Pete Hegseth's drinking worried colleagues at Fox News, sources tell NBC News  —  Ten current and former Fox employees say Trump's pick for defense secretary drank in ways that concerned his co-workers.  A Trump transition team spokesperson called the claims “completely unfounded and false.”

South Korea President Yoon declares martial law  —  South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol on Tuesday declared martial law in an unannounced late night address broadcast live on YTN television.

Trump urges judge to toss hush money case, citing Hunter Biden pardon  —  Trump's attorneys said President Biden's statement that his son had been “selectively, and unfairly, prosecuted” also applies to the president-elect.  —  Lawyers for Donald Trump urged the judge who presided …

McConnell cries foul after 2 Democratic judges cancel retirement after Trump victory  —  Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) vented his displeasure Monday after two Democratic-appointed federal judges reversed their decisions to retire in what appear to be efforts to stop President-elect Trump …

The Storybook Start—and Bitter End—of Pete Hegseth's First Marriage  —  Donald Trump's nominee for secretary of defense is a conservative culture warrior, a central-casting alpha male who believes in guns, God, and the primacy of the family unit.  The story of his first marriage …

Trump offers Pentagon's No. 2 job to billionaire Stephen Feinberg  —  The search for a capable deputy defense secretary has taken on heightened significance as lawmakers scrutinize Pete Hegseth, Trump's choice to lead the agency.  —  President-elect Donald Trump offered billionaire investor Stephen Feinberg …

Here Are the Republicans Kash Patel Wants to Target  —  Trump's pick to be FBI director has expressed an intent to mount a revenge-a-thon that will include not just Democrats.  —  For years, Kash Patel, the MAGA provocateur, conspiracy theory monger, and seller of pills he claims reverse …

House Democrat to force floor vote this week to release Matt Gaetz ethics report  —  Rep. Sean Casten introduced a privileged resolution that would require the House Ethics Committee to make its investigative report into the former Florida congressman public.

You Won't Believe Who Was Crowned ‘Model of the Year’  —  In October, Townhall covered how Victoria's Secret held its iconic fashion show for the first time in six years.  —  The lingerie company shocked the world by including two models who are “transgender,” also known as biological males.

Pete Hegseth's mother begged him to “get some help” — he joined a misogynist church instead  —  Fringe denomination's leader argues that men “dream of being rapists” because women aren't submissive enough  —  Even by the reality-TV chaos standards of our political moment, this one was a doozy …

Trump's DEA nominee withdraws from consideration just days after being picked  —  President-elect Trump's choice to lead the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) announced on Tuesday he is withdrawing from consideration just three days after Trump made his nomination known.

New Jersey interim Sen. George Helmy stepping down for Andy Kim to be sworn in early  —  New Jersey interim Sen. George Helmy, a Democrat appointed when Bob Menendez resigned after a federal corruption conviction, is stepping down this weekend so Sen.-elect Andy Kim can be sworn in early.

How Jeff Bezos Smothered Pete Hegseth News because Hunter Biden Was Pardoned of Already Declined Charges  —  When I went to bed last night, the WaPo was feeding me the following stories at the top of its digital front page.  —  WaPo has since added a story about Biden's attempt to surge weapons to Ukraine before Trump cuts them off.

Democrats push back on Republican COVID-19 report  —  House Democrats on the Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic on Tuesday released their own report responding to the Republican-led panel's final report, deeming the subcommittee to have “failed” in its endeavor to uncover the origins …

RFK Jr. Is in the Wrong Agency  —  He could be a great agriculture secretary.  —  Leading the Department of Health and Human Services seems, at first glance, like a dream job for Robert F. Kennedy Jr., quite possibly America's most infamous anti-vaxxer.  If confirmed, Kennedy will oversee …

FTC Bans Location Data Company That Powers the Surveillance Ecosystem  —  The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) announced sweeping action against some of the most important companies in the location data industry on Tuesday, including those that power surveillance tools used by a wide spread …

Judge Orders Fani Willis to Release All Communications with Jack Smith and J6 Committee  —  A judge ordered Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis to release all communications with Jack Smith and the House January 6 Committee.  —  Earlier this year conservative watchdog group Judicial Watch asked …

Pardon Fallout: A Visibly Shaken Chuck Todd Turns on Joe and Jill Biden in Must-Watch Moment  —  Though many in the mainstream media are in full-blown Democrat apologist mode (more so than normal) in the aftermath of Joe Biden's “full and unconditional” pardoning of his son, convicted felon Hunter Biden …

The First Corruption Scandal of Trump's Second Term Is Already Here  —  Justin Sun, a Chinese national accused of fraud, sent Donald Trump $18 million last week.  —  The newsletter Popular Information reports that Sun, most recently famous for spending $6.2 million on a banana and then eating it …

Ninth Circuit rules in favor of federal deportation  —  (The Center Square) - The federal government has the authority to deport foreign nationals in the U.S. illegally over the objection of local authorities, a panel of three judges on the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals unanimously ruled.

Live Updates: South Korean President Backs Down From Martial Law Order  —  President Yoon Suk Yeol pulled the order hours after South Korea's National Assembly voted to halt it.  Thousands of protesters took to the streets in Seoul, demanding that the president resign.  —  Chang W. Lee/The New York Times