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President-elect Donald Trump will have his hand on two Bibles during his swearing-in ceremony on Monday, the culmination of the 60th Presidential Inauguration.

Trump will use his Bible, given to him by his mother in 1955, to ‘mark his Sunday Church Primary School graduation at First Presbyterian Church, in Jamaica, New York,’ a press release from his inaugural committee states. 

The religious text is a 1953 revised standard version that was published by Thomas Nelson and Sons in New York. Trump’s name is embossed on the lower portion of the front cover, and inside the cover are signatures of church officials, an inscription of the president’s name and details of when it was presented to him.

In addition to the sentimental Bible, the Lincoln Bible, first used in 1861 to swear-in the 16th U.S. president, will be used.

‘It has only been used three times since, by President Obama at each of his inaugurations and by President Trump at his first inauguration in 2017,’ Trump’s team states. ‘The burgundy velvet-bound book is part of the collections of the Library of Congress.’

President Obama also took the oath of office on two Bibles back in 2013, the Associated Press reported. One was owned by Martin Luther King Jr. and the other was the Lincoln Bible.

When Trump is sworn in as the 47th President of the United States inside the Capitol’s rotunda, he will do so facing a bust of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. on the federal holiday commemorating King’s legacy.

The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

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President-elect Donald Trump campaigned in 2024 as an anti-establishment populist prepared to take on the political class and act on behalf of working families. When Trump is prepared to move forward in that direction, I will gladly support him. When he does not, I will vigorously oppose him.

Trump has said the United States should not be paying, by far, the highest prices in the world for prescription drugs. He’s right. Under President Biden, we have made some good progress in lowering the outrageously high cost of prescription drugs in this country, including having Medicare negotiate prices with the pharmaceutical industry. But much more needs to be done. I look forward to working with President Trump on legislation that would end the absurdity of Americans paying, by far, the highest price in the world for prescription drugs.  We must have the courage to take on the greed of the pharmaceutical industry and lower drug prices substantially.

At a time when many financially strapped Americans are paying 20 or 30% interest rates on their credit cards, President Trump has stated that he wants to cap credit card interest rates at 10%. He’s right. I will soon be introducing bipartisan legislation to protect Americans from being ripped off by the credit card industry and look forward to his support. 

President Trump has rightfully pointed out that disastrous trade agreements like NAFTA and PNTR with China have cost millions of American jobs as corporations shut down manufacturing in this country and moved abroad to find cheap labor. As someone who strongly opposed those agreements, I look forward to working with the Trump administration on new trade policies that will protect American workers and create good-paying jobs in our country.

Some of Trump’s nominees have also made important points. Trump’s nominee for Secretary of Health and Human Services, Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., is right when he says that food corporations are ‘poisoning’ our young people with highly processed foods that are causing obesity, heart disease and other serious health problems. The Trump administration and Congress must take on the greed of the food industry and create a healthier America.

At a time when many large corporations are routinely breaking the law and engaging in illegal union-busting, Trump’s Labor Secretary nominee Lori Chavez-DeRemer has been supportive of the PRO Act, which would protect a worker’s right to join a union and bargain for better pay, benefits and working conditions. She is right. Workers must have the right to join a union without illegal interference by their bosses. I look forward to working with the Trump administration to pass the PRO Act into law.

No one denies that we must end waste, fraud and abuse in the federal government. Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, for example, is correct when he points outthat the Pentagon has failed seven audits and cannot fully account for its budget of over $800 billion. We must make the Defense Department far more efficient, save taxpayers hundreds of billions of dollars a year and cut spending.  

But let me be clear. While I am more than prepared to work with the Trump administration in areas of agreement, I have some very strong disagreements with positions that Trump has proposed.

At a time of massive income and wealth inequality, when the wealthiest people have never had it so good, it would be an outrage to provide hundreds of billions of dollars in additional tax breaks to large corporations and the wealthiest people in this country.  Any new tax cuts should go to the working families of this country.  Billionaires and large profitable corporations must start paying their fair share in taxes.

Further, we must not throw millions of people off of the health care they have by making massive cuts to Medicaid and other public health programs, which is how some Republicans want to pay for their tax cuts for the rich.  Medicaid is a lifeline not only for millions of low-income Americans, but also for over a million seniors in nursing homes and people with disabilities.

The last 10 years have been the warmest on record and, as a result, we have seen unprecedented extreme weather disturbances throughout the United States and the world.  While Los Angeles experiences devastating wildfires and North Carolina is still recovering from destructive flooding, Trump is dangerously wrong when he claims climate change is a ‘hoax.’ Virtually the entire scientific community understands that climate change is real, is caused by carbon emissions and is an enormous threat to the well-being of our kids and future generations.  We must, with the entire global community, combat climate change.

We must not engage in the mass deportation of 20 million people in this country, many of whom have worked and lived here for virtually their entire lives and are a vital part of our economy. We need to stop illegal crossings with strong border enforcement and should deport people who commit serious criminal offenses. But we must not break up millions of families, put children in cages, or use the U.S. military unconstitutionally to round up immigrants in door-to-door searches. 

Trump Treasury Secretary nominee Scott Bessent is wrong when he opposes the need to raise the federal minimum wage. At a time when the $7.25 minimum wage has not been raised in 15 years, it is unconscionable that millions of Americans continue to work for starvation wages. We must raise the minimum wage to a living wage: $17 an hour.

We must not allow billionaire oligarchs to buy our government. Trump has repeatedly claimed that he wants the Republican Party to represent the needs of working people. Well, you don’t do that by surrounding yourself with the richest people in the world and putting 13 billionaires in your cabinet, many of whom have a direct financial stake in the industries they are charged with regulating.  Further, we need real campaign finance reform which prevents billionaires in both parties from buying elections.

Let us never forget we are the wealthiest country in the history of the world. There is no reason why 60% of Americans should live paycheck to paycheck, why we have massive and growing income and wealth inequality, why 85 million Americans are uninsured or underinsured, why 25% of seniors in America are trying to survive on $15,000 a year or less, why young people leave college deeply in debt, or why childcare is unaffordable for millions of families. We can do better. We must do better. 

I look forward to working with President Trump when he stands with the working families of this country. I will vigorously oppose him when he represents the needs of the billionaire class and wealthy special interests.

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The Detroit Lions earned the No. 1 seed in the NFC for the first time in team history, but they are one and done in the playoffs thanks to the Washington Commanders.

Jayden Daniels and the Commanders stunned the Lions 45-31 in Detroit to advance to the NFC championship game.

The high-scoring affair featured a roller coast second quarter where combined 42 points were scored. The two teams combined for 621 combined yards in the first half.

Washington took a 31-21 lead at halftime and were able to hold on. It’s the first time in 33 years the Commanders have advanced to the NFC championship game

Here’s what we learned for the Commanders vs. Lions playoff tilt:

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Jayden Daniels is ready for the moment

Daniels showed remarkable poise in just his second career playoff game.

He demonstrated as much with a 38-yard pass to Dyami Brown, which might be the best throw of the NFL playoffs thus far.

The Commanders rookie QB completed 22-of-31 passes for 299 yards and two touchdowns.

Washington is guaranteed a road playoff game next week. They will either travel to Philadelphia or Los Angeles. Philadelphia would have the most hostile environment, but nothing seems to rattle the rookie QB.

Zach Ertz: Security blanket

Veteran tight ends can be a young quarterback’s best friend. Zach Ertz proved that on Saturday night.

Daniels found Ertz on a fourth-and-3 in the second quarter for a first down. He also hit the tight end for a five-yard touchdown on third-and-goal in the second period. The veteran tight end has been Daniels’ security blanket all season long.

Ertz even sealed the deal for the Commanders on special teams: He recovered an onside kick in the fourth quarter.

The 12-year veteran tight end finished with five catches, 28 yards and a touchdown.

 Commanders’ fourth down efficiency shines again

The Commanders converted on an NFL-best 87% of their fourth downs during the regular season. Washington was an impressive 3 of 4 on fourth downs in their matchup vs. Detroit.

Whether it’s the Rams or the Eagles, Commanders’ opponent next week is going to have to prepare to play all four downs.

Commanders’ run defense remains unimpressive

The Commanders had the third worst run defense in the NFL during the regular season, allowing 137 yards per game. Washington gave up 201 yards on the ground. Jahmyr Gibbs rushed 14 times for 105 yards and a touchdown.

Washington’s defensive unit did, however, force five turnovers (four interceptions, one fumble recovery).

The Commanders have to tighten up their run defense in advance of the NFC championship game. Eagles running back Saquon Barkley rushed for 296 yards and four touchdowns on Washington during the regular season.

Lions defense must get healthy this offseason

The Lions season ended with 13 defensive players on injured reserve, including defensive end Aidan Hutchinson, defensive lineman Alim McNeill and cornerback Carlton Davis.

Detroit ranked 20th in the NFL in total defense. They will go into the into the offseason having given up 45 points and 482 total yards in a disappointing finish to a once-promising season.

Follow USA TODAY Sports’ Tyler Dragon on X @TheTylerDragon.

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Even when they’re not in the NFL playoffs, they’re still in the NFL playoff conversation.

The Dallas Cowboys missed out on making the NFC playoff field this year, ending a chance at ending a decades-long NFC championship game drought.

While the NFC East-rival Commanders held the distinct and unfortunate label of holding the NFC’s longest championship-game appearance drought, Washington ended that on Saturday night with a 45-31 win over the Lions in the NFC divisional round.

Now, the Cowboys proved it might not be hard to keep up with the Joneses after all.

Dallas’ last appearance in an NFC championship game came in the 1995 NFL season. More specifically, it came on Jan. 14, 1996, when the Cowboys defeated the Green Bay Packers to advance to Super Bowl 30. They would defeat the Pittsburgh Steelers in the matchup to give the Cowboys their fifth – and last – Super Bowl victory.

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Now, with Dallas searching for a new head coach to once again reach the promised land, there’s not only added pressure to add another ring to Dallas’ jewelry box, but to at least come within striking distance of one.

When was the last time the Cowboys went to the NFC championship game?

Dallas last made the NFC championship game on Jan. 14, 1996. The Cowboys finished the regular season 12-4 and received a first-round bye for their efforts.

They defeated hated rival Philadelphia in the NFC divisional round before downing the Packers in the NFC championship game. They would defeat the Steelers in Super Bowl 30, 27-17.

When did the Cowboys last make the playoffs?

The Cowboys aren’t exactly running a playoff drought, however. While Dallas missed they playoffs in 2024, it did make the playoffs in 2023, losing to the Packers in the wild card round.

Longest NFC championship game droughts

Here’s when each NFC team last made an appearance in the NFL semifinals (parenthesis indicates last year a championship game was won):

Dallas Cowboys: 1995 (1995)
Chicago Bears: 2010 (2006)
New York Giants: 2011 (2011)
Seattle Seahawks: 2014 (2014)
Arizona Cardinals: 2015 (2008)
Carolina Panthers: 2015 (2015)
Atlanta Falcons: 2016 (2016)
Minnesota Vikings: 2017 (1976)
New Orleans Saints: 2018 (2009)
Green Bay Packers: 2020 (2010)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 2020 (2020)
Los Angeles Rams: 2021 (2021)
Philadelphia Eagles: 2022 (2022)
San Francisco 49ers: 2023 (2023)
Detroit Lions: 2024 (N/A)
Washington Commanders: 2024 (1991)

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On January 20, 2025, at noon, Donald J. Trump will be sworn in as the 47th president of the United States. He will be only the second president to serve non-consecutive terms, Grover Cleveland being the first. Cleveland’s fate was the result of buyer’s remorse from the public. First elected in 1884, he was defeated in 1888 by Benjamin Harrison, whose economic policies turned out to be a disaster. Harrison was so weak that Cleveland saw an opportunity to regain the White House. He was re-elected in 1892. 

On Monday, Trump will repeat Cleveland’s rare act as he stands for inauguration on one of the coldest days of the year in Washington, D.C. Trump announced that the ceremony would be moved indoors to the Capitol Rotunda, with live viewing for up to 20,000 at the Capital One Arena. Although over 200,000 people have tickets for the inauguration, most of them will be watching on screens with the rest of America. Harsh weather has driven the ceremonies inside on only a handful of occasions, most recently for Ronald Reagan’s second inauguration in 1985, when the temperature was seven degrees at noon.

Inauguration Day is the performance of a Constitutionally mandated ritual, our way of keeping the promise of democracy every four years. Its traditions, largely devoid of politics, are beloved by the public no matter who is placing their hand on the Bible. Every four years, this occasion is a celebratory acknowledgment of what unites us. Americans mostly set aside their differences and focus on our enduring democracy. Hard feelings may linger from the election, but the inaugural celebration transcends those divisions, if only for a day.

It begins in the late morning when it is tradition for the incoming president and his spouse to be hosted at the White House for tea by the outgoing president and his spouse. The Bidens will host the Trumps on January 20. This tea, another example of the peaceful transition of power, can be awkward when winners and losers come together in those final moments. The Trumps skipped it altogether in 2021, but photos from various transitions show a lot of stiff smiles. Everyone studies the photos for body language clues, but the bottom line is that it usually happens. Americans love to see leaders from different parties getting along, even superficially. Note the explosive response in the press and on social media over Trump and Obama smiling and chatting at Jimmy Carter’s funeral. 

It is also traditional for the outgoing and incoming presidents to ride to the Capitol together. Trump and Obama rode together on Trump’s first inauguration day in 2017. It is unknown whether Biden and Trump will share a car this time.

The inauguration ceremony itself will follow tradition, with all four living presidents—Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, Barack Obama, and Joe Biden present. Holding places of honor along with Cabinet appointees and high-ranking guests will be some new faces for this occasion—a collection of the nation’s most powerful tech leaders, including Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, Mark Zuckerberg, Tim Cook, and TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew.

Everyone looks forward to the inauguration speech, which sets the tone for the new administration. Over the centuries, signature lines have become memorable long after a president has come and gone. What makes a statement memorable is how well it reflects the enduring spirit of America. For example, Thomas Jefferson’s declaration that ‘every difference of opinion is not a difference of principle.’ Or Abraham Lincoln in 1865, when the Civil War was in its final, most bloody period, offering this remarkable olive branch: ‘With malice toward none, with charity for all, with firmness in the right as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in, to bind up the nation’s wounds, to care for him who shall have borne the battle and for his widow and his orphan, to do all which may achieve and cherish a just and lasting peace among ourselves and with all nations.’

Franklin Roosevelt stood before a nation shattered by the Great Depression and sought to instill a new resolve with these words: ‘So, first of all, let me assert my firm belief that nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror which paralyzes needed efforts to convert retreat into advance.’ John F. Kennedy uttered what was perhaps the most famous inaugural line of all: ‘Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country.’

In Reagan’s first inaugural address, he staked out the guiding principle of American greatness in the world: ‘Above all, we must realize that no arsenal, or no weapon in the arsenals of the world, is so formidable as the will and moral courage of free men and women.’  

Reports from the Trump transition are that Trump will set an upbeat tone for his second inauguration, and if he does that, he will receive a positive public response. On this hallowed day, Americans like their leaders to speak about what is right with America.

After the ceremony there will be a parade, which has also been moved to the Capital One Arena. The inaugural parade, which has been a custom since the earliest days of the nation, is an opportunity to combine celebration with a showcase of the best of American life, with marching bands, floats and exhibits representing the states. American sacrifice and courage will be on display with military units, police, and fire departments. 

This year’s parade will also feature the first responders of Butler County, Pennsylvania, the location of a July assassination attempt on Donald Trump. They will pay homage to fallen Buffalo Township fire chief Corey Comperatore, who was shot and killed that day. 

Finally, it is customary for the outgoing president to slip a personal note to his successor into a drawer of the Oval Office desk. The tradition began with Ronald Reagan, who left a personal note for George H.W. Bush. Bush then did the same for Bill Clinton, writing, ‘Your success now is our country’s success. I am rooting hard for you.’

When President Trump entered the White House for his first term, he found a note written by Barack Obama: ‘Millions have placed their hopes in you, and all of us, regardless of party, should hope for expanded prosperity and security during your tenure.’ 

Trump left a note for Joe Biden in 2021, which Biden said was ‘a very generous letter.’ Now Joe Biden will leave a note for Trump. And the great cycle of American life continues.

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During a busy week in the nation’s capital, far from the action, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis had no trouble keeping his name in the political spotlight.

‘This is a time for action. And a time for Washington, D.C., to deliver results to the American people. There are no more excuses for Republicans,’ the conservative two-term governor and 2024 Republican presidential candidate said Thursday as he named Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody to succeed Sen. Marco Rubio in the Senate.

Two days earlier, President-elect Trump gave his onetime bitter GOP primary rival a shout-out after the governor called for a special state legislative session to implement Trump’s expected immigration crackdown.

‘Thank you Ron, hopefully other governors will follow!’ the president-elect said in a social media post.

Due to the national profile he’s built over the past four years, the governor of one of the country’s most important states will likely continue to stay in the headlines as he takes a lead on some of the nation’s most consequential issues.

The spotlight should help DeSantis if he ends up launching a second straight GOP presidential nomination run in 2028, a race in which soon-to-be Vice President JD Vance will be considered the clear early frontrunner as the perceived America First and MAGA heir apparent to Trump.

‘He needs to do what he did in 2022, which is pick good fights. And he’s shown a lot of capability to pick good fights with the left both in Florida and nationally,’ longtime Republican strategist David Kochel said of DeSantis.

‘I think he’ll be in demand to come do stuff in Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina,’ Kochel, a veteran of numerous GOP presidential campaigns, predicted, pointing to the three key early voting states in the Republican presidential primaries. 

‘I wouldn’t change a lot from how he did the run-up to his 2024 campaign. The problem was he basically ran against an incumbent president. He didn’t have the wrong playbook. He had the wrong cycle.’

While the initial moves in the 2028 White House run will likely start in the coming months, including some early state visits, most Americans won’t be paying a lick of attention until after the 2026 midterms, when the next presidential campaign formally gets under way. And that’s when DeSantis will be wrapping up his second and final four-year term steering Florida, allowing him to concentrate 100% on a White House run if that’s in his cards.

But what about another high-profile Republican governor who likely has national ambitions in 2028?

The Virginia Constitution doesn’t allow for incumbent governors to run for a second consecutive term, so Gov. Glenn Youngkin will be out of office in Richmond in a year.

Compared to DeSantis, who also enjoys large GOP majorities in his state legislature, which will allow him to continue to enact a conservative agenda, Virginia is a purple state where Democrats have a slight upper hand in the legislature. 

‘It might be a little tougher for Youngkin, a little tougher for him to find ways to stay in the news’ after he leaves office in a year, Kochel suggested.

But, Younkin predicted, ‘You’re going to see me a lot.’

‘We’ve got a very aggressive agenda for being governor in the last 14 months,’ he said in a Fox News Digital interview in November. ‘But part of that agenda that I have is to make sure that we have [Lt. Gov.] Winsome Sears as our next governor. [Virginia Attorney General] Jason Miyares is back as our attorney general and a super lieutenant governor who we will pick at our primaries.’

Youngkin, who energized Republicans nationwide in 2021 as a first-time candidate who hailed from the party’s business wing, edged former Democratic Gov. Terry McAuliffe to become the first GOP candidate in a dozen years to win a gubernatorial election in the one-time swing state that had trended toward the Democrats over the previous decade. He could also potentially end up in the Trump administration after his term in Richmond sunsets in a year.

‘I told the president when I called him and told him that I wanted to finish my term that I would be available to help him at any time while I’m governor and afterwards,’ Youngkin told Fox News Digital, referring to a call he held with Trump right after the November election.

But if he doesn’t enter the Trump administration, another route for Youngkin to stay in the spotlight in 2026 would be criss-crossing the country on behalf of fellow Republicans running in the midterm elections. It’s a role Youngkin previously played in 2022, helping fellow Republican governors and gubernatorial candidates.

‘He’s got to do the blocking and tackling, go state by state, help a lot of candidates, raise a lot of money for them. Get a bunch of governors elected,’ Kochel suggested. ‘That’s the playbook for him.’

What about NIkki Haley, the former two-term Republican governor of South Carolina and former U.S. ambassador to the U.N. in Trump’s first administration, who was the last rival standing against Trump in the 2024 GOP presidential primaries?

Out of office and shut out of the Trump world while still facing social media zingers by the president-elect, Haley’s ability to grab attention should she seek the presidency again may be a more difficult climb within a party once again on bended knee to the former and future president.

Haley does have a weekly national radio show on Sirius XM, where she noted a few weeks ago, ‘I had no interest in being in [Trump’s] Cabinet.’

But a lot can happen in the two years until the next White House race officially gets under way. There could be some buyer’s remorse among voters if the new administration is not successful in enacting some of its goals.

‘While JD Vance starts as the presumed frontrunner right now, there’s a million miles to go between now and then,’ seasoned Republican strategist Colin Reed told Fox News.

And Kochel added that for some Republicans mulling a 2028 presidential bid, ‘I think a little strategic distance is not a bad idea. Because you don’t know what’s going to happen over the next two years.’

But holding statewide office — either as a governor or senator — doesn’t guarantee favorable coverage.

‘Having a day job cuts both ways. It gives you a platform, a megaphone, and an ability to make news whenever you want. But it also carries with it the responsibilities of governing or legislating or being part of government bodies, whether it’s Congress or the state you are running, where things can go wrong and end up on your doorstep and become political baggage,’ Reed noted.

Reed warned that ‘history is littered with those officeholders who ran and won for a second term only to have political baggage at home become political headaches on the campaign trail.’

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Just one day after announcing an anticipated comeback, Hall of Fame broadcaster Dick Vitale said he will have to delay his return due to a health issue unrelated to the cancer that has kept him out of the booth since 2023.

In a statement posted by ESPN, Vitale said he suffered an accident at his home in Florida ‘that has created some new health challenges and near-term physical limitations for me.’

ESPN announced Friday that Vitale was scheduled to be on the call for Duke’s game at Wake Forest on Jan. 25 in Winston Salem, North Carolina. Vitale’s most recent game assignment was April 3, 2023, calling the international broadcast of the San Diego State vs. UConn national championship for ESPN.

‘I’m devastated that I won’t be courtside with my ESPN buddy Dave O’Brien and with all the players and fans, especially because of the overwhelming response I received when news of my planned return was announced,’ Vitale’s statement said. ‘I was anxiously awaiting the chance to feel the excitement and energy of a college basketball environment for the first time in nearly two years. Now, I’m just going to wait some more.’

No timetable for his return was given, and ESPN made no further comment.

Vitale, 85, battled four types of cancer for more than three years and is only months removed from a 2024 surgery to address a lymph node in his neck diagnosed as cancer.

Vitale announced on Jan. 8 that he was cancer-free, the most recent disclosure in the health battle he chose to make public through social media platforms.

In 2021, Vitale was diagnosed with lymphoma, which followed multiple surgeries to remove melanoma. In 2022, he announced he was cancer-free. Then in 2023, he was diagnosed with vocal cord cancer and underwent radiation.

He announced he was cancer-free for the third time in November 2023.

Vitale joined ESPN during the 1979-80 season and called his first major college basketball game on Dec. 5, 1979. He has been the game analyst for more than 1,000 games and was inducted into the Broadcasting & Cable Hall of Fame in 2024.

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Former presidents, politicians, tech giants, world leaders and others will convene in Washington, D.C., on Monday for President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration – while a few key figures will skip the event altogether.

Traditionally, most departing presidents do attend the inauguration of those taking over the White House. Outgoing President Biden told MeidasTouch network last month he would attend Trump’s second inauguration – even though Trump didn’t show up to Biden’s inauguration four years ago. Additionally, the White House confirmed first lady Jill Biden will attend.

Likewise, all three living former presidents, Bill Clinton, George W. Bush and Barack Obama, confirmed they will partake in the inauguration festivities, the Associated Press reports. Former first ladies Laura Bush and Hillary Clinton will also join their spouses for Trump’s second inauguration. 

But some prominent Democrats will not appear at the inauguration. Former first lady Michelle Obama and former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., announced this week that they will skip the event. 

A spokesperson for the Obamas did not provide additional information to the AP regarding Michelle Obama’s absence, although the former first lady also did not attend former President Jimmy Carter’s funeral earlier this month. 

Likewise, tech giants including Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg and TikTok CEO Shou Chew will attend and sit up front on the dais alongside other VIP guests. 

A source familiar with the plans told Fox News Digital Chew received an invitation from the Inaugural Committee. The New York Times broke the news that Chew would attend. 

Trump also extended invites to several world leaders – including Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Incoming White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told ‘Fox & Friends’ in December that Xi had received an invitation after Trump said that he would ‘love to have’ the Chinese leader there at the inauguration. 

‘This is an example of President Trump creating an open dialogue with leaders of countries that are not just our allies but our adversaries and our competitors, too. We saw this in the first term, before,’ Leavitt said. ‘He is willing to talk to anyone, and he will always put America’s interests first.’

Although Jinping will not attend, China’s Foreign Ministry announced on Friday that Chinese Vice President Han Zheng would visit Washington for the occasion. 

The AP also reported that Trump had invited Javier Milei, the president of Argentina, and Nayib Bukele, the president of El Salvador. Likewise, CBS first reported that Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orbán was invited to the inauguration, but Hungarian media reported he would not make the trip, according to Politico. 

However, Milei is expected to attend, as is Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Politico reports. 

Such appearances are unique. The AP previously reported that no foreign leaders have attended any U.S. inaugurations, according to State Department historical records. 

Musical performances by Carrie Underwood, the Village People and Lee Greenwood are also scheduled for the inauguration. Underwood is slated to perform ‘America the Beautiful’ during the swearing-in ceremony for Trump and President-elect JD Vance, a Trump Transition spokesperson told Fox News Digital. 

Trump and former first lady Melania Trump skipped Biden’s inauguration in 2021. Other presidents have also missed their successors’ inaugurations. Six other former presidents, dating back to John Adams, also skipped inaugurations for the incoming president, according to the White House Historical Association.

Fox News’ Michael Dorgan, Brooke Singman, and Morgan Phillips contributed to this report. 

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Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs are moving on the AFC championship game.

The Chiefs defeated the Houston Texans 23-14 Saturday at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium to remain undefeated at home this year.

Kansas City’s won eighth straight playoff games. The AFC championship game has become the Chiefs invitational. The Chiefs are on their way to a seventh consecutive AFC championship game.

Mahomes is 7-0 in his career in the divisional round, which is the most wins without a loss in the divisional round by any quarterback in playoff history, per NFL Research.

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Here is what we learned from the Texans vs. Chiefs playoff game:

Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce rekindle connection

The Chiefs tight end had a vintage performance in the victory.

Mahomes found his favorite target routinely over the middle of the field. Kelce caught a 13-yard touchdown pass from Mahomes that gave the Chiefs a 20-12 lead in the fourth quarter.

The Chiefs tight end produced a game-high seven catches, 117 yards and one touchdown.

Kelce had 15 straight playoff games with at least five receptions and 14 consecutive postseason games with at least 70 receiving yards, both the longest such streaks in NFL playoff history.

Mahomes completed 16-of-25 passes for 177 and one touchdown. Kelce and rookie wide receiver Xavier Worthy 12 combined for 12 receptions. Worthy was the only Chiefs wide receiver to record a reception. The Chiefs offense will need better games from receivers DeAndre Hopkins, Hollywood Brown and JuJu Smith-Schuster next week.

Mahomes now has 16 career postseason wins. He’s tied with Hall of Fame QB Joe Montana (16 wins) for the second-most wins by a starting quarterback in postseason history. Tom Brady (35 postseason wins) owns the record.

Chiefs offense begin contest rusty

The questions of whether or not the extended rest would be detrimental for the Chiefs was both answered and not in the win.

Predictably, the Chiefs offense was rusty after they rested starters in Week 18 and enjoyed a bye week in the wild card round.

Nikko Remigio’s 63-yard return on the game’s opening kickoff, plus an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on Houston, gave the Chiefs excellent field position to start the game.

Despite the Chiefs’ first offensive snap being on Houston’s 13-yard line, the offense went three-and-out and had to settle for a 32-yard field goal.  

Kansas City’s concerning run defense

The Chiefs better shore up their run defense in a hurry.

Next week, Kansas City will either face a Baltimore Ravens team that boasts the No. 1 rushing attack in the league or a Buffalo Bills club with a top-10 rushing offense.

The Chiefs defense gave up 95 yards on the ground in the first half. Houston averaged over five yards a carry in the first half. Houston tallied 149 rushing yards in the loss. They averaged 5.1 yards per carry.

Texans RB Joe Mixon found running lanes in between the tackles and on outside runs. The Texans running back had a nice 13-yard touchdown run in the third quarter to trim Houston’s deficit 13-12.

Texans special teams played a big hand in loss

The Texans special teams unit had a terrible outing. They gave up a 63-yard kick off return to begin the game.

Kicker Ka’imi Fairbairn badly misfired on a 55-yard field goal in the second. He then missed a game-tying extra point in the third period. If that wasn’t bad enough, Fairbairn had his 35-yard field goal blocked with under two minutes to go in the game. A successful field goal would’ve made it a one-possession game.

Texans leaky offensive line

The Texans quarterback was sacked an AFC-high 52 times during the regular season. One of Houston’s priorities this offseason should be to invest in their offensive line.

Andy Reid joins rare company

Reid recorded his 300th career win (including playoffs). He joins Don Shula (347), Bill Belichick (333) and George Halas (324) as the only coaches in NFL history to reach 300 career victories.

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The Houston Texans’ season ended Saturday in the divisional round.

C.J. Stroud was sacked eight times in Houston’s 23-14 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. Texans running back Joe Mixon registered 88 rushing yards and one touchdown. While Texans pass rusher Will Anderson Jr. had four tackles, three tackles for loss and two sacks in the defeat.

It’s the second-straight year the Texans’ season ended in the divisional round of the playoffs.

The back-to-back AFC South champions will now enter the offseason with questions and needs on both sides of the football. What’s next for the Texans as they prepare for the 2025 season? USA TODAY Sports explores.

Houston Texans key free agents

Stefon Diggs

The Texans adjusted Diggs contract shortly after trading for the wide receiver, essentially making the pact a one-year deal. Diggs first season with the Texans got cut short after just eight games due to a knee injury.

NFL STATS CENTRAL: The latest NFL scores, schedules, odds, stats and more.

Diggs wasn’t the only one to suffer an injury. Houston’s wide receiver room was ravaged by injuries this season. Nico Collins missed time this year and Tank Dell suffered a gruesome knee injury in December. When the Texans are whole, they have one of the best receiving corps in the NFL.

The Texans must decide whether or not they want to run it back with Diggs.

Folorunso Fatukasi

The defensive tackle started 11 games in first year in Houston. He registered 24 tackles and four tackles for loss. He’s started 63 games in seven seasons with the Jets, Jaguars and Texans.

Derek Barnett

Texans offseason preview: 3 moves to make

Upgrade offensive line

C.J. Stroud was sacked an AFC-most 52 times this season. He was battered and bruised by Kansas City in the division round loss.

The Texans have to beef up their O-line and protect their franchise QB better. There are multiple quality interior linemen available in free agency, including Bucs guard Ben Bredeson and Colts center Ryan Kelly.

Houston could turn to the 2025 NFL draft to get a quality guard in the first round or in the second round like Alabama’s Tyler Booker or Georgia’s Tate Ratledge.

Re-sign Stefon Diggs

It would behoove the Texans to re-sign Diggs, especially because Dell could miss all of next season as he recovers from a severe knee injury.

Collins was leading the NFL in receiving yards before because placed on IR with a hamstring injury. Collins’ emergence was attributed to Diggs being on the field. Collins and Diggs are both high-volume receivers who can create good separation.

Add depth along D-line

Anderson (11 sacks) and Danielle Hunter (12) were the only pair of AFC teammates each with 11 sacks this season. The two accounted for almost half of Houston’s sacks. Where the Texans need help is in the interior. Bengals free-agent DT B.J. Hill would make an instant impact in Houston.

Texans draft needs

Here’s what Houston can

Offensive line
Defensive tackle
Wide receiver

The Texans have six picks in the 2025 NFL draft.

Round 1

Round 2

Round 3

Round 5 (From Buffalo)

Round 7

Follow USA TODAY Sports’ Tyler Dragon on X @TheTylerDragon.

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