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Biden Administration: President Biden is scheduled to depart the White House at 12:50 p.m. ET for the Marriott Marquis in Washington, D.C., where he will deliver remarks at the United Auto Workers union's political conference at 1:30 p.m.

Israel-Hamas War: Hamas officials told international mediators that they are open to discussing a deal to release some of the kidnapped Israelis they are holding hostage in exchange for a significant pause in fighting, Egyptian officials said.

The former president won the New Hampshire primary Tuesday by double digits over Haley, a former South Carolina governor and United Nations ambassador, report Eliza Collins, John McCormick and Alex Leary. Trump and his allies said his victory—called just minutes after the polls closed—proves he is the leader of the GOP and it is time for the party to unite around his candidacy. Biden’s campaign, meanwhile, is shuffling staff for a 2020 rematch, saying Tuesday night it was clear Trump would be the nominee. The two men appear headed for an epic general-election contest that could stretch as long as nine months and test the patience of voters who, polls show, dislike both the current and former president.The last obstacle is Haley, who said she will fight for South Carolina’s Feb. 24 primary even though polls there show her trailing Trump in her home state by an average of more than 30 points. Trump led Haley in New Hampshire, 55% to 43%, with 91% of the estimated vote counting.

• Analysis: For Trump, Warning Signs Emerge Despite Victory  (Read)

• How Different Groups Voted (Read)

• ▶️Video: Trump Dashes Haley’s Hopes (Watch)

The president blasted Trump over the Supreme Court's 2022 decision that eliminated the right to the procedure and called on women to deliver him another term to protect access, reports Catherine Lucey. While Biden has at times been a reluctant messenger on abortion, he has embraced the argument that abortion access is a freedom that has been stripped away by Republicans. And he has focused his criticism on Trump, who as president appointed three justices to the court that overturned the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision.

• ▶️Video: Biden Interrupted by Several Pro-Palestinian Protesters During Rally (Watch)

In other politics news...

• 🎧Take On the Week podcast: How The White House is Prioritizing Economic Policies for 2024 (Listen)

▶️Video: The 155mm shell is one of the key artillery rounds used in Ukraine. But Kyiv says its supplies have gone down since Israel’s war on Hamas broke out. Here’s why the shell is so popular and how global arms suppliers try to cope with the demand. 

The four biggest U.S. banks reported higher credit card spending in 2023 compared with the previous year, reports Angel Au-Yeung. In fact, since 2020, credit card spending has steadily increased at three of the four. In theory, this is good for the banks that charge interest on consumers who carry a balance. But rising card balances could be a sign of worsening financial pain for consumers and the economy.

In other economic news...

• Retailers Return to Bringing in Inventory ‘Just in Time’ (Read)

• China to Cut Banks’ Reserve Ratio to Shore Up Growth (Read)

The vote on Tuesday night likely ends a nearly two-year-long diplomatic standoff between Turkey and Western powers that began when Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan threatened to block both Sweden and Finland’s entry into the organization, reports Jared Malsin. Finland joined last year after Turkey dropped its opposition. Now Sweden needs only Hungary’s approval to join. Sweden’s membership would complete a significant enlargement of NATO that shifts the balance of power in Europe, adding thousands of soldiers along with naval power and warplanes.

In other world news...

• He Hunted Corrupt Chinese Officials. Now He’s Set to Be China's Foreign Minister. (Read)

• Iranian Military Technology and Advisers Aid Houthi Attacks in Red Sea, Officials Say (Read)

• U.S. Carries Out Airstrikes Against Iranian-Backed Group and Its Facilities in Iraq (Read)

• A deepfake robocall impersonating President Biden that hit the New Hampshire primary is only the beginning of generative artificial intelligence's potential to spread disinformation. (Wired)
• Donald Trump, after years of touting a southern border wall, has been adding a new refrain to his speeches, promising to build something like Israel’s Iron Dome, but better and over the entire U.S. (NBC News)
• The CIA released a third video aimed at recruiting Russian officials disaffected with their political leadership and other domestic elites, a virtual effort U.S. intelligence officials say has been effective in helping make contact with potential sources inside Russia. (CBS News)

Yesterday, we asked who would stand the best chance of defeating Donald Trump if the Democratic Party sought an alternative candidate to President Biden.

How about Pennsylvania Sen. John Fetterman? A no-nonsense, charismatic politician, who might appeal to the swing-state independent voter and blue-collar American, and already has a national profile. He has recently demonstrated that he is a genuine thinking person who isn't in sway to the extremists in his party but still adheres to traditional Democratic party values.
–Janet Stotsky, Massachusetts

Sen. Joe Manchin. Period. He would attract moderate suburban and rural Democrats, a sizable portion of the "Never Trump" moderates of the GOP and independents. The hard left activist wing of the left may stay home but the thought of a second Trump presidency may drive them to the polls too.
–Jeff Duncan, Wisconsin

The alternate candidate would have to be strong on the economy and significantly younger than the two current choices. California Gov. Gavin Newsom comes to mind, with his charisma and family connections, along with his bragging rights heading the world’s fifth-largest economy. However, he may not be able to win over independents and Never Trump Republicans who still feel burnt out on “establishment” candidates.
–Alyson Perkins, Arizona

Responses have been condensed and edited.

Could Nikki Haley's continued presence in the GOP presidential primary hurt the Trump campaign's pivot to the national contest?

Let us know at politics@wsj.com or reply to this newsletter. Include your full name and location, and we may publish your response in an upcoming issue.

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