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Trump is named Time magazine’s ‘Person of the Year’ and rings New York Stock Exchange opening bell: Live

The Republican also won the accolade in 2016 after winning his first presidential election

Joe Sommerlad,Ariana Baio,Gustaf Kilander
Thursday 12 December 2024 16:01 GMT
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Donald Trump rings opening bell at New York Stock Exchange

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Donald Trump has been named Time magazine’s “Person of the Year” in response to his winning the 2024 presidential election for the second time, according to Politico

The annual cover – which highlights an individual who has greatly influenced the year, for good or ill – has just been unveiled, bearing an imperious portrait of Trump against a stark background.

The Republican was also named “Person of the Year” in 2016 after beating Hillary Clinton to win election to the White House for the first time and celebrated this latest honor by ringing the opening bell of the New York Stock Exchange this morning.

Trump has meanwhile been continuing to announce nominees to his new administration and gloating over the resignation of FBI Director Christopher Wray, whom he appointed to replace James Comey in 2017.

Writing on Truth Social, the president-elect called it “great day for America” that would “end the Weaponization of what has become known as the United States Department of Injustice.”

Trump went to accuse the bureau of having “illegally raided my home, without cause, worked diligently on illegally impeaching and indicting me.”

Republican senator warns Hegseth his confirmation hearing will be ‘unpleasant’

How’s it all looking for Trump’s pick for defense secretary?

Not good, according to Texas Republican John Cornyn, who had this to say after meeting with him on Capitol Hill.

“I just told him and his wife, I said this is going to be a very difficult process on all of you,” Cornyn told reporters this week, according to The Hill.

“I’ve been through a lot of Supreme Court nomination fights, including Brett Kavanaugh, and that may pale in comparison to what may be thrown at Pete.”

Hegseth is likely to receive a brutal grilling from Democrats over allegations that he sexually assaulted a woman in 2017, has a drinking problem and has mismanaged not one but two veterans’ associations, all of which the nominee denies.

Cornyn, who said he intends to back Hegseth despite it all, has since repeated his warnings to Rob Schmitt on Newsmax, declaring that the candidate is in for “a very unpleasant process for him and his family.”

The Texan continued: “It’s important for all of these nominees to come around and answer questions. I told Pete this is gonna be a very unpleasant process for him and his family, having been involved in the Kavanaugh hearings.

“I know there will be unnamed accusations and some things that are going to be hurtful, not only to him and his family, but he’s ready for that, his wife is ready for that, and I’m confident he will be confirmed.”

John Cornyn
John Cornyn (AP)
Joe Sommerlad11 December 2024 16:20

The power broker North Carolina senator caught in the middle of Trump’s confirmations fight

A Republican trifecta in Washington should be a good sign for a bipartisan dealmaker like Thom Tillis.

Instead, Eric Garcia reports, he’s getting squeezed by all sides as he faces re-election.

The Republican Senator stuck in the middle of Trump’s confirmations fight

A Republican trifecta in Washington should be a good sign for a bipartisan dealmaker like Thom Tillis. Instead, Eric Garcia reports, he’s getting squeezed by all sides as he faces re-election

Joe Sommerlad11 December 2024 16:00

Fox pundit pitches herself as next US ambassador to Italy in light of Guilfoyle appointment

Can you blame her?

Joe Sommerlad11 December 2024 15:40

Jan 6 ‘fighter’ asks for court’s permission to attend Trump inauguration

Russell Taylor is just the latest Capitol rioter to start making demands in anticipation of receiving the promised pardon from the president-elect after he is inaugurated next month (although Trump has specified he will not be issuing a blanket clemency order and, instead, reviewing cases one-by-one).

Joe Sommerlad11 December 2024 15:25

Report on attempts to kill Trump urges Secret Service to limit protection of foreign leaders

A congressional task force investigating the attempts to kill Trump during his presidential campaign is recommending changes to the Secret Service, including protecting fewer foreign leaders during the height of election season and considering moving the agency out of the Homeland Security Department.

The 180-page report by the bipartisan task force released on Tuesday is one of the most detailed looks so far into the July assassination attempt against Trump during a campaign rally in Pennsylvania and a second attempt in Florida two months later.

Like the series of other investigations and reports, the task force railed at the agency tasked with protecting the top echelon of America‘s democratic leaders.

Here’s more.

Report on attempts to kill Trump urges Secret Service to limit protection of foreign leaders

A congressional task force looking into the assassination attempts against Donald Trump during his presidential campaign is recommending changes to the Secret Service

Joe Sommerlad11 December 2024 15:10

Schiff warns Trump against threatening his political enemies

The California Democrat, particularly loathed for his “pencil-neck” by the president-elect, has been pointing out that calling for the jailing of your rivals is a pretty dictatorial look, advice that Trump is pretty unlikely to heed.

Joe Sommerlad11 December 2024 14:50

DOGE about ‘dismantling the deep state’, says House speaker

Mike Johnson managed to sound pretty paranoid talking to Bret Baier on Fox News last night about Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy’s new Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), insisting it is necessary to root out supposed operational bias within the workings of the federal government, a conservative obsession that may or may not be a real problem.

Joe Sommerlad11 December 2024 14:30

Fox News floats Trump could expand America through a land purchase

The Trump-iana purchase!

A prominent Fox News host has floated that President-elect Donald Trump could be looking to make a major land purchase during his second term.

Her prediction comes as Trump continues to taunt Canada and its officials and has reportedly suggested the northern neighbor should be America’s 51st state.

“I actually think that the United States might make some sort of purchase. I don’t know, not Canada, but there might be some sort of like big real estate purchase in the next four years,” Dana Perino said on Tuesday’s episode of The Five on Fox.

Co-host Jessica Travlov then suggested Greenland as a potential purchase, given Trump’s interest in it in 2019, which sparked a memorable diplomatic beef with Denmark.

Alex Lang has more.

Fox News host floats idea Trump could expand America through a land purchase

The suggestions comes as Donald Trump has been trolling Canada about becoming a U.S. state

Joe Sommerlad11 December 2024 14:10

Republican senator blocks federal protection for journalists

Tom Cotton of Arkansas has blocked a federal shield law that would have protected reporters from revealing their sources and material to the government.

In the Senate on Tuesday, Oregon Democrat Ron Wyden called for the unanimous consent of the chamber to pass the Protect Reporters from Exploitative State Spying (or PRESS) Act, only for Cotton to object, arguing that the “liberal media” does not “deserve” further protections.

“The press badge doesn’t make you better than the rest of America or put you above the law,” he said on the Senate floor.

Cotton subsequently posted this on social media:

Joe Sommerlad11 December 2024 13:50

Nancy Mace says she was ‘accosted’ over trans rights dispute as man arrested

The South Carolina Republican Representative has said she was “physically accosted” on Capitol grounds on Tuesday evening, seemingly in relation to her recent string of anti-trans rhetoric.

“I was physically accosted tonight on Capitol grounds over my fight to protect women,” Mace wrote on X. “Capitol police have arrested him. All the violence and threats keep proving our point. Women deserve to be safe. Your threats will not stop my fight for women!”

In another post, Mace said she was hurt by a “pro-tr*ns man”.

Capitol Police have arrested the person accused of assaulting Mace, a Capitol Police spokesperson said in a statement.

Mace said the physical assault resulted in her being treated with a “new brace” on her wrists and ice on her arm.

Here’s Gustaf Kilander’s report.

Suspect arrested after Rep. Nancy Mace claims she was assaulted

Mace has been embroiled in controversy after she introduced a bill banning transgender women from using women’s restrooms on Capitol Hill

Joe Sommerlad11 December 2024 13:30

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