President Biden told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a phone call on Tuesday that following the ceasefire agreement in Lebanon, the focus should now be on reaching a deal for the hostages to be released and a ceasefire in Gaza, two U.S. officials told Axios.
Why it matters: There are still 101 hostages being held in Gaza by Hamas, including seven American citizens. Israeli intelligence services believe roughly half of them are still alive.
With votes still being counted in the 2024 election, at least two dozen ambitious House members are already sizing up runs for higher office in 2026, Axios has learned.
Why it matters: This extraordinarily large cohort could cause all kinds of headaches for House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) and Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) as they navigate a razor-thin House majority.
Retired Lt. Gen. Keith Kellogg, President elect-Trump's pick for special envoy for Ukraine and Russia, has pushed a proposal to end the war between the two countries through NATO ruling out membership for Ukraine "for an extended period" and Ukraine putting off its goal of reclaiming its lost territory.
Why it matters: Trump named Kellogg as his choice for special envoy on Wednesday, months after Reuters reported on Kellogg's policy plan in June. The plan for a ceasefire signals U.S. support for the war effort would be scaled back.
Four top leaders of Vice President Harris' campaign defended their strategy and largely attributed her loss to "headwinds" beyond their control in their first post-election interview on Pod Save America.
Why it matters: Democrats are in soul searching mode, trying to establish why they lost and how to right the ship. The Harris campaign chiefs offered several explanations but none based on mistakes they or their candidate made.
The White House on Wednesday sanctioned 21 senior officials aligned with Venezuela President Nicolás Maduro for "myriad abuses" following the widely disputed claims that Maduro won reelection this year, according to a senior official.
Why it matters: It's the latest effort to put pressure on Maduro since the July 28 elections that prompted mass protests and a violent crackdown on demonstrators. The opposition has shown evidence that its candidate, Edmundo González Urrutia, overwhelmingly won the election.
Three Americans were released from China Wednesday following a prisoner exchange between Washington and Beijing.
Why it matters: The detainees' release is the culmination of years-long talks between U.S. and Chinese officials, per Politico, which first reported the Americans' release.
A final flurryof top-level appointments from President-elect Trump last night included Jim O'Neill, a former top aide to Peter Thiel, to be RFK Jr.'s top deputy at Health and Human Services.
Why it matters: The appointment was a win for Silicon Valley and part of a big night for Thiel, the tech kingmaker and GOP megadonor, the N.Y. Times' Teddy Schleiferpoints out.
The Biden administration's eleventh hour move to expand Medicare coverage for anti-obesity drugs is likely to be popular among seniors, putting the Trump administration — which would ultimately decide whether to carry out the expansion — in the hot seat.
Why it matters: The buzzy class of drugs known as GLP-1 agonists have been hailed as game changers amid an obesity crisis tied to chronic diseases.
President-elect Trump said he will nominate Jamieson Greer, a trade lawyer and former first-term aide, as U.S. trade representative.
Why it matters: Greer, who was chief of staff in the trade office during Trump's first term, will become the international face of the administration's tariff program.
Ambition caused Republicans to miss votes this Congress, while Democratic leadership was most likely to be missing the "independents" in their caucus.
Why it matters: Thin margins make vote attendance even more critical for congressional leaders — as seen last week when Republicans were in uproar over their colleagues missing judicial votes.
Incoming Senate GOP leader John Thune (R-S.D.) has a new power dynamic to deal with next year, thanks to his members who keep talking directly with President-elect Trump.
Why it matters: Power takes a lot of different forms in the nation's Capitol. Having regular phone calls with Trump ranks high on that list.
