Trump already testing unity with Congressional Republicans to get his biggest campaign promises approved: Live
The president-elect weighed in on a reconciliation package, reportedly telling the House Speaker he prefers one piece of legislation
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.President-elect Donald Trump wants one reconciliation package rather than the GOP leadership’s two-bill strategy, re-elected House Speaker Mike Johnson reportedly informed Republicans Saturday — a sign that Trump may be already testing the unity of his party.
Johnson told fellow Republicans that Trump hopes for “one big beautiful bill” that would address border security, energy and tax cuts, Politico reported. All three were some of his biggest campaign promises.
The president-elect’s preference aligns with House Ways & Means Chair Jason Smith, who has pushed for just one piece of legislation rather than the two that Senate Majority Leader John Thune has favored.
The news comes after Johnson was re-elected as speaker after an initial struggle to get enough votes due to the incredibly tight margin in the House.
While a new Congress has already begun, Trump is now required to make a pitstop before he takes office.
New York Judge Juan Merchan ordered the president-elect to appear for sentencing in his hush-money case just ten days before his inauguration. Merchan indicated Trump wouldn’t be jailed. Trump slammed the order in a Saturday morning Truth Social post as “a fake, made up charge by a corrupt judge.”
Mike Johnson may be the speaker, but Democrats will still have power
Trump has two years to cause real chaos and harm and only these people will be able to stop him
MAGA-world in meltdown after seeing George Soros getting Medal of Freedom
Trump claims Dems are ‘giddy’ flags will be half-staff for his inauguration
Letters to the Editor: It is no surprise that Trump falsely blamed the New Orleans attack on ‘migrants’
The Independent’s readers submitted letters to the editor discussing their thoughts on Donald Trump’s reaction to the deadly attack in New Orleans on New Year’s Day.
Read here:
It’s no surprise that Trump falsely blamed the New Orleans attack on ‘migrants’
Letters to the editor: our readers share their views. Please send your letters to letters@independent.co.uk
Inauguration Day is nearly here. These are the promises Trump made for ‘Day One’ in office
President-elect Donald Trump has a very long to-do list when he steps into the Oval Office later this month.
So far, he’s already promised to take action on 59 different issues “on Day One,” according to an Axios analysis of pledges made on the campaign trail.
The key MAGA issues he promised to address are closing the border, pardoning the January 6 Capitol riot prisoners, and rolling back protections for transgender students.
Continue reading:
Inauguration Day is nearly here. These are the promises Trump made for ‘Day One’
Trump promised to take action on 59 different issues ‘on day one,’ according to analysis of pledges made on the campaign trail
Trump may show ‘display of fighting’ his sentencing next week, analyst says
Maggie Haberman, CNN political analyst and author of Confidence Man: The Making of Donald Trump and the Breaking of America, said the president-elect may want a ‘display of fighting’ his sentencing next week.
“He’s very angry about this case in particular,” Haberman told CNN on Friday. ”He may decide that he wants some kind of a display of fighting it.”
“I don’t think we’re going to know that for another two days or so,” she continued.
Trump will be sentenced in his hush money case by Judge Juan Merchan on January 10.
Merchan said he would sentence the former and future president to what’s known as a conditional discharge, in which a case gets dismissed if a defendant avoids rearrest.
Trump launches into social media rant over sentencing
President-elect Donald Trump has taken to Truth Social to slam Judge Juan Merchan, who is requiring him to appear for sentencing in his hush-money case on January 10.
The hearing will take place just ten days before his inauguration.
“I never falsified business records,” Trump wrote on Saturday morning. “It is a fake, made up charge by a corrupt judge who is just doing the work of the Biden/Harris Injustice Department, an attack on their political opponent, ME!”
Trump jokes about fat coyotes needing weight-loss drugs in call with Starmer
Donald Trump joked in his latest call with Sir Keir Starmer about coyotes needing weight-loss drugs after becoming fat feasting on the remains of birds killed by flying into wind turbines, it has emerged.
Despite a dull readout published by Downing Street in December, which said the prime minister congratulated the president-elect before the pair discussed “the close and historic relationship between the UK and the US”, it has been reported Mr Trump veered wildly off course.
Keep reading:
Trump jokes about fat coyotes needing weight-loss drugs in call with Starmer
President-elect reportedly obsessed over birds being killed by wind turbines and complimented Prince William’s ‘modern’ beard on call with PM
Farage distances himself from Tommy Robinson after Elon Musk backs far-right activist
Nigel Farage has distanced himself from Tommy Robinson after Elon Musk swung behind the jailed political activist, calling for his release.
The Reform UK leader said Mr Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, is “not what we need”, as his party seeks to challenge Labour in upcoming elections.
Mr Farage heaped praise on Mr Musk, reportedly mulling a multi-million pound donation to his party, calling him a “hero figure, especially for the youth”.
Read on:
Farage distances himself from Tommy Robinson after Elon Musk backs far-right activist
Reform UK leader heaps praise on tech billionaire Musk, but says Robinson not what his party needs
Biden to award Medal of Freedom to 19, including Hillary Clinton, Bono and Jose Andres
President Joe Biden is awarding the Presidential Medal of Freedom — the nation’s highest civilian honor — to 19 people, including former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
He’ll bestow the awards in a ceremony Saturday, marking the final time Biden will present the prestigious honor during his time in office.
Read on:
Biden to award Medal of Freedom to Hillary Clinton, 18 others
The nation’s highest civilian award honors individuals who ‘made exemplary contributions to the prosperity, values, or security of the United States, world peace, or other significant societal, public or private endeavors’
ANALYSIS: Mike Johnson may be the speaker, but Democrats will still have power
Eric Garcia writes:
After a whipsaw couple of hours, Mike Johnson remained speaker of the House of Representatives with the help of some pressure from President-elect Donald Trump. The move shows that the mild-mannered Louisianan is a far more deft politician than his predecessor Kevin McCarthy, who had to go fifteen rounds before he became speaker two years ago.
But Johnson’s speech afterward did not set the tone, nor did the speech of House Republican Conference Chairwoman Lisa McClain.
Rather, it came when House Democratic Caucus Chairman Pete Aguilar nominated Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries and called Democrats the “governing majority.”
Continue reading...
Mike Johnson may be the speaker, but Democrats will still have power
Yes, Republicans have a trifecta. Yes, Trump is president. But hardliners’ inability to take yes for an answer means Democrats can act as the ‘governing majority,’ in a coalition with Mike Johnson
In first speech since re-election, Mike Johnson promises to ‘roll back administrative state’
Speaker Mike Johnson pledged to “drastically” reduce the size of government and pass legislation to roll back “the administrative state” in his first speech after being re-elected Speaker by the narrowest of margins.
Johnson managed to retain the gavel on the first vote after two members changed their votes to support him following phone calls from President-elect Donald Trump, according to CNN.
Gustaf Kilander reports.
Johnson promises to ‘roll back administrative state’ after being re-elected Speaker
Johnson has already committed to investigate the now-disbanded House Select Committee investigating the January 6, 2021 Capitol riot
Two and a Half Men star brands Trump’s second term a ‘clown show already’
Two and a Half Men alum Jon Cryer is pessimistic about President-elect Donald Trump’s second term, predicting that things are “not going to get better.”
The 59-year-old actor and outspoken Kamala Harris supporter shared his opinions with paparazzi ahead of Trump’s inauguration on January 20.
Inga Parkel has the story.
Two and a Half Men star Jon Cryer brands Trump’s second term a ‘clown show already’
Actor says Trump ‘doesn’t even like America’
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments