President Biden took swipes at President-elect Trump during his farewell address Wednesday as he reflected on his legacy from the Oval Office.

The big picture: The 82-year-old, one-term president who has spent five decades in politics will hand over the White House keys to 78-year-old Trump next week, after initially running to rid him from Washington.

Driving the news: Biden in his speech took aim at Trump and the U.S. Supreme Court majority ruling that presidents have immunity for "official acts" in the Republican's since-dismissed federal Jan. 6 case.

• "We need to amend the Constitution to make clear that no president is immune from crimes that he or she commits while in office," Biden said.
• In another prod at the incoming Trump administration, Biden said: "Today, an oligarchy is taking shape in America of extreme wealth, power and influence that literally threatens our entire democracy, our basic rights and freedoms."
• He added that the tax code must be reformed, "not by giving the biggest tax cuts to billionaires, but by making them begin to pay their fair share."

Yes, but: Biden wished the incoming administration "success," saying he wants the U.S. to succeed, and pledged "to ensure a peaceful and orderly transition of power."

What he's saying: "I've kept my commitment to be president for all Americans through one of the toughest periods in our nation's history," Biden said in his first speech from the Oval Office since announcing he wasn't running for re-election.

• He called Vice President Harris a great partner in that effort, and said she and husband Doug Emhoff have become "like family."

Zoom in: In a letter to the public Wednesday, Biden praised his administration's accomplishments and called on Americans to continue building on its progress.

• "It has been the privilege of my life to serve this nation for over 50 years ... I have given my heart and my soul to our nation," Biden wrote.
• He also delivered remarks earlier Wednesday about the Gaza ceasefire and hostage deal.

Zoom out: Rather than focusing on policy successes, Biden reflected on American values and on the importance of the institutions that "govern a free society."

• He said: "After 50 years of public service, I give you my word I still believe in the idea for which this nation stands, a nation where the strengths of our institutions and the character of our people matter and must endure."
• Addressing the American people, he added, "Now it's your turn to stand guard."

Flashback: Biden dropped out of the 2024 presidential race in July after a poor performance in a debate against Trump.

• He quickly endorsed Vice President Harris to be the party's nominee, though she ultimately lost.

More from Axios:

• Biden warns against extreme wealth and rise of "tech industrial complex"
• "History is in your hands" Biden tells Americans ahead of farewell address

Editor's note: This article has been updated with new details throughout.

Greenland must make its own decisions about independence from Denmark, Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen told President-elect Trump in a Wednesday phone call.

The big picture: Trump, since his first term, has repeatedly floated the idea of the U.S. buying Greenland even though the island's leaders have said it is not for sale.

• The issue has taken on new importance since Trump hasn't ruled out using military force to take control of Greenland as he returns to the White House.
• Greenland views itself as an autonomous country that is part of the Kingdom of Denmark, and it has the option of declaring its independence under the 2009 Greenland Self-Government Act.
• Denmark has sent Trump private messages expressing willingness to discuss boosting security in Greenland or increasing the U.S. military presence on the island, Axios previously reported.

Zoom in: Frederiksen in her call with Trump reiterated Greenland Prime Minister Múte Egede's statement "that Greenland is not for sale," according to a Danish press release.

• "The Prime Minister has argued that it is up to Greenland itself to make a decision on independence," a translated version of the release said.
• Trump's representatives did not immediately respond to Axios' request for comment.

Flashback: Frederiksen and Trump have a tense history on the issue.

• During his first term, Trump canceled a trip to Denmark after the prime minister called the idea of the U.S. purchasing Greenland "absurd." Trump at the time called her comments "nasty" and "inappropriate."

The bottom line: The main question is whether Trump would be content to cut a deal with Denmark and declare victory, or whether his true mission is to become the first president in 80 years to gain new territory for the U.S., Axios' Barak Ravid and Dave Lawler report.

More from Axios:

• Scoop: Denmark sent Trump team private messages on Greenland
• House GOP crafts bill to let Trump purchase Greenland
• Denmark bolstering Greenland defense after Trump ownership comments

Pete Hegseth, President-elect Trump's pick for Defense secretary, on Tuesday called the problem of extremism in the military "fake," but researchers warn there's a growing trend of military-linked terrorism.

The big picture: The rising number of people with military backgrounds engaging in domestic terrorism over the past three decades can partially be attributed to the difficulty transitioning from active duty to veteran status and a lack of community or purpose, experts say.

Driving the news: In the most recent high-profile cases, the New Year's Day attacks in New Orleans and Las Vegas were both carried out by Army veterans.

Zoom in: The FBI said Tuesday the suspect in the deadly New Orleans vehicle attack, Shamsud-Din Jabbar had been isolating himself from society and began following extremist views last year.

• Investigators believe the 42-year-old U.S. Army veteran was "radicalized online" and he "appears to have been inspired — from afar — by ISIS," retiring FBI Director Christopher Wray told CBS' "60 Minutes" in an interview broadcast Sunday.
• The Vegas suspect, Matthew Alan Livelsberger, 37, from Colorado Springs, was an active-duty U.S. Army soldier on approved leave when he died inside a Tesla Cybertruck that exploded outside the Trump International Hotel in the city, officials said.
• However, Hegseth said during his Senate confirmation hearing Tuesday that the Pentagon overreacted in attempting to combat extremism and characterized it as "peddling the lie of racism in the military."
• He added that efforts to weed out extremism pushed "rank-and-file patriots out of their formations."

By the numbers: A December report from the National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism found that from 1990 to 2023, 730 individuals with U.S. military backgrounds had committed criminal acts that were motivated by their political, economic, social or religious goals.

• There has been an incline in the past decade or so: From 1990-2010, an average of 7.1 people per year with U.S. military backgrounds committed extremist crimes. Since 2011, that number has grown to 44.6 per year.
• Some 84% were no longer serving in the military when they committed extremist crimes, per the report.

Zoom out: The National Institute of Justice said in analysis last year that people who encounter difficulties leaving the military may be attracted to the pull of domestic extremist groups.

• This is possibly because they can be introduced to additional combinations of risk factors for radicalization, according to Jeffrey Gruenewald, professor and director of the Terrorism Research Center at the University of Arkansas. These include a lack of purpose, social alienation or struggles with mental health.
• "Knowing this, terrorist groups may target individuals with military experience, as the ideologies underlying violent extremism have something to offer them, including a clear enemy to direct their anger, a sense of belonging and meaning, and a purpose bigger than themselves," he said.

Meanwhile, extremist groups are increasing recruiting online and specifically targeting veterans, Heidi Beirich, chief strategy officer and co-founder of Global Project Against Hate and Extremism, told PBS.

• The military has "not done a good job of rooting out extremism in its ranks in recent years," she added.

Yes, but: There isn't a single factor or profile that's predictive of radicalization to violence, Gruenewald told Axios.

• "Nonetheless, it is feasible that military experience for some can increase or exacerbate risk factors associated with radicalization to violence," he said.
• Being in the military may increase a person's chances of experiencing a significant personal loss, trauma, or feelings of social isolation and alienation, Gruenewald said.
• It could also exacerbate struggles with identity, mental health and grievances, he added.

Situation report: The Defense Department said in a 2021 report that it "has long prohibited Service members from actively engaging in extremist activities" but after a number of threat attacks, it built a program to "detect, deter, and mitigate such threats."

• This included efforts to combat extremist groups from recruiting military personnel and veterans.
• Defense Department spokesperson Sue Gough said even a single incident in which those in the military commit prohibited extremist activities "can have an outsized impact on the Department and its mission."
• She added in her email: "There is no place for prohibited extremist activities in the Department of Defense. Every attempt is made to ensure such behavior is promptly and appropriately addressed and reported to the authorities."

The bottom line: People with U.S. military backgrounds represent only 14.7% of the broader set of extremists who have committed criminal offenses in the United States since 1990, the National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism report found.

• "The problem is that somebody who has military training who gets radicalized can be far more deadly," Beirich said.
• "Mass attacks that are perpetrated by active-duty military or veterans are more lethal than those that aren't."

Go deeper: New Orleans attack mirrors global pattern of using vehicles as terror weapons

Special counsel David Weiss released a final report Monday on the investigation into Hunter Biden after the case ended when President Biden issued an unconditional pardon for his son last month.

The big picture: Hunter Biden was the first child of a sitting president to face criminal charges. He was convicted on felony gun charges in Delaware in June, and pleaded guilty on felony tax charges in California in September.

Driving the news: Weiss criticized President Biden in the report for claiming his son was unfairly prosecuted in the six-year investigation, calling those "baseless accusations" with "no merit."

• Weiss said: "The president's characterizations are incorrect based on the facts in this case, and on a more fundamental level, they are wrong."
• He wrote that "other presidents have pardoned family members, but in doing so, none have taken the occasion as an opportunity to malign the public servants at the Department of Justice based solely on false accusations."
• Representatives for the White House and Hunter Biden did not immediately respond to Axios' request for comment in the evening.

Context: Weiss has been overseeing the Hunter Biden case since the first Trump administration as U.S. Attorney for Delaware.

• When Biden took office, he kept Weiss on finish his work.
• Attorney General Merrick Garland named Weiss as special counsel in 2023.

Zoom in: Defending his reasoning for the charges, Weiss that he concluded Hunter Biden "had committed each and every one of the elements of a criminal offense" and that "a faithful jury would be more likely to convict than acquit him."

• At "no time did my decisions take into account personal opinions-mine or anyone else's-about Mr. Biden's moral character, his popularity or unpopularity among the general public or a certain subgroup like a political party, the ethical propriety of his conduct, or other value judgments," he wrote.
• Weiss said Hunter Biden, "as a well-educated lawyer and businessman ... consciously and willfully" broke the law by failing to pay taxes "despite having access to funds to pay some or all" of them.

Zoom out: Weiss charged both Hunter Biden and former FBI informant Alexander Smirnov during his investigation.

• In the report, Weiss said his team determined that Smirnov's allegations about Hunter Biden were fabricated.
• Smirnov pleaded guilty last month to lying about a phone bribery scheme involving Hunter Biden and was sentenced to six years in prison.

Editor's note: This is a breaking news story. Please check back for updates.

A years-long battle over TikTok's fate in the U.S. could finally end this week, with the deadline for a sale or ban of the popular video-sharing platform set for Sunday.

The big picture: The Supreme Court could issue a ruling any day now, though it appears unlikely to deem the sale-or-ban law unconstitutional, even after President-elect Trump asked for time to resolve the matter.

Context: The law passed last year requires ByteDance, TikTok's parent company, to either sell the app to a U.S. company or shut down operations in the country by Jan. 19. The deadline could be extended 100 days if a sale is underway.

• The bill passed with broad bipartisan support and was signed by President Biden.
• TikTok and a group of its users challenged the law, saying it violates their First Amendment rights.
• Congress said the law was necessary because ByteDance is controlled by the Chinese government, and that its ability to harvest vast amounts of personal information from American users is a national security threat.

Jan. 10, 2025: SCOTUS hearing

The Supreme Court heard oral arguments about the law on Jan. 10 and appeared inclined to uphold it.

• Most of the justices homed in on one central point, Axios' Sam Baker reports: The law would allow TikTok to keep operating if it used an algorithm other than the one created by ByteDance. And ByteDance, as a Chinese company, doesn't have First Amendment rights.
• "The law doesn't say TikTok has to shut down. It says ByteDance has to divest," Justice Amy Coney Barrett said.

Dec. 27, 2024: Trump asks SCOTUS for ban pause

In a last-ditch effort, Trump asked the Supreme Court to pause the TikTok ban.

• His argument was not rooted in any of the First Amendment or national security concerns at issue in the case. Rather, he argued the high court should allow him the time to "resolve the dispute through political means."
• "President Trump alone possesses the consummate dealmaking expertise, the electoral mandate, and the political will to negotiate a resolution to save the platform while addressing the national security concerns expressed by the Government," the legal brief states.

Dec. 6, 2024: Federal appeals court upholds ban

A federal appeals court ruled the TikTok law is constitutional.

• The three judge panel's opinion set the stage for the Supreme Court fight.

Context: The Justice Department and TikTok had asked the court for the early December ruling in order to seek SCOTUS review before the law's mid-January deadline.

August 2024: FTC, DOJ sue TikTok and ByteDance

The Federal Trade Commission and the Department of Justice filed a joint lawsuit against TikTok and ByteDance, alleging the social media app violates children's online privacy law.

May 2024: TikTok and ByteDance sue U.S.

TikTok and ByteDance sued the U.S. federal government to challenge the law, arguing it's unconstitutional.

April 2024: Biden signs TikTok bill

The Senate passes the bill, sending it to President Biden's desk.

• Biden shortly after signed the bipartisan law, forcing TikTok's Chinese parent company to divest from its U.S. operations or face a nationwide ban, setting up a protracted legal fight over the fate of the app.

March 2024: House passes bill

The House of Representatives passed the TikTok bill.

May 2023: State TikTok ban

• Montana became the first U.S. state to sign legislation banning TikTok.
• It came as several other Republican-led states banned TikTok on government-issued devices, but Montana was the first state to impose a total app ban.
• However, a federal judge in November blocked the ban before it took effect.

March 2023: Congressional testimony

TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew defended the company in a hearing before lawmakers, who fiercely advocated for banning the app.

• Chew at the time repeatedly downplayed the app's connections to China and referenced TikTok's "unprecedented" data security practices compared to unnamed social media competitors.
• Still, members of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce came out in support of a full ban of the app in the U.S.

February 2023: Biden administration action

The Biden administration sought to regulate TikTok and banned the app from federal devices in February 2023.

2022: Project Texas

• In June 2022, after longstanding pressure from the U.S. government, TikTok began routing all its U.S. user data to Oracle's cloud infrastructure.
• Oracle then began vetting TikTok's algorithms and content moderation models to ensure they aren't manipulated by Chinese authorities.
• The move was part of Project Texas, a $1.5 billion plan aimed at ensuring Americans that TikTok is safe, their data is secure and "the platform is free from outside influence." The project name refers to Oracle's headquarters in Texas.
• TikTok had been preparing Project Texas for over a year by separating its U.S. operations' backend functions and code.

2020: Trump attempts to force sale

Then-President Trump spearheaded the initial effort to ban TikTok with an executive order in 2020, citing national security concerns.

• He pushed for an acquisition by Microsoft, which fell through. Software giant Oracle then made a bid to become TikTok's "trusted technology partner" in the U.S.
• After much pressure, TikTok agreed to protect U.S. data through an alliance with Oracle.

A federal appeals court paved the way Thursday for special counsel Jack Smith to release a final report on President-elect Trump's two dismissed federal criminal cases.

The big picture: Trump and two of his former co-defendants have fought the release of the report on his alleged attempts to overturn the 2020 election and handling of classified documents. The ruling leaves open the possibility of a further appeal.

• Representatives for Trump did not immediately respond to Axios' request for comment in the evening.

Zoom in: The ruling from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit in Atlanta comes in response to a request from Trump aid Walt Nauta and former Mar-a-Lago property manager Carlos de Oliveira, who were both charged in the dismissed classified documents case.

• The timing of the report's release remains unclear.
• A lower court ruling from U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon, a Trump appointee, which temporarily blocked the report's release is in place for three days.
• A separate part of the report, which details Smith's investigation into Trump's alleged mishandling of classified documents, appears likely to remain sealed for now, per the Washington Post.

What they're saying: Trump spokesperson Steven Cheung said in a statement that criticized Smith the decision from the 11th Circuit "keeps Judge Cannon's injunction in place and prevents any report from being issued."

• He called on President Biden and Attorney General Merrick Garland, whom Trump's lawyers have asked to block the release of Smith's report, to "do the right thing and put a final stop to the political weaponization of our Justice system."

Context: Smith initiated a winding down of his two federal criminal cases against Trump after the president-elect's November win.

• A judge then granted the special counsel's request to drop all charges against Trump in the case alleging that he tried to overturn the 2020 presidential election results.
• Smith also asked a federal court in Florida in November to pause his appeal related to Cannon's dismissal of the classified documents case.

Go deeper: Trump seeks to stop Smith releasing final report

Editor's note: This article has been updated with new details throughout.

Axios' Rebecca Falconer contributed reporting.

The suspect responsible for the Tesla Cybertruck blast in Las Vegas on New Year's Day used AI to plan the explosion, authorities said Tuesday.

The big picture: Matthew Alan Livelsberger searched ChatGPT to get information on how to carry out his plot, including how many explosives he would need and what pistol would set them off, the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department said during a news conference.

• Authorities did not share what responses the technology generated.
• An OpenAI spokesperson, Liz Bourgeois, said in an email statement that the company is "committed to seeing AI tools used responsibly" and that its "models are designed to refuse harmful instructions."
• Bourgeois added, "In this case, ChatGPT responded with information already publicly available on the internet and provided warnings against harmful or illegal activities."

Driving the news: Police said Tuesday a six-page document they're describing as a manifesto was found.

• They also said evidence has emerged that Livelsberger's death was a suicide.
• "This new information comes with more questions than answers. I will not provide an opinion on what the documents mean, nor will we release information or documents that have not been completely verified" Sheriff Kevin McMahill said.

Go deeper: Las Vegas explosion suspect was a veteran, Army confirms

Axios' Ina Fried contributed to this report.

If you or someone you know needs support now, call or text 988 or chat with someone at 988lifeline.org. En español.

As the bird flu outbreak grows, egg prices soar and food recalls mount, consumers may be left wondering whether it's safe to have that morning omelet.

The big picture: Yes, eggs sold at grocery stores remain safe for human consumption, according to U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

• "The likelihood that eggs from infected poultry are found in the retail market is low and proper storage and preparation further reduce the risk," an FDA spokesperson said in an email Friday.

Driving the news: The first bird flu-related human death in the U.S. was reported Monday in Louisiana.

• The person was exposed to sick and dead birds in a non-commercial backyard flock and to wild birds, state health officials said.

Yes, but: The risk of people becoming infected with bird flu through the consumption of contaminated shell eggs is low, the FDA and the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service found in a 2010 risk assessment.

• Kalmia Kniel, professor of animal and food sciences at the University of Delaware, told Axios that the poultry industry "has excellent biosecurity which is critical to reducing the risk of avian influenza and the spread of the virus to flocks."
• There is a routine testing program for chickens in commercial production, she added, and the industry monitors the birds carefully for signs of infection or illness.

Be smart: It's recommended that consumers buy eggs sold from a refrigerator and that they open the carton and make sure that the eggs are clean and the shells are not cracked, Kniel said via email on Friday.

• At home, refrigerate your eggs at a temperature of 40F or less, she added.
• It is generally advised to cook eggs until the white and the yolk are firm.
• "After cracking eggs and handling egg shells it is a good idea to wash your hands and also wipe any spills that may have occurred if cracking eggs and cooking with children," Kniel said.

The bottom line: Cooking poultry, eggs and other animal products to the proper temperature, in addition to preventing cross-contamination between raw and cooked foods, are key for food safety.

• To avoid contracting bird flu, people should also avoid touching sick or dead animals.

More from Axios:

• Bird flu causing egg prices to soar to new record high
• Why food recalls are mounting this year
• California declares emergency over bird flu outbreak

Four years after President-elect Trump's supporters stormed the Capitol, Congress on Monday peacefully certified his 2024 victory with Vice President Harris overseeing her own loss.

The big picture: Though the electoral college certification proceeded peacefully, local law enforcement stepped up security around the U.S. Capitol out of an abundance of caution.

• Trump has repeatedly said pardoning the Jan. 6, 2021, rioters is something he will consider on his first day back in the Oval Office.
• Many prominent Republicans have followed Trump's lead in the four years since the attack to downplay the violence of the day.

Driving the news: In a stark juxtaposition from the certification of the 2020 election, there were no disturbances or objections during Monday's joint session of Congress.

• Trump and Vice President-elect JD Vance, who was present at Monday's certification, won the election with 312 electoral votes to Harris and Gov. Tim Walz's 226 votes.
• The whole count took roughly 30 minutes.
• Trump had called the certification "A BIG MOMENT IN HISTORY" in a Truth Social post before the process began.

Vice President Harris joined the small club of vice presidents throughout history who had to preside over the certification of their defeat — a duty she characterized as a "sacred obligation."

• "The chair declares this joint session dissolved," Harris said at the end of the session. "Thank you."
• She shook hands with members as she exited.

What they're saying: Former Vice President Mike Pence, who four years ago was the target of rioters' ire for refusing to interfere in the certification of President Biden's victory, applauded the peaceful count in a Monday X post.

• "I welcome the return of order and civility to these historic proceedings," he wrote, congratulating his former running mate and commending Harris as "particularly admirable" for overseeing the certification of her loss.

Zoom out: In response to Trump's efforts to overturn the 2020 election results, Congress passed legislation to reform an 1887 law that determined how presidential elections are certified.

• The Electoral Count Reform Act of 2022 made it more difficult to contest electors and clarified the vice president's role in the counting as purely ceremonial among other changes.

Go deeper: Johnson, Jeffries duel over certifying 2024 election

Editor's note: This story has been updated with comments from Harris and Pence.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau resigned from his position as the leader of the Liberal Party on Monday.

Why it matters: The world's leading democracies are facing growing instability. Look to Germany, where Chancellor Olaf Scholz lost a confidence vote in parliament, or the unprecedented government collapse in France.

• His resignation came as polls indicated that the Liberal Party was set to be trounced by the opposition Conservative Party in the upcoming election, expected in or before October, Reuters reported.
• Trudeau's decision to leave the post amid his government's deepening unpopularity is a far cry from the popularity he enjoyed when he became prime minister, when polls showed he boasted approval ratings above 60%.
• Trudeau noted that the Canadian parliament will be prorogued — essentially, suspended — until March 24 while a new leader is chosen. He said it was "time for a reset."

Driving the news: "I intend to resign as party leader, as prime minister, after the party selects its next leader through a robust nationwide, competitive process," Trudeau announced at a press conference in Ottawa Monday.

• "It has become clear to me that if I'm having to fight internal battles, I cannot be the best option" in the next election, he added.
• "I've been inspired by the resilience, generosity and the determination of Canadians," Trudeau said.
• Trudeau also slammed Conservative opposition leader Pierre Poilievre's vision for Canada as "not the right one" for the country.

State of play: Trudeau has been the leader of Canada's Liberal Party for 11 years and the country's prime minister for nine.

• Recent polling has put the Liberals at a mere 16% support among decided and leaning voters.
• Trudeau's resignation also comes as members of the Liberal party are set to hold an emergency meeting Wednesday, per Reuters.

Between the lines: Trudeau's government has been running on fumes ahead of the elections.

• The prime minister is unpopular among many in Canada, especially as the cost of living has risen across the country and public concern has grown over immigration.

Another blow to Trudeau's future came last month when multiple members of his Cabinet resigned.

• Chrystia Freeland, Canada's former finance minister and deputy prime minister, resigned from the Cabinet last month. Freeland said she reached her decision after Trudeau asked her to resign as finance minister and take another Cabinet position.
• Sean Fraser, housing minister, also said last month that he would resign, per the New York Times.

The big picture: Trudeau was facing pressure to call for an election before a scheduled one in October as Canadians reckon with high inflation and President-elect Trump's tariff threat.

• Trump has threatened to impose tariffs on Canada and Mexico due to his concerns about the number of migrants and drugs coming into the U.S., which triggered fears of inflation and a trade war.
• After Trump and Trudeau met in November, Canadian officials have said they're stepping up border security "in a visible and muscular way."
• In her resignation letter, Freeland warned Canada must take the threat of tariffs "extremely seriously." She urged leadership to avoid engaging in "costly political gimmicks," likely in reference to Trudeau's recent policy announcements of a limited-time sales tax break and 250 Canadian dollar rebate for workers, CNN reported.

The intrigue: Justin Trudeau's father, Pierre Elliott Trudeau, also resigned as prime minister in 1984.

What's next: With Trudeau out as party leader, he will remain prime minister until a new leader is chosen. Once a new party leader is selected, that person will become the next prime minister, per the New York Times.

More from Axios:

• America's allies are in trouble
• Canada bolstering border security after Trump talks, Canadian official says
• Trump wildcard paralyzes global central banks

Editor's note: This story has been updated with additional developments.

The New York judge overseeing President-elect Trump's hush money case upheld the historic criminal conviction and scheduled sentencing for Jan. 10, court documents show.

The big picture: That's just 10 days before Inauguration Day, though Judge Juan Merchan indicated in his written decision that Trump won't face jail time.

• Trump was convicted on all 34 felony counts for falsifying company records, making him the first convicted felon to be elected president.

Zoom in: Prosecutors had asked Merchan to place the case on indefinite hold, but the judge said sentencing is "the most viable solution to ensure finality" and to allow Trump to pursue an appeal.

• However, Merchan wrote he's not inclined to impose jail time — even though the conviction would allow it — because prosecutors "concede they no longer view [it] as a practicable recommendation" given Trump's reelection.
• Trump has the option to attend the sentencing in person or virtually.

Zoom out: Merchan also said that the Supreme Court's ruling that presidents have immunity from prosecution for "officials acts" doesn't apply to the president-elect.

• "Accordingly, a President-elect is not permitted to avail himself of the protections afforded to the individual occupying that Office," Merchan wrote.

What they're saying: Trump's spokesperson, Steven Cheung, said in a statement that Friday's order "is a direct violation of the Supreme Court's Immunity decision and other longstanding jurisprudence."

• He added that the case should be dismissed and there should be no sentencing.
• "President Trump must be allowed to continue the Presidential Transition process and to execute the vital duties of the presidency, unobstructed by the remains of this or any remnants of the Witch Hunts," Cheung added.

Editor's note: This has been updated with comment from Trump's spokesman.

The Biden administration is withdrawing its latest plans for student loan forgiveness as uncertainty looms over the status of debt relief under President-elect Trump.

Why it matters: The withdrawn initiatives would have provided debt relief for more than 30 million borrowers. They marked President Biden's last chance to deliver on his campaign promise of student loan forgiveness before leaving office.

• The incoming Trump administration is not expected to prioritize student loan relief.

Driving the news: The Department of Education withdrew the two plans as of Dec. 20, it said in a notice posted in the Federal Register.

• One of the plans remained held up in a legal battle, while the other would not be finalized until after Biden's term ends.
• "With the time remaining in this administration, the Department is focused on several priorities including court-ordered settlements and helping borrowers manage the final elements of the return to repayment," the notice states.

Between the lines: "The Biden administration dropping these proposed plans feels like a big loss, but the immediate relief these plans promised was still a long way off," NerdWallet lending expert Kate Wood told Axios.

• "The proposals being withdrawn shouldn't have an immediate effect on borrowers, though it's certainly a big disappointment for those who believe they would have qualified for forgiveness under these plans," she added.

The big picture: The Biden administration doled out nearly $180 billion in student debt relief to 4.9 million people through various actions, despite the Supreme Court blocking his sweeping debt cancellation plan last year.

• Many of Biden's plans for loan forgiveness were hampered by Republican-backed legal challenges.

How can student loan borrowers prepare for the next administration?

Borrowers don't need to take immediate action over the transfer of power.

Yes, but: Some federal loan borrowers may want to explore changing repayment plans, Wood said.

Zoom in: The Department of Education in December reopened two income-driven repayment plans to give borrowers more options to keep their payments low.

• Pay As You Earn (PAYE) and Income-Contingent Repayment (ICR) offer credit toward Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) and income-driven repayment (IDR) for eligible borrowers enrolled in SAVE.
• That means the plans can eventually lead to debt forgiveness after 20 or 25 years.
• The PAYE and ICR applications are available at StudentAid.gov/idr.

Be smart: "Borrowers who are stuck in the limbo of SAVE forbearance may want to check out these other IDR plans to see whether they could work," Wood said.

• Because these plans have different qualifications and use different payment formulas, monthly payments could change.
• "But for some borrowers, higher monthly payments may be a worthwhile price to pay for restarting their forgiveness clock," Wood said.

What student loan borrowers can do

• Prepare for the end of SAVE: The program, which is currently blocked amid a legal battle, will likely be nixed by the next administration. Look into other income-driven repayment plans and budget for increased payments.
• Budget for higher payments: Those already enrolled in other IDR plans may also see an increase in monthly payments, whether because of income recertification or for filing taxes jointly with a spouse.
• Ensure you're on track for forbearance, if eligible: Those working toward PSLF can track their information at StudentAid.gov and ensure their payments are being counted accurately.
• Take your loans out of default/start making payments: With the end of the one-year on-ramp period this fall, borrowers who are late on payments or do not make them can be reported to credit bureaus, which can negatively impact their credit scores.

More from Axios:

• What another Trump term could mean for student loan relief
• Biden admin cancels $4.3 billion in latest round of student loan relief
• Biden's brief win in battle for student loan forgiveness scuttled in court
• Key student loan protection ends Sept. 30, here's what borrowers should know

The Biden administration on Monday withdrew its proposed plans to reverse a Trump-era policy that made it easier for employers to refuse to offer birth control coverage in company-sponsored health plans.

Why it matters: With Democrats' loss of the White House and Congress in the 2024 elections, Republicans are in a strong position to undermine President Biden's legacy — including his administration's work to bolster reproductive rights post-Roe.

Driving the news: The Department of Health and Human Services said in a Federal Register notice on Monday that it's withdrawing the proposed regulations "to focus their time and resources on matters other than finalizing these rules" in the administration's final weeks.

• The plan would have made some 130,000 people eligible to receive coverage for contraceptives, Politico reports.

Context: During President-elect Trump's first term, his administration rolled back the Affordable Care Act's contraceptive mandate — allowing organizations to opt out of coverage, citing moral objections. Before that, exemptions were limited to religious grounds.

• The Biden administration's proposed rule would have scrapped the "moral" exemption and retained the "religious" one.
• It also would have created an "independent pathway" for people who have insurers with religious exemptions to access birth control through a "willing contraceptive provider" at no cost, the HHS said when announcing the plan last year.

The big picture: Patients have been rushing to get reproductive care — including getting IUD replacements, backup contraception and abortion pills — before the incoming Trump administration takes office next month.

• Access to reproductive health care more broadly could be in jeopardy, especially under a conservative Supreme Court, experts say.
• Republicans, who will soon control Congress, have vowed to restrict abortion care. They're likely to try to restrict access to medication abortion and could attempt to pass a national abortion ban.
• But Trump, after waffling on the issue, said he'd veto a national ban and prefers to leave the issue of abortion to the states. He also recently vowed for the first time to ensure the FDA does not block access to abortion pills.
• Millions of women of reproductive age could be impacted if the cost of care increases or access to contraceptives is limited.

More from Axios:

• Patients rush to get reproductive care before Trump takes office
• Patient requests for long-term birth control on rise after Trump reelection
• Biden admin floats expanded contraception coverage

Holiday shoppers are spending a record amount this year on gifts despite the shorter shopping season and inflation concerns.

The big picture: Shoppers are projected to spend between $979.5 billion and $989 billion during the Christmas season, per an annual survey from the National Retail Federation and Prosper Insights & Analytics.

By the numbers: Retail sales from November and December are predicted to beat 2023 by between 2.5% and 3.5%, NRF projects.

• Shoppers are budgeting a record of $902 each on average for gifts and seasonal items, like decorations and food.
• Online shopping is a main contributor of overall retail sales growth and is expected to increase between 8% and 9%. That's about $295.1 billion to $297.9 billion, per NRF.

While NRF defines the holiday season as Nov. 1 to Dec. 31, it notes the period between Thanksgiving and Christmas was 5 days shorter than last year.

What we're buying: The top gifts shoppers have purchased include clothing and accessories, followed by toys, gift cards, books, video games and personal care or beauty items.

Zoom out: With more shoppers out and about, retailers are hiring more workers to keep up with demand.

• Between 400,000 and 500,000 seasonal workers are expected to be hired this year, according to NRF. That's down slightly from 509,000 seasonal hires last year.

What they're saying: "The winter holidays are an important tradition to American families, and their capacity to spend will continue to be supported by a strong job market and wage growth," NRF President and CEO Matthew Shay said.

More from Axios:

• How much Americans are spending on holiday goods
• The holiday shopping season is short, but Americans will spend anyway
• Record holiday travel expected to end a busy year

Sens. Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.) and James Lankford (R-Okla.) compared U.S. political polarization and fatigue to family dynamics in an interview with NBC's "Meet the Press."

The big picture: The comments from the only two ordained ministers in the Senate come as the nation grapples with a divisive post-election ideological divide.

• Case in point: Lawmakers grappled this week with gaining bipartisan support for a spending bill to avoid a government shutdown.
• The full interview with NBC's Kristen Welker will air on a special edition of "Meet the Press" on Sunday morning.

Zoom in: Warnock said bipartisan work "is as basic as the American covenant," according to a transcript provided to Axios.

• He added that while there are differences of opinion, "the issue is our humanity and trying to build and strengthen the American family."
• Asked how lawmakers can reach across the aisle, Lankford said he believes most people don't identify first with their parties but rather as human beings and neighbors. The question, he said, is how to get "people who disagree [to] sit down and figure it out? That's where we are."
• He added, "Unfortunately, Washington, D.C. is a mirror to the country that the country doesn't really like."
• Rather than trying to figure out how to be bipartisan, "we're supposed to figure out how to solve problems," Lankford said. "I think that's the emotion of the country, is they want it to be fixed, but they can't figure out how it's going to actually happen.

Between the lines: The percentage of Americans who say they have a great deal or a fair amount of trust in the mass media has fallen to a record low.

• Engagement with political news and news generally is also down considerably compared to the previous presidential primary election cycle.

The bottom line: Warnock said he thinks what "we're dealing with is the fundamental assault on that basic understanding that we are the American family" and that "all families have a complicated story."

• He added, "We have differences, but we sit together and we work it out."

Go deeper: MLK's daughter urges Americans not to tune out Trump's inauguration

If you're feeling behind on your Christmas shopping, you're not alone.

The big picture: A majority of holiday shoppers plan to finish buying gifts the week leading up to Christmas, an annual survey found.

• "Whether shoppers have planned out their shopping list or are waiting until the last minute," many are still shopping in the days before Dec. 25 said Phil Rist, executive vice president of strategy at Prosper Insights & Analytics.

Yes, but: 58% of shoppers started checking off their gift lists in early November, according to the data from the National Retail Federation and Prosper Insights & Analytics.

• Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals in late November drive many shoppers to get their gifts in early at discounted prices.
• Even with the early start, 62% of shoppers didn't expect to start wrapping their holiday purchases until December.

Zoom in: As of early December, Americans had purchased half the gifts on their shopping lists on average, while only 10% were finished.

• The near-majority of shoppers (49%) finish their shopping online. They're also going to department stores, discount stores and clothing and accessory stores.

Between the lines: Most shoppers opt for a head start on shopping to spread out their spending.

• Each shopper is expected to spend an average of $902 across gifts, food, decorations and other seasonal items.
• Avoiding crowds and the stress of last minute shopping are other top reasons people start holiday shopping early.

Super Saturday shopping

Super Saturday, the last Saturday before Christmas, falls on Dec. 21 this year and is one of the biggest shopping days of the season.

• An estimated 157.2 million people plan to shop on the last Saturday before Christmas, according to the NRF survey.
• That's up from 141.9 million Super Saturday shoppers last year and is the second-highest number after 2022's 158.5 million figure.

What they're saying: Katherine Cullen, NRF vice president of industry and consumer insights, noted Super Saturday is one of the last opportunities to buy the remaining items on peoples' shopping lists.

• "With a shortened window between Thanksgiving and Christmas this year, consumers will be hitting stores and shopping online to get those final gifts and to take advantage of special promotions and deals," she added.

More from Axios:

• Record holiday travel expected to end a busy year
• Flashing yellow light for consumer
• Why food recalls are mounting this year

Elon Musk seemingly endorsed the far-right, anti-immigration Alternative for Germany (AfD) party on Friday.

The big picture: The X owner has used his social media platform to promote his own ideologies. Since gaining more influence in the incoming Trump administration, the billionaire CEO appears to be exercising that power over politics in the U.S. and abroad.

• Musk has shown recent support for other European right-wing populist politicians, including Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni and British politician Nigel Farage, who is big Trump champion in the U.K.

Driving the news: "Only the AfD can save Germany," Musk posted on X.

• His message was in response to a post from German right-wing influencer Naomi Seibt, criticizing conservative chancellor candidate Friedrich Merz.

Context: Germany will hold a snap election in February, after a center-left coalition government led by Chancellor Olaf Scholz collapsed.

• AfD became the first far-right party this year to win a regional election in Germany since World War II.

What to watch: The party last month said it would throw out three of its members who were arrested on suspicion of having joined an "extremist" paramilitary group.

More from Axios:

• Elon Musk, volatility junkie, disrupts the regular order
• Musk's maxed-out megaphone: Shutdown power play will be hard to repeat
• Democrats rage at "unelected co-president" Elon Musk

Holiday travelers fretting over how a government shutdown would affect their flights can breathe easy — now that both chambers of Congress have approved a temporary stopgap avoiding the prospect.

The big picture: An estimated 40 million people are expected to fly during one of the busiest travel periods of the year, and TSA agents and air traffic controllers will continue to work.

• A TSA spokesperson told Axios "While our personnel have prepared to handle high volumes of travelers and ensure safe travel," a lengthy shutdown could have meant longer wait times at airports.

State of play: The clock was ticking toward a government shutdown at 12:01 am Saturday, but about 30 minutes later the Senate followed the GOP-controlled House in defying President-elect Trump and nixing a plan to fund the federal government that Trump favored.

• A shutdown could have cost the U.S. travel economy $1 billion per week, impacting millions of travelers, businesses and federal workers nationwide, according to the U.S. Travel Association.

Zoom in: Non-essential federal employees also would have stopped working.

• Air traffic controllers — already facing a nationwide shortage — and TSA employees at airport checkpoints are considered essential employees and would have been asked to work without pay.

By the numbers: 59,000 of the TSA's 62,000 employees are considered essential and would have continued working without pay in the event of a shutdown, the agency told Axios.

• However, during a five-week partial government shutdown over the holidays from 2018 to 2019, hundreds of TSA agents called out sick from work.

Between the lines: 60% of Americans would have considered altering their travel plans if a shutdown occurred, with many choosing to cancel or avoid flights altogether, an Ipsos survey found.

What they're saying: Geoff Freeman, president and CEO of the U.S. Travel Association, said in a statement before Congress approved the spending that "a prolonged government shutdown threatens holiday travel disruptions that Americans won't tolerate."

• He called lawmakers' passage of the spending resolution "the right decision" on Saturday and said the bill "provides both certainty for critical federal travel operations and disaster relief for hurricane-devastated communities across the southeast."
• "Let's hope that how we got here isn't a precursor for all of the important decisions ahead," Freeman added.

More from Axios:

• Record holiday travel expected to end a busy year
• Trump opposes Johnson's spending deal to avert government shutdown
• Why food recalls are mounting this year

Editor's note: This story has been updated with the latest congressional actions and an updated statement from the U.S. Travel Association.

From carrots to eggs to onions to milk and ice cream, food recalls have mounted this year.

The big picture: Food and cosmetic recalls, which the Food and Drug Administration categorizes together, nearly doubled from 2012 to 2024.

• During the 2024 fiscal year that ended in September, such recalls reached the highest level since before the pandemic, FDA data show.
• "This is going to continue to increase before it gets better," per Darin Detwiler, a Northeastern University professor and food safety advocate who said his son died as a result of an E. coli outbreak.

State of play: The rise in such incidents can partially be attributed to an increase in consumer demand for ready-to-eat foods and prepackaged meals, Detwiler told Axios in a phone interview.

• "With greater convenience comes more risk," he said. Those types of foods are often consumed without any additional cooking, which would potentially kill listeria, Detwiler said.
• "We're also dealing with a scenario where we're having increased globalization of food production, which not only creates more opportunities for contamination at multiple points in the supply chain, but it creates more scenarios where there's blind spots."
• Critical failures in sanitation inspections from the federal government are also an issue, he said, pointing to this year's Boar's Head outbreak.

By the numbers: There were 1,908 recalled food and cosmetics products in the fiscal year that ended in September, per FDA data. Another 263 have been issued so far in the 2025 fiscal year, as of Dec. 12.

• That's the highest number of recalls for the category since 2019, when there were 2,046.

Health impacts: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 48 million people get sick from food-borne diseases each year in the U.S. 128,000 of them are hospitalized and 3,000 die.

• More people die every year from food-borne diseases in the U.S. than in the 9/11 terrorist attack.

Zoom in: The 2024 recalls included a wide range of food products from vegetables to meat to apple juice, which sickened many people in the U.S.

• Notably, Boar's Head Provisions Co., Inc. recalled some 7 million pounds of ready-to-eat meat and poultry products for possible listeria contamination this year. At least 57 people were hospitalized and 9 deaths were reported, per the CDC.
• Cases in an E. coli outbreak linked to McDonald's Quarter Pounders infected more than 100 people in 14 states, according to health authorities. Fresh onions were removed from select Taco Bell, KFC and Pizza Hut restaurants as a result.

Zoom out: So who is responsible for food safety in the U.S.? It's complicated.

• Federal agencies are tasked with providing guidelines and regulations for food. A chunk of the responsibility also falls to the states.
• Within U.S. states, there are about 3,000 different jurisdictions for food safety, Detwiler said. "And not everyone's on the same page."

The bottom line: Detwiler emphasized that individuals need to be their own advocates in terms of food safety.

• If you think something is wrong with your food or how it's being handled, say something, Detwiler said.

Go deeper: Food recalls reach highest level since before pandemic

A record number of holiday travelers are expected to close out an already busy year at airports and on roads across the U.S.

The big picture: More than 119 million Americans are projected to travel during the Christmas and New Year's holiday period, narrowly surpassing the previous record set pre-pandemic in 2019, per AAA.

• The TSA expects to screen nearly 40 million people moving through airports over the holidays — a more than 6% increase from last year.

Zoom out: The projections round off a year that set holiday travel records for Memorial Day, July Fourth and Thanksgiving.

Zoom in: 119.3 million people are projected to travel 50 miles or more from home over the year-end holiday period from Saturday, December 21 to Wednesday, January 1, per AAA.

• That's three million more travelers compared to last year.
• The domestic travel projection narrowly surpasses the previous record set in 2019 by 64,000 travelers.

What they're saying: "This is the time of year when lifelong memories are made with loved ones, and travel plays a big role in that," Stacey Barber, vice president of AAA Travel, said in a statement. "This year, with Christmas Day falling on a Wednesday, we're anticipating record-breaking travel numbers the weekend before and the weekend after the holiday."

Driving to holidays destinations

Nearly 90% of holiday travelers will be driving to their destinations, per AAA.

• That's 107 million people expected to be on the roads — 2.5 million more than last year.

Worth noting: Gas prices are lower this holiday season than last year.

• "Gas demand in December goes down as the weather gets colder, more people work remotely, and holiday shoppers purchase their gifts online versus in person," AAA said.

Best and worst times to drive

Travel times on the roads could be up to 30% longer during the holiday period, per INRIX, which provides transportation data and insights.

• The worst traffic delays are expected the weekends before Christmas Day and New Year's Day. Sunday, December 22 is projected to be the nation's worst day to travel, per INRIX.
• The holidays themselves are expected to have minimal congestion.

What they're saying: "Our advice is to avoid traveling during peak commuting hours during the week," Bob Pishue, transportation analyst at INRIX, said. "If schedules allow, leave bright and early or after the evening commute."

Holiday air travel record

The TSA expects to screen nearly 40 million people from Dec. 19 to Jan. 2.

• The busiest travel days at airports are projected to be Dec. 20, 27 and 30.

Be smart: Travelers are taking to the skies in record numbers, so plan to arrive to the airport at least two hours prior to your flight's scheduled boarding time, the agency advises.

Record travel by bus, train and cruise

The number of people traveling by bus, train and cruise this holiday season is up nearly 10% compared to last year, according to AAA.

• Some 4.47 million people will use these modes of travel, marking the highest number in 20 years.
• Domestic cruise bookings are also up 37% compared to last holiday season.

Where is everyone going?

Tropical weather destinations are the top choices for people's end-of-year travel, based on AAA booking data from Dec. 21, 2024 to Jan. 1, 2025.

• Many of the most popular domestic destinations are in Florida — Orlando, Fort Lauderdale, Miami and Tampa.
• Also on the list are Anaheim/Los Angeles in California, Las Vegas in Nevada, Honolulu in Hawaii, New York City, Charleston in South Carolina and New Orleans in Louisiana.

Go deeper: The Christmas tree value play