Trump returns to world stage as he joins Zelensky and Prince William at Notre Dame reopening: Live

Donald Trump claims support for Pete Hegseth, his nominee for secretary of defense, is “strong and deep” blaming the “fake news” for the backlash against the former Fox News host.

JD Vance echoed his comments on X and during a visit to North Carolina, when asked about rumors that Senator Joni Ernst was being floated as an alternative nominee.

Hegseth spent another day on Capitol Hill on Thursday trying to drum up support for his confirmation as allegations concerning sexual harassment and alcohol continue to dog him on top of concerns about his views on women in combat.

Meanwhile, President Joe Biden, who granted clemency to his son Hunter last week, is said to be mulling preemptive pardons for US officials perceived to be at risk ahead of Trump’s return to the White House. The president-elect has previously vowed to take revenge against critics.

Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Biden was reviewing further pardons and commutations over the holiday period as outgoing presidents traditionally do.

And Melania Trump said she’s “very proud” of her son Barron Trump for helping his father court the “bro vote” of young male voters via appearances on select podcasts.

Key Points

• Pete Hegseth: Trump not giving up on ‘fantastic, high energy’ nominee as he blasts ‘fake news’

• Melania ‘very proud’ of Barron’s role in Trump campaign in Fox & Friends interview

• Will Biden issue blanket pardons for Trump targets?

• Trump aides suggest Iowa Senator may try to sink Hegseth nomination so she can be Sec Def

• Watch: Vance reaffirms suport for Hegseth

• Hegseth’s lawyer threatens extortion lawsuit against sexual assault accuser

Olivia Troye’s lawyer invoked Monty Python in response to Kash Patel’s threat of defamation suit

Friday 6 December 2024 22:48 , Oliver O’Connell

CBS says Trump law suit an attempt to ‘police editorial decisions’

Friday 6 December 2024 22:42 , Oliver O’Connell

CBS has filed a supplemental argument asking why Donald Trump’s lawsuit against the network over the Kamala Harris 60 Minutes episode was filed in Texas.

In another filing, they argue that Trump’s attempt to claim CBS violated the state’s consumer protection laws is an attempt to “police editorial decisions made by news organizations with which one disagrees.”

“Under President Trump’s interpretation, the [law] would become a weapon for any candidate to challenge media coverage they did not like,” attorneys wrote.

Trump’s allegations that the 60 Minutes segment was deceptively edited and cost his campaign “to the tune of several billion dollars is not only far too speculative and inherently improbable to warrant standing, it is also irrelevant.”

He brought the lawsuit “in his individual capacity, not on behalf of his campaign,” attorneys note.

And even if he didn’t, his claims are moot, they said: He won the election.

Here’s more from Alex Woodward on the lawsuit filed by then-candidate Trump against the network:

Trump files $10 billion lawsuit against CBS News over Kamala Harris interview

Will Biden issue blanket pardons for Trump targets?

Friday 6 December 2024 22:35 , Oliver O’Connell

Less than a week after President Joe Biden issued a sweeping pardon for his only surviving son — despite denying for months that he would do so — the White House appears to be leaving him room to maneuver on another, similar issue. The question of whether Biden might grant unprecedented preemptive pardons to a range of public figures who might find themselves in the crosshairs of Donald Trump’s second administration remains unanswered.

White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre on Friday repeatedly refused to say whether Biden is even considering such a test of the president’s pardon power, which could theoretically be invoked to prevent the next administration from investigating or bringing charges against people known to be antagonists of the incoming president.

Andrew Feinberg reports from Washington, DC.

Will Biden issue blanket pardons for Trump targets? White House won’t rule it out

Reality TV personalities and tourist photoshoots: Outside Mar-a-Lago with Trump’s new fan club

Friday 6 December 2024 22:15 , Oliver O’Connell

Eric Garcia reports from Palm Beach, Florida:

On the Southern Boulevard bridge next to President-elect Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate in West Palm Beach, there is a parked car festooned with Trump flags. Jestin Nevarez — who blasts out a rap version of Bruce Springsteen’s “Born in the USA” titled “Trump Saved the USA” on repeat — is the owner.

“I come out here and show support,” he told The Independent. “And right now, Mar-a-Lago is a tourist attraction. So when people drive by, they see the flags, they hear the music, they stop in and they have a good time.”

People do indeed stop to take photos of Nevarez’s car and snap photos of the once and future president’s estate.

Palm Beach has changed in the years since Trump first became president.

Continue reading…

Outside Mar-a-Lago with Trump’s strange new fan club

Jon Stewart rips media for scaring Americans about second Trump presidency

Friday 6 December 2024 21:55 , Oliver O’Connell

Jon Stewart decried the media’s panicked coverage of President-elect Donald Trump’s upcoming second term, saying that it’s not helpful to get the public “s***ting our pants this early.”

Before interviewing Vermont senator Bernie Sanders on his latest Weekly Show podcast episode, the Comedy Central comedian, 62, opened the hour acknowledging that America is currently in a “transitional period where we are not sure about whether the ground we are standing on is solid.”

Inga Parkel has the story.

Jon Stewart rips into the media for scaring Americans about another Trump presidency

Biden is considering ‘preemptive pardons’ — what are they?

Friday 6 December 2024 21:35 , Oliver O’Connell

Outgoing President Joe Biden and his White House team are considering issuing preemptive pardons to protect those they believe may be targeted for retribution by President-elect Donald Trump.

The move is mostly being discussed among White House attorneys, but the president has also spoken about the possible measure with some of his aides, two sources have said, according to the Asocciated Press.

A decision has yet to be made on the issue and Biden may still choose not to issue any preemptive pardons.

Pardons are usually issued to those who have been accused of a specific crime and those who have already been convicted. But Biden’s White House is looking at is the possibility of issuing pardons to people who haven’t been investigated or charged with anything.

Gustaf Kilander explains.

What are preemptive pardons? Reports Biden considering granting them to Trump enemies

CBS files motion to dismiss Trump’s $10bn lawsuit over Kamala Harris ‘60 Minutes’ episode

Friday 6 December 2024 21:26 , Oliver O’Connell

CBS has filed its motion to dismiss Donald Trump’s $10 billion lawsuit against the network over the episode of 60 Minutes in which Kamala Harris was interviewed ahead of the election.

Network lawyers say the suit it was wrongly filed in Amarillo, Texas — believed to be because Trump would get the case in front of Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk, whom he nominated.

They argue: “If this district has personal jurisdiction on the facts alleged, so too does every district court in the country. That is not the law.”

Read the motion here.

Here’s more on the lawsuit from Alex Woodward:

Trump files $10 billion lawsuit against CBS News over Kamala Harris interview

After promising to help ‘everyday Americans’, Trump adds more billionaires to his administration

Friday 6 December 2024 21:15 , Oliver O’Connell

Donald Trump’s campaign pledged to be a champion for the working class. He ran campaign ads vowing to lift up the “hardest working citizens.” The Republican National Convention even put the spotlight on “everyday Americans.”

But his incoming administration reflects a government run by billionaires, stuffed with Wall Street fixtures, investment bankers, real estate developers and oil executives, all within reach of power to slash services that millions of poor and vulnerable Americans depend on.

Alex Woodward reports.

Trump adds more billionaires to his team after promising to help ‘everyday Americans’

Report: Trump aides suggest Iowa Senator may try to sink Hegseth nomination so she can be Sec Def

Friday 6 December 2024 20:56 , Oliver O’Connell

Donald Trump’s aides have suggested that Iowa Senator Joni Ernst may be trying to sink the nomination of Pete Hegseth as defense secretary so that she can get the job instead.

Ernst, a combat veteran and sexual assault survivor, has so far refused to publicly back Hegseth’s selection by Trump amid a string of controversies surrounding the Fox News host.

Ariana Baio reports.

Trump aides suggest Joni Ernst is purposefully trying to sink Hegseth nomination

COMMENT: Biden’s legacy is to usher in a new era of American corruption

Friday 6 December 2024 20:35 , Oliver O’Connell

Jon Sopel writes:

American politicians like to talk about why their country is different from all others, with the clear implication that it is better. And when they talk about the idea of American exceptionalism, they tend to use a biblical phrase – first used by one of the Puritans who came over on the Mayflower – that America is “the shining city on a hill”.

It’s a metaphorical allusion, but in Washington, DC, it is – sort of – literal. The top of Capitol Hill does indeed shine with the magnificent, gleaming marble and white stone of the Congress. And just across the road the equally imposing Supreme Court, itself a neoclassical masterpiece: the pinnacle of the justice system in the United States.

But has the rule of law in America ever looked so battered and tattered? Shining city? You’re having a laugh.

Continue reading…

Biden has handed Trump a get-out-jail-free card – he will be delighted

Watch: Vance reaffirms suport for Hegseth

Friday 6 December 2024 20:29 , Oliver O’Connell

Full story: AOC launches bid for top spot on Oversight committee

Friday 6 December 2024 20:15 , Oliver O’Connell

A high-profile Democrat who rose to power during Donald Trump’s first term wants to begin his second as the ranking minority member of the powerful House Oversight Committee, continuing a generational shift among House Democrats in the wake of Trump’s 2024 election victory.

In a letter to the House Democratic Caucus, New York Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez said she is asking for their support to lead their party’s side of the committee, which is the lower chamber’s principal investigatory arm with the power to look into “any matter,” even those under the jurisdiction of other standing committees.

Andrew Feinberg reports.

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez launches bid for top spot on Oversight committee

With Elon Musk’s help, Mike Johnson wants to slash 75% of federal agencies

Friday 6 December 2024 19:55 , Oliver O’Connell

House Speaker Mike Johnson intends to cut 75 percent of all federal agencies with the help of Elon Musk’s outside commission known as the Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE.

“We certainly hope” to slash the number of federal agencies from 428 to 99, as Musk has vowed, Johnson said in response to a question from Fox News host Martha McCallum in an interview Wednesday night. “We want to be willing partners in that,” he added.

Gustaf Kilander reports.

Mike Johnson aiming to ax 75 percent of federal agencies

Karine Jean-Pierre says Hunter Biden pardon not easy decision for president, circumstances changed

Friday 6 December 2024 19:45 , Oliver O’Connell

White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre was inevitably asked about President Joe Biden’s decision to pardon his son Hunter: “I know what I said. I know what the president said. That is where we were at the time. That is where the president was at the time… He wrestled with it and made his decision… Circumstances have changed.”

She added: “This was not easy for the president. It wasn’t, it wasn’t. Because you all read the statements we made over the summer.”

“He laid out his thought process. He talked about the underlying facts of the case…. I don’t have anything beyond that.”

Biden to deliver speech on economic record

Friday 6 December 2024 19:41 , Oliver O’Connell

At White House briefing. Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre remarked on today’s positive jobs report, showing 227,000 jobs were added in November: “​On Tuesday the president will deliver a speech in DC on his economic record and legacy… Trump will inherit an economy primed for growth.”

MAGA influencers were offered thousands of dollars to push Trump ally for cabinet role…

Friday 6 December 2024 19:40 , Oliver O’Connell

…it did not pay off, as Justin Barangoa reports.

MAGA influencers were offered five figures to promote Ric Grenell’s bid for SoS

Biden reviewing other pardons and commutations

Friday 6 December 2024 19:34 , Oliver O’Connell

“I’m not going to get ahead of the president. But what I can say is that the president is reviewing other pardons and commutations,” White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre says at today’s briefing when asked whether President Joe Biden is considering preemptive pardons for potential targets of the incoming Trump administration.

Vance in North Carolina (continued…)

Friday 6 December 2024 19:25 , Oliver O’Connell

AP VoteCast, an extensive survey of the electorate, found that 26% of North Carolina voters said the hurricane affected their lives by damaging their homes, causing extended power outages or interfering with their ability to cast a ballot. Trump won 53% of those voters.

Vance has largely stayed out of the public eye since the election aside from shepherding Trump’s Cabinet nominees around Capitol Hill.

State lawmakers have already allocated more than $900 million in disaster relief, but North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper has sought at least $3.9 billion. The Democratic governor and other state leaders have now asked the federal government for $25 billion in aid.

Hundreds of miles of roads have been reopened and water systems are back online, but the work has been slow-going. More than 100,000 western North Carolina residents were told just two weeks ago that they could once again use water coming out of Asheville’s water system to bathe and to drink from the faucet. A destroyed water system in at least one isolated county could take years to rebuild.

Many Republicans and residents were critical of the initial recovery operations by the federal government and Cooper’s administration. Housing for displaced residents for the winter has become a concern, and some allies of Cooper have blamed GOP lawmakers for failing to provide grants to small businesses at risk of failing and housing renters faced with eviction.

Vance tours western North Carolina to survey damage from Hurricane Helene

Friday 6 December 2024 19:22 , Oliver O’Connell

Vice President-elect JD Vance on Friday surveyed damage from Hurricane Helene and talked to first responders in western North Carolina in one of his first public appearances since the November election.

The hurricane struck in late September and caused at least $53 billion in damage in North Carolina, according to a state government estimate. More than 100 North Carolina residents died from the storm, which the state estimates damaged over 120,000 homes, at least 6,000 miles (9,700 kilometers) of roads and over 160 sewer and water systems.

The incoming vice president and his wife, Usha, visited the Fairview Volunteer Fire Department, where he learned that the building flooded with 4 to 6 inches of water and that roughly a dozen people got walking pneumonia as they responded to the hurricane’s destruction. Power outages meant that some first responders could not talk with their own families for several days.

“At the height of it, I imagine y’all were working nonstop,” Vance said as he listened to a presentation.

By going to the Asheville area, Vance ventured into Democratic territory. More than 60% of voters in Buncombe County backed Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic nominee, in November’s presidential election. Liberal-leaning Asheville is known for its vibrant arts scene and the Biltmore Estate tourist attraction. The city’s arts district faced substantial damage from Helene.

But the majority of North Carolina voters supported President-elect Donald Trump, and he generally fared better among voters hurt by Hurricane Helene. The Republican gave a blistering critique of the Biden administration’s relief efforts, which President Joe Biden characterized as “unAmerican” misinformation.

Continued…

Could Kash Patel’s history of bizarre conspiracy theories kill his confirmation chances?

Friday 6 December 2024 19:15 , Oliver O’Connell

Kash Patel, President-elect Donald Trump’s pick to serve as FBI director, has pushed a litany of wild conspiracy theories, complicating his aspirations to run the agency.

Gustaf Kilander takes a look at what Patel has said in the past.

Kash Patel’s conspiracy theories haunt quest to become FBI director

Fox News colleagues jump on bandwagon for Hegseth nomination

Friday 6 December 2024 18:55 , Oliver O’Connell

Amid a slew of damning allegations about Pete Hegseth’s excessive drinking and sexual impropriety, Hegseth’s friends at Fox News are publicly pushing back on the claims while urging Republicans to push through the ex-Fox & Friends host’s nomination for defense secretary.

The full-court press by Hegseth’s former Fox colleagues comes as the 44-year-old is pulling out all the stops in hopes of saving his bid, including having his mother show up at his old haunt to denounce her past claims of Hegseth’s abusive treatment of women while pleading with President-elect Donald Trump to stick by her son.

At the same time, Fox News staffers and insiders who spoke with The Independent wonder if Hegseth’s recent media blitz and the rallying of the Fox News troops is just as much about helping set the stage for a potential return to the conservative cable giant as it is in terms of getting him over the finish line at the Pentagon.

Justin Barangoa reports.

Fox News colleagues rally to back Pete Hegseth amid drinking allegations

Trump wants ‘a say’ in the Federal Reserve. Many Republicans don’t think he should

Friday 6 December 2024 18:41 , Oliver O’Connell

Even fellow Republicans aren’t convinced by Donald Trump’s ideas about how the Federal Reserve should operate.

During his first term, and on the campaign trail, Trump has made it clear he wants some control over the Federal Reserve, the U.S.’s central banking system made entirely independent from the politics that control most of the government.

Economists have warned it’s a bad idea and even members of the GOP have raised concerns, albeit quietly.

Ariana Baio reports.

Trump wants ‘a say’ in the Federal Reserve. Many Republicans do not agree

Pete Hegseth: Trump’s not giving up on ‘fantastic, high energy’ nominee as he blasts ‘fake news’

Friday 6 December 2024 18:23 , Oliver O’Connell

Allegations of sexual assault, excessive drinking, and cheating have plagued Pete Hegseth for weeks, but Donald Trump vowed Friday he is sticking by his pick for defense secretary.

Amid the salacious claims, the president-elect reaffirmed his belief in Hegseth in a Truth Social post — and blasted the “fake news” for spreading such allegations.

Kelly Rissman reports.

Trump’s not giving up on ‘fantastic’ Pete Hegseth as he blasts ‘fake news’

Melania Trump says heading to the White House for the second term is much different than the first

Friday 6 December 2024 18:15 , Oliver O’Connell

Soon-to-be first lady Melania Trump said Friday that preparing to enter the White House for the second time looks a lot different from the first go-around. Now, she and her husband know what to expect.

“You know what you need to establish, you know what kind of people you need to hire for your office,” she said on “Fox & Friends” in a rare television appearance, where she showed off holiday ornaments she’s selling and her memoir as Christmas approaches.

She said the pace has been fast, as Donald Trump works to build his administration: “It’s incredible and we are very, very busy.” She’s packing up so “we can start on Day 1.”

Continue reading…

Melania Trump says heading to the White House for the second term is much different than the first

Marjorie Taylor Greene loudly booed as she speaks out against trans rights

Friday 6 December 2024 17:55 , Oliver O’Connell

Republican Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene was loudly booed while slamming health care for trans children outside the Supreme Court.

Greene went on the attack Wednesday at the court as it was hearing arguments in U.S. v. Skrmetti, a case involving a challenge to Tennessee’s ban on gender-affirming care for minors.

Gustaf Kilander reports from Washington, DC.

Marjorie Taylor Greene booed as she speaks out against trans rights at Supreme Court

Appeals court backs law that could ban TikTok in US, setting up likely Supreme Court showdown

Friday 6 December 2024 17:35 , Oliver O’Connell

A federal appeals court upheld a law that could lead to a ban on TikTok in a few short months, handing a resounding defeat to the popular social media platform as it fights for survival in the U.S.

That could lead to a potential showdown between the government and the app in the Supreme Court – and President-elect Donald Trump would likely have to pick a side after giving conflicting statements about a ban during his political career.

Continue reading…

SCOTUS showdown likely after appeals court backs law that could ban TikTok in U.S.

Melania admits that she doesn’t dance like Trump as she hawks ornaments and jewelry on Fox & Friends

Friday 6 December 2024 17:15 , Oliver O’Connell

In her first television interview since her husband Donald Trump won the presidential election, incoming First Lady Melania Trump appeared on her spouse’s favorite morning show Fox & Friends to discuss her son Barron’s impact on the “bro vote,” the president-elect’s infamous dance moves, and how she’s handling the transition into the White House.

Along the way, Mrs. Trump also took the opportunity to pitch a “stocking-stuffer” version of her coffee table book, as well as a limited-edition set of Christmas ornaments and collectibles that she said would make a “great gift.”

Justin Barangoa has the story.

Melania admits that she doesn’t dance like Trump as she hawks jewelry on Fox News

Chelsea Manning arrested in Congress for protesting against transgender bathroom ban

Friday 6 December 2024 17:05 , Oliver O’Connell

Former US Army whistleblower Chelsea Manning has been arrested in the halls of Congress for protesting against a ban on transgender women using women’s bathrooms.

Manning, 37, was among a group of trans demonstrators who staged a sit-in inside the women’s lavatory opposite House speaker Mike Johnson’s office on Thursday, according to The 19th.

The protest called on Democrats to fight back against Johnson’s new bathroom rule, which requires trans people in the Capitol building to use only the facilities corresponding to their birth sex.

Io Dodds has the story.

Chelsea Manning arrested in Congress for protesting against transgender bathroom ban

First Jan 6 defendant to go on trial is resentenced, after SCOTUS obstruction ruling

Friday 6 December 2024 16:54 , Oliver O’Connell

A Trump-appointed federal judge has resentenced Guy Reffitt — the first January 6 Capitol riot defendant to go to trial — to 80 months in prison.

Reffitt delivered an expletive-laden tirade to the court but said he wasn’t “in my feelings” as much because Trump won, Politico reports.

Reffitt had initially been sentenced to 87 months but was resentenced because of the Supreme Court’s Fischer ruling on obstruction.

“No one has a problem with your feelings,” Judge Dabney Friedrich said. “It’s the actions you took.”

Reffitt, who carried a firearm to the Capitol, helped ignite the riot, engaging in a long standoff with police as the mob amassed behind him. He repeatedly expressed a desire to overthrow Congress.

He has also become a vocal member of the “J6 family” since his first sentencing.

Update: What’s happening with Rudy Giuliani’s legal woes?

Friday 6 December 2024 16:35 , Oliver O’Connell

Rudy Giuliani, former New York mayor, and once Donald Trump’s personal attorney, faces threats of court-ordered sanctions in Manhattan and Washington, DC, having already been indicted, found liable for defamation, and nearly bankrupt.

Now, he could face jail, as Alex Woodward reports.

Giuliani was nearly bankrupt. Now he could face jail

ICYMI: House GOP blocks release of Gaetz ethics report detailing allegations of sex with minor

Friday 6 December 2024 16:15 , Oliver O’Connell

The House of Representatives voted down two efforts by Democrats to force the chamber to release a report on former Congressman Matt Gaetz from the House Ethics Committee.

The full scope of the report was a mystery, but it is known to have looked into allegations that Matt Gaetz had sex with a minor while serving as a member of Congress. Gaetz has repeatedly denied the accusations he faces, which state that he had repeated sexual encounters with a then-17-year-old girl at a party in 2017, during his first term.

The votes were largely along party lines, with Republicans eager to turn the page on their former colleague.

John Bowden reports from Washington, DC.

House GOP blocks release of Gaetz ethics report on accusations of sex with minor

Watch: Hakeem Jeffries tells reporters Republican majority ‘will not be able to do much without us’

Friday 6 December 2024 16:10 , Oliver O’Connell

Speaking about the House Democratic agenda this morning, Minority Leader New York Rep Hakeem Jeffries noted to reporters: “The incoming House Republican majority will not be able to do much without us.”

He added: “To the extent that there was any mandate that has emerged from this most recent election, it is that the American people want us to work hard to lower the high cost of living and to bring down grocery prices, gas prices, the cost of childcare, and housing costs.”

Jeffries also noted that repeatedly MAGA Republicans say one thing before an election and do another after.

He warned that Social Security and Medicare are now under threat.

Biden hails 16 million jobs created over time in office after November report

Friday 6 December 2024 16:04 , Oliver O’Connell

The White House released the following statement from President Joe Biden regarding the November 2024 Jobs Report:

America’s comeback continues. Today’s report shows that the economy created 227,000 jobs in November, as Boeing machinists returned to work with record wage gains and hurricane recovery continued. Unemployment of 4.2% is in the same low range of the past seven months. This has been a hard-fought recovery, but we are making progress for working families.

Since I took office, the economy has created more than 16 million jobs, with jobs created every single month. Unemployment has been the lowest on average of any administration in 50 years. Incomes are up almost $4,000 more than prices. While there is more to do to lower costs, we’ve taken action to lower prescription drug prices, health insurance premiums, utility bills, and gas prices that will pay dividends for years to come.

November jobs report shows healthy labor market

Friday 6 December 2024 15:55 , Oliver O’Connell

America’s job market rebounded in November, adding 227,000 workers in a solid recovery from the previous month, when the effects of strikes and hurricanes had sharply diminished employers’ payrolls.

Last month’s hiring growth was up considerably from a meager gain of 36,000 jobs in October. The government also revised up its estimate of job growth in September and October by a combined 56,000.

Continue reading…

November jobs report shows healthy labor market with 227,000 new roles

And there’s been a change of tone over on Fox Business regarding positive economic numbers since the election, as Aaron Rupar notes:

Trump names David Perdue as US ambassador to China

Friday 6 December 2024 15:35 , Oliver O’Connell

Donald Trump has selected former senator David Perdue to serve as the US ambassador to China amid escalating military and trade tensions.

The president-elect said the former senator from Georgia “brings valuable expertise to help build our relationship with China“.

Mr Perdue, who lived in Hong Kong during a 40-year career as a business executive, will be “instrumental in implementing my strategy to maintain peace in the region and a productive working relationship with China’s leaders”, Mr Trump added.

In his time as senator from 2015 to 2021, Mr Perdue advocated for the US to build a more robust naval force to cope with foreign threats and was labeled “anti-China” in a 2019 Chinese think tank.

Alisha Rahaman Sarkar reports.

Donald Trump names David Perdue as US ambassador to China

Friday 6 December 2024 15:27 , Oliver O’Connell

Meanwhile, over on Capitol Hill, Kemi Badenoch, leader of Britain’s Conservative Party, is holding meetings on a visit to Washington, DC.

Her first stop was with Speaker of the House Mike Johnson.

Badenoch wrote on X: “We discussed the future of UK-US relations under President Trump and about building alliances as a centre-right resurgence takes place across the Western world.

“He has a great sense of humour and it was a real pleasure to meet.”

National security officials ‘alarmed’ at prospect of Gabbard leading intel community

Friday 6 December 2024 15:15 , Oliver O’Connell

NBC News reports that nearly 100 former national security officials have signed a letter criticizing President-elect Donald Trump’s decision to nominate former Rep. Tulsi Gabbard for director of national intelligence and called for closed-door Senate hearings to review any government information about her.

Trump’s choice of the former Democratic rep from Hawaii has caused concern across the federal government and intelligence communities with even The New York Post begging the president-elect to drop her, and Nikki Halley issuing a scathing takedown.

The officials urge the Senate to “carefully evaluate” whether Gabbard is “equipped” for the position, which requires Senate confirmation.

“Several of Ms. Gabbard’s past actions call into question her ability to deliver unbiased intelligence briefings to the President, Congress, and to the entire national security apparatus,” the letter said. “Following her trip to Syria, for example, Ms. Gabbard aligned herself with Russian and Syrian officials.”

They further wrote: “Senate committees should consider in closed sessions all information available to the U.S. government when considering Ms. Gabbard’s qualifications to manage our country’s intelligence agencies, and more importantly, the protection of our intelligence sources and methods.”

Among the signatories of the letter were Wendy Sherman, former deputy secretary of state in the Biden administration; Ian Kelly, who was ambassador to Georgia during the Obama and Trump administrations; and Eric Green, a member of the National Security Council during the Biden administration.

Read more about Tulsi Gabbard here:

Tulsi Gabbard’s history with Russia is even more concerning than you think

Watch: Melania Trump asked about causes she will champion as first lady

Friday 6 December 2024 14:55 , Oliver O’Connell

…and bizarrely talks about her range of ornaments.

Vance echoes Trump in support of Hegseth

Friday 6 December 2024 14:39 , Oliver O’Connell

JD Vance echoes Donald Trump in his support of embattled defense secretary nominee Pete Hegseth.

The vice president-elect wrote on X: “Led by President Trump, we’re fighting for Pete Hegseth. And we’re doing so because Pete Hegseth wil fight for our troops.

“For too long, the Pentagon has been led by people who lose wars. Pete Hegseth is a man who fought in those wars.”

Musk splurged more than $250m on helping elect Trump, filings show

Friday 6 December 2024 14:22 , James Liddell

Elon Musk donated more than $250m in helping reelect Donald Trump to the White House, according to federal filings.

The filings with the Federal Election Commission, which were revealed on Thursday and first reviewed by the New York Times, show that the billionaire poured in $20m to a super PAC named after the late Supreme Court justice, Ruth Bader, that allegedly sought to soften Trump’s anti-abortion position.

Over the course of this year’s election cycle, Musk pumped in $239 million in cash and in-kind contributions to his primary political action committee, America PAC.

Trumps names two officials to lead immigration crackdown

Friday 6 December 2024 14:04 , James Liddell

Donald Trump has nominated two new appointments to his incoming administration to tackle his aggressive immigration agenda.

On Thursday, Trump picked Rodney Scott, his former border chief, as commissioner of Customs and Border Protection.

Scott served since the early 1990s in the Border Patrol, and as the chief of the agency during the last year of the first Trump administration in 2020 and beginning of the Biden administration in 2021.

Trump also announced he was nominating Caleb Vitello, the current assistant director of the Office of Firearms and Tactical Programs in Immigration and Customs Enforcement, to serve as acting director of ICE.

Trump says Hegseth is doing ‘very well’ as defense secretary pick dogged by allegations

Friday 6 December 2024 13:51 , James Liddell

Watch: Crowd chants ‘51’ as Trump recalls Trudeau meet where he joked Canada would be ‘51st US state’

Friday 6 December 2024 13:47 , James Liddell

Melania ‘proud’ of son Barron helping Trump garner ‘bro vote’

Friday 6 December 2024 13:22 , James Liddell

Melania Trump said she’s “very proud” of her 18-year-old son who played an instrumental role in the selection of the president-elect’s podcast appearances that helped him court young male voters.

“I’m very proud of him about his knowledge even about politics and giving advice to his father,” she said of the political scion. “He has brought in so many young people. Young people don’t sit in front of TV they are in front of phones and on podcast.”

Melania added that Barron is “very vocal” in his advice to his 78-year-old father.

The teenage Trump, who began studying at New York University’s Stern Business School in September, is not in the usual position of most freshmen, his mother admitted.

“I don’t think it’s possible for him to be a normal student,” Melania continued. “He knows that he is in different position than other children.”

Melania has ‘never’ danced like her husband

Friday 6 December 2024 13:17 , James Liddell

Donald Trump’s dance moves to the Village People’s 1978 hitYMCA have garnered global attention, and has since been replicated by athletes and celebrities alike.

Melania, however, admitted she has never busted moves liker her husband.

When asked, “Is this how you dance?,” Melania abruptly responded: “No.”

Just in: Melania makes appearance on Fox & Friends

Friday 6 December 2024 13:11 , James Liddell

Melania Trump began talking about Trump’s transition to the White House as she sat down on Fox & Friends this morning.

The incoming first lady said her husband knows the sorts of people that need to be hired for his administration so they can hit the ground running on day one.

“This time it’s very different we already know where we’re going.,” she said. “So we don’t need to go back in.”

She added: “The energy is different. The people around him is different.”

Bernie Sanders says RFK’s views are ‘extremely dangerous’ – but say he gets one thing ‘exactly correct’

Friday 6 December 2024 13:01 , James Liddell

Bernie Sanders branded many of Robert F Kennedy Jr’s views as “extremely dangerous” but noted his one stance that is “exactly correct”.

“I think what he’s saying about the food industry is exactly correct,” the Vermont senator said of Donald Trump’s nominated Health and Human Services secretary on CBS News on Thursday.

“I think you have a food industry concerned about their profits, could care less about the health of the American people. I think they have to be taken on.”

However, he also called some of Kennedy’s suggestions, like removing fluoride from public water and his anti-vaxxer views “extremely dangerous.”

Tim Walz admits he was ‘a little surprised’ at Harris election loss

Friday 6 December 2024 12:40 , James Liddell

Trump taps David Perdue as US ambassador to China

Friday 6 December 2024 12:17 , James Liddell

Donald Trump has selected former senator David Perdue to serve as the US ambassador to China amid escalating military and trade tensions.

The president-elect said the former senator from Georgia “brings valuable expertise to help build our relationship with China”.

Mr Perdue, who lived in Hong Kong during a 40-year career as a business executive, will be “instrumental in implementing my strategy to maintain peace in the region and a productive working relationship with China’s leaders”, Trump added.

Alisha Rahaman Sarkar has the full story.

Donald Trump names David Perdue as US ambassador to China

Biden mulls preemptive pardons for Trump critics

Friday 6 December 2024 11:56 , James Liddell

President Joe Biden, who granted clemency to his son Hunter last week, is said to be mulling preemptive pardons for US officials who are perceived to be at risk ahead of Trump’s return to the White House.

The move would hope to shield Trump dissenters from potential retribution after the president-elect has repeatedly vowed to take revenge against those who have opposed him, according to CBS.

No specific names have been formally recommended to Biden, despite reports that the president debated the possibility of issuing the pardons with senior White House aides.

Podcaster and Musk ally tapped as AI and Crypto Czar

Friday 6 December 2024 11:36 , James Liddell

Donald Trump has tapped a podcaster to be his artificial intelligence and crypto czar, marking the latest Elon Musk ally to be picked for the president-elect’s next administration.

David Sacks, host of the All-In podcast and former Paypal chief who worked with Musk for more than two decades, has been nominated for the newly-created role as AI and crypto regulation are “critical” areas for the incoming commander-in-chief.

“David has the knowledge, business experience, intelligence and pragmatism to MAKE AMERICA GREAT in these two critical technologies,” Trump posted on Truth Social.

“He will work on a legal framework so the Crypto industry has the clarity it has been asking for, and can thrive in the US.”

Watch: Trump accepts Fox’s Patriot of the Year’ award

Friday 6 December 2024 11:16 , James Liddell

Project 2025 backers will spend $1m to pressure GOP senators to confirm Pete Hegseth

Friday 6 December 2024 09:15 , Oliver O’Connell

The think tank behind Project 2025, the conservative blueprint linked to President-elect Donald Trump, is launching an effort to back Trump’s imperiled selection for secretary of defense in its latest attempt to wield influence in the incoming Republican administration.

Heritage Foundation President Kevin Roberts said Thursday that his group will spend $1 million to pressure senators unwilling to back Pete Hegseth, whose nomination to lead the Pentagon has come into question due to his views on women serving in combat and reports about his personal behavior.

Continue reading…

Project 2025 backers will spend $1 million to pressure GOP senators to back Hegseth

Speaker Johnson says, with Elon Musk’s help, he’s aiming to ax 75 percent of all federal agencies

Friday 6 December 2024 08:45 , Oliver O’Connell

House Speaker Mike Johnson intends to cut 75 percent of all federal agencies with the help of Elon Musk’s outside commission known as the Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE.

“We certainly hope” to slash the number of federal agencies from 428 to 99, as Musk has vowed, Johnson said in response to a question from Fox News host Martha McCallum in an interview Wednesday night. “We want to be willing partners in that,” he added.

Gustaf Kilander reports.

Mike Johnson aiming to ax 75 percent of federal agencies

Fox News colleagues jump on bandwagon to back Pete Hegseth

Friday 6 December 2024 08:15 , Oliver O’Connell

Amid a slew of damning allegations about Pete Hegseth’s excessive drinking and sexual impropriety, Hegseth’s friends at Fox News are publicly pushing back on the claims while urging Republicans to push through the ex-Fox & Friends host’s nomination for defense secretary.

Justin Barangoa has the story.

Fox News colleagues rally to back Pete Hegseth amid drinking allegations

Republican congressman explodes at Secret Service director at hearing on Trump assassination attempt

Friday 6 December 2024 07:45 , Oliver O’Connell

A final congressional hearing on law enforcement failures surrounding the attempted assassination of Donald Trump devolved into a shouting match between a Republican congressman and the acting director of the Secret Service.

Rep. Pat Fallon of Texas — who was displaying a blown-up image of Rowe behind Trump, President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris at Ground Zero in Manhattan during a 9/11 memorial this year — at first accused Rowe of putting the president’s detail out of position so he could stand behind him.

It was then that things got heated, as Alex Woodward reports.

GOP lawmaker erupts at Secret Service director at explosive hearing on Trump shooting

ICYMI: Joe Scarborough loses his mind over David Frum’s criticism that ‘Morning Joe’ fears Trump

Friday 6 December 2024 06:15 , Oliver O’Connell

Morning Joe host Joe Scarborough was absolutely apoplectic on Thursday over a column written by The Atlantic’s David Frum, opening the show with a 22-minute tirade over Frum’s complaint about the program apologizing for a “flippant” joke about Fox News.

Besides directly addressing Frum’s column, which featured the conservative pundit alleging that Morning Joe was displaying “fear” in the face of a new Trump administration, Scarborough and co-host/wife Mika Brzezinski also took the opportunity to lash out at critics of their recent fence-mending visit to Mar-a-Lago.

Justin Barangoa has the story.

Joe Scarborough loses his mind after ‘Morning Joe’ is accused of fearing Trump

What a difference 24 hours can make…

Friday 6 December 2024 05:15 , Oliver O’Connell

Lindsey Graham has given two wildly different takes on Pete Hegseth within 24 hours as the president-elect’s pick for defense secretary continues to fight for his nomination.

Hegseth faces ongoing scrutiny over scandals from his past, centering around his treatment of women, which have the potential to derail his upcoming confirmation to lead the Pentagon.

Rhian Lubin has the story.

Lindsey Graham offers two hugely different takes on Pete Hegseth within 24 hours

Biden administration mulling preemptive pardons for Trump enemies

Friday 6 December 2024 04:15 , Oliver O’Connell

The Biden administration is said to be considering issuing preemptive presidential pardons to the likes of former Republican congresswoman Liz Cheney and Dr Anthony Fauci in order to shield them from vindictive political prosecutions by Donald Trump’s incoming administration.

High-ranking aides to President Joe Biden are currently engaged in “a vigorous internal debate” over the prospect – according to Politico, citing senior Democrats – with the president-elect’s decision to nominate Kash Patel as his FBI director increasing the “sense of alarm” in recent days.

Patel has openly promised to pursue Trump’s critics, with Cheney and Fauci likely to be in the firing line.

Joe Sommerlad reports.

Biden admin mulling preemptive pardons for Trump enemies Liz Cheney, Dr Fauci

Hegseth tells senator he won’t drink as he accuses critics of being ‘jealous’

Friday 6 December 2024 03:15 , Oliver O’Connell

President-elect Donald Trump’s scandal-plagued nominee for defense secretary, former Fox & Friends host Pete Hegseth, vowed to a senator that he won’t drink if he gets confirmed, according to reports.

He also insisted his critics were “jealous” of him, as Gustaf Kilander reports.

Hegseth tells senator he won’t drink as he accuses critics of being ‘jealous’

ANALYSIS:Why a second Trump presidency is good for AOC and Jamie Raskin’s careers

Friday 6 December 2024 02:15 , Oliver O’Connell

Eric Garcia writes:

The 2024 presidential election results revealed that Democrats have a gerontocracy problem. Sure, the party subbed in Kamala Harris toward the end of the campaign — but only after it spent a year telling the press and voters that octagenarian Joe Biden was fully capable of beating Donald Trump.

Continue reading…

Why a second Trump presidency is good for younger Democrats’ careers

Elon Musk wants to abolish daylight savings time, and it might actually be a good idea

Friday 6 December 2024 01:15 , Oliver O’Connell

We’ve all been there: you wake up dazed and woozy like you’ve lost an hour’s sleep, but the clock says nothing is wrong. Then you miss a meeting because you forgot to manually adjust your watch.

Now Donald Trump’s new bureaucratic slasher-in-chief Elon Musk says he wants to put an end to all that by getting rid of daylight savings time (DST).

Io Dodds takes a look at what this could mean.

Elon Musk wants to abolish daylight savings time. It might actually be a good idea

Coming up tonight… Trump to get Fox ‘Patriot of the Year’ award

Friday 6 December 2024 00:15 , Oliver O’Connell

President-elect Donald Trump will attend the Fox Nation Patriot Awards event in New York tonight to receive the Fox Patriot of the Year honor just a few years after he tried to overturn the results of the 2020 election and spent much of the 2024 campaign trash-talking America.

“I look greatly forward to attending the Fox News Patriot Awards, hosted by Sean Hannity in New York on Thursday evening. I will be receiving the Fox Patriot of the Year Award — so nice! See you there,” Trump preened on Truth Social on Tuesday night.

The awards will be hosted by Fox for the sixth time and will be streamed live on Fox Nation.

Read on…

Trump to get Fox Patriot of the Year award

Project 2025 backers will spend $1m to pressure GOP senators to confirm Pete Hegseth

Thursday 5 December 2024 23:45 , Oliver O’Connell

The think tank behind Project 2025, the conservative blueprint linked to President-elect Donald Trump, is launching an effort to back Trump’s imperiled selection for secretary of defense in its latest attempt to wield influence in the incoming Republican administration.

Heritage Foundation President Kevin Roberts said Thursday that his group will spend $1 million to pressure senators unwilling to back Pete Hegseth, whose nomination to lead the Pentagon has come into question due to his views on women serving in combat and reports about his personal behavior.

Continue reading…

Project 2025 backers will spend $1 million to pressure GOP senators to back Hegseth

Will the Village People perform ‘YMCA’ at Trump’s inauguration?

Thursday 5 December 2024 23:25 , Oliver O’Connell

A founding member of the Village People and long-time critic of Donald Trump’s use of the group’s song YMCA has announced he’s now changing his tune and would now consider performing the 70s anthem at the president-elect’s upcoming inauguration.

Victor Willis told Fox & Friends First that he would also allow the president-elect to continue using the song at events.

Gustaf Kilander has the story.

Anti-Trump Village People founder considering performing YMCA at Trump inauguration

How much does a failed bid to be secretary of state run to these days?

Thursday 5 December 2024 23:05 , Oliver O’Connell

Ric Grenell might know after reportedly approaching conservative social media influencers last month and offering them contracts worth thousands of dollars to post approvingly about him.

One source told Politico that Grenell informed Trump’s inner circle it was State “or bust” for him.

Justin Barangoa has the story.

MAGA influencers were offered five figures to promote Ric Grenell’s bid for SoS

Might Kash Patel’s litany of conspiracy theories sink his nomination to lead FBI?

Thursday 5 December 2024 22:45 , Oliver O’Connell

Kash Patel, President-elect Donald Trump’s pick to serve as FBI director, has pushed a litany of wild conspiracy theories, complicating his aspirations to run the agency.

During a number of appearances on the War Room podcast of former Trump White House chief strategist Steve Bannon, Patel has argued that China is funding the Democrats and that the country is sending “military-aged males” across the northern and southern borders in an attempt to prepare for a preemptive strike.

Patel and others have also claimed that Barack Obama runs a “shadow network” in charge of the intelligence community and Big Tech to go after Trump.

And that’s just the start as Gustaf Kilander reports.

Kash Patel’s conspiracy theories haunt quest to become FBI director

Sen. Blackburn to introduce DOGE legislation

Thursday 5 December 2024 22:37 , Oliver O’Connell

Senator Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee says she will introduce legislation to further plans by Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy’s Department of Government Efficiency to slash spending by the federal government.

Blackburn wrote on X: “I will be introducing legislation that coincides with @DOGE’s plan to make the federal government more efficient.

“My DOGE Act will freeze federal hiring, begin the process to relocate agencies out of the D.C. swamp, and establish a merit-based salary system for the federal workforce.”

An enthusiastic Musk thanked her.

Hunter Biden pardon: Furious Dems threaten to withhold donations to Biden’s presidential library

Thursday 5 December 2024 22:25 , Oliver O’Connell

Some senior Democrats are reportedly so disappointed with President Joe Biden’s decision to pardon his son, Hunter Biden, that they are threatening to withhold funding for Biden’s presidential library.

The controversial decision, in tandem with Biden’s move to drop out of the 2024 presidential election less than four months before Election Day, has left a sour taste in donor’s mouths, according to a recent Axios report.

As a result, Biden could be facing a financial obstacle in trying to build his presidential library – a historical tradition for presidents once they leave office.

Ariana Baio reports.

Dems threaten to withhold donations to Biden’s library after Hunter’s pardon

Coming up: Two resolutions by Democrats to force release of Gaetz ethics report

Thursday 5 December 2024 22:12 , Oliver O’Connell

Tuberville insists it’s not GOP’s ‘job’ to vet Trump’s cabinet picks

Thursday 5 December 2024 22:10 , Oliver O’Connell

Tommy Tuberville, a Donald Trump loyalist, said it wasn’t the “job” of Senate Republicans to vet the president-elect’s cabinet nominations as debate around Pete Hegseth’s position continues.

The GOP senator told CNN on Thursday that, in his opinion, it is up to Democrats to vet nominations, and that members of his own party should be inclined to automatically confirm them.

“Who’s to say we’re a better vetter and picker of people than Donald Trump?” Tuberville told CNN on Thursday.

Ariana Baio reports.

Watch: Shouting match erupts during Trump assassination attempt hearing

Thursday 5 December 2024 22:05 , Oliver O’Connell

Shouting match over 9/11 erupts during Trump assassination attempt hearing

Yours for $2m… dinner with Melania

Thursday 5 December 2024 21:45 , Oliver O’Connell

Fans of Melania Trump can have a private dinner with her and the president-elect — if they are willing to shell out up to $2 million for the honor.

The incoming first lady is likely to spend most of her time away from the White House during Donald Trump’s second term, according to a report last month, but she is making an appearance at a candlelit dinner donors can attend if their price is right.

Rhian Lubin has the details.

Melania Trump fans can have a private dinner with her. It could cost up to $2 million

Trump plans to attend Army-Navy football game

Thursday 5 December 2024 21:30 , Oliver O’Connell

Donald Trump is expected to attend the Army-Navy football game, Politico reports, citing two people who were granted anonymity to discuss the president-elect’s plans.

The game is set for December 14 in Landover, Maryland, and will be the 125th in the series.

Trump attended the game as president-elect in 2016 and three times while he was president.

Mexico’s president to ask Trump to deport non-Mexicans to their home countries

Thursday 5 December 2024 21:25 , AP

Mexico’s president said Thursday she will ask President-elect Donald Trump to deport non-Mexican migrants directly to their home countries, rather than dumping them at the Mexican border.

President Claudia Sheinbaum said she hopes to reach an agreement with Trump so that “they send people who come from other countries to their countries of origin.”

Read more…

Mexico president will ask Trump to deport non-Mexican migrants directly to their home countries

Trump assassination hearing: Republican congressman explodes at Secret Service director

Thursday 5 December 2024 20:05 , Oliver O’Connell

A final congressional hearing on law enforcement failures surrounding the attempted assassination of Donald Trump devolved into a shouting match between a Republican congressman and the acting director of the Secret Service.

Rep. Pat Fallon of Texas — who was displaying a blown-up image of Rowe behind Trump, President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris at Ground Zero in Manhattan during a 9/11 memorial this year — at first accused Rowe of putting the president’s detail out of position so he could stand behind him.

Things got heated very quickly after that, as Alex Woodward reports.

GOP lawmaker erupts at Secret Service director at explosive hearing on Trump shooting

Giuliani hit with another threat of sanctions over New York property

Thursday 5 December 2024 19:55 , Alex Woodward

Giuliani has been hit with another threat of sanctions, separate from the case playing out in Washington.

In the property turnover case in New York, lawyers for the defamed election workers say he has “not produced a single document” (emphasis theirs) stemming from discovery requests and court-ordered deadlines.

“The time has come” for the court to hold him in contempt for violating what are now weeks-old court orders, and to “enter a contempt sanction it finds appropriate,” according to attorneys for Ruby Freeman and Shaye Moss.

Giuliani should also be sanctioned “for failing to obey multiple discovery orders” and “his history of refusing to participate in discovery even in the face of possible sanctions,” as well as “his conscious disregard of the inevitable consequence of his conduct,” attorneys wrote.

The court “should not permit Mr. Giuliani to delay accountability,” they added.

Allowing him more time to “obfuscate in response to unambiguous discovery orders — especially when he has not provided any indicia of an attempt to comply — risks jeopardizing” upcoming court dates, according to lawyers.

Giuliani must also respond to the Washington DC contempt motion no later than 2 p.m. on Friday, or he will be held in contempt. He is accused of repeatedly violating a court order that blocks him from making any statements that resemble his defamatory remarks. Yesterday, he said he can’t find an attorney to help him and requested a 30-day delay. The judge said no.

Giuliani might soon face huge fines or jail time from judges in two different cities, not including the criminal charges against him in Arizona and Georgia. A reminder that he is also being sued for sexual misconduct and defaming voting machines companies.

Read the full court filing here.