As President-elect Donald Trump takes his first steps in shaping the incoming administration, naming campaign manager Susie Wiles as his chief of staff, Republicans stand poised to solidify their hold on Capitol Hill. With GOP candidates snatching up key House seats in states like Pennsylvania and Nevada, the party needs just seven more wins to clinch a majority—a development that would hand Trump control over both the executive and legislative branches.
Wiles, widely hailed as the architect of Trump’s disciplined and decisive 2024 campaign, is seen as a steadying force amid the chaos of the transition. “She largely avoided the spotlight, even refusing to take the mic to speak as Trump celebrated his victory,” a source close to the president-elect revealed. “But behind the scenes, she was the one keeping everything on track.”
The chief of staff role will be a crucial test for Wiles as she helps Trump navigate the daunting task of assembling a government. And with a Republican-controlled House increasingly likely, the stakes couldn’t be higher. GOP leaders are already plotting an aggressive agenda aimed at rolling back key Biden-era policies on issues ranging from immigration to climate change.
Immigration, Foreign Policy in the Crosshairs
In an interview with NBC News, Trump made clear that his campaign promise of mass deportations would be a top priority. “We obviously have to make the border strong and powerful,” he declared. “At the same time, we want people to come into our country.”
The hardline rhetoric has immigrant communities on edge, fearful that Trump’s second term could bring a new wave of ICE raids and family separations. Advocacy groups are girding for legal battles, while Democrats warn that any attempt at mass deportations would face fierce resistance in Congress and the courts.
On the foreign policy front, former CIA Director Leon Panetta predicted that Trump would give Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu a “blank check” in the Middle East—a move that could ratchet up tensions with Iran. With many of Trump’s old foreign policy hands jockeying for position in the new administration, a hawkish turn seems all but inevitable.
Obstacles Ahead for the Biden-Trump Transition
Outgoing President Joe Biden, in a speech aimed at calming a jittery nation, vowed to “ensure a peaceful and orderly transition” to the Trump administration. But he also urged Americans to “bring down the temperature” after a bitterly divisive campaign.
“The work ahead of us will be hard,” Biden said. “But I also know this: If we lead not by the example of our power, but by the power of our example, we will get through this.”
JOE BIDEN
In his final weeks, Biden plans to focus on keeping the government funded, passing the defense authorization bill, and rushing aid to hurricane-ravaged communities. He’ll also look to push through a flurry of judicial nominations in a bid to leave his stamp on the federal bench.
But with Trump already signaling plans to overturn key Biden policies via executive order, any attempt at a smooth transition may be little more than wishful thinking. And a looming House GOP investigation into alleged abuses of power by the Biden administration could poison the well even further.
New Dawn in US-Russia Relations?
One world leader wasting no time in embracing the new U.S. president: Russia’s Vladimir Putin. In a message from his Sochi resort, Putin congratulated Trump on his victory and said he was open to dialogue with the United States.
The overture could herald a thaw in relations after years of mounting tensions under Biden. Trump has long argued for closer cooperation with Russia, especially in the fight against terrorism. But with the Kremlin accused of meddling in yet another U.S. election, any move to cozy up to Putin is sure to meet resistance from hawks in both parties.
As the final votes are tallied in Arizona, Nevada, and Pennsylvania, the full contours of the new balance of power in Washington will come into focus. But one thing is already abundantly clear: Trump’s America is back, and it’s on a collision course with the Biden legacy at home and abroad.
For Democrats, it’s a bitter pill after an election in which their hoped-for rebuke of Trumpism largely failed to materialize. Now, as they sift through the ashes of the Harris campaign, party insiders are already looking ahead to the difficult choices they’ll face in the wilderness.
“There’s going to be a lot of soul-searching in the months ahead,” one Democratic strategist said. “We need a message and a vision that can resonate with people beyond our base. Otherwise, we’re just going to keep riding this roller-coaster every four years.”
On the foreign policy front, former CIA Director Leon Panetta predicted that Trump would give Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu a “blank check” in the Middle East—a move that could ratchet up tensions with Iran. With many of Trump’s old foreign policy hands jockeying for position in the new administration, a hawkish turn seems all but inevitable.
Obstacles Ahead for the Biden-Trump Transition
Outgoing President Joe Biden, in a speech aimed at calming a jittery nation, vowed to “ensure a peaceful and orderly transition” to the Trump administration. But he also urged Americans to “bring down the temperature” after a bitterly divisive campaign.
“The work ahead of us will be hard,” Biden said. “But I also know this: If we lead not by the example of our power, but by the power of our example, we will get through this.”
JOE BIDEN
In his final weeks, Biden plans to focus on keeping the government funded, passing the defense authorization bill, and rushing aid to hurricane-ravaged communities. He’ll also look to push through a flurry of judicial nominations in a bid to leave his stamp on the federal bench.
But with Trump already signaling plans to overturn key Biden policies via executive order, any attempt at a smooth transition may be little more than wishful thinking. And a looming House GOP investigation into alleged abuses of power by the Biden administration could poison the well even further.
New Dawn in US-Russia Relations?
One world leader wasting no time in embracing the new U.S. president: Russia’s Vladimir Putin. In a message from his Sochi resort, Putin congratulated Trump on his victory and said he was open to dialogue with the United States.
The overture could herald a thaw in relations after years of mounting tensions under Biden. Trump has long argued for closer cooperation with Russia, especially in the fight against terrorism. But with the Kremlin accused of meddling in yet another U.S. election, any move to cozy up to Putin is sure to meet resistance from hawks in both parties.
As the final votes are tallied in Arizona, Nevada, and Pennsylvania, the full contours of the new balance of power in Washington will come into focus. But one thing is already abundantly clear: Trump’s America is back, and it’s on a collision course with the Biden legacy at home and abroad.
For Democrats, it’s a bitter pill after an election in which their hoped-for rebuke of Trumpism largely failed to materialize. Now, as they sift through the ashes of the Harris campaign, party insiders are already looking ahead to the difficult choices they’ll face in the wilderness.
“There’s going to be a lot of soul-searching in the months ahead,” one Democratic strategist said. “We need a message and a vision that can resonate with people beyond our base. Otherwise, we’re just going to keep riding this roller-coaster every four years.”
