Donald Trump’s protection secretary decide Pete Hegseth heckled by protesters at Senate affirmation
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Donald Trump’s nominees to be the following US lawyer common and secretary of state, Pam Bondi and Marco Rubio, are among the many newest batch of cupboard picks set for Senate affirmation hearings on Wednesday.
Florida Legal professional Basic Bondi has been accused of amplifing Trump’s false claims in regards to the 2020 presidential election and represented him at his first impeachment trial in 2019 whereas Rubio was as soon as a bitter rival to the president-elect for the Republican presidential nomination, buying and selling bitter insults in 2016.
Chris Wright (secretary of power), John Ratcliffe (CIA director), Sean Duffy, (secretary of transportation) and Russell Vought (director of the Workplace of Administration and Price range) even have hearings scheduled at present with the related committees.
The sextet observe within the footsteps of Pete Hegseth, the president-elect’s alternative for secretary of protection, who endured a fiery listening to on Tuesday wherein he known as for the return of “American warriors” on the Pentagon however confronted aggressive questioning about his checkered private historical past and was heckled by spectators.
In the meantime, California Governor Gavin Newsom has invited Trump to go to Los Angeles to witness the devastation wrought by January’s wildfires, somewhat than merely criticize the emergency response from social media.
Republican senator says California ‘doesn’t deserve funding’ for wildfires
Alabama GOP Senator Tommy Tuberville, a staunch Trump ally, stated he didn’t object to sending the state “some money” however not except state leaders “change their ways”, his feedback following on from Home Speaker Mike Johnson saying their ought to be “strings attached” to any federal catastrophe aid funding heading west.
That is what Home Minority Chief Hakeem Jeffries needed to say about that:
Right here’s extra from Rhian Lubin.
Joe Sommerlad15 January 2025 12:15
Trump proclaims ‘External Revenue Service’ to gather tariffs
The president-elect has introduced he’s creating a brand new “External Revenue Service” to gather tariffs and different overseas revenue from America’s abroad allies and buying and selling companions.
Trump introduced the brand new company in a Reality Social publish on Tuesday morning, contending that the US has “relied on taxing our Great People using the Internal Revenue Service (IRS)” for “far too long.”
“I am today announcing that I will create the EXTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE to collect our Tariffs, Duties, and all Revenue that come from Foreign sources,” he wrote.
“We will begin charging those that make money off of us with Trade, and they will start paying, FINALLY, their fair share.”
Trump stated the service will start operations on Monday, when he’ll formally take workplace after an inauguration ceremony on the US Capitol.
Right here’s Katie Hawkinson’s report.
Joe Sommerlad15 January 2025 11:55
Russia open for Trump talks after diplomat praises his Nato assault
Russian International Minister Sergey Lavrov has stated that Moscow is open for talks with Trump and praised him for attacking Nato’s plan to embrace Ukraine.
Any potential peace talks ought to contain broader preparations for safety in Europe, Lavrov stated at his annual information convention on Tuesday.
He particularly praised Trump’s feedback earlier this month wherein he stated that Nato’s plans to open its doorways to Ukraine had led to Russia’s invasion.
Joe Sommerlad15 January 2025 11:35
Joe Biden declares nation is ‘stronger, more prosperous and more secure’ forward of farewell deal with
As he prepares to ship an Oval Workplace deal with for the final time after a single time period within the White Home and a full half-century of service within the federal authorities, President Joe Biden declared on Tuesday that America now stands “stronger, more prosperous, and more secure” than it was when he entered workplace amid the tumult of the Covid-19 pandemic 4 years in the past.
In a letter launched by the White Home forward of his farewell deal with to the nation on Wednesday, Biden described the circumstances below which he was sworn in as president as “a winter of peril and a winter of possibilities.”
“We were in the grip of the worst pandemic in a century, the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression, and the worst attack on our democracy since the Civil War,” famous Biden, who added that in response, Individuals “came together… and we braved through it.”
Right here’s Andrew Feinberg’s preview of Biden’s adieu.
Joe Sommerlad15 January 2025 11:15
Mark Zuckerberg, Jeff Bezos and Musk jockey for place at Trump’s inauguration
For years, the most important tech giants have battled amongst themselves (bear in mind when Zuckberg and Musk have been going to have a cage match?).
Now they’re coming collectively in assist of the president – and their very own pursuits, Io Dodds writes.
Joe Sommerlad15 January 2025 10:55
US authorities sues Elon Musk over Twitter inventory
The US Securities and Trade Fee (SEC) has sued the Massive Tech billionaire, saying he did not disclose his possession of Twitter inventory in a well timed method in early 2022 earlier than shopping for the social media web site.
Consequently, the SEC alleges, Musk, now an in depth confidant of 1 Donald J Trump, was in a position to underpay “by at least $150 million” for shares he purchased after he ought to have disclosed his possession of greater than 5 % of Twitter’s shares.
Joe Sommerlad15 January 2025 10:35
Hegseth listening to attracts predictably polarised response from Republicans and Democrats
As you may need anticipated, MAGA loyalists like Markwayne Mullin, Eric Schmitt and Ronny Jackson have been out in drive final evening to leap to the protection of the would-be protection secretary, not at all times helpfully.
The opposition, in the meantime, made it clear they have been lower than impressed with Trump’s candidate to steer the Pentagon.
Right here’s Justin Baragona on Fox Information’s John Roberts fancifully evaluating his former secure mate to none aside from Sir Winston Churchill.
Joe Sommerlad15 January 2025 10:15
Pete Hegseth endures torrid Senate affirmation listening to
As we speak’s Trump nominees observe within the footsteps of Pete Hegseth, the president-elect’s alternative for secretary of protection, who endured a fiery listening to on Tuesday wherein he known as for the return of “American warriors” on the Pentagon however confronted aggressive questioning about his checkered private historical past and was heckled by spectators.
Andrew Feinberg and Eric Garcia have this report on a rare day with the Senate Armed Companies Committee.
Joe Sommerlad15 January 2025 09:55
Gavin Newsom points name for Trump to go to wildfire-ravaged Los Angeles
California Governor Gavin Newsom has invited Trump to go to Los Angeles to witness the devastation wrought by January’s wildfires, somewhat than merely criticize the emergency response from social media.
“I want the president-elect to meet with the communities impacted by the Los Angeles wildfires and understand the magnitude of the devastation,” Newsom wrote on X.
“I urge him to meet with the brave firefighters and first responders on the ground and see firsthand how they’ve saved lives.”
The above clip of Newsom was taken from his newest interview with MSNBC’s Jen Psaki wherein he additionally instructed her that Trump’s infantile nickname for him meant little and that he ought to observe Joe Biden’s instance and make an actual distinction on the bottom by consoling the courageous souls who’ve been on the market battling the blazes for greater than every week now.
Joe Sommerlad15 January 2025 09:35
Extra Trump nominees going through Senate affirmation hearings at present
Following yesterday’s Pete Hegseth drama on Capitol Hill, plenty of different folks nominated by the president-elect for high cupboard place will face the senators on Wednesday.
Right here’s who’s on the menu:
Pam Bondi, lawyer common nominee – Senate Judiciary Committee 9.30am (all occasions ET)Chris Wright, secretary of power – Senate Vitality and Pure Sources Committee 10amMarco Rubio, secretary of state – Senate International Relations Committee 10amJohn Ratcliffe, director of the Central Intelligence Company – Senate Intelligence Committee 10amSean Duffy, secretary of transportation – Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee 10amRussell Vought, director of Workplace of Administration and Price range – Senate Homeland Safety and Governmental Affairs, 1pm
Bondi and Rubio are essentially the most intriguing names in that lineup, with the Florida Legal professional Basic (who changed the ill-fated Matt Gaetz) accused of amplifing Trump’s false claims in regards to the 2020 presidential election and recognized for representing him at his first impeachment trial in 2019 whereas Rubio was as soon as a bitter rival to the president-elect for the Republican presidential nomination, buying and selling bitter insults in 2016.
South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem had been attributable to have her affirmation listening to on changing into secretary of the Division of Homeland Safety however that has now been postponed till Friday, we perceive, with Congress ready on a bit excellent paperwork from the FBI.
Joe Sommerlad15 January 2025 09:05
