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Donald Trump has questioned whether President Joe Biden will be physically capable of running for re-election in 2024 – as he skipped the first Republican debate of the campaign.

The former president made the comments as he took part in a 46-minute interview uploaded to X, formerly known as Twitter, on the same night as eight of his party colleagues clashed on TV in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

But Trump said it would not have made sense for him to be involved in the debate, hosted by Fox News, because he was so far ahead in opinion polls in the race to be the Republican Party’s candidate.

Instead, he spent much of the interview lashing out at Biden, who he described as “the worst president in the history of our country”.

Trump, 77, also claimed that Biden, 80, “can’t put two sentences together, can’t speak, can’t walk, can’t talk”.

He added: “I don’t think he gets to the starting gate, but these people do miracles.”

Donald Trump Twitter interview on Twitter with Tucker Carlson August 24. Screengrab
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Tucker Carlson and Donald Trump during the interview on X

The former president, who was defeated by Biden in the 2020 presidential election, said his rival was “worse mentally than he is physically – and physically he’s not exactly a triathlete…

Trump added: “You’re waiting for him to collapse and he almost always does.”

But Trump said he would still “love” to run against the current occupant of the White House, who he dubbed “crooked Joe Biden” – similar to the nickname he used for Hillary Clinton during the 2016 election campaign.

However, the Republican hopeful is facing four separate sets of criminal charges and it came as his former lawyer Rudy Giuliani surrendered to authorities in Georgia over accusations that he tried to overturn the results of the 2020 election.

But Trump dismissed the various allegations as politically motivated – and said he was confident that “the people see it’s a fraud”.

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Donald Trump Twitter interview on Twitter with Tucker Carlson August 24. Screengrab

‘Why wouldn’t they try and kill you?’

The interview was conducted online by controversial former Fox News host Tucker Carlson, who left the US network earlier this year.

During the chat, the presenter suggested Trump could be assassinated by political opponents and asked: “Why wouldn’t they try and kill you?”

Trump replied: “Honestly, they’re savage animals. They are people that are sick, really sick. You have great people in the Democrat Party, you have great people that are Democrats, most of the people in our country are fantastic.

“And I’m representing everybody. I’m not just Republicans. But I represent everybody – the president of everybody. But I’ve seen what they do. I’ve seen the lengths that they go to.”

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Trump on enemies: ‘They’re savage animals’

Meanwhile, Trump was reluctant to agree with Carlson’s suggestion that financier Jeffrey Epstein, who died in prison in August 2019, was murdered.

When asked if he thought Epstein had been killed, Trump replied: “It’s possible, [but] I don’t really believe – I think he probably committed suicide…

“But a lot of people think he was killed. He knew a lot on a lot of people.”

But Trump was enthusiastic in lashing out at his Republican rivals, including presidential hopefuls Asa Hutchinson – who he described as “weak and pathetic” – and former ally Chris Christie – who he said was “like a lunatic”.

Explaining his decision not to take part in Wednesday’s debate, he said: “I’m leading by 50, 60 points, and some of them [his opponents] are at one and zero…

“Do I sit there for an hour, two hours, whatever it’s going to be, and get harassed by people that shouldn’t even be running for president?”

He added: “I’m going to have all these people screaming at me, shouting questions at me, all of which I love answering, I love doing, but it doesn’t make sense to do them, so I’ve taken a pass.”

Trump also called for the war in Ukraine to be ended “immediately”.

He claimed: “If I were president, it would never [have] started.”

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FBI shares details of handwritten notes allegedly written by Dallas shooting suspect

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FBI shares details of handwritten notes allegedly written by Dallas shooting suspect

A handwritten note recovered after a deadly shooting in Dallas detailed the suspect’s desire to inflict “real terror” on US immigration agents, the head of the FBI has said.

One person was killed and two people were critically injured after a gunman opened fire at an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) field office in Dallas, Texas, on Wednesday.

All three victims were in a transport van outside the facility at the time, the Department of Homeland Security said in a statement.

Several more people were injured before the gunman took his own life, officials said.

Joshua Jahn has been named as the suspected gunman
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Joshua Jahn has been named as the suspected gunman

FBI director, Kash Patel, said the agency had seized devices and processed “writings” obtained at the scene and in the suspect’s home since the attack.

A handwritten note recovered read: “Hopefully this will give ICE agents real terror, to think, ‘is there a sniper with AP rounds on that roof?”

The FBI previously said the suspect left a bullet casing engraved with the phrase “ANTI-ICE” at the scene.

Mr Kash said in a post on X: “While the investigation is ongoing, an initial review of the evidence shows an ideological motive behind this attack.”

One of the bullet casings was engraved with 'ANTI ICE'. Pic: Kash Patel/X
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One of the bullet casings was engraved with ‘ANTI ICE’. Pic: Kash Patel/X

Acting ICE Director Todd Lyons told Sky News partner NBC that ICE agents pulled some of the detainees out of the line of fire.

“The shooter was just shooting at random vehicles inside,” Mr Lyons said

“They were still hit inside the vehicle. You know, there were some brave men and women on the ground that went into those vans, pulling those detainees out while they were under fire.”

According to the FBI, evidence recovered so far shows a high level of planning ahead of the shooting, including searches of buildings belonging to the Dallas County Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Management.

The shooting happened at an ICE field office in Dallas. Pic: Reuters
Image:
The shooting happened at an ICE field office in Dallas. Pic: Reuters

Officials have not yet disclosed the identity of the victims.

US Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem identified the gunman, in a Fox News interview, as Joshua Jahn, 29.

Ms Noem said he had fired the bullets from a nearby rooftop.

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Mr Jahn’s older brother, Noah Jahn, who lives around 30 miles north of Dallas in McKinney, said he was not aware his brother held any negative feelings towards ICE.

He said: “I didn’t know he had any political intent at all.”

The shooting comes at a time of heightened tension in the US following the assassination of right-wing influencer Charlie Kirk.

Mr Kirk, a close ally of President Donald Trump, was shot dead by a sniper while speaking at an event in Utah on 10 September.

Tyler Robinson, 22, has been charged with the murder of Mr Kirk.

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Trump administration will push back if FIFA ban Israel from international football as UEFA close to suspension decision

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Trump administration will push back if FIFA ban Israel from international football as UEFA close to suspension decision

The Trump administration will work to prevent FIFA banning Israel from international football ahead of the 2026 World Cup, Sky News can reveal.

It comes as we have also learnt that European governing body UEFA is heading towards its own decision to suspend Israeli teams over the war in Gaza – with many FAs and members of the executive committee understood to favour that.

Israel’s next match is against Norway on 11 October in a men’s World Cup qualifier.

Football’s world and European governing bodies were urged this week by United Nations (UN) advisory experts to impose sporting sanctions.

FIFA has not responded to the UN special rapporteurs as Israel’s men continue trying to qualify for next year’s World Cup, which is largely being played in the United States.

And the US government, through Marco Rubio’s state department, has made a direct intervention to stop sporting sanctions being imposed.

A state department spokesperson told Sky News: “We will absolutely work to fully stop any effort to attempt to ban Israel’s national soccer team from the World Cup.”

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FIFA launched an investigation last year into allegations of discrimination raised by the Palestine Football Association against the Israeli FA.

There is also an investigation into whether teams from Israeli settlements in the West Bank playing in Israeli competitions breaches FIFA regulations.

Pro-Palestinian protesters in Greece ahead of the PAOK and Maccabi Tel Aviv Europa League match on Wednesday. Pic: AP
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Pro-Palestinian protesters in Greece ahead of the PAOK and Maccabi Tel Aviv Europa League match on Wednesday. Pic: AP

FIFA President Gianni Infantino has a close relationship with US President Donald Trump and is a regular visitor to the White House. He has been in New York this week, meeting world leaders around the UN General Assembly – while also at FIFA’s office in Trump Tower.

During a speech after collecting an Atlantic Council Global Citizen Award last night, Mr Infantino referenced the war while speaking on bringing people together in “a divided world, in an aggressive world”.

In an indirect reference to the challenge of sanctioning countries over wars, Mr Infantino said there are 80 countries where there are conflicts.

He added: “I suffer when I see children suffer. I cry when I see mothers crying, whether it’s in Gaza… anywhere in the world.”

Sky News revealed yesterday that discussions are taking place at high levels in European football about whether Israel should be banned but no decision has been taken.

Officials have been deliberating over why Russia remains banned over the war in Ukraine but Israel is clear to continue playing in European club competitions and on the international stage as the death toll mounts.

UEFA has previously publicly said there is a difference in how the wars started – with Russia launching an unprovoked invasion of Ukraine and Israel responding to the 7 October 2023 Hamas attacks.

But a UN commission of inquiry has now said Israel is committing genocide in Gaza – accusations rejected by Israel.

That led to UN advisers calling for Israeli teams to be expelled from world football.

Read more from Sky News:
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“Sports cannot be business as usual and something has to change and Israel has to be excluded,” Alexandra Xanthaki, the UN special rapporteur for cultural rights, told Sky News.

“I think that when we talk about teams, national teams, not individual athletes, of states that are subject to valid claims of genocide… this is where this is for sure a red line.”

Among the athletes killed during the war is the footballer known as the Palestinian Pele – Suleiman al Obeid – who the Palestine FA announced in August died in an Israeli airstrike.

The Palestine Olympic Committee this week said the Israeli sports system has been an “active participant” in war.

“Over 1,000 athletes have had their lives extinguished. Thousands more are wounded, maimed or disabled,” said POC President Jibril Rajoub, who also heads the FA.

“Our stadiums, our facilities, our dreams, all have been ground into dust.”

A suspension of Israeli teams would prevent Aston Villa having to go ahead with their match in the Europa League against Maccabi Tel Aviv in November.

FIFA did not respond to a request for comment.

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Jessica Chastain criticises decision to delay release of The Savant after Charlie Kirk killing

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Jessica Chastain criticises decision to delay release of The Savant after Charlie Kirk killing

Jessica Chastain has criticised Apple’s decision to delay the release of political thriller series The Savant after the killing of Charlie Kirk.

The actress, who is also executive producer of the show for the tech giant’s TV+ streaming service, said she was “not aligned on the decision to pause the release”.

In a post on Instagram, she said the programme, in which she plays a woman who tries to draw out potential terrorists online, is “so relevant” and she has never “shied away from difficult subjects”.

Chastain portrays a military veteran who works at the Anti-Hate Alliance, where she secretly visits 4Chan-like message boards and poses as a white nationalist to identify possible terrorists.

“‘The Savant’ is about the heroes who work every day to stop violence before it happens, and honouring their courage feels more urgent than ever,” Chastain said.

“I remain hopeful the show will reach audiences soon. Until then, I’m wishing safety and strength for everyone.”

She listed several acts of political violence in the US in recent years, including a plot to kidnap Michigan’s governor Gretchen Whitmer, the attempted assassinations of Donald Trump last year and also the killing of controversial influencer Kirk.

Read more:
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Apple said it chose to postpone the show after “careful consideration” but did not give a reason why.

Kimmel’s comeback show brings in record ratings

Meanwhile, millions of people tuned in to watch Jimmy Kimmel on Tuesday after he returned to TV after Disney suspended him for nearly a week after he made comments about Kirk.

Jimmy Kimmel hosting his late night show. Pic: AP
Image:
Jimmy Kimmel hosting his late night show. Pic: AP

ABC said 6.26 million people watched Kimmel as he said it was “never my intention to make light of” Kirk’s death. It was the late-night show’s highest-rated regularly scheduled episode.

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Kimmel returns – and not everyone’s on same page

“I don’t think there’s anything funny about it,” he said as he choked up.

“Nor was it my intention to blame any specific group for the actions of what was obviously a deeply disturbed individual. That was really the opposite of the point I was trying to make”.

Kimmel had been accused of being “offensive and insensitive” after using his programme, Jimmy Kimmel Live, to accuse Donald Trump and his allies of capitalising on the killing.

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