Comment on Security problems uncovered at US bases in Iraq (AP)

“Republicans’ decision to abandon a congressional spending plan will cost troops their paychecks over the holidays unless some agreement is reached before Friday’s deadline to prevent a government shutdown,” the AP reports.

“House Republican leaders planned to work through the night and into Friday on a Plan C for funding the government, after abandoning their deal with Democrats and failing to pass an alternative backed by President-elect Donald Trump,” Politico reports. “Facing a government shutdown deadline at midnight Friday, Speaker Mike Johnson is under pressure to patch together a third proposal to avert a shutdown — while enacting other priorities that include more than $100 billion in disaster aid, retaining support from Trump along with a majority of House Republicans and enough Democrats to secure passage.”

New York Times: “It was a remarkable moment for Mr. Musk, who has never been elected to public office but now appears to be the largest megaphone for the man about to retake the Oval Office. Larger, in fact, than Mr. Trump himself, whose own vaunted social media presence is dwarfed by that of Mr.

Sen Ron Johnson, anti-vaxxer and snake oil salesman, went on Newsmax and couldn't control his gushing over the damage that he and RFK, Jr. want to do to this country: We need to find out what is causing this explosion in chronic illness in autism. That's something the American people certainly agree with and while they're doing that, they're also demonstrating to America how you heal and unify a very divided nation.

At least a dozen senators are pushing to see the FBI’s background check on Pete Hegseth, a sign that the former Fox News host still faces hurdles in the Senate. Via Politico: “It would be helpful, given the allegations that have been lodged against Mr. Hegseth, to be able to see the FBI background check,” Sen.

By LISA MASCARO and KEVIN FREKING WASHINGTON (AP) — A day before a potential government shutdown, the House resoundingly rejected President-elect Donald Trump’s new plan Thursday to fund operations and suspend the debt ceiling, as Democrats and dozens of Republicans refused to accommodate his sudden demands. In a hastily convened evening vote punctuated by angry outbursts over the self-made crisis, the lawmakers failed to reach the two-thirds threshold needed for passage — but House Speaker Mike Johnson appeared determined to reassess, before Friday’s midnight deadline. “We’re going to regroup and we will come up with another solution, so stay tuned,” Johnson said after the vote.