President-elect joins Musk for SpaceX launch and taps Dr Oz for key role

Donald Trump joined Elon Musk in Texas to watch this afternoon’s SpaceX Starship test launch as his proposed administration continues to take shape.

On Tuesday, the president-elect named Cantor Fitzgerald CEO Howard Lutnick as commerce secretary. Lutnick was under consideration for treasury secretary, with reports that there is a “free for all” and a “mad dash to find someone pro-tariff” to take up the role.

Trump also tapped Dr Mehmet Oz as Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Administrator — working closely with Robert F Kennedy Jr.

On Capitol Hill, the controversial choice of Matt Gaetz as potential attorney general continues to cause a stir, with reports that a hacker has accessed a file of damaging testimony about the former congressman from an ethics investigation.

In other developments, Trump confirmed his intention to deploy the military to carry out his mass deportation plan in a Truth Social post, and on Fox News, his incoming border czar Tom Homan threatened prosecution for anyone who hides migrants.

Finally, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg has told Judge Juan Merchan he will not oppose postponing Trump’s sentencing in his hush-money case but rejects attempts by the defense to throw out the conviction.

Key Points

• Manhattan prosecutors reject Trump’s attempts to derail hush money conviction

• Hacker reportedly accessed file with damaging testimony about Matt Gaetz

• Trump names Lutnick as his choice for commerce secretary

• Watch: Incoming Trump border czar threatens to prosecute people who hide migrants

• Trump demands GOP senators block Biden judicial appointments

• Trump taps Dr Oz to run Medicare and Medicaid

Full story: SpaceX aborts ‘chopstick’ catch of Starship rocket as Musk and Trump watch on

22:45 , Oliver O’Connell

If you listened to any of Trump’s rallies in the weeks before the election — and indeed (bizarrely) his victory speech — you’ll know that the “chopstick” catch is his favorite part.

Maybe they’ll pull it off next time.

SpaceX aborts ‘chopstick’ catch of Starship rocket as Musk and Trump watch on

Linda McMahon to be named education secretary, report says

22:38 , Oliver O’Connell

CNN’s Kristen Holmes reports that Trump transition co-chair Linda McMahon is expected to be named as Education Secretary, according to four sources familiar with the matter.

The decision was formed after her co-chair Howard Lutnick was given his role as secretary of commerce, a role McMahon reportedly wanted.

McMahon led the Small Business Administration in the first Trump administration.

In pictures: Trump joins Elon Musk to watch SpaceX test flight

22:29 , Oliver O’Connell

Full story: Trump names Dr. Oz to lead Medicare and Medicaid

22:10 , Oliver O’Connell

President-elect Donald Trump tapped Dr Mehmet Oz to serve as the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Administrator.

The physician, TV personality, and failed Pennsylvania Senate candidate is the latest addition to Trump’s list of controversial cabinet picks.

Kelly Rissman has the story.

Trump names Dr. Oz to lead Medicare and Medicaid

ANALYSIS: Matt Gaetz’s surprisingly nuanced record in Congress makes him a genuinely interesting Attorney General pick

21:50 , Oliver O’Connell

Andrew Feinberg speaks to those, such as Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Pramila Jayapal, who have collaborated with controversial MAGA figure Matt Gaetz in the past on specific policy issues.

Matt Gaetz might not be the AG you imagine. He’s worked with Democrats for years

Watch LIVE: Donald Trump joins Elon Musk to watch the SpaceX Starship test flight

21:28 , Oliver O’Connell

‘Morning Joe’ defends Trump meeting

21:10 , Oliver O’Connell

Morning Joe host Joe Scarborough has responded to backlash over his meeting with President-elect Donald Trump alongside Mika Brzezinski, his co-host and wife.

Scarborough said the backlash on social media to the meeting demonstrated a “massive disconnect” between the internet sphere and the real world.

Katie Hawkinson reports.

‘Morning Joe’ defends Trump talk, cites ‘disconnect’ between online and ‘real world’

Could the stock market be last guardrails to corral Trump’s wildest whims?

21:00 , Oliver O’Connell

Donald Trump has so far chosen only the most loyal supporters to join his cabinet, signaling that he intends to surround himself with officials who will carry out his agenda without question.

But there is one force that could keep some of his plans at bay — the stock market.

Rhian Lubin explains.

How the stock market could be last guardrails to corral Trump’s wildest whims

Trump taps Dr OZ to run Medicare and Medicaid

20:54 , Oliver O’Connell

President-elect Donald Trump released the following statement:

I am very pleased to nominate Dr. Mehmet Oz to serve as the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Administrator. America is facing a Healthcare Crisis, and there may be no Physician more qualified and capable than Dr. Oz to Make America Healthy Again. He is an eminent Physician, Heart Surgeon, Inventor, and World-Class Communicator, who has been at the forefront of healthy living for decades. Dr. Oz will work closely with Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to take on the illness industrial complex, and all the horrible chronic diseases left in its wake.

Our broken Healthcare System harms everyday Americans, and crushes our Country’s budget. Dr. Oz will be a leader in incentivizing Disease Prevention, so we get the best results in the World for every dollar we spend on Healthcare in our Great Country. He will also cut waste and fraud within our Country’s most expensive Government Agency, which is a third of our Nation’s Healthcare spend, and a quarter of our entire National Budget.

Watch: When Trump ax falls, Rand Paul says some departments would be gone and you would not know it

20:37 , Oliver O’Connell

FEMA administrator supports investigation of alleged Trump bias in relief efforts

20:30 , AP

The head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency told lawmakers Tuesday she has encouraged the agency’s inspector general to review whether an employee was acting alone when directing workers helping hurricane victims not to go to homes with yards signs supporting President-elect Donald Trump

FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell said a critical function of the agency is to go door-to-door and meet with survivors to make them aware of federal resources available. The employee, she said, wrote to about 11 staffers under her supervision that they should “avoid homes advertising Trump.”

Criswell said her senior leadership team provided her with evidence and recommended that the employee be terminated. She concurred.

Continue reading…

FEMA administrator says she supports investigation of alleged Trump bias in relief efforts

How could Trump circumvent Congress and slash spending?

20:00 , Oliver O’Connell

President-elect Donald Trump is determined to cut federal spending significantly using whatever method he can and that may include impoundment – a little-known power once given to the president to reject Congressional-appropriated funds.

Falling largely in line with his recent threat to use recess appointments to evade Senate approval for cabinet positions, Trump has a backup plan to circumvent federal spending should Congress continue to allocate money to projects, agencies or departments he does not support.

Ariana Baio has the details.

What is impoundment? How Trump wants to circumvent Congress on spending

19:48 , Oliver O’Connell

And if you were wondering what that JD Vance tweet was all about, it was just the vice president-elect calling Grace Chong, the CFO of Steve Bannon’s War Room, a “mouth breathing imbecile” over her criticism of Republican senators who missed judicial votes allowing Biden nominations to pass.

Trump demands Republican senators block all Biden judicial confirmations… but not everyone’s in town for votes

19:43 , Oliver O’Connell

Donald Trump is demanding that Republican senators block all of President Joe Biden’s judicial confirmations ahead of his own inauguration on January 20, 2025.

In the November 2020 to January 2021 period after Trump lost that presidential election, 14 of his judges were confirmed by the Senate.

Not all Republican senators are in town today as Andrew Desiderio of Punchbowl News notes.

This apparently boiled over during a closed-door Senate GOP lunch today…

Trump makes Lutnick Commerce appointment official

19:37 , Oliver O’Connell

Donald Trump has officially confirmed Howard Lutnick as his choice for Secretary of Commerce in his administration. The CEO of Cantor Fitzgerald is the co-chair of the Trump transition team and was reportedly also under consideration for treasury secretary.

Here’s what the president-elect wrote on Truth Social today:

I am thrilled to announce that Howard Lutnick, Chairman & CEO of Cantor Fitzgerald, will join my Administration as the United States Secretary of Commerce. He will lead our Tariff and Trade agenda, with additional direct responsibility for the Office of the United States Trade Representative.

In his role as Co-Chair of the Trump-Vance Transition Team, Howard has created the most sophisticated process and system to assist us in creating the greatest Administration America has ever seen.

Report: Trump admits the odds don’t favor Matt Gaetz’s AG confirmation

19:30 , Oliver O’Connell

President-elect Donald Trump has reportedly privately acknowledged that his controversial choice for attorney general, Matt Gaetz, may not pass Senate confirmation given the outgoing congressman’s reputation.

In private conversations with confidants, Trump has admitted that his choice will take some convincing of senators and he has begun making phone calls to pressure them, the New York Times reported.

Ariana Baio has the story.

Trump admits the odds don’t favor Matt Gaetz’s confirmation for attorney general

Christian Pulisic defends ‘Trump dance’ celebration after scoring for USMNT

19:00 , Oliver O’Connell

Soccer star Christian Pulisic has been forced to respond to criticism after he celebrated scoring a goal for the US Men’s National Team (USMNT) by doing the so-called “Trump dance.”

The USMNT captain, who also plays midfield for AC Milan, scored in the 14th minute of his side’s Concacaf Nations League quarter-final second leg clash against Jamaica at the CITYPARK arena in St Louis, Missouri, on Monday.

It was the first goal of the game, with Pulisic’s side going on to clinch a 4-2 win.

Joe Sommerlad has the story.

Christian Pulisic forced to defend ‘Trump dance’ celebration after scoring for USMNT

Trump team reacts to hush money conviction sentencing postponement

18:50 , Oliver O’Connell

This is a total and definitive victory for President Trump and the American People who elected him in a landslide. The Manhattan DA has conceded that this Witch Hunt cannot continue. The lawless case is now stayed, and President Trump’s legal team is moving to get it dismissed once and for all.

Steven Cheung, Trump Communications Director

Nancy Mace’s controversial trans bathroom ban in Congress get support from MTG

18:45 , Oliver O’Connell

Representative Nancy Mace of South Carolina introduced legislation that would ban transgender women from using women’s restrooms on Capitol Hill just as the first transgender woman is about to be sworn into Congress.

Mace, a Republican serving in her second term, introduced the legislation on Monday evening. The bill would prohibit members of Congress, officers and employees of the House of Representatives from “using single-sex facilities other than those corresponding to their biological sex.”

Eric Garcia reports.

Republican writes bill to ban transgender women from using proper bathrooms

Watch: Sen. Grassley says release of Gaetz report would mean ‘speedy consideration’

18:35 , Oliver O’Connell

UK PM urged to recruit Nigel Farage to help woo Donald Trump and Elon Musk

18:30 , Oliver O’Connell

Lord Peter Mandelson has urged Sir Keir Starmer to use Nigel Farage as a bridge between Donald Trump’s incoming administration and the UK.

The Labour peer, who is the favorite to be named as the next British ambassador to the UK, also warned that his party needs to end its feud with Trump ally and X (formerly Twitter) boss Elon Musk.

It comes after Mr Musk continued his social media assault on Sir Keir’s government this week by backing protesting farmers and likening Britain to a Stalinist state. He has previously attacked the Labour government over free speech and backed far-right rioters over the summer.

David Maddox reports from London.

Starmer told to deploy Nigel Farage in bid to woo Donald Trump and Elon Musk

Full story: Manhattan prosecutors reject Trump’s attempts to derail hush money conviction

18:18 , Oliver O’Connell

Manhattan prosecutors are urging the judge overseeing Donald Trump’s criminal hush money trial to reject his attempts to derail his conviction and sentencing.

But District Attorney Alvin Bragg and his team have asked the judge to continue to delay the proceedings so they can address Trump’s upcoming arguments to dismiss the case, according to a letter to New York Justice Juan Merchan on Tuesday.

Trump’s sentencing was initially scheduled for next week, on November 26.

Alex Woodward reports.

Manhattan prosecutors reject Trump’s attempts to derail hush money conviction

What happened with Trump’s hush money case today?

18:14 , Oliver O’Connell

Here’s Anna Bower, senior editor of Lawfare, to explain why there was online confusion regarding Donald Trump’s hush money case this morning.

She posted on X:

Some reports suggested that Justice Merchan abruptly delayed Trump’s sentencing this morning. Those reports are not accurate and reflect a misinterpretation of an automatic reminder sent by the court’s electronic docket tracker. The Nov. 26 sentencing date still stands for now.

Shortly before 1 p.m. a letter from Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg to Judge Juan Merchan was published. It reads in part:

As a result of the election held on November 5, 2024, Defendant’s inauguration as President will occur on January 20, 2025. In light of that development, Defendant asked the District Attorney by letter dated November 8 to dismiss this prosecution and consent to a stay of these proceedings pending consideration of his dismissal request. Ex. 1. The People requested a brief adjournment to evaluate this request, which the Court granted on November 10. Ex. 2. In doing so, the Court ordered the People to provide, by 10:00 a.m. on November 19, 2024, our view of the appropriate steps going forward.

For the reasons more fully explained below, the People believe that the Court should set a motion schedule for Defendant’s forthcoming motion to dismiss, which the People intend to oppose. Assuming Defendant is permitted by the Court to file a motion to dismiss and does so promptly, the People ask that their response to Defendant’s motion be due on Monday, December 9. The People believe that further proceedings before this Court should be adjourned to permit litigation of Defendant’s forthcoming motion to dismiss and, therefore, the People would not oppose a defense motion for a stay of further proceedings before this Court while Defendant’s motion is adjudicated.

Stay tuned for more.

Hacker reportedly accessed file with damaging testimony about Matt Gaetz

18:00 , Oliver O’Connell

A hacker reportedly gained access to a computer file that contained damaging testimony made about Donald Trump’s controversial attorney general candidateMatt Gaetz.

The file is said to include testimony from a woman who claimed that she had sex with Gaetz in 2017 when she was 17, as well as corroborating testimony by a second woman who said that she witnessed the incident, a source told The New York Times.

It comes amid ongoing concerns over the former Florida congressman’s nomination. Gaetz, 42, previously faced a Justice Department’s investigation into allegations he sex trafficked a minor, but this has since been closed.

A House Ethics Committee also investigated allegations of sexual misconduct with a minor brought against Gaetz, with pressure now mounting for its report to be released ahead of Senate confirmation hearings.

Mike Bedigan reports.

Hacker reportedly accessed file with damaging testimony about Matt Gaetz

‘Free for all’ to get Treasury nomination, report says

17:50 , Oliver O’Connell

Fox News reporter Paul Steinhauser has been told that “it’s a free for all for Treasury secretary” and there’s a “mad dash to find someone pro-tariff.”

The same source adds that Cantor Fitzgerald CEO Howard Lutnick was offered an ambassadorship but rejected the offer.

He is now expected to become secretary of commerce.

Voices: I moved abroad after a US election. It didn’t go exactly as planned

17:45 , Oliver O’Connell

Barbara Dessart writes:

The day after Donald Trump was declared the winner of the 2024 election, several MAGA faithful took to social media to encourage “friends” to relocate to another part of the world. They recommended moving companies, storage units, one-way tickets to Siberia – and saying goodbye with a GFY.

These were tongue-in-cheek responses, of course, but they were responding to serious suggestions. Many of those who had voted for Kamala Harris and were disappointed by the outcome had made comments that they would leave the States if Trump were elected. Rumblings of politically motivated departures were also made by celebrities such as Travis and Taylor, Barbra Streisand, Cher and America Ferrera.

I know how they feel.

Continue reading…

I moved abroad after a US election. It didn’t go exactly as planned

Watch: Trump heads to Texas for SpaceX launch

17:38 , Oliver O’Connell

As Trump threatens to deploy military, polls show growing support for mass deportation

17:30 , Oliver O’Connell

Donald Trump has confirmed the military could be used to carry out mass deportations, just as a new review of polling revealed growing support for his approach to tackling illegal immigration.

The president-elect also suggested a national emergency could be declared on the issue once he is in power, when he responded to a supporter’s post on his Truth Social platform on Monday morning.

Alex Woodward reports.

Polls show growing support for mass deportation as Trump threatens to use military

Former reality TV star turned Fox presenter named as Trump’s transportation pick

17:00 , Oliver O’Connell

Donald Trump has now named his choice for transportation secretary – former reality TV star turned Fox presenter Sean Duffy.

The president-elect announced his pick in a post on Truth Social on Monday, saying that Duffy, a 53-year-old former Wisconsin congressman, is a “tremendous and well-liked public servant” who is “admired across the aisle” for his work with Democrats on expanding US infrastructure.

“He will prioritize Excellence, Competence, Competitiveness, and Beauty when rebuilding America’s highways, tunnels, bridges, and airports,” said Trump.

Io Dodds reports.

Trump names his transportation secretary – a former reality TV star turned Fox host

‘Let’s dance’: Marjorie Taylor Greene wants GOP to release all ‘sexual misconduct claims’ in wake of Gaetz ethics report

16:43 , Oliver O’Connell

Picturesque Italian village offers $1 homes to Americans hoping to flee US after Trump victory

16:40 , Oliver O’Connell

An Italian village is offering a special deal to Americans looking for an escape after former US president Donald Trump was re-elected for a second term.

Ollolai – located in central Sardinia – is one of the many rural Italian towns offering homes for just one euro ($1.06) in a bid to revitalize their economies.

Amber Raiken has the details.

Italian village offers $1 homes to Americans hoping to flee US after Trump victory

Watch: Incoming Trump border czar threatens to prosecute people who hide migrants

16:30 , Oliver O’Connell

Trump says he’s not looking for ‘retribution’ against the press… but only if he is treated ‘fairly’

16:20 , Oliver O’Connell

After agreeing to take meetings with journalists, President-elect Donald Trump says he’s “not looking for retribution” against the press, but warns if they don’t treat him fairly, “that will end.”

Despite calling for two networks’ broadcast licenses to be revoked and wanting a third to be investigated for treason on the campaign trail, now that he has been re-elected, Trump assured he has no plans to exact revenge on the media.

“I am not looking for retribution, grandstanding or to destroy people who treated me very unfairly, or even badly beyond comprehension,” he told Fox News Digital. But he also acknowledged that he “obviously” has “the upper hand at this moment.”

Kelly Rissman reports.

Trump says he isn’t seeking ‘retribution’ against the press if he’s treated ‘fairly’

Trump to name Cantor Fitzgerald CEO Howard Lutnick to Commerce

16:05 , Oliver O’Connell

Donald Trump is expected to name Cantor Fitzgerald CEO Howard Lutnick to be his secretary of Commerce.

Lutnick acted as transition co-chair with former WWE CEO Linda McMahon, who was also in the running for the role. In the first Trump administration, she led the Small Business Administration.

Another name mentioned as a potential Commerce secretary was Robert Lightizer, who served as US Trade Representative for Trump during his first term.

Jon Stewart has a message for ‘Morning Joe’ hosts

16:00 , Oliver O’Connell

Jon Stewart has joined the backlash against Morning Joe hosts Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski over their meeting with Donald Trump, schooling them as to why he thinks it was a bad idea.

On Monday, the MSNBC anchors announced that they visited Mar-a-Lago on Friday to meet the president-elect in person for the first time in seven years in a bid to “restart communications.”

Following Scarborough and Brzenzinski’s “interesting announcement,” Stewart shared his disapproval on Monday’s The Daily Show.

James Liddell has the story.

Jon Stewart tells Morning Joe’s Mika and Joe why Trump meeting was a bad idea

Watch: Trump FCC nominee suggests action against CBS over ‘60 Minutes’ interview with Kamala Harris

15:57 , Oliver O’Connell

Trump and Cruz to join Musk at SpaceX launch this evening, report says

15:50 , Oliver O’Connell

Donald Trump and Ted Cruz will join Elon Musk this evening for the latest SpaceX launch in Texas this evening, CNN reports.

The three of them will fly there from West Palm Beach.

Ruben Gallego begs Democrats to ditch ‘Ivy League’ advisers

15:40 , Oliver O’Connell

Kamala Harris’s defeat to Donald Trump was caused by many factors, and one of them was a surge of Latino support for the GOP ticket even as Democrats were confident that warnings about Trump’s mass deportation plan would prevent that from happening.

Now, one of the Democrats who won on November 5 despite the underperformance of the top of his party’s ticket is warning members of his party to actually listen to Latino voters if they want to win them back for future election cycles.

John Bowden reports.

After beating Kari Lake, Gallego begs Democrats to ditch ‘Ivy League’ advisers

MTG calls for a ‘national divorce’ from Americans not on board with Trump’s agenda

15:20 , Oliver O’Connell

Marjorie Taylor Greene has revived her calls for “a national divorce” from Americans who are not on board with Donald Trump’s agenda.

The Georgia Representative and fierce Trump ally pushed for a national divide between blue and red states because of the so-called “threat” Democratic governors pose to the president-elect’s agenda.

Rhian Lubin reports.

Marjorie Taylor Greene calls for ‘national divorce’ from Trump critics

How Trump’s family will influence politics outside the White House

15:00 , Joe Sommerlad

There may be fewer Trumps milling around the Oval Office this time around but ethical questions and party influence will continue to swirl around the famous family, writes Josh Marcus.

Trump family won’t be in the White House, but they’ll be just as influential outside

Trump’s promises to overhaul health agencies with RFK met with some optimism and widespread dismay

14:48 , Oliver O’Connell

Donald Trump’s plans to drastically shake up the nation’s public scientific and health apparatus have been met with enthusiasm from certain corners even as scientific and medical experts warn they could prove highly dangerous to the federal government’s public health work and scientific credibility.

Josh Marcus reports.

Trump’s promises to overhaul health agencies with RFK met with optimism and dismay

Watch: Trump’s share of popular vote drops below 50%

14:39 , Oliver O’Connell

Sarah Palin miffed Trump isn’t nominating her for a cabinet post

14:20 , Joe Sommerlad

As Trump continues to unveil his picks for his new administration, the 2008 Republican vice presidential nominee and ex-governor of Alaska has been busy posting screenshots from her fans expressing their frustration that she hasn’t been chosen for a cabinet role – seemingly suggesting she shares their annoyance.

Kelly Rissman has this on the forgotten woman of American populism.

Sarah Palin appears miffed Trump isn’t nominating her for a cabinet spot

USMNT captain Christian Pulisic joins ‘Trump Dance’ craze

14:00 , Joe Sommerlad

The AC Milan midfielder scored in his country’s 4-2 victory over Jamaica yesterday and became the latest sportsman to celebrate by mimicking the president-elect’s ludicrous rally dance.

Here’s how the same move is taking over the NFL.

The Trump dance takes the NFL by storm

Education secretary hopeful demands Oklahoma school students watch video of him praying for Trump

13:40 , Joe Sommerlad

Oklahoma’s chief school officer and Trump administration education secretary hopeful Ryan Walters is now demanding that students in the state watch a video of him praying for Donald Trump.

In an email circulated to Oklahoma public school superintendents last week, Walters ordered them to play the video to “all kids that are enrolled” in their districts as well as to the students’ parents.

Walters wrote that it was “a dangerous time for this country” and that students “rights and freedoms regarding religious liberties are continuously under assault,” The Oklahoman reported.

In the bizarre video, Walters also announced the formation of a new office in the state called “the Office of Religious Liberty and Patriotism.”

Rhian Lubin has more.

Education secretary hopeful demands students watch video of him praying for Trump

Republican introduces bill to stop trans women using female bathrooms on Capitol Hill

13:20 , Joe Sommerlad

GOP Representative Nancy Mace of South Carolina has introduced legislation that would ban transgender women from using women’s restrooms on Capitol Hill, just as the first transgender woman is about to be sworn into Congress.

Mace, serving in her second term, unveiled the bill on Monday evening.

Her proposal would prohibit members of Congress, officers and employees of the House of Representatives from “using single-sex facilities other than those corresponding to their biological sex” and require the House sergeant at arms to enforce it.

Earlier this month, Delaware elected Sarah McBride to be its sole member of Congress, making her the first openly transgender woman to serve in either chamber of Congress.

Eric Garcia has more.

Republican writes bill to ban transgender women from using proper bathrooms

Rudy Giuliani demands court delays his trial to attend Trump’s inauguration

13:00 , Joe Sommerlad

The former New York City mayor’s trial is scheduled for January 16 2025, four days before President-Elect Trump’s big day.

The cash-strapped Giuliani has now asked the court to adjourn the proceedings, related to the $150m bankruptcy court judgment against him, until on or after January 22 so that he can attend the ceremony.

Kelly Rissman reports.

Giuliani demands court delays his trial so he can attend Trump’s inauguration

Gaetz took two women to see Pretty Woman on Broadway after flying them to NYC and paying them for sex, lawyer says

12:40 , Joe Sommerlad

Rhian Lubin has more here from Joel Leppard, the attorney for the two women who gave closed-door testimony to the House Ethics Committee about their experiences with Trump’s would-be attorney general.

Matt Gaetz took women to Pretty Woman show after paying them for sex, lawyer says

Trump joked about a third term in 2028. So can he run again?

12:20 , Joe Sommerlad

The president-elect has repeatedly mused about the prospect of serving a constitutionally-barred third term as commander-in-chief, although his Republican colleagues have so far insisted he’s just joking.

“I suspect I won’t be running again, unless you do something,” Trump reportedly told his GOP House colleagues as they met ahead of congressional leadership elections last week.

“Unless you say, ‘He’s so good, we have to just figure it out.’”

The 22nd Amendment to the US Constitution states that presidents can only serve up to two full terms, although Trump has said he may feel “entitled” to more (while also saying he doesn’t want to run again after his next term ends in January 2029).

Republicans in the room when he addressed his House colleagues later moved to reassure reporters that the president-elect had only been kidding about his future – but was he?

Josh Marcus and Alex Woodward take a closer look.

Trump joked about a third term in 2028. So can he run again?

Trump’s ‘unprecedented’ mandate is actually much smaller than he claimed

12:00 , Joe Sommerlad

Let’s just sail breezily past the possibility of a double entendre in that headline and review the numbers with CNN’s data bod Harry Enten, after it emerged yesterday that Trump actually picked up less than 50 percent of the popular vote on Election Day.

Here’s more on Trump’s mandate from our own Richard Hall, who has been speaking to presidential historians about its significance.

Despite what he says, Trump actually has a very small mandate

Elon Musk’s bromance with Trump is starting to irritate MAGAworld

11:40 , Joe Sommerlad

He may have reached “uncle status” with Trump’s granddaughter Kai but Musk has already started to fall out with the people surrounding the president-elect.

That hasn’t stopped him continuing to push to influence cabinet picks, John Bowden reports.

Elon Musk’s bromance with Trump is starting to irritate MAGAworld

Who is Sean Duffy?

11:20 , Joe Sommerlad

Here’s Io Dodds with a profile to answer that very question on Trump’s nominee for transport secretary.

Trump names his transportation secretary – a former reality TV star turned Fox host

Trump ‘personally calling senators’ to lobby for Gaetz

11:00 , Joe Sommerlad

So says CNN, which reports that the president-elect has stressed to his Republican allies that he is determined to get Matt Gaetz confirmed as attorney general regardless of the allegations against him (which the former congressman denies) and has been putting in calls to a number of unnamed senators to argue the case directly.

The bipartisan House Ethics Committee is meanwhile due to meet on Wednesday to discuss whether or not to release the report it compiled on Gaetz prior to the curtailment of its investigation in February 2023.

Republicans are “weighing whether to bury” the dossier in order to help Trump get his man, according to CNN.

However, the panel’s chair, Michael Guest, has told Politico that its members all have full access to the report and will not be swayed in their opinion on what to do with it by Trump-affiliated House speaker Mike Johnson.

“We did talk this weekend,” Guest said of Johnson.

“I appreciate Mike reaching out. I don’t see it having an impact on what we as a committee ultimately decide.”

The speaker has meanwhile denied trying to influence the matter either way, commenting: “I’m not telling the Ethics Committee what to do.

“It is not my place to do so. I’ve been very clear. I’m merely responding to the questions that every single media outlet in America is asking me.”

Here’s more from James Liddell on Trump’s pressure campaign.

Trump personally calls senators to pressure them to confirm Gaetz as attorney general

Watch: Jon Stewart argues Morning Joe visit to Trump reveals Democrats have ‘learned nothing’

10:40 , Joe Sommerlad

The Daily Show host observed last night that the Trump GOP has become the party of “loopholes”, which leaves its opposition hopelessly insisting that the “norms” be obeyed.

Or, to put it another way: “Republicans are playing chess and the Democrats are in the nurse’s office because they glued their balls to their thighs.”

Here’s James Liddell with more from Stewart.

Jon Stewart tells Morning Joe’s Mika and Joe why Trump meeting was a bad idea

Trump Media ‘in talks’ to buy cryptocurrency trading platform Bakkt

10:20 , Joe Sommerlad

The president-elect’s Trump Media company is reportedly in “advanced talks” to buy the cryptocurrency trading firm Bakkt according to The Financial Times.

Shares in both companies soared on the news, with the parent company behind Truth Social shooting up by as much as 15 percent in the minutes after the report was published, CNBC reported.

Shares of Bakkt, created by Intercontinental Exchange, which owns the New York Stock Exchange, leaped more than 162 percent, triggering repeated trading due to volatility in the price.

The share price of Trump Media has been on a rollercoaster ride since it went public earlier this year in the run-up to the presidential election.

The company has reported a $363m net loss on revenues of just $2.6m so far this year, it boasts a market cap above $7bn.

Two women told House panel Matt Gaetz paid them for sex via Venmo, lawyer alleges

10:00 , Joe Sommerlad

The House Ethics Committee – which investigated Trump’s attorney general pick, the now-former Republican congressman Matt Gaetz – heard from two women who told investigators that Gaetz paid both of them for sex, according to their attorney Joel Leppard.

One of his clients also told the committee that she had witnessed Gaetz having sex with a third woman, who was 17 years old at the time.

“She testified that in July of 2017, at this house party, she was walking out to the pool area, and she looked to her right, and she saw Representative Gaetz having sex with her friend, who was 17,” Leppard told ABC News.

The statements follow Trump’s nomination of Gaetz and the latter’s subsequent resignation from Congress, days before the anticipated release of an ethics committee report into allegations of sexual misconduct.

The claims are coming under closer scrutiny before confirmation hearings in the Senate next year.

Attorney John Clune, who represents the former minor, has demanded that the committee release a report with its findings.

But CNN pundit Chuck Rocha believes there’s no chance Gaetz will ever be approved by the Senate anyway because he is “an a**hole” who is not popular with senators.

Here’s more from Alex Woodward.

Two women told House ethics panel Matt Gaetz paid them for sex, lawyer says

Judge Merchan to rule on future of Trump’s hush money case

09:40 , Joe Sommerlad

In New York City today, Judge Juan Merchan will hear from prosecutors on the future of Trump’s hush money case after he was convicted on all 34 counts earlier this year of paying off Stormy Daniels to the tune of $130,000 to stop her making her allegation about their having a sexual encounter in summer 2006 public and potentially thwarting his 2016 presidential bid into the bargain.

Judge Merchan had been set to offer a ruling a week ago – taking into account the Supreme Court’s subsequent granting of broad presidential immunity – only to delay in order to grant the prosecution and defense more time to submit their latest filings in light of Trump’s election win.

The prosecution will now offer what it considers to be the most “appropriate steps going forward”, which could potentially include further suspending or even scrapping the case in the greater interest of national unity.

At it stands, Merchan is currently scheduled to sentence Trump next Tuesday but that could now all change in light of his election win.

Of the four indictments Trump was hit with in 2023, the Manhattan case was the only one to reach a verdict, with special prosecutor Jack Smith’s two federal cases now being quietly wrapped and another brought by Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis in Georgia on hold pending appeal.

Here’s Alex Woodward’s most recent reporting on the case.

Judge delays decision on Trump’s attempt to throw out hush money conviction

Trump nominates Sean Duffy as transport secretary

09:20 , Joe Sommerlad

The president-elect has meanwhile announced that Sean Duffy is his nominee to be America’s next transport secretary, the second Fox alumni to be picked after Pete Hegseth was chosen as defense secretary.

Trump said in a Truth Social statement on Monday that the former Wisconsin congressman and fellow reality TV star was a “tremendous and well-liked public servant”, who was “admired across the aisle” for his work with Democrats on expanding US infrastructure.

“He will prioritize Excellence, Competence, Competitiveness, and Beauty when rebuilding America’s highways, tunnels, bridges, and airports,” the Republican wrote.

“He will make our skies safe again by eliminating DEI [diversity, equity and inclusion] for pilots and air traffic controllers… and fulfil our Mission of ushering in The Golden Age of Travel.”

Like Trump, Duffy got his start on TV, appearing on MTV’s The Real World and Road Rules series in the late 1990s before winning office as a prosecutor in Ashland County, Wisconsin, in 2002.

You can check out our Trump 2.0 staffing tracker below.

Trump’s Cabinet tracker: Here’s who is among the White House appointments so far

Donald Trump spills details about controversial Morning Joe meeting

09:00 , Joe Sommerlad

Good morning!

Donald Trump has offered an insight into his surprise meeting at Mar-a-Lago last week with Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski, the hosts of MSNBC’s Morning Joe, telling Fox News the sitdown was “extremely cordial” and “ended in a very positive manner… We agreed to speak in the future”.

Scarborough and Brzezinski were highly critical of the Republican during the election campaign and had not met with him in seven years but Trump said he had agreed with them that “it is very important, if not vital, to have a free, fair and open media or press”.

He added: “I am not looking for retribution, grandstanding or to destroy people who treated me very unfairly.”

The duo, often viciously mocked by Trump in the past, took to the air yesterday morning to explain their decision to “restart communications” with the 47th president but were immediately attacked by other media figures for backing down from their earlier hostility in the wake of his resounding election victory over Kamala Harris.

Conservative pundit Megyn Kelly was particularly vicious in her denunciation of them while Trumpworld pariah Nikki Haley was all cynicism.

Here’s Kevin EG Perry on what The View host Sunny Hostin had to say about it all.

Sunny Hostin accuses Morning Joe hosts of ‘kissing the ring’ after Trump meeting

How the Heritage Foundation is creeping back into Trump’s sphere

08:00 , Oliver O’Connell

After Donald Trump attempted to distance himself from Project 2025 on the campaign trail, the organization behind it “kind of went dark,” an official admitted.

Kamala Harris linked the Heritage Foundation’s Project 2025 – a radical conservative 900-page blueprint for the second Trump administration, which includes proposals for shutting down the Department of Education and federal limits on abortion – to the Trump campaign.

After Democrats hit Project 2025 hard in campaign ads, the organization faced widespread backlash and had no choice but to quietly back away. Trump’s campaign also publicly shunned the proposals. “We did not anticipate that,” a Heritage official told Politico’s Playbook. “And wish it didn’t happen. But you know, we had to do what we had to do.”

Rhian Lubin has the story.

‘We’re so back’: How the Heritage Foundation is creeping back into Trump’s sphere

Does Trump’s choice of Rubio mean fiercer US-China rivalry?

07:00 , Oliver O’Connell

Donald Trump belittled him as “Little Marco” and “choke artist”, only to nominate him as his US secretary of state. The incoming president even described Marco Rubio as “a strong advocate for our nation, a true friend to our allies and a fearless warrior who will never back down to our adversaries”.

Rubio’s appointment as arguably the most powerful diplomat in the world will likely reshape American foreign policy towards allies and rivals alike—and dealing with China’s continued economic, diplomatic and military rise is set to be one of his top priorities.

Shweta Sharma reports.

Trump’s pick of Marco Rubio ignites fears of tougher US-China rivalry in second term

Right-wing backlash as 60 minutes airs brutal takedown of Trump cabinet picks

06:00 , Oliver O’Connell

CBS’s 60 Minutes has sparked a right-wing backlash over its brutal takedown of Donald Trump’s cabinet picks.

Host Scott Pelley began Sunday’s show with a monologue dissecting Trump’s choices for his future administration, detailing one-by-one how the likes of Pete Hegseth, Matt Gaetz, Tulsi Gabbard and Robert F Kennedy Jr have “no compelling qualifications” and “no government experience” to take up the jobs they’ve been nominated for.

“Some nominees appear to have no compelling qualifications other than loyalty to Trump,” Pelley said.

James Liddell reports.

60 Minutes sparks right-wing backlash over brutal takedown of Trump’s cabinet picks

Even Matt Gaetz’s dad was surprised Trump picked him for attorney general

05:00 , Oliver O’Connell

A number of President-Elect Donald Trump’s nominations to his new cabinet have raised eyebrows among political observers, but none more so than Matt Gaetz, who has been tapped to become America’s next attorney general.

Gaetz, 42, is known as a MAGA firebrand on Capitol Hill who was instrumental in the ousting of previous House speaker Kevin McCarthy.

He is also known for being the subject of a Department of Justice sex trafficking investigation and House Ethics Committee probe. He has never been criminally charged and denies the allegations.

Few, it seems, saw him as a likely head of the DOJ – and, it turns out, that includes Gaetz’s his own father.

Joe Sommerlad has the story.

Even Matt Gaetz’s dad was surprised Trump picked him for attorney general

Why MSNBC’s ‘Morning Joe’ hosts traveled to Florida to meet with Trump

04:00 , Oliver O’Connell

Morning Joe co-hosts Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski visited Mar-a-Lago to meet President-elect Donald Trump, they revealed.

Scarborough and Brzezinski have been highly critical of Trump leading up to the election, calling him “erratic,” slamming his election fraud efforts and warning of “how dark of a place” the US would be if Trump won. But after airing their concerns with a second Trump presidency, the pair met with Trump Friday for the first time in seven years to “restart communications.”

Kelly Rissman reports.

‘Morning Joe’ hosts traveled to meet with Trump and ‘restart communications’

Ukraine: Marjorie Taylor Greene and Donald Trump Jr accuse Biden of trying to start WWIII

03:00 , Oliver O’Connell

Marjorie Taylor Greene and Donald Trump Jr have accused President Joe Biden of trying to start World War III after he gave Ukraine the green light to use US-supplied long-range supersonic missiles to strike inside Russia for the first time.

The Biden administration’s granting of Kyiv’s request to use the ATACMS missiles outside of its own borders marks a change in stance in the president’s final days in office, before President-elect Donald Trump – who has indicated he will limit US support for Ukraine – returns to the White House in January.

The MAGA representative and Donald Trump’s eldest son lashed out at Biden’s decision in fiery posts on X.

James Liddell reports.

Marjorie Taylor Greene and Donald Trump Jr accuse Biden of trying to start WWIII

Why did Trump pick Fox News host Pete Hegseth for defense?

02:00 , Oliver O’Connell

The second in command to the nation’s military could end up being a Fox News pundit who wants to launch a “frontal assault” against top brass, kick women out of combat, and implement Donald Trump’s sweeping agenda for the world’s third-largest standing fighting force.

The president-elect has nominated Pete Hegseth as his secretary of defense, overseeing a budget of roughly $850 billion and roughly 3 million service members and personnel serving in the nation’s oldest-running agency while the US is embroiled in global conflicts in a period of escalating tensions.

Alex Woodward reports.

Why Trump nominated a ‘wholly unqualified’ Fox News host for defense secretary

Doctors worry about RFK Jr’s anti-Ozempic stance (and many of his other views)

01:30 , Oliver O’Connell

Doctors are warning that Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Donald Trump’s nominee to Health and Human Services Secretary, is talking inaccurately about drugs like Ozempic and other similar medications used for treating obesity and diabetes.

In October, Kennedy appeared on Fox News’s Gutfeld! talk show, where he was asked about a study suggesting Ozempic might show promising addressing conditions including drug abuse, sleep apnea, and cognitive decline.

Josh Marcus reports on what he had to say.

Doctors worry about RFK Jr’s anti-Ozempic stance (and many of his other views)

Furious Kremlin – and Trump allies – attack Biden’s ‘escalation’ of Ukraine war

01:00 , Oliver O’Connell

Joe Biden’s decision to let Ukraine strike targets inside Russia with US-made longer-range missiles is an “escalation” of the conflict, Moscow said on Monday as it warned use of the weapons would trigger a “tangible” response.

The Kremlin reacted with fury after the US president eased limits on what targets Kyiv can strike using the American-made Army Tactical Missile System, or ATACMS.

Alastair Jamieson reports.

Kremlin and Trump allies attack Biden’s ‘escalation’ of Ukraine war

Can Trump bypass FBI background checks and security clearance for his key cabinet picks?

00:30 , Oliver O’Connell

The FBI has vetted cabinet picks since President Dwight D Eisenhower was in the White House.

But if he so chooses, Donald Trump, himself a convicted felon, can bypass background checks for those he has nominated for key roles in his administration.

James Liddell explains how.

How Trump can bypass FBI background checks and security clearance for cabinet picks

Profile: Interior secretary nominee Doug Burgum

00:00 , Oliver O’Connell

President-elect Donald Trump has chosen North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum to head the Interior Department.

Trump made the announcement during a speech at a black-tie gala held at Mar-a-Lago on Thursday.

Sam Rkaina reports.

Who is Doug Burgum? Everything to know about Trump’s pick to run Interior Department

ICYMI: Trump feels ‘obligation’ to Americans to work with press, even those who treat him badly

Monday 18 November 2024 23:45 , Oliver O’Connell

In an interview with Fox News Digital this morning, Donald Trump said that it is “vital” to have a “free, fair and open media” and that he feels he has “an obligation” to the American people to work with the press — even those who had treated him “badly beyond comprehension”.

The president-elect also spoke of his meeting with the MSNBC hosts of Morning Joe: “I received a call from Joe Scarborough requesting a meeting for him and Mika [Brzezinski], and I agreed that it would be a good thing if such meeting took place.”

Trump said he met with the two at 8am on Friday morning at Mar-a-Lago and that it was “extremely cordial”.

“Many things were discussed, and I very much appreciated the fact that they wanted to have open communication,” he said. “In many ways, it’s too bad that it wasn’t done long ago.”

The president-elect said they discussed his campaign and his cabinet picks and the meeting ended with an agreement to speak in the future.

He said his obligation is “to be open and available to the press” but added: “If not treated fairly, however, that will end.”

Who’s who in Trump’s prospective administration?

Monday 18 November 2024 23:30 , Oliver O’Connell

President-elect Donald Trump is filling key posts in his second administration, putting an emphasis so far on aides and allies who were his strongest backers during the 2024 campaign.

Here’s a look at who he’s selected so far:

Trump’s Cabinet tracker: Here’s who is among the White House appointments so far

Analysis: Trump warned his second term would mean ‘retribution’. His alarming cabinet picks show he means it

Monday 18 November 2024 23:15 , Oliver O’Connell

Alex Woodward writes:

Trump’s first wave of cabinet nominations and White House appointments, within the week after he won the 2024 presidential election, have stunned members of Congress, veterans and active-duty service members, public health advocates and democratic advocates, who have warned for years that he is building a government of loyalists to fulfill his campaign-trail promises to deliver “retribution” by destroying the “deep state.”

They’re shocking choices, but they shouldn’t be surprising. When Trump formally launched his 2024 campaign from Waco, Texas, he declared himself a “warrior” and the election a “final battle.”

Read on…

Trump promised ‘retribution’ in his second term. His cabinet picks show he means it

What would RFK Jr be in charge of if he joins Trump cabinet?

Monday 18 November 2024 23:00 , Oliver O’Connell

Eric Garcia writes:

When president-elect Donald Trump announced that he would nominate Robert F Kennedy Jr to be his secretary of Health and Human Services, the move shocked many. Kennedy, the son of the late senator from New York and US attorney general, has made a name for himself primarily promoting the bogus link that vaccines cause autism.

It is unclear whether Kennedy could get confirmed, even with a Republican Senate majority. Mike Pence, Trump’s former vice president, made the rare move of denouncing Kennedy as insufficiently opposed to abortion.

Needless to say, almost all, if not all, Democrats will oppose Kennedy’s confirmation. Plenty of Republicans might have some objections as well.

Continue reading…

RFK Jr is Trump’s pick to oversee Health. Here’s all the agencies he could control

Sarah Palin appears miffed at lack of Trump cabinet spot

Monday 18 November 2024 22:45 , Oliver O’Connell

Sarah Palin appears to be miffed that President-elect Donald Trump hasn’t picked her to serve in his cabinet.

As Trump rolls out his cabinet picks, the former vice presidential nominee and governor of Alaska has been busy posting a series of screenshots from her supporters expressing their frustration that she hadn’t been chosen for a cabinet role — perhaps signaling that she shares that frustration.

Kelly Rissman reports.

Sarah Palin’s appears miffed Trump isn’t nominating her for a cabinet spot

Court cancels oral arguments in Trump’s Fani Willis disqualification appeal

Monday 18 November 2024 22:35 , Oliver O’Connell

The Georgia Court of Appeals has canceled the December 5 oral argument it previously scheduled to hear Donald Trump’s appeal seeking to disqualify Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis, who charged him in the sprawling 2020 election interference case.

The argument is canceled “until further order of this court”.

The court previously granted a request for the oral argument and as recently as October extended the time allotted to the parties for argument.

It is not clear what led to the hearing’s cancellation. However, as Anna Bower of Lawfare notes, the court is able to issue a ruling on the matter based on the briefs submitted by either side without hearing oral arguments.

Profile: Defense secretary nominee Pete Hegseth

Monday 18 November 2024 22:30 , Oliver O’Connell

Pete Hegseth has been nominated for Secretary of Defense under President-elect Donald Trump – but who is the relative unknown to the DC sphere?

Amber Raiken reports.

Who is Pete Hegseth? The Fox News anchor turned nominee for Defense secretary

‘The View’ co-host accuses ‘Morning Joe’ of ‘kissing the ring’ after Trump meeting

Monday 18 November 2024 22:15 , Oliver O’Connell

The View co-host Sunny Hostin has criticized MSNBC’s Morning Joe anchors Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski for visiting President-elect Donald Trump, saying: “I don’t think you need to sit down for 90 minutes at Mar-a-Lago and kiss his ring to be able to speak truth.”

Scarborough and Brzezinski had been highly critical of Trump leading up to the election, but the pair recently revealed they met with the president-elect on Friday for the first time in seven years to “restart communications.”

Kevin E G Perry has the story.

Sunny Hostin accuses Morning Joe hosts of ‘kissing the ring’ after Trump meeting

ACLU sues ICE for records on how air operations may expand for Trump’s deportation plans

Monday 18 November 2024 22:09 , Oliver O’Connell

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) is suing US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to obtain records revealing how ICE Air Operations — the network of for-profit, commercial, and privately chartered deportation flights run by ICE — could be expanded to carry out a mass deportation and detention program.

Lawyers for the ACLU said the information is urgent as Donald Trump will take office in just two months and has reiterated his promise to undertake the largest deportation program in US history.

The ACLU says that in 2023 alone, planes chartered by ICE Air Operations deported more than 140,000 people. Flights chartered by ICE are also used to transport people between ICE detention facilities across the country. Immigrants’ rights advocates have continuously raised concerns that ICE’s infrastructure, including its air operations network, could be expanded to assist the Trump administration in its efforts to deport more than 11 million people from the United States.

“For months, the ACLU has been preparing for the possibility of a mass detention and deportation program, and FOIA litigation has been a central part of our roadmap,” said Kyle Virgien, senior staff attorney at the ACLU’s National Prison Project. “A second Trump administration underscores the urgency of our litigation.”

The lawsuit was filed in the US District Court for the Central District of California.

“Little is known about how President-elect Trump would carry out its mass deportation agenda, but what we do know is that this proposal has already instilled fear among immigrant communities,” said Eva Bitran, director of immigrants’ rights at ACLU SoCal. “The public has a right to know how its taxpayer dollars could be used to fund deportation flights that would tear apart not only families, but also our communities.”

Watch: GOP Rep Don Bacon says Senate should see Gaetz report

Monday 18 November 2024 22:05 , Oliver O’Connell

Giuliani demands court delay so he can attend Trump’s inauguration

Monday 18 November 2024 22:00 , Oliver O’Connell

Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani is asking the court to delay his trial with the pair of election workers he defamed so he can attend Donald Trump’s inauguration.

Giuliani’s trial is scheduled for January 16, 2025, four days before President-elect Trump’s inauguration. The cash-strapped former mayor has now asked the court to adjourn the trial – which is to enforce the $150 million bankruptcy court judgment against Giuliani – until on or after January 22, so that he can attend the inauguration events.

Kelly Rissman has been following the case.

Giuliani demands court delays his trial so he can attend Trump’s inauguration

Gaetz paid two House ethics committee witnesses for sex, lawyer says

Monday 18 November 2024 21:45 , Oliver O’Connell

Two women who testified to the House Ethics Committee told investigators that now-former Republican congressman Matt Gaetz paid both of them for sex, according to their attorney.

One of his clients also told the committee that she had witnessed Gaetz having sex with a third woman who was 17 years old at the time.

“She testified that in July of 2017, at this house party, she was walking out to the pool area, and she looked to her right, and she saw Representative Gaetz having sex with her friend, who was 17,” attorney Joel Leppard told ABC News.

Alex Woodward has the full story.

Matt Gaetz paid two ethics committee witnesses for sex, lawyer says

Is the shine coming off the Musk-Trump bromance for MAGAworld?

Monday 18 November 2024 21:35 , Oliver O’Connell

John Bowden reports on how as Elon Musk pushes his influence on Trump cabinet picks, he starting to fall out with others surrounding the president-elect.

Elon Musk’s bromance with Trump is starting to irritate MAGAworld

Trump appears to be planning to attend SpaceX ‘Starship’ launch tomorrow

Monday 18 November 2024 21:30 , Oliver O’Connell

President-elect Donald Trump appears to be planning to attend a SpaceX “Starship” rocket launch on Tuesday, in the latest indication of founder Elon Musk ‘s influence in the Republican’s orbit.

The Federal Aviation Administration has issued temporary flight restrictions over Brownsville and Boca Chica, Texas area for a VIP visit that coincides with the SpaceX launch window for a test of its massive Starship rocket from its launch facility on the Gulf of Mexico. The flight restrictions put in place over Trump’s home in Palm Beach, Florida when he is there will be lifted briefly while the Texas security measures are in place.

Read the full article here.

Profile: Attorney general nominee Matt Gaetz

Monday 18 November 2024 21:20 , Josh Marcus

Donald Trump has announced he’s going to nominate former Florida Republican congressman Matt Gaetz to serve as attorney general.

In a statement, the president-elect praised Gaetz, 42, who has frequently defended Trump and criticized the various criminal and congressional probes against the Republican.

“On the House Judiciary Committee, which performs oversight of DOJ, Matt played a key role in defeating the Russia, Russia, Russia Hoax, and exposing alarming and systemic Government Corruption and Weaponization,” Trump wrote on Wednesday, calling Gaetz a “Champion for the Constitution and the Rule of Law.”

Gaetz has faced multiple allegations of wrongdoing of his own, including a federal sex trafficking probe that ended without charges against him and a House ethics inquiry.

Here’s what you need to know about Gaetz, who was once dubbed the “Trumpiest Congressman” in Washington:

Who is Matt Gaetz? Trump’s attorney general nominee who is no stranger to controversy

Trump Media shares soar as report says company in talks to buy crypto trading platform

Monday 18 November 2024 21:13 , Oliver O’Connell

The Financial Times reports that Trump Media is reportedly in “advanced talks” to buy the cryptocurrency trading firm Bakkt. The outlet cited two people with knowledge of the talks.

Shares in both companies soared on the news with the the parent company of Truth Social shooting up by as much as 15 percent in the minutes after the report was published, CNBC reports.

Shares of Bakkt, created by Intercontinental Exchange, which owns the New York Stock Exchange, leaped more than 162 percent triggering repeated trading due to volatility in the price.

The share price of Trump Media has been on a rollercoaster ride since it went public earlier this year in the run-up to the presidential election. The company has reported a $363m net loss on revenues of just $2.6m so far this year, it boasts a market cap above $7bn.

Pennsylvania court rules mail-in ballots without dated signature will not be counted.

Monday 18 November 2024 21:05 , Oliver O’Connell

Mail-in ballots that arrived in time but without a dated signature will bot be counted, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court has ordered.

Some county election boards had moved to segregate and count these ballots, citing mixed messages from earlier state court rulings.

The court ruled 4-3 against counting the ballots with two Republican and two Democrat judges forming the majority.

The many controversies of RFK Jr

Monday 18 November 2024 21:00 , Oliver O’Connell

Robert F. Kennedy Jr., an anti-vaccine activist and former independent presidential candidate, has been tapped to lead the Department of Health and Human Services under Donald Trump’s government.

Kennedy ran an independent presidential campaign alongside running mate Nicole Shanahan, attempting to rival both Trump and Kamala Harris in the 2024 election. In August, Kennedy suspended his independent campaign for president and backed the now-president-elect.

The 70-year-old has spread misinformation about COVID-19 vaccines, admitted to bizarrely dumping a dead bear cub in Central Park and allegedly engaged in an online relationship with a political reporter despite being married, among other incidents.

Now, he’s Trump’s pick to lead the nation in a mission to “make America healthy.”

Eric Garcia and Katie Hawkinson break down Kennedy’s most notable controversies as he gears up to potentially serve in Trump’s cabinet:

RFK Jr’s controversies: From dumping a bear in Central Park to a brain-eating worm

What have Trump’s cabinet nominees said about climate change?

Monday 18 November 2024 20:40 , Julia Musto

As President-elect Donald Trump‘s picks for his upcoming administration continue to roll in, many have a noticeable link – their stance on climate change.

The former president, who has pledged to “drill, baby, drill,” while in office for his second term, has called climate change a “scam.” Many of his nominees share that thinking.

This year was the warmest in Earth’s record, fueled by the fossil fuel industry’s continued production of greenhouse gas emissions that warm the planet’s atmosphere. Without reductions, Earth could pass worrisome tipping points, with consequences for all of its inhabitants.

Here’s where some of Trump’s cabinet picks stand on the issue:

Here are what Trump’s cabinet picks have said about climate change

He’s joke about it, but could Trump run again in 2028?

Monday 18 November 2024 20:20 , Oliver O’Connell

Donald Trump has repeatedly mused about the prospect of serving a constitutionally-barred third term as president, though his Republican colleagues insist he’s just joking.

Josh Marcus and Alex Woodward take a look.

Trump joked about a third term in 2028. So can he run again?

Biden seeks nearly $100bn in emergency disaster aid after Hurricanes Helene and Milton

Monday 18 November 2024 20:10 , AP

President Joe Biden is requesting nearly $100 billion in emergency disaster aid after Hurricanes Helene and Milton, and other natural disasters.

In a letter Monday to House Speaker Mike Johnson, Biden said he has met firsthand with those harmed by the storms and heard what they need from the federal government. “Additional resources are critical to continue to support these communities,” Biden said.

The largest share of the money, about $40 billion, would go to the main disaster relief fund at the Federal Emergency Management Agency. An additional $24 billion would help farmers and $12 billion would go toward community development block grants administered by the Department of Housing and Urban Development.

Johnson, R-La., said Congress will evaluate the request and “we’ll make sure we deliver for the hurricane victims and the people that have suffered from that.”

Watch: CNN breaks down ‘depth’ of Trump’s 2024 victory

Monday 18 November 2024 20:00 , Oliver O’Connell