President Donald Trump plans to bestow ceremonial pardons on two turkeys and fly to his private Florida resort on Tuesday to celebrate Thanksgiving, a holiday interlude during what has been a turbulent and uncertain chapter of his second term.
The turkey pardon, bestowed this year to birds Waddle and Gobble, is a presidential tradition dating back decades.
But Thanksgiving may not provide Trump with much political respite after Democrats won sweeping victories in New Jersey, Virginia and elsewhere earlier this month.
In Washington, the president faces the possibility of a splintering Republican coalition ahead of next year’s midterm elections, which will determine control of Congress. Abroad, Trump is struggling to advance a plan to end the Russian invasion of Ukraine, while the U.S. military is poised to target Venezuela with military strikes.
Holiday meals, meanwhile, could cost more this year despite the president’s insistence otherwise — a reminder of persistent frustration with elevated prices.
Here’s the latest:
Turkey time at the White House
One of the two turkeys that Trump will pardon appeared in the briefing room ahead of the Rose Garden ceremony.
The 50-pound (23-kilogram) bird named Waddle waddled near the podium where press secretary Karoline Leavitt usually addresses reporters.
“Waddle, want to give us a gobble?” Leavitt asked. The turkey obliged.
“Very on message!” Leavitt said.
Marjorie Taylor Greene’s resignation shocked some in Georgia who say she could’ve won without Trump
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene built a reputation in Congress as a fighter, first as a defender of President Donald Trump and more recently, as someone who clashed with him.
So Greene’s decision to resign from the House after publicly disagreeing with the president came as a surprise to some in her home state of Georgia, who say it goes against character for the Republican. They believe Greene could have withstood the pressure and been reelected to the House — even without Trump’s backing.
Greene’s decision has raised questions about the strength of Trump’s hold in a narrowly divided Congress, even as he touts his party’s unity ahead of next year’s midterm elections.
▶ Read more about what may be next for Greene
DCCC launches outreach efforts for rural communities, voters of color
The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee has rolled out an eight-figure investment plan targeting congressional districts with predominantly rural populations, as well as those with large Asian American, Black and Latino communities.
“We know that to win the House majority, House Democrats need to meaningfully engage with AANHPI, Black, Latino, and rural voters as early as possible,” Rep. Suzan DelBene, chair of the DCCC, said in a statement.
The “Our Power, Our Country” plan will include building up on-the-ground organizing and is expected to target districts in Colorado, Michigan, New York, Texas and Virginia, among other states.
The initiative did not disclose exactly how much it will invest.
Turkey pardons offer holiday ritual during precarious moment for Trump
President Donald Trump plans to bestow ceremonial pardons on two turkeys and fly to his private Florida resort on Tuesday to celebrate Thanksgiving, a holiday interlude during what has been a turbulent and uncertain chapter of his second term.
Waddle and Gobble, the two birds that will be spared from the dinner table, enjoyed luxury hotel accommodations ahead of their White House visit. The turkey pardon is a presidential tradition dating back years.
However, Thanksgiving may not provide Trump with much political respite after Democrats won sweeping victories in New Jersey, Virginia and elsewhere earlier this month. Some research indicates that holiday meals could cost more this year, despite the president’s insistence otherwise, a reminder of persistent frustration with elevated prices.
Meanwhile, Trump is struggling to advance a plan to end the Russian invasion of Ukraine after an earlier version faced swift criticism from European allies and even some Republicans. The U.S. military is also poised to target Venezuela with military strikes, part of an anti-drug operation that could ultimately destabilize the country’s leadership.
▶ Read more about other headwinds Trump is facing
Trump administration plans to review refugees admitted under Biden, memo obtained by The AP says
The Trump administration plans a review of all refugees admitted to the U.S. during the Biden administration, according to a memo obtained Monday by The Associated Press, in the latest blow against a program that has for decades welcomed people fleeing war and persecution into the country.
The review is likely to sow confusion and fear among the nearly 200,000 refugees who came to the United States during that period. It is likely to face legal challenges from advocates, some of whom said the move was part of the administration’s “cold-hearted treatment” of people trying to build new lives in the U.S.
▶ Read more about what the memo says and who could be impacted
New survey finds rising pessimism among US Hispanics
As the first year of President Donald Trump’s second term comes to a close, two new polls from the Pew Research Center find that Hispanic adults are increasingly unhappy with the way his administration is handling the economy and immigration, issues that were key for voters during last year’s election.
The surveys of more than 5,000 Hispanic adults in the U.S., conducted in October and September, found that a year after Trump eroded the Democrats’ traditional advantage with Latino voters, most Hispanic adults are feeling worse about their place in the country, and they’re more likely to be worried that they or someone close to them could be deported than they were earlier this year.
▶ Read more about the polls’ findings
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— US labels Maduro-tied Cartel de los Soles as a terror organization
— Trump administration plans to review refugees admitted under Biden, memo obtained by The AP says
— Marjorie Taylor Greene’s resignation shocked some in Georgia who say she could have won without Trump
— Trump administration plan to reduce access to some student loans angers nurses, health care groups
— BBC leaders grilled by lawmakers over its standards after Trump threatened to sue — AP and Trump administration argue access case before federal appeals court; no ruling yet — Trump signs executive order for AI project called Genesis Mission to boost scientific discoveries — New survey finds rising pessimism among U.S. Hispanics — GOP investor James Fishback is entering the Florida governor’s race, challenging Trump’s pick — Former Mets star Darryl Strawberry thanks Trump for pardon during sermon at Tulsa church — Rights groups slam Trump administration for ending Myanmar deportation protection as civil war rages — Drugs sneaked into Ohio prison soaked into the pages of ‘Hillbilly Elegy’ — WATCH: Melania Trump welcomes ‘beautiful’ Christmas tree to White House
By The Associated Press
