Donald Trump’s nominee for secretary of defense, former Fox News weekend anchor Pete Hegseth, continues to be dogged by allegations about his past, potentially making his confirmation less likely. On Wednesday his candidacy faced an “absolutely critical day.”
Hegseth took questions from the House Republican Study Committee, met with senators, and promised incoming Senate Armed Services Chair Roger Wicker that if confirmed he wouldn’t drink.
His mother Penelope appeared on his former network earlier to defend him, having previously criticized her son’s behavior towards women in a letter.
The Trump transition team is reportedly considering alternatives to lead the Pentagon — reportedly including Senator Joni Ernst, and surprisingly, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis.
Meanwhile, Trump’s pick to serve as administrator of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Sheriff Chad Chronister withdrew from consideration, although Trump has since said he pulled the nomination over comments he made to pastors.
In another flurry of appointments, the president-elect asked his former trade adviser Peter Navarro to return in a similar role for his new administration. Trump also picked a NASA administrator, a secretary of the army, and a chair of the SEC.
Key Points
- Peter Navarro to return to White House in trade and manufacturing role
- Trump team reportedly considering Ron DeSantis to replace Hegseth
- President-elect’s DEA nominee backs out over criticism of handling of Covid-19 and immigration
- Trump picks billionaire commercial astronaut Jared Isaacman as NASA head
- Trump names Paul Atkins chair of Securities & Exchange Commission
- Pete Hegseth says he wouldn’t drink if confirmed as Trump’s defense secretary
Because of Trump, Bill Maher threatens to quit HBO talk show
22:45
Oliver O'Connell
Bill Maher has suggested he could quit his HBO talk show Real Time with Bill Maher after the re-election of Donald Trump.
The comedian, 68, has hosted the political chat show since 2003.
Speaking to guest Jane Fonda on his podcast Club Random, Maher said he already felt exhausted by the prospect of having to cover the Trump administration for another four years.
“I mean I may quit,” said Maher.
Kevin E G Perry reports from Los Angeles.
ICYMI: California Democrat flips Republican seat as final 2024 House race called
22:15
AP
Democrat Adam Gray captured California’s 13th Congressional District on Tuesday, unseating Republican Rep. John Duarte in the final U.S. House contest to be decided this year.
Gray’s win in the farm belt seat that cuts through five counties means Republicans won 220 House seats this election cycle, with Democrats holding 215 seats.
Gray won by a margin of less than 200 votes, with election officials reporting Tuesday all ballots had been counted.
Continue reading...
Second Democrat joins House DOGE caucus
21:54
Oliver O'Connell
Rep Greg Landsman of Ohio has become the second Democrat to join the House Department of Government Efficient (DOGE) caucus. Rep Jerd Moskowitz of Florida was the first.
New: Rep. Greg Landsman becomes second Democrat to join the House’s DOGE caucus.
— Melanie Zanona (@MZanona) December 4, 2024
So far, at least 40 members have signed up to join, per caucus co-chair Aaron Bean.
Dem Rep. Jared Moskowitz already announced he was joining the caucus.
Sen Schmidt says Hegseth not drinking
21:50
Oliver O'Connell
Senator Eric Schmidt, who met with Pete Hegseth yesterday, says Trump’s defense secretary nominee is promising senators he has stopped drinking and won’t drink if confirmed.
Pete Hegseth is promising Senators he has stopped drinking and won’t drink if confirmed as Secretary of Defense, according to Senator Eric Schmidt (R-MO), who met with Hegseth yesterday.
— Jay O'Brien (@jayobtv) December 4, 2024
"He offered up to me, and I know he has with other senators too, that he's not drinking, and…
Profile: Jared Isaacman — Billionaire SpaceX astronaut picked to lead Trump’s NASA
21:45
Oliver O'Connell
President-elect Donald Trump has tapped billionaire astronaut Jared Isaacman to lead the nation’s top space agency.
The former president cited Isaacman’s accomplishments in business, philanthropy, and space, saying his passion and dedication made him “ideally suited to lead NASA into a bold new era.”
Julia Musto reports.
Trump to give first network interview since election on Sunday
21:39
Oliver O'Connell
President-elect Donald Trump will give his first network interview since winning the 2024 election.
He will sit down with Kristen Welker moderator of NBC News for this weekend’s edition of Meet the Press this Sunday.
JUST ANNOUNCED: President-elect Donald Trump will sit down with @MeetThePress for his first network interview since winning the election.
— NBC News PR (@NBCNewsPR) December 4, 2024
The exclusive interview airs this Sunday.https://t.co/yZBMWfRKBp pic.twitter.com/hyahNHnzRZ
Hegseth dragged for enlisting mom to help save his Defense nomination
21:28
Oliver O'Connell
Penelope Hegseth’s attempt to dispel concerns about her son, defense secretary nominee Pete Hegseth, by vouching for him on Fox News seemingly did not immediately sway people.
On Wednesday morning, Penelope appeared on Fox & Friends to downplay the severity of a harsh email she sent to her son in 2018 after an extramarital affair ended his second marriage. Asserting that her son was no longer the person he was seven years ago, Penelope asked Senators to ignore media reports.
But lawmakers and people online did not seem moved by Penelope’s plea.
“I’d hate to put my mom on there. She would have chewed my a** out,” Republican Senator Tommy Tuberville told The Independent.
Ariana Baio and Eric Garcia report.
Ernst says she and Hegseth had ‘frank and thorough’ conversation
21:16
Oliver O'Connell
Senator Joni Ernst, whose name has come up as a possible replacement as nominee for secretary of defense, says she and Pete Hegseth had a “frank and thorough conversation.”
I appreciate Pete Hegseth’s service to our country, something we both share.
— Joni Ernst (@SenJoniErnst) December 4, 2024
Today, as part of the confirmation process, we had a frank and thorough conversation.
Not the most enthusiastic message of support he’s received today.
Joni Ernst, critical swing vote, met with Pete Hegseth for about 45 minutes. Ernst said very little about the meeting, only telling us it was a “frank and thorough” conversation pic.twitter.com/dJ0BSGU4Ml
— Manu Raju (@mkraju) December 4, 2024
YOLO era Biden? What else might the president push through before he cedes power to Trump?
21:15
Oliver O'Connell
Andrew Feinberg writes:
With Congress set to spend its remaining time this year pushing through judicial nominees and a few must-pass pieces of legislation, Biden has no more political capital to spend and little more than his pen and phone to get anything done before he closes the book on a full half-century in public life.
Yet at the same time, he might still have levers he can pull to make some things happen before he leaves the Oval Office for the last time.
Some things Biden can do himself while he still has the powers of the presidency.
Continue reading...
Hegseth no longer going to Mar-a-Lago tomorrow
21:12
Oliver O'Connell
Pete Hegseth has told Farnoush Amiri of the Associated Press that he is not going to Mar-a-Lago tomorrow and that no meetings have been canceled, only rescheduled, contrary to earlier reporting.
HEGSETH tells me he is not going to Mar-a-Lago tomorrow and that no meetings have been canceled, only rescheduled.
— Farnoush Amiri (@FarnoushAmiri) December 4, 2024
Hegseth thanks Senator John Thune for ‘indispensible guidance’
21:02
Oliver O'Connell
Strong leadership is essential. In the DoD, and in the Senate. @SenJohnThune provided indispensable guidance this morning, and I'm prepared to keep up the fight for our warfighters. pic.twitter.com/nVYLHNkv2R
— Pete Hegseth (@PeteHegseth) December 4, 2024
Full story: Trump demands Georgia courts toss out Fani Willis’s criminal case against him
21:00
Oliver O'Connell
Georgia courts should dismiss a sprawling criminal case against Donald Trump for his attempts to reverse his election loss in the state in 2020 because his incoming presidency grants him “complete” immunity from any criminal proceedings, the president-elect has argued.
In a filing on Wednesday, the former president called on a Georgia appeals court to dismiss the case against him for his efforts to overturn election results in the state he lost in 2020, arguing that the state no long has jurisdiction over him.
“A sitting president is completely immune from indictment or any criminal process, state or federal,” according to attorney Steven Sadow.
Alex Woodward has been closely following the case for The Independent from the beginning and filed this report.
20:53
Oliver O'Connell
Thank you, @PeteHegseth, for coming to speak to the Republican Study Committee today!
— RSC (@RepublicanStudy) December 4, 2024
With President Trump’s America First leadership, our country and the world will be safer. pic.twitter.com/BbOLdzlKUb
Kash Patel targeted in Iranian cyberattack amid controversial FBI pick by Trump
20:45
Oliver O'Connell
Donald Trump’s controversial FBI director pick Kash Patel has been targeted in an Iranian cyberattack, according to reports.
Patel, a Trump loyalist who served on the National Security Council and as chief of staff to former Defense Secretary Chris Miller during his first term, was tapped on Saturday to lead the FBI.
On Tuesday, Semafor journalist Shelby Talcott first reported that Patel’s communications had been breached in what marks the latest in a series of alleged attacks from hackers emanating from Iran. Two sources later confirmed the attack to CBS News.
James Liddell has more details.
DNC slams Trump’s Navarro appointment over his ‘reckless and expensive agenda’
20:40
Oliver O'Connell
Democratic National Committee Rapid Response Director Alex Floyd released the following statement following Donald Trump’s announcement that he has asked Peter Navarro to join his administration as a trade adviser.
Peter Navarro literally wrote the Project 2025 chapter on Donald Trump’s dangerous and costly plans to skyrocket prices with new national taxes that would devastate working families. Now, Trump is rewarding another Project 2025 author with a spot in his administration to help him enact his reckless and expensive agenda that would give away billions to the ultra-wealthy while jacking up costs for the rest of us.
Alex Woodward has been cataloguing which of the Project 2025 authors are set to join the new Trump administration despite the president-elect’s prior claims to have “no idea” what the manifesto is.
Trump v DeSantis: A timeline
20:30
Oliver O'Connell
Donald Trump is reportedly considering replacing his current nominee for defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, with Ron DeSantis – marking the latest extraordinary twist in the rocky relationship between the president-elect and the Florida governor.
Hegseth, a former Fox News weekend anchor, has been hit by a damaging series of allegations about his past since being tapped for the role in November 2023, from a sexual assault allegation to alcoholism to Islamophobic slurs and the mismanagement of a military veterans’ organisation. Hegseth has denied the allegations.
But with Republican senators expressing disquiet about his candidacy and Hegseth’s mother putting in an appearance on Fox and Friends in a last-ditch bid to clear his name, Trump is said to be looking elsewhere to none other than his ally turned sworn rival turned ally again.
Trump and DeSantis were close allies during the Republican’s first term in the White House. Trump campaigned for DeSantis’s ascent to the governor’s mansion in 2018 and later took credit for his victory, only to then take against him once his star rose during the Covid-19 pandemic and he became a conservative favorite for challenging lockdown restrictions.
That tension erupted into open hostility and bitter taunts in 2024 when DeSantis ran against Trump for the GOP presidential nomination, only to crash out early in the primaries after failing to connect with voters.
Here is a timeline of their on-again-off-again relationship:
Hegseth says he wouldn’t drink if confirmed as defense secretary
20:23
Oliver O'Connell
During meetings on Capitol Hill today, Pete Hegseth promised incoming Senate Armed Services Chair Roger Wicker that he wouldn’t drink if confirmed as Donald Trump’s secretary of Defense.
“I think that’s probably a good idea,” Wicker told reporters.
Pete Hegseth promised incoming Senate Armed Services Chair Roger Wicker that he wouldn’t drink if confirmed as secretary of Defense.
— Alex Bolton (@alexanderbolton) December 4, 2024
“I think that’s probably a good idea,” Wicker told reporters.
Trump considers ally-turned-rival DeSantis to replace Hegseth as Pentagon chief
20:15
Oliver O'Connell
Donald Trump is said to be eying his former friend-turned-staunch rival Ron DeSantis to replace Pete Hegseth as his defense secretary pick, as the former Fox News host’s nomination hangs by a thread.
Sources told the Wall Street Journal that the president-elect is now reconsidering his first choice with Hegseth facing mounting scrutiny over allegations of sexual assault and alcohol abuse.
Trump allies are of the growing belief that the military veteran may not survive the Senate confirmation process, the sources said.
James Liddell filed this report earlier today.
Trump picks former soldier and Iraq War veteran to serve as Army secretary
20:07
AP
President-elect Donald Trump said Wednesday that he has selected a former soldier and Iraq War veteran to serve as secretary of the Army.
Trump said Daniel P. Driscoll had completed Army Ranger school and deployed with the 10th Mountain Division to Iraq. Driscoll, who is from North Carolina, had been recently serving as a senior adviser to Vice President-elect JD Vance.
Read on...
Trump asks Georgia Court of Appeals to dismiss his election subversion case based on lack of jurisdiction
19:57
Oliver O'Connell
Donald Trump has asked the Georgia Court of Appeals to dismiss his election subversion case based on a lack of jurisdiction — that he is now president-elect and will soon become the 47th President of the United States.
His legal team argues that a sitting president is completely immune from indictment or any criminal process, state or federal, as it hinders their ability to carry out the required constitutional functions.
The continued indictment of a sitting president by a state, they argue, is unconstitutional.
Trump lawyer Steve Sadow concludes: “President Trump respectfully submits that upon reaching that decision, this Court should dismiss his appeal for lack of jurisdiction with directions to the trial court to immediately dismiss the indictment against President Trump.”
NEW: Trump asks the Georgia Court of Appeals to dismiss his appeal based on lack of jurisdiction, citing his status as President-elect. pic.twitter.com/3Z8uZ2We01
— Anna Bower (@AnnaBower) December 4, 2024
Full story: Trump hires Pete Navarro, who just served a four-month prison stint for contempt of Congress, as senior counselor
19:45
Oliver O'Connell
President-elect Donald Trump on Wednesday said he is bringing a convicted criminal who helped plan his futile attempt to overturn the 2020 election to the White House as a senior member of his administration working on trade issues.
In a statement first posted to Truth Social, Trump said he was bringing on Peter Navarro, the former head of the National Trade Council during his first term, as a “Senior Counselor for Trade and Manufacturing.”
Andrew Feinberg reports from Washington, DC.
Full story: Ken Chesebro tries to invalidate his guilty plea in Georgia election case
19:15
AP
Former Trump campaign lawyer Kenneth Chesebro, who pleaded guilty to a conspiracy charge in the Georgia 2020 election meddling case against the president-elect and others, is trying to invalidate that plea.
Chesebro was charged in August 2023, alongside Trump and 17 others, in a sprawling indictment accusing them of participating in a wide-ranging scheme to overturn Trump’s loss in the 2020 presidential election in Georgia. He pleaded guilty to a single conspiracy count a few months later after reaching a deal with prosecutors just before he was to go to trial.
His lawyer on Wednesday asked Fulton County Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee to invalidate the plea after McAfee in September tossed out the charge to which he had pleaded guilty.
Continue reading...
Watch: Blumenthal says up to 10 GOP senators would say no to Hegseth
18:58
Oliver O'Connell
Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal says he has talked to between five and ten Republican who have told him they are just waiting for the right moment to say no to Pete Hegseth as secretary of defense.
Blumenthal: I’ve talked to 5-10 Republicans who have said to me they’re just waiting for the right moment to say no to Pete Hegseth pic.twitter.com/K9X4Zmk7BI
— Acyn (@Acyn) December 4, 2024
Perhaps his mother can turn that tide?
Pete Hegseth told RSC members his mom has been making calls to senators on his behalf, per source.
— Mychael Schnell (@mychaelschnell) December 4, 2024
Trump names White House counsel and DOGE counsel
18:52
Oliver O'Connell
Donald Trump has tapped David Warrington to serve as the White House’s top attorney and William McGinley to serve as counsel to the Department of Government Efficiency.
The president-elect made both announcements on Truth Social:
I am proud to announce the appointment of David A. Warrington to serve as Assistant to the President and Counsel to the President. Dave will lead the Office of White House Counsel, and serve as the top attorney in the White House. Dave has represented me well as my personal attorney, and as General Counsel for my Presidential Campaign. He is an esteemed lawyer and Conservative leader. Dave is currently a Partner at the Dhillon Law Group, and a former President of the Republican National Lawyers Association. Dave is a Veteran of the United States Marine Corps, and a Magna Cum Laude Graduate of Georgetown University, and the George Mason University School of Law…
…Additionally, I have asked William Joseph McGinley to serve as Counsel to the Department of Government Efficiency (“DOGE”), something he is very passionate about. Bill will work with Elon Musk, Vivek Ramaswamy, and their team of incredible pioneers at DOGE, to rebuild a U.S. Government that truly serves the People. Bill will play a crucial role in liberating our Economy from burdensome Regulations, excess spending, and Government waste. He will partner with the White House and the Office of Management and Budget to provide advice and guidance to end the bloated Federal Bureaucracy. Bill is a great addition to a stellar team that is focused on making life better for all Americans. He will be at the forefront of my Administration's efforts to make our Government more efficient and more accountable.
Congratulations to Dave and Bill!
Scaramucci impressed with Trump economic picks
18:48
Oliver O'Connell
Scott Bessent (Treasury), Kevin Hassett (NEC), Paul Atkins (SEC), Michael Faulkender (Deputy Treasury). Have to admit Trump is cooking with his economic team so far.
— Anthony Scaramucci (@Scaramucci) December 4, 2024
Watch: Hegseth tells Megyn Kelly he has never had a drinking problem
18:42
Oliver O'Connell
Donald Trump’s nominee for secretary of defense sat down for an interview with Megyn Kelly today to address the questions about his alleged drinking problem.
Hegseth dismisses allegations that his drinking worried his Fox News coworkers:
— The Recount (@therecount) December 4, 2024
"I've never had a drinking problem. ... What do guys do when they come back from war oftentimes? Have some beers. ... By the grace of God, I found my chapters of purpose that pulled me out of that." pic.twitter.com/WyQmVvGvoY
Kelly also asked if he was being “Kavanaugh’d”, referring to the aggressive questioning of Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh during his confirmation hearing regarding his drinking and allegations of sexual assault.
Hegseth dismissed allegations against him as “all anonymous, all innuendo, all rumor, nothing sourced, no verification ... because you're a threat to them.”
Megyn Kelly: "Do you think you're being Kavanaugh'd right now?"
— The Recount (@therecount) December 4, 2024
Pete Hegseth: "I had a member ... say, 'That's what they're trying to do to you. ... All anonymous, all innuendo, all rumor, nothing sourced, no verification ... because you're a threat to them.'" pic.twitter.com/txZCaZmC04
He described the allegations against him as the “classic art of the smear.”
“Take whatever tiny kernels of truth and there are tiny, tiny ones in there, and blow them up into a masquerade of a narrative about somebody that I am definitely not.”
Hegseth then committed to not drinking if confirmed.
Says if appointed Secretary of Defense, he won't drink: "This is the biggest deployment of my life, and there won't be a drop of alcohol on my lips while I'm doing it."
— Katherine Doyle (@katiadoyl) December 4, 2024
Joe Rogan reveals the one person who pushed him to get involved in the election
18:36
Oliver O'Connell
Podcaster Joe Rogan said he publicly endorsed Donald Trump in the 2024 presidential election because he strongly opposed Michigan Governor Tim Walz, branding the Democratic vice presidential nominee a “liar”.
Ariana Baio has the story.
Watch: Hegseth directs reporters' questions to Megyn Kelly interview
18:31
Oliver O'Connell
Hegseth: I had a chance to sit down with Megyn Kelly today for an hour. I refer you to that interview. She asked probably all the questions you guys would like to ask.
— Acyn (@Acyn) December 4, 2024
Reporter: Will you commit to not drinking on the job? pic.twitter.com/E7Jr2V59Nt
Hegseth cancels Thursday meeting with Sen Hawley
18:30
Oliver O'Connell
Trump defense secretary pick Pete Hegseth has canceled a meeting with Senator Josh Hawley tomorrow, according to reporting by Lisa Dejardins of PBS Newshour.
NEW; Sen. Hawley told me that his meeting w Hegseth for tomorrow was cancelled this am.
— Lisa Desjardins (@LisaDNews) December 4, 2024
A transition-related source told me Hegseth has to “be somewhere else” now, a schedule change.
Florida?,I asked.
The source only said that the schedule change “came from a higher power”.
Former Treasury spox and Fox News contributor nominated as chief of protocol
18:26
Oliver O'Connell
Another comeback from the first Trump administration, and another Fox News connection, as Monica Crowley is nominated by Donald Trump to serve as Ambassador, Assistant Secretary of State, and Chief of Protocol. This could be high profile role in the coming four years with the 250th Anniversary of US independence, the FIFA World Cup, and the Los Angeles Olympics all lined up.
The president-elect wrote:
I am honored to nominate Monica Elizabeth Crowley, Ph.D. to serve as Ambassador, Assistant Secretary of State, and Chief of Protocol of the United States of America. Monica will be the Administration Representative for major U.S. hosted events, including America’s 250th Birthday in 2026, the FIFA World Cup in 2026, and the Olympic Games in Los Angeles in 2028.
During my First Term, Monica did an incredible job as Assistant Secretary of the Treasury for Public Affairs. For her exceptional service, she received the Alexander Hamilton Award, the highest honor bestowed by the Department. Monica is a New York Times bestselling author, and has been a popular anchor, and political and foreign affairs analyst, for the Fox News Channel and Fox Business Network, among others. A graduate of Colgate University, she holds two Master's degrees, and a Doctorate in International Relations, from Columbia University.
She will be an extraordinary Representative of our Country. Congratulations Monica!
Trump nominates for anti-trust role to take on big tech
18:18
Oliver O'Connell
Donald Trump has named Gail Slater as his nominee for assistant attorney general for the Antitrust Division of the Justice Department to take on Big Tech and ensure competition laws are enforced.
The president-elect wrote on Truth Social:
I am pleased to nominate Gail Slater as Assistant Attorney General for the Antitrust Division at the Department of Justice. Big Tech has run wild for years, stifling competition in our most innovative sector and, as we all know, using its market power to crack down on the rights of so many Americans, as well as those of Little Tech! I was proud to fight these abuses in my First Term, and our Department of Justice’s antitrust team will continue that work under Gail’s leadership.
Gail previously served at the FTC, in my National Economic Council and, most recently, advising Vice President-Elect JD Vance in his Senate office. Gail has also worked in the private sector, in Media at FOX, and in the Tech sector at Roku. In her new role, Gail will help ensure that our competition laws are enforced, both vigorously and FAIRLY, with clear rules that facilitate, rather than stifle, the ingenuity of our greatest companies. Congratulations Gail - Together, we will Make America Competitive Again!
US military takes pride in religious diversity. Would that change under Hegseth?
18:15
AP
It was a history-making event: In a chapel at Fort Liberty, North Carolina, 2nd Lt. Khady Ndiaye stood proudly -- wearing a hijab – as she became the first Muslim woman commissioned by the U.S. Army as a chaplain candidate.
Presiding over the ceremony in June was Maj. Gen. Bill Green, the Army’s chief of chaplains. He said the chaplains serve more than 200 faith groups, “while caring for the entire Army family ... regardless of their personal beliefs.”
That ethos — a commitment to religious diversity throughout a U.S. military with 1.3 million active-duty troops — could be strained if Pete Hegseth, President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee for defense secretary, is confirmed as the next Pentagon leader.
Continue reading...
Trump names chair of Securities & Exchange Commission and deputy at Treasury
18:09
Oliver O'Connell
The nominations keep coming today, with Donald Trump picking his chair of the Securities & Exchange Commission as well as the deputy secretary of the treasury — Paul Atking and Michael Faulkender, respectively.
Atkins contributed to Project 2025's chapter on financial regulatory agencies.
The president-elect wrote on Truth Social:
I am delighted to announce the nomination of Paul Atkins to be the next Chairman of the Securities & Exchange Commission.
Paul is a proven leader for common sense regulations. He believes in the promise of robust, innovative capital markets that are responsive to the needs of Investors, & that provide capital to make our Economy the best in the World. He also recognizes that digital assets & other innovations are crucial to Making America Greater than Ever Before.
Paul is the CEO & Founder of Patomak Global Partners, a risk management consultancy. As Co-Chairman of the Digital Chamber’s Token Alliance since 2017, he has worked on & studied the digital assets industry. A former SEC Commissioner from 2002-2008, Paul strongly advocated for transparency & protecting investors. He earned a J.D. from Vanderbilt University School of Law, & his A.B. from Wofford College, summa cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa.
Congratulations to Paul, his wonderful wife, Sarah, & sons, Stewart, Peter, & Henry.
Atkins is a pro-business conservative who is expected to take a lighter regulatory approach than the present chair, Gary Gensler. Crypto-currency companies and advocates will likely be enthused by this choice.
And at the Treasury, it’s another returning face from the first Trump administration.
I am pleased to nominate Dr. Michael William Faulkender, of the Great State of Maryland, to serve as the Deputy Secretary of the United States Department of the Treasury. Mike is a distinguished Economist and Policy practitioner who will drive our America First Agenda. He will help Treasury Secretary Nominee Scott Bessent usher in a new Golden Age for the United States by delivering a Great Economic Boom for all Americans.
Mike previously served as the Assistant Secretary for Economic Policy at the Treasury Department during my First Administration. In that role, he advised the Secretary on domestic and international issues that impacted the Economy. Mike is currently the Dean’s Professor of Finance at the University of Maryland’s Robert H. Smith School of Business, and is the Chief Economist and Vice Chair for the America First Policy Institute’s Center for American Prosperity. Congratulations to Mike, and his two wonderful daughters, Lauren and Catherine!
Trump — who tried to overthrow 2020 US election — to get Fox Patriot of the Year award
17:45
Oliver O'Connell
President-elect Donald Trump has announced that he will attend the Fox News Patriot Awards event in New York on Thursday to receive the Fox Patriot of the Year honor just a few years after he tried to overturn the results of of the 2020 election.
“I look greatly forward to attending the Fox News Patriot Awards, hosted by Sean Hannity in New York on Thursday evening. I will be receiving the Fox Patriot of the Year Award — so nice! See you there,” Trump preened on Truth Social on Tuesday night.
Guess who the original host of the event was supposed to be...
Gustaf Kilander reports.
Jared Isaacman ‘honored’ to be picked as next NASA administrator
17:29
Oliver O'Connell
Jared Isaacman, the billionaire SpaceX pilot picked to lead NASA by President-elect Donald Trump, says he is honored to be chosen, promising that Americans will walk on the Moon and Mars.
Here’s his full statement:
I am honored to receive President Trump’s @realDonaldTrump nomination to serve as the next Administrator of NASA. Having been fortunate to see our amazing planet from space, I am passionate about America leading the most incredible adventure in human history.
On my last mission
