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Donald Trump Reacts to the Popular Vote, and Kellyanne Conway May Bow Out of White House Role Only a Week In, the Trump Transition Is Showing Strains
(about 2 hours later)
Congress is returning to a capital that is changed in ways neither party envisioned a week ago. The jockeying for power is evident both in the newly forming White House of President-elect Donald J. Trump and on Capitol Hill. The jockeying for power in the incoming administration of President-elect Donald J. Trump and on Capitol Hill is exposing frayed nerves and lingering anger,— but also the seeds of new leadership in both parties.
Hillary Clinton will not be president, but her lead in the popular vote is nearing one million — a full percentage point above Mr. Trump’s 47 percent. Protesters in the streets of major cities have used that rising tally as a rallying cry. With John Bolton, the former United Nations ambassador, emerging as a finalist for a senior national security post, even secretary of state, Senator Rand Paul, Republican of Kentucky, said on Tuesday that he would do “whatever I can” to block him.
And now the president-elect has responded, in his inimitable way, on Twitter. Such opposition is improving the stock of Rudolph W. Giuliani, the former New York City mayor, to lead the State Department.
And: The floating of Mr. Bolton as one of Mr. Trump’s contenders for secretary of state has baffled members of both parties, because his hawkish foreign policy worldview is so at odds with Mr. Trump’s campaign pitch for less military engagement in the world.
Of course, critics are happy to point out that in 2012, Mr. Trump took to the same platform to declare the Electoral College a disaster for democracy. That is one area in which Mr. Paul, one of Mr. Trump’s rivals in the race for the Republican nomination, said he agreed with the president-elect.
“I can’t imagine supporting anyone who hasn’t learned the lesson of the last 20 years,” Mr. Paul said of Mr. Bolton, who was ambassador to the United Nations for George W. Bush during the escalation of the war in Iraq. Mr. Paul called Mr. Bolton “unrepentant.”
“People like that really shouldn’t get within 10 miles of the State Department.” Mr. Paul added.
Kellyanne Conway, Mr. Trump’s campaign manager who was often credited with steadying his roiling political machinery, may not go to the White House, according to two people briefed on the discussions.Kellyanne Conway, Mr. Trump’s campaign manager who was often credited with steadying his roiling political machinery, may not go to the White House, according to two people briefed on the discussions.
Ms. Conway, Mr. Trump’s final campaign manager, sanded down the candidate’s rougher edges in her television appearances, but she has four young children and is weighing what a move into the West Wing would do to them.Ms. Conway, Mr. Trump’s final campaign manager, sanded down the candidate’s rougher edges in her television appearances, but she has four young children and is weighing what a move into the West Wing would do to them.
Instead, she may remain on the outside, as a voice for the new administration on television or with a new “super PAC” set up to support the president-elect’s activities.Instead, she may remain on the outside, as a voice for the new administration on television or with a new “super PAC” set up to support the president-elect’s activities.
Former Representative Mike Rogers stepped down on Tuesday as national security senior adviser to the Trump transition team. There is no word yet whether that means he is preparing to enter the Trump administration or returning to the world of radio and punditry. From his statement:Former Representative Mike Rogers stepped down on Tuesday as national security senior adviser to the Trump transition team. There is no word yet whether that means he is preparing to enter the Trump administration or returning to the world of radio and punditry. From his statement:
One clue on the inner workings of the Trump national security team came Tuesday morning from Eliot Cohen, a prominent security official in George W. Bush’s White House who flirted with re-entering policy making in a new Republican administration but found that his opposition to Mr. Trump’s candidacy has consequences.One clue on the inner workings of the Trump national security team came Tuesday morning from Eliot Cohen, a prominent security official in George W. Bush’s White House who flirted with re-entering policy making in a new Republican administration but found that his opposition to Mr. Trump’s candidacy has consequences.
Amid rising calls for change in Democratic leadership, House Democrats decided in a closed-door meeting on Tuesday to postpone their leadership elections until Nov. 30.
After last week’s bruising loss, there have been rumblings among some Democrats that perhaps a new leader should replace Representative Nancy Pelosi of California in the role she has held since 2003. Some members have urged Representative Tim Ryan of Ohio to run, and he is considering it, his office said Monday.
Mr. Ryan, a former football player from the Youngstown area, is in stark contrast with Ms. Pelosi, an affluent scion of a Baltimore political family long ensconced in San Francisco, one of the most liberal bastions in the country.
House Speaker Paul D. Ryan, who is widely expected to be renominated by his colleagues later Tuesday for his position, gushed at the Capitol, “Welcome to the dawn of a new united Republican government,” noting that his team is working carefully with Mike Pence, the vice president-elect, on common agenda.
Mr. Ryan added that he saw no problem with Mr. Trump’s children serving in the administration, saying the president-elect was “so successful because he’s surrounded himself with good people.”
Long gone are all those qualms about endorsing Candidate Trump or campaigning for him.
Steven Mnuchin, Mr. Trump’s national campaign finance chairman and a leading contender for secretary of the Treasury, seems to have big plans.
Spotted entering Trump Tower on Tuesday, he told reporters, “We’re working on the economic plan with the transition, making sure we get the biggest tax bill passed, the biggest tax changes since Reagan, so a lot of exciting things in the first 100 days of the Trump presidency.”
Mr. Trump has called for deep tax cuts for people at all income levels, consolidation of tax brackets, higher standard tax deductions, the elimination of the death tax and lower corporate tax rates. He has also called for ending “special interest loopholes” and he has said he wants to end the “carried interest” provision that benefits private equity groups.
The estimated cost to the treasury of those plans is more than $5 trillion over 10 years. To put that in perspective, George W. Bush’s tax cuts in 2001 — the largest in history — were a wee $1.35 trillion over a decade.
Mr. Mnuchin is a former partner at Goldman Sachs and a co-founder of the hedge fund Dune Capital Management.
Hillary Clinton will not be president, but her lead in the popular vote is nearing one million — a full percentage point above Mr. Trump’s 47 percent. Protesters in the streets of major cities have used that rising tally as a rallying cry.
And now the president-elect has responded, in his inimitable way, on Twitter.
And:
Of course, critics are happy to point out that in 2012, Mr. Trump took to the same platform to declare the Electoral College a disaster for democracy.
Secretary General Ban Ki-moon of the United Nations said Tuesday that he spoke last week with Mr. Trump about his vows to pull the United States out of the Paris Agreement, and that he planned to continue to press the issue of climate change with Mr. Trump.Secretary General Ban Ki-moon of the United Nations said Tuesday that he spoke last week with Mr. Trump about his vows to pull the United States out of the Paris Agreement, and that he planned to continue to press the issue of climate change with Mr. Trump.
“As president of the U.S., he will understand and listen and evaluate his campaign remarks,” Mr. Ban said. “We have seen many campaign rhetorics, not only in the U.S. but all over the world. He may have to learn to understand the reality of the whole world’s progress, particularly on climate. I am sure he will make a good and wise decision. I will discuss this personally with him.’’.“As president of the U.S., he will understand and listen and evaluate his campaign remarks,” Mr. Ban said. “We have seen many campaign rhetorics, not only in the U.S. but all over the world. He may have to learn to understand the reality of the whole world’s progress, particularly on climate. I am sure he will make a good and wise decision. I will discuss this personally with him.’’.
He added, “My sense is that as a very successful business person he understands that there are market forces already at work on this issue and we need to harness these forces for the good of the planet.”He added, “My sense is that as a very successful business person he understands that there are market forces already at work on this issue and we need to harness these forces for the good of the planet.”
It may not be possible for Mr. Trump, who has called climate change a hoax, to follow through on his campaign pledges to fully withdraw the United States from the 2015 Paris deal, which commits more than 190 countries to take action to cut planet-warming emissions. The United States will remain legally bound to the accord for at least four years. A Trump administration could refuse, however, to implement President Obama’s climate change policies.It may not be possible for Mr. Trump, who has called climate change a hoax, to follow through on his campaign pledges to fully withdraw the United States from the 2015 Paris deal, which commits more than 190 countries to take action to cut planet-warming emissions. The United States will remain legally bound to the accord for at least four years. A Trump administration could refuse, however, to implement President Obama’s climate change policies.
Climate diplomats gathering in Marrakesh, Morocco, to hammer out the details of implementing the Paris accord have said that the governments of most countries, including China, intend to move forward despite the possible withdrawal of the United States. But they conceded that the absence of the United States would significantly weaken the accord. Mr. Ban, who will step down as secretary general at the end of the year, said he hoped to convey to Mr. Trump the moral, diplomatic and financial consequences of withdrawing the United States from the Paris deal.Climate diplomats gathering in Marrakesh, Morocco, to hammer out the details of implementing the Paris accord have said that the governments of most countries, including China, intend to move forward despite the possible withdrawal of the United States. But they conceded that the absence of the United States would significantly weaken the accord. Mr. Ban, who will step down as secretary general at the end of the year, said he hoped to convey to Mr. Trump the moral, diplomatic and financial consequences of withdrawing the United States from the Paris deal.
“I hope that President-elect Mr. Trump will really hear and understand the seriousness and urgency of addressing climate change,” Mr. Ban said.“I hope that President-elect Mr. Trump will really hear and understand the seriousness and urgency of addressing climate change,” Mr. Ban said.
When will Mr. Trump hold his first news conference?When will Mr. Trump hold his first news conference?
It has been seven days since his stunning victory, and there is no indication of when he might face the news media — a tradition for presidents-elect.It has been seven days since his stunning victory, and there is no indication of when he might face the news media — a tradition for presidents-elect.
In 2008, Barack Obama held his first news conference as president-elect in Chicago on Nov. 7, three days after his election. (Mr. Obama held the 37th solo news conference of his presidency on Monday, taking questions from the White House press corps for more than an hour.)In 2008, Barack Obama held his first news conference as president-elect in Chicago on Nov. 7, three days after his election. (Mr. Obama held the 37th solo news conference of his presidency on Monday, taking questions from the White House press corps for more than an hour.)
Mr. Trump has done a couple of interviews since being elected, including one on CBS’s “60 Minutes” that was broadcast on Sunday night.Mr. Trump has done a couple of interviews since being elected, including one on CBS’s “60 Minutes” that was broadcast on Sunday night.
For Mr. Trump, there are plenty of questions: about his appointments (Stephen K. Bannon as chief strategist), about his policies (will he really build the wall?) and about his governing philosophy. Those will certainly be explored if he steps to a lectern in front of the White House press corps that will document his term starting in January.For Mr. Trump, there are plenty of questions: about his appointments (Stephen K. Bannon as chief strategist), about his policies (will he really build the wall?) and about his governing philosophy. Those will certainly be explored if he steps to a lectern in front of the White House press corps that will document his term starting in January.
While we await the announcement of Mr. Trump’s picks for glamour jobs such as secretary of state and attorney general, one cabinet post seems to hold considerably less appeal: secretary of Homeland Security. Some in Mr. Trump’s inner circle are said to have turned up their noses at the possibility of assuming that post.While we await the announcement of Mr. Trump’s picks for glamour jobs such as secretary of state and attorney general, one cabinet post seems to hold considerably less appeal: secretary of Homeland Security. Some in Mr. Trump’s inner circle are said to have turned up their noses at the possibility of assuming that post.
There are a couple of reasons. The Department of Homeland Security, consisting of an assortment of independent security agencies put under one umbrella after the Sept. 11 attacks, is hard to manage and has a lot of internal rivalries. The new secretary will also be responsible for carrying out the administration’s immigration and border security plan — potentially a very tough task. And, of course, the secretary is also responsible for the Transportation Security Administration, not a favorite among conservatives.There are a couple of reasons. The Department of Homeland Security, consisting of an assortment of independent security agencies put under one umbrella after the Sept. 11 attacks, is hard to manage and has a lot of internal rivalries. The new secretary will also be responsible for carrying out the administration’s immigration and border security plan — potentially a very tough task. And, of course, the secretary is also responsible for the Transportation Security Administration, not a favorite among conservatives.
Mr. Obama arrived in Athens on Tuesday for the start of his final foreign trip as president, and he is likely to be peppered with questions about the election and what it will mean for relations with Europe. The president has insisted that he expects the United States to continue to honor its international commitments, but in reality he cannot make any promises. House Republicans will hold their leadership elections on Tuesday. No drama is expected, and Mr. Ryan, of Wisconsin, will most likely return to his speaker’s post when the new Congress meets in January.
Mr. Obama will offer more extended thoughts on America’s new political order on Wednesday, when, after visiting the Parthenon, he is scheduled to deliver a speech about the impact of globalization on Western economies. He is expected to discuss forces that are giving rise to populist movements in countries around the world — including his own. The Senate will convene on Tuesday afternoon for the first time since the election, opening the floor to senators to offer their views on what happened and what it all means. What will Senator Harry Reid of Nevada, the Democrat and retiring minority leader, who has been harshly critical of Mr. Trump, have to say?
House Republicans will hold their leadership elections on Tuesday. No drama is expected, and Speaker Paul D. Ryan of Wisconsin will most likely return to his post when the new Congress meets in January.
The Senate will convene on Tuesday afternoon for the first time since the election, opening the floor to senators to offer their views on what happened and what it all means. What will Senator Harry Reid of Nevada, the Democratic leader, who has been harshly critical of Mr. Trump, have to say?