Trump Challenges GOP Senate With Defiant Nominations

November 13, 2024 4:52 am

WASHINGTON (AP) — Just hours after Republican Sen. John Thune was elected as the incoming Senate majority leader, President-elect Donald Trump presented him with one of his first tests — an announcement that he intends to nominate House Republican Matt Gaetz as attorney general. Two months before Trump takes office, he is challenging congressional Republicans to defy him as he says he will nominate potentially controversial figures to his Cabinet, including Gaetz, former Democratic House Rep. Tulsi Gabbard for director of national intelligence, and conservative media personality Pete Hegseth for secretary of defense.