Agencies
Washington, Nov 19: Anyone joining the Trump administration would have to leave their personal views behind and implement the vision and ideas of the President-elect, a top transition team member has said. “Regardless of someone, whether it is a staff member appointed or nominated or intended to be nominated, one of the things that always has to be remembered is that everybody who serves in a Trump administration will serve Donald Trump and Mike Pence and they will implement that vision and their ideas and no one else’s,” said Sean Spicer, Chief Strategist and Communication Director of the Republican National Committee.
“One point on all nominees, and I think this is important for people to recognise, is that anyone’s personal view is not what matters. You are serving the President-elect of the US and implementing his views,” Spicer told reporters Friday. Spicer was responding to questions on the past views and statements made by several of Trump’s appointees and nominations – the announcements for which have been made in the last few days. Friday, Trump announced his intent to nominate Senator Jeff Sessions as his Attorney General, Lt Gen (rtd) Michael Flynn as National Security Adviser and Congressman Mike Pompeo as Director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). Trump, before heading for Bedminster in New Jersey where he will spend his weekend, had two-hour meeting with the transition team headed by the Vice President-elect Mike Pence. Saturday, Trump is slated to meet Mitt Romney, Republican Party’s Presidential candidate in 2012.
US lawmakers denounce suggestion
Washington: Top Democratic lawmakers and rights bodies have slammed President-elect Donald Trump’s reported plan to reinstate a database of immigrants from Muslim-majority countries. National Security Entry-Exit Registration System (NSEERS) is a post-9/11 programme which required travellers to the US from specified Muslim-majority countries to immediately register with the federal government or face deportation. “Reinstating failed programmes that target Arabs and Muslims in our country is exactly what IS was cheering on election night when America, a beacon of freedom in the world, gives in to fear and begins chipping away at civil rights, our enemies are emboldened and their ranks swell with new recruits,” Senator Dick Durbin said.
Ami Bera re-elected
Washington: Ami Bera has been re-elected to the US House of Representatives for a third consecutive term in a close election with his win taking the total number of Indian-Americans elected to the Congress to a record five. Bera, 51, would be joined by three first-time Indian-American lawmakers in the US House of Representatives – Raja Krishnamoorthi from Illinois, Pramila Jayapal from Washington State and Ro Khanna from California. This is for the first time that the House would have four Indian-American members. Another Indian-American Kamala Harris has been elected to the US Senate.
VP-elect booed at musical
New York: Vice President-elect Mike Pence was booed at a performance of the award-winning Broadway musical “Hamilton,” whose “alarmed and anxious” cast made an unusual call for Donald Trump’s incoming administration to work on behalf of all Americans. The President-elect later complained that the cast had been rude to Pence and harassed him during the late Friday performance. “This should not happen!” Trump tweeted. The wildly popular hit musical, which won 11 Tony Awards in June, follows young colonial rebels who became America’s founding fathers, celebrating diversity and immigrants’ contribution to the nation.
