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The center of the US political universe is now Palm Beach, Florida, where conservatives in and out of government are flocking to Mar-a-Lago to see and be seen by Donald Trump’s presidential transition team.
Led by co-chairs Howard Lutnick and Linda McMahon, Trump’s transition operation has quietly prepared for a few months now, even as the superstitious former president shied away from direct involvement. Now that he’s president-elect, his team is bombarded with calls and aspiring advisers are booking flights to Florida in the hopes of getting face time.
Conversations with a half-dozen people inside Trumpworld reveal broad agreement that his second transition is more disciplined than his first term’s. One Trump adviser described it as “a very orderly operation.”
The details of that order, however, vary depending on the Trump administration position that’s being discussed. Lutnick and McMahon have tapped specific Trump world players to put forward names and vet possible appointees for different jobs over the last two and a half months, according to two people who described the inner workings of the operation. Among the people weighing in are Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, donor and financier Omeed Malik, and Elon Musk, whom Semafor is told has sat in on a few recent transition meetings.
Trump and his team are particularly focused on several top positions, including but not limited to secretary of state, CIA director, attorney general, and treasury secretary. He’s closer to a pick for some posts than others: Trump is homing in on a choice for secretary of state, two people familiar with the discussions told Semafor. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., is seen as a top contender, as is former Trump national intelligence director Richard Grenell and Sen. Bill Hagerty, R-Tenn.
There’s been some mud slinging around Trump’s team as he nears a decision: Rubio’s opponents have privately argued that he’s too much of an establishment “neocon” to be involved in an incoming Trump administration, while his allies argue Grenell could have a hard time getting confirmed given his occasionally antagonistic online persona (although that’s something Trump historically respects).
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The transition is in earlier stages when it comes to other posts, such as treasury secretary. Investor Scott Bessent, who met with Trump on Friday, and billionaire hedge fund manager John Paulson are seen as two leading candidates, but former SEC chief Jay Clayton and Apollo CEO Marc Rowan have also been discussed, according to two people familiar with the process.
There’s also a broad appetite on Trump’s team to elevate Democrat-turned-conservative Tulsi Gabbard. Two people close to the operation confirmed that she’s being considered for a still-undefined role in the foreign policy or national security space.
Cantor Fitzgerald CEO Lutnick has already interviewed the main contenders for all of the top political spots, according to two sources. One of the people familiar with discussions on top posts said that anyone hoping for one would have had to have thrown their hat in the ring weeks, if not months, ago.
Of course, Trump himself is also making calls to ask friends who they think he should be tapping, as he’s known to do.
And there are plenty of less prominent roles to fill, jobs where the process will get more chaotic but more opportunities abound for ambitious conservatives who are now turning Mar-a-Lago’s patio into a hotbed of activity. Foot traffic at Trump’s residence is likely to only rise over the next two months.
Shelby’s view
Trump’s transition will have to bridge the ideological gaps between some of the Republicans who helped him win and are now seeking big jobs. Gabbard, for instance, has taken a more friendly approach to Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad — and she might be sharing influence with Rubio, who has called for Assad’s removal.
While it’s minimal so far, there has already been some jockeying from supporters of the different factions.
The next several weeks will certainly test Susie Wiles as she dives into the chief of staff role. Long credited with ensuring that Trump’s 2024 campaign was more disciplined than prior runs, Wiles will have her work cut out for her trying to keep that going.
Room for Disagreement
One thing that could throw a wrench into the transition process? The president-elect has yet to submit the usual transition ethics pledge and has shied away from signing various traditional agreements surrounding the handoff process, The New York Times reported.
Liz Hoffman and Gina Chon contributed.