Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has signaled a willingness to work with President-elect Donald Trump, Fox News reported. The Michigan Democrat said she hopes to "find some common ground" with Trump in a stunning turnaround.
Whitmer made these remarks while speaking with CNN during a Democratic governors' meeting in Los Angeles this week. "People in Michigan, like a majority of Americans, voted for Donald Trump, and my oath is to Michigan," Whitmer said.
"Obviously, I’ve got experience in this type of environment that will help inform how I continue to fight for Michigan. But I know Donald Trump cares about Michigan," Whitmer added.
"And I’m hoping that because of that, we’ll be able to find some common ground in some important ways," the Democratic governor concluded. After losing the state in 2020, Trump won again this time around.
Trump and Whitmer famously bumped heads during the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic. At one point, Trump referred to her as "that woman from Michigan," which became a rallying cry for the radical leftist.
As recently as August of this year, Whitmer brought it up while stumping for Vice President Kamala Harris, CBS News reported. She called Trump "That man for Mar-a-Lago" in her remarks during the Democratic National Convention.
"Being a woman from Michigan is a badge of honor," Whitmer had told the crowd. She also denigrated Trump for his wealthy lifestyle, suggesting it somehow made him out of touch and unable to help the people in her state.
"You think he understands that when your car breaks down, you can't get to work? No!" Whitmer claimed.
"His first word was probably 'chauffeur.' You think he's ever had to take items out of the cart before checking out?" Whitmer slammed Trump. "Hell, you think he's even been to a grocery store? That's what the chauffeur is for."
Now, Whitmer and others are attempting to build goodwill with Trump by stroking his ego. They believe doing so will keep Trump from attacking them, which is a victory in its own way for the Republican president, even if they can't see it.
New York Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul schmoozed Trump as a native of the Empire State. She told Trump he is a "president who is a New Yorker, has been a New Yorker, would understand how important it is for the success of our state" during a phone conversation.
However, Hochul hasn't completely abandoned her leftist hatred for Trump. "It would be irresponsible of me not to anticipate all scenarios of what could happen, especially listening to what the president said, what his advisers have said, what his appointees have said, what his candidates for various positions have said, and what Project 2025 says," the New York governor claimed.
"I have to be keenly aware of all those potential challenges and have a strategy to respond to each if they actually occur. So it’s playing some defense right now, getting the game plan together, and being willing to work," Hochul said.
Trump is retaking the White House with a mandate from the people. Everyone is getting in line behind him now, from America's adversaries to the Democratic governors who recognize that Trump is not to be discounted or trifled with.
Sens. Joe Manchin (I-WV) and Peter Welch (D-VT) have proposed adding term limits for Supreme Court justices, Fox News reported. The change would require a constitutional amendment as justices are currently appointed for life.
Like everything else in politics, the Supreme Court has become more partisan in recent years. Several wins by the conservative majority have prompted Democrats to call for changes.
Manchin was a longtime Democrat who recently became an independent after becoming fed up with his party. The West Virginia lawmaker is also in the final days of his term, as he did not seek reelection.
Perhaps this finality compelled him to propose an amendment that would shake up the Supreme Court. In a news release, Manchin and Welch explained how their term limits would work.
The court currently consists of nine justices appointed for life based on the language stating they "shall hold their Offices during good Behaviour" in the Constitution. The lawmakers propose a change that would come over time.
"The proposed amendment would not adjust the tenure of sitting Justices, but rather institute a transition period to maintain regular vacancies as current Justices retire. During that period, 18-year terms will begin every two years, regardless of when a current Justice leaves the bench," the news release explained.
"Once a current Justice retires, the newly appointed Justice will serve out the remainder of the next open 18-year term. The amendment would not change the overall number of Justices on the Court," the news release added.
The Judiciary Act of 1869 implemented the current nine-justice panel, but the Constitution does not stipulate any number. Manchin and Welch seek to change that, effectively stopping any efforts to pack the court with additional justices to tip the balance of power.
"Our amendment maintains that there shall never be more than nine Justices and would gradually create regular vacancies on the Court, allowing the President to appoint a new Justice every two years with the advice and consent of the United States Senate. I encourage my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to join our legislation to help restore faith in our judicial system," the release notes.
Manchin believes the current system "has eroded public confidence" in the judicial branch. "I’m proud to introduce this legislation with Senator Welch that would establish 18-year term limits for Justices of the United States Supreme Court," the news release quoted Manchin.
"The current lifetime appointment structure is broken and fuels polarizing confirmation battles and political posturing that has eroded public confidence in the highest court in our land." Manchin said it would mean a new appointment every two years "with the advice and consent of the United States Senate" to confirm.
"I encourage my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to join our legislation to help restore faith in our judicial system," Manchin added. Welch similarly cited the need to "restore Americans' faith in our judicial system" in his reasoning.
"Taking action to restore public trust in our nation's most powerful Court is as urgent as it is necessary. Setting term limits for Supreme Court Justices will cut down on political gamesmanship, and is commonsense reform supported by a majority of Americans," Welch claimed.
The left only seems eager to tinker with the Supreme Court now that conservatives have a six to three majority on the court. America's founders believed term limits would lead to more political jockeying, not less, and their wisdom in lifetime appointments seems more prescient than ever.
Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY) tripped and fell during the weekly Senate Republican lunch on Tuesday, Fox News reported. The 82-year-old GOP Senate leader suffered a sprained wrist and a cut to the face.
The upper chamber was in turmoil as news broke that a wheelchair was seen being brought to McConnell's office around 1 p.m. Tuesday. Not long after that, a fire and rescue squad from Washington, D.C., was seen departing from his suite.
"Leader McConnell tripped following lunch. He sustained a minor cut to the face and sprained his wrist," a spokesperson told Fox News Digital.
"He has been cleared to resume his schedule," the spokesperson added. McConnell had missed Tuesday's presser due to the incident.
According to CNN, McConnell had several falls last year. In February 2023, McConnell lost his footing in Finland just after meeting with the Finnish president and the rest of the U.S. delegation.
A colleague blamed the ice for McConnell's fall as it was a very snowy day. However, just days later, McConnell fell again in Washington, D.C., and landed in the hospital with a concussion and broken ribs.
In July 2023, McConnell fell again while deplaning at Reagan National Airport. He did not sustain any injuries that time, but it added fuel to the fire of growing concerns over his age and health.
McConnell earned the distinction of being the longest-serving Senate party leader last year and is going on 18 years in that position. He said he won't seek the leadership position again, and his term in the Senate expires in 2026.
While it's true that McConnell has a weakened leg due to childhood polio, he has a history of falls dating back to at least 2019, when he fractured his shoulder at home. There are also more troubling signs for the elderly statesman who has yet to retire.
The political world was abuzz after McConnell had a freezing incident in August 2023, NBC News reported. It was the second time in as many months that the Kentucky Republican quit speaking and blankly stared ahead in the middle of a sentence.
The later incident came as McConnell answered a question about whether he would run for office again. An aide came up to him in an attempt to get McConnell to snap out of whatever it was that he was suffering.
"Did you hear the question, senator?" she asked McConnell. He answered a different question before she repeated the latest inquiry, and McConnell left shortly thereafter.
Mitch McConnell freezes again during a press conference.
— Pop Base (@PopBase) August 30, 2023
McConnell is an elderly man with obvious health problems on display for all to see. It's sad on a personal level, but it's outrageous on a political level that he has not retired and allowed someone younger and in better health to take over.
Former first lady Melania Trump explained in her memoir Melania that she was heartbroken after an institution she banked with for a long time suddenly refused to do business with her family, Florida's Voice News reported. Florida Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis shared that this practice is about to be examined.
So-called "debanking," where a bank refuses services to customers on ideological grounds, is becoming a common practice. These institutions are squeezing out clients based on religion, gun ownership, and other views.
The Trump family was famously subject to this, as Melania Trump noted. "I was shocked and dismayed to learn that my longtime bank decided to terminate my account and deny my son the opportunity to open a new one," the former and soon-to-be first lady said.
Now that President-elect Donald Trump is returning to the White House next year, many anticipate renewed scrutiny. Indeed, Patronis vowed to "open up the hood" on these banks.
In a post to X, formerly Twitter, on Saturday, Patronis signaled a possible investigation into this brazen discrimination. "I cannot wait to open up the hood on how these federal agencies worked with lending institutions to de-bank Americans," Patronis wrote.
"The unelected bureaucrats who targeted gun owners, Christians, and Trump supporters are going to have a day of reckoning," he added. The problem for the Trump family began shortly after the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol.
The Hill reported weeks after the event that several financial institutions cut ties with Donald Trump and his businesses. Florida's Banks United, where Donald Trump held anywhere between $5.1 million and $25.2 million in money market accounts, declined his business.
"We no longer have any depository relationship with him," the institution flatly reported without giving a reason. Professional Bank, another Sunshine State institution, followed suit.
In New York, Signature Bank and Deutsche Bank decided to no longer do business with Donald Trump. The former went so far as to also call on him to resign his then-presidency while the latter was looking to dump $300 million in his loans.
This kind of treatment is not just a problem for the Trup family. It has been cropping up across the financial services industry, including Bank of America, which has garnered a reputation for such actions.
In April, 15 state financial officers from 13 states sent a letter to CEO Brian Moynihan about the company's selective cancellation of accounts based on ideology, Fox News reported. Some of those targeted included Indigenous Advance Ministries, a Christian anti-trafficking organization, and Timothy Two Project International, which trains Christian pastors.
"Americans should never have to worry that their personal financial decisions will be weaponized against them. This practice has become all too common, and banks must urgently course correct to uphold their fiduciary duty and safeguard the constitutional freedoms of Americans," Kentucky State Auditor Allison Ball, one of the signors, said in a statement.
The letter claimed that "systemic drivers of religious and political bias may be at work within the company as a whole." Bank of America has pushed back on that claim, but it is just one of several institutions that seem to be quietly doing the same thing.
It's unconscionable for these banks to deny services based on religion or political viewpoint. It seems Patronis and others are about to shed some light on these shady practices, and it's about time.
President-elect Donald Trump told "Meet the Press" host Kristen Welker that he plans to start pardoning those convicted of offenses on January 6, 2021 on his first day in office.
Host Kristen Welker said, “I asked the President-elect if he plans to follow through on his campaign promise to pardon those who attacked the Capitol on January 6, including the more than 900 people who pleaded guilty to a crime.”
Trump said, “I’m going to look at everything. We’ll look at individual cases. But I’m going to be acting very quickly.”
Welker said, “Within your first 100 days, first day?”
Trump said, “First day.”
According to the Justice Department, more than 1,488 defendants in all 50 states and D.C. have been charged with crimes related to the Capitol breach. 894 defendants have pled guilty, while another 186 who contested the charges have been found guilty.
Of those, 562 were sentenced to serve time in jail for their crimes, while the rest received probation or other sentences that didn't involved jail time.
But all those who pled guilty or were convicted will have a criminal record, which can be limiting when searching for jobs, housing, and other necessities of life.
They may also have their voting rights taken away.
Trump can right these wrongs if he pardons these individuals, many of which were charged with much more serious crimes than they needed to be.
Most of those in the Capitol that day were doing nothing more than simply trespassing, but were made out to be violent or dangerous by the media and Democrats.
Using terms like "insurrectionists" and even "rioters" has turned the whole thing into some sort of attempted coup, which it definitely was not. For most, it was more like a temper tantrum or a curiosity excursion than any kind of concerted attempt to stop electoral count voting or overtake the government.
Trump also reacted to the prison many of them were put in, which reportedly had or has terrible conditions.
"These people have been there. How long has it been? Three or four years, OK? By the way, they’ve been in there for years, and they’re in a filthy, disgusting place that shouldn’t even be allowed to be open," he told Welker.
President-elect Donald Trump's post-election pace has been a marvel of swiftness, not just in terms of Cabinet picks, but also with regard to his return to active engagement on the world stage.
Strong evidence of Trump's bold reintegration into the ranks of world leaders came on Saturday during his visit to Paris for the reopening of the Notre Dame Cathedral, with social media users remarking en masse about what many described as his forceful assertion of American dominance after years of liberal control, as Fox News reports.
As NPR noted, Trump received a grand welcome from French President Emmanuel Macron that was full of official pomp and admiration.
Upon his arrival at the Elysee Palace, Macron made an intentional display of the close ties between the United States and France, complete with posed photos of handshakes, smiles, and declarations of the “great honor” it was to receive his American counterpart.
“It's a great honor for the French people to welcome you five years later. Welcome back again,” Macron told Trump.
While Macron's words were surely noteworthy, it was a particular handshake between the two men that caught the attention of netizens everywhere.
Trump appeared to take control of the gesture, ensuring that his hand was angled high above Macron's during the exchange of pleasantries, and that move alone sparked a range of reactions from across the Internet.
An X user named George mused of Trump's physicality with the French leader, “President Trump is back to dominating world leaders with his handshake.”
“Macron is going to need a hand massage after all that twisting and pulling Trump did to him,” he added.
Conservative commentator Drew Hernandez was similarly impressed, noting, “President Trump manhandles French President Emmanuel Macron with one of the most dominating handshakes I've ever seen. We are so back.”
Writer John Lefevre joked, “The Trump-Macron handshake is hilarious. Because it happened twice. And you know Macron was told to prepare and probably practiced and then still got dominated.”
Colin Rugg, another conservative pundit, referenced a previous, awkwardly extended greeting between Trump and Macron that occurred in 2017, saying, “7 years later and the handshake battle continues between Donald Trump and Emmanual Macron.”
Macron was not the only notable name with whom Trump engaged during his time in Paris, spending roughly 35 minutes in a joint meeting with the French president and Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky, whose country's conflict with Russia is one Trump has pledged to help end.
As the BBC noted, Trump also sat down with the Prince of Wales, someone he described as a “good man” who has been doing a “fantastic job” in his role, with Buckingham Palace declaring the discussion “warm and friendly,” in what appears to be a good sign for the special relationship between the U.S. and the U.K.
Rep. Adam Schiff will be sworn into the Senate Monday after resigning from his current House seat, Just the News reported. The California Democrat was elected into the upper chamber in November.
Schiff bested his GOP opponent, Steve Garvey, to win the seat left vacant by the late Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein. "I just cast my last vote as a member of the House of Representatives," Schiff captioned a video message he posted to X, formerly Twitter, Friday.
"To my LA constituents — thank you for the amazing opportunity to serve. And to the people of the whole state of CA, I’m so grateful for your confidence and look forward to all we can get done together," Schiff added.
I just cast my last vote as a member of the House of Representatives.
To my LA constituents — thank you for the amazing opportunity to serve.
And to the people of the whole state of CA, I’m so grateful for your confidence and look forward to all we can get done together! pic.twitter.com/i3TZjUR27p
— Adam Schiff (@RepAdamSchiff) December 6, 2024
Schiff made a name for himself by going after President-elect Donald Trump during his first term in office. He was a driving force behind the Russia collusion hoax that ultimately fell apart because there was never any truth to it, Fox News reported.
In June 2023, the House passed a 213-209 resolution to censure Schiff for pushing the false narrative that would put Trump under suspicion throughout his 2016 campaign and beyond. Florida GOP Rep. Anna Paulina Luna said Schiff "launched an all-out political campaign built on baseless distortions against a sitting U.S. president" before the vote.
"With access to sensitive information unavailable to most members of Congress and certainly not accessible to the American people, Schiff abused his privileges, claiming to know the truth while leaving Americans in the dark about his web of lies… lies so severe that they altered the course of the country forever." Schiff was the chairman of the House Intelligence Committee at the time of the investigation.
With his usual flair for the dramatic, Schiff thanked his enemies. "To my Republican colleagues who introduced this resolution, I thank you. You honor me with your enmity, you flatter me with this falsehood," Schiff said.
"You, who are the authors of a big lie about the last election, must condemn the truth tellers. And I stand proudly before you. Your words tell me that I have been effective in the defense of our democracy, and I am grateful," Schiff claimed.
That surly approach was popular enough with his Democratic constituents to get Schiff elected to the Senate. However, he has since taken a more defiant stance against Trump, The Hill reported.
Trump has promised payback for Schiff's malicious pursuit of him, and Schiff is striking a tougher tone against Trump. "Look, I’m not going to be intimidated by anything he says, by anything he does," Schiff said last month on CNN's State of the Union.
"I’m going to do my responsibility in this Senate. Californians are expecting me, first and foremost, to try to work and get things done," Schiff added.
The California Democrat pledged that "where the President wants to engage in unconstitutional abuses of power, just as he did in the first administration, I will defend our state." Apparently, Schiff will continue sparring with Trump as a political strategy.
Schiff is an opportunistic and unscrupulous politician who made his name by getting on the never-Trump bandwagon. He will continue to be so as long as the people of California keep voting for him.
President-elect Donald Trump doubled down on supporting Pete Hegseth as his nominee for defense secretary, Breitbart reported. Trump has stood by Hegseth despite the onslaught of attacks from the left lobbed at the former Fox News host to create controversy.
On Friday, Trump took to his Truth Social to reaffirm his support for Hegseth, which is a victory for conservatives. "Pete Hegseth is doing very well. His support is strong and deep, much more so than the Fake News would have you believe," Trump wrote.
"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 said.
In an earlier social media post, Trump shared New York Post op-ed by Miranda Devine titled "Dems’ attacks on the intelligent, articulate and patriotic Pete Hegseth show why they lost – a salute to Trump’s defense secretary pick." The article seemed to sum up his reasons for the pick.
"The elitist attacks on Donald Trump’s defense secretary pick, Pete Hegseth, show exactly why Democrats lost the election in a landslide," Devine began. She noted his many attributes, including that Hegseth is "a graduate of Princeton and Harvard, a combat veteran of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, with two Bronze Stars," Devine recounted.
She also believes the 44-year-old "is an inspired choice to lead the Pentagon and rid it of the woke poison that has sent recruitment levels down the toilet," a necessary task after the mess of President Joe Biden's administration. Devine noted that military morale suffered because of "the botched withdrawal from Afghanistan" and "the exhibitionistic sexual fetishism" that infiltrated Biden's military.
"He’s a lot better qualified to run the Defense Department than Kamala Harris ever was to be commander-in-chief," Devine noted of Hegseth. She believes most objections come from elitism rather than a real concern about Hegseth's qualifications.
"It’s the same snobbery and elitism that cost Dems the election — not just the Electoral College, the House and the Senate, but the popular vote. The times they are a-changing. Trump has the mandate for change, and he is making the most of it," Devine concluded.
A woman wishing to remain anonymous alleged that Hegseth had raped her in 2017, NBC News reported. The district attorney never pressed charges, noting that there wasn't enough evidence.
Hegseth settled with her despite his claims that their encounter was consensual. Democrats have tried to turn this into a disqualifying event, but they've tried it one too many times.
Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) said Wednesday that he was "not going to make any decisions based on an anonymous source," NBC News reported. Graham likened it to Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation hearing, where Christine Blasey Ford made vague accusations that were completely unsubstantiated.
Hegseth's accuser hasn't even come forward to the public with this issue in the news, ang Graham believes that could be an indication that it might not be true. "I’ve seen this movie before," Graham said.
Trump has made his pick because Hegseth is well-qualified for the job. Even as the left attacks him, Trump remains loyal to his original pick and will likely see him through to his confirmation if Republicans don't cave, and that's a win for his supporters.
President Joe Biden appeared to fall asleep during a meeting with African leaders Wednesday, Breitbart reported. The 82-year-old seemed to nod off for about 80 seconds during a discussion at the three-day summit.
The president was in Angola for a short trip to talk to leaders and pledge $2.5 billion to build railroads through Africa. "Mr. President, I’m coming back to ride on the train all the way from end to end," Biden said to João Lourenço, president of the southern African nation.
"I like trains a lot. So I’m coming back. You’re stuck with me," the president added while still alert.
"Africa has been left behind for much too long. But not anymore. Africa is the future," Biden triumphantly claimed. Unfortunately, that enthusiasm wasn't enough to keep him engaged for long.
Biden is finishing out his one and only term as president, but it appears he's already checked out. During Wednesday's meeting, the president found it difficult to keep his eyes open during a discussion.
On two separate occasions, it appeared that Biden nodded off in his chair as he put his hand over his eyes. The UK Daily Mail noted that Biden's "hand twitched and he dropped something" at one point as well.
Breitbart reporter Wendell Husebo shared a video of the president apparently catnapping at his seat. "Joe Biden appears to fall asleep in the middle of a summit with African leaders," Husebo captioned the video on X, formerly Twitter, Wednesday.
Joe Biden appears to fall asleep in the middle of a summit with African leaders
— Wendell Husebø (@WendellHusebo) December 4, 2024
This apparent inability to stay awake has plagued Biden for some time. Shortly before he dropped out of his reelection bid in July, Biden told state governors on a call that he needed more sleep. "I’m fine — I don’t know about my brain, though," the president said.
During the 2020 campaign, President-elect Donald Trump famously conferred the moniker "Sleepy Joe" on Biden. As it seemed Biden lived up to that name last week, the internet was abuzz.
Clay Travis, founder of Outkick, posted about the debacle to X. "Joe Biden fell asleep during a meeting with African leaders today," he wrote.
"He’s sharp as a tack though!" Travis wrote, referring to the way the media described Biden just before he left the presidential race. "Honestly, this feels intentional. Who puts an 82 year old on a plane for a THREE DAY trip to Africa?! Three days! So dumb," Travis said.
Of course, a National Security Council spokesperson came to Biden's defense in an attempt to save face. "The President was awake during the conversation and did not fall asleep. He was simply listening to his counterpart’s remarks."
Biden is an old man who has been struggling for years to keep up with the demands of the job. It's embarrassing that the leader of the free world would appear as anything but alert and engaged when the world is watching, but perhaps that's why Biden won't get a second term.
Breitbart Editor-in-Chief and podcaster Alex Marlow believes President-elect Trump should pardon suspects caught up in the Jan. 6, 2021, riot, Breitbart reported. Marlow said this on Tuesday after President Joe Biden announced a presidential pardon for his son, Hunter Biden.
Marlow, host of the "Alex Marlow Show," said Trump must help these people who were unfairly prosecuted. "Donald Trump should pardon every single person and commute the sentences of every person who was involved in January 6," Marlow said.
"It was so overblown, and we need to send a signal that you’re not allowed to do that to the American people," he added. With Joe Biden's recent move to go back on his word about his son, Trump now has yet another mandate.
On Sunday night, Joe Biden issued his son Robert Hunter Biden a "Full and Unconditional Pardon" from his crimes beginning in 2014, the New York Post reported. Hunter Biden was convicted of tax and gun crimes but has yet to be sentenced.
This came after the president had repeatedly insisted he would not do so for his 54-year-old son. Following Hunter Biden's conviction in June, Joe Biden insisted that he was committed to making his son serve whatever sentence he would be given.
"I said I abide by the jury decision. I will do that. And I will not pardon him," the president said. When asked if he would commute his son's sentence, Joe Biden again said he would not.
However, Joe Biden's statement this week claimed that his previous promise didn't hold up because his son was "selectively, and unfairly, prosecuted. It is clear that Hunter was treated differently … singled out only because he is my son," Biden wrote.
Astonishingly, the president still insisted he didn't lie in his previous statements despite doing exactly what he promised he would never do. "For my entire career I have followed a simple principle: just tell the American people the truth," Joe Biden claimed.
During the campaign, Trump pledged to consider pardons for certain Jan. 6 prisoners and suspects. Joe Biden's clemency for his son now opens the door for the incoming president.
"Biden is doing exactly the wrong thing by pardoning Hunter. This will now give Trump the license to pardon all of his supporters, including those from Jan 6th," Trump's ex-national security adviser John Bolton said on X, formerly Twitter, according to USA Today.
Trump similarly hinted that the pardon served as his permission slip. "Does the Pardon given by Joe to Hunter include the J-6 Hostages, who have now been imprisoned for years?" Trump wrote on social media.
"Such an abuse and miscarriage of Justice!" Trump added. The left has no avenue to object to such a move after Hunter Biden's unearned pardon and the president's lies about doing so.
Understandably, Joe Biden wants his son to stay out of jail. What's wrong is that the president went back on his word about his intention before the election, a lie he likely told because of the political fallout that would come if he simply told the truth.