Bob Menendez says money found in police search was for personal use – as it happened

9.00pm BST

Closing summary

In a defiant speech to reporters, New Jersey’s Democratic senator Robert Menendez rejected charges brought against him by federal prosecutors, who claimed he illegally used his position to help the Egyptian government in exchange for bribes. Menendez made clear he would not step down, but remained vague about whether he’d run for re-election, while saying the cash investigators turned up at his house was merely for emergencies. Joe Biden’s spokeswoman, meanwhile, declined to say if the president believes the senator should resign, but an increasing number of Democratic lawmakers think he should.

Here’s what else happened today:

• Donald Trump teased buying a Glock pistol while campaigning in South Carolina, which may have violated federal law. He ultimately did not go through with the purchase.

• The president welcomed the leaders of Pacific island nations to the White House, in a bid to build alliances against China’s influence.

• John Fetterman, the first senator to call for Menendez to resign, gave back money the New Jersey lawmaker donated to his campaign.

• Biden cheered a tentative agreement to end the Hollywood writers’ strike, ahead of his visit planned for tomorrow to a United Auto Workers picket line in Michigan.

• Trump will skip Wednesday’s debate of Republican presidential candidates to make his own visit to striking autoworkers in Michigan.

8.54pm BST

During a campaign speech in South Carolina, Donald Trump attempted to shout out the state’s Republican senator Lindsey Graham, only to find his name attracted boos:

Donald Trump rejects the crowd at his South Carolina speech for booing when he thanks Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC):

“Oh, no, no, no. He helps me on the left. We need help sometimes. Republicans shouldn’t need help on the left, but he helps me.” pic.twitter.com/rQJnsLbCYi

— The Recount (@therecount) September 25, 2023

It’s unclear what the boos were about. Graham is one of the more well-known conservatives in the Senate, though he has broken with some in the Trump wing of the party with his steadfast support for continued American aide to Ukraine.

Updated at 9.11pm BST