What to know about Biden's Oval Office speech
- President Joe Biden addressed the nation tonight from Oval Office in a speech that will be replayed throughout history.
- Biden explained his decision to end his re-election campaign, saying he was putting personal ambition aside "in the defense of democracy."
- Biden didn't mention former President Donald Trump by name, but the implication was clear: He sees Trump as a threat to the republic and doesn't believe he has the best shot to beat him in the November election.
- Biden praised Vice President Kamala Harris, whom he endorsed for president, as "experienced," "tough" and "capable."
- “I have decided the best way forward is to pass the torch to a new generation. That is the best way to unite our nation,” Biden said.
Obama thanks Biden after his address
Obama thanked Biden on social media after his prime-time speech.
“'The sacred cause of this country is larger than any one of us.' Joe Biden has stayed true to these words again and again over a lifetime of service to the American people," Obama said, referring to a line in Biden's Oval Office address. "Thank you, @POTUS."
White House staff celebrates Biden's address
After his Oval Office speech, Biden spent a private moment with his family in a White House dining room.
Reporters on the White House lawn could hear hundreds of administration employees cheering for Biden when his address wrapped. There were chants of "POTUS, POTUS, POTUS" and "Let's go, Joe!"
Biden then addressed the staffers for several minutes, though his exact remarks were unclear. Staffers celebrated with ice cream, too.
RFK Jr. now has Secret Service protection
The Secret Service said independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. now has a protective detail.
Kennedy has had protection since July 17, the agency said.
Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said July 15 that Biden had directed him to work with the Secret Service to provide protection. The attempted assassination of Trump took place on July 13.
Trump bashes Biden's Oval Office address
Trump called Biden's Oval Office speech "barely understandable" in a post on Truth Social.
Trump's senior campaign adviser Chris LaCivita posted a photo on X of Trump watching the address from his private plane after a campaign rally in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Harris watched Biden's Oval Office address from Houston
Reporting from Washington
Harris watched the president's Oval Office speech tonight from Houston, a White House official said.
The vice president, whom Biden endorsed to succeed him, is in Texas for a two-day trip that includes a speech tomorrow to the American Federation of Teachers.
Trump turns his focus to Harris at his first rally after Biden’s exit from the race
Trump, speaking at his first campaign rally since Biden ended his re-election bid, redirected a torrent of attacks today at Harris, the de facto Democratic nominee.
“As you know, three days ago, we officially defeated the worst president in the history of our country, Joe Biden,” Trump told his crowd in Charlotte, North Carolina. “So now we have a new victim to defeat: lyin’ Kamala Harris … the most incompetent and far-left vice president in American history.”
Trump acknowledged at the top of his 90-minute speech that he was leaving behind the sunnier persona and themes of unity that he and other Republicans had suggested they would stick to after he survived an assassination attempt July 13. He repeatedly mispronounced Harris’ first name and at one point, using the catchphrase from his old NBC reality show “The Apprentice,” declared: “Kamala, you’re fired!”
In his address to the nation, Biden explained his decision to end his re-election campaign, saying he was putting personal ambition aside “in the defense of democracy.” NBC News’ Kristen Welker breaks down Biden’s struggle to end his campaign.
Jill Biden tweets thank you note to 'those who never wavered'
Reporting from Washington
First lady Jill Biden tweeted from her personal account a handwritten thank you note on her stationery to “those who never wavered,” encouraging them to “put that trust in Kamala.”
She posted the message at 8:22 p.m., shortly after the president finished his address.
First lady Jill Biden joins family inside the Oval Office during speech
Members of Biden’s family, including first lady Jill Biden and his son Hunter, watch as he speaks to the nation from the Oval Office.
Biden delivered a historic address from the Oval Office tonight, explaining his decision to withdraw from the 2024 race. He highlighted his accomplishments in office and said it is time to “pass the torch to the new generation.”
Inside the Oval Office, Hunter Biden watches his father's speech
Hunter Biden and his wife, Melissa, watch the president's prime-time address.
Biden concludes 11-minute address
Biden spoke for about 11 minutes, finishing around 8:12 p.m. ET.
His remarks were met with applause by staff and family members for about 60 seconds.
Biden makes clear election appeal
Reporting from Washington
Biden hasn't said the name "Trump" or told anyone to vote, but he was clearly making an appeal to the American public to back Harris.
"Whether we keep our republic is now in your hands," Biden said. "Let's act together to preserve our democracy."
Biden praises Harris as 'experienced,' 'tough' and 'capable'
Biden said that in a few months, Americans will choose the course of the country's future.
He thanked Harris, praising her as "experienced," "tough" and "capable."
"Now the choice is up to you, the American people," he said.
He added that it has been the "privilege of my life" to serve the country for 50 years.
Biden lists priorities for his last six months in office
Reporting from Washington
Biden gave a list of what he wants to do as a lame-duck president.
"Over the next six months, I’ll be focused on doing my job as president," he said, adding he would continue to work to lower prices.
He said he would work toward protecting "the right to vote to the right to choose." He said there "is no place in America for political violence or any violence ever, period," saying he would continue to push for an end to gun violence.
"I’ll keep fighting for my cancer moonshot," he said, referring to efforts to find a cure for cancer, which began while he was vice president.
First lady Jill Biden and family members are in the Oval Office during speech
Reporting from Washington
The first lady and several family members are seated along the wall in the Oval Office as Biden is giving his prime-time speech.
Biden says he'll call for changes to the Supreme Court
Reporting from Washington
Biden said in tonight's Oval Office speech that he's going to seek significant changes to the Supreme Court.
"I’m going to call for Supreme Court reform,” he said, without elaborating.
NBC News previously reported that Biden had signaled a willingness to support major reforms to the high court.
Biden: 'Nothing can come in the way of saving our democracy'
Biden emphasized in his Oval Office address that the country is at an "inflection point," a frequent refrain of his speeches.
He said the decision the country makes now will determine the U.S.' fate for decades.
Biden said it has become clear through the past several weeks that he has to "unite" his party.
“Nothing, nothing can come in the way of saving our democracy," he said. "That includes personal ambition.”
Biden begins Oval Office address
Biden has started his Oval Office address to the nation.
He will detail how he came to the decision to end his presidential campaign.
Harris’ criminal justice policies in Calif. angered progressives and police
As the new Democratic standard-bearer, Harris has described her contest with Trump in blunt terms — tough prosecutor versus civil and criminal defendant.
“I took on perpetrators of all kinds, predators who abused women, fraudsters who ripped off consumers, cheaters who broke the rules for their own game,” Harris said at a rally in Wisconsin yesterday. “So hear me when I say I know Donald Trump’s type.”
But critics say Harris’ record as a prosecutor, first as the district attorney in San Francisco and later as the California attorney general, reveals a political chameleon rather than a tough-on-crime top cop, according to interviews with current and former law enforcement leaders across the state, civil rights advocates and politicians.
LGBTQ celebrities and lawmakers come out in support of Harris
More than 1,100 LGBTQ celebrities, lawmakers and leaders signed a letter released today by national LGBTQ rights groups endorsing Harris’ presidential run.
The letter includes signatures from actors Matt Bomer, George Takei, Billy Eichner and Sophia Bush and her partner, Ashlyn Harris, a former U.S. women’s national team soccer player. Out elected officials, including Sen. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis., and Reps. Ritchie Torres, D-N.Y., Mark Takano, D-Calif., and Becca Balint, D-Vt., also signed, alongside notable figures such as Jim Obergefell, the lead plaintiff in the Supreme Court case that legalized same-sex marriage nationwide in 2015, and Judy Shepard, the mother of Matthew Shepard, who was murdered in Wyoming in 1998.
Harris has a two-decade track record of supporting gay rights, which is part of the reason LGBTQ advocacy groups, lawmakers and celebrities have been vocal in backing her. Some LGBTQ people, however, have taken issue with her records on trans rights and criminal justice issues.
Arizona Democratic Party endorses Mark Kelly for Harris' VP
Reporting from Phoenix, AZ
Hours after stopping short of endorsing Sen. Mark Kelly of Arizona for vice president, the state's Democratic Party threw its support behind Kelly, the former astronaut.
"The path to the White House runs through Arizona, and we are confident that with Kamala Harris and Mark Kelly at the top of the ticket, Democrats will win in November," Chairwoman Yolanda Bejarano wrote in a formal endorsement of Kelly.
Less than three hours earlier at a news conference, Bejarano declined to endorse Kelly, citing the ongoing vetting process of potential running mates.
On Capitol Hill today, Kelly sidestepped questions about any vetting. "This is not about me," he said.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr.: Trump is 'likely to be the next president'
Robert F. Kennedy Jr., an independent candidate for president, said he thinks Trump is "highly likely to be the next president.
“First of all, and I’m very happy, I couldn’t be more happy, that President Trump is now, publicly at least, committed to bitcoin. I think it’s really important," he said today. "You know, he’s a former president. He is highly likely to be the next president, and it will be wonderful to have a president office who understands the importance of bitcoin.”
Trump and Kennedy have had a unique relationship and appear to share some common ground on policy, as evidenced by a recent video showing a phone call between the two.
Trump, who was previously opposed to cryptocurrency, is scheduled to speak at this week’s annual Bitcoin Conference in Nashville, Tennessee.
Trump says Harris, whose husband is Jewish, is against Jews
Trump said at today's rally that Harris is "totally against the Jewish people."
"It amazes me how Jewish people will vote for the Democrats when they're being treated so disrespectfully and badly. It amazes me," Trump said.
Trump rails against EVs, despite Elon Musk support
Trump has continued to rail against electric vehicles, even as Tesla CEO Elon Musk reportedly said he was committing $45 million per month to a pro-Trump Super PAC, The Wall Street Journal reported.
Musk later denied the reporting, saying he'll donate “at a much lower level.” He has already endorsed Trump.
"Good luck with your electric car that goes for about 45 minutes before you have to get it" charged, Trump said at his North Carolina rally today.
Most electric vehicles can travel from 150 to 400 miles on fully charged batteries, which is within the range of 90% of all U.S. household daily trips, according to the Energy Department.
In Oval Office address, Biden to frame his 2024 decision as a ‘defense of democracy’
Reporting from Washington, D.C.
Biden plans to frame the decision to end his re-election campaign as a “defense of democracy” in an Oval Office address tonight, according to advance excerpts released by the White House.
“The defense of democracy is more important than any title,” Biden plans to say. “I draw strength, and find joy, in working FOR the American people. But this sacred task of perfecting our union is not about me. It’s about you. Your families. Your futures. It’s about ‘We the People.’”
Trump continually mispronounces 'Kamala' during campaign rally
Trump has mispronounced Harris' first name numerous times during his rally today.
"Kamala" is pronounced with emphasis on the first syllable, while Trump emphasizes the second.
Harris released an ad several years ago featuring kids explaining how to say her name correctly.
Trump's rally is taking place at Bojangles Coliseum in Charlotte, North Carolina. He has repeatedly called Harris insulting names, including referring to her as a "lunatic."
Former Georgia GOP lieutenant governor backs Harris
Former Georgia Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan, a Republican who made waves when he announced his support for Biden in May, is officially backing Harris' presidential campaign.
"I’m committed to beating Donald Trump," Duncan wrote on X. "The only vehicle left for me to do that with is the Democratic Party. If that requires me to vote for, speak for, or endorse @KamalaHarris then count me in!"
In a podcast interview today, he even offered to speak at the Democratic National Convention if that's what it takes to beat Trump.
“If Donald Trump wins the hearts and minds of the majority of the 10% in the middle and Kamala Harris doesn’t, then he’s going to be the next president — and then we’ve got real issues on our hands as Republicans," he said.
Duncan was the lieutenant governor under Republican Gov. Brian Kemp during the 2020 election cycle, when then-President Trump tried to interfere in Georgia’s election results, which resulted in a criminal case against him and several of his allies. Trump has pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Duncan decided not to seek re-election in 2022 following his criticism of Trump.
State party chair stops short of saying Mark Kelly should be Harris' running mate
Reporting from Phoenix, AZ
Arizona Democratic Party chair Yolanda Bejarano was full of praise for Sen. Mark Kelly today amid reporting that he's in contention to be Harris' running mate, but she stopped short of backing him for the job.
"Sen. Kelly is an amazing leader," Bejarano said at a news conference. "We're going to wait and see what the vice president decides."
Asked why she wasn't endorsing Kelly, Bejarano said, "We're going to trust the vice president's judgment, and I know that they're still going through the vetting process, but it's an exciting time."
A successful Harris-Kelly ticket would lead to a vacancy for Kelly’s Senate seat. Gov. Katie Hobbs would most likely appoint a fellow Democrat to temporarily fill the seat in that scenario.
Kelly today blasted out an email criticizing Trump's running mate, Sen. JD Vance of Ohio.
"I ran against a guy like JD in Arizona in 2022," reads the email, comparing Vance to failed Republican Senate candidate Blake Masters. "MAGA-right, venture capitalist, backed by a shady tech billionaire out of the Silicon Valley."
"We all know guys like this. Guys that think they know better than everyone about everything. They think they know better than women and their doctors about abortion. They think they know better than seniors about Social Security and Medicare," the email goes on before it asks for a split donation supporting his Senate campaign and Harris' presidential campaign.
White House press secretary dismisses notion Biden should resign
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said at today's news briefing that the idea that Biden should resign because he is not running for re-election is "ridiculous."
"Tune in to what he has to say tonight, and he will lay that out for you all and the American people onto, as to why he made that decision," she said.
Asked whether White House officials have been concealing details about Biden's health, she said, "It is not a cover-up."
Jean-Pierre also said the White House does not see Biden as "a lame-duck president at all," even though he has decided not to seek another term.
Today's was Jean-Pierre’s first briefing since Biden dropped out of the race.
Democrats who want to run against Harris have only days to get in the race
Any Democrat wishing to challenge Harris for the presidential nomination has only days to secure the necessary support, according to nominating rules the party approved today, which laid out plans for an unusual pre-convention nominating vote scheduled for early next month.
Candidates have until Saturday to declare their candidacies and until Tuesday to gather the needed support from hundreds of delegates to make the ballot alongside Harris at the virtual roll call vote. Democrats have given themselves an Aug. 7 deadline to conduct the roll call to avoid potential legal issues.
“We understand that this is an unprecedented situation, but we will accomplish it together,” said Minyon Moore, a veteran Democratic strategist and Harris ally who is chairperson of the Democratic National Convention, which begins Aug. 19 in Chicago.
Black voters disenchanted by Biden say Harris has a chance to revive their support
Some Black voters who were losing faith in Biden say they’ve found renewed hope and excitement in Harris’ candidacy.
In recent months, polls showed Biden losing support among Black voters, with some manifesting more openness to a second Trump presidency. Many cited economic and inflation concerns, as well as what they described as unkept campaign promises, as causes for their frustration. Others said they haven’t felt the impacts of Biden’s attempt to forgive federal student loan, farmers said they feel left out of Biden’s equity efforts, and many others said his efforts at police accountability have stalled.
In an April NBC News poll, one-third of Black respondents — a demographic that played a critical role in his 2020 victory — said the economy hadn’t improved under Biden, and 6 in 10 said they felt their family incomes couldn’t meet the cost of living. Now, with Biden leaving the race and endorsing Harris, Democrats hope she becomes the key to winning back those disillusioned voters.
Harris’ tech allies on track to raise over $100M as they work to win over Silicon Valley skeptics
Harris’ allies in the tech community have launched a behind-the-scenes lobbying campaign to persuade wealthy donors to back her campaign for president, according to people familiar with the matter.
Longtime investors Reid Hoffman and Ron Conway have been among Harris’ allies in Silicon Valley privately calling on those in their networks to support her over Trump, these people said.
The conversations have been ongoing since Sunday, when Biden dropped out of the race and endorsed Harris, according to people who described the discussions to CNBC.
Mark Kelly backs PRO Act amid criticism from labor unions
Sen. Mark Kelly, a potential running mate for Harris, now supports a bill that has been lauded by labor unions.
A spokesperson for Kelly, D-Ariz., told NBC News today that Kelly would vote for the PRO Act, a measure he has not yet co-sponsored. The bill has 49 sponsors, including independent Sens. Bernie Sanders of Vermont and Joe Manchin of West Virginia. Kelly is the rare Democrat not to have signed on.
Kelly has come under criticism from some unions in recent days for declining to back the key piece of legislation, prompting some to argue it should disqualify him from being the Democratic Party's vice presidential nominee.
Trump calls for FBI Director Christopher Wray to resign
Trump called for FBI Director Christopher Wray's resignation, pointing to Wray's denial in testimony before Congress today that he has seen Biden experiencing cognitive issues.
Trump said Wray should resign for "lying to Congress," arguing that "anybody can see that Joe Biden is cognitively and physically challenged, and if you can’t see that, you sure as hell can’t be running the FBI."
RNC chair dodges questions on DEI attack lines against Harris
Republican National Committee Chair Michael Whatley today dodged questions about whether it's smart for the GOP to characterize Harris as a "DEI candidate" or a "diversity hire."
"I think our conversation regarding Kamala Harris needs to focus on two things. One, that she is a California liberal. ... I think the other thing that we need to focus on is the fact that it is the Biden-Harris administration. It is the Biden-Harris campaign," Whatley said when he was asked directly about Republicans' calling Harris a DEI candidate.
Pressed a second time about the language being used against Harris, Whatley said, "Kamala Harris is the most radical left candidate that the Democrats have ever put on a ticket."
DNC Rules Committee sets formal nomination date
The DNC Rules Committee voted this afternoon to begin the virtual presidential nomination roll call on Aug. 1, assuming Harris is the only candidate for the nomination.
The DNC must formally nominate both the presidential and the vice presidential candidates before Aug. 7. It confirmed today that, if it fails to meet the deadline, its nominees may not appear on the Ohio ballot. When the convention begins on Aug. 19, it will hold a ceremonial roll call for the nominees.
Voting was overseen by the Rules Committee co-chairs, Bishop Leah Daughtry and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, who is reportedly a contender to be Harris’ running mate, and the rules were formally adopted around 3:41 p.m. ET.
Fox News invites Trump and Harris to debate in September
In a letter to the Trump and Harris campaigns, obtained by CNBC, Fox News President Jay Wallace and Jessica Loker, the vice president for politics, invited Harris and Trump to debate in Pennsylvania on Sept. 17.
The letter added that the moderators would be Martha MacCallum and Bret Baier.
Biden and Trump had committed to a debate earlier in September on ABC News, but it's unclear whether an ABC News debate will still take place now that Biden has stepped aside and endorsed Harris.
The proposed Fox debate could come the day before Trump is scheduled to be sentenced for his hush money conviction. The sentencing hearing had been scheduled for July 11, but the judge overseeing the trial postponed it until at least Sept. 18 after Trump's lawyers asked for more time to review the Supreme Court's presidential immunity ruling.
Netanyahu thanks Trump for all he did for Israel as president
Netanyahu said he wanted to thank Trump "for his leadership" and his efforts to secure the Abraham Accords, the September 2020 deal to normalize relations between Israel and the United Arab Emirates, and Israel and Bahrain. The line drew cheers from lawmakers.
"Like Americans, Israelis were relieved that President Trump emerged safe and sound from that dastardly attack on him," he said. "There is no room for political violence in democracies."
"I also want to thank President Trump for all the things he did for Israel — from recognizing Israel’s sovereignty over the Golan Heights ... to recognizing Jerusalem as our capital and moving the American Embassy" there from Tel Aviv, Netanyahu said, which drew some boos.
Netanyahu is expected to meet with Trump at Mar-a-Lago on Friday.
Netanyahu slams International Criminal Court and says 'America will be next'
Netanyahu blasted the International Criminal Court in his speech and said, "America will be next."
"The prosecutor of the International Criminal Court has shamefully accused Israel of deliberately starving the people of Gaza. This is utter, complete nonsense. It's a complete fabrication," Netanyahu said.
The ICC's chief prosecutor said in May that he was seeking arrest warrants for Netanyahu and other Israeli leaders so they can be charged with war crimes and crimes against humanity.
The prosecutor said he was also seeking an arrest warrant for Hamas' leader in Gaza, Yahya Sinwar.
Capitol Police arrest 3 people wearing pro-cease-fire shirts
Capitol Police arrested two men and a woman for showing yellow shirts saying, “SEAL THE DEAL NOW.” They were put in zip-tie cuffs and walked away from the chamber.
Many Democrats remain seated, not clapping during Netanyahu's speech
Through the several standing ovations for Netanyahu, two Democratic senators — Raphael Warnock of Georgia and Chris Murphy of Connecticut —have stayed in their seats and not clapped. When Netanyahu spoke about bringing hostages home, Murphy, Warnock, Reps. Pete Aguilar of California and Katherine Clark of Connecticut seemed to be the only Democrats who did not stand.
Schumer smiled for the first time in his remarks when Netanyahu spoke about IDF soldiers returning to battle.
Senate Democrats were seated in the front two rows. Besides Arizona Sen. Kyrsten Sinema and West Virginia Joe Manchin (both have left the Democratic Party and become independents) all stayed seated and did not clap when Netanyahu said protestors should be ashamed of themselves. Pennsylvania Sen. Bob Casey, with Manchin and Sinema, also stood up when Netanyahu discussed University of North Carolina fraternity brothers who clashed with anti-Israel protesters while the other Democrats remained stoic and seated.
The crowd later chanted USA!
Rep. Rashida Tlaib holds 'war criminal' sign during speech
Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., held a "war criminal" sign during Netanyahu's speech as he criticized pro-Palestinian protestors outside. The other side of the sign said "Guilty of Genocide." Tlaib, the only Palestinian American member of Congress, has been vocally critical of Israel and its handling of the war in Gaza.
Netanyahu thanks Biden for his 'tireless efforts' on behalf of the hostages held in Gaza
Netanyahu thanked Biden for his efforts to secure the release of hostages held in Gaza since Oct. 7.
"I want to thank President Biden for his tireless efforts on behalf of the hostages and for his efforts to the hostage families," Netanyahu said, and "for his heartfelt support for Israel."
"After the savage attack on Oct. 7, he rightly called Hamas sheer evil," he said.
Netanyahu's comments about Biden were met with resounding bipartisan applause. There has been tension between the two leaders over Netanyahu's handling of the war in Gaza and they are expected to meet tomorrow in the White House.
Biden "came to Israel to stand with us during our darkest hour — a visit that will never be forgotten," said Netanyahu. "Biden and I have known each other for over 40 years. I want to thank him for half a century of friendship to Israel, and for being, as he says, a proud Zionist."
Netanyahu spotlights the Israeli hostage Noa Argamani who's sitting in House gallery
Netanyahu spoke about Noa Argamani, the Israeli woman sitting in the House gallery as the prime minister's guest, and her experience as a hostage taken to Gaza on Oct. 7 and rescued by Israeli security forces in early June.
Netanyahu said on "the morning of Oct. 7, the entire world saw Noa's look of desperation as she was violently abducted to Gaza on the back of a motorcycle."
He referenced the operation that rescued Argamani and three other hostages who were held captive in Gaza.
The prime minister also spoke about other hostages or families of hostages attending his speech.
"I met with them again yesterday and I promised them this — I will not rest until all their loved ones are home," he said.
Schumer and Netanyahu didn't shake hands when the Israeli leader entered the chamber
Schumer and Netanyahu didn't shake hands when the Israeli prime minister entered the chamber. Schumer, who was sitting on the aisle, only nodded at Netanyahu.
The Senate Democratic leader called earlier this year for new Israeli elections to replace Netanyahu.
Police pepper spray anti-Netanyahu protesters in front of the Capitol
Police near the Capitol have used pepper spray to attempt to disperse protestors with the ANSWER (Act Now to Stop War and End Racism) Coalition.
About 500 protestors gathered in the street earlier this morning ahead of Netanyahu's address to Congress.
The protesters were standing behind a large canvas banner that reads “Arrest Netanyahu for Genocide" and planned to create a “people’s red line against genocide” and conduct a “citizen’s arrest” of Netanyahu.
The group has provided attendees with signs on wood posts with phrases like “free all Palestinian political prisoners” and “lift the siege on Gaza now” as well as a “wanted” posted for Netanyahu.
Harris rips Trump and Project 2025: 'We are not going back'
In remarks at the Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Inc. Grand Boule in Indianapolis, Harris sought to draw a stark contrast between the policies she champions and those proposed by Trump and his conservative allies.
“As we work to build a brighter future and to move our nation forward, we must also recognize there are those who are trying to take us backward. You may have seen their agenda, part of it is called Project 2025,” she said, referring to an expansive conservative blueprint for a second Trump term proposed by the Heritage Foundation, which Trump has sought to distance himself from.
Harris argued that Project 2025 is an effort to “return America to a dark past.”
“This represents an outright attack on our children, our families and our future,” she said. “These extremists want to take us back, but we are not going back.”
Harris told the gathering of one of the nation's largest historically Black sororities that Americans’ “hard won freedoms and rights,” such as voting rights and reproductive health rights, are under threat. She specifically took aim at Trump’s appointment of three conservative justices to the Supreme Court, which ultimately led to the overturning in 2022 of the landmark ruling Roe v. Wade that guaranteed a constitutional right to an abortion.
“Well, let me tell you something: When I am president of the United States, and when Congress passes a law to restore those freedoms, I will sign it into law,” she said.
Harris concluded that “there’s so much at stake in this moment.”
“Our nation, as it always has, is counting on you to energize, to organize and to mobilize, to register folks to vote, to get them to the polls and to continue to fight for the future our nation and her people deserve,” she said.
Gov. Josh Shapiro, a VP contender, says on Harris getting the party behind her: 'She kicked butt'
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro dodged questions today about whether he's being vetted as a potential running mate for Harris, and told reporters when asked about calls for the Democratic National Convention to hold an open nomination vote that "anyone could have jumped into this process."
"It was an open process," Shapiro said at a press conference in New Castle, Pennsylvania. "The vice president jumped in. I endorsed her immediately, as of course did President Biden. She has earned this nomination. She has earned the support of the needed number of delegates to make her the nominee. She has done an extraordinary job over the last, what has it been, 72-96 hours, something like that, of consolidating the party behind her."
"For anyone calling for any open process, I will tell you we had one," he continued. "And you know what? She kicked butt, and she earned the support, and she earned the nomination, and I’m proud to support her."
Shapiro also called Harris' decision about a running mate a "deeply personal" one "that she is obviously quite familiar with because she went through it with then-candidate Biden when she was selected to serve as the vice president of the United States."
The decision should be made "free from any political pressure," Shapiro added.
Father of American hostage in Gaza rips Netanyahu visit as 'staged piece of political theater'
The father of one of the American hostages held in Gaza questioned Netanyahu's speech to Congress during an interview on MSNBC's "Andrea Mitchell Reports."
Jonathan Dekel-Chen, whose son Sagui Dekel-Chen has been held hostage in Gaza since Hamas' Oct. 7 attack on Israel, called Netanyahu’s visit to the U.S. this week a “staged piece of political theater." He said that “the vast majority of Israelis already understand” that Netanyahu is in “survival” mode,” and if the war in Gaza were to end, “it is doubtful” his coalition government “would survive.”
He also criticized the meeting Netanyahu held last night with hostage families as "neither intimate, nor just hostage families." He said Netanyahu brought his own guests to the meeting and the "most vocal were people not exposed to anything other than Bibi’s political line."
With Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, Democrats eye a VP pick who can win over blue-collar voters
Even if not directly stated, Andy Beshear knew why he was on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe”: an audition.
About halfway through an 11-minute interview Monday morning, the 48-year-old Kentucky governor, who comes from the state’s political royalty, seamlessly turned his attention to Ohio Sen. JD Vance, who last week was picked as Donald Trump’s running mate.
“I want the American people to know what a Kentuckian is and what they look like, because let me tell you, JD Vance ain’t from here,” Beshear said.
Beshear’s jab was no accident.
Vance’s selection last week was viewed, in part, through the lens of geography. He is from a small, poverty-stricken town in Ohio and seen as someone who could solidify the Trump campaign in key swaths of the Midwest and Pennsylvania.
After President Joe Biden made the historic decision to get out of the 2024 presidential race on Sunday, Vice President Kamala Harris became the party’s likely nominee and started the process of picking a running mate. Her shortlist includes several white governors from politically important states, including Pennsylvania’s Josh Shapiro, Michigan’s Gretchen Whitmer, Minnesota’s Tim Walz and Beshear.
Unlike the others, Beshear’s red-hued state is most likely not in play in 2024. The two-term red-state governor, though, won re-election last year in a state Trump won by more than 20 percentage points in 2020. He also won by 22 percentage points in the eastern Kentucky county that Vance referred to in his Republican National Convention speech, a county Trump claimed by 52 points in 2020. In a region where Democrats are still fighting for votes, Beshear is seen as someone with a bipartisan reputation who can serve as a counterbalance to Vance.
Senate committees to hold a joint hearing on Trump assassination attempt
The Senate Judiciary and Homeland Security Committees will hold a joint hearing next Tuesday on the attempted assassination of Trump, Judiciary Chair Dick Durbin, D-Ill., said today on the Senate floor.
“We have a responsibility to get to the bottom of how the Secret Service failed to protect former President Trump on July 13," Durbin said.
"We need to do this on a bipartisan basis," he continued. "Keep politics out of it. … We need to ask probing and important questions. We need to do it in a responsible way that avoids the kind of incendiary language that has become all too common in our country.”
Protesters gather at Capitol ahead of Netanyahu's address
Demonstrators protest ahead of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's address to a joint session of Congress today.
Demonstrators arrange mock coffins decorated with the Palestinian flag.
A group of Orthodox Jews protest near the Capitol.
Laptop linked to shooter showed Google search on Kennedy assassin Lee Harvey Oswald, FBI director says
FBI Director Christopher Wray testified at a House Judiciary Committee hearing today that a laptop tied to Trump's would-be assassin, Thomas Crooks, showed a Google search on July 6 that asked, “How far away was Oswald from Kennedy?”
The search refers to Lee Harvey Oswald, who assassinated President John F. Kennedy on Nov. 22, 1963.
Wray also said the shooter’s rifle “had a collapsible stock, which could explain why it might have been less easy for people to observe."
The hearing on FBI oversight has focused on the details surrounding the attempted assassination of Trump.
FBI head Christopher Wray calls DEI attacks an 'insult'
FBI Director Christopher Wray pushed back today on recent GOP slights against working women and people of color, telling a House Judiciary Committee hearing that it was an “insult” for critics to suggest they are less qualified for the job.
“Any notion that we have lowered our standards is just not accurate,” Wray said.
Diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives have come under criticism from some Republicans after the attempted assassination of Trump on July 13 and Biden's decision on Sunday to end his re-election campaign, making way for Harris as the front-runner for the Democratic presidential nomination.
On Monday, Rep. Tim Burchett, R-Tenn., told then-Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle that she was a “DEI horror story” during a hearing on the security lapses at Trump's rally. That day, Burchett also called Harris a “DEI vice president.”
During a House Judiciary Committee hearing today, when asked to address DEI attacks, Wray said the FBI's hiring process was as “competitive and selective as ever.”
The notion that women and people of color are “less qualified, frankly, is not at all consistent with what I’ve seen,” Wray said.
Wray is expected to continue testifying about the FBI’s investigation into the gunman’s motive and his preparations.
Romney says it's a 'mistake' for his GOP colleagues to attack Harris as a 'DEI hire'
Sen. Mitt Romney, of Utah, told NBC News that he thinks “it’s a mistake” for some of his Republican colleagues to call Vice President Harris a “DEI hire.”
“Let’s elevate the politics to a place where we talk about issues and a view for the future,” Romney said. “And both candidates ought to be doing that, as opposed to taking personal swipes.”
In a post on X on Monday, Rep. Tim Burchett, R-Tenn., called Harris a “DEI vice president,” using the initials for “diversity, equity and inclusion” programs.
Schumer says he will attend Netanyahu's speech despite disagreeing with his policies
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said in remarks on the Senate floor this morning that he plans to attend Netanyahu's speech this afternoon despite his differences with the Israeli prime minister.
“Even though I disagree with many of Bibi Netanyahu policies, I will attend the speech because the United States relationship with Israel remains ironclad and transcends any prime minister or president, and we must do all we can to get our hostages home," said Schumer, the highest-ranking Jewish official in the U.S. ever.
In March, Schumer called for new elections in Israel to replace Netanyahu as the country's prime minister, saying that he had "lost his way ... by allowing his political survival to take precedence over the best interests of Israel."
‘Dumb’ and a ‘DEI’ candidate: Trump and allies attack Harris on race and gender
When Biden announced he was dropping his re-election bid and throwing his support to Harris, the dynamics of the entire presidential race radically shifted.
No longer was it two white men born in the 1940s facing off — again — for who should return to the White House. Instead, it’s between Trump, a man who is 78, against Harris, who is 59 and would make history as the first woman of color to be president if elected.
And within a day, Harris was already facing attacks that centered on her race and gender, making it clear that while Republicans may try to tie her to some of Biden’s policies, she will face criticisms he never did.
Trump and his allies are taking pages from the same playbook they used the last time a woman was on top of the Democratic ticket. In 2016, Hillary Clinton’s qualifications, look and voice were also scrutinized. But this time, Republicans are also going after the background of Harris, the daughter of an Indian mother and a Jamaican father.
Some American hostage families upset with Netanyahu visit
Several of the six American hostage families who are in Washington for the Netanyahu speech said they are upset that he is here instead of in Israel trying to get their loved ones home.
They are also upset that he brought Israeli families to a meeting they had with him at his hotel Monday night — conducted in Hebrew — and every time they pressed him on the hostage deal, his aides would call on one of the prime minister’s supporters to validate his insistence that he still has to go after Hamas.
Some of the families will be watching his speech from the gallery at the invitation of Sen. Chris Coons, D-Del. Afterward, they are supposed to meet with House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., and Netanyahu.
After meeting with national security adviser Jake Sullivan this week, they say they are looking toward tomorrow’s joint meeting at the White House with Biden and Netanyahu as a chance for Sullivan and the president to pressure Netanyahu to agree to a deal as soon as next week with no new obstacles.
Biden clearly wants to get this done on his watch. Netanyahu is under huge pressure back home from the military, the intelligence and a majority of the Israeli public to wind the war down and agree to a cease-fire. Importantly, Hezbollah has said it will observe a Gaza cease-fire — which would de-escalate the threat from the north and permit 60,000 Israelis who’ve been evacuated from their homes near the Lebanon border since Oct. 7 to return home before school is set to reopen in the fall.
They also don’t know whether Netanyahu’s Friday meeting with Trump will help or hurt their cause: They worry Trump might encourage the Israeli leader to hold out until after the November election. They hope instead that Trump might want to take credit for closing the deal if it’s announced next week, saying he was Netanyahu's last meeting before flying home.
Analysis: How Harris can use her VP search to define herself
Building an airplane as it takes off is no way to build an airplane. And yet, sometimes, circumstances dictate that you have no choice but to try.
Of all the potential metaphors to use and abuse in this unprecedented moment, that’s probably the best one. Building a national campaign isn’t easy. It’s also exactly what Harris and the Democrats are doing with just over 100 days until Election Day.
Harris tried it once herself and experienced some ups but a lot more downs. She’s getting a massive head start this time compared to her 2020 primary campaign, thanks to what has turned into an almost seamless handoff from President Joe Biden to the new de facto Democratic nominee.
The Democratic National Committee seems set on trying to nominate Harris and her eventual running mate in a virtual delegate roll call before the actual convention begins. While I understand some of party leaders’ technical concerns around state laws and waiting until the start of the convention to officially nominate Harris and her running mate, it seems like an unnecessary step given the circumstances. The Democrats should welcome any GOP attempts to block Harris from a state ballot, because voters wouldn’t love the look, because there’s nothing about what the Democrats are doing that’s illegal or even unprecedented.
Fox News clarifies host's viral comments
A clip began circulating on the social media site X this morning of Fox News host Brian Kilmeade criticizing Vice President Kamala Harris for wasting time addressing a sorority. Some tweets said Kilmeade seemed to say "colored," while others said it was "college."
Democratic National Committee Chair Jaime Harrison jumped in and criticized Kilmeade, saying that "this clown thought it was correct and appropriate to use the term 'colored' to describe a distinguished and historic African American sorority."
In a statement, Fox News said Kilmeade did not say "colored," and tweets saying otherwise "completely misquoted and unnecessarily maligned Brian Kilmeade who clearly said college sorority."
Vance to miss Netanyahu speech, citing Trump campaign obligations
Among the lawmakers who will not make it to Netanyahu’s address to a joint meeting of Congress today is Sen. JD Vance as “he has duties to fulfill as the Republican nominee for Vice President,” per a statement from Jason Miller, senior adviser to the Trump campaign.
“Senator Vance stands steadfastly with the people of Israel in their fight to defend their homeland, eradicate terrorist threats, and bring back their countrymen held hostage," Miller said. "He will not however be in attendance for Prime Minister Netanyahu’s speech to Congress as he has duties to fulfill as the Republican nominee for Vice President.”
In addition, a source familiar notes that Vance will defer to Trump for direct communication with Netanyahu this week.
Pelosi to skip Netanyahu address; Rep. Thomas Massie first Republican to boycott
Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., is planning to skip Netanyahu's address, her spokesperson Ian Krager said in a statement today.
“Speaker Pelosi will not be attending today’s Joint Meeting of Congress," he said. "This morning, she will join a Members meeting with Israeli citizens whose families have suffered in the wake of the October 7th Hamas terror attack and kidnappings."
Rep. Thomas Massie, of Kentucky, is the first GOP lawmaker to say he'll boycott the speech, saying on X: "The purpose of having Netanyahu address Congress is to bolster his political standing in Israel and to quell int’l opposition to his war."
"I don’t feel like being a prop so I won’t be attending," he said.
Vote.org says more than 38,000 people registered to vote in last two days
Vote.org says that a surge in voter registrations over the past two days has set a record for the 2024 election cycle.
A spokesperson for the platform said the website saw more than 38,500 registrations since Biden's withdrawal. That outpaced when Taylor Swift posted on Instagram last September urging people to vote, driving about 34,000 registrations in 48 hours, the spokesperson said in an email.
The spokesperson also noted that 83% of those registrations came from young voters ages 18-34.
Inside the Harris campaign's thinking in selecting a running mate
Senior Harris campaign aides working on helping her pick a running mate are focused on choosing someone who can speak directly to older white voters and suburban women about crime, abortion and the economy and can defend Harris against voters who may be uncomfortable supporting a Black and South Asian woman, two sources familiar with the campaign’s thinking told NBC News.
The campaign’s thinking is informed by internal polling and what they see as the state of the nation and Trump’s messaging, the sources said. They view Harris’ VP search much like former President Barack Obama’s decision to tap Biden as his running mate in 2008.
A source familiar with the campaign’s thinking said Harris aides are “batting around internally” which potential running mates will “appeal in short order to that 1 or 2 percent of voters” in battleground states who will likely decide the election.
“They are feeling like you need somebody who can go in and talk to these suburban women,” the source said. “The internal polling is showing that’s who you’re targeting. You’re targeting them on reproductive rights. You’re targeting them on democracy. You’re targeting them on law and order. You’re not really trying to sell them on governing or on record or any of that, but these are sort of softer issues.”
A second source familiar with how the Harris campaign is approaching selecting her running mate said Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro and North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper are viewed as top contenders by many aides, though others, including Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, are also being vetted and considered also potential good choices.
The campaign is particularly interested in someone who will appeal to demographics and the voters that Biden would have brought to the table, including older white voters and suburban women, the source said.
Aides to Harris also would like the running mate to appeal specifically to white men who don’t like Trump but who may have doubts about voting for a Black and South Asian woman, the source said.
“Let’s just face it. There’s a lot of sexist, racist white dudes out there in America who don’t like Trump, but just need a little extra validation. And, bringing one of the people mentioned onto the ticket helps validate her among those constituents,” the source said, adding that the campaign would like the running mate to appeal both to battleground states and to be ready to fight back hard at Republican attacks.
The source noted that the campaign is “in the honeymoon stage right now” in its VP search, “but things are about to get real.”
“She needs someone who is going to be able to defend her and stand by her in the numerous hard times that are ahead. MAGA is just going to unleash,” the source said. “These are going to be terrifyingly crazy days. She needs someone who will be able to prop her up during hard times, and someone who, when these memes take hold, when the deepfakes take hold, when all those things start happening, will be able to stand by her and validate her to a small core constituency that will ultimately decide this election.”
Democrats are cautiously optimistic that they will finally have the first female president
In Harris’ quick, if unorthodox, rise to the top of the Democratic ticket, elected officials, activists and operatives see in her a new chance to beat Trump and make history in one swoop.
Eight years after Trump beat Hillary Clinton, Harris could be the first female president and the first Black woman and the first South Asian American to hold the nation’s top job, as well.
Democrats are somewhat optimistic, now armed with weapons they didn’t have in 2016: a messenger in Harris who is uniquely positioned to energize voters following the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn national abortion rights, more proof from the ballot box that women can win in battleground areas and the knowledge that Trump himself is beatable — if still politically dangerous.
“The lessons that still apply [from 2016] are that people need to take Trump and his supporters seriously,” Shaunna Thomas, who co-founded and runs the pro-women group Ultraviolet, told NBC News. “That’s even more of a top-line message than whether or not a woman can win the presidency.”
Harris to meet with Netanyahu tomorrow
Harris is expected to meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu tomorrow, press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said in a statement.
The highly anticipated meeting will come a day after Netanyahu’s address to a Congress that’s divided on the Israel-Hamas conflict and amid strained relations with the Biden administration as it tries to negotiate a cease-fire.
Netanyahu will meet separately with Biden tomorrow, as well. The two leaders will discuss the war in Gaza and efforts to reach a cease-fire deal, as well as the U.S. commitment to Israel's security, including countering threats from Iran," Jean-Pierre said.
Biden and Netanyahu will also meet with the families of Americans held hostage by Hamas, she said.
Trump plans to stop holding outdoor rallies after assassination attempt
Trump plans to stop holding outdoor rallies like the one where he was shot during an assassination attempt this month in Butler, Pennsylvania, according to two sources familiar with his campaign’s operations.
The sources said current plans are to hold indoor rallies, but they also said it’s possible Trump will participate in smaller outdoor events or larger rallies in facilities where entrances are more fully controlled and there are not issues with high ground nearby, like stadiums.
Spokespeople for the Trump campaign and the Secret Service did not immediately respond to requests for comment last night.
News of the shift in venues comes the day the director of the Secret Service, Kimberly Cheatle, announced her resignation. In her resignation letter, Cheatle said she took “full responsibility for the security lapse” in Pennsylvania.
Harris campaign outlines path to victory in new memo
In a new memo, the Harris campaign outlined what it views as the vice president’s pathway to victory and contextualized its belief that she is in a “position of strength” heading into the November election.
Campaign Chair Jen O’Malley Dillon cited Harris’ advantages with Black, Latino, Asian American, Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander, female and young voters. Dillon also pointed to the support Harris has gained through grassroots fundraising and her ability to communicate effectively on the issue of abortion rights.
“With a popular message, a strong record on the issues that matter most to swing voters, multiple pathways to 270 electoral voters, and unprecedented enthusiasm on her side, the Vice President is in a strong position to take on Donald Trump and win in 104 days,” Dillon wrote.
Dillon argued that Harris is “well positioned” to expand support from the 2020 election, citing voters who didn’t support for the Biden-Harris ticket that year but came out to vote for Democrats in the 2022 midterm elections as “Donald Trump’s Republican Party grew more and more extreme.”
Dillon, however, noted that the campaign must bring more awareness to Harris and her policies in order to win voters who aren't familiar with her.
“In a highly polarized electoral environment, this shift in the race opens up additional persuadable voters who our campaign can work to win the support of,” Dillon wrote. “This race is more fluid now — the Vice President is well-known but less well-known than both Trump and President Biden, particularly among Dem-leaning constituencies.”
“This expanded universe of winnable voters is highly accessible to Vice President Harris: We have a clear advantage on issues, they have been supportive of Democrats in the past, and many are supportive of Democrats down-ballot,” she added. “It is the job of the Harris campaign to win these voters, but the pathway to do so is clear.”
Dillon concluded that the campaign will be “close, it will be hard fought, but Vice President Harris is in a position of strength — and she’s going to win.”
Hundreds of pro-Palestinian protesters arrested on Capitol Hill ahead of Netanyahu visit
About 200 people were arrested yesterday during a pro-Palestinian protest in a congressional building the day before Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is set to address lawmakers.
The demonstration, which took place in the Cannon House Office Building, was organized by Jewish Voice for Peace.
U.S. Capitol Police said they warned protesters, who were chanting pro-Palestinian slogans, before the arrests began that demonstrating in the building was unlawful.
Harris’ presidential campaign team has requested vetting materials from five elected officials who could become her running mate. Among those officials are Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro and Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly.
Netanyahu to address Congress for first time since Oct. 7 attack on Israel
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is scheduled to address a joint meeting of Congress this afternoon, his first since Hamas’ terrorist attack on Israel killed 1,200 people and resulted in the taking of hostages to Gaza, where about 100 are still believed to be held captive.
Netanyahu’s speech at 2 p.m. ET comes at a critical period: The U.S. is in the middle of a chaotic election year, and the Biden administration continues to push negotiators toward a cease-fire agreement that could end the war in Gaza, where the death toll has surpassed an estimated 30,000 people, according to the Hamas-run Health Ministry.
“In my speech, I will emphasize the importance of bipartisan support for Israel, I will address our friends on both sides of the map and tell them that regardless of who will be chosen to lead the American people after the presidential elections, Israel is the most important ally of the United States in the Middle East, an irreplaceable ally,” Netanyahu said before he left for the U.S., according to his office.
He added, “I think that in this time of war and uncertainty, it is of utmost importance that our enemies know that the U.S. and Israel stand together — today, tomorrow and forever.”
After bowing out of the 2024 race, Biden embarks on a new project: Shaping his legacy
For more than three at-times excruciating weeks, Biden and his team were locked in a campaign to save his candidacy. With his prime-time address to the nation tonight, a new effort is underway: to shape his legacy.
A team of Biden’s closest advisers is already at work to plot out what that will look like. The discussion includes domestic priorities he could advance in coming budget negotiations with Congress or through executive action, diplomatic initiatives he could see through with a freer hand and accomplishing what he has described as the most elusive of the three goals he outlined in his 2020 campaign — unifying the country.
NBC News spoke to a half-dozen White House and campaign officials about what Biden is planning, and advisers said they recognize that the biggest factor shaping how he is viewed in history will be whether Vice President Kamala Harris is successful in her bid to succeed him.
“Everything is being viewed through that lens,” a White House official said.