Trump Transition
In a stunning comeback, former President Donald Trump recaptured the White House, winning a second term and a “MAGA mandate” following his defeat in 2020. The win reverberated through Washington and the nation after an astonishing comeback that upended political expectations, pollsters and the party elite. Get full coverage of the Trump transition from The Washington Times.
Defense Secretary pick Pete Hegseth makes his case to senators as misconduct allegations pile up
Defense Secretary nominee Pete Hegseth is making the rounds on Capitol Hill this week, meeting with GOP senators whose votes he will need to be confirmed amid growing allegations of personal misconduct.
Social media raises profile of mission to cut bureaucracy
The commission President-elect Donald Trump has tasked with eliminating government inefficiency has something previous waste-cutting committees lacked: the social media bullhorn.
Trump signs agreement to allow Justice Department to conduct background checks on nominees, staff
President-elect Donald Trump’s transition team on Tuesday signed an agreement to allow the Justice Department to conduct background checks on his nominees and appointees after a weeks-long delay.
Global pivot from Biden to Trump sealed with Macron’s invite to Notre Dame
French President Emmanuel Macron’s decision to invite President-elect Donald Trump to the grand reopening of the Notre Dame cathedral marks the end of the Biden era and signals the world is focused on courting the incoming U.S. leader with sharp elbows.
Canada can become 51st state if it can’t handle tariffs, Trump tells Trudeau
President-elect Trump reportedly made the suggestion when demanding that Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau do more to curtail illegal immigration and drug trafficking across America’s northern border.
Trump says he’ll attend Notre Dame Cathedral reopening celebration in Paris this weekend
President-elect Donald Trump will attend the reopening celebration for Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris this weekend, his first foreign trip since the election.
Trump taps businessman Warren Stephens to be U.K. ambassador
President-elect Donald Trump on Monday announced his intent to name Warren Stephens, CEO of a private financial services firm, to be the U.S. ambassador to the United Kingdom.
‘Hell to pay’: Trump threatens fierce action to free hostages in Middle East
President-elect Donald Trump said Monday there would be “all hell to pay” if hostages held in the Middle East are not released by his inauguration on Jan. 20.
Trump’s DEA nominee slammed by conservatives for heavy-handed policing of COVID rules
President-elect Donald Trump’s pick of Hillsborough County (Florida) Sheriff Chad Chronister to lead the Drug Enforcement Administration ran into opposition from conservatives who say the lawman is a COVID-19 lockdown enforcer.
Trump taps Patel to restore trust in FBI; Republicans support shake-up, Democrats wary of intentions
President-elect Donald Trump’s choice of Kash Patel to lead the FBI has ignited a confirmation battle that likely will be as much a fight over the future of America’s premier national law enforcement agency as over the candidate’s qualifications.
Musk, Ramaswamy’s DOGE could break stalemate in Beltway spending
President-elect Donald Trump and his Department of Government Efficiency have given new hope to spending cutters on Capitol Hill.
Trump picks loyalist Kash Patel to lead FBI
President-elect Donald Trump on Saturday announced that he wanted Kash Patel, a fierce Trump loyalist, to run the FBI.
Donald Trump wants pardoned real estate developer Charles Kushner to be ambassador to France
President-elect Donald Trump said Saturday that he wants real estate developer Charles Kushner, father of Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, to serve as ambassador to France.
Canada’s Trudeau says he had an ‘excellent conversation’ with Trump in Florida after tariffs threat
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Saturday he had an “excellent conversation” with Donald Trump at his Mar-a-Lago club after the president-elect’s threat to impose significant tariffs on two of America’s leading trade partners raised alarms in Ottawa and Mexico City.
House GOP margins shrink even more, teeing up paper-thin majority for start of Trump administration
The Republicans’ majority in the House shrank even more this week after Democrats flipped one of the last outstanding races in the country, giving GOP lawmakers little wiggle room heading into next year.
Trump taps Lt. Gen. Keith Kellogg, Pence’s former security adviser, as Ukraine war point man
President-elect Donald Trump on Wednesday picked retired Army Lt. Gen. Keith Kellogg, former Vice President Mike Pence’s national security adviser, to serve as his special envoy to Ukraine and Russia as he seeks to follow through on his promise to quickly end the conflict.
Musk, Ramaswamy to huddle with GOP lawmakers about DOGE effort to slash bureaucracy, debt
Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy will meet with Republican lawmakers on Capitol Hill next week to discuss how the Department of Government Efficiency they will lead in President-elect Donald Trump’s incoming administration can work with Congress.
MTG wants to use her subcommittee perch to target U.S. funding for foreign wars
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene said she’s planning to use her new perch as chair of a government efficiency oversight subcommittee next Congress to target U.S. funding for foreign wars.
FBI investigating bomb threats, ‘swatting’ against Trump Cabinet picks
Several of President-elect Donald Trump’s nominees have been targeted with bomb threats and “swatting,” the FBI said Wednesday.
Trump continues to fill roles in administration: NIH director, Navy secretary and more
President-elect Donald Trump continued his dizzying sprint to fill positions for his incoming administration.
GOP lawmakers wary of Trump’s plan to stop Biden’s spending already approved by Congress
Republican lawmakers share President-elect Donald Trump’s desire to reduce spending, but some disagree with his plan to circumvent Congress and go after the spending oversight law, the Impoundment Control Act of 1974.
‘Celebrity Apprentice: White House edition’ — Trump taps television figures instead of bureaucrats
The television stars President-elect Donald Trump recruited for his administration are long on celebrity appeal but short on experience, raising questions about whether they can go from the small screen to running multibillion-dollar agencies.
Trump picks Jay Bhattacharya, who backed COVID herd immunity, to lead National Institutes of Health
President-elect Donald Trump has chosen health economist Dr. Jay Bhattacharya, a critic of pandemic lockdowns and vaccine mandates, to lead the National Institutes of Health, the nation’s leading medical research agency.
Trump nominates Jamieson Greer for trade representative, Kevin Hassett for National Economic Council
President-elect Donald Trump announced a slew of nominations Tuesday, including international trade attorney Jamieson Greer to be his U.S. trade representative, Kevin Hassett as director of the White House National Economic Council and Vince Haley as director of the Domestic Policy Council.
Trump team signs memos needed to kickstart transition, share info with Biden team
President-elect Donald Trump and his transition team have signed a memo of understanding that allows it to coordinate with the Biden White House and gain critical information from agency heads before the Jan. 20 inauguration.
Allies and foes of Education Department skeptical of Trump’s ability to abolish the agency
Allies and foes of the Department of Education doubt that President-elect Donald Trump can muster the congressional support he would need to eliminate the 44-year-old agency — but they do anticipate some major changes.
Incoming border czar Tom Homan to sanctuary cities: ‘Don’t test us’
Incoming border czar Tom Homan delivered a new stern warning to sanctuary cities Tuesday and proclaimed Texas a model for how the rest of the country should approach border enforcement.
Trump’s tariff threat divides lawmakers, business groups at home
While GOP allies cheer President-elect Donald Trump’s threat to impose tariffs on Canada and Mexico unless those countries rein in illegal immigration and drug trafficking into the U.S., some business lobbies and trade groups warn of domestic pain if he follows through.
Donald Trump Jr. says podcasters may be in White House press room’s future
Donald Trump Jr. suggested that his father, President-elect Donald Trump, would boot legacy media out of the White House briefing room in favor of podcasters.
Six Republicans to watch when the Senate takes up Trump nominees
Will Senate Republicans fall in line behind Trump nominees? Many have indicated they will, but there are at least six GOP senators to watch as the confirmation proceedings unfold.
Target countries call Trump’s tariff threat counterproductive, plead for cooperation
The foreign governments targeted in President-elect Donald Trump’s latest tariff threat said higher U.S. levies designed to rein in drugs and illegal migration could violate the North American free-trade deal Mr. Trump himself negotiated in his first term, and that dialogue is better than confrontation.
Trump threatens to impose sweeping new tariffs on Mexico, Canada and China on first day in office
President-elect Donald Trump threatened to impose sweeping new tariffs on Mexico, Canada and China as soon as he takes office as part of his effort to crack down on illegal immigration and drugs. He said he would impose a 25% tax on all products entering the country from Canada and Mexico, and an additional 10% tariff on goods from China, as one of his first executive orders.
Reports: Trump team finds top adviser Boris Epshteyn engaged in pay-for-play scheme
Boris Epshteyn, a key transition figure and attorney for President-elect Donald J. Trump, is being investigated by Mr. Trump’s own team on suspicion of corruption.
Pentagon: Transition to Trump can’t proceed until new administration team signs official documents
With less than two months until President-elect Donald Trump is sworn into office, officials at the Pentagon on Monday said they have been unable to begin the herculean task of coordinating the transfer of authority with his Defense Department transition team.
Trump’s North Korea policy could pose ‘traumatic’ risk for South Korea
South Korea could face some critical strategic choices if incoming U.S. President Donald Trump resumes his diplomatic outreach to North Korea and recognizes Pyongyang as a nuclear state, top security analysts in Seoul are warning.
Trump’s pick for FCC chair says fighting censorship is his No. 1 priority
President-elect Donald Trump’s pick to chair the Federal Communications Commission said Monday he wants to “smash the censorship cartel” to rebuild trust in media sources and ensure broadcasters serve the public interest.
Trump fills out health care, national security and economic teams with flurry of moves
President-elect Donald Trump has filled out his economic, health care and national security teams with a flurry of appointments and pending nominations, including hedge fund manager Scott Bessent for Treasury secretary and former White House budget director Russell Vought to serve in the same role.
Schmitt: All Justice employees involved in Trump cases should be ‘fired immediately’
Sen. Eric Schmitt said Sunday that President-elect Donald Trump should fire anyone in the Justice Department who participated in the criminal cases against him.
Trump’s first days as president-elect are positive, poll finds
The majority of Americans are happy that President-elect Donald Trump won the election and look forward to his second stint in the White House, a new poll has found.
Trump taps Brooke Rollins, former White House adviser, to lead Agriculture Department
President-elect Donald Trump announced on Saturday that he will nominate Brooke Rollins, who was an adviser in his first term, as Agriculture secretary in his new Cabinet.
Trump names Gorka to White House counter-terror post, picks Scott Turner to lead HUD
President-elect Donald Trump is bringing back Sebastian Gorka into the White House to serve as deputy assistant to the president and senior director for counterterrorism, marking his latest back-to-the-future pick as he fills out his inner circle.
Trump fills key health care positions: surgeon general, heads of CDC, FDA
President-elect Donald Trump is building out his health team, announcing that he will nominate Dr. Janette Nesheiwat to be Surgeon General.
Trump names Bessent as Treasury secretary, Vought to lead OMB
President-elect Donald Trump filled two key spots to help carry out his economic agenda with the selection of financier Scott Bessent as the next Treasury secretary and Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer of Oregon to serve as Labor secretary.
Biden, bureaucrats scramble to set roadblocks to Trump-proof federal government
Democrats are racing against time to set lawful “land mines” to blunt the impact of President-elect Donald Trump, scrambling to rush billions in cash out the door, confirm judges and entrench climate and health policies before the incoming administration can dismantle all of it.
Americans warming to Trump; Pew survey says voters shifting to GOP, away from Democrats
Americans are warmer to President-elect Donald Trump now than they were in 2016 and 2020, according to a new poll that found they believe he’ll steer the economy correctly as he takes office.
Trump world makes clear Mike Rogers to FBI: ‘Not happening’
President-elect Donald Trump’s team is throwing cold water on the idea that former Rep. Mike Rogers is in line to lead the FBI.
Trump team to revive fossil fuels, end Biden policies; renewable energy advocates prepare challenges
Three Trump nominees plan to jump-start the nation’s energy production and reverse a slate of Biden-era policies aimed at eliminating fossil fuels.
Trump says Bondi, his new pick for attorney general, will refocus DOJ and make America safe again
President-elect Donald Trump announced Thursday evening that former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi is his pick for U.S. attorney general, hours after former congressman Matt Gaetz withdrew himself from consideration.
Gaetz’s withdrawal earns mixed reactions of relief, surprise from Senate Republicans
Former Rep. Matt Gaetz’s abrupt withdrawal from consideration to lead the Justice Department on Thursday was met with mixed reactions in the Senate, where some Republicans were glad the brief but dramatic saga was over, while others were stunned.
Hegseth earns support from GOP senators, says he was ‘completely cleared’ in 2017 sex assault case
Republican senators who met with Pete Hegseth, President-elect Donald Trump’s pick for Defense secretary, are all in for the former Fox News co-host who is trying to dispel concerns about a 2017 sexual assault complaint that resulted in no charges.
Bondi replaces Gaetz as Trump’s pick for attorney general, removes ‘distraction’
Former Rep. Matt Gaetz said Thursday that he is withdrawing from consideration to be President-elect Donald Trump’s attorney general, amid persistent allegations he had sex with a minor and paid women for sex.
‘Trump Derangement Syndrome’ returns to Congress as Democrats nearly sink anti-terror nonprofit bill
It didn’t take long for Trump Derangement Syndrome to strike Congress again, according to House Republicans who had to battle Thursday to pass a bill to strip tax-exempt status from nonprofit groups that provide material support for terrorists.
Barrasso praises Hegseth as ‘strong’ pick for defense secretary
Sen. John Barrasso came out in support of Pete Hegseth, President-elect Donald Trump’s pick for Pentagon chief, calling him a “strong nominee.”
No more working in pajamas: Musk, Ramaswamy target teleworking for federal employees
Billionaire Elon Musk and former presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy said this week they support requiring all federal employees to return to the office five days a week.
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Trump Transition: Here are the people Trump has picked for key positions so far
Gallery: 33 Photos
President-elect Donald Trump has announced a flurry of picks for his incoming administration. Get full coverage of the Trump transition from The Washingon Times.
