UPDATE: According to our news partner KETK, police continue to search for a Tyler 17-year-old who was last seen Nov. 1. The Tyler Police Department shared on Tuesday photos of what Lily Peppler was wearing on the day she went missing. Anyone with information on Peppler’s whereabouts is urged to contact the department at 903-531-1000.
TYLER — The Tyler Police Department is seeking the public’s help in finding a missing teen.
The police department said Lily Peppler, 17 from Tyler, was last seen on Nov. 1 at 8 a.m. leaving Legacy High School and walking in front of Mardel at Independence and S. Broadway. However, police said family have not heard from her since then, yet no evidence of foul play is suspected at this time.
TYLER — The Smith County Parking Garage is open after a year of construction. Smith County officials held a brief ribbon cutting on Tuesday, November 12, before opening the garage for parking.
“We are so excited to have this new five-story parking garage available for our employees and the community,†Smith County Judge Neal Franklin said. “We thank everyone who came to downtown Tyler for work, business or fun over the past year for their patience and understanding during its construction.â€
The 543-space parking garage is free and first come, first serve for county employees, jurors and the public. The parking garage is located at 210 East Ferguson, next to the Smith County Annex Building. Drivers can enter the parking garage from East Ferguson Street, which is a one-way westbound street, or Locust Street, which is a one-way eastbound street. Continue reading Downtown Tyler parking garage now open
AUSTIN – The Texas Tribune reports themembership of the Texas House is finally set after Tuesday’s general election — but the future of the chamber’s leadership remains a mystery.
On Thursday, the jostling to hold the speaker’s gavel resumed with insurgent candidate Rep. David Cook, R-Mansfield, saying incumbent Speaker Dade Phelan does not have enough support from House Republicans to win.
“We cannot continue to govern effectively without the Republican majority selecting our Speaker,†Cook wrote in the letter. “It is clear with my list of supporters that the current speaker cannot win an endorsement of the Republican Caucus.â€
The House GOP Caucus will meet in a month to endorse its nominee for speaker. The speaker presides over the processes in the House and appoints members to leadership positions. Bills often live or die on whether the speaker supports them, or the lawmaker who has authored them.
In September, Cook became the consensus candidate of House Republicans who want to oust Phelan because they believe he is too liberal. Cook published a list of 48 supporters who had pledged to vote for him in January.
It takes only 76 votes – a simple majority of the 150-member chamber – to become speaker. But the House Republican Caucus rules require that all members vote for the caucus’ endorsed candidate. To garner that endorsement, a candidate must receive three-fifths of the group’s support. Neither Cook nor Phelan have shown they have that level of public support yet.
Since initially publishing his pledge list, Cook has dropped one supporter, Steve Kinard, who lost his bid for a Collin County seat to Democratic incumbent Mihaela Plesa. That puts his pledge list at 47. But the caucus has grown to 88 members after Republican victories on election day, putting the new threshold for a group endorsement at 53.
Phelan, a Beaumont Republican, has said that he continues to have the necessary votes to win the speaker’s gavel at the beginning of the legislative session.
“Rep. Cook does not have the necessary support to become the caucus nominee, let alone the Speaker of the House,” Phelan said in a statement. “I have the votes to become Speaker of the House and look forward to leading another banner session that reflects the will of our state and its lawmakers.â€
Given Cook’s pledges, however, Phelan’s presumed path to the speakership runs through a coalition of loyal Republicans and Democrats, a move that would likely bypass the GOP caucus rules. Phelan has not published a list of his supporters.
That was the situation that brought about the speakership of Joe Straus, a Republican who took the gavel in 2009 and held the position for a record five terms. Straus was considered a moderate by the GOP’s increasingly conservative base and hardline lawmakers frequently bashed him for working with Democrats, saying he was killing conservative legislation.
Cook alluded to Straus’ tenure over the House in his letter on Thursday and described his rise to power like a usurpation which “fractured the unity of the Republican Caucus and set the stage for the division that persists to this day.â€
Cook said caucus members had three choices: unify behind him, speculate about a new speaker candidate and reconvene the group to hash out an endorsement or re-elect Phelan – which he said was “the worst option.â€
Cook has pledged to do away with the appointment of Democrats as committee chairs – a long-standing bipartisan tradition that Phelan supports. Many of Cook’s supporters also want to replace Phelan because they believe he held up school voucher legislation last session and because he oversaw the impeachment of Attorney General Ken Paxton, a right-wing darling who is a polarizing figure in the party.
Paxton was acquitted by the Senate and school voucher legislation is a priority for Gov. Greg Abbott, who believes he now has enough votes to pass a bill.
WASHINGTON — U.S. Sen. John Cornyn has never lost an election.
On Wednesday, he’ll see if he can continue his streak, cashing in decades of political capital as he runs to become the next Senate majority leader to replace Mitch McConnell, who’s held the position for 17 years, according to the Texas Tribune.
It’ll be the highest office Cornyn has ever run for, but no Texans will cast a ballot — save for himself and Texas’ junior senator, Ted Cruz. Leadership is decided by the 53 Republican members of the next Senate in a secret ballot vote. The stakes were raised last week when Republicans won a majority in the Senate, making the party leader the agenda setter for the whole chamber and a core legislative partner for the incoming Trump administration.
Cornyn has for years signaled his desire to succeed McConnell, the longest serving party leader in Senate history. As whip, Cornyn was McConnell’s No. 2 and kept the conference on board with the leadership’s agenda by addressing each senator’s individual needs and interests. He helped elect several current senators while leading the NRSC, the party’s Senate campaign arm. He has actively campaigned and fundraised on behalf of Republicans this election cycle, raising nearly $33 million and traveling the country to help incumbents and new candidates alike. Those ties have formed a key component in his bid for leader.
“One of the things that people do expect of the leadership is to raise money for the team. You see that with Speaker [Mike] Johnson in the House. You see that with Sen. McConnell in the Senate,†Cornyn said in September. “Demonstrating my experience and my contribution to this effort, my ability, along with my team, to do it is something people are going to want to consider when it comes to the leadership election.â€
Cornyn is also running on his legislative record. He’s a member of three of the most coveted Senate committees: Judiciary, Finance and Intelligence. He has advised and advanced judicial confirmations under Republican and Democratic presidents. He often works across the aisle to get major legislation passed, including the CHIPS and Science Act to bolster the nation’s semiconductor industry and counter competition from Asia.
But Cornyn’s long tenure in the Senate has opened him to criticism from the right at home — some of it so rabid they’re actively rooting against Cornyn to win the leadership role. He was censured by the Collin County Republican Party and booed at the 2022 Texas Republican Party Convention after he drove the passage of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, the first gun safety bill to pass into law in decades, which he worked on after the Uvalde school shooting. In recent days, both the Tarrant County and Dallas County Republican Parties issued statements rejecting Cornyn as a suitable Senate leader.
“The U.S. Senate needs a Majority Leader who is fully committed to conservative principles and who will champion the policies of President [Donald] Trump,†Dallas County Republican Party Allen West wrote in an open letter to Senate Republicans. “Senators John Cornyn and John Thune have consistently aligned themselves with Democrats and voted for omnibus bills that fail to serve the interests of America and its citizens.â€
Both West and Tarrant County GOP Chair Bo French are two of the state’s loudest and most far-right Republican county leaders.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton ridiculed Cornyn, himself a former Texas attorney general, after McConnell announced he would be stepping down. Paxton posted on social media that Cornyn shouldn’t be Senate leader because he is “anti-Trump, anti-gun,†and will be too busy fending off challengers when he’s up for reelection in 2026.
“Republicans deserve better in their next leader and Texans deserve another conservative senator,†said Paxton, who has not ruled out running against Cornyn.
In an unusual public exchange for the senator who usually shrugs off critics, Cornyn responded: “Hard to run from prison, Ken,†in reference to Paxton’s numerous legal challenges. No Senate majority leader has lost reelection since Sen. Ernest McFarland in 1952, though Thune entered the Senate in 2005 defeating then-Democratic Minority Leader Tom Daschle in South Dakota.
Several other prominent members of the MAGA movement have also rallied around Scott in the days before the leadership election. Elon Musk, Tucker Carlson and Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene all threw their support behind Scott, criticizing both Cornyn and Thune for their work with McConnell, who has become a pariah among the most conservative flanks of the party.
But none of those outside voices will have a say in the leadership vote. The anonymity of the vote also allows senators to vote more candidly based on their own relationships with the candidates.
While his approval rating has dipped in recent years among Texas Republicans, Cornyn has maintained good standing with many prominent Republicans in Texas. He and Cruz have worked together repeatedly on legislation impacting the state and on the Senate Judiciary Committee, and both supported each other’s reelection efforts, though Cruz hasn’t said how he’s voting on the leadership election.
Texas Republican Party Chair Abraham George, who chaired the Collin County party when it censured Cornyn, met with the senator in September to coordinate efforts electing Republicans in the state.
“I truly appreciate all your efforts in what is such a pivotal election in our nation’s history,†George posted on social media after their meeting. “We are going to win Texas and we are going to win big!â€
A Texan has not been a party leader in the Senate since Lyndon B. Johnson. Past leaders have used the position to benefit their home states, including Johnson, who used the perch to help secure Houston’s place as the center of the U.S. space program.
A leader in fundraising
Cornyn has been climbing the leadership ladder since his first term in Congress. He served as Republican conference vice chair from 2007 to 2009 as a first-term senator, succeeding fellow Texan Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison.
His influence took a leap when he was elected to serve as the NRSC chair in 2009, making him the chief fundraiser and recruiter for Senate Republicans aside from the party leader himself. It’s a grueling job, but Cornyn thrived. Paired with a 2010 Tea Party wave, Republicans managed to defend all 18 of their incumbents for the first time in 16 years and gained six more seats. Cornyn’s colleagues asked him to serve a second time for the 2012 cycle.
Texas is famously home to a host of ultra-rich Republican donors who have financed campaigns for years. Cornyn proved himself an effective fundraiser as Texas attorney general from 1999 to 2002. He was one of the first members of the Republican Attorneys General Association, hosting an Austin fundraiser in 2000 for his fellow state AGs that brought in hundreds of thousands of dollars. That scale of fundraising for attorneys general was novel at the time and attracted controversy as corporate donors gave to candidates who could be involved in their cases. Democrats created their own attorneys general fundraising organization in 2002.
His fundraising reach expanded during his time at the NRSC, building relationships with major donor pools in New York, Florida and California. He courted Wall Street in 2010 to give to Republican candidates as then-President Barack Obama pursued regulatory policy to avoid a repeat of the 2008 financial crisis.
“I just don’t know how long you can expect people to contribute money to a political party whose main plank of their platform is to punish you,†Cornyn said in 2010.
During the 2022 cycle, Cornyn raised more money than any other Senate Republican, including those up for election, with the exception of McConnell himself and Scott, who was then chairing the NRSC. And unlike McConnell, whose Senate Leadership Fund is choosier in which candidates it invests in — it didn’t donated to Cruz this cycle — Cornyn gives to all of his fellow Republicans.
This cycle, Cornyn raised nearly $33 million for Republican senators and candidates, including $16 million for the NRSC. That includes over $500,000 for Cruz, who came out victorious over U.S. Rep. Colin Allred, D-Dallas, one of the most expensive Senate races in Texas history.
Since joining the Senate, Cornyn’s fundraising total is over $414 million. He also traveled around the country campaigning and fundraising for fellow Republicans, including Cruz, Mike Rogers in Michigan, Sam Brown in Nevada, Jim Banks in Indiana, Bernie Moreno in Ohio and Dave McCormick in Pennsylvania. Banks, Moreno and McCormick all won their elections.
“He’s never taken his foot off the gas,†said Brian Walsh, who served as Cornyn’s communications director at the NRSC and still is in touch with his operation. “In terms of having Republican senators and candidates down to Texas, introducing them to his network, helping them raise money … I would argue there’s very few senators who are more responsible for the Republican Senate majority than he is.â€
Thune is also a prolific fundraiser and crisscrossed the country this cycle attending over 200 events for Republicans or the NRSC. He has raised over $33 million across his fundraising operation this cycle and was one of the top fundraisers for the NRSC other than the current chair, Steve Daines of Montana, NBC News reported.
The Trump factor
Cornyn has shown willingness to diverge from the current leader if the rest of the party calls for it. That includes shaking up some long standing rules.
Cornyn is vowing to move heaven and earth to get Trump’s cabinet confirmed as swiftly as possible. That includes keeping senators through the weekends to get nominees confirmed (Cornyn is a vocal critic of the short working week and frequent breaks in the Senate) and even bringing back recess appointments, which allows the president to unilaterally make appointments when the Senate is not in session.
Both Republicans and Democrats have prevented presidents from making recess appointments by sending a single senator to Washington to keep sessions going while everyone else was in their home states. But Trump called for the move to get his agenda moving — a mandate all of the candidates were willing to accept.
“No weekends, no breaks,†Cornyn posted on social media Saturday. “Democrats can cooperate in the best interest of the country, or continue the resistance, which will eventually be ground down. Take your pick.â€
Cornyn has also expressed an openness to term limits for the party leader — a move McConnell opposes. And he has vowed to open up the legislative process to take in more input from the rank and file through regular Senate order, including debating legislation in committee before they hit the floor. McConnell has been criticized for leading deals with strict control of his conference, with Cruz calling him a “one-man dictator.â€
“I believe our members and incoming colleagues have the talent, experience, and character needed to restore the Senate to its fundamental role in our constitutional republic, inducing the critical role of Senate committees in achieving results for the American people,†Cornyn wrote in a September letter to the conference.
Scott and Thune have made similar pitches to make the chamber more participatory. Thune is the only one of the three who has chaired a standing committee, leading the Senate Commerce Committee from 2015 to 2019.
McConnell’s clashing with the right wing of the party stretches back years. He has been hostile toward the more reactionary methods of some newer members to block legislation, and several right wing members blamed McConnell for failing to take control of the Senate in 2022.
McConnell faced his first real leadership challenge in 2022 when Scott launched a bid and secured 10 votes. Cruz, who has beefed with McConnell throughout his time in the Senate, voted for Scott.
Scott has still managed to capture the support of several members of the MAGA wing of the party. He received public endorsements from senators including Tennessee’s Bill Hagerty, Kentucky’s Rand Paul and Alabama’s Tommy Tuberville.
Cruz has not endorsed in the race. He said in February: “I suspect a number of my colleagues are interested in the job, and I look forward to seeing whom the conference selects as the next leader as we hopefully enter the majority this November.” His office did not have a further update, but he recently said on Fox News: “I want to see a majority leader who changes how the Senate operates, who democratizes it more.â€
Trump has also not endorsed in the race, though Scott and his allies have requested Trump do so. Trump and McConnell shared an epicly bitter relationship, particularly after Trump’s efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election escalated into an attack on the U.S. Capitol.
Both Thune and Cornyn broke from Trump after his time in office, with Cornyn saying as recently as last year that Trump could not win in a general election and that his “time has passed him by.â€
But Cornyn endorsed Trump in January after Trump won in the New Hampshire primary. He later campaigned with Trump in Texas and Nevada and attended fundraisers for the Trump campaign in Laredo, San Antonio and Houston, according to a source familiar with Cornyn’s political operation.
Cornyn has also highlighted his work advancing Trump’s policy agenda when he was whip, telling Trump “I’m interested in getting the band back together again,†Cornyn said Monday on Fox News. He advanced the conference through its ultimately unsuccessful repeal attempt of the Affordable Care Act and the Trump tax cuts that have become one of Trump’s defining pieces of legislation.
Cornyn’s and Thune’s supporters are opting to be more private, with only Sen. Josh Hawley of Missouri openly backing Cornyn and Sens. Mike Rounds of South Dakota and Markwayne Mullin of Oklahoma backing Thune. Hawley is a deeply conservative member who joined Cruz in objecting to the certification of the 2020 election.
Repeating a refrain he has said throughout the year, Cornyn said in September: “I don’t think these races are run in the press, so I’m not going to talk any length about it.â€
LONGVIEW – The Longview Police Department is seeking the public’s help to locate a missing 59-year-old man. According to our news partner KETK, missing is Christopher Onley. Christopher is described as 5’10†tall, 132 pounds with brown hair and eyes. He was last seen near the 3100 block of Estes Parkway, near Waffle House. Longview PD said anyone with information on Onley’s whereabouts are asked to contact them at 903-237-1199.
TYLER – Kenneth Haygood, 54, of Tyler, was arrested in February on three counts of sexual assault and one count of aggravated sexual assault of a child. As of now, he faces a total of eight charges, including six counts of sexual assault, one count of aggravated sexual assault of a child and another charge of practicing medicine without a license. In a Smith County courtroom this week, Haygood appeared for a status hearing Tuesday in the 114th District Court. His trial date was set for June 23, and status hearings were also set for Feb. 18 and April 17. The final pre-trial hearing is currently scheduled for June 13.
AUSTIN – The Austin American-Statesman reports that Republicans netted only two new seats in the Texas House in Tuesday’s election, but of the influx of new members who either ousted incumbents in the GOP primary or won open contests means the lower chamber’s center of gravity shifted more to the right. The incoming freshmen vastly enhance Gov. Greg Abbott’s chances of getting his long-denied school voucher bill through the Legislature in 2025 while Republicans continue apace on such conservative priorities as beefing up border security and placing further restrictions on transgender Texans. And it adds a new layer of drama to the ongoing race for House speaker.
“There are a lot of things that can happen along the way. But right now, starting out, Republicans command, and they’re going to pretty much hit what they want,” said Bill Miller, a longtime lobbyist and political consultant. “The question is, how much, how much fighting will go on between leadership about various things. And that’s really the key.” House Speaker Dade Phelan, a Beaumont Republican who was first elected to the Legislature 10 years ago and took charge of the chamber in 2021, has been in the crosshairs for much of his second term. And the flak he’s been taking has come from some corners of his own party — particularly from his counterpart in the Texas Senate, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick. The election results that showed former President Donald Trump winning back the White House and Texas Republicans winning 88 state House seats were barely tabulated when Patrick sent his latest cannon volley across the Capitol Rotunda to the speaker’s office. “(T)here’s one Republican left who still supports the Democrats’ agenda and wants to empower them. Not Liz Cheney — she’s old news,” Patrick said on social media, with a reference to the former Wyoming congresswoman who has emerged as Trump’s loudest GOP critic. “This one is right here in Texas.
AUSTIN – As Texas prepares to consider a school voucher program, ProPublica reports that in 2018, Arizona voters overwhelmingly rejected school vouchers. On the ballot that year was a measure that would have allowed all parents — even the wealthiest ones — to receive taxpayer money to send their kids to private, typically religious schools. Arizonans voted no, and it wasn’t close. Even in a right-leaning state, with powerful Republican leaders supporting the initiative, the vote against it was 65% to 35%. Coming into this week’s election, Donald Trump and Republicans had hoped to reverse that sort of popular opposition to “school choice†with new voucher ballot measures in several states. But despite Trump’s big win in the presidential race, vouchers were again soundly rejected by significant majorities of Americans. In Kentucky, a ballot initiative that would have allowed public money to go toward private schooling was defeated roughly 65% to 35% — the same margin as in Arizona in 2018 and the inverse of the margin by which Trump won Kentucky.
In Nebraska, nearly all 93 counties voted to repeal an existing voucher program; even its reddest county, where 95% of voters supported Trump, said no to vouchers. And in Colorado, voters defeated an effort to add a “right to school choice†to the state constitution, language that might have allowed parents to send their kids to private schools on the public dime. Expansions of school vouchers, despite backing from wealthy conservatives, have never won when put to voters. Instead, they lose by margins not often seen in such a polarized country. Candidates of both parties would be wise “to make strong public education a big part of their political platforms, because vouchers just aren’t popular,†said Tim Royers, president of the Nebraska State Education Association, a teachers union. Royers pointed to an emerging coalition in his state and others, including both progressive Democrats and rural Republicans, that opposes these sweeping “school choice†efforts. (Small-town Trump voters oppose such measures because their local public school is often an important community institution, and also because there aren’t that many or any private schools around.)
HOUSTON (AP) – When Victoria Elizondo first went to see a doctor about her symptoms at Legacy Community Clinic, a low-cost clinic in Houston, she didn’t know what was wrong with her but she knew something wasn’t right. Her hands would shake uncontrollably, her heart would beat fast even while resting and she suffered from insomnia.
After the appointment, she was told her immune system was attacking an overactive thyroid, a disorder called Graves’ disease, and that an endocrinologist was the only doctor who could help her. But without health insurance, the cost to see one was exorbitant — as much as $800 for a visit.
“I thought it was a joke,†said Elizondo, a 33-year-old restaurant owner.
Elizondo, who has been paying thousands of dollars a year for treatment, may soon find relief. She is now one of nearly 90,000 DACA recipients in Texas — more than 500,000 across the nation — who finally get a chance at signing up for health insurance through the Affordable Care Act. Through Jan. 15, DACA recipients — those who under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program are temporarily protected to live and work in the U.S. after being brought to the country unauthorized as children — can enroll in the federal health insurance marketplace for the first time since launching 10 years ago.
Advocacy groups say access to the marketplace will help alleviate the health disparities DACA recipients face, such as high uninsured rates and unmet medical needs after years of putting off care. However, a lawsuit threatens to take this eligibility away as Texas, along with 18 other states, argues the policy would financially harm them. Looming even larger is the uncertainty around the existence of DACA as President-elect Donald Trump has promised mass deportations and ending birthright citizenship for people born to undocumented immigrants. In 2017, he attempted to rescind DACA, arguing that it was unconstitutional. Three years later, the Supreme Court ruled that his attempt was unlawful.
With premium tax credits that help lower health insurance costs set to expire at the end of 2025, Trump also has the ability to not renew them.
These subsidies, as well as cost-sharing reductions, are also now available to DACA recipients, lowering the amount they have to pay for premiums, deductibles and co-payments. DACA recipients cannot qualify for Medicaid, the public health insurance program for low-income individuals, under federal law. It’s also unclear how many DACA recipients in Texas receive health insurance coverage through an employer or as a dependent.
“More than one-third of DACA recipients currently do not have health insurance, so making them eligible to enroll in coverage will improve their health and wellbeing, and help the overall economy,†said U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra in a news release.
Cost of health care
Elizondo pays about $200 for each endocrinologist visit and $100 every month for blood work. To cure Graves’ disease, she would need to undergo a thyroid gland removal surgery which can cost up to $30,000.
Having health insurance would mean she could spend less time worrying about her personal costs and physical limitations and put more focus on her growing business.
“It’s a big deal for me,†Elizondo said.
According to the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services, DACA recipients are currently three times more likely to be uninsured than the general U.S. population, resulting in many delaying care because of high out-of-pocket costs. A 2023 survey by the National Immigration Law Center found that more than a third of DACA recipients skipped recommended medical treatments and tests, which can lead to worsening health outcomes and heftier medical costs in the future.
“Right now, people are getting sicker because of (not receiving) preventative care. More folks will have to go to the emergency room,†said Cesar Espinosa, executive director of FIEL Houston, Inc., an immigration advocacy group.
Espinosa would know. When he was an uninsured DACA recipient 16 years ago, he collapsed in front of his mother’s door and was rushed by ambulance to the emergency room. He found out there that he had Type 2 diabetes.
Without health insurance, he had to rely on the Harris Health Financial Assistance Program to cover those hospital costs. After losing access to that help, he now needs to find a way to pay for medication, which can cost about $970 without insurance.
“I’m looking forward to also being able to afford a better quality of health care,†he said.
Espinosa, now a permanent resident who also plans to enroll in federal marketplace insurance, hopes others take advantage of the new eligibility, particularly for their mental health needs. The law center report listed mental health as a top medical concern for DACA recipients, but 36% of them said costs were too high to access treatment. The uncertainty associated with the future of DACA is considered “a source of trauma, leading to increased fear, sadness, and distrust,†according to the report.
“You can never be at peace,†Espinosa said.
This distrust of public programs has motivated navigators, nonprofits that receive federal funding to help first-time enrollees sign up for Affordable Care Act coverage, to develop strategies to better help DACA recipients.
Navigators at health organization MHP Salud in Weslaco have printed flyers, brochures, and DACA-related one-pagers and messaging on their website. They cover six regions in Texas, including El Paso, Eagle Pass, San Antonio, and the Rio Grande Valley, working with community health partners and individuals they work with to spread the word.
Eight days into open enrollment, Martinez said MHP Salud had received five inquiries from DACA recipients through their online information form about coverage.
Jennifer Martinez, a program manager at MHP Salud, said the biggest challenge is trying to find where DACA recipients are located. They can be students or business owners, just graduating college or starting their own family.
In July, U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro along with five other Texas officials wrote a letter to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services urging them to expand their outreach and enrollment assistance efforts for DACA recipients.
“We’re going on a first date with DACA recipients,†said Stacey Thompson, a program director at Civic Heart Community Services, another health navigator organization. “We’re nervous but we’re also excited to serve them.â€
Fear of taking subsidies
According to health policy research organization Kaiser Family Foundation, 43% of DACA-eligible individuals have incomes below 200% of the federal poverty level compared with 26% of U.S.-born individuals in the same age group. That’s $30,120 for one person and $62,400 for a family of four.
Since many DACA recipients are low-income and are generally barred from Medicaid, tax credits and cost-sharing reductions for marketplace plans could make the difference between having health insurance or not.
“The tax credits are huge,†said Scott Heard, senior program coordinator for the Prosper Health Coverage Program at Foundation Communities in Austin. “I don’t think some people realize just how essential that is to the program. It’s pretty much not affordable without the tax credits.â€
During his previous term, Trump had led an unsuccessful effort to rid the Affordable Care Act, and although he could renew the charge in his upcoming term, a more likely action is that he could whittle away subsidies that help low-income individuals afford a marketplace plan, regardless of their citizenship.
Further complicating the issue, DACA recipients also fear using subsidies could block their paths to citizenship. During the last Trump administration, federal officials broadened rules so that certain immigrants who received Medicaid, housing assistance, child care subsidies, and other benefits for more than 12 months within any 36-month period could be deemed a public charge. Being labeled a public charge or a potential public charge carries high consequences: the inability to become lawful permanent residents.
Espinosa said DACA recipients fear using Affordable Care Act subsidies will carry the same penalty.
“We tell them the truth and that this is not a public charge,†he said. “They are not here illegally. They do have a permit to be here. We are hoping to be able to explain to people what this really means and hoping that they’ll take a chance and do it.â€
An uncertain future
DACA recipients were originally excluded from the Affordable Care Act because they were not considered lawfully present. In a 2023 report, Medha Makhlouf, a Pennsylvania State University law professor, suggested that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ decision to exclude DACA recipients was not based on health policy.
“It relied on a desire to not interfere with immigration policymaking,†Makhlouf wrote. “The decision to ‘carve out’ DACA beneficiaries from the category of lawfully present noncitizens was made under pressure from an administration that was concerned about appearing too lenient on immigration issues.â€
Those fears that the move would cause political pushback have been validated by a lawsuit, first filed in August, that seeks to reverse DACA recipients’ eligibility for Affordable Care Act coverage. The attorney generals from 19 states, including Texas, argue that by allowing DACA recipients to benefit from subsidized health insurance and making them lawfully present in their health care system, these individuals will want to stay in the United States longer. This will in turn cause states to spend more money on education, health care, law enforcement, and other limited resources, they say. Texas spends more than $250 million each year on social services to DACA recipients, according to the lawsuit.
However, Waco-based economist Ray Perryman told the Dallas Morning News that to his knowledge there is no Texas database or study that tracks what costs the state incurs because of DACA recipients. Texas used Perryman’s estimates in the lawsuit but he said that “none of my analysis regarding immigration or the DACA recipients has identified any cost to the state imposed by DACA recipients.â€
DACA advocates say that health insurance coverage helps lower costs because people do not have to wait until their health problems become more serious and more expensive, possibly putting more financial burden on health systems.
Navigators say that federally-funded clinics are the closest thing uninsured DACA recipients have to reliable quality health care.
Nicolas Espiritu, the deputy director of legal at the National Immigration Law Center, said that he does not believe that any states will be harmed if the marketplace is opened up to DACA recipients. If anything, it would be a benefit to states.
“Texas also doesn’t bear any costs for administering the program,†he said. “The health care access and quality and overall health care outcomes will only improve by ensuring that everyone has health care.â€
Elizondo has been excited to sign up for Affordable Care Act insurance, listing out all the appointments she would like to make — those for regular health checkups, a gynecologist and mental health therapy. But with the results of Election Day, Elizondo fears she may never get it.
In the meantime, Elizondo, a decorated chef and owner of Houston-based Cochinita & Co., will continue to do what she has always done — push through tired and physically draining days as best she can.
“I have 17 employees, so it’s like I have 17 children,†she said. “The amount of energy it requires is high. Sometimes I feel like I’m not able to meet the demands the business requires.â€
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TYLER — Looking for new winter activities in Tyler? Thanks to the Discovery Science Place, people can soon go to their new skating rink. According to our news partner KETK, the skating rink will have a grand opening event on Nov. 15 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. and tickets are $15 which includes, 45 minutes of skate time, dinner, a picture with Santa, holiday crafts, cookie decorating and hot cocoa.
“This exciting addition is perfect for everyone—from beginners to seasoned skaters. Enjoy public skating sessions, host unforgettable birthday parties, or book after-hour events that will leave your guests buzzing with joy,†the Discovery Science Place said. “Schools can take advantage of our special field trip packages, combining education and fun on the ice. Lace up your skates and make unforgettable memories.â€
Public skating will be $7 an hour and guests are asked to arrive 15-20 minutes early to get skates. People can book public skating sessions online or purchase by the hour at the front desk.
The election of former President Donald Trump to a second term has put a spotlight on what his return to the White House may look like, particularly when it comes to women's health.
Online searches for topics related to women's health have spiked since the Nov. 5 election, particularly when it comes to birth control, Google data shows.
Searches for IUDs, birth control pills, and Plan B are trending higher than they have since June 2022, when Roe v. Wade was overturned, giving states the power to decide abortion access.
Since then, at least 14 states have ceased nearly all abortion services, and 21 states have put into effect restrictions on abortion.
The current abortion landscape combined with Trump's comments about birth control on the campaign trail and his first administration's efforts to roll back insurance coverage of contraceptives have led to uncertainty about what will happen in his second term.
Here are five questions answered.
1. What does the term 'birth control' include?
Birth control, also known as contraception, is the broad term for the act of preventing pregnancy.
The term includes everything from medicines and methods to devices and surgery used to prevent pregnancy, according to the National Library of Medicine.
One of the most widely-known and used types of contraception is the birth control pill, an oral, hormonal medication that commonly requires a prescription.
Around 14% of women in the United States between the ages of 15 to 49 currently use the pill, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
2. What did Trump say about birth control on the campaign trail?
During an interview with a Pittsburgh TV station in May, Trump was asked if he supports any restrictions on a person's right to contraceptives.
"Well, we're looking at that and we're going to have a policy on that very shortly," Trump responded with. "And I think it's something you'll find interesting and it's another issue that's very interesting."
When asked to clarify if he was suggesting he was open to supporting some restrictions on contraceptives, "like the morning-after pill," Trump responded, "Things really do have a lot to do with the states -- and some states are going to have different policy than others."
The former president quickly took to social media to clarify his position, claiming that he was not advocating for restrictions on contraceptives.
"I HAVE NEVER, AND WILL NEVER ADVOCATE IMPOSING RESTRICTIONS ON BIRTH CONTROL, or other contraceptives," he wrote in a May 21 post on his social media platform.
The Trump campaign further attempted to clarify, claiming the policy Trump was referring to during the interview was mifepristone, often used in pregnancy termination. However, Trump was not asked about the abortion medication.
After winning the 2024 presidential election, Trump and the transition team have been advised on health-related appointments by Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who has also been in discussions to possibly fill a major role in the next administration, sources familiar with the matter told ABC News.
ABC News has not found public comment from RFK Jr. on the issue of birth control.
3. What happened on birth control during Trump's first administration?
During Trump's first term, the Department of Health and Human Services issued new rules allowing more employers to opt-out of the Affordable Care Act mandate guaranteeing no-cost contraceptive services for women.
The Supreme Court upheld the HHS decision in a 7-2 ruling in 2020, giving an employer or university with a religious or moral objection to opt out of covering contraceptives for employees.
4. As president, what power does Trump have over birth control?
As president, Trump would have the authority to order rollbacks of measures implemented by President Joe Biden's administration to protect birth control.
As recently as October, the Biden administration announced a plan to require insurers to fully cover over-the-counter contraceptives.
In January, the administration announced several other measures to protect contraception access, including federal agencies issuing new guidance to "clarify standards" and make sure Food and Drug Administration-approved contraceptive medications are available for free under the Affordable Care Act.
Once Trump is in office, he will also have the chance to appoint Supreme Court justices if vacancies arise. During his first term, Trump appointed three justices.
Trump could also work with Congress to enact legislation on women's reproductive rights, including birth control. Following the Nov. 5 election, control of the House of Representatives is still up in the air, while ABC News has projected that Republicans will win the Senate.
5. What has the Supreme Court said on birth control?
When the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022, a solo concurring opinion by Justice Clarence Thomas included a line on birth control.
In his opinion, Justice Clarence Thomas wrote that the court "should reconsider" Griswold v. Connecticut, the Supreme Court ruling that invalidated a Connecticut law that made it illegal to use birth control devices or to advise about their use.
"We have a duty to 'correct the error' established in those precedents," Thomas wrote, citing the Griswold ruling among others.
ABC News' Lalee Ibssa, Will McDuffie, Kelsey Walsh and Soo Rin Kim contributed to this report.
Official White House Photo by Shealah Craighead. Via Flickr
(WASHINGTON) -- After a sweeping victory over Vice President Kamala Harris on Nov. 5, President-elect Donald Trump is now set to become just the second ever to serve nonconsecutive terms in office.
Trump has wasted no time in moving to assemble his team for a second term in the White House -- naming Susie Wiles as his chief of staff, Florida Rep. Mike Waltz as his national security adviser and Tom Homan as his "border czar," among other positions.
Inauguration Day is Jan. 20.
Here is a running list of the people Trump has selected, or is expected to select, to serve in his administration.
Nov 15, 2024, 7:34 PM EST - Trump to return to MSG Saturday for UFC fight: Source
President-elect Donald Trump is expected to attend Saturday night’s UFC Fight: UFC 309: Jon Jones vs. Stipe Miocic at Madison Square Garden, a source familiar with Trump's planning told ABC News.
He is planning on spending the night in New York on Saturday and will return to Florida on Sunday, according to the source.
-ABC News' Lalee Ibssa, Soo Rin Kim and Kelsey Walsh
Nov 15, 2024, 6:46 PM EST - Trump announces Karoline Leavitt as White House press secretary
President-elect Donald Trump announced Friday that he selected Karoline Leavitt, a longtime communications staffer, as his White House press secretary.
Leavitt, 27, previously served as an assistant press secretary in Trump's first administration and was the national press secretary for his reelection campaign.
"Karoline is smart, tough, and has proven to be a highly effective communicator," Trump said in a Truth Social post.
-ABC News' Kelsey Walsh, Lalee Ibssa and Soo Rin Kim
Nov 15, 2024, 2:36 pm EST - Doug Burgum announced as interior secretary pick, chair of new 'National Energy Council'
Trump announced he has chosen North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum as his interior secretary in a post on social media Friday.
The president-elect teased his pick for the position, which requires Senate confirmation, during remarks at Mar-a-Lago Thursday night.
Trump also announced that Burgum will be joining his administration as chairman of the "newly formed, and very important, National Energy Council."
The council will consist of all departments and agencies "involved in the permitting, production, generation, distribution, regulation [and] transportation" of American energy, Trump said.
Burgum was seen as a possible running mate of Trump's. He was one of his busiest surrogates, campaigning for the former president and raising money for his reelection campaign.
Nov 15, 2024, 1:37 pm EST - Trump announces 2 White House staffers
Trump announced two new White House staffers on Friday.
Steven Cheung, who previously served as the director of strategic response in Trump's first term, will serve as director of communications in his second.
Sergio Gor, who ran the pro-Trump Super PAC Right For America, will serve as assistant to the president and director of the presidential personnel office.
"Steven Cheung and Sergio Gor have been trusted Advisors since my first Presidential Campaign in 2016, and have continued to champion America First principles throughout my First Term, all the way to our Historic Victory in 2024," Trump said in a statement. "I am thrilled to have them join my White House as we, Make America Great Again!"
Nov 15, 2024, 12:44 PM EST - Speaker Johnson urges House Ethics Committee not to release Gaetz report
House Speaker Mike Johnson said Friday he does not think the House Ethics Committee should release their report into now-former GOP Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz.
"I think it's a terrible breach of protocol and tradition and the spirit of the rules," Johnson told reporters at the U.S. Capitol.
Johnson said he didn't think it was "relevant" for the public to know what's in the report.
“The rules of the House have always been that a former member is beyond the jurisdiction of the Ethics Committee," he said.
Johnson said he had not yet spoken with Ethics Committee Chair Rep. Michael Guest, R-Miss., but that he plans to.
Guest postponed a meeting the House Ethics Committee had planned for Friday morning.
Senate Judiciary Committee Democrats have called on the committee to release the report.
-ABC News' Benjamin Siegel, Lauren Peller and Isabella Murray
Nov 15, 2024, 12:04 PM EST - Trump intends to 'weaponize' DOJ to seek 'vengeance': Durbin
Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., the chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, said Trump's various Justice Department nominees, including Gaetz and his personal attorneys, show the president-elect's intention to "weaponize" the Justice Department in order to "seek vengeance."
"Donald Trump viewed the Justice Department as his personal law firm during his first term, and these selections -- his personal attorneys -- are poised to do his bidding," Durbin said in a statement.
"The American people deserve a Justice Department that fights for equal justice under the law. This isn't it," the statement continued.
-ABC News' Mariam Khan
Nov 15, 2024, 11:37 AM EST - Trump transition team aware of 'sexual assault' allegedly involving Pete Hegseth
Pete Hegseth, Donald Trump's pick for defense secretary, was part of an investigation into alleged sexual assault in 2017, officials in Monterey, California, said in a statement overnight. Trump’s transition team was made aware of the incident earlier this week, after Trump announced him as his choice, a source told ABC News.
Monterey city officials said in their press statement that police investigated a "sexual assault" that allegedly occurred in the early morning hours of Oct. 8, 2017, at a Hyatt Regency. The incident did not involve a weapon, but the victim allegedly suffered "contusions to right thigh."
Hegseth is not identified in the city's statement as the alleged assailant. The victim’s name and age are listed as "confidential."
A police report was filed days later, on Oct. 12. It was not immediately clear whether any charges were filed. A Monterey Superior Court spokesperson told ABC News on Thursday they had no records on file with Hegseth’s name as a party.
Tim Parlatore, an attorney for Hegseth, told ABC News. "This incident was fully investigated and Mr. Hegseth was cleared of any wrongdoing. It should have no effect on the confirmation process."
Monterey officials said the statement came in response to "numerous inquiries" from the media, including ABC News, and they would not be making "any other remarks related to this inquiry."
ABC News has reached out to the Trump transition for comment.
-ABC News' Lucien Bruggeman
Nov 15, 2024, 10:30 AM EST - JD Vance talking to senators about Gaetz support: Sources
Vice President-elect JD Vance has already been working the phones reaching out to senators trying to gauge support for Matt Gaetz -- who Trump named for the attorney general role, according to three sources with knowledge of the calls.
Matt Gaetz has also been making calls to senators, sources said.
The calls from Vance underscore ABC News' reporting that he is expected to be the "eyes and ears" for Trump in Congress.
Also, the House Ethics Committee, which sources said was preparing to meet this week to deliberate over whether to release a final report on Gaetz -- is not expected to meet Friday, per two sources.
-ABC News' Rachel Scott
Nov 14, 2024, 9:14 PM EST - Marianne Williamson praises RFK Jr., calls out Democrats over health policy
After wishing Robert F. Kennedy Jr. congratulations for his nomination as health secretary, former Democratic presidential candidate and progressive Marianne Williamson told ABC News the Democratic Party has a "profound lack of understanding of people’s health concerns."
"I agreed with and campaigned on a lot of things Bobby Kennedy has to say, just as I have disagreed with other things," Williamson said.
"But I recognized the malicious way the system sought to remove him from the conversation, due to a problem not within him but within it," she added.
Williamson said that she suggested the Democratic Party "announce its own root cause food and health platform as an alternative" after Kennedy endorsed Trump.
"I offered the policies I had developed during my own campaign. Their disinterest displayed a profound lack of understanding of people’s health concerns, and how proactively creating health is a critically needed complement to treating the symptoms of sickness," Williamson said.
Nov 14, 2024, 8:57 PM EST - Trump says he will tap Gov. Doug Burgum to lead the Department of the Interior
Trump made another cabinet announcement Thursday evening, saying North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum will be tapped to be the Secretary of the Interior.
Speaking of energy policy, Trump said, "We're going to slash energy costs. We're going to get your energy bills in half, and that's going to bring down the cost."
Teasing the announcement, which he said will formally come Friday, Trump revealed Burgum will lead the Department of the Interior.
"He's going to head the Department of Interior and he's going to be fantastic," Trump said.
Nov 14, 2024, 8:57 PM EST - Trump praises Elon Musk and RFK Jr. during gala address
During his address at the America First Policy Institute's annual gala, Trump praised his newly announced cabinet members, Elon Musk, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Tulsi Gabbard and Vivek Ramaswamy.
"He launched a rocket three weeks ago, and then he went to Pennsylvania to campaign because he considered this more important than launching rockets that cost billions of dollars. Elon Musk, what a job he does," Trump said of Musk, who he appointed to spearhead the new Department of Government Efficiency with Ramaswamy.
Speaking of RFK Jr., who was tapped to lead the Department of Health and Human Services, Trump said, "I guess if you like health and if you like people that live a long time, it's the most important position."
Nov 14, 2024, 8:33 PM EST - Introduced by Sylvester Stallone, Trump takes the stage at AFPI gala
President-elect Donald Trump is at Mar-a-Lago Thursday evening for the America First Policy Institute's annual gala.
He was introduced to the stage by "Rocky" actor Sylvester Stallone.
Nov 14, 2024, 8:06 PM EST - Burgum says there's been 'a lot of discussions' when asked about potential Cabinet role
North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum told reporters at Mar-a-Lago that there have been "a lot of discussions" when asked about a potential Cabinet role.
Asked about possibly being "energy czar," Burgum responded, "There's been a lot of rumors about that. But I think the key thing is not the role."
"It's not about any specific role," he later added, saying the incoming Trump administration will be "very focused on trying to solve problems, and the nexus between energy and inflation and the nexus between energy and national security are key."
When asked about conversations about interior secretary, Burgum said, "There's been a lot of discussions about a lot of different things."
"Nothing's true until you read it on Truth Social," he said.
Sources close to Burgum suggest he hoped to get the nod for secretary of state, for which Trump nominated Sen. Marco Rubio.
-ABC News' Fritz Farrow, Soo Rin Kim and Kelsey Walsh
Nov 14, 2024, 6:44 PM EST - Trump expected to speak at AFPI's Mar-a-Lago gala tonight
Trump is expected to speak at America First Policy Institute's annual gala at Mar-a-Lago tonight.
Trump was seen attending AFPI's festivities at his club Wednesday night, after returning from his visit to the White House.
The think tank has been quietly building policy proposals and infrastructure for a second Trump presidency. It houses hundreds of former Trump administration officials and staffers.
Nov 14, 2024, 6:33 PM EST - Trump taps another attorney for DOJ
Trump said he has selected Dean John Sauer as solicitor general, in his fourth announcement of the day.
The Department of Justice position requires Senate confirmation.
As Trump's defense attorney, Sauer argued for presidential immunity in front of the Supreme Court earlier this year, in which the high court granted broad immunity for official acts.
He marks the third attorney who has worked on Trump's criminal cases nominated for a DOJ position.
Nov 14, 2024, 6:25 PM EST - Doug Collins tapped for secretary of veterans affairs
Trump announced he has nominated former Georgia Rep. Doug Collins for secretary of veterans affairs.
Collins is a veteran who currently serves as a chaplain in the U.S. Air Force Reserve Command, Trump said in a statement.
"We must take care of our brave men and women in uniform, and Doug will be a great advocate for our Active Duty Servicemembers, Veterans, and Military Families to ensure they have the support they need," Trump said.
The position requires Senate confirmation.
Nov 14, 2024, 6:23 PM EST - Trump picks his defense attorneys for Justice Department posts
Trump announced he has selected Todd Blanche for deputy attorney general and Emil Bove for principal associate deputy attorney general.
Both represented Trump during his hush-money trial in Manhattan earlier this year, when he was found guilty on 34 counts of falsifying business records.
The high-ranking Justice Department positions require Senate confirmation.
Nov 14, 2024, 5:18 PM EST - Senate Judiciary Dems ask House Ethics Committee for Gaetz report
Senate Judiciary Committee Democrats have officially asked the House Ethics Committee to release its report on Matt Gaetz, including all other relevant documentation, in a letter shared by the office of Senate Judiciary Chair Dick Durbin.
"The sequence and timing of Mr. Gaetz's resignation from the House raises serious questions about the contents of the House Ethics Committee report and findings," the letter signed by the 11 Democratic senators stated. "We cannot allow this critical information from a bipartisan investigation into longstanding public allegations to be hidden from the American people, given that it is directly relevant to the question of whether Mr. Gaetz is qualified and fit to be the next Attorney General of the United States."
Durbin's office said in a press release there is "substantial precedent" for the committee to release preliminary findings and reports after members have left and/or resigned from Congress.
Gaetz, who had been under a House ethics investigation over allegations of sexual misconduct and illicit drug use, resigned from Congress on Wednesday following his nomination for attorney general by Trump. Sources told ABC News the committee was preparing to meet this week to deliberate over whether to release a final report on the matter.
-ABC News' Mariam Khan
Nov 14, 2024, 5:11 PM EST - Trump nominates former SEC Chair Jay Clayton for Manhattan US attorney
Trump has nominated his former SEC chair, Jay Clayton, as the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, the president-elect announced on social media.
The position requires Senate confirmation.
Clayton was one of the candidates who interviewed for the attorney general job, as ABC News previously reported.
The longtime corporate lawyer would enter the role with little-to-no experience prosecuting criminal cases.
Prior to running the SEC, Clayton worked almost exclusively as a corporate attorney, with the exception of a two-year clerkship and a brief internship for the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.
Clayton spent most of his career at the law firm Sullivan & Cromwell, where he represented hedge funds, wealthy investors, large banks, and massive corporations such as Deutsche Bank, UBS, and Alibaba Group. Clayton represented Goldman Sachs during the 2008 financial crisis and Barclays when it purchased Lehman Brothers' assets out of bankruptcy.
-ABC News' Peter Charalambous
Nov 14, 2024, 4:22 PM EST - Trump nominates RFK Jr. for HHS secretary
Trump officially announced he has selected Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as the Health and Human Services secretary.
"For too long, Americans have been crushed by the industrial food complex and drug companies who have engaged in deception, misinformation, and disinformation when it comes to Public Health," he said in a statement, adding that Kennedy will "restore these Agencies to the traditions of Gold Standard Scientific Research, and beacons of Transparency."
The position requires Senate confirmation.
Kennedy is an anti-vaccine activist who founded the Children's Health Defense, a prominent anti-vaccine nonprofit that has campaigned against immunizations and other public health measures like water fluoridation.
Nov 14, 2024, 2:34 PM EST - JPMorgan Chase CEO not joining Trump administration
Trump said JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon will not be invited to be a part of his administration, after Dimon had already repeatedly indicated that he doesn't intend to join the second Trump administration.
"I respect Jamie Dimon, of JPMorgan Chase, greatly, but he will not be invited to be a part of the Trump Administration. I thank Jamie for his outstanding service to our Country!" Trump said on social media Thursday.
A few weeks ago, Trump falsely posted on his social media that Dimon had endorsed him. Dimon, through his spokesperson, immediately refuted the claim.
-ABC News' Soo Rin Kim, Kelsey Walsh and Lalee Ibssa
Nov 14, 2024, 1:32 PM EST - Blumenthal says he knows 5-10 GOP senators considering voting against Gaetz
Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., told reporters Thursday he "can name between five and 10 Republicans who are seriously considering voting against" Matt Gaetz's nomination for attorney general.
Blumenthal said the senators are also "insisting that there be a vote," after Trump has urged the incoming GOP Senate majority to embrace recess appointments to install members of his Cabinet.
"Republicans, as well as Democrats, are absolutely aghast at the idea that we would allow a recess appointment of the top judicial officer in the United States of America; that is absolutely abhorrent to the powers and traditions of the United States Senate and the Constitution," Blumenthal said.
Blumenthal, who is a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, has also demanded that the House ethics report on Gaetz regarding allegations of sexual misconduct and illicit drug use be released following Gaetz's resignation from Congress.
-ABC News' Rachel Scott, Benjamin Siegel and Hannah Demissie
Nov 14, 2024, 12:32 PM EST - Gaetz resignation letter read on House floor
On the House floor Thursday afternoon, the clerk read a resignation letter from Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz regarding his immediate departure from Congress, following Trump's nomination of him for attorney general.
"I hereby resign as a United States representative for Florida's 1st congressional district, effective immediately. And I do not intend to take the oath of office for the same office in the 119th Congress to pursue the position of attorney general in the Trump administration," the House clerk read from the letter, which was submitted on Wednesday.
In light of Gaetz's resignation, the new House breakdown is 220 Republicans, 213 Democrats and two vacancies.
-ABC News' Lauren Peller
Nov 14, 2024, 12:04 PM EST - Thune says he doesn't know if Gaetz will be confirmed until they start the process
When asked if he believes Matt Gaetz could be confirmed as attorney general, the incoming Senate majority leader told ABC News he doesn't know until they start the Senate confirmation process.
"I don't know until we start the process, and that's what we intend to do with him and all the other potential nominees," Sen. John Thune said. "None of this stuff's formal yet, but you know, when it is, we expect our committees to do their jobs and provide the advice and consent that is required under the Constitution."
Gaetz, who had been under a House ethics investigation over allegations of sexual misconduct and illicit drug use, resigned from Congress on Wednesday following his nomination for attorney general by Trump. Sources told ABC News the committee was preparing to meet this week to deliberate over whether to release a final report on the matter.
Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., who currently chairs the Senate Judiciary Committee, has called for the report's release, saying Gaetz's resignation raises "serious questions" about its contents.
"We cannot allow this valuable information from a bipartisan investigation to be hidden from the American people," Durbin said in a statement Thursday.
House Ethics Committee Chairman Rep. Michael Guest, R-Miss., refused to discuss the confidentiality of the investigation into Gaetz.
"What happens in ethics is confidential," Guest told reporters Thursday.
-ABC News' Hannah Demissie, Isabella Murray, Lauren Peller, Arthur Jones II and Mariam Khan
Nov 14, 2024, 11:46 AM EST - Mayorkas committed to a 'smooth transition' for incoming DHS secretary
Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said he is committed to a "smooth transition" at the department he leads.
"I am committed to a smooth transition to ensure that the incoming Secretary and their team understands the challenges that we face on the homeland, and to ensure that the team understands, appreciates and is in a position to advance the capabilities that we have developed and strengthened to address those challenges successfully," Mayorkas said on a conference call with reporters on a separate topic on Thursday. "The transition team has not landed here at the Department of Homeland Security."
He said the department is still implementing President Joe Biden's policies.
"We are no different than any administration that perceives us in so far as we have a president now and we are executing the policies of this president. The president-elect will determine what policies to promulgate and implement, and that is, of course, the president-elect's prerogative."
South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem was nominated by Trump for the DHS secretary position, which requires Senate confirmation.
-ABC News' Luke Barr
Nov 14, 2024, 11:28 AM EST - Nikki Haley says she spoke with Trump transition team, did not want position
In an episode of her online radio show, SiriusXM's Nikki Haley Live, on Wednesday, former U.S. ambassador to the U.N. Nikki Haley claimed that Trump's transition team spoke to her asking for advice about who should be in Trump's cabinet, although she said she made it clear she did not want to take a position in the administration.
She also indicated that the way Trump handled saying she would not be in the administration was "shallow."
"I had no interest in being in [Trump's] cabinet. He knew that," Haley said.
Haley said Trump confidant (and incoming special envoy to the Middle East) Steve Witkoff spoke to her saying he "wanted a truce between me and Donald Trump. And I told him at the time, there was no truce needed, that I had -- that Trump had my support, there was no issues [sic] on my end," Haley said.
"And at that point he was like, 'What do you want? Tell me what you want. Is there anything you want?' And I said, 'There's nothing I want.' And there wasn't anything I wanted."
She said that later that she spoke directly with Trump transition director Howard Lutnick to give advice.
ABC News has reached out to the Trump transition team about Haley's claims.
-ABC News' Oren Oppenheim, Soorin Kim, Lalee Ibssa, Kelsey Walsh and Hannah Demissie
Nov 14, 2024, 6:59 AM EST - DeSantis says he's instructed Florida's secretary of state to make a schedule for upcoming special elections
With both Florida Reps. Matt Gaetz and Mike Waltz being tapped for President-elect Donald Trump's cabinet, Gov. Ron DeSantis announced on X on Thursday morning that he's instructed Florida's secretary of state to make a schedule for the special elections to replace them.
"Congratulations to the Floridians being appointed to key positions in the Trump Administration: Senator Marco Rubio, Congressman Matt Gaetz, and Congressman Mike Waltz," DeSantis wrote on X. "I've instructed Secretary of State Cord Byrd to formulate and announce a schedule for the upcoming special elections immediately."
However, DeSantis' post did not mention anything about when these elections could happen.
Nov 13, 2024, 9:25 PM EST - Trump considering his lawyer for deputy attorney general: Sources
President-elect Donald Trump is considering his top defense attorney for the second highest position in the Department of Justice, sources tell ABC News.
Todd Blanche, who represented Trump in the hush money case and in both of Jack Smith's federal probes, is being considered as the deputy attorney general, multiple sources said.
Blanche had been widely speculated to join Trump in the federal government in some form.
The position would need Senate confirmation.
-ABC News' Katherine Faulders
Nov 13, 2024, 7:20 PM EST - Gaetz already resigned from Congress, Speaker Johnson says
Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz, Trump's pick for attorney general, offered his resignation from Congress earlier Wednesday -- effective immediately, House Speaker Mike Johnson announced.
Johnson said the resignation took him by "surprise" but that the Florida congressman did so to "start the clock" on the process for Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis to call a special election to fill his vacancy.
"We're grateful for that so we move forward," Johnson said.
The move slims the new House GOP majority.
Johnson did not weigh in on the House Ethics Committee probe into Gaetz that will now cease with no report released, as Gaetz is no longer a member of Congress.
-ABC News' Lauren Peller and Isabella Murray
Nov 13, 2024, 3:31 PM EST - Trump nominates Matt Gaetz as attorney general
Trump has nominated Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz to be his attorney general, he posted on his social media.
Gaetz was seen traveling with Trump in the motorcade Wednesday during the president-elect's visit to Washington, D.C.
The role is a Senate-confirmed appointment.
Trump called Gaetz a "deeply gifted and tenacious attorney" who will "end Weaponized Government, protect our Borders, dismantle Criminal Organizations and restore Americans’ badly-shattered Faith and Confidence in the Justice Department."
Gaetz is an explosive selection by Trump to be the chief law enforcement officer of the federal government, leading the very same executive branch of government that spent years investigating allegations regarding the Florida congressman. Gaetz was informed that the DOJ would not seek charges just last year. He has long denied any wrongdoing.
Gaetz faces an ongoing probe by the House Ethics Committee for the same allegations, related to sex trafficking and obstruction of justice.
Gaetz has been down in Mar-a-Lago almost daily since Election Day, helping make suggestions and input on other administration selections, sources told ABC News.
-ABC News' Will Steakin
Nov 13, 2024, 3:20 PM EST - Tulsi Gabbard tapped as director of national intelligence
Trump announced that former Rep. Tulsi Gabbard is his pick for director of national intelligence.
"I know Tulsi will bring the fearless spirit that has defined her illustrious career to our Intelligence Community, championing our Constitutional Rights, and securing Peace through Strength," Trump said in a statement.
The role is a Senate-confirmed appointment.
Gabbard, who once ran for president as a Democrat, had a prominent role as part of Trump's 2024 campaign team.
Nov 13, 2024, 3:06 PM EST - Marco Rubio announced as secretary of state pick
Trump has officially announced Florida Sen. Marco Rubio as his nomination for secretary of state.
"Marco is a Highly Respected Leader, and a very powerful Voice for Freedom," Trump said in a statement. "He will be a strong Advocate for our Nation, a true friend to our Allies, and a fearless Warrior who will never back down to our adversaries."
The role must be confirmed by the Senate.
November 13, 2024, 2:23 pm EST - Biden, Trump had 'substantive meeting and exchange of views': White House
President Joe Biden and Trump had a "substantive meeting and exchange of views" during their nearly two-hour Oval Office meeting on Tuesday, according to the White House press secretary.
"They discussed important national security and domestic policy issues facing the nation and the world," Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters during a briefing following the meeting. "President Biden also raised important items on Congress's to-do list for the lame duck session, including funding the government and providing the disaster supplemental funding the president requested."
Biden also reiterated that "we will have an orderly transition and a peaceful transition of power," she added.
On the national security discussion, ABC News Chief White House Correspondent Mary Bruce asked White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan if Biden made the case for the U.S. not to walk away from Ukraine, and how the message was received.
"I will only note that President Biden reinforced his view that the United States, standing with Ukraine on an ongoing basis, is in our national security interest," Sullivan responded, adding that "standing up to aggressors and dictators and pushing back against their aggression is vital to ensuring that we don't end up getting dragged directly into a war."
-ABC News' Molly Nagle
November 13, 2024, 11:37 AM EST - The battle for Trump's treasury secretary
As Trump continues to round out his cabinet, the job of treasury secretary remains in flux, with the co-chair of Trump's transition team actively vying for the job, sources familiar with the matter told ABC News.
Howard Lutnick is looking to be tapped as treasury secretary, sources said, a move that comes as investor and hedge fund manager Scott Bessent is also a top contender for the role.
Bessent traveled to Mar-a-Lago as recently as Friday to meet with Trump about the job, the sources said.
Lutnick, on the other hand, spends hours with Trump nearly each day, presenting candidates for top roles in the administration. As such, the move by Lutnick to attempt to get a cabinet position for himself has frustrated some close to Trump.
Sources caution the job is still in flux and neither man could get the job -- with the potential for other candidates to emerge.
One potential dark horse for the job, one source told ABC News, is former Trump administration trade representative Robert Lighthizer, who Trump sees as an aggressive advocate for his tariff-heavy approach to international trade.
-ABC News' Jonathan Karl, Olivia Rubin and Katherine Faulders
November 13, 2024, 11:32 AM EST - Trump and Biden meet in Oval Office
President Joe Biden and Trump are meeting in the Oval Office, resuming a tradition that Trump himself flouted in 2020.
Biden spoke first and called for a smooth transition. Trump then said politics is tough but the transition will be smooth.
They did not answer questions.
November 13, 2024, 11:06 AM EST - Trump announces senior White House staff
Trump announced his senior staff on Wednesday, bringing back some of his well-known names from his first term and those who helped on his campaign.
Dan Scavino, one of Trump's long-time allies, was named assistant to the president and deputy chief of staff. Stephen Miller was named assistant to the president and deputy chief of staff, a move reported earlier this week.
James Blair, the Republican National Committee political director and campaign aide, has been named assistant to the president and deputy chief of staff for legislative, political and public affairs. Taylor Budowich will serve as assistant to the president and deputy chief of staff for communications and personnel. He was a senior member of several of Trump's PACs.
November 13, 2024, 9:50 AM EST - Trump struggles with attorney general decision, Musk sits in on interviews for key positions: Sources
President-elect Donald Trump is moving quickly to install loyalists and allies into his administration. But he's struggling with making a decision on one of his top law enforcement positions: attorney general, multiple sources told ABC News.
Trump interviewed multiple candidates for attorney general on Tuesday, but he came away unsatisfied, sources with knowledge of the conversations told ABC News.
Trump interviewed Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey on Monday, and sat down with lawyers Jay Clayton and Bob Giuffra about the post, sources said. No final decision has been made, sources said.
Notably, billionaire Elon Musk has been involved in -- and sitting in on -- interviews with potential attorney general candidates, the sources said.
In a sign of how quickly other positions are moving, Pete Hegseth -- the Fox News host selected as the nominee for Defense Secretary -- was just called Monday and interviewed for the position Tuesday, a source familiar told ABC News.
Within hours, Trump made his choice, sources added. Several Republicans on Capitol Hill and even some Trump allies described being "caught off guard" by the pick.
-Katherine Faulders, Will Steakin, Rachel Scott, John Santucci
November 13, 2024, 5:30 AM EST - Illinois, Colorado governors announce state-level coalition to resist Trump policies
Democratic Govs. J.B. Pritzker of Illinois and Jared Polis of Colorado will be the co-chairs of a new "non-partisan" coalition of the nation's governors committed to protecting the "state-level institutions of democracy" ahead of Donald Trump's incoming presidency.
Governors Safeguarding Democracy, or GSD, will be overseen by governors and supported by a network of senior staff designated by each leader while being supported by GovAct, an organization "championing fundamental freedoms."
GovAct is advised by a bipartisan board that includes former Republican and Democratic governors and senior officials like former GOP Gov. Arne Carlson of Minnesota, former Democratic Gov. Deval Patrick of Massachusetts and former GOP Gov. Bill Weld of Massachusetts.
-ABC News’ Isabella Murray
November 12, 2024, 7:59 PM EST - Gov. Kristi Noem picked for Homeland Security secretary
Trump confirmed he has picked South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem to be his Homeland Security secretary.
Trump said in a statement that Noem will work closely with "border czar" Tom Homan and "will guarantee that our American Homeland is secure from our adversaries."
The role requires Senate confirmation.
November 12, 2024, 7:47 PM EST - Trump announces Department of Government Efficiency led by Musk, Ramaswamy
Trump has announced that billionaire Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy, a former presidential candidate and ally of the president-elect, will lead a new Department of Government Efficiency.
"Together, these two wonderful Americans will pave the way for my Administration to dismantle Government Bureaucracy, slash excess regulations, cut wasteful expenditures, and restructure Federal Agencies," Trump said in a statement.
The Department of Government Efficiency is not a new government agency. Trump said it will "provide advice and guidance from outside of government" and "partner" with the White House and Office of Management and Budget to drive structural government reform.
Trump has previously said Musk would take a role in his administration as head of a new "government efficiency commission."
November 12, 2024, 7:27 PM EST - Trump nominates Pete Hegseth for defense secretary
Trump has nominated Pete Hegseth to be his defense secretary.
Hegseth is currently a host of "Fox & Friends" as well as an Army combat veteran.
"Nobody fights harder for the Troops, and Pete will be a courageous and patriotic champion of our 'Peace through Strength' policy," Trump said in a statement.
The role requires Senate confirmation.
November 12, 2024, 5:57 PM EST - Trump picks John Ratcliffe for CIA director
Trump announced that John Ratcliffe is his pick for director of the Central Intelligence Agency.
The role requires Senate confirmation.
Ratcliffe was a former director of National Intelligence during Trump's first term.
"I look forward to John being the first person ever to serve in both of our Nation’s highest Intelligence positions," Trump said in a statement, adding that Ratcliffe "will be a fearless fighter for the Constitutional Rights of all Americans."
November 12, 2024, 5:55 PM EST - Trump names attorney Bill McGinley as his White House counsel
Trump has named attorney Bill McGinley as his White House counsel, his transition team announced.
McGinley served as the White House Cabinet secretary during Trump's first term and has served as general counsel at the National Republican Senatorial Committee.
"Bill is a smart and tenacious lawyer who will help me advance our America First agenda while fighting for election integrity and against the weaponization of law enforcement," Trump said in a statement.
The White House counsel is appointed by the president.
November 12, 2024, 5:27 PM EST - Trump taps friend and donor Steve Witkoff as special envoy to the Middle East
Trump has tapped his longtime friend and donor Steve Witkoff as his special envoy to the Middle East, the president-elect's transition team announced.
Witkoff, along with former Sen. Kelly Loeffler, has been leading the inauguration efforts.
Witkoff has held multiple fundraisers for Trump throughout the election cycle and accompanied him to numerous campaign rallies. He was also golfing with Trump during the alleged second assassination attempt in West Palm Beach earlier this year.
-ABC News' Soo Rin Kim, Kelsey Walsh and Lalee Ibssa
November 12, 2024, 4:42 PM EST - Trump expected to tap Kristi Noem for DHS secretary: Sources
Trump is expected to soon announce he has chosen South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem as his next secretary for the Department of Homeland Security, according to sources.
The role requires Senate confirmation.
Noem was on the short-list to be Trump's running mate, but her chances dimmed as she fended off controversy over accounts in her book about killing her dog that she claimed was showing aggressive behavior.
She also faced backlash after her spokesperson said a claim she made about meeting North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and an account of an interaction with former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley were "errors."
She is a loyal Trump ally who will work closely with Trump's new border czar Tom Homan and new deputy chief of staff for policy, Stephen Miller. CNN was first to report the news of Noem as the secretary pick.
-ABC News' Jonathan Karl. Rachel Scott, Katherine Faulders and Luke Barr
November 12, 2024, 3:25 PM EST - DeSantis must call for special elections to fill Waltz's impending vacancy
To replace Florida Rep. Mike Waltz in the U.S. House following his selection to serve as Trump's national security adviser, state statute requires Gov. Ron DeSantis to call for a special primary and then a special election in Florida.
The special elections to fill the House seat differ from Florida's way of filling Senate seats. State law mandates that DeSantis appoint an individual to fill any Senate vacancy.
Waltz currently represents Florida's solidly red 6th Congressional District, one that hasn't been represented by a Democrat since 1989. DeSantis himself was the congressmember for the northeastern Florida seat ahead of Waltz.
ABC News has not yet reported a projection for who will have control of the House, but Waltz's impending vacancy could impact Republicans' numbers as they head toward a GOP "trifecta" in Washington.
-ABC News' Isabella Murray
November 12, 2024, 2:01 PM EST - Trump nominates Mike Huckabee to be Israeli ambassador
Trump announced he has nominated former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee to be the U.S. ambassador to Israel.
"Mike has been a great public servant, Governor, and Leader in Faith for many years," Trump said in a statement. "He loves Israel, and the people of Israel, and likewise, the people of Israel love him. Mike will work tirelessly to bring about Peace in the Middle East!"
The role, which will need to be confirmed by the Senate, will be a key appointment as tensions remain high in the Middle East.
November 12, 2024, 1:37 PM EST - Trump officially announces Waltz as national security adviser pick
Trump has officially announced his appointment of Florida Rep. Mike Waltz as his national security adviser.
The president-elect highlighted Waltz's military background in a statement on the appointment, noting that he is the first Green Beret to have been elected to Congress and served in the Army Special Forces for 27 years.
"Mike has been a strong champion of my America First Foreign Policy agenda, and will be a tremendous champion of our pursuit of Peace through Strength!" Trump said in a statement.
The national security adviser is appointed by the president without confirmation by the Senate.
-ABC News' Soo Rin Kim, Kelsey Walsh and Lalee Ibssa
November 12, 2024, 11:50 AM EST - Will Trump's administration picks impact House control?
While control of the House has not yet been projected by ABC News, Republicans are inching toward maintaining their slim majority.
But already, Trump has picked several lawmakers to serve in his administration: Rep. Elise Stefanik for United Nations ambassador and Rep. Mike Waltz for national security adviser.
Speaker Mike Johnson, asked about the issue on Tuesday, said he's spoken to Trump about it several times.
"We have a really talented Republican Congress ... Many of them can serve in important positions in the new administration. But President Trump fully understands, appreciates the math here and it's just a numbers game," Johnson said. "You know, we believe we're going to have a larger majority than we had last time."
The speaker added: "I don't expect that we will have more members leaving, but I’ll leave that up to him."
November 12, 2024, 11:39 AM EST - Billionaire John Paulson says he's not a candidate for Treasury role
Billionaire John Paulson said Tuesday he does not plan to formally join the administration as the secretary of the U.S. Department of the Treasury, though he said he intends to remain actively involved with Trump's economic team.
"Although various media outlets have mentioned me as a candidate for Secretary of the Treasury, my complex financial obligations would prevent me from holding an official position in President Trump’s administration at this time," Paulson said in a statement.
"However, I intend to remain actively involved with the President’s economic team and helping in the implementation of President Trump’s outstanding policy proposals," he added.
-ABC News' Beatrice Peterson
November 12, 2024, 11 AM EST - Johnson teases Trump visit to the Capitol
House Speaker Mike Johnson confirmed that Trump is expected to visit the U.S. Capitol to celebrate a potential Republicans "trifecta" on Wednesday morning before he sits down in the Oval Office with President Joe Biden later in the day.
"Well, I'll say I didn't intend to break this as news this morning," Johnson quipped as he held a press conference with House Republican leadership.
"He wanted to come and visit with House Republicans, so we're working out the details of him gathering with us potentially tomorrow morning, before he goes to the White House," Johnson said. "And that would be a great meeting and a moment for all of us, there's a lot of excitement, a lot of energy here. We're really grateful for President Trump leaving it all on the field to get reelected."
ABC News' John Parkinson, Isabella Murray and Lauren Peller
November 12, 2024, 11 AM EST - House Republican leadership say they're ready for Day 1 under Trump
Returning to Washington on Tuesday, Speaker Mike Johnson and other top House Republicans took a victory lap on last week's election results.
While ABC News has not yet projected House control, Republicans are three seats away from clinching the 218 needed for a majority.
Johnson said they are monitoring outstanding races closely but are confident they will have a "unified" government come January.
"This leadership will hit the ground running to deliver President Trump's agenda in the 119th Congress, and we will work closely with him and his administration to turn this country around and unleash, as he says, a new golden age in America," Johnson said at a press conference on the Capitol steps.
November 11, 2024, 11:22 PM EST - Trump's new 'border czar' issues warning to sanctuary states and cities
President-elect Donald Trump’s newly picked “border czar” Tom Homan addressed his forthcoming deportation plan and state leaders who have objected to sweeping immigration policies.
During an appearance on Fox News on Monday, Homan issued a warning to so-called “sanctuary” states and cities to “get the hell out of the way” of the Trump administration's mass deportation plans.
“I saw today numerous governors from sanctuary states saying they're going to step in the way. They better get the hell out of the way. Either you help us or get the hell out of the way, because ICE is going to do their job,” he warned, referring to the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, where he formerly served as director.
"I'll double the workforce in that sanctuary city. We're going to do our job despite the politics. We're doing it. So get used to it, because we're coming,” Homan said.
When asked if he plans to deport American citizens, Homan said, “President Trump has made it clear we will prioritize public safety threats and national security threats first, and that's how the focus would be.”
-ABC News' Soo Rin Kim
November 11, 2024, 8:48 PM EST - Trump expected to tap Sen. Marco Rubio for secretary of state: Sources
President-elect Donald Trump is expected to announce his intention to nominate Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) for secretary of state, according to multiple sources familiar with the matter.
Rubio, 53, has served in the Senate since 2011. He is currently the vice chair of the Senate Select Committee on Foreign Intelligence, and he also sits on the chamber’s Foreign Relations Committee.
Several long-serving State Department officials tell ABC News they respect Rubio’s extensive foreign policy experience and view him as unlikely to overly politicize the secretary of state role.
The secretary of state is appointed by the president with the consent of the Senate.
-ABC News' Katherine Faulders and Shannon Kingston
November 11, 2024, 7:00 PM EST - Trump asks Rep. Mike Waltz to be his national security adviser: Sources
Trump has asked Rep. Mike Waltz, R-Fla., to be his national security adviser, multiple sources said.
Waltz was at Mar-a-Lago on Monday, sources said.
Waltz is a former Green Beret and China hawk who emerged as a key surrogate for Trump, criticizing the Biden-Harris foreign policy record during the campaign.
The Florida Republican sits on the Intelligence, Armed Services and Foreign Affairs committees.
He has supported aid to Ukraine in the past but has demanded "conditions," including increased spending from European allies, additional oversight of funds and pairing the aid with border security measures.
Waltz, who has visited Ukraine, was a vocal critic of the Biden administration's policy towards Ukraine, criticizing the White House and allies for not providing Ukraine with more lethal aid -- such as MiG fighter planes -- earlier in the conflict.
Before running for elected office, Waltz served in various national security policy roles in the Bush administration, Pentagon and White House.
-ABC News' Rachel Scott, Benjamin Siegel, John Santucci and Katherine Faulders
November 11, 2024, 6:06 PM EST - Volunteer-run effort on RFK Jr.'s website crowd-sourcing ideas for Trump admin appointments
A volunteer-run effort on Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s website has begun crowd-sourcing ideas for appointments in Trump's administration.
A website titled "Nominees for the People" gives anyone the chance to submit names of people they'd like to see join the administration.
"President Trump and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. want your help nominating people of integrity and courage for over 4,000 appointments across the future Trump administration," the website reads.
Stefanie Spear, a Kennedy spokeswoman, told ABC News that the crowd-sourcing effort is "a grassroots initiative run by volunteers," and is not actually spearheaded by Kennedy, although the page uses the "mahanow.org" URL that Kennedy's official campaign website adopted after he exited the race.
"We’ve always offered space on our website to our grassroots movement," Spear said.
This post has been updated to reflect that the crowd-sourcing effort is a volunteer-run effort.
-ABC News' Sasha Pezenik
November 11, 2024, 5:55 PM EST - Trump's 'border czar' says mass deportation strategy will be a main priority
Former Immigration and Customs Enforcement Director Tom Homan, Trump's newly announced "border czar," said his main priority will be overseeing and formulating Trump's long-vowed mass deportation strategy while consolidating decisions related to border security.
"Everybody talks about this mass deportation operation. President Trump talks about. I'll oversee that and come up with a strategy for that," Homan said during a lengthy interview with his hometown television station WWNY on Monday.
Homan said Trump's mass deportations is "going to be a targeted enforcement operation, concentrating on criminals and national security threats first."
He acknowledged that the deportations would be costly but argued the policy would "save the taxpayers a lot of money."
Homan said he does not plan to "separate women and children" but acknowledged that deporting alleged criminals would result in breaking up families.
"When we arrest parents here, guess what? We separate them. The illegal aliens should be no different," Homan said.
Homan also said worksite enforcement -- an aspect of immigration policy focused on unauthorized workers and employers who knowingly hire them -- is "going to get fired back up."
"Under President Trump, we're going to work it and we're going to work it hard," he said.
-ABC News' Peter Charalambous
November 11, 2024, 5:46 PM EST - Melania Trump skipping meeting with Jill Biden: Sources
Melania Trump is not expected to travel to Washington with President-elect Donald Trump on Wednesday, two sources told ABC News.
First lady Jill Biden had extended an invite to Melania Trump for a meeting, according to the sources. In 2016, Michelle Obama had hosted Melania Trump at the White House.
The Trump campaign declined to comment. The first lady’s office confirmed to ABC News that a joint invitation was extended to the Trumps to meet at the White House though declined to comment beyond that.
-ABC News' Rachel Scott, John Santucci and Molly Nagle
November 11, 2024, 4:26 PM EST - RFK Jr. advising Trump transition on health decisions: Sources
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has continued to broadly advise Trump and the transition team on health-related appointments and has been in discussions to possibly fill a major role in the next administration, sources familiar with the matter told ABC News.
While sources caution that a role has not been finalized, RFK Jr. has been discussed as a potential candidate for the next secretary of Health and Human Services. But other roles are also on the table, including a broad "czar"-like position that would advise on policy and personnel decisions in other health arenas, the sources said.
RFK Jr. has been in active discussions with the transition team since Trump's election victory last week. He's been spotted at Trump's Mar-a-Lago club multiple times and has been engaging in presentations which include candidates for specific Cabinet and health-related jobs, sources said.
He has spent hours with the co-heads of Trump's transition team -- billionaire Howard Lutnick and Linda McMahon -- in addition to others at Mar-a-Lago such as Trump's son Donald Trump Jr.; investor and donor Omeed Malik; Tucker Carlson; and Del Bigtree, RFK Jr.'s former campaign spokesperson who produced a documentary called "Vaxxed: From Cover-Up to Catastrophe."
-ABC News' Katherine Faulders, Olivia Rubin and Will McDuffie
November 11, 2024, 3:30 PM EST - Lee Zeldin named to be EPA administrator
President-elect Donald Trump has tapped former New York Rep. Lee Zeldin to lead the Environmental Protection Agency.
"Lee, with a very strong legal background, has been a true fighter for America First policies," Trump said in a statement. "He will ensure fair and swift deregulatory decisions that will be enacted in a way to unleash the power of American businesses, while at the same time maintaining the highest environmental standards, including the cleanest air and water on the planet. He will set new standards on environmental review and maintenance, that will allow the United States to grow in a healthy and well-structured way.
Zeldin, who also ran for New York governor against Andrew Cuomo in 2022, confirmed he had been offered the job via a post on X.
"It is an honor to join President Trump’s Cabinet as EPA Administrator," he wrote. "We will restore US energy dominance, revitalize our auto industry to bring back American jobs, and make the US the global leader of AI. We will do so while protecting access to clean air and water."
-ABC News' John Santucci, Rachel Scott and Katherine Faulders
November 11, 2024, 3:06 PM EST -RFK Jr. suggests he'll gut NIH, replace 600 employees
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. indicated over the weekend that he would fire 600 employees at the National Institutes of Health, replacing them with a new cohort of workers as he seeks to dramatically reshape America's health agencies.
Speaking at the Genius Network Annual Event in Scottsdale, Arizona, Kennedy described his role vetting people for Donald Trump's new administration.
"We need to act fast, and we want to have those people in place on Jan. 20, so that on Jan. 21, 600 people are going to walk into offices at NIH and 600 people are going to leave," Kennedy said, according to a video of his remarks posted on YouTube.
November 11, 2024, 3:06 PM EST- Trump expected to announce Stephen Miller as deputy chief of staff
President-elect Donald Trump is expected to announce Stephen Miller, an immigration hard-liner and one of his senior advisers, will become his deputy chief of staff for policy, multiple sources familiar with the matter told ABC News.
It's not clear when Trump plans to formally announce the job, the sources said.
Miller worked in the first Trump administration and played a key role in crafting immigration policies -- including those that resulted in thousands of families being separated at the border.
-ABC News' Rachel Scott, John Santucci and Katherine Faulders
November 11, 2024, 3:00 PM EST - Trump picks Elise Stefanik as UN ambassador
President-elect Donald Trump selected Rep. Elise Stefanik to be his U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, multiple Trump officials told ABC News.
"I am honored to nominate Chairwoman Elise Stefanik to serve in my Cabinet as U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations. Elise is an incredibly strong, tough, and smart America First fighter," Trump said in a statement to ABC News.
Stefanik, a Republican congresswoman from New York's 21st District, was elected last week to her sixth term in the House. She will inherit a role Nikki Haley held for two years in the first Trump administration.
-ABC News' Rachel Scott, Katherine Faulders and John Santucci
TYLER – The Tyler Economic Development Council said that delivery giant Amazon is planning to start construction of a new 140,000-square foot facility in Tyler soon. According to our news partner KETK, the new delivery station will sit on 30 acres at the North Tyler Commerce Park. Construction is said to start in the next couple of weeks.
Mayor Don Warren said in a release from the TEDC Monday, “On behalf of the City of Tyler, we are excited to have Amazon building a delivery station here in our city. The benefits from this project are enormous as it will add to our tax base, and provide faster service from when we make an Amazon purchase to the package showing up on our doorstep. This is a huge win for the City, County, and the Tyler Economic Development Council.â€
The release also said the new facility will help to better fulfill the last mile of any deliveries coming into the area from one of Amazon’s fulfilment centers.
SAN ANTONIO – The San Antonio Express-News reports that nine months after the Air Force announced a sweeping reorganization that included plans to raise the stature of its cyber operations mission headquarters in San Antonio, the service still can’t say exactly what that means. The holdup has left the 16th Air Force — the unit responsible for information warfare that’s housed on Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland — wondering about the impacts on its more than 49,000 employees, including 4,850 local workers. There also are questions about what the changes will mean for the 16th’s portfolio of responsibilities, which include intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, electromagnetic warfare, weather, public affairs and information operations. Playing out in the background are discussions about replacing its old facilities.
The 16th’s headquarters building is 71 years old, with a hobbled HVAC system and foundation problems that cause shifting floors and cracked walls. It’s a bad look for the unit defending the nation on the digital frontier, where something as simple as an air conditioning breakdown could create big problems for the high-end technology the 16th operates. Seeing the need, Port San Antonio earlier this year submitted an unsolicited $1 billion-plus proposal to help the Air Force build a new headquarters for the unit at the Port. And, late last month, the Air Force put out a call for proposals for six projects across JBSA. Among them was a new “Cyber Security Center†for the 16th. As reorganization talks drag on, the 16th’s facilities issues continue. U.S. Rep. Tony Gonzales has warned against the Air Force’s open-ended timelines for the moves, saying “the time for waiting is over.†And Port San Antonio’s pitch has drawn bipartisan support from lawmakers who say it’s worthy of consideration. Despite such calls, the wait continues for clarity about the 16th’s future.
UPDATE: According to our news partner KETK, police continue to search for a Tyler 17-year-old who was last seen Nov. 1. The Tyler Police Department shared on Tuesday photos of what Lily Peppler was wearing on the day she went missing. Anyone with information on Peppler’s whereabouts is urged to contact the department at 903-531-1000.
