Table of Contents
November 19, 2024
Nada Tawfik, Regan Morris BBC News (Palm Beach, Florida)
Mar-a-Lago, the mansion and private club owned by U.S. President-elect Donald Trump in Florida, will once again become the “Winter White House.” On the other side of that luxurious door, the next president is considering personnel changes to form a new administration. Mar-a-Lago is attracting attention from those hoping to be appointed to the West Wing of the White House.
Incumbent Joe Biden will remain in office until January 2025, but this part of Florida has already become the center of American political power, rivaling Washington.
It was just two years ago that the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) discovered classified documents about American nuclear weapons and spy satellites stored in a bathroom at Mar-a-Lago. At Mar-a-Lago, armed guards in dog-like robots and boats now patrol the grounds and outside, and a large number of people related to various camps have gathered inside the mansion.
North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum was right there on the night of the vote count. So did former Pentagon chief of staff Kash Patel.
Ten days after the election, President-elect Trump announced that Burgum would lead the Interior Department and the newly created National Energy Council. Patel is being considered for the directorship of either the FBI or the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA).
Musk and his son have been photographed spending time at the private resort and on the runway at Palm Beach International Airport. Musk frequently travels back and forth to Florida to be close to the president-elect.
image copyrightkaitrumpgolfs
image captionPresident-elect Trump’s family photo also features Elon Musk (second from right)
Battle for posts around Mar-a-Lago
Those not invited to stay at Mar-a-Lago are gathering at hotels and restaurants around West Palm Beach. The area is crowded with people vying for influence in the new administration and supporters celebrating the president-elect’s victory.
Vaccine skeptic Robert F. Kennedy Jr., former President John F. Kennedy’s guest, was at the swanky bar with a pool at The Ben Hotel in West Palm Beach. A skating rink made of fake ice and a Christmas tree greet guests at the hotel.
A giant golden Great Dane sculpture hangs in the lobby and outside the elevators on each floor.
Kennedy Jr., who at one time ran as an independent candidate for president, is now part of the transition team. The next president nominated him to be Secretary of Health and Human Services, as he was aiming for a position that would influence health policy.
Kennedy said this before the campaign, standing next to former Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, who switched from the Democratic Party to the Republican Party. “There are people with different ideologies. We have to confront them on the transition team and fight for our vision.”
Image provided by Stephen Greaves/BBC News
image captionA golden Great Dane sculpture at The Ben hotel. It seems as if they are closely observing the people who are arriving at the hotel one after another in hopes of being appointed to the new administration.
Georgia Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene was also spotted at The Ben. She recently blamed the Biden administration for causing flooding in Republican-dominated areas of North Carolina. He is believed to be aiming for a cabinet post in the new government.
Young employees had their most exciting moments at The Breakers, a luxurious Italian Renaissance-style oceanfront hotel. Dana White, representative of the American mixed martial arts organization Ultimate Fighting Championship, has arrived. White is a friend of President-elect Trump, and they have appeared together at campaign rallies. However, White himself says he has no political ambitions.
But of course, not all people lack ambition. A Republican official the BBC encountered in a hotel hallway said the current transition was an “anything goes” situation, with various factions within the party jostling for supremacy.
“Trump loves to have people wriggling around in front of him, trying to get their way.”
However, according to the person involved, “some people who can meet the minimum standards are starting to say that they don’t need a specific position.” This person spoke about this with some anxiety.
For example, Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas) is not interested in a position in the administration, and would rather serve as a member of the Republican caucus in the Senate.
Image provided by Stephen Greaves/BBC News
image captionTight security is in place at President-elect Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort, which is also his private residence. The image shows a Secret Service watchtower visible through the Trump-Vance campaign sign.
A “different way” from the first term
President-elect Trump does not appear to have any intention of limiting appointments to high-level positions to elected officials.
Trump’s eldest son, Donald Jr., said in an interview on Fox News that his father wanted someone who “wouldn’t think he knew more than[Trump].” He also stated that he was prepared to block the selection if he thought it was a poor choice.
The president-elect feels the biggest mistake he made during his first term was hiring “bad people and disloyal people.” Therefore, in his second term, he has been vocal about changing his approach.
In 2016, New Jersey Governor Chris Christie (then a Republican), who was in charge of the Trump campaign’s transition preparation team, was working with the Obama administration to prepare a transition plan. However, the efforts came to nothing.
Trump’s campaign, which won an unexpected victory in this year’s presidential election, took an unconventional approach and abandoned Christie.
Later, at Trump Tower in New York, a scene similar to that of the popular reality show “The Apprentice,” which President-elect Trump once hosted, unfolded in front of television cameras. Just like in the program, people who wanted to be hired by the new government lined up.
The lobby was packed with reporters trying to take pictures of everyone entering the golden elevator to meet President-elect Trump on the 26th floor of Trump Tower.
In 2016, it was still difficult to predict what the Trump administration would do, and the world was watching the comings and goings of Trump Tower to find out. Influential figures from Wall Street, the media, politics and the entertainment industry continued to request meetings with the president-elect. Among them were Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates, former US Vice President Al Gore, and US rapper Kanye West.
image captionA variety of people visited Trump Tower to meet President-elect Donald Trump, who won the 2016 presidential election. The media captured the incident on camera. Image shows President-elect Trump and Kanye West in front of the golden elevator at Trump Tower (December 2016, New York)
This time around, President-elect Trump seems to be prioritizing loyalty to himself and focusing on who has been by his side from the beginning.
Mar-a-Lago is on high alert like a fortress. The surrounding hotel balconies, parks and beaches are packed with media from all over the world.
The process of regime change continues to proceed in a deliberately unconventional manner. And so far, much more is going on behind the scenes than in 2016.
Slater Bayliss, co-founder of Advocacy Partners, a Florida-based lobbying firm, said he worked for Wiles and vice versa during campaigns in the state, but he also worked closely with Wiles. He says it’s much better to be on his side.
“To borrow a nickname from Britain, Susie is the ‘Iron Lady’ of American electoral politics,” Bayliss said.
Bayliss said Florida has served as a “base of resistance for smart conservatives who love this country, who want to make it a better reflection of the will of their voters, and who want to help make that happen.” And people who want to help the next Trump administration are flocking to Mar-a-Lago one after another.
Max Goodman, a Republican political consultant, says he has a feeling the big wave that started in Florida will hit Washington.
Goodman believes the Trump campaign will be heavily recruiting for Wiles’ staff and Florida personnel. Florida’s Congressional delegation in both the House and Senate enthusiastically supported candidate Trump from an early stage.
“Both the (next) president and his great political consultant-turned-chief of staff live in Florida. There is no other place in the country like Florida for developing political talent. ” said Goodman.
Image copyrightReuters
image captionMr Trump’s oceanfront resort is patrolled by armed guards in boats
Florida has the second-largest Republican Congressional Caucus in the nation. Despite this, Goodman said, up until now, Floridians have been “extremely ignored” when it comes to placing people at the center of government.
Goodman said having Wiles in the lead could change the game by opening the door for key players from Florida to hold such key jobs. For example, Sen. Rick Scott could become Senate Majority Leader, and Sen. Marco Rubio could become a Cabinet member.
(*Editor’s note: On the 13th, Senate Republicans elected John Thune of South Dakota to be the leader of the chamber, instead of Scott. Rubio was nominated to be secretary of state.)
Among those named to the transition team is Joe Gruters. He is now watching how it unfolds.
Gruters co-chaired Trump’s campaign in Florida during the 2016 presidential election, along with Wiles, then the Florida Republican Party chairman. He is currently a member of the state senate.
Mr. Gruters, who calls himself a “loyal foot soldier,” was the only member of the Florida Legislature to immediately support Mr. Trump’s 2024 presidential bid, and appeared at Mar-a-Lago to coincide with the announcement. I showed it.
Mr. Gruters expects Mr. Wiles to head to Washington with a group of “experienced” aides and promote them to various White House positions.
“We all know who really believed in[Trump]…I think[the transition team]already knows who they’re going to fill most of the positions,” Gruters said. he said.
This is “MAGA country”
Trump became the first Palm Beach resident when he purchased Mar-a-Lago in the 1980s. However, it was not well received at the time.
But now, when you walk around the city, you can clearly see that there is a “MAGA country” here. I can clearly see it. “MAGA” is, of course, Trump’s slogan, “Make America Great Again.” Bikinis and hats with Trump motifs are all over the city.
Argentine President Javier Millay was present at Mar-a-Lago on the 14th. The purpose was to meet with President-elect Trump and Musk. This is the first time Trump has met face-to-face with a foreign leader since winning the election.
The site also hosted the Conservative Political Action Conference’s (CPAC) annual investor summit from the 14th to the 16th. Participation tickets were sold for up to $25,000 (approximately 3.8 million yen).
Even if he becomes president next January and once again takes up his position in the Oval Office of the White House, the flow of people heading to Florida will never stop.
President-elect Trump will likely want to spend as much time as possible in Florida during his second term. Bayliss, the Florida lobbyist mentioned above, thinks so.
Bayliss hopes that will make “the 62,500-square-foot Mar-a-Lago the most sacred real estate in politics.”
(Additional interview: Pratiksha Gildial)
– How might the unique political dynamics in Florida serve as a model or warning for other states regarding party alignment and campaign strategies?
Ded questions to stimulate conversation and encourage different perspectives on the key topics covered in the article:
Section 1: The Importance of Florida in U.S. Politics
– Given that Florida has the second-largest Republican Congressional Caucus in the nation, what do you think makes it such an important state for national politicians and policymakers?
– Do you think being located in Florida gives President-elect Trump an advantage or disadvantage in terms of his political strategy and decision-making? Why or why not?
Section 2: The Rise of Susie Wiles as a Political Powerhouse
– How has Susie Wiles managed to become a prominent figure in U.S. politics despite not holding any elected office? What qualities does she possess that make her so effective as a political strategist?
– What impact do you think Susie Wiles’ involvement in the Trump administration could have on the future of the Republican Party, particularly in Florida?
Section 3: Mar-a-Lago as a Hub for Political Activity
– How has Mar-a-Lago become a significant gathering place for conservative politicians and supporters since President Trump purchased it in the 1980s? Do you think this trend will continue under a President Biden?
– How does the environment at Mar-a-Lago compare to that of other traditional political venues like the White House or Capitol Hill?
Section 4: The Role of Florida in Shaping Future Politics
– With several key Republican leaders hailing from Florida, do you think the state has the potential to shape the future of U.S. politics? If so, how?
- As someone who has spent time in both Washington D.C. and Florida, what are some of the key differences you’ve noticed between the two political landscapes?
