First Thoughts: Bigger Budget Battles Ahead

Ivanka Trump is expected to remain an "informal adviser" in President-elect Donald Trump's next administration but will do it "under the radar" this time, sources close to the former president's daughter said. In a Sunday report, CNN revealed that Ivanka Trump intended to stay out of the divisive political limelight in the next administration. "Ivanka Trump is done with politics and says she isn't coming back," CNN noted. Instead, the president's daughter is expected to focus on her children and her businesses, which have "profited from proximity to the presidency and resulting relationships," the report explained. "Trump remains very close with her father, with whom she talks regularly, a source close to her said.

Carlos Turcios of the Dallas Express went looking for the missing congresswoman and was surprised by what he'd found. Not only had Granger's Washington and Dallas offices been closed since Thanksgiving (the only way you could reach anyone was by voicemail), but a tip led him to find that Granger was living in an assisted living facility and was suffering from dementia.

The United States isn't the only place Musk is meddling. Now he's embracing the far right neo-Nazi party in Germany: Elon Musk appears to be leaning even further into a full neo-Nazi embrace. Following his social media assault to block a congressional spending bill meant to avoid a government shutdown, the tech billionaire took to X and described the racist, far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party as Germany’s last, best hope. “Only the AfD can save Germany,” he posted on X early Friday.

Look who's making empty threats against United States Senators. Russian shill Tucker Carlson. Tucker Carlson Says Any GOP Senator Who Votes ‘Against Tulsi Gabbard’s Confirmation’ Is ‘Enemy Of The United States’: Daily Caller News Foundation co-founder Tucker Carlson said Thursday that any Republican Senator who ends up voting against confirming former Democratic Hawaii Rep.

Elections matter! Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont announced this week that nearly 23,000 Connecticut residents who have medical debt will have some or all of it wiped away under the first round of a major initiative through a partnership with the national nonprofit organization Undue Medical Debt. The nonprofit contracts with state and local governments and leverages public investments to negotiate with hospitals and other providers on the elimination of large, bundled portfolios of qualifying medical debt owed by patients whose income is at or below four times (400%) the federal poverty level or who have medical debt that is 5% or more of their income.

Sahil Kapur of NBC News caught up with Rep. Drunken Van Orden (MAGA-Nearest corner bar) and asked him about the chaos and mayhem the Republicans are causing with passing a budget bill in order to comply with President Musk's and his puppet, Orange Felon's, demands. Needless to say, DVO was more than bit confused: KAPUR: Congressman, do you think President-elect Trump should have made his demand earlier, earlier than one or two days before the deadline? DVO: President Trump didn't make a demand, But to be very clear, President Trump is the leader of the Republican Party.