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SCTR Report: The Palantir Trade Follow-Up—Transform Insights into Actions

There are times when the price action of a stock is worth analyzing further. This article is a follow-up to last week’s StockCharts Technical Rank (SCTR) Report pick, Palantir Technologies (PLTR). The stock sold off significantly on Monday, and, in the blog post, I mentioned that I would buy PLTR if the stock price pulled back and reversed. I used the 15-day exponential moving average (EMA) as a support level, but was willing to tighten it if necessary.

It just so happened that PLTR sold off on Monday, after which I monitored the stock closely. Monday’s low reached the low of the previous five trading days and bounced from there (blue dashed horizontal line in the chart below). That level aligns with the 10-day EMA. On the daily chart, the last three candlestick bars have relatively large price ranges. The last bar shows more buying pressure. Is PLTR showing signs of moving higher? To answer this question, you need to look at the indicators.

FIGURE 1. DAILY CHART OF PALANTIR STOCK. After hitting a high on November 15, PLTR pulled back to the lows of the last few trading days (blue dashed line). This aligns with the 10-day exponential moving average.Chart source: StockCharts.com. For educational purposes.

The SCTR score remains at a high 99.5, indicating the stock is technically strong. Let’s turn to the other conditions for entering a long position in PLTR.

Volume. The total trading volume is insufficient to convince me the upward price move will be sustained.Momentum. The relative strength index (RSI) is weakening, although slightly above 70.Overbought/oversold. The full stochastic oscillator remains in overbought territory, although the %K and %D lines have converged and are at similar levels.

On Tuesday, PLTR sold off in early trading along with the rest of the broader indexes. However, once things started to turn around, PLTR’s stock price rose, closing at $62.98. The price action doesn’t confirm a buy as of Tuesday’s close, although that could change tomorrow.

The Game Plan

If PLTR has upside momentum on Wednesday morning, with high volume, a rising RSI, and the stochastic in overbought territory, I will enter a long position. I’d use the support of the 10-day EMA as a stop loss level and exit the position if price crosses below the EMA.If price doesn’t move much on Wednesday, I’d wait patiently for the opportune entry point.If price shows downside movement (i.e. PLTR closes below the 10-day EMA or horizontal dashed blue line, the RSI and stochastic turn lower), I’d keep PLTR in my ChartList but revisit it later. Given that it is an AI-related stock that is actively traded, it’s not worth dismissing the stock.

Disclaimer: This blog is for educational purposes only and should not be construed as financial advice. The ideas and strategies should never be used without first assessing your own personal and financial situation, or without consulting a financial professional.

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Walmart will likely raise some prices if Trump tariffs take effect, CFO says

Walmart’s CFO John David Rainey said the retailer would likely have to raise prices on some items if President-elect Donald Trump’s proposed tariffs take effect.

“We never want to raise prices,” he said in an interview with CNBC on Tuesday. “Our model is everyday low prices. But there probably will be cases where prices will go up for consumers.”

Rainey added that it’s too soon to say which products could cost more due to the tariffs.

Walmart’s CFO weighed in on the potential policy change as the company beat Wall Street’s earnings and sales expectations and hiked its full-year forecast.

Walmart’s comments are the latest warning from U.S. retail leaders about the potential blowback from from the duties. During Trump’s presidential campaign, he said he would impose a 10% to 20% tariff on all imports, including levies as high as 60% to 100% for goods from China.

In a statement earlier this month, National Retail Federation CEO Matthew Shay described across-the-board tariffs as “a tax on American families.” He said it “will drive inflation and price increases and will result in job losses.”

The prospect of increased prices comes as inflation has moderated in the U.S., after years of stretching consumers’ wallets.

Other retailers and brands have also spoken out about the potential drawbacks of the tariffs. E.l.f. Beauty CEO Tarang Amin told CNBC in an interview earlier this month that the company could be forced to raise prices if the higher duties take effect. Footwear maker Steve Madden said it will reduce the goods it imports from China by as much as 45% over the next year to try to avoid the financial impact.

The majority of goods Walmart sells are not at risk of tariffs. Rainey said about two-thirds of the items that Walmart sells are made, grown or assembled in the U.S.

Like other companies, Walmart has tried to import from different parts of the world rather than rely heavily on China or any one country, he said. Rainey added that levies placed during Trump’s first administration already caused the company to adjust.

“We’ve been living under a tariff environment for seven years, so we’re pretty familiar with that,” he said. “Tariffs, though, are inflationary for customers, so we want to work with suppliers and with our own private brand assortment to try to bring down prices.”

Like Walmart, Lowe’s said it’s also made moves to diversify its supply chain. The home improvement retailer addressed the potential levies as it reported earnings on Tuesday.

CFO Brandon Sink said about 40% of the company’s cost of goods sold comes from outside of the U.S., including direct imports and merchandise from national brands. He said tariffs “certainly would add product costs,” but added “timing and details remain uncertain at this point.”

“We believe we’re well prepared to respond when and if it does happen,” he said.

— CNBC’s Gabrielle Fonrouge contributed to this report.

This post appeared first on NBC NEWS
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Inter Miami head coach resigns after early playoff exit with Messi

Lionel Messi needs a new coach in Major League Soccer.

Inter Miami coach Tata Martino resigned Tuesday, a person with direct knowledge of the situation told USA TODAY Sports. The person spoke under the condition of anonymity due to the sensitive nature of the news.

Inter Miami managing owner Jorge Mas, president of football operations Raúl Sanllehí, and Martino will speak at a news conference Friday at Inter Miami’s Chase Stadium.

The move is a sour ending to Martino’s run as Inter Miami coach after a historic season, during which the club won the MLS Supporters’ Shield but was bounced in the first round of the MLS Cup playoffs earlier this month.

Martino, 61, coached Inter Miami’s stars Messi, Luis Suarez, Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba at FC Barcelona, and Messi with the Argentine national team during his career. Martino also helped Atlanta United with MLS Cup in 2018.

Martino joined Inter Miami in late June 2023, shortly before Messi signed with the club in July 2023. Inter Miami won its first title in franchise history seven games into Messi’s arrival, winning the Leagues Cup 2023 tournament.

Martino was an MLS Coach of the Year candidate after Inter Miami set the MLS points record with 74 points from 22 wins, eight draws and only four losses during the 2024 regular season.

In all, Inter Miami lost six games to MLS teams this year – but three of them came against Atlanta United.

Messi scored one goal in the first MLS playoff series of his career, as Inter Miami was bounced from the postseason after losing Games 2 and 3 to Atlanta to end the season.

Messi and Suarez, both finalists for MLS MVP, became the first teammates in league history to score 20 goals in a season. Alba was a finalist for MLS Defender of the Year, while Suarez was also a finalist for MLS Newcomer of the Year after joining the club this season.

Martino’s resignation was first reported by givemesport.com.

This story was updated to add new information.

This post appeared first on USA TODAY
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Playoff bracket prediction: Indiana boots Tennessee; Colorado moves in

Tennessee loss to Georgia leaves Vols needing help.
Indiana might enjoy two avenues to the CFP bracket: Either beat Ohio State, or at least go easy on the eyes in defeat.
Colorado is the Big 12’s best thing going and joins this playoff projection.

Welcome back to the bracket, Indiana.

The Hoosiers rejoined my College Football Playoff projection courtesy of Tennessee turtling up Saturday against Georgia, while Indiana enjoyed an open date.

Sitting in the clubhouse can be the safest spot during this tumultuous season, but Indiana must rejoin the playing field this weekend and put it on the line against Ohio State.

Indiana isn’t the only switcheroo in my latest bracket projection.

Let’s get to it.

Reminder: This is not a projection of what I think Tuesday’s CFP rankings will look like. Rather, this is my projection of what I think the playoff bracket will look like come selection Sunday on Dec. 8.

Also, remember: Top-four seeds would receive a first-round bye, while teams seeded Nos. 5 through 8 would host first-round playoff games. To earn a top-four seed, a team must win its conference championship.

1. Oregon (Big Ten)

Why do the Ducks fit so nicely into their new conference? Because they play defense. Quarterback Dillon Gabriel lost a bit of ground in the Heisman race in Oregon’s 16-13 victory at Wisconsin, but his defense had his back. Good teams play complementary football. Good teams also win their duds. Check. Check. But, Oregon better regain its fastball before the CFP. Last week’s projection: No. 1 seed.

CALM DOWN: The five biggest overreactions from Week 12

2. Alabama (SEC)

Nick Saban used to warn his teams about lower-tier opponents giving Alabama the “tin horn” treatment, but Kalen DeBoer’s Crimson Tide kept their faculties about them in a rout of Mercer. They say teams that win in November get remembered, and Alabama gathers speed with the SEC championship game in its sights. Last week’s projection: No. 2 seed.

3. Miami (ACC)

Remember what I said about the clubhouse being a safe place? Miami enjoyed the sanctity of an open date, while Big 12 front-runner Brigham Young lost to Kansas and a few longshot playoff contenders saw their hopes extinguished. Now, Miami must beat Wake Forest and Syracuse or risk being booted from the ACC championship game. Last week’s projection: No. 4 seed.

4. Colorado (Big 12)

If Deion Sanders completes this Year 2 uprising by winning the Big 12, it’ll rank as one of the most remarkable turnarounds ever. He inherited a team that finished 1-11 the year before his hire. As Colorado charges into playoff contention, its two-way star player Travis Hunter deserves every Heisman consideration. Last week’s projection: Not projected into bracket.

5. Ohio State (at-large)

The Buckeyes trailed Northwestern 7-0 midway through the second quarter of a game played at Wrigley Field. To use a baseball analogy, the Buckeyes’ bats heated up their second time through the batting order. They rattled off 31 consecutive points. Next comes a clash with undefeated Indiana. Last week’s projection: No. 5 seed.

6. Penn State (at-large)

If Illinois loses once in the next two weeks, the Nittany Lions will coast into December without a win against an opponent in the top 25. But, overall record and eye test are an awfully persuasive combination on this selection committee, and Penn State achieves high marks in both areas. Last week’s projection: No. 6 seed.

7. Mississippi (at-large)

The Rebels better be done reading their press clippings from their Nov. 10 takedown of Georgia, because a trip to The Swamp awaits, and Florida showed improvement in an upset of LSU. A loss would wreck everything Ole Miss worked to claw back by beating Georgia, while a road win would be another step toward first-round host status. Last week’s projection: No. 8 seed.

8. Notre Dame (at-large)

This weekend’s game against undefeated Army will either knock the Irish from the playoff field or help solidify Notre Dame’s pitch to host a first-round game. Notre Dame’s strength of schedule leaves much to be desired, but the committee can’t resist five consecutive wins by at least 18 points. Notre Dame’s defense has been nails. Flipping Ole Miss and Notre Dame in my pecking order gives the committee an avenue to avoid an Ole Miss-Georgia rematch. Last week’s projection: No. 7 seed.

9. Georgia (at-large)

When evaluating Georgia’s seed, the committee must reckon with the Bulldogs’ strong résumé versus its record and head-to-head loss to Ole Miss. So far, the committee has shown it mostly values record over strength of schedule, but Georgia gained another résumé gold star by beating Tennessee, its third win against a team currently ranked in the top 20. Any stumble by Penn State, Ole Miss or Notre Dame would strengthen Georgia’s case for a better seed. Last week’s projection: No. 9 seed.

10. Texas (at-large)

If you’re wondering my logic for Texas being the 10-seed, it goes like this: I project wins against Kentucky and Texas A&M the next two weeks, so the Longhorns reach 11-1. Then, Texas loses to Alabama in the SEC championship. Would the committee really bump from the bracket an 11-win SEC runner-up that finished all alone atop the SEC standings after the regular season? I think not. But the lack of quality wins push them behind other teams in the conference. Last week’s projection: No. 10 seed.

11. Indiana (at-large)

When Tennessee lost to Georgia by two touchdowns, it broadened the crease for Indiana to lose to Ohio State and still qualify for the playoff at 11-1, despite the shaky strength of schedule of the Hoosiers and a lack of marquee victories. Indiana has aced the eye test all season. It probably can afford a loss Saturday as long as they stay easy on the eyes. Or, win and remove any doubt. Last week’s projection: Not projected into bracket.

12. Boise State (Group of Five)

Army and Tulane of the American Athletic wait in the on-deck circle for this Group of Five bid, pining for a Boise State slip-up. Broncos tailback Ashton Jeanty won’t let it happen. He logged his 10th consecutive 100-yard rushing game in a win against San Jose State. Put aside the Group of Five status, because this is not a team to relish facing in the first round. Last week’s projection: No. 12 seed.

Dropping out of last week’s bracket projection

∎ BYU

∎ Tennessee

Why my latest CFP bracket projection does not include BYU

BYU’s loss to Kansas almost certainly cements the Big 12 as a one-bid league. The Cougars control their path to the Big 12 championship game, but they’re on a course to meet Colorado, and I trust the Buffaloes more right now.

Why my latest CFP bracket projection does not include Tennessee

The Vols played solidly in the first quarter against Georgia before looking remarkably pedestrian throughout the next three quarters. Tennessee’s offense reaffirmed the selection committee’s concerns that it lacks explosiveness, and the Vols’ usually dependable defense went limp.

With a chance for a statement victory, the Vols instead made a statement for being a fringe playoff team. In a crowded bubble, someone must go.

Blake Toppmeyer is the USA TODAY Network’s national college football columnist. Email him at BToppmeyer@gannett.com and follow him on Twitter @btoppmeyer. Subscribe to read all of his columns.

This post appeared first on USA TODAY
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Chicago Bulls great Bob Love dies at 81

Former Chicago Bulls star Bob Love died Monday after battling cancer, the team announced. He was 81.

A forward out of Southern University, Love played 11 seasons in the NBA, nine spent with Chicago. Traded to the Bulls in the middle of the 1968-69 season, Love became one of the first stars in the franchise’s young history. He was a three-time All-Star while playing for Chicago, including in the 1971-72 season when he averaged a career-high 25.8 points per game and finished sixth in MVP voting.

He was also part of the 1973-74 team that won the franchise’s first playoff series. During his time in Chicago, he also made the All-NBA second team twice and was on the All-Defensive second team three times.

‘Bob is one of the original Bulls greats,’ team owner Jerry Reinsdorf said in a statement. ‘During his nine seasons with the Bulls, Bob became a cornerstone of the franchise, and his tenacious defense set high standards for competition and toughness. Toughness was not only a trademark of Bob’s play on the court, but also apparent in his resiliency throughout his basketball career. His impact on the Bulls and the countless lives he touched through his work in the community will keep him in our memories forever.’

Love also played for the Cincinnati Royals, Milwaukee Bucks, New York Nets and Seattle SuperSonics. He finished his career averaging 17.6 points and 5.9 rebounds per game. In 1994, he became the second person in team history to have their jersey retired, with his No. 10 hung up alongside Jerry Sloan’s No. 4. Love was involved in the Chicago community after his playing days.

All things Bulls: Latest Chicago Bulls news, schedule, roster, stats, injury updates and more.

‘With his No. 10 jersey hanging in the United Center rafters, his on-court achievements are forever etched in history, but Bob’s impact transcended basketball,’ the team said. ‘He became an inspirational figure and a passionate community ambassador for the Bulls, dedicating himself to charitable causes and uplifting countless lives with his motivational speeches. We are profoundly grateful for his enduring contributions and legacy both on and off the court in Chicago.’

This post appeared first on USA TODAY
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Why SEC logjam will lead to College Football Playoff format change

We’re barely three months into the first season of a 12-team College Football Playoff, and there’s no denying it now. 

The SEC race has sucked the life from the CFP race – and could have wide-ranging implications for the future of the sport.

From looming changes to the new CFP contract format beginning in 2026, to impacting the SEC’s long-awaited decision on annual conference games, to the anticipated SEC-Big Ten scheduling agreement.

Everything will be affected by the rollout of this first 12-team CFP.

Or as one SEC athletics director, speaking on the condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the process, told USA TODAY, it’s short-term pain for long-term gain.

Translation: the SEC may have a deserving team (or teams) miss the 2024 CFP, but that potential scenario could set the framework for the new CFP format beginning in 2026 and beyond.

There are numerous ways the SEC and Big Ten – the sport’s super conferences wielding the most power – can push for change in the 2026 format. Among the possible changes: restructuring the selection committee, moving to 14 (or even 16) teams or guaranteeing a specific number of spots for the two super conferences.

“I don’t know what the they (CFP selection committee) are looking at,” said Georgia coach Kirby Smart. “I wish they could really define the criteria.” 

While there are still three weeks of games remaining before this year’s final CFP poll, there already are indicators of the selection committee placing a premium on overall wins instead of strength of schedule and wins of significance. A committee charged with looking at entire resumes has apparently reverted to the tired historical method of more wins equals higher ranking.  

In other words, the SEC believes its road to the CFP is more difficult than any other conference, and the rankings should reflect it. Instead, four of the top five teams in the latest CFP rankings are from the Big Ten. 

Unbeaten Oregon, with wins over Ohio State and Boise State, is the clear No. 1. But No. 2 Ohio State’s lone win of significance is over one-loss No. 4 Penn State, which hasn’t beaten a ranked team in the CFP poll.

Then there’s unbeaten No. 5 Indiana, which hasn’t beaten a CFP-ranked team and could earn a spot in the playoff this weekend with a win over Ohio State – or even a close loss.

Meanwhile, SEC members are picking off each other in a round-robin demolition derby, and the CFP selection committee seems to be giving weight to teams who lost earlier in the season. 

The most glaring problem: Ole Miss (with wins over No. 12 Georgia and No. 21 South Carolina), and Georgia (with wins over No. 3 Texas and No. 7 Tennessee) are seven and eight spots behind Penn State and Indiana. That difference in ranking could decided who hosts first round playoff games, and in what weather. 

Those are some of the obstacles the SEC and Big Ten face while working on a scheduling agreement to expand their media-rights revenue base. If the CFP selection committee is giving value to wins over strength of schedule and wins of significance, there’s no reason for some SEC schools to agree to an annual non-conference game with the Big Ten.

There’s also no reason for SEC schools to agree to a nine-game conference schedule. Why play nine games in the toughest conference in the nation when it’s not rewarded?

One Big Ten athletics director, also speaking on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the process, admitted to USA Today that it’s going to be difficult to dissuade SEC officials from that mindset if they perceive their teams not being rewarded for difficult schedules. 

College football’s nine conference commissioners and Notre Dame athletics director Pete Bevacqua are expected to iron out the specifics of the 2026 format after this season. The Big Ten and SEC wanted to analyze one run of the new 12-team playoff before suggesting changes to the format.

The current setup – automatic qualifiers from champions of the Power Four conferences, the highest-ranked Group of Five conference champion and seven at-large – almost certainly will not be the new format moving forward in 2026. 

The SEC and Big Ten want more guaranteed access. SEC commissioner Greg Sankey has even advocated for no automatic qualifiers, which could give the SEC and Big Ten a greater advantage if the committee rewards bids based on strength of schedule and significant victories.

And that leads the argument to the intriguing case of Indiana, which has many SEC officials (and some in the ACC and Big 12) sideways. The Hoosiers have played one team (five-loss Washington) with a winning record.

That Washington game was played in Bloomington, Indiana, and IU’s three road games are against UCLA, Northwestern and Michigan State – which have a combined 12-18 record.

But the CFP selection committee is clearly enamored with the Hoosiers’ unbeaten record and average margin of victory (30 ppg.). To which another SEC athletics director told USA TODAY: Liberty was unbeaten last year, too.

Critics could also point to Texas, which is No. 3 in the nation and hasn’t beaten a current CFP-ranked team. The SEC’s highest-ranked team played one team in the current CFP Top 25 and lost by 15 at home, to Georgia.

“I wish they could do the eyeball test where they come down here and look at the people we’re playing against,” Smart said. “You can’t see that stuff on TV. So I don’t know what they look for. That’s for somebody else to decide.”

Matt Hayes is the senior national college football writer for USA TODAY Sports Network. Follow him on X at @MattHayesCFB.

This post appeared first on USA TODAY
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Commanders’ potential return to D.C. clears major hurdle

Washington D.C. is one step closer to making a play for the Washington Commanders and the team’s return to the former site at RFK Stadium.

The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee passed legislation that would give the District of Columbia control of the RFK Stadium land by a 17-2 vote Tuesday. The bill can now move to a floor vote in the Senate.

‘Let’s go Commanders,’ committee chairman Joe Manchin, (I-WV), said once the roll call vote ended.

Officially, the bill is known as the ‘D.C. Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium Campus Revitalization Act,’ which has the stated purpose of transferring control of the federal land the stadium sits on from Congress to the local government of the District of Columbia ‘for purposes which include commercial and residential development’ – a new professional football stadium, for example.

‘Today’s result is an exciting and significant step forward for the city of Washington D.C. as it looks to gain long-term control of the RFK site,’ a Commanders spokesperson said in a statement. ‘The Commanders have been fortunate to have three incredible jurisdictions as we search for a new home and stadium. The vote today brings us one step closer towards continuing conversations with D.C., along with Maryland and Virginia, as a potential future home for our franchise.’

All things Commanders: Latest Washington Commanders news, schedule, roster, stats, injury updates and more.

Sen. Steve Daines (R-MT) had previously halted the legislation from progressing to a full committee vote in May because the organization no longer uses the logo that was associated with its former nickname. The logo, introduced in the 1970s, was created by Walter ‘Blackie’ Wetzel, a member of the Blackfleet Tribe, and based on a former tribe member. Daines is the ranking member of the National Parks subcommittee that oversaw the bill and said Tuesday he was pleased with the ‘good-faith’ conversations currently happening between the team and the Wetzel family.

The bill passed the House of Representatives in February and was introduced in July 2023. It was one of 74 bills on the committee’s schedule Tuesday.

The Commanders played at RFK Stadium from 1961 until the team moved to its current stadium in Landover, Maryland, following the 1996 season. Owner Josh Harris, who purchased the team last year, has advocated for the franchise to return to the city limits. D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser lobbied Congress to give D.C. control of the land to redevelop the stadium in the hopes of attracting the Commanders. The team is also being courted by Maryland and Virginia.

Any stadium plan would have to be approved by the local government.

Northwest Stadium – formerly FedEx Field – is considered one of the NFL’s venues most in need of an upgrade.

This post appeared first on USA TODAY
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Incoming GOP senator rallies behind Gaetz, Trump’s Cabinet picks: ‘Republican majority must unite’

Republican Sen.-elect Bernie Moreno issued a statement in defense of Donald Trump’s Cabinet appointments, including attorney general nominee Matt Gaetz, arguing that the president-elect has a ‘mandate’ from the American people. 

‘The American people delivered President Trump a mandate, and it is crucial that Senate Republicans confirm his nominees quickly,’ Moreno said in a statement to Fox News Digital. ‘Our Republican majority must unite and deliver a strong cabinet so we can begin implementing the American First agenda as soon as possible.’

Moreno also issued a statement in defense of Gaetz, becoming the first freshman GOP senator to do so. 

‘Under the Biden-Harris administration, the Department of Justice has been weaponized against President Trump and other Republicans,’ Moreno said. ‘Matt Gaetz is exactly the type of leader to clean up the corruption and return the DOJ to following the rule of law.’ 

Trump nominated Gaetz for attorney general last Wednesday, coming as a surprise to both conservatives and liberals alike. Democrats have notably slammed the choice, citing the House Ethics Committee’s investigation into Gaetz’s alleged sexual misconduct with a minor. Gaetz has long denied any wrongdoing, and the Trump transition team said they are confident the Senate will confirm Gaetz. 

‘I know Matt personally. He is a great person. He’s a man of integrity. He also is a brilliant litigator. He served on the House Judiciary Committee for eight years. Anyone who has watched him in those hearings knows that he’s incredibly impressive,’ Karoline Leavitt, the transition team’s spokesperson and Trump’s recently announced pick for press secretary, said on Fox News last week. 

Many Democrats and media pundits have issued blistering critiques of many of Trump’s appointments, including Gaetz, Defense secretary nominee Pete Hegseth, HHS secretary nominee Robert F. Kennedy Jr., and Director of National Intelligence nominee Tulsi Gabbard. 

‘President Trump made a brilliant pick in Tulsi Gabbard, a fierce voice who has been brave in speaking out against corruption,’ Moreno said. ‘Tulsi’s military experience and commitment to our Constitution make her a fantastic pick to lead as the Director of National Intelligence.’

Moreno also told Fox News Digital that Kennedy is the right choice at Health and Human Services.

‘After Americans have been misled for years by the ‘experts’ who are beholden to Big Pharma, RFK Jr. will put the health interests of the American people first. HHS desperately needs new leadership, and I am confident that President Trump nominated the right man for the job.’

Moreno, who defeated longtime Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown earlier this month, touted Hegseth’s record and ability to push back against bureaucracy at the Pentagon.

‘Pete Hegseth is a decorated war hero who dedicated 20 years of his life to protecting our nation,’ Moreno said. ‘Pete is exactly the type of leader who is needed at the Pentagon to shrink bureaucracy, eliminate woke ideology from our military, and put an end to endless wars.’

Fox News Digital’s Emma Colton contributed to this report

This post appeared first on FOX NEWS
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How Trump and Speaker Johnson could force the Senate to adjourn, allow recess appointments

Some Capitol Hill Republicans are already starting to deliberate whether President-elect Trump has a constitutional pathway to adjourn Congress himself in order to clear any possible resistance to his Cabinet appointments.

Trump argued earlier this month in a post on Truth Social that ‘recess appointments’ would enable his new administration ‘to get people confirmed in a timely manner.’

The Constitution grants the president authority to appoint Cabinet officials when the Senate is out of session, a period of time known as ‘recess,’ bypassing the traditional Senate confirmation process. 

Trump allies are exploring whether a constitutional clause would enable House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., to work with Trump to shut down Congress even if the Senate objects – clearing the way for his recess appointments.

The passage in question would allow the commander in chief to ‘on extraordinary Occasions, convene both Houses, or either of them, and in Case of Disagreement between them, with Respect to the Time of Adjournment, he may adjourn them to such Time as he shall think proper.’

If Johnson proposes to take the House and Senate out of session and the Senate resists, then there is ‘disagreement,’ the theory goes, and Trump could send everyone home for as long as he wants.

‘We’re still looking at that,’ Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, chair of the House Judiciary Committee’s subcommittee on the Constitution and Limited Government, told Fox News Digital. ‘I’m actually talking to a bunch of folks who have been a part of litigating this in the past… reviewing it to kind of figure out the history and the contours of that particular provision, because that’s kind of in the zip code of unprecedented.’

He said there was ‘zero question that the House and Senate can choose to adjourn,’ at which point Trump could make his recess appointments. 

‘We just kind of gotta work through what is the position of the House and the Senate on adjourning and then figure out… that specific question,’ Roy said.

Rep. Matt Rosendale, R-Mont., told Fox News Digital, ‘I have heard that there were some discussions about that, whether it is already currently allowed or procedurally correct, but not that much.’

‘I think basically, what we’re really, really talking about is, should the president be able to have the people confirmed that he has selected to help him pursue and pass his agenda?’ Rosendale said.

‘I think that he should be allowed to have the people confirmed that are going to help him pass his agenda… I do also believe that we have to be very careful of breaking norms, because we saw [ex-Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif.] do that on many occasions, and it does hurt the institutions.’

There’s currently disagreement among legal experts over whether the move is even possible.

‘The whole idea that a president could conspire with the House to eviscerate the Senate’s advice and consent for a nomination is outrageous,’ Edward Whelan, a distinguished senior fellow of the Ethics and Public Policy Center, told Fox News Digital.

‘The mechanism that they have in mind to do that would not work… the House of Representatives has no authority to try to prevent that same thing in session. And its objection to the Senate doing so cannot plausibly create the sort of disagreement that would trigger a presidential authority to adjourn both houses.’

Mike Davis, founder of the Article III Project and a former senior aide to the Senate Judiciary Committee, told Fox News Digital he believed the clause was there specifically for such a time.

‘The Senate’s job is to provide advice and consent. The American people overwhelmingly elected President Trump in a landslide victory. The American people expect the Senate to confirm all of President Trump’s qualified nominees,’ Davis said.

‘If the Senate refuses to do that, the Constitution provides a mechanism for the president and the executive brand to [sidestep] them.’

The idea has struck some within the House GOP as preposterous – particularly in relation to former Rep. Matt Gaetz’s nomination by Trump for attorney general.

‘The speaker should not do that. And my hope is that the Senate president will have more of a backbone,’ one Republican lawmaker told Fox News Digital when granted anonymity to speak freely.

‘If he wanted recess appointments, nominating Matt Gaetz was the worst thing he possibly could have done… when you throw him in there, you just kill it easily because you just scared the crap out of, I don’t know, probably 30 or 40 Republican senators.’

But Trump ally Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., who told Fox News Digital she’s heard ‘multiple strategies’ for helping the president-elect get recess appointments through, said, ‘Yes, we’re going to get the appointments done,’ even if Senate Republicans don’t fully comply.

‘I’ll just tell you this. If these senators oppose President Trump’s appointments, they are openly declaring war on President Trump and his incoming administration,’ Greene said. ‘They need to sit down and get out of the way, because it’s not going to be tolerated.’

Johnson himself appeared to leave the door open to such a strategy during an interview with ‘Fox News Sunday’ when asked about the constitutional theory.

‘I wish the Senate would simply do its job of advice and consent and allow the president to put the persons in his Cabinet of his choosing. But if this thing bogs down, it would be a great detriment to the country, to the American people,’ Johnson said.

‘They have sent the message that America First policies should be the rule of the day… So we’ll evaluate all that at the appropriate time and we’ll make the appropriate decision. There may be a function for that, and we’ll have to see how it plays out.’

Fox News Digital reached out to Johnson’s office for further comment.

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Politics

Trump appoints Dr. Oz to key HHS position in new administration

President-elect Trump announced on Tuesday that he will nominate Dr. Mehmet Oz to serve as the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Administrator in January.

‘America is facing a Healthcare Crisis, and there may be no Physician more qualified and capable than Dr. Oz to Make America Healthy Again,’ Trump said in a statement posted on Truth Social. ‘He is an eminent Physician, Heart Surgeon, Inventor, and World-Class Communicator, who has been at the forefront of healthy living for decades.’

Trump wrote that he plans for Dr. Oz to ‘work closely’ with Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., who the president-elect appointed to run the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

The CMS operates within the HHS, with the CMS controlling Medicare and Medicaid, among other programs. The agency’s website notes that it ‘works in partnership with the entire health care community to improve quality, equity and outcomes in the health care system.’

Trump wrote that Oz and Kennedy will ‘take on the illness industrial complex, and all the horrible chronic diseases left in its wake.’

‘Our broken Healthcare System harms everyday Americans, and crushes our Country’s budget,’ the statement read. ‘Dr. Oz will be a leader in incentivizing Disease Prevention, so we get the best results in the World for every dollar we spend on Healthcare in our Great Country.

The Republican also wrote that Oz ‘will also cut waste and fraud within our Country’s most expensive Government Agency, which is a third of our Nation’s Healthcare spend[ing], and a quarter of our entire National Budget.’

Oz, who regularly appeared on ‘The Oprah Winfrey Show’ before hosting ‘The Dr. Oz Show’ from 2009 to 2022, holds an MD from the University of Pennsylvania. Oz ran for the U.S. Senate in Pennsylvania in 2022, and lost to now-Senator John Fetterman.

Trump wrote that Oz ‘taught millions of Americans how to make healthier lifestyle choices, and gave a strong voice to the key pillars of the MAHA [Make America Healthy Again] Movement.’

‘I have known Dr. Oz for many years, and I am confident he will fight to ensure everyone in America receives the best possible Healthcare, so our Country can be Great and Healthy Again!’ the statement concluded.

The current CMS Administrator is Chiquita Brooks-LaSure. The agency’s website notes that the Administrator ‘directs the planning, coordination, and implementation of the programs under Titles XI, XVIII, XIX, and XXI of the Social Security Act and related statutes,’ as well as ‘directs the development of effective relationships between these programs and private and federally supported health-related programs.’

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