Presidential Candidate Archives - Page 3 of 13

Trump makes a victor’s return to Washington and pledges a ‘smooth’ transition of power from Biden

WASHINGTON (AP) — Donald Trump has made a victor’s return to Washington. He’s holding a lengthy Oval Office meeting Wednesday with President Joe Biden and committing to a straightforward transition of power. The meeting comes as the Republican president-elect is moving quickly to build out his new administration. “Donald, congratulations,” Biden said, greeting Trump with a handshake in the Oval Office and adding that he looked “forward to a smooth transition.” Trump also pledged a smooth transition and expressed thanks to Biden for the invitation — one that Trump himself had not extended to Biden after losing the 2020 election.… Continue Reading

Trump picks former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee to be ambassador to Israel

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump will nominate former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee as ambassador to Israel. Trump said Tuesday that 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 Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon. “Mike has been a great public servant, Governor, and Leader in Faith for many years,” Trump said in a statement. “He loves Israel, and the people of Israel, and likewise, the people of Israel love him. Mike will work tirelessly to bring about Peace in the Middle East!”… Continue Reading

Judge delays ruling on whether to scrap Trump’s conviction in hush money case

NEW YORK (AP) — A judge is postponing a decision on whether to undo President-elect Donald Trump’s conviction in his hush money case because of a U.S. Supreme Court ruling on presidential immunity. New York Judge Juan M. Merchan had been set to rule Tuesday. Instead, he told Trump’s lawyers Tuesday he’d delay the ruling until Nov. 19. According to emails filed in court, Trump’s lawyers asked for the delay over the weekend, arguing there are “strong reasons for the requested stay, and eventually dismissal of the case in the interests of justice.” A jury convicted Trump in May of falsifying business records related to a $130,000 hush money payment to porn actor Stormy Daniels in 2016. Trump denies any wrongdoing.… Continue Reading

Biden’s White House invitation to Trump continues a tradition Trump shunned in 2020

WASHINGTON (AP) — Before he comes back for good on Inauguration Day, Donald Trump will return to the White House briefly at the invitation of President Joe Biden. That may make for an awkward encounter, especially given that, after Biden defeated Trump in 2020, the then-president offered no such White House invitation. He even left Washington before the inauguration, becoming the first president to do so since 1869. Biden has vowed to ensure a smooth transition. The meeting is set for Wednesday morning. It’ll be the first time since 1992 that an outgoing president sits down with an incoming one whom he competed against in a campaign.… Continue Reading

Trump chooses New York Rep. Elise Stefanik as ambassador to the United Nations

NEW YORK (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump has chosen Rep. Elise Stefanik to serve as his ambassador to the United Nations. “Elise is an incredibly strong, tough, and smart America First fighter,” Trump said in a statement Monday announcing his pick. Stefanik serves as House Republican Conference Chair and has long been one of Trump’s most loyal allies in the House. She was among those discussed as a potential vice presidential choice.… Continue Reading

Trump pressures candidates for Senate GOP leader to fill his Cabinet right away

WASHINGTON (AP) — Days before Senate Republicans pick their new leader, President-elect Donald Trump is pressuring the candidates to change Senate rules and give him more power to appoint unconfirmed nominees. Republican Sens. John Thune of South Dakota, John Cornyn of Texas and Rick Scott of Florida are running in a secret ballot election on Wednesday to lead the conference as longtime GOP leader Mitch McConnell steps aside from power after almost two decades. Trump has not endorsed any of the candidates, but on Sunday he made clear that he expects the new leader to go around regular Senate order to allow him to fill his Cabinet quickly.… Continue Reading

‘Saturday Night Live’ to Trump: ‘We’ve been with you all along’

The first episode of “Saturday Night Live” since the election of Donald Trump struck a somber tone at the beginning. Cast members, most of them women and minorities, declared they found the new reality “horrifying.” But then came a swerve, as cast member Keenan Thompson told Trump, “We’ve been with you all along.” Saying they all voted for Trump, they promised only flattering portrayals. Cast member James Austin Johnson, who plays the former and future president, came out as a muscle-bound Trump. Show host and standup comic Bill Burr says he is “so psyched that this stupid election is finally over. Everybody knew who they were going to vote for four years ago.”… Continue Reading

President-elect Trump names Susie Wiles as chief of staff, first woman in the post

WASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump has named Susie Wiles, the manager of his victorious campaign, as his White House chief of staff. She would be the first woman to hold the influential role. Wiles is widely credited within and outside Trump’s inner circle for running what was, by far, his most disciplined and well-executed campaign. She largely avoided the spotlight, even refusing to take the mic to speak as Trump celebrated his victory early Wednesday morning.… Continue Reading

Biden gets blamed by Harris allies for the vice president’s resounding loss to Trump

WASHINGTON (AP) — Joe Biden’s name wasn’t on the ballot. But history will likely remember Vice President Kamala Harris’ resounding defeat as his loss, too. As Democrats pick up the pieces following President-elect Donald Trump’s decisive victory over Harris, some Harris backers are expressing frustration with Biden’s decision to remain in the race — despite voter concerns about his age and unease about post-pandemic inflation — until this summer. His decision to wait until just 107 days before Election Day is a move that his Democratic critics say all but sealed his party’s surrender of the White House.… Continue Reading

Trump receives congratulations and an invitation to the White House as Biden nudges on transition

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Donald Trump spent his first day as president-elect receiving congratulatory phone calls from his defeated opponent, world leaders and President Joe Biden as he began the process of turning his election victory into a government. Trump was keeping a low profile, staying out of the public eye after addressing supporters in Florida during the wee hours of Wednesday morning. Vice President Kamala Harris called Trump to concede the race and to congratulate him, while Biden invited the man he ousted from the White House four years ago to an Oval Office meeting to prepare to return the keys. A Trump spokesman says the president-elect looks forward to the meeting.… Continue Reading