With tensions between Washington and Tehran again near the boiling point during Mr. Trump’s final days in office, the White House and Pentagon are trying to stave off any potential conflict by demonstrating to Iran that violence directed at Americans will be met with the “overwhelming combat power” of the U.S. military.
“The United States continues to deploy combat-ready capabilities into the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility to deter any potential adversary, and make clear that we are ready and able to respond to any aggression directed at Americans or our interests,” said Gen. Frank McKenzie, commander of U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), which oversees American military operations in the Middle East.
Four people, including at least one leading Proud Boy, were stabbed that night as well during a melee outside Hotel Harrington and its bar, Harry’s, where the group had recently started congregating.
Despite the Proud Boys being widely denounced in the District following the group’s last big local gathering, its leader recently said the group will return in record numbers next week – and in disguise.
“We will not be wearing our traditional Black and Yellow. We will be incognito and we will spread across downtown DC in smaller teams,” Proud Boys chairman Enrique Tarrio said Tuesday on social media.
Jeff Zients, who Mr. Biden named as his COVID-19 czar, is a former Facebook board member.
The left has been angry with Facebook in recent years, saying the company’s policies on advertisements and political speech have given free rein to President Trump and the GOP to spread misinformation.
During the campaign, a coalition of liberal advocacy groups petitioned Mr. Biden’s transition team not to name any current Facebook executives or lobbyists to any positions in the administration.
Conservatives have long griped that companies like Facebook and Twitter are biased against them and work underhandedly to suppress right-leaning viewpoints.
President-elect Joe Biden and wife Jill to appear on Dick Clark s New Year s Rockin Eve By Caitlin O Kane
December 30, 2020 / 12:42 PM / CBS News
President-elect Joe Biden will make one final televised appearance for the year on New Year s Eve. It was announced Wednesday that Mr. Biden and his wife, future first lady Dr. Jill Biden, will appear on Dick Clark s New Year s Rockin Eve with host Ryan Seacrest.
Producers of the show said the Bidens will share a message of hope during the popular New Year s Eve broadcast on ABC. The show will be hosted from New York s Times Square, which will not be open to the public this year due to the pandemic.
Biden taps Kathleen Hicks as deputy defense secretary pick; first female to hold post if confirmed Follow Us
Question of the Day By Lauren Toms - The Washington Times - Wednesday, December 30, 2020
President-elect Joseph R. Biden on Wednesday announced that he has nominated Kathleen Hicks to be his deputy secretary of defense.
If confirmed, she would be the first woman to hold the prominent Pentagon position. Christine Fox served as deputy secretary of defense in an acting capacity temporarily between 2013-2014.
Mr. Biden’s transition team also announced that Colin Kahl, a national security adviser to Mr. Biden when he was vice president, has been nominated to serve as the undersecretary of defense for policy as well as the deputy assistant secretary of defense for the Middle East.