Latest News
-
Italian study finds antibiotic resistance genes in the world's oceans
According to a?research project led by Italy that analyzed?seawater samples worldwide, the presence of genes?linked to resistance to antibiotics is present in multiple 'ocean basins including remote waters. The SeA Care project found antibiotic-resistance genes in the Mediterranean, Atlantic, Arctic and other regions, with higher concentrations detected near busy shipping routes and densely populated coastal areas. Researchers said that the results showed oceans as a global repository for pollution coming?from land. They also found genetic traces from antibiotic use and urban discharges far beyond their sources. Researchers added that this could facilitate their spread to remote communities. The study was presented Monday in Rome at a forum hosted by the National Health Institute of Italy (ISS) on ocean and human healthcare. It detected microplastics and traces containing?PFAS, "forever chemicals", and?SARS CoV-2 genetic material, even in remote areas and open ocean waters. Andrea Piccioli, ISS Director-General, said that protecting human health today inevitably meant taking care of seas and oceans. She added that pollutants released in the environment are distributed globally via water, food, and climate systems. SeA Care, an initiative led by Italy, links environmental health and human wellbeing. It brings together institutions such as ISS, 'the Italian Navy' and international research centers to create a global 'ocean monitoring /system. The project collects samples using existing scientific and naval networks during routine missions. This reduces costs?and the environmental impact. Over 140 sites in the Mediterranean, Atlantic and Pacific oceans, as well as the Arctic Ocean, were sampled during its first three-year period. Scientists claim that the project shows how oceans are a good early warning system of global health risks. It supports policies to combat pollution, climate changes and emerging threats. (Reporting and editing by Crispian B. Balmer, Emilio Parodi)
-
Copper prices boosted by falling stocks at LME warehouses
Prices rose for copper on Monday as stocks in London Metal Exchange-approved warehouses fell. The market is now looking forward to the U.S.'s decision on tariffs at the end of June. Benchmark copper on the LME was 1.1% higher, at $13,665 per metric ton. Sources in the industry said that traders and funds continue to take copper from the LME into the U.S., before any import duties are imposed. This would increase shipping costs significantly. The U.S. has flagged that 15% levies could be applied to copper imports starting in 2027 and 30% beginning in 2028. Copper stocks, which stood at 376 775, have fallen 6% in the last month. Around 39% of cancelled warrants and metal earmarked to be delivered indicate that another 145.800 are due to leave the LME. The discount for the cash copper contract has also been reduced due to lower LME inventories. The traders also cited the strong interest in buying copper from Chinese companies, following Friday's 3% decline to one-week lows. Copper's upside is capped by the 21-day moving average, currently $13,730. Support on the downside comes in at the 50-day average, $13,260. Aluminium prices in other parts of the world are expected to remain stable due to limited supplies coming from Middle East – which houses?9% global capacity – as a result of the U.S. - Iran war and the closing of the Strait?of?Hormuz. Aluminium prices are expected to rise due to higher energy costs, which is a major component of the aluminium production process. Industrial metals have been under pressure due to concerns about growth caused by?high oil price and the conflict in Middle East. The base metals complex is also affected by a higher U.S. dollar, which makes metals priced in dollars more expensive for holders of other currencies. Aluminium increased 0.2% at $3,600 per ton. Zinc rose by 0.1% to 3,533, while lead fell 0.4% to 1,997. Tin dropped 1.5% to $52,125, and nickel declined 0.3% to 18,530. (Reporting by Pratima Dasai; Editing and re-reporting by Jan Harvey & David Holmes)
-
Consumer prices in Chile rose less than expected, by 0.2%, in May.
?Consumer Prices in Chile rose by 0.2% from a month earlier, according to data released on Monday by the statistics agency INE. This was below the 0.4% predicted in a poll conducted among economists. Inflation slowed down in the month following a 1.3% rise recorded previously. Nine out of the 13 sectors studied recorded a price decline in the past month, with food and non-alcoholic drinks leading the way with a?decline of 0.8%. In a press release, INE said that "the price increases?in housing and basic service sectors as well as the increase in transport stood out." INE reported that the annual inflation rate in the largest copper-producing country in the world was 3.9% in the month of May. This is a slight decrease from the 4% registered in the previous months. The central bank set a target rate of 2% to 4% for the annual rate. In April, the institution kept borrowing?costs at 4.5% amid concerns over fuel?prices as well as uncertainty caused by?the extension of?the U.S. and Israeli war against Iran. Reporting by Aida Pea-Fernandez, Natalia Ramos and Emelia Sithole Matarise; editing by Aidan Lewis.
-
Campbell's maintains annual target as US consumer spending remains tight
Campbell's Co, a packaged?food manufacturer, stuck to its annual forecast on Monday after months of trimming it. Demand for packaged?foods was impacted by consumer spending, which continued to be a factor. In recent months, consumer?sentiment? has reached record lows as rising gas prices tied to the Iran War have squeezed household finances already stretched by stubborn inflation. Pressure is pushing lower-income consumers to private-label and cheaper brands. This puts pressure on companies like Campbell's, which raised their prices in order to protect margins and offset rising tariff and commodity costs. Goldfish Cracker shares rose 1.5% on premarket trading after it exceeded quarterly profit expectations. According to LSEG, Campbell's adjusted earnings per share were 50 cents during the 'third quarter', beating analyst's average estimates of 48 cents. This was due to supply-chain improvements and the cost-saving program. The company has said that it has reached its target of saving $375 million in cost savings for FY28. CEO Mick Beekhuizen stated, "We are focused primarily on simplifying our business and accelerating productivity. We also want to reduce costs." However, its quarterly net sales fell 4%, to $2.37 Billion, slightly below the analysts' estimates. The packaged food industry is changing to adapt to a shift in consumer dietary preferences towards healthier foods. This trend has been accelerated by the rapid adoption of "weight-loss" drugs. Campbell's unit for meals and drinks saw quarterly sales fall 2% compared to an increase of 15% a year earlier. Its snack business saw a 7% decline, compared to an 8% drop a year ago. The company anticipates that organic net sales will fall between 1% to 2% in fiscal 2026, with adjusted profit per share ranging from $2.15 to 2.25. Campbell's will be removed from the S&P 500 index at the beginning of trading on Tuesday, June 22. Reporting by Neil J Kanatt, Bengaluru. Editing by Shilpa Majumdar
-
Campbell's confirms its annual forecast due to weak consumer spending
Campbell's Co, a packaged foods manufacturer, stuck to its 'annual outlook' on Monday after months of trimming it, as the cautious U.S. consumers continued to 'weigh 'on demand. In recent months, consumer?sentiment has plummeted to record lows as the rising cost of gasoline linked to Iran's war squeezes household budgets that are already stretched by stubborn inflation. Lower-income consumers are increasingly turning to private-label and cheaper brands. This is putting pressure on companies like Campbell's, which have raised their prices in order to maintain margins and offset rising costs. LSEG data shows that Campbell's third-quarter net sales dropped 4%, to $2.37billion, compared to the analysts' average estimate of $2.38billion. It earned 50 cents a share on an adjusted basis. This was better than the estimated 48 cents a share. The supply-chain optimization program and cost-savings benefits helped. The packaged food?industry has also evolved to cope with the change in dietary preference towards healthier foods. This is accelerated by the rapid adoption of weight loss drugs. Sales at 'Campbells' meals and drinks unit dropped 2% in the third quarter, down from a 15% rise a year ago. Its snack business saw a 7% drop, compared to an 8% decrease a year ago. (Reporting by Neil J Kanatt in Bengaluru; Editing by Shilpa Majumdar) (Reporting and editing by Shilpi Mahumdar in Bengaluru)
-
Sources say that Sumitomo funds the Ambatovy stake sales to exit the project.
Three sources with knowledge of the matter said that Sumitomo Corp provided financing to buyers of its 54% stake in Madagascar’s Ambatovy Nickel operation. This helped the company exit the losing project. Three sources familiar with the matter said that Sumitomo Corp, which invested $3 billion over 20 years in Ambatovy and has incurred $2.5 billion cumulative losses, provided financing to buyers of its 54% stake in Madagascar's Ambatovy nickel operation, smoothing their exit from the loss-making project. Sumitomo funded this transaction, while still retaining certain nickel offtake rights. "It needed someone to solve the problem for them," said one source. The source stated that some of the money would be used to repair the damage caused by the cyclone to Ambatovy facilities. The source said that production has been suspended since the beginning of February, and will resume by June. Sources did not give any other details about the funding. Jason Kluk, former Glencore nickel trader, and South Africa’s Zungu Investments are acquiring a 54% stake, subject to the transaction closing by September 30. Korea Mine Rehabilitation and Mineral Resources Corporation holds the remaining 46%. Sumitomo declined comment on any financial arrangements but stated that the deal is intended to ensure "the continuation and sustainability of Ambatovy's operation under new ownership". The $418 million hit was a result of "a comprehensive economic evaluation of the transaction". Kluk and Zungu Investments did not respond to any requests for comments. A second source stated that the deal structure is similar to vendor financing where a seller funds a buyer. The?source said that Ambatovy will face a challenge in becoming profitable, pointing out that Sumitomo has struggled to improve margins and stabilise production for years despite having the resources. The surge in sulphur costs since the beginning of the Iran War three months ago has put pressure on margins. Ambatovy will produce 28,000 metric tonnes of nickel, and approximately 2,500 tons cobalt by 2024. (Reporting and editing by Polina Devtt and Pratima Dasai. Mark Potter edited the story.
-
Italian study finds antibiotic resistance genes in the world's oceans
According to the findings of an Italian-led project that analysed seawater samples from around the world, genes linked to resistance to antibiotics are present in multiple?ocean areas, including remote waters. The SeA ?Care project found ?antibiotic-resistance ?genes in the Mediterranean, Atlantic, Arctic and other regions, with higher concentrations detected near busy shipping routes and densely populated coastal areas. Researchers said that the results show oceans are a global reservoir of pollution from land. They carry genetic traces of antibiotic use and urban discharge far away from their source. Researchers added that this could facilitate their spread to remote communities. The study was presented on Monday in Rome at a forum hosted by the Italian?National Health Institute. (ISS) on ocean and human healthcare. It also detected microplastics and PFAS "forever chemical" as well as traces of 'SARS-CoV-2 DNA in remote areas and open ocean waters. Andrea Piccioli, ISS Director-General, said that protecting human health in the 21st century means protecting the oceans and seas. She added that pollution released into the atmosphere is redistributed worldwide through the water, food, and climate systems. SeA 'Care, an initiative led by Italy, links the environment and human health. The system brings together institutions such as the Italian Navy, ISS and international research centres in order to create a global monitoring?system. The project uses existing routes for collecting samples and scientific networks during routine missions to reduce costs and impact on the environment. In the first three years of its existence, over 4,000 samples of?seawater were collected in 140 locations across the Mediterranean Sea, Atlantic Ocean, Pacific Ocean, Arctic Ocean and Indian Ocean. Scientists claim that the project shows 'how oceans can be used as an early warning system to detect global health risks. It supports policies aimed at combating pollution, climate changes and emerging threats for human health. (Reporting and editing by Crispian B. Balmer, with Emilio Parodi)
-
AMBER BID AMERICAS - Chip chill, war heat, and jobs
What's important in the U.S. and Global Markets Today By Mike Dolan. Editor-at-Large for Finance and Markets Wall Street holds its breath following Friday's withering selloff in the chip sector, as tech stocks fell sharply on Monday. The red-hot chip stocks were slowed down by the?disappointment of Broadcom's earnings last week, a loss in momentum after S&P 500's nine-week winning streak ended, and a rise in Fed rate-hike betting following Friday's strong May payrolls report. Below, I'll go into more detail. Listen to the Morning Bid podcast. Subscribe to the Morning Bid daily podcast and hear journalists discussing the latest news in finance and markets seven days a weeks. CHIP CHILL JOBS HEAT WAR The SOX index fell 10% just on Friday, Broadcom was down 20% in two days, and the broader Nasdaq dropped?4% as we head into the weekend. Futures were attempting to gain a foothold on Monday morning, but the tech-heavy Asia markets plunged, and Europe's STOXX600 fell to a two-week low. Iran and Israel exchanged direct missile strikes for the first since April over the weekend, causing crude oil prices to rise by over 4%. This heightened expectations of rate hikes. The markets now expect a rate hike to occur by the end of the year, and possibly two. Treasury yields have risen again. All of this led to President Trump fighting multiple fires at the weekend. He urged against interest rate increases and renewed calls for reductions instead. Despite his repeated calls for Israel to refrain from retaliating against the Iranian strikes on Sunday, his request was ignored. Fresh fighting has dampened hopes for a comprehensive deal to free up oil. As equity markets reset as they absorb all the new data, they are also preparing for the massive SpaceX IPO that is expected to take place on Friday. Analysts believe the IPO wave expected this summer will be countered by a record-breaking pace of buybacks. However, the concern is that a parallel equity financing wave by so-called hyperscalers could occur amid the massive AI investment buildout. Alphabet recently announced new equity sales of $80 billion. Meta may follow suit. In Europe, the markets are preparing for a much-anticipated rate hike by the European Central Bank on Thursday. The dollar has risen against the euro despite this. Chart of the Day The U.S. Economy posted a strong third month in a row with job gains. Payrolls increased by?172,000 which was more than double what had been?forecast. The economy added 93,000 jobs more in March and April compared to what was previously forecast, and the unemployment rates remained at 4.3% for another month. Over the past three months, employment gains have averaged 188,000 per month. This is nearly triple what it was in 2025. The concern about overheating is based on estimates that the economy must create between zero to 50,000 jobs per month to match the growth of the working-age populace - the so-called breakeven ratio, which has been dramatically reduced by the crackdown against immigration in the last year. Watch today's events * U.S. Conference Board Employment Trends Index, May (10 am EDT) Want to receive "the Morning Bid" in your email every morning? Subscribe to the newsletter. Follow us on LinkedIn, X and ROI. The opinions expressed by the author are their own. These opinions do not represent the views of News. News is a non-partisan organization that adheres to the Trust Principles and values integrity, independence, freedom from bias, and impartiality.
Trump 2.0: Who's gotten a top task in his administration, and who's in the running for one?
Donald Trump has begun the process of picking a cabinet and selecting other high-ranking administration authorities following his presidential election success.
Here are the early choices and top contenders for a few of the key posts supervising defense, intelligence, diplomacy, trade, migration and economic policymaking. Some remain in contention for a variety of posts.
SUSIE WILES, chief of personnel Trump on Thursday announced that Wiles, among his two campaign supervisors, will be his White Home chief of personnel. While the specifics of her political views are somewhat uncertain, Wiles, 67, is credited with running a successful and efficient project. Fans hope she will instill a sense of order and discipline that was often lacking during Trump's very first four-year term, when he cycled through a number of chiefs of personnel.
TOM HOMAN, 'border czar' Trump announced on Sunday night that Homan, the previous performing director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement from his very first administration, will supervise of the country's borders.
Trump made cracking down on individuals in the country illegally a main aspect of his campaign, appealing mass deportations.
Homan said on Monday he would focus on deporting immigrants in the U.S. unlawfully who positioned safety and security risks in addition to those working at task websites.
Trump, in a post on his Truth Social platform, stated Homan will be in charge of our nation's borders ( The Border Czar),. consisting of, however not restricted to, the Southern Border, the Northern. Border, all Maritime, and Air Travel Security, including the. deportation of immigrants in the U.S. illegally.
ELISE STEFANIK, U.N. ambassador. Trump announced on Monday that Stefanik, a Republican politician. congresswoman and staunch Trump supporter, would be his. ambassador to the United Nations.
Stefanik, 40, a U.S. agent from New York state and. Home Republican politician conference chair, took a management position in. the House of Representatives in 2021 when she was elected to. replace then-Representative Liz Cheney, who was ousted for. criticizing Trump's incorrect claims of election scams.
I am honored to nominate Chairwoman Elise Stefanik to serve. in my Cabinet as U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, Trump. said in a declaration. Elise is an incredibly strong, difficult, and. clever America First fighter.. Stefanik will reach the U.N. after vibrant guarantees by Trump to. end the Russia-Ukraine war and Israel's war in Gaza.
LEE ZELDIN, EPA administrator
Trump announced on Monday he had designated previous. congressman Lee Zeldin of New york city state as administrator of the. Environmental Protection Agency, and Zeldin said he had accepted. the function.
Zeldin, 44, a strong Trump ally, served in Congress from. 2015 to 2023. In 2022 he lost the New York governor's race to. Democratic incumbent Kathy Hochul. Trump has assured to revamp U.S. energy policy, with the objective. of making the most of the country's already record-high oil and gas. production by rolling back regulations and accelerating. allowing.
As head of the EPA, Zeldin will play an essential role in. implementing those policies.
SCOTT BESSENT, potential treasury secretary. Bessent, an essential financial adviser to Trump, is extensively seen as a. leading candidate for treasury secretary. A long time hedge fund. investor who taught at Yale University for a number of years,. Bessent has a warm relationship with the president-elect.
While Bessent has actually long preferred the laissez-faire policies. that were popular in the pre-Trump Republican Party, he has likewise. spoken highly of Trump's use of tariffs as a negotiating tool. He has praised the president-elect's economic viewpoint, which. rests on an apprehension of both policies and worldwide. trade.
JOHN PAULSON, prospective treasury secretary
Paulson, a billionaire hedge fund manager and significant Trump. donor, is another leading competitor for treasury secretary. The. longtime financier has actually informed partners he would have an interest in. the task.
A longtime advocate of tax cuts and deregulation, Paulson's. profile is broadly comparable to that of other prospective members of. Trump's economic team. He has publicly supported targeted. tariffs as a tool to make sure U.S. national security and combat. unreasonable trade practices abroad. One high-profile fundraising event hosted by Paulson in April raked in. over $50 million for the former president.
LARRY KUDLOW, potential treasury secretary
Fox Service Network personality Larry Kudlow, who functioned as. director of the National Economic Council for much of Trump's. initially term, has an outside shot at becoming his treasury. secretary and would likely have an opportunity to take a. different economics-focused position if he is interested.
While he is privately hesitant of broad tariffs, there is. publicly little daylight in between the policies Kudlow supporters. and those of the president-elect.
ROBERT LIGHTHIZER, possible treasury secretary
A follower who functioned as Trump's U.S. trade representative. for essentially the then-president's entire term, Lighthizer. will likely be welcomed back. Though Bessent and. Paulson likely have a better chance at becoming treasury. secretary, Lighthizer has an outside opportunity, and he might be. able to reprise his old role if he's interested. Like Trump, Lighthizer is a trade doubter and a firm believer in. tariffs. He was one of the leading figures in Trump's trade war. with China and the renegotiation of the North American Free. Trade Contract, or NAFTA, with Mexico and Canada during Trump's. initially term.
HOWARD LUTNICK, prospective treasury secretary
The co-chair of Trump's transition effort and the longtime. president of monetary services firm Cantor Fitzgerald,. Lutnick remains in the running for treasury secretary.
A bombastic New Yorker like Trump, Lutnick has evenly. applauded the president-elect's economic policies, including his. usage of tariffs.
He has at times offered elaborate, unvarnished viewpoints about. what policies will be enacted in Trump's second term. Some Trump. allies had independently grumbled that he frequently provided. himself as speaking on behalf of the project.
LINDA McMAHON, potential commerce secretary. Professional wrestling magnate and previous Small Business. Administration director Linda McMahon is viewed as the frontrunner. to lead Trump's Department of Commerce, three sources briefed on. the plans said. McMahon is a significant donor and was an early supporter of the. Republican president-elect when he first ran for the White Home. practically a years earlier. This time, Trump tapped her to co-lead a. shift team formed to assist vet personnel and draft policy. ahead of the Nov. 5 election.
McMahon is the co-founder and former CEO of the professional. battling franchise WWE. She later on served as director of the. Small Company Administration, resigning in 2019, and went on to. lead a pro-Trump political action committee that supported his. 2020 reelection quote.
RICHARD GRENELL, potential secretary of state. Grenell is amongst Trump's closest diplomacy advisors. Throughout. the president-elect's first four-year term, he worked as acting. director of nationwide intelligence and U.S. ambassador to. Germany. When Trump met Ukrainian President Volodymyr. Zelenskiy in September, Grenell sat in on the personal meeting.
Grenell's private negotiations with foreign leaders and. often-caustic character have actually made him the center of numerous. debates, though considerable Republican gains in the Senate. suggest he could likely be confirmed. He is also considered a top. competitor for national security advisor, which does not need. Senate verification. Among the policies he has actually promoted for is establishing an. self-governing zone in eastern Ukraine to end the war there, a. position Kyiv thinks about unacceptable.
ROBERT O'BRIEN, possible secretary of state
O'Brien, Trump's 4th and last national security advisor. throughout his very first term, maintains a close relationship with. Trump, and the 2 frequently speak on nationwide security matters. He is likely in the running for secretary of state or other top. diplomacy and nationwide security posts. He has preserved. close contacts with foreign leaders given that Trump left workplace,. having met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in. Israel in May.
His views are rather more hawkish than a few of Trump's. advisors. He has, for example, been more helpful of military. help for Ukraine than many of his Republican contemporaries, and. he is a proponent of banning TikTok in the United States.
COSTS HAGERTY, possible secretary of state
A U.S. senator from Tennessee who worked on Trump's 2016. transition effort, Hagerty is considered a leading competitor for. secretary of state. He has preserved solid relations with. essentially all factions of the Republican politician Party, and could. likely be verified with ease in the Senate.
He functioned as U.S. ambassador to Japan in the first Trump. administration at a time when the president promoted his warm. relationship with then-Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. Hagerty's policies are broadly in line with Trump's. Previously in. the year, he voted versus a major military help bundle for. Ukraine.
MARCO RUBIO, potential secretary of state. Rubio, a U.S. senator from Florida and 2016 Republican. presidential prospect, is also a leading secretary of state. contender whose policies hew closely to those of Trump. Like. Hagerty, he was a contender to be Trump's 2024 running mate.
Rubio has actually long been associated with foreign affairs in the. Senate, particularly as it connects to Latin America, and he has. solid relationships throughout the party.
MIKE WALTZ, prospective defense secretary. A previous Army Green Beret who is presently a U.S. congressman. from Florida, Waltz has actually established himself as one of the. primary China hawks in your house.
Among the various China-related bills he has co-sponsored. are steps created to minimize U.S. dependence on vital. minerals mined in China.
Waltz is on speaking terms with Trump and is commonly. thought about to be a major competitor for secretary of defense.
KEITH KELLOGG, potential candidate for national security. consultant
A retired lieutenant general who served as chief of personnel to. the National Security Council under Trump, Kellogg has Trump's. ear and is a competitor for national security advisor, among. other national security posts. Throughout the campaign, he provided Trump with a plan to end the. war in Ukraine, which involved requiring both celebrations to the. negotiating table and eliminating NATO membership for Ukraine for. the foreseeable future, to name a few procedures.
MARK GREEN, potential homeland security secretary
A former Army flight surgeon and the current chair of the. House Homeland Security Committee, Green is thought about by some. Trump allies in Washington as a contender for the leading job at the. Department of Homeland Security. His fans describe him as. a Trump follower and migration hardliner who also has. significant legal experience. Green was chosen by Trump throughout his very first term to act as. secretary of the Army, but he withdrew his name as past. statements, which were commonly viewed as transphobic and. Islamophobic, drew more examination.
CHAD WOLF, possible homeland security secretary
Wolf, who served as Trump's acting secretary of homeland. security for approximately 14 months during his first presidency, may. have a shot at heading back to DHS.
Wolf loyally carried out Trump's hardline immigration. policies, and he released federal representatives to Portland, Oregon, to. control protests throughout the riots that followed the murder of. George Floyd, a Black man, by a white police officer.
He might have some strikes versus him. He resigned on Jan. 11, 2021, just days after the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol.
Trump has actually revealed misgivings about bringing back those who. resigned in the last days of his term. Wolf, however, cited the. legal debate around his visit as DHS secretary -. rather than the Capitol attack - when he stepped down. Several. judges ruled that his appointment by Trump, which effectively. prevented the Senate, was illegal.
JOHN RATCLIFFE, possible CIA director
A former congressman and district attorney who worked as director. of national intelligence throughout Trump's in 2015 in office,. Ratcliffe is viewed as a leading competitor to be director of the. CIA, according to two people knowledgeable about the transition. process. Ratcliffe is likewise a possible attorney general choice. The president-elect's allies view Ratcliffe as a hardcore Trump. patriot who might likely win Senate verification. Still, during. his time as director of nationwide intelligence, Ratcliffe typically. contradicted the assessments of career civil servants, drawing. criticism from Democrats who said he politicized the role.
MIKE LEE, potential attorney general of the United States
A U.S. senator from Utah, Lee is extensively viewed as another top. candidate for chief law officer. Though the previous district attorney. decreased to vote for Trump during the 2016 election, he later. became an unwavering ally, and he has become something of an. intellectual hero amongst some factions of Trumpworld. Lee was an essential figure in attempts by Trump and his allies to. reverse his 2020 election loss to Democrat Joe Biden, and has. spread unproven conspiracy theories about the Jan. 6, 2021,. attack on the Capitol.
KASH PATEL, potential candidate for nationwide security posts
A previous Republican politician Home staffer who served in numerous. high-ranking personnel functions in the defense and intelligence. neighborhoods throughout Trump's first term, Patel regularly appeared. on the project path to rally assistance for the candidate.
Some Trump allies wish to see Patel, thought about the. ultimate Trump patriot, appointed CIA director. Any position. needing Senate confirmation may be a difficulty, nevertheless.
Patel has leaned into controversy throughout his career. In. an interview with Trump ally Steve Bannon in 2015, he guaranteed. to come after political leaders and journalists perceived to be. opponents of Trump.
Throughout the Trump's first term, Patel drew animosity from. some more skilled nationwide security authorities, who saw him. as unpredictable and too eager to please the then-president.
(source: Reuters)