DONALD TRUMP has hit out at his presidential election candidate Joe Biden once again, claiming he will only win by rigging the votes.

The POTUS was in the Democrat's hometown of Scranton on Thursday in his bid to crash his opponent's own event.

And he told voters: "The only way they’re going to win is by a rigged election, I really believe that."

It comes after weeks of Trump claiming – without any evidence – that the mail-in voting system will be vulnerable to rigging and fraud, as the number of ballots look to increase due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Meanwhile, the President has revealed he knew 'nothing' about the money laundering scheme Steve Bannon has been charged with.

The President's former adviser was arrested for wire fraud, along with two others.

Bannon has been indicted for allegedly funnelling money through the "We Build the Wall" fundraising campaign aimed at putting up a divider between US and Mexico border.

But Trump has distanced themselves from his arrest, saying: "I think it is a very sad thing for Mr Bannon. It is surprising.

"I feel very badly. I haven't been dealing with him for a long period of time. I know nothing about the project other than… when I read about it, I didn't like it.

"I said, 'This is for government. This isn't for private people.' And it sounded to me like showboating. But you'll have to see what happens."

Follow our Donald Trump live blog below for all the latest news and updates…

• PRESIDENT DISTANCED HIMSELF FROM BANNON

  Donald Trump said his former aide’s efforts to crowdsource private funds for a border wall was “done for showboating reasons” and “inappropriate”.

  Trump made the remarks after Bannon, his former senior adviser, was arrested yesterday for allegedly swindling donors on the project, run by the non-profit group “We Build the Wall”. A federal grand jury in New York indicted Bannon on charges of money laundering and wire fraud, alleging he and his partners diverted $1 million away from the group.

  He is also accused of spending hundreds of thousands of dollars on his personal expenses.

  All charges are denied.

  

• TRUMP: ‘JUST WORDS’

  The President hit back at newly minted rival Joe Biden’s jibes and promises.

  He tweeted:“In 47 years, Joe did none of the things of which he now speaks.

  “He will never change, just words!”

  Biden, 77, has been steeped in the American political establishment for a half-century and this will be his third quest for the White House.

  

• BIDEN VOWS TO END TRUMP'S 'SEASON OF DARKNESS’

  White House contender Joe Biden, who has formally accepted the Democratic presidential nomination, said US President Donald Trump has “cloaked America in darkness for much too long”.

  The former US vice-president said Trump has unleashed “too much anger, too much fear, too much division”.

  Biden, 77, heads into the November general election campaign with a clear lead in the polls over Trump, 74, who mocks him as “Sleepy Joe”.

  But with 75 days to go until the election this could easily change.

  

• TRUMP REPEATS CLAIM THAT ELECTION COULD BE RIGGED

  Donald Trump has repeated a claim that the only way he could lose the coming election is if the ballot is rigged.

  The president was speaking at a rally outside Scranton, Pennsylvania, the hometown of rival and former vice president Joe Biden.

  “The only way they’re going to win is by a rigged election, I really believe that,” he said.

  Asked earlier this week about similar comments by the president, White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany declined to say that Trump would accept the election result in the event that he loses.

  “The president has always said he’ll see what happens and make a determination in the aftermath,” she said.

  “[He wants] to make sure these are fair elections and not subject to fraud.”

  Recent weeks have also seen the president claim without evidence that mail-in ballots, the use of which are expected to rise this election because of the coronavirus pandemic, are vulnerable to fraud.

  Critics say the claims are part of a deliberate attempt by the president to lower turnout and improve his chances of re-election.

  Current polls consistently give Joe Biden a lead both nationally and in a number of key swing states.

• SKETCHES SHOW TRUMP ALLY BANNON IN COURT

  Sketches show former White House Chief Strategist and Trump ally Steve Bannon in court for an arraignment hearing.

  Bannon and three others stand accused of embezzling money from an online campaign ostensibly set up to raise funds to build a wall along the US-Mexico border.

  The group have been charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering, and face up to 20 years in jail on each count.

  Appearing in court today, Bannon entered a not guilty plea.

  Bannon served as a counsellor to Donald Trump from January to August 2017, the first six months of the president's time in office.

  Asked about the case today, the president said: “I know nothing about the project other than… when I read about it, I didn't like it.

  “I said, 'This is for government. This isn't for private people.' And it sounded to me like showboating.”

  

• 'BIDEN A NIGHTMARE', TRUMP TELLS RIVAL'S HOMETOWN

  A Joe Biden presidency would be a “nightmare”, Trump has told a rally in the battleground state of Pennsylvania.

  The president was speaking at an event just outside the industrial city of Scranton, where his presidential rival was born.

  “Joe Biden is no friend of Pennsylvania — he is your worst nightmare,” Trump said.

  “He’ll remind us that he was born in Scranton, but you know he left like 70 years ago, right?

  “He spent the last half century in Washington selling out our country and ripping off our jobs and letting other countries steal our jobs.”

  Biden lived in Scranton until he was ten, when his family moved to Delaware.

  He has represented Delaware in the senate since 1973.

• TRUMP WILL 'TEAR DOWN DEMOCRACY TO WIN', SAYS OBAMA

  Donald Trump would be willing to tear down US democracy to win a second term in November's presidential election, Barack Obama has said.

  The former president was speaking at the Democratic National Convention, which has been being staged from locations around the US throughout this week.

  Addressing himself at one point to young voters, he said: “You can give our democracy new meaning.

  “You can take it to a better place. You’re the missing ingredient – the ones who will decide whether or not America becomes the country that fully lives up to its creed.

  “That work will continue long after this election. But any chance of success depends entirely on the outcome of this election.

  “This administration has shown it will tear our democracy down if that’s what it takes to win.

  “So we have to get busy building it up – by pouring all our effort into these 76 days, and by voting like never before.”

• 'DIDN'T HARRIS CALL BIDEN RACIST?' ASKS TRUMP

  Donald Trump has accused vice presidential candidate Kamala Harris of contradicting earlier statements made about her now-running mate Joe Biden.

  The president's comments came as Harris delivered a speech remotely to the Democratic National Convention making the case, among other things, for a Joe Biden presidency.

  During the Democratic primary debates earlier this year, Harris, an African-American, criticised Biden over his record on civil rights issues, a record Biden strongly defended.

  At one point in her convention speech, Harris addressed recent unrest and the revival of the Black Lives Matter movement following the death of George Floyd in May.

  “There is no vaccine for racism,” she said.

  “We have got to do the work.”

  Taking to twitter, Trump wrote: “BUT DIDN’T SHE CALL HIM [BIDEN] A RACIST??? DIDN’T SHE SAY HE WAS INCOMPETENT???”

  Despite her criticism of Biden's record, Harris also told him at one point in the debates: “I do not believe you are a racist.”

• 'WE DESERVE MORE', SAYS HARRIS

  Vice presidential candidate Kamala Harris has said America 'deserves more' than a second term of Donald Trump's presidency.

  Harris was speaking remotely at the Democratic National Convention just days after being announced as the running mate of presidential candidate and former vice president Joe Biden.

  “We're at an inflection point,” she said.

  Describing Donald Trump's leadership, she continued: “The constant chaos leaves us adrift. The incompetence makes us feel afraid.

  “The callousness makes us feel alone. It's a lot.

  “And here's the thing: We can do better and deserve so much more.

  “We must elect a president who will bring something different, something better, and do the important work.”

• TRUMP SAYS HE KNEW 'NOTHING' ABOUT BANNON PROJECT

  Donald Trump has said he knew nothing about a fundraising campaign from which former aide Steve Bannon is alleged to have embezzled up to $1million.

  Bannon and three others were arrested over the scheme, an online campaign ostensibly to raise funds to build a wall along the US-Mexico border.

  The group have been charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering.

  Bannon served as a counsellor to the president from January to August 2017, the first six months of his time in office.

  Asked about the arrest today, Trump said: “I feel very badly.

  “I haven't been dealing with him for a long period of time.

  “I know nothing about the project other than… when I read about it, I didn't like it.

  “I said, 'This is for government. This isn't for private people.' And it sounded to me like showboating.

  “But you'll have to see what happens.”

• TRUMP HOSTS IRAQI PM

  Donald Trump has hosted Iraqi prime minister Mustafa Al-Kadhimi for talks at the White House.

  Al-Kadhimi, who took office in May, is currently in Washington to discuss Iraq's security and economy.

  The US still has around 5,000 troops stationed in the country, with no timetable currently set for their complete withdrawal.

  Iraq's economy also depends largely on revenue from the sale of oil, which has fallen dramatic since lockdowns were imposed around the world at the start of the coronavirus pandemic.

  A joint statement read: “Together, the United States-led Global Coalition To Defeat ISIS and the Iraqi Security Forces destroyed the ISIS physical caliphate, and we continue to work in close coordination to ensure that ISIS is rendered incapable of posing a threat to Iraq and every other nation.

  “We reaffirm our commitment to long-term security cooperation to build Iraq’s military capability and address threats to our shared interests.

  “The COVID-19 pandemic further underscores the importance of working together to build a prosperous and stable Iraq that provides jobs and services to the Iraqi people and serves as a stabilizing force for the Middle East.”

• NEW YORKERS CAN NOW VOTE BY MAIL

  New York Governor Andrew Cuomo announced on Thursday that he signed legislation ensuring any resident could request an absentee ballot for the November election if they want one. 

  

• WHITE HOUSE DENIES INVOLVEMENT IN STEVE BANNON'S CROWDFUNDING BORDER WALL SCHEME

  After Trump's former adviser Steve Bannon was charged fraud and money laundering the White House has denied any involvement.

  “President Trump has previously and publicly stated the following: 'I disagreed with doing this very small (tiny) section of wall, in a tricky area, by a private group which raised money by ads.  It was only done to make me look bad, and perhaps it now doesn't even work.  Should have been built like rest of Wall, 500 plus miles,'” she added. The quote comes from the president in July 2020. 

  “President Trump has always felt the Wall must be a government project and that it is far too big and complex to be handled privately.  The Trump administration has already built over 300 miles of border wall, thanks to the great work of our Army Corps of Engineers, and will have almost 500 miles completed by the end of the year.  Our southern border is more secure than it has ever been,” she continued. 

  “President Trump has not been involved with Steve Bannon since the campaign and the early part of the Administration, and he does not know the people involved with this project.” 

• PRESIDENT DEMANDS RESTORING UN SANCTIONS AGAINST IRAN

  The Trump administration is set on Thursday to demand the restoration of all international sanctions on Iran in a move that will further isolate the United States at the United Nations, test the credibility of the Security Council and possibly deal a fatal blow to one of former President Barack Obama's signature foreign policy achievements.

  At the President's direction, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is traveling to New York to notify the U.N. that the U.S. is invoking the snapback mechanism in the Security Council resolution that endorsed the 2015 Iran nuclear deal.

  The United States intends to restore virtually all of the previously suspended United Nations sanctions on Iran, Trump said.

• TRUMP DEFENDS BARRING IMMIGRANTS FROM REPRESENTATION

  The President is seeking the dismissal of a lawsuit challenging his directive to exclude undocumented immigrants from representation, rejecting the accusation it was motivated by racial animus.

  Trump's lawyers were responding to lawsuits by New York and 37 other U.S. states, cities and counties, as well as by several nonprofit organizations.

  They concerned his July 21 directive that seeks to prevent migrants who are in the United States illegally from being counted when congressional voting districts are next redrawn.

• TEACHERS COULD STAY IN CLASSROOM IF EXPOSED TO COVID-19

  New guidance from Donald Trump's administration that declares teachers to be critical infrastructure workers could give the green light to exempting teachers from quarantine requirements.

  Even if they have been exposed to Covid-19, they will be sent back into the classroom.

• TRUMP APPEALS AS JUDGE OKS MANHATTAN DA GETTING TAX RETURNS

  A federal judge on Thursday cleared the way for Manhattan's top prosecutor to get President Donald Trump's tax returns, rejecting a last-ditch attempt by his lawyers to block a subpoena issued to his accounting firm.

  Trump's lawyers immediately appealed U.S. District Judge Victor Marrero's decision to the Second Circuit Court of Appeals.

  Marrero's ruling echoed his prior decision in the case that was upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court last month.

  The high court returned the case to Marrero to give Trump's lawyers a chance to raise other concerns about the subpoena issued by Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr.

  Messages seeking comment on the ruling were left with Trump's lawyer and Vance's office.

• WHITE HOUSE'S KUDLOW SAYS GOODYEAR SHOULD CHANGE WORKPLACE SPEECH POLICY

  Economic adviser Larry Kudlow on Thursday defended President Donald Trump's call for a boycott of Ohio-based Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co, saying the private company should change its workplace policy to allow political speech.

  Kudlow, speaking to reporters at the White House, said Trump and his administration backed “freedom of speech.”

• BANNON CHARGED WITH HUGE £760K CON

  He is accused of embezzling £760,000 from an online fundraising campaign to build a wall along the Mexican border.

  The ex-White House chief strategist, 66, was arrested and indicted with three others over the alleged scheme to rip off donors to the ‘We Build The Wall’ fund.

  Bannon – a pal of former UKIP leader Nigel Farage – has been taken into custody and was expected to appear before a New York court.

  In court papers, Bannon and the three other defendants were charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering.

  Prosecutors from the Southern District of New York accused them of orchestrating “a scheme to defraud hundreds of thousands of donors”

• US UNEMPLOYMENT 'WORSE THAN EXPECTED'

  The number of people in the US claiming unemployment is greater than expected, according to a report released by the Department of Labour.

  Initial claims for those without jobs came in at 1.106million for the week ending 15 August.

  This has raised concern that the state of the US economy could be worse than expected as officials are still fighting over the next Covid relief package.

• BREAKING: TRUMP'S FORMER ADVISOR ARRESTED

  Trump's former adviser Steve Bannon has been charged with to commit wire fraud and money laundering while raising money for a campaign to build the US-Mexico border wall.

  Mr Bannon and two others have been indicted for allegedly funnelling “hundreds of thousands of dollars” from the “We Build the Wall” fundraising campaign.

  “As alleged, the defendants defrauded hundreds of thousands of donors, capitalising on their interest in funding a border wall to raise millions of dollars, under the false pretence that all of that money would be spent on construction,” Acting US Attorney Audrey Strauss said in a press release. 

• TRUMP PLANNING ON CRASHING BIDEN'S HOME TOWN EVENT

  Trump is planning on showing up at Biden's Scranton event to critique career just hours before the new Democratic presidential nominee gives his formal address.

  Visiting a building products company in Old Forge, Pa., the president plans to “deliver remarks on a half century of Joe Biden failing America,” said a Trump campaign statement.

  Democrats described Trump's site selection as a meaningless stunt, “This sideshow is a pathetic attempt to distract from the fact that Trump's presidency stands for nothing but crises, lies, and division,” Biden spokesman Andrew Bates said.

• TRUMP “MUST CORRECT MISTAKES” SAYS CHINA

  China's foreign ministry said today that Hong Kong will suspend an agreement on mutual legal assistance with the US.

  The US State Department notified Hong Kong on Wednesday that Washington had suspended or terminated three bilateral agreements with the semi-autonomous city following China’s imposition of a sweeping national security law.

  Foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijan said: “China urges the US to immediately correct its mistakes.”

• BILLIE EILISH BACKS BIDEN

  Superstar Billie Eilish has revealed her full support for Joe Biden and has encouraged young fans to vote during an appearance at the virtual Democratic National Convention.

  The singer said:“You don't need me to tell you things are a mess – Donald Trump is destroying our country and everything we care about.

  “We need leaders who will solve problems like climate change and Covid – not deny them. Leaders who will fight against systemic racism and inequality.

  “And that starts by voting for someone who understands how much is at stake, someone who is building a team that shares our values. It starts with voting against Donald Trump and for Joe Biden.

  “Silence is not an option and we cannot sit this one out. We all have to vote like our lives and the world depend on it – because they do. The only way to be certain of our future is to make it ourselves. Please register. Please vote.”

• FACEBOOK REMOVES THOUSANDS OF QANON PAGES

  Facebook has removed thousands of accounts, groups and pages that are set up to spread QAnon conspiracy theories.

  The social media site took down over 790 groups, 100 pages, 1,500 ads related to QAnon.

  When Trump was questioned over the conspiracy theory group on Wednesday, he said: “You know, if I can help save the world from some problems, I’m willing to do it, I’m willing to put myself out there.”

  Official Q/Quanon, which had nearly 200,000 members was deleted on Monday after numerous posts were taken down.

Source: Read Full Article