© Associated Press

The death toll from catastrophic wildfires that ripped across Maui has grown, with roughly 100 victims identified and more expected as recovery efforts continue.

“I will tell you this, as a physician, it is a harrowing sight in Maui,” Hawaii Gov. Josh Green (D) said in a weekend video message. “When those providers, the police and this division, do come across scenes in houses or businesses, it is very difficult for them because they know, ultimately, they will be sharing with our people that there have been more fatalities. I do expect the numbers to rise.”

The death toll was at 96 as of Monday, making it the deadliest wildfire in the U.S. in more than a century. Green said more than 2,700 structures have also been destroyed in Lahaina and “an estimated value of $5.6 billion has gone away.”

Officials said the “fire hurricane,” as it has been dubbed, was traveling a mile per minute — fueled by strong winds from Hurricane Dora.

“A fire hurricane, something new to us in this age of global warming, was the ultimate reason that so many people perished,” Green said. (The Hill)

• Hirono optimistic iconic Lahaina banyan tree will bloom again
• Hawaii lawmaker said sirens ‘likely did not go off’ as Maui wildfire raged
• Dwayne Johnson, Jason Momoa ‘heartbroken’ over fires, share how to help

It’s Monday, Aug. 14. I’m Elizabeth Crisp, filling in for Cate, with a quick recap of the morning and what’s coming up.

Did someone forward this newsletter to you? Sign up here. Send me your tips: ecrisp@digital-stage.thehill.com and follow me on Twitter @elizabethcrisp.

Former President Trump is lashing out against a possible indictment he faces in Georgia, arguing he did not try to tamper with the state’s election outcome in 2020.

“No, I didn’t tamper with the election! Those who rigged & stole the election were the ones doing the tampering, & they are the slime that should be prosecuted,” the former president wrote in all-caps in a post on Truth Social on Monday.

“Would someone please tell the Fulton County grand jury that I did not tamper with the election,” he said in another post.

Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis (D) is expected to present her case to a grand jury this week. She previously has said charging decisions from the case would be announced by Sept. 1. (More here from The Hill.)

Trump has already been indicted in three other cases, including federal charges related to the 2020 election and Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol and his handling of classified documents after he left the White House. He has pleaded not guilty to all charges.

The former president has also criticized the federal judge presiding over his 2020 election case in D.C., just days after she warned him against making any “inflammatory statements” that could intimidate witnesses or prejudice the jury pool.

In a statement posted overnight on Truth Social, Trump called U.S. District Court Judge Tanya Chutkan “highly partisan” and “very biased & unfair.” (The Hill)

Some Republicans are worried that if former President Trump doesn’t secure the GOP’s presidential nomination, or if he is kept off the ballot because of his legal issues, voter turnout could plummet next year. 

The Hill’s Alexander Bolton reports that GOP strategists say there’s growing concern that many of Trump’s core supporters “will take their ball and go home” if he’s not the nominee.

A Pew Research Center analysis of the 2022 midterm election published last month found that higher turnout among Trump voters last year was a key factor behind Republicans winning control of the House. (The Hill)

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’s allies are hoping he’ll have a standout performance in the first Republican presidential debate next week to get his struggling campaign back on track.

DeSantis recently underwent a campaign shakeup after he struggled to get a firm footing in the race. DeSantis generally has been polling in second, behind Trump.

“If you’ve got to do a campaign shakeup, this is the time to do it,” Dan Eberhart, a DeSantis donor, told The Hill. “The debate is really opening day for the presidential primary, in my opinion.” (The Hill)

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg says he does not think X owner Elon Musk is serious about a potential “cage fight” between the two tech billionaires.

“I think we can all agree Elon isn’t serious and it’s time to move on,” Zuckerberg wrote in a post on his Threads social media platform.

“If Elon ever gets serious about a real date and official event, he knows how to reach me. Otherwise, time to move on. I’m going to focus on competing with people who take the sport seriously,” Zuckerberg added.

Musk — who said in June that he would be “up for a cage match if [Zuckerberg] is” — responded on X, formerly called Twitter, this week by calling the Meta CEO a “chicken.” (The Hill)

Kentucky, Louisiana and Mississippi are the only states holding gubernatorial elections this year. The analysts over at AdImpact Politics have taken a look at how spending is shaping up by party. (Link)

The House and Senate are out this week. President Biden and Vice President Harris are in D.C. 

• 10:30 a.m.: President Biden left Rehoboth Beach, Del., to head back to the White House.

• 1 p.m.: Biden and Vice President Harris are scheduled to have a private lunch at the White House.

All times Eastern.

• 3 p.m.: Press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre briefs reporters. (Watch here)

Today is National Creamsicle Day! It’s summer, and that means it’s time to indulge in the best cool treats. Can it get any better than a creamsicle — the frozen tangy orange with the cream center?

And because you made it this far, check out this red panda just being hilarious and cute

Send comments, story ideas and events for our radar to ecrisp@digital-stage.thehill.com. A friend forward this to you? Subscribe here.

View past issues of 12:30 Report here and check out other newsletters from The Hill here. See you tomorrow!