Announces ‘Thank You Tour’
Trump’s transition team announces that the president-elect will go on a “Thank You Tour” starting in Ohio, with a rally at the U.S. Bank Arena in Cincinnati on December 1. Trump’s advance planning team say the tour is about giving thanks to those voters who helped Trump on his way to his Electoral College victory:
[President-elect Trump] will be traveling obviously to the states that we won and the swing states we flipped over.
Appoints Chao as Transportation secretary
Trump’s transition team says it plans to name Chao as his Transportation secretary. Please come back to this story for updates.
Says flag burners should be jailed, lose citizenship
Trump says people who burn the flag should be jaileed or lose their citizenship.
Nobody should be allowed to burn the American flag – if they do, there must be consequences – perhaps loss of citizenship or year in jail!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 29, 2016
Michigan certified as Trump win
Nearly three weeks after the election, Michigan’s Board of State Canvassers certifies Trump’s 10,704-vote victory. He wins the state’s 16 electoral votes, the first Republican presidential nominee to win the state since 1988. The two-tenths of a percentage point margin out of nearly 4.8 million votes is the closest presidential race in Michigan in more than 75 years. Trump’s win in Michigan gives him 306 electoral votes to Democrat Hillary Clinton’s 232.
The Great State of Michigan was just certified as a Trump WIN giving all of our MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN supporters another victory – 306!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 29, 2016
Threatens to ‘Terminate’ Cuba Deal
Trump tweets that he may terminate President Obama’s deal with Cuba.
If Cuba is unwilling to make a better deal for the Cuban people, the Cuban/American people and the U.S. as a whole, I will terminate deal.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 28, 2016
Criticises CNN reporter
In a series of retweets Trump criticises CNN’s Zeleny’s stance on voter fraud.
"@FiIibuster: @jeffzeleny Pathetic – you have no sufficient evidence that Donald Trump did not suffer from voter fraud, shame! Bad reporter.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 29, 2016
"@JoeBowman12: @jeffzeleny just another generic CNN part time wannabe journalist !" @CNN still doesn't get it. They will never learn!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 29, 2016
Trump, Petraeus discuss Secretary of State position
After an hour-long meeting with Petraeus regarding the Secretary of State position, Trump tweets:
Just met with General Petraeus–was very impressed!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 28, 2016
Petraeus:
[President-elect Trump] basically walked us around the world [in our discussion.] He showed a great grasp of the variety of challenges that are out there and some of the opportunities as well.
Says he would have won popular vote if illegal votes deducted
Trump says he would have won the popular vote if the people who had voted illegally had been deducted. He also says that if he had to contest the election based on the popular vote, he would have been able to win by concentrating on the three or four largest states.
In addition to winning the Electoral College in a landslide, I won the popular vote if you deduct the millions of people who voted illegally
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 27, 2016
It would have been much easier for me to win the so-called popular vote than the Electoral College in that I would only campaign in 3 or 4–
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 27, 2016
states instead of the 15 states that I visited. I would have won even more easily and convincingly (but smaller states are forgotten)!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 27, 2016
Trump’s government ‘a who’s who of really despicable people’
Hammill comments on Trump:
I’m in total denial. I’m glad I have [my new show ‘Pop Culture Quest,’] to take my mind off what’s going on. Because if you look at what’s being assembled for our government it’s like, yikes. It’s a who’s who of really despicable people…It’s tempting to say, ‘Well, I’m moving to Canada, I can’t stand it. But in other ways, it’s a challenge to stay and defend your country and do what you think is right and not retreat and hide under the covers. It’s not gonna be easy, that’s for sure.
Calls recount ‘a scam’
Trump releases a statement on Stein’s recount in Wisconsin.
The people have spoken and the election is over, and as Hillary Clinton herself said on election night, in addition to her conceding by congratulating me, ‘We must accept this result and then look to the future.’ It is important to point out that with the help of millions of voters across the country, we won 306 electoral votes on Election Day – the most of any Republican since 1988 – and we carried nine of 13 battleground states, 30 of 50 states, and more than 2,600 counties nationwide – the most since President Ronald Reagan in 1984. This recount is just a way for Jill Stein, who received less than one percent of the vote overall and wasn’t even on the ballot in many states, to fill her coffers with money, most of which she will never even spend on this ridiculous recount. All three states were won by large numbers of voters, especially Pennsylvania, which was won by more than 70,000 votes. This is a scam by the Green Party for an election that has already been conceded, and the results of this election should be respected instead of being challenged and abused, which is exactly what Jill Stein is doing.
The Green Party scam to fill up their coffers by asking for impossible recounts is now being joined by the badly defeated & demoralized Dems
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 27, 2016
Full statement: Castro ‘a brutal dictator’
Trump releases a full statement on the death of Castro:
Today, the world marks the passing of a brutal dictator who oppressed his own people for nearly six decades. Fidel Castro’s legacy is one of firing squads, theft, unimaginable suffering, poverty and the denial of fundamental human rights. While Cuba remains a totalitarian island, it is my hope that today marks a move away from the horrors endured for too long, and toward a future in which the wonderful Cuban people finally live in the freedom they so richly deserve.
Though the tragedies, deaths and pain caused by Fidel Castro cannot be erased, our administration will do all it can to ensure the Cuban people can finally begin their journey toward prosperity and liberty. I join the many Cuban Americans who supported me so greatly in the presidential campaign, including the Brigade 2506 Veterans Association that endorsed me, with the hope of one day soon seeing a free Cuba.
‘Fidel Castro is dead!’
Trump tweets about Castro’s death.
Fidel Castro is dead!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 26, 2016
Appoints McFarland as Deputy National Security Advisor
Trump selects McFarland to be his deputy national security, working for retired Gen. Michael Flynn. Trump:
McFarland has [tremendous experience and innate talent.]
McFarland:
[Donald Trump] has the courage, brilliance and energy to Make America Great Again, and nobody has called foreign policy right more than President-elect Trump, and he gets no credit for it. I’m honored and humbled that he has asked me to be part of his team.
So proud & honored to have KT McFarland as part of our National Security team. She will help us #MAGA
— LTG (R) Mike Flynn (@GenFlynn) November 25, 2016
Source: Ross chosen as Commerce secretary
A senior transition official says that Ross, a billionaire, is Trump’s pick for Commerce secretary. If chosen, Ross would oversee nearly 47,000 employees and a budget of roughly $8 billion. The department represents the interests of U.S. businesses domestically and abroad as the head at Commerce. His department would be among those tasked with carrying out the Trump administration’s stated goal of protecting U.S. workers and pushing back against globalisation.
‘Working on’ keeping Carrier A/C in US
Trump says he is working on keeping Carrier Air Conditioning at its factory in Indiana. The company had planned to move operations to Mexico.
I am working hard, even on Thanksgiving, trying to get Carrier A.C. Company to stay in the U.S. (Indiana). MAKING PROGRESS – Will know soon!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 24, 2016
Wins Michigan by 10,704, gets 306 EV
Two weeks after election day, The Michigan Secretary of State posts reviewed and certified results from the state’s 83 county clerks, showing that Trump wins Michigan by 10,704 votes. In a previous count Trump had led by 13,107 votes, with the biggest change coming from Wayne County, which showed that Hillary Clinton received 565 more votes than originally tallied by the county. With this final count Trump wins 306 electoral votes — including Michigan’s 16 — to 232 for Clinton.
Releases Thanksgiving message
Trump releases a message for Thanksgiving.
It is my prayer that on this Thanksgiving we begin to heal our divisions and move forward as one country strengthened by shared purpose and very, very common resolve.
Appoints DeVos Education Secretary
Four days after meeting with Trump and Pence at Trump’s golf club in Bedminster, New Jersey, Trump appoints DeVos as Education secretary. Trump:
Betsy DeVos is a brilliant and passionate education advocate. Under her leadership we will reform the U.S. education system and break the bureaucracy that is holding our children back so that we can deliver world-class education and school choice to all families.
I am honored to work with the President-elect on his vision to make American education great again. The status quo in ed is not acceptable.
— Betsy DeVos (@BetsyDeVos) November 23, 2016
Report: Trump wants Romney for Secretary of State
The Wall Street Journal reports that Romney is the candidate favoured by Trump for the position of Secretary of State. Giuliani supporters are pushing Trump to choose their candidate. A third group is pressing the president-elect to keep searching for candidates. The paper says Trump sees Romney as the prototypical choice to be the nation’s top diplomat.
Appoints Haley as UN ambassador
Trump appoints Haley as United Nations Ambassador, despite her criticism of him during his election campaign. Haley had supported Marco Rubio and Ted Cruz in the primary before saying last month she would vote for Trump despite reservations about his character. Transition team:
Governor Haley has a proven track record of bringing people together regardless of background or party affiliation to move critical policies forward for the betterment of her state and our country. She is also a proven dealmaker, and we look to be making plenty of deals. She will be a great leader representing us on the world stage.