Donald Trump‘s campaign team celebrated his hush money trial sentencing being indefinitely postponed by Justice Juan Merchan on Friday, calling it “a decisive win” in a “Witch Hunt” case.
After winning the presidential election, Justice Merchan, who presided over the case, agreed to adjourn sentencing and set new deadlines on Trump’s motion to dismiss the verdict.
In May, the president-elect was found guilty on 34 counts of falsifying business records in Manhattan over his efforts to conceal a $130,000 payoff to the adult film star Stormy Daniels ahead of the 2016 election.
On Thursday, the Republican announced that former Florida attorney general Pam Bondi – who represented him at his first impeachment trial in the Senate in 2019 – is his new pick to lead the Department of Justice following the withdrawal of ex-congressman Matt Gaetz.
Gaetz dropped out of the confirmation process after the House Ethics Committee came under pressure to release the findings of its investigation into allegations he had sex with a minor, which the politician has consistently denied.
The scandal had reportedly led Trump’s team to consider Gaetz “blackmail-able”, marking the end of his run for the top job.
Key Points
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Judge indefinitely postpones Donald Trump’s hush money sentencing
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Trump names Pam Bondi as new attorney general pick after controversial first choice Matt Gaetz withdraws
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Gaetz teases ‘different post’ amid speculation he could replace Marco Rubio in the Senate
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Trump team reportedly considered Gaetz too ‘blackmail-able’ to be next AG
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RFK Jr hits out at media after audio emerges of him calling Trump a ‘bully’ and comparing him to Hitler
Trump set to fire Jack Smith team and push Justice Department to investigate 2020 election
23:03 , Gustaf Kilander
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.
The attorneys who may become caught up in the firings include career professionals who are usually protected from such revenge efforts.
Trump is set to put together teams of investigators to look for evidence that there was fraud in battleground states in the 2020 election, according to The Post.
There’s no evidence that fraud affected the outcome of the 2020 election.
Watch: Matt Gaetz reveals he will not be returning to Congress
23:00 , Ariana Baio
UFC boss Dana White says he’s done with ‘disgusting’ politics after helping elect Trump
22:30 , Joe Sommerlad
“I’m never f***ing doing this again,” White told The New Yorker this week.
Here’s more from James Liddell on his brief but potent intervention on the national stage.
UFC boss and Trump ally Dana White says he’s done with ‘disgusting’ politics
Florida sets special election date to replace Matt Gaetz
22:00 , Ariana Baio
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has set a date for the special election to replace outgoing congressman Matt Gaetz after he resigned from Congress and withdrew his name from Trump’s attorney general nomination.
April 1, 2025, the state will hold its election for Congressional District 1, which Gaetz represented.
Primaries for the election, which will determine the Republican and Democrat candidates, will be held on January 28.
Melania Trump names Haley Harrison as Chief of Staff
21:30 , Ariana Baio
Melania Trump has named her longtime aide, Haley Harrison, as her next chief of staff.
On X, the Office of Melania Trump announced that Harrison would lead operations in the East Wing when the Trumps return to the White House in January.
According to a report from ABC News, Harrison is an unnamed “Trump Employee” in the federal classified documents case brought by Jack Smith earlier this year. That has not been publicly confirmed.
Florida Surgeon General issues guidance against fluoride in water
21:00 , Ariana Baio
Already, Trump loyalists across the country are adopting the beliefs and policy suggestions of the presumed cabinet – starting with the Florida Surgeon General who sided with RFK Jr. on putting fluoride in water.
Joseph Ladapo, Florida Surgeon General, issued guidance on Friday suggesting fluoride should be removed from tap water due to “neuropsychiatric risk” – a claim with little scientific that Kennedy has elevated recently.
Fluoride, low levels of which are commonly added to tap water, strengthens teeth and helps prevent decay.
But a growing health trend, that often capitalizes on pseudo-science and conspiracy theories, has claimed fluoride can harm people’s brains, specifically lowering IQ in children.
Ladapo has seemingly capitalized on Kennedy’s recent nomination to secretary of health and human services to prove his alliance with Trump and his cabinet.
According to reports, Ladapo is also under consideration to head a health agency like the Center for Disease Control and Prevention or serve as assistant secretary for health under Kennedy.
Matt Gaetz reveals what he plans to do next
20:52 , Josh Marcus
The former Florida rep will not return to Congress, he told conservative activist Charlie Kirk, in an interview slated to air on Friday, answering lingering questions about whether a special election would be called to fill his vacant seat.
With Congress off the table, Gaetz said he intends to help the Trump administration recruit for key positions.
“I’m still going to be in the fight, but it’s going to be from a new perch,” he reportedly said.
The incoming administration moved quickly to choose a new nominee for attorney general, tapping longtime Trump ally and former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi.
ICYMI: Marjorie Taylor Greene will lead ‘DOGE’ panel in Congress
20:16 , Alex Woodward
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.
Trump expected to offer Kelly Loeffler agriculture secretary
20:00 , Ariana Baio
President-elect Donald Trump is expected to offer his friend and ally, Kelly Loeffler, the position of secretary of agriculture, according to reports.
Loeffler served as a Senator from Georgia for one year between January 6, 2020 and January 20, 2021.
Trump’s transition team was ‘blindsided’ by new details of Pete Hegseth’s sexual-assault allegation
19:30 , Ariana Baio
In yet another example of the Trump transition team being blindsided by claims about Pete Hegseth, members of the team were reportedly startled to see a California police report go public on Wednesday, detailing the 2017 night on which Hegseth was accused of sexually assaulting a woman.
The heavily redacted report from the Monterey Police Department details two different accounts from a night of drinking at a hotel bar in 2017 that ultimately ended in a sexual encounter between Hegseth and an unnamed woman.
The report arrives nearly a week after Trump tapped Hegseth to head the armed forces and reports emerged revealing Hegseth paid a settlement to the woman who accused him of assault.
Members of the Trump transition team were reportedly unaware of the settlement, which led to concerns about whether Hegseth was still fit to be the defense secretary nominee. They were dealt another surprising blow on Wednesday evening when the Monterey Police Department released the redacted report and revealed Hegseth was given a copy in March 2021.
Trumpworld insiders rule out potential FBI boss pick amid bureau shake-up
18:30 , Ariana Baio
Donald Trump insiders have ruled out the possibility of former special agent Mike Rogers being named as FBI director.
Earlier reports suggested that Rogers was tipped to take the top job with controversial MAGA loyalist Kash Patel as his deputy.
But Dan Scavino, who was last week named as the president-elect’s deputy chief of staff, revealed that Trump has ruled out Rogers, contrary to earlier reports.
“Just spoke to President Trump regarding Mike Rogers going to the FBI. It’s not happening,” he said in a post on X. “In his own words, ‘I have never even given it a thought.’ Not happening.”
Conspiracy theorist Alex Jones brushes off Gaetz sexual misconduct allegations as just him ‘being a stud’
18:10 , Joe Sommerlad
The embattled InfoWars host has been busy downplaying the misconduct allegations against Trump’s original pick for US attorney general.
“They interviewed a bunch of the women on Gaetz, you know, that are all like 35, 40 years old now, because this goes back 12, 13, 40, 50 years,” the Texan said on his ailing conspiracy show yesterday.
“The women, they said, ‘Oh, that guy’s so nice,’” he continued.
“‘Oh yeah, I did date him. Yeah, you know, I did have sex with him in a hotel room. We took ecstasy. It was me and two other girls.’
“People are like, damn, Matt Gaetz is quite the stud. So yeah, Matt Gaetz is human. Okay, so now we know.”
Katie Hawkinson has more.
InfoWars’ Alex Jones praises Matt Gaetz after latest sexual assault allegations
Megyn Kelly claims she’s an ‘independent’ and slams Morning Joe for partisanship – weeks after hugging Trump on stage
17:50 , Joe Sommerlad
Weeks after helping President-elect Donald Trump deliver his campaign’s closing message while embracing him on a rally stage, right-wing podcaster Megyn Kelly insisted that she is “not on anybody’s team” and is merely an “independent” journalist.
Uh huh.
Justin Baragona reports.
Megyn Kelly claims she’s an ‘independent’ — weeks after hugging Trump on stage
Pop star, potential senator… and now clothes brand owner: Lara Trump’s latest career move
17:30 , Joe Sommerlad
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.
Here’s Gustaf Kilander on the latest commercial venture from the frustrated country singer turned MAGA enforcer.
Potential senator and now clothes brand owner: Lara Trump’s latest career move
Analysis: Gaetz burned down the House – then was shocked to find he couldn’t do the same to the Senate
17:10 , Joe Sommerlad
Here’s Eric Garcia on the inconvenient truth Gaetz-gate has to teach Trump about the Senate.
Matt Gaetz burned down the House of Representatives. But he couldn’t break the Senate
Gaetz says he won’t be rejoining Congress next year
16:53 , Joe Sommerlad
Here’s the latest on the thwarted former Florida congressman, who tells Turning Point founder Charlie Kirk in a new interview that he will not be trying to get himself re-elected in 2025 and again denies the “smears” against him, saying he would be in jail if they were true.
“If the things [in] the House Ethics report were true, I would be under indictment and probably in a prison cell, Gaetz tells The Charlie Kirk Show, according to advance clips seen by The Daily Mail.
What Trump’s cabinet picks have said about abortion
16:35 , Joe Sommerlad
Here’s Maya Oppenheim on what the likes of RFK Jr, Doug Burgum, Linda McMahon and Kristi Noem have had to say about reproductive rights.
Here’s what Trump’s cabinet picks have said about abortion
Narrow majority of Americans approve of Trump’s agenda, poll finds
16:20 , Joe Sommerlad
A new Pew Research Center survey conducted in the wake of the Republican’s November 5 election victory over Kamala Harris has found that Americans narrowly approve of the president-elect’s plans and policies for the future.
Approximately half of Americans (53 percent) say they approve of his plans while 46 percent disapprove.
According to the poll, conducted from November 12-17 among 9,609 adults, nearly six Americans in 10 (59 percent) say they are very or somewhat confident that Trump will make good decisions about economic policy.
Majorities also express confidence in Trump on law enforcement and criminal justice (54 percent), immigration (53 percent) and foreign policy (53 per cent).
Understandably, people are less confident about the incoming president’s handling of abortion policy (45 percent) or his ability to bring the country closer together (41 percent).
President-elect Donald Trump (Getty)
Trump team weaponizes Elon Musk in threat to senators who won’t confirm cabinet picks
16:05 , Joe Sommerlad
Donald Trump’s team has threatened to weaponize Elon Musk against any Republican senators who plan to block the confirmation of his cabinet picks, according to an ABC report.
One of the president-elect’s senior advisers warned senators that if they vote against his nominees, they could be forced to face primary challenges funded by Musk.
“If you are on the wrong side of the vote, you’re buying yourself a primary,” a senior adviser told ABC’s chief Washington correspondent Jonathan Karl.
“And there’s a guy named Elon Musk who is going to finance it.”
Rhian Lubin and James Liddell have more.
Trump team weaponizes Elon Musk in threat to senators who won’t confirm cabinet picks
Breaking: Judge indefinitely postpones Trump’s hush money sentencing
15:52 , Joe Sommerlad
The president-elect’s sentencing date, which was scheduled for next week (Tuesday November 26) is now officially off the calendar.
In a filing on Friday, Judge Juan Merchan has agreed to adjourn the sentencing while setting deadlines on Trump’s new motion to dismiss the verdict in his hush money trial for December 2.
Manhattan prosecutors will have until December 9 to reply.
This was all in the cards after Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s office agreed to pause sentencing so they can address the defense’s incoming argument for throwing the case out.
Republican says Alejandro Mayorkas should be charged over border to ‘make an example’ of him
15:45 , Joe Sommerlad
Texas GOP Representative Beth Van Duyne appeared on Fox Business this morning and told Maria Bartiromo that Joe Biden’s homeland security secretary should face criminal charges for failing to rein in illegal border crossings.
Her party has already tried and failed to impeach Mayorkas so is now threatening something that sounds an awful lot like “lawfare” to me.
Trump adviser says Mike Rogers will not be FBI director: ‘Not happening’
15:25 , Joe Sommerlad
Rogers was previously an outspoken critic of the president-elect before embracing him when he ran for the Senate in Michigan, only to lose.
His hopes of leading the FBI have just been shot down by one of the long-serving members of Trump’s inner circle.
Bill O’Reilly claims Trump’s cabinet will have zero policy input: ‘Say “yes, sir” or they’re not going to be OK’
15:05 , Joe Sommerlad
The 75-year-old former Fox News host appeared on NewsNation on Wednesday night, saying that Trump is likely to concentrate power at the White House and simply have his department leaders follow his directives.
The commentator compared Trump’s incoming administration to that of Franklin D Roosevelt, saying that the president-elect will put in place a structure where cabinet members will simply follow his lead.
Gustaf Kilander has more.
Bill O’Reilly claims Trump’s cabinet will have zero policy input: ‘Say ‘yes, sir’’
Watch: Nancy Mace tears down trans bathroom posters and throws them in trash in response to bill protest
14:45 , Joe Sommerlad
Bill Clinton says Trump has ‘done everything he could’ to undermine faith in government
14:25 , Joe Sommerlad
The 42nd president was speaking to MSNBC last night and issued a stinging criticism of the president-elect and his preoccupation with loyalty at any cost to the individual.
Seth Meyers skewers Matt Gaetz’s failed eight-day run for attorney general
14:05 , Joe Sommerlad
The late-night host naturally had plenty of fun with Gaetz’s implosion yesterday.
Rhian Lubin has this on what Meyers had to say.
Seth Meyers skewers Matt Gaetz’s failed 8-day run for attorney general
Gaetz teases ‘different post’ amid speculation he could replace Rubio in the Senate
13:45 , Joe Sommerlad
As we saw a little earlier, the near-miss AG was hinting yesterday he might be back in some other capacity.
Rhian Lubin has more.
Matt Gaetz teases ‘different post’ amid speculation he could take Rubio’s Senate seat
Trump’s AG pick Pam Bondi rescued a dog from Hurricane Katrina. Its owners then sued her for ‘stealing’ it
13:25 , Joe Sommerlad
Here’s a shaggy dog story about the former Florida attorney general, an adopted St Bernard and a bitter canine custody battle.
Trump’s attorney general pick was once caught up in a bizarre dog custody battle
Morning Joe hosts agreed to Trump meeting over fears of intern probe
13:05 , Joe Sommerlad
Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski, the hosts of MSNBC’s flagship morning show, allegedly met with the president-elect a week ago 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.
Gustaf Kilander has more on this one.
Morning Joe hosts agreed to Trump meeting over fears of intern death probe: report
Milley blasts claim by Hegseth that women shouldn’t serve in combat
12:45 , Joe Sommerlad
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.
A military veteran and former Fox News host, Hegseth 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.
“It hasn’t made us more effective, hasn’t made us more lethal, has made fighting more complicated,” Hegseth said in an interview earlier this month.
He went on to add that he was “straight-up saying we should not have women in combat roles”.
Speaking at a national security innovation event hosted by the Pallas Foundation on Thursday, Milley, who served as the nation’s highest-ranking military officer, reacted to the comments thusly:
Here’s more from Mike Bedigan.
Ex-military chief blasts claim by Pete Hegseth that women shouldn’t serve in combat
The ‘totally reasonable’ choice and the controversial MAGA loyalist: How Trump plans to shake-up the FBI
12:25 , Joe Sommerlad
The president-elect is considering former special agent Mike Rogers to head up the FBI, with controversial MAGA loyalist Kash Patel as his deputy, according to a report.
Trump has made it clear he intends to shake up the bureau and fire the current FBI director, Christopher Wray, whom he himself nominated for the position during his first term in 2017 after getting rid of James Comey.
Rhian Lubin has the latest.
How Trump plans to shake-up the FBI with two top jobs
Melania and RFK Jr join forces to try to improve Trump’s diet: ‘Think fewer Big Macs and less KFC’
12:05 , Joe Sommerlad
The president-elect’s penchant for fast food is no secret, with his customary 2,400-calorie McDonald’s order consisting of two Big Macs and two Fillet-O-Fish, washed down with a chocolate milkshake.
He even sported an apron and worked a short shift on the fryer at a branch of the Golden Arches last month while on the campaign trail.
Now, the incoming first lady and Trump’s pick as health and human services secretary are said to be “ganging up” on the president-elect in a bid to urge him to swap out his French fries for French beans.
Good luck with that.
Here’s James Liddell to peruse the menu.
Melania and RFK Jr join forces to try to improve Trump’s diet
Trump still hasn’t signed papers to officially start transition
11:45 , Joe Sommerlad
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.
Trump is due to take the presidential oath of office on the Capitol steps in just under 60 days.
Yet, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said on Thursday that the Trump-Vance team had “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.
Last week, Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts said the Trump transition team was “breaking the law” by not signing the memoranda, which include required ethics agreements.
Could an admin error prevent all of this from coming to pass?
Here’s more from Andrew Feinberg.
Trump still hasn’t signed papers to officially start transition, White House says
Watch: Pete Hegseth corned on Capitol Hill over sexual assault allegation
11:25 , Joe Sommerlad
This was what Trump’s nominee for defense secretary had to say yesterday when buttonholed by the press about the release of the police report into the complaint made against him by a woman he met at a conservative conference in Monterey, California, in 2017.
Inside Trump’s phone call to Gaetz that ended his attorney general nomination
11:05 , Joe Sommerlad
Here’s James Liddell on the call that ended that Matt Gaetz’s hopes of leading the Justice Department.
Inside Trump’s phone call to Gaetz that ended his attorney general nomination
RFK Jr hits out at media after audio emerges of him calling Trump a ‘bully’ and comparing him unfavorably to Adolf Hitler
10:45 , Joe Sommerlad
Robert F Kennedy Jr, the incoming Trump administration’s pick to lead the Department of Health and Human Services, is under fire after disparaging comments he made about the president-elect in 2016 on his radio show Ring of Fire re-emerged on Thursday.
During one broadcast, Kennedy read approvingly from an article that claimed the Trump coalition was made of a group of genuine Nazis buoyed by “a much larger group of opportunists and spineless fellow travellers whose primary function is to turn a blind eye to things.”
“And, you know, he’s not like Hitler,” he added, arguing: “Hitler had like a plan, you know, Hitler was interested in policy…
“I don’t think Trump has any of that. He’s like non compos mentis. He’ll get in there and who knows what will happen.”
RFK Jr responded to that bombshell by lashing out at the media, telling The Daily Mail: “Like many Americans, I allowed myself to believe the mainstream media’s distorted, dystopian portrait of President Trump.
“I no longer hold this belief and now regret having made those statements.”
Here’s Josh Marcus with more on Kennedy’s original comments.
RFK Jr. once compared ‘bully’ Trump to Hitler and called him a ‘threat to democracy’
Trump goes to war with the press: multi-billion dollar lawsuits and commands to ‘kill’ media protections
10:25 , Joe Sommerlad
The president-elect spent his campaign suing news organizations for billions of dollars.
In office, he could strip press freedoms and kill legislation that aims to protect sources, Alex Woodward reports.
Trump’s war on the press: legal threats and commands to ‘kill’ media protections
Trump’s new AG pick didn’t pursue lawsuit against Trump University – after he donated $25k to her campaign
10:05 , Joe Sommerlad
The incoming Trump administration didn’t waste time on Thursday unveiling Pam Bondi as Matt Gaetz’s replacement.
She served as Florida’s attorney general from 2011 to 2019, is both an experienced public official and a long-time Trump ally who served on his first impeachment defense team but is no stranger to controversy herself:
On CNN last night, Ana Navarro has this to say about her:
“I know Pam Bondi very well. Pam Bondi, like many other Republicans, is a mainstream Republican who turned MAGA.
“I will tell you, she is not an ogre. She is not a jerk. She is not a person who purposely wants to come across as being the kind of person that Matt Gaetz wants to come across as being.
“She has been an early loyalist of Donald Trump back in the 2016 primaries. She was a loyalist of him even though Jeb Bush and Marco Rubio were running. I think with Pam Bondi, he gets loyalty, which matters a lot to him.
“And she hasn’t committed statutory rape or been accused of it.”
Here’s Josh Marcus on what you need to know about her.
Trump’s AG didn’t sue Trump University after $25K donation
Can Gaetz return to Congress after failed attorney general bid?
09:45 , Joe Sommerlad
Matt Gaetz responded to praise from Vice President-Elect JD Vance last night by hinting darkly that he might return in another form like some sort of ghastly extraterrestrial super-villain.
Here’s Josh Marcus on the prospect of him slipping seamlessly back into Congress.
Can Matt Gaetz return to Congress after failed attorney general bid?
Trump team believed Gaetz was too ‘blackmail-able’ to be attorney general, report says
09:25 , Joe Sommerlad
Gaetz withdrew his name from consideration for the role on Thursday, saying his candidacy was “becoming a distraction” in light of the intense media coverage of the past investigations into his alleged drug use and sex with a minor, accusations he has consistently denied.
“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 wrote on X.
It’s fair to say that Senate Democrat John Fetterman was not altogether surprised by the development:
This is what Trump had to say publicly in tribute to Gaetz yesterday:
However, behind the scenes, his team had reportedly been forced to conclude that their man was too “blackmail-able” for further consideration.
Here’s more on that from Gustaf Kilander.
Trump team believed Gaetz was too ‘blackmail-able’ to be attorney general: report
Donald Trump names Pam Bondi as new AG pick after controversial first choice Matt Gaetz withdraws
09:05 , Joe Sommerlad
Good morning!
If you’re just catching up to the whirlwind events of yesterday, Donald Trump’s has announced that former Florida attorney general Pam Bondi is his new pick to lead the Department of Justice (DOJ) following the departure of ex-congressman Matt Gaetz.
“For too long, the partisan Department of Justice has been weaponized against me and other Republicans – Not anymore,” the president-elect wrote in a statement on Thursday evening.
“Pam will refocus the DOJ to its intended purpose of fighting Crime, and Making America Safe Again.”
Gaetz was highly complimentary about Bondi’s choice (but then what else could he say?), although his praise was dwarfed by that of an excessively grovelling Lindsey Graham.
Republican senator Mike Rounds told CNN yesterday that Bondi would be subjected to the same scrutiny by Congress as Trump’s other cabinet picks but questions have already been raised on that point…
Here’s the full story from Mike Bedigan and Alex Woodward.
Trump names Pam Bondi as new AG pick after first choice Matt Gaetz withdraws
Trump cabinet latest: Who will get confirmed and who will work across the aisle?
08:45 , Oliver O’Connell
Donald Trump is nearly done with his slate of initial Cabinet nominees as his incoming White House and broader administration begin to take shape.
And while a few notables are making headlines and could face real opposition to their respective confirmations, more are expected to sail smoothly through the Republican-controlled Senate.
Most reflect one of two schools of the Republican Party, now both totally subservient to Trump. Some are MAGA diehards, like Matt Gaetz and Kristi Noem. Others are more aligned with the party’s center, like Marco Rubio. Figures who fall into both camps may find opportunities for common ground with Democrats over the next four years — a valuable prospect if the opposition party is able to win control of one or both chambers of Congress in the future.
A number of Cabinet positions remain outstanding: Trump has yet to name his picks for Agriculture, HUD, Treasury and Labor. But his choices for the most prominent positions are now all named, and some are much more bipartisan — or more antagonistic — than a layperson might expect.
John Bowden reports.
Which Trump Cabinet picks will actually get confirmed?
How much does Linda McMahon actually know about education?
08:15 , Oliver O’Connell
While Trump’s pick for education secretary is relatively unknown in academic circles, she is famous in another: the WWE ring.
Former wrestling mogul and billionaire Linda McMahon has stunned educators by being unveiled as Trump’s choice to run the Department of Education – or, perhaps, to lead the operation to scrap it altogether.
But how much education experience does she actually have?
Rhian Lubin takes a look.
How much does Trump education pick Linda McMahon actually know about education?
Hegseth’s comments about women in the military met with outrage
07:45 , Oliver O’Connell
Women veterans, service members and advocacy groups are outraged by recent remarks from Donald Trump’s pick to lead the nation’s military branches, a veteran and former Fox News host who does not want women serving in combat.
Pete Hegseth, who Trump has nominated to be the next secretary of defense, has been widely derided for a lack of qualifications to lead the country’s largest federal agency and its 3 million service members and civilian staff members.
Here’s retired General Mark Milley giving his blunt response to Hegseth’s nomination:
Alex Woodward reports.
Women veterans outraged with Trump’s pick Pete Hegseth to lead Defense Department
Full story: Matt Gaetz drops out of consideration for attorney general
07:15 , Oliver O’Connell
Former Florida congressman Matt Gaetzannounced 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, DC.
Matt Gaetz drops out of contention for attorney general after fierce backlash
Nikki Haley issues scathing takedown of two Trump cabinet picks
06:15 , 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
Matt Gaetz: What to know about sexual misconduct allegations as he withdraws as Trump’s attorney general pick
05:15 , Oliver O’Connell
Matt Gaetz has withdrawn himself from consideration for the role of Donald Trump’s attorney general.
The former Florida congressman announced he was ending his bid to head up the Justice Department on Thursday, saying he had become “a distraction” to the future Trump-Vance administration.
His withdrawal comes following a week of intense scrutiny over resurfaced allegations of wrongdoing, including a federal sex trafficking probe – that ended without charges – and a House ethics inquiry. He vehemently denies the allegations.
Josh Marcus and Rhian Lubin break down what you need to know.
Matt Gaetz controversy: What to know about sexual misconduct allegations
Bill O’Reilly claims Trump’s cabinet will have zero policy input: ‘Say ‘yes, sir’ or they’re not going to be OK’
04:40 , Gustaf Kilander
Bill O’Reilly, the former Fox News host, has argued that President-elect Donald Trump’s cabinet picks will not have any sway over policy in his next administration.
The 75-year-old appeared on NewsNation on Wednesday night, saying that Trump is likely to concentrate power at the White House and simply have his department leaders follow his directives.
The commentator compared Trump’s incoming administration to that of Franklin D. Roosevelt, saying that the president-elect will put in place a structure where cabinet members will simply follow his lead.
Read more:
Bill O’Reilly claims Trump’s cabinet will have zero policy input: ‘Say ‘yes, sir’’
Sex scandal claims swirl around Trump’s cabinet
04:15 , 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.
All the sex scandal claims against Trump’s cabinet as Gaetz ditches AG bid
Piers Morgan mocks Ellen DeGeneres over reported decision to move to England after Trump win
03:45 , Gustaf Kilander
Ellen DeGeneres and her wife, Portia de Rossi, have reportedly listed their Montecito estate and relocated to rural England following Donald Trump’s presidential win.
The former TV host, 66, and her wife, 51, have fled the country and plan to “never return” to the U.S., sources told The Wrap.
The couple of 16 years has move to the Cotswolds in South West England, the outlet reports, and their Montecito mansion, about 90 miles north of Los Angeles, has either already been privately listed or will be on the market soon.
Inga Parkel has more.
Piers Morgan mocks Ellen DeGeneres over move to England after Trump win
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
