Trump prepares to launch a second term early, even without winning  —  President Donald Trump has struggled to convince the country he already won the election.  So he's just going to do the next best thing: Act like he's starting his second term early.  —  Trump and his aides have settled …

Election 2020 Live Updates: Protests and Legal Skirmishes as Counting Continues in Final Six States … Senate tally includes 65 seats not up for election.  —  Nevada has about 190,000 ballots still to be counted, the secretary of state said.  Ninety percent of them are from Clark County …

‘Come on Now’: Michigan Judge Scoffs at and Tosses Trump Campaign Lawsuit Backed by ‘Hearsay’ Evidence  —  In President Donald Trump's second loss in court in a single day, a Michigan judge rejected the Trump campaign's bid to stop counting ballots without their inspectors present.

Facebook Has An Internal Metric For “Violence And Incitement Trends.”  Right Now It's Rising.  —  As votes are being tallied across the country to determine the next US president, internal Facebook data shows that the company has seen a significant increase in what it calls “violence and incitement trends.”

Long at odds with Trump, Defense Secretary Esper has prepared a resignation letter, say officials  —  WASHINGTON — Defense Secretary Mark Esper has prepared a letter of resignation, according to three current defense officials.  —  It's not uncommon for Cabinet secretaries to prepare undated letters …

N.Y.P.D. Anti-Harassment Official Accused of Racist Rants  —  The official was relieved of his command after City Council investigators amassed evidence that he posted vitriolic messages online under the name “Clouseau.”  —  For more than 20 years, an online chat board called the Rant …

Where Presidential Election Votes Are Still Being Counted … Loading...  With both President Trump and Joe Biden still short of the 270 electoral votes needed to claim victory, anxious Americans are left with little to do but be patient and wait as election officials in key swing states furiously work …

GOP Senate wins wreak havoc on Biden transition plans  —  Republicans' likely hold on the Senate is forcing Joe Biden's transition team to consider limiting its prospective Cabinet nominees to those who Mitch McConnell can live with, according to people familiar with the matter.

Counties with worst virus surges overwhelmingly voted Trump  —  U.S. voters went to the polls starkly divided on how they see President Donald Trump's response to the coronavirus pandemic, with a surprising twist: In places where the virus is most rampant now, Trump enjoyed enormous support.

Dem leaders warn liberal rhetoric could blow Georgia races  —  Speaker Nancy Pelosi and her top lieutenants had a stark warning for Democrats on Thursday: Swing too far left and they're all but certain to blow their chances in the Georgia runoff that will determine which party controls the Senate.

Trump's Special Twitter Treatment Would End With Biden Win  — For now, violating posts get warning label, not removal  — But ‘world leader’ newsworthiness rules wouldn't apply  —  As U.S. president, Donald Trump receives special treatment from Twitter Inc. when he violates …

A presidency fueled by lies finishes with the worst of them all  —  It's somehow fitting.  A presidency launched with lies, and fueled by them ever since, was destined to finish with the worst of them all.  —  Donald Trump's presidency began on Jan. 20, 2017, with what he asserted was …

Trump ‘turning up the heat’ with rhetoric does not help his legal case over ballots, says Andrew McCarthy  —  ‘Turning up the heat politically does not help persuade the judges,’ McCarthy argues  —  Fox News Go  —  President Trump's “provocative” comments could dissuade the Supreme Court …

POLITICO Playbook PM: Has anyone seen Donald Trump?  —  IS ANYONE ELSE SURPRISED the president has not done a news conference or interview in the last 24 hours?  As his campaign aides and lawyers fan across the country, President DONALD TRUMP has been uncharacteristically quiet.  (Except on Twitter, of course.)

Two states to require masks in public at all times, regardless of distance from others  —  Maine Gov. Janet Mills (D) and Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker (R) issued a stricter mask mandates this week as coronavirus cases continue to surge across the nation.

The Disinformation Is Coming From Inside the White House  —  The president and his allies have united right-wing media and internet trolls with false messaging that legitimate vote counting should stop.  —  A disinformation push to subvert the election is well underway, and it is coming straight from President Trump and his allies.