Election 2024 live updates: Trump begins transition; three charged in alleged Iranian plot to kill the president-elect

Donald Trump could offer the UK a “lane” easing trade with the US, a senior Democrat has suggested amid concerns that the president-elect’s desire for tariffs could damage Britain’s economy.

New Jersey governor Phil Murphy, who knows Mr Trump personally, said he believed the Republican politician would have “sympathy” for the decision to leave the EU and show more leniency towards Britain than with Brussels or Nato.

Speaking to journalists on a visit to London at the US Embassy, Mr Murphy said the the president-elect’s victory at the polls had been “very sobering”, with the loss of both the House and the Senate “particularly troubling” for Democrats.

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Republican Representative Mike Kelly told Notus that it’s “absolutely” time for the party to be louder about their anti-abortion beliefs.

Kelly is not in a competitive district and has introduced several bills to federally ban abortion after six weeks.

“I don’t believe you should let a political, what some people think is a political advantage, be that way,” Kelly told Notus. “I am always going to vote for life.”

The top abortion pill supplier in the US received more than 5,000 requests for medication in the first 12 hours after Donald Trump was projected to win the 2024 presidential election.

Rebecca Gomperts, founder of the supplier Aid Access, told The Guardian the 5,000 requests over 12 hours even surpasses the orders they received in June 2022 after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v Wade, which guaranteed the right to an abortion nationwide.

“We have an extremely streamlined process and we are capable of dealing with all the requests really fast,” Gomperts told The Guardian. “But it’s much more [than usual]. And I think the reason is people are now much more aware – people are aware of the possibility of the abortion pill and aware of the threat it will be taken off the market.”

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Donald Trump put Elon Musk on a call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, but it remains unclear what they discussed.

Trump handed the phone to Musk during the call on Wednesday, according to The New York Times.

The tone of the call, which took place at Mar-a-Lago, was described as positive.

The call was reported earlier by Axios.

Madonna shared a forceful message to Donald Trump after he won the US election.

Trump’s presidency has led to a strong reaction from the world of celebrity, with famous Kamala Harris supporters, including several late-night hosts, making no secret of their upset over the result.

Days before election day, which took place on Tuesday (5 November), Madonna shared her endorsement for Democratic nominee Harris, revealing that she had returned home from a trip Paris, France so she could cast her vote.

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The Republicans appear to be on track to retain control of the House as counting continues in close races.

So far, the Republicans have gained two seats, winning 211 seats so far, according to the AP.

The Democrats, meanwhile, have secured 199 seats, having lost two.

For a majority, 218 seats are needed.

Robert Lighthizer has been asked to come back in his role as US Trade Representative in Donald Trump’s next administration, according to the Financial Times.

Lighthizer is a believer in tariffs was was one of the top people in Trump’s trade war with China during his first term in the White House.

He was also part of the renegotiation of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), with Mexico and Canada, Reuters noted.

John Rentoul writes:

I assume that speculation about Nigel Farage becoming Britain’s ambassador to the United States is based on little more than putting two and two together: that Farage is a friend of Donald Trump’s and that Keir Starmer will need help in managing his relationship with the next president.

In fact, the Clacton MP and leader of Reform UK ruled himself out of consideration two weeks ago, saying: “Clearly, I’ve decided to get back into elected politics, so I’m off the table.”

He could of course rule himself back in again. Two days ago, he wrote an article for the Daily Telegraph offering his services in an informal role: “If I can be helpful in any way when it comes to bridging the divide that exists between Starmer’s government and Trump, I will be glad to assist.”

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