Trump news – latest: Former president sits front row at UFC fight as he remains 2024 GOP favourite despite criminal charges
Donald Trump repeats resentments in first speech since arrest
Donald Trump was greeted by huge cheers as he sat front row at UFC 287 on Saturday night, alongside Mike Tyson and Dana White in the Miami-Dade Arena.
Mr Trump, 76, chatted to Kid Rock between fights, while UFC fighter Kevin Holland came over to speak to him after knocking out Santiago Ponzinibbio.
After his loss to Gilbert Burns, hometown UFC fighter Jorge Masvidal praised Mr Trump as the “greatest president in history” and led the Miami crowd in a “let’s go Brandon chant”, a disparaging reference to President Joe Biden.
His appearance comes as the first Reuters/Ipsos survey since his arrest and arraignment in New York this week shows that Republicans support for Mr Trump is growing.
Mr Trump later raved about his poll numbers on his social media app Truth Social.
“Polls are looking GREAT! New Poll, 61-19 against DeSanctimonious,” he wrote in apparent reference to his main Republican presidential rival, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis.
The former president is accused of 34 counts of falsifying business records in connection to alleged hush money payments to porn star Stormy Daniels, and two other people.
Pictured: Donald Trump at UFC 287
Donald Trump made a surprise appearance at UFC 287 in Miami on Saturday night.
The former president sat ringside with UFC president Dana White, boxing legend Mike Tyson, and Kid Rock.
Former President Donald Trump and Kid Rock attend UFC 287 at the Kaseya Center on Saturday, April 8, 2023, in downtown Miami.
(AP)
The Kesaya Center crowd greeted the 76-year-old warmly, days after he appeared in a New York court on charges of falsifying business records.
Former US president Donald Trump is known to be friends with UFC president Dana White
(Getty Images)
The audience gave out a loud USA chant as Mr Trump entered the Kaseya Center.
The Miami crowd erupted in a chant of U – S – A.
(DJ Akademiks)
Hometown hero Jorge Masvidal, who retired after his defeat to Gilbert Burns, said Mr Trump was the “greatest president in the history of the world, I love that guy” in a post-fight interview with Joe Rogan.
He then led the crowd in a chant of “let’s go Brandon”, a disparaging reference to President Joe Biden.
Jorge Masvidal told Joe Rogan was was retiring from the UFC after his defeat to Gilbert Burns.
(Getty Images)
Kiwi-Nigerian fighter Israel Adesanya won the main fight of the night with a spectacular second round knockout of Brazilian rival Alex Pereira to reclaim his UFC middleweight title.
Israel Adesanya won the main event, defeating Brazilian Alex Pereira to regain the UFC middleweight title
(Getty Images)
Bevan Hurley9 April 2023 14:42
Trump’s poll numbers ‘bolstered’ after his arraignment in New York
The first poll taken since Donald Trump was arraigned on fraud charges in New York has shown a bump in support for the former president.
The Reuters/Ipsos survey showed 58 per cent of Republican voters favoured the former president, up from 48 per cent a week ago.
Mr Trump’s main rival for the nomination, Florida Governor Ron De Santis, received 21 per cent of primary voters, slightly up from 19 per cent.
Mr Trump later raved about his poll numbers on his social media app Truth Social.
“Polls are looking GREAT! New Poll, 61-19 against DeSanctimonious,” he wrote.
Former US president Donald Trump attended UFC 287 in Miami on Saturday night.
(Getty Images)
Bevan Hurley9 April 2023 14:25
Trump arrest shows ‘progress for women’, Stormy Daniels says
The former president has pleaded not guilty to 34 charges of falsifying business records in relation to $130,000 in hush money paid to Ms Daniels over her claims of a sexual relationship.
Ms Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, told Piers Morgan that she did not believe there was a double standard in the treatment of Mr Trump, a Republican, and previous Democratic politicians such as John F Kennedy, Bill Clinton and John Edwards.
And she rejected Republican claims that Mr Trump was specifically being targeted by prosecutors.
Graeme Massie has the story.
Bevan Hurley9 April 2023 14:00
Clarence Thomas says luxury trips with GOP megadonor ‘personal hospitality’ from ‘dearest friends’
US Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas has released his first public statement since once again coming under fire from court watchdogs and US lawmakers following a ProPublica investigation finding that the conservative justice has accepted luxury trips from a prominent Republican donor for more than two decades.
In his response on 7 April, Justice Thomas called Texas developer Harlan Crow – an influential GOP donor who has supported right-wing candidates, causes and legal efforts – one of his “dearest friends”.
Alex Woodward has the story.
Bevan Hurley9 April 2023 13:00
Could a New York judge finally force Donald Trump to shut up?
But there was another first during the proceedings, lesser noticed, that could have profound implications on the next election and beyond. It raises the prospect that a New York judge may succeed where many others have tried and failed, and force Mr Trump to be quiet.
Bevan Hurley9 April 2023 12:00
Everything should be going right for the GOP; instead they’re getting bad headlines
On the surface, Republicans should have all the reasons to feel confident. President Joe Biden’s approval ratings are still fairly low, as a Fox News poll shows he has a 56 per cent disapproval rating. Inflation remains stubbornly high, even if it isn’t skyrocketing the way it once did. Friday’s latest jobs report shows that while the labour market is strong, the Federal Reserve’s increased interest rates caused it to slow down as it tries to tamp down prices.
Those numbers typically signal a bumpy road for a president seeking re-election. Instead, Republicans got hit with a bevy of negative headlines from both the national and state level.
Bevan Hurley9 April 2023 11:00
GOP cries foul over Trump hush money judge’s donation to Biden campaign… of $15
Conservative critics of Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg‘s case against Donald Trump are claiming the judge overseeing the proceedings is biased because he donated $15 to Joe Biden‘s campaign.
Bevan Hurley9 April 2023 10:00
Eric Trump roasted for ‘hallucinating’ that ‘tens and tens of thousands’ showed up for father
Donald Trump’s son made the outlandish claim in an interview on Fox News on Tuesday night, just hours after his father became the first current or former US president to ever face criminal charges.
Bevan Hurley9 April 2023 09:00
Trump lashes out at ‘moron’ Biden after review blames him for Afghanistan chaos
Donald Trump responded quickly on Thursday after the White House issued a report eviscerating his handling of the US withdrawal from Afghanistan.
John Bowden reports from Washington, DC.
Bevan Hurley9 April 2023 08:00
Watch: What did we learn from Stormy Daniels’ interview with Piers Morgan?
Five things we learnt from Stormy Daniels’ interview with Piers Morgan
Stormy Daniels sat down with TalkTV’s Piers Morgan to discuss Donald Trump’s arrest in a bombshell interview that aired on Thursday evening (6 April). Mr Trump appeared in court this week as part of Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s grand jury investigation into a $130,000 hush money payment he is accused of making to Daniels in 2016 via his then-lawyer Michael Cohen, in exchange for her silence. During the discussion, Ms Daniels made a number of explosive revelations, including her reaction to seeing Mr Trump’s arrest, where her political allegiance lies and the threats she has suffered as a result of their history. Here are five things we learnt from the interview. Click here to sign up for our newsletters.
Bevan Hurley9 April 2023 07:00
