Musk in the Trump administration – Surprise Defense Minister.
US President-elect Donald Trump announced on Tuesday his intention to name the richest man on the planet, Elon Musk, head of a new "Ministry of Government Efficiency" that he intends to establish after taking office, jointly with another Republican businessman, Vivek Ramaswamy.
"Together, these two wonderful Americans "will pave the way for my administration to dismantle government bureaucracy, cut excessive government restrictions, cut wasteful government spending, and restructure federal agencies," the president-elect said via Truth Social, assuring that his two allies would cause a "shock to the system" of public administration.
At the same time, Musk, after Mr. Trump's announcement, proceeded with a barrage of posts on X, signaling his intentions. Initially, he responded to those who claim that this new government agency is a threat to democracy. "A threat to democracy? No, a threat to bureaucracy," replied the South African tycoon.
He then reposted a video of himself talking about cutting federal agencies, saying at the time that there were about 428 and writing in his post, "99 federal agencies are more than enough."
"Either we make government more efficient or America goes bankrupt. That's the ultimate stakes. I'd like to be wrong, but that's the truth," Musk continued.
He also pledged that "all actions of the Ministry of Government Efficiency will be published on the internet for maximum transparency. Every time people think that we are cutting something important or not cutting something useless, let us know. We will also have a table for the biggest senseless waste of tax revenue. This will be both extremely tragic and extremely funny."
At Musk's side is Vivek Ramaswamy, a former candidate for the nomination and critic of aid to Ukraine, which he has called on to make territorial concessions to Russia.
The Minister of Defense
A former Army veteran, Fox News host, and a huge fan base among conservatives is the new Secretary of Defense chosen by Donald Trump. In a surprise move, the US president-elect has chosen Pete Hegseth to be the new Secretary of Defense, surprising many. Former Infantry Major in the National Guard, author, and current Fox News host.
“With Pete at the helm, America’s enemies will get the message – our military will be made great again and America will never retreat,” Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social. Rep. Mike Walz of Florida had been nominated for the position, but Trump has since asked him to serve as national security adviser.
The 44-year-old has been very close to the president-elect in recent years, and has reportedly proposed releasing soldiers accused of war crimes. He co-hosts Fox & Friends Weekend and has worked with the network for a decade. Trump has appeared on his show several times. He has also written a series of books, including “The War on Warriors: Behind the Betrayal of the Men Who Keep Us Free.”
Who is Pete Hegseth?
He served in the military, serving in the Iraq War, but has never held a high-ranking position or had experience dealing with national security issues. Sources said Trump's choice was based on his long-standing relationship with Hegseth, noting that the president-elect had always considered him "smart" and was impressed by his career. Trump also likes the fact that Hegseth is a military veteran.
Many in Trump's inner circle were surprised by the new US president's decision. Hegseth's name was not in the running for the position of defense secretary until Monday, a Trump adviser said, with the Fox News host giving interviews about the role in the past 24 hours. A former Trump official said he was "shocked" by the choice and expects there will be an effort to "remove" him.
Alaska Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski said “wow” Tuesday night when she heard that Trump had chosen the Fox News host to lead the Pentagon. Sen. Todd Young, an Indiana Republican who has been a Trump critic, said he wanted to learn more about the “unpredictable” candidate. “I just don’t know much about his background and his vision. I look forward to learning more. I want to give all of President Trump’s nominees a fair chance to state their qualifications and their vision,” he said. Sen. Tom Tillis, a North Carolina Democrat, responded with one word: “Interesting.”
In a statement announcing Hegseth, Trump praised his military record, as well as his tenure as a Fox News host and his best-selling book. “Pete has spent his entire life as a warrior for the troops and for our country,” Trump said in a statement Tuesday.
Pete Hegseth has served in Afghanistan and Iraq and was an informal adviser to Trump for years. Trump likely sees in him a loyalist to the Defense Department leadership with whom he often had a rocky relationship during his first term. Hegseth has criticized efforts to allow women to serve in combat roles, accusing the military of lowering the criteria to allow women into those roles.
As he said, in fact, in a podcast about his book, “The War on Warriors”“, published this year, was surprised “that there hasn’t been more backlash because I say outright that we shouldn’t have women in combat positions.” “It hasn’t made us more effective, it’s made combat more complicated. We’ve all served with women, and they’re great. But our institutions shouldn’t encourage that in positions where, traditionally – not traditionally, throughout human history – men in those positions are more capable,” he said on a television show last week.
In an attempt to clarify his views, he claimed that he raised the issue specifically for women in units like the Marines, Rangers, Special Forces, submarine warfare units, or in corps like infantry, armor, and artillery.” Hegseth has also taken issue with the woke agenda in the military, saying that “this sh@@@ needs to go.”
Hard-core options
Donald Trump has announced his decision to nominate former Arkansas governor and longtime settlement supporter Mike Huckabee as the next U.S. ambassador to Israel. “He loves Israel, and the people of Israel, and the people of Israel love him. Mike will work tirelessly to bring peace to the Middle East!” Trump said in a statement. Huckabee has been one of the most vocal supporters of Israel in the evangelical Christian community.
The new president has chosen a hardline anti-illegal immigration figure, Tom Homan, to oversee the president-elect's proposed mass deportation campaign, selecting a key figure from his first term who has made no apologies for some of his most controversial policies, including separating immigrant parents from their children.
Tom Homan, who served as deputy director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement from 2017 to 2018, will take on the role of “border czar,” Trump announced late Sunday night. Trump aides said Homan would have sweeping oversight of the immigration policies that energized voters and helped propel Trump back to the White House. His role would not require Senate confirmation. “The advantage of that is that there’s no question that Tom Homan will bring the implied authority of the president,” said Ron Vitiello, who succeeded Homan as deputy director of ICE under Trump.
Trump announced that he has chosen Republican Rep. Elise Stefanik to be the new U.S. ambassador to the United Nations. Stefanik, 40, who is elected in New York and is currently the fourth-ranking Republican in the House of Representatives, has been a staunch Trump ally in recent years and was thought to be already under consideration for the position, equivalent to a cabinet position in the U.S. government.
In 2014, she became the youngest woman ever elected to Congress, representing upstate New York, and later became the youngest woman to serve in a leadership position in the House of Representatives. Elise Stefanik was known for her moderate and conservative positions. However, when she began working more closely with Donald Trump's campaign, she began to more strongly support the "Make America Great Again" movement and saw her popularity soar.
As CNN TURK reports, Stefanik is a staunch supporter of Israel and stated during her visit to the Knesset: “I am a lifelong admirer, supporter and true friend of Israel and the Jewish people.” She argues that the US should send weapons to Israel without any conditions for its “total victory.” She characterizes the UN relief agency for Palestine as a “hotbed of anti-Semitism.” She refers to the UN as an anti-Semitic and corrupt organization. She is the head of the group of MPs who pushed for the resignation of the deans of Harvard and Pennsylvania Universities due to pro-Palestinian protests. She wants maximum pressure on Iran.