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Donald Trump Pivots to Economic and Domestic Policy Posts Democrat Tulsi Gabbard Defends Her Visit to Trump Tower
(about 5 hours later)
With Thanksgiving approaching, the transition team is putting the last touches on President-elect Donald J. Trump’s national security leadership even as Mr. Trump pivots to his domestic and economic policy cabinet posts. One visitor to Trump Tower on Monday is of note: a Democrat, Representative Tulsi Gabbard of Hawaii.With Thanksgiving approaching, the transition team is putting the last touches on President-elect Donald J. Trump’s national security leadership even as Mr. Trump pivots to his domestic and economic policy cabinet posts. One visitor to Trump Tower on Monday is of note: a Democrat, Representative Tulsi Gabbard of Hawaii.
The parade of visitors to the president-elect’s office in Trump Tower on Monday includes an assortment of Republican leaders, but one standout: Representative Tulsi Gabbard, a Hawaii Democrat and Iraq war veteran who has become a bit of an iconoclast in her party. Ms. Gabbard is under consideration for a number of posts, including ambassador to the United Nations, according to a senior Trump aide. Ms. Gabbard, an Iraq war veteran and former Bernie Sanders supporter, defended her visit Monday to the office of the president-elect, saying she needed to talk foreign policy with Mr. Trump “before the drumbeats of war that neocons have been beating drag us into an escalation of the war to overthrow the Syrian government.”
The meetings begin around 10 a.m. Among the visitors are former Gov. Rick Perry of Texas, who has been mentioned as a possible defense secretary but more likely to be up for another cabinet post, like agriculture secretary; Gov. Mary Fallin of Oklahoma, another possible Trump team pick, Elaine Chao, a former secretary of labor and wife of Senator Mitch McConnell, the majority leader; and Newt Gingrich, the former House speaker and stalwart Trump supporter who has said he will not be serving in the administration. Her statement, lengthy and somewhat defensive, allowed, “While the rules of political expediency would say I should have refused to meet with President-elect Trump, I never have and never will play politics with American and Syrian lives.”
Mr. Trump returned to New York on Sunday night as his transition team looked toward filling in the blanks on the incoming administration’s economic and domestic policy leaders. She then made the case against any intervention in a war that has pulled in Russia and left hundreds of thousands slaughtered.
Mr. Trump, who spent the weekend at Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster, N.J., has not announced all of the key members of his national security team. But after a weekend of interviewing potential secretaries of defense and state, the president-elect looked close to making those decisions. Her case is a break from the position that her fellow Democrat, Hillary Clinton, campaigned on. It fits nicely with Mr. Trump’s reluctance to engage — and with warnings against American involvement from the president of Russia, Vladimir V. Putin.
“We made a couple of deals,” Mr. Trump, ever the real estate businessman, told reporters on Sunday evening. The transition is not all policy talk and cabinet vetting. Mr. Trump also made time to meet for an off-the-record conclave with leading television executives and on-air personalities.
Aides to Mr. Trump have indicated that the president-elect will soon turn his attention to other parts of his cabinet. Transition officials have said their economic and domestic policy teams will be in place by early next week to begin working with the Obama administration on the formal transfer of authority. Among those spotted were NBC’s Deborah Turness, CNN’s Jeff Zucker and Wolf Blitzer, Fox News’s Bill Shine, Jack Abernethy, Jay Wallace and Suzanne Scott, and CBS’s John Dickerson and Charlie Rose.
One thing that could slow the process of vetting candidates and making announcements: Thanksgiving. Mr. Trump is to spend the holiday in Florida — most likely at his Mar-a-Lago resort, The Tampa Bay Times reported. Former Senator Scott Brown of Massachusetts emerged from the gilded elevators of Trump Tower on Monday to do what most visitors have not: Make a public case to be in the president-elect’s cabinet.
Specifically, the man who lost a Senate seat to Elizabeth Warren, then failed to win another in New Hampshire, wants to be secretary of veterans affairs.
“We obviously spoke about my passion and his passion, which are veterans and veterans issues,” he told the news media. “The toughest job in the cabinet is to lead the V.A., because it has, while it has so many angels working there, it has so many great problems as well. So he’s obviously going to take my application, or interest, under consideration. I’m glad that he called.”
He did acknowledge he was not a sure thing, despite his early and passionate advocacy for candidate Trump in New Hampshire, which Mrs. Clinton narrowly carried.
“I think I’m the best person, but there are some tremendous people out there, and I don’t look at it as a competition,” he said.
Perhaps it was impolitic of Stephen K. Bannon, Mr. Trump’s senior adviser, to praise conservative women like Sarah Palin and Ann Coulter by saying their leadership “would be pro-family, they would have husbands, they would love their children.”
“They wouldn’t be a bunch of dykes that came from the Seven Sisters schools up in New England,” he said in a 2011 radio interview.
Now the heads of Barnard College, Bryn Mawr College, Mount Holyoke College, the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study at Harvard University, Smith College, Vassar College and Wellesley College are asking the future senior White House adviser to “take a more expansive, informed and tolerant worldview.”
“Our alumnae are accomplished leaders in all spheres of public and professional life; they are committed to their work, their families and their countries. Now more than ever, we look to those who would lead the United States of America for a message of inclusion, respect and unity,” they wrote in an open letter to Mr. Bannon.
Hillary Clinton’s popular vote lead surged above 1.72 million on Sunday night, with millions of votes still to count. At 1.3 percentage points, she has built a lead not seen in a losing campaign since Rutherford B. Hayes’s bitterly disputed election of 1876.Hillary Clinton’s popular vote lead surged above 1.72 million on Sunday night, with millions of votes still to count. At 1.3 percentage points, she has built a lead not seen in a losing campaign since Rutherford B. Hayes’s bitterly disputed election of 1876.
The 2016 results have no such disputes, however. Mrs. Clinton’s lead keeps rising on her strength in California, where her margin stands at 29 percentage points, up from President Obama’s 23 percentage points 2012. She has failed to close the gap in any of the swing states that she lost, though Mr. Trump’s lead in Michigan has dwindled to 11,612 votes, a bad night in Tiger Stadium.The 2016 results have no such disputes, however. Mrs. Clinton’s lead keeps rising on her strength in California, where her margin stands at 29 percentage points, up from President Obama’s 23 percentage points 2012. She has failed to close the gap in any of the swing states that she lost, though Mr. Trump’s lead in Michigan has dwindled to 11,612 votes, a bad night in Tiger Stadium.
Florida certified its results on Sunday, sealing Mr. Trump’s margin of victory at 1.2 percentage points. Third-party candidates in Florida easily took enough votes to swing the results.Florida certified its results on Sunday, sealing Mr. Trump’s margin of victory at 1.2 percentage points. Third-party candidates in Florida easily took enough votes to swing the results.
But more Americans seem prepared to give Mr. Trump a chance. A new Morning Consult poll found that 46 percent of registered voters view the president-elect favorably, the same number that see him unfavorably. Just before the election, 37 percent of voters viewed him favorably, while 61 percent viewed him unfavorably.But more Americans seem prepared to give Mr. Trump a chance. A new Morning Consult poll found that 46 percent of registered voters view the president-elect favorably, the same number that see him unfavorably. Just before the election, 37 percent of voters viewed him favorably, while 61 percent viewed him unfavorably.
For an incoming president, the news this weekend wasn’t pretty: a $25 million fraud settlement over Trump University; word of meetings with Indian business partners and the president-elect; Hillary Clinton’s expanding popular vote lead; and questions about the propriety of potentially appointing his son-in-law, Jared Kushner, to a White House post.For an incoming president, the news this weekend wasn’t pretty: a $25 million fraud settlement over Trump University; word of meetings with Indian business partners and the president-elect; Hillary Clinton’s expanding popular vote lead; and questions about the propriety of potentially appointing his son-in-law, Jared Kushner, to a White House post.
So what’s a president-elect to do?So what’s a president-elect to do?
Complain about pop culture.Complain about pop culture.
Using his favorite social media tool — Twitter — Mr. Trump complained about his critics on “Saturday Night Live” and in the cast of “Hamilton,” providing a distraction for the easily distracted news media.Using his favorite social media tool — Twitter — Mr. Trump complained about his critics on “Saturday Night Live” and in the cast of “Hamilton,” providing a distraction for the easily distracted news media.
With Mr. Trump still lining up meetings with foreign business partners, President Obama weighed in subtly from a summit meeting in Lima, Peru: liquidate your assets and start clean.
After he won the election in 2008, Mr. Obama said he sold nearly all of his assets and bought Treasury bills.
“Just because it simplified my life,” he said. “I did not have to worry about the complexities of whether or not a decision I made might even inadvertently benefit me.”
Of course, Mr. Obama had considerably less to sell than the billionaire president-elect.
Mr. Obama returns to a churning Washington in the pre-dawn hours on Monday from a two-continent, three-country tour that was his last major trip as president. Mr. Obama has no public events planned for Monday, ceding the field to Mr. Trump.Mr. Obama returns to a churning Washington in the pre-dawn hours on Monday from a two-continent, three-country tour that was his last major trip as president. Mr. Obama has no public events planned for Monday, ceding the field to Mr. Trump.
During his stops in Greece, Germany and Peru, Mr. Obama held farewell meetings with leaders familiar and new, from Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany and President Xi Jinping of China to Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull of Australia and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of Canada.During his stops in Greece, Germany and Peru, Mr. Obama held farewell meetings with leaders familiar and new, from Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany and President Xi Jinping of China to Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull of Australia and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of Canada.
On Tuesday, Mr. Obama is scheduled to give the 2016 Presidential Medal of Freedom to 21 honorees, including Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Ellen DeGeneres, Tom Hanks, Michael Jordan, Robert Redford, Robert De Niro, Frank Gehry and Bill and Melinda Gates.On Tuesday, Mr. Obama is scheduled to give the 2016 Presidential Medal of Freedom to 21 honorees, including Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Ellen DeGeneres, Tom Hanks, Michael Jordan, Robert Redford, Robert De Niro, Frank Gehry and Bill and Melinda Gates.
The next day, on Thanksgiving Eve, he will pardon a turkey for the last time as president.The next day, on Thanksgiving Eve, he will pardon a turkey for the last time as president.
Vice President-elect Mike Pence clearly thinks something out of the ordinary is happening as the Trump administration takes shape.Vice President-elect Mike Pence clearly thinks something out of the ordinary is happening as the Trump administration takes shape.
In his appearance on Sunday on CBS, Mr. Pence praised the men and women of “extraordinary backgrounds and capabilities” putting the administration together. Then there was the “extraordinary capability” of Mr. Trump’s children, to be followed by the “extraordinary men and women” visiting the Trump team in New Jersey as job candidates.In his appearance on Sunday on CBS, Mr. Pence praised the men and women of “extraordinary backgrounds and capabilities” putting the administration together. Then there was the “extraordinary capability” of Mr. Trump’s children, to be followed by the “extraordinary men and women” visiting the Trump team in New Jersey as job candidates.
One of those jobs would no doubt be lifting what Mr. Pence called the “extraordinary burden” of the new health care law. When it comes to national security candidates, Mr. Pence noted again their “extraordinary” talents.” As for “Hamilton,” the hit musical where Mr. Pence was booed on Friday, it was brought to the public by an “extraordinary team.”One of those jobs would no doubt be lifting what Mr. Pence called the “extraordinary burden” of the new health care law. When it comes to national security candidates, Mr. Pence noted again their “extraordinary” talents.” As for “Hamilton,” the hit musical where Mr. Pence was booed on Friday, it was brought to the public by an “extraordinary team.”
All in all, his TV comments were, well, remarkable.All in all, his TV comments were, well, remarkable.
While the names of people being considered for top posts in any presidential administration often leak out, the principals in charge typically don’t confirm the talks. The idea is to maintain a degree of plausible deniability if someone doesn’t get an offer or turns down a post.While the names of people being considered for top posts in any presidential administration often leak out, the principals in charge typically don’t confirm the talks. The idea is to maintain a degree of plausible deniability if someone doesn’t get an offer or turns down a post.
But the Trump team seems to be doing things a bit differently.But the Trump team seems to be doing things a bit differently.
Turning to Twitter early on Sunday, Mr. Trump praised James N. Mattis, a retired Marine Corps general, and noted that he “is being considered for secretary of defense.” And on CBS’s “Face the Nation,” Mr. Pence said that Mitt Romney is “under active and serious consideration to serve as secretary of state of the United States.”Turning to Twitter early on Sunday, Mr. Trump praised James N. Mattis, a retired Marine Corps general, and noted that he “is being considered for secretary of defense.” And on CBS’s “Face the Nation,” Mr. Pence said that Mitt Romney is “under active and serious consideration to serve as secretary of state of the United States.”
Obviously, the usual rules do not apply these days.Obviously, the usual rules do not apply these days.