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Gov. Terry Branstad of Iowa Is Selected to Be Ambassador to China Donald Trump: I’ve Done Nothing to Divide the Country
(35 minutes later)
The governor of Iowa is President-elect Donald J. Trump’s choice for ambassador to China. ■ President-elect Donald J. Trump: “I didn’t do anything to divide” the country.
■ The president-elect hints at a grand inaugural entrance, Mark Burnett-style. ■ The governor of Iowa is the president-elect’s choice for ambassador to China.
Mr. Trump’s inaugural committee is raising money at a breakneck pace. Saving the Dreamers.
■ Mr. Trump is named Time magazine’s person of the year. ■ Mr. Trump hints at a grand inaugural entrance, Mark Burnett-style.
In an interview with Time for its person of the year issue, and a follow-up with NBC’s “Today” show, Mr. Trump talked tough.
■ He insisted he has nothing to do with the “divided states of America” that Time says he will lead. “When you say divided states of America, I didn’t divide them,” he told NBC. “I’m not president yet, so I didn’t do anything to divide.”
■ He declined to criticize Rodrigo R. Duterte, president of the Philippines, who is leading a slaughter in the streets of Manila, or even to push back on comparisons between Mr. Duterte and the president-elect’s promised crackdown on criminal illegal immigrants.
“Well, hey, look, this is bad stuff,” Mr. Trump told Time. “They slice them up, they carve their initials in the girl’s forehead, O.K.? What are we supposed to do? Be nice about it?”
■ He rejected United States intelligence conclusions that Russia was behind hacks at the Democratic National Committee and Clinton campaign that boosted his campaign. “I don’t believe it. I don’t believe they interfered,” Mr. Trump said of the Russians.
■ And he again said he would press Boeing on an Air Force One upgrade, though his Twitter order to “cancel” the project seems to have faded. “I’m going to negotiate prices, and the planes are too expensive, and we’re going to get the prices down.”
For all his talk of punishing China, President-elect Trump has chosen a conciliator with a personal relationship with China’s president to be his ambassador in Beijing.For all his talk of punishing China, President-elect Trump has chosen a conciliator with a personal relationship with China’s president to be his ambassador in Beijing.
An Iowa governor might seem an unlikely choice for one of the more sensitive diplomatic posts, but Gov. Terry Branstad has ties with China that go back decades.An Iowa governor might seem an unlikely choice for one of the more sensitive diplomatic posts, but Gov. Terry Branstad has ties with China that go back decades.
Mr. Branstad, whose selection was first reported by Bloomberg News and confirmed on condition of anonymity on Wednesday by two people with direct knowledge, is close to President Xi Jinping, whom he has known for more than three decades. They met in 1985, when Mr. Branstad was serving his first term as governor of Iowa and Mr. Xi was a 31-year-old rural official in Hebei Province, studying modern American agriculture, including hog and corn farming in Iowa.Mr. Branstad, whose selection was first reported by Bloomberg News and confirmed on condition of anonymity on Wednesday by two people with direct knowledge, is close to President Xi Jinping, whom he has known for more than three decades. They met in 1985, when Mr. Branstad was serving his first term as governor of Iowa and Mr. Xi was a 31-year-old rural official in Hebei Province, studying modern American agriculture, including hog and corn farming in Iowa.
Mr. Branstad has courted China as governor, promoting his state’s farm goods. As ambassador, he would be tasked with managing a complex relationship that Mr. Trump has already indicated he is willing to shake up. The president-elect’s call with Taiwan’s president last week prompted criticism from Beijing, which considers it a breakaway province, and Mr. Trump responded with posts on Twitter attacking China for its trade practices and provocative moves in the South China Sea.Mr. Branstad has courted China as governor, promoting his state’s farm goods. As ambassador, he would be tasked with managing a complex relationship that Mr. Trump has already indicated he is willing to shake up. The president-elect’s call with Taiwan’s president last week prompted criticism from Beijing, which considers it a breakaway province, and Mr. Trump responded with posts on Twitter attacking China for its trade practices and provocative moves in the South China Sea.
Mr. Trump is scheduled to travel to Des Moines on Thursday for a rally.Mr. Trump is scheduled to travel to Des Moines on Thursday for a rally.
At a breakfast fund-raiser at the Manhattan restaurant Cipriani, Mr. Trump on Wednesday gave a tantalizing hint at the inaugural festivities to come for a reality TV star-turned-president: The helicopter grand entrance. Facing intense pressure over the so-called “Dreamers,” young people brought to the United States by their undocumented parents and allowed to stay under President Obama, Mr. Trump appears to be softening his stance on whether to deport the more than 700,000 of them.
“We’re going work something out that’s going to make people happy and proud,” Mr. Trump told Time. “They got brought here at a very young age, they’ve worked here, they’ve gone to school here. Some were good students. Some have wonderful jobs. And they’re in never-never land because they don’t know what’s going to happen.”
Mr. Trump did not go into specifics or say he would reverse his promise to reverse Mr. Obama’s executive actions, including the 2012 Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA, which protected young undocumented immigrants from deportation.
The Dreamers are likely to present Mr. Trump with the first major domestic policy test of administration, as many of his campaign promises clash with more moderate Republicans and Democrats on Capitol Hill who have implored Mr. Trump not to deny these young adults protective status.
Many of Mr. Trump’s top advisers and potential cabinet members, including his nominee for attorney general, Senator Jeff Sessions of Alabama, however, oppose Mr. Obama’s executive action on immigration and other measures that would allow undocumented immigrants to stay in the U.S.
Mayor Rahm Emanuel of Chicago made the case to Mr. Trump personally on Wednesday. Emerging into the Trump Tower lobby, Mr. Emanuel said:
At a breakfast fund-raiser at Manhattan’s Cipriani 42nd Street, Mr. Trump on Wednesday gave a tantalizing hint at the inaugural festivities to come for a reality TV star-turned-president: The helicopter grand entrance.
The president-elect said he was paid a visit a day earlier by Mark Burnett, the executive producer of “The Apprentice,” the reality show that helped make the president-elect a household name. Mr. Trump told the crowd that Mr. Burnett proposed reinventing the inauguration with a helicopter taking off from New York City, according to an attendee.The president-elect said he was paid a visit a day earlier by Mark Burnett, the executive producer of “The Apprentice,” the reality show that helped make the president-elect a household name. Mr. Trump told the crowd that Mr. Burnett proposed reinventing the inauguration with a helicopter taking off from New York City, according to an attendee.
Mr. Burnett, who is known for producing shows like “Survivor,” “The Voice” and “Shark Tank” as well, also told Mr. Trump that he should consider a parade up Fifth Avenue.Mr. Burnett, who is known for producing shows like “Survivor,” “The Voice” and “Shark Tank” as well, also told Mr. Trump that he should consider a parade up Fifth Avenue.
The group planning Mr. Trump’s inauguration has secured about $50 million in pledged donations since it began fund-raising in earnest last week, a breakneck pace that promises a glittering event, according to two people involved in the effort.The group planning Mr. Trump’s inauguration has secured about $50 million in pledged donations since it began fund-raising in earnest last week, a breakneck pace that promises a glittering event, according to two people involved in the effort.
The early success puts Mr. Trump on pace to easily surpass President Obama’s 2009 inauguration, when his finance team raised a record $53 million to fund the inaugural festivities.The early success puts Mr. Trump on pace to easily surpass President Obama’s 2009 inauguration, when his finance team raised a record $53 million to fund the inaugural festivities.
The group, the Presidential Inaugural Committee, has set a fund-raising goal of $65 million to $75 million, though the final figure could well be higher, the two people said. The committee has planned a series of exclusive events around Mr. Trump’s swearing-in — not unlike those planned around past inaugurations — to help entice wealthy donors and corporations to open their checkbooks. Evidently, the events are working.The group, the Presidential Inaugural Committee, has set a fund-raising goal of $65 million to $75 million, though the final figure could well be higher, the two people said. The committee has planned a series of exclusive events around Mr. Trump’s swearing-in — not unlike those planned around past inaugurations — to help entice wealthy donors and corporations to open their checkbooks. Evidently, the events are working.
President-elect Trump was announced as the Time magazine’s person of the year on Wednesday — but with a discordant note.President-elect Trump was announced as the Time magazine’s person of the year on Wednesday — but with a discordant note.
As the magazine’s editor in chief, Nancy Gibbs, put it:As the magazine’s editor in chief, Nancy Gibbs, put it:
Mr. Trump accentuated the positive.Mr. Trump accentuated the positive.
“It’s a great honor, it means a lot, especially me growing up reading Time magazine,” he said on the “Today” show on NBC after the choice was announced. Throughout the campaign, Mr. Trump bragged at rallies about how frequently he was on the magazine’s cover.“It’s a great honor, it means a lot, especially me growing up reading Time magazine,” he said on the “Today” show on NBC after the choice was announced. Throughout the campaign, Mr. Trump bragged at rallies about how frequently he was on the magazine’s cover.
And hey, last year, he said it would never happen.And hey, last year, he said it would never happen.
Congressional Republicans unveiled a stopgap spending bill on Tuesday night that would fund the government through April 28, three months into Mr. Trump’s administration, and allow them to close up shop and flee Washington.
The spending measure must be approved no later than Friday in order to avoid a government shutdown. It would do more than keep the government running.
For one thing, the bill includes a provision to speed up the approval of a congressional waiver early next year that would allow Mr. Trump’s pick for defense secretary, Mr. Mattis, to serve in that post.
It also provides funding to respond to the water crisis in Flint, Mich., and it contains a short-term fix to preserve health care for retired coal miners who faced losing their benefits.
The spending measure also provides $7 million to reimburse law enforcement overtime costs associated with protecting Mr. Trump during his time as president-elect. But that represents only a fraction of the $35 million in security costs that New York City expects to incur.
Senator Joe Manchin of West Virginia, one of the most conservative Democrats in Congress, says he is trying to find time for a second trip to Trump Tower in New York, this time to see Reince Priebus, tapped to be the next White House chief of staff.Senator Joe Manchin of West Virginia, one of the most conservative Democrats in Congress, says he is trying to find time for a second trip to Trump Tower in New York, this time to see Reince Priebus, tapped to be the next White House chief of staff.
“I’m anxious to talk to him,” he said.“I’m anxious to talk to him,” he said.
What Mr. Manchin wants is unclear. Asked if he were open to serving in the cabinet, he answered, “I’m just anxious to help my country and help my state.”What Mr. Manchin wants is unclear. Asked if he were open to serving in the cabinet, he answered, “I’m just anxious to help my country and help my state.”
And what an appointment would mean to Mr. Trump is equally unclear. The other red state Democrat being wooed by the Trump transition team, Senator Heidi Heitkamp of North Dakota, is a more obvious target. Her seat would be filled by an appointment made by North Dakota’s incoming Republican governor, Doug Burgum, giving Republicans a little more cushion for their narrow Senate majority.And what an appointment would mean to Mr. Trump is equally unclear. The other red state Democrat being wooed by the Trump transition team, Senator Heidi Heitkamp of North Dakota, is a more obvious target. Her seat would be filled by an appointment made by North Dakota’s incoming Republican governor, Doug Burgum, giving Republicans a little more cushion for their narrow Senate majority.
Mr. Manchin’s successor would be named by West Virginia’s incoming Democratic governor, Jim Justice.Mr. Manchin’s successor would be named by West Virginia’s incoming Democratic governor, Jim Justice.
With Hillary Clinton’s lead in the popular vote reaching 2.7 million votes, the Democrats’ losses are looking increasingly improbable but very real. They are annotated on Twitter by David Wasserman, House editor of the nonpartisan Cook Political Report.With Hillary Clinton’s lead in the popular vote reaching 2.7 million votes, the Democrats’ losses are looking increasingly improbable but very real. They are annotated on Twitter by David Wasserman, House editor of the nonpartisan Cook Political Report.
History is a game of inches — or a few thousand votes in Michigan, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania.History is a game of inches — or a few thousand votes in Michigan, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania.
His name kept spilling out, first in the news media, then at a Trump “thank you” rally in Cincinnati, and now finally in a formal announcement: James N. Mattis, a retired Marine general, has been tapped to be the next secretary of defense.
Said Mr. Trump:
To get the job, Mr. Mattis must get a formal waiver to serve as the civilian head of the military because he has not been retired for the requisite seven years.