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    • Marco Rubio, Matt Gaetz nominated
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    Marco Rubio, Matt Gaetz nominated

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    President-elect Donald Trump continues to complete his new administration and will announce more positions on Wednesday.

    After meeting President Joe Biden at the White House to discuss the transition of power, he confirmed the nominations for several key allies to join his Cabinet, including U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida as secretary of state.

    The newly elected president also announced that he wants to bring Rep. Matt Gaetz and former Rep. Tulsi Gabbard with him when he returns to power on January 20.

    On Tuesday, he announced that Tesla CEO and billionaire Elon Musk will helm what he calls the “Department of Government Efficiency,” alongside former Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy.

    His announcement said the two tech entrepreneurs would provide “advice and guidance from outside government.” The creation of the new department could require help from Congress, which is made possible by Republicans capturing both the U.S. House of Representatives and the Senate this election.

    Here’s what you need to know about Trump’s latest cabinet picks.

    Live updates on the Trump transition: Rubio is nominated for Secretary of State; Gaetz AG

    Trump appoints Secretary of State: Marco Rubio

    Trump has decided to nominate U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida as the next secretary of state, the president-elect announced Wednesday.

    The Cuban American, who has transformed from Trump’s opponent into a close ally, is expected to be the first Latino to hold the position. He brings deep foreign policy experience and currently serves on the Senate Intelligence Committee and the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. He has held his seat in the Senate since 2011.

    “As Secretary of State, I will work every day to implement his foreign policy agenda. Under President Trump’s leadership, we will build peace through strength and always put the interests of Americans and America above all else,” Rubio said in a speech. after on X.

    U.S. Senator Rick Scott of Florida wrote on X Monday that his colleague will serve as the nation’s top diplomat in the incoming Trump administration. He emphasized that Rubio “will restore American leadership around the world, especially in Latin America, as he represents the United States with dignity and courage!”

    Trump nominates Representative Matt Gaetz as attorney general

    Rep. Matt Gaetz will be nominated as the next attorney general, Trump announced Wednesday. The firebrand lawmaker, who has represented Florida’s 1st Congressional District since 2017, will soon oversee the Justice Department that he has long criticized and which has investigated him.

    The Florida Republican later resigned “effective immediately,” triggering a special election for the West Florida district.

    Gaetz accused Attorney General Merrick Garland of weaponizing the Justice Department against Trump during his presidential campaign. He also claimed that FBI Director Christopher Wray was “blissfully ignorant” about how agents conducted their investigations.

    The House Ethics Committee investigated Gaetz following allegations of sexual misconduct and illegal drug use. The DOJ ended the investigation in February 2023 without charging Gaetz.

    Trump hires Tulsi Gabbard as director of national intelligence

    Trump also announced he will nominate former Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard as director of national intelligence, a Cabinet-level position.

    The Army veteran previously served as a Democratic U.S. Representative from Hawaii from 2013 to 2021. She later ran in the 2020 Democratic presidential primaries but switched to the Republican Party this year.

    “I know Tulsi will bring the fearless spirit that defined her illustrious career to our intelligence community, defending our constitutional rights and securing peace through strength,” Trump said in a statement.

    Trump’s Cabinet Chooses So Far: What We Know

    • Chief of Staff: Trump appointed his senior campaign adviser Susie Wiles as White House Chief of Staff, the first woman in history to hold that title. The Florida political consultant remains largely out of the spotlight but is credited with helping Trump’s political comeback.
    • Attorney General: Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida has been nominated as the next attorney general to oversee the Justice Department, which he has long criticized.
    • State Secretary: US Senator Marco Rubio of Florida is nominated as the next Secretary of State. He will bring foreign policy experience through his roles on the Senate Intelligence Committee and the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. He is a Cuban-American and will be the first Latino to become secretary of state.
    • Director of the National Intelligence Service: Former Congressman Tulsi Gabbard is nominated as director of national intelligence. The former Democratic presidential candidate turned Republican represented Hawaii’s 2nd Congressional District from 2013 to 2021.
    • Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy: Longtime Trump advisor Stephan Molenaar has been tapped to serve as deputy chief of staff for policy in the next Trump administration. The 39-year-old served as Trump’s senior adviser and director of speechwriting during the Republican’s first term in the White House and is credited with shaping Trump’s immigration policies.
    • Ambassador to the United Nations: Trump nominated Elise Stefanika five-term Republican representing a district in upstate New York, as his pick for U.N. ambassador. She is chairman of the Republican Conference of the House of Representatives and a former candidate for Trump’s running mate.
    • ‘Border Tsar’: Trump has appointed Tom Homan overseeing deportation policies and aviation security. Homan was a Border Patrol agent for 34 years and served in the first Trump administration as acting ICE director. He sparked controversy for strict immigration enforcement, including the “zero tolerance” policy that separated families of undocumented immigrants.
    • EPA head: Trump has appointed Lee Zeldin as administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protective Agency (EPA). Zeldin served as congresswoman for parts of Long Island, New York and ran but lost to Kathy Hochul in the 2022 governor’s race.
    • National Security Advisor: Trump has mentioned Florida Representative Mike Waltz as his national security advisor. Waltz has held civilian positions at the Pentagon, served on the House Armed Services Committee and supported Trump’s isolationist view of foreign relations.
    • US Ambassador to Israel: Trump has announced that he will nominate the former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee as its American ambassador to Israel. Huckabee is a Baptist minister and former Fox News host who has twice unsuccessfully run for Republican presidential nomination. His daughter is Sarah Huckabee Sanders, the governor of Arkansas, who served as White House press secretary during Trump’s first presidency.
    • Director of the Central Intelligence Service: Trump appointed his former Director of National Intelligence John Ratcliffe as CIA director. Ratcliffe previously served as a member of the House of Representatives from Texas before serving as director of national intelligence at the end of Trump’s first presidency.
    • Minister of Defense: Trump has nominated Fox News host Piet Hegseth to the Minister of Defense. Hegseth, a Fox News commentator, served in the U.S. Army National Guard and had led veterans advocacy groups.
    • Secretary of Homeland Security: Trump announced his choice South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem to become Secretary of Homeland Security. The choice gives the hardline conservative governor, who has sent the state’s National Guard to the southern border, a key role on immigration.
    • White House Advisor: Trump tapped William McGinley to serve as his counsel in the White House. McGinley, a partner at the Washington-based law firm Holtzman Vogel, worked as White House Cabinet secretary during Trump’s first presidency.

    What are the cabinet’s positions?

    The Cabinet advises the President on issues related to their respective offices.

    These are the cabinet positions of the 15 executive departments, which must be confirmed by the Senate:

    • State Secretary
    • Minister of Defense
    • Attorney General
    • Minister of the Interior
    • Minister of Agriculture
    • Minister of Commerce
    • Minister of Labor
    • Secretary of Health and Human Services
    • Minister of Transport
    • Minister of Energy
    • Minister of Education
    • Minister of Veterans Affairs
    • Secretary of Homeland Security
    • Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)
    • Minister of Finance

    Cabinet and presidential advisors also include the Vice President, Chief of Staff, Ambassador to the United Nations, Director of National Intelligence, U.S. Trade Representative, Head of the Environmental Protection Agency, Head of the Office of Management and Budget, the head of the Council of Economic Advisers, the head of the Office of Science and Technology Policy and the head of the Small Business Administration.

    Contributors: Tom Vanden Brook, David Jackson, Savannah Kuchar, Victor Hagan, Bart Jansen, Fernando Cervantes Jr., Riley Beggin, Michael Collins, Joey Garrison; Kaycee Sloan, Cincinnati researcher

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