Trump has ‘good meeting’ with DC mayor ahead of inauguration, suggests Canada could become 51st state: Live updates

Trump’s expansionist rhetoric has worried allies but excited foes, with Russians seeing the president-elect’s latest statements as evidence that Trump is not opposed to foreign wars of conquest, as is the Kremlin, despite what he has said otherwise.

Gustaf Kilander reports from Washington, DC:

Republican Rep. Thomas Massie is so far the only GOP representative not vocally endorsing Mike Johnson for another term as Speaker of the House.

With the GOP’s extremely thin majority in the House, Johnson can only afford to take one vote away from his own caucus to survive.

After House Speaker Newt Gingrich asked why Republican lawmakers are willing to fight it out instead of rallying around Trump’s election, Massie wrote a lengthy post in response: “Challenge accepted.”

Massie argues that Johnson cannot inspire the public or make the GOP’s case to the press, will cost the party the majority in the 2026 midterm elections, won the title only by “being the least offensive candidate” at the time, and “routinely” passes legislation with Democratic support.

“In closing, the emperor has no clothes and the whole conference knows it, but few will say it. The general public knows it too. Please don’t shoot the messengers,” Massie wrote.

A Virginia man who allegedly used pictures of President Joe Biden for target practice was found in his home with the largest cache of homemade explosives in FBI history, authorities have said.

While executing a search warrant on Brad Spafford’s 20-acre property in Isle of Wight County, Virginia, earlier this month, agents found “a cache of more than 150 homemade improvised explosive devices, estimated to be pipe bombs,” according to photos included with court documents.

Several pipe bombs were found inside a backpack with a grenade-shaped patch that read “#NoLivesMatter,” a reference to a nihilistic, far-right ideology.

His lawyers filed a demand that he be released from prison on New Year’s Eve.

Connecticut Attorney General William Tong is the son of immigrants who came to the United States from China and Taiwan.

He is the first member of his family born in the United States and the first Asian American to be elected to statewide office in Connecticut.

If Trump tries to end birthright citizenship, despite the 14th Amendment establishing a right to citizenship for people born in the country, Tong tells NBC News he wants to be “the first to sue”.

Tong is among about two dozen Democratic attorneys general on the frontline of the legal defense against Trump’s threats to immigration rights, among other likely targets in the incoming administration.

Here’s what Trump has said about birthright citizenship:

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is under enormous pressure to resign, with several members of his own party reportedly joining efforts to force him out, after his deputy prime minister resigned and concerns over Donald Trump’s tariffs mount.

Don Lemon’s gleeful and profane celebration of the ongoing MAGA dispute over H-1B visas outraged several Fox News personalities Tuesday, with one panelist questioning whether the former CNN star thought her parents, who supported Donald Trump, were “stupid”.

From The independent‘s Justin Baragona:

Right-wing billionaire Elon Musk has changed his name to “Kekius Maximus” on X, the social media platform he owns, signaling support for a type of cryptocurrency.

The world’s richest man also updated his profile picture to an edited image of “Pepe the Frog”, a meme that has been co-opted by hate groups.

Katie Hawkinson has more:

The Independent takes a look back at the key political moments of the past year – and some of the memorable scenes you may have forgotten from an unforgettable 2024:

Justin Caporale — one of the Trump campaign staffers who allegedly verbally abused staff at Arlington National Cemetery this summer — has been hired by the president-elect for his “external operation” as “Executive Producer for Major Events and Public Appearances.”

Carpole “has been with me from the very beginning of a very incredible journey, helping to produce our historic rallies and events including the Republican National Convention, Madison Square Garden, McDonalds commercial and even my seriously viral ‘ride with garbage truck'” Trump announced on Tuesday.

“After he finishes what will be our grand inauguration presentation, Justin will continue to serve my external operation as Executive Producer for major events and public appearances,” Trump added. “Congratulations Justin. Keep up the GREAT work!”

Mike Johnson has maintained shaky control of the Republican caucus since late last October, buoyed in part by fatigue from the chaotic speakerless period.

However, whether it will continue into the new congress is still uncertain.

The independent‘s John Bowden reports from Capitol Hill: