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3 days ago

Confirmation hearings live updates: Pam Bondi evades questions on Trump loyalty as protesters interrupt Marco Rubio

President-elect’s picks for attorney general and secretary of state, Pam Bondi and Marco Rubio, among those facing senators on Wednesday

Oliver O'Connell,Joe Sommerlad
Wednesday 15 January 2025 16:36 GMT
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Donald Trump’s defense secretary pick Pete Hegseth heckled by protesters at Senate confirmation

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Donald Trump’s nominees to be the next US attorney general and secretary of state, Pam Bondi and Marco Rubio, are among the latest batch of cabinet picks sitting for Senate confirmation hearings today.

Florida Attorney General Bondi has been accused of amplifying Trump’s false claims about the 2020 presidential election and represented him at his first impeachment trial in 2019. Senator Rubio was once a bitter rival to the president-elect for the Republican presidential nomination, trading insults in the 2016 primaries — something that will likely come up today.

Chris Wright (secretary of energy), John Ratcliffe (director of the CIA), Sean Duffy (secretary of transportation), and Russell Vought (director of the Office of Management and Budget) also have hearings scheduled today with the relevant committees.

They follow in the footsteps of Pete Hegseth, the president-elect’s choice for secretary of defense, who endured a fiery hearing on Tuesday in which he called for the return of “American warriors” at the Pentagon but faced aggressive questioning about his checkered personal history.

Meanwhile, California Governor Gavin Newsom has invited Trump to visit Los Angeles to witness the devastation wrought by January’s wildfires, rather than merely criticize the emergency response from social media.

3 days ago

Trump announces ‘External Revenue Service’ to collect tariffs

The president-elect has announced he is creating a new “External Revenue Service” to collect tariffs and other foreign income from America’s overseas allies and trading partners.

Trump announced the new agency in a Truth Social post on Tuesday morning, contending that the US has “relied on taxing our Great People using the Internal Revenue Service (IRS)” for “far too long.”

“I am today announcing that I will create the EXTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE to collect our Tariffs, Duties, and all Revenue that come from Foreign sources,” he wrote.

“We will begin charging those that make money off of us with Trade, and they will start paying, FINALLY, their fair share.”

Trump said the service will begin operations on Monday, when he will officially take office after an inauguration ceremony at the US Capitol.

Here’s Katie Hawkinson’s report.

Trump announces puzzling new ‘External Revenue Service’ for tariffs

The man who wants to shrink the government will be adding a new agency performing tasks already covered by other agencies

Joe Sommerlad15 January 2025 11:55
3 days ago

Russia open for Trump talks after diplomat praises his Nato attack

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has said that Moscow is open for talks with Trump and praised him for attacking Nato’s plan to embrace Ukraine.

Any prospective peace talks should involve broader arrangements for security in Europe, Lavrov said at his annual news conference on Tuesday.

He specifically praised Trump’s comments earlier this month in which he said that Nato’s plans to open its doors to Ukraine had led to Russia’s invasion.

Russia open for talks with Trump after Putin’s diplomat praises his attack on Nato

Trump has echoed Moscow’s rhetoric, which has described its ‘special military operation’ in Ukraine as a response to planned Nato membership for Kyiv

Joe Sommerlad15 January 2025 11:35
3 days ago

Joe Biden declares nation is ‘stronger, more prosperous and more secure’ ahead of farewell address

As he prepares to deliver an Oval Office address for the last time after a single term in the White House and a full half-century of service in the federal government, President Joe Biden declared on Tuesday that America now stands “stronger, more prosperous, and more secure” than it was when he entered office amid the tumult of the Covid-19 pandemic four years ago.

In a letter released by the White House ahead of his farewell address to the nation on Wednesday, Biden described the circumstances under which he was sworn in as president as “a winter of peril and a winter of possibilities.”

“We were in the grip of the worst pandemic in a century, the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression, and the worst attack on our democracy since the Civil War,” noted Biden, who added that in response, Americans “came together… and we braved through it.”

Here’s Andrew Feinberg’s preview of Biden’s adieu.

Ahead of farewell address, Biden declares nation ‘stronger, more secure’

‘History is in your hands. The power is in your hands. The idea of America lies in your hands,” Biden wrote in a heartfelt letter the day before his farewell address Wednesday night

Joe Sommerlad15 January 2025 11:15
3 days ago

Mark Zuckerberg, Jeff Bezos and Musk jockey for position at Trump’s inauguration

For years, the biggest tech giants have battled amongst themselves (remember when Zuckberg and Musk were going to have a cage match?).

Now they are coming together in support of the president – and their own interests, Io Dodds writes.

Tech bro foes Zuckerberg, Bezos and Musk jockey for position at Trump’s inauguration

For years, the biggest tech giants have battled amongst themselves (remember when Zuckberg and Musk were going to have a cage match?). Now they are coming together in support of the president — and their own interests, writes Io Dodds

Joe Sommerlad15 January 2025 10:55
3 days ago

US government sues Elon Musk over Twitter stock

The US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has sued the Big Tech billionaire, saying he failed to disclose his ownership of Twitter stock in a timely manner in early 2022 before buying the social media site.

As a result, the SEC alleges, Musk, now a close confidant of one Donald J Trump, was able to underpay “by at least $150 million” for shares he bought after he should have disclosed his ownership of more than 5 percent of Twitter’s shares.

Here’s more.

US government sues Elon Musk over Twitter stock

SEC alleges Musk was able to underpay ‘by at least $150 million’ for Twitter shares he bought after he should have disclosed his ownership of more than 5%

Joe Sommerlad15 January 2025 10:35
3 days ago

Pete Hegseth endures torrid Senate confirmation hearing

The president-elect’s choice for secretary of defense endured a fiery hearing on Tuesday in which he called for the return of “American warriors” at the Pentagon but faced aggressive questioning about his checkered personal history and was heckled by spectators.

Here’s Andrew Feinberg and Eric Garcia on an extraordinary day at the Senate Armed Services Committee.

Republicans blustered for months on Hegseth nomination. Then they did Trump’s bidding

Republicans seem more than happy to drag Hegseth across the finish line, while Democrats miss easy layups, Eric Garcia and Andrew Feinberg write

Joe Sommerlad15 January 2025 10:05
3 days ago

Gavin Newsom issues call for Trump to visit wildfire-ravaged Los Angeles

California Governor Gavin Newsom has invited Trump to visit Los Angeles to witness the devastation wrought by January’s wildfires, rather than merely criticize the emergency response from social media.

“I want the president-elect to meet with the communities impacted by the Los Angeles wildfires and understand the magnitude of the devastation,” Newsom wrote on X.

“I urge him to meet with the brave firefighters and first responders on the ground and see firsthand how they’ve saved lives.”

The above clip of Newsom was taken from his latest interview with MSNBC’s Jen Psaki in which he also told her that Trump’s childish nickname for him meant little and that he should follow Joe Biden’s example and make a real difference on the ground by consoling the brave souls who have been out there battling the blazes for more than a week now.

Joe Sommerlad15 January 2025 09:35
3 days ago

More Trump nominees facing Senate confirmation hearings today

Good morning!

Following yesterday’s Pete Hegseth drama on Capitol Hill, a number of other people nominated by the president-elect for top cabinet position will face the senators on Wednesday.

Here’s who’s on the menu:

  • Pam Bondi, attorney general nominee - Senate Judiciary Committee 9.30am (all times ET)
  • Chris Wright, secretary of energy - Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee 10am
  • Marco Rubio, secretary of state - Senate Foreign Relations Committee 10am
  • John Ratcliffe, director of the Central Intelligence Agency - Senate Intelligence Committee 10am
  • Sean Duffy, secretary of transportation - Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee 10am
  • Russell Vought, director of Office of Management and Budget - Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, 1pm

Bondi and Rubio are the most intriguing names in that lineup, with the Florida Attorney General (who replaced the ill-fated Matt Gaetz) accused of amplifing Trump’s false claims about the 2020 presidential election and known for representing him at his first impeachment trial in 2019 while Rubio was once a bitter rival to the president-elect for the Republican presidential nomination, trading bitter insults in 2016.

South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem had been due to have her confirmation hearing on becoming secretary of the Department of Homeland Security but that has now been postponed until Friday, we understand, with Congress waiting on a little outstanding paperwork from the FBI.

Joe Sommerlad15 January 2025 09:05
3 days ago

Whoopi Goldberg defends Carrie Underwood’s decision to perform at Trump’s inauguration: ‘I won’t be watching’

Whoopi Goldberg has defended Carrie Underwood’s decision to perform at U.S. president-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration.

The 69-year-old TV host addressed Underwood’s expected performance during Tuesday’s (January 14) episode of The View. She also discussed the backlash the country singer — who’s previously been private about her political stance — received for announcing the gig.

While Goldberg often hits back at Trump’s policies on the talk show, she said that she wasn’t going to criticize Underwood for performing at the inauguration on January 20.

Read more:

Whoopi Goldberg defends Carrie Underwood’s decision to perform at Trump inauguration

‘The View’ host’s remarks came after the country singer was hit with immense backlash online

Amber Raiken15 January 2025 07:00
3 days ago

WATCH: Antony Blinken heckled by protesters during Gaza ceasefire news conference

Antony Blinken heckled by protesters during Gaza ceasefire news conference
Gustaf Kilander15 January 2025 05:00

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