Thomas Niedermueller/TAS24/Getty Images for TAS Rights Management
(VIENNA, Austria) — Taylor Swift’s three concerts in Vienna this week have been canceled after two suspects were arrested for allegedly plotting a terror attack, authorities said.
“We have no choice but to cancel the three scheduled shows for everyone’s safety,” a message from Barracuda Music said. “All tickets will be automatically refunded.”
The cancellation comes hours after authorities announced a 19-year-old Austrian citizen was arrested Wednesday morning and a second suspect was arrested in the afternoon.
The suspects allegedly radicalized themselves online, Franz Ruf, director-general for public safety in the Ministry of the Interior, said at a press conference. The 19-year-old suspect allegedly pledged allegiance to the leader of the Islamic State at the beginning of July, Ruf said.
Vienna was a target of their planned attack and the 19-year-old suspect had a particular focus on Swift’s Vienna concert, Ruf said.
The pop star had concerts scheduled in Vienna this Thursday, Friday and Saturday.
Information about the threat to the tour dates originated with U.S. intelligence and was passed to the Austrians and Europol, multiple law enforcement and intelligence sources told ABC News.
Though inspired by ISIS, the sources said investigators do not believe the alleged plot was directed by ISIS operatives.
U.S. intelligence found at least one of the suspects pledged to ISIS-K on the messaging app, Telegram, in early July, the sources said.
Investigators are not convinced that the alleged plot would have worked and they do not know if a functioning bomb was produced. However, Viennese investigators did find explosive precursor chemicals which showed a degree of motivation and planning, sources told ABC News.
Before the shows were canceled, Ruf said security at the concerts would be increased. The shows were expected to draw 65,000 concertgoers per day, with an additional 10,000 to 15,000 fans outside of the area, police said.
Swift kicked off the massively successful “Eras Tour” in Glendale, Arizona, on March 18, 2023.
Investigators in Austria are looking at surveillance footage to determine whether one or more of the suspects had previously visited the concert site for reconnaissance or if they had visited other potential targets.
As ABC News has previously reported, law enforcement officials have been concerned about mass gathering attacks since the deadly Moscow concert hall assault earlier this year for which ISIS-K claimed credit.
In October 2023, the pop star released a concert film chronicling the record-breaking tour, “Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour,” that went on to break records of its own and earn a Golden Globe nomination.
At the 100th stop of the tour this summer in Liverpool, England, the 14-time Grammy winner told the audience the tour “has definitely been the most exhausting, all-encompassing, but most joyful, most rewarding, most wonderful thing that has ever happened in my life thus far.”
The Eras Tour will end in Vancouver, Canada, on Dec. 8.
ABC News’ Carson Blackwelder contributed to this report.
Democratic Presidential candidate, U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris delivers remarks during the Sigma Gamma Rho’s 60th International Biennial Boule at the George R. Brown Convention Center on July 31, 2024 in Houston, Texas. (Brandon Bell/Getty Images)
(WASHINGTON) — Vice President Kamala Harris secured enough Democratic Party delegate votes to become the party’s nominee, according to the Democratic National Committee. She announced Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as her running mate on Tuesday, with the two scheduled to embark on a seven-state trip to some of the biggest battleground states in the election, according to her campaign.
President Donald Trump and his vice presidential pick, Sen. JD Vance, are set to speak to voters through scheduled rallies and events throughout the week, too. Vance will also be visiting the same battleground states as Harris and her newly minted vice presidential pick.
Here’s how the news is developing:
Uncommitted leaders say they brought up arms embargo to Harris in Michigan
Uncommitted leaders say they spoke quickly with Vice President Kamala Harris before her rally in Detroit, Michigan, on Wednesday after they reached out to her team to meet, they told ABC News.
Layla Elabed, the sister of Rep. Rashida Tlaib, and Abbas Alawieh, an Uncommitted delegate, say they were in the welcoming line for Harris and Gov. Tim Walz where they communicated to Harris that they wanted to support her but that voters wanted her to consider an arms embargo.
According to the group, the two asked to meet with her about the arms embargo request, and they said she indicated she was open to it and introduced the two leaders to her staff.
According to a campaign official, during the “brief” interaction, Harris “reaffirmed” that the campaign will continue to “engage with those communities.”
“Since October 7, the Vice President has prioritized engaging with Arab, Muslim, and Palestinian community members and others regarding the war in Gaza. In this brief engagement, she reaffirmed that her campaign will continue to engage with those communities,” read a statement from the campaign.
“The Vice President has been clear: she will always work to ensure Israel is able to defend itself against Iran and Iran-backed terrorist groups. The Vice President is focused on securing the ceasefire and hostage deal currently on the table. As she has said, it is time for this war to end in a way where: Israel is secure, hostages are released, the suffering of Palestinian civilians ends, and the Palestinian people can realize their right to dignity, freedom, and self-determination,” the statement concluded.
Harris has noticeably tried to thread the needle on the war in Gaza in an attempt to bridge divides within the party over the Israel-Hamas war. However, she has been aligned with President Joe Biden in vowing unwavering support for Israel and stressing that the way Israel carries out its war against Hamas matters specifically in regards that to civilian safety.
Pro-Palestinian protesters were present at the Harris-Walz rally on Wednesday, a fairly normal citing at her events. They chanted “Kamala, Kamala you can’t Hide, we won’t vote for genocide.” The crowd booed and drowned out the protesters with chants of “Kamala.”
She quipped her usual line “I’m here because we believe in democracy. Everyone’s voice matters, but I am speaking now. I am speaking now,” but added a more blunt reply: “You know what, if you want Donald Trump to win then say that. Otherwise, I’m speaking.”
Members of the Uncommitted movement have indicated to ABC News that Harris’ language regarding Gaza in the coming months is crucial to gaining their support, something they’ve said they would not have been able to give to President Biden.
At the end of their Zoom call earlier, before meeting Harris, the leaders acknowledged that former President Donald Trump was actively attacking Palestinians and that they’re “movement will be mobilizing to make sure that … our community understands how dangerous Donald Trump is.”
Alawieh expressed the belief that Harris will “do the right thing” and unite their party around “a more humane Gaza policy.”
The New York Times was first to report on the interaction.
-ABC News’ Gabriella Abdul-Hakim
‘I’m speaking’: Kamala Harris responds to cease-fire protesters during Detroit rally
Vice President Kamala Harris flew into an airport hangar with 15,000 spectators on Wednesday, where she continued a campaign blitz with her newly-minted running mate, Gov. Tim Walz.
The Detroit, Michigan event, in the critical battleground state, was a massive event with frequent applause and roars from the energetic crowd, with one notable interruption.
During her remarks, Harris was met with a small group of pro-Palestinian protesters; however, the crowd tried to drown out the noise, chanting, “Kamala!”
Harris grew increasingly animated, speaking louder with her prepared remarks — at the time focused on Project 2025 — before addressing the persistent protesters directly saying, “Everyone’s voice matters. But I am speaking now. I am speaking now.”
“If you want Donald Trump to win, say that. Otherwise, I’m speaking,” Harris continued.
Harris made headlines when she used the same phrase to shut down then Vice President Mike Pence when the two debated in 2020 and he interrupted her.
Harris, who wrapped the day’s rally following a lengthy slate of prominent Michiganders, acknowledged the importance of the battleground state ahead of November.
“So, it is so good to be back in Michigan. Listen, I am clear, the path to the White House runs right through this state. And with your help, we will win in November. We will win,” Harris said.
-ABC News’ Kelsey Walsh
Biden says he’s ‘not confident’ there would be a peaceful transfer of power if Trump loses
President Joe Biden said in an interview with CBS News that he’s “not confident” there would be a peaceful transition of power after the election if former President Donald Trump loses.
“Are you confident that there will be a peaceful transfer of power in 2025?” Robert Costa asked the president.
“If Trump loses, I’m not confident at all,” Biden said in a roughly 30-second clip of the interview released Wednesday by the network.
The full sit-down interview is slated to air Sunday.
-ABC News’ Michelle Stoddart
‘I know bullies,’ Walz says as he, Harris tout campaign in Wisconsin rally
At their second joint rally since becoming a ticket, Vice President Kamala Harris and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz on Wednesday ripped former President Donald Trump and sought to project a positive vision for their potential administration.
“Understand in this fight, as Tim Walz likes to point out, we are joyful warriors,” Harris told the crowd in Eau Claire, Wisconsin.
Walz contrasted the approach with that of former President Donald Trump and his running mate, Sen. J.D. Vance, saying that as a former teacher, he understands “bullies.”
“What I am is a teacher, I observe things. So, I want to tell you what I observed and you’ve observed … about these guys when you see them, that it’s a very clear thing. Yes, they are creepy and weird as hell. You see it,” he said. “This is not normal. This is not normal behavior. Nobody’s asking for this crazy stuff.”
Walz, who joined the Army Reserve as a teenager, knocked Trump for having “no understanding of service.”
“I’ll tell you what, Donald Trump, he sees the world differently than we see it. He has no understanding of service because he’s too busy servicing himself again and again and again,” he said. “This guy weakens our country to strengthen his own hands.”
-ABC News’ Will McDuffie, Gabriella Abdul-Hakim, Fritz Farrow and Isabella Murray
Harris HQ posts TikTok after Vance’s plane, Air Force Two on same tarmac
The Harris-Walz campaign posted a video on its TikTok account responding to earlier in the day when Sen. JD Vance’s plane and Air Force Two were on the same tarmac in Wisconsin.
The post used sound from the show “Dance Moms” where instructor and choreographer Abby Lee Miller says, “I just want to sit back and relax and enjoy my evening. When all of a sudden, I hear this agitating, grating voice.”
The video shows the vice president stepping off Air Force Two with Gov. Tim Walz while shaking hands and speaking with local children before panning to Vance’s plane as it pulled up on the tarmac.
-ABC News Gabriella Abdul-Hakim, Fritz Farrow and Will McDuffie
Trump previously told Walz he was ‘very happy’ with his handling of George Floyd protests
In the hours after Vice President Kamala Harris announced Gov. Tim Walz as her running mate, allies of former President Donald Trump rushed to denigrate the Minnesota Democrat, seizing on criticism of his handling of the riots in the wake of George Floyd’s murder in May 2020.
But at the time, Trump expressed support for Walz’s handling of the protests, according to a recording of a phone call obtained by ABC News — telling a group of governors that Walz “dominated,” and praising his leadership as an example for other states to follow.
“I know Gov. Walz is on the phone, and we spoke, and I fully agree with the way he handled it the last couple of days,” Trump told a group of governors on June 1, 2020, according to a recording of the call, in which he also called Walz an “excellent guy.”
“I was very happy with the last couple of days, Tim,” Trump continued. “You called up big numbers and the big numbers knocked them out so fast it was like bowling pins.”
Trump also suggested on the call that it was his encouragement that sparked Walz to call in the National Guard: “I said, you got to use the National Guard in big numbers,” Trump said. A spokesperson for the Harris-Walz campaign said Wednesday that was untrue.
Karoline Leavitt, a spokesperson for the Trump campaign, said Trump lauded Walz only after the governor heeded his advice to enlist support from the National Guard.
-ABC News’ Lucien Bruggeman and Katherine Faulders
Harris, Vance planes on same tarmac at same time in Wisconsin
A rare moment took place Wednesday when the respective planes flying Vice President Kamala Harris and Sen. JD Vance to separate campaign events in Wisconsin were on the same tarmac.
Vance took the opportunity to rib the Harris-Walz campaign when he walked over to Air Force Two to “check out” what he called his “future plane.”
Vance said he saw Harris’ car, but he didn’t see her because her windows were tinted.
-ABC News’ Hannah Demissie
Harris, Trump tied among Wisconsin voters, poll finds
A poll from Marquette University Law School published Wednesday of voters in Wisconsin found that Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump are closely matched among registered voters in a 2024 general election head-to-head matchup.
Among registered voters, Trump and Harris were split 50% to 49%, respectively, and among likely voters, they were split 49% to 50%, according to the poll.
The poll shows virtually no change from the split between President Joe Biden and Trump in a Marquette poll that was conducted in June.
When a few third-party candidates are added in, Harris and Trump are still about even among registered voters, with Harris netting 45%, Trump netting 43% and independent candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. getting 8%, the poll found.
The survey was conducted between July 24 to Aug. 1. It has a margin of error of +/- 4.6 percentage points among registered Wisconsin voters and +/- 4.8 percentage points among likely Wisconsin voters.
-ABC News’ Oren Oppenheim
Walz greeted with ‘Let’s go coach’ chants as he visits campaign HQ
Gov. Tim Walz visited the campaign’s Wilmington headquarters Wednesday morning to a cheering crowd.
“I wanted to say thank you myself to the people who have put everything into helping us win. Holy smokes, this team,” he said in a post on X.
Several volunteers and staffers were outside holding signs and shook the governor’s hand as he greeted them, according to a video of the visit on his X account.
The crowd engaged in a chant of “Let’s go coach,” referencing Walz’s time as a high school football coach.
“It’s Friday night lights,” Walz responded.
-ABC News’ Will McDuffie, Gabriella Abdul-Hakim Isabella Murray and Fritz Farrow
Walz greeted with ‘Let’s go coach’ chants as he visits campaign HQ
Gov. Tim Walz visited the campaign’s Wilmington headquarters Wednesday morning to a cheering crowd.
“I wanted to say thank you myself to the people who have put everything into helping us win. Holy smokes, this team,” he said in a post on X.
Several volunteers and staffers were outside holding signs and shook the governor’s hand as he greeted them, according to a video of the visit on his X account.
The crowd engaged in a chant of “Let’s go coach,” referencing Walz’s time as a high school football coach.
“It’s Friday night lights,” Walz responded.
-ABC News’ Will McDuffie, Gabriella Abdul-Hakim Isabella Murray and Fritz Farrow
Harris-Walz campaign boasts ‘explosion of volunteer interest’
The Harris-Walz campaign issued a memo on Wednesday touting its ground game in battleground states, specifically Wisconsin, Michigan and Pennsylvania.
The memo boasted of a “formidable door-knocking operation” in Wisconsin with more than 160 full-time coordinated staffers on the ground, an “explosion of volunteer interest” in Michigan, with more than 9,000 new volunteer sign-ups, and “unprecedented enthusiasm” in Pennsylvania, citing Tuesday’s rally in Philadelphia that the campaign claims brought in more than 14,000 people.
The campaign said it has more than 600 coordinated staff members on the ground in those three states and plans to add 150 more in the first two weeks of August.
-ABC News’ Will McDuffie, Gabriella Abdul-Hakim and Fritz Farrow
Harris-Walz campaign says it raised $36M in 24 hours since VP announcement
In the first 24 hours since Vice President Kamala Harris announced Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as her running mate, the Harris-Walz campaign has raised $36 million, according to a campaign official.
-ABC News’ Gabriella Abdul-Hakim
22 Democratic governors, including Shapiro and Beshear, praise Harris’ selection of Walz as VP
Twenty-two Democratic governors are lauding the fact that their colleague, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, has joined the 2024 Democratic ticket.
In a statement released on Wednesday, they stressed as a group of leaders — which includes some they said were “elected in very challenging races in battleground and red states” — that they were “thrilled” with Harris’ selection.
The joint statement was notably signed by Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear and Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, who themselves were on the shortlist of potential Harris vice presidential picks. All three had submitted materials to the Democratic nominee’s vetting team, though only Shapiro had traveled to Washington, D.C., on Sunday for an in-person interview with Harris.
“As America’s Democratic governors, we represent a broad and diverse set of 23 states that make up more than half the U.S. population. Many of us were elected in very challenging races in battleground and red states. We make tough decisions as state executives every day, and know what it takes to win. We couldn’t be more thrilled that Vice President Kamala Harris has selected Governor Tim Walz as her running mate, and will do everything in our power to ensure their success this November,” the statement, first shared with ABC News, reads.
“Overall, there’s no doubt the Harris-Walz ticket is the perfect one-two punch to knock out the GOP’s dangerous agenda and failure to deliver for the American people,” the statement continues.
Other governors who signed on to the letter include California’s Gavin Newsom, Michigan’s Gretchen Whitmer, Colorado’s Jared Polis, Maryland’s Wes Moore and North Carolina’s Roy Cooper.
Vance targets Harris’ ‘policy choices’ during Michigan stop
GOP vice presidential nominee Sen. JD Vance delivered remarks following a briefing with the Shelby Township, Michigan, Police Department on Wednesday, where he went after Vice President Kamala Harris on her “policy choices.”
Vance’s remarks at the event focused on supporting law enforcement and combating undocumented immigration.
“We’ve got to throw Kamala Harris out of office, not give her a promotion, and that’s what our law enforcement needs,” he said.
When asked by reporters about how a Trump administration would actually deport undocumented immigrants (Trump has repeatedly vowed to deport millions of migrants), Vance gave no real plan on how that would happen but stated: “We are going to deport people now.”
Vance also took aim at his Democratic VP opponent, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, a retired National Guardsman, questioning his military service while providing no facts to back up his claim. Vance also called out Walz for his comment during Tuesday’s rally in Philadelphia, where the governor called out the senator’s Ivy League education and support from tech billionaires.
“And if he wants to criticize me for getting an Ivy League education, I’m proud of the fact that my mama supported me, that I was able to make something of myself,” Vance said.
Vance was again asked his thoughts about Trump falsely questioning Harris’ racial identity. Vance said he viewed Trump’s attack on the vice president as her being “a chameleon.”
“I think he was observing the basic foundational reality that Kamala Harris pretends to be something different depending on which audience she’s speaking to,” the senator said.
-ABC News’ Hannah Demissie
Trump says he ‘could not be more thrilled’ about Walz as Harris’ VP pick
Former President Donald Trump said he “couldn’t believe” Vice President Kamala Harris picked Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as her running mate, adding he “could not be more thrilled,” when he called into Fox and Friends Wednesday morning.
“I would say my reaction is, I can’t believe it. I never thought this was going to be the one that was picked,” Trump said. “He’s a very, very liberal man, and he’s a shocking pick, and I’m thrilled. I could not be more thrilled.”
Asked if his campaign thought Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro was going to be the VP pick, Trump said he thought Shapiro would’ve been a better choice.
“I would have said it would have been a better choice,” Trump said of Shapiro. “I would have said others were the better, better choice.”
Harris and Walz to hold rallies in Wisconsin, Michigan Wednesday
Vice President Kamala Harris and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz are scheduled Wednesday to hold rallies in Wisconsin and Michigan, bringing their “vision for the future” to two battleground states on their first full day of campaigning together.
“Together, they will highlight the choice facing Blue Wall voters between the Trump-Vance agenda to weaken unions and give tax cuts to the wealthy on the backs of the middle class, and the Harris-Walz vision for the future, where everyone has the opportunity not just to get by, but to get ahead,” the Harris campaign said.
At their midday stop in Wisconsin, the pair will be joined by Gov. Tony Evers and Sen. Tammy Baldwin.
The pair will then travel to Wayne County Airport in Michigan for an evening rally, the campaign said. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan will join them, the campaign said.
“Their visits come on the heels of over a dozen labor endorsements, including last week’s endorsement from UAW — which represents more than 130,000 members in Michigan alone,” the campaign said.
JD Vance cancels North Carolina rallies due to Tropical Storm Debby
Sen. JD Vance will not be making appearances in North Carolina Thursday, due to the forecast of Tropical Storm Debby in the state, the Trump-Vance campaign said in a statement Tuesday.
Vance had two scheduled rallies in Raleigh and Oakboro.
“The Trump-Vance campaign will be rescheduling these events in North Carolina as soon as possible,” the campaign said.
Harris-Walz campaign says it raised over $20 million since running mate announcement
Vice President Kamala Harris and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz’s campaign announcement has proven to be a fundraising success, according to a statement from the campaign Tuesday.
The Harris-Walz campaign says it has raised more than $20 million since this morning’s announcement of Walz joining Harris on the Democratic ticket in November.
Walz says he ‘can’t wait’ to debate JD Vance: ‘These guys are creepy’
Gov. Walz came out hard against former President Donald Trump and his running mate Sen. JD Vance during his first campaign rally speech as Harris’ vice presidential pick.
“Donald Trump’s not fighting for you or your family,” Walz said. He never sat at that kitchen table, like the one I grew up at, wondering how we were going to pay the bills. He sat at his country club in Mar a Lago wondering how he can cut taxes for his rich friends,” Walz added.
Turning his attention to Vance, Walz said, “His running mate shares his dangerous and backward agenda for this country.”
“I got to tell you, I can’t wait to debate the guy,” Walz continued, quipping, “That is, if he’s willing to get off the couch and show up.”
Calling out the Republican ticket, Walz added, “These guys are creepy. And yeah, it’s just weird as hell.”
Harris and Walz are officially the Democratic nominees: DNC
As Harris and Walz took the stage in Philadelphia, the Democratic National Committee announced they are officially the Democratic nominees for president and vice president.
“Vice President Harris and Governor Tim Walz officially accepted the nominations today, following the close of delegate voting on Monday, August 5th and the official certification of the roll call by Convention Secretary Jason Rae. Convention Chair Minyon Moore then certified Governor Walz as her running mate,” according to the statement from DNC Chair Jaime Harrison and DNCC Chair Minyon Moore.
Harris addressed the nomination at the campaign rally, saying, “I stand before you today to proudly announce I am now, officially, the Democratic nominee for president of the United States.”
Harris praises Walz’s background in politics and teaching: ‘Our values are the same’
During their first joint campaign rally, Vice President Kamala Harris introduced her running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, and touted his progressive record as state governor, his background as a high school teacher and football coach and a U.S. military sergeant.
“Since the day that I announced my candidacy, I set out to find a partner who can help build this brighter future. A leader who will help unite our nation and move us forward. A fighter for the middle class. A patriot who believes as I do in the extraordinary promise of America,” Harris of her search for a VP pick.
“Tim is more than a governor. To his wife, Gwen, he is a husband. To his kids, Hope and Gus, he is a dad. To his fellow veterans, he is Sgt. Major Walz, to the people of Southern Minnesota for 12 years, he was congressman. To his former high school students, he was Mr. Walz. And to his former high school football players, he was coach,” Harris said.
“Coach Walz and I may hail from different corners of this great country,” Harris continued, “But our values are the same.”
Harris and Walz take the stage in Philadelphia in first joint campaign rally
Vice President Kamala Harris and her newly announced running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, were met with loud applause and cheers in Philadelphia as they made their first joint appearance.
That massive crowd gave Harris and Walz a long standing ovation as they took the stage to the song “Freedom” by Beyoncé.
Gov. Josh Shapiro speaks ahead of 1st joint Harris-Walz rally
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro has taken to the stage and is speaking in Philadelphia ahead of the first joint Harris-Walz rally.
Walz to tout his record, Harris’ strengths as prosecutor during campaign rally: Excerpts
Gov. Tim Walz will tout Vice President Kamala Harris’ history as a prosecutor, senator and vice president at their joint rally tonight in Philadelphia, according to excerpts from his speech that were released ahead of the event.
“She took on predators and fraudsters, took down transnational gangs, stood up against powerful corporate interests, she’s never hesitated to reach across the aisle if it meant improving people’s lives. And — she brings joy to everything she does,” the excepts read.
The governor is also expected to speak about his experiences from his days as a teacher to legislating as an elected official.
“These same values I learned on the family farm and tried to instill in my students, I took to Congress and the state capital, and now, Vice President Harris and I are running to take them to the White House,” the excerpts read.
“Donald Trump — he sees the world differently. He doesn’t know the first thing about service — because he’s too busy serving himself,” the excerpts read.
-ABC News’ Gabriella Abdul-Hakim
Walz, during vetting process, said he never used a teleprompter before: Source
Tim Walz said during the VP vetting process that he had never used a teleprompter before, according to source familiar.
The governor practiced using one before his remarks tonight to be comfortable using it during the joint rally with Kamala Harris in Philadelphia, according to the source.
CNN first reported the teleprompter detail.
-ABC News’ Selina Wang
Walz arrives in Philadelphia: ‘Hello Philly!’
Minnesota Gov. Tim Waz has arrived in Philadelphia ahead of his rally tonight with Vice President Kamala Harris.
He posted a video to X and wrote, “Hello Philly!”
-ABC News’ Will McDuffie, Gabriella Abdul-Hakim, Fritz Farrow and Isabella Murray
Harris campaign says it raised more than $10M since Walz announcement
The Harris-Walz ticket has raised more than $10 million since this morning’s reveal of Tim Walz as the vice president’s running mate, the campaign said in a release, making it “one of the campaign’s best fundraising days this cycle.”
Lauren Hitt, a spokeswoman, added that Pennsylvania’s top elected officials will join the pair at their Philadelphia rally tonight.
Sens. John Fetterman and Bob Casey are expected to speak, as is Gov. Josh Shapiro, who had been one of the contenders to be Harris’ running mate.
-ABC News’ Will McDuffie, Gabriella Abdul-Hakim and Fritz Farrow
DNC calls Walz the ‘presumptive nominee for vice president’
The Democratic National Committee, in a post on X, called Tim Walz the “presumptive nominee for Vice President.”
“Kamala Harris has selected Governor Tim Walz to be the presumptive Democratic nominee for vice president of the United States,” the party wrote, with a graphic of it’s “official Democratic ticket.”
-ABC News’ Oren Oppenheim, Isabella Murray and Brittany Shepherd
Harris releases video of phone call with Walz
Vice President Kamala Harris released a video showing her speaking with Gov. Tim Walz about being her running mate.
Harris is seen speaking on a cellphone with Walz, who is dressed in a T-shirt, khakis and a camouflage-colored baseball cap, alerting him that he would be her pick.
“The joy that you’re bringing back to the country, the enthusiasm that’s out there it will be a privilege to take this with you across the country,” Walz says in the video.
Bill Clinton: ‘Tim Walz has walked the walk’
Former President Bill Clinton praised Gov. Tim Walz’s record on Tuesday afternoon.
“Kamala Harris made a terrific choice with Minnesota Governor Tim Walz. His resume speaks for itself,” he said in a statement posted on X.
“Tim Walz has walked the walk, and he’ll be a great vice president,” Clinton added.
Harris’ VP decision ‘stark contrast to Donald Trump’s choice’, Jeffries says
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries released a statement Tuesday praising Gov. Tim Walz after he was picked by Vice President Kamala Harris as her running mate, commending his years of work as a National Guardsman, teacher, House member and governor.
“Throughout his years of public service, including as the top Democrat on the Veterans’ Affairs Committee, Tim has been a consistent champion on the issues that matter most for everyday Americans,” Jeffries, D-N.Y., said.
“Vice President Harris’ decision is a stark contrast to Donald Trump’s choice,” Jeffries added.
-ABC News’ Lauren Peller
Vance says he wants to debate Walz after he is officially VP nominee
When asked if he’s willing to debate Gov. Tim Walz, Sen. JD Vance said he wants to but is going to wait until Walz is the official vice presidential nominee.
“I absolutely want to debate Tim Walz, but I want to debate him, actually, after he’s actually officially the nominee, and I did call him and congratulate him and offered him my best wishes. I think that’s the polite thing to do,” he said.
-ABC News’ Soo Rin Kim, Hannah Demissie, Lalee Ibssa and Kelsey Walsh
Clyburn says Walz will be a ‘strong partner’ for Harris
Rep. Jim Clyburn, D-S.C., said in a statement that Gov. Tim Walz has “unparalleled experience” and will be a “strong partner for Kamala Harris.”
“My former House colleague [Tim Walz] will be a strong partner for [Kamala Harris],” he wrote on X.
“As a Governor, veteran, and former public school teacher, his unparalleled experience informs a deep understanding of the issues that matter most to the American people.”
“I look forward to working with this outstanding team toward victory in November,” he added.
-ABC News’ Lauren Peller
Manchin says Walz ‘will bring normality back to the most chaotic political environment’
West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin wrote in a statement on X that “I can think of no one better than Governor Walz to help bring our country closer together and bring balance back to the Democratic Party.”
“My friend Governor Tim Walz will bring normality back to the most chaotic political environment that most of us have ever seen,” he said, in part, also calling him “the real deal.”
-ABC News’ Lauren Peller
RFK Jr. criticizes Walz as VP pick
Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. wrote on X that Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz being picked as Harris’ running mate means that “America’s political divide sharpens.”
“He called Trump supporters ‘fascist’ and ‘weird,’ and they in turn are calling him worse than that,” he said.
-ABC News’ Oren Oppenheim
Walz ‘going to bring something else to this ticket in a big way,’ Klobuchar says
Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar spoke to ABC News Live about her reaction Gov. Tim Walz being selected as Vice President Kamala Harris’ running mate.
The senator called Walz a “close friend,” and said Harris chose the governor for several major reasons.
“She had someone in Tim Walz that one, she trusted, [and] two, she saw as someone that is going to bring something else to this ticket in a big way,” Klobuchar said.
The Minnesota senator, who describes Tim Walz as a “close friend,” gave her thoughts on Vice President Kamala Harris picking the Minnesota governor as her running mate.
The senator said Walz’s experiences as a veteran, teacher, Congress member and governor help the ticket.
“I just like Tim Walz. He is a good leader, he has shown he can get things done across the aisle,” she said.
When asked about the criticism Walz received over his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, Klobuchar said, “We came out of it strong.”
Klobuchar also addressed the criticism Walz received over the 2020 George Floyd protests, reiterating that the governor embraced peaceful protests but called in the National Guard when they got violent.
“I would like to add, he was someone when the ‘defund the police’ ballot measure was on the ballot in the city of Minneapolis, both of us strongly opposed the measure. He added funding for the police,” she said. “You will see someone who has actually stood with law enforcement and made some tough decisions.”
Vance says he left Walz a voicemail, claims Harris’ pick highlights how ‘radical’ she is
Republican vice presidential nominee Sen. JD Vance responded to the news of Gov. Tim Walz being tapped as Kamala Harris’ running mate, claiming the decision highlights how “radical” Harris is.
“Obviously, the big news of the day is that Tim Walz has been nominated as the VP or is now the presumptive nominee, I should say, for Kamala Harris … My view on it is it just highlights how radical Kamala Harris is,” Vance said.
Vice presidential candidate JD Vance spoke to reporters in Philadelphia about Kamala Harris’ choice for running mate.
When asked by ABC News’ Hannah Demissie if he had been in contact with Walz, Vance said he called Walz but the governor didn’t answer, so he left a voicemail.
“I didn’t get him, but I just said, ‘Look, congratulations. Look forward to a robust conversation and enjoy the ride,’ And maybe he’ll call me back, maybe he won’t,” Vance said.
-ABC News Lalee Ibssa
Biden spoke with Harris, Walz separately today, White House says
President Joe Biden spoke with Vice President Kamala Harris on Monday morning before she announced that Gov. Tim Walz would be her running mate, the White House said in a statement.
“The President also spoke with Governor Walz to congratulate him on his selection,” White House Senior Deputy Press Secretary Emilie Simons said in a statement.
-ABC News’ Justin Gomez
Harris told Walz they are ‘underdogs’ but is confident they have winning message: Source
Vice President Kamala Harris told Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz in a phone call this morning that they are the “underdogs” in this race, but she’s confident that together they have a winning message on reducing costs for the middle class and protecting freedom, a source close to the process told ABC News.
The source added that chemistry was a big piece of Harris’ decision to select Walz.
Harris notified her team this morning that she wanted to inform Walz and the other candidates, the source said, adding that the final decision and execution was done Tuesday morning.
-ABC News’ Selina Wang
Obama praises Tim Walz as VP pick
Former President Barack Obama released a lengthy statement on X congratulating Gov. Tim Walz for being selected as Vice President Kamala Harris’ running mate.
“[Tim Walz] believes that government works to serve us. Not just some of us, but all of us. That’s what makes him an outstanding governor, and that’s what will make him an even better vice president,” he wrote.
“By selecting Tim Walz to be her vice president from a pool of outstanding Democrats, Kamala Harris has chosen an ideal partner — and made it clear exactly what she stands for,” Obama said.
Pete Buttigieg praises Tim Walz as VP pick
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, who was considered as a potential Harris running mate, praised Tim Walz in a statement posted on X, calling him an “effective governor — and also great to work with.”
“I’m excited for what his Midwestern voice, military experience, and common-sense values will bring to our winning ticket, and for everything the Harris-Walz administration will deliver for Americans,” he said.
-ABC News’ Tommy Barone
Gov. Andy Beshear throws full support behind Harris-Walz ticket
Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, who was also a vice presidential contender, said it was an honor to be considered for the 2024 ticket but threw his full support behind his “great friend” Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz.
“I fully support this new ticket and will work to elect [Kamala Harris] as our next President of the United States,” Beshear said in a statement on X.
-ABC News’ Minnie Noah
Minnesota senators react to Walz as VP pick
Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar wrote on X that Walz has been an “incredible leader.”
“Minnesota is known as the land of Vice Presidents, and we’ve got another great one on the way! As a veteran, a high school teacher and football coach, and our Minnesota Governor, Tim Walz has been an incredible leader (and on top of that, a good friend). Let’s go win this!” Klobuchar wrote.
Minnesota Sen. Tina Smith posted a photo of her and Walz eating donuts together, writing: “DONUT count Minnesota out. Congratulations, Governor Walz!”
-ABC News’ Lauren Peller
Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly reacts to Harris-Walz ticket
Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly, who made the veepstakes short list, wrote on X that Vice President Kamala Harris and Gov. Tim Walz “are going to move us forward.”
“They’re already building a campaign to unite our country — and [Gabby Giffords] and I are ready to do everything we can to help them win.”
-ABC News’ Tommy Barone
Walz says it’s ‘the honor of a lifetime’: ‘I’m all in’
Gov. Tim Walz posted on X on Tuesday, saying he’s “all in” on his new role as Harris’ VP pick.
“It is the honor of a lifetime to join [Kamala Harris] in this campaign. I’m all in. Vice President Harris is showing us the politics of what’s possible. It reminds me a bit of the first day of school. So, let’s get this done, folks! Join us,” he wrote, also linking to a donation page.
-ABC News’ Brittany L. Shepherd and Fritz Farrow
Shapiro expresses support for Harris-Walz ticket
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro posted on X about Vice President Harris’ choice of Tim Walz as a running mate, saying it was “a deeply personal decision for the Vice President — and a deeply personal decision for me.”
“Pennsylvanians elected me to a four-year term as their Governor, and my work here is far from finished — there is a lot more stuff I want to get done for the good people of this Commonwealth,” he wrote, in part, in a statement.
“Over the next 90 days, I look forward to traveling all across the Commonwealth to unite Pennsylvanians behind my friends Kamala Harris and Tim Walz and defeat Donald Trump,” he said. “See you tonig
Harris announces Walz as VP pick on Instagram
Vice President Kamala Harris took to Instagram to announce Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as her vice presidential running mate. Her X page was also updated with a new social wrap that highlights her vice presidential pick, along with a new poster that features the two.
“I am proud to announce that I’ve asked [Gov. Tim Walz] to be my running mate,” Harris wrote on Instagram.
“One of the things that stood out to me about Tim is how his convictions on fighting for middle class families run deep. It’s personal,” she continued.
“He grew up in a small town in Nebraska, spending summers working on his family’s farm. His father died of cancer when he was 19, and his family relied on Social Security survivor benefit checks to make ends meet. At 17, he enlisted in the National Guard, serving for 24 years. He used his GI Bill benefits to go to college, and become a teacher. He served as both the football coach and the advisor of the Gay-Straight Alliance,” Harris wrote.
“I share this background both because it’s impressive in its own right, and because you see in no uncertain terms how it informs his record. He worked with Republicans to pass infrastructure investments. He cut taxes for working families. He passed a law to provide paid family and medical leave to Minnesotan families,” she continued. “He made Minnesota the first state in the country to pass a law providing constitutional abortion protections after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, and as an avid hunter, he passed a bill requiring universal background checks for gun purchases.”
“But what impressed me most about Tim is his deep commitment to his family: Gwen, Gus, and Hope. Doug and I look forward to working with him and Gwen to build an administration that reflects our shared values,” she said.
-ABC News’ Gabriella Abdul-Hakim, Fritz Farrow and Will McDuffie
Trump campaign fundraising email from JD Vance says ‘I will wipe the floor with Tim Walz’
The Trump campaign sent a fundraising email from Sen. JD Vance on Tuesday with the subject line, “I will wipe the floor with Tim Walz.”
“I have three words for Tim Walz: Bring. It. On,” the fundraising email says.
-ABC News’ Lalee Ibssa
Josh Shapiro to attend Harris rally in Philadelphia tonight
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro will attend tonight’s rally in Philadelphia and “will do everything he can” to support the Harris-Walz ticket, someone familiar with the campaign’s thinking told ABC News.
-ABC News’ Will McDuffie
Rep. Dean Phillips, Biden primary opponent, said he’s ‘thrilled’ by Walz news
Minnesota Rep. Dean Phillips, who was one of President Joe Biden’s few primary challengers this cycle, said in a post on X on Tuesday morning that he was “thrilled” by the reports that his “friend” Tim Walz would be Kamala Harris’ VP pick.
“I’m thrilled by reports that my friend and governor will be America’s next Vice President,” Phillips posted, along with a photo of them together.
“Tim is a common-sense, competent and experienced leader whose refreshing normal-ness will be a great contrast to the tiresome weirdness. Let’s go!” he wrote.
Walz and Phillips never served in the House of Representatives together. Walz left his 1st Congressional District seat in 2019, when Phillips was coming in to serve the 3rd District.
Phillips has endorsed Harris’ White House bid.
-ABC News’ Isabella Murray
Rep. Ilhan Omar congratulates Walz
Progressive Minnesota Democrat Rep. Ilhan Omar congratulated her state’s governor on Tuesday.
“Our North Star state Governor has signed universal school meals, paid family and sick leave, marijuana legalization, and protections for reproductive rights into law,” she wrote on X, also sharing a photo of the two.
-ABC News’ Lauren Peller
Pelosi applauds Walz, but says ‘to characterize him as left is so unreal’
Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi reacted on “Morning Joe” to the news that Vice President Kamala Harris is poised to pick Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as her running mate, saying: “Tim Walz is wonderful, and she had many good choices.”
“Tim Walz, I know very well. He served in the House. To characterize him as left is so unreal. It’s just not — he’s right down the middle. He is a heartland of America Democrat. He was the chair of our Veterans’ Affairs Committee, and I don’t want anybody to forget that — he made tremendous, tremendous gains for our veterans,” Pelosi said.
“We made more progress that has ever been made in the history of our country since the GI Bill under his leadership,” she continued.
Pelosi complimented his background and credentials, including serving in the National Guard.
“So, he brings the security credential. He brings the rural credential. And he will do in rural America,” Pelosi said.
“So it’s really mystifying to me to see someone that I worked with, shall we say, right down the middle characterized on the left in his regard. He has [Harris’] confidence obviously,” she added.
“[Walz] has a great vision for our country. It is about working-class families, about rural America, about our veterans. He has won for governor two times in Minnesota,” Pelosi added.
-ABC News’ Lauren Peller
Minnesota Rep. Betty McCollum calls Walz a ‘rock-solid Democrat’
Rep. Betty McCollum, D-Minn., praised Gov. Tim Walz on Tuesday, calling him a “rock-solid Democrat.”
“Tim Walz is my friend and a former colleague whose Midwest values are rooted in selfless service to our nation, caring for his neighbors, and inspiring students, soldiers and citizens to stand together, dream bigger and never give up,” she said in a statement, reacting to the news that Vice President Kamala Harris is poised to pick the Minnesota governor as her running mate.
“Tim is a rock-solid Democrat, a teacher, a football coach, a veteran and a leader who will defend our freedoms and will work to improve the lives of all Americans in every corner of our country,” she said.
-ABC News’ John Parkinson
Trump reacts to news Harris is poised to pick Tim Walz
Donald Trump on Tuesday reacted to the news that Vice President Kamala Harris is poised to pick Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as her running mate.
Trump, in a campaign email, claimed Walz “would be the worst VP in history” and said the governor was “even worse” than Harris.
The pro-Trump super PAC MAGA Inc., a separate entity from the Trump campaign, also released a statement, claiming Walz and Harris are “both far-left radicals that don’t know how to govern.”
-ABC News’ Rick Klein, Soorin Kim, Lalee Ibssa and Kelsey Walsh
Majority Whip Tom Emmer, a Republican, reacts to Walz poised to be Harris’ VP pick
House Majority Whip Tom Emmer of Minnesota, a Republican, criticized Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, who is poised to be Harris’ pick for vice president.
In a post on X, Emmer said, “It’s not surprising @KamalaHarris picked Tim Walz to be her running mate — he embodies the same disastrous economic, open-borders, and soft-on-crime policies Harris has inflicted on our country the last four years.”
-ABC News’ Lauren Peller
Harris poised to pick Tim Walz as vice presidential running mate
Vice President Kamala Harris is poised to pick Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as her vice presidential running mate to help her challenge Donald Trump and JD Vance in November.
Harris grows Pennsylvania volunteers
Vice President Kamala Harris’ presidential campaign is touting its robust ground game in Pennsylvania, saying it’s taking “nothing for granted” in the state, ahead of her running mate reveal, which is expected on Tuesday.
About 33,000 people signed up to volunteer for the campaign in Pennsylvania in the last 15 days, according to a campaign memo. The campaign boasts nearly 300 staffers across three dozen offices in the state, the memo said.
The campaign also said it was “doing the work to make inroads in historically-safe Republican areas.”
The campaign sought to contrast Harris’ record with former President Donald Trump’s, citing the vice president’s time as a prosecutor and saying she “is committed to keeping our communities safe and locking up dangerous crooks, criminals, and predators.”
“With only three months until Election Day, Trump’s campaign still lags far behind in the infrastructure needed to win with just three offices in Pennsylvania,” the Harris campaign memo said. “He’s shown he doesn’t want these voters.”
Kamala Harris earns majority of Democratic roll call votes
Vice President Kamala Harris has officially gotten the vast majority of delegate votes in the virtual roll call that nominates her as the Democratic presidential nominee, the Democratic National Committee said in a statement released late Monday.
The roll call, which concluded on Monday evening, still needs to be certified by Convention Secretary Jason Rae, according to the statement, but the announcement makes Harris’s historic nomination effectively official.
Sens. Sanders, Warren join Progressives for Harris Call: ‘We have to beat Trump in November’
On a three-hour organizing call with over 100,000 attendees, numerous high-profile progressive democrats came out to support Vice President Kamala’s Harris’ presidential bid.
Sens. Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren, Reps. Joaquin Castro, Ro Khanna, Ilhan Omar and Jamie Raskin and UAW President Shawn Fain all showed up as well as members of the uncommitted movement who had not yet endorsed Harris but strongly hope she’ll win them over in the next few months.
“The energy and the momentum in this election is on our side. And I am so inspired by the organizing in support of Vice President Harris, starting with the win with black women that mobilized a massive zoom call. And now here tonight, we have progressives coming together,” Warren said on the call.
Sanders, who has not officially said he endorses Harris — although he has encouraged voters to go out and support the candidate — told attendees that “Trump must be defeated” and Harris “must be elected.” He noted that it’s “imperative that Democrats gain control over the House and the Senate.”
“And we in the progressive movement must do all that we can to make that happen,” he added.
“I don’t know if I can add to what has already been said tonight, but my message is pretty clear, and that is all of us together must do everything that we can to defeat Donald Trump and elect Kamala Harris as our next president,” said Sanders.
Harris campaign selling yard signs without revealing running mate’s name
Vice President Kamala Harris’ presidential campaign is promoting pre-orders for a campaign yard sign with a mockup image featuring her last name and tape and question marks over where her yet-to-be-announced running mate’s last name would be.
“Be one of the first to proudly display your support for Kamala Harris and her running mate,” the campaign said on its website.
JD Vance to also give remarks in same states as Harris this week
Republican vice presidential candidate JD Vance is scheduled to give remarks in the same states on the same days as Vice President Kamala Harris this week, the Trump-Vance campaign announced, as Harris embarks on a battleground state tour.
Vance is scheduled to speak at noon ET in Philadelphia on Tuesday. The event comes as Harris is set to hold a rally with her yet-to-be-announced running mate Tuesday night in the city.
On Wednesday, he is scheduled to deliver remarks in the Detroit suburb of Shelby Township, Michigan, and Eau Claire, Wisconsin, as Harris also campaigns in those states then.
Then on Thursday, he is set to speak in Raleigh and Oakboro in North Carolina, aligning with Harris’ scheduled visit to the state.
-ABC News’ Hannah Demissie
Bon Iver to campaign with Harris in Wisconsin
Bon Iver will join Harris and her running mate on Wednesday in Eau Claire, Wisconsin — where the Grammy-winning indie folk band was founded — for a “special performance” as part of the campaign’s battleground state tour, the Harris campaign announced on Monday.
-ABC News’ Gabriella Abdul-Hakim, Fritz Farrow, Will McDuffie and Isabella Murray
Harris still deliberating on VP pick: Source
At this moment, Vice President Harris has not decided on a running mate and is still deliberating, according to a source.
More than 10K people expected at Harris’ Philly rally: Source
More than 10,000 people are expected to attend Harris’ rally Tuesday night in Philadelphia, where she’ll be joined by her new running mate, according to a source familiar with the plans.
That would make this the biggest event yet for the Harris campaign.
Harris is looking to build off her momentum. Pennsylvania kicks off her swing through seven battleground states in five days.
The pace of her campaign is in stark contrast to Trump’s, which has only one rally scheduled this week — in Montana on Friday.
Usha Vance says husband’s ‘childless cat ladies’ comment was a ‘quip’
In her first interview since her husband was named former President Donald Trump’s running mate, Usha Vance sat down with Fox & Friends where she discussed her husband’s “childless cat ladies” comment that has gained attention recently — calling it a “quip.”
“The reality is, JD made a quote – I mean, he made a quip, and he made a quip in service of making a point that he wanted to make that was substantive,” Usha Vance said of the comments her husband made in 2021. “And I just wish sometimes that people would talk about those things and that we would spend a lot less time just sort of going through this three-word phrase or that three-word phrase.”
She continued, “What he was really saying is that it can be really hard to be a parent in this country, and sometimes our policies are designed in a way that make it even harder.”
She added that her husband “would never ever ever want to say something to hurt someone who was trying to have a family who really was struggling with that.”
JD Vance has called the comments “sarcastic.”
“Let’s try to look at the real conversation that he’s trying to have and engage with it and understand for those of us who do have families, for the many of us who want to have families, and for whom it’s really hard,” Usha Vance said on Monday. “What can we do to make it better? What can we do to make it easier to live in 2024?”
-ABC News’ Kelsey Walsh, Hannah Demissie, Lalee Ibssa and Soorin Kim
Pelosi says she spoke with Biden ahead of his withdrawal ‘asking for a campaign that would win’
Former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, in an interview with Good Morning America anchor George Stephanopolous on Monday morning, said that she spoke with President Joe Biden ahead of his withdrawal from the 2024 presidential race “asking for a campaign that would win.” She also said Biden was “the only person that I spoke to” about Biden possibly withdrawing.
“The only person that I spoke to about this was the president. Other people called me about what their views were about it, and — but I rarely even returned a call, much less initiated one,” Pelosi said.
Later, she added, “I wasn’t asking him to step down. I was asking for a campaign that would win, and I wasn’t seeing that on the horizon.”
Vice President Kamala Harris’ choice for her running mate is a the “most important” decision she has to make as her campaign gets started, former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said.
All of her choices appear to be good, Pelosi added.
“It’s a difficult decision because they are all so great,” she told ABC News’ George Stephanopoulos on Good Morning America on Monday. “It is the most important decision for her to make. Not just about who can help win, but who can help serve and lead and whose confidence she trusts.”
Harris and to-be-announced running mate to launch seven-state tour Tuesday
Vice President Kamala Harris and her running mate, who is yet to be named, will go on tour, hitting seven battleground states in five days, the Harris campaign said Monday.
The tour will be an effort to “introduce the new Democratic ticket” and “speak directly with voters in their communities and cement the contrast between our ticket and Trump’s,” campaign said.
The tour, which kicks off Tuesday in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, will feature rallies in cities and stops at college campuses, including HBCUs, union halls, family-owned restaurants and their field offices, the campaign said.
The tour will continue through Eau Claire, Wisconsin; Detroit, Michigan; Durham, North Carolina; Savannah, Georgia; Phoenix, Arizona; and Las Vegas, Nevada, the campaign said.
Harris interviewing top VP contenders today at her residence: Source
Vice President Harris is meeting with top running mate candidates Sunday at her residence at the Naval Observatory in Washington, D.C., according to a source familiar with the matter.
Harris is meeting with at least three leading contenders — Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, according to the source.
The meetings were earlier reported by The New York Times.
Sen. JD Vance says he wears VP pick criticism as a ‘badge of honor’
In a Fox News interview Sunday, Sen. JD Vance responded to criticism of him being picked as former President Donald Trump’s running mate, saying he takes it as a “badge of honor.”
“All I can do is go out there and prosecute the case against Kamala Harris to remind people that things were more prosperous and more peaceful when Donald Trump was president,” Vance said. “Look, I recognize there are a lot of folks even in the GOP establishment and certainly on the far left who don’t like the fact that Donald Trump picked me, I actually take their criticism as a badge of honor.”
Vance also hit back at Democrats who’ve called him “weird,” calling it “a lot of projection.”
“They can call me whatever they want to. The middle school taunts don’t bother me,” he said. “What offends me is what Kamala Harris has done to this country over three and a half years.”
Harris campaign launches ‘Republicans for Harris’ outreach program
Vice President Kamala Harris’ presidential campaign announced Sunday that it would be launching a “Republicans for Harris” program aimed at reaching Republican voters who could be convinced to vote for Harris. The program will include digital advertising, phone banking, events and other initiatives, according to the campaign.
The program — and Harris herself — have been endorsed by a number of Republican figures, including former Trump White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham.
“I might not agree with Vice President Kamala Harris on everything, but I know that she will fight for our freedom, protect our democracy, and represent America with honor and dignity on the world stage,” Grisham wrote in a statement released by the Harris campaign.
The “Republicans for Harris” program will hold kickoff events starting this week, per the campaign.
Georgia Schools Superintendent Richard Woods announced on Wednesday that the state will restore public funding for Advanced Placement (AP) African American studies to be taught in public schools after seeking “guidance and clarity” from the state’s attorney general regarding whether state law permits its inclusion in the state-approved course catalog.
In a statement posted to the Georgia Department of Education website, the Republican school chief said that “It has “been determined that this law shall not restrict local school systems from adopting any AP, IB, or dual enrollment course,” as long as “these courses are implemented ‘in a professionally and academically appropriate manner and without espousing personal political beliefs,’” as outlined by the law.
“As I have said, I will follow the law. In compliance with this opinion, the AP African American Studies course will be added to the state-funded course catalog effective immediately,” Woods’ statement continued.
In his decision last month to pull public funding for the course, Woods cited Georgia’s House Bill 1084, Republican-backed legislation that became law in 2002 and that banned teaching “divisive concepts” in public school, including numerous concepts dealing with race and racism, including what is generally described as institutional racism.
But on Wednesday, Woods said that his decision to reverse course is based on a determination by Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr, who said in a letter sent to “the sponsor of [HB 1084]” that “this law shall not restrict local school systems from adopting any AP, IB, or dual enrollment course,” and that “Each such course will be exempted from the provisions of the divisive concepts legislation, so long as these courses are implemented “in a professionally and academically appropriate manner and without espousing personal political beliefs.”
Woods’ statement did not name HB 1084’s sponsor, but the bill was authored by state Rep. Will Wade.
Carr said in that letter, which was obtained by ABC News, that HB 1084 was “not to be construed or applied to somehow prohibit the implementation of advanced placement, international baccalaureate, or dual enrollment coursework.”
“The only limitations placed on such coursework by [HB 1084] are that it is implemented ‘in a professionally and academically appropriate manner and without espousing personal political beliefs.'”
A spokesperson for Carr told ABC News on Wednesday that the letter reflects his view on state funding for the AP African American studies course.
ABC News reached out to Wade’s office for further comment, but the request was not immediately returned.
A representative for the Georgia Senate told ABC News that despite the reversal, Democratic lawmakers from both of the state’s legislative chambers are still expected to hold a previously scheduled hearing on the issue on Thursday.
Woods’ July 23 decision to prohibit the teaching of AP African American studies in Georgia public schools was met with weeks of backlash from state Democratic lawmakers, educators and students, who urged the superintendent to reverse his decision.
“From the beginning, we knew that Woods was wrong,” Democratic Sen. Nikki Merritt wrote Wednesday on X. “This is a victory today for our students, teachers, and Black History demonstrating the potential of community involvement.”
Merritt previously criticized Woods’ decision during a July 24 press conference at the Georgia State Capitol, where a group of Democratic lawmakers and advocates called on Woods to restore funding for the AP African American studies course and argued that it has been unfairly targeted.
“This course is the only AP course removed. And we’re left wondering why. I can tell you it’s not about funding,” Merritt said during the event.
While the state rejected funding for the AP course, school districts still had the option to offer courses on African American studies as a topic, but Merritt said that was “not good enough.”
“Explain to me why this course is being singled out and is no longer eligible for state funds,” she added.
Woods said in his statement Wednesday that the exemption will require that a disclaimer be added to all AP courses in the Georgia course catalog, which in part says that “Advanced Placement (AP) courses and their instructional frameworks and curriculum are solely owned and endorsed by the College Board. The contents of these courses have not been reviewed or approved by the Georgia Department of Education.”
The disclaimer further advises school districts to “use a process for reviewing, approving, and adopting AP courses and instructional frameworks that engages students, parents, educators, and community stakeholders.”
“Curricula and training should abide by state and local policies, including House Bill 1084 – which requires that the curriculum of exempted AP courses be implemented in a professionally and academically appropriate manner and without espousing personal political beliefs,” the disclaimer concludes.
The inclusion of AP African American studies in public schooling has become a politically charged topic in many states. Florida, South Carolina and Arkansas have also recently pulled public funding for the course.
ABC News’ Mariama Jalloh contributed to this report.
(GASTONIA, N.C.) — A North Carolina man accused of fatally poisoning his wife with eyedrops is now being accused of attempting to poison their 11-year-old daughter with the same substance, resulting in her hospitalization, according to court documents.
Joshua Lee Hunsucker’s was booked on Tuesday and his bond was revoked amid concerns he is abusing and neglecting one of his children, neglecting another child and intimidating witnesses in his murder case. Prosecutors argued that he has become “increasingly aggressive” and that his “dangerous actions will continue to escalate,” according to court documents.
Hunsucker, 40, is accused of poisoning his then-10-year-old daughter with eyedrops over a year after he allegedly killed his wife with the same substance. He put the eye drops into his child’s beverage and the substance was found in their urine sample, according to court documents.
A drug commonly prescribed for depression and not approved for children was also found in her blood. Investigators had found the drug in Hunsucker’s truck, according to court documents.
The 10-year-old was suffering from low blood pressure, low heart rate, extreme exhaustion and sleepiness and constricted blood vessels leading to her hospitalization, court documents show.
Prosecutors accused Hunsucker poisoned his daughter in an attempt to implicate John and Susie Robinson, who are witnesses in his wife’s murder case. Hunsucker was indicted on Monday on four counts of intimidation and four counts of obstruction of justice, according to court documents.
Prosecutors alleged that while his daughter was receiving treatment, Hunsucker told medical professionals that it appeared she had been given eyedrops which prosecutors said “does not appear to be a reasonable conclusion based on the symptoms” she was exhibiting.
Hunsucker is accused of poisoning his wife Stacy Robinson Hunsucker with tetrahydrozoline — eyedrops — and submitting false information to an insurance company, claiming his wife died “due to myocardial infarction when, in fact, it was due to homicide by poisoning,” according to court documents.
Joshua Hunsucker then cremated her before filing for her $250,000 life insurance policy two days after she died. He received an insurance payout of over $200,000, according to court documents.
Because Stacy Hunsucker was an organ donor, a vial of her blood was preserved after she died. When her husband raised suspicion, an investigation into her death was opened and the blood sample was tested, revealing a high presence of eyedrops, according to court documents.
Joshua Hunsucker is accused of putting eyedrops in her drinks over a period of time, leading to her death. Before her death, Joshua Hunsucker had told two coworkers that if he killed someone he would do so using eyedrops, according to court documents.
He was arrested in December 2019 and released after he paid a $1.5 million bond and has been wearing an ankle monitor and maintained a curfew.
Joshua Hunsucker is also accused of threatening or attempting to intimidate the Robinsons by sending a package to their residence, filming and following them in public places, routinely driving by their house and making vulgar gestures towards them in the parking lot of the church they attend, demanding that they drop the charges against them, according to court documents.
Joshua Hunsucker also falsely accused John Robinson of assaulting and kidnapping him, according to court docs.
He is accused of staging his own kidnapping, falsely reporting that he stopped to change a flat tire and a pistol-whipped him in the head multiple times before his hands were zip-tied and injected with an unknown substance. Hunsucker then accused him of attacking him to “shift responsibility from the defendant to the Robinsons for his wife’s death,” according to court documents.
(TULSA, Okla.) — A dog in Tulsa, Oklahoma, started a house fire after biting into a lithium ion battery, fire officials said.
The Tulsa Fire Department recently released dramatic footage of the fire, which took place in May, showing the portable cellphone battery sparking and bursting into flames, sending two dogs and a cat running.
The home sustained significant damage in the fire, but the pets escaped through a dog door and were not harmed, according to Andy Little, a spokesperson for the fire department.
“However, the outcome could’ve been much worse if there had been no means of escape or if the family was asleep at the time,” Little added.
Little called lithium ion battery fires a “critical issue that has been affecting fire departments across the United States.”
The batteries, commonly used to charge cellphones, are “known for storing a significant amount of energy in a compact space,” Little said.
“However, when this energy is released uncontrollably, it can generate heat, produce flammable and toxic gases and even lead to explosions,” he added.
Extreme heat exposure, physical damage, overcharging and using incompatible charging equipment can lead to the devices catching fire, according to experts.
Little urged the public to exercise caution with lithium ion batteries, including storing them out of reach of children and pets.
To dispose of the devices, Little said they should be brought to a designated recycling center or hazardous waste collection point — not simply thrown in the garbage, which could damage the batteries and potentially cause fires.
“Let us work together to prevent lithium-ion battery-related fires and keep our homes and communities safe,” Little said.
(NEW YORK) — The two astronauts who went up to the International Space Station (ISS) on Boeing’s Starliner may have to come home on a different spacecraft, NASA officials said during a press conference Wednesday.
Barry “Butch” Wilmore and Sunita “Suni” Williams, who performed the first crewed test flight of Starliner, have been in space for more than 60 days. When they launched on June 5, they were only supposed to be on the ISS for about a week.
Boeing and NASA officials have been resistant to exploring the option to bringing the crew home on another method but Kenneth Bowersox, NASA’s associate administrator for space operations, said the team is considering it.
“We don’t just have to bring a crew back on Starliner for example. We can bring them back on another vehicle,” he said. “In the case that we have with the Starliner crew flight test, the option to either bring the crew home on Starliner or to bring the crew home on another vehicle, we could take either path.”
Bowersox said there is currently more “consensus” needed among the team, but they are also getting “more serious about evaluating our other options.”
Wilmore and Williams are “integrated” with the Expedition 71 crew aboard the ISS and Bowersox said that, although it’s helpful to have extra hands onboard the station, they are using up more supplies meant for the ISS crew.
Steve Stich, program manager for NASA’s Commercial Crew Program, said NASA is considering sending SpaceX’s Dragon Crew-9, set to launch to the ISS in September, with only two of the four astronauts assigned to it.
The spacecraft would carry extra spacesuits for Wilmore and Williams. However, the two would remain on the ISS until February 2025, when Crew-9 is set to return to Earth. Stich said the proposed plan has not formally been approved yet.
“Our prime option is to return Butch and Suni on Starliner. However, we have done the requisite planning to make sure we have other options open,” Stich said.
Stich added that Starliner does not currently have the ability to autonomously undock from the ISS. To do that, the Starliner software would need to be updated and the Boeing flight control team would need to undergo additional training.
In a statement to ABC News, Boeing said it was confident in Starliner’s ability to bring the astronauts home.
“[Crew Flight Test] is currently a crewed mission, and we still believe in Starliner’s capability and its flight rationale,” the statement read. “If NASA decides to change the mission, we will take the actions necessary to configure Starliner for an uncrewed return.”
Starliner is part of the largerCommercial Crew Programat NASA, which was testing if Boeing’s spacecrafts could be certified to perform routine missions to and from the ISS.
Wilmore and Williams were originally scheduled to return on June 14 but have since had their return delayed multiple times.
Starliner has been plagued by issues even before launch. The flight test was originallytentatively scheduled for May 6, but was scrubbed after a problem with an oxygen valve on a rocket from United Launch Alliance (ULA), which manufactures and operates the rockets that launch spacecraft into orbit.
A new launch date had been set for May 25, but asmall helium leak was discovered in the service module, which contains support systems and instruments for operating a spacecraft.
Helium leaks and a thruster issue then threatened to delay Starliner’s docking. Five days after docking at the ISS, NASA and Boeing said the spacecraft was experiencingfive “small” helium leaksand, at the time, said enough helium was available for the return mission.
Last month, teams at NASA’s White Sands Test Facility in New Mexico performed ground tests of Starliner’s thruster, putting it through similar conditions the spacecraft experienced on its way to the ISS, to see how it would react upon undocking.
Thomas Niedermueller/TAS24/Getty Images for TAS Rights Management
(VIENNA, Austria) — Taylor Swift’s three concerts in Vienna this week have been canceled after two suspects were arrested for allegedly plotting a terror attack, authorities said.
“We have no choice but to cancel the three scheduled shows for everyone’s safety,” a message from Barracuda Music said. “All tickets will be automatically refunded.”
The cancellation comes hours after authorities announced a 19-year-old Austrian citizen was arrested Wednesday morning and a second suspect was arrested in the afternoon.
The suspects allegedly radicalized themselves online, Franz Ruf, director-general for public safety in the Ministry of the Interior, said at a press conference. The 19-year-old suspect allegedly pledged allegiance to the leader of the Islamic State in the beginning of July, Ruf said.
Vienna was a target of their planned attack and the 19-year-old suspect had a particular focus on Swift’s Vienna concert, Ruf said.
The pop star had concerts scheduled in Vienna this Thursday, Friday and Saturday.
Before the shows were canceled, Ruf said security at the concerts would be increased. The shows were expected to draw 65,000 concertgoers per day, with an additional 10,000 to 15,000 fans outside of the area, police said.
Swift kicked off the massively successful “Eras Tour” in Glendale, Arizona, on March 18, 2023.
In October 2023, the pop star released a concert film chronicling the record-breaking tour, “Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour,” that went on to break records of its own and earn a Golden Globe nomination.
At the 100th stop of the tour this summer in Liverpool, England, the 14-time Grammy winner told the audience the tour “has definitely been the most exhausting, all-encompassing, but most joyful, most rewarding, most wonderful thing that has ever happened in my life thus far.”
The “Eras Tour” will end in Vancouver, Canada, on Dec. 8.
ABC News’ Carson Blackwelder contributed to this report.
(LONDON) — A man wrapped in a red-and-white English flag raised his hand in a Nazi salute in the town center of Leicester, England, as a line of police officers looked on and a crowd of counterprotesters shouted out their collective disapproval.
“Off our streets, Nazi scum,” the counterprotesters chanted, according to a video of the incident posted on social media and verified by ABC News. The man saluting during the Aug. 3 rally appeared to hold his hand high throughout the duration of the 23-second clip.
Similarly racist, combative and at-times-violent scenes have played out on streets throughout the United Kingdom for more than a week. London’s Metropolitan Police has described the ongoing far-right rallies as a “national critical incident.”
“We will not tolerate this on our streets,” the Met said in a statement. “We will use every power, tactic and tool available to prevent further scenes of disorder.”
Dozens of additional rallies led by far-right groups were expected to be held Wednesday evening in London and elsewhere, the police said. Counterprotests were expected at many of them. Patrols were being increased in London in advance of the rallies, police said in a statement late Tuesday.
“We arrested more than 100 people in central London disorder last week and we will not hesitate to arrest hundreds more if they take to the streets intent on fueling violence,” the Met said.
The unrest follows the deaths of three girls, who were stabbed in a “ferocious” attack during a July 19 dance event in Southport, a seaside town, according to police.
A 17-year-old was arrested and charged with murder, police said. The suspect was from Banks, a coastal village in Lancashire, and was born in Cardiff, Wales, police said.
The Crown Court released the suspect’s name after a judge ruled it could be released despite his age. Although the suspect was born in the United Kingdom, online rumors spread calling into question his immigration status, police said.
“This recent activity is a clear lesson in how important it is to counter any misinformation posted online or on social media,” Shane O’Neill, Leicester Police’s chief superintendent, said in a statement.
Some of those who’ve attended the rallies have voiced concerns over immigration policies in the wake of a the stabbing deaths. Keir Starmer, the newly elected prime minister, described their actions as “far-right thuggery.”
“We will ensure those responsible will feel the full force of the law,” Downing Street said in a statement. “We will not tolerate attacks on mosques or our Muslim communities. The full force of the law will be visited on all those who are identified as having taken part in these activities.”
Starmer said Downing Street had called for “swift action” against violent protesters, and the Crown Prosecution Service already charged and brought several rioters into court.
One 37-year-old pleaded guilty Tuesday to violent disorder after he “hurled missiles at police officers … following widespread unrest in Hull,” prosecutors said in a press release. Another 18-year-old from Bolton was sentenced Tuesday to two months in jail after pleading guilty to damaging two police cruisers during the unrest, prosecutors said.
Several arrests were also made in Leicester, where two protests were held in the city center on Aug. 3, including one 35-year-old woman who was later charged with racially or religiously aggravated intentional harassment and assault for allegedly beating an emergency worker, the Leicester Police said in a statement.
Along with the hundreds who’ve been arrested at rallies, others were arrested for “online offenses,” Starmer’s office said Tuesday.
“If you provoke violent disorder on our streets or online, you will face the full force of the law,” Starmer said.
ABC News’ Camilla Alcini contributed to this report.
(NEW YORK) — Stock market gyrations this week came after a disappointing jobs report stoked concerns about an economic slowdown. The uncertainty drew heightened attention as the U.S. speeds toward this fall’s presidential election.
However, the economy has been gradually cooling for months, alongside falling inflation. The U.S. has repeatedly defied previous warnings of an impending recession, though economists disagree about whether current conditions pose an impending risk.
What is certain is that the economic outlook carries murky implications for the contest between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump, experts told ABC News.
A stretch of market turmoil in August will not meaningfully impact the outcome of the election, experts said, nor would a mild economic cooldown over the coming months. However, they added, an acute bout of economic weakness would damage prospects for Harris.
“On balance, it’s a wash in terms of the economic impacts on election prospects,” Stephen Roach, senior fellow at the Paul Tsai China Center at Yale Law School, who previously spent three decades working at Morgan Stanley. “It would take a much more severe downturn to begin to have a negative impact on the quasi-incumbency that Kamala Harris brings to the campaign.”
The recent stock market downswing was sparked by a disappointing jobs report on Friday. Employers hired 114,000 workers in July, falling well short of economist expectations of 185,000 jobs. On Monday, the S&P 500 suffered its worst trading session since 2022. The index has since recovered nearly all of those losses.
The unemployment rate has increased this year from 3.7% to 4.3%, its highest level since 2021. That trend has triggered a recession indicator known as the “Sahm Rule,” which says that a rise of 0.5 percentage points in the unemployment rate within a 12-month period typically precedes a recession.
However, the labor market is still growing and the unemployment rate remains at a historically low level. Meanwhile, U.S. gross domestic product grew at a solid rate over three months ending in June, accelerating from the previous quarter and exceeding average growth in 2023.
“People aren’t micro-focused on what happens during two days in August when the election is in November,” Jon Krosnick, a professor of political science at Stanford University who studies perceptions of the economy, told ABC News. “There’s a lot of reason to say, ‘Let’s not get worked up yet.’”
However, a potential acceleration of the economic cooldown poses a risk for Harris, according to the experts.
Over the past year, the Federal Reserve has held interest rates steady at their highest level since 2001. Those high borrowing costs have weighed on consumers and businesses, slowing price increases while cooling the job market and putting the U.S. at risk of a recession.
Fed Chair Jerome Powell last week indicated that the central bank may cut interest rates at its next meeting in September. Such a move is widely expected by investors.
A sharp rise in the unemployment rate over the coming months could imperil prospects for Harris, Francesco D’Acunto, a Georgetown University finance professor who studies how people understand economic news, told ABC News.
“It’s really important for the Democratic ticket that the labor market is resilient until at least the election,” D’Acunto said, noting that he considers an imminent recession unlikely.
Ray Fair, a professor at Yale University who oversees a model that forecasts elections based on economic conditions, told ABC News that the election outlook has remained largely unchanged since the beginning of the year.
An update of the election forecast last month, only a few days after Harris replaced President Biden on the Democratic ticket, put Harris in a virtual tie with Trump. “From an economic point of view, the election is very close,” Fair said, noting that a mild economic slowdown had favored Republicans while falling inflation had benefited Democrats.
It would take a severe economic downturn over the coming months for that outlook to change, Fair said.
On Sunday, Goldman Sachs economists raised the probability of a U.S. recession in the next year from 15% to 25%.
D’Acunto, of Georgetown University, said enough time remains for economic performance to shift the election prospects for Harris or Trump. But, he added, it is unlikely that conditions will change to the degree that would be necessary.
“Of course, it’s very hard to predict what will happen,” D’Acunto said.
Thomas Niedermueller/TAS24/Getty Images for TAS Rights Management
(VIENNA, Austria) — Security measures have been increased for Taylor Swift’s concerts in Vienna, Austria, this week after two suspects were arrested for allegedly plotting a terror attack, authorities said.
A 19-year-old Austrian citizen was arrested Wednesday morning and a second suspect was arrested in the afternoon, according to Franz Ruf, director-general for public safety in the Ministry of the Interior.
The suspects allegedly radicalized themselves online, Ruf said at a press conference. The 19-year-old suspect allegedly pledged allegiance to the leader of the Islamic State in the beginning of July, Ruf said.
Vienna was a target of their planned attack and the 19-year-old suspect had a particular focus on Swift’s Vienna concert, Ruf said.
The pop star has concerts in Vienna this Thursday, Friday and Saturday. The shows are expected to draw 65,000 concertgoers per day, with an additional 10,000 to 15,000 fans outside of the area, police said.
Swift kicked off the massively successful “Eras Tour” in Glendale, Arizona, on March 18, 2023.
In October 2023, the pop star released a concert film chronicling the record-breaking tour, “Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour,” that went on to break records of its own and earn a Golden Globe nomination.
At the 100th stop of the tour this summer in Liverpool, England, the 14-time Grammy winner told the audience the tour “has definitely been the most exhausting, all-encompassing, but most joyful, most rewarding, most wonderful thing that has ever happened in my life thus far.”
The “Eras Tour” will end in Vancouver, Canada, on Dec. 8.
ABC News’ Carson Blackwelder contributed to this report.
