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National

Former President Trump on Saturday falsely cited election fraud as a reason to terminate the Constitution, after Elon Musk released information about Twitter's role in limiting access to a story about Hunter Biden. 

What he's saying: "So, with the revelation of MASSIVE & WIDESPREAD FRAUD & DECEPTION in working closely with Big Tech Companies, the DNC, & the Democrat Party, do you throw the Presidential Election Results of 2020 OUT and declare the RIGHTFUL WINNER, or do you have a NEW ELECTION?" Trump wrote on Truth Social.

"A Massive Fraud of this type and magnitude allows for the termination of all rules, regulations, and articles, even those found in the Constitution," he continued. "Our great 'Founder' did not want, and would not condone, False & Fraudulent Elections!"

Between the lines: The statement comes after “Twitter Files" were released Friday by Musk. The files focused on "free speech suppression," regarding a decision by the former management of the social media platform to limit access to a New York Post story on Hunter Biden's laptop three weeks before the 2020 presidential election.

Twitter said it blocked the story because of a company policy on hacked and stolen materials, Axios reports. 

Conservatives, meanwhile, argued at the time that Twitter was censoring the news.

What they're saying: The White House condemned Trump's words in a statement sent to Axios on Saturday. 

“The American Constitution is a sacrosanct document that for over 200 years has guaranteed that freedom and the rule of law prevail in our great country. The Constitution brings the American people together – regardless of party – and elected leaders swear to uphold it," the statement from White House Deputy Press Secretary Andrew Bates said. 

"It’s the ultimate monument to all of the Americans who have given their lives to defeat self-serving despots that abused their power and trampled on fundamental rights. Attacking the Constitution and all it stands for is anathema to the soul of our nation, and should be universally condemned. You cannot only love America when you win," the statement said.

The big picture: In the weeks since launching his 2024 reelection bid, Trump has been making headlines more for controversy than his campaign.

Go deeper: Trump: Capitol rioters have been treated "unconstitutionally"

Trump talks with white nationalist Nick Fuentes at Mar-a-Lago dinner

Editor's note: This story has been updated with a statement from the White House. 

Trump: Constitution should be terminated due to "massive" election fraud

"Our great 'Founder' did not want, and would not condone, False & Fraudulent Elections!" Trump wrote.

Former President Trump is seen at his Mar-a-Lago home on Nov. 15, 2022, in Palm Beach, Florida. Photo: Joe Raedle/Getty Images

Donald Trump

Politics & Policy

If Sen. Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.) wins his runoff Tuesday, expect rising buzz he could be a promising Democratic presidential candidate in 2024, if President Biden doesn't run, or beyond.

Why it matters: The radical 2024 primary-calendar overhaul adopted yesterday by the DNC's Rules and Bylaws Committee, plays into Warnock's hands.

The Warnock camp is downplaying talk of national aspirations.

But if he beats Herschel Walker, Warnock will take the Democrats' Senate majority from 50 seats (with Vice President Harris as the tie-breaker) to a solid 51. 

Warnock, 53 — senior pastor at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta, once the pulpit of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. — is a charismatic speaker who has made inroads with white suburban voters.

Plus he could unite the Democratic coalition and reinvigorate Black voters, whose turnout sagged nationally in 2022.

The calendar — with its front-loading of Georgia and neighboring South Carolina — adds to Warnock's appeal.

Democrats' 2024 primary calendar

The surprise winner in the new Democratic primary calendar

The radical 2024 primary-calendar overhaul adopted yesterday by the DNC's Rules and Bylaws Committee, plays into Warnock's hands.

Former President Barack Obama campaigns with Sen. Raphael Warnock in Atlanta on Thursday. 

Former President Barack Obama campaigns with Sen. Raphael Warnock in Atlanta on Thursday. Photo: Brynn Anderson/AP

Democrats

Elections 2024

Taylor Swift fans are suing Ticketmaster after being stumped by glitches, high fees and cancellations during ticket sales for her upcoming Eras Tour, Deadline reports.

Driving the news: The group of fans is suing Ticketmaster for alleged fraud, price-fixing, and antitrust violations, and accusing the company of "intentional deception" for letting resellers buy most of the concert tickets, according to Deadline.

Ticketmaster was "eager to allow" scalpers into the presale, the lawsuit alleges, so that it could collect extra fees on resold tickets.

The suit asks the court to fine the company $2,500 per violation — a penalty that would add up considering more than 2 million tickets were sold during the Nov. 15 presale.

Catch up quick: The bad blood between Swifties and Ticketmaster comes after an influx of technical glitches during the presale led to a canceled general public sale, prompting an outcry from fans.

Swift apologized for the situation, saying it's "excruciating for me to just watch mistakes happen with no recourse."

Of note: Congress also announced last week that it will hold a hearing before the Senate antitrust panel to dig into the ticketing service's issues during the presale and about the "lack of competition in the ticketing industry."

Go deeper: Taylor Swift ticket prices soar on resale market

Bad blood: Taylor Swift fans sue Ticketmaster

The group of fans is suing Ticketmaster for alleged fraud, price-fixing, and antitrust violations.

Taylor Swift is seen at the Toronto International Film Festival on Sept. 9, 2022, in Toronto, Ontario. Photo: Amy Sussman/Getty Images

Taylor Swift

Conflicts, policies and powers are intersecting and shaping the world. Breaking news and analysis of national security, foreign policy and global crises.

World

A bipartisan group of senators plans to attach significant marijuana legislation to "must-pass" year-end bills, Axios has learned.

The big picture: The group, led by Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), has the Justice Department's blessing for legislation letting cannabis companies access banking institutions, and creating grants for state expungement of past marijuana convictions. 

In an email reviewed by Axios, the Justice Department said it would be able to implement the revised legislation.

Earlier this year, the Justice Department sent a memo to the Senate with concerns about the potential implementation of the bill, Punchbowl News first reported.

Catch up quick: The targeted legislation is the result of the pairing of two bills —Secure and Fair Enforcement (SAFE) Banking Act and the Harnessing Opportunities by Pursuing Expungement (HOPE) Act—that would attract both conservatives and progressives across Congress. 

The latest changes to the bill ensure that the legislation does not unintentionally make it harder for law enforcement to prosecute other crimes involving other drugs or money laundering.

Schumer and the bipartisan group plan to attach this legislation to a must-pass year-end bill like the annual National Defense Authorization Act. 

Schumer and Sen. Jeff Merkley have been working with Republicans for months, including Sens. Steve Daines, Rand Paul, and Dan Sullivan.

Zoom in: The SAFE Banking Act, which allows cannabis businesses in states where it is legal to open bank accounts and get loans, has already passed the House six times. 

The HOPE Act would stand up a program for DOJ to make grants to states and local governments to expunge convictions. 

Zoom out: Cannabis reform enjoys wide agreement among voters — but disagreement in Congress over whether to prioritize banking or comprehensive reform has so far led to a stalemate on the issue.

The latest legislation does not legalize marijuana on a federal level. 

Cannabis remains a Schedule 1 drug, like heroin and LSD, under federal law, but at least 20 states and the District of Columbia have so far legalized marijuana for non-medical use.

The bottom line: A more sweeping cannabis bill introduced by Schumer and other Democratic senators earlier this year that decriminalizes the drug on the federal level and allows states to set their own marijuana laws is still stalled. 

President Biden this week signed a landmark medical marijuana research bill after pardoning all prior federal offenses of simple marijuana possession shortly before the midterm elections.

Scoop: Senate plots pro-pot move for lame-duck

Marijuana

A Capitol rioter who filmed himself assaulting a police officer did interviews from jail with documentary filmmaker Alexandra Pelosi, the daughter of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, per court documents.

Driving the news: In a sentencing memorandum Friday, prosecutors said Ronald Sandlin, a 35-year-old from Tennessee, repeatedly tried to profit "from his criminal conduct" on Jan. 6, 2021, by selling video footage he took during the insurrection.

One such instance was during recorded jail calls with Alexandra Pelosi, in which he discussed "providing his footage to her as well as his conspiracy theories," the court documents state.

He also instructed a friend to watermark his footage from inside the Capitol so that he could send a sample to potential buyers.

Sandlin also created an online fundraiser for legal fees, despite having a court-appointed attorney at no cost to him, the Department of Justice said.

The bottom line: The DOJ requested the court sentence Sandlin to 63 months of incarceration, followed by three years of supervised release.

Background: Sandlin, who has been in pretrial detention since January 2021, pleaded guilty in October to felony charges of conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding and assaulting, resisting or impeding officers.

Details: Prosecutors said Sandlin and his two co-conspirators took weapons, including two pistols, to the Capitol.

While storming the building, Sandlin filmed himself grabbing an officer's helmet, according to the DOJ. 

"Get out of the way! Your life is not worth it today," Sandlin told officers in a video he recorded. "You’re going to die, get out of the way!"

He also said in the video footage "we’re not here to spectate anymore," and "if you’re not breaching the building, move out of the way."

Sandlin later filmed himself entering the Senate gallery and smoking marijuana in the Capitol rotunda, per the DOJ. 

He also stole a book from a Senate-side office and grabbed an oil painting from the Capitol before rioters took it back.

DOJ: Jan. 6 rioter tried to sell video from Capitol siege

Prosecutors say Ronald Sandlin repeatedly tried to profit "from his criminal conduct" on Jan. 6, 2021.

Trump supporters storm the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, in Washington, DC. Photo: Brent Stirton/Getty Images

Jan. 6

The United States men's soccer team is heading home from Qatar after losing to the Netherlands in the 2022 World Cup's Round of 16.

Why it matters: The 3-1 loss ends the U.S. men's team's first World Cup campaign since 2014.

This was the United States' seventh appearance in the knockout round.

The US has yet to surpass its best-ever World Cup campaign when the team reached the semi-finals in 1930.

Details: The Dutch scored twice in the first 45 minutes before the United States notched one back in the second half. After a brief spell of hope, Netherlands scored again, making it 3-1 and closing the book on America's run.

Historically, the US has never won a World Cup game after trailing.

Flashback: The last time the U.S. competed in the knockout round, the Americans lost to Belgium, 2-1, in the opening match, sending them home.

What's next: The Netherlands move on to the next round to play the winner of Lionel Messi's Argentina or Australia.

Qatar says 400-500 migrant workers died due to World Cup

U.S. Soccer briefly alters Iranian flag in show of support for protesters

U.S. eliminated from World Cup

The Americans couldn't get a win against the Netherlands in the Round of 16.

Giovanni Reyna of United States controls the ball against Frenkie de Jong of Netherlands during the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022

Giovanni Reyna of United States controls the ball against Netherlands. Photo: FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images

Soccer

Shifts in technology and media are changing the way we play, watch and understand sports. Business models are adapting and social change is forcing those in charge of teams and leagues to reconsider decades-old practices.

Sports

China has begun lifting some of its COVID-19 restrictions even as the country's "zero COVID" policy remains.

Why it matters: The loosening restrictions come shortly after stunning and rare nationwide protests erupted in late November as the Chinese government decided to stick with the zero-COVID policies. 

Driving the news: Major Chinese cities like Shenzhen and Beijing announced Saturday they would no longer require a negative COVID-19 test in order for residents to ride on public transportation, AP reports.

In Shenzhen, residents will no longer need to show their negative test results before using public transit or when entering a pharmacy.

It's similar in Beijing, though a negative test obtained within the last 48 hours is still needed to visit shopping centers, per AP.

Other communities are allowing close contacts of infected people to interact and quarantine at home rather than in a separate location, Reuters reports.

Yes, but: The restrictions are loosening, but China's "zero-COVID" policy remains intact.

Zoom out: Public concern over new COVID-19 lockdown restrictions fueled protests in China with many demanding lifted restrictions and Chinese President Xi Jinping's resignation, Axios reports.

President Xi reportedly acknowledged the ongoing protests, saying they were mostly students who were upset over COVID quarantines, per CNN.

A European Union official told CNN that Xi believes the Omicron variant "is less deadly than Delta," and that the Chinese government feels "more open to further relaxing Covid restrictions."

China maintains zero-COVID despite unprecedented protests

China begins loosening COVID restrictions after massive protests

The loosening restrictions come after nationwide protests erupted in late November as the Chinese government decided to stick with the zero-COVID policies.

Axios

Saturday's top stories

Trump: Constitution should be terminated due to "massive" election fraud

The surprise winner in the new Democratic primary calendar

Bad blood: Taylor Swift fans sue Ticketmaster

Scoop: Senate plots pro-pot move for lame-duck

DOJ: Jan. 6 rioter tried to sell video from Capitol siege

U.S. eliminated from World Cup

China begins loosening COVID restrictions after massive protests

FTX downfall threatens crypto existence

Comer wants Twitter employees to talk to Congress about Biden laptop story

44 states report high activity amid worsening flu season

Musk's "Twitter Files" spotlights Hunter Biden story ban