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WASHINGTON — President-elect Donald Trump's transition team on Tuesday signed an agreement to allow the Justice Department to conduct background checks on his nominees and appointees after a weekslong delay. The step lets Trump transition aides and future administration staffers obtain security clearances before Inauguration Day to access classified information about ongoing government programs, an essential step for a smooth transition of power. It also allows those nominees who are up for Senate confirmation to face the background checks lawmakers want before voting on them. Teams of investigators have been standing by to process clearances for Trump aides and advisers. FILE - Susie Wiles watches as Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump speaks at a caucus night party in Des Moines, Iowa, Jan. 15, 2024. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik, File) "This agreement with the Department of Justice will ensure President Trump and his team are ready on Day 1 to begin enacting the America First Agenda that an overwhelming majority of our nation supported on Election Day," said Susie Wiles, Trump's designate to be White House chief of staff. People are also reading... The announcement came a week after the Trump transition team signed an agreement with the Biden White House to allow transition staff to coordinate with the existing federal workforce before taking office Jan. 20. The White House agreement was supposed to have been signed by Oct. 1, according to the Presidential Transition Act, and the Biden White House issued both public and private appeals for Trump's team to sign on. Security clearances are required to access classified information, including on ongoing operations and threats to the nation, and the Biden White House and outside experts emphasized to Trump's team the importance of having cleared personnel before Inauguration Day so they could be fully briefed and ready to run the government. President-elect Donald Trump arrives before the launch of the sixth test flight of the SpaceX Starship rocket Tuesday, Nov. 19, 2024 in Boca Chica, Texas. (Brandon Bell/Pool via AP) President-elect Donald Trump’s lawyers urge judge to toss his hush money conviction Republican Senators also insisted on FBI background checks for Trump's nominees before they face confirmation votes, as has been standard practice for decades. Lawmakers were particularly interested in seeing the findings of reviews into Trump's designated nominee for defense secretary, former Fox News host Pete Hegseth, and for Rep. Tulsi Gabbard to be director of national intelligence. "That's why it's so important that we have an FBI background check, a committee review of extensive questions and questionnaires, and a public hearing," Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, said Monday. John Thune, incoming Senate Republican leader, said the Trump team "understands there's going to have to be a thorough vetting of all these nominees." Here are the people Trump has picked for key positions so far President-elect Donald Trump Among President-elect Donald Trump's picks are Susie Wiles for chief of staff, Florida Sen. Marco Rubio for secretary of state, former Democratic House member Tulsi Gabbard for director of national intelligence and Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz for attorney general. Susie Wiles, White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, 67, was a senior adviser to Trump's 2024 presidential campaign and its de facto manager. Marco Rubio, Secretary of State Trump named Florida Sen. Marco Rubio to be secretary of state, making a former sharp critic his choice to be the new administration's top diplomat. Rubio, 53, is a noted hawk on China, Cuba and Iran, and was a finalist to be Trump's running mate on the Republican ticket last summer. Rubio is the vice chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee and a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. “He will be a strong Advocate for our Nation, a true friend to our Allies, and a fearless Warrior who will never back down to our adversaries,” Trump said of Rubio in a statement. The announcement punctuates the hard pivot Rubio has made with Trump, whom the senator called a “con man" during his unsuccessful campaign for the 2016 GOP presidential nomination. Their relationship improved dramatically while Trump was in the White House. And as Trump campaigned for the presidency a third time, Rubio cheered his proposals. For instance, Rubio, who more than a decade ago helped craft immigration legislation that included a path to citizenship for people in the U.S. illegally, now supports Trump's plan to use the U.S. military for mass deportations. Pete Hegseth, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, 44, is a co-host of Fox News Channel’s “Fox & Friends Weekend” and has been a contributor with the network since 2014, where he developed a friendship with Trump, who made regular appearances on the show. Hegseth lacks senior military or national security experience. If confirmed by the Senate, he would inherit the top job during a series of global crises — ranging from Russia’s war in Ukraine and the ongoing attacks in the Middle East by Iranian proxies to the push for a cease-fire between Israel, Hamas and Hezbollah and escalating worries about the growing alliance between Russia and North Korea. Hegseth is also the author of “The War on Warriors: Behind the Betrayal of the Men Who Keep Us Free,” published earlier this year. Pam Bondi, Attorney General Trump tapped Pam Bondi, 59, to be attorney general after U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz withdrew his name from consideration. She was Florida's first female attorney general, serving between 2011 and 2019. She also was on Trump’s legal team during his first impeachment trial in 2020. Considered a loyalist, she served as part of a Trump-allied outside group that helped lay the groundwork for his future administration called the America First Policy Institute. Bondi was among a group of Republicans who showed up to support Trump at his hush money criminal trial in New York that ended in May with a conviction on 34 felony counts. A fierce defender of Trump, she also frequently appears on Fox News and has been a critic of the criminal cases against him. Kristi Noem, Secretary of Homeland Security Trump picked South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem, a well-known conservative who faced sharp criticism for telling a story in her memoir about shooting a rambunctious dog, to lead an agency crucial to the president-elect’s hardline immigration agenda. Noem used her two terms leading a tiny state to vault to a prominent position in Republican politics. South Dakota is usually a political afterthought. But during the COVID-19 pandemic, Noem did not order restrictions that other states had issued and instead declared her state “open for business.” Trump held a fireworks rally at Mount Rushmore in July 2020 in one of the first large gatherings of the pandemic. She takes over a department with a sprawling mission. In addition to key immigration agencies, the Department of Homeland Security oversees natural disaster response, the U.S. Secret Service, and Transportation Security Administration agents who work at airports. Doug Burgum, Secretary of the Interior The governor of North Dakota, who was once little-known outside his state, Burgum is a former Republican presidential primary contender who endorsed Trump, and spent months traveling to drum up support for him, after dropping out of the race. Burgum was a serious contender to be Trump’s vice presidential choice this summer. The two-term governor was seen as a possible pick because of his executive experience and business savvy. Burgum also has close ties to deep-pocketed energy industry CEOs. Trump made the announcement about Burgum joining his incoming administration while addressing a gala at his Mar-a-Lago club, and said a formal statement would be coming the following day. In comments to reporters before Trump took the stage, Burgum said that, in recent years, the power grid is deteriorating in many parts of the country, which he said could raise national security concerns but also drive up prices enough to increase inflation. “There's just a sense of urgency, and a sense of understanding in the Trump administration,” Burgum said. Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. ran for president as a Democrat, than as an independent, and then endorsed Trump . He's the son of Democratic icon Robert Kennedy, who was assassinated during his own presidential campaign. The nomination of Kennedy to lead the Department of Health and Human Services alarmed people who are concerned about his record of spreading unfounded fears about vaccines . For example, he has long advanced the debunked idea that vaccines cause autism. Scott Bessent, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, 62, is a former George Soros money manager and an advocate for deficit reduction. He's the founder of hedge fund Key Square Capital Management, after having worked on-and-off for Soros Fund Management since 1991. If confirmed by the Senate, he would be the nation’s first openly gay treasury secretary. He told Bloomberg in August that he decided to join Trump’s campaign in part to attack the mounting U.S. national debt. That would include slashing government programs and other spending. “This election cycle is the last chance for the U.S. to grow our way out of this mountain of debt without becoming a sort of European-style socialist democracy,” he said then. Lori Chavez-DeRemer, Labor Secretary Oregon Republican U.S. Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer narrowly lost her reelection bid this month, but received strong backing from union members in her district. As a potential labor secretary, she would oversee the Labor Department’s workforce, its budget and put forth priorities that impact workers’ wages, health and safety, ability to unionize, and employer’s rights to fire employers, among other responsibilities. Chavez-DeRemer is one of few House Republicans to endorse the “Protecting the Right to Organize” or PRO Act would allow more workers to conduct organizing campaigns and would add penalties for companies that violate workers’ rights. The act would also weaken “right-to-work” laws that allow employees in more than half the states to avoid participating in or paying dues to unions that represent workers at their places of employment. Scott Turner, Housing and Urban Development Scott Turner is a former NFL player and White House aide. He ran the White House Opportunity and Revitalization Council during Trump’s first term in office. Trump, in a statement, credited Turner, the highest-ranking Black person he’s yet selected for his administration, with “helping to lead an Unprecedented Effort that Transformed our Country’s most distressed communities.” Sean Duffy, Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy is a former House member from Wisconsin who was one of Trump's most visible defenders on cable news. Duffy served in the House for nearly nine years, sitting on the Financial Services Committee and chairing the subcommittee on insurance and housing. He left Congress in 2019 for a TV career and has been the host of “The Bottom Line” on Fox Business. Before entering politics, Duffy was a reality TV star on MTV, where he met his wife, “Fox and Friends Weekend” co-host Rachel Campos-Duffy. They have nine children. Chris Wright, Secretary of Energy A campaign donor and CEO of Denver-based Liberty Energy, Write is a vocal advocate of oil and gas development, including fracking — a key pillar of Trump’s quest to achieve U.S. “energy dominance” in the global market. Wright also has been one of the industry’s loudest voices against efforts to fight climate change. He said the climate movement around the world is “collapsing under its own weight.” The Energy Department is responsible for advancing energy, environmental and nuclear security of the United States. Wright also won support from influential conservatives, including oil and gas tycoon Harold Hamm. Hamm, executive chairman of Oklahoma-based Continental Resources, a major shale oil company, is a longtime Trump supporter and adviser who played a key role on energy issues in Trump’s first term. Linda McMahon, Secretary of Education President-elect Donald Trump tapped billionaire professional wrestling mogul Linda McMahon to be secretary of the Education Department, tasked with overseeing an agency Trump promised to dismantle. McMahon led the Small Business Administration during Trump’s initial term from 2017 to 2019 and twice ran unsuccessfully as a Republican for the U.S. Senate in Connecticut. She’s seen as a relative unknown in education circles, though she expressed support for charter schools and school choice. She served on the Connecticut Board of Education for a year starting in 2009 and has spent years on the board of trustees for Sacred Heart University in Connecticut. Brooke Rollins, Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins, who graduated from Texas A&M University with a degree in agricultural development, is a longtime Trump associate who served as White House domestic policy chief during his first presidency. The 52-year-old is president and CEO of the America First Policy Institute, a group helping to lay the groundwork for a second Trump administration. She previously served as an aide to former Texas Gov. Rick Perry and ran a think tank, the Texas Public Policy Foundation. Howard Lutnick, Secretary of Commerce Trump chose Howard Lutnick, head of brokerage and investment bank Cantor Fitzgerald and a cryptocurrency enthusiast, as his nominee for commerce secretary, a position in which he'd have a key role in carrying out Trump's plans to raise and enforce tariffs. Trump made the announcement Tuesday on his social media platform, Truth Social. Lutnick is a co-chair of Trump’s transition team, along with Linda McMahon, the former wrestling executive who previously led Trump’s Small Business Administration. Both are tasked with putting forward candidates for key roles in the next administration. The nomination would put Lutnick in charge of a sprawling Cabinet agency that is involved in funding new computer chip factories, imposing trade restrictions, releasing economic data and monitoring the weather. It is also a position in which connections to CEOs and the wider business community are crucial. Doug Collins, Secretary of Veterans Affairs Doug Collins is a former Republican congressman from Georgia who gained recognition for defending Trump during his first impeachment trial, which centered on U.S. assistance for Ukraine. Trump was impeached for urging Ukraine to investigate Joe Biden in 2019 during the Democratic presidential nomination, but he was acquitted by the Senate. Collins has also served in the armed forces himself and is currently a chaplain in the United States Air Force Reserve Command. "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 about nominating Collins to lead the Department of Veterans Affairs. Karoline Leavitt, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, 27, was Trump's campaign press secretary and currently a spokesperson for his transition. She would be the youngest White House press secretary in history. The White House press secretary typically serves as the public face of the administration and historically has held daily briefings for the press corps. Leavitt, a New Hampshire native, was a spokesperson for MAGA Inc., a super PAC supporting Trump, before joining his 2024 campaign. In 2022, she ran for Congress in New Hampshire, winning a 10-way Republican primary before losing to Democratic Rep. Chris Pappas. Leavitt worked in the White House press office during Trump's first term before she became communications director for New York Republican Rep. Elise Stefanik, Trump's choice for U.S. ambassador to the United Nations. Tulsi Gabbard, National Intelligence Director Former Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard has been tapped by Trump to be director of national intelligence, keeping with the trend to stock his Cabinet with loyal personalities rather than veteran professionals in their requisite fields. Gabbard, 43, was a Democratic House member who unsuccessfully sought the party's 2020 presidential nomination before leaving the party in 2022. She endorsed Trump in August and campaigned often with him this fall. “I know Tulsi will bring the fearless spirit that has defined her illustrious career to our Intelligence Community,” Trump said in a statement. Gabbard, who has served in the Army National Guard for more than two decades, deploying to Iraq and Kuwait, would come to the role as somewhat of an outsider compared to her predecessor. The current director, Avril Haines, was confirmed by the Senate in 2021 following several years in a number of top national security and intelligence positions. John Ratcliffe, Central Intelligence Agency Director Trump has picked John Ratcliffe, a former Texas congressman who served as director of national intelligence during his first administration, to be director of the Central Intelligence Agency in his next. Ratcliffe was director of national intelligence during the final year and a half of Trump's first term, leading the U.S. government's spy agencies during the coronavirus pandemic. “I look forward to John being the first person ever to serve in both of our Nation's highest Intelligence positions,” Trump said in a statement, calling him a “fearless fighter for the Constitutional Rights of all Americans” who would ensure “the Highest Levels of National Security, and PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH.” Lee Zeldin, Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Trump has chosen former New York Rep. Lee Zeldin to serve as his pick to lead the Environmental Protection Agency . Zeldin does not appear to have any experience in environmental issues, but is a longtime supporter of the former president. The 44-year-old former U.S. House member from New York wrote on X , “We will restore US energy dominance, revitalize our auto industry to bring back American jobs, and make the US the global leader of AI.” “We will do so while protecting access to clean air and water,” he added. During his campaign, Trump often attacked the Biden administration's promotion of electric vehicles, and incorrectly referring to a tax credit for EV purchases as a government mandate. Trump also often told his audiences during the campaign his administration would “Drill, baby, drill,” referring to his support for expanded petroleum exploration. In a statement, Trump said Zeldin “will ensure fair and swift deregulatory decisions that will be enacted in a way to unleash the power of American businesses, while at the same time maintaining the highest environmental standards, including the cleanest air and water on the planet.” Brendan Carr, Chairman of the Federal Communications Commission Trump has named Brendan Carr, the senior Republican on the Federal Communications Commission, as the new chairman of the agency tasked with regulating broadcasting, telecommunications and broadband. Carr is a longtime member of the commission and served previously as the FCC’s general counsel. He has been unanimously confirmed by the Senate three times and was nominated by both Trump and President Joe Biden to the commission. Carr made past appearances on “Fox News Channel," including when he decried Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris' pre-Election Day appearance on “Saturday Night Live.” He wrote an op-ed last month defending a satellite company owned by Trump supporter Elon Musk. Elise Stefanik, Ambassador to the United Nations Rep. Elise Stefanik is a representative from New York and one of Trump's staunchest defenders going back to his first impeachment. Elected to the House in 2014, Stefanik was selected by her GOP House colleagues as House Republican Conference chair in 2021, when former Wyoming Rep. Liz Cheney was removed from the post after publicly criticizing Trump for falsely claiming he won the 2020 election. Stefanik, 40, has served in that role ever since as the third-ranking member of House leadership. Stefanik’s questioning of university presidents over antisemitism on their campuses helped lead to two of those presidents resigning, further raising her national profile. If confirmed, she would represent American interests at the U.N. as Trump vows to end the war waged by Russia against Ukraine begun in 2022. He has also called for peace as Israel continues its offensive against Hamas in Gaza and its invasion of Lebanon to target Hezbollah. Matt Whitaker, Ambassador to NATO President-elect Donald Trump says he's chosen former acting Attorney General Matt Whitaker to serve as U.S. ambassador to NATO. Trump has expressed skepticism about the Western military alliance for years. Trump said in a statement Wednesday that Whitaker is “a strong warrior and loyal Patriot” who “will ensure the United States’ interests are advanced and defended” and “strengthen relationships with our NATO Allies, and stand firm in the face of threats to Peace and Stability.” The choice of Whitaker as the nation’s representative to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization is an unusual one, given his background is as a lawyer and not in foreign policy. Mike Huckabee, Ambassador to Israel Trump will nominate former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee to be ambassador to Israel. Huckabee is a staunch defender of Israel and his intended nomination comes as Trump has promised to align U.S. foreign policy more closely with Israel's interests as it wages wars against the Iran-backed Hamas and Hezbollah. “He loves Israel, and likewise the people of Israel love him,” Trump said in a statement. “Mike will work tirelessly to bring about peace in the Middle East.” Huckabee, who ran unsuccessfully for the Republican presidential nomination in 2008 and 2016, has been a popular figure among evangelical Christian conservatives, many of whom support Israel due to Old Testament writings that Jews are God’s chosen people and that Israel is their rightful homeland. Trump has been praised by some in this important Republican voting bloc for moving the U.S. embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. Steven Witkoff, Special Envoy to the Middle East Trump on Tuesday named real estate investor Steven Witkoff to be special envoy to the Middle East. The 67-year-old Witkoff is the president-elect's golf partner and was golfing with him at Trump's club in West Palm Beach, Florida, on Sept. 15, when the former president was the target of a second attempted assassination. Witkoff “is a Highly Respected Leader in Business and Philanthropy,” Trump said of Witkoff in a statement. “Steve will be an unrelenting Voice for PEACE, and make us all proud." Trump also named Witkoff co-chair, with former Georgia Sen. Kelly Loeffler, of his inaugural committee. Keith Kellogg, Special Envoy for Ukraine and Russia Trump said Wednesday that he will nominate Gen. Keith Kellogg to serve as assistant to the president and special envoy for Ukraine and Russia. Kellogg, a retired Army lieutenant general who has long been Trump’s top adviser on defense issues, served as National Security Advisor to Trump's former Vice President Mike Pence. For the America First Policy Institute, one of several groups formed after Trump left office to help lay the groundwork for the next Republican administration, Kellogg in April wrote that “bringing the Russia-Ukraine war to a close will require strong, America First leadership to deliver a peace deal and immediately end the hostilities between the two warring parties.” (AP Photo/Mariam Zuhaib) Mike Waltz, National Security Adviser Trump asked Rep. Michael Waltz, R-Fla., a retired Army National Guard officer and war veteran, to be his national security adviser, Trump announced in a statement Tuesday. The move puts Waltz in the middle of national security crises, ranging from efforts to provide weapons to Ukraine and worries about the growing alliance between Russia and North Korea to the persistent attacks in the Middle East by Iran proxies and the push for a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas and Hezbollah. “Mike has been a strong champion of my America First Foreign Policy agenda,” Trump's statement said, "and will be a tremendous champion of our pursuit of Peace through Strength!” Waltz is a three-term GOP congressman from east-central Florida. He served multiple tours in Afghanistan and also worked in the Pentagon as a policy adviser when Donald Rumsfeld and Robert Gates were defense chiefs. He is considered hawkish on China, and called for a U.S. boycott of the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing due to its involvement in the origin of COVID-19 and its mistreatment of the minority Muslim Uighur population. Stephen Miller, Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy Stephen Miller, an immigration hardliner , was a vocal spokesperson during the presidential campaign for Trump's priority of mass deportations. The 39-year-old was a senior adviser during Trump's first administration. Miller has been a central figure in some of Trump's policy decisions, notably his move to separate thousands of immigrant families. Trump argued throughout the campaign that the nation's economic, national security and social priorities could be met by deporting people who are in the United States illegally. Since Trump left office in 2021, Miller has served as the president of America First Legal, an organization made up of former Trump advisers aimed at challenging the Biden administration, media companies, universities and others over issues such as free speech and national security. Tom Homan, ‘Border Czar’ Thomas Homan, 62, has been tasked with Trump’s top priority of carrying out the largest deportation operation in the nation’s history. Homan, who served under Trump in his first administration leading U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, was widely expected to be offered a position related to the border, an issue Trump made central to his campaign. Though Homan has insisted such a massive undertaking would be humane, he has long been a loyal supporter of Trump's policy proposals, suggesting at a July conference in Washington that he would be willing to "run the biggest deportation operation this country’s ever seen.” Democrats have criticized Homan for his defending Trump's “zero tolerance” policy on border crossings during his first administration, which led to the separation of thousands of parents and children seeking asylum at the border. Dr. Mehmet Oz, Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz, 64, is a former heart surgeon who hosted “The Dr. Oz Show,” a long-running daytime television talk show. He ran unsuccessfully for the U.S. Senate as the Republican nominee in 2022 and is an outspoken supporter of Trump, who endorsed Oz's bid for elected office. Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy to advise White House on government efficiency Elon Musk, left, and Vivek Ramaswamy speak before Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump at an Oct. 27 campaign rally at Madison Square Garden in New York. Trump on Tuesday said Musk and former Republican presidential candidate Ramaswamy will lead a new “Department of Government Efficiency" — which is not, despite the name, a government agency. The acronym “DOGE” is a nod to Musk's favorite cryptocurrency, dogecoin. Trump said Musk and Ramaswamy will work from outside the government to offer the White House “advice and guidance” and will partner with the Office of Management and Budget to “drive large scale structural reform, and create an entrepreneurial approach to Government never seen before.” He added the move would shock government systems. It's not clear how the organization will operate. Musk, owner of X and CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, has been a constant presence at Mar-a-Lago since Trump won the presidential election. Ramaswamy suspended his campaign in January and threw his support behind Trump. Trump said the two will “pave the way for my Administration to dismantle Government Bureaucracy, slash excess regulations, cut wasteful expenditures, and restructure Federal Agencies.” Russell Vought, Office of Management and Budget Russell Vought held the position during Trump’s first presidency. After Trump’s initial term ended, Vought founded the Center for Renewing America, a think tank that describes its mission as “renew a consensus of America as a nation under God.” Vought was closely involved with Project 2025, a conservative blueprint for Trump’s second term that he tried to distance himself from during the campaign. Vought has also previously worked as the executive and budget director for the Republican Study Committee, a caucus for conservative House Republicans. He also worked at Heritage Action, the political group tied to The Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank. Additional selections to the incoming White House Dan Scavino, deputy chief of staff Scavino, whom Trump's transition referred to in a statement as one of “Trump's longest serving and most trusted aides,” was a senior adviser to Trump's 2024 campaign, as well as his 2016 and 2020 campaigns. He will be deputy chief of staff and assistant to the president. Scavino had run Trump's social media profile in the White House during his first administration. He was also held in contempt of Congress in 2022 after a month-long refusal to comply with a subpoena from the House committee’s investigation into the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. James Blair, deputy chief of staff Blair was political director for Trump's 2024 campaign and for the Republican National Committee. He will be deputy chief of staff for legislative, political and public affairs and assistant to the president. Blair was key to Trump's economic messaging during his winning White House comeback campaign this year, a driving force behind the candidate's “Trump can fix it” slogan and his query to audiences this fall if they were better off than four years ago. Taylor Budowich, deputy chief of staff Budowich is a veteran Trump campaign aide who launched and directed Make America Great Again, Inc., a super PAC that supported Trump's 2024 campaign. He will be deputy chief of staff for communications and personnel and assistant to the president. Budowich also had served as a spokesman for Trump after his presidency. William McGinley, White House counsel McGinley was White House Cabinet secretary during Trump's first administration, and was outside legal counsel for the Republican National Committee's election integrity effort during the 2024 campaign. In a statement, Trump called McGinley “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.” Jay Bhattacharya, National Institutes of Health Trump has chosen Dr. Jay Bhattacharya to lead the National Institutes of Health. Bhattacharya is a physician and professor at Stanford University School of Medicine, and is a critic of pandemic lockdowns and vaccine mandates. He promoted the idea of herd immunity during the pandemic, arguing that people at low risk should live normally while building up immunity to COVID-19 through infection. The National Institutes of Health funds medical research through competitive grants to researchers at institutions throughout the nation. NIH also conducts its own research with thousands of scientists working at its labs in Bethesda, Maryland. Jamieson Greer, U.S. trade representative Kevin Hassett, Director of the White House National Economic Council Trump is turning to two officials with experience navigating not only Washington but the key issues of income taxes and tariffs as he fills out his economic team. He announced he has chosen international trade attorney Jamieson Greer to be his U.S. trade representative and Kevin Hassett as director of the White House National Economic Council. While Trump has in several cases nominated outsiders to key posts, these picks reflect a recognition that his reputation will likely hinge on restoring the public’s confidence in the economy. Trump said in a statement that Greer was instrumental in his first term in imposing tariffs on China and others and replacing the trade agreement with Canada and Mexico, “therefore making it much better for American Workers.” Hassett, 62, served in the first Trump term as chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers. He has a doctorate from the University of Pennsylvania and worked at the right-leaning American Enterprise Institute before joining the Trump White House in 2017. Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter.
Key details to know about the arrest of a suspect in the killing of UnitedHealthcare's CEOCanadian economists believe there could be an unusual solution to the problems befalling the G7 economy: return to the White House. The United States president-elect might have already threatened a on all exports from its northern neighbour and played a role in the resignation this month of finance minister . But some say a second Trump term is the impetus Canada needs to deal with a severe backlog of structural problems that have left it trailing the U.S. in productivity, growth and wages. William Foster, a senior vice-president in the sovereign risk group at Moody’s, said the Trump “stress test” was an opportunity to realign Canada’s economic focus. “It has the resources, it just needs to figure it out,” Foster said. Social-economic indicators across Canada show large parts of the population are being left behind. In March 2024, there were more than 2 million visits to food banks in Canada the highest number in history a six per cent increase compared with 2023, and a 90 per cent increase compared with 2019, according to the NGO Food Banks Canada. , at about seven per cent, and Canada’s is the highest in the G7, making the population particularly vulnerable to a recession. , along with exchange rate movements, have meant Canadian wages and salaries are now lower than those in all 50 U.S. states, according to an October report from the Fraser Institute, a Vancouver-based think-tank. Robert Asselin, a former government adviser who is now at the Business Council of Canada, said the country’s economy had become “structurally weak” as it mainly relied on consumption and real estate. Last week, when announcing another interest rate cut, governor Tiff Macklem said there were “mixed signals in the data”, adding population growth and public sector spending were keeping Canada’s GDP afloat. is now within Canada’s two per cent target range — down from seven per cent in 2022 — but when Freeland resigned, on the day she was due to present the country’s Fall Economic Statement, an Angus Reid Institute (ARI) poll found that 38 per cent of Canadians said they were worse off now than 12 months ago. “This is the lowest this measure has been since 2021 but is still much higher than data seen in ARI’s 14 years of tracking those data,” the pollsters said. Alex Whalen, policy director at the Fraser Institute, said Canada’s troubles stemmed from an “investment crisis”. “We need restrained government spending, widespread tax reform and an improved investment climate beginning with, among other policies, reversing the recent capital gains tax hike, for large profits on asset sales, and phaseout of accelerated depreciation,” he said. Productivity and innovation the twin pillars that have helped the U.S. economy race ahead of its G7 counterparts in recent years have become a sore point for Canada. “An innovative, productive and competitive economy will result in higher wages and better job opportunities for Canadian workers,” Asselin said. Canada was the 18th most productive economy in the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development in 2022; in 1970 it was sixth. This year, labour productivity was 1.2 per cent below pre-pandemic levels, having fallen for 14 of the past 16 quarters. Jonathan Garbutt, a Toronto-based tax lawyer, said that despite numerous government funds for research and development, Canada did not foster a competitive technology and innovation sector. “When young Canadian entrepreneurs ask me for my best tax advice, I say, go someplace south that values entrepreneurship and rewards people for taking risks,” he said. While the U.S.’s stellar growth may be envied in Canada, the country has benefited from a centuries-old trading relationship with its southern neighbour that is worth about $1.3 trillion annually. About 80 per cent of Canada’s exports flow to the United States, with the automotive industry, oil and gas, steel and critical minerals such as uranium central to the relationship. Should Trump carry out his threat to rip up the North American free trade deal, the USMCA, with Canada and Mexico when he returns to office on January 20, it would remove one of the remaining strengths of the Canadian economy and likely tip it into recession. Differences between Freeland and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau over how to respond to what the former minister described as Trump’s “aggressive economic nationalism” prompted her to quit after four years in the post. Her resignation letter criticized a number of Trudeau’s pre-election giveaways including tax-free Christmas trees and a proposed $250 cheque for nearly half the population at a time when Ottawa “faces a grave challenge” from the U.S. president-elect. An election must be held by October and Conservative opposition leader Pierre Poilievre is significantly ahead in the polls. Using slogans such as “axe the tax”, Poilievre, a 45-year-old career politician, has hammered Trudeau on the struggling economy. Regardless of who wins the next election, Trump’s victory in the U.S. was “a wake-up call”, said Jim Thorne, chief market strategist for Wellington-Altus Private Wealth. “We are witnessing the great deterioration of the Canadian economy in the post-WWII era and Ottawa and Bay Street have yet to fully recognize the rapid decline.”Senior Sergeant Anthony Bond, of Dunedin, said police officers and a dog handler searched a property on Allanton-Scroggs Hill Rd about 11pm on Friday, after a concerned farmer thought he heard gunshots he thought were aimed at his stock. Police found a 16-year-old boy and 19-year-old man in a paddock, and two men aged 18 and 34 were found 200 metres away. Police found no firearms on them. ‘‘The four of them admitted that they’d seen a sheep in the paddock and decided to go chase it,’’ Snr Sgt Bond said. ‘‘They didn’t know what they were going to do if they caught it.’’ The 16-year-old was referred to youth aid and the other three received warnings for unlawfully being on property.
Bitcoin topped US$100,000 for the first time on Dec 5, jumping drastically from roughly $69,000 the day before the US presidential election about a month earlier. The sharp uptick in price has prompted investors, particularly cryptocurrency enthusiasts, to keep a close eye on what happens next in US politics. As a candidate, Donald Trump pledged to make the US the "crypto capital of the planet". Now the president-elect even suggested the country might one day pay off its national debt in cryptocurrency. "During the campaign, Trump promised many policy changes in the US that will be favourable for Bitcoin and crypto assets in general. We have already seen the impact of this, driving Bitcoin prices to all-time highs," said Nirun Fuwattananukul, chief executive of Gulf Binance, the Thai joint venture between the world's largest crypto exchange and SET-listed Gulf Energy Development. In Mr Nirun's view, these policies are likely to be pushed through. Trump's second term, unlike his first, will have a Republican majority in the Senate and House of Representatives. "This means he can drive his campaign policy very effectively. His campaign advisors, especially Elon Musk and Robert F. Kennedy Jr, are also very pro-Bitcoin, so I think these pledged policies will be implemented," he told the Bangkok Post. CRYPTO BOOST Mr Nirun said before the US election, Bitcoin was already a well-known and widely adopted asset globally. In the US, many institutions and state pension funds are starting to invest in the world's largest cryptocurrency. "New regulations, if they happen, will make Bitcoin even more mainstream. I believe Bitcoin will become a mainstream investment asset, similar to gold or silver, in the future," he said. Mr Nirun said the general cryptocurrency market will likely follow Bitcoin, with more assets becoming mainstream, taking the Ethereum path. "I think the key driver will be greater innovation. With supportive US policy and more capital returning to the US, we will see more innovation in this space, with new applications and use cases driving crypto assets to become more mainstream in the future," he said. The market anticipates Gary Gensler, chair of the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), leaving his post at the end of Joe Biden's administration. Investors are optimistic about a more crypto-friendly regulator after his departure in early 2025. "He was very active in regulatory enforcement on Bitcoin and crypto assets. The new SEC chairman will likely be much more aligned with Trump's views," said Mr Nirun. Last Wednesday, Trump announced he intends to nominate cryptocurrency advocate Paul Atkins to chair the SEC. Mr Atkins, the chief executive of Patomak Partners and a former SEC commissioner, has made the case against too much market regulation since he left the US stock market regulator. However, realising the benefits of favourable crypto policies of the new US administration will take time, said Mr Nirun. "I think we need to wait for the proper timing. There are a lot of pressing issues Americans expect Trump to tackle, including the economy and immigration, which will likely come first. We need to wait a bit to see when he will start looking into Bitcoin and crypto assets," he said. "The devil is in the details. Crypto is a complex issue and drafting a new law for this will take time." The FIT21 bill, a comprehensive regulatory framework for digital assets, was previously passed by the House and is now waiting in the Senate. "If Trump wants to redraft the entire bill, this will take even more time," said Mr Nirun. "Hopefully the next SEC chairman is someone with a strategic vision for crypto in the long term." Binance co-founder Yi He shared a similar view, saying products such as spot Bitcoin and Ethereum exchange-traded funds have broadened the industry's circle, and these increasing overlaps and innovations indicate a good year is ahead. STABLECOIN OPTIMISM Jeremy Allaire, chief executive of Circle, the issuer of the second-largest stablecoin, expressed optimism regarding global regulation of the sector. He believes the next 10-12 months will be crucial for the stablecoin space, which has already grown to roughly $170 billion, with Tether's USDT and Circle's USDC responsible for the lion's share. However, this is a fraction of the global financial space and the $130-trillion global electronic money market. This means the stablecoin industry still has huge potential for growth, said Mr Allaire. A type of cryptocurrency that aims to maintain a fixed value relative to another asset or currency, stablecoins are often pegged to a traditional currency, namely the US dollar or the euro, or other assets such as gold or silver. "The next 12 months is a pretty big inflection point for stablecoins," he said, with regulatory frameworks in some key jurisdictions expected to take shape over the next year. Speaking at Binance Blockchain Week in Dubai, Mr Allaire likened these early days of digital currency to the early days of digital media, explaining how lowering communication costs spurred rapid growth and revolutionised industries. He suggested achieving similar advancements in transaction costs with programmable money could fundamentally reshape the ways we transfer and manage value in the financial landscape. USDC, Circle's stablecoin, has increasingly been adopted across financial and payment networks, suggesting stablecoins are poised to become a foundational layer in the digital economy, with real-world applications expanding from here, said Mr Allaire. In terms of regulation, he was cautiously optimistic, noting the regulatory environment in several countries had positive sentiment for stablecoins. While a certain level of regulatory hurdles remains, a shift in attitudes among policymakers is taking place, particularly in the US, which is now recognising the long-term value that digital assets can bring, said Mr Allaire. In fact, even those voicing public opposition to the sector or sitting on the sidelines are watching the vanguard, ready to follow suit with comprehensive regulations, he said. This openness can pave the way for a balanced approach that supports innovation without stifling progress, said Mr Allaire. REGULATORY COMPLIANCE Ms Yi acknowledged the past year posed significant challenges, even for industry leaders such as Binance, to sustain growth momentum. With more than 200 million users globally, the world's largest crypto exchange remains focused on building a brighter future for the sector and increasing financial accessibility, she said. Navigating industry-wide regulatory and compliance challenges is an ongoing priority for Binance. While such challenges are complex, Binance views them as necessary for long-term growth and trust within the ecosystem, said Ms Yi. Collaboration with regulators is crucial to achieving mass adoption. "If we want a billion users of crypto, we must cooperate with the regulators. That's how we become the next Google or Amazon of crypto," she said. Access is essential to Binance, as Ms Yi hopes her grandmother or a nanny can easily open the Binance app and use crypto. Noah Perlman, chief compliance officer of Binance, said as more of the world transitions from traditional finance to blockchain, global regulations and compliance is becoming more important than ever. "We can all agree that 2023 was the year in which regulators and policymakers really stepped up their efforts to develop frameworks for the industry," he said. "It is very difficult to follow the rules if they are constantly changing." Having regulations that are difficult to follow or deny product users what they want inevitably pushes users to unregulated spaces, said Mr Perlman, who has a background in traditional finance, adding regulatory frameworks offer certainty, which markets crave. "As we get more certainty in the market through policies such as MiCA, it is going to encourage more people to enter the space," he said, referring to the Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation that came into force in June 2023. Yuelin Li, chief product officer of tech startup Onfido, said a clear regulatory framework provides "a sense of safety for consumers", which is the defining factor between those who are willing to give crypto a shot and those who prefer to stay within the realms of traditional finance. Bora Erdamar, director of BlockchainIST Center, an R&D centre for blockchain technology, said the roles of project developers and experts help to bridge the gap between the crypto ecosystem and conventional finance. "We need to make it easier to understand and use blockchain," he said. 2025 TRENDS Alex Svanevik, chief executive of leading on-chain analytics platform Nansen, believes 2025 will see the "biggest bull run in history", supported by Trump's victory in the US election. For next year, meme coins -- cryptocurrencies inspired by internet memes -- will continue to attract retail investors to the crypto space. He anticipates these tokens will significantly boost on-chain metrics, leading to unprecedented records in decentralised exchange (DEX) volumes across multiple blockchain networks. "Meme coins continue to onboard retail to crypto and smash on-chain metrics. We'll see new records in DEX volume for lots of chains," he said. "Better infrastructure, easier user experience, lower transaction fees -- all these make the journey on-chain better for newcomers." Mr Svanevik also foresees a resurgence in decentralised finance (DeFi), driven by clearer regulations and the activation of revenue models within DeFi protocols. With the departure of Mr Gensler from the SEC on Jan 20, he predicts regulatory hurdles will be reduced and institutional capital will flow more freely into DeFi platforms. Mr Svanevik said he envisions cryptocurrencies playing a dual role in accelerating artificial intelligence (AI) projects and offering solutions to mitigate associated risks. "Crypto accelerates AI, but also protects us from AI," he said, adding crypto dollars should continue to pour into AI projects. Binance chief executive Richard Teng said the future is bright for crypto. "We are on the path of mass adoption because every major global financial institution is either embracing crypto or pushing ahead with the blockchain agenda," he said.
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