US vice president Kamala Harris involved in car accident which Secret Service initially described as a ‘mechanical failure’

Published

3 years ago

October 6, 2022

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US vice president Kamala Harris was involved in a car accident that was initially reported to Secret Service chiefs as a “mechanical failure” – though the vehicle hit a kerb and she was transferred to another car.

The agent driving her on Monday to work at the White House struck the side pavement of a tunnel hard enough that the tyre needed to be replaced, The Washington Post reported.

Secret Service director Kim Cheatle was said to have expressed concerns that the incident had been initially described as a mechanical failure, and was then relieved to get the fuller account, according to the newspaper report.

“During a protective movement Monday, a vehicle in a motorcade had a minor overcorrection and struck a kerb,” agency spokesman Anthony Guglielmi said.

“The protectee [Harris] was transferred to a secondary vehicle and the motorcade continued to its destination. There were no injuries to anyone.”

He added that although the incident was initially reported as a mechanical failure, later “leadership was verbally updated with additional pertinent facts that the vehicle struck a kerb”.

Ms Harris’s press secretary, Kirsten Allen, confirmed the incident on Wednesday, saying: “The vice president sustained no injuries and appreciates the quick response by her USSS detail to get her to the White House safely.”

Stopped motorcade ‘a big no-go’

A source familiar with the incident told NBC News Ms Harris was headed to work at the White House in her motorcade when the vehicle she was riding in clipped a high kerb with its back wheel and was disabled.

The source said that a stopped motorcade is considered a situation of concern – “a big no-no for us” – and that Ms Harris was quickly transferred to the replacement vehicle.

Her previous vehicle had been traveling at an estimated 50mph on city streets, the source said.

When the motorcade arrived at the White House, she was examined by medical staff to ensure she had no injuries, the source added.

Mr Guglielmi told NBC News there would be no disciplinary action.

“We are proud of the detail. How they handled this was exactly as they should,” he said.

US

Elon Musk steps up attacks on Trump once again – as the president fights back

Published

13 hours ago

July 1, 2025

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Elon Musk steps up attacks on Trump once again - as the president fights back

Elon Musk has stepped up his attacks on Donald Trump’s sweeping tax and spending bill – weeks after a spectacular fallout between the world’s richest man and the US president.

Following weeks of relative silence after clashing with Mr Trump over his “big beautiful bill”, the billionaire vowed to unseat politicians who support it.

In a post on X, Musk said those who had campaigned on cutting spending but then backed the bill “should hang their heads in shame”.

He added: “And they will lose their primary next year if it is the last thing I do on this Earth.”

Musk also threatened to put their faces on a poster which said “liar” and “voted to increase America’s debt” by $5trn (£3.6trn).

The posts attracted a swift reply from Mr Trump, who claimed the billionaire “may get more subsidy than any human being in history” for his electric car business.

“Without subsidies, Elon would probably have to close up shop and head back home to South Africa,” he wrote on Truth Social.

“No more Rocket launches, Satellites, or Electric Car Production, and our Country would save a FORTUNE. Perhaps we should have DOGE take a good, hard, look at this? BIG MONEY TO BE SAVED!!!”

Musk spent at least $250m (£182m) supporting Mr Trump in his presidential campaign and then led the newly formed Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which sacked about 120,000 federal employees.

He has argued the legislation would greatly increase the US national debt and wipe out the savings he claimed he achieved through DOGE.

As the Senate discussed the package, Musk called it “utterly insane and destructive”.

The Tesla and SpaceX CEO said the bill’s massive spending indicated “we live in a one-party country – the PORKY PIG PARTY!!”

“Time for a new political party that actually cares about the people,” he wrote.

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Musk previously said some of his social media posts during his dramatic fallout with Mr Trump “went too far”.

He had shared a series of posts on X, including one that described Mr Trump’s tax and spending bill as a “disgusting abomination”.

He also claimed, in a since-deleted post, that the president appeared in files relating to the disgraced paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein.

But Musk later wrote: “I regret some of my posts about President @realDonaldTrump last week. They went too far.”

In response, the president told the New York Post: “I thought it was very nice that he did that.”

US

What’s in Trump’s ‘Big Beautiful Bill’?

Published

13 hours ago

July 1, 2025

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Martha Kelner and Mark Stone break down what’s in Donald Trump’s huge tax and spending bill. He’s trying to sign it into law by the end of the week.

They also discuss the State Department’s decision to revoke US visas for British band Bob Vylan after their Glastonbury performance.

If you’ve got a question you’d like the Trump100 team to answer, you can email it to trump100@sky.uk.

You can also watch all episodes on our YouTube channel.

US

Benjamin Netanyahu to meet Donald Trump next week amid calls for Gaza ceasefire

Published

16 hours ago

July 1, 2025

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Benjamin Netanyahu to meet Donald Trump next week amid calls for Gaza ceasefire

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will be meeting Donald Trump next Monday, according to US officials.

The visit on 7 July comes after Mr Trump suggested it was possible a ceasefire in Gaza could be reached within a week.

On Sunday, he wrote on social media: “MAKE THE DEAL IN GAZA. GET THE HOSTAGES BACK!!!”

At least 60 people killed across Gaza on Monday, in what turned out to be some of the heaviest attacks in weeks.

According to the Hamas-run health ministry, 56,500 people have been killed in the 20-month war.

The visit by Mr Netanyahu to Washington has not been formally announced and the officials who said it would be going ahead spoke on condition of anonymity.

An Israeli official in Washington also confirmed the meeting next Monday.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said the administration was in constant communication with the Israeli government.

She said Mr Trump viewed ending the war in Gaza and returning remaining hostages held by Hamas as a top priority.

The war in Gaza broke out in retaliation for Hamas’ 7 October 2023 attacks on southern Israel that killed 1,200 people and saw a further 250 taken hostage.

An eight-week ceasefire was reached in the final days of Joe Biden’s US presidency, but Israel resumed the war in March after trying to get Hamas to accept new terms on next steps.

Talks between Israel and Hamas have stalled over whether the war should end as part of any ceasefire.