Michigan Democrat Sen. Gary Peters announced he will not seek re-election when his term ends in Jan. 2027.
Peters, a two-term senator and former congressman, told the Detroit News that he will start a “new chapter,” spending more time with family after nearly two decades of public service.
“I always thought there would be a time that I would step aside and pass the reins for the next generation. I also never saw service in Congress as something you do your whole life,” Peters told the outlet.
“And that goes back to 2008 when I first won that House seat. I thought it would be for a matter of a few terms that I would serve, and then I would go back to private life.”
His decision to retire leaves open a senate seat in a state President Donald Trump won in 2024.
This is a breaking news story. Please check back for updates.
A Democrat Senator defended his recent meeting with President Trump after his recent bipartisan efforts have sparked criticism.
Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.) said on Monday that President Trump was “kind” and “cordial” at a Mar-a-Lago meeting that sparked scrutiny
“Overall, it was a positive experience. I mean, he was kind, he was cordial. It wasn’t in any kind of theater. It wasn’t trying to get your picture taken to kind of put something out on social media. It was just, really, a conversation. We actually spoke for over an hour,” Fetterman told “The View.”
Fetterman met with Trump at his Palm Beach resort earlier this month, ahead of the inauguration, and Trump left with praise for the Pennsylvania senator.
“He’s a commonsense person. He’s not liberal or conservative. He’s just a commonsense person, which is beautiful,” Trump said in an interview with the Washington Examiner.
Fetterman’s open-minded approach to Trump and Capitol Hill Republicans has stirred speculation about the first-term senator’s motives, including questions about whether he was preparing to change parties.
Sen. @JohnFetterman to #TheView: "[Trump] has been doing essentially what he actually campaigned on."
"There's things I'm going to agree with, I'm going to disagree with, but I'm in the business of finding wins for Pennsylvania and for the nation and engaging the president." pic.twitter.com/96VIQ6N3is
During Monday’s episode of The View, Sunny Hostin ran back a clip of former police officer Michael Fanone, who defended the Capitol on Jan. 6, on MSNBC this week. Fanone name-dropped Fetterman, having publicly endorsed his run for office, as a lawmaker who “ran for the hills” and abandoned law enforcement when Trump pardoned rioters.
Hostin added that critics “on the left” have called out the senator for undergoing a “rightward shift.”
“What do you say to those who are now, in a sense, questioning your commitment to the Democratic Party?” she asked.
Fetterman began by refuting the idea he had changed and underscoring his disgust at the Jan. 6 pardons.
First, I just want to say I am so sorry for what happened to that officer. I mean, he’s had a heart attack. His life – he almost died. I mean, I have had a stroke, same thing. Absolute empathy, and just appalled for witnessing what happened on January 6th, and I absolutely would reject pardoning people that were involved in that.
As for rightward? That’s just… that just happens not to be true. I have been on record too saying I am not going to become a Republican, you know? Although maybe some people might be happy on one side, but I would make a pretty terrible Republican because, you know, pro-choice, pro-really strong immigration, pro-LGBTQ, you know, just pretty, like… I don’t think I would be a good fit.
So I’m not going to change my party, and if I am going to do, I’m going to show up. I’ll give you the exclusive. I can announce. So I can’t keep chasing down every last thing that’s online because they just happen not to be true. Just look at my votes. Look at the things… I haven’t changed in a way.
By Dan Scavino - https://twitter.com/Scavino45/status/924068892984725504, Public Domain
President Donald Trump described the letter former President Biden left him inside the Resolute Desk in the Oval Office as “inspirational” and teased reporters that he may release the “very nice” note at some point.
Trump was asked about the letter, which he found inside the Resolute Desk on Monday with a little help from Fox News Senior White House correspondent Peter Doocy, during a press conference announcing a $500 billion investment in artificial intelligence infrastructure.
“It was a very nice letter,” Trump told reporters. “It was a little bit of an inspirational-type letter. Enjoy it, do a good job. Important, very important. How important the job is.”
The president added that he appreciated the letter so much that he may release it to the public.
“It was a positive, for him, in writing it,” Trump continued. “I appreciated the letter.”
Trump found the letter – addressed to “47″ – after Doocy asked if President Biden left him a letter while he was signing a flurry of executive orders in the Oval Office on Monday in front of a gaggle of reporters.
“He may have. Don’t they leave it in the desk? I don’t know,” Trump told Doocy before discovering the white envelope. “Thank you, Peter. It could have been years before we found this thing.”
“As I take leave of this sacred office I wish you and your family all the best in the next four years. The American people – and people around the world – look to this house for steadiness in the inevitable storms of history, and my prayer is that in the coming years will be a time of prosperity, peace, and grace for our nation.
“May God bless you and guide you as He has blessed and guided our beloved country since our founding.”
The letter was signed “Joe Biden” and dated Jan. 20, 2025.
The presidential tradition of leaving a letter to their successor began in 1989 when President Ronald Reagan left the White House after two terms in office, with former President George H. W. Bush taking over.
Bush continued the tradition despite losing the White House to former President Bill Clinton after just one term in office. The tradition has carried on to this day through Presidents Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, Barack Obama, Trump and Biden.
Biden has said Trump left him a “very generous letter,” but has so far declined to share the content of what Trump wrote, deeming it private.
Shortly after officially being sworn in as 47th President of the United States, Donald Trump issued a number of priorities he plans to enact.
Also, while delivering remarks after being sworn in the President announced plans to rename the Gulf of Mexico the “Gulf of America.”
MAKE AMERICA SAFE AGAIN
President Trump will take bold action to secure our border and protect American communities. This includes ending Biden’s catch-and-release policies, reinstating Remain in Mexico, building the wall, ending asylum for illegal border crossers, cracking down on criminal sanctuaries, and enhancing vetting and screening of aliens.
President Trump’s deportation operation will address the record border crossings of criminal aliens under the prior administration.
The President is suspending refugee resettlement, after communities were forced to house large and unsustainable populations of migrants, straining community safety and resources.
The Armed Forces, including the National Guard, will engage in border security, which is national security, and will be deployed to the border to assist existing law enforcement personnel.
President Trump will begin the process of designating cartels, including the dangerous Tren de Aragua, as foreign terrorist organizations and use the Alien Enemies Act to remove them.
The Department of Justice will seek the death penalty as the appropriate punishment for heinous crimes against humanity, including those who kill law enforcement officers and illegal migrants who maim and murder Americans.
MAKE AMERICA AFFORDABLE AND ENERGY DOMINANT AGAIN
The President will unleash American energy by ending Biden’s policies of climate extremism, streamlining permitting, and reviewing for rescission all regulations that impose undue burdens on energy production and use, including mining and processing of non-fuel minerals.
President Trump’s energy actions empower consumer choice in vehicles, showerheads, toilets, washing machines, lightbulbs and dishwashers.
President Trump will declare an energy emergency and use all necessary resources to build critical infrastructure.
President Trump’s energy policies will end leasing to massive wind farms that degrade our natural landscapes and fail to serve American energy consumers.
President Trump will withdraw from the Paris Climate Accord.
All agencies will take emergency measures to reduce the cost of living.
President Trump will announce the America First Trade Policy.
America will no longer be beholden to foreign organizations for our national tax policy, which punishes American businesses.
DRAIN THE SWAMP
The President will usher a Golden Age for America by reforming and improving the government bureaucracy to work for the American people. He will freeze bureaucrat hiring except in essential areas to end the onslaught of useless and overpaid DEI activists buried into the federal workforce. He will pause burdensome and radical regulations not yet in effect that Biden announced.
President Trump is announcing an unprecedented slate of executive orders for rescission.
President Trump is planning for improved accountability of government bureaucrats. The American people deserve the highest-quality service from people who love our country. The President will also return federal workers to work, as only 6% of employees currently work in person.
President Trump is taking swift action to end the weaponization of government against political rivals and ordering all document retention as required by law. President Trump is also ending the unconstitutional censorship by the federal government. No longer will government employees pick and require the erasure of entirely true speech.
On the President’s direction, the State Department will have an America-First foreign policy.
BRING BACK AMERICAN VALUES
The President will establish male and female as biological reality and protect women from radical gender ideology.
American landmarks will be named to appropriately honor our Nation’s history.
Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine will announce on Friday Lt. Governor Jon Husted as his pick to fill the Senate vacancy left by Vice President-elect JD Vance ahead of his inauguration on Monday, according to Fox News.
The announcement will be made at approximately 1 p.m.
Vance gave the Senate notice of his forthcoming resignation on Jan. 9, which became official on the following day. He officially resigned 10 days prior to his and President-elect Trump’s swearing in.
“To the people of Ohio, I extend my heartfelt gratitude for the privilege of representing you in the United States Senate. When I was elected to this office, I promised to never forget where I came from, and I’ve made sure to live by that promise every single day,” Vance said in a statement.
After Vance’s resignation, new Sen. Bernie Moreno (R-Ohio) said in his own statement, “Ohio couldn’t be prouder of JD Vance! He has served our country with great honor, first in the Marines, then in the US Senate, and now as our 50th Vice President! I’m extremely thankful to JD for his early and unwavering support. A truly amazing journey for an outstanding guy!”
Once the new senator is sworn in, Republicans will officially have a 53-vote majority.
Former Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) will not be attending President-elect Trump’s inauguration on Monday, her spokesperson confirmed to The Hill.
Pelosi’s spokesperson did not share a reason for the former Democrat leader skipping the Monday event. The former Speaker attended Trump’s first inauguration in 2017.
Senior leaders of both parties typically attend presidential inaugurations, though Trump skipped President Biden’s inaugural event in 2021.
Former first lady Michelle Obama also won’t be attending Trump’s second inauguration, though former President Obama will attend
News of Pelosi not attending was first reported by ABC News.
This is a breaking news story. Please check back for updates.
CNN’s Manju Raju predicted President-elect Trump’s Cabinet nominees will cruise through the confirmation process.
Raju’s colleague Jim Acosta kicked off a segment on Monday morning by noting that “13 of President-elect Donald Trump’s cabinet picks will be on Capitol Hill this week for their confirmation hearings before the Senate,” including Secretary of Defense-designate Pete Hegseth and Secretary of State-designate Marco Rubio.
“Manu, are any of these picks in jeopardy? What do you think?” asked Acosta.
“Right now, it appears that a lot of them — if not all of them — will be confirmed. But there are still questions about how they will perform at this, these critical sometimes make-or-break moments during these confirmation hearings,” answered Raju. “Do they stumble? Do they offer any ammunition to one side or the other?”
He continued:
But for the moment, the Republicans are in line. And that’s really all that these nominees need in order to be confirmed. Remember, in order to get confirmed by the United States Senate, you need to have a simple majority of support. That means for the Republican-led Senate, which is 53-47, they can afford to lose three Republican senators on any party line vote. At the moment, we’re not hearing any opposition from Republican senators, many of them keeping their cards close to the vest. But there are several ones that we’re watching very closely this week.
One of them, Pete Hegseth, coming before the Senate Armed Services Committee tomorrow. He has had a number of controversies emerge, including allegations of sexual assault back in 2017, allegations of excessive drinking on the job, and mismanagement of a veterans organization that he headed up. He has denied all of that. How does he perform when he is asked about that at the hearings?
President-elect Donald Trump’s former adviser Steve Bannon is not afraid to publicly go to battle against billionaire businessman Elon Musk, calling him “truly evil” during a recent interview.
In an interview with Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera, as highlighted by Mediaite, Bannon sharply criticized Musk, who was tapped by Trump to co-lead the “Department of Government Efficiency.”
“I will have Elon Musk run out of here by Inauguration Day,” Bannon said. “He is a truly evil guy, a very bad guy. I made it my personal thing to take this guy down.”
Trump is set to take office for the second time next Monday. Musk’s influence in the next administration remains unclear but he has been tapped to help lead the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) which is tasked with cutting wasteful government spending.
Bannon criticized Musk over the continued debate over H-1B visas. Musk is supportive of the work program that allows the U.S. to attract international talent. Trump’s base, however, is not supportive of the program, fueling a fight over the topic.
Musk himself was once an H-1B visa holder, as he is from South Africa.
“This thing of the H-1B visas, it’s about the entire immigration system is gamed by the tech overlords, they use it to their advantage, the people are furious,” Bannon said.
He slammed Musk’s heritage, calling South Africans the most racist people on Earth.
“He should go back to South Africa,” Bannon said. “Why do we have South Africans, the most racist people on Earth, white South Africans, we have them making any comments at all on what goes on in the United States?”
Bannon continued to pile on the criticism, saying Musk has a maturity of a “little boy” and only has an interest in increasing his wealth.
President-elect Trump has named a number of nominees to flesh out his incoming Administration…
Check back in to stay up-to-date on the Trump administration:
Vice President JD Vance
Status: Certified
Current: Kamala Harris
Vice President JD Vance, an Ohio Senator and author of the bestselling book Hillbilly Eulogy, will be confirmed. The certification of the election will occur on Jan. 6 2025.
White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles
Status: Appointed
Current: Ron Klain
Trump announced the appointment of Wiles as White House chief of staff. This position does not require Senate confirmation.
Wiles will make history as the first woman White House Chief of Staff.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio
(Miami – Flórida, 09/03/2020) Presidente da República Jair Bolsonaro durante encontro com o Senador Marco Rubio..Foto: Alan Santos/PR
Status: Confirmed
Trump nominated Florida Sen. Marco Rubio to succeed Antony Blinken as Secretary of State.
Blinken was confirmed on January 26, 2021, by a vote of 78-22.
Secretary of Treasury Scott Bessent
Status: Confirmed
Senate Finance Committee lawmakers voted Tuesday to confirm President Donald Trump’s nominee for Treasury secretary, Scott Bessent, a 16-11 vote of approval that sends his confirmation to the Senate for a full floor vote.
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth
Status: Announced
Current: Ret. Gen. Lloyd Austin
Trump announced the selection of Fox News contributor Pete Hegseth as his nominee for secretary of Defense. Hegseth has faced an uphill road to confirmation over allegations of sexual assault and alcohol abuse which he has vehemently denied.
Sen. Joni Ernst recently annoucned her plans to support Hegseth’s confirmation in a statement:
I appreciate Pete Hegseth’s responsiveness and respect for the process. Following our encouraging conversations, Pete committed to completing a full audit of the Pentagon and selecting a senior official who will uphold the roles and value of our servicemen and women — based on quality and standards, not quotas — and who will prioritize and strengthen my work to prevent sexual assault within the ranks. As I support Pete through this process, I look forward to a fair hearing based on truth, not anonymous sources.
1/5/24 UPDATE: According to three sources, Senate Majority Leader John Thune told incoming President Trump that Hegseth has the votes to be confirmed, though he refused to publicly comment on the matter
Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem
Status: Announced
Current: Alejandro Mayorkas
Trump tapped South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem to serve as the next Secretary of Homeland Security.
HOLY SH*T 🚨 DHS Secretary Kristi Noem fully supports Donald Trump’s deportation plan 🔥
Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
Status: Announced
Current: Xavier Beccera
President-elect Donald Trump announced Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has his choice to lead the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). RFK Jr. previouslt ran against Trump as an Independent before suspending his campaign and endorsing the Republican.
Attorney General Pam Bondi
Status: Announced
Current: Merrick Garland
President-elect Donald Trump nominated Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi to the key Cabinet position in late November after former Rep. Matt Gaetz withdrew his nomination.
Trump initially nominated Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz to be Attorney General but he withdrew from consideration after it became clear he would not muster the required support for confirmation. Congress recently released an ethics report finding the former lawmaker “engaged in sexual misconduct, used illicit drugs, “shared inappropriate images or videos on the House floor, misused state identification records, converted campaign funds to personal use, and/or accepted a bribe, improper gratuity, or impermissible gifts.”
Gaetz has not been charged with any crimes.
Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard
Status: Announced
Current: Avril Haines
Trump tapped former Democrat presidential candidate Tulsi Gabbard to be his Director of National Intelligence.
In a statement, Trump said, “For over two decades, 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.”
United Nations Ambassador Elise Stefanik
Status: Announced
Current: Linda Thomas-Greenfield
“I am honored to nominate Chairwoman Elise Stefanik to serve in my Cabinet as U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations. Elise is an incredibly strong, tough, and smart America First fighter,” Trump said in a statement to the New York Post.
Stefanik, chairwoman of the House Republican Conference, also released a statement:
“I am truly honored to earn President Trump’s nomination to serve in his Cabinet as U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations,” Stefanik told the Post. “During my conversation with President Trump, I shared how deeply humbled I am to accept his nomination and that I look forward to earning the support of my colleagues in the United States Senate. President Trump’s historic landslide election has given hope to the American people and is a reminder that brighter days are ahead — both at home and abroad.”
FBI Director Kash Patel
Gage Skidmore Flickr
Status: Announced
Current: Christopher Wray
“Kash did an incredible job during my First Term, where he served as Chief of Staff at the Department of Defense, Deputy Director of National Intelligence, and Senior Director for Counterterrorism at the National Security Council. Kash has also tried over 60 jury trials,” Trump posted to Truth Social shortly after his announcement.
“This FBI will end the growing crime epidemic in America, dismantle the migrant criminal gangs, and stop the evil scourge of human and drug trafficking across the Border. Kash will work under our great Attorney General, Pam Bondi, to bring back Fidelity, Bravery, and Integrity to the FBI.”
Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency Lee Zeldin
Status: Announced
Trump announced on November 11, 2024, that he had selected Zeldin as his nominee for administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency in his second presidential term.
After the announcement, Zeldin posted 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.”
Interior Secretary Doug Burgum
Status: Announced
Current: Deb Haaland
Donald Trump (R) announced on November 14, 2024, that he had selected Burgum as his nominee for secretary of the interior in his second presidential term. This appointment requires Senate confirmation.
Trump also said Burgum would lead the National Energy Council, a newly formed group consisting of “all Departments and Agencies involved in the permitting, production, generation, distribution, regulation, transportation, of ALL forms of American Energy.” In a statement, Trump said, “Doug Burgum will protect our Nation’s Natural Resources, restore our fabulous Oil and Gas advantage, and Make America, and its Energy, Dominant and Great Again!”
Energy Secretary Chris Wright
Status: Announced
Chris Wright is Donald Trump’s (R) announced nominee for secretary of Energy in his second presidential term.
In a statement Trump said, “Chris has been a leading technologist and entrepreneur in Energy. He has worked in Nuclear, Solar, Geothermal, and Oil and Gas. Most significantly, Chris was one of the pioneers who helped launch the American Shale Revolution that fueled American Energy Independence, and transformed the Global Energy Markets and Geopolitics.”
Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy
Status: Confirmed
Duffy, the former five-term Republican Congressman, was advanced out of committee with a 28-0 vote during a brief Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee hearing.
In a statement, Trump said, “Sean will use his experience and the relationships he has built over many years in Congress to maintain and rebuild our Nation’s Infrastructure, and fulfill our Mission of ushering in The Golden Age of Travel, focusing on Safety, Efficiency, and Innovation.”
Administrator of the Small Business Administration, Kelly Loeffler
Kelly served in the U.S. Senate in 2020, where she brought her private-sector experience to Washington. She served on key committees including Agriculture, Joint Economic, HELP, and Veterans Affairs – championing conservative values, pro-growth policies, advocating for small businesses, and passing legislation to strengthen economic resilience.
As co-owner of the WNBA’s Atlanta Dream for a decade, Senator Loeffler helped position the franchise as a platform to empower women through sports, demonstrating her commitment to community impact.
After her Senate service, Kelly founded Greater Georgia Action, an election integrity advocacy and voter registration non-profit, as well as RallyRight, a conservative tech startup – while serving on several corporate and philanthropic boards.
Secretary of Agriculture, Brooke Rollins
Brooke Leslie Rollins is from Glen Rose, Texas, a small agricultural community in the American heartland. She grew up working summers on her family’s farm in Minnesota, barrel racing, and raising livestock for 4-H and Future Farmers of America. She proudly served as a Texas State FFA Officer and worked for the National FFA Organization.
Rollins most recently served as the Founder, President and CEO of the America First Policy Institute. Prior to that, she was Director of the Domestic Policy Council and Assistant to the President for Strategic Initiatives in the last White House under President Donald Trump. In these roles, she helped lead the transformational domestic policy agenda of the Trump Administration, enacting the President’s vision and leading to historic achievements for the American people.
Rollins graduated with honors from Texas A&M University with a Bachelor of Science in agricultural development and was the first woman in university history to be elected student-body president. After earning her Juris Doctor with honors at the University of Texas School of Law, she served as Governor Rick Perry’s policy director before building and leading the Texas Public Policy Foundation for fifteen years.
Rollins and her husband, Mark, reside in Fort Worth, Texas, with their four children.
Secretary of Commerce, Howard Lutnick
Howard W. Lutnick has been nominated to serve as the 41st United States Secretary of Commerce. During President Trump’s 2024 election campaign, he was the Co-Chair of the Trump-Vance Transition Team.
Before entering public service, Mr. Lutnick was a prominent figure on Wall Street for over three decades, simultaneously serving as Chairman and CEO of Cantor Fitzgerald, L.P. and BGC Group, as well as Executive Chairman of Newmark. He joined Cantor Fitzgerald in 1983 and quickly rose through the ranks, becoming President and CEO at just 29 years old.
Tragedy struck on September 11, 2001, when terrorists attacked the World Trade Center and Cantor Fitzgerald lost 658 of its 960 New York-based employees, including Mr. Lutnick’s brother and his best friend. He emerged from these events with an indomitable sense of purpose to rebuild the firm to honor those lost, support their families, and become a beacon of hope for those who remained.
In the days after the attacks, Mr. Lutnick launched the Cantor Fitzgerald Relief Fund, which donated $180 million to families of his coworkers who died on 9/11. He has donated more than $100 million to victims of terrorism, natural disasters, and other emergencies around the world.
Mr. Lutnick served on the Board of Directors of the National September 11 Memorial & Museum and Weill Cornell Medicine. He was named the Financial Times Person of the Year in 2001 and Ernst & Young’s United States Entrepreneur of the Year in 2010. Howard also received the Department of the Navy’s Distinguished Public Service Award, the highest honor granted to non-military personnel by the Navy.
Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, Scott Turner
Scott Turner, from Richardson, Texas, is a visionary leader with a distinguished career in public service, business, and professional sports. As Executive Director of the White House Opportunity and Revitalization Council, he led more than 200 policy actions to revitalize economically distressed communities. Turner served as Founder and CEO of the Community Engagement & Opportunity Council (CEOC), dedicated to revitalizing communities through mentorship, sports, and economic opportunity.
Turner served as a Texas State Representative for the 33rd District (2013–2017) and played nine seasons in the NFL. He also served as an Associate Pastor at Prestonwood Baptist Church. He holds a degree in Speech Communications from the University of Illinois and an honorary doctorate from Dallas Baptist University. Scott and his wife, Robin, are active in their church and community and are proud parents of Solomon, a recent University of Illinois graduate.
Secretary of Labor, Lori Chavez-DeRemer
Lori Chavez-DeRemer has dedicated over two decades of her life to public service, beginning in 2002 on the Happy Valley Parks Committee in Oregon. She later served on the Happy Valley City Council, becoming council president, and was elected as the city’s first Latina mayor in 2010, serving two successful terms. Under her leadership, Happy Valley became Oregon’s fastest-growing community, with initiatives that strengthened working families and small businesses.
In 2022, Lori was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives for Oregon’s 5th Congressional District, making history as the first Republican woman and one of the first Latinas elected to Congress from Oregon. She served on the Agriculture, Education and Workforce, and Transportation and Infrastructure Committees, championing practical solutions and securing critical investments for her constituents.
Lori is also a successful small businesswoman and the first in her family to graduate from college, earning a business administration degree. She and her husband, Dr. Shawn DeRemer, her high school sweetheart, founded an anesthesia management company and several medical clinics across the Pacific Northwest. A proud wife and mother, Lori is passionate about advocating for businesses, workers, and families across the country.
Secretary of Veterans Affairs, Doug Collins
An Air Force Reserve colonel, chaplain and Iraq War veteran with more than 20 years of military experience, Doug Collins knows the complex issues facing veterans across the country.
As a longtime congressman and attorney, Collins has a deep understanding of the federal government and the policy expertise to solve complex problems, cut through red tape and get things done for those who have worn the uniform. Over eight years in Congress, Collins helped scores of veterans solve their Department of Veterans Affairs problems, and he will put that expertise to work making VA more user-friendly, so veterans won’t need outside help to navigate the department’s bureaucracy.
As a congressman, Collins championed bipartisan legislation like the First Step Act, the Music Modernization Act and the Defend Trade Secrets Act. Collins’ efforts in support of the First Step Act earned him the 2019 Allegheny College Prize for Civility in Public Life.
When it comes to veterans policy, Collins voted for some of the most important VA reforms in recent history, including the Veterans, Access, Choice and Accountability Act, the VA Accountability and Whistleblower Protection Act and the MISSION Act.
Check back for updates…
The article was published with permission from Official Trump Tracker.
The Georgia Republican Party’s State Executive Committee has voted to expel former GOP Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan from being associated with the party.
The unanimous vote was finalized on Jan. 6, cutting Duncan’s ties to the GOP after years of accusations of disloyalty.
The resolution makes several allegations against Duncan, including accusations that he undermined GOP candidates, endorsed Democrat opponents and used his affiliation with the Republican Party for personal gain.
In a post on X, Duncan suggested that the resolution was not a good use of the party’s time.
“Hard to believe this is a good use of time for a party that’s only got a limited amount of time to figure out mass deportations, world peace and global tariffs. Learn how to take a victory lap not light another dumpster fire @JoshMcKoon,” he wrote, calling out the Georgia GOP chair.
According to the resolution, Duncan is “banned from all property owned or leased by the Georgia Republican Party and all events held by or under the authority of the Georgia Republican Party.”
The Georgia GOP said Duncan is prohibited from qualifying as a candidate for the Georgia Republican Party. The group also said his previous GOP nominations for lieutenant governor and, before that, the state House of Representatives, both races in which he won the primary and general elections, have been expunged.
The resolution demanded Duncan cease calling himself a Republican for personal profit or to undermine and sabotage the Republican Party and its candidates.
The resolution claims Duncan undermined and sabotaged some Republican candidates, including current Lt. Gov. Burt Jones and failed 2022 Senate candidate Herschel Walker.
It also notes Duncan’s public endorsements during the 2024 presidential race of President Biden and, when Biden dropped out, his subsequent endorsement of Vice President Kamala Harris as a violation of his allegiance to the GOP.
The Georgia GOP additionally said Duncan, in his role as a CNN commentator, used his Republican title to “attack the Republican Party.”
The state party also urged media outlets to refer to Duncan as an “expelled Republican” in future references.
