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Iowa Republican U.S. Rep. Ashley Hinson defended Iowa Republican U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst against conservative criticism over Ernst’s hesitation to back Pete Hegseth, President-elect Donald Trump’s embattled pick to head the U.S. Department of Defense. Ernst declined Thursday to commit to supporting Hegseth, who faces allegations of sexual impropriety, financial mismanagement, public drunkenness and other personal misconduct. Hegseth has denied the allegations. Asked Friday during a conference call with reporters whether attacks over Ernst advocating for a thorough vetting before confirming Hegseth have been unfair, Hinson called Ernst a “fierce conservative fighter.” U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst talks about Rep. Ashley Hinson during Ashley Hinson’s BBQ Bash at Hawkeye Downs in Cedar Rapids, Iowa on Saturday, Aug. 3, 2024. (Savannah Blake/The Gazette) “She has dedicated her life to serving our Iowans and her country, and it is her constitutional duty to vet all of these nominees thoroughly, and I think that's what she is doing,” Hinson said. “That's what she has pledged to do. And also, by the way, doing some incredible work with DOGE to help cut government waste and abuse there.” People are also reading... Ernst late last month formed a caucus of Senate Republicans to involve Congress in discussions of spending cuts with tech billionaire Elon Musk and former GOP presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy. Trump picked the pair to head the new Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, an advisory body to Trump’s incoming administration. Ernst has embraced the DOGE goal of cutting $2 trillion in government spending. “So I can't think of a better person to helm that crucial caucus (and) help President Trump carry out his agenda,” Hinson said. “And I do think that we need to make sure we're giving every single nominee, no matter who it was — she did this in the minority, she is doing this in the majority — a thorough vetting.” Hinson, in a follow-up statement to The Gazette, called Hegseth “a strong pick.” “I was able to hear him speak earlier this week and think he will be a disruptor, end work DEI infecting our military, and cut through the endless bureaucracy at the Pentagon,” Hinson said. Ernst on Hegseth During a Fox News interview, Ernst said she had a “very frank and productive discussion” with Hegseth on Wednesday and that his vetting will continue. Ernst, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee and the first female combat veteran to be elected to the Senate, is seen as a swing vote and crucial barometer for Hegseth’s support among Senate Republicans. She has been rumored as a possible replacement for the post herself. Hegseth also has been critical of women serving in combat. Republicans will hold a slim 53-47 majority in the U.S. Senate next year, making each of the party’s votes crucial to approving Trump’s nominations to federal agency leadership positions. Ernst, a former officer in the Iowa National Guard and a sexual assault survivor who has made combating sexual assault and harassment in the military a key focus, told Real Clear Politics Phillip Wegmann on Thursday that while she has not yet made up her mind on Hegseth’s nomination, “I don’t have a campaign against Pete.” Ernst also told Real Clear Politics she is not seeking to be secretary of defense. “I’ve known Pete for a very long time,” Ernst said of Hegseth, a former Fox News host and Army National Guard veteran who served in Iraq and Afghanistan. “I really appreciated the time that he took to sit down with me and walk through a number of issues,” Ernst told Real Clear Politics, adding the pair discussed the misconduct allegations during their 45-minute sit-down. Ernst said Hegseth “deserves to have a hearing" before the Senate Armed Services Committee to ”recount his service and rebut any allegations.“ Trump on Friday made his first public show of support for Hegseth since the nominee began meeting with Republican senators amid the misconduct allegations. "Pete Hegseth is doing very well. His support is strong and deep," Trump posted on his social media platform Truth Social. “He was a great student — Princeton/Harvard educated — with a Military state of mind. He will be a fantastic, high energy, Secretary of Defense Defense, one who leads with charisma and skill. Pete is a WINNER, and there is nothing that can be done to change that,” Trump added. Conservative blowback Trump supporters and MAGA activists took to social media to accuse Ernst of working behind the scenes to sink the President-elect’s nominee, and threatened to support someone to challenger her for the GOP nomination should she run for reelection. Ernst this summer told Iowa reporters she intends to seek reelection to a third term in the Senate in 2026. Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk wrote on X, formerly Twitter: “We are learning a lot about Joni Ernst and the Senate establishment right now. Trump faithful are talking about finding a primary challenger. This is getting very serious.” Republican Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird, the first statewide elected official in Iowa to endorse Trump, recently told Breitbart: “What we’re witnessing in Washington right now is a Deep State attempt to undermine the will of the people.” Bob Vander Plaats, president and CEO of the Christian conservative group The Family Leader, posted to X: “Undermining his nomination is to be in denial of America's clear voice in the November 5 election.” House passes Hinson bill on Chinese trade violations The House earlier this week passed a bill Hinson sponsored to aid federal prosecution of trade-related crimes by Chinese companies. Companies based in the People’s Republic of China frequently violate U.S. trade laws, including trade fraud, forced labor and efforts to evade U.S. tariffs, which undermine U.S. companies and workers, Hinson said. Despite the large volume of trade crime-related cases, the U.S. Department of Justice lacks the resources to prosecute these crimes, she said. The legislation, which Hinson co-introduced, would establish a new task force within the Department of Justice to investigate and prosecute trade crimes and would require annual reports to Congress on those efforts. The legislation also would authorize training and technical assistance to other federal, state and local law enforcement agencies, “expanding investigations and prosecutions and allowing for parallel criminal and civil enforcement action,” Hinson said. “While tariffs are one tool in our tool kit to level the playing field, we also must enforce our trade laws and hold China accountable for repeated violations that have a catastrophic impact on American workers and industry,” Hinson told reporters Friday. Hinson cited the example of a Chinese auto manufacturer that was shipping its products to Thailand to avoid U.S. customs duties. She said the ripple effect led to layoffs at an Illinois company. “This is far from the only Chinese company taking action to exploit our trade system to bolster China's nonmarket economy, but this is crippling American industry and manufacturing, again, threatening workers wages and livelihoods and enabling slave labor in China,” Hinson said. Hinson said cracking down on unfair trade practices will help boost domestic manufacturing. Hinson, a Republican from Marion, serves on the House Select Committee on China and hopes to remain on the committee when the new Congress convenes in January. Get Government & Politics updates in your inbox! Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter.None
Marler to retire from rugby on Friday, a month after quitting international duty with England
The data show tariffs never fully delivered on Trump's promised factory jobs. Nor did they provoke the avalanche of inflation that critics feared.CAMBRIDGE, Mass. — Donald Trump and his team have spent much of this year’s presidential transition gratuitously laughing at their vanquished Democratic foes, as the president-elect prepares to begin implementing his openly authoritarian platform next month. At Harvard University’s Campaign Managers Conference, a tradition in which top campaign aides review what happened in the presidential election, Team Trump got a chance to yuk it up and laugh at top Kamala Harris and Joe Biden aides right to their faces. During panel conversations held on Friday in a conference room on the fifth floor of a Harvard Kennedy School building, Trump campaign co-chief Chris LaCivita twice mocked the idea that Team Harris ran a “flawless” campaign — an idea floated the night prior by a top aide to Harris. “Flawless execution,” he replied after Jen O’Malley Dillon, the Biden-turned-Harris campaign chair, said she didn’t expect the first debate, between Trump and Biden, would greatly alter the race. (The debate went so badly, and Biden looked and sounded so frail, that he dropped out.) Speaking with Rolling Stone , LaCivita confirmed the “flawless” lines were specifically referencing comments made by the Harris campaign’s chief of staff, Sheila Nix, who said Thursday that Harris ran a “pretty flawless campaign” that “hit all our marks.” Nix made the comments to a gathering of students, political operatives, and reporters at a Thursday dinner hosted by Harvard’s Institute of Politics. The moment she made that remark at the dinner, numerous faces in the room — both Democratic and Republican — perked up in disbelief. Several were clearly suppressing uncomfortable laughter. “I thought it was humorous, so I’m not gonna let that go,” LaCivita told Rolling Stone on Friday afternoon, suggesting that Team Harris is “creating this perception that they couldn’t do anything to change the trajectory.” “I’m not here to rub anybody’s face in it,” he said, adding: “They raised $1.5 billion in 107 days, and they never had a message. They were running triple [or] quadruple the amount of creatives every week that we were.” Editor’s picks The 100 Best TV Episodes of All Time The 250 Greatest Guitarists of All Time The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time The 200 Greatest Singers of All Time And yet, it was indeed being rubbed in their faces. For much of Friday afternoon, five senior staffers of Trump 2024 were seated at tables, positioned just several yards away from a row of crimson-draped tables occupied by a similar number of Team Harris advisers. As an audience of journalists and political consultants looked on, the representatives of Team Trump and the Biden-then-Harris campaign stared directly at one another, as each side discussed the biggest chapters of the 2024 race: the debates, Biden’s exit, the assassination attempts on Trump’s life, and so much else. Eight years ago, when Harvard held this same event with veterans of the 2016 Hillary Clinton and Trump campaigns, the conference room quickly degenerated into a shouting match and “ goddamn food fight ” dominated by hurt feelings and accusations of white supremacy. This week, ahead of Friday’s panels, veterans of both presidential campaigns privately indicated that they were aware of the nasty anecdotes that emerged from the 2016 conference, and neither side wanted to give the press another “food fight” to cover. On the whole, 2024’s version was an exhibition of restraint and respectability compared to the melee of December 2016. Still, the Trump side of the room couldn’t help themselves from sporadically trolling, widely grinning, and laughing at their liberal counterparts — as well as the news media. To be fair, multiple Team Trump alums also spent time on Friday mocking former Trump opponent Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis before a room full of reporters, just as President-elect Trump has actively considered making DeSantis his new pick for defense secretary. (One panel featured representatives from several GOP primary campaigns, but none from Team DeSantis.) Related Content Trump Laughs at ‘Thirsty’ Eric Adams for Kissing Up Trump Doubles Down on Hegseth as Nomination Hits the Skids Elon Musk Spent $239 Million on His Pro-Trump Super PAC — and Maybe More Elon Musk Bankrolled the Pro-Trump Troll Campaign RBG PAC “We all pay too much attention to national publications,” Trump pollster Tony Fabrizio said. “First of all, what percent of Americans get their news from newspapers these days?” Rolling Stone did not take it personally; we are a magazine. Meanwhile, the senior Harris and Biden officials had no choice but to sit there and take it, mostly alternating between stone-faced expressions, morose looks, and irritated demeanor. Throughout the event, the Trump campaign aides generally offered a more candid, comprehensive explanation of how their candidate targeted and assembled a winning coalition than Team Harris gave for why theirs lost. “We lost,” O’Malley Dillon punctuated, matter of factly, repeatedly over the course of the day’s events. She did not seem keen to relitigate some of Harris’ decisions — particularly the candidate’s disinterest in making a sharper break from Biden. Every once in a while, the opponents shared a lighthearted moment or friendly chuckle, such as when both camps laughed at the idea that Harris might win deep-red Iowa. At one moment during the panel, LaCivita joked that the Harris campaign aides were suggesting they personally believed that Biden could win the race — before he imploded and dropped out — while simultaneously arguing that Harris “never had a chance,” as he put it. “We are here because we think it’s important to, of course, be respectful, and we have a story to tell that is about what we saw, and we believe in who we work for,” O’Malley Dillon responded, adding that she wanted to send a message to “young people that work on all these campaigns” that it’s “good and honorable, and that you can lose and still believe in what you do.” It wasn’t quite as sad as when Jennifer Palmieri, the Clinton 2016 communications director, exclaimed to Team Trump: “I would rather lose than win the way you guys did!” Is there an honorable way to lose to Donald Trump? As the final panel neared its conclusion in the late afternoon, Team Trump infuriated Team Harris by pointing out that Trump and Vice President-elect J.D. Vance did many more interviews than Harris — with Trump campaign aide and incoming White House deputy chief of staff Taylor Budowich putting an extremely fine point on it. “Donald Trump outworked her,” Budowich said. “The Trump campaign outworked the Harris campaign in every single way.” He added, “Why didn’t you put her out more? You said earlier that you couldn’t ever compete with the amount of attention Donald Trump got. You never gave her a shot.” Quentin Fulks, the principal deputy campaign manager for Harris, said the Trump campaign “had a better strategy” and “won,” but that “our candidate also worked hard.” He noted that anything they said, after losing this race, might sound like a defense: “We lost the race.” “I honestly respect that,” said Budowich, before adding: “Ron DeSantis’ team didn’t show up.”
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WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden faces a stark choice as he contemplates broad preemptive pardons to protect aides and allies from potential retribution by Donald Trump: Does he hew to the institutional norms he’s spent decades defending or flex the powers of the presidency in untested ways? The deliberations so far are largely at the level of White House lawyers. But the president discussed the topic with senior aides, according to two people familiar with the matter who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss. No decisions have been made, the people said, and it is possible Biden opts to do nothing at all. President Joe Biden speaks Thursday during a tree-lighting ceremony on the Ellipse near the White House in Washington. Biden is taking the idea seriously and has been thinking about it for as much as six months — before the presidential election — but has been concerned about the precedent it would set, according to another person familiar with the president’s discussions who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity. Pardons are historically afforded to those accused of specific crimes — and usually to those who have already been convicted of an offense — but Biden’s team is considering issuing them for some who have not even been investigated, let alone charged. The president could, if he chooses, issue blanket pardons to specific people whom Trump and his allies threatened to punish. Or he could pardon a broad class of people — not unlike pardons issued to those convicted of federal marijuana offenses or those ensnared in the “don't ask, don't tell” military policies. A federal judge rebuked President Joe Biden's pardon for his son, Hunter, who the president claims was unfairly prosecuted. Either way, he'd be using the powers of the presidency in a new way. Some worry that Trump and his allies, who talked of enemies lists and exacting “retribution,” could launch investigations that would be reputationally and financially costly for targeted people even if they don’t result in prosecutions. Biden already extended a broad pardon to his son, Hunter , who was convicted and pleaded guilty in tax and gun cases. He explained that decision by saying he believed the prosecution of his son was poisoned by politics. White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Friday that Biden plans additional pardons before leaving office, though she would not elaborate on the process. She referenced “changing factors” that motivated the president to pardon his son despite promising he wouldn’t. She said Republicans continued to try to see Hunter Biden investigated for an array of alleged offenses, a rationale that could support additional pardons for Biden aides and allies. White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre speaks Friday during the daily briefing at the White House in Washington. It was two weeks ago that one of the president’s closest allies in Congress, Rep, Jim Clyburn of South Carolina, encouraged Biden to pardon his son Hunter. The morning after that conversation, Clyburn told Biden’s staff that he believed the president should also pardon those being targeted by Trump. “I was very forceful in my discussions with him about what I thought he ought to do regarding his son,” Clyburn said Friday. “But I also told them that I thought he ought to go even further, because all the noise about Jack Smith and Liz Cheney and Doctor Fauci and all of that.” Special Counsel Jack Smith has been investigating Trump for his efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election and for accusations he hoarded classified documents at his home. Liz Cheney, a conservative Republican , was the vice chairwoman of the congressional committee investigating the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol insurrection and campaigned for Vice President Kamala Harris. Fauci, an infectious-disease expert, was instrumental in the government's response to the coronavirus. All raised the ire of Trump. President-elect Donald Trump criticized President Joe Biden's decision to pardon Hunter Biden for federal gun and tax convictions, calling it a "miscarriage of justice." Trump highlighted individuals imprisoned for the January 6th Capitol riots, questioning whether they were included in Biden's pardon. Trump suggested he might consider pardoning Hunter Biden during an interview in October, expressing concern over its impact on the country. Hunter Biden's pardon prevents significant prison time, as he faced nearly forty years for gun and tax-related convictions. Clyburn said he told Biden’s team, only half jokingly, that because the Supreme Court already said the president has certain immunities, “let’s give that same immunity to Jack Smith for carrying out his duties and to, Doctor Fauci, Liz Cheney, they were carrying out their duties.” Among those mentioned publicly for possible presidential pardons, there are different sentiments on whether pardons would even be wanted. Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi supported the president’s move to pardon his son, but was silent on the speculation that Biden is considering additional pardons for her or others. A top Pelosi ally, Rep. Adam Schiff, the Democratic congressman who led Trump’s first impeachment, panned the idea of pardoning Biden's allies. He says “the courts are strong enough to withstand” the worst of Trump’s threats. “I don’t think a preemptive pardon makes sense,” the incoming senator told NPR recently. “I would urge the president not to do that. I think it would seem defensive and unnecessary,” Schiff said. Several people on President-elect Donald Trump's team are reportedly supporting efforts to make an Edward Snowden pardon happen. Democratic Rep. Jamie Raskin, the lead manager on Trump’s second impeachment on the charge of inciting the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection at the Capitol, said the speech and debate clause in the Constitution already protects members of Congress from prosecution for participating in their legislative duties. Raskin said figures like Mark Milley, the former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and John Kelly , Trump's former White House chief of staff, would similarly be protected by the First Amendment. Still, Raskin said the question is, “Should they go through the criminal investigation and prosecution for not doing anything wrong? I think that’s why this whole issue has erupted.” Raksin added that with Trump promising to pardon hundreds of people who assaulted police officers on Jan. 6, “I can hardly fault President Biden for exploring the use of the pardon to protect people from a fraudulent and unjust prosecution.” House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries said he’s had no conversations with the White House regarding any preemptive pardons for current or former members of Congress. Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump is surrounded by U.S. Secret Service agents at a campaign rally, Saturday, July 13, 2024, in Butler, Pa. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) President Joe Biden walks to the Oval Office after attending the House Democratic Caucus Issues Conference, Thursday, Feb. 8, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris and running mate Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz arrive during a campaign rally at Desert Diamond Arena, Friday, Aug. 9, 2024, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson) A delegate looks at her phone during the Republican National Convention Wednesday, July 17, 2024, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson) Jocardo Ralston, 47, from Pennsylvania, looks up to a television to watch the presidential debate between President Joe Biden and Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump at Tillie's Lounge on Thursday, June 27, 2024, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster) Supporters of Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump look on as a bus carrying Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris passes by following a campaign event, Sunday, Aug. 18, 2024, in Rochester, Pa. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson) Attendees look on at a campaign rally for Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris, Friday, Oct. 25, 2024, in Houston. (AP Photo/Annie Mulligan) Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris arrives to speak on the final day of the Democratic National Convention, Thursday, Aug. 22, 2024, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin) Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump gestures as he arrives at the Republican National Convention Wednesday, July 17, 2024, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson) Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump speaks at a campaign rally at PPG Paints Arena, Monday, Nov. 4, 2024, in Pittsburgh, Pa. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris, left, and former first lady Michelle Obama arrive to speak during a campaign rally, Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024 at the Wings Event Center in Kalamazoo, Mich. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin) A supporter greets Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump after a campaign event at the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre, Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2024, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon) A political advertisement for Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris is displayed on the Sphere, Monday, Nov. 4, 2024, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher) Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris walks toward reporters to speak before boarding Air Force Two, as she departs Las Vegas from Harry Reid International Airport, Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, en route to Arizona. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin) A voter works on her ballot at a polling place at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library on Election Day, Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024, in Simi Valley, Calif. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello) Former President Donald Trump waits for the start of proceedings in Manhattan criminal court, Tuesday, April 23, 2024, in New York. Before testimony resumes Tuesday, the judge will hold a hearing on prosecutors' request to sanction and fine Trump over social media posts they say violate a gag order prohibiting him from attacking key witnesses. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura, Pool) Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump dances after speaking at a campaign event Tuesday, Sept. 24, 2024, in Savannah, Ga. (AP Photo/John Bazemore) Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris looks at a monitor of the event from backstage, just before taking the stage for her final campaign rally, Monday, Nov. 4, 2024, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin) Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump is prayed over with Pastor Paula White during the National Faith Summit at Worship With Wonders Church, Monday, Oct. 28, 2024, in Powder Springs, Ga. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson) Forgiato Blow wears a necklace with a likeness of former President Donald Trump before Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump speaks at a campaign event at the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre, Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2024, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon) Elon Musk jumps on the stage as Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump speaks at a campaign rally at the Butler Farm Show, Saturday, Oct. 5, 2024, in Butler, Pa. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) Voters stand in line outside a polling place at Madison Church, Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024, in Phoenix, Ariz. (AP Photo/Matt York) Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris hugs President Biden during the Democratic National Convention Monday, Aug. 19, 2024, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast) Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump speaks during a campaign rally at Lee's Family Forum, Thursday, Oct. 31, 2024, in Henderson, Nev. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson) Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump is reflected in the bullet proof glass as he finishes speaking at a campaign rally in Lititz, Pa., Sunday, Nov. 3, 2024. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke) Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris, bottom center, greets supporters after speaking during a campaign rally Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024 at the Wings Event Center in Kalamazoo, Mich. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin) Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris speaks during a campaign rally outside the Philadelphia Museum of Art, Monday, Nov. 4, 2024, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum) A young girl holds a "Black Voters for Harris-Walz" sign outside of Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris' election night watch party at Howard University, Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/Terrance Williams) Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris, left, shares a laugh with second gentleman Doug Emhoff, after reuniting in Pittsburgh, Monday, Nov. 4, 2024, aboard Air Force Two, just before taking off from Pittsburgh for her final campaign rally in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin, Pool) With tears streaming down her face, a supporter of Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris applauds as Harris delivers a concession speech after the 2024 presidential election, Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2024, on the campus of Howard University in Washington. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin) Bikers show their support for President-elect Donald Trump while riding on I-84, Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2024, near Lords Valley, Pa. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty) Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump stands on stage with steelworkers as he speaks during a campaign rally at Arnold Palmer Regional Airport, Saturday, Oct. 19, 2024, in Latrobe, Pa. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) Supporters cheer as Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump speaks during a campaign event, Sunday, Sept. 29, 2024, in Erie, Pa. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke) Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris appears on NBC's "Saturday Night Live," with Maya Rudolph, Saturday, Nov. 2, 2024 in New York. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin) A delegate wearing a small American flag on his ear watches as Republican presidential candidate and former president, Donald Trump, speaks during the final day of the Republican National Convention Thursday, July 18, 2024, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya) Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris hugs a child after speaking during a campaign event at Washington Crossing Historic Park, in Washington Crossing, Pa., Wednesday, Oct. 16, 2024. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin) President Joe Biden pauses before he addresses the nation from the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, Wednesday, July 24, 2024, about his decision to drop his Democratic presidential reelection bid. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci, Pool) Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump departs after speaking at a campaign event at the Butler Farm Show, Saturday, Oct. 5, 2024, in Butler, Pa. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon) A voter watches the stage before former first lady Michelle Obama speaks at campaign rally in support of Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris, Tuesday, Oct. 29, 2024, in College Park, Ga. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson) Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump and Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris shake hands before the start of an ABC News presidential debate at the National Constitution Center, Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2024, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon) Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump arrives at an election night watch party at the Palm Beach Convention Center, Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2024, in West Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson) Get Government & Politics updates in your inbox! Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter.
President-Elect Donald Trump announced on Thursday that former Chief of the United States Border Patrol, Rodney S. Scott, will be his nominee for the post of Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Commissioner. In a post on the incoming president’s social media platform Truth Social, Trump cited Scott’s vast experience in immigration policy and his previous service as the agency head for the United States Border Patrol under the prior Trump administration. Trump announced his selection of Scott, saying, “Rodney served nearly three decades in the Border Patrol, building vast experience and knowledge in Law Enforcement and Border Security. Rodney served as the 24th Chief of the U.S. Border Patrol, where he implemented Remain-in-Mexico, Title 42, Safe Third Agreements, and achieved record low levels of illegal immigration.” Scott previously served as the 24 th Chief of the United States Border Patrol before retiring in 2021. His career in the border security agency spanned more than 29 years beginning in Imperial Beach, California within the San Diego Border Patrol Sector in 1992. Scott rose through the ranks serving in multiple Border Patrol Sectors and served as the Chief Patrol Agent for the El Centro Sector. Scott was named Chief of the Border Patrol in 2020 and served in that capacity until his retirement. Scott was instrumental in the development of immigration enforcement policies that drastically led to some of the lowest migrant crossing levels in the agency’s history. Chief Scott’s work was critical to implementing the Migrant Protection Protocols (MPP), also known as “Remain in Mexico,” which allowed CBP and ICE officers to return migrants from a host of different nations to Mexico as their asylum claims moved through the court system. The program was revolutionary and had never been tried before. In addition, Scott worked to create and implement several novel agreements with the Central American northern triangle countries of El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras on Asylum Cooperative Agreements (ACA) that allowed for the return of migrants who feared return to their home country to other nearby participating nations. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Scott also worked with Trump staff members on the Title 42 CDC emergency measure, which allowed immigration officers along the border to conduct speedy returns of border crossers to reduce the spread of infection. According to CBP, U.S. Customs and Border Protection employs more than 60,000 employees, and is one of the world’s largest law enforcement organizations. The agency is charged with keeping terrorists and their weapons out of the U.S. while facilitating lawful international travel and trade. Randy Clark is a 32-year veteran of the United States Border Patrol. Prior to his retirement, he served as the Division Chief for Law Enforcement Operations, directing operations for nine Border Patrol Stations within the Del Rio, Texas, Sector. Follow him on X (formerly Twitter) @RandyClarkBBTX.The top are solid investments to generate steady passive income for decades. Thankfully, several with businesses have rewarded their shareholders with consistent dividend payouts, making them reliable bets. Among the high-quality investments, I’ll focus on one magnificent dividend stock, which is down about 13% year to date. While it has underperformed the benchmark index, its fundamentals remain solid. It continues to enhance its shareholder value through higher distributions and offers a high yield. Further, it will likely increase its dividend at a healthy pace. Among the dependable options, Canadian communication giant ( ) is a compelling stock to buy and hold forever. 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The Reform UK leader pushed back against reports suggesting that legal action would be the next step, saying he would make a decision in the next couple of days about his response if there is no apology for the “crazy conspiracy theory”. Mr Farage also said the party has “opened up our systems” to media outlets, including The Daily Telegraph and The Financial Times, in the interests of “full transparency to verify that our numbers are correct”. His remarks came after Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch accused Mr Farage of “fakery” in response to Reform claiming they had surpassed the Tories in signed-up members. Mrs Badenoch said Reform’s counter was “coded to tick up automatically”. A digital counter on the Reform website showed a membership tally before lunchtime on Boxing Day ticking past the 131,680 figure declared by the Conservative Party during its leadership election earlier this year. Mr Farage, on whether he was threatening legal action or not, told the PA news agency: “I haven’t threatened anything. I’ve just said that unless I get an apology, I will take some action. “I haven’t said whether it’s legal or anything.” He added: “All I’ve said is I want an apology. If I don’t get an apology, I will take action. “I will decide in the next couple of days what that is. So I’ve not specified what it is.” Mr Farage, on the move to make membership data available to media organisations, said: “We feel our arguments are fully validated. “She (Mrs Badenoch) has put out this crazy conspiracy theory and she needs to apologise.” On why Mrs Badenoch had reacted as she did, Mr Farage said: “I would imagine she was at home without anybody advising her and was just angry.” Mr Farage, in a statement issued on social media site X, also said: “The accusations of fraud and dishonesty made against me yesterday were disgraceful. “Today we opened up our systems to The Telegraph, Spectator, Sky News and FT in the interests of full transparency to verify that our data is correct. “I am now demanding Kemi Badenoch apologises.” A Conservative Party source claimed Mr Farage was “rattled” that his Boxing Day “publicity stunt is facing serious questions”. They added: “Like most normal people around the UK, Kemi is enjoying Christmas with her family and looking forward to taking on the challenges of renewing the Conservative Party in the New Year.” Mrs Badenoch, in a series of messages posted on X on Thursday, said: “Farage doesn’t understand the digital age. This kind of fakery gets found out pretty quickly, although not before many are fooled.” There were 131,680 Conservative members eligible to vote during the party’s leadership election to replace Rishi Sunak in the autumn. Mrs Badenoch claimed in her thread that “the Conservative Party has gained thousands of new members since the leadership election”. Elsewhere, Mr Farage described Elon Musk as a “bloody hero” and said he believes the US billionaire can help attract younger voters to Reform. Tech entrepreneur Mr Musk met Mr Farage earlier this month at Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, amid rumours of a possible donation to either Mr Farage or Reform. Mr Farage told The Daily Telegraph newspaper: “The shades, the bomber jacket, the whole vibe. Elon makes us cool – Elon is a huge help to us with the young generation, and that will be the case going on and, frankly, that’s only just starting. “Reform only wins the next election if it gets the youth vote. The youth vote is the key. Of course, you need voters of all ages, but if you get a wave of youth enthusiasm you can change everything. “And I think we’re beginning to get into that zone – we were anyway, but Elon makes the whole task much, much easier. And the idea that politics can be cool, politics can be fun, politics can be real – Elon helps us with that mission enormously.”
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Trump says he's a 'believer' in polio vaccine, and other news conference takeawaysCLEVELAND (AP) — The NFL has closed an investigation into sexual assault allegations against Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson, who is ending the season on injured reserve for the second year in a row. The league has been reviewing the case for months , trying to determine whether Watson should be punished. “The matter is closed,” league spokesman Brian McCarthy said Friday in an email to The Associated Press. “There was insufficient evidence to support a finding of a violation of the personal conduct policy.” Watson, who served an 11-game suspension in 2022, was accused of assault in Texas by a woman in September. She was seeking more than $1 million in damages before the sides reached a confidential settlement. Watson strongly denied the allegations through his attorney, Rusty Hardin. The 29-year-old Watson suffered a season-ending Achilles tendon rupture in October. He's been rehabbing the injury in hopes of returning next season. The Browns still owe Watson $46 million in each of the next two seasons after they traded three first-round picks to Houston and signed him to a five-year, fully guaranteed $230 million contract that has backfired. Watson has only played in 19 games over three seasons due to the suspension and injuries. He was acquired by the Browns, who were comfortable with his character despite Watson being accused of sexual assault and inappropriate conduct during massage therapy sessions while he played for the Texans. While he's in the clear with the league, Watson's future with Cleveland isn't so certain. His massive contract — and its salary-cap ramifications — has put the Browns in a bind in terms of trying to improve their roster. Cleveland has had a disappointing season after making the playoffs a year ago and could move on from Watson, but the cost would be exorbitant if the team just releases him. The Browns signed Jameis Winston for one season to be Watson's backup. Winston has gone 2-3 as a starter since taking over and he's put some life into Cleveland's offense, which didn't score 20 points or gain 300 yards with Watson before his injury. His 2023 season was ended by a broken bone in his shoulder, requiring surgery. Winston has indicated he would come back, and he could be a viable option as a starter even if the Browns draft a young QB. AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL