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Green technologies and sustainability-focused project strategies are helping the industry address risks earlier and build longer-lasting community ties, a London industry event heard this week. Better technologies, integrating artisanal miners and out-of-the-box mine closure strategies are key to improving mining’s social and environmental impact, a panel heard at The Northern Miner’s International Metals Symposium on Dec. 1-2. Panelists agreed that mining companies ignoring sustainability risk losing social and political support. The panelists shared how their diverse approaches could bolster projects’ sustainability credentials. Brent Johnson, vice-president of environment at Dundee Sustainable Technologies (CSE: DST), called his company’s non-cyanide gold extraction process, CLEVR, a breakthrough for safety. “If cyanide were banned overnight, 80% to 90% of mines would face immediate disruption,” Johnson told the panel. Johnson stressed that new alternatives, like his company’s tech, mitigate risks. They also reduce long-term liabilities, especially in tailings management. “Our approach eliminates the need for massive tailings dams, transforming how mines manage waste,” he said. Technological push Process innovation is one answer. But, Thomas Mumford, vice-president for exploration at Scottie Resources (TSXV: SCOT), noted that electrification and automation entail another. They are more sustainable and efficient. But new technologies face hurdles due to high capital costs and slow industry uptake. “New technologies require rigorous testing, often by large companies with the resources to run pilot projects,” he said. “This slows adoption.” Mumford cited the Borden mine in Ontario, operated by Newmont (NYSE: NEM, TSX: NGT, ASX: NEM), as Canada’s first all-electric underground mine. He noted that, while it shows electrification is viable, such mines are rare. The industry is slow to adopt new technologies due to high costs and risks. Informal integration The discussion also explored challenges from artisanal mining. It accounts for 85% of gold production in places like Colombia. In 2012 and 2013, Aris Mining (TSX: ARIS; NYSE-A: ARMN) began to formalize artisanal miners at its Segovia operations in the country as a way to seal local buy-in for the project, senior vice-president for corporate affairs and sustainability Giovanna Romero said. The company integrated them as contract mining partners. This collaboration has led to 44% of the company’s gold production today coming from these partnerships. Romero described them as an important step in reducing environmental harm and fostering community trust. “By integrating artisanal miners into our supply chain and sharing geological and technical knowledge, we’ve transformed them into legal, productive partners,” she said. Innovative mine closure strategies also took centre stage. Romero described Aris’s reclamation project at Segovia that converted a tailings site into a community park featuring football fields and recreational domes. A second stage includes a photovoltaic plant, further extending the site’s utility. “This project, managed by the local municipality, illustrates how closures can benefit communities long after mining operations end,” she said. Technically savvy The panel stressed that sustainability is a must, not just a goal. It’s vital for both ethics and business. Mumford called for early planning to ensure mine sites can be reused productively after closure. “Reclaimed mines shouldn’t sit as wastelands. They need to contribute to the community in a meaningful way,” he said. Johnson emphasized that companies need to factor sustainability into financial risk management. He cited the 2015 Vale (NYSE: VALE) dam collapse in Brazil, which killed 19 people, polluted the Doce River all the way to the Atlantic and saddled the company with $29.9 billion in damages. “Spending extra money upfront on sustainable technologies isn’t just ethical — it’s a no-brainer when you consider the long-term savings on liabilities and the avoidance of catastrophic failures,” he said. Meanwhile, mining communities are becoming more “technically savvy” and demanding better practices. “A mine could win awards one year and face ruin the next over ESG failures,” Johnson said.Rupert Murdoch ‘s eyebrow-raising attempt to restructure the family trust that governs Fox Corp. and News Corp. was rebuked last week in probate court in Las Vegas, thwarting — at least for now — the media mogul’s efforts to change the dictates of how four of his children, including current Fox CEO Lachlan Murdoch might govern the companies after he dies. The New York Times reported Monday that Murdoch’s bid to ensure Lachlan had control over the companies was rejected by Edmund J. Gorman Jr, a commissioner in probate court in Las Vegas, where Murdoch had filed the case to amend the irrevocable family trust. At present, the trust ensures four of his children — Lachlan, James, Prudence and Elisabeth — will have equal say in governing how Fox Corp. and News Corp. are run Their wishes could have significant effects on the direction of such assets as Fox News Channel, the conservative cable network that has enjoyed an outsize influence on Republicans and right-wing viewers. Rupert Murdoch intends to appeal the decision, according to a person familiar with the matter. Adam Streisand, an attorney representing Rupert Murdoch in the matter, could not be reached for immediate comment. Representatives of Fox Corp. and News Corp. could also not be reached for immediate comment. The Times reported that Rupert Murdoch has in recent years wanted to maintain the conservative leanings of his media empire, particularly at Fox News, which has become the economic linchpin of Fox Corp. But James Murdoch and Elisabeth Murdoch are known to hold different political views than their brother, with James notably contributing to causes that are not in keeping with the opinions espoused on the cable network. The trouble has come in trying to change the trust. In order to do so, the elder Murdoch had to prove that the changes he wanted to make would be in the best interests of all parties. Gorman took issue with that concept, noting in a 96-page decision that the plan represented a “carefully crafted charade” to “permanently cement Lachlan Murdoch’s executive roles” despite “the impacts such control would have over the companies or the beneficiaries” of the trust, according to the Times report. At the heart of the matter, the Times reported, were doubts about James Murdoch’s intentions. James has appeared estranged from his father and brother in recent years, and Lachlan Murdoch and his father sought different methods for disenfranchising the three other children. “The effort was an attempt to stack the deck in Lachlan Murdoch’s favor after Rupert Murdoch’s passing so that his succession would be immutable,” Gorman wrote in his decision, according to the Times. “The play might have worked; but an evidentiary hearing, like a showdown in a game of poker, is where gamesmanship collides with the facts and at its conclusion, all the bluffs are called and the cards lie face up.” Despite the ruling, the case can continue. According to the Times, a district judge must ratify Gorman’s decision. And Rupert Murdoch can challenge it. –Gene Maddaus contributed to this story
EAST LANSING, Mich. — Rutgers saved its best for last. After getting gutted last week in a last-second loss to Illinois that rattled the foundation of the program, no one would have blamed the Scarlet Knights for mailing in their regular-season finale. Instead, Rutgers responded with a performance that will send it into the postseason feeling like, yet again, the team that should have been counted out a long time ago will be fighting for something special. Extra motivation? Rutgers needed none of it Saturday. The Scarlet Knights spent one day to put rehash what went wrong against Illinois. They said they moved on and proved it early, dismantling Michigan State for a 41-14 win that was never in jeopardy. The bounce-back performance should be something to give coach Greg Schiano’s team something to be proud of with whatever comes next in the postseason. After all: It was Michigan State fighting for a postseason berth Saturday, but Rutgers looked like the playing with its season on the line. Rutgers can sit back and wait for its bowl game destination knowing it salvaged its season after a four-game losing streak and quickly erased what was one of its worst losses ever. On Saturday, te Scarlet Knights were better in every facet. Offensively, defensively, special teams — this was the type of complementary football that has escaped Rutgers until its final game of the regular season. If this was the final time fans see senior running back Kyle Monangai in a Rutgers uniform, the senior gave one last memorable performance. Monangai moved past Terrell Willis for second place on the school’s all-time rushing list. He racked up 101 of his 129 yards in the first half to help Rutgers rattle off 34 unanswered points, spanning the second and third quarters. In a potentially fitting finale, Monangai recorded a 100-yard game for the third straight season against Michigan State. After all, it was here in East Lansing where Monangai first exploded onto the scene in 2022. Just three years ago, Monangai rattled off a then-Big Ten record for Rutgers after carrying 24 times for 162 yards and a touchdown. It was a game Rutgers still found a way to lose. There might not be a better embodiment of Rutgers’ resurgence than Monangai who went from an unheralded recruit to the Big Ten rushing champ to a player who went back to work time and time again. When Rutgers needed one last week of work, it turned to wise words from the face of its senior class, who put it simply ... to move past the heartbreak, Rutgers needed to “just get back to work”. Instead of checking out, Rutgers got back to work. Observations Move to the spread? Experimenting with different packages, formations and tempo, it was somewhat startling that Rutgers not only spread things out — but thrived doing so. Quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis hit sophomore Ian Strong for a 9-yard touchdown pass. At that point, with Rutgers leading 31-7, it was becoming clear that the offense was going to operate at a high level with whatever it was hoping to accomplish. That may be the best news for Rutgers. With Monangai and the run game, the Scarlet Knights were able to bring balance to its offense. Will that be the case next season? Either way, Rutgers will have a quarterback in Kaliakmanis and a loaded core of young receivers who could give the Scarlet Knights a foundation to build around. After throwing for 150 yards Saturday, Kaliakmanis will need 248 yards in the bowl game to reach the 2,700-yard mark, which has only been reached by three other Rutgers passers — Ryan Hart, Mike Teel and Gary Nova — who also have substantial players in program lore. Dariel Djabome delivers all season long From the first game of the regular season to the last, the junior linebacker from Quebec was one of Rutgers’ biggest revelation. The team’s leading tackler, who was thrust into the starting lineup to replace injured captain Mohamed Toure, delivered the game’s biggest play when he stuffed running back Kay’ron Lynch-Adams in the backfield for a turnover on downs. At the time, Michigan State had the chance to tie the game with a field goal but gambled facing 4th-and-1 at Rutgers’ 6-yard line. With Michigan State facing a 10-7 deficit with 10:01 to play in the second quarter, the momentum fully swung in Rutgers’ favor from there as the Scarlet Knights scored on five of its six first-half possessions. Special teams deja vu Michigan State avoided complete destruction from a special teams blunder, but it just goes to show how steady that unit has been under Schiano. Halfway through the first quarter, long snapper Jack Carson Wentz sent a high snap through the hands of punter Ryan Eckley, who was able to scoop it up and stay out of the end zone when he was hit by freshman Ben Black. Rutgers took over at the 1-yard line but went backwards on a illegal motion by Monangai, leading to an eventual 25-yard field goal by Jai Patel that put Rutgers up 10-7 with 7:29 left in the first quarter. Last season, Michigan State punter Michael O’Shaughnessy dropped a snap, opening the door for Rutgers to rally for an 18-point comeback in the fourth quarter of an eventual 27-24 win for the Scarlet Knights. Go big or go home What was more unlikely? Senior Tyler Needham returning from what was previously diagnosed as a season-ending injury or him playing as a tight end? Needham, switching from No. 56 to 86, returned to the field three weeks removed from a knee injury and was used as a sixth offensive lineman, giving the Scarlet Knights a jumbo package look in a game decided in the trenches. Needham started the first nine games at right tackle before injuring his knee against Minnesota three weeks ago. Rutgers diagnosed his injury as season-ending, but the Philadelphia native was back in the starting lineup Saturday, giving the Scarlet Knights another option for its injury-decimated group of tight ends. While redshirt sophomore Mike Higgins saw the field, Rutgers used its jumbo package for a majority of its offensive snaps. Blustery Big Ten weather The official reading at kickoff was 24 degrees. Snow covered the field and fell like confetti from start to finish in a game between two teams trying to take advantage of the weather. Hits felt bigger, catches felt grittier and this Nov. 30, regular-season finale felt like the embodiment of Big Ten football. On a day, where Michigan State was playing for a bowl berth, Rutgers came into Spartan Stadium and was simply better across the board. Bonus coverage - With the win, Rutgers finished the regular season with a 7-5 record and 4-5 mark in Big Ten play. The 7-5 record will stand as Rutgers’ best regular-season record since 2014 when the Scarlet Knights recorded the same overall finish in its inaugural season in the Big Ten. Its four Big Ten wins also set a new program best. - The snow was a no-go, apparently. Michigan State running back Nate Carter was flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct after celebrating by doing snow angels following his first touchdown run of the game. It was a significant penalty, too. On the ensuing kickoff, Jonathan Kim booted the ball out of bounds. With the penalty yardage stacked together, Rutgers started with possession at the 50-yard line for its first drive, which ended with a 7-yard touchdown run by Monangai. Injury updates The Scarlet Knights listed 13 players as pre-game scratches on their availability report . The list included three new seniors — defensive end Aaron Lewis, cornerback Eric Rogers and safety Desmond Igbinosun — who all played last week against Illinois. In addition to those three regulars, Rutgers listed four other major contributors — wide receiver Christian Dremel, offensive lineman Tyler Needham, tight end Mike Higgins and cornerback Al-Shadee Salaam — as questionable two hours before kickoff. All four ended up playing, opening the door for Needham’s intriguing return as a jump-package option. The line Rutgers opened as a one-point favorite Sunday, but the lined eventually moved to favor Michigan State. At the time of kickoff, Michigan State was a favorite by 1 1/2 points, according to multiple sports books. The total points was set at 47 1/2. MORE RUTGERS COVERAGE Rutgers loses physical battle with Texas A&M, leaves Las Vegas with lost opportunities What’s Rutgers’ injury situation vs. Michigan State? Scarlet Knights thin again Rutgers vs. Texas A&M FREE LIVE STREAM (11/30/24) | How to watch men’s college basketball in Las Vegas online Everything Rutgers fans need to know about Michigan State showdown Married to Rutgers: Fans sneak away from Vegas hoops tournament to say, ‘I do’ Thank you for relying on us to provide the journalism you can trust. Please consider supporting us with a subscription. Patrick Lanni may be reached at planni@njadvancemedia.com .WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — President-elect Donald Trump said Saturday that he wants real estate developer Charles Kushner , father of Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, to serve as ambassador to France. Trump made the announcement in a Truth Social post, calling Charles Kushner “a tremendous business leader, philanthropist, & dealmaker." Kushner is the founder of Kushner Companies, a real estate firm. Jared Kushner is a former White House senior adviser to Trump who is married to Trump’s eldest daughter, Ivanka. The elder Kushner was pardoned by Trump in December 2020 after pleading guilty years earlier to tax evasion and making illegal campaign donations. Charles Kushner arrives July 20, 2022, for the funeral of Ivana Trump in New York. Prosecutors alleged that after Charles Kushner discovered his brother-in-law was cooperating with federal authorities in an investigation, he hatched a scheme for revenge and intimidation. Kushner hired a prostitute to lure his brother-in-law, then arranged to have the encounter in a New Jersey motel room recorded with a hidden camera and the recording sent to Kushner's own sister, the man’s wife, prosecutors said. Kushner eventually pleaded guilty to 18 counts including tax evasion and witness tampering. He was sentenced in 2005 to two years in prison — the most he could receive under a plea deal, but less than what Chris Christie, the U.S. attorney for New Jersey at the time and later governor and Republican presidential candidate, sought. Christie blamed Jared Kushner for his firing from Trump’s transition team in 2016, and called Charles Kushner’s offenses “one of the most loathsome, disgusting crimes that I prosecuted when I was U.S. attorney.” Trump and the elder Kushner knew each other from real estate circles and their children were married in 2009. 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. 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. 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.” 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 said Wednesday that he will nominate Gen. Keith Kellogg to serve as assistant to the president and special envoy for Ukraine and Russia. Kellogg, a retired Army lieutenant general who has long been Trump’s top adviser on defense issues, served as National Security Advisor to Trump's former Vice President Mike Pence. For the America First Policy Institute, one of several groups formed after Trump left office to help lay the groundwork for the next Republican administration, 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.” (AP Photo/Mariam Zuhaib) 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.” Dan Scavino, deputy chief of staff 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. James Blair, deputy chief of staff 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. Taylor Budowich, deputy chief of staff 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. William McGinley, White House counsel 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.” Jay Bhattacharya, National Institutes of Health Trump has chosen Dr. Jay Bhattacharya to lead the National Institutes of Health. Bhattacharya is a physician and professor at Stanford University School of Medicine, and is a critic of pandemic lockdowns and vaccine mandates. He promoted the idea of herd immunity during the pandemic, arguing that people at low risk should live normally while building up immunity to COVID-19 through infection. The National Institutes of Health funds medical research through competitive grants to researchers at institutions throughout the nation. NIH also conducts its own research with thousands of scientists working at its labs in Bethesda, Maryland. Jamieson Greer, U.S. trade representative Kevin Hassett, Director of the White House National Economic Council Trump is turning to two officials with experience navigating not only Washington but the key issues of income taxes and tariffs as he fills out his economic team. He announced he has chosen international trade attorney Jamieson Greer to be his U.S. trade representative and Kevin Hassett as director of the White House National Economic Council. While Trump has in several cases nominated outsiders to key posts, these picks reflect a recognition that his reputation will likely hinge on restoring the public’s confidence in the economy. Trump said in a statement that Greer was instrumental in his first term in imposing tariffs on China and others and replacing the trade agreement with Canada and Mexico, “therefore making it much better for American Workers.” Hassett, 62, served in the first Trump term as chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers. He has a doctorate from the University of Pennsylvania and worked at the right-leaning American Enterprise Institute before joining the Trump White House in 2017. Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter.
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