Jun 21, 2020 - World

Nigel Farage attends Trump rally after exemption from U.S. travel ban

A photo of Nigel Farage he posted to Twitter before President Trump's rally, captioned "In the USA, only twenty four hours from Tulsa." Photo: Nigel Farage/Twitter

Nigel Farage, the U.K. Brexit Party leader, was photographed attending President Trump's campaign rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma, Saturday despite a ban on people from Britain entering the U.S. due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The big picture: A Department of Homeland Security spokesperson told the Independent Farage was initially denied boarding of his flight to the U.S., but he was permitted after a review because his visit was deemed to be "in the national interest" of the U.S. Trump and Farage are friends and the president said last year the Brexit Party leader should be negotiating with the European Union on the U.K. exit from Europe because he's "very smart." Farage did not respond to Axios' request for comment.

Flashback: Trump makes big pro-Brexit intervention to Nigel Farage in U.K. election

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Rebecca Falconer
Jun 22, 2020 - Politics & Policy

House chair demands Trump admin explain Nigel Farage's trip to U.S.

A photo of Nigel Farage he posted to Twitter before President Trump's rally on Saturday. Photo: Nigel Farage/Twitter

House Homeland Security Committee Chair Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.) wrote to the Trump administration Monday requesting information on British politician Nigel Farage's trip to the U.S. for President Trump's Oklahoma rally over the weekend.

Why it matters: The administration imposed a ban on most people traveling to the U.S. from countries including the U.K. during the coronavirus pandemic. Thompson said in his letter to Acting DHS Secretary Chad Wolf that the U.K. Brexit Party leader's visit "raises numerous troubling questions." He wants to know why the Department of Homeland Security deemed his trip in the "national interest."

Go deeper: Nigel Farage attends Trump rally after "national interest" exemption from U.S. travel ban

  • Axios has contacted the Trump administration and Farage's representatives for comment.
Orion Rummler
17 mins ago - Health

15 states broke single-day coronavirus records this week

Data: Compiled from state health departments by Axios; Map: Danielle Alberti/Axios

At least 15 states broke their single-day novel coronavirus infection records this week, according to state health department data reviewed by Axios.

The big picture: The number of coronavirus cases increased in the vast majority of states over the last week, and decreased in only two states plus the District of Columbia, Axios' Andrew Withershoop and Caitlin Owens report.

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Axios
Updated 35 mins ago - Politics & Policy

Coronavirus dashboard

Illustration: Aïda Amer/Axios

  1. Global: Total confirmed cases as of 3 p.m. ET: 11,143,945 — Total deaths: 527,681 — Total recoveries — 6,004,593 — Map.
  2. U.S.: Total confirmed cases as of 3 p.m. ET: 2,818,588 — Total deaths: 129,584 — Total recoveries: 883,561 — Total tested: 34,213,497 — Map.
  3. States: Photos of America's pandemic July 4 — ICU beds in Arizona's hot spot reach near capacity.
  4. Public health: U.S. coronavirus infections hit record highs for 3 straight days.
  5. Politics: Trump extends PPP application deadline — Kimberly Guilfoyle tests positive.
  6. World: Mexican leaders call for tighter border control as infections rise in U.S.
  7. Sports: 31 MLB players test positive as workouts resume.
  8. 1 📽 thing: Drive-in movie theaters are making a comeback.
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