Trump announces new impeachment legal team

The former president's trial is scheduled to start the week of Feb. 8.

This is Day 12 of the administration of President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris.


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White House to hold press briefings on COVID-19 efforts 3 times a week

White House press secretary Jen Psaki, at her daily press briefing on Monday, said the Biden administration will "typically" hold COVID-19 briefings three times a week starting on Wednesday in an effort to be "transparent" with the public.

Asked when Biden expects to have his $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief proposal passed through Congress, as the administration pushes pandemic relief as their top priority, Psaki was careful not to promise a timeline.

"There's an urgency to moving it forward. And he certainly believes it needs to be -- there needs to be progress in the next couple of weeks," she said.

"He proposed his package. He's getting feedback. We're having conversations. We don't expect the final bill to look exactly the same as the first bill he proposed," she added, asked how Biden will get bipartisan support on the bill as some Republicans are pushing back on the price tag.

Biden last week predicted American deaths from COVID-19 will top 500,000 deaths next month. He's called on Americans to "mask up" for 100 days and has pledged to have 100 million vaccine shots into the arms of Americans in his first 100 days.


Supreme Court ends emoluments suits against Trump

The Supreme Court Monday morning dismissed a pair of cases alleging that former President Donald Trump inappropriately profited off the presidency in violation of the Constitution's emoluments clause.

The move brings to an end a four-year challenge by Maryland, Washington, D.C., and a group of restaurants and hotels that alleged Trump's hotel in the nation's capital became a hub of foreign patronage and unfair competitive advantage.

The cases put a spotlight on emoluments and gave the otherwise arcane constitutional provision a starring role in the Trump presidency.

The Supreme Court declared both cases "moot" now that Trump has left office, but did not elaborate further on the decision. It did not provide a breakdown of how the justices may have voted.

-ABC News Senior Washington Reporter Devin Dwyer


Nation's first Black VP swears in first Black Pentagon chief

Incoming Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin -- the Defense Department's first Black chief -- was ceremonially sworn in by Vice President Kamala Harris -- the nation's first Black vice president -- in the Roosevelt Rom of the White House on Monday afternoon.

Austin's wife, Carlene, held the Bible her husband placed his hand upon for the ceremony.

Moments earlier, Austin stood alongside Biden in the Oval Office as the president signed an executive order stating all Americans, regardless of gender identity, can serve in the Armed Forces.

“I fully support the President’s direction that all transgender individuals who wish to serve in the United States military and can meet the appropriate standards shall be able to do so openly and free from discrimination," Austin said in a statement Monday.

-ABC News' Matthew Seyler


Sen. Patrick Leahy expected to preside over Trump impeachment trial

Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt. -- the Senate president pro tempore -- is expected to preside over the impeachment trial of former President Donald Trump.

Senators preside when the impeached person is not the president of the United States, according to a Senate source.

The trial is slated to begin the week of Feb. 8 following House impeachment managers delivering the article of impeachment for "incitement of insurrection" to the Senate Monday evening.

Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts presided over Trump's last impeachment trial.

-ABC News' Trish Turner