Trump nominates Fox News host Hegseth as defense secretary

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WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump announced Tuesday that he’s naming former Director of National Intelligence John Ratcliffe to guide the Central Intelligence Agency. He also said he appointed former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee as ambassador to Israel and his longtime friend Steven Witkoff as special envoy to the Middle East.

In a flurry of announcements, Trump also named Bill McGinley, his first-term Cabinet secretary, as his White House counsel.

Trump is unveiling a gentle stream of appointees and nominees for his incoming administration, to date working more quickly and without as much drama as his first transition after his 2016 victory.

Ratcliffe, a former Republican congressman from Texas, served as director of national intelligence in the ultimate months of Trump's first term and led the U.S. government's spy agencies throughout the coronavirus pandemic. He is a more traditional candidate for the role, which requires Senate confirmation, than some would-be loyalists pushed by some Trump supporters.

Huckabee is a staunch defender of Israel, and his proposed nomination comes at a time when Trump has vowed to align U.S. foreign policy more closely with Israel's interests because the country wages wars against Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon. Witkoff is a Florida real estate investor who serves as chairman of Trump's inauguration committee. He also hung out on the earth of New York real estate, where Trump first got here to prominence as a public figure.

As intelligence director, Ratcliffe was criticized by Democrats for declassifying to Russian intelligence in the ultimate days of the 2020 presidential election what he said were damaging details about Democrats throughout the 2016 campaign, although he acknowledged it might not have been true.

Ratcliffe's visibility rose when he appeared as an ardent defender of Trump within the House's first impeachment trial against him in 2019. He was a member of Trump's impeachment advisory team and intensively questioned witnesses throughout the impeachment hearings.

After the Democratic-controlled House of Representatives voted to question Trump, Ratcliffe said: “This is the thinnest, fastest and weakest impeachment our country has ever seen.” He also questioned former special counsel Robert Mueller forcefully as he presented testified to the House Judiciary Committee about his investigation into Russian interference within the 2016 election.

“I look forward to John becoming the first person to ever hold our nation’s two highest intelligence positions,” Trump said in a press release. “He will be a fearless fighter for the constitutional rights of all Americans while ensuring the highest level of national security and PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH.”

Huckabee has led paid tour group visits to Israel for years, often promoting the trips in conservative-leaning news outlets.

“Mike was a great public servant, governor and faith leader for many years,” Trump said in a press release. “He loves Israel and the people of Israel, and the people of Israel love him in the same way. Mike will work tirelessly to bring peace to the Middle East!”

David Friedman, who was Trump's ambassador to Israel in his first term, said he was “thrilled” with Trump's number of Huckabee.

Witkoff can also be the president-elect's golf partner and was with him when he was the goal of a second assassination attempt at his golf club in West Palm Beach, Florida, in September.

Trump's transition team didn’t provide details in regards to the Middle East envoy's role, but Trump said in a press release: “Steve will be a relentless voice for PEACE and make us all proud.”

The alternative of Witkoff follows a pattern for Trump of putting people near him in key roles within the Middle East portfolio. Eight years ago, he appointed his former corporate lawyer Jason Greenbaltt as his special representative for international negotiations and relied on his son-in-law Jared Kushner as his personal envoy to talks within the region.