⌨Media on December 3rd continued to scrutinize Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, with early reports focusing on calls for accountability regarding the 'double tap' boat strikes. By late morning and early afternoon, AP and ABC News reported on new complaints filed and deepening scrutiny from Congress. The controversy escalated significantly in the evening as multiple outlets, including ABC News, AP, NBC News, and CBS, reported that a Pentagon watchdog found Hegseth's use of the Signal app for sensitive information violated military regulations, risking US personnel and missions.
Concurrently, President Trump's strong anti-immigrant rhetoric, particularly against Somalis, and his administration's halting of immigration processing from 19 countries, including new operations in New Orleans and Minneapolis, drew widespread attention. Separately, the Republican win in the Tennessee special election, with Matt Van Epps defeating Aftyn Behn, was widely reported, though some outlets noted it as a warning sign for the GOP. Trump also issued a pardon for Democratic Rep. Henry Cuellar.