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ABC News

Giuliani says he won’t be on Trump impeachment defense team

PHOTO: US President Donald Trump's personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani speaks to supporters from The Ellipse near the White House on January 6, 2021, in Washington, DC.
8:01
Brendan Smialowski/AFP via Getty Images
How Joe Biden's inauguration will be different from previous years
By Libby Cathey, Kennedey Bell, Lauren King, Adia Robinson, Morgan Winsor, Catherine Thorbecke, Meredith Deliso, Ivan Pereira
Last Updated: January 18, 2021, 4:49 AM

President Donald Trump is slated to hand over control of the White House to President-elect Joe Biden in three days.

The House of Representatives voted to impeach Trump last Wednesday on an article for "incitement of insurrection" for his role in the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol -- making him the only president to be impeached twice.

Top headlines:

  • Biden announces 5 key nominations at State Department
  • Kamala Harris kicks off week of inauguration events
  • Incoming White House chief of staff gives overview of Biden's first 10 days
  • House Dems open investigation into Capitol attack
  • Harris to be sworn in by Justice Sonia Sotomayor at inauguration
Here is how the scene is unfolding. All times Eastern.

Jan 18, 2021 4:49 AM

Giuliani says he won’t be on Trump impeachment defense team

Rudy Giuliani tells ABC News he will not be part of President Donald Trump's legal team for the upcoming Senate impeachment trial.

“Because I gave an earlier speech [at the January 6 Trump rally before the Capitol riot],” Giuliani told ABC News Sunday night, “I am a witness and therefore unable to participate in court or Senate chamber.”

Trump was impeached by the House for the second time last week following the siege on the Capitol by a pro-Trump mob.

-ABC News' Jonathan Karl


Jan 17, 2021 9:26 PM

Delaware shelter celebrates 'indoguration' for 1st shelter dog to live in the White House

The Delaware Humane Association hosted a virtual party with over 10,000 people to celebrate the first shelter dog moving into the White House.

While Champ and Major won't put their paws in the White House until Wednesday, the association held the fundraiser Sunday to celebrate the history being made: Major was adopted by Biden in March 2018.

"It means everything to us because it shines a light on the work we do," Delaware Humane Association's executive director Patrick Carroll said Sunday during the virtual party. "It shows that shelters are a wonderful place to adopt."

PHOTO: Joe and Jill Biden with their dogs, Major and Champ, in a photo posted to Joe Biden's Instagram account.
joebiden/Instagram
Joe and Jill Biden with their dogs, Major and Champ, in a photo posted to Joe Biden's Instagram account.
joebiden/Instagram

The shelter showed off photos of Major during his stay there in 2018 along with video of him and the president-elect. It also revealed dog "secretaries" which were dogs from its shelter that were selected by fans.

The Delaware Humane Association raised over $100,000, according to its host.

MORE: Biden's dogs bring return of presidential pets to the White House

Biden's two German shepherds will also be the first dogs to live in the White House in four years, though Champ is no stranger to Washington. The Biden family brought the dog into their home in 2008 and he resided with them during his two terms as vice president.


Jan 17, 2021 7:34 PM

Trump loyalist installed as NSA's general counsel

The National Security Agency confirmed to ABC News that Michael Ellis has been named to be the agency’s new general counsel.

Ellis, who is considered to be a Trump loyalist, was pre-selected for the job, but his placement was slow-rolled by NSA Director Paul M. Nakasone.

Acting Defense Secretary Chris Miller demanded the NSA to put him in the career civil service job by 6 p.m. Saturday night, according to a source.

"Mr. Ellis accepted his final job offer yesterday afternoon. NSA is moving forward with his employment," an NSA spokesperson said in a statement provided to ABC News.

The Washington Post first reported the installation.

The NSA’s general counsel is a career civil service position and not an appointee position. Anyone in that post would continue on regardless of a change in administrations. They could only be removed under the same guidelines in place for other civil servants. There is a probationary period and tenure policy in place.

-ABC News' Luis Martinez



Jan 17, 2021 5:19 PM

Man arrested near Capitol allegedly with pistol, large capacity magazine

A Virginia man has been arrested near the Capitol while in possession of a gun, according to authorities.

Gordonsville resident Guy Berry, 22, was arrested at 12:15 a.m. on the 200 block of Massachusetts Avenue, the police report states. He was allegedly in possession of three high capacity magazines and 37 rounds of unregistered ammunition, police said.

Berry was charged with carrying a pistol without a license, possession of a large capacity magazine and unregistered ammunition. 

-ABC News’ Jack Date


Jan 14, 2021 8:02 PM

1st confirmation hearing for Biden Cabinet pick Friday

Five key Senate panels have now confirmed that they will hold confirmation hearings for Biden's top national security officials before Inauguration Day -- although it remains unlikely most of his picks will be confirmed by day one.

Avril Haines will have her hearing Friday to be Director of National Intelligence, while four others will have theirs on Tuesday -- Tony Blinken for secretary of state, Janet Yellen for Treasury secretary, Lloyd Austin for Defense secretary, and Alejandro Mayorkas for Homeland Security secretary.

PHOTO: Avril Haines, former deputy national security advisor and former deputy director of the Central Intelligence Agency, testifies before the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Jan. 14, 2020, in Washington.
Win Mcnamee/Getty Images
Avril Haines, former deputy national security advisor and former deputy director of the Central Intelligence Agency, testifies before the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Jan. 14, 2020, in Washington.
Win Mcnamee/Getty Images

The Senate Foreign Relations Committee hasn't scheduled a hearing yet for Linda Thomas-Greenfield, Biden's pick for U.N. ambassador and a member of his Cabinet, despite her being announced in November. Bill Burns, Biden's pick to be CIA director, also doesn't have a hearing scheduled yet, but Biden only announced his intention to nominate Burns Monday.

MORE: President-elect Joe Biden's top-level appointees and Cabinet picks

It's unclear how long after a confirmation hearing any of these Cabinet picks can be confirmed, especially with an impeachment trial -- but they'll require a committee vote and then a full Senate vote. It's likely most won't be confirmed and in position on Inauguration Day.

Biden's team has escalated pressure this week to confirm his national security Cabinet as soon as possible.

PHOTO: President-elect Joe Biden speaks as he announces his Justice Department nominees at his transition headquarters in Wilmington, Del., Jan. 7, 2021.
Kevin Lamarque/Reuters
President-elect Joe Biden speaks as he announces his Justice Department nominees at his transition headquarters in Wilmington, Del., Jan. 7, 2021.
Kevin Lamarque/Reuters

In contrast, on Trump's Inauguration Day, the Senate confirmed both John Kelly as Department of Homeland Security secretary and Jim Mattis as Department of Defense secretary, and 11 more Trump nominees already had their confirmation hearings. President Barack Obama had seven Cabinet chiefs confirmed on Inauguration Day, while six more had confirmation hearings by then and his Defense Secretary Bob Gates stayed on from the Bush administration, according to the U.S. Senate website.

-ABC News' Conor Finnegan and Molly Nagle


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