Trump claims US is global ‘laughing stock’ following attacks; Johnson prepares for crucial House speaker vote: Live
President-elect rages on Truth Social after violence in New Orleans and Las Vegas, blaming opposition for indicting him rather than focusing on national security
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Your support makes all the difference.Donald Trump has raged on Truth Social that the US is “a disaster, a laughing stock all over the World!” in response to Wednesday’s suspected terror attacks in New Orleans and Las Vegas, the second of which saw one of his friend Elon Musk’s TeslaCybertruck’s blown up outside a Trump-owned luxury hotel in the Nevada city.
“This is what happens when you have OPEN BORDERS, with weak, ineffective, and virtually nonexistent leadership,” the president-elect declared.
“The DOJ, FBI, and Democrat state and local prosecutors have not done their job.
“They are incompetent and corrupt, having spent all of their waking hours unlawfully attacking their political opponent, ME, rather than focusing on protecting Americans from the outside and inside violent SCUM that has infiltrated all aspects of our government, and our Nation itself.”
He continued: “The USA is breaking down - A violent erosion of Safety, National Security, and Democracy is taking place all across our Nation.”
Meanwhile, Mike Johnson may have Trump’s backing to retain his position as Speaker of the House, but Friday’s vote could go to multiple rounds given his slim majority, forcing him to negotiate with holdouts in his own party.
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What do we know about the Cybertruck explosion outside Trump’s Vegas hotel?
Deadly Cybertruck explosion at Trump Tower in Vegas being investigated as possible terrorism, officials say
What are H-1B visas and what has Trump said about them in the past?
Rep Victoria Spartz undecided on Johnson, wants Gingrich-style contract with America
Watch: Incoming Trump border czar maintains ‘gut feeling’ over terrorism and Las Vegas explosion
Biden received updates on terrorist attack in New Orleans and car explosion in Las Vegas
Johnson meeting with Freedom Caucus ahead of speaker vote
Mike Johnson is holding a meeting with members of the Freedom Caucus who are undecided or looking for commitments regarding tomorrow’s speakership vote.
ANALYSIS: Will Mike Johnson make it? What to look out for ahead of Friday’s House speaker vote
Eric Garcia writes:
The House and Senate will convene on Friday for the start of the new Congress, giving Donald Trump a Republican trifecta when he returns to Washington 17 days later. The House’s first order of business? Embarking on the semi-annual tradition of cat-herding that is the vote for speaker.
Read on...
Will Mike Johnson make it? What to look out for ahead of Friday’s House speaker vote
Mike Johnson is in a better position now than Kevin McCarthy was two years ago, Eric Garcia writes. But he still has to navigate the Rubik’s Cube that is the House Republican conference. And Trump is watching
Army vet shot himself in the head before his rented Cybertruck exploded outside Trump hotel, cops say
James Liddell and Mike Bedigan report:
On Thursday, Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department Sheriff Kevin McMahill said investigators were confident that Livelsberger was the person in the vehicle, though his body was “burned beyond recognition.” He added that there was evidence that he had suffered a gunshot wound to the head prior to the blast.
Continue reading...
Matthew Livelsberger: What we know about the Cybertruck explosion suspect
Local media identified the 37-year-old Special Forces veteran as the driver of the Tesla Cybertruck that exploded outside Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas on New Year’s Day
Sheriff: Cybertruck specs prevented a bigger explosion and more damage to Trump hotel
The number of victims of the Tesla Cybertruck explosion outside the Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas was limited by the vehicle’s reinforced exterior, police have said.
Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department Sheriff Kevin McMahill said the blast had been directed “up through the truck” resulting in minimal damage to the surroundings.
Seven people were injured during the New Year’s Day incident, and the driver of the vehicle was killed. The man was later identified by authorities as U.S. Army veteran Matthew Livelsberger.
Mike Bedigan reports.
Cybertruck’s specs prevented a bigger explosion, sheriff says
Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department Sheriff Kevin MacMahill said the blast had been directed ‘up through the truck’, limiting damage to the surroundings
Full story: Trump critic Liz Cheney to be awarded Presidential Citizens Medal by Biden
President Joe Biden is handing the second-highest civilian honor to fierce Donald Trump critics Liz Cheney and Rep. Bennie Thompson for their work leading the House Select Committee investigating the January 6 Capitol riot.
Biden will award the Presidential Citizens Medal to 20 people in a ceremony at the White House Thursday evening. Some of the recipients fought for same-sex marriage, one led the charge in treating wounded soldiers, and two others are close friends of the president: former Sens. Ted Kaufman and Chris Dodd.
Gustaf Kilander reports.
Trump critic Liz Cheney to be awarded Presidential Citizens Medal by Biden
Award handed to those who ‘performed exemplary deeds of service for their country or their fellow citizens’
How Fox News’ retracted New Orleans report sparked a MAGA meltdown about the border
Hours after a U.S. Army veteran plowed a truck into a crowd of revelers celebrating New Year’s on New Orleans’s Bourbon Street, leaving 14 dead and dozens injured, Fox News reported that the terror suspect’s vehicle was spotted crossing the U.S.-Mexico border just two days prior.
The conservative cable giant’s suggestion that the horrific tragedy may have been linked to migrants entering the United States sparked an immediate freakout from prominent conservatives — and likely led to President-elect Donald Trump’s initial statement on the mass casualty event that tied immigration to the terror attack.
Justin Barangoa has the story.
How Fox News’ retracted New Orleans report sparked a MAGA meltdown about the border
Despite the right-wing network walking back its reporting throughout the day on Wednesday, Donald Trump and his allies have continued to blame the Biden administration’s border policy for the terror attack.
Might Trump privatize the nation’s two largest government-owned lenders?
Hedge fund billionaire Bill Ackman has said he expects Donald Trump to privatize two of the nation’s biggest government-owned mortgage lenders.
The Trump-supporting financier said he believes the president-elect will remove lenders Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac — formally the Federal National Mortgage Association and Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation — from conservatorship during his second administration, he wrote in a post on X.
Rhian Lubin reports.
Billionaire Bill Ackman expects Trump to privatize two largest US mortgage lenders
The Trump-supporting financier said he believes the president-elect will remove lenders Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac from conservatorship
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