Dark Times for Guac Lovers  —  If you're an enthusiast for cartoonish, naked graft and you weren't getting your fix in post-Trump Washington, have we got a great story for you, per the New York Times: … Only the best people!  Happy Tuesday.  —  Trade Wars Are Good, And Easy to Win

Trump Has Late-Night Meltdown Over New York Times Story on Close Aide  —  Donald Trump took to Truth Social in the early hours of Tuesday to go on a lengthy rant about Maggie Haberman, likely set off by a recent article in The New York Times on his weird relationship with aide Natalie Harp.

Trump officials to receive immediate clearances and easier FBI vetting  —  Exclusive: president-elect's team planning for background checks to occur only after administration takes over bureau  —  Donald Trump's transition team is planning for all cabinet picks to receive sweeping security clearances …

Donald Trump Is a Weakling.  That's the Problem.  —  The pithiest summary of Donald Trump's last presidency was by the comedian John Mulaney.  He compared it to a horse being set loose in a hospital.  “No one knows what the horse is gonna do next,” Mulaney said, “least of all the horse.

Angry Rudy Giuliani argues with judge overseeing defamation payout: 'I can't pay my bills'  —  The former New York City mayor was chastised by the judge for failing to comply with court orders to turn over his assets to the two former Georgia election workers he defamed.

Trump's evasion of January 6 accountability will echo for next four years and generations to come  —  Special counsel Jack Smith set out to prove in the United States of America v. Donald J. Trump that even presidents are not above the law.  —  Instead, his failed prosecutions ended up making …

Trump to Name Hassett National Economic Council Chief  — Hassett chaired Council of Economic Advisers under Trump  — Top economic aide will help steer tax and tariff agenda  —  President-elect Donald Trump is said to have selected Kevin Hassett to lead the National Economic Council …

Don Jr. Says They're Discussing Replacing Some Journalists at the White House Press Briefing with Podcast Bros  —  MEET THE NEW PRESS  —  “That's gonna blow up some heads, so we'll see,” said President-elect Donald Trump's eldest son.  —  President-elect Donald Trump discussed giving podcast bros …

Trump Guitars copy Gibson's Les Paul design, per cease and desist notice … - The guitars, some of which Trump autographed, are advertised as the “ONLY guitars endorsed by President Donald J. Trump.”  — Some of Trump's business ventures — like his limited-edition sneakers sold after the Butler …

Texas committee won't examine maternal deaths in first years after abortion ban  —  The decision comes as maternal mortality committees across the country begin to investigate the potential impacts of abortion laws.  —  The Texas committee that examines all pregnancy-related deaths in the state …

Walmart becomes latest — and biggest — company to roll back its DEI policies  —  Walmart, the world's largest retailer, is rolling back its diversity, equity and inclusion policies, joining a growing list of major corporations that have done the same after coming under attack by conservative activists.

One of Trump's Alleged Attempted Assassins Sent Me a Letter  —  Ryan Routh allegedly tried to shoot Donald Trump.  What does he believe?  —  The day after the second attempt on his life this year, Donald Trump blamed Joe Biden and Kamala Harris.  “Their rhetoric is causing me to be shot at,” Trump said.

Carville: Democratic Party trailing on understanding media consumption  —  Veteran political strategist James Carville suggested early Tuesday that the Democratic Party needs to do a deep dive into where people get their information and, beyond that, how to retain voters.

Watch Live: President Biden to speak as ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah expected to halt war in Lebanon within hours  —  Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced Tuesday that he will recommend a proposed ceasefire deal with Hezbollah to his Cabinet for approval and that a vote is expected later in the day.

Lauren Boebert Cameo page disappears amid House ethics concerns  —  Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.) briefly offered videos on Cameo, a website on which public figures sell personalized videos to fans, before the page went offline amid questions about whether it would have violated House ethics rules.

A government by toxic men, for toxic men  —  The He-Man Woman-Hater's administration. … 🥃  —  Throughout his campaign for president, Donald Trump promised his followers that he would use his power to harm those he, and they, consider enemies.  —  Those enemies included trans people and immigrants.

Kash Patel and Cliff Sims are jostling for the deputy director gig at the CIA  —  Two Trump transition insiders, Cliff Sims and Kash Patel, are angling to be deputy director of the CIA — and angering others who feel they're using their roles on the transition to undermine any would-be contenders …

Trump transition signs White House agreement  —  The Trump team's unprecedented delay in signing these agreements had alarmed former officials and ethics experts.  —  The Trump transition has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Biden White House, incoming chief of staff Susie Wiles announced …

Exclusive: The Harris Campaign On What Went Wrong  — APPLE PODCASTS - SPOTIFY - STITCHER  —  In This Episode  —  In this candid interview, the leaders of the Harris-Walz Campaign speak for the first time about the challenges they faced and why they made the decisions they did.

Mega-donor: Democratic overspending disqualifies Harris ‘forever’  — Harris-Walz campaign reportedly blew through more than $1 billion  — Staffers say the campaign is $20 million in debt  — Mega-donor John Morgan: This will ‘follow Harris for the rest of her career’

Welcome to Crypto's ‘Special Interest Congress’  —  The crypto industry spent big this election cycle.  Now, the “crypto-sized club” — as one critic described its spending might — looms over lawmakers in both parties.  — Copy  —  The crypto industry spent more than $180 million …

Glenn Youngkin wants Trump staffers to move to Virginia … - He also cites lower income taxes than D.C. and Maryland. … - Not to mention the elite ZIP codes of McLean and Great Falls. … - As for the Maryland suburbs, Trump won 22% in Montgomery County and 11% in Prince George's County.

Online influencers need ‘urgent’ fact-checking training, warns Unesco  —  Research shows six in 10 social media content creators do not verify accuracy of information before posting it  —  Social media influencers need “urgent” help to check their facts before they broadcast to their followers …

Airline executives called to testify in Senate subcommittee hearing about ‘junk fees’  —  Top airline executives have been called to testify at a December Senate panel hearing after the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations released a report on “junk fees.”