It’s Monday. Last night was the end of an *era* — Taylor Swift’s "Eras Tour" wrapped up with its final show. 🥲 Now, back to sifting through Easter eggs to figure out what she has up her sleeve next. Here’s what else is happening:

• Sean Hannity is interviewing Pete Hegseth at 9 p.m.
• Lara Trump stepped down from the RNC amid Senate speculation.
• Trump threatens to jail Jan. 6 panel; Liz Cheney fires back.
• Assad family’s 50-year rule ends in Syria.

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.  

©  AP

President-elect Trump made the rounds this weekend, traveling to Paris for the Notre Dame Cathedral’s reopening and appearing on NBC’s “Meet the Press” for a wide-ranging interview.

Trump met with Prince William during his quick France trip. BBC reports the two met for roughly 40 minutes discussing global issues. Trump praised William as “doing a fantastic job.”

Tidbit — what Trump said about William: “He looked really, very handsome last night. Some people look better in person?” That question mark is not a typo, by the way. 🔎 Read the full quote

Who else attended the cathedral reopening?: Trump sat next to French President Emmanuel Macron and French first lady Brigitte Macron. First lady Jill Biden and her daughter, Ashley Biden, also sat nearby. Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk and former Secretary of State John Kerry also attended. Plus, the BBC reports that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was there.

🤔 A strange tidbit: Trump used an image of himself with Jill Biden at Notre Dame’s reopening in Paris to sell his perfume. “Here are my new Trump Perfumes & Colognes! I call them Fight, Fight, Fight, because they represent us WINNING,” Trump posted on Truth Social. “Great Christmas gifts for the family.” 📸 The photo and the ad

Trump’s interview with NBC’s Kristen Welker was his first sit-down since winning a second White House term. Here are some takeaways and highlights:

Will Trump seek retribution for his political rivals?: Trump suggested he would not directly order his appointees to go after his rivals, but he did say it’s their job to investigate corruption and dishonesty. He said he would not go after President Biden but would leave it up to his attorney general to decide what should happen with special counsel Jack Smith.

Will Trump follow through with mass deportations?: He says yes.

• Families where some are here legally: He said families with mixed immigration status could be deported together to avoid being separated.
  
  
• Birthright: Trump says he still intends to end birthright citizenship. That will likely face legal challenges because the 14th Amendment states that "all persons born" in the U.S. are citizens.
  
  
• Dreamers: Trump said he wants to find a way to help Dreamers stay in the U.S.

What did Trump say about tariffs raising consumer prices?: Trump did not guarantee that his proposed tariffs would not increase costs for consumers.

Trump defended his controversial Cabinet picks: He defended his Defense nominee Pete Hegseth, who faced the steepest climb to confirmation, as a “very smart guy” and a “military guy.”

He referenced jailing members who served on the House’s Jan. 6 investigation panel: Trump suggested that those House members, including former Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.), should be in jail. Cheney responded to the threat as an “assault on the rule of law.” 🔎 Read Cheney’s full reaction

What’s Trump’s plan for Jan. 6 convicts?: Trump said that on Day 1, he will likely pardon individuals involved in the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol.

^ For what it’s worth: Trump’s incoming deputy chief of staff for policy, Stephen Miller, says mass deportations will be Trump’s first priority.

More takeaways from Trump’s “Meet the Press” interview

©  GIPHY/The Office

Lara Trump is stepping down as the co-chair of the Republican National Committee (RNC).

Why this is raising eyebrows: There has been speculation that she could replace Florida Sen. Marco Rubio (R), who has been nominated as Trump’s secretary of State.

Remember: Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R), who has himself been floated as a potential backup Defense secretary pick, will likely name Rubio's replacement by January.

Trump has named one of his personal attorneys, Alina Habba, as counselor to the president. She’s most known for her frequent media appearances defending the president-elect.

• The New York Times: How Some Voters Moved From Bernie Sanders to Donald Trump
• The Washington Post: Biden urged to empty federal death row before Trump takes office
• The Wall Street Journal: Meet the Trump Nominees Selling Vitamins on the Side
• Op-ed in The Hill: Biden must act now to block Trump’s retribution threats

“Social Security beneficiaries could face longer wait times for service next year unless Congress agrees to the White House budget office’s request to increase funding for the Social Security Administration (SSA), the administration that runs the program is warning,” reports The Hill’s Alexander Bolton.

The cause: “House Republicans balked at increasing funding for the SSA in the continuing resolution passed in September, which forced the agency to implement a hiring freeze last month.”

The result: “The SSA will soon reach a 50-year low in staffing despite having to provide service to a record number of beneficiaries, which means customers will experience longer wait times on the phone or online when trying to resolve problems.”

Does this mean a cut in benefits?: No! It just may take longer to process claims and any issues that arise.

Read Bolton’s explainer: ‘Social Security beneficiaries at risk of delays amid GOP funding fight’

Syrian President Bashar Assad and his family arrived in Moscow on Sunday after they were granted asylum in Russia following the Syrian government's fall.

What happened?: Rebels seized control of the capital of Damascus, ending the Assad family’s 50-year rule. 

• The Washington Post: Biden officials race to help stabilize Syria after regime collapse
• The Wall Street Journal: The 11-Day Blitz by Syrian Rebels That Ended 50 Years of Assad Rule
• The New York Times: Israel Claims Credit for al-Assad’s Ouster, but Sees Risk in His Absence

🥐 Celebrate: Today is National Pastry Day!

🎤 Taylor made history. It was perfection. No notes.: Taylor Swift finished her last stop in Vancouver on "The Eras Tour." The tour consisted of 149 shows, each 3.5 hours long, in 21 countries and grossed more than $2 billion in ticket sales. Business Insider calculated that she spent 484 hours performing, including 25 hours of just playing “All Too Well.”

©  GIPHY/Taylor Swift

📙 The 2024 word of the year: Merriam-Webster decided that “polarization” is the word that defines the past year. (Time)

The House is in with no votes scheduled for today. The Senate is also in. President Biden and Vice President Harris are in Washington. (all times Eastern)

• 1:20 p.m.: Harris speaks at the Tribal Nations Summit at the Department of the Interior. 💻 Livestream
• 3:45 p.m.: Biden delivers remarks at a Tribal Nations Summit. 💻 Livestream
• 6 p.m.: Biden and first lady Jill Biden host a Holiday Ball for member of Congress. Harris and second gentleman Doug Emhoff
• 9 p.m.: Fox News’s Sean Hannity interviews Trump’s Defense secretary nominee Pete Hegseth.

Want to see the most wholesome friendship? This dog believes its best friend is a hot water tank.

^ Though I’m rewatching this video and I wonder if we’re all misreading the situation. Is there something on top of the tank that he wants? Some of the comments even suggest a possible gas leak … 👀

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