Georgia votes for successor to Marjorie Taylor Greene after Trump spat – US politics live

Trump’s pick of former prosecutor Clay Fuller likely to face Democrat and retired general Shawn Harris in runoff for House seatSign up for the Breaking News US email to get newsletter alerts in your inboxHello and welcome to the US politics blog.Georgia voters are heading to the polls to choose a successor in Congress to Marjorie Taylor Greene.As oil prices surged amid the widening war with Iran, Donald Trump said that the conflict could be over “very soon” while threatening even more aggressive action if Tehran moved to cut off global energy supplies. During back-to-back appearances in Florida, Trump said the US had taken a “little excursion” to the Middle East “to get rid of some evil” but suggested the war, now in its second week, was ahead of schedule and near completion. More here.Trump renewed his push for the Save America Act, a curtailment of voting access, after threatening on Sunday not to sign any bills until Congress approves the legislation. “All voters must show proof of citizenship in order to vote,” Trump said during remarks on Monday at a Republican event in Miami. “No mail-in ballots, except for illness, disability, military or travel.” More here.Pete Hegseth, the US defense secretary, has said “there will be more casualties” in the US military from the Trump administration’s war in Iran after officials confirmed on Sunday that the number of US service members killed had climbed to seven. He portrayed Trump’s decision for the US to join Israeli attacks on the Middle East country as essential “to advance American interests, and protect American lives”. More here.A golf club company backed by the sons of Trump is merging with drone manufacturer Powerus in a deal designed to take the drone technology company public. The merger with Aureus Greenway Holdings is the latest in Eric and Donald Trump Jr’s growing investments in the drone sector, following last month’s $1.5bn tie-up between Israeli drone maker XTEND and Florida-based JFB Construction Holdings. More here.Claudia Sheinbaum has responded to Trump’s description of Mexico as the “epicenter of violence,” by calling on the US government to step up efforts to combat gun trafficking. “There is something that the US can help us a lot with: stop the trafficking of illegal weapons from the US to Mexico,” the president of Mexico said. “If they stopped the entry of illegal weapons from the United States into Mexico, then these groups wouldn’t have access to this type of high-powered weaponry to carry out their criminal activities.” More here. Continue reading...