Biden, Trump clinch nominations
The current and former president have each secured enough delegates for an election rematch
What happened
President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump secured enough delegates Tuesday to clinch the presidential nominations of their respective parties. Biden and Trump, running essentially unopposed since their final major challengers dropped out last week, easily won Tuesday's primary elections in Georgia, Washington and Mississippi.
Who said what
Bided said he was "honored that the broad coalition of voters representing the rich diversity of the Democratic Party" has entrusted him with leading "our party — and our country — in a moment when the threat Trump poses is greater than ever." Trump thanked supporters for the "great day of victory," but said "much more importantly, we have to get to work to beat Joe Biden."
The commentary
This is now officially the "first presidential election since 1956 that has featured a rematch," The Wall Street Journal said. Both presumptive nominees have "overcome doubts within their parties to arrive at this point, and some of those doubts still linger." Biden is "contending with questions about his age and abilities," the Journal said. Trump "needs to show he can appeal to the college-educated and suburban voters" while "also dealing with the 91 criminal charges he faces."
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
What next?
Trump "locked up the nomination before any of his four criminal cases" went to trial, The New York Times said. The first trial, on Trump's secret hush-money payments to a porn actress, is scheduled to start March 25.
-
Switzerland could vote to cap its populationUnder the Radar Swiss People’s Party proposes referendum on radical anti-immigration measure to limit residents to 10 million
-
Political cartoons for February 15Cartoons Sunday's political cartoons include political ventriloquism, Europe in the middle, and more
-
The broken water companies failing England and WalesExplainer With rising bills, deteriorating river health and a lack of investment, regulators face an uphill battle to stabilise the industry
-
Judge blocks Hegseth from punishing Kelly over videoSpeed Read Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth pushed for the senator to be demoted over a video in which he reminds military officials they should refuse illegal orders
-
Trump’s EPA kills legal basis for federal climate policySpeed Read The government’s authority to regulate several planet-warming pollutants has been repealed
-
House votes to end Trump’s Canada tariffsSpeed Read Six Republicans joined with Democrats to repeal the president’s tariffs
-
Bondi, Democrats clash over Epstein in hearingSpeed Read Attorney General Pam Bondi ignored survivors of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and demanded that Democrats apologize to Trump
-
El Paso airspace closure tied to FAA-Pentagon standoffSpeed Read The closure in the Texas border city stemmed from disagreements between the Federal Aviation Administration and Pentagon officials over drone-related tests
-
Judge blocks Trump suit for Michigan voter rollsSpeed Read A Trump-appointed federal judge rejected the administration’s demand for voters’ personal data
-
US to send 200 troops to Nigeria to train armySpeed Read Trump has accused the West African government of failing to protect Christians from terrorist attacks
-
Grand jury rejects charging 6 Democrats for ‘orders’ videoSpeed Read The jury refused to indict Democratic lawmakers for a video in which they urged military members to resist illegal orders
