“Good to see you again. “The transition will be as smooth as possible.” These were the words of the outgoing President of the United States, the Democrat Joe Bidengreeted for the second time in the Oval Office the winner of the American elections and future president of the country, Donald Trump. The return of the new president-elect to the country’s capital, Washington DC, which since January will have “Trumpist” majorities in the executive, legislative and judicial branches, also included a closed-door meeting with members of the Republican Congress of the House. representatives, that in the next term they will have to decide on decisive policies such as stopping or continuing arms shipments to Ukraine or promising to reform the federal government to reduce “unnecessary spending.”
Likewise, after the arrival of Trump, Republican senators – who also regained their majority – elected the moderates. John Thune as the new leader in the Upper House, one of the positions with the greatest bargaining power in the United States and to which other, more extremist candidates aspired. Michael Johnsonfor his part, also unanimously won the nomination to remain president of the Lower House, although this must be confirmed in January.
The election of Thune and Johnson, two moderate profiles of the Republican wing with some opposition in the more extremist split, was accompanied by two nominations also confined to the American capital: Marco Rubiocurrently senator from Florida, as secretary of state and congressman Matt Gaetzalso from Florida, as the new attorney general despite his controversial history.
An expected meeting
However, media attention was focused on the meeting between Trump and Biden at the White House, broadcast live on every national television station in the country. Regarding the private conversation between the two leaders, Trump said in statements to New York Post that They discussed the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the conflict between Israel and Hamas..
“I wanted to know your opinion on where we are and what you think about it. And he gave it to me, he was very nice,” Trump told the newspaper.
Later, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said the Republican had arrived with a list of questions about current events, but did not provide further details.
Upon their arrival at the Oval Office, the leaders posed for the press and exchanged a few polite words before their two teams met without journalists present.
“Politics is hard, and in many cases it’s not a very nice world, but today it’s a nice world and I appreciate it very much,” Trump responded to Biden’s promise to “ensure a peaceful transition”. The Republican will not take office until the week of January 20, as prescribed by American protocol.
The last time Americans attended a formal meeting between an outgoing president and a new president was in 2016, when Barack Obama invited Trump for a 90-minute conversation that both described as “cordial.”
In 2020, Trump refused to receive Biden and follow power transition protocols to avoid acknowledging his defeat, culminating in the storming of the Capitol on January 6, but he left a written letter to Biden in the Oval Office on day of his defeat. inauguration, which he did not attend either. The contents of that message were never released, per the wishes of both parties, but Biden told reporters it was a “generous” message. Four years earlier, Trump was so impressed by the letter Obama left him that he contacted him to thank him, according to a leak. cnn.
For her part, Melania Trump – who remained indifferent during practically the entirety of her husband’s campaign – declined the invitation of the current first lady, Jill Biden, who nevertheless gave Trump a letter addressed to Melania.
Moderates at the head of Congress
Before heading to the White House, the president-elect met with Republican members of the House of Representatives, who aspire to regain control of the chamber in the absence of confirmation of their victory in a dozen constituencies where the count is advancing more slowly. in the rest of the country.
“We won by a wide margin on all counts, the seven undecided states,” celebrated Trump as he was received with solemn applause at the US Capitol.
The Republican leader took advantage of this visit to show his support for the current Speaker of the Housealso republican Michael Johnsonwho aspires to his re-election despite the fact that the most conservative division of the Republican group has reservations about his pragmatic leadership, because signed deals with Democrats during Biden’s term. “I’m with him all the way,” Trump said, implicitly calling for unanimous support.
For its part, the Republican group which will hold the majority in the Senate from January – until now in the hands of the Democrats – elected John Thune, senator from South Dakota, as new leader in the second round.
“We have a mandate from the American people, a mandate not only to clean up the mess left by the agenda of Biden, Kamala Harris and Chuck Schumer, but also to address the priorities of President Trump,” he said after was elected to a seat. position held since 2007 by Mitch McConell, who will retire at 82.
Thune, however, managed to oppose Senators John Cornyn of Texas and Rick Scott of Florida, the latter much more aligned with the more extreme and conservative split in the Republican Party.
Duration limit
Although most of Trump’s meetings with members of Congress took place behind closed doors, the American press pointed out that at one point, Republican leaders He joked about the possibility of extending his stay in the White House, limited to two terms. for the president under the U.S. Constitution.
“I think I won’t go back on the campaign trail unless they say, ‘This is so good we have to think about something,’” the president-elect said.
According to him New York Timesduring this meeting, the current Speaker of the Lower House promised MP Marjorie Taylor Greene that no more money would be sent to Ukrainea point that Trump’s team has not yet confirmed, but which has dominated his campaign.
Presence of Elon Musk
This massive meeting also served to outline the change in cycle that the US capital will enter starting next year. In fact, Trump was accompanied by the tycoon Elon Muskwhom he asked to head a new “public efficiency department” to reform the administration and reduce public spending. At this time, this organization is not part of the US government and will only serve as a advisory body despite its name.
According to people present at the meetings, Musk did not intervene and limited himself to accompanying Trump and speaking with some members of Congress.
Controversial appointment
The president-elect quickly announces the appointments of his next administration. However, the announcement of the congressman’s nomination Matt Gaetz because the position of attorney general also aroused the suspicions of some Republicans.
“We’ve gone from strong picks, to interesting wildcards, to more than controversial ones, to ones that are in no way confirmable,” Republican strategist Matthew Bartlett told Politico.
Gaetz, who already resigned as a congressman to undergo the nomination process, had a lawsuit pending. investigation opened within the Congressional Ethics Committee for sexual misconductdrug addiction and other charges related to his conduct. He is also one of the most controversial and inflammatory politicians in the Republican Party and his confirmation by both houses of Congress is considered the most complicated of all.
The cameras of cnnin fact, captured the confusion of some of the party’s most prominent voices following the surprising announcement: “I don’t know. “I’ll have to think about it,” said Rep. Lindsey Graham, the ranking member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, who will interview Gaetz before voting on his nomination.
