Saturday, November 23, 2024

Trump meets with NATO head; taps hedge fund manager to lead treasury: Live updates

Must read

Matt Gaetz reveals he will not be returning to Congress

As Donald Trump continues to form his administration ahead of his inauguration in January, the president-elect met with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte at Mar-a-Lago on Friday.

They discussed the range of global security issues facing the alliance and Rutte also sat down with Rep. Mike Waltz, Trump’s choice for national security adviser.

The president-elect has also announced that he wants the job of treasury secretary to go to hedge fund manager Scott Bessent.

Trump called Bessent “one of the World’s foremost International Investors and Geopolitical and Economic Strategists.”

In a flurry of announcements on Friday night, Trump revealed his picks to lead the Office of Management and Budget, the Department of Housing and Urban Development, the FDA, the CDC, the Office of the Surgeon General, and the Department of Labor.

Meanwhile, Trump is set to fire the attorneys who worked alongside Special Counsel Jack Smith on two federal investigations into the president-elect and use the Department of Justice to probe the 2020 election, according to The Washington Post.

He intends to put together teams of investigators to look for evidence of fraud in battleground states in the 2020 election. There’s no evidence that fraud affected the results.

ANALYSIS: Trump got his first black eye with Matt Gaetz. His next problem? Pete Hegseth

Oliver O’Connell23 November 2024 17:00

Watch: John Bolton gives scathing opinion of ‘con man’ Sebastion Gorka

Oliver O’Connell23 November 2024 16:56

Gaetz offers himself up on Cameo to ‘bring joy’ after failed attorney general bid

Now that Matt Gaetz is no longer a congressman and will not be the next attorney general of the United States, what does the future hold for the MAGA firebrand?

Well, in the grand tradition of other famed Republicans who have fallen from grace, such as convicted felon George Santos or one-time America’s Mayor Rudy Giuliani, the former Florida congressman has joined Cameo.

When reached for comment, Gaetz confirmed that he had indeed created a profile on the site. “I have joined cameo. I hope to bring people joy,” he said in a text to The Independent.

Justin Barangoa has the details.

Oliver O’Connell23 November 2024 16:30

“I’m glad that if it was going to happen, it happened on the King holiday, because Dr King is still speaking to us,” she told The Independent. She sees the January 20 event as a wake-up call for the country and an opportunity to stand up to the incoming administration’s charged agenda items.

Michelle Del Rey reports.

Oliver O’Connell23 November 2024 16:10

Report: Tulsi Gabbard was placed on TSA watch list over her foreign travel and connections

Oliver O’Connell23 November 2024 16:00

PREMIUM: Why the Trump and Musk partnership is here to stay

We’ve all been there. That infatuation moment. That time at the outset of a relationship when you can’t think about anyone else, don’t want to be with anyone else. Every minute without them is a minute wasted; where you find yourself engaging in their hobbies because if they love them, so must you, too.

And broadly speaking, that is where we are in that most unlikely of bromances: that of Elon and Don.

Oliver O’Connell23 November 2024 15:40

ANALYSIS: Where Matt Gaetz will go next

The congressman from Florida resigned abruptly from the House days after winning another term, and stated that he wouldn’t serve in the upcoming Congress set to take shape in January. His departure — and his nomination to the post of attorney general — were a shock to Republicans and Democrats alike on Capitol Hill.

The drip-drip quickly began, as John Bowden reports.

Where Matt Gaetz will go next

Ex-congressman could return to Washington, run for governor, or seek another path. But we can probably work out where he’s headed next if we read between the lines, John Bowden reports

Oliver O’Connell23 November 2024 15:30

Afraid of losing the US-Canada trade pact, Mexico alters its laws and removes Chinese parts

Mexico has been taking a bashing lately for allegedly serving as a conduit for Chinese parts and products into North America, and officials here are afraid a re-elected Donald Trump or politically struggling Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau could try to leave their country out of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada free trade agreement.

Mexico’s ruling Morena party is so afraid of losing the trade deal that President Claudia Sheinbaum said Friday the government has gone on a campaign to get companies to replace Chinese parts with locally made ones.

“We have a plan with the aim of substituting these imports that come from China, and producing the majority of them in Mexico, either with Mexican companies or primarily North American companies,” Sheinbaum said.

Musk shares wild conspiracy about Ellen moving to UK

Katie Hawkinson has the story.

Oliver O’Connell23 November 2024 15:00

Trump meets with NATO secretary general

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte met with President-elect Donald Trump in Palm Beach, Florida on Friday
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte met with President-elect Donald Trump in Palm Beach, Florida on Friday (NATO)

On Friday, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte met with President-elect Donald Trump at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida.

According to a statement, they discussed the range of global security issues facing the Alliance.

The Secretary-General and his team also met with Congressman Mike Waltz and members of the President-elect’s national security team.

Oliver O’Connell23 November 2024 14:55

Latest article