Trump asks Peter Navarro to return as commerce adviser; Pete Hegseth to ‘keep fighting’ amid controversies: Live

Donald Trump has tapped David Warrington to serve as the White House’s top attorney and William McGinley to serve as counsel to the Department of Government Efficiency.

The president-elect made both announcements on Truth Social:

I am proud to announce the appointment of David A. Warrington to serve as Assistant to the President and Counsel to the President. Dave will lead the Office of White House Counsel, and serve as the top attorney in the White House. Dave has represented me well as my personal attorney, and as General Counsel for my Presidential Campaign. He is an esteemed lawyer and Conservative leader. Dave is currently a Partner at the Dhillon Law Group, and a former President of the Republican National Lawyers Association. Dave is a Veteran of the United States Marine Corps, and a Magna Cum Laude Graduate of Georgetown University, and the George Mason University School of Law…

…Additionally, I have asked William Joseph McGinley to serve as Counsel to the Department of Government Efficiency (“DOGE”), something he is very passionate about. Bill will work with Elon Musk, Vivek Ramaswamy, and their team of incredible pioneers at DOGE, to rebuild a U.S. Government that truly serves the People. Bill will play a crucial role in liberating our Economy from burdensome Regulations, excess spending, and Government waste. He will partner with the White House and the Office of Management and Budget to provide advice and guidance to end the bloated Federal Bureaucracy. Bill is a great addition to a stellar team that is focused on making life better for all Americans. He will be at the forefront of my Administration’s efforts to make our Government more efficient and more accountable.

Congratulations to Dave and Bill!

Donald Trump’s nominee for secretary of defense sat down for an interview with Megyn Kelly today to address the questions about his alleged drinking problem.

Kelly also asked if he was being “Kavanaugh’d”, referring to the aggressive questioning of Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh during his confirmation hearing regarding his drinking and allegations of sexual assault.

Hegseth dismissed allegations against him as “all anonymous, all innuendo, all rumor, nothing sourced, no verification … because you’re a threat to them.”

He described the allegations against him as the “classic art of the smear.”

“Take whatever tiny kernels of truth and there are tiny, tiny ones in there, and blow them up into a masquerade of a narrative about somebody that I am definitely not.”

Hegseth then committed to not drinking if confirmed.

Podcaster Joe Rogan said he publicly endorsed Donald Trump in the 2024 presidential election because he strongly opposed Michigan Governor Tim Walz, branding the Democratic vice presidential nominee a “liar”.

Ariana Baio has the story.

Trump defense secretary pick Pete Hegseth has canceled a meeting with Senator Josh Hawley tomorrow, according to reporting by Lisa Dejardins of PBS Newshour.

Another comeback from the first Trump administration, and another Fox News connection, as Monica Crowley is nominated by Donald Trump to serve as Ambassador, Assistant Secretary of State, and Chief of Protocol. This could be high profile role in the coming four years with the 250th Anniversary of US independence, the FIFA World Cup, and the Los Angeles Olympics all lined up.

The president-elect wrote:

I am honored to nominate Monica Elizabeth Crowley, Ph.D. to serve as Ambassador, Assistant Secretary of State, and Chief of Protocol of the United States of America. Monica will be the Administration Representative for major U.S. hosted events, including America’s 250th Birthday in 2026, the FIFA World Cup in 2026, and the Olympic Games in Los Angeles in 2028.

During my First Term, Monica did an incredible job as Assistant Secretary of the Treasury for Public Affairs. For her exceptional service, she received the Alexander Hamilton Award, the highest honor bestowed by the Department. Monica is a New York Times bestselling author, and has been a popular anchor, and political and foreign affairs analyst, for the Fox News Channel and Fox Business Network, among others. A graduate of Colgate University, she holds two Master’s degrees, and a Doctorate in International Relations, from Columbia University.

She will be an extraordinary Representative of our Country. Congratulations Monica!

Donald Trump has named Gail Slater as his nominee for assistant attorney general for the Antitrust Division of the Justice Department to take on Big Tech and ensure competition laws are enforced.

The president-elect wrote on Truth Social:

I am pleased to nominate Gail Slater as Assistant Attorney General for the Antitrust Division at the Department of Justice. Big Tech has run wild for years, stifling competition in our most innovative sector and, as we all know, using its market power to crack down on the rights of so many Americans, as well as those of Little Tech! I was proud to fight these abuses in my First Term, and our Department of Justice’s antitrust team will continue that work under Gail’s leadership.

Gail previously served at the FTC, in my National Economic Council and, most recently, advising Vice President-Elect JD Vance in his Senate office. Gail has also worked in the private sector, in Media at FOX, and in the Tech sector at Roku. In her new role, Gail will help ensure that our competition laws are enforced, both vigorously and FAIRLY, with clear rules that facilitate, rather than stifle, the ingenuity of our greatest companies. Congratulations Gail – Together, we will Make America Competitive Again!

It was a history-making event: In a chapel at Fort Liberty, North Carolina, 2nd Lt. Khady Ndiaye stood proudly — wearing a hijab – as she became the first Muslim woman commissioned by the U.S. Army as a chaplain candidate.

Presiding over the ceremony in June was Maj. Gen. Bill Green, the Army’s chief of chaplains. He said the chaplains serve more than 200 faith groups, “while caring for the entire Army family … regardless of their personal beliefs.”

That ethos — a commitment to religious diversity throughout a U.S. military with 1.3 million active-duty troops — could be strained if Pete Hegseth, President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee for defense secretary, is confirmed as the next Pentagon leader.

Continue reading…

The nominations keep coming today, with Donald Trump picking his chair of the Securities & Exchange Commission as well as the deputy secretary of the treasury — Paul Atking and Michael Faulkender, respectively.

Atkins contributed to Project 2025’s chapter on financial regulatory agencies.

The president-elect wrote on Truth Social:

I am delighted to announce the nomination of Paul Atkins to be the next Chairman of the Securities & Exchange Commission.

Paul is a proven leader for common sense regulations. 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.

Paul is the CEO & Founder of Patomak Global Partners, a risk management consultancy. As Co-Chairman of the Digital Chamber’s Token Alliance since 2017, he has worked on & studied the digital assets industry. A former SEC Commissioner from 2002-2008, Paul strongly advocated for transparency & protecting investors. He earned a J.D. from Vanderbilt University School of Law, & his A.B. from Wofford College, summa cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa.

Congratulations to Paul, his wonderful wife, Sarah, & sons, Stewart, Peter, & Henry.

Atkins is a pro-business conservative who is expected to take a lighter regulatory approach than the present chair, Gary Gensler. Crypto-currency companies and advocates will likely be enthused by this choice.

And at the Treasury, it’s another returning face from the first Trump administration.

I am pleased to nominate Dr. Michael William Faulkender, of the Great State of Maryland, to serve as the Deputy Secretary of the United States Department of the Treasury. Mike is a distinguished Economist and Policy practitioner who will drive our America First Agenda. He will help Treasury Secretary Nominee Scott Bessent usher in a new Golden Age for the United States by delivering a Great Economic Boom for all Americans.

Mike previously served as the Assistant Secretary for Economic Policy at the Treasury Department during my First Administration. In that role, he advised the Secretary on domestic and international issues that impacted the Economy. Mike is currently the Dean’s Professor of Finance at the University of Maryland’s Robert H. Smith School of Business, and is the Chief Economist and Vice Chair for the America First Policy Institute’s Center for American Prosperity. Congratulations to Mike, and his two wonderful daughters, Lauren and Catherine!