Trump cabinet live updates: Trump picks former WWE boss Linda McMahon and TV doctor Dr Oz for key jobs
Howard Lutnick, Cantor Fitzgerald CEO and transition team co-chair, also among 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 names billionaire and longtime pal Howard Lutnick as commerce secretary
Trump demands the Senate stop doing its job confirming judges before he takes office
John Fetterman says he is willing to confirm Dr Oz: ‘Do you think he’s my first choice?’
Trump’s Cabinet and staff tracker: Here’s who is among the White House appointments so far
UK PM urged to recruit Nigel Farage to help woo Donald Trump and Elon Musk
Lord Peter Mandelson has urged Sir Keir Starmer to use Nigel Farage as a bridge between Donald Trump’s incoming administration and the UK.
The Labour peer, who is the favorite to be named as the next British ambassador to the UK, also warned that his party needs to end its feud with Trump ally and X (formerly Twitter) boss Elon Musk.
It comes after Mr Musk continued his social media assault on Sir Keir’s government this week by backing protesting farmers and likening Britain to a Stalinist state. He has previously attacked the Labour government over free speech and backed far-right rioters over the summer.
David Maddox reports from London.
Starmer told to deploy Nigel Farage in bid to woo Donald Trump and Elon Musk
The favourite to be Britain’s next ambassador to the US has called on the prime minister to take a more pragmatic approach to dealing with Donald Trump and Elon Musk
Full story: Manhattan prosecutors reject Trump’s attempts to derail hush money conviction
Manhattan prosecutors are urging the judge overseeing Donald Trump’s criminal hush money trial to reject his attempts to derail his conviction and sentencing.
But District Attorney Alvin Bragg and his team have asked the judge to continue to delay the proceedings so they can address Trump’s upcoming arguments to dismiss the case, according to a letter to New York Justice Juan Merchan on Tuesday.
Trump’s sentencing was initially scheduled for next week, on November 26.
Alex Woodward reports.
Manhattan prosecutors reject Trump’s attempts to derail hush money conviction
Alvin Bragg’s office wants to keep fighting Trump’s attempts to get his case dismissed and conviction thrown out
What happened with Trump’s hush money case today?
Here’s Anna Bower, senior editor of Lawfare, to explain why there was online confusion regarding Donald Trump’s hush money case this morning.
She posted on X:
Some reports suggested that Justice Merchan abruptly delayed Trump’s sentencing this morning. Those reports are not accurate and reflect a misinterpretation of an automatic reminder sent by the court’s electronic docket tracker. The Nov. 26 sentencing date still stands for now.
Shortly before 1 p.m. a letter from Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg to Judge Juan Merchan was published. It reads in part:
As a result of the election held on November 5, 2024, Defendant’s inauguration as President will occur on January 20, 2025. In light of that development, Defendant asked the District Attorney by letter dated November 8 to dismiss this prosecution and consent to a stay of these proceedings pending consideration of his dismissal request. Ex. 1. The People requested a brief adjournment to evaluate this request, which the Court granted on November 10. Ex. 2. In doing so, the Court ordered the People to provide, by 10:00 a.m. on November 19, 2024, our view of the appropriate steps going forward.
For the reasons more fully explained below, the People believe that the Court should set a motion schedule for Defendant’s forthcoming motion to dismiss, which the People intend to oppose. Assuming Defendant is permitted by the Court to file a motion to dismiss and does so promptly, the People ask that their response to Defendant’s motion be due on Monday, December 9. The People believe that further proceedings before this Court should be adjourned to permit litigation of Defendant’s forthcoming motion to dismiss and, therefore, the People would not oppose a defense motion for a stay of further proceedings before this Court while Defendant’s motion is adjudicated.
Stay tuned for more.
Hacker reportedly accessed file with damaging testimony about Matt Gaetz
A hacker reportedly gained access to a computer file that contained damaging testimony made about Donald Trump’s controversial attorney general candidateMatt Gaetz.
The file is said to include testimony from a woman who claimed that she had sex with Gaetz in 2017 when she was 17, as well as corroborating testimony by a second woman who said that she witnessed the incident, a source told The New York Times.
It comes amid ongoing concerns over the former Florida congressman’s nomination. Gaetz, 42, previously faced a Justice Department’s investigation into allegations he sex trafficked a minor, but this has since been closed.
A House Ethics Committee also investigated allegations of sexual misconduct with a minor brought against Gaetz, with pressure now mounting for its report to be released ahead of Senate confirmation hearings.
Mike Bedigan reports.
Hacker reportedly accessed file with damaging testimony about Matt Gaetz
It comes amid ongoing concerns over the former Florida congressman’s nomination for Attorney General by Donald Trump
‘Free for all’ to get Treasury nomination, report says
Fox News reporter Paul Steinhauser has been told that “it’s a free for all for Treasury secretary” and there’s a “mad dash to find someone pro-tariff.”
The same source adds that Cantor Fitzgerald CEO Howard Lutnick was offered an ambassadorship but rejected the offer.
He is now expected to become secretary of commerce.
Voices: I moved abroad after a US election. It didn’t go exactly as planned
Barbara Dessart writes:
The day after Donald Trump was declared the winner of the 2024 election, several MAGA faithful took to social media to encourage “friends” to relocate to another part of the world. They recommended moving companies, storage units, one-way tickets to Siberia – and saying goodbye with a GFY.
These were tongue-in-cheek responses, of course, but they were responding to serious suggestions. Many of those who had voted for Kamala Harris and were disappointed by the outcome had made comments that they would leave the States if Trump were elected. Rumblings of politically motivated departures were also made by celebrities such as Travis and Taylor, Barbra Streisand, Cher and America Ferrera.
I know how they feel.
Continue reading...
I moved abroad after a US election. It didn’t go exactly as planned
While many social media users and a handful of celebrities have suggested they’re looking into moving abroad rather than live under a second Trump presidency, I took the plunge following the election of George W Bush. I soon realized that I may have been a little naive
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