Politics

Politico reports: Former Senate GOP leader Mitch McConnell is giving some indirect hints into his thinking on President-elect Donald Trump’s forthcoming nominees. “I will vote to confirm nominees to senior national security roles whose record and experience will make them immediate assets — not liabilities — in the pursuit of peace through strength,” McConnell said during a speech from the …

ABC News reports: Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Thursday was interrupted multiple times by outbursts from attendees — who are not members of the regular State Department press corps — shouting questions about U.S. support for Israel as he tried to make farewell remarks to reporters in the State Department briefing room. At least one individual was removed from …

ABC News reports: Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi will not attend President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration, according to her spokesperson. Pelosi notably attended Trump’s inauguration in 2017, when she was the House Democratic leader. A spokesman did not disclose a reason why the California Democrat is skipping the high-profile event. Trump labeled Pelosi at his 2024 campaign rallies as “an enemy …

NPR reports: Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said a cabinet meeting that was scheduled to vote Thursday on the peace deal between Israel and Hamas has been delayed, in a blow to hopes that a ceasefire after 15 months of fighting would take effect Sunday. Netanyahu said that the meeting will only happen once Hamas pulls back on demands …

The Guardian reports: Pakistan’s prime minister has ordered an investigation after the country’s national airline released an advert that drew accusations that it evoked imagery of the 9/11 attacks. The advert was released by Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) last week to celebrate the resumption of flights to Paris, which had been suspended for four years over safety concerns about its …

NBC News reports: Iran “never” plotted to assassinate Donald Trump during last year’s U.S. election campaign and never will in the future, President Masoud Pezeshkian told NBC News’ Lester Holt in an exclusive interview in Tehran. Asked about the reported plot against Trump outlined by U.S. authorities, Pezeshkian said: “This is another one of those schemes that Israel and other …

The New York Times reports: Several members of the Supreme Court’s conservative majority seemed deeply skeptical of a challenge to a Texas law that seeks to limit minors’ access to pornography, peppering a lawyer for the challengers with exceptionally hostile questions. The lawyer, Derek L. Shaffer, said the law violated the First Amendment by requiring age verification measures like the …

Via press release from Sen. Dick Durbin: The President-elect has made it clear that he values one thing above all else in an Attorney General: loyalty. I have no reason to believe President-elect Trump has changed his litmus test for Attorney General or his views on how the Justice Department should operate. In fact, I fear he found someone who …

Newsweek reports: Puerto Rico’s governor has called on President-elect Donald Trump to respond after Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro called for an invasion of the island territory. Maduro’s comments were an “open threat to the United States and our national security,” Jenniffer González-Colón wrote in a post on X on Monday. On Friday, the U.S. announced a $25 million reward for …

The Hill reports: A Texas lawmaker got down on one knee and proposed to his longtime partner on the statehouse floor during the first day of the 89th legislative session. Texas Rep. Venton Jones (D-Dallas) popped the question to Gregory Scott Jr. on Tuesday, right before other lawmakers were set to be sworn in. “In a time when our love …

Axios reports: Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) has been making calls and telling people she is likely to make a bid for governor, D.C. and Tennessee sources tell Axios. Blackburn would be a formidable contender in the 2026 gubernatorial race. She would be running to be the first female governor in the state’s history. State and federal elected officials have been …

The Associated Press reports: Former first lady Michelle Obama will skip the inauguration of President-elect Donald Trump. Laura Bush and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton will join their husbands for the Jan. 20 swearing-in ceremony at the Capitol, representatives said. “Former President Barack Obama is confirmed to attend the 60th Inaugural Ceremonies. Former first lady Michelle Obama will not …

Military.com reports: The White House announced Monday that the Navy will name the two latest Ford-class aircraft carriers after former Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush. The future USS William J. Clinton and the future USS George W. Bush will become the fifth and sixth ships of the Ford class — the class of ships that is slated to …

The editorial board of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel: Gov. Ron DeSantis needs to work his way back into Donald Trump’s good graces. To do that, he will call the state Legislature into a special session on Jan. 27 to help Trump carry out “the largest deportation program in American history.” To that end, DeSantis needs new laws to force county …

Politico reports: The well-known Cuomo topped the candidates with 32 percent when likely Democratic voters were asked to choose a favorite candidate in what will be a ranked-choice election. Following him were former city Comptroller Scott Stringer at 10 percent; his successor Brad Lander at 8 percent; state Sen. Jessica Ramos at 7 percent; and Adams and state Assemblymember Zohran …

Axios reports: President Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu discussed the efforts to reach a Gaza hostage and ceasefire deal by Jan. 20 — when Biden’s term ends — according to U.S. and Israeli officials. The indirect negotiations between Israel and Hamas have reached a critical point eight days before President-elect Trump is sworn into office. Biden’s team is …

NBC News reports: Sen. James Lankford, R-Okla., on Sunday dismissed President-elect Donald Trump’s threat to acquire Greenland by military force, saying, “The United States is not going to invade another country. That’s not who we are.” Trump “speaks very boldly on a lot of things,” Lankford said, adding: “We’ve seen this over how he’s done negotiations, whether it be for …

The New York Times reports: After Inauguration Day, the group of Silicon Valley-inflected, wide-eyed recruits will be deployed to Washington’s alphabet soup of agencies. The goal is for most major agencies to eventually have two DOGE representatives as they seek to cut costs. On the eve of Mr. Trump’s presidency, the structure of DOGE is still amorphous and closely held. …

Florida Politics reports: U.S. Rep. Cory Mills intends to run for U.S. Senate in 2026 — even if he is not named to the post by Gov. Ron DeSantis. The New Smyrna Beach Republican told the press on Saturday he doesn’t know when DeSantis will appoint a successor to U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee for Secretary of …

Politico Europe reports: Thousands of demonstrators gathered in the East German town of Riesa on Saturday in a bid to blockade the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party congress. Protesters chanting “no to Nazis” blocked roads in the town, preventing many of the party’s 600 delegates from reaching the convention venue and ultimately delaying the kick-off of the proceedings. Police …