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WASHINGTON — Elon Musk, clad in tuxedo and black tie, took the stage at President-elect Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort shortly after the election with all the swagger of the winning candidate himself. "The public has given us a mandate that could not be more clear, the clearest mandate. The people have spoken. The people want change," Musk told the audience of Trump's biggest donors, campaign leaders and appointment seekers. "We are going to shake things up. It's going to be a revolution." Musk's attachment to Trump created an alliance between America's most powerful politician and its richest businessman — and roughly the same percentages of Americans have favorable views of each, according to a new poll from the AP-NORC Center for Public Aff airs Research. Experts are split on whether that overlap in public opinion is a good or bad thing for Musk's businesses or for Trump's politics, but it could have far-reaching eff ects in both realms. Musk, whose net worth tops $400 billion, oversees six businesses while working closely with Trump: electric car manufacturer Tesla, the X social media platform, space technology company SpaceX, brain link company Neuralink, the startup xAI and tunneling operator The Boring Co. "Even though there's a negative impact, in terms of potentially alienating some of their customers that might not be fans of Trump, the benefits far outweigh any negatives when it comes to having a right-hand seat next to Trump in the White House," said Dan Ives, an analyst at Wedbush Securities. Ross Gerber, CEO of Gerber Kawasaki Wealth and Investment Management, identified himself as an investor in Musk's Tesla and a driver of Tesla's new Cybertruck, the futuristic pickup that drew huge amounts of attention but also was the subject of safety concerns and multiple recalls. "Having your CEO not working at your company and working at the job of having to fire government employees ... as a shareholder, I'm paying someone to not work for my company," he said. "As a Cybertruck owner with self-driving that sucks and doesn't work, I'm like, 'Dude, this isn't fair.'" Despite his skepticism, Gerber said he won't stop investing in Musk's businesses. "I've made a lot of money with Elon," he said. "I'm not in the business of investing based on the popularity of CEOs." Musk doesn't appear to give Trump much boost with people who don't back the incoming president. He is viewed somewhat or very unfavorable by about half of adult Americans, similar to Trump, according to the APNORC poll. About 4 in 10 Americans have a somewhat or very favorable view of the world's richest person, very similar to the percentage who view Trump positively. One political strategist said Musk is the ideal validator for someone who cultivates an image of success in business and who stocked his Cabinet and key adviser roles with billionaires. "Trump has always pushed this narrative that he's a successful developer and a very successful businessman. I think having Musk with him is his double-down on this business success, good-forthe-economy, good-for-everybody-making money kind of persona," said Christine Matthews, a national political pollster who has worked for Republicans. "In this case, Musk is seen as this successful, innovative, tech entrepreneur, frontier-buster." Musk also has at his disposal X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter that he purchased and turned into a megaphone for conservative ideas. Having spent an estimated $250 million to support Trump in the election, Musk signaled he is willing to back Republican primary challenges to GOP members in the House and Senate seeking reelection in 2026 who waver on Trump's appointments and agenda. Trump tasked him with leading a group to reduce the size of the federal government and reduce the rulemaking authority of the federal bureaucracy. Tesla stands to make significant gains under a Trump administration with the threat of diminished subsidies for alternative energy and electric vehicles doing the most harm to smaller competitors. Trump's plans for extensive tariff s on Chinese imports make it less likely that Chinese EVs will be sold in bulk in the U.S. anytime soon. Some analysts believe the billionaire's role will create a very friendly landscape for Tesla in coming years. Ives believes ending the EV credit and taking subsidies from Detroit carmakers, Hyundai and other companies will create only opportunity for Tesla. Tesla's stock price nearly doubled since Trump's victory, creating an additional $750 billion shareholder wealth in the past six weeks. Gerber feels that jump is because investors believe Tesla will have an advantage when it comes to autonomous driving because Trump could grant the company a national autonomy license. Still, he thinks Tesla will be the "big loser" of Musk's businesses because of Trump's promise to end the EV tax credit for carmakers. Musk's other companies — including his artificial intelligence company, xAI — could reap the benefits of working within the Trump administration, he said. The relationship between the two men has no parallel in U.S. history, said David Nasaw, biographer of American business tycoons Andrew Carnegie and William Randolph Hearst. He noted Musk, to a level unlike other tycoons, relied on subsidies and favorable government decisions for his success from Tesla to SpaceX.President-elect Donald Trump appointed Truth Social CEO Devin Nunes to serve as the Chairman of a presidential Intelligence Advisory Board. In a post on Truth Social, Trump wrote that Nunes would “draw on his experience as former Chairman of the House Intelligence Committee” in order to provide Trump “with independent assessments of the effectiveness and propriety of the U.S. Intelligence Community’s activities.” “I am pleased to announce that I will appoint Truth Social CEO Devine Nunes as Chairman of the President’s Intelligence Advisory Board, which consists of distinguished citizens from outside of the Federal Government,” Trump wrote. Trump added: “While continuing his leadership of Trump Media & Technology Group, Devin will draw on his experience as former Chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, and his key role in exposing the Russia, Russia, Russia Hoax, to provide me with independent assessments of the effectiveness and propriety of the U.S. Intelligence Community’s activities.” In response to Trump’s announcement, Nunes issued a statement that he was “honored by this appointment” “I’m honored by this appointment, and I look forward to providing a channel of oversight by board members from outside the government to ensure our intelligence agencies are functioning optimally without political influence,” Nunes said in his statement. “I aim to make certain that encroachments on Americans’ civil rights and abusive surveillance practices will be immediately exposed and stopped, while anyone ordering or engaging in such abuses will be quickly held to account.” Truth Social is the social media platform where Trump posts political statements, reactions to current events, and endorsements of candidates. As Breitbart News’s Wendell Husebo previously reported , in March, Trump was reported to have grown his net worth by billions after his social media company merged with Digital World Acquisition Corp. and became Trump Media & Technology Group (TMTG).These new Texas laws go into effect in 2025

Pushpa 2 Leaked Online: As audiences rush to cinemas to experience the highly awaited Pushpa 2: The Rule starring Allu Arjun, pirated versions of the film have unfortunately begun circulating on numerous illegal websites. Though these sites might attract users with the allure of free downloads, indulging in pirated content comes with serious risks, including potential legal action and the threat of compromising personal data. The legal actions might be a bit too much to handle for people who are indulging in such acts of piracy, it will be wise to know about what can follow if you download movies illegally. Pushpa 2: Pirated Versions Illegal copies of Pushpa 2: The Rule have surfaced online, available in resolutions ranging from low-quality 240p to high-definition 1080p. Platforms such as Tamilrockers, Movierulz, Filmyzilla, Ibomma, and similar sites are facilitating the unauthorized distribution of the film. Engaging with such pirated content, whether through downloads or streaming, could end up costing you much more than the price of a movie ticket. ALSO READ: Pushpa 2 Movie Review: Allu Arjun And Fahadh Faasil’s Electrifying Face-Off Takes Sukumar Film To New Heights Legal Repercussions Parliament has earlier passed a bill that mandates a maximum jail term of three years and a fine of up to five per cent of the production cost of the films for persons involved in film piracy and circulation of such content. Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Thakur while talking about the Cinematograph (Amendment) Bill 2023 in Lok Sabha said, "We will stop film piracy through this Bill. This has been a longstanding demand of the film industry." ABP Live doesn't condone film piracy via torrents or any other illicit methods. Security Threats Piracy websites are notorious for concealing malware, spyware, and ransomware within their downloadable content. These harmful programs can invade your device, damage files, extract confidential information, or even render your system inaccessible until a ransom is paid. Becoming a target of these cyber threats can lead to severe financial setbacks and the exposure of sensitive personal data.MONO threatens to sue over SET warningOpinion Don't miss out on the headlines from Opinion. Followed categories will be added to My News. “Never read the comments.” It’s advice you often hear being given to prospective newspaper columnists or occasional contributors to the opinion pages about the need to brace themselves for the free-wheeling mosh pit that is unfettered feedback from the general public. It’s a sentiment with which I have never agreed, nor one I have understood. The comments are often the best part of a column. As columnists we should be honoured that people take the time to comment, whether we agree with their feedback or not. The comments are often funny. They’re insightful. They are frequently completely over the top. They can be personally abusive. Bring it on. Bring all of it on. To the readers I say go your hardest; to the writers, toughen up, princesses. Occasionally you read comments which are completely moronic. Comments from people who have totally missed every point you have made, and need to have the column re-read to them by a sentient adult. You also read comments which are based on false information or lies. Covid was a good time for that if you were a columnist writing in support of vaccinations. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese at Parliament House in Canberra. Picture: NewsWire / Martin Ollman It was a red rag to every wellness weirdo and conspiracy nut out there, and they had a jolly old time of it jumping online saying that people like me had been “got to” by the likes of Anthony Fauci, the WHO cabal, and the faceless millionaire monsters running Big Pharma. When you write about issues involving race or religion, you invite comments which are sometimes demonstrably untrue, based on crap that does the rounds of the internet. You could classify some of those comments as disinformation or misinformation. Here’s where things get interesting – and politically dangerous – for our federal government. The last thing the Albanese government needs, given the way it’s going, is a new political headache. If it is not careful it will end up with one with its misinformation Bill. Like many things this government has done, or tried to do, it has been poorly explained. It seems to be a triumph of good intentions over practical implementation. And it risks impinging on one of our most important freedoms of all, freedom of speech. Now a lot of people would say that Elon Musk is a power-hungry, egotistical whack job who has turned Twitter, as X, into a clearing house for crackpot and extreme content around politics, crypto, vaccinations, lockdowns, with the racy added extra of a significant increase in smut. Some say the blogosphere is dangerous as it has no barriers for entry and no checks or balances meaning any old bit of deluded or dangerous nonsense can find its way into print. I will tell you what is more dangerous than all of the above combined – the federal government Department of Misinformation and Disinformation. A state-owned entity hovering above us all, telling us what we can and cannot say. Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk speaks at a campaign rally for US President-elect Donald Trump at Madison Square Garden in New York on October 27. Picture: Angela Weiss/AFP Now, the federal government has said that news organisations are exempt from these proposed new rules. But what is a “news organisation” and what is “news”. Is news an article? Is it a letter to the editor? Is it any one of your comments published online on the bottom of this piece? These are not rhetorical or mischievous questions. They’re the same questions every major news organisation, and the Australian Press Council and the Human Rights Commission have all put in relation to the mystery surrounding Albo’s disinformation Bill. Frankly, I am not even sure what the difference is between mis- and dis-information either. There have clearly been issues where false information spread online has been linked to terrible social outcomes. Indeed much of the impetus for this discussion internationally came from the stabbing in England of young children at a Taylor Swift dance concert earlier this year, where false information was spread like wildfire online wrongly decrying this outrage as an act of Islamic extremism. A cynic might argue that such baseless conclusions become more tempting when the politically-correct British Police has an ignoble history of trying to hush-up or airbrush genuine cases or Islamic terror from public discussion. It was a boy-who-cried-wolf scenario where the extreme right went hard on the basis of past PC silence in the face of uncomfortable truths. Riot police hold back protesters near a burning police vehicle after disorder broke out on July 30, 2024 in Southport, England. Picture: Getty Images/Getty Images Misinformation fighting an absence of honest information. Cans of worms don’t get larger than the one contained in this Albanese government brain bubble. The idea that the job can fall to government to decide what people can and cannot say is anathema in a democracy, end of story. And this isn’t some self-interested piece on my part, as my understanding of the Bill is that while columnists such as me could still write freely, the commentary pieces like this attracts may not. But to end in the joyful world of the comments section. The best argument against what the feds are considering comes from the comments section itself. It is the ultimate self-regulatory environment. If you get an accolade from a piece that’s been generally well-received, dozens of people will hit ‘like’ on that comment. If you get a powerfully-written counterargument from someone telling you you’ve missed the point, or are full of it, dozens of people will ‘like’ that too. But the truly nutty comments, the delusional comments pointing to conspiracies and making laughable claims – barely anyone (if anyone) ‘likes’ them because they are demonstrably stupid and absurd. Far better to let the readers judge for themselves than to go down the Orwellian path of filling some grey building in Canberra’s outer suburbs with an army of thought-police, making sure no-one is speaking impurely against the mandated strictures of the government of the day. More Coverage Labor trying to ‘ram through’ misinformation bill James Morrow Originally published as Governments deciding what we can and can’t say is anathema to democracy. End of story | David Penberthy David Penberthy Columnist David Penberthy is a columnist with The Advertiser and Sunday Mail, and also co-hosts the FIVEaa Breakfast show. He's a former editor of the Daily Telegraph, Sunday Mail and news.com.au. @penbo David Penberthy Join the conversation Add your comment to this story To join the conversation, please log in. Don't have an account? Register Join the conversation, you are commenting as Logout More related stories Opinion Why trans U-turn is a ray of hope in woke US If the Democrats do their walk of shame, learn their lesson and start to listen to ordinary people instead of lecturing them, then people like AOC might just be AOK, writes Joe Hildebrand. Read more Opinion This is every parents’ worst nightmare but we have to let them go While many Aussie parents are freaking out about their teenagers’ first coming of age trip, we can’t wrap them in cotton wool for life, writes Julie Cross. Read more

says he has no choice but to continue playing despite heavily criticising the forward after the 1-1 draw at Rangers. Werner’s performance in Thursday’s Europa League game at Ibrox was branded “unacceptable” by the Spurs manager, who hauled the winger off at half-time because he was not playing “anywhere near the level he should”. Postecoglou double-downed on Friday morning, though clarified that his words should be considered an “assessment”, rather than criticism”, of Werner. Spurs have six senior players injured, including three defenders and the first-choice goalkeeper, along with two suspended midfielders for their trip to face at St Mary’s on Sunday. Postecoglou joked that the worst injury crisis of his managerial career already has him “pulling kids out of school” to play for his team. “I’ve got no choice,” he said about having to continue picking Werner. “Who else am I going to play? “I’m pulling kids out of school, I literally am — getting notes from their teachers. That was the reasoning for my pointing out [Werner’s performance] last night. “We need Timo. We need all of them. In normal times if you have a poor game, there’s a price to pay. It doesn’t exist right now. We need everybody we’ve got. We need him.” Postecoglou may decide to restore Dominic Solanke to the starting line-up against Saints, with Heung-min Son moving back to the wing and Werner an option from the bench. “What I need from him is the best version of himself,” Postecoglou said about 28-year-old Werner. “When he’s the best version of himself, he helps us. I need everybody to feel that way, to have that mindset. He’s going to play. Of course he’s going to play. “It is an extraordinary situation we are in — it is. Where we are squad-wise with the injuries we have and what we ask our players to do, these are extraordinary circumstances.”Fresno Council Changes Rules on Presidency, Vice Presidency

Trump threatens to try to take back the Panama Canal. Panama's president balks at the suggestionFACT FOCUS: Inspector general’s Jan. 6 report misrepresented as proof of FBI setup

By JILL COLVIN NEW YORK (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump wants to turn the lights out on daylight saving time. In a post on his social media site Friday, Trump said his party would try to end the practice when he returns to office. “The Republican Party will use its best efforts to eliminate Daylight Saving Time, which has a small but strong constituency, but shouldn’t! Daylight Saving Time is inconvenient, and very costly to our Nation,” he wrote. Setting clocks forward one hour in the spring and back an hour in the fall is intended to maximize daylight during summer months, but has long been subject to scrutiny. Daylight saving time was first adopted as a wartime measure in 1942. Lawmakers have occasionally proposed getting rid of the time change altogether. The most prominent recent attempt, a now-stalled bipartisan bill named the Sunshine Protection Act , had proposed making daylight saving time permanent. The measure was sponsored by Florida Sen. Marco Rubio , whom Trump has tapped to helm the State Department. Related Articles National Politics | Ruling by a conservative Supreme Court could help blue states resist Trump policies National Politics | A nonprofit leader, a social worker: Here are the stories of the people on Biden’s clemency list National Politics | Nancy Pelosi hospitalized after she ‘sustained an injury’ on official trip to Luxembourg National Politics | Veteran Daniel Penny, acquitted in NYC subway chokehold, will join Trump’s suite at football game National Politics | About 3 in 10 are highly confident in Trump on Cabinet, spending or military oversight: AP-NORC poll “Changing the clock twice a year is outdated and unnecessary,” Republican Sen. Rick Scott of Florida said as the Senate voted in favor of the measure. Health experts have said that lawmakers have it backward and that standard time should be made permanent. Some health groups , including the American Medical Association and American Academy of Sleep Medicine, have said that it’s time to do away with time switches and that sticking with standard time aligns better with the sun — and human biology. Most countries do not observe daylight saving time. For those that do, the date that clocks are changed varies, creating a complicated tapestry of changing time differences. Arizona and Hawaii don’t change their clocks at all.

NoneA man accused of digitally raping a colleague after a work Christmas party has said he was only reaching to grab a vape from her lap. Black Friday Sale Subscribe Now! Login or signup to continue reading All articles from our website & app The digital version of Today's Paper Breaking news alerts direct to your inbox Interactive Crosswords, Sudoku and Trivia All articles from the other regional websites in your area Continue The man, a public servant who has not been named to protect the woman's identity, is facing a trial accused of touching a colleague's breasts without her consent after a government department Christmas party in 2022. He is then accused of digitally raping her through her stockings while she drove him home . The man has pleaded not guilty to sexual intercourse without consent and committing an act of indecency without consent. He also denies an alternate count of committing an act of indecency without consent. Giving evidence in his ACT Supreme Court jury trial on Friday, he denied raping the woman and claimed that when she was driving, he "reached over and grabbed the [vape] on her lap and then puffed out the window". He said, "It was a bad decision to get a lift home", stating she was intoxicated at the time. The man told jurors that earlier on the night in question, he was at a bar with the woman when she confided "she was a bit insecure about her body". He said they discussed "double standards" for men and women in society before he asked: "You want me to touch your tits?" The man claimed she had replied: "Go for it." He told jurors he then consensually touched her breasts. "We just both laughed about it," he said. The man leaves court on a previous occasion. Picture by Hannah Neale Earlier this week, the woman told jurors her colleague had touched her breasts without consent, but she "didn't want to cause a scene". "I'm well aware that if I go to a pub, there is always something ... especially at work parties," she said. Giving evidence, she described the alleged rape as having occurred while she was driving the "drunk" man to his home. "I remember the lights turning red, and as I'm slowing down, I felt [him] reaching across," she told the jury. "He is licking my neck, and he is reaching over, and he has a hand up my dress. "My hand was busy changing gear, my foot was busy [on the clutch], and I was busy trying not to crash my car." The woman stated she "couldn't do anything" because she was "otherwise occupied" and had "swerved my car a little bit". The trial before Justice Louise Taylor continues. Support is available for those who may be distressed. Phone Lifeline 13 11 14; Canberra Rape Crisis Centre 6247 2525. Share Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Email Copy Hannah Neale Reporter Hannah is a reporter with The Canberra Times. She is currently covering ACT courts. Hannah started as a journalist with The Southern Highland News and The Goulburn Post before moving to the ACT. Hannah is a reporter with The Canberra Times. She is currently covering ACT courts. Hannah started as a journalist with The Southern Highland News and The Goulburn Post before moving to the ACT. More from Canberra 13 years ago six kinder kids were front page news. They just finished year 12 1hr ago No comment s Accused work Christmas party rapist claims he was only 'reaching for vape' 1hr ago How to play a fan-made Survivor series (from an unexpected challenge beast) 1hr ago No comment s Our safety nets have gaping holes. Who is going to fix them? 1hr ago No comment s Just beyond reach: the life and work of Carol Jerrems 1hr ago No comment s 'It's an exciting future': Jenni Tarrant starts her own charitable foundation 1hr ago No comment s Newsletters & Alerts View all DAILY Your morning news Today's top stories curated by our news team. Also includes evening update. 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DENVER, Dec. 04, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- ArrowMark Financial Corp. (Nasdaq: BANX) ("ArrowMark Financial" or the "Company"), an SEC registered closed-end management investment company, today announced that its Board of Directors has declared a special cash distribution of $0.20 per share generated from excess income, and a regular cash distribution of $0.45 per share for the fourth quarter 2024. The total distribution of $0.65 per share will be payable on January 3, 2025 to shareholders of record on December 26, 2024. "We are very pleased to announce the special distribution for Q4 2024 along with the distribution rate of $0.45. We believe this distribution reflects the Fund's ability to consistently over-earn its declared quarterly distribution rate. ArrowMark Financial is committed to providing consistent risk-adjusted returns while maintaining focus on capital preservation and income generation for our shareholders,” said Chairman & CEO Sanjai Bhonsle. About ArrowMark Financial Corp. ArrowMark Financial Corp. is an SEC registered non-diversified, closed-end fund listed on the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the symbol "BANX.” Its investment objective is to provide shareholders with current income. The Fund pursues its objective by investing primarily in regulatory capital securities of financial institutions. ArrowMark Financial is managed by ArrowMark Asset Management, LLC. To learn more, visit ir.arrowmarkfinancialcorp.com or contact the Fund's secondary market service agent at 877-855-3434. Disclaimer and Risk Factors: There is no assurance that ArrowMark Financial will achieve its investment objective. ArrowMark Financial is subject to numerous risks, including investment and market risks, management risk, income and interest rate risks, banking industry risks, preferred stock risk, convertible securities risk, debt securities risk, liquidity risk, valuation risk, leverage risk, non-diversification risk, credit and counterparty risks, market at a discount from net asset value risk and market disruption risk. Shares of closed-end investment companies may trade above (a premium) or below (a discount) their net asset value. Shares of ArrowMark Financial may not be appropriate for all investors. Investors should review and consider carefully ArrowMark Financial's investment objective, risks, charges and expenses. Past performance does not guarantee future results. The Annual Report, Semi-Annual Report and other regulatory filings of the Fund with the SEC are accessible on the SEC's website at www.sec.gov and on the Fund's website at ir.arrowmarkfinancialcorp.com. Contact: [email protected] Destra Capital Advisors LLC (877) 855-3434 Destra Capital Advisors LLC provides secondary market services for the Fund by agreement.

Ex-Maryland Governor Larry Hogan shares video of mysterious drones, echoes calls for federal action (Picture credit: X) Reports of mysterious drone sightings across several states, including New Jersey, Maryland, and New York, have sparked growing concern among residents and lawmakers. As per The Guardian, the sightings have even been reported near sensitive areas such as military installations and critical infrastructure. However, the phenomenon remains unexplained, prompting calls for greater federal action and transparency. Former Maryland Governor Larry Hogan shared footage of large drones flying above his residence in Davidsonville, Maryland, just 25 miles from Washington, DC. Hogan, who observed the activity for 45 minutes, criticised the federal response, stating, “Neither the White House , the military, the FBI, nor Homeland Security has any idea what they are, where they came from, or who is controlling them and that is unacceptable.” Similarly, New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy urged President Joe Biden to prioritise the investigation, citing growing frustration over the lack of answers. In a letter to the White House, Murphy wrote, “The continued reporting of UAS (unmanned aircraft systems) activity has raised more questions than answers and prompted an outcropping of conspiracy theories.” The sightings have included reports of car-sized drones flying in groups over areas such as Naval Weapons Station Earle in New Jersey, where authorities confirmed multiple incursions. The Pentagon and FBI have ruled out foreign involvement, stating there is no evidence to suggest the drones pose a direct threat to public safety or national security, reported the Guardian. However, critics have slammed the federal response as inadequate. Hogan expressed frustration at the “dismissive attitude” of authorities, stating the government has the technology to trace the drones’ origins but has failed to act decisively. The FBI, leading the investigation, has received over 3,000 public tips but has yet to determine the source of the incursions. Officials noted that many sightings, upon analysis, appeared to involve lawfully operated manned aircraft. Still, the public and lawmakers demand more concrete answers, fearing potential vulnerabilities to critical infrastructure. While some lawmakers advocate for shooting down the drones for analysis, concerns about debris in densely populated areas have stalled such actions. The Pentagon insists that base commanders have the authority to act if the drones pose a threat, but no such incidents have been reported thus far.

Football clubs ‘alarmed’ by lack of consultation on regulator – Karren BradyFreiburg survives late onslaught to beat Wolfsburg in Bundesliga thrillerPHOENIX — Donald Trump suggested Sunday that his new administration could try to regain control of the Panama Canal that the United States “foolishly” ceded to its Central American ally, contending that shippers are charged “ridiculous” fees to pass through the vital transportation channel linking the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. President-elect Donald Trump speaks at AmericaFest on Sunday in Phoenix. Panama's conservative president José Raúl Mulino, who was elected in April on a pro-business platform, roundly rejected that notion as an affront to his country's sovereignty. The Republican president-elect's comment came during his first major rally since winning the White House on Nov. 5. He also used his comments to bask in his return to power as a large audience of conservatives cheered along. It was a display of party unity at odds with a just-concluded budget fight on Capitol Hill where some GOP lawmakers openly defied their leader's demands. Addressing supporters at Turning Point USA’s AmericaFest in Arizona, Trump pledged that his “dream team Cabinet” would deliver a booming economy, seal U.S. borders and quickly settle wars in the Middle East and Ukraine. “I can proudly proclaim that the Golden Age of America is upon us,” Trump said. “There’s a spirit that we have now that we didn’t have just a short while ago.” His appearance capped a four-day pep rally that drew more than 20,000 activists and projected an image of Republican cohesion despite the past week's turbulence in Washington with Trump pulling strings from his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida as Congress worked to avoid a government shutdown heading into the Christmas holiday. House Republicans spiked a bipartisan deal after Trump and Elon Musk, his billionaire ally, expressed their opposition on social media. Budget hawks flouted Trump's request to raise the nation’s debt ceiling, which would have spared some new rounds of the same fight after he takes office Jan. 20, 2025, with Republicans holding narrow control of the House and Senate. The final agreement did not address the issue and there was no shutdown. Trump, in his remarks in Phoenix, did not mention the congressional drama, though he did reference Musk's growing power. To suggestions that "President Trump has ceded the presidency to Elon,” Trump made clear, “No, no. That’s not happening.” “He’s not gonna be president,” Trump said. The president-elect opened the speech by saying that "we want to try to bring everybody together. We’re going to try. We’re going to really give it a shot." Then he suggested Democrats have “lost their confidence” and are “befuddled” after the election but eventually will ”come over to our side because we want to have them.” A cargo ship traverses the Agua Clara Locks of the Panama Canal on Sept. 2 in Colon, Panama. Atop a list of grievances — some old, some new — was the Panama Canal. “We’re being ripped off at the Panama Canal,” he said, bemoaning that his country ”foolishly gave it away.” The United States built the Panama Canal in the early 1900s, as it looked for ways to facilitate the transit of commercial and military vessels between its coasts. Washington relinquished control of the waterway to Panama on Dec. 31, 1999, under a treaty signed in 1977 under President Jimmy Carter. The canal depends on reservoirs to operate its locks and was heavily affected by 2023 Central American droughts that forced it to substantially reduce the number of daily slots for crossing ships. With fewer ships using the canal each day, administrators also increased the fees that are charged all shippers for reserving a slot. With weather returning to normal in the later months of this year, transit on the canal has normalized. But price increases are still expected for next year. Mulino, Panama's president, has been described as a conservative populist who aligns with Trump on many issues. Panama is a strong U.S. ally and the canal is crucial for its economy, generating about one-fifth of that government’s annual revenue. Still, Trump said, that, once his second term is underway, "If the principles, both moral and legal, of this magnanimous gesture of giving are not followed, then we will demand that the Panama Canal be returned to the United States of America, in full, quickly and without question.” “I’m not going to stand for it," Trump said. "So to the officials of Panama, please be guided accordingly.” He did not explain how that would be possible. A short time after Trump's speech, Mulino released a video declaring that “every square meter of the canal belongs to Panama and will continue to belong” to his country. Without mentioning Trump by name, Mulino addressed the president-elect's complaints over rising fees for ships crossing the canal, saying that they are set by experts who take into account operational costs, and supply and demand factors. “The tariffs are not set on a whim” Mulino said. He noted that Panama has expanded the canal over the years to increase ship traffic “on its own initiative,” and added that shipping fee increases help pay for improvements. “Panamanians may have different views on many issues” Mulino said. “But when it comes to our canal, and our sovereignty, we will all unite under our Panamanian flag.” The canal aside, Trump’s appearance at Turning Point’s annual gathering affirmed the growing influence the group and its founder, Charlie Kirk, have had in the conservative movement. Kirk’s organization hired thousands of field organizers across presidential battlegrounds, helping Trump make key gains among infrequent voters and other groups of people that have trended more Democratic in recent decades, including younger voters, Black men and Latino men. ”You had Turning Point’s grassroots armies,” Trump said. “It’s not my victory, it’s your victory.” Earlier Sunday, Trump said that Stephen Miran, who worked at the Treasury Department in Trump's first term, was his choice to lead the Council of Economic Advisers. Among President-elect Donald Trump's picks are Susie Wiles for chief of staff, Florida Sen. Marco Rubio for secretary of state, former Democratic House member Tulsi Gabbard for director of national intelligence and Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz for attorney general. Susie Wiles, 67, was a senior adviser to Trump's 2024 presidential campaign and its de facto manager. Trump named Florida Sen. Marco Rubio to be secretary of state, making a former sharp critic his choice to be the new administration's top diplomat. Rubio, 53, is a noted hawk on China, Cuba and Iran, and was a finalist to be Trump's running mate on the Republican ticket last summer. Rubio is the vice chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee and a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. “He will be a strong Advocate for our Nation, a true friend to our Allies, and a fearless Warrior who will never back down to our adversaries,” Trump said of Rubio in a statement. The announcement punctuates the hard pivot Rubio has made with Trump, whom the senator called a “con man" during his unsuccessful campaign for the 2016 GOP presidential nomination. Their relationship improved dramatically while Trump was in the White House. And as Trump campaigned for the presidency a third time, Rubio cheered his proposals. For instance, Rubio, who more than a decade ago helped craft immigration legislation that included a path to citizenship for people in the U.S. illegally, now supports Trump's plan to use the U.S. military for mass deportations. Pete Hegseth, 44, is a co-host of Fox News Channel’s “Fox & Friends Weekend” and has been a contributor with the network since 2014, where he developed a friendship with Trump, who made regular appearances on the show. Hegseth lacks senior military or national security experience. If confirmed by the Senate, he would inherit the top job during a series of global crises — ranging from Russia’s war in Ukraine and the ongoing attacks in the Middle East by Iranian proxies to the push for a cease-fire between Israel, Hamas and Hezbollah and escalating worries about the growing alliance between Russia and North Korea. Hegseth is also the author of “The War on Warriors: Behind the Betrayal of the Men Who Keep Us Free,” published earlier this year. Trump tapped Pam Bondi, 59, to be attorney general after U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz withdrew his name from consideration. She was Florida's first female attorney general, serving between 2011 and 2019. She also was on Trump’s legal team during his first impeachment trial in 2020. Considered a loyalist, she served as part of a Trump-allied outside group that helped lay the groundwork for his future administration called the America First Policy Institute. Bondi was among a group of Republicans who showed up to support Trump at his hush money criminal trial in New York that ended in May with a conviction on 34 felony counts. A fierce defender of Trump, she also frequently appears on Fox News and has been a critic of the criminal cases against him. Trump picked South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem, a well-known conservative who faced sharp criticism for telling a story in her memoir about shooting a rambunctious dog, to lead an agency crucial to the president-elect’s hardline immigration agenda. Noem used her two terms leading a tiny state to vault to a prominent position in Republican politics. South Dakota is usually a political afterthought. But during the COVID-19 pandemic, Noem did not order restrictions that other states had issued and instead declared her state “open for business.” Trump held a fireworks rally at Mount Rushmore in July 2020 in one of the first large gatherings of the pandemic. She takes over a department with a sprawling mission. In addition to key immigration agencies, the Department of Homeland Security oversees natural disaster response, the U.S. Secret Service, and Transportation Security Administration agents who work at airports. The governor of North Dakota, who was once little-known outside his state, Burgum is a former Republican presidential primary contender who endorsed Trump, and spent months traveling to drum up support for him, after dropping out of the race. Burgum was a serious contender to be Trump’s vice presidential choice this summer. The two-term governor was seen as a possible pick because of his executive experience and business savvy. Burgum also has close ties to deep-pocketed energy industry CEOs. Trump made the announcement about Burgum joining his incoming administration while addressing a gala at his Mar-a-Lago club, and said a formal statement would be coming the following day. In comments to reporters before Trump took the stage, Burgum said that, in recent years, the power grid is deteriorating in many parts of the country, which he said could raise national security concerns but also drive up prices enough to increase inflation. “There's just a sense of urgency, and a sense of understanding in the Trump administration,” Burgum said. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. ran for president as a Democrat, than as an independent, and then endorsed Trump . He's the son of Democratic icon Robert Kennedy, who was assassinated during his own presidential campaign. The nomination of Kennedy to lead the Department of Health and Human Services alarmed people who are concerned about his record of spreading unfounded fears about vaccines . For example, he has long advanced the debunked idea that vaccines cause autism. Scott Bessent, 62, is a former George Soros money manager and an advocate for deficit reduction. He's the founder of hedge fund Key Square Capital Management, after having worked on-and-off for Soros Fund Management since 1991. If confirmed by the Senate, he would be the nation’s first openly gay treasury secretary. He told Bloomberg in August that he decided to join Trump’s campaign in part to attack the mounting U.S. national debt. That would include slashing government programs and other spending. “This election cycle is the last chance for the U.S. to grow our way out of this mountain of debt without becoming a sort of European-style socialist democracy,” he said then. Oregon Republican U.S. Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer narrowly lost her reelection bid this month, but received strong backing from union members in her district. As a potential labor secretary, she would oversee the Labor Department’s workforce, its budget and put forth priorities that impact workers’ wages, health and safety, ability to unionize, and employer’s rights to fire employers, among other responsibilities. Chavez-DeRemer is one of few House Republicans to endorse the “Protecting the Right to Organize” or PRO Act would allow more workers to conduct organizing campaigns and would add penalties for companies that violate workers’ rights. The act would also weaken “right-to-work” laws that allow employees in more than half the states to avoid participating in or paying dues to unions that represent workers at their places of employment. Scott Turner is a former NFL player and White House aide. He ran the White House Opportunity and Revitalization Council during Trump’s first term in office. Trump, in a statement, credited Turner, the highest-ranking Black person he’s yet selected for his administration, with “helping to lead an Unprecedented Effort that Transformed our Country’s most distressed communities.” Sean Duffy is a former House member from Wisconsin who was one of Trump's most visible defenders on cable news. Duffy served in the House for nearly nine years, sitting on the Financial Services Committee and chairing the subcommittee on insurance and housing. He left Congress in 2019 for a TV career and has been the host of “The Bottom Line” on Fox Business. Before entering politics, Duffy was a reality TV star on MTV, where he met his wife, “Fox and Friends Weekend” co-host Rachel Campos-Duffy. They have nine children. A campaign donor and CEO of Denver-based Liberty Energy, Write is a vocal advocate of oil and gas development, including fracking — a key pillar of Trump’s quest to achieve U.S. “energy dominance” in the global market. Wright also has been one of the industry’s loudest voices against efforts to fight climate change. He said the climate movement around the world is “collapsing under its own weight.” The Energy Department is responsible for advancing energy, environmental and nuclear security of the United States. Wright also won support from influential conservatives, including oil and gas tycoon Harold Hamm. Hamm, executive chairman of Oklahoma-based Continental Resources, a major shale oil company, is a longtime Trump supporter and adviser who played a key role on energy issues in Trump’s first term. President-elect Donald Trump tapped billionaire professional wrestling mogul Linda McMahon to be secretary of the Education Department, tasked with overseeing an agency Trump promised to dismantle. McMahon led the Small Business Administration during Trump’s initial term from 2017 to 2019 and twice ran unsuccessfully as a Republican for the U.S. Senate in Connecticut. She’s seen as a relative unknown in education circles, though she expressed support for charter schools and school choice. She served on the Connecticut Board of Education for a year starting in 2009 and has spent years on the board of trustees for Sacred Heart University in Connecticut. Brooke Rollins, who graduated from Texas A&M University with a degree in agricultural development, is a longtime Trump associate who served as White House domestic policy chief during his first presidency. The 52-year-old is president and CEO of the America First Policy Institute, a group helping to lay the groundwork for a second Trump administration. She previously served as an aide to former Texas Gov. Rick Perry and ran a think tank, the Texas Public Policy Foundation. Trump chose Howard Lutnick, head of brokerage and investment bank Cantor Fitzgerald and a cryptocurrency enthusiast, as his nominee for commerce secretary, a position in which he'd have a key role in carrying out Trump's plans to raise and enforce tariffs. Trump made the announcement Tuesday on his social media platform, Truth Social. Lutnick is a co-chair of Trump’s transition team, along with Linda McMahon, the former wrestling executive who previously led Trump’s Small Business Administration. Both are tasked with putting forward candidates for key roles in the next administration. The nomination would put Lutnick in charge of a sprawling Cabinet agency that is involved in funding new computer chip factories, imposing trade restrictions, releasing economic data and monitoring the weather. It is also a position in which connections to CEOs and the wider business community are crucial. FILE - Former Rep. Doug Collins speaks before Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump at a campaign event at the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre, Oct. 15, 2024, in Atlanta. Karoline Leavitt, 27, was Trump's campaign press secretary and currently a spokesperson for his transition. She would be the youngest White House press secretary in history. The White House press secretary typically serves as the public face of the administration and historically has held daily briefings for the press corps. Leavitt, a New Hampshire native, was a spokesperson for MAGA Inc., a super PAC supporting Trump, before joining his 2024 campaign. In 2022, she ran for Congress in New Hampshire, winning a 10-way Republican primary before losing to Democratic Rep. Chris Pappas. Leavitt worked in the White House press office during Trump's first term before she became communications director for New York Republican Rep. Elise Stefanik, Trump's choice for U.S. ambassador to the United Nations. Former Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard has been tapped by Trump to be director of national intelligence, keeping with the trend to stock his Cabinet with loyal personalities rather than veteran professionals in their requisite fields. Gabbard, 43, was a Democratic House member who unsuccessfully sought the party's 2020 presidential nomination before leaving the party in 2022. She endorsed Trump in August and campaigned often with him this fall. “I know Tulsi will bring the fearless spirit that has defined her illustrious career to our Intelligence Community,” Trump said in a statement. Gabbard, who has served in the Army National Guard for more than two decades, deploying to Iraq and Kuwait, would come to the role as somewhat of an outsider compared to her predecessor. The current director, Avril Haines, was confirmed by the Senate in 2021 following several years in a number of top national security and intelligence positions. Trump has picked John Ratcliffe, a former Texas congressman who served as director of national intelligence during his first administration, to be director of the Central Intelligence Agency in his next. Ratcliffe was director of national intelligence during the final year and a half of Trump's first term, leading the U.S. government's spy agencies during the coronavirus pandemic. “I look forward to John being the first person ever to serve in both of our Nation's highest Intelligence positions,” Trump said in a statement, calling him a “fearless fighter for the Constitutional Rights of all Americans” who would ensure “the Highest Levels of National Security, and PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH.” Kash Patel spent several years as a Justice Department prosecutor before catching the Trump administration’s attention as a staffer on Capitol Hill who helped investigate the Russia probe. Patel called for dramatically reducing the agency’s footprint, a perspective that sets him apart from earlier directors who sought additional resources for the bureau. Though the Justice Department in 2021 halted the practice of secretly seizing reporters’ phone records during leak investigations, Patel said he intends to aggressively hunt down government officials who leak information to reporters. Trump has chosen former New York Rep. Lee Zeldin to serve as his pick to lead the Environmental Protection Agency . Zeldin does not appear to have any experience in environmental issues, but is a longtime supporter of the former president. The 44-year-old former U.S. House member from New York wrote on X , “We will restore US energy dominance, revitalize our auto industry to bring back American jobs, and make the US the global leader of AI.” “We will do so while protecting access to clean air and water,” he added. During his campaign, Trump often attacked the Biden administration's promotion of electric vehicles, and incorrectly referring to a tax credit for EV purchases as a government mandate. Trump also often told his audiences during the campaign his administration would “Drill, baby, drill,” referring to his support for expanded petroleum exploration. In a statement, Trump said Zeldin “will ensure fair and swift deregulatory decisions that will be enacted in a way to unleash the power of American businesses, while at the same time maintaining the highest environmental standards, including the cleanest air and water on the planet.” Trump has named Brendan Carr, the senior Republican on the Federal Communications Commission, as the new chairman of the agency tasked with regulating broadcasting, telecommunications and broadband. Carr is a longtime member of the commission and served previously as the FCC’s general counsel. He has been unanimously confirmed by the Senate three times and was nominated by both Trump and President Joe Biden to the commission. Carr made past appearances on “Fox News Channel," including when he decried Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris' pre-Election Day appearance on “Saturday Night Live.” He wrote an op-ed last month defending a satellite company owned by Trump supporter Elon Musk. Trump said Atkins, the CEO of Patomak Partners and a former SEC commissioner, was a “proven leader for common sense regulations.” In the years since leaving the SEC, Atkins has made the case against too much market regulation. “He believes in the promise of robust, innovative capital markets that are responsive to the needs of Investors, & that provide capital to make our Economy the best in the World. He also recognizes that digital assets & other innovations are crucial to Making America Greater than Ever Before,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. The commission oversees U.S. securities markets and investments and is currently led by Gary Gensler, who has been leading the U.S. government’s crackdown on the crypto industry. Gensler, who was nominated by President Joe Biden, announced last month that he would be stepping down from his post on the day that Trump is inaugurated — Jan. 20, 2025. Atkins began his career as a lawyer and has a long history working in the financial markets sector, both in government and private practice. In the 1990s, he worked on the staffs of two former SEC chairmen, Richard C. Breeden and Arthur Levitt. Jared Isaacman, 41, is a tech billionaire who bought a series of spaceflights from Elon Musk’s SpaceX and conducted the first private spacewalk . He is the founder and CEO of a card-processing company and has collaborated closely with Musk ever since buying his first chartered SpaceX flight. He took contest winners on that 2021 trip and followed it in September with a mission where he briefly popped out the hatch to test SpaceX’s new spacewalking suits. Rep. Elise Stefanik is a representative from New York and one of Trump's staunchest defenders going back to his first impeachment. Elected to the House in 2014, Stefanik was selected by her GOP House colleagues as House Republican Conference chair in 2021, when former Wyoming Rep. Liz Cheney was removed from the post after publicly criticizing Trump for falsely claiming he won the 2020 election. Stefanik, 40, has served in that role ever since as the third-ranking member of House leadership. Stefanik’s questioning of university presidents over antisemitism on their campuses helped lead to two of those presidents resigning, further raising her national profile. If confirmed, she would represent American interests at the U.N. as Trump vows to end the war waged by Russia against Ukraine begun in 2022. He has also called for peace as Israel continues its offensive against Hamas in Gaza and its invasion of Lebanon to target Hezbollah. President-elect Donald Trump says he's chosen former acting Attorney General Matt Whitaker to serve as U.S. ambassador to NATO. Trump has expressed skepticism about the Western military alliance for years. Trump said in a statement Wednesday that Whitaker is “a strong warrior and loyal Patriot” who “will ensure the United States’ interests are advanced and defended” and “strengthen relationships with our NATO Allies, and stand firm in the face of threats to Peace and Stability.” The choice of Whitaker as the nation’s representative to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization is an unusual one, given his background is as a lawyer and not in foreign policy. President-elect Donald Trump tapped former Sen. David Perdue of Georgia to be ambassador to China, saying in a social media post that the former CEO “brings valuable expertise to help build our relationship with China.” Perdue lost his Senate seat to Democrat Jon Ossoff four years ago and ran unsuccessfully in a primary against Republican Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp. Perdue pushed Trump's debunked lies about electoral fraud during his failed bid for governor. Trump will nominate former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee to be ambassador to Israel. Huckabee is a staunch defender of Israel and his intended nomination comes as Trump has promised to align U.S. foreign policy more closely with Israel's interests as it wages wars against the Iran-backed Hamas and Hezbollah. “He loves Israel, and likewise the people of Israel love him,” Trump said in a statement. “Mike will work tirelessly to bring about peace in the Middle East.” Huckabee, who ran unsuccessfully for the Republican presidential nomination in 2008 and 2016, has been a popular figure among evangelical Christian conservatives, many of whom support Israel due to Old Testament writings that Jews are God’s chosen people and that Israel is their rightful homeland. Trump has been praised by some in this important Republican voting bloc for moving the U.S. embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. Guilfoyle is a former California prosecutor and television news personality who led the fundraising for Trump's 2020 campaign and became engaged to Don Jr. in 2020. Trump called her “a close friend and ally” and praised her “sharp intellect make her supremely qualified.” Guilfoyle was on stage with the family on election night. “I am so proud of Kimberly. She loves America and she always has wanted to serve the country as an Ambassador. She will be an amazing leader for America First,” Don Jr. posted. The ambassador positions must be approved by the U.S. Senate. Guilfoyle said in a social media post that she was “honored to accept President Trump’s nomination to serve as the next Ambassador to Greece and I look forward to earning the support of the U.S. Senate.” Trump on Tuesday named real estate investor Steven Witkoff to be special envoy to the Middle East. The 67-year-old Witkoff is the president-elect's golf partner and was golfing with him at Trump's club in West Palm Beach, Florida, on Sept. 15, when the former president was the target of a second attempted assassination. Witkoff “is a Highly Respected Leader in Business and Philanthropy,” Trump said of Witkoff in a statement. “Steve will be an unrelenting Voice for PEACE, and make us all proud." Trump also named Witkoff co-chair, with former Georgia Sen. Kelly Loeffler, of his inaugural committee. Trump said Wednesday that he will nominate Gen. Keith Kellogg to serve as assistant to the president and special envoy for Ukraine and Russia. Kellogg, a retired Army lieutenant general who has long been Trump’s top adviser on defense issues, served as National Security Advisor to Trump's former Vice President Mike Pence. For the America First Policy Institute, one of several groups formed after Trump left office to help lay the groundwork for the next Republican administration, Kellogg in April wrote that “bringing the Russia-Ukraine war to a close will require strong, America First leadership to deliver a peace deal and immediately end the hostilities between the two warring parties.” (AP Photo/Mariam Zuhaib) Trump asked Rep. Michael Waltz, R-Fla., a retired Army National Guard officer and war veteran, to be his national security adviser, Trump announced in a statement Tuesday. The move puts Waltz in the middle of national security crises, ranging from efforts to provide weapons to Ukraine and worries about the growing alliance between Russia and North Korea to the persistent attacks in the Middle East by Iran proxies and the push for a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas and Hezbollah. “Mike has been a strong champion of my America First Foreign Policy agenda,” Trump's statement said, "and will be a tremendous champion of our pursuit of Peace through Strength!” Waltz is a three-term GOP congressman from east-central Florida. He served multiple tours in Afghanistan and also worked in the Pentagon as a policy adviser when Donald Rumsfeld and Robert Gates were defense chiefs. He is considered hawkish on China, and called for a U.S. boycott of the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing due to its involvement in the origin of COVID-19 and its mistreatment of the minority Muslim Uighur population. Stephen Miller, an immigration hardliner , was a vocal spokesperson during the presidential campaign for Trump's priority of mass deportations. The 39-year-old was a senior adviser during Trump's first administration. Miller has been a central figure in some of Trump's policy decisions, notably his move to separate thousands of immigrant families. Trump argued throughout the campaign that the nation's economic, national security and social priorities could be met by deporting people who are in the United States illegally. Since Trump left office in 2021, Miller has served as the president of America First Legal, an organization made up of former Trump advisers aimed at challenging the Biden administration, media companies, universities and others over issues such as free speech and national security. Thomas Homan, 62, has been tasked with Trump’s top priority of carrying out the largest deportation operation in the nation’s history. Homan, who served under Trump in his first administration leading U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, was widely expected to be offered a position related to the border, an issue Trump made central to his campaign. Though Homan has insisted such a massive undertaking would be humane, he has long been a loyal supporter of Trump's policy proposals, suggesting at a July conference in Washington that he would be willing to "run the biggest deportation operation this country’s ever seen.” Democrats have criticized Homan for his defending Trump's “zero tolerance” policy on border crossings during his first administration, which led to the separation of thousands of parents and children seeking asylum at the border. Customs and Border Protection, with its roughly 60,000 employees, falls under the Department of Homeland Security. It includes the Border Patrol, which Rodney Scott led during Trump's first term, and is essentially responsible for protecting the country's borders while facilitating trade and travel. Scott comes to the job firmly from the Border Patrol side of the house. He became an agent in 1992 and spent much of his career in San Diego. When he was appointed head of the border agency in January 2020, he enthusiastically embraced Trump's policies. After being forced out under the Biden administration, Scott has been a vocal supporter of Trump's hard-line immigration agenda. He appeared frequently on Fox News and testified in Congress. He's also a senior fellow at the Texas Public Policy Foundation. Former Rep. Billy Long represented Missouri in the U.S. House from 2011 to 2023. Since leaving Congress, Trump said, Long “has worked as a Business and Tax advisor, helping Small Businesses navigate the complexities of complying with the IRS Rules and Regulations.” Former Georgia Sen. Kelly Loeffler was appointed in January 2020 by Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp and then lost a runoff election a year later. She started a conservative voter registration organization and dived into GOP fundraising, becoming one of the top individual donors and bundlers to Trump’s 2024 comeback campaign. Even before nominating her for agriculture secretary, the president-elect already had tapped Loeffler as co-chair of his inaugural committee. Dr. Mehmet Oz, 64, is a former heart surgeon who hosted “The Dr. Oz Show,” a long-running daytime television talk show. He ran unsuccessfully for the U.S. Senate as the Republican nominee in 2022 and is an outspoken supporter of Trump, who endorsed Oz's bid for elected office. Elon Musk, left, and Vivek Ramaswamy speak before Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump at an Oct. 27 campaign rally at Madison Square Garden in New York. Trump on Tuesday said Musk and former Republican presidential candidate Ramaswamy will lead a new “Department of Government Efficiency" — which is not, despite the name, a government agency. The acronym “DOGE” is a nod to Musk's favorite cryptocurrency, dogecoin. Trump said Musk and Ramaswamy will work from outside the government to offer the White House “advice and guidance” and will partner with the Office of Management and Budget to “drive large scale structural reform, and create an entrepreneurial approach to Government never seen before.” He added the move would shock government systems. It's not clear how the organization will operate. Musk, owner of X and CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, has been a constant presence at Mar-a-Lago since Trump won the presidential election. Ramaswamy suspended his campaign in January and threw his support behind Trump. Trump said the two will “pave the way for my Administration to dismantle Government Bureaucracy, slash excess regulations, cut wasteful expenditures, and restructure Federal Agencies.” Russell Vought held the position during Trump’s first presidency. After Trump’s initial term ended, Vought founded the Center for Renewing America, a think tank that describes its mission as “renew a consensus of America as a nation under God.” Vought was closely involved with Project 2025, a conservative blueprint for Trump’s second term that he tried to distance himself from during the campaign. Vought has also previously worked as the executive and budget director for the Republican Study Committee, a caucus for conservative House Republicans. He also worked at Heritage Action, the political group tied to The Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank. Trump says he’s picking Kari Lake as director of Voice of America, installing a staunch loyalist who ran unsuccessfully for Arizona governor and a Senate seat to head the congressionally funded broadcaster that provides independent news reporting around the world. Lake endeared herself to Trump through her dogmatic commitment to the falsehood that both she and Trump were the victims of election fraud. She has never acknowledged losing the gubernatorial race and called herself the “lawful governor” in her 2023 book, “Unafraid: Just Getting Started.” Dan Scavino, deputy chief of staff Scavino, whom Trump's transition referred to in a statement as one of “Trump's longest serving and most trusted aides,” was a senior adviser to Trump's 2024 campaign, as well as his 2016 and 2020 campaigns. He will be deputy chief of staff and assistant to the president. Scavino had run Trump's social media profile in the White House during his first administration. He was also held in contempt of Congress in 2022 after a month-long refusal to comply with a subpoena from the House committee’s investigation into the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. James Blair, deputy chief of staff Blair was political director for Trump's 2024 campaign and for the Republican National Committee. He will be deputy chief of staff for legislative, political and public affairs and assistant to the president. Blair was key to Trump's economic messaging during his winning White House comeback campaign this year, a driving force behind the candidate's “Trump can fix it” slogan and his query to audiences this fall if they were better off than four years ago. Taylor Budowich, deputy chief of staff Budowich is a veteran Trump campaign aide who launched and directed Make America Great Again, Inc., a super PAC that supported Trump's 2024 campaign. He will be deputy chief of staff for communications and personnel and assistant to the president. Budowich also had served as a spokesman for Trump after his presidency. Jay Bhattacharya, National Institutes of Health Trump has chosen Dr. Jay Bhattacharya to lead the National Institutes of Health. Bhattacharya is a physician and professor at Stanford University School of Medicine, and is a critic of pandemic lockdowns and vaccine mandates. He promoted the idea of herd immunity during the pandemic, arguing that people at low risk should live normally while building up immunity to COVID-19 through infection. The National Institutes of Health funds medical research through competitive grants to researchers at institutions throughout the nation. NIH also conducts its own research with thousands of scientists working at its labs in Bethesda, Maryland. Dr. Marty Makary, Food and Drug Administration Makary is a Johns Hopkins surgeon and author who argued against pandemic lockdowns. He routinely appeared on Fox News during the COVID-19 pandemic and wrote opinion articles questioning masks for children. He cast doubt on vaccine mandates but supported vaccines generally. Makary also cast doubt on whether booster shots worked, which was against federal recommendations on the vaccine. Dr. Janette Nesheiwat, Surgeon General Nesheiwat is a general practitioner who serves as medical director for CityMD, a network of urgent care centers in New York and New Jersey. She has been a contributor to Fox News. Dr. Dave Weldon, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Weldon is a former Florida congressman who recently ran for a Florida state legislative seat and lost; Trump backed Weldon’s opponent. In Congress, Weldon weighed in on one of the nation’s most heated debates of the 1990s over quality of life and a right-to-die and whether Terri Schiavo, who was in a persistent vegetative state after cardiac arrest, should have been allowed to have her feeding tube removed. He sided with the parents who did not want it removed. Jamieson Greer, U.S. trade representative Kevin Hassett, Director of the White House National Economic Council Trump is turning to two officials with experience navigating not only Washington but the key issues of income taxes and tariffs as he fills out his economic team. He announced he has chosen international trade attorney Jamieson Greer to be his U.S. trade representative and Kevin Hassett as director of the White House National Economic Council. While Trump has in several cases nominated outsiders to key posts, these picks reflect a recognition that his reputation will likely hinge on restoring the public’s confidence in the economy. Trump said in a statement that Greer was instrumental in his first term in imposing tariffs on China and others and replacing the trade agreement with Canada and Mexico, “therefore making it much better for American Workers.” Hassett, 62, served in the first Trump term as chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers. He has a doctorate from the University of Pennsylvania and worked at the right-leaning American Enterprise Institute before joining the Trump White House in 2017. Ron Johnson, Ambassador to Mexico Johnson — not the Republican senator — served as ambassador to El Salvador during Trump's first administration. His nomination comes as the president-elect has been threatening tariffs on Mexican imports and the mass deportation of migrants who have arrived to the U.S.-Mexico border. Johnson is also a former U.S. Army veteran and was in the Central Intelligence Agency. Tom Barrack, Ambassador to Turkey Barrack, a wealthy financier, met Trump in the 1980s while helping negotiate Trump’s purchase of the renowned Plaza Hotel. He was charged with using his personal access to the former president to secretly promote the interests of the United Arab Emirates, but was acquitted of all counts at a federal trial in 2022. Trump called him a “well-respected and experienced voice of reason.” Andrew Ferguson, Federal Trade Commission Ferguson, who is already one of the FTC's five commissioners, will replace Lina Khan, who became a lightning rod for Wall Street and Silicon Valley by blocking billions of dollars worth of corporate acquisitions and suing Amazon and Meta while alleging anticompetitive behavior. “Andrew has a proven record of standing up to Big Tech censorship, and protecting Freedom of Speech in our Great Country,” Trump wrote on Truth Social, adding, “Andrew will be the most America First, and pro-innovation FTC Chair in our Country’s History.” Jacob Helberg, undersecretary of state for economic growth, energy and the environment Dan Bishop, deputy director for budget at the Office of Budget and Management Leandro Rizzuto, Ambassador to the Washington-based Organization of American States Dan Newlin, Ambassador to Colombia Peter Lamelas, Ambassador to Argentina Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter.As I have gotten older, and my kids are grown and gone, I miss the excitement of young children during the holiday season. Last Friday evening, Judy and I were invited to attend the tree-lighting ceremony at the base. A highlight for us was the kids singing traditional Christmas carols. I shared our appreciation for all that our local airmen do for our community and country. I also thanked their families for their support of all our military members. The tree was beautiful! Gen. Huser and Col. Galbert invited Judy and I to their holiday reception at Quarters 92 on the base. We so appreciate the invitations and hospitality the base shows us year-round. Their historic home is beautiful, and it was so nice to catch up with base leadership and community members. Everyone was in the Christmas spirit. Cheyenne has witnessed growth in high-tech jobs, especially with our emerging data center development. This week, I was invited to learn about a new company that is in the emerging technology sector. I was blown away by their use of augmented reality, mixed reality, virtual reality, volumetric capture, AI and more. These organizations are mostly located on the coasts, but I hope they will be successful in bringing one to Cheyenne. I can see the way their skills could help educate the world on the wonders of our beautiful state and encourage tourists to visit. It will take some collaboration to achieve the funding necessary to make it happen. The global market size for AI is projected to be $2.3 trillion in 2032. We need to make sure some of that is based in Cheyenne and Wyoming. The LEADS board meeting this week, at way too early in the morning, was very interesting. We had presentations from Baylie Evans with gBETA on their efforts to help entrepreneurial companies in Wyoming find funding and mentorship to grow their new businesses. Wyoming has many folks who have great ambitions and ideas, but need help to develop the idea into a full-fledged business that can support hiring Wyoming workers. It is exciting that Baylie and many more see the potential and are investing in their futures. LEADS shared at their board meeting that this has been one of their most successful years for economic development. They are currently working with 28 active companies looking to bring businesses to Cheyenne — businesses that bring good jobs to our community that I hope will give our children and grandchildren the option to make Cheyenne their home. I am very concerned by the shortage of people working in the trades in Cheyenne, and across the country, for that matter. If we are going to build the housing we need for our growing community, we will need more folks who work in the building trades to get the work done. I attended the Contractor Licensing Board meeting to discuss my concerns and ideas for growing our workforce. Currently, a journeyman can supervise two apprentices. I wondered where the two-apprentice limit came from, and no one could share why. I proposed looking into increasing how many apprentices can be supervised. If we went from two to three, it would increase the workforce being trained by 50%. I appreciate the board giving me time and discussing ways we might build our workforce. I also appreciate their volunteering to help the city manage the licensure of folks in our building trades. This week’s orientation for new City Council members was at our new Fire Station 3. Chief Kopper gave a presentation on the 103 men and women who make up our fire department. With a $14.6 million budget, they protect the 38 square miles of our city. Our fire department is made up of three divisions: Operations, which is made up of the men and women who work in fire suppression and emergency medical services; Prevention, which educates, does code enforcement and conducts plan reviews; and Support, which is responsible for training, facilities, ISO and occupational safety. Our department responds to almost 11,000 calls for service, does 1,000 inspections and spends 14,000 hours on training annually. The new council members got a tour of our new station and a great orientation on the fire service. We have an employee advocacy group in the city organization, and they share ideas and thoughts on how we can improve things for our employees. We met again this week to discuss a recent employee survey they had commissioned. I appreciate their candor when discussing things they believe are important and necessary. I was asked to take part in a panel discussion at the Wyoming Business Council board meeting this week. It was very interesting to hear folks from the Wyoming Energy Authority, Wyoming Business Council, Wyoming Business Alliance and Rep. John Bear from the Wyoming Legislature speak about the opportunities and risks our state faces. I spoke about our housing shortage and the work we have done to encourage development by reducing rules and regulations. There are a lot of good people doing good work in our state. I joined the city and county planning directors to talk with the Leadership Cheyenne class on their economic development day. I love that each year, a cohort joins Leadership Cheyenne to learn about so many aspects of our community and what makes it work. I was in the program in 1997, and it is fun to go back each year and talk with the group. The annual Cheyenne Fire Rescue awards and promotion ceremony was held at the Civic Center on Wednesday afternoon. This year was special, as for the first time since becoming mayor, many family members attended. We gave awards for longevity, lifesaving, badges for firefighters coming off probationary status, promoted engineers and lieutenants and more. So very proud of the men and women who make up our fire department. I enjoy learning from folks in other communities who are successfully solving problems and challenges we face. I went to Berthoud, Colorado, on Thursday with our city engineer, planning director, BOPU director and chief of staff to tour a housing subdivision where they have built modest homes on smaller lots. This has resulted in affordably priced homes perfect for a developing workforce. It was fun to tour the development, and I can see these kinds of homes addressing a need in our state. Later, we drove to Fort Collins to visit a 62-year-old-and-up senior living facility, where the folks who live there manage the building in a cooperative manner. The developer has an interest in building one in Cheyenne, and I wanted to see one myself. Kay took us through three different models and how they manage this beautiful facility. I hope they decide to invest in Cheyenne. Hearing the kids sing at the base tree lighting has me starting to feel the Christmas spirit. Hoping you are all feeling the spirit, too.

SEWA begins work on 3rd list of home rationalisation project

Players must be assigned female at birth or have transitioned to female before going through male puberty to compete in LPGA tournaments or the eight USGA championships for females under new gender policies published Wednesday. The policies, which begin in 2025, follow more than a year of study involving medicine, science, sport physiology and gender policy law. The updated policies would rule out eligibility for Hailey Davidson, who missed qualifying for the U.S. Women's Open this year by one shot and came up short in LPGA Q-school. Davidson, who turned 32 on Tuesday, began hormone treatments when she was in her early 20s in 2015 and in 2021 underwent gender-affirming surgery, which was required under the LPGA's previous gender policy. She had won this year on a Florida mini-tour called NXXT Golf until the circuit announced in March that players had to be assigned female at birth. “Can't say I didn't see this coming,” Davidson wrote Wednesday on an Instagram story. “Banned from the Epson and the LPGA. All the silence and people wanting to stay ‘neutral’ thanks for absolutely nothing. This happened because of all your silence.” LPGA commissioner Mollie Marcoux Samaan, who is resigning in January, said the new gender policy "is reflective of an extensive, science-based and inclusive approach." By making it to the second stage of Q-school, Davidson would have had very limited status on the Epson Tour, the pathway to the LPGA. The LPGA and USGA say their policies were geared toward being inclusive of gender identities and expression while striving for equity in competition. The LPGA said its working group of experts advised that the effects of male puberty allowed for competitive advantages in golf compared with players who had not gone through puberty. “Our policy is reflective of an extensive, science-based and inclusive approach,” said LPGA Commissioner Mollie Marcoux Samaan, who announced Monday that she is resigning in January. "The policy represents our continued commitment to ensuring that all feel welcome within our organization, while preserving the fairness and competitive equity of our elite competitions.” Mike Whan, the former LPGA commissioner and now CEO of the USGA, said it developed the updated policy independently and later discovered it was similar to those used by swimming, track and field, and other sports. United States Golf Association CEO Mike Whan said the new policy will prevent anyone from having "a competitive advantage based on their gender." “It starts with competitive fairness as the North star,” Whan said in a telephone interview. “We tried not to get into politics, or state by state or any of that stuff. We just simply said, ‘Where would somebody — at least medically today — where do we believe somebody would have a competitive advantage in the field?’ And we needed to draw a line. “We needed to be able to walk into any women's event and say with confidence that nobody here has a competitive advantage based on their gender. And this policy delivers that.” The “Competitive Fairness Gender Policy” for the USGA takes effect for the 2025 championship season that starts with the U.S. Women's Amateur Four-Ball on May 10-14. Qualifying began late this year, though there were no transgender players who took part. “Will that change in the years to come as medicine changes? Probably,” Whan said. “But I think today this stacks up.” The LPGA “Gender Policy for Competition Eligibility” would apply to the LPGA Tour, Epson Tour, Ladies European Tour and qualifying for the tours. Players assigned male at birth must prove they have not experienced any part of puberty beyond the first stage or after age 12, whichever comes first, and then meet limitation standards for testosterone levels. The LPGA begins its 75th season on Jan. 30 with the Tournament of Champions in Orlando, Florida. Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen, foreground right, dives toward the end zone to score past San Francisco 49ers defensive end Robert Beal Jr. (51) and linebacker Dee Winters during the second half of an NFL football game in Orchard Park, N.Y., Sunday, Dec. 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Adrian Kraus) Houston Rockets guard Jalen Green goes up for a dunk during the second half of an Emirates NBA cup basketball game against the Minnesota Timberwolves, Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr) South Carolina guard Maddy McDaniel (1) drives to the basket against UCLA forward Janiah Barker (0) and center Lauren Betts (51) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game, Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Eric Thayer) Mari Fukada of Japan falls as she competes in the women's Snowboard Big Air qualifying round during the FIS Snowboard & Freeski World Cup 2024 at the Shougang Park in Beijing, Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024. (AP Photo/Andy Wong) LSU punter Peyton Todd (38) kneels in prayer before an NCAA college football game against Oklahoma in Baton Rouge, La., Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024. LSU won 37-17. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert) South Africa's captain Temba Bavuma misses a catch during the fourth day of the first Test cricket match between South Africa and Sri Lanka, at Kingsmead stadium in Durban, South Africa, Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe) Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley, left, is hit by Baltimore Ravens cornerback Marlon Humphrey, center, as Eagles wide receiver Parris Campbell (80) looks on during a touchdown run by Barkley in the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 1, 2024, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough) Los Angeles Kings left wing Warren Foegele, left, trips San Jose Sharks center Macklin Celebrini, center, during the third period of an NHL hockey game Monday, Nov. 25, 2024, in San Jose, Calif. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez) Olympiacos' Francisco Ortega, right, challenges for the ball with FCSB's David Miculescu during the Europa League league phase soccer match between FCSB and Olympiacos at the National Arena stadium, in Bucharest, Romania, Thursday, Nov. 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Andreea Alexandru) Seattle Kraken fans react after a goal by center Matty Beniers against the San Jose Sharks was disallowed due to goaltender interference during the third period of an NHL hockey game Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024, in Seattle. The Sharks won 4-2. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson) New York Islanders left wing Anders Lee (27), center, fight for the puck with Boston Bruins defensemen Parker Wotherspoon (29), left, and Brandon Carlo (25), right during the second period of an NHL hockey game, Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024, in Elmont, N.Y. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson) Jiyai Shin of Korea watches her shot on the 10th hole during the final round of the Australian Open golf championship at the Kingston Heath Golf Club in Melbourne, Australia, Sunday, Dec. 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Asanka Brendon Ratnayake) Lara Gut-Behrami, of Switzerland, competes during a women's World Cup giant slalom skiing race, Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024, in Killington, Vt. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty) New York Islanders goaltender Ilya Sorokin cools off during first period of an NHL hockey game against the Boston Bruins, Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024, in Elmont, N.Y. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson) Brazil's Amanda Gutierres, second right, is congratulated by teammate Yasmin, right, after scoring her team's first goal during a soccer international between Brazil and Australia in Brisbane, Australia, Thursday, Nov. 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Pat Hoelscher) Luiz Henrique of Brazil's Botafogo, right. is fouled by goalkeeper Everson of Brazil's Atletico Mineiro inside the penalty area during a Copa Libertadores final soccer match at Monumental stadium in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko) England's Alessia Russo, left, and United States' Naomi Girma challenge for the ball during the International friendly women soccer match between England and United States at Wembley stadium in London, Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth) Minnesota Vikings running back Aaron Jones (33) reaches for an incomplete pass ahead of Arizona Cardinals linebacker Mack Wilson Sr. (2) during the second half of an NFL football game Sunday, Dec. 1, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr) Melanie Meillard, center, of Switzerland, competes during the second run in a women's World Cup slalom skiing race, Sunday, Dec. 1, 2024, in Killington, Vt. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty) Sent weekly directly to your inbox!President-elect Donald Trump has revealed that his administration will attempt to “eliminate” Daylight Saving Time in the US. Taking to Truth Social, the Republican claimed daylight savings time was “inconvenient” and that he hoped to “eliminate” it. “The Republican Party will use its best efforts to eliminate daylight saving time, which has a small but strong constituency, but shouldn’t!” Mr Trump wrote. “Daylight Saving Time is inconvenient, and very costly to our Nation.” Daylight saving time - putting the clocks forward one hour during the summer half of the year to make the most of the longer evenings - has been in place in nearly all of the United States since the 1960s, but has been a topic of debate in recent years. Some lawmakers want to stay on standard time year-round, more are on record calling for remaining on daylight saving time all year, while others want to keep the status quo. President Joe Biden never took a public position on the issue. In March 2022, the US Senate voted unanimously to make daylight saving time permanent but the effort stalled in the House after lawmakers said they could not reach consensus. A bipartisan group of senators in March made a new push to make daylight saving time permanent. Supporters of remaining on daylight saving time argue it would lead to brighter afternoons and evenings and more economic activity during the winter months. Critics say it would force children to walk to school in darkness since the measure would delay sunrise by an hour. Proponents of eliminating daylight saving time say the twice-annual changing of clocks causes sleep disturbance and health issues. Congress has not held any new hearings on the issue for more than two years and the Senate would need to take up the issue again. Year-round daylight saving time was used during World War Two and adopted again in 1973 in a bid to reduce energy use because of an oil embargo, but was unpopular and was repealed a year later. In America, daylight saving time commences in March, on the second Sunday, and ends of the first Sunday in November. - With Reuters