Donald Trump has introduced seven new appointments for his incoming administration, recruiting Mike Huckabee because the US ambassador to Israel and Steven Witkoff as Center East envoy.
Huckabee, the previous governor of Arkansas, has a observe file of hardline, sometimes provocative, pro-Israel rhetoric and beforehand mentioned Israel has a rightful declare to the West Financial institution. In 2018, he mentioned he dreamed of constructing a “vacation house” within the Israeli-occupied West Financial institution.
Trump mentioned in an announcement: “He loves Israel, and the folks of Israel, and likewise, the folks of Israel love him.”
Witkoff is a New York Metropolis-based actual property mogul, longtime buddy of Trump’s and main marketing campaign donor who testified as an professional witness for the defence within the New York legal professional normal’s case in opposition to the Trump household and its namesake enterprise.
Trump’s first administration had an explicitly pro-Israel posture, relocating the US embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem in a transfer decried by Palestinians as damaging to peace prospects.
Right here’s what else occurred on Tuesday:
Trump administration information and updates
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Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy will lead a brand new Division of Authorities Effectivity, Trump introduced. Regardless of the title, the organisation won’t be a authorities company. Trump mentioned in an announcement that Musk and Ramaswamy, a former Republican presidential candidate, will work from outdoors the federal government to “drive giant scale structural reform, and create an entrepreneurial method to authorities by no means seen earlier than.”
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South Dakota governor Kristi Noem will lead the Division of Homeland Safety. Within the position, Noem would oversee every thing from border safety and immigration to catastrophe response and the US Secret Service. She is a staunch Trump ally, as soon as thought-about a contender to run with him for vice-president till her revelation that she shot and killed a “hated” canine on her household farm.
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Fox Information host Pete Hegseth will function secretary of defence, Trump mentioned. Hegseth, a military veteran and veterans advocate, has criticised so-called “woke” insurance policies pursed by Pentagon leaders. He developed a friendship with the president-elect throughout his appearances on Fox & Pals.
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Two alumni of the primary Trump administration will make a comeback, with former director of nationwide intelligence and shut Trump ally John Ratcliffe picked for CIA director, and William Joseph McGinley, who served as cupboard secretary within the first time period, to function White Home counsel.
US election information and updates
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The Republicans are simply two seats shy of a 218 majority within the Home of Representatives, after David Valadao received re-election in California’s twenty second congressional district and Gabe Evans defeated the Democratic incumbent Yadira Caraveo in Colorado’s eighth congressional district.
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Trump will meet congressional Republicans throughout his Biden White Home go to on Wednesday as lawmakers put together to “hit the bottom operating,” Home speaker Mike Johnson mentioned. Trump’s first years in workplace have been marked by legislative chaos and “treasured time was wasted”, Johnson advised reporters on Tuesday. “We aren’t going to make these errors once more.”
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Wisconsin Republican Eric Hovde has refused to concede to Democrat Tammy Baldwin in their US Senate race, saying he was “deeply involved” concerning the election outcomes however that searching for a recount was a “critical” resolution and he was nonetheless reviewing his choices, the Related Press reported. Republicans have already received a majority within the Senate.
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The choose in Trump’s Manhattan felony hush-money case has postponed deciding on whether or not to throw out the conviction on presidential immunity grounds. Decide Juan Merchan’s workplace advised Trump’s authorized crew he would delay the ruling till 19 November after defence and prosecutors submitted letters asking for a postponement.
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Samuel Alito, a long-serving conservative justice on the supreme court docket, has no plans to step down, the Wall Avenue Journal reported. If he alters his thoughts, Trump and the Republican-controlled Senate might verify a substitute and sure extend the court docket’s conservative supermajority.
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Trump will reportedly oppose a US regulation that might result in fashionable social media app TikTok being banned, regardless of bipartisan help for the measure.
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Trump advisers are reportedly mulling a “warrior board” to organise purge of prime army officers. Donald Trump’s transition crew is engaged on an govt order that will create a brand new physique tasked with naming army leaders who must be demoted, the Wall Avenue Journal reported. The reported proposal is the most recent signal that Trump might make due on his risk to retaliate in opposition to leaders in any respect ranges of presidency who’ve damaged with him, or who’re perceived as disloyal.
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Trump’s newest cupboard appointments have been revealed as Joe Biden’s administration appeared to proceed to permit army assist to Israel after threatening sanctions if it didn’t act to counter the acute humanitarian disaster in Gaza by a 30-day deadline. State division spokesperson Vedant Patel mentioned on Tuesday there was “no new coverage or new evaluation to supply however we’ll proceed to have our conversations with the Israeli authorities”.
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