Tesla CEO Elon Musk appeared at the White House with a visible bruise under his eye while standing beside President Donald Trump. Asked about it, Musk joked, “I was just horsing around with Little X and said, ‘Go ahead, punch me in the face.’ And he did.” The injury was revealed to be the result of playful roughhousing with his 5-year-old son, X Æ A-Xii. Trump added, “If you knew X, X could do it.” Friday marked Musk’s last day as a temporary government employee, a role he held under the Department of Government Efficiency.

Emmy Award-winning actress Loretta Swit, best known for her iconic role as "Hot Lips" Houlihan on the hit TV series MASH* (1972–1983), has died at the age of 87 due to natural causes at her home in New York City. In addition to her celebrated television and stage career, Swit was also a passionate advocate for animal rights.

Country star Carrie Underwood performed “America the Beautiful” at President Donald Trump’s inauguration but faced an unexpected technical issue. The music cut out before her performance, leading her to ask the crowd, “If you know the words, help me out here,” before delivering an a capella rendition of the song. The audience joined in, and social media praised Underwood for her professionalism and stunning performance. She expressed her honor at being part of the historic event and emphasized unity in her statement. Other performers included Village People, Jason Aldean, Kid Rock, and Rascal Flatts.

After being sworn in as the 47th President of the United States, Donald Trump declared plans to reclaim the Panama Canal, stating that Panama overcharges American ships and the canal is operated by China. “We didn’t give it to China; we gave it to Panama, and we’re taking it back,” Trump said. He emphasized "manifest destiny," pledging to expand American power and set ambitious goals like planting the American flag on Mars. Trump also promised sweeping changes, including reversing clean-energy policies and imposing new tariffs on China, Mexico, and Canada. However, TikTok was not mentioned during his 30-minute speech.

Donald Trump will be the first U.S. President in 40 years to take the oath of office indoors due to extreme cold weather and security concerns. The ceremony will take place at the Capitol at 8:00 PM Turkish time (12:00 PM Washington time). Notable attendees include Boris Johnson, Mark Zuckerberg, Jeff Bezos, JD Vance, and former U.S. Presidents Biden, Obama, and Bush. Around 200,000 Trump supporters are expected in Washington. Trump is notable as the first president since the 19th century to win a second term after losing an election.

Senator Marco Rubio, President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee for Secretary of State, answered questions at the Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing today. Known for his firm stance on countries like China, Iran, Venezuela, and Cuba, Rubio emphasized that China poses a global threat and should be held accountable for human rights abuses. He also stated that prioritizing U.S. national interests will be the main focus of the Department of State. Rubio is expected to sail through the confirmation process with bipartisan support from both Democratic and Republican senators.

At 77, Mitt Romney has announced his retirement from the Senate after serving a single term, with no plans for a future in politics. He leaves behind a legacy that includes securing significant infrastructure investments for Utah and passing legislation to protect the Great Salt Lake. Romney was also one of former President Donald Trump’s most vocal critics, despite often aligning with Trump on policy issues. He noted that while the GOP has attracted working-class voters under Trump’s leadership, its policies don’t always align with their needs. Moving forward, Romney is expected to engage in public service but stay away from politics entirely.

76-year-old Oscar-winning actress Kathy Bates shared her thoughts on her role as Jo Bennett in The Office during the The Office Ladies podcast. Appearing in eight episodes across seasons 6 and 7, Bates revealed she didn’t audition for the role but watched many episodes to prepare. She found adjusting to the comedy style and balancing improvisation with scripted lines challenging. Despite this, she described working with stars like Steve Carell and John Krasinski as "a great experience." While she left the show partly to focus on Harry’s Law, Bates mentioned that staying on The Office could have been fun.