Trump’s defense secretary pick Pete Hegseth faces ‘critical day’ today: Live

Let’s get back to the scandal-hit defense secretary nominee.

Here’s Gustaf Kilander on his alleged extramarital activities.

Gray captured the western state’s 13th Congressional District on Tuesday, unseating Republican John Duarte in the final House contest to be decided this year.

His win in the farm belt seat that cuts through five counties means Republicans won 220 House seats this election cycle, with Democrats holding 215 seats.

Gray won by a margin of less than 200 votes, with election officials reporting late yesterday that all ballots had been counted.

Duarte captured the seat in 2022 when he defeated Gray by one of the closest margins in the country, 564 votes.

He was often listed among the most vulnerable House Republicans given that narrow margin of victory in a district with a Democratic tilt – about 11 points over registered Republicans.

Does Donald Trump want to conquer Canada?

The president-elect posted a bewildering image of him and the Canadian flag on top of a mountain just days after suggesting Canada become the US’s 51st state

“Oh Canada!” Trump captioned the AI-generated image.

There was just one problem: the mountain range appeared to be the Swiss Alps, with a peak reminiscent of the Matterhorn visible in the background.

It’s unclear exactly what Trump was referencing with the image, but clearly the neighbor up north is on his mind.

Here’s Mike Bedigan on his latest baffling contribution to the internet.

Donald Trump’s attorneys are calling on the judge overseeing his hush money trial to toss the case altogether, pointing to President Joe Biden’s pardon of his son Hunter, and raising the idea that presidential “immunity” should apply to the president-elect.

The “disruptions to the institution of the presidency violate the presidential immunity doctrine because they threaten the functioning of the federal government,” the criminally convicted former president’s attorneys wrote in a 72-page filing made public on Tuesday.

Trump’s lead criminal defense attorneys Todd Blanche and Emil Bove – both of whom were nominated by Trump for top roles at the Department of Justice – quoted from President Biden’s own statement claiming that his son was “selectively, and unfairly, prosecuted” and “treated differently.”

Here’s the latest from Alex Woodward.

The president-elect’s choice for FBI director, Kash Patel, is understood to have been targeted by Iranian hackers, according to a new report.

The cyber-criminals are believed to have accessed at least some of Patel’s communications, according to a source cited by CNN.

Trump’s tranisiton team have yet to comment on the alleged hacking specifically, although spokesman Alex Pfeiffer did say: “Kash Patel was a key part of the first Trump administration’s efforts against the terrorist Iranian regime and will implement President Trump’s policies to protect America from adversaries as the FBI director.”

In case you missed it, Trump’s pick to serve as administrator of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Sheriff Chad Chronister, withdrew from consideration for the role on Tuesday, posting on X that he would be declining the “honor of a lifetime” after “the gravity of this very important responsibility set in”.

Here’s more from Josh Marcus.

The president-elect’s transition team is reportedly quietly considering alternatives to Hegseth to lead the Pentagon, including Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and Iowa Senator Joni Ernst.

We’ll bring you more more on the prospects of “Meatball Ron” shortly.

Donald Trump’s nominee for secretary of defense, former Fox News weekend anchor Pete Hegseth, continues to be dogged by allegations about his past, potentially making his confirmation less likely and splitting right-wing media on his prospects as his candidacy faces an “absolutely critical day” on Wednesday.

Trump appears determined to get his man, a war veteran with a distinguished record but little administrative experience, and risks a fight with Republican senators on Capitol Hill who could be reluctant to confirm a candidate to lead the Pentagon who has been accused of sexual assault, drunkenness, Islamophobia and the mismanagement of a non-profit organization.

South Carolina GOP Senator Lindsey Graham, for one, has branded the man scandals pursuing Hegseth “disturbing”.

The ex-Fox personality is due to take questions from the House Republican Study Committee today as well as appearing on Fox for an interview.

Hegseth’s mother is also due to appear on the channel, having previously criticized her son’s behavior towards women in a letter.

Here’s more from Mike Bedigan on Hegseth’s alleged drinking habit concerned his colleagues at the network.

Donald Trump’s attorneys are calling on the judge overseeing his hush money case to toss it altogether, pointing to President Joe Biden’s pardon of his son Hunter, and raising the idea that presidential “immunity” should apply to the president-elect.

The “disruptions to the institution of the Presidency violate the Presidential immunity doctrine because they threaten the functioning of the federal government,” attorneys wrote in a 72-page filing made public on Tuesday.

Pete Hegseth’s nomination for defense secretary is looking increasingly tenuous as new revelations about the ex-Fox host’s past history with women come to light.

Almost certain to face unified Democratic resistance, Hegseth can only afford three defections from his own party. The question now: Will the same senators who tanked Matt Gaetz’s nomination with their “implacable” resistance to his selection be the ones to take Hegseth down?