Category: Politics

(WASHINGTON) — An independent watchdog probe uncovered no evidence that federal agents were involved in inciting the Jan. 6 assault on the U.S. Capitol, according to a report released Thursday, undercutting years of baseless claims spread by far-right political figures who have alleged the FBI played a significant role in the attack.

The long-awaited report by Justice Department Inspector General Michael Horowitz found no evidence that FBI undercover employees were present among the thousands of Trump supporters who stormed the building, or even among the crowds of Trump’s supporters who attended protests around Washington, D.C. that day.

While the report confirmed there were 26 informants in Washington, D.C., who were dubbed within the FBI as “confidential human sources” or CHSs, Horowitz uncovered no evidence suggesting that any were instructed to join the assault on the Capitol or otherwise encourage illegal activity by members of the pro-Trump mob.

Moreover, the IG’s report found that three of the confidential informants were specifically tasked by FBI field offices with reporting on suspects in specific domestic terrorism cases who were believed to be attending events on Jan. 6, and one of those entered the Capitol during the riot itself.

Twenty-three others were in Washington but were not found to have been instructed to be there by any FBI field offices, and of those 23, three entered the Capitol while 11 entered the restricted areas around the building, the probe found.

The report found that none of the four informants who entered the Capitol have been prosecuted to date by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.

In a statement responding to the report’s findings, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said they have generally “not charged those individuals whose only crime on January 6, 2021 was to enter the restricted grounds surrounding the Capitol, which has resulted in the Office declining to charge hundreds of individuals; and we have treated the CHSs consistent with this approach.”

While the FBI has faced serious scrutiny over the past four years over whether they failed to properly prepare for Congress’ election certification and the possibility of an attack on the Capitol by Trump’s supporters, Horowitz’s report determined that the bureau “took significant and appropriate steps in advance of January 6” as part of its supporting role that day.

The report also found that the FBI did not properly canvass all the field offices for intelligence on potential activity prior to the attack.

FBI Deputy Director Paul Abbate described the lack of a canvass prior to Jan. as a “basic step that was missed,” and told the inspector general’s office that he would have expected a formal canvassing of sources to have occurred.

The inspector general found that while the FBI did not intentionally mislead Congress about the lack of canvassing field offices, they were not accurate in their assessment.

In June of 2023, Senate Democrats released a report that directly faulted the FBI for failing to “sound the alarm and share critical intelligence information that could have helped law enforcement better prepare for the events of January 6th.”

The report detailed a series of tips and other online traffic in advance of Jan. 6 that the lawmakers said the FBI was aware of that gave clear indications Trump’s supporters were planning for violence to prevent the certification of President Biden’s 2020 victory.

In the leadup to Jan. 6, the FBI did not have any “potentially critical intelligence” in their possession that wasn’t provided to other law enforcement entities, the IG said in the new report released Thursday.

More than 1,500 people across nearly all 50 states have been charged in connection with the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol, with crimes ranging from illegal trespassing on Capitol grounds, to assaults on federal officers and seditious conspiracy.

Court proceedings over the past three years, including in the seditious conspiracy trial against members of the far-right Proud Boys group, have shed light on some FBI informants who were either monitoring or among those in the crowd of Trump’s supporters on Jan. 6, 2021. Right wing media and some far-right political figures have seized on the presence of confidential human sources to push the conspiracy theory that the FBI or ‘deep state’ was involved in fomenting the crowd to violence — claims that even many attorneys for Jan. 6 defendants have rejected as false.

“Our review determined that none of these FBI CHSs was authorized by the FBI to enter the Capitol or a restricted area or to otherwise break the law on January 6, nor was any CHS directed by the FBI to encourage others to commit illegal acts on January 6,” Horowitz said in a statement announcing his report.

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(WASHINGTON) — President-elect Donald Trump’s picks for defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, and director of national intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard, are continuing to try to shore up support with senators ahead of confirmation hearings next month.

Gabbard will meet with incoming Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., on Thursday. She is also expected to meet with GOP Sen. Bill Hagerty, a member of the Senate Judiciary and Foreign Relations Committees.

This is Gabbard’s first week making the rounds on Capitol Hill since being tapped by Trump to oversee a sprawling network of 18 agencies in his new administration, despite her inexperience in the intelligence field.

A former Democratic congresswoman and member of the National Guard, Gabbard has face scrutiny for 2017 meetings with Syria’s authoritarian leader Bashar Assad (whose regime was toppled this week) and for controversial views on Russia.

Trump remarked on Gabbard, and his other Cabinet picks, during his interview with Time for the magazine’s “Person of the Year” honor. The interview was conducted on Nov. 25.

Trump said he was surprised by the criticism of Gabbard.

“I mean, I think she’s a great American,” he said. “I think she’s a person with tremendous common sense. I’ve watched her for years, and she has nothing to do with Russia. This is another, you know, a mini Russia, Russia, Russia scam.”

When asked if he’d rethink her possible appointment if foreign allies began withholding intelligence, Trump said, “I think probably, if that’s what’s happening. No, I don’t see it. Certainly, if something can be shown to me.”

Hegseth, another embattled Trump pick, is also back on Thursday to meet with senators, including Kentucky Republican Rand Paul. Notably, he’s also expected to meet with Democrat Sen. John Fetterman, the first to meet with him.

Hegseth’s faced pushback amid allegations of sexual impropriety, public drunkenness and other misconduct — which he’s largely denied. But this week, it appeared he was gaining some Republican support.

Trump’s doubled down on support for Hegseth, and pressure from his MAGA allies on potential GOP skeptics has shown early signs of paying off.

Kash Patel, Trump’s pick to lead the FBI, was also spotted back in the Senate hallways on Thursday.

Trump, in the Time interview, was pressed on if he was still considering recess appointments to install his Cabinet picks. Recess appointments would bypass the Senate’s constitutionally-mandated “advice and consent” role regarding Cabinet officials. Trump made a demand that whoever leads the Senate Republican Conference in the new Congress be open to them.

“I really don’t care how they get them approved, as long as they get them approved,” Trump said.

“But I think I have a very good relationship with Senator Thune and the others, all of them. I think almost, almost everybody, many of them I was very instrumental in getting, if not this season, last season, the season before that, I would say more than half,” Trump added.

So far, one of Trump’s pick faced insurmountable opposition.

Former Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz, also accused of sexual misconduct, was Trump’s first pick for attorney general. Gaetz withdrew his name from consideration as opposition mounted to his selection.

Trump was asked by Time what he’d do if the Senate balked at any more of his choices.

“Well, I don’t think they will,” he said. He said he told Gaetz, “You know, Matt, I don’t think this is worth the fight.”

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(WASHINGTON) — President-elect Donald Trump has invited China‘s President Xi Jinping to his inauguration in January, his spokesperson said Thursday.

Incoming White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed reports about the invitation on Fox News on Thursday morning.

Asked if she could confirm if Trump has invited Xi to his inauguration, Leavitt said, “That is true, yes and this is an example of President Trump creating an open dialogue with leaders of countries that are not just our allies, but our adversaries and our competitors, too. We saw this in his first term — he got a lot of criticism for it; but it led to peace around this world; he is willing to talk to anyone, and he will always put America’s interests first.”

Leavitt said it is “to be determined” if the Chinese president has RSVP’d, and that other world leaders are being invited as well.

CBS News was first to report that Xi Jinping had been invited.

In October, in an interview with podcaster Joe Rogan, Trump called Xi a “brilliant guy.”

“He controls 1.4 billion people with an iron fist. I mean, he’s a brilliant guy, whether you like it or not,” he said.

Trump has threatened to impose a 10% tariff on imports from China. He and Xi last met at the G20 summit in Japan in 2019.

Asked about the inauguration invitation Thursday as he made an appearance at the New York Stock Exchange, Trump wouldn’t comment on whether Xi has committed to attend.

“Well, I’ve invited a lot of great people. And they’ve all accepted. Everybody I invited has accepted,” Trump said.

“President Xi, as well?” reporters asked. Trump dodged, saying, “Very good relationship.”

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(WASHINGTON) — President-elect Donald Trump has been named Time magazine’s “2024 Person of the Year,” it was announced on Thursday.

The feature story includes an interview with Trump, in which he discusses immigration, abortion and his incoming administration.

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

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(WASHINGTON) — President Joe Biden said Thursday that he was pardoning 39 people who were convicted of non-violent crimes and was commuting the sentences of 1,500 people on home confinement, who he said have “shown successful rehabilitation and have shown commitment to making their communities stronger and safer.”

The White House described the actions as the “largest single-day grant of clemency in modern history.”

“These commutation recipients, who were placed on home confinement during the COVID pandemic, have successfully reintegrated into their families and communities and have shown that they deserve a second chance,” Biden said in a statement.

According to the White House fact sheet, some of those getting clemency on Thursday include a military veteran who spends time helping church members in poor health, a nurse who has helped in emergency response and an addiction counselor who volunteers to help young people.

The White House hinted that this isn’t the last of Biden’s pardons during his final months in office, saying that “in the coming weeks, the President will take additional steps to provide meaningful second chances and continue to review additional pardons and commutations.”

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

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(WASHINGTON) — Banking customers could save up to $5 billion per year on overdraft fees under a new rule finalized Thursday by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

Rohit Chopra, the director of the government watchdog in charge of protecting the public’s finances, told ABC News the final rule would cap overdraft fees at $5 for many customers.

That would mark a significant savings from the typical $35 fee that millions of customers pay when they withdraw more money from their checking accounts than they have available. The CFPB estimated the new rule could save the typical household $225 per year.

“Big banks love overdraft. It is easy profit for them, but it is punishing for so many Americans, especially those who live paycheck to paycheck,” Chopra told ABC News in an exclusive interview.

The CFPB announced the proposal in January as part of a broader effort by the administration of President Joe Biden to crack down on so-called junk fees. The new rule will take effect Oct. 1, 2025 — but legal challenges could delay that timeline. And Republicans in Congress could also pursue avenues to roll back the rules under a Trump administration.

GOP leaders, including Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, have frequently criticized the Biden administration for overreach and “runaway regulation.”

The Consumer Bankers Association, an industry group representing the nation’s biggest banks, echoed that concern, calling the CFPB rule “just the latest in a myriad of unnecessary and costly regulations by this Administration that seems guided by political polling, rather than by sound policy created by what should be independent agencies,” in a statement to ABC News in January.

But some big banks, including Bank of America, Citi and Capital One, already voluntarily lowered or eliminated overdraft fees — giving heft to the rule, regardless of its final implementation.

“I think some big banks admit that this has gone way too far and gone on way too long. And many of them are even finding that offering low or free overdraft products and services actually helps them gain customers who are looking to be treated fairly,” Chopra said.

The CFPB said consumers still paid a total of nearly $6 billion in overdraft fees last year.

Under the final rule announced Thursday, banks and credit unions will have three different options. They can limit all overdraft fees at $5, which is the amount the CFPB estimated will allow institutions to break even when they offer courtesy overdraft programs.

Banks can also choose to set their fees at “an amount that covers their costs and losses.”

Or if banks choose to make money from overdraft fees, they will be forced to disclose terms of the loan to customers clearly — in the same way customers may agree to high interest rates associated with credit card loans.

“If your bank is charging you big overdraft fees or reordering your payments to enrich themselves, you need to break up with your bank. There are so many local banks, credit unions and others that are offering a better deal, and you should take your business elsewhere,” Chopra said.

The CFPB rule would apply to banks with more than $10 billion in deposits.

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(WASHINGTON) — FBI Director Christopher Wray told employees at an internal town hall on Wednesday that he is resigning, according to sources familiar with the meeting.

He said he is stepping down at the end of the current Biden administration.

“After weeks of careful thought, I’ve decided the right thing for the Bureau is for me to serve until the end of the current Administration in January and then step down. My goal is to keep the focus on our mission — the indispensable work you’re doing on behalf of the American people every day. In my view, this is the best way to avoid dragging the Bureau deeper into the fray, while reinforcing the values and principles that are so important to how we do our work,” he said in his remarks.

“It should go without saying, but I’ll say it anyway — this is not easy for me. I love this place, I love our mission, and I love our people — but my focus is, and always has been, on us and doing what’s right for the FBI,” he said.

“When you look at where the threats are headed, it’s clear that the importance of our work –  keeping Americans safe and upholding the Constitution — will not change. And what absolutely cannot, must not change is our commitment to doing the right thing, the right way, every time. Our adherence to our core values, our dedication to independence and objectivity, and our defense of the rule of law — those fundamental aspects of who we are must never change,” he said. “That’s the real strength of the FBI — the importance of our mission, the quality of our people, and their dedication to service over self. It’s an unshakeable foundation that’s stood the test of time, and cannot be easily moved. And it — you, the men and women of the FBI — are why the Bureau will endure and remain successful long into the future.”

Wray, who was appointed by President-elect Donald Trump and confirmed in August 2017, oversaw the agency in a “heightened threat environment” and number of high-profile cases, including the investigation of the man who appointed him.

As FBI director, Wray oversaw the investigation into the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol by a pro-Trump mob, hundreds of Chinese espionage cases, the probes into Trump’s and President Joe Biden’s handling of classified documents as well as thousands more criminal investigations.

Wray was nominated by Trump after he fired his predecessor, James Comey.

Republican critics have accused Wray’s FBI of political interference, a lack of transparency and a lack of responsiveness to Congress.

Iowa GOP Sen. Chuck Grassley, the incoming chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, sent a letter to Wray on Dec. 9, expressing a “vote of no confidence” in Wray and his deputy director.

“For the good of the country, it’s time for you and your deputy to move on to the next chapter of your life,” Grassley writes.

Trump has picked Kash Patel to replace Wray at the FBI.

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

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(NEW YORK) — Former President Bill Clinton, during an appearance on ABC’s The View on Wednesday, indicated he hopes President Joe Biden will not preemptively pardon people who could be targeted by the incoming administration of President-elect Donald Trump, including Clinton’s wife, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

“If President Biden wanted to talk to me about that, I would talk to him about it. But I don’t think I should be giving public advice on the pardon power. I think it’s too — it’s a very personal thing, but it is — I hope he won’t do that,” Clinton said.

“Most of us get out of this world ahead of where we’d get if all we got was simple justice. And so it’s normally a fool’s errand. You spend a lot of time trying to get even,” he added.

President Biden and his senior aides have been discussing possible preemptive pardons for people who might be targeted by the new Trump administration, according to a source close to the president. Experts have told ABC News he has the power to do so under the Constitution.

Clinton emphasized that he does not believe any potential charges from the incoming Trump administration brought against Hillary Clinton would be valid, arguing that she did not do anything wrong with her handling of emails during her time at the State Department — a controversy which became a flashpoint late in the 2016 election cycle.

Asked separately about his recent comments that a Republican could be more likely to be the first female president, Clinton said, “The impulse to say a woman probably shouldn’t be president comes more from the right than from the left — in the brain — and it’s an impulsive thing.”

He also surmised that voters are not always looking toward how much experience a politician had, because of how they’re focused on day-to-day issues.

“If you’re an alienated voter and you’re genuinely worried about your family’s financial security or your personal security, then the last thing you want is somebody who’s well qualified … if you think the total sum of impact of government action is negative, then you may not want somebody who’s well qualified,” Clinton said.

“And that’s the danger we’re at now, because it actually does matter if you know things.”

Asked about what may happen after Trump’s victory, Clinton emphasized that Trump won fairly.

“So, I think what we have to do is to observe a peaceful transfer of power, stand up for what we believe, and work together when we can,” Clinton said.

“I do not think we should just be jamming them, even though they do that to us a lot. I think it’s a mistake,” he added.

During the 2024 campaign cycle, Bill Clinton campaigned for Vice President Kamala Harris, serving as a key surrogate sent to rural areas and to speak with working-class voters.

Asked how Democrats can win back working-class voters who have been shifting to support Republicans, Clinton said that he feels part of the challenge is “cultural,” as rural voters skewer more conservative and are dealing with things they are not used to.

“The world moves on, and things that once made sense to people don’t anymore,” he said. “The world moves on, and things that once made sense to people don’t anymore. Things that should make sense don’t anymore.”

“We need to quit screaming at each other and listen to each other. We need to have a serious conversation about these things. And I think one of the things that Democrats sometimes do is give up on too many people, because the demographics say they’re not going to be for it,” Clinton said.

“Well, that may be, but you know, if you don’t deal with something that’s controversial, just because you don’t want to hear it, that’s like an insult to voters.”

Clinton has devoted time to charitable and health causes since his presidency, and his memoir “Citizen: My Life After the White House” released in November.

“First, it was fun, and secondly, it was important,” Clinton said of his charitable work. “And thirdly, I could do it. And it didn’t matter if the president was Barack Obama or George Bush, we just did things that human beings needed.”

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(WASHINGTON) — President-elect Donald Trump’s pick for defense secretary Pete Hegseth met on Wednesday with another moderate Republican whose vote will be closely watched in his confirmation battle.

Hegseth sat down with Maine Sen. Susan Collins as he continues to make the rounds to shore up support amid allegations of sexual impropriety and other misconduct, which he denies.

Afterward, he described it as a “great meeting.”

“Office after office, having the opportunity to spend time with these senators who have invested their careers in ensuring that our warfighters get what they need, has been amazing educational process,” Hegseth said. “And Senator Collins, like her colleagues before her reiterated that.

“It was a wonderful conversation focused on what needs to be done to make sure this Pentagon is focused on warfighting and lethality, and we look forward to stay in touch with her,” he added.

Hegseth added he was “certainly not going to assume anything about where the senator stands” as he was peppered with questions by reporters.

Collins called it a “good, substantive discussion” for more than an hour on everything from women’s role in the military and sexual assault in the military to Ukraine and NATO.

“I asked virtually every question under the sun,” Collins said. “I pressed him on both his position on military issues as well as the allegations against him.”

Collins did not voice support for Hegseth, instead saying she’d wait until further vetting of Hegseth before deciding how to vote.

“I, obviously, always wait until we have an FBI background check, and one is underway in the case of Mr. Hegseth, and I wait to see the committee hearing before reaching a final decision,” she said.

Their meeting came on the heels of his meeting on Tuesday with Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski, who is viewed as another possible GOP swing vote. Murkowski said they had a “good exchange” but did not indicate whether she’d been swayed to support him.

Hegseth is one of many Trump administration picks who’ve been on Capitol Hill this week.

South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem, tapped to lead the Department of Homeland Security, met with various Republican senators on Tuesday.

When departing a meeting with Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul, Noem was asked if she’d support Trump’s plan for mass deportations of migrants living in the U.S. without legal permission. Deportations were a central promise of Trump’s 2024 campaign.

“I am going to enforce the president’s agenda,” Noem responded.

Noem also left the door open for a deal with Democrats to protect “Dreamers,” or migrants brought illegally to the U.S. as young children. Trump floated the idea during an interview on NBC’s “Meet the Press,” despite his attempts to undermine the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program during his first administration.

“You know, I appreciate the president’s word on this issue, and I know he wants our laws to be followed, so I’ll work with him to get his vision accomplished,” Noem said.

Noem was back for meetings on Wednesday, including one with Democratic Sen. Gary Peters. Noem said she hoped for bipartisan support in her confirmation bid.

Kash Patel, Trump’s pick for FBI director, and Tulsi Gabbard, his choice for director of national intelligence, have also been spotted walking the halls of the Hart Senate Office Building.

For Patel to fill the role, current FBI Director Christopher Wray would need to resign or be fired.

Several Republican senators expressed this week they’d be fine with Wray being forced out or stepping aside.

“I like Director Wray but I think it’s time for a fresh start at the FBI,” said Sen. Lindsey Graham.

“Obviously, Director Wray would be fired. That is obvious,” said Sen. Markwayne Mullin.

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(WASHINGTON) — President-elect Donald Trump posted a flurry of announcements to his Truth Social account on Tuesday night, including the appointment of Kimberly Guilfoyle as the ambassador to Greece and Tom Barrack as the ambassador to Turkey.

Guilfoyle, a former fundraiser for Trump and a former host on Fox News, is currently in an established relationship with Donald Trump Jr.

In announcing her position, Trump wrote, “For many years, Kimberly has been a close friend and ally. Her extensive experience and leadership in law, media, and politics along with her sharp intellect make her supremely qualified to represent the United States, and safeguard its interests abroad.”

The post also stated, “Kimberly is perfectly suited to foster strong bilateral relations with Greece, advancing our interests on issues ranging from defense cooperation to trade and economic innovation.”

Tom Barrack is Trump’s longtime friend who chaired his first inaugural committee — and he was notably acquitted of federal charges accusing him of illegal foreign lobbying on behalf of the United Arab Emirates.

Barrack was charged during the first Trump administration and campaign, in 2021. During his trial, he was accused by federal prosecutors of acting as a foreign agent but failing to register between 2016 and 2018 while allegedly trying to “leverage his access” to Trump with his contacts in the UAE.

A jury found him not guilty on all charges — which also included conspiracy, obstruction and lying to the FBI — in November 2022.

Trump praised Barrack’s acquittal at the time, saying in a statement: “Great news for our Country, Freedom, and Democracy in that businessman Tom Barrack, who should have never been charged or tried, was just acquitted of all charges.”

Barrack’s testimony during the trial was at times critical of Trump. He said on the witness stand that his support for Trump politically was “disastrous” for him professionally, at one point mocking Trump’s understanding of the Middle East.

“This amazingly good businessman became the president of the United States who could not spell the Middle East,” Barrack said.

Asked about his criticism of Trump at the time of the acquittal, Barrack told ABC News: “I’m just done with politics.”

In announcing his ambassadorship to Turkey on Tuesday, Trump said that Barrack is “a well respected and experienced voice of reason.”

The president-elect also announced roles at the Federal Trade Commission. He named Andrew Ferguson as chairman and Mark Meador as commissioner.

“Andrew has a proven record of standing up to Big Tech censorship, and protecting Freedom of Speech in our Great Country. Sworn in as a Commissioner on April 2, 2024, he will be able to fight on behalf of the American People on Day One of my Administration,” Trump wrote in his announcement.

The post continued, “Andrew will be the most America First, and pro-innovation FTC Chair in our Country’s History.”

For Meador, Trump listed a series of degrees and accomplishments in the announcement post.

At the Office of Management and Budget, Trump announced Congressman Dan Bishop as deputy director and Ed Martin as the chief of staff.

For Bishop, he posted, “Dan has been a tireless fighter for our MAGA Movement in the House of Representatives on the Judiciary and Homeland Security Committees. Dan will implement my cost-cutting and deregulatory agenda across all Agencies, and root out the Weaponized Deep State.”

“Ed is a winner who will help Make America Great Again!” he wrote for Martin.

Lastly, Trump announced that Jacob Helberg will serve as undersecretary of state for economic growth, energy and the environment at the State Department.

In his post on Truth Social, Trump said, “In this role Jacob will be a champion of our America First Foreign Policy. He will guide State Department policy on Economic statecraft, promoting America’s Economic security and growth, and American technological dominance abroad. Jacob is a successful technology executive, has the knowledge, expertise, and pragmatism to defend America’s Economic interests abroad, and always puts AMERICA FIRST!”

Helberg is a former Democrat who went from being a little-known tech adviser to a rising star in Trump’s circles, known largely as a China hawk and as a major proponent of the bill that may lead to banning TikTok in the U.S.

He’s a commissioner for the U.S.-China Economic Security Review Commission, and he helped shore support on Capitol Hill for the bill that would ban TikTok if it’s not sold from its Chinese parent company by Jan. 19, 2025.

After Biden signed the TikTok bill into law earlier this year, Helberg posted photos of himself with several powerful members of Congress, including Speaker Mike Johnson and House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, thanking them for being “truly outstanding people who can come together when our security is at stake.”

Helberg called TikTok a “Chinese weapon of war” in August, and he previously published a book titled, “The Wires of War.” The 2021 book is about tech-fueled wars shaping the world’s balance of power in the coming century, arguing that “without a firm partnership with the government, Silicon Valley is unable to protect democracy from the autocrats looking to sabotage it from Beijing to Moscow and Tehran.”

Helberg’s harsh criticism of TikTok could clash with Trump’s vow to “save” TikTok, even though Trump tried to ban the app during his first administration.

Trump and Vice President-elect JD Vance “have laid out an aggressive agenda to face the twin convulsions of technological and geopolitical change, and ensure America wins the economic contests that define this century,” Helberg wrote on X after Trump announced his appointment on Tuesday.

“The State Department will play a critical role in acting on this vision,” his post continued. “I look forward to earning the support of the U.S. Senate and working with @MarcoRubio to implement President Trump’s agenda.”

In previous years, Helberg and his husband were “significant supporters” of Ron DeSantis and then reportedly shifted fundraising support to Nikki Haley in 2023.

By midway through the following year, however, Helberg had personally contributed $844,600 to the Trump 47 Committee, Inc. and another $1 million to the Make America Great Again, Inc. super PACs, according to filing data made available by the FEC.

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