On Wednesday, the leaders of President-elect Donald Trump’s transition team announced they would spend the coming weeks preparing to staff his new administration.
Linda McMahon, former head of the Small Business Administration (SBA), and businessman Howard Lutnick issued a statement outlining the team’s next steps following Trump’s decisive victory. As of Thursday morning, Trump was projected to secure the popular vote along with 312 electoral votes, including a sweep of key battleground states.
“Since the formation of President Trump’s transition organization and our announcement as Co-Chairs in August, we have been preparing for President Trump’s next administration,” McMahon and Lutnick said. “In the days and weeks ahead, President Trump will be selecting personnel to serve our nation under his leadership and enact policies that make the life of Americans affordable, safe, and secure.”
They added that they would present Trump with a “wide range of experts” to consider for his administration.
“As he chooses the best people to join his team and best policies to pursue, his transition team will ensure the implementation of President Trump’s common sense agenda starting on Day 1,” the joint statement said.
McMahon, wife of former WWE CEO Vince McMahon, served as head of the SBA during Trump’s first term and recently led the America First Policy Institute, a pro-Trump think tank. Lutnick, billionaire CEO of financial firm Cantor Fitzgerald, was a major donor to Trump.
Other members of the transition team include Vice President-elect JD Vance, Donald Trump Jr., Eric Trump, former Democratic Representative Tulsi Gabbard, and Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
Trump Jr. previously expressed his desire to prevent bad-faith actors from joining the administration.
“I want to block the liars. I want to block the guys that are, you know, pretending they’re with you. I just want to block the bad actors. I just want to be a block. That’s it,” he said at the Republican National Convention in July.
Trump is set to meet with President Joe Biden in the next few days.
“President Trump looks forward to the meeting, which will take place shortly, and very much appreciated the call,” Trump campaign communications director Steven Cheung said after Biden called to congratulate Trump.
Biden is expected to speak from the White House on Thursday morning for the first time since Tuesday’s election.
