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Trump Names New York Rep. To Lead EPA

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President-elect Donald Trump tapped New York Congressman Lee Zeldin to lead the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

Trump confirmed the news in a statement Monday afternoon, writing in part:

“Lee, with a very strong legal background, has been a true fighter for America First policies. He 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. He will set new standards on environmental review and maintenance, that will allow the United States to grow in a healthy and well-structured way.”

Trump said Zeldin has “brilliantly” handled some “extremely difficult and complex situations.” He said he is sure Zeldin will “quickly prove to be a great contributor!”

“It is an honor to join President Trump’s Cabinet as EPA Administrator,” Zeldin 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.”

This is a breaking news story. Click refresh for the latest updates.

Trump Makes Specific Demand Of Senate GOP Leader Candidates

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President-elect Donald Trump revealed what candidates for Senate Majority Leader will have to do if they hope to gain his endorsement.

Trump released a statement on X on Sunday where he claimed that any candidate seeking the position must agree to recess appointments so that his appointments can be approved in a “timely manner.”

“Any Republican Senator seeking the coveted LEADERSHIP position in the United States Senate must agree to Recess Appointments (in the Senate!), without which we will not be able to get people confirmed in a timely manner. Sometimes the votes can take two years, or more,” Trump wrote to his followers.

He added, “This is what they did four years ago, and we cannot let it happen again. We need positions filled IMMEDIATELY! Additionally, no Judges should be approved during this period of time because the Democrats are looking to ram through their Judges as the Republicans fight over Leadership. THIS IS NOT ACCEPTABLE. THANK YOU!”

Recess appointments sidestep the Senate’s confirmation process and could be used to temporarily install unpopular or unqualified nominees.

Florida Senator Rick Scott responded to Trump’s request just minutes later via X, where he vowed to push through his nominee’s “as quickly as possible.”

Despite Sen. Scott’s quick response Trump has yet to throw his support behind a specific candidate for the coveted position.

Report: Trump Reportedly Picks Stephen Miller White House Job

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Gage Skidmore Flickr

President-elect Donald Trump has reportedly tapped immigration adviser Stephen Miller to take on the role of White House Deputy Chief of Staff for policy.

Two sources with knowledge of the plans told CNN that Miller — a prominent figure during Trump’s first term and in his campaign team, and an advocate for hardline immigration policies — is now expected to hold an expanded role as the administration returns to power.

In Trump’s second term, the sources say Miller will push for a significant increase in deportations, with a reported target of over one million deportations per year—a tenfold increase from the current figures. He has been instrumental in shaping policies that align with this objective, reinforcing Trump’s broader vision of a heavily enforced immigration system.

“President-elect Trump will begin making decisions on who will serve in his second administration soon. Those decisions will be announced when they are made,” Trump spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt told CNN.

Meanwhile, Sen. Eric Schmitt (R-Mo.) is no longer in the running to become the next attorney general in President-elect Trump’s incoming administration.

The former Missouri attorney general will instead refocus his attention on the judiciary by helping Trump shepherd judges through the upper chamber and work to enact his agenda. 

“I ran for the U.S. Senate to represent the people of the Show Me State and I’m just getting started,” Schmitt wrote on X. “The American people have given President @realDonaldTrump a mandate. A mandate to secure our border, make America energy dominant and fight for the forgotten men and women of this country.” 

“We need America First fighters who don’t just say they support the agenda but who are willing to stand in the breach and actually fight for it and for the hopes and dreams of the American people,” Schmitt continued. “I’m ready to roll up my sleeves and be a champion for President Trump in the Senate.”

This is a breaking news story. Please check back for updates.

New Jersey Governor Declares War On Trump Admin.

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Photo via Gage Skidmore Flickr

Despite Donald Trump’s landslide victory, Democrat Governors are already planning ways to hinder the incoming administration.

In a Q&A following President-elect Trump’s victory, New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy warned he will “fight to the death” against the administration if he detects behavior “contrary to our values.”

“[A]s we respect the peaceful transition of power, if there is any attack on the Garden State or any of its communities from Washington, I will fight back with every fiber of my being,” Murphy said.

“If there’s an opportunity for common ground, we will seize that as fast as anybody,” he conversely added. 

Watch:

State Assembly Minority Leader John DiMaio (R-Hackettstown) told Fox News Digital that Murphy is “missing the message” voters sent Tuesday with the initial rhetoric.

“It’s time for the governor to recognize that his values may not reflect the values of New Jerseyans as widely as he assumes,” he said.

“While Murphy is prepared to spend resources on political battles with Trump, it’s hard to see how that aligns with the priorities of struggling families, working taxpayers and business owners who want more focus on their needs,” DiMaio said.

Report: Stefanik In Contention For Trump Administration Role

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Elise Stefanik with Donald Trump via Wikimedia Commons

Trump is hard at work crafting his new administration.

House GOP Conference Chairwoman Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.) is in contention for a role in the new Trump administration, Fox News Digital is told.

She is now being discussed as a potential candidate for U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, two people familiar with such discussions told Fox News.

One said Stefanik was “high on the list” of potential candidates.

Fox News Digital was also told that another House member, retired Green Beret Rep. Mike Waltz (R-Fla.) is in consideration for a Trump administration role. Waltz is being looked at as a potential candidate for Defense secretary, though Trump is also considering options from the private sector and others, Fox News Digital was told.

Trump-Vance transition spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt told Fox News Digital when asked for comment about the possible appointments, “President-Elect Trump will begin making decisions on who will serve in his second Administration soon. Those decisions will be announced when they are made.”

Report: FBI Foils Iranian Attack Targeting Trump

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Gage Skidmore Flickr

The Justice Department (DOJ) says it has thwarted an Iranian plot to kill President-elect Donald Trump in the leadup to the election. 

A criminal complaint filed in federal court in New York alleges that an unnamed official in Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard instructed a contact to put together a plan to surveil and ultimately kill President-elect Trump. 

Read:

This is a breaking news story. Please check back for updates.

Report: Susie Wiles Tapped For Trump Admin. Chief Of Staff Role

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Who will Trump tap to serve in his administration?

Susie Wiles, a veteran political operative who worked closely with President-elect Trump during his campaign, is making history as the first female Chief of Staff.

Sources within Trump’s transition team and others close to the former president’s campaign confirmed to Fox News that Wiles was reportedly the frontrunner for White House chief of staff – the person who oversees the Executive Office of the President before Trump made the announcement on Thursday.

Trump, during his victory celebration in West Palm Beach late Tuesday night, gave special thanks to Wiles for her prominent role throughout the campaign. 

“Let me also express my tremendous appreciation for Susie [Wiles] and Chris [LaCivita], the job you did. Susie, come, Susie,” Trump said, inviting her up to the microphone, but Wiles refrained from making comments.

“Susie likes to stay sort of in the back, let me tell you. The ice baby. We call her the ice baby. Susie likes to stay in the background. She’s not in the background,” Trump added. “Thank you, Susie.”

NBC News also reported that Wiles is seen as the frontrunner to become Trump’s chief of staff. Two sources in Trump’s political orbit didn’t wave Fox News off the reporting.

Wiles currently serves as a senior adviser to Trump and his campaign co-chair alongside Chris LaCivita.

Former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy was previously floated as a possible contender for chief of staff, but recently told “The Guy Benson Show” that he would not take the position if it was offered. 

“People always ask if I’m going to be chief of staff, no I’m not going to be… that’s a no,” he said. 

This is a breaking news story. Please check back for updates.

GOP Wins Competitive Race For Open House Seat Held By Boebert

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Gage Skidmore from Surprise, AZ, United States of America, CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Big news in Colorado!

Republican Jeff Hurd won the election for Colorado’s 3rd Congressional District, which currently belongs to Rep. Lauren Boebert.

Boebert ran in and won Colorado’s 4th district in this election, leaving the 3rd district open. Hurd’s race was rated “lean Republican” in the Fox News Power Rankings prior to Election Day.

“I told voters — and I intend to follow up on that promise — that securing the border will be a top priority, growing our energy economy and protecting water and agriculture, so those are going to be my top priorities when I’m sworn in,” Hurd told the Denver Post in an interview on Wednesday.

This is a breaking news story. Please check back for updates.

Report: Tom Cotton Removes Name From Cabinet Consideration

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Donald Trump via Gage Skidmore Flickr

A surprising move…

As President-elect Donald Trump begins to start forming his administration one high-profile name will be notably absent: Arkansas Senator Tom Cotton.

Cotton had been widely seen as a front-runner for a top cabinet position in the next Trump administration, but a source close to the senator told Fox News on Thursday that he asked that his name be pulled from consideration

Cotton has two boys under the age of 10 and wants to remain close to them and not upend their lives.  He also feels “confident” about securing the No. 3 position in the new GOP Senate majority, the Republican Conference chair when the election is held next week.

The source said Trump understands Cotton’s decision and knows “he is with him all the way in the Senate.”

It’s unclear who Trump will select to serve in his new administration but some familiar faces are expected to return.

Ben Carson is being weighed to return once again as the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, and Betsy DeVos could return as Secretary of Education. Mike Pompeo too could return as Defense Secretary.

New faces include North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum, who could serve as Secretary of the Interior or Energy Secretary. Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) is in the running for Secretary of State, while Robert F. Kennedy Jr., could serve as Secretary of Agriculture or Health and Human Services.

Report: FBI Apprehends Suspects In Alleged Assassination Attempt

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Jsg2020, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Will the threats of political violence come to an end?

FBI agents in Michigan have arrested two individuals charged with making violent threats, including one man suspected of hinting at an assassination plot targeting President-elect Donald Trump. The charges, revealed on Tuesday, come just days before the 2024 presidential election and underscore an increase in threats against public officials across the country.

The Detroit Free Press explains:

One of the defendants allegedly called Trump a “piece of s—” and threatened to shoot up conservative Christians if Trump wins; the other allegedly called Harris a “f —— communist piece of s—” and threatened violence on an unnamed PAC involved in the presidential campaign, telling the group, “I’m your worst f—— nightmare.”

According to criminal documents filed in federal court, here are the two Michigan men who landed on the FBI’s radar in recent months over threatening comments targeting both campaigns, candidates and their supporters:

The most recent arrest involves Isaac Sissel, 25, a transient Ann Arbor man who allegedly threatened to shoot conservative Christians with an AR-15 should Trump win the election. The FBI arrested him Tuesday, but said it did not find any weapons on him when agents found him in a Travelodge motel room on Monday in Canton Township, according to the criminal complaint.

In an FBI affidavit on file in court, Sissel is described as a transient individual with no known home address who claimed to have hidden out on the University of Michigan campus and slept near a rehab clinic.

According to court documents, one of the suspects allegedly sent a message threatening violence should Trump secure an election victory. The message, cited by The Detroit News, reportedly contained plans to attack “conservative Christian filth” and referenced a stolen AR-15 rifle. The individual claimed to have hollow-point bullets and a chemical irritant, suggesting that the planned attack’s execution and the concealment of weapons would complicate FBI intervention.

This case highlights the FBI’s intensified response to rising security risks in a polarized political climate, where threats against public figures have become an acute concern for federal and local authorities.

Article Published With The Permission of American Liberty News.