President-elect Donald Trump is planning to immediately shake up the State Department by moving new officials into top roles. 

A source familiar with the situation tells Fox News that the new Trump administration will immediately move new officials into key operational roles at the State Department to ensure the department is carrying out the Trump foreign policy agenda from day one. 

Normally, career State Department officials will oversee these key positions while political appointees await Senate confirmation. The Trump team is bringing in dozens of "senior bureau officials" to ensure the career employees have Trump-aligned officials over them. The source says the transition has already identified the senior bureau officials who will be taking over.   

The source also says this move affects more than 20 additional key roles at State. Reuters reported last week that Trump officials have already asked others to step aside, bringing a total of about 30 senior positions affected by this initiative. They include all of those working as undersecretaries and overseeing key regional, policy and communications bureaus.

TRUMP TRANSITION TEAM ASKS 3 STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICIALS TO RESIGN: REPORT

Asked to comment, a spokesperson for the transition team told Fox, "It is entirely appropriate for the transition to seek officials who share President Trump's vision for putting our nation and America's working men and women first. We have a lot of failures to fix, and that requires a committed team focused on the same goals."

Trump's transition team recently asked three senior career diplomats to step down from their roles, according to a Reuters report. 

Dereck Hogan, Marcia Bernicat and Alaina Teplitz, the career diplomats who were allegedly asked to leave their roles, oversee the State Department’s workforce and internal coordination.

All three of the career diplomats named in the report have worked under Democratic and Republican administrations, Reuters noted. Unlike political appointees, diplomats do not typically resign when a president leaves office.

Throughout his political career, Trump has gone after the "deep state," and this move could be seen as part of his efforts to fundamentally change the government on a bureaucratic level.

Trump has never hid his disdain for the government agency responsible for foreign relations, dubbing it the "Deep State Department" during his first term, reflecting his belief that career diplomats were working to subvert his agenda.

Trump is likely to work in tandem with his Secretary of State nominee, Marco Rubio, who, during his confirmation hearing, said that State employees would need to work towards Trump's "America first" agenda and pledged to make the agency "relevant again."

SENATE DEMOCRATIC WHIP DECLARES SUPPORT FOR RUBIO CONFIRMATION: 'MANY SIMILAR VIEWS ON FOREIGN POLICY'

"What has happened over the last 20 years under multiple administrations is the influence of the State Department has declined at the expense of other agencies, and also at the expense of National Security Councils, because it takes so long for the State Department to take action," said Rubio. 

"And so, increasingly, you stop getting invited to the meetings, and they stop putting you in charge of things, because it takes too long to get a result."

He said that "the core mission of the department has not been well-defined" in the modern federal bureaucracy, and "it’s our obligation to define that."

"We want the State Department to be relevant again, and it should be because the State Department has a plethora of talented people who are subject-matter experts and who have skills in diplomacy. And it’s not being fully utilized, because, increasingly, on issue after issue, we’ve seen the State Department marginalized because of internal inertia, because of the way the structure works. We have to be at that table when decisions are being made, and the State Department has to be a source of creative ideas and effective implementation," he added.

Rep. Brian Mast, R–Fla., chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, told reporters that he was looking to root out those at State who had directed the so-called "woke" funding programs at the department. 

"If you have people that are writing grants nefariously supporting a radical agenda, like doing drag shows abroad and trying to find this vague tie and not tying things to U.S. national security interests, then they should be aware that we'll be looking for them, and we will be looking for creating authorities to make sure that their existence doesn't continue in the State Department."

Falling debris from the SpaceX Starship explosion yesterday created what looked like a meteor shower, or a colorful fireworks show based on videos shared by people in the area, but it also delayed flights.

Eight and a half minutes after launch yesterday, the upper stage of the SpaceX Starship “experienced a rapid unscheduled disassembly,” following the separation from its booster and the start of its ascent to space.

The footage of the explosion’s aftermath was shared to social media and Reddit. Some of it was recorded inside planes flying nearby, and many flights were diverted around the debris field, or delayed until all the fragments touched down.

The Federal Aviation Administration said it had “briefly slowed and diverted planes around the area where space debris was falling,” according to Reuters.

The 7th test flight of Starship was at least a partial success, marking the second time SpaceX successfully caught the Super Heavy booster with its launch tower. It was also the first time one of the booster’s Raptor engines was reused from a previous flight.

The launch was a testbed for a redesigned propulsion system, an improved flight computer, and the craft’s heat shield. It’s unclear if any of these were factors in the failure, but SpaceX says that, according to “initial data,” the explosion was potentially the result of a fire that developed in the ship’s rear section.

The company says that “Starship flew within its designated launch corridor” and “any surviving pieces of debris would have fallen into the designated hazard area.” The falling debris put on a show in the evening sky over the Caribbean and was captured by several tourists who seemed both amazed and slightly anxious about what they were witnessing.

A screenshot shared by the flight tracking website FlightRadar24 to its X account yesterday showed several aircraft in holding patterns or being diverted following the incident, while another showed flight departures from Miami and For Lauderdale airports being delayed by 45 minutes.

The last time SpaceX lost the Starship was during its third test flight last March. Although it was the first flight where the Starship completed its full-duration ascent burn, SpaceX lost contact with the spacecraft shortly before it was expected to splash down in the Indian Ocean.

Now that TikTok has finally reached the end of its legal options in the US to avoid a ban, somehow its future seems less clear than ever.

The Supreme Court couldn’t have been more direct: the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act, as applied to TikTok, withstands First Amendment scrutiny and can take effect on January 19th. The court agreed that the government had a compelling national security interest in passing the law and that its rationale was content neutral. The solution proposed — forcing Chinese parent company ByteDance to divest TikTok or see it ousted from the US — was ruled appropriately tailored to meet those ends.

Yet the government’s response hardly feels like a victory lap. In fact, despite being still under ByteDance’s control, it’s not clear that anyone in the US government will even act like TikTok is banned on the 19th.

“TikTok should remain available to Americans, but simply under American ownership or other ownership that addresses the national security concerns identified by Congress in developing this law,” White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said in a statement after the Supreme Court ruling today. “Given...

Read the full story at The Verge.

• The Supreme Court upheld the deadline for a TikTok sale to a US company by January 19.
• TikTok users are mourning the potential app shutdown, sharing memories and viral moments.
• Reactions to TikTok's fate have been spreading as users bid farewell.

Content creators and their audiences are sharing their disappointment that the Supreme Court has decided to uphold a January 19 deadline for TikTok to be sold to a US company or banned in the US.

Memes about TikTok's looming Sunday shutdown haven't stopped since the US government cranked up the heat on the platform, owned by Chinese company ByteDance, due to concerns about whether the app threatens national security. Without an extension to the deadline, the beloved short-form video app will be removed from app stores and likely face a full shutdown in the US.

The reality of the Supreme Court's ruling is setting in for American TikToker users who had held out hope for a different resolution.

Offline, flyers for its unofficial funeral were posted in New York City for a "celebration of life" on Sunday.

Online, users are sharing the first viral moments they ever saved, participating in old trends "one last time," and wishing each other well on new platforms.

Some say they're getting in their last "doom scrolls" before the app potentially goes away for good.

"These last few days on TikTok have felt like the end of school," one creator said, like "signing yearbooks and just goofing off."

TikTok probably won't disappear from phones in the US immediately on Sunday. It won't be able to update the app anymore, but it's unclear if it will be fully shut down.

On X, a user reshared a video of a crying and dancing woman. The video has been a viral meme on TikTok for a while; they used it to illustrate TikTokers' reactions to Friday's ruling.

On TikTok itself, videos to the tunes of "American Pie" by Don McLean and "Good Riddance" by Green Day show compilations of users' favorite moments.

Some users say that their "For You" page is taking them down memory lane with nostalgic sounds, dances, and some of the most talked-about moments.

"How am I going to share my reactions to the unhinged Mafia romance books I read?" user rachelsreading.rambles said on TikTok in a post captioned, "If I don't laugh I will definitely cry."

Another TikToker, kailebrodersen, said, "I have had to hold back tears because TikTok is my main source of income" and expressed anger at the US shutdown, saying TikTok "showed us the American Dream."

Users have been flocking to alternative short-form video platforms, like China-based RedNote, to try to replace the app, but it's unclear whether RedNote, YouTube, Instagram, or other apps will eventually act as alternatives to TikTok.

But for now, it looks like the era of TikTok is truly coming to an end in the US.

• Scott Bessent's confirmation hearing this week held a number of clues as to what markets can expect from Trump 2.0.
• The long-time investor and hedge fund exec is Trump's pick to lead the US Treasury.
• Bessent said Trump would "unleash a new economic golden age" during his testimony.

Scott Bessent's nomination hearing gave markets a handful of hints as to what the next four years could look like.

The investor and hedge fund executive sat this week for his confirmation hearing as Donald Trump's pick to lead the US Treasury Department. Economists at Deutsche Bank noted that his remarks held a few important clues for investors.

In his testimony, Bessent said he believed Trump's presidency would help "unleash a new economic golden age," which could include more jobs and increased wealth for Americans. He also suggested the US was "barreling towards an economic crisis" at the end of the year.

If confirmed, Bessent will be in charge of Trump's plan to create the "Greatest Economic Boom," and will oversee the President-elect's plans to cut taxes, deploy tariffs, and curtail the national debt.

Here's what Deutsche Bank economists think were the top takeaways of Bessent's testimony.

1. Nothing has been taken off the table in Trump's tariff plan

Bessent didn't have firm guidance on what Trump's tariff plan could look like. In his testimony, the Treasury Secretary nominee said the tariffs would aim to even out unfair trade practices by other countries, raise federal revenue, and potentially give the US more bargaining power in negotiations. He didn't specify if the tariffs would be slowly implemented over time.

Bessent also pushed back against the idea that Trump's tariff plan was inflationary. Trump levied tariffs during his first term as president without a significant inflation increase, but economists say that his plan this time around is more expansive, explaining the difference in inflation outlooks for the coming years.

"Besesnt's comments on tariffs were notable in that they left everything on the table," the Deutsche Bank economists said.

2. Trump's 2017 tax cuts could be extended

Bessent doubled-down on his support for extending Trump's 2017 tax cuts. If the US doesn't extend the tax cuts, Americans could face $4 trillion tax hike when the 2017 package expires this year, he said.

"We must make permanent the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act and implement new pro-growth policies to reduce the tax burden on American manufacturers, service workers, and seniors. I have already spoken with several members of this Committee, as well as leaders in the House about the best approach to achieving these important goals together," he added.

3. Bessent could crack down on government spending

Bessent emphasized his resolve to get the national debt and the widening deficit under control. He's been a vocal proponent of reducing the federal debt balance in the past, attributing rising debt levels to the government's "significant spending problem" in his testimony.

The total federal debt balance clocked in at $36.17 trillion as of Friday, according to US Treasury data.

"On the debt limit, Bessent provided reassurance that the US would not default on its debt if he were to be confirmed as Treasury Secretary," Deutsche Bank wrote.

Bessent also appeared "hesitant" to support removing the national debt limit, the Deutsche Bank economists noted, referring to an idea that Trump floated late last year. But, when questioned, Bessent said he would work with Trump to remove the debt limit, if Trump wished to do so

4. Trump will support the Fed's independence

Bessent pushed back against the notion that Trump would try to exert power over the Federal Reserve. Media reports that have suggested Trump would infringe on the independence of the Fed are "highly inaccurate," he added.

Bessent also did not speak about the potential for a "shadow Fed Chair," something he spoke about last year.

"Trump would make his views on monetary policy known, as Bessent noted Senators often do, but he does not support undermining Fed independence," the economists said.

5. Sanctions could get stronger

Bessent voiced support for intensifying sanctions on Russia and Iran. Sanctions on Russia, in particular, have not been "fulsome," Bessent said, suggesting he would tolerate higher oil prices in favor of increasing restrictions on Russia.

"If any officials in the Russian Federation are watching this confirmation hearing, they should know that if I'm confirmed and if President Trump requests it as part of his strategy to end the Ukraine war, I will be 100% on board from taking sanctions up, especially on the Russian oil majors to levels that would bring the Russian Federation to the table," Bessent said during the hearing.

"This statement could indicate that such sanctions may be near-term priorities for the Trump administration," Deutsche added.

• 23andMe has been exploring a possible sale of its telehealth business, Business Insider has learned.
• The struggling health company bought virtual care startup Lemonaid in 2021 for $400 million.
• 23andMe's stock has plummeted after a 2023 data breach exposed millions of customer accounts.

Struggling genetic testing company 23andMe has been quietly exploring a possible sale of its telehealth offering, Business Insider has learned.

The health company has been testing the waters for a possible buyer for Lemonaid Health, the virtual care business it bought in 2021 for $400 million in cash and stock, people with knowledge of the efforts told BI.

It's not clear how formal the efforts have been. 23andMe didn't respond to multiple requests for comment from BI.

When 23andMe acquired Lemonaid, the company said it wanted to provide personalized telemedicine care informed by its genetic data collection.

Founded in 2006, 23andMe seized consumer interest with its genetic testing kits that offered customers breakdowns of their ancestry. Later, in 2017, 23andMe started selling tests that could assess a customer's health risks for conditions like Alzheimer's disease and cancer.

23andMe went public in June 2021, a few months before the Lemonaid deal closed, at $11.13 a share.

Since then, 23andMe's stock price has tumbled due to a mass data breach and the resulting $30 million class action lawsuit. Now strapped for cash, the company cut 40% of its staff in November, or about 200 people, and shut down its drug discovery efforts.

In September, the company was trading at $.35 a share. The following month, 23andMe completed a reverse stock split, exchanging every 20 shares of its stock for one share to prevent it from being forced to delist from the Nasdaq. As of January 17, it's worth about $3.60 a share.

Three-quarters of Lemonaid's $400 million acquisition was paid as shares of 23andMe stock. 23andMe was valued at $3.5 billion when the company went public in 2021. Today, it's valued at about $91 million.

23andMe's nosedive

In 2023, 23andMe confirmed that ancestry data for nearly 7 million users was accessed and compromised. The data — including birth details and names — was sold on the dark web by hackers.

A data breach notification filing in January 2024 indicated that 23andMe took five months to realize the data had been accessed. This led to a class action lawsuit, which 23andMe settled for $30 million in September 2024, according to Reuters.

Alongside the challenges the company faced with the data breach, CEO Anne Wojcicki also proposed taking the company private in a July 2024 SEC filing. Five days later, that bid was rejected by a special committee assembled by 23andMe's board of directors.

Then, in September, the company said in a separate SEC filing that Wojcicki was open to the possibility of a third-party takeover. Shortly after, 23andMe's entire board of directors resigned.

Wojcicki walked back the remarks in a separate filing, and a 23andMe spokesperson told Business Insider in January that Wojcicki is no longer open to considering a third-party buyout. Wojcicki still intends to take 23andMe private, the spokesperson said at the time.

AI is a central focus of Samsung’s smartphone efforts nowadays, and the company is partnering closely with Google to leverage Gemini on Galaxy devices. According to a new leak, Gemini may be able to tap into Samsung’s core apps on the Galaxy S25 series including Samsung Notes and more.

Your Friday edition of the best Android game and app deals is now ready and waiting down below. Before you check them out, you’ll want to make sure you drop your email down right here for a no strings-attached FREE $50 credit towards your Galaxy S25 pre-order and them scope out the deals we have today on ASUS’ Chromebook Plus CX3402 with Google AI as well as the first price drop on the all-new Amazon Kindle Colorsoft. As for the apps, highlights include titles like Agatha Knife, Miden Tower, Runic Curse, Evoland 2, and more. Hit the fold for a closer look. 

As the colder months settle in, maintaining the humidity level becomes extremely important for me, as I have natural gas heat. Dry air can wreak havoc on my sinuses, so I am always hyper-aware of this during the coldest part of winter. That’s where the comes in. It delivers efficient, mist-free humidification while easily fitting into your HomeKit setup via Matter support from SwitchBot Hub 2.

Apple has a big product launch roadmap for 2025, with the ultra-thin iPhone 17 Air one of the most exciting debuts. A recent rumor has me thinking about a MacBook Air-inspired feature that could quickly win me over.