Politics
The members of Congress pushing Biden to step aside are nearly all white. Reasons for a racial divide
A small but growing number of Democratic members of Congress — about 20 as of Friday afternoon — have publicly called on President Biden to withdraw from the presidential race.
Nearly all are white, and many are members of the moderate New Democrat Coalition. But Biden still has strong support from most of the Congressional Black Caucus, which boasts about 60 members of the House, and the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, with about 40.
His fate may depend on whether he can hold them.
The fear of many Democrats — whether they are saying so publicly or not — is not only that Biden will lose the White House but that he will also doom their chances of winning the Senate or the House of Representatives. Congressional leaders have carried their concerns to Biden, but they have no power to force him out, and they worry that an open conflict could be disastrous for the party.
Biden has scoffed at polls suggesting most Democratic voters believe he should step aside after his disastrous debate with former President Trump last month.
“I’m determined on running,” the president said at a news conference Thursday. “I’ve got to finish the job because there’s so much at stake.”
He said he would not reconsider unless aides told him “there’s no way you can win.”
In the middle are two leaders whose decisions may be key to his fate: former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-San Francisco) and the old-school patriarch of the Black caucus, Rep. James E. Clyburn (D-S.C.).
Pelosi, who retired as Democratic leader in 2022, remains the party’s most respected political tactician. On Wednesday, she pointedly told Biden that he needs to make a considered decision whether to run or not — even though the president had already said his mind was made up.
“It’s up to the president to decide if he is going to run,” she said. “We’re all encouraging him to make that decision, because time is running short.”
Meanwhile, Clyburn has expressed full support for the president — but he has pointedly added that Biden still has time to reconsider.
“The conversation should focus on the record of this administration … and let Joe Biden continue to make his own decisions about the future,” Clyburn said Friday. “If he decides to change his mind later on, then we will respond to that.”
Clyburn has also noted that he thinks Vice President Kamala Harris would make a fine candidate if the president pulls out.
A former congressional aide who’s in touch with Democratic leaders said Clyburn and others in the Black Caucus appear intent on ensuring that Harris will be next in line if Biden withdraws. “They’re making sure she’s the only alternative,” the former aide said. “The longer this goes on, the easier it will be to put her in.”
Clyburn has a special tie with Biden: In the 2020 primary race for the Democratic nomination, when Biden’s campaign was struggling, it was Clyburn who helped deliver a key victory in South Carolina thanks to overwhelming support from the state’s Black voters.
Even before that episode, Biden considered Black Democrats a cornerstone of his coalition, and he has remained attentive to their concerns. He named Harris, a Black senator, as his running mate, and appointed the Supreme Court’s first Black woman, Ketanji Brown Jackson. He waged a spirited fight for voting rights legislation that stood little chance of passage. He increased federal aid to historically Black colleges and universities.
And when his debate performance sparked panic among some Democrats, the first group he called for support was the Congressional Black Caucus.
Most members of the caucus responded with fervent endorsements. Most represent heavily Democratic districts, so their reelection is at little risk if the president loses.
“It ain’t going to be no other Democratic candidate,” Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Los Angeles) said fervently at the Essence Festival in New Orleans last week. “It’s going to be Biden.”
But even in the Black Caucus, a few cracks have appeared. This week, Reps. Emanuel Cleaver II (D-Mo.) and Ritchie Torres (D-N.Y.) expressed fears that if Biden falters, the party’s chances of winning a majority in the House will suffer too.
The chair and vice chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, Reps. Nanette Diaz Barragán (D-San Pedro) and Adriano Espaillat (D-N.Y.), issued a statement supporting Biden, but two members of their caucus, Reps. Raul M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.) and Mike Levin (D-San Juan Capistrano) have called on Biden to step down.
Those calling on Biden to withdraw come from a variety of districts and backgrounds. Most are moderates, but at least six are members of the Progressive Caucus. On the other hand, several progressives who have criticized Biden for his policies on Israel and Gaza, including Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) and Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.), have publicly supported the president.
The question now is whether the trickle of voices publicly calling on Biden to withdraw — less than 10% of the House Democratic caucus so far — turns into a deluge, prompting Pelosi, Clyburn and others to escalate their pressure on the president.
Several people close to Democratic leaders said the battle probably has weeks to run as new poll numbers appear, constituents weigh in, and more members make up their minds.
The real deadline, Clyburn and others said, isn’t until the Democratic National Convention begins on Aug. 19. At that point, the delegates who formally designate the party’s nominee can make up their minds.
Even Biden acknowledged that the delegates are free to vote for any candidate, even though almost all of them were chosen in primaries that he won.
“If all of a sudden I show up at the convention and everybody says we want somebody else, that’s the democratic process,” he said at his news conference. Then he grinned, and added in a confident whisper: “It’s not going to happen.”
Read more from columnist Doyle McManus on Trump and California:
Politics
Trump lists accomplishments, says ‘Radical Left Scum’ are ‘failing badly’ in Christmas message
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President Donald Trump used his Christmas Eve Truth Social post to tout his administration’s accomplishments and to bash those on the left whom he accused of trying to “destroy” the U.S.
“Merry Christmas to all, including the radical left scum that is doing everything possible to destroy our country, but are failing badly,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “We no longer have open borders, men in women’s sports, transgender for everyone, or weak law enforcement. What we do have is a record stock market and 401K’s, lowest crime numbers in decades, no inflation, and yesterday, a 4.3 GDP, two points better than expected.”
“Tariffs have given us trillions of dollars in growth and prosperity, and the strongest national security we have ever had. We are respected again, perhaps like never before. God Bless America!!!,” the president added.
In the first year of Trump’s second term, the administration launched a sweeping crackdown on illegal immigration, introduced controversial tariffs, worked to cut DEI from government programs and took steps toward fulfilling other campaign promises.
TRUMP TAKES NORAD SANTA CALLS WITH CHILDREN, PRAISES ‘CLEAN, BEAUTIFUL COAL’ AND ‘HIGH IQ’ PERSON
President Donald Trump calls children as he participates in tracking Santa Claus’ movements with the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) Santa Tracker on Christmas Eve at the Mar-a-Lago resort on Dec. 24, 2025, in Palm Beach, Florida. This is the 70th year that NORAD has publicly tracked Santa’s sleigh on its global rounds. (Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images)
The Department of Homeland Security announced Wednesday that it had arrested 17,500 criminal illegal immigrants since Trump signed the Laken Riley Act in January 2025. In a separate DHS announcement, the department unveiled the “2025 Worst of the Worst Criminal Illegal Aliens,” saying that 70% of all ICE arrests are of illegal immigrants “convicted or charged with a crime in the U.S.”
DHS Secretary Kristi Noem said in a statement on the results of the Laken Riley Act that “President Trump has empowered us to arrest and remove the millions of violent criminal illegal aliens unleashed on the United States by the previous administration. Now, these criminals will face justice and be removed from our country.”
Trump’s Christmas Truth Social post on his administration’s accomplishments was also backed up by recent economic data. On Tuesday, the Bureau of Economic Analysis released its initial estimate of the third-quarter GDP, which showed the economy grew at an annualized rate of 4.3% in the three-month period including July, August and September.
President Donald Trump pumps his fist at Christmas Eve dinner at his Mar-a-Lago club, Wednesday, Dec. 24, 2025, in Palm Beach, Fla. (Alex Brandon/AP Photo)
OPINION: MELANIA TRUMP’S WHITE HOUSE CHRISTMAS IS A SHINING BEACON OF AMERICA
“Compared to the second quarter, the acceleration in real GDP in the third quarter reflected a smaller decrease in investment, an acceleration in consumer spending, and upturns in exports and government spending. Imports decreased less in the third quarter,” the BEA said.
While the president issued a cutting Christmas Eve statement on Truth Social, his official Christmas Day message was softer and more focused on the meaning of the holiday and the season.
In the statement, which was released by the White House on Thursday, Trump and first lady Melania Trump relayed their warm wishes to Americans while emphasizing the religious significance of Christmas.
The Trump administration launched a new website celebrating Christmas and the federal government’s contributions to the U.S. stretching back decades. (Alex Wong/Getty Images)
MELANIA TRUMP GIVES UPLIFTING MESSAGE ABOUT SANTA TO YOUNG KIDS AT HOSPITAL
“The First Lady and I send our warmest wishes to all Americans as we share in the joy of Christmas Day and celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ,” the message reads.
Trump went on to recount the biblical story of Jesus’ birth in Bethlehem, calling it “the perfect expression of God’s boundless love and His desire to be close to His people.” The president then tied the story to the founding principles of the U.S.
“For nearly 250 years, the principles of faith, family, and freedom have remained at the center of our way of life. As President, I will never waver in defending the fundamental values that make America the greatest country in the history of the world—and we will always remain one Nation under God.”
President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump participate in calls to U.S. service members, on Christmas Eve, from the Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach, Florida, Dec. 24, 2025. (Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP via Getty Images)
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The president also paid homage to U.S. servicemembers who are overseas and are unable to be with their families for the holiday. Trump thanked them for their service and sacrifice and their dedication to protecting Americans.
“We are grateful for their devotion, and we keep them and their loved ones close in our hearts.”
Trump ended his official message with a prayer for peace in the U.S. and across the globe, extending Christmas wishes to Americans and the world.
“During the Christmas season, we pray for an outpouring of God’s abiding love, divine mercy, and everlasting peace upon our country and the entire world,” he said.. “To every American, and to those celebrating around the globe, we wish you a very Merry Christmas!”
Politics
The battle for control of Warner Bros.: A timeline of key developments
Netflix and Paramount are locked in an epic tug-of-war for HBO and Warner Bros. — the historic film factory behind Batman, Harry Potter, Scooby-Doo, “Casablanca” and “The Matrix.”
Warner Bros. Discovery awarded the prize to Netflix, prompting Paramount to mount a hostile takeover bid valued at $108 billion for all of the Warner assets, which also include CNN, TBS, HGTV and TLC. The Larry Ellison-backed media company, run by his son David Ellison, has asked Warner shareholders to sell their shares to Paramount.
Warner Bros.’ sale has become the industry’s game of thrones.
The streaming king, Netflix, hopes to buy a chunk of the company — HBO, HBO Max, Warner Bros. film and TV studios and the 110-acre lot in Burbank — through its $82.7-billion deal. Not included are Warner’s basic cable channels, which are set to be spun off into a separate, publicly-traded company called Discovery Global.
Both deals would fundamentally reorder Hollywood and raise antitrust concerns. Netflix would boast more than 400 million subscribers worldwide, furthering its market dominance. And Paramount’s takeover would combine two major film studios and two leading news organizations, CNN and CBS News, under Ellison family control.
Here’s a look at how we got here:
Politics
Nearly 20 states sue HHS over declaration to restrict gender transition treatment for minors
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A group of 19 Democrat-led states and Washington, D.C., filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration over a declaration that aims to restrict gender transition treatment for minors.
The lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; its secretary, Robert F. Kennedy Jr.; and its inspector general comes after the declaration issued last week described treatments such as puberty blockers, hormone therapy and gender surgeries as unsafe and ineffective for children experiencing gender dysphoria.
The declaration also warned doctors they could be excluded from federal health programs, including Medicare and Medicaid, if they provide these treatments to minors.
The move seeks to build on President Donald Trump’s executive order in January calling on HHS to protect children from “chemical and surgical mutilation.”
HHS UNLEASHES SWEEPING CRACKDOWN ON CHILD ‘SEX-REJECTING PROCEDURES,’ THREATENS HOSPITAL, MEDICAID FUNDING
The lawsuit was filed against the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; its secretary, Robert F. Kennedy Jr.; and its inspector general. (Elizabeth Frantz/Reuters)
“We are taking six decisive actions guided by gold standard science and the week one executive order from President Trump to protect children from chemical and surgical mutilation,” Kennedy said during a press conference last week.
HHS has also proposed new rules designed to further block gender transition treatment for minors, although the lawsuit does not address the rules, which have yet to be finalized.
The states’ lawsuit, filed Tuesday in Eugene, Oregon, argues that the declaration is inaccurate and unlawful and urges the court to prevent it from being enforced.
“Secretary Kennedy cannot unilaterally change medical standards by posting a document online, and no one should lose access to medically necessary health care because their federal government tried to interfere in decisions that belong in doctors’ offices,” New York Attorney General Letitia James, who led the lawsuit, said in a statement.
The lawsuit claims the declaration attempts to pressure providers into ending gender transition treatment for young people and circumvent legal requirements for policy changes. The complaint said federal law requires the public be given notice and an opportunity to comment before substantively amending health policy and that neither of these were done before the declaration was released.
HHS’ move seeks to build on President Donald Trump’s executive order in January calling on HHS to protect children from “chemical and surgical mutilation.” (Tom Brenner for The Washington Post via Getty Images)
The declaration based its conclusions on a peer-reviewed report that the department conducted earlier this year that called for more reliance on behavioral therapy rather than broad gender transition treatment for minors with gender dysphoria.
The report raised questions about standards for the treatment of transgender children issued by the World Professional Association for Transgender Health and brought concerns that youths may be too young to give consent to life-changing treatments that could result in future infertility.
Major medical groups and physicians who treat transgender children have criticized the report as inaccurate.
HHS also announced last week two proposed federal rules — one to cut off federal Medicaid and Medicare funding from hospitals that offer gender transition treatment to children and another to block federal Medicaid money from being used for these procedures.
HOUSE APPROVES MTG-SPONSORED BILL TO CRIMINALIZE GENDER TRANSITION TREATMENT FOR MINORS
New York Attorney General Letitia James led the lawsuit against the Trump administration. (Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images)
The proposals have not yet been made final and are not legally binding because they must go through a lengthy rulemaking process and public comment before they can be enforced.
Several major medical providers have already pulled back on gender transition treatment for youths since Trump returned to office, even those in Democrat-led states where the procedures are legal under state law.
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Medicaid programs in just under half of states currently cover gender transition treatment. At least 27 states have adopted laws restricting or banning the treatment, and the Supreme Court’s decision this year upholding Tennessee’s ban likely means other state laws will remain in place.
Democrat attorneys general from California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Wisconsin, Washington state and Washington, D.C., as well as Pennsylvania’s Democrat governor, joined James in the lawsuit.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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