Summary

  • Donald Trump earns big cheers from a packed crowd in Nevada, as he seizes on economic angst in the state

  • The former president was joined by Florida Senator Marco Rubio, tech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy and Turning Point founder Charlie Kirk

  • Meanwhile, Kamala Harris made a bid for the middle-class at her rally in Georgia, where her campaign says she drew a crowd of 23,000

  • Bruce Springsteen, Barack Obama and Spike Lee were among the attendees at her star-studded event

  • With less than two weeks to go until polling day on 5 November, polls suggest the race could go down to the wire in battleground states

  1. Trump hits back at Biden's 'lock him up' jibepublished at 03:05 British Summer Time 24 October

    Speaking at his rally in Georgia, Donald Trump speaks about how Joe Biden said yesterday that voters should "lock him up", borrowing a reference from Trump's 2016 campaign. Biden corrected himself to say "politically lock him up".

    Trump said that Biden is "not legally allowed to say it", adding: "It's election interference, that's all it is."

    At her campaign events Harris has stopped her supporters from chanting the slogan, saying that any decision to prosecute Trump should be left to politically independent prosecutors.

  2. BBC Verify

    Would Trump ‘sales tax' cost families an extra $4,000?published at 02:48 British Summer Time 24 October

    By Jake Horton

    Speaking about Donald Trump’s economic plans during the CNN town hall, Harris says that his “national sales tax” would cost American taxpayers “an additional $4,000 (£3,000) a year”.

    This is a reference to Trump’s plan to increase taxes on foreign goods entering the US if he becomes president.

    Many economists believe taxes increase prices for consumers - but it’s not guaranteed that the impact would be as big as Harris claims.

    The "almost $4,000" figure comes from analysis by the left-of-centre think tank the Centre for American Progress, external, and they based their analysis on Trump’s pledge to increase tariffs on all imported goods to 10-20% and all goods imported from China to 60%.

    They took the amount the US buys in goods from abroad annually, figured out how much the new taxes on these goods would be and divided this by the number of households in the US.

    It works out at $4,600 (£3,560) per household - when you look at “middle income” families you get a figure of $3,900 (£3,020) a year.

  3. Harris pressed on her approach to the Middle East conflictpublished at 02:41 British Summer Time 24 October

    "Far too many innocent Palestinians have been killed," Harris says in response to a question about the Middle East. She vows to "work towards a two-state solution where Israel and the Palestinians in equal measure have security," which she says includes "dignity, self-determination and safety".

    Another voter then asks about antisemitism, beginning her question by telling Harris: "Thank you for remembering we need to bring the hostages home."

    Harris says "college students needs to feel safe in their school," a reference to pro-Palestinian protests on campuses.

  4. RFK Jr pledges to 'make America healthy again'published at 02:33 British Summer Time 24 October

    Meanwhile, Robert F Kennedy Jr - who ran for president as an independent before dropping out to support Trump - is speaking alongside Donald Trump in Georgia.

    RFK Jr says the US has "thousands of chemicals in our food which are illegal in Europe" and that Trump will remove them, during his brief remarks.

    He adds: "And don't we want a president of the United States that gonna make America healthy again?"

    Trump then introduced conservative television host Tucker Carlson and former Democratic Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard to the stage.

  5. Harris says 'we need to look at the filibuster' to protect abortion rightspublished at 02:27 British Summer Time 24 October

    Cooper just asked Harris about codifying Roe v Wade, which the Supreme Court overturned in 2022, eliminating the federal constitutional right to abortion.

    To codify Roe, it would require 60 votes in the Senate and a majority of votes in the House. Cooper asked Harris what she would do if she can't win the majority of votes in both chambers.

    "I think we need to look at the filibuster to be honest with you," she responds. The filibuster is an action sometimes used in the Senate to delay or block a vote by prolonging debate.

    Harris put the blame on former President Donald Trump who appointed the three conservative Supreme Court justices who overturned Roe v Wade.

    "This is probably one of the most fundamental freedoms that we as Americans could imagine, which is the freedom to literally make decisions about your own body," she says.

  6. Harris says she thinks Trump is 'a fascist' during TV eventpublished at 02:16 British Summer Time 24 October

    Kamala Harris is now answering questions at a TV town hall event on CNN. More than 30 Pennsylvania voters who are undecided are in the audience.

    The vice president began the town hall by pointing to Donald Trump's former colleagues who have strongly criticised the former president.

    It comes after his longest-serving chief of staff, John Kelly, told the New York Times that the former president once told him: "You know, Hitler did some good things, too."

    When Cooper asked Harris if she thinks Trump is "a fascist", she responded: "Yes I do."

    "I also believe that the people who know him best on this subject should be trusted again,” she said.

  7. Harris to make 'closing argument' at site of Trump's Jan. 6 remarkspublished at 01:52 British Summer Time 24 October

    The Harris-Walz campaign has announced the vice-president will make a "closing argument" speech on Tuesday from the Ellipse in Washington.

    The spot on the National Mall marks the same location where former President Donald Trump spoke to his supporters on 6 January 2021, as he challenged the election results. He later told supporters that he would join them in marching to the Capitol.

    Rioters later stormed the building in an attempt to stop the counting of electoral votes and certification of the 2020 presidential election, in which President Joe Biden won.

    Harris is expected to make her final case to voters during her remarks, which she will deliver exactly one week before Election Day.

  8. BBC Verify

    Would Trump get rid of insulin cost cap?published at 01:38 British Summer Time 24 October

    Kamala Harris speaks to people in Pennsylvania and gestures with her handImage source, Getty Images

    By Lucy Gilder

    While Donald Trump has been rallying in Georgia, an interview with Kamala Harris on Telemundo has been airing.

    During that interview, she said of Trump “look at what he intends to do with Project 2025 ... He would get rid of our cap”.

    She was talking about a mandatory $35 (£27) per month insulin cap for seniors on certain Medicare plans, which was introduced under the Biden-Harris administration.

    During this campaign, Trump has not said that he would get rid of this cap – and he had a $35 (£27) a month cap when he was president – although it was a more limited voluntary scheme.

    Harris also mentioned Project 2025 – a right-wing policy wish list by the Heritage Foundation – which Trump has distanced himself from.

    It does not directly propose removing the insulin cap, but it does say that Medicare should be reformed by repealing “harmful health policies” such as the Inflation Reduction Act – which the Biden-Harris cap was introduced under.

  9. Trump encourages early voting, 'whichever way you wanna do it'published at 01:26 British Summer Time 24 October

    Donald Trump claps at the front of the stage during a rallyImage source, Getty Images

    As Donald Trump begins his rally by repeating his campaign talking points, he also takes a moment to remind his crowd about their civic duty.

    "People need to get out and vote. Whichever way you wanna do it," he says, praising early voting.

    "Be a little careful. Make sure your vote gets counted, but whatever you do get out and vote," he adds.

    He then resumes slamming his opponent, calling Harris "the tax queen".

    "She wants to raise your taxes," he says, as the crowd boos.

    Harris has conceded that she plans to raise taxes on the richest Americans in order to finance expanded social programmes.

    She also plans to cut taxes to lower income people, and would not raise taxes on Americans earning less than $400,000 (£310,000).

  10. What is Turning Point Action, the organisers of Trump's Duluth rally?published at 00:52 British Summer Time 24 October

    Charlie KirkImage source, Getty Images
    Image caption,

    Charlie Kirk, pictured earlier this year, founded Turning Point Action and has been campaigning for Trump for months

    As we've been reporting, Donald Trump will soon be taking the stage at a rally in Duluth, Georgia, which has been organised by the conservative group Turning Point Action.

    Turning Point founder Charlie Kirk, 31, is expected to attend the Tuesday evening rally.

    Kirk has built a reputation for his right-leaning stances as a conservative talk show host and activist.

    He has made frequent appearances throughout the summer campaigning for Trump, including speaking at the Republican National Convention in July in support of the former president becoming the Republican nominee.

  11. Could ex-pat voters influence the outcome of the election?published at 00:33 British Summer Time 24 October

    American, British and Canadian flags are waving in a blue skyImage source, Getty Images

    As we just reported, the polling averages in the seven swing states - which could decide the outcome of this election - suggest the race will go down to the wire.

    Unsurprisingly, both Kamala Harris and Donald Trump are fighting for each and every American vote they can lock down, even if some of those voters might not currently reside within the US's borders.

    Turnout from ex-pat voters has in the past been quite low. In the 2020 election, only 7.8% of eligible overseas citizens voted, according to data collected by the Federal Voting Assistance Program.

    There are an estimated 2.9 million eligible voters living overseas, FVAP says.

    Most of these voters are living in Canada and the UK, but any and all of them would expand the margin of victory for either the Harris or Trump campaigns come November. Importantly, they'll have to convince those voters to actually send in their ballot.

    Reports suggest the campaigns know this as Democratic and Republican organisers are participating in get-out-the-vote efforts in places like Windsor, Ontario, which lies just across the US-Canada border.

    • For context: For voters living outside the US, the state you vote in is the state where you were last a resident, and that is considered the last state and county you lived in before you left.
  12. Voter Voices: 'Money in politics absolutely scares me'published at 23:55 British Summer Time 23 October

    Rachel Looker

    Graphic that reads "voter voices"
    Graphic with photo of Colin Paton

    Colin Paton is a new US citizen who was born in Melbourne, Australia, and now lives in Houston, Texas. He identifies as a libertarian-leaning independent but doesn't yet know who he will back in his first election - he might even leave the presidential section blank, Paton tells the BBC:

    To be completely frank, I'm absolutely petrified that a potential leader of the country can raise $1bn (£770m) from donors.

    The money in politics absolutely scares me and the fact that we are trending extreme, at least in the rhetoric, whether or not we see that in actions, is a bit different [to Australia].

    There is a difference between the way people who come to the country look at politics and the people who are born in the country look at politics.

    I think those of us that come here recognise the difference between rhetoric and action quite readily. I think there are some people that do get very caught up in the rhetoric.

    In the lead-up to election day, BBC Voter Voices is hearing from Americans around the country about what matters to them. Are you an American voter? Want to join in? Apply to be featured in future BBC stories here.

  13. How are polls looking in swing states?published at 23:45 British Summer Time 23 October

    Mike Hills
    Visual Journalism team

    At the moment, the polling averages in the seven swing states suggest the race will go down to the wire.

    There is currently less than one percentage point separating the candidates in Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.

    Trump is ahead by two points in Arizona and Georgia.

    Table showing latest polling averages in battleground states. Harris is leading in three of the seven states: by less than one percentage point in Michigan, Nevada and Wisconsin. Trump is ahead in Pennsylvania and North Carolina by less than one percentage point; by two in Georgia and Arizona.

    In Pennsylvania, Trump has edged in front by 0.2 points according to the latest state-level polling averages. While a lead that small is well within the margin of error and means the state is essentially tied, we’ll be looking to see if it grows over the next few days.

    As always, you can follow the state of the race in the swing states using our poll tracker.

    Chart showing the latest state-level polling averages: Trump is ahead of Harris in Arizona by 1.8 percentage points and has been leading since 18 September; Trump is ahead of Harris in Georgia by 1.5 points and has been leading since 8 September; Harris is ahead of Trump in Michigan by 0.7 points and has been leading since 30 July; Harris is ahead of Trump in Nevada by 0.3 points and has been leading since 14 September; Trump is ahead of Harris in North Carolina by 0.8 points and has been leading since 29 September; Trump is ahead of Harris in Pennsylvania by 0.2 points and has been leading since 20 October; Harris is ahead of Trump by 0.5 percentage points in Wisconsin and has been leading since 19 October.
  14. 'I am very much with Trump's policies this time', a former Biden voter sayspublished at 23:33 British Summer Time 23 October

    Kayla Epstein
    Reporting from Georgia

    Donald Trump lost Georgia to Joe Biden by about 13,000 votes in 2020, and this year his campaign is trying to win that tiny margin back.

    He’s succeeded with a couple of voters that I've met at this rally, ones who chose Biden in 2020 but say they are now backing Trump.

    Nilofar Syed considers herself an independent and chooses different parties each election.

    She tells me she is switching from backing Biden in 2020 to Trump in 2024 because she believes Trump is better for preventing foreign wars and enforcing legal immigration.

    "He didn't keep any of his promises and I am very disappointed in what he did," Nilofar says of Biden.

    "So I am very much with Trump's policies this time, and I hope he keeps it."

    Supporters wearing Make American Great Again hats sit in the seats of an arena in Georgia.Image source, EPA
    Image caption,

    People began filling the seats at the Gas South Arena in Duluth, Georgia, hours before the former president was expected to take the stage

  15. What's been happening today?published at 23:23 British Summer Time 23 October

    It's been yet another lively day on the campaign trail for both candidates, and with less than two weeks to go before the election, you can only expect things to get busier from here.

    For the day so far, here's what you need to know:

    • John Kelly, Donald Trump's longest-serving White House chief of staff, has said his former boss had "fascist" tendencies in an interview with the New York Times. He added that Trump has allegedly said Hitler had done "some good things"
    • Kamala Harris capitalised on those comments, saying his alleged compliments about Hitler were "troubling and dangerous"
    • The Trump campaign has since hit back, accusing Harris of peddling lies and calling the vice-president a "stone-cold loser"
    • Zooming out from the campaign trail, data from states where early voting is under way show a higher turn-out altogether
    • Among those early voters casting ballots today was Harris's running mate Tim Walz, who voted alongside his 18-year-old son Gus, a first-time voter
    • Trump has also said that he plans to vote early, as he and his allies encourage Republicans to do the same

    We'll be hearing more from Trump shortly, when his rally in Duluth, Georgia, gets under way at 19:00 EDT and then we'll turn our attention to Harris's CNN town hall - that kicks off at 21:00 EDT. Stay with us.

  16. Trump supporters line up outside Georgia rallypublished at 23:13 British Summer Time 23 October

    Kayla Epstein
    Reporting from Georgia

    Joy Kohli and his son, Ranveer

    I'm here at Donald Trump's rally in Duluth, Georgia, where excitement is high.

    Though the rally doesn't start until 19:00 EDT (00:00 BST), the arena parking lot was already full by 13:00 EDT (18:00 BST). It has the feel of an outdoor concert as supporters snake through a long line to get inside.

    Joy Kohli, who lives in Buford, Georgia, tells me he wants to see a return to the Trump years.

    He says the economy under Trump was better and he has supported Republicans since he was a child. He brought his family with him, including his son, Ranveer.

    "We're waiting. We're ready for a change," Kohli says. "We had the change. It was undone, so now we're ready for it to be done."

    Ranveer, 20, is voting in his first election and tells me he plans to tick the ballot for Trump.

    "I feel like to be honest with you, the way he talks is not the best," Ranveer says.

    "I will say that myself, but his policies, you know, the way, the way the economy was thriving, the way the country was moving, the way it was world peace...I really enjoyed having that, I guess."

  17. What is the $1m sweepstake Elon Musk is offering?published at 22:22 British Summer Time 23 October

    Elon Musk’s campaign group America PAC, which was set up to support Donald Trump in the presidential contest, calls on registered voters in seven swing states to sign a petition. Each day until the election, one signatory is selected at random and awarded a million-dollar prize.

    The petition, also created by America PAC, encourages voters in six swing states - Georgia, Nevada, Arizona, Michigan, Wisconsin and North Carolina - to sign a "petition in favour of free speech and the right to bear arms".

    Those who refer another voter who signs up are promised a sum of $47 (£36) each.

    Higher sums of $100 for signing or referring are offered in Pennsylvania, the battleground state that both the Trump and Harris campaigns believe could potentially decide the race's eventual victor.

    America PAC says those who sign the petition are signalling their support for the First and Second amendments of the US Constitution.

    Each day until polling day on 5 November, a $1m prize will be randomly awarded to any signatory in one of the seven swing states.

    The first lottery-style jumbo cheque was handed out on 19 October.

  18. Elon Musk's $1m-a-day sweepstakes for voters may be illegal, Justice Department warnspublished at 22:02 British Summer Time 23 October

    SpaceX and Tesla founder Elon Musk awarded Kristine Fishell with a $1 million check during the town hall at the Roxain Theater on October 20, 2024 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.Image source, Getty Images

    The Justice Department has sent a letter to Elon Musk’s campaign group America PAC to warn that its $1 million sweepstakes giveaway could be in violation of federal law.

    That letter has just been confirmed by BBC’s US partner, CBS News. It was first reported by CNN.

    The billionaire’s America PAC giveaway calls on registered voters in seven swing states to sign a petition. Each day until the election, one signatory is selected at random and awarded a million-dollar prize.

    Some legal experts previously suggested the giveaway may break American law by offering money for an act that requires someone to be signed up as a voter.

    The first lottery-style jumbo cheque was handed out to a surprised attendee at a town hall event in Pennsylvania on 19 October.

    Musk previously pushed back against the criticism saying, "You can be from any or no political party and you don’t even have to vote" in order to sign the petition.

  19. How religion, and their parents, influence the vote of these two menpublished at 21:51 British Summer Time 23 October

    Claire Betzer
    Reporting from Duluth, Georgia

    Two men speak with a reporter holding a microphone at an outdoors eventImage source, Claire Betzer / BBC

    The Americast pop-up podcast studio has been whisked away to Atlanta, Georgia where North America Editor Sarah Smith is chatting to voters outside Donald Trump’s upcoming rally in the suburbs.

    First-time voters Connor and Locket tell Sarah that Trump is their choice.

    Their families are a big influence on their decision.

    At 18 and 19 years old, neither of them were old enough to vote in 2020.

    “That’s when my parent's opinion comes into play. But I do have my own opinion,” Connor says.

    “My foundation, my family, has been based on Jesus Christ,” Locket says. “And Kamala’s standards? Not Jesus Christ.”

    Listen to tomorrow’s episode of Americast on BBC Sounds, or wherever you get your BBC podcasts.

  20. Trump talks inflation and immigrationpublished at 21:41 British Summer Time 23 October

    Donald Trump has just been speaking at an event called “Believers and Ballots Faith Town Hall” in Zebulon, Georgia.

    Sitting on stage with the state’s Lieutenant Governor Burt Jones, Trump hit his usual talking points on immigration and the economy.

    He fielded questions from members of the audience who had been pre-selected.

    The questions were on topics Trump likes to talk about. One man asked what he would do for Israel, and Trump talks at length about the Middle East, Joe Biden, Russia and Vladimir Putin.

    A local business owner then asked about inflation, which is another of Trump’s favourite campaign topics. He said he would “drill, baby drill” to lower energy costs.

    Christian voters are a key voter group for Trump's campaign, and this is the second faith-themed event he has attended this week.