Good morning, and welcome to The Epoch Times News Brief for Thursday, Nov. 14, 2024. I’m Bill Thomas, we have some very important stories to share with you right now, and here’s what’s going on.
President-elect Donald Trump makes a surprising choice for the nation’s top legal post, he goes on to pick a former rival to become secretary of state, and he chooses a former Democrat for a key intelligence position in his upcoming administration.
Also, Senate Republicans choose a new majority leader, and a trio of Democratic challengers flip critical House seats in New York.
Trump Selects Matt Gaetz as US Attorney General
Trump says that he’s picked Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) to be the attorney general in his upcoming administration.Trump said yesterday on Truth Social that Gaetz will “end Weaponized Government, protect our Borders, dismantle Criminal Organizations and restore Americans’ badly-shattered Faith and Confidence in the Justice Department.”
Trump lauded Gaetz for exposing details of the dossier-fueled investigation into his first campaign for office. He also described the 42-year-old congressman as “a deeply gifted and tenacious attorney” who has “distinguished himself” with his focus on reforming the Department of Justice (DOJ).
So you know, Gaetz has called for the overhaul of major components of the DOJ, along with the potential abolishment of some agencies, including the FBI.
The congressman received his law degree from William & Mary, and he has represented Florida in the U.S. House of Representatives since 2017. Yesterday on X, he said that it will “be an honor to serve as President Trump’s Attorney General!”
By the way, the position requires Senate confirmation, and Republicans will hold a majority of seats in the upper chamber when Trump is sworn into office early next year.
Trump Picks Rubio, Longtime China Hawk, for Secretary of State
Trump has picked Florida’s three-term senator Marco Rubio to be his nominee for secretary of state, a choice that sets the tone for a more hawkish administration regarding U.S. foreign policy.Yesterday, Trump called Rubio “a Highly Respected Leader” and a “very powerful Voice for Freedom.” He also said the senator will be a “strong Advocate for our Nation, a true friend to our Allies, and a fearless Warrior who will never back down to our adversaries.”
If he’s confirmed by the Senate, Rubio will become the first Latino to serve as the nation’s top diplomat, taking the position as the United States confronts a number of precarious international challenges, including the war between Russia and Ukraine, a growing conflict in the Middle East, and communist China’s military belligerence.
Following Trump’s election victory, Rubio said that the United States would pursue a more “pragmatic foreign policy,” and he made note of the growing axis between China, North Korea, Iran, and Russia.
It’s important to point out that his lawmaking efforts reflect a tough-on-China approach, and he has made countering the Chinese regime a top priority. The senator has also pointed to Beijing’s ambition to topple the United States and its attempt to dominate the world through trade theft and coercion.
By the way, Rubio has long been opposed to any funding for the Ukraine conflict, and he’s also called for the Russia–Ukraine war to be brought to a close.
Trump Picks Tulsi Gabbard as Director of National Intelligence
Trump has just named former congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard as his pick for the director of national intelligence, a position that oversees the entire U.S. intelligence community.In making his choice, Trump said that Gabbard has “fought for our Country and the Freedoms of all Americans” for more than two decades.
The president-elect also said that Gabbard would bring a “fearless spirit” to the position, and that she would champion “our Constitutional Rights” while “securing Peace through Strength.”
So you know, Gabbard served in Congress as a Democratic representative for Hawaii from 2013 to 2021. She also ran for the Democratic presidential nomination in the 2020 primary election, but eventually lost out to candidate Joe Biden.
In 2022, she announced that she was leaving the Democratic Party, and earlier this year, she endorsed Trump in the 2024 presidential race.
By the way, Gabbard currently holds the military rank of lieutenant colonel. She joined the Hawaii Army National Guard in 2003 and transferred to the Army Reserve in 2020.
Yesterday’s announcement was made just a day after Trump named John Ratcliffe to be his next CIA director.
Sen. John Thune Elected Senate GOP Leader
Yesterday, Senate Republicans picked John Thune of South Dakota as their new leader in the 119th Congress, following two rounds of secret ballot voting.Thune won a tight race against his leading contender, Sen. John Cornyn of Texas, for the right to succeed Sen. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, who held the post for nearly two decades.
A source familiar with the ballot count said that the final tally was 29–24 in Thune’s favor. A third contender, Florida Sen. Rick Scott, was knocked out after the first ballot.
You should know that all three candidates expressed strong support for enacting Trump’s major appointments and legislative proposals during the first 100 days of his second presidency.
Thune was first elected to the Senate in 2004, when he won a hard-fought contest to oust then-Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle (D-S.D.). He had previously served three terms as South Dakota’s lone member of the House of Representatives, and is also a former South Dakota Republican Party state chairman.
The newly-elected GOP Senate leader describes himself as an evangelical Christian, and he has made a number of speeches in the upper chamber supporting pro-life and religious liberty measures.
So you know, the Senate leader controls both the schedule and the committee appointments for the majority party, and also determines the allocation of millions of dollars in campaign donations to incumbents and challengers.
Republicans will hold a 53–47 majority in the upper chamber of the new Congress, and 40-year-old Vice President-elect JD Vance will serve as the Senate’s presiding officer—the third youngest man ever to hold the post.
Challengers Flip New York House Seats
A trio of highly competitive House races in New York has changed hands in favor of Democrats, despite a strong showing nationally for both the Republican Party and President-elect Donald Trump.In the state’s District 4, which includes parts of Queens as well as the western edge of Long Island, Democrat Laura Gillen defeated incumbent Rep. Anthony D’Esposito (R-N.Y.) in a rematch from 2022.
So you know, Gillen has taken a less aggressive stance on immigration reform and border security than some candidates, and she’s spoken out against what she views as the racially driven demonization of immigrants, especially Haitians.
In another rematch in upstate New York, Democrat Josh Riley beat incumbent Rep. Marc Molinaro (R-N.Y.) in a very close race.
Riley ran on a platform that included a pledge to expand background checks for guns and to keep “weapons of war” off the streets. He took a firm stand in favor of marriage equality, supported a broad environmental agenda, and promised to work in a bipartisan manner.
New York’s District 22 includes the university town of Syracuse and in that area, the Democrat challenger, state Sen. John Mannion, defeated incumbent Rep. Brandon Williams (R-N.Y.) by a wide margin.
So you know, Mannion won the contest despite being accused of abusive and inappropriate conduct by some former members of his staff, and he cited both workers’ rights and abortion access as legislative priorities in the upcoming Congress.
By the way, there were also some very significant victories for Republicans in the state, including both Rep. Mike Lawler (R-N.Y.) and Rep. Nick LaLota (R-N.Y.), who each defended their seats from progressive challengers.
And now, it looks like our time is just about up for today, so we’re going to call it a wrap for the Thursday edition of The Epoch Times News Brief.
Don’t forget the News Brief Motto: We’re portable, affordable, and always on-demand.
And finally, as we do each and every day on this program, we wrap everything up with a very notable quote, and this one comes to us from Andy Rooney, who said: “Everyone wants to live on top of the mountain, but all the happiness and growth occurs while you’re climbing it.”
Rooney was a radio and television writer and we all fondly remember him from his segments that used to air on 60 Minutes.
For all of us here at The Epoch Times News Brief, I’m Bill Thomas.
The Epoch Times News Brief program is written each day by David Ross.
Thank you for making us your one-stop source for a concise, accurate, and unbiased daily synopsis of many of the news stories you need to know about.
Enjoy the remainder of your day, and we’ll see you right back here tomorrow for another edition of The Epoch Times News Brief.
For now, let’s all continue to watch out for one another, and have an absolutely superb day today. Bye for now.
