Trump transition recap: Donald Trump chooses Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to lead HHS
President-elect Donald Trump is still choosing his nominees for his second term in the White House ? and making some surprising picks.
Trump announced that he has tapped Robert F. Kennedy Jr., to lead the Department of Health and Human Services. Kennedy has spread conspiracy theories about vaccines, the COVID-19 pandemic and more.
Trump on Wednesday said he chose Matt Gaetz, the firebrand who has been a harsh critic of the Justice Department even as he was investigated by it, as attorney general.
He also tapped former congresswoman and Army veteran Tulsi Gabbard as his nominee for director of national intelligence, a cabinet-level post. Gabbard is a former Democrat who has become one of Trump's most vocal supporters.
There are still plenty of pivotal roles for Trump to fill as he prepares for a second term.
He'll even have full control of Congress in 2025 after Republicans managed to win enough seats to keep the House on Wednesday.
Keep up with live updates from the USA TODAY Network.
Trump picks North Dakota Doug Burgum as secretary of Interior
Trump plans to nominate North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum to be his secretary of Interior, the president-elect announced Thursday evening at a gala.
Trump teased the pick during a speech at Mar-a-Lago during an America First Policy Institute dinner, where he said he'd be appointing Burgum on Friday to a "very big position." Moments later, Trump decided to let the news slip early, telling the crowd that he's picked Burgum to lead the Department of Interior.
Burgum, a 68-year-old wealthy software executive, ran unsuccessfully against Trump for the Republican nomination last year, failing to generate much buzz and dropping out last December before voting got underway.
But he drew immediate interest from Trump, who appreciated Burgum's focus on fossil fuels and energy issues and his command on television. The Trump campaign increasingly dispatched Burgum to campaign rallies as a go-to speaker to tout a second Trump presidency and attack outgoing President Joe Biden. Burgum had been speculated as a possible contender for secretary of the Energy Department, which remains unfilled.
The Interior Department oversees federal land including national parks and monuments, and administers programs and federal commitments involving native tribes. North Dakota is home to five federally recognized native tribes.
Trump picks former Republican Rep. Doug Collins to lead VA
President-elect Donald Trump said Thursday he's nominating former Republican U.S. Rep. Doug Collins of Georgia to be his secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs as he continues to quickly assemble his next administration.
Collins, a former congressman from 2013 to 2021 and trusted Trump loyalist, is a chaplain of the United States Air Force Reserve Command. He served in the Iraq War in 2008.
"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 in a statement.
– Joey Garrison
Donald Trump picks his criminal lawyer, Todd Blanche, as deputy attorney general
President-elect Donald Trump chose Todd Blanche, a lawyer who represented him aggressively in his New York hush money trial and in two federal criminal cases, to serve as deputy attorney general in his next administration.
Trump chose Blanche to join former Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., who was picked to become attorney general. The deputy is a key administrative post in the Justice Department, helping formulate and implement policies while supervising agencies such as the FBI.
– Bart Janson
Donald Trump picks Jay Clayton, former SEC chair, for powerful U.S. attorney role
President-elect Donald Trump said he has picked Jay Clayton, former chair of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission during his first term, as the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York.
If confirmed by the Senate, Clayton would lead one of the most important federal prosecutor offices in the country. It's the office that prosecuted one-time Trump lawyer Michael Cohen, who's now one of Trump's most vocal foes. It also investigated Trump but did not bring charges over the hush money payments that eventually turned into his conviction in his New York state trial.
– Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy
Donald Trump picks Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to lead health agencies
Donald Trump on Thursday said he has selected Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to lead the Department of Health and Human Services. Kennedy, who has spread conspiracy theories about vaccines, the COVID-19 pandemic and more, has been one of Trump's most vocal supporters in recent months, after ending his own independent presidential bid.
"The Safety and Health of all Americans is the most important role of any Administration, and HHS will play a big role in helping ensure that everybody will be protected from harmful chemicals, pollutants, pesticides, pharmaceutical products, and food additives that have contributed to the overwhelming Health Crisis in this Country," Trump shared on Truth Social.
– Marina Pitofsky
North Dakota governor lauds Trump's 'pace' in appointments
At a Mar-a-Lago gala, Gov. Doug Burgum of North Dakota swung by to talk to the press during mic checks.
Asked about the flurry of announcements Trump has made over the last week, Burgum said he loved "the pace" and loved the movement.
He was asked if he had any interest in being chosen as an "energy czar" and said that it was "not about any specific role." He said that Elon Musk had been at Mar-a-Lago Thursday.
Asked more directly about a possible Secretary of the Interior position, Burgum responded, "There's been a lot of discussion about a lot of different things."
As for Trump's decision to name Matt Gaetz as attorney general, he said, "I think that the president is making very smart picks across the board. He's got his reasons for doing all these things."
He added that he thought President-elect Trump was "picking people that will focus on driving real change, as opposed to incremental change."
- Francesca Chambers
RFK Jr., vaccines, food dyes, fluoride and why ‘Make America Healthy Again' took off
Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a 2024 presidential candidate who has told supporters that Donald Trump “promised” to put him in charge of public health agencies, has vowed to “Make America Healthy Again.”
That messaging resonated with a large portion of voters who are worried about what's going into their food. On social media, moms and health-conscious influencers are repeating and reposting Kennedy's talking points, both those that may have merit and the ones that amount to disproven conspiracy theories.
So why did the "Make America Healthy Again" (#MAHA) slogan work so well? Americans are more health-focused than ever before, and there's a wealth of medical advice being doled out on social media — though most is not coming from credentialed experts.
Some voters are also less trusting of government regulators, the anti-vaccine movement has regained momentum post-COVID, and people are fearful about the rise in cancer among young people.
– Alyssa Goldberg
Musk and Ramaswamy won't be paid to lead new Department of Government Efficiency, Musk says
Elon Musk said he and Vivek Ramaswamy will not be paid for leading the newly-created Department of Government Efficiency.
Musk, the Tesla CEO and SpaceX founder, and Ramaswamy, an entrepreneur and former Republican presidential candidate, were appointed to lead the new department, deemed DOGE for short, by President-elect Donald Trump on Tuesday.
On Wednesday, Musk shared the compensation news in a response to a post made on his platform, X, by Sen. Elizabeth Warren, who derided the department's dual-leadership as an inefficiency itself.
"Unlike you, neither of us are being paid, so it is very efficient indeed," Musk said. "(The Department of Government Efficiency) will do great things for the American people. Let history be the judge."
– Greta Cross
What does the attorney general do?
Donald Trump has announced on a Truth Social post that he has nominated firebrand U.S. Congressmember Matt Gaetz, of Florida, to be the next Attorney General of the United States.
But what is an attorney general? The Attorney General oversees the Department of Justice and represents the United States in legal matters generally and gives advice and opinions to the President and to the heads of the executive departments of the Government when so requested, according to the Office of the Attorney General, and in matters of exceptional gravity or importance the Attorney General appears in person before the Supreme Court.
The Department of Justice is the world's largest law and enforcement agency and includes the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), U.S. Marshalls Service, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) and U.S. Attorneys.
? Roseann Cattani
Democrats, GOP clash over release of Matt Gaetz ethics investigation
A partisan standoff appears to be brewing over whether a House Ethics Committee report will be released before the Senate considers Donald Trump's nomination of Matt Gaetz for U.S. attorney general.
Gaetz, who resigned Wednesday shortly after his nomination, has been the subject of a three-year investigation by the panel over allegations of sexual misconduct, illicit drug use, accepting “improper gifts” and giving out special favors to individuals with whom he had relationships.
The House Ethics Committee, which expanded its probe in June to include additional allegations, was to decide on Friday whether to release its report, but his resignation effectively ended the investigation.
On Thursday morning, the panel's chairman, Michael Guest, R-Miss., told reporters as he left the floor that he did not plan to make the document public.
? Joey Garrison
Matt Gaetz's law experience: What to know about the attorney general pick's resume
Donald Trump sent shockwaves through Washington on Wednesday when he named Matt Gaetz, former Congressman from Florida, as his pick for attorney general.
Gaetz resigned from the House of Representatives following the announcement. If confirmed by the Senate, Gaetz will head the Department of Justice. Both Gaetz and Trump have been the subject of investigations from the Justice Department, though Gaetz's ended without charges.
Here's what to know about Gaetz's prior experience and his unique path to the DOJ.
Matt Gaetz's law experience: What to know about the attorney general pick's resume
?Kinsey Crowley
Jack Smith to step down as special counsel investigating Trump, reports say
Special counsel Jack Smith, who brought two criminal cases against Trump, plans to step down before the president-elect takes office, the New York Times reported citing people familiar with Smith's plans. Smith and his team plan to finish their work and exit before Trump can make good his pledge to fire Smith within “two seconds” of being sworn in. CNN also reported the move, citing a Justice Department official familiar with the discussions.
Smith's case involving classified documents Trump kept after leaving office was dismissed by a federal judge in Florida, but Smith's team has filed an appeal.
In a case in Washington charging Trump with conspiring to overturn the 2020 election, Smith asked for and received a monthlong pause to the filing deadlines. The Justice Department is working to determine how to proceed in both cases, but department policy has been against prosecuting sitting presidents.
? Bart Jansen
Lara Trump is 'honored' at the thought of being appointed to the Senate
Lara Trump to replace U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, the future secretary of State?
Why, yes, the Republican National Committee co-chair and Trump daughter-in-law seems interested in the idea of being appointed to the Senate.
"If I were tapped for this, serving my home state now of Florida, it's a great honor and a great responsibility, obviously," Lara Trump said Thursday on FOX Business Network’s Mornings with Maria. "If this is something I'm asked to do, I would seriously consider it."
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis makes the appointment, and there's no word on his thinking about the Senate job.
"I have yet to hear from Governor DeSantis," Lara Trump told Fox Business. "So, we'll see what happens.”
? David Jackson
Trump lawyer Alina Habba not interested in White House press secretary job
Donald Trump’s lawyer won’t be sparring with the press after all. At least not from the White House briefing room.
Alina Habba, who joined Trump’s legal team three years ago, ended speculation Thursday that she was in line to become White House press secretary when the president-elect takes office next year.
“While I am flattered by the support and speculation, the role of Press Secretary is not a role I am considering,” she wrote on X. “Although I love screaming from a podium I will be better served in other capacities.”
Habba has represented Trump in several high-profile legal cases, including author E. Jean Carroll’s defamation suit that ended in a $83.3 million verdict against him.
– Michael Collins
Elon Musk: John Bolton is 'staggeringly dumb' but Matt Gaetz is 'great'
Elon Musk, billionaire tech titan and friend of Donald Trump, is defending the president-elect’s nomination of Matt Gaetz as attorney general.
Musk pushed back against John Bolton’s criticism of Gaetz, a former Florida congressman, to serve as the nation’s top law enforcement officer. Bolton, who served for more than a year as national security adviser during Trump’s first term, called Trump’s choice of Gaetz as “the worst” Cabinet nomination in history.
“John Bolton, who is a staggeringly dumb warmonger, being against someone is a great sign!” Musk fired back in a message on X. “Gaetz will be great.”
Musk has landed a job of his own in the incoming Trump administration. Trump has tapped him and former Republican presidential contender Vivek Ramaswamy to lead a new Department of Government Efficiency, which will work to slash federal government spending, waste and regulations.
– Michael Collins
Nikki Haley: Donald Trump can be 'shallow' at times
Nikki Haley is hitting back at her old boss.
The former South Carolina Republican governor who served as Donald Trump’s first U.N. ambassador took a swipe at the president-elect after he announced she would not be given a job in his incoming administration.
“I will not be inviting former Ambassador Nikki Haley, or former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, to join the Trump Administration, which is currently in formation,” Trump wrote last week on Truth Social. “I very much enjoyed and appreciated working with them previously, and would like to thank them for their service to our Country.”
Haley, who was highly critical of Trump during her own unsuccessful bid for the GOP presidential nomination earlier this year, said on her radio show on SiriusXM that, despite Trump’s public pronouncement, she had already made it known that she wanted no role in his new administration.
“I know the game he was playing," she said. "I don’t need to play that game." She later added: “He can be shallow at times, and I think he showed that.”
– Michael Collins
Matt Gaetz, Trump's pick for attorney general, resigns from Congress
Matt Gaetz resigned from Congress shortly after President-elect Donald Trump announced plans to nominate the Florida Republican as attorney general.
Gaetz, a firebrand who represented Florida's 1st congressional district since 2017, submitted his resignation, effective immediately, on Wednesday following Trump’s decision to make him the country’s chief law enforcement officer.
Gaetz’s resignation came just days before the House Ethics Committee was to decide whether to release a report on its investigation into allegations he had engaged in sexual misconduct and illicit drug use and had accepted improper gifts. Gaetz’s resignation effectively ends that investigation.
Gaetz also was investigated by the Justice Department, which Trump has tapped him to lead, on suspicion of having sex with a 17-year-old girl and allegedly paying for her to travel with him. The department ended its investigation last year without charging him.
– Michael Collins
Matt Gaetz attorney general nomination sparks criticism
Donald Trump's choice of Rep. Matt Gaetz for attorney general signaled a like-minded approach to overhauling the Justice Department after both men were investigated criminally.
But the choice also sparked some of the first criticism of Trump's cabinet selections, as senators questioned whether Gaetz would be a serious choice to become the country's top law enforcement official.
After Trump announced Gaetz's nomination, the Florida Republican resigned from office "effective immediately," setting a special election for the western Florida district in motion.
Check out USA TODAY's five takeaways from the surprising announcement.
- Bart Jansen
Trump picks Tulsi Gabbard as his director of national intelligence
Trump on Wednesday picked former congresswoman and Army veteran Tulsi Gabbard as his nominee for director of national intelligence, a cabinet-level post.
"I know Tulsi will bring the fearless spirit that has defined her illustrious career to our intelligence community, championing our constitutional rights, and securing peace through strength," Trump said in a statement.
Gabbard was a Democrat when she served in the House of Representatives from Hawaii from 2013 to 2021. She ran for president in the Democratic primary in 2020 before leaving the party in 2022 and becoming a Republican this year.
? Tom Vanden Brook and Erin Mansfield
Marco Rubio given nod for Secretary of State
Donald Trump on Wednesday confirmed he's chosen Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., to serve as Secretary of State in his next administration.
Rubio has deep foreign policy experience and has transformed from a Trump opponent to a close ally who was a finalist to serve as Trump's vice president.
He is currently the top Republican on the Senate Intelligence Committee and serves on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Rubio, a Cuban American, would be the first Latino person to serve as Secretary of State.
Rubio has expressed support for Ukraine's war effort against Russia, but voted against additional aid for the country last year. He recently said the war in Ukraine is going to end with "a negotiated settlement," something Trump has also supported. He's also advocated for a tough approach to American adversaries like China, Russia, Iran, Cuba and Venezuela.
Trump and Rubio, 53, ran against each other in the 2016 Republican primary, which turned nasty as they lobbed insults at each other. But they patched up their relationship and worked together on shared foreign policy goals during Trump’s first administration. They grew closer during the 2024 campaign, when Rubio was on the short list to be Trump’s running mate and campaigned relentlessly for him.
? Riley Beggin and Zac Anderson
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Trump transition recap: Trump taps RFK Jr. to lead HHS