Trump ‘too unhealthy’ for 2024 run as lawyers say Giuliani treated like ‘terrorist’ – follow live

Joe Biden has expressed support for a ceasefire between Israel and Gaza’s militant Hamas rulers in a call to the Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu.

However, Mr Biden stopped short of demanding an immediate stop to the eight days of Israeli air strikes and Hamas rocket barrages that have killed more than 200 people, most of them Palestinian.

Mr Biden‘s carefully worded statement came with the administration under pressure to respond more forcefully despite its determination to move the US foreign policy focus away from Middle East conflicts.

His comments on a ceasefire were open-ended, and similar to previous administration statements of support in principle for a ceasefire. That is in contrast to demands from dozens of Democratic politicians and others for an immediate halt by both sides.

The US leader “encouraged Israel to make every effort to ensure the protection of innocent civilians”, the White House said in a statement about the call.

An administration official familiar with the call said the decision to express support and not explicitly demand a ceasefire was intentional.

While Mr Biden and top aides are concerned about the mounting bloodshed and loss of innocent life, the decision not to demand an immediate halt to hostilities reflects White House determination to support Israel’s right to defend itself from Hamas, the official said.

Rudy Giuliani has complained he is being treated like the head of a drug cartel head amid reports that Donald Trump has abandoned him.

Lawyers for Mr Giuliani have condemned prosecutors for the 28 April raid by FBI agents on his New York home and criticised them for gaining electronic access to his accounts.

The former Mayor of New York’s legal team made the strong criticism in a letter filed on Monday on his behalf.

Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden have reported a drop in income as they filed their tax returns for 2020 – marking a return to the normal practice of releasing such information by modern US presidents that was ditched by Donald Trump.

The Bidens reported income of $607,336 in 2020 (£427,000), down from $985,223 in 2019 due to the lack of book sales and paid speeches during the election campaign, according to documents released by the White House.

During the 2020 presidential race, Biden‘s campaign said he and his wife made $11m in 2017 and $4.6m in 2018.

Influential evangelical leader and Donald Trump supporter Franklin Graham has suggested that the former president could be too out of shape to run for election again.

In 2019, Mr Trump’s physical official declared him clinically obese at 243lbs.

Mr Graham, head of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association and one of the former president’s earliest backers, told Axios on HBO: “I think for him, everything will depend on his health at that time. If he still has energy and strength like he does. I don’t.”

He added: “The guy does not eat well, you know, and it’s amazing the energy that he has.”