Among likely GOP primary voters, the former president is commanding 54% support and leads his nearest rival, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, by a whopping 37 percentage points.
His other challengers, including his onetime running mate, former Vice President Mike Pence, are all polling at low single digits.
Trump outperformed other candidates by large margins in nearly every single demographic polled. DeSantis especially floundered among the Republicans’ most influential demographics, earning only 9% support among voters 65 and older. Even if all other candidates dropped out, the poll found, Trump would still be poised to beat DeSantis 62 to 31.
Monday’s poll further cements the results of previous ones. Last week, a Monmouth University poll found that nearly 7 in 10 GOP voters believe Trump is either “definitely” or “probably” the party’s strongest candidate to unseat President Joe Biden.
Trump’s success in the polls comes despite his legal troubles. In March, a Manhattan grand jury indicted him over a $130,000 hush money payment made to the porn star Stormy Daniels, who alleges the two had an affair, shortly before the 2016 election. Then, last month, a federal grand jury indicted Trump after an investigation found he took highly classified documents from the White House to his Mar-a-Lago resort and residence in Florida.
Monday’s poll comes about three weeks ahead of the first Republican debate in Milwaukee and about six months out from the Iowa Republican caucuses.
A Tory civil war has erupted after dozens of the party’s MPs and peers called on Rishi Sunak to delay the ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel cars.
Under the policy, drivers will be unable to buy the vehicles from 2030.
Speaking to the Sunday Telegraph, the prime minister said: “The 2030 target has been our policy for a long time and continues to be – we are not considering a delay to that date.”
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But in a letter to the PM, 45 Tory MPs and peers – including former members of the cabinet – urged him to think again.
It said: “You rightly put on record this week that net zero is important, but you do not want to add to consumers’ bills and that measures need to be ‘proportionate and pragmatic’.
“We believe the proposed ban on petrol and diesel vehicles from 2030 would risk that entire approach and do grave harm to the economy.”
They said Sunak should follow the EU’s lead by delaying the ban until 2035.
“The future for this country is in imposing fewer burdens and being more lightly regulated than the EU, not in unilaterally imposing additional job-destroying burdens to meet and unnecessary and unworkable deadline,” the letter said.
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Sunak hinted at rowing back on the government’s environmental commitments in the wake of the recent Uxbridge and South Ruislip by-election.
The Tories managed to hang on to Boris Johnson’s old seat by campaigning against opposing the expansion of London’s Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ), which will see drivers of old cars charged £12.50 a day.
The letter said that showed net zero policies which cost voters’ money “are deeply unpopular”.
The MPs and peers added: “We urge you to review this policy to make sure car ownership remains affordable and manufacturers are protected.
“A move to 2035 to match competitor countries such as the EU bloc and the USA would seem entirely sensible.”
Dozens of groups, including Friends of the Earth, Greenpeace UK, the National Trust, RPSCA and RSPB, have written to the PM warning him not to use the environment as “a political football”.
They said: “Acting on climate change needs to be done fairly, but that is best done by delivering well-designed policy, backed up with public and private finance, and by working hand-in-hand with industry and communities. There is no public mandate for a delay.
“It is therefore with deep alarm that we have read reports over the last few weeks of your government considering watering down its commitments on almost every front of environmental policy.”
That led to speculation that he could ditch the government’s commitment to ban the sale of new petrol and diesel cars by 2030, and dilute plans to phase out the use of gas boilers.
The shift in approach comes in the wake of the Uxbridge and South Ruislip by-election, which the Tories won on a campaign opposing the expansion of London’s Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ), which will see drivers of old cars charged £12.50 a day.
Dozens of groups, including Friends of the Earth, Greenpeace UK, the National Trust, RPSCA and RSPB, have now written to the PM warning him not to use the environment as “a political football”.
The letter, which has 52 signatories, said: “The planet needs politicians to act urgently – not least, to protect people here in the UK, but also those across the world, who are being hardest hit by our changing climate.
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“At the last election, the Conservative Party manifesto put the 2050 net zero target front and centre. It did so because, as well as being the right thing to do, the environment remains a central concern for voters.
“Acting on climate change needs to be done fairly, but that is best done by delivering well-designed policy, backed up with public and private finance, and by working hand-in-hand with industry and communities. There is no public mandate for a delay.
“It is therefore with deep alarm that we have read reports over the last few weeks of your government considering watering down its commitments on almost every front of environmental policy.”
The letter added: “We will not stand by whilst politicians use the environment as a political football. It is courage and leadership that we need now.”
In a further sign of Sunak’s weakening commitment to protecting the environment, the prime minister has also order a review of “low traffic neighbourhoods”.
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The schemes close off certain roads to traffic in an attempt to improve air quality and encourage people to use their cars less.
However, they have proved highly controversial in some areas.
Sunak told the Sunday Telegraph: “The vast majority of people in the country use their cars to get around and are dependent on cars.
“I just want to make sure people know that I’m on their side in supporting them to use their cars to do all the things that matter to them.”
A former Air Force intelligence officer told Congress that the US government has a long-standing programme that retrieves unidentified flying objects, and said that “non-human” “biologics” were found at crash sites where the objects were recovered.
In 2021, the Pentagon created a group to look into the phenomena after more than 100 sightings were reported. By the following year, the Pentagon said it had received “several hundreds” of new reports of unidentified aerial phenomena. The Pentagon has not confirmed that it has a programme to retrieve unidentified flying objects.
Grusch, who served for 14 years as an intelligence officer in the Air Force, told Congress he served as a representative on two Pentagon task forces investigating unidentified aerial phenomena, or UAP, until earlier this year.
In his testimony, Grusch told lawmakers he was informed of “a multi-decade UAP crash retrieval and reverse-engineering program” during the course of his work.
.@RepNancyMace asks about extraterrestrials: “If you believe we have crashed craft…do we have the bodies of the pilots…?”
David Grusch: “As I’ve stated…biologics came with some of these recoveries.”
Asked by Republican representative Nancy Mace if the US government also has the “bodies of the pilots who piloted this craft”, Grusch suggested it might.
“As I’ve stated publicly … biologics came with some of these recoveries, yeah,” Grusch said.
“Were they human or non-human biologics?” Mace asked.
“Non-human,” Grusch responded. “And that was the assessment of people with direct knowledge of the programme I talked to, who are currently still in the programme.”
Ryan Graves, executive director of Americans for Safe Aerospace, David Grusch, former National Reconnaissance Office representative on the Defense Department’s Unidentified Aerial Phenomena Task Force, and retired Navy Commander David Fravor arrive for House Oversight & Accountability Committee’s National Security, the Border, and Foreign Affairs Subcommittee’s hearing on “Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena: Implications on National Security, Public Safety, and Government Transparency” at the U.S. Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S., July 26, 2023. REUTERS/Elizabeth Frantz
ELIZABETH FRANTZ via Reuters
Grusch said in June that the federal government has multiple crafts of “non-human” origin.
“Well, naturally, when you recover something that’s either landed or crashed, sometimes you encounter dead pilots and, believe it or not, as fantastical as that sounds, it’s true,” Grusch told NewsNation at the time.
Ryan Graves, a former Navy pilot, testified at Wednesday’s hearing that he nearly collided with an unidentified object in 2014. He said in the years since he’s talked to others in the Navy who have described similar experiences.
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“We were primarily seeing dark grey or black cubes inside of a clear sphere,” Graves said of the craft he saw. “Where the apex, or tips of the cube, were touching the inside of that sphere.”
Former Navy pilot Dave Fravor testified that he saw a “Tic Tac”-shaped object during a flight off the coast in California in 2004. He and his co-pilot during the incident, Lieutenant commander Alex Dietrich, previously spoke to CBS’s 60 Minutes” about the experience, describing that the object appeared to reach speeds so quickly it seemed to disappear.
Fravor told Congress he believes more pilots are reporting their findings now that there is less of a stigma surrounding the existence of unidentified aerial phenomena.
“Starting in 2017, when it all actually came out, it took that stigma away,” Fravor said. “Prior to that, if you had mentioned UAP you’d be laughed off the Hill, and now we’re sitting here today for a public testimony on what’s actually going on.”
And so is one member of Congress who should probably sit this one out: George Santos .
Considering that Santos was indicted on 13 counts in May for allegedly embezzling money from his campaign, lying to Congress about his income and cheating his way into undeserved unemployment benefits, some people wondered if he was in any position to be calling for an indictment ― including Anna M. Kaplan, who is running to replace him in Congress.
She posted two tweets, the first of which offered some helpful advice ― “Sit this one out, George” ― while the second suggested that McCarthy expel Santos “instead of this partisan impeach inquiry.”
Others joined in on mocking Santos ― and some even brought receipts.
Senator John Fetterman said a rematch between President Joe Biden and Donald Trump in the 2024 election in Pennsylvania would be “closer” than some might expect, though he still believes Biden holds an edge in the hypothetical contest.
The freshman Democratic senator addressed the race for the GOP nomination, Trump, and life in the Senate since his bout with depression in a rare sit-down with reporters in his congressional office on Monday.
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“Donald Trump can’t beat President Biden in Pennsylvania but, assuming it will be President Trump, it’s going to be closer,” Fetterman said of the current Republican presidential front-runner.
“Trump has to perform above his ceiling,” he explained, adding that the former president is still very popular in the state. “You still see Trump signs everywhere in Pennsylvania, and you have to respect Trump’s strength.”
Trump won Pennsylvania’s 20 electoral votes in 2016 by a narrow margin but lost the state resoundingly to Biden in 2020. Democrats are looking to repeat that kind of performance next year, especially with blue-collar voters in deep-red counties.
Fetterman said no other Republican presidential candidate stands a better chance against Biden than Trump, including Florida Governor Ron DeSantis. He cast DeSantis as extreme, citing his staunch anti-abortion stance and his focus on waging culture wars, including over transgender rights.
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“There’s no way Ron DeSantis could win Pennsylvania,” the senator said. “Watching DeSantis turn into [former Wisconsin Governor and 2016 Republican presidential candidate] Scott Walker and get liquidated by Trump’s machine, I respect Trump in terms of how formidable he would be in Pennsylvania.”
Fetterman spoke with the help of an iPad that transcribed the conversation with Capitol Hill reporters in real time, helping compensate for auditory processing difficulties caused by his stroke over a year ago.
The Pennsylvania Democrat seems to be taking his own approach to life in the Senate after being hospitalized for depression. He often eschews suits in favor of shorts and a hoodie on his way to Senate votes, though, given the warm summer months, he has traded in the hoodie for a short-sleeve, button-down shirt.
Monday’s sit-down seemed to mark a shift in Fetterman’s media strategy. Embracing conversations with reporters, both in formal settings and in more informal interactions in the Senate hallways, is something he hasn’t done much before.
NatWest chief executive Alison Rose has resigned after admitting to discussing Nigel Farage’s relationship with the bank with a senior BBC journalist.
Rose had remained in post after saying she made a “serious error of judgment” over talking to Simon Jack about the former Brexit party leader and his closed accounts, with the company’s board stating they had “full confidence” in her.
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But in the early hours of Wednesday morning, Howard Davies, chairman of the NatWest board, announced Rose had agreed to step down “by mutual consent”.
Her position had become untenable following the intense political and media scrutiny over a decision by NatWest’s private bank, Coutts, to close Farage’s accounts. NatWest is taxpayer-funded, with the state’s shareholding just below 40%.
Farage had alleged the decision to “exit” him was “political” after he obtained an internal document that said the “de-banking” was partly because his views were not “aligned” with the bank’s. The 40-page dossier refers to the ex-MEP as “xenophobic and racist” and a former “fascist”.
It raised into question a report by Jack, the broadcaster’s business editor, who had suggested Farage lost his account because he lacked the funds needed to hold it.
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Jack on Monday apologised to Farage, saying the information his reporting was based on “turned out to be incomplete and inaccurate”. This was followed by Rose’s admission on Tuesday and her subsequent resignation.
Before the departure, Farage had hit back at NatWest’s statement on his GB News show, criticising Rose as “unfit” to run a bank, as well as lambasting Davies and Coutts CEO Peter Flavel.
“The government ought to say we have no confidence in this management. Frankly, I think they should all go,” Farage said, after declaring that Rose had breached an “essential confidence”.
Rose confirmed in the statement that she had discussed Farage’s “relationship with the bank” with Jack.
“I recognise that in my conversations with Simon Jack of the BBC, I made a serious error of judgment,” Rose said, but added she had not revealed any personal financial information about Farage and had answered a general question about eligibility.
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Coutts’ website advises its clients should be able to borrow or invest at least £1 million with the bank or hold £3 million in savings.
Rose also said she was not part of the decision-making process to close Farage’s accounts and said this was a decision made by Coutts.
The government’s shareholding in NatWest is managed “at arm’s length” and on a commercial basis by the UK Government Investments (UKGI). UKGI’s role is to manage the shareholding, not the bank itself.
Treasury minister Andrew Griffith is set to meet lenders on Wednesday to discuss concerns that banks have closed customer accounts over their political views, ahead of reforms requiring banks to explain and delay these decisions.
Keir Starmer has defeated his left-wing critics to win backing for his “serious and credible” general election plans.
In a major victory for the Labour leader, the party’s National Policy Forum rejected “unfunded” proposals by the Unite trade union and pro-Jeremy Corbyn campaign group Momentum.
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A party spokesperson said: “Labour’s democratic policy-making body has endorsed Keir Starmer’s programme, his five missions for government, and the fiscal rules that he and Rachel Reeves have set out.
“This is a serious, credible and ambitious policy programme that lays the groundwork for an election-winning manifesto and a mission-driven Labour government that will build a better Britain.
“There are no unfunded spending commitments in the document.
“This weekend is another proof point that shows that Keir Starmer has changed the Labour Party and is ready to change the country in government built on the rock of economic responsibility and strong fiscal rules.”
The GMB union said the plans “would make a real difference for workers and industries they work in”.
But Unite refused to give the policy document their backing, claiming it “clearly crossed the union’s red lines including around workers’ rights”.
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“As the general election draws nearer, Keir Starmer has to prove Labour will deliver for workers and we need clear policies on this,” the union said.
Momentum said it was “a missed opportunity for Labour to lay out real solutions to the Tories’ broken Britain”.
They said: “Unions and members proposed urgent, popular policies like a £15 minimum wage, workers’ rights and free school meals. But Starmer’s fiscal conservatism put paid to hope.
“Worse, the leadership’s steadfast refusal to commit to scrap heinous Tory policies like the two-child cap and anti-protest laws means that an undemocratic and unequal status quo risks being left in place under a Labour government. Britain deserves better.”
New Hampshire Governor Chris Sununu highlighted a “huge opportunity” for Republican candidates on Saturday as he gave his two cents on a dip in former President Donald Trump’s polling numbers in his state.
In an appearance on Fox News, Sununu argued that the “reality” that Trump won’t win the 2024 presidential election is “coming to bear” as he looked at a recent University of New Hampshire poll that showed Trump dropping 5 percentage points with likely Republican primary voters since April.
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“When you have an incumbent president that’s sitting under 40%, that’s a huge opportunity for everybody else,” said Sununu, who had teased a 2024 presidential bid but ultimately passed on a campaign.
The governor and frequentcriticof Trump noted that the poll shows “60-plus percent” of voters are not with the former president in the state, claiming that part of Trump’s performance in the poll is due to sympathy for “political attacks” against him.
He told Fox News’ Neil Cavuto that rival candidates have to go after Trump as they set their sights on their party’s nomination.
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“Either you’re willing to swing, you’re willing to give the punch and take the punch and show leadership, or you’re kowtowing,” said Sununu.
“I don’t understand the politics of it because you’re not going to get a Trump voter, right? They’re with Trump. If the base is with Trump, the base is with Trump. He’s still going to be in the race. So you’ve got to find your own path. … You’ve got to go through him. You can’t go around him. They tried that in ’16, they tried to avoid the controversy. Leadership takes it head-on.”
New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu speaks onstage at the 2023 Time 100 Summit in April. The frequent Trump critic won’t seek reelection to a fifth term in 2024, The Associated Press reported.
Photo by Jemal Countess/Getty Images for TIME
The governor announced on Wednesday that he won’t seek reelection in 2024 as his state prepares for its presidential primary next year, according to The Associated Press. He vowed to be an “aggressive proponent of everybody else” besides Trump in the primaries.
“Donald Trump does not represent the Republican Party. He might be our nominee, but he doesn’t represent the future. He’s yesterday’s news,” he said.
Former President Donald Trump dodged what he described as a “great question” on faith during a Fox News town hall held Tuesday in Iowa.
In a new video clip released Friday, a woman is seen asking the 2024 hopeful: “How has your faith grown since you decided in 2015 to run for president? And who has mentored you in your faith journey?”
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Trump complimented the question before swerving away from a direct answer. He instead mentioned “heartache and turmoil,” quickly adding that he had a “wonderful life” before his career in politics but also saying he “couldn’t be more glad” with his choices now.
“I’ve made America great. We can do it again,” said Trump, who has previously boasted of “total support” from faith leaders in the state.
“But I’ve gotten to know, because of this, evangelicals. I know so many people and they feel so good about themselves and their family, and they base it on religion,” he said during the town hall.
Trump went on to shift focus to the Catholic faith, claiming that the FBI has made Catholics “the enemy” and questioned how they could vote for a Democrat like President Joe Biden.
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“I’ve met some of the finest people that I wouldn’t have had the privilege of meeting if I weren’t president,” he said. “They’re religious leaders, and they really are incredible people.”
At the time, Trump downplayed the mistake as a “small deal,” blaming the president of the Family Research Council for how he’d written notes on what Trump should say.
In the current White House race, Trump currently leads Ron DeSantis by over 30 percentage points in an average of national polls on GOP candidates, according to FiveThirtyEight.
