--:-- [Upbeat music fades out]
--:-- Georgia Howe: This episode is brought to you by LifeLock. When you visit the doctor, you probably hand over your insurance, your ID, and contact details. It's just one of the many places that has your personal info. And if any of them accidentally expose it, you could be at risk for identity theft.
--:-- John Bickley: LifeLock monitors millions of data points a second. If you become a victim, they'll fix it, guaranteed, or your money back. Save up to 40% your first year at LifeLock.com slash podcast. Terms apply.
--:-- Georgia Howe: This episode is brought to you by Birch Gold Group. Birch Gold makes it easy and cost-free to convert your existing IRA or 401k. Just text the word WIRE to 989898 and get a free info kit on gold today. That's WIRE to 989898 today.
--:-- John Bickley: I'm Georgia Howe with Daily Wire Editor-in-Chief John Bickley. It's Thursday, December 5th, and this is your Morning Wire afternoon update.
--:-- Georgia Howe: The manhunt in Manhattan continues. The NYPD has released new photos of the suspect in the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson outside a Midtown hotel. New surveillance images show a hooded man with a black mask hanging from his chin, smiling as he carried a backpack.
--:-- John Bickley: Police believe the suspect stayed at an Upper West Side hostel and was seen buying water and power bars at a nearby Starbucks before the shooting. Investigators are analyzing DNA and fingerprints from evidence left behind.
--:-- Georgia Howe: Bitcoin has soared beyond the mark for the first time. Daily Wire deputy managing editor Tim Rice has the details.
--:-- Tim Rice: As of earlier this morning, the cryptocurrency was trading at $100,027. This comes on the heels of Donald Trump's victory, which is fueling optimism for a crypto-friendly regulatory environment under his administration.
--:-- John Bickley: Meanwhile, crypto stocks and exchange-traded funds are also seeing surging demand. Trump's proposed policies include making the United States the crypto capital of the planet, with plans to nominate pro-crypto Paul Atkins as SEC chair.
--:-- Tim Rice: Critics, however, have warned of ongoing challenges, including energy consumption and crypto crime.
--:-- Georgia Howe: A heated House Task Force Committee hearing nearly went off the rails on Capitol Hill today. An exchange between acting Secret Service director Ronald Rowe and Texas Representative Pat Fallon quickly devolved into a shouting match.
--:-- Pat Fallon: Fallon blasted the Secret Service's handling of two assassination attempts on President-elect Donald Trump, including a near-fatal one in Butler, Pennsylvania.
--:-- Ronald Rowe: Actually, Congressman, what you're not seeing is the sack of the detail off out of the picture's view. And that is the day where we remember more than 3000 people that have died on 9 I actually responded to Ground Zero I was there going through the ashes of the World Trade Center I was there at Fresh Kills
--:-- Pat Fallon: I'm asking you. I was there, Congressman. You were the state. Were you the special agent in charge?
--:-- Ronald Rowe: I was there to show respect for a secret service member that died on 9-11. Oh, that you were trying to be. Do not invoke 9-11 for political purposes.
--:-- Georgia Howe: This episode is brought to you by Z-Biotics. Take Zbiotics pre-alcohol before your first drink, enjoy your evening, and wake up ready for whatever tomorrow may bring. Head over to zbiotics.com slash wire to get 15% off your first order with code wire at checkout. That's Z-B-I-O-T-I-C-S dot com slash wire today.
--:-- John Bickley: Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy were on the Hill today discussing the newly established Department of Government Efficiency with lawmakers. Daily Wire's senior editor Joel Needler has the latest.
--:-- Joel Needler: The pair attended the first Senate Doge Caucus meeting chaired by Senator Joni Ernst of Iowa. They then attended a bicameral event hosted by House Speaker Mike Johnson where discussions focused on regulatory reform and cost-cutting measures, part of a larger effort to revive limited government principles.
--:-- Mike Johnson: There won't be a lot of detail for the press today, and that's by design, because this is a brainstorming session. It is the first, again, as I said, of a long series of meetings that will be held as we're laying the groundwork for the new year and the new Congress.
--:-- Joel Needler: And you going to see a lot of change around here and in Washington and the way things are run We need to make government more efficient
--:-- John Bickley: In a Wall Street Journal op Musk and Ramaswamy pledged to identify wasteful spending and propose deep cuts, including eliminating entire federal agencies. They aim to wrap up the initiative by July 4, 2026.
--:-- Georgia Howe: House Oversight Chair James Comer announced the formation of a subcommittee led by Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene to collaborate with Doge.
--:-- John Bickley: French Prime Minister Barnier has resigned after a no-confidence vote in Parliament. Barnier's ouster was triggered by widespread opposition to his austerity-driven 2025 budget plan.
--:-- Georgia Howe: The no-confidence vote, backed by the hard left and hard right factions, has left France without a clear path forward, as strikes continue across the public sector. With no new budget likely before Christmas, financial instability seems likely, while calls for President Macron to resign grow louder. The president is set to address the nation tonight.
--:-- John Bickley: And the New York Times editorial board is criticizing President Biden's pardon of his son, Hunter. The great lady called it a dangerous precedent. In an editorial published this week, the board warned that the move undermines justice and echoes Donald Trump's use of the pardon power.
--:-- Georgia Howe: Critics argue the sweeping pardon tarnishes Biden's pledge to uphold Democratic norms.
--:-- John Bickley: All right, those are your drive home updates this afternoon. To learn more about these stories, go to dailywire.com. And for more in-depth reporting on the biggest stories of the day, tune in to our full episode of Morning Wire every morning.
