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Lifetime's latest thriller The Last Thing She Said debuts tonightWASHINGTON — President-elect Donald Trump said Saturday that he will nominate former White House aide Brooke Rollins to be his agriculture secretary, the last of his picks to lead executive agencies and another choice from within his established circle of advisers and allies. The nomination must be confirmed by the Senate, which will be controlled by Republicans when Trump takes office Jan. 20. Rollins would succeed Tom Vilsack , President Joe Biden’s agriculture secretary who oversees the sprawling agency that controls policies, regulations and aid programs related to farming, forestry, ranching, food quality and nutrition. Then-President Donald Trump looks to Brooke Rollins, president and CEO of the Texas Public Policy Foundation, as she speaks during a Jan. 11, 2018, prison reform roundtable in the Roosevelt Room of the White House in Washington. Rollins, who graduated from Texas A&M University with a degree in agricultural development, is a longtime Trump associate who served as White House domestic policy chief during his first presidency. The 52-year-old is president and CEO of the America First Policy Institute, a group helping to lay the groundwork for a second Trump administration. Rollins previously served as an aide to former Texas Gov. Rick Perry and ran a think tank, the Texas Public Policy Foundation. People are also reading... Recap: Here's how Joey Graziadei will win 'Dancing with the Stars' Zitel bound over to district court in death of child They fell in love with Beatrice. So they opened a store in downtown. At the courthouse, Nov. 16, 2024 Kidnapping in Nebraska prompted police chase that ended with 3 dead on I-29 in Missouri Chamberlain among seven inducted into Nebraska Baseball HOF No change in bond amounts in child abuse death case Harmonizers to perform Just Askin': Dana Holgorsen noncommittal on future, ranking a big week for Nebraska Athletics Clabaugh family presents Outstanding Educator award Inside Nebraska volleyball’s finishing kick for a Big Ten title: First up, Wisconsin Courthouse lighting ceremony planned for Sunday Historical society appoints board members, elects officers Believers bought airplane for dead preacher thinking he’d rise from grave to fly in it How one Virginia woman persevered through abuse, oppression in Christian 'cult' The pick completes Trump’s selection of the heads of executive branch departments, just two and a half weeks after the former president won the White House once again. Several other picks that are traditionally Cabinet-level remain, including U.S. Trade Representative and head of the small business administration. Trump taps Bessent for Treasury, Chavez-DeRemer for labor, Turner for housing FATIMA HUSSEIN, CHRIS RUGABER, JOSH BOAK and CHRIS MEGERIANAssociated Press Brooke Rollins, assistant to the president and director of the Domestic Policy Council at the time, speaks during a May 18, 2020, meeting with restaurant industry executives about the coronavirus response in the State Dining Room of the White House in Washington. Rollins, speaking on the Christian talk show “Family Talk" earlier this year, said Trump was an “amazing boss” and confessed that she thought in 2015, during his first presidential campaign, that he would not last as a candidate in a crowded Republican primary field. “I was the person that said, ‘Oh, Donald Trump is not going to go more than two or three weeks in the Republican primary. This is to up his TV show ratings. And then we’ll get back to normal,’” she said. “Fast forward a couple of years, and I am running his domestic policy agenda.” Trump didn’t offer many specifics about his agriculture policies during the campaign, but farmers could be affected if he carries out his pledge to impose widespread tariffs. During the first Trump administration, countries like China responded to Trump’s tariffs by imposing retaliatory tariffs on U.S. exports like the corn and soybeans routinely sold overseas. Trump countered by offering massive multibillion-dollar aid to farmers to help them weather the trade war. Brooke Rollins speaks at an Oct. 27 campaign rally for then-Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump at Madison Square Garden in New York. President Abraham Lincoln founded the USDA in 1862, when about half of all Americans lived on farms. The USDA oversees multiple support programs for farmers; animal and plant health; and the safety of meat, poultry and eggs that anchor the nation’s food supply. Its federal nutrition programs provide food to low-income people, pregnant women and young children. And the agency sets standards for school meals. Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Trump’s nominee to lead the Department of Health and Human Services, has vowed to strip ultraprocessed foods from school lunches and to stop allowing Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program beneficiaries from using food stamps to buy soda, candy or other so-called junk foods. But it would be the USDA, not HHS, that would be responsible for enacting those changes. In addition, HHS and USDA will work together to finalize the 2025-2030 edition of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. They are due late next year, with guidance for healthy diets and standards for federal nutrition programs. Gomez Licon reported from Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Associated Press writers Josh Funk and JoNel Aleccia contributed to this report. Here are the people Trump has picked for key positions so far President-elect Donald Trump Among President-elect Donald Trump's picks are Susie Wiles for chief of staff, Florida Sen. Marco Rubio for secretary of state, former Democratic House member Tulsi Gabbard for director of national intelligence and Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz for attorney general. Susie Wiles, White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, 67, was a senior adviser to Trump's 2024 presidential campaign and its de facto manager. Marco Rubio, Secretary of State Trump named Florida Sen. Marco Rubio to be secretary of state, making a former sharp critic his choice to be the new administration's top diplomat. Rubio, 53, is a noted hawk on China, Cuba and Iran, and was a finalist to be Trump's running mate on the Republican ticket last summer. Rubio is the vice chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee and a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. “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,” Trump said of Rubio in a statement. The announcement punctuates the hard pivot Rubio has made with Trump, whom the senator called a “con man" during his unsuccessful campaign for the 2016 GOP presidential nomination. Their relationship improved dramatically while Trump was in the White House. And as Trump campaigned for the presidency a third time, Rubio cheered his proposals. For instance, Rubio, who more than a decade ago helped craft immigration legislation that included a path to citizenship for people in the U.S. illegally, now supports Trump's plan to use the U.S. military for mass deportations. Pete Hegseth, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, 44, is a co-host of Fox News Channel’s “Fox & Friends Weekend” and has been a contributor with the network since 2014, where he developed a friendship with Trump, who made regular appearances on the show. Hegseth lacks senior military or national security experience. If confirmed by the Senate, he would inherit the top job during a series of global crises — ranging from Russia’s war in Ukraine and the ongoing attacks in the Middle East by Iranian proxies to the push for a cease-fire between Israel, Hamas and Hezbollah and escalating worries about the growing alliance between Russia and North Korea. Hegseth is also the author of “The War on Warriors: Behind the Betrayal of the Men Who Keep Us Free,” published earlier this year. Pam Bondi, Attorney General Trump tapped Pam Bondi, 59, to be attorney general after U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz withdrew his name from consideration. She was Florida's first female attorney general, serving between 2011 and 2019. She also was on Trump’s legal team during his first impeachment trial in 2020. Considered a loyalist, she served as part of a Trump-allied outside group that helped lay the groundwork for his future administration called the America First Policy Institute. Bondi was among a group of Republicans who showed up to support Trump at his hush money criminal trial in New York that ended in May with a conviction on 34 felony counts. A fierce defender of Trump, she also frequently appears on Fox News and has been a critic of the criminal cases against him. Kristi Noem, Secretary of Homeland Security Trump picked South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem, a well-known conservative who faced sharp criticism for telling a story in her memoir about shooting a rambunctious dog, to lead an agency crucial to the president-elect’s hardline immigration agenda. Noem used her two terms leading a tiny state to vault to a prominent position in Republican politics. South Dakota is usually a political afterthought. But during the COVID-19 pandemic, Noem did not order restrictions that other states had issued and instead declared her state “open for business.” Trump held a fireworks rally at Mount Rushmore in July 2020 in one of the first large gatherings of the pandemic. She takes over a department with a sprawling mission. In addition to key immigration agencies, the Department of Homeland Security oversees natural disaster response, the U.S. Secret Service, and Transportation Security Administration agents who work at airports. Doug Burgum, Secretary of the Interior The governor of North Dakota, who was once little-known outside his state, Burgum is a former Republican presidential primary contender who endorsed Trump, and spent months traveling to drum up support for him, after dropping out of the race. Burgum was a serious contender to be Trump’s vice presidential choice this summer. The two-term governor was seen as a possible pick because of his executive experience and business savvy. Burgum also has close ties to deep-pocketed energy industry CEOs. Trump made the announcement about Burgum joining his incoming administration while addressing a gala at his Mar-a-Lago club, and said a formal statement would be coming the following day. In comments to reporters before Trump took the stage, Burgum said that, in recent years, the power grid is deteriorating in many parts of the country, which he said could raise national security concerns but also drive up prices enough to increase inflation. “There's just a sense of urgency, and a sense of understanding in the Trump administration,” Burgum said. Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. ran for president as a Democrat, than as an independent, and then endorsed Trump . He's the son of Democratic icon Robert Kennedy, who was assassinated during his own presidential campaign. The nomination of Kennedy to lead the Department of Health and Human Services alarmed people who are concerned about his record of spreading unfounded fears about vaccines . For example, he has long advanced the debunked idea that vaccines cause autism. Scott Bessent, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, 62, is a former George Soros money manager and an advocate for deficit reduction. He's the founder of hedge fund Key Square Capital Management, after having worked on-and-off for Soros Fund Management since 1991. If confirmed by the Senate, he would be the nation’s first openly gay treasury secretary. He told Bloomberg in August that he decided to join Trump’s campaign in part to attack the mounting U.S. national debt. That would include slashing government programs and other spending. “This election cycle is the last chance for the U.S. to grow our way out of this mountain of debt without becoming a sort of European-style socialist democracy,” he said then. Lori Chavez-DeRemer, Labor Secretary Oregon Republican U.S. Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer narrowly lost her reelection bid this month, but received strong backing from union members in her district. As a potential labor secretary, she would oversee the Labor Department’s workforce, its budget and put forth priorities that impact workers’ wages, health and safety, ability to unionize, and employer’s rights to fire employers, among other responsibilities. Chavez-DeRemer is one of few House Republicans to endorse the “Protecting the Right to Organize” or PRO Act would allow more workers to conduct organizing campaigns and would add penalties for companies that violate workers’ rights. The act would also weaken “right-to-work” laws that allow employees in more than half the states to avoid participating in or paying dues to unions that represent workers at their places of employment. Scott Turner, Housing and Urban Development Scott Turner is a former NFL player and White House aide. He ran the White House Opportunity and Revitalization Council during Trump’s first term in office. Trump, in a statement, credited Turner, the highest-ranking Black person he’s yet selected for his administration, with “helping to lead an Unprecedented Effort that Transformed our Country’s most distressed communities.” Sean Duffy, Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy is a former House member from Wisconsin who was one of Trump's most visible defenders on cable news. Duffy served in the House for nearly nine years, sitting on the Financial Services Committee and chairing the subcommittee on insurance and housing. He left Congress in 2019 for a TV career and has been the host of “The Bottom Line” on Fox Business. Before entering politics, Duffy was a reality TV star on MTV, where he met his wife, “Fox and Friends Weekend” co-host Rachel Campos-Duffy. They have nine children. Chris Wright, Secretary of Energy A campaign donor and CEO of Denver-based Liberty Energy, Write is a vocal advocate of oil and gas development, including fracking — a key pillar of Trump’s quest to achieve U.S. “energy dominance” in the global market. Wright also has been one of the industry’s loudest voices against efforts to fight climate change. He said the climate movement around the world is “collapsing under its own weight.” The Energy Department is responsible for advancing energy, environmental and nuclear security of the United States. Wright also won support from influential conservatives, including oil and gas tycoon Harold Hamm. Hamm, executive chairman of Oklahoma-based Continental Resources, a major shale oil company, is a longtime Trump supporter and adviser who played a key role on energy issues in Trump’s first term. Linda McMahon, Secretary of Education President-elect Donald Trump tapped billionaire professional wrestling mogul Linda McMahon to be secretary of the Education Department, tasked with overseeing an agency Trump promised to dismantle. McMahon led the Small Business Administration during Trump’s initial term from 2017 to 2019 and twice ran unsuccessfully as a Republican for the U.S. Senate in Connecticut. She’s seen as a relative unknown in education circles, though she expressed support for charter schools and school choice. She served on the Connecticut Board of Education for a year starting in 2009 and has spent years on the board of trustees for Sacred Heart University in Connecticut. Brooke Rollins, Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins, who graduated from Texas A&M University with a degree in agricultural development, is a longtime Trump associate who served as White House domestic policy chief during his first presidency. The 52-year-old is president and CEO of the America First Policy Institute, a group helping to lay the groundwork for a second Trump administration. She previously served as an aide to former Texas Gov. Rick Perry and ran a think tank, the Texas Public Policy Foundation. Howard Lutnick, Secretary of Commerce Trump chose Howard Lutnick, head of brokerage and investment bank Cantor Fitzgerald and a cryptocurrency enthusiast, as his nominee for commerce secretary, a position in which he'd have a key role in carrying out Trump's plans to raise and enforce tariffs. Trump made the announcement Tuesday on his social media platform, Truth Social. Lutnick is a co-chair of Trump’s transition team, along with Linda McMahon, the former wrestling executive who previously led Trump’s Small Business Administration. Both are tasked with putting forward candidates for key roles in the next administration. The nomination would put Lutnick in charge of a sprawling Cabinet agency that is involved in funding new computer chip factories, imposing trade restrictions, releasing economic data and monitoring the weather. It is also a position in which connections to CEOs and the wider business community are crucial. Doug Collins, Secretary of Veterans Affairs Doug Collins is a former Republican congressman from Georgia who gained recognition for defending Trump during his first impeachment trial, which centered on U.S. assistance for Ukraine. Trump was impeached for urging Ukraine to investigate Joe Biden in 2019 during the Democratic presidential nomination, but he was acquitted by the Senate. Collins has also served in the armed forces himself and is currently a chaplain in the United States Air Force Reserve Command. "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 in a statement about nominating Collins to lead the Department of Veterans Affairs. Karoline Leavitt, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, 27, was Trump's campaign press secretary and currently a spokesperson for his transition. She would be the youngest White House press secretary in history. The White House press secretary typically serves as the public face of the administration and historically has held daily briefings for the press corps. Leavitt, a New Hampshire native, was a spokesperson for MAGA Inc., a super PAC supporting Trump, before joining his 2024 campaign. In 2022, she ran for Congress in New Hampshire, winning a 10-way Republican primary before losing to Democratic Rep. Chris Pappas. Leavitt worked in the White House press office during Trump's first term before she became communications director for New York Republican Rep. Elise Stefanik, Trump's choice for U.S. ambassador to the United Nations. Tulsi Gabbard, National Intelligence Director Former Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard has been tapped by Trump to be director of national intelligence, keeping with the trend to stock his Cabinet with loyal personalities rather than veteran professionals in their requisite fields. Gabbard, 43, was a Democratic House member who unsuccessfully sought the party's 2020 presidential nomination before leaving the party in 2022. She endorsed Trump in August and campaigned often with him this fall. “I know Tulsi will bring the fearless spirit that has defined her illustrious career to our Intelligence Community,” Trump said in a statement. Gabbard, who has served in the Army National Guard for more than two decades, deploying to Iraq and Kuwait, would come to the role as somewhat of an outsider compared to her predecessor. The current director, Avril Haines, was confirmed by the Senate in 2021 following several years in a number of top national security and intelligence positions. John Ratcliffe, Central Intelligence Agency Director Trump has picked John Ratcliffe, a former Texas congressman who served as director of national intelligence during his first administration, to be director of the Central Intelligence Agency in his next. Ratcliffe was director of national intelligence during the final year and a half of Trump's first term, leading the U.S. government's spy agencies during the coronavirus pandemic. “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, calling him a “fearless fighter for the Constitutional Rights of all Americans” who would ensure “the Highest Levels of National Security, and PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH.” Lee Zeldin, Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Trump has chosen former New York Rep. Lee Zeldin to serve as his pick to lead the Environmental Protection Agency . Zeldin does not appear to have any experience in environmental issues, but is a longtime supporter of the former president. The 44-year-old former U.S. House member from New York wrote on X , “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,” he added. During his campaign, Trump often attacked the Biden administration's promotion of electric vehicles, and incorrectly referring to a tax credit for EV purchases as a government mandate. Trump also often told his audiences during the campaign his administration would “Drill, baby, drill,” referring to his support for expanded petroleum exploration. In a statement, Trump said Zeldin “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.” Brendan Carr, Chairman of the Federal Communications Commission Trump has named Brendan Carr, the senior Republican on the Federal Communications Commission, as the new chairman of the agency tasked with regulating broadcasting, telecommunications and broadband. Carr is a longtime member of the commission and served previously as the FCC’s general counsel. He has been unanimously confirmed by the Senate three times and was nominated by both Trump and President Joe Biden to the commission. Carr made past appearances on “Fox News Channel," including when he decried Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris' pre-Election Day appearance on “Saturday Night Live.” He wrote an op-ed last month defending a satellite company owned by Trump supporter Elon Musk. Elise Stefanik, Ambassador to the United Nations Rep. Elise Stefanik is a representative from New York and one of Trump's staunchest defenders going back to his first impeachment. Elected to the House in 2014, Stefanik was selected by her GOP House colleagues as House Republican Conference chair in 2021, when former Wyoming Rep. Liz Cheney was removed from the post after publicly criticizing Trump for falsely claiming he won the 2020 election. Stefanik, 40, has served in that role ever since as the third-ranking member of House leadership. Stefanik’s questioning of university presidents over antisemitism on their campuses helped lead to two of those presidents resigning, further raising her national profile. If confirmed, she would represent American interests at the U.N. as Trump vows to end the war waged by Russia against Ukraine begun in 2022. He has also called for peace as Israel continues its offensive against Hamas in Gaza and its invasion of Lebanon to target Hezbollah. Matt Whitaker, Ambassador to NATO President-elect Donald Trump says he's chosen former acting Attorney General Matt Whitaker to serve as U.S. ambassador to NATO. Trump has expressed skepticism about the Western military alliance for years. Trump said in a statement Wednesday that Whitaker is “a strong warrior and loyal Patriot” who “will ensure the United States’ interests are advanced and defended” and “strengthen relationships with our NATO Allies, and stand firm in the face of threats to Peace and Stability.” The choice of Whitaker as the nation’s representative to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization is an unusual one, given his background is as a lawyer and not in foreign policy. Pete Hoekstra, Ambassador to Canada A Republican congressman from Michigan who served from 1993 to 2011, Hoekstra was ambassador to the Netherlands during Trump's first term. “In my Second Term, Pete will help me once again put AMERICA FIRST,” Trump said in a statement announcing his choice. “He did an outstanding job as United States Ambassador to the Netherlands during our first four years, and I am confident that he will continue to represent our Country well in this new role.” Mike Huckabee, Ambassador to Israel Trump will nominate former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee to be ambassador to Israel. Huckabee is a staunch defender of Israel and his intended nomination comes as Trump has promised to align U.S. foreign policy more closely with Israel's interests as it wages wars against the Iran-backed Hamas and Hezbollah. “He loves Israel, and likewise the people of Israel love him,” Trump said in a statement. “Mike will work tirelessly to bring about peace in the Middle East.” Huckabee, who ran unsuccessfully for the Republican presidential nomination in 2008 and 2016, has been a popular figure among evangelical Christian conservatives, many of whom support Israel due to Old Testament writings that Jews are God’s chosen people and that Israel is their rightful homeland. Trump has been praised by some in this important Republican voting bloc for moving the U.S. embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. Steven Witkoff, Special Envoy to the Middle East Trump on Tuesday named real estate investor Steven Witkoff to be special envoy to the Middle East. The 67-year-old Witkoff is the president-elect's golf partner and was golfing with him at Trump's club in West Palm Beach, Florida, on Sept. 15, when the former president was the target of a second attempted assassination. Witkoff “is a Highly Respected Leader in Business and Philanthropy,” Trump said of Witkoff in a statement. “Steve will be an unrelenting Voice for PEACE, and make us all proud." Trump also named Witkoff co-chair, with former Georgia Sen. Kelly Loeffler, of his inaugural committee. Mike Waltz, National Security Adviser Trump asked Rep. Michael Waltz, R-Fla., a retired Army National Guard officer and war veteran, to be his national security adviser, Trump announced in a statement Tuesday. The move puts Waltz in the middle of national security crises, ranging from efforts to provide weapons to Ukraine and worries about the growing alliance between Russia and North Korea to the persistent attacks in the Middle East by Iran proxies and the push for a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas and Hezbollah. “Mike has been a strong champion of my America First Foreign Policy agenda,” Trump's statement said, "and will be a tremendous champion of our pursuit of Peace through Strength!” Waltz is a three-term GOP congressman from east-central Florida. He served multiple tours in Afghanistan and also worked in the Pentagon as a policy adviser when Donald Rumsfeld and Robert Gates were defense chiefs. He is considered hawkish on China, and called for a U.S. boycott of the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing due to its involvement in the origin of COVID-19 and its mistreatment of the minority Muslim Uighur population. Stephen Miller, Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy Stephen Miller, an immigration hardliner , was a vocal spokesperson during the presidential campaign for Trump's priority of mass deportations. The 39-year-old was a senior adviser during Trump's first administration. Miller has been a central figure in some of Trump's policy decisions, notably his move to separate thousands of immigrant families. Trump argued throughout the campaign that the nation's economic, national security and social priorities could be met by deporting people who are in the United States illegally. Since Trump left office in 2021, Miller has served as the president of America First Legal, an organization made up of former Trump advisers aimed at challenging the Biden administration, media companies, universities and others over issues such as free speech and national security. Tom Homan, ‘Border Czar’ Thomas Homan, 62, has been tasked with Trump’s top priority of carrying out the largest deportation operation in the nation’s history. Homan, who served under Trump in his first administration leading U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, was widely expected to be offered a position related to the border, an issue Trump made central to his campaign. Though Homan has insisted such a massive undertaking would be humane, he has long been a loyal supporter of Trump's policy proposals, suggesting at a July conference in Washington that he would be willing to "run the biggest deportation operation this country’s ever seen.” Democrats have criticized Homan for his defending Trump's “zero tolerance” policy on border crossings during his first administration, which led to the separation of thousands of parents and children seeking asylum at the border. Dr. Mehmet Oz, Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz, 64, is a former heart surgeon who hosted “The Dr. Oz Show,” a long-running daytime television talk show. He ran unsuccessfully for the U.S. Senate as the Republican nominee in 2022 and is an outspoken supporter of Trump, who endorsed Oz's bid for elected office. Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy to advise White House on government efficiency Elon Musk, left, and Vivek Ramaswamy speak before Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump at an Oct. 27 campaign rally at Madison Square Garden in New York. Trump on Tuesday said Musk and former Republican presidential candidate Ramaswamy will lead a new “Department of Government Efficiency" — which is not, despite the name, a government agency. The acronym “DOGE” is a nod to Musk's favorite cryptocurrency, dogecoin. Trump said Musk and Ramaswamy will work from outside the government to offer the White House “advice and guidance” and will partner with the Office of Management and Budget to “drive large scale structural reform, and create an entrepreneurial approach to Government never seen before.” He added the move would shock government systems. It's not clear how the organization will operate. Musk, owner of X and CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, has been a constant presence at Mar-a-Lago since Trump won the presidential election. Ramaswamy suspended his campaign in January and threw his support behind Trump. Trump said the two will “pave the way for my Administration to dismantle Government Bureaucracy, slash excess regulations, cut wasteful expenditures, and restructure Federal Agencies.” Russell Vought, Office of Management and Budget Russell Vought held the position during Trump’s first presidency. After Trump’s initial term ended, Vought founded the Center for Renewing America, a think tank that describes its mission as “renew a consensus of America as a nation under God.” Vought was closely involved with Project 2025, a conservative blueprint for Trump’s second term that he tried to distance himself from during the campaign. Vought has also previously worked as the executive and budget director for the Republican Study Committee, a caucus for conservative House Republicans. He also worked at Heritage Action, the political group tied to The Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank. Additional selections to the incoming White House Scavino, whom Trump's transition referred to in a statement as one of “Trump's longest serving and most trusted aides,” was a senior adviser to Trump's 2024 campaign, as well as his 2016 and 2020 campaigns. He will be deputy chief of staff and assistant to the president. Scavino had run Trump's social media profile in the White House during his first administration. He was also held in contempt of Congress in 2022 after a month-long refusal to comply with a subpoena from the House committee’s investigation into the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. Blair was political director for Trump's 2024 campaign and for the Republican National Committee. He will be deputy chief of staff for legislative, political and public affairs and assistant to the president. Blair was key to Trump's economic messaging during his winning White House comeback campaign this year, a driving force behind the candidate's “Trump can fix it” slogan and his query to audiences this fall if they were better off than four years ago. Budowich is a veteran Trump campaign aide who launched and directed Make America Great Again, Inc., a super PAC that supported Trump's 2024 campaign. He will be deputy chief of staff for communications and personnel and assistant to the president. Budowich also had served as a spokesman for Trump after his presidency. McGinley was White House Cabinet secretary during Trump's first administration, and was outside legal counsel for the Republican National Committee's election integrity effort during the 2024 campaign. In a statement, Trump called McGinley “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.” Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter.
After Trump's Project 2025 denials, he is tapping its authors and influencers for key roles
Inhale. Hold. Exhale. Hold. Breathe. It will all be what it will be. If you’ve felt panicked or confused in the last few days, it’s understandable. The constant churn of Nebraska football news since Sunday has been like drinking from a fire hose. Defensive coordinator Tony White is heading to Florida State as its defensive coordinator. Defensive backs coach John Butler will serve as the interim. Interim offensive coordinator Dana Holgorsen is staying, signing a two-year extension for $1.2 million. Nebraska has hired a new wide receivers coach, Daikiel Shorts. Defensive line coach Terrance Knighton appears to be on the move. Several players, including Jimari Butler, have declared their intention to enter the transfer portal when it opens on Monday. Nebraska signed 20 high school prospects in conjunction with Wednesday’s signing day. People are also reading... Phew. Again, breathe. It’s a lot. It’s not all bad. It’s not all good, either, but it’s not all bad. Such is life in college football in December. Thoughts on the state of Nebraska football: Tony White's departure White — a two-time Broyles Award finalist — leaving for another job was anticipated. He had plenty of calls in the last offseason to the point where he received a king’s ransom of a raise to be Nebraska’s defensive coordinator for 2024. The act of him leaving is not a surprise. But the job he left for, Florida State’s defensive coordinator, did raise some eyebrows — as many expected him to be a head coaching candidate once again. “Obviously I was disappointed,” Rhule said. “I liked coaching with Tony, I liked being around him. I thought he had a great effect. But he’s gotta go do what he’s gotta do.” Rhule continued later: “Did I want Tony to leave? No. But it’s OK. Coaches are going to leave. If we have good players and we have good coaches, people are going to come try to get them. If no one’s trying to take our players and no one’s trying to take our coaches, that means we’re in trouble.” While the title appears to be the same — defensive coordinator to defensive coordinator — this is not a lateral move. For one, Rhule said Wednesday that part of White’s move was for “family reasons.” For two, it likely comes with a bigger paycheck. White’s salary has not been publicly disclosed since the hire has not yet been announced by Florida State, but his predecessor, Adam Fuller, made $2 million in 2024 before he was fired last week. At Nebraska, White made $1.6 million in 2024. Of note, there’s no state income tax in Florida. Nebraska’s progressive income tax rate for White’s tax bracket is 6.54%. As far as other finances are concerned... Florida State football had an NIL team budget of around $12 million in 2024, according to an August report from the Athletic’s Bruce Feldman, with almost $2 million allocated for the defensive line. Nebraska’s NIL budget for football “is not even 10” million, Nebraska athletic director Troy Dannen reportedly said at the 1890 annual member appreciation event last April. Yes, it is true that Florida State had an abysmal season — which is the entire reason why White has a job there now. But what about the season before that? When Florida State went undefeated in the regular season and was mindbogglingly left out of the four-team College Football Playoff. Yes, Florida State did go 2-10 this season. That did happen. But I still think the Florida State gig is a better job — even with the university in an active lawsuit against the ACC. With Mike Norvell making sweeping changes after the disappointing season, I doubt he remains on the hot seat. And even if he does? White’s a good candidate to take the reins. So ... who will replace him? You can be mad at White for bolting. But that doesn’t change the fact that Nebraska needs a new defensive coordinator. (And a new defensive line coach, most likely.) Who’s it going to be? In the interim, at least, it will be defensive backs coach John Butler. Butler joined the staff over the summer after the untimely departure of Evan Cooper. Butler was previously with the Buffalo Bills and was Penn State’s defensive coordinator in 2013. Rhule did say that Butler is a candidate for the job. But, Rhule isn’t going to put a timetable on this hire. Nor is he going to try to make a big splash with a big name. He wants to 1.) Get it right, and 2.) Keep the defense the same. “I want to do this defense,” Rhule said. “Whoever that is, I don’t want to make that decision for the short term — where we all feel good about it.” Nothing here would surprise me. Promoting Butler would make sense. Hiring from the outside would make sense — especially since Rhule brought in an outside guy in the last two coordinator hires he’s made: White and Dana Holgorsen. 2 years for Holgorsen One shred of good news from Monday was that Nebraska and offensive coordinator Dana Holgorsen opted to continue things. Not just for a few more weeks, this time, but rather two years to the tune of $1.2 million. “I was ecstatic when Dana decided to stick around,” Rhule said. “He decided that he saw enough here in his time here to know that ... we can get this thing offensively to where we want to get it to.” There are good pieces here, that’s for sure. Quarterback Dylan Raiola is, of course, the straw that stirs the drink, but seeing the overall rise of play from most everyone on offense the last three weeks was quite the sight. Will be interesting to see how that develops with more time. One big change that Holgorsen wanted was to bring in one of his guys — Daikeil Shorts, a receiver who played for Holgo at West Virginia and then coached receivers on his staff at Houston. But that was the only change Holgorsen requested, Rhule said. Everything else, offensively at least, is expected to stay the same — Donovan Raiola as offensive line coach, Glenn Thomas at quarterbacks, EJ Barthel at running backs and Marcus Satterfield at tight ends. Yes. As of now, Satterfield will remain on staff as the tight ends coach. “That was Dana’s call,” Rhule said. “... Satt wants to be here and he’s done a great job in recruiting and I think he’ll continue to help us.” Portal moves Yes. It’s been a lot of guys. Is it frustrating seeing guys like Jimari Butler and James Williams and Mikai Gbayor and Princewill Umanmielen in the portal? Yes. But that’s the name of the game these days. I warn you, there will be more. Not trying to fearmonger or anything, but it’s a numbers game at this point. Nebraska remains over the limit. And, Nebraska will be active in the portal, too. Lots of coming and going in the weeks to come. Ty Robinson Nebraska’s lone All-Big Ten team selection was Ty Robinson, making the third team. I feel like that was a slight. Not necessarily a snub, but a slight. Hard to imagine nine more guys at his position in this league that are better than him. But, on a positive note for Robinson, he accepted his invitation to the Senior Bowl. Expect his draft stock to rise. Photos: Nebraska football vs. Iowa on Black Friday — Nov. 29 Nebraska players, including Jacob Hood (center), turn to wave during the "Hawkeye Wave" on Friday in Iowa City. Nebraska assistant coach Garret McGuire looks on during warm up before the Iowa game, Friday, Nov. 29, 2024, at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City, Iowa. Nebraska assistant coach Marcus Satterfield looks on during warm up before the Iowa game, Friday, Nov. 29, 2024, at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City, Iowa. Nebraska fan Zachary Roth of Omaha dances in the cold during the Iowa game, Friday, Nov. 29, 2024, at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City, Iowa. Nebraska head coach Matt Rhule talks with an official during the Iowa game on Friday at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City. Nebraska's Jahmal Banks is tackled by Iowa's TJ Hall on Friday at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City. Iowa's Kamari Moulton (center) is tackled by Nebraska's MJ Sherman (left) and Elijah Jeudy, Friday, Nov. 29, 2024, at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City, Iowa. Nebraska's Carter Nelson (center) is tackled by Iowa's Deontae Craig (right) on Friday at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City. Iowa's Quinn Schulte (left) tackles Nebraska's Nate Boerkircher, Friday, Nov. 29, 2024, at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City, Iowa. Nebraska's Thomas Fidone picks up a pass against Iowa, Friday, Nov. 29, 2024, at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City, Iowa. Nebraska's John Hohl reacts after missing a field goal against Iowa, Friday, Nov. 29, 2024, at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City, Iowa. Nebraska's Dylan Raiola runs with the ball against Iowa on Friday at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City. Nebraska's Isaac Gifford (left) rips the ball away from Iowa's Jarriett Buie on Friday at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City. The Nebraska defense stops Iowa on fourth down on Friday at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City. Nebraska's Jahmal Banks picks up a pass next to Iowa's Deshaun Lee, Friday, Nov. 29, 2024, at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City, Iowa. Nebraska's Emmett Johnson escapes a tackle by Iowa's Deshaun Lee, Friday, Nov. 29, 2024, at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City, Iowa. Nebraska head coach Matt Rhule looks on during the Iowa game, Friday, Nov. 29, 2024, at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City, Iowa. Nebraska's Dante Dowdell tries to break a tackle from Iowa's Jay Higgins (left) and Koen Entringer (4), Friday, Nov. 29, 2024, at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City, Iowa. Nebraska's Emmett Johnson fumbles under pressure from Iowa's Sebastian Castro (top) and TJ Hall (bottom), Friday, Nov. 29, 2024, at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City, Iowa. Iowa's Drew Stevens (18) celebrates after making the game-winning kick against Nebraska, Friday, Nov. 29, 2024, at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City, Iowa. Iowa's Drew Stevens (18) celebrates after making the game-winning kick against Nebraska, Friday, Nov. 29, 2024, at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City, Iowa. Iowa's Luke Elkin (left) and Ty Nissen carry Heroes Game trophy after defeating Nebraska on Friday at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City. Iowa's Drew Stevens (18) kicks a game-winning field goal through the arms of Nebraska's Ty Robinson (9) and Nash Hutmacher (0) on Friday at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City. Nebraska's Dante Dowdell scores a touchdown against Iowa in the second quarter, Friday, Nov. 29, 2024, at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City, Iowa. Nebraska's Dylan Raiola carries the ball against Iowa, Friday, Nov. 29, 2024, at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City, Iowa. Iowa's Deontae Craig (bottom) pressures Nebraska's Dylan Raiola, Friday, Nov. 29, 2024, at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City, Iowa. Nebraska's John Hohl (right) celebrates his field goal against Iowa, Friday, Nov. 29, 2024, at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City, Iowa. Nebraska's Mikai Gbayor tips a pass by Iowa's Jackson Stratton on Friday at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City. Iowa's Deontae Craig (left) and Aaron Graves (right) pressure Nebraska's Dylan Raiola on at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City, Iowa. Nebraska head coach Matt Rhule (left) talks with Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz before the game, Friday, Nov. 29, 2024, at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City, Iowa. Jesse Divis of David City, 17, braves the cold before the Nebraska game at Iowa, Friday, Nov. 29, 2024, at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City, Iowa. Nebraska head coach Matt Rhule arrives before the Iowa game, Friday, Nov. 29, 2024, at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City, Iowa. Nebraska special teams coordinator Ed Foley arrives before the Iowa game, Friday, Nov. 29, 2024, at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City, Iowa. Nebraska's Dylan Raiola arrives before the Iowa game, Friday, Nov. 29, 2024, at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City, Iowa. The Nebraska football team arrives arrives at Kinnick Stadium before the Iowa game, Friday, Nov. 29, 2024, in Iowa City, Iowa. The Nebraska football team arrives arrives at Kinnick Stadium before the Iowa game, Friday, Nov. 29, 2024, in Iowa City, Iowa. Nebraska offensive coordinator Dana Holgorsen arrives at Kinnick Stadium before the Iowa game, Friday, Nov. 29, 2024, in Iowa City, Iowa. Subscribe for the best Husker news & commentary Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! 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Syrian authorities crack down on ‘remnants’ of Bashar al-Assad’s ruleWEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — President-elect Donald Trump said Wednesday that he has chosen Keith Kellogg, a highly decorated retired three-star general, to serve as his special envoy for Ukraine and Russia. Kellogg, who is one of the architects of a staunchly conservative policy book that lays out an "America First" national security agenda for the incoming administration, will come into the role as Russia's invasion of Ukraine enters its third year in February. Trump made the announcement on his Truth Social account, and said "He was with me right from the beginning! Together, we will secure PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH, and Make America, and the World, SAFE AGAIN!" Kellogg, a retired Army lieutenant general who has long been Trump's top adviser on defense issues, served as national security adviser to Vice President Mike Pence, was chief of staff of the National Security Council and then stepped in as an acting security adviser for Trump after Michael Flynn resigned. As special envoy for Ukraine and Russia, Kellogg will have to navigate an increasingly untenable war between the two nations. The Biden administration has begun urging Ukraine to quickly increase the size of its military by drafting more troops and revamping its mobilization laws to allow for the conscription of troops as young as 18. The White House has pushed more than $56 billion in security assistance to Ukraine since the start of Russia's February 2022 invasion and expects to send billions more to Kyiv before Biden leaves office in less than months. Trump has criticized the billions that the Biden administration has poured into Ukraine. Washington has recently stepped up weapons shipments and has forgiven billions in loans provided to Kyiv. The incoming Republican president has said he could end the war in 24 hours, comments that appear to suggest he would press Ukraine to surrender territory that Russia now occupies. As a co-chairman of the American First Policy Institute's Center for American Security, Kellogg wrote several of the chapters in the group's policy book. The book, like the Heritage Foundation's "Project 2025," is a move to lay out a Trump national security agenda and avoid the mistakes of 2016 when he entered the White House largely unprepared. Kellogg in April wrote that "bringing the Russia-Ukraine war to a close will require strong, America First leadership to deliver a peace deal and immediately end the hostilities between the two warring parties." Kellogg was a character in multiple Trump investigations dating to his first term. He was among the administration officials who listened in on the July 2019 call between Trump and Volodymyr Zelenskyy in which Trump prodded his Ukrainian counterpart to pursue investigations into the Bidens. The call, which Kellogg would later say did not raise any concerns on his end, was at the center of the first of two House impeachment cases against Trump, who was acquitted by the Senate both times. On Jan. 6, 2021, hours before pro-Trump rioters stormed the U.S. Capitol, Kellogg, who was then Pence's national security adviser, listened in on a heated call in which Trump told his vice president to object or delay the certification in Congress of President Joe Biden 's victory. He later told House investigators that he recalled Trump saying to Pence words to the effect of: "You're not tough enough to make the call." ___ Baldor reported from Washington. AP writer Eric Tucker in Washington contributed to this report.LONDON Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani met Wednesday with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer in London as part of a two-day state visit to Britain. On the second day of his visit, he was hosted by Starmer in Downing Street, where they discussed bilateral ties between their two countries. Starmer welcomed a significant milestone in the UK and Qatar's new clean energy partnership and an initial £1 billion ($1.27 billion) commitment made by Qatar. Earlier Wednesday, the UK government announced that Qatar will invest £1 billion in climate technology in Britain as part of a landmark clean energy partnership between London and Doha. The new partnership is expected to create thousands of highly skilled jobs across the UK and in Qatar over its lifetime and the investment in UK climate technology will also accelerate the development of climate-friendly technologies. During the meeting in Downing Street, the two leaders agreed that the countries’ thriving investment relationship would continue to grow and deliver significant benefits for both nations. "Turning to defense, the Prime Minister reflected on the UK’s close cooperation with Qatar, and the leaders discussed their ambition to go further to strengthen their unique partnership," a UK government statement said. Starmer also commended Qatar’s leadership in mediation in the Middle East, including their role in securing the release of hostages from Gaza. Earlier, the Qatari emir paid a visit to the Royal Military Academy in Sandhurst, Berkshire as he began the second day of his two-day state visit. During his visit to Sandhurst, accompanied by British Defense Secretary John Healey, the two countries signed a new defense partnership. The agreements signed include extending and expanding collaboration and knowledge sharing across the joint UK-Qatar Typhoon and Hawk aircraft squadrons, according to a statement from the Ministry of Defense. "Our joint Typhoon and Hawk squadrons and training Qatari cadets in the UK underlines our shared commitment and cooperation to global security and stability," said Healey. Al Thani also attended a UK state banquet with King Charles III. Charles welcomed the Emir and praised Qatar’s mediation efforts in the Middle East. "In the most desperate of circumstances, Qatar’s continued toil, perseverance and diplomatic efforts are quite simply invaluable," he said. On Tuesday, King Charles welcomed Al Thani and his first wife, Sheikha Jawaher bint Hamad Al Thani, during a grand ceremony in Whitehall, London. The welcoming ceremony was also attended by the Prince and Princess of Wales, William and Kate.
Shannon and Mike Farrell started what would later become their local farm from one pumpkin. “We started with a small garden and a friend of ours laughed at a pumpkin we grew. So I kinda went... Well, I’ll show you!” Mike said. “Poor Shannon,” Mike chuckled. “We started growing pumpkins en masse.” “To show that friend,” Shannon added. The two are the married team behind Comox Valley’s Shamrock Farm. They agreed to meet up with The Discourse during the farm’s winter market — which took place from Nov. 29 to Dec. 1 — to share some of what they’ve learned over the last 30 years of running a local farm. The farm has been in operation since 1993. Mike said things began slowly, with the two introducing things little by little over the years to their 20-acre property in Little River, Comox. Since the pumpkin, the family farm has grown into a diversified local business with year-round crops and some goats, pigs and chickens. They are always experimenting, but some crops include pumpkins, garlic, lavender, squash, carrots, radicchio, tomatoes, greens, and one of Shannon’s favourites — kalettes, a cross between brussels sprouts and kale. From 1999 to 2019, the farm also offered field trips to school children. Shannon said this was a good way to spread the word about the farm before social media took off in the 2010s. The two were also busy raising their three boys at this time. One of their biggest focuses over the years has been the importance of not using pesticide or herbicide sprays even while opting not to undergo the cumbersome organic certification process. “Our philosophy was to be able to pull it out of the ground, wipe the dirt off and eat it,” Mike said. The farm scales up a bit every year and they focus on trial and error to grow and diversify their crops. “We have to be able to rotate into different areas all the time,” Mike said. This helps the farm maintain soil health, control pests and weeds, and enable diverse crop production on limited acreage. “It’s kind of a jigsaw puzzle, actually.” Mike said the hardest part about having a farm that doesn’t use pesticides is the weeding, which increases the cost of labour. “We weed everything by hand so that puts our costs up,” Shannon said. “We have a great crew though.” And sometimes the farm does lose crops to bugs. “A few bitten bok choy leaves people will buy but when it gets really bad people won’t buy that vegetable.” Shannon said. Then there is the balance of pricing the vegetables. The Farrells said you can’t have them too expensive because then people won’t buy the vegetables. But if you price them too low, it’s not enough to keep the farm going. When COVID-19 hit, the team started thinking a lot about food scarcity and the supply chain issues that were hitting the Island at the time. “We were like, let’s plant as much as our fields can handle,” Shannon said. The farm did well. Shannon said she noticed a shift in how many people began to value local food. “People were worried about where their food was coming from, and I finally felt like the farm was supporting the family.” Autumn Farrell, Shannon and Mike’s daughter-in-law, has been helping out on the farm since she was in high school. Back then, her now husband Jesse Farrell asked her to help out because his parents needed some help on the farm. Now, a decade later, Autumn is still a lead farmhand weeding and harvesting vegetables, ordering seeds, operating the website and social media and sending out newsletters. “Over the years, I’ve just continued to work here. I also work in a hospital, and this is just a completely different environment for me. I really value being able to work outside and getting your hands dirty,” she said. “It’s so good to be... in nature and connecting with the soil and the earth.” “We focus a lot on diversity too,” Autumn said. Shannon added that their focus on diversity ensures there is something else to fall back on if a crop fails. It’s important for the long-term resilience of the farm. A diverse range of crops is also fun and gives them room to grow and experiment, she added. “I find it really cool, you’ve got these seeds and some of the varieties are really old heirloom varieties that have been passed down from all those generations,” she said. You save that seed, and then you grow it again, and it keeps going. I love that,” Shannon said. Shannon chuckled and added that sometimes this diversity doesn’t succeed because the farm is always experimenting. But that ends up helping them grow in the long-term. “Every year we usually try to find a few new weird varieties that people haven’t heard of before,” Autumn said. This year, it was forced radicchio. Radicchio — a type of chicory from Italy, is known for its white and purple to dark red leaves. They planted different varieties of radicchio for the farm this year, and Shannon experimented with “forcing” the plant. “So in Italy, historically, they would take their radicchio, which is field grown, inside and cover it, shade it from light, and change the water everyday... but because it doesn’t have light, you get these beautiful tender leaves that are dark red and pure white.” The lack of light reduces chlorophyll production, which also softens the bitterness that is often associated with radicchio. Radicchio is a winter vegetable, and Shannon added that she likes being able to grow during all four seasons. “Outside right now, we’ve got all of the brussels sprouts and kale and radicchio and all the winter cabbages and kalettes. Carrots are outside right now, radishes are outside right now. We are lucky that we can grow right through the season.” There are also lots of vegetables in the high tunnel right now, which is like a greenhouse but there is no heat. “We don’t like to waste anything, because obviously that’s money thrown away. So if something doesn’t sell, we pickle it right away, preserve it right away, or put it in the freezer for now in the winter.” The goats, they said, are part of the diversity gamble. The goat’s milk is used for the soap made on the farm, but the goats are a bit of a luxury, and the soap barely covers their cost. But the six pigs were a success. The farm had a forested area that needed some clearing, so they put the pigs in the area to clear it. Having animals for meat was a new experience for them, but the farmers said they see a need for serving people concerned about where their meat comes from. They even had one of the workers on the farm break a mainly vegetarian diet after seeing how well they were raising the pigs. “She could see where they were, they were outside 24/7, getting fed, they had their big wallow. They were getting all our vegetables.” Shannon said it was amazing to see how the pigs were helpful in clearing the land and is looking forward to seeing how things grow there now. They sold most of the pig meat but still have some cuts left. Shamrock Farms can often be found at the Comox Valley Farmer’s Market, and their products are also in many local restaurants. But most of their products are sold straight from the farm at their markets. Now that the winter farm market is complete, locals can look forward to the spring plant sale in May. Come July, the farm will host a lavender and garlic market then In late September and early October a fall harvest market. Shamrock Farm offered some advice for those who may want to get into farming: “Start small and pay as you go. Don’t reach for the moon and borrow a ton of money,” Mike said. Farming is tough, and the farmers said it’s important for the farm to be sustainable for not only the food they grow. “With sustainable farming, it has to be sustainable for the people who work on the farm too,” said Shannon. She said that the job can be exhausting and that breaks are important too. They also added that it’s important to have another form of income before going all-out in farming. In other words, don’t put all your eggs into one basket (pun intended). To learn more about Shamrock Farm, go to or email . NoneAll Roads Lead to 2024's Los Angeles Auto Show Offering Unmatched Guest Experiences, Vehicle Debuts and Special Exhibits for Attendees of all Ages
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BELGRADE, Serbia (AP) — Playing against his parent club Stuttgart in the Champions League, on-loan Red Star Belgrade forward Silas had just a low-key celebration for the goal he scored in a 5-1 win Wednesday. Silas played five years at Stuttgart before being loaned out to spend this season with the Serbian champion — a deal that went through after the Champions League fixtures were drawn and both parties to the loan were set to meet in the fifth of eight rounds. Red Star trailed 1-0 in the 12th minute when the Congo international ran through to shoot from the edge of the Stuttgart penalty area. Silas held up both hands in a gesture of apology to fans of his longtime former team. It was the platform for 1991 European Cup winner Red Star to deliver its best performance in the Champions League after four straight losses. The 26-year-old Silas made headlines in 2021 when he was revealed to be one year older than registered and playing under a false family name. His former agent was blamed for the visa issue after the player arrived in Europe as a teenager. AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
WASHINGTON — President-elect Donald Trump said Saturday that he will nominate former White House aide Brooke Rollins to be his agriculture secretary, the last of his picks to lead executive agencies and another choice from within his established circle of advisers and allies. The nomination must be confirmed by the Senate, which will be controlled by Republicans when Trump takes office Jan. 20. Rollins would succeed Tom Vilsack , President Joe Biden’s agriculture secretary who oversees the sprawling agency that controls policies, regulations and aid programs related to farming, forestry, ranching, food quality and nutrition. Then-President Donald Trump looks to Brooke Rollins, president and CEO of the Texas Public Policy Foundation, as she speaks during a Jan. 11, 2018, prison reform roundtable in the Roosevelt Room of the White House in Washington. Rollins, who graduated from Texas A&M University with a degree in agricultural development, is a longtime Trump associate who served as White House domestic policy chief during his first presidency. The 52-year-old is president and CEO of the America First Policy Institute, a group helping to lay the groundwork for a second Trump administration. Rollins previously served as an aide to former Texas Gov. Rick Perry and ran a think tank, the Texas Public Policy Foundation. The pick completes Trump’s selection of the heads of executive branch departments, just two and a half weeks after the former president won the White House once again. Several other picks that are traditionally Cabinet-level remain, including U.S. Trade Representative and head of the small business administration. Brooke Rollins, assistant to the president and director of the Domestic Policy Council at the time, speaks during a May 18, 2020, meeting with restaurant industry executives about the coronavirus response in the State Dining Room of the White House in Washington. Rollins, speaking on the Christian talk show “Family Talk" earlier this year, said Trump was an “amazing boss” and confessed that she thought in 2015, during his first presidential campaign, that he would not last as a candidate in a crowded Republican primary field. “I was the person that said, ‘Oh, Donald Trump is not going to go more than two or three weeks in the Republican primary. This is to up his TV show ratings. And then we’ll get back to normal,’” she said. “Fast forward a couple of years, and I am running his domestic policy agenda.” Trump didn’t offer many specifics about his agriculture policies during the campaign, but farmers could be affected if he carries out his pledge to impose widespread tariffs. During the first Trump administration, countries like China responded to Trump’s tariffs by imposing retaliatory tariffs on U.S. exports like the corn and soybeans routinely sold overseas. Trump countered by offering massive multibillion-dollar aid to farmers to help them weather the trade war. Brooke Rollins speaks at an Oct. 27 campaign rally for then-Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump at Madison Square Garden in New York. President Abraham Lincoln founded the USDA in 1862, when about half of all Americans lived on farms. The USDA oversees multiple support programs for farmers; animal and plant health; and the safety of meat, poultry and eggs that anchor the nation’s food supply. Its federal nutrition programs provide food to low-income people, pregnant women and young children. And the agency sets standards for school meals. Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Trump’s nominee to lead the Department of Health and Human Services, has vowed to strip ultraprocessed foods from school lunches and to stop allowing Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program beneficiaries from using food stamps to buy soda, candy or other so-called junk foods. But it would be the USDA, not HHS, that would be responsible for enacting those changes. In addition, HHS and USDA will work together to finalize the 2025-2030 edition of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. They are due late next year, with guidance for healthy diets and standards for federal nutrition programs. Gomez Licon reported from Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Associated Press writers Josh Funk and JoNel Aleccia contributed to this report. Among President-elect Donald Trump's picks are Susie Wiles for chief of staff, Florida Sen. Marco Rubio for secretary of state, former Democratic House member Tulsi Gabbard for director of national intelligence and Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz for attorney general. Susie Wiles, 67, was a senior adviser to Trump's 2024 presidential campaign and its de facto manager. Trump named Florida Sen. Marco Rubio to be secretary of state, making a former sharp critic his choice to be the new administration's top diplomat. Rubio, 53, is a noted hawk on China, Cuba and Iran, and was a finalist to be Trump's running mate on the Republican ticket last summer. Rubio is the vice chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee and a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. “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,” Trump said of Rubio in a statement. The announcement punctuates the hard pivot Rubio has made with Trump, whom the senator called a “con man" during his unsuccessful campaign for the 2016 GOP presidential nomination. Their relationship improved dramatically while Trump was in the White House. And as Trump campaigned for the presidency a third time, Rubio cheered his proposals. For instance, Rubio, who more than a decade ago helped craft immigration legislation that included a path to citizenship for people in the U.S. illegally, now supports Trump's plan to use the U.S. military for mass deportations. Pete Hegseth, 44, is a co-host of Fox News Channel’s “Fox & Friends Weekend” and has been a contributor with the network since 2014, where he developed a friendship with Trump, who made regular appearances on the show. Hegseth lacks senior military or national security experience. If confirmed by the Senate, he would inherit the top job during a series of global crises — ranging from Russia’s war in Ukraine and the ongoing attacks in the Middle East by Iranian proxies to the push for a cease-fire between Israel, Hamas and Hezbollah and escalating worries about the growing alliance between Russia and North Korea. Hegseth is also the author of “The War on Warriors: Behind the Betrayal of the Men Who Keep Us Free,” published earlier this year. Trump tapped Pam Bondi, 59, to be attorney general after U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz withdrew his name from consideration. She was Florida's first female attorney general, serving between 2011 and 2019. She also was on Trump’s legal team during his first impeachment trial in 2020. Considered a loyalist, she served as part of a Trump-allied outside group that helped lay the groundwork for his future administration called the America First Policy Institute. Bondi was among a group of Republicans who showed up to support Trump at his hush money criminal trial in New York that ended in May with a conviction on 34 felony counts. A fierce defender of Trump, she also frequently appears on Fox News and has been a critic of the criminal cases against him. Trump picked South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem, a well-known conservative who faced sharp criticism for telling a story in her memoir about shooting a rambunctious dog, to lead an agency crucial to the president-elect’s hardline immigration agenda. Noem used her two terms leading a tiny state to vault to a prominent position in Republican politics. South Dakota is usually a political afterthought. But during the COVID-19 pandemic, Noem did not order restrictions that other states had issued and instead declared her state “open for business.” Trump held a fireworks rally at Mount Rushmore in July 2020 in one of the first large gatherings of the pandemic. She takes over a department with a sprawling mission. In addition to key immigration agencies, the Department of Homeland Security oversees natural disaster response, the U.S. Secret Service, and Transportation Security Administration agents who work at airports. The governor of North Dakota, who was once little-known outside his state, Burgum is a former Republican presidential primary contender who endorsed Trump, and spent months traveling to drum up support for him, after dropping out of the race. Burgum was a serious contender to be Trump’s vice presidential choice this summer. The two-term governor was seen as a possible pick because of his executive experience and business savvy. Burgum also has close ties to deep-pocketed energy industry CEOs. Trump made the announcement about Burgum joining his incoming administration while addressing a gala at his Mar-a-Lago club, and said a formal statement would be coming the following day. In comments to reporters before Trump took the stage, Burgum said that, in recent years, the power grid is deteriorating in many parts of the country, which he said could raise national security concerns but also drive up prices enough to increase inflation. “There's just a sense of urgency, and a sense of understanding in the Trump administration,” Burgum said. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. ran for president as a Democrat, than as an independent, and then endorsed Trump . He's the son of Democratic icon Robert Kennedy, who was assassinated during his own presidential campaign. The nomination of Kennedy to lead the Department of Health and Human Services alarmed people who are concerned about his record of spreading unfounded fears about vaccines . For example, he has long advanced the debunked idea that vaccines cause autism. Scott Bessent, 62, is a former George Soros money manager and an advocate for deficit reduction. He's the founder of hedge fund Key Square Capital Management, after having worked on-and-off for Soros Fund Management since 1991. If confirmed by the Senate, he would be the nation’s first openly gay treasury secretary. He told Bloomberg in August that he decided to join Trump’s campaign in part to attack the mounting U.S. national debt. That would include slashing government programs and other spending. “This election cycle is the last chance for the U.S. to grow our way out of this mountain of debt without becoming a sort of European-style socialist democracy,” he said then. Oregon Republican U.S. Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer narrowly lost her reelection bid this month, but received strong backing from union members in her district. As a potential labor secretary, she would oversee the Labor Department’s workforce, its budget and put forth priorities that impact workers’ wages, health and safety, ability to unionize, and employer’s rights to fire employers, among other responsibilities. Chavez-DeRemer is one of few House Republicans to endorse the “Protecting the Right to Organize” or PRO Act would allow more workers to conduct organizing campaigns and would add penalties for companies that violate workers’ rights. The act would also weaken “right-to-work” laws that allow employees in more than half the states to avoid participating in or paying dues to unions that represent workers at their places of employment. Scott Turner is a former NFL player and White House aide. He ran the White House Opportunity and Revitalization Council during Trump’s first term in office. Trump, in a statement, credited Turner, the highest-ranking Black person he’s yet selected for his administration, with “helping to lead an Unprecedented Effort that Transformed our Country’s most distressed communities.” Sean Duffy is a former House member from Wisconsin who was one of Trump's most visible defenders on cable news. Duffy served in the House for nearly nine years, sitting on the Financial Services Committee and chairing the subcommittee on insurance and housing. He left Congress in 2019 for a TV career and has been the host of “The Bottom Line” on Fox Business. Before entering politics, Duffy was a reality TV star on MTV, where he met his wife, “Fox and Friends Weekend” co-host Rachel Campos-Duffy. They have nine children. A campaign donor and CEO of Denver-based Liberty Energy, Write is a vocal advocate of oil and gas development, including fracking — a key pillar of Trump’s quest to achieve U.S. “energy dominance” in the global market. Wright also has been one of the industry’s loudest voices against efforts to fight climate change. He said the climate movement around the world is “collapsing under its own weight.” The Energy Department is responsible for advancing energy, environmental and nuclear security of the United States. Wright also won support from influential conservatives, including oil and gas tycoon Harold Hamm. Hamm, executive chairman of Oklahoma-based Continental Resources, a major shale oil company, is a longtime Trump supporter and adviser who played a key role on energy issues in Trump’s first term. President-elect Donald Trump tapped billionaire professional wrestling mogul Linda McMahon to be secretary of the Education Department, tasked with overseeing an agency Trump promised to dismantle. McMahon led the Small Business Administration during Trump’s initial term from 2017 to 2019 and twice ran unsuccessfully as a Republican for the U.S. Senate in Connecticut. She’s seen as a relative unknown in education circles, though she expressed support for charter schools and school choice. She served on the Connecticut Board of Education for a year starting in 2009 and has spent years on the board of trustees for Sacred Heart University in Connecticut. Brooke Rollins, who graduated from Texas A&M University with a degree in agricultural development, is a longtime Trump associate who served as White House domestic policy chief during his first presidency. The 52-year-old is president and CEO of the America First Policy Institute, a group helping to lay the groundwork for a second Trump administration. She previously served as an aide to former Texas Gov. Rick Perry and ran a think tank, the Texas Public Policy Foundation. Trump chose Howard Lutnick, head of brokerage and investment bank Cantor Fitzgerald and a cryptocurrency enthusiast, as his nominee for commerce secretary, a position in which he'd have a key role in carrying out Trump's plans to raise and enforce tariffs. Trump made the announcement Tuesday on his social media platform, Truth Social. Lutnick is a co-chair of Trump’s transition team, along with Linda McMahon, the former wrestling executive who previously led Trump’s Small Business Administration. Both are tasked with putting forward candidates for key roles in the next administration. The nomination would put Lutnick in charge of a sprawling Cabinet agency that is involved in funding new computer chip factories, imposing trade restrictions, releasing economic data and monitoring the weather. It is also a position in which connections to CEOs and the wider business community are crucial. Doug Collins is a former Republican congressman from Georgia who gained recognition for defending Trump during his first impeachment trial, which centered on U.S. assistance for Ukraine. Trump was impeached for urging Ukraine to investigate Joe Biden in 2019 during the Democratic presidential nomination, but he was acquitted by the Senate. Collins has also served in the armed forces himself and is currently a chaplain in the United States Air Force Reserve Command. "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 in a statement about nominating Collins to lead the Department of Veterans Affairs. Karoline Leavitt, 27, was Trump's campaign press secretary and currently a spokesperson for his transition. She would be the youngest White House press secretary in history. The White House press secretary typically serves as the public face of the administration and historically has held daily briefings for the press corps. Leavitt, a New Hampshire native, was a spokesperson for MAGA Inc., a super PAC supporting Trump, before joining his 2024 campaign. In 2022, she ran for Congress in New Hampshire, winning a 10-way Republican primary before losing to Democratic Rep. Chris Pappas. Leavitt worked in the White House press office during Trump's first term before she became communications director for New York Republican Rep. Elise Stefanik, Trump's choice for U.S. ambassador to the United Nations. Former Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard has been tapped by Trump to be director of national intelligence, keeping with the trend to stock his Cabinet with loyal personalities rather than veteran professionals in their requisite fields. Gabbard, 43, was a Democratic House member who unsuccessfully sought the party's 2020 presidential nomination before leaving the party in 2022. She endorsed Trump in August and campaigned often with him this fall. “I know Tulsi will bring the fearless spirit that has defined her illustrious career to our Intelligence Community,” Trump said in a statement. Gabbard, who has served in the Army National Guard for more than two decades, deploying to Iraq and Kuwait, would come to the role as somewhat of an outsider compared to her predecessor. The current director, Avril Haines, was confirmed by the Senate in 2021 following several years in a number of top national security and intelligence positions. Trump has picked John Ratcliffe, a former Texas congressman who served as director of national intelligence during his first administration, to be director of the Central Intelligence Agency in his next. Ratcliffe was director of national intelligence during the final year and a half of Trump's first term, leading the U.S. government's spy agencies during the coronavirus pandemic. “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, calling him a “fearless fighter for the Constitutional Rights of all Americans” who would ensure “the Highest Levels of National Security, and PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH.” Trump has chosen former New York Rep. Lee Zeldin to serve as his pick to lead the Environmental Protection Agency . Zeldin does not appear to have any experience in environmental issues, but is a longtime supporter of the former president. The 44-year-old former U.S. House member from New York wrote on X , “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,” he added. During his campaign, Trump often attacked the Biden administration's promotion of electric vehicles, and incorrectly referring to a tax credit for EV purchases as a government mandate. Trump also often told his audiences during the campaign his administration would “Drill, baby, drill,” referring to his support for expanded petroleum exploration. In a statement, Trump said Zeldin “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.” Trump has named Brendan Carr, the senior Republican on the Federal Communications Commission, as the new chairman of the agency tasked with regulating broadcasting, telecommunications and broadband. Carr is a longtime member of the commission and served previously as the FCC’s general counsel. He has been unanimously confirmed by the Senate three times and was nominated by both Trump and President Joe Biden to the commission. Carr made past appearances on “Fox News Channel," including when he decried Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris' pre-Election Day appearance on “Saturday Night Live.” He wrote an op-ed last month defending a satellite company owned by Trump supporter Elon Musk. Rep. Elise Stefanik is a representative from New York and one of Trump's staunchest defenders going back to his first impeachment. Elected to the House in 2014, Stefanik was selected by her GOP House colleagues as House Republican Conference chair in 2021, when former Wyoming Rep. Liz Cheney was removed from the post after publicly criticizing Trump for falsely claiming he won the 2020 election. Stefanik, 40, has served in that role ever since as the third-ranking member of House leadership. Stefanik’s questioning of university presidents over antisemitism on their campuses helped lead to two of those presidents resigning, further raising her national profile. If confirmed, she would represent American interests at the U.N. as Trump vows to end the war waged by Russia against Ukraine begun in 2022. He has also called for peace as Israel continues its offensive against Hamas in Gaza and its invasion of Lebanon to target Hezbollah. President-elect Donald Trump says he's chosen former acting Attorney General Matt Whitaker to serve as U.S. ambassador to NATO. Trump has expressed skepticism about the Western military alliance for years. Trump said in a statement Wednesday that Whitaker is “a strong warrior and loyal Patriot” who “will ensure the United States’ interests are advanced and defended” and “strengthen relationships with our NATO Allies, and stand firm in the face of threats to Peace and Stability.” The choice of Whitaker as the nation’s representative to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization is an unusual one, given his background is as a lawyer and not in foreign policy. Trump will nominate former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee to be ambassador to Israel. Huckabee is a staunch defender of Israel and his intended nomination comes as Trump has promised to align U.S. foreign policy more closely with Israel's interests as it wages wars against the Iran-backed Hamas and Hezbollah. “He loves Israel, and likewise the people of Israel love him,” Trump said in a statement. “Mike will work tirelessly to bring about peace in the Middle East.” Huckabee, who ran unsuccessfully for the Republican presidential nomination in 2008 and 2016, has been a popular figure among evangelical Christian conservatives, many of whom support Israel due to Old Testament writings that Jews are God’s chosen people and that Israel is their rightful homeland. Trump has been praised by some in this important Republican voting bloc for moving the U.S. embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. Trump on Tuesday named real estate investor Steven Witkoff to be special envoy to the Middle East. The 67-year-old Witkoff is the president-elect's golf partner and was golfing with him at Trump's club in West Palm Beach, Florida, on Sept. 15, when the former president was the target of a second attempted assassination. Witkoff “is a Highly Respected Leader in Business and Philanthropy,” Trump said of Witkoff in a statement. “Steve will be an unrelenting Voice for PEACE, and make us all proud." Trump also named Witkoff co-chair, with former Georgia Sen. Kelly Loeffler, of his inaugural committee. Trump asked Rep. Michael Waltz, R-Fla., a retired Army National Guard officer and war veteran, to be his national security adviser, Trump announced in a statement Tuesday. The move puts Waltz in the middle of national security crises, ranging from efforts to provide weapons to Ukraine and worries about the growing alliance between Russia and North Korea to the persistent attacks in the Middle East by Iran proxies and the push for a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas and Hezbollah. “Mike has been a strong champion of my America First Foreign Policy agenda,” Trump's statement said, "and will be a tremendous champion of our pursuit of Peace through Strength!” Waltz is a three-term GOP congressman from east-central Florida. He served multiple tours in Afghanistan and also worked in the Pentagon as a policy adviser when Donald Rumsfeld and Robert Gates were defense chiefs. He is considered hawkish on China, and called for a U.S. boycott of the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing due to its involvement in the origin of COVID-19 and its mistreatment of the minority Muslim Uighur population. Stephen Miller, an immigration hardliner , was a vocal spokesperson during the presidential campaign for Trump's priority of mass deportations. The 39-year-old was a senior adviser during Trump's first administration. Miller has been a central figure in some of Trump's policy decisions, notably his move to separate thousands of immigrant families. Trump argued throughout the campaign that the nation's economic, national security and social priorities could be met by deporting people who are in the United States illegally. Since Trump left office in 2021, Miller has served as the president of America First Legal, an organization made up of former Trump advisers aimed at challenging the Biden administration, media companies, universities and others over issues such as free speech and national security. Thomas Homan, 62, has been tasked with Trump’s top priority of carrying out the largest deportation operation in the nation’s history. Homan, who served under Trump in his first administration leading U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, was widely expected to be offered a position related to the border, an issue Trump made central to his campaign. Though Homan has insisted such a massive undertaking would be humane, he has long been a loyal supporter of Trump's policy proposals, suggesting at a July conference in Washington that he would be willing to "run the biggest deportation operation this country’s ever seen.” Democrats have criticized Homan for his defending Trump's “zero tolerance” policy on border crossings during his first administration, which led to the separation of thousands of parents and children seeking asylum at the border. Dr. Mehmet Oz, 64, is a former heart surgeon who hosted “The Dr. Oz Show,” a long-running daytime television talk show. He ran unsuccessfully for the U.S. Senate as the Republican nominee in 2022 and is an outspoken supporter of Trump, who endorsed Oz's bid for elected office. Elon Musk, left, and Vivek Ramaswamy speak before Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump at an Oct. 27 campaign rally at Madison Square Garden in New York. Trump on Tuesday said Musk and former Republican presidential candidate Ramaswamy will lead a new “Department of Government Efficiency" — which is not, despite the name, a government agency. The acronym “DOGE” is a nod to Musk's favorite cryptocurrency, dogecoin. Trump said Musk and Ramaswamy will work from outside the government to offer the White House “advice and guidance” and will partner with the Office of Management and Budget to “drive large scale structural reform, and create an entrepreneurial approach to Government never seen before.” He added the move would shock government systems. It's not clear how the organization will operate. Musk, owner of X and CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, has been a constant presence at Mar-a-Lago since Trump won the presidential election. Ramaswamy suspended his campaign in January and threw his support behind Trump. Trump said the two will “pave the way for my Administration to dismantle Government Bureaucracy, slash excess regulations, cut wasteful expenditures, and restructure Federal Agencies.” Russell Vought held the position during Trump’s first presidency. After Trump’s initial term ended, Vought founded the Center for Renewing America, a think tank that describes its mission as “renew a consensus of America as a nation under God.” Vought was closely involved with Project 2025, a conservative blueprint for Trump’s second term that he tried to distance himself from during the campaign. Vought has also previously worked as the executive and budget director for the Republican Study Committee, a caucus for conservative House Republicans. He also worked at Heritage Action, the political group tied to The Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank. Scavino, whom Trump's transition referred to in a statement as one of “Trump's longest serving and most trusted aides,” was a senior adviser to Trump's 2024 campaign, as well as his 2016 and 2020 campaigns. He will be deputy chief of staff and assistant to the president. Scavino had run Trump's social media profile in the White House during his first administration. He was also held in contempt of Congress in 2022 after a month-long refusal to comply with a subpoena from the House committee’s investigation into the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. Blair was political director for Trump's 2024 campaign and for the Republican National Committee. He will be deputy chief of staff for legislative, political and public affairs and assistant to the president. Blair was key to Trump's economic messaging during his winning White House comeback campaign this year, a driving force behind the candidate's “Trump can fix it” slogan and his query to audiences this fall if they were better off than four years ago. Budowich is a veteran Trump campaign aide who launched and directed Make America Great Again, Inc., a super PAC that supported Trump's 2024 campaign. He will be deputy chief of staff for communications and personnel and assistant to the president. Budowich also had served as a spokesman for Trump after his presidency. McGinley was White House Cabinet secretary during Trump's first administration, and was outside legal counsel for the Republican National Committee's election integrity effort during the 2024 campaign. In a statement, Trump called McGinley “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.” Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter.None
