Biden Pardons Hunter

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In Today’s Brief

• Cucumbers: Salmonella outbreak

• Zelensky: Ceasefire comments

• Trudeau: Mar-a-Lago visit

• Stellantis: CEO exits

• College hoops: Legendary coach dies

... and more

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1) Clean slate

President Joe Biden has pardoned his son, Hunter Biden.

• Catch up: The First Son was found guilty on felony gun charges in Delaware federal court in June. He then pleaded guilty to federal tax evasion charges in California in September, avoiding a trial. The president repeatedly pledged he would not pardon his son, including as recently as Nov. 7.

• The reasoning: President Biden argued his son, who he said has been sober for over five years following a high-profile battle with addiction, was "selectively, and unfairly, prosecuted" for political purposes. "Enough is enough," the president said, reiterating that he did not interfere with the Department of Justice during the cases. His full statement can be found here.

• Key context: The pardon covers any criminal actions over a 10-year period from Jan. 1, 2014 to Dec. 1, 2024, which includes Hunter Biden's controversial stint on the board of Burisma, a Ukrainian gas company. Biden was set to be sentenced in both federal cases later this month and faced potential jail time; those hearings will likely be canceled.

• Big picture: Biden's grant of clemency for his son is final. President-elect Donald Trump, who previously suggested he would consider pardoning Hunter Biden, cannot undo it. While Biden reneged on his promise, the political fallout for a lame-duck president will likely be inconsequential.

2) Surprise siege

Syria's civil war has reignited seemingly out of nowhere.

• Catch up: Dictator Bashar al-Assad -- propped up by Hezbollah, Iran and Russia -- has remained in power since a stalemate took hold in 2016 after years of fierce fighting. But large swaths of Syria are controlled by a U.S.-backed Kurdish militia and Sunni factions supported by Turkey.

• The news: A group of insurgents led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, an Islamist militant group led by a U.S.-designated terrorist, began an unexpected assault last week. The rebels have since seized control of Aleppo, Syria's largest city, and have started moving on Hama, another big city. Government forces have launched a counteroffensive.

• Big picture: Al-Assad and his allies have seemingly been caught off-guard (and preoccupied on other fronts). The question now is how much support Moscow and Tehran can and will give al-Assad to beat back the latest challenge, and whether he can survive it. There are also fears about another Middle East flashpoint, and one that previously left millions displaced and hundreds of thousands dead.

3) Cop swap

President-elect Trump has formally signaled his plan to force another change atop the FBI.

• What happened: Trump announced he plans to nominate Kash Patel to run the bureau. Current FBI Director Christopher Wray's 10-year appointment -- made by Trump -- runs through 2027. But the president-elect has made it clear he intends to either fire Wray or demand his resignation after souring on him.

• The pick: Patel is Trump's latest controversial cabinet selection. He is a loyal supporter of the president-elect and hasrepeatedly railed against the FBI and "the deep state" in public interviews, once suggesting the Department of Justice would target "conspirators" in government and the journalism industry if Trump was re-elected. Patel had several lower-level roles in Trump's first administration, but high-ranking officials blocked several attempts to elevate him.

• Big picture: Republican Senators' overall reaction to Patel has been, so far, more similar to Secretary of Defense nominee Pete Hegseth than failed Attorney General nominee Matt Gaetz. But the pick renews concerns Trump wants to target his political foes with federal law enforcement. Patel likely faces an uphill climb for approval -- and then there is the matter of Wray holding the job.

Quick Tips

U.S. News

• Federal and state health officials are probing a Salmonella outbreak traced to cucumbers imported from Mexico. At least 68 people in 19 states have become ill; there have been about 20 hospitalizations and no deaths reported (More)

• Closing arguments in the Daniel Penny trial are scheduled for today. The ex-U.S. Marine is accused of manslaughter after placing a chokehold on a homeless man behaving erratically on a New York City subway; his attorneys claim he was protecting the passengers (More)

• Six people were injured in a Missouri home explosion, including three in critical condition. The blast happened before 3 a.m. local time in Jefferson and leveled the home; the cause remains under investigation (More)

World News

• Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky indicated he would accept a ceasefire where Russia continues to occupy some of his nation's territory for the first time. The Biden Administration said it will not return nuclear weapons to Ukraine in the coming weeks (More | More)

• China is upset Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te was allowed to stop in Hawaii and Guam during a diplomatic trip to allied nations in the Pacific. Beijing also threatened "resolute countermeasures" for recent U.S. arms sales to Taiwan (More)

• Ireland's incumbent governing coalition appeared likely to retain power following a contentious snap election, albeit with a narrower combined majority. Georgia has been rocked by violent protests after its European Union ascension talks were paused until the end of 2028 (More | More)

Political News

• Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau visited President-elect Trump at Mar-a-Lago following the recent tariff furor. Trudeau is the first leader of a G7 nation to meet with the president-elect since Election Day (More)

• Ken Martin has emerged as the favorite to become the Democratic National Committee chairman. The leader of Minnesota's Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party reportedly has amassed almost half the endorsements needed to secure the position (More)

• Trump will nominate real estate developer Charles Kushner, daughter Ivanka's father-in-law, as Ambassador to France. The president-elect also named daughter Tiffany's father-in-law, Lebanese-born businessman Massad Boulos, as an adviser on Arab and Middle Eastern affairs (More | More)

Business & Markets

• Major indexes closed higher on Friday. The Dow Jones was up almost 200 points while the Nasdaq jumped over 150 (Dow +0.42%, Nasdaq +0.83%, S&P 500 +0.56%).

• Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares has resigned. The Fiat and Jeep automaker had previously announced plans to begin a replacement search amid sagging sales, but Tavares was expected to finish out his contract and exit in 2026 (More)

• JP Morgan Chase and Tesla settled a $162M lawsuit. The litigation involved stock warrant transactions and CEO Elon Musk's infamous 2018 tweet suggesting he would try to take the electric vehicle maker private (More)

Entertainment & Sports

• Former St. John's men's coach and Basketball Hall of Famer Lou Carnesecca died at 99. Days of Our Lives and Dynasty actor Wayne Northrup died at 77; Academy Award-winning Annie Hall co-writer Marshall Brickman died at 85 (More | More | More)

• A record-setting $424M was made at U.S. box offices over the Thanksgiving period. Disney's Moana 2 hauled in $221M, also a record-setting performance for the holiday weekend (More | More)

• Two-time Olympic skiing champion Mikaela Shiffrin was seriously injured after crashing during a race in Vermont. She did not suffer bone, internal organ or ligament damage; a timeframe for her recovery is unknown (More)

Quick Hitters

• Real Heroes: A Virginia woman began having a severe allergic reaction in her car outside a CVS. She ran inside with an EpiPen and the pharmacy employees saved her life.

• Helping Hand: The holidays can be a challenging time for some people. Here are emotional intelligence tips to assist a friend or loved one in need.

• Go Deep: Border security and illegal migration have become America's top political issues. Here is a closer look at what people believe about undocumented migrants.

• Take Note: Are Christmas trees dangerous for pets? Yes and no, but it is more of the former if you take the appropriate precautions.

• Life Hack: A Costco membership can save money on more than groceries. Here are some of the hidden deals you can get.

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Looking Ahead …

Something to remember while shopping for the holidays: Many cheap toy deals are too good to be safe. Experts warn that low-cost products imported into the U.S. often fail to meet federal standards due to a legal loophole.

Question of the Day

Friday’s results:

Did you fall asleep on the couch on Thanksgiving?

• No (81%)

• Yes (19%)