Republican Mike Johnson has barely won reelection to the House speakership on dramatic first-round voting. He pushed past GOP holdout and got a boost from President-elect Donald Trump. Upon taking the gavel, Johnson vowed to slash the size and scope of the federal government. It all brought an ominous start to the new Congress. Johnson's weak grip on the gavel threatens not only his own survival as speaker but Trump's ambitious agenda. Tax cuts and mass deportations are all at stake as Republicans sweep to power in Washington. A flop by Johnson could have thrown Monday's congressional certification of Trump's 2024 election victory into turmoil without a House speaker.

Election victories for Donald Trump and other candidates whose campaigns demeaned transgender people reinforced a widespread backlash against trans rights. For America's LGBTQ-rights movement, it adds up to one of the most sustained setbacks in its history. For transgender Americans, it's personal. There is palpable fear of potential Trump administration steps to further marginalize them. But there is also a spirit of resilience. Anti-trans momentum has been growing for several years, with Republican-governed states enacting dozens of laws restricting trans people's options for medical care, sports participation and public restroom access. Activists fear the movement will grow, with the Trump administration taking power as many Americans question the trans-rights agenda.