Pop megastar Taylor Swift drew more than 9 million “likes” to her Instagram post backing Vice President Kamala Harris for president from celebrities that included Jennifer Aniston, US basketball star Caitlin Clark and Selena Gomez. Soon after Harris, a Democrat, finished debating her Republican rival Donald Trump on Tuesday night, Swift, 34, told her 283 million followers that Harris and running mate Tim Walz would get her vote in the Nov. 5 election.

Her post encouraged first-time voters to be sure to register for the election, and a US General Services Administration spokesperson reported on Wednesday receiving 337,826 visitors at vote.gov from a custom URL that Taylor Swift had shared.

“I’m voting for @kamalaharris because she fights for the rights and causes I believe need a warrior to champion them,” Swift posted.

She called Harris a “steady-handed, gifted leader” who could lead the country with calm rather than chaos.

Swift was pictured with her cat in her post, which she signed as “Childless Cat Lady” in a dig at Trump’s running mate JD Vance, who in a 2021 interview called some Democrats “a bunch of childless cat ladies.” He has since said it was merely a sarcastic remark.

Supermodel Karlie Kloss, who is married to Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner’s brother, liked Swift’s post.

“Parks and Recreation” and “The White Lotus” actor Aubrey Plaza echoed Swift’s endorsement in her own Instagram post on Wednesday, where she held a cat alongside the caption “HARRIS WALZ” with an American flag emoji.

Trump supporter Elon Musk, who is chief executive of Tesla and owns social media platform X, wrote on his platform, “Fine Taylor … you win … I will give you a child and guard your cats with my life.”

His message was branded “disgusting,” “misogynistic” and “creepy.”

“I’ve done my research, and I’ve made my choice,” Swift wrote to her followers on Instagram. “Your research is all yours to do, and the choice is yours to make. I also want to say, especially to first time voters: Remember that in order to vote, you have to be registered!”

Swift wrote that she was impressed by Walz, the Minnesota governor, and described him as someone “who has been standing up for LGBTQ+ rights, IVF, and a woman’s right to her own body for decades.”

Walz, who was on MSNBC when the endorsement was announced, said he was “incredibly grateful” and urged the singer’s large fan base of “Swifties” to “Get things going.”

Shortly after Swift’s endorsement, the Harris-Walz campaign announced pre-orders for its latest campaign wear: Swift fan inspired friendship bracelets.

TRUMP DISMISSES ENDORSEMENT

Donald Trump on Wednesday dismissed Swift’s endorsement of Harris, saying he “was not a Taylor fan”.

“It was just a question of time,” Trump told Fox News in an interview. “She’s a very liberal person. She seems to always endorse a Democrat. And she’ll probably pay a price for it … in the marketplace.”

In August, Trump posted a fake social media image of Swift asking people to vote for him in the November election.

Swift referred to that in her Tuesday post, saying Trump had “really conjured up my fears around AI, and the dangers of spreading misinformation.”

She added: “It brought me to the conclusion that I need to be very transparent about my actual plans for this election as a voter.”

Opinion polls show the race essentially tied between the two candidates.

Harris, who supports abortion rights, has criticized Trump for appointing three of the Supreme Court justices who in 2022 helped overturn the 1973 Roe v Wade ruling ensuring a constitutional right to abortion.

Trump has defended the court’s abortion ruling but said a federal abortion ban is unnecessary and that the issue should be resolved at the state level.

Swift backed President Joe Biden in 2020. Many Hollywood actors, producers and filmmakers have said they view Harris, a former U.S. senator from California, as their hometown candidate.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Germany’s foreign ministry mocked US Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump’s false assertion about immigrants eating pets in a post on the social platform X on Wednesday while pushing back against his criticism of German energy policy.

Trump amplified a false claim in Tuesday’s debate with Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris that numerous Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio, were stealing residents’ pets or taking wildlife from parks for food.

He also attacked Harris’ bid to move the country towards what she says will be a more diverse and sustainable mix of energy sources, saying Germany had tried and failed to give up fossil fuels.

“Like it or not: Germany’s energy system is fully operational, with more than 50% renewables. And we are shutting down – not building – coal & nuclear plants. Coal will be off the grid by 2038 at the latest,” the foreign ministry said in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter.

“PS: We also don’t eat cats and dogs. #Debate2024”

Like it or not: Germany’s energy system is fully operational, with more than 50% renewables. And we are shutting down – not building – coal & nuclear plants. Coal will be off the grid by 2038 at the latest. PS: We also don’t eat cats and dogs. #Debate2024pic.twitter.com/PiDO98Vxfo

— GermanForeignOffice (@GermanyDiplo) September 11, 2024

The economy ministry, which is also run by the Greens party, retweeted the post, saying: “New coal-fired power plants? No way!”

Chancellor Olaf Scholz has not directly endorsed Harris but praised her in July as a “competent and experienced politician who knows exactly what she is doing” and who could well win the US election.

Germany was a frequent focus of Trump’s ire during his 2017-21 term as president due to its trade surplus with the United States and low spending on defence.

Trump vows to impose higher tariffs on imports if elected and to condition US support for members of the NATO military alliance on them spending the agreed 2% of GDP on defence. German officials have said they expect to meet the 2% target this year.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Ahead of a game-changing presidential debate, US Vice President and Democratic nominee Kamala Harris walked over to her Republican rival Donald Trump and shook hands with him. This was the first time two US presidential candidates have shaken hands since 2016.

The debate also marks the first time the two candidates have met each other face-to-face.

As the two rivals entered the debate stage, Trump headed to his podium on the left to take his place. Kamala Harris, on the other hand, crossed the stage, walked up to him and held out her hand.

“Kamala Harris, Let’s have a good debate,” she said as she introduced herself to the former president.

“Nice to see you, let’s have fun,” Trump replied and the two shook hands.

“Thank you,” Harris said.

Right off the bat, tonight’s debate starts on a different foot than the Biden/Trump debate in June– Harris goes for a handshake, introducing herself to Trump while saying, “Let’s have a good debate.” Trump responds, “Nice to see you– have fun.” pic.twitter.com/QVX8hoX8u6

— DJ Judd (@DJJudd) September 11, 2024

While there is no rule that require the two candidates to shake hand, it does mark a gesture of civility ahead of what is usually a politically brutal face-off.

The high-stakes debate began with a fiery jab by the 78-year-old Republican who called Harris a “Marxist” and claimed that she and President Joe Biden had allowed “millions of people pouring into our country from prisons and jails, from mental institutions and insane asylums.”

Harris jibed the former US president several time by calling him a “convicted felon”, “friend of dictators” and saying that he used “race to divide the American people.”

She said Trump’s own former White House security officials have called him a “disgrace.” “World leaders are laughing at Donald Trump,” she added.

The crucial debate comes only 56 days before the election in what has been a narrow race to the White house.

The last presidential debate in June resulted in Joe Biden pulling out of his reelection campaign and nominating Harris to take his place instead.

Almost all polls have shown the two candidates in a tight neck-and-neck contest.

The debate proved to be a critical chance for the two rivals to battle it out before the US goes to vote on November 5.

Washington:

Kamala Harris has unveiled a few centrist-leaning policies, abandoned some past positions and left much else vague as she gears up for a critical US presidential debate with Donald Trump.

The Democratic vice president unveiled a list of policies on her website on the eve of the clash, with Republicans accusing her of “flip-flopping” on key issues.

Here is where the White House hopeful stands in five key areas:

‘Opportunity economy’

Harris has stressed her commitment to the United States’ middle class, citing her own background of being raised by a single mother in California, and said she wants to create an “opportunity economy.”

One of her most concrete policies so far is a child tax credit of $6,000 for families of newborn children. She has also promised tax cuts for 100 million Americans while raising taxes on the richest, and to bring down housing prices.

Tax is one of the few policy areas where she has broken with President Joe Biden. In a nod to moderate voters, she wants a 28 percent tax on capital gains, less than the 39.6 percent proposed by Biden.

Harris has also promised to end taxes on tips paid to service industry workers — weeks after Trump announced a similar policy.

She has said she will take on “price gouging” by corporations to tackle high prices — one of her main weak spots against Republican Trump — but her plans on that front remain vague.

Environmental flip-flops

Harris has not set out a detailed environmental policy except on one key area: fracking.

She has vowed not to ban the practice, which uses high-pressure water to extract oil and gas — despite previously saying that she was opposed to it.

In her first and only on-screen interview since becoming the Democratic candidate, she told CNN that her “values have not changed” even if her position had.

Harris has, according to the Axios news site, also backtracked on her opposition to plastic straws.

As vice president, she has strongly backed Biden’s green energy transition under the so-called “Inflation Reduction Act.”

Border ‘consequences’

Illegal migration over the US-Mexican border is one of the most sensitive issues in the campaign.

Harris said in her CNN interview there would be “consequences” for people crossing illegally.

She supported Biden’s bid to toughen migration policy and has backed investing in the border “wall” that Trump called for — despite her criticizing it in the past.

Biden’s proposals, however, have never made it through a divided Congress, with Republicans blocking them to cause Democrats political damage.

Firm on abortion

Harris’s position on abortion, another key election issue, is not in doubt.

She has repeatedly criticized Trump for bragging that he enabled the US Supreme Court to overturn the federal right to terminate pregnancies.

Harris has said that if elected she would push to enshrine protections for abortion in US law.

Gaza quagmire

Harris has been more vocal than Biden on the issue of civilians killed by Israel in the war in Gaza, leading to speculation that she might take a tougher line with the US ally.

But during her CNN interview she said she would not halt arms deliveries to Israel, despite calls among Democrats and Arab American voters to do so, and pledged to help Israel defend itself.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

New York:

From Gerald Ford’s catastrophic Soviet gaffe to Ronald Reagan’s witty remark about his age and Joe Biden’s infamous implosion, US presidential debates have featured jaw-dropping moments.

Here are some of the most memorable in modern US politics.

Kennedy-Nixon, September 26, 1960

It was the first televised debate of its kind, when broadcasts were in black-and-white, and it established the importance of a politician’s public image. Republican Richard Nixon looked poised to win the election, having served two terms as vice president under Dwight Eisenhower.

“I’m Bill Shadel ABC News…The 2 candidates will not be sharing same platform. In NY John F Kennedy. Separated by 3,000 miles in L.A. studio, Richard Nixon. Joined for discussion by network of electronic facilities which permits each candidate to see & hear the other”
10/13/1960 pic.twitter.com/9GottJMbPP

— Howard Mortman (@HowardMortman) October 8, 2020

But the debate did not go well for him. Nixon refused to wear makeup and appeared pale and sweaty in front of more than 66 million viewers, while young Massachusetts senator John F Kennedy looked tanned and relaxed. While Nixon addressed the moderator, Kennedy looked at the camera, speaking directly to his voters. 

How much the debate visuals pushed the needle is disputed, but Kennedy went on to defeat Nixon at the polls.

Ford-Carter, October 6, 1976

The first debate between Republican president Gerald Ford and Democratic challenger Jimmy Carter was marked by a 27-minute loss of audio. The second debate didn’t go well for Ford either when he made a gaffe that arguably cost him the presidency.

At the height of the Cold War, Ford uttered that “there is no Soviet domination of Eastern Europe, and there never will be under a Ford administration,” even though the Soviet Union had troops deployed across the Eastern bloc.

Six days passed before Ford explained himself, saying he spoke not of the literal military presence but meant that people’s spirits there hadn’t been crushed.

Reagan-Mondale, October 21, 1984

Republican president Ronald Reagan was 73 when he ran for a second term against 56-year-old Walter Mondale. But he turned his age into his strength with a witty answer that went down in history.

“I will not make age an issue of this campaign,” Reagan said when asked whether he was fit for office. “I am not going to exploit, for political purposes, my opponent’s youth and inexperience.”

Bush-Clinton-Perot, October 15, 1992

The second presidential debate in the 1992 race pitted incumbent president George Bush against both his future successor Bill Clinton and Ross Perot, an independent candidate. 

Bush was caught on camera looking at his watch while Clinton talked to an audience member during a town hall debate, a move that cost Bush dearly. 

Years later, Bush admitted he hated debates. “Maybe that’s why I was looking at it — ‘Only 10 more minutes of this crap.'”

Obama-Romney, October 22, 2012

During a debate against president Barack Obama, Republican challenger Mitt Romney lamented that the US Navy had fewer ships presently than it did in 1916.

“Governor, we also have fewer horses and bayonets, because the nature of our military’s changed,” Obama retorted. 

“We have these things called aircraft carriers, where planes land on them. We have these ships that go under water, nuclear submarines.” 

Obama’s comments went viral.

Trump-Clinton, October 9, 2016

The second debate of the 2016 US presidential election pitting Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump was particularly vicious. 

Coming shortly after the release of a video in which Trump was heard boasting that his fame allowed him to grope women, the Republican billionaire went after his opponent’s husband, former president Bill Clinton, accusing him of being “so abusive to women.”

Trump also vowed to have Hillary Clinton investigated over her use of a private email account when she was secretary of state. 

“It’s just awfully good that someone with the temperament of Donald Trump is not in charge of the law in our country,” Clinton said. 

Trump shot back: “Because you’d be in jail.”

Trump-Biden, September 29, 2020

The first debate of the 2020 presidential election, featuring Trump and Democrat Joe Biden, devolved into shouting and insults. 

With Trump constantly interrupting him, Biden snapped, saying, “Will you shut up, man?” 

The Democrat also called his opponent a “clown” and “Putin’s puppy.”

Trump for his part kept evading the question of whether he would recognize the results of the election. 

Powerless to control the two candidates, the debate moderator, Fox News journalist Chris Wallace, later described feeling “desperation.”

Trump-Biden, June 27, 2024

Organized an unprecedented four months ahead of this year’s November vote, the June debate was supposed to give Biden, 81, a chance to shore up concerns about his age.

But it was a debacle for the Democrat, who repeatedly lost his train of thought, stared blankly and spoke at times incoherently and with a raspy voice.

The dismal performance set the stage for Biden to eventually drop out of the race — passing the torch to Trump’s new challenger, Vice President Kamala Harris.

Harris and Trump will now debate on Tuesday.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Washington:

US Vice President Kamala Harris and former president Donald Trump will face off in a debate for the first time on Tuesday, each seeking an edge in what has become a neck-and-neck race for the White House. After weeks of back-and-forth on the where, when and how of the debate, US broadcaster ABC — which is hosting the event — announced the final rules of the contest, as agreed to by the two campaigns, this week.

Here are the major takeaways.

When and where to watch Trump vs Harris debate

The debate between Donald Trump and Kamala Harris will take place at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia at 9:00 pm local time Tuesday (0100 GMT Wednesday,) and will be aired live. There will be no audience present in the room.

The event will be moderated by ABC anchors David Muir and Linsey Davis, and will run for 90 minutes of debate time, with two commercial breaks. 

Muted mics in Donald Trump vs Kamala Harris debate?

The issue of whether microphones would be muted — as they were during a previous debate between US President Joe Biden and Trump — was a contentious one, with each side accusing the other of cowardice over the question.

ABC has announced that each candidate’s microphone will only be live for when it is their turn to speak, and muted when the time belongs to the other candidate. 

Only moderators will be allowed to ask questions, and no topics or questions will be shared in advance with the candidates. 

Who speaks when?

Donald Trump and Kamala Harris will not offer opening statements. They will be allotted two minutes to answer each question, with two minutes granted to their opponent for a rebuttal. 

There will be an additional minute for “a follow-up, clarification, or response,” according to the rules. 

At the end of the debate, each candidate will offer a two-minute closing statement, with Trump to go last, as per the results of a virtual coin toss.

No props

Candidates will stand behind podiums through the entire length of the debate, with no props or pre-written notes allowed. 

Trump and Harris will each be given a pen, a pad of paper, and a bottle of water.

Campaign staff will not be allowed to speak or interact with the candidates during the commercial breaks. 

New Delhi:

The US Department of Justice (DOJ) has alleged that several prominent right-wing social media influencers were unknowingly part of a Russian operation designed to sway the 2024 US presidential elections, CNN reported. The influencers, who collectively reach millions of Americans, were allegedly used as “mouthpieces” for Russian propaganda without being aware of the foreign influence behind their financial support.

According to the report, court documents unsealed this week revealed that Russian state media funnelled nearly $10 million through a Tennessee-based online media company, identified by CNN as Tenet Media. The company employed well-known right-wing commentators such as Tim Pool, Benny Johnson, Lauren Southern, Tayler Hansen, Matt Christiansen, and Dave Rubin. While these individuals were not directly accused of wrongdoing, the indictment has shed light on how they may have unknowingly advanced Russian interests.

Two employees of Russian state media were charged with conspiracy to violate the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) and money laundering. The DOJ states that Russia’s goal was to push narratives that aligned with Kremlin objectives, such as promoting domestic political division, weakening US support for Ukraine, and boosting conservative figures like Donald Trump.

These individuals, unaware of their role in Russian operations, were described in Cold War terms as “useful idiots.”

Tenet Media

Tenet Media, launched last year, presents itself as a platform for “heterodox views” on Western political and cultural issues. It was founded in 2022 by conservative Canadian YouTuber Lauren Chen and her husband Liam Donovan. The company has not responded to the allegations. 

Its roster includes several former mainstream journalists turned independent creators, such as Tim Pool, who previously worked with Vice, and Benny Johnson, formerly of BuzzFeed and the Independent Journal Review. The outlet has grown in influence, hosting shows featuring far-right personalities and interviewing high-profile figures like Donald Trump.

Though the influencers claimed to retain full editorial control over their content, the DOJ alleges that the content they produced served Russia’s interests. According to court documents, Russian state media employees from RT sought to exploit these influencers’ vast audiences by amplifying pro-Russian narratives, including criticisms of US support for Ukraine and divisive discussions on LGBTQ issues.

While none of the commentators have been charged, the DOJ alleges that they were paid by Kremlin-controlled sources to promote content that benefitted Russian interests. At least three of the influencers have been contacted by the FBI for voluntary interviews. 

What The Influencers said

Tim Pool, host of The Culture War Podcast, responded to the allegations by saying that he was a victim. “If these allegations prove true, I as well as the other personalities and commentators were deceived and are victims. I cannot speak for anyone else at the company as to what they do or to what they are instructed,” Pool told his 2.1 million followers on X. 

My statement regarding allegations and the DOJ Indictment

Should these allegations prove true, I as well as the other personalities and commentators were deceived and are victims. I cannot speak for anyone else at the company as to what they do or to what they are instructed…

— Tim Pool (@Timcast) September 4, 2024

“Disturbed by the allegations in today’s indictment, which make clear that myself and other influencers were victims in this alleged scheme,” said Benny Johnson who has 2.7 million followers on X. 

A statement on the leaked DOJ indictment today:

A year ago, a media startup pitched my company to provide content as an independent contractor. Our lawyers negotiated a standard, arms length deal, which was later terminated. We are disturbed by the allegations in today’s…

— Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) September 4, 2024

Dave Rubin, host of The Rubin Report, claimed that his show with Tenet Media ended months ago. “I and other commentators were the victims of this scheme. I knew absolutely nothing about any of this fraudulent activity,” Rubin told his 1.5 million followers on X. 

Statement on the DOJ indictment:

These allegations clearly show that I and other commentators were the victims of this scheme.

I knew absolutely nothing about any of this fraudulent activity. Period.

‘People of the Internet’ was a silly show covering viral videos which ended… pic.twitter.com/KQHYDUi3ot

— Dave Rubin (@RubinReport) September 4, 2024

DOJ Action 

The DOJ has charged two RT employees, Kostiantyn Kalashnikov and Elena Afanasyeva, with conspiracy to commit money laundering and violating the Foreign Agents Registration Act, the BBC reported. 

The indictment accuses these individuals of overseeing funding and editorial operations while secretly directing Tenet Media’s output to advance Russian interests. Despite the influencers’ claims of independence, federal prosecutors assert that much of the content was strategically aligned with Russian efforts to amplify divisions within the US.

The indictment also alleges elaborate lengths to which the Russian operation went, including the creation of a fake Hungarian investor to mask RT’s involvement and the high salaries paid to the influencers allegedly receiving up to $100,000 per video.

Republican candidate Donald Trump and his Democratic rival Kamala Harris are all set to participate in the highly-anticipated first Presidential debate next week. Ahead of the September 10 face-off, Ms Harris’ husband, Doug Emhoff, spoke about their debates as a married couple in a new interview with ‘Pod Save America’. The US Vice President and her husband were both accomplished lawyers before entering politics, Mr Emhoff shared in the interview. So, when ‘Pod Save America’ cohost Tommy Vietor asked the second gentleman about the upcoming presidential debate between Ms Harris and former US President Donald Trump, Mr Emhoff revealed that he has never won a debate against his wife. 

“I assume no one has debated with her more often than you have,” Mr Vietor said. “What should we expect? What should we look for?” he asked, as per Business Insider.

“I haven’t won one,” Mr Emhoff said of debating Ms Harris. He then went on to call Ms Harris a “great debater” and “first-class trial lawyer”. 

“It’s not like we’re in a debate, but I realize if we’re talking about something, any really good lawyer will lay little traps for you along the way, and as I’m going through this discussion about some husband-wife thing, I say ‘Oh, that’s what you’re doing!'” he said, adding, “I was a pretty good trial lawyer too.”

Notably, before entering politics, Ms Harris served as district attorney of San Francisco and attorney general of California. Mr Emhoff, on the other hand, was a partner at DLA Piper in Los Angeles specialising in intellectual property and entertainment and media law. The couple celebrated their 10-year anniversary in August. 

“Kamala Harris was exactly the right person for me at an important time in my life. At this moment in this nation’s history she is exactly the right president,” the 59-year-old said last month at the Democratic National Convention. 

Also Read | Harris Or Trump? ‘Nostradamus’ Of US Presidential Elections Makes Final Prediction For 2024

Kamala Harris will face-off Donald Trump on September 10, Tuesday in a debate hosted by ABC News. The campaigns have traded barbs while negotiating the host network and rules of the debate, such as whether their microphones will stay unmuted. 

Regarding this, Mr Emhoff said, “It’s Donald Trump, so who the hell knows what you’re going to get, but I know from her she’s going to be talking about us, she’s going to be talking about the American people.” 

ABC News is hosting the second presidential debate on Tuesday, September 10, at 9 pm ET. It will be the first time Ms Harris and Mr Trump debate each other. The debate will be held at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia.

Former US president Barack Obama’s half-brother Abon’go Malik Obama declared that he would be voting for Donald Trump in the upcoming presidential elections.

“I am Malik Obama. I’m a registered Republican and I’m voting for President Donald Trump,” he wrote in a post on X.

I am Malik Obama. I’m a registered Republican and I’m voting for President Donald Trump.

— Malik Obama (@ObamaMalik) September 4, 2024

Obama’s brother has supported Trump against Democratic presidential candidates that the former president backed in the last two elections, including Joe Biden and Hillary Clinton. 

Talking to The New York Post, Malik Obama said that he liked Trump because he “speaks from the heart.” 

“Make America Great Again is a great slogan, I would like to meet him [Trump],” he said.

In the past, Obama’s half-brother has labelled him a “deep disappointment” and blamed Hillary Clinton for his departure from the party.

Malik Obama, who has also been a featured guest of the Trump campaign in 2016, said he was “110% still with Trump”.

An accountant by profession, Malik Obama was the best man at Obama’s wedding to Michelle Robinson in 1992 and even visited the White House during his half-brother’s time in office.

“I stuck with Barack Obama all through his presidency, until I realized he was all about himself,” Malik posted on X in 2022. “That’s when I ditched him for President Trump.

The two half-brothers held a cordial relationship before Obama. Still, they had a falling out after Malik Obama launched a charity called the Barack H. Obama Foundation but failed to register it and lied about it being a tax-exempt organisation.

He also added to the conspiracy theory, spread largely by Donald Trump, that claimed that former president Obama was not born in the US and was a Kenyan citizen. At the time, Malik Obama shared a fake image of a birth certificate, dated from before the 1964 establishment of the Republic of Kenya, that purportedly showed his half-brother was born outside the US.

Malik Obama has been vocal on social media about his conservative views on same-sex marriage and abortion. “We Want More Babies. My President,” he posted on X last month after Trump pledged that if elected his government would pay for free IVF treatments

Washington:

Expressing condolences for the victims of a shooting incident at a school in Georgia, President Joe Biden has called on Republicans to work with Democrats in the US Congress to pass gun safety legislation to help prevent future gun violence in the United States.

At least four people, including two students, have been killed and nine others were injured when a fellow student opened fire in a high school in the US state of Georgia on Wednesday, CNN reported.

Biden described the shooting incident as “another horrific reminder of how gun violence continues to tear our communities apart.”

“Jill (Biden) and I are mourning the deaths of those whose lives were cut short due to more senseless gun violence and thinking of all of the survivors whose lives are forever changed. What should have been a joyous back-to-school season in Winder, Georgia, has now turned into another horrific reminder of how gun violence continues to tear our communities apart,” Biden said in a statement released by the White House.

The US president lamented that students across the country are “learning how to duck and cover instead of how to read and write.”

“We cannot continue to accept this as normal. We are closely coordinating with officials at the federal, state and local levels and are grateful for the first responders who brought the suspect into custody and prevented further loss of life,” Biden said.

Further, Biden reaffirmed his commitment to tackling the gun violence epidemic in the US and highlighted his efforts to address the issue, including the signing of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act.

“Ending this gun violence epidemic is personal to me. It’s why I signed into law the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act–the most meaningful gun safety bill in decades–and have announced dozens of gun safety executive actions. I also established the first-ever White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention, overseen by Vice President Harris. We’ve made significant progress, but this crisis requires even more,” the US president said.

Biden called on Republicans to work with Democrats in Congress to pass gun safety legislation to help prevent future gun violence and stated that ‘enough is enough.’

“After decades of inaction, Republicans in Congress must finally say ‘enough is enough’ and work with Democrats to pass common-sense gun safety legislation. We must ban assault weapons and high-capacity magazines once again, require safe storage of firearms, enact universal background checks, and end immunity for gun manufacturers. These measures will not bring those who were tragically killed today back, but they will help prevent more tragic gun violence from ripping more families apart,” Biden said.

US Vice President Kamala Harris also took to X and expressed condolences for the people who are impacted by this shooting and described it as a “senseless tragedy.”

“Today, Doug and I are mourning the deaths of those whose lives were cut short by gun violence at Apalachee High School in Georgia. Our hearts are with the students, teachers, and families impacted by this shooting, and we are grateful to the first responders and law enforcement on the scene. This is a senseless tragedy — and it does not have to be this way. We must end the epidemic of gun violence in our country once and for,” said Kamala Harris.

Georgia Governor Brian P Kemp also posted on X and stated “I have directed all available state resources to respond to the incident at Apalachee High School and urge all Georgians to join my family in praying for the safety of those in our classrooms, both in Barrow County and across the state.”

“We will continue to work with local, state, and federal partners as we gather information and further respond to this situation,” he added.

Meanwhile, the suspected gunman is in custody and was identified as 14-year-old Colt Cray, a student of Apalachee High School in Winder, Georgia, about an hour outside of Atlanta. Two of those killed were students and two were teachers. Law enforcement agencies are still investigating the shooting and the motive behind it.

The high school had received an earlier phone threat, multiple law enforcement officials told CNN.

The phone call Wednesday morning warned there would be shootings at five schools, and that Apalachee would be the first. It is not known who placed the call. Officials tell CNN they are investigating the call and where it originated.

The US has suffered at least 385 mass shootings so far this year, according to the Gun Violence Archive, which, like CNN, defines mass shootings as those in which four or more victims are shot. That’s an average of more than 1.5 mass shootings every day.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)