Tipsheet: Questions swirl at Pentagon after wave of departures

View in your browser     Questions swirl at Pentagon after wave of departures By Rebecca Kheel and Ellen Mitchell   It is a coup, a push to withdraw from Afghanistan or just some petty score settling? That’s the question that has swirled in defense circles amid a wave of firings and resignations at the Pentagon that saw the ouster of the Defense secretary and installation of several aides seen as loyalists of President Trump. The shakeup has led Trump’s critics to sound the alarm, with Democratic lawmakers and others fearful of what the Pentagon’s new leadership will try to push through in Trump’s remaining two months in office. Read the full story here     New Defense chief signals potential troop drawdown: 'All wars must end' By Celine Castronuovo   Acting Defense Secretary Christopher Miller signaled a potential U.S. troop reduction ahead in the Middle East in a memo sent to agency staff on Friday, saying, "All wars must end." Read the full story here     Judge says acting DHS secretary appointment unlawful, invalidates DACA suspension By Jordan Williams   A federal judge ruled on Saturday that acting Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Chad Wolf was unlawfully appointed, thus invalidating his suspension of the Deferred Action on Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. Read the full story here     Thousands rally in DC to protest election results, show support for Trump By Chris Mills Rodrigo   Thousands of Trump supporters rallied around the nation’s capital Saturday to contest the election results and back the president's allegations that the election was invalid due to widespread voter fraud. Read the full story here       Violence erupts between counter-protestors, Trump supporters following DC rally By Jordan Williams and Lauren Vella   Supporters of President Trump and counter-demonstrators clashed Saturday night after what was mostly a peaceful day of demonstrations in support of Trump and protesting the election results. Read the full story here     Trump rails against Georgia recount process By Jordan Williams   President Trump on Saturday railed against the recount process in Georgia, calling it a “waste of time” on Twitter and claiming that officials won't let his campaign’s election observers into counting rooms. Read the full story here     Republicans seek to batter Warnock ahead of Georgia runoff By Max Greenwood   Republicans are launching an all-out assault on Democrat Raphael Warnock ahead of the January Senate runoff in Georgia, surfacing months of opposition research that went largely unused leading up to last week’s general election. Read the full story here     Loeffler introduces health care plan amid attacks from Warnock, pandemic surge By Juliegrace Brufke   Sen. Kelly Loeffler (R-Ga.) unveiled her healthcare proposal on Friday, laying out the framework for an alternative to the Affordable Care Act. Read the full story here     Here are the 17 GOP women newly elected to the House this year By Tal Axelrod   House Republicans vastly outperformed expectations this election cycle, making deep cuts in Democrats’ majority in the lower chamber despite confidence from Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) that her party would be able to expand their control. Read the full story here     States split on COVID-19 responses as cases surge By Peter Sullivan   Governors across the country are grappling with an alarming surge of coronavirus cases and hospitalizations, so far putting forward a fractured response. Read the full story here     The special peril of this transition By Gregory F. Treverton   OPINION | Even in the best of times, presidential transitions are perilous for American democracy. The losers are distracted, scrambling for “what next,” while the winners are awed by the prospect of governing. The bully pulpit slides toward the president-elect, while meanwhile, friends and foes abroad are searching for clues — and opportunities. Suffice to say: These are hardly the best of times. The next months are very dangerous ones, both at home and abroad. /td> Read the full story here     Biden's 'I'm no Trump' campaign is not enough to govern By Red Jahncke   OPINION | “The Only Good Thing About Donald Trump Is All His Policies.” So proclaimed an opinion column headline in 2018. The converse might be said of President-elect Joe Biden. He may be likable but he offered little vision and said nothing about policy in his Saturday-night victory speech — nor much during his entire campaign. Read the full story here     The Washington Post: Reality lies in wait for Biden’s bold campaign promises By Michael Scherer and Matt Viser   A lack of Election Day coattails forces a reevaluation of priorities, shrinking the president-elect’s options. Read the full story here     The New York Times: Biden asked Republicans to give him a chance. They’re not interested. By Astead W. Herndon   Joe Biden promised not only to win, but to “restore the soul of the nation.” But the deep divisions that animated President Trump’s tenure show no signs of receding. Read the full story here     The Wall Street Journal: Trump family business faces post-election reckoning By Brian Spegele and Caitlin Ostroff   Property sales may shrink the Trump Organization as debts come due and legal woes persist. Read the full story here     Reuters: As US pandemic intensifies, North Dakota becomes 35th state to require masks By Peter Szekely   North Dakota has become the 35th U.S. state to require face coverings be worn in public, as governors across the country grapple with a surge in coronavirus infections that threatens to swamp their healthcare systems. Read the full story here     The Associated Press: Washington gov. may announces new restrictions By AP Staff   Washington Gov. Jay Inslee has scheduled a news conference for Sunday morning as COVID-19 case numbers soar throughout the Pacific Northwest where he will reportedly detail new restrictions. Read the full story here         Did a friend forward you this email? 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