News Wrap: White House defends Trump's $45,000 gifts to Natalie Harp and other aides

Geoff Bennett:

In the day's other headlines: The White House is defending holiday gifts from President Trump to a number of his aides, including his executive assistant, Natalie Harp.

According to new financial disclosures, the president gave Harp $45,000, or about one-third of her annual salary. He gave the same amount to communications adviser Margo Martin and White House aide Chamberlain Harris, as well as $20,000 to Director of Oval Office Operations Walt Nauta.

The payments raise legal and ethical concerns. Federal employees generally can't receive outside compensation for their work, and experts warn the payments could leave aides financially beholden to the president.

In a statement provided to the "News Hour," the White House says Mr. Trump has a -- quote -- "longstanding practice of giving such gifts," adding that they are -- quote -- "entirely permissible under relevant legal and ethical standards."

The U.S. and Iran are trading more attacks in a fight to exert control over the Strait of Hormuz, an escalation that sent oil prices back over $100 a barrel. Iran says it launched missiles at targets overnight, claiming to strike several tankers and two American ships, which U.S. Central Command denies.

Tehran also fired missiles at a U.S. base in Jordan, which the Jordanians say were intercepted. Hours earlier, the U.S. military said it had destroyed five Iranian tankers in the water near Iran. In Iran today, some residents expressed concern about the impact of U.S. pressure on their daily lives.

Amin, Tehran, Iran, Resident (through interpreter):

The people are certainly in hardship. War is not good for the economy at all in the short term. But I hope that, in the long term, it turns out in such a way where we can say it was truly worth it.

Geoff Bennett:

Separately today, the U.N.'s nuclear watchdog reported Iran to the Security Council for the first time in 20 years for failing to cooperate with an investigation into uranium found at undeclared sites. The move is largely seen as symbolic, though, since Iran's allies China and Russia can veto any sanctions against Tehran.

The trade war between the U.S. and Canada is escalating even further after the Trump administration announced a ban on certain Canadian imports that includes some Canadian dairy products, motorcycles, molasses, and most alcoholic beverages. The ban will take effect later this month.

It is the latest step in the unraveling of relations between the two historic allies. Earlier yesterday, Canada rolled out retaliatory tariffs on $20 billion worth of U.S. imports.

Across Hawaii, residents and work crews are cleaning up after Hurricane Lowell left widespread damage in its wake. Parking lots and buildings were flooded by several feet of storm surge. Winds topping 80 miles per hour damaged power lines and left tens of thousands still without electricity.

Hawaii's governor says one man on Oahu was killed by a fallen tree. On Kauai, some areas got more than 17 inches of rain, washing out huge stretches of beachside roads. Now a tropical storm, Lowell has pulled away from Hawaii, though the threat of floods and mudslides remains.

The Transportation Security Administration is bringing back gateside goodbyes and post-flight pickups for certain people without a ticket. Authorities are rolling out a program that allows TSA PreCheck members to pass security and enter gate areas at more than a dozen U.S. airports.

The program is free for members and other people with known traveler numbers, but they must apply online beforehand and get approval. The practice was eliminated following the September 11 attacks 25 years ago. The agency says it plans to expand the program to more airports in the coming months.

On Wall Street today, stocks ended lower after that latest rise in oil prices. The Dow Jones industrial average fell around 400 points. The Nasdaq lost more than half-a-percent. The S&P 500 also closed in negative territory.