“Government Effectiveness” | Trump will appoint Musk to head a department

(Washington) Donald Trump indicated Tuesday that he intended to appoint the richest man on the planet, Elon Musk, to head a newly created department of “government effectiveness”, jointly with the man of business republican Vivek Ramaswamy.

“Together, these two great Americans will chart the course for my administration to dismantle government bureaucracy, slash excessive regulations, cut unnecessary spending, and restructure federal agencies,” the president-elect declared in a statement, ensuring that these two allies in his campaign would “send shockwaves through the system.”

Trump introduces other members of his administration

An anti-China “hawk” in diplomacy, a “dog killer” governor in Homeland Security: Donald Trump continued on Tuesday to reveal the distribution of his future administration, on the eve of a highly symbolic meeting with Joe Biden in the White House.

The Republican, who made an extraordinary comeback by winning the American presidential election just a week ago, is moving forward to appoint his followers to key positions.

After having designated three of his lieutenants at the UN, Environment and Immigration, the president-elect should announce that he is choosing the influential senator Marco Rubio as 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.

Little hands

Between Donald Trump and Marco Rubio, however, it was not always mad love.

The Florida senator faced the real estate mogul in the 2016 Republican primaries, a vote in which he openly mocked the size of Donald Trump’s hands and complexion.

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 a “dead end” according to him.

Another “hawk” – and another elected official from Florida –, Mike Waltz, was appointed to the very strategic position of National Security Advisor to the White House.

Between them, they would be the main architects of the foreign policy of Donald Trump, who has promised to end the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East – without ever explaining how.

Former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee, a former Baptist pastor, has also been appointed to the post of ambassador to Israel. And former elected official John Ratcliffe at the head of the CIA.

Donald Trump also announced Tuesday that he intended to appoint as Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, a former major in the American army and current presenter on Fox News, the favorite channel of conservatives in the United States.

Dog shot to death

Beyond the diplomatic component, the president announced Tuesday that he intended to appoint the governor of South Dakota, Kristi Noem, as secretary of Homeland Security, a portfolio which notably includes customs and border guards.

A faithful ally of the president-elect, “she will work closely” with Tom Homan, who has been entrusted with the burning issue of immigration control, according to a press release from Donald Trump.

His name had been mentioned among the credible candidates likely to become Donald Trump’s running mate in his third campaign for the White House.

But this ambition to become vice-president was dashed when the sultry governor of South Dakota revealed that she had shot and killed her young dog, because she was, according to her, “indomitable”.

This news caused a deluge of negative reactions in April in the political class and on social networks, with dogs occupying a special place in the lives of many American families.

Trump in Washington

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 with his Republican successor after the defeat of his vice-president Kamala Harris in the election.

Donald Trump, who will be sworn in on January 20, is also due to go to Congress on Wednesday to speak with Republican officials.

The 47^e 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, it’s a new day for America,” greeted Republican 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. The richest man on the planet, Elon Musk, who played an unprecedented role in Donald Trump’s campaign, threw all his strength behind the candidacy of the other Florida senator Rick Scott.

With Camille Camdessus, Agence France-Presse