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

Trump was impeached by the House for a second time last week.

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.


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Trump and Pence met Monday evening, according to senior administration official

President Trump and Vice President Pence met in the Oval Office Monday evening, according to a senior Trump administration official.

It was the first time they had met since last week.

According to the official, "the two had a good conversation, discussing the week ahead and reflecting on the last four years of the administration's work and accomplishments."

"They reiterated that those who broke the law and stormed the Capitol last week do not represent the America first movement backed by 75 million Americans and pledged to continue the work on behalf of the country for the remainder of their term," the official said.

-ABC News' Ben Gittleson


Top House Republican says he doesn't support impeachment effort

House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy said in a letter to Republican colleagues that he does not support the Democrats' effort to impeach Trump.

"Personally, I continue to believe that an impeachment at this time would have the opposite effect of bringing our country together when we need to get America back on a path towards unity and civility," McCarthy wrote in his letter that he sent Monday, obtained by ABC News.

Instead, he is pushing for four other alternatives to impeachment, including a resolution of censure under the rules of the House, a bipartisan commission to investigate the circumstances surrounding the attack, reforming the Electoral Count Act of 1887 and legislation to promote voter confidence in future federal elections

-ABC News' Mariam Khan


Acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf resigning

Acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf is resigning from the Trump administration effective at 11:59 p.m. Monday, according to an internal message sent to staff at the department, citing "recent events."

"I am saddened to take this step, as it was my intention to serve the Department until the end of this Administration. Unfortunately, this action is warranted by recent events, including the ongoing and meritless court rulings regarding the validity of my authority as Acting Secretary. These events and concerns increasingly serve to divert attention and resources away from the important work of the Department in this critical time of a transition of power," he said in an email to colleagues.

-ABC News' Luke Barr


Pelosi gives Pence deadline before House votes to impeach Trump as early as Wednesday

The House of Representatives is expected to return at 9 a.m. Tuesday to debate and pass a bill via a roll call vote demanding Vice President Mike Pence mobilize the Cabinet to remove Trump from office through the 25th Amendment. The vote is expected around 7:30 p.m., according to House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer’s office.

Democrats will give Pence "24 hours after passage" to respond, said House Speaker Nancy Pelosi in a statement earlier Monday, otherwise they will likely move forward with an impeachment vote on Wednesday, setting up Trump to be the first president in U.S. history impeached twice.

“The President’s threat to America is urgent, and so too will be our action,” Pelosi said in the statement.

As of right now, no Republicans have signed on to the legislation that calls on Pence to invoke the 25th Amendment, which is a likely indicator as to what happens with a potential vote on impeachment.

But sources tell ABC News that it’s possible some Republicans may vote to impeach Trump.

The single article of impeachment charging Trump with “incitement of insurrection” also cites Trump's call with the Georgia Republican secretary of state where he urged him to "find" enough votes for Trump to win the state and, separately, cites the Constitution's 14th Amendment, noting that it "prohibits any person who has 'engaged in insurrection or rebellion against' the United States" from holding office.

-ABC News' Mariam Khan


Biden administration will 'lead with science and truth'

Addressing the coronavirus pandemic, confronting the climate crisis and building public trust in science and technology will be among the Biden administration's key areas of focus, the president-elect said during a press briefing introducing four key members of his science team.

Building back the economy "to ensure prosperity is fully shared all across America" and ensuring the U.S. "leads the world in technologies and industries that the future" will also be a focus, Biden said Saturday during an address in Wilmington, Delaware.

Helping lead those initiatives will be Eric Lander, the presidential science advisor-designate, a position that for the first time will be a cabinet rank, Biden noted.

"I've always said that the Biden-Harris administration will lead with science and truth," Biden said. "We believe in both. This is how we're going to, God willing, overcome the pandemic and build our country back better than it was before. That's why for the first time in history, I'm going to be elevating the presidential science advisor to a Cabinet rank, because we think it's that important."

Frances Arnold and Maria Zuber will be at the helm of the first all-women team to lead the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology.

Alondra Nelson will also be deputy director for science and society for the Office of Science and Technology Policy.

Dr. Francis Collins, who was not present at the event, will also continue in his role as director of the National Institutes of Health.Biden thanked him for "being willing to stay on," saying that it wasn't his original plan.

"I've known Dr. Collins for many years. I worked with him closely," Biden said, accling him "brilliant, a pioneer, a true leader."

"This is the most exciting announcement that I have gotten to make in the entire Cabinet," Biden said of his picks. "These are among the brightest, most dedicated people, not only in the country but the world."