Trump Speaks To Scotus Pick, Dems' Push To End Ice In Exclusive Fox News Interview

Politico: “Typically, punting a funding deadline into a new year when Republicans will control every lever of power would make Democrats shudder. But they’re not putting up much of a fight this time around.” “While leadership negotiations are ongoing at this point, Democrats have made clear that they have one main demand for the stopgap: a robust supplemental package to address disaster aid.

“Republican leaders know they will have to come to a decision on their reconciliation strategy within the next few weeks if they’re serious about getting border money out the door in January,” Politico reports. “According to a person close to leadership, granted anonymity to share private discussions, House Speaker Mike Johnson and Majority Leader Steve Scalise privately agree with House Ways and Means Chair Jason Smith (R-MO) that the best strategic move would be to tie border funding to an extension of expiring tax cuts in one big, sweeping package.” However: “The House leaders, though, haven’t officially backed the strategy and will ultimately defer to what President-elect Trump decides.”

“Donald Trump has announced two of the highest-profile ambassador jobs — but many of the most significant ones are still to come,” Politico reports. “While several foreign posts are important in any administration because the country is a close U. S. ally or a neighbor to an adversary, some ambassadorial jobs will take on heightened significance in Trump’s second term because of the incoming president’s existing relationship with — or comments about — the country.”

“Iran spent decades and billions of dollars building a network of militias and governments that allowed it to exercise political and military influence across the Middle East, and deter foreign attacks on its soil,” the Wall Street Journal reports. “In a matter of weeks, the pillars of that alliance came crashing down.” “The departure of Syria’s Bashar al-Assad is the latest strategic catastrophe that will force Iran to rethink decades-old security policies, just as it is confronting the election of President-elect Donald Trump and his promises of new pressure on Tehran.”

Peter Baker: “Mr. Trump has made some of the most expansive, some would say outlandish, campaign promises that any president has ever made, promises that policymakers across the spectrum take seriously in their intent but not in their specifics. While he may make substantial progress on his priorities, few other than committed Trump allies think he will be able to meet his maximalist goals on immigration, federal spending and foreign policy.” “He has vowed to end the war in Ukraine in 24 hours and to do so before his inauguration next month, without giving any indication of how.

Punchbowl News: “The vibes around Pete Hegseth’s nomination to lead the Defense Department have shifted during the last few days.” “Buoyed by continued support from President-elect Donald Trump, the crisis atmosphere enveloping Hegseth’s nomination has cooled somewhat, although the former Army National Guard officer and Fox News host is still far from a sure thing for confirmation.” “After the most prominent Senate GOP critic of Hegseth, Sen.