President-elect Donald Trump nominated Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) to be his next attorney general, sending shockwaves across the political landscape as Trump works to quickly staff his new administration. Democrats have reacted to the news, criticizing the decision. Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) said of the nomination that it is probably … the most questionable of any so far.” He added, “I think there will be very broad, deep-seated skepticism about his credibility and credentials. It seems like a highly surprising, even bizarre, choice.” Senate Judiciary Committee Chair Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) called Gaetz a potential “disaster as the next Attorney General of the United States.” In his nomination, Trump said that Gaetz a “deeply gifted and tenacious attorney, trained at the William & Mary College of Law, who has distinguished himself in Congress through his focus on achieving desperately needed reform at the Department of Justice.” Serving in Congress since 2017, Gaetz was the target of a now-closed Justice Department investigation into charges of child sex trafficking, which he has categorically rejected, and is currently being investigated by the House Ethics Committee.
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08:05 AM EST
Ron DeSantis congratulates Rubio, Gaetz, and Waltz
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis shared a tweet, congratulating the Floridians—Sen. Marco Rubio, Congressman Matt Gaetz, and Congressman Mike Waltz—who were appointed to positions within Trump’s second administration.
Congratulations to the Floridians being appointed to key positions in the Trump Administration: Senator Marco Rubio, Congressman Matt Gaetz, and Congressman Mike Waltz.
I’ve instructed Secretary of State Cord Byrd to formulate and announce a schedule for the upcoming special…
— Ron DeSantis (@GovRonDeSantis) November 14, 2024
08:00 AM EST
How Polymarket predicted Trump: The Inside Story as FBI raids CEO’s home
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It was a thumping victory that took even some of Donald Trump’s most ardent supporters by surprise: a clean sweep of battleground states. Certainly, few pollsters saw it coming.
However, a new breed of forecaster seemed one step ahead, as betting markets and crypto-based predictors called it first.
Or, as former Fox Host Megyn Kelly said: “Polling is a lie. They don’t know anything.”
That new breed of forecaster—notably in the form of Shayne Coplan, the 26-year-old founder of the crypto-based prediction market Polymarket that consistently forecasted a Trump victory—has now been thrown into the spotlight once again.
Coplan was the target of an FBI raid on Wednesday, with his phone and other electronic devices seized during the operation.
The raid is believed to be linked to a U.S. Justice Department investigation into whether Polymarket accepted trades from users based in the United States. Currently, the platform is unavailable to U.S. customers, although some traders have reportedly found ways to access it using VPNs.
A Polymarket spokesperson characterized it as “political retribution” by the Biden administration, a sentiment later echoed by Coplan on X, formerly Twitter, who said it was “discouraging that the current administration would seek a last-ditch effort to go after companies they deem to be associated with political opponents.”
It is another twist in an election characterized by seismic shifts, not least a 13-point surge in the Latino vote toward Trump. The President-elect’s success also appeared to usher in a new age of political predictions and has again cast doubt on the credibility of America’s polling class.
07:55 AM EST
Alina Habba shuts down speculation that she will be press secretary
Lawyer, legal spokesperson for President-elect Donald Trump, and a senior advisor for MAGA, Inc., Alina Habba, has said that she is not considering the role of press secretary.
In a post to X, Habba wrote, “While I am flattered by the support and speculation, the role of Press Secretary is not a role I am considering.”
While I am flattered by the support and speculation, the role of Press Secretary is not a role I am considering. Although I love screaming from a podium I will be better served in other capacities.
This adminstration is going to be epic! So proud of the Trump team, the latest…
— Alina Habba (@AlinaHabba) November 14, 2024
07:48 AM EST
Donald Trump’s border czar has stark message for Mexico cartels
President-elect Donald Trump‘s border czar, former ICE Acting Director Tom Homan, has issued a stark message to drug cartels and crime syndicates operating in Mexico.
Immigration was key to Trump’s winning campaign against Vice President Kamala Harris and was instrumental in fueling his comeback victory last week. Trump, who won the popular vote for the first time in three attempts, swept all seven key battleground states in his stunning comeback victory on November 5.
Speaking on Fox News‘ The Story with Martha MacCallum, Homan said: “The criminal cartels in Mexico know President Trump is going to pay a lot of attention to them.”
Homan said the president-elect will designate the cartels as terrorist organizations and vowed the incoming administration will “take them out.”
“Under President Trump, there is no catch and release; there is no fraudulent asylum claims,” Homan said.
“You are either going to remain in Mexico or be in detention. You won’t come across the border and be released and flown to the city of choice at free taxpayer’s expense.”
Newsweek has contacted Homan outside of normal office hours via a contact form.
07:45 AM EST
Tammy Duckworth responds to Pete Hegseth saying women shouldn’t be in combat
Veteran Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill) responded to Trump’s pick for defense secretary Pete Hegseth saying women shouldn’t be in combat in an interview with CNN.
When asked what went through her mind when she heard this, Duckworth said, “I would ask him, ‘Where do you think I lost my legs? In a bar fight?’ I’m pretty sure I was in combat when that happened.”
She lost both legs and some mobility in her right arm when Iraqi terrorists launched a rocket-propelled grenade at her Black Hawk aircraft in 2004. She was the first female double amputee of the war.
Veteran Sen. Tammy Duckworth on Pete Hegseth saying women shouldn’t serve in combat: “I would ask him, ‘Where do you think I lost my legs? In a bar fight?’ I’m pretty sure I was in combat when that happened.” pic.twitter.com/Lfc4TDnTJ4
— Kaitlan Collins (@kaitlancollins) November 14, 2024
07:35 AM EST
Nine seats left to be called in the House race as Republicans are projected to take control
There are still nine seats left to be called in the House, according to CNN:
- House 5: Oregon
- House 9: Ohio
- House 2: Maine
- House 1: Iowa
- House 45: California
- House 21: California
- House 13: California
- House 9: California
- House At Large: Alaska
This comes as the House is set to be controlled by Republicans, putting them in control of all levels of power.
07:33 AM EST
WATCH: Mike Johnson say Matt Gaetz has resigned from Congress
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House Speaker Mike Johnson announced that Florida Congressman Matt Gaetz submitted his resignation letter on Wednesday.
The move came a few hours after President-elect Donald Trump introduced Gaetz as his nominee for attorney general. Gaetz will still need to be confirmed by the Senate before taking the position.
“He issued his resignation letter effective immediately,” Johnson told reporters about Gaetz, according to Fox News‘ Aishah Hasnie.
“That caught us by surprise a little bit,” Johnson said. “But I asked him what the reasoning was. And he said, well, you can’t have too many absences.”
07:30 AM EST
Matt Gaetz nomination stuns legal experts: ‘Vomit in your mouth’
Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) waves on stage on the third day of the Republican National Convention at the Fiserv Forum on July 17, 2024 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. President-elect Donald Trump’s decision to pick Gaetz as his nominee for attorney general has stunned legal experts.
Leon Neal/Getty Images
President-elect Donald Trump‘s decision to nominate Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz as attorney general stunned legal experts, with some decrying Gaetz as unqualified for the role.
Trump called Gaetz a “deeply gifted and tenacious attorney” when he announced the pick on his Truth Social platform on Wednesday. As attorney general, Gaetz would “root out systemic corruption” at the Department of Justice (DOJ), Trump said.
Gaetz, a fierce Trump loyalist who has frequently criticized the DOJ, resigned from his House seat shortly after the announcement.
Legal experts have questioned Trump’s selection of Gaetz due to his limited legal experience and because he is being tapped to lead a department that previously investigated him. Gaetz’s office and a spokesperson for Trump have been contacted for comment via email.
