China says it will return underwater U.S. drone, explains seizure  —  China's Defense Ministry says it will return the U.S. Navy underwater drone it captured operating in international waters in the South China Sea, after it seized the device to ensure the “safe navigation of passing ships.”

A Dangerous Choice for Ambassador to Israel  —  In appointing David Friedman as the next ambassador to Israel, Donald Trump voiced a desire to “strive for peace in the Middle East.”  Unfortunately, his chosen representative would be far more likely to provoke conflict in Israel and the occupied territories …

Trump Picks Mick Mulvaney, South Carolina Congressman, as Budget Director  —  WASHINGTON — President-elect Donald J. Trump has selected Representative Mick Mulvaney of South Carolina, a conservative Republican member of the House and a fierce advocate of deep spending cuts, to be his budget director.

Trump mocks media as he recounts Election Day win  —  recounted his Election Day victory for a large crowd in Florida Friday night, mocking the media for its Nov. 8 coverage.  —  Trump has been detailing his wins state by state as he travels around the country on his “thank you” tour, which he continued in Orlando.

Trump says his supporters were ‘violent’  —  Orlando, Florida (CNN)President-elect Donald Trump said Friday his supporters were “violent” during the 2016 campaign.  —  Trump made the admission Friday night during a rally here on the Florida leg of his “Thank You” tour.

The Rise of the Alt-Center  —  Why did establishment liberals fall in love with a deranged Twitter thread?  It's time for some game theory.  —  You might remember a time, back before the election, when we all still lived in the real world and Donald Trump was an unhinged conspiracy theorist.

Maine Gas Distributor Won't Deliver to Trump Supporters  —  An owner of a propane dealership in Maine is refusing to deliver gas to anyone who voted for President-elect Donald Trump.  —  Michael Turner, owner of Turner LP Gas in Skowhegan, Maine, recorded a voice mail greeting …

Lynch defends an FBI under fire from Clinton campaign  —  Lynch defends FBI's DNC hacking investigation  —  Watch Jake Tapper's full interview with Attorney General Loretta Lynch Sunday at 9 a.m. ET on CNN's “State of the Union.”  —  Washington (CNN)Attorney General Loretta Lynch defended …

GOP senator: ‘This has been a difficult eight years’  —  Pennsylvania Sen. Pat Toomey says Republicans like himself are ready to improve upon shortcomings from President Obama's two terms in office.  —  “This has been a difficult eight years,” he said in the GOP's weekly address Saturday.

Auction Offering Coffee With Ivanka Trump Is Canceled  —  WASHINGTON — An auction offering a 45-minute private meeting with Ivanka Trump in exchange for a charitable donation was abruptly canceled Friday after questions were raised about the process by ethics experts, who said it appeared …

‘I Cannot Lie,’ Rodrigo Duterte Says, Confirming He Did Kill People as Mayor  —  President Rodrigo Duterte of the Philippines confirmed on Friday that he had personally pulled the trigger and killed three people as mayor of Davao City, doubling down on boastful comments he made this week, which loyalists had tried to deny.

Kushner: We struck deal with Sinclair for straighter coverage  —  Donald Trump's campaign struck a deal with Sinclair Broadcast Group during the campaign to try and secure better media coverage, his son-in-law Jared Kushner told business executives Friday in Manhattan.

Morning TV wars heat up as NBC and CBS gain on ABC's ‘GMA’  —  “GMA” co-anchor Michael Strahan, left, Robin Roberts, George Stephanopoulos and Lara Spencer at ABC's Times Square Studios in New York on Friday.  (ABC)  —  It took 16 years for ABC's “Good Morning America” to end the historic streak by NBC's …

Donald Trump, Butterfly?  —  Many Republicans (like me) were unimpressed by Donald Trump during the primary season, got behind him once he won the nomination, and now are blown away by his appointments as president-elect.  Paul wrote a great post about Trump's nominations of successful people …

Jared Kushner says Trump agrees more with Schumer than McConnell on infrastructure  —  Donald Trump's infrastructure views are a lot closer to incoming Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer's (D-N.Y.), than Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell's (R-Ky.), according to Trump's son-in-law.