Tulsi Gabbard, President-elect Donald Trump’s pick for director of national intelligence, will begin her meetings with senators today, just as she faces renewed scrutiny for expressing sympathy for ousted Syrian president Bashar al-Assad in the past, Politico reports.
Obamacare Approval Near High Point
Gallup: “Sixty-two percent of U.S. adults, the highest percentage in more than a decade, say it is the federal government’s responsibility to ensure all Americans have healthcare coverage.”
Also interesting: “Fifty-four percent of U.S. adults approve of the ACA, essentially tying the record-high 55% readings in April 2017 (during Republican-led attempts to repeal the law) and November 2020 (after Joe Biden won election as president).”
South Korea Bars President From Traveling Abroad
“South Korea’s political dysfunction deepened Monday as its Ministry of Justice barred President Yoon Suk Yeol from leaving the country while officials investigate whether his brief declaration of martial law last week amounted to leading an insurrection,” the New York Times reports.
More Lawsuits Are Barreling Toward Trump
Politico: “Though the criminal cases against him are all but dead, Trump is likely to be fighting eight civil lawsuits — from members of Congress and injured police officers — deep into his second term. They may be the last form of legal redress Trump faces for his role in spurring the Capitol riot on Jan. 6, 2021 … a last stand of sorts for those seeking to hold Trump accountable for the chaos his supporters wrought that day.”
New York Times: “The cases are not criminal, but if they end up at trial, they could result not only in financial damages imposed on Mr. Trump, but also in the public airing of evidence about Jan. 6 that has not taken place — and may never — in the context of his dismissed or delayed criminal trials.”
Federal Workers Scramble to Insulate Themselves
“As President-elect Donald Trump’s transition teams move into federal agencies, thousands of civil servants — and some of the Biden appointees they work for — are scrambling to insulate themselves from the new administration’s promised purge,” the Washington Post reports.
“Federal employees are scrubbing their Facebook and X accounts for any negative posts about Trump. Some, including at least one prominent official who testified in Trump’s first impeachment inquiry, are weighing putting in retirement papers, while others maneuver to transfer to seemingly safer agencies. D.C. recruiting firms are seeing booming business from those looking for private-sector work.”
Trump Prepares for Fight Over ‘Birthright Citizenship’
“President-elect Donald Trump’s transition team is drafting several versions of his long-promised executive order to curtail automatic citizenship for anyone born in the U.S., as his aides prepare for an expanded legal fight,” the Wall Street Journal reports.
“Trump, who has railed against so-called birthright citizenship for years, said during his first term that he was planning an executive order that would outright ban it. Such an order was never signed, but the issue remained a focus of Trump’s immigration proposals during his re-election campaign. He has said he would tackle the issue in an executive order on day one of his second term.”
“Weeks before he takes office, Trump’s transition team is now considering how far to push the scope of such an order, knowing it would almost immediately be challenged in court.”
The Latest Trump Product
Donald Trump is hawking perfume and cologne now.
A Divided Europe Girds for Trump
“Donald Trump’s reelection promises to reveal and change as much about Europe as the United States,” Politico reports.
“There are many Europes in one: Different attitudes and approaches to themselves and to their most important political, military and economic partner in the United States. All are in varying states of concern over the return of a president who can sound ambivalent toward traditional alliances and has threatened to shutter NATO and launch a trade war.”
GOP Rifts Open Over Trump Agenda
“Republicans from Capitol Hill to the White House are battling internally over the basic tenets of Donald Trump’s first 100-day agenda — including which priorities should come first — in a preview of the landmines looming over the GOP’s ambitious agenda despite controlling all of Washington,” CNN reports.
Biden Shrinks from View Ahead of Trump’s Return
“Joe Biden is president of the United States for 42 more days. But within the Democratic Party, on Capitol Hill — and even within his own administration — it feels like he left the Oval Office weeks ago,” Politico reports.
“Biden has effectively disappeared from the radar in the wake of Democrats’ bruising electoral loss. Since Nov. 5, he’s largely stuck to prepared remarks, avoided unscripted public appearances or press questions and opted to sit out the raging debate over Donald Trump’s victory, policy conversations in Congress and the Democratic Party’s future.”
Wall Street Journal: Biden is ceding presidential influence to Trump, and some Democrats are furious.
Lara Trump Steps Down as RNC Co-Chair
“Lara Trump will step down as co-chair of the Republican National Committee as she considers a number of potential options with her father-in-law, President-elect Donald Trump, set to return to the White House,” the AP reports.
“Among those possibilities is replacing Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, whom Trump tapped to be the next secretary of state. If Rubio is confirmed, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis will choose who takes the seat through the remainder of Rubio’s term, which expires in 2026.”
11-Day Blitz by Rebels That Ended 50 Years of Assad Rule
Wall Street Journal: “The toppling of Assad’s regime, ending 50 years of his family’s rule, revealed how badly Syria’s army had been hollowed out by years of corruption, defections to the rebellion and the country’s economic crisis. Recruitment had declined, and Syrian men dodged conscription.”
“The military since early in the civil war had depended heavily on outside forces to reinforce its lines. Iran and the Syrian regime brought in militias from Lebanon, Iraq and Afghanistan. Russia had provided warplanes, air defenses and military advisers.”
“Yet, as Assad dialed for help from foreign governments in his last hours as Syria’s leader, he found he had run out of allies and military allegiance.”
Associated Press: Who is Abu Mohammed al-Golani, the leader of the insurgency that toppled Syria’s Assad?
Trump Picks Alina Habba as Counselor
President-elect Donald Trump named Alina Habba, one of his personal attorneys and fiercest media surrogates, as counselor to the president on Sunday, The Hill reports.
Assad Arrives in Moscow
President Bashar al-Assad of Syria has arrived in Russia after fleeing his country, dictator who had kept rebel forces at bay for years with the help of Moscow and Tehran, the New York Times reports.
Bonus Quote of the Day
“Let’s get this straight: Pete Hegseth used to drink too much and couldn’t keep his dick in his pants. He’d make a great senator.”
— Former GOP Senate aide Mike Davis, on X, suggesting senators operate with a moral double standard.
Pete Hegseth’s Nomination Is Still Alive
Sen. Joni Ernst (R-IA) posted on X that she wants to give Pete Hegseth a “fair hearing” to be Defense Secretary.
Playbook: “That may sound unremarkable, but it’s a reminder of something that is: No Republican — not even Ernst — is yet willing to publicly and explicitly oppose his nomination.”
“Now, a new pressure campaign aims to keep it that way.”
Trump Says January 6 Committee Should Be in Prison
Donald Trump said that everyone who served on the congressional committee that investigated Jan. 6 should go to prison, the New York Times reports.
But he then says “no,” when pressed on whether he would direct his attorney general to send them to jail.
Jonathan Swan: “Trump is sending clear public signals to his nominees that he wants retribution, although he is then saying he will not direct them to act. But by saying that Jack Smith is ‘corrupt’ and that members of the Jan. 6 committee belong in prison, Trump is making no secret of what he wants his Justice Department to do.”
Did Trump Drain Democrats’ Energy?
New York Times: “As Democrats try to fire up their fatigued base, two contests for the Virginia legislature will serve as the first measure of partisan enthusiasm since Donald Trump’s victory.”
