Trump wants to debate Biden ‘anywhere, anytime, anyplace’

NEWS AND OPINION:

Former President Donald Trump pines for debates with President Biden as Election Day approaches.

“The country is in such trouble. What are Biden’s plans? I would fully accept any debate, anywhere, anytime, anyplace,” Mr. Trump told Fox News Digital on Thursday.

Would Mr. Biden be willing to take part in such a showdown?

“Perhaps he will, perhaps he won’t. I really don’t care,” Mr. Trump said, adding that he was “totally committed” to such an encounter.

“I think it is important that we debate and the earlier the better, because people have to find out what is going on with America. We are no longer respected around the world. There are so many things that are happening,” Mr. Trump said.

“It’s not the same country that we had just four years ago,” he said.

This is a man who has generated a huge audience through a single debate.

In 2015, the Republican presidential-primary debate featuring Mr. Trump and moderated by then-anchorwoman Megyn Kelly drew a gargantuan audience of 24 million viewers, a feat covered by not just the politically attuned media but also by Variety, Deadline Hollywood, Entertainment Weekly and the Hollywood Reporter.

Ms. Kelly last interviewed Mr. Trump in September. The interview aired live on Sirius XM.

TRACKING THE ARRIVALS

While lawmakers, law enforcement, politicians and social workers tend to immigration challenges, the U.S. Census Bureau is tracking the trends.

“The number of foreign-born people in the United States rose by more than 5 million over 10 years to 45.3 million or 13.7% of the nation’s population, according to the 2018-2022 5-year American Community Survey (ACS) estimates,” a new report from the federal agency said.

“Immigrants made up over a fifth of the population in four states: California (26.5%), New Jersey (23.2%), New York (22.6%) and Florida (21.1%),” the report said.

“California, Florida, New Jersey and Texas had the largest increases, with Florida and Texas each gaining more than 850,000 foreign-born people. New Mexico was the only state whose foreign-born population decreased during that period,” it said.

“The foreign-born population consists of anyone living in the United States who was not a U.S. citizen at birth, including naturalized U.S. citizens, lawful permanent residents (immigrants), temporary migrants such as foreign students, humanitarian migrants such as refugees and asylees, and unauthorized migrants. Estimates in the data visualization exclude those born at sea,” the report stated.

ONE FOR THE VETERANS

Three Republican lawmakers have addressed a persistent annoyance for military veterans who wait and sometimes wrangle for their benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs to kick in.

The legislation, the Veterans Claims Quality Improvement Act, is meant to ensure that the VA Board of Veterans’ Appeals provides veterans and their families with legally accurate and fair decisions on their claims for benefits, and in a timely manner.

Rep. Elise Stefanik of New York co-led the effort with Rep. Morgan Luttrell of Texas — who is chairman of the Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs Subcommittee of the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee — and Rep. Gus Bilirakis of Florida.

“Bringing the concerns of our veterans and service members to the highest levels of government will always be one of my top priorities. I am proud to co-lead Chairman Luttrell’s legislation to ensure our veterans’ claims are processed and results are delivered with the urgency they deserve,” Ms. Stefanik said.

Mr. Luttrell said that “over the course of several hearings, I’ve heard time and again about the Veterans Affairs Board of Appeals failing to ensure quality decision-making on veterans’ claims.”

“The legislation I introduced this week would ensure that the Veteran Affairs Board of Appeals provides veterans and their families with legally accurate and fair decisions on their claims for VA benefits. I will continue to hold the VA’s feet to the fire and do everything in my power to course correct this ship,” he said.

Rep. Mike Bost of Illinois, chairman of the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, said that “veterans and their families have earned legally accurate and fair decisions on their claims for VA benefits. But right now, that’s not always the case. As a result, veterans are stuck in limbo waiting years on end for their earned disability compensation benefits.”

The legislation could implement a “robust quality assurance program,” he noted.

Mr. Bilirakis, meanwhile, cited “glaring performance problems” in the benefits and claims process.

“These errors unnecessarily delay our nation’s heroes from accessing the benefits they deserve and is a concern that has been raised by many of my constituents. Our bill is an important part of the solution, as it will strengthen quality assurance metrics and provide much needed accountability,” he said.

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POLL DU JOUR

• 62% of adults in 29 nations say their country is “off on the wrong track.”

• 38% say their country is “heading in the right direction.”

• 35% say inflation is a worry for their country.

• 30% say poverty and social inequality is a worry for their country.

• 30% cite unemployment.

• 26% cite financial or political corruption.

• 22% cite the availability of health care.

• 16% cite taxes, 16% cite immigration control.

SOURCE: An Ipsos survey of 23,761 adults in 29 countries conducted Feb. 23-March 8 and released March 25. The survey consists of 1,000 adults each in Australia, Belgium, Britain, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Spain, Sweden and the U.S.; and 500 adults each in Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Israel, Malaysia, Mexico, the Netherlands, Peru, Poland, Singapore, South Africa, South Korea, Thailand and Turkey.

• Follow Jennifer Harper on X @HarperBulletin, on Facebook @HarperUniverse.