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

Published

2 years 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.

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Review: ‘Young Washington’ is an imperfect film perfect for kicking off the 4th of July

Published

1 hour ago

July 4, 2026

Press Room

Review: ‘Young Washington’ is an imperfect film perfect for kicking off the 4th of July

There are some movies you admire. There are others that surprise you.

“Young Washington” grazes the first category while falling into the second.

I wasn’t expecting to be swept away by a relatively modest historical drama about George Washington before he became the father of a nation. And for a while, I wasn’t.

The film takes its time introducing the future president, and that deliberate pace occasionally borders on sluggish. The first half struggles to find its rhythm, and there are moments when the story feels more interested in checking historical boxes than pulling us into the drama.

But somewhere along the way, something changed.

I stopped watching a history lesson and started watching a young man trying to figure out who he wanted to become.

By the end, I found myself surprisingly invested. Not because “Young Washington” is a perfect movie. Because it reminded me why stories about imperfect people often make for the best history.

A surprisingly ambitious production

One of the first things that stood out was just how good this movie looks.

This isn’t a blockbuster with the budget of films like “The Patriot” or “The Last of the Mohicans.” In fact, when you consider what those productions cost – and adjust for inflation – the difference is enormous.

That’s what makes this film’s production value so impressive.

The costumes, locations, and battle sequences all feel authentic enough to transport you back to colonial America. There are moments where it’s clear the filmmakers had to be creative with their resources, but more often than not they make those limitations disappear.

It’s a reminder that good filmmaking isn’t always about having the biggest budget.

Sometimes it’s about knowing exactly where to spend the money you do have.

An uneven cast, but strong performances where it matters

The acting is a bit of a mixed bag.

There are performances that occasionally feel stiff and a few scenes where the dialogue doesn’t land with the emotional weight it’s reaching for.

Fortunately, those moments never completely pulled me out of the movie.

Ben Kingsley brings a welcome sense of gravitas whenever he appears, and Andy Serkis continues his remarkable ability to disappear into whatever role he’s given. Their performances help ground the film and elevate several key moments.

More importantly, the actor portraying the young Washington succeeds where it matters most.

He made me curious.

Rather than presenting Washington as the flawless hero we’ve seen in countless paintings and history books, the film allows him to be uncertain, ambitious and, at times, deeply conflicted.

That humanity gives the story life.

The best history asks bigger questions

What I appreciated most wasn’t simply learning facts about George Washington’s early life. It was watching the experiences that slowly shaped the leader he would become.

The movie explores questions that feel surprisingly relevant today.

Why do we chase success? Is ambition about building our own legacy? Seeking recognition? Or is it about leaving the world a little better than we found it?

Washington makes mistakes, he learns hard lessons and his failures become just as important as his victories.

Whether every conversation happened exactly as portrayed is almost beside the point. The film captures something emotionally true about leadership – wisdom is usually earned, not inherited.

That’s where “Young Washington” found its strongest footing.

A finale worth waiting for

For much of its runtime, I’d describe “Young Washington” as good. Not great.

The pacing continues to wobble, and I occasionally found myself wishing the story would move with a little more urgency.

Then came the final act.

Without spoiling anything, the emotional payoff finally arrives.

The themes the movie has been quietly building suddenly click into place, and what felt like a slow burn becomes something genuinely moving.

I left the theater feeling more invested than I expected, and that ending elevated the entire experience.

Sometimes a great conclusion doesn’t erase a movie’s flaws. It simply reminds you why the journey mattered.

What parents should know

“Young Washington” is PG-13, and that seems appropriate. There is no vulgar language, no sexual content, but it is a war movie, and it can get violent. It’s not gruesome or graphic, but there are battle scenes, deaths, and some blood. Young viewers may find it unsettling, and some older viewers may cover their eyes a time or two.

The violence is not romanticized but rather shown to depict the horrors of war.

Conclusion

“Young Washington” isn’t the definitive Revolutionary War epic.

It has pacing issues, some performances are uneven, and the script occasionally struggles to maintain momentum.

But I also found myself thinking about it long after the credits rolled.

In an era when so many historical films try to overwhelm audiences with spectacle, “Young Washington” focuses on something much simpler: the formation of character.

It asks how ordinary choices become extraordinary leadership. How failure shapes conviction. How service ultimately matters more than personal glory.

Watching it on the eve of the Fourth of July felt especially fitting.

As America celebrates 250 years, this movie serves as a reminder that the nation’s founding wasn’t accomplished by mythical figures who always knew the right answer. It was shaped by real people who stumbled, learned, and ultimately chose something bigger than themselves.

That’s a story worth telling.

And despite its imperfections, “Young Washington” tells it well enough that I walked away feeling just a little more grateful, and a little more excited, to celebrate this great country I have the opportunity to call home.

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Indie Films Opening July 3: ‘Young Washington’ Marches Into Theaters

Published

11 hours ago

July 3, 2026

Press Room

Indie Films Opening July 3: ‘Young Washington’ Marches Into Theaters

July 4 weekend is a quiet one for new indie releases, leaving the field to Angel Studios’ PG-13 wide release Young Washington on 2,700 screens.

From Angel and Wonder Project, the film, timed to the 250th anniversary of the founding of the U.S., stars British actor William Franklyn-Miller as the young man who would go on to become the nation’s first president.

Directed by Jon Erwin (I Can Only Imagine, Jesus Revolution), with Mary-Louise Parker as George’s mother, Ben Kingsley as Virginia Gov. Robert Dinwiddie, and Kelsey Grammer as wealthy nobleman Lord Fairfax. See Deadline review.

Synopsis: “Before he was the Father of a Nation, he was a soldier fighting to survive. A single misstep thrusts young George Washington into the center of a global conflict, testing his honor, loyalty, and courage. As alliances crumble and the frontier erupts into war, he must confront not only his enemies but the man he’s becoming.”

The action is set in the 1750s with Washington as a young man eager to fight, initially as a British officer in a period of complex loyalties. He enlists at 23 and leads a disastrous campaign against the French in Ohio but fights brilliantly and his career takes off.

Elsewhere this frame, Music Box Films is out with a 4K restoration of Ross McElwee’s Sherman’s March July 3-9 at Film Forum. It will lead into Venice award-winning Remake, McElwee’s new documentary, which premieres at the NYC art house July 10.

Sherman’s March, which won the Grand Jury prize at the 1986 Sundance Film Festival, was ranked as one of the highest-grossing documentary films of all time until the mid-1990s. In it, McElwee sets out to make a movie about Union Gen. William Tecumseh Sherman’s March to the Sea towards the end of the American Civil War, but keeps getting sidetracked by his own love life. He’ll appear in-person for post-screening Q&As on July 8-9.

Kino Lorber opens Sasha Waters’ Mary Oliver: Saved By the Beauty of the World, on the Pulitzer Prize-winning poet, at the IFC Center in New York today, expanding to select theaters nationwide in the coming weeks. The documentary includes new recitations of her work by fans as varied as Stephen Colbert, Lucy Dacus, Steve Buscemi and Oprah Winfrey and Helena Bonham Carter alongside stories from longtime friends like John Waters.

World premiered in March at the True/False festival in Columbia, MO, screened at DOC NYC Spring Selects, the Martha’s Vineyard Film Festival and the Miami Film Festival. Waters gained access to Oliver’s personal archives to make the film.

Citizen Kane is also back via Fathom Entertainment at about 900 theaters on July 5 and July 8. It’s for the 85^th anniversary of the 1941 classic directed by and starring Orson Welles as publishing tycoon Charles Foster Kane. The rerelease includes exclusive insight from Leonard Maltin.