Trump unleashes chaos on his way out the door; December on track to be the deadliest month of the pandemic; House GOP votes against raising stimulus checks to $2,000; Health care workers spend holidays on the front lines;

The Lead with Jake Tapper

CNN: Trump has told people Pence isn’t fighting hard enough for him; Dingell: Trump “doesn’t give a damn” about people needing relief; Trump throws nation into turmoil: Pardons allies, upends relief for Americans, vetoes defense bill; New pandemic air travel record with nearly 1.2M flyers Wednesday; U.S. heads into Christmas with 1M+ vaccinated; IHME Model: 567,000+ Covid deaths by April, up from last week; Growing gap between vaccinations delivered vs. administered; Trump sends Congress into scramble over stimulus relief, defense spending, possible government shutdown; Attorney General, CIA Director among Biden’s final posts to name; Birthday wishes pour in for Dr. Fauci’s 80th birthday; Fauci on retiring: “I don’t see that right now” in my future; Nurse treated members of her own family who were hospitalized with COVID-19; NORAD tracks Santa’s trip for 65th year;

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