Donald Trump has rejected fresh claims of assault, saying they are part of a plot to damage his presidential campaign.
The Republican candidate told a rally in North Carolina on October 14: “It’s not hard to find a small handful of people willing to make false smears.”
Two new accusations came from an ex-Apprentice contestant who cited a 2007 incident and a woman who described a case from the early 1990s.
The latest polls suggest Donald Trump is losing ground in some of the key battleground states.
During the rally, Donald Trump said the accusations were “sick” and false, and driven by fame, money or politics.
“Or for the simple reason they want to stop our movement, they want to stop our campaign. Very simple,” he told the crowd.
The New York billionaire added: “These claims defy reason, truth, logic, common sense. They are made without supporting witnesses.
“When the media does what they’re doing now, that’s rigging the system… The election is rigged.”
Saying he was ignoring his own advisers by commenting on the allegations, Donald Trump suggested that he would never have been attracted to Jessica Leeds, one of this accusers.
“Believe me, she would not be my first choice, that I can tell you.”
Photo AP
One of the new allegations involves Kristin Anderson, who told the Washington Post Donald Trump touched her through her underwear at a Manhattan nightspot in the 1990s.
Kristin Anderson, now 46, said she was “very grossed out and weirded out”.
The publication said it had approached Kristin Anderson after learning of her story through a third party, and she had spent several days deciding whether to go public.
Donald Trump’s spokeswoman, Hope Hicks, said in a statement emailed to the Washington Post: “Mr. Trump strongly denies this phony allegation by someone looking to get some free publicity. It is totally ridiculous.”
Meanwhile, Summer Zervos, who was a contestant on season five of The Apprentice in 2006, said Donald Trump forced himself on her at a the Beverly Hills Hotel.
Summer Zervos, now 41, had been invited by Donald Trump to discuss job opportunities.
She told an emotional news conference in Los Angeles that she met Donald Trump in 2007 in a bungalow at the Beverly Hills Hotel, where the property mogul greeted her by kissing her on the mouth.
Summer Zervos said Donald Trump asked her to sit next to him on a sofa where he “grabbed my shoulder and began kissing me again very aggressively and placed his hand on my breast”.
She fought back tears as she said Donald Trump attempted to lead her into the bedroom, even as she fended off his advances.
Summer Zervos was flanked during the press conference by well-known lawyer Gloria Allred, who has previously represented alleged assault victims of entertainer Bill Cosby.
At the time of the alleged assault, Donald Trump was newly married to his third and current wife, Melania.
Summer Zervos said she was spurred to come forward after Donald Trump denied during October 9 presidential debate ever having committed assault.
Donald Trump rebutted the suggestion on national TV as he was asked about a leaked recording from 2005 in which he is heard bragging that he can force himself on women because he is a star.
Meanwhile, Donald Trump’s campaign presented a British man who disputed the account of Jessica Leeds, now 74. She alleged that when she was 38, Donald Trump groped her on a flight to New York, acting “like an octopus”.
The New York Post reported that Anthony Gilberthorpe contacted Donald Trump’s campaign to counter the claim.
In an interview with the paper Anthony Gilberthorpe said: “I was there, I was in a position to know that what she said was wrong, wrong, wrong.”
Donald Trump’s running mate Mike Pence has said new evidence will emerge on October 14 that will undermine the latest accusations against the Republican presidential candidate.
Mike Pence said the “Clinton political machine” was using slander and lies to deflect from real issues.
Several women have accused Donald Trump of groping them or kissing them forcibly, which he has strongly denied.
First Lady Michelle Obama said some of Donald Trump’s boasts about women were “shocking and demeaning”.
On October 14, President Barack Obama said America was a better place than Donald Trump’s remarks about women, minorities and other group suggested it was.
Photo Getty Images
Donald Trump was heard bragging on tape that he could force himself on women because he was a star.
However, Mike Pence rejected Michelle Obama’s description, saying he did not understand the basis of her claim.
Donald Trump had categorically denied the allegations and they are unsubstantiated, said the Indiana governor.
“Before the day is out there will be more evidence publicly that calls into question these allegations.”
More information will back Donald Trump’s claim that “this is all categorically false”.
When the 2005 video tape of Donald Trump’s inappropriate remarks emerged last week, Mike Pence was unequivocal in his condemnation of the remarks.
However, for dozens of Republicans, strong words were not enough and they said they could no longer endorse their party’s nominee.
At the second presidential debate on October 9, Donald Trump denied that he had ever committed assault.
A few days later, women began to come forward with stories of Donald Trump forcing himself on them.
On October 13, he was defiant, calling the women “horrible liars”.
Polls suggest Donald Trump is losing ground in some of the key battleground states.
Donald Trump has told supporters in Florida that latest groping claims are “totally and absolutely false”.
He said the women making the allegations were “horrible liars” and the media was colluding with rival Hillary Clinton.
Several women say Donald Trump groped them or forcibly kissed them.
First Lady Michelle Obama earlier said Donald Trump’s boasts about groping women were “shocking and demeaning”.
Photo AP
“Leaders should meet a basic standard of human decency,” she said during a campaign appearance in New Hampshire.
Seeing Donald Trump make inappropriate comments about women, on a video leaked last week to the Washington Post, “has shaken me to my core in a way that I cannot have predicted,” Michelle Obama said, her voice cracking with emotion.
The first lady never mentioned Donald Trump by name but her references made her target obvious.
Two women told the New York Times that Donald Trump groped or kissed them.
A People magazine reporter also said she was forcibly kissed, while another woman said Donald Trump grabbed her bottom.
Making his first public appearance since the allegations were made, Donald Trump told a rally in West Palm Beach these stories were “a conspiracy against the American people” by the political and media establishment.
Donald Trump said he had evidence the accusations were unfounded and would release that at the “appropriate time”.
In one reference, the Republican presidential runner appeared to imply People magazine writer Natasha Stoynoff could not have been telling the truth because of her appearance.
“Take a look. You take a look. Look at her, look at her words, you tell me what you think. I don’t think so, I don’t think so.”
The media, Donald Trump said, “will seek to destroy your career and your family”.
Donald Trump has threatened to sue the New York Times, which published accusations from two women on October 12.
The publication has responded by saying it would welcome the opportunity to make its case in court.
Many of the women said Donald Trump’s denial during the second presidential debate prompted them to come forward.
Two new women accuse Donald Trump of inappropriate contact, after media outlets reported claims from several women.
Both of them told the New York Times that Donald Trump groped or kissed them.
A reporter for People magazine wrote a first person account describing being forcibly kissed by Donald Trump.
The Republican nominee’s campaign have rejected the claims, describing the NYT article as “defamatory”.
Donald Trump’s camp has made public a letter to the NYT threatening legal action unless the paper retracts the article, which it called “a politically-motivated effort to defeat Mr. Trump’s candidacy”.
The publication said it was standing by its article.
Late last week, a video shot in 2005 emerged which showed Donald Trump making inappropriate remarks about groping women.
The Republican apologized for the comments – which were widely condemned – but described them as “locker-room talk”.
Many top Republicans, including House Speaker Paul Ryan, have since distanced themselves from Donald Trump.
However, four Republican members of Congress who had urged Donald Trump to step aside have changed position, saying they backed their party.
In the NYT article, Jessica Leeds, 74, from Manhattan, said she had been sitting next to Donald Trump in the first-class cabin of a flight to New York when he lifted the armrest and began to touch her.
“He was like an octopus… his hands were everywhere,” said Jessica Leeds, who was 38 at the time.
“It was an assault.”
A second woman, Rachel Crooks, said she was kissed on the lips by Donald Trump outside a lift in Trump Tower when she was a 22-year-old receptionist at a real estate company there.
“It was so inappropriate,” Rachel Crooks told the NYT.
“I was so upset that he thought I was so insignificant that he could do that.”
Neither women reported their accounts to the authorities, but both shared what happened to them with friends and family.
In People magazine, meanwhile, writer Natasha Stoynoff said an incident took place in December 2005, when she went to interview the Trumps ahead of their first wedding anniversary.
Donald Trump said he wanted to show her around their Florida estate, including one “tremendous” room.
“We walked into that room alone, and Trump shut the door behind us. I turned around, and within seconds he was pushing me against the wall and forcing his tongue down my throat,” Natasha Stoynoff wrote.
A spokesman said the account in People had “no merit or veracity”.
Another woman, Mindy McGillivray, now 36, told the Palm Beach Post she was 23 when Donald Trump grabbed her bottom at his Mar-a-Lago club in Florida in 2003.
Her companion that day, photographer Ken Davidoff, told the newspaper he remembers her pulling him aside moments afterwards and telling him: “Donald just grabbed my ass!”
Donald Trump’s campaign rejected this claim.
Hillary Clinton’s campaign said the “disturbing” New York Times story “sadly fits everything we know about the way Donald Trump has treated women”.
“These reports suggest that he lied on the debate stage and that the disgusting behavior he bragged about in the tape is more than just words.”
John Podesta, the Chairman of the 2016 Hillary Clinton presidential campaign, has said the FBI is investigating whether Russia was behind a hack on his private email.
He also suggested Donald Trump’s campaign was given advance notice of the breach.
John Podesta’s remarks come after WikiLeaks published a trove of his hacked emails.
Hillary Clinton’s top adviser said the enquiry was part of a wider probe into hacks on the Democratic Party by groups with Russian ties.
“I’ve been involved in politics for nearly five decades,” John Podesta told reporters aboard the Clinton campaign plane.
“This definitely is the first campaign that I’ve been involved with in which I’ve had to tangle with Russian intelligence agencies, who seem to be doing everything they can on behalf of our opponent.”
John Podesta pointed to a tweet by Donald Trump’s adviser Roger Stone in August that said Podesta’s “time in the barrel” was coming.
Image source Wikipedia
However, the tweet was posted shortly after WikiLeaks released thousands of hacked emails from other Democratic officials.
John Podesta also claimed Roger Stone has been in touch with WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, but acknowledged evidence was “circumstantial”.
Roger Stone told the AP that John Podesta’s claims were “categorically false” while WikiLeaks tweeted that it “has had no contact with Roger Stone”.
John Podesta also speculated that the timing of the first WikiLeaks release on October 7 was intended to distract from the explosive 2005 footage showing Donald Trump making inappropriate comments about groping women.
The Clinton campaign has not verified the authenticity of the leaked emails, adding that they could have been altered.
Hillary Clinton’s spokeswoman, Jennifer Palmieri said: “The pattern is they hack, they leak truthful things, and then they build up to leaking documents that are either doctored or wholly fabricated.”
The latest batch of emails offer a glimpse into Hillary Clinton’s political network, suggesting that Donna Brazile, Democratic National Committee interim chairman, had given the nominee advance notice of a question she would be asked at a CNN town hall event.
Donna Brazile denied any impropriety on October 11.
US relations with Russia have taken a central role in the presidential election.
Last week, US intelligence officials said the Russian government was behind a series of hacks aiming to influence the presidential election.
Hillary Clinton has also questioned Donald Trump’s praise for Russian President Vladimir Putin as a strong leader, his connection to Russian businessmen and his criticism of the NATO alliance.
Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov told CNN the hacking allegations were flattering but ridiculous.
When asked about Donald Trump’s comments about women, Sergey Lavrov said there were “pussies” on both sides.
Barack Obama has blasted Republican nominee Donald Trump’s recent remarks about women, saying they would be intolerable even for someone applying for a job at a 7-Eleven convenience store.
At a rally supporting Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton, President Obama also urged senior Republicans to formally withdraw their endorsement of Donald Trump as presidential candidate.
Many top Republicans have withdrawn their support for Donald Trump afer a video in which he boasts of groping women emerged last week.
Donald Trump accused them of disloyalty.
The New York billionaire was particularly scathing about House Speaker Paul Ryan whom he described as a “weak and ineffective” leader.
Addressing a campaign rally in Greensboro, North Carolina, on October 11, Barack Obama referred to Donald Trump’s crude remarks about women, saying: “Now you find a situation in which the guy says stuff that nobody would find tolerable if they were applying for a job at 7-Eleven.”
The president said: “You don’t have to be a husband or a father to say that’s not right. You just have to be a decent human being.”
Barack Obama questioned how senior Republican politicians could still want Donald Trump to be president.
“The fact is that now you’ve got people saying: <<We strongly disagree, we really disapprove… but we’re still endorsing him>>. They still think he should be president, that doesn’t make sense to me,” he told the crowd.
Barack Obama was interrupted several times by anti-Clinton campaigners but seemed unfazed, saying: “This is democracy at work. This is great.”
The hecklers were escorted from the venue by security officials.
In another development, Hillary Clinton’s Campaign Chairman John Podesta has said that Russia was behind an apparent hacking of his emails and may have been colluding with the Trump campaign.
John Podesta said on October 11 that the FBI was investigating the hacking of the emails that were published by WikiLeaks.
The 2005 video released on October 7 revealed Donald Trump describing how he had sought to have s** with a married woman and making other aggressive comments about women.
Nearly half of the 331 incumbent Republican senators, House members and governors have condemned the lewd remarks and about 10% have called for Donald Trump to drop out of the race, according to Reuters.
On October 10, Paul Ryan said he would not defend Donald Trump over the remarks.
Paul Ryan told fellow House Republicans he would instead focus on congressional elections to ensure Republicans could maintain legislative control.
Donald Trump fired back in a string of tweets, saying the “shackles” had been removed, allowing him to “fight for America the way I want to”.
He said he neither wanted nor needed Paul Ryan’s support.
Donald Trump said “disloyal” Republicans “come at you from all sides. They don’t know how to win – I will teach them!”
He attacked Senator John McCain, who has denounced Donald Trump’s conduct and faces a close re-election battle in Arizona, as “foul-mouthed”.
Despite a widening divide within the Republican Party, some members insist they are sticking by Donald Trump.
New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie said he was “really disturbed” by Donald Trump’s comments about women but still planned to support him, saying the election was “about bigger issues than that”.
Texas Senator and former rival Ted Cruz also said he would still cast his ballot for Donald Trump, telling a Texas TV station that Hillary Clinton was an “absolute disaster”.
Donald Trump delivered a gaffe while addressing supporters in Florida on October 11, telling them to go out and vote on the wrong date.
ABC News footage showed Donald Trump saying: “Go and register. Make sure you get out and vote, November 28.”
The election date is November 8.
A recent PRRI/Atlantic poll suggested Hillary Clinton holds a 49-38 lead over Donald Trump.
House of Representatives Speaker Paul Ryan, the most senior elected Republican official, has said he will not defend Donald Trump, after remarks he made about groping women led to outrage.
Paul Ryan vowed to focus on defending seats in Congress, but did not end his endorsement of the Republican Party’s nominee.
Donald Trump tweeted that Paul Ryan should not waste his time fighting him.
Earlier Hillary Clinton cast doubt on Donald Trump’s apology for the remarks, made 11 years ago.
On October 9, Donald Trump described his words as “locker-room talk”.
In a bitter TV debate, a month before the presidential election, Donald Trump denied he had groped anyone.
Hillary Clinton tweeted on October 10 that, if Donald Trump stood by this assertion, he was “clearly not sorry”.
Meanwhile Donald Trump’s running mate Mike Pence said he would stand by him despite an outcry over the remarks.
A 2005 video released on October 7 revealed Donald Trump describing how he had sought to have s** with a married woman and making inappropriate comments about women.
Photo Reuters
Asked about the video in the debate, Donald Trump turned his fire on Hillary Clinton’s husband, former President Bill Clinton, whom he described as “abusive to women”.
Hillary Clinton refused to address the comments.
At least 38 senior Republicans – including senators, members of Congress, and state governors – have withdrawn their support for Donald Trump since the video surfaced.
According to sources familiar with a conference call he held with congress members on October 10, Paul Ryan appeared to have accepted that Hillary Clinton would win the White House and wanted to make sure Republicans in Congress were strong enough to challenge her.
Paul Ryan said he would spend “his entire energy making sure that Hillary Clinton does not get a blank cheque with a Democrat-controlled Congress”, the source said.
“You all need to do what’s best for you in your district,” Paul Ryan was quoted as telling colleagues.
Donald Trump apologized for the remarks, and when pressed during the debate on whether he had engaged in s**ual misconduct, he denied doing so.
However, Hillary Clinton said his explanation that these were words not actions did not amount to an apology.
“If Trump stands by what he said about women as <<locker room talk>>, he’s clearly not sorry,” she tweeted.
Meanwhile Mike Pence praised Donald Trump’s honesty.
“I think last night he showed his heart to the American people. He said he apologized to his family, apologized to the American people, that he was embarrassed by it,” Mike Pence told CNN on October 10.
Earlier Mike Pence had described the remarks as indefensible.
The vice-presidential candidate said he was “honored to stand with” Donald Trump and denied he had considered withdrawing from the race.
When moderator Anderson Cooper asked about the video, Donald Trump denied ever assaulting women, dismissing the remarks as “just words”. Instead he focused on ex-President Bill Clinton’s indiscretions.
Hillary Clinton said the explosive video “represents exactly who he is”.
“With prior Republican nominees, I disagreed with them, but I never questioned their fitness to serve,” she said.
Donald Trump said if he won, he would appoint a special prosecutor to investigate Hillary Clinton and she would be in prison over her private email arrangements.
“Everything he just said is absolutely false but I’m not surprised,” she responded.
“It’s just awfully good that someone with the temperament of Donald Trump is not in charge of the law in our country.”
“Because you’d be in jail,” Donald Trump interrupted.
He also said Hillary Clinton “has tremendous hate in her heart” while criticizing her for referring to his supporters as “deplorables”.
Hillary Clinton said she apologized for the comment, adding: “My argument is not with his supporters, it’s with him, about the hateful and divisive campaign he has run.”
Donald Trump and his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton also sparred on the conflict in Syria, Russian aggression, Trump’s refusal to release his tax returns and his plan for the “extreme vetting” of immigrants arriving from countries with links to terrorism.
The evening concluded when an audience member asked the candidates to say one positive thing about each other.
Hillary Clinton said his children were a great reflection of him while Donald Trump called his opponent “a fighter” who never gives up.
An hour before the debate began, Donald Trump appeared at a news conference with women who accused Bill Clinton of s**ual misconduct.
Donald Trump joined three women who allege Bill Clinton assaulted them and called the women “very courageous”.
Hillary Clinton also defended controversial remarks she made in a private speech that was made public in leaked emails on October 8.
The transcript revealed Hillary Clinton said a politician has a public and private position, but at the debate she said she had watched a film about Abraham Lincoln and was referring only to what he had done.
Republican candidate Donald Trump has defended his inappropriate remarks about groping women by launching a blistering attack against rival Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton and her husband during the second presidential debate.
Donald Trump denied ever assaulting women, but turned his fire on former President Bill Clinton.
“There’s never been anybody in the history of politics that has been so abusive to women,” he said.
Hillary Clinton refused to address Donald Trump’s comments about her husband.
Donald Trump’s attack on the Clintons came after moderator Anderson Cooper asked him about a 2005 video recording released on October 7 that revealed the New York billionaire bragging about groping women.
When pressed on whether he had engaged in s**ual misconduct with any women, Donald Trump denied doing so and instead focused on Bill Clinton’s previous indiscretions.
No criminal charges have been brought against Bill Clinton in any allegations of assault.
Hillary Clinton said the explosive video, which has sparked an exodus of Republicans denying support to their presidential nominee, showed who Donald Trump really was.
Image source YouTube
She said: “With prior Republican nominees, I disagreed with them, but I never questioned their fitness to serve.
“I think it’s clear to anyone who heard [the video] that it represents exactly who he is.”
When Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump took to the stage in St Louis for their second of three debates, they did not shake hands, striking a bitter tone that would continue throughout.
Donald Trump said if he won, he would appoint a special prosecutor to investigate Hillary Clinton and she would be in prison over her private email arrangements.
“Everything he just said is absolutely false but I’m not surprised,” she responded.
“It’s just awfully good that someone with the temperament of Donald Trump is not in charge of the law in our country.”
“Because you’d be in jail,” Donald Trump interrupted.
He also said his Democratic rival “has tremendous hate in her heart” while criticizing her for referring to his supporters as “deplorables”.
Hillary Clinton said she apologized for the comment, adding: “My argument is not with his supporters, it’s with him, about the hateful and divisive campaign he has run.”
The two also sparred on the conflict in Syria, Russian aggression, Donald Trump’s refusal to release his tax returns and his plan for the “extreme vetting” of immigrants arriving from countries with links to terrorism.
The evening concluded when an audience member asked the candidates to say one positive thing about each other.
Hillary Clinton said his children were a great reflection of him while Donald Trump called his opponent “a fighter” who never gives up.
An hour before the debate began, Donald Trump appeared at a press conference with women who accused Bill Clinton of s**ual misconduct.
The Republican joined three women who allege Bill Clinton assaulted them and called the women “very courageous”.
Donald Trump was under immense pressure after making inappropriate comments about women in the video.
At least 33 senior Republicans – including senators, members of Congress, and state governors – have withdrawn their support since the video surfaced on October 7.
Hillary Clinton also defended controversial remarks she made in a private speech that was made public in leaked emails on October 8.
The transcript had revealed Hillary Clinton said a politician has a public and private position, but at the debate she said she had watched a film about Abraham Lincoln and was referring only to what he had done.
Donald Trump appeared with Paula Jones, a former Arkansas state employee who settled a harassment suit against Bill Clinton for $850,000 in 1999 with no admission of guilt.
Juanita Broaddrick, who claimed Bill Clinton raped her in a hotel room in 1978, also appeared with Donald Trump.
Bill Clinton has denied the claim through his lawyer and no charges have ever been brought against him.
The third woman was Kathleen Willey, a former White House aide who said Bill Clinton groped her in his office in 1993, but had previously said it never happened.
Bill Clinton has also denied this claim.
Kathy Shelton, a fourth woman who spoke, encountered Hillary Clinton in a criminal case when she was 12 years old.
Early in Hillary Clinton’s legal career, she was appointed to defend Kathy Shelton’s rapist, despite objections, and had his sentence reduced to a lesser charge.
Years later, an audio tape emerged of Hillary Clinton discussing speaking with a reporter, in which she can be heard laughing about the case.
During one instance, Hillary Clinton laughed after explaining that her client had passed a lie detector test, which convinced her to never trust them again.
Donald Trump and his team have come out fighting after a slew of attacks over his inappropriate remarks about women.
The Republican candidate is due to meet his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton in the second presidential debate tonight.
Donald Trump’s adviser Rudy Giuliani said the Republican may well bring up Hillary Clinton’s alleged role in discrediting women who accused her husband Bill of abuse.
A 2005 recording of Donald Trump reveals him bragging about groping women.
Image source Wikimedia
At least 33 senior Republicans – including senators, members of Congress, and state governors – have withdrawn their support since the video surfaced on October 7.
Donald Trump tweeted a link to a video in which a woman accuses former president Bill Clinton of rape in 1978 while he was attorney general of Arkansas.
Hillary Clinton denied her claims of rape when they first emerged in 1999.
Some Republicans are calling for Donald Trump to quit the presidential race.
Utah Senator Mike Lee said the Republican Party had to find another candidate or it would not win the White House.
He told NBC’s Meet the Press: “We’ve got candidates who can do it. There’s still time to do it, but we have to actually do it.”
Donald Trump, who gave a video apology over the 2005 recording, has said there is “zero chance I’ll quit”.
Most Republican voters would appear to support his stance. In the first poll since the release of the tape, by Politico/Morning Consult, some 74% of Republican voters believe the party should continue to support Donald Trump.
A number of Donald Trumps supporters booed a party unity rally in Wisconsin on October 8, given by House Speaker Paul Ryan.
Paul Ryan disinvited Donald Trump to attend the event after the tape revelations.
In his video apology, Donald Trump gave a hint that he would bring up more lurid allegations in Sunday’s debate saying: “Bill Clinton has actually abused women and Hillary Clinton has bullied, attacked, shamed and intimidated his victims. We will discuss this more in the coming days.”
Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani told media that Donald Trump would not hesitate to describe Hillary Clinton’s abuse in criminal terms.
“The reality is that… this is a situation in which neither side should throw stones because both sides have sinned,” he told NBC’s Meet the Press.
Hillary Clinton’s camp has not responded to the allegations, but her campaign chairman John Podesta called Donald Trump “disgusting” when asked for his response to the tape revelations.
“This is who this guy is,” he said.
It could be risky for Donald Trump to refer to Bill Clinton’s infidelities. According to the New York Times, polling suggests a majority of voters are not interested in revisiting stories about Bill Clinton’s behavior.
In the opening presidential debate of 2016, the candidate’s economic discussions skewed towards taxation issues. Both Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump had their own versions of what they would do to improve the economy by optimizing the tax system. Although their representation of the tax issues in this country differ, both state that their policy proposals will assure prosperity in America. Here are how some of the taxation issues were explored during the debate.
What’s a VAT?
VAT, which is the acronym of Value Added Tax, was Trump’s focal point as a reason for the trade imbalance with Mexico. In an allegation that America is being “ripped off,” he stated that the VAT tax is 16 percent to Mexico and zero percent to the United States. While the VAT tax is 16 percent in Mexico, that applies to the purchase of both imports and domestic goods. The United States is not paying 16 percent to export goods into Mexico. Forbes as well as other news outlets noted Trump’s inaccuracy.
Many Happy Returns?
Despite the tradition in modern times for candidates to release their tax returns, Trump has not as of yet. Clinton made this an issue at the debate, wondering, “you’ve got to ask yourself, why won’t he release his tax returns? … maybe he’s not as rich as he says he is… maybe he’s not as charitable as he claims to be.”
Clinton then continued on to the point of her pondering, the fact that existing reports from several tax seasons ago show that Trump paid no federal tax for those time periods. ”Or maybe he doesn’t want the American people, all of you watching tonight, to know that he’s paid nothing in federal taxes,” she concluded. Trump’s reply “That makes me smart” may become a campaign phrase that he will regret.
Image source Wikimedia
She Said, He Said
One of the chief debating points when talking about economics is about how much to tax the wealthy. During the debate Clinton stated, “Slashing taxes on the wealthy hasn’t worked and a lot of really smart, wealthy people know that… I think building the middle-class, investing in the middle class, making college debt-free so more young people can get their education, helping people refinance their debt from college at a lower rate, those are the kinds of things that will really boost the economy.” She aims to do this by taxing corporations and the ultra-wealthy.
In reply Trump answered. “Typical politician. All talk no action. Sounds good. Doesn’t work. Never going to happen. Our country is suffering because people like Secretary Clinton have made such bad decisions in terms of our jobs and in terms of what is going on. Now look, we have the worst revival of an economy since the Great Depression.” Trump’s tax plan will reduce the income tax brackets from seven to three, which are twelve, twenty-five, and thirty-three percent.
Each candidate has promoted tax deductions in their economic platforms. Clinton looks more favorably upon small businesses than large corporations and has proposed a new standard tax deduction for them. She also wants to give start-ups additional tax breaks. Trump wants to give a childcare tax deduction to help families out.
A Financial Response
So how does this affect the stock market and investments? According to Fisher Investments on the Presidential Debate, what each candidate says may not actually be what happens. It is best not to drastically change your investment plans for fear of what a political candidate says they will do. Remember George H. W. Bush’s “no new taxes” statement? While the president is the leader of the country, there are checks and balances in our governmental system and the winning candidate will have to work with Congress in order to pass legislation. There may be short-term market fluctuations, but long term, the stock market doesn’t care who’s in office.
State of the Estates
Clinton’s most recent tax policy creates three new tax brackets for large estates. The tax rates would be 50 percent for estates above $10 million dollars per person, 55 percent for estates over $50 million dollars per person, and 65 percent for estates over $500 million dollars per person.
In contrast, Trump wants to do away with the estate tax completely.
Both candidates have sectors of America that they want to increase taxation of, and demographic groups that they want to help out with tax cuts. The aspect of who to tax more or less comes up every election year. Will the economy be affected? Probably in the short term. But in this turbulent election cycle, it’s wise to remember when planning your long-term financial future to not lose sight of your individual financial goals.
Republican candidate Donald Trump has attacked former beauty pageant winner Alicia Machado who criticized him for alleged sexist and misogynistic remarks as “disgusting”.
In a stream of tweets, Donald Trump urged Americans to examine Alicia Machado’s personal history and her “tape”.
Donald Trump implied rival candidate Hillary Clinton had secured US citizenship for Venezuelan-born Alicia Machado.
In response, Hillary Clinton tweeted: “This is unhinged, even for Trump.”
Image source Wikipedia
Alicia Machado says she was called “Miss Piggy” by Donald Trump when he owned the Miss Universe beauty pageant, after she put on weight after winning the title in 1996.
She also says Donald Trump called her “Miss Housekeeping” because of her Latina heritage.
Alicia Machado’s case was raised by Hillary Clinton in the first presidential debate earlier this week as an example of Donald Trump’s attitude to women.
In his early-morning Twitter outburst, Donald Trump said Alicia Machado had a “terrible” past that a “duped” Hillary Clinton had overlooked before holding her up “as an ‘angel'”.
The Republican added: “Did Crooked Hillary help disgusting (check out s** tape and past) Alicia M become a US citizen so she could use her in the debate?”
In her Twitter response, Hillary Clinton asked: “What kind of man stays up all night to smear a woman with lies and conspiracy theories?”
She added: “When something gets under Donald’s thin skin, he lashes out and can’t let go. This is dangerous for a president.”
According to the Associated Press, Donald Trump’s “s** tape” taunt appears to refer to footage from a Spanish reality show in 2005 in which Alicia Machado appeared on camera in bed with a male contestant. The grainy images were posted this week to a newspaper’s website.
In a statement on Instagram, Alicia Machado said: “The Republican candidate and his team are again generating attacks, insults and trying to resurrect false allegations on my life. Their purpose is to intimidate me, humiliate me and tip me off balance. The attacks are slanders and lies full of bad intentions, with no basis.
“With his hate campaign, the Republican candidate insists in discrediting and demoralizing a woman – one of his worse characteristics.”
Hillary Clinton has accused Donald Trump of violating US laws, after a report said the Republican presidential candidate broke a trade embargo with Cuba.
According to a Newsweek report, Donald Trump’s company secretly conducted business in Cuba, violating the US trade embargo against the country.
His company allegedly spent at least $68,000 in Cuba in 1998.
Donald Trump’s campaign manager Kellyanne Conway said the money was not paid, and that he was against deals with Cuba.
The New York billionaire has also repeatedly said he had rejected offers to invest in Cuba.
The Newsweek report says Donald Trump’s company funneled the cash through a US consulting company to make it appear legal.
Photo AP
Hillary Clinton said: “We have laws in our country, and the efforts that Trump was making to get into the Cuban market – putting his business interests ahead of the laws of the United States and the requirements that businesses were operating under with sanctions shows that he puts his personal and business interests ahead of the laws and values and the policies of the United States of America.”
Marco Rubio, the Cuban-American senator from Florida who has endorsed Donald Trump, said: “This is something they’re going to have to give a response to.
“I mean, it was a violation of American law, if that’s how it happened.”
“I hope the Trump campaign is going to come forward and answer some questions about this, because if what the article says is true – and I’m not saying that it is, we don’t know with 100% certainty – I’d be deeply concerned about it,” Marco Rubio told a podcast hosted by ESPN and ABC.
Newsweek‘s front-page – citing company records, interviews with former Trump executives and court filings – alleges that Donald Trump’s company, then called Trump Hotels & Casino Resorts, sent a consulting firm to Havana on its behalf in search of business opportunities.
The publication says Donald Trump’s senior officers disguised the cash by making it appear that the trip was connected to a Catholic charity.
If the consulting firm spent US money during the visit, without permission from the government, it would have directly violated the Cuban embargo, which remains in place to this day despite a warming in US-Cuba ties.
Speaking on ABC earlier on September 29, Kellyanne Conway initially said: “As I understand from the story, they paid money in 1998.”
Later in the same interview, Donald Trump’s campaign manager said: “Did his hotel invest in 1998 in Cuba? No.”
There has been no further statement from the Trump campaign.
Kellyanne Conway referred to comments Donald Trump has made in the past that were critical of the Cuban regime, and supportive of the embargo.
In a 1999 column in The Miami Herald, Donald Trump wrote that he had snubbed chances to do business in Cuba, saying: “It would place me directly at odds with the longstanding US policy of isolating Fidel Castro. I had a choice to make: huge profits or human rights. For me, it was a no-brainer.”
Hillary Clinton has received another Republican endorsement from former Virginia Senator John Warner, two days after the first presidential debate.
The Democratic candidate was also backed by the Arizona Republic newspaper, the first time it has supported a Democrat since its founding in 1890.
Meanwhile Donald Trump says September 26 debate has led to record fundraising for his campaign.
Speaking on September 27 at a rally in Melbourne, Florida, Donald Trump said that $18 million had been raised in the day since the debate was held.
The Trump campaign is planning to increase advertising spending before the election, and is reportedly considering asking the candidate to make his largest personal financial contribution yet towards it.
Photo Getty Images
John Warner represented Virginia in the Senate for five terms between 1979 and 2009. He also served as Secretary of the Navy and chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee.
Speaking alongside Tim Kaine, the Democratic vice-presidential nominee, John Warner said that he was “distressed” by Donald Trump’s words, and that the Republican nominee does not have respect for the military.
This is the first time John Warner has endorsed a Democrat for president.
Other Republicans to have supported Hillary Clinton include Larry Pressler, a former governor and senator from South Dakota, and former Minnesota governor Arne Carlson.
Today’s endorsement by the Arizona Republic’s editorial board is the latest from a typically Republican-leaning newspaper.
Hillary Clinton has already been endorsed by the conservative-leaning newspapers such as the Dallas Morning News, the Houston Chronicle, and the Cincinnati Enquirer.
“Since The Arizona Republic began publication in 1890, we have never endorsed a Democrat over a Republican for president. Never. This reflects a deep philosophical appreciation for conservative ideals and Republican principles. This year is different. The 2016 Republican candidate is not conservative and he is not qualified,” the editorial in the Republic, Arizona’s largest, says.
Donald Trump has yet to receive the backing of a major publication, with some papers choosing to instead endorse libertarian candidate Gary Johnson.
Hillary Clinton is campaigning today in New Hampshire alongside her former rival for the Democratic ticket, Bernie Sanders, who represents the nearby state of Vermont in the Senate.
Donald Trump is campaigning in Illinois, Iowa and Wisconsin.
The first Hillary Clinton vs. Donald Trump presidential debate was watched by 84 million people, breaking a previous TV record set 36 years ago.
In 1980, Jimmy Carter and Ronald Reagan’s debate drew 80.6 million viewers.
The viewing figures only count those who watched the debate on the 13 TV channels that carried it live, meaning the true figure may be much higher.
Millions are also thought to have watched worldwide through online live streams or in bars and at parties.
The data provider Nielsen said that viewers stayed tuned through the 98-minute debate.
Image source Wikimedia
Donald Trump told supporters on September 27 that he knew the debate would have “one of the largest audiences in the history of television” but he “took a deep breath” and “pretended I was talking to my family”.
“You just block it out,” the Republican said.
In 2015, the NFL’s Super Bowl won the biggest TV audience to date when 114.4 million people watched New England play Seattle.
There are two more presidential debates to come between the candidates – on October 9 and 19 – before the election on November 8.
On October 9, Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump will have competition for the attention of the US; NFL teams the Green Bay Packers and the New York Giants will be playing at the same time as the second debate.
Republican candidate Donald Trump has criticized Lester Holt, the moderator in the first presidential debate, for being tougher on him than on Hillary Clinton.
Donald Trump also complained about his microphone crackling and being at a lower level than Hillary Clinton’s.
The two candidates clashed over jobs, temperament and tax in a debate watched by up to 100 million viewers.
Opinion polls give Hillary Clinton a slight edge, with a majority of voters declaring her the winner of the debate.
Although Donald Trump told reporters immediately after the debate that Lester Holt had done a good job, he accused him of a left-leaning performance the next morning.
“He didn’t ask her about the emails, he didn’t ask her about the scandals, he didn’t ask her about the Benghazi deal. He didn’t ask her about a lot of things he should have asked her about. Why? I don’t know,” he said, speaking to Fox and Friends.
Image source Wikimedia
Donald Trump said Lester Holt had been much tougher on him: “You look at it, you watch the last four questions, he hit me on birther [Donald Trump’s past allegation that President Barack Obama was not born in the US], he hit me on a housing deal from many years ago, that I settled on with no recourse and no guilt… that’s a beauty to be asked, a 40-year-old lawsuit.”
The Republican also said his microphone was “terrible” and crackled, and that his volume was lower than Hillary Clinton’s microphone. He blamed it for what some listeners thought were sniffles by Donald Trump during the debate.
Asked to rate Hillary Clinton’s performance, Donald Trump said he would give her a C-plus, but he declined to grade himself.
“I think I really did well when they asked normal questions,” he said, but added he naturally struggled when asked “unanswerable” ones.
On what he might do differently: “I may hit her harder in certain ways. You know, I really eased up because I didn’t want to hurt anybody’s feelings. So I may hit her harder in certain ways.”
Hours before the debate, polls suggested the candidates were locked in a dead heat, adding to the tension between the rivals on stage throughout the debate.
“I have a feeling that by the end of this evening, I’m going to be blamed for everything that’s ever happened,” Hillary Clinton quipped when prompted to respond to one of Donald Trump’s attacks.
“Why not?” Donald Trump interrupted.
“Yeah, why not,” Hillary Clinton answered.
“You know, just join the debate by saying more crazy things.”
Donald Trump was later thrown on the defensive by Lester Holt for not disclosing his tax returns.
He claimed he was under a “routine audit”.
However, Donald Trump promised he would release them if Hillary Clinton released 33,000 emails that were deleted during an investigation into her private email set-up while secretary of state.
A CNN/ORC poll taken after the first presidential debate found that 62% of voters who had watched the head-to-head thought that Hillary Clinton came out on top, with just 27% giving it to Donald Trump.
Photo Getty Images
This is based on interviews with 521 registered voters chosen as part of a random national sample. However, only 26% identified themselves as Republicans while 41% identified themselves as Democrats.
An informal CNBC poll on its website found that 61% of people thought that Donald Trump won while 39% went for Hillary Clinton, but as CNBC itself points out, the poll is not scientific – anyone, including people outside the United States, appears to be able to vote.
A post-debate survey by Public Policy Polling of 1,002 debate-watchers found that 51% of national voters thought Hillary Clinton had won, with 40% choosing Donald Trump and 9% undecided.
Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump have clashed over jobs, terrorism and race in the first presidential debate.
The attacks turned personal as the Republican accused Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton of not having the right temperament to be president.
Meanwhile, Hillary Clinton baited Donald Trump by pointing out that he refuses to release his tax returns.
The first presidential debate in New York could be the most watched debate in TV history, with up to 100 million viewers.
Hours before the CNN program, polls suggested the candidates were locked in a dead heat, adding to the tension between the rivals on stage throughout the debate.
Image source Wikimedia
“I have a feeling that by the end of this evening, I’m going to be blamed for everything that’s ever happened,” Hillary Clinton quipped when prompted to respond to one of Donald Trump’s attacks.
“Why not?” Donald Trump interrupted.
“Yeah, why not,” Hillary Clinton answered.
“You know, just join the debate by saying more crazy things.”
Donald Trump was later thrown on the defensive by moderator Lester Holt for not disclosing his tax returns.
The billionaire claimed he was under a “routine audit” and would release the document once the audit was finished.
However, Donald Trump promised he would release them if Hillary Clinton released 33,000 emails that were deleted during an investigation into her private email set-up while secretary of state.
Hillary Clinton made a brief response to Donald Trump’s attacks about her use of a private email server – which has haunted her on the campaign trail.
She said there were no excuses for the “mistake” and that she takes responsibility for it.
Hillary Clinton was also uncomfortable when defending her changing position on the controversial Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal.
One key exchange was over Donald Trump’s long-held belief that President Barack Obama was born outside the United States, a position he finally reversed two weeks ago.
“He has a long record of engaging in racist behavior,” Hillary Clinton said, adding that it was a “very hurtful” lie that annoyed and bothered the first African American president.
When asked by Lester Holt to explain his change in stance, Donald Trump said he wanted to concentrate on bigger, more important issues.
Hillary Clinton attacked Donald Trump for praising Russian President Vladimir Putin, and suggesting he “find” her emails.
“I was so shocked when Donald publicly invited Putin to hack into Americans. That is just unacceptable… Donald is unfit to be commander-in-chief.”
The September 26 debate was the first of three between the two candidates.
The first of three presidential debates takes place on Monday night, September 26.
There will be six segments of about 15 minutes, each on a different topic.
Moderator: NBC anchor Lester Holt
Venue: Hofstra University on Long Island, New York;
Start time: 9PM EDT.
At the start of each segment, the two candidates will have two minutes each to respond, then they will respond to each other.
Three of the topics already announced, and selected by Lester Holt, are: America’s Direction; Achieving Prosperity and Securing America, which risk sounding more like the slogans of banks than debate topics.
Three more questions related to events in the news this week will also be scheduled.
Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump are to face each other in their first TV debate.
The two presidential candidates will take to the stage in New York on September 26.
The duel at Hofstra University could be the most watched debate in TV history, with 100 million viewers.
There are 43 days until the November election, with polls suggesting Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton has a narrow lead nationally.
Controversy has marked the debate build-up after Donald Trump said he might invite a woman who had an affair with Bill Clinton in the 1970s.
The Republican tweeted on September 24 that he would perhaps ask Gennifer Flowers to sit in the debate audience, in response to Hillary Clinton having invited Trump critic Mark Cuban.
Gennifer Flowers initially said she would attend but Donald Trump’s running mate, Mike Pence, said on September 25 she was not coming and the suggestion was not a serious one.
Photo CBS Newsllary
The debate at 21:00 local time will last 90 minutes and is being moderated by NBC news anchor Lester Holt.
It is the most hotly anticipated event so far in a long election campaign, partly due to the contrasting styles of the two candidates.
Donald Trump marched to a stunning win in the Republican primaries against vastly more experienced political opponents, he hurled personal insults and made suggestive remarks on the debate stage.
Hillary Clinton, with decades of experience in politics, usually relies more on a firm and detailed policy grasp, but has problems portraying authenticity and spontaneity.
Observers predict the audience could be as high as that for the Super Bowl and surpass the 80 million who watched Jimmy Carter and Ronald Reagan debate in 1980.
Three of the topics for the six segments of the debate have already been announced – America’s Direction, Achieving Prosperity and Securing America – but three others, based on events in the news, will be asked during the debate.
In the past week, both Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump have focused on the response to fatal police shootings of African-American men in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and Charlotte, North Carolina, as well as the ensuing protests.
The West Wing stars are to campaign for Hillary Clinton in Ohio this weekend.
Allison Janney, Richard Schiff, Dule Hill, Bradley Whitford, Joshua Malina, and Mary McCormack will reunite to help organize events across the state.
The stars of the former hit political TV drama will appear in towns including Cleveland, Sandusky and Toledo.
The West Wing, also starring Martin Sheen, ran on NBC from 1999 to 2006.
Martin Sheen played Democratic President Josiah Bartlet in the Golden Globe-winning drama, played out within the enclaves of the White House.
His former co-stars will go on the Clinton campaign trail to rally the public to vote, according to a campaign statement.
“The actors will discuss why they are supporting Clinton and urge Ohioans to register to vote ahead of the 11 October deadline and to get involved in organizing their communities ahead of November’s election,” the statement said.
Martin Sheen however won’t be joining his former West Wing colleagues, neither will Rob Lowe, one of the drama’s other main stars.
He has nonetheless previously stated his support for Hillary Clinton – and been damning of her Republican rival, Donald Trump.
Martin Sheen also appears in a new anti-Trump video called Save the Day made by the Avengers director Joss Whedon.
Over the course of its long run, The West Wing and its cast were honored several times by the Golden Globes and the Emmys.
Ahmad Khan Rahami has been charged with planting bombs in New York and New Jersey.
Thirty-one people were injured when a bomb went off in the Chelsea neighborhood of Manhattan on September 17.
Ahmad Khan Rahami was already charged by the state of New Jersey with the attempted murder of police, during his arrest.
The new federal charges include use of a weapon of mass destruction, bombing, destruction of property and use of a destructive device.
Unsealed in a Manhattan federal court, the charge sheet sheds new light on Ahmad Khan Rahami’s motivations.
Image source EPA
The man’s journal apparently expressed the wish to die a martyr, the criminal complaint revealed.
One passage said: “You [USA Government] continue your [unintelligible] slaught[er]” against the mujahideen, or holy warriors, be it Afghanistan, Iraq, Sham (Syria), Palestine.”
Another refers in glowing terms to Osama Bin Laden, Anwar al-Awlaki, a US-born Muslim cleric killed in a 2011 drone strike, and Nidal Hasan, a former Army officer who killed 13 people at a Texas Army base in 2009.
According to investigators, Ahmad Khan Rahami, who is 28, planted two bombs in Chelsea but one failed to detonate.
Another bomb exploded in a New Jersey seaside town earlier on the same day but no-one was hurt.
Ahmad Khan Rahami is also accused of leaving explosives in a discarded rucksack in a rubbish bin in Elizabeth, New Jersey.
He was preparing for months for the attack, the court documents suggest.
Ahmad Khan Rahami bought some bomb-making equipment on eBay and was filmed by a relative lighting “incendiary material” in a bin.
The series of bombings over the weekend have sparked a heated debate about national security between the two presidential candidates, days before their first televised debate.
Donald Trump has seized on the fact Ahmad Khan Rahami was born in Afghanistan to bolster his tough stance on immigration admissions.
However, Hillary Clinton has accused Donald Trump of enabling the terrorists by playing into their hands.
Ahmad Khan Rahami is still in hospital, recovering from injuries sustained during the shootout that led to his arrest.
Donald Trump has questioned the medical treatment and legal representation of New York bombing suspect Ahmad Khan Rahami following his arrest.
Ahmad Khan Rahami, a 28-year-old Afghan-born naturalized US citizen, was charged with five counts of attempted murder after a police shootout.
Donald Trump said it was a “sad situation” and underscores the country’s weak national security.
Meanwhile, Hillary Clinton said Donald Trump’s rhetoric only helped terrorist groups.
Image source fbi.gov
She told reporters at a news conference outside NYC: “The kinds of rhetoric and language that Mr. Trump has used is giving aid and comfort to our adversaries.”
Hillary Clinton added that she was the only candidate equipped with the experience of being “part of the hard decisions to take terrorists off the battlefield”.
Donald Trump fired back in a statement, saying that a Clinton presidency would only lead to “more attacks on our homeland and more innocent Americans being hurt and killed”.
Later at a campaign rally in Fort Myers, Florida, Donald Trump decried Ahmad Khan Rahami’s treatment for gunshot wounds and his legal representation, which is his constitutional right under the Fifth Amendment.
He said: “But the bad part, now we will give him amazing hospitalization. He will be taken care of by some of the best doctors in the world.
“He will be given a fully modern and updated hospital room. And he’ll probably even have room service knowing the way our country is.”
Donald Trump suggested that any punishment would be too lenient on Ahmad Khan Rahami. “What a sad situation,” he added.
The Republican nominee repeated calls for “extreme vetting” of new arrivals, which would include an assessment of whether potential immigrants share American values.
The country’s national security became a central issue in the election after a series of bombings over the weekend culminated with Ahmad Khan Rahami’s arrest on September 19.
US officials involved in the investigation have told media that Ahmad Khan Rahami had traveled to Afghanistan and Pakistan in recent years.
But at a news conference on September 19, the FBI said they had as yet found no links to international terror groups.
An “intentional” blast has injured at least 29 people in the Chelsea district of New York City, officials say.
The cause of the blast on September 17 remains unclear.
NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio described the explosion as “intentional” but said that there were no known links to terror.
The force of the explosion blew-out windows and could be heard several blocks away.
Officials later told media that a device was found at a second location in the same district.
None of the injuries is life-threatening but one is serious, New York’s fire commissioner said.
Image source Twitter
Most of those hurt suffered cuts and other minor injuries from glass and other debris.
The blast occurred around 21:00. Witnesses said people ran in all directions following the “incredibly loud” blast.
Unconfirmed reports said the explosion went off in a dustbin. Several blocks have been closed down by police.
Bill de Blasio said: “We do not see a link to terrorism.”
The mayor said it was too early to determine the cause but added: “We believe it was intentional.”
Bill de Blasio also said there was no evidence of a link to a pipe bomb explosion in neighboring New Jersey hours earlier.
According to law enforcement officials, the device found at the second Chelsea location appeared to be a pressure cooker attached to wiring and a mobile phone. Police said it had been removed safely.
Chelsea is among the most fashionable districts of Manhattan and its bars and restaurants are usually crowded at the weekend.
President Barack Obama is being kept up to date on the investigation, a White House official said.
Hillary Clinton told reporters she had been in touch with New York officials.
“Obviously we need to do everything we can to support our first responders and pray for the victims,” the Democratic presidential nominee said.
“I’ll have more to say about it when we actually know the facts,” she added.
Speaking at a rally in Colorado before police had commented on the cause of the blast, Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump told supporters that a “bomb” had gone off.
He said: “Nobody knows exactly what’s going on, but boy, we are living in a time – we better get very tough, folks.”
The earlier bomb explosion in Seaside Park, New Jersey, on September 17 came shortly before thousands of runners were to participate in a charity race there. No injuries were reported.
On September 20, President Barack Obama and other world leaders are due to attend the UN General Assembly in New York.
Donald Trump is facing criticism after appearing to hint at the assassination of Hillary Clinton for a second time.
The Republican presidential nominee suggested Hillary Clinton’s security detail should give up their guns and “see what happens to her”.
Donald Trump told supporters his rival Democratic candidate wanted to “destroy your second amendment” – referring to the right to own guns.
Hillary Clinton’s team has accused Donald Trump of “inciting people to violence”.
Speaking at a rally in Miami on September 16, Donald Trump, apparently sarcastically said: “I think that her bodyguards should drop all weapons. They should disarm, right?
Photo AP
“Take their guns away, she doesn’t want guns. Take their guns and let’s see what happens to her. Take their guns away. OK, it would be very dangerous.”
Robby Mook, a spokesman for Hillary Clinton, said: “Whether this is done to provoke protesters at a rally or casually or even as a joke, it is an unacceptable quality in anyone seeking the job of Commander in Chief.
“This kind of talk should be out of bounds for a presidential candidate.”
Hillary Clinton has called for tighter gun control laws but has also stressed her support for the second amendment, telling the Democratic Party Convention in July: “I’m not here to take away your guns.”
Donald Trump’s remarks echoed a controversial speech last month which many Democrats condemned as a call for Hillary Clinton’s assassination.
Speaking in North Carolina, Donald Trump claimed that Hilalry Clinton wanted to abolish the second amendment, adding: “By the way, if she gets to pick her judges, nothing you can do, folks. Although the second amendment people, maybe there is, I don’t know.”
The Trump camp later said he was referring to action through the ballot box, not violence.
The latest comments came just hours after Donald Trump was forced to reverse his long-held position that President Barack Obama was not born in the United States.
Speaking at a campaign event in Washington, Donald Trump said: “President Barack Obama was born in the United States, period.”
Donald Trump went on to accuse Hilalry Clinton of starting the so-called birther controversy.
“Hillary Clinton and her campaign of 2008 started the birther controversy. I finished it,” he said.
There is no evidence to link Hillary Clinton to the birther conspiracy.
Donald Trump’s campaign has acknowledged in a statement that President Barack Obama was born in the United States.
Donald Trump had been a leader of the “birther” movement that questioned Hawaii-born Barack Obama’s citizenship.
However, the Republican presidential nominee’s campaign now accuses his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton of introducing the “smear” during the 2008 Democratic nomination contest.
There is no evidence to link Hillary Clinton to the birthers.
In reaction Hillary Clinton tweeted that Barack Obama’s successor “cannot and will not be the man who led the racist birther movement”.
Donald Trump campaign’s statement signed by senior Trump advisor Jason Miller is far from an admission of error.
Instead, Jason Miller laid the genesis of the birther rumors wrongfully at the feet of Hillary Clinton and her 2008 presidential campaign team.
When they raised questions, Jason Miller said, it was “vicious and conniving” behavior. By broaching the topic three years later, Donald Trump had done a “great service” to the public and president, Jason Miller said.
The statement follows an interview with the Washington Post in which Donald Trump had declined to say Barack Obama had been born in the US, saying instead that he did not want to answer the question.
The claim is a conspiracy theory that Barack Obama was actually born in Kenya and is therefore ineligible to be president.
Reports in various US publications suggest it was circulated in 2008 by die-hard supporters of Hillary Clinton as it became clear that she was not going to win the Democratic nomination.
However, there is no evidence that Hillary Clinton or her then campaign had anything to do with it.
The claim enjoyed a revival with some supporters of Republican candidate John McCain as he fell behind Barack Obama in polls, the Fact Check website reported.
Donald Trump became a vocal questioner of Barack Obama’s citizenship as he was running for a second term as president.
In April 2011, Donald Trump challenged Barack Obama to show his birth certificate, gaining approval from Republicans including former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin.
Weeks later Barack Obama released his actual birth certificate from his native state of Hawaii. At that year’s White House correspondents dinner, President Obama made light of the allegations, mocking Donald Trump.
In 2012, Republican candidate Mitt Romney referred to the discredited theory at a campaign rally, joking that no-one had asked to see his birth certificate – drawing swift condemnation from the Obama campaign.
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