White House fails to clear up Trump's Unabomber story
The president had insisted that Dr John Trump, a professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, had once taught a 'seriously good' student named Theodore 'Ted' Kaczynski, and recalled having a conversation with his uncle about him.
When told it would have been impossible for Dr Trump to have ever discussed the Unabomber with the now-president, Ms Leavitt told White House correspondent Andrew Feinberg on Thursday (17 July): "I'm a little bit surprised you would ask such a question.
"The president's uncle did in fact teach at MIT. He was a very intelligent professor. The president's very proud of his family."
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Independent
11 minutes ago
- The Independent
Columbia University to pay more than $220M in deal with Trump administration to restore federal funding
Columbia University has reached a deal with the Trump administration to pay more than $220 million to restore a federal funding cut over claims it failed to combat antisemitism on campus, the university announced Wednesday. The Ivy League school will pay a $200 million settlement to the federal government over three years, the university said. It will also pay $21 million to settle investigations brought by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. 'This agreement marks an important step forward after a period of sustained federal scrutiny and institutional uncertainty," acting University President Claire Shipman said. The Trump administration pulled the research funding over what it described as the university's failure to deal with antisemitism on campus during the Israel- Hamas war that began in October 2023. Columbia then agreed to a series of demands laid out by the administration, including overhauling the university's student disciplinary process and adopting a new definition of antisemitism. Wednesday's agreement, which does not include any admission of wrongdoing, codifies those reforms while preserving the university's autonomy, Shipman said. The school had been threatened with the potential loss of billions of dollars in government support, including more than $400 million in grants canceled earlier this year. 'The settlement was carefully crafted to protect the values that define us and allow our essential research partnership with the federal government to get back on track," Shipman said. "Importantly, it safeguards our independence, a critical condition for academic excellence and scholarly exploration, work that is vital to the public interest.' As part of the deal, Columbia agreed to a series of changes previously announced in March, including reviewing its Middle East curriculum to make sure it was 'comprehensive and balanced' and appointing new faculty to its Institute for Israel and Jewish Studies. It also promised to end programs 'that promote unlawful efforts to achieve race-based outcomes, quotes, diversity targets or similar efforts.' The university will also have to issue a report to a monitor assuring that its programs 'do not promote unlawful DEI goals.' Columbia said it has launched disciplinary action against students who participated in pro- Palestinian demonstrations. The protests included one inside the school's main library before final exams and an encampment during alumni weekend in 2024. A student activist group said nearly 80 students were told they have been suspended for one to three years, or expelled. The deal comes after months of uncertainty and fraught negotiations at the more than 270-year-old university. It was among the first targets of President Donald Trump's crackdown on pro-Palestinian campus protests and on colleges the president asserts have allowed Jewish students to be threatened and harassed. Columbia's own antisemitism task force found last summer that Jewish students had faced verbal abuse, ostracism and classroom humiliation during the spring 2024 demonstrations. But other Jewish students took part in the protests and protest leaders maintain they aren't targeting Jewish people but rather criticizing the Israeli government and its war in Gaza. Columbia's leadership has declared the campus climate needs to change. Also in the settlement is an agreement to ask prospective international students 'questions designed to elicit their reasons for wishing to study in the United States,' and establishes processes to make sure all students are committed to 'civil discourse.'
Daily Mail
12 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Trump ally Jeff Bezos eyes liberal network in potential bombshell deal that could transform cable news
Jeff Bezos is considering purchasing cable network CNBC when it splits with its parent company later this year, according to a new report. The deal could transform cable news as the world's fourth richest man continues to cozy up to President Donald Trump. Bezos already owns left-leaning The Washington Post a nd is the founder of Amazon, but according to the New York Post, he believes CNBC could be a good 'neutral voice' to add to his empire. The business and financial news channel would 'align well with his interests,' a source closes to Bezos told the publication. Trump often took issue with Bezos over his ownership of The Washington Post during his first term, but the relationship has softened in the second Trump administration. Bezos joined a host of tech CEOs on stage with Trump at his inauguration and last week enjoyed an hour-long private meeting with the president at the White House. Comcast is planning to split off its cable assets, which includes CNBC, MSNBC, USA Network and E!, by the end of the year. CNBC will be folded into publicly traded company Versant, led by Chief Executive Mark Lazarus and a team of NBCUniversal executives. But sources close to Comcast and Versant have cast doubt over whispers of Bezos' interest in purchasing the network. One source said Bezos has not approached executives regarding his supposed interest. Another said Versant has big plans to grow CNBC, and is not interested in selling the asset. The publication stated Versant has a two year window in which it cannot sell major assets - including CNBC - without major tax implications. It is unlikely the company would be willing to jeopardize the tax-free status of the spinoff, no matter how much Bezos would be willing to pay, one source said. Bezos is the fourth richest person in the world, with a net worth of around $241billion, according to Forbes. He recently married Lauren Sanchez in an elaborate, celebrity-filled celebration in Italy, sparking fury among locals. Their $50million wedding had a star-studded guest list with many A-listers such as Oprah Winfrey, Orlando Bloom, Tom Brady, Kim Kardashian and Leonardo DiCaprio in attendance. The happy couple got married in a restored amphitheater on the island, as Sánchez wore a high-neck, long sleeve lace Dolce & Gabbana gown that took over 900 hours to make, per Vogue. The gown featured a flared skirt, long veil, and a tight-fitting waist, with tons of buttons going up the middle. 'Very Lauren. Sexy, happy, not too serious, not too drama. Elegant but at the same time sensual,' Domenico Dolce told the outlet about the bride's dress. The pair were seen having a romantic date night in St Tropez, France, on Wednesday.
The Guardian
12 minutes ago
- The Guardian
MLS commissioner defends ban on ‘political' signage at games amid Ice crackdown
MLS commissioner Don Garber defended the league's ban on political signage from fan groups but said that teams are allowed to make political statements in a press conference with reporters before the MLS All-Star game on Wednesday evening. Asked by the Guardian US to comment on protests and statements from MLS supporters' groups against Immigration Customs Enforcement (Ice) and the federal government's broader immigration crackdown, Garber said that the league's primary concern is keeping games safe for fans to attend. The commissioner said that ensuring fan groups do not unveil displays that are political in nature is part of that goal. 'We want to ensure that we're having displays that are not going to incite anyone,' Garber said in part. 'The best way to do that is to have the policy we have, which prohibits having political signage or anything to do with legislative acts on display in our stadiums. 'I understand and sympathize with those that are impacted by this. I grew up in a very diverse environment. We are a very diverse league, but we have to be very thoughtful about how we engage in this situation.' MLS has said in the past that it estimates around 30% of its fans are Hispanic. As Ice raids have taken place in public places across the country, numerous MLS supporters' groups have spoken out about how the current environment contributes to them feeling unsafe at MLS games. In May, Latino supporters of Nashville SC paused gameday activities due to Ice's crackdown, telling SixOneFive Soccer that they feel 'targeted', and the Athletic that they feel 'hunted' given the general environment in the state. In this past weekend's LAFC v LA Galaxy match, LAFC supporters unveiled a tifo reading 'Los Angeles unidos jamás será vencido' ('Los Angeles, united, will never be defeated') after Ice raids in the California metropolis that led to more than 2,700 arrests. As of mid-June, Ice data shows there were more than 11,700 people in immigration detention who had been arrested despite having no track record of being charged with or convicted of a crime. LAFC issued a statement about the Los Angeles raids, saying that 'today, when so many in our city are feeling fear and uncertainty, LAFC stands shoulder to shoulder with all members of our community'. At time of writing, they remain the only MLS team to have made such a statement. The LA Galaxy banned fans responsible for displaying anti-Ice banners at a recent game, with other supporters boycotting the match against LAFC in protest. Anti-Ice banners have also been seen in Austin, the site of Wednesday's All-Star game, Chicago and other markets. Sign up to Soccer with Jonathan Wilson Jonathan Wilson brings expert analysis on the biggest stories from European soccer after newsletter promotion Asked whether he thinks the league has a responsibility to protect fans as Ice raids continue across the country, and how the league is thinking about this topic generally, Garber said: 'I don't think the league has the ability to serve as an entity to protect anyone. That being said, we want our stadiums to stay safe.' However, he said, 'if teams want to make a statement, they can. I don't think any team should be required to. Certainly the league is not, has not, and will not make a statement on this. We just want to continue to do whatever we can to ensure that our games are safe for all of our fans.'
