November 20, 2024 - Presidential transition news | CNN Politics

November 20, 2024 - Presidential transition news

Maureen Chowdhury

Tori B. Powell

Elise Hammond

By Maureen Chowdhury, Adrienne Vogt, Leinz Vales, Aditi Sangal, Tori B. Powell and Elise Hammond, CNN

Updated 12:00 AM EST, Thu November 21, 2024

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Ex-Obama education secretary has a piece of advice for Trump’s pick Linda McMahon

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Ex-Obama education secretary has a piece of advice for Trump’s pick Linda McMahon

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What we covered here

• Gaetz report: Republicans on the House Ethics Committee fell in line behind GOP leaders and voted not to release the results of their investigation into Donald Trump’s attorney general pick, Matt Gaetz, despite growing calls from the Senate GOP to make the findings public ahead of his confirmation hearing.

• Vance on the Hill: Meanwhile, Gaetz was on Capitol Hill along with Vice President-elect JD Vance and met with Republican senators involved in the confirmation process as the former congressman looked to drum up support.

• Team of loyalists: The president-elect is forging ahead with his presidential transition, announcing a list of loyalists for top roles. Trump today selected his former acting Attorney General Matt Whitaker to be US ambassador to NATO and former Rep. Pete Hoekstra as ambassador to Canada. Track Trump’s latest selections here.

50 Posts

Our live coverage of the Trump administration’s transition has ended for the day. Follow the latest updates or read through the posts below.

Democratic House Ethics member anticipates chamber will vote on making Gaetz report public

From CNN’s Piper Hudspeth Blackburn

Mark DeSaulnier attends a hearing in Rayburn Building, Washington, D.C., on June 7, 2023.

Mark DeSaulnier attends a hearing in Rayburn Building, Washington, D.C., on June 7, 2023.

Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc./Getty Images

Rep. Mark DeSaulnier, a House Ethics Committee member, told CNN on Wednesday that an effort from fellow Democratic Rep. Sean Casten to make the panel’s report on Matt Gaetz public is “an appropriate thing for him to do,” and that he anticipates that the House will vote on it.

Rep. Steve Cohen, another Democrat, also made a similar effort to pry loose the report through a floor vote.

DeSaulnier’s comments come hours after Republicans on the panel voted not to release the results of their investigation into President-elect Donald Trump’s attorney general pick. Committee chairman Michael Guest has said the report isn’t complete and the panel will continue to work on it.

“My hope is that it will be released,” DeSaulnier said.

In a flip for Republicans, Nick Begich wins Alaska House seat after ranked-choice voting reallocation

From CNN’s Eric Bradner

Nick Begich listens to a question by incumbent Democratic Rep. Mary Peltola during the Debate for the State at Alaska Public Media on Thursday, October 10.

Nick Begich listens to a question by incumbent Democratic Rep. Mary Peltola during the Debate for the State at Alaska Public Media on Thursday, October 10.

Bill Roth/Anchorage Daily News/AP

Nick Begich, the Republican son of Alaska’s most prominent Democratic political family, will defeat Rep. Mary Peltola for the state’s lone at-large House seat after votes were reallocated under the state’s ranked-choice system.

It was the third time the two had squared off, after Peltola emerged victorious in a 2022 special election to replace long-time Rep. Don Young, and again in the general election for a full term.

Her victory then was a stunner — one made possible by fractured Republican allegiances, as Begich and former Gov. Sarah Palin squared off.

Some background: Elections in Alaska start with an “open” primary, in which candidates of all parties compete and all voters are allowed to participate, casting their ballots for the one contender they prefer. The top four vote-getters, regardless of party, advance to the general election.

Then, in the general election, instead of just voting for one of the top four candidates, voters rank their preferences in order. They are allowed to rank candidates one through four, but are not required to do so — voters could instead choose only to rank their preferred candidate, or only rank their top two.

If no candidate receives more than 50% of the first-place votes, then the ranked-choice system is used to determine the winner.

Republicans on House Ethics Committee agreed to finish Gaetz report by December 5 meeting, source says

From CNN's Annie Grayer

A majority of Ethics Committee members agreed to have their report on Matt Gaetz finished in time for the panel’s next meeting on December 5, according to a source familiar, as some committee Republicans joined with Democrats on this vote.

Committee Republicans voted against an effort to have the report both finalized and released on December 5, the source said.

This means that members will be voting on whether to release the final report on that date.

There were a number of votes Wednesday during which Republicans unanimously blocked efforts to release the report.

Legislation to ban federal DEI programs passes out of House committee, paving way for Trump priorities

From CNN's Annie Grayer and Haley Talbort

House Oversight Committee Republicans passed a bill out of committee that would defund all federal diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs, kickstarting a key priority for President-elect Donald Trump to take on during his second term.

The Dismantle DEI Act of 2024 would prohibit funding to DEI programs, amend the 1964 Civil Rights Act, overturn Biden administration executive orders, and close up all current DEI programs without transferring or reassigning those workers. Instead, those workers could apply for other jobs. The Senate version of the bill is sponsored by Vice President-elect JD Vance.

The bill will set up an early test for Democrats who are looking to push back on the incoming Trump administration and Republican-controlled Congress.

“I confess that I’m really baffled as to where it’s coming from or what it means” Democratic Rep. Jamie Raskin said. “We are a lot stronger when we include everybody. That’s what I understand these efforts are all about — a federal work force that actually reflects the diversity of our country makes us stronger and the largest employer of the United States has a responsibility to lead the way and to model what it means to be open to everybody.”

Democratic Rep. Melanie Stansbury claimed the bill was “blacklisting” employees.

“I can tell you this definitely send the wrong message to Black people in this country,” Democratic Rep. Kweisi Mfume said.

Senior Republican on Senate Judiciary warned Gaetz that “everything’s eventually going to come out”

From CNN's Morgan Rimmer, Kit Maher and Veronica Stracqualursi

Sen. John Cornyn and Vice President-elect JD Vance briefly speak to the press after meeting with Republican members of the Senate, including members of the Judiciary Committee, on November 20, in Washington, DC.

Sen. John Cornyn and Vice President-elect JD Vance briefly speak to the press after meeting with Republican members of the Senate, including members of the Judiciary Committee, on November 20, in Washington, DC.

Mattie Neretin/CNP/Sipa USA

Sen. John Cornyn of Texas, a senior Republican on the Judiciary Committee, said he warned former Rep. Matt Gaetz that “everything’s eventually going to come out,” when they spoke about the sexual misconduct allegations against Gaetz.

“All I said to him was that there are not going to be any secrets here. Everything’s eventually going to come out,” said Cornyn.

“I frankly said, transparency is a good thing, because if it keeps just dripping out a little at a time, then that’s going to make things more difficult,” he added.

Asked whether he thinks Gaetz got the message, Cornyn told CNN, “I think he listened. I think he seems like a pretty intelligent guy, so I think he understood what I was saying.”

Pressed on if he would consider himself skeptical or undecided at this point, Cornyn replied, “I would describe myself as experienced in confirmations, so I don’t make decisions without — before the process proceeds.”

He continued, “I think we owe that to the nominee, a fair process, we owe that to the president. We’ve just got elected with a pretty strong majority, and that’s what the Constitution requires.”

GOP senator says House panel's decision not to release ethics report could delay Gaetz's confirmation process

From CNN's Ted Barrett

United States senator from South Dakota Mike Rounds speaks during the 54th annual meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, January 16, 2024. REUTERS/Denis Balibouse

United States senator from South Dakota Mike Rounds speaks during the 54th annual meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, January 16.

Denis Balibouse/Reuters

Republican Sen. Mike Rounds of South Dakota warned that the House Ethics Committee’s decision to not release their report on Attorney General nominee Matt Gaetz could delay the confirmation process because the Senate Judiciary Committee will need “to get the information in some other way.”

“For us, the more information we can get the better,” he said.

“But look, we’re going to do our due diligence, and if there’s information out there that should be disclosed, I think there’s a lot of us are going to ask, why isn’t it being disclosed,” Rounds said.

Trump names Pete Hoekstra as pick for US ambassador to Canada

From CNN's Brian Rokus

Michigan Republican Party Chairman Pete Hoekstra speaks at an election night party for Republican US Senate candidate Mike Rogers on November 5, in Novi, Michigan.

Michigan Republican Party Chairman Pete Hoekstra speaks at an election night party for Republican US Senate candidate Mike Rogers on November 5, in Novi, Michigan.

Sarah Rice/Getty Images

President-elect Donald Trump has announced Pete Hoekstra as his pick to be US ambassador to Canada.

Hoekstra previously served as US ambassador to the Netherlands during Trump’s first term. Prior to that, he was a member of Congress representing Michigan’s 2nd Congressional District.

Trump nominees deserve “full and fair hearing,” Cruz says after meeting with Gaetz and Vance

From CNN's Kit Maher

Sen. Ted Cruz speaks during a news conference with fellow Republican senators at the US Capitol on May 9, in Washington, DC.

Sen. Ted Cruz speaks during a news conference with fellow Republican senators at the US Capitol on May 9, in Washington, DC.

Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

Texas Sen. Ted Cruz said Wednesday night, after meeting with Vice President-elect JD Vance and former Rep. Matt Gaetz, that each of President-elect Donald Trump’s nominees deserve a “full and fair hearing.”

Cruz declined to speak about specifics of the meeting or say if the ethics report came up. “That conversation was between us,” he said.

Vance accompanied Gaetz as he met key senators to try to lock down support ahead of confirmation hearings.

Why this Republican lawmaker says he would vote on the floor to release Gaetz ethics report

From CNN's Morgan Rimmer and Manu Raju

GOP Rep. Derrick Van Orden, who has a fraught relationship with former Rep. Matt Gaetz, said he would vote to release the House Ethics Committee report on Gaetz – a key development as Democrats move to force a vote on the House floor to compel its disclosure.

It’s unclear if Democrats could get the 218 votes needed to release the report, but Van Orden’s support shows how Gaetz’s turbulent relationship with his colleagues may come back to haunt him.

Republicans could only afford to lose three GOP votes on a party-line vote, assuming all members are in attendance and voting.

The comments comes as Democrats have taken procedural steps to force a vote compelling disclosure of the resolution. That means, it has to be taken up within two legislative days, though it could be punted until after the Thanksgiving recess.

Van Orden added, “If the rumors that are in their report are accurate, then they need to be referring to different agencies. And if they’re not, then a lot of people owe him an apology.”

Some background: The Ethics Committee had been probing allegations that Gaetz may have “engaged in sexual misconduct and illicit drug use, accepted improper gifts, dispensed special privileges and favors to individuals with whom he had a personal relationship, and sought to obstruct government investigations of his conduct.” Gaetz has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing, including ever having sex with a minor or paying for sex.

Thune has no issue with Republicans on House Ethics blocking Gaetz report, saying "it's their call"

From CNN's Manu Raju

Sen. John Thune, accompanied by Sen. Mitch McConnell, speaks during a news conference on May 15 in Washington, DC.

Sen. John Thune, accompanied by Sen. Mitch McConnell, speaks during a news conference on May 15 in Washington, DC.

Andrew Harnik/Getty Images

Sen. John Thune, the incoming Senate majority leader, told CNN that he has no issue with Republicans on the House Ethics Committee voting to deny the release of the report into former Rep. Matt Gaetz.

“It’s their call,” Thune said in an interview.

Asked about how some Senate Republicans have called for the report to be released, Thune said it would be up to the Senate Judiciary Committee to decide how to proceed.

“If that’s the case, then the Senate Judiciary Committee will make some determination based on what the will of the members on the committee is,” Thune said.

Asked if he wanted to see the report, Thune said the question he is confronting is whether the report is complete or not.

“If they’re not going to release it, then it suggests to me that maybe they don’t feel like they’re comfortable with” the status of the report, he said.

Gaetz says he’s “looking forward to a hearing” after meetings with senators

From CNN's Haley Talbot, Morgan Rimmer, Kit Maher and Veronica Stracqualursi

Then-Rep. Matt Gaetz attends the 2024 Republican National Convention at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on July 16.

Then-Rep. Matt Gaetz attends the 2024 Republican National Convention at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on July 16.

Patrick T. FallonAFP/Getty Images/File

President-elect Donald Trump’s attorney general pick Matt Gaetz told reporters that his meetings with Republican senators on Capitol Hill along with Vice President-elect Vance have been “going great,” and that he has not been focused on the ethics report, but is looking forward to a confirmation hearing.

Asked about the ethics report not being released today, Gaetz said, “I’ll be honest with you, I’ve been focused on what we’ve got to do to reform the Department of Justice. I have been meeting with senators. I haven’t been paying much attention to that.”

Asked if he is confident he has the votes to get confirmed, Gaetz said, “it was a great day.”

Vance echoed those sentiments, telling reporters that the meetings “went great” as he and Gaetz left the room where they had been meeting Republican senators.

He declined to respond when asked another question by CNN about any concerns Sen. Joni Ernst may have raised, as she was the last senator seen walking in and out of the meeting room.

This post has been updated with Vance’s remarks.

House Ethics chairman refuses to say why Republicans blocked release of Gaetz report

From CNN's Manu Raju

House Ethics Committee Chairman Rep. Michael Guest arrives to a House Ethics Committee closed-door meeting in the Longworth House Office Building on November 20 in Washington, DC.

House Ethics Committee Chairman Rep. Michael Guest arrives to a House Ethics Committee closed-door meeting in the Longworth House Office Building on November 20 in Washington, DC.

Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images

House Ethics Chairman Michael Guest, a Republican from Mississippi, refused to explain why Republicans on his panel voted to block the release of the Matt Gaetz report.

Asked to respond to the accusation from the panel’s top Democrat Susan Wild that he “betrayed” the committee by saying that no agreement was reached, Guest pushed back.

“That’s what she feels. You can ask her if she would like to comment again. I made the only brief statement that I can make about the meeting today, which was we did not reach an agreement.”

Guest would not comment on what he expects ahead of the December meeting, suggesting it was a regularly scheduled meeting.

Analysis: Trump’s picks look more like Fox News than America

From CNN's Zachary B. Wolf

While President Joe Biden bragged about picking the most diverse Cabinet in history, one that he said “looks like America,” President-elect Donald Trump is looking for TV experience.

While Trump’s picks so far mostly lack in racial or gender diversity – there are a handful of women and one Latino, for example, but no Black Americans selected yet – they do reach outside of the normal stable of likely government officials, in keeping with Trump’s goal of shaking up Washington.

It shouldn’t necessarily be a shock from the former president who likes to see attractive people defend him on TV and who became famous in New York tabloids and a reality show. But it’s striking nonetheless to see the number of TV and entertainment personalities Trump is tapping for his second term.

The Cabinet is still taking shape, and key roles like Treasury secretary have not been filled. Plus, not all of his Fox News picks are for Cabinet roles. The latest development is that Trump is reportedly eyeing Dan Bongino, a former Secret Service agent turned right-wing podcaster who left his job hosting a Fox News show in 2023, as Secret Service director. There are others also in contention for the position.

The most notable instance of the made-for-TV Cabinet is Trump’s announcement of his choice for defense secretary: Pete Hegseth, a Fox News weekend host with a great physique and hair, whose tattoos drove him from the Army National Guard.

Read more of the striking casting sheet here.

Republicans on House Ethics Committee block report on Gaetz from being released. Here's what happened today

From CNN's Sarah Ferris, Annie Grayer and Manu Raju

Republicans on the House Ethics Committee fell in line behind GOP leaders and voted Wednesday not to release the results of their investigation into Donald Trump’s attorney general pick, Matt Gaetz.

The GOP’s decision to block the findings — against the will of Democrats on the panel — raises major questions about what happens to the highly secretive information that the ethics panel has already collected on Gaetz.

Here’s a recap:

What happened in the meeting: Members took multiple votes on whether to release the report the probe into Gaetz, according to source. They voted on releasing it as is, even if it’s not final yet. That was deadlocked on partisan lines, the source said. They also voted on releasing the finalized version report, which also failed along partisan lines, the person said.
What could be in the report: CNN had earlier reported that two women testified to the House Ethics Committee that they were paid for “sexual favors” by Gaetz, according to a lawyer for the two women.
What the committee will do now: The Ethics Committee will continue to work on finishing the report, which the panel’s chairman, Rep. Michael Guest, has said isn’t complete. The status of the report was a major point of discussion in the meeting. While the investigation is complete, lawmakers of both parties have sparred over whether it is technically complete.
What Democrats are doing: Democrat, Rep. Steve Cohen, formally declared on the floor his plans to file a privileged resolution to attempt to make the report public. It’s unclear whether Cohen has drafted a measure that will pass the strict procedural standards, but if it does, Speaker Mike Johnson will be forced to bring it to the floor within two legislative days.
What other top Democrats are saying: Rep. Susan Wild, the top Democrat on the committee, said that her party did not agree with Republicans’ decision not to release the report.
What’s next for the committee: The committee voted to meet again in December, when Republicans on the panel hope to have a finalized report, according to two people familiar with the discussions.
Gaetz on Capitol Hill: The former lawmaker was on Capitol Hill alongside Vice President-elect JD Vance ahead of the Cabinet confirmation process in the Senate. A transition official described his meetings with senators as “productive.” Gaetz is facing serious questions of misconduct so the meetings are particularly important for him to explain why he deserves senators’ support.

Absences by Trump’s Senate allies help Democrats confirm Biden judges

From CNN’s Tierney Sneed

Senate Democrats have confirmed some of President Joe Biden’s picks for the federal bench this week in the face of President-elect Donald Trump’s calls for a total GOP blockade of judicial nominations – in part because several Republicans involved with the Trump transition process have been missing votes.

Conservative activists blasted Republicans’ failure to show up for the votes.

Who was approved: The Senate approved Embry Kidd for the 11th Circuit, an appeals court overseeing the southeast where GOP-appointees make up a narrow majority of the judges. The 49-45 vote was essentially party line, with independent Sen. Joe Manchin voting with Republicans against the nomination. Five Republicans were absent, as was Democratic Sen. John Fetterman.

Other judicial nominees who have been able to clear pivotal votes because not enough Republicans were present to block them include:

Sarah Russell was selected for Connecticut’s federal trial court. She was confirmed with just 50 votes, with Manchin voting against her. Had the six absent Republicans been present and voted no, it’s likely the nomination would have failed.
Rebecca Pennell for the US District Court in the Eastern District of Washington.
Amir Ali for DC’s federal trial court.

Trump took to social media again on Wednesday to complain about the absences, writing “Republican Senators need to Show Up and Hold the Line — No more Judges confirmed before Inauguration Day!”

How this compares to Trump’s first term: Trump started with more than 100 judicial vacancies, in large part because of GOP tactics when it controlled the upper chamber at the end of President Barack Obama’s administration. During the lame duck session after Trump’s first term, the Senate confirmed 14 of his judicial nominees, among them, US District Judge Aileen Cannon, who dismissed special counsel Jack Smith’s classified documents case against the former president.

Even if no other Biden-appointed judge is confirmed, Trump will start his second term with a number of openings that is fewer than half of that previous number.

CNN’s Alayna Treene, Kristen Holmes, Betsy Klein and Devan Cole contributed to this report.

Nikki Haley criticizes Gabbard, Trump's intelligence chief pick, saying she's sympathetic to US adversaries

From CNN's Jeff Zeleny

Former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley announced that she would vote for former President Donald Trump during an event at the Hudson Institute on May 22, 2024 in Washington, DC.

Nikki Haley speaks during an event at the Hudson Institute on May 22, in Washington, DC.

Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

Former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley delivered a blistering critique of Tulsi Gabbard, the former congresswoman chosen by President-elect Donald Trump to serve as director of national intelligence, calling her “a sympathizer” who is not qualified because of close ties to Russia and other foreign adversaries.

On “Nikki Haley Live,” a radio program broadcast on Sirus XM, the former South Carolina governor and one-time rival to Trump, criticized Gabbard for her decision to meet with President Bashar al-Assad of Syria and for embracing Russian talking points.

“Every bit of that, that was Russian propaganda,” Haley said. “After Russia invaded Ukraine, Tulsi Gabbard literally blamed NATO, our Western alliance that’s responsible for countering Russia.”

Haley, who was passed over by Trump in very public fashion and not asked to join his Cabinet during a second term, also had sharp words for Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Trump’s choice to lead the Health and Human Services Department.

“Why are we putting someone that’s so ideologically opposed to Donald Trump’s views and Republican views? Why do we want to do that?” Haley said. “He’s a liberal democrat, environmental attorney, trial lawyer who will now be overseeing 25% of our federal budget and has no background in healthcare.”

Democratic lawmaker moves to try to force vote to release Gaetz ethics report

From CNN's Clare Foran, Sarah Ferris, Annie Grayer and Haley Talbot

Democratic Rep. Steve Cohen has attempted to trigger a vote to release the House Ethics Committee report into allegations of misconduct by former congressman Matt Gaetz — a key step.

Democrats are trying to create a pressure point by forcing Republicans to bring it up the contentious issue on the floor, but it is so far unclear whether the move passes the strict rules to actually force a floor vote.

Cohen called up a resolution on the floor to direct the ethics panel to publicly release its report into the allegations against Gaetz.

If the resolution is determined to be privileged, then House leadership will have to take action on within two legislative days. The House could hold a vote to table — or block — the resolution, hold a vote to refer it to a committee or hold an up or down vote on the merits. It’s not clear yet what will happen.

Some sources are optimistic after Gaetz and Vance meetings with senators

From CNN's Kristen Holmes

Former Rep. Matt Gaetz departs following meetings with Republican Senators at the US Capitol in Washington, DC, on Wednesday, Nov. 20, 2024.

Former Rep. Matt Gaetz departs following meetings with Republican Senators at the US Capitol in Washington, DC, on Wednesday, Nov. 20, 2024.

Al Drago/Bloomberg/Getty Images

Two sources close to President-elect Donald Trump said they were optimistic after being briefed on today’s meetings with Vice President-elect JD Vance, Matt Gaetz and key republican senators.

One of the sources noted that they didn’t think Gaetz was there in terms of votes, but that they believed this was a step in the right direction.

However, a number of sources in Trump’s orbit expressed concern over the potential release of the ethics report.

“It has the potential to undo any goodwill pretty quickly,” one source said.

Justice Kagan rejects emergency request from RFK Jr. over Covid-19 misinformation

From CNN's John Fritze

Supreme Court Justice Elena Kagan at Washington National Cathedral in Washington, DC, on December 19, 2023.

Supreme Court Justice Elena Kagan at Washington National Cathedral in Washington, DC, on December 19, 2023.

Evelyn Hockstein/Reuters/File

Justice Elena Kagan on Wednesday smacked down an emergency request from Robert F. Kennedy Jr’s anti-vaccine group to stop Washington state from sanctioning doctors who published false information about Covid-19.

Kennedy was listed as an attorney on the appeal, which was made on behalf of Children’s Health Defense and other plaintiffs just days before the election. President-elect Donald Trump has since nominated Kennedy to lead the Department of Health and Human Services.

The appeal was based on investigations of physicians by the Washington Medical Commission, which the plaintiffs said violated their First Amendment rights.

The Supreme Court, the plaintiffs said, should “reiterate the bedrock First Amendment principle that the viewpoint public/soapbox speech of physicians, and the public’s right to hear that speech, is accorded ‘robust’ protection by the First Amendment.”

A federal district court dismissed the case.

Kagan, who handles emergency cases rising from the 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals, did not call for briefing before denying the request without comment.

CNN has reached out to Kennedy for comment.