A ProPublica investigation published December 8 reveals President Donald Trump listed two separate Florida properties as his primary residence on mortgage applications submitted seven weeks apart, the same practice he accused Federal Reserve Board member Lisa Cook of committing mortgage fraud to obtain loans. According to the ProPublica article shared by economist Justin Wolfers and journalist Bill Grueskin on social media over the past hour, Trump has stated Cook is unfit to serve as a Fed governor due to her declarations of multiple primary residences, which she denies. When a ProPublica reporter asked Trump whether his own Florida mortgages were similar to those he accused Cook of fraudulently securing, Trump hung up the phone, Grueskin reported. In other developments during the 59-minute reporting window ending at 2:45 PM UTC, House Speaker Mike Johnson informed sources he plans to release a GOP health care plan early this week, surprising members of his leadership circle, according to Politico reporter Meredith Lee. Johnson also indicated GOP leadership anticipates floor votes on one or two appropriations bills next week amid mounting pressure. Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., stated in a Semafor interview published December 8 that Republicans risk losing elections without enacting more economic populist legislation to become a working-class party. "If we want to be a majority party, our future is to be a working-class party," Hawley said, per reporter Everett Burgeson. The Supreme Court heard oral arguments at 10 a.m. this morning in Trump v. Slaughter on the president's authority to remove executive-branch officers, according to legal commentator Ed Whelan. Separately, a 2016 quote from Pete Hegseth warning service members to refuse unlawful orders from then-candidate Trump was shared by CNN's Natasha Bertrand. At the Kennedy Center Honors, Trump joked, "The Trump-Kennedy Center," noting First Lady Melania Trump's role as honorary chairwoman of the board, per Bloomberg's Jennifer Jacobs.
