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Trump delivers Mar-a-Lago speech with Elon Musk and new HHS RFK Jr in attendance: Live updates

Elon Musk, Vivek Ramaswamy and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. were in attendance for Donald Trump’s first public speech since winning the White House

Gustaf Kilander,Joe Sommerlad,Rhian Lubin
Friday 15 November 2024 01:32 EST
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Related video: Jake Tapper shares five words he ‘never contemplated using’ to describe Trump’s cabinet pick

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President-elect Donald Trump spoke publicly for the first time since winning the White House at the America First Policy Institute gala at Mar-A-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida on Thursday night.

Those in attendance included billionaire Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy, who were recently named co-chairs of Trump’s new Department of Government Efficiency. While speaking, Trump announced that North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum will be his nominee to lead the Department of the Interior.

Matt Gaetz, Trump’s pick for attorney general, was also in attendance. Gaetz resigned from his seat representing Florida in the House in light of the news on Wednesday. This will effectively end the House Ethics probe into allegations of sexual misconduct and drug use made against him.

“I don’t think it’s a serious nomination for the attorney general,” Alaska Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski said.

Members of both parties have called for the House Ethics report to be released.

Trump also nominated former independent presidential candidate and anti-vaccine conspiracy theorist Robert F Kennedy Jr to lead the Department of Health and Human Services.

“For too long, Americans have been crushed by the industrial food complex and drug companies who have engaged in deception, misinformation, and disinformation when it comes to Public Health,” Trump said in statement.

Who is Matt Gaetz? From sex-trafficking allegations to public spats, the AG nominee is no stranger to controversy

Donald Trump has announced he’s going to nominate former Florida Republican congressman Matt Gaetz to serve as attorney general.

In a statement, the president-elect praised Gaetz, 42, who has frequently defended Trump and criticized the various criminal and congressional probes against the Republican.

“On the House Judiciary Committee, which performs oversight of DOJ, Matt played a key role in defeating the Russia, Russia, Russia Hoax, and exposing alarming and systemic Government Corruption and Weaponization,” Trump wrote on Wednesday, calling Gaetz a “Champion for the Constitution and the Rule of Law.”

Who is Matt Gaetz? The attorney general nominee who is no stranger to controversy

Trump loyalist’s appointment as attorney general could trigger huge shift in how Department of Justice investigates January 6 riot

Josh Marcus15 November 2024 06:00

Violent, filthy, unsafe: Georgia jail where Trump was booked is condemned in scathing new report

Jail officials in Georgia‘s most populous county violate the constitutional rights of people in their custody by failing to protect them from violence, using excessive force and holding them in filthy and unsafe conditions, U.S. Justice Department officials said Thursday while threatening to get the courts involved if corrective action isn’t taken quickly.

The Fulton County Sheriff’s Office doesn’t adequately protect jail inmates from violence by other detainees, including stabbings, sexual abuse and killings, federal officials contend in a lengthy report that details alleged abuses. Vulnerable populations, including people who are gay, transgender, young or have with serious mental illness, are particularly at risk from the violence, which causes physical injury and long-lasting trauma, the report says.

“Our investigation finds longstanding, unconstitutional, unlawful and dangerous conditions that jeopardize the lives and well-being of the people held there,” Kristen Clarke, assistant attorney general for civil rights, said at a news conference.

Georgia jail where Trump was booked is condemned in scathing new report

U.S. Justice Department says jail officials in Georgia’s most populous county violate the constitutional rights of people in their custody

Kate Brumback15 November 2024 05:00

Trump’s made-up DOGE agency is recruiting ‘super high-IQ’ people to work 80-hour weeks cutting spending

The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), the non-governmental advisory body Donald Trump has tasked Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy with using to identify trillions in federal spending cuts, is now officially recruiting.

“We are very grateful to the thousands of Americans who have expressed interest in helping us at DOGE,” the group wrote on X on Thursday. “We don’t need more part-time idea generators. We need super high-IQ small-government revolutionaries willing to work 80+ hours per week on unglamorous cost-cutting. If that’s you, DM this account with your CV. Elon & Vivek will review the top 1% of applicants.”

Musk’s DOGE agency is recruiting ‘super high-IQ’ people to work 80-hour weeks

Billionaire Musk has also promised working at DOGE will be ‘tedious’ and employees will ‘make lots of enemies’

Josh Marcus15 November 2024 04:30

Steve Bannon calls The Onion ‘deep state gestapo’ as he and Alex Jones watch Infowars be taken offline

Alex Jones watched in real-time as his Infowars website and streaming video platform was taken offline hours after satirical news publication The Onion won the bidding for the bankrupt conspiracy theorist’s operations.

Jones, broadcasting from his studio in Texas on November 14, was joined by formerly incarcerated Donald Trump adviser Steve Bannon as Infowars.com was shut down.

“Force them to cut the power ... Let’s get the camera on them,” Bannon said. “Put the freaking camera on them. … Let’s see the polish on those jackboots. … They’re nothing but Gestapo. It’s the administrative state and the deep state Gestapo.”

Steve Bannon calls The Onion ‘deep state gestapo’ on final Infowars with Alex Jones

The conspiracy theorist’s long-running operation was taken offline after satirical website bought it at auction

Alex Woodward15 November 2024 04:00

Ex-Trump spokesman warns US to ‘buckle up baby’ because president-elect ‘has more coming your way’

Donald Trump’s first White Housepress secretary has warned America to “buckle up” because the president-elect will take “Washington by storm.”

Sean Spicer, who resigned in 2017 after he disagreed with the appointment of Anthony Scaramucci to the role of White House communications director, reflected on Trump’s pick of Fox News host Pete Hegseth as defense secretary.

“I said this morning, if you are shocked or surprised by the appointment of Pete Hegseth last night as Secretary of Defense, buckle up baby, because it’s going, we got a lot more coming your way,” Spicer told NewsNation’s The Hill on Wednesday.

Ex-Trump spokesman warns America to ‘buckle up baby’

Sean Spicer was reflecting on Trump’s nomination of Pete Hegseth as defense secretary

Rhian Lubin15 November 2024 03:15

What is DOGE? Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency led by Musk and Ramaswamy

Donald Trump has announced that Elon Musk will head up the newly-created Department of Government Efficiency in his second administration alongside venture capitalist Vivek Ramaswamy.

Under Musk, the new office – which will operate “outside of government” – will advise on gutting federal departments and which staff should be fired if it deems they are a “massive waste.”

Trump vowed that Musk and Ramaswamy “will pave the way for my Administration to dismantle Government Bureaucracy, slash excess regulations, cut wasteful expenditures, and restructure Federal Agencies.”

What is DOGE? Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency led by Musk and Ramaswamy

Elon Musk’s DOGE will advise on gutting federal departments and which staff should be fired if it deems they are a ‘massive waste’

Rhian Lubin15 November 2024 02:30

Sylvester Stallone calls Trump ‘the second George Washington’ in Mar-a-Lago warm-up speech

Sylvester Stallone has described Donald Trump as the “second George Washington” in a warm up speech for the President-elect at Mar-a-Lago.

The Hollywood heavyweight attended a black tie gala on Thursday to celebrate Trump’s election victory that was attended by many of his cabinet picks, including RFK Jr and Matt Gaetz.

“We’re in the presence of a really mythical character,” Stallone said, before adding that “nobody could have pulled off what Trump did”.

Continue reading:

Sylvester Stallone calls Trump ‘the second George Washington’ in Mar-a-Lago speech

Rocky star Stallone was full of praise for the President-elect at Mar-a-Lago event to celebrate Trump’s win

Sam Rkaina15 November 2024 02:15

Trump reflects on election in first post-victory public appearance

Donald Trump reflected on the presidential election on Thursday night during his first public appearance since securing the White House last week.

“Nobody knew we were going to win it the way we won it,” Trump told attendees at the America First Policy Institute gala at Mar-A-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida.

“Also, Speaker Mike Johnson, wherever you may be, Mike, in this very big and crowded room, thank you, Mike,” Trump added. “I went yesterday, just in case, I said, ‘Look, I want to tell you, I'm behind this man 100%’ and he got 100% of the vote from Republicans.”

Johnson won the GOP nomination to remain speaker on Wednesday after Republicans officially secured their majority in the House.

Speaker Mike Johnson shakes Donald Trump’s hand on Wednesday at a meeting of House Republicans
Speaker Mike Johnson shakes Donald Trump’s hand on Wednesday at a meeting of House Republicans (Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)
Katie Hawkinson15 November 2024 02:01

Trump jokes about Elon Musk: ‘I can’t get him out of here'

Donald Trump made a light jab at billionaire Elon Musk during a speech at Mar-a-Lago on Thursday night.

Musk, who Trump recently appointed to co-chair the new Department of Government Efficiency, has reportedly been a constant presence at his Mar-a-Lago estate over the last week.

“Elon, what a job, what a job he does,” Trump said. “He's great, he happens to be a really good guy. You know, he likes this place. I can't get him out of here. He just likes this place.”

Elon Musk attends the America First Policy Institute Gala held at Mar-a-Lago
Elon Musk attends the America First Policy Institute Gala held at Mar-a-Lago (Getty Images)
Katie Hawkinson15 November 2024 01:55

Trump announces North Dakota governor will head Department of Interior

President-elect Donald Trump says he will nominate North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum to lead the Department of the Interior.

The announcement came during Trump’s first post-victory speech at the America First Policy Institute gala at Mar-A-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida.

Katie Hawkinson15 November 2024 01:49

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