U.S. and world news for Sept. 26

Picket line: In Detroit today, President Biden joins United Auto Workers union members on the picket line. UAW President Shawn Fain last week had invited Biden to visit with striking workers while the walkout against Ford, GM and Stellantis continues. Tomorrow, Donald Trump goes to Clinton Township, Michigan, to visit a non-union plant and to hold a rally for non-union workers that his campaign says also will be attended by former and current union members. UAW President Fain has blasted Trump’s trip to Michigan saying he represents the billionaire class that has been getting richer at the expense of workers.

Trump’s media plan: In a social media post, Donald Trump makes it clear that if he’s elected president again he will take steps to shut down the free press in the U.S. While Trump has routinely attacked the news media, this marks the first time he has specifically promised action to shut down a news media operation. Trump posted that NBC News, MSNBC and their parent company Comcast would be investigated if he’s returned to the White House and that NBC’s licenses to broadcast using the public airwaves would be taken away. Trump said they’re enemies of the people, a phrase he’s used before against journalists. Trump dod not mention that he appeared on NBC’s “Meet the Press” a week ago and the TV show that brought him fame and fortune, “The Apprentice,” was on NBC.

Hutchinson’s interview: Former Trump White House staffer Cassidy Hutchinson, who was chief aid to White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows, and whose office was steps away from the Oval Office, in an interview by MSNBC host Rachel Maddow last night appealed for the Republican Party not to nominate Donald Trump for a second term as president. She described him as being unfit for the office. Hutchinson said that while the assault on the Capitol was underway, she heard Trump shouting “Hang” while the mob could be heard on a TV set chanting “Hang Mike Pence,” referring to the vice president. Hutchinson described the White House as being in chaos when it came to handling government secrets.

Russian claim: Russian television today showed a video of the commander of its Black Sea naval fleet, Admiral Viktor Solokov attending a meeting. The Russians said it disproves Ukrainian claims that Solokov had been killed in a Ukrainian missile attack the other day. There was no sound accompanying the images and there was no way to independently verify when the video was made.

Hunter Biden’s sues: President Biden’s son Hunter Biden has filed a federal lawsuit against former Trump Attorney Rudy Giuliani and Robert Costello, Giuliani’s former attorney for allegedly hacking into the hard drive on his laptop computer and stealing and manipulating data. The lawsuit claims that after they lifted data from the laptop they made copies and shared it with people including former Trump White House Aide Steve Bannon. The lawsuit was filed in Los Angeles, where Hunter Biden lives.

David McCallum dies: Actor David McCallum, who starred on the TV series “The Man from U.N.C.L.E.” in the 1960s and more recently in the series “NCIS” has died at age 90. McCullum also appeared in the films as a P.O.W. in “The Great Escape” and as Judas Iscariot in “The Greatest Story Ever Told.” CBS, which carries “NCIS,” made the announcement of McCallum’s passing. He died at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital. The cause of death was not included in the announcement.

Cover photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons