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Thursday November 21, 2024
(WASHINGTON) -- President-elect Donald Trump on Tuesday called for a halt in confirming judges until he takes office, accusing Democrats of "trying to stack the courts."
"The Democrats are trying to stack the Courts with Radical Left Judges on their way out the door," Trump wrote on his social media platform, urging Republican senators to "show up and hold the line."
"No more Judges confirmed before Inauguration Day!" Trump wrote.
The directive from the president-elect comes as Senate Democrats are expected to dedicate hours of floor time in the coming weeks as part of a last-minute effort to confirm as many of President Joe Biden's nominees to the federal judiciary before Trump takes over in January. Senate Republicans thwarted their efforts late Monday night, a plan from their soon-to-be leader Sen. John Thune and a reversal from his previous stance on blocking confirmations of qualified judicial nominees.
Senate Republicans rebelled late Monday night, dragging out the floor process by forcing Democrats to hold time-consuming votes on procedural motions that are usually routine and otherwise mundane. Actions that should have taken minutes on the floor instead took hours.
Thune, who takes over as Republican leader of the Senate in January, took credit for the rebellion saying in a statement that Republicans would not "roll over" to appoint Biden's nominees to the federal bench in the "final weeks of the Democrat majority."
"If Sen. Schumer thought Senate Republicans would just roll over and allow him to quickly confirm multiple Biden-appointed judges to lifetime jobs in the final weeks of the Democrat majority, he thought wrong," Thune said in a statement to ABC News.
Thune's statement vowing to obstruct the judicial confirmation process in the final hours of the Biden presidency is a departure from comments he made just a few years ago toward the end of Trump's administration. At the time, Thune touted the importance of confirming judges to the bench, saying it was "one of our most important responsibilities as senators" and one of the main reasons he ran for the Senate.
"Mr. President, confirming good judges is one of our most important responsibilities as senators. And it's a responsibility I take very seriously," Thune said during a floor speech on Nov. 18 2020 -- after Biden won the election.
"After George W. Bush's election, Democrats decided that the president's judicial nominees might not deliver the results Democrats wanted. And so, they decided to adopt a new strategy -- blocking judicial nominees on a regular basis," Thune said during his remarks in 2020. "I was one of the many Americans upset by the blockade of talented, well-qualified nominees. And it was one of the main reasons I ran for the Senate. I promised South Dakotans that if they elected me, I would help put outstanding judges on the bench."
"In fact, one of the main reasons I was first elected to the Senate was to make sure outstanding judicial nominees were confirmed to the federal bench. It's hard to imagine now, but confirming judges used to be a pretty bipartisan affair," Thune said at the time.
His comments from 2020 are a notable reversal from his comments this week, as Senate Republicans look to obstruct Democrats as they attempt to do the same for Biden.
Schumer though, doubled down on his efforts Tuesday, and said he expects the Senate to work late into the night again this Wednesday to get the nominees through. Senate Democrats are hoping to confirm as many judges to lifetime appointments as they can while Biden is still president.
"Members should be prepared for another late night on Wednesday to vote on the nominations I filed last night," Schumer warned.
"Voting on the president's judicial nominees is a core function of the Senate. It's one of our basic responsibilities, and we're going to carry out that responsibility as long as this majority continues. I'm very proud of the judges we've confirmed over the past four years under this administration, they have all been highly qualified individuals, and together, they represent a wide range of experiences and areas of expertise."
Schumer touted the quality of judges the Senate has passed under his leadership, noting their many backgrounds and cultures and identities. He said under his watch, the Senate has confirmed a record number of women and people of color to the federal bench.
Republicans have Democrats' record on judicial confirmations beat.
Republicans confirmed 234 of Trump's nominees to the federal courts during his four years in office, and so far the Democrat-controlled Senate has confirmed 216 under Biden's administration.
"We're not done," Schumer said on the floor Tuesday. "There are more judges to consider and confirm."
Schumer vowed to spend the rest of the week -- and the year -- confirming more judges. Every judge confirmed in this lame-duck session of Congress is one fewer vacancy Trump can fill come January.
Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.
(WASHINGTON) -- President-elect Donald Trump continues to announce his picks for top jobs inside his administration, most recently naming nominees for energy secretary and to helm the Federal Communications Commission.
Meanwhile, fallout continues for former Rep. Matt Gaetz, Trump's choice to serve as attorney general. The House Ethics Committee was investigating Gaetz for alleged sexual misconduct and illicit drug use. Calls are growing for the panel to release its report on Gaetz, who resigned from the House last week.
Casten suggests he's not withdrawing resolution to force release of Gaetz report
Illinois Democratic Rep. Sean Casten suggested that he plans to still move forward with forcing the House to vote on compelling the Ethics Committee to release its report on Matt Gaetz.
"While I welcome the news that Matt Gaetz is withdrawing from consideration for Attorney General, it remains important that the Gaetz report be made available to the American people," he said in a statement Thursday.
Casten introduced a privileged resolution on Wednesday night to force the House to vote to release the report. Speaker Mike Johnson said earlier Thursday the House will take a vote on the resolution after Thanksgiving.
-ABC News' Lauren Peller
Pete Buttigieg says he had 'good conversation' with Sean Duffy
Outgoing Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said he reached out to Trump's pick for his successor, businessman and Fox News contributor Sean Duffy, and had a "good conversation."
"I let him know that he has been named to the best job in the federal government, and he'll be, in my biased but accurate opinion, working with the best people in the best people in public service," Buttigieg said during an interview with MSNBC host Symone Sanders during a summit of progressive local and state officials in Washington, D.C.
"Look, there's a strong tradition in our department of former secretaries rooting for the department to succeed whoever's in charge. I have strong views about policy. I will continue to make that known to anybody who listens," he continued.
Buttigieg said he's not sure what his next step is, but regardless is looking forward to spending more time with his children and whatever he decides will have "a little distance" between himself and D.C.
"I know I will make myself useful, later, I just donât know how," he said.
-ABC News' Brittany Shepherd
SEC Chair Gary Gensler to step down on Jan. 20
The head of the Securities and Exchange Commission, Gary Gensler, will step down on Jan. 20, 2025, the agency announced Thursday.
Gensler has faced fierce opposition from the cryptocurrency industry and Wall Street over his tough regulatory agenda. Trump had vowed to fire him, drawing praise from the crypto industry.
Gensler's five-year term was not set to run out until 2026, but it was widely expected that he would resign.
"The SEC has met our mission and enforced the law without fear or favor," Gensler said in a press release.
His resignation will leave a key post for Trump to fill -- the SEC serves as Wall Street's top regulator.
-ABC News' Elizabeth Schulze
Trump says he 'greatly' appreciates Gaetz's efforts as AG pick
President-elect Trump said he "greatly appreciate[s] the recent efforts of Matt Gaetz in seeking approval to be Attorney General" in a social media post shortly after Gaetz announced his withdrawal from the role.
"He was doing very well but, at the same time, did not want to be a distraction for the Administration, for which he has much respect. Matt has a wonderful future, and I look forward to watching all of the great things he will do!" Trump posted.
Gaetz informed Trump late Thursday morning he'd be withdrawing, sources told ABC News.
Sources told ABC News in the last few days it became clear to the Trump team that Gaetz was not going to have enough votes for a Senate confirmation -- with sources close to the president-elect telling ABC News that there was "no path to 50" senators.
-ABC News' Jonathan Karl, John Santucci, Katherine Faulders and Lalee Ibssa
Matt Gaetz says he's withdrawing his name to be Trump's AG
Former Rep. Matt Gaetz announced Thursday he is withdrawing his name from consideration to be Donald Trumpâs attorney general.
âI had excellent meetings with Senators yesterday,â Gaetz wrote in a post on X. âI appreciate their thoughtful feedback - and the incredible support of so many. While the momentum was strong, it is clear that my confirmation was unfairly becoming a distraction to the critical work of the Trump/Vance Transition. There is no time to waste on a needlessly protracted Washington scuffle, thus I'll be withdrawing my name from consideration to serve as Attorney General. Trump's DOJ must be in place and ready on Day 1.â
âI remain fully committed to see that Donald J. Trump is the most successful President in history. I will forever be honored that President Trump nominated me to lead the Department of Justice and I'm certain he will Save America,â Gaetz wrote.
New details of Hegseth sexual assault claim documented in police report
The woman who accused Pete Hegseth of sexual assault in 2017 told police at the time that he took her phone and blocked her from leaving his hotel room on the night of the incident, according to a 22-page police report obtained by ABC News.
The report, compiled in Oct. 2017 by the Monterey Police Department, provides graphic new details of an alleged altercation that now threatens to derail Hegseth's bid to become President-elect Donald Trump's Defense Secretary.
The report documents a police investigation that did not result in charges against the former Fox News star. It includes interviews with the woman, who is identified only as Jane Doe, and Hegseth, who told police that the encounter was consensual.
Pete Hegseth kicks off Hill meetings with Senate Republicans
Pete Hegseth, President-elect Trump's pick to lead the Department of Defense, is on Capitol Hill Thursday meeting with Republican senators and making his case for the job.
Hegseth is joined by Vice President-elect JD Vance, and the two huddled in Vance's office Thursday morning.
Sen. John Barrasso issued a statement this morning following his meeting with Hegseth calling him a "strong nominee."
"Pete pledged that the Pentagon will focus on strength and hard power -- not the current administration's woke political agenda," Barrasso said.
Hegseth's nomination and eventual hearing will be managed by the Senate Armed Services Committee.
The top Republican on the committee, Sen. Roger Wicker, was spotted entering Vance's office and is meeting with Hegseth now.
-ABC News' Mariam Khan and Allison Pecorin
Tulsi Gabbard, Trump's pick for top intel role, draws scrutiny over Russia comments
President-elect Donald Trump's pick for the director of national intelligence, former Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, has little experience working with the nation's spy agencies and a long track record of echoing the Russian disinformation they work to expose and to counter -- a combination her critics claim should be disqualifying.
Gabbard, who represented Hawaii as a Democrat from 2013-2021 and ran for the party's presidential nomination in 2020 before becoming a Republican earlier this year, has been accused of harboring sympathies for the Kremlin and parroting propaganda generated by Russia to justify its invasion of Ukraine.
At the outset of the conflict, Gabbard blamed the Biden administration and NATO, claiming they had provoked Russia's aggression by ignoring what she called its "legitimate security concerns" about Ukraine potentially becoming a member of the defensive alliance.
Comer to create 'DOGE' House Oversight subcommittee: Source
House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer is set to create a new "Delivering on Government Efficiency (DOGE)" subcommittee to work with Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy's incoming Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) in the next Congress, a source familiar with the plans tells ABC News.
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene will chair the new subcommittee, which will "support the Oversight and Accountability Committee's mission to root out waste, fraud and abuse in the federal government," the source said.
Lawmakers involved in the future subcommittee have already met with members of the White House "DOGE" team, including Ramaswamy, who support the House Oversight Committee's endeavor and are already working together, the source said.
"The subcommittees will be officially established early next year when the Oversight and Accountability Committee meets to ratify its rules for the 119th Congress," the source said.
-ABC News' Will Steakin
Trump promised to disrupt Washington. His Cabinet picks would do just that: ANALYSIS
President-elect Trump campaigned relentlessly on a radical overhaul of the federal government. His Cabinet picks, being unveiled at a breakneck pace, reflect he's determined to keep the promises he made to millions of Americans who voted to put him back in the White House.
And while his first choices toed a more traditional line, his next round included a series of names that shocked even Trump's close Republican allies in Congress: former Fox News host Pete Hegseth for defense secretary, Tulsi Gabbard for director of national intelligence, Matt Gaetz for attorney general and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to oversee Health and Human Services.
"This will absolutely be a brand-new era in Washington, from the pledge to remake the civil service to a top-to-bottom change in federal policies. There's nothing like it in recent memory," said Donald Kettl, a professor emeritus at the University of Maryland and former dean of its school of public policy.
Vance on Capitol Hill Thursday, this time with Trump's defense secretary pick
Vice President-elect JD Vance will return to Capitol Hill on Thursday -- this time accompanying President-elect Donald Trump's nominee for secretary of defense, Pete Hegseth, to meetings with senators, per a source familiar with the plans.
The visit comes after Vance accompanied Trump's pick for attorney general, former Rep. Matt Gaetz, to meetings with Republican senators on Wednesday.
Just as Gaetz did, Hegseth is expected to meet with GOP senators in hopes of helping his nomination process.
-ABC News' Hannah Demissie
Ted Cruz says meeting with Gaetz and Vance was 'productive'
Vice President-elect JD Vance and former Rep. Matt Gaetz met with GOP Sen. Ted Cruz, another member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, on Capitol Hill Wednesday.
The meeting comes amid Gaetz's nomination for attorney general and the House Ethics Committee being deadlocked on whether to release its report on him.
"I think it was a productive conversation," Cruz told reporters. "I believe every one of the president's nominees deserves a full and fair hearing and a swift confirmation process, and I hope and expect that's exactly what the Senate will provide," Cruz said.
"I think there will be a full and fair confirmation process," he added.
-ABC News' Hannah Demissie
Trump announces Pete Hoekstra as ambassador to Canada
President-elect Donald Trump has announced he's nominating former congressman Peter Hoekstra to be the United States ambassador to Canada.
The role requires Senate confirmation for approval.
Most recently, Hoekstra served as chairman of the Michigan Republican Party. He previously served as the U.S. ambassador to the Netherlands during Trump's first term.
"Pete is well-respected in the Great State of Michigan - A State we won sizably," Trump wrote in a statement on Wednesday.
"In my Second Term, Pete will help me once again put AMERICA FIRST. He did an outstanding job as United States Ambassador to the Netherlands during our first four years, and I am confident that he will continue to represent our Country well in this new role," Trump added.
-ABC News' Lalee Ibssa, Soo Rin Kim and Kelsey Walsh
Tillis slams colleagues for missing judiciary votes in fiery floor speech
In a fiery floor speech on Wednesday, North Carolina Sen. Thom Tillis took his GOP colleagues to task for missing votes on Monday that he said could have helped Republicans block the Democratic effort to install lame-duck lifetime judiciary appointments.
Trump has made clear he wants Republicans to make every effort to block Democrats from advancing judicial nominations.
The Senate is again expected to be in quite late Wednesday evening trying to process judicial nominations, a process necessary because Republicans are objecting to placing votes on these nominees on the Senate calendar.
Republicans will be powerless to stop this if all Democrats show up to vote, as Democrats have the majority necessary to move nominees through. But there were enough Democratic absences on Monday that a full Republican showing could have defeated some of the nominations.
Tillis didn't mince words on the Senate floor Wednesday as he called out his colleagues for missing votes.
"I think the American people are on board with me: We have to show up for work, right?" he said.
"We've got work to do here and I understand there are all kinds of good reasons but there's no excuse to let Chuck Schumer force these judicial nominations down our throat," Tillis said. "We've got to show up for work."
-ABC News' Allison Pecorin
Gaetz says meetings have been 'going great,' not focused on Ethics Committee activity
Reporters caught former Rep. Matt Gaetz re-entering the Capitol on Wednesday evening to continue meetings he has been having with senators and Vice President-elect JD Vance.
"It's been going great," Gaetz, Trump's pick for attorney general, said. "Senators have been giving me a lot of good advice. I'm looking forward to a hearing. Folks have been very supportive, and they've been saying we are going to get a fair process. So it's a great day of momentum for the Trump-Vance administration."
Asked if he had any reaction to the House Ethics Committee being deadlocked on whether to release its report on him, Gaetz said he hasn't been tracking the developments.
"I'll be honest with you, I've been focused on what we've got to do to reform the Department of Justice. I've been meeting with senators. I haven't been paying much attention to that," Gaetz said.
Gaetz said he hasn't spoken to Trump today but "had a great time with the vice president-elect talking about how we are going to end weaponization at the Department of Justice."
"We are going to tackle fentanyl. We are going to ensure that we don't have the DOJ involved in censorship anymore and make sure that we get the country back on track and are there for President Trump's total fulfillment of his promise on his immigration agenda," Gaetz continued.
Asked if he was confident he could be confirmed, Gaetz dodged.
"It was a great day," he said.
-ABC News' Allison Pecorin
Scott Bessent emerging as treasury secretary favorite: Sources
Donald Trumpâs transition meetings Wednesday have been focused in part on the treasury secretary role, with hedge fund manager Scott Bessent emerging as a favorite, sources with knowledge of the proceedings told ABC News.
However, the sources cautioned that no decision has been made until Trump announces it.
Bessent has been a frequent presence at Mar-a-Lago and has met with the president-elect often. Heâs become a favorite pick partly because heâs viewed as a credible choice with the necessary markets and macroeconomic knowledge for the role, according to sources.
Tennessee Sen. Bill Hagerty, Apollo Global Management CEO Marc Rowan and former Federal Reserve board governor Kevin Warsh have also been in meetings with Trump about the role, according to the sources.
Veteran Investor Kyle Bass posted on X, âScott Bessent is eminently more qualified than Howard Lutnick to run the U.S. Treasury. Scott understands markets, economics, people, and geopolitics better than anyone Iâve ever interacted with. Markets have already anticipated a Bessent choice. Lutnick is not Trumpâs answer.â
In response, Trump adviser Elon Musk wrote, "Bessent is a business-as-usual choice, whereas (Lutnick) will actually enact change."
-ABC News' Selina Wang, Katherine Faulders and John Santucci
Trump's education secretary pick Linda McMahon says she's 'hopeful' for confirmation
Linda McMahon, who was nominated by President-elect Donald Trump to spearhead the Department of Education, said she is "hopeful" for Senate confirmation in a post on X.
McMahon, who is a former WWE exec, wrote, in part, "I look forward to working collaboratively with students - educators - parents and communities to strengthen our educational system; ensuring every child regardless of their demographics is prepared for a bright future."
McMahon added: "Thank you for this extraordinary opportunity. I am ready to Serve!"
This comes as a scathing lawsuit details how the education secretary nominee and her husband allegedly fostered a culture of sexual abuse while president and CEO of WWE.
McMahonâs lawyer, Laura Brevetti, told ABC News the allegations are "baseless" and filled with lies and misrepresentations.
-ABC News' Arthur Jones II
2 House Dems formally move to force chamber vote on releasing Gaetz report
Tennessee Democratic Rep. Steve Cohen appeared on the House floor Wednesday evening to file a privileged resolution to force the House Ethics Committee to release its report on former Rep. Matt Gaetz.
Separately, Democratic Rep. Sean Casten also appeared on the House floor moments ago to release his own version of a privileged resolution calling on the Ethics Committee to release the report.
House leadership will have up to two legislative days to bring up these resolutions for a vote -- either on Thursday or after the Thanksgiving recess.
House Republican leadership is expected to try to table the effort.
-ABC News' Mariam Khan and Lauren Peller
Ranking member Wild says there was 'no consensus' on whether to release the Gaetz report
Rep. Susan Wild, the top Democrat on the House Ethics Committee, disagreed with Chairman Michael Guest's characterization of what occurred in Wednesday's meeting regarding the Matt Gaetz report, telling reporters, "There was no consensus on the issue."
Guest told reporters following the meeting that "there was not an agreement to release" the report but didn't discuss further.
Wild said the chairman has "betrayed the process by disclosing our deliberations within moments after walking out of the committee."
"He has implied that there was an agreement of the committee not to disclose the report," she continued. "To the extent that that suggests that the committee was in agreement or that we had a consensus on that, that is inaccurate."
Wild said "a vote was taken" and suggested it was tied, implying no Republicans crossed party lines.
"I do not want the American public or anyone else to think that Mr. Guest's characterization of what transpired today would be some sort of indication that the committee had unanimity or consensus on this issue not to release the report. That would be an inaccurate portrayal," she added.
Wild said the committee plans to meet on Dec. 5 to "further consider this matter."
-ABC News' Chris Boccia, Will Steakin and Lauren Peller
House Ethics Committee chairman: No agreement to release Gaetz report
House Ethics Committee Chairman Michael Guest told reporters that "there was not an agreement to release" the Gaetz report while leaving the committee meeting room Wednesday.
Guest would not reveal to reporters what occurred during the meeting, including whether there was a vote, but only reiterated, "There was not an agreement by the committee to release the report."
-ABC News' John Parkinson, Chris Boccia, Jay O'Brien and Lauren Peller
Casten to introduce resolution to require House vote on Gaetz report
Democratic Rep. Sean Casten of Illinois said he is planning to introduce a privileged resolution Wednesday afternoon to force a vote on requiring the House Ethics Committee to release its Gaetz report.
Casten said if the House Ethics Committee chooses not to release the report, he will introduce a privileged resolution "to require a vote by the full House of Representatives on the release of the Gaetz report."
"The allegations against Matt Gaetz are serious. They are credible. The House Ethics Committee has spent years conducting a thorough investigation to get to the bottom of it," Casten said in a statement. "This information must be made available for the Senate to provide its constitutionally required advice and consent."
Once the resolution is introduced, the House will have to take it up within two legislative days. GOP leadership will decide when it's brought up for a vote.
The House Ethics Committee wrapped its meeting moments ago, during which it was expected to vote on whether to release the report.
-ABC News' Lauren Peller
Musk and Ramaswamy outline plans for regulations cuts, 'mass headcount reductions' in op-ed
Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy -- who will lead what Trump's calling a new "Department of Government Efficiency" -- outlined their plans for sweeping regulations cuts and "mass headcount reductions across the federal bureaucracy" in a Wall Street Journal op-ed published Wednesday.
In the piece, titled "The DOGE Plan to Reform Government," they noted how they believe recent U.S. Supreme Court rulings give Trump constitutional authority to roll back many regulations via executive order.
They laid out scenarios for dramatically shrinking the federal workforce through various means including early retirement, voluntary severance, "large-scale firings" and requiring workers to come to the office five days a week which they said "would result in a wave of voluntary terminations that we welcome."
Citing areas of waste to be cut, Musk and Ramaswamy singled out funding for PBS, Planned Parenthood and "grants to international organizations."
"We will serve as outside volunteers, not federal officials or employees," they wrote. "Unlike government commissions or advisory committees, we wonât just write reports or cut ribbons. Weâll cut costs."
-ABC News' Claire Brinberg
RFK Jr. involved in vetting potential Department of Agriculture appointees: Sources
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and his team are involved in vetting potential appointees for top roles at the U.S. Department of Agriculture, according to multiple people familiar with the dynamics -- indicating that Kennedy's influence in staffing Trump's administration extends beyond the department he was nominated to lead, Health and Human Services.
Kennedy allies began vetting potential USDA appointees prior to Kennedy's nomination last Wednesday, but the vetting has continued in the week since, the sources said.
Kennedy himself in the past week has called at least one potential appointee -- Jimmy Emmons, an Oklahoma farmer and regenerative agriculture advocate.
Emmons, who according to one source is being considered for USDA secretary, received a vetting call from Kennedy last Thursday, a representative for Emmons said.
"It was an honor to receive a call from RKF Jr.," Emmons told ABC News in a statement. "Not only did my farming and business background catch their attention, but I was proud to be a Trump appointee within USDA during President Trumpâs previous administration. The Trump administration and RFK Jr are going to put Americaâs farmers first because they know we are the key to bringing healthy products to market that are affordable and accessible to all Americans."
A Kennedy spokeswoman did not respond to a request for comment on his involvement in filling USDA roles.
-ABC News' Will McDuffie
Trump says 'WE WILL WIN' amid uncertainty about confirmation of some cabinet picks
As Vice President-elect JD Vance takes some of Trump's cabinet picks around the Hill to shore up support, including Rep. Matt Gaetz, Trump attempts to blame Democrats for the allegations launched against some of his controversial picks.
"They dirty them up, they destroy them, and then they spit them out. They are trying that right now with some great American Patriots who are only trying to fix the mess that the Democrats have made of our Country," Trump posted on his social media platform.
-ABC News' Lalee Ibssa, Soo Rin Kim and Kelsey Walsh
Wednesday's House Ethics Committee meeting includes vote on Gaetz report: Ranking member
Pennsylvania Rep. Susan Wild, the ranking member on the House Ethics Committee, confirmed to ABC News that a vote on whether to release the Gaetz ethics report is on the agenda for Wednesday's meeting.
Wild wouldnât comment further on what to expect Wednesday.
Several senators have called for the House Ethics Committee to release its report into Gaetz over allegations of sexual misconduct and illicit drug use before they consider his confirmation for attorney general.
All 10 members of the bipartisan House Ethics Committee have arrived at their meeting in Longworth.
Committee Chairman Michael Guest of Mississippi said he "can't discuss anything we may or may not be taking up today" as he entered the room.
-ABC News' John Parkinson, Jay O'Brien, Chris Boccia and Lauren Peller
Trump announces Matt Whitaker as NATO ambassador
In a statement Wednesday, President-elect Trump announced former acting attorney general Matt Whitaker as ambassador to NATO.
Whitaker was an active member of Trump's 2024 campaign.
"Matt is a strong warrior and loyal Patriot, who will ensure the United States' interests are advanced and defended," Trump said.
Gaetz, Vance meet with senators on Capitol Hill ahead of House Ethics Committee meeting
Former Rep. Matt Gaetz, President-elect Trump's nominee to be attorney general, is meeting with senators on Capitol Hill Wednesday morning alongside Vice President-elect JD Vance -- hours before the House Ethics Committee is set to discuss its report on Gaetz.
The fate of the Gaetz report is in the hands of the committee, which has a reputation for being tight-lipped. It's not clear if the committee will vote on whether to release the report.
GOP Sens. Josh Hawley and Lindsey Graham met with Vance and Gaetz Wednesday morning.
Graham told reporters that the meeting went well and that Gaetz deserves a fair nomination process.
"Here's what I told him, no rubber stamps and no lynch mob. I'm not going to be part of a process that leaks information that shouldn't be leaked," Graham told reporters. "I'm not going to legitimize the process to destroy the man because people don't like his politics. He will be held to account in the confirmation process. He deserves a chance to make his argument why he should be attorney general."
Hawley was walking into the meeting when he told reporters that in his view, Congress should move forward with Gaetz's confirmation process and respond to the allegations against him.
"Do the hearing and let him respond to everything under oath in public," Hawley told reporters before entering the meeting.
-Allison Pecorin, Julia Cherner, Hannah Demissie
What to know about Dr. Oz
President-elect Donald Trump announced Tuesday that heart surgeon-turned-TV-host Dr. Mehmet Oz would lead the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).
So is he a real doctor? What would he be in charge of in the role? And what are some of his past controversies?
Read more here about what to know about Oz, his medical career and some medical claims he's made that have come under fire.
Lara Trump said she would 'absolutely' accept Senate appointment to fill Rubio seat if asked
Lara Trump, Republican National Committee co-chair and daughter-in-law of President-elect Trump, said Wednesday morning on Fox and Friends First that she would "absolutely" accept an appointment to the U.S. Senate to replace Sen. Marco Rubio Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis chooses her.
DeSantis will need to appoint someone to replace Rubio, who has been nominated to be Trump's secretary of state. Rubio has not resigned from the Senate yet and like all Cabinet picks, is not confirmed yet -- although his confirmation process is expected to go smoothly.
"I would be honored ... to serve as the next senator from my state -- right now, I've lived here for three and a half years -- of Florida. Absolutely," Lara Trump said.
Later, she added that DeSantis would "choose the best person for this position."
"If he asks me to do it, yes, absolutely. It would be an honor," she said.
-Oren Oppenheim
Stephen Miller indicates Trump would use recess appointments for Cabinet
Stephen Miller, President-elect Donald Trump's deputy chief of staff of policy, joined Hannity on Tuesday evening where he discussed a wide range of topics including several of Trump's day one missions -- including recess appointments to his Cabinet.
Asked if some Cabinet appointments were to become troublesome if Trump would use the recess appointment process, Miller said he would.
"Yes, the president has won a mandate, and he will use all lawful constitutional means to fulfill that mandate on behalf of the people who voted for him in record numbers," Miller said.
Indicating that immigration will be a priority, Miller said mass deportations will occur immediately.
"It is going to be at light speed," Miller said. "The moment that President Trump puts his hand on that Bible and takes the oath of office, as he has said, the occupation ends, liberation day begins."
Miller added that Trump will "immediately sign executive orders sealing the border shut, beginning the largest deportation operation in American history, finding the criminal gangs, rapists, drug dealers and monsters that have murdered our citizens and sending them home."
-Kelsey Walsh, Lalee Ibssa, Soorin Kim
Trump is the 'decision-maker,' his press secretary replies when asked about her role
Karoline Leavitt gave her first interview since being chosen as President-elect Donald Trump's press secretary last week.
Asked if there would be daily press briefings during her appearance on Fox News, Leavitt punted to Trump.
"It's certainly something I'll discuss with President Trump. Ultimately, he is the decision-maker, as you know, that was the way in his first White House. It was the way on our campaign, and I will defer to him," Leavitt said.
She didn't address whether they'd knock traditional media aside for right-side broadcasters or podcasters, as some news outlets have indicated.
"We hope there will be decorum, certainly, and we will try to instill that. But we're not shy of the hostile media," she said. "We've dealt with that now in the campaign for the last year. Nobody does it better than President Trump."
Explaining that the most effective communication methods might include "bringing different voices into the press briefing room" and vaguely stating that it might also "include some different rules," she added: "Ultimately, it's about serving the American people and getting President Trump's message across to them."
-ABC News' Lalee Ibssa, Soo Rin Kim and Kelsey Walsh
Trump picks Linda McMahon for education secretary
President-elect Donald Trump announced he is nominating Linda McMahon, a former World Wrestling Entertainment executive and the former Small Business Services secretary, to lead the Department of Education.
McMahon, who served as Trump's Small Business Services administrator for two years, has no teaching or experience but served one year on the Connecticut State Board of Education.
Her appointment must be approved by the Senate.
ABC News' Kelsey Walsh, Lalee Ibssa and Soo Rin Kim
Texas land commissioner offers 1,400 acres to Trump for 'deportation facilities'
Texas Land Commissioner Dawn Buckingham is offering the incoming Trump administration 1,402 acres the office has purchased along the Texas-Mexico border to be used for a mass deportation operation, according to a letter on Tuesday to the president-elect.
Buckingham said she's offering the land "to be used to construct deportation facilities."
"My office is fully prepared to enter into an agreement with the Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or the United States Border Patrol to allow a facility to be built for the processing, detention, and coordination of the largest deportation of violent criminals in the nation's history," Buckingham wrote.
The move shows that despite the governors of border states California and Arizona pledging to not aid the Trump administration's mass deportation plans, the incoming administration will have allies in Republican-led states.
Buckingham said she is "100% on board" with the incoming administration's promise to deport criminals in an interview with Fox News, which was the first to report the news.
The plot of land is in Starr County, about 35 miles west of McAllen, Texas. The Texas General Land Office purchased it from a farmer in October to facilitate Texas' efforts to build a wall.
"It's essentially farmland, so it's flat, it's easy to build on," Buckingham told Fox News. "We can very easily put a detention center on there -- a holding place as we get these criminals out of our country."
-ABC News' Armando GarcĂa
House Ethics Committee to meet behind closed doors Wednesday
The bipartisan House Ethics Committee is scheduled to meet Wednesday afternoon to discuss its report on the investigation of former Rep. Matt Gaetz, who resigned from office last week after Trump chose him as his nominee for attorney general.
Itâs not entirely clear if the committee will hold a vote on whether to release the report.
-ABC News' Lauren Peller, John Parkinson and Will Steakin
Dr. Oz picked as Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services administrator
Dr. Mehmet Oz has been selected to serve as the administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, Trump announced.
The agency is within the Department of Health & Human Services. The position requires Senate confirmation.
Trump indicated that Dr. Oz will work closely with Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to take on chronic diseases.
Oz, a former heart surgeon turned TV talk show host, unsuccessfully ran for Senate in Pennsylvania in 2022, losing to Democratic Sen. John Fetterman.
Fetterman told reporters Tuesday that as long as Oz protects Medicare and Medicaid, he's open to confirming him.
"He's not my first choice and certainly, Trump was definitely not my first," Fetterman said. "We're going to have to work with these individuals, and if he's about protecting and preserving Medicaid and Medicare, then, I don't know why that's controversial."
-ABC News' Kelsey Walsh, Lalee Ibssa, Soo Rin Kim and Hannah Demissie
Trump says he's not reconsidering Gaetz nomination
President-elect Trump attended Tuesdayâs SpaceX launch in Texas, joining Elon Musk-- SpaceX CEO and now a close ally of Trumpâs.
Trump was asked by a reporter if he was reconsidering the nomination of former Rep. Matt Gaetz for attorney general.
"No," he said.
-ABC News' Lalee Ibssa, Soo Rin Kim and Kelsey Walsh
Dr. Oz picked as Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services administrator
Dr. Mehmet Oz has been selected to serve as the administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Service, Trump announced.
The agency is within the Department of Health & Human Services. The position requires Senate confirmation.
Trump indicated that Dr. Oz will work closely with Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to take on chronic diseases.
Oz, a former heart surgeon turned TV talk show host, unsuccessfully ran for Senate in Pennsylvania in 2022, losing to Sen. John Fetterman.
-ABC News' Kelsey Walsh, Lalee Ibssa and Soo Rin Kim
Vance arranging meetings for Gaetz and Hegseth on Capitol Hill this week
Vice President-Elect JD Vance will make the rounds on Capitol Hill this week, arranging meetings between key GOP senators and Trump's Cabinet nominees -- attorney general pick Matt Gaetz and defense secretary pick Pete Hegseth -- a source familiar with the plans confirmed to ABC News.
In a statement to ABC News, Trump's transition team said it is working quickly to ensure the president-elect's nominees get through their confirmation process. The statement also said that former Rep. Doug Collins, Trump's pick for veterans affairs secretary, and Rep. Elise Stefanik, who was nominated as U.N. ambassador, will also visit the Hill.
"President Trump's incoming administration is moving at an accelerated schedule in order to make good on getting key nominees confirmed in order to start delivering for the American people. Rep. Collins, Rep. Gaetz, Pete Hegseth, and Rep. Stefanik will all begin their meetings this week with additional Hill visits to continue after the Thanksgiving recess," said Trump-Vance transition spokesman Brian Hughes.
Senators on Capitol Hill have told ABC News that they plan to meet with Vance and Trump's Cabinet nominees.
Republican Sens. John Kennedy and Mike Lee told reporters that they would meet with Gaetz and Vance on Wednesday.
-ABC News' Hannah Demissie and Allison Pecorin
Trump nominates Howard Lutnick as commerce secretary
Trump has announced Howard Lutnick as his commerce secretary pick.
The appointment requires Senate confirmation.
CEO of investment bank Cantor Fitzgerald, Lutnick has been serving as co-chair of the Trump Transition team alongside Trump's former Small Business Administrator Linda McMahon, spending the past two weeks at the Trump Transition War Room he has set up at Mar-a-Lago recommending and vetting potential candidates for Trump's administration officials.
Lutnick has frequently joined Trump on the campaign trail and hosted numerous fundraisers for Trump alongside some of the major Republican donors like John Paulson, Duke Buchan and Woody Johnson.
The billionaire businessman was also vying for the job of treasury secretary, sources said, competing against investor and hedge fund manager Scott Bessent, who has also been considered a top contender for the role.
Lutnick's aggressive push to be tapped as Trump's treasury secretary as he spent hours with the president-elect nearly every day as a co-head of the transition team had frustrated some close to Trump, sources said.
Elon Musk has been a close ally of Lutnick, publicly endorsing him for the treasury spot recently and often seen together at events, including at the AFPI gala last week.
He had donated $1 million to Trump's inaugural committee in 2017 and most recently donated $5 million to pro-Trump super PAC Make America Great Again Inc.
Lutnick has been a vocal advocate for cryptocurrency, speaking at the annual Bitcoin Conference in Nashville earlier this year where Trump and RFK Jr. also spoke.
-ABC News' Soo Rin Kim, Lalee Ibssa and Kelsey Walsh
Nearly 100 House Dems urge release of Gaetz draft report
Nearly 100 House Democrats urged House Ethics Committee leadership on Tuesday in a letter to immediately release their draft report of allegations into "serious misconduct" by former Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida.
In the letter -- which was led by Illinois Democratic Rep. Sean Casten and sent to committee Chairman Michael Guest, R-Miss., and ranking member Susan Wild, D-Penn. -- the members wrote that "given the seriousness of the charges against Representative Gaetz," withholding any findings of their investigation might "jeopardize the Senate's ability to provide fully informed, constitutionally required advice and consent regarding this nomination."
"Representative Gaetz's abrupt resignation from Congress should not circumvent the Senate's ability to fulfill its constitutional responsibilities," the letter, signed by 97 Democrats, stated.
Speaker Mike Johnson has insisted the report should not be publicly released, as Gaetz is now a former member of the House. He has also stressed that the same principle should apply to potential access for senators reviewing the nominees.
-ABC News' Isabella Murray, Lauren Peller and John Parkinson
Speaker Johnson denies discussing Gaetz draft report with House Ethics chairman
House Speaker Mike Johnson denied that he has discussed the details of the draft ethics report on Matt Gaetz with House Ethics Chairman Michael Guest, and further denied that President-elect Donald Trump or Gaetz have pressured him to bury the report.
âI havenât talked to Michael Guest about the report. I talk to all my colleagues but I know where the lines are. I have no idea about the contents of the report,â Johnson told reporters as he walked back to his office after his news conference this morning.
Despite persistent questions, Johnson maintained his position that Gaetzâs resignation from the House last week should put an end to the ethics inquiry.
âMy job is to protect the institution and I have made very clear that I think itâs an important guardrail for our institution that we not use the House Ethics Committee to investigate and report on persons who are not members of this body,â Johnson declared. âMatt Gaetz is not a member of the body anymore.â
Johnson denied that Gaetz or Trump had pressured him to block release of the draft report, repeating that the speaker âhas no involvementâ in the ethics report and âcanât direct the ethics committee to do anything.â
âIâve simply responded to the questions that have been asked of me about my opinion on whether that should be released. Matt Gaetz is no longer a member of Congress and so we donât issue ethics reports on non-members,â he said. âI think itâs an important guardrail for us to maintain for the interest of the institution so thatâs my position.â
âI wouldnât have that conversation with [Gaetz]. Because thatâs not appropriate for us to do that,â Johnson continued. âPresident Trump respects the guardrails of our institution as well, and Iâm very guarded about those things. So neither of those gentlemen would breach that.â
-ABC Newsâ Jay OâBrien, John Parkinson, Lauren Peller, Isabella Murray
Musk backs Gaetz for AG amid allegations: 'Gaetz will be our Hammer of Justice'
Billionaire Elon Musk is throwing his support behind Matt Gaetz, President-elect Donald Trump's pick for attorney general, as allegations continue to surface surrounding what witnesses told the House Ethics Committee regarding the former congressman.
"Matt Gaetz has 3 critical assets that are needed for the AG role: a big brain, a spine of steel and an axe to grind," Musk wrote on X. "He is the Judge Dredd America needs to clean up a corrupt system and put powerful bad actors in prison."
"Gaetz will be our Hammer of Justice," he added.
Musk also directly addressed the allegations against Gaetz, stating that he considers them "worth less than nothing."
Musk's public support for Gaetz comes as the billionaire continues to play a large role in Trump's transition, as ABC News has previously reported.
Speaker Johnson says he hasn't discussed Gaetz ethics drama with Trump
House Speaker Mike Johnson told reporters Monday he has not talked to Trump about a draft report on the House Ethics Committee's investigation into former Rep. Matt Gaetz -- as members on both sides of the aisle call on the speaker to release the draft despite Gaetzâs resignation and the committeeâs lack of jurisdiction over former members.
"I have not discussed the ethics report with President Trump. And as you know, I've spent a lot of time with him,â Johnson, R-La., said. "He respects the House and the parameters, and he knows that I would not violate any of those rules or principles, and so it has not been discussed."
The speaker also said he hasn't discussed the report with Trump's advisers.
"They're busy filling the Cabinet," he said. "This has not been a subject of our discussion."
Johnson reiterated his position against the release of the draft report. He also brushed off the fact that there is some precedent for its release following a member's exit from Congress, saying the House is now in a "different era."
"I've made this really clear. There's a very important principle that underlies this, and that is the House Ethics Committee has jurisdiction over members of Congress -- not former members, not private citizens, not someone who's left the institution," he said. "I think that's a really important parameter for us to maintain. I think it's important for the institution itself."
Johnson said that he would not support a private viewing of the report for senators under the "same principle."
-ABC News' John Parkinson, Isabella Murray and Lauren Peller
Top Dem on House Ethics Committee says Gaetz report should be released
The top Democrat on the House Ethics Committee -- Pennsylvania Rep. Susan Wild -- told reporters Monday that she believes the committee's report on former Rep. Matt Gaetz should be disclosed to the public.
"You either are going to disclose it or you're not going to disclose it. So, and there's plenty of precedents in the Ethics Committee to disclose the report even after a member has resigned," Wild said.
Wild, who is leaving office at the end of this session, said it'll take "one or more" Republicans to join Democrats on the committee to achieve a majority vote to release the report.
Asked if that's a possibility, Wild said she hasn't talked to all of the members and doesn't know, but she stressed that all eight members of the ethics panel now have access to the draft report.
"I believe there will be a unanimous Democratic consensus that it should be released," she added.
Wild said there is a scheduled committee meeting on Wednesday, but said it "remains to be seen" what the chairman's agenda is.
"But I believe we should vote on whether we are to disclose it [Gaetz report] or not, and we'll see what happens after that," she said.
House Ethics Committee Chairman Michael Guest, R-Miss., told reporters Monday that he has read the Gaetz report but declined to comment further due to the confidentiality of the committee.
-ABC News' Lauren Peller, John Parkinson and Isabella Murray
Trump nominates Sean Duffy as transportation secretary
Trump announced Monday he is nominating former Wisconsin Rep. Sean Duffy for transportation secretary.
The position requires Senate confirmation.
"He will prioritize Excellence, Competence, Competitiveness and Beauty when rebuilding Americaâs highways, tunnels, bridges and airports," Trump said in a statement. "He will ensure our ports and dams serve our Economy without compromising our National Security, and he will make our skies safe again by eliminating DEI for pilots and air traffic controllers."
Duffy co-hosts "The Bottom Line" on Fox Business and is a Fox News contributor.
-ABC News' Hannah Demissie
Trump to attend SpaceX launch on Tuesday: Sources
Trump is expected to attend Tuesday's SpaceX launch in Texas, multiple sources told ABC News.
SpaceX said it is planning to hold the sixth integrated flight test of its Starship megarocket from its Starbase in Cameron County, Texas, on Tuesday afternoon.
SpaceX founder Elon Musk, who will co-lead the Department of Government Efficiency, has rarely left Trump's side since the election -- appearing in family photos with Trump at Mar-a-Lago and even traveling with him to New York for Saturdayâs UFC fight.
Trump frequently marveled at the intricacies of the SpaceX rocket launch while on the campaign trail.
"It was so exciting, so I'm watching it, and this monstrous thing is going down, right and it's coming down, it's first of all, doing all sorts of flips up in the air,â Trump said at his last campaign rally of the cycle in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
-ABC News' Kelsey Walsh, Lalee Ibssa and Katherine Faulders
How Democrats could force the Ethics Committee to release the Gaetz report
All eyes will be on the House Ethics Committee's expected closed-door meeting this Wednesday -- but it's possible that Congress can go around the committee entirely to release the panel's findings on former Rep. Matt Gaetz.
According to House rules, any member of Congress can go to the floor and tee up a vote on a "privileged resolution" that would force the Ethics Committee to release its report on Gaetz, within two legislative days.
The member would only have to argue that not releasing the report impacts the "dignity" or "integrity" of the House or "reputation" of its members.
The action would be unusual, but not unprecedented. In the 1990s, Democrats repeatedly tried to force the Ethics Committee to divulge information about investigations into then-Speaker Newt Gingrich.
Those efforts came up short because Republicans closed ranks around Gingrich and the majority. But Gaetz is incredibly unpopular on Capitol Hill, and it would only take a handful of Republicans -- along with all Democrats -- to pass the resolution.
"If you're a member of Congress, do you really want to be in the business of defending Matt Gaetz?" former Rep. Charlie Dent, R-Pennsylvania, who led the Ethics Committee, said to ABC News on Monday.
The Ethics Committee was investigating allegations of sexual misconduct and illicit drug use against Gaetz, who resigned last week after being named Trump's pick for attorney general.
If the Ethics Committee doesn't vote to release its findings on Wednesday, expect more Democrats to raise the possibility of forcing a floor vote -- one that would force Republicans on the record about Gaetz.
-ABC News' Benjamin Siegel
Hegseth flagged as potential 'insider threat' by Guardsman who was 'disturbed' by 'Deus Vult' tattoo
The National Guardsman who in 2021 pegged Pete Hegseth as a potential "insider threat" clarified in an interview with ABC News that his complaint targeted a "Deus Vult" tattoo on the Fox News host's arm, not a cross on his chest, as Hegseth has repeatedly claimed.
As Reuters and The Associated Press first reported, Sgt. DeRicko Gaither sent an image of the "Deus Vult" tattoo to Maj. Gen. William Walker shortly before President Joe Biden's inauguration. The phrase, which translates to "God wills it," has since been co-opted by white nationalist groups.
"This information is quite disturbing, sir," Gaither wrote in the email to Walker, who has not responded to ABC News' request for comment. "This falls along the lines of (an) Insider Threat."
Hegseth -- Trump's pick for defense secretary -- claimed in his book, "The War on Warriors," that he was removed from service ahead of Biden's inauguration because fellow servicemembers had flagged a tattoo of the Jerusalem Cross on his chest as a white nationalist symbol.
But Gaither clarified in a text message to ABC News that his complaint targeted the "Deus Vult" tattoo, despite "the narrative that has been out there."
"Just so we are clear. This has NOTHING to do with the Jerusalem Cross tattoo on his chest," Gaither said. "This has everything to do with the 'DEUS VULT' Tattoo on his inner bicep."
Gaither, who confirmed the contents of his complaint to ABC News, emphasized that "this wasn't then and isn't now a personal attack towards Pete Hegseth."
"The information received and [the] email sent on January 14th was the protocol that had to be followed because of the position assignment that I was assigned to," explained Gaither, who was at the time assigned as the Guards' head of security. "The protocol was followed and would be followed again if this issue involved any other service member, myself included."
Hegseth fired back at the initial coverage of this matter in the AP by claiming it was "Anti-Christian bigotry."
"They can target me -- I donât give a damn -- but this type of targeting of Christians, conservatives, patriots and everyday Americans will stop on DAY ONE at DJT's DoD," Hegseth wrote on social media on Friday.
-ABC News' Nathan Luna and Lucien Bruggeman
Homan says he's headed to Mar-a-Lago to put 'final touches' on deportation plan
Incoming "border czar" Tom Homan said Monday that Trump's new administration is already working on a plan to deport undocumented immigrants and that he's headed to Mar-a-Lago this week "to put the final touches" on it.
Speaking on Fox Newsâ America Reports, Homan reiterated his plan to "take the handcuffs of ICE" and ramp up arrests.
"ICE knows what they're looking for. They just never go arrest them, because Secretary Mayorkas has told them [to] tone down the arrests,â Homan said.
Homan also repeated his claim that ICE will "arrest the bad guys first." He said that under the Biden administration, the removal of "criminal aliens" has decreased 74%. ABC News has not independently verified the accuracy of that claim.
Homan acknowledged during the interview that a mass deportation plan will require significant resources and that he doesn't know what the current ICE and Customs and Border Protection budgets are, though added that Trump is "committed" to getting the funding for his plan.
-ABC News' Armando GarcĂa
'Dangerous': Caroline Kennedy weighs in on RFK's views on vaccines
Caroline Kennedy weighed in on her cousin Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.'s views on vaccines during remarks on Monday after he was announced as the nominee for Health and Human Services secretary.
"I think Bobby Kennedy's views on vaccines are dangerous, but I don't think that most Americans share them. So we'll just have to wait and see what happens," she said at the National Press Club of Australia.
"You know, I grew up with him," she added. "So, I have known all this for a long time and others are just getting to know him."
Kennedy added that her uncle, Sen. Ted Kennedy, had fought for affordable health care, and that her family was proud of President Barack Obama signing the Affordable Care Act, which she said was built on Sen. Kennedy's work.
"I would say that our family is united in terms of our support for the public health sector and infrastructure and has greatest admiration for the medical profession in our country, and Bobby Kennedy has got a different set of views," Caroline Kennedy said.
-ABC News' Oren Oppenheim
Trump transition live updates: Ethics Committee expected to meet on Gaetz: Sources
President-elect Donald Trump continues to announce his picks for top jobs inside his administration, most recently naming nominees for energy secretary and to helm the Federal Communications Commission.
Meanwhile, fallout continues for former Rep. Matt Gaetz, Trump's choice to serve as attorney general. The House Ethics Committee was investigating Gaetz for alleged sexual misconduct and illicit drug use. Calls are growing for the panel to release its report on Gaetz, who resigned from the House last week.
'Dangerous': Caroline Kennedy weighs in on RFK's views on vaccines
Caroline Kennedy weighed in on her cousin Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.'s views on vaccines during remarks on Monday after he was announced as the nominee for Health and Human Services secretary.
"I think Bobby Kennedy's views on vaccines are dangerous, but I don't think that most Americans share them. So we'll just have to wait and see what happens," she said at the National Press Club of Australia.
"You know, I grew up with him," she added. "So, I have known all this for a long time and others are just getting to know him."
Kennedy added that her uncle, Sen. Ted Kennedy, had fought for affordable health care, and that her family was proud of President Barack Obama signing the Affordable Care Act, which she said was built on Sen. Kennedy's work.
"I would say that our family is united in terms of our support for the public health sector and infrastructure and has greatest admiration for the medical profession in our country, and Bobby Kennedy has got a different set of views," Caroline Kennedy said.
-ABC News' Oren Oppenheim
House Ethics Committee expected to meet to discuss Gaetz report
The House Ethics Committee is expected to meet on Wednesday and discuss its report of Rep. Matt Gaetz, multiple sources tell ABC News.
While the meeting can still be cancelled, sources said the committee could potentially take a vote on whether to release the report.
-ABC News' Rachel Scott and Will Steakin
'Morning Joe' co-hosts say they met with Trump on Friday
MSNBC's "Morning Joe" co-hosts Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski said on Monday morning that they had met with President-elect Donald Trump on Friday at Mar-a-Lago.
The goal of the meeting, they said, was to "restart communications" among the liberal-leaning morning show hosts and the incoming administration.
"Last Thursday, we expressed our own concerns on this broadcast, and even said we would appreciate the opportunity to speak with the president-elect himself. On Friday, we were given the opportunity to do just that. Joe and I went to Mar-a-Lago to meet personally with President-elect Trump. It was the first time we have seen him in seven years," Brzezinski said.
Scarborough said the hosts and Trump did not "see eye to eye on a lot of issues, and we told him so."
"What we did agree on was to restart communications," Brzezinski added, noting that Trump seemed "cheerful" and "upbeat."
--ABC News' Oren Oppenheim
Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.
(LONDON) -- The Israel Defense Forces continued its intense airstrike and ground campaigns in Gaza -- particularly in the north of the strip -- and in Lebanon, with Israeli attacks on targets nationwide including in the capital Beirut. The strikes form the backdrop for a fresh diplomatic push by the White House ahead of President-elect Donald Trump's return to the Oval Office in January.
Tensions also remain high between Israel and Iran after the former launched what it called "precise strikes on military targets" in several locations in Iran following Tehran's Oct. 1 missile barrage.
White House rejects ICC warrants for Israeli officials
The White House said it rejects the International Criminal Courtâs arrest warrants for senior Israeli officials, saying the U.S. is working with its partners on steps that could include possible sanctions against the court.
"Let me just say more broadly that we fundamentally reject the court's decision to issue arrest warrants for senior Israel officials. We remain deeply concerned by the prosecutorsâ rush to seek arrest warrants and the troubling process errors that led to this decision," White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters Thursday.
"The United States has been clear that the ICC does not have jurisdiction over this matter," Jean-Pierre said.
-ABC News' Fritz Farrow
At least 66 killed in massive strike in northern Gaza
At least 66 people were killed and dozens more suffered serious injuries in a strike on Northern Gaza near the Kamal Adwan Hospital. Rescue operations are continuing with some people still missing.
Kamal Adwan Hospital has been under siege for nearly a month.
Israeli carries out 4 rounds of airstrikes on Beirut
Israeli forces carried out four rounds of airstrikes on Beirut and continued striking areas in southern Lebanon on Thursday, according to IDF statements and IDF evacuation orders posted on X.
At least 47 people were killed and 22 others were wounded in various Israeli attacks on the region Thursday, Lebanese governate Baalbeck-Hermel said in a post on X.
Several UNESCO World Heritage sites are located in Baalbeck, including ancient Roman temples.
At least 25 people were killed and 121 people were wounded from Israeli attacks across Lebanon on Wednesday, the Lebanese Ministry of Public Health said in a post on X.
Israeli forces issued three separate evacuation orders for areas of southern Beirut on Thursday, according to posts on X. The IDF also issued evacuation orders for several Lebanese villages and Tyre in southern Lebanon, according to posts on X.
-ABC News' Jordana Miller
US envoy had 'constructive' meeting with Israeli minister for strategic affairs
U.S. envoy Amos Hochstein met with Israeli officials on Thursday about a potential cease-fire agreement between Israel and Lebanon. He arrived in Israel after meeting with Lebanese officials earlier this week in Beirut.
Hochstein had a constructive meeting with Israeli Minister for Strategic Affairs Ron Dermer Wednesday night, an Israeli official told ABC News.
Hochstein is expected to meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz Thursday.
Netanyahu's office 'rejects with disgust' ICC arrest warrant
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said Israel "rejects with disgust the absurd and false actions and charges against it," after the International Criminal Court issued a warrant for the arrest of the prime minister and his former defense minister.
The arrest warrant issued Thursday morning alleges that Netanyahu and the minister, Yoav Gallant, were party to alleged war crimes in Gaza.
The statement issued by Netanyahu said the court, which is based in The Hague, was "a biased and discriminatory political body."
"There is nothing more just than the war that Israel has been waging in Gaza since the October 7, 2023, coup, after the terrorist organization Hamas launched a murderous attack against us, committing the greatest massacre committed against the Jewish people since the Holocaust," his office said.
The statement pointed a finger at Karim Khan, accusing the ICC's chief prosecutor of bias and describing him as "corrupt."
- ABC News' Joe Simonetti and Kevin Shalvey
ICC issues arrest warrants for Netanyahu, Gallant
The International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants on Thursday for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant.
The Hague issued the warrants for alleged war crimes in Gaza, according to a statement. The ICC said that there were "reasonable grounds" to believe that Netanyahu and Gallant committed war crimes, and added that Israel's acceptance of the court's jurisdiction is not required
Dozens killed in massive strike in northern Gaza
Dozens of people have been killed and many more are feared dead after a large strike hit a residential neighborhood in northern Gaza, according to the Hamas-run Gaza Ministry of Health.
The strike occurred in a neighborhood near Kamal Adwan Hospital, officials said.
-ABC News' Joe Simonetti and Kevin Shalvey
Israel wants freedom to strike Hezbollah under any cease-fire deal, foreign minister says
Israel wants to "keep the freedom to act if there will be violations" by Hezbollah in any cease-fire agreement reached between Lebanon and Israel, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said in comments Wednesday.
U.S. envoy Amos Hochstein is in Beirut meeting with officials about the proposed cease-fire deal and is expected to travel to Israel Wednesday night to continue discussions.
Israeli forces kill Hezbollah commanders, strike over 100 targets in Lebanon, IDF says
The Israel Defense Forces said it killed Hezbollah's anti-tank missile and operations commanders "in the coastal area" on Sunday.
Israeli forces "struck over 100 terror targets in Lebanon" in the last day, the Israeli Defense Forces said Wednesday. Israel said it is continuing "limited, localized, targeted raids in southern Lebanon."
On Tuesday, 14 people were killed, and 87 people were wounded in Lebanon, according to the Lebanese Ministry of Public Health.
-ABC News' Jordana Miller
US vetos Gaza UN Security Council cease-fire resolution
The U.S. vetoed another United Nations Security Council resolution demanding an immediate cease-fire in Gaza because it did not include a hostage release.
This is the 12th time the Security Council voted on a draft resolution since the war in Gaza started 13 months ago.
At least 43,972 people have been killed in Gaza since October 2023, according to Gazaâs Hamas-run Ministry of Health.
In June, the Security Council passed a U.S.-drafted cease-fire deal that President Joe Biden approved. At the time, the U.S. ambassador to the U.N. Linda Thomas-Greenfield said "we voted for peace."
US sanctions Hamas leaders as officials say group's political wing has rebased in Turkey
The U.S. is rolling out sanctions against six senior Hamas leaders accused of facilitating the transfer of weapons and funds into Gaza to support the groupâs terror activities as well as smuggling in construction materials to build the underground tunnels critical to its operations, according to the Biden administration.
âThere is no distinction between Hamasâ so-called military wing and its political leadership,â State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said in a statement announcing the tranche of sanctions.
Three of the targeted individuals are based in Turkey, according to the U.S. Treasury Department.
Despite the denials coming from Hamas and the Turkish government, two U.S. officials say that the bulk of Hamasâ political wing has now relocated to Turkey following the groupâs ouster from Qatar.
The U.S. has turned a blind eye to Hamasâ relationship with NATO ally Turkey for years, which allows the U.S. designated terror group to openly recruit, fundraise and interface with its government officials.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said he hopes to strengthen ties with the U.S. when President-elect Donald Trump takes office. However, Trumpâs cabinet is expected to feature many staunchly pro-Israel voices who will object to Turkeyâs tolerance of Hamas -- potentially complicating Erdoganâs plans.
-ABC News' Shannon K. Kingston
Hospitals in northern Gaza running out of medical supplies, requesting patient transfers as attacks continue
Kamal Adwan Hospital is running out of medical supplies, and more people with cases of malnutrition are arriving at the hospital because of the lack of food and water allowed into northern Gaza, the hospital director said in comments Tuesday.
"?There are a number of cases of malnutrition that have begun to arrive, including children and the elderly," Dr. Hussam Abu Safia, the director of Kamal Adwan hospital said.
"The health system is working under extremely harsh conditions to the point that we have started losing numbers of infected people due to the lack of medical supplies," Abu Safia added.
At least 50 people were killed, and 110 people were injured in Gaza over the past 24 hours, the Hamas-run Gaza Ministry of Health said.
The International Committee of the Red Cross and the Palestine Red Crescent Society transferred 15 patients from Al Awda Hospital in north Gaza to Al Shifa Medical Complex in Gaza City Sunday, the ICRC said in a statement Tuesday. The patient transfers were requested by the hospitals, the ICRC said.
The organizations also delivered medical supplies to three hospitals in Gaza City Monday, the ICRC said in a post on X.
"The delivery and medical transfer came in the wake of another large-scale attack in the Beit Lahia area of ??the Northern Governorate, in which dozens of people were killed and many more injured," the ICRC said.
-ABC News' Diaa Ostaz and Sami Zyara
UN peacekeepers, buildings targeted in 3 incidents in south Lebanon
United Nations peacekeeping forces in Lebanon and facilities were targeted in "three separate incidents in south Lebanon," Tuesday, UNIFIL said in a post on X.
Four Ghanian peacekeepers on duty "sustained injures as a rocket ... hit their base," UNIFIL said in a post on X. Three of the injured peacekeepers were transferred to a hospital in Tyre, Lebanon for treatment, UNIFIL said.
In a different attack, a UNIFIL building was "impacted by five rockets," UNIFIL said.
"In another incident, UNIFIL Sector West Headquarters in Shama was impacted by five rockets, which struck the maintenance workshop," UNIFIL said. "Although it caused heavy damage to the workshop, no peacekeeper was injured. This was the second time this UNIFIL base was impacted by the ongoing clashes in the area in less than a week."
In a third incident, a UNIFIL patrol was "passing through" a village, and "an armed person directly fired at the patrol," UNIFIL said. No injuries were reported from this incident.
UNIFIL is investigating the incidents and has informed the Lebanese armed forces about them, UNIFIL said.
"UNIFIL once again reminds all actors involved in the ongoing hostilities to respect the inviolability of United Nations peacekeepers and premises," UNIFIL said in a post on X.
5 killed, 31 injured after Israeli strike on central Beirut
At least five people were killed, 31 were injured and at least two people remain missing after an Israeli airstrike in the Zuqaq al-Blat neighborhood of central Beirut, the Lebanese Ministry of Public Health said.
The Israeli Defense Forces did not issue a warning before conducting this airstrike on central Beirut Monday.
At least 28 people were killed and 107 were wounded across Lebanon from Israeli attacks Monday, the Lebanese Ministry of Public Health said.
Overall, 3,544 people have been killed, and 15,036 have been injured since Israel's increased attacks on the country began in mid-September, the Lebanese Ministry of Public Health said in a post on X.
U.S. envoy Amos Hochstein met with Lebanese House Speaker Nabih Berri in Beirut Tuesday, according to Lebanese state media.
After meeting with Hochstein for two hours, Berri said the cease-fire negotiations were "good in principle," but warned Israel could change its minds about the proposal as it has done before.
Berri said the U.S. is managing guarantees about Israel's position on the proposal, according to Lebanese state media.
-ABC News' Morgan Winsor
Israel kills 5 in central Beirut strike, officials say
At least five people were killed and 31 wounded by an Israeli strike in the Zuqaq al-Blat neighborhood of central Beirut on Monday, according to the Lebanese Ministry of Public Health. Two other people are missing.
The Israel Defense Forces did not appear to issue any public evacuation order prior to the strike. ABC News has reached out to the IDF for comment on the target of the strike.
The attack made Monday the second consecutive day of Israeli strikes within central Beirut. To date, the vast majority of airstrikes on the capital have hit the southern Dahiya suburb, known as a Hezbollah stronghold.
Israel has intensified its bombardment in and around Beirut over the past week, while Hezbollah has continued missile fire into Israel. Fresh discussions are ongoing as to a potential cease-fire to end the fighting.
-ABC News' Morgan Winsor, Jordana Miller and Joe Simonetti
Israel demands 'immediate' action against pro-Iran militias in Iraq
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar on Tuesday published a letter sent to the president of the United Nations Security Council in which he called for "immediate action regarding the activity of the pro-Iranian militias in Iraq, whose territory is being used to attack Israel."
"The Iraqi government is responsible for everything that happens on its territory," Saar wrote, noting Israel's right to self-defense.
"I called on the Security Council to act urgently to make sure that the Iraqi government meets its obligations under international law and to make these attacks on Israel stop," Saar said.
Iran-backed Iraqi militias have been launching drone attacks into Israel from the east in support of Hamas in the Gaza Strip and Hezbollah in Lebanon, with whom Israeli forces have been engaged since Hamas' Oct. 7, 2023, attack into southern Israel.
-ABC News' Jordana Miller
Nearly 100 aid trucks looted: UNRWA
The U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, said Monday their aid convoy was "violently" looted over the weekend, one of the largest such cases of looting since the war began.
The 109-truck U.N. convoy was carrying food supplies to people in Gaza when it was looted on Saturday, UNRWA said.
"The vast majority of the trucks, 97 in total, were lost and drivers were forced at gunpoint to unload aid," UNRWA said in a statement.
UNRWA said the Israel Defense Forces made the convoy leave a day earlier than planned.
The IDF has not yet commented on this incident.
-ABC News' Will Gretsky
Israel's October attack damaged some of Iran's nuclear program: Netanyahu
Israel damaged some of Iran's nuclear program in its October attack, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Monday.
Iran's air defense, ballistic missile production and ability to produce "solid fuel" were impacted, Netanyahu said during remarks to Israel's parliament.
"There is a certain element of their nuclear program that was damaged in this attack," he said, though added that its ability to operate "has not yet been thwarted."
Netanyahu said Iran's nuclear threat must be dealt with.
"If we don't deal with the nuclear program, then all the other problems will come back and resurface, both in the axis, and in armaments, and in other things," Netanyahu said.
Netanyahu also said Israel is "currently talking about possible negotiations for a settlement" to be reached between Israel and Lebanon, but added, "Even if there is a cease-fire, no one says it will last."
-ABC News' Jordana Miller
US envoy en route to Lebanon for cease-fire talks, official says
U.S. envoy Amos Hochstein is on his way to Lebanon for talks on a cease-fire between Hezbollah and Israel, an official familiar with the plans confirmed to ABC News.
Hochstein left from the U.S. for Lebanon on Monday, the official said.
Israel is getting close to being ready to agree to the U.S.-backed cease-fire proposal, which is very similar to the proposal that was floated by the U.S. at the end of September. The U.S. needs to see how Hezbollah feels about this proposal, which is what Hochstein aims to do during his trip, according to the official.
-ABC News' Shannon K. Kingston
4 killed in Israeli attack in Beirut: Health ministry
Four people were killed and at least 18 injured in an Israeli attack in Beirut, the Lebanese Ministry of Public Health said Monday.
-ABC News' Ellie Kaufman
1 killed, 10 injured in strike on residential building in Israel: Officials
A woman was killed and 10 people injured after a Hezbollah rocket directly hit a residential building in northern Israel, Israeli emergency services said Monday.
Dozens of projectiles were fired by Hezbollah from Lebanon into Israel Monday afternoon, the Israel Defense Forces said. Not all of the projectiles were intercepted, the IDF said.
-ABC News' Jordana Miller
US sanctions entity, 3 individuals tied to West Bank violence
The State Department said Monday it is sanctioning three individuals and one entity for allegedly undermining "peace, security, and stability in the West Bank."
The department accuses the entity, Eyal Hari Yehuda Company LTD, of having supported Yinon Levi, an Israeli settler who was sanctioned by the Biden administration over accusations of attacks and harassment against Palestinians earlier this year.
The three impacted individuals are Itamar Levi, Shabtai Koshlevsky and Zohar Sabah, the State Department said. Itamar Levi, the brother of Yinon Levi, is being designated for his role as the owner of the aforementioned company, while Koshlevsky is accused of holding a leadership position at Hashomer Yosh, an Israeli nongovernmental organization that provides material support to U.S.-designated outposts in the West Bank and was sanctioned in August of this year.
Sabah is accused of engaging "in threats and acts of violence against Palestinians, including in their homes" as well as "a pattern of destructiveness targeting the livestock, grazing lands and homes of local Palestinians to disrupt their means of support," the State Department said in a press release.
-ABC News' Shannon K. Kingston
Hamas denies that leaders relocated from Qatar to Turkey
Hamas denied reports in Israeli media that its leadership has relocated from Qatar to Turkey amid a breakdown in Doha-supported cease-fire talks earlier this month.
Hamas dismissed the news reports as "rumors" spread by Israeli authorities in a statement posted to its official website.
Qatar told Israel and Hamas earlier this month it could not continue to mediate cease-fire and hostage release talks "as long as there is a refusal to negotiate a deal in good faith."
Doha is under U.S. pressure to expel Hamas leaders. A senior administration official told ABC News earlier this month that the group's "continued presence in Doha is no longer viable or acceptable."
-ABC News' Diaa Ostaz, Shannon K. Kingston and Somayeh Malekian
Gaza death toll nears 44,000, health officials say
The Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry said Monday that 43,922 people have been killed in Israeli attacks since Oct. 7, 2023, with nearly 104,000 more injured.
Israeli airstrikes killed at least 96 people and wounded at least 60 in Gaza through the weekend, officials said. The dead included 72 people in north Gaza and more than 20 from other areas of the strip.
Most of those killed were displaced women and children sheltering in residential buildings in the northern town of Beit Lahiya, officials said.
Beit Lahiya is at the heart of the Israel Defense Forces' recent northern offensive, which has been accompanied with sweeping evacuation orders and spiking civilian casualties.
-ABC News' Samy Zyara and Joe Simonetti
Hezbollah positive on US cease-fire proposal, reports say
Hezbollah responded positively to the U.S.-proposed cease-fire deal between Israel and Lebanon, Israeli and Lebanese media reported Monday.
U.S. special envoy for Lebanon Amos Hochstein is expected to arrive in Beirut on Tuesday to discuss the proposal before heading to Israel to speak with leaders there.
The proposal is reportedly based on the United Nations Security Council's resolution 1701 that sought to end the last major cross-border conflict in 2006.
That deal ordered Hezbollah to withdraw all military units and weapons north of the Litani River, which is around 18 miles north of the Israeli border. The resolution also prohibited Israeli ground and air forces from crossing into Lebanese territory.
Israeli leaders have demanded open-ended freedom to act against threats in Lebanon, a stipulation reportedly opposed by Hezbollah and Lebanese leaders.
-ABC News' Jordana Miller and Joe Simonetti
Khamenei meets with ambassador injured in pager attacks
Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei met with the country's ambassador to Lebanon, Mojtaba Amani, as the latter continues his recovery from injuries sustained during Israel's detonation of Hezbollah communication devices in September.
Khamenei's official X account posted a short video of their interaction on Monday, in which Amani told the Iranian leader he lost around half of the vision in his right eye in the attack.
-ABC News' Jordana Miller
Hezbollah media relations chief killed in Israeli strike
Mohammed Afif, Hezbollah's media relations chief, was killed in an Israeli strike Sunday, Hezbollah confirmed.
The strike on central Beirut partially collapsed a building and injured three others, according to the Lebanese Ministry of Health.
The Israel Defense Forces also confirmed Afif's death. In a statement, the IDF said he joined Hezbollah in the 1980s and went on to become a "central and veteran figure in the organization who greatly influenced Hezbollah's military activity."
Citing one particular incident, the statement claimed that he had played a key role in the drone attack on Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's home in Caesarea in October.
-ABC News' Will Gretsky
Pope calls for investigation to determine whether Israeli attacks on Gaza are 'genocide'
Pope Francis, in an upcoming book to be released ahead of his 2025 jubilee, called for an investigation to determine whether Israel's actions in Gaza constitute genocide, according to the Vatican.
"In the Middle East, where the open doors of nations like Jordan or Lebanon continue to be a salvation for millions of people fleeing conflicts in the region: I am thinking above all of those who leave Gaza in the midst of the famine that has struck their Palestinian brothers and sisters given the difficulty of getting food and aid into their territory," he wrote in a passage released by the Vatican.
"According to some experts, what is happening in Gaza has the characteristics of a genocide," the pope wrote. "It should be carefully investigated to determine whether it fits into the technical definition formulated by jurists and international bodies."
-ABC News' Victoria Beaulé
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