Live updates: Trump talks California primary elections and ‘anti-weaponization’ fund
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Nithya Raman has taken a narrow lead for second place over former reality TV star Spencer Pratt in the race to take on Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass this fall.
What to know today
- TRUMP'S 'MEET THE PRESS' INTERVIEW: President Donald Trump did not rule out the government paying people who were charged with assaulting police officers during the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol, and contended without evidence that recent California elections were “rigged,” in an interview with NBC News’ “Meet the Press.”
- FACT-CHECKING THE PRESIDENT: In the interview, the president made a series of false, misleading or exaggerated comments, including on the Iran war, gas prices, the Jan. 6 riot and California’s primary elections. The president ultimately walked off the nearly hourlong discussion, which was interrupted by rain and a technical issue, after he grew visibly frustrated during a back-and-forth with moderator Kristen Welker over his election fraud claims. Read the interview transcript.
- L.A. MAYOR'S RACE UPDATE: Los Angeles City Council member Nithya Raman, a Democrat, has taken a narrow lead for second place over former reality TV star Spencer Pratt, a registered Republican, in the race to take on Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass in a runoff this fall.
- UFC FIGHT CHALLENGED: A lawsuit filed Saturday against the federal government asks a judge to stop the upcoming Ultimate Fighting Championship event on the White House lawn.
Knicks watch party outside Madison Square Garden won’t be held due to Trump’s attendance
New York Knicks fans can cheer on their beloved team pretty much anywhere in the city’s five boroughs on tonight — except outside Madison Square Garden.
A watch party outside the team’s home court won’t be held for Game 3 of the NBA Finals because Trump plans to attend.
A spokesperson for the NYPD said yesterday that the decision was made in coordination with the Secret Service.
“There will be watch parties at other locations,” the department said. “We are currently determining where they will be.”
Kennedy Center removes 'Trump Kennedy Center' branding from its website after judge's decision
The Kennedy Center has removed "Trump Kennedy Center" branding from its website to comply with a federal judge's decision last month ordering it to do so.
The performing arts center's lawyers directed staff to remove the president's name from signage least week. This morning, the website's header was reverted to "The Kennedy Center."
U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper decided May 29 that the center's board, which was appointed by Trump after he ousted the previous members, did not have the authority to add the president's name to signage. Only Congress had that authority, the judge wrote.
The webpage had read “The Trump Kennedy Center” since December, when the center’s board voted to change the center's name.
Spencer Pratt drops to third place in L.A. mayoral primary
Votes are still being counted in the closely-watched primary races in California, including for mayor of Los Angeles. Conservative reality TV star Spencer Pratt has dropped to third place behind current democratic Mayor Karen Bass, who is heading to the runoff, and progressive City Councilwoman Nithya Raman. NBC’s Liz Kreutz reports for the "TODAY" show.
Conservative lawyer Larry Klayman faces Supreme Court disbarment
Conservative lawyer Larry Klayman, who over several decades was involved in various politically tinged cases, has been provisionally suspended from practicing law at the Supreme Court.
The court order issued this morning says Klayman has 40 days "to show cause why he should not be disbarred from the practice of law in this court."
The Supreme Court order does not say why Klayman is being disciplined, but he has faced similar proceedings in jurisdictions where he is licensed to practice law, including Florida and the District of Columbia.
In Florida, he was suspended from practicing law for two years in November over various actions in cases he has been involved in, including his handling of a sexual harassment lawsuit. He was suspended in the District of Columbia for similar reasons.
Why did Trump end his interview with NBC News' 'Meet the Press'?
Trump abruptly ended his weekend interview with "Meet the Press" moderator Kristen Welker after the nearly hourlong discussion was repeatedly interrupted by rain and a technical issue, and after he became visibly frustrated during a back-and-forth in which he was pressed to support his baseless claims of election fraud in California’s primary races. The president also defended his administration’s controversial $1.8 billion 'anti-weaponization' fund. NBC’s Garrett Haake reports for the "TODAY" show.
As Trump has usurped power, a weak Congress has diminished its own relevance
Trump made a revealing admission about how he views Congress when touting one of his executive actions at what he thought was a private White House event.
Trump says Fed chair should ‘do whatever he wants’ but criticizes possible interest rate hikes
Trump criticized the possibility of the Federal Reserve raising interest rates, but said in an interview on NBC News’ “Meet the Press” that he wants Fed Chair Kevin Warsh “to do whatever he wants.”
“Kevin is fantastic, and I want him to do whatever he wants,” Trump told moderator Kristen Welker. “I don’t want to have a big influence on him. But we had a great report. We’re doing great, and it’s unfair that whenever you do great, they want to raise interest rates.”
Federal lawsuit aims to stop UFC event on the White House South Lawn
A lawsuit filed Saturday against the federal government asks a judge to stop the upcoming Ultimate Fighting Championship event on the White House lawn.
The suit, which the Public Integrity Project, a watchdog group, filed on behalf of two plaintiffs, is another incident in which private citizens or activist groups have tried to stymie projects championed by Trump.
The event, a fight night purportedly in honor of the country’s 250th anniversary, is scheduled for June 14, Trump’s birthday.
Nithya Raman leaps past Spencer Pratt in tight race to make L.A. mayoral runoff
Los Angeles City Council member Nithya Raman, a Democrat, has taken a narrow lead for second place over former reality TV star Spencer Pratt, a registered Republican, in the race to take on Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass in a runoff this fall.
NBC News projected Bass’ advancing to the runoff last week, but the outstanding question, as the city and the state continue counting ballots, is whom she will face and what kind of matchup that will be. NBC News hasn’t projected the winner of the other spot in the runoff.
Fact-checking Trump’s interview with NBC News’ ‘Meet the Press’
Trump sat for an interview with “Meet the Press” moderator Kristen Welker on Friday, discussing topics including the war with Iran, gas prices and the “anti-weaponization” fund.
Throughout the interview, which aired yesterday, Trump made a series of false, misleading or exaggerated comments, including on the Iran war, gas prices, the Jan. 6 riot and California's primary elections.
NBC News reporters dug into some of the president’s remarks. Here are the facts behind the claims.
Trump doesn’t rule out giving Jan. 6 rioters who attacked police payouts from the ‘anti-weaponization’ fund
Trump did not rule out the government paying people who were charged with assaulting police officers during the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol, and he also contended without evidence that recent California elections were “rigged,” in an interview with NBC News’ “Meet the Press.”
Trump defended what his administration has dubbed an “anti-weaponization” fund, saying the protesters who breached the Capitol as Congress prepared to certify Joe Biden’s election victory on Jan. 6, 2021, were unfairly targeted by prosecutors and deserved compensation.
