A Gen Z pop star kicked off Harris’ campaign. Puerto Rican musicians may bring her to the finish line
CNN
The influx of Latino artists denouncing Donald Trump and showing up for Kamala Harris is the October surprise that the vice president’s campaign didn’t see coming.
In September, Latin music superstar Nicky Jam appeared onstage with Donald Trump. Donning a red MAGA hat, the reggaeton singer told a Las Vegas rally that he was supporting the former president. On Tuesday, he withdrew his endorsement – joining a chorus of famous Puerto Ricans who have condemned comments made by a comedian at Trump’s New York City rally earlier this week assailing the US island territory. “Puerto Rico should be respected,” Nicky Jam told his 43 million Instagram followers. While Jam didn’t endorse Harris in his post, Jennifer Lopez, Ricky Martin, Marc Anthony, reggaeton star Don Omar, “Despacito” singer Luis Fonsi and global superstar Bad Bunny are among the celebrities of Puerto Rican descent who have shown support for the vice president or her platform since Sunday. Lopez is also participating in a rally alongside Harris in Las Vegas on Thursday. Harris campaign officials had always planned for star-studded events in the homestretch of the presidential election. But the influx of Latino artists denouncing Trump and showing up for Harris with voting already underway is the October surprise that the campaign didn’t see coming. Together, those stars have a combined 390 million global followers on Instagram alone – more than the US population.
Within minutes of President-elect Donald Trump’s announcement of Fox News host and Army veteran Pete Hegseth as his selection for Secretary of Defense, current and former senior military commanders began messaging and calling me with their reactions. “Ridiculous,” said one. “An effing (euphemism inserted) nightmare,” said another. To be clear, these were not partisans, but senior commanders who have served under both Presidents Trump and Joe Biden.
Special counsel Jack Smith continues to discuss with Justice Department leadership the mechanics of winding down the federal prosecutions of Donald Trump, with the intention of stepping down before the former president returns to the White House, according to a Justice Department official familiar with the discussions.
In choosing South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem as his homeland security secretary, President-elect Donald Trump is tapping a long-time loyalist to helm an agency that’s expected to play a central role in his immigration crackdown.https://www.cnn.com/2024/11/12/politics/kristi-noem-homeland-security-secretary/index.html
Four women suing over Idaho’s strict abortion bans told a judge Tuesday how excitement over their pregnancies turned to grief and fear after they learned their fetuses were not likely to survive to birth — and how they had to leave the state to get abortions amid fears that pregnancy complications would put their own health in danger.