12:30 Report — Bondi gets turn in hot seat

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12:30 REPORT

It’s Wednesday. The weather for Inauguration Day is already looking pretty brutal. Wind chills could be in the single digits. Too bad we can’t restructure the Constitution to make it in a more temperate month … Here’s what’s happening today:

Breaking: Israel and Hamas just reached a ceasefire deal.The Supreme Court did *not* rule on TikTok today, despite speculation.Six of Trump’s Cabinet nominees are in the hot seat today. Pam Bondi’s hearing fireworks.Biden will give a prime-time farewell address.

Filing with so many C-SPAN windows open on my laptop, I’m Cate Martel with a quick recap of the morning and what’s coming up. Send tips, commentary, feedback and cookie recipes to cmartel@thehill.com. Did someone forward this newsletter to you? Sign up here. 

📰 Breaking

Israel and Hamas reach a ceasefire deal:

“Israel and Hamas are zeroing in on a ceasefire and hostage release deal, with an Israeli official telling The Hill that Hamas has agreed to terms.”

President-elect Trump celebrated on Truth Social: “WE HAVE A DEAL FOR THE HOSTAGES IN THE MIDDLE EAST. THEY WILL BE RELEASED SHORTLY. THANK YOU!”

Keep in mind: There has been no official announcement made by the Biden administration.

What happens now?: “The Israeli security cabinet will have to vote to accept the terms of the deal, and then a second vote will go before Israel’s parliament, the Knesset. If the deal passes both those votes, there will also be time for appeals against the deal to be brought to the Supreme Court.”

Read Laura Kelly’s reporting on the ceasefire

🎙 On Capitol Hill

Can we split that screen six ways?:

Six of President-elect Trump’s Cabinet nominees are appearing for their Senate confirmation hearings today. The two highest-profile Cabinet nominees up to bat today are Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) for secretary of State and Pam Bondi for attorney general.

💡 How are they going?: Rubio’s confirmation hearing has gone as expected, and he should have an easy time gliding through. Bondi’s hearing has been splashier, but she hasn’t said anything that would disqualify her among Republicans.

🗨Follow today’s live blog for updates

➤ HEARING HIGHLIGHTS:

Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) asked Bondi if she believes Trump lost the 2020 election: She told Durbin she “accepts the results” but she would not say Trump lost. "Biden is the president of the United States. He was duly sworn in, and he is the president of the United States,” Bondi said. She then referred to the Jan. 6, 2021 attack on the Capitol as a "peaceful transition of power."

Bondi defends Kash Patel: “I don’t believe he has an enemies list,” Bondi said about Patel, Trump’s pick to lead the FBI. In Patel’s book, he lists 60 people he says are part of the “executive branch deep state.” She also said she wouldn’t have an enemies list, but she did attack the........

© The Hill