and — dozens of volunteers enter an abandoned gold mine in south africa — to help thousands of illegal miners — trapped there for a month. let's start in the us — and the latest reaction to donald trump's decision — to nominate some of the most controversial figures in american politics — to topjobs in his administration. among the latest names, is robert f kennedyjunior, for health secretary — a prominent vaccine sceptic and conspiracy theorist. donald trump said — rfkjr has a "great mind" and will make america healthy again. the backlash has been significant — the executive director of the american public health association says, he and his organisation will "absolutely oppose" the president—elect�*s appointment, of rfkjr,

as health secretary. rowan bridge reports. america could soon have a vaccine sceptic, who repeated covid—19 conspiracy theories, running its health department. robert kenneder comes from democratic party royalty. his uncle was presidentjohn f kennedy and his father was attorney general. mr kennedy made his own name as an environmental lawyer and activist, but that's been overshadowed by his controversial views on vaccines. do i want children to get measles? of course i don't. why do you spread this doubt? because... i'm asking you to be responsible and ask the question. the questions have been asked. the vaccines are safe. the vaccines are safe from what? cause autoimmune disease. i'm in court right now arguing the case. there's no evidence they do. well, there's plenty of evidence that they do. you're just not looking at it. last year, he launched an independent bid for the presidency, before dropping out and throwing his weight behind donald trump.

he was one of the speakers at mr trump's new york rally, where he condemned the party his family had dedicated their lives to. today's democratic party is the party of war. it's the party of the cia. you have kamala harris giving a speech at the democratic convention that was written by neocons. his loyalty to the trump cause has now been rewarded. in a speech at his mar—a—lago resort, the president—elect praised mr kennedy. we want you to come up with things and ideas and what you've been talking about for a long time, and i think you're going to do some unbelievable things. nobody's going to be able to do it like you. and, boy, does he feel it in his heart! so, congratulations also to your family. during his campaign, donald trump said he would let robert kennedy go wild when it comes to the nation's health. mr trump vowed to shake up the establishment — this latest pick shows he plans to do just that. rowan bridge, bbc news, washington.

we will have reaction in a moment. ijust want we will have reaction in a moment. i just want to take you through how the senate confirmation process works. all of the cabinet officers — other than the vice president — require the consent of the senate. supreme court nominees and ambassadors also come under this category. but some other advisers — like elon musk in his government efficiency role, don't require confirmation. the relevant senate committee holds a hearing and votes on whether the nominee should be advanced. this can take many hours and involve rigorous questioning. a full senate — wide vote then takes place. republicans have a 53—47 majority in the chamber, but that doesn't guarantee success. in trump's first term, several nominees withdrew — when it became clear they wouldn't gain approval. the president can circumvent this process by making what's called a recess appointment when the senate is not sitting.

let's speak to tom nichols staff writer at the atlantic, who joins us live from rhode island. welcome to the programme. what is this pic about rokjunior tell you? it is this pic about rok junior tell you?— is this pic about rok junior tell ou? , ., tell you? it tells me that the president — tell you? it tells me that the president elect _ tell you? it tells me that the president elect is _ tell you? it tells me that the president elect is making - president elect is making spiteful pics at this point. he is rewarding loyalists, he is picking people that he thinks are enemies of the existing biden administration but the existing american government as it has been constituted for decades. and also, he is trolling, there is no other way to put this, he is intentionally throwing people up intentionally throwing people up specifically to generate drama and controversy and outrage because he thrives on chaos. he thinks when people are angry he is winning. this

isn't a tv show any more, this isn't a tv show any more, this isn't a tv show any more, this isn't a rally, these are people's lives in the balance now and this particular nomination is a direct threat to the health of hundreds of millions of americans. i read an article _ millions of americans. i read an article this _ millions of americans. i read an article this morning - millions of americans. i read an article this morning whichj an article this morning which described the same washing of rfkjr described the same washing of rfk jr that is described the same washing of rfkjr that is going on among some republicans as they close ranks. how dangerous is he in your view in terms of basic public health? extraordinarily dangemus- — public health? extraordinarily dangerous. even _ public health? extraordinarily dangerous. even in _ public health? extraordinarily dangerous. even in your- public health? extraordinarily. dangerous. even in your report this morning, it is a typical way of referring to rfkjr as a vaccine sceptic, he is not a sceptic, he is a denier, a science denier. his idea is not just about 5g and chemicals in the water that turn kids gay. i

mean, this guy has beliefs that are notjust mean, this guy has beliefs that are not just fringe mean, this guy has beliefs that are notjust fringe but pure cook. that is already happening, people are saying he has questions and he is a vac team sceptics, he wants to shake up the old rules of the drug administration and health and human services, that is not what is going on. rfkjr, in my opinion is not well, and has really strange ideas that are well beyond the mainstream. briefly, he does have a constituency, republicans have been on air saying, look, donald trump has won and things like having mandatory vaccines, all of that is up for discussion. when you hear things like that, how worried you become? i things like that, how worried you become?— things like that, how worried ou become? ., ., , ., you become? i would worry about two things. _ you become? i would worry about two things, first, _ you become? i would worry about

two things, first, people - you become? i would worry about two things, first, people don't - two things, first, people don't understand science. this is an ongoing problem in the developed world, notjust the united states but in europe. i worried that americans who say this don't understand or are being disingenuous about what elections mean. we don't elect kings in this country, donald trump still has to have his candidates for offices, as your report pointed out, assented to ijy report pointed out, assented to by the senate. he just doesn't want to do that. he think his surrogates are arguing, if you win an election with 51% of the vote you can do anything you want. you get to change the country overnight and the american system is designed specifically not to do that. it might be designed not to do that but is that what is going to happen? you wrote yesterday about tulsa gabbard, as an intelligence chief she is a walking christmas tree of warning lights. we have had coverage of matt gaetz as attorney general, all the

ramifications around that. when you look at that process about how senate has to give approval, you look at history, the impeachment votes, you look at the supreme court appointments. when donald trump want something and doubles down, it normally is... it follows on with the republican party not opposing it. that follows on with the republican party not opposing it.- party not opposing it. that is wh i party not opposing it. that is why i wrote _ party not opposing it. that is why i wrote for _ party not opposing it. that is why i wrote for four - party not opposing it. that is why i wrote for four years - party not opposing it. that is why i wrote for four years in | why i wrote for four years in opposition to donald trump, arguing that he will bring authoritarianism to the united states and this is the first step. whipping his own party into compliance. will it happen overnight? no. but is it happening? absolutely. in terms of recess appointments, - happening? absolutely. in terms of recess appointments, is - happening? absolutely. in terms of recess appointments, is that l of recess appointments, is that the most likely course? i have heard opinions suggesting that some of these pics are expected to be thrown out. does that fly

in the face of the history of donald trump which is watch and listen, these are the people he actually wants?— actually wants? absolutely, if he had his _ actually wants? absolutely, if he had his way _ actually wants? absolutely, if he had his way every - actually wants? absolutely, if he had his way every single i he had his way every single person he nominated would be approved. i think he is probably... this is gut instinct after watching the man for a decade, instinct after watching the man fora decade, i instinct after watching the man for a decade, i suspect he would be willing matt gaetz to be the sacrifice and demand that everybody else gets a pass. as for recess appointments, that will depend on a man that not many people know well in or outside the united states and that is the new majority leader. the senate has not like to do this, they took barack obama to court over recess appointments to argue it is the prerogative of the senate to decide when it is in or out of recess and the president can't simply decide they are in recess and start appointing people. but if the

new majority leader buckles and allows donald trump to appoint people willy—nilly, it could happen. people willy-nilly, it could ha en. . ~' ., people willy-nilly, it could ha en, ., ~' ., ., happen. thank you for “oining us. let's speak to ambassador ivo daalder, who served as the united states permanent representative to nato under president barack obama, and is the president of the chicago council on global affairs. we are grateful for your time, give me your overriding thought as we get to the end of a momentous week when it comes to seeing donald trump lay out his team. 3, , seeing donald trump lay out his team. , seeing donald trump lay out his team. 1, , , ., team. basically, he said what he was going _ team. basically, he said what he was going to _ team. basically, he said what he was going to do _ team. basically, he said what he was going to do and - team. basically, he said what he was going to do and he . team. basically, he said what he was going to do and he is| he was going to do and he is now doing it. he said he was going to appoint people who would eliminate any guardrails that were existing in the first term that would oppose what he is trying to do. he would only appoint people who are loyal to him. he would then use those people to remake the american

government, to go after what he calls the deep state, to make sure that the instruments of government are used not to better the lives of the american people but to ensure he gets what he wants whether thatis he gets what he wants whether that is justice for his enemies, a military that only does what he wants to do whether that is a fight abroad but may be be deployed inside of the united states itself. an intelligence apparatus that reaffirms his views of the world instead of telling him what is really going on. the appointments are all designed for that purpose. you mentioned the military. _ for that purpose. you mentioned the military. he _ for that purpose. you mentioned the military, he is— for that purpose. you mentioned the military, he is replacing - for that purpose. you mentioned the military, he is replacing a . the military, he is replacing a a—star general with a fox news host with no experience in government. you mentioned the domestic aspect of the military, what are your prince will concerns there?— military, what are your prince will concerns there? one of my big concerns — will concerns there? one of my big concerns is _ will concerns there? one of my big concerns is that _ will concerns there? one of my big concerns is that donald - big concerns is that donald trump, who said during the campaign that he thought the

enemies within were a bigger challenge and threat to the united states, that he would use the us military to go after the enemies within. he has also mentioned the importance of starting a massive deportation programme and has intimated that the us military can be used for that purpose as well. the question before us is will he order the us military to engage in law enforcement and immigration enforcement actions which he could do if he invokes the insurrection act or the alien enemies act of 1798 which he has also talked about. secondly the important question is will the military follow suit? one of the worries you have of this fox news commentator is that he has already said he will get rid of the kind of generals and admirals who did not fit what he believes needs to be done,

which is undying loyalty not to the constitution but to the president of the united states. tell me more about that concern because i was going to ask you exactly that. those at the top of the military they pledge their allegiance to the constitution. isn't that the safeguard that protects from the things that you are concerned about? , ., .., concerned about? yes, one can hoe concerned about? yes, one can hope that _ concerned about? yes, one can hope that the — concerned about? yes, one can hope that the military - concerned about? yes, one can hope that the military would i hope that the military would oppose the orders of the commander—in—chief, but that creates other problems. big constitutional problems. what does it mean to have civilian control over the military? if the military itself decides, what is right and what is wrong? in most instances if there is this conflict for an individual, they resign because they refused to follow what they refused to follow what they believe to be an illegal order. is the entire leadership going to resign? is the entire military going to resign or are some people in the military

including into new positions actually comfortable with executing orders they get from the commander—in—chief? and this could be one of the biggest crises in civil military relations this country has seen. military relations this country has seen-— military relations this country has seen. lets turn to foreign affairs, has seen. lets turn to foreign affairs. what _ has seen. lets turn to foreign affairs, what do _ has seen. lets turn to foreign affairs, what do you - has seen. lets turn to foreign affairs, what do you expect i affairs, what do you expect when it comes to foreign policy? ukraine, after what has been said in recent weeks and months both by donald trump and tulsa gabbard who is now the intelligence chief.— tulsa gabb