Welcome to POLITICO’s West Wing Playbook, your guide to the preparations, personnel decisions and policy deliberations of Trump’s transition. POLITICO Pro subscribers receive a version of this newsletter first. Send tips | Subscribe here | Email Eli | Email Lauren In nearly three months, after the electoral dust settles and the enormity of another seismic shift in American politics sets in, a remarkable transfer of power will occur at the White House. That's why we're returning to our roots and the launch in the fall of 2020 of Transition Playbook, the newsletter that became West Wing Playbook. There is much at stake, as JOE BIDEN considers how he can use his time left in the Oval Office to Trump-proof his accomplishments and as DONALD TRUMP ’s team begins the process of filling out his administration and, as many non-political employees across the executive branch fear, slashing career staff at federal agencies. After his 2016 win, Trump threw out the work done on his initial transition overseen by CHRIS CHRISTIE. He started new, parading potential Cabinet hires before the cameras outside his Bedminster estate and, eventually, installing a group of loyalists to oversee massive agencies with billion-dollar budgets. The second Trump transition is less than 24 hours old but we’re already seeing early signs of how the next months may go. In a latest example of eschewing custom, Trump has not signed the standard agreement with the government that would unlock federal funding for the transition and allow him to receive information about current federal operations and challenges. As our HAILEY FUCHS and MERIDITH McGRAW have reported, it’s a major break in precedent that could again slow down his transition. But Trump’s two transition co-chairs, LINDA McMAHON, who led the Small Business Administration during his first term, and HOWARD LUTNICK , CEO of investment firm Cantor-Fitzgerald, have been working on their own processes for vetting potential political appointees and preparing policy plans. As our colleagues reported last week, a number of Trump allies and former administration officials are already overseeing transition teams for specific agencies: BRIAN HOOK is overseeing plans for State; MARK PAOLETTA is leading transition plans for DOJ and former U.S. Trade Representative ROBERT LIGHTHIZER is working to fill out an economic team. “The Trump-Vance transition lawyers continue to constructively engage with the Biden-Harris administration lawyers regarding all agreements contemplated by the Presidential Transition Act,” McMahon and Lutnick said in a statement last month. “Any suggestion to the contrary is false and intentionally misleading.” The adage that “personnel is policy” still holds true in Washington. But if Trump’s first term offers any sort of template, the former reality TV star operates in such a way that personnel, above all, is personal. Unwavering loyalty to the boss is the price of the ticket, with Trump frequently testing and often quickly souring on those he’d hired, staffers whose fate would be the subject of media coverage and internal gossip for weeks before a final, curt dismissal, often via tweet. With so many of Trump’s first-term Cabinet officials — not to mention his former vice president and longest serving chief of staff — refusing to support his candidacy this time around, the president-elect is believed to be even less amenable to hiring establishment Republican types in his new administration. He has already re-staffed the RNC with close aides and family members. Many of those who end up in top jobs will, chances are, have proven their loyalty already — or, like ELON MUSK , who spent Election Night with Trump at Mar-a-Lago, spent millions on his behalf. With Republicans easily regaining control of the Senate Tuesday night, Trump will have a cushion of votes to likely install any Cabinet choice he pleases. And despite the risks of a public dismissal via social media, people are eager. JOHN FLEMING , a former Trump administration official and deputy chief of staff in 2020, is in talks with Trump advisers about a senior position, he told POLITICO. Currently Louisiana’s treasurer, he has expressed interest in Commerce or Health and Human Services secretary. “If asked, I would really love to serve again under President Trump,” Fleming said in an interview. “I know the incoming administration wants to be ready Day One by bringing in people as quickly as possible and re-establish the administration that he wants.” ROBERT F. KENNEDY JR. — the former Democrat turned failed, controversial independent presidential candidate — has become one of the most notable Trump surrogates in recent weeks. Trump has pointed at giving Kennedy, a vaccine skeptic, a role in his administration. Just last week, Kennedy said Trump had “promised” him “control of the public health agencies.” Trump himself has said Kennedy would have a “big role” in health care in his administration and that he would let him “go wild” on health, food and drug regulation. Speculation on other Cabinet posts have also begun. Florida Sen. MARCO RUBIO, Tennessee Sen. BILL HAGERTY and former national security adviser ROBERT O’BRIEN — one of the lone NatSec advisers who didn’t have a fallout with the former president — are all potential names to keep an eye on for secretary of State. Lutnick, as well as LARRY KUDLOW and JOHN PAULSON, are some of the names floated to run Treasury. The first post expected to be named is chief of staff. BROOKE ROLLINS , who served as the head of the Office of American Innovation and later the acting director of the Domestic Policy Council; SUSIE WILES, a Trump campaign senior adviser; and former House Speaker KEVIN McCARTHY are all reported to be under consideration. Jordan Wolman contributed to this report. MESSAGE US — Are you KELLYANNE CONWAY? We want to hear from you. And we’ll keep you anonymous! Email us at westwingtips@politico.com. Did someone forward this email to you? Subscribe here !
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