NationalWatch

Former President Donald Trump attended the wake of slain NYPD officer Jonathan Diller on Thursday afternoon at a Massapequa Park funeral home, while calling for law and order. 

“Such a sad, sad event. Such a horrible thing. And it’s happening all too often and we’re just not going to let it happen,” Trump said. 

“We need law and order,” he added. 

Diller was fatally shot on Monday during a traffic stop in Queens after a man with 21 prior arrests allegedly shot him in the stomach as Diller was trying to get the suspect, Guy Rivera, 34, to exit the vehicle. Rivera opened fire on Diller and his partner at about 5:45 p.m. Monday. The officers approached the vehicle because it was illegally parked at a bus stop. 

Diller was 31 years old and lived in Massapequa Park with his wife and nearly 1-year-old son, Fox News Digital previously reported. He had served three years with the NYPD before his death. 

JONATHAN DILLER SHOOTING: NYPD SERGEANTS’ UNION TELLS ANTI-POLICE DEMOCRATS TO STAY AWAY FROM FUNERAL

The Trump campaign first announced Wednesday that the 45th president would attend the wake. New York City Mayor Eric Adams was anticipated to also attend the wake following Trump. 

“President Trump is moved by the invitation to join NYPD Officer Jonathan Diller’s family and colleagues as they deal with his senseless and tragic death,” Karoline Leavitt, the campaign’s spokeswoman, said. 

Trump has railed against cities’ crime rates under the Biden administration, including last month in remarks at the Conservative Political Action Conference. 

SUSPECTS IN SHOOTING DEATH OF NYPD OFFICER JONATHAN DILLER IDENTIFIED, HAVE LENGTHY RECORDS

“Four years ago, I told you that if crooked Joe Biden got to the White House, our borders would be abolished, our middle class would be decimated and our communities would be plagued by bloodshed, chaos and violent crime,” Trump said last month. “We were right about everything.”

He told the New York Post in a recent interview that the “radical lunatic left” is ruining cities and preventing police officers from doing their jobs. 

Rivera, who was sitting in the passenger’s seat, was injured when the officers returned fire. He was charged with first degree murder of a police officer, attempted murder and criminal possession of a weapon in the case, police announced this week. 

Another man who was in the vehicle at the time of Diller’s death, Lindy Jones, was also charged following the death, including for criminal possession of a weapon and defacing a weapon.

“We just can’t 21 times arrested this thug. And the person in the car with him was arrested many times and they don’t learn because they don’t respect. … And this should never happen. I just visited with a very beautiful wife that now doesn’t have her husband. Stephanie was just incredible. Their child, brand new, beautiful, baby. Sitting there innocent,” Trump said Thursday. 

Leavitt, in a message posted to her X account on Thursday, highlighted that President Biden “will be at a fancy fundraiser with [former Presidents] Obama and Clinton” during the wake. 

NYPD OFFICER SHOT, KILLED DURING CAR STOP IN QUEENS BY SUSPECT WITH MULTIPLE PRIOR ARRESTS: POLICE

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Thursday that President Biden had spoken with Adams about the death, adding she did not have “private communications to share” regarding whether Biden had spoken to Diller’s family. 

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

Diller will be laid to rest Saturday in Massapequa.

President Biden appeared with his predecessors — former presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton — at a star-studded fundraiser in New York City on Thursday night expected to fetch more than $25 million toward his re-election campaign. 

The one-night event was held at Radio City Music Hall in Manhattan. More than 5,000 people were expected at the sold-out gala. The event isn’t cheap. 

Organizers charged a minimum of $250 to attend and up to $500,000 for a more intimate, exclusive reception. For $100,000, guests can get a photo with all three presidents taken by famed photographer Annie Leibovitz.

Stephen Colbert, host of “The Late Show,” moderated a discussion with Biden and two former commanders-in-chief in front of thousands of guests.

BIDEN MINGLES WITH OBAMA, CLINTON AT RITZY NYC FUNDRAISER ON SAME DAY FALLEN COP IS MOURNED JUST 40 MILES AWAY

Entry to a smaller, virtual event with Biden, Clinton and Obama costs $25. 

Musicians Queen Latifah, Lizzo, Ben Platt, Cynthia Erivo and Lea Michele are slated to perform, Reuters reported. 

Lots of cash

Biden, who has routinely raised more campaign cash than former President Trump, raised more than $53 million in February, and $10 million in the 24 hours following his March 7 State of the Union address. 

“This historic raise is a show of strong enthusiasm for President Biden and Vice-President [Kamala] Harris and a testament to the unprecedented fundraising machine we’ve built,” said Jeffrey Katzenberg, the Hollywood film mogul who serves as Biden campaign co-chair, said in a statement. 

BIDEN CHOOSING FUNDRAISER OVER NYPD WAKE ‘INSULTING,’ SAYS EX-FBI AGENT

“Unlike our opponent, every dollar we’re raising is going to reach the voters who will decide this election — communicating the president’s historic record, his vision for the future and laying plain the stakes of this election. The numbers don’t lie: today’s event is a massive show of force and a true reflection of the momentum to re-elect the Biden-Harris ticket.”

Obama is still very popular with young voters and progressives, who have voiced disdain over Biden’s support for Israel after its response to the Oct. 7 attacks by Hamas. Thursday’s fundraiser was met with pro-Palestinian protests outside Radio City Music Hall. 

Protesters interrupt Biden, others

Video footage taken from outside Radio City Music hall showed protesters clashing with police and accusing Biden of being complicit in the deaths of residents of the Gaza Strip at the hands of Israeli forces. 

During the event, several people interrupted the presidents’ during the question-and-answer portion of the night. 

“You can’t just talk and not listen,” Obama said before the audience gave him a standing ovation. 

Another shouted: “You’re out of your f—– minds,” while being escorted out of the building. 

As the event got underway, emcee Mindy Kaling joked that it was nice to be in a room with “so many rich people,” adding that she loved they were supporting a president who “openly” promised to “raise your taxes.”

“The reason we are here is to re-elect President Joe Biden,” she said. 

Trump attends police officer’s wake

As Biden was preparing for the event Thursday, Trump was some 40 miles away on Long Island to attend the wake for slain New York police officer Jason Diller, who was fatally shot this week during a traffic stop in Queens. 

After the service, Trump emphasized law and order. 

“Such a sad, sad event. Such a horrible thing. And it’s happening all too often and we’re just not going to let it happen,” Trump said. “We need law and order.”

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

The White House offered its condolences to Diller’s family and NYPD, saying Biden has stood law enforcement his entire career.

“The President has stood with law enforcement his entire career and continues to stand with them as they put their lives on the line for their communities,” she said. “Under his leadership, we will continue to support police officers and ensure that they have resources they need to continue — to continue to do the work — the all-important that — work that they have to do on behalf of the community.”

A U.S. judge ruled against the Biden administration in a decision about a highway climate rule on Wednesday.

The rule was issued by the Department of Transportation (DOT)’s Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) in December 2023. It requires states to measure and report the greenhouse gas emissions from any vehicles using the U.S. highway system.

The rule also asked states to establish declining carbon dioxide targets, and to report back about progress on those goals. Texas sued the DOT in response.

U.S. District Judge James Wesley Hendrix, a Trump appointee, ruled in favor of Texas and wrote on Wednesday that “the rule was unauthorized.”

TEXAS GOVT PUSHING ACTION THAT COULD ‘KNEECAP’ NEW FOSSIL FUEL GENERATION, DESTABILIZE GRID, EXPERTS WARN

While issuing the rule three months ago, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said that it “will provide states with a clear and consistent framework to track carbon pollution and the flexibility to set their own climate targets.”

In a December statement, the office of Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton argued that the DOT “does not have the statutory authority to institute such a rule, and the mandate violates the Administrative Procedure Act.”

“Further, the rule is arbitrary and capricious and violates the Spending Clause by impermissibly restricting the use of federal funds by requiring TxDOT to implement the greenhouse gas measure.”

CALIFORNIA’S GRID FACES COLLAPSE AS LEADERS PUSH RENEWABLES, ELECTRIC VEHICLES, EXPERTS SAY

Texas is also suing the Biden administration over a climate-related reason in a separate lawsuit. Last week, a group of 16 Republican states filed a lawsuit against the Department of Energy (DOE)’s pause of major liquefied natural gas (LNG) export terminal projects.

“Biden’s unilateral decree disregards statutory mandates, flouts the legal process, upends the oil and gas industry, disrupts the Texas economy, and subverts our constitutional structure,” Paxton said on Mar. 21.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

Fox News Digital reached out to the DOT for comment.

Reuters and Fox News Digital’s Thomas Catenacci contributed to this report.

Welcome to Fox News’ Politics newsletter with the latest political news from Washington D.C. and updates from the 2024 campaign trail. 

What’s happening? 

-Biden has stopped promoting ‘Bidenomics’ despite still insisting it works

-Speaker Johnson set dates for delivering Mayorkas impeachment date to Senate

-Chris Christie shuts down consideration for ‘No Labels’ candidacy

Trump in black

Former President Donald Trump attended the wake of slain NYPD officer Jonathan Diller Thursday afternoon at a Massapequa Park funeral home, while calling for law and order. 

“Such a sad, sad event. Such a horrible thing. And it’s happening all too often and we’re just not going to let it happen,” Trump said. 

“We need law and order,” Trump added. 

Diller was fatally shot on Monday during a traffic stop in Queens after a man with 21 prior arrests allegedly shot him in the stomach as Diller was trying to get the suspect, Guy Rivera, 34, to exit the vehicle. Rivera opened fire on Diller and his partner at about 5:45 p.m. Monday. The officers approached the vehicle because it was illegally parked at a bus stop. 

Diller was 31 years old and lived in Massapequa Park with his wife and nearly 1-year-old son, Fox News Digital previously reported. He had served three years with the NYPD before his death. 

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Thursday that Biden had spoken with Adams about the death, adding she did not have “private communications to share” regarding whether Biden had spoken to Diller’s family. 

White House

CALLING ON POTUS: House GOP invites Biden to testify in his own impeachment inquiry …Read more

DOESN’T WORK: Biden has all but stopped promoting ‘Bidenomics’ but still insists it’s effective …Read more

BOOK BUST: Books about Biden presidency go ‘bust’ as Trump ‘best-sellers’ prove more popular …Read more

‘ADVANCE EQUITY’: Biden admin unveils new AI regulations for federal agencies …Read more

‘100% BEHIND HIM’: Former ICE chief speaks out on Gov. Abbott’s border battle with Biden …Read more

Capitol Hill

WALLS ‘WORK’: Abbott gets backing from key GOP senator on Biden border battle …Read more

MARCHING AHEAD: Johnson sets date for delivering impeachment articles to Senate …Read more

NORTHERN EXPOSURE: House Republicans plead with Mayorkas to address ‘unprecedented surge’ across northern US-Canada border …Read more

ANTI-‘SOCIAL’: Most Americans support House plan to ban TikTok if it isn’t sold, poll finds …Read more

Tales from the Campaign Trail

MASSIVE HAUL: Bill Clinton, Barack Obama, light up fundraising jackpot for Biden in his rematch with Trump …Read more

‘NOT THE WAY FORWARD’: Chris Christie pulls out of consideration for ‘No Labels’ White House bid …Read more

Across America

PROTECTED SPEECH: Trump’s election interference case in Georgia should be tossed on First Amendment grounds, lawyer says …Read more

‘ULTRA-LEFT-WING BAN’: Trump vows to strike down California EV mandate on ‘day one’ …Read more

‘CANCEL THIS PROGRAM’: Dem Gov. blasted program giving cash to house ‘newcomer’ migrants after illegal immigrant murder …Read more

CURVEBALL: Opinion — The Supreme Court’s abortion pill curveball …Read more

‘STAY FOCUSED’: Fani Willis scolded by Democrat for making herself ‘a character’ in GA election case …Read more

CAMPUS ON FIRE: Stanford student calls for Biden to be killed for advancing ‘genocide’ of Palestinians …Read more

SEEING RED: Union sends wake-up call to woke Dems thinking of attending cop’s funeral …Read more

COP KILLING: Suspect in NYPD murder came close to gunning down his partner: docs …Read more

Subscribe now to get Fox News Politics newsletter in your inbox.

Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more on FoxNews.com.

BALTIMORE, MD – Former two-term Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan says he’s urging fellow Republicans on Capitol Hill to support federal funding to rebuild the collapsed Francis Scott Key Bridge.

“I’m going to push them as hard as I can. I’ve already called a couple of Republican Senate leaders and started working them,” Hogan, who’s running for a Democratic-controlled open Senate seat in his home state, emphasized in a Fox News Digital interview on Thursday.

Six construction workers were presumed killed when the bridge collapsed on Tuesday moments after a large container ship which lost power as it was leaving Baltimore harbor slammed into a pillar. 

President Biden quickly pledged that the federal government would pay the “entire cost” to rebuild the near half-century old structure. Much of the funding will come from the Federal Highway Administration’s emergency fund, which needs to be replenished on an annual basis.

POPULAR FORMER REPUBLICAN GOVERNOR LEADS DEMOCRATIC RIVALS IN BLUE STATE SENATE SHOWDOWN

But a battle appears to be brewing in Congress over the federal government’s role in rebuilding the bridge, as some conservative spending hawks already angry over the recent approval of a massive 2024 spending package are pushing back against Biden’s proposal.

Hogan, who served eight years as Maryland governor, has been out of office for 15 months.

“You go through dealing with crises and emergencies for eight years and there’s a reflex – I have to instantly take action,” Hogan said of his tenure as governor. He added that “it’s a little strange” not to be part of the crisis management team.

Hogan noted that “I did immediately reach out to Gov. Wes Moore [his Democratic successor] and let him know that when it comes to a crisis like this, we’re all one Team Maryland and anything that I could do to possibly help him.”

HEAD HERE FOR THE LATEST FOX NEWS UPDATES ON THE BALTIMORE BRIDGE COLLAPSE

Hogan also noted that during his term as chair of the National Governors Association, he made infrastructure his signature issue.

And he was a major supporter of President Biden’s $1.2 trillion infrastructure law, and helped shape the two-and-a-half old measure.

Hogan spotlighted that the infrastructure law “has a lot of funding for this work right now. We’ve already got some federal funding that will really come in handy.”

The former governor was interviewed moments after spending an hour greeting Baltimore Orioles fans, including a large contingent of first responders, at a former firehouse turned pub blocks from Camden Yards, just ahead of the major league baseball team’s home opener.

Hogan won election and re-election in 2014 and 2018 as governor in a state where Democrats outnumber Republicans by a roughly 2-to-1 margin.

A successful business leader before entering politics, he seriously mulled a run for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination and made numerous trips in 2022 to New Hampshire, the state that holds the first primary in the GOP nominating calendar.

But in March of last year, Hogan announced he wouldn’t seek his party’s presidential nomination.

MARYLAND SHOCKER: FORMER GOVERNOR MAKES SURPRISE CAMPAIGN ANNOUNCEMENT

During his last year as governor, Republican leaders in the nation’s capital and in Maryland heavily courted Hogan to run for the Senate in the 2022 midterm elections against Democratic Sen. Chris Van Hollen.

But Hogan declined, saying in a news conference in February of that year that “as I have repeatedly said, I don’t aspire to be a United States senator.”

Asked about his change of heart when it comes to running for the Senate, Hogan told Fox News “I was governor at the time and I loved being governor and I had a lot more work to still do.”

“I don’t need a title and I don’t need a job, but I’m more concerned than ever about the direction of the country and I just became more convinced that I could make a difference there,” he emphasized. “A lot of people are leaving the House and the Senate and I thought it was time for somebody to go in the other direction and maybe bring some sanity back to the divisiveness and dysfunction.” 

Hogan has long been a vocal GOP critic of former President Donald Trump, who is now the Republican Party’s 2024 presumptive presidential nominee.

That means as Hogan runs for the Senate, he’ll have Trump atop the ballot come November.

“It’s a tough hurdle to overcome because he lost my state by 33 points,” he emphasized. “It’s not going to be helpful to me, but I think we’re going to be able to overcome that challenge.”

SIX KEY SENATE SEATS REPUBLICANS AIM TO FLIP IN NOVEMBER 

A recent Washington Post/University of Maryland poll indicates Hogan remains very popular among voters in his home state, and holds double-digit leads over both of his potential Democratic rivals – Rep. David Trone and Prince George’s County Executive Angela Alsobrooks.

“I would not put a lot of stock in polls right now. We’ve got a lot to do. We have not elected a Republican senator from Maryland since 1980, when Ronald Reagan was elected president,” Hogan pointed out. “It’s a tough state – the bluest state in America. But I think if we work hard, we have the ability to get people to vote their hearts and vote for the person they think can do the job and not just vote straight party line.”

Democrats currently control the U.S. Senate with a 51-49 majority, but Republicans are looking at a favorable Senate map this year, with Democrats defending 23 of the 34 seats up for grabs. 

Three of those seats are in red states that Trump carried in 2020 — Ohio, Montana and West Virginia, where Democrat Sen. Joe Manchin is not running for re-election. And five more are in key general election battlegrounds. Now, Democrats also have to worry about holding the open Senate seat in blue Maryland.

Since he jumped into the race earlier this year, Democrats have attacked Hogan over the combustible issue of abortion, criticizing him for not supporting federal legislation to codify the now-overturned landmark Roe v. Wade ruling which legalized abortion.

“In November, Marylanders will reject Larry Hogan because they know that a vote for Larry Hogan is a vote for a Republican Senate majority to pass a national abortion ban,” the Maryland Democratic Party charged.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

But Hogan told Fox News that “I absolutely do not” support a federal abortion ban being pushed by some Republicans.

“All the Democrats started attacking me the first day just because I was Republican and saying I would,” Hogan charged.

Hogan has said he personally opposes abortion. And as governor, he vetoed legislation to end a restriction that only physicians provide abortions. His veto was overridden by the Democratic-controlled legislature.

But Hogan said that “when I ran for governor I made a promise that I was going to do nothing to take away the rights of women in our state and I kept that commitment for eight years.”

Abortion, which is protected in Maryland, will be on the ballot in the state in November. Democratic state lawmakers voted last year to put a state constitutional amendment before voters. 

“Certainly it’s going to be an issue in the campaign that we’ll be addressing. But I’m not one of the ones Democratic cookie-cutter talking points are going to be able to impact,” Hogan argued.

Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more at our Fox News Digital election hub.

President Biden and former President Trump were in the New York City area on Thursday, but they attended very different events. 

Biden was in town for a Democratic fundraising event, while Trump attended a wake for New York City Police Officer Jonathan Dille at a Massapequa Park, Long Island funeral home, some 40 miles from Manhattan. 

Biden was slated to be at a glitzy Democratic fundraising event at Radio Music Hall that will be attended by former presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton, as well as A-list celebrities.

SUSPECTS IN SHOOTING DEATH OF NYPD OFFICER JONATHAN DILLER IDENTIFIED, HAVE LENGTHY RECORDS

During a press gaggle on Air Force One en route to New York, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre didn’t address why Biden missed the wake, but said the president “grieves for them (the NYPD) and honors their sacrifice.”

“The President has stood with law enforcement his entire career and continues to stand with them as they put their lives on the line for their communities,” she said. “Under his leadership, we will continue to support police officers and ensure that they have resources they need to continue — to continue to do the work — the all-important that — work that they have to do on behalf of the community.”

Fox News Digital has reached out to the White House and police unions. 

Meanwhile, Trump attended Diller’s wake, which had a massive law enforcement presence to pay their respects. 

NEW YORKERS SHOUT AT SUSPECT IN FATAL SHOOTING OF NYPD OFFICER, WHO NOW FACES CHARGES

“Such a sad, sad event. Such a horrible thing. And it’s happening all too often and we’re just not going to let it happen,” Trump said. “We need law and order.”

Jean-Pierre said violent crime under Trump surged while the Biden administration took “decisive action from the very beginning to fund the police and achieving a historic reduction in crime under his leadership. And so, we’re going to continue to do that.”

Diller, 31, a father to a one-year-old boy, was killed Monday after Guy Rivera, 34, allegedly opened fire and killed him during a routine traffic stop in Far Rockaway, Queens. Both the driver of the vehicle and Rivera, who was in the passenger seat, had at least 20 prior arrests, according to New York City Mayor Eric Adams. 

Before his wake, the NYPD’s Sergeants Benevolent Association (SBA) sent a letter telling far-left Democratic leaders in New York City to stay away from the funeral because of their soft-on-crime policies.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

“I’m sure that many elected officials will attend PO Diller’s funeral, shed a few crocodile tears, and prominently seat themselves for a good photo opportunity,” SBA President Vincent Vallelong wrote in a letter to union members. “The sad reality is we don’t want them there.”

The White House on Thursday stressed that it is putting U.S. interests first when making policy decisions, emphasizing that it has a “constructive” relationship with Mexico after that country’s president made a number of demands related to migration policy.

Lifting sanctions on Cuba and Venezuela, sending Latin American and Caribbean countries $20 billion in aid a year and granting legal status to Mexican illegal immigrants in the U.S. were among President Andrés Manuel López Obrador’s demands of President Biden in exchange for the Mexican government doing more to halt the surge of migrants to the U.S. border.

López Obrador was asked about those demands by “60 Minutes” correspondent Sharyn Alfonsi this week.

MEXICAN PRESIDENT SAYS THE ‘FLOW OF MIGRANTS WILL CONTINUE’ UNLESS THE US MEETS HIS DEMANDS 

“If they don’t do the things that you’ve said need to be done, then what?” she asked. 

“The flow of migrants will continue,” Obrador responded.

Elsewhere in the interview, he emphasized the positive relationship between Mexico and the U.S., describing it as “very important” and “fundamental.” He also said Mexico does plan to slow down migration but wants the “root causes” of the crisis to be dealt with. He also said he would continue to try to secure his border even without those demands being met.

In response, a White House National Security Council spokesperson told Fox News Digital that Mexico is “an important partner on multiple areas” including dealing with migration, as well as drug traffickers and economic cooperation, while pointing toward the comments the Mexican leader made elsewhere in the interview.

“As President López Obrador noted in his interview with ’60 Minutes’ on Sunday, we mutually need each other. We are at a moment of incredible promise and consequence for the United States and Mexico with Mexico being our No. 1 trading partner. Last year, our bilateral trade hit a record $860 billion,” the spokesperson said.

The spokesperson noted the Biden administration’s strategy to address the migrant crisis, which has included tackling “root causes” of migration, while also developing lawful pathways to the U.S. for migrants and improving regional enforcement. The spokesperson also mentioned the Los Angeles Declaration for Migration and Protection, signed in 2022, in which countries committed to measures to reduce migration in the Western Hemisphere.

FORMER TOP ICE OFFICIAL SIDES WITH TEXAS GOV. ABBOTT OVER BIDEN IN ONGOING BORDER BATTLE 

The spokesperson also said López Obrador and President Biden “have a constructive relationship built on respect.”

“President López Obrador has been a critically important partner to President Biden in developing a constructive bilateral approach to addressing issues of mutual interest, including migration and counternarcotics cooperation,” the spokesperson said.

However, the White House also emphasized that national interest forms the basis of policy decisions.

“As President López Obrador said, both Mexico and the United States are sovereign countries. We can have frank, candid and respectful conversations, and, at the end of the day, our policy decisions are based on what is in the best interest of the United States,” the spokesperson said.

HOW EAGLE PASS BECAME THE CENTERPIECE OF ABBOTT’S EFFORTS TO SECURE THE BORDER 

The Mexican president’s comments came a day before the president of Guatemala met with Vice President Kamala Harris at the White House to discuss cooperation on migration.

Immigration is looking to be a top issue in the November election, with both President Biden and former President Trump having visited the southern border with Mexico last month. Meanwhile, the Biden administration has been locked in a legal battle with the state of Texas over its efforts to secure the border.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

Republicans have called on the administration to reinstate Trump-era policies, including the Remain in Mexico policy, which would keep migrants in Mexico until their asylum claims are completed. 

Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton described herself as a victim of election disinformation during a panel discussion on Thursday, and warned that the advancement of artificial intelligence (AI) will make her experience “look primitive.”

Clinton was taking part in a Columbia University event titled, “AI’s Impact on the 2024 Global Elections.” 

She discussed her own experience in 2016 when she lost to former President Donald Trump, pointing out that the internet was populated with memes, fake content and conspiracies about her in the lead up to Election Day.

“I don’t think any of us understood it. I did not understand it. I can tell you, my campaign did not understand it. Their, you know, the so-called ‘Dark Web’ was filled with these kinds of memes and stories and videos of all sorts…portraying me in all kinds of… less than flattering ways,” Clinton said. “And we knew something’s going on, but we didn’t understand the full extent of the very clever way in which it was insinuated into social media.”

AI WEAPON DETECTION COMPANY SEEKS TO PREVENT SCHOOL, OTHER SHOOTINGS: ‘A PROACTIVE MEASURE’

Clinton argued it was that leap to social media that accelerated the false content’s integration with everyday Americans.

“There are people today who think I’ve done all these terrible things because they saw it on the internet. And they saw it on the internet in their Facebook feed or some, you know, Twitter this or Snapchat that. They were, you know, following the breadcrumbs,” she said, warning of those efforts: “And what they did to me was primitive.”

The former Democratic presidential nominee claimed the online conspiracies about her are now being used to create more sophisticated false content with more advanced technology. 

WHAT IS ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI)?

“What we’re talking about now is the leap in technology that we’re dealing with. You know, they had all kinds of videos of people looking like me, but weren’t me, and they had to keep whoever that woman was with her back to the camera enough so that they couldn’t actually…be found out,” Clinton said. “Now they can just go ahead, they can take me.”

“I’ve had, you know, people who are students and experts in this tell me… because they’ve got such a library of stuff about me, they’re using it to practice on and see how more sophisticated they can get. So I am worried because, you know, having defamatory videos about you is no fun. I can tell you that. But having them in a way that you really can’t make the distinction…you have no idea whether it’s true or not, that is of a totally different level of threat.”

The potential prevalence of deepfakes – AI-generated videos, audio or images that show altered or completely fabricated scenarios – has already raised concern among U.S. officials ahead of November’s elections.

SPEAKER JOHNSON MEETS WITH OPENAI CEO, SAYS CONGRESS ‘NEEDS TO PLAY’ ROLE IN ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

Those same officials are also concerned about the threat of hostile foreign actors intervening in the 2024 cycle. 

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP 

FBI Director Christopher Wray warned in a speech last month that AI technology is lowering the barrier to entry for malign actors looking to meddle in U.S. elections.

“This election cycle, the U.S. will face more adversaries moving at a faster pace and enabled by new technology,” Wray said.

“Advances in generative AI, for instance, are lowering the barrier to entry, making it easier for both more and less sophisticated foreign adversaries to engage in malign influence while making foreign influence efforts by players both old and new, more realistic and more difficult to detect.”

House Democrats are pouring money and resources into four congressional seats in a bid to win back the majority as the 2024 election cycle heats up.

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC), the House Democrats’ campaign arm, announced a new slate of races for its “Red to Blue” program. They’re targeting vulnerable Republican lawmakers in California, New York and New Jersey, as well as an open California seat being vacated by Rep. Katie Porter, D-Calif.

“I am excited to work with this diverse group of public servants, veterans, and leaders to take the House back in November,” DCCC Chair Rep. Suzan DelBene, D-Wash., said in a Thursday statement. “Their records of service stand in stark contrast to their extreme and dangerous far-right opponents.”

KEY BATTLEGROUND STATE DEM ANNOUNCEMENT STUNS POLITICAL WORLD: ‘BIG SURPRISE’

The “Red To Blue” program is dedicated to ensuring its selected candidates “receive strategic guidance, staff resources, training, and fundraising support to ensure they are in the best possible position to win in November.”

Democrats’ laser focus on vulnerable GOP seats, including lawmakers who represent districts won by President Biden in 2020, comes as the House Republican majority prepares to grapple with just a one-seat margin of power after multiple early departures. 

In California’s 45th Congressional District, Democrats are targeting Rep. Michelle Steel, R-Calif., by bolstering Army veteran and business owner Derek Tran. 

“Tran is equipped to deliver that message to the voters in this diverse Biden +6.8 district with a broad coalition of support, impressive fundraising apparatus, and compelling contrast with the far-right incumbent,” the DCCC said.

FETTERMAN CHARTS A DIFFERENT PATH, BREAKS WITH FELLOW DEMOCRATS IN THE SENATE

Democrats are also hoping to keep control of Porter’s seat after she announced her departure from the House for an ill-fated Senate bid. 

The DCCC is eyeing California state Sen. Dave Min as her replacement, calling him a “proven vote-getter and common-sense champion for the middle class.” He’s running against former California state Assemblyman Scott Baugh, who has been endorsed by GOP leaders.

“It seems that House Democrats are admitting what we already know,” Baugh told Fox News Digital. “That CA-47 is no longer a blue seat. We will win this seat in November because Dave Min is a radical left-wing legislator who is very out of touch with this district.”

On the East Coast, the DCCC is hoping to flip New Jersey’s 7th Congressional District back to blue after it was won by first-term Republican Rep. Tom Kean Jr. in November 2022, who unseated a Democratic incumbent. To do so, it’s bolstering Sue Altman, a former teacher and former state director of the leftist Working Families Party.

Kean’s campaign told Fox News Digital that Altman “is going to cost Democrat stakeholders like the DCCC a lot of campaign dollars trying to run away from her record as head of the Working Families Party in New Jersey where she advocated for insane policies like defunding the police.”

DEMOCRATS REPORTEDLY ‘SCRAMBLING’ OVER THREAT OF RFK JR. IN 2024 RACE

And the Long Island, New York, seat in the 4th Congressional District currently held by first-term Republican Rep. Anthony D’Esposito is also on the DCCC’s list, with Democrats promoting former local official Laura Gillen to flip the district blue.

D’Esposito’s campaign told Fox News Digital, “While Congressman D’Esposito continues to put the interests of Nassau County neighbors ahead of partisan politics, perennial candidate Laura Gillen wants to be a rubber stamp vote in favor of Joe Biden’s reckless spending and pro-criminal open borders agenda.”

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

The National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) said the Democrat candidates “would make for a great cast on a Bravo reality show.”

“However, watching them on CSPAN greenlight every liberal pipedream from defunding the police to even more open-border policies would be a nightmare for American families,” the NRCC said.

Fox News Digital also reached out to Min and Steel’s campaigns for comment.

In a hearing Thursday in Fulton County Superior Court, lawyers for former President Trump and co-defendants argued that the sweeping election interference case against him should be tossed, citing First Amendment protections for political speech. 

Judge Scott McAfee presided over the hearing Thursday morning in the first court appearance in the Trump case since ordering District Attorney Fani Willis to remove special counsel Nathan Wade from the case over their romantic affair. 

McAfee heard arguments related to motions from Trump and co-defendant David Shafer, the former chairman of the Georgia Republican Party, who his lawyer says acted legally when he and other state Republicans signed a certificate asserting that Trump won the 2020 presidential election in Georgia.

Steve Sadow, counsel for the former president and presumptive GOP nominee in the 2024 election, argued Thursday, “There is nothing alleged against President Trump that is not political speech.”

GEORGIA JUDGE ALLOWS TRUMP, CO-DEFENDANTS TO APPEAL FANI WILLIS DISQUALIFICATION DECISION

Sadow quoted from a dissent in a key Supreme Court case, United States v. Alvarez, written by Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito, which says “even where there is a wide scholarly consensus concerning a particular matter, the truth is served by allowing that consensus to be challenged without fear of reprisal.” 

“Today’s accepted wisdom sometimes turns out to be mistaken. And in these contexts, even a false statement may be deemed to make a valuable contribution to public debate, since it brings about the clear perception and livelier impression of truth produced by its collusion with error,” Sadow read from the dissent.

“That’s the essence of what we have right here. That’s the facts that have been alleged,” Sadow said. 

TRUMP GEORGIA CASE: FIVE KEY TAKEAWAYS FROM JUDGE’S ORDER GIVING DA FANI WILLIS AN ULTIMATUM

“Essentially, the state’s position is, because – as alleged – what President Trump said speech-wise or expressed either through his speech or conduct, which is still freedom of expression, because that’s false in the eyes of the state, it’s lost all protection to the First Amendment.” Sadow argued, adding that Supreme Court justices concluded “just the opposite” in their dissent. 

A lawyer for the state pushed back, saying “what we have heard here today is an attempt to rewrite the indictment, to take out the parts that are inconvenient and only say, ‘Well, it’s all speech, it’s all talking.’”

“He was just the guy asking questions and not someone who was part of an overarching criminal conspiracy, trying to overturn election results for an election he did not win by violating the RICO statute, by making false statements to the government, by filing false documents, by impersonating officers, and doing a whole host of other activity which is harmful in addition to the falsity of the statements employed to make them happen,” the state’s lawyer added. 

FANI WILLIS SAYS SHE’S THE ONLY DA IN US WITH ENOUGH ‘COURAGE’ TO PROSECUTE TRUMP

Trump was indicted in August on charges that include the Georgia RICO Act – the Racketeer Influenced And Corrupt Organizations Act; solicitation of violation of oath by a public officer; conspiracy to commit impersonating a public officer; conspiracy to commit forgery in the first degree; conspiracy to commit false statements and writings; conspiracy to commit filing false documents; conspiracy to commit forgery in the first degree; and filing false documents. 

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

In March, Judge McAfee tossed six of the charges against Trump and his co-defendants, saying the state failed to allege sufficient detail for six counts of “solicitation of violation of oath by public officer.” 

A former acting Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) chief who served in federal law enforcement under presidents of both parties is backing Gov. Greg Abbott, R-Texas, in his fight with the Biden administration over efforts to secure the border.

Thomas Homan, whose service includes being head of ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) under President Obama and acting ICE director under President Trump, spoke to Fox News Digital about the ongoing feud between Abbott and the administration over border security.

“I’ve seen six different administrations, I’ve seen policies come and go. I see policies that failed and policies work, but as far as what Gov. Abbott is doing I’m 100% behind him,” he said.

HOW EAGLE PASS BECAME THE CENTERPIECE OF ABBOTT’S EFFORTS TO SECURE THE BORDER 

Abbott launched Operation Lone Star in 2021, surging resources and personnel to the border in response to what he believes is a lack of leadership on the matter by the Biden administration.

Its efforts to secure the border, including setting up razor wire, deploying buoys and a new anti-illegal immigration law allowing police to arrest illegal immigrants, have seen pushback from the Biden administration and immigration activists. In January, Texas officials also seized Shelby Park, part of Eagle Pass.

The White House has accused Abbott of trying to politicize the border crisis, and the administration has argued in court that its border security measures – including the anti-illegal immigration law – interfere with federal immigration enforcement.

“[Texas’] efforts, through SB 4, intrude on the federal government’s exclusive authority to regulate the entry and removal of noncitizens, frustrate the United States’ immigration operations and proceedings, and interfere with U.S. foreign relations,” the Department of Justice said in its January lawsuit against the law.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE IMMIGRATION COVERAGE

Homan pointed to things Abbott had done, including putting up barriers and imposing punishments for illegal entry, moves that are similar to what the Trump administration did.

“He has proven what the Trump administration did, that border barriers work and consequences work, ending catch release,” he said.

Homan said that if the Biden administration worked with Texas on the matter, it would benefit both sides. He said Texas taking Shelby Park allowed Border Patrol to go to areas where gotaways are getting through.

“So why would they push back on the governor, who has proven success in Eagle Pass? Why not use the state of Texas as a force multiplier? The men and women of the Border Patrol love what the state of Texas is doing because they act as a force multiplier for them.”

He dismissed the claim that Texas is interfering with federal enforcement.

“I would say, ‘Interfering with what enforcement? What are they interfering with?’” he said.

BIDEN, TEXAS FEUD OVER ANTI-ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION LAW AS MIGRANTS RUSH BORDER: WHAT TO KNOW 

The Biden administration has said it is imposing “consequences” for illegal entry while expanding “lawful” migration pathways, but says it is dealing with a hemisphere-wide crisis that needs funding and immigration reform from Congress. 

Biden has accused Republicans of making the crisis worse by refusing to pass a bipartisan Senate border package. Conservatives have said that package would not fix the crisis, and have urged instead the passage of a House GOP bill that passed the chamber last year.

As that feud goes on, the border crisis is still hitting records. And while places like Eagle Pass have seen a reduction in migration encounters, the crisis has had flashpoints elsewhere in places like El Paso – where migrants burst through barriers last week and have also been spotted trying to cut through fences with boltcutters.

Homan argues that Texas was right to take action as he believes the federal government is not stepping up.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE IMMIGRATION COVERAGE

“I truly believe if the federal government’s going to abdicate their responsibility to secure the border and protect Texas, then Texas has to do it,” he said. “And what we’ve got to remember is Texas isn’t only protecting the citizens of Texas; 98% of the people aren’t staying in Texas, they’re going all over the country, so Gov. Abbott is actually protecting the entire country.”

Asked whether states or the federal government are better at enforcing immigration law, Homan stressed that it isn’t an either/or situation.

“I think it’s a combination of the two. Border Patrol is good at what they do if they’re allowed to do it. We proved that under the Trump administration. But again, we had high numbers in the first two years of the Trump administration and the partnership of Texas was invaluable. So it’s best if everybody works together to secure the border.”

He also accused the administration of running an anti-Trump agenda, arguing that they focused on ending anything that was a Trump-era policy, including wall construction and safe third country agreements.

“From day one it’s been political… they tried to tear down anything associated with Trump,” he said.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

Homan is supportive of a second Trump term, and asked whether a Trump administration would restore that cooperation, Homan said “100%.”

“Because, again, they’re a force multiplier, we have the same goal. Additional resources are always good on the border. So, of course, we’d have a partnership. Why would you not have a partnership with a force that has the same goals as you?”

Fox News Digital’s Aubrie Spady contributed to this report. 

EXCLUSIVE: Former President Trump’s campaign is again criticizing President Biden’s climate agenda, taking aim at his administration’s electric vehicle (EV) policies.

In a fiery statement to Fox News Digital on Thursday, the Trump campaign blasted Biden’s actions related to California’s proposed EV mandate regulations, which would phase out all gas-powered car sales in the coming years. The statement comes amid a war of words on EV policy between Trump and both the Biden administration and California Gov. Gavin Newsom.

“Fresh off imposing his insane, job-killing electric vehicle mandate at the federal level, Crooked Joe Biden is preparing to slaughter the remnants of the U.S. auto-industry by approving California’s waiver request outlawing the sale of all gasoline-powered automobiles,” Trump campaign national press secretary Karoline Leavitt told Fox News Digital in a statement. 

VULNERABLE HOUSE DEM BUCKS PARTY ORTHODOXY, BLASTING HIS STATE’S PROPOSED EV MANDATE

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is expected to soon finalize a waiver requested by the California Air Resources Board (CARB) to green-light a plan which would begin setting statewide EV sales requirements in 2026 and culminate in a complete ban on gas cars in 2035. The federal waiver has received opposition from automakers, car dealers, Republican and Democratic lawmakers, and the energy industry.

Leavitt said Thursday that, if elected, on his first day in office, Trump would revoke both federal EV requirements and any waiver issued for California by the Biden administration.

MAINE REJECTS SWEEPING ELECTRIC VEHICLE MANDATE IN BLOW TO GOVERNOR’S CLIMATE AGENDA

“Despite these cataclysmic consequences, Crooked Joe is preparing to formally approve this extremist, ultra-left-wing ban on gasoline cars in much of the United States,” Leavitt said. “The Trump administration will stand for car affordability and maximum choice for American consumers.”

In March 2022, the EPA reinstated California’s authority under the Clean Air Act to broadly implement its own emission standards and EV sales mandates, and allowed other states to adopt California’s rules. That action came after the Trump administration revoked the state’s authority to pursue standards that run counter to federal rules.

130+ HOUSE, SENATE REPUBLICANS JOIN FORCES IN OPPOSITION OF BIDEN’S UPCOMING EV MANDATE

Months later, on Aug. 25, 2022, CARB announced its Advanced Clean Cars II plan and, shortly thereafter, Newsom said California would continue to “lead the revolution towards our zero-emission transportation future.” Then, in May 2023, the state submitted a waiver request with EPA, asking it to approve the plan, which more than a dozen other states have pledged to adopt.

The Advanced Clean Cars II plan would require that 35% of new car sales are zero-emission in 2026 and rapidly increase that requirement until 2035, when 100% of sales would be required to be zero-emissions. 

“The U.S. auto industry is undoubtedly transitioning to electric vehicles as evidenced by the massive investments automakers have committed to technology and their ongoing product announcements,” the Alliance for Automotive Innovation, an industry group that represents major automakers, wrote to the EPA last month. 

“And while California has long led the way in developing the EV market in that state, other states have not yet caught up. It is therefore important for policymakers to assess whether a ZEV regulation that is right for California is also right for other states.”

VIRGINIA DEMOCRATS UPHOLD STATE’S EV MANDATE DESPITE GROWING OPPOSITION: ‘DEFY COMMON SENSE’

According to data compiled by the group, 24% of car sales last year were battery electric while another 4% were hybrid. However, in the last half of 2023, state EV sales saw a precipitous decline for the first time in more than a decade, the Los Angeles Times reported.

Meanwhile, Newsom recently blasted Trump for his comments on EVs, saying California was prepared to defend its climate agenda.

“Do I worry about the politicization of this? Of course, I do. I’m not naive about that. And there’s a deep naivete, particularly coming from Trump’s rhetoric around this,” Newsom said after signing a climate agreement with Sweden in February. 

“You see the market changing all across the globe. I’m not going to cede that future and I don’t want to recreate the 19th century,” he continued. “The Trump administration promoted policies to roll back progress over the last half century as it relates to environmental standards. Their number one target – this was not just recent rhetoric – was our efforts as it relates to regulating tailpipe emissions.”

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

The governor added that his administration was looking to “future-proof” its climate policies ahead of the November presidential election.

Newsom’s office and the White House didn’t respond to requests for comment for purposes of this story. 

Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie turned down an offer to run for president  on a “No Labels” ticket on Wednesday.

The No Labels group has struggled to put forward a ticket challenging both former President Trump and President Biden in the 2024 election. The group contacted Christie about a potential run last week after he appeared to leave the door open to a third party run in a public interview.

“I appreciate the encouragement I’ve gotten to pursue a third party candidacy. I believe we need a country that once again feels like everyone has a stake in what we’re doing and leadership that strives to bring people together, instead of using anger to divide us,” Christie said in a statement. 

“While I believe this is a conversation that needs to be had with the American people, I also believe that if there is not a pathway to win and if my candidacy in any way, shape or form would help Donald Trump become president again, then it is not the way forward,” he added.

NO LABELS TAKES ANOTHER STEP TOWARDS LAUNCHING A THIRD-PARTY PRESIDENTIAL TICKET

Christie ended his 2024 GOP nomination campaign in mid-January. The one-time Trump supporter, ally, and adviser broke with him over the then-president’s attempts to overturn his 2020 election loss to President Biden. Christie became an extremely vocal GOP critic of the former president and made his opposition to Trump a centerpiece of his 2024 White House run.

TRAILING BIDEN IN FUNDRAISING FIGHT, TRUMP AIMS TO LEVEL THE PLAYING FIELD

Christie had previously shut down the idea of a No Labels run as a “fool’s errand” in an interview last year.

Earlier this month, No Labels took further steps toward forming a bipartisan presidential ticket in November’s general election, as it announced the formation of a committee to vet candidates for a potential ticket. 

The announcement of the committee came a week after roughly 800 No Labels delegates who took part in a virtual meeting voted to give a thumbs up to fielding a presidential ticket.

REMATCH: TRUMP, BIDEN, CLINCH GOP AND DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENTIAL NOMINATIONS

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

No Labels has nevertheless approached several potential candidates in recent months, none of whom have moved forward with a campaign.

Fox News’ Paul Steinhauser contributed to this report

FIRST ON FOX: Over the next month and a half, former President Trump’s campaign will be opening dozens of new offices in seven pivotal swing states, complete with hundreds of newly hired staffers, Fox News has learned. 

As President Biden and Trump appear headed for a rematch in November, the two will likely put a lot of energy into the seven swing states — Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin, Arizona, Georgia, Nevada and North Carolina — that could decide the election. 

In the latest Fox News Poll, the two were in a virtual dead heat in Pennsylvania, with Trump leading Biden 49% to 47%. The difference is within the margin of error. 

In Arizona, Trump won in a five-way matchup with Biden, Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., Jill Stein and Cornel West, posting 43% to Biden’s 39%.

BILL MAHER VOWS TO DO ‘EVERYTHING HE CAN’ TO MAKE SURE TRUMP LOSES ELECTION 

Trump’s forthcoming changes to swing state campaign infrastructure comes as Biden criticizes Trump over his infrequent presence in key locations. Trump spent time in Iowa, South Carolina and New Hampshire during the Republican primaries as Biden began ramping up his campaign for the general election. 

With several criminal cases pending against Trump, time spent on the road campaigning could be limited, and critics have said Trump is slow to ramp up his ground game.

BIDEN TEAM SEEKS TO PIN ‘BASEMENT’ CAMPAIGN REPUTATION ON TRUMP

Michigan Republican Party Chairman Pete Hoekstra told The Associated Press this week the RNC and Trump campaign had yet to invest in building up the election effort in what promises to be a critical state come November. 

“We’ve got the skeleton right now,” Hoekstra told The Associated Press. “We’re going to have to put more meat on it.”

His observation coincided with news President Biden’s re-election effort had opened 100 new offices and enlisted over 350 new staff members in Arizona, Georgia and Pennsylvania, adding to the already established swing state staffers working on the ground. 

“Donald Trump claiming he has a plan to build a battleground state operation while they don’t have money, lay off state staff and close community centers feels eerily similar to some other imminent Trump plans that never came to fruition, like the long promised infrastructure week or his Obamacare replacement. We’ll believe it when we see it,” Biden campaign spokesperson Seth Schuster said in a statement to Fox News Digital. 

But the RNC and Trump’s campaign pushed back on the idea that they’re behind schedule.

“We don’t feel the need to talk about the tactics because we lead with our candidate — he’s a winning candidate,” Republican National Committee spokeswoman Danielle Alvarez said in an interview with Fox News Digital. 

“We are doing all the tactics,” Alvarez emphasized. “We are raising the money. We are deploying the assets. It all is happening.”

She explained that Trump and the RNC aren’t always going to publicize the steps being taken to ensure victory. 

RFK JR IS THE MOST POPULAR INDEPENDENT CANDIDATE IN THE LAST 30 YEARS: KATIE PAVLICH

“We win when we lead with our candidate. They lose when they lead with their candidate,” she added. 

Alvarez claimed the Democratic Party “cannot put their guy out there” and is forced to lead “with their tactics.”

Trump’s campaign noted that the infrastructure it expects to roll out in critical states over the next 30 to 45 days is early compared to past cycles. Usually, a non-incumbent presidential nominee is not definite until the RNC convention in the summer, and the committee and campaign do not merge until then. 

WHAT NBC’S RONNA MCDANIEL DEBACLE REVEALS ABOUT THE STATE OF JOURNALISM TODAY

Earlier this year, it was revealed that, in 2023, the RNC posted its worst fundraising since 2013, only pulling $87.2 million and reporting roughly $8 million in available cash on hand.

In the month of January, Trump saw his cash on hand dwindle to $30 million, while his spending outpaced his fundraising. Biden’s campaign brought in $42 million in the same period and boasted a $130 million war chest for the general election. 

However, last month, both the committee and Trump’s campaign saw improvement. The RNC pulled in $10.6 million, while making gains in cash on hand in February. Trump’s campaign managed to rake in over $20 million last month, boosted by primary victories, while also upping his cash on hand to $42 million.

While fundraising appeared to bounce back as Trump’s campaign merges with the committee, concerns over Trump’s financial situation still remain. The former president has been ordered to make various payments in his criminal cases. 

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

The RNC and campaign further pushed back at suggestions action hasn’t taken place sooner in the key states due to legal fees for the former president and poor fundraising hauls. Both the committee and campaign expressed confidence, noting that all assets are in line to cover all costs. 

They conceded that the Democrats are expected to enjoy a monetary advantage but claimed Trump doesn’t need as much money to win. 

Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more at our Fox News Digital election hub.

Facing a polling deficit with seven months to go until the November election, President Biden on Thursday will receive some help from his two most recent Democratic predecessors in the White House.

Biden will team up with former Presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton at a fundraising extravaganza in New York City that the president’s campaign says will bring in over $25 million for his re-election bid.

The star-studded event will include what’s being billed as an “armchair conversation” with the three presidents moderated by late night TV talk show host Stephen Colbert and musical performances from Lizzo, Queen Latifah, Ben Platt, Cynthia Erivo, and Lea Michele.

The campaign says over 5,000 people will attend the gathering, which is being held at the storied Radio City Music Hall in midtown Manhattan.

CAN TRUMP LEVEL THE PLAYING FIELD WITH BIDEN IN 2024 FUNDRAISING FIGHT?

Tickets range from $225 – to get in the door – to $100,000 for a photo with all three presidents – and up to $250,000-$500,000 to attend an intimate reception with Biden, Obama, and Clinton. The fundraising haul will help Biden boost his already formidable cash advantage over his Republican challenger, former President Donald Trump.

“The numbers don’t lie: today’s event is a massive show of force and a true reflection of the momentum to reelect the Biden-Harris ticket,” campaign co-chair Jeffrey Katzenberg touted in a statement.

And Katzenberg argued that “this historic raise is a show of strong enthusiasm for President Biden and Vice President Harris and a testament to the unprecedented fundraising machine we’ve built.”

WHAT THE LATEST FOX NEWS NATIONAL POLL SHOWS IN THE BIDEN-TRUMP REMATCH

Just as important, the teaming up of the three presidents is intended as a show of force to rally the Democratic base behind Biden.

“This is a great event that showcases the Mount Rushmore of modern Democratic presidents,” longtime Democratic strategist Maria Cardona told Fox News.

Cardona, a veteran of the Clinton White House who later served as a surrogate for Obama’s two presidential campaigns and Biden’s 2020 election and reprising that role this year, said the three presidents “will make an unequivocal statement of how meaningful the Democratic agenda has been to this country and to American families.”

While the president holds the upper hand over his predecessor in the fundraising battle in their election rematch, Trump currently enjoys the early edge over Biden in public opinion polling – both in most national surveys and in many of the surveys in the six key battleground states the incumbent narrowly carried to win the White House in 2020.

REPUBLICANS TOP DEMOCRATS IN THIS KEY MOTIVATING FACTOR IN THE BIDEN-TRUMP REMATCH

That includes a five-point advantage for Trump over Biden in both a head-to-head and a five-way ballot match up in a Fox News national poll conducted March 22-25 and released on Wednesday. 

The fundraiser comes less than a week after Obama spent a couple of hours at the White House, meeting with his former vice president. But it was far from a social gathering.

The two presidents, joined by former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, headlined an organizing call highlighting the 14th anniversary of the landmark healthcare law known as the Affordable Care Act.

Obama’s stop at the White House comes as he reportedly has warned Biden that the 2024 rematch with Trump will be extremely close.

Senior Obama adviser Eric Schultz emphasized that the former president “will do all he can” to support Biden and “he looks forward to helping Democrats up and down the ballot make the case to voters this fall.”

“Our strategy will be based on driving impact, especially where and when his voice can help move the needle,” Schultz added in a statement.

The Trump campaign pilloried the fundraiser, with spokesman Steven Cheung arguing that the event is a sign the president needs to “trot out some retreads like Clinton and Obama.”

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

The 81-year-old Biden, who four years ago made history as the oldest American ever elected president, will continue to face questions about his mental and physical durability, even his recent vigorous State of the Union address.

The president also needs to show that he can energize younger voters, progressives, and Black and Latino Americans, who are all key parts of the Democratic base. Biden is also facing primary ballot box protests – materializing in “uncommitted” votes – over his support for Israel in its war in Gaza against Hamas.

But the former president is also dealing with plenty of problems. 

Trump, who last year made history as the first president or former president to face criminal charges, now faces four major trials and a total of 91 indictments – including federal cases on his efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election and on handling classified documents. There’s also a massive civil fraud judgment that Trump is appealing. He will have to juggle his appearances in court with his time on the campaign trail.

The 77-year-old Trump will also need to court the sizable block of Republican voters who backed Nikki Haley in the GOP nomination race. The former U.N. ambassador and South Carolina governor was Trump’s last remaining rival before she ended her White House campaign earlier this month. Haley’s support is shining a spotlight on Trump’s weakness with suburban and highly educated voters.

Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more at our Fox News Digital election hub

The White House is escalating a labor dispute at a major mine in central Mexico, an action backed by powerful labor unions, but it could have a devastating effect on workers and the economy.

The United States Trade Representative (USTR), which is housed in the White House, is pursuing the case by leveraging a little-used tool in the 2020 United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA).

The Rapid Response Labor Mechanism (RRM), is a provision that allows the government to take enforcement action against factories if they fail to comply with domestic freedom of association and collective bargaining laws. As part of its effort, the USTR successfully convened the first-ever RRM tribunal to review concerns brought by labor officials in the U.S. and Mexico.

“This announcement upholds the Biden-Harris administration’s commitment to creating a more level playing field for workers to feel empowered and using every enforcement tool at our disposal to safeguard workers’ rights,” U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai said after her office filed its initial motion to convene the RRM tribunal.

BIDEN ADMIN SCRUBS WEBPAGE SHOWING HOW TAXPAYERS FUND UNION ACTIVITIES

However, the process has faced considerable pushback from the Mexican government, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the owner of the mine, Grupo Mexico, which has argued the U.S. government doesn’t have jurisdiction in the dispute. Critics have also warned the process, which is expected to conclude with a ruling as early as Friday, has lacked transparency.

The case dates back more than a decade and a half when, in 2007, the powerful Mexican miners’ union Los Mineros went on strike at Grupo Mexico’s San Martin mine in Sombrerete, Zacatecas, which produces a high quantity of Mexico’s lead, zinc and copper supplies. The strike was related, in part, to safety conditions at the site.

According to legal filings reviewed by Fox News Digital, the San Martin mine reopened 11 years later, in 2018, when the mine’s operator struck a deal with Los Trabajadores Coaligados, a coalition of workers that voted to return to work and end the strike. In June 2023, the Mexican Conciliation and Arbitration Board, a government panel, confirmed in a ruling that the strike was over and San Martin could operate as normal.

REPUBLICANS WARN BIDEN ADMIN’S FOREIGN FARM WORKER RULE IS ‘GIVEAWAY TO BIG LABOR’

Still, that same month, USTR invoked the USMCA’s RRM and requested the Mexican government review whether workers at the mine were being denied their rights to freedom of association and collective bargaining. The request was in response to a petition filed by Los Mineros alongside the AFL-CIO and the United Steel Workers (USW).

On Aug. 22, 2023, despite Mexico’s assertion that the case was outside the scope of the USMCA, USTR formally requested the first-ever RRM tribunal.

“USTR should have never brought this RRLM case because it is jurisdictionally defective, and there has been no denial of rights at the mine,” said Jonathan Stoel, a partner at the law firm Hogan Lovells, which represents the San Martin mine. “The RRLM process since the June 2023 petition has been conducted unfairly by the U.S. government and has been rife with procedural violations.

“The U.S. government’s own documents that were made public as a result of our FOIA request revealed that USTR rejected a similar petition containing the same facts in 2020 and confirmed that this petition is more about politics than alleged labor violations.” 

BIDEN ADMIN SLOW-WALKING GAS PIPELINE SUPPORTED BY LABOR UNIONS THAT WOULD EXPAND ENERGY ACCESS

Those documents, reviewed by Fox News Digital, show USTR officials in the Trump administration expressed skepticism about invoking the RRM in the case. The revelation came in an October 2020 memo sent to then-U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer.

In filings submitted to the RRM tribunal convened by the U.S. last year, the San Martin mine has echoed some of those same concerns, arguing its facility falls outside the USMCA’s jurisdiction since its products are not exported to the U.S. and that the labor dispute predates the signing of the trade agreement.

Rep. Carol Miller, R-W. Va., a member of the House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Trade, penned a letter to Tai in late January, saying the RRM process has a limited scope and warning against abusing the provision.

“Once again, Joe Biden is failing to promote fair trade or prioritize U.S. trade interests,” Miller told Fox News Digital in a written statement. “The Biden administration’s choice to use RRM to reopen already settled labor disputes that have no impact on American industry demonstrates a lack of seriousness in their trade agenda.”

SOME GEORGIA WORKERS WOULD FIND IT HARDER TO BECOME UNION MEMBERS UNDER A NEW BILL

And the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the world’s largest business federation, filed a brief in the case, saying it was concerned about the broader implications of a North American nation invoking the RRM in the future. 

“The U.S. government’s pursuit of this case violates a central principal upon which the U.S. legal system was built. The principle is that laws do not have retroactive effect unless the lawmakers expressly specify otherwise,” the chamber’s November brief stated. 

“The facts upon which the U.S. government relies to support its case involving the San Martín mine occurred before the USMCA was negotiated, prior to the USMCA’s passage by the U.S. Congress, and prior to its entry into force.”

Overall, the case, which may ultimately lead to the forcible closure of the San Martin mine, could have a major impact on the local economy in Sombrerete and Mexico’s economy at large. The mine employs about 1,000 workers and, last year, the mine produced more than 1.4 million tons of lead, zinc, copper and silver, key minerals for a wide variety of technologies and products, according to financial filings.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

And it could further benefit Los Mineros General-Secretary Napoleon Gomez Urrutia, who is facing criminal charges and was ordered by a Mexican court to pay $54 million in an alleged embezzlement scheme, Mexico Business News previously reported. One of Los Mineros’ demands to end the San Martin strike was for the Mexican federal government to drop its charges against Urrutia.

The USTR, AFL-CIO, USW and Los Mineros didn’t respond to requests for comment for this story. 

The pro-choice movement had every reason to be nervous about the Supreme Court hearing.

After all, this was the same high court that overturned 50 years of precedent by overturning Roe, and by a 6-3 conservative majority.

Now, two years later, the same court was getting a crack at an increasingly popular form of medical abortions with the pill called mifepristone.

HOW THE MEDIA DOWNPLAYED TRUMP’S MAJOR VICTORY ON THE MASSIVE BOND BUT PLAYED UP HIS NEW YORK TRIAL DATE

Who could stop the justices if they decided to ban these pills, which are especially important in states where abortion has been banned or severely restricted?

With a single ruling, the court could tip the scales in favor of the pro-life movement by cutting off this lifeline for millions of women.

But it didn’t turn out that way.

Based on the audio of Tuesday’s oral arguments, most justices across the ideological spectrum are opposed to outlawing these pills.

With the exception of Sam Alito and Clarence Thomas, leaders of the anti-Roe wing, the justices made clear that they don’t want to get into this fight.

More than two decades after the FDA approved the use of mifepristone as safe and effective, it looks like the drug will remain widely available.

WHY THE TRUMP BOND CRISIS LOOKS LIKE A CONCERTED EFFORT TO RUIN HIM

When you have Ketanji Brown Jackson and Neil Gorsuch embracing the same point, that is the judicial equivalent of a flashing green light.

Abortion has been a difficult subject for Republicans in the post-Roe era. Democrats have won numerous special elections with candidates who ran heavily on the issue. On Tuesday, one such Democrat flipped a Republican seat in the Alabama House.

In my Mar-a-Lago interview with Donald Trump, he said Republicans who take too hard a line on abortion, such as opposing exceptions for rape, incest and the life of the mother, are destined to lose. In embracing a ban on abortions after 16 weeks of pregnancy, later modified to 15 weeks, he said something that stuck with me: “You have to follow your heart. But you also have to get elected.”

The stakes are high in the Supreme Court case because mifepristone is now used in 60 percent of all abortions in America. 

The skeptical justices expressed concern about the impact on federal regulation if they substituted their views on complicated subjects overseen by the likes of the Food and Drug Administration.

Jackson said there is a “significant mismatch” between the claims made by the anti-abortion doctors and their lawsuit “seeking an order preventing anyone from having access to these drugs at all.”

Added Gorsuch: “This case seems a prime example of turning what could be a small lawsuit into a nationwide legislative assembly on an FDA rule or any other federal government action.”

The advantage of these pills is that patients can order them mailed to their homes, even in states with highly restrictive laws.

If SCOTUS were to uphold the appellate ruling, patients would have to obtain the pills in person, and could only use them for seven weeks.

Most of the justices seemed united on the fundamental question of standing – that is, the eligibility to sue. They pressed both sides on whether the plaintiffs had such standing.

SUBSCRIBE TO HOWIE’S MEDIA BUZZMETER PODCAST, A RIFF ON THE DAY’S HOTTEST STORIES

If the high court decides they don’t, they don’t have to deal with any of the more nettlesome questions and can dismiss the case.

But that could prove to be only a temporary reprieve. If the next lawsuit is filed by people with clear standing, that exit ramp would be closed to the justices.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

As long as there are lawyers and strong moral feelings on both sides, this sort of litigation will drag on, the legacy of a new and supercharged abortion environment.

Nick Akerman, a former Watergate prosecutor, said that in his 50-some years in law, he has never seen a gag order like the one imposed on former President Trump in his hush money payments case this week. 

New York Judge Juan Merchan issued the gag order on Tuesday following a request from Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg.

“This is so unusual,” Akerman told CNN’s Fredericka Whitfield on Wednesday. “This never happens, in over 50 years in law practice, both as a prosecutor and a defense lawyer.” 

He added, “It’s not done, and the reason it’s not done is because once you start disparaging the judge, disparaging people in the courtroom, you’re putting yourself in harm’s way because that’s the judge that’s going to sentence you.”

TRUMP’S $454m JUDGMENT BOND SLASHED BY MORE THAN HALF IN APPEALS COURT RULING

Akerman added that Trump is “the only one I have ever seen do this and do it in such an outrageous way that it’s really forced the courts – to where does the First Amendment stop and where do we need a gag order in order to protect the judicial system?” 

Trump, the presumptive Republican nominee, has been highly critical of the judge, calling the gag order “illegal, un-American, unconstitutional,” saying that Merchan was “wrongfully attempting to deprive me of my First Amendment Right to speak out against the Weaponization of Law Enforcement.” 

Trump even suggested that the gag order was related to Merchan’s adult daughter’s work as the president of a political consulting firm.

“Judge Juan Merchan, who is suffering from an acute case of Trump Derangement Syndrome (whose daughter represents Crooked Joe Biden, Kamala Harris, Adam ‘Shifty’ Schiff, and other Radical Liberals, has just posted a picture of me behind bars, her obvious goal, and makes it completely impossible for me to get a fair trial) has now issued another illegal, un-American, unConstitutional ‘order,’ as he continues to try and take away my Rights,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. 

MANHATTAN DA BRAGG REQUESTS JUDGE IMPOSE GAG ORDER ON TRUMP DURING HUSH MONEY CASE

In issuing the gag order, the judge cited Trump’s “prior extrajudicial statements,” saying they establish “a sufficient risk to the administration of justice.” 

Merchan ordered that Trump cannot make or direct others to make public statements about witnesses concerning their potential participation, or about counsel in the case — other than Bragg — or about court staff, DA staff or family members of staff.

Merchan also ordered that Trump cannot make or direct others to make public statements about any prospective juror or chosen juror. 

Merchan said in his decision that Trump has made statements in the past during other trials — likely referring to the months-long non-jury civil fraud trial stemming from New York Attorney General Letitia James’ case. 

“lndeed, his statements were threatening, inflammatory, denigrating, and the targets of his statements ranged from local and federal officials, court and court staff, prosecutors and staff assigned to the cases, and private individuals including grand jurors performing their civic duty,” Merchan writes. “The consequences of those statements included not only fear on the part of the individual targeted, but also the assignment of increased security resources to investigate threats and protect the individuals and family members thereof.” 

Akerman added later on X, “Trump’s unprecedented pattern of disparaging and threatening judges, prosecutors and witnesses is self-destructive and makes it more likely he will end up in the slammer.” 

Former Acting U.S. Attorney General Matt Whitaker, who served under Trump, told Fox News, “I think these gag orders are very dangerous… The First Amendment is fairly broad in its protection of our right to speak and speak our minds, and I think ultimately this judge is going to have to tread very carefully.” 

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

Trump has had two other gag orders issued against him in recent months. 

Fox News Digital’s Brooke Singman and Maria Paronich contributed to this report. 

Welcome to Fox News’ Politics newsletter with the latest political news from Washington D.C. and updates from the 2024 campaign trail. 

What’s happening? 

-Obama reportedly contacting Biden’s team regularly over potential 2024 loss

-How Eagle Pass became the center of the Biden-Abbott feud

-Fetterman offers rare sit down interview with Fox News

Slim Majorities

In a surprise announcement, longtime Democratic Rep. Annie Kuster of New Hampshire says she won’t seek re-election to the House of Representatives this year.

“I always said I was not going to stay in Congress forever – I will not be seeking re-election in 2024,” the six-term representative in the key general election battleground state said in a statement released on Wednesday.

Kuster, an attorney and lobbyist with clients in the health care and pharmaceutical industry before winning election to the House in 2012, highlighted that her tenure in Congress “has been many things – rewarding, frustrating, inspiring, and challenging. But, more than anything, it has been an honor.”

Republicans aim to defend their razor-thin House majority in November’s elections. 

The GOP currently holds a slim majority in the House of Representatives. And that has worsened in recent months as some high-profile Republicans are choosing to resign early, well before their term in office ends.

White House

HANGING UP: KJP ends radio interview after economy question, leaves host stunned …Read more

‘MANY, MANY TIMES’: Biden claims he commuted ‘many, many times’ by train on car-only Francis Scott Key Bridge …Read more

OBAMA WORRIED: Former president reportedly making regular calls to Biden chief of staff, fearing Trump victory …Read more

TWISTING IN THE WIND: Whale of a lawsuit threatens to swallow up Biden green energy agenda …Read more

BUILDING BRIDGES: Buttigieg says gov’t must ‘tear down’ barriers to rebuild Baltimore connection …Read more

‘YOU AIN’T S—‘: Another Biden official targeted with dung drop outside home …Read more

Capitol Hill

‘LEGITIMATE’: Comer rejects Democrats’ latest bid to turn tables on Biden impeachment …Read more

‘OPEN BORDER’: House GOP blames Biden policies after migrant is accused of killing MI woman …Read more

A DIFFERENT FIGURE: Fetterman unafraid to oppose his party in Democrat-controlled Senate …Read more

Tales from the Campaign Trail

FEAR FACTOR: Trump enjoys an advantage over Biden in this key election factor …Read more

Across America

MYSTERY MONEY: South Carolina found a state bank account with $1.8 billion, but they have no idea what it’s for …Read more

PREPARED TO FIGHT: Ohio AG prepared to defend new law banning gender transition surgeries for minors against ACLU lawsuit …Read more

NEW FOOTAGE: How Eagle Pass became the center of Abbott/Biden feud …Read more

‘THERE IS NO FREE MONEY’: NYC officials defend prepaid debit card program for illegal immigrants …Read more

‘LUNATICS’: Conservatives trash NBC News after it bows to left-wing pressure on Ronna McDaniel …Read more

Subscribe now to get Fox News Politics newsletter in your inbox.

Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more on FoxNews.com.

President Biden’s re-election campaign has been touting recent swing-state appearances as evidence of his presence on the trail ahead of the general election, while suggesting former President Trump was avoiding the important battlegrounds. 

“Joe Biden has hit 8 swing states in 18 days, all while being POTUS. Donald Trump has golfed a lot, all while truth-socialing really hard,” Biden spokesperson James Singer wrote on X, formerly Twitter, Wednesday alongside a graphic of the core swing states.

“Campaigning by the numbers: Biden visited 8 battleground states in 18 days. Trump? One. Just one battleground state,” campaign staffer Daniel Wessel added. 

KEY BATTLEGROUND STATE DEM ANNOUNCEMENT STUNS POLITICAL WORLD: ‘BIG SURPRISE’

In a press release last week, the Biden campaign slammed Trump, claiming “Broke Don Hides in Basement.” In 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, Biden was notably criticized for campaigning over Zoom webcasts in a temporary basement studio at his home in Delaware. Since then, a candidate who is relatively absent from visibility has been referred to as running a “basement” campaign. 

FETTERMAN CHARTS A DIFFERENT PATH, BREAKS WITH FELLOW DEMOCRATS IN THE SENATE

However, Trump’s campaign pushed back on the claim that he isn’t visible in the critical states, noting he will be in two of them next week. Only one event for next week is advertised on Trump’s campaign website, a rally in Wisconsin April 2. The other visit remains unannounced. 

Trump’s team further pointed to Biden’s accessibility and frequency of interviews, as well as his tendency not to accept many questions from the press during speeches or events. In the first three months of 2024, Biden has participated in three on-camera interviews — one with late-night host Seth Meyers, one with Robert Costa of CBS and one with MSNBC’s Jonathan Capehart. He did not sit for a Super Bowl interview in February despite the informal establishment of it as something of a tradition for presidents in the 21st century.

DEMOCRATS REPORTEDLY ‘SCRAMBLING’ OVER THREAT OF RFK JR. IN 2024 RACE

In reference to the president’s interview schedule, which also featured several radio and digital hits, spokesperson Andrew Bates said in a statement to Fox News Digital, “There are lots of folks who can’t keep up with Joe Biden.”

According to the University of California-Santa Barbara’s American Presidency Project, Biden has fallen behind his predecessors when it comes to transparency and press accessibility. During his first term so far, Biden has given only 33 news conferences, compared to Trump’s 57 at the same point and former President Obama’s 69. 

Whether the Biden team’s recent blitz of battleground visits and its effort to highlight a period with few Trump appearances will convince voters that Trump is missing in action remains to be seen. 

“I doubt it,” Republican strategist John Feehery told Fox News Digital.

“Both are pretty old, but Biden is older and more prone to gaffes,” he said, noting the campaign will be “long.”

Erin Perrine, another Republican strategist, called it “laughable” for Biden to compare “campaign styles when Biden hasn’t run an aggressive campaign in well over a decade.”

“Biden’s campaign seems to lack a serious strategy to address his polling consistently lagging on almost every major issue facing Americans,” she said.  

According to fellow GOP strategist Doug Heye, the move by the president’s campaign “makes sense” because “Biden is trying to project an image that he is healthy and vigorous.”

POLL FINDS MOST AMERICANS DON’T SUPPORT ISRAEL’S ACTION IN GAZA AS BIDEN-ISRAEL RELATIONS HIT ‘LOW POINT’

But he noted Biden’s packed schedule “comes with the very real risk that something goes wrong for Biden.” 

Trump doesn’t need to work as hard to maintain this image, Heye explained. “He’s lost some of his fastball but remains a ball of energy,” he added. 

Democratic strategist Max Burns felt differently. 

“In a race that both sides agree will be decided by razor-thin vote margins, it isn’t viable for a candidate to take weeks off the campaign to focus on his personal financial and legal issues,” Burns said. “Trump is spending more and more campaign time at Mar-a-Lago, where he’s holding a nonstop stream of fundraisers to help him pay his enormous civil fraud bond.”

He added that he expects Trump to lose polling stature against Biden the longer he remains away from the campaign trail.

REPUBLICANS TOP DEMS ON KEY FACTOR MOTIVATING VOTER TURNOUT FOR BIDEN-TRUMP REMATCH: POLL

Robert Shapiro, a political science professor at Columbia University, described the Biden campaign’s effort as its way of taking “on the view that Biden is less energetic and more affected by age than Trump.” 

“I do not think this can have any more than a marginal short-term effect now,” Shapiro said. This sentiment was echoed by Heye, who claimed, “None of this matters in March.” The Nov. 5 general election is more than 222 days away 

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

While there remains ample time for developments in the election, Shapiro said, “It could have a more cumulative effect” later on. 

What is “more important” for Biden, he said, is his maintained presence in the battleground states and the ability to “draw visible comparisons with Trump on all fronts where Trump is vulnerable.” Trump’s presence or lack thereof “is less an issue,” he added.