List of All Articles with Tag 'america'

Nikki Alcaraz vanished without trace while on a roadtrip from her home in Tennessee to California with her boyfriend Tyler Stratton. Ms Alcaraz, 33, was last seen in the New Mexico town of Moriarty on 6 May. Authorities and her desperate family are appealing for information about her whereabouts. The missing person case has drawn comparisons to the Gabby Petito investigation after sheriff’s deputies in Torrance County pulled the couple over after receiving reports that Mr Stratton had assaulted Ms Alcaraz. The officers let them go without pressing criminal charges after Mr Stratton claimed he had also been hit. Here’s what we know about the case. The trip Nikki Alcaraz, a mother of two also known as Nikki Hernandez, left her home in Cheatham County, Tennessee, in her 2013 Jeep Wrangler with Tennessee plates in late April bound for Orange County, to visit family. Ms Alcaraz was travelling with her boyfriend Mr Stratton and a pet dog. On 4 May, sheriff’s deputies in Torrance County, New Mexico, pulled the couple over after receiving a report that he had struck Ms Alcaraz. Mr Stratton told authorities that he had also been hit, and both declined to press charges. Authorities have since released photos showing Ms Alcaraz with a black eye, cuts on her face and severe bruising on her arms after the alleged assault. “He beat her up pretty badly,” her brother Josh Alcaraz told Fox5. “A truck driver had to pull him off of her, call the police, the police picked him up, took him a couple exits down and dropped him off. She was diagnosed with a traumatic brain injury, and a broken hand or wrist.” Ms Alcaraz was taken to a Super 8 motel in the town of Moriarty. A friend travelled from California and stayed with her overnight at the motel. The plan was for the friend to take her back to California. On 6 May, Ms Alcaraz left the motel and told the friend she was going to try to find her boyfriend. This was the last time she has been seen alive, the woman’s family said. Her sister Toni Alcaraz told WKRN that she received a text on 8 May saying she was in Arizona, and planned to continue the trip to California. She hasn’t heard anything since then. Ms Alcaraz told the news site it was highly unusual not to hear from her for an extended period. Ms Alcaraz’s licence plate was picked up near Flagstaff, Arizona, on 9 May. But her phone has reportedly been switched off, and no further sightings have been reported. Missing person investigation Toni Alcaraz said she filed a missing persons report in New Mexico as that was where she was last seen. Josh Alcaraz said he feared that his sister’s vehicle might have broken down in the desert or come off the road. "We would like everybody to keep their eyes open, and if you see the Jeep, if you see him, if you see her, call somebody. Call the police," he told Fox5. Officials in Cheatham County, Tennessee, are working with law enforcement agencies in New Mexico and California to try to locate Ms Alcaraz. “Due to a history of domestic assault we believe she is in danger,” the Cheatham County Sheriff’s Office said in a Facebook post appealing for information. District Attorney General Ray Crouch told WKRN his office had requested a nationwide extradition for Mr Stratton, who is also missing. Mr Stratton is wanted on an unrelated arrest warrant for theft and begged for the public’s assistance. Family say they are holding onto the hope of finding Ms Alcaraz alive. “If you see the Jeep, if you see him, if you see her, call somebody,” Josh Alcaraz told Fox5. “Obviously, worst-case scenario is very present in the back of my mind. I’m trying to hold out hope.” Ms Alcaraz, who is also known as Nikki Cunningham, is 5’6” with brown eyes and black/brown hair. She also has several distinctive tattoos. Anyone with information about her whereabouts is asked to call police in Moriarty on 505-832-6060 or 505-834-2705. Mr Stratton’s family have reportedly not filed a missing person report, according to online reports. Gabby Petito comparisons The allegations of assault on a cross-country road trip have been drawing comparisons to the 2021 disappearance and murder of vlogger Gabby Petito. Petito set off from her home in New York in July that year with her boyfriend Brian Laundrie. The couple was pulled over in Utah by officers from the Moab Police Department on 12 August after receiving reports that Laundrie had struck Petito. They were allowed to continue separately after Laundrie claimed he had been hit by Petito. After a nationwide search and international media attention, Petito’s remains were found in the Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming in September. Laundrie later shot himself in the head and left a suicide note confessing to killing Petito. Petito’s family is suing the Moab Police Department for failing to follow the law and protect her during the traffic stop. An independent review of the domestic assault incident found the officers had made several mistakes, and should have been classified as a domestic assault. Petito’s family are also suing Laundrie’s parents Chris and Roberta for emotional distress. Read More Search for missing woman who vanished on cross-country roadtrip with her boyfriend sparks Gabby Petito comparisons Bombshell letter where Brian Laundrie’s mother vowed to ‘dispose of body’ is given to Gabby Petito’s parents Louisiana high school graduate who fell off boat in Bahamas is lost at sea as Coast Guard calls off search

President Joe Biden on Monday scoffed at the idea of granting his predecessor, former president Donald Trump, a pardon absolving him of any crimes he may have committed during or after his presidency. Mr Biden was asked if he’d consider a reprieve for Mr Trump as he departed the White House en route to his Delaware home on Monday, the day before the eighth anniversary of his late son Beau Biden’s death. Asked whether he’d heard that Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has said he’d pardon the disgraced ex-president — and if he’d consider doing so himself, the president flashed a smile and chuckled as he turned towards the South Lawn and his flight aboard Marine One. During his 2020 campaign for the presidency against Mr Trump, Mr Biden was asked if he’d commit to not following the example of the late Gerald Ford, who famously awarded his disgraced predecessor, Richard Nixon, “a full, free, and absolute pardon unto Richard Nixon for all offenses against the United States” committed between the start of his aborted second term and his August 1974 resignation, if the same issue might arise with Mr Trump. The question about pardoning his then-opponent came during a Covid-era virtual town hall hosted by MSNBC in May 2015. The then-former Vice President replied: “Absolutely, yes. I commit”. He added that the question of whether to prosecute Mr Trump was “hands-off completely” because, in his view, the attorney general of the United States is “the people’s lawyer” and not “the president’s lawyer”. Mr Trump has already been indicted by a New York grand jury on more than 30 counts of falsifying business records, but US presidents cannot grant any pardons or reprieves for crimes prosecuted by state or local prosecutors. The twice-impeached former president could face federal charges as a result of two investigations being supervised by a Department of Justice Special Counsel, Jack Smith. Mr Smith, a former war crimes prosecutor, was appointed in November by Attorney General Merrick Garland shortly after Mr Trump declared his candidacy in next year’s presidential election, He is currently overseeing an investigation into Mr Trump’s alleged unlawful retention of national defence information at his Palm Beach, Florida home, and his alleged obstruction of that investigation, and has reportedly wrapped up questioning of witnesses before a Washington DC grand jury. Mr Smith is also looking into the ex-president’s role in fomenting the January 6 attack on the US Capitol, which came as Mr Trump pushed to remain in office despite losing the 2020 election to Mr Biden. Read More Ron DeSantis says he will consider pardon for Trump if elected Biden says he congratulated Turkey’s Erdogan in phone call Biden invokes late son Beau’s memory as he pays tribute to fallen US soldiers UK condemns ‘appalling’ Ugandan anti-gay legislation Beau Biden: The story of Joe Biden’s late son Biden marks Memorial Day nearly 2 years after ending America's longest war, lauds troops' sacrifice

A wild shootout between a bus driver and passenger on a moving vehicle that left both injured was captured on security video. Officials in Charlotte, North Carolina, say that the shocking incident took place when a passenger got up while the bus was moving and asked to be dropped off between stops. The driver, David Fullard, told the passenger, identified as Omarri Shariff Tobias, he would have to wait until the next approved stop, according to the Charlotte Area Transit System. Transit bosses say that after a two-minute exchange between the pair, Mr Tobias pulled out a gun and pointed it at the driver. Mr Fullard then pulled out his own weapon and both men fired “in rapid succession”, although the company says it is unclear who fired first. The driver was struck in the arm, and the passenger was hit in the abdomen, says the transit system. Video of the event then shows the driver stopping the bus and firing from the aisle of the bus as the passenger crawled towards the back of the vehicle. Mr Tobias and another passenger got out of the bus by the rear exit, while the driver got out of the front door, firing his weapon again. Both Mr Fullard and Mr Tobias were taken to hospital in stable condition and are expected to recover, the transit system said. Mr Tobias was charged with assault with a deadly weapon inflicting serious injuries, communicating threats, and carrying a concealed firearm, the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department said in a statement. It is unclear if Mr Fullard will face criminal charges, but he was fired by his employer RATP Dev, which supplies bus drivers for the transit system. The system says its policy bans employees from possessing a firearm or weapon while on duty or on company property. Read More Man confesses to string of deadly Arizona shootings, blaming his hatred of drugs and homelessness Aderrien Murry called 911 to help his mom. A police officer shot the 11-year-old as he complied with commands ‘Malibu sniper’ convicted of murdering California dad shot dead in camping tent

Elizabeth Holmes is set to report to prison this week to begin her 11-year sentence for the blood-testing scam at the heart of her start-up, Theranos. Earlier in May, a federal appeals court rejected her bid to remain out of prison while she attempts to overturn her January 2022 conviction on four felony counts of fraud and conspiracy. Holmes had asked a federal judge to allow her to remain free through the Memorial Day weekend before surrendering to authorities on 30 May. A delay was granted to give Holmes time to sort out several issues, including child care for her one-year-old son William and three-month-old daughter Invicta. Holmes had originally been ordered to begin her prison sentence on 27 April. The father of both children is William “Billy” Evans, whom she met after breaking up with her former romantic and business partner, Ramesh “Sunny,” Balwani, who began serving a nearly 13-year prison sentence last month in Southern California. Balwani was convicted of 12 felony counts of fraud and conspiracy committed while he was Theranos' chief operating officer. Holmes is expected to be incarcerated in Bryan, Texas, about 100 miles (160 km) northwest of her hometown of Houston.

South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham has said that he considers the Russian government’s issuance of a warrant for his arrest to be high praise for his steadfast support for Ukraine. Moscow’s Interior Ministry issued the warrant for Mr Graham’s arrest after an edited video of his recent meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky showed him saying US military assistance for Kyiv was “the best money we’ve ever spent” because “Russians are dying”. The video, which was put out by Mr Zelensky’s office, sparked outrage in Russia. Kremlin spokesperson Dimitry Peskov criticised Mr Graham in remarks on Sunday in which he said it was “hard to imagine” a “greater shame” for the US than having a man like Mr Graham as a senator. But the South Carolina Republican appeared not to be bothered by either the warrant or the comments from Mr Peskov. Writing on Twitter on Monday, he wrote: “I will wear the arrest warrant issued by Putin’s corrupt and immoral government as a Badge of Honour”. Mr Graham is also on a list of more than 200 US representatives and senators who have been banned from entering Russia. He later added that “to know that [his] commitment to Ukraine has drawn the ire of Putin’s regime brings [him] immense joy” and said he would “continue to stand with and for Ukraine’s freedom until every Russian soldier is expelled from Ukrainian territory”. Read More Ukraine-Russia war news – live: Kyiv warns Putin of revenge attack after missile strikes Ukraine warns of revenge attacks after wave of Russian missile strikes on Kyiv Belarus has no immediate plans to adopt Russian currency, its strongman leader Lukashenko says

President Joe Biden on Monday said his grief for his late son Beau Biden gives him insight into pain felt by parents and family of deceased US service members, as he commemorated the nation’s honoured dead the day before the eighth anniversary of his son’s death from brain cancer. Speaking at Arlington National Cemetery just feet from the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, where unidentified servicemen from the Korean War and both the First and Second World War are guarded by US Army sentries, Mr Biden urged Americans to “never forget the price that was paid to protect our democracy” by “those who died so our nation might live”. He noted that each of the “flags, flowers, and marble markers” at Arlington represents “a mother, a father, a son a daughter, a sister, a spouse, a friend” and “an American” whose loss may still be grieved by loved ones, even many years later. “Every year we remember and every year it never gets easier,” he said. Addressing America’s Gold Star families — those who’ve lost a family member in military service — Mr Biden said he knows how painful Memorial Day can be for them each year because it “can reopen ... that black hole in the centre of your chest”. “You feel like you're just sinking ... bringing you back to that exact moment you heard that knock on the door or the telephone ring, the exact moment you had to tell your children that mom or dad would not be coming home,” he said. “The hurt is still real — it's still raw”. The president noted that tomorrow, 30 May, will mark eight years since Beau Biden — his late firstborn son who served as Delaware’s attorney general as well as a Judge Advocate in the National Guard — passed away from brain cancer. Mr Biden, who has often been criticised for suggesting that his son’s death stemmed from his service in Iraq despite the fact that Beau Biden’s time overseas saw him exposed to toxic burn pits which medical experts say can cause cancer, took care this time to say that his late son “did not perish on the battlefield”. While he told attendees at the Arlington ceremony that Beau’s death and those of soldiers who lost their lives in combat were “not the same,” he said the pain of his loss is still “particularly sharp” on Memorial Day each year. He also said his late son, who held the rank of Major in the Delaware Army National Guard, lived by the same code as “all those you lost lived by”. “It’s the creed that millions of service members have followed, from the fields of Yorktown, to the shores of Normandy, to the rice paddies of Khe Sanh, to the valleys of Kandahar”. “Throughout history these women and men laid down their lives. Not for a place or a person or a president, but for an idea unlike any other idea in all of human history — the idea of the United States of America,” he said. He said the “sanctuary” of Arlington “honours that sacrifice and tells their stories, and in turn tells our story, the American story ... a story of the patriots who died to deliver a nation where everyone is entitled to certain unalienable rights, among them, life, liberty, the pursuit of happiness”. “Each of them is a link in a chain of honour that stretches back to our founding fathers,” he added. Read More Diverse Republican presidential primary field sees an opening in 2024 with voters of color Biden, GOP reach debt-ceiling deal, now Congress must approve it to prevent calamitous default Why Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton's impeachment fight isn't finished yet Mechanical sails? Batteries? Shippers forming 'green corridors' to fast-track cleaner technologies Minnesota governor vetoes higher pay for Lyft, Uber drivers On 3rd anniversary of George Floyd's death, Biden stops GOP-led effort to block DC police reform law

Former Congresswoman Liz Cheney spoke about the political test she faced in the immediate aftermath of January 6 during her address to graduates of Colorado College this weekend. Ms Cheney, once a member of Republican leadership and now a pariah in her own party, spoke to graduates on Sunday. She graduated from the school with a degree in political science in 1988. The ex-lawmaker has left open the possibility of running for office again in the future after her defeat in Wyoming’s GOP primary to now-Congresswoman Harriet Hageman last year. She has even hinted that she may run for president in 2024, setting herself up for a potential debate-stage clash with former President Donald Trump himself. “After the 2020 election and the attack of January 6th, my fellow Republicans wanted me to lie. They wanted me to say the 2020 election was stolen, the attack of January 6th wasn’t a big deal, and Donald Trump wasn’t dangerous,” she told students and families in her address Sunday, according to the Associated Press. “I had to choose between lying and losing my position in House leadership.” The former congresswoman also referenced recent comments by an adviser to Mr Trump, Cleta Mitchell, who recently told a Republican National Committee gathering that the GOP should work to make it harder for college students to vote, given the demographic’s progressive bent. The comments, Ms Cheney said, were an example of the Trump movement’s continued threat to American democracy. “Cleta Mitchell, an election denier and adviser to former President Trump, told a gathering of Republicans recently that it is crucially important to make sure that college students don’t vote,” Ms Cheney said. “Those who are trying to unravel the foundations of our republic, who are threatening the rule of law and the sanctity of our elections, know they can’t succeed if you vote.” She would be a longshot contender for the GOP nomination, given the Republican primary electorate’s continued support for Mr Trump. There’s little reason to suggest that any Cheney 2024 bid would end differently than her 2022 bid for re-election, where her refusal to support Mr Trump’s continued lies and conspiracies about his loss to Joe Biden cost her a seat in Congress. But she remains an active player on the national stage, maintaining her political profile, as she and other anti-Trump Republicans like Maryland’s Larry Hogan and New Hampshire’s Chris Sununu bide their time and hunt for openings and opportunities in a party that by and large no longer resembles them. Though Ms Cheney’s defeat marked a pattern of Trump rivals losing their races in 2022, the former president’s work to purge the GOP of his enemies was not without its own setbacks; in two key races in Georgia, where Mr Trump and his legal team sought to overturn the valid results of the 2020 election, the former president saw two Republican who had opposed those efforts, Gov Brian Kemp and Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, re-elected against his endorsement. Read More Trump says DeSantis to blame for Disney becoming ‘woke’ and ‘disgusting’ Trump's welcome of Scott into 2024 race shows his calculus: The more GOP rivals, the better for him Texas GOP attorney general Ken Paxton impeached by Republican-controlled Statehouse Donald Trump Jr shares doctored Office clip showing Ron DeSantis wearing a woman’s suit Kimberly Guilfoyle threatens DeSantis: ‘You’re going to get hurt, and damaged – badly’ Biden marks Memorial Day nearly 2 years after ending America's longest war, lauds troops' sacrifice

A 20-year-old Arizona man who allegedly confessed to shooting four people dead and wounding a fifth person told police he carried out the killing spree due to a hatred of drugs and homelessness, court documents show. Iren Byers claimed responsibility for the shootings after he was taken into custody for trespassing near Main St and Extension Rd in Mesa, Phoenix, on Sunday, according to a statement from the Mesa Police Department. Mr Byers was cooperative and told police where they could find a 9mm handgun and clothing he had been wearing during the shootings, according to the release. Shell casings from each of the shootings in Mesa and Phoenix were linked to the 9mm pistol found in a fanny pack in his room at his grandmother’s apartment, police said. The first shooting occurred at around 2.45pm on Friday near 26th and Oak St, in east Phoenix. According to the documents obtained by The Independent, Mr Byers said he had been walking along a canal with with 41-year-old Nicholas Arnstad. Mr Byers told police he shot Arnstad in the head because he was smoking fentanyl, which had angered him because his brother had also abused the deadly opiate. Police found Arnstad’s body soon afterwards. Mesa police officers were called to Beverly Park at about 10.30pm on Friday night where they found the body of 41-year-old Julian Cox, according to the statement. Mr Byers later claimed he had shot Cox in the head after he started talking about using “blues”, which is a street name for fentanyl, according to the court papers. Mr Byers told investigators he then met Stephen Young, 41, at a Circle K and rode with him on light rail. Mr Byers claimed that he wanted to smoke marijuana, and that Young spoke about using fentanyl. He allegedly confessed to shooting Young in the head before taking off. Police found Young’s body near a Greyhound station on Country Club Rd at about midnight. Mr Byers told investigators he then met 40-year-old John Swain, who he said was homeless and not from the Phoenix area, while walking on nearby railroad tracks, according to the probable cause statement. He said he shot Swain once, and continued to shoot him as he fell down a hill, according to the court papers. Officers found his body near Extension Road and Main Street at about 1am on Saturday. Mr Byers then met his final victim, identified as 36-year-old Angela Fonseca, while walking on Main St. He claimed to have shot her in the face after getting angry at her. Ms Fonseca was found just after midnight, and was taken to hospital where she was underwent several surgeries. Doctors say she is expected to survive. Mr Byers was initially arrested on a trespassing charge, and was reportedly cooperative with police officers. He allegedly told investigators they could find the 9mm handgun and clothing at his grandmother’s house, police said. At least one shell casing from each crime scene matched the weapon, according to documents. Security footage also showed Mr Byers wearing clothes that matched the recovered items, the papers stated. Mr Byers has been booked into prison without bond on four counts of first-degree murder and one count of attempted first-degree murder. “Knowing that Iren Byers will have to face the consequences of his unjustified actions is the start of justice to be seen,” Mesa Police Detective Brandi George said in a statement. Read More Aderrien Murry called 911 to help his mom. A police officer shot the 11-year-old as he complied with commands Succession finale review: Kendall’s wretched past comes back to bite him in poetic, violent last episode Fight over photograph sparks New Mexico biker brawl that leaves three dead and six injured

Ron DeSantis is facing three new lawsuits after he signed a new law just hours before announcing his presidential campaign – legislation which makes it harder to vote in Florida. The bill allows Mr DeSantis to continue as governor in the Sunshine State as he campaigns for the White House, but it also restricts the use of mail-in ballots, attempts to make it easier to purge voting rolls, and places limits on third-party voter registration organisations, according to Mother Jones. Meanwhile, Mr DeSantis is facing fresh fire from his top 2024 rival Donald Trump. The ex-president took to Truth Social this weekend to claim that Mr DeSantis is responsible for entertainment giant Disney becoming “woke”. “Disney has become a Woke and Disgusting shadow of its former self, with people actually hating it. Must go back to what it once was, or the ‘market’ will do irreparable damage,” he wrote on Truth Social. “This all happened during the Governorship of ‘Rob’ DeSanctimonious. Instead of complaining now, for publicity reasons only, he should have stopped it long ago. Would have been easy to do - Still is!” Read More Donald Trump Jr shares doctored Office clip showing Ron DeSantis wearing a woman’s suit DeSantis accuses Trump of ‘moving to the left’ as he tells ex-president: ‘You’ve changed’ Trump's welcome of Scott into 2024 race shows his calculus: The more GOP rivals, the better for him Disney opposes DeSantis request to disqualify judge in free speech lawsuit

Donald Trump slammed Disney and his main rival in the 2024 GOP presidential primary, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, claiming that he’s responsible for the entertainment giant becoming “woke”. “Disney has become a Woke and Disgusting shadow of its former self, with people actually hating it. Must go back to what it once was, or the ‘market’ will do irreparable damage,” he wrote on Truth Social. “This all happened during the Governorship of ‘Rob’ DeSanctimonious. Instead of complaining now, for publicity reasons only, he should have stopped it long ago. Would have been easy to do - Still is!” Mr Trump also congratulated Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan after the leader claimed victory in Sunday’s runoff election. “Congratulations to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on his big and well deserved victory in Turkey. I know him well, he is a friend, and have learned firsthand how much he loves his Country and the great people of Turkey, which he has lifted to a new level of prominence and respect!” Mr Trump said. Meanwhile, Texas Republicans ignored the pleas from Mr Trump and impeached their own state Attorney General Ken Paxton on charges of corruption. Read More Trump says DeSantis to blame for Disney becoming ‘woke’ and ‘disgusting’ Trump's welcome of Scott into 2024 race shows his calculus: The more GOP rivals, the better for him Ron DeSantis news – live: DeSantis sued over ‘voter suppression’ measures as Trump takes lead in new poll

Ron DeSantis is facing three new lawsuits after he signed a new law just hours before announcing his presidential campaign – legislation which makes it harder to vote in Florida. The bill allows Mr DeSantis to continue as governor in the Sunshine State as he campaigns for the White House, but it also restricts the use of mail-in ballots, attempts to make it easier to purge voting rolls, and places limits on third-party voter registration organisations, according to Mother Jones. Meanwhile, Donald Trump is leading Mr DeSantis among Republicans in California, according to a new poll. The former president has the support of 44 per cent of Republicans in the state, while Mr DeSantis has 26 per cent, according to a poll by the UC Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies. Three months ago, Mr DeSantis led Mr Trump among likely GOP primary voters in the state by eight percentage points. Poll director Mark DiCamillo told the Los Angeles Times: “Trump dominates the news, and I think he enjoys that, and I think he gets the sense when he is dominating the news, he’s probably expanding his messaging to his base.” Read More Donald Trump Jr shares doctored Office clip showing Ron DeSantis wearing a woman’s suit DeSantis accuses Trump of ‘moving to the left’ as he tells ex-president: ‘You’ve changed’ Trump's welcome of Scott into 2024 race shows his calculus: The more GOP rivals, the better for him Disney opposes DeSantis request to disqualify judge in free speech lawsuit

Donald Trump has criticised Ron DeSantis for not taking on Disney sooner, suggesting his main rival for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination could have prevented the entertainment giant from becoming – in his words – “woke” and “disgusting”. Mr Trump lashed out at both Disney and Mr DeSantis on Sunday as the Florida governor remains locked in a feud with one of America’s best-loved brands, after it opposed his so-called “Don’t Say Gay” bill. “Disney has become a Woke and Disgusting shadow of its former self, with people actually hating it. Must go back to what it once was, or the ‘market’ will do irreparable damage,” Mr Trump said. “This all happened during the Governorship of “Rob” DeSanctimonious. Instead of complaining now, for publicity reasons only, he should have stopped it long ago. Would have been easy to do - Still is!” Disney’s row with the Florida governor began when it came under pressure from employees to take a stance against a new law that prohibits school teachers from discussing gender identity and sexuality in the classroom. In retaliation, Mr DeSantis signed legislation to take away Disney’s self-governing status and appointed a new board of supervisors. Before the new board came in, the company signed agreements with the old board made up of Disney supporters that stripped the new supervisors of design and construction authority. Later, the Republican-controlled Florida Legislature passed a law to allow the DeSantis-appointed board to repeal those agreements and the theme park resort’s monorail system subject to state inspection, something it had previously done in-house. It prompted Disney to file a lawsuit against the Florida governor and his appointed board last month. It claimed in the lawsuit that it was in violation of free speech and the contracts clause. In a tit-for-tat move, the DeSantis-appointed board earlier this month sued Disney in state court in Orlando seeking to void the deals the company made with the previous board. The row has seen Disney, which provides thousands of jobs, cancel its plans to build a $1bn project to create new campus in central Florida that would have involved relocating 2,000 employees from southern California to work in digital technology, finance and product development. “We have plans to invest $17 billion and create 13,000 jobs over the next 10 years. I hope we’re able to do so.” said Josh D’Amaro, Disney’s parks chief, who said he remained optimistic about the future of Disney. Disney employs an estimated 80,000 people in Florida and is often described as operating its own kingdom within the state. Earlier this month, Mr Trump’s campaign lashed out at Mr DeSantis for getting caught in the “mouse trap” and losing jobs from the state’s largest employer. “Ron DeSanctimonious gets caught in a mouse trap,” said a tweet from Trump’s campaign account. “The Culture Of Losing Continues,” referring to Mr DeSantis’ recent string of electoral defeats. “DeSanctus’ weakness leads to job losses and loss of $1B,” the tweet added. Read More DeSantis v Disney: Why Florida’s governor is at war with the Mouse What's on DeSantis' agenda? A look at the laws he passed as Florida governor, from abortion to guns Disney opposes DeSantis request to disqualify judge in free speech lawsuit Ivanka and Jared split over attending Trump 2024 launch – follow live Why was Donald Trump impeached twice during his first term? Four big lies Trump told during his 2024 presidential announcement