List of All Articles with Tag 'us politics'

The Trump Organization said it sold its lease for a New York golf course with sweeping views of Manhattan to Bally's Corporation, ending several years of controversy.

A gloating Donald Trump has unexpectedly reignited his feud with soccer star Megan Rapinoe after the US Women’s National Team (USWNT) crashed out of the Women’s World Cup with a shock defeat by Sweden. The reigning champions had not been at their best throughout the tournament in Australia and New Zealand, only narrowly escaping their group before losing 5-4 on penalties in a hard-fought battle against the Swedes on Sunday. Rapinoe, a late substitute, was one of three players to miss a crucial spotkick. The outcome was doubly cruel for the veteran winger as it came in what proved to be her final appearance for the USWNT, her glittering career on the world stage ending in bitter disappointment. The 38-year-old, a prominent LGBT+ rights activist and campaigner for equal pay in the women’s game, had previously announced her plan to retire at the end of the domestic season, where she plays for OL Reign in Seattle, Washington. Her misfortune was met with utter glee by the twice-impeached, thrice-indicted Mr Trump, who took a timeout from his myriad of legal problems to troll the team on Truth Social, suggesting their disappointing World Cup run was symptomatic of a broader national decline under President Joe Biden. “The ‘shocking and totally unexpected’ loss by the U.S. Women’s Soccer Team to Sweden is fully emblematic of what is happening to the our [sic] once great Nation under Crooked Joe Biden,” Trump posted on Sunday evening. “Many of our players were openly hostile to America - No other country behaved in such a manner, or even close. WOKE EQUALS FAILURE. Nice shot Megan, the USA is going to Hell!!! MAGA.” Here’s a timeline of the war of the words between the Republican lawmaker and the soccer star: May 2019 Rapinoe first came to Trump’s attention just prior to the 2019 Women’s World Cup in France when she described herself in an interview with Yahoo! as a “walking protest against the Trump administration [because of] everything I stand for”. She continued: “I feel like it’s kind of defiance in and of itself to just be who I am and wear the jersey, and represent it. Because I’m as talented as I am, I get to be here, you don’t get to tell me if I can be here or not. “So it’s kind of a good ‘f*** you’ to any sort of inequality or bad sentiments that the [Trump] administration might have towards people who don’t look exactly like him. Which, God help us if we all looked like him. Scary. Really scary. Ahh, disturbing.” June 2019 What really piqued the then-president’s animosity towards the soccer star was a video interview Rapinoe gave to Eight by Eight magazine where she said she was “not going to the f***ing White House” in the event that the USWNT secured the World Cup win – an expression of the Californian’s deep-rooted disdain for the divisive policies of the Republican then occupying the Oval Office. The interview was recorded that January but resurfaced in June 2019, when the tournament was in full swing. “Thanks, but no thanks. I’m not going to the f***ing White House,” she said. “No. I’m not going to the White House, I don’t think we’ll be invited, I doubt it.” She also advised her teammates to “think hard” before accepting any honours from Mr Trump’s administration. The president – who had already expressed disapproval for her pointed silence during the national anthem before games – was left fuming by the clip. He fired back against Rapinoe on Twitter, writing: “I am a big fan of the American Team, and Women’s Soccer, but Megan should WIN first before she TALKS! Finish the job! “Megan should never disrespect our Country, the White House, or our Flag, especially since so much has been done for her & the team. Be proud of the Flag that you wear.” Rapinoe said at a subsequent press conference that she stood by her comments “with the exception of the expletive… My mom would be very upset about that”. July 2019 When the USWNT did indeed win the cup with a 2-0 victory over the Netherlands – with Rapinoe herself scoring from the penalty spot and being named player of the match – the soccer star stood by her word. She did pay a visit to Washington – but only as a guest of progressive Democratic lawmakers Nancy Pelosi, Chuck Schumer, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Ayanna Pressley, a calculated snub to the blustering commander-in-chief. In the immediate aftermath, she told Time magazine that she believed Mr Trump was secretly a fan of hers. “You know he was watching that game. You know he had his McDonald’s lined up. And he was probably like, ‘You know what, I love that.’ I always felt Trump loved me,” she said. Rapinoe also addressed him directly during an interview with CNN, telling him: “Your message is excluding people. You’re excluding me, you’re excluding people that look like me, you’re excluding people of colour, you’re excluding Americans that maybe support you. “You’re harking back to an era that was not great for everyone. It might have been great for a few people, and maybe America is great for a few people right now, but it’s not great for enough Americans in this world. “You have an incredible responsibility as the chief of this country to take care of every single person, and you need to do better for everyone.” She also joked about the prospect of running for the top job herself, commenting: “It’s an absolute honour to lead this team out on the field. There’s no other place I would rather be. Even in a presidential race. I’m busy, I’m sorry.” August 2019 Later reflecting on the spat with Mr Trump and the vicious comments she and her loved ones had been subjected to as a result, she told The Guardian: “It’s ridiculous and absurd. People were like: ‘That was so intense!’ And I’m like: ‘Honestly, he’s a f***ing joke, so it wasn’t intense, because this is ridiculous.’” Speaking for herself and her twin sister Rachel, also a former professional footballer, Rapinoe added: “I wouldn’t say that we’re anti-authority, but when there’s a person who is abusing their power or manipulating people, whether it’s a teacher when I was younger or Donald Trump now, there’s nothing that fires me up and grinds my gears more. I was just like: ‘No. That’s not happening.’” Intriguingly, she also said of her own father during that interview: “I think my dad voted for Trump and I’ll say: ‘I don’t get it. How are you simultaneously as proud as punch of me, and watching Fox News all the time [who are doing] takedowns of your daughter?’” Aftermath (2020-23) Since those glory days, Megan Rapinoe has continued to use her celebrity to campaign for social justice issues, endorsing Massachusetts senator Elizabeth Warren for president in December 2019 and hosting a panel event at the 2020 Democratic National Convention in support of frontline healthcare workers at the height of the coronavirus pandemic. Following her snub of the Trump administration, Rapinoe did finally come to the White House at the invitation of President Biden in March 2021 to speak about wage equality. In July 2022, she was then awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by Mr Biden – marking the highest possible civilian honour. Mr Trump, meanwhile, has spent the same period camped out at Mar-a-Lago in Florida, plotting his political return, deriding his enemies online and wrangling lawyers as the state and federal investigations into his past continue. August 2023 On 6 August 2023, the USWNT crashed out of the World Cup following a disappointing penalty shootout. While Rapinoe sobbed on pitch, Mr Trump took to Truth Social to gloat about the loss. “Nice shot Megan, the USA is going to Hell!!!” he cruelly jabbed. Read More Trump has meltdown attacking Biden, Megan Rapinoe and ‘wokeness’ for US Women’s World Cup loss – latest news Trump goes on unhinged Truth Social rant blaming Biden and ‘wokeness’ for USWNT’s World Cup loss From Megan Rapinoe’s miss to VAR drama: How the USA and Sweden’s penalty shoot-out unfolded Ofcom investigates GB News programmes over due impartiality rules Trump lawyer says his legal team is bracing for imminent Georgia indictment Trump insists he isn’t a ‘scared puppy’ in defiant attack on Nancy Pelosi

Donald Trump has gone on an unhinged Truth Social rant blaming President Joe Biden and “wokeness” for the US’s unexpected early defeat in the Women’s World Cup. The US Women’s National Soccer Team crashed out of the tournament on Sunday after losing 5-4 in a penalty shootout against Sweden – marking the team’s earliest-ever exit from the competition. In a tirade on his Truth Social platform, Mr Trump revelled in the loss and bizarrely claimed it was a sign of the influence “Crooked Joe Biden” has had on the nation. As well as blaming his political rival, the former president also somehow argued it was because of “WOKE”-ness and cruelly trolled striker Megan Rapinoe for missing a penalty. “The “shocking and totally unexpected” loss by the U.S. Women’s Soccer Team to Sweden is fully emblematic of what is happening to the our once great Nation under Crooked Joe Biden,” he fumed. “Many of our players were openly hostile to America - No other country behaved in such a manner, or even close. WOKE EQUALS FAILURE. Nice shot Megan, the USA is going to Hell!!! MAGA.” The former president has long had a contentious relationship with soccer star Rapinoe, who is well-known off the pitch for her social justice advocacy for racial equality, LGBT+ rights and women’s rights in sports. Back in 2019, Rapinoe sparked Mr Trump’s ire when she vowed that she would not go to Mr Trump’s White House if the national team won the World Cup. “Thanks, but no thanks. I’m not going to the f***ing White House,” she told soccer magazine Eight by Eight that June. “No. I’m not going to the White House, I don’t think we’ll be invited, I doubt it.” The team did win the cup that year – and refused to go to the White House. Mr Trump made it clear he was unhappy with her comments at the time, fuming that she should “never disrespect our country, the White House or our flag, especially since so much has been done for her and the team”. Before this, Rapinoe had already been attacked by conservatives for taking the knee during the national anthem in support of Colin Kaepernick and calls for racial justice. She also sued the US Soccer Federation for gender discrimination and was pivotal to the women’s team gaining equal pay to the men’s. Last year, Mr Biden awarded her with the Presidential Medal of Freedom – the nation’s highest civilian honour. “Beyond the World Cup title to Olympic medals, Megan is a champion for essential American truth that everyone is entitled to be treated with dignity and respect,” the president said at the award ceremony. Mr Trump’s latest angry diatribe involving Rapinoe was a marked difference to Mr Biden’s comments as he said the soccer team had made the US “proud”. “@USWNT, you’ve made your country proud,” he said in a post on Twitter. “Congratulations on an incredible run. This team is something special and I’m looking forward to seeing how you continue to inspire Americans with your grit and determination – on and off the field.” First Lady Jill Biden also praised the soccer team for their “grit and determination” which has inspired women and girls across the country. “Today, you inspired us with your grit and determination. We are proud of you,” she tweeted. “Always remember that you encourage women and girls everywhere to show up and fight for their dreams.” Zero goals were scored during Sunday’s 90-minute game between USA and Sweden, taking it to a penalty shootout. Rapinoe, Sophia Smith and Kelly O’Hara each missed penalties while Sweden soared to a win. The loss marked a shock end to Rapinoe’s stellar career as she had announced she would retire after the World Cup. The 38-year-old has played four times in the tournament, helping the team to victory in both the 2015 and 2019 World Cups. Read More Trump has meltdown attacking Biden, Megan Rapinoe and ‘wokeness’ for US Women’s World Cup loss – latest news Trump lawyer says his legal team is bracing for imminent Georgia indictment England vs Nigeria LIVE: Score and updates from Women’s World Cup as VAR denies Lionesses penalty Trucking giant Yellow Corp. declares bankruptcy after years of financial struggles Texas separates migrant families, detaining fathers on trespassing charges in latest border move Trump lawyer Alina Habba rants about Hunter Biden’s laptop outside arraignment court

The United States has surpassed 400 mass shootings in 2023, setting the stage for a record-breaking year in gun violence without any significant federal firearm legislation on the horizon.

The World Cup that kicked off this week in Australia and New Zealand is a time to rejoice in the dominance of American women in international sports.

NFL player Jordan Poyer of the Buffalo Bills announced that he has cancelled his annual golf event, following pushback and teams and sponsors pulling out of the charity tournament after they learned it would be hosted on a course owned by former President Donald Trump. The Bills safety announced the news on Instagram on Saturday. The event was set to take place next month at the Trump National Doral Golf Club in South Florida. “Unfortunately, the location of the event led to a few sponsors and golfers withdrawing at the last minute due to external pressures,” the 32-year-old wrote. “While it’s disappointing, I respect their decision. Nevertheless, we will persevere.” It remains unclear how many sponsors and teams withdrew because of the location. The event was intended to benefit the ECMC Foundation – the Erie County Medical Center – according to the Buffalo News. While Mr Poyer described them as a “big sponsor,” the foundation said they were simply the beneficiary. ECMC Foundation executive director Susan Gonzalez wrote in a letter to the Buffalo News that the “ECMC Foundation was fortunate to be a beneficiary of Jordan Poyer’s golf tournament in Florida”. “Although the Foundation was not a sponsor, we have had an excellent partnership with Jordan and we respect his decision to cancel his tournament; we hope he will consider supporting us in his future events,” she added. Last year, PGA of America ended its connection to Mr Trump and moved the 2022 PGA championship from his Bedminster, New Jersey golf course as a result of the January 6 2021 insurrection, Yahoo! Sports noted. The R&A revealed earlier this month that it wouldn’t organise the British Open at Mr Trump’s Turnberry golf course in Scotland while Mr Trump is the owner. The course previously hosted the tournament in 2009, about five years before Mr Trump acquired it. Mr Trump came under fire during his time as president when he suggested hosting the G7 summit at Doral. But Mr Trump’s courses have hosted several events organised by Saudi-operated LIV Golf. On Wednesday, the PGA Tour revealed that it would appear before a Senate subcommittee in July. Connecticut Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal has asked executives from the tour, as well as Saudi golf interests to appear before the panel as they probe the deal between the PGA and LIV that shocked the golf world. The Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations will hold a hearing on 11 July to look into the agreement between the PGA tour, Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund, and the European tour to gather commercial business and rights in a new firm, the AP noted. “Our goal is to uncover the facts about what went into the PGA Tour’s deal with the Saudi Public Investment Fund and what the Saudi takeover means for the future of this cherished American institution and our national interest,” Mr Blumenthal said in a statement. “Americans deserve to know what the structure and governance of this new entity will be. Major actors in the deal are best positioned to provide this information, and they owe Congress — and the American people — answers in a public setting.” Read More Pence won’t say whether he’d pardon Trump Trump news – live: Trump named ‘Man of the Decade’ at GOP dinner as NFL star cancels golf event over backlash Trump is funneling 10% of 2024 campaign donations to cover his legal bills Rape accuser files new lawsuit as Trump seethes over 2024 flop – live Where do Donald Trump’s family stand on him running in 2024? Trump revealed to have tweeted classified image from spy satellite

Former President Donald Trump has made plenty of bold claims about his achievements in the game of golf over the years — and he offered another one on Thursday when he claimed he’s made seven holes-in-one during his life. It’s a remarkable number. Rory McIlroy has apparently made just two holes-in-one in his professional golf career, one on the Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship in 2015 and one on Thursday at the Travelers Championship in Cromwell, Connecticut. When it comes to world leaders, however, Mr Trump does not yet have the field beat. According to official accounts, Kim Jong-il, the former leader of North Korea, shot 11 holes-in-one in a single round during his first ever golf game at the Pyongyang Golf Course in 1994. Still, seven holes-in-one is no small accomplishment — and it’s not the first time Mr Trump has claimed it. Last year, Mr Trump also told Piers Morgan that he’d shot seven holes-in-one. That interview came just weeks after Mr Trump posed with a group including former PGA Tour professional Ernie Els after supposedly shooting a hole-in-one at a course in Commerce, Georgia. The dates of Mr Trump’s other supposed holes-in-one are less clear, but there is no question that the former president is an avid golfer. He owns courses in multiple countries and plays frequently, a habit that he continued even while serving his four years as president. But Mr Trump has also long been dogged by allegations that he cheats at golf. The former Sports Illustrated writer Rick Reilly in 2019 published a book titled Commander in Cheat: How Golf Explains Trump that delves into the former president’s relationship with the game. “Trump doesn’t just cheat at golf,” Reilly writes. “He throws it, boots it, and moves it. He lies about his lies. He fudges and foozles and fluffs. At Winged Foot, where Trump is a member, the caddies got so used to seeing him kick his ball back onto the fairway they came up with a nickname for him: ‘Pele.’” Reilly also claims that Mr Trump’s boast that he has won 18 club championships in his life — made a decade ago to Mark Cuban — is a lie. Reilly has said that whenever the former president has opened a new golf club he plays the first club championship by himself and declares himself the winner. “Donald’s Trump’s boast about winning 18 club championships is a lie that’s so over-the-top Crazytown it loses all credibility among golfers the second it’s out of his mouth,” Reilly wrote. Mr Trump has bigger issues to deal with than his golf record. He’s running for president again, this time under federal indictment for mishandling classified documents. Read More Trump news – live: Trump pleads for help from Congress as DoJ shares first classified documents evidence Trump, DeSantis interviews show Fox influence on GOP field still strong despite troubled year Ivanka and Jared split over attending Trump 2024 launch – follow live Why was Donald Trump impeached twice during his first term? Four big lies Trump told during his 2024 presidential announcement

A staffer for Rep. Brad Finstad was attacked at gunpoint after Wednesday's congressional baseball game, the congressman said in a statement Friday.

The PGA Tour once advertised its brightest stars with the catch phrase "These guys are good." A better slogan might now be "These guys are even richer."

Donald Trump is celebrating the “big, beautiful, and glamorous” merger between the PGA, LIV Golf, and the DP World Tour. The former president took to Truth Social on Tuesday as news of the landmark deal broke. Some of Mr Trump’s branded golf courses have recently hosted LIV Golf events. In his usual all-capitalised ebullience, he wrote: “Great news from LIV Golf. A big, beautiful, and glamorous deal for the wonderful world of golf.” He added: “Congrats to all!!!” The three biggest tours in world golf made the announcement out of the blue after 18 months of bitter conflict that has seen players who defected from the ‘establishment’ PGA Tour to the controversial LIV tour, such as Phil Mickelson, Brooks Koepka, Patrick Reed and Dustin Johnson, branded as traitors. That has caused feuds with loyalist stars such as Rory McIlroy, Justin Thomas and Jon Rahm – often resulting in a war of words in the press – but the tours appear to have reached a solution. A statement released by the PGA Tour confirmed the merger, which puts an immediate end to all ongoing lawsuits where players and tours have been suing and counter-suing each other. The statement read: “The PGA TOUR, DP World Tour and the Public Investment Fund (PIF) today announced a landmark agreement to unify the game of golf, on a global basis. “The parties have signed an agreement that combines PIF’s golf-related commercial businesses and rights (including LIV Golf) with the commercial businesses and rights of the PGA TOUR and DP World Tour into a new, collectively owned, for-profit entity to ensure that all stakeholders benefit from a model that delivers maximum excitement and competition among the game’s best players.” The end of the ongoing lawsuits was also highlighted in the statement. “Notably, today’s announcement will be followed by a mutually agreed end to all pending litigation between the participating parties,” it added. “Further, the three organizations will work cooperatively and in good faith to establish a fair and objective process for any players who desire to re-apply for membership with the PGA TOUR or the DP World Tour following the completion of the 2023 season and for determining fair criteria and terms of re-admission, consistent with each Tour’s policies.” Mr Trump came under fire from families of 9/11 victims for working with Saudi-backed LIV Golf when his Bedminster, New Jersey course hosted the tour in 2022. Read More LIV Golf and PGA Tour merger explained: Everything we know so far PGA and LIV Golf news LIVE: Golf’s civil war ends after stunning merger announcement Bitter rivals LIV Golf and PGA Tour announce shock merger to end golf’s civil war Ivanka and Jared split over attending Trump 2024 launch – follow live Why was Donald Trump impeached twice during his first term? Four big lies Trump told during his 2024 presidential announcement

Louisiana State University’s national champion women’s basketball team’s long-awaited visit to the White House was briefly disrupted when a player fainted as President Joe Biden was delivering remarks. As Mr Biden was speaking, the disruption caused by the incident became evident enough that the White House live feed of the event cut from a shot of the podium where Mr Biden was speaking to a wider shot showing the riser next to him where the players were standing. Several people were seen huddled over the stricken player, later identified as star forward Sa'Myah Smith, as Mr Biden was heard saying: “Folks, it’s OK,” and assuring attendees that Ms Smith was being attended to. Ms Smith was quickly attended to by several uniformed military personnel, and LSU coach Kim Mulvey later said the 6’2” Dallas, Texas native was “fine” but “kind of right now embarrassed”. The White House has a full-service medical clinic onsite staffed by military personnel attached to the White House Medical Unit. The LSU team’s visit, a traditional stop for collegiate athletic championship teams, came following a bit of controversy kicked up after first lady Jill Biden suggested that both LSU, the winners of the NCAA “March Madness” tournament and runners-up from the University of Iowa, could both be attended because of the high quality of play at this year’s championship game. The White House later retracted the remark and said only LSU would be invited, but some LSU players balked at the perceived slight before agreeing to attend.

It’s now been one year since moms and dads dropped their children off at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde for the very last time. It’s been one year since 21 of those young students and their heroic teachers were shot dead in their classrooms. And it’s also been one year since Texas Governor Greg Abbott began ignoring the desperate pleas for action from the victims’ families. On 24 May 2022, 18-year-old gunman Salvador Ramos entered Robb Elementary School armed with a legally purchased AR-15 and murdered 19 students aged between nine and 11 years old and two teachers. The massacre horrified the nation, marking one of the deadliest mass shootings in American history. Since then, the families have been begging Texas officials to take action and tighten the state’s gun laws – gun laws that are among the weakest in the nation. But, for the last 12 months, it has all fallen on deaf ears. Despite their desperate pleas, Mr Abbott refused to call a legislative session to even discuss the possibility of introducing gun safety measures all the while he continues to enjoy his longstanding, cosy relationship with the National Rifle Association (NRA). Mr Abbott’s action – or inaction – over the mass shooting fell under scrutiny almost immediately after the 24 May tragedy. When news of the shooting reached him in Abilene, where he was holding a press conference about wildfires, instead of rushing to Uvalde, he continued with his plans to attend a fundraiser to drum up donations for his re-election campaign. Initially, Mr Abbott claimed that he only stopped by the campaign fundraiser in Huntsville to “let people know that I could not stay, that I needed to go”. But this version of events fell apart two months later when campaign finance reports and flight-tracking records, obtained byThe Dallas Morning News, revealed that he actually stayed almost three hours at the event. While devastated parents were receiving the worst possible news, Mr Abbott was raising up to $50,000 in campaign funds. Call logs, released by state Senator Roland Gutierrez, showed that Mr Abbott only accepted three calls from Texas DPS Director Steve McCraw on 24 May, with the two men speaking for less than 30 minutes about one of the deadliest mass shootings in US history on the day of the massacre. In the weeks after the shooting, Mr Abbott also came under fire when he was a no-show at the funerals for each of the 21 victims. When scheduling records exposed his absence, Mr Abbott’s office responded by saying he had sent flowers and condolences to the families and had visited every family who had requested a meeting. Then there was his change in messaging about what happened that day. One day after the massacre, Mr Abbott gave his first public address in which he heaped praise on the “amazing courage” of law enforcement officers on the scene. He told the community that had just lost 21 members that “it could have been worse”. “It could have been worse. The reason it was not worse is because law enforcement officials did what they do,” he said. This turned out to be false. In the days and weeks after the shooting, it emerged that almost 400 officers waited a staggering 77 minutes before breaching the classroom as the gunman continued his murderous rampage and wounded victims bled to death. The police response has now been branded an “abject failure,” one in which officers on the scene prioritised their own safety over saving the lives of the victims. Mr Abbott later fumed that he had been “misled” by unidentified “public officials” before making his speech. Three days on from the shooting, the governor spoke out again – this time giving two vastly different speeches with two dramatically conflicting messages on the topic of gun safety. That Friday, Mr Abbott had been due to speak on stage at the NRA convention in Houston. In light of the shooting, he pulled out of the event – but not before sending a pre-recorded video message to be played on stage. In that speech, he undermined the importance of gun safety laws, claiming they have no impact on reducing gun violence. “There are thousands of laws on the books across the country that limit the owning and using of firearms, laws that have not stopped madmen from carrying out evil acts on innocent people in peaceful communities,” he said. “In Uvalde, the gunman committed a felony under Texas law before he even pulled the trigger. It’s a felony to possess a firearm on school premises. But that did not stop him.” The message – a show of defiance that he had no plans to tighten the state’s already weak gun laws – aired at the same time as he was telling the grieving Uvalde community that he “absolutely” expected new laws to be passed in response to the tragedy. “With regard to a special (legislative) session, let me just say this: all options are on the table,” he said. “Do we expect laws to come out of this devastating crime? The answer is absolutely yes. And there will be laws in multiple different subject areas. There will be committees formed, there will be meetings held, there will be proposals that will be derived, many of which will lead to laws that will be passed in the state of Texas.” Over the next year, Mr Abbott ignored ongoing requests from Uvalde officials to call a special legislative session to at least discuss the possibility of gun reform in the state. State Representative Tracy King and Mr Gutierrez – the two Texas lawmakers who represent Uvalde – urged the governor to call the session. State Democrats said they would support proposals including raising the minimum age to buy semi-automatic assault rifles from 18 to 21, creating red flag laws, introducing a 72-hour “cooling off” period for gun purchases and regulating private gun sales. Grieving family members begged for change, calling — at the very least — for a raise in minimum age to purchase assault weapons. Time after time, their pleas were ignored. Instead of acknowledging that the state’s weak gun laws may have played any part in the massacre (the 18-year-old gunman legally bought two AR-15s just days after his birthday), Mr Abbott pointed the finger at mental illness and school safety and insisted that raising the minimum age to buy would be “unconstitutional”. He claimed he took several other actions to “support the Uvalde community and make schools safer” including providing 30 law enforcement officers to the school district campuses for the new school year, $105.5m in funding for school safety and mental health services – as well as roping in Chuck Norris to front a programme to report suspicious behaviour at schools. None of the actions involved restricting access to firearms. Even during his race to hold onto his gubernatorial seat in the midterms, Mr Abbott refused to move the needle on the gun control debate. Family members who lost loved ones in the Uvalde massacre threw their support behind his Democratic rival Beto O’Rourke – including featuring in a gutwrenching ad campaign. Behind Mr Abbott, of course, was the NRA. Data compiled by Giffords showed that Mr Abbott received $20,700 in career gun lobby contributions – one of the highest of all candidates in gubernatorial races. His close relationship with the NRA was perhaps most evident when in June 2021 – less than one year before Uvalde – he signed a bill into law allowing Texans without a licence to open carry handguns. Standing at his shoulder at the bill signing were NRA CEO Wayne LaPierre and NRA president Carolyn Meadows. In November, less than six months after the state endured the worst school shooting in its history, Texans chose to re-elect Mr Abbott as governor for a third term. In the weeks and months leading up to the one-year anniversary of the Uvalde mass shooting, Texas has been rocked by several more mass shootings. On 28 April, five people – including a nine-year-old boy – were shot dead in a horror attack at a home in Cleveland. Days later, on 6 May, eight people were killed and seven injured when a neo-Nazi gunman went on a shooting rampage at an outlet mall in Allen. And again, nothing changed. Then on the one-year anniversary of the state’s worst mass shooting in history, Mr Abbott did announce some action: A moment of silence. Flags lowered to half staff in Texas. But still no attempt to tackle the state’s problem with gun violence. Read More Uvalde father warns lawmakers not to pay tribute to his son today New video from Uvalde massacre shows police officers vomiting and sobbing after discovering victims Uvalde victim's mother perseveres through teaching, connecting with daughter's memory