Smile, Flatter and Barter: How the World Is Prepping for Trump Part II  —  Foreign leaders have rushed to ingratiate themselves with Donald J. Trump in recent days, nervously recalling the clashes, insults and feuds of his first presidency.  —  When Prime Minister Keir Starmer met Donald J …

Pentagon officials discussing how to respond if Trump issues controversial orders  —  Pentagon officials are holding informal discussions about how the Department of Defense would respond if Donald Trump issues orders to deploy active-duty troops domestically and fire large swaths of apolitical staffers, defense officials told CNN.

Democrats' election reckoning pits liberals against centrists  —  The Democrats' shellacking at the polls this week has triggered a feisty battle between the ideological wings of the party about what went wrong — and who bears the blame.  —  Some liberals say the party didn't tack far enough to the left to animate the base.

They split the ticket.  Meet the abortion rights voters who also went for Trump  —  Voters in three states — Arizona, Missouri, and Nevada — chose on Tuesday to advance protections for abortion rights in their state constitutions.  Donald Trump, meanwhile, is likely to win all three states in his victorious bid for the White House.

Gavin Newsom's quest to ‘Trump-proof’ California enrages incoming president  —  Trump's post about the Golden State came a day after Newsom called a special legislative session to prepare legal defenses against the new administration.  —  SACRAMENTO — President-elect Donald Trump is lashing …

Democratic US Sen. Jacky Rosen is reelected in Nevada, securing battleground seat  —  Nevada Democratic Sen. Jacky Rosen won reelection, beating Republican Sam Brown in a tight but unusually quiet race for the battleground state.  Rosen, a first-term senator, campaigned on abortion rights …

📝 The Readback: It's now Trump's Washington  —  THIS IS A PREVIEW! … Welcome to The Readback, our weekend digest featuring the best of Punchbowl News this week - a quick roundup of all our scoops, analysis and Capitol Hill insight you won't find anywhere else.

Justice Dept. to focus on ‘most egregious’ Jan. 6 cases until Trump is inaugurated  —  President-elect Donald Trump has said he would “absolutely” consider pardoning every Capitol rioter and has called them political prisoners and “hostages.”  —  WASHINGTON — The Justice Department plans …

Mississippi Senate paid Black attorney less than white ones, US Justice Department says  —  The Mississippi Senate discriminated against a Black attorney by paying her about half of what her white colleagues were paid for doing the same job, the U.S. Justice Department says in a lawsuit it filed Friday.

US judge tosses Illinois' ban on semiautomatic weapons, governor pledges swift appeal  —  A federal judge on Friday overturned Illinois' ban on semiautomatic weapons, leaning on recent U.S. Supreme Court rulings that strictly interpret the Second Amendment right to keep and bear firearms.

Bird flu begins its human spread, as health officials scramble to safeguard people and livestock  —  GETTY  —  Almost from the beginning of the spread of H5N1 bird flu among farms and ranches in the U.S. earlier this year, experts and researchers warned that a critical lag in the blood testing …

Pelosi Laments Biden's Late Exit and the Lack of an ‘Open Primary’  —  “Had the president gotten out sooner, there may have been other candidates in the race,” the former House speaker said in an interview with The New York Times, suggesting she had anticipated an “open primary.”

Trump's political comeback is complete.  What it says about American voters  —  “He's an angry man and they think, 'He's angry like I am,'” one observer said.  —  Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump arrives at an election night watch party at the Palm Beach Convention Center …

November 8, 2024  —  Social media has been flooded today with stories of Trump voters who are shocked to learn that tariffs will raise consumer prices as reporters are covering that information.  Daniel Laguna of LevelUp warned that Trump's proposed 60% tariff on Chinese imports could raise …

Republican Don Bacon holds on to win reelection in Nebraska House seat  —  Bacon's victory comes after several polls showed him narrowly trailing Vargas.  —  Rep. Don Bacon (R-Neb.) will hold onto his battleground House seat, The Associated Press projected, fending off a spirited push for a Democratic pickup.

What is the 4B movement?  —  In the aftermath of Donald Trump's historic US election win, some women on social media have been advocating for a movement which originated in South Korea to stand against authority.  —  A feminist movement which originated in South Korea has been taking off …

Should Alito and Thomas Be Pushed to Retire?  Conservatives Are Divided.  —  Coaxing aging Supreme Court justices to give up their power and status during a window of political opportunity can be a delicate endeavor.  —  With Republicans set to regain control of the White House and the Senate …

Dem Insiders Begged Team Harris Not to Campaign With Liz Cheney  —  “People don't want to be in a coalition with the devil,” says a Democratic source who was appalled by Harris' embrace of Dick Cheney … It opened with the politics of joy, and a hearty dose of mockery aimed at Donald Trump and his running mate, J.D. Vance.

Trump Holds Up Transition Process Over Ethics Code  —  President-elect Donald J. Trump has not submitted a required ethics plan stating he will avoid conflicts of interest.  —  President-elect Donald J. Trump has not yet submitted a legally required ethics pledge stating that he will avoid conflicts …

Wind the clock  —  A message to those asking “what do I do now?”  —  1×  —  I had allowed myself to hope that American voters would choose the better of the presidential options available to us, and I was wrong.  I am disappointed.  I am sad.  I am afraid.

With Ready Orders and an Energy Czar, Trump Plots Pivot to Fossil Fuels  —  President-elect Donald J. Trump's transition team for climate and the environment is considering relocating the E.P.A. out of Washington and other drastic changes.  —  As President-elect Donald J. Trump's transition team plans …

OUTRAGE: FEMA Workers Working Hurricane Milton Aftermath Ordered to Bypass Houses With Trump Signs  —  FEMA is supposedly constituted to provide help to Americans in the event of disaster, natural or man-made.  They are funded and their personnel are paid by taxpayer dollars …