Exclusive: How Team Trump plans to 'Make America Wealthy Again'



Team Trump released a video Monday obtained exclusively by Blaze News highlighting President-elect Donald Trump's nominees, who the Trump team says will "Make America Wealthy Again."

Trump's nominees include Kevin Hassett for director of the National Economic Council, Howard Lutnick for secretary of commerce, and Scott Bessent for secretary of the treasury. Team Trump told Blaze News that the nominees will work in the administration to prioritize American workers and industry jobs as well as "permanently establish" Trump's tax cuts and eliminate taxes on tips, overtime, and Social Security.

'We have the potential for the Golden Age here, because if we unleash US energy independence, energy dominance, I think we have the potential here to do a massive amount of deregulation.'

"The American people gave President Trump a mandate to Make America Wealthy Again by restoring our economy to be even better than his first term," Karoline Leavitt, spokeswoman for the Trump-Vance transition team, told Blaze News.

"From Howard Lutnick and Scott Bessent's experience as transformative leaders on Wall Street to Kevin Hassett's proven policy record from President Trump's first term, these nominees are ready to invest in the American people," Leavitt continued. "Together, they form a team of economic experts dedicated to fighting for working families and Making America Wealthy Again."

Lutnick has been a "transformative leader" on Wall Street for the last 40 years. Lutnick began his career in 1983 at Cantor Fitzgerald, quickly ascending to president and CEO by the impressive age of 29. A pivotal moment in Lutnick's career was in the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks that claimed the lives of hundreds of his employees, including his brother and his best friend. As a tribute, Lutnick committed himself to rebuilding the firm to support the families of those whose lives were lost and to "provide a source of hope and strength for survivors."

Bessent, the founder and CEO of Key Group, has overseen businesses across several key industries like agriculture, hospitality, publishing, and real estate. He has also played a key role in some of the largest and most profitable trades, making him a "well-equipped" candidate to oversee the treasury.

"We have the potential for the Golden Age here, because if we unleash U.S. energy independence, energy dominance, I think we have the potential here to do a massive amount of deregulation," Bessent said in the video.

Hassett has also been at the forefront of many economic and policy debates ranging from taxes and trade to substance abuse and deregulation. Hassett also holds extensive economic credentials, including serving as the 29th chairman of the President's Council of Economic Advisers, holding a doctorate in economics from the University of Pennsylvania, and currently serving as managing director at the Milken Institute.

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Trump’s FCC Must Smash Corporate Media’s ‘Censorship Cartel’

FCC chairman nominee Brendan Carr sounds like he means business in his vows to 'reinvigorate' broadcast TV and 'smash the censorship cartel.'

Democrats' losing strategy could push a political realignment



President-elect Donald Trump officially flipped Lake County, California, one month after the November 5 election. Trump's electoral win in Lake County is the latest indication of the landslide victory he enjoyed in the 2024 cycle.

Trump became the first Republican presidential candidate to win the popular vote in two decades, even sweeping all seven swing states. The last candidate to win all battlegrounds was former President Ronald Reagan in 1984.

'It could actually be the beginnings of a Reagan-style political realignment if the Democrats don't make adjustments and do so in a hurry.'

Trump also flipped over 50 counties this cycle while Vice President Kamala Harris failed to flip any in her favor. Of those counties that flipped in Trump's favor, roughly half of them had not voted for a Republican presidential candidate this century. Trump also managed to shift every single state toward Republicans. Roughly 300 counties shifted more Democratic, without any actually flipping blue, while over 2,600 shifted more Republican.

"The data suggests that this was more than simply a decisive victory for Donald Trump," Len Foxwell, a Democratic strategist based in Maryland, told Blaze News. "It could actually be the beginnings of a Reagan-style political realignment if the Democrats don't make adjustments and do so in a hurry."

One of Trump's most notable flips was South Texas' Starr County, a predominantly Hispanic border county. This ended one of the longest Democratic voting streaks in history, with the county voting for a Democrat in every presidential election since 1896. Trump also made inroads with Latinos in Florida, enjoying a double-digit swing in Miami-Dade County compared to his results in 2020.

Democratic support slipped across every demographic the party has historically held onto. Even with a black female candidate and a white working-class running mate, voters turned to Trump.

"We are losing, in front of our very eyes, some of the core elements of the Democratic coalition that we have held onto, to varying degrees, since the age of Roosevelt," Foxwell told Blaze News. "We have become a party of inner suburban wine clubs and book clubs. A relatively small, culturally homogeneous group of inner suburban, highly educated, relatively affluent liberals and progressives."

"That, to be sure, is a part of a strong Democratic coalition, but it cannot be the only part," Foxwell continued. "It cannot and it must not be the centerpiece around which we base our national political strategy, and I'm afraid that's what we're at risk of becoming."

Foxwell points out that the downfall of the Democratic Party is largely because it demands a highly stringent form of political and social orthodoxy from its voters that has become incompatible with many moderates. Although Democrats have championed diversity of identity, the party has remained intellectually homogeneous, which is exclusionary by nature.

"Democrats used to be the party of disruption, debate, and change, and now we have become a more intellectually homogeneous party in which we are not necessarily supposed to look alike, but we are certainly expected to think alike," Foxwell said. "When that happens, you become intellectually stagnant, and I honestly believe that this is one of the major reasons why the Democratic Party is losing its natural advantages."

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FACT CHECK: Did Trump Say He Will Restore Electoral Integrity In Nigeria?

A post shared on social media purportedly shows a screenshot of a post from President-elect Donald Trump about restoring electoral integrity in Nigeria.   View on Threads   Verdict: False The post did not come from Trump’s official account. Fact Check: Trump has announced that his nominee for FBI Director is Kash Patel in a Truth Social […]

Dems flip final congressional seat 1 month after Election Day



Democratic challenger Adam Gray defeated Republican incumbent Rep. John Duarte in California's 13th congressional district on Tuesday, one month after Election Day.

Gray unseated the freshman GOP lawmaker by just 187 votes, making this rematch a reversal of their 2022 face-off.

California's 13th congressional district was the final congressional race to be called, solidifying the partisan split in the House. Republicans now hold 220 seats while Democrats hold 215.

The Republican majority is expected to be even slimmer at the start of the 119th Congress due to three expected vacancies.

"I'm honored to become the Congressman-elect for California's 13th Congressional District," Gray said in an X post on Tuesday. "The final results confirm this district is ready for independent and accountable leadership that always puts the Valley's people ahead of partisan politics."

"But the work has just begun," Gray continued. "In Washington, I'll work every day to deliver the resources that the Valley needs: clean water, better educational opportunities, stronger infrastructure, and more good-paying jobs. And you can count on me to build bipartisan relationships to accomplish these goals."

Democrats also flipped California's 45th congressional district, with Democratic challenger Derek Tran defeating incumbent Republican Rep. Michelle Steel, chipping away at the GOP's already slim majority in the House.

The Republican majority is expected to be even slimmer at the start of the 119th Congress due to three expected vacancies.

Former Republican Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida resigned in November amid his bid for attorney general, although he later withdrew. Republican Rep. Mike Waltz of Florida is also set to resign on January 20, Inauguration Day, after being tapped by President-elect Donald Trump to serve as national security adviser in the upcoming administration. Republican Rep. Elise Stefanik of New York was also recruited by Trump to serve as ambassador to the United Nations, although she has not yet confirmed when she will resign.

The two Florida seats are set to be filled via special election on April 1.

If all three seats are simultaneously vacant, Republicans will be operating with a slim majority of 217 while Democrats hold 215 seats. Under these circumstances, Republicans could afford to lose only one single vote from their party.

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Court Filing: Leftist Wisconsin AG’s Probe Of Mayor Is A ‘Fishing Expedition’

As The Federalist first reported, investigators raided Mayor Doug Diny's home while his wife and 18-month-old grandson were present.

Democrats mock Americans struggling to afford groceries



In a since-deleted post on X, Democrats on the Ways and Means Committee mocked Americans who are struggling to afford high grocery costs.

The account responded to an article on X that found that consumers had spent a record $10.8 billion on Black Friday online shopping. Despite the economic hardship many Americans have endured over the last four years, Democrats dished out a tone-deaf response.

Much of the inflationary spending came from the Biden-Harris administration and Democrat-approved legislation.

"And here we were thinking y'all couldn't afford eggs!" the account said in the now-deleted post.

Democrats on the Ways and Means Committee just deleted this tweet mocking Americans who are struggling to afford groceries: pic.twitter.com/8eVNhoU7On
— TheBlaze (@theblaze) December 3, 2024

The post failed to mention the economic turmoil many Americans have actually experienced. For example, the cost of eggs jumped from $1.74 per dozen in 2020 to $3.82 in 2024, according to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Eggs are not the only commodity that has been affected by cost increases and inflation. The cost of groceries overall has skyrocketed over the last four years. In 2020, food inflation increased by 3.9%, compared to 6.3% in 2021, 10.4% in 2022, 2.7% in 2023, and 2.1% in 2024, according to the BLS.

Inflation affected not just the cost of food, but also the cost of living. Monthly inflation peaked under the Biden-Harris administration at 9.1% in June 2022. Although it has since subsided, inflation reached a multi-decade, record-breaking high of 8% in 2022.

Much of the inflationary spending came from the Biden-Harris administration and Democrat-approved legislation.

In July of this year, the national debt surpassed $35 trillion for the first time in American history. The Biden-Harris administration at the same time approved the American Rescue Plan and the Inflation Reduction Act, which respectively approved $1.9 trillion and $750 billion in spending.

The consequences were felt by Americans. Poll after poll leading up to the election showed that the most important issue for voters was the economy and inflation. At the same time, respondents indicated that they were worse now than they were four years ago and overwhelmingly trusted former President Donald Trump to handle the economy over his Democratic challenger.

This sentiment was ultimately reflected at the polls where Trump secured a historic landslide victory. Despite the tremendous loss Democrats endured, it appears they have not yet learned from their mistakes.

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Dem flips key House seat, chipping away at GOP majority



Democratic challenger Derek Tran unseated Republican incumbent Rep. Michelle Steel in California's 45th congressional district on Thursday, narrowing the GOP's already slim House majority.

Tran defeated Steel by fewer than 600 votes, making this one of the closest House races in the 2024 election cycle. Republicans now hold 220 seats while Democrats have 214 seats.

California's 45th congressional district was also one of 19 House districts that President Joe Biden won in 2020 and that had a Republican incumbent in 2024.

"From the moment I came to the United States, I knew that giving back to the country that welcomed me with open arms would be part of my future," Steel said in a Thursday post on X. "Because of the opportunities offered by this great country, and God’s great blessings, I was able to go to college, start a family, and build my own American Dream."

"I embarked on a mission to assist First Generation Americans, stand up to our adversaries, and defend human rights," Steel continued. "The journey to work on behalf of legal immigrants and struggling families took me somewhere I never could have imagined — and for which I will always be grateful — the United States Congress."

Steel was first elected to serve in California's 45th congressional district in 2022 after the state underwent redistricting, replacing Democratic Rep. Katie Porter, who now represents California's 47th congressional district. Steel also served California's 48th congressional district for one term in 2020 prior to the redistricting.

"I will never stop fighting for you," Steel said.

California's 45th congressional district was also one of 19 House districts that President Joe Biden won in 2020 and that had a Republican incumbent in 2024.

"Just a short while ago, Congresswoman Michelle Steel called me to concede, and I expressed my appreciation to her for her service," Tran said in a Thursday post on X. "I plan to work closely with her office over the next month to ensure a smooth transition and handover of constituent casework, so my team hits the ground running in early January."

"I look forward to once again taking the oath to support and defend our Constitution and beginning this next chapter of public service so we can put people first," Tran continued.

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Democratic strategist begs Kamala Harris not to run again



Kamala Harris' first attempt to secure the White House was a colossal failure. While struggling to break out of the single digits in early state polls, Harris learned that a majority of Democrats in her home state of California wanted her to call it quits. She obliged them in December 2019. Years later, she supplanted the candidate who single-handedly salvaged her career only to suffer an even more humiliating defeat, burning through over $1.5 billion for the privilege of losing in the Electoral College by a landslide.

Apparently, the 60-year-old leftist thinks the next time might be different and has signaled an interest in trying again. On Tuesday, Democratic strategist Theryn Bond begged the vice president to throw in the towel on her presidential ambitions.

Last week, a Morning Consult survey indicated that 43% of Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents would now vote for Harris in a presidential primary of the kind effectively voided by the party earlier this year. A recent Echelon Insights snap poll indicated that 41% of respondents would vote for Harris in a Democratic primary held today.

'Please don't.'

Politico reported Monday that Harris, likely aware that a great many Democrats are willing to overlook her repeated failures, "has been instructing advisers and allies to keep her options open — whether for a possible 2028 presidential run, or even to run for governor in her home state of California in two years."

Harris has repeatedly told reporters, "I am staying in the fight."

Five individuals in the vice president's inner circle who spoke to Politico on the condition of anonymity suggested that Harris will think over her political options with family members over the Christmas season.

On Tuesday, within hours of Democrats releasing a bizarre and widely ridiculed video of Harris, Theryn Bond urged the vice president on Newsmax's "National Report" "not to run again in 2028. Please don't."

'If they're dumb enough to run her again, I can't wait.'

"I can't really speak for governor of California. Californians seem to support her significantly. We haven't yet been able to measure what that support looks like after this current run she just had," said Bond.

The Democratic strategist suggested that a gubernatorial bid might "make sense for her to consider, but another shot at the presidency — I hope she doesn't. And if she is relying on those same advisers that advised her this cycle, that's not who I would listen to."

Conservative political strategist Luke Ball largely agreed with Bond's assessment, noting that in California, Harris would have "high name ID, but if she ran anywhere else in the country, I don't think she'd be able to get elected to dog catcher."

Conservative filmmaker Robby Starbuck noted, "Wow. This Echelon poll asked Democrats who they'd vote for in the 2028 Presidential primary and 41% said Kamala Harris. If they're dumb enough to run her again, I can't wait."

Conservative commentator Michael Knowles said that Harris, "who lost in a massive landslide, who allowed the Republican to win the popular vote for the first time in 20 years — the Republican who we had all been told was Hitler incarnate, who was running for an implausible nonconsecutive second term — that woman wants to run again in 2028? I strongly encourage this. I might donate to the Kamala primary campaign."

A Democratic strategist granted anonymity by Politico said, "I can't conceivably imagine the party turning to her a second time."

Speculation now abounds about the possibility that another failed Democratic presidential candidate might try her luck again in 2028.

After the the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette reported Wednesday that Bill and Hillary Clinton will give speeches in Little Rock in December to help mark the Clinton Presidential Center's 20th anniversary, senior Trump adviser Jason Miller responded, "SHE'S RUNNING!"

"Just when I thought I couldn't be more thankful," tweeted Donald Trump Jr.

Elon Musk replied to the prospect of a third Clinton campaign with a laughing emoji.

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Sen. Kennedy gives perfect response to Hollywood elitists' attack on Americans: 'Stay deplorable, my friend'



U.S. Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) issued a showstopper of a response to coastal elitists' characterization of nonconforming American voters as ignorant. In addition to suggesting that Hollywood script-readers like Alec Baldwin and Sharon Stone are "just goofy," Kennedy intimated that President-elect Donald Trump's landslide victory was partly a response to their brand of denigratory rhetoric.

Prominent Democrats have a track record of belittling and dehumanizing Americans who come between them and power.

President Joe Biden called Trump supporters "garbage." Failed presidential candidate Hillary Clinton called Trump supporters "deplorables" and characterized them further as "irredeemable." Former President Barack Obama complained that working-class voters in Pennsylvania who wouldn't vote for him were "bitter" and that "they cling to guns or religion or antipathy to people who aren't like them."

This malicious reflex is not unique to leftist politicians. Every two years, wealthy Hollywood script-readers and the media personalities who support them similarly come out of the woodwork to tell the rest of the country how to vote. When that doesn't work, coastal elitists frequently condemn those who stepped out of line.

After the cast of Marvel's "Avengers" and other celebrities failed to convince the majority of Americans not to make the 45th president their 47th president, the condemnations came rolling in from the likes of Alec Baldwin — once again facing the possibility of a manslaughter charge in the death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins — and Sharon Stone.

Both script-readers decided to denigrate their fellow Americans during panel discussions this week at the Torino Film Festival in Italy.

Blaze News previously reported that Stone blamed President-elect Donald Trump's landslide victory on American ignorance.

"You know, Italy has seen fascism. Italy has seen these things. You guys, you understand what happens. You have seen this before," said Stone, among the many celebrities who supported Harris' latest failed presidential bid. "My country is in its adolescence. Adolescence is very arrogant. Adolescence thinks it knows everything. Adolescence is naive and ignorant and arrogant. And we are in our ignorant, arrogant adolescence."

'They think they're smarter and more virtuous than the American people.'

Baldwin also concluded that Americans' re-election of the candidate who campaigned on peace, secure borders, healthy living, and the dismantling of the administrative state evidenced their ignorance. Unlike Stone, he suggested further that he and his peers offered the remedy.

"In my country, without going into significant detail, half the people in the country are very unhappy. It's a very difficult time in the United States," said Baldwin. "The only way people can learn what is happening — and film is unique in this way — not only what is happening in the United States but around the world, ... you might not learn from the news."

"Television news in the United States is a business. You have to make money," continued the actor, whose net worth is an estimated $70 million. "Not to go into great detail about that, but there's a hole, a vacuum — there is a gap, if you will, in information for Americans."

"Americans are very uninformed about reality, what's really going on with climate change, Ukraine, Israel, you name it — all the biggest topics in the world. Americans have an appetite for a little bit of information," continued Baldwin. "That vacuum is filled by the film industry. Not just the independent film industry, not just the documentary film industry, which are very important around the world, but by narrative films as well where the filmmakers and the buyers, the studios, and the networks and the streamers are willing to go that way."

When pressed about such remarks as well as the stated desire by a Democratic New York state senator to secede from the union following Trump's win, Sen. Kennedy told Fox News' Sean Hannity, "I think these people are goofy. They have the right to their opinion, but they're just goofy."

"They hate George Washington and Thomas Jefferson and Abraham Lincoln and Dr. Seuss and Mr. Potato Head. They think our kids ought to be able to change genders at recess. They carry around Ziploc bags of kale to give themselves energy," said Kennedy. "To me, to each his own. To me, kale tastes like I'd rather be fat."

After teasing leftists, Kennedy got serious: "Now, these people are entitled to their opinion, but they have an unwarranted sense of moral and intellectual superiority. They think they're smarter and more virtuous than the American people. And they think we're not real people, but we were, and we are real people, and in this last election, we got real mad."

Referencing the Americans who gave Trump over 2 million more popular votes than his opponent and an 86-vote advantage in the Electoral College, Kennedy added, "We sent a message, clearly, unequivocally. And my message to all my friends and my enemies in America is: Happy Thanksgiving, and stay deplorable, my friend."

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