What we covered here

• 11th-hour meetings: President-elect Donald Trump met with conservative Republicans on Saturday at his Mar-a-Lago estate ahead of next week’s confirmation hearings. Some of his picks for key roles in the administration will appear in front of the Senate to be confirmed.

• More administration picks: As Trump and his team are getting ready for Inauguration Day on January 20, the president-elect continues to announce his picks for key roles in the administration.

• Trump sentenced: Trump was sentenced to unconditional discharge on Friday for his conviction last year on 34 charges of business fraud related to hush money payment to Stormy Daniels during the 2016 presidential campaign. Trump will enter office as a convicted felon but will not face jail time or any other penalties.


Candidates in competitive DNC chair race debate path forward after 2024 losses

From CNN's Arit John

Candidates vying to be chair of the Democratic National Committee attended the first party-run forum Saturday, focused on how the national party can improve their chances in Southern states.

Eight Democrats participated in the forum, including leading candidates Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party Chair Ken Martin, Wisconsin Democratic Party Chair Ben Wikler and former Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley.

Asked what the biggest mistake the DNC made in 2024, Wikler said the party needs to communicate better — across conservative media and through a progressive media environment.

Other candidates’ answers varied. Marianne Williamson — who made an unsuccessful 2024 presidential bid — said the biggest mistake Democrats made was preventing a competitive primary.

Meanwhile, O’Malley said Democrats didn’t focus enough on economic issues. And New York state Sen. James Skoufis said Democrats need to “throw out the old stale DC playbook that should have been thrown out, quite frankly, about a decade or so ago.”