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Politics

Two of Trump's Cabinet Picks Raise Questions About Vetting

Disclaimer: The following story mentions sexual assault, which could be triggering to some readers.

What's going on: Over the weekend, sexual misconduct allegations cast doubt on two of President-elect Donald Trump’s most controversial Cabinet picks. First, The Washington Post reported that Pete Hegseth, a former Fox News host and Trump’s choice for defense secretary, paid off a woman who accused him of sexual assault in 2017. Hegseth’s lawyer said the interaction was consensual but that Hegseth made the payment to avoid a potential lawsuit, according to the Associated Press. There’s also mounting scrutiny on the Hill over former Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL), Trump’s nominee for attorney general. Senate Republicans are calling on the House Ethics Committee to release its investigative report into allegations of Gaetz’s sexual misconduct and drug use — a request that House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) doesn’t support. (The Department of Justice ultimately decided not to pursue criminal charges against Gaetz in a related case.) Amid the scrutiny, Trump’s communications director defended the Cabinet picks, saying: “President Trump is nominating high-caliber and extremely qualified candidates to serve in his administration.”

What it means: The controversy surrounding Trump’s Cabinet nominees raises questions about the vetting process. The Post reports the Trump team was caught off guard by the sexual misconduct allegations against Hegseth, as no private firm vetted him and traditional FBI background checks were skipped. One expert criticized Trump’s Cabinet decision-making as having “no process, no interviews, no vetting, just chaos.” Meanwhile, more than half of Senate Republicans expressed doubts about Gaetz’s nomination, and Hegseth’s future remains uncertain. While Trump’s picks have raised concerns in Washington, many of his supporters view some of the Cabinet choices as a way to disrupt the system and shatter institutions. Still, others can’t help but question whether the former president is daring the GOP to stop him.

Related: Elon Musk Is Already Irking Some of Trump's Circle (WaPo Gift Link)

International

Biden Gives Ukraine the Weapons It Asked for, Potentially Provoking Putin

What's going on: For the first time, President Joe Biden has authorized Ukraine to use US-supplied long-range missiles in its war with Russia. Since 2022, the US has turned down Ukraine’s repeated requests for the Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS), fearing their use could trigger direct retaliation from Russian President Vladimir Putin against the US. Now, Biden is changing course after North Korea sent 10,000 troops to fight with Russia in the Kursk border region, which Ukraine recaptured earlier this year. Experts anticipate Ukraine will use the ATACMS, which has a range of 190 miles, to strike Russian and North Korean troops in Russia.

What it means: Biden’s decision represents a shift in US policy toward Ukraine (and has even divided some in the president’s Cabinet), but experts largely agree, it’s not going to change the course of the war. Instead, the move is mostly a message to North Korea that it shouldn’t send more troops to fight alongside Russia. Meanwhile, with just two months until President-elect Donald Trump gets the keys to the White House, the Biden administration is working to “Trump-proof” its Ukraine policies and increase support. Trump, who has a closer relationship with Putin, said he plans to cut military aid to Kyiv and initiate peace talks early in his term, which could lead to Ukraine handing over territory.

Related: What Else Is on Trump’s Foreign Policy Agenda? (CNN)

US News

The Government Is Talking About UFOs...Again

What's going on: It’s that time of year again. No, we’re not talking about the holidays, but rather something out of this world (well, maybe). The US government just put out its latest annual report on Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena (UAPs, aka UFOs), detailing hundreds of new accounts of unidentified or unexplained incidents in the sky. Before you get carried away, the Pentagon made it clear that none of these reports specifically pointed to alien life. Instead, officials attributed many sightings to everyday phenomena like stray birthday balloons, birds, and airplanes. The report did include hundreds of unexplainable cases, like witness descriptions of orb-shaped objects and even a flashing jellyfish. Still, the authors clarified there just wasn’t enough evidence to draw any conclusions.

What it means: This isn’t the first time the US has looked into UFOs. While the report may not provide the definitive proof that alien enthusiasts hoped for, it does fuel the growing public fascination with UFOs and extraterrestrial life. (NASA even recommends people use an app to help record their sightings). The report also comes as governments worldwide ramp up their efforts to crowdsource UFO identification, and as US House lawmakers push for greater transparency on UAPs. Whether UFOs are the great bipartisan issue of our time remains to be seen (rumor has it there are plenty of earthly matters for Congress to attend to), but as Rep. Andy Ogles (R-TN) said: “There is something out there. The question is: Is it ours, is it someone else’s, or is it otherworldly?”

Related: UFOs Are Going Mainstream (The Economist)