ZEKE MILLER

Lawmakers are concerned about background checks of Trump’s Cabinet picks as red flags surface

As senators prepare to consider Donald Trump’s picks for his Cabinet, they’ll likely be doing so without the FBI background checks that are staples of the confirmation process.

Trump sets records with pace of appointments, but that doesn’t mean the transition is going smoothly

In the two weeks since Election Day, President-elect Donald Trump has been setting records with the pace of appointments for his incoming administration. But speed shouldn’t necessarily be confused with organization.

Trump says he is naming former Wisconsin Rep. Sean Duffy to be transportation secretary

President-elect Donald Trump says former Wisconsin Rep. Sean Duffy is his choice to be transportation secretary as he continues to roll out picks for his Cabinet.

Trump appears to be planning to attend SpaceX ‘Starship’ launch scheduled for Tuesday in Texas

President-elect Donald Trump appears to be planning to attend a SpaceX “Starship” rocket launch on Tuesday, in the latest indication of founder Elon Musk’s influence in the Republican’s orbit.

Biden authorizes Ukraine to use US-supplied longer range missiles for deeper strikes inside Russia

President Joe Biden has authorized Ukraine to use U.S.-supplied missiles to strike deeper inside Russia. The move eases limitations on the weapons as Russia deploys thousands of North Korean troops to reinforce its war.

As he fills his new administration, Trump values loyalty above all else

Donald Trump spent much of his first term feeling stung and betrayed by those he’d placed in power. This time, he’s not taking chances. As he works to fill his administration a second time, Trump has turned to a head-spinning mix of candidates.

Trump picks Matt Gaetz for attorney general, Marco Rubio for secretary of state

President-elect Donald Trump says he will nominate Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida to serve as his attorney general, opting for a loyalist who has built a national reputation as a disruptor and has vowed to dramatically overhaul the Justice Department.

Trump returns to Washington vowing a smooth transition -- something he didn’t ensure four years ago

President-elect Donald Trump has made a victor’s return to Washington. He visited the White House for a nearly two-hour meeting with President Joe Biden on Wednesday, and committing to a straightforward transition of power despite actively working to disrupt the same process four years ago.

Trump builds out national security team with picks of Hegseth for Pentagon, Noem for DHS

President-elect Donald Trump is moving to build out his national security team, announcing he is nominating Fox News host and Army veteran Pete Hegseth to serve as his defense secretary and former Director of National Intelligence John Ratcliffe to lead the Central Intelligence Agency.

Biden funded new factories and infrastructure projects, but Trump might get to cut the ribbons

All that’s left is for President-elect Donald Trump to put his name on it — if he wants. Trump won the White House in large part because of voters’ frustration with high prices and a sense that the United States needs major changes.

Trump names former Rep. Lee Zeldin to lead EPA, adviser Stephen Miller to be deputy chief of policy

President-elect Donald Trump has named former New York congressman Lee Zeldin to lead the Environmental Protection Agency as he continues to build out his future administration with loyal supporters.

Trump’s shunning of transition planning may have severe consequences, governance group says

A good-governance group is warning of severe consequences if President-elect Donald Trump continues to steer clear of formal transition planning with the Biden administration — inaction that it says is already limiting the federal government’s ability to provide security clearances and briefings to

Trump put Elon Musk on phone with Ukraine’s Zelenskyy during congratulatory call, official says

President-elect Donald Trump put billionaire Elon Musk on the line with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy when the Ukrainian leader called to congratulate the incoming U.S. president.

President-elect Trump names Susie Wiles as chief of staff, first woman in the post

President-elect Donald Trump has named Susie Wiles, the manager of his victorious campaign, as his White House chief of staff. She would be the first woman to hold the influential role.

Trump receives congratulations and an invitation to the White House as Biden nudges on transition

Donald Trump spent his first day as president-elect receiving congratulatory phone calls from his defeated opponent, world leaders and President Joe Biden as he began the process of turning his election victory into a government.

Trump wins the White House in a political comeback rooted in appeals to frustrated voters

Donald Trump has been elected the 47th president of the United States. He’s the first person convicted of a felony to win the White House, and the first former president to regain power since 1892. The victory marks an extraordinary comeback.

Harris appears on ‘Saturday Night Live’ as mirror image of Maya Rudolph with election looming

Kamala Harris made a surprise appearance on “Saturday Night Live” as she took a brief break from the battleground states where she’s been campaigning. Harris appeared in a mirror opposite Maya Rudolph’s impression of her.

AP sources: White House altered record of Biden’s ‘garbage’ remarks despite stenographer concerns

White House press officials altered the official transcript of a call in which President Joe Biden appeared to take a swipe at supporters of Donald Trump, drawing objections from the federal workers tasked with recording the president’s remarks for posterity.

Harris urges voters to reject Trump’s efforts to sow division and fear

Kamala Harris is urging voters to reject Donald Trump’s efforts to sow division and fear, declaring, “It doesn’t have to be this way.”

Harris tries out new ways of reaching voters, but she’s running out of time

The election is little more than a week away, and Vice President Kamala Harris is still trying to help voters feel like they truly know her.

AP sources: Chinese hackers targeted phones of Trump, Vance, people associated with Harris campaign

Chinese hackers targeted cellphones used by Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump, his running mate, JD Vance, and people associated with the Democratic campaign of Kamala Harris.

Like Biden, Harris puts focus on Trump as Election Day draws near

When Joe Biden was running for reelection, his strategy was to keep the focus squarely on Donald Trump and his treat to democratic institutions.

Obama, Springsteen boost Harris as she warns of ‘brutally serious’ consequences if Trump wins

Bruce Springsteen and Barack Obama lent their star power to Kamala Harris’ quest for the presidency on Thursday as the vice president implored Georgia voters to consider the “brutally serious” consequences if Donald Trump wins a second term in the White House.

Beyoncé, whose ‘Freedom’ is Harris’ campaign anthem, is expected at Democrat’s Texas rally on Friday

Beyoncé is expected to appear Friday in her hometown of Houston at a rally for Vice President Kamala Harris. That’s according to three people familiar with the matter.

Harris to give her campaign’s closing argument at the Ellipse, where Trump helped spark Capitol riot

Vice President Kamala Harris plans to lay out her campaign’s closing argument by returning to the site near the White House where Donald Trump spoke before a mob that attacked the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.

Trump targets hardcore partisans, Harris goes after moderates: Inside the campaign’s final sprint

As the 2024 presidential contest speeds to its conclusion, Democrat Kamala Harris and Republican Donald Trump are embracing wildly different strategies. Both are racing to energize the coalitions they need to win the presidency on Nov. 5.

Harris says she’s ready if Trump tries to prematurely declare victory, isn’t worried about sexism

Kamala Harris says her team is prepared to challenge Donald Trump if he tries to prematurely declare victory in the 2024 election — but first she’s focused beating the Republican nominee.

Harris will campaign in Texas to highlight state’s abortion ban in a pitch to battleground voters

Vice President Kamala Harris plans to head to reliably Republican Texas just 10 days before Election Day to try to refocus her campaign against former President Donald Trump on reproductive care.

Mideast conflict looms over US presidential race as Harris and Trump jostle for an edge

The crisis in the Middle East is looming over the race for the White House as the campaign enters its final weeks.

The US is investigating an unauthorized release of classified documents on Israel’s attack plans

The United States is investigating an unauthorized release of classified documents that assess Israel’s plans to attack Iran and note that Israel continues to move military assets in place to conduct a military strike in response to Iran’s blistering ballistic missile attack on Oct. 1.