By Rachael Bade and Eugene Daniels

With help from Eli Okun, Garrett Ross and Bethany Irvine

HE’S BACK — “Anthony Weiner’s Latest Redemption Tour Starts With a Haircut,” by NYT’s Benjamin Oreskes

WHAT JAMES BRAID IS READING — “Here Are the GOP Senators Who Could Take Down Trump’s Cabinet Picks,” by Jonathan Martin: “The fates of the fringe appointees who come up for a confirmation vote will reveal one of the most important new power centers in Washington, and perhaps one of the few checks on Trump II: the lame duck caucus.”

Pete Hegseth (right) gets on an elevator for a meeting with Donald Trump at Trump Tower in New York, Dec. 15, 2016. | Evan Vucci/AP

HEGSETH FACES THE SENATE’S GLARE — When it comes to President-elect DONALD TRUMP’s nominees, MATT GAETZ has been sucking up all the oxygen in Washington.But he’s not the only one facing a rocky confirmation process.

Today, PETE HEGSETH will get his day under the microscope: He’s headed to Capitol Hill to meet with GOP senators.

Trump’s pick to lead the Pentagon hasn’t received a ton of scrutiny — yet — but he will. The 44-year-old Army National Guard veteran-turned-Fox News star has been accused by a conservative woman of sexually assaulting her during a conference in 2017, resulting in an agreement that had him pay an undisclosed settlement and had her sign a non-disclosure agreement. He contends the drunken encounter was consensual.

New details reported overnight offer substantial contemporaneous support for that woman’s claim.

“An emergency room nurse contacted police in 2017 after treating a woman who said that while drinking with colleagues after a political gathering several nights earlier she may have been drugged and was then sexually assaulted by a man she later identified as Pete Hegseth, according to records released late Wednesday by the Monterey Police Department,” WaPo’s Danielle Paquette and Jonathan O'Connell report.

“The accuser — referred to as ‘JANE DOE’ in the 22-page batch of documents released in response to a public records request — met Hegseth at a Republican conference in Monterey, California, where he’d been featured as a speaker. After observing Hegseth behaving ‘inappropriately’ with women at the upscale hotel event, she said she confronted him, officers wrote, and the pair argued. ‘Doe’ recalled Hegseth telling her that he was a ‘nice guy,’ officers wrote. Her next memory was being in an unknown room with Hegseth, according to the police report. She stated that Hegseth then ‘took her phone from her hands’ and blocked the door, according to the documents. ‘JANE DOE remembered saying “no” a lot,’ the report said.”

The LA Times’ Clara Harter adds this: “Four days after the encounter, on Oct. 12, Doe went to a hospital to request a sexual assault forensic exam and brought with her the clothes she was wearing during the alleged assault. Doe reported experiencing memory loss and nightmares in the aftermath of the sexual encounter, according to the report. An associate of hers also told officers that she had very little energy and would burst into tears out of the blue after the incident, according to the report.” Read for yourself: the 22-page batch of police documents

Hegseth’s lawyer, TIMOTHY PARLATORE, said in response that the documents show the allegation was “fully investigated” and that no charges were ultimately filed. But the assault accusation isn’t the only reason Hegseth is raising eyebrows.

His critics say he simply lacks the qualifications to run the biggest bureaucracy in the government — especially when compared to decorated leaders like LLOYD AUSTIN and JIM MATTIS.

Hegseth has said — as recently as Nov. 7 — that women shouldn’t be allowed in combat. Good luck explaining that position to someone like Sen. JONI ERNST (R-Iowa), a combat veteran on the Judiciary panel, or Sen. TAMMY DUCKWORTH (D-Ill.), the double amputee who lost her legs while working as an Army helicopter pilot in Iraq.

In short, we’ve never seen a Pentagon nominee quite like this, as our colleague Joe Gould noted in this morning’s Playbook Daily Briefing — which is perhaps why you see many Republicans, including incoming Senate Armed Services Chair ROGER WICKER (R-Miss.), deflecting when asked to weigh in.

But despite GOP concerns with the selection, as recently detailed by Joe and Connor O’Brien, concerns don’t necessarily translate to opposition in Trump’s Washington.

One Republican to watch closely: Ernst, who also happens to be a vocal champion of protecting women against sexual assault in the military. In 2019, when the Senate overwhelmingly confirmed Air Force Gen. JOHN HYTEN to become vice chairman of the joint chiefs despite sexual assault allegations against him, Ernst was the lone Republican who opposed him.

And one big question hanging over the Senate: If the Trump administration refuses to do an actual background check on Hegseth, will Wicker decide the committee has to do its own? Already, Democrats are saying that’s essential. But with the pressure on Republicans to fall in line fast, we’ll see if the GOP majority agrees.

Good Thursday morning. Thanks for reading Playbook. Drop us a line: Rachael Bade and Eugene Daniels.

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MEANWHILE, ACROSS THE ROTUNDA — “Matt Gaetz is plunging the House into chaos, again.”

That’s the very on-point lede from our Hill team’s story about the unraveling debate over whether to release the House Ethics Committee report on Gaetz.

Even before panel Republicans yesterday blocked an effort to release the findings, two Democrats — STEVE COHEN (Tenn.) and SEAN CASTEN (Ill.) — were basically tripping over themselves to be the first to file a privileged motion to force a floor vote on whether to release the report.

The entire will-they-or-won’t-they around the Ethics Committee’s prospective release of the report turned into something of a circus yesterday. Swarms of reporters staked out the hearing for hours. Convicted former Rep. GEORGE SANTOS (R-N.Y.) showed up to get in on the drama, threatening to yell at Ethics Chair MICHAEL GUEST (R-Miss.), who also happened to also author the report that led to Santos’ own expulsion.

House leaders now have two legislative days to allow a vote of the full chamber, meaning the question about whether to release the report the will come up today — or after the Thanksgiving recess when lawmakers are return.

All it would take is four Republicans to vote with all Democrats for the report to become public. And already, the minority has at least two apparent converts:

• “I think it’s very important that everybody has enough knowledge as possible so they can make an informed decision,” Rep. DERRICK VAN ORDEN (R-Wis.) told CNN’s Manu Raju last night.
• “The Senate deserves to have it so they can make a good decision,” centrist Rep. DON BACON (R-Neb.) told our colleagues. 

Meanwhile, Gaetz’s allies are rallying with threats of their own. Namely, that if Democrats set this precedent on releasing Ethics reports about former members, they can expect the same to be done to former Democrats who were investigated by the panel.

“What’s good for the goose is good for the gander,” as Rep. CHIP ROY (R-Texas) told our colleague Jordain Carney.

Interestingly enough, House Republicans appear to be employing a favorite strategy of ex-Speaker KEVIN McCARTHY, whom Gaetz almost single-handedly pushed out of the House: If you can’t win on the merits, win on the process.

The newest line from Republicans on the panel? That the Gaetz report is actually not “finished” — though others familiar with the report say that claim is utter hogwash.

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On the Hill

The Senate is in. DHS Secretary ALEJANDRO MAYORKAS and FBI Director CHRISTOPHER WRAY will testify before the Homeland Security Committee at 10 a.m. The Judiciary Committee will markup a series of judicial nominations at 10 a.m.

The House will meet at 9 a.m. with last votes at 3 p.m.

3 things to watch …

1. An interesting split decision in Alaska: Republican NICK BEGICH is now representative-elect after outpacing Democratic Rep. MARY PELTOLA is last night’s final ranked-choice tabulation by a touch under 3 percentage points. The ranked-choice system itself was also on the ballot, and while Begich (an opponent) triumphed over Peltola (a proponent), the repeal measure failed by just 664 votes. That could pave the way for a competitive 2026 race for GOP Sen. DAN SULLIVAN, particularly if Peltola decides to give it a shot.
   
2. House Democrats might have decided to leave their top elected leadership in place, but things are looking more intriguing when it comes to who will lead two key committees. Two top Democrats who have faced questions about their abilities amid health setbacks — DAVID SCOTT (Ga.) of Agriculture and RAUL GRIJALVA (Ariz.) of Natural Resources — are facing challenges from California Reps. JIM COSTA and JARED HUFFMAN, respectively. The question will go first to the Democratic Steering and Policy Committee, and then possibly to the full Democratic caucus next month.
   
3. The Senate stayed in until after midnight advancing more federal judges. In all, two more judges were confirmed and five more were teed up for final votes. Four of those seven might have been blocked at least temporarily had Republicans managed full attendance: They advanced on 50-49 votes as VP KAMALA HARRIS vacationed in Hawaii, making her unable to break ties, as Anthony Adragna notes. (The reported culprit: Indiana Sen. MIKE BRAUN, who was elected governor this month and is reportedly attending a Republican Governors Association event in Florida.)

At the White House

Biden will sign the Congenital Heart Futures Reauthorization Act at noon. Later, he will welcome the Boston Celtics to the White House.

Harris has nothing on her public schedule.

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TRANSITION LENSES

Linda McMahon speaks during a rally with GOP senators and representatives at the Capitol November 28, 2017, in Washington. | Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

DeVOS 2.0? — Trump has stayed true to form while assembling his cabinet — tapping another billionaire Republican donor with no experience in the classroom as his pick for Education secretary. But while LINDA McMAHON may in some ways mirror BETSY DeVOS, she’s largely avoided wading into the educational and culture war fights — including book bans and policies around transgender student athletes — that DeVos eagerly embraced, Juan Perez Jr. and Bianca Quilantan report this morning.

What she believes: McMahon’s limited education policy work has “focused on alternatives to a four-year college degree, bolstering apprenticeships, and expanding Pell Grant eligibility … all issues that have bipartisan support.” But her agenda as secretary is likely to reflect the views of the America First Policy Institute, which she chairs, and which “has campaigned against diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives in higher education, pushed to curb foreign influence at universities, and accused local K-12 school districts of promoting ‘gender confusion’ among children,” Bianca and Juan write.

More transition reads: 

• What about Bob?: With Trump’s selection of HOWARD LUTNICK as his Commerce secretary, many trade insiders are puzzling over what role, if any, former USTR ROBERT LIGHTHIZER will play in his second administration, Gavin Bade reports. “Not picking Lighthizer for a top economic role would be a signal that Trump may not follow through on the aggressive trade proposals he made a centerpiece of his campaign.” 

• The true north, strong and free: Last night, Trump announced his pick of former Rep. PETE HOEKSTRA (R-Mich.) as ambassador to Canada. Hoekstra previously served as Trump’s ambassador to the Netherlands and is the current chair of the Michigan GOP. More from Kierra Frazier 

• Check, please: The Trump transition team has yet to file the routine agreements needed in order for the FBI to conduct background checks of key incoming administration officials. Now, that standoff is becoming a liability as those appointees face skeptical lawmakers, AP’s Eric Tucker, Zeke Miller and Mary Clare Jalonick report. “A Justice Department spokesperson said Wednesday that discussions were ongoing with the Trump transition team about signing the memo.” 

• D’ohGE: ELON MUSK and VIVEK RAMASWAMY’s push to slash alleged government bureaucracy may begin with requiring federal workers to return to work in office full-time. But there are several hiccups with that plan, most notably that the so-called Department of Government Efficiency may not even have the power to implement a RTO order, WSJ’s John McCormick and Te-Ping Chen report. Related read: Musk and Ramaswamy’s WSJ op-ed

• Fight or flight: “TSA administrator makes bid to stay on under Trump,” by Oriana Pawlyk

CONGRESS

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) at the Capitol in February. | Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images

THE RULES OF LAW — Outgoing Senate Republican Leader MITCH McCONNELL warned that the new GOP majority is ready to use a procedural mechanism under the Congressional Review Act in order to usurp Biden administration rules and “rein in Washington bureaucrats' expensive interpretation of the powers over working Americans," Kelsey Brugger reports. The CRA allows the Senate to undo administration rules using only a simple majority and the president’s signature, and could be used to target multiple Biden-era policies.

Proxy war … Across the Capitol campus, the debate continues on what will be included in next year’s House Rules package. Rep. ANNA PAULINA LUNA (R-Fla.) posted on X yesterday that Speaker Johnson has blocked her proposal to allow new mothers to vote by proxy after giving birth, Anthony Adragna reports.

TALES FROM THE CRYPTO — “Stabenow makes last-minute crypto push before Republicans take power,” by Meredith Lee Hill and Eleanor Mueller: “[T]he effort faces an immense uphill climb with just a few legislative days left before the end of the year.”

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AMERICA AND THE WORLD

A general view shows a Security Council meeting at United Nations headquarters, Nov. 19, 2024. | Yuki Iwamura/AP

MIDDLE EAST LATEST — The U.S. cast the sole vote against a UN Security Council resolution calling for a cease-fire in between Israel and Hamas yesterday because it wasn’t “contingent on the release of the hostages still being held in Gaza,” NYT’s Farnaz Fassihi, Euan Ward and Thomas Fuller report. Although the UN’s resolution did call for the release of hostages, “the wording suggests that their release would come only after a cease-fire was implemented.” The vote comes as U.S. Envoy AMOS HOCHSTEIN continues to tout progress in ongoing discussions in Lebanon.

And in Washington … The Senate last night voted down an effort led by Sen. BERNIE SANDERS (I-Vt.) to block Biden’s plan to sell $20 billion in U.S.-made weapons to Israel. “The measure failed, with none of the three resolutions it comprised garnering more than 19 supporting votes,” WaPo’s Abigail Hauslohner reports. “But the effort … also served as a bellwether of the dissatisfaction within President Joe Biden’s own party about his handling of the Middle East crisis.”

WE SHOULD ALL KNOW LESS ABOUT EACH OTHER — “Anyone Can Buy Data Tracking US Soldiers and Spies to Nuclear Vaults and Brothels in Germany,” by WIRED Mag’s Dhruv Mehrotra and Dell Cameron

POLICY CORNER

WHILE YOU WERE SLEEPING — As COP29 nears its close in Azerbaijan, a new draft for legal language on a climate funding target for developing countries emerged just hours ago. POLITICO’s team on the ground in Baku has looked it over, and our colleague Karl Mathiesen reports to Playbook there are now two, very different, options.

The poor countries’ fave: This stipulates that developed countries pay “USD[X] billion per year in grants or grant-equivalent terms” starting next year. It also invites other countries — i.e., China and wealthy countries still considered developing under the U.N. climate treaty — to “voluntarily” provide support outside this goal.

The rich countries’ fave: This one sets a goal of something more than $100 billion, from a far wider array of sources and “with developed countries taking the lead in the context of the global effort and including efforts of other countries” — i.e., China — “with the economic capacity to contribute.”

More climate reads: “Biden inks billion-dollar climate deals to foil Trump rollbacks,” by Benjamin Storrow, Kelsey Tamborrino, Brian Dabbs and Jessie Blaeser … “The Trump team’s plan to resuscitate a dead oil project,” by Ben Lefebvre

AI ON THE BRAIN — The White House has convened a group of AI experts and scientists from across the globe this week to discuss AI safety regulations, and how the incoming Trump administration could impact current policy, AP’s Matt O’Brien and Barbara Ortutay report from San Francisco.

JUDICIARY SQUARE

SHOOTING THEIR SHOT — The nation’s highest court rejected a push by an anti-vaccine group founded by RFK Jr. to “protect doctors being investigated in Washington state for allegedly spreading misinformation about the Covid-19 virus,” NBC News’ Lawrence Hurley reports. SCOTUS didn’t ask Washington state to respond to the application from Children’s Health Defense and other plaintiffs, “suggesting that it was deemed lacking in legal merit.”

SCARY STUFF — “Jan. 6 rioter found guilty of plotting to kill FBI agents, DOJ say,” by WaPo’s Praveena Somasundaram: “Prosecutors said [EDWARD KELLEY] created a ‘kill list’ of the law enforcement staff who investigated him and had planned to attack an FBI office in Knoxville, Tennessee, with car bombs and incendiary devices.”

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Joe Biden awarded Cecile Richards with the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

Nikki Haley isn’t a fan of Tulsi Gabbard or Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

Bill Nye says RFK Jr. has “lost his way.”

Donald Trump is endorsing a line of guitars.

SPOTTED Tuesday evening at Osteria Mozza: Michelle Obama and a small group dining in a private room that overlooks the main restaurant floor and Mozzarella bar.

OUT AND ABOUT — The Endowment for Middle East Truth’s on Tuesday night hosted its Rays of Light in the Darkness Awards Dinner, where Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.) was honored for her recent nomination as the next U.S. ambassador to the U.N. Israeli Ambassador Michael Herzog congratulated Stefanik during the event, expressing confidence in her ability to excel in the role. Stefanik was honored alongside Rep. Jared Moskowitz (D-Fla.), who called on both parties to hold their own members accountable for antisemitism and anti-Israel hate. Other honorees included Herzog, Mosab Hassan Yousef and Shabbos Kestenbaum.

— The Progressive Policy Institute hosted an event yesterday reflecting on the 2024 election results and what Democrats should prioritize moving forward. PPI President Will Marshall spoke with Rep. Marie Glusenkamp Perez (D-Wash.), followed by Deborah Mattinson, former head of strategy for Keir Starmer, with insights from post-election swing-state focus groups and John Ray with new PPI/YouGov polling on working-class swing-state voters. SPOTTED: Claire Ainsley and Ruy Teixeira.