Trump says Elon Musk to head new ‘efficiency’ department while Fox News host tapped for Defense Secretary: Live
Donald Trump announced a series of cabinet appointments on Tuesday while avoiding public appearances following his electoral victory
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.President-elect Donald Trump has announced billionaire Elon Musk and former GOP presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy will head a new “Department of Government Efficiency.”
“Together, these two wonderful Americans will pave the way for my Administration to dismantle Government Bureaucracy, slash excess regulations, cut wasteful expenditures, and restructure Federal Agencies - Essential to the ‘Save America’ Movement,” Trump said in a statement on Tuesday night.
Musk added that “this will send shockwaves through the system, and anyone involved in Government waste, which is a lot of people.”
The president-elect has also selected John Ratcliffe, former director of national intelligence from 2020 to 2021, as his CIA director. Trump also announced he’s nominating Pete Hegseth, a veteran and Fox News host, as his Secretary of Defense.
Trump has held no press conferences and given no speeches after the election as he’s surrounded by advisers, aides, friends, and club members guiding him on his next moves.
The Republican has meanwhile chosen Florida Senator Marco Rubio to be his secretary of state and Florida congressman Mike Waltz to be his national security adviser.
Trump will meet with Joe Biden at the White House on Wednesday to discuss a transition schedule as the Senate elects a new majority leader.
Michael Flynn says Mar-a-Lago staff should be subjected to polygraph tests to catch Trump cabinet pick ‘leaker’
‘I apologize to absolutely nobody’: Comedian Tony Hinchcliffe blasted for Puerto Rico joke again defense his set
Kamala Harris was convinced to abandon her progressive ideas. So Democrats didn’t vote for her
Trump taps Israel backer Mike Huckabee as U.S. ambassador
Who is who in the new first family?
South Korean president takes up playing golf in anticipation of Trump’s White House return
Yoon Suk Yeol has been practicing the sport so he can play with the president-elect after he takes office, officials in Seoul have told Korean media.
Yoon has been advised to improve his golf game so he can “strengthen his rapport” with Trump, The Korea Times reported.
Here’s more from Rhian Lubin.
South Korean president takes up playing golf in anticipation of Trump’s return
Yoon Suk Yeol has been advised to improve his golf game so he can ‘strengthen his rapport’ with Trump
Analysts say there has been one other post-election stock rally similar to Trump’s – 1928
The surge in stocks after Trump was elected to the White House last week may not be a positive omen, market analysts are warning, as it resembles the market after Herbert Hoover was elected shortly before the Wall Street Crash that led to the Great Depression.
Both the S&P 500 and the Dow Jones rose significantly after the Republican’s victory was confirmed last Wednesday morning, with both closing at “record highs” on Friday, according to CNN.
“Recent days prove markets’ unambiguous embrace of the Trump 2.0 economic vision,” the aforementioned Scott Bessent, a potential Trump treasury secretary pick, wrote in a Wall Street Journal op-ed.
“Markets are signaling expectations of higher growth, lower volatility and inflation, and a revitalized economy for all Americans.”
But Robert Burgess, a Bloomberg opinion editor, warned that the post-election stock market might not be a positive sign. He noted that this market is similar to the booming market after Hoover’s election, which came just one year before the 1929 stock market crash.
Kelly Rissman has more.
Analysts say there’s been one other post-election rally similar to Trump’s - in 1928
Both the Dow and S&P closed at ‘record highs’ on Friday following Trump’s re-election
Watch: Sir Keir Starmer dodges questions over Trump climate fears at Cop29 summit
Keir Starmer dodges questions over Donald Trump climate fears at Cop29 summit
Sir Keir Starmer appeared to dodge questions over President-elect Donald Trump’s climate fears at the Cop29 summit. The prime minister was asked how he plans to work with the new US president on climate change, when he previously described the crisis as a “hoax”. Sir Keir appeared to dodge the question during an interview on Tuesday (12 November), instead insisting that the UK will show leadership to tackle the climate crisis. Trump has threatened to pull the US out of the Paris Agreement once more to curb global warming. When pressed again on Trump’s views on climate change, Sir Keir said: “I look forward to working with President Trump.”
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments