Trump picks Doug Burgum for interior secretary; Speaker Johnson moves to block release of ethics report on Gaetz

President-elect Donald Trump picked North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum (R) to serve as both interior secretary and “energy czar,” a newly created role that will orchestrate the administration’s sweeping plans to repeal climate rules, scrap clean-energy subsidies and boost oil and gas production on millions of acres of federal lands nationwide.

The czar role does not require Senate confirmation.

Burgum will lead a new National Energy Council comprising all agencies and departments involved in the production, regulation and transportation of “ALL forms of American Energy,” Trump said in a statement Friday on his social media site, Truth Social.

Trump names Karoline Leavitt as White House press secretary

Trump announced Friday that Karoline Leavitt would become White House press secretary. She served in the same role on the 2024 campaign and also worked in the White House communications office during the first Trump administration.

Trump also announced Friday that Steven Cheung, a top communications adviser on his campaign, would serve as his communications director in the White House, while Sergio Gor — who led a pro-Trump super PAC — would direct the presidential personnel office.

Trump team weighs Pentagon pick after sexual assault allegation surfaces

Senior officials on President-elect Donald Trump’s transition team on Friday weighed the future of Pete Hegseth, Trump’s choice to lead the Defense Department, amid new revelations that police investigated an allegation that he sexually assaulted a woman in 2017.

Johnson says he’ll ‘strongly request’ ethics report on Gaetz not be released

House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-Louisiana) said Friday that he would “strongly request” that the House Ethics Committee not release a report on its investigation into allegations that former congressman Matt Gaetz (R-Florida) might have engaged in sexual misconduct and illegal drug use and accepted improper gifts.

President-elect Donald Trump has announced he will nominate Gaetz as attorney general. Johnson said releasing a report about a former House member would set a “terrible precedent.” Gaetz is among a flurry of Cabinet nominees Trump has rolled out this week. (Source: The Washington Post)