usatoday--2020-11-08--'Welcome back, America': World congratulates Joe Biden, allies and adversaries look ahead

International messages of congratulation started rolling in Saturday for U.S. President-elect Joe Biden after he was projected the winner of the presidential election over President Donald Trump .
International allies contemplated a new White House that has raised the prospect of resuming a form of business as usual : a more fact-driven , multilateralist American presidency that wants to build bridges , not burn them .
Fiji 's prime minister offered his good wishes before the race was even formally called , saying in a tweet that the U.S. and the tiny South Pacific island nation must work together tackle @ @ @ @ @ @ @ economy .
`` Now , more than ever , we need the USA at the helm of these multilateral efforts ( and back in the # ParisAgreement – ASAP ! )
, '' Frank Bainimarama wrote .
Biden wins : Democrat who vowed return to 'normalcy ' beats Trump in cliffhanger vote Ireland 's Prime Minister Micheál Martin referred to Biden as `` a true friend . ''
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said he looked forward to working with Biden on `` our shared priorities '' and also congratulated Kamala Harris , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on her `` historic achievement . ''
Zimbabwe ’ s President Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa wished Biden `` every success in leading the American people . ''
In Germany , foreign minister Heiko Maas called for a `` new transatlantic beginning , a new deal . ''
Rahul Gandhi , a senior leader of India 's main opposition Congress party , said he was confident Biden would `` unite America and provide it with a strong sense of direction . ''
Canada 's leader Justin Trudeau said `` our two countries are close friends @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's capital Paris mayor Anne Hidalgo spoke for many around the world when she tweeted with relief : `` Welcome back America . ''
'These are tears of joy ' : Americans honk horns , dance in the streets as Joe Biden and Kamala Harris claim victory in a deeply divided nation The world had watched with unease , transfixed as President Donald Trump claimed premature victory in the hours after election , made unsubstantiated claims of voter fraud and launched legal fights .
Trump has yet to formally concede the race .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ reflected on what a Biden administration could mean for their engagement with the U.S. , some global foreign policy voices cautioned the former vice president 's biggest asset may be that he 's not Trump .
'Backlash to racial progress ' : For some , Trump ’ s strong showing sign bigotry prevails '' We expect a more practical approach to China from Biden , without all the constant China-bashing , '' said Huiyao Wang , a senior adviser to China 's Vice Premier Liu He .
Wang also directs the Center for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ think .
`` If Biden is serious about improving the U.S. economy and finding a way out of its coronavirus mess then he needs to collaborate with China , not fight with it , '' Wang said , noting that `` large structural differences '' between how Beijing and Washington viewed the world on issues from markets to governance should not preclude working relations .
Biden `` will certainly change the style of US foreign policy but will hardly be able/willing to reverse some of the its key trends , including confrontations w/China @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tweeted Dmitri Trenin , the director of the Carnegie Moscow Center , a foreign affairs think tank based in Russia 's capital .
For some , Trump 's defeat came with an assumption : Biden would set a foreign-policy course that eschews a fanboy approach to dictators , avoids zero-sum game trade wars and restores dignity to America 's battered global image that poll after poll has shown dropped precipitously during Trump 's watch , and that has emboldened authoritarian leaders from Brazil to Saudi Arabia to look to Trump for favor and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ authoritarianism : Should the US be concerned under Trump ?
`` Biden will bring decency back to world politics , '' predicted Abdulsalam Kamara , an economist and business professor at the University of Sierra Leone , in West Africa .
With the exception of authorizing the Pentagon to assist African militaries fighting extremists , Trump 's foreign policy mostly ignored Africa and Kamara said he believes a Biden administration will lead to increased foreign investment on a continent that has long struggled to shed an `` aid syndrome '' image and other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reenter international agreements abandoned by Trump , such as the Iran nuclear accord .
In fact , just hours after the U.S. officially withdrew from Paris Climate Agreement on Wednesday at Trump 's insistence , Biden vowed to rejoin the global pact to reduce emissions on `` day one '' of his presidency .
`` The world sort of survived four years with a somewhat restrained Trump , '' the former Swedish prime minister , Carl Bildt , said on Twitter on Nov. 4 when it first became clear that Biden was on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ key battleground states .
`` A world with a triumphant Trump could well ( have been ) a different thing , '' Bildt added , echoing concern across Europe that another Trump term would have put considerable strain on the NATO military alliance and other priorities of the transatlantic partnership .
Still , in the absence of an immediate winner on Election Day between Trump and Biden there was some gloating and false claims from Russia and other parts of the world that have long been on the receiving end of U.S. criticism @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a fast version of everything , like you can open a can and a hot pizza pops out , but THEY STILL HAVE TO COUNT VOTES LIKE IT 'S 1854 , '' the London-based , Lebanese satirist Karl Sharro said in a social media post .
`` People are tired of anarchy throughout the country .
America is experiencing the same turmoil – pogroms , looting and violence – that we in Russia lived through 400 years ago , '' said Vladimir Zhirinovsky , the leader of the nationalist opposition Liberal Democratic Party @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a state-owned broadcaster that along with TV channel Rossiya 24 , also funded by the Russian government , aired lengthy no-comment videos of people shouting and fighting in the street .
However , there were also fears the vote leaves the U.S. a bitterly – and dangerously , evenly – divided country where the appeal of Trump 's populist , insular and xenophobic remarks and policy have caused lasting damage not easily reversed .
'Vulnerable to prosecution ' : When Trump leaves White House , presidential 'cloak of immunity ' goes away @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the hell happens now ? ''
read a headline in Britain 's The Guardian newspaper amid Trump 's lingering , unsubstantiated allegations of voter fraud .
These fears were not only for America 's domestic situation but extended to places like Brazil , where President Jair Bolsonaro has modeled himself on Trump by disputing climate change , refusing to take coronavirus seriously , praising dictators and offering government jobs to friends and family .
`` It 's good Biden won , '' said Adriana Matias , 50 , a secretary at a cardiology @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , in Rio de Janeiro .
`` But I 'm still worried about what 's happening here in Brazil given that Bolsonaro does whatever Trump has done .
This unhinged communication through social networks , the arrogance .
They 're both the same in this .
Both ignore science and think they know more than everyone else , '' she said .
Brazil 's Jair Bolsonaro : He Trump ’ s coronavirus blueprint .
Now its cases are surging Yet not everyone was happy to see the back of Trump or feels that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ world grappling with a raging pandemic , rising mass unemployment , volatile stock markets , social unrest and simmering conflicts , some of them familiar like in Afghanistan and Iraq , and others not so much – such as fighting that erupted this summer between Armenia and Azerbaijan , ongoing political unrest in Belarus , and , after years of relative calm , the growing threat of a new civil war in Ethiopia .
Marine Le Pen , the leader of France 's far-right National Rally political party told French TV she believes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ France `` because Donald Trump is the return of the nation .
He 's the end of this wild globalization , this deregulation , this disappearance of borders that I think has really hurt '' us .
Nigel Farage , the former leader of Britain 's far-right Brexit party that helped engineer the country 's divorce from the Europe Union , criticized mail-in voting and urged Trump to `` produce lots of evidence '' and keep fighting his allegations of fraud in the courts .
Others , like Japan 's new Prime Minister @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was `` the Japan-U.S. alliance that is the foundation of Japanese diplomacy , '' not whether it was Trump or Biden who occupies the White House .
`` On that premise I will develop a solid relationship with the new president , '' Japan 's leader told a parliamentary session .
Still , while the Japanese never really trusted Trump , now there is concern they do n't really know Biden , noted one Tokyo-based writer .
`` A Joe Biden administration carries unknown risks ( for Japan ) '' ... `` Will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ personal ties between Trump and former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe ( a favorite golf partner for the president ) ?
Most importantly , will the U.S. go soft on China ? ''
wrote William Sposato in Foreign Policy magazine .
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy tweeted Saturday that `` Ukraine is optimistic about the future of the strategic partnership with the United States . ''
Zelenskiy added that the two countries `` have always collaborated on security , trade , investment , democracy , fight against corruption .
Our friendship becomes only stronger @ @ @ @ @ @ @ center of allegations that resulted in Trump 's impeachment last year , and that relate in part to time Biden 's son Hunter spent working for a Ukrainian gas company , the Biden-Zelenskiy relationship could face a period of awkwardness .
One-term presidents : Trump joins the list of Commanders-in-Chief denied a second term Still , in Mexico , the U.S. election generated far less anxiety than four years earlier , when Trump 's improbable victory sent the peso currency plunging .
Interest in the U.S. vote was at times muted and attention @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mexico always looks inward , '' said Esteban Illades , editor of the Mexican magazine Nexos .
`` ( President Andrés Manuel López Obrador ) has only ever left the country once during his administration .
So whatever happens outside our borders is of no particular interest . ''
Illades added : `` Mexicans see no difference between Trump and Biden . ''
And Ali al-Ahmed , a Washington , D.C.-based Saudi Arabia scholar , said that while the view in Riyadh and neighboring Gulf State capitals is that Trump has been a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ because of his Iran policy , his enthusiasm for large arms deals and his brokerage of business links and a `` normalization '' policy with Israel , for many regular Saudis there is a feeling of `` anybody but Trump . ''
Al-Ahmed said many Saudis feel ashamed at how Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman , Saudi Arabia 's de facto ruler who enjoys a close relationship with the Trump administration , masterminded the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi .
Khashoggi was murdered inside the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul in 2018 and U.S. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Nations concluded the crown prince ordered the execution or at least bears responsibility for the Saudi operatives who carried out the assassination .
'Come with us ' : Year after Jamal Khashoggi 's killing , Saudi Arabian crackdown persists '' There 's a widespread feeling that Trump has not been good for the Saudi Arabia 's image in the world , '' he said .
`` I am not saying they are for Biden , per se . ''
`` The situation in the US & what they themselves say about their elections @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei tweeted Saturday .
`` This is an example of the ugly face of liberal democracy in the US .
Regardless of the outcome , one thing is absolutely clear , the definite political , civil , & moral decline of the US regime . ''
Contributing : Mariana Simoes in Rio de Janeiro , Brazil , David Agren in Mexico City , Mexico and Philip Obaji Jr. in Lagos , Nigeria .

'Welcome back, America': World congratulates Joe Biden, allies and adversaries look ahead
Show Caption Hide Caption Biden wins White House, vows new tone for nation Biden wins White House, vows new tone for nation AP
International messages of congratulation started rolling in Saturday for U.S. President-elect Joe Biden after he was projected the winner of the presidential election over President Donald Trump. International allies contemplated a new White House that has raised the prospect of resuming a form of business as usual: a more fact-driven, multilateralist American presidency that wants to build bridges, not burn them.
Fiji's prime minister offered his good wishes before the race was even formally called, saying in a tweet that the U.S. and the tiny South Pacific island nation must work together to tackle climate change and rebuild a battered global economy.
"Now, more than ever, we need the USA at the helm of these multilateral efforts (and back in the #ParisAgreement – ASAP!)," Frank Bainimarama wrote.
Biden wins: Democrat who vowed return to 'normalcy' beats Trump in cliffhanger vote
Ireland's Prime Minister Micheál Martin referred to Biden as "a true friend." British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said he looked forward to working with Biden on "our shared priorities" and also congratulated Kamala Harris, the first woman elected vice president, on her "historic achievement." Zimbabwe’s President Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa wished Biden "every success in leading the American people."
In Germany, foreign minister Heiko Maas called for a "new transatlantic beginning, a new deal" and German Chancellor Angela Merkel said "our transatlantic friendship is irreplaceable if we want to master the great challenges of our time." Rahul Gandhi, a senior leader of India's main opposition Congress party, said he was confident Biden would "unite America and provide it with a strong sense of direction." Canada's leader Justin Trudeau said "our two countries are close friends and allies," while in France's capital where church bells rang to celebrate Biden's victory, Paris mayor Anne Hidalgo spoke for many around the world when she tweeted with relief: "Welcome back, America."
'These are tears of joy':Americans honk horns, dance in the streets as Joe Biden and Kamala Harris claim victory in a deeply divided nation
The world had watched with unease, transfixed as Trump claimed premature victory in the hours after the election, made unsubstantiated claims of voter fraud and launched legal fights. Trump has yet to formally concede the race.
Still, as world leaders and diplomats reflected on what a Biden administration could mean for their engagement with the U.S., some global foreign policy voices cautioned the former vice president's biggest asset may be that he's not Trump.
'Time to heal in America':: President-elect Joe Biden, VP-elect Kamala Harris talk of unity
'Backlash to racial progress': For some, Trump’s strong showing sign bigotry prevails
"We expect a more practical approach to China from Biden, without all the constant China-bashing," said Huiyao Wang, a senior adviser to China's Vice Premier Liu He. Wang also directs the Center for China and Globalization, a Beijing tank think.
"If Biden is serious about improving the U.S. economy and finding a way out of its coronavirus mess then he needs to collaborate with China, not fight with it," Wang said, noting that "large structural differences" between how Beijing and Washington viewed the world on issues from markets to governance should not preclude working relations.
Biden "will certainly change the style of US foreign policy but will hardly be able/willing to reverse some of the its key trends, including confrontations w/China, Russia, and Iran," tweeted Dmitri Trenin, the director of the Carnegie Moscow Center, a foreign affairs think tank based in Russia's capital.
For some, Trump's defeat came with an assumption: Biden would set a foreign policy course that eschews a fanboy approach to dictators, avoids zero-sum game trade wars and restores dignity to America's battered global image that poll after poll has shown dropped precipitously during Trump's watch, and that has emboldened authoritarian leaders from Brazil to Saudi Arabia to look to Trump for favor and friendship.
These countries quietly slid into authoritarianism: Should the US be concerned under Trump?
"Biden will bring decency back to world politics," predicted Abdulsalam Kamara, an economist and business professor at the University of Sierra Leone, in West Africa.
With the exception of authorizing the Pentagon to assist African militaries fighting extremists, Trump's foreign policy mostly ignored Africa and Kamara said he believes a Biden administration will lead to increased foreign investment on a continent that has long struggled to shed an "aid syndrome" image and other negative stereotypes.
Biden is expected to reenter international agreements abandoned by Trump, such as the Iran nuclear accord. In fact, just hours after the U.S. officially withdrew from Paris Climate Agreement on Wednesday at Trump's insistence, Biden vowed to rejoin the global pact to reduce emissions on "Day One" of his presidency.
"The world sort of survived four years with a somewhat restrained Trump," the former Swedish prime minister, Carl Bildt, said on Twitter on Nov. 4 when it first became clear that Biden was on track to overtake Trump's lead in key battleground states.
"A world with a triumphant Trump could well (have been) a different thing," Bildt added, echoing concern across Europe that another Trump term would have put considerable strain on the NATO military alliance and other priorities of the transatlantic partnership.
Still, in the absence of an immediate winner on Election Day between Trump and Biden, there were some gloating and false claims from Russia and other parts of the world that have long been on the receiving end of U.S. criticism about troubled democracies.
"Americans invented a fast version of everything, like you can open a can and a hot pizza pops out, but THEY STILL HAVE TO COUNT VOTES LIKE IT'S 1854," the London-based, Lebanese satirist Karl Sharro said in a social media post.
"People are tired of anarchy throughout the country. America is experiencing the same turmoil – pogroms, looting and violence – that we in Russia lived through 400 years ago," said Vladimir Zhirinovsky, the leader of the nationalist opposition Liberal Democratic Party of Russia, in comments to VGTRK, a state-owned broadcaster that along with TV channel Rossiya 24, also funded by the Russian government, aired lengthy no-comment videos of people shouting and fighting in the street.
However, there were also fears the vote leaves the U.S. a bitterly – and dangerously, evenly – divided country where the appeal of Trump's populist, insular and xenophobic remarks and policy have caused lasting damage not easily reversed.
'Vulnerable to prosecution': When Trump leaves White House, presidential 'cloak of immunity' goes away
"OK, America, so what the hell happens now?" read a headline in Britain's The Guardian newspaper amid Trump's lingering, unsubstantiated allegations of voter fraud.
These fears were not only for America's domestic situation but extended to places like Brazil, where President Jair Bolsonaro has modeled himself on Trump by disputing climate change, refusing to take coronavirus seriously, praising dictators and offering government jobs to friends and family.
"It's good Biden won," said Adriana Matias, 50, a secretary at a cardiology clinic in the affluent neighborhood of Leblon, in Rio de Janeiro. "But I'm still worried about what's happening here in Brazil given that Bolsonaro does whatever Trump has done. This unhinged communication through social networks, the arrogance. They're both the same in this. Both ignore science and think they know more than everyone else," she said.
Brazil's Jair Bolsonaro: He Trump’s coronavirus blueprint. Now its cases are surging
Yet not everyone was happy to see the back of Trump or feels that Biden has all the answers for a world grappling with a raging pandemic, rising mass unemployment, volatile stock markets, social unrest and simmering conflicts, some of them familiar like in Afghanistan and Iraq, and others not so much – such as fighting that erupted this summer between Armenia and Azerbaijan, ongoing political unrest in Belarus, and, after years of relative calm, the growing threat of a new civil war in Ethiopia.
Marine Le Pen, the leader of France's far-right National Rally political party told French TV she believes another Trump win would have been better for France "because Donald Trump is the return of the nation. He's the end of this wild globalization, this deregulation, this disappearance of borders that I think has really hurt" us.
Nigel Farage, the former leader of Britain's far-right Brexit party that helped engineer the country's divorce from the European Union, criticized mail-in voting and urged Trump to "produce lots of evidence" and keep fighting his allegations of fraud in the courts.
Terror attacks in France: Muhammad cartoons spark debate on secularism
Others, like Japan's new Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, were adamant that it was "the Japan-U.S. alliance that is the foundation of Japanese diplomacy," not whether it was Trump or Biden who occupies the White House. "On that premise, I will develop a solid relationship with the new president," Japan's leader told a parliamentary session.
Still, while the Japanese never really trusted Trump, now there is concern they don't really know Biden, noted one Tokyo-based writer.
"A Joe Biden administration carries unknown risks (for Japan)" ... "Will Japan be able to recreate the close personal ties between Trump and former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe (a favorite golf partner for the president)? Most importantly, will the U.S. go soft on China?" wrote William Sposato in Foreign Policy magazine.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy tweeted Saturday that "Ukraine is optimistic about the future of the strategic partnership with the United States."
Zelenskiy added that the two countries "have always collaborated on security, trade, investment, democracy, fight against corruption. Our friendship becomes only stronger!"
But with Ukraine at the center of allegations that resulted in Trump's impeachment last year, and that relate in part to time Biden's son Hunter spent working for a Ukrainian gas company, the Biden-Zelenskiy relationship could face a period of awkwardness.
One-term presidents: Trump joins the list of Commanders-in-Chief denied a second term
Leaders across Latin America congratulated Biden, but Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador stayed silent all afternoon. He then said that he would not congratulate any candidate until all legal actions are concluded.
Russian President Vladimir Putin, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey and Brazil's Bolsonaro have also not commented.
Still, in Mexico, the U.S. election generated far less anxiety than four years earlier, when Trump's improbable victory sent the peso currency plunging. Interest in the U.S. vote was at times muted and attention focused mostly on domestic matters.
"Mexico always looks inward," said Esteban Illades, editor of the Mexican magazine Nexos. "(President Andrés Manuel López Obrador) has only ever left the country once during his administration. So whatever happens outside our borders is of no particular interest," Illades added: "Mexicans see no difference between Trump and Biden."
And Ali al-Ahmed, a Washington, D.C.-based Saudi Arabia scholar, said that while the view in Riyadh and neighboring Gulf State capitals is that Trump has been a steadfast ally for the region's leaders because of his Iran policy, his enthusiasm for large arms deals and his brokerage of business links and a "normalization" policy with Israel, for many regular Saudis there is a feeling of "anybody but Trump."
Al-Ahmed said many Saudis feel ashamed at how Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Saudi Arabia's de facto ruler who enjoys a close relationship with the Trump administration, masterminded the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. Khashoggi was murdered inside the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul in 2018 and U.S. intelligence agencies as well as the United Nations concluded the crown prince ordered the execution or at least bears responsibility for the Saudi operatives who carried out the assassination.
'Come with us': Year after Jamal Khashoggi's killing, Saudi Arabian crackdown persists
"There's a widespread feeling that Trump has not been good for the Saudi Arabia's image in the world," he said. "I am not saying they are for Biden, per se."
And, as usual, Iran wasn't happy.
"The situation in the US & what they themselves say about their elections is a spectacle!" Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei tweeted Saturday. "This is an example of the ugly face of liberal democracy in the US. Regardless of the outcome, one thing is absolutely clear, the definite political, civil, & moral decline of the US regime."
Contributing: Mariana Simoes in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, David Agren in Mexico City, Mexico and Philip Obaji Jr. in Lagos, Nigeria.


usatoday--2020-11-08--Joe Biden is only the fifteenth Vice President in history to become President

Vice President Joe Biden will become only the 15th vice president to make his way up to the hallowed position @ @ @ @ @ was called for Biden by the Associated Press at around 11:30 a.m. EST , effectively @ @ @ @ @ process .
He is also only the sixth in history to be elected president , @ @ @ @ @ as opposed to nine others succeeded into the presidency after the sitting president died or @ @ @ @ @ in 1904 , was the first president to both have succeeded into the role and @ @ @ @ @ right .
Biden also is the second president ever to be elected not immediately following @ @ @ @ @ .
The first was Nixon , who lost to John F. Kennedy in the 1960 @ @ @ @ @ website , the vice president is also responsible for receiving `` the tally of electoral @ @ @ @ @ incoming president .
The Vice President assumes the role of the President following their death @ @ @ @ @

Joe Biden is only the fifteenth Vice President in history to become President
Show Caption Hide Caption Concession speeches: A look back on history Scott Farris, author of "Almost President: The Men Who Lost the Race but Changed the Nation," describes the tradition of offering a concession speech. USA TODAY
Vice President Joe Biden will become only the 15th vice president to make his way up to the hallowed position of the presidency.
Pennsylvania was called for Biden by the Associated Press at around 11:30 a.m. EST, effectively ending the nearly weeklong election process.
He is also only the sixth in history to be elected president, per the Senate website, as opposed to nine others succeeded into the presidency after the sitting president died or resigned.
Biden follows George H.W. Bush, Richard Nixon, Martin Van Buren, John Adams and Thomas Jefferson.
Theodore Roosevelt, in 1904, was the first president to both have succeeded into the role and re-elected president on his own right.
Biden also is the second president ever to be elected not immediately following their term as vice president. The first was Nixon, who lost to John F. Kennedy in the 1960 election.
Per the Senate website, the vice president is also responsible for receiving "the tally of electoral ballots cast" for the incoming president.
The Vice President assumes the role of the President following their death, impeachment or resignation.
Follow Joshua Bote on Twitter: @joshua_bote.


usatoday--2020-11-08--Coronavirus updates: US sets another record with 126,742 new cases; world approaches 50 million case

Coronavirus updates: US sets another record with 126,742 new cases; world approaches 50 million cases

The U.S. set another daily record for coronavirus cases and the world stood on the brink of surpassing 50 million total cases Sunday as President-elect Joe Biden promised to `` get this virus under control . ''
The U.S. recorded 126,742 cases Saturday , the third day in a row the total exceeded 126,000 , according to data from Johns Hopkins .
Some infectious disease experts believe the U.S. and global numbers are conservative , saying many people are asymptomatic and have n't been tested .
In the United States , where more than 9.8 million cases – more than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Midwest and Plains are beginning to buckle under the stress put on hospitals and health care workers .
North Dakota reported about 41 deaths per 100,000 people in the past 30 days , the highest rate of any state .
Here are the latest headlines Sunday : • Mark Meadows , President Donald Trump 's chief of staff and several other staffers have tested positive for the virus , according to media reports .
• Illinois Gov .
JB Pritzker has tested negative for COVID-19 twice this week , his office announced @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after his office was notified Friday of a recent exposure to someone with COVID-19 .
📈 Today 's numbers : The U.S. has reported more than 9.8 million cases and more than 237,000 deaths , according to Johns Hopkins University data .
The global totals : almost million cases and 1.2 million deaths .
🗺 Mapping coronavirus : Track the U.S. outbreak in your state .
This file will be updated throughout the day .
For updates in your inbox , subscribe to The Daily Briefing newsletter .
President-elect Joe Biden , addressing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he was declared the winner Saturday , said the coronavirus pandemic was first on his list of issues he wants to tackle immediately upon taking office Jan. 20 .
Biden said he would assemble a group of scientists and experts who will begin working on a Biden-Harris COVID plan on Monday .
`` Our work begins with getting COVID under control , '' Biden said from Wilmington , Delaware .
`` We can not repair the economy , restore our vitality or relish life ’ s most precious moments – hugging a grandchild @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all the moments that matter most to us – until we get this virus under control . ''
He said the plan `` will be built on a bedrock of science .
It will be constructed out of compassion , empathy and concern .
I will spare no effort – or commitment – to turn this pandemic around . ''
North Dakota and South Dakota have the nation ’ s worst rate of deaths per capita over the last 30 days .
With winter approaching and hospitals scrambling to make room for COVID-19 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deaths will continue to climb in a region where people have been slow to adopt mitigation measures such as wearing masks .
The Republican governors of both states have derided government orders to help halt the outbreaks , leaning on ideals of limited government .
North Dakota reported 309 people died from COVID-19 in the last 30 days , more than all other periods combined .
The state shot to the top of the nation in deaths per capita in the last 30 days , with roughly 41 deaths per 100,000 people , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
South Dakota reported 252 deaths , a 98 % increase in the last 30 days .
It had a death rate of roughly 29 people per 100,000 over the last 30 days , according to the Johns Hopkins data .
Dr. Ashish K. Jha , dean of the Brown School of Public Health , called the states a “ cautionary tale ” of the consequences of ignoring the science of the virus and public health initiatives .
Jha noted that the region started experiencing a steep climb in cases after the Sturgis @ @ @ @ @ @ @ two-week event that drew nearly 500,000 people .
Trump 's chief of staff , Mark Meadows , 5 other staffers have coronavirus President Donald Trump 's chief of staff , Mark Meadows has the coronavirus , according to reports Friday .
It was n't clear when he tested positive , but multiple news outlets said Meadows informed a group of advisers of his diagnosis after Election Day .
Five other White House officials also tested positive for the virus in the days before and after Election Day , people familiar with the diagnoses @ @ @ @ @ @ @ positive test comes a month after Trump 's own bout with the virus , which saw him hospitalized at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in early October .
In the wake of Trump 's diagnosis , several White House aides also tested positive for the virus , including press secretary Kayleigh McEnany and former counselor Kellyanne Conway .
Melania and Barron Trump also were positive .
At least five aides to Vice President Mike Pence , including his chief of staff Marc Short , tested positive last month as well , according @ @ @ @ @ @ @ told USA TODAY on Saturday morning that he has tested “ positive for antibodies , '' indicating that he had the virus at one point .
He said he has no plans to quarantine and does not know where he picked up the antibodies .
“ No symptoms .
Feel great .
Going paddle boarding today , ” he told USA TODAY in a text message .
In March , Gaetz was accused of making light of the coronavirus outbreak when he wore a gas mask in Congress after one of his constituents @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ?
!
?
!
I was quite serious , '' the Florida Republican tweeted in response to a Washington Post headline that claimed he had been doing exactly that .
`` The threat to Congress is real , as I explained based on travel and habits like selfies and handshakes.
” Illinois Gov .
JB Pritzker and staff who attended a meeting Monday where they were exposed to someone who tested positive for COVID-19 have tested negative , the governor 's office said in a statement Saturday .
The office conducted PCR tests @ @ @ @ @ @ @ result for the governor and staff after they underwent their weekly test on Wednesday , the office said .
The governor and staff who attended the meeting were not considered close contacts because they met with the person who was infected prior to 48 hours before symptom onset , and per CDC guidance , will not be required to quarantine .
Illinois , meanwhile , reported more than 12,000 new daily cases Saturday – the same week the state broke 10,000 daily cases for the first time .
What does a Biden presidency @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Joe Biden has voiced support for a robust relief measure that includes another federal bonus to weekly unemployment benefits , more aid for struggling small businesses and financially distressed states , and another round of stimulus checks to most households .
The big question : Which party has the majority in the Senate ?
Last month , the Democratic House passed a $ 2.2 trillion package while the Republican Senate has favored a $ 500 billion plan .
If Republicans keep control , lawmakers likely would approve a $ 1.5 trillion stimulus , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Moody ’ s Analytics and Oxford Economics .
If the Democrats wrest control , Mark Zandi of Moody 's expects a $ 2 trillion package that could match the $ 600 jobless aid provided to unemployed Americans earlier this year instead of a reduced amount .
But economist Nancy Vanden Houten of Oxford Economics believes even a Democratic Senate would opt for a $ 1.5 trillion measure to preserve space for other spending initiatives .
Read more here .
In your inbox : Stay up to date with the latest news on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Sign up for the daily Coronavirus Watch newsletter .
Tips for coping : Every Saturday and Tuesday we 'll be in your inbox , offering you a virtual hug and a little bit of solace in these difficult times .
Sign up for Staying Apart , Together .
On Facebook : A lot is still unknown about the coronavirus .
But what we do know , we 're sharing with you .
Join our Facebook group , Coronavirus Watch , to receive daily updates in your feed and chat with others in @ @ @ @ @

Heather Tucker, Rachel Aretakis and John Bacon, USA TODAY

Coronavirus updates: US sets another record with 126,742 new cases; world surpasses 50 million cases
Show Caption Hide Caption Coronavirus: How R-0 can be used to fight COVID-19 R-0 may be the most important scientific term you’ve never heard of when it comes to stopping the coronavirus pandemic. Just the FAQs, USA TODAY
The U.S. set another daily record for coronavirus cases and the world surpassed 50 million total cases Sunday as President-elect Joe Biden promised to do what President Donald Trump could not: "Get this virus under control."
The U.S. recorded 126,742 cases Saturday, the third day in a row the total exceeded 120,000, according to data from Johns Hopkins. The United States, with about 4.3% of the world population, has about 20% of the cases.
Some infectious disease experts believe the U.S. and global numbers are conservative, saying many people are asymptomatic and haven't been tested.
Daily U.S deaths are also rising: More than 1,000 were reported Saturday. South Dakota was one of four states reporting a record number of deaths for the week. On Saturday, Gov. Kristi Noem tweeted about her state's thriving job market, posting smiling pictures of herself arm-and-arm with elderly residents – no social distancing and no masks.
Here are the latest headlines Sunday:
The day President Donald Trump turns the White House over to Joe Biden , COVID-19 will remain just as big a threat to Americans. Here's how the strategy for tackling it will change dramatically.
turns the White House over to , COVID-19 will remain just as big a threat to Americans. Here's how the strategy for tackling it will change dramatically. Massachusetts is trying a 10 p.m. curfew to stem the growing COVID-19 outbreak there. Can it work?
📈 Today's numbers: The U.S. has reported more than 9.8 million cases and more than 237,000 deaths, according to Johns Hopkins University data. The global totals: 50 million cases and 1.2 million deaths.
🗺 Mapping coronavirus: Track the U.S. outbreak in your state.
This file will be updated throughout the day. For updates in your inbox, subscribe to The Daily Briefing newsletter.
New Jersey poised to announce more restrictions as cases surge
New Jersey, which along with New York was hit hard early in the pandemic, is facing fast-rising numbers once again. An additional 5,250 people residents were diagnosed with coronavirus infection over the weekend, including 3,207 in one day – the highest number in a single day since last spring. Four deaths were reported in New Jersey on Sunday, for a total of 14,629 since the pandemic began.
Details of new restrictions may come at Gov. Phil Murphy's regular press briefing on Monday. He has already warned residents not to travel out of state unless it is absolutely necessary and warned he was "close" to announcing new steps to try to control the spread.
“We will clearly be taking action,” Murphy said. “I hope it will be action that balances all the various challenges and interests.”
– Lindy Washburn, NorthJersey.com
The pandemic won't be over in 2021 but it will be a much better year than 2020, former FDA commissioner Scott Gottlieb says. Gottlieb also predicted that the country would see a record number of hospitalizations this week. When President-elect Joe Biden takes over in January the nation will probably "be at the apex of what we’re going through right now,” Gottlieb said on "Face the Nation." Gottlieb also said he does not believe the U.S. will have a traditional inauguration that brings together hundreds of thousands of people on the National Mall.
The country will be in the "thick of the worst point" of he pandemic in January, he said.
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Sunday that he thinks there will be a different tone on the coronavirus after the election and that finally "Americans will get how serious this is." Cuomo said President-elect Joe Biden's leadership should ease political pressure to deny the risks associated with COVID-19.
"I think you'll even see some (Republican) governors start to take a different tone now that Mr. Trump is out of office," Cuomo said on ABC's "This Week." "I think you'll see scientists speak with an unmuzzled voice now."
President-elect Joe Biden, addressing the nation for the first time since he was declared the winner Saturday, said the coronavirus pandemic was first on his list of issues he wants to tackle immediately upon taking office Jan. 20.
Biden said he would assemble a group of scientists and experts who will begin working on a Biden-Harris COVID plan on Monday.
"Our work begins with getting COVID under control," Biden said from Wilmington, Delaware. "We cannot repair the economy, restore our vitality or relish life’s most precious moments – hugging a grandchild, birthdays, weddings, graduations, all the moments that matter most to us – until we get this virus under control." He said the plan "will be built on a bedrock of science. It will be constructed out of compassion, empathy and concern. I will spare no effort – or commitment – to turn this pandemic around."
North Dakota and South Dakota have the nation’s worst rate of deaths per capita over the last 30 days. With winter approaching and hospitals scrambling to make room for COVID-19 patients, medical experts worry that virus deaths will continue to climb in a region where people have been slow to adopt mitigation measures such as wearing masks.
The Republican governors of both states have derided government orders to help halt the outbreaks, leaning on ideals of limited government.
North Dakota reported 309 people died from COVID-19 in the last 30 days, more than all other periods combined. The state shot to the top of the nation in deaths per capita in the last 30 days, with roughly 41 deaths per 100,000 people, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.
South Dakota reported 252 deaths, a 98% increase in the last 30 days. It had a death rate of roughly 29 people per 100,000 over the last 30 days, according to the Johns Hopkins data.
Dr. Ashish K. Jha, dean of the Brown School of Public Health, called the states a “cautionary tale” of the consequences of ignoring the science of the virus and public health initiatives. Jha noted that the region started experiencing a steep climb in cases after the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally in South Dakota, a two-week event that drew nearly 500,000 people.
President Donald Trump's chief of staff, Mark Meadows has the coronavirus, according to reports Friday. It wasn't clear when he tested positive, but multiple news outlets said Meadows informed a group of advisers of his diagnosis after Election Day. Five other White House officials also tested positive for the virus in the days before and after Election Day, people familiar with the diagnoses told The New York Times.
His positive test comes a month after Trump's own bout with the virus, which saw him hospitalized at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in early October. In the wake of Trump's diagnosis, several White House aides also tested positive for the virus, including press secretary Kayleigh McEnany and former counselor Kellyanne Conway. Melania and Barron Trump also were positive.
At least five aides to Vice President Mike Pence, including his chief of staff Marc Short, tested positive last month as well, according to reports.
– Jeanine Santucci
Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz told USA TODAY on Saturday morning that he has tested “positive for antibodies," indicating that he had the virus at one point. He said he has no plans to quarantine and does not know where he picked up the antibodies.
“No symptoms. Feel great. Going paddle boarding today,” he told USA TODAY in a text message. In March, Gaetz was accused of making light of the coronavirus outbreak when he wore a gas mask in Congress after one of his constituents died from COVID-19.
“Made light?!?! I was quite serious," the Florida Republican tweeted in response to a Washington Post headline that claimed he had been doing exactly that. "The threat to Congress is real, as I explained based on travel and habits like selfies and handshakes.”
– Ledyard King
How to get a free COVID-19 antibody test If you are wondering whether you have had COVID-19, now you can find out for free by donating blood with the American Red Cross. Buzz60
Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker and staff who attended a meeting Monday where they were exposed to someone who tested positive for COVID-19 have tested negative, the governor's office said in a statement Saturday. The office conducted PCR tests Friday afternoon – the second negative test result for the governor and staff after they underwent their weekly test on Wednesday, the office said.
The governor and staff who attended the meeting were not considered close contacts because they met with the person who was infected prior to 48 hours before symptom onset, and per CDC guidance, will not be required to quarantine.
Illinois, meanwhile, reported more than 12,000 new daily cases Saturday – the same week the state broke 10,000 daily cases for the first time.
– Grace Hauck
President-elect Joe Biden has voiced support for a robust relief measure that includes another federal bonus to weekly unemployment benefits, more aid for struggling small businesses and financially distressed states, and another round of stimulus checks to most households.
The big question: Which party has the majority in the Senate? Last month, the Democratic House passed a $2.2 trillion package while the Republican Senate has favored a $500 billion plan.
If Republicans keep control, lawmakers likely would approve a $1.5 trillion stimulus, possibly late this year, according to Moody’s Analytics and Oxford Economics. If the Democrats wrest control, Mark Zandi of Moody's expects a $2 trillion package that could match the $600 jobless aid provided to unemployed Americans earlier this year instead of a reduced amount.
But economist Nancy Vanden Houten of Oxford Economics believes even a Democratic Senate would opt for a $1.5 trillion measure to preserve space for other spending initiatives. Read more here.
– Paul Davidson
COVID-19 resources from USA TODAY
In your inbox: Stay up to date with the latest news on the coronavirus pandemic from the USA TODAY Network. Sign up for the daily Coronavirus Watch newsletter.
Tips for coping: Every Saturday and Tuesday we'll be in your inbox, offering you a virtual hug and a little bit of solace in these difficult times. Sign up for Staying Apart, Together.
On Facebook: A lot is still unknown about the coronavirus. But what we do know, we're sharing with you. Join our Facebook group, Coronavirus Watch, to receive daily updates in your feed and chat with others in the community about COVID-19.
Contributing: The Associated Press


usatoday--2020-11-08--Notre Dame fans rush field after No. 4 Fighting Irish upset No. 1 Clemson

It was a scene we 've seen countless times over the years : The No .
1 team in the country goes down and college football fans storm the field in jubilation .
Of course , most years we 're not in the midst of a global pandemic that is currently as bad in the United States as at any point since a pandemic was declared in March .
The sobering realities of our daily case numbers did n't stop Notre Dame fans – mostly students by the look of it – from pouring onto the field after the No @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stop in double-overtime to pull the upset on No .
1 Clemson at Notre Dame Stadium .
Players and coaches from both teams – who are regularly tested for COVID-19 as the college football conferences attempt to navigate a season – were still on the field when the first fans came rushing on .
Eventually the players got off the field , and fans congregated in a giant mosh pit .
Irish coach Brian Kelly said he warned his team about the impending storm pregame .
`` I had told our team in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to know when we win this game the fans are going to storm the field , ' `` Kelly said .
“ That ’ s the first time I ’ ve ever seen any college storm the field .
That was a cool experience , ” Notre Dame running back Kyren Williams said , adding : “ ( Kelly ) told us to get inside after the game as fast as we could.
” Said Notre Dame QB Ian Book : “ When fans stormed the field , it was fun . ''
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ 7-0 with a victory that puts them in line to play for the ACC title and provides them a path to the College Football Playoff , had a game postponed earlier this season due to COVID-19 issues .
Notre Dame , located in South Bend , Indiana , is usually an independent but it joined the Atlantic Coast Conference for this college football season as conferences moved to a mostly conference-only alignment for 2020 .
Around 10,000 fans have been allowed at every Notre Dame home game so far this season .

Notre Dame fans rush field after No. 4 Fighting Irish upset No. 1 Clemson
It was a scene we've seen countless times over the years: The No. 1 team in the country goes down and college football fans storm the field in jubilation.
Of course, most years we're not in the midst of a global pandemic that is currently as bad in the United States as at any point since a pandemic was declared in March.
The sobering realities of our daily case numbers didn't stop Notre Dame fans – mostly students by the look of it – from pouring onto the field after the No. 4 Fighting Irish staged one final stop in double-overtime to pull the upset on No. 1 Clemson at Notre Dame Stadium.
Players and coaches from both teams – who are regularly tested for COVID-19 as the college football conferences attempt to navigate a season – were still on the field when the first fans came rushing on. Eventually the players got off the field, and fans congregated in a giant mosh pit.
Irish coach Brian Kelly said he warned his team about the impending storm pregame. "I had told our team in our walk-through today, 'Just want you to know when we win this game the fans are going to storm the field,' " Kelly said.
“That’s the first time I’ve ever seen any college storm the field. That was a cool experience,” Notre Dame running back Kyren Williams said, adding: “(Kelly) told us to get inside after the game as fast as we could.”
Said Notre Dame QB Ian Book: “When fans stormed the field, it was fun."
The Fighting Irish, who moved to 7-0 with a victory that puts them in line to play for the ACC title and provides them a path to the College Football Playoff, had a game postponed earlier this season due to COVID-19 issues.
Notre Dame, located in South Bend, Indiana, is usually an independent but it joined the Atlantic Coast Conference for this college football season as conferences moved to a mostly conference-only alignment for 2020. Around 10,000 fans have been allowed at every Notre Dame home game so far this season.
Contributing: Associated Press


usatoday--2020-11-08--College football winners and losers from Week 10 include Indiana, Notre Dame, Liberty, Arizona State

Indiana entered this season a combined 2-61 since 1968 against Penn State and Michigan .
The power structure in the Big Ten is clear and longstanding : Indiana occupies a rung well below the Nittany Lions and Wolverines , two of college football 's well-established bluebloods .
But not in 2020 .
This unpredictable and uncertain season has seen Indiana already notch victories against these two longtime bullies , setting the Hoosiers on pace for the program 's most successful season since the 1967 team won the Big Ten and reached the Rose Bowl .
And while beating Penn State @ @ @ @ @ @ @ memorable dive into the end zone by quarterback Michael Penix Jr. , the Hoosiers ' 38-21 victory against Michigan on Saturday was a more thorough dismantling of an opponent only two weeks removed from being toasted as the Big Ten 's biggest threat to Ohio State .
Indiana gained 460 yards of offense , eliminated Michigan 's running game and dominated the time of possession .
After throwing for 342 yards and three touchdowns , Penix should come in right behind Justin Fields as the league 's strongest contenders for the Heisman .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ — Penix , Ty Fryfogle , Whop Philyor and Peyton Hendershot , to name a few , and yes , those are all real names — further exposed Michigan as a middle-of-the-pack team in the Big Ten and a laughably overrated contender for the College Football Playoff .
For the second week in a row , serious questions will be raised concerning coach Jim Harbaugh 's tenure , which began with such great promise but seems to be crumbling under the weight of extreme expectations .
But those expectations might not be too @ @ @ @ @ @ @ State parting ways with coach Gary Andersen three games into season Michigan might not be expected to beat Ohio State on annual basis , though once would be nice .
The baseline is to beat Indiana , which had n't won in this series since 1987 and had lost 39 of the past 40 to the Wolverines .
These are dark days in Ann Arbor .
Here are the rest of Saturday 's winners and losers : Beating Clemson 47-40 is validation for this specific Notre Dame team , which despite rising to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Amway Coaches Poll had not been given the same sort of credibility handed to the Tigers , Alabama and Ohio State .
While another game against Clemson awaits in the ACC championship game , the big payoff from Saturday night is in the ability it gives the Irish to lose that rematch and still have a strong case for the top four at one loss .
Georgia scored on the game 's first play and then again less than five minutes later , painting the Gators as overmatched and outclassed in this rivalry @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Quickly , Florida dug out of that early hole and then pulled away late in the first half to win 44-28 and grab control of the SEC East , setting up the strong possibility of a meeting with Alabama next month to determine a spot in the national semifinals .
Quarterback Kyle Trask threw for 474 yards and four touchdowns to become the first player in SEC history to have at least four touchdown passes in five straight games .
Pushed around for the first two quarters and playing without star receiver @ @ @ @ @ @ @ State 20-6 in the second half and won 20-18 to remain the only realistic playoff contender in the Big 12 .
The loss is a complete gut punch for the Wildcats , who had two chances in the fourth quarter to take the lead or force overtime .
One drive , with the score 13-12 , ended in a fumble the Cowboys returned for a touchdown .
Kansas State scored on the ensuing possession but failed to convert the two-point attempt .
After beating Nebraska 21-13 , the Wildcats are 3-0 for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the top of the West division .
On the heels of last year 's disappointing finish , one of the keys to this hot start has been the play of the Northwestern defense , especially in the second half .
After blanking Nebraska coming out of the locker room , the Wildcats have yet to allow a point in the second half this season .
( The less said about the Cornhuskers ' woes on offense the better . )
The Flames are now 7-0 under coach Hugh Freeze after nailing a 51-yard @ @ @ @ @ @ @ beat Virginia Tech 38-35 .
Technically , the win qualifies as a significant upset : Liberty was a two-touchdown underdog despite having an offense ranked in the top 20 nationally and being two games removed from winning 38-21 at Syracuse .
This second victory against an ACC opponent gives Liberty an unquestioned case for the Amway Coaches Poll and raises the odds that Freeze will get another shot to run his own program on the Power Five level .
Texas will remain in the thick of the Big 12 chase after winning 17-13 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ week 's shootout victory against Oklahoma State , the defense was the driving force behind the Longhorns ' third straight win : Texas gave up just 3.9 yards per play and made several key stops in the fourth quarter .
Largely dismissed after losing to Oklahoma last month , the Longhorns are 4-2 in Big 12 play with games ahead against Kansas , Iowa State and Kansas State .
The Aggies cruised to a 48-3 win against South Carolina , to little surprise , but the bigger development might 've been Georgia 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Georgia from the playoff chase , Florida 's win is to the Aggies ' benefit — since A & M beat Florida 41-38 last month , the Aggies may be ranked ahead of the Gators in the Amway Coaches Poll and the first playoff rankings .
This is going to be a lost season for Penn State , which is now a shocking 0-3 after losing 35-19 to Maryland .
The run of offseason opt-outs and injuries , which included linebacker Micah Parsons and running back Journey Brown , are the main cause @ @ @ @ @ @ @ explains last week 's loss to Ohio State , which already held a distinct edge in talent , what 's the story with a one-sided loss to the Terrapins ?
That may be more a result of a team with major preseason hopes suddenly wondering what 's at stake after opening with two losses in a row .
Losing 41-17 to Pittsburgh represents another step back for Florida State , which has now dropped two straight by at least 24 points after upsetting North Carolina last month .
Reeling heading into the weekend @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 3-0 start , the Panthers forced three interceptions and held the Seminoles ' offense in check — 88 of the Seminoles ' 290 yards of offense came on one play — to drop FSU to 2-5 in coach Mike Norvell 's first season .
Up 27-14 on Southern California in a game that would give the winner a major edge in the race for the South Division championship , the Sun Devils allowed two touchdowns in the final three minutes to lose 28-27 .
With just six games scheduled before the conference championship @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to get that , as we 'll see — the head-to-head tiebreaker will make it difficult for ASU to make up ground on USC and contend for a New Year 's Six bowl .
The Spartans are riding the roller coaster under first-year coach Mel Tucker .
After losing the opener to Rutgers , Michigan State rebounded with last week 's upset of Michigan .
Fresh off that statement , the Spartans had three turnovers , allowed 226 yards rushing and lost 49-7 to previously winless Iowa .
This predates Saturday , to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ weekend crumbled late this week with two cancellations : California against Washington , which was to pit two teams under top-25 consideration , and Utah against Arizona .
Given the lack of time to reschedule games and fill out an already abbreviated season , these cancellations are a painful reminder of how difficult it will be for the Pac-12 as a conference to play enough games to factor into the playoff debate .
That USC survived to beat Arizona State is a major positive , however .

College football winners and losers from Week 10 include Indiana, Notre Dame, Liberty, Arizona State
Show Caption Hide Caption After delayed start, does a Pac-12 team have a shot at making College Football Playoff? Sports Pulse: Will the Pac-12 be able to overcome the delayed start? We talk to Paul Myerberg about a couple of teams in this conference who may have a chance at making the playoff. SportsPulse, USA TODAY
Indiana entered this season a combined 2-61 since 1968 against Penn State and Michigan. The power structure in the Big Ten is clear and longstanding: Indiana occupies a rung well below the Nittany Lions and Wolverines, two of college football's well-established bluebloods.
But not in 2020. This unpredictable and uncertain season has seen Indiana already notch victories against these two longtime bullies, setting the Hoosiers on pace for the program's most successful season since the 1967 team won the Big Ten and reached the Rose Bowl.
And while beating Penn State two weeks ago took overtime and a memorable dive into the end zone by quarterback Michael Penix Jr., the Hoosiers' 38-21 victory against Michigan on Saturday was a more thorough dismantling of an opponent only two weeks removed from being toasted as the Big Ten's biggest threat to Ohio State.
Indiana gained 460 yards of offense, eliminated Michigan's running game and dominated the time of possession. After throwing for 342 yards and three touchdowns, Penix should come in right behind Justin Fields as the league's strongest contenders for the Heisman.
The Hoosiers' collection of skill talent — Penix, Ty Fryfogle, Whop Philyor and Peyton Hendershot, to name a few, and yes, those are all real names — further exposed Michigan as a middle-of-the-pack team in the Big Ten and a laughably overrated contender for the College Football Playoff.
For the second week in a row, serious questions will be raised concerning coach Jim Harbaugh's tenure, which began with such great promise but seems to be crumbling under the weight of extreme expectations. But those expectations might not be too outlandish.
SEE UTE LATER: Utah State parting ways with coach Gary Andersen three games into season
Michigan might not be expected to beat Ohio State on annual basis, though once would be nice. The baseline is to beat Indiana, which hadn't won in this series since 1987 and had lost 39 of the past 40 to the Wolverines. These are dark days in Ann Arbor.
Here are the rest of Saturday's winners and losers:
Winners
Notre Dame
Beating Clemson 47-40 is validation for this specific Notre Dame team, which despite rising to No. 4 in this week's Amway Coaches Poll had not been given the same sort of credibility handed to the Tigers, Alabama and Ohio State. While another game against Clemson awaits in the ACC championship game, the big payoff from Saturday night is in the ability it gives the Irish to lose that rematch and still have a strong case for the top four at one loss.
Florida
Georgia scored on the game's first play and then again less than five minutes later, painting the Gators as overmatched and outclassed in this rivalry game with major SEC and playoff implications. Quickly, Florida dug out of that early hole and then pulled away late in the first half to win 44-28 and grab control of the SEC East, setting up the strong possibility of a meeting with Alabama next month to determine a spot in the national semifinals. Quarterback Kyle Trask threw for 474 yards and four touchdowns to become the first player in SEC history to have at least four touchdown passes in five straight games.
Oklahoma State
Pushed around for the first two quarters and playing without star receiver Tylan Wallace, Oklahoma State outscored Kansas State 20-6 in the second half and won 20-18 to remain the only realistic playoff contender in the Big 12. The loss is a complete gut punch for the Wildcats, who had two chances in the fourth quarter to take the lead or force overtime. One drive, with the score 13-12, ended in a fumble the Cowboys returned for a touchdown. Kansas State scored on the ensuing possession but failed to convert the two-point attempt.
Northwestern
After beating Nebraska 21-13, the Wildcats are 3-0 for the first time since 2000 and surging to the top of the West division. On the heels of last year's disappointing finish, one of the keys to this hot start has been the play of the Northwestern defense, especially in the second half. After blanking Nebraska coming out of the locker room, the Wildcats have yet to allow a point in the second half this season. (The less said about the Cornhuskers' woes on offense the better.)
Liberty
The Flames are now 7-0 under coach Hugh Freeze after nailing a 51-yard field goal in the final seconds to beat Virginia Tech 38-35. Technically, the win qualifies as a significant upset: Liberty was a two-touchdown underdog despite having an offense ranked in the top 20 nationally and being two games removed from winning 38-21 at Syracuse. This second victory against an ACC opponent gives Liberty an unquestioned case for the Amway Coaches Poll and raises the odds that Freeze will get another shot to run his own program on the Power Five level.
Texas
Texas will remain in the thick of the Big 12 chase after winning 17-13 against West Virginia. Unlike in last week's shootout victory against Oklahoma State, the defense was the driving force behind the Longhorns' third straight win: Texas gave up just 3.9 yards per play and made several key stops in the fourth quarter. Largely dismissed after losing to Oklahoma last month, the Longhorns are 4-2 in Big 12 play with games ahead against Kansas, Iowa State and Kansas State.
Texas A&M
The Aggies cruised to a 48-3 win against South Carolina, to little surprise, but the bigger development might've been Georgia's loss to Florida. While basically eliminating Georgia from the playoff chase, Florida's win is to the Aggies' benefit — since A&M beat Florida 41-38 last month, the Aggies may be ranked ahead of the Gators in the Amway Coaches Poll and the first playoff rankings.
Losers
Penn State
This is going to be a lost season for Penn State, which is now a shocking 0-3 after losing 35-19 to Maryland. The run of offseason opt-outs and injuries, which included linebacker Micah Parsons and running back Journey Brown, are the main cause of the decline. But while that explains last week's loss to Ohio State, which already held a distinct edge in talent, what's the story with a one-sided loss to the Terrapins? That may be more a result of a team with major preseason hopes suddenly wondering what's at stake after opening with two losses in a row.
Florida State
Losing 41-17 to Pittsburgh represents another step back for Florida State, which has now dropped two straight by at least 24 points after upsetting North Carolina last month. Reeling heading into the weekend, having lost four straight after a 3-0 start, the Panthers forced three interceptions and held the Seminoles' offense in check — 88 of the Seminoles' 290 yards of offense came on one play — to drop FSU to 2-5 in coach Mike Norvell's first season.
Arizona State
Up 27-14 on Southern California in a game that would give the winner a major edge in the race for the South Division championship, the Sun Devils allowed two touchdowns in the final three minutes to lose 28-27. With just six games scheduled before the conference championship — and the Pac-12 may be lucky to get that, as we'll see — the head-to-head tiebreaker will make it difficult for ASU to make up ground on USC and contend for a New Year's Six bowl.
Michigan State
The Spartans are riding the roller coaster under first-year coach Mel Tucker. After losing the opener to Rutgers, Michigan State rebounded with last week's upset of Michigan. Fresh off that statement, the Spartans had three turnovers, allowed 226 yards rushing and lost 49-7 to previously winless Iowa.
The Pac-12
This predates Saturday, to be honest, but the Pac-12 debut weekend crumbled late this week with two cancellations: California against Washington, which was to pit two teams under top-25 consideration, and Utah against Arizona. Given the lack of time to reschedule games and fill out an already abbreviated season, these cancellations are a painful reminder of how difficult it will be for the Pac-12 as a conference to play enough games to factor into the playoff debate. That USC survived to beat Arizona State is a major positive, however.


usatoday--2020-11-08--'You're fired': Thousands taunt Trump with his own catchphrase after election loss

President Donald Trump faced a predictable taunt from thousands of social media users on Saturday after he lost his bid @ @ @ @ @ Fired .
It 's the catchphrase he used to kick off contestants when he hosted @ @ @ @ @ Apprentice '' for years — a show that brought him pop-culture fame that helped boost @ @ @ @ @ .
NBC cut ties with Trump in 2015 after he made `` derogatory statements '' @ @ @ @ @ began his bid for president .
Media coverage of high turnover in his administration often @ @ @ @ @ , as the Associated Press noted in the year after Trump was elected , Trump @ @ @ @ @ firing someone or publicly shamed those he wanted out , so they would simply quit @ @ @ @ @ , Trump invoked the catchphrase in a tweet saying football players who did not stand @ @ @ @ @ be told `` YOU 'RE FIRED . ''
While the catchphrase has faded in popularity @ @ @ @ @ 's critics have not forgotten it :

'You're fired': Thousands taunt Trump with his own catchphrase after election loss
President Donald Trump faced a predictable taunt from thousands of social media users on Saturday after he lost his bid for reelection: You're Fired.
It's the catchphrase he used to kick off contestants when he hosted the reality show "The Apprentice" for years — a show that brought him pop-culture fame that helped boost his 2016 bid for president.
NBC cut ties with Trump in 2015 after he made "derogatory statements" about Mexican immigrants as he began his bid for president.
Media coverage of high turnover in his administration often invoked the phase, although, as the Associated Press noted in the year after Trump was elected, Trump often delegated the task of firing someone or publicly shamed those he wanted out, so they would simply quit.
As president in 2017, Trump invoked the catchphrase in a tweet saying football players who did not stand for the national Anthem should be told "YOU'RE FIRED."
While the catchphrase has faded in popularity in recent years, Trump's critics have not forgotten it:
Biden You’re Hired
Trump You’re Fired — JEDWARD (@planetjedward) November 7, 2020
Donald Trump,
Ivanka Trump,
Jared Kushner,
Hope Hicks,
Mark Meadows,
Mike Pence,
Kayleigh McEnany,
Betsy DeVos,
Ben Carson,
Stephen Miller,
Mike Pompeo,
Chad Wolf,
Jason Miller,
Steven Mnuchin,
William Barr,
Rudy Giuliani,
and Louis DeJoy
YOU’RE FIRED! #YOUREFIRED pic.twitter.com/xXJBjKwlfe — Teddy Pontin (@PontinTeddy) November 7, 2020
Wait what if we tweeted “YOU’RE FIRED” at Trump lol — Brian Tyler Cohen (@briantylercohen) November 7, 2020
Cheers of “Trump! You’re! Fired!” break out in Times Square as thousands of New Yorkers celebrate the defeat of @realDonaldTrump pic.twitter.com/PNpduWybAb — Liam Stack (@liamstack) November 7, 2020
I’m actually okay with literally every single person saying you’re fired. I will star it every time. — Dani Fernandez (@msdanifernandez) November 7, 2020
Contributing: The Associated Press


usatoday--2020-11-08--President-elect Joe Biden delivers address upon securing votes to win the White House

President-elect Joe Biden delivers address upon securing votes to win the White House President-elect Joe Biden delivers an address to @ @ @ @ @ electoral college votes to win the White House ,

President-elect Joe Biden delivers address upon winning White House
President-elect Joe Biden delivers an address to the nation after securing enough electoral college votes to win the White House,
USA TODAY


usatoday--2020-11-08--Kamala Harris delivers address to nation as vice president-elect

Vice president-elect Kamala Harris delivers remarks to the nation after her and her running mate Joe Biden secure enough votes @ @ @ @ @ .

Kamala Harris delivers address to nation as vice president-elect
Vice president-elect Kamala Harris delivers remarks to the nation after her and her running mate Joe Biden secure enough votes to win the White House.
USA TODAY


usatoday--2020-11-08--Joe Biden and Kamala Harris call for unity in his first event since securing the election

Joe Biden and Kamala Harris call for unity in his first event since securing the election In first address since @ @ @ @ @ Biden called for unity between all Americans .

Joe Biden calls for unity in first address as President-elect
In first address since securing the presidency, Joe Biden called for unity between all Americans.
USA TODAY


usatoday--2020-11-08--What's next for soon-to-be former first lady Melania Trump?

Unconventional and unpredictable , first lady Melania Trump now faces the task of vacating the White House and deciding what the next phase of her life will look like .
The last few days of election week have been as tumultuous as the last near-four years in Washington – but pretty typical for her : She was seen only once – at the White House with the president in the early hours of Wednesday morning – and has not been seen or heard in public since .
Meanwhile , it was all over but the shouting .
Nail-biting waits for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was declared president-elect Saturday morning .
The president blasted out multiple ALL-CAP tweets , one demanded the vote counting stop and another claimed he won `` by a lot '' just ahead of many media networks calling the race in favor of Biden .
The president ranted on Thursday night during a live press conference about alleged fraud in the election , which was so shocking many media outlets , including USA TODAY , cut away in the middle of it .
Melania Trump was n't there .
On Friday morning , her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about a hospital she visited last year in Boston , as if nothing unusual was happening .
So now that Democrat Joe Biden has been declared the winner , what 's next for her ?
Will she return to her former role of devoted mom and wealthy lady-of-leisure , traveling between one Trump estate to another ?
After Jan. 21 , will she make a beeline for her Trump Tower penthouse in New York City or head for the spa at Mar-a-Lago in sunny Palm Beach , Florida ?
Based on the past @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to confide .
But a hint : She voted Tuesday in person in Palm Beach County where the Trumps have registered to vote and have made their official residence .
`` I assume Mrs. Trump will go back to Florida – or maybe she will be able to convince her husband to return to New York as their official residence – and continue the kind of life she led before the White House , '' predicts first lady historian Katherine Jellison , a professor of history at Ohio University .
But first she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ House for the Trumps ' final Christmas season there , says Anita McBride , who was former first lady Laura Bush 's chief of staff and now runs the Legacies of America 's First Ladies Initiative at American University .
Losing the election comes with `` a certain disappointment of not having this option ( of being in the White House ) again after working so hard towards it , '' McBride says .
`` You go through the stages of a loss because it is a loss .
I think ( Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her son ( Barron ) ; helping him to manage this transition will most likely be foremost in her mind . ''
But who could blame Trump if she is preparing to relinquish with some relief the undefined , unpaid , high-pressure job of first lady to former second lady Jill Biden , now the FLOTUS in waiting .
Why ?
Four years of near constant battles with the mainstream media Trump despised and a deluge of toxic tweets from critics who returned her disdain .
Sharp criticism of her fashion and decorating @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a five-day hospital stay and weeks when she disappeared from public view .
Continuing talk and lawsuits over her husband 's past alleged indiscretions .
A first-lady agenda that fell short of its ambitions , especially on fighting online bullying of the sort often practiced by the president .
There were public spats over banal jokes invoking son Barron , 14 ; over her desire to tune the TV on Air Force One to CNN ; and on her role in the firing of a high-level national security official .
Throughout there were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with a crestfallen face , or snatching her hand from his , or the risible conspiracy theory that she employed a body double in public .
Then there were the unwelcome biographies and tell-all books , including one by a former friend who promoted it by releasing secret tapes of their conversations , capturing the first lady 's scorn for some aspects of her role and her familiarity with Anglo-Saxon expletives if not perfect grammar .
The quote has been copied Kate Andersen Brower , a journalist and author of “ First Women @ @ @ @ @ @ @ think Melania will probably be secretly relieved .
This is not what she signed up for .
`` I could say I 'm the most bullied person in the world , '' she lamented to ABC in her one mainstream media interview , during her tour of Africa in 2018 , for which she was dressed like a colonial big-game hunter with a pith helmet on a nearby table .
In short , after all the Sturm und Drang of the most idiosyncratic FLOTUS term in the modern history of American first ladies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ viewed leaving it all behind with a sense of good riddance .
`` I think Melania will probably be secretly relieved , '' says Kate Andersen Brower , a journalist and author of books about the White House , including `` First Women , '' about modern first ladies .
`` This is not what she signed up for . ''
First lady blasts Biden , Dems at solo event in Pa. Americans might have suspected ambivalence based on her decision to not move into the White House on Jan. 21 .
She @ @ @ @ @ @ @ months so that Barron could finish the school year in New York .
From that surprising beginning , Trump was often under siege in the East Wing , but with few connections to living former first ladies to call and commiserate .
`` She feels like she can ’ t do anything right , and though every first lady feels that way at some point , she has the disadvantage of being married to someone who has burned every bridge to the past , '' Andersen Brower says .
Having been born and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Slovenia ( formerly part of Yugoslavia ) , Trump , 50 , has been a U.S. citizen only 14 years .
But the role she was expected to embrace can be hard to discern even for politically and socially savvy women born and raised in the USA .
First lady Melania Trump at Andrews Air Force Base , Md.
, before she and President Trump departed on separate campaign trips on Oct. 27 , 2020 .
She ... First lady Melania Trump at Andrews Air Force Base , Md.
, before she and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Oct. 27 , 2020 .
She traveled to battleground Pennsylvania to deliver a speech in Atglen in Chester County .
`` The job is so unclear anyway , so expecting her to ( immediately ) understand the weight of it and know what to do , and meanwhile none of the others want to talk to her except maybe Laura Bush , who came to tea a few times , because they all dislike her husband so much . ''
Myra Gutin , a professor of communication and first-lady historian at Rider @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will be judged `` an average first lady , '' one who fulfilled ceremonial responsibilities and launched a first-lady project .
But `` she was not an activist and rarely a presidential surrogate , '' Gutin says .
The quote has been copied There is little doubt Trump was an historic first lady , more for what she is rather than what she did : The first foreign-born FLOTUS in 195 years .
The first former fashion model who also posed nude .
The first to be the president 's third wife .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ her first language .
There is little doubt Trump was an historic first lady , more for what she is rather than what she did : The first foreign-born FLOTUS in 195 years .
The first former fashion model who also posed nude .
The first to be the president 's third wife .
The first for whom English was not her first language .
After many delays , she launched her first-lady initiative , Be Best , which was aimed at `` helping children '' by fighting online bullying and opioid abuse @ @ @ @ @ @ @ definite perception of her , '' says Gutin .
`` Her White House initiative , though well-intentioned , never particularly resonated . ''
Betty Boyd Caroli , author of multiple White House-related books , including `` First Ladies , '' says Trump `` hasn ’ t done anything significant '' during her term .
`` Her take on the job seems to be to do as little as possible , and of course some Americans , but not a majority I think , like that , '' Caroli says .
`` I expect @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , to the extent it ever existed as far as staff and funding go , quicker than Nancy Reagan ’ s Foster Grandparent plan . ''
She does n't see Trump taking on a new cause or , say , getting involved in her husband 's post-presidency foundation or library , if there is one , largely because she was n't much of an activist before .
`` As far as I can tell , Melania was not one for projects even before the White House , '' Caroli says .
First lady @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Park in Nairobi , Kenya , Oct. 5 , 2018 , during her four-country tour of Africa .
It 's possible that Trump will continue to snub the media , even as her husband is expected to continue haranguing them .
He might even join the media , possibly through a post-presidency Trump-branded television network – Trump TV , as it were – that 's been floated .
Caroli thinks the outgoing first lady might make occasional attempts to send snarky messages to the media through her clothes .
During her 2018 ABC @ @ @ @ @ @ @ infamous `` I REALLY DO N'T CARE , DO U ? ''
jacket was really a message to the media .
Yet , when she answered questions during a gaggle with reporters ( Egypt 's Great Sphinx in the background ) on the same trip , she derided the media for paying too much attention to her clothes , saying she wished people would “ focus on what I do , not what I wear . ''
The quote has been copied She ’ ll go down in history as a first lady @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gesture to the media – She thinks it ’ s ridiculous that her clothes are analyzed like this and so she ’ s going to have fun taunting people .
`` She 'll go down in history as a first lady who used her clothes as a vindictive gesture to the media – she hates the media , '' Anderson Brower says .
`` She thinks it 's ridiculous that her clothes are analyzed like this and so she 's going to have fun taunting people . ''
But after the White House @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
It could `` drive reporters crazy , but I ’ m not sure anyone will care about what she wears after she ’ s out of D.C. , '' Caroli says .
Trump could get her revenge on her foes by writing a memoir , as most first ladies usually do : Michelle Obama 's book , `` Becoming , '' was a runaway best-seller and made her millions while allowing her to get things off her chest , including the experience of being attacked in ugly racist terms while she was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is going to return to that lady-who-lunches lifestyle , which is totally her right to do , but if she wrote a book she could make a lot of money , '' says Andersen Brower .
`` If she wrote a no-holds-barred book , like Nancy Reagan 's `` My Turn '' memoir , that would do very well .
And she might , given the way she ( sometimes ) talks so candidly . ''
But Trump will make her motherhood role first and foremost , even as Barron grows up in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ home .
Will she and he go back to New York so he can return to his former private school in Manhattan ?
President Donald Trump , accompanied by first lady Melania Trump , waves as he walks from Marine One on the South Lawn of the White House early ... President Donald Trump , accompanied by first lady Melania Trump , waves as he walks from Marine One on the South Lawn of the White House early on Oct. 23 , 2020 .
Trump is returning from a debate in Nashville , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ behind in Washington while he finishes high school at his current school in Potomac , Maryland , about 20 miles from the White House ?
( Former President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama stayed in Washington after their White House years so their two daughters could finish up at their private school . )
McBride does n't think the Trumps , any of them , will stick around in Washington .
She thinks it 's possible that the former first lady could get quietly involved in the design of a post-presidency library , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ someone interested in the first lady ?
Share this story But she could also continue advocating for some of the causes she showcased in the White House , such as neo-natal drug addiction , especially if she 's asked by some of the groups she interacted with while visiting hospitals and hosting round tables on the issue , McBride says .
`` Sometimes , you 're damned if you do and damned if you do n't , so you do what you like , what comes natural and is a reflection of your @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hope people like it , '' McBride says .
As for where the Trumps will live after leaving the White House , they have many luxury homes to choose from , including Trump Tower , Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach , the Seven Springs estate in Westchester , N.Y. , and the Trump National Golf Course in Bedminster , N.J .

Unconventional and unpredictable, first lady Melania Trump now faces the task of vacating the White House and deciding what the next phase of her life will look like.
The days since the election have been as tumultuous as the last near-four years in Washington – but pretty typical for her: She was seen only once – at the White House with the president in the early hours of last Wednesday – and has not been seen or heard in public since.
Meanwhile, it was all over but the shouting. Nail-biting waits for vote counts continued, and Joe Biden was declared president-elect Saturday morning. The president blasted out multiple ALL-CAP tweets; one demanded the vote counting stop, while another claimed he won "by a lot" just ahead of many media networks calling the race in favor of Biden. The president ranted Thursday night during a live press conference about alleged fraud in the election, which was so shocking many media outlets, including USA TODAY, cut away in the middle of it.
Melania Trump wasn't there. On Friday morning, her Twitter account sent out an anodyne tweet about a hospital she visited last year in Boston, as if nothing unusual was happening.
First lady Melania Trump casts vote in Florida on Election Day Associated Press, USA TODAY
So now that Biden has been declared the winner, what's next for Mrs. Trump? Will she return to her former role of devoted mom and wealthy lady of leisure, traveling between one Trump estate to another? After Jan. 21, will she make a beeline for her Trump Tower penthouse in New York City, or head for the spa at Mar-a-Lago in sunny Palm Beach, Florida?
Based on the past four years, she's not likely to confide. But a hint: She voted last week in person in Palm Beach County, where the Trumps have registered to vote and have made their official residence.
"I assume Mrs. Trump will go back to Florida – or maybe she will be able to convince her husband to return to New York as their official residence – and continue the kind of life she led before the White House," predicts first lady historian Katherine Jellison, a professor of history at Ohio University.
But first she will busy herself with decorating the White House for the Trumps' final Christmas season there, says Anita McBride, who was former first lady Laura Bush's chief of staff and now runs the Legacies of America's First Ladies Initiative at American University.
Losing the election comes with "a certain disappointment of not having this option (of being in the White House) again after working so hard towards it," McBride says. "You go through the stages of a loss because it is a loss. I think (Trump) will focus on her family and her son (Barron); helping him to manage this transition will most likely be foremost in her mind."
Melania Trump and her son, Barron, at the presidential inauguration in 2017. President Donald Trump is joined by Melania and Barron in 2020. Melania Trump and her son, Barron, at the presidential inauguration in 2017. President Donald Trump is joined by Melania and Barron in 2020. LEFT: Melania Trump and her son, Barron, at the presidential inauguration in 2017. RIGHT: President Donald Trump is joined by Melania and Barron in 2020. Alex Wong, Getty Images; Susan Walsh, AP
But who could blame Trump if she is preparing to relinquish with some relief the undefined, unpaid, high-pressure job of first lady to former second lady Jill Biden, now the FLOTUS in waiting.
Why? Four years of near-constant battles with a mainstream media that Trump despised and a deluge of toxic tweets from critics who returned her disdain. Sharp criticism of her fashion and decorating choices. Two medical crises, including a five-day hospital stay and weeks when she disappeared from public view.
Continuing talk and lawsuits over her husband's past alleged indiscretions. A first-lady agenda that fell short of its ambitions, especially on fighting online bullying of the sort often practiced by the president.
There were public spats over banal jokes invoking son Barron, 14; over her desire to tune the TV on Air Force One to CNN; and on her role in the firing of a high-level national security official. Throughout there were dozens of pictures and videos showing her with a crestfallen face, or snatching her hand from his, or the risible conspiracy theory that she employed a body double in public.
Then there were the unwelcome biographies and tell-all books, including one by a former friend who promoted it by releasing secret tapes of their conversations, capturing the first lady's scorn for some aspects of her role and her familiarity with Anglo-Saxon expletives, if not perfect grammar.
JIM WATSON, AFP via Getty Images Copy text Copy this quote's text The quote has been copied Tweet Facebook Email Email this story Share Share this story Kate Andersen Brower, a journalist and author of “First Women,” about modern first ladies I think Melania will probably be secretly relieved. This is not what she signed up for. Quote icon JIM WATSON, AFP via Getty Images
"I could say I'm the most bullied person in the world," she lamented to ABC in her one mainstream media interview, during her tour of Africa in 2018, for which she was dressed like a colonial big-game hunter with a pith helmet on a nearby table.
In short, after all the Sturm und Drang of the most idiosyncratic FLOTUS term in the modern history of American first ladies, it would be understandable if Trump viewed leaving it all behind with a sense of good riddance.
"I think Melania will probably be secretly relieved," says Kate Andersen Brower, a journalist and author of books about the White House, including "First Women," about modern first ladies. "This is not what she signed up for."
First lady blasts Biden, Dems at solo event in Pa. AP
Americans might have suspected ambivalence based on her decision to not move into the White House on Jan. 21, 2017. She and her husband said she waited five months so that Barron could finish the school year in New York.
From that surprising beginning, Trump was often under siege in the East Wing, but with few connections to living former first ladies to call and commiserate.
"She feels like she can’t do anything right, and though every first lady feels that way at some point, she has the disadvantage of being married to someone who has burned every bridge to the past," Andersen Brower says.
Having been born and raised in the central European country of Slovenia (formerly part of Yugoslavia), Trump, 50, has been a U.S. citizen for only 14 years. But the role she was expected to embrace can be hard to discern even for politically and socially savvy women born and raised in the USA.
First lady Melania Trump at Andrews Air Force Base, Md., before she and President Trump departed on separate campaign trips on Oct. 27, 2020. She traveled to battleground Pennsylvania to deliver a speech in Atglen in Chester County. Evan Vucci, AP
"The job is so unclear anyway, so expecting her to (immediately) understand the weight of it and know what to do, and meanwhile none of the others want to talk to her except maybe Laura Bush, who came to tea a few times, because they all dislike her husband so much," Andersen Brower says.
Myra Gutin, a professor of communication and a first lady historian at Rider University in New Jersey, thinks Trump will be judged "an average first lady," one who fulfilled ceremonial responsibilities and launched a first lady project.
But "she was not an activist and rarely a presidential surrogate," Gutin says.
Copy text Copy this quote's text The quote has been copied Tweet Facebook Email Email this story Share Share this story There is little doubt Trump was an historic first lady, more for what she is rather than what she did: The first foreign-born FLOTUS in 195 years. The first former fashion model who also posed nude. The first to be the president's third wife. The first for whom English was not her first language.
There is little doubt Trump was a historic first lady, more for what she is rather than what she did: the first foreign-born FLOTUS in 195 years. The first former fashion model who also posed nude. The first to be a president's third wife. The first for whom English was not her first language.
After many delays, she launched her first-lady initiative, Be Best, which was aimed at "helping children" by fighting online bullying and opioid abuse.
"Many Americans never developed any definite perception of her," Gutin says. "Her White House initiative, though well-intentioned, never particularly resonated."
Betty Boyd Caroli, author of multiple White House-related books, including "First Ladies," says Trump "hasn’t done anything significant" during her term.
"Her take on the job seems to be to do as little as possible, and of course some Americans, but not a majority I think, like that," Caroli says. "I expect her Be Best project to get buried, to the extent it ever existed as far as staff and funding go, quicker than Nancy Reagan’s Foster Grandparent plan."
Caroli doesn't see Trump taking on a new cause or, say, getting involved in her husband's post-presidency foundation or library, if there is one, largely because Mrs. Trump wasn't much of an activist before.
"As far as I can tell, Melania was not one for projects even before the White House," Caroli says.
First lady Melania Trump looks out over Nairobi National Park in Nairobi, Kenya, Oct. 5, 2018, during her four-country tour of Africa. Carolyn Kaster, AP
It's possible that Trump will continue to snub the media, even as her husband is expected to continue haranguing them. He might even join the media, possibly through a post-presidency Trump-branded television network – Trump TV, as it were – that's been floated.
Caroli thinks the outgoing first lady might make occasional attempts to send snarky messages to the media through her clothes.
During her 2018 ABC interview in Africa, she claimed her infamous "I REALLY DON'T CARE, DO U?" jacket was really a message to the media. Yet when she answered questions during a gaggle with reporters (Egypt's Great Sphinx in the background) on the same trip, she derided the media for paying too much attention to her clothes, saying she wished people would “focus on what I do, not what I wear."
MANDEL NGAN, AFP/Getty Images Copy text Copy this quote's text The quote has been copied Tweet Facebook Email Email this story Share Share this story Kate Andersen Brower, journalist and author She’ll go down in history as a first lady who used her clothes as a vindictive gesture to the media – she hates the media. She thinks it’s ridiculous that her clothes are analyzed like this and so she’s going to have fun taunting people. Quote icon MANDEL NGAN, AFP/Getty Images
"She'll go down in history as a first lady who used her clothes as a vindictive gesture to the media – she hates the media," Andersen Brower says. "She thinks it's ridiculous that her clothes are analyzed like this, and so she's going to have fun taunting people."
But after the White House, it won't matter as much. It could "drive reporters crazy, but I’m not sure anyone will care about what she wears after she’s out of D.C.," Caroli says.
Trump could get her revenge on her foes by writing a memoir, as most first ladies usually do: Michelle Obama's book, "Becoming," was a runaway best-seller and made her millions while allowing her to get things off her chest, including the experience of being attacked in ugly racist terms while she was first lady.
"I think Melania is going to return to that lady-who-lunches lifestyle, which is totally her right to do, but if she wrote a book, she could make a lot of money," Andersen Brower says. "If she wrote a no-holds-barred book, like Nancy Reagan's 'My Turn' memoir, that would do very well. And she might, given the way she (sometimes) talks so candidly."
But Trump will make motherhood her role first and foremost, even as Barron grows up in a few years and prepares to leave home. Will they go back to New York so he can return to his former private school in Manhattan?
President Donald Trump, accompanied by first lady Melania Trump, waves as he walks from Marine One on the South Lawn of the White House early on Oct. 23, 2020. Trump is returning from a debate in Nashville, Tennessee. Alex Brandon, AP
Could she bear to stay behind in Washington while he finishes high school at his current school in Potomac, Maryland, about 20 miles from the White House? (Former President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama stayed in Washington after their White House years so their two daughters could finish up at their private school.)
McBride doesn't think the Trumps, any of them, will stick around Washington. She thinks it's possible that the former first lady could become quietly involved in the design of a post-presidency library, given her interest in design.
× Know someone interested in the first lady? Share this story
But she could also continue advocating for some of the causes she showcased in the White House, such as neonatal drug addiction, especially if she's asked by some of the groups she interacted with while visiting hospitals and hosting roundtables on the issue, McBride says.
"Sometimes, you're damned if you do, and damned if you don't, so you do what you like, what comes natural and is a reflection of your style and taste, and then you hope people like it," McBride says.
As for where the Trumps will live after leaving the White House, they have many luxury homes to choose from, including Trump Tower, Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, the Seven Springs estate in Westchester, New York, and the Trump National Golf Course in Bedminster, New Jersey.