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Trump Calls Affordability a 'Con Job' as His Edge on the Economy Slips

(NY Times) President Trump on Tuesday downplayed the cost-of-living pains being felt by Americans, declaring that affordability “doesn’t mean anything to anybody” as his political edge on the economy continues to dissipate. In remarks during a cabinet meeting, Mr. Trump railed against Democrats who have championed the issue, which helped the party secure several off-year election victories last month and is likely to be a defining topic in the midterms next year.

November private payrolls unexpectedly fell by 32,000, led by steep small business job cuts, ADP reports

(CNBC) The U.S. labor market slowdown intensified in November as private companies cut 32,000 workers, with small businesses hit the hardest, payrolls processing firm ADP reported Wednesday. With worries intensifying over the domestic jobs picture, ADP indicated the issues were worse than anticipated. The payrolls decline marked a sharp step down from October, which saw an upwardly revised gain of 47,000 positions, and was well below the Dow Jones consensus estimate from economists for an increase of 40,000.

'Unimpressive': Are Republicans looking for the exits after close finish in Tennessee?

'Significant math issue': Expert warns House GOP will soon be crippled by absences

(Raw Story) House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) has navigated a difficult year with a razor-thin majority where he had to wrangle every last vote on key issues, and frequently had to juggle unexpected vacancies. But things are about to get a whole lot worse for him, one congressional staffer predicted Tuesday on X. That's because no fewer than 18 members of the House Republican caucus are running for other offices next year, and can't be counted on to always be in Washington for critical votes.

Hegseth told U.S. soldiers in Iraq to ignore legal advice on rules of engagement

(The Guardian) Pete Hegseth, the US defense secretary, told soldiers under his command in Iraq to ignore legal advice about when they were permitted to kill enemy combatants under their rules of engagement. The anecdote is contained in a book Hegseth wrote last year in which he also repeatedly railed against the constraints placed on “American warfighters” by the laws of war and the Geneva conventions.

Pentagon inspector general investigation into 'Signalgate' is complete

(NBC News) Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Tuesday was given a final copy of the completed Defense Department Inspector General report that examined his sharing sensitive military information on a Signal group chat back in March, according to two people familiar with the investigation. The much-anticipated report is expected to become public as early as this week, these people said. The report outlines the findings of a more than eight-month investigation into Hegseth’s use of Signal, an encrypted but unclassified messaging app, to share details of planned U.S. military strikes in Yemen before they had begun.

Wednesday's Condensed News Cartoons

Epstein survivors call on Congress to force Trump administration to hand over financial records

(The Independent) A group of women who survived abuse by Jeffrey Epstein are urging Congress to pass legislation that would force Donald Trump’s administration to hand over banking records that could expose the financial engine behind the late sex offender. Confidential bank reports, filed with the Treasury Department and IRS, could provide a vital look at the massive financing machine behind Epstein’s alleged sex trafficking operation, which spanned New York City, Florida and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Trump threatens strikes on any country he claims makes drugs for US

(The Guardian) Donald Trump warned on Tuesday that any country he believes is making drugs destined illegally for the US is vulnerable to a military attack. The US president’s comments came during a question-and-answer session at the White House at which he also said military strikes on land targets inside Venezuela, which he has accused of narco-terrorism, would “start very soon”.

Judge issues injunction restricting immigration arrests in nation's capital

(AP) A federal judge late Tuesday blocked the Trump administration from making widespread immigration arrests in the nation’s capital without warrants or probable cause that the person is an imminent flight risk. U.S. District Judge Beryl Howell in Washington granted a preliminary injunction sought by civil liberties and immigrants rights groups in a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.