Donald Trump meets Joe Biden: Then appoints hardliners

The 78-year-old returns to the White House for the first time since Donald Trump won the election. He emphasized the great harmony during his visit with Joe Biden. But Trump’s personnel decisions that day told a different story.

David Schafbuch, Washington/t-online

Karine Jean-Pierre repeats one word again and again: The conversation between Joe Biden and Donald Trump was “substantial,” a White House spokesperson told reporters in Washington this afternoon. Biden's predecessor and successor, Trump, came to Washington with a detailed list of questions. The two chatted for nearly two hours and were “very enthusiastic” and “very friendly.”

Trump struck a similarly conciliatory tone: “We got to know each other again,” Trump told the New York Post. The two men had previously shaken hands in front of members of the press in the Oval Office, in front of a flickering fire in the fireplace. Biden congratulated Trump on his election and promised a smooth transition.

Trump said politics is often difficult and “not a beautiful world.” But today things are different. Trump will greatly appreciate Biden's efforts to make the transition “as smooth as possible.” Only Trump’s wife, Melanie, disrupted the harmonious scene: She declined an invitation from First Lady Jill Biden, who then gave Trump a letter addressed to his wife.

Melania Trump did not attend the meeting.Image: trapezoid

But the harmonious atmosphere soured significantly in the afternoon when Trump announced several personnel decisions for the incoming Cabinet: Florida Senator Marco Rubio will become the new secretary of state. This news has been expected for the past few days.

Trump then provided more talking points with two more personal messages: former congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard, once a Democrat and now a Republican, hoping to make Trump Serves as Intelligence Coordinator. The U.S. Attorney General's Office will be replaced by Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz.

Once Trump opponent, soon to be Secretary of State

All the personal details contrasted with Trump's conciliatory rhetoric and once again showed that his policies have little in common with previous efforts by the Biden administration.

From adversary to comrade: Donald Trump names Marco Rubio as secretary of state.Image: trapezoid

Rubio's nomination had been anticipated for days. “He will be a staunch advocate for our country, a true friend to our allies, and a fearless fighter who will never back down from our adversaries,” Trump said in a statement Wednesday.

Rubio was once considered an intra-party rival of Trump: He ran with Trump for the Republican presidential nomination in 2016 and exchanged insults with Trump for weeks. But it hasn't been talked about for a long time.

Like many Republicans, Marco Rubio has increasingly leaned politically toward the newly elected president's line, including on foreign policy: In April, he voted against a multibillion-dollar support package for Ukraine. He also talked about the fact that Ukraine should negotiate with Russia.

That means Rubio is fully aligned with Trump, The National reported on Wednesday, and a far cry from the recent mantra put forth by the current U.S. administration: Joe Biden will spend every dollar approved for Ukraine until he Last day of term. Biden's security adviser Jake Sullivan stressed this to reporters in Washington. Outgoing U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken made similar remarks during a visit to NATO headquarters in Brussels on Tuesday.

Russian cabinet expert

The nomination of Tulsi Gabbard is likely to cause greater outcry in the Biden camp and among many U.S. allies: the 43-year-old will serve as Trump's key adviser on all issues related to the Secret Service. Gabbard will lead the Intelligence Community (IC), which brings together the work of all U.S. intelligence agencies.

Possible future career in intelligence intelligence: Tulsi Gabbard.Image: trapezoid

Unlike Rubio, Gabbard isn't just criticizing the Biden administration's current Ukraine policy. Instead, the positions expressed by the politician in recent years may find expression in parties such as the Alternative for Germany or the Socialist Party of Germany.

“This war and this pain could have been avoided if the Biden administration and NATO had taken into account Russia’s legitimate concerns about Ukraine’s potential membership of NATO,” Gabbard wrote in February 2022 after Russia began a full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Gabbard also spread Russian disinformation, claiming that the United States operates 25 to 30 laboratories in Ukraine and is developing biological weapons.

Switch from Democratic to Republican

Despite her pro-Russian rhetoric, the politician was warmly welcomed by many party members after switching from the Democratic Party to the Republican Party. Gabbard complained in the fall of 2022 that, among other things, Democrats had moved too far to the left.

Matt Gaetz should be Attorney General.Image: trapezoid

Trump caused an even bigger stir when he announced that Rep. Matt Gaetz would be the new attorney general. Trump wrote that Gates would “protect our borders, dismantle criminal organizations, and restore Americans' deeply shaken confidence and trust in the Department of Justice.”

This character is also very important to Trump personally: There are currently two criminal proceedings against him at the federal level. Gates is expected to discontinue these processes in his new role. What's more: Trump frequently threatened during the campaign that he would take action against political opponents during his presidency. If Trump really wants to pursue this goal through legal means, Gates will play a key role in the role of attorney general.

The 42-year-old is considered a hardliner even within his own party and a loyal representative of the Trump camp: he opposes abortion, rejects same-sex marriage and opposes support for Ukraine. After Trump supporters stormed the Capitol on January 6, 2021, Gates blamed the violence on “Antifa” (anti-fascist groups) without any evidence. The House Ethics Committee is also investigating Gates: The politician has been charged with illegal drug use, sex crimes and misappropriation of campaign funds. The investigation is not complete.

But it's unclear whether Matt Gaetz and Tulsi Gabbard can actually hold the positions Trump promised. Secretary positions, as well as Secret Service coordinating positions, generally must be confirmed by a simple majority of the Senate. On November 5, the Republicans regained their majority. Gates, however, has often been controversial, especially within his own party. Several Republican senators immediately reacted with surprise to Trump's announcement, with some even rejecting it.

Sources used:

U.S. President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping hope to meet face-to-face again for the first time in a year, according to the White House. A senior U.S. government official announced that the two men planned to hold talks on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Peru on Saturday.