3 hours ago Joe Biden thanks ‘the best damn team in the world’ Biden made the remarks before departing Washington.
President Donald Trump floated permanently moving presidential inaugurations into the Capitol Rotunda, shortly after seeing predecessor Joe Biden off in the sub-freezing cold.
5 hours ago 6 hours ago Joe Biden pardons several family members Biden announced the pardons in a last batch of clemency decisions just before Donald Trump took the oath of office.
6 hours ago 7 hours ago 7 hours ago 7 hours ago VIP spectators are starting to file into the Rotunda.
“It’s been a long time coming, a long four years.“ 9 hours ago As always in Washington, proximity is power.
22 minutes ago.
Alaskan lawmakers are outraged by Trump’s promise to rename Denali.
The new president reaffirmed his intention to honor President William McKinley by renaming America’s highest peak.
In his inaugural address on Monday, President Donald Trump reaffirmed his intention to rename Denali back to Mount McKinley, leaving Alaska’s all-Republican congressional delegation in varying states of dismay.
In 2015, President Barack Obama repealed the 1917 designation, which had been made in honor of the 25th president, William McKinley, and reinstated the mountain’s ancient Athabaskan name. Trump has now threatened to change his mind and could sign an executive order as early as Monday that would restore the previous name.
Sen. Alaska said, “I’m completely against that.”. Lisa Murkowski informed the media. It’s known as Denali, which translates to “the great one.”. I would simply advise President Trump, who aspires to make everything fantastic, to use the fantastic name they currently have. “”.
Murkowski stated that she had a discussion with Trump on Sunday regarding his intentions to rename the mountain and that she intends to speak with him again on the subject.
Trump made it clear in his speech on Monday that he would “restore the name of a great president … where it should be and where it belongs.”. Through talent and tariffs, President McKinley greatly increased our nation’s wealth. “.”.
Murkowski’s Alaska colleagues were less insistent on the move Monday, even though they were not thrilled about it. Sene. The executive order to rename the mountain was not visible to Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), who opposed the change as recently as last month.
“We’ll see,” he remarked. There may be some significant information regarding energy for America, but you never know. “”.
Alaska’s sole representative in the House, Republican Nick Begich, a pro-Trump freshman, attempted to handle the fallout on Monday with even greater respect for the president.
Begich said, “I don’t care what people in the lower 48 call Denali,” as he left Monday afternoon’s Trump inauguration ceremony.
“My focus is on creating jobs and opportunities in Alaska,” he stated, adding, “and I don’t really care about what we call a mountain in Alaska.”. “,”.
The author of this report is Ursula Perano.
It was 37 minutes prior.
Pritzker calls Trump’s birthright citizenship order “chaotic.”.
The president’s proposal was deemed “unconstitutional” by the Democrat from Illinois. “”.
Illinois Gov. When President Donald Trump attempted to revoke birthright citizenship through an executive order, JB Pritzker attacked the plan.
It isn’t constitutional. Pritzker told reporters at an unrelated event on Monday, “We will not comply with an unconstitutional order.”.
The Democratic governor, who has long considered a run for president, expressed concern about the new administration’s deportation policies.
“They have not gotten in touch with us. He remarked, “I’m reading the same thing that you are. “This is a good indication of what the Trump administration will look like over the next four years. Chaos reigns. “”.
Additionally, Pritzker blasted Trump’s inauguration for featuring affluent executives. The swearing-in ceremony was attended by tech titans Jeff Bezos, Mark Zuckerberg, and Elon Musk.
“The oligarchs are seated in the front row at his inauguration. It demonstrates the people he cares about. He is being cow-towed by America’s wealthiest citizens, not by regular citizens. Pritzker, a billionaire himself, claimed that he did not give a damn about regular Americans.
Pritzker stated that “the intent to attack people’s rights” is one of his main concerns with the current government. Throughout this administration, we will have to endure or cope with that on a daily basis. “.”.
An hour ago.
Following criticism of Trump, Gavin Newsom calls for “common ground.”.
In his inaugural address, the president criticized California’s response to loss Angeles wildfires.
Governor of California. In response to Donald Trump’s criticism of the state’s response to the wildfire in his inaugural address on Monday, Gavin Newsom called for “finding common ground” with the president and urged the new administration to use its “full weight” to support the recovery efforts in Los Angeles.
Newsom said in a statement that he is looking forward to Trump’s visit to Los Angeles on Friday, saying, “In the face of one of the worst natural disasters in America’s history, this moment underscores the critical need for partnership, a shared commitment to facts, and mutual respect — values that enable civil discourse, effective governance, and meaningful action.”.
In his speech, Trump criticized California’s disaster response, saying that homes were destroyed “without a token of defense” in the Los Angeles fires. “.”.
Some of the richest and most influential people in our nation, some of whom are seated here at this very moment, are even being impacted by the fires that are tearing through homes and communities. “They no longer have a home,” Trump declared. That’s fascinating. But this cannot be allowed to occur. Nothing can be done about it by anyone. That is going to be altered. “”.
Shortly after the speech, a separate social media post from Newsom’s press office included images of firefighters fighting the fires and cited Trump’s comments about being “without a token of defense.”.
The Democratic governor has urged Trump to offer unconditional federal disaster assistance and refrain from politicizing the destructive wildfires in Los Angeles. In the meantime, the president has called on Newsom to step down as governor, posted false information about the fires on social media, and blamed him for the disaster.
an hour ago.
Elon Musk’s salute is widely shared.
The tech billionaire’s public salute was swiftly compared to a “Sieg Heil” by critics. “.
On social media, Elon Musk’s hand gestures, which some have compared to a fascist salute, are rapidly gaining notoriety.
The tech tycoon gave a forceful, straight-armed salute while onstage at Capitol One Arena earlier today, saying, “My heart goes out to you.”.
Social media users instantly likened the gesture to a “Sieg Heil,” a Nazi victory salute used to thrill crowds. On Musk’s platform X, Republicans Against Trump, which has almost 800,000 followers, shared a video of the gesture along with the caption, “Wait, did Musk just do a Nazi salute?”.
A request for comment was not immediately answered by a representative of Musk’s alleged Department of Government Efficiency. Although he has not addressed the controversy, Musk has been sharing videos of his comments and other content on X with his nearly 215 million followers.
“On the first day of the Trump administration, our new co-president Elon Musk gives a Nazi salute,” Democratic strategist Sawyer Hackett wrote.
The foreign press was also enraged by the salute. Elon Musk appears to give a fascist salute at the Trump inauguration rally, according to an article published by the Israeli newspaper Haaretz. “”.
His stage antics, such as the notorious “dark MAGA jump” at Trump’s second rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, have previously garnered attention for the billionaire.
Onstage, Musk added that Trump would bring “sensible spending, safe cities, secure borders — basic stuff.”. “”.
“We also plan to send DOGE to Mars,” the SpaceX CEO continued. “Can you imagine how inspiring it will be to have American astronauts plant the flag on another planet for the first time? It will be amazing.”.
The audience erupted in chants of “Elon, Elon, Elon” during the speech. “I love all of you,” he answered. And I’m going to put in a ton of effort for you guys, I promise. “.”.
An hour ago.
The Congressional Luncheon had a good vibe that flowed like the wine.
In part, the welcoming environment was a reflection of Trump’s transformation.
Donald Trump is more popular than ever when he returns to Washington. And that was never more evident than at the Congressional Luncheon on Monday, where the newly sworn president seemed to enjoy the attention while the sparkling wine, crab cakes, and steak were served in abundance.
Sen. The affair was overseen by Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota, who has been a vocal opponent of Trump and serves as the chair of the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies. Klobuchar held court with Trump and Vice President JD Vance from the appetizer course until right before dessert, laughing, smiling, and making gestures while seated between them at the head table. She once raised a finger in the air, causing Vance to burst out laughing too.
There were other instances of a bipartisan kumbaya throughout the approximately 90-minute event. The Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer and Attorney General nominee Pam Bondi once engaged in conversation across the table from Donald Trump Jr. was sitting down as well. At one point, Vermont Senator Frank Luntz, a GOP pollster, pulled up a chair to speak with him. Bernie Sanders. plus a number of Democrats, such as the senator from New York. FL Representative Kirsten Gillibrand. Several times during the meal, Lois Frankel approached Trump at the head table to talk.
Trump’s reformed stance and expanded coalition since his return to Washington were also reflected in the lunch. Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh, his wife Priscilla Chan, and Mark Zuckerberg, the CEO of Meta, talked a lot during lunch at a table off to the side. At the table with Ginni Thomas, Ivanka Trump, Jared Kushner, and Steve Scalise, Defense Secretary nominee Pete Hegseth was deep in conversation with his seatmate, Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas.
Barron, Trump’s youngest son, sat at a table with influential people that included Senate Majority Leader John Thune, Secretary of State nominee Marco Rubio, and Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos.
Throughout the affair, Melania Trump, on the other hand, remained quiet and mostly kept her eyes hidden behind the wide brim of her black hat.
CORRECTION: Justice Brett Kavanaugh’s name was misspelled in an earlier draft of this report.
Two hours ago.
The Pentagon takes down Mark Milley’s new portrait.
Less than two weeks were spent with the former chair of the Joint Chiefs.
The picture of Gen. Less than three hours after President Donald Trump took office, former Pentagon Chair Mark Milley vanished Monday.
Less than two weeks ago, the Biden administration hung the portrait alongside other former Pentagon chairs, but the removal was not explained by the incoming Defense Department officials.
In the final hours of his presidency, President Joe Biden preemptively pardoned Milley and other officials whom he believed Trump would target for perceived or actual slights.
After nominating Milley for the role, Trump later criticized the general, who held the same position under Biden, for how he handled the U.S. A. among other matters, the withdrawal from Afghanistan.
All inquiries were directed to the White House by a Pentagon spokesperson, who did not immediately reply to a request for comment.
Two hours earlier.
Trump has already appointed a large number of acting officials to head his agencies.
On Monday afternoon, Trump issued a number of executive orders authorizing acting designations and dozens of Cabinet-level appointments throughout the government.
President Donald Trump has a stripped-down Cabinet to begin his second term in office.
It’s unclear when the president will fill some of his most critical positions, even though many of his top picks, such as his once-discussed choice for Defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, seem to have a clear path to Senate confirmation. Although senior career staff at the majority of agencies were promoted to fill the leadership void, Marco Rubio is anticipated to be confirmed as secretary of state by the Senate on Monday.
Trump signed a number of executive orders after taking office, authorizing dozens of appointments, including acting designations throughout the government.
A few of the most notable appointments are shown here.
Department of Justice.
Until Trump’s attorney general nominee, Pam Bondi, is confirmed, immigration enforcement attorney James McHenry was named on Monday to head the Justice Department. McHenry joined the DOJ in 2003. He has been in charge of immigration judges and associated matters since 2017. It is unclear when the final vote on Bondi’s confirmation will take place, but the Senate Judiciary Committee is set to consider her nomination on Wednesday.
Department of Defense.
According to POLITICO, Robert Salesses will act as Defense Secretary until the Senate confirms Pete Hegseth. Salesses is a career official with decades of federal service experience and a Marine Corps veteran. He has been the deputy head of the agency’s administrative branch, the Washington Headquarters Service. Over the course of four presidential administrations, he has held several positions at the Pentagon.
Department of Treasury.
The Treasury Department’s top career official, David Lebryk, will act as acting secretary while Trump’s nominee, Scott Bessent, is awaiting Senate confirmation. Lebryk has been the fiscal assistant secretary during multiple presidential administrations. Then-Secretary Jacob Lew appointed him to his current position in 2014. Lebryk is in charge of the federal government’s financing operations, including making predictions about when Treasury will run out of money.
Education Division.
In the interim until Linda McMahon is confirmed, Denise Carter, a veteran of several government agencies, is acting as secretary of education. Despite having one of the most straightforward Senate journeys of any Trump nominee, McMahon has yet to receive a confirmation hearing. After Rich Cordray left the department’s Federal Student Aid office last year, Carter has been serving as the acting chief operating officer.
Department of Labor.
Until former Rep. Vince Micone is confirmed, career staffer Vince Micone will lead the Labor Department at the start of the Trump administration. R-Ore’s Lori Chavez-DeRemer. ) to administer the agency. Micone was working in DOL’s Office of the Assistant Secretary for Administration and Management, which mainly manages the agency’s back-end requirements like IT support, as deputy assistant secretary for operations.
The FBI.
Some FBI officials seemed surprised when Trump appointed Bryan Driscoll as the acting head of the agency until his choice, Kash Patel, was confirmed. It essentially forced out Deputy Director Paul Abbate, who retired on Monday, the day Trump took office, according to two Bureau officials who asked not to be named in order to discuss personnel changes. Chuck Grassley, the chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, was among the well-known Republicans who had urged Trump to fire both Wray and Abbate, whose retirement was initially announced by the Associated Press.
This report was aided by Josh Gerstein.
two hours prior.
What Trump fans are anticipating.
A few people told us this.
We spoke with some Trump supporters to find out what they were most excited about over the next four years of the 47th president’s presidency.
What they told us is as follows. They refused to provide their last names. ).
Tamara is a first-born American.
She remarked, “I just want to see peace in the Middle East.”. “Trump has good relationships with people from different countries, and I believe they listen to him. He instills a little bit of intimidation and fear, which is good, but also respect,” the statement reads. “..”.
A father and daughter team named Thomas and Monica traveled from Colorado and Wyoming, respectively.
The wall is Thomas’ main grievance. I appreciate that he will no longer have anchor babies. “.”.
The main concern of Monica is “restoring education.”. The boundary. “.”.
From Miami, Florida, Tony Gonzales.
Trump’s most significant pledge: “I think the immigration issue is a huge concern,” he stated. “Hopefully, we will be in a much safer environment,” he continued. “”.
Californian Cayla Greene.
“I just think what he said at the end about our children and their hopes for the future,” is the most significant Trump pledge. My three children are eight, twelve, and fourteen years old. The lessons they’re learning in school have me thrilled that he will restore our nation. I’m looking forward to [my kids]. I’m not as afraid of them. “”.
Three hours ago.
As acting attorney general, Trump appoints a seasoned immigration official.
Until the Senate confirms Pam Bondi, Trump’s AG nominee, James McHenry will hold the position.
Immigration enforcement lawyer James McHenry has been appointed acting attorney general of the Justice Department by President Donald Trump.
Considered a hardliner on immigration issues, McHenry had been supervising immigration judges at DOJ prior to being appointed temporary attorney general on Monday. A Justice Department spokesperson verified his appointment.
McHenry is anticipated to hold the position until Pam Bondi, Trump’s attorney general nominee, is confirmed. Her nomination is set to be considered by the Senate Judiciary Committee on Wednesday, but it may take a few more days or weeks for final confirmation.
In 2017, Trump’s first attorney general during his first term, Jeff Sessions, appointed McHenry as acting director of the Executive Office of Immigration Review, the Justice Department division that oversees the immigration courts. The following year, he received a permanent position.
After joining the Justice Department in 2003, McHenry went on to the Department of Homeland Security as a senior attorney for Immigration and Customs Enforcement. He has a law degree from Vanderbilt University.
As Todd Blanche, a colleague on those cases, awaits Senate confirmation, Emil Bove, who represented Trump in those criminal cases, will take over as acting deputy attorney general.
Three hours ago.
To assist fire victims, Harris is returning home to Los Angeles.
Harris is making a comeback while considering a 2026 bid for governor of California.
When former Vice President Kamala Harris returns to Los Angeles on Monday, he will stop by a nearby fire station right away to express gratitude to the firefighters for their efforts in fighting the deadly fires.
In her final days in office, Harris had told aides she wanted to visit even sooner, but a trip never happened. Harris and her husband reside in Brentwood, an area that experienced evacuations. Harris will also work with World Central Kitchen to provide food to the affected community members.
Harris is considering a 2026 bid for governor of California, and those close to her told POLITICO that she will require some time to sort out her personal affairs after serving in office for two decades in a row.
An all-female U will support Harris’ flight home. S. . She flew to California with the Air Force crew from Joint Base Andrews. It is the first time an all-female crew has flown a C-32 for the US Air Force, according to an aide.
Three hours ago.
The official nominations of President Donald Trump for Cabinet and sub-Cabinet positions have been signed. In a apparent jab at the states that continue to fly their flags at half-staff in remembrance of the late former President Jimmy Carter, he also signed a proclamation stating that flags must be flown at full-staff at today’s inauguration and all subsequent presidential inaugurations.
Three hours ago.
Joe Biden gives thanks to “the world’s best damn team.”.
Before leaving Washington, Biden said the things.
Just before departing for California with his wife, Jill Biden, Joe Biden gave his first speeches as a former president at Joint Base Andrews, thanking his Cabinet and staff.
Together with his 48-year partner, Biden declared, “Jill and I will always be grateful for you.”. “No president has the authority to decide when to make history. However, they have a say in which team they join as they go down in history. And the world’s greatest damn team was the one we selected. “.”.
Biden made the sign of the cross while remarking that “we all saw the address” and that “we have a lot more to do” in response to President Donald Trump’s inaugural speech.
“We’re leaving the office. But we’re not going to give up,” Biden informed his staff.
The purpose of the speech was to reassure his team that the work they had done over the previous four years had made a difference, mainly avoiding the subject of Trump’s inauguration and his incoming administration.
This farewell for Biden, an institutionalist at heart, is a significant moment for the 82-year-old career politician, who only four years ago was taking the oath of office during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic. Biden is carrying out his duty by carrying out the peaceful transfer of power.
“I cherish everyone.”. At the end, Biden said, “Thank you, thank you, thank you,” to calls of “Thank you, Joe.”. “.”.
Three hours ago.
After taking the oath of office for a second term, Trump vents his frustrations about the 2020 election.
President Donald Trump changed course after giving a dull, predetermined inaugural speech in the Capitol Rotunda, going to the “overflow room” to make more impromptu, rambling remarks.
President Donald Trump attacked his political rivals, including the select panel that looked into the violent incident, four years after he assisted in inciting a mob to storm the Capitol to prevent the certification of the 2020 election he lost.
After making his official inaugural remarks in the Rotunda, Trump assured the audience in the Capitol Visitors Center’s “overflow room” that there would be “a lot of action on J6 hostages.”. “.”.
Many of the rioters are officially charged with crimes, but he has proposed pardoning them.
Trump also attacked the last-minute commutations and pardons that President Joe Biden granted in his last hours in office, including those who were members of a select committee that was tasked with investigating Trump’s involvement in evading the 2020 election results that led to the January riots at the Capitol. 6. 2021.
Trump made a call to former Rep. The former top Republican on the select panel, Liz Cheney of Wyoming, was described as a “crying lunatic,” as was former Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif). who did not get Biden’s pardon, “guilty as hell.”. “.
The 2020 election was rigged against him, he added, without providing any proof.
After the celebration was shifted indoors due to extremely cold temperatures, Trump was making what seemed to be spontaneous speeches to supporters who had been unable to attend the main inaugural event in the Capitol Rotunda due to space restrictions.
The cavernous main room of the Capitol Visitor Center had been converted into an overflow space, where some celebrities, governors, foreign dignitaries, congressional spouses and other VIPs were relegated. Governors were among those in the audience who greeted Trump with warmth. Glenn Youngkin of Virginia and Ron DeSantis of Florida; online celebrities such as Theo Von, Jake, and Logan Paul; Eric Adams, the mayor of New York; and Kari Lake, a former governor of Arizona and Senate candidate.
Three hours ago.
Meet the new (acting) secretary of Defense.
As Pete Hegseth awaits Senate confirmation, veteran Pentagon official Robert Salesses will lead the Defense Department.
Robert Salesses will serve as acting Defense secretary until Pete Hegseth is confirmed by the Senate, according to two people familiar with the move.
Salesses, a career official and Marine Corps veteran with decades of federal government service, will temporarily assume the top position at the Pentagon. He currently holds the position of deputy head of the agency’s administrative division, the Washington Headquarters Service. Throughout four presidential administrations, he has held a variety of Pentagon positions.
His promotion came on the heels of Biden administration officials leaving their positions and Donald Trump taking office on Monday. NBC News first reported that Salesses would temporarily lead the Pentagon.
Senate Republicans intend to hold a full vote for the contentious choice later this week after advancing Hegseth’s nomination as Pentagon chief through the Senate Armed Services Committee as early as Monday night.
The people were granted anonymity to discuss unannounced plans.
3 hours ago.
Starting this week, Trump promises to take health-related actions.
Additionally, he stated that only the male and female genders will be recognized by the federal government.
According to President Donald Trump, he will start modifying a few health-related policies this week.
The 47th president vowed to undo the measures taken against military personnel who refused to comply with the Covid-19 vaccination requirement, which Congress repealed in 2023, during his inaugural address in Washington on Monday.
Trump declared, “This week, I will reinstate any service members who were wrongfully left our military because they opposed the Covid vaccine mandate with full back pay.”.
According to him, only the male and female genders will be recognized by the federal government. That policy could impact health care for transgender and gender nonconforming patients — care that has increasingly become the subject of political and legal debates.
Trump stated that his administration would reform the public health system, even though he mostly focused his speech on immigration and the economy.
In keeping with his Make America Healthy Again agenda, which he shares with Robert F. Kennedy, his choice to lead HHS, he identified the prevention and treatment of chronic diseases as priorities. Kennedy Jr.
“Together, we will end the chronic disease epidemic and keep our children safe, healthy and disease-free,” said Trump, who did not provide details in the address for his health plans.
Trump also said he would change how public health agencies respond to disasters, noting flooding in North Carolina last year and the more recent wildfires in California.
“We have a public health system that does not deliver in times of disaster, yet more money is spent on it than any country anywhere in the world,” he said.
4 hours ago.
The power brokers have arrived for the congressional luncheon in Statuary Hall. Among those spotted:.
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg and his wife, Priscilla Chan, talking with Trump policy wonk Stephen Miller.
Department of Interior nominee Doug Burgum chatting with Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos.
Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand yakking it up with Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and his wife, actress Cheryl Hines.
4 hours ago.
Trump floats moving future inaugurations inside.
‘It gets a little cold around this time of the year,’ he said.
President Donald Trump floated permanently moving presidential inaugurations into the Capitol Rotunda, shortly after seeing predecessor Joe Biden off in the sub-freezing cold.
“Maybe they should do it there every four years,” Trump told roughly 1,800 supporters gathered in the subterranean Capitol Visitor Center about 90 minutes after he had taken the oath of office upstairs.
The Rotunda ceremony was the first in 40 years, moved from the traditional outdoor location on the Capitol’s West Front due to the frigid forecast.
Trump said it would make sense to make the Rotunda the permanent location for inaugurations, notwithstanding the long tradition of hosting tens of thousands of spectators on the National Mall.
He went on to say, “The outdoor experience is excellent, but it can get chilly at this time of year.”. “Some people have noticed. And a lot of times they suffer through it. It was seventy-two degrees, and there was no pain in that room. It was perfect. It had the best acoustics I’ve ever heard in a space. “.”.
Regarding the weather, Vice President JD Vance also made a statement: “Thank God we moved that thing indoors after standing outside for roughly five minutes to wave goodbye to the Bidens. The dot. It was freezing. “.
4 hours prior.
Trump says he will bring back the unvaccinated military.
The reversal of the Biden administration was announced by the president in his inauguration speech.
Service members who were dismissed from the military because they refused Covid-19 vaccines will be reinstated with back pay, President Donald Trump said Monday during his inauguration speech.
Members were “unjustly expelled from our military for objecting to the Covid vaccine mandate,” he said, vowing to take the action this week. “.”.
During the August 2021–January 2023 mandate, approximately 8,000 troops were ejected from the military for refusing the shot. Due to medical conditions or religious objections, the military granted some exceptions.
Less than 1% of the military is impacted, but the Pentagon and the Biden administration suffered politically as a result of the terminations. Calling the order an illegal mandate, some of those soldiers filed a lawsuit in an attempt to remain in the military.
4 hours ago.
Trump pledges to send astronauts to Mars.
Elon Musk, one of the president’s biggest allies, is fixated on colonizing the red plant.
President Donald Trump said Monday the U. S. will launch astronauts to plant the “stars and stripes” on Mars — a crucial goal for Elon Musk, who wants to colonize the red planet and who has urged prioritizing U. S. spaceflight goals away from the moon in favor of Mars.
“We will pursue our Manifest Destiny into the stars,” Trump said during his inauguration address in the Capitol Rotunda, where Musk was in attendance. The president offered no further details on the idea.
NASA and SpaceX didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment.
Background: Musk, the SpaceX CEO who became a major Trump ally and political donor during last year’s election, wants NASA to drop its plans to return to the moon and instead head straight for Mars, POLITICO previously reported. (Congress has not so far been inclined to back this option, given concerns about China’s space ambitions, among other issues. ).
The billionaire has called Mars colonization “life insurance on life. ” Earlier this month, Musk in a post on X, his social media site, wrote “we’re going straight to Mars. ”.
“The Moon is a distraction,” he wrote.
4 hours ago.
I just accidentally found myself right near the exit for the former presidents and ran into George W. Bush. I asked him what he thought of President Donald Trump’s speech.
He said, “Pretty good. ” Quite different than eight years ago, when he was reported as saying Trump’s inauguration speech was some “weird shit. “.
Four hours ago.
First lawsuits against Trump admin target DOGE.
Within minutes of Trump taking the oath of office, at least three lawsuits were filed in federal court in Washington, seeking to shut down Elon Musk’s department.
4 hours ago.
Trump: Get ready for ‘the four greatest years in American history’.
The president placed his return to the Oval Office in the context of other “impossible” achievements, including winning two world wars.
Donald Trump’s term has barely begun. But that’s not stopping him from putting it up there among the greatest moments in American history.
“Many people thought it was impossible for me to stage such a historic political comeback — but as you see today, here I am, the people have spoken,” Trump said, as he wrapped up his roughly 30-minute inaugural speech. “I stand before you now as proof that you should never believe that something is impossible to do. ”.
The president went on to place his return to the Oval Office in the context of other “impossible” achievements, including winning two world wars.
“From New York to Los Angeles, from Philadelphia to Phoenix, from Chicago to Miami, from Houston to right here in Washington, D.C. , our country was forged and built by the generation of patriots that gave everything they had for our rights and our freedom,” Trump said. “After all we have been through together, we stand on the verge of the four greatest years in American history. ”.
5 hours ago.
OASAM staffer to serve as acting Labor secretary.
Lori Chavez-DeRemer is on a glide path to confirmation, but the Senate HELP Committee has yet to hold a confirmation hearing for her.
Career staffer Vince Micone will helm the Labor Department temporarily at the outset of the Trump administration as it awaits the confirmation of Lori Chavez-DeRemer.
Micone was serving as deputy assistant secretary for operations in DOL’s Office of the Assistant Secretary for Administration and Management, which primarily handles the back-end needs of the agency such as IT support.
Keith Sonderling will also be serving as senior adviser to the secretary alongside Micone, according to a posting on the agency’s website during President Donald Trump’s inauguration ceremony.
Sonderling is a member of the Trump transition’s landing team for DOL and is the president’s pick to serve as its second-in-command, though like Chavez-DeRemer he will need to be confirmed by the Senate.
DOL and other federal agencies under acting leadership generally operate in a holding pattern at the outset of presidential administrations until the president’s nominees are in place.
But the incoming White House has vowed to move swiftly to institute its priorities, starting with a deluge of executive actions that could kick-start rulemaking or direct agencies to unwind moves taken under former President Joe Biden.
Chavez-DeRemer is on a glide path to confirmation, but the Senate HELP Committee has yet to hold a confirmation hearing for her, likely pushing back her arrival. During Trump’s first term, the Senate confirmed his Labor secretary in April 2017, while Biden’s Labor nominee, Marty Walsh, was confirmed in March 2021 after he took office.
5 hours ago.
At Trump’s pre-inauguration victory rally Sunday, supporters shared their thoughts on his billionaire-filled Cabinet and allies like Elon Musk. From praising loyalty to celebrating success, rallygoers said, “I’m happy that he’s choosing billionaires” and “success breeds success. ”.
Watch as they explain why they believe Trump’s choices will shape his administration’s vision.
5 hours ago.
Trump’s list of ‘America first’ promises.
Trump’s 30-minute speech included a list of promises to enact an “America first” agenda.
5 hours ago.
As Trump gets into the immigration aspect of his speech, his deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller is the first to jump up during every round of applause.
Miller, no doubt, had a strong influence on this part of the speech.
5 hours ago.
Trump calls out Biden administration in inaugural address.
“All of this will change starting today, and it will change very quickly,” Trump said.
Donald Trump in his inaugural address is wasting no time drawing a bright line between a nation he’s described as “in decline” up until now — and the “golden age” he’s promised to usher in as the 47th president.
“All of this will change starting today, and it will change very quickly,” Trump said, airing a series of grievances against the prior administration that he said had contributed to a loss of respect for the U. S. around the world.
“My recent election is a mandate to completely and totally reverse a horrible betrayal and all of these many betrayals that have taken place — and to give the people back their faith, their democracy and, indeed, their freedom. ”.
Among the targets of Trump’s complaints were what he described as an “unfair weaponization” of the federal government and Justice Department. It’s a sign he is still nursing grudges over the investigations launched over his efforts to overturn the 2020 election and his handling of classified documents.
5 hours ago.
Watching the faces of the former presidents, vice presidents and first ladies while Donald Trump rails against the establishment is really something — especially when he rips into Joe Biden’s four years.
“We now have a government that cannot manage a single crisis at home,” Trump said. “All of this will change starting today, and it will change very quickly. ”.
Biden has laughed to himself a few times, specifically when Trump talks about executive actions to restore common sense. Kamala Harris has kept her face pretty stoic, but multiple times, she has squinted and turned down her face during Trump’s speech — similar to her body language during her debate with Trump.
Hillary Clinton has shaken her head a few times while she and Bill Clinton whisper to each other, and laughed when Trump pledged to rename the Gulf of Mexico to the “Gulf of America. ”.
5 hours ago.
A few seats empty in the rotunda this A. M. There was a mad dash to make sure members of Congress got seats, and staffers were worried there weren’t going to be enough, but a few fell through the cracks, it seems.
5 hours ago.
Preparations underway for Trump’s congressional lunch.
Staff are making last-minute adjustments for the congressional luncheon.
All is relatively quiet here in Statuary Hall, where President Donald Trump will lunch with members of Congress following the swearing-in ceremony.
Staff are making last-minute preparations for the congressional luncheon, including reviewing seating charts, and some military members have filed in. The tables are draped with blue tablecloths in a floral pattern, and at the center of each is a floral arrangement in white and gold.
The painting behind the head table is “American Horizon” by Jane Wilson, the American painter known for her landscapes and expressionistic style.
5 hours ago.
Chief Justice John Roberts — and his court — helped Trump get here.
Two pivotal rulings last year dramatically affected the trajectory of the campaign.
Donald Trump was sworn in as president Monday by a figure who played a significant and perhaps surprising role in making Trump’s second term a possibility: Chief Justice John Roberts.
Roberts’ court issued a pair of decisions that dramatically affected the trajectory of Trump’s 2024 campaign. First was a unanimous ruling in March that blocked efforts in states to knock Trump off the ballot based on the Constitution’s provision barring insurrectionists from public office. Second was a 6-3 ruling in July on presidential immunity that complicated and delayed the federal criminal case against him for trying to overturn the 2020 presidential election. Roberts wrote the immunity opinion.
Despite the major hurdles the Supreme Court cleared away for Trump over the past year, Trump and Roberts have long had a difficult relationship. While a candidate in 2016, Trump called Roberts “an absolute disaster” and “disgraceful. ”.
Two years later, the men clashed openly over Trump’s penchant for attacking judges and accusing them of ruling for partisan political reasons. Roberts issued an unusual public statement defending his colleagues, writing: “We do not have Obama judges or Trump judges, Bush judges or Clinton judges. ”.
“Sorry Chief Justice John Roberts, but you do indeed have ‘Obama judges,’” Trump responded, criticizing successes liberal groups had directing challenges to his immigration policies toward judges they perceived as receptive.
Another wave of those challenges is expected to reach the high court in the coming weeks or months, as opponents of Trump policies on immigration, the environment, transgender rights and other issues seek to block executive actions the incoming president is set to issue almost immediately.
5 hours ago.
Trump’s Day One is summarized for Congress.
A document sent to key Hill offices includes border, energy and other measures.
Donald Trump’s team is touting more than 20 Day One actions across four categories in a document sent to key Republican congressional offices Monday morning.
The two-page memo summarizes many executive actions that were briefed to lawmakers and to reporters Sunday and Monday.
Under the heading of “Make America Safe Again,” the Trump team lays out numerous border and immigration actions including “ending asylum for illegal border crossers,” “suspending refugee resettlement” and deploying the military to engage in border security missions.
To “Make America Affordable and Energy Dominant Again,” Trump will “empower consumer choice in vehicles, showerheads, toilets, washing machines, lightbulbs and dishwashers,” and also “take emergency measures to reduce the cost of living” and announce an “America First Trade Policy. “.
The document adds that, “America will no longer be beholden to foreign organizations for our national tax policy,” an apparent reference to efforts supported by former President Joe Biden to establish a global minimum tax in cooperation with other industrialized countries.
Under “Drain the Swamp,” the Trump document pledges to “freeze bureaucrat hiring except in essential areas” and to withdraw an “unprecedented slate of executive orders” from previous presidents. And to “Bring Back American Values,” Trump is promising to “establish male and female as biological reality” and rename U. S. landmarks “to appropriately honor our Nation’s history. “.
Read the document.
5 hours ago.
JD Vance was sworn in as the vice president of the United States by Justice Brett Kavanaugh. He became the nation’s 50th vice president and the third from the state of Ohio.
Vance used a family Bible that belonged to his maternal great-grandmother from eastern Kentucky. It was presented to him by his “Mamaw” Bonnie Blanton Vance in 2003, when he left home for the Marine Corps.
five hours before.
Klobuchar says inauguration a sign of democracy’s endurance.
Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn. ), who serves as chair of the Inaugural Ceremony Committee, teed off the group of speakers ahead of Trump’s inauguration.
After a Democratic-led campaign framed around Donald Trump being the most significant threat to democracy the country faces, one Democratic lawmaker is changing her tone.
Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn. ), who serves as chair of the Inaugural Ceremony Committee, teed off the group of speakers ahead of Trump’s inauguration, the first Democrat to speak at the ceremony.
“Our theme this year is our enduring democracy,” the Minnesota senator said.
“The presence of so many presidents and vice presidents here today is truly a testament to that endurance,” she added, looking away from the president-elect, and toward the outgoing president, Joe Biden, and former commanders in chief.
5 hours ago.
6 hours ago.
Joe Biden pardons several family members.
Biden announced the pardons in a last batch of clemency decisions just before Donald Trump took the oath of office.
6 hours ago.
6 hours ago.
Former presidents, members of Congress, family members — and billionaires — are piling into the Capitol Rotunda ahead of Donald Trump’s oath of office.
President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, as well as former Presidents Barack Obama, George W. Bush and Bill Clinton all walked in, to rounds of applause. Notably, Obama was not accompanied by his wife, former first lady Michelle Obama.
The Trump family, including incoming first lady Melana Trump, children Donald Jr. , Eric, Ivanka, Tiffany and Barron, as well as several Trump grandchildren are all in the crowd.
Sitting in front of many assumptive Cabinet members and members of Congress were tech billionaires Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, Mark Zuckerberg and Tim Cook.
6 hours ago.
7 hours ago.
7 hours ago.
7 hours ago.
VIP spectators are starting to file into the Rotunda. Among the early arrivals are Joint Chiefs Chair Gen. C. Q. Brown, Sen. Mitch McConnell, soon-to-be-ex-DOGE co-chair Vivek Ramaswamy and incoming White House chief of staff Susie Wiles.
Also spotted taking seats in the primo real estate: media titan Rupert Murdoch, former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani and longtime GOP political consultant Frank Luntz.
Meanwhile, House Republicans were supposed to line up by seniority to file out of the House floor and into the Rotunda for the swearing-in. But Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene and several other members jumped to the front of the line, provoking audible outcry from some fellow Republicans.
“Some people just can’t follow the rules,” one GOP member said.
7 hours ago.
Trump isn’t the first president to take the oath indoors. (Maybe William Henry Harrison should’ve, though).
Freezing temperatures moved Trump’s swearing-in inside.
Donald Trump and JD Vance dodged what would have been a frigid swearing-in ceremony this afternoon.
Trump moved the inaugural festivities inside the Capitol Rotunda citing weather concerns, he announced in a post Friday on Truth Social. He said an “Arctic blast” threatened “dangerous conditions” and “severe record lows” for the thousands of supporters, law enforcement and first responders expected to attend the event. (Indeed, it’s currently a balmy 23 degrees in the nation’s capital. ).
Other presidents, too, have taken a similar weather-minded approach.
Ronald Reagan was sworn in a second time inside in 1985, when the temperature in Washington was only 7 degrees. And in 1909, William Howard Taft’s ceremony was forced indoors due to a storm that dropped 10 inches of snow throughout the city. Despite the freezing temperatures, wind, snow and sleet, a large crowd gathered in front of the Capitol to view the inauguration before the ceremony moved inside.
Famously, America’s ninth president wasn’t as cautious.
In 1841, William Henry Harrison delivered the longest inaugural speech in U. S. history — coming in at 8,445 words over 1 hour and 40 minutes — without a coat. It was 48 degrees.
According to Harrison’s secretary at the time, Harrison opted for no overcoat or gloves. An attempt to show his masculine side? Who knows. A month later, he succumbed to pneumonia, which many credit to his unpreparedness the day of his inauguration.
7 hours ago.
Trump to declare national energy emergency, reverse Biden rules.
Presidents have wide latitude to invoke executive powers through national emergency declarations.
President Donald Trump announced on Monday he will declare a national energy emergency to drive up U. S. oil and gas output, a move he said would bring down energy prices and boost exports to countries around the world.
The “energy emergency” is one of several executive orders Trump will sign on Monday that he has repeatedly foreshadowed in recent speeches. It marks the launch of his policy that aims to make the U. S. — already the world’s biggest oil and gas producer — “energy dominant” by unwinding the Biden administration’s clean energy efforts that the new president has blamed for stoking inflation, which he said would be a focus for his cabinet.
“I will also declare a national energy emergency. We will drill, baby, drill. ” he said, to applause at his swearing-in ceremony. “America will be a manufacturing nation once again, and we have something that no other manufacturing nation will ever have — the largest amount of oil and gas of any country on Earth and we are going to use it. “.
Trump also implicitly criticized Biden for tapping the nation’s Strategic Petroleum Reserve, which the former president used to help bring down gasoline prices after the market shock when Russian invaded Ukraine in 2022.
“We will bring prices down, fill our strategic reserves up again — right to the top — and export American energy all over the world,” Trump said. “We will be a rich nation again, and it is that liquid gold under our feet that will help to do it. “.
Biden had begun restoring that fuel backup — though it still has less oil in it than when his administration began — and Republicans have eyed sales from the reserve to help pay for their sweeping budget reconciliation package.
U. S. oil and gas output reached the highest levels in history during former President Joe Biden’s term, surpassing the then-record reached during Trump’s first administration. While U. S. oil output has surged in the past 15 years to surpass rivals like Saudi Arabia and Russia because of the advent of fracking, countries like Venezuela, Saudi Arabia and Canada are among those that are all believed to hold larger untapped oil reserves.
The drive to increase energy output, however, does not extend to renewable energy, and the White House said in a press statement that Trump would halt new federal leases for wind power.
Trump held the first federal offshore wind lease sale in U. S. history during his first term and the energy source has delivered billions of dollars in federal revenues through auctions. But Trump has pledged to cut support for the technology, including through clean energy incentives in the Inflation Reduction Act.
The White House in a press release also said the U. S. would withdraw from the 2015 Paris climate agreement for a second time. It takes one year for a full exit, which would make the U. S. sole country outside the 200-nation compact to reduce greenhouse gas emissions that drive climate change.
While presidents have wide latitude to invoke executive powers through national emergency declarations, it is unclear which statutes or authorities Trump would rely on to promote new energy production and infrastructure development. His first administration weighed declaring an emergency to keep afloat struggling power plants that use coal, the power grid’s most carbon-intensive fuel, but ultimately backed off the plan.
Biden rebuffed calls during his term from environmental advocates to issue a national climate emergency, though he leaned on the Defense Production Act — which grants the president wartime powers to address national security threats — to spur production of clean power technologies like heat pumps and solar power.
An official with the Trump team told reporters on a call earlier Monday that Trump’s orders would address access to critical minerals that are an essential component of technologies like battery production and manufacturing to bolster U. S. industries and alleviate dependence on countries like China.
“Critical minerals are so crucial to our national security,” the official said. “They are the building blocks of so much of our technology, and that’s incorporated within the definition of energy here and energy abundance and the natural resources that these executive orders will unlock again. ”.
The official noted Trump with his executive orders intends to signal the start of regulatory processes to reverse the Biden administration’s energy policies, some of which Trump referenced in his inaugural address.
The official said that includes ending vehicle fuel economy standards intended to drive a shift toward electric vehicles, efforts to promote energy development, mining and liquefied natural gas exports in Alaska and scrap energy efficiency mandates on consumer items like gas stoves and dishwashers.
“You’ll be able to buy the car of your choice in America,” Trump said, alluding to his repeated claim Biden had imposed an electric-vehicle mandate on U. S. consumers. Biden’s EPA tightened fuel economy rules, though the rules did not require full adoption of electric vehicles.
The actions are designed to lower energy prices that “permeate every single part of our economy,” the official said, framing the policies as an antidote to inflation that has raised everyday costs. The official also positioned more energy as a boon to emerging industries like artificial intelligence, whose energy needs are contributing to increasing U. S. electricity demand and stress on the grid.
While Trump has pledged to cut gasoline prices in half, the official declined to predict when consumers would see the effects of the executive actions.
“The president is taking these actions as soon as possible here on day one so that we can lower prices as soon as possible for the American people,” the official said.
7 hours ago.
Mike Waltz officially resigned from his House seat Monday, hours before he is set to become President-elect Donald Trump’s national security adviser. The role doesn’t require Senate confirmation.
Waltz’s departure further thins Speaker Mike Johnson’s tight majority, with 218 Republicans to 215 Democrats. Already one GOP seat is vacant due to the resignation of Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla. ) last year, and Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-N. Y. ) is expected to resign in the coming weeks once confirmed as United Nations ambassador. Special elections will be held to fill those seats starting in April.
7 hours ago.
Ramaswamy will leave DOGE.
He’s expected to kick off his gubernatorial bid next week.
Vivek Ramaswamy is out at Donald Trump’s so-called Department of Government Efficiency.
Ramaswamy, the entrepreneur who was tapped by the president-elect to co-lead his cost-cutting efforts with Elon Musk, is leaving the initiative to run for governor of Ohio, according to a person close to him who was granted anonymity to speak freely.
Ramaswamy’s exit clears the path for Musk, the top donor and confidant to Trump, to run the show at DOGE. The departure also follows Ramaswamy irking some Republicans in MAGA world.
POLITICO reported Sunday that Ramaswamy could resign from DOGE before launching a bid. Ramaswamy also met with Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine this month about filling the Senate seat vacated by Vice President-elect JD Vance, but DeWine passed over him in favor of his Lt. Gov. Jon Husted.
The person close to Ramaswamy said he expects to kick off his gubernatorial bid next week.
7 hours ago.
As ever in D.C. , proximity is power. And that is being thrust into sharp relief inside the Capitol given the mere 600 seats inside the Rotunda, the site of the swearing-in.
The roughly 7,200-square-foot space under the dome remains mostly empty at this hour, but the cavernous overflow room in the Capitol Visitor Center underneath is starting to fill up. Some 1,800 folding chairs have been set up there facing jumbo screens.
Many of the seats are marked for spouses of lawmakers and other distinguished guests. One prominent Democrat was spotted in the room — New York Mayor Eric Adams — along with online influencers Logan and Jake Paul, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, Trump adviser Alex Bruesewitz and ultimate fighting champion Conor McGregor.
Still unclear is whether lawmakers themselves will end up watching in the basement. One congressional staffer in the Rotunda told us it was inevitable given the limited seating: “Members are going to be pissed when they get here. “.
8 hours ago.
Trump to try to remove ‘nonbinary’ and ‘other’ genders.
The incoming administration plans to release an order today.
An executive order that would rewrite federal policy regarding what constitutes an acceptable gender is scheduled to be issued today by the Trump administration.
The White House will instruct the State Department and Department of Homeland Security, as well as other agencies to remove “nonbinary” or “other” options from federal documents, including passports and visas, according to an incoming administration official.
Another component of the order will pertain to “privacy and intimate spaces,” aimed at eliminating transgender women being housed in prisons or migrant shelters for their preferred gender identity.
Another order announced Monday, which the person noted as “very fitting” falling on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, involves “ending radical and wasteful government DEI programs. ”.
The order ends several diversity training programs within the federal government, the official noted. It would call for “dismantling the DEI bureaucracy,” including ending environmental justice programs, equity related grants and equity initiatives.
8 hours ago.
Trump pursues birthright citizenship order today.
While there were few details on how sweeping Trump’s action will be, it is likely to immediately face legal challenges.
The Trump administration plans to issue today an executive order intended to end birthright citizenship, a move that would exclude the children of undocumented immigrants from the right to citizenship by birth that is established under the 14th Amendment, incoming White House officials said Monday hours ahead of Donald Trump’s inauguration.
While there were few details on how sweeping Trump’s action will be, it is likely to immediately face legal challenges.
The attempt to end birthright citizenship is just one of several actions that incoming administration officials previewed Monday morning. Among the 10 border-focused executive actions, Trump will increase immigration enforcement authorities, declare a national emergency at the southern border, end “catch and release,” resume construction of the border wall and move to resurrect Remain in Mexico, a policy from his first term that required asylum seekers to wait in Mexico for their cases to be processed, according to a Trump official.
Trump also plans to “clarify the military’s role in protecting the territorial integrity of the United States” and direct agencies to provide recommendations for the suspension of entry for nationals of countries of concern. He will also suspend refugee resettlement for at least four months.
Other executive actions include a directive to further restrict asylum using 212(f) of the Immigration and Nationality Act and designating a series of drug cartels as foreign terrorist organizations. Trump will also direct the attorney general to seek capital punishment for the murder of law enforcement and capital crimes committed by undocumented immigrants.
The plans speak to Trump’s efforts to make good on an issue that has defined his political career. With Monday’s executive orders, the incoming president hopes to send the message that the border is closed to illegal crossings and that anyone living in the U. S. unauthorized, especially those who have committed crimes, will be deported.
Polling suggests Americans want more immigration controls but some of Trump’s more hardline policies — including family separation — provoked a backlash during his first term. And many of his executive actions could face legal and logistical hurdles.
“It’s our duty to the American people to get control of the untenable situation we inherited. As such, the president and his team today will immediately prioritize tackling the national security and public safety threats that have resulted from our open border,” a Trump official said.
8 hours ago.
Donald Trump is attending a service at St. John’s Episcopal Church, the start of a busy Inauguration Day.
Trump, in a dark suit, was accompanied by Melania Trump and son Barron Trump as he entered the church.
Spotted in the crowd were tech billionaires Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg and Jeff Bezos. Rep. Michael Waltz (R-Fla. ), Trump’s incoming national security adviser, Ivanka Trump, Lara Trump, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. , Tulsi Gabbard, as well as European leaders Argentinian President Javier Milei and former UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson, were also among the crowd at the service.
After the service, Trump will travel to the White House to meet with the Biden’s for coffee and tea.
9 hours ago.
TikTok celebrates Trump inauguration, over and over.
With the company on the line, TikTok could not thank Trump enough.
After going offline for less than a day, TikTok got back online and started its first weekend goodwill tour, targeting incoming President Donald Trump, whom the video-sharing app hopes will save it in the long run.
CEO Shou Chew was spotted at pre-inauguration prayers Monday, a capstone on a weekend of parties in honor of the president-elect.
On Sunday, TikTok contributed $50,000 to a party in honor of Gen Z Trump supporters and his biggest social media allies. TikTok’s lobbyist Mac Abrams made his rounds, and guests including Trump campaign adviser Alex Bruesewitz and Republican political activist Scott Presler rubbed elbows with former British Prime Minister Liz Truss and boxer Scott McGregor.
“If anyone can negotiate a deal that keeps TikTok alive while simultaneously protecting the data of the American people, it’s President Trump,” Bruesewitz told the crowd.
The party’s other sponsors were Kalshi, which recently named Donald Trump Jr. as a strategic adviser, and the American Conservation Coalition.
The night before, TikTok hosted Trump-aligned influencers and other guests to watch a Washington Capitals hockey game from a suite in the Capital One Arena.
Advisers to Trump have discussed having the incoming president sign an executive order to rescue the app shortly after he’s sworn in.
The overtures to Trumpworld capped a tumultuous weekend in which TikTok shut down, then restored service to U. S. customers on Sunday after the Supreme Court upheld a law forcing its sale or ban, and the incoming president promised he’d somehow grant the company a reprieve.
TikTok punctuated the drama with notes of appreciation to Trump.
Following the high court decision Friday, Chew thanked Trump in a TikTok, saying, “We are grateful and pleased to have the support of a president who truly understands our platform” and adding, “more to come. ”.
When the app revoked access for its U. S. users on Saturday night, it said in a pop-up message, “We are fortunate that President Trump has indicated that he will work with us on a solution to reinstate TikTok once he takes office. ”.
It once again name-checked the incoming president when it restored service a day later, saying in a statement, “We thank President Trump for providing the necessary clarity and assurance to our service providers that they will face no penalties. ”.
The love was mutual.
“We need to save TikTok because we’re talking about a tremendous audience that goes to TikTok,” Trump said at a rally he held Sunday at Capital One Arena.
TikTok and Trump’s team have been speaking directly about how to move forward, two people granted anonymity to discuss private discussions told POLITICO.
Those conversations have been focused on finding a privacy and data security solution that appeases some of the national security concerns that were cited by the Supreme Court, one of the people said.
The incoming president proposed the idea of a joint venture for TikTok, with the U. S. owning 50 percent, but it raised a raft of legal questions.
Meanwhile, the influencers who attended Sunday’s party were eager to be part of a critical national conversation — albeit with some whiplash.
“I wouldn’t be here without this,” said a TikToker who goes by the name Chelly and does Vivek Ramaswamy impressions on the platform. “All of the sudden the [app] shut down and then all of the sudden it came back all in one weekend. It feels like a toxic ex. ”.
9 hours ago.
Speaker Mike Johnson said in a brief interview Monday morning that his team is still trying to fit every Republican member of Congress in the Capitol Rotunda today — though staff are privately acknowledging there won’t be enough room.
“I think we’ll fit all the members. We’re working on it,” Johnson said.
Staff are scrambling after Trump made a last minute decision to hold his Inauguration inside. Trump’s second term signals a frantic return of the former president, though he’ll need to navigate a razor-thin House GOP majority to get any of his vast legislative agenda through.
“It’s exciting day. We’re ready to get this going,” Johnson added. “It’s been a long time coming, a long four years. “.
9 hours ago.
As always in Washington, proximity is power. And not every member of Congress will fit in the Rotunda. One staffer told me “members are going to be pissed when they get here. “.
The staffer said they had to call folks and tell them about the new restriction of tickets inside (including for reporters). Some have even cried because of all the resources they spent getting here.
The overflow room has around 1,800 seats with a huge monitor and will be where most people, including lawmakers, watch the inauguration.
9 hours ago.
Here’s the schedule for Trump’s Inauguration Day.
Donald Trump will be sworn in as the 47th president of the United States, and Joe Biden will begin life as a private citizen after more than five decades in public office.
We’ve made it to Inauguration Day — a time-honored tradition of pomp and circumstance that will see Donald Trump sworn in as the 47th president of the United States.
Here’s what you can expect during this frigid day in Washington.
The morning: The day will begin for Trump with a service at the historic St. John’s Church standing just outside the White House grounds. Trump will then meet with President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden in the White House for tea — a tradition in the transfer of power Trump bucked when handing the presidency to Biden in 2020.
Around 12 p. m. ET: Trump will be sworn in at a ceremony in the U. A. Capitol Rotunda (it was moved indoors on Friday due to the dangerously low temperatures). Led by Chief Justice John Roberts, Trump will take the oath of office on the Lincoln Bible and on a Bible gifted to him by his mother in 1955. Vice President-elect JD Vance will take the oath just before Trump on a Bible that belonged to his great grandmother.
After that, Trump will give his inaugural speech, during which he is anticipated to outline his plans for the nation and outline his initial objectives for his second term as its president.
Trump’s inaugural event will be livestreamed at the Capital One Arena in Washington, which will be open for a live viewing event.
Following Trump’s remarks, the Bidens will leave the Capitol to begin their lives as private citizens, capping off Joe Biden’s more than five-decade career in public office.
In the President’s Room just off the Senate Chamber, Trump will take his first official actions as president, signing nominations and, potentially, the first of his slew of expected executive orders to slash Biden-era policies. He’ll also attend a lunch hosted by lawmakers in the Capitol.
2:30 p. m. ET: After lunch comes the inaugural parade, which was also moved inside Capital One Arena. Trump said he will join the crowd.
Trump will then return to the Oval Office after four years and will hold another signing ceremony for his Day One actions.
Tonight: Trump is expected to attend and deliver remarks at the three official inaugural balls: the Commander in Chief Ball, the Liberty Inaugural Ball and the Starlight Ball.
10 hours ago.
Biden pardons Fauci, Milley, and Jan in advance. 6 Committee and others.
The pardons shield some of Donald Trump’s biggest political foes from prosecution just hours before his inauguration.
10 hours ago.
Welcome to Inauguration Day. Here’s a look inside the Capitol where Trump will be sworn in.
The event was moved indoors due to Washington’s winter weather.
Good morning from the Capitol Rotunda.
In just a few hours this room will be filled with members of Congress, Supreme Court justices, former presidents, first ladies, vice presidents, and other dignitaries. And of course Vice President-elect JD Vance and President-elect Donald Trump.
The affair is much smaller than a typical inauguration due to the weather outside, so instead of thousands of screaming supporters, we have a few hundred seats in the Rotunda and an overflow room where people who didn’t make the cut will watch Trump get inaugurated.
I got a peek at the program and here are the highlights:.
• Sen. Amy Klobuchar will call everything to order.
• Cardinal Timothy Dolan will do a prayer.
• Christopher Macchio will sing “O, America!”.
• Justice Brett Kavanaugh will swear in Vance.
• Carrie Underwood will sing “America the Beautiful,” and then Chief Justice John Roberts will swear in Trump.
• There will be three different benedictions, the national anthem and then that’s a wrap inside the rotunda.
It’s been a flurry of activity this morning and multiple staffers in here have remarked about how difficult all the changes have made this event. We haven’t had an inauguration inside since Ronald Reagan’s second swearing in — so the cobwebs are definitely being felt this morning. Trump will then deliver his his inaugural address.