Trump and Pence hosted House GOP allies, Sidney Powell to map out election-reversal strategies


As President Trump's "more mainstream allies" break with him over his baseless election fraud claims, the president "has turned to a ragtag group of conspiracy theorists, media-hungry lawyers, and other political misfits in a desperate attempt to hold on to power after his election loss," The Washington Post reports.
When the two factions met with Trump on Friday night, the Post adds, "the Oval Office erupted into raucous acrimony as the outside advisers proposed a number of extreme measures for reversing the results while the White House officials pointed out that such actions would be unconstitutional or otherwise unworkable." Trump met Monday with two of the outside advisers, Rudy Giuliani and conspiratorial lawyer Sidney Powell — for the third time in four days — in what the Post calls as "an indication that the outsiders are gaining sway" over his more sober-minded aides.
Trump "is grasping at straws," a senior administration official told the Post. "If you come in and tell him he lost, and that it's over, he doesn't want to hear from you. He is looking for people to tell him what he wants to hear."
Subscribe to 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.
Trump also huddled Monday with members of the House Freedom Caucus. Participants described the three hours of meetings as strategy sessions for their Jan. 6 performative effort to contest President-elect Joe Biden's win before a joint session of Congress, Politico reports. "It was a back-and-forth concerning the planning and strategy for January the 6th," Rep. Mo Brooks (R-Ala.) told Politico, adding that the dozen or so House Republicans also met with Vice President Mike Pence in the Cabinet Room to make sure they are all in agreement on procedural rules and how Pence will adjudicate objections as the presiding officer of Congress' electoral vote count.
The challenge Brooks says he will raise to Biden's win will fail, but he needs one senator to even force the House and Senate to consider the objection. Brooks said there are "multiple" Senate Republicans open to joining his futile crusade, but he didn't name names and Senate Majority Whip John Thune (R-S.D.) was skeptical. "It's going down like a shot dog," Thune said Monday. "I just don't think it makes a lot of sense to put everybody through this when you know what the ultimate outcome is going to be."
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.
-
Thailand, Cambodia agree to ceasefire in border fight
Speed Read At least 38 people were killed and more than 300,000 displaced in the recent violence
-
Israel 'pauses' Gaza military activity as aid outcry grows
Speed Read The World Health Organization said malnutrition has reached 'alarming levels' in Gaza
-
US and EU reach trade deal
Speed Read Trump's meeting with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen resulted in a tariff agreement that will avert a transatlantic trade war
-
At least 12 dead in Thai-Cambodian clashes
Speed Read Both countries accused the other of firing first
-
US and Japan strike trade deal
Speed Read Trump signed what he's calling the 'largest deal ever made'
-
28 nations condemn Israel's 'inhumane killing' in Gaza
Speed Read Countries including Australia, France, Japan and the U.K. have released a joint statement condemning Israel's ongoing attacks
-
Israeli gunfire kills dozens at Gaza aid site
Speed Read The U.N. estimates that at least 875 Palestinians have died while trying to access food in recent months
-
Rubio says US brokered end to Syria conflict
Speed Read Syria's defense ministry was targeted in Israeli attacks on the capital