Trump transition live updates: President-elect to meet with Biden at White House; Senate to pick new leader
Donald Trump back in Washington DC on Wednesday to sit down with Joe Biden to discuss transition after announcing a series of new cabinet appointments
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Donald Trump will return to Washington DC on Wednesday to meet with Republicans on Capitol Hill and Joe Biden at the White House to discuss a transition schedule as the Senate elects a new majority leader in place of Mitch McConnell, with Rick Scott, John Cornyn and John Thune in contention.
The president-elect has meanwhile announced that tech billionaire Elon Musk and ex-Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy will head a new “Department of Government Efficiency” (DOGE), tasked with cutting the cost of government, stripping away regulations and restructuring federal agencies.
Musk responded to the news by pledging that DOGE “will send shockwaves through the system, and anyone involved in government waste, which is a lot of people”.
The incoming 47th president unveiled a number of other appointments to his new administration on Tuesday, picking John Ratcliffe, his director of national intelligence from 2020 to 2021, to be his next CIA director and Fox News host Pete Hegseth as secretary of defense.
Trump also revealed that Mike Huckabee has been chosen as his new ambassador to Israel, Steven Witkoff will be his special envoy to the Middle East and William Joseph McGinley his White House counsel.
Trump taps Mike Huckabee as US ambassador to Israel
Other cabinet appointments confirmed by Trump on Tuesday included Mike Huckabee being nominated as his new ambassador to Israel, Steven Witkoff as his special envoy to the Middle East and William Joseph McGinley as his White House counsel.
Here’s a little more on Huckabee, a former Arkansas governor and long-standing conservative favorite.
Trump taps Mike Huckabee as U.S. ambassador to Israel
Huckabee has led paid tour group visits to Israel for years, frequently advertising the trips on conservative-leaning news outlets
President-elect announces Fox News host Pete Hegseth as defense secretary
If this one beggars belief at first glance, here’s a little explanation.
Hegseth, 44, is a former Bear Stearns banker who served tours with the Army National Guard in Guantanamo Bay, Iraq and Afghanistan and has led veterans-focused advocacy organizations.
He joined Fox News as a contributor in 2014 and is a co-host on its morning show Fox and Friends.
During his time with the network, Hegseth has lobbied Trump to support US soldiers and contractors accused of war crimes, including Navy SEAL Eddie Gallagher and a group of Blackwater personnel accused of massacring civilians in Baghdad.
On air, Hegseth has complained that the US is spending too much supporting Ukraine’s fight against Russia, has been an outspoken advocate for Israel and made a series of controversial pronouncements, a sample of which follows:
There was also this noteworthy near-miss:
“Pete has spent his entire life as a warrior for the troops, and for the country,” Trump said in a statement yesterday.
“Pete is tough, smart and a true believer in America First. With Pete at the helm, America’s enemies are on notice – our military will be great again, and America will never back down.”
Josh Marcus has more.
Trump picks new defense secretary from his favorite talent pool – Fox News
Fox host served in Army National Guard and lobbied Trump to pardon accused war criminals
Trump picks John Ratcliffe as new CIA director
The incoming 47th president unveiled a number of other appointments to his new administration on Tuesday, picking John Ratcliffe, his director of national intelligence from 2020 to 2021, to be his next CIA director.
Josh Marcus has more on a returning face from Trump’s first term.
Trump wants former national intelligence director John Ratcliffe as CIA director
Prior to serving in the Trump administration, Ratcliffe was a Republican congressman for Texas, serving on the House intelligence, judiciary, and homeland security committees
White House defends Biden-Trump sitdown invitation: ‘The American people deserve this’
The former and future commander-in-chief will return to Washington DC on Wednesday to meet with Republicans on Capitol Hill and Joe Biden at the White House to discuss a transition schedule as the Senate elects a new majority leader in place of Mitch McConnell, with Rick Scott, John Cornyn and John Thune in contention.
Biden’s team has defended making the invitation to Trump, who did not extend the same courtesy to his successor in late 2020 while he disputed his election defeat on false grounds.
Asked why the president is granting the Republican a grace he was not afforded four years ago, White House press secretart Karine Jean-Pierre replied that it was “easy” to answer the question.
“Because he believes in the norms, he believes in our institutions, he believes in the peaceful transfer of power,” she said.
Andrew Feinberg reports.
White House defends Biden-Trump sitdown: ‘The American people deserve this’
Biden and Trump are set to meet for the first time since the 2024 election on Wednesday
Donald Trump names Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy to ‘Manhattan Project’ of government cuts
Good morning!
President-elect Donald Trump has announced that tech billionaire Elon Musk and ex-Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy will head a new “Department of Government Efficiency” (DOGE), tasked with cutting the cost of government, stripping away regulations and restructuring federal agencies.
Musk responded to the news by pledging that DOGE “will send shockwaves through the system, and anyone involved in government waste, which is a lot of people”.
Trump compared the office to the Manhattan Project, which developed the world’s first atomic bombs.
Here’s Alex Woodward’s report.
Trump names Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy to ‘Manhattan Project’ for government cuts
Trump wants a billionaire and a venture capitalist to make recommendations on drastic funding cuts and firings
WATCH: Scalise praises Trump’s ‘really good smart picks’ for cabinet
Bitcoin’s record-breaking rally continues amid ‘Trump bump’ crypto frenzy
The price of bitcoin hit a new record on Tuesday, marking the third consecutive day that the cryptocurrency has reached an all-time-high.
The new price high above $89,900 forms part of a broader rally that began when Donald Trump emerged as the likely winner of the US presidential election on 6 November.
Positioning himself as a pro-crypto candidate, the president-elect has promised to end what he calls the “persecution” of the crypto industry and to position the United States as the “bitcoin superpower of the world” once in power.
Bitcoin’s record-breaking rally continues amid ‘Trump bump’ crypto frenzy
Latest price gains form part of ‘paradigm shift’ for crypto industry, according to one analyst
Election ‘Nostradamus’ blames incorrect prediction on Elon Musk and ‘explosion’ of disinformation
Allan Lichtman, who incorrectly predicted that Kamala Harris would win the 2024 election, blamed Elon Musk and the “explosion” of disinformation during the campaign.
The American political historian had been dubbed the “Nostradamus” of elections because – until last week – he successfully predicted the last nine out of 10 presidential races since 1984. He consistently backed his original prediction that Harris would win in 2024.
But since Donald Trump claimed victory last week, the professor acknowledged he was wrong and would reassess his method.
Reflecting on the result, Lichtman said he was “sounding the alarm” about Musk.
Allan Lichtman blames incorrect prediction on Musk and ‘explosion’ of disinformation
Since Trump claimed victory last week, Allan Lichtman acknowledged he was wrong about his Harris prediction and would reassess his method
Susie Wiles hints at Trump’s plans for day one in office during private Republican event
President-elect Donald Trump plans to restore multiple executive orders from his first term that President Joe Biden rescinded as soon as he takes office, Susie Wiles, the incoming White House chief of staff, told Republican donors at a private event on Monday.
While speaking with donors at a closed-door conference in Las Vegas, Wiles said Trump is prepared to take action on day one by reinstating previous policies through executive orders – though, she did not specify which ones Trump is prioritizing, the New York Times reported.
Biden reversed at least 24 Trump administration policies within his first 100 days in office.
Susie Wiles hints at Trump’s plans for day one in office during private GOP event
Wiles did not name any specific executive orders the president-elect plans to implement
WATCH: Who is who in the new first family?
Donald Trump was elected the 47th United States President on Tuesday, November 6th, 2024.
While the Trump family name has been long famous in the business and entertainment industry, Donald Trump’s political reputation has made the family more prominent than ever. Some members have expressed they share different views with Donald Trump’s conservative political agenda, yet the family have all shown their encouragement one way or another throughout Trump’s presidential campaign. Donald Trump has a total of five children and ten grandchildren in his immediate family.
With his second presidential term approaching, the public has seen more of the younger generation of family members enter the public arena to support him.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments