12:30 Report — Trump trades Iowa for DC immunity battle; Haley momentum grows

It's Tuesday. It’s a great day in Washington, DC — How to Raise Cane officially opened At Union Station! I have to admit I've never been like that, but you better believe I'll change that soon. Here's what we'll cover today:

• former president trump He appeared in court this morning in Washington, D.C., for a hearing on whether he can be prosecuted for his efforts to overturn the 2020 election.

• GOP president full of hope nikki haleyThis momentum is also a hot topic in the 2024 presidential election campaign. She is steadily climbing up the polls at a crucial time.

• of Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has compiled a list of the most interesting items confiscated in 2023. This list is both hilarious and horrifying.

I kate martel A quick summary of this morning and what's to come. Send tips, explanations, feedback, and cookie recipes to: cmartel@thehill.com. Did someone forward this newsletter to you? Sign up here.

former president trumpHe headed to Washington, D.C., this morning to appear in person at an appeals court hearing on whether he can be prosecuted over his efforts to overturn the 2020 election.

There was no video, but there was live audio from the room. listen here

Live blog of hearing highlights

Trump's claims: He is immune because he served as president.

Prosecutor's argument: “Until this incident, never in our nation's history had a president claimed immunity beyond his term in office.'' james pierce prosecutor with special prosecutor jack smith'soffice.

Summary of public hearing : The hearing has concluded and the decision has been rendered. might come In the coming weeks.

His campaign has fielded surrogates such as congressmen. marjorie taylor green (R-Ga.) and his adult son, Eric Trump To Iowa. (new york times)

Two high-profile figures in the Trump case were reportedly recently “knocked down.” This means that a false report of a crime has been called out.

Who? :special prosecutor jack smiththe prosecutor who oversees the former; president trumpfederal criminal cases and federal judges Tanya Chutkanis overseeing the election-subversion case that Smith is prosecuting.

Chutkan incident: “Police received a false report of a shooting at a residence linked to Chutkan in public records and responded around 10 p.m. Sunday, Associated Press.” report. Officers quickly determined that no shooting had actually occurred. ” (the hill)

smith case : “According to two law enforcement sources, someone called 911 and said Smith had shot his wife at the address where he lives. Montgomery County police dispatched units to the home. However, the call was called off when the deputy U.S. marshals protecting Smith and his family told police it was a false alarm and that everyone inside the home was safe.NBC News)

The House will resume from recess today after the Speaker. mike johnson(R-Louisiana) has struck a major deal with Democrats to fund the government. There have been many complaints from Republican lawmakers who oppose the spending.For example, the House Freedom Caucus called trading “A complete failure.”

what this probably means: Prime Minister Johnson will need to work with Democrats to pass a funding bill by January 19 to avoid a partial government shutdown. Sound familiar? *cough, kevin mccarthycough*

Johnson knows everyone is mad at him: In his “Dear Colleagues'' letter, Prime Minister Boris Johnson acknowledged that the deal “won't please everyone and won't cut spending as much as many of us would like''.

cherry on top: Some hardline Republicans are calling for a government shutdown if the Biden administration doesn't agree to changes to border security.

interesting question : Whether the Republican Party, which is the majority party (!), can sink that procedural vote. Mr. Johnson has the backing of Democratic leaders, so the bill itself has a chance of passing, but procedural rules need to be passed first.hill emily brooks and michael schnell There is an interesting explainer In this scenario.

Details of Mr. Johnson's headache

Member of Parliament Greg Pence(Republican, India) announced this morning that he will not run for re-election. read his announcement

One more thing this week: Another Indiana Republican, Congressman. Larry Bouchon, announced on Monday He also plans to retire from the House of Representatives.

How many people have retired so far? : According to the New York Times, as of January 5, 22 Democrats and 14 Republicans had announced their retirement. NYT House Retirement Tracker

republican presidential candidate nikki haley He doesn't need to win next week's Iowa caucuses to reach his goal.

former president trump If she beats expectations, she has a significant lead in the state, including the possibility of overtaking Florida's governor. Ron desantis(R) — She could firmly position herself as a challenger to President Trump.

Why does this happen?: New Hampshire's presidential primary will be held immediately after Iowa, but Haley's approval ratings are much higher than DeSantis's in the Granite State. If momentum is already on Haley's side, that's bad news for DeSantis.

Yes, but even if she didn't do well at Iowa.: That might be good.According to The Hill, Republican strategists in New Hampshire and South Carolina (her home states!) claim those states are more important to her momentum. julia manchester. (the hill)

elephant in the room :President Trump has been charged with 91 felonies.So far it's It doesn't affect his polls.However, those cases are still unsolved.

nikki haleyThe gap between her and the ex is narrowing. president trump, according to a new USA TODAY/Boston Globe/Suffolk University poll. (the hill)

numbers : Trump's approval rating was 46%, while Haley's was 26%. See the full poll

💡 Why this is important: Ms. Haley has narrowed her lead over Mr. Trump to 20 points, with Ms. Haley gaining 7 points and Mr. Trump losing 3 points in the same poll since October. This is still a significant lead, but the change in momentum is notable.

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🍑 celebrate : Today is National Apricot Day!

🎅 Because everyone made fun of me saying Die Hard wasn't a Christmas movie. : A discussion between NFL stars. Jason Kelce andtravis kelseyAs for whether it falls into the category of a holiday movie or not. Watch TikTok

🗡 ️ TSA's Top 10 Best Catches of 2023: TSA posted a two-minute video documenting the year's highest catch. like: A knife hidden in bread and a prosthetic hand. watch video

👞 Interesting thread on how to find good leather shoes :Men's clothing writer Derek Guy I wrote an interesting thread on X, formerly known as Twitter, about deciphering whether leather shoes are high quality or not. By the way, his advice does not necessarily mean buying expensive brands. read his commentary

of House and senate It is located in president biden Located in Washington DC, vice president harrisI'm in Atlanta. (always eastern)

• 1:30pm: Harris meets with community leaders at roundtable discussion in Atlanta to discuss voting rights.

• 2:45pm: Biden receives the president's daily briefing.

• 3 pm : White House Press Secretary Karine Jean Pierre and National Security Council Spokesperson John KirbyShort reporters. live stream

• today's evening: Republican presidential candidateGovernor Ron DeSantis (Florida) join At a Fox News town hall.