Raw Story

Former President Donald Trump is claiming an influential charity whose members are barred from making political endorsements is warning Catholics away from "Crazy Kamala Harris."

Trump wrote on Truth Social Wednesday that the Catholic organization Knights of Columbus was launching a large political campaign against his presumed opponent in the 2024 presidential election.

"A large group of Catholics is launching a major Political Campaign against Crazy Kamala Harris," Trump wrote. "Catholics are literally being persecuted by this Wack Job, just ask the Knights of Columbus."

It is unknown what Trump was basing his claim about a campaign by the group on, but his accusations of persecution was likely referencing a 2018 exchange between Harris and the then-president Trump's nominee for a Nebraska federal court judgeship, Brian Buescher, whose Knights of Columbus membership Harris reportedly questioned.

"Then-Sen. Harris asked him whether he knew that 'the Knights of Columbus opposed a woman’s right to choose when [he] joined the organization,'" Catholic News Agency reports, "and whether he was aware 'that the Knights of Columbus opposed marriage equality when [he] joined the organization.”

On Wednesday, Trump claimed Knights of Columbus was fearful of her ascent to the Oval Office.

"They say that she is the most Anti-Catholic person ever to run for high office in the U.S," Trump wrote. "This respected group wants ALL CATHOLICS TO VOTE AGAINST KAMALA, and they are 100% correct."

Raw Story reached out to the Knights of Columbus via email and telephone but did not receive an immediate response.

A Knights of Columbus document on political activity guidelines instructs members not to endorse candidates or engage in partisan activity in the name of the organization.

ALSO READ: Mike Johnson's now-deleted Trump social media post sparks controversy

Trump's comments echo those he made at a Turning Point USA event Friday during which he invoked panic of Democratic persecution of Catholics.

Harris' campaign responded with a swift rebuttal, accusing Trump of insulting the faith of Catholic Americans.

"He generally sounded like someone you wouldn’t want to sit near at a restaurant," said spokesperson James Singer, "let alone be President of the United States."

Raw Story reached out to Singer on X for comment on Wednesday but did not receive an immediate reply.

Trump's own actions have outraged Catholic voters who decried his decision to sell Bibles and his administration's policies on immigration and the death penalty.

Members of the National Association of Black Journalists have reportedly planned a boycott as the group agreed to host an event with former President Donald Trump and Fox News host Harris Faulkner Wednesday.

NABJ convention co-chair Karen Attiah announced she would resign after learning about the plans to have a friendly Fox News host moderate Trump at the event in Chicago.

"While my decision was influenced by a variety of factors, I was not involved or consulted with in any way with the decision to platform Trump in such a format," Attiah said.

ABC News Senior Congressional Correspondent Rachel Scott and Semafor Political Reporter Kadia Goba are slated to co-moderate the event.

KXAS reported that other members were expected to boycott. However, NABJ President Ken Lemon defended the decision to host Trump.

"We look forward to our attendees hearing from former President Trump on the critical issues our members and their audiences care about most," Lemon said. "While NABJ does not endorse political candidates as a journalism organization, we understand the serious work of our members, and welcome the opportunity for them to ask the tough questions that will provide the truthful answers Black Americans want and need to know."

In a statement, Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker (D) noted that Trump had repeatedly insulted residents during events in the Midwest.

ALSO READ: Bad news for Trump: Harris will bring the receipts on Dobbs abortion decision

"Every time Donald Trump visits the Midwest he tells us how much he hates it," Pritzker said Tuesday. "He called Milwaukee horrible. He called Detroit corrupt. He denigrated Chicago police. His visit to Chicago tomorrow will no doubt be another attempt to distract from his flailing campaign with as many lies as there are vacancies at Trump Tower."

Watch the video below from KXAS.

Kamala Harris' campaign came out swinging Monday night after her GOP rival appeared to deflect when questioned on Fox News whether he'd commit to debating the vice president.

Trump told host Laura Ingraham he would like to debate, but noted "everybody knows who I am. And now people know who she is."

"She's a radical-left lunatic. She'll destroy our country. She wants open borders," said Trump.

Ingraham interjected, "Then why don't you debate her?"

"Well wait," he replied. "Because they already know everything."

The Harris campaign issued a blistering statement Monday night, saying it’s "clear from tonight’s question-dodging: Trump's scared he’ll have to defend his running mate’s weird attacks on women or his own calls to end elections in America in a debate against the vice president."

Ingraham "practically begged Donald Trump on Fox News tonight to commit to debating Vice President Harris. He wouldn't," the statement said.

Read also: Kamala Harris vows to debate Trump's empty podium if he skips September debate

Ammar Moussa, a spokesperson for Harris, reiterated that Harris will "be on the debate stage September 10th."

"Donald Trump can show up, or not," Moussa said.

The internet mocked Trump over the deflection, with some comparing it to accusations he dodged the draft.

"Maybe his bone-spurs are acting up again," jabbed @BlueBridge21.

"Failing and very low-energy Duckin Don, afraid to debate Kamala Harris. Too fragile and old, SAD!" mocked @K__e__n__n_y.

"You know. It's hard to get used to well-written, concise statements from a presidential candidate. The other guy is still stuck on single syllable name calling," wrote @Kings_Lead_Hatt.

"Duckin Don sounds like a coward," wrote "@snowmanomics.

Emails to a former friend and Yale Law classmate of J.D. Vance reveals the fledgling vice Republican presidential nominee was open about hating the police and called Donald Trump’s supporters racists before he seemingly transformed into a MAGA devotee overnight.

Sofia Nelson, who identifies as transgender, gave an exclusive interview with CNN’s Erin Burnett Monday, detailing Vance's radical transformation from the person she knew.

“What I’ve seen is a chameleon. Someone who is able to change their position and their values depending on what will amass them political value and wealth and I think that's really unfortunate because it reflects a lack of integrity,” Nelson said during the broadcast. “This isn’t someone who evolved on one or two issues with new information. This is someone who has changed their opinion on literally every imaginable issue.”

Read also: Flip-flop: Remembering J.D. Vance's criticisms of Donald Trump

Nelson shared several emails from Vance with CNN, including one from 2014 where Vance wrote, “I hate the police,” a 180-degree flip from his pro-police talking points at recent campaign rallies.

“Given the number of negative experiences I’ve had in recent years, I can’t imagine what a black guy goes through,” Vance wrote in the 2014 email shared with CNN.

In 2016, Vance wrote, “I hate [Trump] and what he represents,” and also described Trump’s supporters as racists, according to the emails shared with CNN.

“I really see the racially offensive views of Trump's supporters (not all of them, of course, but it's certainly disproportionate) as coexisting rather than driving his support. Nov 2016,” Vance wrote in the email, according to CNN.

For Nelson, this is a complete departure from their old law school friend, who they described as compassionate and kind. In recent years, Nelson says they watched Vance transform both in the public eye and privately, adopting the rhetoric and attitude of Trump.

“When J.D. decided to run for the Senate in 2022, he started adopting that similar persona,” Nelson said. “It was reflected in our interpersonal communications and the end of our friendship .He just started talking in this dismissive, divisive way about people who are different from him."

“I don’t see any of the man I got to know and cared about,” they said. “It’s really heartbreaking.”

Watch the clip below or at this link.

The United States will once again have to combat Russian election interference in the form of propaganda supporting Donald Trump’s presidential run, according to a report from NBC.

An unnamed source described as an intelligence official told NBC that the Kremlin will likely proliferate a pro-Trump propaganda campaign in an attempt to sway the election away from the Democratic nominee..

Previous Russian interference in 2016 and 2020 was found by U.S. intelligence to have been authorized by Vladimir Putin. Earlier this month before Joe Biden dropped out of the race U.S. intelligence stated that “Russia remained the primary foreign threat to U.S. elections and that its candidate preferences were the same as in 2020,” according to NBC.

Read also: Alarms raised over missing classified Russian intel file last seen with Trump: report

While Biden has been swapped out for Harris, the intelligence official told NBC Russia's motivations remain largely unchanged.

“We view changes to influence themes are more likely than changes to larger strategies or preferences,” the official told NBC, later adding that, “Russia’s core interest in this election is opposing candidates who want to offer further aid to Kyiv, and we expect Russia’s focus will remain on that.”

As opposed to Harris, Trump has not committed to providing aid to Ukraine if elected and his running mate J.D. Vance said during a 2022 podcast, “I don’t really care what happens to Ukraine one way or another.”

Fox News host Neil Cavuto pushed back on Louisiana Republican Sen. John Kennedy’s attack on Vice President Kamala Harris as a “ding-dong” and a “loon” Monday, questioning if name-calling could backfire on the GOP.

Kennedy joined Cavuto for his afternoon broadcast to share his thoughts on President Joe Biden’s planned overhaul of the Supreme Court, which he said will be “as dead as Woodrow Wilson,” when it gets to Washington. He continued with a tirade that alleged Harris is actually behind the court reform package as a sort-of vendetta against the court for dismantling Roe V. Wade.

He then went on to ridicule her laugh and saying polling shows Americans think Harris is “a bit of a ding dong,” and a member of the “loon wing of the Democratic party.”

Cavuto wasn’t buying it.

“I’m wondering if the strategy to focus on her laugh or the former president calling her nasty and crazy, really promotes that push to show she’s not up to the job. Does it look petty?”Does it say to judge her on this level looks like a strategy that could backfire on Republicans?” Cavuto said. “By all means get her on the issues… but to focus on this other stuff just looks dumb.”

The rebuke seemed to ruffle Kennedy’s feathers more than little. He went on the defensive, doubling down on his remarks to the Fox News host.

Read also: 'She's nasty': Charlie Kirk throws fit over 'Obama-style madness behind Kamala Harris'

“I’m sorry if that offends you Neil, but I’m just telling you what the people of America…” Kennedy said.

Cavuto interrupted him.

“I’m just telling you what the polls are showing right now,” Cavuto said, referring to polls that put Harris and Donald Trump in a dead heat among voters. “I guess I’m saying all the problems and calling her a loon and all that… ”

“Well I didn’t call her a loon, you’re putting words in my mouth!” Kennedy responded with anger. “She’s a member of the loon wing of the Democratic party.”

“Well what's the difference between the loon wing and being a loon?” Cavuto said. “She is running even with Trump and I’m just wondering about the approach you're taking – it’s going to come back to bite your heinies, isn’t it?”

Cavuto asserted that such attacks may alienate female voters and minorities.

“Well let me say it again. The vice president is a candidate for president of the United States. I don’t care about her gender, maybe you do Neil, but I don’t. I don’t care about her race. I care about her…” Kennedy said, clearly frustrated, as Cavuto cut him off.

“Then why call her a ding dong?” Cavuto pressed.

Kennedy backed up saying he was just “telling you what the polling shows. And I’ll be glad to sit down with you and walk you through the polls.”

“Please do, because I never know when it's constructive to call people names,” Cavuto said.

Watch the clip below or at this link.