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The satirical news publication The Onion outbid a series of rivals for Alex Jones’ Infowars at a bankruptcy auction, backed by families of Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting victims owed more than $1 billion in defamation judgments against the broadcaster for calling the 2012 massacre a hoax.
The post The Onion Buys Alex Jones’ Infowars at Auction with Backing from Sandy Hook Families appeared first on Breitbart.
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Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.) criticized President-elect Trump’s nomination of Fox News host Pete Hegseth as Defense secretary, after he called for women to not serve in combat roles.
“Where do you think I lost my legs?” Duckworth told CNN’s Kaitlan Collins in an interview Wednesday.
Duckworth, an Iraq war veteran and Purple Heart recipient, was among some of the first women to fly combat missions as a U.S. Army helicopter pilot. Her helicopter was hit by a grenade in 2004 and she lost both legs and some mobility in her right arm.
Hegseth, who Trump tapped Tuesday to lead his Department of Defense, is also an Army veteran that served in Afghanistan and Iraq, and now serves as co-host of Fox News’s “Fox & Friends Weekend.”
He has called for the firing of other generals involved in diversity, equity and inclusion efforts and said women should not serve in combat roles.
“Look, he’s not qualified to serve as Secretary of Defense, and obviously, he’s made these comments about how he doesn’t think women should be in combat and that he wants to be able to fire the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff,” Duckworth said in Wednesday’s interview highlighted by Mediaite. “I ask him, how does that strengthen our nation’s military?”
“We can’t go to war today without our women military members,” she said, noting there are more than 225,000 active-duty women serving in the military right now.
Trump is forging ahead with his dramatic shake-up of the military, even as concerns grow over what Hegseth will bring to the administration. His proposals for the Pentagon include promises to slash spending, thin top ranks and roll back efforts to make the military more inclusive to transgender and women soldiers.
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President-elect Donald Trump’s senior adviser and attorney Alina Habba says she is not considering the role of press secretary, despite “support and speculation.”
Habba addressed the rumors on the social media platform X early Thursday morning, adding that “this administration is going to be epic!”
“Although I love screaming from a podium I will be better served in other capacities,” she said.
Names under consideration include Trump campaign national press secretary Karoline Leavitt, former Trump administration official Monica Crowley, former ESPN host Sage Steele, CNN contributor Scott Jennings and RNC spokeswoman Elizabeth Pipko, according to Axios.
The press secretary role is one of the most visible at the White House, typically holding daily press briefings with the White House press corps to speak on behalf of the president.
His new administration plans to challenge longstanding traditions that favor mainstream outlets like major broadcast and cable news networks, national newspapers and wire services, like The Associated Press, in the James Brady Press Briefing Room, according to Axios.
TRUMP APPOINTS TULSI GABBARD AS DIRECTOR OF NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE: ‘FEARLESS SPIRIT’
Trump’s new administration is considering giving MAGA-friendly outlets access to the press briefings, Axios reports, which have traditionally featured cable news, print and wire service reporters.
MATT GAETZ RESIGNS FROM CONGRESS OVER TRUMP NOD TO BE ATTORNEY GENERAL, JOHNSON SAYS
Trump continues making his cabinet picks ahead of his inauguration as the 47th president of the U.S. in January.
Some congressional Republicans told Fox News Digital Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., who resigned from Congress on Wednesday as Trump tapped him to be his attorney general, may face a tough confirmation path because he was previously under Department of Justice (DOJ) investigation into sex trafficking allegations. Last year, Gaetz’s office said the DOJ ended their investigation and determined he would not be charged with any crimes.
A House Ethics Committee investigation into Gaetz was also expected to be released soon, but Gaetz’s resignation means it may not become public.
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Tulsi Gabbard, who served as a Democratic congresswoman from Hawaii from 2013 to 2021 before becoming an independent in 2022 and joining the GOP last month, has been selected by Trump to serve as director of national intelligence in his new Cabinet.
Fox News’ Elizabeth Elkind, Julia Johnson, Kelly Phares and Andrea Margolis contributed to this report.
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Business tycoon Elon Musk, who staunchly supported President-elect Donald Trump during the 2024 presidential election, has described himself as the “‘George Soros’ of the middle.”
Soros, a wealthy liberal political donor, is known for supporting left-wing politicians and causes.
A video circulating online shows Musk raising his hand after a speaker asked where there is a “George Soros of the right.”
Cheers and applause erupted, and the speaker, who is not visible on camera, went on to mention Musk, saying, “we’re so, so grateful.”
But in a post on his social media platform X, Musk noted, “More accurate would be that I’m ‘George Soros’ of the middle. I don’t want the pendulum to swing too far right, but right now it’s just too far left.”
Musk has previously claimed that Soros “hates humanity.”
“Soros arbitraged politics. He figured out that spending small amounts of money in many obscure, but influential, races is far more effective than money spent on major contests,” Musk tweeted last year. “The mistake people make is thinking that he did it for the good of humanity. He hates humanity.”
‘FIRST BUDDY’: ELON EARNS FAMILY STATUS IN TRUMP WORLD AS MUSK EXPANDS POLITICAL FOOTPRINT
“The Soros organization appears to want nothing less than the destruction of western civilization,” Musk also posted last year.
Trump tapped Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy – an author and entrepreneur who dropped his presidential bid and backed Trump in January – to lead an effort to identify government waste.
In a statement, Trump noted that the effort, known as the Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, “will provide advice and guidance from outside of Government, and will partner with the White House and Office of Management & Budget to drive large scale structural reform, and create an entrepreneurial approach to Government never seen before.”
In a post on X, Musk blamed inflation on massive government spending.
“The excess government spending is what causes inflation! ALL government spending is taxation. This is a very important concept to appreciate. It is either direct taxation, like income tax, or indirect via inflation due to increasing the money supply,” the business magnate noted.
ELON MUSK GIVES $75M TO PRO-TRUMP SUPER PAC, HITS ROAD IN PENNSYLVANIA
Trump praised Musk and thanked him for his support.
“Elon Musk is a great guy, loaded with personality and ‘brainpower.’ He is definitely a high IQ person, which is the reason that his really strong Endorsement meant so much to me, and to MAGA,” Trump said in a post on Truth Social.
“He’s at a beautiful Mar-a-Lago concert right now, and the crowd absolutely loves him,” Trump continued in his post on Wednesday night. “Thank you Elon for the great job you did in helping us WIN the ‘most consequential election in 129 years,’ especially your hard work in the great Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. It will never be forgotten. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!!!”
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Federal agents seized the phone and electronic devices of Polymarket CEO Shayne Coplan in an early morning raid on his Manhattan apartment, just a week after the crypto betting platform correctly predicted Donald Trump’s stunning 2024 presidential election win.
The post Biden’s FBI Raids Home of Polymarket CEO After Gambling Platform Successfully Predicts Trump Victory appeared first on Breitbart.
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Former and incoming first lady Melania Trump rolled out a digital photography series to highlight her life on the campaign trail and at home.
Trump rolled out her “On The Move” limited-edition digital photo series, which includes 16 digital images showcasing Trump in various settings, including her office, the campaign trail and at her home.
The photographs were captured by Belgian photographer Regine Mahaux and offer a glimpse into the first lady’s “fast-moving life.”
MELANIA TRUMP QUESTIONS ‘WHETHER JILL’S CONCERN WAS GENUINE’ FOLLOWING TRUMP ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT
“I am pleased to share my journey — through photographs — with fans and collectors,” Trump told Fox News Digital.
“On the Move” costs $195 and is being sold on the former first lady’s website. It also will be minted on the Solana blockchain, which is an “eco-friendly proof-of-state blockchain protocol.”
MELANIA TRUMP REVEALS HOW SHE STAYS CALM, COOL, FOCUSED AND HEALTHY: ‘GUIDING PRINCIPLE’
Trump has used Solana blockchain in the past — most recently for her “1776 Collection,” which was a range of Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs) digital collectibles comprised of images across the U.S. She also released a line of limited-edition handcrafted Christmas ornaments in 2022, along with corresponding animated NFTs to celebrate the season.
A portion of the proceeds will go toward Fostering the Future, a Be Best initiative that helps to secure educational opportunities and scholarships for children in the foster care community.
Her Fostering the Future is aimed at granting computer science scholarships to children aging out of the foster care system and giving them the academic foundation needed to secure technology-based jobs.
Trump told Fox News Digital in an interview last year that if she had the privilege to serve as first lady again — which she will, beginning on Jan. 20, 2025 — she would continue to prioritize initiatives focused on the well-being and development of children to ensure they have the “support and resources they need to reach their full potential.”
“My focus would continue to be creating a safe and nurturing space for children to learn, grow and thrive,” she said.
Last month, the former first lady rolled out her first-ever memoir, “Melania,” and a special collector’s edition containing exclusive images she photographed at the White House. That special edition features 256 pages in full color, with each copy signed by Trump.
“Writing my memoir has been an amazing journey filled with emotional highs and lows,” she told Fox News Digital. “Each story shaped me into who I am today.”
She said that “although daunting at times, the process has been incredibly rewarding, reminding me of my strength, and the beauty of sharing my truth.”
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Pennsylvania officials announced Wednesday that the tight margin in the Senate race between Sen. Bob Casey, D-Pennsylvania and Republican Sen.-elect Dave McCormick has triggered an automatic recount under Pennsylvania law.
Fox News projected McCormick as the winner on Nov. 7, and McCormick has since attended new-senator orientation in Washington. Despite Casey not conceding, Republicans are projected to have the Senate majority, with 53 seats to Democrats’ 47.
With 99% reporting as of Thursday morning, McCormick had 3,383,676 votes, or 48.91%, compared to Casey’s 3,357,191, or 48.52%, a difference of 26,485 votes, or 0.39 percentage points.
Once counties finish counting their ballots, they must begin the recount no later than Wednesday, Nov. 20, and the recount must be completed by noon on Nov. 26.
Of the four previous automatic recounts since the passage of Act 97 of 2004, the initial results of the election were affirmed. Results of the recount will not be published until Nov. 27, and it is expected to cost taxpayers more than $1 million, election officials said.
McCormick spokesperson Elizabeth Gregory said that the deficit is too high for Casey to overcome.
“Senator-elect McCormick’s lead is insurmountable, which the AP made clear in calling the race,” Gregory said in a statement.
“A recount will be a waste of time and taxpayer money but it is Senator Casey’s prerogative. Senator-elect McCormick knows what it’s like to lose an election and is sure Senator Casey will eventually reach the right conclusion.”
McCormick declared victory in Pittsburgh on Friday, thanking Casey and his family for their decades of service to the commonwealth.
Casey, a three-term incumbent, has accused McCormick of trying to “disenfranchise” voters with lawsuits.
In a video Tuesday, Casey said that the democratic process “will play out” once all the votes are counted.
“My priority has always been standing up for the people of Pennsylvania. Across our commonwealth, close to 7 million people cast their votes in a free and fair election. Our county election officials will finish counting those votes, just like they do in every election,” Casey said.
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Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., initially declined to invite McCormick to the new-senator orientation this week, citing thousands of votes still yet to be counted.
Amid pressure from GOP senators, Schumer on Tuesday agreed to invite McCormick, as well as Democratic Sen.-elect Ruben Gallego, whose Arizona race against Republican Kari Lake was not called until Monday night.
Fox News’ Danielle Wallace and Deirdre Heavey, as well as The Associated Press, contributed to this report.
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Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) urged his fellow Republicans to “give Matt a chance” after President-elect Trump nominated former Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) to lead his Justice Department (DOJ), sending shockwaves through Capitol Hill.
With less than 70 days before Trump returns to the White House, he has begun assembling his team, Gaetz being one of the more surprising choices.
“So, we’re going to give the president a chance to put his people forward. To every Republican, give Matt a chance,” Graham said Wednesday on Fox News’s “Hannity.”
Trump’s nomination of Gaetz was a shocking signal that he intends to follow through with his campaign promises. Gaetz resigned from Congress directly after receiving the nomination.
“I say elections have consequences when Republicans don’t like it, and I’m telling my Democratic friends, elections have consequences whether you like it or not,” Graham told host Sean Hannity in the interview highlighted by Mediaite.
Gaetz, who has been the subject of a DOJ investigation in the past, has been a staunch ally of the president-elect. Critics have outlined concerns that the department could go after Trump’s political enemies, like he suggested while on the campaign trail.
Graham argued the accusations against Gaetz are the “very thing” Democrats did, including lie under oath and signing FISA warrants based on Russian disinformation.
Others are less supportive of Trump’s decision. Some Republican senators were surprised by the move and Democrats have argued it’s a “red alert moment” for American democracy.
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Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) sounded the alarm Wednesday after President-elect Trump tapped former Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) to serve as his attorney general, calling the move a “red alert.”
“Listen, Matt Gaetz is dangerously unqualified. But that’s not the worst of it,” Murphy told CNN’s Jake Tapper in an interview Wednesday. “Gaetz has been Trump’s chief defender when it comes to Trump’s assault on democracy in his attempt to overthrow the government on January 6, and he has openly called for the abolition of law enforcement agencies if they don’t get in line with conservative political priorities,”
“This is going to be a red alert moment for American democracy,” he added.
Trump’s nomination of Gaetz sent shock waves through Capitol Hill Wednesday. The former Florida lawmaker resigned from Congress directly after receiving the nomination.
The Florida Republican, a staunch Trump supporter, has also been the subject of a Justice Department investigation. Critics now worry that the department could be a prime vehicle for the Trump administration to go after the president-elect’s political enemies, as he’s called for on the campaign trail.
Murphy argued on CNN’s “The Lead” that Gaetz is being nominated for “one reason only.”
“Because he will implement Donald Trump’s transition of the Department of Justice from an agency that stands up for all of us to an agency that is simply an arm of the White House designed to persecute and prosecute Trump’s political enemies,” Murphy said.
“This is a stunning announcement in some ways, but not surprising in others,” he added.
The senator noted that the decision is unpopular, as lawmakers were audibly shocked to learn that Gaetz was nominated. Still, as Murphy noted, Republicans in the upper chamber will now be in a position to either stand up to Trump in a way they haven’t before or fall in line and nominate Gaetz.
Two centrist Republicans — Sens. Susan Collins (Maine) and Lisa Murkowski (Alaska) — both expressed shock and surprise at Trump’s choice.
“I don’t think it’s a serious nomination for attorney general. We need to have a serious attorney general,” Murkowski told reporters after the announcement. “I’m looking forward to the opportunity to consider somebody that is serious.”
“This one was not on my bingo card,” she said.
Gaetz wasn’t the only Cabinet choice that raised eyebrows. Trump’s pick of Fox News host Pete Hegseth as defense secretary and tapping of billionaire Elon Musk and tech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy to lead a new government efficiency department have also drawn scrutiny.
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Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., resigned from Congress late Wednesday, hours after President-elect Trump nominated him for U.S. Attorney General – and days before a long-awaited House Ethics report was reportedly to be released about him.
Earlier Wednesday, after news broke that Gaetz was chosen for the Trump Cabinet, House Ethics Committee Chair Rep. Michael Guest, R-Miss., told reporters that their investigation, which had reportedly centered around allegations Gaetz engaged in sexual misconduct with a minor and illicit drug use, would end if Gaetz were to step down from Congress.
Gaetz has denied those misconduct allegations.
“This changes nothing,” Guest said in the Capitol, referring to Gaetz’ nomination.
“I’ve been asked, ‘Does this call us to expedite our investigation?’ Once the investigation is complete, then a report will be issued,” Guest said. “Assuming that at that time, that Mr. Gaetz is still a member of Congress. If Mr. Gaetz were to resign because he is taking a position, with the administration, as the attorney general, then the Ethics Committee loses jurisdiction at that point. Once we lose jurisdiction, there would not be a report that would be issued that’s not unique to this case.”
Guest said the Justice Department had previously requested the committee “cease and desist” its probe, which the House had since picked back up and was continuing.
MATT GAETZ RESIGNS FROM CONGRESS OVER TRUMP NOD TO BE ATTORNEY GENERAL, JOHNSON SAYS
The committee was slated to vote on whether to release the ethics report as soon as Friday, Punchbowl News first reported.
Citing a Republican source, the New York Times reported that the report had been delayed because of a House rule that prevents releasing negative findings so close to an election. Gaetz was the architect behind the ouster of former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., and dozens of Republican lawmakers tipped off about his resignation before it was formally announced Wednesday night were glad to see him go, Politico reported.
A House Republican told Politico on condition of anonymity that Gaetz was stepping down from Congress to “stymie the ethics investigation that is coming out in one week.”
But House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., offered a different explanation. At a press conference later Wednesday, Johnson said Gaetz told him he resigned abruptly to expedite the process of filling his House seat through a special election.
Republicans held onto the House after last week’s election, cementing unified power across Congress and the White House, but there has been some concern over the margin, as Trump plucks House Republicans to join his new administration.
Johnson said he was optimistic about finding Gaetz’s replacement before the House chooses a new speaker on Jan. 3, but it is unclear if state and federal law can accommodate the tight timeline.
MATT GAETZ FACES GOP SENATE OPPOSITION AFTER TRUMP SELECTION FOR ATTORNEY GENERAL
“He issued his resignation letter, effective immediately, of Congress. That caught us by surprise a little bit,” Johnson told reporters. “But I asked him what the reasoning was, and he said, ‘Well, you can’t have too many absences.’ So under Florida State law, there’s about an eight-week period to select and fill in a vacancy. And so by doing so today, that allows me – I’ve already placed a call to Governor DeSantis in Florida and said, ‘Let’s start the clock.’ He’s in Italy at the moment. And so we’re going to talk first thing in the morning.”
“And if we start the clock now, if you do the math, we may be able to fill that seat as early as Jan. 3 when we take the new oath of office for the new Congress,” Johnson said. “So, Matt would have done us a great service, by making that decision, as he did on the fly. And so we’re grateful for that.”
House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La., told reporters earlier Wednesday that Trump’s decision to nominate Gaetz as attorney general “is a strong statement that the weaponization of government, you know, in the Biden administration using government against their political enemies as coming to an end, that party’s over, and we’re going to clean up the mess over at the Department of Justice.”
Politico reported, however, that several Republican senators were doubting Gaetz would be confirmed to the attorney general position., and those doubts appeared to carry over into the House.
“When it comes to all of his selections, I think all of them have been made with a lot of intent and respect and integrity – when it comes to the selection of Rep. Gaetz, I just think it’s silly. I believe that the president is probably rewarding him for being such a loyal soldier,” Rep. Max Miller, R-Ohio, told reporters. “But the president is smart enough, and his team is smart enough to know that Mr. Gaetz will never get confirmed by the Senate whatsoever. And so this is just going to be a very long period of time for him, that he’s going to get excoriated by members of the Senate on both sides of the aisle, because he’s never been a team player and he’s never helped out this conference.”
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