On Wednesday, Trump met with members of the Teamsters union’s leadership as well as rank-and-file members in a roundtable discussion at their headquarters in Washington, D.C.
The group, which represents 1.3 million workers including technicians, film and television workers and law enforcement officials, has yet to endorse in the 2024 election but backed President Joe Biden in 2020.
Speaking with reporters after the closed-door meeting, Trump said he had a “productive” meeting with the union.
“We had a very strong meeting with the Teamsters,” he said, adding that he’s employed thousands of Teamsters union workers and that he’s had “great relationships” with Teamsters leadership including President Sean O’Brien, praising them as “great leaders.”
Trump stopped short of saying he expects an immediate endorsement, as “they never do that,” but still expressed confidence: “I think we have a good shot at them.”
The former president was also asked about other topics, including a recent $83 million defamation award against him after a jury found last year that he had sexually assaulted the writer E. Jean Carroll. He has repeatedly denied wrongdoing and has vowed to appeal.
Speaking with reporters on Wednesday, Trump dodged a question about whether he’d use his campaign money to pay for the defamation award or for potential penalties incurred in a New York civil fraud case, again maintaining his innocence and attacking judges in the cases.
“I didn’t do anything wrong,” he said.
Trump separately also dismissed the idea that he was against a potential border and immigration bill being negotiated by members of both parties on Capitol Hill because it would give Biden and Democrats “a win.”
“I just want to see a great bill. This isn’t Republican or Democrat,” he insisted.
President Joe Biden speaks to autoworkers in Belvidere, IL, Nov. 09, 2023.
Scott Olson/Getty Images
The Teamsters had extended an invite to all presidential candidates to meet with them; however, Trump said it would be a “waste” of their time to meet with his Republican challenger Nikki Haley.
Haley doesn’t appear to be meeting with the Teamsters but did put out a news release on Wednesday suggesting Trump shared Teamsters’ political views. A spokeswoman said he “is looking more like Joe Biden every day.”
Biden was also invited to a “rank-and-file roundtable” with the union, but sources have told ABC News that they’re still working on scheduling.
“The President looks forward to meeting with the Teamsters and earning their endorsement,” a Biden campaign spokesperson said.
The meeting between Trump and Teamsters comes on the heels of a major endorsement for Biden from the United Auto Workers union alongside a scathing criticism of Trump by UAW President Shawn Fain, who last week called the former president a “scab” and a representative for billionaires over the working class.
Trump shot back at Fain, accusing him of failing to represent autoworkers and selling out the industry to China. Trump repeated his criticism Wednesday, accusing the UAW of making a “terrible decision” by allowing electric cars to be made in China.
Despite UAW’s endorsement of Biden, Trump after his meeting with Teamsters still attempted to court autoworkers, doubling down on his plans to raise tariffs on foreign countries to “bring jobs back to the United States.”
Former President Donald Trump meets with leaders of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters at their headquarters in Washington, D.C., Jan. 31, 2024.
Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images
Trump has been attempting to court union workers since early in the campaign cycle as he looks to focus on a potential general election matchup with Biden.
In September, Trump counterprogrammed the second Republican primary debate with a speech in Michigan focused on painting himself as the only candidate fighting for the working class when auto workers went on strike.
However, though billed as a speech to union workers, Trump’s remarks took place at a non-union auto parts plant. One day earlier, Biden joined striking auto workers on the picket line in Michigan.
During his first presidential bid, union workers and blue-collar voters served as a boost for Trump and as one of the key factors in Rust Belt and Midwestern states flipping red in 2016, including Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.
He has since received mixed reviews from unions and their members — an increasingly divided voting group — with some believing he’s bringing back jobs for union workers while some others say Trump as president made pro-business decisions that undid protections for workers.
ABC News’ Nicholas Kerr contributed to this report.
Quebec legislature member Youri Chassin has announced he’s leaving the Coalition Avenir Québec government to sit as an Independent.
He announced the decision shortly after writing an open letter criticizing Premier François Legault’s government for abandoning its principles of smaller government.
In the letter published in Le Journal de Montréal and Le Journal de Québec, Chassin accused the party of falling back on what he called the old formula of throwing money at problems instead of looking to do things differently.
Chassin says public services are more fragile than ever, despite rising spending that pushed the province to a record $11-billion deficit projected in the last budget.
He is the second CAQ member to leave the party in a little more than one week, after economy and energy minister Pierre Fitzgibbon announced Sept. 4 he would leave because he lost motivation to do his job.
Chassin says he has no intention of joining another party and will instead sit as an Independent until the end of his term.
He has represented the Saint-Jérôme riding since the CAQ rose to power in 2018, but has not served in cabinet.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 12, 2024.
MONTREAL – NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh says he will not be taking advice from Pierre Poilievre after the Conservative leader challenged him to bring down government.
“I say directly to Pierre Poilievre: I’m not going to listen to you,” said Singh on Wednesday, accusing Poilievre of wanting to take away dental-care coverage from Canadians, among other things.
“I’m not going to listen to your advice. You want to destroy people’s lives, I want to build up a brighter future.”
Earlier in the day, Poilievre challenged Singh to commit to voting non-confidence in the government, saying his party will force a vote in the House of Commons “at the earliest possibly opportunity.”
“I’m asking Jagmeet Singh and the NDP to commit unequivocally before Monday’s byelections: will they vote non-confidence to bring down the costly coalition and trigger a carbon tax election, or will Jagmeet Singh sell out Canadians again?” Poilievre said.
“It’s put up or shut up time for the NDP.”
While Singh rejected the idea he would ever listen to Poilievre, he did not say how the NDP would vote on a non-confidence motion.
“I’ve said on any vote, we’re going to look at the vote and we’ll make our decision. I’m not going to say our decision ahead of time,” he said.
Singh’s top adviser said on Tuesday the NDP leader is not particularly eager to trigger an election, even as the Conservatives challenge him to do just that.
Anne McGrath, Singh’s principal secretary, says there will be more volatility in Parliament and the odds of an early election have risen.
“I don’t think he is anxious to launch one, or chomping at the bit to have one, but it can happen,” she said in an interview.
New Democrat MPs are in a second day of meetings in Montreal as they nail down a plan for how to navigate the minority Parliament this fall.
The caucus retreat comes one week after Singh announced the party has left the supply-and-confidence agreement with the governing Liberals.
It’s also taking place in the very city where New Democrats are hoping to pick up a seat on Monday, when voters go to the polls in Montreal’s LaSalle—Émard—Verdun. A second byelection is being held that day in the Winnipeg riding of Elmwood—Transcona, where the NDP is hoping to hold onto a seat the Conservatives are also vying for.
While New Democrats are seeking to distance themselves from the Liberals, they don’t appear ready to trigger a general election.
Singh signalled on Tuesday that he will have more to say Wednesday about the party’s strategy for the upcoming sitting.
He is hoping to convince Canadians that his party can defeat the federal Conservatives, who have been riding high in the polls over the last year.
Singh has attacked Poilievre as someone who would bring back Harper-style cuts to programs that Canadians rely on, including the national dental-care program that was part of the supply-and-confidence agreement.
The Canadian Press has asked Poilievre’s office whether the Conservative leader intends to keep the program in place, if he forms government after the next election.
With the return of Parliament just days away, the NDP is also keeping in mind how other parties will look to capitalize on the new makeup of the House of Commons.
The Bloc Québécois has already indicated that it’s written up a list of demands for the Liberals in exchange for support on votes.
The next federal election must take place by October 2025 at the latest.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 11, 2024.
Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante is defending her decision to turn off comments on her social media accounts — with an announcement on social media.
She posted screenshots to X this morning of vulgar names she’s been called on the platform, and says comments on her posts for months have been dominated by insults, to the point that she decided to block them.
Montreal’s Opposition leader and the Canadian Civil Liberties Association have criticized Plante for limiting freedom of expression by restricting comments on her X and Instagram accounts.
They say elected officials who use social media should be willing to hear from constituents on those platforms.
However, Plante says some people may believe there is a fundamental right to call someone offensive names and to normalize violence online, but she disagrees.
Her statement on X is closed to comments.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 11, 2024.
