TIME ★

Mark Burnett, the powerful producer who reintroduced Donald Trump to a national television audience with "The Apprentice," has been appointed by the president-elect as special envoy to the United Kingdom in his next government. Donald Trump with television producer Mark Burnett in 2017. Evan Vucci/AP Photo "With a distinguished career in television production and business, Mark brings a unique blend of diplomatic acumen and international recognition to this important role," the president said on Saturday. Burnett, who was born in London, has produced blockbusters such as "Survivor" and "The Voice," but he is most known for collaborating with Trump on "The Apprentice," which premiered on NBC in 2004. Trump had been well-known in the real estate and pop culture communities for decades. But the program helped him re-establish himself as a household figure, despite the fact that Trump ended his relationship with NBC in 2015, t...

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 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...

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...

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 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...

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...

President-elect Donald Trump has weighed in on the race for the next majority leader of the United States Senate, stating that any Republican seeking the job must support recess appointments in order to fill posts for his incoming government "in a timely manner." Sen . Rick Scott , far left, and Sen . John Cornyn , far right, at a news conference in 2022. Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images While he will take office on January 20, Trump also urged senators not to approve any judges "during this time," claiming that Democrats who maintain a majority in the chamber during the lame-duck session "are looking to ram through" judicial nominees while Republicans squabble over leadership. "THIS IS NOT ACCEPTABLE," Trump wrote Sunday on his Truth Social platform. Senate Republicans will vote for their new leader in a secret ballot on November 13, since Mitch McConnell of Kentucky will not run again. Senators John Thune of South Dakota and John Cornyn o...

The Washington Post claimed Sunday that US President-elect Donald Trump talked with Russian President Vladimir Putin and asked him not to escalate the war in Ukraine. According to the article, Trump spoke with Putin on Thursday from his Florida resort, Mar-a-Lago, only days after his surprise election victory over Democratic candidate Kamala Harris. Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin during a news conference in Helsinki , Finland , in 2018. Chris Ratcliffe/Bloomberg via Getty Images When AFP requested comment from the president-elect's team, they did not react immediately. The Post reported, citing three people involved with the discussion who spoke on the condition of anonymity, that Trump warned Putin of America's significant military posture in Europe. They added he also showed a willingness in continued discussions to discuss "the resolution of Ukraine's war soon." Trump's win is viewed as having the potential to upend the almost three-year Ukra...

Republican wins on Capitol Hill would enable President-Elect Donald Trump to roll back elements of the Democrats' centerpiece climate program, which he refers to as "the green new scam," which allocated hundreds of billions of dollars to financing emission-free energy. Donald Trump. Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images Don't expect a comprehensive repeal of the Inflation Reduction Act. "We are not looking at immediate, drastic, apocalyptic changes overnight," said James Lucier, managing director of research firm Capital Alpha Partners. "But there is always a strong likelihood that some parts of the IRA are going to be capped or phased out." The IRA combined climate and industrial policy, financing electric vehicle, battery, and solar production, as well as other firms that will aid the United States' decarbonization efforts. Trump's return will test the resilience of this approach.  The law is causing a surge of investment in red areas...

President Joe Biden said in a speech from the White House on Thursday that he spoke with President-elect Donald Trump to congratulate him on his election victory and to guarantee a smooth transition of power when he takes office on January 20. U.S. President Joe Biden speaks about the results of the 2024 election in the Rose Garden on November 07 , 2024 in Washington , DC. Andrew Harnik/Getty Images "I assured him that my entire administration would collaborate with his team to ensure a smooth and orderly transition." "That's what the American people deserve," Biden stated. On Tuesday, Trump promptly claimed the presidency when Wisconsin's electoral votes went his way, putting him over the 270 electoral vote barrier. Biden stated that he had asked President-elect Trump to a meeting in the White House ahead of Trump's return to his old house during his first term as president from 2017 to 2021. For years, Biden and Trump have been fierce ...

Former CIA director and US defense secretary Leon Panetta said that as president, Donald Trump will grant Benjamin Netanyahu a "blank check" in the Middle East, perhaps leading to all-out war between Israel and Iran. Ronen Zvulun. Reuters "With regards to the Middle East, I think he's basically going to give Netanyahu a blank check," Panetta said of Trump, who won the presidential election this week and will return to office in January. "'Whatever you do, whatever you want to do, and whomever you want to pursue, you have my blessing.' "He basically said that [before the election]." Since Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, 2018, the Israeli prime minister has presided over assaults against Iran and its assets as part of a widening war. He and the US president-elect were said to have talked throughout the US election campaign. Netanyahu praised Trump on Wednesday, after his victory against Kamala Harris was certified. Panetta we...

Donald Trump, who has pledged to take action on topics including immigration, the economy, and the conflict in Ukraine, is expected to return to the White House. Donald Trump. Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images He appears to have plenty of support in Congress for his political agenda now that his Republican Party has retaken control of the Senate. Trump vowed to "govern by a simple motto: Promises made, promises kept" in his victory address. We are going to honor our commitments. In several situations, however, he has provided little clarity about how he intends to achieve his goals. When asked by Fox News in 2023 if he would misuse his position or target political opponents, he said no, "except for day one". "Except for the first day. We're sealing the border and drilling away. "After that, I am not a dictator." 1 . Deport unauthorized immigrants While campaigning, Trump vowed the largest mass deportation of unauthorized immigrants in US h...

Kamala Harris' team, according to staffers and allies, began playing Donald Trump's most inflammatory statements on the jumbotrons at her rallies in the last days before the election, exposing his meandering, racist, and, at times, violent vocabulary in vivid color. Kamala Harris. Francis Chung/POLITICO It was a stark reminder of the importance of the election. And it didn't appear to benefit her at all. The outcome Wednesday was devastating for Harris and a bloodbath for Democrats throughout the country. Harris took over Joe Biden's campaign over the summer, which seemed to be stalling due to the president's unpopularity and inability to deliver a message. And once Democrats removed Biden from the ticket, she quickly united her dormant party, mobilizing women, energizing TikTok and Instagram artists with supporting memes, and garnering eye-popping sums in donations. However, the momentum that advisers claimed she had established did not materialize. She...

Donald Trump cruised to victory on Tuesday, boosted by a rising new star in the Republican Party: Elon Musk. The Tesla CEO and X owner's aggressive efforts were critical to his return to the White House, as they helped spark a wave of support, particularly among young college-age males, who tend to vote Democrat. If their support helps the GOP keep a majority in the House of Representatives, Trump's party will have control of both legislative chambers and the president. Tesla CEO Elon Musk is a rising force in the Republican Party after playing a pivotal role in helping Donald Trump get elected to the White House for a second time . Samuel Corum/Getty Images Musk supporters chanted his name during Trump's victory address early Wednesday morning, leading the president-elect to call him out for special appreciation.  "Let me tell you, we have a new star," said Trump, who is projected to win the popular vote for the first time in three campaigns. ...