Some of President-elect Trump's Cabinet picks have stunned even the staunchest Republican lawmakers. From ex-Dem Tulsi Gabbard to the controversial former Rep. Matt Gaetz, the envelope has been pushed to new limits, even for Trump.
Meanwhile, on Capitol Hill, a House Ethics Committee report concerning the investigation into Gaetz threatens a squabble between Republicans across congressional chambers.
Here's what you may have missed when newsmakers hit the airwaves this Sunday, November 17.
Why it matters: The process of adjourning the Senate to allow Trump to install his picks without congressional approval would mean the chamber would shirk its advice-and-consent role for cabinet confirmations.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) said Sunday that House Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) has been "incredibly respectful" of him.
Why it matters: Some of Jeffries' Democratic colleagues told Axios last week that Pelosi's public comments in the aftermath of the 2024 election are unfairly eclipsing his leadership.
House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) reaffirmed his view that the possibly damaging House Ethics Committee report on former Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) should remain sealed.
Why it matters: Gaetz, President-elect Trump's controversial pick for attorney general, resigned from the House Wednesday — making him a "private citizen," Johnson argued. But senators tasked with confirming the president-elect's pick have made bipartisan calls to see the report.
That's five times faster than President Biden made the same number of picks for his administration — and four times faster than Trump's pick for his first administration, according to calculations for Axios by David Marchick, dean of the Kogod School of Business at American University and an expert on presidential transitions.
Why it matters: Trump either "has the best and most efficient transition ever," Marchick said, or "is blowing up all norms and making picks on the fly without vetting, research or Senate consultations."
They’re donning MAGA hats in cafes, celebrating on social media and flying Trump flags: Supporters of President-elect Trump in deep blue cities and states are no longer keeping it to themselves.
Why it matters: Trump improved on his 2016 and 2020 margins in almost every state, including in most big, blue cities like New York, Los Angeles and Chicago.
President-elect Trump has picked Cabinet members who vowed to remove "woke" influences from the federal government. They aim to fight against everything from DEI mandates and transgender rights to school curriculum choices.
Why it matters: "Woke" exploded into the American vernacular after the murder of George Floyd, and has been used to describe an awareness of other cultures and social inequities. But it's also been weaponized by conservatives, who have redefined the term as a threat to traditional values and cultural/racial norms in the U.S.
President-elect Trump will be a private citizen for another two months, but his impending presidential arrival is already changing the world in ways big and small.
The big picture: Trump portends more protectionism, less U.S. spending and intervention overseas, and a new pecking order in which ideological alliances between leaders can matter more than treaty alliances between countries. For PMs and CEOs all over the world, there is no time to waste.
Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a meeting in Jerusalem on Saturday to "do what you have to do" in order to prevent Iran from getting a nuclear weapon, a spokesperson for Graham told Axios.
Why it matters: Graham is close to President-elect Trump and in recent years has been highly influential in shaping Trump's Middle East policies.
