What happened
Donald Trump discussed his plans for the beginning of his presidency on NBC's "Meet the Press" Sunday, saying he would pardon most Jan. 6 Capitol rioters on his "first day" in office and try to end constitutionally guaranteed "birthright" citizenship through an executive order. Trump's first post-election network interview, taped Friday, also touched on tariffs, abortion, foreign policy and jailing opponents.
Who said what
The seven Democrats and two Republicans on the House Jan. 6 Committee "should go to jail" for "what they did," Trump said to NBC's Kristen Welker. But he said he wouldn't order the Justice Department to prosecute them or other perceived antagonists. "I have the absolute right. I'm the chief law enforcement officer," Trump said, but he would let his attorney general "do what she wants to do."
Trump also said he "can't guarantee" that his proposed tariffs won't make things more expensive for consumers, though he disagreed with the majority of economists who said they would raise prices.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
What next?
It is "exceedingly abnormal for the leader of a democracy to express a desire to see political opponents jailed," The Washington Post said. But Trump's threats, regardless of his "inconsistencies," are being "taken seriously enough" that President Joe Biden is "considering issuing blanket, preemptive pardons," The Associated Press said.
-
Political cartoons for November 13Cartoons Thursday's political cartoons include a flurry of Epstein files, grocery prices, and an end to the shutdown
-
Grove of Narberth: comfort and style in the Welsh countrysideThe Week Recommends This boutique Georgian manor in Pembrokeshire is the perfect rural retreat
-
Sudoku medium: November 13, 2025The Week's daily medium sudoku puzzle
-
A free speech debate is raging over sign language at the White HouseTalking Points The administration has been accused of excluding deaf Americans from press briefings
-
Newsom slams Trump’s climate denial at COP30speed read Trump, who has called climate change a ‘hoax,’ declined to send any officials to this week’s summit
-
UK, Colombia halt intel to US over boat attacksSpeed Read Both countries have suspended intelligence sharing with the US over the bombing of civilian boats suspected of drug smuggling
-
‘America today isn’t just looking to overcome’Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
Is Trump a lame duck president?Talking Points Republicans are considering a post-Trump future
-
Trump pardons 2020 fake electors, other GOP alliesSpeed Read The president pardoned Rudy Giuliani and more who tried to overturn his 2020 election loss
-
Supreme Court to decide on mail-in ballot limitsSpeed Read The court will determine whether states can count mail-in ballots received after Election Day
-
Democrats split as Senate votes to end shutdownSpeed Read The proposed deal does not extend Affordable Care Act subsidies, the Democrats’ main demand
