‘Learning Curve’ as Rick Perry Pursues a Job He Initially Misunderstood  —  WASHINGTON — When President-elect Donald J. Trump offered Rick Perry the job of energy secretary five weeks ago, Mr. Perry gladly accepted, believing he was taking on a role as a global ambassador for the American oil …

Trump to announce Sonny Perdue for Agriculture  —  President-elect Donald Trump plans to nominate former Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue to be the next Agriculture secretary, transition officials have informed POLITICO, making a pick that's likely to please farm groups while angering those who have called for more diversity in his Cabinet.

FBI, 5 other agencies probe possible covert Kremlin aid to Trump  —  WASHINGTON  —  The FBI and five other law enforcement and intelligence agencies have collaborated for months in an investigation into Russian attempts to influence the November election, including whether money …

Trump inauguration time, how to watch, and what to expect  —  After more than a year of campaigning, 26 primary and general election debates, and countless press conferences, attack ads, victory speeches, public apologies, and early morning Twitter rants, Donald Trump's inauguration is here.

Assange lawyer: Manning commutation doesn't meet extradition offer's conditions  —  The attorney for Julian Assange said President Obama's commutation of Chelsea Manning's sentence does not meet the conditions of the WikiLeaks head's offer to be extradited to the United States if Manning were pardoned.

At Dinner Honoring Mike Pence, Donald Trump Touches Many Bases  —  WASHINGTON — President-elect Donald J. Trump, in a free-flowing speech Wednesday evening at a dinner honoring his running mate, Mike Pence, jabbed at his new Republican allies and his critics alike, questioned the ethics of …

From Headline to Photograph, a Fake News Masterpiece  —  ANNAPOLIS, Md. — It was early fall, and Donald J. Trump, behind in the polls, seemed to be preparing a rationale in case a winner like him somehow managed to lose.  “I'm afraid the election is going to be rigged, I have to be honest …

Is Donald Trump Writing His Inaugural Address from a Mar-a-Lago Receptionist's Desk?  An Investigation … As tends to be the case with the president-elect's social-media statements, there is much to discuss.  First, there's the fact that Trump seems to be drafting his first speech as POTUS with a ... Sharpie.

Comey ‘enthusiastic’ about Bill Clinton probe in 2001, FBI memo says  —  FBI Director James Comey—blamed by many Democrats for costing Hillary Clinton the presidential election last year—was excited about pursuing a criminal investigation into President Bill Clinton's most controversial pardons …

GISS Surface Temperature Analysis (GISTEMP)  —  The GISS Surface Temperature Analysis (GISTEMP) is an estimate of global surface temperature change.  Graphs and tables are updated around the middle of every month using current data files from NOAA GHCN v3 (meteorological stations), ERSST v4 …

Trump pays out $25 million to settle Trump University litigation  —  Days before President-elect Donald Trump is set to take the oath to uphold the Constitution, he has followed through on a more painful obligation: coughing up $25 million to settle litigation over his defunct Trump University real estate seminar program.

Trump, Clinton Voters Divided in Their Main Source for Election News  —  Fox News was the main source for 40% of Trump voters  —  In the coming days, Americans will follow a single event across a variety of media channels: the inauguration of Donald Trump as the 45th president of the United States.

An Empty Trump Administration  —  Jonathan Bernstein: “We're two days away from having a new president.  But we're apparently a lot longer than that from having a Trump administration with even a minimally functional ability to govern.”  —  “Overall, out of 690 positions requiring Senate …

McConnell breaks with Trump on NATO  —  Senator Majority Leader Mitch McConnell  —  (R-Ky.) broke with President-elect Donald Trump  —  's position on the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Wednesday, calling Russia “a big problem” in an interview with McClatchy.

Trump aide: Dems are trying to humiliate Cabinet nominees  —  's close aide Kellyanne Conway on Wednesday blasted Democrats for “trying to embarrass” the incoming administration's Cabinet nominees.  —  “This idea of humiliating and trying to embarrass qualified men and women who just wish …

Corker: Full Senate to decide on Tillerson even if panel votes ‘no’  —  (CNN)In an unusual move, Republicans plan on bringing Donald Trump's nominee for secretary of state before the full Senate for a vote even if he does not earn the support of the foreign relations panel.

Truth in the Age of Trump  —  No one who backed Trump has any excuse for being surprised by what he does.  We all know who and what he is.  —  dmittedly, we fled town for the Inauguration.  —  Quite apart from the security headaches, the road closures, and the not-inconsiderable prospect …

For Inauguration Day, Plans for Heavy Security and Big Protests  —  WASHINGTON — Law enforcement officials are in the final stages of sealing off a heavily fortified security zone encompassing the Capitol and the historic National Mall here as they prepare for the inauguration on Friday …