The Japan Times - Trump shapes team ahead of White House return

The 78-year-old Republican, who won a decisive victory against Vice President Kamala Harris in last week's election, will make a triumphant return to Washington on Wednesday, meeting Biden in the Oval Office.

He could also visit the Capitol where his party has won a narrow majority in the Senate and is poised to formally confirm retention of its House majority, giving the party the so-called trifecta of both chambers and the White House from January.

With only just over two months until he takes office, Trump is moving quickly to consolidate an extraordinary comeback.

He got good news when a judge in New York delayed a decision until November 19 on potentially throwing out his conviction on multiple fraud charges ahead of scheduled sentencing.

Now, governments worldwide are scrutinizing Trump's government picks for signs of how closely the incoming administration will stick to his promises of an isolationist foreign policy, harsh crackdowns on illegal immigration, and going after his domestic political enemies.

- Hard-liners -

The biggest job so far is secretary of state, where, according to multiple US media, Trump has picked Florida Senator Marco Rubio.

Congressman Michael Waltz, a former special forces officer, was confirmed by Trump as his incoming national security advisor.

Both have hawkish views on China and are not considered isolationists, despite desire in some Trump circles for the United States to retreat from foreign engagements and cut obligations to allies like NATO.

On the domestic front, Trump has signaled he will back up his extreme election campaign rhetoric aimed at stirring fear and anger against illegal immigrants ahead of promised mass deportations.

On Monday, he named veteran hard-line immigration official Tom Homan as the country's "border czar."

US media also reported that Stephen Miller, author of Trump's so-called "Muslim ban" immigration policy during his first term, will hold a powerful position as deputy chief of staff.

Trump's team said Lee Zeldin is tapped as Environmental Protection Agency chief, with a mandate to slash climate and pollution regulations that Republicans say is slowing down business development.

South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem -- a Trump ally who famously wrote about shooting her dog because it did not respond to training -- has been tapped to head the massive Department of Homeland Security, CNN reported.

New York congresswoman Elise Stefanik, a fierce Trump ally and pro-Israel stalwart, got the nod for UN ambassador, Trump's transition team said. Another fervent pro-Israel figure, former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee, was named as ambassador to Israel.

- Return to the Oval -

Biden's Oval Office invitation restores a presidential transition tradition that Trump tore up when he lost the 2020 election, refusing to sit down with Biden or even attend the inauguration.

By the time Trump took his last Marine One flight from the White House lawn on January 20, 2021, he had also been repudiated by many in his own party for having encouraged a mob to assault the Capitol.

The period of disgrace soon evaporated, however, as Republicans returned to Trump's side, recognizing his unique electoral power at the head of the far-right movement that has now swept him back to power.

Trump enters his second term with a near total grip on his party and the Democrats in disarray.

While many of his cabinet nominations require approval by the Senate, Trump is trying to bypass that oversight by forcing through so-called recess appointments.

He has turned the issue into a loyalty test, insisting Saturday that any Republican seeking to be the leader of the Senate "must agree" to the unusual procedure.

Trump is known to demand total personal loyalty from his aides and cabinet picks, with those chosen all having defended him and supported his repeated lie that he was the real winner of the 2020 election.

M.Matsumoto--JT