@CurtisHouck - Curtis Houck
#BREAKING: The person of interest taken into custody related to the Brown University shooting is being RELEASED and police are now resuming their search for the shooter. Wow. https://t.co/96Ep8d5bbs
@CurtisHouck - Curtis Houck
Today’s “new media seat” at the White House press briefing went to @ZeroHedge’s @Cosgrove_IV... Cosgrove: “The President has made several moves towards peace in multiple fronts. India-Pakistan, with the Houthis, talking with Iran, and talking with Putin. Biden didn't even talk to Putin for the entire span of the war, which is crazy, considering two nuclear powers were engaged in a proxy war. So I do admire these moves by the current president. I'll be honest, however. We — as of today, we are still funding both Israel's and Ukraine's wars. So can Americans expect to finally be done financing foreign wars that at some point, would you consider that one of the president's goals? @PressSec @KarolineLeavitt: “Well, I think I can summarize the president's foreign policy agenda with two words America first. And that means putting the American people and the American taxpayer first. And that's why the President is moving as quickly as he possibly can and working overtime to end these conflicts in both Israel and Gaza and also the Russia-Ukraine war. As you all know, the president will be speaking with Putin at 1000. He plans to call President Zelensky when that call concludes. I spoke to the President about that call at 100. I don't want to get ahead of those very important conversations, but of course, you will hear directly from the President or me after those calls conclude today, so you can expect that. As for Israel and Gaza, the President continues to not only himself, but his national security team engage in talks on both sides of this conflict. The President made it very clear to Hamas that he wanted to see all hostages released and last week, when we were flying out of town, there was great news on that front with the return of Edan Alexander, who was the last remaining hostage in Gaza. So to answer your question, the president is always thinking about the American people, the American taxpayer. First, he wants these conflicts to end, not just to save money, but most importantly, to save lives.”
@CurtisHouck - Curtis Houck
.@ZeroHedge’s @Cosgrove_IV: “Over the weekend, President Trump posted to Truth Social a video highlighting what most people call the Clinton body count, which is the strange number of suicides that seem to happen in Clinton circles. I have a headline here from the Washington Post that said ‘Trump peddles false conspiracy theories tying the Clintons to several deaths.’ So I just wanted to highlight real quick this wasn't in Trump's video, but this is from the Arkansas Times, and it's the death of Mark Middleton, who was a former Clinton White House aide who was found dead on a Clinton Foundation property. And I'll just quote from the Arkansas Times: ‘Middleton apparently shot himself in the chest with a shotgun and also hung himself from a tree with an extension cord.’ So, I have no idea how somebody commits suicide that way. But if The Washington Post is here, maybe you can enlighten us as to how that was actually a suicide. So anyways, that's just a lead in to my question about the most famous Clinton-related suicide, which is that of Jeffrey Epstein. There's still a lot of questions around that case. You've released phase one of The Epstein Files. What was missing from that is any connection to his ties to intelligence agencies and that's really the whole story that not just trafficking young girls, but doing it on behalf of intelligence agencies and even potentially as part of a blackmail ring with potential ties to the Israeli government. So for phase two, when can we expect it? Will it have information pertaining to those aspects of the Epstein case?” @PressSec @KarolineLeavitt: “I know the attorney general has committed to releasing those files. I would defer you to the Department of Justice on her timeline, but when she has made a promise in the past, she has kept it. And I'm certain that she will in this case as well.”
@CurtisHouck - Curtis Houck
CNN aviation correspondent and private pilot @PeteMunteen: "I'm stumbling over my words here b/c this is just so staggering that there is a midair collision involving a commercial airliner. Commercial flights are equipped for ages with a system called TCAS -- Traffic collision Avoidance System. It tells the pilots in the cockpit how to avoid other airplanes nearby. It is a system that came about because of mid-air collisions with commercial airliners and small general aviation aircraft, commercial airliners and helicopters. It tells the pilots, there's traffic ahead of you -- climb, climb, now descend, descend now. This would be an incredible lining up of the holes in the Swiss cheese, the -- the which is the saying in aviation, the gaps in the -- in the safety chain in aviation, that this happened and now investigators have an incredible amount of work cut out for them to figure out how a commercial airliner in the United States in 2025, when the pilots are incredibly trained, the technology is is incredibly sharp, collided with what is apparently a military or government helicopter. Nobody else uses the blackhawk. Yeah, it is -- it is really something else. I -- I -- I'm just stunned."
@CurtisHouck - Curtis Houck
.@SeungMinKim: "I wanted to ask about [Biden]'s reaction to the legal developments yesterday & w/the initial plea deal for [Hunter] appearing to fall apart." KJP: "So...I'm not going to share anything more than what I shared yesterday. This is a personal matter for Hunter Biden"
@CurtisHouck - Curtis Houck
@seungminkim ABC's @ESchulze: "Is the president concerned his son's legal challenges will continue to take attention away from the WH now that this plea deal has fallen apart?" KJP: "I'm not going to speak to the politics...I'm not going to...characterize any of this for the President." https://t.co/qAOvWaYpek
@CurtisHouck - Curtis Houck
@seungminkim @eschulze ABC's @ESchulze: "Has [President Biden] spoken to Hunter?" KJP: "I'm just not going to speak to any private conversation that the President has with his family." https://t.co/9LICb4v7Sp
@CurtisHouck - Curtis Houck
@seungminkim @eschulze Fox's @MarkPMeredith: "Is there any possibility that the President would end up pardoning his son?" KJP: "No." Meredith: "But is there--" KJP: "I just said no. I just answered!" https://t.co/3BqkWAp5t5
@CurtisHouck - Curtis Houck
@seungminkim @eschulze @markpmeredith .@GeoffEarle: "The tax matter that had Hunter Biden in court...saying that he hadn't paid $1.2 to about $1.5 million in taxes owed...Was [Joe Biden] aware...that he wasn't filing his returns...and, also, did he ever advise him to pay?...Did they ever discuss [it]?" KJP ducks. https://t.co/8JMAPXAK8o
@CurtisHouck - Curtis Houck
@seungminkim @eschulze @markpmeredith @GeoffEarle .@GeoffEarle: "Does he think, in light of this, to beef up enforcement?" KJP: "I've--I've answered this question over and over again. Nothing has changed b/w the statement I made yesterday. Nothing's going to change from the few times I've gotten this" https://t.co/G8nxTZJHwG
@CurtisHouck - Curtis Houck
@seungminkim @eschulze @markpmeredith @GeoffEarle .@GeoffEarle: "Does [the President][ have concerns that the deal prosecutors put together fell apart & couldn't make it by the judge?" KJP: "We're just not going to--we're not going to comment on specifics of the case." https://t.co/to25F8vpnp
@CurtisHouck - Curtis Houck
@seungminkim @eschulze @markpmeredith @GeoffEarle .@BrianKarem: "Can you state...the administration has neither sought, nor received, favorable treatment from the DOJ for any investigation into the President, members of the administration, his family, or...Donald Trump? KJP: "Absolutely not...[He] respects the rule of law." https://t.co/JfmnJh7WfR
@CurtisHouck - Curtis Houck
WATCH: Governor Ron DeSantis TORCHES Kamala Harris for accusing him of being "selfish" "playing political games" after #Helene and ahead of #Milton and ignoring her: "We've been laser focused on leveraging all resources...I've been in touch with both FEMA and the President as well as marshaling our state agencies and working to support our local communities and so, for Kamala Harris tried to say that my sole focus on the people of Florida is somehow selfish is delusional. She has no role in this. In fact she's been vice president for three and a half years, I've dealt with a number of storms under this administration, she has never contributed anything to any of these efforts and so, what I think is selfish is her trying to blunder into this...Here's the thing -- she has no role -- know, she has no role in this process. I'm in contact with the president of the United States. I'm in contact with FEMA director, I'm obviously managing a lower state agencies. We're supporting our local government and I will say this. I've had storms under President Trump and President Biden and I've worked well with both of them. She is the first one was trying to politicize the storm and she's doing that just because of her campaign. She's trying to get some type of an edge. She knows she's doing poorly and so she's playing this political games. I don't have time for political games. I've got peoples whose lives are on the line. I've got peoples whose homes and their positions are on the line and we are focused 100% on that mission. I'm not worried about playing her political games earmark and so, she is being selfish by trying to blunder into this when we're working just fine."
@CurtisHouck - Curtis Houck
Turning down the temperature? Biden: Trump and Republicans will “do everything – undo everything they NAACP stands for, but now they're trying to deny it. They’re lying about their Project 2025. They want to deny you freedom, the freedom of the vote, have your vote counting....They’re going to prosecute political enemies...They want to cut Social Security, Medicare, rip away protection for millions of pre-existing conditions for 400 people...risking people’s lives, costing the government more money...Give the very wealthy a big corporate --corporations a new tax cut.”
@CurtisHouck - Curtis Houck
Can't you just FEEL the tone being soothed? Biden: “They've already evisivated [sic] — eviscerated affirmative action. It’d also decimate diversity, equity, and inclusion all across American life. They’re already trying to do it by banning books. They’re trying to erase black history. Black history is American history. Folks, I'm not being dramatic that we cannot let that happen. That's why it's so important to me — was so important to be to make Juneteenth a federal holiday. They can’t erase it...That’s why I made lynching a federal hate crime in Emmett Till’s memory and that's where you being reminded — remember what they’re trying to do...Black history is American history as simple as that let me close with this. The Palms [sic] tells us I’ve been young and now I’m old, but I've not seen the righteous forsaken. I have not seen the righteous foresaken and I will not see the righteous foresaken. Hopefully, with age, I've demonstrated a little bit of wisdom. Here's what I do know. I know how to tell the truth. I know right from wrong. I know how to do this job and I know the Good Lord hasn't brought us as far to leave us now. There’s more work to do. This is about being engaged with the work you're doing to recruit hundreds of thousands of volunteers, move millions of people to make their voices heard may well determine America's future for decades to come. Folks, that’s important. We must all be defenders for freedom justice, equality, and the bedrock of democracy. But there's been no more important voice in that truth than the voices of the Black community. When America’s failed to live up to what we say we believe, you don’t give up hope. Nor do I. We've always loved this country, even when it’s not loved us back.”
@CurtisHouck - Curtis Houck
Ahhh, can you feel the soul of the nation restored? Biden: “What America do you want to leave [for your children]?....America — possibilities. Nothing is beyond our capacity. America, where it’s full of promises for everybody. America where racism and violence have no longer the ghost that for too long have haunted the nation. Folks, this is about you and your families and everything the NAACA has stood for — for a generation — freedom, democracy. America, always marching, always believing, always keeping the faith. We're going to do this”.
@CurtisHouck - Curtis Houck
#BREAKING: CNN's John Miller reveals three new details on the gunman who tried to assassinate Donald Trump: - Earlier in the day, he went through Secret Service security WITH his rangefinder and scoped out the snipers, who spotted him and said they need to keep an eye on him. - He went into work at a nursing home and asked off for Saturday, but told coworkers he'd see them on Sunday - Detonators for the explosives in his car were found on him on the roof with three, fully loaded magazines of nearly 100 rounds and a bulletproof vest
@CurtisHouck - Curtis Houck
FBN's @EdwardLawrence: “So, the President says that he wants to let the tax cuts — the Trump tax cuts expire. If that law expires, it does raise taxes on almost every American. So, does he still support that expiring without anything else in place?” KJP: “So, look, the — as you said, the President is going to allow — is going to — is — is — is — is going to let the Trump tax cut expire and he was very clear, but he will not raise taxes on anyone less than $400,000 — uh — a year. That is — that is part of the budget that you saw came out — uh — and — uh — it's going to expire for the wealthy, so been very clear about that. You know, look, this is a President that's going to make sure that we protect and not raise taxes for — for people making $400,000 less a year and — and Republicans want to do the opposite. They want to give tax breaks to corporations and billionaires. They said that. They want to cut Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid. Who does that hurt? That hurts everyday Americans. And so, the President has been really clear about that. He wants to expand Affordable Care Act — as you see him doing that for Americans, making sure that they have good health care. And so, that's what the President is going to focus on.”
@CurtisHouck - Curtis Houck
FBN's @EdwardLawrence: “But he still — the President can't pick and choose which part of the law sunsets. The entire law will sunset and the Tax Foundation says that someone who's married, two kids, making 85,000 would pay $1,700 more in taxes. That's somebody under $400,000 who would see —” KJP: “The President has been very clear He's going to protect working — working and middle class Americans making less of $400,000 a year. He's been very clear on that — Bob [sic] — about that. Republicans want to do the opposite. They literally want to do the opposite. They want to give a tax break to billionaires and corporations. That's what they said. They want to cut Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security. That's what they want to do. And so, the President is going to do everything that he can as he's building this economy from the middle out and the bottom up to protect everyday. That's what he wants to do. Make sure that the middle class is strong. That's what he's gonna do. Republicans in Congress are saying the opposite. Literally, they're saying the opposite. So that's been the President's plan from day one, and he's going to continue that plan.”
@CurtisHouck - Curtis Houck
JACQUI TIME: "Why are you repeating this false claim that Republicans voted to reduce the number of Border Patrol agents even though The Washington Post gave the administration three Pinnochioes for that?" KJP: "So, we don’t believe it’s a false claim. Our statements were very direct here. Last year, House GOP voted — voted — and not only did they vote for it, they touted — they touted their Limit, Save, Grow Act. That’s the act." .@JacquiHeinrich: "They were still appropriations for that and they vowed —" KJP: "Well, let me —" Heinrich: "— that it would never —" KJP: "— but they — they limit —" Heinrich: "— never affect Border Patrol." KJP: "— they — they — they voted for and touted it, right? This is an act. And this would have forced the elimination of 2,000 Border Patrol agents. That’s what this act that they touted, that they voted for in the House. So, that was their proposal. And that was what —" Heinrich: "They clearly —" KJP: "— they voted for back in May."
@CurtisHouck - Curtis Houck
.@JacquiHeinrich: "[T]hey clearly stated at that time that Border Patrol, also veterans benefits, and entitlements would never be impacted by any of the reductions. And, also, the bill never had any appropriations in it. So, this claim that you guys are rolling out —" KJP: "Yeah?" Heinrich: "— you know, it’s the White House applying White House math to a bill that never had any appropriations. And, moreover, members in Congress who, you know, put this together, vowed that it wouldn’t affect CBP. So, the reason I — I ask is because it’s just, you know, to — to voters, don’t you think they know the difference between, you know, what is a truthful statement and what is spin and is it insulting to them to keep saying it when it was — it’s just not true?" KJP: "Haha. One thing that the President does not do is insult vote — insult voters or American people to be more exact because I want to be more careful about what I can say about this upcoming election. What I will say is, if you look at the bill, this act, that they touted, that they voted for — House Republicans back in May — they were — it was very clear it would have forced — it would have forced the immol — elimination of 2,000 Border Patrol agents. That’s what that act would have done. We were very direct about that. We were very clear about that. That is what they touted. This is what they put out there. This is what House Republicans voted for. I mean, that’s where they are. They have gotten in the way every time we are trying to deal with the border. House Republicans have gotten in the way. So, we appreciate the bipartisan conversation that we’re having with Republicans — let’s not forget with Republicans in the Senate — that’s why it’s bipartisan — and Democrats — on dealing with the border — the border. House Republicans get in the way. They want it — to literally eliminate 2,000 Border Patrol agents in this particular act that they touted, that they voted for back in May."
@CurtisHouck - Curtis Houck
.@JacquiHeinrich: "So, notwithstanding all of the fact-checks on that. If you’re saying that, you know, the WH, the President doesn’t want to, you know, insult the American people, will the administration then amend its separate statement that implied that Texas officials were responsible for the deaths of three migrants when, in fact, they had nothing to do with it. They had already been dead for an hour by the time Mexico told anyone in the U.S. about it and the administration admitted as much in the court filing. They — they acknowledged that in their court filing, but the statement implies that Texas was responsible and a number of outlets were forced to issue corrections and editor’s notes because of that WH statement. So, will the WH amend that statement?" KJP: "So, let’s be sensitive here. Three people died. Three migrants died. Two children and a woman. That was devastating. Devastating situation. Heartbreaking situation. So, let’s be really mindful of what we’re talking about here." Heinrich: "Of course." KJP: "I want to take a step back and — and just — as you’re talking about our statement — look — as I — as I mentioned, a woman and two children died. They drowned near Eagle Pass, which is, as I said, devastating. And that Texas officials blocked Border Patrol from accessing the area. That’s what was happening at that time. Our statement is consistent with DOJ’s filing. As the DOJ filing said, there was an ongoing emergency situation that Border Patrol was blocked from accessing. There were other migrants in the — in the water as well." Heinrich: "That’s a separate thing, but the ongoing —" KJP: "But I’m just saying there was —" Heinrich: "— emergency situation was separate." KJP: "— there was an ongoing —" Heinrich: "And this — the WH statement implied — it says — the WH statement says that Texas official blocked U.S. Border Patrol from attempting to provide emergency assistance." KJP: "To — there were other — there were other migrants in the water as well." Heinrich: "Then why wasn’t that included in the statement —" KJP: "There were other migrants in the water as well." Heinrich: "— that — if that’s what you were referring to?" KJP: "But the — our — our statement does — is very much consistent with DOJ filing. Anything else specific you want to know about that? I would certainly refer you to DOJ."
@CurtisHouck - Curtis Houck
CNN's @JakeTapper: "Egypt, Jordan, I mean, Qatar, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, all these countries that prepare--that talk about how much they care about the Palestinians, they could help right now. They could help the Palestinians escape. They could say okay, stop bombing and we will go in there and we will help Gaza, like, become a thriving society. They could do all sorts of things. They have money, by the way. Where are they?"
@CurtisHouck - Curtis Houck
KJP completely freezes out @NYPost's @StevenNelson10, stating with a smirk that "I'm not calling on you today!" Nelson hit back: "You should be ashamed of that! That shows disrespect to a free and independent media! It's blasphemous to one of our country's largest & widely read newspapers, Karine. That shows contempt for a free and independent press."