“Donald Trump, eager to turn his inauguration into a global event, is personally extending invitations to some foreign leaders, including heads of state that have clashed with the United States in the recent past,” CNN reports.
Amazon to Donate $1 Million to Trump’s Inauguration
“Amazon.com is planning a $1 million donation to President-elect Donald Trump’s inaugural fund, as founder Jeff Bezos and other tech leaders shore up ties with the incoming administration,” the Wall Street Journal reports.
China’s Xi Not Expected at Trump’s Inauguration
Chinese President Xi Jinping is not expected to travel to Washington next month as an inauguration guest of President-elect Donald Trump, CBS News reports.
Trump had personally invited Xi to the swearing-in ceremony shortly after Election Day.
Inside Trump’s Planned War on Leakers and the Press
Rolling Stone: “Trump 2.0 will feature more media subpoenas, communications seizures, whistleblower prosecutions, and legal threats against news outlets.”
Jon Ossoff Seeks Common Ground with Trump
Sen. Jon Ossoff (D-GA) “first ran for office seven years ago with a promise to get under Donald Trump’s skin,” the Atlanta Journal Constitution reports.
“As he seeks another U.S. Senate term, and the president-elect prepares a return to office, the Democrat is stressing his ability to work across party lines.”
Ossoff says now that he is “actively seeking opportunities” to find common ground with Trump and other Republicans.
RFK Jr.’s Daughter-in-Law Interviews for CIA Job
“Amaryllis Fox Kennedy — a former undercover CIA operative who managed her father-in-law Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s presidential campaign — met this week in Washington with President-elect Donald Trump’s choice for CIA director, John Ratcliffe, and others about a possible job as deputy director of the spy agency,” the Washington Post reports.
Exit Interview with Joe Manchin
Sen. Joe Manchin (I-WV) tried to shape his legacy in an exit interview with Semafor in which he says he nearly ran for president and regrets voting for the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan but changed his mind after President Biden “went completely insane on me.”
Washington Shrugs at Christopher Wray’s Departure
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Pelosi Works to Defeat Ocasio-Cortez
“Former Speaker Nancy Pelosi is actively working to tank Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s (D-NY) bid to become the top Democrat on the House Oversight Committee,” Punchbowl News reports.
“Pelosi is making calls on behalf of Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-VA), who is running against AOC to be ranking member of Oversight.”
“The backing from Pelosi, who still holds influence in the party, could be a big boost for Connolly. Sources close to the Virginia Democrat say he’s growing increasingly confident that he’ll prevail in the race, telling us Connolly has received nearly 130 hard yes or leaning yes commitments. For what it’s worth, Ocasio-Cortez is also confident she’ll have the votes. But what else are you going to say at this point — that you’re losing?”
Iran Prosecutes Woman for Public Singing
“Iranian authorities are prosecuting a female singer for live streaming her own performance while defying religious dress codes — the latest sign that women continue to challenge the Islamic Republic as it faces pressure at home and abroad,” Bloomberg reports.
How Grievance Politics Propelled Trump to Victory
Time: “It wasn’t just the MAGA faithful. Trump harnessed deep national discontent about the economy, immigration, and cultural issues. His grievances resonated with suburban moms and retirees, Latino and Black men, young voters and tech edgelords.”
“While Democrats estimated that most of the country wanted a President who would uphold the norms of liberal democracy, Trump saw a nation ready to smash them, tapping into a growing sense that the system was rigged. If America was craving change, it is about to see how much Trump can deliver.”
Sam Jacobs: “On the cusp of his second presidency, all of us — from his most fanatical supporters to his most fervent critics — are living in the Age of Trump.”
Republicans Would Not Mind If Trump Suspended Laws
A new Monmouth poll finds if Donald Trump did suspend some laws and constitutional provisions, 52% of the public would be bothered a lot by this. This number is down from 65% who felt this way in June.
Those who say they would be bothered a lot by this ranges from 77% of Democrats (down from 86% in June) to 55% of independents (down from 68%) and just 23% of Republicans (down from 41%).
No Undercover FBI Agents Were at Capitol Riot
“A Justice Department watchdog found that there were no undercover FBI employees at the US Capitol during the January 6, 2021, riot, rejecting speculation from allies of President-elect Donald Trump who have for years suggested that the violence that day was provoked by federal agents,” CNN reports.
Netanyahu Says He Wants Hostage and Ceasefire Deal
“Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan on Thursday that he wants to conclude the Gaza hostage and ceasefire deal,” Axios reports.
“There are 100 hostages still being held in Gaza, including seven Americans.”
Trump Says He May Reject Spending Bills from Congress
President-elect Donald Trump told Time that he “may reject spending bills sent to him from Congress if they do not match the cuts prescribed by a cost-cutting plan being drafted by billionaire advisers Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy.”
“The potential threat may give the pair the juice they need to force lawmakers to take their recommendations seriously, avoiding the irrelevance that met so many of their predecessors.”
Trump also “discounted potential conflicts of interest for Musk, whose private businesses have received more than $15 billion in federal contracts going back a decade and stand to have billions more funneled their way in years to come.”
Trump Faces Tariff Red Tape
“Presidents have expansive power over trade policy — but that power is derived from specific legal provisions that dictate multistep processes for deploying that power,” Axios reports.
“That means that businesses may not face the overnight imposition of large-scale tariffs but instead have time to prepare their supply chains, and the opportunity to seek exclusions for goods they have no choice but to import — at least, to the extent President-elect Trump follows his first-term trade playbook.”
Bennie Thompson Would Accept a Preemptive Pardon
Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-MS), former chair of the House Jan. 6 committee, said Thursday that he would accept a preemptive pardon from President Joe Biden out of fear that President-elect Donald Trump might target him with a criminal investigation, USA Today reports.
Said Thompson: “It’s his prerogative. If he offers it to me or other members of the committee … I would accept it, but it’s his choice.”
Musk’s Foundation Gave Away Less Money Than Required
“For the third year in a row, Elon Musk’s charitable foundation did not give away enough of its money,” the New York Times reports.
“And it did not miss the mark by a small amount.”
“New tax filings show that the Musk Foundation fell $421 million short of the amount it was required to give away in 2023. Now, Mr. Musk has until the end of the year to distribute that money, or he will be required to pay a sizable penalty to the Internal Revenue Service.”
