Donald Trump has announced a series of nominations for his incoming administration, as he tapped first term veteran Jamieson Greer to be his US trade representative.
The former Air Force lawyer served as chief of staff to the president-elect’s former trade chief Robert Lighthizer, the architect of Trump’s original tariffs on hundreds of billions of dollars of Chinese imports.
If approved by the Senate in January, Grier will be charged with “reining in the country’s massive trade deficit,” the president-elect said on Tuesday evening.
It comes as Trump vowed to impose massive tariffs on “all products” imported into the US from China, Canada and Mexico with the aim of stopping drug smuggling – with growing fears the president-elect has set the stage for a bitter global trade war.
The threatened double-digit tariffs from the three countries – which account for about 40 percent of goods brought into the US – would likely have major impacts on key sectors of the economy, including auto manufacturing, crude oil and agriculture, all of which involve trade with the targeted countries.
On Wednesday, the Trump transition team also announced their desire to appoint a Covid-skeptic to lead the National Institutes of Health.
Key Points
- Donald Trump vows to impose tariffs on China, Canada and Mexico to stop drug smuggling
- List of Trump’s most recent picks for his second administration
- Trump taps Jamieson Greer as US trade representative
- President-elect's nominees to receive ‘sweeping security clearances’ and delayed FBI background checks, report claims
- Trump team reaches deal with White House to begin transition process
Kamala Harris issues ‘powerful’ reminder to supporters
10:56
James Liddell
Vice President @KamalaHarris’ message to supporters. pic.twitter.com/x5xMUGTtkz
— The Democrats (@TheDemocrats) November 26, 2024
All of Trump’s most recent picks for his second administration
10:36
James Liddell
Donald Trump announced a flurry of nominations for his incoming administration on Tuesday. See the full list below:
US trade representative – Jamieson Greer
Jamieson Greer, the protégé of the first Trump Administration trade chief Robert Lighthizer, to be his US trade representative.
If approved by the Senate in January, Grier will be charged with “reining in the country’s massive trade deficit,” the president-elect said.
National Institutes of Health director – Jay Bhattacharya
Trump nominated Dr Jay Bhattacharya, currently a professor of health policy at Stanford University, to lead the National Institutes of Health and oversee its $47 billion in funding.
Bhattacharya once argued for allowing young and healthy people to become infected with Covid-19 long before a vaccine was available and later fought against mandating vaccination against the novel coronavirus.
Deputy secretary of Health and Human Services – Jim O’Neill
Trump has nominated Robert F Kennedy Jr’s underling at the HHS: Jim O’Neill.
O’Neill, an investor and close associate of billionaire Peter Thiel, alongside RFK JR, will “will fight in unison to ensure every American,” the president-elect said.
National Economic Council director – Kevin Hassett
Trump has come one step closer to rounding out this economic team as he picked Kevin Hassett to lead the National Economic Council.
The role puts Hassett at the center of the administration’s policy-making discussions, ranging from trade and taxes to deregulation.
Domestic Policy Council chief – Vince Haley
Trump has picked his campaign speechwriter Vince Haley to lead his Domestic Policy Council.
Before joining Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign, Haley worked for former House Speaker Newt Gingrich for over a decade.
Navy secretary – John Phelan
Businessman and Republican megadonor John Phelan has been nominated to head up the Navy.
Phelan, who has no military experience, will deliver “real results for the Navy” and the US and will be a “tremendous force” for Naval service members, Trump said.
Trump taps first term veteran Jamieson Greer as US trade representative
10:08
James Liddell
Donald Trump has picked Jamieson Greer, protégé of first term trade chief Robert Lighthizer, to be his US trade representative.
The 44-year-old former Air Force lawyer served as chief of staff Li to the president-elect’s former trade representative, the architect of Trump’s original tariffs on hundreds of billions of dollars of Chinese imports.
Grier, a partner at law firm King & Spalding, is expected to influence trade policy and tariff agenda during Trump’s second term.
“Jamieson played a key role during my First Term in imposing Tariffs on China and others to combat unfair Trade practices, and replacing the failed NAFTA deal with USMCA, therefore making it much better for American Workers,” Trump announced on Truth Social late on Tuesday.
If approved by the Senate in January, Grier will be charged with “reining in the country’s massive trade deficit,” the president-elect said.
It follows Trump announcing on Monday that he plans to enact a 25 percent tariff on “all products” imported to the US from Canada and Mexico and an additional 10 percent tariff – with growing fears the president-elect has set the stage for a bitter global trade war ahead of his inauguration on January 20, 2025.
Jimmy Kimmel reveals Trump’s ‘dumb’ tariffs plan could hit MAGA fans where it hurts
09:47
James Liddell
Jimmy Kimmel has detailed a potential flaw in Donald Trump’s plan to impose hefty tariffs on goods from Canada and Mexico, and an additional levy on Chinese goods and services.
The president-elect announced on Tuesday that he plans to introduce a 25 percent tariff on “all products” entering the US from Canada and Mexico and an additional 10 percent tariff on China, prompting fears he has set the stage for a bitter global trade war ahead of his inauguration on January 20, 2025.
James Liddell has the story.
Massive spike in searches for ‘who pays for tariffs’ after Trump’s announcement
09:20
Oliver O'Connell
Google users have a question: who pays for tariffs?
The phrase exploded in Google searches in late October and saw a massive spike again on Monday night. Those searches are no doubt driven by Trump’s insistence on levying tariffs on foreign-made goods. It appears a lot of people voted for Trump, but only thought after the fact to understand what those tariffs might mean for their wallets.
Graig Graziosi reports.
ICYMI: Trump team reaches deal with White House to begin transition process
09:00
Oliver O'Connell
Nearly one month after he won the 2024 presidential election, President-elect Donald Trump and his team have reached a deal to formally begin the transition process while avoiding the use of any federal resources or taxpayer dollars.
In a statement, incoming White House chief of staff Susie Wiles said Trump was “entering the next phase of his administration’s transition by executing a Memorandum of Understanding with President Joe Biden’s White House” that will enable incoming administration personnel to begin working with their outgoing counterparts.
Andrew Feinberg reports from West Palm Beach, Florida.
Mexico and Canada are taking Trump seriously and literally over tariff threat
08:30
Oliver O'Connell
Eric Garcia writes:
On Monday evening, President-elect Donald Trump announced that he would impose a 25 percent tariff on products from Canada and Mexico on his first day in office. He also announced he would levy an additional 10 percent tariff on products from China until its government begins to address the smuggling of fentanyl into the United States.
None of this should be surprising, as Trump repeatedly threatened to impose tariffs throughout the 2024 campaign. When he spoke at the Economic Club of Chicago in October, he brushed off concerns about the economic impact the heavy fees would have on Americans, calling China a “very stupid country.”
Continue reading...
Don Jr says Trump may ban mainstream media journalists from the White House briefing room
08:00
Oliver O'Connell
Donald Trump Jr said his father has discussed banning mainstream media journalists from the White House press briefing room.
The president-elect’s son said on his podcast, Triggered with Donald Trump Jr, that they were considering opening up the briefing room to podcasters like Joe Rogan when asked if it was “time to take away” seats belonging to traditional media.
Rhian Lubin has the story.
Denver mayor threatened with jail if he resists Trump deportations
07:00
Oliver O'Connell
President-elect Donald Trump’s pick for border czar has threatened to throw the Denver mayor in jail if he doesn’t comply with mass deportations.
Denver Mayor Mike Johnston has voiced resistance to Trump’s campaign promise to conduct mass deportations and last week said he would even go to jail to stand up for the cause. Tom Homan, Trump’s border czar nominee, said both he and Johnston think he should be behind bars if he doesn’t abide by what could be a federal policy.
Kelly Rissman reports.
What does the US import from Canada, Mexico and China?
06:00
Oliver O'Connell
Oil, toys, vegetables and electronics are just some of the items imported to the U.S. from Mexico, Canada and China that could soon cost Americans more under Donald Trump’s proposed tariffs.
Trump has announced that Canada and Mexico could soon see a 25 percent tariff added to all imported goods while China could face an additional 10 percent – something Trump says is part of an effort to curtail “crime and drugs” coming into the U.S. and slow the number of illegal border crossings.
Though tariffs are designed to promote domestic production and purchasing by taxing imported goods, the increase in cost typically falls on consumers, not foreign governments.
Ariana Baio reports.
How many migrants cross illegally into US from Canada?
05:00
Oliver O'Connell
President-elect Donald Trump has threatened to impose massive tariffs on goods imported from Canada and Mexico in an effort to get them to crack down on illegal immigration and drug smuggling. But how many actually cross the U.S.—Canada border illegally?
Gustaf Kilander takes a look at the numbers.
Hunter Biden ‘whistleblower’ loses $30m defamation case against Fox host
04:02
Josh Marcus
A New York federal court on Tuesday dismissed a $30m defamation lawsuit from a former Hunter Biden business associate against a Fox News anchor.
In March, Tony Bobulinski sued Jessica Tarlov, one of the hosts of Fox’s The Five, after she said on air that month that Bobulinski’s legal fees to retain lawyer Stefan Passantino had been “paid by a Trump Super PAC,” after Bobulinski testified as part of the House’s inquiries into the Biden family.
The following day, after Bobulinski’s attorneys reached out to say this wasn’t correct, Tarlov issued a clarification on air.
More details in our full story.
Mexico threatens to retaliate after Trump promises steep tariffs
04:00
Oliver O'Connell
President Claudia Sheinbaum suggested Tuesday that Mexico could retaliate with tariffs of its own, after U.S. president-elect Donald Trump threatened to impose 25% import duties on Mexican goods if the country doesn’t stop the flow of drugs and migrants across the border.
Sheinbaum said she was willing to engage in talks on the issues, but said drugs were a U.S. problem.
Continue reading...
Eric Trump demonstrates he has no clue how tariffs work
03:00
Oliver O'Connell
Eric Trump appeared to mix up tariffs and sanctions during an appearance on Fox News on Monday night, aggressively going after Mexico, Canada, and China as his top targets.
“You want to allow drugs to come through our southern border? We’re going to tariff you,” he said. “You want to allow them to come through Canada? We’re going to tariff you.”
Donald Trump’s second son proceeded to rant about costing the economies of the three countries “billions,” while failing to acknowledge the impact tariffs have on American consumers as prices on imported goods are inevitably hiked in response.
Gustaf Kilander reports.
Breaking: Trump picks Covid lockdown skeptic as head of key national health agency
02:10
Josh Marcus
The next director of the National Institutes of Health will be a doctor who argued for allowing young and healthy people to become infected with Covid-19 long before a vaccine was available and later fought against mandating vaccination against the novel coronavirus.
President-elect Donald Trump on Wednesday said he will nominate Dr. Jay Bhattacharya, currently a professor of health policy at Standard University and director of Stanford’s Center for Demography and Economics of Health and Aging, to lead the National Institutes of Health, one of the world’s foremost medical research entities and oversee its $47 billion in funding.
In a statement, Trump said Bhattacharya would work with his Health and Human Services Secretary-designate, anti-vaccine activist and conspiracy theorist Robert F. Kennedy Jr, to “examine the underlying causes of, and solutions to, America’s biggest Health challenges, including our Crisis of Chronic Illness and Disease.”
Andrew Feinberg reports.
Massive spike in searches for ‘who pays for tariffs’ after Trump’s announcement
02:00
Oliver O'Connell
Google users have a question: who pays for tariffs?
The phrase exploded in Google searches in late October and saw a massive spike again on Monday night. Those searches are no doubt driven by Trump’s insistence on levying tariffs on foreign-made goods. It appears a lot of people voted for Trump, but only thought after the fact to understand what those tariffs might mean for their wallets.
Graig Graziosi reports.
Fed officials signal cautious path for rate cuts amid still-high inflation
01:00
AP
With inflation still elevated, Federal Reserve officials expressed caution at their last meeting about cutting interest rates too quickly, adding to uncertainty about their next moves.
Even if inflation continued declining to the Fed’s 2% target, officials said, “it would likely be appropriate to move gradually” in lowering rates, according to minutes of the November 6-7 meeting.
Continue reading...
How Trump could take revenge on the prosecutors who charged him with crimes
00:45
Josh Marcus
Before he is sworn in as president on January 20, Donald Trump will likely walk through the same tunnel where a mob of hundreds of his supporters, wearing hats bearing his slogan, bore down on police for three hours with their fists, pepper spray, stolen police shields and flag poles with the American flag twisted around them.
Some of the worst violence on January 6, filmed on hundreds of devices and livestreamed to millions of people, was captured in that tunnel, where Washington DC Metropolitan Police Officer Michael Fanone was pulled to the ground by his neck, tased and beaten, while rioters yelled “kill him with his own gun.” He had a heart attack and fell unconscious.
The violence in and around the Capitol that day was fueled by a false, ongoing narrative that the 2020 election was rigged against and stolen from Trump, who is accused of enabling a mob that set out to do what he failed to.
On November 25, the Department of Justice special counsel who led two sprawling criminal investigations against the former president filed motions to dismiss them both, effectively throwing in the towel after a years-long attempt to prosecute Trump for 44 crimes, spelled out in hundreds of pages of evidence. Neither case made it to trial.
Alex Woodward has the story.
CNN boss Chris Licht still regrets infamous unflattering magazine profile in The Atlantic
00:30
Josh Marcus
Former CNN CEO Chris Licht continues to eat crow over an unflattering June 2023 profile of him in The Atlantic, which captured the former Late Show producer alternatively bragging and appearing to take moves to make the storied cable news network more appealing to Trump fans.
“The Atlantic article I absolutely should not have done,” Licht said over the weekend at a New York Press Club event.
“Now, I hadn’t failed at anything before. So it was I absolutely thought, you know what, it’s been a year, they’re going to be writing about ‘wow, look at all these great things that have happened,’” he went on. “So, no, I should have done that. Definitely should not have taken a reporter to the gym. If I can say one thing to anybody, do not bring a reporter to the gym!”
In the profile, by Tim Alberta, Licht brags about his prowess in the gym, claiming, “Zucker couldn’t do this s***,” a reference to former CNN president Jeff Zucker.
More details in our full story
How Democrats are reacting to Trump’s proposed tariffs on Mexico and Canada
00:15
Josh Marcus
Democrats reacted with consternation to Donald Trump’s vow to impose massive tariffs on China, Canada and Mexico, saying that the president-elect has failed to grasp the potential consequences of his promises and is heading into a “real horror show.”
Senator Richard Blumenthal told CNN on Tuesday that Trump would face a “hugely negative reaction” from the tariffs from US citizens once the effects were felt at home and that he would be “held accountable.”
On Monday, the president-elect threatened to unilaterally impose large consumption taxes on Americans who purchase imported goods from three of the country’s top trading partners on the day he takes office – ostensibly with the aim of stopping drug smuggling.
The threatened tariffs would likely have major impacts on key sectors of the US economy, including the auto industry, crude oil and agriculture. The measures could also further drive inflation, hitting the American consumer.
Mike Bedigan reports.
Don Jr says Trump may ban mainstream media journalists from White House press briefing room
00:00
Oliver O'Connell
Donald Trump Jr said his father has discussed banning mainstream media journalists from the White House press briefing room.
The president-elect’s son said on his podcast, Triggered with Donald Trump Jr, that they were considering opening up the briefing room to podcasters like Joe Rogan when asked if it was “time to take away” seats belonging to traditional media.
Rhian Lubin reports.
Trump allies claim credit for Israel-Lebanon ceasefire proposal
Tuesday 26 November 2024 23:45
Josh Marcus
Trump allies say the incoming administration is already having an impact on world politics, as evidenced by the recently proposed Israel-Lebanon ceasefire deal. “President Trump has been crystal clear that his support for Israel and his commitment to peace in the Middle East is steadfast,” a Trump transition team official told The Independent. “Hezbollah understands this is their best opportunity to get a more favorable deal done. Iran-backed proxies clearly see the clock ticking as President Trump will soon return to the White House with a strong national security team, including Marco Rubio, Mike Waltz, and Pete Hegseth, with U.S. intelligence led by Tulsi Gabbard and John Ratcliffe. President Trump rightfully predicted that actors in the region would make moves toward peace because of his historic victory — and that’s exactly what we are seeing take place.”
The administration’s picks for key positions have sounded a similar tone about the Lebanon news.“Everyone is coming to the table because of President Trump,” Congressman Mike Waltz, Trump’s pick for national security adviser, wrote on X on Tuesday. “His resounding victory sent a clear message to the rest of the world that chaos won’t be tolerated. I’m glad to see concrete steps towards deescalation in the Middle East. But let’s be clear: The Iran Regime is the root cause of the chaos & terror that has been unleashed across the region. We will not tolerate the status quo of their support for terrorism.”
Here’s more on the potential ceasefire.
A controversial Trump loyalist is ‘in battle’ to be CIA No. 2
Tuesday 26 November 2024 23:33
Josh Marcus
Some members of Donald Trump’s transition team are reportedly frustrated that Kash Patel and Cliff Sims, both MAGA insiders, appear to be using their positions to promote themselves for deputy director of the CIA.
Patel and Sims are both going head-to-head for the No. 2 position at the CIA, Politico reports. The CIA’s deputy director wields immense influence over the intelligence community but does not have to be confirmed by the Senate, unlike cabinet members.
However, some transition team members in their orbit are frustrated that the men are advocating for themselves while making staffing decisions, Politico reports.
“The issue that a lot of us have is that these people are involved in staffing national security jobs, and at the same time they’re also promoting themselves for the same roles,” an unnamed insider told Politico.
Katie Hawkinson and Rhian Lubin report.
ANALYSIS: Trump doubles down on his tariff threat. Mexico and Canada are taking him seriously and literally
Tuesday 26 November 2024 23:30
Oliver O'Connell
Eric Garcia writes:
On Monday evening, President-elect Donald Trump announced that he would impose a 25 percent tariff on products from Canada and Mexico on his first day in office. He also announced he would levy an additional 10 percent tariff on products from China until its government begins to address the smuggling of fentanyl into the United States.
None of this should be surprising, as Trump repeatedly threatened to impose tariffs throughout the 2024 campaign. When he spoke at the Economic Club of Chicago in October, he brushed off concerns about the economic impact the heavy fees would have on Americans, calling China a “very stupid country.”
Continue reading...
How to survive political debates at Thanksgiving dinner
Tuesday 26 November 2024 23:20
Oliver O'Connell
Meredith Clark writes:
Thanksgiving is nearly here, but this year’s turkey-filled holiday may be a bit more contentious than years past; the 2024 U.S. presidential election was only three weeks ago, after all.
Ever since President-elect Donald Trump claimed victory over Vice President Kamala Harris, some Americans may not be feeling so jolly and bright this holiday season, what with the merry-go-round of controversial cabinet picks and concerns over Trump’s anti-immigration policies and stance on LGBTQ+ rights.
For some Americans, Thanksgiving serves as a time to gather with friends and family and acknowledge what it is we’re truly grateful for. But for others, the holidays can prove to be difficult, especially when your political views greatly differ from your relatives.
Continue reading...
What can American consumers expect from Trump’s proposed tariffs plan?
Tuesday 26 November 2024 23:00
Oliver O'Connell
While Donald Trump claims his tariffs plan will hurt U.S. trade partners, what does it actually mean for American consumers?
Rhian Lubin investigates.
Is Matt Gaetz prepping run for Florida governor?
Tuesday 26 November 2024 22:40
Oliver O'Connell
While former Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz’s attempt to become attorney general may only have lasted eight days, he could be making a run for governor in 2026.
Florida State Rep. Anthony Sabatini wrote in a post on X on Saturday that he predicts that Gaetz will be the Sunshine State’s next governor at the end of Governor Ron DeSantis’s second term. Gaetz responded to Sabatini’s post using a gif of the Florida state flag.
Gustaf Kilander has the story.
Poll: Harris still fared better against Trump than any other potential Democratic nominee
Tuesday 26 November 2024 22:20
Oliver O'Connell
Though Vice President Kamala Harris did not defeat Donald Trump in the 2024 presidential election, she was still the strongest Democratic candidate to take him on, according to recent polling.
In a Say24 / YouGov survey of 5,136 registered voters, 46 percent said they cast their ballot for Harris. That figure wasn’t enough to win her the White House, as Trump secured an easy Electoral College win. But, the poll found that Harris had a higher percentage of votes against Trump than other potential Democratic candidates did against the Republican nominee.
Ariana Baio has the details.
Don Jr get fact-checked by Buttigieg on electric vehicles — and Musk appears to approve...
Tuesday 26 November 2024 22:08
Oliver O'Connell
Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg took to X on Monday to fact-check misleading claims about the state of a Biden administration initiative to build more electric vehicle charges.
Josh Marcus has the story.
What do economists think of Trump’s tariffs proposal?
Tuesday 26 November 2024 22:00
Oliver O'Connell
Economists are generally skeptical, considering tariffs to be a mostly inefficient way for governments to raise money. They are especially alarmed by Trump’s latest proposed tariffs.
Carl B. Weinberg and Rubeela Farooqi, economists with High Frequency Economics said Tuesday that energy, automobiles and food supplies will be particularly hit hard.
“Imposing tariffs on trade flows into the United States without first preparing alternative sources for the goods and services affected will raise the price of imported items at once,” Weinberg and Farooqi wrote. “Since many of these goods are consumer goods, households will be made poorer.”
High Frequency Economics believes the threats are not meant to support new trade policy and are instead a tool to elicit some changes along the borders and for imports from Canada, Mexico and China.
Though Vice President Kamala Harris criticized Trump’s tariff threats as unserious during her failed bid for the presidency, the Biden-Harris administration retained the taxes the Trump administration imposed on $360 billion in Chinese goods. And it imposed a 100% tariff on Chinese electric vehicles.
Indeed, the United States in recent years has gradually retreated from its post-World War II role of promoting global free trade and lower tariffs. That shift has been a response to the loss of U.S. manufacturing jobs, widely attributed to unfettered trade and an increasingly aggressive China.
Economists generally consider tariffs self-defeating
Tariffs raise costs for companies and consumers that rely on imports. They’re also likely to provoke retaliation.
The European Union, for example, punched back against Trump’s tariffs on steel and aluminum by taxing U.S. products, from bourbon to Harley-Davidson motorcycles. Likewise, China responded to Trump’s trade war by slapping tariffs on American goods, including soybeans and pork in a calculated drive to hurt his supporters in farm country.
A study by economists at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the University of Zurich, Harvard and the World Bank concluded that Trump’s tariffs failed to restore jobs to the American heartland. The tariffs “neither raised nor lowered U.S. employment’’ where they were supposed to protect jobs, the study found.
Despite Trump’s 2018 taxes on imported steel, for example, the number of jobs at U.S. steel plants barely budged: They remained right around 140,000. By comparison, Walmart alone employs 1.6 million people in the United States.
Worse, the retaliatory taxes imposed by China and other nations on U.S. goods had “negative employment impacts,’’ especially for farmers, the study found. These retaliatory tariffs were only partly offset by billions in government aid that Trump doled out to farmers. The Trump tariffs also damaged companies that relied on targeted imports.
If Trump’s trade war fizzled as policy, though, it succeeded as politics. The study found that support for Trump and Republican congressional candidates rose in areas most exposed to the import tariffs — the industrial Midwest and manufacturing-heavy Southern states like North Carolina and Tennessee.
Reporting by the Associated Press