Trump’s transition latest updates: Matt Gaetz, a controversial MAGA ally, picked for Attorney General
Donald Trump has picked his controversial MAGA ally to oversee the nation’s Justice Department
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Your support makes all the difference.President-elect Donald Trump has selected Florida Congressman Matt Gaetz to be his attorney general.
He has also chosen former Democratic Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard and Florida Republican Senator Marco Rubio to join his administration. Gabbard is set to serve as the director of national intelligence while Rubio has been nominated to be secretary of state.
Meanwhile, the Republicans are projected to retain control of the House, completing their trifecta.
Trump met with Joe Biden at the White House on Wednesday to discuss a transition schedule, with their opening sitdown warm and cordial in tone. Their remarks lasted about a minute, with Trump observing “Politics is tough” and adding: “And in many cases, it’s not a nice world. But it’s a nice world today.”
The men subsequently met in private without the press pack present, with Trump apparently getting a laugh by joking about bringing an end to term limits.
On a busy day in Washington, DC, Republican senators also elected a new majority leader in place of Mitch McConnell, with South Dakota’s John Thune coming out on top. Speaker Mike Johnson won the GOP nomination to continue in the post atop the House Republican conference. He will face a vote of the full House in January.
Trump nominates MAGA congressman Matt Gaetz as surprise attorney general pick
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Trump nominates Matt Gaetz to be attorney general
Trump has announced that Florida Congressman Matt Gaetz will be nominated to serve as his attorney general.
“It will be an honor to serve as President Trump’s Attorney General!” Gaetz wrote on X.
Trump said in a statement: “Matt is a deeply gifted and tenacious attorney, trained at the William & Mary College of Law, who has distinguished himself in Congress through his focus on achieving desperately needed reform at the Department of Justice.”
“Few issues in America are more important than ending the partisan Weaponization of our Justice System,” the president-elect added. “Matt will end Weaponized Government, protect our Borders, dismantle Criminal Organizations and restore Americans’ badly-shattered Faith and Confidence in the Justice Department.”
Republicans name John Thune to be Senate majority leader in Trump’s Washington
Senate Republicans nominated Senate Minority Whip John Thune of South Dakota to succeed Mitch McConnell as majority leader, setting him up to be the main force to push through president-elect Donald Trump’s agenda.
Thune beat out Florida Senator Rick Scott, a favorite of allies of Trump’s such as Elon Musk, and Senator John Cornyn of Texas, who previously held the job of whip.
First elected in 2004, Thune beat former majority leader Thom Daschle.
Republicans name John Thune to be Senate majority leader in Trump’s Washington
The Senate minority whip from South Dakota will succeed Mitch McConnell as the head of Republicans
Trump announces Tulsi Gabbard as director of national intelligence
Trump has announced that former Democratic congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard will be the next director of national intelligence.
I am pleased to announce that former Congresswoman, Lieutenant Colonel Tulsi Gabbard, will serve as Director of National Intelligence (DNI).
For over two decades, Tulsi has fought for our Country and the Freedoms of all Americans.
As a former Candidate for the Democrat Presidential Nomination, she has broad support in both Parties - She is now a proud Republican!
I know Tulsi will bring the fearless spirit that has defined her illustrious career to our Intelligence Community, championing our Constitutional Rights, and securing Peace through Strength.
Tulsi will make us all proud!
WATCH: White House says Trump was 'gracious' in Biden meeting
Republicans gain control of both houses of Congress
Republicans will control both houses of Congress next year.
The GOP held onto their narrow majority, giving them the opportunity to pass much of President-elect Donald Trump’s agenda.
The victory means that House Speaker Mike Johnson will almost certainly stay in his position. It also came as Senate Republicans flipped the upper chamber.
Democrats flipped a number of seats, including in California and New York. But they didn’t win enough to make up for losses of incumbent Democrats like Yadira Caraveo in Colorado or Republicans flipping Michigan’s open 7th district seat that was vacated when Elissa Slotkin won her senate race. Democratic Representatives Susan Wild and Matt Cartwright of Pennsylvania both fell short.
Many races remain uncalled, but Republicans earned the required 218 votes to keep the lower chamber.
Republicans win control of both Houses of Congress
The unified government gives Trump fewer checks on his power
Trump officially announces Marco Rubio as Secretary of State nominee
Trump issued a statement on Wednesday officially nominating Florida Senator Marco Rubio to be his Secretary of State.
It is my Great Honor to announce that Senator Marco Rubio, of Florida, is hereby nominated to be The United States Secretary of State.
Marco is a Highly Respected Leader, and a very powerful Voice for Freedom.
He will be a strong Advocate for our Nation, a true friend to our Allies, and a fearless Warrior who will never back down to our adversaries.
I look forward to working with Marco to Make America, and the World, Safe and Great Again!
Trump is struggling to find an attorney general candidate who ‘ticks all the boxes’
President-elect Donald Trump is struggling to find a candidate for attorney general who checks all his boxes even after taking on the opinions of his closest advisors and aides.
The former president has already met with several candidates for the post, including at least one on Tuesday, according to CNN. Trump currently has no favorites for the post, the network noted.
While Trump’s relationships with many of his cabinet secretaries in his first administration ended badly, few were as chaotic as his failed connections with his attorneys general – Jeff Sessions and Bill Barr. Trump fired Sessions after he recused himself from the Russia investigation and Barr eventually resigned after the 2020 election amid Trump’s false claims of election fraud.
Trump is struggling to find an attorney general candidate who ‘ticks all the boxes’
Justice Department official says ‘handcuffs are going to be off’ ahead of Trump’s second term
Trump education secretary hopeful floats national mandate to require Bibles in school classrooms
Donald Trump’s potential education secretary pick has floated the idea of a national mandate to require Bibles in classrooms.
Oklahoma’s chief school official Ryan Walters, one of the names rumored to be in the running to become the next education secretary, did not reject the idea of rolling out the controversial policy across schools nationwide when it was put to him on Tuesday.
“Look, if you’re teaching American history, the Bible has to be included and we cannot allow left-wing activists to sit here and say we don’t like Christianity,” Walters told Blake Burman on NewsNation’s The Hill.
“We will ensure that history is taught in every class. That means kids will know American exceptionalism. That means kids will know the role that faith played. We will be unapologetic about that here in Oklahoma,” he added, pointing to the policy already in place in his home state.
“We want to make sure that every student knows the role that the Bible played in American history.”
Rhian Lubin has more.
Trump education secretary hopeful floats mandate for Bibles in school classrooms
Ryan Walters is rumored to be in the running to become Donald Trump’s education secretary
New Senate Republican Conference chair Tom Cotton recalls ‘low prices, high wages’ during Trump’s first term
The newly elected chair of the Senate Republican Conference, Arkansas Senator Tom Cotton said during a press conference on Wednesday afternoon that he’s “looking forward to working with Senator Thune and the rest of this leadership team. I'm very grateful for the confidence that my peers placed in me.”
“We all remember what it was like when President Trump was in office and we had Republicans in charge of the Senate. We had low prices, we had high wages, we had a secure border, we had a strong military, we had a peaceful, stable world,” he claimed. “Starting on January 3, that's what we'll all be working to build again with President Trump, with Mike Johnson, and the rest of the House Republicans on behalf of the American people.”
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