DONALD Trump hung up on a reporter during an interview aired Wednesday, as social media erupted over a possible rematch between the former president and Hillary Clinton.
Trump hung up on Morning Edition host Steve Inskeep nine minutes into what the NPR said was scheduled to be a 15-minute interview that was aired.
In his interview with the outlet, Trump insisted Republicans should continue to push his fraud claims despite worries in the party that he is hurting its chances in future elections.
The same day Twitter went wild after two Democratic operatives told the Wall Street Journal Clinton is the best choice to beat Trump in 2024.
It comes ahead of Trump's rally in Arizona on Saturday night.
The former president is set to speak about his false election fraud claims.
The list of other speakers at the event is a "who's who of election deniers", according to Axios.
Read our Donald Trump speech live blog for the latest news and updates…
- G. P. Rodriguez
Invite-only?
There's been speculation that Truth Social could be invite-only when it first launches.
Some people already have the beta version of the app but they had to be specially invited to try it out.
The Truth Social website claims: "TRUTH Social is America’s “Big Tent” social media platform that encourages an open, free, and honest global conversation without discriminating against political ideology."
- G. P. Rodriguez
Details on 'Truth Social'
A post on Truth Social is called a "truth" and the retweet equivalent is called a "re-truth".
Truth Social’s website now directs people to pre-order the app on the App Store.
It's unclear whether the app will also be coming to Android or getting a desktop version on February 21.
The app is free and anyone who wants it will need to join a waiting list.
- G. P. Rodriguez
Trump to launch social media app
The former US president plans to take on Twitter with the app and appears to have coincided its launch with Presidents Day.
Apple's App Store now lists the app and says it will be available on February 21.
The app has been designed by Trump's new media company the Trump Media and Technology Group (TMTG).
- Jennifer Korn
Trump's net worth, continued
These include the Trump Tower in New York, the Trump World Tower in Manhattan, the gold-plated Trump Hotel Las Vegas, a Palm Beach estate in Florida and 16 golf courses around the world including Trump Turnberry in Scotland.
However, when real estate dropped amid the Covid-19 pandemic, Trump lost vast quantities of his wealth.
- Jennifer Korn
What is Trump's net worth?
Former president Trump said his net worth was $10billion before the 2017 election, but it was found to be far less than that.
In 2016, his net worth was $4.7billion, but since then it has dropped to $2.5billion, according to Forbes.
This is down by $600million since the pandemic started in early 2020.
The Trump Organization, of which he serves as president and chairman, owns plush resorts, residential towers, real estates and golf courses.
- Jennifer Korn
Who are Donald Trump's children? continued
Trump's youngest child with first wife Ivana, 36-year-old Eric joined the Trump organisation in 2006.
He also established the Eric Trump Foundation in 2006 – an organisation whose purpose is to raise money for terminally ill children.
26-year-old Tiffany is Trump's only child with his second wife, Marla Maples.
Trump's youngest child, 14-year-old Barron, is his only child with current wife and First Lady Melania Trump. Born in 2006 – a year after his parents' 2005 nuptials.
- Jennifer Korn
Who are Donald Trump's children?
Trump's oldest child, 42-year-old Donald Jr, is a real estate developer and Executive Vice President of the Trump Organization.
As well as working for his father's organisation, he also appeared on numerous episodes of his father's TV show, The Apprentice.
Ivanka, 38, is a businesswoman and former fashion model.
The mother-of-three is married to Jared Kushner, a real estate developer – and she converted to Judaism, her husband's religion.
- Jennifer Korn
How many times has Trump been impeached? continued
Democrats in the House of Representatives voted to impeach Trump for a second time after the events at the US Capitol on January 6, 2021.
Trump is the first president in US history to be impeached twice after the House charged him with "incitement of insurrection" on January 13, 2021, over the US Capitol siege.
- Jennifer Korn
How many times has Trump been impeached?
On December 18, 2019, an action on impeachment was initiated when the House of Representatives approved articles of impeachment on charges of abuse of power and obstruction of Congress.
The representatives pointed to Trump pressuring Ukraine to investigate 2020 political rival Biden while withholding as leverage military aid, as well as attempting to block a House investigation.
- Jennifer Korn
Arizona Republican Party chairwoman speaks
Ahead of Saturday's rally, Republican Party of Arizona posted a video of Chairwoman Dr. Kelli Ward speaking on the upcoming events.
"January is going to be a busy and exciting month for us!" the page tweeted.
- Jennifer Korn
What is TRUTH Social? continued
TRUTH Social is set to "stand up to the tyranny of Big Tech."
While it still remains unclear what the social media platform will look like, the beta launch took place in November, with a nationwide rollout expected this year.
- Jennifer Korn
What is TRUTH Social?
On October 20, 2021, Trump announced the launch of his own social media platform, called TRUTH Social.
"We live in a world where the Taliban has a huge presence on Twitter, yet your favorite American president has been silenced," Trump said in a statement regarding his social media ban that was put into place following the January 6 Capitol Riots.
- Jennifer Korn
How many press conferences has Trump held?
Since leaving office, the former president has only held one press conference.
He canceled what would have been his second press conference, which would have taken place on the anniversary of the January 6 insurrection.
- Jennifer Korn
What was Operation Warp Speed?
Operation Warp Speed was a public-private partnership initiated by then-President Trump and his administration to facilitate and accelerate the development, manufacturing and distribution of Covid-19 vaccines.
The program was announced on May 15, 2020.
It promoted mass production of multiple vaccines, and different types of vaccine technologies, based on preliminary evidence, allowing for faster distribution if clinical trials confirmed one of the vaccines is safe and effective.
At the end of February 2021, Operation Warp Speed was transferred into the responsibilities of the White House Covid-19 Response Team.
- Jennifer Korn
Trump and Covid-19 vaccines, continued
Both Pfizer and Moderna’s two-dose coronavirus vaccines were developed and authorized for emergency use while Trump was in office.
Moderna received funding for design and testing under Trump’s Operation Warp Speed, while Pfizer had an advance-purchase agreement.
J&J, which was authorized for use after Biden took office, also had a pre-existing federal production deal made under the Trump administration.
- Jennifer Korn
What did Trump say about Covid-19 vaccines?
Last year, after President Joe Biden announced his administration would order another 100 million doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, Trump responded seeking credit for the swift rollout.
"I hope everyone remembers when they’re getting the COVID-19 (often referred to as the China Virus) Vaccine, that if I wasn’t President, you wouldn’t be getting that beautiful ‘shot’ for 5 years, at best.
"And probably wouldn’t be getting it at all,” the ex-president said in a statement released by his office on March 10.
“I hope everyone remembers!"
- Jocelyn Cook
Other rally speakers, continued
Axios noted that other rally speakers include:
- Kelli Ward, the chair of Arizona's Republican Party. The outlet reported that she pushed a "false conspiracy theory that foreign powers manipulated Dominion voting machines to secure Biden's election victory."
- Boris Epshteyn, the co-host of Steve Bannon's podcast.
- Mike Lindell, the CEO of MyPillow. He has spent $25 million thus far on his campaign to subvert the 2020 election.
- Alveda King, Martin Luther King Jr.'s niece. She is a Trump supporter but hasn't made similar attempts to overturn the 2020 election.
Other rally speakers
Besides Lake, other speakers scheduled for Trump's rally include, according to Axios:
- State Rep Mark Finchem, a Trump endorsed candidate for Secretary of State. He denies the 2020 election result and attended "Stop the Steal" rallies in January, the outlet reported.
- Arizona Rep Paul Gosar
- Arizona Rep Andy Biggs
- Arizona Rep Debbie Lesko
Gosar, Biggs, and Lesko all voted on January 6 to object to the certification of President Joe Biden's victory.
NY Attorney General on Trump lawsuit
New York Attorney General Letitia James released a statement regarding the lawsuit from Trump.
"The Trump Organization has continually sought to delay our investigation into its business dealings and now Donald Trump and his namesake company have filed a lawsuit as an attempted collateral attack on that investigation," the statement read.
James wrote the "investigation will continue undeterred because no one is above the law, not even someone with the name Trump."
Trump's lawsuit against NY Attorney General
Previously, Trump filed a lawsuit against New York Attorney General Letitia James.
The lawsuit alleges that: “Letitia James is guided solely by political animus and a desire to harass, intimidate and retaliate against a private citizen who she views as a political opponent”.
Furthermore, Alina Habba, Trump’s attorney added that: “By filing this lawsuit, we intend to not only hold her accountable for her blatant constitutional violations, but to stop her bitter crusade to punish her political opponent in its tracks.”
Why didn't Trump speak on January 6?
Former President Donald Trump canceled a press conference he had planned to hold in Florida on the anniversary of the January 6 attack on the Capitol.
In a statement released that same week, Trump stated that he would rather air his issues at a rally scheduled for later this month in Arizona.
“In light of the total bias and dishonesty of the January 6th Unselect Committee of Democrats, two failed Republicans, and the Fake News Media," Trump wrote, "I am canceling the January 6th Press Conference at Mar-a-Lago on Thursday, and instead will discuss many of those important topics at my rally on Saturday, January 15th, in Arizona."
- Jocelyn Cook
What will Trump talk about at the rally?
Donald Trump is set to speak in Arizona on Saturday night.
The former president is likely to talk about his false election fraud claims.
- Jocelyn Cook
Precedent set
If former President Donald Trump decides to run again in 2024, the Republican would be following the precedent set by Grover Cleveland.
Cleveland lost his re-election to Republican Benjamin Harrison in 1884, but four years later, decided to run for president once again.
Cleveland won and became the 24th president because he didn't serve consecutive terms.
- Jocelyn Cook
Can Trump run for President in 2024?
Constitutionally, former President Trump can launch a second White House bid after losing in 2020.
His team has previously hinted that he could seek another term in 2024.
The 22nd Amendment states: "No person shall be elected to the office of the President more than twice, and no person who has held the office of President, or acted as President, for more than two years of a term to which some other person was elected President shall be elected to the office of President more than once."
- Jocelyn Cook
Will Donald Trump run for President in 2024?
On November 25, Trump hinted at another possible presidential run in a Thanksgiving message.
"A very interesting time in our Country, but do not worry, we will be great again – and we will all do it together," the former president said in a statement.
"America will never fail, and we will never allow it to go in the wrong direction. Too many generations of greatness are counting on us. Enjoy your Thanksgiving knowing that a wonderful future lies ahead!" he added.
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