Trump issues second Easter message as he blasts enemies

Donald Trump issued an unusual Easter message Sunday resembling a tweet – in which the former president attacked his Democrat enemies. 

‘Happy Easter to ALL, including the Radical Left CRAZIES who rigged our Presidential Election, and want to destroy our country!’ Trump wrote in the statement, which was released by his Save America PAC. 

This was the second ‘Happy Easter’ statement Trump has released, with a longer one put out on Friday which also contained scant evidence of Christian goodwill. 

The statement he released today

Donald Trump during Easter 2019 at the White House (left) and the statement he released today (right) 

‘Why is it that every time the 2020 ELECTION FRAUD is discussed, the Fake News Media consistently states that such charges are baseless, unfounded, and unwarranted, etc.?’ Trump wrote in that message.

‘With each passing day, and unfortunately for the Radical Left CRAZIES, more and more facts are coming out.’ Trump – who was banned from Twitter after the storming of the Capitol by his supporters – added, ‘Other than that, Happy Easter!’

There is no credible evidence of widespread fraud in the general election. 

President Biden, a devout Catholic, released his own Easter message, writing ‘From our family to yours, we wish you health, hope, joy, and peace. Happy Easter, everyone!’ above a video in which he referred to ‘this most holy day’.

Former President Barack Obama’s Easter message was also more conventional, with the Democrat tweeting: ‘This Easter, I hope we can all take some time to reflect on the blessings we enjoy and the hope we have for a brighter future. 

‘From our family to yours, have a safe and happy Easter.’

Reacting to Trump’s statement, New York Times journalist Kenneth Vogel quipped: ‘Jesus couldn’t have said it any better himself.’

Meanwhile, former Mike Pence aide Olivia Troye added: ‘The #Easter Bunny must have skipped his house. That’s what happens when you steal from your own supporters.’ 

It was a reference to Trump being forced to pay back $122 million in donations after supporters were tricked into making recurring payments to his 2020 campaign. 

A NYT investigation found Trump’s fundraising campaign employed deceptive fundraising tactics that saw thousands of his supporters unwittingly sign up to give repeat contributions, when they had only intended to make a one-off payment. 

This was the second 'Happy Easter' statement Trump (seen golfing Saturday) has released, with a longer one put out on Friday which also contained scant evidence of Christian goodwill

This was the second 'Happy Easter' statement Trump (seen golfing Saturday) has released, with a longer one put out on Friday which also contained scant evidence of Christian goodwill

This was the second ‘Happy Easter’ statement Trump (seen golfing Saturday) has released, with a longer one put out on Friday which also contained scant evidence of Christian goodwill 

Donald Trump blasts cancel culture after MLB pulled All-Star game from state over new voting law 

Former President Donald Trump called on supporters to ‘boycott baseball’ after the MLB pulled its All-Star Game from the state over its new voting law.

Major League Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred Jr. had announced on Friday that the league would be relocating the 2021 All-Star Game after Kemp signed a controversial voting bill into law last week.

‘Baseball is already losing tremendous numbers of fans, and now they leave Atlanta with their All-Star Game because they are afraid of the Radical Left Democrats who do not want voter I.D., which is desperately needed, to have anything to do with our elections,’ Trump said in a statement.

‘Boycott baseball and all of the woke companies that are interfering with Free and Fair Elections. Are you listening Coke, Delta, and all!’

The MLB joins a growing list of corporations, including Coca-Cola and Porsche, that have publicly condemned the state’s new election laws following backlash from activists. 

The ‘scam’, which involves pre-ticked boxes on fundraising emails often buried under lines of fine print, sparked thousands of complaints to banks and credit card companies.

Among the victims were elderly and military veterans, as well as some experienced political operatives, and many have been left with overdraft fees and busted credit card limits.

Complaints from donors prompted the Trump campaign to eventually reimburse $122 million in contributions.

It came as Trump was spotted at Mar-a-Lago with wife Melania and son Barron in the family’s first appearance together since he left office.

Video posted to Instagram on Friday shows the Trump family strolling through an outdoor dining area at the club in Palm Beach, Florida, where the former president has made his home after leaving the Oval Office.

‘Mr. President!’ one supporter is heard to shout, as the club members cheer and applaud, some rising to their feet.

Barron, 15, was noticeably absent from Trump’s farewell address on his final day in office, and Melania has been vocal in her protection of the young teen from public scrutiny.

While Trump has frequently been spotted golfing since leaving office, including on Saturday, Barron has not been in the public eye for several months.

In December, Melania reportedly toured private prep schools in Florida, seeking the right fit for Barron to continue his education.

Last month, she posted a birthday message on Twitter celebrating Barron’s 15th birthday, showing a photo of balloon numbers with his age.  

Reacting to Trump's statement, New York Times journalist Kenneth Vogel quipped: 'Jesus couldn't have said it any better himself.' Mike Pence's former aide, Olivia Troye, also reacted to it

Reacting to Trump’s statement, New York Times journalist Kenneth Vogel quipped: ‘Jesus couldn’t have said it any better himself.’ Mike Pence’s former aide, Olivia Troye, also reacted to it

By contrast, former President Barack Obama's Easter message was more conventional

By contrast, former President Barack Obama’s Easter message was more conventional

This was the second 'Happy Easter' statement Trump has released, with a longer one put out on Friday which also contained scant evidence of Christian goodwill

This was the second ‘Happy Easter’ statement Trump has released, with a longer one put out on Friday which also contained scant evidence of Christian goodwill

It comes after Trump expanded the list of companies he is calling on his supporters to boycott over their opposition to a new Georgia law placing tougher restrictions on absentee voting.

‘For years the Radical Left Democrats have played dirty by boycotting products when anything from that company is done or stated in any way that offends them,’ Trump said in a statement on Saturday. ‘We can play the game better than them.’

It came after Trump called for boycotts of MLB, Coca-Cola and Delta over the companies’ stances against Georgia’s new voting law, which President Joe Biden has called ‘Jim Crow on steroids.’

Now Trump is calling for boycotts of JP Morgan, ViacomCBS, Cisco, UPS and Merck, all of which have signaled opposition to the new Georgia law to some extent.

It came as Trump was spotted at Mar-a-Lago with wife Melania and son Barron in the family's first appearance together since he left office

It came as Trump was spotted at Mar-a-Lago with wife Melania and son Barron in the family's first appearance together since he left office

It came as Trump was spotted at Mar-a-Lago with wife Melania and son Barron in the family’s first appearance together since he left office 

Trump is under pressure as further details emerge of supporters who were tricked into making recurring donations to his campaign.   

One victim, Stacy Blatt, was battling cancer and living in a hospice in Kansas City when he donated $500 last September, the New York Times reported.

Blatt was charged another $500 the next day, and then $500 each week until October, and it was only after his rent and utility bills bounced that his family discovered what had happened.

‘It felt like it was a scam,’ his brother Russell, who helped Stacy get to the bottom of what had happened, told the Times. Blatt died in February.

The Trump campaigns dubious pre-checked emails first appeared in March 2020.

A bright yellow box began appearing in emails with the words: ‘Make this a monthly recurring donation.’ 

Pre-checked boxes, like the ones above, began appearing in Trump campaign emails in March 2020. In June, the emails included a second pre-checked box - known as a 'money bomb' - which duped thousands of donors into making recurring payments. When the campaign learned it had been out-fundraised by Biden's team by $150 million in a single month, it began adding lines of bolded, capitalized text

Pre-checked boxes, like the ones above, began appearing in Trump campaign emails in March 2020. In June, the emails included a second pre-checked box – known as a ‘money bomb’ – which duped thousands of donors into making recurring payments. When the campaign learned it had been out-fundraised by Biden’s team by $150 million in a single month, it began adding lines of bolded, capitalized text 

Anyone making a donation would have to opt-out to avoid being charged repeatedly. 

Three months later in June, a second pre-checked box was added to Trump campaign fundraising emails. 

Known as a ‘money bomb’, the second box had a much greater degree of success in ensnaring unsuspecting donors to sign up, as most thought unticking one box would avoid any additional charges.

Stacy Blatt, 63, was battling cancer in a hospice in Kansas City when he donated $500 to Trump's campaign in September. He would end up being charged $3000

Stacy Blatt, 63, was battling cancer in a hospice in Kansas City when he donated $500 to Trump’s campaign in September. He would end up being charged $3000

Then in September, after learning he had been out-raised by his opponent, the Democratic nominee Joseph Biden, by $150 million in one month, the Trump campaign became more aggressive, The Times reported.

The recurring donation would now be taken out every week, instead of monthly. 

And the campaign later added large blocks of bold, capitalized text to the boxes to make them harder to  decipher.  

Soon after Election Day, banks and credit card companies became inundated with complaints.

‘It started to go absolutely wild,’ a Wells Fargo fraud investigator told the New York Times.  

In all, Trump has had to pay back $122 million in donations made to five organizations: Donald J. Trump for President, Trump Victory, Trump Make America Great Again Committee, Save America, and the Republican National Committee. 

Another reason Trump had to refund such large amounts of money was because many of his individual donors exceeded the legally-allowed cap of $2,800. 

This dwarfed the $21m refunded to donors by the Biden campaign.

A Trump spokesman said that less than 1 percent of donations to his campaign were subject to complaints

A Trump spokesman said that less than 1 percent of donations to his campaign were subject to complaints

All of the donations were made via the Republican-linked for-profit donation-processing company WinRed, which charges 30 cents of every donation, plus 3.8 percent of the amount given.  

Ira Rheingold, the executive director of the National Association of Consumer Advocates, told the New York Times the scheme was ‘unfair’, ‘unethical’ and ‘inappropriate.’

 A Trump spokesman, Jason Miller, pointed to internal campaign records which showed less than 1 percent of total donations to WinRed had been subjected to complaints. 

‘Our campaign was built by the hardworking men and women of America and cherishing their investments was paramount to anything else we did,’ Miller told The Times.              

Ex-President for hire! Trump launches official 45office.com website with favorite photos from his presidency and boasts of his ‘magnificent legacy’ – while providing an option to book him and Melania for events 

By Sam Baker for MailOnline 

Donald Trump has launched an official website, www.45office.com, to stay in touch with his supporters, ‘preserve his legacy’ and give fans an option to book him and wife Melania for personal appearances.

45office.com’s homepage displays pictures of Trump with Melania, members of the military and world leaders, taken at multiple events during his time as president.

The website boasts that he ‘launched the most extraordinary political movement in history, dethroning political dynasties, defeating the Washington Establishment, and becoming the first true outsider elected as President of the United States.’

A synopsis about the former president also boasts that: ‘No President has done more to build an immigration system that promotes safety, dignity, security, and prosperity for the American People.’ 

Earlier this month, Trump lashed out at President Biden over his ‘disastrous leadership’ for allowing a ‘spiraling tsunami’ of migrants and ‘criminals’ over the United States border. 

The official website also allows members of the public to send messages to the former president and First Lady. It is one of the ways Trump is communicating with his base with his ban from Twitter and Facebook.

The new website comes amid reports that Donald Trump, who remains banned from his social media accounts following the January 6 riot, is looking to establish his own social platform.

Donald Trump has launched an official website www.45office.com to stay in touch with his supporters and to 'preserve his legacy' as he remains banned from Twitter, Facebook and other social media sites

Donald Trump has launched an official website www.45office.com to stay in touch with his supporters and to ‘preserve his legacy’ as he remains banned from Twitter, Facebook and other social media sites

The newly established website also includes a statement which reads: ‘The Office of Donald J. Trump is committed to preserving the magnificent legacy of the Trump Administration, while at the same time advancing the America First agenda. 

‘Through civic engagement and public activism, the Office of Donald J. Trump will strive to inform, educate, and inspire Americans from all walks of life as we seek to build a truly great American Future. 

‘Through this office, President Trump will remain a tireless champion for the hardworking men and women of our great country – and for their right to live in safety, dignity, prosperity, and peace.’  

The website also has an ‘About’ section, which contains a glowing 850-word synopsis of his time in office, highlighting what Trump has often cited as his greatest achievements.

These include energy and border security, strengthening NATO and other international alliances, and his response to the coronavirus pandemic.

It made no mention of the scandals, corruption investigations, two impeachments or the attacks on democratic institutions that framed his presidency.

Further down on the ‘About’ page is also a section on his wife Melania, the former First Lady.

45office.com's homepage displays pictures of Trump with his wife Melania, members of the military and world leaders, taken at multiple events during his time as president

45office.com’s homepage displays pictures of Trump with his wife Melania, members of the military and world leaders, taken at multiple events during his time as president

A message at the bottom of Trump's new website describes how the former president is 'committed to preserving the magnificent legacy' his administration built

A message at the bottom of Trump’s new website describes how the former president is ‘committed to preserving the magnificent legacy’ his administration built

Visitors on Trump's new website will be able to contact the former president and former first lady directly with their thoughts, as well as booking them to appear at events and functions, and can even request a personal recorded greeting

Visitors on Trump’s new website will be able to contact the former president and former first lady directly with their thoughts, as well as booking them to appear at events and functions, and can even request a personal recorded greeting

Her section, though shorter than her husband’s, focuses on her journey starting from her upbringing in Slovenia, mentions her ‘proudly’ becoming an American citizen and then moves on to discuss the charity work she carried, focusing on the well-being of children.

Melania’s synopsis also mentioned her time as the First Lady, briefly discussing the international trips she took and the foreign diplomats she met.

It ends by saying she ‘looks forward to continuing her work on behalf of children and the issues she is passionate about’. 

An additional function on Trump’s new website allows members of the public to get in contact with the former president and his wife.

A ‘Share your thoughts’ section presents visitors on the website with an online form to fill out, which can be sent to either Donald or Melania, and says: ‘Donald J. Trump and Melania Trump enjoy hearing from the American people.’

This section allows people to send through their thoughts and opinions. 

The former president and his wife can also be booked to make an appearance at events, according to the website. 

When applying to book Donald and Melania, you are invited to fill out a number of boxes, including whether or not press will be present and how many guests will be attending the function.

A further website feature allows you to request a personal greeting from either the former president or the former first lady.

Six weeks notice is needed to allow time for the request to be processed and status updates will not be provided, the website says. 

It was not immediately clear when the website went live.

Trump retains significant influence over the Republican Party despite his loss in the 2020 election and has hinted at a possible presidential run in 2024.

In an interview with Fox News earlier this month, Jason Miller, a spokesman for Trump’s 2020 campaign, said Trump will launch his own social media platform in two to three months.

Miller said: ‘I do think that we’re going to see President Trump returning to social media in probably about two or three months here with his own platform – and this is something that I think will be the hottest ticket in social media.’  

He also said that Trump’s new social network would ‘completely redefine the game’. 

And earlier this week it was reported that the former president was in talks with a number of app vendors while he decides whether to partner with an existing platform to create his own social media network.

Trump's new website comes following reports that the former president was looking into the possibility of establishing his own social media platform

Trump’s new website comes following reports that the former president was looking into the possibility of establishing his own social media platform 

Trump and his digital advisor Dan Scavino are considering a number of relatively unknown platforms including FreeSpace, Axios reported, citing ‘sources familiar with the private discussions’.

A source told the news website: ‘It could be any of several companies, with more meetings this week.’

Trump was suspended from Twitter, Facebook and other social media sites after the January 6 attack on the Capitol.

Speaking on ‘The Ezra Klein Show,’ a podcast from The New York Times, Bernie Sanders said he feels ‘uncomfortable’ about Trump having been banned from the social media websites.

Sanders said: ‘Look, you have a former president in Trump, who is a racist, a sexist, a homophobe, a xenophobe, a pathological liar, an authoritarian, somebody who doesn’t believe in the rule of law. This is a bad news guy.

‘But if you’re asking me, do I feel particularly comfortable that the president, the then-president of the United States, could not express his views on Twitter? I don’t feel comfortable about it.’

Twitter declined to comment on Sanders’ remarks, Axios reported, but a company spokesperson pointed to the company’s January 8 statement explaining Trump’s ban was ‘due to the risk of further incitement of violence.’

‘In the context of horrific events this week, we made it clear on Wednesday that additional violations of the Twitter Rules would potentially result in this very course of action,’ the company said in its post.