WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — President-elect Donald Trump named Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida as his nominee for secretary of state on Wednesday, setting up a onetime critic who evolved into one of the president-elect’s fiercest defenders to become the nation’s top diplomat. The conservative lawmaker is a noted hawk...
Trump Meets With Jubilant House GOP and Jokes About a Third Term
President-elect Donald Trump addressed jubilant House Republicans on Wednesday morning, delivering triumphant remarks centered around his own electoral victory and drawing laughter when he hinted that they could pave the way for him to serve a third term in office. Fresh off elections that put them on track to reclaim...
As Trump Pushes Peace Talks, Ukraine Prioritizes Security Guarantees
KYIV, Ukraine — Ukrainian officials have said for months that they would not cede territory occupied by Russia in any peace settlement. Now, as Ukraine contemplates an accelerated timetable for negotiations pushed by President-elect Donald Trump, it is putting at least as much importance on obtaining security guarantees as on...
Missouri Prosecutor Says He Won’t Charge Nelly After an August Drug Arrest
ST. LOUIS — Rapper Nelly won't face drug charges following his arrest this summer at a St. Louis-area casino, a prosecutor said. "We don't believe the facts in this case warrant the issuing of charges," St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney Wesley Bell said in a statement Tuesday. Nelly, 49, whose...
Trump Makes a Victor’s Return to DC, Pledges ‘Smooth’ Transition of Power From Biden
WASHINGTON — Donald Trump made a victor's return to Washington on Wednesday, visiting the White House for a nearly two-hour meeting with President Joe Biden and committing to a straightforward transition of power as the president-elect moves quickly to build out his new administration. Sitting in front of a crackling...
Trump’s Proposed Tariffs, Especially on China and Mexico, Could Hit California Hard
A range of experts, from Nobel Prize-winning economists to an internet-famous menswear writer, have a message for Americans who voted for Donald Trump based on his promises to bring down prices: This likely won't go how you want. Some voters cited the cost of living as a factor in their...
Dems Still Dominate California, but Their Voters Have Drifted to the Right
Several decades ago, when Republicans had rough parity with Democrats as they dueled over California's presidential electoral votes and other offices high and low, GOP strategists counted on what they called "the fishhook." The elongated shank of the Republican-heavy territory consisted of the interior counties from the Oregon border to...
John Krasinski Named People Magazine’s 2024 Sexiest Man Alive
LOS ANGELES — Let the office debates begin — John Krasinski is People magazine's Sexiest Man Alive for 2024. The magazine announced the actor-writer-director as its pick Tuesday night during "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert." Krasinski starred in "The Office" before launching the "Quiet Place" franchise and leading the...
Tulare’s Sophia Park, Who Started Law School at 13, Breaks Brother’s California Bar Record
In a historic moment for Tulare County, 17-year-old Sophia Park has broken her brother Peter’s record to become the youngest person to pass the California bar exam. Sophia, a law clerk at the Tulare County District Attorney’s Office, passed the exam on Friday, at 17 years and 8 months old,...
Trump Pledged to Roll Back Protections for Transgender Students. They’re Flooding Crisis Hotlines
Transgender youth in the United States have been flooding crisis hotlines since the election of Donald Trump, who made anti-transgender themes central to his campaign. Many teens worry about how their lives could change once he takes office. During his presidential bid, Trump pledged to impose wide-ranging restrictions and roll...