On Politics

Tue Nov 19 2024

Rebecca Morin | Senior National News Reporter

@RebeccaMorin_

Hello readers! It's Rebecca Morin, senior national news reporter at USA TODAY. I'm still in the Rio Grande Valley reporting on Latino voters (and it must be a popular area because President-elect Donald Trump is heading to south Texas too!)

Donald Trump to join Elon Musk for latest SpaceX test flight of megarocket Starship

Is it a bromance that will last? President-elect Donald Trump and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk will appear together on Tuesday at the latest launch of SpaceX's Starship rocket. Musk regularly appeared with Trump ahead of the election and after the president-elect won two weeks ago. The launch is taking place at Starbase in Boca Chica, Texas. Read more.

Musk isn't just appearing with Trump, he is set to help run (alongside former Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy) a "Department of Government Efficiency" to make steep cuts to the U.S. federal budget. Here's how they aim to do it.

Prosecutors ask to delay Trump hush money sentencing, but oppose case dismissal

While all eyes are on Trump heading down to Texas, prosecutors advised a New York judge to delay Trump's criminal sentencing in his hush money case following the November election. The prosecutors said they will still fight against Trump's efforts to get the case dismissed. Trump's sentencing date and other deadlines in the case were already put on hold. Read more.

A politics pit stop

•	Where's Joe Biden? U.S. president misses G20 Summit group photo in Brazil
•	Fact check: Image of Biden wearing MAGA hat during Trump meeting is AI-generated
•	Former Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley announces bid for DNC chair following 2024 elections
•	Trump's social media company in talks to buy crypto firm Bakkt, FT reports
•	Who has Trump picked for his Cabinet so far? Sean Duffy and Brendan Carr are the latest

Hacker got damaging sealed testimony against Matt Gaetz, attorney says

Files containing statements from witnesses who gave damaging testimony against former Rep. Matt Gaetz, who was nominated for attorney general by Donald Trump, were hacked on Monday, attorneys say. The hacked files include an unredacted deposition of a woman who reportedly was sexually abused by Gaetz when she was 17 years old. Read more.

Got a burning question, or comment, for On Politics? You can submit them here or send me an email at rdmorin@usatoday.com.

Trump may expedite executions. Here's how Biden could stop him.

Jun 17, 2022; Charleston, SC, United States; Rev. Sharon Risher stands outside the Mother Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church with other religious leaders before attending a national bible study event Friday June 17, 2022. Mandatory Credit: Josh Morgan-USA TODAY

Advocacy groups are pressuring Biden to fulfill a campaign promise and prevent President-elect Trump from initiating another series of executions.

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WASHINGTON, DC - DECEMBER 05: Federal Communication Commission Commissioner Brendan Carr testifies before the House Energy and Commerce Committee's Communications and Technology Subcommittee. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

Trump's FCC chair wants to ban TikTok, but 'accelerate' Musk's company

President-elect Donald Trump chose Brendan Carr to lead the FCC. A Project 2025 author, Carr wants to 'dismantle the censorship cartel,' ban TikTok.

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USMNT star Christian Pulisic had a weak explanation for his Donald Trump dance goal celebration

In the wake of Donald Trump's election for a second presidential term, we've seen several athletes signal their support for Trump by copying a dance the president-elect has been known to do at his rallies. But when it came time to explain the dance, they all

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Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Kremlin, in Moscow, on Nov. 6, 2024.

Putin issues nuclear warning as Ukraine uses long-range missiles

Putin lowered the bar for a nuclear attack after the US lifted a ban on Ukraine using long-range missiles. Ukraine carried out its first strike with the weapons.

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