DONALD Trump is all set to assemble a team of high-profile people to serve as loyal advisors inside the White House as he prepares for an ambitious second term.
The Republican strongman served a crushing defeat to Democratic rival Kamala Harris in what he dubbed “the greatest political movement of all time”.
Tesla CEO and X owner Elon Musk speaks during a rally for Republican presidential nominee and former U.S. president Donald Trump
EPADana White, CEO of Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), addresses supporters of Republican presidential candidate Donald J. Trump[/caption]
XTrump talking to Dana White and Elon Musk at his election watch party[/caption]
He is now expected to win the popular vote and make history after winning a landslide victory.
As the former president prepares to return to the White House, he will likely try and take in a few of his high-profile pals who he thinks would serve as his “Trump cards”.
Many of them have played a major role in Trump’s election campaign – especially during the last leg – tipping the odds in his favour.
Now he hopes to use them again as he prepares to lead America from the Oval Office.
Though his official cabinet would first require a green light from Congress, it is expected he will manage to give some of his closest allies a seat at the big table.
Undoubtedly, the biggest and most famous name on the list has to be Elon Musk.
The richest man in the world emerged as a unique influence on the election campaign as he became the biggest cheerleader for foe-turned-pal Trump.
Musk, who has been dubbed Trump’s “shadow vice president”, went all in to support and campaign for the former president.
Not only has he become a mega-donor for the Republican nominee, pumping millions of dollars into the GOP campaign, but also a social media strategist and a PR expert who has been working to promote Trump’s MAGA agenda.
He splashed millions of dollars into financing on-the-ground operations and media campaigns for the former Trump and invested a whopping $130 million in a pro-Trump super political action committee (PAC) in the months leading up to the election day.
And perhaps it was his monumental role – and monetary investment – at the very last minute that helped Trump secure a second term as the president.
Trump, who spent the election night with Elon Musk along with many other allies, dubbed the tech mogul “super genius” during his victory speech.
“We have a new star – a star is born, Elon [Musk]!” Trump told the cheering crowds.
In return, Trump promised Musk a chance to run the US government’s efficiency program – a move that could potentially allow the Tesla boss to take on the regulators he is often in conflict with and create conditions that favour him and his businesses.
If true, Musk would direct a task force to conduct a “complete financial and performance audit of the entire federal government”, offering “recommendations for drastic reforms”.
The Tesla boss, who holds several government contracts with NASA and the Pentagon, has promised he would make federal budget cuts worth a whopping $2 trillion.
X/@patriottakesRobert F. Kennedy Jr is pictured at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago’s election night party[/caption]
ReutersRobert F. Kennedy Jr. and Donald Trump greet each other at a campaign event[/caption]
AFPDonald Trump Jr. (C) speaks during a campaign rally Michigan in[/caption]
Trump also promised Robert F Kennedy Jr a “big role in the administration”.
“The key, which President Trump has promised me, is control of the public health agencies, which is HHS and its sub-agencies, CDC, FDA, NIH and a few others,” RFK Jr. said on a Zoom call with supporters.
Kennedy said the weekend before the election that Trump had ‘promised him’ control of the ‘public health agencies’.
One of his first policies, Kennedy said, would be to advise all public water systems in the U.S. to remove fluoride from their water.
At his rallies, Trump has touted Kennedy’s focus on healthy food and said he would let the former independent presidential candidate ‘go wild’ with his oversight.
Meanwhile, UFC boss Dana White could become the new White House press secretary after he took control of Trump’s microphone during the victory speech to deliver a speech of his own.
White, 55, a long-time friend and ally of Donald Trump, delivered a high-energy speech on Tuesday night as he joined family on stage to celebrate.
Trump’s eldest son Donald Trump Jr has also been promised a role in the Trump 2.0 administration.
Trump Jr, who is the most politically active member of the family after his father, will be tasked to continue pushing the party’s MAGA movement.
He is also expected to fire a lot of the workforce at the federal level who he thinks may not be loyal to his father.
“It’s not about placing people,” he told The Wall Street Journal last month.
“It’s about blocking the people who would be a disaster in that administration. I will cut out so many people, that people’s heads are going to spin.”
One of Trump’s biggest and most influential allies Stephen Miller will be tasked with carrying out Trump’s immigration and border control policy.
He is said to have spent years preparing for Trump’s second win.
Miller was the chief architect of Trump’s controversial Muslim ban and the family separation policy at the southern border during Trump’s first term.
He will now carry out, as Trump said, the largest deportation drive of undocumented migrants.
Meanwhile, Brooke Rollins, who served as the former head of the Domestic Policy Council during Trump’s first term, will now oversee his America First policy.
Rollins could also become Trump’s chief of staff.
Donald Trump has won… so what now?
Trump is now set to become the 47th POTUS – but not until January.
He will be inaugurated after a transition period in the coming weeks where he can plan and organise the upcoming administration.
On January 20 2025, Trump will be sworn into office in a ceremony held at the US Capitol in Washington DC.
After taking the Oath of Office, he will officially begin his term.
Once in the Oval Office, he can officially nominate key cabinet members likely selected during the transition period.
These appointments need to be confirmed by the Senate.
Trump can then begin implementing his agenda through executive orders, which are legally binding directives to federal agencies.
Early engagements often focus on key priorities like economic plans, healthcare, or national security.
He may also begin discussions with members of Congress to ensure cooperation on their legislative agenda.
The ‘First 100 days’ will be a critical period for Trump to establish himself as President and set the tone for his four-year term in power.
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