Trump cabinet latest: President-elect forced to name alternative AG as Matt Gaetz hints at return in new role
Former Florida congressman withdrew from consideration saying his candidacy was ‘becoming a distraction’ as more details of House Ethics Committee investigation leaked
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Your support makes all the difference.Donald Trump’s has announced that former Florida attorney general Pam Bondi, who represented him at his first impeachment trial in the Senate in 2019, is his new pick to lead the Department of Justice (DOJ) following the withdrawal of ex-congressman Matt Gaetz.
“For too long, the partisan Department of Justice has been weaponized against me and other Republicans – Not anymore,” the president-elect wrote in a statement on Thursday evening.
“Pam will refocus the DOJ to its intended purpose of fighting Crime, and Making America Safe Again.”
Gaetz dropped out of the confirmation process yesterday saying his candidacy was “becoming a distraction” after the House Ethics Committee came under pressure to release the findings of its investigation into allegations he had sex with a minor – accusations he has consistently denied.
“While the momentum was strong, it is clear that my confirmation was unfairly becoming a distraction to the critical work of the Trump/Vance Transition,” he wrote on X, also hinting he could return in “a different post”.
The allegations against Gaetz had reportedly led Trump’s team to consider him “blackmail-able” and therefore to reluctantly draw a line under his pursuit of the job.
Bill O’Reilly claims Trump’s cabinet will have zero policy input: ‘Say ‘yes, sir’ or they’re not going to be OK’
Which Trump Cabinet picks will actually get confirmed — and who will work across the aisle?
Trump’s new AG pick didn’t pursue lawsuit against Trump University – after he donated $25k to her campaign
Trump team believed Gaetz was too ‘blackmail-able’ to be attorney general, says report
Bill O’Reilly claims Trump’s cabinet will have zero policy input: ‘Say “yes, sir" or they’re not going to be OK’
The 75-year-old former Fox News host appeared on NewsNation on Wednesday night, saying that Trump is likely to concentrate power at the White House and simply have his department leaders follow his directives.
The commentator compared Trump’s incoming administration to that of Franklin D Roosevelt, saying that the president-elect will put in place a structure where cabinet members will simply follow his lead.
Gustaf Kilander has more.
Bill O’Reilly claims Trump’s cabinet will have zero policy input: ‘Say ‘yes, sir’’
‘The second time around is going to be totally different than the first time, and this is why there is so much chaos and confusion,’ said former Fox News host
Watch: Nancy Mace tears down trans bathroom posters and throws them in trash in response to bill protest
Bill Clinton says Trump has ‘done everything he could’ to undermine faith in government
The 42nd president was speaking to MSNBC last night and issued a stinging criticism of the president-elect and his preoccupation with loyalty at any cost to the individual.
Seth Meyers skewers Matt Gaetz’s failed eight-day run for attorney general
The late-night host naturally had plenty of fun with Gaetz’s implosion yesterday.
Rhian Lubin has this on what Meyers had to say.
Seth Meyers skewers Matt Gaetz’s failed 8-day run for attorney general
The comedian roasted Gaetz, who dropped out of the process amid resurfaced sexual misconduct claims
Gaetz teases ‘different post’ amid speculation he could replace Rubio in the Senate
As we saw a little earlier, the near-miss AG was hinting yesterday he might be back in some other capacity.
Rhian Lubin has more.
Matt Gaetz teases ‘different post’ amid speculation he could take Rubio’s Senate seat
Gaetz, who withdrew his name from consideration as Donald Trump’s attorney general, posted a cryptic message suggesting he isn’t quite done yet with politics
Trump’s AG pick Pam Bondi rescued a dog from Hurricane Katrina. Its owners then sued her for ‘stealing’ it
Here’s a shaggy dog story about the former Florida attorney general, an adopted St Bernard and a bitter canine custody battle.
Trump’s attorney general pick was once caught up in a bizarre dog custody battle
President-elect’s latest nominee was once embroiled in a bizarre canine custody battle
Morning Joe hosts agreed to Trump meeting over fears of intern probe
Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski, the hosts of MSNBC’s flagship morning show, allegedly met with the president-elect a week ago over fears that then-attorney general nominee Matt Gaetz would investigate the death of an intern in Scarborough’s office during his time as a Florida Republican congressman, according to a Puck News report.
Gustaf Kilander has more on this one.
Morning Joe hosts agreed to Trump meeting over fears of intern death probe: report
Mika Brzezinski and Joe Scarborough suffered a ratings nosedive after going on Mar-a-Lago pilgrimage
Milley blasts claim by Hegseth that women shouldn’t serve in combat
General Mark Milley, who served as the 20th Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said that the US military “must be and always should be” standards-based, as he called out the comments by Pete Hegseth.
A military veteran and former Fox News host, Hegseth was announced as the president-elect’s choice for secretary of defense last week in a move that caused consternation across the political aisle.
He served 13 years as a part-time member of the National Guard, culminating in the rank of major.
“It hasn’t made us more effective, hasn’t made us more lethal, has made fighting more complicated,” Hegseth said in an interview earlier this month.
He went on to add that he was “straight-up saying we should not have women in combat roles”.
Speaking at a national security innovation event hosted by the Pallas Foundation on Thursday, Milley, who served as the nation’s highest-ranking military officer, reacted to the comments thusly:
Here’s more from Mike Bedigan.
Ex-military chief blasts claim by Pete Hegseth that women shouldn’t serve in combat
Mark Milley, who served as the 20th Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said that the US military ‘must be and always should be’ standards-based
The ‘totally reasonable’ choice and the controversial MAGA loyalist: How Trump plans to shake-up the FBI
The president-elect is considering former special agent Mike Rogers to head up the FBI, with controversial MAGA loyalist Kash Patel as his deputy, according to a report.
Trump has made it clear he intends to shake up the bureau and fire the current FBI director, Christopher Wray, whom he himself nominated for the position during his first term in 2017 after getting rid of James Comey.
Rhian Lubin has the latest.
How Trump plans to shake-up the FBI with two top jobs
Trump has made it clear he intends to shake up the bureau
Melania and RFK Jr join forces to try to improve Trump’s diet: ‘Think fewer Big Macs and less KFC’
The president-elect’s penchant for fast food is no secret, with his customary 2,400-calorie McDonald’s order consisting of two Big Macs and two Fillet-O-Fish, washed down with a chocolate milkshake.
He even sported an apron and worked a short shift on the fryer at a branch of the Golden Arches last month while on the campaign trail.
Now, the incoming first lady and Trump’s pick as health and human services secretary are said to be “ganging up” on the president-elect in a bid to urge him to swap out his French fries for French beans.
Good luck with that.
Here’s James Liddell to peruse the menu.
Melania and RFK Jr join forces to try to improve Trump’s diet
Incoming first lady and Trump’s pick for Health and Human Services secretary are apparently lobbying the president to make healthier choices
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