Alleged 9/11 mastermind agrees to plea deal to avoid death penalty
The alleged mastermind behind the 9/11 attack and two accomplices reached a plea deal with prosecutors. And former President Donald Trump sparks controversy with comments made about Vice President Kamala Harris at a conference of Black journalists. These stories and more highlight The Morning Rundown for Thursday, Aug. 1, 2024.
Alleged 9/11 mastermind agrees to plea deal in exchange for life in prison
The alleged mastermind terrorist behind plotting the 9/11 attacks against the U.S. has pleaded guilty to avoid the death penalty. The Department of Defense said Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and his two accomplices accused of planning the deadliest terror attack on U.S. soil have agreed to plead guilty in exchange for life in prison.
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The pre-trial agreement allows them all to escape being sentenced to death, something that is upsetting some families of 9/11 victims. Prosecutors first notified impacted families of the plea deal reached before it went public.
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., also disagreed with the plea deal.
“The only thing worse than negotiating with terrorists is negotiating with them after they are in custody,” McConnell said in a statement.
The men have been in U.S. custody for 21 years, mostly at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba.
Nearly 3,000 people were killed in the attacks on Sept. 11, 2001.
DNC begins virtual roll call to officially nominate Harris
A virtual roll call among Democratic delegates begins Thursday, Aug. 1. It will likely make Vice President Kamala Harris the party’s official nominee in the 2024 presidential race.
Harris is running unopposed and has already been endorsed by most of the Democratic delegates. She also picked up the endorsement of the United Auto Workers on Wednesday, July 31, giving her the support of one of the country’s largest unions.
Voting on the virtual roll call ends on Monday, Aug. 5. It’s the same day Harris is expected to announce her running mate. They will then start a series of side-by-side campaigning in battleground states, with their first official event together scheduled in Philadelphia on Tuesday, Aug. 6.
Former President Donald Trump held a rally in Pennsylvania on Wednesday, July 31. It was his first visit back to the state since the assassination attempt on his life nearly on July 13.
On Thursday, Trump’s vice presidential pick Sen. J.D. Vance, R-Ohio, will be touring the southern border, and Harris will speak at the funeral of Texas Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee.
Trump sparks controversy after questioning Kamala Harris’ racial identity
Former President Donald Trump attended a conference for Black journalists in Chicago on Wednesday, July 31, that’s creating the most buzz on the campaign trail Thursday, Aug. 1 morning. Trump made controversial remarks after being asked if he agrees with Republicans on Capitol Hill who have said the vice president was a “DEI hire.”
“Do you believe that Vice President Kamala Harris is only on the ticket because she is a Black woman?” ABC News’ Rachel Scott asked him.
“Well, I can say no,” Trump said. “I think it’s maybe a little bit different. So, I’ve known her a long time indirectly, not directly very much, and she was always of Indian heritage, and she was only promoting Indian heritage. I didn’t know she was Black until a number of years ago when she happened to turn Black. And now she wants to be known as Black. So, I don’t know, is she Indian or is she Black?”
“She has always identified as a Black woman,” Scott interjected. “She went to a historically Black college.”
“You know what, I respect either one,” Trump said “I respect either one, but she obviously doesn’t. Because she was Indian all the way and then all of a sudden, she made a turn and she went, she became a Black person.”
Vice President Harris responded to Trump’s comments during a campaign stop of her own Wednesday.
“We all here remember what those four years were like,” Harris said. “And today we were given yet another reminder. This afternoon, Donald Trump spoke at the annual meeting of the National Association of Black Journalists, and it was the same old show, the divisiveness and the disrespect. And let me just say, the American people deserve better. The American people deserve better. The American people deserve a leader who tells the truth, a leader who does not respond with hostility and anger when confronted with the facts. We deserve a leader who understands that our differences do not divide us. They are an essential source of our strength.”
During her daily press conference, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre responded to Trump’s comment, saying “it’s insulting.”
The former president defended his comments on his Truth Social platform, saying the questions he was being asked were “rude and nasty” and “often in the form of a statement” rather than question.
Some Black Republican lawmakers have also jumped in to defend him — like Texas Rep. Wesley Hunt. Hunt posted a statement on his own Truth Social account reading in part, “He stood strong in the face of vicious attacks and gotcha questions, because that’s what leaders do.”
Rep. Byron Donalds, R-Fla., also commented on the former president’s remarks in a post on X.
“Fostering tough conversations and debate is how we make America great again for all Americans,” Donalds said. “Unlike Kamala Harris, President Trump is not afraid of going into any venue, any time, anywhere.”
Harris is the daughter of a Jamaican father and Indian mother. She attended the historically Black Howard University and is a member of the nation’s oldest Black sorority, Alpha Kappa Alpha.
Meanwhile, a debate between the two remains up in the air. Trump has voiced wanting a venue change and said he “probably will” debate Harris, but could also “make a case for not.”
Report: Iran’s supreme leader issues order for Iran to strike Israel
Tensions are rising in the Middle East following the assassination of a senior Hamas leader in Iran. Hamas claims an Israeli missile hit the house of political leader Ismail Haniyeh.
The New York Times reported that with the hit happening on Iranian soil, the country’s supreme leader has reportedly issued an order for Iran to strike Israel directly, citing three Iranian officials briefed on the order.
Haniyeh was the Hamas negotiator for a possible hostage deal with Israel. Many fear that deal is now dead.
The strike on Haniyeh came just hours after an Israeli airstrike killed a top Hezbollah commander in Lebanon.
Breaking this morning: The Israeli military announced it had killed top Hamas military leader Muhammad Deif during a strike in Gaza earlier in July. Deif is believed to have been one of the masterminds behind the Oct. 7 terror attacks in Israel.
‘Weapons and Warfare’ goes inside Lockheed Martin’s F-35 assembly facility
In 2001, the Department of Defense awarded Lockheed Martin the contract to develop the F-35 fighter jet to replace aging aircraft. The jet is manufactured in three different variants: one for the Marine Corps, one for the Air Force and one for the Navy.
In a special edition of “Weapons and Warfare,” Straight Arrow News’ Ryan Robertson recently got to take a tour inside the Fort Worth, Texas facility that makes these fighter jets.
You can find this special edition of “Weapons and Warfare” right here.
Katie Ledecky ties record for most gold medals by female swimmer
Team USA now has won five Olympic gold medals in Paris, adding one more to its count after Wednesday’s events — and it was a historic one. Swimmer Katie Ledecky won the women’s 1,500 meter freestyle. She finished more than 10 seconds ahead of her competition to win her eighth Olympic gold medal.
With the victory, Ledecky tied the record for most gold medals by a female swimmer. It was also her 12th Olympic medal of any kind, which tied yet another record.
Ledecky is not done yet. She has a chance to break those records. She’ll be competing in the 4×200 meter relay Thursday, Aug. 1, and the 800 meter freestyle later this week.
Tags: Democrats, Olympic Games, Tehran, Battleground state, Democratic National Convention, Democratic Party, Middle East Crisis, Lebanon, Iran, Guantanamo Bay, Donald Trump, Terrorism, Department of Defense, Unions, Mitch McConnell, Kamala Harris, Texas, New York, New York City, Weapons, fighter jets, Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps, Pennsylvania, 2024 Elections, airstrikes, U.S. Air Force, Philadelphia, Election, Israel, Olympics, Middle East, Israel Defense Forces, Plea deal, Terrorist Attack, United Auto Workers, Lockheed Martin, shooting, Hamas, Gaza, hostage, hezbollah, Paris, Prison, Prisoners, Missile Strike
{KARAH RUCKER]
THE ALLEGED MASTERMIND TERRORIST BEHIND PLOTTING THE 9/11 ATTACKS AGAINST THE U.S. IN 2001 —
HAS PLEADED GUILTY IN ORDER TO AVOID THE DEATH PENALTY.
THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE SAYS KHALID SHEIKH MOHAMMED – THE MAN ACCUSED OF PLANNING THE DEADLIEST TERROR ATTACK ON U.S. SOIL, ALONG WITH TWO ACCOMPLICES, HAVE AGREED TO PLEAD GUILTY IN EXCHANGE FOR LIFE IN PRISON.
THE PRE-TRIAL AGREEMENT ALLOWS THEM ALL TO ESCAPE BEING SENTENCED TO DEATH —
SOMETHING THAT IS UPSETTING SOME FAMILIES OF 9/11 VICTIMS.
PROSECUTORS FIRST NOTIFIED IMPACTED FAMILIES OF THE PLEA DEAL REACHED BEFORE IT WENT PUBLIC.
SENATE MINORITY LEADER MITCH MCCONNELL ALSO DISAGREED WITH THE PLEA DEAL.
RELEASING A STATEMENT SAYING “THE ONLY THING WORSE THAN NEGOTIATING WITH TERRORISTS IS NEGOTIATING WITH THEM AFTER THEY ARE IN CUSTODY.”
THE MEN HAVE BEEN IN U-S CUSTODY FOR 21 YEARS – MOSTLY IN GUANTANAMO BAY.
NEARLY 3-THOUSAND PEOPLE WERE KILLED IN THE 9-11 ATTACKS.
THURSDAY, A VIRTUAL ROLL CALL AMONG DEMOCRATIC DELEGATES BEGINs — WHICH WILL LIKELY MAKE VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS THE PARTY’S OFFICIAL NOMINEE IN THE 20-24 PRESIDENTIAL RACE.
HARRIS IS RUNNING UNOPPOSED AND HAS ALREADY BEEN ENDORSED BY MOST OF THE DEMOCRATIC DELEGATES. SHE ALSO PICKED UP THE ENDORSEMENT OF THE UNITED AUTO WORKER ON WEDNESDAY — GIVING HER THE SUPPORT OF ONE OF THE COUNTRY’S LARGEST UNIONS.
VOTING ON THE VIRTUAL ROLL CALL ENDS ON MONDAY —
THE SAME DAY SHE’S EXPECTED TO ANNOUNCE HER RUNNING MATE PICK… THEN STARTS A SERIES OF SIDE-BY-SIDE CAMPAIGNING IN BATTLEGROUND STATES, WITH THEIR FIRST OFFICIAL EVENT TOGETHER SCHEDULED IN PHILADELPHIA ON TUESDAY.
IT WAS FORMER PRESIDENT TRUMP IN PENNSYLVANIA ON WEDNESDAY — HOLDING A RALLY —
HIS FIRST VISIT BACK in the state SINCE THE ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT ON HIS LIFE NEARLY THREE WEEKS AGO.
ON THE AGENDA THURSDAY — TRUMP’S VICE PRESIDENTIAL PICK JD VANCE WILL BE TOURING THE SOUTHERN BORDER —
AND HARRIS WILL SPEAK AT THE FUNERAL OF TEXAS CONGRESSWOMAN SHEILA JACKSON LEE.
IT WAS HOURS BEFORE TRUMP TOOK THAT STAGE AT A PENNSYLVANIA RALLY — WHERE HE ATTENDED A CONFERENCE FOR BLACK JOURNALISTS — THAT IS CREATING THE MOST BUZZ OFF THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL THIS MORNING.
TRUMP — MAKING THIS CONTROVERSIAL REMARK AFTER BEING ASKED IF HE AGREES WITH REPUBLICANS ON CAPITOL HILL WHO HAVE SAID THE VICE PRESIDENT WAS A “D-E-I- HIRE”.
RACHEL SCOTT, ABC NEWS
“Do you believe that Vice President Kamala Harris is only on the ticket because she is a black woman?”
FORMER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP
“Well, I can say no. I think it’s maybe a little bit different. So, I’ve known for a long time, indirectly, not directly, very much. And she was always of Indian heritage, and she was only promoting Indian heritage. I didn’t know she was Black until a number of years ago when she happened to turn Black. And now she wants to be known as Black. So I don’t know, is she Indian or is she Black?”
RACHEL SCOTT, ABC NEWS
“She has always identified as a Black woman, she went to a historically Black college.”
FORMER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP
“You know what, I respect either one. I respect either one, but she obviously doesn’t. Because she was Indian all the way and then all of a sudden she made a turn and she went, she became a Black person.”
VICE PRESIDENT HARRIS RESPONDING TO TRUMP’S COMMENTS DURING A CAMPAIGN STOP OF HER OWN WEDNESDAY…
VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS
“We all here remember what those four years were like. And today we were given yet another reminder. This afternoon, Donald Trump spoke at the annual meeting of The National Association of Black Journalists. And it was the same old show, the divisiveness and the disrespect. And let me just say, the American people deserve better. The American people deserve better. The American people deserve a leader who tells the truth, a leader who does not respond with hostility and anger when confronted with the facts. We deserve a leader who understands that our differences do not divide us. They are an essential source of our strength.”
AND DURING HER DAILY PRESS CONFERENCE — WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY KARINE JEAN-PIERRE RESPONDED TO TRUMP’S COMMENT… SAYING “IT’S INSULTING.”
THE FORMER PRESIDENT DEFENDED HIS COMMENTS ON HIS TRUTH SOCIAL PLATFORM — SAYING THE QUESTIONS HE WAS BEING ASKED WERE QUOTE “RUDE AND NASTY” AND “OFTEN IN THE FORM OF A STATEMENT” RATHER THAN QUESTION.
SOME BLACK REPUBLICAN LAWMAKERS HAVE ALSO JUMPED IN TO DEFEND HIM… LIKE TEXAS REPRESENTATIVE WESLEY HUNT, WHO POSTED A STATEMENT ON HIS OWN TRUTH SOCIAL ACCOUNT READING IN PART:
“HE STOOD STRONG IN THE FACE OF VICIOUS ATTACKS AND GOTCHA QUESTIONS, BECAUSE THAT’S WHAT LEADERS DO.”
AND CONGRESSMAN BYRON DONALDS OF FLORIDA POSTING ON X QUOTE “FOSTERING TOUGH CONVERSATIONS AND DEBATE IS HOW WE MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN FOR ALL AMERICANS.
UNLIKE KAMALA HARRIS, PRESIDENT TRUMP IS NOT AFRAID OF GOING INTO ANY VENUE, ANY TIME, ANYWHERE, AND TODAY WAS NO EXCEPTION.”
HARRIS —
IS THE DAUGHTER OF A JAMAICAN FATHER AND INDIAN MOTHER.
SHE ATTENDED THE HISTORICALLY BLACK HOWARD UNIVERSITY AND IS A MEMBER OF THE NATION’S OLDEST BLACK SORORITY — ALPHA KAPPA ALPHA.
WHILE THIS HAS BEEN ONE OF THE MORE HIGH-PROFILE JABS WE’VE SEEN SO FAR THIS CAMPAIGN SEASON —
THERE’S STILL LIKELY MORE TO COME — AND A DEBATE BETWEEN THE TWO? THAT’S STILL UP IN THE AIR.
TRUMP HAS VOICED WANTING A VENUE CHANGE. AND SAID THIS WEEK HE PROBABLY WILL DEBATE HARRIS — BUT COULD ALSO MAKE A CASE FOR NOT.
TENSIONS ARE RISING IN THE MIDDLE EAST FOLLOWING THE ASSASSINATION OF A SENIOR HAMAS LEADER INSIDE IRAN.
HAMAS IS CLAIMING AN ISRAELI MISSILE HIT THE HOUSE OF ISMAIL HANIYEH.
WITH THE HIT HAPPENING ON IRANIAN SOIL —
THE SUPREME LEADER OF IRAN HAS REPORTEDLY ISSUED AN ORDER FOR IRAN TO STRIKE ISRAEL DIRECTLY.
THAT’S ACCORDING TO THE NEW YORK TIMES CITING THREE IRANIAN OFFICIALS BRIEFED ON THE ORDER.
HANIYEH WAS THE HAMAS NEGOTIATOR FOR A POSSIBLE HOSTAGE DEAL WITH ISRAEL –
AND MANY FEAR THAT DEAL IS NOW DEAD.
THE STRIKE ON HANIYEH CAME JUST HOURS AFTER AN ISRAELI AIRSTRIKE KILLED A TOP HEZBOLLAH COMMANDER IN LEBANON.
IN 2001 – THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE AWARDED LOCKHEED MARTIN THE CONTRACT TO DEVELOP THE F-35 FIGHTER JET TO REPLACE AGING AIRCRAFT. THE JET IS MANUFACTURED IN THREE DIFFERENT VARIANTS – ONE FOR THE MARINE CORPS, ONE FOR THE AIR FORCE AND ONE FOR THE NAVY.
IN A SPECIAL EDITION OF WEAPONS AND WARFARE — STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS’ RYAN ROBERTSON RECENTLY GOT TO TAKE A TOUR INSIDE THE FORT WORTH TEXAS FACILITY THAT MAKES THESE FIGHTER JETS.
RYAN ROBERTSON | STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS
“TODAY WE ARE COMING TO YOU FROM LOCKHEED MARTIN’S FINAL ASSEMBLY AND CHECKOUT FACILITY FOR THE F-35 AND FOLKS THIS FACILITY IS INCREDIBLE. EVERY THREE DAYS, A NEW JET COMES OFF THE LINE AND HEADS TO THE NEXT PART OF ITS JOURNEY BEFORE EVENTUALLY BEING HANDED OVER TO ITS NEW OWNER. SO TODAY, WE’RE GOING TO GET A CLOSE-UP LOOK AT THE WORLD’S PREMIER FIGHTER JET AND VISIT WITH SOME OF THE PEOPLE RESPONSIBLE FOR GETTING IT FROM THE ASSEMBLY LINE TO THE FLIGHTLINE.”
RETIRED NAVAL AVIATOR EDWARD “STEVIE” SMITH IS LOCKHEED MARTIN’S DIRECTOR OF F-35 DOMESTIC BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT AND CUSTOMER ENGAGEMENTS.
EDWARD “STEVIE” SMITH | DIRECTOR, F-35 DOMESTIC BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT
“The plant is operating more than 150 Airplanes a year. We now to deliver to our 18 different customers and counting.”
RYAN ROBERTSON | STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS
TO THE UNINITIATED, THE SHEER SIZE AND SCALE OF THE PRODUCTION FACILITY CAN BE DAUNTING.
….NOW, I’VE NEVER FLOWN A PLANE IN MY LIFE, BUT I’M ABOUT TO TAKE OFF FROM AN AIRCRAFT CARRIER. ALRIGHT, SO ARE WE READY AND I’M AIRBORNE FLYING OVER HAWAII. LET’S GO FIND SOME BOGEYS.
YOU CAN FIND THIS SPECIAL EDITION OF WEAPONS AND WARFARE NOW ON SAN DOT COM AND WHEREVER YOU GET YOUR PODCASTS.
TEAM USA NOW HAS WON 5 OLYMPIC GOLD MEDALS – ADDING ONE MORE TO ITS COUNT AFTER WEDNESDAY’S EVENTS IN PARIS – AND IT WAS A HISTORIC ONE.
SWIMMER KATIE LEDECKY (LUH-DECK-EE) DOMINATING THE WOMEN’S ONE THOUSAND 500 HUNDRED (1,500) METER FREESTYLE — FINISHING MORE THAN 10 SECONDS AHEAD OF HER COMPETITION — TO WIN HER EIGHTH OLYMPIC GOLD MEDAL.
WITH THE VICTORY – LEDECKY TIED THE RECORD FOR MOST GOLD MEDALS BY A FEMALE SWIMMER.
IT WAS ALSO HER 12TH OLYMPIC MEDAL OF ANY KIND – WHICH TIED YET ANOTHER RECORD.
AND LEDECKY IS NOT DONE YET – SHE HAS A CHANCE TO BREAK THOSE RECORDS – COMPETING IN THE FOUR BY 200 METER RELAY TODAY AND THE 800 METER FREESTYLE LATER THIS WEEK.
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