How a Vivek Ramaswamy run for Ohio governor could jeopardize DOGE
President-elect Donald Trump’s pick to co-head the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) with Tesla CEO Elon Musk may have other plans. According to multiple reports, Vivek Ramaswamy is planning to step away from the task force to run for Ohio governor.
What’s happening?
CBS News reported Sunday, Jan. 19, that Ramaswamy might announce his run for Ohio governor as soon as the month’s end.
The reports come as Musk reportedly expressed frustration with Ramaswamy over his lack of participation in brainstorming DOGE policy. DOGE is an unofficial government advisory board designed to eliminate government spending deemed wasteful.
One person close to the Trump team, who chose to remain anonymous, told CBS News: “Vivek has worn out his welcome.”
What happens now?
Ramaswamy’s potential departure from DOGE could jeopardize the task force, which aims to cut government spending by up to $2 trillion by July 2026.
Neither Musk nor Trump’s transition team officially commented on the reports of Ramaswamy’s potential exit.
What happened before this?
Ramaswamy recently met with Republican Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine, who is term-limited, over the state’s U.S. Senate seat left vacant by Vice President-elect JD Vance.
However, DeWine has since said he is appointing his Lt. Gov. Jon Husted to fill the seat.
Who is Ramaswamy?
Ramaswamy ran for president during the 2024 campaign as a candidate with no previous political experience. Before he exited the race, he endorsed Trump.
From Washington to Trump: America’s most iconic inaugural addresses
As President-elect Donald Trump prepares to deliver his second inaugural address on Monday, Jan. 20, Straight Arrow News looked back at some of the most memorable, and quotable, of these presidential speeches. Some speeches are known for their famous lines, while others have significance for their place in history.
President George Washington
The first inaugural address was delivered by President George Washington on April 30, 1789. Washington stood on the balcony of Federal Hall in New York City.
“No People can be bound to acknowledge and adore the invisible hand, which conducts the Affairs of men more than the People of the United States,” Washington said. “Every step, by which they have advanced to the character of an independent nation, seems to have been distinguished by some token of providential agency.”
Now, almost 236 years later, Trump will deliver the 60th presidential inauguration address in U.S. history when he becomes the 47th president. While many other presidents have given more than one inaugural address, he will be only the second president to do so in non-consecutive terms.
The time for empty talk is over. Now arrives the hour of action.
President Donald Trump
President Grover Cleveland
Grover Cleveland, the 22nd and 24th president, delivered his first speech in 1885.
“This impressive ceremony adds little to the solemn sense of responsibility with which I contemplate the duty I owe to all the people of the land,” Cleveland said.
Like Trump, he would give another speech eight years later.
While Cleveland’s speeches may not be quoted often these days, all presidents hope their words can withstand the test of time.
President Abraham Lincoln
We are not enemies, but friends. We must not be enemies.
President Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln gave his first speech in 1861 following the succession of seven states from the Union. His speech was also just weeks before the start of the Civil War.
“We are not enemies, but friends,” Lincoln told the entire nation. “We must not be enemies. Though passion may have strained, it must not break our bonds of affection.”
President Franklin Delano Roosevelt
In 1933, Franklin Delano Roosevelt delivered the first of his four inaugural speeches, addressing a country amid the Great Depression.
“This great Nation will endure as it has endured, will revive and will prosper,” Roosevelt said. “So, first of all, let me assert my firm belief that the only thing we have to fear is fear itself.”
President Harry S. Truman
In 1949, just a few years after the end of World War II, Harry S. Truman delivered his inaugural address. It was the first to be televised.
“The American people desire, and are determined to work for, a world in which all nations and all peoples are free to govern themselves as they see fit, and to achieve a decent and satisfying life,” Truman said. “Above all else, our people desire, and are determined to work for, peace on earth, a just and lasting peace, based on genuine agreement freely arrived at by equals.”
President Dwight D. Eisenhower
Four years before signing the Civil Rights Act of 1957, President Dwight D. Eisenhower said these words during his first inauguration speech: “Conceiving the defense of freedom, like freedom itself, to be one and indivisible, we hold all continents and peoples in equal regard and honor. We reject any insinuation that one race or another, one people or another, is in any sense inferior or expendable.”
President John F. Kennedy
John F. Kennedy’s 1961 address featured lines often topping the list of presidential quotes.
“Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe, in order to assure the survival and the success of liberty. This much we pledge, and more,” Kennedy said. “And so, my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country.”
President Ronald Reagan
In the eyes of many in the world, this every-4-year ceremony we accept as normal is nothing less than a miracle.
President Ronald Reagan
In Ronald Reagan’s first inaugural address in 1981, he took time to appreciate the moment in U.S. history.
“To a few of us here today, this is a solemn and most momentous occasion; and yet, in the history of our Nation, it is a commonplace occurrence,” Reagan said. “The orderly transfer of authority as called for in the Constitution routinely takes place as it has for almost two centuries and few of us stop to think how unique we really are. In the eyes of many in the world, this every-4-year ceremony we accept as normal is nothing less than a miracle.”
He then gave one of his most famous lines.
“In this present crisis, government is not the solution to our problem; government is the problem,” Reagan said.
President Bill Clinton
In 1993, the importance of America’s democracy was part of Bill Clinton’s first inaugural address.
“Our democracy must be not only the envy of the world but the engine of our own renewal,” Clinton said. “There is nothing wrong with America that cannot be cured by what is right with America.”
“We are led, by events and common sense, to one conclusion: The survival of liberty in our land increasingly depends on the success of liberty in other lands,” Bush said. “The best hope for peace in our world is the expansion of freedom in all the world.”
President Barack Obama
…all are equal, all are free, and all deserve a chance to pursue their full measure of happiness.”
President Barack Obama
In his first inaugural address in 2009, Barack Obama called for an end to petty grievances in politics.
“We remain a young nation, but in the words of Scripture, the time has come to set aside childish things,” Obama said. “The time has come to reaffirm our enduring spirit; to choose our better history; to carry forward that precious gift, that noble idea, passed on from generation to generation: the God-given promise that all are equal, all are free, and all deserve a chance to pursue their full measure of happiness.”
President Donald Trump
In his first address in 2017, Donald Trump told the American people that change was on the horizon.
“We will no longer accept politicians who are all talk and no action – constantly complaining but never doing anything about it. The time for empty talk is over. Now arrives the hour of action,” Trump said. “Do not let anyone tell you it cannot be done. No challenge can match the heart and fight and spirit of America. We will not fail. Our country will thrive and prosper again.”
President Joe Biden
In 2021, amid a global pandemic, President Joe Biden upon his inauguration spoke about bringing unity to the country.
“For without unity, there is no peace, only bitterness and fury, no progress, only exhausting outrage; no nation, only a state of chaos,” Biden said. “This is our historic moment of crisis and challenge and unity is the path forward. And we must meet this moment as the United States of America.”
As Donald Trump gets set to deliver his second inaugural address, this time inside because of the bitter temperatures in Washington, D.C., it is interesting to look back at George Washington’s second speech. After giving the first inaugural speech of 1,431 words, Washington had a much more concise address four years later. It was only 135 words, the shortest in history, and lasted less than two minutes.
Musk, Bezos and Zuckerberg to attend Trump inauguration
The three wealthiest men in the world, Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos and Mark Zuckerberg, will be at President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration. An official involved in planning the event told NBC News the trio of billionaires will have a prominent spot at the ceremony, seated together on the platform with other notable guests, including Trump’s cabinet nominees and elected officials.
Musk, the CEO of SpaceX and Tesla, spent more than a quarter-billion dollars to help get Trump elected. He was also picked by Trump to co-lead his new Department of Government Efficiency advisory board.
Zuckerberg, Meta’s CEO, recently changed the platform’s moderation policies in a way that more aligns with the incoming Republican administration. In addition, he donated $1 million dollars to Trump’s inauguration fund.
Bezos, Amazon’s founder, who also gave $1 million dollars to the inauguration fund decided in the fall, that The Washington Post, which he owns, would not endorse a presidential candidate, overruling staff who wanted to endorse Vice President Kamala Harris.
Backlash against billionaire media owners
Axios reported Bezos and other billionaire media owners are facing backlash from employees who accuse them of supporting the MAGA movement and claim the owners, who provide crucial financial backing for the organizations, are getting in the way of their work.
Longtime opinion columnist for the Post, Jennifer Rubin, announced on Monday, Jan. 13, that she is leaving the paper to launch a new publication called The Contrarian.
“Jeff Bezos and his cronies accommodate and enable the most acute threat to American democracy — Donald Trump — at a time when a vibrant free press is more essential than ever to our democracy’s survival and capacity to thrive,” Rubin wrote in her resignation memo.
History of Bezos and Trump’s relationship
Bezos and Trump have had a contentious relationship over the years, particularly because of Bezos’ ownership of the Post and its reporting on Trump, which he claims is biased against him.
Trump has also targeted Amazon, arguing the company was taking advantage of tax loopholes and undermining local business.
While Bezos has criticized Trump in the past, he recently said he’s optimistic about his second term.
Bezos, as well as Musk, recently met with Trump at Mar-a-Lago for dinner.
US Department of Justice to release limited final report on Trump cases
The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) says it will release volume one of special counsel Jack Smith’s report on President-elect Donald Trump’s election interference case. However, the department said that it will withhold volume two of the report that focuses on Trump’s possession of classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida from the public for now.
The filing by the DOJ on Wednesday, Jan. 8, was issued to a federal appeals court that is weighing a request from Trump’s lawyers to block the release of Smith’s report.
Two of Trump’s former co-defendants face charges in the classified documents case, and requested emergency motions to block the release of the final report this week.
The DOJ said on Wednesday that it will now release just the first of two volumes focusing on Trump’s alleged efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election, while only allowing chairmen and ranking members of the U.S. House and Senate Judiciary Committees to privately review the classified documents report.
The Justice Department said that volume two will not be released as long as the classified documents case against Trump’s valet Walt Nauta and Mar-a-Lago property manager Carlos De Oliveira is ongoing. Filings also stated that the “limited disclosure” will protect “the defendants’ interests” while informing U.S. Congress and “the public regarding this significant matter.”
The DOJ also requested, in its filing, for the appeals court to throw out Cannon’s order blocking the release of any portion of Smith’s report. Unless vacated, the temporary injunction remains in effect until three days after the appeals court announces its decision.
If the appeals court grants the DOJ’s request, volume one may be released any time after the ruling.
Trump asks Supreme Court to block sentencing in NY hush money case
President-elect Donald Trump petitioned the U.S. Supreme Court (SCOTUS) to delay his sentencing in the New York hush-money case. He argued that proceeding Friday, Jan. 10 could disrupt national security and hinder the presidential transition.
Trump’s legal team contended that sentencing a president-elect poses significant risks to the federal government and national security. They argued presidential immunity should shield Trump and warned that moving forward creates what they call “a constitutionally intolerable risk.”
The legal team’s request references a 2024 SCOTUS ruling that expanded presidential protections. It granted former presidents broad immunity for actions deemed part of their official duties.
SCOTUS asked New York prosecutors to respond to the petition by Thursday morning, leaving a narrow window before the Friday deadline.
If the justices grant a stay, Trump’s sentencing could be delayed indefinitely, given the limited time before his January inauguration.
Once inaugurated, legal precedent suggests he may regain immunity from criminal prosecution.
Trump’s hush money case
The case stems from hush money payments made to adult film actress Stormy Daniels during his 2016 campaign.
A grand jury convicted Trump in May 2024 on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records related to hush money payments intended to influence the outcome of the 2016 election.
Legal experts noted that such payments may violate campaign finance laws, as they could be viewed as unreported election expenditures.
The trial judge, however, indicated plans to issue an unconditional discharge, a sentence that avoids jail time, fines or probation. The judge cited the importance of preserving the presidential transition process and respecting the principles of presidential immunity.
Despite the absence of penalties, Trump’s legal team argued that a felony conviction carries significant consequences. These consequences include harm to his reputation and potential future restrictions.
Trump’s lawyers also claimed the case relies on evidence of his time in office, such as social media posts and testimony from former advisers. They argued that they should be immune under the expanded protections for former presidents.
Judge rejects Trump team’s arguments
Judge Juan Merchan rejected the Trump team’s arguments. He asserted that the case is unrelated to Trump’s official duties and does not intrude upon the executive branch authority. The judge ruled that the charges pertain to private actions taken before and during his first campaign.
Legal analysts highlighted the historical weight of the proceedings. If the sentencing proceeds, Trump would become the first president-elect formally sentenced as a felon. The case has drawn attention for its potential to reshape the understanding of presidential immunity, especially regarding actions taken outside official capacities.
SCOTUS is expected to decide as early as Thursday, Jan. 9, whether to grant Trump’s request. Its decision could set a significant precedent, not just for Trump’s case, but for the broader scope of presidential immunity and the handling of criminal cases involving future presidents.
Judge blocks US Dept. of Justice release of final reports on Trump cases
As Straight Arrow News previously reported, lawyers for President-elect Donald Trump asked in a letter published on Monday, Jan. 6, for Attorney General Merrick Garland to stop Special Counsel Jack Smith from releasing his final reports on the election interference and classified documents cases. Now, the federal judge who dismissed Trump’s classified documents case is temporarily blocking the release of those reports.
Judge Aileen Cannon issued an order on Tuesday, Jan. 7, that halts the release of the reports while an appeals court decides on emergency motions filed by Trump’s former co-defendants in the classified documents case.
Cannon’s ruling means the appeals court will be left to decide whether or not Smith final reports will be released.
Cannon said in her ruling that blocking the reports was necessary “to prevent irreparable harm” to Trump and his associates until the appeals court decides its next steps. Meanwhile, some legal critics are arguing Cannon does not have the authority to block the reports, and that she is seeking to delay the documents release.
The legal battle is playing out less than two weeks before Trump’s inauguration on Monday, Jan. 20, after which his incoming Justice Department will take over the handling of Smith’s reports.
VP Harris is certifying her own election defeat, joining Gore and Nixon
Vice President Kamala Harris is certifying her own defeat in the 2024 election during the joint session of Congress on Monday, Jan. 6. She will oversee the counting of each state’s electoral votes as Congress fulfills its constitutional duty to ensure there are no irregularities.
The vice president has been responsible for certifying the election in this way since the ratification of the 12th Amendment in 1804. Once all the electoral votes are counted and verified, she will announce that President-elect Donald Trump received 312 while she received 226.
Harris will not be the first vice president responsible for certifying an election they lost.
On Jan. 6, 2001, then-Vice President Al Gore oversaw the certification of his loss to George W. Bush after a hard-fought race that ended with a landmark Supreme Court decision.
“May God bless our new president and our new vice president and may God bless the United States of America,” Gore said to conclude the session.
“Mr. President, I am objecting to the idea that votes in Florida were not counted,” former Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr., D-Ill., said. “And it’s a sad day in America when we cannot find a senator to sign this objection.”
“The chair thanks the gentleman from Illinois but, hey,” Gore responded.
On Jan. 6, 1961, then-Vice President Richard Nixon certified his defeat to Sen. John F. Kennedy, D-Mass.
“This is the first time in 100 years that a candidate for the presidency announced the results of an election in which he was defeated and announced the victory of his opponent,” Nixon stated. “I do not think that we could have a more striking and eloquent example of the stability of our constitutional system.”
After he lost the presidential election, Nixon ran for California governor and lost. The winner, Gov. Pat Brown, told President Kennedy in a recorded phone call, “I don’t see how he can ever recover.”
Nixon more than recovered, he became the 37th president of the United States.
Vice President Harris has not made any announcements about her future, but another attempt at the presidency and a run for California governor are both possibilities.
Details are now public about the nation’s plans to pay tribute to the late former President Jimmy Carter, who died Sunday, Dec. 29, at 100 years old. President Joe Biden declared Thursday, Jan. 9, a National Day of Mourning.
New Year’s Day will begin an eight-day mourning period. The Carter family will gather in the former president’s hometown of Plains, Georgia, over the next few days.
On Saturday, Jan. 4, the state funeral will be held. It starts at 10:15 a.m. ET with a motorcade from Phoebe Sumter Medical Center in Americus, Georgia, and will travel through Plains, taking a brief pause at 10:50 a.m.
At that stop, the National Park Service will ring the historic bell on the Carter family farm 39 times in honor of the late president. Carter’s final journey to Atlanta will begin.
At 3 p.m., the motorcade will stop at the Georgia State Capitol for a moment of silence led by Gov. Brian Kemp. It will travel to the Carter Presidential Center for a 4 p.m. service.
Carter will lie in repose from 7 p.m. on Sunday, Jan. 5, until Tuesday morning, Jan. 7, for the public to pay respects.
Carter will be transported to Washington, D.C., where Congress will pay tribute in a private ceremony. Carter will lie in state for the public to pay respects until Thursday, Jan. 9. The former president will be taken home to Georgia for a private family funeral service and internment. Biden is expected to deliver a eulogy at the funeral.
DNC official: Biden inner circle running ‘shadow presidency’
“President Biden as a human being is no longer capable of executing the duties of the commander-in-chief,” Li told News Nation. “We kind of have a shadow presidency of his inner circle of people.”
The report outlines Biden’s staff insulating him from both the public and donors due in part to his inability to answer free-ranging questions.
He has also been kept at a distance from senior Democrats in Congress and members of his cabinet like Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen.
“Well, I don’t want to get crucified again, but there are certain people around him, his senior advisors, who are essentially running the country,” Li said.
Li worked with Biden throughout the primary and general election in 2019 and 2020. She said back then he was fine. It wasn’t until 2023 that she noticed his decline.
The Wall Street Journal report gave insight into what the president has been like behind the scenes.
“At some events, the Biden campaign printed the pre-approved questions on notecards and then gave donors the cards to read the questions,” Li said. “Even with all these steps, Biden made flubs, which confounded the donors who knew that Biden had the questions ahead of time.”
In the wake of the debate that led to Biden dropping out of the race, he held a call with senior Democrats to reassure them about his ability to win. He reportedly became angry when challenged and ended the call abruptly. Biden dropped out of the presidential race eight days later.
Postal Service highlights ballot delivery as oversight hearing nears
It’s been a mixed (mail) bag for the United States Postal Service this week, as USPS delivered some positive news Monday, Dec. 2, concerning its efforts during election season. However, the next day, Congress notified the agency of an oversight hearing to get answers on its performance and efficiency.
According to its newly-released Post-Election Analysis Report, the Postal Service processed more than 99 million ballots during the 2024 general election period starting Sept. 1. According to USPS, 99.88% of ballots were delivered to election officials within seven days. The USPS says they delivered 97.73% of ballots within three days.
On average, the agency said it delivered ballots from voters to election officials within one day. All in all, mail carriers delivered 3.37 billion pieces of political and election mail this year.
USPS said “extraordinary measures” were implemented to swiftly move ballot mail entered close to or on election day. These measures included extra deliveries and collections, special pick-ups and specialized sorting plans at processing facilities.
The Postal Service’s Post-Election Analysis Report comes as the agency undergoes a 10-year transformation plan called “Delivering for America.” USPS is looking to modernize the postal network, restore long-term financial sustainability, and dramatically improve service across all mail and shipping categories as it aims to eliminate tens of billions of dollars in predicted losses over the next decade.
If we do nothing more, we remain on the path to either a government bailout or the end of this great organization as we know it.
United States Postal Service
The progress on these initiatives will be the focus of a House Oversight Committee hearing on Dec. 10. Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., announced Tuesday, Dec. 3, that the committee will receive an update from Postmaster General Louis DeJoy.
In a statement, Comer said, in part, “While the Postal Service’s finances and performance have seen some improvement under Postmaster General DeJoy’s 10-year plan, there is still work to be done. Many families and small businesses around the country are still experiencing poor USPS service, resulting in unacceptable delays, and this Committee has a responsibility to examine its operations to ensure hardworking American taxpayers are receiving a service they can rely on.”
Last month, the Postal Service reported a net loss of $9.5 billion for its fiscal year, which ended Sept. 30. Since 2007, the agency has lost more than $100 billion.
The Postal Service warns it must continue to find ways to cut costs and increase revenue. As stated in its updated “Deliver to America” plan, “If we do nothing more, we remain on the path to either a government bailout or the end of this great organization as we know it.”
In July, the Postal Service raised the price of first-class mail stamps from 68 cents to 73 cents. They also planned a price hike twice a year through 2027. However, in September, the agency vowed there would be no increase in stamp prices this January.
That would be the first time in two years we won’t see an increase in stamp prices to begin a new year. There’s something to write home about.