President Biden said Friday that he does not believe that former President TrumpDonald TrumpChamber of Commerce CEO to leave: reports Fox News Media cancels Lou Dobbs’s show GOP lawmakers call for Pelosi to be fined over new screenings MORE should continue to receive intelligence briefings.

Biden said in an interview on “CBS Evening News with Norah O’Donnell” that he does not believe Trump should still receive intelligence briefings “because of his erratic behavior unrelated to the insurrection,” referencing the Jan. 6 riot by Trump supporters at the U.S. Capitol.

Biden reiterated his belief that Trump represents an “existential threat” and “dangerous.” Asked about his worst fear if Trump continues to receive intelligence briefings, Biden declined to speculate but suggested he sees no value in Trump continuing to receive intelligence.

ADVERTISEMENT

“I’d rather not speculate out loud. I just think that there is no need for him to have the intelligence briefings. What value is giving him an intelligence briefing? What impact does he have at all, other than the fact he might slip and say something?” Biden said.

The White House said earlier this week that its national security team is conducting a review to determine whether Trump should continue to receive intelligence briefings after having left office. CNN reported Thursday that the U.S. intelligence community would review any requests for intelligence briefings from Trump, in keeping with normal practice.

Some have called for Trump to be cut off from intelligence. Sue Gordon, a career intelligence official who served as principal deputy director of national intelligence during the Trump administration, penned a Washington Post op-ed arguing that Trump may be “unusually vulnerable to bad actors with ill intent” and should not receive further intelligence briefings.

“I do not make this recommendation casually. It is based on my deep understanding of threats to national security, on decades protecting our people and interests overseas, and my experience deploying technical means to counter our adversaries,” Gordon wrote in January.

House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam SchiffAdam Bennett SchiffBiden says Trump shouldn’t get intel briefings The Hill’s Morning Report – Presented by Facebook – House boots Greene from committees; Senate plows ahead on budget Battle over COVID-19 misinformation goes to courts MORE (D-Calif.) also said last month that Trump could not be trusted with intelligence.

“There is no circumstance in which this president should get another intelligence briefing, not now and not in the future,” Schiff said on CBS’s “Face the Nation.” “Indeed, there were, I think, any number of intelligence partners around the world who probably started withholding information from us because they didn’t trust the president would safeguard that information, and protect their sources and methods. And that makes us less safe.”

Biden’s interview with CBS represents his first televised interview since taking office and will air in its entirety on Sunday before the Super Bowl.

Pope FrancisPope FrancisRescue ship filled with migrants headed for Sicily Pope names two women to Vatican posts held by men Tens of thousands rally against coup in Myanmar MORE said Monday that governments should act now to address the economic and environmental inequalities the coronavirus pandemic has laid bare.

The pontiff, meeting with ambassadors to the Holy See, called for a reframing of the world economy, comparing it to the acceptance of the sun rather than the earth as the center of the universe.

“There is need for a kind of new Copernican revolution that can put the economy at the service of men and women, not vice versa,” he said, according to The Associated Press.

ADVERTISEMENT

He went on to say such a system should be “one that brings life not death, one that is inclusive and not exclusive, humane and not dehumanizing, one that cares for the environment and does not despoil it.”

The pope’s address in the Apostolic Palace had reportedly been delayed for two weeks after he experienced sciatic nerve pain that interfered with his ability to speak.

Addressing the socially distanced assembly of 88 ambassadors, Francis warned that the pandemic has exacerbated social problems and that the desperation would create further human misery.

“Driven by desperation, many have sought other forms of income and risk being exploited through illegal or forced labor, prostitution and various criminal activities, including human trafficking,” he said.

The pope, who has received the coronavirus vaccine, added that “[a]long with vaccines, fraternity and hope are, as it were, the medicine we need in today’s world,” according to the AP.

The pope also expressed concern about the military coup in Myanmar, and called for all detained political leaders to be “promptly released as a sign of encouragement for a sincere dialogue aimed at the good of the country.”

He further invoked the upcoming 10^th anniversary of the beginning of the Syrian civil war and said nations of the world should “address the causes of the conflict with honesty and courage and to seek solutions.”

Amazon workers at a fulfillment center in Alabama will proceed with a vote to unionize next week after the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) on Friday denied Amazon’s request to delay the union election. 

The NLRB denied Amazon’s motion to request a stay of the election after the company called for a review of the board’s earlier decision and pushed for an in-person vote. 

In a two-sentence order the NLRB denied Amazon’s request, stating it “raises no substantial issues warranting review” and calling the motion to stay the election “moot.” 

ADVERTISEMENT

Amazon had asked the board to review its case and argued the election should take place in person, although the NLRB has held the majority of its representation elections by mail since March due to the coronavirus pandemic. 

Amazon spokesperson Owen Torres said the company proposed “a safe on-site election process validated by COVID-19 experts” and will “continue to insist on measures for a fair election.”

“Our goal is for as many of our employees as possible to vote and we’re disappointed by the decision by the NLRB not to provide the most fair and effective format to achieve maximum employee participation,” Torres said in a statement. “Even the National Labor Relations Board recognizes that the employee participation rate for its own elections conducted with mail ballots is 20-30% lower than the participation rate for in-person voting.”

As of November, when the NLRB established a set of standards for mail-in ballots during the coronavirus pandemic, the board said about 90 percent of representation elections have been conducted by mail since March.

Union election ballots will be mailed to workers starting Monday, the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union (RWDSU) said in a statement. The RWDSU is conducting the unionization drive for workers at the fulfillment center in Bessemer, Ala. 

“Once again Amazon workers have won another fight in their effort to win a union voice. Amazon’s blatant disregard for the health and safety of its own workforce was demonstrated yet again by its insistence for an in-person election in the middle of the pandemic,” RWDSU president Stuart Appelbaum said in a statement. 

ADVERTISEMENT

“Today’s decision proves that it’s long past time that Amazon start respecting its own employees; and allow them to cast their votes without intimidation and interference,” Appelbaum added. 

Workers at the Alabama warehouses in November filed a petition to join the union. 

If successful, it would establish the first labor union representation at an Amazon facility in the U.S.

Updated: 4:08 p.m.

Transportation Secretary Pete ButtigiegPete ButtigiegButtigeig on Rosa Parks’s birthday promises ‘equity’ at Transportation Department The Hill’s 12:30 Report: Biden strategizes with House Dems GOP warns Biden nominees on hold until after impeachment MORE said his agency is committed to “ensuring equity” in its operations in honor of Rosa Parks’s legacy on Thursday, the 108th birthday of the famed civil rights activist.

“Born 108 years ago today, Rosa Parks spent a lifetime fighting racism in America’s transit system and beyond,” Buttigieg tweeted on Thursday. “[The U.S. Department of Transportation] is committed to honoring her legacy by ensuring equity is central to everything we do.” 

ADVERTISEMENT

The tweet also featured a photograph licensed by Getty Images of Parks sitting in the front of a bus in Montgomery, Ala., in 1956.

In December 1955, Parks, a then-42-year-old African American woman, helped sparked what would become a significant moment for the civil rights movement when she refused to give up her seat to white passengers on a city bus in Montgomery. 

Her subsequent arrest over the refusal helped lead to the Montgomery bus boycott. The historic campaign against bus segregation lasted a little more than a year until the U.S. Supreme Court decided in 1956 that the racist practice was unconstitutional.

Later on Thursday, the Transportation Department also shared its own tweet marking Parks’s birthday, which it also acknowledged as “Transit Equity Day” in honor of the civil rights icon.

ADVERTISEMENT

In video remarks included in the post, Nuria Fernandez, acting administrator of the Federal Transit Administration (FTA), said the day “celebrates the birthday of civil rights icon Rosa Parks and it recognizes her important role in advancing a more just and equitable public transportation system for all Americans.”

Fernandez added that the FTA and the transit industry are committed to building on President Biden’s vision for advancing racial equity in the nation “by pursuing more equitable transportation across the country.”

Buttigieg’s words comes several days after he was confirmed by the Senate to head up the Transportation Department on Monday, becoming the first openly gay Senate-confirmed Cabinet member in the nation’s history.

In his opening remarks during his confirmation hearing last month, the former South Bend, Ind., mayor and 2020 Democratic presidential candidate stressed the need for safety in the nation’s transportation industry during the coronavirus pandemic.

“I believe that good transportation policy can play no less a role than making possible the American Dream, getting people and goods to where they need to be, directly and indirectly creating good-paying jobs,” Buttigieg said.

He also warned at the time that misguided policies in transportation could “reinforce racial and economic inequality by dividing or isolating neighborhoods.”

Michigan Gov. Gretchen WhitmerGretchen WhitmerMichigan county prosecutor dismissing all charges related to violating Whitmer’s COVID-19 orders Whitmer: State partially reopening ‘because of the strong position that we’re in’ Legislators go after governors to rein in COVID-19 powers MORE (D) and top state officials are calling for the disbarment of four lawyers who sought to invalidate the state’s presidential election results in court.

Whitmer, Attorney General Dana Nessel (D) and Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson (D) called for the disbarment of Michigan’s Greg Rohl, Scott Hagerstrom and Stefanie Junttila, as well as Texas-based Sidney Powell, a pro-Trump lawyer who promoted unproven election fraud claims.

The state officials accused the attorneys of contributing to the Jan. 6 Capitol riot through their involvement in litigation that would overturn President Biden’s victory in the state, according to The Detroit News.

ADVERTISEMENT

The four “used their law license in an attempt to disenfranchise Michigan voters and undermine the faith of the public in the legitimacy of the recent presidential election, and lent credence to untruths that led to violence and unrest,” the officials wrote.

The lawsuit, King v. Whitmer, which was based on a number of unproven claims and conspiracy theories, asked for the state’s electors to be disqualified in favor of declaring then-President TrumpDonald TrumpGraham shoots down request for Merrick Garland confirmation hearing Feb. 8 Trump lawyer to make First Amendment case at impeachment trial Biden faces crossroads on virus relief bill MORE the winner. A U.S. District Court judge tossed the lawsuit Dec. 7 and said it was intended to “ignore the will of millions of voters.”

Powell frequently appeared at press conferences and briefings with Trump’s legal team ahead of the lawsuit but shortly before it was filed, the Trump campaign put out a statement saying she had no connection with it.

“The 2020 general election was the most secure in our nation’s history, and these lawyers abused their authority by filing meritless, frivolous lawsuits for the sole purpose of undermining public faith in the election,” Benson said in a statement, according to the Detroit newspaper. “They must be held accountable for this unprecedented attack on our democracy and prevented from replicating such harm in the future.”

Howard Kleinhendler, who is representing Powell in a separate sanctions action in the Eastern District of Michigan, said the complaint was “entirely inappropriate” with the sanctions pending.

“It very much shows there’s a political motive here and not a desire to preserve the integrity of the legal profession,” he said.

Deploying thousands of National Guardsmen at the U.S. Capitol through mid-March is costing nearly $500 million, a defense official confirmed to The Hill.

The official did not have a more detailed breakdown of the costs, which Bloomberg first reported Thursday would be at least $480 million.

Thousands of guardsmen from all 50 states, three territories and D.C. poured into Washington following the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol.

ADVERTISEMENT

Amid fears of a repeat attack at President Biden’s inauguration, the guardsmen shored up security by erecting razor-wire topped fences around the Capitol and the surrounding areas and patrolling the grounds armed with M4 rifles.

At the height of the deployment about 26,000 guardsmen were in Washington, D.C. The forces have since drawn down to about 7,000 service members.

But at the request of Capitol Police, about 5,000 guardsmen are slated to stay at the Capitol until at least mid-March.

The Pentagon has not detailed the specific threats that led them to approve the request. But the Department of Homeland Security issued a terrorism bulletin last week warning of threats from domestic extremists persisting beyond the inauguration.

“Information suggests that some ideologically-motivated violent extremists with objections to the exercise of governmental authority and the presidential transition, as well as other perceived grievances fueled by false narratives, could continue to mobilize to incite or commit violence,” the bulletin said.

Among the upcoming events that could be subject to potential threats are former President TrumpDonald TrumpGOP senator warns his party must decide between ‘conservatism and madness’ Pompeo rebukes Biden’s new foreign policy Here are the 11 Republicans who voted to remove Greene from House committees MORE’s impeachment trial in the Senate, set to start Feb. 9. Adherents to the QAnon conspiracy theory are also pushing false claims Trump will be sworn in again March 4, the original date of presidential inaugurations before the 20th Amendment moved the date to Jan. 20.

Still, Republicans have increasingly questioned what intelligence exists to justify keeping troops at the Capitol, saying officials have only pointed to general threats on social media.

A leader of the Proud Boys from the west coast was charged Wednesday over his involvement in the Capitol Hill riot on Jan. 6 as the group draws further scrutiny over its ties to the lethal mob.

Prosecutors charged Ethan Nordean, who described himself as the “Sergeant of Arms” of the Seattle chapter of the Proud Boys, with obstructing or impeding an official proceeding, aiding and abetting, and entering restricted grounds as part of the mob that ransacked the Capitol.

Federal officials alleged that Nordean was seen leading a group of Proud Boys members in Washington shortly before the insurrection began and was later observed entering the Capitol building. The Justice Department said in a release that he “was near the front of the crowd of rioters, who collectively approached, confronted, and vastly outnumbered Capitol Police.”

ADVERTISEMENT

Prosecutors pointed to a number of concerning social media posts made prior to the riots, including a video in which he lamented “blatant, rampant voter fraud” in the presidential election. He later said the Proud Boys were going to “bring back that original spirit of 1776 of what really established the character of what America is. And it’s not complacency, it’s not low standards. It’s ‘this is how it’s going to be, and I don’t give a god damn.’ ”

Nordean is just the latest Proud Boys member to be charged over the riot, which led to the deaths of several people, including Capitol Police Officer Brian Sicknick, who lied in honor in the Capitol Wednesday.

Two of the group’s members were charged last month with conspiracy to obstruct law enforcement officers’ efforts to protect the Capitol from the mob.  

The Proud Boys, a self-proclaimed “Western chauvinist” group that espouse racist views, gained national prominence after videos circulated of its members engaging in violent street fights with left-wing demonstrators. Their profile skyrocketed when former President TrumpDonald Trump Pelosi pushing Newsom to pick Schiff for next California AG: report Palm Beach town attorney says Trump should be able to live at Mar-a-Lago Trump helipad at Mar-a-Lago to soon be demolished MORE declined to explicitly condemn them in a presidential debate, telling them to “Stand back and stand by,” a remark the group interpreted as one of support.

Canada Wednesday labeled the Proud Boys a terrorist group.

The AstraZeneca-Oxford COVID-19 vaccine protects against a more transmissible variant of the virus first identified in the United Kingdom, according to research published Friday.

The study, which has not yet been peer-reviewed, found that the vaccine is 74.6 percent effective against the variant, “similar” but somewhat lower than the 84 percent effectiveness against the non-variant strain.

The effectiveness of a range of vaccines against the UK variant, also known as B.1.1.7, has been reassuring, though experts are more concerned about at least some drop in effectiveness rates against a different variant first found in South Africa.

ADVERTISEMENT

“Data from our trials of the ChAdOx1 vaccine in the United Kingdom indicate that the vaccine not only protects against the original pandemic virus, but also protects against the novel variant, B.1.1.7, which caused the surge in disease from the end of 2020 across the UK,” said Andrew Pollard, an Oxford professor working on the vaccine. 

Even though vaccines appear to be effective against it, the UK variant still poses a risk of causing a spike in the coming weeks in the US given its transmissibility, because many Americans are not yet vaccinated.

The Oxford researchers said they are working with AstraZeneca to prepare to update the vaccine to fight new variants if necessary, as are other companies working on vaccines.

“We are working with AstraZeneca to optimize the pipeline required for a strain change should one become necessary,” said Sarah Gilbert, another Oxford researcher. “This is the same issue that is faced by all of the vaccine developers, and we will continue to monitor the emergence of new variants that arise in readiness for a future strain change.”

Peter Marks, a top Food and Drug Administration official, said last week that the agency is working on a “streamlined” process for authorizing updated vaccines against new variants, if necessary.

“We would intend to try to be pretty nimble with this,” Marks said during a webinar hosted by the American Medical Association.

Sen. Ted CruzRafael (Ted) Edward CruzCruz blocks vote on Biden Commerce secretary nominee over Huawei concerns Senate Republicans don’t want Trump to testify in impeachment trial Cruz, ‘Princess Bride’ star locked in duel over politics, entertainment MORE (R-Texas) on Thursday formally placed a hold on the Senate voting on the nomination of Gina RaimondoGina RaimondoCruz blocks vote on Biden Commerce secretary nominee over Huawei concerns Democrat warns tech companies to ‘step up in big way’ or risk Section 230 changes On The Money: Biden commits to ,400 checks, but open to eligibility limits | House approves budget resolution for COVID-19 package | McConnell seeks to inflict political pain on budget votes MORE, President Biden’s pick for Commerce secretary, due to concerns Raimondo has not clarified her stance on Chinese telecom giant Huawei. 

“I’ll lift the hold when the Biden admin commits to keep the massive Chinese Communist Party spy operation Huawei on the Entity List,” Cruz tweeted in response to a report from Bloomberg Business that he had blocked a vote on Raimondo. 

Cruz’s block comes after over a week of criticism from both House and Senate Republicans of Raimondo’s comments on Huawei during her confirmation hearing. 

ADVERTISEMENT

The Commerce Department under the Trump administration added Huawei, one of the largest 5G equipment manufacturers in the world, to its “entity list,” effectively blacklisting the company over concerns it posed an espionage threat due to ties to the Chinese government. 

Raimondo made clear that if confirmed, she would “review the policy, consult with you, consult with industry, consult with our allies, and make an assessment as to what’s best for American national and economic security,” but did not specifically commit to keeping Huawei on the entity list when Cruz questioned her about it during her confirmation hearing. 

She later made clear in written responses to questions from members of the Senate Commerce Committee that she had “no reason to believe that entities on those lists should not be there.”

Cruz voted against approving Raimondo during the committee vote Wednesday, with Raimondo advancing out of committee by a vote of 21-3.

“Gina Raimondo’s ethics issues and soft stance on China including her refusal to commit to keep Huawei on the Entities List is deeply troubling,” Cruz tweeted Wednesday following the committee vote. “That’s why I voted against advancing her nomination and I urge my colleagues to refuse to confirm her.”

ADVERTISEMENT

The hold on Raimondo’s nomination comes after Cotton and Sens. Ben SasseBen SasseGOP senator warns his party must decide between ‘conservatism and madness’ Cruz blocks vote on Biden Commerce secretary nominee over Huawei concerns House Republicans urge Senate to block vote on Commerce secretary over Huawei MORE (R-Neb.) and Marco RubioMarco Antonio RubioCruz blocks vote on Biden Commerce secretary nominee over Huawei concerns Demings on possible Senate, Florida governor run: ‘I’m keeping that door open’ Republicans seek to play offense in vote-a-rama MORE (R-Fla.) wrote a letter to Raimondo asking her to clarify her stance on keeping Huawei on the entity list.

A coalition of almost two dozen House Republicans, led by House Foreign Affairs Committee ranking member Michael McCaulMichael Thomas McCaulCruz blocks vote on Biden Commerce secretary nominee over Huawei concerns Lawmakers mull domestic terrorism statute in wake of Jan. 6 attack House Republicans gear up for conference meeting amid party civil war MORE (R-Texas), also pressured senators to block a vote on Raimondo’s nomination until she made clear her stance on Huawei. 

ADVERTISEMENT

McCaul on Thursday night celebrated Cruz’s decision to block a vote on Raimondo. 

“As I have repeatedly expressed, #Huawei is not a normal telecommunications company – it is an arm of the #CCP’s military that poses a significant threat to U.S. national security and supports the CCP’s genocide in Xinjiang,” McCaul said in a statement tweeted out by the committee. “The Biden Administration must take this seriously.”

Republicans have also taken issue with the White House’s unclear stance on Huawei’s place on the entity list.

Reporters have questioned White House press secretary Jen PsakiJen PsakiJudge blocks Texas effort to remove Planned Parenthood from Medicaid Cruz blocks vote on Biden Commerce secretary nominee over Huawei concerns On The Money: White House reviewing if Biden can cancel student loan debt | Senate signals broad support for more targeted relief checks | Romney proposes monthly payments for families with children MORE about Huawei twice since Biden took office, and while she stressed during press briefings that “telecommunications equipment made by untrusted vendors, including Huawei, is a threat to the security of the U.S. and our allies,” Psaki has not confirmed if Huawei will remain on the list.  

The Trump administration put huge pressure on Huawei, with Trump signing into law legislation last year barring use of federal funds to purchase Huawei equipment, and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) voted unanimously to classify the company as a national security threat. 

Huawei has denied allegations it poses a threat, and is currently challenging the FCC designation in court.

More than 1,000 protesters were detained by authorities in Moscow and across Russia during mass rallies on Sunday in support of Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny.

The Associated Press reported that hundreds of protesters chanted “Putin, resign!” and Putin, thief!” as they marched through Moscow’s city center, referring to Russian President Vladimir PutinVladimir Vladimirovich PutinMenendez calls for sanction on Russia after Navalny protests Biden puts US national security first in extending New START Treaty How Biden can build on the New START renewal to mend US-Russia relations MORE.

One of the largest rallies was held in eastern Siberia, according to the AP, where about 90 protesters were detained in the city of Novosibirsk.

ADVERTISEMENT

More than 100 demonstrators were also detained in Vladivostok, according to the news service.

Reuters reported that Navalny’s allies said on social media that his wife, Yulia Navalnaya, was detained at a protest in Moscow, noting that she was detained at a similar demonstration last week.

Russian police detained more than 3,000 protesters who rallied last Sunday despite frigid temperatures and warnings that they would be subject to arrest.

The latest demonstrations come after Secretary of State Antony BlinkenAntony BlinkenMenendez calls for sanction on Russia after Navalny protests The Hill’s 12:30 Report – Presented by Facebook – Experts react to J&J vaccine data World Economic Forum president: Biden, Chinese president may meet in May in Singapore MORE said that the U.S. had a “deep concern” about Russia’s treatment of Navalny.

“We have a deep concern for Mr. Navalny’s safety and security and the larger point is that his voice is the voice of many, many, many Russians and it should be heard, not muzzled,” Blinken told reporters at a press briefing last Wednesday.

Asked if the U.S. would rule anything out if Navalny is harmed or the demonstrators were to be jailed after protesting his imprisonment, Blinken replied that administration officials are “not ruling out anything” but “want to get this full review done and then we’ll take it from there.”

One day earlier, President Biden discussed Navalny and other concerns during his first call with Putin since becoming president.

The State Department and White House have demanded Navalny’s immediate release and rebuked Russia’s crackdown on sweeping protests.

Navalny returned to Moscow earlier this month and was detained at the airport.

Last year, he fell ill on a flight to Siberia and was taken to a hospital in Berlin, where doctors determined he had been poisoned by the Soviet-era nerve agent Novichok.

Soon after leaving the hospital, the Kremlin told him that unless he returned to Moscow immediately, he would be in violation of the terms of a 2014 suspended sentence and be subject to arrest.