Top Items:
Peter Baker / New York Times:
The ‘Landslide’ That Wasn't: Trump and Allies Pump Up His Narrow Victory — The latest vote count shows that Donald J. Trump won the popular vote by one of the smallest margins since the 19th century. But Mr. Trump claims a “powerful mandate.” — On the night he won a second term …
Discussion:
Raw Story, The Root, Vanity Fair, Digby's Hullabaloo, Washington Examiner, Althouse, Daily Kos and Los Angeles Times
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Kaitlan Collins / CNN:
Trump expected to offer Kelly Loeffler secretary of Agriculture — President-elect Donald Trump is expected to offer Kelly Loeffler the job of secretary of the Department of Agriculture, two people familiar with the matter told CNN. — He is set to meet with her at Mar-a-Lago Friday afternoon …
Discussion:
Reuters, Daily Mail, Bloomberg, Forbes, Raw Story, Democrats, New Republic, E&E News and The Guardian
Kristen Holmes / CNN:
Matt Gaetz says he's not returning to Congress next year — Former Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz, who withdrew from consideration as President-elect Donald Trump's pick for attorney general on Thursday, said Friday he will not be returning to Congress next year. — “I'm still going to be in the fight …
Discussion:
freebeacon.com, Breitbart, Al Jazeera, The Hill, The Daily Caller, USA Today, New Republic, Axios, Le·gal In·sur·rec·tion, Washington Examiner, BizPac Review, Mississippi Free Press, Twitchy, The Post Millennial, One America News Network, Vanity Fair, Trending Politics …, Raw Story, Politico, CBS News, ABC News, The Independent, Sun-Sentinel, Florida Politics, Foreign Policy, Talking Points Memo, Rolling Stone, NBC News and The Bulwark
Malcolm Ferguson / New Republic:
Trump Is Pissed at True Reports His Victory Wasn't Exactly a Landslide — Donald Trump is upset with the media for accurately reporting that his election night victory wasn't exactly a “landslide.” — Trump transition team spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt on Friday took aim at Politico …
Discussion:
Digby's Hullabaloo and Raw Story
Michael Schaffer / Politico:
Trump Won Less Than 50 Percent. Why Is Everyone Calling It a Landslide? — Right and left have bought the narrative of a crushing triumph. They're wrong. — Is it newsworthy that Donald Trump's share of the 2024 presidential vote has fallen below 50 percent?
Discussion:
The Gateway Pundit, PolitiFact, New York Magazine and MSNBC
The Hill:
Trump expected to name Kelly Loeffler for Agriculture secretary — President-elect Trump is expected to name former Sen. Kelly Loeffler (R-Ga.) to serve as secretary of Agriculture, a source close to the transition told The Hill. — Loeffler is currently the co-chair of Trump's second inaugural committee …
Kimberly Leonard / Politico:
Florida sets special election to fill Matt Gaetz vacancy on April Fools' Day
Florida sets special election to fill Matt Gaetz vacancy on April Fools' Day
Discussion:
ABC News, Washington Examiner, Mediaite, Florida Phoenix and The Independent
Rebecca Shabad / NBC News:
Matt Gaetz says he doesn't plan to rejoin Congress after withdrawing name for attorney general
Matt Gaetz says he doesn't plan to rejoin Congress after withdrawing name for attorney general
Discussion:
RedState, USA Today, Associated Press, CNN, Roll Call, HotAir, CBS News, New York Post, HuffPost, Washington Times, The Guardian, New York Daily News, Fox News, Rolling Stone, Washington Examiner, Florida Politics, Forbes, E&E News, Politico, Mediaite, Los Angeles Times, The Gateway Pundit, The Daily Caller, Democrats, TPR and ABC News
Pew Research Center:
Public Narrowly Approves of Trump's Plans; Most Are Skeptical He Will Unify the Country
Public Narrowly Approves of Trump's Plans; Most Are Skeptical He Will Unify the Country
Discussion:
New York Post, Washington Times, The Hill and The Independent
Zachary Basu / Axios:
Chaos reigns supreme in Trump's Washington
Chaos reigns supreme in Trump's Washington
Discussion:
The Guardian, Raw Story, The DSR Network, Wall Street Journal, Townhall and HuffPost
Amanda Marcotte / Salon:
Resistance is not futile: Matt Gaetz's implosion shows how MAGA's chaos can be turned against Trump
Resistance is not futile: Matt Gaetz's implosion shows how MAGA's chaos can be turned against Trump
Discussion:
No More Mister Nice Blog, LGBTQ Nation, Raw Story and New Jersey Online
Punchbowl News:
Gabbard nomination puts Senate GOP in a bind … That panel — which is responsible for processing Gabbard's nomination — is stacked with hawks on both sides of the dais. … But GOP senators are already indicating they'll be interested in probing Gabbard's controversial …
Discussion:
The Hill, Raw Story and The Bulwark
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Liam Archacki / The Daily Beast:
Now GOP Senators Want Another Trump Nominee's Full FBI File — JUST A LITTLE PEEK — An alignment between Russia and Tulsi Gabbard is worrying some Senate Intelligence Committee members. — Some Republican senators are privately eager to see Tulsi Gabbard's FBI file …
Discussion:
ABC News
Antonio Planas / Associated Press:
Texas Board of Education votes to approve Bible curriculum in elementary schools — The curriculum adopted by the state education board, which is controlled by elected Republicans, is optional for schools, but they will receive additional funding if they implement it.
Discussion:
USA Today, CBS News, The Hill, ABC News, UPI, New Republic, New York Times, KVUE-TV, IJR and WHEC.com
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NBC News:
Trump's transition team turns to Project 2025 after disavowing it during the campaign — Transition officials have used Project 2025's extensive personnel database to identify potential hires for the incoming administration, a person familiar with the plans said.
Discussion:
New Republic, America Transformed, Raw Story and Politico
The Hill:
New York judge delays Trump hush money sentencing — President-elect Trump's sentencing in his New York criminal case will not go forward as planned next week as his attorneys push to dismiss the prosecution following his election victory. — Judge Juan Merchan, who oversees the trial proceedings …
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Theodore Schleifer / New York Times:
Elon Musk Gets a Crash Course in How Trumpworld Works — The world's richest person, not known for his humility, is still learning the cutthroat courtier politics of Donald Trump's inner circle — and his ultimate influence remains an open question. — For the first 53 years of his life …
Discussion:
Business Insider
Jason Wilson / The Guardian:
Trump's Pentagon pick Hegseth wrote of US military taking sides in ‘civil war’ — Defense secretary pick said in 2020 that should Democrats win election the military ‘will be forced to make a choice’ — Pete Hegseth, Donald Trump's pick for defense secretary, has written in a book …
Discussion:
The Independent, Raw Story and The Atlantic
Juliann Ventura / The Hill:
Bird flu confirmed in child for first time in US: CDC — The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) confirmed that bird flu was found in a child in California, according to a press release issued Friday. — The case is the first reported infection in a child in the U.S., according to the release.
Discussion:
Associated Press, WAGA-TV, Le·gal In·sur·rec·tion and Florida Phoenix
Elizabeth Weise / USA Today:
More details about JFK assassination keep emerging, even 61 years later — Sixty-one years ago, on November 22, 1963, President John F. Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas, Texas, in a shocking tragedy that still echoes. — The JFK assassination sent the nation into mourning and shook it to its core …
Discussion:
Washington Examiner, LewRockwell, Associated Press and New Jersey Online
Wall Street Journal:
Kim Jong Un's Message to Trump: We're Not Interested — North Korean dictator has fewer reasons to seek sanctions relief from the U.S. and has played down the need for disarmament talks — SEOUL—North Korean leader Kim Jong Un appeared to rebuff the prospect of reviving his nuclear diplomacy …
Discussion:
Raw Story, Plain Dealer, UPI, The Independent, New Republic, The Daily Caller, Reuters, Daily Kos and Bloomberg
Christiaan Hetzner / Fortune:
Walmart just leveled with Americans: China won't be paying for Trump's tariffs, in all likelihood you will — Donald Trump told voters tariffs are a tax on a foreign country. But it's Americans that will pay the price, Walmart's finance chief warned. — Voters who returned Donald …
Discussion:
Quartz, Fox Business and New York Times
Adam Serwer / The Atlantic:
The Trump-Trumpist Divide — Sign up for The Decision, a newsletter featuring coverage of the 2024 race and what comes next. — Members of Donald Trump's inner circle understandably wish to interpret the election results as a mandate for the most extreme right-wing policies …
Discussion:
Raw Story, Digby's Hullabaloo, The Mahablog, Plain Dealer and The Guardian