Category: Politics

(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, 11:06 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.

Read more here.

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

Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

(WASHINGTON) — President-elect Donald Trump was greeted with a standing ovation from House Republicans at his first stop back in Washington on Wednesday.

“It’s nice to win,” Trump said as he took the stage at the conference’s internal meeting at the Hyatt Regency near the Capitol.

Ahead of his arrival, House Speaker Mike Johnson celebrated Trump as the “comeback king.”

Trump smiled and shook Johnson’s hand and other top GOP brass on stage, including Rep. Elise Stefanik, who has been named as Trump’s U.S ambassador to the United Nations.

The meeting comes as Republicans inch closer to a majority in the House. While ABC News has not yet projected which party will control the chamber, Republicans are two seats away from the threshold with a dozen races still undecided.

House Republicans took an early victory lap as they came back to town Tuesday for the lame-duck session, saying they are prepared to enact Trump’s agenda on Day 1 of his administration come January.

“I just want to thank everybody,” Trump told the room. “You’ve been incredible. We worked with a lot of you to get you in, and you helped me, and you helped me too.”

As the press was being escorted out of the room, pool reporters noted Trump told lawmakers: “I suspect I won’t be running again unless you do something else, unless you say he’s so good we’ve got to figure something out.”

The friendly atmosphere comes ahead of Trump’s sit-down with President Joe Biden in the Oval Office, a return of a White House tradition that Trump flouted in 2020.

Trump landed at Joint Base Andrews for the first time since leaving office in January 2021 flanked by billionaire Elon Musk, a sign of some of the new faces that may dominate Trump’s orbit in his second term.

This is Trump’s first public appearance since his speech in the early hours after Election Day. He’s since huddled at Mar-a-Lago, where he’s been rolling out picks for Cabinet roles and other administration positions.

Musk has been weighing in on the decisions, ABC News previously reported.

On Tuesday, Trump announced Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy would lead a what he’s calling a new “Department of Government Efficiency” to provide outside guidance on reforming federal agencies and cutting government “waste.”

Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

(WASHINGTON) — A man employed by the U.S. government abroad was charged with leaking what appears to be Israel’s plans to retaliate against Iran, according to sources familiar with the matter and charging documents unsealed Wednesday.

Asif William Rahman is charged with willful transmission of national defense information, according to a court documents.

The documents are vague about what exactly he allegedly shared, but sources have confirmed that the charges are related to the leak reported widely last month — although it’s not immediately clear whether Rahman is believed to be the primary source of the leak.

On Tuesday, Rahman was arrested in Cambodia and brought to Guam, according to the charging documents.

In October, documents purporting to be Israel’s retaliation plans were leaked on the internet, possibly exposing plans for the American ally – a deep breach of national security.

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin told reporters in October that they are taking the situation “very seriously.”

The New York Times was first to report on Rahman’s arrest.

Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

(WASHINGTON) — For the first time in four years, Democrats are leaderless. But chaos is a ladder, as the saying goes, and the party is packed with climbers.

Democrats are still sifting through the rubble of last week’s election results, and many said that a period of grieving and soul-searching is due after Vice President Kamala Harris’ loss. But over a dozen operatives said that the leadership vacuum fueled by her defeat will attract members of the party’s deep bench who likely won’t wait long to cast themselves as the messenger Democrats need to bounce back ahead of the 2028 election.

“I have not seen any outreach from the national party to folks for 2028. I think they’re too busy playing the blame game, they’re too busy knifing each other,” said one person who has spoken to multiple potential 2028 candidates. “In terms of donors reaching out to their candidate of choice, that has been never ending over the course of the last four or five days. And then there’s a lot of local outreach to people.”

Democrats boast several governors, senators, House members and more rumored to have national ambitions.

Among them are California Gov. Gavin Newsom; Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker; Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear; Maryland Gov. Wes Moore; Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer; North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper; Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro; Georgia Sen. Raphael Warnock; New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker; Pennsylvania Sen. John Fetterman; California Rep. Ro Khanna; and Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg.

Harris and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, her running mate, could also play some role in guiding the party, though it’s unclear how much of an appetite there is in the party to allow the bench to take on a supporting role to members of the losing ticket.

Already, the jockeying is underway, albeit not yet in full force.

Shapiro has received calls from Democrats in his state, a source familiar with the matter confirmed, as has Beshear, who also wrote a New York Times op-ed examining his party’s woes. Newsom held a call with his grassroots donor network and is set to be a top Trump antagonist, and Khanna is mulling a media blitz and listening tour to areas that have borne the brunt of deindustrialization, sources familiar with their thinking said.

Buttigieg has traversed the country touting the administration’s infrastructure achievements, often goes behind enemy lines to appear on Fox News and moved his residency to Michigan, which has an open gubernatorial race in two years. Fetterman has been vocal about what he calls his party’s disconnect from working-class voters.

All have some kind of argument, whether it’s a blue-collar appeal the party has been missing, proven electoral experience in red or purple areas, or something else, and most hit the campaign trail for Harris this year. More maneuvering is expected to come, especially once Trump takes office and his policies go into effect, likely galvanizing Democrats’ base.

“I think that what you’ll probably see beginning in January, is people who are at least considering being candidates come out with really detailed, expansive programs. Some may be about jobs, some may be about education, some may be about who knows what else. But it will probably be policy-based,” said Dan Fee, a Democratic strategist and donor adviser based in Pennsylvania.

“I think you’re going to see a lot of a lot of governors and a lot of other folks do the speaking circuit thing, be going to events, certainly heading into ’26, you’re going to see a lot of people endorsing folks,” added one senior Democratic strategist, referencing the 2026 midterms.

There is no clear frontrunner in the beefy field, but some did see their personal stock rise during the Biden administration or as the result of the election.

Newsom, in particular, could benefit, given that his California roots and political base overlapped significantly with Harris’. But Buttigieg also boasts a beefier resume after four years in President Joe Biden’s Cabinet, Shapiro and Beshear were vetted as part of Harris’ veepstakes, and many hit the trail — especially to the early primary state of New Hampshire — throughout the year, helping them building relationships with local groups and voters.

Still, anything can happen in four years.

Republicans, not too long ago, were walking in the political wilderness themselves after President Barack Obama won reelection in 2012, sparking a famed autopsy. Four years later, now-President-elect Donald Trump won his first term, ushering in two years of unified Republican control but a series of fits ever since over the identity of the party and how much it should hew to his brand.

Democrats too were on a high after Biden’s win in 2020, a euphoria reinforced after the party defied the odds in the 2022 midterms to expand its Senate majority and limit its House losses. Now, they’re conducting a postmortem of their own.

What’s more, positioning oneself for higher office is more art than science. Appearing too eager risks turning off voters, while not stepping on the gas hard enough risks ceding ground to other aspirants.

But promoting oneself isn’t the only way to improve one’s standing amid the jockeying, and operatives predicted that the knives will be out.

“I think the [opposition research] books are probably already being built,” said the operative who has spoken to multiple potential 2028 candidates.

For all the preparation, though, would-be party leaders can’t make themselves so just by themselves. And party donors may not quite be ready to indulge a 2028 free-for-all as it analyzes its 2024 loss, especially after Harris’ team boasted of smashing several fundraising records only to get swept in all seven swing states.

“People were being told this is a toss-up, and so, their biggest problem is going to be getting fundraising,” said John Morgan, a prominent donor to Democratic candidates and causes. Donors “do not trust people with the money. Nobody does.”

That’s not expected to make a bench full of ambitious politicos collectively pump the brakes, though.

Several of the operatives who spoke to ABC News predicted a gargantuan 2028 primary field, even eclipsing that of 2020, which boasted over two dozen candidates.

“It’s gonna make the 2020 presidential primary look like it was a small gathering. This is going to be frenzied, it’s going to be competitive. There will be no punches pulled. And I think that’s a good thing,” a former Fetterman staffer said. “I hope we let it all out this time and the strongest person emerges.”

Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

(WASHINGTON) — The judge overseeing the Arizona “fake elector” case against several of Donald Trump’s allies has recused himself from the case after accusations of personal bias.

Last week, defense attorneys for State Senator Jacob Hoffman filed a motion to disqualify Judge Bruce Cohen, alleging that an email published by a media outlet revealed “politically charged statements” made by Cohen while overseeing the case.

“While Judge Cohen is entitled to his political opinions and speech, his rhetoric and exhortation precisely mirrors the evidence of hostile partisan political zealotry at the heart of the motions to dismiss that have been languishing before the Court for months,” the attorneys said in the filing last week.

“Judge Cohen’s impartiality can readily be questioned because of his apparent personal prejudice against President Trump and his supporters,” the attorneys added.

In an email sent in August, Cohen urged fellow members of the bench to speak out against attacks made against Vice President Kamala Harris. He also lamented the failure to speak out against Nazism, according to the attorneys.

“When we cannot or do not stand with others, the words of Martin Niemoller are no longer a historic reference to the atrocities of WWII, those words describe the present,” Cohen wrote.

“But it is time for me to state my piece or be complicit in the depravity,” he added.

In response to the filing, Cohen had initially scheduled a conference hearing to discuss the issue but on Tuesday afternoon, he sent a notice of recusal to the defense attorneys.

In the notice, Cohen defended the email that surfaced, saying it was not reflective of bias.

“As noted in the subject e-mail, the same cry for decency and respect would have been made about disparaging comments from either political sphere,” Cohen wrote. “That said, within hours after sending the August e-mail solely to other judicial officers and not in any public forum, an apology was sent out to those same judicial officers.”

“Out of a commitment to justice, even the appearance of bias cannot be allowed to undermine the fundamental fairness that is extended by the court to all who come before it,” Cohen added.

“It is for that reason alone that this court is recusing itself from all further proceedings in this matter.”

All those indicted in the case pleaded not guilty earlier this summer to charges of fraud, forgery, and conspiracy for their alleged efforts to overturn the state’s election results. Trump’s former attorney Jenna Ellis subsequently reached a cooperation agreement with prosecutors in exchange for the state dropping the charges against her.

Trump was not charged in the case.

Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

(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 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.

Read more here.

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

Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

(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 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.

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.

Read more here.

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

Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

(WASHINGTON) — President-elect Donald Trump announced Tuesday that 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.

Trump has long touted in campaign speeches that he would work to bring peace to the region. The president-elect has argued for Israel to “finish the job” on Hamas, but he’s offered little guidance on what action he might take in the region.

“He loves Israel, and the people of Israel, and likewise, the people of Israel love him,” Trump said of Huckabee in the statement.

Huckabee, an evangelical Christian, is an outspoken supporter of the Israeli settlement movement.

“I think Israel has title deed to Judea and Samaria,” he said on a 2017 visit to Israel, according to CNN, using the biblical names for the West Bank.

“There are certain words I refuse to use. There is no such thing as a West Bank. It’s Judea and Samaria,” Huckabee said. “There’s no such thing as a settlement. They’re communities, they’re neighborhoods, they’re cities. There’s no such thing as an occupation.”

As a 2008 presidential candidate, Huckabee also said “there’s really no such thing as a Palestinian,” according to Buzzfeed, and has suggested that a Palestinian state could be constructed with land from Arab countries surrounding Israel.

Huckabee is the father of current Arkansas governor and former press secretary under Trump, Sarah Huckabee Sanders.

News of Huckabee’s selection comes as Trump’s new administration begins to take shape with a handful of picks either being shared by Trump or reported by ABC News.

Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

(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 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.

Read more here.

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

Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

(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 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.

Read more here.

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

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