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Trump’s cabinet picks include close allies from his campaign. Here’s a full list

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President-elect Donald Trump is naming cabinet members to his administration.

The cabinet appointees will have a direct impact on implementing Trump’s policies in his second term.

Here’s a look at the president-elect’s appointees so far.

This split image shows, Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., left, Stephen Miller, middle, and former Immigration and Customs Enforcement Acting Director Tom Homan, right.
This split image shows, Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., left, Stephen Miller, middle, and former Immigration and Customs…Show more

Susie Wiles

Trump’s incoming White House chief of staff, veteran Florida political strategist Susie Wiles, moves from a largely behind-the-scenes role of campaign co-chair to the high-profile position of the president’s closest adviser and counsel.

A chief of staff serves as the president’s confidant, helping to execute an agenda and balancing competing political and policy priorities. They also tend to serve as a gatekeeper, helping determine whom the president spends their time and to whom they speak – an effort under which Trump chafed inside the White House.

FILE - Trump co-campaign manager Susie Wiles is seen at Nashville International Airport as Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump arrives, July 27, 2024, in Nashville, Tenn.
FILE – Trump co-campaign manager Susie Wiles is seen at Nashville International Airport, July 27, 2024, in Nashville, Tenn.AP Photo/Alex Brandon, File

The daughter of NFL player and sportscaster Pat Summerall, Wiles worked in the Washington office of New York Rep. Jack Kemp in the 1970s. Following that were stints on Ronald Reagan’s campaign and in his White House as a scheduler.

Wiles then headed to Florida, where she advised two Jacksonville mayors and worked for Rep. Tillie Fowler. After that came statewide campaigns in rough and tumble Florida politics, with Wiles being credited with helping businessman Rick Scott win the governor’s office.

After briefly managing Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman’s 2012 presidential campaign, she ran Trump’s 2016 effort in Florida, when his win in the state helped him clinch the White House.

Two years later, Wiles helped get Ron DeSantis elected as Florida’s governor. But the two would develop a rift that eventually led to DeSantis to urge Trump’s 2020 campaign to cuts its ties with the strategist, when she was again running the then-president’s state campaign.

Wiles ultimately went on to lead Trump’s primary campaign against DeSantis and trounced the Florida governor.

Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump brings Susie Wiles to the podium at an election night watch party Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2024, in West Palm Beach, Fla.
Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump brings Susie Wiles to the podium at an election night…Show moreAP Photo/Alex Brandon

Joining up with Trump’s third campaign in its nascent days, Wiles is one of the few top officials to survive an entire Trump campaign and was part of the team that put together a far more professional operation for his third White House bid – even if the former president routinely broke through those guardrails anyway.

She largely avoided the spotlight, even refusing to take the mic to speak as Trump celebrated his victory early Wednesday morning.

In his first administration, Trump went through four chiefs of staff – including one who served in an acting capacity for a year – in a period of record-setting personnel churn.

Stephen Miller

Trump is naming longtime adviser Stephen Miller, an immigration hard-liner, to be the deputy chief of policy in his new administration.

Miller is one of Trump’s longest-serving aides, dating back to his first campaign for the White House. He was a senior adviser in Trump’s first term and has been a central figure in many of his policy decisions, particularly on immigration, including Trump’s move to separate thousands of immigrant families as a deterrence program in 2018.

Stephen Miller arrives before Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump at a campaign rally at the Santander Arena, Wednesday, Oct. 9, 2024, in Reading, Pa.
Stephen Miller arrives before Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump at a campaign rally a…Show moreAP Photo/Alex Brandon

Miller has also helped craft many of Trump’s hard-line speeches, and was often the public face of those policies during Trump’s first term in office and during his campaigns.

Since leaving the White House, Miller has served as the president of America First Legal, an organization of former Trump advisers fashioned as a conservative version of the American Civil Liberties Union, challenging the Biden administration, media companies, universities and others over issues such as freedom of speech and religion and national security.

He was also a frequent presence during Trump’s campaign this year, traveling aboard his plane and often speaking ahead of Trump during the pre-shows at his rallies.

Tom Homan

Former Immigration and Customs Enforcement Director Tom Homan is going to be the “border czar” in the Trump administration, Trump announced on Truth Social.

Homan, a staunch Trump supporter, will be in charge of the mass deportations that have been promised by Trump throughout his 2024 campaign.

“I’ve known Tom for a long time, and there is nobody better at policing and controlling our Borders,” Trump wrote in his post on Sunday evening.

MORE | Former ICE Director Tom Homan to join Trump administration as ‘border czar’

Former ICE Director Tom Homan is going to be the border czar in the Trump administration, the president-elect announced Sunday.
Former ICE Director Tom Homan is going to be the border czar in the Trump administration, the president-elect announced Sunday.

“Likewise, Tom Homan will be in charge of all Deportation of Illegal Aliens back to their Country of Origin. Congratulations to Tom. I have no doubt he will do a fantastic, and long awaited for, job,” Trump added.

Homan oversaw ICE during the Trump administration’s “zero tolerance” enforcement that separated parents from their children at the border.

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) estimates there are anywhere from 500 to 1,000 families who have not been reunited.

Rep. Lee Zeldin

President-elect Trump has selected former Rep. Lee Zeldin to serve as EPA administrator, the second New Yorker to be selected to the cabinet.

Zeldin, who left Congress in 2023, was a surprising pick for the role. His public appearances both in his own campaigns and on behalf of Trump often had him speaking about issues like the military, national security, antisemitism, U.S.-Israel relations, immigration and crime.

FILE - Former Rep. Lee Zeldin, R-N.Y., speaks at a rally in Concord, N.H., Jan. 19, 2024.
FILE – Former Rep. Lee Zeldin, R-N.Y., speaks at a rally in Concord, N.H., Jan. 19, 2024.AP Photo/Matt Rourke, File

He was among the Republicans in Congress who voted against certifying the 2020 election results. While in Congress, he did not serve on committees with oversight of environmental policy.

In 2016 he pushed to change the designation of about 150 square miles of federal waters in Long Island Sound to state jurisdiction for New York and Rhode Island. He wanted to open the area to striped bass fishing, which is allowed in state waters but banned in the federal area.

Rep. Elise Stefanik

President-elect Donald Trump selected Rep. Elise Stefanik to be his U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, multiple Trump officials confirmed to ABC News.

Republican Rep. Stefanik won reelection to a U.S. House seat representing New York last Tuesday.

MORE | Trump chooses Rep. Elise Stefanik of NY to serve as US ambassador to United Nations

FILE - Republican Conference Chair Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., waves to supporters at CPAC in Oxon Hill, Md., Feb. 23, 2024.
FILE – Republican Conference Chair Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., waves to supporters at CPAC in Oxon Hill, Md., Feb. 23, 2024.

Stefanik built up a national profile as an unwavering ally of President-elect Trump and as a sharp-tongued partisan critic.

First elected to Congress in 2014 at age 30, she eventually shed her early reputation as a moderate Republican and rose to become the highest-ranking woman in the House Republican leadership.

Stefanik represents a largely rural northern New York district that includes some of the most sparsely populated parts of the state.

Haul out the holly! Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree arrives in New York City

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NEW YORK — The Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree arrived in New York City on Saturday, signaling the start of the holiday season in the Big Apple.

The 74-foot Norway spruce was driven into Manhattan’s Center Plaza, where it was hoisted in place by a crane. It will take 5 miles (about 8 kilometers) of light strands with more than 50,000 multicolored LED bulbs to wrap the tree, whose diameter measures 43 feet (13 meters). A Swarovski star crown sparkling with 3 million crystals will top it.

The towering conifer, donated by the Albert family in West Stockbridge, Massachusetts, was cut down Thursday morning and loaded onto a flatbed truck for the 140-mile (225-kilometer) trip. It is the first Rockefeller Center Christmas tree to come from Massachusetts since 1959.

It was met in New York City by smiling crowds who held cellphones aloft from behind barriers as crews attached cables to the giant tree, pounded a stake into its base and guided it into place.

“The crowds were big today. They were one of the biggest crowds I’ve ever seen that come to a tree raising,” said Erik Pauze, the head gardener at Rockefeller Center, who wore a candy cane-striped hard hat.

He first spotted the tree in 2020 while in search of another tree. Once in its new home, the adjustments began to get it ready for the elaborate tree-trimming to come.

“We stood it up, and now we’re going to lower some of the branches down by hand, because they’re so heavy and so big that we have to lower them down by hand,” Pauze said.

The lighting ceremony is Dec. 4.

When the tree is taken down in January, it will be milled into lumber for Habitat for Humanity.

North Houston neighbors say street corner has become a magnet for vagrancy and crime

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HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) — Neighbors in north Houston are sounding the alarm about a street corner that they say has become a hotspot for vagrancy and crime.

At all hours of the day, you’ll catch people loitering at the METRO light rail station and parking lots on the corner of Fulton and Cavalcade.

“We’ve seen cases where they’re trying to stab each other. They’re fighting each other,” a North Houston resident, Antonio Avalos, said.

“They’re using the restroom. They’re defecating on themselves. They are urinating. They are naked,” Monica Avalos said.

Others say they’ve caught people committing lewd acts and using drugs.

“Just the other day, we were passing by and there was a woman prostituting herself out there,” Cheryl Baxley said.

Neighbors say they’ve been reporting what they see to police but that the problems continue.

The Houston Police Department tells Eyewitness News that officers are handling the matter as best they can.

“When you’re too scared to get onto a bus or stand at the bus station, that’s not good,” Baxley said.

Councilman Mario Castillo agrees.

“Can we get an officer out here to enforce loitering or camping? That’s a struggle when we have a shortage of officers and they are responding to high-priority, high-level emergency calls,” Castillo said.

Castillo said his office has given HPD $100,000 to respond to calls in his district.

He’s urging people to report issues to a special website he’s set up: DistrictHPatrol.com. 

“As you report, we’ll route it to HPD. They report back to us on what the disposition is, and we put that right back on the website,” Castillo said.

METRO police sent Eyewitness News the following statement:

“The safety and security of our customers, employees, and the overall community are METRO’s highest priority. The MPD Crime Suppression Team and C.A.R.E. (Crisis, Assessment, Response, and Engagement) Unit are closely monitoring this area. The C.A.R.E. team frequently visits the Cavalcade rail platform and bus shelters on Fulton and Cavalcade, providing resources and support to people experiencing homelessness. MPD’s Crime Suppression Team, working in partnership with the Houston Police Department, has also conducted joint operations around Cavalcade, Airline, and I-45, resulting in numerous arrests.”

Man accused of sexually assaulting 5 women inside their apartments, HPD says

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HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) — Houston police are asking for the public’s help to identify a man who has sexually assaulted five women inside their apartments on the city’s northwest side.

On Friday afternoon, HPD released video of the suspect just hours after the latest attack at 5454 W. Gulf Bank.

According to police, he has targeted five female residents at four apartment complexes in the greater Inwood area since Aug.14. The following three attacks each happened a week apart on Oct. 9, Oct. 17, and Oct. 24. The fifth was on Friday around 7:30 a.m.

Sometimes he gained entry into the victim’s apartment through an unblocked door, police said. Once he was waiting for his victim to come home. In three attacks, he forced his way in and was armed with a gun and wearing a ski mask.

The four other attacks happened at 5454 West Gulf Bank, 5300 West Gulf Bank, and 5350 West Gulf Bank.

Friday morning, his face was not concealed. A security camera captured him walking between apartments and then running from one.

HPD described the suspect only as a Black male in his 20s.

Anyone with information on his identity or whereabouts is urged to contact HPD Special Victims Division at 713-308-1180 or Crime Stoppers at 713-222-TIPS.

1st-degree arson charges filed against suspect in E. Houston fire that killed firefighter, HFD says

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HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) — New arson charges have been filed against a suspect who is accused of setting a three-alarm fire to a warehouse where a Houston Fire Department firefighter died and another was injured in east Houston late Wednesday evening.

The Houston Fire Department Arson Bureau announced 1st-degree arson charges against a 38-year-old who they determined purposefully ignited the vacant building fire on Polk Street near Wayside Driver just before 11 p.m.

The video above is from the initial report. 

Fire officials said firefighter Marcelo ‘Ox’ Garcia III responded to the scene with HFD, where a second alarm was called for before a mayday call was activated when a wall collapsed, killing the 42-year-old.

HFD said that another firefighter was injured and didn’t sustain serious injuries, but Garcia was pronounced dead at the hospital.

Garcia served with the department for 10 years and spent the last six years on the southeast side at Station 23 on Lawndale Street.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Texas State Fire Marshal’s Office will continue the investigation.

“This charge is the first step in a long healing process for the firefighters of this city,” HFD Fire Chief Thomas Muñoz said. “I want to extend my personal gratitude to our Arson Bureau, the Houston Police Department, and the METRO police department for their collaboration on this investigation.”

Houston fire officials said the suspect is not in custody as of Saturday morning.

Playoff rankings and week 11 in college football

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The top college football teams in the country now know exactly where they stand heading into Week 11 of the season after the sport’s first edition of the 12-team playoff rankings were released this week.

While many fans are still working to understand how the automatic qualifiers will function, ESPN’s Paul Finebaum tells ABC13 in an extended interview that the perceived power conferences after realignment have proven to be exactly that.

“The tree-top story was the Big 10 and the SEC. We knew they were the power brokers, but four teams seems to be the magic number for both conferences. They’re pretty much dominating the 12-team playoff,” Finebaum said.

The SEC this weekend will see two games pitting college football playoff contenders against each other, starting with No. 3 Georgia at No. 16 Ole Miss (2:30 PM, ABC13) and the perennial showdown between No. 11 Alabama and No. 15 LSU on Saturday night in Baton Rouge (6:30 PM, ABC13).

“We have rarely, if ever, had a game this important between these two teams at this point in the year,” Finebaum said of the matchup in Tiger Stadium. “The fact that the loser between Alabama and LSU is out of the playoff, it just gives this an even more premium feeling. It’s going to be a feverish atmosphere.”

Finebaum also weighed in on the merits of No. 5 Texas (vs. Florida, 1130AM on ABC13), the pressure on Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin against Georgia, and the SEC’s announcement surrounding the fake injury controversy swirling in the conference.

METRO driver stabbed several times onboard bus near Willowbrook Mall

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HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) — A METRO driver was stabbed during some sort of altercation on the bus Friday morning on the northwest side, authorities told ABC13.

Numerous police cars were spotted just before 8 a.m. at the scene along Highway 249 and Gessner, near Willowbrook Mall.

According to a METRO spokesperson, the bus driver, a woman, suffered injuries to her hand, head, and shoulder. She was taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

It wasn’t immediately known if the alleged attacker was a passenger or someone else.

The suspect ran away, but was later taken into custody by police.

Front blowing in Friday night kicks off weekend with chance for showers and thunderstorms

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HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) — We started off Friday messy with scattered showers moving through SE Texas. More scattered showers will be expected into the afternoon and evening with isolated storms also possible. Overnight tonight, we are expecting a weak cool front to move in which should draw in a broken line of showers and storms. This line should pretty much be east of SE Texas by about 9-10 am Saturday morning. Scattered rain is still possible behind the front Saturday.

When can we expect temperatures to really cool off again?

There is another Pacific front coming through Texas this weekend, but we have to wait until after the weekend to get a more significant dose of cooler air back in Southeast Texas. Our next cold front is penciled in for Wednesday of next week, and that one should drop lows into the 50s and highs into the 70s, which is fairly typical for November.

What can we expect for the weekend?

Rain chances will increase to 60% Friday night as the next Pacific cool front blows in. Temperatures will start in the mid 60s and warm into the upper 70s on Saturday with rain chances dropping from 40% in the morning to just 20% during the afternoon. Sunday’s rain chance holds at 20% with a similar temperature range.

What are you tracking in the tropics?

Rafael is still a hurricane over the Gulf of Mexico as it tracks westward over the open water. It still looks like conditions remain hostile for Rafael in the Gulf, so we anticipate weakening as it tracks toward the Bay of Campeche. No impacts are expected here in SE Texas except for possibly elevated surf and increased rip currents. Head to our daily Tropical Update page for a complete look at what we’re covering in the tropics.

3 THINGS TO DO IN HOUSTON THIS WEEKEND

By Indira Zaldivar & Edward Saenz

For Houstonians looking to exploit this time of “thanksgiving” with their loved ones, here are three festive things to do in Houston this weekend. 

Catrina Fina and Mariachi Festival – Sunday, Nov. 10 at 3 p.m.

    This free event features the screening of the “La Catrina” documentary. Catrinas are a significant part of Mexican culture. Learn more about it and feel welcome to wear your catrina attire. The event will take place at Teatro: Talento Bilingue Houston.

    Myths and Leyendas – Sunday, Nov. 10

      This free festival by the Museum of Fine Arts returns for a third time to highlight Latin American culture and art. Guests will be treated to food, live music, and dance performances on the Brown Foundation, Inc. Plaza as MFAH features new, temporary large-scale sculptures by six Houston Latinx artists. The event runs from 1 to 5 p.m.

      Experience the Winter Lantern Festival at the Houston Botanic Garden

      At the Houston Botanic Garden, the “Radiant Nature” Winter Lantern Festival running from Nov. 8, 2024 – Feb. 23, 2025, lights up the holiday season with a breathtaking display of Chinese-inspired lanterns and light installations. Expect a life-sized Chinese palace, a stunning floral tunnel, an interactive dragon, and an iridescent dome. This festival blends cultural beauty with the festive spirit, creating an enchanting holiday experience. Tickets available online.

        Make memories with these festive events and celebrate the season in style.

        Celebrando a la comunidad a través del poder de la responsabilidad social

        Por Nicole Cordero, vicepresidenta de Asuntos Comunitarios y Marketing, Los Defensores
        El poder de contribuir a la comunidad radica en nuestra capacidad de generar cambios significativos y ayudar a quienes más lo necesitan. El lanzamiento a nivel nacional de la iniciativa comunitaria “Siempre Contigo” de Los Defensores traerá este impacto transformador a las comunidades desfavorecidas de Houston al abordar necesidades críticas como la inseguridad alimentaria y la igualdad social. Al invertir en organizaciones locales y empoderar a las personas, la iniciativa tiene como objetivo crear un cambio positivo y duradero que fortalecerá a la comunidad y abrirá nuevas oportunidades de crecimiento y prosperidad.

        Es por eso que estoy especialmente orgullosa de anunciar el lanzamiento de nuestra iniciativa comunitaria “Siempre Contigo”, la cual refleja nuestro compromiso inquebrantable de apoyar a nuestras comunidades en tiempos de necesidad. A través de esta iniciativa, estamos formando una alianza con el Banco de Alimentos de Houston y la Fundación BakerRipley. Ambas organizaciones tienen como objetivo abordar la inseguridad alimentaria y satisfacer diversas necesidades de la comunidad en el área de Houston.

        Nuestra iniciativa comunitaria “Siempre Contigo” se basa en una idea simple pero poderosa: somos más fuertes juntos. Ya sea que estemos abordando la inseguridad alimentaria o defendiendo la justicia social, el trabajo que hacemos no se trata solo de brindar alivio inmediato. Se trata de empoderar a las familias y las personas con las herramientas que necesitan para construir futuros más brillantes.

        Alianza con líderes locales para combatir la inseguridad alimentaria

        Houston es una ciudad con una población hispana vibrante y en crecimiento, pero también es un centro de marcadas desigualdades. La inseguridad alimentaria, en particular, sigue siendo un problema imperioso para muchas familias, ya que uno de cada cinco hogares de Houston carece de acceso confiable a comidas nutritivas. El Banco de Alimentos de Houston ha sido durante mucho tiempo un pilar en la lucha contra el hambre y, con nuestro apoyo, pretendemos extender su alcance aún más a las comunidades que más lo necesitan.

        A través de la iniciativa comunitaria “Siempre Contigo”, nuestra contribución al Banco de Alimentos de Houston apoyará directamente a programas que alimentan a las familias y ofrecen educación sobre nutrición y salud. Queremos asegurarnos de que ningún niño se vaya a dormir con hambre y que las familias que luchan por llegar a fin de mes tengan un lugar al que acudir en busca de ayuda.

        Apoyo a la igualdad social y el empoderamiento comunitario

        Además de luchar contra el hambre, estamos comprometidos a abordar los problemas socioeconómicos que afectan desproporcionadamente a nuestra comunidad. La Fundación BakerRipley ha sido líder en la creación de vías hacia la oportunidad económica y el compromiso cívico para las poblaciones más desatendidas de Houston. Al asociarnos con ellos, estamos trabajando para apoyar iniciativas que brindan capacitación laboral, emprendimiento, asistencia legal y recursos educativos, servicios que son fundamentales para romper los ciclos de pobreza e injusticia que enfrentan tantas personas en nuestra comunidad.

        Las subvenciones que estamos brindando a estas organizaciones son solo el comienzo. Vemos esto como una inversión a largo plazo en la comunidad de Houston, que crecerá a medida que profundicemos nuestras relaciones y sigamos encontrando nuevas formas de apoyar a los necesitados.

        Por qué es importante contribuir

        La iniciativa comunitaria “Siempre Contigo” es nuestra promesa a la comunidad de Houston de que siempre estaremos allí, a su lado y contribuiremos de maneras significativas. Al mirar hacia el futuro, invitamos a otros a unirse a nosotros en este trayecto de donación, ya sea a través del voluntariado, donaciones o simplemente compartiendo las historias de quienes nos inspiran. Juntos, podemos seguir construyendo un legado de fortaleza, resiliencia y compasión que llevará a nuestra comunidad hacia adelante para las generaciones venideras.