Canadian officials are stepping up border security "in a visible and muscular way" following Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's meeting with President-elect Trump, a top Liberal government minister who attended the talks said Sunday.
Why it matters: Trump has threatened to impose tariffs on Canada and other countries over his concerns about the number of migrants and drugs coming into the U.S.
His announcement of a25% tariff on all imports from Canada and Mexico sent a shiver through markets last week.
Republicans painted the threat as Trump exercising leverage in negotiations with foreign officials. But Democrats and some experts warn of tariff-induced price hikes, retaliatory measures and inflation should the proposal become reality.
President-elect Trump appointed businessman Massad Boulos as his Middle East and Arab world adviser on Sunday.
Why it matters: Boulos' appointment is another signal that Trump is expected to engage in a diplomatic push in the Middle East after he assumes office next year.
A handful of moderate and establishment Republican lawmakers on Sunday offered receptiveness and even praise of Kash Patel, President-elect Trump's controversial nominee to lead the FBI.
Why it matters: Patel will need to garner the votes of nearly every Senate Republican in order to be confirmed – a potentially uphill battle for several of the president-elect's more inflammatory picks.
Two seemingly unrelated behind-the-scenes Mar-a-Lago dramas capture the shock soon to pound Washington:
Elon Musk, the most powerful and persistent voice in President-elect Trump's ear, has been relentless in pushing "radical reform" of, well, almost everything. As he sits next to Trump discussing administration picks, Musk often asks if the person embodies "radical reform" — massive cuts and blow-it-up-to-rebuild instincts.
Trump has been telling friends he denied Robert Lighthizer — his pro-tariff, China-hawk U.S. trade representative in the first term — a Cabinet role because he's "too scared to go big." He's loyal but too timid to take big, risky swings, Trump contends.
Investor Marc Andreessen set off a firestorm this past week when he said dozens of tech executives were quietly "debanked" during the Biden administration, highlighting an obscure but politically fraught practice.
Why it matters: Having your access to the banking system revoked is a significant but not necessarily unusual penalty — one that nonetheless has aggravated a conservative base prone to suspicion of government overreach.
President-elect Trump announced Saturday that he plans to replace FBI director Christopher Wray with Kash Patel, former chief of staff to the acting secretary of Defense.
Why it matters: Trump's decision to name a hardline loyalist to the key position — which requires Senate confirmation — amounts to a massive middle finger to the intelligence community, a longtime Trump nemesis.
President-elect Trump made instituting sweeping tariffs one of the cornerstone pledges of his 2024 campaign, a move experts warn could lead to price hikes for many everyday goods.
President-elect Trump boasts a "productive meeting" with Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau after earlier threatening tariffs on the country, China and Mexico.
Hamas released a video on Saturday with proof of life from U.S. citizen Edan Alexander, who is being held hostage in Gaza and in the footage calls on President-elect Trump to negotiate for his release.
Why it matters: This is the first time a video of Alexander has emerged since he was taken hostage during the Oct. 7, 2023 Hamas attacks on Israel.
President-elect Trump on Saturday threatened to impose 100% tariffs against emerging markets that try to shift away from the U.S. dollar in international trade.
Why it matters: The threat against the BRICS nations (primarily Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) is the latest escalation in Trump's campaign to use the specter of tariffs to achieve policy goals.
House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) on Saturday condemned a series of bomb threats targeting House and Senate Democrats from New England over the Thanksgiving recess.
Why it matters: The incidents left members of Congress feeling shaken and beleaguered by the increasingly relentless cycle of violence facing American political figures.
To members of Congress, the wave of bomb threats targeting public figures this week was just another sad chapter in what has become a constant and relentless cycle of political threats and violence.
Why it matters: Lawmakers have weathered years of rising threats, startling security incidents, raucous protests and assassination attempts to the point where many have factored peril into their new normal.
After spending much of his first term and all of his post-presidency under investigation, President-elect Trump is moving to ensure that doesn't happen again.
The big picture: The Department of Justice, FBI, Congressional committees and government watchdogs all launched probes into Trump's activities, paving the way for two impeachments and dozens of criminal charges.
