Donald Trump has announced that MAGA loyalist Kash Patel will be his new FBI director.
The president-elect announced Patel to the job on Saturday evening.
“I am proud to announce that Kashyap “Kash” Patel will serve as the next Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Kash is a brilliant lawyer, investigator, and “America First” fighter who has spent his career exposing corruption, defending Justice, and protecting the American People,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
Earlier Trump said that Charles Kusher, the father of his son-in-law Jared Kushner, will be the new U.S. ambassador to France.
He described Kushner, a former convicted felon, as “a tremendous business leader, philanthropist, & dealmaker, who will be a strong advocate representing our Country & its interests.... Congratulations to Charlie, his wonderful wife Seryl, their 4 children, & 14 grandchildren.”
In 2005, Kushner – an attorney – was convicted of illegal campaign contributions, tax evasion and witness tampering. He was sentenced to two years’ imprisonment. As a convicted felon, he was also disbarred in three states.
He was pardoned by Trump in December 2020.
Jared Kushner, who is married to Ivanka Trump, previously worked as a senior advisor to the President-elect during his first term.
Key Points
- Trump picks MAGA loyalist Kash Patel as his new FBI director
- Putin warns that Trump is ‘not safe’ after election victory
- Photos: Justin Trudeau arrives for Mar-a-Lago meeting
- Elon Musk joins Donald Trump and family for Thanksgiving dinner at Mar-a-Lago
- Trump roasts Biden, Harris in ‘Christmas Vacation’ parody video on Thanksgiving
ICYMI: Pundits rip Pete Hegseth after his own mom calls him ‘an abuser of women’ then tries to take it back
04:15
Graeme Massie
Pete Hegseth, the man tapped by Donald Trump to become Defense Secretary, has come under fire from Democrats and other liberal pundits after he was branded as an “abuser of women” by his own mother.
A report from The New York Times featured a 2018 email to the former Fox News anchor from Penelope Hegseth, where she said she had “no respect” for her son and that he needed “take an honest look at yourself.”
Read more:
Trudeau all smiles as he dines with Trump and other top Republicans
03:00
Mike Bedigan
Justin Trudeau was all smiles as he dined with Donald Trump and a number of other top Republicans at the President-elect’s Mar-a-Lago residence.
The Canadian PM was pictured in the dining hall sat next to Trump, seated at the table with Senator-elect Dave McCormick and Doug Bergum – tapped by Trump to head up the US Interior Department.
Honored to have dinner with @realDonaldTrump and to celebrate two big wins in PA! Ready to join him in Washington to shake things up and fight for every single Pennsylvanian! pic.twitter.com/uKap3kkUkx
— Dave McCormick (@DaveMcCormickPA) November 30, 2024
Michael Moore says ongoing U.S. support for Israel will cost Dems ‘more elections'
02:01
Graeme Massie
Filmmaker Michael Moore has weighed in on the continuing U.S. support for Israel in the onging war with Hamas in Gaza, suggesting that if Democrats continue to support the Jewish State, “more elections” will be lost.
“Democratic senators should know better. And their behavior in supporting this aggression will only cost them more elections,” Moore wrote in his Substack article on Saturday.
“Voters under 45 and people of color combined (making up nearly half the electorate), have no interest in war and would rather our government spend our money on our schools, our elderly, and our broken health care system.”
“Time to cut Bibi off,” he said, referring to the nickname for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Trump picks Florida sheriff to run DEA
01:01
Graeme Massie
Donald Trump has picked Florida sheriff, Chad Chronister, to run the Drug Enforcement Agency. Chronister is the sheriff of Hillsborough County, which covers the Tampa Bay area.
“I am pleased to nominate Sheriff Chad Chronister for Administrator of the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA),” Trump posted on Truth Social on Saturday evening.
“For over 32 years, Sheriff Chad Chronister has served the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, and received countless commendations and awards for keeping his community SAFE. A proud graduate of the FBI National Academy’s 260th Session, Chad is Co-Chairman of the Regional Domestic Security Task Force for Region IV Tampa Bay, Council Member of the Florida Attorney General’s Statewide Council on Human Trafficking, Chairman of the Criminal Justice Sub-Committee, Vice-Chairman of the Hillsborough County Public Safety Coordinating Council, and Vice-Chairman of the Hillsborough County Public Schools Citizen Oversight Committee.
“As DEA Administrator, Chad will work with our great Attorney General, Pam Bondi, to secure the Border, stop the flow of Fentanyl, and other Illegal Drugs, across the Southern Border, and SAVE LIVES. Congratulations to Chad, his wife Nikki, and two wonderful sons!”
Trump picks MAGA loyalist Kash Patel as his new FBI director
00:23
Graeme Massie
Patel previously served during Trump’s first term as chief of staff at the Department of Defense.
MAGA loyalist Kash Patel picked as FBI director by Trump
00:09
Graeme Massie
The president-elect announced Patel to the job on Saturday evening.
“I am proud to announce that Kashyap “Kash” Patel will serve as the next Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Kash is a brilliant lawyer, investigator, and “America First” fighter who has spent his career exposing corruption, defending Justice, and protecting the American People,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
“He played a pivotal role in uncovering the Russia, Russia, Russia Hoax, standing as an advocate for truth, accountability, and the Constitution. Kash did an incredible job during my First Term, where he served as Chief of Staff at the Department of Defense, Deputy Director of National Intelligence, and Senior Director for Counterterrorism at the National Security Council. Kash has also tried over 60 jury trials.
“This FBI will end the growing crime epidemic in America, dismantle the migrant criminal gangs, and stop the evil scourge of human and drug trafficking across the Border. Kash will work under our great Attorney General, Pam Bondi, to bring back Fidelity, Bravery, and Integrity to the FBI.”
Trump official says ‘do not underestimate’ AOC as some insiders push for her to lead Democrats
00:00
Mike Bedigan
A former member of Donald Trump’s administration has warned fellow Republicans not to “underestimate” Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez as the liberal congresswoman is touted as a possible contender to lead the Democratic party.
Speaking on Fox News on Friday, Monica Crowley, a former public affairs official in the Treasury Department during the first Trump administration, said AOC had “real grassroots support” through her early adoption of social media.
Trump hails ‘very productive’ meeting with Justin Trudeau
Saturday 30 November 2024 22:40
Mike Bedigan
Watch: Fox News host gets 'realistic' about impact of Trump's tariffs
Saturday 30 November 2024 21:40
Mike Bedigan
Trump announces his son-in-law’s father, who he pardoned in 2020, as ambassador to France
Saturday 30 November 2024 20:40
Mike Bedigan
Donald Trump has announced that Charles Kusher, the father of his son-in-law Jared Kushner, will be the new US ambassador to France.
“He is a tremendous business leader, philanthropist, & dealmaker, who will be a strong advocate representing our Country & its interests,” Trump wrote on Truth Social on Saturday.
“Charlie is the Founder & Chairman of Kushner Companies, one of the largest & most successful privately held Real Estate firms in the Nation.
“Congratulations to Charlie, his wonderful wife Seryl, their 4 children, & 14 grandchildren. His son, Jared, worked closely with me in the White House, in particular on Operation Warp Speed, Criminal Justice Reform, & the Abraham Accords. Together, we will strengthen America’s partnership with France, our oldest Ally, & one of our greatest!”
In 2005, Kushner – an attorney – was convicted of illegal campaign contributions, tax evasion, and witness tampering, and was sentenced to two years' imprisonment. As a convicted felon, he was also disbarred in three states.
He was later pardoned by Trump during his first term, in December 2020.
Trudeau and Trump dine with other GOP bigwigs
Saturday 30 November 2024 19:40
Mike Bedigan
Honored to have dinner with @realDonaldTrump and to celebrate two big wins in PA! Ready to join him in Washington to shake things up and fight for every single Pennsylvanian! pic.twitter.com/uKap3kkUkx
— Dave McCormick (@DaveMcCormickPA) November 30, 2024
Trump tariffs and NATO with Trudeau as Canadian Prime Minister visits Mar-a-Lago: reports
Saturday 30 November 2024 19:10
Mike Bedigan
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau discussed a wide variety of subjects with Donald Trump as the pair sat down for a three-hour dinner at Mar-a-Lago on Friday, days after the President-elect threatened Canada and other international trading partners with sweeping tariffs.
Neither Trump nor Trudeau publicly announced the meeting, but the Canadian official was seen exiting a hotel in the area and told reporters that he and Trump had enjoyed an “excellent conversation.”
Read more here:
How small businesses are already preparing for Trump’s second presidency
Saturday 30 November 2024 17:40
Mike Bedigan
Small businesses are already taking steps to mitigate potential fallout from Donald Trump’s second presidency, less than two months out from his inauguration.
Owners of such businesses are already making moves to avoid expected cost increases, caused by the President-elect’s threatened tariffs — or weighing whether to take a financial hit or pass it on to customers.
Beatrice Barba runs Tabor Place, a San Francisco Bay Area maker of nontoxic cups and lunch boxes for children. She told NBC News that she intended to spend 2025 innovating new styles of her signature cups, but has dropped those plans and stockpiling as much of her basic inventory as she can.
Her entire product line is made in China, one of the countries that Trump has vowed to hit with heavy import tariffs.
Barba did not expect Trump to win, and doubted his commitment to imposing the tariffs if he did. Over the next couple of months, she’s hoping her Chinese suppliers can churn out a single $200,000 order for the whole year — and get it through U.S. ports — before the President-elect takes office.
“That at least buys me a little bit of time to weather the storm,” she told NBC. “There’s a sense of urgency, and I’m very nervous.”
Trump must not dodge FBI checks on cabinet picks, say two former Senate counsels
Saturday 30 November 2024 17:10
Mike Bedigan
Two former US Senate counsels are urging President-elect Donald Trump and officials not to avoid FBI checks for incoming cabinet picks.
The former officials made the suggestion in a New York Times op-ed published on Friday.
Michelle Del Rey has more:
Democratic Senator suggests New York state becomes part of Canada
Saturday 30 November 2024 16:40
Mike Bedigan
Following the outcome of the presidential election, New York State Senator Liz Krueger has floated an interesting idea for her state... join Canada.
Krueger, whose district includes Manhattan, has suggested New York secede from the United States and become a province of Canada to protest Donald Trump’s policies on things like mass deportation.
“It’s not unreasonable to think outside of the box,” Krueger said to Politico this month.
The Senator first proposed a secession in September.
“I thought I would suggest to Canada that instead of us all trying to illegally cross the border at night without them noticing, which is pretty hard because there’s a lot of us, that they should instead agree to let us be the southeast province, a new province of Canada,” Krueger said in an interview at the time.
Watch: Canada PM In Florida To Meet Trump
Saturday 30 November 2024 16:10
Mike Bedigan
Trump signed the law to require presidential ethics pledges. Now he is exempting himself from it
Saturday 30 November 2024 15:40
Mike Bedigan
A bipartisan bill to boost transparency and make sure incoming presidents stick to an ethics plan was so uncontroversial that it passed the Senate by a voice vote in 2020. Donald Trump then signed it into law.
But now, after blowing past deadlines to adhere to the law after winning the White House a second time, Trump appears to have excluded himself from those same ethical guidelines.
Alex Woodward has the details.
Trump wants to seal Israel-Gaza ceasefire before he takes office, key Senate ally says
Saturday 30 November 2024 15:10
Mike Bedigan
President-elect Donald Trump is said to be hoping to secure an Israel-Gaza ceasefire before he takes office.
Republican Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina confirmed the incoming president’s position in an Axios interview.
Michelle Del Rey has more:
For one night only. Trudeau leaves Florida hotel
Saturday 30 November 2024 14:39
Mike Bedigan
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is seen leaving a hotel in West Palm Beach, Florida, on Saturday, following a meeting with Donald Trump on Friday.
Bill Maher and Stephen A Smith explain why Trump won over Black voters
Saturday 30 November 2024 14:10
Oliver O'Connell
Bill Maher and Stephen A. Smith have revealed why Donald Trump increased his support with Black voters this presidential election cycle.
In a wide-ranging conversation for Maher’s podcast, Club Random Podcast, the two media personalities dissected how the president-elect’s language impacts voters of color.
Ariana Baio reports.
These local sheriffs are already preparing to help Trump carry out his mass deportation plans
Saturday 30 November 2024 13:40
Oliver O'Connell
Donald Trump’s plan to immediately carry out the largest deportation operation in U.S. history upon taking office is banking on a key ally: conservative sheriffs.
There are some 6,000 federal immigration agents in the Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency (ICE), but the incoming administration is counting on sympathetic local law enforcement to be its eyes and ears in communities and jails across the country.
While police chiefs are appointed, sheriffs are often elected and exercise broad powers, including running county jail systems. Many right-leaning sheriffs, whose own partisan politics align with the new administration’s, are eager to join forces.
Josh Marcus reports.
Putin full of praise for ‘intelligent and experienced’ Trump
Saturday 30 November 2024 13:10
Oliver O'Connell
Russian President Vladimir Putin has heaped praised on Donald Trump and suggested the incoming administration will “find a solution” to end Russia’s war in Ukraine.
“As far as I can imagine, the newly elected president is an intelligent and already quite experienced person. I think he will find a solution,” Putin said on Thursday.
Putin also commended the president-elect as a “real man” after an assassination attempt during a campaign rally in July.
Alex Woodward reports on Thursday’s remarks.
Trump unveils new strategy to stop Americans taking fentanyl
Saturday 30 November 2024 12:40
Oliver O'Connell
Donald Trump has unveiled a new strategy for dealing with the fentanyl crisis.
“I will be working on a large-scale United States Advertising Campaign explaining how bad fentanyl is for people to use —Millions of lives being so needlessly destroyed,” Trump wrote on Truth Social on Wednesday. “By the time the campaign is over, everyone will know how really bad the horror of this drug is.”
Trump did not provide further details about what the campaign would look like.
Michelle Del Rey reports.
ICYMI: Laura Loomer goes on hours-long tirade against Mark Zuckerberg
Saturday 30 November 2024 11:40
Oliver O'Connell
Far-right personality and Donald Trump enthusiast Laura Loomer spent hours on X ranting about Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg‘s visit to Mar-a-Lago.
Loomer posted at least 16 times on the social media platform in which she directly mentioned Zuckerberg, complaining that the Facebook founder allegedly “censored” the assassination attempt on Trump, according to the Daily Beast.
Graig Graziosi has the story.
Trump’s tariffs in his first term did little to alter the economy. This time things could be very different
Saturday 30 November 2024 10:40
AP
Donald Trump loved to use tariffs on foreign goods during his first presidency. But their impact was barely noticeable in the overall economy, even if their aftershocks were clear in specific industries.
The data show they never fully delivered on his promised factory jobs. Nor did they provoke the avalanche of inflation that critics feared.
This time, though, his tariff threats might be different.
Silicon Valley Democrat urges liberals to stay on X
Saturday 30 November 2024 09:40
Oliver O'Connell
After Donald Trump won the 2024 election, roughly one million users signed up for social media site Bluesky, many of them in protest of X’s increasing right-wing tone and owner Elon Musk’s alliance with the Republican candidate.
However, according to one prominent progressive, liberals shouldn’t jump ship from X just yet.
Josh Marcus reports from San Francisco.
Kamala Harris’ slammed for ‘self-congratulatory’ review of election defeat
Saturday 30 November 2024 08:40
Oliver O'Connell
Democratic officials and voters have accused Kamala Harris and her top team of failing to realistically assess why her campaign collapsed.
One Democratic National Committee adviser who participated in a recent call with top donors said she was “stunned that there was no sort of postmortem or analysis of the disastrous campaign.”
Alex Woodward reports.
Unelected bureaucrat rages about unelected bureaucrats
Saturday 30 November 2024 07:40
Oliver O'Connell
Failed Republican primary candidate Vivek Ramaswamy stepped on a rake when he told Americans they should be afraid of unelected bureaucrats, after which a smattering of responders pointed out that he is, in fact, an unelected bureaucrat.
Graig Graziosi reports.
Joe Rogan claims Democrats drove him away
Saturday 30 November 2024 03:40
Oliver O'Connell
Joe Rogan claimed that Democrats are scrambling to create a liberal version of his hit podcast show following Donald Trump’s 2024 election win.
Kamala Harris was invited to appear on The Joe Rogan Experience, but her campaign was unable to agree on certain terms, such as location and length, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Harris campaign aides recently told podcast Pod Save America that she couldn’t take the time away from battleground states. Rogan did sit down for lengthy conversations with vice president-elect JD Vance, Elon Musk as well as Trump , and also endorsed the Republican on election day.
Despite this, Rogan claimed that we was on the Democrats side at one point, according to Huffington Post.
Graig Graziosi reports.
‘Nauseating’ last-ditch attempt by Trump to toss fraud case mentions Washington and Lincoln
Saturday 30 November 2024 02:40
Oliver O'Connell
After successfully delaying Donald Trump’s chances of facing criminal consequences before he returns to the White House, his legal team is making another last-ditch effort to block a massive civil fraud judgment against him.
Trump has appealed that judgment, but his attorney D. John Sauer — the man Trump has nominated for the next solicitor general of the United States — is urging the state of New York to drop the case entirely as “necessary for the health of our Republic.”
Alex Woodward has the story.
Trudeau’s Friday night Trump tie-up
Saturday 30 November 2024 01:46
Josh Marcus
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau arrived in Palm Beach, Florida on Friday evening, part of reported plans to dine with Donald Trump at Mar-a-Lago, after the president-elect threatened Canada with sweeping tariffs earlier this week.
Neither Trump nor Trudeau publicly announced the meeting, but the Canadian official was seen exiting a hotel in the area. He reportedly traveled to Florida alongside Canadian public safety minister Dominic LeBlanc.
Earlier this week, Trump threatened Canada and Mexico with 25 percent tariffs, in what the Republican said was an attempt to crack down on illegal immigration and drug smuggling.
The proposal, which would likely cause massive economic disruption, alarmed officials in Canada.
More details in our full story.
ICYMI: Despite Trump’s claims, Mexican president denies country is closing border
Saturday 30 November 2024 01:40
Oliver O'Connell
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum is pushing back on Donald Trump’s claim she promised to effectively close her country’s northern border with the United States after the incoming American leader alleged that she’d pledged to stop all migration through the country.
On Wednesday, Trump took to his Truth Social platform to claim that Sheinbaum had made such a promise during a phone call earlier in the day. He wrote that she had “agreed to stop Migration through Mexico, and into the United States, effectively closing our Southern Border.”
Andrew Feinberg reports.
Why might Trump ditch Musk? Maggie Haberman has an idea...
Saturday 30 November 2024 00:40
Oliver O'Connell
New York Times journalist and author Maggie Haberman has revealed the one reason she believes Donald Trump could end up ditching Elon Musk.
Haberman discussed the relationship between the billionaire, who has been at Trump’s side almost constantly since his election victory more than three weeks ago, and the president-elect during an appearance on CNN on Wednesday.
Rhian Lubin reports.
Biden’s holiday reading list: President seen leaving book store with Palestinian history book
Saturday 30 November 2024 00:20
Josh Marcus
Joe Biden’s been relatively quiet since the end of the 2024 election, but the president did manage to make healdines for a quiet gesture over the holiday weekend.
Biden was spotted walking out of the Nantucket Bookworks book store carrying The Hundred Years’ War on Palestine, a book by Columbia professor Rashid Khalidi, according to pool reports.
The work, which analyzes Palestinian history and accuses Israel of carrying out “settler colonial conquest,” is a bit of a surprise addition to Biden’s book shelf.
Since the Israel-Hamas conflict began, Biden has faced persistent criticism from the left that his administration has continued to aid Israel as its effort in Gaza has morphed into an alleged genocide.
Photos: Justin Trudeau arrives for Mar-a-Lago meeting
Saturday 30 November 2024 00:01
Josh Marcus
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau arrived in West Palm Beach, Florida, on Friday evening ahead of an expected meeting with President-Elect Donald Trump.
Trump threatened this week to impose major tariffs on Canada, Mexico, and China to reduce immigration and drug-smuggling.
Canadian PM Justin Trudeau has arrived in West Palm Beach, Florida, and is due to meet President-Elect Trump tonight at Mar-a-Lago. pic.twitter.com/gNwGzFafzm
— Josh Wingrove (@josh_wingrove) November 29, 2024
Here’s what you need to know.
Retailers warn customers about price hikes from Trump tariffs
Friday 29 November 2024 23:51
Josh Marcus
Retailers have taken to warning customers to buy products now before the expected price hikes that could come when Donald Trump takes office and puts the sweeping tariffs he has promised into place.
Companies ranging from Julie Skin, a beauty brand, to outdoor goods retailer Tarptent to Finally Home Furnishings have all sounded the alarm, according to an analysis from The Wall Street Journal.
The beauty brand warned customers might face 25 percent higher prices on signature products like a filtered showerhead, while the furnishing company launched a “Pre-Tariff Sale” on Facebook.
“There is a misconception that the countries exporting goods will bear the cost of the tariffs, but that is simply not true,” owner Sydney Arnold told the paper.
More details in our full story.
ICYMI: Biden lays into ‘counterproductive’ Trump tariff threats
Friday 29 November 2024 23:40
Oliver O'Connell
Joe Biden has panned Donald Trump’s plan to hit Americans with massive import taxes on goods from Mexico and Canada, hoping his successor will walk back the proposal.
The president was asked about Trump’s plan to hike the cost of Mexican and Canadian products by 25 percent via executive order if both countries did not take steps to curb what he described as unacceptable flows of drugs and migrants into the U.S. across their respective borders.
Biden, who is in Nantucket for his family’s annual Thanksgiving vacation, told reporters: “I hope he rethinks it. I think it’s a counterproductive thing to do.”
Andrew Feinberg reports.
Trump’s former FDA head sounds alarm on RFK Jr’s potential plans for agency
Friday 29 November 2024 23:25
Oliver O'Connell
A former Trump administration Food and Drug Administration commissioner is worried that the incoming administration’s pick of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to lead a key health agency will prove dangerous.
“I think if RFK follows through on his intentions, and I believe he will, and I believe he can, it will cost lives in this country,” Scott Gottlieb said during a Friday appearance on CNBC’s Squawk Box.
“You’re going to see measles, mumps and rubella vaccination rates go down, and like I said, if we lose another 5 percent [of vaccinations], which could happen in the next year or two, we will see large measles outbreaks,” he added.
Josh Marcus reports from San Francisco.
ICYMI: Trump’s cabinet is filling up with Project 2025 authors after he claimed he had ‘no idea’ what it was
Friday 29 November 2024 23:10
Oliver O'Connell
Donald Trump said he has “no idea” who’s behind it. His presidential transition chair and the man he picked to be the secretary of commerce said he wouldn’t touch it. “They made themselves nuclear,” he said.
But the authors of Project 2025 — a
