Agencies
New York, Dec 12: Donald Trump announced Monday he will nominate retired general John Kelly to head the Department of Homeland Security, the third ex-military man tapped for a top job in his Presidential administration. “General John Kelly’s decades of military service and deep commitment to fighting the threat of terrorism inside our borders makes him the ideal choice to serve as our Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security,” Trump said. “He is the right person to spearhead the urgent mission of stopping illegal immigration and securing our borders, streamlining TSA (Transportation Security Administration) and improving coordination between our intelligence and law enforcement agencies,” Trump said.
Kelly led the US Southern Command, covering US military operations in Central and South America and the Caribbean, including efforts to stem the flow of illegal drugs across the US southern border and end human trafficking. “I am humbled and grateful to be nominated to serve in President-elect Trump’s Cabinet as Homeland Security Secretary,” Kelly said in the statement issued by the President-elect. “The American people voted in this election to stop terrorism, take back sovereignty at our borders, and put a stop to political correctness that for too long has dictated our approach to national security. “I will tackle those issues with a seriousness of purpose and a deep respect for our laws and Constitution. I am honoured for the opportunity to be back in the service of our country, and our people.” The third general chosen for Trump’s Cabinet, Kelly spent 45 years in the US Marines, holding a range of positions from field commands in Iraq to political liaison in Congress before ending his career as commander of the US armed forces’ Southern Command.
Inset: Trump blasts fighter jet programme cost
Washington: US President-elect Donald Trump in his latest Twitter screed Monday blasted the F-35 stealth fighter jet, saying the cost is “out of control.” “The F-35 programme and cost is out of control. Billions of dollars can and will be saved on military (and other) purchases after January 20th,” Trump tweeted, as Defence Secretary Ash Carter was in Israel to celebrate delivery of the country’s first two of the Lockheed Martin fighters.
Top tech executives to meet Trump
New York: India-born chief of Microsoft Satya Nadella is among top-notch tech executives, from Apple, Facebook, who will be meeting US President-elect Donald Trump for a technology roundtable Wednesday here, media reports said Monday. Apple CEO Tim Cook, Alphabet CEO Larry Page, Facebook Chief Operating Officer Sheryl Sandberg, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, and Intel CEO Brian Krzanich plan to attend the meeting, CNN reported. Executives from Oracle Corp, Amazon.com, IBM will also be among others comprising most of the key players in the sector to attend the summit, the report said.
