Hunkered down in what one former White House official called the "presidential man cave" of the Oval Office, President Donald Trump does not want to talk about what lies ahead once he leaves office next month.

Several people familiar with the situation say he knows his time is up even as he presses the fight against the election outcome, despite having failed in a series of court challenges to overturn the results of the Nov. 3 election that made Democrat Joe Biden president-elect.

With Monday`s Electoral College vote certifying Biden`s win, White House staff members are looking for jobs and planning their post-administration futures. First lady Melania Trump has looked for a school in Florida, where the couple is expected to reside, for their son Barron, People magazine reported.

A source close to Trump says he does not want to talk about the future beyond his remaining days in office. Any suggestion that he begin laying the groundwork for another run for president in 2024 is shunted aside, at least for now.

"He wants no conversation about what he`s going to do when he leaves the building," the source said, asking for anonymity to speak candidly. "He`s convinced he`s leaving, but he compartmentalizes things. As long as he`s the president, he wants to be the president."

Although an extrovert through his four years in office, Trump has largely closed himself off from the public in recent weeks, communicating mostly through tweets. He has done little to show he is focused on governing other than speaking at an event to highlight the speed of coronavirus vaccine development.

He has not played a significant role in responding to the computer hack that targeted the U.S. government, one administration official said. "This is not his wheelhouse, and it also involves the Russians, which complicates things."

Trump confers with a coterie of advisers including Vice President Mike Pence and chief of staff Mark Meadows, who update him on vaccine distribution and stimulus talks under way in Congress.

NO CONCESSION

The president has brought in members of his campaign team for updates and to urge them to keep fighting. 
His refusal to concede the election is egged on by endless phone conversations with his lawyer, Rudy Giuliani, and what the former White House official called&nbsp;"a rag-tag collection of lawyers that has kept the torch lit."

Trump has declined to concede the election. He spends long days in and out of the Oval Office, sometimes not retiring to the residence until after 8 p.m., calling allies and aides to discuss strategy. He has spent weekends at his nearby golf property and done one trip to Georgia to campaign for Republican U.S. Senate candidates.

He frequently emphasizes to advisers that he got 74 million votes, 9 million more than Democrat Barack Obama did in his successful re-election bid in 2012. Biden`s 80 million, he tells them, points to fraud.

Trump is irked at his fellow Republican, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, for announcing on the U.S. Senate floor this week that he considered Biden the president-elect, two of the sources said.

The sources said Trump has been brushing off aides urging him not to carry out a threat to veto a massive defense bill, because he does not feel like he should reward McConnell for what he regards as bad behavior.

Trump opposes the $740 billion National Defense Authorization Act because it does not repeal a law that gives big tech companies liability from lawsuits. Another source said Trump had been advised his veto would be overridden, though some in his circle still advised him to go through with it.

The White House declined to comment.

PARDON RUSH

Trump and his legal team have been preparing a number of potential pardons for him to carry out before leaving office, including for some close allies who may face legal jeopardy, one of the sources said.

Along Pennsylvania Avenue in front of the White House, a cacophony of noise erupts daily from the construction of platforms for Biden`s Inauguration Day events on Jan. 20.

One source said it was hard to imagine Trump showing up for the inaugural ceremonies and sitting behind Biden, having derided his Democratic rival on the campaign trail as incompetent. Trump has declined to say whether he would take part in the long-standing custom of showing the world a peaceful transfer of power.

What comes next for Trump is a matter of speculation.

A source close to Trump said he has in the past toyed with the idea of announcing a 2024 run on Inauguration Day to divert attention from Biden. That person and another source said Trump is being advised to put off an announcement about running again, and instead simply tease the possibility, because being an official candidate would invite a level of scrutiny he might not want.

The former White House official noted that Trump`s musings about running again would only give Democrats fodder to investigate him in years to come.

Trump faces a range of civil and criminal legal actions related to his family’s businesses and his activities before he took office, which could accelerate once he loses the legal protections granted the occupant of the Oval Office.

“If you want to lessen the chances of there being congressional investigations into 2021 and 2022, the best thing he can do for himself would be to stop these trial balloons," the former official said.

Hunkered down in what one former White House official called the "presidential man cave" of the Oval Office, President Donald Trump does not want to talk about what lies ahead once he leaves office next month.

Hunkered down in what one former White House official called the "presidential man cave" of the Oval Office, President Donald Trump does not want to talk about what lies ahead once he leaves office next month. Several people familiar with the situation say he knows his time is up even as he presses the fight against the election outcome, despite having failed in a series of court challenges to overturn the results of the Nov. 3 election that made Democrat Joe Biden president-elect. With Monday`s Electoral College vote certifying Biden`s win, White House staff members are looking for jobs and planning their post-administration futures. First lady Melania Trump has looked for a school in Florida, where the couple is expected to reside, for their son Barron, People magazine reported. A source close to Trump says he does not want to talk about the future beyond his remaining days in office. Any suggestion that he begin laying the groundwork for another run for president in 2024 is shunted aside, at least for now. "He wants no conversation about what he`s going to do when he leaves the building," the source said, asking for anonymity to speak candidly. "He`s convinced he`s leaving, but he compartmentalizes things. As long as he`s the president, he wants to be the president." Although an extrovert through his four years in office, Trump has largely closed himself off from the public in recent weeks, communicating mostly through tweets. He has done little to show he is focused on governing other than speaking at an event to highlight the speed of coronavirus vaccine development. He has not played a significant role in responding to the computer hack that targeted the U.S. government, one administration official said. "This is not his wheelhouse, and it also involves the Russians, which complicates things." Trump confers with a coterie of advisers including Vice President Mike Pence and chief of staff Mark Meadows, who update him on vaccine distribution and stimulus talks under way in Congress. NO CONCESSION The president has brought in members of his campaign team for updates and to urge them to keep fighting. His refusal to concede the election is egged on by endless phone conversations with his lawyer, Rudy Giuliani, and what the former White House official called "a rag-tag collection of lawyers that has kept the torch lit." Trump has declined to concede the election. He spends long days in and out of the Oval Office, sometimes not retiring to the residence until after 8 p.m., calling allies and aides to discuss strategy. He has spent weekends at his nearby golf property and done one trip to Georgia to campaign for Republican U.S. Senate candidates. He frequently emphasizes to advisers that he got 74 million votes, 9 million more than Democrat Barack Obama did in his successful re-election bid in 2012. Biden`s 80 million, he tells them, points to fraud. Trump is irked at his fellow Republican, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, for announcing on the U.S. Senate floor this week that he considered Biden the president-elect, two of the sources said. The sources said Trump has been brushing off aides urging him not to carry out a threat to veto a massive defense bill, because he does not feel like he should reward McConnell for what he regards as bad behavior. Trump opposes the $740 billion National Defense Authorization Act because it does not repeal a law that gives big tech companies liability from lawsuits. Another source said Trump had been advised his veto would be overridden, though some in his circle still advised him to go through with it. The White House declined to comment. PARDON RUSH Trump and his legal team have been preparing a number of potential pardons for him to carry out before leaving office, including for some close allies who may face legal jeopardy, one of the sources said. Along Pennsylvania Avenue in front of the White House, a cacophony of noise erupts daily from the construction of platforms for Biden`s Inauguration Day events on Jan. 20. One source said it was hard to imagine Trump showing up for the inaugural ceremonies and sitting behind Biden, having derided his Democratic rival on the campaign trail as incompetent. Trump has declined to say whether he would take part in the long-standing custom of showing the world a peaceful transfer of power. What comes next for Trump is a matter of speculation. A source close to Trump said he has in the past toyed with the idea of announcing a 2024 run on Inauguration Day to divert attention from Biden. That person and another source said Trump is being advised to put off an announcement about running again, and instead simply tease the possibility, because being an official candidate would invite a level of scrutiny he might not want. The former White House official noted that Trump`s musings about running again would only give Democrats fodder to investigate him in years to come. Trump faces a range of civil and criminal legal actions related to his family’s businesses and his activities before he took office, which could accelerate once he loses the legal protections granted the occupant of the Oval Office. “If you want to lessen the chances of there being congressional investigations into 2021 and 2022, the best thing he can do for himself would be to stop these trial balloons," the former official said.

Irritated by loss, Trump hunkers down at the White House and avoids talk of future

President Donald Trump said Sunday night that he would delay a plan for senior White House staff members to receive the coronavirus vaccine in the coming days, hours after The New York Times reported that the administration was planning to rapidly distribute the vaccine to its staff at a time when the first doses are generally being reserved for high-risk health care workers.

Trump, who tested positive for the coronavirus in October and recovered after being hospitalized, also implied that he would get the vaccine himself at some point in the future, but said he had no immediate plans to do so.

“People working in the White House should receive the vaccine somewhat later in the program, unless specifically necessary,” Trump tweeted, hours after a National Security Council spokesperson had defended the plan. “I have asked that this adjustment be made. I am not scheduled to take the vaccine, but look forward to doing so at the appropriate time. Thank you!”

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-pence-among-top-us-officials-to-be-offered-covid-19-vaccine-on-priority-report-349600">Trump, Pence among top US officials to be offered COVID-19 vaccine on priority</a>

It was not immediately clear why the president decided to change the policy, or whether he had even been aware of it ahead of time. But White House staff members who work in close quarters with him had been told that they were scheduled to receive injections of the coronavirus vaccine soon, two people familiar with the distribution plans said.

The goal of distributing the vaccine in the West Wing was to prevent additional government officials from falling ill in the final weeks of the Trump administration. The hope was to eventually distribute the vaccine to everyone who works in the White House, one of the people said.

It was not clear how many doses were being allocated to the White House or how many were needed, since many staff members had already tested positive for the virus and recovered. While many Trump officials said they were eager to receive the vaccine and would take it if it were offered, others said they were concerned it would send the wrong message by making it appear as if Trump staff members were hopping the line to protect a president who has already recovered from the virus and bragged that he is now “immune.”

The first doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine left a facility in Michigan early Sunday, with UPS and FedEx teaming up to ship doses to all 50 states for distribution.

“Senior officials across all three branches of government will receive vaccinations pursuant to continuity of government protocols established in executive policy,” John Ullyot, a spokesperson for the National Security Council, had said in a statement earlier Sunday, defending the planned vaccinations. “The American people should have confidence that they are receiving the same safe and effective vaccine as senior officials of the United States government.”

The picture was murky on Capitol Hill, where lawmakers have struggled for months to balance the need to carry on with legislative business despite fluctuating numbers of coronavirus cases in its own ranks. A congressional aide said Sunday evening that leaders on Capitol Hill had not yet been told how many doses would initially be available for lawmakers. Dr. Brian P. Monahan, the attending physician of Congress, has overseen the coronavirus response inside the Capitol complex, but he has yet to make public any plans for vaccine distribution there.

A spokesperson for President-elect Joe Biden declined to say whether Biden or incoming officials would receive early doses of the vaccine. But the president-elect said in a recent CNN interview that he would take the vaccine to serve as an example once Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s top infectious disease expert, said it was safe. “It’s important to communicate to the American people it’s safe; it’s safe to do this,” Biden said.

After months during which Trump and his senior advisers played down the virus, hosting campaign rallies and holiday parties where face masks were encouraged but never required, the news of White House officials suddenly taking the virus seriously enough to claim early doses of a vaccine was greeted by outrage from Democrats as well as the president’s longtime critics.

George T. Conway III, a prominent conservative lawyer and a vocal critic of Trump, noted that because the vaccine required a second dose 21 to 28 days after the first injection, there was little public benefit for White House staff members to receive them. The president has only 37 days left in office.

“If they were truly interested in protecting staffers,” Conway wrote on Twitter, “they would have been better off not holding super spreader events.”

Tim Hogan, a Democratic consultant and a former top aide to Sen. Amy Klobuchar’s presidential campaign, said that Washington “will not come close to covering every health care worker with its first allotment of the vaccine, but a White House that downplayed the virus and held a half-year nationwide superspreader tour gets to cut the line.”

He called the White House vaccinations “a final middle finger to the nurses and doctors on the front lines from the Trump administration.”

A senior administration official said that vaccinating officials was necessary for “providing visible leadership to the nation and the world, and maintaining the trust and confidence of the American people.” The official added that vaccinating West Wing officials would help to “continue essential operations, without interruption” to help continue to fight the pandemic nationwide.

There have been multiple outbreaks of the coronavirus at the White House in recent months. Trump, the first lady and a half-dozen advisers tested positive at the end of September and in early October. Fauci later called a Rose Garden ceremony to announce Trump’s choice of Judge Amy Coney Barrett for the Supreme Court a “superspreader event.”

A few weeks later, Vice President Mike Pence’s chief of staff, Marc Short, and a group of other Pence staff members and advisers tested positive.

And a third wave hit the West Wing after the president’s election night party at the White House, where supporters gathered indoors and did not wear masks. Mark Meadows, the White House chief of staff, got sick around that time, as did a number of other Trump advisers.

Most recently, Trump’s personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani tested positive, along with Jenna Ellis, another lawyer on the president’s legal team.

President Donald Trump said Sunday night that he would delay a plan for senior White House staff members to receive the coronavirus vaccine in the coming days, hours after The New York Times reported that the administration was planning to rapidly distribute the vaccine to its staff at a time when the first doses are generally being reserved for high-risk health care workers.

President Donald Trump said Sunday night that he would delay a plan for senior White House staff members to receive the coronavirus vaccine in the coming days, hours after The New York Times reported that the administration was planning to rapidly distribute the vaccine to its staff at a time when the first doses are generally being reserved for high-risk health care workers. Trump, who tested positive for the coronavirus in October and recovered after being hospitalized, also implied that he would get the vaccine himself at some point in the future, but said he had no immediate plans to do so. “People working in the White House should receive the vaccine somewhat later in the program, unless specifically necessary,” Trump tweeted, hours after a National Security Council spokesperson had defended the plan. “I have asked that this adjustment be made. I am not scheduled to take the vaccine, but look forward to doing so at the appropriate time. Thank you!” Also read: Trump, Pence among top US officials to be offered COVID-19 vaccine on priority It was not immediately clear why the president decided to change the policy, or whether he had even been aware of it ahead of time. But White House staff members who work in close quarters with him had been told that they were scheduled to receive injections of the coronavirus vaccine soon, two people familiar with the distribution plans said. The goal of distributing the vaccine in the West Wing was to prevent additional government officials from falling ill in the final weeks of the Trump administration. The hope was to eventually distribute the vaccine to everyone who works in the White House, one of the people said. It was not clear how many doses were being allocated to the White House or how many were needed, since many staff members had already tested positive for the virus and recovered. While many Trump officials said they were eager to receive the vaccine and would take it if it were offered, others said they were concerned it would send the wrong message by making it appear as if Trump staff members were hopping the line to protect a president who has already recovered from the virus and bragged that he is now “immune.” The first doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine left a facility in Michigan early Sunday, with UPS and FedEx teaming up to ship doses to all 50 states for distribution. “Senior officials across all three branches of government will receive vaccinations pursuant to continuity of government protocols established in executive policy,” John Ullyot, a spokesperson for the National Security Council, had said in a statement earlier Sunday, defending the planned vaccinations. “The American people should have confidence that they are receiving the same safe and effective vaccine as senior officials of the United States government.” The picture was murky on Capitol Hill, where lawmakers have struggled for months to balance the need to carry on with legislative business despite fluctuating numbers of coronavirus cases in its own ranks. A congressional aide said Sunday evening that leaders on Capitol Hill had not yet been told how many doses would initially be available for lawmakers. Dr. Brian P. Monahan, the attending physician of Congress, has overseen the coronavirus response inside the Capitol complex, but he has yet to make public any plans for vaccine distribution there. A spokesperson for President-elect Joe Biden declined to say whether Biden or incoming officials would receive early doses of the vaccine. But the president-elect said in a recent CNN interview that he would take the vaccine to serve as an example once Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s top infectious disease expert, said it was safe. “It’s important to communicate to the American people it’s safe; it’s safe to do this,” Biden said. After months during which Trump and his senior advisers played down the virus, hosting campaign rallies and holiday parties where face masks were encouraged but never required, the news of White House officials suddenly taking the virus seriously enough to claim early doses of a vaccine was greeted by outrage from Democrats as well as the president’s longtime critics. George T. Conway III, a prominent conservative lawyer and a vocal critic of Trump, noted that because the vaccine required a second dose 21 to 28 days after the first injection, there was little public benefit for White House staff members to receive them. The president has only 37 days left in office. “If they were truly interested in protecting staffers,” Conway wrote on Twitter, “they would have been better off not holding super spreader events.” Tim Hogan, a Democratic consultant and a former top aide to Sen. Amy Klobuchar’s presidential campaign, said that Washington “will not come close to covering every health care worker with its first allotment of the vaccine, but a White House that downplayed the virus and held a half-year nationwide superspreader tour gets to cut the line.” He called the White House vaccinations “a final middle finger to the nurses and doctors on the front lines from the Trump administration.” A senior administration official said that vaccinating officials was necessary for “providing visible leadership to the nation and the world, and maintaining the trust and confidence of the American people.” The official added that vaccinating West Wing officials would help to “continue essential operations, without interruption” to help continue to fight the pandemic nationwide. There have been multiple outbreaks of the coronavirus at the White House in recent months. Trump, the first lady and a half-dozen advisers tested positive at the end of September and in early October. Fauci later called a Rose Garden ceremony to announce Trump’s choice of Judge Amy Coney Barrett for the Supreme Court a “superspreader event.” A few weeks later, Vice President Mike Pence’s chief of staff, Marc Short, and a group of other Pence staff members and advisers tested positive. And a third wave hit the West Wing after the president’s election night party at the White House, where supporters gathered indoors and did not wear masks. Mark Meadows, the White House chief of staff, got sick around that time, as did a number of other Trump advisers. Most recently, Trump’s personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani tested positive, along with Jenna Ellis, another lawyer on the president’s legal team.

Trump rescinds plan for White House staff to be quickly vaccinated

The White House has unveiled a $916 billion stimulus proposal in a final dash to break a months-long deadlock over new aid for the coronavirus-stricken US economy before President Donald Trump leaves office in January.

This happened after congressional Democrats shot down a suggestion for a pared-down plan from the Senate's leading Republican, Majority Leader Mitch McConnell.

Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin on Tuesday announced the plan, which he said includes "money for state and local governments and robust liability protections for businesses, schools and universities."

The proposal comes weeks before Trump is slated to hand over power to President-elect Joe Biden and a new Congress takes office.

The United States is currently struggling with the world's worst Covid-19 outbreak that has caused the worst economic downturn in a century.

The new proposal is slightly larger than a $908 billion compromise unveiled by a bipartisan group of senators last week.

Mnuchin said he presented the package to Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, and had reviewed it with Trump and Republican Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell.

The Democrats' rejection once again casts uncertainty on the adoption of a new stimulus package before Biden's inauguration on January 20. And time is running out, as federal and state assistance for millions of Americans expires on December 26.

Democrats and Republicans in Congress, along with the Trump administration, have been negotiating for months but have been unable to agree on a successor bill to the $2.2 trillion CARES Act passed earlier this year to support the American economy.

The CARES Act included a programme of loans and grants for small businesses, one-time payments of as much as $1,200 to all Americans, and an expansion of the unemployment safety net, which economists credited with preventing an even worse downturn.

But much of that aid has expired, and Republicans and Democrats for months have sparred over how much to spend in another bill, and what to spend it on.

Earlier on Tuesday, McConnell suggested that lawmakers pass a targetted coronavirus relief plan that did not include the liability protections or the state and local government aid, as those have been among the more contentious provisions during months of arguments in Washington about a fresh coronavirus package.

But both Pelosi and Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer dismissed McConnell's idea and accused him of trying to obstruct bipartisan efforts to reach a deal.

Late on Tuesday, Pelosi and Schumer said in a statement it was progress that McConnell had signed off on the $916 billion offer, but bipartisan talks were the best hope for a solution.

Lawmakers enacted $3 trillion in COVID-19 aid earlier this year but have not been able to agree on fresh relief since April. Both House and Senate leaders have said they will not leave town this year without approving more help.

President-elect Joe Biden, a Democrat, said on Tuesday that Congress should immediately fund vaccine distribution this month in case early efforts by the Trump administration stall.

(with inputs from agencies)

The White House has unveiled a $916 billion stimulus proposal in a final dash to break a months-long deadlock over new aid for the coronavirus-stricken US economy before President Donald Trump leaves office in January.

The White House has unveiled a $916 billion stimulus proposal in a final dash to break a months-long deadlock over new aid for the coronavirus-stricken US economy before President Donald Trump leaves office in January. This happened after congressional Democrats shot down a suggestion for a pared-down plan from the Senate's leading Republican, Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin on Tuesday announced the plan, which he said includes "money for state and local governments and robust liability protections for businesses, schools and universities." The proposal comes weeks before Trump is slated to hand over power to President-elect Joe Biden and a new Congress takes office. The United States is currently struggling with the world's worst Covid-19 outbreak that has caused the worst economic downturn in a century. The new proposal is slightly larger than a $908 billion compromise unveiled by a bipartisan group of senators last week. Mnuchin said he presented the package to Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, and had reviewed it with Trump and Republican Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. The Democrats' rejection once again casts uncertainty on the adoption of a new stimulus package before Biden's inauguration on January 20. And time is running out, as federal and state assistance for millions of Americans expires on December 26. Democrats and Republicans in Congress, along with the Trump administration, have been negotiating for months but have been unable to agree on a successor bill to the $2.2 trillion CARES Act passed earlier this year to support the American economy. The CARES Act included a programme of loans and grants for small businesses, one-time payments of as much as $1,200 to all Americans, and an expansion of the unemployment safety net, which economists credited with preventing an even worse downturn. But much of that aid has expired, and Republicans and Democrats for months have sparred over how much to spend in another bill, and what to spend it on. Earlier on Tuesday, McConnell suggested that lawmakers pass a targetted coronavirus relief plan that did not include the liability protections or the state and local government aid, as those have been among the more contentious provisions during months of arguments in Washington about a fresh coronavirus package. But both Pelosi and Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer dismissed McConnell's idea and accused him of trying to obstruct bipartisan efforts to reach a deal. Late on Tuesday, Pelosi and Schumer said in a statement it was progress that McConnell had signed off on the $916 billion offer, but bipartisan talks were the best hope for a solution. Lawmakers enacted $3 trillion in COVID-19 aid earlier this year but have not been able to agree on fresh relief since April. Both House and Senate leaders have said they will not leave town this year without approving more help. President-elect Joe Biden, a Democrat, said on Tuesday that Congress should immediately fund vaccine distribution this month in case early efforts by the Trump administration stall. (with inputs from agencies)

White House proposes new $916 bn stimulus plan for COVID-19 aid

The US Vice President-elect <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/kamala-harris">Kamala Harris </a>will soon be sworn in for her post along with the President-elect <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/joe-biden?page=1">Joe Biden</a>&nbsp;in January 2021 and Harris will be making history as the first African-American and South Asian woman to become the Vice President of the US.

Harris won't be the only one making history. Her husband, Doug&nbsp;Emhoff, will be leaving a mark in the history of the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/the-white-house">White House</a> as he will be known as the first 'Second Gentleman' of the US.

Have a look| <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/new-residents-white-house-starts-preparing-for-joe-bidens-inauguration-347910">White House starts preparing for Joe Biden's inauguration ceremony</a>

In a recent interview with a local media house, Kamala Harris confirmed the rumours and admitted to her husband being&nbsp;officially referred to as the "Second Gentleman of the United States" in the near future.

"What should we be calling him? Is he the second gentleman? Is he the second dude?" was what the anchor asked her, to which Harris laughingly responded, "Well, I think the term has evolved into 'second gentleman." She continued the joke by adding, "I'll call him honey."

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/kamala-harris-just-shared-her-familys-favourite-thanksgiving-recipe-of-all-time-345327">Kamala Harris just shared her family's favourite Thanksgiving recipe of all time</a>

This is, however, not confirmed by the White House. Kamala Harris is the first woman Vice President of the US, making it the first time a husband will be needing a title for being the partner of the Vice President. Before Harris, all partners of the VPs have been female and have been referred to as the 'Second Lady' — a term which was coined by Jennie Tuttle Hobart, wife of Vice President Garret Hobart (1897–1899) during her time as he 'Second Lady'.

Kamala Harris' win has been marked as a historic against the outgoing Vice President Mike Pence, who was supported by the Second lady&nbsp;Karen Pence.

Doug Emhoff is an American lawyer will reportedly be quitting his position in a corporate firm and will be joining Harris in the White House. However, the reports have not been confirmed yet. Irrespective of the transition, Emhoff has always maintained he will be supporting his wife "forever".

The US Vice President-elect Kamala Harris will soon be sworn in for her post along with the President-elect Joe Biden in January 2021 and Harris will be making history as the first African-American and South Asian woman to become the Vice President of the US.

The US Vice President-elect Kamala Harris will soon be sworn in for her post along with the President-elect Joe Biden in January 2021 and Harris will be making history as the first African-American and South Asian woman to become the Vice President of the US. Harris won't be the only one making history. Her husband, Doug Emhoff, will be leaving a mark in the history of the White House as he will be known as the first 'Second Gentleman' of the US. Have a look| White House starts preparing for Joe Biden's inauguration ceremony In a recent interview with a local media house, Kamala Harris confirmed the rumours and admitted to her husband being officially referred to as the "Second Gentleman of the United States" in the near future. "What should we be calling him? Is he the second gentleman? Is he the second dude?" was what the anchor asked her, to which Harris laughingly responded, "Well, I think the term has evolved into 'second gentleman." She continued the joke by adding, "I'll call him honey." Also read| Kamala Harris just shared her family's favourite Thanksgiving recipe of all time This is, however, not confirmed by the White House. Kamala Harris is the first woman Vice President of the US, making it the first time a husband will be needing a title for being the partner of the Vice President. Before Harris, all partners of the VPs have been female and have been referred to as the 'Second Lady' — a term which was coined by Jennie Tuttle Hobart, wife of Vice President Garret Hobart (1897–1899) during her time as he 'Second Lady'. Kamala Harris' win has been marked as a historic against the outgoing Vice President Mike Pence, who was supported by the Second lady Karen Pence. Doug Emhoff is an American lawyer will reportedly be quitting his position in a corporate firm and will be joining Harris in the White House. However, the reports have not been confirmed yet. Irrespective of the transition, Emhoff has always maintained he will be supporting his wife "forever".

Kamala Harris' husband to become first 'Second Gentleman' of White House

New residents: White House starts preparing for Joe Biden's inauguration

U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s Commissioner Stephen Hahn has said that it is realistic to expect that 20 million Americans could be vaccinated against Coronavirus by the end of this year. Hahn declined to give a specific timeline for vaccine approvals.

US FDA Chief: 20 mn to be vaccinated this year

White House Communications Director Alyssa Farah has resigned from her post after serving over three years in the Donald Trump administration.

Farah's resignation was announced on Thursday, less than 50 days before the President-elect Joe Biden's administration is set to take over after winning the November 3 polls.

"It's been the honour of a lifetime to serve in the Trump Administration over the last three and a half years," Farah said in a statement after submitting her resignation.

Friday is her last day in the White House.

"We delivered historic tax cuts, putting money back in the pockets of hard working Americans. We've built the judiciary w/Constitution-abiding jurists &amp; we worked to create the most inclusive economy in American history - that gives every citizen a chance at the American dream," she added.

Farah said that she is deeply proud of the incredible things that the Trump Administration was able to accomplish to make the country stronger, safer, and more secure.

"The ISIS caliphate was destroyed, American hostages were returned, NATO is strong, we've brokered historic Mid East peace deals, and I was on the ground in Kabul for the announcement of a historic peace deal between the Afghan Government &amp; Taliban aimed at ending America's longest war," Farah said.

Democratic leader Biden has defeated incumbent president Trump, a Republican, in the November 3 presidential election. However, Trump has not conceded and has sought legal recourse in challenging the results.

Before becoming the White House Communications Director, Farah served as the Press Secretary to Vice President and Press Secretary to the Defence Secretary.

White House Communications Director Alyssa Farah has resigned from her post after serving over three years in the Donald Trump administration. Farah's resignation was announced on Thursday, less than 50 days before the President-elect Joe Biden's administration is set to take over after winning the November 3 polls.

White House Communications Director Alyssa Farah has resigned from her post after serving over three years in the Donald Trump administration. Farah's resignation was announced on Thursday, less than 50 days before the President-elect Joe Biden's administration is set to take over after winning the November 3 polls. "It's been the honour of a lifetime to serve in the Trump Administration over the last three and a half years," Farah said in a statement after submitting her resignation. Friday is her last day in the White House. "We delivered historic tax cuts, putting money back in the pockets of hard working Americans. We've built the judiciary w/Constitution-abiding jurists & we worked to create the most inclusive economy in American history - that gives every citizen a chance at the American dream," she added. Farah said that she is deeply proud of the incredible things that the Trump Administration was able to accomplish to make the country stronger, safer, and more secure. "The ISIS caliphate was destroyed, American hostages were returned, NATO is strong, we've brokered historic Mid East peace deals, and I was on the ground in Kabul for the announcement of a historic peace deal between the Afghan Government & Taliban aimed at ending America's longest war," Farah said. Democratic leader Biden has defeated incumbent president Trump, a Republican, in the November 3 presidential election. However, Trump has not conceded and has sought legal recourse in challenging the results. Before becoming the White House Communications Director, Farah served as the Press Secretary to Vice President and Press Secretary to the Defence Secretary.

White House Communications Director Alyssa Farah resigns

US&nbsp;President-elect&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/joe-biden">Joe&nbsp;Biden</a>&nbsp;on Thursday said in an interview that his family’s dealings, including those of his son, Hunter will not conflict with his role as commander in chief, dismissing prior allegations of inappropriate business deals.

Biden, in an interview with CNN, said ''My son, my family, will not be involved in any business, any enterprise, that is in conflict with or appears to be in conflict, with the appropriate distance from, the presidency and government.''

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-senate-report-reveals-joe-biden-son-hunters-links-with-chinese-ukrainian-firms-329865">US Senate report reveals Joe Biden son Hunter's links with Chinese, Ukrainian firms</a>

According to a US Senate Committee report,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-elections-2020-trump-applauds-selfs-approach-towards-covid-calls-bidens-approach-anti-science-329852">Joe Biden's</a>&nbsp;son Hunter was paid $50,000 a month to serve as the board of Burisma which is a Ukrainian natural gas company with a corrupt owner while his father was the US vice president&nbsp;during the Obama administration.

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The report said the Treasury records accessed by Chairman Grassley and Chairman Johnson showed Hunter<a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/us-election-2020-facebook-removes-fake-pages-created-in-china-targeting-trump-biden-329641">&nbsp;Biden&nbsp;</a>and his family including his associates were involved in "potential criminal activity relating to transactions with Ukrainian, Russian, Kazakh and Chinese nationals."

The Senate Committee report claimed that that Hunter Biden and his family were involved in a "vast financial network that connected them to foreign nationals and foreign governments across the globe", while adding that Hunter and Archer formed "significant and consistent financial relationships with the corrupt oligarch Mykola Zlochevsky during their time working for Burisma and their firms made millions of dollars from that association while Joe Biden was the vice president."&nbsp;

Earlier, US President Donald Trump had made accusations that&nbsp;Hunter Biden engaged in unethical practices in Ukraine. No evidence has been verified to support the allegations, and Joe Biden has called them false and discredited.

However,&nbsp;Russian President Vladimir Putin had rejected Trump's criticism of Hunter and said that although he did ''make very good money in Ukraine'' but Moscow is not aware of anything criminal about his&nbsp;past business.

US President-elect Joe Biden on Thursday said in an interview that his family’s dealings, including those of his son, Hunter will not conflict with his role as commander in chief, dismissing prior allegations of inappropriate business deals.

US President-elect Joe Biden on Thursday said in an interview that his family’s dealings, including those of his son, Hunter will not conflict with his role as commander in chief, dismissing prior allegations of inappropriate business deals. Biden, in an interview with CNN, said ''My son, my family, will not be involved in any business, any enterprise, that is in conflict with or appears to be in conflict, with the appropriate distance from, the presidency and government.'' Also read: US Senate report reveals Joe Biden son Hunter's links with Chinese, Ukrainian firms According to a US Senate Committee report, Joe Biden's son Hunter was paid $50,000 a month to serve as the board of Burisma which is a Ukrainian natural gas company with a corrupt owner while his father was the US vice president during the Obama administration. The report said the Treasury records accessed by Chairman Grassley and Chairman Johnson showed Hunter Biden and his family including his associates were involved in "potential criminal activity relating to transactions with Ukrainian, Russian, Kazakh and Chinese nationals." The Senate Committee report claimed that that Hunter Biden and his family were involved in a "vast financial network that connected them to foreign nationals and foreign governments across the globe", while adding that Hunter and Archer formed "significant and consistent financial relationships with the corrupt oligarch Mykola Zlochevsky during their time working for Burisma and their firms made millions of dollars from that association while Joe Biden was the vice president." Earlier, US President Donald Trump had made accusations that Hunter Biden engaged in unethical practices in Ukraine. No evidence has been verified to support the allegations, and Joe Biden has called them false and discredited. However, Russian President Vladimir Putin had rejected Trump's criticism of Hunter and said that although he did ''make very good money in Ukraine'' but Moscow is not aware of anything criminal about his past business.

Joe Biden says his son Hunter’s business dealings will be kept away from presidency

A former Trump fundraiser and a prominent lawyer have been scrutinised by the US Justice Department for their respective&nbsp;roles in what is being described as a possible bribery scheme to win a presidential pardon for a convicted felon.

The New York Times first reported Lowell and Broidy's roles in the case on Thursday evening.

Lawyer Abbe Lowell's attorney and friend Reid Weingarten said his client was never a target or subject in the Justice Department's inquiry, while former fundraiser Elliot Broidy's attorney William Burck said his client was "not under investigation and has not been accused by anyone of any wrongdoing whatsoever."

A federal judge had earlier&nbsp;released a heavily redacted document which revealed that the Justice Department had obtained possible evidence of a bribery scheme in which someone “would offer a substantial political contribution in exchange for a presidential pardon or reprieve of sentence.”

The Justice Department had to ask the judge's permission to view certain emails between a lawyer and clients. The judge granted the request in August. At the time, US President Donald Trump described the investigation as "Fake News!" on Twitter.

In October, Broidy pleaded guilty in a separate case to illegally lobbying Trump to drop an investigation into a Malaysian embezzlement scandal.

Nothing in those court documents in Broidy's case made reference to conduct concerning the pardon bribery probe. Broidy's attorney Burck said his client's only role in the matter was putting Diller in contact with Lowell.

"Abbe's lawyering was utterly normal," Weingarten told Reuters in an interview on Thursday. "Not exciting, not interesting and not successful. But by the book. There was no bribe, there was no promise of a bribe, and there was no clemency. There was not relief. The guy went to jail."

The filing indicates that the lobbyists and lawyers contacted White House officials requesting a presidential pardon or reprieve, citing the "past substantial campaign contributions" and "anticipated future substantial political contributions" from a donor.

It suggests that the donor is making the offer on behalf of the person seeking clemency.

The document does not indicate when the actions involved took place, and, in the sections not redacted, there is no reference to current President Donald Trump or to his campaign.

There is also public discussion of Trump issuing a pardon for himself, for any crimes he might be charged with related to his time in office -- though the legality of that has never been tested.

(with inputs from agencies)

A former Trump fundraiser and a prominent lawyer have been scrutinised by the US Justice Department for their respective roles in what is being described as a possible bribery scheme to win a presidential pardon for a convicted felon.

A former Trump fundraiser and a prominent lawyer have been scrutinised by the US Justice Department for their respective roles in what is being described as a possible bribery scheme to win a presidential pardon for a convicted felon. The New York Times first reported Lowell and Broidy's roles in the case on Thursday evening. Lawyer Abbe Lowell's attorney and friend Reid Weingarten said his client was never a target or subject in the Justice Department's inquiry, while former fundraiser Elliot Broidy's attorney William Burck said his client was "not under investigation and has not been accused by anyone of any wrongdoing whatsoever." A federal judge had earlier released a heavily redacted document which revealed that the Justice Department had obtained possible evidence of a bribery scheme in which someone “would offer a substantial political contribution in exchange for a presidential pardon or reprieve of sentence.” The Justice Department had to ask the judge's permission to view certain emails between a lawyer and clients. The judge granted the request in August. At the time, US President Donald Trump described the investigation as "Fake News!" on Twitter. In October, Broidy pleaded guilty in a separate case to illegally lobbying Trump to drop an investigation into a Malaysian embezzlement scandal. Nothing in those court documents in Broidy's case made reference to conduct concerning the pardon bribery probe. Broidy's attorney Burck said his client's only role in the matter was putting Diller in contact with Lowell. "Abbe's lawyering was utterly normal," Weingarten told Reuters in an interview on Thursday. "Not exciting, not interesting and not successful. But by the book. There was no bribe, there was no promise of a bribe, and there was no clemency. There was not relief. The guy went to jail." The filing indicates that the lobbyists and lawyers contacted White House officials requesting a presidential pardon or reprieve, citing the "past substantial campaign contributions" and "anticipated future substantial political contributions" from a donor. It suggests that the donor is making the offer on behalf of the person seeking clemency. The document does not indicate when the actions involved took place, and, in the sections not redacted, there is no reference to current President Donald Trump or to his campaign. There is also public discussion of Trump issuing a pardon for himself, for any crimes he might be charged with related to his time in office -- though the legality of that has never been tested. (with inputs from agencies)

Roles of Kushner's lawyer, Trump fundraiser scrutinised in pardon bribery scheme probe

Donald Trump has floated the idea of running for president again in 2024 at a holiday reception at the White House on Tuesday evening.

Donald Trump floats the idea of 2024 WH run, says 'I'll see you in four years'

The US Justice Department has begun a probe into an alleged bribery scheme involving campaign donations to secure a presidential pardon.

The probe is being carried to find out if money was funnelled to the White House in exchange for a presidential pardon. No US government official is, however, the "subject or target" of the investigation.

The document, which discusses the legality of searching communications and electronic devices of individuals, including attorneys, is highly redacted, with all identifying information blacked out.

But it refers to a "secret lobbying scheme" directed at "senior White House officials" to gain a presidential "pardon or reprieve of sentence" for an unnamed individual.

The scheme, under investigation since at least August, appears to have involved lobbyists and lawyers, a well-heeled donor to political campaigns, and a man or woman who is or was in prison and is hoping for presidential intervention.

The filing indicates that the lobbyists and lawyers contacted White House officials requesting a presidential pardon or reprieve, citing the "past substantial campaign contributions" and "anticipated future substantial political contributions" from a donor.

It suggests that the donor is making the offer on behalf of the person seeking clemency.

The document does not indicate when the actions involved took place, and, in the sections not redacted, there is no reference to current President Donald Trump or to his campaign.

But the filing was revealed amid speculation that, with six weeks left in the White House after losing the November 3 election, Trump is preparing to grant executive clemency to more people, after pardoning his former national security advisor Michael Flynn last Wednesday.

Trump has granted pardons or sentence reductions to several political allies, including campaign consultant Roger Stone, controversial former Arizona sheriff Joe Arpaio and Republican activist Dinesh D'Souza.

The New York Times reported that Trump has discussed granting preemptive pardons to his lawyer, Rudy Giuliani, his three oldest children and his son-in-law Jared Kushner.

There is also public discussion of Trump issuing a pardon for himself, for any crimes he might be charged with related to his time in office -- though the legality of that has never been tested.

(with inputs)

The US Justice Department has begun a probe into an alleged bribery scheme involving campaign donations to secure a presidential pardon. The probe is being carried to find out if money was funnelled to the White House in exchange for a presidential pardon.

The US Justice Department has begun a probe into an alleged bribery scheme involving campaign donations to secure a presidential pardon. The probe is being carried to find out if money was funnelled to the White House in exchange for a presidential pardon. No US government official is, however, the "subject or target" of the investigation. The document, which discusses the legality of searching communications and electronic devices of individuals, including attorneys, is highly redacted, with all identifying information blacked out. But it refers to a "secret lobbying scheme" directed at "senior White House officials" to gain a presidential "pardon or reprieve of sentence" for an unnamed individual. The scheme, under investigation since at least August, appears to have involved lobbyists and lawyers, a well-heeled donor to political campaigns, and a man or woman who is or was in prison and is hoping for presidential intervention. The filing indicates that the lobbyists and lawyers contacted White House officials requesting a presidential pardon or reprieve, citing the "past substantial campaign contributions" and "anticipated future substantial political contributions" from a donor. It suggests that the donor is making the offer on behalf of the person seeking clemency. The document does not indicate when the actions involved took place, and, in the sections not redacted, there is no reference to current President Donald Trump or to his campaign. But the filing was revealed amid speculation that, with six weeks left in the White House after losing the November 3 election, Trump is preparing to grant executive clemency to more people, after pardoning his former national security advisor Michael Flynn last Wednesday. Trump has granted pardons or sentence reductions to several political allies, including campaign consultant Roger Stone, controversial former Arizona sheriff Joe Arpaio and Republican activist Dinesh D'Souza. The New York Times reported that Trump has discussed granting preemptive pardons to his lawyer, Rudy Giuliani, his three oldest children and his son-in-law Jared Kushner. There is also public discussion of Trump issuing a pardon for himself, for any crimes he might be charged with related to his time in office -- though the legality of that has never been tested. (with inputs)

US probes pardon bribery scheme; no govt official under investigation

Last hurrah: Donald and Melania Trump kickstart last Christmas at White House

The US President-elect&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/joe-biden">Joe Biden</a>&nbsp;has been vocal about bringing more diversity in his cabinet and team. Living up to his promise, he has announced an all-female senior White House communications team.

This is the first time a President has elected an all-female team. The decision has been made as a part of the recent appointments after Biden's historic win against the outgoing President&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;in the recently held&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/us-election">US elections</a>.

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/brazilian-president-jair-bolsonaro-alleges-lot-of-fraud-in-us-election-2020-346316">Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro alleges 'lot of fraud' in US election 2020</a>

"I am proud to announce today the first senior White House communications team comprised entirely of women," Biden said in a statement. "These qualified, experienced communicators bring diverse perspectives to their work and a shared commitment to building this country back better."

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For the role of the White House press secretary, Boden appointed Jen Psaki who has held an array of senior positions in the White House in the past, including — but not limited to —&nbsp;White House communications director under the Obama-Biden administration. The 41-year-old has also served as a spokesperson for the United States Department of State and is a contributor on CNN.

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/joe-biden-to-nominate-indian-american-neera-tanden-as-budget-chief-report-346315" hreflang="en">Joe Biden to nominate Indian-American Neera Tanden as budget chief: Report&nbsp;</a>

To assist Psaki,&nbsp;Kate Bedingfield has also been appointed as White House communications director.&nbsp;Bedingfield has earlier served as Biden's deputy campaign manager and his&nbsp;communications director.

In addition to the two senior members,&nbsp;Ashley Etienne will be serving as communications director for <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/kamala-harris">Kamala Harris</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;Symone Sanders will be acting&nbsp;as Harris's senior advisor and chief spokeswoman.

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-loses-another-election-court-challenge-legal-defeats-pile-up-346148" hreflang="en">Trump loses another election court challenge; legal defeats pile up</a>

Pili Tobar was named deputy White House communications director and Karine Jean Pierre will be principal deputy press secretary. The incoming First Lady, Jill Biden, will have the support of&nbsp;Elizabeth Alexander as her communications director.

The women will start working in the office after Joe Biden and Kamala Harris are sworn in for their positions on January 20.

The US President-elect Joe Biden has been vocal about bringing more diversity in his cabinet and team. Living up to his promise, he has announced an all-female senior White House communications team.

The US President-elect Joe Biden has been vocal about bringing more diversity in his cabinet and team. Living up to his promise, he has announced an all-female senior White House communications team. This is the first time a President has elected an all-female team. The decision has been made as a part of the recent appointments after Biden's historic win against the outgoing President Donald Trump in the recently held US elections. Also read| Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro alleges 'lot of fraud' in US election 2020 "I am proud to announce today the first senior White House communications team comprised entirely of women," Biden said in a statement. "These qualified, experienced communicators bring diverse perspectives to their work and a shared commitment to building this country back better." × For the role of the White House press secretary, Boden appointed Jen Psaki who has held an array of senior positions in the White House in the past, including — but not limited to — White House communications director under the Obama-Biden administration. The 41-year-old has also served as a spokesperson for the United States Department of State and is a contributor on CNN. Also read| Joe Biden to nominate Indian-American Neera Tanden as budget chief: Report To assist Psaki, Kate Bedingfield has also been appointed as White House communications director. Bedingfield has earlier served as Biden's deputy campaign manager and his communications director. In addition to the two senior members, Ashley Etienne will be serving as communications director for Kamala Harris and Symone Sanders will be acting as Harris's senior advisor and chief spokeswoman. Also read| Trump loses another election court challenge; legal defeats pile up Pili Tobar was named deputy White House communications director and Karine Jean Pierre will be principal deputy press secretary. The incoming First Lady, Jill Biden, will have the support of Elizabeth Alexander as her communications director. The women will start working in the office after Joe Biden and Kamala Harris are sworn in for their positions on January 20.

Joe Biden appoints White House's first all-female communication team

Marking one of many, the outgoing US President&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>'s close advisor on the novel coronavirus has resigned on Monday.

"I am writing to resign from my position as special advisor to the president of the United States," Scott Atlas&nbsp;wrote in a resignation letter to the President. He was&nbsp;infamous for his remarks on not wearing a mask amid a pandemic. The news broke out when a US media channel received a copy of the resignation letter which was dated for December 01.&nbsp;

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/joe-biden-appoints-white-houses-first-all-female-communication-team-346323">Joe Biden appoints White House's first all-female communication team</a>

Atlas had attracted controversy during his time in the COVID-19 taskforce. However, as the coronavirus cases were on a surge and the incoming President&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/joe-biden">Joe Biden</a>&nbsp;is preparing his own team, Atlas' resignation was not received as a shock.

His appointment had, earlier, raised concerns as he was not an expert and had no relevant&nbsp;experience or qualifications in public health or infectious disease.&nbsp;

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/brazilian-president-jair-bolsonaro-alleges-lot-of-fraud-in-us-election-2020-346316">Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro alleges 'lot of fraud' in US election 2020</a>

"I worked hard with a singular focus -- to save lives and help Americans through this pandemic," Atlas said, adding that he "always relied on the latest science and evidence, without any political consideration or influence.

Acknowledging the historic win for Joe Biden — something that Donald Trump has not been able to do till date — Atlas wished "all the best" to the incoming administration in his resignation letter. He also thanked his President, Donald Trump, for the "honor".

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/joe-biden-to-nominate-indian-american-neera-tanden-as-budget-chief-report-346315" hreflang="en">Joe Biden to nominate Indian-American Neera Tanden as budget chief: Report&nbsp;</a>

He was infamous for one of his tweets where he discouraged people from wearing a face mask while stepping out in the pandemic by saying, "Masks work? NO".&nbsp;Twitter had slapped a warning label of spreading misinformation on his tweet. He had also asked people to "rise up" against lockdowns and other coronavirus measures.

The&nbsp;US had recorded 13,522,247 coronavirus cases and 267,844 deaths, both by far the worst tolls in the world as of Monday night.

Marking one of many, the outgoing US President Donald Trump's close advisor on the novel coronavirus has resigned on Monday. "I am writing to resign from my position as special advisor to the president of the United States," Scott Atlas wrote in a resignation letter to the President.

Marking one of many, the outgoing US President Donald Trump's close advisor on the novel coronavirus has resigned on Monday. "I am writing to resign from my position as special advisor to the president of the United States," Scott Atlas wrote in a resignation letter to the President. He was infamous for his remarks on not wearing a mask amid a pandemic. The news broke out when a US media channel received a copy of the resignation letter which was dated for December 01. Also read| Joe Biden appoints White House's first all-female communication team Atlas had attracted controversy during his time in the COVID-19 taskforce. However, as the coronavirus cases were on a surge and the incoming President Joe Biden is preparing his own team, Atlas' resignation was not received as a shock. His appointment had, earlier, raised concerns as he was not an expert and had no relevant experience or qualifications in public health or infectious disease. Also read| Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro alleges 'lot of fraud' in US election 2020 "I worked hard with a singular focus -- to save lives and help Americans through this pandemic," Atlas said, adding that he "always relied on the latest science and evidence, without any political consideration or influence. Acknowledging the historic win for Joe Biden — something that Donald Trump has not been able to do till date — Atlas wished "all the best" to the incoming administration in his resignation letter. He also thanked his President, Donald Trump, for the "honor". Also read| Joe Biden to nominate Indian-American Neera Tanden as budget chief: Report He was infamous for one of his tweets where he discouraged people from wearing a face mask while stepping out in the pandemic by saying, "Masks work? NO". Twitter had slapped a warning label of spreading misinformation on his tweet. He had also asked people to "rise up" against lockdowns and other coronavirus measures. The US had recorded 13,522,247 coronavirus cases and 267,844 deaths, both by far the worst tolls in the world as of Monday night.

Donald Trump's close advisor, Scott Atlas, resigns from COVID-19 taskforce

First Lady Melania Trump was on hand for the delivery of the White House Christmas Tree on Monday (November 23), with the 18.5 foot (5.6 meters) Fraser Fir arriving by horse-drawn carriage. Following in a tradition that goes back to 1966, Melania Trump walked out from the White House North Portico to welcome the fir, which was cut from Dan and Bryan's Tree Farm in Shepherdstown, West Virginia.

White House Christmas Tree arrives; First lady Melania Trump's last Christmas at the White House

A man from South Carolina has pleaded guilty to a terror charge for plotting to bomb or shoot up sites including the White House and Trump Tower in New York City.

The attempted attacks were inspired by the Islamic State group, federal authorities said Tuesday.

Kristopher Sean Matthews pleaded guilty to a conspiracy charge to provide material support to IS in a hearing before a US magistrate judge in San Antonio.

Matthews admitted to have conspired with Jaylyn Christopher Molina of Cost, Texas, to share bomb-making information for the purposes of domestic and foreign attacks on behalf of IS, and to radicalise and recruit other individuals to support the Islamic militant organisation.

A grand jury indicted Molina and Matthews on October 14 each with one count of conspiracy to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organisation and one count of providing material support to a designated foreign terrorist organisation.

Matthews faces up to 20 years in federal prison. He remains in federal custody.

Molina, who also remains in federal custody, faces up to 40 years in federal prison if convicted.

A man from South Carolina has pleaded guilty to a terror charge for plotting to bomb or shoot up sites including the White House and Trump Tower in New York City.

A man from South Carolina has pleaded guilty to a terror charge for plotting to bomb or shoot up sites including the White House and Trump Tower in New York City. The attempted attacks were inspired by the Islamic State group, federal authorities said Tuesday. Kristopher Sean Matthews pleaded guilty to a conspiracy charge to provide material support to IS in a hearing before a US magistrate judge in San Antonio. Matthews admitted to have conspired with Jaylyn Christopher Molina of Cost, Texas, to share bomb-making information for the purposes of domestic and foreign attacks on behalf of IS, and to radicalise and recruit other individuals to support the Islamic militant organisation. A grand jury indicted Molina and Matthews on October 14 each with one count of conspiracy to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organisation and one count of providing material support to a designated foreign terrorist organisation. Matthews faces up to 20 years in federal prison. He remains in federal custody. Molina, who also remains in federal custody, faces up to 40 years in federal prison if convicted.

Man pleads guilty in plot to attack White House, Trump Tower

As Mike Pompeo became the first US diplomat to visit a West Bank settlement, watchdog reports suggest that Israel is moving ahead with settlement plans in East Jerusalem. On this week's The West Asia Post, Ghadi Francis tells you how PM Netanyahu's new settlement plans could test his ties with a Biden White House. For more such stories, keep watching the West Asia post with Ghadi Francis every Friday at 8:30 PM IST, only on WION.

The West Asia Post | Episode 8 | Your Window to West Asia

Donald Trump and Joe Biden offered sharply contrasting reactions on Monday to news of a coronavirus vaccine that proved nearly 95% effective in trials.

President-elect Joe Biden warns 'more people may die' unless Trump starts cooperating

President Donald Trump left Last 2 months in office and he wants to attack on Iran's main nuke site white house has declined the comment because this can result a broader conflict

Donald Trump wants to attack on Iran

Former President and one of the internet's favourite celebrities&nbsp;Barack Obama is in the news for his memoir,&nbsp; A Promised Land. 
 
In honour of the book release, Obama put together a playlist of all the songs he enjoyed listening to during his time in office, tweeting it out on Monday. The list covers a wide variety of musical genres, from the country (Brooks &amp; Dunn) to rap (Eminem), and it includes music from well before 2009-2017, Obama's time in the White House. 
 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/spent-childhood-listening-to-ramayana-and-mahabharata-barack-obama-in-memoir-343642">Also read: Spent childhood listening to Ramayana and Mahabharata: Barack Obama in memoir&nbsp;</a>

He tweeted, "Music has always played an important role in my life -- and that was especially true during my presidency," Obama wrote in the tweet. "In honour of my book hitting shelves tomorrow, I put together this playlist featuring some memorable songs from my administration. Hope you enjoy it." 
&nbsp;

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Music has always played an important role in my life—and that was especially true during my presidency. In honor of my book hitting shelves tomorrow, I put together this playlist featuring some memorable songs from my administration. Hope you enjoy it. <a href="https://t.co/xWiNQiZzN0">pic.twitter.com/xWiNQiZzN0</a>
— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) <a href="https://twitter.com/BarackObama/status/1328458351869644806?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 16, 2020</a></blockquote>
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&nbsp;A Promised Land, the first volume of his presidential memoirs, which will be published Nov. 17 by Crown Publishing Group. Talking about the book, in an earlier interview, Obama said, "My book is for those young people -- an invitation to once again remake the world, and to bring about, through hard work, determination, and a big dose of imagination, an America that finally aligns with all that is best in us," Obama said."

&nbsp;

Former President and one of the internet's favourite celebrities Barack Obama is in the news for his memoir, A Promised Land. In honour of the book release, Obama put together a playlist of all the songs he enjoyed listening to during his time in office, tweeting it out on Monday.

Former President and one of the internet's favourite celebrities Barack Obama is in the news for his memoir, A Promised Land. In honour of the book release, Obama put together a playlist of all the songs he enjoyed listening to during his time in office, tweeting it out on Monday. The list covers a wide variety of musical genres, from the country (Brooks & Dunn) to rap (Eminem), and it includes music from well before 2009-2017, Obama's time in the White House. Also read: Spent childhood listening to Ramayana and Mahabharata: Barack Obama in memoir He tweeted, "Music has always played an important role in my life -- and that was especially true during my presidency," Obama wrote in the tweet. "In honour of my book hitting shelves tomorrow, I put together this playlist featuring some memorable songs from my administration. Hope you enjoy it." Music has always played an important role in my life—and that was especially true during my presidency. In honor of my book hitting shelves tomorrow, I put together this playlist featuring some memorable songs from my administration. Hope you enjoy it. pic.twitter.com/xWiNQiZzN0 — Barack Obama (@BarackObama) November 16, 2020 × A Promised Land, the first volume of his presidential memoirs, which will be published Nov. 17 by Crown Publishing Group. Talking about the book, in an earlier interview, Obama said, "My book is for those young people -- an invitation to once again remake the world, and to bring about, through hard work, determination, and a big dose of imagination, an America that finally aligns with all that is best in us," Obama said."

Barack Obama shares playlist of his favourite songs from the days of his presidency

Former President Barack Obama says in his upcoming book that the divisions in America "run deep" and the departure of Donald Trump from the White House will not be enough to bridge the divide. 
In an excerpt from "A Promised Land," which goes on sale on Tuesday, Obama reflects on the four years since he left office.

"Our democracy seems to be teetering on the brink of crisis -- a crisis rooted in a fundamental contest between two opposing visions of what America is and what it should be," Obama said in the excerpt published on Thursday in The Atlantic.

The crisis "has left the body politic divided, angry, and mistrustful," he said.

It has also "allowed for an ongoing breach of institutional norms, procedural safeguards, and the adherence to basic facts that both Republicans and Democrats once took for granted."

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions-blogs/us-presidential-elections-reflections-of-an-outside-observer-342640">Also read|&nbsp;US Presidential Elections: Reflections of an outside observer</a>

Obama said he was "encouraged" by the election victory of his former vice president, Joe Biden, and his running mate Kamala Harris, and their "character and capacity to do what is right."

"But I also know that no single election will settle the matter," Obama said. "Our divisions run deep; our challenges are daunting."

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"If I remain hopeful about the future, it's in large part because I've learned to place my faith in my fellow citizens, especially those of the next generation," he said.

"My book is for those young people -- an invitation to once again remake the world, and to bring about, through hard work, determination, and a big dose of imagination, an America that finally aligns with all that is best in us," Obama said.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/did-former-united-states-president-barack-obama-predict-the-seriousness-of-a-coronavirus-like-pandemic-in-2014-293157">Also read|&nbsp;Did former United States President Barack Obama predict the seriousness of a coronavirus-like pandemic in 2014?</a>

In the 768-page first volume of his memoirs, the 44th US president reveals that he writes longhand with a pen on a yellow pad instead of on a computer and confesses to an inability to be concise.

He talks about trying to "find a discreet location to grab an evening smoke" while at the White House and how "drained, physically and emotionally" he and his wife, Michelle Obama, were when they left the White House in January 2017.

"For a month, Michelle and I slept late, ate leisurely dinners, went for long walks, swam in the ocean, took stock, replenished our friendship, rediscovered our love, and planned for a less eventful but hopefully no less satisfying second act," he said.

Former President Barack Obama says in his upcoming book that the divisions in America "run deep" and the departure of Donald Trump from the White House will not be enough to bridge the divide.

Former President Barack Obama says in his upcoming book that the divisions in America "run deep" and the departure of Donald Trump from the White House will not be enough to bridge the divide. In an excerpt from "A Promised Land," which goes on sale on Tuesday, Obama reflects on the four years since he left office. "Our democracy seems to be teetering on the brink of crisis -- a crisis rooted in a fundamental contest between two opposing visions of what America is and what it should be," Obama said in the excerpt published on Thursday in The Atlantic. The crisis "has left the body politic divided, angry, and mistrustful," he said. It has also "allowed for an ongoing breach of institutional norms, procedural safeguards, and the adherence to basic facts that both Republicans and Democrats once took for granted." Also read| US Presidential Elections: Reflections of an outside observer Obama said he was "encouraged" by the election victory of his former vice president, Joe Biden, and his running mate Kamala Harris, and their "character and capacity to do what is right." "But I also know that no single election will settle the matter," Obama said. "Our divisions run deep; our challenges are daunting." × "If I remain hopeful about the future, it's in large part because I've learned to place my faith in my fellow citizens, especially those of the next generation," he said. "My book is for those young people -- an invitation to once again remake the world, and to bring about, through hard work, determination, and a big dose of imagination, an America that finally aligns with all that is best in us," Obama said. Also read| Did former United States President Barack Obama predict the seriousness of a coronavirus-like pandemic in 2014? In the 768-page first volume of his memoirs, the 44th US president reveals that he writes longhand with a pen on a yellow pad instead of on a computer and confesses to an inability to be concise. He talks about trying to "find a discreet location to grab an evening smoke" while at the White House and how "drained, physically and emotionally" he and his wife, Michelle Obama, were when they left the White House in January 2017. "For a month, Michelle and I slept late, ate leisurely dinners, went for long walks, swam in the ocean, took stock, replenished our friendship, rediscovered our love, and planned for a less eventful but hopefully no less satisfying second act," he said.

'Remake the world': Barack Obama urges youngsters in his new memoir 'A Promised Land'

In his new memoir called 'A Promised Land', the former US President Barack Obama has opened up about several political leaders from around the world. Two of these descriptions include the Indian politician&nbsp;Rahul Gandhi and former Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, according to the New York Times. 
 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/from-sonias-beauty-to-manmohans-integrity-heres-what-barack-obama-wrote-on-congress-leaders-342800">Also read | From Sonia's beauty to Manmohan's 'integrity': Here's what Barack Obama wrote on Congress leaders</a> 
 
Talking about the former Prime Minister, who is also responsible for various important economic reforms of the country, Obama said he could sense a kind of impassive integrity. "Secretary of Defense Bob Gates and the Indian prime minister Manmohan Singh both come across as having a kind of impassive integrity," he has been quoted by The New York Times.

However, Rahul Gandhi's description was of a different category. Obama compared Rahul Gandhi to a school student who was eager to impress a teacher.

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"Rahul Gandhi has 'a nervous, unformed quality about him, as if he were a student who'd done the coursework and was eager to impress the teacher but deep down lacked either the aptitude or the passion to master the subject," Obama says in his book.

Gandhi had met Obama during his India visit in 2017, and had taken to share a picture with him.

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Had a fruitful chat with President <a href="https://twitter.com/BarackObama?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@BarackObama</a> Great to meet him again. <a href="https://t.co/LCJKGBg0Qr">pic.twitter.com/LCJKGBg0Qr</a>
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) <a href="https://twitter.com/RahulGandhi/status/936621593832448000?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 1, 2017</a></blockquote>
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The Former President also talks about the Russian President Vladimir Putin calling him 'physically unremarkable'. "Vladimir Putin reminds him of the tough, street-smart ward bosses who used to run the Chicago machine. Also on Putin: "Physically, he was unremarkable"

He also talked about the&nbsp;46th President-elect of the US and his former Vice President, Joe Biden saying he is "a decent, honest, loyal man who Obama senses 'might get prickly if he thought he wasn't given his due - a quality that might flare up when dealing with a much younger boss'," Obama has been quoted in The New York Times.

In his new memoir called 'A Promised Land', the former US President Barack Obama has opened up about several political leaders from around the world. Two of these descriptions include the Indian politician Rahul Gandhi and former Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, according to the New York Times.

In his new memoir called 'A Promised Land', the former US President Barack Obama has opened up about several political leaders from around the world. Two of these descriptions include the Indian politician Rahul Gandhi and former Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, according to the New York Times. Also read | From Sonia's beauty to Manmohan's 'integrity': Here's what Barack Obama wrote on Congress leaders Talking about the former Prime Minister, who is also responsible for various important economic reforms of the country, Obama said he could sense a kind of impassive integrity. "Secretary of Defense Bob Gates and the Indian prime minister Manmohan Singh both come across as having a kind of impassive integrity," he has been quoted by The New York Times. However, Rahul Gandhi's description was of a different category. Obama compared Rahul Gandhi to a school student who was eager to impress a teacher. × "Rahul Gandhi has 'a nervous, unformed quality about him, as if he were a student who'd done the coursework and was eager to impress the teacher but deep down lacked either the aptitude or the passion to master the subject," Obama says in his book. Gandhi had met Obama during his India visit in 2017, and had taken to share a picture with him. Had a fruitful chat with President @BarackObama Great to meet him again. pic.twitter.com/LCJKGBg0Qr — Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) December 1, 2017 × The Former President also talks about the Russian President Vladimir Putin calling him 'physically unremarkable'. "Vladimir Putin reminds him of the tough, street-smart ward bosses who used to run the Chicago machine. Also on Putin: "Physically, he was unremarkable" He also talked about the 46th President-elect of the US and his former Vice President, Joe Biden saying he is "a decent, honest, loyal man who Obama senses 'might get prickly if he thought he wasn't given his due - a quality that might flare up when dealing with a much younger boss'," Obama has been quoted in The New York Times.

Rahul Gandhi like a child trying to impress teacher: Barack Obama says in his new memoir 'A Promised Land'

President-elect Joe Biden named Ron Klain, a veteran Democratic operative and a decadeslong confidant, to be his White House chief of staff Wednesday evening, the first step toward putting in place his administration’s senior leadership.

Klain, a lawyer with deep experience on Capitol Hill, advising President Barack Obama and in corporate board rooms, served as Biden’s chief of staff when he was vice president and has been seen for months as the likeliest choice to manage his team in the White House. Known for steady nerves, he also has a fierce wit, which he has frequently unleashed on President Donald Trump on Twitter.

He was particularly critical of Trump’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic, having served as the “Ebola czar” under Obama during an outbreak of the deadly disease in his second term. A video of Klain lecturing Trump about the pandemic was widely seen during the campaign.

In a statement, Biden called Klain an “invaluable” adviser, noting in particular the work they did together during the economic crisis in 2009 and the Ebola outbreak in 2014.

“His deep, varied experience and capacity to work with people all across the political spectrum is precisely what I need in a White House chief of staff as we confront this moment of crisis and bring our country together again,” Biden said.

The choice of Klain, 59, who first went to work for Biden in the late 1980s when Biden was a senator from Delaware and Klain was a recent graduate of Harvard Law School, signals that Biden intends to rely on a tight circle of Washington insiders who have been by his side for years.

Advisers have said that the president-elect will announce other top White House staff in the coming days, even as Trump refuses to accept the results of the election, tweeting “WE WILL WIN!” on Wednesday evening.

Biden is not likely to reveal his Cabinet picks until around Thanksgiving, several people close to the transition said.

As a political tactician, Klain is well versed in the levers of power in both the executive and legislative branches of government. But he will quickly come under pressure to assemble a White House staff that extends beyond the moderate members of the Democratic establishment with whom Biden has surrounded himself over four decades in politics.

Even before Biden’s announcement, liberals in the party had already begun demanding that progressives be given a significant voice in the West Wing. And the president-elect will also be pressed to fulfill his campaign pledge to make his administration “look like the country” by tapping people of color, LGBTQ Americans and other minorities to be part of the White House staff.

In a statement, Klain said he looked forward to assembling “a talented and diverse team to work in the White House as we tackle their ambitious agenda for change and seek to heal the divides in our country.”

Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, one of Biden’s liberal rivals for the presidential nomination, praised Klain on Twitter, calling him “a superb choice” and saying that he “understands the magnitude of the health and economic crisis and he has the experience to lead this next administration through it.”

Biden made his choice of Klain even as Trump remained defiant in the face of political reality, refusing to concede defeat and insisting that the presidential election was stolen from him four days after news organizations projected that Biden had secured the electoral votes necessary to win.

Trump and his allies — including most Republicans on Capitol Hill — have falsely claimed that the election was tainted by fraudulently cast ballots and a conspiracy by Democrats, poll workers and the news media. The president’s lawyers have filed lawsuits in several states and his operatives are scouring for examples of fraud even as Democratic and Republican election officials in nearly all 50 states say the election was fair.

In the meantime, Biden is moving quickly to demonstrate that the president’s unprecedented behavior will not interfere with the transfer of power that will take place on Jan. 20.

Klain clerked for Justice Byron White at the Supreme Court in the late 1980s and has been a fixture by Biden’s side for much of the past 30 years, serving at one point as the chief counsel for the Senate Judiciary Committee, which Biden led.

Klain was Biden’s top legal adviser on the committee during the racially charged and sexually explicit collision with the Bush administration over the confirmation of Clarence Thomas to the Supreme Court. Many of Biden’s allies saw his handling of the confirmation — managed in large part by Klain and his team of committee lawyers — as one of the stains on his record in the Senate.

Klain took a detour to serve as Al Gore’s chief of staff while he was vice president and later oversaw Gore’s unsuccessful recount effort in Florida (for which he was portrayed by Kevin Spacey in the HBO film “Recount”).

But Klain has always remained close to Biden. In 2009, he became the vice president’s chief of staff, reprising the role he had played a decade earlier for Gore.

Klain’s experience confronting the Ebola outbreak during the Obama administration was newly relevant this year as the coronavirus pandemic upended American life and became Biden’s central message during the presidential race.

The Biden campaign leaned on Klain’s expertise as it drew a contrast between the way Biden would approach the pandemic and the way Trump did. In March, the campaign released a video of Klain speaking in front of a white board comparing the two approaches that has been viewed more than 4 million times on Twitter. A sequel, again featuring Klain in front of a white board, was posted in July.

In the last few weeks of the campaign, Trump sought to use Klain’s own words against him with a video in which Klain appears to admit that the Obama administration “did every possible thing wrong” during an outbreak of the H1N1 swine flu virus. Fact checkers concluded that Klain was speaking only about the reliance on a single vaccine, and was taken out of context.

Klain has gone in and out of government over the past several decades, at times practicing as a lawyer and later working with Steve Case, the founder of AOL, in a venture capital investment firm called Revolution. His initial agreement with Case in 2005 included the right to take unpaid leave in September and October every four years to participate in presidential politics.

“He can process a lot of information, focus on the things that matter and balance a lot of balls,” Case said of Klain, calling him “unflappable” and pragmatic when it comes to confronting a challenge: “‘Here’s the problem or the opportunity. Let’s narrow in on what matters and get the right team in place.’”

Case dismissed concerns from some people that Klain was too much of a Washington insider for this moment in history, noting that as an Indiana native, Klain often goes home for the Indianapolis 500.

“He’s been in Washington a long time,” Case said. But he added, “He’s an Indiana guy.”

Over his years mingling among the nation’s top Democratic politicians, Klain has become a specialist in helping presidents win confirmation battles in the Senate. During Obama’s first term, he played a central role in helping win confirmation of Justices Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan to the Supreme Court.

He also developed a reputation as the Democratic Party’s expert on debate preparation, coaching virtually all of the party’s presidential and vice-presidential nominees during the past two decades. He made little secret of his frustration with sitting presidents — including Obama — complaining that they too often refused to prepare.

A memo for his clients that Klain prepared years ago has become memorialized as the party’s best advice for its candidates. Among the 21 rules that he outlined: No. 10, “Punches are good, counterpunches are better”; No. 13, which says that a candidate can lose a debate at any time but that “you can only win it in the first 30 minutes”; and No. 20, which warns not to say something that does not feel right.

“At that moment remember the advice that some elementary schoolteacher once gave you: ‘If in doubt, don’t,’ ” Klain wrote.

Throughout the 2020 campaign, Klain was a top adviser to Biden and was deeply trusted by a candidate known for maintaining a tight-knit inner circle. He was not especially involved in logistical, day-to-day decisions, but along with Anita Dunn, a senior Biden adviser, he played a central role in guiding Biden’s debate preparations and message.

A number of Biden allies have noted Klain’s experience dealing with economic and health crises during the Obama administration, when the country was reeling from the Great Recession. In the 2016 campaign, Klain helped Hillary Clinton prepare for debates, a task he began working on before Biden announced he would not mount his own presidential bid.

“It’s been a little hard for me to play such a role in the Biden demise — and I am definitely dead to them — but I’m glad to be on Team HRC,” Klain wrote to John D. Podesta, Clinton’s campaign chairman, in an October 2015 email that was later disclosed by WikiLeaks. A week after Klain sent the email, Biden announced he would not run for president in 2016.

Klain was also the inaugural guest on a short-lived podcast that Biden hosted this year, speaking about the pandemic. “I’m going to call on you a lot more,” Biden told him at the end of the episode. “You know, I call on you almost every day for non-pod advice.”

At a Biden virtual fundraiser in June for Indiana donors, former Sen. Joe Donnelly made note of Klain’s work on the Ebola outbreak for the Obama White House.

At the virtual event, Klain, it turned out, was not far out of mind for the former vice president. “As a matter of fact, coincidentally, literally five minutes before I walked into this makeshift studio, I was on the phone with Ron Klain,” Biden said.

President-elect Joe Biden named Ron Klain, a veteran Democratic operative and a decadeslong confidant, to be his White House chief of staff Wednesday evening, the first step toward putting in place his administration’s senior leadership.

President-elect Joe Biden named Ron Klain, a veteran Democratic operative and a decadeslong confidant, to be his White House chief of staff Wednesday evening, the first step toward putting in place his administration’s senior leadership. Klain, a lawyer with deep experience on Capitol Hill, advising President Barack Obama and in corporate board rooms, served as Biden’s chief of staff when he was vice president and has been seen for months as the likeliest choice to manage his team in the White House. Known for steady nerves, he also has a fierce wit, which he has frequently unleashed on President Donald Trump on Twitter. He was particularly critical of Trump’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic, having served as the “Ebola czar” under Obama during an outbreak of the deadly disease in his second term. A video of Klain lecturing Trump about the pandemic was widely seen during the campaign. In a statement, Biden called Klain an “invaluable” adviser, noting in particular the work they did together during the economic crisis in 2009 and the Ebola outbreak in 2014. “His deep, varied experience and capacity to work with people all across the political spectrum is precisely what I need in a White House chief of staff as we confront this moment of crisis and bring our country together again,” Biden said. The choice of Klain, 59, who first went to work for Biden in the late 1980s when Biden was a senator from Delaware and Klain was a recent graduate of Harvard Law School, signals that Biden intends to rely on a tight circle of Washington insiders who have been by his side for years. Advisers have said that the president-elect will announce other top White House staff in the coming days, even as Trump refuses to accept the results of the election, tweeting “WE WILL WIN!” on Wednesday evening. Biden is not likely to reveal his Cabinet picks until around Thanksgiving, several people close to the transition said. As a political tactician, Klain is well versed in the levers of power in both the executive and legislative branches of government. But he will quickly come under pressure to assemble a White House staff that extends beyond the moderate members of the Democratic establishment with whom Biden has surrounded himself over four decades in politics. Even before Biden’s announcement, liberals in the party had already begun demanding that progressives be given a significant voice in the West Wing. And the president-elect will also be pressed to fulfill his campaign pledge to make his administration “look like the country” by tapping people of color, LGBTQ Americans and other minorities to be part of the White House staff. In a statement, Klain said he looked forward to assembling “a talented and diverse team to work in the White House as we tackle their ambitious agenda for change and seek to heal the divides in our country.” Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, one of Biden’s liberal rivals for the presidential nomination, praised Klain on Twitter, calling him “a superb choice” and saying that he “understands the magnitude of the health and economic crisis and he has the experience to lead this next administration through it.” Biden made his choice of Klain even as Trump remained defiant in the face of political reality, refusing to concede defeat and insisting that the presidential election was stolen from him four days after news organizations projected that Biden had secured the electoral votes necessary to win. Trump and his allies — including most Republicans on Capitol Hill — have falsely claimed that the election was tainted by fraudulently cast ballots and a conspiracy by Democrats, poll workers and the news media. The president’s lawyers have filed lawsuits in several states and his operatives are scouring for examples of fraud even as Democratic and Republican election officials in nearly all 50 states say the election was fair. In the meantime, Biden is moving quickly to demonstrate that the president’s unprecedented behavior will not interfere with the transfer of power that will take place on Jan. 20. Klain clerked for Justice Byron White at the Supreme Court in the late 1980s and has been a fixture by Biden’s side for much of the past 30 years, serving at one point as the chief counsel for the Senate Judiciary Committee, which Biden led. Klain was Biden’s top legal adviser on the committee during the racially charged and sexually explicit collision with the Bush administration over the confirmation of Clarence Thomas to the Supreme Court. Many of Biden’s allies saw his handling of the confirmation — managed in large part by Klain and his team of committee lawyers — as one of the stains on his record in the Senate. Klain took a detour to serve as Al Gore’s chief of staff while he was vice president and later oversaw Gore’s unsuccessful recount effort in Florida (for which he was portrayed by Kevin Spacey in the HBO film “Recount”). But Klain has always remained close to Biden. In 2009, he became the vice president’s chief of staff, reprising the role he had played a decade earlier for Gore. Klain’s experience confronting the Ebola outbreak during the Obama administration was newly relevant this year as the coronavirus pandemic upended American life and became Biden’s central message during the presidential race. The Biden campaign leaned on Klain’s expertise as it drew a contrast between the way Biden would approach the pandemic and the way Trump did. In March, the campaign released a video of Klain speaking in front of a white board comparing the two approaches that has been viewed more than 4 million times on Twitter. A sequel, again featuring Klain in front of a white board, was posted in July. In the last few weeks of the campaign, Trump sought to use Klain’s own words against him with a video in which Klain appears to admit that the Obama administration “did every possible thing wrong” during an outbreak of the H1N1 swine flu virus. Fact checkers concluded that Klain was speaking only about the reliance on a single vaccine, and was taken out of context. Klain has gone in and out of government over the past several decades, at times practicing as a lawyer and later working with Steve Case, the founder of AOL, in a venture capital investment firm called Revolution. His initial agreement with Case in 2005 included the right to take unpaid leave in September and October every four years to participate in presidential politics. “He can process a lot of information, focus on the things that matter and balance a lot of balls,” Case said of Klain, calling him “unflappable” and pragmatic when it comes to confronting a challenge: “‘Here’s the problem or the opportunity. Let’s narrow in on what matters and get the right team in place.’” Case dismissed concerns from some people that Klain was too much of a Washington insider for this moment in history, noting that as an Indiana native, Klain often goes home for the Indianapolis 500. “He’s been in Washington a long time,” Case said. But he added, “He’s an Indiana guy.” Over his years mingling among the nation’s top Democratic politicians, Klain has become a specialist in helping presidents win confirmation battles in the Senate. During Obama’s first term, he played a central role in helping win confirmation of Justices Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan to the Supreme Court. He also developed a reputation as the Democratic Party’s expert on debate preparation, coaching virtually all of the party’s presidential and vice-presidential nominees during the past two decades. He made little secret of his frustration with sitting presidents — including Obama — complaining that they too often refused to prepare. A memo for his clients that Klain prepared years ago has become memorialized as the party’s best advice for its candidates. Among the 21 rules that he outlined: No. 10, “Punches are good, counterpunches are better”; No. 13, which says that a candidate can lose a debate at any time but that “you can only win it in the first 30 minutes”; and No. 20, which warns not to say something that does not feel right. “At that moment remember the advice that some elementary schoolteacher once gave you: ‘If in doubt, don’t,’ ” Klain wrote. Throughout the 2020 campaign, Klain was a top adviser to Biden and was deeply trusted by a candidate known for maintaining a tight-knit inner circle. He was not especially involved in logistical, day-to-day decisions, but along with Anita Dunn, a senior Biden adviser, he played a central role in guiding Biden’s debate preparations and message. A number of Biden allies have noted Klain’s experience dealing with economic and health crises during the Obama administration, when the country was reeling from the Great Recession. In the 2016 campaign, Klain helped Hillary Clinton prepare for debates, a task he began working on before Biden announced he would not mount his own presidential bid. “It’s been a little hard for me to play such a role in the Biden demise — and I am definitely dead to them — but I’m glad to be on Team HRC,” Klain wrote to John D. Podesta, Clinton’s campaign chairman, in an October 2015 email that was later disclosed by WikiLeaks. A week after Klain sent the email, Biden announced he would not run for president in 2016. Klain was also the inaugural guest on a short-lived podcast that Biden hosted this year, speaking about the pandemic. “I’m going to call on you a lot more,” Biden told him at the end of the episode. “You know, I call on you almost every day for non-pod advice.” At a Biden virtual fundraiser in June for Indiana donors, former Sen. Joe Donnelly made note of Klain’s work on the Ebola outbreak for the Obama White House. At the virtual event, Klain, it turned out, was not far out of mind for the former vice president. “As a matter of fact, coincidentally, literally five minutes before I walked into this makeshift studio, I was on the phone with Ron Klain,” Biden said.

Biden Names Ron Klain as White House Chief of Staff

Douglas Emhoff, the husband of US vice president-elect Kamala Harris, has quit his law firm job for a White House role despite claiming he wouldn't go into politics.

The 56-year-old has left his private law practice to focus on his role at the White House. At the Law firm DLA Piper, he practised law in intellectual property and technology and its media, sports and entertainment sector, according to the firm’s website.

Asked what it would be like to be the first Second Gentleman in an interview last month, he had said, “I think it would be an incredible honour… I’m going to hopefully work on things like access to justice and access to opportunity and access to the American dream.”

When the Biden administration takes over, Emhoff will break new ground as America`s first `second gentleman`.

Emhoff has been on leave from his law firm DLA Piper since Kamala Harris joined the Biden ticket. AP reports that Emhoff`s decision reflects the Biden administration`s focus on avoiding potential ethical issues, in sharp contrast with the current Trump administration.

Emhoff leaned into his political support role during the campaign and plans to continue that way. Emhoff will also be the first-ever Jewish spouse in the long history of White House power couples.

"Doug, you`re going to have to learn what it means to be a barrier-breaker yourself in this job you`re about to take on," President-elect Biden had said at his first joint appearance with Harris as his running mate.

Harris met Emhoff, an entertainment lawyer, on a blind date in 2013 and married a year later. Emhoff`s marriage to Harris is his second; he has children from his earlier marriage, now in their 20s.

On November 9, Harris tweeted a photo of herself and Emhoff taken on the night of the victory speech, to her 11 million followers saying "Meet the love of my life."

"Love you Madam Vice President-elect!" Emhoff tweeted right back at her.

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Love you Madam Vice President-elect! 
 
❤️🇺🇸 <a href="https://t.co/ylIAe0LP9s">https://t.co/ylIAe0LP9s</a>
— Doug Emhoff (@DouglasEmhoff) <a href="https://twitter.com/DouglasEmhoff/status/1325937163612155904?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 9, 2020</a></blockquote>
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Emhoff`s social handle describes him as "dad, Kamala Harris hubby, lawyer, wannabe golfer, advocate for justice and equality", in that order.

It turns out that it was Emhoff who filmed Harris calling Biden moments after the election victory, a video that Harris shared on social media.

The unprecedented role switch at the highest levels of US politics is drawing rousing applause. "This is what decent, honourable and honest people do: Vice President-elect Kamala Harris` husband, Doug Emhoff, will leave his job as a partner with a high-profile law firm to focus on his role in the new Biden administration," Washington Post columnist Jennifer Rubin tweeted.

(With inputs from agencies)

Douglas Emhoff, the husband of US vice president-elect Kamala Harris, has quit his law firm job for a White House role despite claiming he wouldn't go into politics.

Douglas Emhoff, the husband of US vice president-elect Kamala Harris, has quit his law firm job for a White House role despite claiming he wouldn't go into politics. The 56-year-old has left his private law practice to focus on his role at the White House. At the Law firm DLA Piper, he practised law in intellectual property and technology and its media, sports and entertainment sector, according to the firm’s website. Asked what it would be like to be the first Second Gentleman in an interview last month, he had said, “I think it would be an incredible honour… I’m going to hopefully work on things like access to justice and access to opportunity and access to the American dream.” When the Biden administration takes over, Emhoff will break new ground as America`s first `second gentleman`. Emhoff has been on leave from his law firm DLA Piper since Kamala Harris joined the Biden ticket. AP reports that Emhoff`s decision reflects the Biden administration`s focus on avoiding potential ethical issues, in sharp contrast with the current Trump administration. Emhoff leaned into his political support role during the campaign and plans to continue that way. Emhoff will also be the first-ever Jewish spouse in the long history of White House power couples. "Doug, you`re going to have to learn what it means to be a barrier-breaker yourself in this job you`re about to take on," President-elect Biden had said at his first joint appearance with Harris as his running mate. Harris met Emhoff, an entertainment lawyer, on a blind date in 2013 and married a year later. Emhoff`s marriage to Harris is his second; he has children from his earlier marriage, now in their 20s. On November 9, Harris tweeted a photo of herself and Emhoff taken on the night of the victory speech, to her 11 million followers saying "Meet the love of my life." "Love you Madam Vice President-elect!" Emhoff tweeted right back at her. Love you Madam Vice President-elect! ❤️🇺🇸 https://t.co/ylIAe0LP9s — Doug Emhoff (@DouglasEmhoff) November 9, 2020 × Emhoff`s social handle describes him as "dad, Kamala Harris hubby, lawyer, wannabe golfer, advocate for justice and equality", in that order. It turns out that it was Emhoff who filmed Harris calling Biden moments after the election victory, a video that Harris shared on social media. The unprecedented role switch at the highest levels of US politics is drawing rousing applause. "This is what decent, honourable and honest people do: Vice President-elect Kamala Harris` husband, Doug Emhoff, will leave his job as a partner with a high-profile law firm to focus on his role in the new Biden administration," Washington Post columnist Jennifer Rubin tweeted. (With inputs from agencies)

Kamala Harris’s husband quits job for White House role

US President-elect Joe Biden on Wednesday announced that his longtime aide Ron Klain will be his White House Chief of Staff, thereby declaring his first White House personnel.&nbsp;

"Ron has been invaluable to me over the many years that we have worked together," the president-elect said in a statement on 59-year-old Klain who was his chief of staff when he was vice president during the Obama era.

Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/progressives-wish-list-for-biden-starts-with-warren-and-sanders-342496">Progressives’ wish list for Biden starts with Warren and Sanders</a>

"His deep, varied experience and capacity to work with people all across the political spectrum is precisely what I need in a White House chief of staff as we confront this moment of crisis and bring our country together again," he said as quoted by the news agency AFP. &nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/united-states-of-america-is-back-in-the-game-joe-biden-tells-world-leaders-342283">United States of America is ‘back in the game’: Joe Biden tells world leaders</a>

Meanwhile, Donald Trump's refusal to accept Biden's victory continued as he reiterated election rigging without providing any pieces of evidence despite calls from some fellow Republicans to accept the verdict.&nbsp;

Trump, on Wednesday, tweeted voting in Wisconsin on Election day led to "possibly illegal suppression" and he was now "now preparing to win the state".&nbsp;

Trump's refusal to concede defeat also led to both him and Biden honouring military personnel on Veterans Day separately on a day that is marked as one of national unity.&nbsp;

US President-elect Joe Biden on Wednesday announced that his longtime aide Ron Klain will be his White House Chief of Staff, thereby declaring his first White House personnel.

US President-elect Joe Biden on Wednesday announced that his longtime aide Ron Klain will be his White House Chief of Staff, thereby declaring his first White House personnel. "Ron has been invaluable to me over the many years that we have worked together," the president-elect said in a statement on 59-year-old Klain who was his chief of staff when he was vice president during the Obama era. Also read | Progressives’ wish list for Biden starts with Warren and Sanders "His deep, varied experience and capacity to work with people all across the political spectrum is precisely what I need in a White House chief of staff as we confront this moment of crisis and bring our country together again," he said as quoted by the news agency AFP. Also read | United States of America is ‘back in the game’: Joe Biden tells world leaders Meanwhile, Donald Trump's refusal to accept Biden's victory continued as he reiterated election rigging without providing any pieces of evidence despite calls from some fellow Republicans to accept the verdict. Trump, on Wednesday, tweeted voting in Wisconsin on Election day led to "possibly illegal suppression" and he was now "now preparing to win the state". Trump's refusal to concede defeat also led to both him and Biden honouring military personnel on Veterans Day separately on a day that is marked as one of national unity.

Joe Biden makes first White House appointment, names Klain as Chief of Staff

Two more people close to the incumbent president of the US, Donald Trump, have tested positive for the coronavirus.

Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson has contracted the virus, his deputy chief of staff Coalter Baker told NPR.&nbsp;

"He is in good spirits and feels fortunate to have access to effective therapeutics which aid and markedly speed his recovery," Baker said in a statement.

According to ABC television, Carson was briefly treated at Walter Reid military hospital outside Washington DC, where Trump himself was treated for the virus.

Carson had spent Tuesday evening at the White House watching the election results come in.

Another top aide to the president, David Bossie, was also at the White House event and tested positive on Sunday and has been self-isolating at home, NBC news said.

Bossie was tapped a few days ago to lead the president's legal challenges to the election results.&nbsp;

On Friday, media reported that Trump's chief of staff Mark Meadows had tested positive for the disease after the election.

Several leading members of the administration have contracted the virus in recent weeks, including Trump and his wife, First Lady Melania Trump.

The Washington Post said Meadows was in the crowd in the White House when Trump addressed around 150 of his staff and supporters on Wednesday.&nbsp;

The United States had recorded 238,000 deaths by Monday night and more than 10 million people have been infected.

The pandemic was one of the main issues in the battle for the White House between Trump and former vice president Joe Biden, whom media projected to have won on Saturday. 
&nbsp;

Two more people close to the incumbent president of the US, Donald Trump, have tested positive for the coronavirus. Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson has contracted the virus, his deputy chief of staff Coalter Baker told NPR.

Two more people close to the incumbent president of the US, Donald Trump, have tested positive for the coronavirus. Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson has contracted the virus, his deputy chief of staff Coalter Baker told NPR. "He is in good spirits and feels fortunate to have access to effective therapeutics which aid and markedly speed his recovery," Baker said in a statement. According to ABC television, Carson was briefly treated at Walter Reid military hospital outside Washington DC, where Trump himself was treated for the virus. Carson had spent Tuesday evening at the White House watching the election results come in. Another top aide to the president, David Bossie, was also at the White House event and tested positive on Sunday and has been self-isolating at home, NBC news said. Bossie was tapped a few days ago to lead the president's legal challenges to the election results. On Friday, media reported that Trump's chief of staff Mark Meadows had tested positive for the disease after the election. Several leading members of the administration have contracted the virus in recent weeks, including Trump and his wife, First Lady Melania Trump. The Washington Post said Meadows was in the crowd in the White House when Trump addressed around 150 of his staff and supporters on Wednesday. The United States had recorded 238,000 deaths by Monday night and more than 10 million people have been infected. The pandemic was one of the main issues in the battle for the White House between Trump and former vice president Joe Biden, whom media projected to have won on Saturday.

Two new cases of Covid-19 in the White House, reports say

Six White House aides and a Trump campaign adviser — including Mark Meadows, President Donald Trump’s chief of staff — have contracted the coronavirus, officials said, raising fears of another outbreak sweeping through the ranks of the nation’s top officials as cases surge to record levels in the country.

Meadows, who routinely shrugged off the need to wear masks and embraced Trump’s strategy of playing down the threat from the coronavirus over the summer, informed a small group of White House advisers that he had tested positive for the virus Wednesday, a senior administration official said Friday.

Five other White House officials also tested positive for the virus in the days before and after Election Day, people familiar with the diagnoses told The New York Times. Bloomberg News also reported on additional cases around the president, who contracted the virus last month and spent three days in the hospital receiving experimental treatments.

Nick Trainer, who worked on the president’s campaign, has also tested positive for the coronavirus, a person briefed on his diagnosis said.

The new wave of infections rattled and angered members of the White House staff even as they struggled to come to grips with Trump’s likely loss in the presidential race. News of the infections emerged despite warnings to keep quiet about the new cases, according to two White House officials who spoke on the condition of anonymity to publicly discuss internal conversations.

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/melania-to-leave-donald-trump-former-aides-predict-divorce-341699">Melania to leave Donald Trump? Former aides predict divorce</a>

A few weeks ago, Meadows sought to keep an outbreak in Vice President Mike Pence’s office from becoming public.

Public health experts said the infections of Meadows and the others at the White House underscored the importance of taking numerous steps to prevent the spread of the virus. Meadows and Trump have said repeatedly that they did not need to wear masks or maintain social distancing because they were frequently tested.

“It’s emblematic of the national failure to control COVID,” said Tom Frieden, who served as director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention under President Barack Obama. “It shows the fallacy of relying on testing alone. Testing doesn’t replace other safety measures. It’s just one tool among many.”

The new cases at the White House came as the pandemic rampaged across the United States, which has averaged more than 100,000 new cases per day over the past week and hit another record Friday, with more than 132,700 cases in a single day.

As of Saturday morning, more than 9,830,800 people in the United States had been infected with the coronavirus, and more than 236,500 had died.

Meadows is the latest in a string of people connected to the White House to contract the virus in the past seven weeks, including Trump and the first lady, Melania Trump, a half-dozen aides to the president and five aides to Pence, including his chief of staff, Marc Short. Several journalists who work at the White House were also infected. On Saturday, Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla. and a close ally of Trump’s, disclosed that he had tested positive for virus antibodies Tuesday but said he did not know when he had contracted the virus.

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/biden-vows-to-unite-america-in-first-address-as-us-president-elect-341540">Biden vows to unite America in first address as US president-elect</a>

At least one gathering at the White House — a celebration of Trump’s nomination of Judge Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court on Sept. 26 — is suspected of being a “superspreader” event after more than a dozen aides, reporters and guests who were in attendance or came into contact with people who were there tested positive for the virus.

That event took place in the Rose Garden and inside the White House.

Frieden said it was possible the new cases, including Meadows’, may actually be part of the same outbreak from late September rather than a separate cluster of cases. That would suggest that the White House has not gotten control of the virus as it spreads through the West Wing.

“It may be the same cluster that has continued for well over a month,” Frieden said. “You’re not going to control it if you don’t try to control it.”

Trump has spent most of the year playing down the threat of the virus, and several White House officials, including Meadows, have encouraged him to treat the pandemic as a localized threat in Democratic-leaning states.

It is unclear how aggressive the White House intends to be in trying to track the contacts that Meadows and the other infected aides have had over the past several days. People who test positive are often infectious in the days leading up to the test, especially if they have symptoms of the disease.

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&nbsp;

Meadows, a former member of Congress, is a gregarious presence at the White House whose position requires him to interact with people throughout the West Wing and frequently takes him to the residential part of the White House to meet with the president.

On Tuesday night, Meadows was at Trump’s election party at the White House, which included several hundred people gathered in the East Room for several hours, many of them not wearing masks as they mingled while watching the election returns.

The president’s chief of staff was also in contact with a coterie of aides earlier in the day at the Trump campaign headquarters in Virginia, crammed into a tight space, where he was not wearing a mask as the president greeted campaign workers.

During the pandemic, Meadows has pushed for a focus on efforts to revive the economy and only sporadically wore a mask as he traveled with the president or attended some crowded events in the Oval Office.

Like Trump, Meadows often mocked reporters who wore masks around him, saying the face coverings muffled their voices. A video clip of Meadows refusing to give a statement to reporters at the Capitol because they asked him to wear his mask was widely shared across social media.

He has also been among the West Wing officials who have favored minimizing the public appearances of Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s top infectious disease expert, who has issued far more dire warnings about the threat of the virus than Trump has wanted to have publicly declared.

In the waning days of the presidential campaign, Meadows made unwanted headlines when he acknowledged during a television interview that the government would not be able “control” the pandemic. Critics and Trump’s political rivals seized on the comment as evidence that the administration had given up on fighting the virus.

“We are not going to control the pandemic,” Meadows told Jake Tapper, the host of “State of the Union” on CNN. “We are going to control the fact that we get vaccines, therapeutics and other mitigation areas.”

Meadows was one of few people fully briefed on Trump’s own bout of COVID-19, which the president announced Oct. 2. He was involved in coaxing a reluctant Trump to go voluntarily to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center at a time when the president was resisting such a move but his oxygen levels had dropped and he had a high fever.

But Meadows also had a starring role in an episode that enraged Trump the day after the president was flown to the hospital. After Trump’s doctor, Sean Conley, did not answer questions honestly about the president’s symptoms, Meadows approached a small group of reporters in the White House pool and gave a more candid assessment that the president was not quite out of the woods.

He gave it on the assumption he would not be identified, but a C-SPAN camera captured Meadows talking to the reporters. Trump was livid when he learned that Meadows had said something revealing about his medical condition.

A few weeks later, when Short and four other aides to Pence fell ill, The Times reported that Meadows had sought to keep the information secret.

People close to Meadows insisted he had merely wanted contact-tracing to take place before any information became public. But he all but confirmed in an interview with Tapper, who asked about The Times’ reporting, that he did not believe the White House should discuss the health of anyone other than the president or the vice president.

Meadows did not respond to a request for comment Friday night. A White House spokesman also declined to comment, citing a need to maintain privacy of personnel health matters.

Six White House aides and a Trump campaign adviser — including Mark Meadows, President Donald Trump’s chief of staff — have contracted the coronavirus, officials said, raising fears of another outbreak sweeping through the ranks of the nation’s top officials as cases surge to record levels in the country.

Six White House aides and a Trump campaign adviser — including Mark Meadows, President Donald Trump’s chief of staff — have contracted the coronavirus, officials said, raising fears of another outbreak sweeping through the ranks of the nation’s top officials as cases surge to record levels in the country. Meadows, who routinely shrugged off the need to wear masks and embraced Trump’s strategy of playing down the threat from the coronavirus over the summer, informed a small group of White House advisers that he had tested positive for the virus Wednesday, a senior administration official said Friday. Five other White House officials also tested positive for the virus in the days before and after Election Day, people familiar with the diagnoses told The New York Times. Bloomberg News also reported on additional cases around the president, who contracted the virus last month and spent three days in the hospital receiving experimental treatments. Nick Trainer, who worked on the president’s campaign, has also tested positive for the coronavirus, a person briefed on his diagnosis said. The new wave of infections rattled and angered members of the White House staff even as they struggled to come to grips with Trump’s likely loss in the presidential race. News of the infections emerged despite warnings to keep quiet about the new cases, according to two White House officials who spoke on the condition of anonymity to publicly discuss internal conversations. Also Read | Melania to leave Donald Trump? Former aides predict divorce A few weeks ago, Meadows sought to keep an outbreak in Vice President Mike Pence’s office from becoming public. Public health experts said the infections of Meadows and the others at the White House underscored the importance of taking numerous steps to prevent the spread of the virus. Meadows and Trump have said repeatedly that they did not need to wear masks or maintain social distancing because they were frequently tested. “It’s emblematic of the national failure to control COVID,” said Tom Frieden, who served as director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention under President Barack Obama. “It shows the fallacy of relying on testing alone. Testing doesn’t replace other safety measures. It’s just one tool among many.” The new cases at the White House came as the pandemic rampaged across the United States, which has averaged more than 100,000 new cases per day over the past week and hit another record Friday, with more than 132,700 cases in a single day. As of Saturday morning, more than 9,830,800 people in the United States had been infected with the coronavirus, and more than 236,500 had died. Meadows is the latest in a string of people connected to the White House to contract the virus in the past seven weeks, including Trump and the first lady, Melania Trump, a half-dozen aides to the president and five aides to Pence, including his chief of staff, Marc Short. Several journalists who work at the White House were also infected. On Saturday, Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla. and a close ally of Trump’s, disclosed that he had tested positive for virus antibodies Tuesday but said he did not know when he had contracted the virus. Also Read | Biden vows to unite America in first address as US president-elect At least one gathering at the White House — a celebration of Trump’s nomination of Judge Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court on Sept. 26 — is suspected of being a “superspreader” event after more than a dozen aides, reporters and guests who were in attendance or came into contact with people who were there tested positive for the virus. That event took place in the Rose Garden and inside the White House. Frieden said it was possible the new cases, including Meadows’, may actually be part of the same outbreak from late September rather than a separate cluster of cases. That would suggest that the White House has not gotten control of the virus as it spreads through the West Wing. “It may be the same cluster that has continued for well over a month,” Frieden said. “You’re not going to control it if you don’t try to control it.” Trump has spent most of the year playing down the threat of the virus, and several White House officials, including Meadows, have encouraged him to treat the pandemic as a localized threat in Democratic-leaning states. It is unclear how aggressive the White House intends to be in trying to track the contacts that Meadows and the other infected aides have had over the past several days. People who test positive are often infectious in the days leading up to the test, especially if they have symptoms of the disease. × Meadows, a former member of Congress, is a gregarious presence at the White House whose position requires him to interact with people throughout the West Wing and frequently takes him to the residential part of the White House to meet with the president. On Tuesday night, Meadows was at Trump’s election party at the White House, which included several hundred people gathered in the East Room for several hours, many of them not wearing masks as they mingled while watching the election returns. The president’s chief of staff was also in contact with a coterie of aides earlier in the day at the Trump campaign headquarters in Virginia, crammed into a tight space, where he was not wearing a mask as the president greeted campaign workers. During the pandemic, Meadows has pushed for a focus on efforts to revive the economy and only sporadically wore a mask as he traveled with the president or attended some crowded events in the Oval Office. Like Trump, Meadows often mocked reporters who wore masks around him, saying the face coverings muffled their voices. A video clip of Meadows refusing to give a statement to reporters at the Capitol because they asked him to wear his mask was widely shared across social media. He has also been among the West Wing officials who have favored minimizing the public appearances of Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s top infectious disease expert, who has issued far more dire warnings about the threat of the virus than Trump has wanted to have publicly declared. In the waning days of the presidential campaign, Meadows made unwanted headlines when he acknowledged during a television interview that the government would not be able “control” the pandemic. Critics and Trump’s political rivals seized on the comment as evidence that the administration had given up on fighting the virus. “We are not going to control the pandemic,” Meadows told Jake Tapper, the host of “State of the Union” on CNN. “We are going to control the fact that we get vaccines, therapeutics and other mitigation areas.” Meadows was one of few people fully briefed on Trump’s own bout of COVID-19, which the president announced Oct. 2. He was involved in coaxing a reluctant Trump to go voluntarily to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center at a time when the president was resisting such a move but his oxygen levels had dropped and he had a high fever. But Meadows also had a starring role in an episode that enraged Trump the day after the president was flown to the hospital. After Trump’s doctor, Sean Conley, did not answer questions honestly about the president’s symptoms, Meadows approached a small group of reporters in the White House pool and gave a more candid assessment that the president was not quite out of the woods. He gave it on the assumption he would not be identified, but a C-SPAN camera captured Meadows talking to the reporters. Trump was livid when he learned that Meadows had said something revealing about his medical condition. A few weeks later, when Short and four other aides to Pence fell ill, The Times reported that Meadows had sought to keep the information secret. People close to Meadows insisted he had merely wanted contact-tracing to take place before any information became public. But he all but confirmed in an interview with Tapper, who asked about The Times’ reporting, that he did not believe the White House should discuss the health of anyone other than the president or the vice president. Meadows did not respond to a request for comment Friday night. A White House spokesman also declined to comment, citing a need to maintain privacy of personnel health matters.

Six in White House, including Trump’s chief of staff, have the coronavirus

There is an equal amount of chaos at the White House as there are in the world due to the long wait for the result of the November 3 vote.

In the run up to the much-awaited outcome, two top officials in the Trump administration have been dropped -- without explanation. And the president's office expects a few more.

President Donald Trump has demoted the nation's top federal energy regulator. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission announced Thursday evening that Trump had replaced Neil Chatterjee, the agency's chairman.

Analysts are of the opinion that the demotion is likely linked to Chatterjee's recent support for clean energy.

Chatterjee has recently backed policies that support electric vehicles, rooftop solar and other clean energy solutions. Trump, on the other hand, has fiercely backed coal -- a fuel source that is rapidly losing ground to solar and wind.

Trump is replacing Chatterjee as chairman with James Danly, who became a commissioner in March and opposed recent FERC orders that would support clean energy. Chatterjee will remain a FERC commissioner.

The other demotion is of Bonnie Glick, the second highest-ranking official at the US Agency for International Development. She was ousted Friday.

Glick's removal from the deputy administrator post came the same day that John Barsa's term as acting administrator of the agency expired under the Federal Vacancies Reform Act.

Sources believe that she was fired so he could remain at the helm.

According to CNN, Glick received a note from the White House on Friday afternoon telling her that she needed to resign by 5 pm or she would be terminated without cause at the pleasure of the president.

It is now suspected at USAID Barsa would be replacing Glick in an acting capacity.

The biggest name, however, to appear in this list is of Defense Secretary Mark Esper's.

He has reportedly prepared his resignation letter in anticipation that Trump will fire him if he wins reelection.&nbsp;

A report, published in October, had suggested that Esper along with FBI Director Christopher Wray and CIA Director Gina Haspel were all on Trump's chopping block if he claims victory in the 2020 presidential race.

To this end, Esper already has his letter ready if Trump beats Biden, NBC News has reported.

Esper reportedly aggravted Trump over the summer when he distanced himself from the idea of sending active-duty soldiers into the streets to combat anti-racism protests all over the country, spurred by George Floyd's death.

According to Daily Mail, both Wray and Haspel are almost unanimously 'despised and distrusted' by Trump's inner circle. Hence, it is speculated that firing Wray, who has been in charge of the FBI since 2017, will reportedly be Trump's first course of action, followed by the ousting of Haspel from the CIA -- that is, if he wins.

Trump reportedly would have fired them both already, sources say, had it not been for the November 3 election.

There is an equal amount of chaos at the White House as there are in the world due to the long wait for the result of the November 3 vote. In the run up to the much-awaited outcome, two top officials in the Trump administration have been dropped -- without explanation.

There is an equal amount of chaos at the White House as there are in the world due to the long wait for the result of the November 3 vote. In the run up to the much-awaited outcome, two top officials in the Trump administration have been dropped -- without explanation. And the president's office expects a few more. President Donald Trump has demoted the nation's top federal energy regulator. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission announced Thursday evening that Trump had replaced Neil Chatterjee, the agency's chairman. Analysts are of the opinion that the demotion is likely linked to Chatterjee's recent support for clean energy. Chatterjee has recently backed policies that support electric vehicles, rooftop solar and other clean energy solutions. Trump, on the other hand, has fiercely backed coal -- a fuel source that is rapidly losing ground to solar and wind. Trump is replacing Chatterjee as chairman with James Danly, who became a commissioner in March and opposed recent FERC orders that would support clean energy. Chatterjee will remain a FERC commissioner. The other demotion is of Bonnie Glick, the second highest-ranking official at the US Agency for International Development. She was ousted Friday. Glick's removal from the deputy administrator post came the same day that John Barsa's term as acting administrator of the agency expired under the Federal Vacancies Reform Act. Sources believe that she was fired so he could remain at the helm. According to CNN, Glick received a note from the White House on Friday afternoon telling her that she needed to resign by 5 pm or she would be terminated without cause at the pleasure of the president. It is now suspected at USAID Barsa would be replacing Glick in an acting capacity. The biggest name, however, to appear in this list is of Defense Secretary Mark Esper's. He has reportedly prepared his resignation letter in anticipation that Trump will fire him if he wins reelection. A report, published in October, had suggested that Esper along with FBI Director Christopher Wray and CIA Director Gina Haspel were all on Trump's chopping block if he claims victory in the 2020 presidential race. To this end, Esper already has his letter ready if Trump beats Biden, NBC News has reported. Esper reportedly aggravted Trump over the summer when he distanced himself from the idea of sending active-duty soldiers into the streets to combat anti-racism protests all over the country, spurred by George Floyd's death. According to Daily Mail, both Wray and Haspel are almost unanimously 'despised and distrusted' by Trump's inner circle. Hence, it is speculated that firing Wray, who has been in charge of the FBI since 2017, will reportedly be Trump's first course of action, followed by the ousting of Haspel from the CIA -- that is, if he wins. Trump reportedly would have fired them both already, sources say, had it not been for the November 3 election.

Two White House officials ousted, few in line as US election count drags on

Votes are still being counted in several crucial battleground states in the U.S. election, making it unclear whether it will be Trump or former Vice President Joe Biden leading the world’s most powerful nation until 2024.

US Election 2020: Ballot counting continues in several pivotal states

U.S. Election cliffhanger captivates world; America's allies, rivals watch for what's next

US Election 2020: 65% Americans vote in Presidential polls

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