The Hill Articles: December 16, 2024

Drone sightings a combination of ‘lawful’ drones, other aircraft and stars, officials say Trump names pick for ambassador to Japan Freedom Caucus reelects Andy Harris as chair Ozy Media founder Carlos Watson sentenced to 10 years Trump seeks to smooth over concerns about RFK Jr. Bipartisan energy deal push flops​ Judge rules Trump’s conviction withstands Supreme Court immunity decision Senate Democrats push plan to abolish Electoral College TikTok CEO meets with Trump at Mar-a-Lago Senate advances annual defense policy bill, teeing up final vote in coming days Democratic senators introduce defense bill amendment to block GOP transgender restriction Terrorism victims push Congress on relief funding Attacking Newsom’s climate agenda, environmental activists launch ad campaign in battleground states Trump works to ease RFK Jr. worries McCarthy says Harris would not win California governor race Wisconsin school shooter was female teenager: Reports The Memo: Trump walks tightrope at Mar-a-Lago press conference TikTok pushes for Supreme Court reprieve Connolly bests Ocasio-Cortez in key vote to lead Democrats on Oversight panel WH: Drones not national security risk, argues administration has made ‘good faith effort’ to be transparent Huffman wins key vote to succeed Grijalva atop Natural Resources Democrats Democratic panel recommends Craig for top seat on Agriculture Committee DOGE takes aim at federal workers Evening Report — Trump’s post-election presser Bill to officially make bald eagle national bird heads to Biden’s desk Bipartisan energy talks collapse, say Manchin, Carper, blaming House GOP Live updates: Trump talks drones, vaccines as RFK Jr. kicks off Senate visits  Senate report accuses Amazon of manipulating worker injury data TikTok asks Supreme Court to delay divest-or-ban law  Lawmakers signal movement toward government funding deal Canadian finance minister notes Trump tariff threat in resignation letter Will Trump’s success spark a harder stance on immigration in Europe? ‘FCC has no business threatening to take away broadcast licenses’: Outgoing commissioner  Madison school shooting: Suspect identified as 15-year-old Natalie Rupnow How RFK Jr. could actually reform industrial agriculture  Youngkin calls for an end to taxes on tips ahead of Virginia legislative session Debunking the myth of the military welfare queen  ‘Patience is getting very thin’: New Jersey rep releases drone action plan Trump says Russia-Ukraine peace may be harder than Middle East Lawmakers want counter-drone measure in short-term funding legislation Trump says there are ‘problems’ with vaccines, rejects mandates Trump says he would consider pardoning Eric Adams House bill would ban ‘unnecessary’ genital surgeries for intersex foster youth Post-Assad Syria is a critical first test for the Trump Doctrine 5 takeaways from Trump’s Mar-a-Lago press conference Former FBI informant pleads guilty to fabricating Biden claims Multiple injuries, 3 deaths including shooter in Wisconsin school shooting Jeh Johnson on drone sightings: ‘Federal government is still struggling to figure this out’ Could AI war games predict the next Pearl Harbor?  Mountains of unused coal causing financial headaches for US power sector: Report Drone sightings close Wright-Patterson airspace Sanders defends Warren comments on ‘outrageous’ UnitedHealthcare CEO killing 12:30 Report — Trump talks drones, tariffs, news media in sprawling presser Lack of drone transparency ‘unacceptable’: Connecticut senator Missing Wisconsin woman’s body found after 4 years Trump says he has a ‘warm spot’ in his heart for TikTok as app faces ban Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio closed for hours due to drone activity Trump on New Jersey drones: Biden admin wants to ‘keep people in suspense’ Rising: December 16, 2024 No more nation-building: Step back from post-Assad Syria  Trump announces $100B investment from SoftBank Christie: Mayorkas remarks about drone sightings ‘just wrong’ New Jersey governor briefed on drone sightings Watch: Biden speaks at Labor Department Buttigieg: ‘I’m ready to catch my breath’ Massive defense bill sees clear path in Senate, despite transgender measure Former Google CEO: A time will come to consider ‘unplugging’ AI system  ‘Complicated’: Investigation underway after 3 women found dead in Ohio home, police say The fall of academic freedom with a DEI twist Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson opens up about her Broadway debut: ‘Anything is possible’ NYC mayor says he won’t be ‘warring’ with Trump Harris campaign aide accuses Musk of throttling content before election Watch: Trump makes statement from Mar-a-Lago Ukraine details North Korean casualties in Russia’s Kursk region  In Texas, religious freedom and parental rights are only for Christians Chris Cuomo inks new deal with NewsNation McConnell urges Trump to reject isolationism Assad in first public comments since ouster says he wanted to keep fighting in Syria Biden establishing Frances Perkins National Monument in Maine Supreme Court won’t hear ex-New York lieutenant governor’s appeal in bribery case Christopher Wray’s big mistake: Why it was wrong for the FBI head to step down  Paris Hilton heading to Capitol with ‘urgent’ plea to pass youth welfare program reform Supreme Court won’t block order directing Peter Navarro to turn over emails Appeals judge reverses retirement plans after Trump election Trump 2.0: How many days before he loses momentum? Incoming House Republican: ‘We need a lot more Daniel Pennys’ No justice, no peace: Why Americans don’t trust insurance companies Kinzinger on mystery New Jersey drones: ‘They’re literally all airplanes!’ Postelection polling suggests a new reason behind Trump’s victory Graham: Hegseth said he will release accuser from confidentiality agreement Congress can spare teenagers from sextortion by passing the TAKE IT DOWN Act Why they’re so eager to make excuses for murder Cartel-run clandestine fentanyl labs increasingly difficult to track Drone detection system supplied by feds en route to New York Morning Report — From drones to tariffs, Americans seek answers  Speaker Johnson faces ‘complicated’ decision on crucial Rules Committee chair Youth movement among House Democrats is overrated Congress scrambling for stopgap in end-of-year sprint March for Our Lives co-founder David Hogg launches DNC vice chair bid Trump girds for battle with Democrats, Supreme Court over birthright citizenship Federal workers brace for change amid DOGE rhetoric