Trump’s transition newest updates: Matt Gaetz, a controversial MAGA ally, picked for Attorney General

The Tesla and SpaceX CEO signaled his support for abolishing the Federal Reserve in a post on X last week, just days before Trump announced the billionaire’s new “efficiency” role under his government.

Musk shared a post by Republican Senator Mike Lee that called for an end to the United States’s central bank.

Musk included a “100” emoji in the caption of his re-post on Friday.

“The Executive Branch should be under the direction of the president,” the Utah senator wrote in his post.

“That’s how the Constitution was designed. The Federal Reserve is one of many examples of how we’ve deviated from the Constitution in that regard. et another reason why we should #EndTheFed.”

Katie Hawkinson has more.

The Alabama Senator told Fox News host Laura Ingraham last night that her stablemate Pete Hegseth will have his work cut out for him because the US military is a “disaster” and “couldn’t beat anybody right now”.

Tuberville – a former football coach who never served and has no background in military strategy – made the comments while insisting that the nation needs to revamp its armed forces.

“We need to build our military up,” the Republican said.

“Our military right now, Laura, is a disaster. Absolute disaster. We couldn’t beat anybody right now.”

Tuberville said while “we’ve got some good people in the military… [the] structure of it, the things that we’ve done, the Democrats have destroyed it”.

Graig Graziosi has more.

Gretchen Carlson has said she was left “stunned” by Trump’s decision to select her one-time colleague Pete Hegseth as his new secretary of defense.

“From silly diner interviews on Weekend Fox and Friends to Secretary of Defense?” she wrote on X last night.

“I never thought I’d say I’m stunned about any pick after the election but nominating Pete Hegseth for this incredibly important role? Yes he’s a veteran… and?”

James Liddell has more.

Pete Hegseth said earlier this month that women should not be in combat roles in the military because they are not “as capable” as men.

The 44-year-old Fox and Friends co-host, whose appointment has shocked many in the defense world, dismissed the role of women in combat roles in an appearance on the Shawn Ryan Show, which aired last week on November 7.

“I’m straight up just saying we should not have women in combat roles,” Hegseth said.

“It hasn’t made us more effective, hasn’t made us more lethal, has made fighting more complicated.

“We have all served with women and they’re great. But it’s just our institutions don’t have to incentivize that in places where traditionally… over human history, men in those positions are more capable.”

Rhian Lubin has more.

The future of the Chagos Islands and a secretive UK/US airbase is set to be an early flashpoint between Donald Trump and Sir Keir Starmer as the president-elect seeks to veto the controversial deal signed off by the prime minister and endorsed by Joe Biden, it can be revealed.

The Independent understands that the Trump’s transition team has requested legal advice from the Pentagon over the agreement that handed the Chagos Islands – which is under British control – to Mauritius.

US government sources say Trump is looking to veto the deal, which is set to come into force after his inauguration in January, over global security fears.

Here’s a full report from David Maddox.

“The prosecutor who investigated and charged Donald J Trump plans to finish his report and leave the job before he can be fired,” writes The New York Times of the man who brought two federal indictments against the Republican in 2023 that the president-elect will now presumably just wave aside as soon as he enters the Oval Office.

Smith’s goal, according to The NYT, is to not leave any of his work unfinished and to get ahead of Trump’s pledge to fire him within “two seconds” of being sworn in.

Smith’s election interference and classified documents cases are currently being wound down and the prosecutor finds himself leaving office a frustrated figure, his attempt to prove that not even a president is above the law rendered moot by Trump’s delaying tactics and eventual electoral victory.

The showboating attorney who represented Trump in a series of high-profile legal cases and was last scene dancing on stage at his rallies has emerged as a possible frontrunner for the next White House press secretary, according to reports.

Habba is expected at Mar-a-Lago this week, as the president-elect continues to announce appointments to his cabinet and wider administration.

Sources told Mediate that although no formal decisions has yet been made, she is a favorite candidate for the position and has been in Florida for “conversations regarding a potential role.”

Mike Bedigan has more.

The Sillicon Valley bros will lead the new office – which will operate “outside of government” – designed to advise on gutting federal departments and which staff should be fired if it deems they are a “massive waste.”

Here’s Rhian Lubin with more on what that actually means in practice.

The beloved Mary Poppins star, now 98 years old, was stopped by a press photographer yesterday, according to The Daily Mail, and asked: “Does the future look bright for America?”

Not quite hearing the question clearly, he answered: “I hope you’re right!”

“Do you think Donald Trump is capable of making America great again?” the photographer persisted.

“Fortunately I won’t be around to experience the four years,” the veteran said with a smile.

Robert Califf, Food and Drug Administration (FDA) commissioner, has admitted he is “disappointed” with the presidential election result and uncertain about the agency’s future under Donald Trump.

“I’m biased, but I feel like the FDA is at peak performance right now and we’ll just see what happens as the new team comes in,” he said at a conference hosted by the non-profit Friends of Cancer Research on Tuesday.

On the prospect of Robert F Kennedy Jr’s imminent takeover, Califf told MSNBC last week: “The gist of this administration, from everything that’s been said, is that they want to change a lot of things, and how it gets changed depends on who gets appointed into key positions.”

He declined to comment on RFK Jr’s opinion on vaccines but said he agreed with him on more strictly regulating heavily-processed foods.

Califf is by no means the only nutrition expert reacting with dismay to Trump’s win and the prospect of what’s to come.

Josh Marcus reports.