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☆ Americans Learned to Root for the Supervillain — From Elon Musk to ‘Wicked’
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-23 | by ( A.O. Scott | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

Donald Trump, in his trademark blue suit and red tie, strides across the frame in broad daylight, while Musk, in a black cap and T-shirt, cuts a gleefully diabolical figure. Whatever archetype actually describes Musk’s relationship to Trump — minion, sidekick, wartime consigliere, “first buddy” — there is no question that he radiates supervillain energy. In his own way, Trump does too. To observe that Trump’s opponents and Musk’s critics see them as villains would hardly count as much of an insight. Up there, where the snowpack of collective dreaming melts into the watersheds of commercial storytelling, the villains have been in the ascendant for quite a while.

Persons: Elon Musk, MAGA, ”, Donald Trump, Trump, “, Steve Bannon, Andrew Breitbart

“They made themselves nuclear,” Howard Lutnick, the co-chair of Trump’s transition and his nominee to serve as Commerce Secretary, told CNBC in September. But with the campaign over, Trump’s transition team is turning to Project 2025 to help staff the next administration. Both Homan and Ratcliffe were listed as contributors to Project 2025, while Carr authored a chapter on the FCC. Brendan Carr, a contributor to Project 2025, is Trump's pick to lead the Federal Communications Commission. For instance, the Project 2025 policy blueprint and Trump’s “Agenda 47” featured similar ideas on mass deportations and slashing the federal bureaucracy.

Persons: Donald Trump, Trump, “, ” Howard Lutnick, Tom Homan, Brendan Carr, John Ratcliffe, Both Homan, Ratcliffe, Carr, Celal, Russ Vought, Roger Severino, Paul Dans, MAGA, lambasting, Lutnick, ”, it’s, ” Lutnick, Semafor, ’ it’s, That’s, Trump’s, Joe Biden’s, Kamala Harris ’, Sen, Mallory McMorrow, ” McMorrow Organizations: Commerce, CNBC, NBC News, Democrats, Trump, Federal Communications Commission, Getty, of Management, Republican National, Politico, Department of Health, Human Services, New York, Republican, NBC, Democratic, Oceanic, Atmospheric Administration, Democratic National Convention Locations: Anadolu, Grand Rapids, Michigan

☆ Trump picks Project 2025 co-author to lead White House’s budget office
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-22 | by ( Kaitlan Collins | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —President-elect Donald Trump has selected Russell Vought as his pick to lead the Office of Management and Budget, he said in a Truth Social post. Vought was one of the key authors of Project 2025 – the conservative blueprint that Trump tried to distance himself from during the campaign. He was Trump’s former budget director during his first administration when Vought oversaw a widespread deregulation push. During Trump’s first administration, Vought made a name for himself as a policy wonk committed to the MAGA movement. Before serving as Trump’s budget director, Vought was the deputy director and later acting director of OMB.

Persons: Donald Trump, Russell Vought, Trump, ” Trump, MAGA, Vought, Mike Pence Organizations: CNN, Management, Budget, OMB, Center, CRA, Heritage Foundation, Trump –, Mandate, Leadership, Republican National Convention Locations: America

CNN —Nearly six years after actor Jussie Smollett was accused of staging a hate-crime hoax in downtown Chicago and lying to police, an Illinois Supreme Court decision overturned his conviction on Thursday over prosecutorial issues, according to the Associated Press. Brothers Olabinjo Osundairo and Abimbola Osundairo arrive at court for a hearing for actor Jussie Smollett in Chicago on July 14, 2021. Kamil Krzaczynski/ReutersIn a statement thanking fans in 2019, Smollett said he had “been 100% factual and consistent on every level” in response to doubts about his story’s integrity. Smollett told Abimbola Osundairo he was disappointed in the “Empire” team’s reaction to the letter, according to prosecutors. I wouldn’t have had a trial,” Smollett told ET.

Persons: Jussie Smollett, Kim Foxx, –, Nenye, Smollett’s, Joe, ” Uche, “, he’s, ”, CNN’s Laura Coates, Foxx, Dan K, Webb, Smollett, Donald Trump –, Olabinjo, Abimbola Osundairo, Kamil Krzaczynski, Eddie Johnson, ” Johnson, Johnson, Brian CassellaPool, Holliday, ” Smollett, Tonight’s Nischelle Turner, ‘, Chris Boyette, Bill Kirkos, Omar Jimenez, Steve Almasy, Ashley Killough, Christina Maxouris Organizations: CNN, Associated Press, AP, Fox, ”, Chicago, Smollett, Chicago Police Department, Authorities, Reuters, Chicago Police, Chicago police, Police, Chicago Tribune Locations: Chicago, Illinois, Cook, City, MAGA, Cook County

CNN —President-elect Donald Trump named billionaire Scott Bessent as his pick to serve as the next secretary of the Department of the Treasury. A key Cabinet player, the US Treasury secretary advises the president on economic and fiscal matters, including spending and taxes. Bessent would be the first out gay Treasury secretary, as well as the first LGBTQ Senate-confirmed Cabinet member in a Republican administration, according to The Associated Press. Compared to Lutnick’s more aggressive campaign for the role, Bessent led a more understated quest for the position. All of the names Trump put out Friday night had been decided by the afternoon, the sources said, but he wanted to name his Treasury secretary first before publicly releasing his other decisions.

Persons: Donald Trump, Scott Bessent, “ Scott, ” Trump, Scott, ” Bessent, Trump, George Soros, Bessent’s, Bessent, Pete Buttigieg, ”, Howard Lutnick –, Lutnick, Cantor Fitzgerald, fides, MAGA, Elon, Steven Mnuchin, Mnuchin, Kayla Tausche, Matt Egan Organizations: CNN, Department of, Treasury, of Innovation, Capital, U.S, Reserve, Square Capital Management, Soros Fund Management, Democratic, Senate, Republican, Associated Press, Biden, Wall Street, Trump, ”, Financial Times, CNBC, Soros, United, Republicans, Treasury Department Locations: United States, United States of America, China

CNN —President-elect Donald Trump’s Treasury secretary pick stands in stark contrast to some of the more controversial and questionable Cabinet picks he’s announced so far. In many respects, the Treasury secretary is the quarterback of the economy. Wall Street was unfazed by the selection. One of the Treasury secretary’s jobs is to help keep Wall Street calm and confident during times of economic or market turmoil. The Treasury secretary works closely with both the central bank and the White House.

Persons: Donald Trump’s, he’s, Scott Bessent, “ Scott Bessent, ”, Glock, “, Trump, Matt Gaetz, Robert F, Kennedy, Jr, MAGA, ” Glock, Bessent, Elon Musk, Cantor Fitzgerald, Howard Lutnick, Musk, Lutnick, –, Isaac Boltansky, “ Scott, I’ve, Kyle Bass, Xi Jinping, Jerome Powell Organizations: CNN, Manhattan Institute, Trump loyalists, Treasury, Soros Fund Management, Fox News, Trump, Commerce, Street, Hayman Capital Management, Dow Jones, White Locations: Bessent, China, Argentina

☆ Opinion | Marie Gluesenkamp Perez on Winning a Trump District and Fixing Congress
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-22 | by ( Michelle Goldberg | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

I first met Marie Gluesenkamp Perez in 2022, when she was running what was widely seen as a long-shot Democratic campaign for Congress in a solidly Republican, heavily rural part of Washington State. Shortly before the election, the polling aggregator FiveThirtyEight estimated her chance of victory at a mere 2 percent. Gluesenkamp Perez, whose father immigrated from Mexico, ran an auto shop with her husband and lived in a house they’d built themselves. Gluesenkamp Perez voted to scrap Joe Biden’s plan for student debt relief. In a largely brutal year for Democrats, Gluesenkamp Perez, again facing Kent, won re-election even as Trump once again carried her district.

Persons: Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, MAGA, Joe Kent, Gluesenkamp Perez, fides, Donald Trump’s, she’d, Joe Biden’s, Rashida Tlaib, Anger, ”, Trump Organizations: Democratic, Congress, Republican, Washington State, Politico, Kent Locations: Washington, Mexico, Israel

☆ Trump suffers first defeat but as always doubles down for the next fight
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-22 | by ( Stephen Collinson | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +11 min

CNN —For Donald Trump, every defeat is just the catalyst for his next battle. The Gaetz disaster suggests that despite his big election win, some laws of political gravity still apply to Trump. This may explain why two-and-a-half weeks into his transition, several of Trump’s Cabinet picks are embroiled in allegations of sexual misconduct, ethics or legal controversy. Like Gaetz, Hegseth was not prosecuted over the allegation and denies he did anything wrong. Plenty of presidents get a Cabinet pick knocked back and do just fine.

Persons: Donald Trump, –, Matt Gaetz, – Trump, Trump, Pam Bondi, MAGA, Gaetz –, elect’s, Manu Raju, Pete Hegseth, Hegseth, Linda McMahon, McMahon, Robert F, Kennedy Jr, groped, Eliza Cooney, “, Kennedy, he’d, ”, Cooney, “ I’m, he’s, Jean Carroll, didn’t, CNN’s Kristen Holmes, Gaetz, CNN’s Paula Reid, Sarah Ferris, Vance, Tulsi Gabbard, —, Maine Sen, Susan Collins, North Carolina Sen, Thom Tillis, JD Vance, ’, Bondi, she’s Organizations: CNN, Department of Justice, Trump, DOJ, GOP, Cabinet, Former Fox News, Department of Defense, Trump Cabinet, Department of Education, Wrestling Entertainment, WWE, Department of Health, Human Services, USA, Fair, Democratic, Social, Capitol, Senate Republican, Trump University, Republican Locations: Washington, California, Iraq, Afghanistan, Manhattan, Gaetz, Maine, North Carolina, Ohio, Bondi

☆ Trump's Cabinet selection is off to a rocky start: From the Politics Desk
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-21 | by ( The Politics Desk | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +8 min

But it’s not even Thanksgiving, and Donald Trump is already looking for a backup top law enforcement officer after Matt Gaetz withdrew his AG bid Thursday. The last time around, Trump lost just one of his initial Cabinet picks, when Andrew Puzder withdrew as the labor secretary nominee in February 2017. ➡️ More on the Trump transitionAside from Gaetz, two of Trump’s other Cabinet picks, Hegseth and Kennedy, have also faced serious allegations of sexual impropriety, which they have both denied. 🗞️ Today’s other top stories 👀 Buckeye State battle brewing: The jockeying for JD Vance’s Ohio Senate seat has begun, and the potential candidates’ statements about Trump’s Cabinet picks are being closely watched. Read more →The jockeying for JD Vance’s Ohio Senate seat has begun, and the potential candidates’ statements about Trump’s Cabinet picks are being closely watched.

Persons: Matt Gaetz, Jonathan Allen, Henry J, Gomez, Olympia Sonnier, Jake Traylor, Julie Tsirkin Matt Gaetz’s, Donald Trump, ”, Gaetz, MAGA, Trump, Sens, Mitch McConnell of, Lisa Murkowski, Susan Collins of, Markwayne Mullin, John Curtis of Utah, Read, Jonathan Allen It’s, George H.W, Texas Sen, John Tower, it’s, — Trump, Bill Clinton’s, Zoë Baird, Kimba Wood, Pete Hegseth, Tulsi Gabbard, Robert F, Kennedy Jr, Barack Obama’s, Tom Daschle, Bill Richardson, Judd Gregg, Andrew Puzder, ➡️, Hegseth, Kennedy, Mehmet Oz, El Organizations: NBC, White House, Capitol, Republican, The Justice Department, Republicans, Gaetz, Pentagon, Former Fox News, Human Services, Commerce, ., Medicare, Services Locations: Florida, Washington, Trump, Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, Alaska, Susan Collins of Maine, Oklahoma, Texas, Obamacare

Matt Gaetz’s withdrawal Thursday as a candidate for attorney general illustrates the roadblocks President-elect Donald Trump could face as he attempts to convert his campaign of “retribution” into a governing coalition capable of working within the realities of Washington. In Gaetz, Trump would finally get the loyal attorney general he felt like he never had in his first term. But it was a tough sell from the moment Trump announced Gaetz as his choice eight days ago — in a pick that shocked much of Washington. In the end, it was the “combination of the ethics report and opposition among Senate Republicans,” that doomed Gaetz’s candidacy, a senior Senate aide told NBC News. Before Gaetz’s withdrawal Thursday, Trump allies were pushing hard on GOP senators and other ambitious Republicans to publicly support his embattled Cabinet picks.

Persons: Matt Gaetz’s, Donald Trump, ”, Gaetz, MAGA, Trump, “, Vance, ” Gaetz, Sens, Mitch McConnell of, Lisa Murkowski, Susan Collins of, Markwayne Mullin, John Curtis of Utah, JD Vance, ” Sen, Mike Rounds, ” Rounds, Pete Hegseth, shouldn’t, Robert F, Kennedy Jr, Tulsi Gabbard, Matt, they’re Organizations: Republican, The Justice Department, Republicans, NBC News, Trump, Capitol, Gaetz, “, Senate, Fox News, Justice Department Locations: Washington, Florida, Trump, Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, Alaska, Susan Collins of Maine, Oklahoma, Ohio, Hawaii

Trump’s pick for defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, was accused of sexual assault. Trump himself has faced various sexual misconduct allegations, which he has denied, though he was found liable last year for sexual abuse in a civil trial over an alleged incident in the 1990s that he also denies. Now, after having won the presidency again, he’s spending early political capital to confirm appointees who have faced sexual misconduct allegations of their own. The allegations against Trump’s picksGaetz’s years of controversies have been thrust back into the spotlight now that he’s up for a Cabinet post. “It’s a very scary time for young men in America when you can be guilty of something that you may not be guilty of,” Trump told reporters.

Persons: Donald Trump’s, Matt Gaetz, Pete Hegseth, Robert F, Kennedy Jr, Gaetz, Hegseth, Kennedy, “, Trump, ”, Marc Short, Mike Pence’s, we’ve, Trump’s, hasn’t, Tim Parlatore, Bill Clinton’s, George H.W, Barack Obama’s, haven’t, Andy Puzder, Puzder, Patrick Shanahan, Shanahan, Ronny Jackson, Jackson, Brett Kavanaugh, Kavanaugh, ” Trump, reconsidering, JD Vance, Karoline Leavitt, Vance, MAGA, ” Leavitt Organizations: NBC News, NBC, “, Justice Department, Trump, Committee, Washington Post, Republican, You’re, Politico, Pentagon, White House, Department of Veterans Affairs, Supreme, Capitol, White Locations: groping, Florida, America, Hegseth, Washington

☆ Opinion | Gaetz’s Withdrawal Means the Senate Passed Its First Test
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-21 | by ( Michelle Cottle | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Florida Man Matt Gaetz was announced as Donald Trump’s pick for attorney general on a Wednesday. Eight days later, his complete unfitness for the job had become so undeniable and insurmountable that he withdrew from consideration. Trump’s decision to put him forward was an early, gross test for the president-elect’s entire Senate team. And while the Senate has been trending Trumpier as well, the transformation is not yet complete. With Gaetz, the MAGA king was watching to see if there was a line that his Senate subjects would not yet cross.

Persons: Matt Gaetz, Donald Trump’s, Gaetzgate, Trump, MAGA Organizations: Florida, Senate, Republican, Republican House

☆ Vance debuts new role as Trump’s point person on Capitol Hill
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-21 | by ( Alayna Treene | Steve Contorno | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

Congressional Republicans acknowledge that Vance hasn’t necessarily developed longstanding relationships on Capitol Hill during his abbreviated time in Washington. His coattails turned a 49-51 senate to a 53-47 senate,” Vance wrote on X on Wednesday. The three developed a bond that predates the campaign and has carried into the early days of Trump’s transition. But when you look at the effectiveness of JD in the campaign, there’s no better surrogate for President Trump’s agenda,” the adviser said. “In JD’s view, his role of VP is to take on any issue that President Trump would like him to take on,” the person close to Vance told CNN.

Persons: JD Vance, Donald Trump’s, Vance, Matt Gaetz, he’ll, Pete Hegseth, Vance hasn’t, ”, North Dakota Sen, Kevin Cramer, Trump, “, Donald Trump, ” Cramer, ” Vance, “ Donald J, coattails, Joe Biden’s, Grace Chong, Steve Bannon’s, Chong, ” Trump, Tom Homan, ’, Tulsi Gabbard, Donald Trump Jr, —, Trump’s MAGA, Kamala Harris ’, JD, James Braid, “ Vance, you’ll, ” CNN’s Ted Barrett Organizations: CNN, Capitol, Trump’s Cabinet, Florida Rep, Fox News, Department of Defense, Senate, White, GOP, Cabinet, Trump, FBI, Republican, Democratic, Mar, Elon, JD, Central America —, “, White House Locations: Ohio, Washington, North Dakota, Central, Trump

☆ Jussie Smollett’s conviction in 2019 attack on himself is overturned
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-21 | by ( Associated Press | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. AP —The Illinois Supreme Court on Thursday overturned actor Jussie Smollett’s conviction on charges that he staged a racist and homophobic attack against himself in downtown Chicago in 2019 and lied to police. Emailed messages seeking comment were sent Thursday to Foxx’s office and to Smollett’s attorney, who have argued that Smollett has been victimized by a racist and politicized justice system. Testimony at his trial indicated Smollett paid $3,500 to two men whom he knew from “Empire” to carry out the attack. A state appellate court ruling upheld Smollett’s conviction, declaring that no one promised Smollett he wouldn’t face a fresh prosecution after accepting the original deal. Illinois Supreme Court Chief Justice Mary Jane Theis and Justice Joy Cunningham took no part in Thursday’s decision.

Persons: Jussie, Smollett’s, Smollett, Elizabeth Rochford, ”, Kim Foxx’s, Prosecutors, Donald Trump’s, Mary Jane Theis, Joy Cunningham Organizations: Ill, AP, Smollett, Chicago, . Illinois Supreme Locations: SPRINGFIELD, Illinois, Chicago, Cook, “ MAGA

☆ Marjorie Taylor Greene Will Lead New ‘DOGE’ Panel on Government Efficiency
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-21 | by ( Annie Karni | More About Annie Karni | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: 1 min

When she arrived in Congress in 2021, Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, Republican of Georgia, was quickly stripped of her two committee assignments by Democrats and shunned by her colleagues on Capitol Hill. Almost three years later, Ms. Greene is poised to hold a gavel for the first time, a sign of the ascendancy of the MAGA wing of the G.O.P. in Congress, where President-elect Donald J. Trump’s most loyal allies will occupy prominent posts next year. Representative James Comer of Kentucky, chairman of the House Oversight Committee, is planning to create a new subcommittee to partner with Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy to “eliminate government waste.” The committee, which has yet to be created, will work with the new Department of Government Efficiency, known as “DOGE,” and leading Republicans have agreed to allow Ms. Greene to serve as its chairwoman.

Persons: Marjorie Taylor Greene, Greene, Donald J, James Comer of, Elon Musk, Vivek Ramaswamy, ” Organizations: Republican, Capitol, Department of Government Locations: Georgia, Congress

She wrote two more bills that same week supporting Julian Assange and Edward Snowden, who were behind two of the biggest US national security leaks of the 21st Century. Both men are broadly seen as enemies of the state within the intelligence community. Gabbard proposed repealing Patriot ActIf confirmed, Gabbard will be the most markedly anti-surveillance official to lead the intelligence community in the post-9/11 era. Some prominent Republicans like former Trump national security adviser John Bolton and former Trump UN ambassador and 2024 GOP presidential candidate Nikki Haley have come out against her. Scott Olson/Getty ImagesGabbard is in many ways a stranger to the intelligence community.

Persons: Donald Trump’s, spymaster, Tulsi Gabbard, Daniel Ellsberg, Gabbard, ”, Ellsberg, Julian Assange, Edward Snowden, It’s, MAGA, Trump, Assange, Marco Rubio, Elise Stefanik, Mike Waltz, she’s, scot, Jamil Jaffer, George W, Bush, White, George Mason University’s, Snowden, Alexandria Ocasio, Cortez, Assange —, Sen, Rand Paul, Justin Amash, Matt Gaetz, Gabbard’s Snowden, Bill Pugliano, Tulsi, Drew Angerer, Glenn Gerstell, —, Gerstell, ” Gerstell, She’s, neocons, ” “, Vladimir Putin’s, Biden, “, Hannity, Steven Ferdman, cynically, John Bolton, Nikki Haley, DNI, ” Haley, Hillary Clinton, Assad, Obama, Tom Williams, CNN Gabbard, Bashar Assad, Nancy Pelosi, Gabbard’s, we’ve, Trump’s, Qasem Soleimani, ” ‘, Donald Trump, Scott Olson, Democratic Sen, Chuck Schumer, ” Gabbard Organizations: CNN, Democratic, Pentagon, The New York Times, Washington Post, US, National Intelligence, Republican Party, WikiLeaks, National Security Institute, George, National Security Agency, — Democratic, Trump, FBI, Fox, Patriot, Foreign Intelligence, Congress, Capitol, Defense Department, Democrat, Republican, NATO, Fox News Channel Studios, Trump UN, GOP, blindsided, Hawaii National Guard, House Armed Services Committee, Syrian, ISIS, Democratic Party, Lawmakers, Gabbard Locations: Syria, Ukraine, Russia, Alexandria, —, Washington, Detroit , Michigan, Gabbard, Washington ,, China, Hawaii, American, Moscow, New York City, Kremlin, Iraq, Lebanon, Ohio, La Crosse , Wisconsin, United States

☆ Jussie Smollett’s Conviction for False Hate Crime Claim Is Overturned
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-21 | by ( Julia Jacobs | More About Julia Jacobs | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

The Illinois Supreme Court on Thursday overturned Jussie Smollett’s conviction on charges of filing a false police report claiming that he had been the victim of a racist and homophobic attack in 2019, finding that he was unjustly prosecuted a second time after his charges had been resolved as part of a negotiated agreement. When Mr. Smollett first reported the attack, he claimed that two men had mildly injured him while yelling racist and homophobic slurs, with one of them yelling, “This is MAGA country.” The apparently bigoted attack against a Black and gay actor sparked outrage. But law-enforcement officials later determined that Mr. Smollett had orchestrated the attack himself, and charged him with a crime. The prosecutors then agreed to drop the charges against Mr. Smollett in exchange for his agreement to forfeit his $10,000 bond and perform community service. But after an outcry the case was revived by a special prosecutor, and Mr. Smollett was convicted of felony disorderly conduct for falsely reporting to the police that he had been the victim of a bigoted attack.

Persons: Jussie, —, Chicago —, Smollett Locations: Chicago, MAGA

☆ Inside Trump’s dramatic potential plan to shake up the FBI
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-21 | by ( Kaitlan Collins | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Former Trump FBI deputy director and CNN senior law enforcement analyst Andrew McCabe said Thursday that Rogers would be a “totally reasonable, logical selection” to nominate to lead the agency, pointing to his knowledge of the intelligence community and his experience at the FBI. CNN has reached out to the Trump transition team and the FBI for comment. Sources previously said that Patel had been lobbying for the FBI director position, where he would be well-positioned to try to investigate Trump’s political enemies, declassify sensitive information and purge career civil servants. He also briefly considered installing Patel as deputy FBI director in the closing weeks of his first administration. The deputy FBI director job is a career position – not a politically appointed role – and then-Attorney General William Barr helped talk Trump out of putting Patel at the bureau at the time.

Persons: Donald Trump, MAGA, Trump, Christopher Wray, Matt Gaetz, Mike Rogers, Kash Patel, haven’t, Andrew McCabe, Rogers, McCabe, Patel, ”, that’s, ” McCabe, Gina Haspel, –, William Barr, CNN’s Sara Murray, Zachary Cohen, Evan Perez, Pamela Brown, Kaanita Iyer Organizations: CNN, FBI, Michigan, Senate, Former Trump FBI, Trump Locations: Lago, Florida

☆ Trump’s turn to bask in Musk’s reflected glory
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-20 | by ( Stephen Collinson | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +12 min

Musk, the Tesla and SpaceX visionary, has spent the last two weeks basking in Trump’s reflected glory at Mar-a-Lago. He’s around so much it’s almost like he’s family, and he even made it into a photo of Trump’s extended clan. Trump’s growing cultural cloutTrump’s visit to Musk’s launchpad was also the latest occasion since the election when he has inserted himself into high-profile photo-ops. The hit perhaps reflects Trump’s starry-eyed infatuation with Musk’s amazing array of spaceships and limitless ambition. With Musk, Trump might get more than he bargained for.

Persons: Donald Trump, Elon Musk, Robert F, Kennedy Jr, —, “, ”, Trump, Rushmore, Donald Jr, Texas Sen, Ted Cruz, Ronny Jackson, Musk, it’s, ” Trump, Greg Autry, Vivek Ramaswamy, Chandan Khanna, It’s, Kena Betancur, Joe Rogan, Theo Von, Musk’s launchpad, who’s, Anna Moneymaker, Kim Jong Un, MAGA, Elton John, DOGE, Andrew Harnik, Tim Pawlenty, CNN’s Erin Burnett, “ Trump, Volodymyr Zelensky, Emmanuel Macron, Kim Organizations: CNN, Elon, SpaceX, Texas, White, Trump, University of Central, of Government, Fox News, Tesla, UFC, Madison, Getty, YouTube, Barstool Sports, Republican Party, House Republicans, Hyatt, Minnesota Gov Locations: Texas, Washington, New York, Great State of Texas, He’s, Trump, Gulf of Mexico, United States, University of Central Florida, AFP, Novi , Michigan, Korean, Washington ,, Mar, Minnesota, Russia, Paris

And now, as Trump continues to fill out the upper echelons of his transition and administration, some key donors appear to be in the fray. Chris Wright, the Liberty Energy CEO tapped to be Trump’s energy secretary, gave the campaign and affiliated committees more than $235,000. Marc Rowan, the billionaire CEO of Apollo Global Management, gave $1 million to Right for America, a pro-Trump super PAC. The super PAC also ran a controversial program that gave away $1 million checks to swing-state voters who signed Musk's petition. (His father, Charles Kushner, who was pardoned by Trump, gave that same amount, plus another $1.2 million to a pro-Trump super PAC).

Persons: megadonors, Donald Trump's, Trump, Linda McMahon, McMahon's, Howard Lutnick, Lutnick, Chris Wright, Scott Bessent, Marc Rowan, Elon Musk, Musk, Ike Perlmutter, Jared Kushner, Trump's, Charles Kushner, Tim Mellon, Miriam Adelson, megadonor Sheldon Adelson Organizations: Trump's Small Business Administration, Trump, Inc, MAGA Inc, Commerce Department, Liberty Energy, NBC, Treasury Department, Apollo Global Management, Street, Treasury, America PAC, PAC, Marvel Entertainment, America, Dallas Mavericks Locations: America

☆ Trump escalates test of strength over Gaetz pick
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-19 | by ( Stephen Collinson | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

Video Ad Feedback Lawyer describes client's testimony in House Ethics Committee investigation of Gaetz 03:04 - Source: CNNThe Ethics Committee report has quickly become the first big crisis of the nascent second Trump administration. A small handful of Republican senators would be needed to defect in order to block Gaetz’s nomination when the party controls the Senate majority next year. GOP senators could pay a price for a prolonged confirmation fightIf Trump sticks with his pick, Republican senators feeling the MAGA movement’s pressure could be forced to defend Gaetz for weeks. Maine Sen. Susan Collins told CNN’s Raju that it would be “helpful” to see the House Ethics report. “Whether we get the ethics report or not, the facts are going to come out one way or the other,” Cornyn said.

Persons: Donald Trump, Matt Gaetz, Joel Leppard, CNN’s Erin Burnett, Gaetz, Mike Johnson, Trump, Dakota Sen, Kevin Cramer, ” Cramer, CNN’s Manu Raju, MAGA, Cramer, Pete Hegseth, Robert F, Kennedy Jr, Florida Republican –, Capitol Hill, it’s, Washington Trump, Bill Clinton, Zoë Baird, Kimba Wood, Maine Sen, Susan Collins, CNN’s Raju, Texas Sen, John Cornyn, ” Cornyn, “, Johnson, Susan Wild of, won’t, —, ” CNN’s Kristen Holmes, Axios, Kennedy, Hegseth, Tulsi Gabbard, It’s Organizations: CNN, Florida Republican, Justice Department, Trump, Gaetz, Fox News, Human Services Department, GOP, Capitol, FBI, Democrat, —, National Intelligence, Senate, Republican, North Dakota Republican Locations: Dakota, Washington, Texas, Susan Wild of Pennsylvania

☆ Meet the top 4 candidates Trump is considering for Secretary of the Treasury
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-18 | by ( Matthew Loh | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

AdvertisementLast week, Trump was said to be deciding between two leading candidates for Treasury Secretary. Here are the top picks Trump is reportedly now considering for Secretary of the Treasury. Kevin WarshKevin Warsh, center, is rising as one of the candidates for Trump's Treasury Secretary. AdvertisementMarc RowanMarc Rowan isn't said to be actively lobbying for Treasury Secretary, but his aides have reportedly been in touch with the Trump administration. Drew Angerer/Getty ImagesBessent, 62, was one of the original frontrunners for Trump's Treasury Secretary.

Persons: Trump, Kevin Warsh, Marc Rowan, Donald Trump, Robert F, Kennedy Jr, Florida Sen, Marco Rubio, Janet Yellen, he's, it's, Kevin Warsh Kevin Warsh, Tasos Katopodis, Warsh, Morgan Stanley, George W . Bush, Axios, Jerome Powell, Marc Rowan Marc Rowan isn't, PETER, Getty Images Rowan, Rowan, Rowan isn't, Howard Lutnick Howard Lutnick, ANGELA WEISS, Cantor Fitzgerald, Lutnick, Linda McMahon, He's, Vance, Elon Musk, Musk, Scott Bessent Scott Bessent, Drew Angerer, Bessent, George Soros, Soros, Breitbart, Kamala Harris, Joe Biden's, MAGA Organizations: Treasury, White, Department of Health, Human Services, State Department, Trump, Street, New York Times, Trump's, Federal Reserve Board, Getty Images, Apollo Global Management, Apollo, Times, Bloomberg, Madison, Garden, AFP Lutnick, WWE, Hamptons, Apple, World Trade, Key, Capital Management, Reuters Locations: Florida, America, Lago

☆ 1 in 5 Americans get their news from social media influencers
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-18 | by ( Kristian Burt | In | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

Getty ImagesAbout 1 in 5 Americans say they regularly get their news from "news influencers" on social media, according to a new study by the Pew Research Center. Social media site X remained the most popular, with 85% of influencer respondents reporting they were on the site. Risk of misinformationQuestions around the influence of independent social media creators on politics erupted prior to and after the presidential election. Both candidates utilized social media to reach younger voters, most notably when President-elect Donald Trump appeared on Joe Rogan's podcast and Vice President Kamala Harris joined the "Call Her Daddy" podcast — both podcasts with large followings on social media. Network interviews in recent elections have tended to be more combative than those conducted on independent podcasts or social media accounts, Darr said.

Persons: Galen Stocking, influencers, Basil Smikle, Smikle, Pew, Instagram, TikTok, Donald Trump, Joe Rogan's, Kamala Harris, Alex Cooper, Joshua Darr, Darr, Alaina, it's, Hurricane Helene, Wood, Joe Rogan, Matteo Recanatini, he's, That's, MAGA, Recanatini Organizations: Pew Research Center, CNBC, Democratic, Columbia, YouTube, Pew, Facebook, US, Republican, Trump National Doral, Getty Locations: Syracuse, Tennessee, Trump National Doral Miami, Miami , Florida

But many Republicans and Gaetz allies have touted his aggressive style as an essential attribute for an attorney general. The president-elect filled some of those spots Thursday evening, appointing a series of his own personal lawyers to run key sections of the Justice Department. Trump also announced his selection of Emile Bove, another member of his criminal defense team, to be principal associate attorney general. Now, while some of his colleagues in Congress expressed skepticism of his pick as attorney general, they said they are prepared for a detailed confirmation process. As attorney general, Gaetz would be in control of the FBI investigative files that detail the evidence the bureau uncovered.

Persons: Donald Trump, Matt Gaetz, Trump, Gaetz, there’s, John Morgan, doubters, Morgan, ” Morgan, “, General Merrick Garland, Joe Biden, Todd Blanche, Emile Bove, ”, AnchorsGordon didn’t, Lawrence “ Larry ” Keefe, Keefe, Ron DeSantis, Feedback Sen, Klobuchar, —, Michael Cohen, Sen, Rick Scott, ” Gaetz, Hunter, Hank Johnson, Kevin McCarthy, Liz Cheney, Gaetz didn’t, South Carolina Sen, Lindsey Graham, Bill Barr, Joel Greenberg, CNN’s Kristen Holmes Organizations: CNN, Justice Department, Trump, Florida Republican, Prosecutors, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, Explosives, Drug Enforcement Administration, Democrats, Capitol, Senate, Panhandle Republican, Truman, Florida State University, & Mary Law School, AnchorsGordon, Florida Panhandle, Partners, Florida, Northern, Northern District of Florida, Vineyard, Tallahassee statehouse, Republican, Florida Bar, Florida Republicans, Washington Elected, White, Republican Party, House Republican, Union, House Intelligence, Democratic, Judiciary Committee, FBI, South, Garland’s Justice Department Locations: Congress, United States, Trump’s, Florida, Gaetz, Manhattan, Northern District, Texas, Tallahassee, Washington, Wyoming, South Carolina

Jared Leopold, a Democratic strategist and former top official at the Democratic Governors Association, noted that while the Democratic governors who ran for president in 2020 were less well known, potential 2028 contenders like Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, Pennsylvania Gov. “And I also think there’s not going to be as much to be done in the Senate with a deeper minority. Ditto for Shapiro, who has spent the days after the election focused on economic development efforts in his state. Others, like Connecticut’s Chris Murphy and Pennsylvania’s John Fetterman, look interested in shaping a new Democratic approach on myriad issues.

Persons: Kamala Harris ’, Donald Trump, —, Joe Biden’s, Jared Leopold, Gretchen Whitmer, Josh Shapiro, Gavin Newsom, JB Pritzker, pushback, ”, Leopold, Jay Inslee’s, there’s, Trump, Caitlin Legacki, ” Legacki, Newsom, Pritzker, ” Trump, Gavin Newscum ”, ’ ” Newsom, Pritzker —, “, ” —, Jared Polis, ” Pritzker, Ezra Levin, Shapiro, Whitmer, Harris ’, “ I’ve, Jocelyn Benson, ” Whitmer, winking —, Ditto, Harris, ‘ I’ve, I’ve, I’m, “ We’re, ‘, Jon Ossoff, Raphael Warnock, Arizona’s Mark Kelly, Ossoff, Sen, Ruben Gallego, Chris Murphy, Pennsylvania’s John Fetterman, Murphy, MAGA, Joe Rogan’s, Fetterman, Wes Moore, Kentucky’s Andy Beshear, Cory Booker, Amy Klobuchar, Pete Buttigieg, Alexandria Ocasio, Ro Khanna, Khanna, he’s, Gen Z, Warnock, There’s, Mark Cuban, ” Leopold, workhorses, Democrats it’s, Al Davis ’, Robby Mook, Hillary Clinton’s, ” Mook Organizations: NBC News, Trump, Democratic, Democratic Governors Association, Michigan, Illinois Gov, Washington Gov, ” “ Governors, White, Capitol, Colorado Gov, Governors, Democracy, Hyatt, Democratic Party, Democratic National Convention, ”, Gridiron Club, NBC, New York, Democrats ’, Marine, Transportation, New Hampshire —, Pennsylvania Democrat, Cuban, Democrats, Oakland Raiders Locations: Pennsylvania, California, Trumpism, Illinois, Michigan, ” Michigan, Washington ,, Arizona, Sens, Cortez, New Hampshire, Washington, Cuban

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