Washington

Trump takeover of Washington begins as he holds court from Palm Beach | CNN Politics

Published

1 year ago

December 11, 2024

Trump takeover of Washington begins as he holds court from Palm Beach | CNN Politics

CNN
—

The epicenter of Donald Trump’s transition is gradually shifting from south Florida to Washington, DC, to prepare for the president-elect’s return to the country’s seat of power, even as he prefers to bask in the afterglow of his electoral triumph from Mar-a-Lago.

Key allies are shepherding Trump’s Cabinet picks through a gauntlet of Capitol Hill meetings, working to assuage lawmakers’ unease amid a tangle of controversies surrounding some of them. Other advisers have decamped to the nation’s capital to set the stage for Trump’s first actions in the Oval Office. And some incoming officials have finally engaged with their outgoing counterparts — a traditionally uneventful handoff delayed this time for weeks until Trump transition leaders signed mandatory agreements with the Biden administration.

People who work on Trump’s advance team have also moved operations to DC, where planning on his second inauguration is well underway. Working out of their new digs in the General Services Administration building, they are working with Secret Service and touring venues for inaugural balls and other ancillary events in anticipation of January 20 as they piece together the lead up to Trump’s White House arrival, sources involved in the planning told CNN.

Trump-aligned groups are also acquiring office space inside the Beltway, looking to capitalize on his win as DC lobbyists are seeking ways to gain access to the incoming administration, people familiar with the conversations told CNN.

The northern migration also includes some of Trump’s longtime staff who stayed by his side after he left office or joined his political operation after he announced his plans to run again. Many of them moved to West Palm Beach as he plotted his political comeback from his nearby estate.

Now, a Florida takeover of Washington is forthcoming and the DC real estate market is flush with these loyalists looking for new homes and to build out their staffs.

“Part of the reason we’re all descending on DC so early is because the nominees were landed quicker, the sub-Cabinet is starting to form, policy teams are in place, and so what’s left is figuring out where the hell we’re going to live and staffing up,” one Trump adviser said. “Everything is oriented to being as ready as humanly possible.”

All the while, Trump remains largely out of sight at Mar-a-Lago — except by those with access to his exclusive Palm Beach club. His scaled-back public schedule has included a quick trip to Paris for the reopening of the Notre Dame Cathedral, and on Thursday he will appear at the New York Stock Exchange. But he has otherwise kept mostly to his palatial estate. Social media posts have captured Trump popping into evening soirees, including at least one wedding and star-studded galas hosted at his venue. At one such event, the conservative group Moms for America named Trump “Man of the Century.” On Tuesday, Trump was slated to attend another gala for America’s Future PAC, led by his former national security adviser, Mike Flynn, where Trump was expected to present allies Kid Rock and Tucker Carlson with awards, according to an invited guest.

Much of the final work of the transition remains based out of the West Palm Beach offices, where a vast operation is underway to help staff the incoming administration with loyalists expected to faithfully carry out Trump’s agenda. A large portion of the process is being overseen by America First Policy Institute, a deeply conservative Trump-aligned think tank staffed largely by former and future administration officials.

Successful conservative influencers, Silicon Valley moguls, lawmakers and business leaders have descended on West Palm Beach to lend their expertise to the transition on building out companies and large-scale operations. Those seeking to join the administration are put through a series of interviews — some one-on-one, others in a group setting — where questions range from the contender’s background, to policy questions to whether or not they believe the 2020 election was stolen, a source briefed on the process told CNN.

The finalists are then presented to Trump, who has preferred to remain at Mar-a-Lago as much as possible for the time being after so much travel on the campaign trail, the source added. He has turned down the majority of requests to attend public events, preferring to wheel and deal on the patio of his resort in between meals surrounded by friends and rounds of golf.

“He’s been very active, but he gets to do it from base camp. He’s happy laying low right now,” the Trump adviser said.

As it is, the West Palm Beach airport is still busy with people flying in to gain an audience with the president-elect.

Trump has so far hosted several foreign leaders, including Argentinian President Javier Milei, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban. Trump recently dined with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s wife, Sara, at his golf club.

Conservative groups have also rushed to use Mar-a-Lago as the backdrop for their events, giving them an opportunity to rub shoulders with the MAGA elite.

Last month, Trump, Vice President-elect JD Vance and a string of incoming administration officials spoke at the America First Policy Institute Gala. Elon Musk, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Vivek Ramaswamy, Matt Gaetz, Brooke Rollins and Sylvester Stallone, among others, were all in attendance.

Turning Point Action, an organization that played a key role for Trump during the campaign, held a Winter Gala at Mar-a-Lago last weekend, where Trump allies and incoming administration officials heaped praise on the president-elect. The group’s founder, Charlie Kirk, and Trump’s incoming deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller were among those who spoke. Trump’s pick to lead the FBI, Kash Patel; his recently announced White House counselor Alina Habba, who carried a clutch bedazzled with the letters “FJB,” an acronym for “F**k Joe Biden”; and conservative commentator Benny Johnson were among those in attendance. Trump himself was not there, as he was flying back from Paris after the reopening of Notre Dame.

CNN previously reported that Trump hosted the chief executives of Pfizer and Eli Lilly for dinner at Mar-a-Lago last week. Kennedy, Trump’s pick to lead the Health and Human Services Department, and Dr. Mehmet Oz, his pick for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, also attended.

One of the senators key to the confirmation hopes of Trump’s picks — Iowa Republican Joni Ernst — was also at Mar-a-Lago last month. She and the president-elect dined on the patio alongside Musk and Howard Lutnick, the billionaire Wall Street executive Trump tapped for secretary of Commerce, and discussed her involvement in helping the nascent Department of Government Efficiency from the Senate.

Lately, Trump has also welcomed to his Florida home an ever-expanding array of political outsiders as he turns away from traditional Washington and Republican power brokers for counsel. That includes an increasingly influential sect of venture capitalists and right-leaning Silicon Valley executives close to Musk, newly named cryptocurrency czar David Sacks and other billionaire tech entrepreneurs now fully ensconced in his orbit. Longtime Trump adviser Steve Bannon, recently released from prison for refusing to cooperate with the congressional investigation into the January 6, 2021, attack on the US Capitol, was recently spotted alongside the president-elect at Mar-a-Lago as well.

Since the election, Trump has departed Florida on only a handful of occasions. Last month, he traveled to New York City for a UFC fight, and also accompanied Musk to a SpaceX launch in Texas.

He traveled back to New York City earlier this month to accept Fox News’ “Patriot of the Year” award and tape an interview with NBC’s “Meet the Press.” He then flew directly to Paris.

After his Thursday visit to the New York Stock Exchange, he’ll return to Mar-a-Lago before attending the Army-Navy game in Landover, Maryland, on Saturday.

And while his team is spending more time in Washington, Trump has been there just once since his victory to meet with President Joe Biden at the White House and pow wow with House Republicans near Capitol Hill.

Instead, Trump has largely previewed his plans through social media posts. On Tuesday, for example, he said on Truth Social that under his administration the US government will offer expedited approval to companies planning to invest $1 billion in domestic production.

“GET READY TO ROCK!!!” Trump concluded his post.

CNN’s Kayla Tausche and Alejandra Jaramillo contributed to this report.

Source link

Washington

A look at the roots (and routes) of immigration to Washington

Published

49 minutes ago

April 20, 2026

Press Room

A look at the roots (and routes) of immigration to Washington

The Newsfeed

This week, the team brings you stories about how communities including Filipino immigrants, Sephardic Jews and Somalis arrived in the Pacific Northwest

Each week on The Newsfeed, host Paris Jackson and a team of veteran journalists dive deep into one topic and provide impactful reporting, interviews and community insights from sources you can trust. Each day this week, this post will be updated with a new story from the team.

Group hopes to boost recognition for Seattle’s Filipinotown

By Venice Buhain

The group Filipinotown Seattle hopes to make sure that the legacy of Filipino Americans in Seattle’s Chinatown-International District isn’t forgotten.

One of the group’s current projects is pushing for a Filipinotown placemarking sign in the CID.

“Filipino Americans have had a presence here for over 100 years in Seattle,” said Filipinotown Seattle Executive Director Devin Israel Cabanilla.

He said that the signage is important to remind people that “the International District is not just Chinatown. Japantown. Filipinotown is here as well.”

The group held a poll on what signage might look like and where it might be located. It would be similar to the Chinatown sign on South Jackson Street and Fifth Avenue South, or the Wing Luke Museum

In the early 20th century, the area now known as the CID was a hub full of businesses, entertainment, social groups and housing that served Seattle’s growing immigrant population from Asia and elsewhere. The communities all intermingled throughout the CID.

“This area was a central place for Asian Pacific immigrants simply because of segregation,” Cabanilla said.

Because the Philippines was a U.S. territory from 1898 to 1946, Filipino immigrants were unaffected by laws in the 1920s that restricted immigration from Japan or China. Many Filipinos came to study at the University of Washington or to work in burgeoning industries, like lumber, farming, canneries and factories.

While the physical Filipino presence in terms of buildings and storefronts in the CID dwindled in the later 20th century with redevelopment, Seattle Filipinos and Filipino Americans continued to make impacts locally, regionally and nationally.

“It may not have been in terms of storefronts, but our presence has always existed in terms of politics, culture as well,” Cabanilla said.

The Seattle Department of Transportation said it is aware that the group is working on its signage request, but the Department of Neighborhoods has not yet received a formal request. They are also working to develop a clearer process for this and other similar neighborhood signage proposals.

Filipinotown Seattle said it hopes that the sign helps remind Seattle of the CID’s unique designation as a neighborhood shaped by many immigrants and migrants to Seattle.

“Is it Chinatown? Is it Japantown? Is it Little Saigon? It’s all those things. And I think re cultivating that this is a multicultural district, Filipinotown is helping establish: Yes, it’s more than one thing,” Cabanilla said.

Venice Buhain is a multimedia journalist at Cascade PBS. She previously was the Cascade PBS’s associate news editor and education reporter. Venice has also worked for KING 5, The Seattle Globalist and TVW News.

Source link

Washington

The Church of Jesus Christ has announced its 384th temple

Published

13 hours ago

April 19, 2026

Press Room

The Church of Jesus Christ has announced its 384th temple

The state of Washington is getting a seventh temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

The Marysville Washington Temple was announced Sunday night during a devotional in the Marysville Washington Stake by Elder Hugo E. Martinez, a General Authority Seventy in the church’s United States West Area Presidency.

“We are pleased to announce the construction of a temple in Marysville, Washington,” the First Presidency said in a statement. “The specific location and timing of the construction will be announced later. This is a reason for all of us to rejoice and express gratitude for such a significant blessing — one that will allow more frequent access to the ordinances, covenants and power that can only be found in the house of the Lord.”

The other temples in Washington are the Columbia River, Moses Lake, Seattle, Spokane, Tacoma and Vancouver temples.

The church has 214 temples in operation. Plans for another 170 temples have been announced; many of those temples are in various stages of planning and construction.

Sunday’s temple announcement follows the new practice of the church’s First Presidency, which determines where temples will be built — and when and how they will be announced.

The First Presidency directed a General Authority Seventy to announce the first temple in Maine at a fireside there in December.

In January, church President Dallin H. Oaks said the Maine announcement set the pattern for future temple announcements.

“The best place to announce a temple is in that temple district,” he told the Deseret News.

The First Presidency will continue to decide where future temples will be built. It then will “assign someone else to make the announcement in the place where the temple will be built,” he said.

This pattern came to him as a strong impression after he assumed leadership of the church in October, following the death of his friend, President Russell M. Nelson.

This came as a strong impression to him shortly after he assumed the leadership of the church, President Oaks said.

The church remains in the midst of an aggressive temple-building era. President Nelson announced 200 new temples from 2018 to 2025. All but one were announced at general conference.

Five dozen temples are now under construction.

President Oaks now has overseen the announcement of two temples, neither at a general conference.

At the October conference he said that “with the large number of temples now in the very earliest phases of planning and construction, it is appropriate that we slow down the announcement of new temples.”

Ten new temples are scheduled to be dedicated in the next six months.

May 3: Davao Philippines Temple.
May 3: Lindon Utah Temple.
May 31: Bacolod Philippines Temple.
June 7: Yorba Linda California Temple.
June 7: Willamette Valley Oregon Temple.
Aug. 16: Belo Horizonte Brazil Temple.
Aug. 16: Cleveland Ohio Temple.
Aug. 30: Phnom Penh Cambodia Temple.
Oct. 11: Miraflores Guatemala City Guatemala Temple.
Oct. 18: Managua Nicaragua Temple.

Two-thirds of the 170 temples still to be built are outside the United States.

Temples are distinct from the meetinghouses where Latter-day Saints worship Jesus Christ each Sunday. Temples are closed on Sundays, but they open during the week as sanctuaries where church members go to find peace, make covenants with God and perform proxy ordinances for deceased relatives.

Source link

Washington

Washington football displays depth, talent at first spring scrimmage

Published

2 days ago

April 18, 2026

Press Room

Washington football displays depth, talent at first spring scrimmage

On a perfect day in Seattle for football, Washington took the field inside Husky Stadium for its first scrimmage of spring practice, and ahead of his third season at the helm, Jedd Fisch seemed pleased with the results.

“Guys played and competed their ass off,” he said after the Huskies ran 120 plays. “That’s the type of day we want to have…We have a lot to work on, but we’re excited that today gave us this opportunity.”

The 120 plays had a little bit of everything, but the biggest thing the Huskies showed during the day was that, despite the inexperience that Fisch’s coaching staff is looking to lean on at several positions, there’s plenty of talent littering the roster. The best example of that is sophomore safety Paul Mencke Jr., who had his best practice in a Husky uniform after Fisch announced on Saturday that senior CJ Christian is out for the year after suffering a torn Achilles tendon during Tuesday’s practice at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center.

“Paul’s done a great job of competing and being physical and playing fast, and you could see over these three years, he’s really grown into understanding now the system, and what’s asked of him as a safety,” Fisch said. “I think there’s a lot of in him that he wants to be like (safeties coach Taylor) Mays. He sees himself as a tall, linear, big hitter. So when you have your coach that is known for that type of play, I think Paul has done a great job.”

Mencke was all over the field. Not only did he lay some big hits, just like his safeties coach did during his time at USC, but the former four-star recruit also tallied a pair of pass breakups, an interception in a 7-on-7 period, and multiple strong tackles to hold ball carriers to limited yards.

While the defense did a good job getting pressure throughout the day and making the quarterbacks hold the ball with different looks on the back end, with safety Alex McLaughlin, linebacker Donovan Robinson, and edge rusher Logan George all among the players credited for a sack, quarterback Demond Williams Jr. got an opportunity to show off how he’s improved ahead of his junior year.

Early on, he showed off his well-known speed and athleticism, making the correct decision on a read option, pulling the ball and scampering for a 25-yard gain before displaying his touch. Throughout the day, his favorite target was junior receiver Rashid Williams, whom he found on several layered throws of 15-plus yards in the various scrimmage periods of practice.

On a day when every able-bodied member of the team was able to get several reps of live action, here are some of the other noteworthy plays from the day.

Spring practice notebook

Freshman cornerback Jeron Jones was unable to participate in the scrimmage and was spotted working off to the side with the rest of the players rehabbing their injuries.
The running backs delivered a pair of big blows on the day. First, cornerback Emmanuel Karnley was on the receiving end of a big hit from redshirt freshman Quaid Carr before the former three-star recruit ripped off a 13-yard touchdown run on the next play. Later on, every player on offense had a lot of fun cheering on freshman Ansu Sanoe after he leveled Zaydrius Rainey-Sale, letting the sophomore linebacker hear all about it when the play was whistled dead.
Sophomore wide receiver Justice Williams put together a strong day with several contested catches, showing off his strong hands and 6-foot-4 frame, including a 25-yard catch and run off a drag route from backup quarterback Elijah Brown.
Of all the tackles for a loss the Huskies were able to rack up throughout the day, two stood out. First, junior defensive tackle Elinneus Davis burst through the middle of the line to wrap up freshman running back Brian Bonner. Later on, freshman outside linebacker Ramzak Fruean wasn’t even touched as he shot through a gap in the offensive line to track down a play from behind, letting the entire offensive sideline know about the play on his way back to his own bench.
The Huskies experimented with several defensive line combinations on Saturday, and for the first time this spring, it felt like freshman Derek Colman-Brusa took the majority of his reps alongside someone other than Davis, who he said has taken on an older brother role to help mentor the top-ranked in-state prospect in the 2026 class.

“Elinneus is a phenomenal guy. Great work ethic. He’s kind of taken on that older brother mentor for me. He’s been a great help just to learn plays and learn the scheme. Can’t say enough good things about the guy.”

Ball State transfer Darin Conley took a handful of reps with the first team, while rotating with Colman-Brusa, who got a lot of work in alongside Sacramento State transfer DeSean Watts.

Source link