What’s happening on the campaign trail today
- Vice President Kamala Harris pool of prospective running mates is narrowing as the presumptive Democratic nominee nears her final decision. Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer told MSNBC today that she's "not part of the vetting" and plans to stay in Michigan to finish her term as governor, and North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper, viewed as a possible running mate, said he had taken himself out of consideration.
- Former President Donald Trump responded tonight to President Joe Biden's call to reform the Supreme Court, vowing that he would not implement changes. Biden's suggested adjustments include term limits for justices and mandatory ethics rules.
- Polling shows a narrowing race, with new polls suggesting Trump and Harris are tied in several battleground states.
This coverage has ended. Get the latest news and live updates on what's going on in the 2024 election here.
NBC News’ Steve Kornacki analyzes Gwinnett County, Georgia, and Erie County, Pennsylvania, which could swing the election based on 2020 election results and Harris’ entrance into the race.
U.S. intelligence official: Russia likely to use propaganda to support Trump over Harris
The U.S. intelligence community believes the Kremlin will direct its propaganda efforts to support Trump over Harris in the election, an intelligence official indicated in a media call today.
The call was held by the Foreign Malign Influence Center, one of the few arms of the U.S. government devoted to countering foreign propaganda campaigns.
Josh Shapiro and Gretchen Whitmer rally together for Harris as running mate jockeying heats up
Govs. Josh Shapiro and Gretchen Whitmer — both under consideration to be Harris’ running mate — held a joint rally today in the Philadelphia suburbs, where they drew contrasts between the Democrats’ new standard-bearer and Trump.
Shapiro, of Pennsylvania, and Whitmer, of Michigan, drew a crowd of more than 1,000 that included many who said they were intrigued by the idea that they could be hearing from Harris’ eventual running mate.
In Tim Walz, Democrats see a potential VP pick who can shore up the ‘blue wall’
When Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz showed up on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” last week to blast Trump and Vance as “weird” — part of a recent media blitz — the line of attack quickly gained traction among Democrats.
Key among them was Harris, who days later started using the same word in her campaign messaging against the GOP ticket, including at a fundraiser in Massachusetts on Saturday.
The simple word quickly highlighted why Walz — a popular two-term Midwestern governor, former congressman, military veteran and former public school teacher — had suddenly landed on Harris’ short list of prospective running mates.
But Walz’s allies and friends and current and former colleagues say his canny folksiness is just one of the attributes that make him uniquely suited to be the Democratic vice presidential nominee.
In addition to a relatable personal story, they say, Walz, 60, has a background representing rural communities that is needed in the party, as well as a record of progressive policy accomplishments.
These Democrats argue that Walz’s background and résumé would translate to broad appeal across the critical nearby “blue wall” states of Wisconsin, Michigan and Pennsylvania — something few other VP contenders can offer.
Regulators consider first federal rule on AI-created political ads
Amid a campaign tinged by concerns about so-called deepfakes, the Federal Communications Commission is proposing a first-of-its-kind rule to mandate disclosure of artificial intelligence-generated content in political ads, though it may not go into force before the election.
Regulators have been slow to grapple with the new technology, which allows people to use cheap and readily available AI tools to impersonate others. FCC Chair Jessica Rosenworcel says disclosure is a critical — and, perhaps just as important, doable — first step in regulating artificially created content.
Trump joins Kari Lake for tele-rally ahead of Arizona primary
Trump joined Republican Senate candidate Kari Lake tonight in a tele-rally on the eve of the Arizona primary.
Lake, whom Trump endorsed in the fall, is in a strong position ahead of tomorrow's contest. Trump this evening argued that her election to the Senate would help further his MAGA agenda.
Trump spent much of his time on the phone criticizing Lake’s probable general election opponent, Rep. Ruben Gallego, who is running unopposed in the Democratic primary. He called Gallego “ultra-left,” “a really left-winger,” a “radical Democratic extremist” and “one of the most far left” in his 7½-minute remarks. He also likened Gallego to Harris.
Trump explains his 'you won't have to vote again' comment
Trump tonight offered an explanation of his remark to supporters that they "won't have to vote anymore" if he wins in November.
"The country will be fixed and we won’t even need your vote anymore because, frankly, we will have such love. If you don’t want to vote anymore, that’s OK. And I think everybody understood it," he said in an interview on Fox News when he was asked about his comment Friday evening, which some interpreted as his saying there won't be any elections in 2028 if he's back in office.
Trump on Friday said, "Get out and vote. Just this time. You won’t have to do it anymore. Four more years. You know what? It’ll be fixed. It’ll be fine. You won’t have to vote anymore.”
Trump tonight also said, "That statement is very simple. I said, 'Vote for me. You’re not going to have to do it ever again.' It’s true, because we have to get the vote out. Christians are not known as a big voting group. They don’t vote, and I’m explaining that to them. 'You never vote. This time, vote. I’ll straighten out the country. You won’t have to vote anymore. I won’t need your vote.'"
Steven Cheung, a spokesperson for the Trump campaign, previously told NBC News that the former president on Friday “was talking about the importance of faith, uniting this country and bringing prosperity to every American, as opposed to the divisive political environment that has sowed so much division and even resulted in an assassination attempt.”
North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper backs out of consideration to be Harris’ running mate
North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper has informed Harris’ presidential campaign that he does not want to be under consideration in her search for a vice presidential candidate, he said today.
Cooper said in a statement tonight explaining the decision that although he was taking himself out of consideration, he still backed Harris’ presidential campaign.
Trump indicates he'll 'probably' debate Harris
Trump said tonight that he'll "probably" debate Harris amid uncertainty about whether the two will face off.
“The answer is yes, I’ll probably end up debating,” Trump told Fox News' Laura Ingraham in an interview that aired tonight.
He also said of the timing of the debate, "If you're gonna have a debate, you have to do it, I think, before the votes are cast."
Even as he expressed support for debating Harris, Trump said he could "also make a case for not doing it" and alluded to his previous criticism of ABC, which was scheduled to host the Sept. 10 debate under terms negotiated by the Trump and Biden campaigns.
Harris has said she's "ready to debate Donald Trump" and accused him of backpedaling.
Trump responds to Biden's Supreme Court reforms proposal
Trump responded to Biden's proposal for Supreme Court reforms by suggesting Biden wanted to implement more extensive reforms than those announced in today's proposal.
“It’s a typical Biden con. He doesn’t want to give up immunity,” Trump said in a Fox News interview that aired tonight, taking aim at Biden's call for a constitutional amendment that would stipulate that former presidents don’t have any immunity from federal criminal indictments, trials, convictions or sentences.
“What they really want to do, more than any of it, is pack the court," Trump added.
Biden's proposal does not mention adding justices to the court.
Biden called today for a constitutional amendment targeting presidential immunity, term limits and a more enforceable ethics code. Biden, who has said he was "not a fan of court packing," convened a commission in 2021 to study the possibility of expanding the Supreme Court, but the commission made no recommendation about whether to add seats to the court.