Trump administration: Key picks signal tough “America first” agenda

President-elect Donald Trump has begun selecting key figures to implement his "America First" policies, particularly focusing on China, trade, and immigration. Notable picks include Marco Rubio as secretary of state, Mike Waltz as national security advisor, and Kristi Noem as Homeland Security secretary. These appointments signal a tough stance on China and immigration, while also shaping Trump's early administration as he faces challenges with a potentially narrow majority in Congress..Sign up for your early morning brew of the BizNews Insider to keep you up to speed with the content that matters. The newsletter will land in your inbox at 5:30am weekdays. Register here..The seventh BizNews Conference, BNC#7, is to be held in Hermanus from March 11 to 13, 2025. The 2025 BizNews Conference is designed to provide an excellent opportunity for members of the BizNews community to interact directly with the keynote speakers, old (and new) friends from previous BNC events – and to interact with members of the BizNews team. Register for BNC#7 here. .By Bloomberg News.President-elect Donald Trump has started to choose the people he wants to carry out his "America First" policies on the border, trade, the economy and more..Several of them are likely to be very tough on China, namely Beijing-sanctioned Senator Marco Rubio who's expected to be secretary of state, and Congressman Mike Waltz as national security advisor..Many of them are now serving in the House of Representatives, which threatens to cut into what's likely a razor-thin majority in the early days of Trump's new administration..Here's a look at some of the people Trump is picking: .Marco Rubio, secretary of state.Rubio is a one-time rival of the president-elect who later became one of his biggest supporters in the Senate. He's also a longtime critic of China, who's technically barred from entering the country because of those sanctions. Rubio has defended Trump's position to bring a swift end to Russia's war in Ukraine, calling for talks that could result in Kyiv giving up occupied territory..Read more: 🔒 FT: Bitcoin, dollar and Tesla jump as investors pile into 'Trump trades'.Mike Waltz, national security advisor.Waltz is a former Army Green Beret and combat veteran of Afghanistan. As chairman of the House Armed Services Committee's readiness panel, he criticized the Pentagon over everything from teaching Critical Race Theory at military institutions to an overpriced bag of metal bushings for the Air Force. Waltz has written that he views China as a "greater threat" to the US than any other nation..Kristi Noem, Homeland Security secretary.South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem, once a potential VP pick for Trump, became the subject of intense criticism after she admitted in her book to shooting her own 14-month-old dog. Front and center for the 52-year-old in her expected new role will be implementing Trump's policies on immigration, including his pledge to carry out mass deportations of undocumented migrants. .Read more: NewsWrap: Bitcoin hits new highs, Trump gains support; Rupert's trade moves; de Beer on BELA; Khumalo on corruption; Market Wrap.Elise Stefanik, UN ambassador .Trump has described Stefanik as "an incredibly strong, tough, and smart America First fighter." Stefanik was among the House Republicans who voted against certifying Joe Biden's 2020 victory over Trump and was the first House member to endorse him in this third White House bid..Tom Homan, border czar.The man Trump put "in charge of all Deportation of Illegal Aliens back to their Country of Origin" was the public face of the "zero tolerance" immigration policies during the Republican's first term. That episode broke with the practice of keeping families together during detentions and deportations, resulting in thousands of undocumented migrant children getting separated from family members and drawing widespread backlash..Susie Wiles, White House chief of staff.The Republican political operative brought stability, order and financial discipline to a campaign whose 2016 and 2020 iterations were far more volatile. She's set to become the first woman tapped to become chief of staff and will likely help set strategy for Trump's first 100 days in office..Read also:.David Shapiro analyses market shifts and the "Trump bump"Trump's re-election is fuelling Bitcoin surge: Insights from Jaltech's Jason Welz🔒 The Economist: Trump's policies could send the US dollar soaring, rattling rest of the world.© 2024 Bloomberg L.P.

Trump administration: Key picks signal tough “America first” agenda

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