The Trump transition team has hit some stumbling blocks, including the departure of “Mike Rogers, a former FBI agent who is a widely respected voice on national security.”

+ Paul Ryan locks in his Speaker role.

+ The Guardian: Obama will not restrict the drone strike playbook before Trump takes office.

+ The Trump team is seeking top-secret security clearances for his children.

+ Ben Carson has officially stated he won’t be part of the administration. His business manager and friend explains why: “Dr. Carson feels he has no government experience, he’s never run a federal agency. The last thing he would want to do was take a position that could cripple the presidency.”