A majority of Republicans now feel confident the 2024 election results were tabulated accurately, according to an AP-NORC poll released Friday.
Why it matters: President-elect Trump for years had repeatedly and falsely claimed the 2020 election was stolen from him, but those concerns disappeared after he scored his first popular vote win.
The big picture: A majority of Americans (57%) expressed a "great deal or quite a bit" of confidence in the accuracy of the election results at the national level.
This figure was slightly higher among Republicans (64%) and Democrats (60%), but only 34% of independents shared that confidence.
Republicans' confidence in the election's accuracy was high not just at the national level but also in the state (66%) and local races (71%).
State of play: The results are miles away from where the GOP stood at the start of President Biden's term, when, weeks after the Jan. 6 Capitol riot, more than 6 in 10 Republicans believed Biden wasn't legitimately elected.
Low confidence in the integrity of the electoral system followed the party ever since. A Dec. 2023 pollfound that roughly a third of Republicans even doubted the outcome of their own party's primary contest.
Ahead of the 2024 election, another AP-NORC poll found that only 24% of Republicans expressed a "great deal" of confidence in the impending national vote count compared to 71% of Democrats.
Methodology: This AP-NORC poll surveyed 1,251 adults between Dec. 5-9, 2024 using the AmeriSpeak Panel, the probability-based panel of NORC at the University of Chicago.
The margin of sampling error for adults overall is ±3.7 percentage points.
The U.S. Army on Thursday confirmed that the suspect responsible for the Tesla Cybertruck explosion in Las Vegas on New Year's Day was a military veteran.
Why it matters: While officials have not confirmed a link between the Las Vegas explosion and the New Orleans pickup truck attack, both suspects served in the Army.
President Biden said Wednesday that authorities are still working to determine if the two incidents were connected. Both suspects used vehicles from the peer-to-peer rental app Turo.
The big picture: Matthew Alan Livelsberger was a member of the U.S. Army Special Operations Command (USASOC) and was "on approved leave at the time of his death," an Army spokesperson told Axios in a statement Thursday.
The Livelsberger served in the active duty army from January 2006 to March 2011, when he served in the National Guard until July 2012. He then served in the Army Reserve until December 2012.
He reentered active duty in December 2012, joining U.S. Army Special Operations.
The spokesperson added that USASOC is cooperating with federal and state authorities in the investigation.
Zoom in: Clark County/Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Sheriff Kevin McMahill said at a press briefing Thursday that the body inside the Tesla Cybertruck had been "burnt beyond recognition."
Police displayed a copy of a passport recovered from the vehicle that purportedly belonged to 37-year-old Livelsberger, from Colorado Springs, as well as credit cards in his name.
However, McMahill said that given the state of the remains recovered, he would not officially confirm Livelsberger was the body inside the vehicle until DNA testing or medical records confirmed it.
State of play: The FBI Denver office confirmed Thursday that it was conducting "law enforcement activity" at a residence in Colorado Springs, alongside the Colorado Springs Police Department.
The FBI did not offer further details beyond the fact that the activity is connected to the Las Vegas explosion.
The vehicles used in both the New Orleans and Las Vegas attacks on New Year's Day were rented through the same car-sharing app, Turo.
Why it matters: The high-profile incidents raised questions about the app's vetting process and security measures.
What they're saying: Turo acknowledged in a statement Wednesday that both attacks relied on cars that the suspects rented on its app.
"We do not believe that either renter had a criminal background that would have identified them as a security threat, and we are not currently aware of any information that indicates the two incidents are related," the company said, adding that it was cooperating with law enforcement in their investigations.
The big picture: 5% of 184 vehicle ramming incidents between 1970 and 2018 used a rented car, according to a 2019 analysis by the Mineta Transportation Institute at San Jose State University.
However, attacks using a rented vehicle were the most deadly, accounting for 29% of fatalities in the incidents analyzed.
"Attackers renting vehicles tend to have planned the attack and very often they rent larger vehicles," the analysis noted.
How does Turo work?
The peer-to-peer rental app is similar to Airbnb, allowing users to rent a car directly from an owner, rather than a rental company like Hertz.
On the app, renters can choose the location they want to rent in and when they need the car, view models and prices before making a selection, and then coordinate pickup and drop-off with the car's owner.
Hosts can meet owners in person to pick up the car or organize a remote handoff, in which renters unlock the car using a lockbox code or the app.
There is a $15 minimum for each Turo trip, though it's up to owners to set their daily rates. Turo also calculates a trip fee between 2.5% to 100% of the trip price, based on factors like trip duration and the car's value.
Between the lines: So far, authorities have not shared information about the owners of the vehicles in New Orleans and Las Vegas or the details of the rental reservations made by the suspects.
Have Turo-rented cars been used in other crimes?
The high-profile incidents are not the first time Turo has seen its platform used to facilitate crimes.
Car rentals from Turo and Getaround, another peer-to-peer car rental app, have been stolen or involved in crimes like drug trafficking, per NBC News.
In 2021, a Houston woman was charged after renting seven cars through Turo, at least four of which were involved in aggravated robberies, local news outlets reported.
What security measures does Turo use?
Turo's website states that the company takes security precautions to prevent the misuse of its service.
Car owners must "meet rigorous safety requirements" that include having no outstanding safety recalls on their vehicles, meeting mileage limits on their car, and being at least 21 years old.
Turo states that all renters "are screened before booking a car to reduce risky behavior in our marketplace."
Zoom in: Renters are required to upload a valid driver's license, be at least 18 years old, and provide an email, home address, and payment card before they can rent a vehicle.
When setting up an account, Turo also says it "may check your personal and/or business credit report, auto insurance score, and criminal background" before verifying the account.
Turo did not respond to Axios' request for comment Thursday regarding its security precautions.
Officials have identified the suspect in the New Orleans attack as Shamsud-Din Jabbar, a 42-year-old U.S. Army veteran whom police shot and killed Wednesday.
The U.S. Army confirmed Thursday thatthe suspect in the Las Vegas Cybertruck bombing was Matthew Alan Livelsberger, a military veteran who was on leave from the U.S. Army Special Operations Command at the time of the incident.
President Biden awarded former Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.) and 19 others the Presidential Citizens Medal on Thursday.
Why it matters: The honor, the second-highest civilian medal, is bestowed to Americans who have "performed exemplary deeds of service for their country or their fellow citizens."
The big picture: Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.), who served as chair of the Jan. 6 House committee that investigated the Capitol riot, joined the panel's vice chair Cheney in receiving the honor from Biden.
A loud cheer erupted from those gathered at the White House ceremony as Cheney walked up to accept her award from Biden, as the announcer said the Republican was receiving it "putting the American people before her party."
Trump told NBC's "Meet the Press" last month that Cheney, Thompson and other members of the committee had done "something that's inexcusable" in pursuing their investigation.
What they're saying: Biden "believes these Americans are bonded by their common decency and commitment to serving others," the White House said in a statement.
"Throughout two decades in public service ... Liz Cheney has raised her voice — and reached across the aisle — to defend our Nation and the ideals we stand for," the White House said, while also praising Thompson for his "unwavering integrity and a steadfast commitment to truth."
Zoom out: Other honorees this year will include attorney Mary Bonauto, who fought to legalize same-sex marriage in the U.S., and Eleanor Smeal, a women's rights activist.
Former lawmakers, health care advocates, academics and veterans are also being honored in Thursday's ceremony.
Retiring Rep. Annie Kuster (D-N.H.) believes more of her colleagues should follow her lead and make way for a younger generation of political leaders.
Why it matters: Age was one of the lightning rods of the 2024 presidential election, as voters repeatedly expressed concerns about President Biden's fitness for office before a disastrous debate performance helped force him out of the race.
In Democratic circles, the election results have fueled waves of finger-pointing and soul-searching, with some calling for generational change among the party's leaders.
Driving the news: Kuster, 68, threw down a gauntlet in favor of ushering in new political leadership in an interview with the Boston Globe out Thursday, telling the paper she hoped to "set a better example" by retiring.
"I think there are colleagues — and some of whom are still very successful and very productive — but others who just stay forever," she added.
Kuster noted that she wished Biden had chosen to exit the race sooner.
She added that she was "just not the best gladiator" to help take on the new Trump administration.
The revelation earlier this month that Rep. Kay Granger (R-Texas) had been living in an independent living facility in Texas sparked fresh debate about Congress' aging members.
Recent health challenges from octogenarian leaders Nancy Pelosi and Mitch McConnell have only fueled the fire.
Neither a representative for Granger nor the White House immediately responded to Axios' request for comment regarding Kuster's remarks.
An erupting civil war in MAGA world over foreign workers has shone a fresh spotlight on a visa scheme that has become the backbone of the country's highly skilled tech industry.
Why it matters: The brewing conflict has underscored the schism between one of President-elect Trump's cornerstone pledges — cracking down on immigration — and his Silicon Valley supporters, many of whose businesses depend on attracting foreign workers.
Between the lines: No one epitomizes the fracture among the MAGA movement more than Elon Musk, who has become one of Trump's most influential and prominent backers.
Musk, a South African immigrant who previously held the coveted H-1B visa and whose businesses rely on attracting the best engineering talent around the world, has emerged as one of the most vocal defenders of the H-1B visa program.
Yet other MAGA figures like far-right activist Laura Loomer have maintained a more hardline immigration stance, arguing the U.S. should prioritize American workers over foreign ones.
State of play: The brewing conflict among Trump's supporters also highlighted the racial tensions in the MAGA tent.
Largely white, working-class voters spurred Trump's political rise nearly a decade ago, while the current clash revolves around the admittance of primarily non-white, highly skilled workers into the U.S.
Here's what to know about the H-1B visa program fueling the divide in MAGA world.
What is the H-1B visa scheme?
The H-1B visa allows for highly skilled workers in "specialty occupations" to live and work in the U.S. under a "nonimmigrant status."
It enables American companies to employ foreign workers who have highly specialized theoretical or technical skills.
Proponents argue the program allows the U.S. to retain a competitive edge in STEM fields by attracting the most highly skilled professionals worldwide.
How does it work?
H-1B applicants must have a bachelor's degree or equivalent in a field relevant to their specialty occupation.
Approval for the visa requires sponsorship from a prospective employer, who must file a petition with the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.
In the petition, the employer attests that they will appropriately pay the foreign worker and that their employment won't negatively impact "similarly employed" U.S. workers.
Zoom in: H-1B visas are typically granted for up to three years, but they can be extended for no more than six years total.
Because the program grants "nonimmigrant status" to recipients, it means the workers' stay in the U.S. is conditioned as temporary. The H-1B is not an immigration visa, with a path toward permanent residency.
Who gets H-1Bs?
The U.S. government caps the approval of new H-1B visas at 85,000 per year.
A March report from the Department of Homeland Security found that 72% of H-1B recipients between October 2022 and September 2023 were from India.
The second-most common country of origin was China, with nearly 12% of recipients. The third was the Philippines, at just over 1% of beneficiaries.
71% of H-1B recipients were men, per the report.
Where does the H-1B program fit in Trump's agenda?
Trump's election victory has spurred worries among many immigrants that Trump could again attempt to restrict the H-1B program, NBC News reported.
A representative for the Trump transition did not immediately respond to Axios' request for comment regarding the president-elect's plans for the H-1B visa during his second term.
Elon Musk showed off a trimmer figure in a holiday social media post on Wednesday while revealing that he has been taking an anti-obesity drug to shed pounds.
Why it matters: Musk's post highlighted just how mainstream weight-loss drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy have become in recent years as public figures openly admit to using them, helping transform perceptions and conversations around weight loss.
Driving the news: Musk posted a photo of himself on X on Christmas Day dressed up in a Santa costume, captioning the picture, "Ozempic Santa."
"Technically, Mounjaro, but that doesn't have the same ring to it," he added.
The big picture: Mounjaro, Ozempic and Wegovy are all part of a buzzy class of drugs known as GLP-1 agonists, which are seen as potential game-changers for patients struggling with obesity and diabetes and are at risk for heart attack and stroke.
However, weight-loss drugs have also surged in popularity among patients who don't necessarily need them to treat those ailments.
The drugs' popularity among celebrities and TikTokers has also helped drive shortages for patients in need.
Between the lines: Musk is the latest in a string of public figures who have recently admitted to taking medication for weight loss.
The comedian Jim Gaffigan told People magazine last month that he had used Mounjaro to lose weight.
Singer Kelly Clarkson said in a May episode of her eponymous show that she had been taking a medication to help her lose weight after her "bloodwork got so bad," though she did not specify the name of the drug.
State of play: "Nothing would do more to improve the health, lifespan and quality of life for Americans than making GLP inhibitors super low cost to the public," Musk wrote in an X post earlier this month.
Last month, the Biden administration proposed a rule requiring Medicare and Medicaid to cover anti-obesity drugs.
Yet the Biden administration and Musk's support for increased access to the drugs is at odds with Robert F. Kennedy Jr's stance on the issue. President-elect Trump's nominee for secretary of the Health and Human Services Department has criticized the use of Ozempic.
President-elect Trump's inner circle rushed to claim a report acknowledging that FBI informants (but not undercover agents) were present at the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, as proof of a baseless right wing belief that the bureau instigated the riot despite the report saying the opposite.
Why it matters: Vice President-elect Vance, Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy in their social media posts falsely conflated the FBI's acknowledgement that several informants were at the riot and even entered the Capitol with a long-running conspiracy theory that the FBI staged the attack to discredit then-President Trump. The report explicitly said that no FBI employees were present and that no FBI informants were authorized to participate.
Musk's team didn't immediately respond to Axios' request for comment.
Incoming White House communications director Steven Cheung did not answer Axios' questions when reached for comment.
Driving the news: TheJustice Department's Inspector General put those theories to rest in a new report Thursday that shed new light on the activities of the FBI on the day of the insurrection.
The bureau had no undercover employees at the U.S. Capitol or rally at the Ellipse that day, the report stated.
The FBI did, however, have 26 informants in Washington, D.C., that day, some of whom were tasked with reporting on "domestic terrorism subjects."
The informants were not authorized to enter the Capitol or other restricted areas or to break the law — or to encourage others to break the law, the report stated.
Some of the informants nevertheless did enter the restricted areas, though none have been prosecuted for taking part in the violence.
The big picture: Although the report established the FBI was not involved in spurring the events of Jan. 6, members of Trump's incoming administration propped up the presence of the informants as proof of the exact opposite.
"For those keeping score at home, this was labeled a dangerous conspiracy theory months ago," Vance wrote on X Thursday after reposting a story about the 26 informants.
Musk, one of Trump's most powerful backers, reposted Vance's missive and wrote: "What's the difference between a 'right-wing conspiracy' and reality? About 6 months."
Vivek Ramaswamy crowed on X that if someone had "uttered the facts" in the report a year ago, they would have been branded a "conspiracy theorist."
"It's also notable that the IG report came out literally the day after Christopher Wray resigned," Ramaswamy added.
Zoom out: Many senior officials and cabinet members of the incoming Trump administration are steeped in supposed conspiracies about the very government agencies they're about to oversee.
Trump himself — who has loudly promoted conspiracy theories about former President Obama and the 2020 election — has attempted to downplay the deadly Capitol riot, claiming a "peaceful transfer of power" took place after his 2020 loss.
Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich on Thursday evening published his first story for the newspaper since returning home from Russia.
Why it matters: Gershkovich was freed as part of a historic prisoner exchange in August after spending more than 16 months imprisoned in Russia.
The big picture: Before Thursday, Gershkovich's last story for the paper was on March 28, 2023 — just before he was detained by Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) in the city of Yekaterinburg.
The new story Gershkovich published Thursday alongside several of his colleagues is a deep dive into the spy unit responsible for his arrest, known as the Department for Counterintelligence Operations (DRKO).
The DRKO is the "Kremlin's most elite security force" and "responsible for "surveilling, intimidating, or arresting foreigners and the Russians it suspects of working with them," Gershkovich and his colleagues wrote.
State of play: Gershkovich was the first journalist to be arrested and stand trial on espionage charges since the Cold War.
The U.S. State Department officially declared him "wrongfully detained," as Gershkovich spent more than a year in pretrial detention, primarily at Moscow's infamous Lefortovo prison.
In July, following a speedy closed door trial — resembling the sort of sham trials faced by other critics of the Kremlin — Gershkovich was convicted and sentenced to 16 years in prison.
Weeks later, he was released alongside former U.S. Marine Paul Whelan as part of the largest prisoner exchange between Moscow and the West since the Cold War.
Some of America's closest allies are melting down politically and sputtering economically, even before President-elect Trump takes office promising tariffs and unpredictability.
The big picture:South Korea's president impeached, warnings of economic crisis in Germany, an unprecedented government collapse in France — and that was just last week.
Most of the world's leading democracies are struggling with significantly slower economic growth and persistently higher inflation than the U.S.
Those economic struggles are reverberating politically. Remarkably, the German and French governments crumbled within a single month. Ruling parties also got walloped in parliamentary elections this year in the U.K., Japan and South Korea.
Breaking it down: President Biden's 37% approval rating looks stratospheric compared to some of his peers, many of whom are unlikely to last much longer.
South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol was impeached Saturday after his strange and shocking declaration of martial law.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz is unlikely to survive snap elections in February.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government is running on fumes ahead of elections next year.
Enter, Trump.
After years of hand-wringing around the world about his potential return — the lack of commitment to NATO and Ukraine, sweeping tariff threats — he's now hardly the biggest challenge some key allies face.
Still, his return could exacerbate the existing crises.
If Trump follows through on his promise to impose 25% tariffs on Canada and Mexico, it could push all three North American trading partners close to — or even into — recession, a new analysis from Oxford Economics found.
The European Union would also struggle to absorb additional tariffs, given the already sluggish growth in its economic powerhouses, France and Germany.
Zoom in: Europe may also have to figure out how to bear the primary burden for arming Ukraine — and how to ensure its own security — if Trump equivocates on NATO's mutual defense pledge.
Ditto for South Korea and Japan. In his first term, Trump pushed both East Asian allies to pony up more cash if they want U.S. troops to remain on their territory.
America's intelligence partners won't necessarily find picks like Pete Hegseth for secretary of defense and Tulsi Gabbard for director of national intelligence particularly reassuring.
The flip side: If you've lost a prime minister (like France) or have ousted your your president (like South Korea), you have less time to worry about who will be leading the Pentagon.
The bottom line: The U.S. is moving from "America is back" to "America first." But for the many crisis-stricken U.S. allies, America isn't the problem or the solution.
Why it matters: Cracking down on undocumented immigrants, including via mass deportations, was a cornerstone pledge of Trump's 2024 campaign.
But the details of how Trump will implement his sweeping immigration plans — and how the country will shoulder the economic burden and repercussions — remain murky.
Trump in the TIME interview suggested deporting 21 million people, which would likely require an increase in detention centers to hold people suspected of being in the U.S. without authorization before they're deported.
Americans are split on the idea of setting up encampments for undocumented immigrants, per an October survey.
Driving the news: Asked by TIME whether he would need to build more detention facilities to hold detained migrants, Trump said there "might be" more.
"Whatever it takes to get them out. I don't care. Honestly, whatever it takes to get them out," he said.
The president-elect continued: "If it needs new camps, but I hope we're not going to need too many because I want to get them out, and I don't want them sitting in camp for the next 20 years."
Trump emphasized he'd act "absolutely within the confines of the law."
If receiving countries don't "take them back," Trump said, he'd employ one of his favorite punishments: He would "tariff those countries very substantially."
He seemed to reject economists' view that deporting millions of migrant agricultural workers could trigger a spike in the price of goods, saying, "No, because we're going to let people in, but we have to let them in legally. We don't want people to come in from jails."
Zoom out: Trump said would prefer to deport families together rather than separate children from their parents, echoing a statement he made during his "Meet the Press" interview aired Sunday.
Speaking to NBC's Kristen Welker, Trump suggested he'd boot families together, even if the children were in the country legally.
Last month, Trump announced his intent to appoint hardline loyalist Kash Patel to replace Wray.
The big picture: Wray told FBI staffers during a townhall Wednesday that the decision to step down was "not easy," but that he had chosen to do so to "avoid dragging the bureau deeper into the fray."
His departure, Wray said, would "keep the focus on our mission — the indispensable work you're doing on behalf of the American people every day."
State of play: Trump and other Republicans have repeatedly criticized Wray for his handling of issues relating to both the president-elect and Biden.
Last year, House Republicans threatened to hold Wray in contempt of Congress over access to a 2020 document purportedly containing allegations about the Biden family — though they ultimately backed away from the effort.
In July, Trump called on Wray to resign from his post for allegedly lying about Biden's mental competency.
During an interview with NBC's "Meet the Press" Sunday, Trump said he was not "thrilled" with Wray, who he said had "invaded" his home — a reference to the FBI's search of Mar-a-Lago for classified documents.
What they're saying: Trump reacted jubilantly to the news Wednesday, writing in a Truth Social post that Wray's resignation would be "a great day for America."
"Kash Patel is the most qualified Nominee to lead the FBI in the Agency's History, and is committed to helping ensure that Law, Order, and Justice will be brought back to our Country again," Trump added.
What's next: If Patel is confirmed as Wray's replacement, it will be an affront to the intelligence community.
Patel, who served in Trump's National Security Council during his first term, has echoed Trump's calls to clean out the so-called "Deep State" and outlined drastic changes to the FBI.
Editor's note: This story has been updated with new details and context throughout.
Americans should strive to eat less meat and saturated fats, while upping their intake of fiber-rich legumes, fruits and vegetables, according to new recommendations issued Tuesday by a panel of nutrition experts.
Why it matters: The fresh recommendations build on existing evidence that foods like red meat, and the overconsumption of salty and sugary foods, can be linked to health risks.
More than half of American adults struggle with chronic health conditions — like type 2 diabetes, obesity and cardiovascular disease — for which unhealthy diets are a risk factor, according to the introduction to the new Scientific Report from the 2025 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee (DGAC).
The big picture: The DGAC's recommendations will help inform the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Department of Agriculture (USDA) as they craft the 2025-2030 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, per a USDA press release.
These guidelines are set to be published in late 2025.
"The Dietary Guidelines serve as the foundation for national nutrition programs, standards, and education ... they help HHS, USDA, and others in the federal government to tailor our policies to best serve the American people," HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra said in the press release.
Saturated fats
Reducing consumption of saturated fats has been one of the DGAC's "most consistent recommendations" since its first guidelines were issued in 1980, per the report.
However, the new report did not take a stance on consuming ultra-processed foods, which studies have shown can be linked to adverse health effects, prompting an outcry from some health experts, the Washington Post reported.
Zoom in: For instance, the report acknowledged that replacing butter with healthier vegetable oils "may be associated with a decreased risk of cardiovascular disease morbidity and mortality" but deemed evidence supporting this "limited."
Protein
Given that red meat is high in saturated fat, the report outlined recommended substitutions.
The report highlighted the benefits of replacing red meat with "plant sources of protein" — including beans, peas, lentils, nuts and seeds — as well as whole grains and vegetables. These plant-based options are also higher in fiber.
"No benefit for cardiovascular disease risk was identified when red meat was substituted or replaced with other food sources of saturated fat, including white meat or eggs," the report stated.
Beverages
The DGAC recommended that plain drinking water be Americans' "primary beverage."
Secondarily, it approved of "unsweetened fat-free and low-fat dairy milk and unsweetened fortified soy beverages."
However, the report recommended Americans limit their intake of sugar-sweetened beverages.
Just 2 in 10 Americans surveyed this month said they approve of President Biden's decision to issue a sweeping pardon for his son, according to an AP-NORC poll out Wednesday.
Why it matters: The controversial move, which Biden had previously said he would not make, drew bipartisan backlash from lawmakers in Congress and appears to have frustrated a large swath of the American public, per the poll.
The big picture: Only 22% of Americans approve of the president's decision to pardon Hunter Biden, AP reported.
That figure is higher among Democrats (38%) and lower among Republicans (7%); 12% of independents said they approve of the pardon.
Overall, 51% of Americans say they disapprove of the pardon, while another 18% say neither approve nor disapprove.
About a quarter of Democrats surveyed said they disapprove of the decision, while 80% of Republicans said the same.
Driving the news: Biden issued the pardon for his son this month for any crimes "he has committed or may have committed" between Jan. 1, 2014, and Dec. 1, 2024.
The decision reversed Biden's previous promises that he wouldn't pardon or commute his son's sentence.
Methodology: The nationwide poll of 1,251 adults was conducted December 5-9, 2024 using the AmeriSpeak® Panel, the probability-based panel of NORC at the University of Chicago. The margin of sampling error is ±3.7 percentage points.
Even before police arrested Luigi Mangione in connection with the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, some on the internet were hailing him as a 21st-century Robin Hood.
The big picture: Mangione's arrest has done little to slow the internet's lionization of him, but Thompson's death has spurred online vitriol toward the insurance industry and a tsunami of memes celebrating the suspect.
"Luigi Mangione serves face as he is led into court!" Luigi Mangione Updates, a fan account, wrote a post on X Monday alongside a photo of the suspect being escorted by police.
Another X user posted a winking joke about Mangione's Italian heritage, writing: "Luigi Mangione: i hata paying da premiums, i shoota da ceo" alongside a movie gif of Robert De Niro.
As more photos of Mangione began to circulate online, so too did a fancam video edit.
On Instagram, influencers and others looking for clout began tagging an account that seemingly belonged to Mangione, The Cut reported.
The latest: Mangione was apprehended in Altoona, Pennsylvania Monday and subsequently charged with murder in connection with Thompson's killing.
Law enforcement officials said Mangione was carrying a ghost gun and fake IDs when he was arrested, as well as a handwritten document that criticized corporations and health insurance companies.
State of play: Over the weekend, before Mangione was named a person of interest, the internet collectively swooned for the "hot assassin" after CCTV images showing part of his face were released.
Others cracked jokes after police discovered a backpack allegedly belonging to the shooter that was filled with monopoly money.
UnitedHealthcare was forced to turn off Facebook comments after a post about Thompson's death received more than 36,000 "laugh" reactions, the New Yorker reported.
Zoom in: After authorities said shell casings had been found at the crime scene etched with the words "deny," "defend" and "depose" — referring to tactics the insurance industry has used to avoid paying claims — the words became a rallying cry.
On TikTok, folk singer Joe DeVito went viral after posting a song with a chorus that included the phrase.
Merchandise, including sweatshirts, wine tumblers and hats emblazoned with the words, began making their way around online storefronts, though some have since been removed, the Washington Post reported.
Zoom out: The public's reaction to Thompson's killing has highlighted the avarice and inequality that many Americans believe is at the root of the country's health care system.
For as many jokes internet users cracked casting the suspected shooter as a "folk hero," others pointed to the systemic wealth inequality governing a society in which UnitedHealthcare reported over $16 billion in operating profits in 2023.
President-elect Trump on Friday defended his embattled Defense Secretary nominee Pete Hegseth as his path to Senate confirmation appears in jeopardy.
Why it matters: Trump had remained conspicuously silent over the past few weeks as his Pentagon pick became embroiled in mounting scandals that threatened to tank his nomination.
What he's saying: Trump's social media message Friday is the first public comment he's made in support of Hegseth, whom he said was "doing very well."
"His support is strong and deep, much more so than the Fake News would have you believe," Trump wrote, praising Hegseth's "military state of mind."
"Pete is a WINNER, and there is nothing that can be done to change that!!!" Trump added.
Vice President-elect JD Vance also chimed in on X Friday, writing that "we're fighting for Pete Hegseth ... because Pete Hegseth wil fight for our troops."
One of his top skeptics is Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), a combat veteran and sexual violence survivor, who has emerged as a key vote in determining the viability of Hegseth's nomination and has not yet committed to supporting him.
If Hegseth is forced to withdraw, he would be the second Trump nominee to do so amid sexual misconduct allegations, after former Rep. Matt Gaetz withdrew his name from consideration for attorney general last month.
Nearly 100 former national security officials signed a letter to Senate leaders raising concerns about President-elect Trump's nomination of former Rep. Tulsi Gabbard to serve as director of national intelligence.
Her most infamous controversy is a 2017 trip to Syria, when she met Syria's President Bashar al-Assad. She subsequently declared that Assad — the Russia-and Iran-backed leader accused of using chemical weapons against his own civilians — was "not the enemy."
Driving the news: In a letter addressed to incoming Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) and current Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), the officials said they were "alarmed" by Trump's nomination of Gabbard.
The former officials urged Thune and Schumer to hold closed-door hearings to review "all information available to the U.S. government" regarding Gabbard.
"Several of Ms. Gabbard's past actions call into question her ability to deliver unbiased intelligence briefings to the President, Congress, and to the entire national security apparatus," the letter stated.
The letter highlighted both Gabbard's trip to Syria as well as her statements about debunked claims about Ukraine.
"Her sympathy for dictators like Vladimir Putin and Assad raises questions about her judgement and fitness," the letter added.
The big picture: As director of national intelligence, Gabbard would be tasked with overseeing 18 agencies, including the CIA and FBI.
The former officials added that if confirmed, Gabbard would be the "least experienced" person to hold the position since the role was created, noting her lack of executive branch and managerial experience.
The Big Tech CEOs who rushed to congratulate Trump after his victory have steadily worked to insinuate themselves into his orbit since then.
Most recently, Amazon founder and Washington Post owner Jeff Bezos told the New York Times DealBook Summit Wednesday that he's "very optimistic" about Trump's second term and his deregulatory agenda.
Trump "seems to have a lot of energy around reducing regulation," Bezos said. "And my point of view is, if I can help him do that, I'm going to help him."
The big picture: Trump has frequently had an adversarial relationship with tech industry titans, previously lambasting Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, Bezos' Amazon, and Google.
In a sign of changes to come, Trump's second presidential campaign was bolstered by one of the tech industry's biggest heavyweights — Elon Musk.
Musk is now set to play a role in the new Trump administration, helping lead the advisory panel the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
State of play: Bezos isn't the only tech titan cozying up to Trump. Late last month, Meta CEO Zuckerberg dined with Trump at his Mar-a-Lago residence.
Zuckerberg has been "very clear about his desire to be a supporter of, and a participant in, this change that we're seeing all around America," Trump's incoming deputy chief of policy Stephen Miller told Fox News last week.
Billionaire venture capitalist Peter Thiel told Bari Weiss'"Honestly" podcast after the election that Musk's embrace of Trump helped many in Silicon Valley feel safe publicly supporting him.
President-elect Trump announced Wednesday that he has nominated Jared Isaacman, billionaire and commercial astronaut, as the next head of NASA.
Why it matters: Isaacman is a close associate of Elon Musk, who has emerged as one of Trump's biggest backers, and his selection is a boon for Musk's company SpaceX.
Though he lacks government experience, Isaacman will be one of the rare NASA administrators who has been to space, having flown on SpaceX missions.
Driving the news: "Jared will drive NASA's mission of discovery and inspiration, paving the way for groundbreaking achievements in Space science, technology, and exploration," Trump wrote in a Truth Social post Wednesday.
Trump touted Isaacman's achievements as the founder of Shift4, a payment processing company, and the co-founder of Draken International, a private air defense firm.
Isaacman wrote on X Wednesday that he was honored to receive the nomination and looked forward to helping "usher in an era where humanity becomes a true spacefaring civilization."
The big picture: In 2021, Isaacman led thefirst all-civilian mission to space on a chartered flight with SpaceX.
Earlier this year, he led the Polaris Dawn mission as SpaceX's crew of civilian astronauts conducted the first commercial spacewalk.
Our thought bubble: The 2021 all-civilian mission was a proof-of-concept that the workforce needed to support visions of thousands — if not millions — of people living and working in space wouldn't require professional astronauts and government resources.
But some people fear focusing on space as a business will come at a cost to science and exploration, which are central to NASA's mission.
Why it matters: Hegseth's path to confirmation appears in jeopardy. Some Senate Republicans have expressed reservations about the Fox News host after a sexual assault allegation against him resurfaced last month.
If four Republicans withhold their support, Hegseth's nomination would founder — a prospect that could preempt his withdrawal.
Driving the news: Trump and DeSantis have personally discussed the possibility of DeSantis replacing Hegseth as the Defense Secretary nominee, The Bulwark's Marc Caputo, who is joining Axios in 2025, reported.
DeSantis is reportedly "receptive" to the idea, The Bulwark reported.
The discussion comes as Trump is reportedly concerned that Hegseth won't secure the necessary GOP support to be confirmed.
Other than DeSantis, Trump is also weighing former Pentagon official Elbridge Colby and Sen. Joni Ernst (R–Iowa), a combat veteran, as replacement nominees, the Wall Street Journal reported.
DeSantis' office did not immediately respond to Axios' request for comment.
Catch up quick: In addition to the sexual misconduct allegation,Hegseth is facing allegations of financial mismanagement, the New Yorker reported.
Several of his Fox News colleagues have also raised concerns about his drinking habits, NBC News reported, citing unnamed sources.
Hegseth's lawyer, Timothy Parlatore, told Axios Wednesday that the allegations about Hegseth's alcohol use were "entirely false."
Flashback: Trump and DeSantis haven't always seen eye-to-eye.
DeSantis ran against Trump in the 2024 GOP presidential primary before dropping out and endorsing him.
