “immune from any misconduct” and have “no guard rails” after a landmark Supreme Court decision in June.

The court did rule the core powers, which include the ability to make treaties, veto bills, nominate cabinet members, appoint ambassadors, act as Commander-in-Chief of the military, and grant pardons.) The court also said that presidents enjoy “at least presumptive immunity” for other “official acts” – defined broadly as actions within the “outer perimeter” of official responsibilities but not “manifestly or palpably beyond his authority.”

While the decision is widely construed as granting broad protection for a president, the court said presidents are “not above the law” and enjoy no “absolute” immunity, leaving room for a narrow set of cases where a current or former president could face criminal prosecution. There is also no immunity for “unofficial” acts, the court said.

Trump faces a pair of active federal criminal cases against him brought by Special Counsel Jack Smith. The Supreme Court decision does not mean those prosecutions cannot move forward, but it has significantly delayed proceedings and made it more difficult to convict Trump. If he were to win a second term, Trump’s Justice Department could dismiss the Special Counsel and effectively end the cases against him.

TRUMP CLAIM: Trump said he ended the Nord Stream 2 pipeline, and ‘Biden put it back on day one.’

FACT-CHECK: Mostly false

The Nord Stream 2 is an undersea pipeline that would have allowed Russia to increase natural gas exports to Western Europe while bypassing Ukraine and depriving Kyiv billions of dollars in access fees. It’s true that in 2019, Trump announced sanctions that halted the pipeline’s construction. But by that point, the pipeline was nearly complete with a majority of the project occurring under Trump’s presidency, according to a 2020 analysis by the Congressional Research Service.

Biden later waived sanctions against the pipeline’s builder at the request of Germany in 2021, but reimposed penalties the following year as Russia invaded Ukraine.

HARRIS CLAIM: Trump’s deal with the Taliban is to blame for the chaotic withdrawal in Afghanistan.

FACT-CHECK: Needs context

The top government watchdog on the Afghanistan war blames Trump’s 2020 deal with the Taliban as “the single most important factor” in the rapid collapse of Afghanistan’s forces a year later. But the same office also says Biden’s decision to stick with a firm withdrawal date of U.S. troops was a factor as well.

Trump’s deal with the Taliban called for the withdrawal of U.S. forces by May 2021 and release 5,000 of its fighters from Afghan prisons so long as they agreed not to attack U.S. forces. According to the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction, the agreement was seen by Afghan forces as a “signal that the U.S. was handing over Afghanistan to the enemy as it rushed to exit the country.” Trump also had reduced U.S. troop levels to the lowest point in the 20-year war, and Afghan forces weren’t prepared to take over, according to the inspector general.

Biden aides say the poor security situation when he took office in January 2021 put the newly elected president in an almost impossible position. Biden could have surged U.S. troops to the country to try to bolster the weakened Afghan government. But doing so would have extended what was already the nation’s longest war and put American forces at risk of renewed attacks by the Taliban. According to the inspector general, Biden’s announcement that he would stick with a 2021 withdrawal date contributed to the poor morale among Afghan troops, paving the way for a government collapse and subsequent Taliban takeover.

TRUMP CLAIM: Harris and Walz support abortion ‘in the seventh month, the eighth month, the ninth month… And probably after birth.’

FACT-CHECK: False

Trump has claimed that Democrats in some states allow for the killing of an infant after birth. This is false.

There is no state that allows the killing of a baby after birth. Infanticide is illegal in all 50 states. His false claim stems from a refusal by many Democrats to support any legal restrictions on abortion, and he specifically references comments by former Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam, a physician, who once said that in rare, late-pregnancy cases when fetuses are nonviable, doctors deliver the baby, resuscitate it if the mother wishes, and then have a “discussion” with the mother.

While most states that allow abortion do so only up until fetal viability, there are several states – including Colorado, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon, Vermont and Gov. Tim Walz’s home state of Minnesota — that do not impose a legal limit on abortion procedures. Advocates for abortion rights say the absence of legal consequences after fetal liability doesn’t mean doctors will try to terminate full-term, healthy pregnancies.

In fact, access to late term procedures is limited, costly and medically complex — typically done only when a woman’s life is threatened or the fetus isn’t expected to survive. Many Democrats say they want to pass legislation that would codify the 1973 Supreme Court decision Roe v. Wade, which protects abortion rights up until viability.

TRUMP CLAIM: Trump said he lost the 2020 election on a ‘technicality’ because judges determined he lacked standing in election lawsuits.

FACT-CHECK: False

Trump lost the 2020 election after Biden won 306 electoral votes, compared to Trump’s 232 electoral votes.

After losing the 2020 election, Trump and his allies filed more than 60 lawsuits to challenge the outcome of the election — the overwhelming majority of which were dismissed or dropped. Many of the cases were dismissed because the plaintiffs in the cases could not prove a strong enough connection to the action they were challenging. Not having “standing” is a common and legally justifiable reason for a case to be dismissed.

TRUMP CLAIM: The Biden administration left $85 billion worth of ‘brand new beautiful military equipment behind’ in Afghanistan that was seized by the Taliban.

FACT-CHECK: False

This is not accurate, as $83 billion is an estimate of the entire amount spent by the US in security assistance in Afghanistan since 2001.

Still, the Defense Department’s Inspector General estimates $7.12 billion worth of U.S.-funded equipment was seized by the Taliban when the U.S. withdrew. According to the government watchdog, that amount includes 78 aircraft, some 9,500 air-to-ground munitions, 40,000 vehicles, 300,000 weapons and nearly all night-vision, surveillance, communications and biometric equipment provided to Afghanistan forces.

HARRIS CLAIM: ‘Trump took out a full page ad calling for their execution’

FACT-CHECK: True

Not long after the Central Park Five were arrested, Trump placed full-page ads in New York newspapers urging New York to bring back the death penalty. “These muggers and murderers” should be “forced to suffer and, when they kill, they should be executed for their crimes,” said the ad, above Trump’s signature.

-PolitiFact’s Aaron Sharockman

HARRIS CLAIM: Trump exchanged love letters with Kim Jong Un

FACT-CHECK: False

Trump did exchange letters with Kim Jong Un in August 2018 after the two leaders held a summit together in Singapore in June 2018. Trump tweeted thanking the North Korean leader “for your nice letter – I look forward to seeing you soon.” The White House at the time said Trump sent a reply to the North Korean leader, but the White House did not provide details about what was in Kim Jong Un’s letter or what was in Trump’s reply.

In August 2019, Trump said he received a “very beautiful letter” from North Korean leader Kim Jong Un when speaking to reporters.

In September 2018, Trump told a crowd at a campaign rally that there was once tough talk between the two leaders, “and then we fell in love.”

“And then we fell in love, okay? No, really – he wrote me beautiful letters, and they’re great letters,” Trump said at the rally. Trump did often speak favorably of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un during and after his presidency.

HARRIS CLAIM: Biden-Harris made historic investments in clean energy

FACT-CHECK: Needs context

The U.S. budget for clean energy investments (over $559 billion as of August 2023) is the largest in the world, according to the World Economic Forum. About a third of that investment is going toward low-carbon electricity projects, and about a quarter is aimed at developing low-carbon, efficient transportation, according to WEF. In the first quarter of 2024, the U.S. “continued its record-setting growth” with a new high of $71 billion invested in clean energy and transportation, according to Clean Investment Monitor.

At the same time, the U.S. Energy Information Administration reported in March that the U.S. is now producing more crude oil than any country ever has — and has been for the past six years in a row. In December 2023 the U.S. reached a new monthly record high of more than 13.3 million barrels per day, according to the EIA.

The Harris-Walz campaign told ABC News that the trillion-dollar amount cited by the vice president is based on the total spending of the Inflation Reduction Act, the CHIPS and Science Act of 2022 and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. In a statement, they told us “Vice President Harris was proud to cast the tie-breaking vote on the largest ever investment to address the climate crisis and under the Biden-Harris Administration, America is more energy secure than ever before with the highest domestic energy production on record.”

Even if you take the lowest estimate for federal spending under the IRA, 780-800 billion dollars, adding the funds allocated in the CHIPS and BIL laws does exceed the $1 trillion figures that Harris has cited in her campaign speeches. All three laws include provisions that address climate change.

TRUMP CLAIM: Trump suggested he ‘probably took a bullet to the head’ because of Harris.

FACT-CHECK: False

Trump suggested that the July 13 assassination attempt may have been because of Harris. The FBI has not established a motive that explains why Thomas Matthew Crooks fired on Trump. 

Trump said, “This is the one that weaponized, not me. She weaponized. I probably took a bullet to the head because of the things that they say about me. They talk about democracy, I’m a threat to democracy. They’re the threat to democracy.”

During the most recent update on the investigation in a briefing with reporters on Aug. 28, FBI Executive Director Robert Wells said, “At this time, the FBI has not identified a motive nor any co-conspirators or associates of Crooks with advanced knowledge of the attack.” 

“We continue to see through our analysis a mixture of ideologies. So I would say that we see no definitive ideology associated with our subject, either left-leaning or right-leaning. It’s really been a mixture and something that we’re still attempting to analyze and draw conclusions on,” FBI Special Agent in Charge of the Pittsburgh Field Office Kevin Rojek said at the same briefing.

While they do not know what motivated Crooks, the FBI does believe he had a mindset to carry out some kind of attack and looked at Trump’s Butler rally, about an hour from his home, as a “target of opportunity.”

“Regarding the subject’s mindset, so we saw, through our analysis of all his – particularly his online searches – a sustained detailed effort to plan an attack on some events, meaning he looked at any number of events or targets. And then when this event was announced, the Trump rally was announced early in July, he became hyper-focused on that specific event and looked at it as a target of opportunity,” Rojek said. “Again, I want to stress that we continue to analyze all the evidence associated with his accounts, with his online search activity. And we have a clear idea of mindset, but we are not ready to make any conclusive statements regarding motive at this time.”

TRUMP CLAIM: Trump said ‘Ashley Babbitt was shot by an out-of-control police officer that should have never, ever shot her. It’s a disgrace.’

FACT-CHECK: Misleading

The U.S. Capitol Police Office of Professional Responsibility in August 2021 cleared the officer involved in the shooting of Ashli Babbitt, saying that officer would “not be facing internal discipline.”

An internal investigation found the actions of the officer were “lawful and within Department policy,” it said.

Babbitt was seen on video on Jan. 6 attempting to kick through a window near the House Speaker’s Lobby, shortly after Babbitt entered the Capitol. She was subsequently shot and killed by the officer.

The agency said they’d reviewed all available evidence in connection with the shooting including video and radio calls, and Capitol Police stood by the officer and said his actions saved the lives of lawmakers and family members.

HARRIS CLAIM: Harris said, ‘As of today, there is not one member of the United States military who is an active duty in a combat zone, in any war zone around the world, the first time this century.’

FACT-CHECK: False

Harris appears to be using a narrow definition of what constitutes a combat zone, because there are U.S. military troops in the Middle East who have come under deadly fire over the last year.

There are currently 2,500 U.S. military troops in Iraq and more than 900 U.S. military personnel in Syria who are on a mission to support local forces to prevent a resurgence by ISIS. While the troops in both countries are mostly involved in an advisory role some of them are also engaged in risky counterterrorism missions against ISIS. But the real threat to these troops over the past year were the repeated attacks against U.S. bases in both countries by Iranian-backed militia groups that launched more than 170 rocket and drone attacks.

But it was an attack on a U.S. base in neighboring Jordan this past January that has proven to be the most costly. Three U.S. Soldiers were killed and 34 others were wounded when a drone launched by those militia groups made it past air defense systems. That attack led the Biden administration to order large-scale retaliatory airstrikes against the Iranian-backed militia groups.

TRUMP CLAIM: Trump said, ‘Iran was broke under Donald Trump. Now Iran has $300 billion because they took off all the sanctions that I had.’

FACT-CHECK: Mostly false, needs context

Trump claimed that if he was in office, Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack on Israel never would have happened because the terror group’s chief sponsor, Iran, “had no money for terror.” However, Iran has been Hamas’ principal backer for decades, including through the Trump presidency. Records retrieved from inside Gaza by the Israeli Defense Forces and verified by independent news outlets indicate Tehran funneled tens of millions of dollars during the Trump administration.

Two of Trump’s top advisers for Middle Eastern affairs also claimed that Iran was supplying Hamas and other Palestinian terror groups with $100 million each year in an op-ed published in 2019. Trump also said that Iran gained $300 billion because the Biden-Harris administration “took off all the sanctions I had” on Iran.

The current administration has maintained and even levied new sanctions against Iran, but during its attempt to renegotiate an Obama-era nuclear deal that Trump exited in 2018, the U.S. did ease the enforcement of some sanctions and restore a U.N waiver that allowed companies from other countries to conduct non-proliferation work at Iranian nuclear sites.

According to shipping data, Iran’s oil exports — its chief source of revenue — have climbed during the last four years. But experts estimate than Tehran has been able to accrue around $100 billion at most during President Biden’s term, which is substantially less than Trump’s figure of $300 billion.

HARRIS CLAIM: Harris said, ‘The former president said climate change is a hoax’

FACT-CHECK: True

Trump certainly has a lengthy record of using the word “hoax” to describe climate change — mostly before and during his first run for president.

On Dec. 30, 2015, Trump told the crowd at a rally in Hilton Head, South Carolina, “Obama’s talking about all of this with the global warming and… a lot of it’s a hoax. It’s a hoax. I mean, it’s a money-making industry, okay? It’s a hoax, a lot of it.” On Jan. 25, 2014, Trump tweeted, “NBC News just called it the great freeze — coldest weather in years. Is our country still spending money on the GLOBAL WARMING HOAX?”

On Jan. 29, 2014, Trump tweeted: “Snowing in Texas and Louisiana, record setting freezing temperatures throughout the country and beyond. Global warming is an expensive hoax!” That same day, he tweeted, “Give me clean, beautiful and healthy air – not the same old climate change (global warming) b——-! I am tired of hearing this nonsense.”

Trump also called climate change a “hoax” on the Jan. 6, 2014, edition of Fox & Friends. In addition, he said on the Sept. 24, 2015, edition of CNN’s New Day, “I don’t believe in climate change.” And on Jan. 18, 2016, Trump said that climate change “is done for the benefit of China, because China does not do anything to help climate change.”

TRUMP CLAIM: Trump claims Europe giving billions less to Ukraine than the U.S.

FACT-CHECK: False

Trump said the U.S. has committed “250 billion or more” in aid to Ukraine, claiming that European countries meanwhile have paid $150 billion less, despite being more directly affected by the war.

“You take a look at what’s happening, we’re in for 250 to 275 billion. They’re into 100 to 150,” Trump said.

In reality, while the U.S. is easily the largest single donor to Ukraine, European countries collectively have given significantly more and their share recently has increased.

According to Kiel Institute’s Ukraine aid tracker, the U.S. has so far committed nearly $109 billion to Ukraine in military and humanitarian aid, with roughly $25.7 billion still to be allocated.

European countries have committed more than $196 billion — that is $87 billion more than the U.S., according to the Kiel Institute tracker. However, $85 billion of that also remains to be allocated.

Media reporting often says the U.S. has committed $175 billion to Ukraine through Congressional approvals. But in reality, much of those funds are not destined for Ukraine, but instead goes to the Department of Defense for procurement, operations and maintenance, as well as other programs, according to the Kiel Institute.

The U.S. remains the crucial supporter of Ukraine and is irreplaceable in terms of military equipment and ammunition, which other NATO allies lack in sufficient amounts. When hard-right pro-Trump Republicans in Congress delayed a new aid bill for months, Ukraine began to suffer severe ammunition shortages.

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(WASHINGTON) — The U.S. Secret Service faced an array of challenges — and made some potentially dangerous mistakes — while trying to protect the president, vice president and vice president-elect on Jan. 6, 2021, the day a mob supporting then-President Donald Trump violently stormed the U.S. Capitol, according to a new report from the Department of Homeland Security’s internal watchdog.

The report, a copy of which was obtained by ABC News, offers an official and detailed account of how Kamala Harris, then the incoming vice president, ended up within feet of a “viable” pipe bomb planted in the bushes right outside the Democratic National Committee’s headquarters that day.

“The pipe bomb had been placed near the building the night before, but … [a]dvance security sweeps by the Secret Service at the DNC building did not include the outside area where a pipe bomb had been placed,” says the report from inspector general Joseph Cuffari, which was shared with members of Congress on Thursday.

The report describes how two Secret Service canine teams assigned to sweep the building were “surprised” to learn the morning of Jan. 6 that more assets weren’t being provided to help with the sweep — but the report also notes that Secret Service policies and procedures at the time required fewer assets for protectees who had been elected to an office but not yet sworn in.

“[Harris], traveling in an armored vehicle with her motorcade, entered the DNC building via a ramp within 20 feet of the pipe bomb,” the report said.

According to the report, the pipe bomb was found an hour and 40 minutes after Harris arrived at the DNC building. The report suggests it took the Secret Service ten minutes to evacuate her, saying that she spent a total of about one hour and 50 minutes inside the building.

The Secret Service has since updated its policies to include more assets for “‘elect’ protectees,” according to the report, which is heavily redacted.

Federal authorities are still trying to determine who planted that pipe bomb and a similar device at the Republican National Committee’s headquarters nearby. The FBI is offering a $500,000 reward for information leading to an arrest.

Security camera video released by the FBI showed the suspect walking on a street in the area.

“Although these bombs did not detonate, it is important to remember the suspect walked along residential and commercial areas in Capitol Hill just blocks from the U.S. Capitol with viable pipe bombs that could have seriously injured or killed innocent bystanders,” the FBI said in a statement seeking the public’s help earlier this year. “Moreover, the suspect may still pose a danger to the public or themselves.”

The report’s long-awaited release comes as the Secret Service is still reeling from its failure to prevent a 20-year-old Pennsylvania man from nearly assassinating Trump less than three weeks ago.

Testifying to Congress earlier this week, the acting director of the Secret Service, Ronald Rowe, called that “a failure on multiple levels,” saying communication issues and other challenges helped prevent authorities from realizing how much of a threat the man posed, and then hampered their response.

Cuffari’s report describes how in 2021, communication challenges and missed signs of potential violence impacted the Secret Service’s planning and response to the events of Jan. 6.

As described in the report, the Secret Service was focused on three main locations that day: the Ellipse in Washington, where they were protecting Trump at his “Save America” rally; the U.S. Capitol, where then-vice president Mike Pence was presiding over the certification of the 2020 election results; and the DNC building, where Harris was visiting.

Like many other law enforcement agencies, the Secret Service “anticipated that the planned Ellipse rally would be like previous pro-Trump rallies” in Washington, which saw “some violence” limited to clashes between opposing protesters, the report said.

But once the rally got underway, according to the report, “the Secret Service encountered indicators of potential for violence within the crowd,” including people trying to enter the secure area with ballistic vests and gas masks.

By the conclusion of the rally, the Secret Service alone had confiscated 269 blades, 242 bottles of pepper spray and 94 other prohibited items, the report says.

At 2:13 p.m., a little more than an hour after Trump finished his speech at the rally, rioters breached the Capitol building.

“Due to communication challenges and limited contingency planning, [Pence and his] Secret Service protective detail only narrowly avoided rioters,” the report says of the rioters, some of whom directed threats at the then-vice president.

The section of the report discussing that episode includes substantial redactions, though it does say that agents reported “not receiving communications from various entities,” and also mentions “manpower challenges that day.”

“The events of January 6 were unprecedented, and the issues we identified during our review present an opportunity for the Secret Service to be better prepared in the future,” says the report, which makes several recommendations to improve Secret Service agility.

The Secret Service says it is already implementing many of the recommendations.

The report also offers a little more information about two controversial issues stemming from Jan. 6, including Trump’s alleged demands to go to the Capitol after his speech as the situation at the Capitol was escalating.

In June 2022, during dramatic public testimony before the House select committee investigating Jan. 6, former White House aide Cassidy Hutchinson testified she had been told by then-White House deputy chief of staff Tony Ornato that Trump was so adamant about going to the Capitol that he grabbed the steering wheel of the presidential limousine and lunged toward the Secret Service detail when his demands were denied.

According to the inspector general’s report, Ornato told Cuffari’s investigators in writing — after refusing an in-person interview — that he does “not recall being made aware of any [such] details,” nor does he “recall speaking with anyone about it.”

Trump’s detail lead, who was seated in front of the then-president, said he could not recall how the president responded when he was told he couldn’t go to the Capitol — but the limousine driver told investigators that Trump was angry about it, according to the report.

In the report, Cuffari also discusses efforts by his office — and “multiple committees of Congress” — to obtain phone communications, emails, and text messages from the Secret Service — but that their efforts were allegedly hampered because the Secret Service had “wiped all phones when it updated software in [the weeks after Jan. 6, and] did not have backup files.”

In total, Cuffari’s investigators ended up receiving one short text message sent by a single Secret Service official that day, according to the report.

The Secret Service disputed Cuffari’s implication that the phones were “wiped” with nefarious intent, saying the software update that left so many communications unattainable had been planned long before Jan. 6.

“It is reassuring that the [inspector general] report does not state anywhere that any Secret Service text messages were inappropriately deleted,” the Secret Service told Cuffari’s office in a letter responding to the report’s conclusions.

After Jan. 6, members of Congress pressed the Department of Homeland Security for a broad range of records, including communications from within the Secret Service. The Secret Service text messages were never provided, and Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., recently said, “We could have had a better and more thorough report had we had access to all those records.”

Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

(CHICAGO) — After the excitement sparked by the Obamas Tuesday night, Democrats will try to keep to momentum going when vice presidential nominee Tim Walz headlines the third night of speakers.

He’ll be joined earlier by another former president — Bill Clinton — as well as Nancy Pelosi and Pete Buttigieg.

Here’s how the news is developing:

John Legend performs as DNC stretches past prime time for 3rd night in a row

Wednesday’s lineup at the DNC stretched passed the 11 p.m. mark in the East Coast with a performance by John Legend and Sheila E.

The pair performed a tribute to Prince, a Minnesota legend.

For the third night in a row, scheduled speakers and musicians went past 11 p.m., resulting in Wednesday’s headline speaker, Gov. Tim Walz, speaking closer to midnight.

‘MVP and coach’ heard at DNC

We’ve heard a few times in the United Center, which has seen some championships in its day, “MVP and Coach” — as in “Madame Vice President” and “Coach Tim Walz.”

-ABC News’ Rick Klein

Buttigieg slams Vance over childless comments, policies

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, who jokingly noted, “you might recognize me from Fox News,” got cheers from the crowd when he criticized Sen. JD Vance.

Buttigieg, who like Vance is a veteran, particularly slammed the GOP vice presidential candidate over his previous comments against him and Harris for not having any children.

“You know, senator, when I was deployed to Afghanistan, I didn’t have kids. Some of the men and women who went outside the wire with me did not have kids. But let me tell you, our commitment to the future of this country was pretty damn physical,” he said.

Buttigieg goes after Vance

Buttigieg has delivered this convention’s first extended takedown of Vance. That’s a bit surprising considering Vance is a pretty easy target for them: His average net favorability rating (favorable rating minus unfavorable rating) is -10 points, which makes him the least popular of the four people on the presidential tickets.

—538’s Nathaniel Rakich

Pete Buttigieg references his many Fox News appearances

“Here’s a sentence I never thought I’d say, I’m Pete Buttigieg and you might recognize me from Fox News,” he said as he introduced himself on stage.

Buttigieg frequently appears on the network to defend Biden-Harris policies.

Wes Moore touts Democratic leadership after bridge collapse

Maryland Gov. Wes Moore discussed how he, Harris and other leaders came together to respond to the March collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge.

Moore talked about how several players came together to reopen the port in 11 weeks.

“We are a nation of patriots who serve when the mission is hard and who serve when the destination is uncertain,” he said.

‘Let us choose joy!’ Oprah says

At the end of fired-up remarks, Oprah told the crowd: “Let us choose truth, let us choose honor and let us choose joy!”

“Because that’s the best of America. But more than anything else, let us choose freedom. Why? Because that’s the best of America. We’re all Americans. And together, let’s all choose Kamala Harris.”

Oprah gives tribute to Tessie Provost Williams

Oprah gave tribute to Tessie Prevost Williams, who died earlier this year. Williams was one of four Black girls who helped integrate New Orleans public schools in 1960.

She then tied Williams to Harris, saying Williams “paved the way for another young girl who, nine years later, became part of the second class to integrate the public schools in Berkeley, California.”

Harris famously reflected on her experience as a child being bused to school each day. During a spar with President Biden on the debate stage on busing, Harris told him: “That little girl was me.”

Oprah takes indirect jabs at Trump and Vance

Oprah has not mentioned Trump by name, but appeared to reference the former president and his running mate JD Vance.

“America is an ongoing project,” she said. “It requires commitment. It requires being open to the hard work and the hard work of democracy, and every now and then, it requires standing up to life’s bullies.”

She then brought up Vance’s “childless cat lady” comments to cheers.

“Despite what some would have you think we are not so different from our neighbors,” she said. “When a house is on fire, we don’t ask about a homeowner’s race or religion. We don’t wonder who their partner is or how they voted. No, we just try to do the best we can to save them. And if the place happens to belong to a childless cat lady, well, we try to get that cat out too.”

Oprah Winfrey backs Harris

“What we’re going to do is elect Kamala Harris as the next president of the United States,” she said after taking the stage.

The first time Oprah put her legacy brand behind a political candidate was Barack Obama in 2008.

“That was some epic fire,” she said of the Obamas speeches last night, taking inspiration from Michelle Obama’s call on the crowd to “do something!”

Oprah gets one of the biggest receptions of the night

Television star Oprah Winfrey got one of the biggest ovations of the night as the crowd shots to its feet when she walked on stage.

Amanda Gorman, Biden-Harris inauguration poet, reads poem on unity

Amanda Gorman, who gained national fame after reciting her poem “The Hill We Climb” at the Biden-Harris inauguration in 2021, read a new poem at the DNC that stressed unity.

She said everyone is there because “we believe in the American dream” but that is being tested.

“It falls to us to ensure that we do not fall, for a people that cannot stand together, cannot stand at all,” she said.

“We are one family, regardless of religion, class, or color, for what defines a patriot is not just our love of liberty, but our love for one another,” she continued.

“This is loud in our country’s call because while we all love freedom, it is love that frees us all,” she said to applause.

She ended her poem with, “Let us not just believe in the American dream, let us be worthy of it.”

Shapiro pushes ‘freedom’ message

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro continued with the Democrats’ message of freedom contending that they were the party of “real freedom” — to the cheers of the crowd.

“Kamala’s and Tim’s names may be on the ballot, but it’s your rights, it’s our rights and our future and our freedoms on the line,” he said.

Shapiro drew the line from the Revolutionary War to the Civil Rights movement as examples of how the country has come together to keep those freedoms, prompting chants of “USA” from the crowd.

“E pluribus unum — out of many, one — is not merely a motto from the past, but a direction for our future,” he said.

Shapiro was on the short list for Harris’ vice presidential picks before she selected Walz.

Tony West plays a critical role in Harris campaign

Tony West, Harris’ brother-in-law, also serves as a close adviser to her 2024 campaign. He’s been seen little on the trail but is now on stage talking about meeting Harris and their shared passion for criminal justice.

Harris’ nephews, niece: ‘Let’s win this thing’

Alexander Hudlin, Jasper Emhoff and Arden Emhoff, Harris’ nephews and niece, touted their aunt as someone who listened to their concerns and pushed them to never give up hope.

The three reciprocated that support.

“Most importantly, you’re a baller,” Alexander said.

“Let’s win this thing,” the three said together.

A night of torch-passing

There’s some torch-passing in tonight’s speaker lineup: from Clinton and Pelosi to Shapiro, Wes Moore, Pete Buttigieg and ending the night with Gov. Walz.

-ABC News’ Rick Klein

Pelosi does not mention Trump by name, mentions Jan. 6

Former House Speaker Nancy did not mention Trump by name during her speech, including when addressing Jan. 6.

“Never before had a president of the United States so brazenly assaulted the bedrock of our democracy, so gleefully embraced political violence, so willfully betrayed his oath of office,” she said. “Let us not forget who assaulted democracy on Jan. 6. He did! But let us not forget who saved democracy that day. We did.”

She said lawmakers returning to the Capitol that same night demonstrated that “American democracy prevailed” and called on voters now to “reject autocracy” and “choose democracy” by electing Harris and Walz.

Pelosi thanks Biden for his ‘patriotic vision of a fairer America’

After a warm welcome from the crowd, former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi began her remarks thanking Biden for his “patriotic vision of a fairer America.”

“Millions of jobs. Stronger infrastructure. A Biden child tax credit. Rescuing union pensions. Honoring our veterans. Bold climate action. Lowering the costs of prescription drugs,” she said of the presidency’s accomplishments, calling it one of the most successful of modern times.

Pelosi said Harris is now “ready to take us to new heights.”

“Officially, she is a leader of strength, with wisdom and eloquence on policy — most recently demonstrated fighting for women’s right to choose. Politically, she is astute and strategic in winning difficult elections — quickly securing the nomination with dignity and grace and choosing Tim Walz as our vice president,” Pelosi said.

Pelosi at DNC after appearing to play a significant role in Biden’s exit

Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is addressing the DNC after appearing to play a significant role in Biden’s exit from the top of the Democratic ticket.

Pelosi, who last month endorsed Harris to be the party’s nominee for president, did not publicly call on Biden to withdraw from the race. Instead, Pelosi, in a July 10 interview, declined to directly answer when asked if Biden had her support in his reelection bid after his ruinous debate performance.

At the time, Biden had already committed to running for reelection, writing in a statement congressional Democrats days earlier that he was “firmly committed” to staying in the race.

Her comments blunted any progress Biden was trying to make persuading congressional Democrats that he was up for the job. And Pelosi’s ambiguous public comments instead created space for rank-and-file Democrats to pressure the president to drop out.

-ABC News’ Sarah Beth Hensley, John Parkinson, Lauren Peller and Allison Pecorin

Clinton also warns Democrats not to get distracted as 2016 memories loom

Bill Clinton, like many of this week’s keynote speakers, is advising Democrats at the United Center and around the country not to get distracted or overconfident this election cycle.

Seemingly referencing the 2016 election, he said: “We’ve seen more than one election slip away from us when we thought it couldn’t happen. When people got distracted by phony issues.

“This is a brutal, tough business. I want you to be happy,” he continued. “One of the reasons that Vice President Harris is doing so well is that we’re all so happy. But you should never underestimate your adversary.”

‘Joy’ a key word of the night

Speakers at the DNC have mentioned the word “joy” more than two dozen times tonight.

The most recent reference came from Bill Clinton.

“Like Hakeem Jeffries, I too want an America that’s more joyful, more inclusive, more future focused,” he said. “Just think what a burden that’s been on us to get up day after day after day after day, buried in meaningless hot rhetoric, when there’s so many opportunities out there, so many problems that need to be solved.”

Clinton mocks Trump’s Hannibal Lecter comments

“President Obama once gave me the great honor of being the explainer-in-chief. Folks, I’ve thought about it and I don’t know what to say,” he said of Trump’s references to Hannibal Lecter on the campaign trail.

Clinton jokes about Harris and his love for McDonald’s

“When she was young, she worked at McDonald’s, and she greeted every person with that thousand-watt smile and said, ‘How can I help you?’ Now she’s at the pinnacle of power and she’s still asking, ‘How can I help you?'” he said of Harris.

“I’ll be so happy when she actually enters the White House as president, because she will break my record as the president who spent the most time at McDonald’s,” he said.

As president, Clinton often made stops at McDonald’s — something parodied on “SNL.”

Clinton, Trump, Bush all about the same age

With his quip about Trump’s age, Clinton reminds us of a historical oddity: He, Trump, and George W. Bush were all born within a few weeks of each other in summer 1946. Trump was born on June 14, Bush on July 6, and Clinton on Aug. 19.

—538’s Nathaniel Rakich

Clinton turns age issue onto Trump

Bill Clinton noted he turned 78 years old earlier this week and is the oldest person in his family.

“And I am still younger than Donald Trump,” he joked.

With Biden out of the race, Trump is now the oldest person seeking the White House.

Clinton is going off script

Clinton is going off script pretty considerably — not on the substance, but as if he’s making little edits in his head along the way.

Bill Clinton pointed out he’s younger than Donald Trump, who was born two months before him. Of course, he doesn’t mention that both are younger than Joe Biden.

-ABC News’ Rick Klein

Bill Clinton compares Biden to George Washington

Bill Clinton praised Biden for his work on a number of issues, but expressed thanks for his sacrifice in stepping aside.

“And then he did something that’s really hard for a politician to do: he voluntarily gave up political power,” he said. “And George Washington knew that and he did it, and he set the standard for us serving two terms before it was mandatory. It helped his legacy and it will enhance Joe Biden’s legacy.”

“It’s a stark contrast to what goes on in the other party,” Clinton said.

Bill Clinton says he’s ‘grateful’ to Republicans, independents at DNC

“After the last two days, aren’t you proud to be a Democrat?” he asked the crowd as he began his remarks.

“I’m very grateful to the Republicans and independents that have joined us and I hope they feel better about it now,” he said.

He also said he thought his wife, Hillary, gave a “great speech too.” Clinton spoke on Monday about how she believed Harris could break the “hardest glass ceiling.”

Jeffries says of Trump ‘bro, we broke up with you for a reason’

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries got a huge laugh when took a jab at former President Donald Trump, calling him “an old boyfriend who you broke up with, but he just won’t go away.”

“He has spent the last four years spinning the block, trying to get back into a relationship with the American people. Bro, we broke up with you for a reason,” he said to cheers.

Bill Clinton scrapped version of speech after watching 1st night of DNC: Sources

Former President Bill Clinton scrapped a version of his speech after the watching the first night of the convention, several people familiar with the speech told ABC News.

Clinton, who is speaking Wednesday night, revised his speech to make sure the “substance meets the moment” and wanted to strike a more “joyful” tone, after he was struck by the energy of the convention floor, one source said.

A senior adviser to Clinton told ABC News that “it was clear to him that, in the spirit of Mario Coumo, we needed more poetry, not prose.”

Cuomo gave the keynote address at the 1984 Democratic convention, saying, “We Democrats must unite so that the entire nation can unite, because surely the Republicans won’t bring this country together.”

-ABC News’ Rachel Scott and Katherine Faulders

Mindy Kaling hosts tonight

Actress Mindy Kaling is tonight’s celebrity host.

In 2019, she and Harris went viral for a video in which they prepared masala dosa, a South Indian dish.

In her introduction, Kaling referred to herself as “the woman who courageously outed Kamala Harris as Indian in an Instagram cooking video.”

Democrats lean on celebrities to energize crowd on Wednesday

Democrats have already brought out multiple celebrities Wednesday, including musical legend Stevie Wonder and comedian Kenan Thompson. The crowd roared each tome in surprise.

John Legend will also perform later.

Both parties have used celebrities, including wrestler Hulk Hogan at the Republican National Convention.

Kenan Thompson of ‘SNL’ lampoons ‘Project 2025’

Veteran “SNL’ actor Kenan Thompson performed a bit of a stump speech and variety skit at the DNC that poked fun at “Project 2025.”

Thompson brought the prop “Project 2025” book and talked with people across the country about how the conservative policies would harm them drawing boos and laughs from the crowd.

Vulnerable House Democrat attending DNC tonight to support Walz

Many vulnerable Democrats have skipped the convention in Chicago — but not Marcy Kaptur.

The Ohio Democrat, the longest-serving woman in congressional history, now represents a much redder seat after redistricting.

A spokesperson said she traveled to Chicago today to hear Walz — her former House colleague — in person after calling for Harris to choose a running mate from the heartland.

Her presence underscores how the new Harris ticket has reenergized Democrats and given even threatened members of the party hope that they can defend their seats in November and retake the House of Representatives.

They see Walz as one of their own: While he served in Congress, he was one of the few House Democrats to win reelection in a district that supported Donald Trump. (Democrats lost the seat when he ran for governor in 2018.)

-ABC News’ Rachel Scott and Benjamin Siegel

Democratic Senate candidates are avoiding the DNC

Kim is the third Democratic Senate candidate to address the DNC, after Angela Alsobrooks and Lisa Blunt Rochester. All three are running in safely Democratic states. By contrast, vulnerable Democratic senators like Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin and Jacky Rosen of Nevada are staying away.

—538’s Nathaniel Rakich

Stevie Wonder performs ‘Higher Ground’

“This year I prayed very hard for peace to come to our worlds nations, but also to each one of our hearts.” he said in remarks before his performance.

“Even though our hearts have been beaten and broken beyond prayer, I know the important action and now is the time to understand where we are and what it will take to win. Win the broken hearts. Win the disenchanted, when the angry spirit. Now is the time,” he said.

Congressman in viral Jan. 6 photo

New Jersey Rep. Andy Kim, who just spoke, was captured in a viral photo kneeling to clean up litter-lined floors of the U.S. Capitol after the insurrection.

“What I learned on January 6 is that all of us, all of our, are caretakers for our great republic,” Kim told the crowd.

Jan. 6 video riles crowd up

The video showing scenes from the Jan. 6 attack sparked chants of “lock him up,” which only subsided once Thompson took the stage.

The crowd has gotten very animated whenever the riot is brought up, often chanting for Trump’s imprisonment.

-ABC News’ Tal Axelrod

Former Capitol police officer attacked in Jan. 6 riot greeted with loud applause

Sgt. Aquilino Gonell, a former Capitol police officer who was attacked by rioters on Jan. 6, is now taking the stage to loud applause

Gonell told ABC News a year after the insurrection that he was reminded of the attack on the U.S. Capitol every day.

“From the way I sleep, eating breakfast, making sure I don’t hurt myself putting my shirt on. The way I walk, the way I play with my son. The phone calls from the Justice Department, from the FBI, from the department, asking ‘do I recognize this individual?’… It hasn’t been easy,” Gonell told ABC News’ “World News Tonight” anchor David Muir in an interview that aired in January 2022.

Oprah Winfrey to speak at DNC tonight: Sources

Oprah Winfrey will be on stage at the Democratic National Convention on Wednesday night, multiple sources familiar with the program confirmed to ABC News.

CNN first reported the development.

–ABC News’ Will Steakin and Katherine Faulders

Another Republican endorsement for Harris

Former Georgia Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan, another Republican endorsement for Harris scheduled during the DNC this week, said Trump is a “direct threat to democracy.”

“The only thing left to do is dump Trump,” he said, as the crowd chanted “dump Trump.”

Olivia Troye says being in Trump’s White House was ‘terrifying’
Olivia Troye, a former Trump White House National Security official, told the crowd that “being inside Trump’s White House was terrifying.”

“But what keeps me up at night is what will happen if he gets back here,” she continued.

She said she is proud to support Harris because they agree on the most important issue — “protecting our freedom.”

Immigration has been a weakness for Democrats this cycle

Democrats are trying to make progress with voters when it comes to immigration and border security.

A recent ABC News poll found Donald Trump retains the upper hand on the issue, keeping the race a closely contested one.

Trump leads Harris by 10 points in trust to handle the immigration situation at the U.S.-Mexico border, though he had led by 14 points in July.

At the DNC, speakers are bashing Trump for encouraging congressional Republicans to kill the bipartisan border deal negotiated earlier this year.

“He is a self-serving man,” Javier Salazar, the sheriff of Bexar County, Texas, just said on stage. “Just like when he killed the border bill, he just made our jobs harder.”

Former Trump official touts Harris support

Olivia Troye, a former Trump White House National Security official, is on stage — one of several Republicans scheduled to speak during the DNC this week.

Booker once had his own presidential ambitions

In 2020, the New Jersey senator mounted a campaign for the Democratic nomination after decades on the rise within the party.

The theme of his campaign was unity and love. His optimistic messaging was on display again tonight as he spoke.

“We’re not going to lose our faith,” he said. “Look, I want everybody in here to let us all say it together: I believe in America.”

The crowd repeated the phrase back to him.

Trump not serious about the border: Texas congresswoman

As the programming shifts to border security, Texas Rep. Veronica Escobar said that former President Donald Trump and his imitators see the border as a “political opportunity to exploit instead of an issue to address.”

“They are not serious people. You know who is serious? Kamala Harris,” she said, talking about Harris’ visit to El Paso engaging with stakeholders.

“She recognized that the situation at the border is complicated — as filled with challenges as it is with opportunities,” Escobar said.

Maren Morris said she split with country music over Trump-era culture

Maren Morris is now performing at the DNC.

The singer had a public break with the country music industry last year over what she said was its inability to tackle racism and misogyny.

In an interview with the Los Angeles Times, she said the Trump-era exacerbated those issues.

“After the Trump years, people’s biases were on full display,” she said. “It just revealed who people really were and that they were proud to be misogynistic and racist and homophobic and transphobic. All these things were being celebrated, and it was weirdly dovetailing with this hyper-masculine branch of country music.”

Israeli American hostage’s parents push for cease-fire deal, send message to son

Jon Polin and Rachel Goldberg, the parents of Hersh Goldberg-Polin, told the crowd, many whom wore “bring them home bracelets,” that they are pushing for a cease-fire and the safe return of the hostages.

“The time is now,” he said.

Many in the crowd were in tears.

Goldberg ended the speech with a message to her son.

Michigan AG Nessel: ‘You can pry this wedding band from my cold, dead, gay hand’

Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel had a message for Republicans and the Supreme Court tonight: “You can pry this wedding band from my cold, dead, gay hand.”

“And I’m retaining a lot of water, so good luck with that,” she added.

Taking an apparent jab at Trump, Nessel said: “Kamala knows you go from the courthouse to the White House, not the other way around.”

Crowd chants ‘bring them home’ as parents of Israeli hostage address crowd

Jon Polin and Rachel Goldberg, the parents of Hersh Goldberg-Polin — one of the Israeli-American hostages, got emotional as they took the stage to a huge ovation.

“Bring them home,” the crowd chanted.

Jon Polin and Rachel Goldberg, the parents of Hersh Goldberg-Polin, one of the American-Israeli hostages, got emotional as they took the stage to a huge ovation.

Harris and Walz are ‘listening’ to calls for cease-fire, Ellison says

To those calling for a cease-fire in Gaza and “an end to the loss of innocent lives in Gaza” and to bring the hostages home, Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison had a message.

“They’re listening, friends. They agree with us,” he said.

“They listen, they care, and everyone is included in their circle of compassion,” he told the crowd.

The comments come as pro-Palestinian demonstrators have been protesting outside the DNC this week to put pressure on Harris’ campaign for a cease-fire.

Ellison cashes in progressive capital for Harris

Ellison was one of the few Muslims to serve in the House before becoming Minnesota attorney general and was one of the chamber’s most vocal progressives. He’s likely one of the few Democrats with cache within the party who also has appeal to the pro-Palestinian protesters outside, making him a potent messenger for Harris on this issue.

Trump’s tried to distance himself from Project 2025. DNC not making it easy

The controversial conservative policy blueprint has become a flashpoint in the 2024 election.

As a result, Trump has tried to put space between his 2024 campaign and the project, despite some of his close advisers and former administration officials being involved in its creation.

“I know nothing about Project 2025,” Trump has claimed on social media. “I have no idea who is behind it.”

Democrats, however, are intent on tying the policy wishlist to Trump. Speakers this week have decried its proposals on everything from reproductive rights and health care to agency regulation.

Minnesota AG plans to address DNC protesters
Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison, now taking the stage, indicated to ABC News earlier Wednesday that he would address the Gaza crisis directly — and protesters who have raised their voices at the DNC — during his speech.

“I don’t know how much disagreement there is. I think we all want to see the violence stop and civilians have safety and security, and to see Gaza restored. I think there’s general agreement on that,” he said.

‘Swiftie’ Gov. Jared Polis calls out Project 2025

Colorado Gov. Jared Polis brought back the Project 2025 prop book and continued the theme of slamming its conservative policy proposals.

Polis, a self-proclaimed “Swiftie,” cited one of the pop star’s famous lyrics in denouncing the ideology.

“These Project 2025 people like Trump and Vance are not just weird, they’re dangerous. They want to take us backwards. But we aren’t going back. Like ever, ever, ever,” he said to applause.

Booker jabs at Project 2025 as ‘Project 1825’

Sen. Cory Booker continued to criticize Project 2025 with a bit on how Democrats believe it will take the country backward.

“No matter where you live, so-called blue states or red states, if Donald Trump has his way, he’s going to push through their extreme agenda Project 1825,” Booker said.

“I mean, I’m sorry. I’m sorry, I’m sorry. I roll that back. I got that wrong. Project 1925. Oh, I’m sorry, I’m sorry. Project 2025. That poisonous agenda where every single state will be in a state of crisis.”

Abortion access advocates warn dangers of Trump-Vance policies

A few speakers who lead organizations focused on reproductive rights highlighted Vice President Kamala Harris’ support of reproductive rights and abortion access, saying that a Donald Trump and JD Vance administration would roll back access to abortion.

Alexis McGill Johnson, the president and CEO of Planned Parenthood, spoke about South Carolina and Florida’s six-week ban on abortion and how it impacted a Planned Parenthood patient in Georgia, who tried to go to those states because Georgia also bans abortion after six weeks.

“I’m here to tell you, in no way are Donald J. Trump and JD Vance more qualified than doctors and women to make these decisions. We decide. We trust women. We trust doctors. And we trust Kamala Harris,” she said.

-ABC News’ Oren Oppenheim

Campaign co-chair on DNC goals

Delaware Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester, the co-chair of the Harris-Walz campaign, is now on stage.

She told ABC News earlier this week that the campaign wanted to focus on how Harris and Walz will uplift the middle class during the convention.

Speakers highlight impact of bipartisan infrastructure law

Local officials and workers are taking to the stage to speak about the impact of the bipartisan infrastructure law on their communities.

The law is one of the signature policy achievements of the Biden-Harris administration. When it passed in the Senate, Vice President Harris was there to preside over the final vote.

Milwaukee Mayor Chevy Johnson made headlines for Trump remarks

Milwaukee Mayor Chevy Johnson has taken to the stage.

He made headlines in June after former President Donald Trump reportedly called Milwaukee “horrible” in a closed-door meeting weeks before the city hosted the Republican National Convention.

“Donald Trump was talking about things that he thinks are horrible. All of us lived through his presidency. So, right back at you, buddy,” Johnson said in response during a news conference at the time.

Asked at the time what he meant by the reported “horrible city” comment, Trump told Fox News he was referring to crime in Milwaukee and the 2020 election.

Cincinnati Mayor Aftab Pureval a history-making official

Cincinnati Mayor Aftab Pureval has taken the stage. He is Cincinnati’s first Asian American mayor and, like Harris, has a parent who immigrated to the U.S. from India.

Tom Suozzi vows better immigration policy under Dems

New York Rep. Tom Suozzi, who flipped a Long Island seat this winter, reiterated his message on the campaign trail about the need to solve the nation’s migrant issue.

“To be a nation of immigrants is hard sometimes, too. You have to work for it,” he said.

Democrats jump on ‘freedom’ theme

The DNC marks a culmination of decades of Democratic efforts to take back patriotism after years of Republicans owning messaging around “freedom” and the American flag.

The word “freedom” is seemingly on the lips of every attendee and speaker — and the name of Beyoncé’s hit song and now-campaign anthem. Audience chants of “USA!” puncture speakers’ remarks as they wave signs saying the same. Camo hats bearing the names of Vice President Kamala Harris and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz pockmark the crowd. And musician Jason Isbell performed the country hit song “Something More Than Free.”

Read more here about how Democrats have been running on this message, which has long been a staple in GOP messaging.

-ABC News’ Tal Axelrod

Project 2025 in focus again

Project 2025, a playbook of controversial policy proposals intended to guide the next conservative administration, has been invoked again during the DNC, this time regarding reproductive rights.

Jessica Mackler, president of EMILYs List, the nation’s largest resource for women in politics, called Project 2025 a “blueprint for banning abortion in all 50 states” that will give extremists “the power to monitor your pregnancy.”

“Make no mistake — the threat of Project 2025 is very real,” she told the crowd. “But so is our ability to stop it.”

Reproductive rights at the forefront

Day 3 of the DNC kicked off with a focus on reproductive rights — featuring a video of women talking about the importance of the issue this election and speeches so far by Mini Timmaraju, president of Reproductive Freedom for All, and Alexis McGill Johnson, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood.

Cory Booker pays tribute to Bill Pascrell

The New Jersey senator took a moment to reflect on Rep. Bill Pascrell, who died Wednesday at the age of 87. Pascrell served in Congress for 14 terms.

“Today while we’re heartbroken, we’re all people who can hold loss and joy in our hearts because we are sad for his loss but we celebrate his life,” Booker said. “Let’s give him a round of applause.”

Chicago police investigating DNC breakfast incident

Chicago police and the FBI are investigating an incident at a DNC breakfast Wednesday morning, according to ABC Chicago station WLS.

One victim was treated and released at the scene, police said.

The Fairmont Chicago hotel, the site of the incident, released a statement confirming that “a group of individuals caused a disruption at a DNC-related breakfast event at our hotel this morning.” The hotel thanked law enforcement for its “swift response.”

-ABC News’ Ben Stein

Bill Clinton speech to be hopeful with jabs aimed at Trump: Source

Former President Clinton’s address at the DNC will be hopeful and aspirational, according to a source familiar with its contents.

The source also said it will include fiery, newsworthy jabs aimed at former President Donald Trump and will highlight the qualities that make for a responsible, qualified commander in chief in the nation’s highest office.

The speech is expected to highlight the striking differences in vision, experience and temperament between Harris and Trump, underscoring the vice president’s story and what her candidacy means for the nation.

-ABC News’ Gabrielle Abdul-Hakim

Night 3 of the DNC kicks off

The third night of the DNC is officially underway, with New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker calling the convention to order.

The theme is “A fight for our freedoms” and will feature speeches from former President Bill Clinton and Walz, as he accepts the party’s nomination for vice president.

Wes Moore, rising party star, gets prime-time spot
Conventions are also about parties identifying those they view as future leaders.

Maryland Gov. Wes Moore’s coveted speaking spot tonight will not go unnoticed.

His team said this night is about the future, forward momentum, and he is grateful to be a part of that.

He knows Democrats need to show they are delivering actual results, and he thinks he has a story to tell there. A senior staffer to the governor told ABC News he will focus on the Key Bridge collapse and talk about what Biden and Harris did to support his state.

Moore also has a personal relationship with Walz, who reached out to him when he first won and has acted as a sounding board for the governor.

-ABC News’ MaryAlice Parks

The original ‘smoke-filled room’

As I reported on Monday, political conventions in Chicago have a long and storied history. And some of that history can still be found today.

At the 1920 Republican National Convention, the GOP couldn’t decide on a presidential candidate to save their life. After four rounds of balloting on June 11, no candidate had come close to clinching a majority of delegates. That night, a group of party leaders convened in Room 915 of the Blackstone Hotel and decided that Ohio Sen. Warren G. Harding would be an acceptable compromise choice. The following day, after a few more deadlocked votes, delegates decided to follow their lead and switched their votes to Harding, who won the nomination on the 10th ballot.

Those party leaders didn’t technically have the power to nominate Harding themselves, but a popular image soon emerged of Republican elites secretly pulling the strings to get their preferred candidate elected. As an AP reporter put it (probably exaggeratedly), “Harding of Ohio was chosen by a group of men in a smoke-filled room early today as Republican candidate for president.” The phrase “smoke-filled room” captured the public’s imagination and quickly became shorthand for when party leaders coordinate behind the scenes to anoint a candidate.

History buffs will be pleased to learn that the “smoke-filled room” still exists today! Although the room (along with the whole hotel) has been completely renovated, the original fireplace is still there, and the room is decorated with political paraphernalia. If you have the coin, you can even stay there yourself! When I visited on Monday, the room was vacant, but it was booked for Tuesday through Saturday. But it isn’t a political bigwig who’s staying there this week — it’s apparently a musician!

—538’s Nathaniel Rakich

John Legend to perform at DNC Wednesday night

Singer John Legend and percussionist Sheila E. will perform at the DNC Wednesday night. They were photographed in the United Center rehearsing ahead of the convention’s third night.

Vance says DNC ‘vibes’ are not reaching voters

In an interview on “Fox and Friends” on Wednesday morning, GOP vice presidential nominee Sen. JD Vance said the DNC’s “vibes” weren’t working and reaching people, and suggested there is division within the Democratic Party.

“I don’t think it’s working very well, Ainsley, obviously, I’m not the target audience here, but when you have Barack Obama, the former democratic president of the United States, sitting there and making his big speech, and Kamala Harris is 90 miles away, I think it suggests that their party is not especially unified,” he said.

-ABC News’ Hannah Demissie

Video shows Harris reacting to roll call Tuesday night from backstage at rally

From backstage at her Milwaukee rally Tuesday night, Vice President Kamala Harris watched California Gov. Gavin Newsom cast his state’s votes during Tuesday night’s ceremonial roll call.

“California, we proudly cast our 482 votes for the next president, Kamala Harris,” Newsom can be heard saying in the video, posted by the Harris campaign.

Harris appeared overcome with emotion watching the moment.

“Congratulations,” Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, who was standing next to Harris, told the vice president before exchanging a hug.

-ABC News’ Fritz Farrow

Booker, Moore, Shapiro and more expected to speak Wednesday night

Sen. Cory Booker, and Govs. Wes Moore of Maryland and Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania are expected to take the stage Wednesday night before Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz’s Wednesday prime-time address, according to DNC Executive Director Alex Hornbrook.

Former Trump staffer Olivia Troye will also give remarks, Hornbrook told reporters.

-ABC News’ Brittany Shepherd

Harris’ campaign has raised around $500M since becoming Democratic candidate: Source

Vice President Kamala Harris’s campaign has raised about $500 million since President Joe Biden dropped out of the presidential race, according to a source familiar.

New campaign disclosure filings once again show the Harris campaign and the DNC’s cash on hand advantage over the Trump campaign and the RNC following a major fundraising boost the Democrats saw after Vice President Kamala Harris took over the top of the Democratic ticket last month.

The Harris campaign and the DNC together raised $248 million in July, out-raising The Trump campaign and the RNC, which raised $78 million, disclosures show.

The Harris campaign and the DNC entered August with $285 million in cash on hand, compared to the Trump campaign and the RNC having $250 million in cash on hand entering August.

Harris and the DNC’s latest money advantage comes after Trump and the RNC showed fundraising prowess the past few months and quickly eclipsed the cash on hand edge that Biden and the DNC previously had going into the general election.

The latest filings only show partial figures released by the campaigns and the national party committees’ figures – with full figures from the joint fundraising committees scheduled to be released in October.

-ABC News’ Lalee Ibssa, Soorin Kim and Kelsey Walsh

Tim Walz takes the convention stage

Amid lingering buzz generated by passionate speeches from Michelle and Barack Obama – vice presidential nominee Tim Walz will be the keynote speaker tonight.

The man Kamala Harris calls “Coach” will likely stress what he calls the politics of “joy” while also taking swipes at Donald Trump.

The theme tonight is “A Fight for our Freedoms.”

Other notable speakers tonight include figures beloved by Democrats – former President Bill Clinton and former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

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