Top Items:
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:
Daily Mail, Raw Story, Democrats, Forbes, Reuters, New Republic, E&E News and Bloomberg
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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, Daily Kos, Althouse and Los Angeles Times
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:
The Atlantic, Breitbart, New York Times, The Daily Caller, Daily Caller News Foundation, freebeacon.com, Al Jazeera, Axios, Le·gal In·sur·rec·tion, Washington Examiner, Mississippi Free Press, Twitchy, USA Today, The Post Millennial, One America News Network, Vanity Fair, BizPac Review, Trending Politics …, New Republic, Raw Story, The Hill, The Independent, ABC News, Politico, CBS News, Sun-Sentinel, WFLA-TV, Florida Politics, Foreign Policy, Talking Points Memo, NBC News and Rolling Stone
Andrew Solender / Axios:
House Democrats prepare to make Mike Johnson's life hell … - On any GOP-only legislation, there is “going to be enormous pressure” on Republican centrists to break away, said Rep. Joe Morelle (D-N.Y.). — Morelle pointed to Rep. Mike Lawler (R-N.Y.), predicting some GOP bills will be …
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, Raw Story, New York Magazine and MSNBC
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:
CNN, RedState, WFLA-TV, Roll Call, Associated Press, New York Post, USA Today, HotAir, Washington Times, CBS News, Fox News, Rolling Stone, HuffPost, The Guardian, New York Daily News, Washington Examiner, Florida Politics, Forbes, E&E News, Politico, Mediaite, Los Angeles Times, The Gateway Pundit, The Daily Caller, Democrats, TPR and ABC News
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
David Frum / The Atlantic:
A Good Country's Bad Choice
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
The Guardian:
Texas approves new Bible-based curriculum for elementary schools — Teachers can opt in, but state is offering financial incentive of $60 a student for participating school districts — The Texas board of education voted 8-7 on Friday to approve a new Bible-based curriculum in elementary schools.
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Antonio Planas / Associated Press:
Texas Board of Education votes to approve Bible curriculum in elementary schools
Texas Board of Education votes to approve Bible curriculum in elementary schools
Discussion:
USA Today, ABC News, CBS News, The Hill, UPI, New York Times, KVUE-TV, Daily Caller News Foundation, New Republic and WHEC.com
Washington Post:
Trump plans to fire Jack Smith's team, use DOJ to probe 2020 election — The plans show how president-elect Donald Trump wants to use the Justice Department to address his own personal grievances.
Discussion:
Kevin Drum, Mediaite, Raw Story, Law Dork and The Independent
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:
America Transformed, Raw Story, Politico and New Republic
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
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
Wall Street Journal:
Trump Picks Scott Bessent as Treasury Secretary — Hedge-fund manager has been a key economic adviser to president-elect — WASHINGTON—Donald Trump has selected hedge-fund manager Scott Bessent to lead the Treasury Department, according to people familiar with the matter …
Discussion:
Bloomberg, CBS News, The Hill, Washington Examiner, Axios, Reuters, NBC News, Business Insider, Politico, Washington Post, Townhall, CoinDesk, Quartz, The Guardian, New York Post, Fox Business, The 19th, Raw Story, Forbes, The Post Millennial, Associated Press, NewsNation, RedState, Daily Caller News Foundation and WHEC.com
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:
New Republic, Raw Story, The Independent and The Atlantic
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, KVUE-TV, LewRockwell, Associated Press and New Jersey Online
Erin Reed / Erin In The Morning:
Nancy Mace's Federal Trans Bathroom Ban Would Apply To Major Airports, Hindering Travel — Congresswoman Nancy Mace, who has targeted Congresswoman Sarah McBride with a bathroom ban in the capitol, is now pushing a sweeping federal bathroom ban for trans people.
Discussion:
Washington Post, them. and Inqorporeal
Wall Street Journal:
Musk Unleashes Online Army on Federal Workers. 'A Tough Way to Find Out She's Losing Her Job.' — As Trump efficiency czar, the billionaire is targeting employees by name on X—sparking pushback — As co-director of President-elect Donald Trump's nascent Department of Government Efficiency …
Discussion:
New Republic, The Verge, Digby's Hullabaloo and Raw Story, more at Techmeme »
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:
WAGA-TV, Le·gal In·sur·rec·tion and Florida Phoenix
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, New Republic, The Daily Caller, The Independent, Reuters, Bloomberg and Daily Kos
Politico:
Kennedy's ‘MAHA transition team’ includes anti-vax activists — At least three informal advisers connected to the anti-vaccine movement are assisting Kennedy in filling out his staff as he prepares to lead HHS. — Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is enlisting associates with close ties …
CNN:
Trump's intel pick was placed on government watch list for overseas travel and foreign connections — Tulsi Gabbard, Donald Trump's pick to lead the intelligence community, was briefly placed on a Transportation Security Administration list that prompts additional security screening …