Despite Trump’s past campaign promises to protect Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid, his proposed budgets consistently sought to cut these programs. His incoming OMB director, Russell Vought, and a new “Department of Government Efficiency” plan to slash government spending, potentially circumventing Congress through executive action. This mirrors previous Republican attempts to dismantle these programs, though the current narrow House majority makes passage uncertain. The possibility of using impoundment to bypass Congressional spending allocations presents a significant risk to these entitlement programs.
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Following a dinner meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, President-elect Trump posted an AI-generated image of himself with a Canadian flag atop what appears to be a Swiss mountain. This image seemingly references a joke Trump made suggesting Canada become the 51st U.S. state to avoid tariffs, a proposal met with nervous laughter from Trudeau and others present. While the post’s intent remains unclear, some of Trump’s supporters have openly endorsed the idea. Trudeau previously expressed concern that Trump’s tariff threats are not mere rhetoric.
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The free press faces increasing threats, jeopardizing America’s future. HuffPost remains committed to resisting political pressure and upholding its independent reporting. Continued operation depends on reader support, with contributions enabling the free dissemination of news to all. Readers are urged to contribute financially or by creating a free account to help sustain this vital service.
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Forty-six senators, including nearly the entire Democratic caucus, urged President Biden to certify the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) before leaving office. Passed by Congress in 1972 and ratified by 38 states in 2020, the ERA awaits the Archivist’s certification to become the 28th Amendment. This action would guarantee legal equality between the sexes and potentially protect reproductive rights. Advocates highlight the urgency given increased state-level restrictions on abortion access and the approaching end of Biden’s term.
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Judges Max Cogburn and Algenon Marbley, facing potential replacement by a Republican president, rescinded their planned semi-retirements. This action, following stalled Senate confirmations due to home-state senator objections, prevents President Biden’s nominees from replacing them with judges potentially more aligned with his political party. Senate Republicans criticized the judges’ actions as partisan, while Democrats race to confirm judicial appointments before the Republican majority takes effect in January. A deal allowing the incoming Republican president to choose four appellate court vacancies was struck in exchange for support of Democratic district court picks.
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President-elect Trump’s transition team reached an agreement with the Department of Justice to conduct background checks on his controversial nominees. This agreement, following scrutiny of picks for key positions including Defense Secretary and FBI Director, aims to expedite the security clearance process and facilitate a smoother transition. Several nominees, such as Pete Hegseth and Kash Patel, face allegations of misconduct and controversial past statements, raising concerns among some senators. The agreement intends to address these concerns and allow the Trump administration to begin enacting its agenda on day one. Despite this agreement, confirmation hearings remain contentious, with senators voicing concerns and requesting thorough background checks.
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Vanity Fair reports that Pete Hegseth, nominated for Secretary of Defense, engaged in infidelity multiple times during his first marriage, leading to divorce. Subsequent marriages also ended amid allegations of infidelity, including a child born outside of his second marriage and a 2017 sexual assault allegation that he denies. These revelations, some previously unreported, are now jeopardizing his confirmation process as they raise concerns about his suitability for the position. The Trump administration reportedly was surprised by the surfacing of these past incidents.
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Despite falling just short of a popular vote majority at 49.97%, President-elect Trump achieved his highest ever percentage in a presidential election, surpassing his previous totals from 2016 and 2020. This narrow margin underscores the nation’s deep political divisions, with the result representing only a marginal shift to the right. While Trump secured a decisive Electoral College victory, Republican gains in Congress were less substantial than anticipated. Lower than expected turnout in several states, coupled with reduced Democratic support for Harris compared to Biden in 2020, contributed to Trump’s improved popular vote showing.
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On *The Daily Show*, Jon Stewart criticized President Biden’s pardon of Hunter Biden, not for the pardon itself, but for the Democrats’ prior use of Biden’s promise *not* to pardon his son as a cornerstone of their “law and order” platform. Stewart argued this created a perception of hypocrisy and undermined public trust in the system. He urged Democrats to utilize legal loopholes and strategies, but to do so for the benefit of all citizens, not just those connected to powerful individuals. This inconsistency, Stewart contended, fuels the belief that the system is rigged.
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Conservative filmmaker Dinesh D’Souza faced widespread online criticism for hypocritically condemning President Biden’s pardon of his son, Hunter, given D’Souza’s own 2018 presidential pardon from Donald Trump for campaign finance violations. Social media users quickly highlighted this inconsistency, sharing links to news articles detailing his past conviction and pardon. D’Souza’s criticism followed his recent apology for inaccuracies in his film “2000 Mules,” which promoted unsubstantiated claims of election fraud. This apology came after a defamation lawsuit and the film’s distributor also issued an apology and settled with a plaintiff.
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John Q. Hosedrinker