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Biden administration has no plans to fine companies if TikTok ban goes into effect — A ban on the popular app is set to start on Sunday, although the Supreme Court could rule at any time on whether to uphold it. — WASHINGTON — The Biden administration does not plan to levy billions …
Discussion:
Reason, Iowa Capital Dispatch, Forbes, RTI Radio Taiwan International and Music Ally
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Sophia Cai / Politico:
TikTok to sponsor Trump inauguration party
TikTok to sponsor Trump inauguration party
Discussion:
@amuse, Washington Examiner and New York Times

Giuliani Keeps His Home in Settlement of Defamation Case — The former mayor of New York City was at risk of forfeiting his sole remaining home, a Palm Beach apartment, to election workers he defamed after the 2020 vote. — Rudolph W. Giuliani has reached a settlement with two Georgia election workers …
Discussion:
New York Daily News, Associated Press, DNyuz, UPI, Politico, Raw Story, Business Insider, Washington Post, Forbes, The Post Millennial and Progress Pond
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The Washington Post's New Mission: Reach ‘All of America’ — This week, The Post began trying out a new mission statement: “Riveting Storytelling for All of America.” — After Donald J. Trump entered the White House in 2017, The Washington Post adopted a slogan that underscored …
Discussion:
The Independent, HotAir, The Present Age, Truthout, The Register, The Hill, Instapundit, The Gateway Pundit, CNN, Twitchy and The Contrarian, more at Mediagazer »

Eric Adams Heads to Mar-a-Lago to Meet With Trump — The New York mayor, who is under federal indictment, has spoken warmly about President-elect Donald J. Trump in recent weeks and has said he is open to receiving a pardon from him. — Mayor Eric Adams of New York City was on his way to Florida …
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Axios, The Hill, The official website …, New York Magazine, USA Today, New York Post, Raw Story, New York Daily News, ABC News, Mediaite, abc7NY and Washington Examiner
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I knew one day I'd have to watch powerful men burn the world down - I just didn't expect them to be such losers — Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg's desperation to be cool as they suck up to Donald Trump is so cringe it makes my skin crawl — I don't know if anyone else has noticed …
Discussion:
Raw Story

Biden says he spent too much time on policy, not enough on politics — President Biden said that he spent too much time on policy and not enough time on politics while reflecting on his presidency in his final interview just days away from leaving office. — Biden sat down with MSNBC host …
Discussion:
Washington Examiner, HuffPost, New York Post, Raw Story, Deseret News, PoliticusUSA and Deadline
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Mike Johnson faces bipartisan shock, fury for ousting Intel chair … - Turner's replacement is Rep. Rick Crawford (R-Ark.), who is closer to MAGA world on issues like Ukraine, Axios' Hans Nichols reported. … - “This is not a President Trump decision. … - “It's a new Congress.
Discussion:
The Hill, Breitbart, Daily Kos, USA Today, Esquire, New York Post, Talking Points Memo, HuffPost, Plain Dealer, ABC News, NPR, Bloomberg, NBC News, Mediaite and Politico
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Politico:
Rep. Rick Crawford expected to serve as House Intelligence chair
Rep. Rick Crawford expected to serve as House Intelligence chair
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The Daily Beast, NBC News, Washington Examiner, Roll Call, Raw Story, Associated Press, DNyuz, The Hill, ArkansasTimes, New Republic, The Independent, Mediaite, Daily Kos, Axios, Speaker of the House …, Washington Times, American Greatness, Breitbart, UPI, CBS News, ABC News, Bloomberg and Scripps News

Far-right state senator arrested for trying to enter the Georgia House — State Sen. Colton Moore last year was banned from House chambers by the speaker. — A northwest Georgia senator was arrested Thursday after he refused to abide by a ban on entering the House chamber made by the speaker last year …
Discussion:
HuffPost, Raw Story, The Gateway Pundit, New York Post, al.com and The Hill
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Stephen Miller, Channeling Trump, Has Built More Power Than Ever … In less than a decade, Stephen Miller has risen from an anti-immigrant agitator on Capitol Hill to one of the most powerful unelected people in America.Doug Mills/The New York Times — When Stephen Miller met with Mark Zuckerberg …
Discussion:
Politico, New York Post, Raw Story and Fox News, more at Techmeme »

FBI closed DEI office in December, agency says — EXCLUSIVE: The FBI has closed its DEI office, Fox News can confirm. — “In recent weeks, the FBI took steps to close the Office of Diversity and Inclusion (ODI), effective by December 2024,” the agency told Fox News Digital on Thursday.

Trump Picks a Jet-Setting Pal of Elon Musk to Go Get Greenland — Negotiations over an 836,000-square-mile island may fall to a close friend of Elon Musk with experience in deal-making. Just not that kind of deal-making. — Ken Howery is a quiet, unassuming tech investor who prioritizes discretion.
Discussion:
Townhall

An Expert in Grand Strategy Thinks Trump Is on to Something — Do you want a future in which Canada defects to the EU, Russia rules the Arctic and China runs Latin America? That's the default outcome of non-action. — Our inbound president Donald Trump generates torrents of diplomatic angst …

Trump's official portrait released - and it looks like his mugshot — Unlike his smiling photo from his first term, Trump is seen glaring at the camera like he does in the image taken at Fulton County Jail — The official US presidential and vice-presidential portraits of Donald Trump …
Discussion:
PinkNews, Digby's Hullabaloo, USA Today, HuffPost, Sky News Australia, The Guardian, New York Daily News, Metro.co.uk, The Independent, Fox News, Twitchy and ABC News
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Avery Lotz / Axios:
Trump team brags new presidential portraits “go hard”
Trump team brags new presidential portraits “go hard”
Discussion:
CNBC, Raw Story, New Republic, The Sun, Breitbart, Daily Kos, RedState, The Hill, New York Post and The Gateway Pundit

Trump's Billionaire Treasury Pick Stresses Importance of Tax Cuts for Billionaires — Scott Bessent outlined his plan to enrich the rich and screw the poor during his confirmation hearing before the Senate Banking Committee — President-elect Donald Trump's Treasury Secretary pick …
Discussion:
CNBC, Townhall, New York Times, Nebraska Examiner, NOTUS, Fox Business, NPR, freebeacon.com, DNyuz, Breitbart, Raw Story, Bloomberg, Democrats, The Hill, New Republic, New York Post, RedState, UPI, Mediaite, Truthout, Reuters, Politico, Roll Call and Washington Examiner
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Emily Wilkins / CNBC:
These five Republicans are ready to derail Trump's tax cuts over the SALT cap
These five Republicans are ready to derail Trump's tax cuts over the SALT cap
Discussion:
New York Post and Politico

Ex-CNN Analyst Tears Into Jill Biden For Being ‘Driving Force’ Behind Her Husband's Decision To Run Again — Former CNN political analyst Chris Cillizza criticized First Lady Jill Biden Thursday for her role in President Joe Biden's decision to run for reelection in 2024.
Discussion:
IJR, acecomments.mu.nu, HuffPost, New York Daily News and Fox News
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Ross O'Keefe / Washington Examiner:
Jill Biden rethinks relationship with Pelosi after ousting: ‘Disappointing’
Jill Biden rethinks relationship with Pelosi after ousting: ‘Disappointing’
Discussion:
Megyn Kelly, Fox News, DNyuz, Twitchy, Townhall, One America News Network, RedState, freebeacon.com, USA Today, HuffPost and Politico

Scoop: Trump team sweats McConnell's vote on Tulsi Gabbard … - Gabbard's team isn't banking on McConnell's vote, sources tell Axios. — McConnell is studiously avoiding public or private indications that he'll support Trump's nominees, three people familiar with the matter tell Axios.
Discussion:
New Jersey Online, Raw Story, Townhall and Washington Examiner

Trump's attorney general pick owned at least $3.9 million in Truth Social stock and made $1 million as a lobbyist last year — Pam Bondi owned $3.9 million in Truth Social stock as of mid-December, per financial documents. — She also earned more than $1 million last year from lobbying.

Elon Musk to speak at Trump's inauguration weekend rally — The rally, which will be held in downtown Washington, D.C. on the day before Trump's inauguration ceremony, will also feature Hulk Hogan, Kid Rock and The Village People. — Elon Musk is among the opening speakers …
Discussion:
FOX 7 Austin, DNyuz, Fortune, Washington Examiner and Plain Dealer

The House Democrat who wants Trump to go big on tariffs — Most Democrats are preparing to criticize Trump's tariff policies as too far-reaching. Maine's Jared Golden says his party should embrace protectionism.
Discussion:
Kennebec Journal …

Judge who wanted to ban mifepristone refuses to dismiss case — The federal judge who unsuccessfully tried to ban the medication abortion drug mifepristone nationwide back in 2023 announced on Thursday that he is keeping a version of the case alive for now.

Moon added to list of threatened cultural sites for first time — Potential looting and commercial trips pose risk to artefacts left by lunar landings, says World Monuments Fund — The moon has been placed on a list of threatened heritage sites, owing to fears of potential looting and destruction caused by planned commercial trips.
Discussion:
Focus Taiwan and SPACE.com