Just weeks after Vice President Kamala Harris’ overwhelming loss to President-elect Donald Trump in the 2024 presidential election, the White House released a memo that hailed the Biden-Harris administration as one of the most successful in history.

The memo shared on Monday highlighted how President Biden and Harris took office during the COVID-19 pandemic and a ‘reeling’ economy, before going on to call their administration ‘one of the most successful administrations in history’ which ‘will be leaving behind the best economy in the world.’

‘Under President Biden and Vice President Harris’ leadership, 16 million jobs have been created, and we’ve gotten women and people of color back in the labor force at record rates,’ the memo stated. ‘A record 20 million new business applications have been filed, and inflation is down to near pre-pandemic levels.’

The White House added that ‘our success’ in these areas was due to ‘passing and implementing legislation that rebuilt our nation’s infrastructure, made the largest investment in climate action in history, lowered prescription drug costs, and spurred a manufacturing renaissance.’

The memo quotes unnamed ‘business leaders’ calling the U.S. economy ‘among the best performing economies’ in decades.

The latest jobs report released earlier this month, however, appears to show a different story.

The Labor Department report shows that just 12,000 jobs were created in October, far below estimates of up to 120,000 and were the lowest in four years. The unemployment rate was 4.1%, in line with expectations.

The cumulative effect of inflation has continued to weigh on many Americans.

The Labor Department’s inflation report for October found that the consumer price index — a broad measure of how much everyday goods like gasoline, groceries and rent cost — was up 2.6% from a year ago for the U.S. as a whole, in line with expectations as inflation ticked higher amid a broader cooling trend.

Days ahead of the presidential election, Trump campaign national press secretary Karoline Leavitt argued that ‘this jobs report is a catastrophe and definitively reveals how badly Kamala Harris broke our economy.’

On Election Day, the will of the American people was reflected in the vote totals and appeared to show a referendum on the policies of the Biden-Harris administration.

Trump beat Harris with a resounding 312 electoral votes to Harris’ 226, and with over 2 million more votes in the popular vote.

Fox News Digital’s Paul Steinhauser and Fox Business’ Eric Revell contributed to this report.

The union representing members of the Democratic National Committee launched a GoFundMe to raise money for staffers who were abruptly laid off last week – prompting backlash from those still on the DNC payroll who have described the cuts as a ‘betrayal’ of party values.

The GoFundMe created by the DNC union seeks to raise $25,000 to assist staff impacted by the layoffs following their losses in the 2024 election. 

Members of the DNC staff union said on the fundraising page that the abrupt wave of layoffs had included two-thirds of DNC staffers, who were let go with little notice and with ‘no severance.’

In a public statement, the union blasted DNC leadership for the layoffs, which they described as ‘callous’ and ‘short-sighted’ – and which they noted extended to employees who were previously told their positions at the DNC would be safe after Election Day. 

‘We are heartbroken to see our colleagues – who dedicated countless hours to electing Democrats up and down the ballot – depart under these circumstances, and we are furious with DNC leadership for failing to provide severance to those affected,’ DNC staff union organizer Jill Brownfield wrote on the GoFundMe page. 

DNC union officials said the relief fund will ‘directly aid’ staff members hit by the layoffs, including single parents and workers expecting children, and will be ‘distributed equally to any laid-off member who opts in to receive funds.’

‘We hope these funds can soften the economic blow for those impacted.’

The fundraising effort comes less than a week after the DNC announced its wave of layoffs Wednesday night. 

The cuts were met with scathing criticism by current DNC employees and union members. 

‘The DNC’s senior leadership has chosen to leave loyal staff scrambling to cover rent, medical expenses and childcare costs,’ the union’s statement read.

They also called on Democratic Party leadership to offer severance to every permanent employee who was laid off, and to address the remaining staff ‘honestly and transparently’ about how to move forward. 

The DNC did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment as to what, if any, efforts the DNC has made to respond to the union request or otherwise ease the transition process for some of the affected employees.

As of this writing, the fund had raised $15,453 out of its total goal of $25,000. 

Special Counsel Jack Smith is asking a judge to drop all charges against President-elect Donald Trump stemming from Smith’s investigation into the Jan. 6 U.S. Capitol breach, Fox News Digital has learned.

Judge Tanya Chutkan will need to approve the request before the case is dismissed.

After Trump’s victory in the 2024 presidential election earlier this month, Smith signaled he would begin winding down the case against Trump. The filing went live on the Department of Justice docket on Monday afternoon.

Smith had already filed a motion to vacate all deadlines in the 2020 election interference case against Trump in Washington, D.C. – a widely expected move, but one that stopped short of dropping the case against Trump completely. Smith had said his team planned to give an updated report on the official status of the case against Trump on Dec. 2.

Trump pleaded not guilty to all charges in the case and took the fight to the U.S. Supreme Court, arguing on the basis of presidential immunity. 

The high court ruled that Trump was immune from prosecution for official presidential acts, forcing Smith to file a new indictment. Trump pleaded not guilty to those new charges, too. Trump’s attorneys have been seeking to have the election interference charges dropped in Washington, D.C., alleging that Smith was appointed unlawfully. 

Smith’s case related to Trump’s alleged improper retention of classified records was dismissed by a federal judge this summer. The judge ruled that Smith was unlawfully appointed as special counsel. There is an appeal still pending in that case, though Smith could drop that, too.

‘The American People re-elected President Trump with an overwhelming mandate to Make America Great Again. Today’s decision by the DOJ ends the unconstitutional federal cases against President Trump, and is a major victory for the rule of law,’ Trump spokesman and incoming White House communications director Steven Cheung said in a statement. ‘The American People and President Trump want an immediate end to the political weaponization of our justice system and we look forward to uniting our country.’

Trump pleaded not guilty to all charges stemming from both of Smith’s investigations. 

Smith is expected to resign as special counsel before Trump takes office. 

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

Special Counsel Jack Smith is asking a judge to drop all charges against President-elect Donald Trump stemming from Smith’s investigation into the Jan. 6 U.S. Capitol breach, Fox News Digital has learned.

Judge Tanya Chutkan will need to approve the request before the case is dismissed.

Smith also filed a motion to drop his appeal in his classified records case against Trump–a case that was tossed in July by federal Judge Aileen Cannon. Cannon ruled Smith was unlawfully appointed as special counsel. 

The moves come after Smith, earlier this month after Trump’s victory in the 2024 presidential election, signaled he would begin winding down his case against Trump. The filing went live on the Department of Justice docket on Monday afternoon.

Smith had already filed a motion to vacate all deadlines in the 2020 election interference case against Trump in Washington, D.C. – a widely expected move, but one that stopped short of dropping the case against Trump completely. Smith had said his team planned to give an updated report on the official status of the case against Trump on Dec. 2.

Trump pleaded not guilty to all charges in the case and took the fight to the U.S. Supreme Court, arguing on the basis of presidential immunity. 

The high court ruled that Trump was immune from prosecution for official presidential acts, forcing Smith to file a new indictment. Trump pleaded not guilty to those new charges, too. Trump’s attorneys have been seeking to have the election interference charges dropped in Washington, D.C., alleging that Smith was appointed unlawfully. 

‘The American People re-elected President Trump with an overwhelming mandate to Make America Great Again. Today’s decision by the DOJ ends the unconstitutional federal cases against President Trump, and is a major victory for the rule of law,’ Trump spokesman and incoming White House communications director Steven Cheung said in a statement. ‘The American People and President Trump want an immediate end to the political weaponization of our justice system and we look forward to uniting our country.’

Trump pleaded not guilty to all charges stemming from both of Smith’s investigations. 

Smith is expected to resign as special counsel before Trump takes office. 

Trump posted to his Truth Social Monday afternoon that the cases against him ‘are empty and lawless and should never have been brought.’ 

‘These cases, like all of the other cases I have been forced to go through, are empty and lawless, and should never have been brought. Over $100 Million Dollars of Taxpayer Dollars has been wasted in the Democrat Party’s fight against their Political Opponent, ME,’ Trump posted. ‘Nothing like this has ever happened in our Country before.’ 

Trump said ‘state Prosecutors and District Attorneys, such as Fani Willis and her lover, Nathan Wade (who had absolutely zero experience in cases such as this, but was paid MILLIONS, enough for them to take numerous trips and cruises around the globe!), Letitia James, who inappropriately, unethically, and probably illegally, campaigned on ‘GETTING TRUMP’ in order to win Political Office, and Alvin Bragg, who himself never wanted to bring this case against me, but was forced to do so by the Justice Department and the Democrat Party.’ 

Trump added: ‘It was a political hijacking, and a low point in the History of our Country that such a thing could have happened, and yet, I persevered, against all odds, and WON. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!’

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

President-elect Trump began endorsing fellow Republicans this week to replace members of Congress who have vacated their seats to join his Cabinet. 

The endorsements come amid fears that the party’s razor-thin majority in the House – the size of which still remains undetermined – could be in jeopardy as a result of Trump’s selections from the lower chamber.

Trump threw his support behind two Floridians, former GOP state Sen. Randy Fine and the current chief financial officer for the Sunshine State, Jimmy Patronis Jr., both of whom are considering runs for Congress, according to the president-elect. 

Fine would run in Florida’s 6th Congressional District, a seat that is currently held by Trump’s pick to be his next national security adviser, Rep. Michael Waltz. Patronis would run in Florida’s deep-red 1st District, previously held by former Rep. Matt Gaetz. Gaetz resigned from Congress after Trump nominated him to be attorney general, but allegations of sexual assault and other improprieties prompted Gaetz to withdraw his name from the running. He has denied any wrongdoing.

Trump, however, has not endorsed anyone to replace Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., the GOP House conference chair, whose solidly red seat in upstate New York will also be up for grabs if she is confirmed by the Senate to be the Trump administration’s ambassador to the United Nations. 

Republicans in the House of Representatives are on track to have somewhere between a one- and three-vote majority once the few outstanding races are called. There are three races remaining that still need to be called, two in California and one in Iowa. 

The balance of power in the House currently sits at 219 seats for Republicans and 213 for the Democrats. Republicans must hold 218 to retain their majority.

While Waltz, Stefanik and Gaetz’s seats all sit in Republican strongholds, lawmakers have nonetheless signaled concern, particularly, because the ensuing special elections could likely occur within the first weeks or months of Trump’s term and potentially stymie Trump’s ambitions for his first 100 days in office.

‘I know he’s already pulled a few really talented people out of the House – hopefully no more for a little while until special elections come up, but it shows you the talent that we have and the ability we have,’ Rep. Steve Scalise, R-La., said last week during a press conference. Scalise is House majority leader. 

Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., similarly said he did not believe Trump would pluck any more members from the House for his administration, adding that he and Trump broached the topic in discussions. 

‘President Trump fully understands and appreciates the math here, and it’s just a numbers game. You know, we believe we’re going to have a larger majority than we had last time. It’s too early to handicap it, but we are optimistic about that,’ Johnson said. ‘But every single vote will count, because if someone gets ill or has a car accident or a late flight on their plane, then it affects the votes on the floor. So, I think he and the administration are well attuned to that. I don’t expect that we will have more members leaving, but I’ll leave that up to him.’

Trump-Vance transition spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt told Fox News Digital that the president-elect ‘is 100% committed’ to working with House leadership, including Speaker Johnson, ‘to maintain the House GOP majority and immediately get to work in January’ to implement the policies that voters elected him on.

Fox News Digital politics reporter Elizabeth Elkind contributed to this report.

A top military official with NATO warned businesses on Monday to be ready for a wartime scenario, which could entail adjusting production and distribution lines to be less vulnerable to blackmail from Russia and China.

Dutch Admiral Rob Bauer, the chairperson of NATO’s military committee, told attendees at an event of the European Policy Center think tank in Brussels that all available instruments could be used during a time of war, according to a report from Reuters.

‘If we can make sure that all crucial services and goods can be delivered no matter what, then that is a key part of our deterrence,’ Bauer said.

He also said NATO is seeing a growing number of sabotage acts while Europe has seen the same when it comes to its energy supply.

‘We thought we had a deal with Gazprom, but we actually had a deal with Mr. Putin. And the same goes for Chinese-owned infrastructure and goods. We actually have a deal with [Chinese President] Xi [Jinping],’ Bauer told the group.

The west, Bauer explained, depends on supplies from China, as 60% of all rare earth materials are produced, and 90% of those are processed there.

Also coming from China are chemical ingredients for sedatives, antibiotics, anti-inflammatories and low blood pressure medications, he further explained.

‘We are naive if we think the Communist Party will never use that power,’ Bauer said. ‘Business leaders in Europe and America need to realize that the commercial decisions they make have strategic consequences for the security of their nation.’

‘Businesses need to be prepared for a wartime scenario and adjust their production and distribution lines accordingly,’ he continued to stress. ‘Because while it may be the military who wins battles, it’s the economies that win wars.’

Bauer’s message comes as tensions between Ukraine and Russia continue to escalate.

Last week, Russia launched an intermediate-range ballistic missile (IRBM) capable of carrying conventional or nuclear warheads, into Ukraine.

Ukrainian officials said the missile called Oreshnik — Russian for Hazel Tree — reached speeds of Mach 11 when it struck a factory in the city of Dnipro on Thursday.

While two U.S. officials told Fox News the missile was not hypersonic, deputy Pentagon press secretary Sabrina Singh told reporters on Thursday the attack was concerning and that it was the first time the missile had been used on the battlefield.

North Korea also sent at least 11,000 soldiers to fight in Ukraine alongside Russian soldiers, further escalating tensions.

Reuters contributed to this report.

A judge has dropped the charges against President-elect Donald Trump in the D.C. case against him, following a request that Special Counsel Jack Smith made on Monday.

The decision concerns the investigation into the Jan. 6 U.S. Capitol breach. Fox News Digital previously learned of Smith’s request earlier on Monday.

‘The Government has moved to dismiss the Superseding Indictment without prejudice,’ U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan wrote in a decision. ‘Defendant does not oppose the Motion…and the court will grant it.’

Smith also filed a motion to drop his appeal in his classified records case against Trump – a case that was tossed in July by federal Judge Aileen Cannon. Cannon ruled Smith was unlawfully appointed as special counsel. 

The moves come after Smith, earlier this month after Trump’s victory in the 2024 presidential election, signaled he would begin winding down his case against Trump. The filing went live on the Department of Justice docket on Monday afternoon.

Smith had already filed a motion to vacate all deadlines in the 2020 election interference case against Trump in Washington, D.C. – a widely expected move, but one that stopped short of dropping the case against Trump completely. Smith had said his team planned to give an updated report on the official status of the case against Trump on Dec. 2.

Trump pleaded not guilty to all charges in the case and took the fight to the U.S. Supreme Court, arguing on the basis of presidential immunity. 

The high court ruled that Trump was immune from prosecution for official presidential acts, forcing Smith to file a new indictment. Trump pleaded not guilty to those new charges, too. Trump’s attorneys have been seeking to have the election interference charges dropped in Washington, D.C., alleging that Smith was appointed unlawfully. 

‘The American People re-elected President Trump with an overwhelming mandate to Make America Great Again. Today’s decision by the DOJ ends the unconstitutional federal cases against President Trump, and is a major victory for the rule of law,’ Trump spokesman and incoming White House communications director Steven Cheung said in a statement. ‘The American People and President Trump want an immediate end to the political weaponization of our justice system and we look forward to uniting our country.’

Trump pleaded not guilty to all charges stemming from both of Smith’s investigations. 

Smith is expected to resign as special counsel before Trump takes office. 

Trump posted to his Truth Social Monday afternoon that the cases against him ‘are empty and lawless and should never have been brought.’

‘These cases, like all of the other cases I have been forced to go through, are empty and lawless, and should never have been brought. Over $100 Million Dollars of Taxpayer Dollars has been wasted in the Democrat Party’s fight against their Political Opponent, ME,’ Trump posted. ‘Nothing like this has ever happened in our Country before.’ 

Trump said ‘state Prosecutors and District Attorneys, such as Fani Willis and her lover, Nathan Wade (who had absolutely zero experience in cases such as this, but was paid MILLIONS, enough for them to take numerous trips and cruises around the globe!), Letitia James, who inappropriately, unethically, and probably illegally, campaigned on ‘GETTING TRUMP’ in order to win Political Office, and Alvin Bragg, who himself never wanted to bring this case against me, but was forced to do so by the Justice Department and the Democrat Party.’ 

Trump added: ‘It was a political hijacking, and a low point in the History of our Country that such a thing could have happened, and yet, I persevered, against all odds, and WON. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!’

President-elect Trump announced three key appointments to White House offices on Monday, including two who served during his first term.

The announcement included the appointment of James Braid, who will return to the White House as the deputy assistant to the president and director of the Office of Legislative Affairs.

Braid worked in legislative affairs at the Office of Management and Budget during Trump’s first term, and since then he has served as the lead policy staffer for Vice President-elect JD Vance in the U.S. Senate.

Braid has also served as chief of staff for multiple members of Congress, and has taken on several other senior policy roles on Capitol Hill since 2015.

Trump also announced Alex Latcham will return to the White House as the deputy assistant to the president and director of the Office of Public Liaison.

Latcham previously served as special assistant to the president and deputy political director during Trump’s first term.

For the past eight years, Latcham served Trump as a senior deputy political director for his campaign and for the Republican National Committee.

The third person to be appointed is Matt Brasseaux, who will serve as deputy assistant to the president and director of the Office of Public Affairs.

Brasseaux worked as a deputy political director for the Trump campaign and Republican National Committee in 2024.

He also served as a regional political director for the Republican National Committee and campaign manager for now-Gov. Joe Lombardo in Nevada.