Biden delivered his farewell Oval Office address, warning about the concentration of power among tech oligarchs, while Netanyahu delayed the Gaza ceasefire vote originally scheduled for Thursday. The morning saw continued coverage of the Los Angeles fires, with Edison's CEO defending the decision not to de-energize transmission lines in Altadena.
By afternoon, Netanyahu claimed Hamas created a "last-minute crisis," pushing the cabinet vote to Saturday. Trump's cabinet confirmation hearings continued, with Treasury nominee Bessent promising an "economic golden age" while opposing minimum wage increases. The FBI closed its diversity office days before Trump's return.
Evening headlines focused on Michelle Obama and Nancy Pelosi's decision to skip Trump's inauguration, while Trump named Stallone, Gibson, and Voight as "ambassadors to Hollywood." Filmmaker David Lynch's death and Bob Uecker's passing marked the cultural transitions of the day.