One of photos released by the New York City Police Department of the suspected UnitedHealthcare CEO shooter Thursday showed him smiling with his mask off, according to The Hill.

CNN's Kaitlin Collins reported Thursday evening, "Wow. Per @JohnMillerCNN, among the interviews law enforcement has been conducting, they spoke to a female employee at the hostel who said, at one point, she asked the then-masked man to lower his mask while flirting with him, which is when this photo released by NYPD today was taken."

Rolling Stone reported, "Law enforcement confirmed to CNN that they had interviewed a female employee of the hostel who said she had asked him to lower his neck gaiter face mask while flirting with him. (Security video frames from a Starbucks, released by the NYPD on Wednesday, showed a suspect whose lower face was covered by such a mask.)"

READ MORE: United Healthcare CEO gunned down outside Manhattan hotel: report

Several journalists and political experts reacted to the news

Crooked Media's What a Day podcast host Jane Costa wrote: "Okay so you're not a top-tier assassin"

New York CNN correspondent Gloria Pazmino replied: "You couldn’t script it if you tried"

Former Republican Rep. Adam Kinzinger (FL) said: "Wow."

READ MORE: CEO’s murder provokes 'dark' humor in response to America’s 'dysfunctional healthcare system'

Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer (R-OR) — who Donald Trump is poised to nominate to serve as Labor Secretary — is not the top pick for some business leaders, according to a Thursday Politico report.

Per the report, the Oregon lawmaker backs "some prominent union-friendly legislation," which "has alarmed business interests."

An anonymous business group official told Politico, "Disappointed is fair, to say the least. Obviously there were better choices out there from our perspective."

READ MORE: 'Gut punch': Trump clashes with PA steelworkers over $14.9b sale

Former President George W. Bush Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division lead, Paul DeCamp, told the news outlet, "We need to have a much better understanding of her policy views in a detailed way, beyond just the PRO Act."

He added, "If she ends up being a fairly traditional secretary of Labor, then I think you would expect to see, for lack of a better term, the usual cast of characters."

Michael Saltsman, a GOP strategist at Berman and Company, "Its fair to say that the significance of [Chavez-DeRemer’s selection] will be downplayed a bit as we see some of these other roles filled in. The top position really sets the tone."

READ MORE: Insurance giant abruptly nixes 'egregious' anesthesia cap after UnitedHealth CEO’s murder

Politico's full report is available at this link.

One potential addition to President-Elect Donald Trump's administration is Peter Navarro — the former Trump official who served four months in prison earlier this year over his refusal to comply with a congressional subpoena in the January 6 investigation.

In an op-ed published by MSNBC Thursday, MSNBC Opinion writer and editor Zeeshan Aleem submits, "Navarro can serve as a relatively competent lieutenant — at least by Trump’s standards — while the president pursues his promised radical agenda on tariffs and China."

Furthermore, Aleem suggests, "He can also be trusted to help Trump undermine democratic institutions and sit in on top conversations with Trump that could potentially be legally incriminating — and not flip on his boss."

READ MORE: 'I know how you feel about me': Senator swiftly shuts down Postmaster General Louis DeJoy

However, "policy knowledge and more buttoned-up appearance shouldn’t obscure the reality that he is very much a stick of Trumpian dynamite," the MSNBC writer emphasizes.

The MAGA ally " became the first former White House official to be imprisoned for a contempt of Congress conviction," Aleem adds. "In other words, even though Trump didn’t come to Navarro’s rescue, Navarro went to jail refusing to say anything that might strengthen the case against Trump.

"I still have some principles. But not as many as you might think because I don’t have any concern at all about making stuff up about my opponent that isn’t exactly true," Aleem notes that "Navarro wrote in 1998 while reflecting on his many failed efforts to win public office."

Aleem concludes, "Perhaps the best illustration of the kind of figure Navarro is in Trump World — industrious, wonky, obedient — is that even when he was in prison this year for refusing to comply with an inquiry into his involvement in efforts to overturn the election, he was still working on detailed policy proposals for a future Trump administration."

READ MORE: 'You answer to us': Hegseth blasted for saying he only answers to Trump, senators, and God

Aleem's full op-ed is available here.

Senator Jon Ossoff (D-GA) sparred with Postmaster General Louis DeJoy over whether or not the Trump-appointed official has been successful in his role.

"Has your tenure as postmaster general been a success?" the Democratic senator asked DeJoy.

The postmaster general reple “Senator, I know how you feel about me.”

READ MORE: Insurance giant abruptly nixes 'egregious' anesthesia cap after UnitedHealth CEO’s murder

Ossoff replied, “It’s not about how I feel about you, postmaster general. It's about whether or not seniors in Georgia are receiving prescriptions. it's the stacks of boxes of mail from courts that never arrive to their destination.

DeJoy then interrupted the senator.

"This is my time postmaster general," Ossoff shot back, "you're here under oath before the US Senate."

The Democratic leader continued, "It's small business who can't operate. It's death notices not delivered to family members, and you're sitting here trying to explain that 75 percent on time delivery is a success. And it's not. It's not about how I feel about you, postmaster general. It's how my constituents are being served by the United States Postal Service."

READ MORE: 'I resigned my position': Former DOJ official leaves LA Times over them 'appeasing Trump'

Watch the video below or at this link.

CNN anchor Brianna Keilar issued a swift fact-check to Rep. Stephanie Bice (R-OK) on Republicans' potential Social Security cuts.

Rep. Rich McCormick (R-GA) mentioned during an interview earlier this week that "hard decisions" must be made on Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid. He said, "There’s hundreds of billions of dollars to be saved. We just have to have the stomach to take those challenges on."

Speaking with McCormick's GOP colleague, Bice, Keilar mentioned that Vivek Ramaswamy — who Donald Trump selected to lead an initiative to cut government spending — was asked about social security and "would not commit to cuts — instead saying that they would eliminate waste, fraud and abuse."

READ MORE: 'I resigned my position': Former DOJ official leaves LA Times over them 'appeasing Trump'

The CNN anchor noted, "I think those are some of the things you have in mind when you're talking about efficiencies. But when you look at studies of the amount that would save, if it's actually excised, it's puny. I mean, that is not anywhere close to the number that they're talking about with DOGE. Don't you have to cut social security to hit that number?

Bice replied, "You absolutely do not have to cut social security to hit that number. As a matter of fact, Medicare Medicaid is where we should be looking at trying to find efficiencies. Health care costs have skyrocketed, particularly after Obamacare was implemented, and there are opportunities for us to try to find ways to rein in that spending on the health care side. I also think that there is discretionary spending that we should be looking at, that we can we can tackle. But I don't think social security is something that's even being discussed by house Republicans."

Keilar replied, "Well, it is by one, actually your colleague," before showing a clip of McCormick's recent Fox News interview.

The Georgia lawmaker said, "We've got to bring the Democrats in and talk about social security medicaid, medicare there is hundreds of billions of dollars to be saved. and we know how to do it. we just have to have the stomach to actually take those challenges on."

READ MORE: GOP already 'chomping at the bit' to cut Social Security, Medicaid and Medicare: analysis

MSNBC's Ari Melber noted in The Beat with Ari Melber Wednesday night:

The reality is, cutting hundreds of billions from these programs, as McCormick suggested, would cost the American people far more than high prices and inflation. Seniors get an average of almost $2,000 in Social Security per month. They’ve paid into the program for decades. Slashing billions from it will hit them, or the country’s future seniors, hard.

Keilar then emphasized, "I mean, this is something that is being discussed by people who are saying the quiet part out loud."

Bice replied, "He actually didn't say cuts, but there are reforms that can be done to social security to actually shore it up. Look, the reality is, if we don't do something in the next eight years or so social security will become insolvent so we have to do something to protect social security now and into the future."

Watch the video below or at this link.

READ MORE: Trump's nomination of Project 2025 architect means Social Security, Medicare 'are at risk'

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During Wednesday's segment of Morning Joe, co-host Mika Brzezinski made a point to blast a comment made by conservative guest, Atlantic staff writer David Frum, regarding Donald Trump's controversial defense secretary nominee, Fox News host Pete Hegseth, Mediate reports.

Asked about his thoughts on the MAGA pick — who faces a slew of sexual assault and alcohol abuse accusations — the former President George W. Bush speechwriter said, "Well, just given what one sees on camera, if you’re too drunk for Fox News, you’re very, very drunk indeed. So, that’s alarming. In 1989, President George H.W. Bush nominated John Tower, senator from Texas, for Secretary of Defense. And Tower was a very considerable person, a real defense intellectual, someone who deeply understood defense, unlike the current nominee."

He added, "And it emerged that Tower had a drinking problem. And when he was drinking too much, he would make himself a nuisance or worse to women around him. And for that reason, his nomination collapsed in 1989. You don’t wanna think that our moral standards have declined so much that you can say, 'Let’s take all the drinking, all the sex-pesting, subtract any knowledge of defense, subtract any leadership. And there’s your next Secretary of Defense for the 21st century.'"

READ MORE: Here’s who Trump might pick for defense secretary if Hegseth withdraws

Brzezinski responded to Frum's claim by making a disclaimer to viewers later on in the episode.

"Before we go to break, a little earlier in this block, there was a comment made about Fox News in our coverage about Pete Hegseth and the growing number of allegations about his behavior over the years and possible addiction to alcohol or issues with alcohol," Brzezinski said.

"The comment was a little too flippant for this moment that we are in," she continued. "We just wanna make that comment as well. We wanna make that clear. We have differences in coverage with Fox News and that’s a good debate that we should have often. But right now, I just wanna say to say there are a lot of good people who work at Fox News who care about Pete Hegseth and we’ll wanna leave it at that."

READ MORE: Hawley throws Hegseth under the bus: 'Not 100% clear who Trump really wants right now'

Watch the video below or at this link.

The Breakfast Club host Charlamagne the God confronted the View hosts Wednesday over what he believes is a failure to report "honestly" on President-Elect Donald Trump, according to The Daily Beast.

Speaking to the panel, Charlamagne noted, "It’s not even just cable news," who doesn't report "honestly" on the MAGA leader.

"It’s no network—nobody. Because they didn’t do it before, so why would they do it now? They’re scared to death. He’s the president of the United States of America,” he said on The View.

READ MORE: Here’s who Trump might pick for defense secretary if Hegseth withdraws

“Let’s be honest Sunny. I saw you have to apologize a couple times last week [for on-air comments about Trump], so somebody’s coming with some notes from downstairs."

“I’m not apologizing. I’m making a legal note as an attorney of law.”

“Because you know we have a petty president incoming, that is going to be very litigious,” Charlamagne added.

“We check ourselves through ABC News,” she said.

READ MORE: House GOP facing 'major political hurdles' with party's key political promise

Asked what “honestly” covering the president-elect looks like, Charlamagne replied, “You should just honestly call it how you see it.”

Hostin emphasized, “and have legal notes!”

The Daily Beast's full report is here.

Senator Eric Schmitt (R-MO) on Wednesday defended Donald Trump's defense secretary nominee, Pete Hegseth, amid the Fox News host's piling sexual assault and alcohol abuse allegations.

CNN's Jake Tapper asked the Missouri senator why he's not concerned by the Trump pick's past.

"If a track record of numerous infidelities and alleged sexual misconduct, and alleged problems with alcohol, that he's either denied or said doesn't represent him anymore — this is who he is," Tapper began. "Would you hire somebody that that had these descriptions about who he was to run your office given what we know is a fact and the allegations? I mean, do you not really have any concerns?"

READ MORE: Why this Dem senator is 'considering voting yes on DeSantis' to replace Hegseth

Schmitt replied, "Well, you kind of mix two words there together there, Jake, which is the fact of the allegations. Let's look at these in two different buckets. The first is the 2017 incident that you referenced. The prosecutor — the female prosecutor — decided not to move forward with charges. I'd be interested to see as a former prosecutor myself — attorney general of Missouri — what other surrounding documents and memoranda might exist that related to that decision not to charge."

The GOP lawmaker continued, "And then secondly, now you have again, a bunch of anonymous folks not even coming forward, who are in the shadows claiming something. And I just don't think that's a that's a reason why you would dismiss somebody from a very important role like this.

Tapper replied, "Well, I said the facts and the allegations, because the facts of the infidelities of how he has run his personal life are just facts, and frankly, as a married man and a father, absolutely disgraceful. But beyond that, there are these allegations he paid hush money to his accuser in California. I've never paid hush money to anybody."

Schmitt concluded, "Well, he settled a lawsuit that, again, the underlying charges were deemed by a prosecutor as baseless, and those are the facts. But again, people are entitled to ask these questions. He's entitled to give an answer, and he's answering those questions."

READ MORE: Here’s who Trump might pick for defense secretary if Hegseth withdraws

Watch the video below or at this link.

- YouTube www.youtube.com

Republican lawmakers are split over major policy bills influenced by President-Elect Donald Trump's priorities — immigration, taxes, and energy — which new Senate leader John Thune (R-SD) said earlier this week he wants to push through within the first 30 days of Trump's presidency.

The GOP lawmakers are planning to use a reconciliation bill — which allows for bypassing Democratic votes — in order to successfully pass the legislation.

However, Politico reports:

A number of House Republicans, including committee chairs key to pulling off the plan, are already raising red flags over the strategy, saying they don’t feel the need to stick to that. The disconnect illustrates the challenge that Republican leaders will have next term: They can preach unity, but they have no room for error as they wrangle at-times raucous members with varied priorities.

READ MORE: New Senate GOP leader plans push for 'major partisan bills' in Trump’s first 30 days: report

According to the news outlet, "House Judiciary Chair Jim Jordan(R-Ohio) pointed to pushback from Ways and Means Chair Jason Smith (R-Mo.), adding that: 'We’ve got members who have some concerns.'"

Thune told Politico, "We have to all be on the same page."

He added, “Sometimes it’s challenging because you’ve got to have a House, Senate and White House all pulled in the same direction."

Far-right Freedom Caucus member Rep. Chip Roy (Texas) said, "I remain of the belief that we ought to deliver very quickly on a reconciliation package that has core tenets of the things we want to accomplish in terms of border and fees and so forth, IRA repeal, then some elements of tax policy. And then maybe do a second version that gets at true long-standing permanent tax reform."

READ MORE: House GOP facing 'major political hurdles' with party's key political promise

Another far-right House member — Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) — "hinted" to Politico "that she believes Republicans should challenge the Senate parliamentarian if she determines that any of the border and immigration policies Republicans try to put into the bill don’t fall within the strict rules of budget reconciliation."

Greene emphasized, "No one elected her, so she should not stop the will of the people."

Politico's full report is available at this link.

As Donald Trump defense secretary pick, Pete Hegseth, remains under fire amid allegations of sexual assault and alcohol abuse against him, some Democrats, like US Senator John Fetterman (R-PA), explained why he would consider "voting yes" on one of Hegseth's potential replacements: Florida Governor Ron DeSantis.

CNN's Manu Raju on Wednesday reported, "There are a lot of Republican senators who simply are holding their cards close to their vest. They are concerned about these allegations and uncertain about whether Pete Hegseth could actually do the job as secretary of defense and want to hear him discuss in length and in public about these allegations of misconduct, the sexual assault allegation, which he denies, as well as what happened at a time when he ran that veterans group several years ago, in which the New Yorker reported about misconduct, personal misconduct, drunkenness on the job and the like."

Raju continued, "Hegseth behind the scenes has been denying those allegations, and that has alleviated some concerns. But some members still, like Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia, said she does not know how she will ultimately vote if and when that time comes. Now, there's also discussion about whether there will be a replacement. Donald Trump, we're told, has been looking at possible replacement candidates in case hex's nomination collapses. One of them, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis. That's someone who, in fact, some Democrats are signaling they could be open to supporting, if that nomination comes forward."

READ MORE: 'Standards have evolved': Senator 'leaning yes' on Hegseth despite misconduct allegations

CNN then showed a clip of Raju asked Fetterman whether or not he'd consider DeSantis.

"I'm considering voting yes on Desantis if he finally admits that he has lifts in his boots," the Pennsylvania lawmaker said. "I'm sure he does. You know, maybe three inches or four inches at least."

Watch the video below or at this link.

- YouTube www.youtube.com

READ MORE: Pete Hegseth’s mom urges 'female senators' to ignore media reports and confirm him as SecDef

US Senator Markwayne Mullin (R-OK) suggested on Wednesday that Donald Trump defense secretary pick Pete Hegseth was not an adult seven years ago — although the MAGA nominee was 37 years old.

Associated Press congressional reporter Farnoush Amiri wrote via X: "Asked Sen. Mullin if Hegseth gave members assurances following reports of excessive drinking: 'Listen, all of us, at least all of us, have a time to grow up. We’re nominating Pete for who he is today not for what he did seven years ago or five years ago or whatever it was.'"

Amiri then noted, "I followed up that not all of us are trying to become Secretary of Defense and he said: 'It doesn’t matter we all have a period of time where you got to grow up. So it's what he can do today moving forward.'"

READ MORE: Pete Hegseth’s mom urges 'female senators' to ignore media reports and confirm him as SecDef

The New Yorker reported on Monday that Hegseth had a reputation of drinking on the job in a previous role.

A new report NBC News published on Wednesday noted that the right-wing host's Fox News co-workers say Hegseth "was known for showing up to work with alcohol on his breath and dealing with hangovers."

One source told NBC that the Trump pick "smelled like alcohol and talked about being hung over as recently as this fall."

While some Republican lawmakers — like Senators Joni Ernst (R-IA) and Susan Collins (R-ME) — are skeptical of confirming Hegseth, others, like Mullin and Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND) don't see a problem with the allegations.

READ MORE: 'Standards have evolved': Senator 'leaning yes' on Hegseth despite misconduct allegations

Senator Josh Hawley (R-MO) published a scathing letter addressed to to Attorney General Merrick Garland and FBI Director Christopher Wray on Tuesday, warning them that "real justice" is on the way.

"I’m putting DOJ & FBI on notice: Don’t shred a single document," Hawley wrote via X. "Don’t delete a single file. Accountability is coming. The Judiciary Committee WILL investigate - and find out who authorized spying on Christians, attacks on prolifers, the vendettas against Trump - all of it."

The Missouri The letter begins: "Dear Attorney General Garland and Director Wray: I have received reports that, under your leadership, DOJ and FBI employees are destroying records and other documents in an effort to conceal the widespread misconduct that took place under the Biden Administration. You must immediately stop this attempt to evade accountability, and should terminate any employees involved."

READ MORE: Trump lining up billionaire defense investor and megadonor to be number two at Pentagon

Hawley concluded, "The bottom line is this: you must immediately take all necessary steps to preserve all documents, records, and other materials generated by your agencies during your respective tenures in office. You must cease any bad-faith document destruction. And you should prepare for the real justice to come."

American Enterprise Institute Norman Ornstein commented: "Instigator of violent insurrection who cowardly fled the scene of his crime speaks"

Former MSNBC host Mehdi Hasan replied: As much as I loathe Hawley and his ideology, at least he understands politics and what his role is and how to exercise power. When was the last time you saw Dick Durbin write a letter like this to Republican officials? He rolled over for Justices Roberts, Thomas and Alito.

READ MORE: New Senate GOP leader plans push for 'major partisan bills' in Trump’s first 30 days: report

As sexual assault allegations pile up against Donald Trump defense secretary nominee Pete Hegseth, Republican lawmakers are questioning whether the Fox News host will make it through the confirmation process.

CNN's Manu Raju reported via X: "New on Pete Hegseth’s tough road to confirmation. [Senator] Joni Ernst (R-IA), a victim of sexual assault, plans to have a 'really frank and thorough conversation' with Hegseth amid misconduct allegations."

READ MORE: 'Liberals winning': Ann Coulter blasts 'sleazy' Pete Hegseth over alleged 'serial' adultery

Raju continued, "Roger Wicker, incoming chairman, told me of the whistleblower report detailed in the New Yorker article about his time running veterans group: 'I’m sure I’ll see it.'"

The New Yorker published a bombshell report Monday revealing that in addition to the sexual assault allegations against him, Hegseth is allegedly known to have been drunk "on the job" on several occasions.

Additionally, the CNN reporter noted that [Senator] Susan Collins (R-ME) says the FBI should investigate the Hegseth allegations," while "several" Republicans are "uncertain they can back" the Fox News host.

In opposition to his colleagues, Senator Kevin Cramer said earlier today that "standards have 'evolved' since the last Defense nominee was voted down in 1989," adding, "I'm interested in who Pete Hegseth is today."

READ MORE: 'Standards have evolved': Senator 'leaning yes' on Hegseth despite misconduct allegations

Far-right activist Laura Loomer called out fellow Donald Trump ally — Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) — over the Georgia lawmaker's criticism of President Joe Biden's pardon of his son Hunter Biden.

Greene wrote via X: If Democrats are going to play the pardon game then we should do the same thing."

The GOP House member added, "Trump can just blanket pardon all of us too."

READ MORE: GOP already 'chomping at the bit' to cut Social Security, Medicaid and Medicare: analysis

Loomer replied: "JUST IN: MTG admits she has done something that would make her need a pardon."

According to The Daily Beast, "Apparently, the two used to be friends in 2018. But when Greene refused to endorse her 2022 congressional run, she said Loomer 'turned on me and began attacking me and lying about me.'"

Earlier this year, the also sparred via social media after Loomer said that the White House would "smell like curry" if Vice President Kamala Harris defeated Trump.

Greene called the fellow MAGA ally's comment "appalling and extremely racist."

READ MORE: Two GOP senators are openly rejecting 'ideas Trump explicitly campaigned on'

Florida's Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister — Donald Trump's nominee to serve as Administrator of the Drug Enforcement Administration — withdrew from the running on Tuesday, making him the second of the president-elect's nominees to drop out.

Former Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) withdrew his name from attorney general nomination amid piling sex trafficking allegations against him last month.

Chorister wrote via X:

To have been nominated by President-Elect @realDonaldTrump to serve as Administrator of the Drug Enforcement Administration is the honor of a lifetime. Over the past several days, as the gravity of this very important responsibility set in, I’ve concluded that I must respectfully withdraw from consideration. There is more work to be done for the citizens of Hillsborough County and a lot of initiatives I am committed to fulfilling. I sincerely appreciate the nomination, outpouring of support by the American people, and look forward to continuing my service as Sheriff of Hillsborough County.

READ MORE: 'More trouble': GOP senators troubled by sexual misconduct allegations against Trump nominees

Independent journalist Marcy Wheeler replied: "Trump: Okay already. We'll do FBI Background Checks after all. Chad Chronister: Check please!"

The View Co-host and Republican political analyst Ana Navarro commented: "This is a damn shame. Sheriff Chronister is widely respected in Florida and is one appointee actually qualified for the position."

Grant Stern, executive director of Occupy Democrats, wrote: "Trump's DEA appointee Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister already gave up on his nomination after the 'gravity' of the new position set in. Gravity is one of the few guardrails left against Trump.

Politico senior legal affairs reporter Josh Gerstein added: "Another person Trump won't be able to fire in 6-12 months"

READ MORE: 'House of Cards': Why Trump nominees’ 'incompetence' matters the 'least'

Former Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell's replacement, Senator John Thune (R-SD), is setting a lofty goal for Republicans to achieve in the first month of President-Elect Donald Trump's presidency, Politico reports.

NBC News reported on Sunday that Republicans are working to assist the president-elect with promises he made during his campaign, including to cut taxes and carry out the largest mass deportation operation in history.

In order to do this, the Senate GOP lawmakers are planning "to put forth legislation through a 'reconciliation' proceeding, that would "allow them to pass policies involving taxes and spending without the need for any Democratic votes."

READ MORE: 'Above my pay grade': GOP faces obstacles to passing bill that would skirt Dem votes

Now, according to Politico, the South Dakota lawmaker plans to use the reconciliation package to pass "two major partisan bills" within the first 30 days of Trump's presidency.

The priority items included in the bills — aside from border security — include defense and energy, according to Punchbowl News' original reporting.

Later on, "a subsequent package would focus on taxes and other priorities for the Trump administration," Politico notes.

Although "reconciliation would allow Republicans to pass priorities with no Democratic support, bills that pass under the process are often large and tricky to wrangle," Politico reports, as "GOP leaders could see significant complications given the House’s thin majority and the need to pass muster with the Senate parliamentarian."

READ MORE: GOP already 'chomping at the bit' to cut Social Security, Medicaid and Medicare: analysis

On Sunday, Senator Thom Tillis (R-NC) told NBC the process is expected to "be super challenging."

Punchbowl News' full report is available here (subscription required). Politico's report is here.

As Donald Trump's defense secretary pick, Fox News host Pete Hegseth, faces sexual assault allegations, longtime right-wing commentator Ann Coulter is blasting the MAGA pick on allegations of adultery, Mediaite reports.

"In all of this talk about whether Pete Hegseth is an abuser of women, no one even mentioned that he is a serial adulterer! Are we a society that doesn’t care about adultery anymore?"

Per NJ.com, "Documents surfaced after his nomination that accused Hegseth of sexual assault in 2017. A woman told police that she was sexually assaulted after he took her phone, blocked the door to a California hotel room and refused to let her leave, according to a detailed investigative report made public late."

READ MORE: 'Going to come after you': Inside a Cabinet pick's lawsuit against a former Trump official

But that's not Coulter's main concern.

"Adultery hasn’t even been mentioned," she said on a recent episode of Unsafe with Ann Coulter podcast.

According to Mediate, the conservative host continued:

And Pete Hegseth is well known to have now been married on his third marriage. Gets married, gets his wife pregnant, little kids at home or kid at home — I don’t know the details. Starts having sex with his producer, dumps his first wife, married his producer, gets her pregnant. Again, she’s either pregnant or she’s home with kid or kids, and then commits adultery on her. Dumps the second wife, and now, I guess is, let’s hope happily married to his third wife. The fact that it was three times, and this sleazy, and everyone at Fox News knew about it is one thing. But seriously, does no one-, no one is even mentioning the adultery! I’m sorry, this is liberals winning. This is liberals changing our culture in this subtle and insidious way where the only rules that matter are the feminist rules, not the rules that have protected women for millennia, like don’t cheat on your wife.

READ MORE: Two GOP senators are openly rejecting 'ideas Trump explicitly campaigned on'

Former South Carolina governor and failed 2024 Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley was slammed on Monday over criticizing President Joe Biden's decision to pardon his son Hunter Biden on federal gun and tax related charges.

"Biden pardons his son, which he promised not to do," Haley wrote via X. "Not just for the crime at hand but for everything going back 11 years. Then skips town and goes to Africa. This is why no one trusts politicians. Democrats stop trying to justify this. It only makes you look more out of touch. Politics at its worst."

Former MSNBC host Mehdi Hasan replied, "You hated Trump. Then worked for Trump. Then attacked Trump. Then sucked up to Trump. Then ran against Trump. Then voted for Trump. But sure, the Hunter Biden pardon is politics at its worst and most unreliable. Gotcha."

READ MORE: Laura Ingraham pins MAGA adviser on whether Trump would accept pardon from Biden: 'Come on'

Earlier on Monday, Hasan also slammed several Democratic lawmakers who also criticized Biden's decision, calling it "the wrong decision," according to Politico. The progressive commentator insisted "this is why Republicans win."

Other political experts also took aim at Haley's claims.

Center for Economic and Policy Research senior economist Dean Baker said: "The president-elect tried to overthrow the government and is promising to pardon his accomplices."

American Enterprise Institute emeritus scholar Norman Ornstein added: "You forgot that she said nothing when Trump pardoned Russian assets, grifters, cronies and assorted horribles. Including Charles Kushner. And has said nothing about Kushner's nomination as Ambassador to France."

READ MORE: Mehdi Hasan slams congressional Dems: 'This is why Republicans win'

Longtime Fox News host Laura Ingraham on Monday night pressed Jason Miller — senior adviser to Donald Trump — on whether the president-elect would accept a pardon from President Joe Biden.

The Ingraham Angle host raised the question during a conversation about President Biden's Sunday, December 1 pardon of his son, Hunter Biden, on his federal gun and tax related charges — which both Republican and Democratic lawmakers have condemned.

"Jason, would Donald Trump accept a pardon from Joe Biden?" Ingraham asked the MAGA staffer, referring to the president-elect's list of legal troubles.

READ MORE: Why the Hunter Biden pardon is 'justified' — according to legal experts

"At this point, I don’t know what Joe Biden is gonna pull. I think it’s nonsense," Miller insisted. "If it’s some aspect of some PR play, he might try to do it. But President Trump did absolutely nothing wrong. That’s why everything is disappearing. That’s why he’s focused on actually serving for this second term here."

Dissatisfied with the Trump adviser's response, Ingraham said, "Wait, would President Trump say ‘no’ to a pardon, though? Come on."

Miller replied, "I’m not gonna go and put words in the president’s mouth. Everyone sees exactly what’s going on. This is a complete media manipulation by Joe Biden."

Watch the video below or at this link.

READ MORE: 'Particularly worrisome:' One of Trump’s Cabinet nominations troubles critics more than others

CNN chief law enforcement and intelligence analyst John Miller explained on Monday what could happen to the Federal Bureau of Investigation if President-Elect Donald Trump's FBI director nominee, Kash Patel, is confirmed.

Patel has vowed to prosecute all enemies of his potential boss in the media and in government if granted the role of director.

During the latest episode of CNN's Anderson Copper 360, Cooper asked Miller, "What happens to an organization if the head is not playing it straight — is not trying to be kind of above the fray?"

READ MORE: Republican senator lays bare GOP fealty to Trump

"I mean, that's what all this fear and loathing is coming from, is Kash Patel's statements about the FBI, or about the intent of his role in any Trump administration that he made weeks and months ago, pretends two things: one, you need to throw everybody out of FBI headquarters. Well, that brings the FBI 25 years back to before 9/11, where there wasn't an international terrorist operation center, a domestic terror terrorist operation section, a terrorist finance section. All of these things that call together these informations from 56 field offices and connect those dots."

Miller emphasized, "It's actually how and why we had a 9/11. So to dismantle that is to not understand it."

Cooper chimed in, adding, "Because that's one of the things that Kash Patel was saying, was send all the people who work in headquarters back into the field, and be cops."

Miller replied, "Right, and the second thing is to make statements about 'we're going to go after people.' Look, the Department of Justice guidelines — at least as they stand now — say the FBI is barred from investigating any activities that are purely First Amendment protected activities. He says 'we're going to go after critics and we're going to go after reporters.' It's as if you're going from fidelity, bravery and integrity to 'we're going to get you.'"

READ MORE: How 'would-be autocrat' Trump will ramp up revenge campaign against media critics

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Despite Donald Trump's lengthy list of Cabinet nomination announcements less than one month after his White House win, the president-elect's transition team has yet to agree to FBI background checks on the MAGA picks.

Nominees like Fox News host Pete Hegseth and conspiracy theorist Kash Patel are broiled in controversy, as Hegseth faces piling sexual assault and alcohol abuse allegations, and Patel has promised to punish members of the media and any Trump enemy in government.

Still, some Republican leaders don't think FBI checks are necessary at all.

READ MORE: 'House of Cards': Why Trump nominees’ 'incompetence' matters the 'least'

On Monday, Washington Post's Liz Goodwin reported via X: "Sen [Michael] Crapo (R-Iowa) on whether nominees should get a full FBI background check: 'My position is what President Trump decides to do is what I will support.'"

HuffPost White House correspondent S.V. Dáte replied: "If He says the kool-aid is excellent, then it is excellent and I shall drink it all."

Bobby Kogan, senior director of policy at American Progress, commented: "imagine saying this out loud"

Former Republican Congressman Joe Walsh (IL) added: "It. Is. A. Cult."

READ MORE: 'Do you have an alcohol problem?' Pete Hegseth confronted on Capitol Hill visit

Former FBI assistant director for counterintelligence, Frank Figliuzzi, on Monday explained the real danger in President-Elect Donald Trump's piling list of controversial Cabinet nominees.

MSNBC's Deadline: White House host Nicolle Wallace asked Figliuzzi what government could look like with MAGA nominees like former Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (D-HI) and conspiracy theorist and Trump loyalist Kash Patel running the CIA and FBI.

The former FBI official began by pointing to far-right leaders' insistence that potential Trump officials like Gabbard and Patel are "disruptors." [They say] 'don't worry, we are just hiring disruptors to shake up the bureaucracy,'" Figliuzzi added.

READ MORE: Trump’s movement 'more fragile than it seems' — and is about to implode: analysis

"I'm all for disrupting bureaucracy," the MSNBC contributor continued. "No one's a fan of the morass of bureaucracy at times. But these are not disruptors. These are destroyers. Their job is to search and destroy, and to dismantle the institutions that embody the values that hold us together, the rule of law, the Constitution, three equal branches of government. Our nation's security — our community's security — becomes less safe, not more safe, with people like this in these positions. People who are, yes, not qualified. Of course, remarkably unqualified. But incompetence is the least of my concern right now."

Figliuzzi continued, "The concern is the blind allegiance to the man in the Oval Office. That will be the overriding downfall of these institutions if these people are permitted to get into position. Because that blind allegiance will supplant any dedication or passion about the Constitution. They'll take an oath. They will raise their right hand. They will say, 'I swear to preserve, protect, defend the Constitution,' and the next day they'll violate it. They've already told us — Pam Bondi, Kash Patel — have already told us, 'I'm going to be violating the Constitution. I will be pursuing political enemies. I will be going after the media. I will be going after people who have already been adjudicated, fired."

The ex-FBI leader concluded, "This so-called 'Deep State' that all of this is premised on is absolutely a house of cards. So the abuses, my overriding concern here is we are going to see horrible abuses that, by the way, we've seen before in history in our FBI. J. Edgar Hoover was found to have repeatedly, repeatedly unlawfully wire tapped, searched, planted evidence, planted microphones, bugged Martin Luther King, and had a Black Panthers' leader killed in Chicago with a special unit of the Chicago PD. That's what happens when you go after perceived enemies without the evidence."

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READ MORE: 'Shocked': Ex-FBI deputy director details 'possible effect' of Biden pardon on Senate Cabinet hearings

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Former MSNBC host Mehdi Hasan has a message for Democrats after President Joe Biden pardoned his son Hunter Biden from federal gun charges and tax offenses on Sunday — despite previously saying he would not.

"I see Congressional Dems on Twitter coming out to condemn Biden on Hunter," Hasan wrote via X. "I get it[,] but this is why Republicans win in our asymmetric politics."

Politico reports several Democratic lawmakers, including Sen. Gary Peters (MI), Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (WA), and Sen. Michael Bennett (CO), slammed the president's move, calling it "an improper use of power" and the "wrong decision" to make.

READ MORE: 'Two things could be true': White House reveals why Hunter Pardon might not have happened

"I love this idea that Biden pardoning Hunter will somehow 'justify' or 'excuse' Trump pardoning the Jan 6th prisoners," Hasan noted, "ignoring the fact that: 1. Trump had promised to pardon them long before Biden did this. 2. There is nothing comparable between Hunter’s crimes [and] their crimes."

Hasan then shared that while he personally doesn't agree with Biden's decision, he also doesn't believe the bipartisan outrage is valid.

"I don’t think he should have pardoned him, especially as he swore he wouldn’t, and I don’t actually think presidents should have a pardon power" Hasan wrote. "But spare me the faux outrage from the Trump Republican Party."

READ MORE: Why the Hunter Biden pardon is 'justified' — according to legal experts

Donald Trump's defense secretary nominee, Fox News host Pete Hegseth, already faced sexual assault allegations on top of his lack of experience within the Department of Defense. But on Sunday, the New Yorker published a bombshell report containing more allegations against the MAGA pick.

In the past, the potential DOD secretary is said to have been "repeatedly intoxicated on the job," according to the report.

Confronted by a swarm of reporters during his visit to Capitol Hill Monday, Hegseth — while walking with security — was asked by one reporter, "Do you have an alcohol problem?"

READ MORE: Bombshell report details 'dangerous' new allegations against Trump Cabinet nominee

The Fox News host ignored the question.

In her report published by The New Yorker, journalist Jane Mayer wrote, "A trail of documents, corroborated by the accounts of former colleagues" reveals that "at one point, Hegseth had to be restrained while drunk from joining the dancers on the stage of a Louisiana strip club, where he had brought his team."

Mayer also interviewed Senate Armed Services Committee senior member Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), who spoke to Hegseth's alleged alcohol problems.

"Much as we might be sympathetic to people with continuing alcohol problems, they shouldn't be at the top of our national-security structure," the Connecticut lawmaker said. "It's dangerous."

READ MORE: 'Legal, physical and political protection' needed for officials who 'stand up to Trump': analysis

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Tom Nichols, staff writer for The Atlantic and professor emeritus of national-security affairs at the U.S. Naval War College, is urging Senate leaders to uphold their constitutional duty in the face of President-Elect Donald Trump's "dangerous" Cabinet nominations.

During Sunday's episode of MSNBC's Velshi, host Ali Velshi pointed to a column Nichols published in The Atlantic Saturday night, saying that "it speaks volumes about the real second term agenda."

Nichols wrote, "Trump has been releasing names of the nominees for the cabinet in waves. began with conventional choices, unloaded one bombshell after another, perhaps to paralyze opposition in the Senate with a flood of bad nominees, or to overwhelm the public's already limited political attention span. Trump may have held off announcing Patel until he had enough exhaustion with his other nominations."

READ MORE: 'Grim': Former Trump FDA chief warns new administration 'will cost lives'

Turning to Nichols, Velshi noted, "The issue here is — I think he is not a distraction. I think this is one of the dangerous ones we need to be paying attention to."

"Right," Nichols replied. and the setup to get to Kash Patel was Matt Gaetz and other nominations. He may not care about people like Gaetz. One thing I think Trump's been trying to do, is he tries to create this aura of inevitability. 'I'm just announcing things, and they just happen because I can will this into existence.' And Gaetz proved that's not true. "

The Atlantic staff writer continued, "If the United States Senate really cares about its constitutional duty and cares about democracy and, you know, even to say that these Republican senators — if you care at all about the future of the Republican Party and the conservative movement — it's only going to take four of you to stop the most dangerous nominations: [Fox News host Pete] Hegseth, [former Democratic Rep. Tulsi] Gabbard, and Patel. And, of course, RFK [Jr.], who is a different kind of danger. But again Trump's counting on people saying, 'I guess if we have to pick one of them, maybe we should try to.'"

"No, you don't have to pick," Nichols emphasized. "If you keep sprinting, you are going to wear yourself out. This is a process, where you're just going to have to say one time after another, 'No, this is not appropriate. No, this is dangerous.'"

READ MORE: 'I’ve had conversations': How Trump’s Ex-FDA chief is swaying GOP senators against RFK Jr

Velshi replied, "Which is the constitutional right and responsibility for the Senate. This is not a stretch. This is not a favor anybody is doing for anybody. This is actually what you are elected to do.":

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Ahead of his victory over Vice President Kamala Harris last month, Donald Trump made promises like vowing to cut taxes, carrying out the largest mass deportation operation in history, and ending President Joe Biden administration policies.

Republicans are doing their best to assist the president-elect with these agenda items, by plotting to put forth legislation through a "reconciliation" proceeding, that would "allow them to pass policies involving taxes and spending without the need for any Democratic votes," according to an NBC News Sunday, December 1 report.

"The reconciliation process bypasses the Senate's 60-vote threshold for most bills," NBC reports, "requiring just a majority vote to pass a tax- and spending package once per fiscal year."

READ MORE: 'Act quickly': Expert says there’s still time for Congress to curb Trump’s tariff powers

Per the report, the Republican lawmakers are aiming to ramp "up the process with a budget setting the parameters for the bill in early January, even before Trump takes office, two sources with knowledge of the push said."

Senator Thom Tillis (R-NC) told the news outlet, "It’ll be super challenging. And the reason for that is you have razors at margins, and we’re obviously not going to get any Democrat votes. The key is going to be addressing all these coalitions that are likely going to threaten an insufficient number of votes unless they get their priorities. ... It’s infinitely more complex to get a reconciliation outcome in this cycle out of the House than the Senate."

Judiciary Committee Chair Jim Jordan (R-OH), according to NBC, is focused on passing "'the conservative immigration package known as HR2 'right away' in the new Congress and push through some of those provisions in reconciliation."

But with "party divisions," the GOP lawmakers face "one big question," NBC notes. "How much would the GOP pay for, and how much would it add to the rising deficit?"

READ MORE: Dems 'pushing aggressively' to replace aging leaders with 'combative' reps on key committees

Tillis told NBC, "There’s a lot of things we can claw back. The Democrats shouldn’t be surprised that the American Rescue Plan and the Inflation Reduction Act should be ripe for that."

The Finance Committee member emphasized his concern "that a small group of House Republicans may torpedo the package by demanding that it not add to the deficit," considering "Democrats have 214 votes, and they lead in the one race that remains to be called, in California's 13th District."

The North Carolina lawmaker added, "This is where President Trump is going to have to be a very, very important part of the process. I’ve heard more than three people [in the House] say that they won’t vote for a tax package that’s not fully offset. If so, we’re done. So how do you fix that? That’s above my pay grade, and it’s out of my chamber.”

READ MORE: 'Quickly rot from within': Expert reveals 3 traits the US shares with declining empires

NBC News' full report is available at this link.

Donald Trump's latest nominee — devoted MAGA ally Kash Patel — could effectively tank the FBI's mission, according to former US attorney and MSNBC legal analyst Joyce Vance.

"This is clearly about revenge prosecutions," the former prosecutor told MSNBC host Ali Velshi Sunday, referring to Patel's nomination to direct the agency. "If you're Donald Trump and you are committed to a series of revenge prosecutions, well, you need someone like Kash Patel — a loyalist — running the FBI for you."

Vance continued, "He is sort of the perfect storm of inexperience and total loyalty to Donald Trump. He's vulnerable to the whims of a strong man like Donald Trump, to borrow from [New York University law professor] Ruth Ben-Ghiat, because that's exactly what we will have. Donald Trump meddling at the FBI."

READ MORE: 'Nice work, John Roberts': Trump's latest move said to be 'middle finger' to Supreme Court

The former US attorney then laid out the importance of the work of the agency.

"There is real work that gets done at the FBI day in and day out," Vance emphasized. "The membership and women of the FBI are the men and women who protect American society. Every once in a while, we'll see a case where the FBI will preemptively take down a foreign terror operation and we'll all for about five minutes say, 'thank goodness the FBI is doing its job.'"

Vance added, "Taking its eye off of that ball is something that is critically dangerous, and Patel is poorly situated to maintain that focus. So there are real world implications — not just with foreign and domestic terror — but also for violent crime, for drug trafficking, for civil rights, for the here priority areas where the FBI typically works its hardest. Every special agent in charge at an FBI agency across the country is obligated to meet with the director and the deputy director weekly, sometimes more frequently, to talk about the work that they are doing. If Kash Patel is directing that work, it's very likely we will begin to see slippage in the FBI's mission."

Watch the video below or at this link.

READ MORE: 'Not just Trump': Columnist argues president-elect’s Cabinet has a 'problem with dogs'

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Although Rolling Stone reported Sunday morning that former Trump Defense Secretary Kash Patel — the president-elect's nominee to replace FBI Director Christopher Wray — is likely the "scariest" MAGA pick so far, Puck New senior political correspondent Tara Palmeri argues that the staunch Trump ally will be difficult to get past the US Senate.

Patel — who lacks experience in law enforcement — has vowed to prosecute his potential boss' enemies in media and government, saying, "We’re going to come after you. Whether it’s criminally or civilly, we’ll figure that out."

Speaking with Palmeri on Sunday morning, MSNBC's The Weekend co-host Alicia Menendez asked the political correspondent to explain how Trump decided on Patel for the position.

READ MORE: Why Kash Patel is Trump’s 'scariest hire yet': report

"I think it was inevitable that Kash Patel was going to get a senior position within the administration," Palmeri replied.

"Donald Trump mused about making him FBI director in his final days in the White House as well. It was just a matter of whether to give him a position that required confirmation or not, because he already has a pretty tall order with some of the people he's asking the Senate to confirm," she continued. "That's [former Rep.] Tulsi Gabbard (D-HI) — who is on a no fly list, who has a favorable view of [Russia President Vladimir] Putin. [Fox News host] Pete Hegseth — accused of sexually assaulting a woman, and a new letter came out from his mother calling him an abuser. So he's just adding another person to a piling list of very difficult people for the Senate to swallow, and to confirm."

Palmeri added, "And really these nominations can be tanked by four votes. You've got people like [Senators] Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Susan Collins (R-ME), even Mitch McConnell (R-KY), and possibly the new senator from Utah — John Curtis — taking Mitt Romney's seat, who might just be willing to tank those things. So he's just added another person. And I question why he's using so much political capital right now on these positions."

"I think whatever happens, Kash Patel will probably find a prominent position within the White House or the administration, even if it's not confirmable," the Puck News reporter emphasized. "But I think this one is going to be difficult to confirm. Matt Gaetz difficult."

READ MORE: 'Nice work, John Roberts': Trump's latest move said to be 'middle finger' to Supreme Court

Gaetz — who Trump nominated for attorney general last month — withdrew from the running to be confirmed amid piling sex trafficking allegations.

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One of Donald Trump's staunchest supporters — former chief of staff to the Secretary of Defense and conspiracy theorist Kash Patel — has been nominated by the president-elect to direct the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI).

According to a Sunday, December 1 Rolling Stone report, the ex-Trump administration official might just be the MAGA leader's "scariest hire yet."

Per the report, Patel is aiming to "purge the so-called 'Deep State,' and "recently publicly pledged to investigate and prosecute Trump’s enemies in the media and government."

READ MORE: 'Quickly rot from within': Expert reveals 3 traits the US shares with declining empires

The New York Times reports that the Trump ally's "former colleagues have questioned his qualifications," such as federal public defender Michael Caruso, who said "Patel shied away from filing motions that he was likely to lose."

Patel also launched a nonprofit, The Kash Foundation, that he says "offers financial help to a range of recipients, including the families of people charged for their" participation in the January 6, 2021 attack on the US Capitol.

Additionally, Rolling Stone notes, the potential future FBI director "is a hyper-MAGA, vengeance-minded Trump loyalist to the point that even some Trump advisers recognize as an extreme liability — even if those aides and confidants aren’t willing to do much to get in Patel’s way, mostly due to Trump’s protection of the man."

READ MORE: 'Literally holding our breath': J6 rioters having 'anxiety' over Trump 'silence' on pardons

Rolling Stone's full report is available at this link (subscription required). The New York Times' report is here (subscription required).

Ahead of 2025, Republican House members can no longer afford uphold the reputation of last year's Congress — the "most unproductive" in 50 years.

Speaking with New York attorney Errol Lewis, CNN White House correspondent MJ Lee noted on Sunday morning that the members are set to reconvene this week, and Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) "has said that he wants to get things done as quickly as possible" with an extremely narrow majority.

Lee asked Lewis how he thinks Republicans "will exercise their power this time around," versus when Donald Trump took office in 2017.

READ MORE: Dems 'pushing aggressively' to replace aging leaders with 'combative' reps on key committees

"They're going to have to really be a lot more disciplined than what we saw in the last Congress," Lewis replied. "Meaning they're going to all have to pull together. They have no room for error. None whatsoever. If things end up in a tie, by the way, a measure will fail."

The CNN political analyst continued, "So he actually needs a couple of votes beyond the majority that they barely have squeezed out. And, you know, that means nobody can be sick. People have to make it to Congress on any given day. They have to all vote together. There's no room for defections. Mike Johnson is going to have his hands full, including with his own vote to to maintain the speakership."

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READ MORE: 'Own version of events': Activist spars with GOP strategist over reported Trump phone call

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Donald Trump on Wednesday declared that he cut a deal with Mexico President Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo to "effectively" close the Southern border.

The president-elect posted to Truth Social: "Just had a wonderful conversation with the new President of Mexico, Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo. She has agreed to stop Migration through Mexico, and into the United States, effectively closing our Southern Border."

He continued, "We also talked about what can be done to stop the massive drug inflow into the United States, and also, U.S. consumption of these drugs. It was a very productive conversation!"

READ MORE: 'Confused the United States with Russia’: Tuberville’s 'genuinely odd' claim mocked

CNN political analyst Bakari Sellers replied to Trump's claim via X (formerly Twitter), writing: "But from the desk of President Sheinbaum: You may not be aware that Mexico has developed a comprehensive policy to assist migrants from different parts of the world who cross our territory en route to the southern border of the United States. As a result, and according to data from your country’s Customs and Border Protection (CBP), encounters at the Mexico-United States border have decreased by 75% between December 2023 and November 2024."

Mike Nellis, a former Senior Adviser to Kamala Harris, wrote via the social media website Bluesky: "Trump thinks he convinced the President of Mexico to stop all migration across the border LOL"

READ MORE: The Trump-inflicted 'national security dilemma' Biden has the power to stop: ex-FBI official