| | | | |  | | By Megan Messerly, Lauren Egan, Eli Stokols, Lisa Kashinsky and Ben Johansen | | Presented by |  | | | Welcome to POLITICO’s West Wing Playbook, your guide to the preparations, personnel decisions and policy deliberations of Donald Trump’s transition. POLITICO Pro subscribers receive a version of this newsletter first. Send tips | Subscribe here | Email Eli | Email Lauren | Email Lisa | Email Megan PALM BEACH, Florida – Washington is abuzz with fear, hope and anticipation over DONALD TRUMP’s return. And nearly 1,000 miles south, outside the palm tree-lined resort where Trump has largely holed up since becoming president-elect a month ago, there’s a similar mix of emotions. A small parking lot separated from Mar-a-Lago by a short causeway remains as it has for years: a gathering point for the Trump faithful and general purpose lookie-loos hoping to catch a glimpse of the man himself — or at least his motorcade. On a recent afternoon, the lot was host to a steady trickle of tourists, many of whom were content to gaze and snap photos of the “Winter White House” from across the water, while others braved crossing the bridge to get just a few yards closer to Mar-a-Lago before being turned back by Secret Service. “I just wish we could have seen a little more,” said IZAAK MENINDEZ, 20, standing alongside his 25-year-old sister MADAI and his 48-year-old dad RAMON, after they were turned away. “But it’s so cool being here.” The family, from just north of Denver, Colorado, made a special detour to Palm Beach after a Caribbean cruise just to see Trump’s home before catching their flight. As longtime Trump supporters, they’re excited about what his second presidency portends. “It’s just been crazy to see that transition from having him in office. You saw a lot of people have a change of mind and go for Biden,” Izaak added. “The country does need change. We tried to see what the opposite side is like — if the grass is greener. It wasn’t. So it’s good to see the change the country needs is happening.” Other Trump supporters, especially locals, visit often enough to become accustomed to the rhythms of his comings and goings. “If the boats aren’t here, he ain’t here,” said 60-year-old DEBBIE MACCHIA, sitting in a camping chair and bundled up in a brightly colored, penguin-adorned Christmas blanket on a recent chilly-for-Florida afternoon. “It’s a holiday weekend. I really didn’t have anything planned. The weather wasn’t good enough to go sit on the beach — not today. So I was like, I’ll just come sit for a little while. He should be back — it’s 2 o’clock, so within the next two hours he should be back, and then I’ll go home.” Macchia, who flies a pair of navy blue “Trump Save America Again 2024” and hot pink “Women for Trump” flags from her car, has been coming to watch over Mar-a-Lago since moving to Palm Beach County from New Jersey three years ago. She comes so often that she knows the signs of whether the man she calls “Big Daddy” is home: When the helicopters, gun boats and ramped-up Secret Service presence are there, so is he; if they’re gone, he’s probably out golfing. She’s met people from all over the world doing so, including from far-flung Estonia, Lithuania and Australia. “What better place — it’s such an education … For somebody who wants to have a conversation and learn stuff, it’s a great way of doing that,” she told West Wing Playbook. Over the last month, Trump has been often spotted golfing at Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach or members can see him dining at Mar-a-Lago, including over the weekend with Canadian Prime Minister JUSTIN TRUDEAU. And on Tuesday, he made an appearance at a memorial for three Palm Beach County sheriff's deputies killed last month in a roadside crash. For as much as he revels in the limelight, Trump hasn’t held a press conference since Election Night. He has made just one public appearance outside of Florida — a SpaceX launch with ELON MUSK in Texas — though he’s scheduled to fly to Paris this weekend to attend the reopening of Notre Dame in what is likely to be his most high-profile appearance since winning the election. En route, he’ll pass the array of Trump supporters — and others — who have been standing sentry. FRED PIERCE, 62, and his wife DONNA from Syracuse, New York, said they came to see Mar-a-Lago out of “morbid curiosity” during a trip to visit their son over Thanksgiving. They voted for KAMALA HARRIS and JOE BIDEN in the last two elections, though Donna voted for Trump in 2016. “We just came because we were here and he is here. It’s like going to see the White House,” Fred said. “If nothing else, it’s a part of history, for better or for worse.” MESSAGE US — Are you ELON MUSK? 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!
| | | | Billions in spending. Critical foreign aid. Immigration reform. The final weeks of 2024 could bring major policy changes. Inside Congress provides daily insights into how Congressional leaders are navigating these high-stakes issues. Subscribe today. | | | | | | | | | Who was the first president to light the menorah in a public celebration of Hanukkah? (Answer at bottom.)
| | Fossil fuels enriched Trump’s DOE pick, via our SCOTT WALDMAN Europe in the line of fire as Trump threatens trade war with China, via our CAMILLE GIJS, BARBARA MOENS and GIOVANNA COI Ken Griffin: I voted for Trump, via our SAM SUTTON The reporting in this section is exclusively available to POLITICO Pro subscribers. Pro is a personalized policy intelligence platform from POLITICO. If you are interested in learning more about how POLITICO Pro can support your team through the 2024 transition and beyond, visit politicopro.com. Heads up, we're all transition all the time over on our live blog: Inside Congress Live: Transition of Power. Bookmark politico.com/transition to keep up with us.
| | | | A message from the Defense Credit Union Council and America’s Credit Unions: THE DURBIN-MARSHALL CREDIT CARD BILL WILL HARM MILITARY FAMILIES. The Durbin-Marshall Credit Card Bill puts military families at risk, raising banking costs and jeopardizing transaction security. This flawed proposal benefits corporate mega-stores while exploiting service members and veterans. DCUC and America’s Credit Unions stand firmly opposed—our military and their families deserve better. | | | | | IF IT’S SUNDAY … In the first sit-down interview with a major network since winning the election, Trump will appear on NBC’s "Meet the Press" this Sunday with KRISTEN WELKER. Highlights from the interview will be released prior to the show’s airing on NBC News. The full video interview and transcript will also be released on Sunday. THE HEGSETH DIARIES: The president-elect’s selection for Defense secretary, PETE HEGSETH is teetering on the edge. To catch you up, Hegseth has been accused of sexual assault, alcohol abuse and being a womanizer, and was reportedly pushed out of previous leadership positions for financial mismanagement. And now, Trump may be looking at other options. Last night, our GARY FINEOUT, MERIDITH McGRAW and KIMBERLY LEONARD reported that he’s now considering Florida Gov. RON DeSANTIS — a once presidential rival — for the top Defense post. And CNN’s SARAH FERRIS reports that Texas Rep. WESLEY HUNT is also in the mix. Hunt was formally vetted this fall, but Republicans had concerns over robbing from their narrow House majority. Despite this, Hegseth was back on the Hill today, meeting with more senators. He met with incoming Senate Armed Services Chair ROGER WICKER (R-Miss.) and the next majority leader, Sen. JOHN THUNE of South Dakota, our JOE GOULD and CONNOR O’BRIEN report. His most crucial meeting, though, was with Iowa Sen. JONI ERNST, a Senate Armed Services member who has been noncommittal about his nomination and is considered a potential swing vote. And it seems like his mom is chipping in! PUT YOUR SEATBELTS ON: On Wednesday, Trump blasted out a number of nominations on Truth Social.
- PETER NAVARRO, the former National Trade Council director who was indicted on two counts of contempt of Congress and spent four months in prison until being released in July, will rejoin the White House as senior counselor for trade and manufacturing.
- MICHAEL FAULKENDER was selected to be deputy Treasury secretary. Faulkender served under former Treasury secretary STEVEN MNUCHIN in Trump’s first term and more recently held a top economic policy job at America First Policy Institute.
- MONICA CROWLEY, former assistant secretary of public affairs at the Treasury Department and longtime Fox News contributor, will be Trump’s nominee to be assistant secretary of State and chief protocol of the United States.
- PAUL ATKINS was nominated to be the next chair of the Securities and Exchange Commission. Atkins previously served as a commissioner on the agency from 2002 to 2008.
- GAIL SLATER, former economic adviser to Vice President-elect JD VANCE, got the nod to be assistant attorney general for the antitrust division at the Department of Justice.
- JARED ISAACMAN, billionaire entrepreneur and founder of Draken International, a private aircraft provider, was nominated to be the next NASA administrator.
- DAN DRISCOLL, a political adviser from North Carolina and former soldier, will be Trump’s nominee to Secretary of the Army.
- ADAM BOEHLER, who served as chief executive officer of the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation during Trump’s first term, and will be Trump’s special envoy for hostage affairs. As our ERIC BAZAIL-EIMIL reports, Boehler will likely replace ROGER CARSTENS, a key negotiator in securing the release of Wall Street Journal reporter EVAN GERSHKOVICH and marine PAUL WHELAN earlier this year, as well as WNBA player BRITTNEY GRINER.
- DAVID WARRINGTON will serve as assistant to the president and counsel to the president, leading the Office of the White House Counsel and serving as the top attorney in the White House. WILLIAM McGINLEY, who Trump previously announced for the White House role, will instead be at Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency.
A YEAR IS NOTHING … RIGHT? VIVEK RAMASWAMY, who has been tapped to co-chair DOGE alongside Musk, has a lengthy history of attacking his partner’s ties to China, referring to Musk as a “circus monkey” and a puppet for the Chinese Communist Party, CNN’s ANDREW KACZYNSKI reports. Ramaswamy’s critiques include pointed remarks about Musk’s 2022 suggestion that Taiwan should become a special administrative region of China, a stance aligned with Beijing’s interests. Tesla’s investments in the Chinese market and Musk’s comment on Taiwan have drawn fierce criticism from Ramaswamy, who argued the Tesla CEO was pandering to the CCP for business benefits, such as regulatory approvals and tax breaks. “I think Tesla is increasingly beholden to China,” Ramaswamy said in May 2023 when discussing the company’s decision to build a battery plant in Shanghai. “I have no reason to think Elon won’t jump like a circus monkey when Xi Jinping calls in the hour of need.” Ramaswamy now says he and Musk “aired some of these issues the first time we spoke” and that “I love him and respect the hell out of him.” ANOTHER ONE BITES THE DUST: On Tuesday night, another one of Trump’s nominees withdrew his name from consideration, our BEN LEONARD and Kimberly Leonard report. CHAD CHRONISTER, the president-elect’s pick to lead the Drug Enforcement Agency, said in a post on X that he wants to continue serving in his role as a county sheriff in Florida. Chronister said he made the decision “as the gravity of this very important responsibility set in,” but didn’t cite a reason for his withdrawal other than concluding he wanted to continue in his current role. Chronister drew criticism from some conservatives, including Rep. THOMAS MASSIE (R-Ky.), over his actions during the Covid-19 pandemic. In 2020, his office arrested a Tampa pastor for violating quarantine orders to hold services. Charges against the pastor were ultimately dropped. Trump said on Truth Social today that “I pulled him out” because of the COVID controversy. BEEN WAITING ALL YEAR FOR THIS: If you’re a music junkie, you likely woke up this morning giddy for the highly anticipated Spotify Wrapped, the culmination of your year’s worth of music listening. West Wing Playbook felt it was essential for you, the readers, to know our thoughts on what President Biden and President-elect Trump’s Wrapped might look like. Enjoy.
|  Jade Cuevas/POLITICO | | | LIZ CHENEY IS KNOCKING AT THE DOOR: President Biden’s senior aides are conducting a vigorous internal debate over whether to issue preemptive pardons to a range of current and former officials who could be targeted by Trump’s return, our JONATHAN MARTIN reports. According to senior Democrats familiar with the discussions, Biden aides are deeply concerned that the appointment of KASH PATEL to potentially lead the FBI could find current and former officials facing inquiries and even indictments. The White House officials, however, are carefully weighing the extraordinary step of handing out blanket pardons to those who have committed no crimes, because it could suggest impropriety as well as fuel Trump’s criticisms. The deliberations touch on pardoning those currently in office, elected and appointed, as well as former officials who have angered the president-elect. Those who could face exposure include such members of Congress’ Jan. 6 committee as Sen.-elect ADAM SCHIFF (D-Calif.) and former Rep. LIZ CHENEY. Also mentioned by Biden aides are ANTHONY FAUCI. The conversations have been organized by White House counsel ED SISKEL, and include a wide range of other aides including chief of staff JEFF ZIENTS. Biden, JMart reports, has not been brought into the broader discussions yet. Schiff himself said he would “urge the president not to do that,” adding that it would “seem defensive and unnecessary.” FEMA WORRIES: In 2019, Trump took $155 million from the federal government’s main disaster relief fund and used it to build immigrant facilities near the U.S.-Mexico border. Now, as Trump gears up to return to the White House, senior officials with the Federal Emergency Management Agency are concerned that he could again redirect disaster resources after he takes office — but this time, on a much larger scale, our THOMAS FRANK reports. That could limit the agency’s ability to help people and communities after major disasters, they say. “I am concerned that could happen, or that FEMA is given tasks to do things that are in support of immigration programs, whether it’s deportation or other aspects of immigration,” the agency’s chief of staff, MICHAEL COEN, said in an interview with POLITICO. “It would be demoralizing to the staff, who believe they’re there to support disaster survivors and mitigate against natural disasters.” THE HURDLES AHEAD: Congressional Republicans are clashing over sweeping legislation on taxes, energy and immigration that will be the heart of Trump's legislative agenda, our JORDAIN CARNEY, BENJAMIN GUGGENHEIM and OLIVIA BEAVERS report. Incoming Senate Majority Leader John Thune sparked heartburn across the Capitol this week when he told GOP senators that the package, which would use the budget reconciliation process that allows Republicans to bypass a Democratic filibuster, would be split into two parts. The first would focus on border and energy, with a goal to pass it in Trump’s first 30 days, and the second would be on tax. House Speaker MIKE JOHNSON quickly endorsed the two-step idea. But a number of House Republicans, including committee chairs key to pulling off the plan, are raising red flags over the strategy. They’re worried that dividing the two pieces would weaken support.
| | | | A message from the Defense Credit Union Council and America’s Credit Unions:   | | | | | Tom Vilsack: Why Democrats Don’t Get Rural America (POLITICO’s Jonathan Martin) The Coming Democratic Revolution (The Atlantic’s Franklin Foer) No-confidence vote topples French government, plunges country into chaos (WaPo’s Ellen Francis and Anthony Faiola)
| | | | A message from the Defense Credit Union Council and America’s Credit Unions: REJECT DURBIN-MARSHALL–PROTECT OUR MILITARY’S READINESS!
Credit card interchange fees, which fund essential security, fraud protection, and efficient transaction processes, are vital to the financial operations of defense credit unions. These fees support low-interest loans, financial counseling, and other critical services tailored specifically for military and veteran members. Reducing interchange fees could threaten the ability of defense credit unions to provide these resources, which are crucial for the financial readiness that directly affects the overall mission readiness for U.S. service members. DCUC and America’s Credit Unions strongly oppose this bill and urge action to safeguard those who serve. | | | | | In 1979, JIMMY CARTER lit the menorah at the National Menorah Lighting in Lafayette Square, making him the first president to do so in a public ceremony in celebration of Hanukkah, according to the White House Historical Association. Carter did run into a bit of difficulty, as WaPo’s MICHAEL KRANISH wrote in 2020. The silver menorah, shielded from the wind by a tall glass enclosure, was too deep to be easily lit with a tiny match. A Secret Service agent hurried over to a nearby Scandinavian design store called the Midnight Sun (owned by Kranish’s mother, ALLYE), who retrieved a box of eight-inch-long Swedish matches, which the agent rushed back to Carter. A CALL OUT! Do you think you have a harder trivia question? Send us your best one about the presidents, with a citation or sourcing, and we may feature it! Edited by Jennifer Haberkorn and Zach Montellaro.
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