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Fox News Host Picked To Run Pentagon

Fox News Host Picked To Run Pentagon

Your unbiased daily news brief

James Kratch
November 13, 2024

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Good Wednesday morning. Las Vegas police are searching for the suspect in the theft of a since-recovered 700-pound stuffed dog that belongs to a local charity. Have a great day!

In Today’s Brief

Kentucky: Plant explosion
China: Car attack
DNC: Debt confusion
H&R Block: FTC deal
Tampa Bay Rays: Stadium update

... and more

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Top Tips

1) Wild card

President-elect Donald Trump threw a cabinet curveball last night.

The news: Pete Hegseth, an author, Fox News personality and active officer in the Army National Guard, has been nominated for Secretary of Defense. Trump previously considered him to lead the Department of Veteran Affairs during his first administration; Hegseth is a longtime supporter of the president-elect and has previously served as an informal advisor.
The resume: Hegseth, 44, has a undergraduate degree from Princeton and a graduate degree from Harvard. He also played basketball at Princeton. The Minnesota native previously worked on Wall Street and earned two Bronze Stars, among other awards, while serving overseas in Afghanistan and Iraq, in addition to a deployment to Guantanamo Bay. He has spent time at a conservative think tank and leading the Vets For Freedom advocacy group in addition to a decade in cable news.
The outlook: The Republican-controlled Senate will rubber-stamp most of Trump's cabinet picks. But Hegseth's candidacy could be a tricky one. He recently said women should not serve in combat roles and that Trump should fire Air Force Gen. Charles Q. Brown Jr., the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. He has also made conflicting comments regarding Ukraine and was involved in Trump's prior decisions to pardon military members accused of war crimes.

2) Off scripture

A federal judge temporarily blocked Louisiana's controversial Ten Commandments law for public schools.

Catch up: The state's GOP-controlled legislature passed a bill mandating all classrooms at public K-12 schools and state-funded universities display the Ten Commandments and a four-paragraph "context statement," with font and size mandates. Gov. Jeff Landry declared he could not wait to be sued after signing the bill in June.
The news: A slew of lawsuits were filed arguing the bill violated plaintiffs' First Amendment rights and the separation of state. And now U.S. District Judge John W. deGravelles of Baton Rouge has ruled the law is "unconstitutional on its face and in all applications."
Next steps: Louisiana Attorney General Elizabeth Murrill said the state will appeal; she has asked the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans to stay the ruling. Advocates argue the text has historical significance in addition to its religious importance, but there is no law preventing teachers from using the Ten Commandments in the classroom.
Big picture: The Supreme Court found a nearly identical Kentucky law was unconstitutional in 1980's Stone v. Graham, ruling the purpose was essentially religious and violated the separation of church and state. This new law -- and others like it, such as Oklahoma's controversial school Bible proposal -- could eventually make it back to the high court.

3) Palace intrigue

All eyes will be on Senate Republicans today.

What's happening: Kentucky Sen. Mitch McConnell's historic 17-year run at the helm of the GOP in the upper chamber will formally end today. The party will elect a new upper chamber leader -- and soon-to-be Majority Leader -- today with an internal vote.
Three-horse race: Texas Sen. John Cornyn, South Dakota Sen. John Thune and Florida Sen. Rick Scott are vying for the job. Many in President-elect Trump's orbit have mounted a campaign for Scott, who has said he will heed Trump's demand to allow recess cabinet appointments. But Thune is still considered the slight favorite over Cornyn.
In the House: Speaker Mike Johnson is expected to hold onto his job this week and then the gavel with a narrow majority once all remaining races in the lower chamber are called. But conservative members of the GOP caucus will likely nominate an alternative candidate as a symbolic resistance.

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Quick Tips

U.S. News

A manufacturing facility exploded in Kentucky. At least 11 people were injured in the "hazardous materials incident" at a food coloring plant in Louisville; residents within a one-mile radius were briefly ordered to shelter in place (More)
Massachusetts Air National Guardsman Jack Teixeira received a 15-year federal prison sentence after pleading guilty to Espionage Act counts. He leaked highly classified military documents about the Ukraine war online for over a year (More)
Three former detainees of Iraq's Abu Ghraib prison were awarded $42M in a Virginia court. An eight-person jury found a military contractor based in the state was responsible for contributing to torture and mistreatment at the infamous jail; CACI said it will appeal (More)

World News

At least 35 people died after a car attack in China's deadliest act of public violence in decades. A man allegedly drove into groups of people exercising on a stadium track in Zhuhai, also injuring at least 45; he was reportedly depressed following a recent divorce and was in a coma due to self-inflicted wounds (More)
There is a 30-day ban on U.S. civilian flights to and from Haiti. The Federal Aviation Administration established the prohibition after a Spirit Airlines flight came under fire from gangs while trying to land in Port-au-Prince; an American Airlines flight was also hit by gunfire (More)
Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welch has resigned. The head of the Church of England was embroiled in scandal after a report concluded he failed to report knowledge child sex abuse by an attorney for 11 years (More)

Political News

Some Democratic National Committee staffers have resigned after Vice President Kamala Harris' campaign ended with a $20M debt. The shortfall has sparked internal confusion, as the campaign raised at least $1B and had over $100M on hand as late as mid-October (More)
Florida Sen. Marco Rubio is expected to be nominated for Secretary of State. Former Director of National Intelligence John Ratcliffe is President-elect Trump’s pick for CIA Director; South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem was tabbed to be Secretary of Homeland Security (More | Cabinet appointment tracker)
Republican National Committee co-chair Lara Trump has emerged as a contender for Florida's anticipated Senate vacancy. Gov. Ron DeSantis will have to appoint a replacement for Rubio if he becomes Secretary of State before a 2026 special election (More)

Business & Markets

Major indexes closed lower yesterday. It was the first losing session since the presidential election (Dow -0.86%, Nasdaq -0.09%, S&P 500 -0.29%).
H&R Block will pay $7M to settle several Federal Trade Commission charges. The tax preparation service was accused of making deceptive claims about its services being free; it must make mandated advertising disclosures moving forward (More)
23AndMe's struggles continue. The genetic testing company will cut 40% of its workforce, or about 200 jobs, as CEO Anne Wojcicki cuts costs in an effort to stabilize the business and eventually take it private (More)

Entertainment & Sports

The Tampa Bay Rays' stadium will not be ready for the 2025 season after its roof was damaged by Hurricane Milton. Tropicana Field needs about $55M in repairs to be ready in 2026; the Major League team is expected to play home games at a spring training facility in the region (More)
Apple and A24 are developing a film about Sam Bankman-Fried and FTX. It will be based on author Michael Lewis' book about the disgraced cryptocurrency mogul; actress Lena Dunham has been tabbed to write the script (More)
Bev Priestman will not return as the head coach of Canada's national women's soccer team. She is serving a one-year FIFA ban after a scheme where coaches spied on opponents' practices using drones was unearthed during the Paris Olympics (More)

Quick Hitters

Fun Stuff: No, you are not just imagining things. New research proves that dogs often act and look like their human owners.
Take Note: Secondhand stores can be a treasure trove for great products at low costs. You may also find disease-causing bacteria at thrift stores if you do not take precautions.
Go Deep: Regardless of where you stand on cryptocurrency, you have to admit that the bitcoin story is wild. Here is a look back at some of the most significant moments in its short but tumultuous history.
Bon Voyage: If you are serious about leaving the country after last week's presidential election ... you can now take a four-year-long cruise. Or two years if you want to return home after the midterms.
Life Hack: When late Apple CEO Steve Jobs needed to solve a problem, he tended to take a walk (and often did so barefoot). He found he was at his most creative when doing so and swore by the practice.

Watch This

The trailer for Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning has dropped, including stunts by 62-year-old Tom Cruise.