Donald Trump confirmed his campaign promise on Tuesday by appointing the richest man on the planet, Elon Musk, to head a new ministry of “governmental efficiency”, after a day spent unveiling the casting of his future administration.
The president-elect announced that he intended to appoint the boss of Tesla and X, who played an unprecedented role in his campaign, jointly with Republican businessman Vivek Ramaswamy.
“Together, these two great Americans will chart a path for my administration to dismantle government bureaucracy, slash excessive regulations, cut wasteful spending, and restructure federal agencies,” Donald Trump said in a statement.
And he warns: these two allies will “send shock waves into the system”.
The Republican, who made an extraordinary comeback by winning the American presidential election against Democratic Vice-President Kamala Harris a week ago, is moving forward to appoint loyalists to key positions.
After having appointed three of his lieutenants to the UN, Environment and Immigration, the ex-president should also announce the appointment of the influential senator Marco Rubio to the post of Secretary of State.
Known for being a supporter of a very hard line against China and Iran, this 53-year-old elected official previously co-chaired the Intelligence Committee in the Senate.
Opposed during the 2016 Republican primaries, Donald Trump and Marco Rubio exchanged schoolyard jokes. But the two men seem to have since buried the hatchet.
His upcoming appointment, reported by American media, risks giving kyiv a cold sweat: Marco Rubio estimated at the beginning of November that it was necessary to “end” the war in Ukraine, in an “impasse” according to him.
– Fox News presenter at Defense –
Another “hawk” – and another elected official from Florida -, Mike Waltz, was appointed to the very strategic position of National Security Advisor at the White House.
Marco Rubio and Mike Waltz would therefore become the main architects of Donald Trump's foreign policy, who promised to end the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East, without ever explaining how.
Donald Trump also announced that he intended to appoint as Minister of Defense Pete Hegseth, a former major in the American army who is now a presenter on Fox News, the favorite channel of conservatives in the United States.
Former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee, a former Baptist pastor who defends Israeli colonization of the Occupied Palestinian Territories, has also been appointed to the post of ambassador to Israel. And the former ultraconservative elected official John Ratcliffe at the head of the CIA.
Beyond the diplomatic aspect, the president also appointed Governor Kristi Noem, a faithful among the faithful, to lead the Ministry of Internal Security, responsible for customs and border guards.
Once a candidate for the vice-presidency, her ambition was dampened when this sultry governor of South Dakota revealed that she had shot and killed her young dog because, according to her, she was “untamable”, sparking a deluge of criticism.
– Meeting with Biden –
Donald Trump, who will continue these appointments throughout the week, was to be determined on Tuesday on the legality of his criminal conviction in New York but the judge postponed his decision until November 19.
The president-elect will be in Washington on Wednesday for a highly scrutinized meeting with Joe Biden.
The latter promised a “peaceful and orderly” transfer of powers.
Donald Trump, who will be sworn in on January 20, could also pass a head on Wednesday at the Capitol, the building that his supporters stormed on January 6, 2021 to try to prevent the certification of Joe Biden's election.
The 47th President of the United States will in all likelihood enjoy full powers in Washington: his party won the majority in the Senate and should retain control of the House of Representatives, according to a count still underway.
“It’s a magnificent morning in Washington, a new day for America,” greeted Republican tenor Mike Johnson, who should, barring any major surprises, continue to preside over the House.
The leadership of the Senate will be the subject of a closed-door election between Republicans. Elon Musk threw all his strength behind the candidacy of the other senator from Florida, Rick Scott.
