Category: fox-news/person/kristi-noem

Noem names Charles Wall ICE deputy director following Sheahan resignation

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Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem announced Thursday via X that longtime U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) attorney Charles Wall will serve as the agency’s new deputy director as enforcement operations intensify nationwide.

"Effective immediately, Charles Wall will serve as the Deputy Director of @ICEGov," wrote Noem. "For the last year, Mr. Wall served as ICE’s Principal Legal Advisor, playing a key role in helping us deliver historic results in arresting and removing the worst of the worst criminal illegal aliens from American neighborhoods."

Wall replaces Madison Sheahan, who stepped down earlier Thursday to pursue a congressional run in Ohio. Her departure left ICE leadership in transition at a moment when the agency has faced increasing resistance to enforcement efforts and heightened threats against officers in the field.

The move comes as the Trump administration intensifies immigration enforcement against murderers, rapists, gang members and suspected terrorists living illegally in the U.S., even as sanctuary jurisdictions and activist groups seek to block or disrupt ICE actions.

DHS DEMANDS MN LEADERS HONOR ICE DETAINERS, ALLEGES HUNDREDS OF CRIMINAL ALIENS HAVE BEEN RELEASED UNDER WALZ

ICE officials said Wall brings more than a decade of experience inside the agency.

"Mr. Wall has served as an ICE attorney for 14 years and is a forward-leaning, strategic thinker who understands the importance of prioritizing the removal of murderers, rapists, pedophiles, gang members, and terrorists from our country," Noem added.

Wall most recently served as ICE’s principal legal advisor, overseeing more than 3,500 attorneys and support staff who represent the DHS in removal proceedings and provide legal counsel to senior agency leadership. 

He has served at ICE since 2012, previously holding senior counsel roles in New Orleans, according to DHS.

‘WORST OF THE WORST’: ICE ARRESTS CHILD PREDATOR, VIOLENT CRIMINALS AMID SURGE IN ANTI-AGENT ATTACKS

DHS has described the appointment as part of a broader effort to ensure ICE leadership is aligned with the Trump administration’s public safety priorities.

The leadership change comes as ICE operations have drawn national attention following protests in Minneapolis after the ICE-involved fatal shooting of 37-year-old Renee Good on Jan. 7.

Administration officials have repeatedly emphasized that ICE’s focus remains on what they describe as the "worst of the worst" criminal illegal aliens, warning that local resistance and political opposition increase risks for officers carrying out enforcement duties.

ICE has recently created a specific landing page where these 'worst of the worst' offenders can be viewed with names and nationalities attached.

"I look forward to working with him in his new role to make America safe again," Noem concluded.

ICE did not immediately provide additional comment to Fox News Digital.

DHS slams Dems for complaining about immigration law: ‘It is quite literally their job to change it’

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The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) pushed back after several Democrats on the House Homeland Security Committee held a press conference slamming the Trump administration's handling of immigration.

House Homeland Security Committee Ranking Member Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., led the news conference and was joined by several high-profile Democrats, including Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn, and Rep. Al Green, D-Texas. The lawmakers not only criticized DHS's handling of immigration and federal law enforcement's conduct in Minneapolis. They also called for Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem's impeachment.

The press conference was held in the wake of the fatal ICE-involved shooting of Renee Nicole Good in Minnesota, which sparked unrest in the state and demonstrations across the country. Thompson described Good as "a wife, a writer, a poet, a devoted Christian and a U.S. citizen." He also noted that Good had three children. Omar also spoke about Good and said that she died "because she chose love and solidarity over fear."

Rep. LaMonica McIver, D-N.J., took a moment to issue a message directed at Noem specifically.

DHS DEMANDS MN LEADERS HONOR ICE DETAINERS, ALLEGES HUNDREDS OF CRIMINAL ALIENS HAVE BEEN RELEASED UNDER WALZ

"You are terrible at doing your job. You are incompetent. You are shameless. But most of all, you are cruel," McIver said. "The American people do not want you. We do not want you. And we will do whatever we need to do to make sure you will not hold that post soon. God will judge you and Democrats are going to remove you from office that you never deserved to hold in the first place."

A Democratic aide told Fox News Digital that lawmakers would continue to introduce legislation in an attempt "to rein in" ICE, but in the meantime, "will continue to do our job to investigate DHS – and Kristi Noem – when this administration breaks the law."

DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin dismissed the lawmakers and said in a statement emailed to Fox News Digital that the department was doing its job by enforcing the law.

"DHS is a law enforcement agency — enforcing the rule of law passed by Congress. If members don't like the law, it is quite literally their job to change it," McLaughlin said.

‘WORST OF THE WORST’: ICE ARRESTS CHILD PREDATOR, VIOLENT CRIMINALS AMID SURGE IN ANTI-AGENT ATTACKS

While members of Congress can propose and pass legislation, Democrats currently do not control either the House or the Senate, making it difficult for them to advance changes without bipartisan support.

"As ICE officers are facing a 1,300% increase in assaults against them, politicians are more focused on showmanship and fundraising clicks than actually removing criminals from our streets," McLaughlin added. "We hope these members get serious about doing their job to protect American people, which is what this Department is doing under Secretary Noem."

In addition to McLaughlin's statement, DHS shared information about several criminal illegal immigrants who had been arrested since Trump's crackdown began last year.

Hernan Cortes-Valencia, who hails from Mexico, had a final order of removal dated Dec. 1, 2016. DHS said that Cortes-Valencia was convicted of sexual assault against a child, sexual assault-carnal abuse and four DUIs.

Sriudorn Phaivan, an illegal immigrant from Laos, had a final order of removal from March 8, 2018, according to DHS. 

The department said that Phaivan was convicted of strongarm sodomy of a boy, strongarm sodomy of a girl, another aggravated sex offense, nine counts of larceny, unauthorized use of a vehicle, four counts of fraud, vehicle theft, two counts of drug possession, obstructing justice, possession of stolen property, receiving stolen property, burglary and check forgery. 

Additionally, Phaivan has pending charges for two counts of receiving stolen property, flight to avoid prosecution or confinement and burglary, DHS said.

Ge Yang, an illegal immigrant from Laos with a final order of removal from Oct. 16, 2012, has been convicted of strongarm rape, strongarm aggravated assault against a family member, aggravated assault with a weapon, an additional sex offense and domestic violence involving strangulation, according to DHS.

Vannaleut Keomany, an illegal immigrant from Laos with a final removal order dated Dec. 17, 2009. He was convicted of two counts of attempting to commit strongarm rape, according to DHS.

Tou Vang, who is from Laos, was in the U.S. illegally and had a final order of removal dated Oct. 31, 2006. Vang has been convicted of sexual assault and sodomy of a girl under the age of 13 and procuring a child for prostitution, DHS said.

Chong Vue, an illegal immigrant from Laos, was convicted of strongarm rape of a 12-year-old girl, kidnapping a child with intent to sexually assault her and vehicle theft. Vue has a final order of removal from March 11, 2004.

Kou Lor, an illegal immigrant from Laos, had a final order of removal that was nearly 30 years old and was dated Aug. 16, 1996. 

He was convicted of sexual assault, rape, rape with a weapon, statutory rape without force, two counts of burglary and shoplifting.

Pao Choua Xiong, an illegal immigrant from Laos with a final order of removal dated Jan. 10, 2003, was convicted of rape, fondling a child, two counts of domestic violence, burglary, larceny and disorderly conduct.

Gabriel Figueroa Gama, an illegal immigrant from Mexico who was previously removed from the U.S. in 2002, was convicted of homicide, battery, assault and amphetamine possession.

Abdirashid Adosh Elmi is an illegal immigrant from Somalia who was convicted of homicide.

Abdirashid Mohamed Ahmed, an illegal immigrant from Somalia with a final order of removal dated Feb. 18, 2022, according to DHS. 

The department said that he was convicted of two counts of negligent manslaughter with a vehicle, two counts of DUI, larceny and damage to property.

Mongong Kual Maniang Deng, an illegal immigrant from Sudan, was convicted of attempt to commit homicide, weapon possession and DUI, DHS said.

Aldrin Guerrero Munoz is an illegal immigrant from Mexico who has a final order of removal dated Dec. 17, 2015, and has been convicted of homicide and assault, DHS said.

Gilberto Salguero Landaverde, an illegal immigrant from El Salvador, had a final order of removal dated June 25, 2025. He was convicted of three counts of homicide, according to DHS.

Aler Gomez Lucas is an illegal immigrant from Guatemala with a final order of removal dated May 24, 2022, according to DHS. He was convicted of negligent homicide with a vehicle and DUI.

Galuak Michael Rotgai, an illegal immigrant from Sudan, has been convicted of homicide and assault, DHS said.

Shwe Htoo, according to DHS, is an illegal immigrant from Burma who was convicted of negligent homicide with a weapon.

Mariama Sia Kanu, who hails from Sierra Leone, had a final order of removal dated July 5, 2022, according to DHS. The department said that Kanu was convicted of two counts of homicide, four DUIs, three counts of larceny and burglary.

Thai Lor, an illegal immigrant from Laos with a final order of removal dated June 15, 2009, was convicted of two counts of homicide, according to DHS.

Omar, Dems demand Noem impeachment, paint Minnesota woman shot by ICE as ‘poet’ who chose ‘love’

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Several Democratic lawmakers gathered on Wednesday, one week after the fatal shooting of Renee Nicole Good, for a news conference in which they slammed U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and called for the impeachment of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. The conference was orchestrated by Homeland Security Committee Ranking Member Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., and included several high-profile Democrats.

On Jan. 7, Good was fatally shot during an interaction with an ICE agent. The incident sparked nationwide outrage and protests against federal immigration enforcement.

"Renee Good was a mother of three children. She was a wife, a writer, a poet, a devoted Christian and a U.S. citizen," Thompson said at the opening of the news conference.

The ranking member then said that the Trump administration's actions following the shooting had been "hateful" and "harmful." He singled out Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem in particular, accusing her of telling "lies" about the situation. Thompson claimed that Noem's "disgusting response set the stage for a brazenly political federal investigation," decrying the alleged exclusion of state and local officials from the probe, saying it was "clearly intended to shield the shooter from prosecution."

MINNESOTA SUES TRUMP ADMIN OVER SWEEPING IMMIGRATION RAIDS IN TWIN CITIES

"Kristi Noem has plainly tried to signal to ICE that they are free to act with impunity, to personally manufacture and escalate confrontations and even execute whomever they please," Thompson said. "She has unleashed ICE and other federal law enforcement officers upon American communities, not to protect them, but to attack them and to sow fear violence and chaos."

While Thompson did not go so far as to call for Noem's impeachment, other lawmakers at the news conference were not shy about the matter. Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., was one of the lawmakers who explicitly called for Noem to be impeached.

"ICE's reckless actions have taken a mother from three children, a partner from a wife and inflicted unfathomable pain on our community... We will not stop fighting until we achieve real justice and accountability. That must begin with impeaching Kristi Noem and ensuring no federal agent can act as a judge, jury and executioner on our streets. It must also include full and transparent investigation and legal action against ICE," Omar said on Wednesday.

JD VANCE, ICE FLIP SCRIPT ON SANCTUARY CITY LEADERS AS 'CHAOS' ERUPTS ACROSS MN: 'THIS IS DANGEROUS'

Rather than speak about the circumstances that led to the shooting, Omar instead said that Good died "because she chose love and solidarity over fear."

Rep. Grace Meng, D-N.Y., called for an "immediate and independent investigation, including the release of all video footage" of the fatal shooting. She also said that the lawmakers were calling on ICE to suspend operations in Minnesota "to de-escalate the situation," referring to protests that have erupted in the wake of the deadly shooting.

During the news conference, Rep. Shri Thanedar, D-Mich., not only called for Noem's impeachment but also abolition of ICE.

REP RO KHANNA DEMANDS PROSECUTION OF ICE AGENT IN MINNEAPOLIS FATAL SHOOTING

Rep. LaMonica McIver, D-N.J., took to the microphone to address Noem personally, taking swipes at the secretary.

"You are terrible at doing your job. You are incompetent. You are shameless. But most of all, you are cruel," McIver said. "The American people do not want you. We do not want you. And we will do whatever we need to do to make sure you will not hold that post soon. God will judge you and Democrats are going to remove you from office that you never deserved to hold in the first place."

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has stood by the agent's conduct and labeled Good a "domestic terrorist."

"Today, ICE officers in Minneapolis were conducting targeted operations when rioters began blocking ICE officers and one of these violent rioters weaponized her vehicle, attempting to run over our law enforcement officers in an attempt to kill them—an act of domestic terrorism," DHS wrote on X. "An ICE officer, fearing for his life, the lives of his fellow law enforcement and the safety of the public, fired defensive shots. He used his training and saved his own life and that of his fellow officers."

President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance and other members of the administration have made statements backing the ICE officer involved in the shooting.

Fox News Digital reached out to DHS for comment.

Kristi Noem faces impeachment effort in House as 70 Dems push obstruction of Congress charge

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Rep. Robin Kelly, D-Ill., and over 70 other Democratic lawmakers in the House of Representatives are signing on to three articles of impeachment against Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem in the wake of the deadly shooting of Renee Nicole Good in Minneapolis last week.

"Secretary Noem, you have violated your oath of office, and there will be consequences. I am watching you. Members of Congress are watching you. The American people, most importantly, are watching you," Kelly said as she announced her effort Wednesday.

Kelly described her impeachment articles. One accuses Noem of obstruction of Congress, a second charges her with a violation of public trust, and the last claims Noem engaged in self-dealing to personally benefit from her role.

NUMBER OF HOUSE DEMOCRATS BACKING NOEM IMPEACHMENT TOPS 60

Democrats said Good's death was the final straw but claimed Noem's abuses went well beyond last week's incident.

According to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), an ICE agent fired at Good when she had first attempted to disrupt an arrest, refused orders to exit her car and began driving away, placing an ICE agent in the path of her moving vehicle.

Democrats like Kelly allege Good’s death is emblematic of a lack of oversight and restraint at DHS under Noem’s leadership. They also believe Noem prematurely called Good a "domestic terrorist" after the shooting, putting the blame for the confrontation on her and failing to hold her agency accountable for potential misuses of force.

Rep. Nydia Velázquez, D-N.Y., who also joined Kelly at Wednesday’s press event, slammed Noem for the way she characterized the incident.

"She went on national television and smeared a dead American as a domestic terrorist," Velázquez said. "The articles we are filing today lay it all out."

Republicans reacting to the shooting last week rallied around Noem, defending the ICE agents' actions and calling for an investigation into the incident.

WOMAN SEEN ON VIDEO ALLEGEDLY BLOCKING MINNESOTA ICE OPERATION WITH CAR AS AGITATORS SURROUND AGENTS

"Secretary Noem has called my impeachment efforts silly," Kelly said. "If you believe impeachment is silly, then you are not taking your job or our Constitution seriously."

Kelly believes more Democrats will sign on to the motion. She said Democrats immediately began reaching out when they heard about her effort and that she hasn't encountered pushback.

Under Article II of the U.S. Constitution, any civil officer of the United States can be removed from office on impeachment and conviction of high crimes and misdemeanors.

According to the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service (CRS), the framers are believed to have understood that to mean "uniquely ‘political’ offenses, or misdeeds committed by public officials against the state."

Under a Democrat-controlled majority and former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., the House impeached Trump twice for high crimes and misdemeanors — once for an abuse of power in 2019 and a second time for inciting an insurrection in 2021.

TRUMP VOWS DAY OF 'RECKONING AND RETRIBUTION' IN MINNESOTA AS MORE ICE AGENTS FLOOD TO MINNEAPOLIS

In both cases, the Senate voted to acquit.

Even with the full support of the Democrat caucus, Kelly’s effort is unlikely to succeed in the House amid a Republican majority in the chamber. Democrats would need at least three members to cross the aisle to secure an impeachment and send the effort to the Senate for a conviction.

Number of House Democrats backing Noem impeachment tops 60

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The number of House Democrats backing articles of impeachment against Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem has climbed past more than five dozen members.

Rep. Robin Kelly's, D-Ill., office told Fox News Digital Wednesday that 67 co-sponsors have signed on to the bill.

Axios first reported the co-sponsor count on Tuesday.

Kelly announced her intent to impeach Noem last week following an encounter in which an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer fatally shot 37-year-old Renee Nicole Good after she allegedly struck him with her vehicle.

TRUMP VOWS DAY OF 'RECKONING AND RETRIBUTION' IN MINNESOTA AS MORE ICE AGENTS FLOOD TO MINNEAPOLIS

The congresswoman’s office said Kelly is seeking to initiate three articles of impeachment against the DHS secretary for allegedly obstructing Congress, violating public trust and self-dealing for using her office for personal gain.

A DHS spokesperson told Fox News Digital of the impeachment push: "How silly during a serious time. As ICE officers are facing a 1,300% increase in assaults against them, Rep. Kelly is more focused on showmanship and fundraising clicks than actually cleaning up her crime-ridden Chicago district. We hope she would get serious about doing her job to protect American people, which is what this Department is doing under Secretary Noem."

Kelly said on the House floor Tuesday that Noem "needs to be held accountable for terrorizing our communities."

MINNESOTA SUES TRUMP ADMIN OVER SWEEPING IMMIGRATION RAIDS IN TWIN CITIES

"Operation Midway Blitz has torn apart the Chicago land area. President Trump declared war on Chicago and then he brought violence and destruction to our city and suburbs in the form of immigration enforcement," she added.

Noem dismissed the impeachment push, telling "Sunday Morning Futures" host Maria Bartiromo that she would continue doing her job.

"President Trump promised the American people that he would make America safe again, that we would be out there enforcing the laws and that we would apply them equally, that nobody was above the law and that we were going to start putting American citizens first," she said. "So, criminal, illegal aliens in this country are going to be brought to justice under his administration."

Trump administration ends temporary protected status for thousands of Somalis in US

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FIRST ON FOX: The Trump administration is ending temporary protection status (TPS) for Somalia, affecting several thousand Somalis currently living in the U.S. and several hundred currently living in Minnesota under the protection.

Somali migrants with TPS will be required to leave the country by March 17. 

"Temporary means temporary," DHS Secretary Kristi Noem told Fox News Digital in a statement. "Country conditions in Somalia have improved to the point that it no longer meets the law’s requirement for Temporary Protected Status." 

"Further, allowing Somali nationals to remain temporarily in the United States is contrary to our national interests," Noem added. "We are putting Americans first."

ILHAN OMAR KICKED OUT OF ICE FACILITY AFTER DHS REQUIRES WEEK'S ADVANCE NOTICE

Sources at USCIS told Fox News Digital that there are 2,471 Somali nationals currently in the U.S. under TPS, with 1,383 in the country with pending TPS applications. 

The move comes as DHS continues ICE operations in Minneapolis, Minnesota, after a widespread roughly $9 billion fraud scheme involving members of the Somali community plagued the state. 

Fox News Digital learned that an estimated 600 Somali nationals who are protected by TPS live in Minnesota.

KRISTI NOEM TELLS CNN'S JAKE TAPPER THAT HE CAN'T 'CHANGE THE FACTS' ABOUT MINNESOTA ICE SHOOTING

Somalia was granted temporary protection status in 1991 as a result of an ongoing civil war in the African nation. President Joe Biden most recently extended the protection in September 2024.

The decision to end TPS for Somalia also comes a day after the Twin Cities, Minneapolis and St. Paul, sued the Trump administration after a historic federal immigration enforcement operation was launched by ICE and DHS.

"We allege that the obvious targeting of Minnesota for our diversity, for our democracy and our differences of opinion with the federal government is a violation of the Constitution and of federal law," Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison told reporters at a press conference on Monday.

BESSENT BLAMES WALZ AS TREASURY PROBES WHETHER MINNESOTA FRAUD FUNDS REACHED TERROR GROUP AL-SHABAB

"DHS agents have sown chaos and terror across the metropolitan area," Ellison added.

Last week, during ICE operations in south Minneapolis, a woman was fatally shot by an immigration officer as she drove her vehicle toward agents, prompting agitators to riot across the city in the following days.

Noem labeled the woman who was killed, Renee Nicole Good, as a "domestic terrorist," asserting that Good "weaponized her vehicle" after blocking ICE agents on the road.

KRISTI NOEM FIRES BACK AT DEMS AMID IMPEACHMENT THREAT OVER FATAL MINNEAPOLIS ICE SHOOTING

Footage from the encounter shows an agent approaching Good’s vehicle and ordering her to step out. According to Noem, Good then attempted to run over an officer, prompting the agent to fire multiple shots into the car, killing the 37-year-old.

Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey told ICE to "get the f--- out of Minneapolis," during a news conference after Good’s death, and Gov. Tim Walz criticized DHS, posting to X that he saw the video, and referred to Noem’s explanation of the incident as a part of a "propaganda machine."

Agitators blocked off the street where Good was killed using homemade barricades, creating a no-go zone the day after her death. Streets were blocked off with rioters directing traffic and little to no local police presence was seen in the area.

Despite the unrest, DHS operations continued in Minneapolis, prompting clashes between agitators and immigration agents.

Trump, defying media predictions, mainly picks seasoned Capitol Hill veterans such as Marco Rubio

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The media warned for months that Donald Trump would have "no guardrails" in a second term, and would probably hand out top positions to a bunch of right-wing crazies.

Instead, he picked Marco Rubio yesterday as secretary of State, a 14-year Senate veteran and son of Cuban immigrants who has been informally advising him on foreign policy.

MEDIA LIBERALS SAVAGE KAMALA AS TRUMP PICKS EXPERIENCED HARD-LINERS

The president-elect has also tapped a number of Hill veterans who are conventional conservatives, agree with him on key issues and could just as easily have been named by Mitt Romney.

Also yesterday, Trump selected Kristi Noem, the South Dakota governor, as Homeland Security secretary, after she overcame the dog-shooting incident that knocked her out of the veepstakes.

Trump has been rolling out these appointments at hyper-speed, just a week after the election. He has stayed off TV and hasn’t made any inflammatory posts. He’s trying to demonstrate a seriousness about governing, by hitting the ground running.

In the past, presidents and presidents-elect have appeared on air, praising their nominee or maybe two, and yielding to a short, grateful speech by the chosen ones. But Trump appears to be skipping all that. 

All the top jobs haven’t been filled, obviously, but even some top Democrats are praising the choice of Rubio (while some in the MAGA movement are disappointed). He’s unquestionably a hawk, and will be the face of American foreign policy as he travels around the world. 

Sure, he said some terrible things about Trump, who derided him as Little Marco, when both ran in 2016. I watched Rubio on the trail that year and he’s a very charismatic speaker.

But the two have long since mended fences. Rubio tried to push immigration reform a decade ago as part of various Senate gangs, but has since distanced himself from the effort.

I keep seeing television chyrons that, almost in accusatory fashion, say Trump is hiring "loyalists." Excuse me–do you think that Joe Biden, Barack Obama and Bill Clinton didn’t hire loyalists? Presidents want aides who generally agree with them and won’t turn into troublemakers. Biden hired such longtime advisers as Ron Klain, Mike Donilon and Steve Richetti.

From a conservative point of view, when Biden hired top officials who wanted to strengthen environmental rules, boost labor unions and spend hundreds of billions of dollars to dig out of the pandemic, that was a hard-line departure from Trump 1.0. Now Trump will reverse many Biden policies with the stroke of a pen.

DEPRESSED MEDIA REACT TO TRUMP VICTORY: HOW COULD THIS POSSIBLY HAVE HAPPENED?

The other picks so far: Upstate New York congresswoman Elise Stefanik, a member of the House leadership and impeachment defender, has been tapped for U.N. ambassador. 

Trump also chose former Long Island congressman Lee Zeldin to run the EPA. He’s a mainstream conservative who has crusaded against excessive environmental regulations and gotten a lifetime score of 14 percent from the League of Conservation Voters. He told Fox News that the administration will "roll back regulations" that are causing businesses to "struggle" and are "forcing" them to move overseas.

After that, Trump tapped Florida GOP congressman Mike Waltz, a former Green Beret, as White House national security adviser, which doesn’t require Senate confirmation. He’s a China hawk and Ukraine skeptic. "Stopping Russia before it draws NATO and therefore the U.S. into war is the right thing to do," Waltz wrote. "But the burden cannot continue to be solely on the shoulders of the American people, especially while Western Europe gets a pass." 

These are serious people who know how Washington works.

By the way, Trump has shrunk what’s expected to be a very small GOP edge in the House by picking two members. But in Rubio’s case, Gov. Ron DeSantis can appoint a replacement who would serve until the midterm elections.

As I’m typing this, Trump just named Mike Huckabee, the former Arkansas governor and presidential candidate, as ambassador to Israel. Huckabee has led many delegations to the country and is staunchly pro-Israel. 

And after I filed this, Trump named Bill McGinley, who worked on election integrity for the RNC and was general counsel for the National Republican Senatorial Committee, as his White House counsel.

And after I filed the insert, another announcement: John Ratcliffe being tapped for CIA director. The former Texas congressman, known for criticizing the FBI as biased against Trump, became his director of national intelligence in 2020. 

Last night, Trump made his first hire from Fox News. Pete Hegseth, an Army combat veteran and co-host of "Fox & Friends Weekend," has been named Defense secretary. Trump noted that Hegseth did tours in Guantanamo Bay, Iraq, and Afghanistan, was awarded two Bronze Stars, and just published the best-selling "The War on Warriors."

Trump tried to get him confirmed the previous year, but Ratcliffe withdrew after GOP senators and ex-intel officials raised concerns about him, amid media disclosures that he’d embellished his prosecutorial efforts in immigration and terrorism cases. So he certainly qualifies as a highly partisan pick.

The two appointees who can fairly be described as aggressive hard-liners–critics would say extremists–are Stephen Miller and Tom Homan–both hired to deal with Trump’s top priority, the border.

Miller, who spearheaded immigration policy in the first Trump term, has been promoted to deputy chief of staff, and even that title doesn’t capture the clout he’ll have as a trusted member of the inner circle. He pushed the family separation policy that was extremely controversial.

WHY THE MEDIA WAITED TILL NOW TO ADMIT HARRIS RAN A LOUSY CAMPAIGN

Homan, who ran ICE in the first term, is being called the border czar. When asked if there was a way to avoid separating families, as happened last time, he said sure–deport them all together.

He said at a conference over the summer: "Washington Post can do all the stories they want on me about ‘Tom Homan’s deportin’ people, he’s really good at it!’ They ain’t seen s*** yet! Wait till 2025!"

Miller and Homan will be responsible for carrying out mass deportations of the roughly 11 million illegal immigrants living in America, or at least starting the process so the president-elect can say he kept his promise. Critics call the goal utterly unrealistic.

Now there are others who will also enjoy huge influence. Elon Musk, who donated $119 million to help Trump, is now the most powerful private citizen ever–heading a waste commission, posting hundreds of messages on X, sitting in on Trump call to Volodymyr Zelenskyy – all while seeking billions in federal contracts.

Trump said last night that Musk will head a Department of Government Efficiency - he promised to "send shockwaves through the system" - with help from former presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy. 

RFK Jr. will get some title, but Trump has to decide whether to go along with his hotly disputed ideas on vaccines and removing fluoride from water systems. He’s also threatened to fire FDA officials who have waged a "war on public health," saying the agency has suppressed such products as raw milk, ivermectin and vitamins.

And of course J.D. Vance will be an unusually active vice president and heir apparent.  

Still to come: the top jobs of Treasury secretary and the extraordinarily sensitive post of attorney general. I also want to know who’ll be press secretary!

One reason we’re in for weeks and weeks of skeptical to negative coverage is that every beat reporter on the planet must now do obligatory pieces on Donald Trump.

Whether they cover sports, religion, labor, housing, entertainment, courts, energy, television, schools or crime, they need to write about the impact of the 47th president–keeping in mind that he weighs in on everything.  

From yesterday alone: 

Washington Post: "Trump Pledged to Close the Education Department. What would that mean?"

New York Times: "Trump’s ‘Drill, Baby, Drill’ Cuts Two Ways for Oil Companies."

And: "Colleges Wonder if They Will Be ‘the Enemy’ Under Trump"

But my personal favorite: "What a Trump Presidency Means for the Liquor Industry."

(Trump doesn’t drink, but every industry wants less regulation.)

There’s also this Drudge headline: "Wife Divorces Husband Over Vote."

As the Mirror reports, "A man has said he can’t believe his wife was ready to ‘throw away our entire life’ after filing for divorce over his vote for Donald Trump.  

The distraught husband wrote on social media that he has been left without words that the marriage could fall apart over politics." 

I guess a family separation policy comes in many forms.