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Who Is Coming to the Inauguration — and Who Isn’t

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Who Is Coming to the Inauguration — and Who Isn’t

Three of the richest men in the world, foreign dignitaries, tech and business executives, former presidents and an assortment of performers and other celebrities are on the guest list for President-elect Donald J. Trump’s inauguration on Monday, even as much of the midday ceremony has been moved indoors amid forecasts of extreme cold.

It is unclear what impact, if any, the relocation of Mr. Trump’s second swearing-in ceremony into the Capitol Rotunda will have on the seating arrangements. Unlike the outdoor venue, the Capitol Rotunda only seats about 600 people.

Four years ago, Mr. Trump skipped President Biden’s inauguration in a snub to his political rival. Every living former president is set to witness his return to power, but some prominent Democrats are opting out.

Here’s the list of those who are planning to attend the inauguration, and notable no-shows.

Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg and Jeff Bezos, three of the world’s wealthiest men, were reported to be among the major tech executives who would sit in a position of honor on the dais at Mr. Trump’s inauguration — before the event was moved indoors. Tim Cook, the chief executive of Apple, and Shou Chew, the chief executive of the imperiled social media app TikTok, had also been invited to sit on the dais.

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Seating for other high-dollar donors from the business world was already highly competitive even before the last-minute move indoors. Some offered donations to Mr. Trump’s inaugural committee as high as $1 million without receiving any access to the inauguration or accompanying receptions in return.

China’s vice president, Han Zheng, will attend the inauguration on behalf of Xi Jinping, whom Mr. Trump had invited to the inauguration.

Unlike at the inaugurations of President Biden and former President Barack Obama, a number of other world leaders will be in attendance. Many of them share Mr. Trump’s ideology and policy preferences.

From Latin America, Javier Milei, the right-wing populist president of Argentina, is reportedly planning to make an appearance. Jair Bolsonaro, the former president of Brazil and another right-wing populist, had intended to attend, but his passport was previously seized by federal police in Brazil and his request to a Brazilian Supreme Court justice to make the trip was denied.

From Europe, Giorgia Meloni, the right-wing prime minister of Italy, affirmed that she planned to attend. The press secretary of Viktor Orban, the prime minister of Hungary who has a friendly rapport with Mr. Trump, told a Hungarian media outlet that the prime minister had received an invitation but would not be attending.

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Three representatives from key U.S. allies in the Asia-Pacific region will also be attending: S. Jaishankar, the external affairs minister for India; Penny Wong, the foreign minister of Australia; and Takeshi Iwaya, the foreign minister of Japan.

Mr. Obama, George W. Bush and Bill Clinton will all attend Mr. Trump’s inauguration — as they did his first inauguration, eight years ago. They will not, however, attend a traditional lunch with the president-elect on that day, according to NBC News.

Former Vice President Mike Pence is also planning to attend the inauguration, according to two people with knowledge of the planning. He received an invitation, as is the custom for all former presidents and vice presidents.

Carrie Underwood will sing “America the Beautiful” at Mr. Trump’s inauguration, according to a program of events. Victor Willis, the last surviving founding member of the Village People — whose music Mr. Trump frequently plays at this political rallies — announced on Facebook on Monday that the group had accepted an invitation to participate in Mr. Trump’s inaugural activities.

NBC News also reported that several athletes and musicians would be in attendance: They include Antonio Brown, the football player; Mike Tyson, the boxer; Jorge Masvidal, the martial arts fighter; and Evander Kane, the hockey player. The musicians Anuel AA, Justin Quiles, Rod Wave, Kodak Black and Fivio Foreign will also attend, NBC said.

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Mr. Obama is scheduled to attend, but Michelle Obama, the former first lady, will not. A statement from Mrs. Obama’s office did not specify a reason for the scheduled absence but noted that she had not attended another event this month: She did not accompany her husband to the funeral of former President Jimmy Carter, which every other living former president and first lady attended.

Representative Nancy Pelosi, the former speaker of the House and a chief antagonist of Mr. Trump during his first term in office, will also skip the inauguration. Ms. Pelosi, 84, is still recovering from a hip replacement after falling while on an official trip to Luxembourg, but she has been attending votes in the House. A spokesman would not specify why she would not attend, but there is long-running acrimony between Mr. Trump and Ms. Pelosi.

Democratic members of Congress who have announced or told reporters of their plans to skip the inauguration include: Representative Adam Smith of Washington, Representative Judy Chu of California, Representative Delia Ramirez of Illinois, Representative Donald S. Beyer Jr. of Virginia, Representative Steve Cohen of Tennessee, Representative Jasmine Crockett of Texas, Representative Ilhan Omar of Minnesota and Representative Veronica Escobar of Texas.

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What to Watch in Today’s Big Elections in Wisconsin and Florida

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What to Watch in Today’s Big Elections in Wisconsin and Florida

Two states nearly a thousand miles apart will on Tuesday provide the best evidence yet of whether President Trump and his Republican allies maintain robust support or whether they face a growing backlash led by a re-energized Democratic Party.

In Wisconsin, a nearly $100 million race for control of the State Supreme Court has morphed from an important clash over the state’s direction into a referendum on Elon Musk’s supersized role in national politics.

In Florida, one of two special elections for deep-red House seats suddenly seems too close for comfort for Republicans. Democrats, while still expecting to lose, are watching the margins closely for signs that their party is ascendant.

Here are five big questions heading into Tuesday’s elections.

Mr. Musk’s support for Brad Schimel, the conservative candidate in Wisconsin, has been a full-service political operation.

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The billionaire and groups tied to him have spent more than $25 million, financing a potent ground game. An army of $25-an-hour canvassers has knocked on Trump voters’ doors, and pallets of glossy mailers have assured Republicans that Judge Schimel is a Trump ally. A conservative nonprofit with ties to Mr. Musk has helped blanket the airwaves with ads bashing the liberal candidate, Susan Crawford, as weak on crime. And Mr. Musk’s giving includes $3 million to the Republican Party of Wisconsin, which has funneled the money to help Judge Schimel.

That was all before Mr. Musk spoke for nearly two hours at a rally for Judge Schimel on Sunday night in Green Bay.

If Mr. Musk’s extraordinary effort is successful, Wisconsin Republicans will be hopeful of friendly rulings by a conservative-controlled court on cases about abortion rights, voting access and the power of the state’s Republican-run Legislature.

It is possible, however, that Mr. Musk’s largess comes at a political cost to Judge Schimel. Polling shows that Mr. Musk is just as unpopular among Wisconsin Democrats as Mr. Trump is, but without as much residual loyalty from Republicans. Democrats have framed Judge Crawford’s campaign around the idea that she is battling the world’s wealthiest person.

“We are in uncharted territory where we now have the richest man in the world who is trying to buy our election and the question is: Can he do it?” said Sarah Godlewski, the Democratic secretary of state of Wisconsin.

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At her closing campaign rally Monday night in Madison, Judge Crawford skewered Mr. Musk for appearing at his rally wearing the foam yellow headwear preferred by the state’s sports fans.

“Let me talk about my opponent, Elon Musk,” she said. “I saw a picture of him yesterday with a cheesehead on. First time he’s been in Wisconsin, he has not earned the right to wear a cheesehead.”

Democratic hopes have slowly, cautiously started to rise.

The party crowed about flipping Republican-held state legislative seats in recent special elections in Iowa and Pennsylvania. And on Saturday, voters in Louisiana rejected four proposed constitutional amendments backed by Gov. Jeff Landry, a Republican, that would have overhauled parts of the state’s tax codes and toughened penalties for juvenile offenders.

But none of those was nearly as expensive or prominent as Tuesday’s contests, and so the question of whether they were one-off upsets or a harbinger of a broader Democratic resurgence will be determined by what happens in Wisconsin and, to a lesser extent, Florida.

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A victory by Judge Crawford, a mild-mannered jurist, could put wind in the sails of a new Trump resistance, similar to Jon Ossoff in April 2017. While Mr. Ossoff, now a Georgia senator, lost what was then the most expensive House race ever, he became a fund-raising juggernaut and demonstrated to scores of other candidates a path to viability against Republicans in the first Trump era.

Wisconsin Democrats have placed Mr. Musk at the center of their messaging operations in the race: To make sure voters got the point, they branded a statewide tour “The People v. Elon Musk.” Fearful of being drowned out by Mr. Musk’s millions, Democrats have helped Judge Crawford shatter fund-raising records.

“We are figuring out the path forward,” said State Representative Greta Neubauer, a Racine Democrat who is her chamber’s minority leader.

House Republicans had expected their razor-thin majority to grow easily by two seats on Tuesday in elections to replace congressmen Mr. Trump picked last year to join his cabinet.

One, Michael Waltz, became the national security adviser, while the second, Matt Gaetz, resigned his seat and later withdrew from consideration as attorney general amid an ethics investigation and Republican opposition.

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Mr. Trump endorsed Jimmy Patronis, the state’s chief financial officer, to replace Mr. Gaetz in the Panhandle and State Senator Randy Fine to replace Mr. Waltz in a northeastern district that includes the NASCAR hub of Daytona Beach.

But Mr. Fine’s Democratic opponent, Josh Weil, has handily out-raised him, prompting public warnings about Mr. Fine’s chances of a comfortable victory in a district Mr. Trump won by 30 percentage points. While Republicans are still expected to prevail, both parties are watching the margin of victory closely.

Despite the Republican worries, Democrats have not made significant outside investments to help Mr. Weil’s campaign. But on Friday, Mr. Weil did score a notable national endorsement from Senator Bernie Sanders, the Vermont independent, and he campaigned on Sunday with Ken Martin, the chairman of the Democratic National Committee.

The last race for the Wisconsin Supreme Court, two years ago, cost about $56 million to became the most expensive judicial election in American history.

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That election drew 1.8 million voters, or about 56 percent of the state’s turnout in the presidential election in 2020 — a high percentage for a state court race.

Now, with spending approaching $100 million, a key factor in the outcome is how much higher turnout will go.

America Votes, a Democratic voter mobilization group that is active in the state, estimates that just over two million Wisconsinites will vote, an increase that could account for either juiced Democratic interest or a successful Republican turnout operation by Mr. Musk. If that many Wisconsinites do vote, the turnout will be about 60 percent of the state’s turnout last November.

And as much as voters say they hate onslaughts of negative advertising and attack mailers, the evidence shows that they drive up interest, excitement and turnout.

“Everywhere I’ve been in the state, we’re getting crowds like we did last November,” said Brian Schimming, the chairman of the Republican Party of Wisconsin. “People are clicked in.”

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Mr. Musk has nearly unlimited wealth, the president’s ear and far-ranging power in Washington.

If he can single-handedly alter a state judicial race, how else might he inject himself into the country’s elections?

Victory in Wisconsin could embolden Mr. Musk to grow even more aggressive in throwing his billions behind Republican candidates for office this year and in the 2026 midterm elections. That could leave conservative candidates even more in thrall to Mr. Trump, if their primary financial benefactor continues to work out of the White House.

This is all happening while Mr. Musk stands to benefit financially from the candidates he has thrown his money and influence behind. Tesla, the electric vehicle company Mr. Musk controls, has a case against Wisconsin pending in the state’s courts, and Mr. Trump has gone out of his way to promote the billionaire’s products from the White House.

Defeat for conservatives, of course, would hardly mean that Mr. Musk would stop spending on elections. But it would prove to Democrats that he is beatable with enough money and base energy.

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Still, while Democrats may see Mr. Musk as a figure who fires up their base and supercharges liberal fund-raising, that is a lot easier for them to do when Wisconsin is the marquee race in the country and a focus of national attention.

If Mr. Musk were bankrolling dozens of Trump-allied candidates for governor, Senate and Congress across the country next year, it could be a far more difficult proposition to match his financial might with the same degree of grass-roots enthusiasm when national attention is more diffuse.

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Trump admin withholds millions from Planned Parenthood for civil rights and executive order violations: report

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Trump admin withholds millions from Planned Parenthood for civil rights and executive order violations: report

President Donald Trump’s administration told several Planned Parenthood affiliates on Monday that it was withholding funding due to possible violations of civil rights laws, according to reports.

Politico reported that tens of millions of dollars were being withheld from Planned Parenthood clinics that provide low-income Americans services like contraception, STI testing and other health services.

On Monday, nine state affiliates of Planned Parenthood that receive money from the federal government through Title X, a family planning program, got notices saying their funding was being “temporarily withheld.”

The publication said that the letter, which was provided by Planned Parenthood, pointed toward “possible violations” of Trump’s executive orders – like the banning of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs – and federal civil rights laws.

PLANNED PARENTHOOD APPEARS TO SCRUB INSTAGRAM AS FEARS OF DOGE CUTS LOOM

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Planned Parenthood signage is displayed outside of a health care clinic in Inglewood, California on May 16, 2023.  (PATRICK T. FALLON/AFP via Getty Images)

Another policy by Trump that the family planning program allegedly violated had to do with “taxpayer subsidization of open borders.”

The Planned Parenthood chapters that received the letters were mostly in GOP-controlled states, the publication noted. The administration also pointed to evidence of violations by citing the mission statement from the clinic, as well as other documents that stress a “commitment to black communities.”

The deputy director of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of Public Affairs, Amy Margolis, reportedly argued that those materials “paint a picture of Planned Parenthood” suggesting it is “engaged, across its affiliates, in widespread practices across hiring, operations, and patient treatment that unavoidably employ race in a negative manner.”

FEDS GAVE $700M TO PLANNED PARENTHOOD DURING YEAR OF RECORD ABORTIONS

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Donald Trump smiles in a navy suit and red tie

President Donald Trump’s administration withheld millions of dollars from Planned Parenthood affiliates for allegedly violating civil rights laws and executive orders banning DEI initiatives. (Evan Vucci/AP)

The letter also accuses Planned Parenthood of encouraging illegal aliens to receive care.

Planned Parenthood has 10 days to respond to the letter and provide evidence it plans to comply with the president’s executive orders. Once provided, the administration will determine whether to suspend or terminate the grants.

Planned Parenthood and HHS did not respond to Fox News Digital’s requests for comment on the matter.

In a social media post, Planned Parenthood wrote, “When we say, ‘Care no matter what,’ we mean it. Planned Parenthood health centers’ doors are open to everyone. Period. We’ve fought to protect your care for decades and won’t stop now.”

In another post, Planned Parenthood directed its supporters to its website to submit a letter to Congress regarding the funding.

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NEW REPORT EXPOSES BOTCHED PROCEDURES, POOR CONDITIONS AT PLANNED PARENTHOOD ABORTION CLINICS

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The US Department of Health and Human Services building is shown in Washington, DC, 21 July 2007. (SAUL LOEB/AFP)

“The Trump admin withholding Title X funds further strips health care from people across this country,” the post read. “We know what happens when Title X funding is taken away: cancer goes undetected, birth control access is severely reduced, and the STI crisis worsens. People will suffer.”

HHS spokesperson Andrew Nixon reportedly told Politico that payments to 16 Title X providers were being withheld, including nine Planned Parenthood affiliates.

The reasoning behind the withholding, Nixon explained, is “to ensure these entities are in full compliance with Federal law and applicable grant terms, and to ensure responsible stewardship of taxpayer dollars.”

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He further noted that out of Title X’s over $200 million budget, $27.5 million was frozen and under review.

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Column: What will Trump's tariffs 'liberate' us from?

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Column: What will Trump's tariffs 'liberate' us from?

I am writing this from the last days of our captivity.

Indeed, by the time some of you read this, we will be free. If all goes according to the White House’s plan, April 2 will go down in history as America’s “Liberation Day.”

Steve Bannon, a prominent unofficial Trump advisor, is so confident about its success, he’s already talking about making Liberation Day a federal holiday next year.

But we’re getting ahead of ourselves. From what will we be liberated on Liberation Day?

The Trump administration has been oddly parsimonious about providing one of its patented pithy catchphrases for what we’re being liberated from. You’d think they’d come up with something like “Globalist Tyranny,” “Neoliberal Serfdom,” “Surplus Production Sucker Status.”

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But we can infer what they have in mind from context. On March 21, President Trump posted on social media, “April 2nd is Liberation Day in America!!! For DECADES we have been ripped off and abused by every nation in the World, both friend and foe. Now it is finally time for the Good Ol’ USA to get some of that MONEY, and RESPECT, BACK. GOD BLESS AMERICA!!!”

To this end, Trump intends to impose sweeping tariffs on foreign cars and reciprocal tariffs on every single American trading partner.

The exact numbers and other details are murky. “No one knows what the f— is going on,” Politico quoted a White House ally close to Trump’s inner circle as saying over the weekend. “What are they going to tariff? Who are they gonna tariff and at what rates? Like, the very basic questions haven’t been answered yet.”

White House trade advisor Peter Navarro expects these tariffs to raise $600 billion annually. Nearly every serious economist across the ideological spectrum understands that American consumers would pay the bulk of that. Thus, if “successful,” Trump would be imposing the largest, most regressive tax increase in history.

It would be regressive because the taxes would hit the poor and middle class much harder than the wealthy, because a larger share of their income goes toward basics like gas, food and clothes.

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The challenge of writing about “Liberation Day” is that it is so incandescently stupid it amounts to a conceptual piñata: You can whack at it from any angle and get some reward for your effort.

For starters, many people understand that tariffs on, say, foreign steel make foreign steel more expensive. As a result, the things we make from foreign steel become more expensive, too. What gets overlooked, however, is that taxing foreign steel also makes domestic steel more expensive. When you make something more scarce — steel, eggs, Taylor Swift tickets — prices go up.

Politically, the idea of deliberately making things — like literally all the things — more expensive, when you were elected in large part due to popular exhaustion with inflation, is so irrational it’s like the economic policy equivalent of a Dali painting.

Geopolitically, blowing up our alliances and the global economy in the name of “self-sufficiency” is unfathomably idiotic. The more a country relies on tariffs to “protect” its economy, the poorer it is. The more friendly trading partners a country has, the stronger it is.

The wellspring of this geyser of asininity is the simple fact that Trump doesn’t understand how trade works.

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The British economist Charles Goodhart coined “Goodhart’s Law”: “When a measure becomes a target, it ceases to be a good measure.” For Trump, the measure in question is balance of trade. He thinks trade deficits are proof that America is being “ripped off.” That’s not how trade works.

Every time you get a haircut, you have a trade deficit with the barber. Are you being ripped off?

Trump’s obsession with Canada illustrates his confusion. We have a trade deficit with Canada, under a trade agreement he crafted in his first term. Hence, Trump claims we “subsidize” Canada $200 billion a year (a made-up number, but that’s beside the point). The only reason we have a trade deficit with Canada is that they sell us oil at a price below global market rates. If we stopped buying their cheaper oil, we’d be worse off. Gas prices would go up and American jobs dedicated to refining that oil and exporting it would vanish. But the metric Trump cares about would improve.

Hold on here. Stuff we need would have become more scarce and expensive. Americans would be worse off. And that’s a win because … why?

During the years of our supposed economic captivity, the American economy became the “envy of the world.” That’s what Trump seems bent on liberating us from.

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@JonahDispatch

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