Alert – Trump news recap: Matt Gaetz AG announcement sparks wild Republican responses

• Matt Gaetz stuns Congress with shock move just hours after Trump made him his pick to be attorney general
• Donald Trump and Joe Biden's friendly White House encounter left everyone saying the same thing
• Trump picks Tulsi Gabbard as his Director of National Intelligence as his cabinet takes shape
• Trump gets unchecked power in Congress as Republicans keep House majority after retaking Senate
• Trump jokes about running a third time and sends Democrats into meltdown
• Republicans elect new Senate Majority Leader to carry out Donald Trump's agenda
• Jill Biden extends an olive branch to Trump after Melania snubbed White House meeting

Rep. Matt Gaetz stepped down from his congressional seat on Wednesday.

It came just hours after Donald Trump announced the he was nominating the Florida Representative to be his Attorney General and lead reforms at the Justice Department.

House Speaker Mike Johnson announced Gaetz issued his resignation letter, effective immediately.

This gives Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis the ability to appoint someone else to Gaetz’s seat – meaning the partyu split in the lower chamber will not change.

Allegations about Rep. Matt Gaetz having sexual relationships with underage girls have resurfaced after Donald Trump announced the Florida representative as his pick for Attorney General.

Sen. Markwayne Mullin slammed Gaetz earlier this year for showing images of girls he ‘slept with’ to colleagues on the floor of the U.S. House.

The Oklahoma Senator now tells CNN that he trusts Trump’s decision to pick Gaetz to join his cabinet.

But he warned Geatz about questions he will have to face during Senate confirmation hearings.

While Republicans regained control of the Senate in the 2024 election, Gaetz is controversial even among members of his own Party.

Trump announced on Wednesday that he is nominating Florida Rep. Gaetz to lead the Department of Justice (DOJ).

The Pennsylvania Senate race is headed to a recount as Repubican David McCormick leads Senator Bob Casey by less than 30,000 votes.

It comes after the Associated Press called the race for McCormick last week, but Casey has yet to concede.

The race automatically heads to a recount if an election is within .5 percent in Pennsylvania, but the McCormick campaign remains confident the Republican challenger will come out on top.

‘Senator-Elect McCormick’s lead is insurmountable, which the AP made clear in calling the race,’ spokeswoman Elizabeth Gregory said in a statement.

‘A recount will be a waste of time and taxpayer money, but it is Senator Casey’s prerogative,’ she continued.

Meanwhile, the Casey campaign accused McCormick of attempting to disenfranchise Pennsylvania voters with legal efforts to throw out votes.

‘This Democratic process must be allowed to play out to determine the results of this election,’ Casey’s campaign said.

Sen. Tommy Tuberville of Alabama warned Senate Republicans who voted against President-elect Donald Trump’s choice of Rep. Matt Gaetz as Attorney General.

‘He deserves a team around him that he wants,’ Tuberville said in an interview with Fox Business on Wednesday. ‘It’s not us to determine that.’

Trump announced his choice of Gaetz as Attorney General on Wednesday prompting widespread concern from Senate Republicans and mockery from Democrats in Washington, DC.

But Tuberville dismissed them as ‘swamp creatures’ who were not paying attention to the results of the presidential election and urged them to back Trump.

‘If you want to get in the way fine, but we’re going to try to get you out the Senate too if you try to do that,’ he concluded.

The move by the special counsel comes as he is planning to resign before Donald Trump enters the White House, a report claims.

Sources close to Smith told the New York Times he wants to finish his work and avoid being fired ‘within two seconds’ of Trump being sworn in on January 20.

His two complex investigations into Trump have cost the taxpayer around $50 million.

One involved classified documents the former president kept after leaving office following his first term.

The other focused on Trump’s efforts to overturn his 2020 election loss in the lead up to January 6.

By Emily Goodin, senior White House correspondent

It was all about Donald Trump and that’s just how he likes it.

The President-elect rolled into Washington D.C. in triumph on Wednesday, landing at Joint Base Andrews and taking a motorcade into the capital city where he got a thunderous welcome from his party, followed by a return to the Oval Office.

The scene was a marked contrast to how Trump left the White House four years ago – down and defeated, insisting he was the true winner of the 2020 election, and refusing to meet with his successor Joe Biden.

But after the bitter pill of defeat he was now savoring the sweetness of victory.

Jon Michael Raasch, Political Reporter for DailyMail.com

Michigan Republican Rep. Lisa McClain has been elected the next House Republican conference chair.

She beat Rep. Cat Cammack of Florida in the race to replace House GOP Chair Elise Stefanik.

Stefanik will vacate the role after being nominated to serve in Donald Trump’s administration as Ambassador to the United Nations.

McClain is a relatively new member, having been sworn into office in January 2023.

‘I am honored to be chosen by my colleagues to serve as the Republican Conference Chairwoman and I thank my constituents in MI-09 for their continued support,’ McClain said in a statement.

‘I am excited to lead our unified team alongside President Trump and Speaker Johnson to pass the America First agenda.’

Democratic Senator Chris Murphy of Connecticut said he could hear his Republican colleagues ‘jaws drop’ when Donald Trump announced he was picking GOP firebrand Matt Gaetz for Attorney General.

He said it was a chance for Republican senators to ‘stand up to Trump’ during the confirmation process for Gaetz, who was ‘dangerously unqualified’.

Murphy also claimed Gaetz was ‘essentially a media celebrity’ out to ‘boost himself.’ Murphy told CNN:

He (Gaetz) has openly called for the abolition of law enforcement agencies if they don’t get in line with conservative political priorities. This is going to be a red alert moment for American democracy.

Matt Gaetz is being nominated for one reason and one reason only. He will implement Donald Trump’s transition of the department of justice from an agency that stands up for all of us to an agency that is simply an arm of the White House designed to persecute and prosecute Trump’s political enemies.

Murphy added:

Matt Gaetz is being nominated because he will be and is today a political agent of Donald Trump. The ramifications of this pick, this particular pick, are stunning and potentially cataclysmic for American democracy. I hope that some senate Republicans will see that.

Our founding fathers would be rolling over in their graves.

Donald Trump is telling with you the choice of Matt Gaetz that he is going to weaponize the Department of Justice and fold it into the White House. Maybe some minds will change now that they are seeing that reality in full view.

Top Republican Michael McCaul was detained at the airport for ‘mixing Ambien with alcohol.’

The shocking event occurred two weekends ago, according to the lawmaker who chairs the powerful House Foreign Affairs Committee.

‘Two weekends ago, I made a mistake — one for which I take full responsibility,’ McCaul, R-Texas, said in a statement confirming the incident to DailyMail.com.

‘I missed a flight to Texas and found myself disoriented in the airport. This was the result of a poor decision I made to mix an Ambien — which I took in order to sleep on the upcoming flight — with some alcohol. Law enforcement officers briefly detained me while I waited for a family member to pick me up.’

A spokesperson said that McCaul takes the medication because he’s a ‘nervous flyer.’

House Speaker Mike Johnson will retain his top GOP leadership position after Donald Trump urged Republicans to vote for him Wednesday.

House Republicans huddled at the Hyatt Regency just off Capitol Hill for hours to deliberate as to who should be named the next party leader.

The GOP lawmakers voted unanimously for Johnson to become the GOP nominee for speaker, sources in the room told DailyMail.com.

He will still need to solidify his support with his members before a full vote in the House on January 3, 2025. Some hardline Republicans remain unconvinced he should lead them again this next Congress.

The other current House GOP leaders, House Majority Leader Steve Scalise and House Majority Whip Tom Emmer, will also stay in their positions after Republicans voted to keep them in power.

The White House released a series of photos from President-elect Donald Trump’s visit.

The images include President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden greeting the president-elect outside the Diplomatic Room.

After the warm welcome, in which Jill Biden gave Trump a hand-written letter for Melania, Biden and Trump walked down the colonnade to the Oval Office.

President Biden gave his successor a tour, pointing out changes he made.

News of Donald Trump’s announcement he will nominate of Matt Gaetz to be the nation’s top law enforcement officer is getting slack-jawed reactions from some Republican senators and Trump allies.

Longtime Sen. Charles Grassley, the 91-year-old Iowa Republican, was so ‘exasperated’ by questions that stopped speaking to reporters and stood stone-faced for 30 seconds, Punchbowl reported.

Grassley helped push through the 2017 Trump tax cuts and has a longtime interest in congressional oversight. Another Senator, John Cornyn of Texas, looked like he ‘tasted something strange,’ the Hill reported, just hours after he lost a race to be Senate leader.

Trump’s nominations, which sent a signal of unbridled control over the party after extracting pledges he could make unchecked recess appointments of nominees, came after Senate Republicans rejected MAGA-friendly Sen. Rick Scott of Florida for Republican leader.

Charlie Spiering, Senior Political Reporter, Washington, DC

President Donald Trump nominated one of his most fearless supporters Rep. Matt Gaetz to serve as his Attorney General, a decision that immediately prompted shock and outrage in Washington.

Republican Senators expressed hesitation when asked for their reactions to the news

‘I have to noodle that one a little while,’ said Sen. Kevin Cramer to Washington Post reporter Liz Goodwin.

Sen. Cornyn also said he was not sure.

‘I don’t know the man other than just his public persona,’ he said.

Gaetz was responsible for leading the ouster of House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, which triggered a long and painful process to replace him.

Sen. Tom Tillis indicated that it would be difficult for Gaetz to get 50 votes in the Senate, but said he would give him an ‘honest look.’

‘You got to have the credentials right so that’ll come out in the hearing, but then you have to have the relationships,’ he said, referring to Gaetz’s persona.

‘My phone is blowing up with Senate Republican aides aghast at Trump’s nomination of Gaetz,’ revealed Punchbowl News reporter Andrew Desiderio. ‘Some quite confidently saying there’s no way their boss votes to confirm him.’

Gaetz is currently under investigation by the House Ethics Committee, but if he was confirmed at Attorney General, that would be dropped.

‘I’m looking at a House Republican who is laughing so hard in a group of members that he’s wiping away tears,’ wrote Politico reporter Meredith Lee Hill.

The View co-host Alyssa Farah Griffin appeared deeply concerned about the choice.

‘He’s just trolling America at this point,’ she wrote on X.com

Jon Michael Raasch, Political Reporter for DailyMail.com

House Republicans are sequestered in a Washington, D.C. hotel voting on their next leaders.

Speaker Mike Johnson, Majority Leader Steve Scalise and Majority Whip Tom Emmer are all running uncontested to keep their roles.

The meeting at the Hyatt Regency just off of Capitol Hill will also decide who will be the next Republican Conference Chair after the current chairwoman Elise Stefanik accepted a nomination to be Donald Trump’s Ambassador the United Nations.

Reps. Lisa McClain of Michigan and Cat Cammack of Florida are both running to replace Stefanik.

Earlier on Wednesday Trump joined the House Republicans at the Hyatt and told the GOP members he is ‘100 percent’ backing Mike Johnson for speaker.

Trump Truth Social Post:

It is my Great Honor to announce that Congressman Matt Gaetz, of Florida, is hereby nominated to be The Attorney General of the United States.

Matt is a deeply gifted and tenacious attorney, trained at the William & Mary College of Law, who has distinguished himself in Congress through his focus on achieving desperately needed reform at the Department of Justice. 

Few issues in America are more important than ending the partisan Weaponization of our Justice System.

Matt will end Weaponized Government, protect our Borders, dismantle Criminal Organizations and restore Americans’ badly-shattered Faith and Confidence in the Justice Department.

On the House Judiciary Committee, which performs oversight of DOJ, Matt played a key role in defeating the Russia, Russia, Russia Hoax, and exposing alarming and systemic Government Corruption and Weaponization. 

He is a Champion for the Constitution and the Rule of Law

Donald Trump has nominated former Democratic presidential candidate Tulsi Gabbard to be his Director of National Intelligence.

The former Lieutenant Colonel in the Army who served Hawaii in Congress was tipped for a senior national security role after becoming a Trump ally.

The 43-year-old formally announced that she joined the Republican Party at a campaign rally alongside Trump in the summer.

By Geoff Earle, Deputy U.S. Political Editor

White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said the Biden administration will continue to push funds appropriated to help Ukraine’s military out the door in its final days, even while seeking new money to aid the war effort.

He told reporters at the White House Wednesday that ‘in the next two months, the administration will signal to Congress that we would like to see additional funds for Ukraine for 2025 so that they can be in the best possible position … to negotiate, to ensure they achieve their objectives, that they win at the negotiating table.’

Sullivan said that President Biden had ‘directed his team to ensure that every dollar that the Congress gave to him … will spend on behalf of Ukraine before he leaves office’ – signaling that Biden would continue to push drawdown packages out to boost the war effort before he hands over power.

He underlined that the funds were ‘dollars he’s investing in the American defense industrial base’ – not just cash he was sending to Ukraine. ‘All of those dollars will be spent, will be obligated, by the time he leaves office on January 20th,’ he said.

The comments come amid uncertainty about how the incoming Trump administration will change the U.S. posture toward Ukraine, after Trump’s claim that he could end the Russia-Ukraine war in one day and reach a negotiated solution. The administration has sent at least $174 billion to Ukraine. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Wednesday in Brussels that Biden ‘’is committed to make sure that every dollar we have at our disposal will be pushed out the door between now and Jan. 20.’

Florida Senator Marco Rubio said leading the State Department is a ‘tremendous responsibility’ and he is honored by the trust President-elect Trump placed in him.

‘As Secretary of State, I will work every day to carry out his foreign policy agenda. Under the leadership of President Trump we will deliver peace through strength and always put the interests of Americans and America above all else,’ he wrote.

Rubio said he looks forward to earning the support of his colleagues in the Senate.

Donald Trump named former Democrat Tulsi Gabbard as his pick for Director of National Intelligence on Thursday afternoon, as he continues to roll out his senior appointments.

Gabbard is a veteran and active duty Army reservist. But she is likely to prove a controversial pick and will have to endure a difficult Senate confirmation process.

In 2017, she met with Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad during the country’s civil war, and said that there was not evidence to suggest he was guilty of war crimes as she argued against removing him from power.

She has also spread pro-Russia conspiracy theories, such as suggesting there were ‘U.S.-funded bio labs’ in Ukraine.

In naming her as his DNI choice, Trump said:

Tulsi has fought for our Country and the Freedoms of all Americans. As a former Candidate for the Democrat Presidential Nomination, she has broad support in both Parties – She is now a proud Republican! 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. Tulsi will make us all proud!

By Katelyn Caralle, Senior U.S. Political Reporter

Donald Trump confirmed on Wednesday that he will nominate Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) as Secretary of State.

This will open the Florida Senate seat that Rubio has held in the upper chamber since 2011. And some have joked that Miami-based rapper Pitbull should take his spot.

Sources confirmed to DailyMail.com earlier this week that Trump was preparing to announce Rubio as his pick to lead the State Department.

Trump wrote in a statement on Rubio’s selection on Wednesday: ‘He will be a strong Advocate for our Nation, a true friend to our Allies, and a fearless Warrior who will never back down to our adversaries. I look forward to working with Marco.’

President-elect Donald Trump returned to Washington on Wednesday with major backer Elon Musk where he joked he cannot get rid of his billionaire supporter.

Trump joined the House Republican conference meeting where he gave remarks while visiting DC. Seated front and center at the gathering on Capitol Hill was the world’s richest man.

It was the latest appearance by Musk who has been hanging about Mar-a-Lago since helping propel Trump back to the White House with the 2024 election.

The White House posted a photo of President Joe Biden meeting with President-elect Donald Trump in the Oval Office.

The two were joined by Biden’s chief of staff Jeff Zients and Trump’s incoming chief of staff Susie Wiles.

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said the meeting was ‘very cordial and very gracious and substantive.’

Senator John Thune announced that one of his first actions as the Republican majority leader was calling President-Elect Donald Trump.

The South Dakota lawmaker said he was excited to get to work on powering his agenda through Congress.

China is the most pressing national security threat to the U.S., according to President Joe Biden’s White House.

National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said during Wednesday’s press briefing that he hopes the incoming Trump administration will approach it in a bipartisan manner.

Sullivan noted that Washington’s competition with Beijing will define ‘what the world looks like in the next 10, 20, 30 years.’

Donald Trump’s left-field Secretary of Defense pick Pete Hegseth is covered in tattoos – and many of them have already proved controversial for the Fox News host.

The veteran who served tours in both Afghanistan and Iraq and is double Bronze Star holder and is a TV top presenter having fronted Fox and Friends since 2017.

Hegseth, who is 44, started adorning his body with tattoos only recently after his father dissuaded him from getting tattoos at a young age.

He now has over a dozen tattoos across his right arm and chest.

His appointment is one of the most unlikely in Trump’s new cabinet but this isn’t the first time he has courted controversy.

In 2021 Hegseth was part of the Minnesota National Guard called to D.C. to guard Joe Biden during his inauguration but he was then ordered to stand down allegedly due to his chest tattoo of a Jerusalem Cross.

As billionare Elon Musk left Congress with President-elect Donald Trump today, he was spotted carrying a folder with the words ‘Reverse the Curse’ on it.

Upon closer examination, it appears to be a copy of House Republican budget resolution for FY25-FY34.

‘The plan to restore Fiscal Responsibility, Economic Freedom, and Prosperity in America’ the folder reads.

The budget plan was revealed by House Budget Committee Chairman Jodey Arrington (R-TX) in 2023.

Likely someone gave him a copy during Trump’s meeting with House Republicans today and he found it interesting enough to bring it along with him.

Donald Trump showed signs of respect for President Joe Biden during their meeting at the White House on Wednesday, according to a body language expert.

The president-elect sat-down with Biden for the first time since his victory last week.

Members of the White House press corps were permitted in the Oval Office for quick remarks where image and video was captured for about two minutes before the two had a private meeting with no cameras.

Trump, 78, appeared to take a more ‘passive’ stance as he leaned over during his meeting with Biden, 81, in a sign of lowering his status to show respect to the current commander-in-chief.

‘His adopted pose avoids any power-posturing too. His body language is calm and politely more passive than Biden’s as though willing to show some final signals of respect here,’ body language analyst Judi James told DailyMail.com.

The meeting Wednesday marks former President Trump’s first return to the White House since he vacated in January 2021 and refused to attend the inauguration of his successor.

Republicans will maintain their slim grip on power in the House of Representatives giving President-elect Donald Trump and the GOP total control of Congress.

The ‘trifecta’ in the U.S. government adds to the total annihilation of the Democrats in the 2024 elections and has sparked an internal civil war about how they move forward.

It opens the door for Republicans to have unchecked power to push through all of their policies alongside Trump in his first two years in office.

Republicans officially got over the 218-seat threshold for a majority in the 435-member chamber over a week since the election.

It will be the sixth time in 90 years where the party hasn’t had control of a single arm in the federal government.

The stunning clean sweep comes days after Trump’s White House victory over Vice President Kamala Harris and Republicans successfully flipping the Senate with key wins in West Virginia, Ohio and Montana.

Democratic lawmaker Dan Goldman plans to introduce a resolution to reaffirm the 22nd Amendment after President-elect Trump joked about seeking a third term.

‘We are a nation of laws, not kings,’ wrote Goldman on X.

‘The 22nd Amendment is clear that no person can be elected President more than twice. Any attempt by Donald Trump to do so is blatantly unconstitutional, and I call on my colleagues – D or R – to stand by their oath to defend the Constitution,’ he added.

The 22nd Amendment states no person can be elected president more than twice.

From Rob Crilly, Chief U.S. Political Correspondent in Washington, DC

She’s been thrown off CNN for calling it a ‘hostile environment,’ reamed out journalists for negative coverage, and at the tender age of 27 is already a veteran of a Trump administration.

Now Karoline Leavitt is in pole position to be Donald Trump ‘s White House press secretary if he wins the election .

Multiple figures in Trump world said she had impressed the former president and was favorite to become the public face of a future administration.

‘She talks to everybody, not just Fox News , but goes on TV and takes incoming, which is a big part of the job, and then she hits back and is a very, very effective messenger,’ said a Trump confidant, who was granted anonymity to discuss staffing issues.

‘The president trusts her and trust is everything with him.’

Republican TV commentator Scott Jennings is coming to fellow conservative television personality Pete Hegseth’s defense amid outage over the Fox News host being picked to lead the Defense Department.

President-elect Donald Trump announced Hegseth, 44, was his pick for defense secretary in a post Tuesday night.

The pair have a close relationship with Hegseth being a longtime supporter. But the military veteran and likely Trump loyalist is a controversial pick.

But Jennings came to Hegseth’s defense.

‘Does anyone have confidence in the current leadership of the Pentagon and the way the defense situation has been operating for the last several years?’ Jennings asked.

John Thune has been elected Senate Republican leader to usher in Donald Trump’s ambitious GOP majority in Congress after a private vote Wednesday morning.

Thune, 63, will replace outgoing Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky after the 82-year-old announced he would be stepping down from the leadership role.

McConnell was the longest-serving GOP leader in Senate history with a roughly 18-year tenure. But his yearslong feud with Trump put him at odds with many in the GOP who wanted a MAGA leader going into the president-elect’s second term.

The South Dakota senator currently serves as the number two Republican in Senate leadership.

He’s been in the Senate since 2005 and is seen as a Senate institutionalist, garnering support from key supporters in the chamber.

Thune won the leadership election over former Whip Sen. John Cornyn, Texas, in a second-round ballot resulting in a 29-24 vote.

He fended off a left-field challenge from Sen. Rick Scott of Florida who had the backing of Trump’s trusted advisor billionaire Elon Musk and other MAGA faithful.

From Jon Michael Raasch on Capitol Hill:

The first ballot did not result in a winner between the three candidates.

• THUNE: 23
• CORNYN: 15
• SCOTT: 13

Republicans are now voting on a second ballot between Cornyn and Thune after Rick Scott dropped off.

From Jon Michael Raasch on Capitol Hill:

Senate Republicans are holding their highly-anticipated leadership elections today after taking a 53-47 majority in the Senate.

Trump’s political nemesis Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., 82, is stepping down opening the door for a new leader to usher in the MAGA agenda.

Frontrunners Rick Scott of Florida, John Thune of South Dakota and John Cornyn of Texas are all in the mix to replace McConnell, who has led the conference since 2007.

Jill Biden’s spokesperson confirmed that the First Lady joined President Joe Biden in greeting Trump upon his arrival to the White House on Wednesday.

‘She gave Mr. Trump a handwritten letter of congratulations for Mrs. Trump, which also expressed her team’s readiness to assist with the transition.’

Melania confirmed that she would not be accompanying her husband to the White House, despite being invited by Jill.

Trump told Biden while seated for a brief pool spray at the top of their meeting:

Politics is tough. In many cases is it not a nice world but it is a nice world today.

The two shook hands and exchanged pleasantries as they came face-to-face for the first time since the debate over the summer.

Biden has pledged that there will be a peaceful exchange of power to Trump in the coming months.

The Oval Office meeting between Donald Trump and President Joe Biden is underway at the White House.

Trump said politics was tough but thanked the president for a smooth transition. Biden said ‘you’re welcome’.

Donald Trump announced a string of senior White House appointments on Wednesday morning. They all had central roles in his election campaign.

DAN SCAVINO – Assistant to the President and Deputy Chief of Staff. Scavino was a Trump Campaign Senior Adviser and ran social media accounts

STEPHEN MILLER – Assistant to the President and Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy and Homeland Security Advisor. He was a key figure (and survivor) of Trump’s previous administration

JAMES BLAIR – Assistant to the President and Deputy Chief of Staff for Legislative, Political and Public Affairs.

TAYLOR BUDOWICH – Assistant to the President and Deputy Chief of Staff for Communications and Personnel

Trump said:

Dan, Stephen, James, and Taylor were ‘best in class’ advisers on my winning campaign, and I know they will honorably serve the American people in the White House. They will continue to work hard to Make America Great Again in their respective new roles.

Kamala Harris ran the Fyre festival of campaigns, and it points out that Trump’s campaign spent roughly $488 million, and Kamala spent more than a billion. So, she outspent Trump more than two to one, and Kamala campaign ended up $20 million in debt.

Look, I’m a fiscal conservative, damn it. If you want to be there and you believe in saving the country, stand up and save the country. And save the country, and if not, get the hell out.

What’s left of Vice President Kamala Harris’ campaign has been radio silent on wild claims the Democratic nominee wasted millions on celebrity endorsements.

The vice president wheeled out Megan Thee Stallion, Lizzo, Eminem and Oprah Winfrey to try and get supporters on side in her failed bid to be president.

Since her defeat to Donald Trump, allegations she paid extortionate seven-figure sums to the A-list backers have emerged on social media.

By Emily Goodin, senior White House correspondent

President Joe Biden bragged about his record as president ahead of his meeting with Donald Trump.

Biden, speaking at the Classroom to Career Event taking place at the White House, pointed to the number of jobs he created.

‘We have created 16 million new jobs – brand new jobs – since I took office — the most in any single presidential term,’ he said.

He added that inflation and unemployment are back down near their pre-pandemic levels.

And he got in a hit at Trump, saying he is more invested in buying American than his predecessor: ‘This past administration failed to do that. Like I said so much was exported overseas.’

‘Not on my watch. My administration buys American.’

Jill Biden spoke ahead of the president and acknowledged the couple is getting ready for their next phase in life. They leave the White House in January.

While the Bidens spoke, president-elect Donald Trump was meeting with House Republicans.

Biden and Trump will meet in the Oval Office at 11 a.m.

During his meeting with House Republicans, Trump reiterated his support for Mike Johnson.

He called him a ‘tremendous guy’ and said he’s with Johnson.

Former Rep. Tulsi Gabbard is being considered for the role of director of national intelligence, according to Punchbowl News.

The former Democrat left the party and joined the MAGA movement, stumping for President-elect Donald Trump ahead of the election.

She reportedly was interested in being named secretary of Defense.

Trump named Fox News anchor Pete Hegseth to that role Tuesday night.

Donald Trump’s high-profile firebrand attorney is back on Fox News, addressing reports that the president-elect could be considering her to serve as his press secretary in the White House.

DailyMail.com reported that Habba, 40, flew to Palm Beach in Florida on Tuesday evening where she was expected to discuss a possible role for her in the administration.

Habba told Fox News Sean Hannity on Wednesday that she would consider serving as press secretary if asked.

‘I am very loyal to President Trump. I would think about it very seriously,’ she said.

President-elect Donald Trump arrived at Joint Base Andrews for his historic White House meeting with President Biden.

Traveling with him on his private modified Boeing 757 were billionaire Elon Musk (just named to helm a commission on government waste), advisors Jason Miller, Dan Scavino, Stephen Miller, Boris Epshteyn, and ‘human printer’ Natalie Harp.

Trump arrived on Capitol Hill to tout his ‘historic’ victory including a ‘sweep of the swing states’ as they vote on their leadership for the next Congress.

We won [the majority], and we won it every, every way, all seven swing states by a lot.

He went on to tout his surge in support among voters in Democratic states including New York, California and New Jersey.

I suspect I won’t be running again unless you say he’s so good we got to figure something else out.

Vivek Ramaswamy has warned there will be ‘massive downsizing’ in the federal government after he was picked for an efficiency role alongside Elon Musk.

Donald Trump’s selection sent shockwaves through Washington D.C. on Tuesday night.

From Jon Michael Raasch on Capitol Hill:

Vance declined to answer questions about who he plans to back in today’s closed-door Senate leadership election.

Newsom’s visit to the Hill comes as President-elect Donald Trump is also en route to meet with congressional leaders.

Donald Trump’s new defense chief was barred from being a guard at Joe Biden’s inauguration in 2021 due to an ‘extremist’ tattoo.

Pete Hegseth, the Fox News host who will be Defense Secretary, was due to serve with the Minnesota National Guard at Biden’s inauguration but was reportedly told to stand down.

Hegseth, who served in Iraq and Afghanistan, told Shawn Ryan’s podcast: ‘I was deemed an extremist because of a tattoo by my National Guard unit in Washington D.C. and my orders were revoked to guard the Biden inauguration.’

Hegseth said he had a ‘Jerusalem Cross tattoo, which is just a Christian symbol’ on his chest.

By Emily Goodin, senior White House correspondent

Melania Trump confirms what DailyMail.com reported exclusively earlier this week – she will not join Donald Trump at the White House on Wednesday.

The former first lady has a conflicting event, sources told DailyMail.com. It’s believed to be tied to her memoir.

Speculation has begun swirling that Lara Trump could be the perfect fit for a place in Congress.

Donald Trump’s glamorous daughter-in-law, 42, has been co-chairing the Republican National Committee since March and has recently been praised for overseeing the dominant Republican wins in the 2024 election.

The mother of two married Eric Trump in 2014 and has worked in Trump’s orbit ever since, being a fixture on his three presidential campaigns.

After reports Monday indicated that Sen. Marco Rubio will be joining his upcoming administration as Secretary of State, the question of who will replace the Florida lawmaker has quickly cropped up.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis will now be forced to select a replacement for the veteran lawmaker who has served since 2011 – and Trump’s daughter-in-law has been mentioned as a contender by several Republicans.

Musk, who is emerging as one of Trump’s closest advisers, is joining the president-elect on the Hill Wednesday morning.

Trump will to return to Capitol Hill just as Senate Republicans are scheduled to hold their highly-anticipated leadership elections.

It’s Trump’s first trip back to the hill one week after he achieved a historic victory over Kamala Harris and was instrumental to getting the Senate to flip red 53-47.

The House of Representatives is also just two seats away from keeping their slim majority over Democrats, which will hand Trump virtually unchecked power in Washington.

All eyes will be on the president-elect since he has yet to announce who he wants to lead the Senate with his political nemesis Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., stepping down.

Frontrunners Rick Scott of Florida, John Thune of South Dakota and John Cornyn of Texas are all in the mix to replace McConnell, who has led the conference since 2007.

By Emily Goodin, senior White House correspondent

When Donald Trump arrives at the White House today, he’ll see his inaugural viewing stand being built along Pennsylvania Avenue.

It’s where he and Melania Trump will watch the inaugural day parade after he takes the oath of office.

Melania Trump is not accompaning him to the White House.

Trump and President Joe Biden are scheduled to meet in the Oval Office at 11 a.m.

Vice President Kamala Harris’ presidential campaign delivered $500,000 in donations to Al Sharpton’s non-profit organization, just prior to a glowing interview with the candidate on MSNBC.

Harris’s campaign gave two payments of $250,000 to National Action Network on September 5 and October 1, according to campaign finance records first reported by the Washington Free Beacon and confirmed by DailyMail.com.

Sharpton publicly backed Harris after Biden endorsed her to succeed him in his reelection campaign. After Sharpton’s organization received donations from Harris, he got a coveted sit-down interview with her just two weeks before the election.

Harris appeared on Sharpton’s MSNBC Politics Nation show on October 20, exclusively aired on the cable network.

‘Donald Trump should never again stand behind the seal of the president of the United States, he has not earned the right. And that’s why he’s going to lose,’ Harris said.

Donald Trump is considering tapping his firebrand attorney Alina Habba to be his top spokesperson once he takes office in January, according to reports.

DailyMail.com has learned that Habba, 40, is flying to Palm Beach in Florida on Tuesday evening and is expected to have a discussion with the President-elect this week about a potential role in his administration.

She could be asked to join Trump as his White House press secretary, a hugely high-profile job that requires sparring with members of the media daily, and being the ‘face’ of the administration.

Known as the attack dog of his campaign, Habba was often seen at Trump’s rallies urging his supporters to stick it to liberals and vote him in for a second term.

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre was asked Tuesday if President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris’ post-election lunch at the White House was ‘awkward.’

Harris returned to the White House complex Tuesday for the first time since her bruising election loss a week ago to former President Donald Trump.

Aides stood on the Eisenhower Executive Office Building’s steps to catch a glimpse of the now former Democratic nominee, who told them to keep the faith before she walked over for her lunch with Biden.

‘I don’t even understand. Why would it be awkward? Why would it be awkward?’ Jean-Pierre replied to Fox News’ Peter Doocy. ‘Why would you characterize it as awkward? They have regular lunches. They meet and talk regularly.’

Jean-Pierre then pointed to Biden and Harris’ joint appearance Monday to mark Veterans Day at Arlington National Cemetery.

One of the most tense meetings in White House history is likely happening in the Oval Office on Wednesday.

President Joe Biden, who defeated Donald Trump four years ago, will host Trump – the man he always believed he could beat in a rematch.

For Trump, it will be a grand return to the place from which he was vanquished four years ago by the man now sitting at the Resolute Desk, the same desk Trump used four years ago.

Both men have made clear they dislike the other. And neither man has held back when it comes to criticizing the other.

Biden has called Trump a threat to democracy, suggested he be locked up, and referred to his supporters as ‘garbage.’ Before he dropped out of the race in July, he hoped to defeat Trump for four more years in the White House.

Trump has questioned Biden’s mental health, threatened to lock up his son Hunter and prosecute any Democrat he feels is an enemy.

‘We want this to go well,’ White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said on Tuesday.

Special counsel Jack Smith is planning to resign before Donald Trump enters the White House, a report claims.

The federal prosecutor’s two cases against the president-elect are on the brink of being closed.

Sources close to Smith told the New York Times he wants to finish his work and avoid being fired ‘within two seconds’ of Trump being sworn in.

The two complex investigations into Trump have cost the taxpayer around $50million.

Donald Trump’s second term as president is being shaped by the loyal allies who have stood by him during his four years outside of the White House.

As the clock ticks down to his inauguration on January 20, all eyes will be on Mar-a-Lago as Republicans jostle for a cabinet spot or a senior role in the West Wing.

And those are filling fast. In the past two-plus days, nine potential appointees have emerged for top Cabinet or West Wing roles and a handful of contenders for other vital positions have emerged.

On Tuesday night there was a flurry of picks, including Fox News host Pete Hegseth as Defense Secretary, Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy as heads of the ‘Department of Government Efficiency’, and John Ratcliffe as Director of the CIA.

DailyMail.com breaks down who the president-elect has picked so far – and who is almost certain to take a spot.

President-elect Donald Trump announced that his former Director of National Intelligence John Ratcliffe is his choice to lead the CIA – citing his credentials battling the ‘fake Russian collusion’ narrative.

Trump announced the latest loyalist pick to his rapidly growing cabinet, which had been floated, with a statement on a day when he announced he would tap former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee as U.S. ambassador to Israel.

Once again, Trump used language suggesting it was a done deal, although the newly Republican Senate will have to confirm the selection.

‘I am pleased to announce that former Director of National Intelligence John Ratcliffe will serve as Director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA),’ Trump said.

‘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. When 51 intelligence officials were lying about Hunter Biden’s laptop, there was one, John Ratcliffe, telling the truth to the American People.’

Donald Trump sparked a liberal meltdown Tuesday night by telling Elon Musk to slash billions in government waste and tapping anti-woke Fox News host Pete Hegseth as Secretary of Defense.

In announcing the new addition to his rapidly filling administration, Trump said that Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy will ‘dismantle’ the $6.5 trillion federal government by co-leading the ‘Manhattan Project of our time’ – dubbed the Dept. of Government Efficiency or DOGE.

‘The Office of Government Efficiency is off to a great start with split leadership: two people to do the work of one person,’ Massachusetts senator Elizabeth Warren snarked. ‘Yeah, this seems REALLY efficient.’

Another account added: ‘lol we’re all gonna die aren’t we, cool cool cool.’

Musk jumped on X to pledge to slash hundreds of agencies from the federal government. He and Trump hope to recapture the spirit of J. Robert Oppenheimer’s Manhattan Project, which saw the first nuclear weapons developed in just three years between 1942 and 1945.

That effort yielded the atomic bombs that the U.S. dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in Japan, leading to an end to the Second World War.

By Emily Goodin, senior White House correspondent

Melania Trump will not join Donald Trump at the White House on Wednesday, despite receiving an invitation from President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden to attend.

Traditionally, when the outgoing president hosts the incoming president-elect in the Oval Office, the first lady hosts her successor for tea in the residence.

Michelle Obama hosted Melania Trump for tea in the Yellow Room after the 2016 election. However, Melania Trump did not meet with Jill Biden after the contentious 2020 race as Donald Trump falsely and repeatedly claimed he was the true winner.

Melania and Jill have yet to speak in the aftermath of Kamala Harris’ humiliating defeat, even though their husbands had a cordial phone call, sources confirm.

‘Mrs. Trump is not going, and they have not spoken,’ a source with knowledge said of the first ladies told DailyMail.com of Wednesday’s presidential sitdown.