Donald Trump’s choices for high-profile Cabinet positions will be questioned in Senate hearings. Crews search for the origin of the Palisades Fire. And declassified documents show that Queen Elizabeth II remained in the dark about a Soviet spy in the palace.
Here’s what you need to know today.
Trump DOJ pick Pam Bondi heads to Senate
Senators are moving on to the second day of confirmation hearings for newly elected Donald Trump administration’s picks. Today, lawmakers will speak with Pam Bondi, Trump’s pick to lead the Justice Department.
Bondi is a longtime Trump ally and was Florida’s first female attorney general. She prioritized issues such as reducing drug abuse, advocating against human trafficking and rolling back Obamacare. Trump chose Bondi after his first choice, former Rep. Matt Gaetz, withdrew after his nomination sparked chaos and criticism from critics.
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Democrats are expected to ask questions about her time at a top lobbying firm, her comments on the 2020 election and whether she can remain independent as the future leader of the Justice Department.
Read more about BondiAnd follow our live blog for hearing updates throughout the day. Senator Marco Rubio, Trump’s pick for secretary of state, will also appear before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
Yesterday, Senate Republicans warmly welcomed Trump, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth. During his confirmation hearing yesterday, Hegseth repeatedly praised the president-elect and criticized the Biden administration, railing against “left-wing universities” and “left-wing media in America.”
Democrats focused on Hegseth’s previous comments that women should not serve in combat roles. And Democratic Sen. Tim Kaine brought up Hegseth’s personal indiscretions — that he cheated on his second wife — to cast doubt on his character. Republicans, who jumped to Hegseth’s defense, voiced their support for him after the hearing. Republican Senator Joni Ernst, who was seen as the linchpin of Hegseth’s path to 50 votes, expressed her support for his appointment completed after the hearing.
Read more takeaways of Hegseth’s confirmation hearing.
More political news:
The search for the origin of the Palisades Fire
As crews continue to battle the deadly and devastating Palisades Fire, another team searches for answers to how the massive fire started more than a week ago. The answers, when they emerge, will most likely be found on a scorched ridge in west Los Angeles, near a popular hiking trail — an area that was also the scene of a small fire six days earlier.
The answers will not come immediately. Jose Medina, acting special agent in charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives’ LA office, said at a news conference yesterday: “We don’t have a timeline on when this will happen.” Multiple law enforcement sources said the focus of the investigation early on was on possible human causes, including arson, an accidental spark, fireworks, unauthorized camping or reigniting a previous fire that was extinguished on New Year’s Day.
Read more about how researchers refine their search and the methods they use to determine the origin of a fire.
As of Tuesday evening, the Palisades Fire was 23,713 acres and 18% contained, and the Eaton Fire was 14,117 acres and 35% contained. The death toll from the fires has risen to 25, officials said. Red flag warnings remain in effect until tonight. Wind conditions are expected to be more normal starting tomorrow and into the weekend, the National Weather Service said.
Follow our live blog for updates.
More coverage of the LA wildfires:
South Korean President Arrested
South Korean authorities have arrested President Yoon Suk Yeol over his failed declaration of martial law, weeks after an initial attempt ended in a dramatic standoff. The arrest warrant was executed on Wednesday morning local time, after hundreds of police arrived at his presidential complex in central Seoul. Yoon, who was ousted last month, is the country’s first president to be arrested while in office.
Yoon can be held for up to 48 hours, after which investigators must apply for a new warrant to formally charge and detain him. He may be charged with insurrection. A lawmaker who was with Yoon when he was taken into custody said the president intended to exercise his right to remain silent.
Yoon’s lawyers and lawmakers from his People Power Party argued that the order was illegal. The main opposition Democratic Party hailed Yoon’s arrest as “the first step toward restoring constitutional order. Read the full story here.
Federal report warns against even one drink a day
Just one alcoholic drink a day is linked to a wide range of negative health effects, according to a new report from a group within the Department of Health and Human Services. The findings come as the government considers updates to federal dietary guidelines this year, which could include new recommendations on alcohol consumption. In this report, researchers found that a daily drink for both men and women was associated with an increased risk of liver cirrhosis, several types of cancer and injuries, but with a lower risk of ischemic stroke.
Another federal report released last month found that moderate alcohol consumption was linked to a lower risk of death from any cause and a lower risk of death from heart disease, but also to a higher risk of breast cancer. Earlier this month, Surgeon General Vivek Murthy said alcoholic drinks should carry a cancer risk warning label. Read the full story here.
Read all about it
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The SEC Elon Musk suedalleging that the billionaire committed securities fraud by failing to disclose his ownership on Twitter before purchasing it.
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Cuba 553 political prisoners released after the Biden administration announced it would remove the country from the list of state sponsors of terrorism.
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The FTC accused the three largest drug intermediaries of driving up the cost of drugs raking in $7.3 billion in recent years.
Personnel choice: Declassified documents reveal a Soviet spy in the royal palace
Queen Elizabeth II with Sir Anthony Blunt at an art exhibition in London in 1979.
The Season 3 premiere of The Crown was one of my favorite episodes in the series – not only did it introduce the brilliant Olivia Coleman as Queen Elizabeth, but it also delved into the shadowy world of Cold War-era espionage with the reveal of one of the Queen’s aides, Buckingham Palace art historian Anthony Blunt, as one KGB agent. Now, newly released spy documents tell us more about the affair, including (in a departure from the show) that Queen Elizabeth was not officially aware of the palace betrayal for more than a decade. — Annie Heuvel, platforms editor
NBC Select: Online shopping, simplified
New and innovative technology was announced at CES 2025, including a portable gaming console from Lenovo, a portable TV from LG, a robot vacuum cleaner that can move objects and much more. Being here the 25 products you need to know. In addition, experts weigh in whether you want to throw away your black plastic cookware.
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