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Donald Trump’s new pick for special envoy for Ukraine and Russia has a plan to end the war between the two countries that has as of yet not been tested: pressure Ukraine to cede territory to Russia, according to new reports.

The details of the policy plan drawn up by retired Lt. Gen. Keith Kellogg – who Trump named Wednesday to the special envoy role – were handed over to Trump in June, according to Axios. Under the plan, Trump is urged to tell Ukraine that engaging in peace talks with Russia will be the only way it can continue receiving more U.S. weapons, Reuters reported.

An "extraordinarily large cohort" of House members could make bids for other offices in 2026, leaving Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) and Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) in a potential lurch, according to a new report.

Among the lawmakers eyeing new positions, Axios reported Wednesday: Reps. Tim Burchett (R-TN), Jason Crow (D-CO), Robin Kelly (D-IL), Greg Landsman (D-OH) and Nancy Mace (R-SC).

Vice President Kamala Harris’ bruising defeat is still a sore subject for supporters more than three weeks after Election Day.

And that was all made worse by revelations this week that efforts by Harris’ campaign to get her on the popular YouTube show “Hot Ones” were reportedly turned down by the program.

Tech billionaire and Donald Trump ally Elon Musk took to his X platform on Wednesday evening to make an extreme accusation against Alexander Vindman, the Ukrainian-born Army lieutenant colonel and National Security Council official who, among other things, provided whistleblower testimony against Trump at his impeachment trial for abuse of power, and more recently accused Musk of divulging state secrets to Russia.

"Vindman is on the payroll of Ukrainian oligarchs and has committed treason against the United States, for which he will pay the appropriate penalty," wrote Musk, who bankrolled much of the voter outreach for the Trump campaign and is now heading up his task force to cut government spending.

While Donald Trump's Cabinet hasn't been officially nominated, Politico reported Wednesday it contains only three people of color, similar to his first administration. And Politico's reporting appeared to enrage an aide.

“Those agencies are not viewed as quite as historic. It’s where you historically will put minorities,” said former George W. Bush attorney general Alberto Gonzales, speaking to Politico.

Donald Trump has repeatedly demanded that Congress take a break and let him use recess appointment power to ram through his nominees — but he may have realized this is a pointless battle, Kacper Surdy wrote for The Bulwark.

This comes shortly after Trump's nomination of former Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) for attorney general collapsed — which sent him a message even the GOP won't necessarily rubber-stamp his most controversial choices.

A federal judge has tossed a defamation lawsuit against Fox News over a Tucker Carlson special about the Jan. 6 attack, where he spread false conspiracy theories, CNN reported.

Conservative conspiracy theorists spread falsehoods including that a supporter of Donald Trump was a federal agent who incited the attack. The supporter, Ray Epps, sued Fox in 2023, saying the network spread lies about him that “reached hundreds of millions of people and caused enormous harm to Epps.”

President-elect Donald Trump’s signature economic plan of raising tariffs on imported goods could cause more harm to the economy than good, and offer a pathway toward a corrupt second administration, a columnist wrote Wednesday.

Trump has long considered increased tariffs on certain foreign countries a “brilliant” strategy, but the reality is they could lead to disastrous effects and showcase how his first administration “could pale in comparison to his second” in terms of corruption, Paul Waldman wrote for MSNBC.

Just as they did in 2024, Democrats lost the White House and both chambers of Congress in 2016. But they made historic gains in the first midterm election after Donald Trump's first victory. One member of Congress who was part of that midterm class is offering words of wisdom for the Democratic Party if they hope to repeat the successes of 2018.

In a post to Bluesky, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), also known by her initials "AOC," noted that her party "elected the largest class to Congress since Watergate" in the 2018 midterms. CNN reported that when the dust settled Democrats had a net gain of 40 seats. The only two larger midterm victories were the Tea Party-fueled 2010 midterms and the 1994 Republican wave during former President Bill Clinton's administration.

Washington, D.C., residents are already concerned about Donald Trump coming after their city he's called a "filthy and crime-ridden embarrassment to our nation."

Some are striking back, The Washington Post reported. Trump will host his inauguration outside the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 20, followed by a parade and several balls and events throughout the city.

President-elect Donald Trump's incoming border czar, Tom Homan, responded to death threats by vowing to follow through with mass deportations.

In an interview with Fox News on Wednesday, Homan said that he might start taking death threats seriously after they were received by multiple Trump nominees Tuesday night.