live icon
Updated

Trump Picks Gaetz for Attorney General, Rubio for Secretary of State

| Published | Updated
Trump Picks Gaetz for Attorney General, Rubio for Secretary of State
Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) arrives with President-elect Donald Trump's motorcade at the Hyatt Regency Capitol Hill in Washington on Nov. 13, 2024. Kent Nishimura/Getty Images
Here is the latest
Lawmakers Respond to Gaetz Pick as AG
Johnson Says Gaetz Has Resigned From Congress After AG Nomination
Johnson Says Gaetz Has Resigned From Congress After AG Nomination
Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) walks through the halls at the U.S. Capitol in Washington on Oct. 19, 2023. Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

WASHINGTON—House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) announced during a Nov. 13 press conference that Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) had resigned his seat in the House of Representatives after being nominated by President-elect Donald Trump as attorney general.

Though he'll likely face a tough fight to be confirmed by the Senate, Johnson said that Gaetz resigned his seat early so it can be filled as soon as possible. Gaetz said that Florida state law requires the vacancy to be filled within 8 weeks, Johnson said.

Gaetz said he called Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis earlier the same day. Johnson said this could mean the seat can be filled by as early as Jan. 3, when the first sitting of the new Congress occurs.

Lawmakers Respond to Gaetz Pick as AG
Arjun Singh
Sam Dorman

WASHINGTON—Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz’s nomination for attorney general on Nov. 13 drew a quick response from members of Congress.

House Majority Whip Tom Emmer was positive in his comments to The Epoch Times. “That’ll be great,” he said when asked about Gaetz’s nomination.

Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, a Republican who serves with Gaetz as part of Florida’s congressional delegation, praised the pick on X.

Trump Selects Matt Gaetz as US Attorney General
Trump Selects Matt Gaetz as US Attorney General
Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) speaks on stage on the third day of the Republican National Convention at the Fiserv Forum on July 17, 2024 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Leon Neal/Getty Images

President-elect Donald Trump on Nov. 13 said he’s selecting Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) to be attorney general in his second administration.

Gaetz “will end Weaponized Government, protect our Borders, dismantle Criminal Organizations and restore Americans’ badly-shattered Faith and Confidence in the Justice Department,” Trump wrote on his social media platform, Truth Social.

Gaetz, 42, has represented Florida’s First Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives since 2017. Since entering politics, Gaetz has aligned himself with Trump’s populist style, often criticizing the political establishment, including within his own party. He often makes common cause with the party’s conservative flank.

Trump Picks Tulsi Gabbard as Director of National Intelligence
Ryan Morgan
Trump Picks Tulsi Gabbard as Director of National Intelligence
Former President Donald Trump (L) shakes hands with former Rep. Tulsi Gabbard after she endorsed him at the National Guard Association conference in Detroit on Aug. 26, 2024. Jeff Kowalsky/AFP via Getty Images

President-elect Donald Trump has named former congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard as his pick for the director of national intelligence role in his incoming administration.

“I am pleased to announce that former Congresswoman, Lieutenant Colonel Tulsi Gabbard, will serve as Director of National Intelligence (DNI). For over two decades, Tulsi has fought for our Country and the Freedoms of all Americans,” Trump said in a statement shared by his campaign team on Nov. 13.

The Office of the Director of National Intelligence oversees the U.S. intelligence community.

Johnson Wins GOP Speaker Nomination
Jackson Richman
Johnson Wins GOP Speaker Nomination
Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (R-La.) speaks during a meeting with House Republicans and President-elect Donald Trump at the Hyatt Regency hotel in Washington on Nov. 13, 2024. Allison Robbert/ /AFP via Getty Images

WASHINGTON—The House GOP conference on Nov. 13 nominated Rep. Mike Johnson (R-La.) to remain as speaker of the House.

Meanwhile, Republicans are on the verge of retaining the House, just one seat shy of a majority, according to The Associated Press.

This would give the GOP control of the White House and both chambers of Congress, bolstering President-elect Donald Trump’s ability to implement his agenda.

Trump Picks Rubio, Longtime China Hawk, for Secretary of State
Eva Fu
Trump Picks Rubio, Longtime China Hawk, for Secretary of State
Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) speaks at a campaign rally for former President and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump at the PPL Center in Allentown, Penn., on Oct. 29, 2024. Angela Weiss/AFP via Getty Images

President-elect Donald Trump has picked Florida’s three-term senator Marco Rubio to be his nominee for secretary of state, setting the tone for a more hawkish administration on U.S. foreign policy.

“Marco is a Highly Respected Leader, and a very powerful Voice for Freedom,” Trump wrote in a Nov. 13 statement.

“He 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. I look forward to working with Marco to Make America, and the World, Safe and Great Again!”

Sen. John Thune Elected Senate GOP Leader
Mark Tapscott
Sen. John Thune Elected Senate GOP Leader
Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) ahead of the Senate Republican leadership election in Washington on Nov. 13, 2024. Madalina Vasiliu/The Epoch Times

WASHINGTON—Senate Republicans on Nov. 13 selected Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) as their new leader in the 119th Congress, succeeding Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), who held the post for nearly two decades.

Thune was elected after two rounds of secret ballot voting in a 29–24 vote against Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas), according to a source familiar with the final ballot count.

The third contender, Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.), was knocked out after the first ballot.

Biden Meets With Trump at the White House
Emel Akan
Jacob Burg
Biden Meets With Trump at the White House
President Joe Biden (R) meets with President-elect Donald Trump in the Oval Office of the White House on Nov. 13, 2024. AP

WASHINGTON—President Joe Biden met with President-elect Donald Trump for nearly two hours in the Oval Office on Nov. 13, during which both committed to a smooth transfer of power.

In brief remarks before their meeting, the president congratulated Trump and said his administration will help accommodate the president-elect’s needs in the transition.

“Congratulations and I look forward to having, like we said, a smooth transition,” Biden said. “Welcome. Welcome back.”

Trump Announces Senior Staff Hires
Jackson Richman
Trump Announces Senior Staff Hires
President-elect Donald Trump arrives at Joint Base Andrews, Md., on Nov. 13, 2024. Andrew Harnik/Getty Images

President-elect Donald Trump announced on Nov. 13 senior staff hires.

He has also been announcing Cabinet picks, most of whom require Senate confirmation.

Dan Scavino will be assistant to the president and deputy chief of staff. He has been known for operating Trump’s social media accounts and producing viral posts.

Tracking Every Trump Cabinet Pick
Epoch Times Staff
Tracking Every Trump Cabinet Pick
Illustration by The Epoch Times, Getty Images, Public Domain, Samira Bouaou/The Epoch Times, John Fredricks/The Epoch Times, Madalina Vasiliu/The Epoch Times

President-elect Donald Trump is already beginning to finalize his Cabinet roster less than a week after his decisive victory over Vice President Kamala Harris.

The president’s Cabinet usually includes the vice president and the heads of 15 executive departments, including the president’s chief of staff, the secretary of state, and the administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

Here’s who Trump has selected for his Cabinet so far, with most pending Senate confirmation next year:

Pam Bondi, US Attorney General

Former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi became Trump’s new pick for U.S. Attorney General on Nov. 21, pending Senate approval, after former Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) stepped down.