The news
The center of the American political universe is now West Palm Beach, Florida, where conservatives in and out of government are flocking to Mar-a-Lago to see and be seen by Donald Trump’s presidential transition team.
Led by co-chairs Howard Lutnick and Linda McMahon, Trump’s transition operation has been quietly preparing for several months now, even as the superstitious former president has shunned direct involvement. Now that he’s elected president, his team is inundated with calls and aspiring advisors are booking flights to Florida in hopes of getting face time.
Conversations with six people within Trumpworld show that there is broad agreement that his second transition is more disciplined than that of his first term. A Trump adviser described it as “a very orderly operation.”
However, the details of that order vary depending on which Trump administration position is being discussed. Lutnick and McMahon have been reaching out to specific Trump global players over the past two and a half months to put forward names and explore potential appointees for various jobs, according to two people who described the inner workings of the operation. Among those participating are Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, donor and financier Omeed Malik, and Elon Musk, who Semafor is told has attended a few recent transition meetings.
Trump and his team are particularly focused on several top positions, including but not limited to Secretary of State, CIA Director, Attorney General, and Secretary of the Treasury. He is closer to a choice for some posts than others: Trump is focusing on a choice for secretary of state, two people familiar with the discussions told Semafor. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., is seen as a top candidate, as are former Trump National Intelligence Director Richard Grenell and Sen. Bill Hagerty, R-Tenn.
There’s some mud slinging around Trump’s team as he nears a decision: Rubio’s opponents have privately argued that he is too much of an establishment “neocon” to be involved in an incoming Trump administration, while his allies argue that Grenell might have a hard time getting confirmed. given his sometimes antagonistic online persona (though that’s something Trump historically respects).
Know more
The transition is at an earlier stage when it comes to other posts, such as that of Minister of Finance. Investor Scott Bessent, who met with Trump on Friday, and billionaire hedge fund manager John Paulson are seen as two leading candidates, but former SEC chief Jay Clayton and Apollo CEO Marc Rowan have also been discussed, according to two people familiar with the process .
There is also a broad appetite within Trump’s team to elevate Democrat-turned-conservative Tulsi Gabbard. Two people close to the operation confirmed that she is being considered for a yet-undetermined foreign policy or national security role.
Cantor Fitzgerald CEO Lutnick has already interviewed the main contenders for all top political positions, according to two sources. One of the people familiar with discussions on top posts said anyone hoping for it should have thrown their hat into the ring weeks, if not months ago.
Of course, Trump himself also calls to ask friends who they think he should wiretap, as he has been known to do.
And there are many less prominent roles to be filled, jobs that will make the process more chaotic, but more opportunities abound for ambitious conservatives who are now turning the patio of Mar-a-Lago into a hotbed of activity. The number of visitors to Trump’s residence is likely to increase over the next two months.
Shelby’s opinion
Trump’s transition will have to bridge the ideological divide between some Republicans who helped him win and who are now looking for big jobs. Gabbard, for example, has taken a friendlier approach toward Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad — and she may share influence with Rubio, who has called for Assad’s removal.
Although minimal so far, there has already been some fighting by supporters of the various factions.
The coming weeks are sure to test Susie Wiles as she takes on the role of chief of staff. Wiles has long made sure Trump’s 2024 campaign was more disciplined than previous campaigns, but Wiles will have her work cut out to keep that going.
Room for disagreement
Is there anything that could disrupt the transition process? The newly elected president has yet to make the usual pledge on transition ethics and is shying away from signing several traditional agreements surrounding the transfer process, The New York Times reported.
Remarkable
-
Trump and Joe Biden will meet in the Oval Office Wednesday afternoon, the White House announced Saturday.
-
Across the aisle the blame game has begun, according to Axios: The Kamala Harris and Joe Biden camps have been busy pointing fingers at each other.
