Poli Alert Politics & Civics

President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee for defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, endured a contentious Senate confirmation hearing on Tuesday, facing sharp criticism over past misconduct allegations, controversial views on diversity, and his qualifications to lead the Pentagon. Hegseth, a former Army National Guard officer and Fox News contributor, emphasized his military experience …

House Speaker Mike Johnson announced Tuesday that U.S. flags at the Capitol would be raised to full staff on Inauguration Day, interrupting the 30-day flag-lowering order issued by President Joe Biden following the death of former President Jimmy Carter. The move ensures that President-elect Donald Trump’s second-term oath of office …

Michelle Obama will not attend the Jan. 20 inauguration of President-elect Donald Trump, her office confirmed on Tuesday. The announcement marks a break from her presence at every presidential inauguration since 2008. A brief statement from the Office of Barack and Michelle Obama confirmed that former President Barack Obama will …

A final report from former Department of Justice prosecutor Jack Smith contends that had President-elect Donald Trump not won in November, he would have been convicted on charges that he conspired to overturn the 2020 presidential election results. The report was released just after midnight Tuesday, following a court battle …

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has directed that flags on state property be flown at full staff on January 20 to mark President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration, a decision bypassing the national 30-day mourning period for former President Jimmy Carter. The move has ignited intense debate on social media, with responses ranging …

With ongoing conflicts in Ukraine, the Middle East, and Sudan, President Joe Biden used a Monday speech at the State Department to outline his administration’s foreign policy achievements. As President-elect Donald Trump prepares to take office, Biden emphasized the strengthened global alliances and diminished adversarial powers under his leadership. “Today, …

A federal judge on Monday allowed the Justice Department to publicly release special counsel Jack Smith’s investigative report on President-elect Donald Trump’s alleged interference in the 2020 election. The ruling by U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon comes just days before Trump is set to assume office again, sparking intense legal …

Vice President-elect JD Vance addressed the contentious issue of pardons for January 6 Capitol riot participants, revealing a more cautious stance compared to President-elect Donald Trump. During an appearance on Fox News Sunday, Vance differentiated between peaceful protesters and violent offenders, signaling that his administration will take a nuanced approach …

In one of his last actions as president, Joe Biden announced a significant wave of student debt forgiveness, providing relief to over 150,000 borrowers. The measures bring the total forgiven under Biden’s administration to more than $183.6 billion, benefiting over 5 million federal student loan borrowers. Key Highlights of the …

President-elect Donald Trump’s Cabinet nominees will start their Senate confirmation hearings this week, marking the official beginning of the transition to his administration. Key figures from various sectors, including business, politics, and media, will testify before committees about their qualifications and vision for their roles. Scheduled Hearings (All Times Eastern) …

California Gov. Gavin Newsom criticized President-elect Donald Trump’s response to the devastating California wildfires in an interview on NBC’s Meet the Press on Saturday, describing Trump’s comments as unhelpful and misinformed. “Mis- and disinformation I don’t think advantages or aids any of us,” Newsom said, addressing Trump’s claims on his …

Special Counsel Jack Smith officially resigned from the Department of Justice on Friday, marking the conclusion of his investigation into President-elect Donald Trump’s alleged efforts to overturn the 2020 election results. The resignation was confirmed in a court filing submitted by the DOJ on Saturday. “The Special Counsel completed his …

The Supreme Court heard arguments on Friday in a case that could lead to the effective ban of TikTok in the United States. The justices appeared skeptical of the platform’s free speech defense, while some signaled deference to national security concerns raised by the government. The case involves a bipartisan …

President-elect Donald Trump was sentenced Friday to an unconditional discharge in a New York state case involving falsified business records. The ruling, delivered by Judge Juan Merchan, makes Trump a convicted felon under state law but imposes no further penalties, a move tailored to respect his imminent inauguration as the …

Elon Musk, co-head of President-elect Donald Trump’s newly formed Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), tempered expectations on Wednesday for the ambitious $2 trillion in federal budget cuts he initially promised. In an interview with political strategist Mark Penn, Musk acknowledged that achieving the full amount was unlikely and described it …