Today in one sentence: Biden issued a “full and unconditional pardon” for his son Hunter despite repeatedly saying he wouldn’t interfere in his son’s case or use his presidential powers to protect him; Trump nominated Kash Patel as FBI director, a loyalist who has spread baseless "deep state" conspiracy theories and called for a purge of Trump’s perceived enemies from the FBI; Trump's pick to lead the Department of Defense was forced out of the two nonprofit advocacy groups that he ran for financial mismanagement, sexual misconduct, and for being intoxicated on the job; two Democratic senators urged Biden to issue a policy directive to try and prevent Trump from deploying active-duty military forces domestically after he takes office; and Trump warned that “there will be ALL HELL TO PAY in the Middle East, and for those in charge” if the hostages held by Hamas in Gaza are not released before his inauguration.

1/ Biden issued a “full and unconditional pardon” for his son Hunter despite repeatedly saying he wouldn’t interfere in his son’s case or use his presidential powers to protect him. Biden said Hunter had been “selectively, and unfairly, prosecuted. […] No reasonable person who looks at the facts of Hunter’s cases can reach any other conclusion than Hunter was singled out only because he is my son — and that is wrong. […] There’s no reason to believe it will stop here. Enough is enough.” Hunter Biden was convicted in June on federal gun charges for lying about his addiction to crack cocaine when he purchased a gun. He separately entered a guilty plea in September to nine federal tax charges for failing to pay at least $1.4 million in federal taxes. The pardon applies to all offenses that Hunter “has committed or may have committed or taken part in during the period from January 1, 2014 through December 1, 2024.” While some Democrats noted that Biden, who has frequently said “no one is above the law,” was effectively shielding Hunter from the consequences of a jury’s decision to find him guilty, Republicans accused Biden of being a “liar,” “a hypocrite,” and “guilty of weaponizing the justice system.” (Washington Post / NBC News / New York Times / NPR / Axios / Politico / Wall Street Journal)

  • 💭 Why does this matter? This moment matters because it starkly contrasts Biden’s promise to restore faith in democratic institutions. By issuing a pardon for his son, Biden risks confirming public fears of a justice system that caters to elites. In a time when institutional integrity is already under siege, the move weakens Democrats’ ability to challenge Trump’s forthcoming attempts to politicize law enforcement, magnifying the challenges of protecting impartial justice.

  • 💡 Why should I care? This event reveals how political partisanship can erode institutional credibility, impacting everyone regardless of political affiliation. A justice system seen as weaponized or biased can diminish public trust in the rule of law, leading to societal cynicism and weakened democratic values. Citizens should care because such shifts make it harder to hold leaders accountable and ensure equal treatment under the law, affecting governance for years to come.

  • 🧩 What’s at stake? At stake is the integrity of democratic systems and the rule of law. By pardoning his son, Biden has opened the door for accusations of double standards, risking further political cynicism and emboldening his successors to act similarly. The decision also threatens the perception of the presidency as an institution serving the people rather than personal interests, with long-term consequences for public faith in government.

  • 🎓 WTF is a Presidential Pardon? A presidential pardon is one of the most powerful and controversial tools at the disposal of the President of the United States. Rooted in the U.S. Constitution, it enables the president to forgive individuals for federal crimes, potentially restoring their rights and mitigating the consequences of their actions. This legal mechanism has significant implications for justice, politics, and society.

2/ Trump nominated Kash Patel as FBI director, a loyalist who has spread baseless “deep state” conspiracy theories and called for a purge of Trump’s perceived enemies from the FBI. Patel has also publicly pledged to investigate and prosecute Trump’s enemies in the media. To do so, however, Trump would have to fire current FBI Director Christopher Wray, who he appointed in 2017 after firing predecessor Jim Comey. The FBI director serves a 10-year term in office, across multiple presidential administrations, to ensure that the FBI is seen as not serving the political interests of a specific president. The job requires Senate confirmation. (NBC News / NPR / New York Times / Associated Press / Washington Post)

  • 💭 Why does this matter? The nomination of Patel signals a troubling shift in how federal agencies could operate under Trump’s leadership. With Patel’s history of prioritizing loyalty over the rule of law and his stated intention to pursue Trump’s critics, the FBI risks becoming a partisan tool rather than an impartial institution. This undermines its critical role in safeguarding national security, investigating crimes, and maintaining public trust. Such actions could set a dangerous precedent for future administrations, destabilizing the balance of power and eroding democratic norms.

  • Kash Patel has amplified QAnon messaging, appeared on QAnon-aligned platforms, used its slogans, praised the movement’s followers, and described QAnon as a legitimate part of political discourse. QAnon is a baseless conspiracy theory claiming a global cabal of elites conspires against Trump while engaging in heinous crimes. (Mother Jones)

  • Trump’s nomination of Kash Patel as FBI director signals a potential constitutional crisis. Patel’s history of loyalty to Trump and promotion of conspiracy theories contrasts sharply with the FBI’s tradition of political independence. Critics warn that firing Wray and installing Patel could transform the FBI into a tool for personal presidential power, undermining decades of norms that separated law enforcement from partisan influence. (The Atlantic)

  • Patel’s nomination aligns with Trump’s apparent effort to consolidate power by appointing loyalists to key federal positions, often undermining institutional norms. (The Atlantic)

3/ Trump’s pick to lead the Department of Defense was forced out of the two nonprofit advocacy groups that he ran for financial mismanagement, sexual misconduct, and for being intoxicated on the job. According to a previously undisclosed whistleblower complaint, Pete Hegseth and his management team “sexually pursued” female staffers, and that the organization ignored another staffer’s alleged attempted sexually assault. The complaint also alleges that Hegseth was repeatedly drunk at work events while acting as president of the Concerned Veterans of America, “to the point of needing to be carried out of the organization’s events.” In a separate report, a 2018 email from Hegseth’s mother accused her son of being “an abuser of women” who “belittles, lies, cheats, sleeps around, and uses women for his own power and ego.” Penelope Hegseth also condemned his treatment of his second wife, Samantha, the mother of three of his children, during their divorce, writing: “For you to try to label her as ‘unstable’ for your own advantage is despicable and abusive. Is there any sense of decency left in you?” Penelope Hegseth concluded: “On behalf of all the women (and I know it’s many) you have abused in some way, I say […] get some help and take an honest look at yourself.” Hegseth was previously investigated for sexual assault of a woman attending a Republican event in California in 2017. Hegseth was never charged with a crime, but entered into a nondisclosure agreement with the woman in 2020. (The New Yorker / New York Times / CNN / The Guardian / CNBC)

  • READ: The email that Pete Hegseth’s mom sent him. The email that Penelope Hegseth sent to her son on April 30, 2018. (New York Times)

4/ Two Democratic senators urged Biden to issue a policy directive to try and prevent Trump from deploying active-duty military forces domestically after he takes office. The letter from Sens. Elizabeth Warren and Richard Blumenthal asked Biden to clarify the Insurrection Act, which allows the president to deploy federal troops domestically during extreme situations like rebellion, insurrection, or civil unrest. Trump has previously suggested he’d use the military to respond to protests, deport immigrants who do not have permanent legal status, and to go after his “enemies from within.” They warned that the Supreme Court decision granting presidential immunity for official acts means “any ambiguity on the lawful use of military force, coupled with President-elect Trump’s demonstrated intent to utilize the military in such dangerous and unprecedented ways, may prove to be devastating.” (NBC News / Salon)

5/ Trump warned that “there will be ALL HELL TO PAY in the Middle East, and for those in charge” if the hostages held by Hamas in Gaza are not released before his inauguration. About 250 hostages were taken in the Hamas attack on Israel on Oct, 7, 2023. About 100 of them remain in Gaza. About a third are believed to be dead. Trump’s statement came a few hours after the IDF announced that an American-Israeli hostage held by Hamas had died during the Oct. 7 attack and that his body was taken to Gaza. (Axios / New York Times / Washington Post)

✏️ Notables.

  1. Trump nominated Charles Kushner as ambassador to France. Trump pardoned Kushner, father of Jared Kushner, in 2020 after serving two years for tax evasion, witness tampering, and illegal campaign donations. (NBC News / New York Times)

  2. Trump named Tiffany Trump’s father-in-law his senior White House adviser on Arab and Middle East affairs. Massad Boulos is a Lebanese-born businessman with no formal diplomatic or political experience. He is the father of Michael Boulos, who is married to Tiffany. (ABC News)

  3. Elon Musk publicly advocated for abolishing the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. “Delete CFPB,” Musk said. “There are too many duplicative regulatory agencies.” Musk also targeted climate-focused federal employees on social media by amplifying two posts that revealed the names and titles of people holding four climate-related government positions, which exposed them to harassment and prompting fears among public servants. (Politico / CNN)

  4. The Biden administration unveiled new rules restricting sales of advanced chips and manufacturing tools to China – the third major action in three years. Over 100 Chinese companies were added to the restricted “Entity List,” targeting firms tied to military and AI advancements. The measures aim to hinder China’s military modernization by disrupting its ability to produce cutting-edge AI chips. (Reuters / New York Times / Washington Post / WIRED)

  5. Canadian Prime Minister Trudeau met Trump at Mar-a-Lago to discuss Trump’s threat of 25% tariffs on Canadian goods over border security and drug trafficking concerns. Trudeau emphasized Canada’s commitment to bolstering border measures, aiming to align with U.S. priorities and avert economic fallout from the tariffs. With the potential renegotiation of the USMCA looming, Trudeau sought to differentiate Canada’s cooperative stance from Mexico, whose president had threatened retaliatory measures. The meeting highlighted Trudeau’s strategic effort to protect Canada’s economy while balancing sovereignty and diplomacy. (New York Times / Associated Press / Politico / ABC News)

  6. Trump warns of 100% tariffs on BRICS nations if they pursue de-dollarization. Trump has threatened 100% tariffs on Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, and others if they undermine the U.S. dollar’s global dominance by creating or supporting alternative currencies. Trump said that preserving the dollar’s status as the primary global reserve currency is vital to the U.S. economy, dismissing the bloc’s efforts to trade in non-dollar currencies. While BRICS nations criticize the dollar’s hegemony, experts suggest its dominance remains secure for now. This tariff threat follows Trump’s previous tariff proposals aimed at Mexico, Canada, and China. (Bloomberg / Axios / Politico / NBC News / Associated Press)

  7. Trump’s team considers military action against Mexican drug cartels as a key policy for his next term. Trump and his advisors are debating the scale and methods of potential military operations against Mexican drug cartels, citing their role in the fentanyl crisis. Proposals range from covert special forces raids to airstrikes and cyberattacks, with Trump emphasizing urgency in pressuring Mexico to curb cartel activity. Several key cabinet picks, including Secretary of State nominee Marco Rubio and Defense nominee Pete Hegseth, publicly support military involvement, highlighting its alignment with Trump’s national security priorities. Critics warn that such actions could lead to severe diplomatic and regional consequences. (Rolling Stone / The New Republic)

  8. Multiple Democratic members of Congress received bomb threats on Thanksgiving. Though no explosives were found, the threats were reportedly signed with “MAGA.” House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries condemned the acts and emphasized the need for increased security for lawmakers and their families. The FBI is investigating the incidents. (ABC News)

  9. Trump Reaction era challenges Democratic strategies and reshapes U.S. politics. The 2024 election marks the rise of the Trump Reaction, a period characterized by right-wing populism fueled by backlash against cultural and economic change. Trump’s victory shattered Democratic beliefs in demographic and majoritarian inevitability, exposing a party disconnected from the working class and reliant on elite support. Democrats face a reckoning over their focus on identity politics and institutionalism while confronting challenges posed by Trump’s divisive governance. The path forward demands rebuilding grassroots connections, countering Trump’s abuses, and addressing internal party missteps without succumbing to defeatism. (The Atlantic)

  10. Survey reveals Democrats misunderstood as prioritizing social issues over economic concerns. A post-election survey revealed that Americans mistakenly believe Democrats prioritize progressive social issues, like transgender policy and abortion, over economic concerns like inflation. Despite inflation being a top priority for Democratic voters, Republicans successfully framed Democrats as disconnected from economic realities, contributing to perceptions shaped by the influence of vocal progressive activists and targeted attacks from the right. This perception gap underscores a key challenge for Democrats: effectively communicating their economic priorities to voters. (The Atlantic)

  11. Kamala Harris canvasser reflects on campaign challenges and disconnect with voters. Julia Preston recounts her experience canvassing for Kamala Harris in Pennsylvania, highlighting the challenges of engaging disaffected voters amidst deep economic stress and partisan divisions. Despite efforts to connect with Latino and working-class communities, the campaign struggled to counter Trump’s movement-driven rhetoric and the perception of Democrats as disconnected from everyday concerns. Harris’s loss underscores the need for Democrats to rebuild grassroots movements and establish meaningful, sustained dialogues with voters. (New Yorker)

  12. Trump’s escalating war on the press threatens journalistic freedoms. Donald Trump’s rhetoric and actions against the press, labeling it the “enemy of the people,” are poised to intensify as he seeks to undermine journalistic scrutiny. Proposals like Project 2025 aim to restrict access to public institutions, defund NPR and PBS, and dismantle key press protections, such as those established by New York Times v. Sullivan. Coupled with aggressive lawsuits, media subpoenas, and threats of retribution, these actions are part of a broader strategy to intimidate critics and weaken the democratic guardrails that safeguard free expression. (New Yorker)

  • 📅 From Election Day to Inauguration Day.

  • Dec. 11: Deadline for governors to certify the election and submit their slate of electors.
    Dec. 17: Electors formally vote for president and VP.
    Dec. 20: Government funding expires.
    Dec. 24-25: Christmas – NO WTFJHT
    Dec. 31-Jan 1., 2025: New Year’s – NO WTFJHT
    Jan. 3: Members of the 119th Congress are sworn in.
    Jan. 6: Congress counts Electoral College ballots.
    Jan. 20: Trump’s Presidential Inauguration.

  • The midterm elections are in 701 days.

Four years ago today: Day 1413: "A very dangerous place."
Five years ago today: Day 1047: Entirely prudent.