Shocking moments from US election campaign

Published

10 months ago

November 4, 2024

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It’s been a whirlwind of a presidential election campaign, consisting of an assassination attempt (and another alleged one), changing candidates and some bizarre claims on the campaign trail.

With just a day to go before Americans head to their polling stations, here’s a recap of some of the biggest moments…

Trump shot at rally

On 13 July, Donald Trump became the first president or candidate to be shot since Ronald Reagan in 1981.

The former president escaped with a bullet wound to his ear in the attack as he was giving a speech to supporters in Butler, Pennsylvania.

Eight shots had been fired by 20-year-old Thomas Crooks, who was positioned on the roof of a nearby building, before he was killed by a Secret Service counter sniper.

Corey Comperatore, a former volunteer fire chief, was shot dead in the crowd as he tried to shield his family from the bullets.

As Mr Trump was mobbed by Secret Service agents seeking to shield him, he took a moment to pump his fist and shout “fight” to his cheering admirers in the audience.

Musk endorses Trump

On the night of the shooting, billionaire Tesla boss Elon Musk posted on X saying: “I fully endorse President Trump and hope for his rapid recovery.”

This proved significant for Mr Trump, not just for the X owner’s immense social media presence and general clout – but also for his wallet.

Between July and September, Musk donated $75m (£58m) to a campaign group he set up to support Mr Trump’s presidential bid, and gave about $44m (£34m) in the first half of October, financial disclosures show.

He’s also spoken at a number of Mr Trump’s rallies.

Biden drops out of the running

Pressure had been piling on president Joe Biden for some time before he withdrew from the race in July.

The 81-year-old’s frequent blunders during speeches, particularly during a disastrous debate with Mr Trump a month prior, threw cold water over his push for a second term.

He instantly threw his support behind his vice president Kamala Harris, urging Democrats to donate to her campaign as he pulled out.

Harris runs for office

She got the president’s backing instantly, but Ms Harris still needed to be formally chosen as the Democrats’ new presidential nominee.

The 60-year-old had a couple of potential challengers just after Mr Biden dropped out, but it never looked in doubt once former president Barack Obama endorsed her.

In the end, no challengers formally presented themselves ahead of the deadline, meaning Ms Harris was declared the Democratic candidate in early August.

In her first speech after accepting the nomination, she called for unity, saying this was “a chance to chart a new way forward”.

‘Kamala IS brat’

Yes, Ms Harris needed her party’s backing to become its nominee, but she also needed to get potential Democratic voters on her side, fast.

A branding opportunity seemingly fell right into her lap when British pop star Charli XCX endorsed her, writing in a post on X: “Kamala IS brat”.

Out of context, it sounds like a peculiar insult.

But Charli XCX had just released her smash hit album Brat, leading to a social media trend for something known as a “brat summer”.

Instead of its typical meaning – a badly behaved or ill-mannered child – the singer had helped redefine brat as a lifestyle “characterised by a confident, independent, and hedonistic attitude”.

Ms Harris and her campaign pounced on the trend, creating artwork for her HQ campaign account which mirrored that of the Brat album.

‘Childless cat ladies’

Now-infamous comments made by Mr Trump’s running mate JD Vance in 2021 resurfaced shortly after the brat endorsement.

Mr Vance, speaking to Fox News at the time, had said Ms Harris and other Democrats were “a bunch of childless cat ladies… miserable at their own lives and the choices that they’ve made”.

“The entire future of the Democrats is controlled by people without children,” he said, despite the fact Ms Harris co-parents two stepchildren – Ella and Cole – with her husband Doug Emhoff.

Friends star Jennifer Aniston criticised Mr Vance’s remarks as she shared the clip on Instagram, writing in the caption: “I truly can’t believe this is coming from a potential VP of The United States.”

The Ohio senator said he stood by the sentiment but that his remarks weren’t a criticism of people who decide not to have children.

“This is not about criticising people who, for various reasons, didn’t have kids,” he said. “This is about criticising the Democratic Party for becoming anti-family and anti-child.”

The Harris campaign hit back at Mr Vance’s comments, saying “every single American has a stake in this country’s future”.

Trump questions Harris’s racial identity

In a move that drew gasps from the audience at a convention hosted by the National Association of Black Journalists in Chicago, Mr Trump questioned the racial identity of Ms Harris, asking: “Is she Indian or is she black?”

He said: “I’ve known her a long time, indirectly not directly… and she was always of Indian heritage, and she was only promoting Indian heritage.

“I didn’t know she was black, until a number of years ago when she happened to turn black, and now she wants to be known as black, so I don’t know, is she Indian or is she black?”

Ms Harris is the daughter of a Jamaican father and an Indian mother, both immigrants to the US.

In response, Ms Harris said the comments were “the same old show” and that “America deserves better”.

‘That’s my dad!’

Minnesota governor Tim Walz was relatively unknown when Ms Harris picked him as her vice presidential running mate at the start of August.

But he truly made his mark with a landmark speech at the Democratic National Convention a couple of weeks later, telling his party’s faithful it was “time to turn the page” on Donald Trump.

It was the sort of speech you’d fully expect from a former American football coach like Mr Walz, as he urged his comrades to “leave it all out on the field” until election day.

There was seemingly no one more inspired by Mr Walz than his son Gus, who stood up midway through his speech and, through tears, proudly exclaimed: “That’s my dad!”

‘They’re eating the pets…’

You’d be forgiven for assuming cats would only play a key part in the election campaign once.

But the “childless cat lady” comments were in fact overshadowed by completely unsubstantiated claims repeated by Mr Trump and Mr Vance about Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio, eating residents’ household pets.

In a presidential debate between him and Ms Harris, Mr Trump said: “In Springfield, they’re eating the dogs, the people that came in, they’re eating the cats… They’re eating… they’re eating the pets of the people that live there.

“And this is what’s happening in our country, and it’s a shame.”

Ms Harris, who could be seen laughing and saying “this is unbelievable”, responded when it was her turn: “Talk about extreme.”

It was the headline-grabber in what has proved to be the only debate between the candidates, but they also clashed over issues including abortion, the economy and illegal immigration.

Taylor Swift backs Harris

Almost straight after the debate, Taylor Swift told her 283 million Instagram followers she would be voting for Ms Harris.

The singer urged them to “do your research” – but said AI-generated images of her supporting Mr Trump made her realise “I need to be very transparent about my actual plans”.

The post was accompanied by a photo of the singer holding her cat Benjamin Button, and she signed off with “Taylor Swift – Childless Cat Lady”.

Mr Trump initially dismissed Swift’s endorsement of his rival for the presidency by simply saying he was “not a Taylor fan“.

But days later, as public opinion polls showed Ms Harris gaining significant ground on him, the former president took to his Truth Social media account to add: “I HATE TAYLOR SWIFT!”

‘Assassination attempt’ on Trump at golf course

A second apparent attempt on Mr Trump’s life was thwarted by the Secret Service on 15 September as the former president played golf at his course in West Palm Beach in Florida.

Ryan Routh was arrested after a rifle was seen poking through bushes near where Mr Trump was playing.

He had allegedly been staking out for around 12 hours before an agent spotted him and opened fire. He was detained less than an hour later, having fled the scene.

Mr Trump used the incident to demonstrate his resilience.

“Nothing will slow me down,” he wrote in a statement. “I will NEVER SURRENDER! I will always love you for supporting me.

“Unity. Peace. Make America Great Again. May God bless you.”

Routh was later charged with trying to assassinate Mr Trump.

Musk promises millions of dollars to swing state voters

Seven battleground states – Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin – are widely believed to be where the election will be won or lost.

As a result, well over a billion dollars is said to have been spent on presidential ads targeted at the more than 60 million people living in them.

Musk has thrown his wealth behind Mr Trump in a way that’s never been seen before: by promising to give away $1m (£772,000) each day until 5 November to registered voters in swing states.

All the voters have to do to become eligible is sign his online free speech and gun rights petition.

The first $1m was awarded to a man named John Dreher during a campaign event in Pennsylvania on 19 October.

The X owner was subsequently summoned to an emergency court hearing in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, accused of operating an illegal lottery and trying to influence voters.

But the lawsuit has been placed on hold while a federal court considers whether to take up the case, meaning Musk is free to continue the giveaway.

Campaigning almost over – but more drama to come

The candidates will be trying to win over voters right up until voting closes on the evening of Tuesday 5 November.

From there, it’s anyone’s guess what happens next, with polls suggesting it’s going to be the tightest race in years.

There will be live coverage on Sky News throughout election night, led by chief presenter Mark Austin, world news presenter Yalda Hakim and US correspondent Mark Stone.

Fellow correspondents James Matthews and Martha Kelner will be reporting on the ground in the candidates’ home states of Florida and California as the results come in.

As it becomes clearer who will become the next president, chief presenter Anna Botting and presenter Gillian Joseph will join Austin, Stone and Hakim for both the build-up and aftermath of the election.

On the night, Sky News will have access to the most comprehensive exit poll and vote-counting results from every state, county and demographic across America through its US partner network NBC.

You can find out more about Sky News’ coverage here.

US

Charlie Kirk’s widow pays tribute to ‘perfect’ husband and says her cries ‘will echo around the world’

Published

24 hours ago

September 13, 2025

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Charlie Kirk's widow pays tribute to 'perfect' husband and says her cries 'will echo around the world'

Erika Kirk, the widow of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, described him as a “perfect” husband and father, and said the “evildoers” who assassinated him have no idea what they have unleashed.

“You have no idea of the fire that you have ignited within this wife, the cries of this widow will echo around the world like a battle cry,” she said on Friday in her first public remarks since the assassination.

“If you thought that my husband’s mission was powerful before, you have no idea, you have no idea what you just have unleashed across this entire country and this world, you have no idea.”

Mrs Kirk addressed the public after a silent prayer from the studio where her husband recorded his podcast.

She thanked President Donald Trump and vice president JD Vance and his “phenomenal” wife, Usha, for the support, and praised the emergency teams who tried to save her husband’s life.

“Charlie said if he ever ran for office, his top priority would be to revive the American family. That was his priority,” Mrs Kirk said.

“But most of all, Charlie loved his children. And he loved me. With all his heart. And he made sure I knew that every day,” she said.

She called him a “perfect” father and husband, as she held back tears. She also talked about some of his favourite hobbies.

Mrs Kirk said the campus tour that his organisation, Turning Point USA, had started will continue – and urged young people to join her late husband’s political movement.

“I promise I will never let your legacy die,” she said, addressing her husband, vowing to make his movement the “biggest thing this nation has ever seen”.

Mrs Kirk says she doesn’t remember the last time she slept, and shared a story about their daughter when she ran into her arms and asked: “Where’s daddy?”

“What do you tell a three-year-old?”

Mrs Kirk finished her remarks, speaking directly to her husband: “I can’t wait to see you again one day.”

“God bless you all, and may God bless America,” she said as she wrapped up her speech.

US

Charlie Kirk suspect arrested after tip-off from father

Published

1 day ago

September 13, 2025

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Charlie Kirk suspect arrested after tip-off from father

US officials have confirmed the suspect in the killing of Charlie Kirk has been arrested and identified as 22-year-old Tyler Robinson.

Utah governor Spencer Cox started a news conference with the phrase “we got him”, adding that a member of Robinson’s family alerted authorities. It has been widely reported that Robinson’s father had turned him in.

The details broadly match information released by US President Donald Trump earlier on Fox News.

Explainer: All we know about the suspect

Mr Kirk, 31, a Trump supporter and right-wing influencer, was fatally shot in the neck on Wednesday afternoon while speaking to university students at an event in Utah.

Two people were previously arrested and then released, with officials saying they were only persons of interest.

FBI director Kash Patel, who also spoke at the news conference, confirmed the suspect was taken into custody on Thursday at 10pm local time (5am UK time).

He praised Mr Cox and Mr Trump for their support and finished with a message for Charlie Kirk: “To my friend Charlie Kirk. Rest now, brother. We have the watch and I’ll see you in Valhalla.”

Robinson believed Kirk was ‘full of hate’

Mr Cox described how messages between Tyler Robinson and his roommate revealed information about the alleged plot including details about a rifle, matching the description of the weapon recovered after the shooting.

Bullets with messages inscribed on the casings were also discovered with the rifle, including “Hey fascist! Catch!” and “If you read this, you are gay, LMAO”.

Explainer: How Charlie Kirk was killed

Mr Cox said a family member told officials that Robinson “had become more political in recent years” and had criticised Charlie Kirk, adding that Robinson said Mr Kirk was “full of hate and spreading hate”.

Robinson ‘confessed’ to killing

Utah’s governor said a family member reached out to a friend, who contacted authorities on Thursday with information that Robinson had confessed or implied that he carried out the shooting.

Sky’s US partner network NBC News reports the family member was Robinson’s father, who went to a church minister, who then contacted a local sheriff.

Mr Cox said he thought Robinson acted alone and there was no evidence anyone else was involved, but did not speculate on a potential motive. He added that Robinson had been living for a long time with his family in Washington County, in southwest Utah.

Political motivation will feed into the political fallout

We were told that Tyler Robinson, over time, had grown more politically engaged and had a dislike of Charlie Kirk.

Words inscribed on ammunition found discarded included: “Hey fascist, catch!” There were also the words to the song “Bella ciao,” an anthem for the Partisans who fought for the Italian Resistance against the Nazis.

The sentiments would appear to confirm early suggestions of a political motivation – they will feed into the political fallout

If it was inevitable that the assassin would be found eventually, the broader uncertainty is how this episode ends for the United States.

The Utah governor acknowledged dangers when he told the news conference: “This is our moment, do we escalate or do we find an off-ramp? History will dictate if this is a turning point for our country.”

His theme was unity and it’s a message America needs to hear. The danger, laid bare in the aftermath of the shooting, is that it’s drowned out by recrimination. Reaction to the assassination suggests there’s every chance.

Neighbour: He was ‘smart’ and ‘quiet’

Kristin Schwiermann, a neighbour of the suspect’s family, said he was “smart”, “quiet” and “never caused any problems”.

“I am shocked, very shocked,” she said. “I feel for his mom. She’s a great mom, and he has a great dad.”

At the time of the shooting, Robinson was a third-year student on the electrical apprenticeship programme at Dixie Technical College in Utah.

He previously earned a four-year scholarship to Utah State University, but left after one semester in 2021.

Robinson did not appear to have any criminal history, according to state records. He was a registered voter but was
not affiliated with a political party, according to voter records.

Mr Kirk was the president and co-founder of Turning Point USA, a prominent organisation that engages conservative youth on school campuses.

Read more: Who was Charlie Kirk?

The father of two, who had millions of followers across social media, appeared at Utah Valley University on Wednesday as part of a planned tour of US college campuses.

Vigil for Kirk held in London

A vigil for Mr Kirk was held at the Montgomery Statue in Whitehall, in central London, on Friday night.

The sombre event was organised by Turning Point UK, the British branch of Kirk’s right-wing youth political organisation.

“Charlie Kirk laid his life down for young people,” said Maisey.

While Jade, wearing a Make America Great Again hat with “RIP Charlie Kirk” written on it, said: “I was very, very sad when I heard the news. I didn’t agree with everything he said but that’s OK! I’m just sad I never got to meet him.”

Turning Point UK’s chief executive Jack Ross told the crowd: “Charlie Kirk has a fantastic legacy and he did so much to shape politics in the West. He stood up for free speech, he stood up for what’s right and we demand justice.

“Charlie was not killed because he talked. He was killed because people listened.”

Charges expected next week

Robinson is due to make an initial court appearance next Tuesday, when he is also expected to be charged, the Utah County attorney’s office said.

He is being held without bail after being arrested on suspicion of aggravated murder, felony discharge of a firearm causing serious bodily harm and obstruction of justice charges, according to a court affidavit.

‘Big breakthrough’, says Vance

Mr Kirk’s body was flown back from Salt Lake City to his home state of Arizona on Air Force Two on Thursday, with the US vice president and close friend JD Vance on board.

On Friday, Mr Vance posted on X that the arrest was a “big breakthrough”. He added: “We took a big step this morning in getting justice for Charlie, and for his family.”

Mr Trump said he plans to attend Mr Kirk’s funeral, although no date has yet been set.

US

All we know about the suspect in Charlie Kirk’s shooting – and how he was caught

Published

1 day ago

September 12, 2025

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All we know about the suspect in Charlie Kirk's shooting - and how he was caught

The suspect in the shooting of Charlie Kirk is in police custody after a two-day manhunt.

The right-wing influencer, 31, was fatally shot on Wednesday afternoon while speaking at an event on Utah Valley University campus in Orem.

Police began searching for the shooter on the campus, before eventually extending the manhunt to nearby neighbourhoods.

The suspect has been named as Tyler Robinson, a 22-year-old man from Utah, and the governor’s office has released a photo of him in custody.

US president Donald Trump told Fox News the suspect was in custody on Friday, adding “somebody that was very close to him turned him in”.

Officials have now revealed further details about the suspect, including what a family member said about him and messages he sent a friend about his alleged plot.

Here’s what we know about the suspect so far:

How was the suspect caught?

Mr Trump told Fox News that a person “very close” with the suspect went to “the father”, who then went to a US Marshal.

“The father convinced the son,” he said, adding that they then “drove into the police headquarters, and he’s there now”.

He added that he may need to be corrected and that he was “talking based on what I’m hearing”.

In a news conference later, Utah Governor Spencer Cox said a member of Robinson’s family reached out to a family friend, who then contacted the Washington County Sheriff’s Office with information that Robinson “had confessed to them or implied that he had committed the incident”.

NBC news reports that the family member is his father – and that the father then went to a church minister he knew, who contacted a local sheriff.

He said the family member told the FBI that Robinson “had become more political in recent years” and that, at a dinner prior to the shooting, he had mentioned Mr Kirk’s upcoming visit to Utah Valley University.

Mr Cox said they had “talked about why they didn’t like him and the viewpoints that he had” and that “the family member also stated Kirk was full of hate and spreading hate”.

He went on to say that messages between Tyler Robinson and his roommate revealed details about the alleged plot.

“The content of these messages included messages affiliated with the contact ‘Tyler’ stating a need to retrieve a rifle from a drop point, leaving the rifle in a bush, messages related to visually watching the area where a rifle was left, and a message referring to having left the rifle wrapped in a towel,” he said.

Latest updates as suspect named

Mr Cox added that there was no evidence to suggest anyone else was involved, but that the investigation was ongoing.

He said the suspect was taken into custody in Washington County, in southern Utah, around a three to four hour drive from Orem, where his family lived.

Pictures and footage released by the FBI

Mr Cox also said that the suspect changed clothes on campus.

He said footage “first spotted” him with one outfit on, which he allegedly changed while on the roof of one building.

Mr Cox said he then “changed back into that clothing at some point” – meaning the first outfit.

All this meant, the governor said, that when he was arrested, the suspect was wearing the same clothes he had on before the shooting.

Earlier, Mr Trump had said the suspect was “28 or 29”, but caveated that his facts were “subject to be corrected” and “based on what I’m hearing”.

Before news of his capture came in, the FBI had released images of a “person of interest” in the shooting, later revealed to be Robinson, showing him wearing a hat, sunglasses, and a backpack.

They also released video footage of him fleeing after the incident, where he could be seen walking on the roof of the building from where the fatal shot was fired.

He was then seen climbing down and heading toward a wooded area, where police say he abandoned his rifle.

The first description of the suspect came from a police officer on her radio shortly after the shooting, who said he was “wearing jeans, black shirt, black mask, long rifle”.

Beau Mason, commissioner of the Department of Public Safety, later said he “appears to be of college age” and that he “blended in well with a college institution”.

What else do we know about Robinson?

Sky News have now verified what appear to be school records posted in 2020 by his mother which show a 4.0 average – a very high score, akin to straight As in the UK.

“This boy is a genius,” she added.

Robinson expected to be charged with aggravated murder

The suspect is expected to be charged with aggravated murder, felony discharge of a firearm causing serious bodily injury and obstruction of justice, according to a probable cause affidavit.

The offences are all state charges.

Mr Cox said that under Utah law, they have three days to file charging documents, and that it should come “early next week.”

Utah officials previously said they were going to seek the death penalty for Charlie Kirk’s suspected shooter.

What weapon did the shooter use?

The weapon was found after the shooting in a wooded area where the shooter had fled, according to FBI agent Robert Bohls.

He described the gun as a “high-powered bolt action rifle”.

Investigators collected a footwear impression, a palm print, and forearm imprints for analysis.

Firearms consultant David Dyson told Sky News that, based on the range from where they are believed to have fired, the gunman would likely need to be a somewhat skilled target shooter.

But he suggested that while the shot may be difficult for anyone without experience, it’s “not a great range” for someone with practice.