Biden to issue executive order to bolster AI infrastructure in the US
Caroline Purser/Getty Images
(WASHINGTON) — With just days left in his administration, President Joe Biden will sign a new executive order focused on bolstering the infrastructure needed to for advanced AI operations in the U.S., according to the White House.
“I am signing an historic Executive Order to accelerate the speed at which we build the next generation of AI infrastructure here in America, in a way that enhances economic competitiveness, national security, AI safety, and clean energy,” Biden said in a Tuesday statement on the announcement.
The order will direct the Department of Defense and the Department of Energy to lease federal sites where the private sector can build AI infrastructure “at speed and scale,” he said.
“These efforts are designed to accelerate the clean energy transition in a way that is responsible and respectful to local communities, and in a way that does not impose any new costs on American families,” Biden added.
Tarun Chabra, deputy assistant to the president and coordinator for technology and national security, said on a call previewing the order that it’s “really critical” for national security to establish a path for building the data centers and power infrastructure in the U.S.
“Domestic data centers for training and operating powerful AI models will help the United States facilitate AI’s safe and secure development and harness AI in the service of our national security,” he said. “It will also prevent our adversaries from accessing these powerful systems to the detriment of our military and our national security, while preventing the United States from growing dependent on other countries to access powerful AI tools.”
Biden underscored the importance of AI in his remarks at the State Department on Monday.
“AI has the power to reshape, reshape economies, governments, national security, entire societies. And it must be the United States and our closest allies lead the way to ensure people’s rights are respected, their safety is protected, and their data is secure,” Biden said.
Officials on a call with reporters noted current strains on the AI market to make investments needed for large-scale operations saying their cost, power constraints and permitting challenges resulting in long lead times to bring data centers to market.
“The Executive Order directs certain agencies to make federal sites available for AI data centers and new clean power facilities, facilitate this infrastructure’s interconnection to the electric grid, fulfill permitting obligations expeditiously, and advance transmission development around federal sites,” according to a fact sheet on the announcement.
Specifically, the order will direct the Department of Defense and the Department of Energy to identify at least three federal sites each they own for these types of developments and allow private sector companies to bid competitively on leases to build on the sites.
Photo Credit: Prince Williams/WireImage/James Devaney/GC Images
(WASHINGTON) — The race for the White House remained essentially a dead heat on Friday — with 11 days to go until Election Day.
Kamala Harris was headed to Texas to highlight abortion access and Donald Trump was set to appear on Joe Rogan’s highly-popular podcast.
Americans accused of noncitizen voter fraud face doxxing
Eliud Bonilla, a Brooklyn-born NASA engineer born to Puerto Rican parents, was abruptly purged from the voter rolls as a “noncitizen.”
Bonilla later voted without issue, but the nuisance soon became a nightmare after a conservative watchdog group published his personal information online after obtaining a list of the state’s suspected noncitizen voters.
“I became worried because of safety,” he told ABC News, “because, unfortunately, we’ve seen too many examples in this country when one person wants to right a perceived wrong and goes through with an act of violence.”
Bonilla’s story highlights a real-world impact of aggressive efforts to purge state voter rolls of thousands of potential noncitizens who have illegally registered. Many of the names end up being newly naturalized citizens, victims of an inadvertent paperwork mistake or the result of a clerical error, experts say. Federal law prohibits noncitizens from voting in federal elections.
Read more about Bonilla’s story and a fact check of noncitizen voting claims here.
Half of Americans see Trump as fascist, Harris viewed as pandering: POLL
A new poll from ABC News and Ipsos found half of Americans (49%) see Trump as a fascist, or “a political extremist who seeks to act as a dictator, disregards individual rights and threatens or uses force against their opponents.”
A majority of voters (65%) also said Trump often says things that are not true.
But Harris also faces perception headwinds, though far fewer Americans (22%) said they viewed her as a fascist.
Fifty-seven percent of registered voters said Harris is making proposals “that just are intended to get people to vote for her,” not that she intends to carry out. Just more than half (52%) said the same about Trump.
Trump to appear on Joe Rogan podcast in play for young male voters
Former President Donald Trump sits down with podcast host Joe Rogan for the first time Friday, appearing on the highly popular “The Joe Rogan Experience,” as he reaches out to an audience of mostly young males as potential voters.
The podcast, which boasts approximately 15.7 million followers, a Spotify representative confirmed to ABC News, is greater than the population of any of the seven election battleground states.
(WASHINGTON) — Pete Hegseth, President-elect Donald Trump’s embattled pick for defense secretary, faced senators on Tuesday for a contentious confirmation hearing.
Hegseth was grilled by members of the Armed Services Committee on allegations of misconduct and sexual impropriety he’s denied — as well as his position on military policy issues, including women in combat and diversity goals.
Hearing wraps after 4.5 hours
The Armed Services Committee gaveled out at 1:45 p.m., after hours of questions posed to Hegseth.
The hearing largely centered on allegations of sexual assault and misconduct, excessive drinking and financial mismanagement that Hegseth’s faced. Hegseth has denied those accusations, bemoaning them as a “coordinated smear campaign.”
Senators also debated Hegseth’s qualifications and whether he is experienced enough to lead an agency as large as the Department of Defense.
Relatively little time was spent discussing foreign policy or Trump’s military objectives in a second term.
Hegseth pressed on if he would carry out a potentially illegal order
Democratic Sen. Elissa Slotkin of Michigan asked Hegseth multiple times if he would push back should he ever be asked to carry out an illegal order as defense secretary.
“I reject the premise that President Trump is going to be giving illegal order,” Hegseth said.
Mark Kelly grills Hegseth on allegations of public intoxication
Sen. Mark Kelly brought up specific allegations of public intoxication made against Hegseth during his time at a veterans nonprofit.
The Arizona Democrat and veteran asked Hegseth to respond “true or false” to the allegations, which included having to be carried out from functions drunk.
Hegseth responded repeatedly only by calling them “anonymous smears.”
Kelly concluded his time by accusing Hegseth of misleading the committee and the country about his self-proclaimed personal challenges.
“It’s hard to square this circle,” Kelly said. “Which is it? Have you overcome personal issues or are you the target of a smear campaign? It can’t be both. It’s clear to me that you’re not being honest with us or the American people because you know the truth would be disqualifying for the job.”
Republican Schmitt argues Americans are ‘tired of woke ideology’
Sen. Eric Schmitt, a Missouri Republican, argued Americans are “tired of woke ideology” as he questioned Hegseth on DEI programs and other military policy initiatives.
Schmitt also had a message for Democrats: “If you haven’t picked up on that, you missed the plot, because that’s what Nov. 5 partially was about.”
Schmitt praised Hegseth as a “disrupter” of the ilk that Americans who voted for Trump want in Washington.
Tammy Duckworth, an Iraq war veteran, displays copy of Soldier’s Creed
Illinois Democrat Tammy Duckworth, a former helicopter pilot who lost both of her legs when her aircraft was hit with a rocket-propelled grenade, also criticized Hegseth as unqualified for the job.
As she spoke, she displayed a copy of the U.S. Army Soldier’s Creed behind her and recited some of it out loud.
“Every single day that I woke up and fought my way back because I wanted to go back and serve next to my buddies who saved my life, this same copy, these words, I repeated over and over and over again,” she said.
“Mr. Hegseth, our troops follow these words every single day and they man up and they pack their rucksacks and they go to war and they deserve a leader who can lead them,” Duckworth added.
Mullin blasts Democrats over alleged ‘hypocrisy’
Sen. Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., took aim at Senate Democrats, claiming hypocrisy over their attacks on Hegseth.
“You guys aren’t any more qualified to be the senator than I’m qualified to be,” he said.
Mullin took shots, even asking, “How many senators have showed up drunk to vote at night? How many senators do you know have got a divorce before cheating on their wives? Did you ask them to step down?”
“You guys make sure you make a big show and point out the hypocrisy because a man’s made a mistake and you want to sit there and say that he’s not qualified,” said Mullin, who claimed his wife had to forgive him “more than once.”
Democrat Gary Peters says he’s not ‘convinced’ Hegseth can manage Pentagon
Michigan Democrat Gary Peters called out Hegseth’s lack of management experience as a potential problem for an agency the size of the Pentagon.
“You have not convinced me that you are able to take on this tremendous responsibility with this complex organization with little or no management experience,” Peters said.
After his remarks, Republican chairman Roger Wicker briefly chimed in.
“You’ve managed more people than the average United States senator,” Wicker told Hegseth. The remark prompted some laughter among attendees.
Several Democrats say Hegseth ignored requests for meetings
Several Democratic senators have said Hegseth did not respond to their requests for one-on-one meetings ahead of Tuesday’s hearings.
Hegseth spent a notable amount of time on Capitol Hill since his nomination as he looked to shore up support amid the allegations of misconduct.
“I was ready,” Sen. Gary Peters, a Michigan Democrat, told Hegseth as he asked him if he was “afraid” to meet with some of his colleagues.
Tuberville praises Hegseth
Sen. Tommy Tuberville spent most of his questioning praising Hegseth.
The Alabama Republican and former Auburn University football coach made an analogy to football to the confirmation process.
“I came from a team sport where you were the people, the players actually won the games. And that’s what’s going to happen here. You’re not going to win the game now. You’re going to set the precedent,” he said.
Tuberville continued the Republican questioning about the “woke” military and Hegseth again committed to focusing on leadership that focused on military values.
‘I’ve dedicated my life to the warfighters,’ Hegseth says on what drives him
Florida Republican Sen. Rick Scott asked Hegseth why he wanted the job and what drives him.
Hegseth took a few seconds to collect his thoughts and responded that he loved his country and was “dedicated my life to the warfighters.”
“People that really know me know where my heart’s at. It’s with the guys in this audience who’ve had my back, and I’ve had theirs,” he said.
Senator tries to pin down Hegseth’s view on the Geneva Conventions
Independent Sen. Angus King of Maine pressed Hegseth several times on whether he would abide by the Geneva Conventions, a 1949 set of agreements regulating the use of force during wartime that forbids torture.
Hegseth argued the applications of the Geneva Conventions are “incredibly important” but that the rules of engagement have changed for troops since then.
“The Geneva Conventions are what we base our — but what an “American First” national security policy is not going to do is hand its prerogatives over to international bodies that make decisions about how our men and women make decisions on the battlefield,” Hegseth said.
Hegseth defends controversial tattoo
Republican Sen. Kevin Cramer began his questioning by praising Hegseth’s vocal devotion to Christianity.
He stayed on topic and asked Hegseth to explain why he says he was not allowed to serve with the National Guard during the 2020 Biden inauguration. Hegseth claims that it was because of his tattoo of the Jerusalem Cross on his chest, which has been linked to white nationalists.
Hegseth claimed it was a “historic Christian symbol,” and denied he was an “extremist.”
However, the National Guardsman who in 2021 pegged him as a potential “insider threat” clarified in an interview with ABC News in November that his complaint targeted a “Deus Vult” tattoo on his forearm. The term is used by far-right militants.
Sgt. DeRicko Gaither told ABC News “this wasn’t then and isn’t now a personal attack towards Pete Hegseth.”
“The protocol was followed and would be followed again if this issue involved any other service member, myself included,” he said.
Hegseth did not mention his arm tattoo during his questioning.
Hegseth and Democrat Kaine have contentious exchange on sexual misconduct allegations
Democratic Sen. Tim Kaine tore into Hegseth over the sexual assault and misconduct allegations made against him, which Hegseth has denied.
The contentious back-and-forth saw Kaine ask Hegseth if he would respect his oath as defense secretary the same as he did for his marriages.
“I have failed in things in my life, and thankfully I’m redeemed by my Lord and Savior, Jesus,” Hegseth said.
Kaine also pushed back on Hegseth’s claim that the allegations were all from anonymous sources.
“We have seen records with names attached to all of these, including the name of your own mother,” Kaine said.
Hegseth’s mother, Penelope, has defended her son since his nomination but had previously sent an email to him amid his divorce in 2018 in which she wrote that he was an “abuser of women.” The New York Times first reported the email.
Hegseth commits to ‘get woke out of the military’
Alsaka Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan questioned Hegseth and brought up his concerns and criticism of the Biden administration over what he called “woke” issues such as climate change research and investigating racism in the armed services.
He asked Hegseth if that would be the military’s priority under his command.
“My secretary of the Navy, should I be confirmed, sir, will not be focused on climate change,” Hegseth said with a big grin. “Just like the secretary of the Air Force won’t be focused on LG-powered fighter jets. or the secretary of the Army will not be focused on electric-powered tanks.”
“I say we’re going to be focused on lethality, defeating our enemy,” Hegseth added.
Hegseth on whether he would use military to seize Panama Canal, Greenland
Democratic Sen. Mazie Hirono pressed Hegseth if he would use the military to seize control of the Panama Canal and Greenland.
“One of the things that President Trump is so good at is never strategically tipping his hand,” Hegseth said. “And so I would never in this public forum give one way or another what orders the president would give me in any context.”
Hegseth questioned about sexual assault allegations, alcohol use
Hegseth came under fire when questioned by Democratic Sen. Mazie Hirono about his past allegations of sexual assault, and alcohol use.
Hegseth pushed back against Hirono about the sexual assault allegation made by a woman in October 2017 claiming “it was fully investigated and I was completely cleared.”
The police did file a report about the incident but while no charges were filed it also did not state he was “cleared.” Hegseth later entered a confidential settlement with the woman in 2020.
“As secretary, you will be in charge of maintaining good order and discipline by enforcing the Uniform Code of Military Justice, UCMJ. In addition to the sexual assault allegations. By the way, the answer to my second question should have been yes,” the senator said.
Ernst, a veteran herself, presses him on women in combat view
Ernst mentioned her own military experience as she questioned Hegseth, saying she was denied an opportunity to serve in a combat role because she had gray hair but standards have since changed.
“Will you support women continuing to have the opportunity to serve in combat roles?” she asked, stressing she believed they needed to meet standards set out by the military.
“My answer is yes, exactly the way you caveated it,” Hegseth responded.
Ernst, a sexual assault victim, also asked Hegseth if he would commit to having a senior-level military official dedicated to sexual assault response and prevention, to which he responded yes.
Ernst says she ‘had frank conversations’ with Hegseth
Sen. Joni Ernst, a closely-watched GOP vote, began her questioning by talking about her “frank conversations” with Hegseth during her meetings last month.
The Iowa Republican said she had some concerns about wasteful spending but also women in the military and sexual assault allegations in the military.
“I do appreciate you sitting down and allowing me the opportunity to question you thoroughly on those issues that are of great importance to me,” she said.
“I think previous secretaries of Defense, with all due respect, haven’t necessarily emphasized the strategic prerogative of an audit,” Ernst said.
Hegseth said an audit would be his priority.
Gillibrand grills Hegseth on his claims about quotas
Hegseth has claimed military readiness has been eroded due to “quotas” on racial or gender diversity.
Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, a New York Democrat, heatedly pushed back.
“Commanders do not have to have a quota for women in the infantry. That does not exist,” she said. “It does not exist.”
“Everything you’ve said in these public statements is politics,” she continued. “I don’t want women. I don’t want moms. What’s wrong with a mom?”
Hegseth defends comments about women in combat
Democratic Sen. Jeanne Shaheen grilled Hegseth on his past comments about women serving in the military, including his previous comments that women should not serve in some combat roles.
“Senator, I would like to clarify, when I’m talking about that issue, it’s not about the capabilities of men and women, it’s about standards,” Hegseth said. “And this committee has talked a lot about standards, standards that we unfortunately, over time, have seen eroded in certain duty positions, certain schools, certain places, which affects readiness, which is what I care about the most, readiness.”
During the exchange, Shaheen asked Hegseth for his message to the almost 400,000 women serving today who she said now may wonder whether they can rise to the highest ranks of the military.
“I would say I would be honored to have the opportunity to serve alongside you, shoulder to shoulder, men and women, Black, white, all backgrounds with a shared purpose,” Hegseth said. “Our differences are not what define us. Our unity and our shared purpose is what define us. And you will be treated fairly and with dignity, honor and respect, just like every man and woman in uniform.”
After a tense back and forth, Shaheen said to Hegseth: “I appreciate your eleventh-hour conversion.”
Hegseth says US has to modernize nuclear arsenal
Sen. Deb Fischer, a Nebraska Republican, questioned Hegseth about investing in the United States nuclear arsenal and whether he agreed with Trump’s posture during his first administration — that preventing attacks from adversaries was the “highest priority.”
“Yes, I do, because ultimately, our deterrence, our survival is reliant upon the capability, the perception and the reality of the capability of our nuclear triad,” Hegseth responded. “We have to invest in its modernization for the defense of our nation.”
Hegseth rails against media when asked to respond to allegations
Committee chairman Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., in the first question of the hearing, asked Hegseth to respond to the allegations against him.
“Let’s get into this allegation about sexual assault, inappropriate workplace behavior, alcohol abuse and financial mismanagement during your time as a nonprofit executive,” Wicker said.
Hegseth, who has denied the accusations, railed against what he claimed was a “coordinated smear campaign” by the news media. “All they were out to do, Mr. Chairman, was to destroy me,” Hegseth said. “And why do they want to destroy me? Because I’m a change agent and a threat to them. Because Donald Trump was willing to choose me, to empower me to bring the Defense Department back to what it really should be, which is war fighting.”
Hegseth then turned personal, saying he’s not “perfect” but is now ready to lead the Pentagon.
“I’m not a perfect person, but redemption is real,” he said. “And God forged me in ways that I know I’m prepared for.”
Hegseth opening statement interrupted by outbursts
Hegseth is now speaking for the first time before the committee.
His opening statement is being interrupted by hecklers, who were then escorted out of the room.
Chairman Roger Wicker thanked authorities for their “swift reaction” to the first incident.
“Let me just say this, the Capitol Police are going to remove immediately individuals who are interrupting the hearing,” Wicker said.
Rep. Mike Waltz, Trump’s pick for national security adviser, endorses Hegseth
Trump’s pick for national security adviser, Rep. Mike Waltz, introduced and endorsed Hegseth.
Waltz was recognized by Sen. Roger Wicker, the chairman of the committee, who noted Waltz was still a member of Congress for several more days.
“He will bring the perspective of being the first secretary of defense to have served as a junior officer on the front lines, not in the headquarters on the front lines in the War on Terror, and recognizes the human costs, the financial costs and the policy drift that was discussed often in this very room that led us to decades and decades of war,” Waltz said of Hegseth.
Waltz is also a retired Army National Guard officer and war veteran.
Charged scene inside the room as confirmation hearing begins
Dozens of veterans — some wearing service badges — filled the hearing room in the Dirksen Building in support of Hegseth, wearing pins with the nominee’s name. A number of them are wearing black baseball caps with the nominee’s name and the bone frog logo associated with the Navy SEALs.
Spotted in the crowd were Sean Parnell, a former Army Ranger and conservative media personality, and Tim Kennedy, an ex-UFC fighter and former Green Beret.
The group, which was buzzing with excitement ahead of the hearing, appeared to cheer for Hegseth and shout “USA!” as the hearing got underway.
There are also a small group of Code Pink antiwar protestors in the room, with signs reading “No Hegseth No Crusade” and “No Hegseth No Christian Jihad.”
ABC News’ Benjamin Siegel, Lauren Peller, Arthur Jones and Olivia Rubin
Panel’s top Democrat to say Hegseth is not qualified for the job
Sen. Jack Reed will tell Hegseth in no uncertain terms that he does not believe he is qualified for the job of Secretary of Defense.
“I do not believe that you are qualified to meet the overwhelming demands of this job,” Reed will say, according to his opening statement.
Reed will also address the allegations against Hegseth, which Hegseth has denied.
“We must acknowledge the concerning public reports against you. A variety of sources — including your own writings — implicate you with disregarding laws of war, financial mismanagement, racist and sexist remarks about men and women in uniform, alcohol abuse, sexual assault, sexual harassment, and other troubling issues. I have reviewed many of these allegations, and find them extremely alarming,” Reed will say.
He also alleges that Hegseth’s comments suggest he will politicize the military.
“Indeed, the challenge of the Secretary of Defense is to remove partisan politics from the military. You propose to inject it. This would be an insult to the men and women who have sworn to uphold their own apolitical duty to the Constitution,” the statement says.
-ABC News’ Allison Pecorin
FBI didn’t interview woman who accused Hegseth of sexual assault in 2017
The FBI’s probe of Hegseth did not include an interview with a woman who accused him of sexual assault years ago, sources familiar with the situation told ABC News.
Top senators on the Armed Services Committee were briefed on the FBI’s background investigation last week but sources said investigators did not speak to the accuser. The circumstances around the lack of an interview with the woman are unclear.
A police report stated that a woman, identified only as Jane Doe, told investigators in 2017 she had encountered Hegseth at an event afterparty at a California hotel where both had been drinking and claimed that he sexually assaulted her. Hegseth had told authorities that the encounter was consensual.
No charges were filed, although Hegseth subsequently paid the woman as part of a settlement agreement, which Hegseth’s attorney said was only because he feared his career would suffer if her allegations were made public.
Read more about the police report and alleged altercation here.
-ABC News’ Rachel Scott, Katherine Faulders and Luke Barr
Trump reiterates support for Hegseth
In a post on his social media platform, Trump wrote Hegseth will make a GREAT Secretary of Defense.
“He has my Complete and Total support. Good luck today, Pete!” Trump wrote.
Plus, Trump senior adviser Jason Miller did a morning show blitz praising Hegseth.
“I think Pete Hegseth is going to kill them with kindness,” Miller said on CNN, previewing Hegseth’s strategy ahead of the hearing.
On Fox News, Miller said he believed Hegseth was the war hero the United States needs and highlighted support from veterans for his nomination.
“I don’t see it so much of a challenge. I think it’s an opportunity to talk about restoring that warrior ethos, that warrior spirit, back into the military,” Miller said as he avoided any concerns of Hegseth’s past.
-ABC News Oren Oppenheim and Kelsey Walsh
Hegseth to pitch himself as ‘change agent’
In his opening statement, obtained by ABC News, Hegseth does not mention the allegations against him but vows to be a “change agent” and bring a “warrior culture” back to the Defense Department.
“I want to thank President Trump for his faith in me, and his selfless leadership of our great Republic,” Hegseth will say, according to the prepared remarks. “The troops could have no better Commander-in-Chief than Donald Trump.”
“He, like me, wants a Pentagon laser-focused on warfighting, lethality, meritocracy, standards, and readiness,” Hegseth will say. “That’s it. That is my job.”
Hegseth will go on to address his lack of experience compared to previous Pentagon chiefs.
“It is true that I don’t have a similar biography to Defense Secretaries of the last 30 years. But, as President Trump also told me, we’ve repeatedly placed people atop the Pentagon with supposedly ‘the right credentials’ — whether they are retired generals, academics, or defense contractor executives — and where has it gotten us? He believes, and I humbly agree, that it’s time to give someone with dust on his boots the helm. A change agent. Someone with no vested interest in certain companies or specific programs or approved narratives,” the prepared statement reads.
-ABC News’ Rachel Scott
How Hegseth could overhaul the military
Hegseth, if confirmed, would be in charge of a massive organization of more than 1 million active-duty service members and nearly 1 million civilian workers.
Hegseth has previously discussed going after alleged “wokeness” in the military by firing certain generals, taking aim at DEI initiatives and other programs. He’s also said he is generally against women serving in certain combat roles unless they pass high standards men do.
Read more about the police report and alleged altercation here.
Hegseth’s rocky nomination
Hegseth, a former Fox News host who had served in Iraq and Afghanistan as an infantry officer in the U.S. Army Reserve and the National Guard, was nominated by Trump in mid-November.
He quickly faced scrutiny from some lawmakers over his lack of management experience. Then came reports of alleged sexual misconduct and financial mismanagement, which he’s denied.
At one point, ABC News reported Trump was looking at possible replacements to Hegseth.
But Hegseth’s spent many days on Capitol Hill looking to shore up support, vowing to fight and telling lawmakers he’s a “changed man.” It appeared he was gaining some Republican support back after his one-on-one meetings with lawmakers, and Trump has since doubled down on his support for his Pentagon pick.
Still, the Senate panel that will question him on Tuesday had quietly sought additional information on some of the allegations before the hearing.
Official White House Photo by Shealah Craighead. Via Flickr
(WASHINGTON) — After a sweeping victory over Vice President Kamala Harris on Nov. 5, President-elect Donald Trump is now set to become just the second ever to serve nonconsecutive terms in office.
Trump has wasted no time in moving to assemble his team for a second term in the White House — naming Susie Wiles as his chief of staff and New York Rep. Elise Stefanik as U.N. ambassador, among other positions.
Inauguration Day is Jan. 20.
November 13, 2024, 11:37 AM EST – The battle for Trump’s treasury secretary
As Trump continues to round out his cabinet, the job of treasury secretary remains in flux, with the co-chair of Trump’s transition team actively vying for the job, sources familiar with the matter told ABC News.
Howard Lutnick is looking to be tapped as treasury secretary, sources said, a move that comes as investor and hedge fund manager Scott Bessent is also a top contender for the role.
Bessent traveled to Mar-a-Lago as recently as Friday to meet with Trump about the job, the sources said.
Lutnick, on the other hand, spends hours with Trump nearly each day, presenting candidates for top roles in the administration. As such, the move by Lutnick to attempt to get a cabinet position for himself has frustrated some close to Trump.
Sources caution the job is still in flux and neither man could get the job — with the potential for other candidates to emerge.
One potential dark horse for the job, one source told ABC News, is former Trump administration trade representative Robert Lighthizer, who Trump sees as an aggressive advocate for his tariff-heavy approach to international trade.
-ABC News’ Jonathan Karl, Olivia Rubin and Katherine Faulders
November 13, 2024, 11:32 AM EST – Trump and Biden meet in Oval Office
President Joe Biden and Trump are meeting in the Oval Office, resuming a tradition that Trump himself flouted in 2020.
Biden spoke first and called for a smooth transition. Trump then said politics is tough but the transition will be smooth.
They did not answer questions.
November 13, 2024, 11:06 AM EST – Trump announces senior White House staff
Trump announced his senior staff on Wednesday, bringing back some of his well-known names from his first term and those who helped on his campaign.
Dan Scavino, one of Trump’s long-time allies, was named assistant to the president and deputy chief of staff. Stephen Miller was named assistant to the president and deputy chief of staff, a move reported earlier this week.
James Blair, the Republican National Committee political director and campaign aide, has been named assistant to the president and deputy chief of staff for legislative, political and public affairs. Taylor Budowich will serve as assistant to the president and deputy chief of staff for communications and personnel. He was a senior member of several of Trump’s PACs.
November 13, 2024, 9:50 AM EST – Trump struggles with attorney general decision, Musk sits in on interviews for key positions: Sources
President-elect Donald Trump is moving quickly to install loyalists and allies into his administration. But he’s struggling with making a decision on one of his top law enforcement positions: attorney general, multiple sources told ABC News.
Trump interviewed multiple candidates for attorney general on Tuesday, but he came away unsatisfied, sources with knowledge of the conversations told ABC News.
Trump interviewed Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey on Monday, and sat down with lawyers Jay Clayton and Bob Giuffra about the post, sources said. No final decision has been made, sources said.
Notably, billionaire Elon Musk has been involved in — and sitting in on — interviews with potential attorney general candidates, the sources said.
In a sign of how quickly other positions are moving, Pete Hegseth — the Fox News host selected as the nominee for Defense Secretary — was just called Monday and interviewed for the position Tuesday, a source familiar told ABC News.
Within hours, Trump made his choice, sources added. Several Republicans on Capitol Hill and even some Trump allies described being “caught off guard” by the pick.
-Katherine Faulders, Will Steakin, Rachel Scott, John Santucci
November 13, 2024, 5:30 AM EST – Illinois, Colorado governors announce state-level coalition to resist Trump policies
Democratic Govs. J.B. Pritzker of Illinois and Jared Polis of Colorado will be the co-chairs of a new “non-partisan” coalition of the nation’s governors committed to protecting the “state-level institutions of democracy” ahead of Donald Trump’s incoming presidency.
Governors Safeguarding Democracy, or GSD, will be overseen by governors and supported by a network of senior staff designated by each leader while being supported by GovAct, an organization “championing fundamental freedoms.”
GovAct is advised by a bipartisan board that includes former Republican and Democratic governors and senior officials like former GOP Gov. Arne Carlson of Minnesota, former Democratic Gov. Deval Patrick of Massachusetts and former GOP Gov. Bill Weld of Massachusetts.
-ABC News’ Isabella Murray
November 12, 2024, 7:59 PM EST – Gov. Kristi Noem picked for Homeland Security secretary
Trump confirmed he has picked South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem to be his Homeland Security secretary.
Trump said in a statement that Noem will work closely with “border czar” Tom Homan and “will guarantee that our American Homeland is secure from our adversaries.”
The role requires Senate confirmation.
November 12, 2024, 7:47 PM EST – Trump announces Department of Government Efficiency led by Musk, Ramaswamy
Trump has announced that billionaire Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy, a former presidential candidate and ally of the president-elect, will lead 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,” Trump said in a statement.
The Department of Government Efficiency is not a new government agency. Trump said it will “provide advice and guidance from outside of government” and “partner” with the White House and Office of Management and Budget to drive structural government reform.
Trump has previously said Musk would take a role in his administration as head of a new “government efficiency commission.”
November 12, 2024, 7:27 PM EST – Trump nominates Pete Hegseth for defense secretary
Trump has nominated Pete Hegseth to be his defense secretary.
Hegseth is currently a host of “Fox & Friends” as well as an Army combat veteran.
“Nobody fights harder for the Troops, and Pete will be a courageous and patriotic champion of our ‘Peace through Strength’ policy,” Trump said in a statement.
The role requires Senate confirmation.
November 12, 2024, 5:57 PM EST – Trump picks John Ratcliffe for CIA director
Trump announced that John Ratcliffe is his pick for director of the Central Intelligence Agency.
The role requires Senate confirmation.
Ratcliffe was a former director of National Intelligence during Trump’s first term.
“I look forward to John being the first person ever to serve in both of our Nation’s highest Intelligence positions,” Trump said in a statement, adding that Ratcliffe “will be a fearless fighter for the Constitutional Rights of all Americans.”
November 12, 2024, 5:55 PM EST – Trump names attorney Bill McGinley as his White House counsel
Trump has named attorney Bill McGinley as his White House counsel, his transition team announced.
McGinley served as the White House Cabinet secretary during Trump’s first term and has served as general counsel at the National Republican Senatorial Committee.
“Bill is a smart and tenacious lawyer who will help me advance our America First agenda while fighting for election integrity and against the weaponization of law enforcement,” Trump said in a statement.
The White House counsel is appointed by the president.
November 12, 2024, 5:27 PM EST – Trump taps friend and donor Steve Witkoff as special envoy to the Middle East
Trump has tapped his longtime friend and donor Steve Witkoff as his special envoy to the Middle East, the president-elect’s transition team announced.
Witkoff, along with former Sen. Kelly Loeffler, has been leading the inauguration efforts.
Witkoff has held multiple fundraisers for Trump throughout the election cycle and accompanied him to numerous campaign rallies. He was also golfing with Trump during the alleged second assassination attempt in West Palm Beach earlier this year.
-ABC News’ Soo Rin Kim, Kelsey Walsh and Lalee Ibssa
November 12, 2024, 4:42 PM EST – Trump expected to tap Kristi Noem for DHS secretary: Sources
Trump is expected to soon announce he has chosen South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem as his next secretary for the Department of Homeland Security, according to sources.
The role requires Senate confirmation.
Noem was on the short-list to be Trump’s running mate, but her chances dimmed as she fended off controversy over accounts in her book about killing her dog that she claimed was showing aggressive behavior.
She also faced backlash after her spokesperson said a claim she made about meeting North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and an account of an interaction with former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley were “errors.”
She is a loyal Trump ally who will work closely with Trump’s new border czar Tom Homan and new deputy chief of staff for policy, Stephen Miller. CNN was first to report the news of Noem as the secretary pick.
-ABC News’ Jonathan Karl. Rachel Scott, Katherine Faulders and Luke Barr
November 12, 2024, 3:25 PM EST – DeSantis must call for special elections to fill Waltz’s impending vacancy
To replace Florida Rep. Mike Waltz in the U.S. House following his selection to serve as Trump’s national security adviser, state statute requires Gov. Ron DeSantis to call for a special primary and then a special election in Florida.
The special elections to fill the House seat differ from Florida’s way of filling Senate seats. State law mandates that DeSantis appoint an individual to fill any Senate vacancy.
Waltz currently represents Florida’s solidly red 6th Congressional District, one that hasn’t been represented by a Democrat since 1989. DeSantis himself was the congressmember for the northeastern Florida seat ahead of Waltz.
ABC News has not yet reported a projection for who will have control of the House, but Waltz’s impending vacancy could impact Republicans’ numbers as they head toward a GOP “trifecta” in Washington.
-ABC News’ Isabella Murray
November 12, 2024, 2:01 PM EST – Trump nominates Mike Huckabee to be Israeli ambassador
Trump announced he has nominated former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee to be the U.S. ambassador to Israel.
“Mike has been a great public servant, Governor, and Leader in Faith for many years,” Trump said in a statement. “He loves Israel, and the people of Israel, and likewise, the people of Israel love him. Mike will work tirelessly to bring about Peace in the Middle East!”
The role, which will need to be confirmed by the Senate, will be a key appointment as tensions remain high in the Middle East.
November 12, 2024, 1:37 PM EST – Trump officially announces Waltz as national security adviser pick
Trump has officially announced his appointment of Florida Rep. Mike Waltz as his national security adviser.
The president-elect highlighted Waltz’s military background in a statement on the appointment, noting that he is the first Green Beret to have been elected to Congress and served in the Army Special Forces for 27 years.
“Mike has been a strong champion of my America First Foreign Policy agenda, and will be a tremendous champion of our pursuit of Peace through Strength!” Trump said in a statement.
The national security adviser is appointed by the president without confirmation by the Senate.
-ABC News’ Soo Rin Kim, Kelsey Walsh and Lalee Ibssa
November 12, 2024, 11:50 AM EST – Will Trump’s administration picks impact House control?
While control of the House has not yet been projected by ABC News, Republicans are inching toward maintaining their slim majority.
But already, Trump has picked several lawmakers to serve in his administration: Rep. Elise Stefanik for United Nations ambassador and Rep. Mike Waltz for national security adviser.
Speaker Mike Johnson, asked about the issue on Tuesday, said he’s spoken to Trump about it several times.
“We have a really talented Republican Congress … Many of them can serve in important positions in the new administration. But President Trump fully understands, appreciates the math here and it’s just a numbers game,” Johnson said. “You know, we believe we’re going to have a larger majority than we had last time.”
The speaker added: “I don’t expect that we will have more members leaving, but I’ll leave that up to him.”
November 12, 2024, 11:39 AM EST – Billionaire John Paulson says he’s not a candidate for Treasury role
Billionaire John Paulson said Tuesday he does not plan to formally join the administration as the secretary of the U.S. Department of the Treasury, though he said he intends to remain actively involved with Trump’s economic team.
“Although various media outlets have mentioned me as a candidate for Secretary of the Treasury, my complex financial obligations would prevent me from holding an official position in President Trump’s administration at this time,” Paulson said in a statement.
“However, I intend to remain actively involved with the President’s economic team and helping in the implementation of President Trump’s outstanding policy proposals,” he added.
-ABC News’ Beatrice Peterson
November 12, 2024, 11 AM EST – Johnson teases Trump visit to the Capitol
House Speaker Mike Johnson confirmed that Trump is expected to visit the U.S. Capitol to celebrate a potential Republicans “trifecta” on Wednesday morning before he sits down in the Oval Office with President Joe Biden later in the day.
“Well, I’ll say I didn’t intend to break this as news this morning,” Johnson quipped as he held a press conference with House Republican leadership.
“He wanted to come and visit with House Republicans, so we’re working out the details of him gathering with us potentially tomorrow morning, before he goes to the White House,” Johnson said. “And that would be a great meeting and a moment for all of us, there’s a lot of excitement, a lot of energy here. We’re really grateful for President Trump leaving it all on the field to get reelected.”
ABC News’ John Parkinson, Isabella Murray and Lauren Peller
November 12, 2024, 11 AM EST – House Republican leadership say they’re ready for Day 1 under Trump
Returning to Washington on Tuesday, Speaker Mike Johnson and other top House Republicans took a victory lap on last week’s election results.
While ABC News has not yet projected House control, Republicans are three seats away from clinching the 218 needed for a majority.
Johnson said they are monitoring outstanding races closely but are confident they will have a “unified” government come January.
“This leadership will hit the ground running to deliver President Trump’s agenda in the 119th Congress, and we will work closely with him and his administration to turn this country around and unleash, as he says, a new golden age in America,” Johnson said at a press conference on the Capitol steps.
November 11, 2024, 11:22 PM EST – Trump’s new ‘border czar’ issues warning to sanctuary states and cities
President-elect Donald Trump’s newly picked “border czar” Tom Homan addressed his forthcoming deportation plan and state leaders who have objected to sweeping immigration policies.
During an appearance on Fox News on Monday, Homan issued a warning to so-called “sanctuary” states and cities to “get the hell out of the way” of the Trump administration’s mass deportation plans.
“I saw today numerous governors from sanctuary states saying they’re going to step in the way. They better get the hell out of the way. Either you help us or get the hell out of the way, because ICE is going to do their job,” he warned, referring to the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, where he formerly served as director.
“I’ll double the workforce in that sanctuary city. We’re going to do our job despite the politics. We’re doing it. So get used to it, because we’re coming,” Homan said.
When asked if he plans to deport American citizens, Homan said, “President Trump has made it clear we will prioritize public safety threats and national security threats first, and that’s how the focus would be.”
-ABC News’ Soo Rin Kim
November 11, 2024, 8:48 PM EST – Trump expected to tap Sen. Marco Rubio for secretary of state: Sources
President-elect Donald Trump is expected to announce his intention to nominate Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) for secretary of state, according to multiple sources familiar with the matter.
Rubio, 53, has served in the Senate since 2011. He is currently the vice chair of the Senate Select Committee on Foreign Intelligence, and he also sits on the chamber’s Foreign Relations Committee.
Several long-serving State Department officials tell ABC News they respect Rubio’s extensive foreign policy experience and view him as unlikely to overly politicize the secretary of state role.
The secretary of state is appointed by the president with the consent of the Senate.
-ABC News’ Katherine Faulders and Shannon Kingston
November 11, 2024, 7:00 PM EST – Trump asks Rep. Mike Waltz to be his national security adviser: Sources
Trump has asked Rep. Mike Waltz, R-Fla., to be his national security adviser, multiple sources said.
Waltz was at Mar-a-Lago on Monday, sources said.
Waltz is a former Green Beret and China hawk who emerged as a key surrogate for Trump, criticizing the Biden-Harris foreign policy record during the campaign.
The Florida Republican sits on the Intelligence, Armed Services and Foreign Affairs committees.
He has supported aid to Ukraine in the past but has demanded “conditions,” including increased spending from European allies, additional oversight of funds and pairing the aid with border security measures.
Waltz, who has visited Ukraine, was a vocal critic of the Biden administration’s policy towards Ukraine, criticizing the White House and allies for not providing Ukraine with more lethal aid — such as MiG fighter planes — earlier in the conflict.
Before running for elected office, Waltz served in various national security policy roles in the Bush administration, Pentagon and White House.
-ABC News’ Rachel Scott, Benjamin Siegel, John Santucci and Katherine Faulders
November 11, 2024, 6:06 PM EST – Volunteer-run effort on RFK Jr.’s website crowd-sourcing ideas for Trump admin appointments
A volunteer-run effort on Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s website has begun crowd-sourcing ideas for appointments in Trump’s administration.
A website titled “Nominees for the People” gives anyone the chance to submit names of people they’d like to see join the administration.
“President Trump and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. want your help nominating people of integrity and courage for over 4,000 appointments across the future Trump administration,” the website reads.
Stefanie Spear, a Kennedy spokeswoman, told ABC News that the crowd-sourcing effort is “a grassroots initiative run by volunteers,” and is not actually spearheaded by Kennedy, although the page uses the “mahanow.org” URL that Kennedy’s official campaign website adopted after he exited the race.
“We’ve always offered space on our website to our grassroots movement,” Spear said.
This post has been updated to reflect that the crowd-sourcing effort is a volunteer-run effort.
-ABC News’ Sasha Pezenik
November 11, 2024, 5:55 PM EST – Trump’s ‘border czar’ says mass deportation strategy will be a main priority
Former Immigration and Customs Enforcement Director Tom Homan, Trump’s newly announced “border czar,” said his main priority will be overseeing and formulating Trump’s long-vowed mass deportation strategy while consolidating decisions related to border security.
“Everybody talks about this mass deportation operation. President Trump talks about. I’ll oversee that and come up with a strategy for that,” Homan said during a lengthy interview with his hometown television station WWNY on Monday.
Homan said Trump’s mass deportations is “going to be a targeted enforcement operation, concentrating on criminals and national security threats first.”
He acknowledged that the deportations would be costly but argued the policy would “save the taxpayers a lot of money.”
Homan said he does not plan to “separate women and children” but acknowledged that deporting alleged criminals would result in breaking up families.
“When we arrest parents here, guess what? We separate them. The illegal aliens should be no different,” Homan said.
Homan also said worksite enforcement — an aspect of immigration policy focused on unauthorized workers and employers who knowingly hire them — is “going to get fired back up.”
“Under President Trump, we’re going to work it and we’re going to work it hard,” he said.
-ABC News’ Peter Charalambous
November 11, 2024, 5:46 PM EST – Melania Trump skipping meeting with Jill Biden: Sources
Melania Trump is not expected to travel to Washington with President-elect Donald Trump on Wednesday, two sources told ABC News.
First lady Jill Biden had extended an invite to Melania Trump for a meeting, according to the sources. In 2016, Michelle Obama had hosted Melania Trump at the White House.
The Trump campaign declined to comment. The first lady’s office confirmed to ABC News that a joint invitation was extended to the Trumps to meet at the White House though declined to comment beyond that.
-ABC News’ Rachel Scott, John Santucci and Molly Nagle
November 11, 2024, 4:26 PM EST – RFK Jr. advising Trump transition on health decisions: Sources
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has continued to broadly advise Trump and the transition team on health-related appointments and has been in discussions to possibly fill a major role in the next administration, sources familiar with the matter told ABC News.
While sources caution that a role has not been finalized, RFK Jr. has been discussed as a potential candidate for the next secretary of Health and Human Services. But other roles are also on the table, including a broad “czar”-like position that would advise on policy and personnel decisions in other health arenas, the sources said.
RFK Jr. has been in active discussions with the transition team since Trump’s election victory last week. He’s been spotted at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago club multiple times and has been engaging in presentations which include candidates for specific Cabinet and health-related jobs, sources said.
He has spent hours with the co-heads of Trump’s transition team — billionaire Howard Lutnick and Linda McMahon — in addition to others at Mar-a-Lago such as Trump’s son Donald Trump Jr.; investor and donor Omeed Malik; Tucker Carlson; and Del Bigtree, RFK Jr.’s former campaign spokesperson who produced a documentary called “Vaxxed: From Cover-Up to Catastrophe.”
-ABC News’ Katherine Faulders, Olivia Rubin and Will McDuffie
November 11, 2024, 3:30 PM EST – Lee Zeldin named to be EPA administrator
President-elect Donald Trump has tapped former New York Rep. Lee Zeldin to lead the Environmental Protection Agency.
“Lee, with a very strong legal background, has been a true fighter for America First policies,” Trump said in a statement. “He will ensure fair and swift deregulatory decisions that will be enacted in a way to unleash the power of American businesses, while at the same time maintaining the highest environmental standards, including the cleanest air and water on the planet. He will set new standards on environmental review and maintenance, that will allow the United States to grow in a healthy and well-structured way.
Zeldin, who also ran for New York governor against Andrew Cuomo in 2022, confirmed he had been offered the job via a post on X.
“It is an honor to join President Trump’s Cabinet as EPA Administrator,” he wrote. “We will restore US energy dominance, revitalize our auto industry to bring back American jobs, and make the US the global leader of AI. We will do so while protecting access to clean air and water.”
-ABC News’ John Santucci, Rachel Scott and Katherine Faulders
November 11, 2024, 3:06 PM EST -RFK Jr. suggests he’ll gut NIH, replace 600 employees
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. indicated over the weekend that he would fire 600 employees at the National Institutes of Health, replacing them with a new cohort of workers as he seeks to dramatically reshape America’s health agencies.
Speaking at the Genius Network Annual Event in Scottsdale, Arizona, Kennedy described his role vetting people for Donald Trump’s new administration.
“We need to act fast, and we want to have those people in place on Jan. 20, so that on Jan. 21, 600 people are going to walk into offices at NIH and 600 people are going to leave,” Kennedy said, according to a video of his remarks posted on YouTube.
November 11, 2024, 3:06 PM EST- Trump expected to announce Stephen Miller as deputy chief of staff
President-elect Donald Trump is expected to announce Stephen Miller, an immigration hard-liner and one of his senior advisers, will become his deputy chief of staff for policy, multiple sources familiar with the matter told ABC News.
It’s not clear when Trump plans to formally announce the job, the sources said.
Miller worked in the first Trump administration and played a key role in crafting immigration policies — including those that resulted in thousands of families being separated at the border.
-ABC News’ Rachel Scott, John Santucci and Katherine Faulders
November 11, 2024, 3:00 PM EST – Trump picks Elise Stefanik as UN ambassador
President-elect Donald Trump selected Rep. Elise Stefanik to be his U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, multiple Trump officials told ABC News.
“I am honored to nominate Chairwoman Elise Stefanik to serve in my Cabinet as U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations. Elise is an incredibly strong, tough, and smart America First fighter,” Trump said in a statement to ABC News.
Stefanik, a Republican congresswoman from New York’s 21st District, was elected last week to her sixth term in the House. She will inherit a role Nikki Haley held for two years in the first Trump administration.
-ABC News’ Rachel Scott, Katherine Faulders and John Santucci
