Trump news live: Cabinet picks announced with hush-money trial judge set to rule on throwing out charges

A judge will decide today whether to overturn newly elected President Donald Trump’s conviction in his hush money case.

Judge Juan M. Merchan of New York, who presided over Trump’s landmark trial, will decide whether to reject the jury’s verdict and order a new trial — or even dismiss the charges altogether.

The judge’s ruling could also decide whether President-elect Trump will be sentenced as scheduled on November 26.

A jury convicted Trump in May of falsifying company records related to a $130,000 payment to porn actor Stormy Daniels in 2016. The payoff was to buy her silence about claims she had sex with Trump.

Trump denies any wrongdoing and insists the prosecution was a political tactic designed to damage his latest campaign.

By Katelyn Caralle, senior US political reporter

Dr. Ben Carson is the favorite to be nominated as Donald Trump’s Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) in the battle for a spot in his Cabinet, multiple people familiar with the selection process tell DailyMail.com.

The 73-year-old retired neurosurgeon wants to return to the White House for a second stint after serving as Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) in Trump’s first administration.

Carson was one of a handful of people who remained in Trump’s inner circle and said they deserved a chance to be re-elected after the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot led to a slew of resignations and defections.

He was a wild card in the race for the vice presidency, with sources confirming that some closest to Trump’s inner circle pushed his selection.

And he was a constant presence during the campaign as chairman of the newly elected president’s National Faith.

Supporters of Donald Trump surprisingly revealed how popular Democratic Socialist Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez actually looks a lot like the new president-elect.

Ocasio-Cortez, 35, reached out to her supporters on Instagram on Sunday, asking if any of her followers had voted for both her and the 78-year-old Trump and why.

“This is not a place of judgment. “I’m not going to like messing up your stuff or anything like that, or diving into it… I actually want to learn from you,” she said.

She seemed genuinely surprised by the number of responses she received in response to the question, and posted it to her followers.

Some followers admitted that they voted for Trump because they believed he truly cared about the working class and would bring change to the country as an anti-establishment figure.

MAGA darling Kari Lake failed to secure a victory in her second bid for public office in Arizona, despite Donald Trump winning the swing state.

The race was targeted for Democrat Ruben Gallego, an Arizona congressman, on Monday after Trump officially flipped the state two days earlier to sweep all seven swing states in the 2024 presidential election.

In addition to a remarkable victory to regain the White House, the Republicans also turned the Senate red and the party is well on its way to retaining its majority in the House.

But Lake failed to expand the new Republican Senate majority as she tried to win the open U.S. Senate seat of retiring independent Sen. Kyrsten Sinema.

She faced a tough opponent in Rep. Gallego (D-Ariz.), whose victory was crucial for Democrats who lost their Senate majority and hoped that Republicans would not widen the gap even further.

The former television news anchor lost much of her pro-MAGA political momentum after she was defeated by Katie Hobbs in the 2022 Arizona gubernatorial election.

Donald Trump has tapped Florida Congressman Mike Waltz to become his White House National Security Advisor, sources familiar with the decision told DailyMail.com.

Waltz, a former Army Green Beret, has established himself as one of the top China hawks in the House of Representatives and was elected after Trump’s busy day strengthening his Cabinet.

Among the several China-related bills that Waltz has co-sponsored are measures intended to reduce U.S. dependence on crucial minerals mined in China. He is also known as a NATO skeptic during his work during the war in Ukraine.

Waltz maintains good contacts with Trump and was also widely considered a candidate for secretary of defense.

Presidents often turn to Congress to fill jobs at top agencies, and Trump may well be tempted to look there again, though the nature of the Senate majority won back by the Republican Party on Election Day , will be crucial.

Tom Homan, President-elect Donald Trump’s newly appointed border czar, isn’t afraid to engage in a heated debate over some of the administration’s most controversial border policies.

A recently surfaced viral clip shows Homan and Democratic Socialist Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez in a sharp argument during a 2019 Congressional hearing.

Ocasio-Cortez pressed Homan on his role in recommending the separation of illegal immigrants and children as part of a “zero tolerance” approach to border enforcement.

Homan, the former head of ICE, told her that even U.S. citizens are separated from their children if they commit crimes that could affect them, such as drunk driving or domestic violence.

When Ocasio-Cortez protested that seeking asylum is perfectly legal, Homan said illegal border crossers cannot seek asylum after being apprehended.

Melania Trump will not join Donald Trump at the White House on Wednesday, despite an invitation from President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden to attend.

Traditionally, when the outgoing president receives the incoming president-elect in the Oval Office, the first lady hosts her successor for tea at the residence.

Michelle Obama hosted Melania Trump for tea in the Yellow Room after the 2016 election. However, Melania Trump did not meet Jill Biden after the controversial 2020 race, as Donald Trump falsely and repeatedly claimed he was the real winner.

Melania and Jill have yet to speak in the wake of Kamala Harris’ humiliating defeat, even though their spouses have had a cordial phone call, sources confirm.

‘Madam. Trump is not going, and they haven’t spoken,” a source with knowledge of the first ladies told DailyMail.com about Wednesday’s presidential session.

Donald Trump will appoint his former arch-enemy Florida Senator Marco Rubio as Secretary of State, sources tell DailyMail.com.

Rubio, who was elected to the Senate in 2010, is considered a foreign policy hawk and will guide Trump’s prowess on the world stage.

He is currently the top Republican on the Senate Intelligence Committee and was considered for a spot on Trump’s short list for vice president earlier this year.

The son of Cuban immigrants, Rubio has built his brand in Washington as a tough opponent for Iran and China.

Trump is determined to end Russia’s war in Ukraine on the first day of his second term as president.

And the Middle East, plunged into chaos amid Israel’s conflict with Hamas, Hezbollah and Iran, will prove challenging as China continues its efforts to sabotage the US.

Rubio unsuccessfully ran for president against Trump in 2016 in a crowded field of Republican hopefuls.

And although the two sparred during the primaries, Rubio has been tested for Trump on the campaign trail in recent weeks.

South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem has been selected to join Donald Trump’s Cabinet as head of homeland security, CNN reports.

The governor — whose vice presidential hopes were dashed when she admitted to shooting her puppy — will implement Trump’s promises to clean up the mess at the southern border and deport millions of illegal migrants.

She joins Trump loyalists Stephen Miller, who was appointed deputy chief of staff, and Tom Homan, who will serve as “border czar.” The Department of Homeland Security has a budget of $60 billion.

South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem has been selected to join Donald Trump’s Cabinet as head of homeland security, CNN reports.

The governor — whose vice presidential hopes were dashed when she admitted to shooting her puppy — will implement Trump’s promises to clean up the mess at the southern border and deport millions of illegal migrants.

She joins Trump loyalists Stephen Miller, who was appointed deputy chief of staff, and Tom Homan, who will serve as “border czar.” The Department of Homeland Security has a budget of $60 billion.