Trump’s speedy Cabinet picks show his ‘priority to put America first,’ transition team says
West Palm Beach, Fla.— President-elect Donald Trump has announced more than a dozen Cabinet picks just a week after he was declared victorious in his race against Vice President Kamala Harris, reflecting his commitment to putting “America first,” the campaign told Fox News Digital. “The American people re-elected President Trump by a resounding margin, giving him a mandate to implement the promises he made on the campaign trail — and his Cabinet picks reflect his priority to put America First. President Trump will continue to appoint highly qualified men and women who have the talent, experience and necessary skill sets to Make America Great Again,” Trump-Vance transition spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt told Fox News Digital when asked about Trump’s speedy roll-out of Cabinet picks. Trump sailed to victory last week after securing electoral votes from toss-up states such as Pennsylvania and Georgia. All in, he earned 312 electoral votes — sweeping all seven of the battleground states — and won the popular vote. “America first” and “Make America Great Again” were hallmarks of Trump’s campaign, including during his historic rally at Madison Square Garden in Manhattan last month. “We stand on the verge of the four greatest years in the history of the U.S.A. With your help from now until Election Day, we will restore America’s promise. We will put America first, and we will take back the nation that we all love,” he said at MSG. “We bleed the same blood. We share the same home, and we salute the same great American flag. We are one people, one family and one glorious nation under God. We will never give in. We will never give up. We will never ever back down, and we will never, ever, ever surrender. Together, we will fight, fight, fight, and we will win, win, win.” TRUMP PICKING CABINET AT BREAKNECK SPEED COMPARED TO 2016 Shortly after his win at the ballot box, Trump began rolling out his picks for his Cabinet. As of Wednesday afternoon, Trump has announced 17 names for his administration, including Susie Wiles as his chief of staff, longtime ally Dan Scavino as his deputy chief of staff and Fox News co-host Pete Hegseth as secretary of defense. Trump has announced the picks via emails to the media and supporters, coming at a faster pace than in 2016, when he was elected to his first term in the Oval Office, Fox News Digital found earlier this week. Trump announced on Nov. 11, for example, that New York Rep. Elise Stefanik will serve as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations. During the 2016 transition cycle, Trump announced then-Gov. Nikki Haley of South Carolina would fill that same role on Nov. 23. Haley went on to run unsuccessfully in 2024 for the GOP presidential nomination. LOYALTY MATTERS: TRUMP PICKS ALLIES AND SUPPORTERS TO FILL OUT HIS ADMINISTRATION He also tapped Rep. Mike Waltz, R-Fla., to serve as his national security adviser, announcing that pick on Tuesday, about three days ahead of his announcement for the same role in 2016, when he chose former Army Gen. Mike Flynn for the position about 10 days after Election Day. Trump also announced he chose former New York Republican Rep. Lee Zeldin to lead the Environmental Protection Agency, a pick Trump didn’t make until Dec. 7, 2016, when he tapped Scott Pruitt to serve in the role. ELON MUSK, VIVEK RAMASWAMY TO LEAD TRUMP’S DEPARTMENT OF GOVERNMENT EFFICIENCY Trump’s first pick for his administration, Susie Wiles for chief of staff, was announced the day after the election, while his 2016 announcement of Reince Priebus as chief of staff was made five days after the election. “Susie is tough, smart, innovative, and is universally admired and respected. Susie will continue to work tirelessly to Make America Great Again. It is a well deserved honor to have Susie as the first-ever female Chief of Staff in United States history. I have no doubt that she will make our country proud,” Trump said after the selection of Wiles. Trump briefly traveled to Washington, D.C., Wednesday, where he met with congressional Republicans and then went to the White House for a meeting with President Biden before heading back home to Florida. “I look forward… to having a smooth transition. We’ll do everything we can to make sure you’re accommodated, what you need,” Biden said during a short portion of the meeting when reporters were granted access to the Oval Office. Trump added that “politics is tough, and in many cases it’s not a very nice world, but it is a nice world today.” “I appreciate very much the transition that’s so smooth. It will be as smooth as it can get, and I very much appreciate that,” Trump continued. Trump was joined by high-profile officials on his transition team and upcoming administration, including Wiles and tech billionaire Elon Musk. TRUMP’S PICKS SO FAR: HERE’S WHO WILL BE ADVISING THE NEW PRESIDENT Musk endorsed Trump over the summer and soon began campaigning for him, most notably in the key battleground state of Pennsylvania. Trump announced on Tuesday evening that Musk and former GOP presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy will lead a new task force he is calling the Department of Government Efficiency. “I am pleased to announce that the Great Elon Musk, working in conjunction with American Patriot Vivek Ramaswamy, will lead the Department of Government Efficiency (“DOGE”). 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 – Essential to the ‘Save America’ Movement,” Trump said in his announcement. “It will become, potentially, ‘The Manhattan Project’ of our time. Republican politicians have dreamed about the objectives of “DOGE” for a very long time. To drive this kind of drastic change, the Department of Government Efficiency will provide advice and guidance from outside of Government, and will partner with the White House and Office of Management & Budget to drive large scale structural reform, and create
Trump nominates Marco Rubio to serve as Secretary of State
President-elect Donald Trump has nominated Sen. Marco Rubio to serve as his Secretary of State. “It is my Great Honor to announce that Senator Marco Rubio, of Florida, is hereby nominated to be The United States Secretary of State. Marco is a Highly Respected Leader, and a very powerful Voice for Freedom,” Trump said in a statement. “He will be a strong Advocate for our Nation, a true friend to our Allies, and a fearless Warrior who will never back down to our adversaries.” This story is breaking. Please check back for updates.
Tulsi Gabbard on short list of candidates for director of national intelligence job
President-elect Trump will soon choose his nominee to lead the nation’s intelligence community and is believed to be considering a former Democrat. Tulsi Gabbard, a former Hawaii House Democrat, is on a short list of contenders for director of national intelligence, multiple sources have confirmed to Fox News Digital. Former Utah Republican House Rep. Chris Stewart is also in “active discussions” with the transition team about the role, a source said. Stewart resigned from the House in 2023 to be with his wife when she had health issues. He co-founded lobbying firm Skyline Capitol with Trump’s former national security adviser, Robert O’Brien, who was also rumored to be considered for an administration job. TULSI GABBARD, FORMER DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATE FOR PRESIDENT, JOINS REPUBLICAN PARTY AT TRUMP RALLY Gabbard, a veteran and active duty Army reservist, served in the House as a Democrat from 2013 to 2021, before joining the Republican Party and campaigning for Trump in his most recent race for president. She is now a co-chair of the Trump transition team. In September, Gabbard told Fox News Digital she would be “honored” to join a Trump administration and added that bringing an end “to the influence of the military industrial complex,” working to prevent World War III and bringing the U.S. back “from the brink of nuclear war” would be among her priorities. She was reportedly interested in the defense secretary job, but Trump is reported to have promised that appointment to former Fox News host Pete Hegseth, also an Army veteran. Gabbard has criticized Democrats as “pro-censorship” and “anti-freedom,” but her criticisms have extended to Republicans, as well. She has spoken out against U.S. involvement in the Middle East and criticized Trump during his first administration for the killing of Iranian General Qassem Soleimani. Gabbard controversially met with Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad in 2017 during the country’s civil war. She was opposed to the U.S. arming Syrian rebel groups and said she was “ready to meet with anyone if there’s a chance it can help bring about an end to this war.” Gabbard was reportedly placed on a Transportation Security Administration (TSA) watchlist for terrorists known as “Quiet Skies” earlier this year. The program allows federal air marshals to follow U.S. citizens and collect information on their behavior in an effort to stop threats “posed by unknown or partially known terrorists.” TULSI GABBARD SAYS SHE WOULD BE ‘HONORED’ TO JOIN A POTENTIAL TRUMP ADMINISTRATION “As I was traveling, I ended up in 30 to 45 minutes of going through screening every time I would go to the airport to fly,” she told Fox’s One Nation. “I noticed air marshals, I noticed K-9 teams. There were things that I saw and noticed that were highly unusual. But the deepest pain and harm and stress that’s been caused by this is that, forever going forward, I will always be looking over my shoulder, wondering if and how my government is surveilling me.” In Congress, she co-sponsored legislation that would ban first-time use of nuclear weapons and often decries politicians who “beat the drums of war and ratchet up tensions.” Gabbard, who is a Fox News contributor, could not be reached for comment. Trump on Tuesday tapped John Ratcliffe, his former director of national intelligence, to lead the CIA. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP The director of national intelligence leads an office that advises the president, National Security Council and Homeland Security Council on national security matters. Any nominee for the role must be confirmed by the Senate or appointed on an acting basis.
Casey campaign, refusing to concede, accuses McCormick of trying to ‘disenfranchise’ voters with lawsuits
Three-term incumbent Sen. Bob Casey, D-Pennsylvania, has still refused to concede, and his campaign is now accusing Republican Senator-elect Dave McCormick of trying to “disenfranchise” voters with lawsuits. “David McCormick and his allies are trying to disenfranchise Pennsylvania voters with litigation designed to throw out large tranches of votes that they’ve admitted in legal filings could impact the outcome of the election,” Casey’s campaign manager Tiernan Donohue said in a statement. “Senator Casey wants all Pennsylvanians’ voices to be heard as local county election officials continue to count votes. This democratic process must be allowed to play out to determine the result of this election.” Fox News Digital reached out to the McCormick campaign for comment, but they did not immediately respond. As of Wednesday afternoon, McCormick was leading Casey by 29,338 votes, or a margin of 0.43%, according to the Pennsylvania election results website. If the margin remains below 0.5%, an automatic recount is triggered under Pennsylvania law. SCHUMER INVITES MCCORMICK, GALLEGO TO NEW-SENATOR ORIENTATION On Friday, McCormick declared his victory in the race, but he also filed a pair of lawsuits against the Philadelphia County Board of Elections and its commissioners regarding an estimated 15,000-20,000 provisional ballots still being counted that could impact the outcome of the case. McCormick requested permission to “make global challenges to large groups of provisional ballots that share the same deficiencies,” such as missing or not matching signatures, and the lack of a secrecy envelope. McCormick also asked that any provisional ballots from voters “who had requested mail-in or absentee ballots be sequestered and held pending action from the U.S. Supreme Court, or, in the alternative, that a global challenge be permitted as to all such ballots.” In Genser v. Butler County, the state Supreme Court ruled last month that mail-in ballots that arrived on time but lacked dates or had the wrong dates on their envelopes could still be included in the vote count. The state GOP and the Republican National Committee filed a petition on Tuesday asking the state Supreme Court to reverse its decision, the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reported. TRUMP CONSIDERS NEW YORK REP BRANDON WILLIAMS FOR POSSIBLE LABOR SECRETARY NOMINATION McCormick was leading by more than 30,000 votes when the AP called the race at 4:09 p.m. Thursday. Though there were an estimated 91,000 votes still outstanding at that time, the AP asserted that there were not enough in areas supporting Casey for him to make up the difference. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., initially declined to invite McCormick to the new-senator orientation this week, citing thousands of votes still yet to be counted. Amid pressure from GOP senators, Schumer on Tuesday agreed to invite McCormick, as well as Democratic Sen.-elect Ruben Gallego, whose Arizona race against Republican Kari Lake wasn’t called until Monday night. Fox News’ Deirdre Heavey contributed to this report.
Trump HHS could reverse Biden-Harris policies on gender treatments for minors
While President-elect Donald Trump has yet to announce who will be at the helm of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), he has indicated several steps he would take to slash “gender-affirming” care for minors across the country. In a video posted to Truth Social in February 2023, Trump said his plan “to stop the chemical, physical and emotional mutilation of our youth” would involve issuing an executive order directing all federal agencies to halt any programs that support or promote sex changes at any age. “I will then ask Congress to permanently stop federal taxpayer dollars from being used to promote or pay for these procedures and pass a law prohibiting child sexual mutilation in all 50 states,” Trump said in the video. TRUMP TO PICK FLORIDA’S RUBIO TO SERVE AS SECRETARY OF STATE Trump announced plans to ban any hospital or healthcare provider involved in gender-transition treatments for minors from participating in Medicaid and Medicare. He also pledged to support legal actions allowing affected individuals to sue doctors who performed these procedures on minors. “The Department of Justice will investigate Big Pharma and the big hospital networks to determine whether they have deliberately covered up horrific long-term side effects of sex transitions in order to get rich at the expense of vulnerable patients,” Trump added. Trump honed in on transgender issues during the last leg of his campaign with a successful ad that focused on men in women’s sports and Vice President Kamala Harris’ track record of ushering in sex change procedures for incarcerated people in California. HOUSE LEADERS MOVE QUICKLY TO CONSOLIDATE POWER IN SHOW OF CONFIDENCE FOR REPUBLICAN MAJORITY “Kamala is for they/them, President Trump is for you,” the narrator of Trump’s campaign ad said. Experts say the TV spot had a substantial influence on swing voters. Over the last four years, the Biden-Harris administration used federal agencies, including the Department of Justice, to expand access to surgical procedures for minors. Under Biden, HHS created a regulation that interpreted “sex discrimination” within the Affordable Care Act to include gender identity and sexual orientation. The expanded definition under Title IX meant that any medical provider not offering sex change procedures for any age was at risk of losing federal funding under the Biden-Harris regulation. The rule was blocked by the Supreme Court in August. GOP REP. MIKE WALTZ TAPPED TO BE TRUMP’S NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER In June, health officials in the Biden administration urged the international transgender health nonprofit, World Professional Association for Transgender Health, to omit the age limit in its guidelines for transgender surgical procedures for adolescents – and succeeded – according to unsealed court documents. More than 25 states in the U.S. have enacted bans and restrictions on surgical procedures and hormonal prescriptions for transgender youth. Roughly 24 states still permit gender transition surgeries and drugs for children. In recent days, Trump has been announcing his administration’s appointments much quicker than he did during his first term. HHS candidates Fox News Digital has learned include Robert F. Kennedy Jr., former Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal, Eric Hargan, former HUD Secretary Ben Carson, Seema Verma, Paul Mango, Joseph Ladapo, Roger Severino, Brian Blase and Joe Grogan. Fox News Digital has reached out to the Trump-Vance transition team for comment.
‘Keep our nation safe’: Senators vow to ban pro-Hamas migrants from entering US with bipartisan push
FIRST ON FOX: Two senators from both sides of the aisle are introducing legislation, opposed by members of the “Squad,” to explicitly ban any immigrants tied to Hamas or involved in the Oct. 7 attack on Israel from entering the United States amid continued concerns about terrorists entering the U.S. Sens. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., and Jacky Rosen, D-Nev., are introducing the No Immigration Benefits for Hamas Terrorists Act, which aims to prevent any immigrant tied to Hamas from entering the U.S. While terrorist activities and ties are more broadly a bar to admissibility into the U.S. under U.S. immigration law, the bill would explicitly add a ban to representatives, officers, members or spokespersons of Palestinian Islamic Jihad or Hamas, and anyone involved in the Oct 7, 2023 attack on Israel. ‘SQUAD’ DEMOCRATS CORI BUSH AND RASHIDA TLAIB VOTE AGAINST BILL TO BAN HAMAS TERRORISTS FROM US It would also add a clause stating that “any alien who carried out, participated in, planned, financed, afforded material support to, or otherwise facilitated any of the attacks against Israel initiated by Hamas beginning on October 7, 2023, is inadmissible.” It would also make them ineligible for any relief under immigration laws. It had previously been introduced in the House last year by Rep. Tom McClintock, R-Calif., and had passed overwhelmingly in a 422-2 vote. It is likely to pass in the Senate, sending it to President Biden or President-elect Trump’s desk. “Since January 2021, the Biden-Harris administration has released nearly 100 dangerous individuals on the terrorist watchlist into the country, as well as illegal immigrants from U.S. adversaries like Iran,” Blackburn said in a statement. “This common-sense, bipartisan bill would ensure that no migrant tied to Hamas and the horrific terrorist attack on October 7 is allowed to enter our country or receive immigration benefits on the taxpayer dime.” TRUMP’S ‘BORDER CZAR’ WARNS DEM GOVS REJECTING TRUMP DEPORTATION PLAN: ‘GET THE HELL OUT OF THE WAY’ “No one who participated in Hamas’s brutal October 7 terrorist attack should be allowed to enter the United States,” Rosen said. “That’s why I’m helping introduce bipartisan legislation to prohibit Hamas terrorists from being eligible to receive immigration benefits. I’ll always work across the aisle to keep our nation safe.” It is one of a number of areas of bipartisan agreement on immigration, where Democrats and Republicans can often be split. Other areas of agreement include tackling cartels and increasing staffing at the border to cope with the influx. CLICK HERE FOR MORE COVERAGE OF THE BORDER SECURITY CRISIS However, the bill did receive two no votes in the House when it was voted on by two “Squad” members. Rep. Rashida Tlaib, R-Mich., called the bill “redundant.” “H.R. 6679 is unnecessary because it is redundant with already existing federal law. It’s just another GOP messaging bill being used to incite anti-Arab, anti-Palestinian, and anti-Muslim hatred that makes communities like ours unsafe,” Tlaib said. “I opposed H.R. 6679 because it is a redundant, empty messaging bill Republicans are using to target immigrants and incite anti-Palestinian hate. Republicans have ZERO credibility on these issues,” Rep. Cori Bush, D-Mo., said. Immigration is likely to be a top priority of the incoming Trump administration. President-elect Donald Trump has promised to ramp up border security and launch a massive, historic deportation operation. This week, he announced that former Immigration and Customs Enforcement Director Thomas Homan will serve as “border czar,” and S.D. Gov. Kristi Noem will be his pick to lead the Department of Homeland Security.
Biden admin sets new target to triple US nuclear capacity from 2020 levels
The Biden administration is aiming to triple U.S. nuclear energy capacity from 2020 over the next two decades, according to a new plan released in the waning months of the president’s term. As of 2020, the U.S. was responsible for producing 29.9% of global nuclear electricity, as reported by the Energy Information Administration. The new framework, released Tuesday, aims to reach an ultimate goal of 200 gigawatts (GW) of net nuclear capacity in the U.S. by 2050, which according to the White House is at least three times the capacity just four years ago. The new standards will be implemented through short-term goals. TRUMP TO INSTALL ‘ENERGY CZAR’ TO DISMANTLE BIDEN CLIMATE RULES: REPORT The U.S. aims to achieve its initial goal by 2035, focusing on bolstering the nation’s energy infrastructure through the addition of 35 GW of new nuclear capacity, sourced from facilities that are currently operational or under construction. The next target is set to deploy 15 GW annually by 2040. Also highlighted in the plan is the role domestic nuclear energy production plays in the Biden administration’s goal of achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. The White House stated that expanding nuclear energy could help curb the climate crisis, which was described in the memo as “one of the existential threats of our time.” BIDEN ADMIN TOUTS JOB WELL DONE REPLENISHING OIL RESERVES DESPITE DEPELTING THEM BY HALF OVER LAST 4 YEARS Reaching the new nuclear energy goal would “strengthen our national security, increase energy reliability and resilience, grow America’s economy, and restore American leadership and global competitiveness in this critical industry,” according to the White House. The administration identified 30 different ways the target can be achieved, including the building of large-scale light water reactors or small modular reactors near coal plants, according to Dr. Michael Goff, the acting assistant secretary for the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Nuclear Energy. The new framework also includes building new nuclear power plants, updating existing reactors and restarting reactors. If the targets are met, the Biden administration expects the expansion of U.S. nuclear capacity will create thousands of new jobs, strengthen national security and grow global competitiveness in the industry.
UFO hearing: Ex-Pentagon official says government ‘cabal’ is hiding ‘the fact that we are not alone’
A former Pentagon official testified to Congress that the U.S. government has evidence that “we are not alone in the cosmos,” but that a “cabal” of officials is hiding the information. The official, Luiz Elizondo, is the former head of the Defense Department’s Advanced Aerospace Threat Identification Program (AATIP), which was tasked with investigating Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena (UAPs). He and other witnesses testified before the House Oversight Committee. “Excessive secrecy has lead to grave misdeeds against loyal civil servants, military personnel and the public, all to hide the fact that we are not alone in the cosmos,” Elizondo said, later calling the group a “cabal.” “A small cadre within our own government involving the UAP topic has created a culture of suppression and intimidation that I have personally been victim to, along with many of my former colleagues,” he continued. ‘UFO REVOLUTION’ DOCUSERIES SHOWS UAP FLYING OVER MILITARY BASE, ‘BLOWS UP DECADES OF CONSPIRACIES’: EXPERT Elizondo went on to urge Congress to enact legislation protecting whistleblowers who are currently too afraid to come forward about government operations. “I believe that we as Americans can handle the truth. And I also believe the world deserves the truth,” he said. The hearing is part of a larger effort by lawmakers to investigate UAPs and determine whether elements within the government are unlawfully withholding evidence from Congress. RUSSIAN UFO ENGAGEMENTS, SECRET ‘TIC TAC’ REPORT AND 3 KEY FIGURES SLIP UNDER RADAR AT CONGRESSIONAL HEARING One of the key programs involved in the issue is the Pentagon’s All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO). AARO’s mission is to synchronize efforts across the DoD and other U.S. federal departments and agencies to “detect, identify and attribute objects of interest” in or around military facilities or airspace, which could pose a threat to safety of operations or national security — this includes anomalous, unidentified space, airborne, submerged and trans-medium objects. The Pentagon says the program has not uncovered any evidence that UAPs have an extra-terrestrial origin. PENTAGON UFO REPORT FINDS NO ALIEN EVIDENCE: ‘IF US WON’T FESS UP, OTHER NATIONS WILL,’ EXPERT WARNS Dr. Tim Gallaudet, a retired U.S. Navy rear admiral, also testified at Wednesday’s hearing. He recounted an incident where personnel aboard the USS Theodore Roosevelt aircraft carrier had a run-in with UAPs during a military exercise. “During this exercise, I received an email on the Navy’s secure network from the operations officer of Fleet Forces Command. The email was addressed to all subordinate commanders, and the subject line read in all capital letters: URGENT SAFETY OF FLIGHT ISSUE. The text of the email was brief but alarming, with words to the effect: ‘If any of you know what these are, tell me ASAP. We are having multiple near-midair collisions, and if we do not resolve it soon, we will have to shut down the exercise,’” Gallaudet said. “Attached to the email was what is now known as the “Go Fast” video, captured on the forward-looking infrared sensor onboard one of the Navy F/A-18 aircraft participating in the exercise,” he added. “The very next day, the email disappeared from my account and those of the other recipients without explanation. Moreover, the Commander of Fleet Forces and his operations officer never discussed the incident again,” he continued. A third witness, journalist Michael Shellenberger, says sources within the Pentagon assert the existence of an Unacknowledged Special Access Program (USAP) known as “Immaculate Constellation.” He says the sources told him that the program consolidates information on UAPs that has been gathered by the military. “A source warned that simply printing the name ‘Immaculate Constellation’ could trigger government surveillance of me under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) of whoever publishes it,” Shellenberger said. “‘They won’t comment on it, but talking about it will put you in the danger zone,’ I was told. ‘They enforce the secrecy with a lot of vigor.’”
Trump names Stephen Miller, Dan Scavino to senior White House staff
Trump 2024 campaign senior advisors Dan Scavino and Stephen Miller are among four new cabinet picks announced by the Trump-Vance transition team on Wednesday as the president-elect continues to fill up his incoming administration at breakneck speed. Scavino will return to the White House as an assistant to the president and deputy chief of staff. He was the director of social media for the Trump 2016 presidential campaign and has worked alongside the president-elect ever since, including serving as the White House’s director of social media in Trump’s first term in office. Scavino “remains one of President Trump’s longest serving and most trusted aides,” a statement released by the Trump-Vance transition team. Scavino was also held in contempt of Congress in 2022 after a month-long refusal to comply with a subpoena from the House committee’s investigation into the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. He claimed executive privilege and the Department of Justice refused to prosecute him. FORMER ICE DIRECTOR TOM HOMAN ‘HONORED’ TO BE APPOINTED TRUMP’S BORDER CZAR: ‘WE HAVE TO FIX IT’ Miller has been named as the deputy chief of staff for policy and Homeland Security advisor. Miller previously served in the Trump White House as senior advisor to the president for policy, where he helped craft many of Trump’s hard-line speeches and plans on immigration. Since Trump left office, Miller has served as the president of America First Legal, an organization of former Trump advisors fashioned as a conservative version of the American Civil Liberties Union, challenging the Biden administration, media companies, universities and others over issues such as freedom of speech, religious freedom, and national security. Miller has advocated for mass deportations during a second Trump term, during which he will serve as an assistant to the president. WHO IS SUSIE WILES, TRUMP’S WHITE HOUSE CHIEF OF STAFF? 5 THINGS TO KNOW The announcement came shortly before President-elect Trump met with President Biden at the White House. Meanwhile, James Blair will be the president and deputy chief of staff for legislative, political and public affairs. Blair was the political director for both the Trump 2024 campaign and the Republican National Committee, managing hundreds of staff and overseeing a wide portfolio of political operations and programs, per the statement. Blair was key to Trump’s economic messaging during his winning White House comeback campaign this year, a driving force behind the candidate’s “Trump can fix it” slogan and his query to audiences this fall if they were better off than four years ago. Taylor Budowich will serve as the president-elect’s deputy chief of staff for communications and personnel. Prior to joining the Trump 2024 campaign, Budowich served in a senior role in the Save America, Trump’s leadership political action committee (PAC) , and as CEO of the pro-Trump Super PAC, MAGA Inc. Like Scavino and Miller, Blair and Budowich will also serve as assistants to the president-elect. “Dan, Stephen, James, and Taylor were ‘best in class’ advisors on my winning campaign and I know they will honorably serve the American people in the White House,” President-elect Trump said via the statement. “They will continue to work hard to Make America Great Again in their respective new roles.” Fox News’ Danielle Wallace and the Associated Press contributed to this report.
Democratic governors form resistance group against Trump
As Democrats prepare to contend with the coming administration of President-elect Donald Trump, Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker and Colorado Gov. Jared Polis are co-chairing a new coalition called Governors Safeguarding Democracy. While the initiative’s website describes it as “a nonpartisan alliance of governors” aiming to bolster “American democracy,” both co-chairs are Democrats. “There’s been outreach to Republican governors,” Pritzker said, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. “Good conversations, I might add, and there is continued interest by lots of governors. But I’m not going to name the ones that we’ve talked to.” BLUE STATE GOVERNORS SCORNED AFTER SENDING WARNINGS TO TRUMP: ‘THE AMERICAN PEOPLE ARE DONE WITH’ THIS The website names “fast-moving disinformation campaigns” and “cyberthreats” as examples of “threats to our democracy.” “Donald Trump is going to bring people into his administration who are absolute loyalists to his cult of personality and not necessarily to the law,” Pritzker said, according to the New York Times. “Last time, he didn’t really know where the levers of government were. I think he probably does now. And so I think that the threat remains great.” Trump, who decisively won the 2024 presidential election, will take office on Jan. 20, 2025, next year. “There’s not an overnight erosion that occurs on Jan. 20,” Polis said, according to the New York Times. “There’s a threat of an ongoing erosion over the future administration, and we want to prevent that from occurring.” HERE ARE THE DEMOCRATS WHO MAY EVENTUALLY RUN FOR PRESIDENT IN 2028 During an appearance on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe,” Polis said of Trump, “we’re gonna work with him and his administration however we can for our state.” He said that it is important to protect democratic institutions, ensuring that elections, court decisions, and the rule of law persist across Republican and Democratic administrations. Pritzker, who also appeared on the program, said the effort is “about responding to concerns that governors will have about dealing with what … seems to be an onslaught from the new administration.” GOV. JARED POLIS BLASTS TRUMP AS ‘APPROACHING 80,’ CAN’T ‘GET A SENTENCE OUT,’ AFTER BIDEN DROPS OUT The Governors Safeguarding Democracy website includes a donations page with an optional pronouns field where donors can select from various choices such as “Ve/Ver/Vis,” “Xe/Xem/Xyrs,” and more. “Governors Safeguarding Democracy is supported by Governors Action Alliance. Governors Action Alliance (GovAct) is a fiscally sponsored project of Global Impact, a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization,” the donation page notes. Fox News Digital reached out to request comments from Polis and Pritzker, and in both cases press secretaries for the governors responded by providing the press release about the initiative. The press release never mentions President-elect Trump. “At this critical moment in our history, we must unite to protect the foundations of our democracy and ensure our institutions withstand threats and persevere in their mission to improve the lives of our people,” Pritzker said, according to the press release. “Governors Safeguarding Democracy will serve as a powerful force in state-level efforts to ensure that our democracy lives up to our ideals and thrives for generations to come.” “In this moment, protecting democracy has never been more relevant or important, and doing so demands strong leadership at the state level,” Polis said, according to the press release. “Governors Safeguarding Democracy shows our shared dedication to defending the democratic principles upon which our country is built.”