Baltimore Key Bridge collapse live updates: ‘Dozens’ of deaths may have been avoided

Al Drago/Bloomberg via Getty Images

(BALTIMORE) — A cargo ship crashed into Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge early Tuesday morning, causing a near-total collapse of the span and halting vessel traffic into and out of the Port of Baltimore.

Six construction workers believed to have fallen from the collapsing bridge into the frigid waters of the Patapsco River below are presumed dead, officials said. A search-and-rescue effort has been suspended and will shift to a recovery mission, officials said.

Here’s how the news is developing:

Mar 27, 4:22 PM
Timeline shows moments before cargo ship collision

At 1 a.m., the 984-foot-long, Singapore-flagged cargo ship pulled out of its berth at the Dundalk Marine Terminal, southeast of downtown Baltimore, and started to head up the Patapsco River toward the Francis Scott Key Bridge, according to the vessel’s tracking data.

At 1:23 a.m., a livestream camera captured the massive ship coming into view as it approached the Key Bridge, apparently on course to pass under the 1.6-mile-long span near the middle of the bridge’s cantilevered section. The footage showed light traffic on the bridge, including a tractor-trailer rig.

Mar 27, 2:27 PM
Ship’s crew on board and cooperating with officials: Coast Guard

The ship’s crew is still on board and is cooperating with officials, Vice Adm. Peter Gautier, deputy commandant for operations for the Coast Guard, said at Wednesday’s White House press briefing.

The ship “had a fairly good safety record,” he noted.

Gautier also stressed that “there is no threat to the public from the hazardous materials on board.”

“The real critical thing here is that, as you know, a portion of the bridge remains on the bow of that ship. And we will be coordinating very closely with the Army Corps of Engineers and their contractors to, first, affect the removal of that debris before the vessel can then be removed,” Gautier said. “The vessel bow is sitting on the bottom because of the weight of that bridge debris on there, and there are underwater surveys happening by a remotely operated vehicle. Divers will be in the water today to complete that underwater survey.”

The investigation into what caused the collision is ongoing.

“Anybody who is responsible will need to be accountable,” Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg said.

Mar 27, 1:49 PM
‘If not for several factors … loss of life might have been in the dozens’: Buttigieg

“If not for several factors,” including the mayday call, the first responders’ quick action and the time of the day of the collision, the “loss of life might have been in the dozens,” Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg said at Wednesday’s White House press briefing.

Six construction workers were killed and one was hurt when a cargo ship struck Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge around 1:30 a.m. Tuesday.

“Work is undergoing to recover their remains and our thoughts and prayers are with their loved ones,” Buttigieg said.

Buttigieg said he’s concerned about the local economic impact of the Port of Baltimore’s closure.

“No matter how quickly the channel can be reopened, we know that it can’t happen overnight, and so we’re going to have to manage the impacts in the meantime,” he said. “We’re working to mitigate some of those impacts, including using tools that didn’t exist just a few years ago. Following the disruptions to supply chains from the COVID pandemic, President Biden’s infrastructure package included the establishment of a new freight office within our department to help coordinate goods movement in ways that were not possible before.”

“We are using it now to help the hundreds of different private supply chain actors get better coordinated to keep goods moving,” Buttigieg said.

He said he’ll be meeting Thursday with shippers and other supply chain partners to “understand their needs” during this disruption.

“That said, the port of Baltimore is an important port, so for our supply chains and for all the workers who depend on it for their income, we’re going to help to get it open as soon as safely possible,” he added.

Mar 27, 1:05 PM
10 other ships stuck in Port of Baltimore

Ten ships — not including the Dali — are stuck inside the Port of Baltimore, according to a new update by the Bureau of Transportation Statistics.

They are comprised of: three bulk carriers, one vehicle carrier, three logistics naval vessels, two general cargo ships and one oil chemical tanker.

An additional vehicle carrier is in the port but outside the site of the bridge collapse.

This list does not include additional tugboats, sailboats and private yachts that are also in a holding pattern as the Port of Baltimore remains closed.

The port said Tuesday vessel traffic in and out is “suspended until further notice.”

-Noah Minnie and Elizabeth Schulze

Mar 27, 12:02 PM
Ship ‘experienced momentary loss of propulsion’: Singapore’s port authority

Dali, the container ship that struck the Francis Scott Key Bridge, “experienced momentary loss of propulsion” just before the collision, the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore confirmed.

The Singaporean-flagged ship underwent and passed two separate inspections in June and September 2023, the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore said in a statement.

“Based on records, the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore confirms that the vessel’s required classification society and statutory certificates covering the structural integrity of the vessel and functionality of the vessel’s equipment, were valid at the time of the incident,” Singapore’s port authority said.

“In the June 2023 inspection, a faulty monitor gauge for fuel pressure was rectified before the vessel departed the port,” MPA added.

-ABC News’ Laura Romero

Mar 27, 10:30 AM
By the numbers: Vessels impacted

The closure of the waterway will immediately impact the arrival or departure of eight foreign cargo vessels and four U.S. cargo vessels, according to an updated assessment obtained by ABC News.

From March 26 to April 9, arrivals into the Port of Baltimore of an estimated two chemical tank ships, five container ships, 15 vehicle carriers and 13 bulk carriers may be impacted.

One cruise vessel is anticipated to arrive on April 4, which may also be impacted.

-ABC News’ Josh Margolin and Aaron Katersky

Mar 27, 8:36 AM
Water unsafe for divers: DHS memo

Imagery from underwater drones show “an abundance of twisted metal and debris” from the collapsed bridge, making it unsafe for divers to enter the frigid water to search for the six missing construction workers, according to a new assessment of the situation from the Department of Homeland Security obtained by ABC News.

One truck and trailer have been recovered, and one vehicle remains hanging from the metal structure, according to DHS.

The 23 ship crew members are all accounted for, and one was transported to a local hospital with a minor injury, the document said.

With the Port of Baltimore closed to maritime traffic, transportation officials expect backups to rail and truck freight shipments as cargo shifts along the eastern seaboard, the document said.

Investigators have determined there are 13 damaged containers aboard the ship and they are being inspected for any potentially hazardous materials, DHS said.

“There is minor sheening on-scene. Booming has been ordered and is staged but will not be placed until search and rescue and dive operations are complete,” the document said. “The amount of potential oil spill is 1.8M gallons of marine grade diesel.”

-ABC News’ Josh Margolin and Aaron Katersky

Mar 27, 8:09 AM
Crash timeline expected today, NTSB chairwoman says

National Transportation Safety Board investigators are combing on Wednesday through a voyage-data recorder in an attempt to recreate a timeline of Tuesday’s cargo-ship crash, Jennifer Homendy, NTSB chairwoman, said Wednesday.

“We do have a download from the voyage data recorder that we’ve sent back to our lab to evaluate the data and begin to construct a timeline of events, which we hope to have later today,” Homendy said on “Good Morning America.”

NTSB investigators, who are leading the investigation, arrived at the bridge scene at 6 a.m. on Tuesday. Twenty-four NTSB staffers were on site, including several specialising in nautical operations, human performance and engineering, Homendy said Tuesday.

She said on Wednesday that those investigators were expected later in the day to board Dali, the vessel that crashed into the bridge.

“We aren’t looking at the structure today,” she said, meaning the fallen bridge. “We will be boarding the vessel at some point today to begin to look at the devastation really, and then look through the vessel itself. “

Mar 27, 7:39 AM
Investigation is urgent, but will ‘take time,’ Gov. Moore says

Investigators were busy working on Wednesday to discover what caused the power loss prior to the crash, but the full investigation and repair efforts will take “not days, weeks nor even months,” Maryland Gov. Wes Moore said on Wednesday.

“This is complicated. It is difficult. But we still have to be able to move with a sense of urgency and we are going to get it done. But this is going to take time,” Moore said in an interview on “Good Morning America.” “This is not days, weeks nor even months.”

“We still have information that we have to uncover,” he said, “The thing that we do know though is that with a ship of that size, moving at that kind of clip, it was going to be difficult for that type of bridge to be able to sustain.”

Moore and other government officials had met on Tuesday with the families of the missing, as the search continued.

“Had the opportunity to pray with them and pray for them,” he said Tuesday. “And the strength of these families is absolutely remarkable, and we want to let them know that we are here with you every single step.”

He said investigators would do everything they could to give those families peace as the search turns to a recovery mission.

“We want to let them know we will use all resources to bring them a sense of closure and peace,” he said on “GMA.”

Mar 27, 7:19 AM
Ship’s force ‘almost unimaginable,’ Secretary Buttigieg says

The force with which a cargo ship hit Baltimore’s Key Bridge on Tuesday was “just unimaginable,” Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said Wednesday.

“What I do know is that the force of this ship is almost unimaginable,” Buttigieg said on “Good Morning America.” “This is a vessel that was about 100,000 tons carrying its load. So 200 million lbs. went into this bridge all at once, which is why you had that almost-instant catastrophic result.”

As the U.S. works to update bridges around the country, each new generation of bridges is “more resilient than the last,” Buttigieg said.

“We are at work to make sure our infrastructure for the future is better prepared for any kind of threat,” he said. “Really what we saw yesterday was just unimaginable in terms of the proportion of that ship.”

Buttigieg had arrived at the scene in Baltimore on Tuesday, saying at the time that the DOT’s Maritime Administration would assist with disrupted port, harbor and supply chain operations.

The DOT’s Federal Highway Administration will assist with the bridge, he said Tuesday.

He said his “first thoughts” were with the missing construction workers and their families.

“Now they are dealing with news that’s just unthinkable,” he said on “GMA.”

Mar 27, 5:46 AM
Workers from Guatemala, El Salvador among missing

Construction workers originally from Guatemala and El Salvador are among the six missing after the Key Bridge collapsed in Baltimore, foreign officials and local aid group said.

The two from Guatemala who are missing are a 26-year-old from San Luis, Petén, and a 35-year-old from Camotán, Chiquimula, the country’s foreign ministry said in a statement. Their names were not released.

Another missing worker was identified as Miguel Luna, who is originally from El Salvador, according to Court Appointed Special Advocates, a group that works with immigrants.

“Miguel Luna, from El Salvador, left at 6:30 p.m. Monday evening for work and since, has not come home,” the organization said in a press release. “He is a husband, a father of three, and has called Maryland his home for over 19 years.”

-ABC News’ Victoria Arancio and Kevin Shalvey

Mar 26, 7:52 PM
Search and rescue efforts to be suspended, move to recovery operation: USCG

The Coast Guard said it is suspending the search and rescue efforts as of 7:30 p.m. Tuesday for the six missing individuals after the bridge collapse.

“Based on the length of time that we’ve gone in the search, the extensive search efforts that we put into it, the water temperature — at this point, we do not believe that we’re going to find any of these individuals still alive,” Rear Admiral Shannon Gilreath told reporters.

The conditions in the water, including low water temperatures and unpredictable currents, have made it dangerous for first responders, authorities said.

Authorities said they plan to conduct recovery efforts starting at 6 a.m. on Wednesday.

“We’re hoping to put divers in the water and begin a more detailed search to do our very best to recover those six missing people,” Col. Roland Butler with the Maryland State Police said.

Mar 26, 7:08 PM
Carnival temporarily moving Baltimore operations to Norfolk

Carnival is temporarily moving its Baltimore operations to Norfolk, Virginia, amid the rescue and remediation efforts following the bridge collapse, the cruise line said Tuesday.

“Our thoughts remain with the impacted families and first responders in Baltimore,” Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line, said in a statement. “We appreciate the pledge made by President Biden today to dedicate all available resources to reopen Baltimore Harbor to marine traffic as soon as possible. As those plans are finalized, we will update our future cruise guests on when we will return home to Baltimore, but in the meantime, we appreciate the quick response and support from officials in Norfolk.”

The move impacts the Carnival Legend ship, which is scheduled to return from its current voyage on Sunday, the company said. The cruise will return to Norfolk with free bus service back to Baltimore, Carnival said.

Mar 26, 5:25 PM
EPA on standby, not aware of any concerns

The regional office of the Environmental Protection Agency is on standby to respond to the aftermath of the bridge collapse if needed but is not aware of any environmental concerns at this time, according to EPA Mid-Atlantic Public Affairs spokesman Shaun Egan.

Synergy Marine Group said Tuesday morning that there was no pollution from the ship.

The Coast Guard is the primary federal agency responding and they have not asked for EPA assistance. Coast Guard pollution responders were sent to the scene, and if any releases of fuel or other pollutants are detected, the EPA official said the agency is ready to support that response.

The Maryland Department of the Environment said it is “conducting water sampling upriver and downriver of the site.”

-ABC News’ Stephanie Ebbs and Beatrice Peterson

Mar 26, 4:09 PM
Harris: ‘We are all praying’

Vice President Kamala Harris said she is “praying for the families of those who are missing and all those who have been touched by this tragedy.”

“I spoke with the governor of Maryland this morning, and we have directed the federal government to use all the resources that are available to assist with the search and rescue, to reopen the port and to rebuild the bridge as quickly as possible,” Harris said while making a joint appearance with President Joe Biden at an event in North Carolina.

-ABC News’ Libby Cathey and Justin Ryan Gomez

Mar 26, 4:00 PM
‘Very much still a search and rescue mission,’ governor says

Fourteen hours after the bridge collapse, crews are still desperately looking for the six people who remain unaccounted for, Maryland Gov. Wes Moore said at a news conference Tuesday afternoon.

“This is very much still a search and rescue mission,” Moore said.

“We had the opportunity to spend time with the families. Had the opportunity to pray with them and pray for them,” Moore said. “And the strength of these families is absolutely remarkable.”

“We are hopeful and we are with the families,” Sen. Ben Cardin, D-Md., said.

“This is no ordinary bridge — this is one of the cathedrals of American infrastructure. It has been part of the skyline of this region for longer than many of us have been alive,” Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said. “So the path to normalcy will not be easy, will not be quick, will not be inexpensive. But we will rebuild together.”

Buttigieg did not give an estimate of how long it may take to resume vessel traffic into and out of the Port of Baltimore.

Mar 26, 3:00 PM
What to know about the collapse

The container ship Dali struck Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge at about 1:30 a.m. Tuesday, partially collapsing the bridge, officials in Maryland said.

A local pilot was at the helm of the ship at the time, Maryland Department of Transportation Secretary Paul Wiedefeld said.

The crash appeared to be accidental, not intentional, officials said.

Two people were rescued from the Patapsco River and at least six people remain missing, officials said.

Mar 26, 2:28 PM
Buttigieg meets with responders

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg traveled to the scene of the Baltimore bridge collapse, at the invitation of Maryland Gov. Wes Moore, according to the Department of Transportation.

Buttigieg posted a photo of him meeting with responders.

An estimated 30,000 vehicles crossed the bridge per day, according to the Maryland Transportation Authority.

Mar 26, 1:38 PM
Personnel on ship alerted officials before collision ‘which undoubtedly saved lives’: Biden

Personnel on the ship alerted the Maryland Department of Transportation that they lost control of the vessel, and officials were able to close the bridge before it was struck, “which undoubtedly saved lives,” President Joe Biden told reporters.

It appears the crash was a “terrible accident,” Biden said.

He said the search and rescue operation is the top priority.

“Ship traffic and the Port of Baltimore has been suspended until further notice. And we’ll need to clear that channel before the ship traffic can resume,” he said.

“It’s my intention that the federal government will pay for the entire cost of reconstruction. … I expect the Congress to support my effort,” Biden said.

“This is going to take some time,” the president said, adding, “We’re not leaving until this job gets done.”

Biden, who noted he’s been over the bridge many times, said he plans to visit Baltimore as soon as possible.

“Our prayers are with everyone involved in this terrible accident and all the families, especially those waiting for news of their loved one right now,” the president said. “To the people of Baltimore, I want to say: We’re with you. We’re going to stay with you, as long as it takes.”

Mar 26, 12:34 PM
No cars transiting bridge at time of collapse: Internal DHS briefing

Maryland transportation officials reviewed traffic cameras and confirmed there were “no vehicles transiting the bridge at the time of the incident,” according to the latest internal Department of Homeland Security briefing obtained by ABC News.

The local pilot who was at the controls is “undergoing post-accident Drug and Alcohol Testing,” the briefing said.

The cargo ship “remains impaled in the bridge,” the document said. “Several shipping containers with unknown cargo fell into water. There is hull damage above the water line to the vessel and the ship is maintaining watertight integrity.”

A slight sheen of pollution was observed in the water, suggesting there could be some oil or other pollutant “in the vicinity of the ship and pollution booms have been requested,” the memo said.

-ABC News’ Josh Margolin and Aaron Katersky

Mar 26, 11:00 AM
6 unaccounted for

Six people remain unaccounted for as the desperate search continues at the site of the bridge collapse, Coast Guard officials said at a Tuesday morning news conference.

Two were rescued, including one who was hospitalized and later discharged, officials said. Construction workers were on the bridge working on potholes at the time of the collapse, Maryland Gov. Wes Moore said.

“To hear the words that the Key Bridge has collapsed, it’s shocking and heartbreaking,” Moore said. “It’s not just unprecedented, what we’re seeing today — it’s heartbreaking.”

The collapse appears to be an accident, Moore said.

There’s nothing to suggest ties to terrorism, the FBI added.

The container ship was moving at 8 knots, which is considered fast, officials noted.

A local pilot was at the helm of the ship at the time, Maryland Department of Transportation Secretary Paul Wiedefeld said.

A harbor pilot and assistant onboard the cargo ship reported power issues, multiple alarms on the bridge and loss of propulsion prior to the incident, according to a Coast Guard memo obtained by ABC News. All personnel on the tanker are accounted for with no reported injuries, the memo said.

The Patapsco River channel is fully blocked, with approximately five inbound and seven outbound vessels in the queue for the next 24 hours, according to the memo.

The bridge was up to code, officials said.

Mar 26, 10:46 AM
What to know about the cargo ship

The Singapore-flagged cargo ship, Dali, spans a length of 984 feet and a width of 157 feet, a listing showed. It holds 22 crew members, all of whom are based in India.

The ship departed from the Port of Baltimore at 1 a.m. on Tuesday, embarking on a 27-day journey to Colombo, Sri Lanka. The ship “lost propulsion” as it was leaving the port and warned Maryland officials of a possible collision, according to officials.

The waterway into and out of the port is closed and there is no other route into the port, which is the second busiest port in the Mid-Atlantic.

Mar 26, 9:47 AM
Governor declares state of emergency

Maryland Gov. Wes Moore has declared a state of emergency following the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore.

“We are working with an interagency team to quickly deploy federal resources from the Biden Administration,” Moore said in a statement.

Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott also declared a local state of emergency.

Mar 26, 9:28 AM
The history of Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge

The 1.6-mile bridge on the I-695 beltway crosses the Patapsco River, where Francis Scott Key was inspired to write the words of the U.S. national anthem in 1814, according to the Maryland Transportation Authority.

Key, after whom the bridge was named, was also an advisor to Andrew Jackson, served as the District Attorney for the District of Columbia from 1833 to 1841, and was a slave owner, according to the National Park Service.

Construction on the bridge, which was intended to ease traffic and maintenance concerns regarding the Baltimore Harbor Tunnel that serviced the waterway, began in 1972 and finished in March 1977, according to the MDTA.

Mar 26, 8:36 AM
1 person hospitalized in very serious condition

Two people have been rescued from the water and crews are still searching for others, fire officials said.

One person rescued has been taken to a hospital in very serious condition, Baltimore Fire Department Chief James Wallace said.

The second rescued person denied medical treatment.

Mar 26, 8:30 AM
‘No indications this was an intentional act,’ Mayorkas says

Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas said “there are no indications this was an intentional act,” adding, “we are assessing the impacts to the Port of Baltimore.”

“Our thoughts are with the families of the missing and injured,” he said.

The Coast Guard is “actively involved in search and rescue operations,” he said.

Mar 26, 8:09 AM
Biden briefed on collapse

President Joe Biden has been briefed on the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge and the ongoing search and rescue efforts, according to a White House official. He will continue to receive updates from his team throughout the day, the official said.

Senior White House officials have been in touch with the Maryland governor and Baltimore mayor to offer any federal assistance they need, the administration said.

-ABC News’ Selina Wang and Molly Nagle

Mar 26, 7:32 AM
Ship lost propulsion, warned of collision, CISA report says

An unclassified Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency report said the container ship Dali “lost propulsion” as it was leaving port and warned Maryland officials of a possible collision.

The crew notified officials that they had lost control, the report said.

“The vessel notified MD Department of Transportation (MDOT) that they had lost control of the vessel and an allision with the bridge was possible,” the report said. “The vessel struck the bridge causing a complete collapse.”

The waterway into and out of the port has been closed and there is no other route into the port, which is the second busiest port in the mid-Atlantic.

-ABC News’ Sam Sweeney, Aaron Katersky and Kevin Shalvey

Mar 26, 7:15 AM
Cargo ship company says all crew members safe

The owners and managers of the cargo ship Dali, a Singapore-flagged vessel, said all crew members had been accounted for following the crash.

“All crew members, including the two pilots have been accounted for and there are no reports of any injuries,” Synergy Marine Group said in a statement.

The company said the 22 crew members, including the pilots, were based in India.

The 984-foot ship is owned by Grace Ocean Private Ltd, the statement said.

The cause of the crash is “yet to be determined,” the statement said.

-ABC News’ Jenny Wagnon Courts, Laura Romero and Kevin Shalvey

Mar 26, 6:05 AM
Secretary Buttigieg offers DOT support

Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg said in a statement that he’s spoken with local officials to offer support.

“I’ve spoken with Gov. Moore and Mayor Scott to offer USDOT’s support following the vessel strike and collapse of the Francis Scott Key bridge,” he said. “Rescue efforts remain underway and drivers in the Baltimore area should follow local responder guidance on detours and response.”

-ABC News Molly Nagle

Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Why is Trump’s Truth Social stock soaring if the company is losing money?

Jonathan Raa/NurPhoto via Getty Images

(NEW YORK) — Shares of former President Donald Trump’s social media platform Truth Social have soared in its first couple days of public trading.

Trump Media & Technology Group, the parent company of Truth Social, climbed 16% on Tuesday, its first day on the market. By afternoon trading on Wednesday, the stock had jumped another 14%.

The rally grants Truth Social a valuation of more than $8 billion, even though the company has yet to turn a profit and generates quarterly revenue of barely $1 million.

The stock performance also holds significant financial implications for Trump, whose 60% stake in the company could ultimately deliver a multi-billion dollar windfall.

Experts who spoke to ABC News said the stock boom stands divorced from the financial condition of the company, instead reflecting a buying spree among Trump supporters as well as opportunistic traders capitalizing on the momentum.

“This is people voicing their political opinions through the markets,” Tom Essaye, president of financial data firm Sevens Report Research, told ABC News. “There’s nothing going on here that has anything to do with the financial fundamentals.”

A representative for Truth Social did not immediately respond to ABC News’ request for comment. “Truth Social is doing very well. It’s hot as a pistol and doing great,” Trump told reporters in New York on Monday.

Analysts drew parallels to the emergence in recent years of so-called meme stocks such as GameStop and AMC.

In 2021, the price of GameStop climbed nearly 700%, driven in part by traders discussing the company on a Reddit chatroom called Wall Street Bets. The rally did not coincide with a major strategy shift or executive shakeup for the ailing chain of video game stores.

The success of Truth Social similarly reflects an upswell of sentiment rather than a demonstration of company performance, Kristi Marvin, chief executive of SPACInsider.com, told ABC News.

“This has all the DNA of a meme stock,” Marvin added.

Truth Social, listed as DJT, remains far smaller and less financially robust than its rivals in the crowded social media sector.

Research firm SimilarWeb estimates the company drew 5 million website visitors in February, which puts it well below the roughly 2 billion monthly active users reported by Instagram. TikTok boasts at least 1 billion monthly active users, the company said in 2021.

Truth Social generated roughly $3 million over the first 9 months of 2023, government filings show. Meanwhile, the company reported $49 million in net losses over that period. By comparison, Instagram-parent Meta delivered nearly $135 billion in revenue last year, company earnings showed.

“This is a tough business to become profitable in,” Marvin said.

The stock rally arrives as Trump weathers financial challenges. A New York appeals court said on Monday that Trump must secure a $175 million bond, albeit a smaller figure than the $454 million he was asked to provide by a lower court.

Trump can’t sell or leverage his stake in Truth Social for at least six months due to a lockup provision intended to prevent a rapid selloff that could shake investor confidence, but the company has already bolstered Trump’s net worth.

On the heels of Friday’s merger vote, Trump joined the Bloomberg Billionaires Index for the first time with a reported net worth of $6.5 billion. On Wednesday, it ticked up to more than $7 billion.

Essaye, of Sevens Report Research, cautioned that the price of Truth Social would ultimately fall, when the company’s financial reality overtakes Trump supporters’ fervor.

“At some point, this will return back to earth. The financial reality always wins,” Essaye said. “When? That is very hard to say.”

However, the company still retains a possible avenue for financial success, he added.

Truth Social faces steep odds in the social media business, but the company may function as a vehicle for additional Trump-led media ventures.

“If you think about DJT as a way to buy equity in Donald Trump’s brand, then I would never say it can’t work out,” Essaye added. “He’s very good at promoting his brand.”

ABC News’ Peter Charalambous contributed reporting.

Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Democrats sound alarm on RFK Jr. and new running mate, Shanahan

Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu via Getty Images

(WASHINGTON) — Democrats are leaving no room for doubt on how they view former party colleague turned independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and his freshly minted vice presidential pick, deep-pocketed lawyer Nicole Shanahan: the pair are a danger to voters and present as a “spoiler” ticket, destined to siphon votes from President Joe Biden and deliver the White House to former President Donald Trump.

In a Democratic National Committee press call on Tuesday night, several party surrogates called Kennedy’s presidential bid “disgusting” and a ploy to reelect Trump.

“All he can do is take away votes from President Biden and make it easier for Donald Trump to win. And we simply can’t afford to let that happen,” said Pennsylvania Lt. Gov. Austin Davis.

Michigan state Sen. Mallory McMorrow said the Kennedy ticket is “disgusting and an abuse of our democracy.”

“There is absolutely no path for Kennedy to become president and he knows that,” McMurrow said. “That is why he picked a VP who can fund — who can buy his way onto the ballot in a number of state,” McMurrow said. “First of all, that’s disgusting and an abuse of our democracy. Second, that means that him being in the race means that there is a greater likelihood that Donald Trump will become president again.”

Kennedy is working to gain access to each state’s ballot, a painstaking and expensive process that requires dispatching volunteers to gather thousands of signatures. Initial news of Kennedy’s consideration of Shanahan as his running mate prompted speculation that he simply wanted to tap her financial resources to help him cover the high cost of ballot access in each state.

Shanahan, who has donated millions of dollars to a pro-Kennedy Super PAC, partly bankrolled half of the $7 million used to create an ad that ran during this year’s Super Bowl and displeased several members of Kennedy’s extended family for its riffing on a John F. Kennedy Jr. campaign ad.

Several high-profile Democrats on the call pointed to praise of Kennedy’s ticket from Republican hard-liners as justifications to their concerns — one of the freshest examples as recent Wednesday morning, with Trump himself saying on his social media platform that Kennedy’s candidacy is “great for MAGA.”

“I love that he is running!” Trump wrote.

The DNC has sharpened its messaging significantly, assembling a team to combat third-party and independent challengers led by veteran strategist and firebrand Lis Smith — with much of that ammo pointed directly at Kennedy, and now, Shanahan.

This tactic to combat Kennedy and other potential challenges by the official arm of the Democratic party is a marked change from past cycles, when concerns about third-party challengers such as Green Party’s Jill Stein and Libertarian Gary Johnson were met with much less public consternation.

The DNC also tapped Smith’s former deputy, Matt Corridoni, to be the spokesperson for the effort to thwart third-party and independent challengers.

“We’re facing an unprecedented election and we know the GOP is already working to prop up third-party candidates like Robert Kennedy Jr. to make them stalking horses for Donald Trump,” Corridoni said in a statement to ABC News earlier this month. “With so much on the line, we’re not taking anything for granted. We’re going to make sure voters are educated and we’re going to make sure all candidates are playing by the rules.”

ABC News’ Will McDuffie contributed to this story.

Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Baltimore Key Bridge collapse: Dad of 3 who lived in Maryland for 19 years among the 6 presumed dead

Via NTSB

(BALTIMORE) — Six construction workers are presumed dead after a cargo ship struck Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge, sending the workers into the water.

Eight workers were fixing potholes on the span when the ship hit the bridge around 1:30 a.m. Tuesday. The workers plunged into the frigid water, and two were rescued, officials said.

Search and rescue efforts for the six missing people were suspended Tuesday evening, officials said. Operations are now shifting to a recovery phase, officials said.

“Based on the length of time that we’ve gone in the search, the extensive search efforts that we put into it, the water temperature — at this point, we do not believe that we’re going to find any of these individuals still alive,” Rear Adm. Shannon Gilreath told reporters Tuesday evening.

Among the six missing is construction worker Miguel Luna, who is originally from El Salvador, according to Court Appointed Special Advocates, a group that works with immigrants.

Luna “is a husband, a father of three, and has called Maryland his home for over 19 years,” the organization said in a press release.

He “left at 6:30 p.m. Monday evening for work and since, has not come home,” the organization said.

Another victim was identified as Maynor Suazo Sandoval, a father of two who migrated from Honduras over 17 years ago, according to Gustavo Torres, the executive director of CASA, an immigration and Latino advocacy-and-assistance organization.

He dreamed of starting a small business and brought joy and humor to his family, Torres told reporters on Wednesday.

Two of the missing workers are from Guatemala: a 26-year-old from San Luis, Petén, and a 35-year-old from Camotán, Chiquimula, the country’s foreign ministry said. Their names were not released.

“The Consul General of Guatemala in Maryland was able to establish telephone communication with the brothers of the two missing Guatemalans,” the ministry said in a statement posted in Spanish.

The Foreign Minister of Mexico said Wednesday that two Mexican nationals are reported to be among the construction workers presumed dead.

ABC News’ Kristina Abovyan and Dhanika Pineda contributed to this report.

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There’s a long road ahead to cleaning up Baltimore’s Key Bridge collapse: Not ‘quick or easy or cheap’

Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images

(WASHINGTON) — In the wake of the Francis Scott Key Bridge’s partial collapse in Baltimore on Tuesday, “Rebuilding will not be quick or easy or cheap,” Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said.

“But we will get it done,” he told reporters at a White House press briefing on Wednesday.

Buttigieg reiterated the federal government’s support for recovery, cleanup and construction efforts in the months — and perhaps years — to come but also acknowledged there will be logistic obstacles.

“It’s not going to be simple,” the transportation secretary said.

The original bridge took some five years to complete, he noted.

“That does not necessarily mean it will take five years to replace, but that tells you what went into that original structure going up,” he said, adding, “We need to get a sense of the conditions, of the parts that look OK to the naked eye, but we just don’t know yet, especially in terms of their foundational infrastructure.”

“This will be a long and difficult path,” he said, “but we will come together and rebuild.”

Buttigieg said that he didn’t yet have a precise price tag for the rebuild but stressed that there are ways for the federal government to begin providing emergency funding right away to aid the recovery.

“We don’t have dollar estimates yet, but we actually have provisions that allow us to begin releasing funding even while that is being determined,” he said. “My understanding is as we speak this afternoon, an emergency relief funding request has come in from the Maryland state [transportation department]. We’ll be processing that immediately to start getting them what they need.”

Buttigieg said that he expects the White House will need lawmakers to authorize additional money beyond the approximately $1 billion allocated by the 2021 infrastructure law for potential emergency relief.

“It is certainly possible — I would go so far as to say likely — that we may be turning to Congress in order to help top up those funds,” he said, “but that shouldn’t be a barrier to the immediate next few days beginning to get the ball rolling.”

A cargo ship crashed into the bridge early on Tuesday, causing a near-total collapse of the span and halting vessel traffic into and out of the Port of Baltimore.

Buttigieg said at Wednesday’s briefing that he’s concerned about the local economic impact of the port’s ongoing closure.

“No matter how quickly the channel can be reopened, we know that it can’t happen overnight, and so we’re going to have to manage the impacts in the meantime,” he said. “We’re working to mitigate some of those impacts.”

He said he’ll be meeting Thursday with shippers and other supply chain partners to “understand their needs” during this disruption.

“That said, the Port of Baltimore is an important port, so for our supply chains and for all the workers who depend on it for their income, we’re going to help to get it open as soon as safely possible,” he added.

President Joe Biden has likewise pledged his administration’s muscle to the rebuilding efforts, saying in remarks from the White House on Tuesday afternoon that “it’s my intention that the federal government will pay for the entire cost of reconstruction in that bridge. I expect the Congress to support my effort.”

“This is going to take some time,” the president said then. Nonetheless: “We’re not leaving until this job gets done.”

The crash appeared to be accidental, not intentional, officials have said.

Two people were rescued from the Patapsco River and at least six people remain missing, according to officials. The search-and-rescue mission for the missing construction workers was suspended Tuesday evening; operations then shifted to a recovery phase.

ABC News’ Sam Sweeney contributed to this report.

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Puerto Rico declares public health emergency as dengue fever cases rise

Aedes aegypti mosquito, a known trasmitter of dengue. Photo via CDC

(SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico) — Puerto Rico has declared a public health emergency as the number of dengue fever cases continues to rise.

So far this year, there have been 549 cases reported with the plurality occurring in San Juan, according to the island’s health department. There has been a 140% increase this year in cases from Jan. 1 to March 21, compared to the same period last year, the department said.

“This year, dengue cases have exceeded historical figures,” Dr. Carlos Mellado López, the secretary of the Puerto Rico Department of Health, said in a statement. “The teams have been working on the integrated plan for prevention and control in response to arbovirus and we are going to expand the implemented response. It is important to note that the increase in cases has not only been reflected in Puerto Rico, but we have seen it throughout the region of the Americas.”

The public health emergency order will remain in place for 90 days.

The department says its response will include early detection, epidemiological surveillance and providing educational material on dengue. Dr. Melissa Marzán, an epidemiologist with the health department, also emphasized the importance of collaboration with municipalities.

“Municipal leaders have played a crucial role alongside the Department of Health, recognizing the impact that dengue has on population,” Marzán said. “We are deeply grateful for your support and we urge you to empower your communities so that they can carry out cleaning efforts around the home and thus eliminate mosquito breeding grounds.”

Dengue viruses are spread through bites from infected Aedes species mosquitoes, mostly found in tropical and subtropical regions of the world, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). These mosquitoes are also responsible for spreading Zika and chikungunya viruses.

Dengue can be caused by dengue virus 1, 2, 3 or 4, the health agency said. A person can be infected multiple times over the course of their life.

About one in four people develop symptoms lasting two to seven days, but symptoms are usually mild and include fever, rash, nausea, vomiting, muscle pain, joint pain and bone pain.

Because symptoms are not specific to dengue, they’re often confused with other illnesses, according to the CDC.

There are no specific medicines to treat dengue aside from supportive care, which includes rest, drinking fluids and taking acetaminophen. The CDC warns not to take aspirin or ibuprofen, because it can trigger gastritis or bleeding.

However, about one in 20 will develop severe dengue, which can lead to shock (damage to the body’s organs), internal bleeding and even death, although deaths are rare, the CDC said.

A dengue vaccine is approved for children between ages 9 and 16 who have a laboratory-confirmed previous dengue virus infection and who live in areas where dengue is endemic, according to the CDC. It is available in Puerto Rico and is part of the territory’s routine childhood immunization schedule, the CDC said.

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After HBCU administrator’s suicide, alumni have ‘no confidence’ in leadership

Lincoln University

(OXFORD, Pa.) — Lincoln University’s alumni association has issued a statement of “no confidence” in the HBCU’s Board of Curators after it reinstated President John Moseley, who was on paid, administrative leave while under investigation following the suicide of a school administrator.

University alum and vice president of student affairs Antoinette “Bonnie” Candia-Bailey died by suicide on Jan. 8. Candia-Bailey had accused Moseley of bullying, harassment and discrimination in a letter obtained by ABC News following her death. She was terminated shortly before her death.

“This decision implodes the very fabric of healing an institution’s dire need for recovery and wellness,” the statement from the Lincoln University Alumni Association (LUAA) reads. “This decision will continue to fester an open wound of hopelessness and despondency. No individual is above the health and well-being of the University.”

An investigation — led by attorney Ron Norwood at Lewis Rice LLC, who is a member of the governing board and was the past board president of an HBCU — found “no claims of bullying by the University President can be substantiated” and reinstated Moseley to the position.

“No witnesses reported that they had ever witnessed President Moseley engage in bullying – and all denied having ever personally felt bullied by President Moseley,” the investigation summary from the Board of Curators read.

According to the Associated Press, the Board admitted that Moseley’s communication style is “direct” and that stress under his leadership has increased office tensions but they’re working to address these issues.

The Board of Curators also called the administrator’s death “tragic,” but did not comment further on the circumstances of her death.

“As a board, we are committed to make certain the mental health of Lincoln University employees is a priority and that every employee is always treated with dignity and respect,” said Board of Curators President Victor Pasley.

Some students and alumni have protested the decision to reinstate the president and are calling for a separate investigation.

The LUAA is also calling for the Board of Curators to vacate their seats, claiming they have “brought forward irrevocable harm, shame, hopelessness and mortification” to the campus.

The Board has not yet returned ABC News’ request for comment on the statement of no confidence.

ABC News has reached out to Moseley for comment as well. He told the AP that “he’s grateful for the board’s vote of confidence in him and that he’s looking forward to returning to work at the mid-Missouri school.”

“We were given a president with minimal athletic leadership abilities, and placed in a role requiring even stronger critical thinking skills,” read the letter from the alumni association. “For the Board of Curators to reassert this flawed decision and to act without change in this administration is further evidence of their inadequacies to care for and protect the interest of the University’s mission, and its sovereignty as a [HBCU].”

Moseley has a doctorate in educational leadership and policy analysis, according to a university website profile. He was previously the director of athletics at the university and the head men’s basketball coach before taking over the position as president, according to Moseley’s LinkedIn profile. Previously, he was associate head coach at North Carolina Central University, another HBCU, according to the profile.

Candia-Bailey, 49, had previously worked as vice president of student affairs and chief diversity officer and Title IX coordinator at Elms College in Chicopee, Massachusetts, according to Lincoln University’s announcement of Candia-Bailey’s hiring. She also served in administrative positions at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Towson University, North Carolina A&T State University and North Carolina State University.

Candia-Bailey began working at Lincoln University, a historically Black university in Jefferson City, Missouri, in May 2023. She received a termination letter on Jan. 3. The letter stated that she was terminated for cause, including allegations of insubordination in allowing an ineligible student to work, allowing ineligible students to obtain a discounted housing rate and failing to adhere to confidentiality requirements in a grievance matter filed by two of her subordinates.

In a letter to Moseley, Candia-Bailey detailed an apparent meeting between the two: “I couldn’t even finish the meeting because you didn’t hear me. I left in tears. You intentionally harassed and bullied me and got satisfaction from sitting back to determine how you would ensure I failed as an employee and proud alumna.”

Candia-Bailey also alleged in the letter that she was never made aware of concerns about her performance until a November 2023 performance review and was never given an action plan to address the concerns afterward.

In the board statement on the investigation, Pasley added, “this tragedy has forced us to grapple more fully with issues facing Lincoln and our individual students and employees – ranging from mental health support to employee work and relationships.”

If you are struggling with thoughts of suicide or worried about a friend or loved one, call or text the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988 for free, confidential emotional support 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

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Several states under flood watches as heavy rain approaches East Coast

ABC News

(NEW YORK) — The same storm system that brought flooding and hail to Georgia and Florida — and heavy snow to the Upper Midwest — is moving east on Wednesday.

Hail the size of pingpong balls was reported from Florida’s Panhandle to southern Georgia Tuesday while 20 to 40 inches of snow fell from New Mexico to Minnesota.

After record warm winter for the Midwest, March is turning out to be the snowiest “winter” month. Minneapolis-Saint Paul Airport has received more snow during the month of March, with 15.2 inches, than they did for the entire winter — December, January and February — with 11.1 inches.

The storm is now moving east and will bring a soaking rain from the Carolinas to Maine on Thursday.

Flood watches have already been issued from Florida to Virginia, where some areas could get up to 5 inches of rain.

In the Northeast, the heaviest rain will be from the Jersey Shore into Long Island and eastern New England, where some areas could see up to 3 inches.

The rain will continue for the Northeast into Thursday night.

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AI could eliminate nearly 8 million jobs in UK, study shows

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(LONDON) —  Artificial intelligence could eliminate up to nearly 8 million jobs in the United Kingdom, according to a new study, which cautions that women and early-career employees are most at risk of being put out of work.

Government policy, however, could allow the U.K. to avert job losses and harness AI for a breakneck economic surge, according to the left-leaning Institute for Public Policy Research, the think tank that authored the report.

“The world of knowledge work will be transformed by generative AI,” the report said, referring to a type of AI that can create content, such as text or images. “We need to start preparing for this now.”

Researchers analyzed 22,000 tasks carried out by workers across the U.K. economy, finding that 11% are currently exposed to the threat of displacement by AI, the study said. The jobs at greatest risk include entry-level, part-time and administrative roles — a set of positions disproportionately held by women, the study added.

The report describes a soon-to-begin phase of AI adoption during which some of these “low-hanging fruit” jobs will be replaced by the technology. The overall workforce impact over the period could be limited, the study said, but some roles will experience massive effects, such as the elimination of one-third of administrative jobs.

A second phase could bring much deeper integration of AI that will threaten up to 59% of tasks, the report said. If companies allow AI to access proprietary information and execute key tasks, the study said, the resulting disruption may slash a wider swathe of jobs, including a larger share of high-paying positions.

While offering up potential outcomes, the study acknowledged that a wide range of job-displacement scenarios remains possible, including the potential for job losses to be avoided entirely.

Experts who spoke to ABC News last year noted the absence of job losses during a surge of AI adoption over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic.

While data on the scale of displacement remains limited, the experts said, anecdotes confirm that the technology eliminates some positions while creating others.

The increased sophistication and use of AI is expected to displace jobs over the coming years, the experts added. AI will enhance productivity and increase compensation for some jobs but it risks leaving out workers who fail to keep up, they said.

Artificial intelligence could displace roughly 15% of workers, or 400 million people, worldwide between 2016 and 2030, according to a McKinsey study released in 2018. In a scenario of wide AI adoption, the share of jobs displaced could rise to as much as 30%, the firm found.

The report out on Tuesday presented policy proposals that the authors believe could reduce the likelihood of job losses and heighten the possibility of an AI-induced economic boom.

A policy described by the report as “ringfencing,” for example, would mandate the continued use of human involvement for certain tasks, such as medical diagnoses. A combination of government incentives and public-private partnerships could help achieve the measure.

In its most optimistic potential scenario, the report outlines a future of AI adoption in which no jobs are lost and gross domestic product increases by 13%.

“There is no one predetermined path for how AI implementation will play out,” the report’s authors said.

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Israel agrees to reschedule delegation visit to the White House: US official

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(WASHINGTON) — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has agreed to reschedule his delegation’s visit to the White House after he canceled the trip on Monday, a U.S. official told ABC News on Wednesday.

“The prime minister’s office has agreed to reschedule the meeting dedicated to Rafah. We are now working to find a convenient date,” the official told ABC News.

Israel pulled its delegation earlier this week after the U.S. allowed, through abstention, for the U.N. Security Council to adopt a resolution demanding an immediate humanitarian cease-fire in Gaza for the remaining days of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan — and potentially longer.

The resolution called for the unconditional release of hostages being held by Hamas terrorists, though it did not explicitly tie that with a temporary cease-fire. The resolution further urged that the humanitarian pause should then lead “to a lasting sustainable ceasefire.”

The White House said on Monday that it was “disappointed” and “kind of perplexed” that Israel canceled the delegation’s planned visit to the U.S.

The decision to reschedule came after several members of President Joe Biden’s Cabinet held “constructive discussions” with Israel’s Defense Minister Yoav Gallant this week in Washington, D.C., the official said.

The official said that Rafah, a city in the south of Gaza bordering Egypt, was “one of the many topics discussed” during meetings with National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan, Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and CIA Director Bill Burns.

Netanyahu said that a victory against Hamas is “impossible” without the Israel Defense Forces entering Rafah to eliminate the rest of the terrorist group’s battalions.

Hamas waged an attack on Israel on Oct. 7, which has led to months of conflict.

In the Gaza Strip, more than 31,000 people have been killed by Israeli forces since Oct. 7, according to Gaza’s Hamas-controlled Ministry of Health. In Israel, at least 1,200 people have been killed by Hamas and other Palestinian militants since Oct. 7, according to Israeli officials.

The White House has said Biden has “deep concerns” Israel will not do enough to prevent civilian casualties as it goes after Hamas fighters in Rafah.

The Israeli military said that it plans to direct many of the displaced Palestinians living in Rafah toward “humanitarian islands” in the center of the territory ahead of any invasion.

ABC News’ Sarah Beth Hensley contributed to this report.

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