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It’s Monday. Welcome back to another week of the D.C. madness. Here’s what’s happening:
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Trump suggested he will declare a national emergency and use the military for mass deportations.
- MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” hosts met with Trump.
- Nine GOP senators who could derail Trump’s controversial Cabinet picks.
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Organic carrots linked to E. coli outbreak
I’m Cate Martel with a quick recap of the morning and what’s coming up. Send tips, commentary, feedback and cookie recipes to cmartel@thehill.com. Did someone forward this newsletter to you? Sign up here.
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It’s 4:03 a.m. Do you know what your president-elect is doing?:
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Posting on social media. Early this morning, President-elect Trump suggested that his administration will declare a national emergency on immigration and will use the military to carry out the mass deportation plan.
Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton posted on Truth Social: “GOOD NEWS: Reports are the incoming @RealDonaldTrump administration prepared to declare a national emergency and will use military assets to reverse the Biden invasion through a mass deportation program.”
Then just after 4 a.m., Trump reposted it and added, “TRUE!!!”
Keep in mind: “Immigration advocates are bracing for swift executive action on immigration from the incoming administration, but questions remain about the potential legal, logistical and budgetary limitations of plans to carry out mass deportations.” Read more analysis from The Hill’s Rafael Bernal
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➤ PLUS, HE COULD OVERHAUL THE FEDERAL WORKFORCE:
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“President-elect Trump’s plans to reshape the federal workforce would allow him to fire wide swaths of career employees and replace them with political appointees — a move that comes as he has demanded loyalty at every level of government.”
Read more from The Hill’s Rebecca Beitsch: ‘Federal workers brace for Trump overhaul of civil service’
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Check out this photo of Trump, Elon Musk, Donald Trump Jr., Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) eating McDonald’s food on the plane. RFK Jr. appears to be holding a burger and a soda.
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President-elect Trump has made several controversial Cabinet picks for his upcoming administration, picks that are expected to have quite the battle to be confirmed by the Senate.
Here’s a primer on the math: Republicans have 53 seats in the Senate, and Democrats control the remaining 47 seats. Republicans’ comfortable majority means they can afford three GOP “no” votes on a nominee and still have that pick confirmed (assuming all Democrats vote in unison.) But if four Republican senators vote against any of Trump’s nominees, they will not be confirmed.
Here are the nine Republican senators who could thwart any of Trump’s picks:
- Lisa Murkowski (Alaska)
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Susan Collins (Maine)
- Sen.-elect John Curtis (Utah)
- Bill Cassidy (La.)
- Todd Young (Ind.)
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Joni Ernst (Iowa)
- Thom Tillis (N.C.)
- John Cornyn (Texas)
- Mitch McConnell (Ky.)
Why each senator made Alexander Bolton’s list
Let’s talk about McConnell for a sec: He’s stepping down from Senate leadership and will be more of a free agent. He’s clashed with Trump before (they had an infamous falling out in 2021) and won’t be under the same pressure when he’s a rank-and-file senator. He’s also generally considered to be a team player, though. He’s up for reelection in 2026, but it’s unclear whether he will seek another term. Read Al Weaver’s analysis
Which Trump picks are expected to have the toughest time: Former Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) and Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
Pete Hegseth could also face challenges: Hegseth, Trump’s pick to lead the Pentagon, was investigated as part of a 2017 sexual assault incident in California. The New York Times’s Maggie Haberman reports that Trump told his advisers he is standing by Hegseth.
Keep in mind: Hegseth denies the allegations that he sexually assaulted a woman in 2017. In a statement, his lawyer described him as subject to blackmail. Hegseth confirmed to NBC News that he paid the woman involved in the incident.
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Another name on the Trump roster:
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Trump announced over the weekend that he will name Brendan Carr as chair of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).
What to know about Carr: “Carr, 45, … has vowed in recent days to take on what he called a ‘censorship cartel’ including Facebook, Google, Apple and Microsoft. Earlier this year, he laid out an aggressive agenda for the FCC in Project 2025, a conservative proposal for Trump’s second term developed by the Heritage Foundation. Carr has been a vocal supporter of billionaire Elon Musk and an advocate of tougher restrictions on China.” (The Washington Post)
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Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski met with Trump:
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MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” co-hosts Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski said this morning they traveled to the Mar-a-Lago resort to meet with President-elect Trump.
This was their first time meeting with Trump face-to-face in seven years, and they are some of Trump’s most vocal critics.
How did it go?: “We didn’t see eye-to-eye on a lot of issues, and we told him so,” Scarborough said. “What we did agree on was to restart communications,” Brzezinski added.
How was Trump’s mood, according to the co-hosts: “In this meeting, he was upbeat, cheerful and he seemed interested in finding common ground on some of the most divisive issues,” Brzezinski said.
📹 Watch the clip
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➤ THIS MAY BE A NEW ERA?:
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The president-elect has promised to make himself available to the press and keep an open mind when working with journalists.
“In order to Make America Great Again, it is very important, if not vital, to have a free, fair and open media or press,” Trump said to Fox News Digital.
💡 Keep in mind: Trump has had a very acrimonious relationship with the media.
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If you have organic carrots, throw them away:
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There has been an E. coli outbreak tied to organic carrots sold in different forms. Dozens of people are sick across 18 states, and one person has died.
Which states?: Washington state, Minnesota, New York, California, Oregon, New Jersey, South Carolina, Arkansas, Colorado, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas, Virginia, and Wyoming
Which brands?: The carrots have been sold under more than a dozen brands, including at Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s, Wegmans, etc. 📝 List of affected brands
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🥣 Celebrate: Today is National Vichyssoise Day!
🚗 Be prepared for lines and traffic: AAA predicts record travel this year for Thanksgiving.
✈️ Spirit Airlines files for bankruptcy: The discount airline has filed for bankruptcy amid heavy losses. “Spirit said that passengers can use all tickets, credits and loyalty points as normal,” reports The Wall Street Journal.
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The House and Senate are in. President Biden is in Brazil, and Vice President Harris is in Washington. (all times Eastern)
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12:20 p.m.: Biden attends the first session of the Group of 20 (G20) Summit in Brazil.
- 5:30 p.m.: The Senate holds a confirmation vote. 📆 Today’s agenda
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6:30 p.m.: First and last House votes. 📆 Today’s agenda
- 8 p.m.: Biden attends the G20 Leaders Reception.
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