On Politics

Thu Dec 5 2024

Rebecca Morin | Senior National News Reporter

@RebeccaMorin_

Howdy all! It's Rebecca Morin, senior national news reporter at USA TODAY. I don't know about you, but I'm ready for the weekend.

Joe Biden's pardon of his son fuels debate over president's legacy

Nantucket is where Joe Biden makes all of his important decisions. It's where nearly a decade ago he was urged by his sons, Hunter and Beau, to run for president. (He sat that election out after his son Beau died from brain cancer.) It's also where he made a recent big decision: pardoning Hunter. The pardon has been met with swift backlash from Republicans and even some Democrats. Interviews with Biden's supporters, historians and political experts make clear Biden's legacy will be defined by his two sons. Read more.

•	Was the Trump administration going to pursue Hunter Biden? There were clues.
•	Judge scolds Joe Biden for trying to 'rewrite history' in Hunter Biden pardon

Biden's not done with pardons though.

The president's senior aides are also considering potential preemptive pardons for individuals they fear Trump and his incoming administration might target for criminal investigations and prosecutions after taking office, according to a source familiar with the conversations. Read more.

A look at the 2024 White House holiday decorations

The White House unveiled their holiday decorations earlier this year. The theme is to celebrate a "season of peace and light." Take a look at the photos here.

Christmas decorations at the White House on Dec. 2, 2024.

Roberto Schmidt/AFP via Getty Images

A politics pit stop

•	This anti-'woke' investor is wooing Trump voters. His first target: Starbucks
•	Trump nominates finance CEO Frank Bisignano to lead Social Security Administration
•	Jimmy Carter's grandson says he's 'not that active' now, but has 'good days'
•	Watch: Biggest sanctuary cities brace for Donald Trump deportations
•	France's government collapses − again. Here's why it keeps happening.

Republicans locked down a trifecta for 2025. They'll still have to walk a tightrope in Congress.

The White House and both chambers of Congress, the House and the Senate, will be controlled by Republicans next year. But history shows the GOP is not immune from infighting, and with slim majorities, lawmakers have little room to split. Read more.

Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy may be exempt from ethics rules as Trump's advisors

Trump's plan to use an outside advisory committee led by Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy to cut federal spending is raising eyebrows among ethics-law experts who say its leaders won't be subject to the same laws as Trump's nominees to the Cabinet and other top jobs. Read more.

Got a burning question, or comment, for On Politics? You can submit them here or send me an email at rdmorin@usatoday.com.