Military Has No Plan to Referee U.S. Election: Trump Update
Chris Christie Released From Hospital After a Week: Trump Update
(Bloomberg) --
The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff rejected a role for the military to referee a contested U.S. election. Twitter flagged a President Donald Trump tweet about now being “immune” to the coronavirus, which was also a major talking point in a freewheeling Fox News interview on Sunday. Trump’s doctor said Saturday he’s no longer considered a coronavirus transmission risk to others. Trump restarts rallies on Monday, but is trailing Joe Biden in most polls.
Trump unveiled his positive test for the coronavirus early on Oct. 2, and credits an antibody treatment from Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc. for a quick recovery. He returned to the Oval Office Wednesday after working from the White House residence following his departure from Walter Reed National Military Medical Center.
Key Developments:
Milley Says Military Won’t be Election Referee (5:30 p.m.)
The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff insists the U.S. military will have no role in resolving a disputed election, amid speculation the Pentagon could be asked to intervene in sparring over the outcome of the Nov. 3 contest.
If there’s a contested election, “it’ll be handled appropriately by the courts and by the U.S. Congress,” said General Mark Milley in an interview with NPR set to air Monday. “There’s no role for the U.S. military in determining the outcome of a U.S. election. Zero.”
The comments appear to be the firmest yet by Milley to reject a military role refereeing a contested election, amid concerns the armed forces could be dragged into a dispute over the results. Fears have been stoked in part by Trump’s qualified comments about whether he’ll accept the results and commit to a peaceful transfer of power if he loses. -- Jennifer Dlouhy
Twitter Flags Trump’s Tweet About New Virus Immunity (1:41 p.m.)
Trump on Sunday pitched what he called his post-infection immunity to Covid-19 as an advantage over Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden.
Twitter took issue with a Trump post on the subject, flagging it as a rules violation for “spreading misleading and potentially harmful information related to Covid-19.”
Trump tweeted that after “a total and complete sign off from White House doctors” late Saturday, its “very nice to know” that he can’t get or give the virus. -- Justin Sink
Trump on Defensive in Latest State Polls (11:11 a.m.)
CBS News polls showed Biden up by six points in Nevada and Michigan, outside the margin of error, and tied with Trump in Iowa, a state the president won easily in 2016.
A majority of voters in the three states felt Trump set a bad example during his own recent battle with coronavirus, handling things in a way they termed irresponsible.
Likely voters in Michigan backed Biden over Trump on traits such as how the candidates handle themselves personally, and whether they care about other people. Trump fared best on being considered a strong leader.
President in Latest Chat With Maria Bartiromo (10:45 a.m.)
Trump had his second lengthy phone interview with correspondent Maria Bartiromo in four days, calling in to her “Sunday Morning Futures” program on Fox News Channel.
They talked at length about what Trump called his immunity from the coronavirus. “The president is in very good shape to fight the battles,” Trump said, adding that he has “a protective glow.”
Also on the agenda was the U.S. handling of the coronavirus pandemic, stimulus talks with Democrats, and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s plans for the 25th Amendment, announced on Friday.
Asked about his second-term priorities, should he win on Nov. 3, Trump focused on opening up the country, and took a swing at “the Democrat states.” And Trump said Michigan governor Gretchen Whitmer, recently the subject of a foiled kidnapping plot, was “the complainer in chief.”
Biden Holds Lead Over Trump in New Poll (12 a.m.)
Joe Biden maintained a 12-point lead over Trump in a new ABC/Washington Post poll published Sunday. Biden had 54% support among likely voters compared with Trump at 42%. The poll showed two-thirds of registered voters believed Trump didn’t take proper precautions against Covid-19, and 62% distrust what he said about it. On who voters trusted more to handle the pandemic, Biden kept a 17-point lead over Trump.
Doctor Says Trump No Longer Transmission Risk (9:05 p.m.)
Trump has been fever-free for well over 24 hours and all his symptoms have improved, Conley said in the memorandum published by the White House. Also, testing throughout his illness has shown decreasing viral loads.
The tests “reveal there is no longer evidence of actively replicating virus,” Conley said, adding that he’ll continue to monitor the president.
No. 10 Ready to Woo Biden, Sunday Times Reports (6:00 p.m.)
The Sunday Times reported that the U.K. government is writing off and reaching out to Biden. U.K. ministers have been told to start forging links with the Democratic presidential nominee after “writing off” Trump’s chances of re-election, the paper said in a front-page article.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s been warned that Trump is on course for a landslide loss, and that Republicans are likely to lose control of the Senate, the paper said.
“They’re writing off Trump in No. 10 now,” said a senior Tory who wasn’t identified by the Times. Johnson spoke with Trump this month, wishing him well but not taking sides.
Trump Returns With Speech to Fans at White House (3:30 p.m.)
Trump made his first public appearance since returning from the hospital, speaking for about 18 minutes to several hundred mostly Black and Hispanic supporters at the White House.
“Thank you all for the prayers,” the president said from the Blue Room balcony to the invited guests, mostly masked, gathered on the South Lawn for the campaign-style event.
Trump said he was “feeling great”; photographs showed flesh-colored bandages on his right hand, potentially from intravenous treatments after his coronavirus diagnosis.
The president has no public events scheduled for Sunday and is due to hit the trail for events in three states starting Monday.
Trump Announces Rallies in Pennsylvania, Iowa (1:10 pm.)
The Trump campaign on Saturday announced two new “airport rallies” for next week as the president resumes an active campaigning schedule after being laid low by the coronavirus.
Trump will make remarks in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, on Tuesday and in Des Moines, Iowa, on Wednesday, his campaign said.
Pennsylvania is seen by many pundits as the ultimate battleground state for 2020. Trump narrowly won there in 2016 but trails Joe Biden in recent polls. A judge on Saturday dismissed a suit brought by Trump’s campaign that challenged Pennsylvania’s mail voting procedures for November’s elections.
Biden also leads narrowly in Iowa, according to the RealClearPolitics average of recent surveys. It’s a state Trump won by more than 9 points en route to the White House but where Democrats have had success in the past.
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