Rick Scott sees red wave as ‘best case scenario’ for Senate leader bid as he lobbies Trump for support
FIRST ON FOX: Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., is coming off the highs of a better-than-expected re-election margin in Florida and getting right into campaign mode for the Republican Senate leader race next week. His first project: Get President-elect Donald Trump’s support. The Florida Republican is actively lobbying his ally, who is now both the former and future president, for his endorsement ahead of the GOP leader race to determine who will succeed Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., a senior Scott source told Fox News Digital. In fact, the election presented Trump with a mandate, and “that’s the best case scenario for Rick Scott,” they said. CHUCK SCHUMER PREPS FOR RETURN TO SENATE MINORITY AFTER GOP VICTORY Trump has not endorsed anyone in the leader race, which currently includes candidates Scott, Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, and Senate Minority Whip John Thune, R-S.D. He also has not said whether he will ultimately weigh in. Scott spoke to Trump following their electoral wins, telling FOX Business’ Larry Kudlow that they are “texting back and forth.” He expressed hope that Trump would back him in the race, which is rapidly heating up. ELECTION NIGHT WINNERS AND LOSERS: 2024 EDITION Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., made his own endorsement of Scott, and urged Trump to do the same on “The Jesse Kelly Show” on Thursday. He told host Jesse Kelly to ask the president-elect to “come out publicly” in support of Scott, if he has any influence with Trump. A source familiar also shared with Fox News Digital that Thune had connected with both Trump and Vice President-elect JD Vance after the election. However, the South Dakota Republican is of a different perspective than Scott and suggested Trump should not get involved in the Senate GOP leader race. MITCH MCCONNELL SINGS TRUMP CAMPAIGN PRAISES: ‘SHARPER OPERATION THIS TIME’ “It’s probably in his best interest to stay out of that,” he said on CNBC’s “Squawk Box” on Thursday. “Obviously, if he wants to, he could exert a considerable amount of influence on that,” Thune acknowledged. He noted it’s his preference that Trump doesn’t publicly endorse. Thune and Trump had a previously fractured relationship, which they have been repairing in recent months. The senator first endorsed Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., in the Republican presidential primary before ultimately backing Trump. FOX NEWS DECISION DESK PROJECTS GOP TAKES BACK SENATE MAJORITY IN DEVASTATING BLOW TO DEMS Cornyn has been adamant about keeping the race out of the press. His office did not say whether he had spoken with Trump since the election but referred Fox News Digital to his interview with Fox News’ Neil Cavuto last week. Asked about potential friction with Trump, which McConnell dealt with, Cornyn said, “My experience with President Trump is you can tell him the truth in private, and he is willing to listen. And sometimes he’s willing to do what you suggest. Other times he may disagree, and that’s his prerogative. But I’ve had a very successful four years working with President Trump during his first term.” The leader election will be conducted through a secret ballot among the Republican conference on Nov. 13. McConnell does not plan to endorse in the race. Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more at our Fox News Digital election hub.
DeSantis floats Florida surgeon general Dr. Joseph Ladapo as candidate for Trump’s HHS secretary
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is advocating for President-elect Donald Trump to tap state surgeon general Dr. Joseph Ladapo to serve as secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. “Retweet if you’d like to see this man — Dr. Joseph Ladapo — serve as the Secretary of HHS in the new Trump administration,” DeSantis wrote in a post on X, which features a photo of Ladapo. The post has earned thousands of retweets and amassed more than 1 million views. DESANTIS CLAIMS VICTORY OVER FLORIDA ABORTION, MARIJUANA AMENDMENTS AS SUPPORTERS CELEBRATE: ‘PRAISE GOD’ Florida First Lady Casey DeSantis was one of the many people who endorsed her husband’s idea by retweeting the post. On the heels of Trump’s decisive 2024 presidential election victory, DeSantis declared Wednesday on X that Trump “not only earned a sweeping electoral victory, he earned a mandate for change.” Ladapo tweeted on Wednesday, “The future of health freedom looks brighter today. Just as in Florida, it’s time to say ‘No’ to trampling on people’s rights, to gaslighting citizens about experimental vaccines that harm instead of help & to muzzling doctors who dissent with orthodoxy. Light triumphs over darkness.” RAND PAUL HITS ‘BIDEN/HARRIS CDC’ OVER COVID-19 VACCINE GUIDANCE FOR 6-MONTH-OLDS Ladapo recommends against using mRNA COVID-19 vaccines, according to the Florida Department of Health. “Based on the high rate of global immunity and currently available data, the State Surgeon General advises against the use of mRNA COVID-19 vaccines,” the department noted in a September press release. “Any provider concerned about the health risks associated with COVID-19 for patients over the age of 65 or with underlying health conditions should prioritize patient access to non-mRNA COVID-19 vaccines and treatment.” Ladapo asserted in a September tweet that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration “are gaslighting Americans with their new, unproven COVID-19 boosters, and recommend them for 6 month-old babies!” “We say bring data, acknowledge serious safety concerns & acknowledge the many people who believe they’ve been injured by these vaccines,” Ladapo added. NEW COVID VACCINE PUSH IS ‘ANTI-HUMAN,’ SAYS FLORIDA SURGEON GENERAL: ‘MAJOR SAFETY CONCERN’ The CDC’s 2024-2025 COVID-19 Vaccine Immunization Schedule advises three doses of the 2024-2025 Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for people ages 6 months through 4-years-old. “An 8-week interval between the first and second doses of Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine might be optimal for some people, as it might reduce the rare risk of myocarditis and pericarditis associated with COVID-19 vaccines,” the CDC notes.
New York Dem Laura Gillen ousts incumbent Republican Rep. Anthony D’Esposito in toss-up House race
One of the first-term Republican lawmakers key to the House GOP winning the majority in the last election is projected to lose his seat. Rep. Anthony D’Esposito, R-N.Y., a retired NYPD officer, was defeated by former local official Laura Gillen in New York’s 4th Congressional District on suburban Long Island, in the shadow of New York City, The Associated Press said Thursday. Two days after Election Day, the balance of power in the House is still undetermined, with key races yet to be called in Pennsylvania, Arizona, Nevada and other states. Democrats and Republicans have now each flipped four seats. The election was a rematch of the November 2022 race, when D’Esposito beat Gillen and flipped the seat from blue to red. FORMER NEW YORK GOV. DAVID PATERSON, STEPSON ATTACKED BY GROUP OF SUSPECTS WHILE WALKING DOG Gillen is a former Hempstead town supervisor and previously worked as an attorney representing victims of domestic violence, according to her campaign website. She was backed by the House Democrats’ campaign arm, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, through their “Red to Blue” program – an initiative pouring resources and funding into seats where Democrats saw an opportunity to grow their numbers in the House of Representatives. Gillen was endorsed by sitting New York Democratic Reps. Dan Goldman, Grace Meng and Tom Suozzi, among others. MOST NEW YORK CITY RESIDENTS WANT INDICTED MAYOR ERIC ADAMS TO RESIGN: POLL D’Esposito’s election in 2022 came amid a wave of voter backlash against New York City’s progressive crime policies, when Republicans swept key districts in the suburbs of New York and New Jersey. He later helped lead the push to expel former Rep. George Santos, R-N.Y., after his criminal indictment related to fraud and other charges. However, his campaign was rocked in recent weeks by allegations in a New York Times report that D’Esposito possibly violated ethics rules by previously having his affair partner and his fiancée’s daughter on his payroll. D’Esposito denied all the allegations when asked by reporters on Capitol Hill in late September. “There was nothing done that was unethical,” he said at the time. When asked if he would stay in his race, D’Esposito said, “Absolutely. And win.” Fox News’ Tyler Olson contributed to this report.
House leaders move quickly to consolidate power in show of confidence for Republican majority
The top three House Republican leaders are all running for their roles in the new Congress, a show of confidence that the GOP will prevail in winning full control of the federal government. Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., and House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La., sent letters to fellow House GOP lawmakers on Wednesday night asking for support to remain in those positions. House Majority Whip Tom Emmer, R-Minn., made a similar entreaty on Thursday morning. The current House leadership lineup is not expected to face significant challenges if Republicans prove successful in keeping the chamber. SPEAKER JOHNSON RIPS ‘LACK OF LEADERSHIP’ IN BIDEN ADMIN’S HELENE RESPONSE: ‘ALARMED AND DISAPPOINTED’ Each promised to work in support of conservative policies alongside President-elect Trump in separate letters obtained by Fox News Digital. “We can secure our borders, prioritize the needs of Americans above foreigners, promote investment and opportunity through the tax code, return to American energy dominance, dramatically reduce regulations, expand school choice, end the woke agenda, and restore fiscal sanity to Washington – among other pressing items,” Johnson wrote in his letter. “I’m ready to take the field with all of you, and I am humbly asking for your support to continue leading this Conference as your Speaker.” HOUSE GOP LEADERS RIP ACTBLUE AFTER DEM FUNDRAISING GIANT HIT WITH SUBPOENA Scalise’s letter was a four-page memo detailing how congressional Republicans would pass significant conservative reforms using a legislative process called “reconciliation.” Reconciliation is a way to fast-track legislation on issues like taxes, the debt limit, and federal spending by bypassing the Senate’s 60-vote threshold for passage, instead lowering it to a simple 51-vote majority. But Scalise signaled Republicans would test those boundaries next year. “Though there are Senate rules limiting what we can fit in budget reconciliation, I want us to be bold and creative so we can include as many reforms in this package as possible,” he said. “Democrats expanded what is traditionally allowed in reconciliation, and we intend to do the same. Now is the time to go big to advance conservative policies that will make our country prosperous and secure again.” Emmer in his letter emphasized his role as whip in convincing Republicans to come together on legislation, even conceding that it was a difficult mission at times during the exceptionally disorderly 118th Congress. JOHNSON BLASTS DEM ACCUSATIONS HE VOWED TO END OBAMACARE AS ‘DISHONEST’ “We will always have disagreements over policy and strategy. That’s a good thing. Governing is messy and imperfect. But I have always believed that there is more that unites us than divides us,” he wrote. “I’ve witnessed this as your Whip, bringing together members from across our conference to hash out these disagreements and find a path to 218 votes.” “I will always be direct, honest, and transparent. I will never make false promises or try to buy your votes.” Meanwhile, Rep. Kevin Hern, R-Okla., who is term-limited as chair of the Republican Study Committee, the House GOP’s de facto conservative think tank, has announced a bid for House Republican Policy Committee chair. The role, currently held by Rep. Gary Palmer, R-Ala., is the No. 5 position in the House GOP leadership lineup. In his appeal to Republicans, Hern emphasized his good relationship with Vice President-elect JD Vance from his brief time in the U.S. Senate. The No. 4 House Republican leader, House GOP Conference Chair Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., is also running for her current position again, though Fox News Digital is also told that she is angling for a Trump administration role as ambassador to the United Nations. Her spokesperson did not immediately return a request for comment. House Republicans are slated to hold their leadership elections on Wednesday next week, their first full day back in Washington since September. The balance of power in the House has not yet been decided – something House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., has pointed out in multiple public statements – but the speedy consolidation of power is a sign Republicans are feeling good about their chances. The Fox News Decision Desk put odds slightly in favor of the GOP in a Wednesday afternoon update.
House Democrat says the party needs to get past ‘Trump Derangement Syndrome’
A House Democrat is arguing that their party needs to get past “this idea they call ‘Trump Derangement Syndrome’” as President-elect Donald Trump is gearing up for another term in the White House. The lawmaker, speaking to Axios about how Democrats should approach Trump’s second term, suggested they ought to “pick and choose” their battles this time around. “Democrats just literally attacked everything he did. We could never agree with anything, never give him credit for anything, could never say, ‘Well actually securing the border is a good idea, I just disagree with how he’s doing it,’” the House Democrat was quoted as saying in the wake of Vice President Kamala Harris’ election loss. The discussion about Democrats reworking their strategy for Trump comes as they have been weighing in on what they believe went wrong for Harris, ranging from her choice of Tim Walz as running mate to select comments she made on national television while campaigning. LIVE UPDATES: TRUMP, ALLIES EYE TRANSITION PROCESS TO WHITE HOUSE Mark Penn, a former Clinton adviser who is a Fox News contributor, wrote among his “lessons of the election” that “America is a center right country at heart.” “Only 25 percent are liberal and the other 75 percent won’t be ruled by the 25,” he posted on X early Thursday. “Campaigns are about issues and serious proposals and positions and you can’t avoid having them.” TOP PHILADELPHIA DEMOCRAT TORCHES HARRIS CAMP AS DEMOCRAT BLAME GAME INTENSIFIES “Voters don’t listen to Hollywood celebrities when it comes to voting,” Penn continued. “Most voters see Hollywood as great for entertaining but as far removed from their concerns when it comes to voting.” In the waning days of Harris’ campaign, she had brought out celebrities such as Bruce Springsteen and Eminem in an attempt to appeal to swing state voters. “Identity politics is ultimately losing politics as voters care more about issues not identity when living their lives,” Penn also said. “And finally, Joe Biden should never have run for re-election.”
ACLU vows to oppose Trump policies on LGBT issues, abortion and deportations
The executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union pledged “to combat” the forthcoming Trump administration’s proposed policies on critical issues such as abortion, border security and LGBTQ rights. “We know that a second Trump administration will be even more aggressive and effective than it was before,” Anthony Romero, the group’s executive director, said in an open letter published on the ACLU’s website. “The Trump administration’s anti-liberty and fundamentally anti-American policies will be met with the full firepower of the ACLU.” The left-wing civil liberties organization launched 434 legal challenges against President Trump during his first term, and these challenges will continue during his second term, according to Romero’s open letter. They plan, for example, to use the courts to “invalidate Trump administration policies” impacting the gay and transgender communities, such as actions that keep biological males out of women’s bathrooms or that prevent them from playing on women’s sports teams. The ACLU also plans to hone in on challenges to Trump’s efforts to deport illegal immigrants residing in the U.S., and any attempts by the new president to restrict abortion. BIDEN JUDGE RULES IOWA CAN CHECK BALLOTS OF POTENTIAL NONCITIZENS IN BLOW TO ACLU During Trump’s first term, the ACLU spearheaded efforts to block Trump’s travel ban on several countries in the Middle East. While initially successful, the Supreme Court eventually upheld the ban. Other challenges from the ACLU against Trump included going after his administration for restricting abortion care for immigration detainees, combating Trump’s efforts to implement asylum restrictions for migrants and his push to include a citizenship question on the 2020 census. In his second term, Trump, according to Romero, will effectuate “dragnet raids” against immigrants, target his political foes, “spy on private citizens, promote discrimination against marginalized communities, and control what we can and can’t do with our bodies.” “Despair and resignation are not a strategy,” Romero said. “At the ACLU, we’re choosing to channel our fear into action.” MEGAN RAPINOE DEMANDS PROTECTION FOR TRANS PEOPLE AFTER SOUNDING ALARM ON HOW ELECTION WILL ‘AFFECT EVERYBODY’ In addition to utilizing the courts, the ACLU also said it intends to leverage its ties to federal and state lawmakers to push for oversight and investigations into Trump’s “restrictive executive branch policies.” “The Trump administration’s anti-liberty and fundamentally anti-American policies will be met with the full firepower of the ACLU, the might of our allies, and the commitment of the American people,” Romero wrote. The ACLU declined to comment to Fox News, but an official did point to a June “roadmap” the group published outlining its plan “to protect civil rights” in the next administration and analyzing the policies of both Trump and President Biden, who, at the time, was the Democrats’ nominee for president prior to dropping out. “This November, freedom is on the ballot,” the roadmap’s introduction stated.
Amid heavy pollution in Delhi, these 12 Indian cities enjoy fresh, clean air
The primary pollutants in Delhi are particulate matter (PM2.5), nitrogen dioxide, and carbon monoxide.
Here are the most talked-about candidates for top posts in Trump’s administration
After winning the 2024 presidential election, President-elect Trump’s next big move is to fill his Cabinet with the right leaders that will reinforce his agenda over the next four years. There are several candidates rumored for each post, but the following individuals are the most talked-about contenders for the top positions: Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., who was a leading contender on Trump’s short list for vice president, has been floated for secretary of state. PRESIDENT-ELECT TRUMP ALREADY MEETING WITH TRANSITION TEAM, STRATEGIZING HOW TO FILL ADMINISTRATION Rubio currently serves as vice chairman of the Select Committee on Intelligence and is a senior member of the Committee on Foreign Relations – leading on various initiatives that seek to bolster national security. The Florida senator didn’t rule out taking a position in the administration during a post-election interview. “I always am interested in serving this country,” Rubio told CNN. “I haven’t had any set conversations with anybody in the Trump administration. Either way, I plan to work with them, whether it’s in the Senate, which is an important place to be, or in some other capacity.” RFK JR. WANTS TO CLEAR OUT ‘ENTIRE DEPARTMENTS’ IN THE FDA: ‘THEY HAVE TO GO’ Sen. Bill Hagerty, R-Tenn., is also being considered for the Cabinet. Hagerty served as ambassador to Japan under Trump and has pushed back on the foreign policies of the Biden-Harris administration. Former Trump national security adviser Robert O’Brien is also in contention for the role, Fox News Digital was told. Since leaving the Trump administration, he cofounded the international policy advisory firm American Global Strategies. Fox News Digital was told that Richard Grenell is also eyeing the position. Grenell is the former ambassador to Germany and former acting director of national intelligence under Trump. He’s also a potential pick for national security adviser. Combat-decorated Green Beret Rep. Mike Waltz, R-Fla., could be tapped to lead America’s defense agency. Waltz, who was CEO of defense contractor Metis Solutions and Pentagon defense policy director under Defense Secretaries Donald Rumsfeld and Robert Gates, serves on the House China Task Force coordinating policy on China and working to reduce American reliance on Chinese minerals. Walz serves as the chairman of the House Armed Services Subcommittee on Readiness and as a member of the Oversight and Accountability Committee and Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. Former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo could return to run the defense agency after serving during Trump’s first term. Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., was being floated for the role but took his name out of consideration for a Cabinet position, a source close to the Republican senator told Fox News. Chad Wolf served as the acting secretary of Homeland Security under Trump during his first term. Wolf currently works as America First Policy Institute’s (AFPI) executive director, chief strategy officer, and chair of the Center for Homeland Security & Immigration. Tom Homan, former acting director of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement under Trump, is also a contender. Homan is a former police officer and visiting fellow at the Border Security and Immigration Center at the Heritage Foundation. Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, an attorney who previously specialized in Supreme Court litigation, served as law clerk to Judge Dee Benson of the U.S. District Court for the District of Utah, and then with future Supreme Court Justice Judge Samuel A. Alito, Jr. on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. Lee has supported Trump throughout his 2024 campaign, slamming the “Democratic Party establishment” for the criminal cases against the president-elect in an interview with Fox. While on the campaign trail, Trump said he would consider Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton for the AG position. Paxton has been a staunch supporter of Trump throughout his challenges to the 2020 election and legal battles. The day before the election, Paxton filed an amicus brief in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit supporting claims that special prosecutor Jack Smith was illegally appointed by the DOJ. Matt Whitiker served as the acting attorney general for a year during Trump’s first term. Prior to taking on the role, Whitiker served as U.S. attorney for the Southern District of Iowa and then as chief of staff to Attorney General Jeff Sessions. North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum, who was a leading contender to be Trump’s vice president, is reportedly being considered to head the Department of Energy. Burgum leads one of the top energy producing states in the country and has championed “innovation over regulation” on energy policy, saying that the U.S. needs to bolster oil production and not rely on foreign oil. In his speech at the Republican National Convention, Burgum focused heavily on American energy dominance. Former Energy Secretary Dan Brouillette could return to his post in the energy department he led for two years during Trump’s first term. Brouillette recently stepped down as president and CEO of the Edison Electric Institute. Trump could reassign his former Interior Secretary David Bernhardt to lead the agency for another four years. Also rumored for the position is Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy, who has fought the Biden administration on energy over the years. Trump has said that he is going to close the Department of Education when he takes office. Former Education Secretary Betsy DeVos could come back to serve another four years in the role under Trump’s second term. While on the campaign trail, Trump suggested former presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy or former New York Rep. Lee Zeldin could be chosen to lead the administration on education. Billionaire hedge fund manager Scott Bessent has worked as a top economic adviser to Trump. “I’m going to do whatever President Trump asks,” he told CNBC when asked about a potential Cabinet position. John Paulson, also a billionaire hedge fund manager, recently told the Wall Street Journal that if appointed, he would work with Elon Musk to cut spending and extend the former president’s 2017 tax cuts. Other contenders include Jay Clayton, who chaired the U.S. Securities
Biden congratulates Trump, pledges ‘peaceful and orderly’ transfer of power
President Biden addressed the nation from the Rose Garden on Thursday after his vice president, Kamala Harris, conceded the 2024 presidential election to President-elect Trump. In brief remarks, Biden announced he spoke with Trump on Wednesday to congratulate him on his victory and assure him that the entire Biden administration will work with his team “to ensure a peaceful and orderly transition.” “That’s what the American people deserve,” Biden said. He also praised Harris for running “an inspiring campaign,” and said she has “great character” and “backbone like a ramrod.” HARRIS FORMALLY CONCEDES ONE DAY AFTER TRUMP’S SWEEPING VICTORY Trump will make a triumphant return to the White House in January after more than 72 million Americans voted for him, securing at least 295 Electoral College votes and a majority of the national popular vote. Harris claimed 226 Electoral College votes and won at least 68 million votes. Ballots are still being counted in several states. The results were the culmination of a tumultuous campaign, which saw the incumbent Biden win the Democratic primary only for him to withdraw from the race, at the urging of his party, after a disastrous debate performance against Trump in June. Harris was then nominated by Democrats to bear their standard without contest and without earning a single primary vote. During the campaign, both Harris and Biden called Trump a “fascist” and argued that his re-election to the presidency would threaten democracy and prove dangerous to the American people. But after Trump’s decisive win, Biden changed his tune to emphasize unity. On Thursday, the president spoke about political campaigns as a “contest of competing visions.” HOW TRUMP WON: THE DETAILS FROM THE FOX NEWS VOTER ANALYSIS “A country chooses one or the other. We accept the choice the country made. I’ve said many times, you can’t love your country only when you win. You can’t love your neighbor only when you agree. Something I hope we can do, no matter who you voted for, you see each other not as adversaries, but as fellow Americans.” He also said he hopes the 2024 election will “lay to rest the question about the integrity of the American electoral system.” “It is honest, it is fair, and it is transparent, and it can be trusted. Win or lose.” BIDEN SAYS SELECTING HARRIS AS RUNNING MATE WAS ‘BEST DECISION I MADE’ AFTER VP’S CONCESSION SPEECH The televised address comes after Harris conceded to Trump on Wednesday. The vice president made her first public comments about the race at Howard University, her lama mater, where she said that “while I concede this election, I do not concede the fight that fueled this campaign.” In a staff memo earlier, her campaign manager and Biden ally Jen O’Malley Dillon called the defeat “unfathomably painful.” “This will take a long time to process. But the work of protecting America from the impacts of a Trump Presidency starts now,” she vowed. Biden, in his speech, said “setbacks are unavoidable, but giving up is unforgivable.” “We all get knocked down. But the measure of our character, as my dad would say, is how quickly we get back up. Remember, a defeat does not mean we are defeated. We lost this battle. The America of your dreams is calling for you to get back up.”
After S Jaishankar’s conference, India slams Canada for action against Australian news channel
India accuses Canada of hypocrisy on free speech after Canada blocks an Australian outlet that aired S. Jaishankar’s interview amid rising tensions and accusations over diplomatic issues.