Latest news with #Wolff
Mint
2 days ago
- Politics
- Mint
Melania met Donald Trump through Epstein social circle? Trump biographer drops bombshell claim
Donald Trump biographer Michael Wolff has suggested that First Lady Melania Trump may have had closer ties to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein than previously known. Wolff reportedly claimed Melania was 'very involved' in Epstein's social scene and suggested that it was through this network that she met Donald Trump. 'She's introduced by a model agent, both of whom Trump and Epstein are involved with. She's introduced to Trump that way. Epstein [knew] her well,' Wolff was quoted as saying by The Daily Beast in a podcast interview. Wolff also spoke about the First Lady's recurring absence from her husband's legal and political battles, asserting that she often keeps a calculated distance. 'She never is by his side,' Wolff said according to the news outlet. Referring to Donald Trump's many courtroom appearances, Wolff added: 'She shows up once. I report in my book that one of the aides approached her and she said, 'Nice try,' and then laughed.' In response to the allegations, the Trump campaign issued a scathing rebuttal, the report stated. White House Communications Director Steven Cheung dismissed Wolff's claims and attacked his credibility. 'Michael Wolff is a lying sack of s--t and has been proven to be a fraud,' Cheung said in a statement as quoted. 'He routinely fabricates stories originating from his sick and warped imagination, only possible because he has a severe and debilitating case of Trump Derangement Syndrome that has rotted his peanut-sized brain.' Melania Trump, who has generally avoided public comment on the matter, recently shared a two-page excerpt from her bestselling memoir "Melania", in which she refutes any suggestion that Epstein played a role in her meeting Trump. In the excerpt posted last week, she wrote that she met Donald Trump at Manhattan's Kit Kat Club, not through Epstein's circle. The Trump administration has been under scrutiny over any potential connections to Epstein, particularly after a July 6 memo from the Department of Justice and FBI reaffirmed that Epstein died by suicide in jail while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges in 2019. The report also reiterated that no 'client list' of co-conspirators exists — a point frequently challenged by Trump's MAGA base.
Newsweek
4 days ago
- Automotive
- Newsweek
Mercedes Chief Toto Wolff Fears Christian Horner Return With the FIA
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff fears a return of former Red Bull Racing team principal Christian Horner with Formula One's governing body, the FIA. Wolff joked that he would "be in the s**t" if Horner returned with the FIA. Red Bull parted ways with Horner after the British Grand Prix with immediate effect, replacing him with former Racing Bulls team principal Laurent Mekies. This weekend's Belgian Grand Prix will mark Red Bull's first race in F1 without Horner leading the team. Wolff and Horner are not known for their friendship. Their rivalry peaked during the 2021 season when Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen battled closely for the championship. Wolff hinted that Horner won't be away from F1 for a long time, joking that he would be in trouble if Horner joined the FIA. When asked if he was going to miss Horner, Wolff said: Red Bull Racing Team Principal Christian Horner and Mercedes GP Executive Director Toto Wolff talk in the Team Principals Press Conference during practice ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Miami at Miami International Autodrome... Red Bull Racing Team Principal Christian Horner and Mercedes GP Executive Director Toto Wolff talk in the Team Principals Press Conference during practice ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Miami at Miami International Autodrome on May 05, 2023 in Miami, Florida. More Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images "In a way, yes. He was one of the main [characters] and I don't think he has gone forever, I think he's going to pop up in some kind of function. "I need to be careful, he could be rocking up at the FIA, and then I am really in the shit, so you never know. But if you look at it, he was a main protagonist, he was controversial and polarising and not soft-washed, and that is good from the entertainment factor. "From that perspective, he is going to be missed, and his track record speaks for itself." When asked if he had contacted Horner after his exit, he said: "No, not yet, I didn't find it appropriate for the time being, but I certainly will [contact him]." Wolff has been in the news recently, given reports about his talks with Verstappen for a potential future signing with Mercedes. Clearing the air, Wolff revealed at Spa that George Russell and Andrea Kimi Antonelli will likely form Mercedes' driver lineup in 2026. He said: "Discussions have been taking place over the last weeks and months, so they are all up to date. "The direction of travel is that we want to continue with George and Kimi. That is the first priority. "But you can't look past someone like Max and the plans he has for the future. We did that, but I don't think there will be any big surprises." Dismissing reports of meeting Verstappen off the coast of Sardinia during the mini break in July, Wolff said: "What's new is that people are doing photo collages with airplanes. We've never had that before. "But if you spend your holidays close to each other, it doesn't mean that you're going to work together in Formula 1. "We have always gotten along well and by chance we like to spend our holidays at the same places."
Newsweek
4 days ago
- Automotive
- Newsweek
Toto Wolff Denies Idea That Christian Horner Sacking Was His Fault
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Mercedes CEO Toto Wolff denied playing a role in the firing of former Red Bull team principal Christian Horner. Wolff is rumored to be in full pursuit of Red Bull driver Max Verstappen, chasing after the reigning four-time champion over the past year and a half, despite him recently confirming his focus on his own drivers. Some reports from the paddock suggest that Red Bull executives decided to remove Horner in an attempt to appease Verstappen's camp after growing weary of the team boss's leadership. The Dutch driver has clauses in his contract that could trigger a move away from the team. Oracle Red Bull Racing Team Principal Christian Horner talks with Mercedes GP Executive Director Toto Wolff in the Paddock prior to Sprint Qualifying ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Austria at Red Bull Ring... Oracle Red Bull Racing Team Principal Christian Horner talks with Mercedes GP Executive Director Toto Wolff in the Paddock prior to Sprint Qualifying ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Austria at Red Bull Ring on June 28, 2024 in Spielberg, Austria. More Photo bySeeing an opportunity to poach Verstappen, Wolff has been working on the move for a month, exploring the possibility of making the driver transfer happen. While Mercedes' interest in Verstappen potentially put pressure on Red Bull, Wolff doesn't believe it factored into the decision. "There is much more in the background that we probably don't know with Red Bull," he told Sky Sports at the Belgian Grand Prix weekend. "Looking after drivers, in my position as team principal of Mercedes, I need to explore what Max is going to do in the next few years, not only next year." Now that Horner is out of the picture, Verstappen's future is more unclear than ever before, but the Mercedes boss figures it will come down to who the driver feels has the better car in the future. "I think drivers will always seek the quickest car, much more than any monetary incentives," Wolff added. "It's about the quickest car and analyzing that. That's what Max and all the others will do." More news: Max Verstappen Backed Christian Horner Days Before Red Bull Sacking Mercedes is balancing their driver issues as star driver George Russell remains without a contract for the upcoming season and Kimi Antonelli is still developing. Both drivers are in limbo until Verstappen makes a firm decision one way or another, though Wolff believes both are likely to remain at the team next season. "This is all a long-shot, far-fetched. I want to stay with Kimi and George as it stands," he said. "Everything else is not realistic. If you have a Russell-Verstappen line-up, that's Prost-Senna." "There is the largest of probabilities, [though] nothing is 100 per cent, that this will be the line-up next year [Russell and Antonelli]." Verstappen is lined up as the key domino to fall in the drivers market, keeping everything locked in place until he makes his decision. More news: Sebastian Vettel Provides Update On F1 Future Amid Red Bull Rumors For more F1 news, head on over to Newsweek Sports.
Iraqi News
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Iraqi News
Verstappen and Wolff laugh off Sardinia holiday stories
Spa-Francorchamps – Red Bull driver Max Verstappen and Mercedes boss Toto Wolff on Thursday laughed off suggestions they held talks about a potential team move while both happened to be on holiday at the same time in Sardinia ahead of the Belgian Grand Prix. The pair were reported to have been seen and photographed together on the Italian island following the British Grand Prix and after the shock sacking of Red Bull team boss Christian Horner. But Verstappen told reporters that he was 'swimming in the ocean at the time' and Wolff said he was impressed that people were producing 'photo collages', and that it was coincidental they were both in Sardinia. 'Well, I was swimming in the ocean at the time,' said Verstappen of the claims before dismissing them. 'I don't really care about those things. 'Because I went on holiday with my friends, my family, and when other people also are there at the same time, that can happen. I mean, there are more people on the island than just me and Toto and the family. 'If you go to the same island, that can happen.' Wolff conceded it was unlikely Verstappen would be joining Mercedes after rumours had abounded in recent weeks about a shock team move. 'The direction of travel is definitely that we want to continue with George (Russell) and Kimi (Antonelli). That is the absolute priority,' he said. 'But you can't look past someone like Max and the plans he has for the future. We did that, but I don't think there will be any big surprises. 'What is new is that people are doing photo collages with aeroplanes. We've never had that before! 'But if you spend your holidays close to each other, it doesn't mean that you're going to work together in Formula One. We have always got along well and by chance we like to spend our holidays at the same places.'
New Straits Times
5 days ago
- Automotive
- New Straits Times
Mercedes aiming to keep Russell and Antonelli next season
LONDON: George Russell and Kimi Antonelli are Mercedes' first choice for next season, team boss Toto Wolff said in comments appearing to rule out an immediate move for Red Bull's four-time Formula One champion Max Verstappen. Verstappen is third overall at the midpoint of the 24-round campaign, 69 points behind McLaren's overall leader Oscar Piastri and 61 adrift of the Australian's British teammate Lando Norris. The Dutch driver's dream of a fifth successive title is disappearing and, with a new engine era starting in 2026 and the Mercedes power unit expected to be the pick of the field, there has been talk of Verstappen switching. That speculation was put in even sharper focus after Red Bull sacked long-serving team boss Christian Horner this month, with Laurent Mekies in charge at this weekend's Belgian Grand Prix. Russell's contract expires at the end of the season, although he is also managed by Mercedes, while 18-year-old rookie Antonelli only joined this year and is a big talent for the future. "The direction of travel is that we want to continue with George and Kimi. That is the first priority," Wolff told Austria's ORF television on Wednesday. "You can't look past someone like Max and the plans he has for the future. We did that, but I don't think there will be any big surprises." ORF said that while Verstappen had performance clauses, he would have needed to be outside the top three after Silverstone to trigger his contract release. Social media lit up this month after Wolff and Verstappen were reported to be on vacation at the same time and in the same area of Sardinia, but the Mercedes boss dismissed any significance in that. "If you go on holiday close to each other, it doesn't mean that you are also going to work together in Formula One," he said. "We have always got along well. We also happen to vacation in similar areas." - REUTERS
