Trump news today: Trump rants about nuclear war and dismisses climate crisis while claiming he’s ‘very legitimate’

The former president is expected to attend a series of private fundraisers in California, beginning on Thursday night at the home of entrepreneur and investor David Sacks. The billionaire is co-hosting the dinner with former Facebook senior executive Chamath Palihapitiya, Ventura County Star reported.

Dr Phil, the TV personality and former doctor of clinical psychology, interviewed Donald Trump on Wednesday, with the resulting sitdown airing tonight at 8pm ET on streaming service Merit+.

Here’s a teaser from the former president:

Here’s the full trailer if you want a bit more of a preview of what will be discussed in this “psychological interview.”

Two key contenders to be Donald Trump’s 2024 running mate will meet with him during a swing through the western states.

CNN reports that Ohio senator JD Vance is flying with the former president to Arizona and San Francisco, while North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum will also meet with him during the trip.

Donald Trump’s former adviser and far-right podcaster Steve Bannon must surrender to prison to begin a four-month sentence on July 1 after he defied a subpoena to testify to a congressional committee investigating the January 6 attack on the US Capitol.

Bannon raged against his sentence after his brief federal court appearance on Thursday while a protester shouted out that he is “going to jail” and labeled him a “coup plotter” outside the courthouse in Washington DC.

“This is about shutting down the MAGA movement, shutting down grassroots conservatives, shutting down President Trump,” Bannon told reporters. “Not only are we winning, we are going to prevail … There is nothing that can shut me up, and nothing that will shut me up.”

A retired NASCAR driver and his son are among four people who have been arrested for multiple felonies and misdemeanors over their alleged actions during the Capitol riot.

Amelia Neath has the story.

Here’s more from the Republican’s latest therapy session on Fox last night.

A reporter has been accused of exploiting an elderly man with cognitive issues after publishing a video about a founding member of the Black Panther Party supposedly endorsing Trump for president.

The video was uploaded to TikTok by Carol Mitchell, according to the New York Post, and showed 81-year-old Black Panther founder David Hilliard endorsing the Republican.

Mitchell reportedly removed the video after Hilliard’s grandson Eric Jones threatened to obtain a cease-and-desist order. He said on social media that his grandfather is not a Trump supporter and was manipulated in the video due to his ongoing “cognitive issues.”

Here’s more from Martha McHardy.

Trump issued a deeply cynical campaign video on Tuesday in which he promised he could get Vladimir Putin to release The Wall Street Journal reporter from the Moscow jail where he has spent the past year on spurious espionage charges just in time for his own inauguration next January.

Among those rebuking Trump for his gross attempt to capitalise on the journalist’s plight was the redoubtable Hayes:

Also incensed was Washington Post associate editor Eugene Robinson, who told MSNBC’s Jonathan Lemire that Trump’s opportunism was “obscene and disgusting”.

Here’s our report on the Pulitzer Prize-winner’s words.

Now that Trump is a convicted felon, there is a possibility he could go to prison – and top Republicans have privately said they’re preparing for the chance that he is in jail during the Republican National Committee convention.