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Trump Names Running Mate For 2024

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Donald Trump via Gage Skidmore Flickr

And officially becomes the nominee…

J.D. Vance, known for his memoir “Hillbilly Elegy,” which explores his upbringing in a poor Rust Belt town and his family’s struggles with addiction and poverty, experienced a swift rise in the political arena. His rise saw him win election to the United States Senate in 2022 and now has put him on the cusp of becoming the next vice president of the United States.

Driven by a compelling personal narrative, strategic alliances and the right political positioning, Vance has won the long-awaited veepstakes, as former President Donald Trump himself announced moments ago. Shortly afterward, it was announced at the Republican National Convention that Donald Trump had received enough votes to officially become the Republican presidential nominee.

Fittingly, it was the Florida delegation that put him over the top.

Vance’s story began in Middletown, Ohio, where he was raised in a working-class family. Despite the challenges he faced, he managed to graduate from Ohio State University and later from Yale Law School. His memoir, published in 2016, became a bestseller and brought him national attention, especially as it was seen as offering insights into the lives of many working-class Americans who felt left behind by the political establishment.

Key Factors in His Political Rise

  1. National Recognition through “Hillbilly Elegy”: Vance’s memoir provided him with a platform to discuss broader socio-economic issues affecting the Rust Belt and working-class communities. His personal success story resonated with many Americans, giving him credibility and a wide audience.
  2. Strategic Political Alliances: Vance capitalized on his newfound fame by forging key alliances within the Republican Party. He aligned himself with prominent figures and organizations that supported his views on economic and social issues. Notably, he gained the endorsement of former President Donald Trump, which significantly bolstered his political profile among the Republican base.
  3. Media Presence and Advocacy: Vance became a regular commentator on political and cultural issues, frequently appearing on news programs and writing op-eds. His articulate defense of conservative values and critique of elite political classes garnered him a loyal following.
  4. Focus on Populist Themes: Emphasizing themes of economic nationalism, skepticism of globalism and advocacy for working-class Americans, Vance tapped into the populist sentiment that had been growing within the Republican Party. His ability to articulate these issues in a relatable manner helped him connect with a broad spectrum of voters.
  5. Support from Influential Donors: Vance received significant financial backing from influential donors and political action committees. This support enabled him to mount a strong campaign for the U.S. Senate, leveraging his network and resources to reach a wider audience.

Political Campaign and Senate Victory

In 2022, Vance announced his candidacy for the U.S. Senate seat in Ohio. His campaign focused on addressing the economic concerns of Ohioans, tackling the opioid crisis and advocating for policies that would benefit the working class. His message resonated with voters, and he successfully secured the Republican nomination and won the general election.

READ NEXT: [WATCH] CNN Reporter’s Controversial Remarks Seconds After Trump Assassination Attempt

Trump Injured At Rally, Possibly Shot – Suspect Down

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Gage Skidmore Flickr

UPDATE: 8:25 pm

The New York Times’ Maggie Haberman reports that Donald Trump Jr. said, “I just spoke to my father on the phone, and he is in great spirits.”

UPDATE: 8:15 pm

Two sources briefed The New York Times that a rally attendee was killed in the assassination attempt.

UPDATE: 7:36 pm

New video footage from the Butler Farm Show grounds shows the body of the attempted assassin on the roof of building approximately 400 feet from where President Trump was speaking. Gunfire from Secret Service agents killed him. The suspect’s identity remains unknown.

The shooter on the roof fired at Trump from outside the security perimeter, using the elevated position for a clear line of sight.

A witness on a nearby building informed a BBC reporter that he had seen the shooter crawling onto the roof with a rifle and had tried to warn law enforcement for “two or three minutes” prior to the shooting.

UPDATE: 7:31 pm

The Secret Service has confirmed that former President Donald Trump is safe and under protective measures following the shooting at today’s rally. A spokesperson stated that Trump is “fine” and described the incident as a “heinous act.” However, specific details about what transpired at the event remain scant.

The suspect has been “neutralized,” according to law enforcement sources.

ORIGINAL ARTICLE:

A retired two-star general standing behind the president was shot, too…

Former President Donald Trump defiantly raised his fist following an apparent assassination attempt at today’s rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.

Moments after the first shot rang out, Trump reached toward his ear and blood streaked across his face.

The shots came as Trump began discussing immigration in his stump speech. Bystanders said the sound resembled that of a small-caliber weapon.

Secret Service agents quickly whisked Trump off the stage, but not before he signaled to the crowd and appeared to shout the word “fight” multiple times.

Billionaire Elon Musk voiced his support for Trump following the attack. “I fully endorse President Trump and hope for his rapid recovery,” Musk said.

The entrepreneur made a substantial donation to a pro-Trump super PAC backing the Republican nominee in swing states, according to a report from Bloomberg on Friday. The exact amount of the donation was not disclosed.

Commenters on X praised the 45th president’s response, suggesting it might have secured his victory in the election.

Additional reactions poured in.

The alleged gunman is down, according to the county prosecutor.

This is a breaking news story. Please check back for updates.

Cook Political Report Shifts Ratings In Trump’s Favor In 6 States

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Donald Trump via Gage Skidmore Flickr

The Cook Political Report, widely respected across the political spectrum for its precise election forecasts, recently adjusted its presidential race ratings in six key states, all favoring former President Donald Trump.

The shift comes amidst a backdrop of national and state polls indicating a modest yet consistent increase in support for Trump over President Joe Biden.

Key State Changes

The Cook Political Report has reclassified:

  • Arizona, Georgia and Nevada from “toss-up” to “lean Republican.”
  • Minnesota and New Hampshire from “likely Democrat” to “lean Democrat.”
  • Nebraska’s 2nd Congressional District from “likely Democrat” to “lean Democrat.”

Nebraska and Maine are the only states that allocate their electoral votes by congressional district, making the competitive Omaha-based 2nd District a target for both campaigns.

Electoral Vote Implications

The changes significantly impact the electoral map, with Trump now leading in states totaling 268 electoral votes, just two votes short of the required 270 for victory. In contrast, Biden leads in states accounting for 226 electoral votes.

Expert Analysis

In a social media post, Dave Wasserman, a senior editor at Cook Political Report, argued that it was overly optimistic to label the presidential race as a toss-up even before the debates.

“Today, Trump has a clear advantage over Biden and a much more plausible path to 270 Electoral votes,” Wasserman noted.

Additionally, during an appearance on CNN, Amy Walter, Cook Report’s publisher and editor-in-chief, elaborated on the political shifts underpinning these changes.

“What we’re seeing is the real erosion of support from Biden among voters of color,” Walter explained back in May. “This is the reason he [Biden] is doing worse in Arizona, Nevada and Georgia, where Hispanic and African Americans make up a significant share of the vote.” [emphasis added]

Polling Data

Supporting these insights, the latest RealClearPolitics national polling average shows Trump leading Biden by 3 percentage points. In crucial swing states, Trump’s lead is even more pronounced:

  • Arizona: +5.4 points
  • Georgia: +4 points
  • Michigan: +0.6 points
  • Nevada: +5.2 points
  • North Carolina: +5.8 points
  • Pennsylvania: +5.3 points
  • Wisconsin: +2.2 points

Conclusion

The latest adjustments by the Cook Political Report highlight a rapidly shifting landscape in the 2024 presidential race. With Trump’s increasing traction in key states and growing concerns about Biden’s ability to simply do the job, the GOP’s path to the presidency appears more wide open than ever.

READ NEXT: Trump Family Member Steps Forward As Long-Shot VP Candidate

Texas Rep. Files Resolution To Remove Biden

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Joe Biden via Gage Skidmore Flickr

Biden’s got to go…

Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas) is crafting a resolution urging Vice President Harris to convene the Cabinet and declare President Biden unable to carry out the duties of the Oval Office after the poor debate performance Thursday.

“I intend to put forth a resolution calling upon the @VP to immediately use her powers under section 4 of the 25th Amendment to convene & mobilize the principal officers of the Cabinet to declare the @POTUS is unable to successfully discharge the duties and powers of his office,” Roy wrote on X.

Roy told reporters Friday morning that, ”I think anybody with eyes and anybody observing objectively last night saw an individual that is not capable of carrying out the duties the commander-in-chief in a world in which we’re, you know, facing increasing dangers.”

He added, “for those of us who follow this stuff internally, it has been very clear the declining status of the of the capacity of the president, but last night put it all out for all to see. Our colleagues on their side of the aisle can’t hide from it. And frankly, I don’t do this through a political lens, right. I mean, I don’t view it through the lens of well, is the timing good and bad for what happens in November or anything else? It’s just the simple fact of the matter is the president United States is not capable of doing the job.”

Section 4 of the 25th Amendment — which has never been used — says that if the vice president and a majority of the Cabinet or Congress deem the president as “unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office,” the vice president should “immediately assume the powers and duties of the office as Acting President.”

“Whenever the Vice President and a majority of either the principal officers of the executive departments or of such other body as Congress may by law provide, transmit to the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives their written declaration that the President is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office, the Vice President shall immediately assume the powers and duties of the office as Acting President,” the amendment reads.

Lisa Ferdinando via Wikimedia Commons

Harris defended Biden’s debate performance on CNN immediately after Thursday night’s event, conceding he had a “slow start” but arguing he had a “strong finish” and had laid out a strong contrast between himself and Trump.

Watch:

Rep. Roy’s move is among the harshest responses to Thursday’s debate which has prompted widespread concern among Democrats.

Several leading columnists for the New York Times are urging President Biden to drop out of the race, citing his poor performance during Thursday night’s debate.

“President Biden is a good man who capped a long career in public service with a successful presidential term. But I hope he reviews his debate performance Thursday evening and withdraws from the race, throwing the choice of a Democratic nominee to the convention in August,” Times columnist Nicholas Kristof wrote.

Thomas Friedman, another Times columnist, made a similar argument.

“I cannot remember a more heartbreaking moment in American presidential campaign politics in my lifetime,” he wrote, saying Biden “a good man and a good president, has no business running for re-election.”

Article Published With The Permission of American Liberty News

Obama Begs Influencers To Back Biden

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The White House, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Former President Barack Obama is getting desperate…

Over the weekend, Obama called on influencers to endorse Joe Biden and help his re-election campaign.

The former president, whom Biden served under as vice president, told influencers they might not agree entirely with Biden’s policies but should support him anyway.

“Joe Biden, you may not agree with everything he does,” Obama said at a campaign fundraiser for Biden in Los Angeles on Saturday, according to Axios. “By the way, you didn’t agree with everything I did. And that’s OK. Because in a big, messy, complicated country like this, there are going to be disagreements.”

“I need you guys to use your influence, and it doesn’t have to be boring,” Obama told them.

Obama also acknowledged that audiences on social media are often not interested in partisan politics. 

“We live in a cynical time,” he said, according to Axios. “Let’s face it: I think a lot of the people who watch you, listen to you, who are fans of you — a lot of times they feel turned off by the political discourse.”

“I get it,” Obama told the group, also giving insight into his media consumption. “You know, I frankly watch sports, mostly. Because it feels like everything is slash and burn.”

“But Joe Biden’s basic trajectory — what he believes in his core … nine times out of 10, he’s going to make decisions that accord with your core beliefs,” Obama said. 

A New York Times/Siena College poll conducted in April found that former President Trump is cutting into Biden’s lead among young voters. Biden’s support among young voters has decreased by 14 points from his 2020 election performance to April. 

New Details Emerge About Supposed NYC Trump Trial Juror

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Photo via Gage Skidmore Flickr

Nine days ago, a New York City jury convicted former President Donald Trump on 34 felony counts in Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s so-called hush money case. The jury convicted Trump on all counts related to falsifying business records stemming from a scheme to cover up hush money payments made to Stormy Daniels, an adult film actress, ahead of the 2016 presidential election.

The jury deliberated for two days before reaching a verdict. The falsified records were assumed to violate federal campaign finance laws, which served as the predicate crime for the charges.

Although it is not uncommon for state prosecutors to base charges on violations of federal law, it is unusual in high-profile cases such as this. The jury had to find that Trump intended to commit, aid or conceal a second crime, supposedly federal campaign violations, to convict him on the falsification charge. (RELATED: ‘Mob Justice!’ Fox’s Constitutional Expert Shreds Letitia James’ Threat To Seize Don’s Assets)

Trump sentencing is scheduled for July 11. However, a new development has emerged that could potentially impact the case. In a letter to all parties, Judge Juan Merchan disclosed that the day before the conviction was announced, a Facebook user named “Michael Anderson” posted that Trump would be convicted, citing his cousin, who he claimed was a juror, as the source of this information.

Gage Skidmore from Surprise, AZ, United States of America, CC BY-SA 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

Fox News continues:

Fox News obtained the letter Judge Juan Merchan shared with Trump defense attorneys and Manhattan prosecutors.

“‘Today, the Court became aware of a comment that was posted on the Unified Court System’s public Facebook page and which I now bring to your attention. In the comment, the user, ‘Michael Anderson,’ states:

“’My cousin is a juror and says Trump is getting convicted! Thank you folks for all your hard work!!!!’”

The comment was posted on May 29 “regarding oral arguments in the Fourth Department of the Appellate Division unrelated to this proceeding.”

Little public information is available about Michael Anderson’s profile. However, he describes himself as “Transabled & professional sh– poster.”

Gage Skidmore from Peoria, AZ, United States of America, CC BY-SA 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

A Trump campaign official said they are “investigating the matter.” (RELATED: Trump Reveals What He Will Do To Biden If He Wins In November)

Despite his conviction, Trump can still run for president in the 2024 election. The U.S. Constitution does not prohibit a convicted felon from running for or holding the office of the president. Trump has already secured the necessary delegates for the Republican nomination and plans to appeal the conviction, a process that could extend beyond Election Day.

Recent polls have shown mixed impacts on the standings of Trump and President Biden following the trial. A Morning Consult poll indicated that Biden leads Trump by a single percentage point nationally, 45% to 44%. However, in key swing states, Trump maintains an edge.

Article Published With The Permission of American Liberty News.

READ NEXT: Citizens Sue City Over Scheme To Pay Race Reparations

Radical Congresswoman Makes Wild Claim About Trump Supporters: ‘Are They Preparing For A Civil War?’

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Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Calif.) is once again raising the stakes, doubling down on her previous claims that an unknown number of Trump voters might be gearing up for a Ruby Ridge or Waco-style standoff.

Now, the veteran congresswoman is hinting that the former president’s fans could be plotting a sequel to the Civil War, and she’s calling for an official government probe to get to the bottom of it. (RELATED: All In The Family: Maxine Waters Continues To Pay Daughter With Campaign Cash)

Waters’ rhetoric hit new heights during an appearance on MSNBC, where she dissected Trump’s language.

“I’m worried that he’s so divisive and that he’s talking about retribution, and they’re talking about revenge and I think that that’s dangerous. He’s even mentioned civil war at one point, talked about there would be bloodshed,” Waters told host Jonathan Capehart.

“Are they preparing a civil war against us?” she asked, leaving the question hanging in the air. “Should we be concerned about our safety? What is [Trump] doing with this divisive language? It is dangerous.”

The Los Angeles-area Democrat promised to enlist the “criminal justice system” to investigate what she described as the activities of “domestic terrorists,” clearly pointing the finger at Trump supporters.

“It is not just that [Trump is] a criminal, this is a man who disrespects the Constitution and democracy and we have got to find out what they are doing as domestic terrorists [who] tried to take over the government on Jan. 6,” Waters continued.

With a flair for the dramatic, Waters posed another rhetorical question, “How far is this going to go? Are they going to be attacking? Whom are they going to attack? What are we going to do? We’re trying to get an investigation going about that.” (RELATED: CNN Lawyers Take Unexpected Stand – Blast Judge Merchan And Back Trump Big Time)

After Trump’s conviction on 34 felony counts, Waters took to social media with gusto, lambasting the presumptive Republican nominee.

Less than one month ago, Waters spun another yarn on MSNBC, predicting civil unrest if Trump loses in November, without a single eyebrow raised in objection. (RELATED: Maxine Waters Accuses ‘Right-Wing Organizations’ Of Training In The Hills)

Chatting yet again with host Jonathan Capehart, Waters declared her plan to press the Justice Department and the White House on how President Biden would respond if his opponent refuses to accept the election results.

But she didn’t stop there – Waters went on to allege (without evidence) that shadowy “right-wing organizations” are “training up in the hills somewhere,” suggesting that extremist violence against the government isn’t just a possibility but practically a done deal.

Article Published With The Permission of American Liberty News.

Democrat Congressman Calls On New York Governor To Pardon Trump

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Gavel via Wikimedia Commons Image

An unexpected twist…

Members from both sides of the aisle have aired their opinions in the wake of former President Trump’s guilty verdict but Rep. Dean Phillips (D-Minn.) has shared an idea that’s unlikely to get much support from his colleagues: a pardon.

Following the verdict, Rep. Phillips said New York Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) should seriously consider pardoning the former President “for the good of the country.”

Despite his call to let Trump walk free, the Democrat Congressman shared nothing but insults for the presumptive Republican nominee in a post on X.

Donald Trump is a serial liar, cheater and philanderer, a six-time declarer of corporate bankruptcy, an instigator of insurrection, and a convicted felon who thrives on portraying himself as a victim,” Phillips wrote on X. “@GovKathyHochul should pardon him for the good of the country.”

In a separate post, Rep. Phillips defended his proposal noting how the Trump campaign has already begun to capitalize on the shocking trial. (RELATED: Trump’s Conviction Turns Cash Cow: $200M Raised, Eric Tells Fox News)

On Friday, the Trump campaign announced a new record of $34.8 million raised in the hours after the verdict.

“You think pardoning him is stupid? Making him a martyr over a payment to a porn star is stupid. (Election charges are totally different.)” Phillips wrote in another post. “It’s energizing his base, generating record sums of campaign cash, and will likely result in an electoral boost.”

Hochul appeared to suggest that pardoning Trump is off the table as she made clear her support for the verdict in a statement released Thursday.

“TODAY’S VERDICT REAFFIRMS THAT NO ONE IS ABOVE THE LAW. IN PREPARATION FOR A VERDICT IN THIS TRIAL, I DIRECTED MY ADMINISTRATION TO CLOSELY COORDINATE WITH LOCAL AND FEDERAL LAW ENFORCEMENT AND WE CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE SITUATION. WE ARE COMMITTED TO PROTECTING THE SAFETY OF ALL NEW YORKERS AND THE INTEGRITY OF OUR JUDICIAL SYSTEM,” THE STATEMENT SAID.

Phillips is not the only congressman calling for Hochul to pardon Trump. Republican New York Rep. Nick LaLota wrote on social media that “the best way to unwind” Trump’s conviction is for Hochul to “immediately announce her intention” to pardon the former president.

Earlier this year Phillips emerged as a long-shot “alternative” to President Joe Biden before suspending his campaign in March.

“I ran for Congress in 2018 to resist Donald Trump, I was trapped in the Capitol in 2021 because of Donald Trump, and I ran for President in 2024 to resist Donald Trump again – because Americans were demanding an alternative, and democracy demands options,” he wrote on X.

“But it is clear that alternative is not me. And it is clear that Joe Biden is OUR candidate and OUR opportunity to demonstrate what type of country America is and intends to be,” Phillips continued.

Article Published With The Permission of American Liberty News

Citizens Sue City Over Scheme To Pay Race Reparations

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Image via Pixabay free images

A group of Evanston, Illinois, residents are suing their city government over a $20 million scheme to give away $25,000 each to Black residents as “reparations” for wrongs experienced by past generations.

The nonprofit public interest law firm Judicial Watch announced it “filed a class action lawsuit against Evanston, Illinois, on behalf of six individuals over the city’s use of race as an eligibility requirement for a reparations program which makes $25,000 payments to black residents and descendants of black residents who lived in Evanston between the years 1919 and 1969.” (RELATED: San Francisco Debates $5 Million Per Person Reparations Proposal)

The New York Times photo archive, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

“The Evanston, Illinois’ ‘reparations’ program is nothing more than a ploy to redistribute tax dollars to individuals based on race,” said Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton. “This scheme unconstitutionally discriminates against anyone who does not identify as Black or African American. This class action, civil rights lawsuit will be a historic defense of our color-blind Constitution.”

“Through a series of resolutions, the Evanston City Council created a program to provide $25,000 cash payments to residents who lived in Evanston between 1919 and 1969 and their children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren,” JW reports, after filing a class action, civil rights lawsuit which challenges “on Equal Protection grounds Defendant City of Evanston’s use of race as an eligibility requirement for a program that makes $25,000 payments to residents and direct descendants of residents of the city five-plus decades if not more than a century ago. Plaintiffs seek a judgment declaring the Defendant’s use of race to be unconstitutional. Plaintiffs also seek an injunction enjoining Defendant from continuing to use race as a requirement for receiving payment under the program and request that the Court award them and all class members damages in the amount of $25,000 each.”

Gage Skidmore from Peoria, AZ, United States of America, CC BY-SA 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

JW argues that “the program violates the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment because:”

Remedying societal discrimination is not a compelling governmental interest.  Richmond v. J.A. Croson Co., 488 U.S. 469, 505 (1989); see also Regents of Univ. of Cal. v. Bakke, 438 U.S. 265, 307 ((1978) (opinion of Powell, J.) (describing “societal discrimination” as “an amorphous concept of injury that may be ageless in its reach into the past.”)  Remedying discrimination from 55 to 105 years ago or remedying discrimination experienced at any time by an individual’s parents, grandparents, or great grandparents has not been recognized as a compelling governmental interest…

Defendant also has not and cannot demonstrate that its use of a race as an eligibility requirement is narrowly tailored.  Among other shortcomings, Defendant’s use of race as a proxy for experiencing discrimination between 1919 and 1969 does not limit eligibility to persons who actually experienced discrimination during that relevant time period and therefore is overinclusive.   Defendant also failed to consider race-neutral alternatives, such as requiring prospective recipients show that they or their parents, grandparents, or great grandparents actually experienced housing discrimination during the relevant time period because of an Evanston ordinance, policy, or procedure, as Defendant requires for the third group of prospective recipients.  Nor did Defendant take into account race-neutral anti-discrimination remedies before adopting its race-based eligibility requirement.

According to JW, the program works as follows:

The first group of persons eligible for the $25,000 payments are current Evanston residents who identify as Black or African American and were at least 18 years of age between 1919 and 1969. Evanston refers to this group as “ancestors.”

The second group are individuals who identify as Black or African American who are at least 18 years of age and have at least one parent, grandparent, or great grandparent who identifies (or identified) as Black or African American, lived in Evanston for any period between 1919 and 1969, and was at least 18 at the time. Evanston refers to this group as “direct descendants.” A “direct descendant” is not required to be a current resident of Evanston to receive the payment.

“At no point in the application process are persons in the first and second groups required to present evidence that they or their ancestors experienced housing discrimination or otherwise suffered harm because of an unlawful Evanston ordinance, policy, or procedure or some other unlawful act or series of acts by Evanston between 1919 and 1969,” Judicial Watch states in the laws.” “In effect, Evanston is using race as a proxy for having experienced discrimination during this time period.” (RELATED: Squad Member Introduces Proposal For $14 Trillion In Reparations)

Judicial Watch states in the lawsuit that “the six plaintiffs satisfy all eligibility requirements for participating in the program as ‘direct descendants’ other that the race requirement (the actual number of individuals who are potential class members is in the tens of thousands).”

Christine Svenson of Chalmers, Adams, Backer & Kaufman, LLC is assisting Judicial Watch in the lawsuit.

The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the positions of Great America News Desk. It first appeared in American Liberty News.

READ NEXT: CNN Lawyers Admit Stunning Trump News

Potential VP Flips On Trump Deportation Stance

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(Miami - Flórida, 09/03/2020) Presidente da República Jair Bolsonaro durante encontro com o Senador Marco Rubio..Foto: Alan Santos/PR

Florida Sen. Marco Rubio (R) is changing his tune on Trump’s deportation plan.

“Yes,” Rubio said during an appearance on NBC’s “Meet the Press” Sunday, where he was asked whether he supports Trump’s plan to use the military to deport illegal immigrants from the country. “We cannot absorb 25, 30 million people who entered this country illegally. They’re here illegally, what country on earth could tolerate that?” 

The comments were in stark contrast to Rubio’s previous stance on the issue, most notably as a primary rival of Trump’s in 2015. Rubio was critical of the Trump plan to round up and deport the millions of illegal immigrants living in the United States, panning the idea as “not a workable plan.”

Pushed on why his stance has changed since campaigning against Trump nearly a decade ago, the Florida Senator argued that the situation itself has changed since then.

“When I said that back in 2013 when I was involved in immigration reform, we had 11, 12 million people that had been here for longer than a decade, now we’ve had almost that number in the last three years alone,” Rubio said, noting that he believes some of those who have entered the country more recently could include “terrorists.”

Trump has vowed to implement a plan of mass deportation if he wins November’s election, promising last month to use the National Guard if needed to deport illegal immigrants from the country.

Rubio has been floated as a potential contender for vice president among other popular Florida Republicans such as Rep. Byron Donalds and former primary rival Gov. Ron DeSantis.