Former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi is Donald Trump’s new pick to lead the Department of Justice following the departure of former Florida Congressman Matt Gaetz.
“For too long, the partisan Department of Justice has been weaponized against me and other Republicans – Not anymore. Pam will refocus the DOJ to its intended purpose of fighting Crime, and Making America Safe Again,” Trump wrote in a statement on Thursday evening.
Gaetz withdrew his name from consideration for the role on Thursday.
In a statement on X, he said: “While the momentum was strong, it is clear that my confirmation was unfairly becoming a distraction to the critical work of the Trump/Vance Transition.”
He was the subject of investigations into drug use and sex with a minor, allegations which he has always denied.
Meanwhile, police have released a detailed investigative report into Pete Hegseth, the Fox News personality and military veteran Donald Trump has nominated to be America’s next defense secretary, after he was accused of sexual assault by a woman he met at a conservative conference in Monterey, California, in 2017, the latest resurfaced scandal to dog the incoming administration.
Key Points
-
Trump names Pam Bondi as new AG pick after controversial first choice Matt Gaetz withdraws
-
Right-wing podcaster and former agent Dan Bongino in line to head Secret Service, report says
-
Watch: Pete Hegseth responds to sexual assault allegations
-
Report: Gaetz had second sexual encounter at party with girl, 17, that included another woman
-
Full story: Matt Gaetz drops out of consideration for attorney general
Tommy Tuberville tells Steve Bannon 2020 election was stolen
03:15 , Oliver O’Connell
Alabama Republican Senator Tommy Tuberville questioned the validity of the 2020 election during an appearance on Steve Bannon’s War Room podcast with an offensive rant in which he called President Joe Biden a “bedridden dementia patient.”
Bannon, President-elect Donald Trump’s former White House chief strategist, asked Tuberville about the Democrats, saying “They’re there to fully stop Donald Trump and hopefully take their plans to take the House in two years and impeach him, right?”
Tuberville said the Democrats’ plan “was accelerated because they stole the election from President Trump and they were able to get four years with a bedridden dementia patient.”
Gustaf Kilander reports.
Tommy Tuberville tells Steve Bannon 2020 election was stolen in rant about Joe Biden
Trump’s new AG pick didn’t pursue lawsuit against Trump University – after he donated $25k to her campaign
02:45 , Gustaf Kilander
The incoming Trump administration didn’t waste time on Thursday after Matt Gaetz announced he was dropping his bid to become attorney general, announcing former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi would seek the top position at the Justice Department instead.
Bondi, who served as Florida’s attorney general from 2011 to 2019, is both an experienced public official and a long-time Trump ally.
Josh Marcus reports.
Trump’s AG didn’t sue Trump University after $25K donation
Trump’s education secretary pick Linda McMahon body slammed by Kane in resurfaced WWE clip
02:30 , Gustaf Kilander
A resurfaced clip of President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee for Secretary of Education getting body slammed in the wrestling ring by Kane, who is now a Republican mayor, has gone viral.
WWE co-founder Linda McMahon was announced as one of Trump’s cabinet picks on November 19 with critics and WWE fans questioning her qualifications for the role.
Brittany Miller has more.
Trump’s education pick Linda McMahon body slammed by Kane in resurfaced WWE clip
RFK Jr compared ‘bully’ Trump to Hitler
02:15 , Oliver O’Connell
The incoming Trump administration’s pick to lead the Department of Health and Human Services, Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., has a history of scathing criticisms against the president-elect, including comparing him to Hitler and branding his supporters “belligerent idiots” and “outright Nazis.”
The remarks, many of which were made on Kennedy’s “Ring of Fire” radio show in 2016, were uncovered by CNN.
Josh Marcus reports.
RFK Jr. once compared ‘bully’ Trump to Hitler and called him a ‘threat to democracy’
Ex-military chief slaps down claim by Trump defense secretary pick that women shouldn’t serve in combat
02:00 , Gustaf Kilander
A former military chief has hit back at Donald Trump’s Defense Secretary nominee over remarks made about women serving in the armed forces.
General Mark Milley, who served as the 20th Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said that the US military “must be and always should be” standards-based, as he called out the comments by Pete Hegseth.
Hegseth, a military veteran and former Fox News host, was announced as the President-elect’s choice for secretary of defense last week, in a move that caused consternation across the political aisle. He served 13 years as a part-time member of the National Guard, culminating in the rank of major.
Mike Bedigan reports.
Ex-military chief blasts claim by Pete Hegseth that women shouldn’t serve in combat
Lara Trump’s latest career move… activewear mogul
01:45 , Oliver O’Connell
Donald Trump’s daughter-in-law, Lara Trump, has started a new clothes brand as her latest career move after releasing pop songs and being floated as a possible senator.
The co-chair of the Republican National Committee, took to Instagram this week to launch her new activewear line — The LT Brand by Lara Trump Collection.
Gustaf Kilander has the story.
Potential senator and now clothes brand owner: Lara Trump’s latest career move
Pam Bondi once called for Hillary Clinton to be locked up: ‘I love that’
01:30 , Gustaf Kilander
During the 2016 Republican National Convention, Pam Bondi responded to the crowd’s calls to “lock her up” in reference to former secretary of state and 2016 Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton by saying “I love that.”
Bondi said during her speech at the convention eight years ago that Clinton “deserves no security clearance.”
“How do you become president of the United States when you have no security clearance?” she asked at the time. “This lawlessness must stop right here, right now. Donald Trump will stop it.”
“Lock her up, I love that,” she said in response to a sign in the audience, prompting chants of the phrase.
Profile: Pete Hegseth — Fox News anchor turned nominee for defense secretary
01:15 , Oliver O’Connell
Pete Hegseth has been nominated for secretary of defense under President-elect Donald Trump – but who is the relative unknown to the DC sphere?
Hegseth’s most recent role was as a host on the Fox & Friends morning show. That is where most of America knows him from, but he is also an author, husband and dad and even found viral fame – though it landed him in legal hot water.
Amber Raiken reports.
Who is Pete Hegseth? The Fox News anchor turned nominee for Defense secretary
White House: Trump still hasn’t signed papers to officially start transition
00:45 , Oliver O’Connell
More than two weeks after the 2024 election, the White House says President-elect Donald Trump and his team still haven’t executed the legal documents required to officially start the transition process that will end with him taking the presidential oath of office on the Capitol steps in just under 60 days.
White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Thursday that the Trump-Vance team “not yet entered into the agreements with the White House and the General Service Administration” despite ongoing efforts to negotiate involving White House Chief of Staff Jeff Zients and his incoming Trump administration counterpart, Susie Wiles.
Andrew Feinberg filed this report from Washington, D.C.
Trump still hasn’t signed papers to officially start transition, White House says
Morning Joe hosts agreed to Trump meeting over fears of Joe Scarborough intern death probe, report claims
00:30 , Gustaf Kilander
The hosts of MSNBC’s Morning Joe, Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski, allegedly met with President-elect Donald Trump over fears that then-attorney general nominee Matt Gaetz would investigate the death of an intern in Scarborough’s office during his time as a Florida Republican congressman, according to a Puck News report.
On Monday, Brzezinski said: “For those asking why we would go speak to the president-elect during such fraught times, especially between us, I guess I would ask back, ‘Why wouldn’t we?’”
“Joe and I realized it’s time to do something different, and that starts with not only talking about Donald Trump, but also talking with him,” she added.
Read more:
Morning Joe hosts agreed to Trump meeting over fears of intern death probe: report
ICYMI: Trump unveils latest merchandise grift
00:15 , Oliver O’Connell
Donald Trump has unveiled his latest merchandising venture, a range of “limited edition” American Eagle-branded electric and acoustic guitars retailing from $1,500 to as much as $10,500 for a signed model.
“Coming Soon! The Limited Edition ’45’ Guitar. Only 1,300 of each Acoustic and Electric Guitars MADE – Some personally signed!” the president-elect announced on his Truth Social platform on Wednesday evening, accompanied by a photograph of himself brandishing one of the instruments, which he is not known to be able to play.
Joe Sommerlad has the story.
Trump unveils latest merchandise grift: $10,500 signed American Eagle guitars
From 2019: Trump’s ‘impeachment adviser’ Pam Bondi says looming charges are weighing on him: ‘Is this difficult? Of course it is’
00:00 , Gustaf Kilander
Background on Pam Bondi from 2019:
A White House adviser tasked with defending Donald Trump during the impeachment proceedings against him suggested the pressure of the looming charges was beginning to weigh down on the president just before an official vote.
Pam Bondi, the former Florida attorney general who the president hired last month to serve as a voice for the administration while it battles back against the public impeachment hearings, slammed the House-led inquiry in an interview with Fox News Sunday.
“Is this difficult? Of course it is”, Ms Bondi said. “And that’s why the lawyers, we are all handling this impeachment sham and charade with the weakest of weak evidence … now going to the US Senate.”
Chris Riotta reported at the time:
Trump’s ‘impeachment adviser’ says looming charges are weighing on the president
From 2020: Pam Bondi hits Biden over nepotism minutes before two of Trump’s children speak at RNC
Thursday 21 November 2024 23:52 , Gustaf Kilander
Some background on Pam Bondi from 2020:
Former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi lashed out at Joe Biden and his son Hunter Biden in her Republican National Committee address, criticising them for nepotism moments before two of Donald Trump‘s children spoke at his re-election convention.
Ms Bondi was first linked to the president in 2016, when, as the Sunshine State’s top lawyer, she dropped Florida’s probe into Trump University. Weeks prior to ending that investigation, Mr Trump donated $25,000 to her re-election campaign. All sides denied a quid pro quo.
The attack on the Bidens was the first of the RNC, months after Mr Trump responded to House Democrats’ impeachment trial of his interactions with Ukraine’s president by attacking Hunter Biden. He and his surrogates and legal team argued the younger Biden profited from his father’s work against Ukraine corruption as vice president.
John T. Bennett reported at the time:
Bondi’s Biden nepotism attack followed by Trump children at RNC
Despite him saying he has ‘no idea’ what it is, Trump’s cabinet is filling up with Project 2025 authors
Thursday 21 November 2024 23:45 , Oliver O’Connell
I’m sure it’s just a coincidence… 😒
Alex Woodward has the details.
Trump’s cabinet is filling up with Project 2025 authors
Trump names Pam Bondi as new AG pick after controversial first choice Matt Gaetz withdraws
Thursday 21 November 2024 23:41 , Gustaf Kilander
Donald Trump has announced that former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi will be nominated as his US Attorney General, after controversial first pick Matt Gaetz withdrew from the role.
“For too long, the partisan Department of Justice has been weaponized against me and other Republicans – Not anymore. Pam will refocus the DOJ to its intended purpose of fighting Crime, and Making America Safe Again,” Trump wrote in a statement on Thursday evening.
“I have known Pam for many years — She is smart and tough, and is an AMERICA FIRST Fighter, who will do a terrific job as Attorney General!”
Mike Bedigan reports.
Trump names Pam Bondi as new AG pick after first choice Matt Gaetz withdraws
Donald Trump announces new nominee for attorney general
Thursday 21 November 2024 23:35 , Gustaf Kilander
President-elect Donald Trump announced on Truth Social on Thursday night that former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi will be his next nominee to lead the Department of Justice following the departure of former Florida Congressman Matt Gaetz.
“I am proud to announce former Attorney General of the Great State of Florida, Pam Bondi, as our next Attorney General of the United States,” Trump wrote. “Pam was a prosecutor for nearly 20 years, where she was very tough on Violent Criminals, and made the streets safe for Florida Families.”
“Then, as Florida’s first female Attorney General, she worked to stop the trafficking of deadly drugs, and reduce the tragedy of Fentanyl Overdose Deaths, which have destroyed many families across our Country,” he added. “She did such an incredible job, that I asked her to serve on our Opioid and Drug Abuse Commission during my first Term — We saved many lives!”
“For too long, the partisan Department of Justice has been weaponized against me and other Republicans – Not anymore,” the president-elect claimed. “Pam will refocus the DOJ to its intended purpose of fighting Crime, and Making America Safe Again. I have known Pam for many years — She is smart and tough, and is an AMERICA FIRST Fighter, who will do a terrific job as Attorney General!”
Vance faces flack from own party for helping Democrats push through Biden judicial nominees
Thursday 21 November 2024 23:15 , Oliver O’Connell
Republican senators not attending the last few days of the legislative session are facing criticism from colleagues as Democrats work to fill as many judicial vacancies as possible before they lose the majority in January.
That includes Vice President-elect J.D. Vance, the Ohio Senator. Senate Republicans shared their ire after Vance and some other Republican Senators skipped some votes Monday when Democrats worked late into the night to confirm their nominees to the federal bench.
Republicans worked to slow down the voting headed by outgoing Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York to push through more than a dozen judicial nominees. However, the GOP Senators were unsuccessful as some members of their conference didn’t attend the session, which ended near midnight.
Gustaf Kilander has the story.
JD Vance faces flack from GOP for helping Democrats push through judicial nominees
Number of GOP senators who were hard ‘no’ on Gaetz rises to eight, report says
Thursday 21 November 2024 23:05 , Oliver O’Connell
Speaker Johnson echoes Trump saying Gaetz has ‘bright future ahead of him’
Thursday 21 November 2024 23:00 , Oliver O’Connell
Nikki Haley issues scathing takedown of two Trump cabinet picks
Thursday 21 November 2024 22:45 , Oliver O’Connell
Nikki Haley has launched into a blistering critique of Donald Trump’s cabinet picks Tulsi Gabbard and Robert F Kennedy Jr, slamming the former as “a Russian, Iranian, Syrian, Chinese sympathizer.”
The former United Nations Ambassador in Trump’s first administration raised major concerns about Gabbard, who was picked as director of national security, and RFK Jr, who was nominated Health and Human Services secretary, during her SiriusXM show Nikki Haley Live on Wednesday.
James Liddell reports.
Nikki Haley issues scathing putdowns of Trump cabinet picks Tulsi Gabbard and RFK Jr
Watch: GOP senator calls Hegseth police report ‘a pretty big problem’
Thursday 21 November 2024 22:35 , Oliver O’Connell
McConnell announces new roles in Congress
Thursday 21 November 2024 22:25 , Oliver O’Connell
Senator Mitch McConnell, who will soon be stepping down as minority leader as Republicans take control of the Senate, has announced his new roles in the upper chamber of Congress when the 119th session begins.
The Kentucky lawmaker will chair the Senate Rules Committee and the Senate Appropriations Defense Subcommittee.
Right-wing podcaster and former agent Dan Bongino in line to head Secret Service, report says
Thursday 21 November 2024 22:15 , Oliver O’Connell
Donald Trump is reportedly considering right-wing radio host Dan Bongino to head the Secret Service, as the embattled security outfit seeks to rebuild credibility after multiple near-miss assassination attempts against Trump during the 2024 presidential campaign.
The host of the Dan Bongino Show political podcast previously served as a Secret Service agent, and was a regular commentator and host on Fox News until last year.
Josh Marcus reports.
Trump looking at right-wing radio host Dan Bongino to head the Secret Service: Report
Trump told Gaetz his AG confirmation was not going to happen, report says
Thursday 21 November 2024 22:07 , Oliver O’Connell
PerThe Bulwark:
Eight days after making the snap decision to nominate Matt Gaetz to be the nation’s next attorney general, Trump phoned him Thursday morning to tell him he wouldn’t get confirmed, according to a source briefed on the conversation. The president-elect explained that Republican senators were too troubled by the sex scandals and investigations surrounding Gaetz and that the constant and salacious distractions had doomed him.
“You don’t have the votes,” Trump said, according to the source. “These senators aren’t moving.”
Another source familiar with the conversation between Trump and Gaetz said Gaetz had acknowledged he had between four and six Republican votes against him. He could only lose three.
Watch: Trans activist confronts Nancy Mace
Thursday 21 November 2024 22:05 , Oliver O’Connell
Trans activist confronts Nancy Mace at Georgetown conference
Democrats are breaking with Biden over Israel and Gaza
Thursday 21 November 2024 21:45 , Oliver O’Connell
In the Senate on Wednesday evening, three resolutions to block arms sales to Israel were defeated on the floor — one sponsored by Bernie Sanders, the chamber’s only avowed socialist member, and two others were sponsored by Jeff Merkley and Peter Welch. The outcome was all but preordained. What was notable instead was the number of members from Biden’s party who joined them — in direct defiance of both Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and the White House, which lobbied against the resolution and accused its supporters of aiding Hamas.
Nineteen senators in the Democratic caucus voted in support of ending or halting aid to Israel, a number that represents nearly a third of the caucus. Many were outspoken in their rebukes of both Israeli policy and US complicity in the tactics utilized by Israeli forces on the ground, as well as the conditions perpetuated by the war.
The message was clear: Joe Biden’s hold on his party is gone, and there is significant doubt among elected Democrats about his handling of the US-Israeli relationship since October 7, 2023.
John Bowden and Eric Garcia report from Washington, D.C.
‘The president’s Middle East policy has failed’: Democrats break with Biden on Israel
Sex scandal claims swirl around Trump’s cabinet
Thursday 21 November 2024 21:32 , Oliver O’Connell
President-elect Donald Trump’s cabinet is proving to be one of the most controversial in recent memory, including a number of people who face sexual misconduct allegations.
Trump himself has been accused of sexual misconduct by more than two dozen women. He has bragged about grabbing women “by the p***y.” A jury found him liable for sex abuse against former Elle columnist E. Jean Carroll.
Still, he has been elected twice to serve as president. He has denied all the accusations against him.
“This is not a good time for survivors or victims. People are not going to speak up because, look, it’s falling on deaf ears. No one cares,” one of Trump’s accusers previously told The Independent after he was re-elected.
Now, he’s nominated a number of individuals who also face claims of engaging in or tolerating sexual misconduct.
Karoline Leavitt, Trump-Vance transition spokeswoman said: “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.”
Kelly Rissman looks at some of the contentious picks Trump has made for his inner circle.
Read the full article here.
Who is now in the running to be Trump’s attorney general
Thursday 21 November 2024 21:23 , Oliver O’Connell
Donald Trump’s selection for the nation’s next top law enforcement official is expected to execute the “retribution” and “vengeance” he has promised against his political enemies.
Now-former congressman Matt Gaetz — a Trump loyalist who spearheaded legal threats among House Republicans against the prosecutors and judges overseeing the criminal investigations against the former president — has withdrawn his name from consideration one week after Trump picked him for attorney general.
A list of names in consideration for the role that circulated in the weeks leading up to Election Day did not include Gaetz, whose selection surprised members of Congress, where he remains under investigation for allegations of sexual misconduct.
The job now appears up for grabs.
Alex Woodward takes a look at the contenders.
Who will Trump pick for attorney general? Potential candidates after Gaetz drops out
Number of Senate ‘no’ votes on Gaetz grew to five, report says
Thursday 21 November 2024 21:18 , Oliver O’Connell
Marjorie Taylor Greene tapped to work alongside Musk and Ramaswamy on DOGE panel
Thursday 21 November 2024 21:15 , Oliver O’Connell
Far-right congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene will lead a new congressional panel to work with Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy on their plans to slash the federal budget and fire workers across the government.
Greene has been tapped to chair a House subcommittee that will work in tandem with Donald Trump’s newly created Department of Government Efficiency, an advisory board that the president-elect appointed the billionaire and wealthy entrepreneur to lead.
The “Subcommittee on Delivering on Government Efficiency” is “designed to work hand in hand with President Trump, Elon Musk, Vivek Ramaswamy, and the entire DOGE team,” the congresswoman from Georgia said in a statement to CNBC.
The panel, first reported by Fox News Digital, will recommend firing government “bureaucrats” and will provide “transparency and truth to the American people through hearings,” according to Greene.
“No topic will be off the table,” she said.
Alex Woodward has the full story.
Marjorie Taylor Greene to work with Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy on House DOGE panel
Sen. Cornyn weighs in on possible Gaetz replacement
Thursday 21 November 2024 21:11 , Oliver O’Connell
Politico’s defense reporter in Congress, Connor O’Brien, asked Senator John Cornyn what Matt Gaetz dropping out of the nomination process for attorney general might mean for Donald Trump’s defense secretary pick, Pete Hegseth, who also faces allegations of misconduct.
“You know, somebody suggested that maybe Ted Cruz should be the next attorney general,” he replied.
“He’s an outstanding lawyer. I mean, very talented guy.”
Report: Gaetz had second sexual encounter at party with girl, 17, that included another woman
Thursday 21 November 2024 20:50 , Oliver O’Connell
A woman who claims she had sex with Matt Gaetz when she was a minor reportedly told the House Ethics Committee that she also had two sexual encounters with him at one party in 2017, and that one had involved another woman.
The woman, who was 17 years old at the time, also testified to both sexual encounters in a civil deposition as part of a related lawsuit, sources familiar with the testimony said.
Mike Bedigan reports.
Ethics panel hears Gaetz had second sexual encounter at party with girl, 17: report
White House: Trump yet to sign papers officially starting transition
Thursday 21 November 2024 20:46 , Oliver O’Connell
Musk and Ramaswamy want to force federal workers back to the office. But can they?
Thursday 21 November 2024 20:30 , Oliver O’Connell
Among the many changes expected to shake up the government under the new Donald Trump administration, requiring all federal employees to return to the office five days per week could very well occur. But it’s likely to face challenges from unions.
Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy, the billionaire entrepreneurs recently bestowed government advisory jobs, said they have several ideas to drastically cut the federal workforce and budget through their newly formed Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
One way they could inspire change is by suggesting Trump mandate the approximately 2.28 million employees return to the office five days per week – something they claim will “result in a wave of voluntary terminations”.
Ariana Baio reports.
Musk and Ramaswamy want to force federal workers back to the office. But can they?
The Big Question: Can Matt Gaetz return to Congress?
Thursday 21 November 2024 20:20 , Oliver O’Connell
Matt Gaetz shocked Washington on Thursday with his announcement he was dropping out of consideration to be Donald Trump’s Attorney General, as the recently resigned Florida congressman’s bid for confirmation faced serious questions amid sexual misconduct allegations.
Gaetz said in a Thursday statement on X his nomination had become a “needlessly protacted Washington scuffle.”
“I remain fully committed to see that Donald J. Trump is the most successful President in history,” he wrote. “I will forever be honored that President Trump nominated me to lead the Department of Justice and I’m certain he will Save America.”
The decision may eliminate one big question mark hanging over Gaetz — would he get confirmed in the Senate — but it triggers a whole host of other uncertainties. Namely, can he, and will he, return to Congress?
Josh Marcus investigates.
Can Matt Gaetz return to Congress after failed attorney general bid?
Four GOP senators ‘implacably opposed’ to Gaetz nomination, report says
Thursday 21 November 2024 20:05 , AP
Jonathan Swan of The New York Times reports that Matt Gaetz believed that at least four Republican senators were “implacably opposed” to his nomination as attorney general: Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, Susan Collins of Maine, Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, and John Curtis of Utah — currently senator-elect.
‘I feel like Bin Laden’: Homeless Florida man charged with plotting to blow up New York Stock Exchange
Thursday 21 November 2024 20:00 , Oliver O’Connell
A Florida man has been charged with plotting to blow up the New York Stock Exchange to “reboot” the U.S. government.
The FBI arrested Harun Abdul-Malik Yener on Wednesday, the bureau said in an affidavit in Florida federal court.
Josh Marcus has the details.
Florida man charged with plotting to blow up Stock Exchange: ‘I feel like Bin Laden’
Watch: Pete Hegseth responds to sexual assault allegations
Thursday 21 November 2024 19:50 , Oliver O’Connell
Ginger Gaetz posts cryptic tribute as Matt withdraws from AG consideration
Thursday 21 November 2024 19:45 , Oliver O’Connell
Ginger Gaetz called it “the end of an era” after her husband Matt withdrew his name to be Donald Trump’s next attorney general.
It is yet not clear whether the enigmatic ‘end of an era’ remark refers to Gaetz’s bid to become AG, or his wider political career as his withdrawal immediately sparked questions of what he will do next.
Kelly Rissman reports.
Gaetz’s wife posts tribute as he withdraws from AG consideration: ‘End of an era’
Trump’s NATO pick used to work for company offering a ‘masculine toilet’ for well-endowed men
Thursday 21 November 2024 19:30 , Oliver O’Connell
Donald Trump has announced Matthew Whitaker as his nominee to become the next United States ambassador to NATO – a role likely to prove crucial within his incoming administration given the heightened tensions surrounding the war in Ukraine.
The lawyer is a former college football player and George W Bush-era US attorney for the southern district of Iowa who went on to serve as acting attorney general in Trump’s first administration in late 2018 and early 2019 following the ousting of Jeff Sessions.
But, between those two brushes with high office, Whitaker took a far more unconventional position, as Joe Sommerlad reports.
Trump’s NATO pick used to work for company promoting ‘masculine toilet’
Watch: Should Trump’s team have done more vetting upfront?
Thursday 21 November 2024 19:15 , Oliver O’Connell
Sen. Thom Tillis believes so… and Sen. Richard Blumenthal believes this doesn’t bode well for Pete Hegseth’s nomination for defense secretary.
London mayor invites Donald Trump to celebrate Pride and join Friday prayers at mosque when he visits city
Thursday 21 November 2024 19:00 , Oliver O’Connell
Sadiq Khan has invited president-elect Donald Trump to celebrate at Pride festival in London with him, as well as encouraging the Republican to join him at Friday prayers at a mosque.
The London mayor, who had a long-running row with Mr Trump during his first term in the White House, was asked at Mayor’s Questions on Thursday whether he would work with the Trump administration to encourage investment into the capital.
Millie Cooke reports on the mayor’s response.
Sadiq Khan invites Donald Trump to celebrate Pride in London
Matt: Gaetz: Ethics committee chair says withdrawal should end discussion on whether probe continues
Thursday 21 November 2024 18:47 , Oliver O’Connell
Does Trump have a new name in mind for AG?
Thursday 21 November 2024 18:38 , Oliver O’Connell
Apparently, no, according to CNN’s Kaitlan Collins.
She tweets: “Trump does not have a new name in mind for attorney general and now returns to the search. He had struggled to find a candidate he liked initially, which is what led him to Gaetz. Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey and Sullivan & Cromwell attorney Robert Giuffra had been two names he was looking at last week. Trump wasn’t sold on either. He has been mainly focused on Treasury and the FBI this week.”
Collins continues: “Some in his orbit have speculated that he could defer to his pick for deputy attorney general, his personal attorney Todd Blanche, but that remains to be seen.”
If you’ve lost Fox News…
Thursday 21 November 2024 18:29 , Oliver O’Connell
Prior to MAGA loyalist Matt Gaetz suddenly dropping out of considering at attorney general on Thursday afternoon, several Fox News personalities began bucking President-elect Donald Trump and suggesting that it probably “wasn’t a good idea” in the first place that he nominated the far-right firebrand.
Justin Barangoa has the story.
Fox News concedes Matt Gaetz nomination maybe ‘wasn’t a good idea’
Full story: Matt Gaetz drops out of consideration for attorney general
Thursday 21 November 2024 18:10 , Oliver O’Connell
Former Florida congressman Matt Gaetz announced on Thursday that he would end his bid to be Donald Trump’s attorney general.
“I had excellent meetings with senators yesterday. I appreciate their thoughtful feedback — and the incredible support of so many. While the momentum was strong, it is clear that my confirmation was unfairly becoming a distraction to the critical work of the Trump/Vance Transition,” tweeted Gaetz.
John Bowden reports from Washington, D.C.:
Matt Gaetz drops out of contention for attorney general after fierce backlash
What’s the reaction on Capitol Hill?
Thursday 21 November 2024 18:05 , Oliver O’Connell
A ‘smart move’ to withdraw:
Sarcastic incredulity:
Surprise — and acknowledgment of how “lively” the confirmation hearing would’ve been:
Gaetz “put country first”…
A reminder that the ethics report is still out there…
Trump responds to Gaetz withdrawal from AG nomination
Thursday 21 November 2024 17:49 , Oliver O’Connell
Donald Trump has responded to Matt Gaetz’s decision to withdraw his name from consideration to be attorney general in the second Trump administration.
The president-elect wrote on Truth Social:
I greatly appreciate the recent efforts of Matt Gaetz in seeking approval to be Attorney General. He was doing very well but, at the same time, did not want to be a distraction for the Administration, for which he has much respect. Matt has a wonderful future, and I look forward to watching all of the great things he will do!
Matt Gaetz: Ethic committee informed of second sexual encounter with 17-year-old, report says
Thursday 21 November 2024 17:46 , Oliver O’Connell
Per CNN‘s exclusive report:
The woman who says she had sex when she was a minor with then-Rep. Matt Gaetz told the House Ethics Committee she had two sexual encounters with him at one party in 2017, sources familiar with her testimony tell CNN.
The woman, who was 17 years old at the time, testified that the second sexual encounter, which has not previously been reported, included another adult woman. She also testified to both sexual encounters in a civil deposition as part of a related lawsuit, sources said.
After being asked for comment for this story, Gaetz announced he was backing out as President-elect Donald Trump’s attorney general nominee.
BREAKING: Matt Gaetz withdraws from consideration for attorney general
Thursday 21 November 2024 17:33 , Oliver O’Connell
Former Florida congressman Matt Gaetz has withdrawn his name from consideration for Donald Trump’s attorney general in his second administration.
In a statement on X, he said:
I had excellent meetings with Senators yesterday. I appreciate their thoughtful feedback – and the incredible support of so many. While the momentum was strong, it is clear that my confirmation was unfairly becoming a distraction to the critical work of the Trump/Vance Transition. There is no time to waste on a needlessly protracted Washington scuffle, thus I’ll be withdrawing my name from consideration to serve as Attorney General. Trump’s DOJ must be in place and ready on Day 1.
I remain fully committed to see that Donald J. Trump is the most successful President in history. I will forever be honored that President Trump nominated me to lead the Department of Justice and I’m certain he will Save America.
Watch this space for who gets the nod from the president-elect next…
Former GOP lawmaker slam RFK Jr over ‘diversity of thought’ and ‘insanity’
Thursday 21 November 2024 17:30 , Oliver O’Connell
Donald Trump frequently mentioned fictional serial killer Hannibal Lecter while on the campaign trail, and now real-life monster Jeffrey Dahmer gets a shout-out.
James Liddell has the story.
Ex-lawmaker makes bizarre comparison between RFK Jr and Jeffrey Dahmer
Watch: Hegseth responds to sexual assault allegations during Capitol visit
Thursday 21 November 2024 17:21 , Oliver O’Connell
Profile: Ginger Gaetz, standing by her husband amid serious sexual allegations
Thursday 21 November 2024 17:00 , Oliver O’Connell
Ginger Gaetz beams as she stands beside her husband in loved-up photos curated on her Instagram page.
The 30-year-old wife of the former Florida congressman and Donald Trump’s pick for attorney general, Matt Gaetz, proudly describes herself as his “wifey” in her profile bio.
Her supportive posts about Gaetz, 42, signal an intent to stand by him as he battles resurfaced sexual allegations from his past.
“Attorney General will look great on you my love,” Ginger wrote a week ago when he was tapped by Trump to join his cabinet, and the backlash began to mount.
Rhian Lubin reports.
Who is Matt Gaetz’s ‘wifey’ Ginger, standing by her husband amid sexual allegations?
How did Trump really feel about the whole Kristy Noem dog killer story?
Thursday 21 November 2024 16:40 , Oliver O’Connell
An NBC News report on the Trump team’s plans for day one of the administration revealed this nugget about Donald Trump’s reaction to the story that South Dakota Governor Kristy Noem had once shot the family dog, Cricket.
Per NBC News:
A key figure in the effort [to secure the border] will be Trump’s choice for homeland security secretary, Kristi Noem. As governor of South Dakota, she hasn’t managed a bureaucracy remotely like the Department of Homeland Security, which employs more than a quarter-million people and whose portfolio also includes cyber threats and terrorism.
Noem campaigned for Trump, though a person close to Trump was surprised he tapped her for the job. Trump hadn’t “talked very favorably about her” after her book came out in the spring revealing she had killed her overly aggressive dog, Cricket, the person said.
Trump was incredulous that she would choose to write about the episode given people’s emotional attachment to their pets, the person added. He was surprised that she “didn’t understand what the reaction would be,” the person said. Trump is “no dog guy, but he’s like, ‘Good Lord!’”
‘Like nothing in history’: Trump set to roll out wave of controversial executive actions on day one in office
Thursday 21 November 2024 16:35 , Oliver O’Connell
Donald Trump’s allies have promised a “shock and awe” plan for mass deportations within his first days back in the White House.
Now, Trump’s transition team is outlining a series of executive actions on immigration within hours of his return, what one campaign official told NBC News will be “like nothing you’ve seen in history.”
Trump is expected to sign up to five executive actions targeting immigration shortly after he is sworn into office on January 20, according to NBC News.
Alex Woodward breaks down what to expect.
Trump to sign executive actions on immigration on day one: ‘Like nothing in history’
Harris still a favorite to run in 2028 primaries, poll says
Thursday 21 November 2024 16:20 , Oliver O’Connell
A survey conducted shortly after the 2024 presidential election indicates most Democratic voters would support Vice President Kamala Harris in 2028 as the party’s nominee if she were to run for president again.
It’s only been two weeks since Democrats lost the presidency to Republicans but some are looking to the future, hopeful that a potential new, or familiar, pool of candidates will reinvigorate voters.
Though names like California Governor Gavin Newsom, Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro and Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg have emerged, Harris’s campaign seems to have made a lasting impact.
Ariana Baio looks at the numbers.
Poll show Harris is still a favorite to run in 2028 primaries
