Trump cabinet live updates: Trump nominates Dr Oz and Linda McMahon as he joins Elon Musk for SpaceX launch
TV doctor joins Cantor Fitzgerald CEO Howard Lutnick as latest additions to new Trump administration, as Treasury role remains vacant
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Your support makes all the difference.Donald Trump joined Elon Musk in Texas to watch this afternoon’s SpaceX Starship test launch as his proposed administration continues to take shape.
On Tuesday, the president-elect named Cantor Fitzgerald CEO Howard Lutnick as commerce secretary. Lutnick was under consideration for treasury secretary, with reports that there is a “free for all” and a “mad dash to find someone pro-tariff” to take up the role.
Trump also tapped Dr Mehmet Oz as Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Administrator — working closely with Robert F Kennedy Jr. Trump also nominated former WWE CEO Linda McMahon as education secretary.
On Capitol Hill, the controversial choice of Matt Gaetz as potential attorney general continues to cause a stir, with reports that a hacker has accessed a file of damaging testimony about the former congressman from an ethics investigation.
In other developments, Trump confirmed his intention to deploy the military to carry out his mass deportation plan in a Truth Social post, and on Fox News, his incoming border czar Tom Homan threatened prosecution for anyone who hides migrants.
Finally, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg has told Judge Juan Merchan he will not oppose postponing Trump’s sentencing in his hush-money case but rejects attempts by the defense to throw out the conviction.
Trump joked about a third term in 2028. So can he run again?
Helping out the First Buddy: Musk’s Tesla stock soars after reports Trump will ease rules on driverless cars
Doctors worry about RFK Jr’s anti-Ozempic stance (and many of his other views)
Trump’s Cabinet and staff tracker: Here’s who is among the White House appointments so far
Watch: When Trump ax falls, Rand Paul says some departments would be gone and you would not know it
FEMA administrator supports investigation of alleged Trump bias in relief efforts
The head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency told lawmakers Tuesday she has encouraged the agency’s inspector general to review whether an employee was acting alone when directing workers helping hurricane victims not to go to homes with yards signs supporting President-elect Donald Trump
FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell said a critical function of the agency is to go door-to-door and meet with survivors to make them aware of federal resources available. The employee, she said, wrote to about 11 staffers under her supervision that they should “avoid homes advertising Trump.”
Criswell said her senior leadership team provided her with evidence and recommended that the employee be terminated. She concurred.
Continue reading...
FEMA administrator says she supports investigation of alleged Trump bias in relief efforts
The head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency tells lawmakers she has encouraged the agency’s inspector general to review whether an employee was acting alone when directing workers helping hurricane victims to avoid homes with yards signs supporting President-elect Donald Trump
How could Trump circumvent Congress and slash spending?
President-elect Donald Trump is determined to cut federal spending significantly using whatever method he can and that may include impoundment – a little-known power once given to the president to reject Congressional-appropriated funds.
Falling largely in line with his recent threat to use recess appointments to evade Senate approval for cabinet positions, Trump has a backup plan to circumvent federal spending should Congress continue to allocate money to projects, agencies or departments he does not support.
Ariana Baio has the details.
What is impoundment? How Trump wants to circumvent Congress on spending
Trump has promised to drastically slash federal spending by using Elon Musk as an adviser to a new committee and possibly by impoundment
And if you were wondering what that JD Vance tweet was all about, it was just the vice president-elect calling Grace Chong, the CFO of Steve Bannon’s War Room, a “mouth breathing imbecile” over her criticism of Republican senators who missed judicial votes allowing Biden nominations to pass.
Trump demands Republican senators block all Biden judicial confirmations... but not everyone’s in town for votes
Donald Trump is demanding that Republican senators block all of President Joe Biden’s judicial confirmations ahead of his own inauguration on January 20, 2025.
In the November 2020 to January 2021 period after Trump lost that presidential election, 14 of his judges were confirmed by the Senate.
Not all Republican senators are in town today as Andrew Desiderio of Punchbowl News notes.
This apparently boiled over during a closed-door Senate GOP lunch today...
Trump makes Lutnick Commerce appointment official
Donald Trump has officially confirmed Howard Lutnick as his choice for Secretary of Commerce in his administration. The CEO of Cantor Fitzgerald is the co-chair of the Trump transition team and was reportedly also under consideration for treasury secretary.
Here’s what the president-elect wrote on Truth Social today:
I am thrilled to announce that Howard Lutnick, Chairman & CEO of Cantor Fitzgerald, will join my Administration as the United States Secretary of Commerce. He will lead our Tariff and Trade agenda, with additional direct responsibility for the Office of the United States Trade Representative.
In his role as Co-Chair of the Trump-Vance Transition Team, Howard has created the most sophisticated process and system to assist us in creating the greatest Administration America has ever seen.
Report: Trump admits the odds don’t favor Matt Gaetz’s AG confirmation
President-elect Donald Trump has reportedly privately acknowledged that his controversial choice for attorney general, Matt Gaetz, may not pass Senate confirmation given the outgoing congressman’s reputation.
In private conversations with confidants, Trump has admitted that his choice will take some convincing of senators and he has begun making phone calls to pressure them, the New York Times reported.
Ariana Baio has the story.
Trump admits the odds don’t favor Matt Gaetz’s confirmation for attorney general
President-elect has reportedly begun making phone calls to senators, hoping to convince them to approve Gaetz as attorney general
Christian Pulisic defends ‘Trump dance’ celebration after scoring for USMNT
Soccer star Christian Pulisic has been forced to respond to criticism after he celebrated scoring a goal for the US Men’s National Team (USMNT) by doing the so-called “Trump dance.”
The USMNT captain, who also plays midfield for AC Milan, scored in the 14th minute of his side’s Concacaf Nations League quarter-final second leg clash against Jamaica at the CITYPARK arena in St Louis, Missouri, on Monday.
It was the first goal of the game, with Pulisic’s side going on to clinch a 4-2 win.
Joe Sommerlad has the story.
Christian Pulisic forced to defend ‘Trump dance’ celebration after scoring for USMNT
Pulisic denied that there was any political intent behind the gesture
Trump team reacts to hush money conviction sentencing postponement
This is a total and definitive victory for President Trump and the American People who elected him in a landslide. The Manhattan DA has conceded that this Witch Hunt cannot continue. The lawless case is now stayed, and President Trump’s legal team is moving to get it dismissed once and for all.
Nancy Mace’s controversial trans bathroom ban in Congress get support from MTG
Representative Nancy Mace of South Carolina introduced legislation that would ban transgender women from using women’s restrooms on Capitol Hill just as the first transgender woman is about to be sworn into Congress.
Mace, a Republican serving in her second term, introduced the legislation on Monday evening. The bill would prohibit members of Congress, officers and employees of the House of Representatives from “using single-sex facilities other than those corresponding to their biological sex.”
Eric Garcia reports.
Republican writes bill to ban transgender women from using proper bathrooms
‘This is a blatant attempt from far right-wing extremists to distract from the fact that they have no real solutions,’ Sarah McBride says in response
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