Robert F. Kennedy Jr, the choice of President-elect Donald Trump for the head role at the Department of Health and Human Services, began early-week discussions with senators, in a bid to secure backing for his appointment confirmation. However, Rep. Steve Cohen, D-Tenn., expressed mixed feelings about Kennedy, describing him as a good friend but also stating his reservations about Kennedy’s participation in health matters.
In related news, the recent surge of drone sightings, particularly noticeable in New Jersey’s air space, may finally have an explanation, as per Alejandro Mayorkas, the Homeland Security Secretary. According to Mayorkas, an adjustment in regulations by the Federal Aviation Administration might be the source of the increased drone activities noticed across New Jersey and its adjacent states.
In November’s election, Donald Trump, the Republican candidate, emerged victorious against his Democrat contender, Kamala Harris, in a decisive victory. His return to the White House for a second term has sparked hope among retired Social Security beneficiaries who believe he could introduce essential reforms. During the campaign trail, Trump pledged that senior citizens should be exempt from taxes on Social Security, signalling potential financial relief for this demographic.
Reflecting on international events, Bashar al-Assad, having ruled for over two decades amidst widespread loss of life, has reportedly sought refuge in Moscow, alongside his family, revealing the inevitable decline of his regime. The aftermath of such flight varies, as each dictator’s time in exile differs in unique ways. Recently, Assad made what seems to be his initial public statement following his exit to Russia, over a week ago.
Domestic political discussions hint at a possible third presidential term for Donald Trump in 2028, advocated notably by Steve Bannon. The infamous political consultant posed the argument that the constitutional limitation on consecutive presidential terms wouldn’t prevent Trump from running, given that his terms in office were not back-to-back.
President-elect Donald Trump, on recent developments, disclosed his consideration to overturn Biden’s approval of the use of U.S’s extended-range weapons by Ukrainian forces for deep strikes within Russian territories. Trump critiqued Biden’s last month’s decision as ill-judged, straining international relations.
This decision by Biden had broader implications as it relaxed restrictions and granted Ukraine the long-desired privilege to employ the U.S-supplied Army Tactical Missile System against Russian positions, several hundred miles away from the Ukrainian borderland.
Moving to contact between global leaders, President-elect Donald Trump recounted a fruitful discussion with Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel’s prime minister, regarding the ongoing conflict in Gaza. Trump warned of a severe geopolitical fallout if Hamas did not liberally release its captives by January 20, coinciding with Trump’s taking of oath.
Elsewhere in the region, intensified security operations by Palestinian forces against local militant factions in the upper area of West Bank were observed. The security response involved the deployment of armored vehicles and heated exchanges of gunfire, resulting in the loss of at least two lives in this unstable area.
The crackdown, although infrequent, underscores an uncommon action by the Palestinian Authority, the administrative organization of internationally recognized yet semi-autonomous sectors of the occupied West Bank. Such an effort is seldom seen in militant-controlled territories like Jenin, where the authorities exerted the operation through the course of the weekend preceding Monday.
In the backdrop of a deteriorating security situation, Israeli forces have intervened over the years, especially post the October 7, 2023 attack by Hamas militants that initiated the persisting clash in Gaza.
In U.S politics, Sen. Lindsey Graham, a Republican, noted that Pete Hegseth, President-elect Trump’s candidate for defense secretary, vowed to release his accuser from a non-disclosure agreement, connected to an alleged sexual assault incident.
The most recent development in Trump’s confidential pay-offs legal proceeding came this Monday when the ruling judge in New York declared that Trump’s immunity as a sitting president does not exempt him from scrutiny in his case. Trump’s attempt to quash his criminal indictment and reverse the jury’s decision was dismissed on the basis that his immunity does not extend to his official acts as president while in office, a factor that was crucial during his trial in May.
Moreover, the judge echoed the Supreme Court ruling from July that Trump, presumptively, is shielded from criminal prosecution relating to his period in office, but this shield does not cover the case at hand.