In 1976, one of the first presidential endorsements that then-Gov. Jimmy Carter got from an elected official outside of Georgia came from a young Sen. Joe Biden.
Why it matters: Biden and Carter, who died on Sunday at age 100, saw in each other a kindred spirit and political ally, and they maintained a long friendship in the decades since.
Jimmy Carter spent just four years in the White House, but the past 40 leading the Carter Center, a nonprofit he and his wife Rosalynn — who passed away in Nov. 2023 — founded in 1982 to keep pushing their political vision.
Why it matters: The nonprofit not only has been "waging peace" across the world, as Carter often said, it rebuilt his public image following his 1980 landslide election loss.
He flipped flapjacks near Charlotte, ate cookies and drank coffee in Philadelphia, answered to the name "Jim" in Chicago, taught Sunday school in D.C. and Georgia, and built homes from coast to coast.
Rep. Mike Lawler (R-N.Y.) warned his Republican colleagues on Sunday about potentially removing House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) from his post when the 119th Congress is sworn in this week.
Why it matters: With a slim GOP majority in the House, Johnson can only afford to lose one vote among Republicans when the House votes on its new leader, and a battle over who that will be could delay other aspects of Congress — including certifying President-elect Trump's win.
President-elect Trump is set to return to the White House in a few weeks, but New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu said Sunday that he hasn't permanently altered the GOP.
Driving the news: Fractures have formed among Trump allies and members of the Republican Party as they engage in battles over H-1B visas and the future of House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.), prompting conversations about the extent of the president-elect's hold on the party.
Mexico is launching a smartphone app that allows Mexican migrants to warn relatives and instantly alert the nearest consulate if U.S. immigration agents detain them, officials said Friday.
Why it matters: The announcement came as part of a broad warning from the administration of Mexico'sPresident Claudia Sheinbaum that the nation will defend the human rights of Mexican citizens in the U.S. amid President-elect Trump'smass deportation plans.
President-elect Trump backs H-1B visas, siding with Elon Musk after the tech billionaire pledged to go to "war" to defend the program and branded GOP opponents "hateful, unrepentant racists."
Why it matters: The MAGA-DOGE civil war that erupted over the last 48 hours has now come to a tipping point, with Trump's new techno-libertarian coalition of billionaires taking full aim at his traditional base.
President-elect Trump on Saturday praised a federal judge's decision to block the Biden administration from disposing of materials used for Trump's promised southern border wall before his inauguration.
Why it matters: Trump's political identity has rested heavily on a promised crackdown on illegal immigration, earmarked with campaign vows of mass deportations and a completed border wall.
A Colorado man who allegedly attacked an AAPI TV reporter and demanded to know whether the journalist was a U.S. citizen, saying, "This is Trump's America now," is facing bias-motivated charges.
Driving the news: Patrick Thomas Egan, 39, was arrested on Dec. 18 in Grand Junction, Colorado, after police said he stalked KKCO/KJCT reporter Ja'Ronn Alex's vehicle for around 40 miles.
Seed oils are being targeted by Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and influencers claiming they are linked to chronic illness and other health concerns, but many health experts say the oils are simply caught up in the real problem: Americans' diet and overconsumption.
Why it matters: The debate over seed oils ultimately ties back to Americans' over-reliance on processed foods and other, broader dietary habits that many people want the government to help address.
Nothing revs up MAGA like the chance to dunk on DEI — diversity, equity and inclusion.
DEI-bashing is the core of the "anti-woke" theology. MAGA warriors want a true color/gender-blind meritocracy, they say.
Why it matters: MAGA's DEI unity has hit a big snag. Elon Musk — a MAGA fanboy and fav until this past week — and others on X are arguing forcefully that in a true meritocracy, you'd pick harder-working foreigners for high-skilled gigs over less-qualified Americans.
Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen warned Congress on Friday that "extraordinary measures" will be necessary as early as Jan. 14 unless Congress acts to raise or otherwise suspend the debt ceiling.
Why it matters:President-elect Trump has voiced support to abolish the debt limit despite some of his supporters historically opposing action to raise the debt ceiling during Democratic administrations.
U.S. homelessness increased 18% this year, according to federal data released on Friday, with children being the age group that experienced the largest increase.
The big picture: Homelessness among nearly all populations reached record levels this year, but of the exacerbating factors have balanced out since the survey was conducted in January, the Department of Housing and Urban Development said in its report.
