Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) said in a brief interview on Monday night that it was his “expectation” that his conference won’t tackle the debt ceiling as part of a border-energy reconciliation bill, Politico reports.
Trump’s Cabinet Picks Suddenly Look Safer
“A little over a month ago, President-elect Donald Trump’s top nominees appeared to be entering a world of pain,” Politico reports.
“HHS pick Robert F. Kennedy Jr. was facing tough questions about his stance on the polio vaccine. Would-be director of national intelligence Tulsi Gabbard was in the barrel over her dealings with Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad. And top Pentagon nominee Pete Hegseth suffered through mounting questions about his personal and professional life.”
“Now, with a whirlwind of confirmation hearings launching on Capitol Hill, Republicans are more confident than ever that they’ve gotten Trump’s personnel blitz back on track — thanks to a combination of hardball politics, appeals to GOP unity and lots of personal charm.”
The Political Landscape of a City on Fire
Peter Hamby: “I can report confidently, from multiple sources here on the ground, that most Angelenos would like the social media brigade to shut the fuck up.”
Harris Declines to Invite Vance for Courtesy Visit
“When JD Vance, his wife Usha and their three young children move into the Naval Observatory residence on Jan. 20, it will be their first time inside the white Queen Anne-style mansion that has been home to vice presidents since the 1970s,” CBS News reports.
“Vice President Kamala Harris has not extended an invitation for a formal sit-down or tour.”
California Democrats Blast GOP’s Fire Trade
“Democrats are rejecting a tentative pitch by House Republicans to attach wildfire aid to a federal debt limit increase,” Politico reports.
“GOP lawmakers began floating the idea in meetings this weekend with incoming President Donald Trump. The thinking behind the plan, according to House Republicans, is that they’ll need bipartisan support to raise the cap on federal borrowing authority in the coming months and that including assistance for fire-stricken Southern California would be an incentive for Democrats to help solve one of Trump’s most pressing economic problems this year.”
“But Democrats are refusing to entertain the deal.”
USA Today: Speaker Mike Johnson says “conditions” should be placed on California wildfire aid.
Dollar Falls on Report of Gradual Tariffs
“The dollar fell against almost every major currency after Bloomberg News reported that Donald Trump’s incoming economic team is considering gradual hikes in tariffs,” Bloomberg reports.
Elon Musk to Use Office in the White House Complex
“Elon Musk is expected to use office space in the White House complex as he launches the so-called Department of Government Efficiency, which aims to slash government spending in the Trump administration,“ the New York Times reports.
“The space will be in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, which is adjacent to the White House. The location could allow Mr. Musk, who owns companies with billions of dollars in contracts with the federal government, to continue to have significant access to President-elect Donald Trump when he takes office this month.”
Congestion Pricing Zone Sees 7.5% Drop in Traffic
“Traffic on New York City’s busiest streets dropped by 7.5% and morning travel times fell on most major crossings into Manhattan during the first work week of the city’s congestion pricing plan, signaling that some motorists changed their driving patterns to avoid the new toll,” Bloomberg reports.
China Discusses Sale of TikTok U.S. to Elon Musk
“Chinese officials are evaluating a potential option that involves Elon Musk acquiring the US operations of TikTok if the company fails to fend off a controversial ban on the short-video app,“ Bloomberg reports.
“Beijing officials strongly prefer that TikTok remains under the ownership of parent ByteDance Ltd., the people say, and the company is contesting the impending ban with an appeal to the US Supreme Court. But the justices signaled during arguments on Jan. 10 that they are likely to uphold the law.”
Hunter Biden Special Counsel Releases Final Report
“The Justice Department special counsel whose six-year case into Hunter Biden was short-circuited last month by the unconditional pardon President Joe Biden granted to his son, criticized the outgoing president in his final report Monday night,” CNN reports.
From the report: “Politicians who attack the decisions of career prosecutors as politically motivated when they disagree with the outcome of a case undermine the public’s confidence in our criminal justice system. The President’s statements unfairly impugn the integrity not only of Department of Justice personnel, but all of the public servants making these difficult decisions in good faith.”
Politico: Special counsel who prosecuted Hunter Biden defends investigation.
Past Work for Liz Cheney Cost Trump Aide His Job
“Michael Allen, a longtime Republican national security expert, was recently ousted as the ‘sherpa’ for CIA director nominee John Ratcliffe because he had co-hosted a campaign fundraiser for Liz Cheney,” Politico reports.
Greenland Is Ready to Talk
New York Times: “Responding on Monday to the diplomatic earthquake set off last week by President-elect Donald Trump, who mused about taking over the gigantic island in the Arctic Ocean, Greenland’s prime minister said the territory would like to work more closely with the United States on defense and natural resources.”
Said Prime Minister Múte Egede: “The reality is we are going to work with the U.S. — yesterday, today and tomorrow.”
“But he was firm: Greenlanders did not want to become Americans.”
Trump Team Studies Gradual Tariff Hikes
“Members of President-elect Donald Trump’s incoming economic team are discussing slowly ramping up tariffs month by month, a gradual approach aimed at boosting negotiating leverage while helping avoid a spike in inflation,” Bloomberg reports.
“One idea involves a schedule of graduated tariffs increasing by about 2% to 5% a month, and would rely on executive authorities under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act.”
Trump Planning to Visit California as Soon as Next Week
“President-elect Donald Trump is planning to visit fire-ravaged Los Angeles as soon as next week to view the damage and assess recovery needs,” the Wall Street Journal reports.
“The exact timing of the visit remains in flux, but Trump’s advisers are tentatively considering a trip to the city late next week, following Monday’s inauguration.”
The Pitched Battles for Partisan Control in the States
New York Times: “As state legislatures convene around the country this month, several knife-edge fights for partisan control have magnified the degree to which political polarization has become ingrained, not just in Congress, but in statehouses across the country.”
“The battle to gain the upper hand puts pressure in particular on Democratic lawmakers, who, unlike the past four years, face even higher stakes.”
Confirmation Hearings Are a Test for Vulnerable Senators
Join now to continue reading.
Members get exclusive analysis, bonus features and no advertising. Learn more.
Biden’s Has Canceled Student Debt for 5 Million Borrowers
New York Times: “With Monday’s authorization and 27 previous ones, the Biden administration has forgiven over $180 billion in student loans, even as its larger policy vision never took root.”
Minnesota Democrats to Boycott Start of Session
“Minnesota House Democrats were sworn into office Sunday evening in a private ceremony at the Minnesota History Center, a ‘covert’ move that Republicans criticized as illegitimate,” the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports.
“The swearing-in is the latest twist in a contentious run-up to the 2025 legislative session, which House Democrats are promising to boycott for several weeks without a power-sharing agreement with Republicans.”
