Exclusive: Watchdog finds Hegseth risked endangering troops by sharing sensitive war plans on Signal, sources say  —  Pete Hegseth Federal agencies US military  —  Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth risked compromising sensitive military information, which could have endangered American troops …

Pentagon knew boat attack left survivors but still launched a follow-on strike, AP sources say  —  The Pentagon knew there were survivors after a September attack on an alleged drug boat in the Caribbean Sea and the U.S. military still carried out a follow-up strike, according to two people familiar with the matter.

Republican Anger Erupts at Johnson as Party Frets About Future … Representative Elise Stefanik of New York called Speaker Mike Johnson a habitual liar.  —  Representative Nancy Mace of South Carolina has told people she is so frustrated with the Louisiana Republican and sick of the way he has run …

Ranking Member Robert Garcia Statement on Production of Photos and Videos from Epstein's Island  —  Washington, D.C. — Today, Rep. Robert Garcia, Ranking Member of the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, released the following statement after receiving never-before-seen photos …

Trump Returns to Gasoline as Fuel of Choice for Cars, Gutting Biden's Climate Policy  —  The president said he would weaken Biden-era mileage standards, which were designed to increase electric-vehicle sales, calling them a “scam.”  —  President Trump on Wednesday threw the weight …

Donald Trump to pardon Texas Democrat Henry Cuellar  —  Cuellar had faced a dozen charges of bribery, money laundering and conspiracy.  On Wednesday, he filed for reelection as a Democrat, quieting speculation that he migh switch parties.  —  TAKE OUR CONTENT — PLEASE!

The Operator  —  It is a rare thing to see Josh Shapiro sweat.  For all the grief the Pennsylvania governor gets for imitating Barack Obama—the staggered cadence, the side-of-the-mouth delivery for effect—their essential shared trait is self-possession.  If Pennsylvania's governor has a superpower …

Trump pardons former top entertainment executive who was charged by his own Justice Department  —  Federal agencies Donald Trump  —  President Donald Trump issued a “full and unconditional pardon” for Oak View Group co-founder Tim Leiweke, who was indicted by the president's own Justice Department earlier …

'I'm a U.S. citizen.' Agents pull woman from car in Keys.  Feds said she wouldn't show ID  —  A woman in medical scrubs who was driving on U.S. 1 in the Florida Keys Wednesday morning was stopped by federal immigration agents and forcibly removed from her car, despite screaming she was an American citizen.

Survivors of Boat Strike Were Actively Continuing Drug Mission, Admiral to Tell Lawmakers  —  Commander of September attack to provide account of his role for the first time in closed briefing  —  WASHINGTON—Two survivors of a Sept. 2 U.S. strike on a boat in the Caribbean were killed …

Leaked memo exposes flimsy legal basis for Trump boat strikes  —  DOJ's classified, “legal authorization” for the missile attacks is beginning to collapse.  —  Today the administration's drug-boat scandal blew wide open — not because of a new strike, but because a leaked Justice Department memo shows …

Federal agents begin immigration operations in New Orleans and Minneapolis  —  The operations were launched a day after President Donald Trump said he'd be sending National Guard troops to New Orleans and disparaged Somali immigrants in Minneapolis.  —  The Trump administration launched …

Trump asserts executive privilege to thwart Jan. 6 lawsuit … It's unclear precisely which records Trump is attempting to keep out of the hands of the plaintiffs in the Jan. 6 lawsuit.  However, a White House spokesperson confirmed Wednesday that the president has decided to fight disclosure …

Jack Smith subpoenaed for closed-door House Judiciary interview  —  The House Judiciary Committee issued a subpoena to former special counsel Jack Smith, who led investigations into President Donald Trump, ordering him to appear at a closed-door session later this month.

“A sickening moral slum of an administration”  —  There is a temptation to describe what happened yesterday as somehow a “new low.”  Our somnolent, gibbering, incoherent, deeply corrupt President, surrounded by his fawning toadies, unleashed a torrent of dehumanizing racist bile, disinformation, and threats.

White House renames building the ‘Donald J. Trump Institute of Peace’  —  The change comes as Trump officials tout his peace deals and prepare to host leaders from Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo to sign an accord.  —  just now … President Donald Trump is eager to be recognized as a peacemaker.

Liberals: Stop the Masochism  —  Why liberalism romanticizes the Forgotten Man and is reluctant to take its own side in the fight against authoritarianism.  —  ∙ Paid  —  Tim had an interesting conversation with George Packer last week.  You should listen to it in its entirety.

November private payrolls unexpectedly fell by 32,000, led by steep small business job cuts, ADP reports … The U.S. labor market slowdown intensified in November as private companies cut 32,000 workers, with small businesses hit the hardest, payrolls processing firm ADP reported Wednesday.

Fired EPA employees challenge agency, alleging free speech violations  —  Former Environmental Protection Agency employees who were fired after signing a letter criticizing the Trump administration are now appealing their dismissals before the Merit Systems Protection Board.

New York Methodist Pastor Declares Himself Transgender: No More ‘Pretending to Be a Man’  —  A 51-year-old Methodist pastor in New York declared himself transgender before his congregation last week, saying he will give up “pretending to be a man.”  —  The viral video showed Rev. Phillip Phaneuf …

Lawmakers ask AG Pam Bondi for a status update on releasing the Epstein files  —  Five members of Congress spanning both parties and both chambers want a briefing by Friday on the Trump administration's progress in releasing the Epstein files.  —  WASHINGTON — Five members of Congress …