Trump celebrates Michigan Supreme Court ballot win: Live

The Lincoln Project, an anti-Trump PAC, released a foul ad doubling down on allegations that former president Donald Trump smells.

Claims around the former president’s alleged odour erupted earlier this week when former Illinois Republican representative Adam Kinzinger tweeted, “I’m genuinely surprised how people close to Trump haven’t talked about the odor. It’s truly something to behold. Wear a mask if you can.”

The Lincoln Project seized upon the resulting social media firestorm with a video advertisement on Saturday, with the caption: “Is that you Donald? #TrumpSmells.”

The ad begins with scenes of dumps, waste, and dung — with flies swarming around it — and is punctuated by a chorus of coughs, sniffles, and vomiting.

The video then shows garbage being picked up and piled up on the streets of New York.

Then, while featuring the facade of Trump Tower on Fifth Avenue, a reporter’s voice booms, “Claiming the former president smells bad.”

Comedian Kathy Griffin can then be heard saying, “The Donald has a distinct smell. It’s like body odour with a scented makeup product.”

While showing other smelly products, like moldy cheese, someone can be heard sniffing before saying, “Ew, Donald. Is that you?”

Mr Covington failed to reclaim his welterweight title from Leon Edwards at UFC 296 in Las Vegas on 17 December, after losing on points.

Mr Trump was pictured on the front row for the fight at the T-Mobile Arena, alongside Dana White and singer Kid Rock, with Mr Covington leaving the ring after the fight to interact with him.

Speaking to NewsMax, Mr Covington said it was “an honour” to represent the former president and that he would not “ever sell his soul” – as he claimed other athletes had.

Prosecutors with the office of Special Counsel Jack Smith have asked the judge overseeing the 2020 election subversion case against Donald Trump to prohibit the ex-president from raising “politicised claims” and “irrelevant issues” when the case goes to trial before a Washington, DC jury next year.

In the 20-page filing submitted before US District Judge Tanya Chutkan on Wednesday, Senior Assistant Special Counsels Molly Gaston and Thomas Windom say that Mr Trump “has made clear his intent to introduce evidence and make arguments that are improper—whether because they have no bearing on his guilt or innocence, are otherwise irrelevant, or are substantially more prejudicial than probative” and ask that such evidence or arguments be excluded from presentation to a jury.

Although the 5 March 2024 start date for Mr Trump’s trial has been stayed while the DC Circuit Court of Appeals considers the ex-president’s appeal of Judge Chutkan’s rejection of his claims of presidential immunity, the prosecutors under Mr Smith have continued filing documents with the court to enable a speedy trial should the stay be lifted.

They note that Mr Trump “has made unsupported and politicized claims of selective and vindictive prosecution, indicated that he intends to explore irrelevant issues related to the Government’s investigation, and complained that the grand jury’s indictment and the Court’s trial date will interfere with his political activities” and argue that “none” of those issues have any bearing on whether Mr Trump is guilty or not guilty of the charges against him.

Social media has not taken kindly to the discovery of the two black rectangular pads spotted under the former president’s feet while he was speaking at Mar-a-Lago.

“What is Trump standing on here? How often does he use these?” one account asked in an X post, which included a photo of Mr Trump’s shiny black shoes leaning on the pads.

One user joked, “trump toe pads, desantis’ heels – does the Republican Party have a foot fetish?”

“Counter balances the 3-inch lifts in his shoes since he can no longer hold his own weight,” someone commented.

Another brutally remarked, “Trump needs toe pads to stand up without falling over. What an aLpHa MaLe!”

Yet another wrote, “me leveling my uneven furniture.”

“The Michigan Supreme Court has strongly and rightfully denied the Desperate Democrat attempt to take the leading Candidate in the 2024 Presidential Election, me, off the ballot in the Great State of Michigan,” the former president wrote. “This pathetic gambit to rig the Election has failed all across the Country, including in States that have historically leaned heavily toward the Democrats. Colorado is the only State to have fallen prey to the scheme.”

“That 4-3 Colorado Supreme Court decision, which they themselves stayed, thus keeping me on the ballot as we go up to the U.S. Supreme Court, is being ridiculed and mocked all over the World,” he claimed. “We have to prevent the 2024 Election from being Rigged and Stolen like they stole 2020 – just look at the complete mess we have as a result with Crooked Joe Biden violently destroying everything in his sight, from our once-great Economy to our once-fair Justice System. We have to save our Country from decline and the Radical Left. Make America Great Again!”