Matt Gaetz says he is removing himself from consideration to be the next attorney general.

In a stunning announcement, Gaetz said on Thursday, "It was clear my confirmation was unfairly becoming a distraction to the critical work of the Trump/Vance transition."

Last week, President-elect Donald Trump nominated Matt Gaetz for attorney general, a decision that was quickly criticized by both Democrats and Republicans. On Thursday, Trump thanked Gaetz for his efforts to try and secure the support of the senators needed for confirmation.

"Matt has a wonderful future, and I look forward to watching all of the great things he will do," Trump said on Truth Social.

RELATED STORY | Trump's pick for defense secretary paid sex assault accuser, attorney says

Gaetz's future in politics is unclear as he resigned from Congress after learning about his nomination. That decision was also highly criticized because it came as the House Ethics Committee was going to potentially release a report about Gaetz's alleged wrongdoing.

Sen. John Fetterman reacts to Matt Gaetz withdrawing AG nomination

The committee has been investigating allegations of sexual misconduct involving Gaetz, including with a 17-year-old, along with accusations of illicit drug use and the alleged acceptance of improper gifts all things the former congressman denies.

Speaker Mike Johnson said the report shouldn't be released since Gaetz was no longer part of the House of Representatives.

RELATED STORY | Here's who Trump has asked to join his administration

On Wednesday, the committee was deadlocked on whether to release the report.

"This committee is evenly divided between Democrats and Republicans," said Democratic Rep. Susan Wild of Pennsylvania, ranking member of the committee. "In order to affirmatively move something forward, somebody has to cross party lines and vote with the other side which happens a lot, by the way. And we often vote unanimously. That did not happen in today's vote."

Circle K is offering a 40-cent discount on all types of gas for National Fuel Day, but there's a catch: the discount is only available for three hours.

Drivers must visit Circle K between 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. on Thursday to get the discount, which will be applied directly at the pump.

Circle K has thousands of locations across the country. Click here to find your nearest location.

RELATED STORY | Low gas prices expected to fuel record-breaking 2024 Thanksgiving travel week

The discount comes as people prepare for one of the busiest travel seasons of the year.

An estimated 79.9 million Americans are expected to travel at least 50 miles from home during the week of Thanksgiving, according to the auto club AAA. Most of them 71.7 million will be traveling by car, AAA estimates.

Lower gas prices appear to be helping drive the travel boom. As of Thursday, the average price for a gallon of gas in the U.S. is $3.06, a drop of 20 cents from this time last year.

RELATED STORY | Americans 'enthusiastic' about traveling this holiday season

People in Oklahoma are currently paying less for gas than others across the country. The average price for a gallon of regular unleaded in the state is $2.56. Unfortunately, there are no Circle K locations in Oklahoma.

California and Hawaii have the highest average gas prices, at around $4.50 per gallon of unleaded. There are Circle K locations in both states.

New York City on Monday instituted a drought warning for the first time in 22 years, as brush fires strike within city limits and drinking water supplies run low.

The new measure is because of both unusually high temperatures and an unprecedented lack of rainfall, which is now forecast to continue for weeks.

The conditions contributed to brush fires in the city in the previous weeks, including in Prospect Park in Brooklyn and in northern Manhattan.

RELATED STORY | Record warmth: Earth to exceed critical temperature threshold in 2024

New York City uses some 1.1 billion gallons of water per day, drawn from a system of lakes, reservoirs and aqueducts that extend more than 100 miles beyond city limits. That system is now only about 63% full, officials say. The region would need to see some eight inches of rainfall to regain lost reserves.

New York City municipal services are switching to drought protocols that will reduce their water use, and city officials are urging residents to cut back on shower and faucet run times.

"Our city vehicles may look a bit dirtier, and our subways may look a bit dustier, but it's what we have to do to delay or stave off a more serious drought emergency," said New York City Mayor Eric Adams. "We need New Yorkers to continue to save water too, so we can water our parks and fill our pools this coming summer."

New York will pause a repair project on the Delaware Aqueduct, reopening it with the work still incomplete so it can deliver more water from upstate reservoirs.

Officials say the work will restart next year.

Big Lots is continuing to close stores across the U.S. as it navigates Chapter 11 bankruptcy.

In a court filing in Delaware this week, the chain shared plans to close 19 additional stores in Texas, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, California, Arizona, Oregon, Washington and Nevada.

Big Lots has now closed hundreds of stores as part of its bankruptcy. Its initial plans called for it to close more than 500 locations.

"Though the majority of our store locations are profitable, we intend to move forward with a more focused footprint to ensure that we operate efficiently and are best positioned to serve our customers," CEO Bruce Thorn said in a statement when bankruptcy was announced.

RELATED STORY | Big Lots files for bankruptcy, says more stores could close

But the retailer now appears to be saving some of those stores from closure. Web pages for certain locations, such as one in Carson City, Nevada, have new banners that suggest they may continue service.

The chain is also continuing with announced sales and a newly launched shopping app.

Big Lots says the best way to stay up to date on which stores will remain open is to use the store locator tool on its website.

Small Business Saturday has been around for 15 years, but it appears a lot of Americans still aren't familiar with the initiative, which takes place the Saturday after Thanksgiving.

A survey by Lending Tree found that only 46% of American consumers are familiar with Small Business Saturday. However, once they learned about the initiative 53% said they would participate.

RELATED STORY | Best apps to manage your money as the holiday shopping season ramps up

The idea behind Small Business Saturday is to help give local businesses a holiday boost since big box retailers get most of the attention on Black Friday.

It was started by American Express in 2010 and was co-sponsored by the Small Business Administration the following year.

The U.S. Small Business Administration says $17 billion was spent at small businesses on Small Business Saturday in 2023.

People are encouraged to get the word out about the 33 million small businesses in the country. Shoppers are encouraged to share their experiences on social media by using the #ShopSmall hashtag.

Click here for a link to find small businesses in your area.

Scripps News and Decision Desk HQ project voters in Nebraska will not pass a measure that would have enshrined stronger abortion protections in the state constitution.

Nebraska's Initiative 439 would have amended the state's constitution to provide access to abortion until fetal viability, which is at the end of the second trimester around 24 weeks. It would have also included life of the mother exceptions and very clearly stated that it's up to the practitioner to determine viability.

The measure narrowly failed. Counting of ballots continued for weeks after election night.

The measure, along with Nebraska Initiative 434, were both on Nebraska's ballot in the November election.

RELATED STORY | Nebraska votes to ban abortion after first trimester

Voters passed Initiative 434, which bans abortion after the first trimester. It includes exceptions for medical emergencies, rape and incest.

Nebraska law will continue to ban abortions after 12 weeks of pregnancy. That law went into effect in June of 2023. It includes exceptions for saving the life or health of the mother and for rape or incest.

A nasty rain and snow storm known as a "bomb cyclone" came ashore late Tuesday and early Wednesday in the Pacific Northwest, knocking out power to thousands of customers and causing widespread tree damage.

South County Fire in Lynnwood, Washington, said that a large tree fell on a homeless encampment Tuesday evening, killing a woman in her 50s.

Another woman died after a tree fell on her home in Bellevue, Washington, according to fire officials.

According to poweroutage.us, more than 400,000 people in Washington are without electricity as of Wednesday evening. The power outages came as winds topped 59 mph in the Seattle area, according to the National Weather Service. Higher elevations had wind gusts of 60 to 80 mph.

RELATED STORY | Record warmth: Earth to exceed critical temperature threshold in 2024

As much as 16 inches of rain could fall in parts of Oregon and northern California through Friday, National Weather Service forecasters said. Heavy snow was expected at high altitudes and wind gusts in mountain regions could reach 75 mph.

The storm comes as other parts of the U.S. are also undergoing a massive shift in weather patterns. What had been a mild November is starting to give way to a cooler, snowier weather pattern across the Midwest and Northeast. Temperatures are dropping by at least 20 degrees in much of the region as the storm system marches across the U.S.

Blizzard warnings are in place for parts of North Dakota. South Dakota and Minnesota are also expected to have some winter weather on Wednesday and Thursday.

Many parts of the Appalachians will experience their first measurable snow of the year on Thursday. Winter storm warnings, winter storm watches and winter weather advisories have been issued from Tennessee all the way north into New York.

RELATED STORY | Medical professionals are changing their training due to climate change

A bomb cyclone is defined as a storm system that rapidly intensifies, or strengthens, over a 24-hour period.

"Bombogenesis can happen when a cold air mass collides with a warm air mass, such as air over warm ocean waters," the National Ocean Service said.

After President-elect Donald Trump's nominee to lead the Pentagon Pete Hegseth said that women should not be in combat roles, current Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin offered his rebuttal on Wednesday.

While Austin said he could not speak specifically about Trump's nominee, he said concerning women in combat, "I don't know what his experiences are, but I can tell you about my experiences with women in the military and women in combat, and they're pretty good."

Austin has led the Pentagon since Jan. 22, 2021, two days after President Joe Biden was sworn in. He was also commander of United States Central Command, vice chief of staff of the Army and director of the Joint Staff.

RELATED STORY | Here's who Trump has asked to join his administration

"I think our women add significant value to the United States military and we should never change that and if I had a message to answer your question to our women, I would tell them that we need you, we have faith in you, we are appreciative of your service and you add value to finest and most lethal fighting force on earth."

On Nov. 7, in between Trump's election victory and the president-elect's announcement of Hegseth as his Defense secretary, Hegseth made comments on the Shawn Ryan Show Podcast that women do not belong in combat roles. 

Im straight up just saying we should not have women in combat roles. It hasnt made us more effective. Hasnt made us more lethal. Has made fighting more complicated, he said. 

RELATED STORY | Trump, White House prepare for transition between administrations

Hegseth added that women should be allowed to serve in non-combat roles in the military. 

Hegseth has served in the Army National Guard since 2003. He served with his unit at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba, volunteered to serve in Iraq and was also deployed to Afghanistan. He currently holds the rank of Major.

The Venezuelan man who was convicted of murdering Georgia nursing student Laken Riley was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

A judge handed down the verdict and sentence on Wednesday after Jose Ibarra, 26, requested a bench trial.

Riley was killed while jogging on the University of Georgia campus in February. Prosecutors said Ibarra also attempted to rape the 22-year-old, asphyxiating her and seriously disfiguring her head by striking her head multiple times with a rock.

RELATED STORY | Suspect indicted for murder of Laken Riley, peeping on another woman same day

During the trial, special prosecutor Sheila Ross told the judge Riley fought for her life and her dignity during her encounter with Ibarra.

Riley's family and friends were crying in the courtroom as the verdict was read. Ibarra did not show any emotion even as Riley's loved ones shared stories ahead of sentencing.

Riley's murder added to the national conversation about immigration. Ibarra reportedly entered the country illegally in 2022 and was allowed to stay while his immigration case worked its way through the court.

President-elect Donald Trump repeatedly mentioned the case while campaigning. He has promised a mass deportation of immigrants in the country illegally when he returns to office. His administration said the focus will initially be on individuals who have committed crimes.

After learning about the verdict, Trump posted a message on Truth Social about Riley and her family.

"Although the pain and heartbreak will last forever, hopefully this can help bring some peace and closure to her wonderful family who fought for Justice, and to ensure that other families dont have to go through what they have," he stated. "We love you, Laken, and our hearts will always be with you. It is time to secure our Border, and remove these criminals and thugs from our Country, so nothing like this can happen again!"

Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.) told Scripps News on Wednesday she is filing a bill to require transgender individuals to use restrooms that align with their sex assigned at birth on any property that uses public funds.

This comes two days after the Congresswoman said she introduced a resolution to "ban transgender women from using biological women's restrooms at the U.S. Capitol." Now, Mace tells Scripps News she wants it to go beyond Capitol Hill.

"I have PTSD from the sexual abuse I have suffered at the hands of a man. We have to as women draw a line in the sand, a big fat red line, about our rights," Mace said. "And the basic question today is, do women have rights or do we not? And I will tell you just the idea of a man in a locker room watching me change clothes after a workout is a huge trigger and it's not okay to make and force women to be vulnerable in private spaces."

The proposals come as Representative-elect Sarah McBride, D-Delaware, is set to take office in a couple of months, becoming the first openly transgender member of Congress.

RELATED STORY | While House GOP targets McBride she says 'I'm not here to fight about bathrooms'

Mace has previously vocalized support for LGBTQ+ citizens, telling Scripps News she has voted in support of same-sex marriage in the past.

However, despite McBride identifying as a woman, Mace repeatedly referred to her as a man and claimed she and "anyone who cross-dresses" has a mental illness. "Transwomen are men," she said.

Analysis: Do Republicans have a mandate to restrict transgender rights?

RELATED STORY | Republican proposes restroom ban as first openly transgender member joins House

After previously stating in a press conference on Tuesday that members of Congress need to treat all persons with dignity and respect," House Speaker Mike Johnson signaled support to ban McBride from using womens restrooms in the Capitol once she's sworn into office next year.

Mace said he promised it would be included in the House rules package. She told Scripps News if it is not included, she would put forth an amendment to try to pass the ban and/or force a vote on it through a privileged motion.

When asked if she felt that McBride posed a danger to her and other women, Mace said, "Absolutely."

Later Wednesday morning, Johnson issued the following statement: "All single-sex facilities in the Capitol and House Office Buildings such as restrooms, changing rooms, and locker rooms are reserved for individuals of that biological sex. It is important to note that each Member office has its own private restroom, and unisex restrooms are available throughout the Capitol. Women deserve womens only spaces.

The U.S. State Department announced on Wednesday that it has closed its embassy in Kyiv, Ukraine, due to a potential "significant air attack."

"Embassy employees are being instructed to shelter in place," the State Department said. "The U.S. Embassy recommends U.S. citizens be prepared to immediately shelter in the event an air alert is announced."

The move comes a day after Russia accused Ukraine of launching an attack with American-made missiles. Ukraines defense ministry did not admit to using the long-range missiles but did confirm that it hit a military weapons facility in Bryansk.

RELATED STORY | Biden authorizes Ukraine's use of US-supplied long-range missiles for deeper strikes inside Russia

President Joe Biden authorized on Sunday for Ukraine to use the missiles to strike deeper inside Russia a move he resisted for months. Scripps News also confirmed with a U.S. official that the Biden administration will provide Ukraine with non-persistent antipersonnel land mines. They are meant to blunt the advancement of Russian ground forces.

Ukraine marked 1,000 days since the Russian invasion on Tuesday. In a speech to European leaders, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said maximum

pressure should be applied on Russia.

"Putin does not value people or rules; he values only money and power," he said. "These are the things we must take away from him to restore peace."

The U.S. estimates Russia is losing about 1,200 soldiers a day. Ukraine has not revealed how many soldiers it has lost since it was invaded in 2022, but U.S. officials estimate the number is around 60,000.

President-elect Donald Trump has nominated Linda McMahon for secretary of education.

McMahon is the former head of the Small Business Administration, which she ran during Trump's first term as president.

McMahon was previously the president and CEO of Titan Sports, a wrestling entertainment company she founded with her husband Vince McMahon.

Linda McMahon ran for United States Senate in Connecticut as a Republican in 2009, and was Republican nominee for a second Senate race in 2012. She lost both races, first to Democrat Richard Blumenthal and then to Democrat Chris Murphy.

RELATED STORY | Trump nominates former Rep. and current Fox host Sean Duffy for Secretary of Transportation

"Linda will use her decades of leadership experience, and deep understanding of both education and business, to empower the next generation of American students and workers, and make America number one in education in the world," Trump said in a statement on the nomination. "We will send education back to the states, and Linda will spearhead that effort."

McMahon's nomination is subject to Senate confirmation.

This is a developing story and will be updated.

CDC and public health officials continue to investigate a multi-state outbreak of E. Coli linked to brands of organic carrots and baby carrots sold by Grimmway Farms.

On Tuesday Scripps News spoke with Dr. Raynard Washington, Health Department Director for Mecklenburg County, North Carolina and chair of the Big Cities Health Coalition, about the outbreak.

What should consumers do if they have a bag of recalled carrots in their fridge?

"The first thing you should do is look at the label, as well as look at the brand, as well as the sell by date," Dr. Washington said. "If it does match what has been listed by our partners at the CDC, they should actually throw those away and of course not consume them any further."

The organic carrots, from Grimmway Farms in California, included both whole and baby carrots in various sizes and were sold under multiple brands.

According to the recall notice, the carrots were available for purchase in stores approximately from August through the end of October.

RELATED STORY | Organic carrots recalled from multiple stores after a deadly E. coli outbreak

There have been multiple e-coli outbreaks over the past several months. What makes incidents like these relatively common?

"There are a number of different ways it gets introduced into our food supply," Dr. Washington said. "It can happen where the produce is grown and packaged initially. It can also be introduced later as it's being prepared for distribution."

"E. coli is a naturally occurring bacteria, sometimes it can be in cow waste or products, and so that could of course be cross-contaminated at the point of packaging or even in the soil."

Watch the full interview with Dr. Washington in the video above.

California Governor Gavin Newsom said that he will not make a clemency decision for convicted murderers Erik and Lyle Menendez because a new district attorney has been elected in Los Angeles.

The governor respects the role of the district attorney in ensuring justice is served and recognizes that voters have entrusted District Attorney-elect Hochman to carry out this responsibility, the governors office said in a statement obtained by The Associated Press. The governor will defer to the DA-elects review and analysis of the Menendez case prior to making any clemency decisions.

RELATED STORY | Who are the Menendez brothers? What to know about Netflix's new crime series

The brothers were found guilty in the 1989 murders of their parents, Jose and Kitty Menendez, and were sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. However, family members argue that the boys had a history of sexual abuse at the hands of their father, and the judge overseeing the case never let the defense present much of that evidence to the jury.

In October, current Los Angeles District Attorney George Gascn advocated for re-sentencing the Menendez brothers in light of new evidence including a letter written by Erik Menendez, alluding to abuse he endured prior to the murders.

However, Gascn recently lost his reelection bid to District Attorney-elect Nathan Hochman. Newsom said a decision on whether to resentence the Menendez brothers won't happen until Hochman reviews the nearly 35-year-old case.

RELATED STORY | Family of convicted murderers Erik and Lyle Menendez call for their release

Lyle and Erik, who were 21 and 18 years old at the time of the killings have spent nearly 35 years behind bars for the murders. If resentenced, it's possible that the brothers, who are now in their 50s, could be released due to time served.

Both brothers remain incarcerated at California's RJ Donovan Correctional Facility, according to the California Department of Corrections.

In the decades since their arrest, their case has continued to transfix the true-crime world most recently with a Netflix series titled "Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story."

President-elect Donald Trump announced on Tuesday that he is nominating Dr. Mehmet Oz to serve as the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Administrator.

"He is an eminent Physician, Heart Surgeon, Inventor, and World-Class Communicator, who has been at the forefront of healthy living for decades," Trump said in a statement.

Oz rose to fame on "The Oprah Winfrey Show" and then launched his own talk show, The Dr. Oz Show.

RELATED STORY | Trump will nominate Howard Lutnick to oversee 'tariff and trade' policy

He broke into politics in 2022, running for the U.S. Senate seat in Pennsylvania. Oz lost in a close race to John Fetterman.

As the administrator of Medicare and Medicaid Services, Oz would serve under the secretary for Health and Human Services. Trump nominated Robert F. Kennedy to lead that department.

"Dr. Oz will work closely with Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to take on the illness industrial complex, and all the horrible chronic diseases left in its wake," Trump said. "Our broken Healthcare System harms everyday Americans, and crushes our Countrys budget."

RELATED STORY | Trump picks RFK Jr. to lead Health and Human Services

While Oz is an accomplished surgeon, he's also faced criticism for promoting health products and weight-loss ideas on his TV show that Congress believed were bogus.

A study published in the British Medical Journal examined 479 of Oz's medical recommendations from 40 episodes and showed 15% of those contradicted scientific evidence.

President-elect Donald Trump will nominate Howard Lutnick as secretary of Commerce, the incoming president announced on Tuesday.

At Trumps Madison Square Garden campaign rally last month, Lutnick said the U.S. was "most prosperous during the early 1900s, when there was no income tax and all we had was tariffs. Lutnick also came under fire recently for defending Robert F. Kennedy's view that vaccines are contributing to higher rates of autism in children.

Lutnick has served as Trump transition team's co-chair. Trump said in a statement that Lutnick would lead his administration's tariff and trade agenda.

Trump said he plans to boost U.S. manufacturing by imposing steep tariffs on all imported goods, at least 10% across the board, and up to 60% on products from China. The Peterson Institute for International Economics found that Trump's proposed tariffs could cost the typical American household more than $2,600 a year.

RELATED STORY | Trump, White House prepare for transition between administrations

Trump boasted about Lutnick's background on Wall Street, as he joined Cantor Fitzgerald in 1983. He was noted by the Trump transition for his philanthropy following the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks. Nearly two-thirds of Cantor Fitzgerald's employees died in the attacks, including his brother.

Lutnick was among the survivors and subsequently donated $180 million to 9/11 relief efforts.

He was also a major contributor to Trump's presidential campaign, providing nearly $5.75 million in contributions in 2024 for Make America Great Again Inc., according to Open Secrets.

The post is subject to Senate confirmation.

On Tuesday, Manhattans elected prosecutor indicated hes open to holding off the sentencing on corporate fraud charges on which President-elect Donald Trump was convicted earlier this year.

Bragg had previously pushed for a speedy resolution to the case, which Trump has been appealing claiming it is covered by immunity based on his first term as president.

In the latest development, he wrote to Judge Juan Merchan that he would not oppose a stay of proceedings that Trumps lawyers are expected to seek when they file papers to argue that his status as president-elect now requires the convictions to be dismissed.

Such a stay could remain in force until the appeals were fully resolved, a process that even in normal circumstances can take months or years.

Saying that immediate sentencing would not avoid the new immunity question Trumps lawyers plan to raise, Bragg instead asked Merchan to require all filings in the appeal to be complete by early December.

Defense attorney David Schoen, who represented Trump at his second impeachment trial, said Braggs move was a good first step but argued that anything but an outright dismissal of the case is incompatible with the Constitution.

At the end of the day, the office of the presidency is unique, whoever is holding it. And there's certain considerations that require not having a criminal case pending or even being held over the head of the President, Schoen said.

RELATED STORY | What happens to Donald Trumps criminal conviction? Here are a few ways it could go

Guilty but not sentenced

Trump was convicted in May on 34 felony counts for what prosecutors said was the falsification of business records to obscure payments to adult film star Stormy Daniels, in the run-up to the 2016 election. Prosecutors say the payments were made to cover up a romantic relationship the two had.

The potential sentences range from a fine, probation or up to four years of incarceration, but time behind bars is very unlikely.

Trump was already appealing the case, and a New York appeals court is currently considering whether his case should be moved to a federal court.

RELATED STORY | Additional cases involving President-elect Trump put on hold

Legal slowdown

Since Trumps election victory, the other state and federal criminal cases in which he is a defendant have all faced delays.

U.S. Department of Justice special counsel Jack Smith asked and was granted holds on proceedings until Dec. 2. Thats when Smith intends to make recommendations on how to dispose of the active prosecution in Washington, D.C. related to the events of Jan. 6, 2021, and an appeal in which Smith is seeking to reinstate a dismissed Florida case over Trumps alleged mishandling of classified documents after leaving office.

Meanwhile, a Georgia appeals court canceled a scheduled December hearing in the prosecution of Trump and several co-defendants in relation to his efforts to overturn the outcome of the 2020 election.

Judges were to hear arguments on whether or not Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis would be removed and the case be handed to another prosecutor for review. Further proceedings in that case are on hold.

Sentencing in the New York case is still scheduled for next week, and it's not clear when Merchan will issue a decision on how the case proceeds.

President-elect Donald Trump will attend a SpaceX Starship rocket launch on Tuesday, a source familiar with the decision confirmed to Scripps News.

The Federal Aviation Administration has issued temporary flight restrictions over Brownsville and Boca Chica, Texas area for a VIP visit that coincides with the SpaceX launch window for a test of its massive Starship rocket from its launch facility on the Gulf of Mexico. The flight restrictions put in place over Trumps home in Palm Beach, Florida when he is there will be lifted briefly while the Texas security measures are in place.

Trump's visit comes as billionaire Musk has been a near-constant presence at Trumps side as he builds out his administration, attending meetings at Trump's Mar-a-Lago club, accompanying him to meetings with Capitol Hill Republicans in Washington last week and to a UFC fight in New York on Saturday.

Trump frequently regaled audiences on the campaign trail with a dramatic account of the last Starship test, that included the capture of the booster at its launchpad by a pair of mechanical arms.

Tuesday's 30-minute launch window opens at 4 p.m. central time, according to the company, with the company again looking to test the landing capture system of the booster in Texas, while the upper stage continues to a splashdown in the Indian Ocean.

Musk pumped an estimated $200 million through his political action committee to help elect Trump and has been named, along with former GOP presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy, to lead an advisory committee tasked by Trump to dramatically cut governmental costs and reshape how Washington operates, which has sparked ethics concerns over Musk's many interests before the federal government.

The White House on Monday condemned a Nazi march that took place in Columbus, Ohio over the weekend.

Police say armed individuals wearing black carried flags with swastikas on them through streets in the city on Saturday. Video footage shows that at least one of them yelled racial slurs.

A White House spokesperson says President Joe Biden "Abhors the hateful poison of Nazism, antisemitism and racism."

The incident also drew criticism from local officials. Columbus' Democratic Mayor Andrew Ginther called it a "cowardly" act, saying the city "Will not allow any of our neighbors to be intimidated, threatened or harmed because of who they are, how they worship or whom they love."

"There is no place in this state for hate, bigotry, antisemitism or violence, and we must denounce it wherever we see it," said the state's Republican Gov. Mike DeWine.

RELATED STORY | Trump under fire for his reported praise of Adolf Hitler

The incident comes roughly a week after other individuals waved Nazi flags outside of a venue in Michigan where a community theater put on a rendition of "The Diary of Anne Frank."

The play is a stage adaptation of Frank's autobiographical journal, which was first published in 1947.

Law enforcement says those waving Nazi flags were removed from the property and continued their protest across the street.