Trump speaks with Justice Alito amid push to halt criminal sentencing  —  Alito spoke to Trump to recommend an ex-clerk for a job in his administration.  —  President-elect Donald Trump speaks during a news conference at Mar-a-Lago, Jan. 7, 2024, in Palm Beach, Fla.

Taking Trump's imperialist trolling seriously (for a moment)  —  We've come a long way from bringing down egg prices.  —  ∙ Paid  —  Speaking as someone who's been covering Trump for nine years now, paying attention to what he's doing instead of obsessing over what he's saying is generally a good rule of thumb.

Biden postpones Italy trip amid raging Los Angeles fires  —  President Biden will no longer travel to Italy this weekend as fires rage in Los Angeles County, the White House said Wednesday.  —  “After returning this evening from Los Angeles, where earlier today he had met with police …

Wildfire response threatens to end Karen Bass' extended honeymoon  —  The Los Angeles mayor returned home from Ghana on Wednesday and said she was in “constant contact” while abroad.  —  LOS ANGELES — Karen Bass probably has second thoughts about that trip to Ghana.

Jimmy Carter's casket leaves for funeral at Washington National Cathedral  —  Jimmy Carter will be honored in Washington one last time Thursday, with a state funeral for the former president before a flight back home to be buried.  Public visitation at the U.S. Capitol ended Thursday morning.

Elon Musk says DOGE probably won't find $2 trillion in federal budget cuts  —  Musk previously said his Department of Government Efficiency would be able to recommend cuts to the federal budget of “at least $2 trillion.”  —  Tech billionaire Elon Musk said Wednesday that his budget-cutting effort …

Republicans on North Carolina Supreme Court block certification of Democratic justice's election victory  —  On Monday, Congress certified the results of the 2024 presidential election in routine fashion.  Some concluded that, due to Trump's victory, there would be no attacks on the democratic process this year.

Trump Is Poised to Turn the DOJ Into His Personal Law Firm … No president has ever attempted to do what Donald Trump now proposes to do—assemble a small team of former personal attorneys and install it at the highest levels of the Department of Justice.  The president-elect first named lawyers …

Prepare to Be Shocked: Los Angeles' Fire Chief Is a DEI-Obsessed ‘LGBTQ’ Woman Who Wasted Millions  —  In perhaps the most unexpected, shocking revelation to come out of the devastating Los Angeles wildfires, it turns out their Fire Chief is an “LGBTQ+” woman who is obsessed with DEI.

The '90s weren't that great  —  Nostalgia isn't what it used to be  —  Today's guest post is from the author of Cartoons Hate Her, a Substack about social dynamics (including parenting, marriage, sex and friendship) from the hybrid mind of a terminally online sicko and a normie liberal mom.

Billy Long, Trump's pick to lead IRS, pushed a tax credit that raises red flags, Sen. Warren says  —  Billy Long, President-elect Donald Trump's pick to run the IRS, is facing questions about his qualifications to lead the tax agency from Sen. Elizabeth Warren, a Democrat from Massachusetts who serves on the Senate's Finance Committee.

Musk to host German far-right leader on X, stirs angst about election meddling  —  Elon Musk will host the leader of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) on X on Thursday, stoking concerns in Berlin and Brussels about possible meddling by the U.S. billionaire in campaigning for Germany's Feb. 23 national election.

Zelenskiy Urges Allies Not to ‘Drop the Ball’ on War Support  — Ahead of Trump inauguration, Ukrainian leader presses case  — Austin, at last Ramstein meeting, confirms $500 million in aid  —  Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy made a plea to press on with support …

Disgraced former US Rep. George Santos granted 3-month delay in sentencing for fraud and ID theft  —  Disgraced former congressman George Santos, facing a federal prison sentence, has won a few months' freedom to come up with more than half a million dollars in court fines — including from work on his new podcast.

Robert F Kennedy Jr accused of voter fraud over New York ballot  —  Watchdog files complaint after Trump nominee cast vote from address court ruled was not his place of residence  —  Robert F Kennedy Jr has been accused of committing voter fraud in November's presidential election by casting …

Trump transition considering D.C.-area showcase immigration raid in first days of administration  —  The raid under consideration would target immigrants allegedly living in the U.S. illegally at a workplace in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area.  —  The incoming Trump administration …

Musk examines how to oust Starmer as UK prime minister before next election  —  Technology billionaire interested in building support for another political party, notably Reform UK  —  Elon Musk has privately discussed with allies how Sir Keir Starmer could be removed as UK prime minister …

As L.A. burns, Trump blames Newsom — and California governor pushes back  —  The president-elect sought to blame the climate-change-exacerbated crisis in Southern California on the state's water management.  Experts disputed his claims.

Trump urges Republican senators to stick together on his Cabinet picks  —  President-elect Donald Trump, during a meeting Wednesday night on Capitol Hill, urged Senate Republicans to stick together during the confirmation process for his Cabinet picks.  Hearings begin next week …

Hawaii Gov: RFK Jr.'s Anti-Vax Misinformation Left Dozens Of Kids Dead In Samoa  —  The Senate is poised to make “an absolute life-or-death decision” in confirming Kennedy as HHS secretary, warned Gov. Josh Green, who is also a physician.  —  LOADING  —  WASHINGTON — Hawaii Gov. Josh Green …

Japanese Yakuza Leader Pleads Guilty to Nuclear Materials Trafficking, Narcotics, and Weapons Charges  —  For Immediate Release  —  Takeshi Ebisawa, 60, of Japan, pleaded guilty in Manhattan, New York, today to conspiring with a network of associates to traffic nuclear materials …