Trump transition live updates: Trump names longtime ally Brooke Rollins as secretary of agriculture

WTVD logo
Last updated: Monday, November 25, 2024 6:00PM GMT
In a flurry of nominations, Trump announces 7 picks
President-elect Donald Trump continues to announce his picks for top jobs inside his administration.

Former Rep. Matt Gaetz, President-elect Donald Trump's pick for attorney general, said Thursday he is withdrawing his name for the role -- just a day after Gaetz spoke with Republican senators on Capitol Hill about the nomination process.

For the latest news on President-elect Trump click here.

Trump has named Pam Bondi, the former attorney general of Florida, as his new pick for the role.

Another controversial Cabinet pick, Pete Hegseth, is on the Hill on Thursday with Vice President-elect JD Vance to make his case for the secretary of the Department of Defense job.

Meanwhile, Trump continues to announce his picks for top jobs inside his administration.

WTVD logo
Nov 22, 2024, 3:24 PM

List: Trump's picks for cabinet, key roles in next administration

President-elect Donald Trump is naming cabinet members and adding other key positions to his administration.

These team members will have a direct impact on implementing Trump's policies in his second term.

MORE | Here's a look at the president-elect's other appointees so far.

This combo image shows from left: Pete Hegseth, Kristi Noem and John Ratcliffe.
This combo image shows from left: Pete Hegseth, Kristi Noem and John Ratcliffe.
ByAllison Pecorin ABCNews logo
Nov 25, 2024, 6:09 PM GMT

Gaetz says meetings have been 'going great,' not focused on Ethics Committee activity

Reporters caught former Rep. Matt Gaetz re-entering the Capitol on Wednesday evening to continue meetings he has been having with senators and Vice President-elect JD Vance.

"It's been going great," Gaetz, Trump's pick for attorney general, said. "Senators have been giving me a lot of good advice. I'm looking forward to a hearing. Folks have been very supportive, and they've been saying we are going to get a fair process. So it's a great day of momentum for the Trump-Vance administration."

Asked if he had any reaction to the House Ethics Committee being deadlocked on whether to release its report on him, Gaetz said he hasn't been tracking the developments.

"I'll be honest with you, I've been focused on what we've got to do to reform the Department of Justice. I've been meeting with senators. I haven't been paying much attention to that," Gaetz said.

Gaetz said he hasn't spoken to Trump today but "had a great time with the vice president-elect talking about how we are going to end weaponization at the Department of Justice."

"We are going to tackle fentanyl. We are going to ensure that we don't have the DOJ involved in censorship anymore and make sure that we get the country back on track and are there for President Trump's total fulfillment of his promise on his immigration agenda," Gaetz continued.

Asked if he was confident he could be confirmed, Gaetz dodged.

"It was a great day," he said.

BySelina Wang, Katherine Faulders and John Santucci ABCNews logo
Nov 25, 2024, 6:09 PM GMT

Scott Bessent emerging as treasury secretary favorite: Sources

Donald Trump's transition meetings Wednesday have been focused in part on the treasury secretary role, with hedge fund manager Scott Bessent emerging as a favorite, sources with knowledge of the proceedings told ABC News.

However, the sources cautioned that no decision has been made until Trump announces it.

Bessent has been a frequent presence at Mar-a-Lago and has met with the president-elect often. He's become a favorite pick partly because he's viewed as a credible choice with the necessary markets and macroeconomic knowledge for the role, according to sources.

Tennessee Sen. Bill Hagerty, Apollo Global Management CEO Marc Rowan and former Federal Reserve board governor Kevin Warsh have also been in meetings with Trump about the role, according to the sources.

Veteran Investor Kyle Bass posted on X, "Scott Bessent is eminently more qualified than Howard Lutnick to run the U.S. Treasury. Scott understands markets, economics, people, and geopolitics better than anyone I've ever interacted with. Markets have already anticipated a Bessent choice. Lutnick is not Trump's answer."

In response, Trump adviser Elon Musk wrote, "Bessent is a business-as-usual choice, whereas (Lutnick) will actually enact change."

ByRachel Scott and Will Steakin ABCNews logo
Nov 25, 2024, 6:09 PM GMT

House Ethics Committee voted against releasing Gaetz report: Source

The House Ethics Committee voted against releasing its report on Matt Gaetz after multiple rounds of votes Wednesday, a source familiar with its meeting told ABC News.

The source said Republicans all voted against its release.

The committee voted not to release the draft report on Wednesday but to complete it and meet again in December, sources said.

MORE | Ethics Committee won't release Matt Gaetz report after multiple rounds of votes: Source

ByLauren Peller ABCNews logo
Nov 25, 2024, 6:09 PM GMT

Casten to introduce resolution to require House vote on Gaetz report

Democratic Rep. Sean Casten of Illinois said he is planning to introduce a privileged resolution Wednesday afternoon to force a vote on requiring the House Ethics Committee to release its Gaetz report.

Casten said if the House Ethics Committee chooses not to release the report, he will introduce a privileged resolution "to require a vote by the full House of Representatives on the release of the Gaetz report."

"The allegations against Matt Gaetz are serious. They are credible. The House Ethics Committee has spent years conducting a thorough investigation to get to the bottom of it," Casten said in a statement. "This information must be made available for the Senate to provide its constitutionally required advice and consent."

Once the resolution is introduced, the House will have to take it up within two legislative days. GOP leadership will decide when it's brought up for a vote.

The House Ethics Committee wrapped its meeting moments ago, during which it was expected to vote on whether to release the report.