Donald Trump's refusal to sign off on the Covid relief package is "unbelievably cruel", Vermont senator Bernie Sanders has said.

“Many millions of people are losing their extended unemployment benefits," Mr Sanders told ABC earlier today.

He added: "They're going to be evicted from their apartments because the eviction moratorium is ending".

The independent lawmaker also echoed comments by Republicans who urged the president to pass the bill and then make his case for increased payments.

Donald Trump's staunch ally Devin Nunes has had his defamation lawsuit against The Washington Post thrown out by a judge.

Mr Nunes, a representative for California, sued the newspaper in March after they published a story about a conversation he had with Mr Trump. He claimed that the paper had misinterpreted his conversation.

HuffPost White House correspondent S.V. Dáte is reporting that the president has returned to his Florida golf course - hours after millions of American's Covid unemployment payments expired.

According to Mr Dáte, the outgoing president has now spent 292 days on a golf course he owns in his 1,438 days in office. And it is the 85th at West Palm, he added.

President Donald Trump will be remembered for "chaos and misery" if he does not sign off on the Covid relief package, Republican senator Pat Toomey has said.

“You don’t get everything you want, even if you’re president of the United States,” Mr Toomey told Fox News on Sunday.

“I understand the president would like to send bigger checks to everybody …I think what he ought to do is sign this bill and then make the case".

He added: “[h]e’ll be remembered for chaos and misery and erratic behavior if he allows this to expire.”

Maryland governor Larry Hogan is urging Donald Trump to sign off on the Covid relief package.

Mr Hogan said the president should pass the bill and then push for increased direct payments to Americans.

Speaking to CNN earlier today, Mr Hogan said: "We'd like to see more help get out to the struggling small businesses, the people who are unemployed and need this money desperately.

"But this took a long time, eight months of divisiveness in Congress. We need to get it done...Sign the bill, get it done, and then if the president wants to push for more, let's get that done too."

The president has said he will not green-light the package until lawmakers increase direct payments from $600 to $2,000.

Congressional Republicans backing Donald Trump's false voter fraud claims are in "political candyland", a former Bush administration official has said.

Elise Jordan, who worked as a speechwriter for former secretary of state, Condoleezza Rice, said the GOP lawmakers supporting the president's bid to overturn the election result are disrespecting the country.

Speaking to MSNBC earlier this week, she added: "Maybe some of us in this world are lucky enough to have friends that will sit around and coddle and comfort us when we are being completely delusional and unhinged and downright playing in fantasy fairyland.

"Those are the kind of friends willing to play that game with Donald Trump right now."

Despite the president losing the 3 November poll, a small but determined group of his allies in the House of Representatives are planning to challenge Joe Biden's election victory on 6 January when Congress meets to confirm it.

And Jordan believes those pressing ahead with the plans are undermining faith in America's political system.

She added: "If they want to go play their version of political Candyland, they can do that and they can continue to coddle and help encourage Donald Trump's delusion, but it really is, frankly, so unhealthy for American democracy right now. 

Joe Biden has appointed Steve Ricchetti as “couselor to the president” - Mr Ricchetti was Mr Biden’s campaign chairman, and, in the White House, was the vice president’s chief of staff.

Mr Ricchetti’s brother Jeff was reported on Sunday to have secured a contract to lobby for Amazon.

On 13 November, just a week after the election was called for Mr Biden, Jeff Ricchetti signed the deal to lobby for Amazon Web Services, the cloud platform of Amazon and a subsidiary of the tech giant.

Two days later, on 15 November, Jeff Ricchetti registered as a lobbyist for Evofem Biosciences, pushing for contraceptive coverage in federal health-care plans.

His lobbying has raised conflict-of-interest concerns, CNBC reported.

Steve Ricchetti may have to recuse himself from any issue that touches on his brother’s lobbying.

"It is the day after Christmas, and millions of families don't know if they'll be able to make ends meet because of President Donald Trump's refusal to sign an economic relief bill approved by Congress with an overwhelming and bipartisan majority." — President-elect, Joe Biden

"After spending some time with President @realDonaldTrump today, I am convinced he is more determined than ever to increase stimulus payments to $2000 per person and challenge Section 230 big tech liability protection." — South Carolina senator, Lindsey Graham

"The reason it blindsided everybody is because they thought the President was involved when it was obvious he was sleeping on the job when it came to these negotiations. That's what happens when you get too wrapped up in an election you already lost." — Denver Riggleman, Republican representative for Virginia's 5th congressional district.

Despite the impending deadline on the Covid relief bill, a potential looming government shutdown, and the ongoing surge in coronavirus cases, Donald Trump still found time to lash out at fashion and lifestyle magazines.

Their crime? Not featuring first lady Melania Trump on their covers during the administration’s four years in office. Oliver O'Connell has the story:

Republican congressman Adam Kinzinger has said Donald Trump and his allies’ attempts to overturn November’s presidential election results are an “utter scam” meant to “raise money and gain followers.”

Mr Kinzinger, representative for Illinois's 16th congressional district, is one of those GOP lawmakers in the House refusing to humour the president and his false claim that he won the election.

He branded the president's attempts to overturn the election result a "scam" designed to “raise money and gain followers.” James Crump has the full report below: