Wednesday morning news: July 10, 2024

SOUND: [NATO ceremonial music]

KENT COVINGTON, NEWS ANCHOR: NATO general » A military band performing at the opening ceremony of the 2024 NATO Summit in Washington where member states are marking the 75th anniversary of the alliance.

STOLTENBERG: 75 years ago in this very room, NATO’s founding document, the Washington Treaty, was signed.

Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg told Western leaders …

STOLTENBERG: We can finally say that NATO is not only the most successful and the strongest, but also the longest lasting alliance in history.

President Biden followed Stoltenberg to the stage, emphasizing the importance of the alliance. He also paid tribute to the outgoing secretary general, who will step down in October.

BIDEN: Secretary, you have guided this alliance through one of the most consequential periods in its history. I am pleased to award you the highest civilian honor the United States can bestow, the presidential medal of freedom.

NATO Ukraine » Stoltenberg and Biden also talked about the importance of repelling Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. And Biden said NATO is taking further action …

BIDEN: Today, I am announcing the historic donation of air defense equipment for Ukraine. The United States, Germany, the Netherlands, Romania, and Italy will provide Ukraine with the equipment.

And Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy addressed conservatives last night at the Reagan Institute in Washington.

ZELENKSYY:  Together with America, the world is capable of doing the right, right things. And when we all act strong enough.

Stoltenberg and U.S. officials say they believe Ukraine has a future in the NATO alliance, though any membership would likely be years away.

Biden latest » As the president greeted allied leaders at the Washington Convention Center Democrats on Capitol Hill met privately to tackle an extraordinary question: Should they back the president or try to push him aside over concerns that he’s set to lose in November and pull other Democratic candidates down with him?

Number three Democrat, Congressman Pete Aguilar:

AGUILAR:  Our caucus meeting today was about listening to members. Uh, there was no instruction, uh, to get on the same page … 

Some members said after the meeting that Democrats remain deeply divided on the path forward.

White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said President Biden is pressing forward.

PIERRE: You're going to have some congressional members who feel differently. It is, that is, that is up to them, right? The president wants to continue, he's going to have those conversations.

One reporter pressed Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer for his stance:

REPORTER:  Are you confident that President Biden has what it takes to win in November and serve the next four years?

SCHUMER: As I've said before, I'm with Joe.

Trump campaigns » Meantime, Donald Trump campaigned in south Florida last night. He told supporters that the Democratic party is divided in chaos …

TRUMP: All because they can't decide which of their candidates is more unfit to be president: sleepy crooked Joe Biden or laughing Kamala …

Trump poked fun at the upheaval on the other side of the aisle after Biden’s troubling debate performance and he offered the president a quick rematch.

TRUMP: Let's do another debate this week so that sleepy Joe Biden can prove to everyone all over the world that he has what it takes to be president.

Biden and Trump already have a second debate scheduled to take place two months from today.

Texas Beryl aftermath » Utility crews are working overtime to get the lights and air conditioning back on in parts of east Texas amid oppressive heat after Hurricane Beryl knocked out power to millions, including this Houston resident:

RESIDENT: That’s a lot of people, and you have some that’s maybe my age. And I’m 85. Today is my birthday.

Officials are asking Texans in affected areas to check in on elderly neighbors.

Beryl made landfall early Monday as a Category 1 hurricane and has been blamed for at least seven U.S. deaths and 11 in the Caribbean.

Jerome Powell » Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell says an interest rate cut could be on the horizon. But he’s not making promises.

POWELL: We just need to see more good inflation data, that's all.

Powell’s comments came as he briefed Congress on Tuesday. Powell told lawmakers that the elevated interest rates are serving their purpose, helping to curb inflation.

POWELL: You know we had seven months of good inflation data at the end of last year, then we had a quarter, really a month or so where inflation went up. We just need to see more so confidence rises.

He pointed to a cooling job market as a trend that could push the Fed to cut interest rates in the near future. But he said the central bank is still being careful not to cut rates too soon.

The Fed’s inflation target is 2 percent. At the moment, it’s still stuck at over 3 percent.

I’m Kent Covington.

Straight ahead: pro-lifers are concerned about proposed changes to the RNC’s platform. Plus, a summer camp for adults with disabilities.

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