President Joe Biden addressed the nation on Thursday for the first time since President-elect Donald Trump's electoral victory. Biden promised a smooth and orderly transition of power to the second Trump administration on Jan. 20, 2025. Rep. Mike Johnson (R-La.), who won reelection in his congressional district, announced to his colleagues on Wednesday that he will run for the position of speaker of the House in the new Congress. Control of the House currently hangs in the balance. Germany’s ruling coalition collapsed on Thursday, paving the way for new elections. Chancellor Olaf Scholz sacked his finance minister, Christian Lindner, over budget disputes, leaving the government without a legislative majority.