US election latest: 'Very possible' Kamala Harris will win election, European leader says; submit your questions for our live Q&A (2024)

Joe Biden is "likely to pressure" Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on efforts for a Gaza ceasefire, our correspondent David Blevins says.

He says lots of people in the US and Israel are "questioning the timing" of Mr Netanyahu's visit.

"There is no shortage of criticism for Benjamin Netanyahu and his handling of the war in the Middle East, his failure to bring home the hostages and his relaxed approach to the intense efforts going on to broke a ceasefire and arrange peace talks," he says.

Blevins says Mr Biden is "likely to pressure" the Israeli leader on those efforts around a ceasefire.

He also says Mr Netanyahu is "keeping his options open" because he will also meet with Kamala Harris tomorrow and Donald Trump on Friday.

"All of this takes place across a backdrop of America having other things to think about," he adds.

"They are now entering what will be a much less predictable election with Kamala Harris set to replace Joe Biden on the ticket for the Democrats."

A group of Democrats are planning on boycotting Benjamin Netanyahu's address at Congress later today.

We reported earlier that the Israeli leader was scheduled to talk at around 7pm (UK time) as part of his visit to Washington (see post at 12.25pm).

But it has now emerged that some Democratic politicians, including independent Bernie Sanders, are expected to boycott his appearance and protests are also expected outside.

According to our sister networkNBC, more than 30 House and senate Democrats are planning to skip Mr Netanyahu's speech, with some boycotting it entirely.

Maryland senator Chris Van Hollen said everyone should understand the "enormous damage that Mr Netanyahu and his extremist coalition are doing to our relationship and to Israel's standing in the world".

"It sends a terrible message," he said.

"President Biden has prioritised the safe return of all the hostages - Mr Netanyahu has not.

"He continues to put his own political survival first, above the interest of the people of Israel and those American citizens."

Outside the Capitol, demonstrators angry over the war in Gaza and over Mr Netanyahu's inability to free Israeli and American hostages,are also promising massive protests.

In anticipation, House Speaker Mike Johnson has warned of a "zero tolerance policy for any signs of disturbances in the Capitol building".

"It is our tradition to acknowledge every guest speaker's right to free expression even if we disagree with their viewpoint," the Louisiana Republican wrote to members.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu plans to meet Joe Biden and Kamala Harris separately tomorrow.

The White House said the Israeli leader would discuss progress towards a ceasefire in Gaza and a hostage release with Mr Biden.

Vice President Kamala Harris will then meet separately with Mr Netanyahu.

The Israeli leader is addressing the US Congress later today as he seeks to gain support from the West.

He also wants the US to resume supplies of large ammunition - like 2,000lb bombs - that have been withheld over concerns about civilian casualties in Gaza.

Donald Trump plans to stop holding outdoor rallies, sources have told our sister network NBC.

Following the attempt on his life, sources familiar with the former president's campaign's operations have said he may no longer speak outdoors.

Or if he does, these may be smaller and see fully-controlled entrances.

The assassination attempt on Trump at a campaign rally on 13 July in Butler, Pennsylvania, wounded Trump's right ear, killed one audience member and injured another.

US Secret Service director Kimberly Cheatle resigned yesterday after acknowledging that the shooting was the "most significant operational failure" in decades.

Members of the public had pointed out a suspect to law enforcement officers before the shooting - and Ms Cheatle admitted the agency was told about a suspicious person "between two and five times".

Elon Musk has denied reports that he is planning to donate $45m a month to a new pro-Trump super political-action committee.

The Tesla boss wrote on X that the reports that emerged last week were "ridiculous" and said: "I am making some donations to America PAC, but at a much lower level and the key values of the PAC are supporting a meritocracy and individual freedom.

"Republicans are mostly, but not entirely, on the side of merit and freedom."

For context: Last week, the Wall Street Journal reported that the billionaire planned to commit around $45m a month to a PAC backing Trump.

Later on X, Musk replied to a Wall Street Journal post of the report with a meme featuring the words "fake gnus", in an apparent dig at the article.

Super PACs, short for political action committees, are independent political organisations which donors can fund to help with campaigns for candidates.

New bodycam footage shows the aftermath of the attempted assassination of Donald Trump at a rally earlier this month.

The clip shows officers and various agents stood near gunman Thomas Crooks' body on the rooftop which he scaled to shoot the former president.

"This is him," one officer says, as agents mention the sniper that spotted Crooks.

An agent later says: "We have one shooter - deceased."

The video was shared by US Senator Chuck Grassley, who said it was obtained from Beaver County Emergency Services Unit.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has said he believes it is "very possible" Kamala Harris will win the US election but has stopped short of endorsing her.

"The election campaign in the USA will certainly be exciting, now with a slightly new line-up and a new constellation," Mr Scholz told an annual summer news conference today.

"I think it is very possible that Kamala Harris will win the election, but the American voters will decide."

The German leader also said he had met Ms Harris several times and she was a "competent" and "experienced" politician.

Mr Scholz had been direct in his endorsem*nt of Joe Biden before the president dropped his re-election bid last weekend.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will address Congress later.

His visit to Washington comes after Joe Biden's announcement to pull out of the race for the White House - adding to uncertainty surrounding the future of US-Israeli relations.

The address is scheduled for around 2pm local time (7pm UK time).

In this article, our international correspondent John Sparks explains how Mr Biden's announcement impacts the Israeli leader's visit to Washington - and why it's not the red-carpet occasion many foresaw.

Hello and welcome back to our coverage of the US election - it's approaching7.15am in Washington and 12.15pm in London.

Before we jump into our live coverage, here's a bit about what to expect today from Joe Biden, Donald Trump and Kamala Harris.

An historic address

Tonight, Joe Biden will address the nation.

The president speaks a week after being forced off the campaign trail in Las Vegas after testing positive for COVID, and three days after his stunning announcement in a letter that he was stepping aside as the Democratic Party's presidential nominee.

While his decision is already public, we'll likely hear more about what motivated him to make that call and what made him back Kamala Harris so quickly after the announcement.

There may have been concern and ridicule regarding his age and recent public performances, but Mr Biden's comments tonight will almost certainly carry tremendous weight and could have influence over voters in this tight election - though it is still months away.

Tonight marks another historic moment for the president - having already become the first sitting president not to seek re-election since Lyndon B Johnson stepped aside in 1968.

Trump back on the trail

Aside from a few inflammatory posts on social media, Donald Trump has been largely quiet since Mr Biden announced he would be stepping aside.

Today, he gets back on the campaign trail, in the important battleground state of North Carolina.

We'll bring you any key lines from his address there.

Harris to address black sorority

Kamala Harris is in Indianapolis today to speak at an event hosted by the Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, which was founded at Howard University - the historically Black college that Harris attended.

Ms Harris held her first rally as the likely nominee yesterday in Milwaukee - which only days ago hosted the Republican National Convention.

There, she attacked Mr Trump, saying he would take the nation "backward".

"Do we want to live in a country of freedom, compassion and rule of law, or a country of chaos, fear and hate?" she asked the crowd.