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Lara Trump posted on her X account that she is withdrawing her name from contention for a US Senate seat that is anticipated to become available in Florida. Lara Trump ahead of the second presidential debate in Philadelphia on September 10. Hannah Beier/Bloomberg via Getty Images President-elect Donald Trump's daughter-in-law had expressed interest in the job as Florida Governor Ron DeSantis sought a replacement for Marco Rubio in the Senate. Trump has nominated Rubio for secretary of state.  The president-elect stated this week that he did not expect DeSantis to appoint Lara Trump to the Senate.

President-elect Donald Trump will meet with SoftBank Group CEO Masayoshi Son at his Florida residence on Monday to announce that the Japanese corporation plans to spend $100 billion in US projects over the next four years. Trump has previously launched accords with much hoopla, but they have not always delivered on promised investments. President-elect Donald Trump. Evan Vucci/AP Foxconn Technology Group, a Taiwan-based corporation best known for producing Apple iPhones, earned Trump's plaudits in 2017 when it announced plans to build a $10 billion complex in Mount Pleasant, Wisconsin, employing 13,000 people. However, Foxconn's investment has been reduced to a fraction of that amount as the tech industry struggled following the COVID-19 outbreak, which briefly increased demand for work-from-home technologies. However, Monday's news about the SoftBank technology company is a victory for Trump, who has spent the weeks since the election promoting his views, negot...

President-elect Donald Trump has announced that he would appoint one of his defense attorneys in the New York hush money case as his counselor. Alina Habba, 40, defended Trump earlier this year and also served as his legal spokesman. Since the election, Habba has spent time with the president-elect at his Florida resort, Mar-a-Lago. Trump 's lawyer Alina Habba. Angela Weiss/AFP via Getty Images "She has been unwavering in her loyalty and unmatched in her resolve - standing with me through numerous 'trials', battles, and countless days in court," Trump said on his social media platform, Truth Social. "Few understand the weaponization of the 'injustice' system better than Alina." Trump became the first former American president to be convicted of felony crimes in May, when a New York jury found him guilty of all 34 counts in a plan to illegally influence the 2016 election by paying a hush-money to a porn star who claimed the two had sex...

Elon Musk has become the first person to exceed $400 billion in net worth, marking the latest achievement for the world's wealthiest people. The most recent cause was an insider share sale of his privately owned SpaceX, which increased Musk's net worth by around $50 billion in one fell swoop to $439.2 billion, according to the Bloomberg Billionaire Index. SpaceX and Tesla founder Elon Musk speaks at an America PAC town hall on October 26 , 2024 , in Lancaster , Pa. Samuel Corum via Getty Images Musk's fortune has taken a drastic swing since late 2022, when his net worth dropped by more than $200 billion. But it's been notably boosted since Donald Trump's presidential victory last month, with Musk being his most visible political contributor and champion. Tesla Inc.'s stock is up almost 65% since before the election, boosted by anticipation that Trump will speed up the launch of self-driving cars and abolish tax breaks for electric vehicles that b...

The United States will provide nearly $1 billion more in longer-term weapons support to Ukraine, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said Saturday, as the Biden administration rushes to spend all of the congressionally approved funds it has left to help Kyiv before President-elect Donald Trump takes office next month. French President Emmanuel Macron (C), President-elect Donald Trump (R) and Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy pose after their meeting at the Elysee Palace in Paris , France on December 07 , 2024. Mustafa Yalcin/Anadolu via Getty Images The current deal will include additional drones and bombs for the US-supplied High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems, or HIMARS. While these weapons are urgently needed, they will be supported by the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, which provides for longer-term equipment to be put on contract. The weapon systems purchased are frequently meant to bolster Ukraine's future military capabilities rather than ma...

South Korea's President Yoon Suk Yeol escaped an impeachment vote on Saturday for his brief declaration of martial law, but his party plans to demand his resignation. South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol speaks at the presidential office in Seoul , South Korea , on Saturday , December 7 , 2024. South Korean Presidential Office/Yonhap/AP Another day of high drama saw Yoon avoid being removed from office as members of his party fled parliament and boycotted the vote. Only two stayed inside, and the one government lawmaker who returned voted against the proposal. Outside the main hall, opposition MPs were heard yelling, "Go inside [the chamber]!" and labeling them "cowards," as enormous crowds demanded the president's resignation. President Yoon has been under great pressure to step down as leader following his surprise attempt to impose martial law in South Korea. The unsuccessful attempt, which would have been the law's first enactment in nea...

A Delaware court judge denied Tesla CEO Elon Musk's bid to reinstate his compensation package, which is currently worth $100 billion.  Nonetheless, another denial was issued: the attorneys who successfully claimed that Musk's compensation was improper and should be reversed sought $5.6 billion for their work. The judge didn't really bite. Elon Musk listens as US President-elect Donald Trump speaks during a House Republicans Conference meeting at the Hyatt Regency on Capitol Hill on November 13 , 2024 in Washington , DC. Allison Robbert-Pool/Getty Images They, however, performed somewhat better than Musk. Delaware Chancellor Kathaleen McCormick awarded plaintiffs' attorneys from three law firms $345 million in cash or Tesla stock, down from the $5.6 billion sought by the law firm for filing the successful challenge. The three firms are Bernstein Litowitz Berger & Grossman LLP, Andrews & Springer LLC, and Friedman Oster & Tejtel PLLC.  Bernste...

A tsunami warning has been issued following a 7.0 magnitude earthquake off the coast of northern California. The US National Tsunami Center issued the warning shortly before 11 a.m. local time on Thursday, affecting at least 5.3 million people in the state. The warning for a tsunami is for the coastal areas of California and Oregon , stretching from Davenport , California , to Douglas / Lane Line in Oregon. iStock According to the United States Geological Survey (USGS), the earthquake occurred 100 kilometers (62 miles) south-west of Ferndale at a depth of 10 kilometers. The earthquake was felt throughout Northern Carolina and as far south as San Francisco, where inhabitants experienced a rolling sensation for several seconds. It was followed by many minor aftershocks. The warning covers the Californian coast. Phones in the Santa Cruz area rang with a tsunami warning from the National Weather Service that said: "A series of powerful waves and strong cu...

South Korea's National Assembly has passed a motion requesting that President Yoon Suk Yeol rescind his unexpected proclamation of martial law, leaving the future of his emergency measure uncertain as protesters and armed personnel assembled in Seoul. South Korea 's President Yoon Suk Yeol. Luis Robayo/AFP via Getty Images There was euphoria outside the National Assembly building late Tuesday night, as hundreds of people had gathered to see armed personnel enter the building as MPs convened in the house to hold an emergency session to oppose Yoon's unexpected proclamation. Yoon imposed martial law in a surprise late-night television broadcast, declaring that he would eliminate "shameless pro-North Korean anti-state forces". The move sent shockwaves through the country, which experienced a number of autocratic presidents early on but has been deemed democratic since the 1980s. The Korean won fell dramatically versus the US dollar. A central bank officia...

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol declared martial law on Tuesday, threatening to destroy "anti-state" groups as he battles an opposition that controls the country's parliament and accuses of sympathizing with communist North Korea. South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol. Getty Handout The unexpected action, which harkens back to an age of authoritarian leaders that the Korea has not experienced since the 1980s, was quickly condemned by the opposition and the leader of Yoon's own conservative party. Following Yoon's announcement, the South Korean military proclaimed that parliament and other political meetings that may generate "social confusion" would be canceled, according to the government-funded Yonhap news agency. The military also ordered the country's striking physicians to return to work within 48 hours, according to Yonhap. Thousands of physicians have been on strike for months, protesting the government's intentions to incr...

Joe Biden has been criticized by some of his own supporters for issuing a pardon to his son Hunter, something he had previously sworn not to grant. The president's volte face drew predictable criticism from Republicans, led by President-elect Donald Trump, who dubbed it a "miscarriage of justice" and used it to highlight the case of the jailed ringleaders of the January 6, 2021 assault on the US Capitol, whom he has suggested he will pardon when he returns to the White House. Hunter Biden. Jenna Schoenefeld/The New York Times/Redux "Does the Pardon given by Joe to Hunter include the J-6 Hostages, who have now been imprisoned for years?" Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform. However, censure from other Democrats - some of whom claimed he had given Trump legitimacy for his own use of the presidential pardon authority - appeared to have more sting. Jared Polis, Colorado's Democratic governor, claimed Biden jeopardized his own image and legacy. ...

President-elect Donald Trump threatened 100% tariffs on a group of nine countries on Saturday if they undermined the US dollar. His warning was aimed at countries in the so-called BRIC alliance, which includes Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, and the UAE. Donald Trump during a meeting with the House GOP conference on November 13. Allison Robbert/Pool via AP Turkey, Azerbaijan, and Malaysia have requested for membership, while numerous additional nations have shown an interest in joining. While the US dollar is by far the most widely used currency in the world and has withstood previous challenges to its supremacy, members of the alliance and other developing countries claim they are fed up with America's control over the international financial system. According to the IMF, the dollar accounts for around 58% of global foreign currency reserves, and important commodities such as oil are still predominantly purchased and traded in doll...

A New York court has postponed the sentence in Donald Trump's hush money case, allowing the US president-elect to argue for a dismissal of the conviction before assuming office on January 20. Former President Donald Trump walks to make comments to members of the media after a jury convicted him of felony crimes for falsifying business records in a scheme to illegally influence the 2016 election , at Manhattan Criminal Court in New York , on May 30 , 2024. Seth Wenig/AP On Friday, Judge Juan Merchan canceled a sentencing hearing scheduled for Tuesday without assigning a new date. Both prosecution and defense attorneys have requested that the case be paused to deal with an unusual legal situation: sentencing an incoming president based on a criminal conviction. Merchan also decided that Trump's team can file a request to dismiss the lawsuit. Prosecutors indicated they would oppose overturning the conviction. Trump was found guilty in May of all 34 charges of ...

President-elect Donald Trump picked former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi as his replacement to lead the nation's top law enforcement agency, only hours after his initial candidate backed out. Pam Bondi is a longtime Trump ally and after he was elected in 2016 , her name was floated for various jobs in the administration but it never panned out. Mandel Ngan/Getty Images Trump made the announcement on social media Thursday evening, the same day that Republican Rep. Matt Gaetz, whom the president-elect had chosen for the job last week, withdrew from consideration. "For too long, the partisan Department of Justice has been weaponized against me and other Republicans - Not anymore," Trump said in a post on his Truth Social page. "Pam will refocus the DOJ on its core mission of combating crime and making America safe again. I've known Pam for many years; she's brilliant and tough, and an AMERICA FIRST Fighter who will do an excellent job as At...

President-elect Donald Trump has selected Linda McMahon, his transition co-chair, as the future Secretary of Education. Trump revealed the decision Tuesday night, confirming CNN's earlier reports, after it became evident that McMahon would be passed over for Commerce secretary. Trump chose his other transition co-chair, Howard Lutnick, as his nominee to oversee the Commerce Department earlier Tuesday, after the Cantor Fitzgerald CEO put his name in the running for Treasury secretary, prompting a spat with hedge fund manager Scott Bessent. Linda McMahon led the Small Business Administration during Mr . Trump 's first term and is a former chief executive of World Wrestling Entertainment. Maddie McGarvey for The New York Times "Linda will use her decades of leadership experience and profound understanding of both education and business to empower the next generation of American students and workers, propelling America to the top of the global education rankings...

Donald Trump and some of his controversial cabinet nominees made a surprise cameo at UFC 309 on Saturday night at Madison Square Garden. Joe Rogan and Donald Trump. Sarah Stier/Getty Images While Trump has previously attended fights in the octagon, Saturday's participation was his first since becoming president-elect. Just before 10 p.m. ET, Trump entered the New York City arena with UFC CEO Dana White, who has been a close ally of the president-elect throughout his 2024 election campaign, which culminated in his victory over Kamala Harris earlier this month. Elon Musk, U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., his son Donald Trump Jr., and artist Kid Rock followed behind. Earlier this week, Trump selected Kennedy as his nominee to lead the Department of Health and Human Services. Musk, along with Vivek Ramaswamy, was also named to run Trump's newly established Department of Government Efficiency. After stepping out, Trump went up to Joe Rogan, host o...

Donald Trump's nomination of far-right Republican congressman Matt Gaetz as attorney general has sparked outrage in Washington, even inside the president-elect's own party. On Wednesday, Trump appointed Gaetz as the nation's chief law enforcement officer at the Justice Department, a post that directs the government's legal stances on crucial issues such as abortion, civil rights, and the first amendment. Matt Gaetz in 2024. Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images Republicans were perplexed by this nomination, claiming it was not on their "bingo card". "I don't think it's a serious nomination for the attorney general," Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski of Alaska told NBC News. "We need a real Attorney General. And I'm looking forward to the chance to contemplate someone who is serious. "This wasn't on my bingo card." Gaetz, a right-wing firebrand, was a thorn in the side of his Republican colleague a...

A federal judge in Ohio has rescinded his partial retirement after President Biden's administration failed to name a replacement. U.S. District Judge Algenon Marbley had indicated plans to embark on senior status in October 2023, allowing him to take on fewer cases until a replacement could be chosen. His decision to withdraw his resignation prevents President-elect Trump from choosing a replacement after he takes office. President-elect Donald Trump. Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images President Bill Clinton appointed Marbley. On Friday, he announced his decision to retract his retirement in a letter to the White House. "A successor has not been confirmed, and I have therefore decided to remain on active status and carry out the full duties and obligations of the office," Marbley said in his reply. Senior status is granted to judges over the age of 65 who have served at least 15 years on the federal bench. Marbley's decision comes as the Biden administration wo...

On Sunday, US President-elect Donald Trump announced that Tom Homan, the previous acting director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), will be in command of the country's borders under his incoming government. Tom Homan at a primary election night party for Donald Trump in Nashua , N.H. , in January. Matt Rourke/AP Homan's responsibilities would encompass "the southern border, the northern border, all maritime and aviation security," Trump stated in a post on his Truth Social platform. Trump stated that "border czar" Homan will be in charge of deporting illegal immigrants. Homan, who served in Trump's government for a year and a half during his first term, is also a candidate for secretary of homeland security. Mass deportations, as well as the confinement of migrants in camps, were central to Trump's campaign platform. Trump praised Homan, telling Fox News anchor Harris Faulkner in July: "I have Tom Homan lined up, we ha...