Two days after her president-elect husband generated potentially tens of billions of dollars with a new meme coin, first-lady-in-waiting Melania Trump launched her own coin Sunday night: MELANIA.
Why it matters: The Trump family became crypto billionaires this weekend, simultaneously raising difficult questions about the boundaries between their official roles and personal profits.
The TRUMP meme coin launch was either the all-time crypto market top signal, or day one of new bout of irrational exuberance in a sector that's seen a few such rounds already.
Why it matters: For the next three years, the Trump Organization will be able to sell a coin into the market that is very likely to track the ebbs and flows of the president's popularity.
On Sunday, millions of U.S. TikTok users were sent a message less than 24 hours after the app went dark: "As a result of President Trump's efforts, TikTok is back in the U.S.!"
Yes, but: While Trump's vow to delay the app's divestment deadline might earn him some likes online, key GOP lawmakers who pushed for a ban over national security concerns could be a bit ticked off.
And despite Trump's vow to issue an executive order on day one to delay the enforcement of a bipartisan law, TikTok still might be racing against the clock to strike a deal.
Here's what you may have missed when newsmakers hit the airwaves this Sunday, Jan. 19.
TikTok announced it is restoring service Sunday, just hours after President-elect Trump said he would sign an executive order on his first day in office to delay enforcing the U.S. ban of the social media platform.
The big picture: The app went dark Saturday night, but by Sunday afternoon services were restored for many users, complete with a notification reading, in part, "as a result of President Trump's efforts, TikTok is back in the U.S.!"
As his presidency winds to a close, President Biden issued a posthumous pardon for Marcus Garvey, a notable Black nationalist who inspired figures like Malcolm X, Nelson Mandela, and later generations of Black Panther Party activists.
Why it matters: The conservative media firebrand, a leading MAGA voice, has already noted his dissent against Trump's alignment with SpaceX CEO Elon Musk — but the president-elect has seemingly sided with the world's richest man.
Conor McGregor, the mixed martial arts champ known as Notorious, was spotted making the scene at STK Steakhouse in Washington this weekend.
Other Ultimate Fighting Championship stars are expected at a black-tie reception Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg — a UFC fan and Brazilian jiu-jitsu medalist — will co-host Monday night before the inaugural balls.
Why it matters: The fighters are part of a celebrity influx since President-elect Trump's last inauguration. Giddy MAGA insiders crow that Trump is culturally cool — or at least socially acceptable — after a stretch of toxicity.
The $TRUMP memecoin — a financial asset that didn't exist on Friday afternoon — now accounts for about 89% of Donald Trump's net worth.
Why it matters: The coin (technically a token that's issued on the Solana blockchain) has massively enriched Trump personally, enabled a mechanism for the crypto industry to funnel cash to him, and created a volatile financial asset that allows anyone in the world to financially speculate on Trump's political fortunes.
President-elect Trump launched his own cryptocurrency Friday night, and as of Sunday morning appeared to have made more than $50 billion on paper for himself and his companies.
Why it matters: The stunning launch of $TRUMP caught the entire industry off-guard, and speaks to both his personal influence and the ascendancy of cryptocurrency in his administration.
Most U.S. adults (9 in 10 Republicans and close to half of Democrats) say they support mass deportations of immigrants living in the country illegally — but that enthusiasm quickly erodes when presented with options over how to carry them out, according to a new Axios-Ipsos poll.
Why it matters: President-elect Trump has vowed to initiate one of the "largest mass deportations in U.S. history" starting early in his return to the White House. Beyond the logistical obstacles, costs and possible pain to the U.S. economy, the survey suggests Americans could quickly sour on deportations depending on how they are carried out.
President-elect Trump's national security adviser Mike Waltz on Saturday told the families of American Israeli hostages being held by Hamas that the Trump administration is committed to making sure all phases of the hostage-release and ceasefire in Gaza deal are implemented by Israel and Hamas, three sources who attended the meeting told Axios.
Why it matters: The families whose relatives are not expected to be released during the first phase of the deal told Waltz they're concerned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu won't move forward to implementing the next two phases of the deal because of domestic political considerations.
