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Trump’s Planned Legal Action & Ukraine’s Russia Attack | Afternoon Update | 8.12.24
I'm Georgia Howe with Daily Wire Editor-in-Chief John Bickley. It's Monday, August 12th, and this is your Morning Wire afternoon update. Former President Donald Trump is planning legal action against the federal government following the FBI's 2022 raid of his Mar-a-Lago estate. Daily Wire reporter Zach Jewell has more. Trump's legal team is reportedly preparing a $100 million lawsuit, claiming the raid was an attempt to disrupt his 2024 presidential campaign. They accuse the government of invading privacy, malicious prosecution, and abusive process. The raid led to the appointment of special counsel Jack Smith, who investigated Trump's handling of classified documents. Though a judge recently dismissed the case, Trump's lawyers argue the raid was politically motivated. The federal government now has six months to respond to Trump's claim. Elon Musk is set to interview Trump tonight on X, marking a significant collaboration in the 2024 presidential race. The unscripted conversation set for 8 p.m. Eastern will be streamed on X spaces. Musk says he's tested the platform's streaming capabilities ahead of the event to avoid technical issues, following the rocky launch of Ron DeSantis' campaign earlier this year. The former president also posted a video on X today, marking his first post in over a year. Here's a bit of that. On November 5, 2024, justice will be done, we will take back our country and we will make America great again. 26 anti-Israel protesters who blocked traffic on the Golden Gate Bridge in April are now facing charges. The California Highway Patrol says the protest blocked nearly 20,000 people from using the bridge for several hours. 8 of the protesters face felony conspiracy charges while others are charged with misdemeanors like trespassing an unlawful assembly. San Francisco's DA emphasized that while free speech is protected, it cannot compromise public safety. Two migrants have been charged in the knife point rape of a woman in Coney Island last night. Police say a 24-year-old illegal immigrant from Nicaragua allegedly assaulted the woman, while a second suspect, a 37-year-old Mexican migrant allegedly struck the woman's boyfriend when he tried to intervene. The rapist was previously charged with and pled guilty to a vicious rape at a migrant shelter in Brooklyn but was allowed to remain in the U.S. The victim is said to be in stable condition at Coney Island Hospital. Western powers have issued a stern warning to Iran and its allies to avoid actions that could escalate tensions in the Middle East. Daily Wire reporter Tim Pierce has the details. France, Germany and the U.K. called for immediate de-escalation amid concerns of potential Iranian retaliation against Israel after the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniah. Lebanon is also on high alert after Hezbollah launched rockets into northern Israel. Meanwhile, the Islamic State is reportedly regrouping in Syria, raising further concerns in the region. Here's State Department spokesman Vadant Patel on the U.S. response. "We are committed to helping Israel defend itself, and we have put robust military capabilities in the region to do just that. But at the same time, we continue to work diplomatically to prevent any major escalation of this conflict. Those are our goals." Ukraine has announced what is believed to be the largest incursion into Russian territory since World War II. Daily Wire reporter Amanda Prestajakamo has the latest. "A top military commander from the war-torn country says that Ukrainian forces now control 1,000 square kilometers of Russia's Kursk region. Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin has downplayed the attack, suggesting it's an attempt by Kyiv to gain leverage in future peace talks. The incursion has caused over 100,000 civilians to flee. The reported seizure of Russian territory comes as rumors begin to circulate that Iran plans to supply Russia with hundreds of ballistic missiles. That's something the State Department says will continue to monitor with their European partners." "As we and our partners have made clear both at the G7 and at the NATO summit this summer, together we are prepared to deliver a swift and severe response if Iran were to move forward with the transfer of ballistic missiles, which would, in our view, represent a dramatic escalation in Iran's support for Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine." And the area around the Eiffel Tower was evacuated Sunday afternoon when onlookers saw a shirtless man climbing the famous structure. "As a dude climbing the Eiffel Tower, he just passed a blue ring. That's crazy." He reached as high as the second section and was spotted just above the first viewing deck. An individual is detained by police and an investigation is ongoing. Those are your drive home updates this afternoon. To learn more about these stories, go to DailyWire.com and for more in-depth discussion of the biggest stories of the day, listen to the latest full episode of Morning Wire Every Morning. (upbeat music)