[KARAH RUCKER]

FORMER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP SAT DOWN WITH TECH BILLIONAIRE ELON MUSK FOR A CONVERSATION THAT WAS LIVESTREAMED ON X — 

HOWEVER — THE BROADCAST BEGAN MORE THAN HALF AN HOUR LATE DUE TO A GLITCH — WHICH MUSK LATER ATTRIBUTED THE TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES TO WHAT HE DESCRIBED AS “A CYBER-ATTACK.” 

DESPITE THE ROCKY START — THE CONVERSATION WOULD THEN GO ON FOR MORE THAN 2 HOURS — 

DELVING INTO TOPICS RANGING FROM IMMIGRATION AND INFLATION, THE ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT ON TRUMP’S LIFE, AND SOME OF TRUMP’S TOP PRIORITIES IF HE WERE TO WIN THE NOVEMBER ELECTION. 

ONE IDEA THE PRESIDENT THREW OUT THERE — 

IS POTENTIALLY DISMANTLING THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION IN AN EFFORT TO RELINQUISH POWERS FROM THE FEDERAL ENTITY AND HAND THOSE RESPONSIBILITIES DOWN TO THE STATES. 

FORMER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP 

well think of education, we’re ranked at the bottom of every list, 40, 38. 

another words, horrible. and we spend more per pupil more than anyone in the world. and one of my first acts – and this is where i need an elon musk, someone who has strength and smarts, i want to close the department of education and move education back to the states.” 

AFTER THE TWO CLOSED THEIR CONVERSATION — 

MUSK POSTED ON X SAYING HE WOULD BE HAPPY TO HOST KAMALA HARRIS ON THE PLATFORM FOR A DISCUSSION AS WELL. 

MUSK ENDORSED TRUMP FOR PRESIDENT THE DAY OF HIS NEAR ASSASSINATION IN BUTLER PENNSYLVANIA. 

THE F-B-I IS NOW INVESTIGATING ATTEMPT HACKS INTO BOTH THE TRUMP AND BIDEN-HARRIS CAMPAIGNS. 

THE INVESTIGATION INCLUDES ATTEMPTED HACKS TARGETING THREE BIDEN-HARRIS CAMPAIGN STAFFERS… AND ROGER STONE — A FORMER ADVISER TO FORMER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP. 

STONE TOLD THE WASHINGTON POST HIS EMAIL HAD BEEN COMPROMISED… BUT IT’S NOT CLEAR IF ATTEMPTS TO HACK THE BIDEN CAMPAIGN WERE SUCCESSFUL. 

A HARRIS CAMPAIGN OFFICIAL SAYS IT DOES *NOT* APPEAR TO HAVE BEEN HACKED. 

ON FRIDAY — MICROSOFT ISSUED A REPORT SHOWING IRANIAN OPERATIVES HAD BEEN TRYING TO INTERFERE WITH THE 20-24 ELECTION. 

TRUMP’S CAMPAIGN CONFIRMED OVER THE WEEKEND IT APPEARS TO HAVE BEEN IMPACTED BY THOSE EFFORTS AFTER NEWS OUTLETS WERE SENT HUNDREDS OF CONFIDENTIAL PAGES.

THE WHITE HOUSE HAS CONFIRMED PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN IS SET TO SPEAK AT THE DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL CONVENTION IN CHICAGO NEXT WEEK. 

MULTIPLE MEDIA OUTLETS ARE REPORTING OTHER SPEAKERS WILL INCLUDE FORMER PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA… FORMER PRESIDENT BILL CLINTON…. AND FORMER SECRETARY OF STATE HILLARY CLINTON. 

THE CONVENTION STARTS NEXT MONDAY AND WILL GO THROUGH THURSDAY. 

SOURCES TOLD ABC NEWS THE CURRENT PLAN IS FOR BIDEN AND HILLARY CLINTON TO SPEAK MONDAY NIGHT… THEN FORMER PRESIDENT OBAMA ON TUESDAY… WEDNESDAY IT’LL BE VICE PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE MINNESOTA GOVERNOR TIM WALZ AND BILL CLINTON… AND FINALLY HARRIS IS SET TO ADDRESS THE D-N-C THURSDAY. 

THAT IS A TENTATIVE SCHEDULE AND COULD STILL CHANGE.

SECURITY ADVISER JOHN KIRBY SAYS THE U-S IS PREPARED FOR “SIGNIFICANT” ATTACKS BY IRAN OR ITS PROXIES IN THE MIDDLE EAST — AS SOON AS THIS WEEK. 

KIRBY SAYS THE U-S HAS BOLSTERED ITS FORCES IN THE MIDDLE EAST — 

INCLUDING SENDING IN ORE TROOPS AND EQUIPMENT LIKE A GUIDED MISSILE SUBMARINE AND A STRIKE GROUP OF F-35’S ABOARD THE U.S.S. LINCOLN. 

IT’S A RARE MOVE TO PUBLICLY ANNOUNCE SUCH MILITARY MOVES — A TACTIC SOME SAY IS MEANT TO DE-ESCALATE TENSIONS IN THE REGION AND DETER IRAN FROM POSSIBLY ATTACKING. 

CONCERNS OF AN ATTACK COME AFTER IRAN AND HAMAS ACCUSED ISRAEL OF CARRYING OUT THE ASSASSINATION OF A HAMAS LEADER IN TEHRAN LAST MONTH.

DEFENSE OFFICIALS SAY SEVERAL U-S SERVICE MEMBERS SUFFERED MINOR INJURIES IN A DRONE ATTACK IN SYRIA FRIDAY. 

THE DRONE TARGETED A LANDING ZONE — WHICH HOSTS U-S AND PARTNER FORCES IN THE GLOBAL COALITION TO DEFEAT ISIS. 

U-S CENTRAL COMMAND SAYS IT’S STILL EVALUATING THE DAMAGE — BUT INITIAL ASSESSMENTS SHOW THERE WAS MINOR DAMAGE TO ONE SET OF FACILITIES. 

THIS ATTACK WAS THE SECOND WITHIN A WEEK TO INJURE U-S PERSONNEL WHO ARE PART OF THE COALITION TO DEFEAT ISIS.

CALIFORNIA WAS HIT WITH ANOTHER EARTHQUAKE ON MONDAY – THIS TIME DIRECTLY UNDER LOS ANGELES. 

THE MAGNITUDE 4.4 QUAKE STRUCK AT 12:20 PM PACIFIC. 

THE QUAKE SHAKING THE AREA AS ESPN’S LIVE BROADCAST OF “NBA TODAY” WAS ON THE AIR. 

“And it was so much fun, particularly to see…thank you so much for bearing through that.” 

THE LOS ANGELES FIRE DEPARTMENT SAYS THERE HAVE BEEN NO REPORTS OF INJURIES OR STRUCTURAL DAMAGE. 

THIS LATEST CALIFORNIA QUAKE CAME ALMOST A WEEK AFTER A MAGNITUDE 5.2 STRUCK BAKERSFIELD.

WE HAVE THE LATEST TURN IN THE OLYMPIC MEDAL CONTROVERSY INVOLVING GYMNAST JORDAN CHILES – AND UNFORTUNATELY IT DID NOT GO TEAM USA’S WAY. 

ON MONDAY — WE REPORTED THE USA GYMNASTICS ORGANIZATION SENT OLYMPIC OFFICIALS WHAT IT CALLED TIME-STAMPED VIDEO EVIDENCE THAT SHOWED CHILES’ COACH REQUESTED A REVIEW OF HER SCORE WITHIN THE ALLOTTED ONE MINUTE AND CHILES SHOULD BE ABLE TO KEEP THE BRONZE MEDAL THAT WAS AWARDED TO HER FOLLOWING A SCORE CHANGE. 

HOWEVER —USA GYMNASTICS LATER RELEASED A STATEMENT ON MONDAY – SAYING THE COURT OF ARBITRATION FOR SPORT WOULD NOT RECONSIDER ITS RULING TO STRIP CHILES OF THE MEDAL. 

BUT THE TWISTS TO THIS SAGA MAY NOT BE OVER JUST YET – USA GYMNASTICS SAYING IT WILL CONTINUE TO “PURSUE EVERY POSSIBLE AVENUE AND APPEAL PROCESS” INCLUDING THE SWISS FEDERAL TRIBUNAL TO QUOTE “ENSURE THE JUST SCORING, PLACEMENT, AND MEDAL AWARD FOR JORDAN.”