President-elect Donald Trump distanced himself from Project 2025 on the campaign trail but has since nominated several authors or contributors from the controversial conservative presidential wishlist to his administration.Trump called the Project 2025 policy proposals -- which include restrictions on abortion pills, birth control pills and Medicare access, as well as eliminating a couple of federal agencies -- "extreme, seriously extreme" in a July 20 rally."I don't know anything about it. I don't want to know anything about it," he previously said, despite having many connections to its authors and contributors.Democrats pounced on Trump for Project 2025 during the election season, calling it a warning of what is to come under a second Trump term."Project 2025 is the plan by Donald Trump's MAGA Republican allies to give Trump more power over your daily life, gut democratic checks and balances, and consolidate power in the Oval Office if he wins," the Biden campaign stated.Project 2025 is an over 900-page playbook of policy proposals created by conservative think tank The Heritage Foundation intended to guide the next conservative administration. The organization behind the document told ABC News in a past statement that it was not intended to speak for any candidate during the election.Project 2025 and Trump's Agenda47 share similarities -- including proposals to eliminate the Department of Education, increase fossil fuel energy production, and begin mass deportations.At the ABC News debate with Vice President Kamala Harris, Trump reiterated his earlier sentiment on the project. "This was a group of people that got together, they came up with some ideas, I guess some good, some bad, but it makes no difference. I have nothing to do [with it]."Now, several Project 2025 authors and contributors are not just connected to Trump, but also nominated for roles in his administration.Russ Vought, who authored a chapter on "Executive Office of the President" for Project 2025's "Mandate for Leadership: The Conservative Promise," is also under consideration for a cabinet-level position in the next administration and has been vetted by Trump's transition team, sources told ABC News. He was also the RNC platform committee's policy director.Here's a look at which Project 2025 contributors may have a place in the incoming Trump administration:Brendan CarrBrendan Carr, Trump's nomination for chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, is credited as the author of Project 2025's FCC recommendations which include: a ban on TikTok, restrictions on social media moderation, and more.Carr would be tasked with regulating broadcasting, telecommunications and broadband. Trump has suggested that he would expand the White House's influence over the FCC and potentially punish TV networks that cover him in a way he doesn't like.Carr is a longtime member of the commission and served previously as the FCC's general counsel and as the senior Republican for the FCC. He has been unanimously confirmed by the Senate three times and was nominated by both Trump and President Joe Biden to the commission.John RatcliffeRatcliffe, listed as a contributor who assisted "in the development and writing" of Project 2025, has been nominated to serve as the Director of the Central Intelligence Agency.Ratcliffe is a three-term Republican congressman from Texas and served as the director of national intelligence from mid-2020 until the end of Trump's first term.Project 2025's Intelligence Community chapter, credited to The Heritage Foundation's intelligence research fellow Dustin J. Carmack, notes that the "CIA's success depends on firm direction from the President and solid internal CIA Director–appointed leadership. Decisive senior leaders must commit to carrying out the President's agenda and be willing to take calculated risks."Tom HomanFormer Immigration and Customs Enforcement Director Tom Homan has been designated as Trump's "border czar" -- which is not an official Cabinet position.Homan, who is expected to be in charge of the mass deportations promised by the Trump campaign, is listed as a contributor to Project 2025 who assisted in its "development and writing."Project 2025's Department of Homeland Security chapter, credited to Trump's former Acting Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security Ken Cuccinelli, calls for full use of ICE's "expedited removal" authority and further development of immigrant detention spaces. This all aligns with Trump's immigration proposals on mass deportations and funds for the construction of detention centers. Other links to Project 2025Christopher Miller is credited with the project's Department of Defense recommendations. Miller served as Acting Secretary of Defense and Special Assistant to the President under Trump from November 2020 to January 2021.Ben Carson is credited with the project's Housing and Urban Development recommendations. He served as the Secretary of HUD under Trump's first administration.Adam Candeub is credited with the project's Federal Trade Commission recommendations. He served under the Trump administration as Acting Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Telecommunications and Information.Bernard L. McNamee is credited with recommendations on the Department of Energy and Related Commissions. He was nominated to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission by Trump in October 2018.Cuccinelli -- who wrote the Department of Homeland Security section -- was also part of Trump's former administration as the Acting Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security.The RNC platform committee's Deputy Policy Director Ed Martin is also president of the Eagle Forum Education & Legal Defense Fund, which is listed on the project's advisory board.Others connected to Trump, including Trump's United Nations Commission on the Status of Women appointee Lisa Correnti, are listed among the contributors.Source: https://abcnews.go.com/

President-elect Donald Trump, ahead of his return to power in January, is announcing who he wants to fill Cabinet positions and other key roles inside his administration, including names like Marco Rubio, Tulsi Gabbard and Matt Gaetz.Trump began to roll out his nominees and appointees just days after his election victory over Vice President Kamala Harris. Among them are some of his staunchest allies on Capitol Hill and key advisers to his 2024 campaign.Trump will have a Republican-controlled Senate and possibly a Republican-controlled House to help usher his picks through. But he's also urging the incoming Senate leader to embrace recess appointments, which has led to speculation some of his choices may be more controversial.Here is a running list of whom Trump has selected, or is expected to select, to serve in his administration:Secretary of state: Marco RubioTrump announced Florida Sen. Marco Rubio as his pick to be secretary of state.Rubio is the vice-chair of the Senate Select Committee on Foreign Intelligence and sits on the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations. He holds hard-line views on China, Iran and Russia, although like other Republicans he has shifted on support for Ukraine's war effort to be more aligned with Trump.Rubio will need to be confirmed by the Senate. Read more about Rubio's experience here.Department of Homeland Security secretary: Kristi NoemTrump announced he has chosen South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem to be his secretary for the Department of Homeland Security.As Trump's Homeland Security secretary, among Noem's biggest roles is expected to be to oversee Trump's border policies, including the major campaign promise of "mass deportations," alongside Trump's "border czar" Tom Homan and White House deputy chief of staff on policy Stephen Miller.The role would require Senate approval. Read more about Noem here.Secretary of defense: Pete HegsethTrump has selected Fox News host Pete Hegseth to lead the Department of Defense.He listed Hegseth's experience as a veteran and his media experience as his reasons for the choice. Hegseth served in the Army National Guard and was deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan and previously served as the director of an advocacy group that has called for more privatization of the Veterans Administration.Hegseth will need to be confirmed by the Senate to serve in the role. Read more about Hegseth here.Health and Human Services secretary: Robert F. Kennedy Jr.Trump said he has picked Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a vaccine skeptic, to lead the Department of Health and Human Services.HHS oversees major health agencies such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, among others.The job requires Senate confirmation. Read more about Kennedy here.'Department of Government Efficiency': Elon Musk and Vivek RamaswamyTrump announced the two men will lead what he's calling a new "Department of Government Efficiency."It will not be a new federal agency, but will provide "outside of government" counsel on reforming departments and cutting waste, Trump said.Read more about Trump's plan here. The president-elect did not detail how this new department would be funded.Attorney general: Matt GaetzTrump has nominated Rep. Matt Gaetz to be his attorney general.The Florida Republican is a firebrand and one of Trump's most loyal allies who will now be the head of the Justice Department. Gaetz was the subject of a yearslong Justice Department probe that ended without charges, though he is still under investigation by the House Ethics Committee for the same allegations.Gaetz will need to be confirmed by the Senate. Read more about him here.Education secretary: Linda McMahonPresident-elect Donald Trump announced he is nominating Linda McMahon, a former World Wrestling Entertainment executive and the former Small Business Services secretary, to lead the Department of Education.McMahon, who served as Trump's Small Business Services administrator for two years, has no teaching or experience but served one year on the Connecticut State Board of Education.Trump has proposed that the Department of Education be eliminated and to "send all education work and needs back to the states," according to his Agenda47 policy platform.McMahon's appointment must be approved by the Senate. Read more about McMahon here.Chairman of the FCC: Brendan CarrPresident-elect Donald Trump announced Brendan Carr as his pick for chairman of the Federal Communications Commission on Nov. 17.Carr previously served as general counsel for the FCC and as the senior Republican for the FCC.Trump first nominated Carr to the FCC in 2017. The president-elect said in his official announcement this week that although Carr's current term runs through 2029, the president-elect is now designating him as the "permanent chairman."A president chooses a chair from among Senate-confirmed commissioners of the FCC, such that the choice does not require further confirmation from the Senate.Deputy attorney general: Todd BlancheTrump nominated his own personal top defense attorney for the second highest position in the Department of Justice on Thursday.After much speculation, Trump nominated his lawyer who represented Trump in the hush money case and in both of Jack Smith's federal probes.Blanche will need to be confirmed by the Senate.Associate deputy attorney general: Emil BoveTrump announced he nominated Emil Bove for principal associate deputy attorney general.Bove will need to be confirmed by the Senate.Secretary of veterans affairs: Doug CollinsTrump announced he nominated former Georgia Rep. Doug Collins for secretary of veterans affairs.Collins is a veteran who currently serves as a chaplain in the U.S. Air Force Reserve Command, Trump said in a statement."We must take care of our brave men and women in uniform, and Doug will be a great advocate for our Active Duty Servicemembers, Veterans, and Military Families to ensure they have the support they need," Trump said.Collins' position requires Senate confirmation.Energy secretary: Chris WrightTrump announced Chris Wright is his nominee to lead the Department of Energy.Wright, who must be approved by the Senate, is the chief executive of Liberty Energy – the world’s second-largest fracking services company – and is one of the industry’s most outspoken critics of the effort to combat climate change."As Secretary of Energy, Chris will be a key leader, driving innovation, cutting red tape, and ushering in a new 'Golden Age of American Prosperity and Global Peace,'" Trump said.Wright has said he doesn't believe there is a "climate crisis" and has argued that policies aimed at combating climate change make energy more expensive and less reliable.Read more about Wright's experience here.Interior secretary: Doug BurgumTrump announced he has chosen North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum as his interior secretary.Trump also announced that Burgum will be joining his administration as chairman of the "newly formed, and very important, National Energy Council."The council will consist of all departments and agencies "involved in the permitting, production, generation, distribution, regulation [and] transportation" of American energy, Trump said.Burgum was seen as a possible running mate of Trump's. He was one of his busiest surrogates, campaigning for the former president and raising money for his reelection campaign.The position requires Senate confirmation.Transportation secretary: Sean DuffyTrump announced that he has picked former Wisconsin Rep. Sean Duffy for transportation secretary."He will prioritize Excellence, Competence, Competitiveness and Beauty when rebuilding America’s highways, tunnels, bridges and airports," Trump said in a statement. "He will ensure our ports and dams serve our Economy without compromising our National Security, and he will make our skies safe again by eliminating DEI for pilots and air traffic controllers."Duffy co-hosts "The Bottom Line" on Fox Business and is a Fox News contributor.The position requires Senate confirmation.Solicitor general: Dean John SauerTrump said on Thursday he has selected Dean John Sauer as solicitor general.As Trump's defense attorney, Sauer argued for presidential immunity in front of the Supreme Court earlier this year, in which the high court granted broad immunity for official acts.The Department of Justice position requires Senate confirmation.He marks the third attorney who has worked on Trump's criminal cases nominated for a DOJ position.'Border czar': Tom HomanTrump announced former Acting Immigration and Customs Enforcement Director Tom Homan will serve as "border czar."He will be charged with seeing out the mass deportations Trump promised throughout his campaign.Homan oversaw ICE under the Trump administration for a year and a half, at a time when the administration's "zero tolerance" policy led to parents being separated from their children at the border."Border czar" is not an official Cabinet position, meaning it won't need Senate confirmation. Read more about Homan here.Chief of staff: Susie WilesSusie Wiles will be the first female chief of staff for any White House.Wiles was Trump's co-campaign manager for his 2024 run. Trump also credited her for her work on his 2016 and 2020 White House bids, though his 2024 bid ran smoother and saw fewer shake-ups.Wiles is the daughter of legendary NFL Hall of Famer Pat Summerall. She will not require Senate confirmation to serve in the post.Deputy chief of staff for policy: Stephen MillerTrump announced that Stephen Miller will become his deputy chief of staff for policy.Miller is one of Trump's senior advisers and helped craft his hard-line immigration policies during his first term. He will be key in trying to implement Trump's 2024 campaign pledge to mass deport migrants illegally living in the U.S.He will not require Senate confirmation to serve in the post. Read more about Miller's background here.Deputy chief of staff: Dan ScavinoJoining Stephen Miller as another top adviser from his campaign being brought to the White House is Dan Scavino, whom Trump selected as deputy chief of staff.Scavino was also a senior aide during Trump's first term in office.Deputy chief of staff for communications and personnel: Taylor BudowichTaylor Budowich also supported Trump's campaign efforts and earned himself a spot at the White House.He previously ran Trump's super PAC, MAGA Inc.Deputy chief of staff for legislative, political and public affairs: James BlairJames Blair was the political director for Trump's campaign and will seemingly offer similar skills to Trump's administration through the role of deputy chief of staff for legislative, political and public affairs.Formerly, he was the founder and president of a political consulting firm.Ambassador to the United Nations: Elise StefanikNew York Rep. Elise Stefanik has been tapped to be Trump's U.S. ambassador to the United Nations.Stefanik joined Congress as a moderate Republican but became one of Trump's key defenders after his first impeachment and after his 2020 election loss. She joined House leadership in 2021 as chair of the House Republican Conference.Stefanik made headlines this past year as she challenged university presidents on their handling of protests over the Israel-Gaza war. She's also accused the United Nations of antisemitism over some of the resolutions passed amid the conflict.Stefanik will have to be confirmed by the Senate to serve in the role. Read more about Stefanik here.Director of the Central Intelligence Agency: John RatcliffeTrump has selected John Ratcliffe to serve as director of the CIA.The former three-term Republican congressman from Texas served as Trump's director of national intelligence from mid-2020 until the end of Trump's first term.His path to DNI wasn't a smooth one -- he was nominated to the post in 2019, but he withdrew his nomination after questions from both parties arose about his qualifications for the job and whether he had embellished his record as a federal prosecutor."From exposing fake Russian collusion to be a Clinton campaign operation, to catching the FBI's abuse of Civil Liberties at the FISA Court, John Ratcliffe has always been a warrior for Truth and Honesty with the American Public," Trump said in a statement announcing his pick. "When 51 intelligence officials were lying about Hunter Biden's laptop, there was one, John Ratcliffe, telling the truth to the American People."Ratcliffe's nomination requires Senate confirmation. Read more about him here.Environmental Protection Agency administrator: Lee ZeldinTrump has tapped former New York congressman Lee Zeldin to lead the EPA.Zeldin represented Long Island's Suffolk County in the House of Representatives for eight years before launching a failed bid for governor against Democrat Kathy Hochul. Before becoming an elected official, Zeldin was an attorney.Zeldin has pledged to eliminate regulations at the EPA he claimed are hampering businesses. He also said he wanted to restore energy independence as well as protect access to clean air and water.Zeldin will need Senate confirmation to serve in the role. Read more about him here.National security adviser: Mike WaltzTrump has picked Florida Rep. Michael Waltz to be his national security adviser.Waltz, who was the first Green Beret elected to the House, sits on the House Intelligence, Armed Services and Foreign Affairs committees. Before becoming an elected official, Waltz served in various national security policy roles.The national security adviser is appointed by the president with no Senate confirmation needed.Ambassador to Israel: Mike HuckabeeTrump announced he has nominated former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee to be the U.S. ambassador to Israel.The role, which will need to be confirmed by the Senate, will be a key appointment as tensions remain high in the Middle East. Like David Friedman, Trump's first ambassador to Israel, Huckabee is an outspoken supporter of the Israeli settlement movement.Director of national intelligence: Tulsi GabbardTrump announced that he had picked Tulsi Gabbard -- a military veteran and honorary co-chair of his transition team -- has been chosen by Trump to be his director of national intelligence.The position requires Senate confirmation. Read more about Gabbard here.Commerce secretary: Howard LutnickTrump announced that he picked Cantor Fitzgerald CEO Howard Lutnick as his secretary of the Department of Commerce.Lutnick, who leads the investment bank, has been serving as co-chair of the Trump transition team alongside Trump's former Small Business Administrator Linda McMahon.The role requires Senate confirmation.Read more here.Director of communications: Steven CheungTrump announced that Steven Cheung, who previously served as the director of strategic response in Trump's first term, will serve as director of communications in his second.Cheung was also the director of communications for Trump's presidential campaign.Presidential Personnel Office head: Sergio GorTrump has announced that Sergio Gor, who ran the pro-Trump Super PAC Right For America, will serve as director of the Presidential Personnel Office.In this role, he joins Cheung as an assistant to the president.In his statement announcing the selection, Trump said, "Steven Cheung and Sergio Gor have been trusted Advisors since my first Presidential Campaign in 2016, and have continued to champion America First principles throughout my First Term, all the way to our Historic Victory in 2024.”White House counsel: Bill McGinleyTrump has named attorney Bill McGinley as his White House counsel, his transition team announced.McGinley served as the White House Cabinet secretary during Trump's first term and has served as general counsel at the National Republican Senatorial Committee."Bill is a smart and tenacious lawyer who will help me advance our America First agenda while fighting for election integrity and against the weaponization of law enforcement," Trump said in a statement.The White House counsel is appointed by the president.White House staff secretary: Will ScharfTrump announced that one of his own lawyers, Will Scharf, will serve as assistant to the president and White House staff secretary.“Will is a highly skilled attorney who will be a crucial part of my White House team,” Trump said in a statement.Scharf helped defend Trump in his federal election interference case and his Supreme Court immunity case.Manhattan US attorney: Jay ClaytonTrump nominated his former SEC chair, Jay Clayton, as the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York. The president-elect made his announcement on social media.The position requires Senate confirmation.Prior to running the SEC, Clayton worked almost exclusively as a corporate attorney, with the exception of a two-year clerkship and a brief internship for the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services administrator: Dr. Mehmet OzDr. Mehmet Oz has been selected to serve as the administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, Trump announced.The agency is within the Department of Health & Human Services. Trump indicated that Dr. Oz will work closely with Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to take on chronic diseases.The position requires Senate confirmation.Ambassador to Canada: Pete HoekstraTrump announced he's nominating former congressman Peter Hoekstra to be the United States ambassador to Canada.The role requires Senate confirmation for approval.Most recently, Hoekstra served as chairman of the Michigan Republican Party. He previously served as the U.S. ambassador to the Netherlands during Trump's first term.NATO ambassador: Matt WhitakerTrump announced former acting attorney general Matt Whitaker as ambassador to NATO.Whitaker was an active member of Trump's 2024 campaign."Matt is a strong warrior and loyal Patriot, who will ensure the United States' interests are advanced and defended," Trump said.Source: https://abcnews.go.com/

Some say it's hardly a surprise.President-elect Donald Trump campaigned relentlessly on a radical overhaul of the federal government.His Cabinet picks, being unveiled at a breakneck pace, reflect he's determined to keep the promises he made to millions of Americans who voted to put him back in the White House."I don't think he's been very nuanced about it," Ty Cobb, a former Trump White House lawyer, told ABC News. "Trump has been consistently saying that he's going to shake it up, that he's going to dismantle the Department of Education, that he's going to blow up the DOJ. All of these things are real."At first, his choices toed a more traditional line. Sen. Marco Rubio, who serves on foreign intelligence and relations committees, for secretary of state. Rep. Michael Waltz, a Green Beret who also sits on related House panels, for national security adviser.Several immigration hard-liners were quickly -- but still somewhat predictably -- tapped to implement his call for mass deportations, including Stephen Miller as deputy chief of staff, South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem as homeland security secretary and former acting ICE Director Tom Homan as "border czar."But after that came a series of names that shocked even Trump's close Republican allies in Congress: former Fox News host Pete Hegseth for defense secretary, Tulsi Gabbard for director of national intelligence, Matt Gaetz for attorney general and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to oversee Health and Human Services.While those four lack conventional bonafides to lead some of the country's top political institutions, all possess a skill Trump is said to highly value: being experienced on TV communicating and defending his biggest political goals."This will absolutely be a brand-new era in Washington, from the pledge to remake the civil service to a top-to-bottom change in federal policies. There's nothing like it in recent memory," said Donald Kettl, a professor emeritus at the University of Maryland and former dean of its school of public policy.“The job of a Cabinet secretary involves a lot more than giving interviews," Kettl said. "These are very large, sprawling agencies on which Americans deeply depend. It would take little for them to drift into major crises that would both hurt Americans and give the administration a black eye."Trump recently said the biggest regret of his first term was installing "disloyal people."Internal strife with his own staff was well-documented. He lambasted his first attorney general, Jeff Sessions, for recusing himself from the department's Russia investigation. He expressed anger at Defense Secretary Mark Esper for disagreeing with his suggestion to use active-duty military to quell street protests over George Floyd in 2020. They are now viewed as having been key guardrails --keeping Trump's more controversial demands inside traditional lines.In Gabbard, Gaetz and Hegseth, Trump has found potential agency heads (pending Senate confirmation, which could prove tricky for some) who similarly want to root out what he's long accused of being a "weaponized" justice system and a rebellious military.“The last time the transition was very traditional but I think that’s because President Trump really had not been exposed that much to Washington,” said Ron Nicol, who in 2016 directed the agency action team in charge of Trump’s transition. “What he’s doing now is choosing a team that will be focused on getting things done.”Hegseth, an Army veteran, has said in interviews before being named that he advocated a "frontal assault" on the DOD, including firing what he called "woke" generals and eliminating the Pentagon's diversity goals.Gabbard, a former congresswoman who also served in the National Guard, has long railed against the so-called "deep state" Trump has blamed for undermining him in his first term and she's called Democrats a "cabal of warmongers."Gaetz, a conservative firebrand who resigned from Congress just after being named, has claimed the Justice Department is corrupt and even called for the FBI to be abolished. Gaetz himself was the subject of a federal investigation into potential sex trafficking, which ended without charges against Gaetz.Many in the defense and justice communities have balked at the choices -- Gaetz for the nation's top law enforcement official, especially -- while Trump has said they would carry out his desire for reform."If what he means by that is burning them to the ground, then maybe," said Matthew Waxman, who served in senior positions at the state and defense departments during the George W. Bush administration."But if we're talking about serious institutional reform based on American values and careful deliberation, organization management and effectiveness, I don't see them as possessing any of those virtues," Waxman added.Trump on Wednesday attempted to blame Democrats for allegations levied against some of his more controversial Cabinet picks."They dirty them up, they destroy them, and then they spit them out. They are trying that right now with some great American Patriots who are only trying to fix the mess that the Democrats have made of our Country," Trump posted on his social media platform.Barbara Perry, co-chair of the presidential oral history program at the University of Virginia's Miller Center, said Trump appears to be running with what he perceives as a "mandate" from voters."He won, if not by a landslide, decisively. He views that as a compelling case for putting the people he wants who are the most MAGA in his mind," Perry said."No one could argue in terms of presidents putting people they support into these positions, that's their prerogative," Perry added. "What is arguable is in the cases of at least four of these picks, they are unqualified."Donald Trump Jr., speaking with Fox News, said his father's picks will be "actual disrupters" and "that's what the American people want."Cobb, who worked for the Trump administration in 2017 and 2018, contended the president-elect may be "overestimating" the mandate."The three overwhelming issues of consequence in the last election were inflation, immigration and abortion," Cobb said. "Obviously, immigration and inflation are things that people expect Trump to do. I think they discounted the persistent warnings of Trump being on a crusade for vengeance and for his own needs."Source: https://abcnews.go.com/

Social media feeds are overflowing with users urging people to stock up on certain products in case President-elect Donald Trump imposes new tariffs once he takes office in January 2025, but even if his campaign promises go through, it could take considerable time before impacts are felt.Chief U.S. economist at Oxford Economics, Ryan Sweet, reminded American consumers, "There's no reason to panic -- tariffs don't take effect immediately.""Even if President Trump signs an executive order on day one, you're looking towards the tail end of next year, early 2026 before you start to see these prices hike," he said.Walmart, the world's largest retailer, told ABC News it is worried that the possibility of higher tariffs under the next administration could lead to higher prices for consumers, at a time when many are already feeling the impact of lingering inflation.The warning videos trickling in on TikTok show creators voicing concerns of possible price increases on items, which has prompted some shoppers to stock up now, if the president-elect's signature promise goes into effect.Trump has vowed to impose up to 20% tariffs on all products coming into the U.S. and 60% on goods from China.Big railers like Walmart and Lowe's are warning those higher import costs could force them to raise prices for customers.Small businesses are worried, too, including Lisa Jae-Eggert the co-founder of 3 Moms Organics."With these tariffs, there's really going to be a higher cost to me. And ultimately it's gonna fall on the shoulders of the consumer," she explained.The National Retail Federation has reported that clothes, toys, furniture, household appliances, footwear and travel goods are at risk. The retail group has estimated that the price of a $40 toaster oven could go up to $52 with tariffs under President Trump. Another example, a $50 pair of sneakers could cost $62.Trump's transition team has disputed the idea that tariffs will lead to higher prices and said that the goal is to incentivize people to buy more products in the U.S. instead of abroad.Retailers plan out inventory months in advance so shelves will be plenty stocked at current price levels, or maybe even lower, this holiday shopping season.Source: https://abcnews.go.com/

In the months leading up to Election Day, the nation's largest private prison company poured a million dollars into a super PAC supporting former President Donald Trump.The donations from Geo Group were far from the largest corporate contribution to Trump's war chest -- but few industries are set to benefit from the incoming Trump administration as significantly as private prisons, which are expecting a surge in business driven by Trump's plan to deport millions of undocumented immigrants.During a recent corporate earnings call, Geo Group CEO Brian Evans estimated that his company could make as much as $400 million annually by filling empty or underutilized beds at existing detention facilities to support what he called the "future needs for ICE and the federal government," referring to the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency."What is new is a potential sea change by the incoming Trump administration that is expected to implement a much more aggressive policy towards interior and border immigration enforcement," Geo Group founder George Zoley said on the call. "We believe that the private sector will play a critical role in assisting the government in carrying out its objectives."Geo Group could expand the numbers of beds in its detention facilities, offer GPS monitoring for potentially millions of migrants, and ramp up its secure transportation of migrants, according to executives on the Nov. 7 earnings call."We have assured ICE of our capability to rapidly scale up our capabilities to monitor and oversee several hundreds of thousands, or even several millions of individuals in order to achieve the federal government's immigration law compliance objectives," Geo Group President Wayne Calabrese said on the call.Investors appear to have noticed, with the company's stock price jumping more than 80% since the beginning of the month.'A free-for-all' for companiesBoth Zoley and Evans both made contributions directly to Trump's Save America Joint Fundraising Committee, though their $11,600 contributions are a fraction of the million dollars that Geo Acquisition II Inc. -- a subsidiary of the private prison company -- contributed to the Make America Great Again Inc. over the last year.Geo Acquisition II contributed $500,000 in February before contributing $250,000 in August and again in September, according to Federal Election Commission records.Saurav Ghosh, a director at the watchdog group Campaign Legal Center, said the contributions were likely made through a subsidiary in order to comply with laws prohibiting federal contractors from making political contributions.When Geo Group used a separate subsidiary -- GEO Corrections Holdings, Inc -- to contribute money to a pro-Trump super PAC in 2016, the Campaign Legal Center filed a complaint with the Federal Elections Commission, arguing the contribution violated the prohibition on federal contractor contributions. The FEC ultimately dismissed the case after commissioners were deadlocked along partisan lines, clearing the way for future contributions through sister companies that don't directly have contracts with the government."It's still concerning from the perspective of corporations that are looking to drive policy in ways that favor their interests over everyday Americans," said Ghosh.Executives from CoreCivic -- the country's second largest private prison company -- said on a recent earnings call that they are preparing to meet the demand for detention beds that they anticipate from the incoming Trump administration. CoreCivic president Damon Hininger contributed $300,000 to a joint fundraising committee between the Trump campaign and the Republican National Committee over the last year."Trump's first time in office was a free-for-all for companies giving money to his campaign and his companies," said Robert Maguire, Vice President for Research and Data at the nonprofit watchdog group Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington. "We're going to see that on overdrive during his second term, with private prison companies putting themselves in a position to benefit from this administration."Aiming to 'educate' officialsBoth CoreCivic and Geo Group also run separate PACs they say aim to "educate" officials from both parties about their services -- though a review of the PACs' contributions suggest that Republican candidates and political action committees receive the overwhelming majority of their donations.The Geo Group Inc. Political Action Committee -- which the company describes as a nonpartisan PAC funded by employee contributions -- contributed more than $670,000 to Republican candidates and aligned PACs over the last two years. The PAC contributed approximately $17,500 to Democratic candidates and causes.Of the $300,000 in contributions made by CoreCivic's PAC, more than $277,000 have gone toward Republican candidates and political action committees.In a statement to ABC News, a spokesperson for CoreCivic said the company supports candidates and elected officials who "understand important solutions" that the company can provide, like "reducing recidivism, alleviating prison overcrowding, and providing safe, humane immigration capacity."The spokesperson for the company added that CoreCivic did not make any contributions to any presidential candidate or campaign during the 2024 U.S. presidential cycle.Representatives for Geo Group did not respond to a request for comment from ABC News.'We need detention assets'Despite their contributions favoring Republicans, executives from both companies say their services are provided without regard to party."We have provided these essential services under both Democratic and Republican administrations and during times when either party has been in control of the U.S. Congress," Evans, GEO Group CEO, said on the recent earnings call.Under the Trump administration -- when ICE opened 40 new detention facilities, according to the American Civil Liberties Union -- Geo Group's revenue grew from $2.17 billion in 2016 to $2.35 billion in 2020. When President Joe Biden took office and immediately signed an executive order to eliminate the Department of Justice's use of private prisons, he did not include ICE's use of private detention -- and Geo Group's revenue continued to increase to $2.41 billion in 2023, with ICE accounting for 43% of its customer revenue.According to Maguire, the private prison industry is now poised to profit from Trump's new policies.Trump has vowed to carry out the "largest deportation program in American history" and has put it in the hands of former acting ICE director Tom Homan, who is now the president-elect's "border czar." According to Homan, the federal government will require "a massive amount of detention beds" to house migrants before deporting them."What people don't understand is we can't just put [them on] a plane," he said. "There's a process we have to go through. You have to contact the country, they have to agree to accept them, then they got to send you travel documents. And that takes several days to several weeks. So we need detention assets."As ICE already relies on private-run detention facilities, Homan has suggested that private prison companies would be the cheapest and most effective way to increase the country's capacity to house migrants."Using outside contractors that run facilities like this as their core business function saves millions of dollars in taxpayer funds and increases the quality of care those being detained receive," Homan wrote in his 2020 book, "Defend the Border and Save Lives."Source: https://abcnews.go.com/

Tech billionaire Elon Musk and President-elect Donald Trump have spent time together just about every day since the election. The pair has addressed lawmakers in Washington, D.C., sat ringside at a UFC fight in New York City, and attended a rocket launch in South Texas.Investors appear to have taken notice. Shares of Musk-run Tesla have soared nearly 40% since Trump won re-election nearly two weeks ago. But the electric carmaker is not the only company affiliated with a Trump ally that has enjoyed a stock surge in the aftermath of Trump's victory.Apollo Global Management, an investment firm whose CEO, Marc Rowan, is said to be under consideration for Treasury secretary, as first reported by The New York Times, has seen its share price jump more than 12%.Likewise, Palantir, a data analytics firm founded by longtime Trump backer Peter Thiel, has undergone a rise of 23% since Election Day.GEO Group, a private prison company, made a $500,000 contribution to a pro-Trump Super PAC, while two top executives at the company, Brian Evans and George Zoley, each made personal donations in support of Trump. The company’s shares have skyrocketed 87% since the election.The stock value of the companies noted has far outpaced the S&P 500. That index has climbed about 2.5% since Election Day.Tesla did not immediately respond to an ABC News request for comment, nor did Apollo Global Management, Palantir, or GEO Group.Tom Essaye, president of financial data firm Sevens Report Research, said the strong gains for a range of stocks affiliated with Trump allies indicate a view among some investors that Trump will reward friends with favorable treatment.“The market is incredibly sensitive to try to capture any edge in any stock that it can possibly find,” Essaye told ABC News. “This is absolutely a reflection of people’s perception of Trump.”The Trump transition team did not immediately respond to ABC News’ request for comment.A new presidential administration typically bodes well for some industries and worse for others, depending on the policy priorities of an incoming president, experts told ABC News. Trump has touted policy proposals widely viewed as pro-business, such as loosened regulations and an extension of the signature tax cut measure enacted during his first term.A portion of the increase in share price for some of the Trump-connected firms may stem from that overall shift toward business-friendly policy, some experts said."It’s not unusual for stocks to go up in sectors that look like the new administration will be more favorable to them than past policy has been," Tom Rogers, the founder of CNBC, told ABC News.However, the price jump for specific stocks tied to Trump allies also marks an altogether different trend that arises from the view of Trump as a transactional leader who may face fewer guardrails during a second term, Rogers said.“You have the new layer with Trump where he tends to be someone who can favor companies or disfavor companies based on his view of their politics or his view of their level of support for him,” Rogers added. “It’s natural that the market will take those factors into account."In recent weeks, some top CEOs have appeared to seek improved relations with Trump.Days before this year's election, Jeff Bezos, the executive chairman of Amazon and owner of the Washington Post, blocked the newspaper’s planned endorsement of Vice President Kamala Harris. In an op-ed for the newspaper addressing the decision, Bezos said, “no quid pro quo of any kind is at work here.” Bezos did acknowledge that the decision could present "the appearance of conflict" of interest.In the days following the election, Trump received congratulatory messages from Bezos, Apple CEO Tim Cook, Google CEO Sundar Pichai, and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, among other top executives.It's also possible that Tesla might suffer under the Trump administration. The president-elect has sharply criticized the electric vehicle industry and vowed to eliminate a subsidy made available to those who purchase an electric car. Still, Tesla’s stock price has climbed alongside Musk’s emergence as a close advisor to Trump, including being selected as the co-lead of a new government efficiency commission.“The fact that Elon Musk is so close to the administration – and, in fact, will be in the administration in some capacity – suggests that for all the talk, his companies won’t be hurt,” Nejat Seyhun, a finance professor at the University of Michigan who studies market activity, told ABC News.A slew of other Trump allies have seen their firms make gains since the election.TKO Group Holdings is the parent company of the Ultimate Fighting Championship, which is led by CEO Dana White, who addressed Trump supporters at the Republican National Convention as well as the rally at Madison Square Garden last month. Shares of TKO Group holdings have climbed more than 10% since Trump’s victory.A spokesperson for TKO Group Holdings declined to respond to ABC News' request for comment.Steve Schwarzman, a Republican megadonor who endorsed Trump in May, leads asset management giant Blackstone. Shares of the company have jumped about 9% in value since Election Day. Energy Transfer, an energy pipeline company whose Executive Chairman Kelcy Warren donated $5 million to a pro-Trump super PAC, has seen its share price increase more than 6% over the past two weeks.Neither did Blackstone nor Energy Transfer immediately responded to ABC News requests for comment.To be sure, some businesses with ties to Trump or his allies have seen their shares decline in value since the election. The stock price of Las Vegas Sands, a casino owned by Trump megadonor Miriam Adelson, has dropped about 2% over the past two weeks. Trump-owned Truth Social has seen shares decline more than 13% since Election Day.Some experts told ABC News that the surge for some companies with connections to Trump may soon fizzle out.“The first time that somebody who supposedly was in good favor with the Trump administration doesn’t get something their corporate interests are looking for, the air may come out of these things,” Rogers said. “For the time being, it’s probably a logical bet.”Seyhun, of the University of Michigan, agreed. “This initial buying is very much a fear of missing out,” he said.Source: https://abcnews.go.com/

President-elect Donald Trump's criminal hush money conviction in New York must be dismissed "to facilitate the orderly transition of Executive power," Trump's defense attorneys argued Wednesday in a letter to the court.Defense attorneys Todd Blanche and Emil Bove -- both of whom Trump nominated last week to top DOJ posts in his new administration -- sought the judge's permission to file a motion to dismiss the case."Continuing with this case would be uniquely destabilizing," the defense letter argued. "Just as a sitting President is completely immune from any criminal process, so too is President Trump as President-elect."The defense filing comes one day after Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg opposed dismissing the case but consented to freeze of all remaining proceedings, including sentencing, until after Trump completes his term.The defense sought a Dec. 20 deadline to file its motion to dismiss Trump's 34-count felony conviction for falsifying business records.Blanche and Bove said that would give Trump time to address "the positions taken by DOJ in the federal cases" Trump faces over the his election interference efforts and his handling of classified documents.Both of the federal cases are currently paused while the Justice Department evaluates how to proceed.Trump was convicted in May of all 34 felony counts of falsifying business records related to a hush money payment to adult film actress Stormy Daniels to silence allegations about a 2006 sexual encounter with Trump in order to boost his electoral prospects in the 2016 presidential election.His conviction carries a maximum penalty of up to four years in prison, but first-time offenders would normally receive a lesser sentence.Source: https://abcnews.go.com/

As President-elect Donald Trump prepares to take office, one of his first orders of business will be to decide about the fate of TikTok in the United States -- and some of his cabinet appointees appear to be split on the issue.Sources familiar with the president-elect's thinking told ABC News that he may try to stop the ban of the popular social media app, which according to a new law must either find a new U.S. owner by Jan. 19 or face a ban.Trump's pick to lead the FCC, Brendan Carr, signaled support for banning TikTok in 2022."I think either a total ban or some sort of action like that that's going to completely sever the corporate links back into Beijing," Carr told NPR, referencing concerns about possible data usage on the Chinese-owned app.Former Rep. Matt Gaetz -- Trump's controversial pick to for attorney general, who would lead the department that would enforce any ban -- voted against a ban of the app while he was a member of the House -- though he signaled some support for the initiative."Banning TikTok is the right idea. But this legislation was overly broad, rushed and unavailable for amendment or revision. This is no way to run a railroad (or the internet)," Gaetz wrote on X, formerly Twitter, at the time.TikTok and its parents company, ByteDance, have sued the U.S. government over the potential ban, ABC News previously reported, saying it's unconstitutional and violates the First Amendment, while pushing back on claims about the app being security risk."Congress itself has offered nothing to suggest that the TikTok platform poses the types of risks to data security or the spread of foreign propaganda that could conceivably justify the act," TikTok's lawsuit said.A spokesperson for Trump's transition team did not respond to a request for comment from ABC News.As ABC News previously reported, Trump could try to stop the ban through a number of methods, including pushing Congress to repeal the law banning the app, refusing to enforce the ban, or helping TikTok find a U.S. buyer to comply with the law and render the issue moot.The ban of the app was spearheaded in Congress by former Rep. Mike Gallagher, who said in an April interview with the New York Times that TikTok posed an "espionage threat" and a "propaganda threat" and that China is "America's foremost adversary."Responding to allegations regarding TikTok, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Nig last year said that China "has never and will not" direct companies to illegally collect data in other countries, according to The New York Times.In testimony before Congress, TikTok's CEO also said the app was "free from any manipulation from any government" and that he had "seen no evidence that the Chinese government has access to that data. They have never asked us, we have not provided it," according to NPR.Gallagher resigned early this year and took a job with software company Palantir Technologies. A spokesperson for Gallagher rebuffed questions raised at the time over his swift move to Palantir, a company that was vocal about its opposition to TikTok, according to Forbes magazine."Congressman Gallagher knows and complies with the House Rules, which includes those about negotiating outside employment," the spokesperson said in a statement regarding the Forbes report.Source: https://abcnews.go.com/

Texas Land Commissioner Dawn Buckingham is offering the incoming Trump administration 1,402 acres the state purchased along the Texas-Mexico border to be used in a mass deportation operation.In a letter to President-elect Donald Trump, Buckingham said she's offering the land "to be used to construct deportation facilities."The Texas General Land Office purchased the plot of land from a farmer in October to facilitate Texas' efforts to build a wall."My office is fully prepared to enter into an agreement with the Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or the United States Border Patrol to allow a facility to be built for the processing, detention, and coordination of the largest deportation of violent criminals in the nation’s history," Buckingham wrote in the letter, dated Tuesday.The move shows that despite the Democratic governors of California and Arizona, two other southern border states, pledging not to aid the Trump administration's mass deportation plans, the incoming administration will have allies in Republican-led states.Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs told ABC News Live on Monday that she would not use state police or the National Guard to help with mass deportation."We will not be participating in misguided efforts that harm our communities," she said.Trump on Monday confirmed he would declare a national emergency to carry out his campaign promise of mass deportations of migrants living in the U.S. without legal permission, and pledged to get started on the mass deportations as soon as he enters office.A spokeswoman for the Trump transition team said the president-elect will "marshal every lever of power" to launch his mass deportation plans."Local and state officials on the frontlines of the Harris-Biden border invasion have been suffering for four years and are eager for President Trump to return to the Oval Office. On day one, President Trump will marshal every lever of power to secure the border, protect their communities, and launch the largest mass deportation operation of illegal immigrant criminals in history," Karoline Leavitt said.In an interview with Fox News, which first reported the news of the Texas General Land Office's offer, Buckingham reiterated she is "100% on board" with the incoming administration's promise to deport criminals.The plot of land is in Starr County, about 35 miles west of McAllen, Texas."Now it's essentially farmland, so it's flat, it's easy to build on. We can very easily put a detention center on there -- a holding place as we get these criminals out of our country," she told Fox News.Source: https://abcnews.go.com/

The Trump administration's plan to use active-duty U.S. military personnel to help with the mass deportation of undocumented migrants appears to be similar to the support role that troops provided along the U.S-Mexico border in 2018 and 2019, during the first Trump administration.During his 2024 campaign, President-elect Donald Trump often referenced military personnel forming a part of his plans to assist the deportation, but how they would do that under existing legal authorities was left vague. On Monday, however, Trump confirmed that he planned to declare a national emergency to carry out that campaign promise.Additionally, Thomas Homan, Trump's choice to serve as the Border Czar, fleshed out his view of how U.S. military assets would be a "force multiplier" in the deportations but stressed that they would be carrying out "non-enforcement duties." In other words, military personnel will not be participating in arrests."They'll be used to do non-enforcement duties such as transportation, whether it's on ground or air, infrastructure, building, intelligence," Homan said in an interview on Fox Business Network.U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers doing those duties could be replaced by military personnel "because it doesn't require immigration authority," Homan explained.He also described the military's role as a "force multiplier to take more agents, put them on streets where we need them" and he envisioned the U.S. military possibly assisting in flights taking detainees back to their home countries."We're hoping DOD will help us with air flights, because there's a limited number of planes ICE has contracts with; so DOD can certainly help with air flights all across the globe," he said.Homan's description was very similar to the previous active-duty deployment in 2018 and 2019 ,during Trump's first term that supported U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) as migrant caravans from Central America made their way to the U.S. border.The mission was ordered in October 2018 and eventually saw the deployment of 6,100 active duty forces to the border, which was soon followed by Trump's declaration of a national emergency that enabled the U.S. military to help build portions of the border wall.Pentagon officials stressed that the thousands of active-duty troops deployed to the border would only be serving in a support role to federal law enforcement and that they would not carry out law enforcement duties. That role was in line with the Posse Comitatus Act that forbids the U.S. military from carrying out law enforcement duties domestically.The active-duty troops joined 2,350 National Guardsmen who were already helping CBP in their home states of California, Texas, and Arizona.Initially, the mission of the active-duty troops was to build housing for additional CBP personnel headed to the region, provide medical support, fly CBP personnel around the border region and construct 70 miles of additional obstacles and security barriers for the 22 ports of entry. Military police units were deployed to provide security for military construction crews working along the border and were the only forces that were allowed to be armed during the deployment.What was supposed to be a 45-day mission kept being extended and continues to this day in a modified way and in much smaller numbers than 2019.After the initial mission goals were quickly completed, the Pentagon approved a new Department of Homeland Security request to set up an unarmed quick reaction force to help CPB with riot control in case there was a migrant rush at a port of entry.In April 2019, the role of active-duty troops was expanded so they could be allowed to assist in driving high-capacity CBP vehicles to transport migrants; provide administrative support, including providing heating, meal distribution and monitoring the welfare of individuals in CBP custody; and attorney support to ICE.A month later, the Pentagon approved a DHS request to provide tent housing for up to 7,500 single adult migrants at six locations along the border. The tents were to come from U.S. military supplies and were to be erected by U.S. military personnel. . Eventually, DHS requested that active duty personnel set up an additional 150 miles of concertina wire along the border area beyond the 70 miles of obstacles that were laid out in the first six weeks of the border support mission.Trump's conformation that he plans to declare a national emergency to enable the mass deportation is a different rationale than the national emergency that he declared in 2019.The 6,100 active-duty troops were deployed to the border under existing authorities. Instead, the national emergency that Trump declared in early 2019 was to make it possible for the U.S military to help construct portions of the border wall that had been one of his major campaign promises.The National Emergencies Act allows the military to undertake new military construction projects not specified by Congress, but only if previously appropriated funds for such projects are used.In the end, the Pentagon was able to use $6.1 billion in funding for the wall including $3.6 billion in funds reallocated from other projects and an additional $2.5 billion in funding from counter narcotics efforts.Declaring a national emergency is not a rare occurrence and the National Emergencies Act has been invoked multiple times. At the time of the border declaration, there were about 30 emergencies already in effect by previous administrations.Source: https://abcnews.go.com/

President-elect Donald Trump's 2024 campaign was, in part, built on a bedrock of U.S. domestic oil and gas production.Throughout the election cycle, Trump repeated his "drill, baby, drill" slogan, promising a fracking boom that he said could help make America more "energy independent" and lower voters' spending at the gas station.During his campaign speech at Madison Square Garden in October, Trump asserted his oil and gas policy would "cut your energy prices in half," telling voters that within a year of his inauguration in January 2025, they'd see a 50% decrease in costs.Time will tell what the Trump administration will accomplish, but experts say that within his first few months in office, Trump could dramatically tap into America's drilling landscape.ABC News has reached out to the Trump campaign for a comment."There's a number of things that he can do within the first 90 days when he gets in office to really help bolster American energy," Tim Tarpley, president of the Energy Workforce & Technology Council, told ABC News.Tarpley oversees the national trade association that represents 220 energy service and technology companies and over 650,000 individuals in the U.S. energy workforce.Increase fracking on federal landTrump nominating fracking services executive Chris Wright to spearhead the Department of Energy signals an increase in domestic drilling during his term.Wright founded the publicly traded oilfield services firm Liberty Energy in 2010, which fracks 20% of the onshore wells nationally.The $3 billion company is involved in nearly 10% of the United States' total energy production, according to Wright."Chris has been a leading technologist and entrepreneur in Energy. He has worked in Nuclear, Solar, Geothermal, and Oil and Gas," Trump wrote in a statement announcing Wright as the nominee."Most significantly, Chris was one of the pioneers who helped launch the American Shale Revolution that fueled American Energy Independence, and transformed the Global Energy Markets and Geopolitics," Trump added.During an interview with Bloomberg in July, Wright suggested that the Trump administration would expand drilling on federal lands and make it easier to permit infrastructure.Fracking accounts for the bulk of America's domestic oil and gas production, with 95% of new wells being hydraulically fractured, creating two-thirds of the total U.S. gas market and about half of U.S. crude oil production, according to the U.S. Energy Department.Despite the back-and-forth between Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris on a so-called fracking ban during the election cycle, fracking wells in the U.S. are predominantly on private land, with federal land leases only accounting for 24% of the total number of wells, according to the American Petroleum Institute.Trump's second term in the White House could see a shift in that percentage, with more permits being leased to federal land, Tarpley said, while noting that substantial changes "will not happen overnight.""Those numbers may increase, that perpetual share may increase slightly, but I don't think there's going to be a dramatic increase in fracking on federal lands in the near term," he said.Reform permitting processesAt the top of the to-do list, Tarpley said Trump will likely pass a bipartisan permitting reform bill introduced by Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee chairmen Joe Manchin and John Barrasso in July.Notably, independent Sen. Manchin and Republican Sen. Barrasso represent major energy-producing states, West Virginia and Wyoming.The Energy Permitting Reform Act of 2024 aims to "strengthen U.S. energy independence by accelerating the permitting process for critical energy and mineral projects," according to the bill.The legislation slashes the amount of time allotted to energy projects to undergo judicial review. Specifically, it recommends reducing the deadline for filing lawsuits against an agency that has approved or denied a permit from six years to just 150 days.The bill also requires courts to prioritize cases reviewing an agency permitting decision for oil and gas projects -- essentially moving oil and gas cases up the docket.Tarpley believes the passing of this legislation, which will likely be possible with the GOP-controlled Senate, will make America more competitive in the global energy market."Currently, it takes about five years to get a permit for a gas pipeline from initial design to construction to done," Tarpley said. "That's well longer than most of our peers around the world."Environmental and health effectsEnvironmental organizations have decried the Energy Permitting Reform Act. In July, more than 360 environmental organizations shared a joint letter to the Senate committee urging them to reject what they called a "dirty permitting deal."The organizations, led by the nonprofit Earth Justice, called the legislation, "an egregious attempt to fulfill the wish list of the fossil fuel industry, which is laid out in the Heritage Foundation's Project 2025, under the guise of promoting renewable energy and developing transmission infrastructure."Organizations fear that the bill and its proposed limitations on the judicial review process will lead to more leasing and drilling without federal oversight and community input.The National Institutes of Health warns of the impacts of increased fracking, saying chemicals used in the process could lead to air and water contamination, harming human health and the environment.A 2022 study published in the National Library of Medicine found that air pollutants from fracking sites is associated with multiple cancers and increased health risk."The researchers found that older adults who lived near or downwind of unconventional oil and gas development sites had a higher risk of premature death than those living upwind," the NIH reported.Similarly, the Environmental Protection Agency found scientific evidence that hydraulic fracking activities can affect drinking water resources under some circumstances, but the extent of contamination is unknown.Still, Trump's vocal support for domestic oil production is something he said could be on the "Day 1" agenda.During a campaign stop in Scranton, Pennsylvania, in October, Trump said, "On Day 1, frack, frack, frack, and drill, drill, drill.""We will have energy independence and energy dominance," he added.Source: https://abcnews.go.com/

Not long before polls began closing on Election Day, Stephen Miller, a longtime adviser whom President-elect Donald Trump has since tapped as his deputy chief of policy, shared a post on X mentioning an "after-work surge of men" voting: "Get every man you know to the polls," Miller added. This was an unveiled acknowledgement by the Trump team of the advantage they had in support from men, and the disadvantage they had among women.In a widely shared New York Times/Siena College battleground poll from August, men from every age cohort were more likely to support Trump than Vice President Kamala Harris, while women in every age cohort were more likely to support Harris than Trump. In that poll, the biggest gap was among the youngest cohort — 53 percent of men ages 18-29 planned to support Trump, compared to just 29 percent of women, a gender gap of 24 percentage points. This gender gap was often in the news leading up to Election Day, especially in light of the reported boost in enthusiasm for Harris among women, and controversial pro-Harris ads suggesting that women married to pro-Trump men vote for Harris and hide their votes from their husbands.In this context, Miller's last-minute appeal to men seemed to suggest a little desperation. Of course, it may have been unneeded: Trump improved on his 2020 numbers not only among men in 2024, but among many other groups too. And with Trump gaining across most demographic groups, the gender gap this year was large, but not notably larger than it had been in 2020 or 2016. According to exit polls, 55 percent of men voted for Trump in 2024, compared to 45 percent of women, for a 10-point gender gap — 1 point less than the 11-point gap in support for Trump in both 2020 and 2016.*Compared to other exit polling results that point to how Trump's victory may have boiled down to a referendum on President Joe Biden and the economy, this relatively static gender gap may not point to gender as a major factor in the election. But differences in the gender gap across groups of voters — such as growing gaps among Black and Latino voters — can tell us more about the country's changing partisan landscape. And there's a reason gender has also been widely discussed in the aftermath of Election Day: The role that gender played in each party's 2024 presidential campaigns highlights a potential shift in the parties' approaches to male and female voters, and how voters think about gender and politics.A steady but evolving gender gapTrump's 11-point gap in support between men and women in 2016 and 2020 was a record, but men have been consistently more likely than women to back Republicans since 1980. From then until 2016, the gender gap in support for Republicans ranged from 0 points (in 1992) to 10 points (in 2000), according to exit polls. (The phenomenon of men consistently showing stronger support for the more ideologically conservative party than women is not limited to the U.S., either.)But the gender gap isn't uniform across all groups. For example, white men and women voted more similarly to each other in 2024 than Black or Latino men and women. And gender gaps also varied by age cohort this election, as many predicted they would.To gain a clearer picture of the gender gap this year, we analyzed support for Trump among men and women at the intersection of race, education, age and geographic density — as well as how voting patterns in these groups shifted from 2020. For example, in 2020 Trump won 61 percent of white men and 55 percent of white women, for a 6-point gender gap among white voters. That gap was just 1 point bigger this year according to exit polls — 60 percent to 53 percent, for a 7-point gender gap among white voters. But the gender gap among nonwhite voters increased by significantly more.Among Black voters, even as the vast majority of both men and women voted Democratic in both elections, Trump gained 2 points of support among men and lost 2 among women, moving the gender gap from 10 points in 2020 to 14 points in 2024. The gap is even more striking among Latino voters, one of the groups among whom Trump gained the most support overall compared to 2020. Four years ago, 36 percent of Latino men and 30 percent of Latino women supported Trump, a gender gap of just 6 points. That gap nearly tripled in 2024, as Trump's support among Latino men went up by almost 20 percentage points: He won 55 percent of Latino men and 38 percent of Latino women, for a gender gap of 17 points.The education gap has also been a prominent focus of the Trump era, as college-educated voters increasingly vote Democratic and those without four-year degrees trend toward Republicans. The gender gap among college-educated voters grew from 2020 to 2024, though the reasons behind this movement seem to vary by race. White, college-educated voters are one of the few demographic groups where exit polls suggest Harris gained slightly on Biden's numbers from 2020. That was particularly true among women in this group, with 41 percent supporting Trump in 2024, down from 45 percent who supported him in 2020. Support for Trump among white college-educated men dropped by just 1 point, resulting in a 9-point gender gap this year. Meanwhile, support for Trump among college-educated women of color also dropped by 1 point, but it increased by 11 points among their male counterparts, for a huge gender gap of 16 points.And the much-anticipated gender gap among Gen Z did emerge according to the exits, though it wasn't necessarily the chasm some polls predicted, as younger men and women both shifted right compared to their counterparts in 2020. This year, 49 percent of men and 37 percent of women aged 18 to 29 supported Trump, for a 12-point gender gap, 3 points larger than in 2020. The gap among men and women aged 30 to 39 was also 12 points, while it actually shrank among voters over 50. Most notably there, Trump gained 7 points in support among women aged 50 to 64 — from 44 percent in 2020 to 51 percent in 2024 — shrinking the gender gap in that age group from 15 points to 10 points.The only other demographic cohort we examined where the gender gap shrunk by more than 1 point was among rural voters, and was also driven by higher support for Trump among women: He gained 11 points of support among rural women compared to 2020, which helped shrink the rural gender gap from 13 to 6 points.This continued a theme in 2024 of smaller gender gaps in traditionally Republican-leaning demographic groups, like rural and white voters — suggesting that Trump consolidated support among women in these groups — and larger gender gaps among traditionally Democratic-leaning cohorts, like young and nonwhite voters — driven in part by Trump's gains among men in groups where he had the most room to grow.Why Trump's appeals to men may have workedWhether Trump's sizable improvements with younger men and men of color were explicitly due to the campaign's strategy to directly appeal to men is difficult to pinpoint, but that strategy was certainly on full display. Unlike in 2020, when Trump spent some time trying to appeal to women (particularly in the suburbs), much of his campaign's message in 2024 was notably targeted toward younger men, especially those who may rely on nontraditional media like podcasts or social media influencers for their news.The GOP's convention, which happened before Democrats officially nominated Harris, leaned into Trump's "tough guy" persona and featured pro wrestler Hulk Hogan and Ultimate Fighting Championship president Dana White. Once Harris did become the Democratic standard-bearer, Trump's criticisms of her were tinged with unapologetic misogyny — and racist misogynoir — that is common in online, male-dominated spaces, like online video gaming. Later in the race, as Trump's campaign tried to capitalize on enthusiasm among young men, he appeared on podcasts with audiences that skew male and right-leaning, like the Nelk Boys Full Send Podcast, This Past Weekend w/ Theo Von, and The Joe Rogan Experience (the latter of which the Harris campaign skipped, to much hand-wringing among liberals who saw it as a missed opportunity).Trump's ticket this year embodied sympathy for male victimhood, much like in 2016 — and it's not surprising that approach may have been even more salient this year, as many men express concern about their perceived social and economic decline. Trump brought a paternalistic tone to the campaign trail, saying he would be a "protector" of women, "whether the women like it or not." And his vice presidential nominee, Sen. JD Vance, has a record of comments suggesting that women's primary responsibility is to be wives, mothers and caregivers — a message that coincided with a resurgence in visibility on social media for so-called "tradwives" — women who typically advocate for embracing traditional homemaking and gender roles, including wives' submission to their husbands. It's a message that meshes with some of the chauvinist ideas perpetuated within the "manosphere" that Trump made the rounds with over the past year, and one that may be especially resonant for younger men seeking agency or purpose as they come of age.Social media itself plays a large role in creating partisan "echo chambers" along gender divides. A recent analysis by The Washington Post of 800 TikTok users found male users were significantly more likely than female users to see content about Trump, immigration, inflation and foreign conflicts. Female users were similarly more likely to see content about Harris, feminism, sexism, health care and reproductive rights. These differences are particularly important for understanding the gender gap among younger men and women, who are more likely than older adults to use TikTok and other social media, including as a news source.Over the last decade, conversations about sexual harassment and feminism were furthered by the #MeToo movement in ways that seemed to amplify partisan polarization around gender roles, such as a growing belief among Republicans that women are "seeking special favors" by demanding equality. And a range of recent polls help illustrate that many young men increasingly feel alienated or left behind by feminist narratives, including being unduly under fire and cast as villains, leading them to seek out narratives and role models exemplifying male empowerment. According to a 2023 poll by the Survey Center on American Life, 45 percent of men from ages 18 to 29 agreed with the statement that there is some or a lot of discrimination against men in American society, an increase of 13 points from men of the same age group in 2019, and 4 points higher than men ages 30 and older.In other surveys, young men were more likely than older men, or more likely than young men in previous years, to express negative views about feminism and gender equality. For example, in a recent poll by the Survey Center on American Life, 19 percent of young men aged 18 to 29 agreed with the statement "the U.S. has gone too far promoting gender equality," up from just 8 percent in 2017. Another recent poll of men under 45 by Equimundo found that young men ages 18 to 23 were the least likely age group to agree that feminism had made the U.S. a better place: 47 percent agreed, compared to 53 percent of men ages 24 to 30 and 56 percent of men ages 31 to 45 — a small difference, but one signaling a notable generational shift. Perhaps driving part of this shift, the same poll found that more than a third of these younger men worried about being accused of abuse after a sexual encounter.For their part, the Democratic group White Dudes for Harris also targeted men tired of hearing that "we're the problem," while pinning the blame for that on Trump and MAGA Republicans. Other organizations, like the Lincoln Project, reached out to men with messages that emphasized men's roles as fathers and protectors for daughters, or role models for sons. These messages, along with other pro-Harris ads aimed at men, reinforced some traditional gender norms, but emphasized men's responsibility to support the women in their lives as much as their own empowerment. (Of course, the Harris campaign also made its fair share of direct appeals to women, with its own big-name celebrity outreach and calls for women to protect reproductive rights by voting for Harris.)Turning to the racial gender gap, whether Trump's appeals to disaffected men especially resonated with men of color isn't easy to directly measure, but as 538 contributor Dan Hopkins wrote for the site, young Black voters' allegiance to the Democratic Party could be waning due to a number of factors, including a declining sense of racial "linked fate," or the belief that an individual's personal well-being and opportunities are closely tied to the experiences and outcomes of their racial group as a whole. Given the Trump campaign's focus on men and masculinity, it's possible that gender "linked fate" took precedence over racial identity in influencing young Black men's votes.Similarly, young Latino men in particular may have found certain aspects of Trump and his socially conservative message appealing, as 538 contributor Alexandra Samuels summarized. Many Latinos already identify as conservative, or have been turned off by Democratic approaches to "identity politics." As a whole, working-class young Latino (and Black) men this year felt that the economy was in poor shape, and many saw Trump as the salve, while viewing his machismo as the sign of a strong leader able to right the ship.***The heightened salience of gender this year has been readily evident in the immediate aftermath of the election, as many perceived that the parties' messages pitted men against women: Among some young conservative men, the phrase "your body, my choice," originated by 26-year-old far-right commentator Nick Fuentes, has taken hold as a post-election victory cry. And on the other side of the gender divide, some young women have embraced the 4B movement, which originated in South Korea and boils down to swearing off relationships with men in response to gender inequality and violence against women.All told, the Trump era has produced steady 10-point gender gaps, suggesting that his candidacy, cycle after cycle, surfaces preexisting gender fault lines in unique ways. But while this year's gender gap in voting choice remained fairly steady compared to recent presidential elections, the role that gender played in the campaigns highlighted a deeper, intensifying gender divide that influenced both parties' strategies and voting bases, and may shape American politics for years to come.Footnote*Exit polling in this analysis was conducted by Edison Research for the National Election Pool (ABC, CBS, CNN and NBC). Full methodology for the exit poll can be found here.Source: https://abcnews.go.com/

WASHINGTON -- For two weeks, Donald Trump has welcomed Elon Musk into his world. On Tuesday, it was Musk’s turn to play host to the president-elect.Trump flew to South Texas to watch as Musk’s SpaceX launched a Starship rocket near the Mexican border. Trump listened intently as the world’s richest man explained how the test would work and demonstrated with a model. And then Trump squinted into the bright sky to watch liftoff.It didn’t go perfectly -– the reusable booster did not return to the launch pad as it had done on a previous test last month. Instead, the booster was directed to a splashdown in the Gulf of Mexico.But Trump’s presence at the launch was a remarkable display of intimacy between the two men, one with implications for American politics, the government, foreign policy and even the possibility of humans reaching Mars.Musk spent around $200 million to help Trump beat Democrat Kamala Harris in the presidential race, and he's been given unparalleled access. He's counseled Trump on nominees for the new administration, joined the president-elect's phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and been tapped to co-chair an advisory panel on cutting the size of the federal bureaucracy. In addition to political influence, Musk could benefit personally as well. SpaceX, his rocket company, has billions of dollars in government contracts and the goal of eventually starting a colony on Mars. He's also CEO of Tesla, which manufactures electric vehicles, and has battled with regulators over safety concerns involving autonomous driving.“Trump has the biggest possible regard for people who break the rules and get away with it," said William Galston, a senior fellow in governance studies at the Brookings Institution, a Washington-based think tank. "Musk has demonstrated extraordinary accomplishment in doing that.”To top if off, Musk owns the social media company X, formally known as Twitter, which he has harnessed as an influential perch to promote Trump and his agenda.“Stop the Swamp!” he wrote Tuesday as he shared a warning that entrenched Washington interests are trying to undermine Trump before his inauguration. Before the election, Musk rejected the idea that he was expecting any favors in return for supporting Trump in the presidential race. “There is no quid pro quo,” he posted on X in September. “With a Trump administration, we can execute major government reform, remove bureaucratic paperwork that is smothering the country and unlock a new age of prosperity.”However, Trump has hardly gone anywhere without Musk in the two weeks since beating Harris. Musk joined Trump at a meeting with House Republicans in Washington and sat next to him at an Ultimate Fighting Championship match in New York. The trip to Texas for the rocket launch was just Trump's third time outside Florida since the election.As Trump's protective motorcade left the launch site Tuesday evening to return to the airport, one of Musk's angular, shiny Tesla Cybertrucks was tucked in the middle of the formation of black SUVs. Much of Trump's activity is happening with little public access for the press. Unlike his predecessors, he has opted against regularly making his travel plans or events open to journalists. The relationship between Trump and Musk was not always so close.Two years ago, Trump was mocking Musk in stump speeches and Musk was saying it was time for Trump to “hang up his hat & sail into the sunset.”“Trump would be 82 at end of term, which is too old to be chief executive of anything, let alone the United States of America,” Musk wrote on social media. But Musk swiftly endorsed Trump after the former president survived an assassination attempt in July. He quickly became a central figure in Trump’s orbit, appearing at times more like his running mate than Ohio Sen. JD Vance.Trump started boasting about Musk's accomplishments at campaign rallies, such as when Starship's reusable rocket booster returned to the launch tower on a previous occasion and was caught by mechanical arms.“Those arms grab it like you grab your baby, just like you grab your little baby. And it hugged it and just put it down, and there it was,” Trump said. Musk was with Trump at his Mar-a-Lago resort on election night and has spent much of the two weeks since there. Trump’s granddaughter Kai Trump posted a photo of her with Musk at one of Trump’s golf resorts, writing that Musk was "achieving uncle status.”Last week, Musk appeared in a golden ballroom at Mar-a-Lago, seated in the center of the room as a guest of honor at an event. Trump, in his remarks at the black tie event, said Musk’s IQ is “about as high as they can get” and praised him as “a really good guy.”“He launched a rocket three weeks ago and then he went to Pennsylvania to campaign because he considered this more important than launching rockets that cost billions of dollars,” Trump said.He joked about Musk’s constant presence at Mar-a-Lago, saying: “He likes this place. I can’t get him out of here."He added, “And you know what, I like having him here.”Musk said of the election results, “The public has given us a mandate that could not be more clear."___Price reported from New York.Source: https://abcnews.go.com/

The United States has seen a significant increase in the use of clean energy over the last few years; however, Chris Wright, President-elect Donald Trump's nominee for secretary of energy, has claimed otherwise.Wright, chief executive of Liberty Energy -- the world’s second-largest fracking services company -- has made several comments chastising efforts to fight climate change. One example is a video he posted to LinkedIn last year in which he denies the existence of a climate crisis and disputes a global transition to green energy."There is no climate crisis, and we're not in the midst of an energy transition either," Wright said.Wright has been an outspoken critic of policies aimed at curbing climate change, including the Department of Energy's goal to reach net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.While Wright does not dispute the existence of climate change, he has argued that policies aimed at reducing the impact of climate change are misguided and alarmist, claiming that any negative impacts of climate change are "clearly overwhelmed by the benefits of increasing energy consumption."But the IPCC, the world’s most authoritative body on climate change, has stated that human-amplified climate change is already affecting many weather and climate extremes in every region across the globe, and this has led to widespread adverse impacts and related losses and damages to nature and people.And the clean energy momentum the country is experiencing will continue as alternative sources of fuel take more market share in the energy sector, experts told ABC News. That's despite efforts by Republican politicians to bolster the fossil fuel industry in the U.S.The Department of Energy's website even states, "A clean energy revolution is taking place across America, underscored by the steady expansion of the U.S. renewable energy sector."And the world now invests almost twice as much in clean energy as it does in fossil fuels. Investment in solar panels now surpasses all other generation technologies combined, according to the International Energy Agency."The U.S. is definitely in an energy transition, as is the rest of the globe," Lori Bird, U.S. energy program director at the World Resource Institute, told ABC News.Coal is one of the industries in which the energy transition is most apparent, Bird said.Coal plants are seeing an average of 10,000 megawatts of capacity closures per year, according to the Institute for the Energy Economics and Financial Analysis. Installed U.S. coal-fired generation capacity peaked in 2011 at 317,600 megawatts and has experienced a consistent downward trend ever since, the analysis found. In 2020, during the pandemic, coal’s share of power generation in the U.S. fell below 20% for the first time. In 2024 so far, coal's share of power generation barely topped 16%."Based on current announcements and IEEFA research, we expect operating coal capacity to continue its steady decline for the remainder of the decade," the report states.Accompanying the sharp decrease in coal generation and usage has been the increase in capacity and storage for electricity generation from solar, wind and battery power, Bird said.A record 31 gigawatts of solar energy capacity was installed in the U.S. in 2023 -- roughly a 55% increase from 2022, according to a report by the World Resource Institute that found that clean energy continues to be the dominant form of new electricity generation in the U.S."Everywhere you look, in every facet of the economy, there are clean technologies ramping up and being brought to bear," Julie McNamara, senior analyst at the Union of Concerned Scientists, told ABC News.In addition, the Inflation Reduction Act stimulated an "unprecedented" slate for the creation of domestic clean energy manufacturing facilities, the report found. Since August 2022, 113 manufacturing facilities or expansions, totaling $421 billion in investments, have been announced, according to American Clean Power.The Inflation Reduction Act and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law that came before it includes tax credits for both the home and commercial installation of charging stations for electric vehicles, evidence in the growing market share for EVs, which reached 10% in U.S. automotive sales in the third quarter of 2024, Bird said.But the federal government isn't the ultimate decider of the energy transition in the U.S., Bird said. While there could be a slowdown in progress during the next administration, the energy transition will continue to be driven by other stakeholders "who want this to happen," she said."It would be impossible to halt the energy transition at this stage," Bird said.States in the U.S. are also continuing to pass ambitious climate and energy policies, a trend experts expect to continue despite who is living in the White House. State actions are considered critical to ensuring a successful clean energy transition, as federal actions alone are insufficient, according to the WRI. There are 29 states that have renewable electricity standards or clean energy standards in place, and a third of U.S. states have have standards to shift to 100% clean electricity, Bird said.At the beginning of 2023, Minnesota adopted a 100% clean energy standard, while Michigan did the same later that year, joining states like California and New York in passing permitting reforms intended to make it easier to build clean energy and transmission."While the federal leadership may slow some of this transition, it's being driven by states," Bird said.Another critical piece of the energy transition is tech companies, which are very large users of energy. committing to using sustainable energy to power their data centers, Bird said. One example is Microsoft paying to restart one of the nuclear reactors at Three Mile Island in Pennsylvania to power the company's AI data center."Those companies that are driving a lot of this want clean energy," Bird said. "That's not going to go away. They're committed."Throughout the 2024 election, Republicans stuck to party lines when it comes to rhetoric about the fossil fuel industry, which invests heavily into GOP politicians and candidates, David Konisky, a professor of environmental politics at Indiana University's O'Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs, told ABC News in August. The rhetoric often includes misrepresentations on clean energy solutions rather than all-out climate denial, experts told ABC News.The fossil fuel industry, through its lobbying in government, has attempted to slow any efforts at the energy transition, McNamara said."The only reason to say there's no energy transition underway is to attempt to solidify policies and incentives that that anchor short-term profits for fossil fuel interests," McNamara said.Misinformation and disinformation about the climate crisis is "not helpful to the situation," especially given that people all over the world are already experiencing the impacts of a warming climate in the form of extreme weather events, Bird said, adding that bipartisan support will be crucial going forward."We're hopeful that with the new administration, that additional progress could be made," Bird said.ABC News' Peter Charalambous, Matthew Glasser, Calvin Milliner and Ivan Pereira contributed to this report.Source: https://abcnews.go.com/

President-elect Donald Trump has proposed a plan to eliminate the Department of Education to “send all education work and needs back to the states,” according to his Agenda47 policy platform.According to education experts, an end to the Department of Education could leave billions of funds, scholarships, grants and more hanging in the balance for the millions of K-12 and college students attending schools in the U.S.Critics of the department argue that federal education spending has ballooned since its founding -- costing $23 billion to date in the 2025 fiscal year, about 4% of government spending so far -- but measures of student success like reading and math scores have fallen in recent years.What does the Department of Education do?The DOE was established as a Cabinet-level agency in 1979 under then-President Jimmy Carter, but was initially created in the late 1800s to collect data on what is working effectively in education for policymakers and educators.The education agency facilitated the expansion of federal support for schooling over the years. After World War II, the GI Bill expanded education assistance for war veterans. After the Soviet Union launched Sputnik into space, the agency led to the expansion of science, math and foreign language instruction in elementary and secondary schools and supported vocational-technical training.In the 1960s and 1970s, anti-poverty and anti-discrimination efforts shaped the Department of Education’s mission to provide equal access to education nationwide. This led to the founding of Title I funding to reduce educational achievement gaps between low-income and rural students and non-low-income schools.The DOE also holds schools accountable for enforcing non-discrimination laws like Title IX based on gender, the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and Americans with Disabilities Act based on disability and Title VI based on race.Federal Student Aid, awarding more than $120 billion a year in grants, work-study funds, and low-interest loans to approximately 13 million students, is also backed by the Department of Education.The Department also holds schools accountable under the Every Student Succeeds Act, which requires each state to provide data on subject performance, graduation rates, suspensions, absenteeism, teacher qualifications, and more.The department states on its website that it does not develop school curricula, set requirements for enrollment and graduation, or establish or accredit schools or universities.However, it has played a major role in school funding for decades, particularly as state investment in K-12 schools worsened amid the 2008 Great Recession.According to the Education Law Center, U.S. students lost almost $600 billion from states' disinvestment in their public schools in the decade following the Great Recession.The complicated nature of a department closure includes administering the billions of DOE funds directly to the individual states, according to higher education expert Clare McCann. McCann said doling out the money is something skilled employees at the DOE would be equipped to do.“There's a reason the Department of Education was created and it was to have this kind of in-house expertise and policy background on these [education] issues,” McCann told ABC News, adding, “The civil servants who work at the Department of Education are true experts in the field.”Education Analyst Neal McCluskey at the Cato Institute, a libertarian think tank, argues that dismantling the department could be as simple as giving states the funding, but allowing them to decide how it's administered."What I've seen most often, and I've written about myself, is you could, for instance, take all the K-12 money, Title One, IDEA [Individuals with Disabilities Education Act] etc. -- You would, of course, have to change the law, but one of the things you could do is block grant it; You'd say, 'we're going to fund these things, but we're going to give it to the state so they can decide how it's administered,'" he told ABC News.Some education experts like Wendy A. Paterson, a professor and dean at Buffalo State University's School of Education, told ABC News in an interview that she "could not see how serving families and children under the offices of the Department of Education could continue" without a federal department.Paterson said that if funding itself is changed, it will likely worsen the national teacher shortage and impact the targeted communities the Department of Education specializes in -- including low-income, disabled or FAFSA-seeking students."There's an intimate relationship between our schools and the society that we create and that we pass along to our children, and it's that important," said Paterson. "So if we don't have a federal organization that acknowledges the importance of schools and post-secondary education and the right of all children to have access to education, what are we saying about democracy?"Why does Trump want to get rid of the Department of Education?In a 2023 statement on his plans for schools, Donald Trump said that “one thing I’ll be doing very early in the administration is closing up the Department of Education in Washington, D.C., and sending all education and education work and needs back to the states.”“We want them to run the education of our children because they'll do a much better job of it,” said Trump.Trump’s Agenda47 does not state how the dismantling of the department would impact the programs the Department of Education runs.However, on the campaign trail, in interviews with Elon Musk and on "Fox & Friends," Trump has repeatedly said he wants to shutter the agency and instead choose one education department official for his Cabinet, aligning with Trump's goals of dismantling "government bureaucracy" and restructuring the government agencies for more efficiency.Several prominent conservatives and Republican figures have similarly proposed department closures over the years, including Ronald Reagan, Vivek Ramaswamy, and lawmakers on Capitol Hill.McCluskey said in a recent essay that the department is "unconstitutional," arguing that it exerts too much power over schools above local and state entities.House Education and the Workforce Committee Chairwoman Virginia Foxx has also argued that it's not a constitutional requirement to have such a department: “I can't find the word education in there [the Constitution] as one of the duties and responsibilities of Congress or the federal government,” Rep. Foxx, R-North Carolina, told ABC News.Is it possible to eliminate it?While possible in theory, education policy experts who spoke with ABC News suggest that would be an extremely chaotic – and unrealistic — task on Jan. 20, 2025, Inauguration Day.The bold initiative won’t happen immediately, but McCluskey told ABC News it could be done through Congress.“The Department of Education was created through legislation,” McCluskey told ABC News. “Legislation comes through Congress. If you want to take the Department of Education apart, you have to do that through legislation,” McCluskey added.At this point, without congressional approval, McCluskey said the campaign trail messaging by the president-elect has no standing.“I think that what is said on the campaigns and what actually is done have to often be two different things because, in campaigns, politicians say a lot of things that make it seem like it's easy to do what they want to do,” McCluskey said.“No president can just fire everybody in the Department of Education and have one person administer those programs,” he added.Trump's education policyTrump, however, does list several federal policies he hopes to implement in schools nationwide. This includes instructing a future education department to cease programs that he claims "promote the concept of sex and gender transition, at any age" as well as punish teachers or schools who do so.He hopes to create a credentialing body to certify teachers "who embrace patriotic values and support the American way of life," though he does not further elaborate on what that consists of.He also would prevent Title IX from allowing transgender women to compete in sports. He said he will create funding preferences and favorable treatment for states and school districts that abolish teacher tenure and adopt merit pay for educators for grades K-12 and allow parents to vote for principals.Source: https://abcnews.go.com/

Prosecutors with the Manhattan district attorney's office said Tuesday they would oppose President-elect Trump's attempt to dismiss his criminal hush money conviction in New York -- but they told the judge they do not object to pausing the case.The DA's office faced a Tuesday deadline to propose the next steps in the case after the "unprecedented circumstances" of the former president's election following his conviction on 34 felony counts earlier this year.Trump's sentencing in the criminal case is tentatively scheduled for Nov. 26, though defense attorneys have asked New York Judge Juan Merchan to dismiss the case ahead of Trump's impending inauguration.Trump's lawyers laid out their new argument to dismiss the case in a filing made public Tuesday, writing that the case must be dismissed because a sitting president is immune from prosecution."To require President Trump to address further criminal proceedings at this point would not only violate the federal Constitution, but also disrupt the Presidential transition process," wrote defense lawyers Todd Blanche and Emil Bove, both of whom Trump nominated last week to top DOJ posts in his new administration.Prosecutors pushed back on that claim, arguing that presidential immunity would not apply to a defendant who had already been convicted for conduct that is entirely private.The district attorney's office instead suggested deferring all remaining proceedings in the case, including the Nov. 26 sentencing, until after Trump leaves the White House in 2029."The People deeply respect the Office of the President, are mindful of the demands and obligations of the presidency, and acknowledge that Defendant's inauguration will raise unprecedented legal questions. We also deeply respect the fundamental role of the jury in our constitutional system," prosecutors wrote.Defense lawyers argued that, while Trump is not yet president, presidential immunity equally applies during the transition process and added that their appeal of the case would "take a year or more" and possibly reach the Supreme Court, dragging the case well past Inauguration Day."There is no material difference between President Trump's current status after his overwhelming victory in the national election and that of a sitting President following inauguration," their filing said.Judge Merchan will have the final say regarding the next steps in the case.Since July, Trump's attorneys have been pushing to have the conviction vacated and the case dismissed by arguing that prosecutors filled "glaring holes in their case" with evidence of official acts that the Supreme Court recently ruled off limits in its landmark presidential immunity decision.Trump's lawyers have also argued for a dismissal by citing the Presidential Transition Act of 1963, which urges government officers to take "lawful steps to avoid or minimize disruptions" to the presidential transition.Prosecutors have argued that the Supreme Court's ruling that Trump is entitled to immunity from criminal prosecution for official acts undertaken while in office has no bearing on Trump's conviction."The People agree that these are unprecedented circumstances," prosecutor Matthew Colangelo told the court last week.Trump was convicted in May of all 34 felony counts of falsifying business records related to a hush money payment to adult film actress Stormy Daniels to silence allegations about a 2006 sexual encounter with Trump in order to boost his electoral prospects in the 2016 presidential election.His conviction carries a maximum penalty of up to four years in prison, but first-time offenders would normally receive a lesser sentence.Source: https://abcnews.go.com/

President Donald Trump's picks to lead the next administration are talking about abolishing entire agencies and firing tens of thousands of federal workers at a time.But can he and they actually do all that?Experts believe Trump can get much further on upending the government system this go-around compared to his first term -- in part because the typical checks and balances are expected to lean in his favor.Next year, the House and Senate are on track to fall under Republican control. Trump also got 226 federal judges and three Supreme Court justices confirmed while he was in office last time -- giving his ideas a sympathetic ear in the courts when he gets sued.With that in mind, here's a look at how Trump could try to "break" the federal government:A president can't really delete entire agencies, but he could take a page from Nixon to try to starve themElon Musk, who Trump has picked to co-lead the new outside-of-government "Department of Government Efficiency," has said he wants to cut $2 trillion of the $7 trillion in annual federal spending. His partner, Vivek Ramaswamy, told Fox News that they would achieve this through "mass reductions" and that some governmental agencies may be "deleted outright."The idea seems far-fetched at first because federal agencies are established by federal law. The Department of Education, for example, was created by a 1979 passed by Congress signed by President Jimmy Carter.Congress would need to pass new legislation to erase or significantly reform the Education Department -- an uphill battle even with a Republican-led Congress.Enter the 1974 Impoundment Control Act. For much of the country's existence, presidents could, in theory, ignore spending money appropriated by Congress.President Richard Nixon used the tactic of sitting on -- or impounding -- federal money -- essentially leaving funds untouched in U.S. Treasury accounts -- when he thought the spending was wasteful.Democrats responded in 1974 by passing a law that requires a president to spend federal money the way Congress intended.In a campaign video posted last year, Trump said he would challenge the Impoundment Control Act. It's possible too that he could deem the law unconstitutional and try to ignore it -- inviting legal challenges that could take years to resolve."For 200 years under our system of government, it was undisputed that the president had the constitutional power to stop unnecessary spending through what is known as impoundment," Trump said in a video during the GOP primaries.He later added: "When I returned to the White House, I will do everything I can to challenge the Impoundment Control Act in court, and, if necessary, get Congress to overturn it."Trump can make federal workers' lives so miserable that they quit Among the ideas Trump is expected to try again this term is to make the lives of federal workers uncomfortable or to relocate their jobs to remote locations.In his first administration, Trump temporarily decimated the Interior Department's Bureau of Land Management by relocating its Washington headquarters to Grand Junction, Colorado. The idea, officials said at the time, was to put leadership closer to the lands and resources they manage. But the vast majority of the workers quit and the office never was able to find employees to replace them.Another tactic could be to make it harder for workers to file grievances or strip them of legal protections.In fall of 2020, during the final months of Trump's first administration, he issued an executive order that would have created a new class of employees handling policy-related duties, essentially stripping them from legal protections that kept them in their jobs.The idea of Schedule F came too late in Trump's first administration to have a significant impact, but it's one expected to be pushed early on this time.The tactic is risky to taxpayers in the long term. While lawsuits and complaints by federal workers could take years to resolve, the federal government could owe back pay to workers who can prove they were wrongfully terminated."Taking a hatchet to this stuff will have an impact today and for decades to come," said Andrew Huddleston, communications director of the American Federation of Government Employees, the largest union representing federal employees that opposed Trump's election."It will be the future generations that pay the price," he said.Trump will outsource budget plans, effectively hiding how decisions are made and who is making them In order to remake the government, Trump will need to install loyal allies across senior levels of the government and find ways to slow down legal challenges.Among his proposals is to outsource FBI background checks for appointees to private investigators, a tactic that would enable him to hire people close to him even if there are security flags.Trump also has called for the use of "recess appointments" in the Senate, a common move by past presidents. For Trump though, it could enable his allies to ram through nominations without FBI security checks or financial disclosures so long as the chamber is adjourned for 10 days or longer. Sen. John Thune, the GOP's pick as majority leader, said he hasn't ruled out the idea, even though it would mean ceding the Senate's "advise and consent" constitutional confirmation power to the president.Another Trump tactic for forcing change could be developing his biggest plans in secret, making it harder for opponents to object and mount legal challenges.Ramaswamy said the new 'Department of Government Efficiency', or DOGE, will operate outside of government as a kind of private advisory group. That means its staff won't be required to submit financial disclosures or report conflicts of interest.It won't be clear who is doing work for DOGE or how decisions are made. And while Musk has said he wants staff to work for free, it's likely industry lobbyists would eagerly sign up if it means being able to influence how future taxpayer money is spent.Musk, who owns the rocket company SpaceX, has blamed federal regulations slowing his quest to reach Mars and oversees billions in contracts with the federal government, including military satellites. Ramaswamy founded the biotech firm Roivant Sciences and remains a stakeholder who also could benefit financially depending upon how future federal regulations are written.At last weeks gala hosted by the America First Policy Institute, Trump said Musk and Ramaswamy make the perfect pair to shake up the government."We're going to reduce regulation, waste, fraud, and inefficiency, and these two guys are going to find a lot of it," Trump said.Source: https://abcnews.go.com/

President-elect Donald Trump on Tuesday announced that he has picked Cantor Fitzgerald CEO Howard Lutnick as his secretary of the Department of Commerce.The role requires Senate confirmation.Lutnick, who leads the investment bank, has been serving as co-chair of the Trump transition team alongside Trump's former Small Business Administrator Linda McMahon.The two have spent the past two weeks at the Trump transition war room he has set up at Mar-a-Lago recommending and vetting potential candidates for Trump's administration officials, sources told ABC News.Lutnick has frequently joined Trump on the campaign trail and hosted numerous fundraisers for Trump alongside some of the major Republican donors such as John Paulson, Duke Buchan and Woody Johnson.The billionaire businessman was also vying for the job of secretary of the Department of the Treasury, sources said, competing against investor and hedge fund manager Scott Bessent, who had also been considered as a top contender for the role.Lutnick's aggressive push to be tapped as Trump's Treasury secretary had frustrated some close to Trump, sources said. Lutnick spent hours with the president-elect nearly every day as a co-head of the transition team, sources added.Asked if Lutnick's efforts to get the Treasure job backfired on him, Trump's incoming Deputy Chief of Staff for Legislative, Political and Public Affairs James Blair declined to comment on Monday."I don't think I'll comment on, on the president's considerations right now for personnel, I think what's important is that the president is making great picks," Blair said.Elon Musk has been a close ally of Lutnick, publicly endorsing him for the Treasury secretary job. The two are often seen together at events -- including at the America First Policy Institute Gala at Mar-a-Lago in Florida last week.Robert F. Kennedy Jr. endorsed Lutnick for the Treasury job, too.Lutnick had donated $1 million to Trump's inaugural committee in 2017 and most recently donated $5 million to pro-Trump super PAC Make America Great Again Inc.As a guest speaker at Trump campaign rallies, Lutnick frequently spoke about his experience of losing hundreds of employees as well as his brother on 9/11.Lutnick has been a vocal advocate for cryptocurrency, speaking at the annual Bitcoin Conference in Nashville earlier this year where Trump and Robert Jr. also spoke. Cryptocurrency company Tether is among Cantor Fitzgerald's clients.Source: https://abcnews.go.com/

President-elect Donald Trump, ahead of his return to power in January, is announcing who he wants to fill Cabinet positions and other key roles inside his administration, including names like Marco Rubio, Tulsi Gabbard and Matt Gaetz.Trump began to roll out his nominees and appointees just days after his election victory over Vice President Kamala Harris. Among them are some of his staunchest allies on Capitol Hill and key advisers to his 2024 campaign.Trump will have a Republican-controlled Senate and possibly a Republican-controlled House to help usher his picks through. But he's also urging the incoming Senate leader to embrace recess appointments, which has led to speculation some of his choices may be more controversial.Here is a running list of whom Trump has selected, or is expected to select, to serve in his administration:Secretary of state: Marco RubioTrump announced Florida Sen. Marco Rubio as his pick to be secretary of state.Rubio is the vice-chair of the Senate Select Committee on Foreign Intelligence and sits on the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations. He holds hard-line views on China, Iran and Russia, although like other Republicans he has shifted on support for Ukraine's war effort to be more aligned with Trump.Rubio will need to be confirmed by the Senate. Read more about Rubio's experience here.Department of Homeland Security secretary: Kristi NoemTrump announced he has chosen South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem to be his secretary for the Department of Homeland Security.As Trump's Homeland Security secretary, among Noem's biggest roles is expected to be to oversee Trump's border policies, including the major campaign promise of "mass deportations," alongside Trump's "border czar" Tom Homan and White House deputy chief of staff on policy Stephen Miller.The role would require Senate approval. Read more about Noem here.Secretary of defense: Pete HegsethTrump has selected Fox News host Pete Hegseth to lead the Department of Defense.He listed Hegseth's experience as a veteran and his media experience as his reasons for the choice. Hegseth served in the Army National Guard and was deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan and previously served as the director of an advocacy group that has called for more privatization of the Veterans Administration.Hegseth will need to be confirmed by the Senate to serve in the role. Read more about Hegseth here.Health and Human Services secretary: Robert F. Kennedy Jr.Trump said he has picked Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a vaccine skeptic, to lead the Department of Health and Human Services.HHS oversees major health agencies such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, among others.The job requires Senate confirmation. Read more about Kennedy here.'Department of Government Efficiency': Elon Musk and Vivek RamaswamyTrump announced the two men will lead what he's calling a new "Department of Government Efficiency."It will not be a new federal agency, but will provide "outside of government" counsel on reforming departments and cutting waste, Trump said.Read more about Trump's plan here. The president-elect did not detail how this new department would be funded.Attorney general: Matt GaetzTrump has nominated Rep. Matt Gaetz to be his attorney general.The Florida Republican is a firebrand and one of Trump's most loyal allies who will now be the head of the Justice Department. Gaetz was the subject of a yearslong Justice Department probe that ended without charges, though he is still under investigation by the House Ethics Committee for the same allegations.Gaetz will need to be confirmed by the Senate. Read more about him here.Chairman of the FCC: Brendan CarrPresident-elect Donald Trump announced Brendan Carr as his pick for chairman of the Federal Communications Commission on Nov. 17.Carr previously served as general counsel for the FCC and as the senior Republican for the FCC.Trump first nominated Carr to the FCC in 2017. The president-elect said in his official announcement this week that although Carr's current term runs through 2029, the president-elect is now designating him as the "permanent chairman."A president chooses a chair from among Senate-confirmed commissioners of the FCC, such that the choice does not require further confirmation from the Senate.Deputy attorney general: Todd BlancheTrump nominated his own personal top defense attorney for the second highest position in the Department of Justice on Thursday.After much speculation, Trump nominated his lawyer who represented Trump in the hush money case and in both of Jack Smith's federal probes.Blanche will need to be confirmed by the Senate.Associate deputy attorney general: Emil BoveTrump announced he nominated Emil Bove for principal associate deputy attorney general.Bove will need to be confirmed by the Senate.Secretary of veterans affairs: Doug CollinsTrump announced he nominated former Georgia Rep. Doug Collins for secretary of veterans affairs.Collins is a veteran who currently serves as a chaplain in the U.S. Air Force Reserve Command, Trump said in a statement."We must take care of our brave men and women in uniform, and Doug will be a great advocate for our Active Duty Servicemembers, Veterans, and Military Families to ensure they have the support they need," Trump said.Collins' position requires Senate confirmation.Energy secretary: Chris WrightTrump announced Chris Wright is his nominee to lead the Department of Energy.Wright, who must be approved by the Senate, is the chief executive of Liberty Energy – the world’s second-largest fracking services company – and is one of the industry’s most outspoken critics of the effort to combat climate change."As Secretary of Energy, Chris will be a key leader, driving innovation, cutting red tape, and ushering in a new 'Golden Age of American Prosperity and Global Peace,'" Trump said.Wright has said he doesn't believe there is a "climate crisis" and has argued that policies aimed at combating climate change make energy more expensive and less reliable.Read more about Wright's experience here.Interior secretary: Doug BurgumTrump announced he has chosen North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum as his interior secretary.Trump also announced that Burgum will be joining his administration as chairman of the "newly formed, and very important, National Energy Council."The council will consist of all departments and agencies "involved in the permitting, production, generation, distribution, regulation [and] transportation" of American energy, Trump said.Burgum was seen as a possible running mate of Trump's. He was one of his busiest surrogates, campaigning for the former president and raising money for his reelection campaign.The position requires Senate confirmation.Transportation secretary: Sean DuffyTrump announced that he has picked former Wisconsin Rep. Sean Duffy for transportation secretary."He will prioritize Excellence, Competence, Competitiveness and Beauty when rebuilding America’s highways, tunnels, bridges and airports," Trump said in a statement. "He will ensure our ports and dams serve our Economy without compromising our National Security, and he will make our skies safe again by eliminating DEI for pilots and air traffic controllers."Duffy co-hosts "The Bottom Line" on Fox Business and is a Fox News contributor.The position requires Senate confirmation.Solicitor general: Dean John SauerTrump said on Thursday he has selected Dean John Sauer as solicitor general.As Trump's defense attorney, Sauer argued for presidential immunity in front of the Supreme Court earlier this year, in which the high court granted broad immunity for official acts.The Department of Justice position requires Senate confirmation.He marks the third attorney who has worked on Trump's criminal cases nominated for a DOJ position.'Border czar': Tom HomanTrump announced former Acting Immigration and Customs Enforcement Director Tom Homan will serve as "border czar."He will be charged with seeing out the mass deportations Trump promised throughout his campaign.Homan oversaw ICE under the Trump administration for a year and a half, at a time when the administration's "zero tolerance" policy led to parents being separated from their children at the border."Border czar" is not an official Cabinet position, meaning it won't need Senate confirmation. Read more about Homan here.Chief of staff: Susie WilesSusie Wiles will be the first female chief of staff for any White House.Wiles was Trump's co-campaign manager for his 2024 run. Trump also credited her for her work on his 2016 and 2020 White House bids, though his 2024 bid ran smoother and saw fewer shake-ups.Wiles is the daughter of legendary NFL Hall of Famer Pat Summerall. She will not require Senate confirmation to serve in the post.Deputy chief of staff for policy: Stephen MillerTrump announced that Stephen Miller will become his deputy chief of staff for policy.Miller is one of Trump's senior advisers and helped craft his hard-line immigration policies during his first term. He will be key in trying to implement Trump's 2024 campaign pledge to mass deport migrants illegally living in the U.S.He will not require Senate confirmation to serve in the post. Read more about Miller's background here.Deputy chief of staff: Dan ScavinoJoining Stephen Miller as another top adviser from his campaign being brought to the White House is Dan Scavino, whom Trump selected as deputy chief of staff.Scavino was also a senior aide during Trump's first term in office.Deputy chief of staff for communications and personnel: Taylor BudowichTaylor Budowich also supported Trump's campaign efforts and earned himself a spot at the White House.He previously ran Trump's super PAC, MAGA Inc.Deputy chief of staff for legislative, political and public affairs: James BlairJames Blair was the political director for Trump's campaign and will seemingly offer similar skills to Trump's administration through the role of deputy chief of staff for legislative, political and public affairs.Formerly, he was the founder and president of a political consulting firm.Ambassador to the United Nations: Elise StefanikNew York Rep. Elise Stefanik has been tapped to be Trump's U.S. ambassador to the United Nations.Stefanik joined Congress as a moderate Republican but became one of Trump's key defenders after his first impeachment and after his 2020 election loss. She joined House leadership in 2021 as chair of the House Republican Conference.Stefanik made headlines this past year as she challenged university presidents on their handling of protests over the Israel-Gaza war. She's also accused the United Nations of antisemitism over some of the resolutions passed amid the conflict.Stefanik will have to be confirmed by the Senate to serve in the role. Read more about Stefanik here.Director of the Central Intelligence Agency: John RatcliffeTrump has selected John Ratcliffe to serve as director of the CIA.The former three-term Republican congressman from Texas served as Trump's director of national intelligence from mid-2020 until the end of Trump's first term.His path to DNI wasn't a smooth one -- he was nominated to the post in 2019, but he withdrew his nomination after questions from both parties arose about his qualifications for the job and whether he had embellished his record as a federal prosecutor."From exposing fake Russian collusion to be a Clinton campaign operation, to catching the FBI's abuse of Civil Liberties at the FISA Court, John Ratcliffe has always been a warrior for Truth and Honesty with the American Public," Trump said in a statement announcing his pick. "When 51 intelligence officials were lying about Hunter Biden's laptop, there was one, John Ratcliffe, telling the truth to the American People."Ratcliffe's nomination requires Senate confirmation. Read more about him here.Environmental Protection Agency administrator: Lee ZeldinTrump has tapped former New York congressman Lee Zeldin to lead the EPA.Zeldin represented Long Island's Suffolk County in the House of Representatives for eight years before launching a failed bid for governor against Democrat Kathy Hochul. Before becoming an elected official, Zeldin was an attorney.Zeldin has pledged to eliminate regulations at the EPA he claimed are hampering businesses. He also said he wanted to restore energy independence as well as protect access to clean air and water.Zeldin will need Senate confirmation to serve in the role. Read more about him here.National security adviser: Mike WaltzTrump has picked Florida Rep. Michael Waltz to be his national security adviser.Waltz, who was the first Green Beret elected to the House, sits on the House Intelligence, Armed Services and Foreign Affairs committees. Before becoming an elected official, Waltz served in various national security policy roles.The national security adviser is appointed by the president with no Senate confirmation needed.Ambassador to Israel: Mike HuckabeeTrump announced he has nominated former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee to be the U.S. ambassador to Israel.The role, which will need to be confirmed by the Senate, will be a key appointment as tensions remain high in the Middle East. Like David Friedman, Trump's first ambassador to Israel, Huckabee is an outspoken supporter of the Israeli settlement movement.Director of national intelligence: Tulsi GabbardTrump announced that he had picked Tulsi Gabbard -- a military veteran and honorary co-chair of his transition team -- has been chosen by Trump to be his director of national intelligence.The position requires Senate confirmation. Read more about Gabbard here.Commerce secretary: Howard LutnickTrump announced that he picked Cantor Fitzgerald CEO Howard Lutnick as his secretary of the Department of Commerce.Lutnick, who leads the investment bank, has been serving as co-chair of the Trump transition team alongside Trump's former Small Business Administrator Linda McMahon.The role requires Senate confirmation.Read more here.Director of communications: Steven CheungTrump announced that Steven Cheung, who previously served as the director of strategic response in Trump's first term, will serve as director of communications in his second.Cheung was also the director of communications for Trump's presidential campaign.Presidential Personnel Office head: Sergio GorTrump has announced that Sergio Gor, who ran the pro-Trump Super PAC Right For America, will serve as director of the Presidential Personnel Office.In this role, he joins Cheung as an assistant to the president.In his statement announcing the selection, Trump said, "Steven Cheung and Sergio Gor have been trusted Advisors since my first Presidential Campaign in 2016, and have continued to champion America First principles throughout my First Term, all the way to our Historic Victory in 2024.”White House counsel: Bill McGinleyTrump has named attorney Bill McGinley as his White House counsel, his transition team announced.McGinley served as the White House Cabinet secretary during Trump's first term and has served as general counsel at the National Republican Senatorial Committee."Bill is a smart and tenacious lawyer who will help me advance our America First agenda while fighting for election integrity and against the weaponization of law enforcement," Trump said in a statement.The White House counsel is appointed by the president.White House staff secretary: Will ScharfTrump announced that one of his own lawyers, Will Scharf, will serve as assistant to the president and White House staff secretary.“Will is a highly skilled attorney who will be a crucial part of my White House team,” Trump said in a statement.Scharf helped defend Trump in his federal election interference case and his Supreme Court immunity case.Manhattan US attorney: Jay ClaytonTrump nominated his former SEC chair, Jay Clayton, as the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York. The president-elect made his announcement on social media.The position requires Senate confirmation.Prior to running the SEC, Clayton worked almost exclusively as a corporate attorney, with the exception of a two-year clerkship and a brief internship for the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services administrator: Dr. Mehmet OzDr. Mehmet Oz has been selected to serve as the administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, Trump announced.The agency is within the Department of Health & Human Services. Trump indicated that Dr. Oz will work closely with Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to take on chronic diseases.The position requires Senate confirmation.Senatorial candidate for Pennsylvania, Mehmet Oz, gestures as he speaks during a campaign rally in Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania, Nov. 2, 2022.Ryan Collerd/AFP via Getty Images, FILESSource: https://abcnews.go.com/

During his campaign for president, Donald Trump and his advisers worked to vehemently distance themselves from Project 2025, the controversial plan to overhaul the federal government proposed by a closely aligned conservative group. But several individuals connected to the plan have already received posts in the new administration, and one of the plan's top architects is under consideration for a top position, according to multiple sources familiar with the discussions.Russ Vought, who authored a chapter on "Executive Office of the President" for Project 2025's "Mandate for Leadership: The Conservative Promise," which Project 2025 describes as "a comprehensive policy guide for the next conservative U.S. president," is under consideration for a cabinet-level position in the next administration and has been vetted by Trump's transition team, sources said.Vought not only authored a chapter in the 922-page Project 2025 plan, but he was also deeply involved in drafting Project 2025's playbook for the first 180 days of a new Trump administration. His Center for Renewing American is also listed as a member of Project 2025's advisory board, according to the plan's website.Vought -- who has been seen at Trump's Mar-a-Lago Club in recent days meeting with Trump's top advisers -- served in Trump's first administration as the director of the Office of Management and Budget, and has been in active discussions to return to the next administration, sources familiar with the matter said.It's not clear what position Vought could ultimately get, but he's been discussed as a candidate for his previous job or for a top White House post that focuses on economic policy, the sources said.When asked for comment, the Trump transition team pointed to President Trump's comments in his debate with Kamala Harris where he stated, "This was a group of people that got together, they came up with some ideas, I guess some good, some bad, but it makes no difference. I have nothing to do [with it]."During his run for the White House, Trump claimed he knew "nothing" about Project 2025 and his campaign advisers fiercely worked to distance the campaign from it.Trump transition co-chair Howard Lutnick told the Financial Times last month that Project 2025 "is an absolute zero for the Trump-Vance transition.""You can use another term -- radioactive," Lutnick said.While personnel decisions are not final until Trump announces them, sources told ABC News that Trump's transition team has considered several other individuals with ties to the plan, including Project 2025 authors as well as several contributors to the document.Gene Hamilton, the author of the Department of Justice chapter, is among those being considered for a top legal role in Trump's administration, according to sources. In his Project 2025 chapter, Hamilton criticizes the DOJ, claiming it has been "captured by an unaccountable bureaucratic managerial class and radical Left ideologues who have embedded themselves throughout its offices and components."Hamilton calls for a sweeping "top-to-bottom overhaul" of the Justice Department, as well as an internal review of "all major active FBI investigations," recommending the termination of any that are deemed unlawful or contrary to national interests.Another name that has been floated for a potential position in the Trump administration is Reed Rubinstein, who contributed to Project 2025 and is under consideration for the next general counsel for the Department of Treasury, according to one potential personnel list reviewed by ABC News.In recent days, Trump has announced other selections to fill out the coming administration who also have ties to Project 2025, marking a stark reversal from how he campaigned.On Sunday, Trump's team said that Brendan Carr will serve as the chairman of the Federal Communications Commission -- a selection that places one of tech billionaire Elon Musk's active defenders in charge of regulating the nation's airwaves. Carr, who has used his position to defend Musk's companies, authored the chapter of Project 2025 that detailed how he intended to run the agency.Former ICE Director Tom Homan has been picked to serve as "border czar" for the incoming administration, overseeing the mass deportations that have been promised by Trump throughout his 2024 campaign, and immigration hard-liner and top adviser Stephen Miller will serve as Trump's deputy chief of staff for policy. Both Homan and Miller have ties to Project 2025.Homan is a Visiting Fellow at The Heritage Foundation, the Trump-aligned group behind the controversial plan, and is also listed as a contributor to the Project 2025 document. Miller's organization, America First Legal, originally appeared on the list of advisory board members to Project 2025.ABC News reported in July that Miller asked for his group to be removed from the Project 2025 website's list of advisory board members amid ongoing attacks from Democrats about the plan on the campaign trail.A major part of Project 2025's agenda is to expand presidential power and drastically cut federal agencies like the Department of Education -- moves that Trump, on the campaign trail, has supported.The proposal also calls for a reversal of the Food and Drug Administration's approval of the abortion pill mifepristone and calls for health agencies to promote "fertility awareness" as an "unsurpassed" method of contraception.Source: https://abcnews.go.com/