Trump fills top posts with loyalists and government skeptics: Live

Republican Senator John Kennedy has a way with words.

Speaking to Fox News’s Sean Hannity on Tuesday, the Louisiana lawmaker launched into rant about left-leaning Hollywood stars – such as Sharon Stone who recently called Donald Trump supporters passportless and “uneducated”.

Watch the exchange below:

Donald Trump has tapped a GOP megadonor with no military experience to head up the U.S. Navy in his latest slew of cabinet picks.

On Tuesday night, the president-elect announced John Phelan as his choice to lead the Department of the Navy under defense secretary Pete Hegseth if the latter controversial nominee is confirmed by the Senate.

In the announcement, Trump said Phelan’s “record of success” will “speak for itself”.

Rhian Lubin has the details.

Donald Trump’s team has tried to claim credit for the Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire hours after President Joe Biden announced it from the White House.

The Biden administration reportedly briefed the president-elect’s national security team to inform them of the agreement and the commitments made, but Trump officials were not directly involved in the negotiations, according to a senior Biden administration official.

The deal, which marks a major breakthrough in the devastating conflict that has gripped the Middle East, was actually brokered by Biden who called it a “historic” moment for the world.

Democrats reacted with consternation to Donald Trump’s vow to impose massive tariffs on China, Canada and Mexico, saying that the president-elect has failed to grasp the potential consequences of his promises and is heading into a “real horror show.”

Senator Richard Blumenthal told CNN on Tuesday that Trump would face a “hugely negative reaction” from the tariffs from US citizens once the effects were felt at home and that he would be “held accountable.”

On Monday, the president-elect threatened to unilaterally impose large consumption taxes on Americans who purchase imported goods from three of the country’s top trading partners on the day he takes office – ostensibly with the aim of stopping drug smuggling.

Donald Trump announced a flurry of nominations for his incoming administration on Tuesday. See the full list below:

US trade representative – Jamieson Greer

Jamieson Greer, the protégé of the first Trump Administration trade chief Robert Lighthizer, to be his US trade representative.

If approved by the Senate in January, Grier will be charged with “reining in the country’s massive trade deficit,” the president-elect said.

National Institutes of Health director – Jay Bhattacharya

Trump nominated Dr Jay Bhattacharya, currently a professor of health policy at Stanford University, to lead the National Institutes of Health and oversee its $47 billion in funding.

Bhattacharya once argued for allowing young and healthy people to become infected with Covid-19 long before a vaccine was available and later fought against mandating vaccination against the novel coronavirus.

Deputy secretary of Health and Human Services – Jim O’Neill

Trump has nominated Robert F Kennedy Jr’s underling at the HHS: Jim O’Neill.

O’Neill, an investor and close associate of billionaire Peter Thiel, alongside RFK JR, will “will fight in unison to ensure every American,” the president-elect said.

National Economic Council director – Kevin Hassett

Trump has come one step closer to rounding out this economic team as he picked Kevin Hassett to lead the National Economic Council.

The role puts Hassett at the center of the administration’s policy-making discussions, ranging from trade and taxes to deregulation.

Domestic Policy Council chief – Vince Haley

Trump has picked his campaign speechwriter Vince Haley to lead his Domestic Policy Council.

Before joining Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign, Haley worked for former House Speaker Newt Gingrich for over a decade.

Navy secretary – John Phelan

Businessman and Republican megadonor John Phelan has been nominated to head up the Navy.

Phelan, who has no military experience, will deliver “real results for the Navy” and the US and will be a “tremendous force” for Naval service members, Trump said.

Donald Trump has picked Jamieson Greer, protégé of first term trade chief Robert Lighthizer, to be his US trade representative.

The 44-year-old former Air Force lawyer served as chief of staff Li to the president-elect’s former trade representative, the architect of Trump’s original tariffs on hundreds of billions of dollars of Chinese imports.

Grier, a partner at law firm King & Spalding, is expected to influence trade policy and tariff agenda during Trump’s second term.

“Jamieson played a key role during my First Term in imposing Tariffs on China and others to combat unfair Trade practices, and replacing the failed NAFTA deal with USMCA, therefore making it much better for American Workers,” Trump announced on Truth Social late on Tuesday.

If approved by the Senate in January, Grier will be charged with “reining in the country’s massive trade deficit,” the president-elect said.

It follows Trump announcing on Monday that he plans to enact a 25 percent tariff on “all products” imported to the US from Canada and Mexico and an additional 10 percent tariff – with growing fears the president-elect has set the stage for a bitter global trade war ahead of his inauguration on January 20, 2025.

Jimmy Kimmel has detailed a potential flaw in Donald Trump’s plan to impose hefty tariffs on goods from Canada and Mexico, and an additional levy on Chinese goods and services.

The president-elect announced on Tuesday that he plans to introduce a 25 percent tariff on “all products” entering the US from Canada and Mexico and an additional 10 percent tariff on China, prompting fears he has set the stage for a bitter global trade war ahead of his inauguration on January 20, 2025.

James Liddell has the story.