APPLENEWS - STORY ADD
Trump admin live updates: Trump pardons former entertainment exec indicted by own DOJ
Tim Leiweke was indicted for allegedly orchestrating a bid-rigging scheme.
President Donald Trump answered questions about a controversial Sept. 2 boat strike while in the Oval Office Wednesday afternoon. Trump, who said Tuesday that he "didn't know" about a second strike on an alleged drug boat in September that reports say killed two survivors of an initial strike, said Wednesday that he would be open to releasing more video of the boat strike.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Tuesday that he didn't see the second strike and didn't see survivors from the initial strike. Hegseth has backed Adm. Mitch Bradley, who the White House said made the decision for the second strike. Bradley is set to brief the Senate and House Armed Services committees on the strikes on Thursday.
Key Headlines
US and UK reach deal on pharmaceutical tariffs
The United States and the United Kingdom have reached a deal on pharmaceutical tariffs that exempts pharmaceuticals imported into the U.S. from the U.K. from those duties in exchange for the U.K.'s health system agreeing to pay more for new medicines.
The U.S. will exempt U.K. "pharmaceuticals, pharmaceutical ingredients, and medical technology from Section 232 tariffs" and will not put other sector-specific tariffs on U.K. drugs for the rest of President Donald Trump's term, according to a press release from the U.S. Trade Representative's office about the agreement in principle.
According to the release about the deal, the U.K.'s National Health Service will increase the "net price it pays for new medicines by 25%." The U.K. will also ensure that higher prices are not eroded by any factors as part of the deal.
This agreement comes after the nations agreed to further negotiations on drug pricing as part of the framework of a trade deal that nations reached in May.
"The Trump administration is reviewing the pharmaceutical pricing practices of many other U.S. trading partners and hopes that they will follow suit with constructive negotiations," U.S. Trade Ambassador Jamieson Greer said in a statement about the move.
-ABC News' Michelle Stoddart
White House unveils holiday decor with theme 'Home Is Where The Heart Is'
The White House has officially unveiled the holiday decor that is bedecking the historic home. The theme of this year's decor, according to a press release from the White House, is "Home Is Where The Heart Is."
This is the first year of White House holiday decor since the Trump administration embarks on major renovations of the campus, including the demolition of the East Wing. In previous years, the East Wing was also heavily decorated and used for tours and other holiday events at the White House.
The White House posted a video featuring first lady Melania Trump walking through the decorated halls.
-ABC News' Michelle Stoddart
Congress returns after holiday, Trump to have bill signing
Both chambers of Congress return to Washington, D.C., late Monday after the Thanksgiving recess with a long to-do list before the end of the year.
Lawmakers will continue working through the remainder of the government funding bills, and both chambers will also need to pass an agreed to the National Defense Authorization Act by the end of 2025. Additionally, ongoing negations in the Senate continue as the deadline is set to expire for the Affordable Care Act tax credits by the end of the year.
President Donald Trump is scheduled to sign "congressional bills" in the Oval Office on Monday afternoon.
-ABC News' Lauren Peller and Allison Pecorin
Trump says he would 'absolutely' denaturalize some citizens if he had the power
President Donald Trump said on Sunday he would "absolutely" denaturalize certain Americans, revoking the citizenship of some "criminals," if he had the power to do so.
"We have criminals that came into our country and they were naturalized maybe through [President Joe] Biden or somebody that didn't know what they were doing," Trump said on Sunday in answer to a reporter’s question.
He added, "If I have the power to do it -- I'm not sure that I do, but if I do -- I would denaturalize, absolutely."
Trump also doubled down on his anti-immigrant rhetoric as he criticized people from Somalia who’ve been living in the United States and threatened his administration would pause new asylum claims for "a long time."
"No time limit, but it could be a long time," Trump said when asked how long he planned to enact a pause.
He added, "We don't want those people. Does that make sense? You know why we don't want them? Because many have been no good and they shouldn’t be in our country."
-ABC News’ Lalee Ibssa