ukraine's president zelensky claims russia's war on his country will end sooner than it otherwise would have done, with donald trump back in the white house. hello, i'm carl nasman. welcome to the programme. president—elect donald trump is continuing to name key allies tojoin his government, amid public backlash for some of his top picks. the latest nomination is doug burgum to the department of the interior. its agencies are responsible for public land, as well as domestic energy production. the governor of north dakota joins a growing list of trump cabinet hopefuls, which includes robert f kennedy junior and matt gaetz — trump's pick for attorney general. both men have been the subject of scrutiny since their nominations this week. there have been calls for the house ethics committee to release its report into gaetz, who was being investigated over misconduct allegations.

but gaetz�*s abrupt resignation from the house on wednesday halted the investigation, as only current members can be investigated. we've also learned who will be behind the podium in the white house delivering briefings to the press. karoline leavitt, the trump transition team's spokeswoman, has been named white house press secretary. she will be the youngest to hold that position at 27 years old. shejoins another trump spokesperson: steven cheung, who will become white house communications director in the new administration. for the latest on the trump transition picks i spoke with our correspondent in florida jess parker — i started by asking her about the latest pick for white house press secretary. audiences will be familiar with the role who stands behind the lectern and the white house, fielding questions from journalists, speaking essentially on behalf of the president. now, we think she appears to be the youngest ever person to hold that role in the first person to do so under 30 since the time is of richard nixon. why a striking appointment. she has had a role

on his campaign team as well back of the first trumpet administration, and i wasjust watching a video tape of her recently, talking about donald trump �*s lack pics. she was really giving a full third a defence for those cabinet nominations that i know you're going to be discussing to the programme, and she said that donald trump and made fantastic pics. really coming out to bat for the president, and that will essentially now be herjob to do so. he went through quite a few press secretaries in the last administration, presumably hoping this one sticks. pete had stiffed _ hoping this one sticks. pete had stiffed was _ hoping this one sticks. pete had stiffed was already - hoping this one sticks. pete had stiffed was already a i had stiffed was already a divisive choice. now there are reports coming out that he was involved in a police investigation into an alleged sexual assault in 2017. what more can you tell us about that? �* , , ., more can you tell us about

that? a a, ,, that? as you say, tapped earlier this _ that? as you say, tapped earlier this week - that? as you say, tapped earlier this week to - that? as you say, tapped earlier this week to be i that? as you say, tapped - earlier this week to be defence secretary. heading up the pentagon in charge of running the world's was powerful military. his appointment because of some raised eyebrows. he didn't have government in the experience. he's a former combat veteran, outspoken on exposing local military culture. now what's a mortgage within the last hours or show �*s he was investigated for sexual assault obligation in 2017 -- for sexual assault obligation in 2017 —— exposing woke military culture. he has denied wrongdoing and he was never arrested or charged. there is reporting in us media tonight that this allegation has caught the trump transition team off guard. but what his lawyer has said is it shouldn't impact the

confirmation process in their view. confirmation process in their view. the nominations come on the heels of an election which saw republicans grab widespread control of the us government. i've been speaking about that with axios senior contributor margaret talev. always great to have you here on the bbc. we know now the republicans will control the white house. what you think that will mean for the party looking back at previous administrations, and how easy or difficult will it be for donald trump to get his agenda passed? donald trump to get his agenda assed? . �* , . donald trump to get his agenda assed? ., �* , ., ., passed? that's a great question- _ passed? that's a great question. on - passed? that's a great question. on the - passed? that's a great question. on the one | passed? that's a great - question. on the one hand, the question. 0n the one hand, the total control you've heard, the trifecta, as well as the senate and the white house. 0n on some level, maximising president—elect trump to try some of the real

changes that he is shaking up. it's all kinds of norms and institution he is promised. the reason why is of course that is the separation of powers. the tenant has the power to block the nomination. the house can initiate impeachment of windows are controlled by the party as the president. it means much less likely that the democratic party will be able to but tim. because he won notjust the election electoral college with the popular vote, we hear many republicans say he has a mandate and it will only rush up mandate and it will only rush up the pressure on them. but there are some potential limits of this. even with republicans controlling the house and

senate, house seats are up every two years. a third of the senate is up every two years. midterms are only two years away. republicans will control the house with a very slim majority, and it will be even slimmer in the beginning weeks and perhaps months because trump has pulled several republicans. so, those republicans. so, those republicans in the house are going to have to balance loyalties to the president and his real political pressure on him and the levers he can exert, against the fact they will be up for reelection in two years. that's what i'm watching. two years. that's what i'm watching-— two years. that's what i'm watchinu. ~ �* , ., ., watching. we've been hearing a lot from the _ watching. we've been hearing a lot from the pundits _ watching. we've been hearing a lot from the pundits sounding i lot from the pundits sounding off on controversial names. from rfkjunior to elon musk. do we have sense of what voters think? the trump voters swing state voters approve of some of

these more controversial pics? is a really good question because what we saw in the exit polling — and it was validated and some focus groups that we were involved in axioms this week — many swing state voters voted for donald trump because they are upset about inflation and they believe that the economy was better when he was the president and they want that back. they want groceries to be cheaper, they want interest rates to come down, they want to be able to afford stuff and have money in their profit. many of them were not fitting for a total transformation of government and thousands of federal employees against enemies and some of the massive changes that he's promised. we were in focus groups this week, and interestingly, what we heard from these swing state voters, some of who did vote for trump,

they don't think his close relationship with elon musk is a good idea. they usually questioned that he's the world riches man. —— the world's richest man. little less certainty from rfk. some of them like the idea that he wants to take on big ads and question the pharmaceutical industry but they have questions about his mental health, that his own family has stepped away from him, and they're concerned about his conspiracy theory. i5 conspiracy theory. is interesting because we saw both gentlemen on the campaign trail. were voters aware, do you think, that this might be the way that this trump to point know was —— 220 zero would shape up?

point know was -- 220 zero would shape up?— point know was -- 220 zero would shape up? voters wanted everything _ would shape up? voters wanted everything that _ would shape up? voters wanted everything that he _ would shape up? voters wanted everything that he was - would shape up? voters wanted everything that he was selling. l everything that he was selling. they want to bring an outsider. they want to bring an outsider. they thought they were voting for someone to counter inflation. maybe focus on the boers —— focus on the border more. i think people are going to love what they see this week. many americans will see this wasn't what they thought they were voting for. israel is launching deadly strikes on beirut as it continues a week—long campaign against what it says are hezbollah positions in lebanon's capital. scattered strikes lastest all through friday, including this attack that flattened a high—rise building. it's not yet known how many

people were killed or injured. elsewhere in the country, officials say at least 15 rescue workers, waiting to be dispatched to help civilians, were killed when an israeli missile struck a civil defence building. six weeks into israel's invasion, lebanese officials say their government is considering a new us truce proposal aimed at halting the conflict. iran, which backs hezbollah, has said it will support any decision made by the group and the lebanese government. 0ur middle east correspondent, hugo bachega, is in beirut. with the government have said is that they are open to any deal limited to the united nations's resolution that ended the 2006 war between israel and hezbollah. it requires hezbollah. it requires hezbollah to remove weapons from areas near the border with israel. but a sticking point is that israel wants to have the right to act inside lebanon should any deal be violated.

here on friday, a senior officialfrom iran had talked with this senior lebanese and said iran would support any decision taken by the lebanese government. this is seen as an indication that iran wants to see the end of conflict. the lebanese prime minister said his government's priority is to reach a cease—fire and negotiations would continue. meanwhile, israel's new defence minister says he's approved a new round of draft notices to ultra—orthodox jews. in a post on x, israel katz said 7,000 notices would be sent out to quote "ease the burden" on idf troops, with the first phase being issued on sunday. ultra—orthodox jews, known as haredim, have been exempt from israel's universal conscription for most of the country's history. but israel's supreme court overruled that exemption over the summer. the carve—out had faced increasing scrutiny as the haredi population has grown, and particularly since israel's invasion of gaza after hamas's deadly attacks of october 7th last year.

the previous defence minister, yoav gallant, had pushed to ramp up the conscription of haredim, but there was speculation the draft could be slowed after he was sacked and replaced by mr katz. these new draft notices have the potential to put mr netanyahu's coalition at risk, which includes many haredis and supporters of the exemption. joining me live is merissa khurma, director of the middle east programme at the think tank the wilson center. ijust want i just want to start off with this report though my —— deeper into territory. the even as the us ambassador handed over the cease—fire us ambassador handed over the

cease-fir , ., ,., , ., cease-fire proposal, unfortunately, - cease-fire proposal, j unfortunately, that's cease-fire proposal, - unfortunately, that's what we are seeing. your report or report on those being pulled out of the rubble, the estimated number of those being held as over 3000 people, many of them innocent civilians. this of course is a war that the lebanese people did not ask for, that hezbollah has started on their behalf. but of course, they are equally hoping that the cease—fire negotiations will move forward. but it doesn't look like we are there yet. there are lots of mixed signals and mixed messages from both sides. the newspaper, the lebanese newspaper affiliated with hezbollah, attacked the deal, noting that is blackmailing lebanon. it is pushing the whole situation on hezbollah's court while giving

israel full—court. as your correspondent mentioned, this is when the sticking points. 0n the israeli side, we hear mixed messages as well. some israeli officials are noting that bibi netanyahu officials are noting that bibi neta nyahu wants to officials are noting that bibi netanyahu wants to wait for a trump president to... wanted to ask ou trump president to... wanted to ask you what _ trump president to... wanted to ask you what world _ trump president to... wanted to ask you what world you - trump president to. .. wanted to ask you what world you think- ask you what world you think the us politics in this? will be see anything getting done and this in turn time, what they call lame—duck presidency —— interim time? they call lame-duck presidency -- interim time?— -- interim time? you would think this — -- interim time? you would think this is _ -- interim time? you would think this is a _ -- interim time? you would think this is a very - -- interim time? you would think this is a very small - think this is a very small window of opportunity that the biden administration would take advantage of, but i think given how the is really right has been very much empowered by the election of president—elect trump, it's very unlikely that we will see any kind of cease—fire talks moving forward, whether it's in gaza or lebanon. so, we are hearing mixed messages because israeli

officials are saying we want to hand trump a victory, but others are noting that we've told the administration we want told the administration we want to move forward and finish the deal as soon as possible. at the next 72 hours will be critical because that is when will he hear back from hezbollah on where they stand on this proposal. there are a lot of reports that do not cast and optimistic lot of reports