Top related persons:
Top related locs:
Top related orgs:

Search resuls for: "Senators"


25 mentions found


The House Ethics Committee will meet Wednesday to discuss its report on former Rep. Matt Gaetz, who has been tapped by President-elect Donald Trump to be the next attorney general, NBC News reported Monday. Several key Republican senators want the report on Gaetz released to the Senate for their consideration on whether to confirm him for the AG post, if and when Trump formally nominates him. The Ethics Committee had been investigating Gaetz for alleged sexual misconduct and potential illegal drug use, and other actions. The panel had been scheduled to meet last Friday on the report but postponed that session. Gaetz, who represented a Florida congressional district, resigned abruptly from the House last week after Trump said he would nominate him for AG.
Persons: Matt Gaetz, Donald Trump, Gaetz, Trump Organizations: NBC News, Senate, Trump, AG Locations: Florida
After announcing a swathe of names for his Cabinet, president-elect Donald Trump appears to be conducting auditions for his Treasury Secretary. AdvertisementHere's some of the best commentary we've seen about the race to be the next Treasury Secretary. Blowups somewhere are inevitable, and a Treasury secretary needs the experience to deal with the fallout in a way that reassures markets. There could now be a contest for Treasury Secretary where … the no1 job is reassuring the markets. In return he might be rewarded with the job of treasury secretary.
Persons: Donald Trump, Scott Bessent, Howard Lutnick, Marc Rowan, Kevin Warsh, Cantor Fitzgerald, Trump, Rowan, Apollo, Jay Powell, Warsh, Powell, hasn't, Kyle Bass, Mike Allen, You've, Ian Bremmer, Marco Rubio, Mike Waltz, Biden, Mr Lutnick, Mr Trump, … Mr Lutnick, , Mr Lutnick's, John Thune, Jeff Stein Organizations: Key Square Capital Management, Apollo Global Management, Federal Reserve, New York Times, The Times, Times, Hayman Capital Management, X, Trump's, Treasury, CNBC, Trump, Fed, White, National Economic Council, Eurasia Group, Bloomberg, The, The Washington Post Locations: X U.S, Eurasia, Washington, United States, The Washington
Not all of Trump’s picks are causing uproar. But in a conventional administration, controversies raging around at least four key Cabinet picks would be seen as a disaster. The president-elect’s son explains the planGaetz and several other Trump picks have caused consternation in some circles given the questions about their qualifications and past behavior. That’s what the American people want.”It would take a handful of Republican senators to block the most provocative Trump nominees early next year, given that Democrats are likely to vote en masse against them. If he’s qualified, he’s qualified.”Missouri Sen. Eric Schmitt said he believed Trump’s nominees would get confirmed.
Persons: Donald Trump, Matt Gaetz, Tulsi Gabbard, Pete Hegseth, Robert F, Kennedy Jr, Hegseth, Trump’s, Intrigue, Gaetz, , Kennedy, Florida Sen, Marco Rubio, Trump, he’s, ” Johnson, South Dakota Sen, John Thune, Mike Johnson, CNN’s Jake Tapper, , ” Sen, Adam Schiff, Jim Himes, they’re, Matt Gaetz —, Robert Kennedy, Tulsi, ” Trump, Donald Trump Jr, , Sen, Markwayne Mullin, “ I’ve, … I’ve, Matt, ” Missouri Sen, Eric Schmitt, Alabama Sen, Tommy Tuberville, Pennsylvania Sen, John Fetterman Organizations: CNN, Washington, Republican Senate, Office, Fox News, Florida Republican, of Justice, Department of Health, Human Services, Senate, Trump, South, Louisiana Republican, California Democrat, Democrat, House Intelligence, Sunday, Connecticut Democrat, CBS, Republican, Fox Business, Oklahoma Republican, Press, Locations: Gaetz, — Russia, Washington, Florida, South Dakota, “ State, Louisiana, United States, California, Connecticut, ” Missouri, Alabama, Pennsylvania
Speaker Mike Johnson on Sunday left the door open to adjourning Congress so President-elect Donald Trump can appoint his Cabinet nominees outside of the usual Senate confirmation process if necessary. Both chambers usually gavel in for pro forma sessions even during times of recess specifically to prevent the president from making recess appointments and bypassing congressional approval. President Barack Obama once tried to use recess appointments and was rebuked by the Supreme Court, which said in 2014 that recesses needed to be 10 days or longer for recess appointments to be legal. Johnson isn’t the only Trump ally who has left the door open to using a recess appointment to confirm Trump’s Cabinet picks. “I have literally not discussed one word about the ethics report, not once, and I’ve been with him quite a bit this week,” Johnson said.
Persons: Mike Johnson, Donald Trump, ” Johnson, , he’d, Trump, Johnson, Barack Obama, Trump’s, , Oklahoma GOP Sen, Markwayne Mullin, It’d, ” Mullin, Hakeem Jeffries, Chuck Schumer, Dick Durbin, Matt Gaetz, Gaetz, There’s, I’ve Organizations: Sunday, “ Fox, Supreme, , Oklahoma GOP, NBC, Press, GOP, Democratic, Trump’s, House, CNN Locations: Washington, , Oklahoma, D, Gaetz
Meet the Press – November 17, 2024
  + stars: | 2024-11-17 | by ( ) www.nbcnews.com   time to read: +58 min
And by the way, I do believe that President Trump has the ability to pick some really, really good people. We've seen what they've done to President Trump, we've seen the attacks that they continue to go after him with. That's - that’s being taken completely out of context. And President Trump hasn't been the one that weaponized the DOJ to go after his political enemies. I think that's a pretty controversial pick, from whatever pronoun that he or he - he or she decides to use.
Persons: KRISTEN WELKER, Donald Trump’s, SEN, LISA MURKOWSKI, SUSAN COLLINS, KEVIN CRAMER, JOHN BOLTON, Trump’s, Trump, MIKE JOHNSON, JOHN, CHUCK SCHUMER, DONALD TRUMP, Hakeem Jeffries, Markwayne Mullin, Amna Nawaz, Eugene Daniels, Jen Psaki, Lanhee Chen, it’s, Kristen Welker, Donald Trump, Matt Gaetz, Gaetz, who's, we're, Mike Johnson, Johnson, MATT GAETZ, Robert F, Kennedy Jr, Kennedy, he's, ROBERT F KENNEDY JR, I'm, I've, LEX FRIDMAN, Trump's, Pete Hegseth, Hegseth, ” Hegseth, SHAWN RYAN, PETE HEGSETH, Mullin, Press . SEN, MARKWAYNE MULLIN, Kristen, you've, Kristi Noem, Matt Gaetz's, they're, Matt, Here's, We've, we've, Biden, Hunter Biden, didn't, Trump hasn't, Garland, Pete, Bobby Kennedy, Bobby, Rachel, Sam, There's, Pete Buttigieg, Let's, Kristen –, there's, let's, Chuck Schumer, Obama, Canning, we'll, He's, Jeffries, HAKEEM JEFFRIES, Roe, Wade, Pelosi's, Pelosi, It's, Nancy Pelosi, Jim Clyburn, Steny Hoyer, That's, should've, Kamala Harris, it's, Matt Gaetz –, Tulsi Gabbard, Debbie Wasserman Schultz, DEBBIE WASSERMAN SCHULTZ, Assad, She's, Dick Durbin, Donald Trump's, Politico “ Playbook, AMNA NAWAZ, Jim Mattis, Rex Tillerson, John Kelly, Eugene, EUGENE DANIELS, , Susan Collins, hasn't, LANHEE CHEN, aren't, Doug Burgum, Marco Rubio, Elise Stefanik, Jen, JEN PSAKI, – AMNA NAWAZ, that's, Thune, Biden's, George W, Bush, Joe Biden, JOE BIDEN, – I’ve, , – JEN PSAKI, Elizabeth Warren, Bernie Sanders, We're, We'll Organizations: GOP, Democratic, Oklahoma, PBS, White House Press, Hoover Institution, Press, NBC, Department of Justice, Mar, FBI, CDC, ATF, DOJ, NBC News, Republicans, of Health, Human Services, Defense, Fox News, Police, Republican, Pentagon, Press ., Trump, Senate, Biden, White, Justice Department, America, Senate Armed Services Committee, The Washington, HHS, of Energy, Department of Transportation, RFK Jr, , House Democratic, Democracy, REP, House Democrats, Social, Medicare, Democrats, Committee, of, Politico, Stanford University, Trump’s, Gaetz, Department of Defense, Office, Mr, Republican Party, Democratic Party Locations: Washington, America, Florida, Monterey , California, States, Oklahoma, Russia, United States, Afghanistan, Iraq, New York, American, Syria, Russian, Will, California, , Trump
While Gaetz’s ability to be confirmed appears on the rocks among Senate Republicans, President-elect Donald Trump’s team remains confident he will eventually be confirmed, even if it’s after an ugly battle. Gaetz and Trump attorney Todd Blanche are moving full speed ahead on trying to fill out the Justice Department, according to sources familiar with the planning. In his few terms in the House, Gaetz has often been embroiled in controversy. The attorney, John Clune, also called for the release of a House Ethics Committee report detailing the committee’s investigation into Gaetz, which has been ongoing for several years. Since the Truth Social post, Trump has not asked for any specific Cabinet pick, including Gaetz, to be confirmed via recess appointment.
Persons: Matt Gaetz, Donald Trump’s, Todd Blanche, Blanche, Trump, , JD Vance, Gaetz, Matt, , Mike Johnson, John Clune, ” Sen, Lindsey Graham, Johnson, , John Cornyn, Sen, Kevin Cramer, Michael Guest, ” Cramer, Gaetz —, Democratic Sen, Richard Blumenthal, we’re, Tom Williams, Vance, Cramer Organizations: Republicans, Department of Justice, NBC, Trump, Justice Department, NBC News, Trump —, Capitol, House, , Democratic, , Washington , D.C, Inc, Getty, Pennsylvania’s Senate, GOP, Truth Social Locations: America, Texas, Orlando, Washington ,, Pennsylvania’s
House Speaker Mike Johnson said yesterday that he will request the committee not release the report. For defense secretary: Separately, the Trump transition team was caught off guard by a previous allegation of sexual assault against defense secretary pick Pete Hegseth, who had received little internal vetting, according to sources. Several members of Trump’s team have since raised questions about the viability of his nomination, according to two people close to the situation. Within 48 hours of Trump announcing Hegseth, the heads of the president-elect’s transition team were brought a complaint about the sexual assault allegation. But the nature of the allegations caused incoming chief of staff Susie Wiles to question Hegseth during a call Thursday, a source told CNN.
Persons: Donald Trump’s, Matt Gaetz, Trump, Gaetz, Mike Johnson, “ Merrick, , Trump’s, Pete Hegseth, Hegseth, Susie Wiles Organizations: ABC News, CNN, Trump Locations: Congress, Florida, Monterey , California, Monterey County
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
A woman told the House Ethics Committee that she saw Matt Gaetz, who is President-elect Donald Trump’s pick for the U.S. attorney general, have sex with a minor, her lawyer said Friday. “My client testified to the House Ethics Committee that she witnessed Rep. Gaetz having sex with a minor at a house party in Orlando in 2017,” Joel Leppard said. Then-Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., on Capitol Hill, on April 30. Chip Somodevilla / Getty Images fileLeppard said the woman he represents testified before the House Ethics Committee in April. A House Ethics Committee investigation was launched in April 2021.
Persons: Matt Gaetz, Donald Trump’s, , ” Joel Leppard, Chip Somodevilla, Leppard, ” Leppard, “ Merrick, Garland, Gaetz, reauthorized, Mike Johnson, Trump Organizations: U.S, Republican U.S, Wednesday, Trump, Capitol, NBC News, ABC News, Florida Panhandle, Department of Justice, Republican, Republican Senate Locations: Orlando, Florida’s, Florida
The requests were like thousands of others sent in the past two years by Trump-allied groups seeking to identify perceived partisans within the federal government. Dominic Gwinn/AFP/Getty Images/FileHowell estimates his group has submitted around 65,000 requests to federal agencies under the Freedom of Information Act, a law that governs public access to records produced by the government. Timothy D. Easley/AP/FileTrump as a candidate vowed to reinstate a 2020 executive order known as Schedule F, which gave him power to commence mass firings of federal employees who could be impediments to his agenda. America First Policy Institute also has close ties to Trump’s transition. However, it so far has not published a list of federal employees for the Trump administration to target, though Howell did not rule it out.
Persons: CNN —, Elon Musk, Donald Trump, Trump, , , Mike Howell, “ We’ve, Dominic Gwinn, Howell, Tom Jones, Jones, ” Jones, Timothy D, Linda McMahon, McMahon, “ Trump, ” Everett Kelley, “ It’s, ” Howell, Rene Marsh Organizations: CNN, Department of Transportation, Trump, White, Heritage Foundation, National Conservative Conference, Getty, Policy Institute, American, Foundation, Department of Homeland Security, Democratic, Capitol Hill, Policy, Easley, America, Small Business Administration, Environmental Protection Agency, The Department of Transportation, EPA, American Federation of Government Employees Locations: Washington ,, AFP, Bardstown , Kentucky
AdvertisementDonald Trump wants the next GOP senate leader to give him greater power to staff vacancies. Trump wants to use the president's recess appointment power in a major way. Like Trump, Musk is a big believer in flexing the recess appointment power. Related storiesIn his push for recess appointment power, Trump argued it was about ensuring he could staff up in a timely manner. Officials installed via recess appointment can only serve until Congress' next session.
Persons: Donald Trump, Trump, Elon Musk, Matt Gaetz, Robert F, Kennedy Jr, It's, Casey Burgat, Sen, John Thune of, Mitch McConnell of, Thune, Bret Baier, JD Vance's, Ronald Reagan's, hasn't, Kennedy, Sarah Binder, George W, Bush, John Bolton, Don McGahn, McGahn, Ed Whelan, Whelan, Burgat Organizations: White, Trump, Human Services, GOP, Legislative, George Washington University's Graduate School of Political Management, Fox News, Republicans, Center, Biden, Brookings, United Nations, Public Policy Center Locations: Washington, Florida, John Thune of South Dakota, Mitch McConnell of Kentucky
Mr. Gaetz, the former congressman from Florida who resigned this week, is best known for leading the effort to oust former Speaker Kevin McCarthy, whom he still frequently taunts. He has also turned his megaphone on Republican senators who are now in charge of the effort to vet and confirm him. Given the G.O.P.’s slim Senate majority, Mr. Gaetz can afford to lose the support of only three Republicans (assuming all Democrats vote against him) if he wants to be confirmed. So far, at least five have indicated they are skeptical that Mr. Gaetz could win confirmation. They include Senators Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, Susan Collins of Maine, Joni Ernst of Iowa, Kevin Cramer of North Dakota and Thom Tillis of North Carolina.
Persons: Matt Gaetz, Donald J, Trump, Gaetz, Kevin McCarthy, Lisa Murkowski, Susan Collins of, Joni Ernst of Iowa, Kevin Cramer of North, Thom Tillis Organizations: Republicans Locations: Florida, Alaska, Susan Collins of Maine, Kevin Cramer of North Dakota, North Carolina
Trump wants Gaetz confirmed “100%,” a source told CNN. He also believes Gaetz is uniquely positioned to defend the Trump administration on television, an attribute prioritized by the president-elect. Trump’s pick for deputy attorney general — his defense attorney Todd Blanche — will carry out the day-to-day work of overseeing the Justice Department’s more than 40 agencies and 115,000 employees. In recent days, Gaetz has been reaching out directly to Republican senators, according to a source familiar with the efforts. The Democratic-controlled Judiciary Committee formally requested the House Ethics Committee report already, but Democrats will lose control of the committee in January.
Persons: Donald Trump, Matt Gaetz, Trump, Gaetz, ” Trump, Trump’s, Todd Blanche —, Justice Department’s, ” Gaetz, , , Sean Spicer, Gaetz’s, Pete Hegseth, Robert F, Kennedy Jr, Tulsi Gabbard, Kennedy, Sen, Lisa Murkowski, Susan Collins of Maine, Joni Ernst, “ He’s, North Dakota Sen, Kevin Cramer, Kevin McCarthy, Oklahoma Sen, Markwayne Mullin, CNN’s Manu Raju, ” Mullin, Mullin, Mike Johnson, Mike Rounds, John Cornyn of, ” Rounds, Chuck Grassley, Grassley, John Thune, Thune Organizations: CNN, Department, Senate, Justice Department, Trump, Justice, Fox News, Hawaii Rep, Republican Senate, Republicans, Republican, North Dakota, Democratic, GOP Locations: Florida, Alaska, Iowa, Oklahoma, John Cornyn of Texas
“It’s like Typhoid Mary being in charge of food safety.”But another group was celebrating Trump’s pick: the anti-vaccine movement Kennedy leads. She and Polly Tommey, director of CHD.TV and a longtime anti-vaccine activist, reflected on Kennedy’s power within their campaign. Holland urged viewers to “educate” the public and Congress that Kennedy’s anti-vaccine claims were accurate, aiming to boost his support among senators who would vote on his confirmation. Kennedy now has a chance to bring that advocacy into the top public health office in the country. Stone replied, “I am over the moon about the appointment.”Others relished how Kennedy might bring a dreamed-about reckoning in public health agencies and retribution against former public health officials.
Persons: Donald Trump’s, Robert F, Kennedy Jr, , Mandy Cohen, ” “, Richard Besser, Kennedy, Paul Offit, Mary, Mary Holland, Polly Tommey, “ Bobby Kennedy, ” Holland, , ” Tommey, Holland, Bobby Kennedy, wouldn’t, he’s, Del Bigtree, Michaela Roman, Dr, Sherri Tenpenny, Trump, Steve Kirsch, Kirsch, Alex Azar, ” Kennedy, “ We’re, Alex Jones, Roger Stone, Stone, Steve Bannon, Fauci, Anthony Fauci, Naomi Wolf Organizations: Department of Health, Human Services, , Centers for Disease Control, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Health Defense, , MAHA Alliance, Kennedy’s, Oregon Capitol, Vaccine Safety Research Foundation, RFK, CDC, National Institutes of Health, Food and Drug Administration, NIH, National Institute of Allergy, Bannon’s
In today’s edition, national political reporter Ben Kamisar examines how House Republicans are growing increasingly aligned with Donald Trump. Plus, "Meet the Press" moderator Kristen Welker looks back at how Trump's Cabinet announcements from right yers ago compare to now. The House GOP is more aligned with Trump than everBy Ben KamisarPresident-elect Donald Trump and the GOP believe Americans delivered them a mandate last week when they handed the party unified control of Washington. Newly elected Senate GOP leader John Thune certainly isn’t a Trump antagonist, but he’s a descendent of the institutional Republican Party. It’s a dynamic worth keeping tabs on, especially as Senate Republicans begin the process of vetting Trump’s Cabinet picks.
Persons: Ben Kamisar, Donald Trump, Kristen Welker, Trump, ” Rep, Troy Nehls, Kyle Stewart, , John Thune, Trump’s, Sen, John Barrasso, Donald Trump’s, , — Trump, Marco Rubio, Matt Gaetz, Pete Hegseth, Robert F, Kennedy Jr, Doug Burgum, Tulsi Gabbard, James Mattis, John Kelly, Jeff Sessions, , Steve Bannon, Gaetz, Mike Johnson, Elon Musk, Vivek Ramaswamy, Todd Blanche, Doug Collins, 🗞️, Jo Organizations: NBC, White House, Capitol, Republicans, GOP, Trump, NBC News, , Senate, Republican Party, Press, State Department, Justice Department, Defense Department, Department of Health, Human Services, Interior Department, Pentagon, Department of Homeland Security, RFK Jr, Department, Former Trump, Republican, Health, Elon, Department of Veterans Affairs, Sena Locations: Washington, Texas, Pennsylvania, Gaetz, California, Iraq
WASHINGTON — When President Joe Biden relinquishes power in January, some parts of his legacy will be secure, while others may be undone by President-elect Donald Trump and a new Republican-controlled Congress. The pieces of Biden’s legacy go into four buckets. But it will be difficult for Trump to undo bipartisan legislation, such as measures about infrastructure and preventing gun violence, and the judges Biden appointed can’t be unseated. Biden’s immigration orders are ripe for Trump to target after he ran on a platform of mass deportations and clamping down on border security. Bipartisan Biden-era bills (largely safe)The parts of Biden’s legacy that will be relatively safe are the bipartisan laws he passed, which are subject to filibusters and therefore give Democrats the power to protect them.
Persons: WASHINGTON, Joe Biden relinquishes, Donald Trump, Trump, Biden, can’t, they've, Roe, Wade, Sen, Kevin Cramer, ” Cramer, Kamala Harris, Thom Tillis, they’ve, ” Sen, Shelley Moore Capito, Tommy Tuberville, , , Ben Cline, John Thune, they’ll, Angus King, It's, ” King, Ketanji Brown Jackson Organizations: Republican, Trump, Democrats, NBC News, GOP, Biden, American, Finance Committee, Public, Republicans, Postal Service, Democratic Locations: U.S, South Dakota, Maine, Pennsylvania
Thune ducked a question about whether he would support Kennedy's confirmation, saying that the process "is just getting started" and adding that there would be "a vetting process." Cassidy is currently the ranking member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions committee and is considered a contender for chairing the committee in the next Congress. Sen. Ed Markey, D-Mass., said in a post to X that Kennedy was “Dangerous. I will hold any HHS Secretary to the same high standard of protecting and improving public health," Polis added in the later post. A majority of senators must vote in support of a nominee in order for the position to be confirmed.
Persons: WASHINGTON —, Donald Trump, Robert F, Kennedy Jr, Kennedy, Sen, John Thune, Thune, it’s, Bill Cassidy, Cassidy, Wisconsin Sen, Ron Johnson, Alabama Sen, Tommy Tuberville, Missouri Sen, Josh Hawley, Ron Wyden, Ed Markey, Chris Van Hollen, Patty Murray, Murray, Jared Polis, Polis Organizations: Department of Health, Human Services, Republican, Health, Education, Labor, Pensions, Wisconsin, Big Pharma, RFK, NBC News, Colorado Gov, HHS, FDA, NBC, Republicans, Senate Locations: WASHINGTON, Alabama, Missouri
Reports that billionaire Elon Musk has held multiple calls with Russian officials, including President Vladimir Putin, should be investigated by the Pentagon and law-enforcement agencies on national-security grounds, two senior Democratic senators said in a letter seen by Reuters on Friday. Musk, who has been appointed to a senior government role by Republican President-elect Donald Trump, oversees billions of dollars in Pentagon and intelligence-community contracts as CEO of aerospace company SpaceX. Several Democratic lawmakers have publicly called for a probe into Musk's communications with Moscow since a Wall Street Journal report last month on the alleged contact, but the letter to the U.S. officials who could launch such an investigation has not been previously reported. SpaceX, Musk and the Pentagon did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The Pentagon and Justice Department did not immediately respond to similar requests.
Persons: Elon Musk, Donald Trump, Vladimir Putin, Musk, Jeanne Shaheen, Jack Reed, General Merrick Garland, Shaheen, Reed, Trump Organizations: Republican, Pentagon, Democratic, Reuters, SpaceX, Foreign Relations, Senate Armed Services, U.S, White, of Government Efficiency, Justice Locations: Butler , Pennsylvania, Moscow
The president-elect’s previous selections for director of national intelligence, attorney general and defense secretary could change the country and the world in the long term. The US Department of Health and Human Services secretary has a massive platform and huge power to influence the information that Americans have and the choices they make. “I guess if you like health and you like people who live a long time, it is the most important position,” Trump said. Christina House/Los Angeles Times/Getty ImagesAnother health expert and former US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention acting director condemned the pick. The highly contagious disease is preventable with two doses of the measles vaccine that most Americans get as kids.
Persons: Donald Trump’s, Robert F, Kennedy Jr, , Kennedy, Trump’s MAGA, Kennedy’s ascendency, Bobby ’ Kennedy, ” Trump, Bobby, , Matt Gaetz, Trump, Pete Hegseth, Tulsi Gabbard, Bashar al, Assad, Carlos Barria, Jake Tapper, Indiana Sen, Jim Banks, Jake, Donald Trump, ” Banks, , ’ Kennedy, he’d “, Dr, Ashish Jha, Covid, CNN’s Wolf Blitzer, Jha, Christina House, Richard Besser . Besser, CNN’s Kaitlan Collins, kindergartners, Mandy Cohen, CNN’s Meg Tirrell, who’s, ” Cohen, Lex Fridman’s, CNN’s Kasie Hunt, don’t, , , won’t, Mitch McConnell — Organizations: CNN, National Institutes of Health, RFK Jr, Trump, US Department of Health, Human Services, Trump’s, Fox News, America, Reuters, Biden, Brown University’s School of Public Health, Republican, Democratic, “ RFK, Los Angeles Times, US Centers for Disease Control, World Health Organization, CDC, Milken, Health Summit, Trump Cabinet, Senate, FBI, GOP Locations: Lago, Florida, Palm Beach , Florida, Washington, Huntington Park , California
In today’s edition, senior national political reporter Sahil Kapur examines the way Democrats can still exert some power in Donald Trump's Washington. How Democrats can still flex power in Trump’s WashingtonBy Sahil KapurRepublicans have won full control of Washington, but Democrats will retain two key levers of power to shape legislative outcomes in Donald Trump’s second term. That margin is slimming further as Trump plucks House members for administration jobs. The last two years showed how chaotic and dysfunctional this GOP-controlled House can be, even when the stakes are low. The Ethics Committee has jurisdiction over only sitting House members.
Persons: Sahil Kapur, Donald, Donald Trump's Washington, Matt Gaetz's, Robert F, Kennedy Jr, Donald Trump’s, Robert Garcia, , Sen, John Thune, , Chris Van Hollen, Van Hollen, Patty Murray, Richard Hudson, Trump, Donald Trump, it’s, it’ll, Tony Gonzales, Matt Gaetz, Ryan Nobles, Julie Tsirkin, Frank Thorp V, Kate Santaliz, Gaetz, Justice Department —, they’ll, Joni Ernst, John Curtis, → Trump, Berkeley Lovelace Jr, Dasha Burns Trump, Kennedy, Bill Cassidy, Tulsi Gabbard, Pete Hegseth, Elon Musk, Vivek Ramaswamy’s, 🗞️, Tim, lea Organizations: NBC, White House, Capitol, Republicans, Health, Human Services Department, Sahil Kapur Republicans, Trump plucks, , Republican, Senate, GOP, House Republican, Justice Department, NBC News, Committee, Punchbowl News, RFK, Human Services, Department of Health, Food and Drug Administration, Education, Labor, Pensions, “ RFK, Trump, Elon, of Government, Cabinet Locations: Donald Trump's, Trump’s Washington, Washington, , Texas, Florida, Congress, Iowa, Utah, Elon, usk
WASHINGTON — Republican senators are preparing for a robust vetting of Matt Gaetz, President-elect Donald Trump's pick to lead the Justice Department, with a keen interest in details from a House Ethics Committee investigation into the former congressman from Florida. The Ethics Committee has jurisdiction only over sitting House members. Many Republican senators, including members of the GOP-led Judiciary Committee that will oversee Gaetz’s nomination for attorney general, said they'll want to see the details of the House Ethics investigation into Gaetz. But Gaetz's resignation complicates things, and the House committee hasn't indicated what it will do. Asked directly if he'd vote to confirm Gaetz, Cramer said the Florida congressman would have to make it through the Judiciary Committee first.
Persons: WASHINGTON, Matt Gaetz, Donald Trump's, Gaetz, Justice Department —, Trump, they'll, Sen, Joni Ernst, John Curtis, , hasn't, Bill Boner, Buz Lukens, John Cornyn of, he'd, , Cornyn, it’s, ” Cornyn, ” Sen, Lindsey Graham, ” Graham, Trump hadn’t, Matt, Chuck Grassley, we’ve, ” Grassley, , Grassley, Susan Collins, Collins, Kevin McCarthy, Lisa Murkowski, Gaetz's, Ernst, He’s, JD Vance, Kevin Cramer, we’re, , Cramer, McCarthy, I’ll, he’s, Mike Braun, I’m Organizations: Justice Department, NBC News, Republican, GOP, Committee, Punchbowl News, Judiciary, , Department, NBC, Republicans, , Trump Locations: Florida, Congress, Iowa, Utah, Ohio, John Cornyn of Texas, Maine, Pennsylvania, Alaska
Anna Moneymaker/Getty ImagesTop Republicans on the Senate Judiciary Committee are being careful to keep their options open regarding President-elect Donald Trump’s selection for attorney general, former GOP Rep. Matt Gaetz. Asked if the Senate should receive the House Ethic Committee report on Gaetz, incoming Senate Majority Leader John Thune, of South Dakota, said: “I haven’t given that any thought yet. South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham and North Carolina Sen. Thom Tillis were less insistent on seeing the House committee’s report. Elections have consequences; (Trump) chose Matt Gaetz. Latest from the Ethics Committee: Asked about the pending report on Gaetz, House Ethics Chairman Michael Guest said Thursday, “What happens in Ethics is confidential.
Persons: Sen, John Cornyn, Chambers, Anna Moneymaker, Donald Trump’s, Matt Gaetz, John Thune, , ” Texas Sen, Carolina Sen, Lindsey Graham, North Carolina Sen, Thom Tillis, Tillis, Graham, , Missouri Sen, Josh Hawley, ” Graham, Trump, Matt, ” Tillis, Hawley, there’ll, ” Hawley, Alabama Sen, Tommy Tuberville, we’ll, Indiana Sen, Mike Braun, he’s, Gaetz, Michael Guest, ” Gaetz Organizations: Capitol, Committee, GOP, Gaetz, North, Alabama Locations: Washington , DC, South Dakota, ” Texas, Carolina, North Carolina, Missouri
“President Trump is going to hit the Justice Department with a blowtorch, and Matt Gaetz is that torch,” Steve Bannon, Trump’s former White House strategist, told NBC News. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, said she didn't think Gaetz was "a serious nomination for the attorney general." From bitter experience, Trump knows that he needs an attorney general he can trust implicitly, and it might be worth the political capital to battle for Gaetz's confirmation. Little happened in Trump’s first term that angered him as much as Attorney General Jeff Sessions’ decision to recuse himself and appoint a special counsel to investigate whether there were links between his 2016 campaign and Russia. In Gaetz, Trump would get an attorney general who has said Trump won the election that year, as well as an iconoclast who shares his willingness to upset the status quo.
Persons: Donald Trump, Trump, Matt Gaetz, Steve Bannon, Trump’s, Pete Hegseth, Tulsi Gabbard, Tom Homan, Kristi Noem, Mount Rushmore, James Mattis, Mattis, John Kelly, Kelly, who'd, Hegseth, Donald J, , Max Stier, Gaetz, Kamala Harris, Sen, Lisa Murkowski, Kevin Cramer, Jeff Sessions, I’m, ” Trump, Robert Mueller, William Barr Organizations: WASHINGTON, Justice Department, Defense, Justice, White, Department, White House, NBC News, Fox News, Democrat, Trump, South Dakota Gov, National Guard, Partnership for Public Service, Senate, Republicans, FBI, CDC, ATF, DOJ, NBC, Washington Locations: Afghanistan, Iraq, Alaska, Russia
Pete Hegseth, President-elect Donald Trump’s pick for secretary of defense, has said that he believes women should not serve in combat and that he wants to see the military purged of “woke” officials who support diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives. Neither Fox News nor Trump’s transition team immediately responded to requests for comment about Hegseth’s on-air remarks about the military. Hegseth was an Army National Guard infantry officer, serving tours in Afghanistan and Iraq and at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba. “I’m straight up just saying that we should not have women in combat roles,” Hegseth said on the podcast. “Who?” Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., said on Capitol Hill when he was asked Tuesday evening about Trump’s picking Hegseth.
Persons: Pete Hegseth, Donald Trump’s, , , Trump’s, Hegseth, Trump, Pete, Shawn Ryan, CQ Brown, ” Hegseth, hasn’t, Qassam, Edward Gallagher, “ They’re, Gallagher, Richard Spencer, Daniel Penny, Penny, Jeffrey Prosperie, ” Prosperie, Matt Gaetz, Sen, Marco Rubio, Democrat Tulsi Gabbard, I’m, he’s, Gretchen Carlson, Hegseth’s, Brian Kilmeade, ” Sen, Bill Cassidy, “ I’m, Mike Rounds Organizations: Fox News, Trump, “ Fox & Friends, Fox, Army National Guard, Defense Department, Joint Chiefs of Staff, Air Force, Pentagon, U.S, Navy SEAL, Marine, Associated Press, Democrat, Weekend Fox, Defense, Friends, Hegseth’s Fox News, Senate, Capitol Locations: America, Afghanistan, Iraq, Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, U.S, Iran, New York City, Marco Rubio of Florida
CNN —Donald Trump’s increasingly provocative Cabinet picks have left some Republican senators aghast and Washington in shock. The dismay engulfing establishment elites contrasted with the euphoria rocketing through conservative networks and social media among Trump fans. News that Hegseth had been picked to lead the Pentagon rocked Washington the night before the Gaetz pick and sparked similar questions about Trump’s motives. And she was accused of “parroting” false propaganda from America’s premier espionage adversary, Russia, by no less than Utah GOP Sen. Mitt Romney. Not all Trump’s picks are contentious.
Persons: Donald Trump’s, aghast, Florida Republican Matt Gaetz —, Justice Department —, Tulsi Gabbard, Trump’s MAGA, Pete Hegseth, Geraldo Rivera, Gaetz —, Trump, , Anthony Scaramucci, CNN’s Jake Tapper, Pennsylvania Democratic Sen, John Fetterman, CNN’s Manu Raju, , , Gaetz, Elie Honig, Hegseth, Gabbard, , Bashar al, Assad, Utah GOP Sen, Mitt Romney, Florida Sen, Marco Rubio, Rubio, Alaska Sen, Lisa Murkowski, Maine Sen, Susan Collins, Iowa Republican Sen, Joni Ernst, South Dakota Sen, John Thune, Thune, Matt Gaetz, Alabama Sen, Tommy Tuberville, Republicans — you’re, ” Tuberville, acquiesce Organizations: CNN, Florida Republican, Justice Department, Democratic, Fox News, Trump, Senate, Pennsylvania Democratic, Gaetz, FBI, CNN International ., Pentagon, Fox, Defense Department, Utah GOP, GOP, Republican Trump, Iowa Republican, South Dakota, Republican, Republicans, Pennsylvania Senate, Treasury, Health, Human Services, Republican Senate Locations: Washington, Florida, Pennsylvania, Russia, America, Iraq, Afghanistan, Hawaii, Utah, China, Alaska, South, Alabama
Total: 25