US Election Wrap, Oct 13: Trump hits campaign trail, Kanye West keeps alive US presidency dream

At the Florida rally, despite President Donald Trump's focus on coronavirus, the lack of face masks among supporters has attracted criticism.

US President Donald Trump is back on the campaign trail, just days after being discharged from hospital following his coronavirus infection diagnosis. Trump arrived at an outdoor rally in Florida, the first of at least six planned this week. Trump distributed face masks to his gathered supporters but was not wearing one himself. Addressing the crowd, Trump said, “I went through it now. They say I’m immune. I feel so powerful.”

A Reuters report said that other remarks made by the president were branded absurd by critics: “I will kiss everyone in that audience, I will kiss the guys and the beautiful women, I will give you a big fat kiss,” Trump had said. (Follow US Election LIVE UPDATES here)

Trump’s campaign rallies have consistently attracted criticism for not ensuring social distancing and other public health protocols. At this rally, despite the president’s focus on coronavirus, the lack of face masks among supporters has attracted criticism. This comes days after several White House staff and members of Trump’s inner circle were diagnosed with coronavirus. The White House has refused to confirm if Trump continues to remain infectious and when he last took a coronavirus test. Read the report here.


The Guardian has listed all of Trump’s many absurd claims in context of the upcoming US elections that happened in a span of approximately 48 hours. Some of these include Trump saying that he is ‘A perfect physical specimen’ and that he is ‘the most honest guy in the world’. You can read the entire list here.

A Reuters report said that California officials announced on Monday that they were sending cease-and-desist orders to Republican leaders in the state to demand the removal of “unofficial, unauthorized” ballot collection boxes. The report said that these boxes had been placed by the Republican party in at least three counties in California in violation of election law.

State officials warned that tampering with votes is illegal, and an act subject to prosecution, but according to the Reuters report, Republican leaders have refused to stop. Read the report here.

Did you know that there are 1,214 other candidates running for president in the upcoming US elections? Although the chances of a candidate other than either of the top two- Trump and Biden- winning is improbable, from this long list of names, the BBC spoke to three- a concert pianist and motivational speaker, a Native American IT technician, and a crypto billionaire to understand why they are still running for US president. Read the BBC story here.

American rapper Kanye West doesn’t appear to have given up his dream of running for US president. Although West has done little campaigning, he released a campaign video on Monday saying: “by turning to faith, we will be the kind of nation, the kind of people, that God intends us to be.” A Reuters report said that according to some political analysts, West’s run for office could turn votes of some Black supporters away from Democrat Joe Biden. Read the Reuters report here.

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