Donald Trump Jr. says he will ensure RFK Jr. 'has a voice' in the administration
Donald Trump Jr. said today that he would ensure Robert F. Kennedy Jr. "has a voice" in his father's incoming administration.
The remark came during a question-and-answer session on Trump's "Triggered" podcast, where he read a listener's query about Kennedy's potential role.
"We were talking about that yesterday with him for hours, you know, maybe something in HHS," Trump said, referring to the Department of Health and Human Services, before he raised concerns about difficulties with a Senate confirmation.
Kennedy, who dropped his independent presidential bid before he endorsed Donald Trump, has faced criticism for his opposition to vaccines amid reporting that he was being considered for a public health role in the next administration.
"We’ll make sure he has a voice. That’s for sure," Trump said on his podcast.
NBC News reported this week that the president-elect's son is viewed as a final gatekeeper for people looking to work in the administration.
Trump also weighed in on a listener's comment about jailing people who have investigated the former president.
"I don't want to start going around locking everyone up. You lose. I, you know, while I personally would love to, I think it creates a problem," he said.
"But we do have to make sure it never happens again," he added. "If there are people doing the shady stuff or doing stuff that's illegal, they should definitely be looked at."
During his campaign, Donald Trump threatened to prosecute his opponents and some prosecutors who have investigated him, collectively calling them "the enemy from within."
Progressive Sen. Elizabeth Warren lays out 'the plan to fight back'
Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., laid out a "plan to fight back" in a Time op-ed, urging people to "try to learn from what happened" and then "make a plan."
Warren urged Congress to "fight," arguing that "we can build political power to put more checks on his administration and build the foundation for future wins."
"In the Senate, Democrats gave no quarter to radical Trump nominees; we asked tough questions and held the Senate floor for hours to slow down confirmation and expose Republican extremism," she wrote. "These tactics doomed some nominations entirely, laid the groundwork for other cabinet officials to later resign in disgrace, and brought scrutiny that somewhat constrained Trump’s efforts."
She also said people should "fight Trump in the courts," writing that "litigation can slow Trump down, give us time to prepare and help the vulnerable, and deliver some victories."
Warren made direct recommendations to leaders already in the government, suggesting that Defense Department leaders "issue a directive now reiterating that the military’s oath is to the Constitution."
"Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer must use every minute of the end-of-year legislative session to confirm federal judges and key regulators—none of whom can be removed by the next President," she added.
Republicans have secured a Senate majority of at least 52 seats.
Democrat Dan Rayfield wins Oregon attorney general's race, NBC News projects
Democrat Dan Rayfield wins the Oregon attorney general's race, NBC News projects.
Rayfield has defeated Republican Will Lathrop after Ellen Rosenblum announced last year that she would not seek re-election for the role.
In a statement this week, Rayfield said he would "stand up against national threats to Oregon’s values, including safeguarding our abortion rights, defending democracy, and taking on big polluters."
Rosenblum described Rayfield as "a dedicated leader, committed to protecting Oregon’s rights," in a post on X this afternoon.
Currently a state legislator, Rayfield has been speaker of the Oregon House of Representatives since 2022. He began serving as a state representative in 2015.
Republican Scott Perry wins re-election to the House in Pennsylvania's 10th Congressional District, NBC News projects
Republican Scott Perry wins re-election to the House in Pennsylvania's 10th Congressional District, NBC News projects.
Perry, a Trump ally and former Freedom Caucus chairman, defeated Democratic opponent Janelle Stelson.
Perry attracted national attention when he promoted unfounded claims about Dominion voting machines after Trump’s 2020 election loss. The FBI seized his cellphone in 2022 as part of a probe into efforts by Trump and his allies to block the certification of Biden’s victory.
Perry was first elected to represent the 10th Congressional District in 2018. He previously represented the 4th Congressional District, from 2013 until 2017.
Republican Don Bacon wins re-election to the House in Nebraska's 2nd Congressional District, NBC News projects
Republican Rep. Don Bacon wins re-election to the House in Nebraska's 2nd Congressional District, NBC News projects.
With 95% of the expected vote tabulated, Bacon had 51.4% of the vote, to while Democrat Tony Vargas’ 48.6%. Bacon, the incumbent, was sworn into office in 2017.
Bacon had a strong majority in the less populous Saunders and Sarpy counties. But Douglas County, which includes Omaha and dwarfs the two other counties in population, leaned slightly to Vargas.
When Trump pushed this year to change how the state allocates electors in a way that would most likely favor Republican presidential candidates, Bacon, who supported the effort, called on Trump to "focus on winning" his district, which Harris ultimately won.
Democrat Laura Gillen wins House seat in New York's 4th Congressional District, NBC News projects
Democrat Laura Gillen wins the House seat in New York's 4th Congressional District, NBC News projects.
Gillen, a former Hampstead Town supervisor, has flipped a Republican seat held by Anthony D’Esposito since last year.
Esposito defeated Gillen during the midterms in 2022, when she won 48.2% of the vote to his 51.8%. She has been endorsed by the group EMILYs List, which works to elect Democratic women who support abortion rights.
Trump weighs outsiders versus elected officials as he builds a new Cabinet
As Trump prepares a return to the White House, advisers thinking about how to staff his administration are weighing the merits of stacking Trump’s Cabinet with elected officials versus the mix of businesspeople, political outsiders and loyalists who fill up his Rolodex, three sources engaged in discussions about the transition said.
Two sources involved in the transition process said Trump is expected to place a premium on Cabinet selections from outside of government service, as opposed to sitting lawmakers, for two reasons. He sees some of his first-term outside selections, including investor Steven Mnuchin, whom he appointed to lead the Treasury Department, and Ben Carson, a retired neurosurgeon nominated to lead the Department of Housing and Urban Development, as more successful and more loyal than several lawmakers he plucked from Congress.
Virginia governor says he won't join Trump administration in the near term
Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin has told Trump that he’s committed to serving out his term and will not be joining the Trump administration in the near term, according to a source close to Youngkin.
In an interview with NBC affiliate WWBT of Richmond, Youngkin also said Trump "knows that I am committed and will continue to serve as governor through my full term."
“I mean, I’m only hired for one term, one four years, and, and when I spoke to him about this, he was very supportive of me finishing the job that I’ve committed to, and I am committed to make sure that we finish this great job that America, that Virginians were so kind to give me," Youngkin added.
Virginia’s laws do not allow governors to seek consecutive terms.
Youngkin’s term ends in January 2026. He became the first Republican to win statewide in Virginia since 2009, when he won the governor’s race in 2021.
NBC News reported this year that Trump began building a relationship with Youngkin as part of an effort to flip the state, which NBC News projected Harris won, 51.7% to 46.5%.
Judge blasts Rudy Giuliani’s ‘farcical’ excuse for failing to turn over assets in defamation case
A federal judge chastised Rudy Giuliani today for offering a “farcical” explanation of why he hasn’t complied with a court order to turn over valuables to former Georgia election workers he defamed after the 2020 presidential campaign.
U.S. District Judge Lewis Liman made the remark in a New York courtroom after Giuliani’s attorney claimed Giuliani, the former mayor of New York who was an attorney for Trump, wasn’t sure where some of his belongings are.
When Trump returns to the White House for another term, Melania Trump will reprise her role as first lady of the United States for a second nonconsecutive term. Many are looking back at the four years she spent in the White House as an indicator of what a second stint might look like. NBC News’ Kate Snow reports for "TODAY."