the disappearance and investigators found the 44-year-old moved funds to a foreign bank, changed his email, communicated with a woman in uzbekistan, purchased airline cards and took out a $375,000 life insurance policy in january. deputies later discovered canadian officials rain his passport the day after he was reported missing. >> due to the discoveries and the new evidence we are sure that ryan was not in our lake. >> reporter: they say they do not know who the woman in uzbekistan is but they believe he is likely in eastern europe. the department is also investigating if any crimes were committed. no charges have been filed. in the meantime he has a message. >> get a hold of us and let us know you are okay. people forgive but it is important that we get him back here. >> reporter: cnn, chicago. the news continues right here.

breaking news, trump making a mockery of the justice department, naming matt gaetz to become the next attorney general. outreach tonight coming from democrats and republicans, loud and clear this hour. plus, tulsa gabbard, director of national intelligence. the same tulsa gabbard that was tossed out -- and repeats russian propaganda. and maloney and trump, m.i.a., snubbing the bidens today. likely not moving back to the warehouse. she likely doesn't care. do you? let's go up front. good evening, i'm erin burnett. out front tonight, the breaking news , f you to america. that is a quote from the president-elect's nomination of matt gaetz to become the next attorney general. axioms night with the subheadline, trumps middle finger. and the image. this is bipartisan disdain, democrats

and republicans alike are aghast at the announcement that it is intended to mock the office of attorney general. otherwise, how would you explain nominating someone who has said this about the agency he has been selected to lead? >> we to get this government back on our side or we defund and get rid of, abolish the fbi, cdc , atf , doj, every last one of them , if they do not come to heal. >> republican senator michalski just months ago , calling him an unserious candidate. in her words saying, we need a serious attorney general and am looking forward to the opportunity to consider somebody that is serious. this one was not on my bingo card. the scandal prone conspiracy spewing matt gaetz has won very important asset when it comes to how trump sees them. >> this is donald trump's party and i'm a donald trump republican. we are on a mission to rescue and save this country. and we ride or die or is -- with donald j trump to

the end. >> that's how it is. ride or die until the end. that is how matt gaetz has led his political career. there has been no bigger defender of donald trump, no matter the cause. to cause after cause. i would scoop with the 2020 election. >> election that was stolen as a consequence of illegal, last-minute changes to the rules. >> here's the question i would ask you. let's just start with basics. do except that joe biden won the 20 the presidential election? >> i accept that joe biden is the president. >> is also spoken out on the conspiracy theories surrounding the fbi on january 6. >> it's reasonable to ask whether or not the fbi is engaged in a playbook where, first, the infiltrating organization and then they try to bring the organization to the point of criminal conduct as a mechanism to try to bring it down. >> when it comes to trumps trial, this is important.

right? this gets right the whole point, attorney general justice. matt gaetz was also defender number one. >> we would be remiss if we did not mention the script judge. this is a made up crime. >> but none of those reasons are actually why many republicans are so appalled by the choice. they are disgusted and shocked for many other reasons. at this moment, matt gaetz, the very moment that i'm speaking, is under investigation by the house ethics committee. by his own callings. because of allegations that he, quote, engaged in sexual misconduct and engaged in illicit drug use, and took special privileges and favors to whom individuals he had a personal relationship, and sought to obstruct government investigations of misconduct. it was a whole litany of awful. republicans to have a problem with that. max miller saying, quote, gaetz has a better shot of having dinner with queen elizabeth ii than being confirmed by the senate. you get the joke. and he republican congressman saying, quote, matt

gaetz is under investigation by the house ethics committee he would be a compromised ag, there are better choices. gaetz was under in fbi investigation into whether he broke federal sex trafficking laws and had a relationship with a 17-year-old. gaetz denied the allegations and the investigation was eventually closed without charges. it did not stop powerful republicans, like kevin mccarthy, for speaking out about gaetz. >> if there's anybody who should go to trial, gaetz is one that should go to trial. >> again, he's under investigation by the house ethics committee for all those things and more, right now as we speak. that of course would and if he became attorney general. and whether that happens , right now was actually on the hands of john boone. and that's a really crucial conversation. amidst all of the fair today about matt gaetz, one comments to now. senator john fetterman of pennsylvania tweeted, there have been serious qualified individuals to post , like

rubio. schmidt would be a solid choice for ag. the good ones will come from by gop callings to justify a vote for that. you notice let you read of the screen. but gaetz today is not the only choice raising alarms. in fact, was already raised. the gaetz bomb dropped and everybody's eyes turned over there. but don't miss this, trump also tapped the former commerce or in , tulsa gabbard, to be director of national intelligence. she made a dubious name for herself when she broke over syria especially over the regime be responsible for chemical weapons attack the killed dozens of innocent people and civilians in 2017. >> you say you have doubts about these generals providing that kind of truth to the president? >> i'm skeptical. >> senator mitt romney has called gabbard out for parenting false russian propaganda. he used those exact words. he said, she parroted

magana. and he added, quote him again, her treasonous lies may well cost lives. tonight the washington examiner saying, republican senators face a choice between putting the nation for source submission to trump. after all, if gabbard is approved, chinese president jean being in vladimir putin will have an ideological sympathizer holding the keys to the u.s. intelligence committee crown jewels. kristen holmes out front in washington with coverage this hour. senator michalski calling gaetz an unserious candidate. but the reality of it is, of course, trump has made this nomination . he is serious about it. is this what you expected? >> i just got off the phone with a senior advisor the said that donald trump was expecting backlash. the entire team was expecting the backlash, and they don't care what they are seeing . essentially, this person said that gaetz is probably position for a donald trump once and attorney general. summitt, who he believes, being donald trump, is an effective communicator. can go out there and put out

the message that donald trump wants out there when it comes to the department of justice. something that donald trump said that he is seeing magnates to time and time again. you played some of the clips. they are talking about getting rid of the department of justice, talking about defunding the department of justice. all of this is a larger plan that donald trump has openly spoken about when it comes to how he wants the government to be run. and part of that means a department of justice operates completely at the behest of the president of the united states as part of the executive branch. some of the jobs he needed to fill, one of the most critical jobs in this administration, is and attorney general who will go along with those plans. donald trump, i'm told, met with a series of individuals over the last several days and was unimpressed that he may that's decision old last minute. it was today. and wanted to go with somebody who he had seen pushing forward the same level of messaging that he wanted

about the department of justice. in such as the messaging. he said this, we know we've heard this from donald trump's allies as well. matt gaetz is the truest loyalist to what that term means. he has been nothing but, next the president, every step of the way. when it comes to the election in 2020, and now weather comes to how he views the department of justice. at the end of the day, donald trump wants to get rid of the deep state . when he talks with the deep state he is talking about specifically the department of justice and using a lot of the messaging we have heard that gaetz also use publicly when trying to talk about what their plans are for the department of justice moving forward. >> kristin, thank you very much. eric swallow, who sits on the house judiciary committee, of course the attorney general will be crucial for what you are doing over the next couple of years. here we are. what you think? >> to the president , i say, seriously, who's your pick for attorney general? because this pick is a middle finger to

democrats and sane republicans. it's not only being penned by democrats. my republican friends in the house are also clowning this pick. they're saying it privately. that was the mood earlier at the capital. donald trump, not known for having a sense of humor, credit to you. you landed a joke on the country. but this is a position , considering what overseas, counterterrorism, money-laundering , public corruption, child trafficking. it's worthy of being taken seriously. and also, i should tell you everything about matt gaetz, that he would allow himself to be used by the president to try to own the limbs with something we know will never pass. >> i just ask you about that? are you sure about that? >> yeah. i'm sure. and i say that because you still have, in

the senate, by the way, at least three individuals on the republican side who voted to convict donald trump. cecil have senators cassidy and collins. you have senator tillis in north carolina who just saw his state become a little bit blue. although kamala harris did not win there. we elected a statewide governor and attorney general. in the former governor, roy cooper, may be running against him. see have a lease for reasonable people who are not, i don't think i'm going to be inclined to move on this. and then john soon just beat donald trump's choice to be majority leader of the senate. everyone from the trump camp was projected this week that they wanted rick scott. and john soon creams rick scott. so i don't see this. >> the irony of that, under secret ballot, republicans chose the kennett -- candidate the trump didn't want pick out the irony is not lost on anyone there. you see what you say

about john. but trump has said that he wants whatever is the majority leader, and of course it's john thin, it's unclear what john will do, but trump basically wants anybody that he nominates to be appointed during recess. so in other words, the senate doesn't even get a vote. so john thune has to take him on directly on that. you think he's going to do that? this is essentially what would be the first thing he does. >> i believe that michalski, collins, cassidy, tillis and the democrats will put pressure on him not to do that. the american people are also not going to be quiet about this. but i would suggest you, as disturbing as this is, matt gaetz may be a lapdog for the president but that doesn't mean we, as democrats in congress, need to chase every ball that the president throws. in a way, again, this is trying to fire us up, spin us up. it's the beginning of the negotiation for the president have been dealing with this guy for nine years on the judiciary intelligence, homeland security committee. i've seen this movie before and i have

confidence in the way that this is going to work out. >> i appreciate your time and thank you very much. joining us now, -- national political reporter for the board. i appreciate both of you being here. mark, i know that you have some new reporting on trumps thinking behind this pick. interesting coming her the congressman's point of view on it. you just spoke with a trump advisor just a couple of moments ago. what did you learn? >> i think it's is wrong is two left shoes. this is not a negotiation. donald trump is serious about this. donald trump and matt gaetz feel be grieved by the justice department and gaetz has been a long time -- will tested by fire in the presidents eyes can will trusted by the president, the president-elect. if he gets in the office you can, rest assured, according to trumps advisors and people who are familiar with his thinking, that matt gaetz is going to investigate the investigators. both those that investigate him and those who investigated former president trump. so this

is a serious thing that they are doing. in their minds it doesn't really matter if the democrats don't like this. what matters to them is that they have the votes in the senate. it was pointed out there's this new procedure, new move to allow for recessive appointments that the senate republican leader has agreed to. and matt gaetz was among those who helped formulate that plan and policy with former president trump to get him to do that. if he doesn't get confirmed you could possibly see a recess appointment made by former president trump , or president trump at the time. i don't think this is a negotiation. there's no indication that it is. >> and if he goes ahead with those appointments, here we are. >> similar to mark, i think that this is a pick that should be taken seriously. at least because the trump advisors are serious themselves. we should also see this is trump following through on a campaign promise. he promised vengeance,

he promised revenge. he made it clear that this would be a second term in which retribution would be part of the ideology. and that's what this pick represents. i was in the audience when he made that comment pick >> about getting rid of every single government. >> doj, fbi. there was rapid applause from the crowd. this has been something that the ecosystem has talked about as it means to getting payback for what they feel happened to donald trump. i want to say, i don't think there's any indication that we should assume that republican senators will go along with this or that the recess appointment kind of switched. they will allow this pic to come through. i'm willing to believe, because of the way it was -- there was so much of a sense that donald trump has a mandate to govern as he wishes. but i think there's going to be -- this is going to be the first test how much a republican congress is willing to push back. >> and you want that test right away. mark, i was sharing with

a lot of republican said more the democrats. it's now trumps party and they obviously had a broad-based discussion. elon musk has spoken out about gaetz as attorney general. he said the hammer of justice is coming, the whole endorsement of the idea. in all the reporting that you've been doing on the musk influence, on his role, in a decision like this with matt gaetz, how much did he push gaetz for ag? >> i don't think he had to. i think this was gaetz from the get-go. one of the advisors i spoke to for president trump had said that all the other people that wanted to be ag talked about as if it was a judicial point. and they talked, i'm censoring myself because there some f moms. they talk to these high-minded -- to the constitutional like. gaetz said, i will go in there and cut some heads. that's what's appealing to donald trump. not only is gaetz willing and able to do it, he has a zeal to it. he has demonstrated inability to have a will for trump and to prosecute his agenda.

>> he said that last night , pete hegseth, the news broke on that. and they said that's the one that will pass. to your point. that's the one. then kelsey gabbard comes out. and you have serious republicans have a problem the tulsa gabbard. again, just prepend -- pretend they don't matter. then you get matt gaetz. so all three of those then, presumably, are all real. and in the world we are talking about, all three of them will get their nominations. >> i don't think we can act like it is a sure no. i think this is recognizing that donald trump was, clear as day, about how he intended to govern. he intends to follow through on that promise. it's going to be interesting how democrats players, how republicans play this too, will he try to kind of fend off the worst of matt

gaetz? because they think that position is power, and let that one through. or will he fight on all fronts? this is also a test of some of the resistance energy that was very different 2016 and 2017. democrats are very enthusiastic, pressuring others to push back on every single thing. there has been that grassroots energy here this time either. so will the public, will the electorate speak out? one question i have is for the voting public that put donald trump back in office. was that a rejection of biden and the status quo or was that an endorsement of the maga agenda? i don't think we really know that yet. these type of appointments will give us clues on that front based on the reaction we see pick >> right. it's going to be crucial. inflation and housing crisis. this is maybe not with a signed a pick >> failure that stuff coming from the public i don't think you will see republican senators go out of their way to oppose donald trump. >> thank you. mark, thank you. great to have you both and all of the reporting. next,

breaking news continues. matt gaetz has just resigned from congress ahead of what he thinks is going to be his confirmation. plus, trump making light today of a third term, bringing up a third term. former trump white house lawyer tom cobb is going to listen to exactly what trump said and tell you what he hears. he's out front next. and a special -- on his secretary. was pete hegseth, the fox news anchor? and what does he believe? >> i'm just straight up saying we shouldn't have women in combat roles.

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plus your next unlimited line free for a year. get amazing savings and connect to wifi speeds up to a gig on the go with xfinity mobile. fly don't walk to get our best deals of the year. connect to the world of wicked this holiday, only in theaters november 22nd. breaking news, trump's pick for attorney general, matt gaetz, just resigning from his seat in the house. the first up for the republican congressman to join trumps cabinet. it ends the ethics investigation he's facing into allegations that he may have engaged in sexual misconduct and illicit drug use, among other things. ty cobb, for white house lawyer, you called the nomination of matt gaetz for attorney general of the united states , and according you, a f you to america.

>> this is just a shocking event. and intentionally so. he's a disruptor. trump is. but matt gaetz is just simply unqualified , both academically, professionally , ethically. morley. he has no business being in this conversation. he doesn't have any leadership. in spite of the country, one thing he did he was famous for, he got in votes out of his own party, which was opposing kevin mccarthy. when he walked into the white house when i was in the warehouse, serious staffers had red flags. they look the other way and hope he wasn't there to visit them. this is just not a serious choice. this is a choice that is contemptuous. i think anyone who has served in the justice department

historically, most of the people that are there today, deeply saddened by this. it diminishes the pride with which they associate themselves with the department of justice. hopefully this will be a chapter that passes quickly. hopefully it won't even get to a hearing. with regard to the discussion of recess appointments, i think the one thing that trump could have done that quashed his ability to get recess appointments, or ensure that if recess opponents are approved, they will be approved at the cabinet level, was what he did today in terms of nominating matt gaetz. >> that's interesting. obviously john thune is majority leader, as opposed to rick scott, which was trump's choice. you mentioned that you met with him. that is what ask about that. he did have meetings with gaetz at trump's request . he met with him at trump's direction at the white house. i believe many times, right near the molar investigation , when gaetz was on the judiciary committee.

what can you share about those interactions, what he was like? and obviously that's leading to your point of view of his lack of fitness for this. >> you know, ethically, there's not a lot i can share. i can say that he was there basically to curry favor with the president. he wanted to be the presidents point on the spear in terms of attacking molar. one of the things i demanded from the president in taking the job was the criticism or would be infrequent and muted. gaetz was acting contrary to the goals that i had and the police that i had in terms of what was important to get the case to a conclusion and demonstrate whatever else trump may have done historically and has done since. one thing he didn't do was the russian collusion. that was going to be obscured by the viciousness of the attacks on more than gaetz launched. >> president-elect trump told

those in washington, quote, i suspect i will be running again. unless you do something. now republicans are saying that was just a joke. what do you think? >> trump is not a jokester when it comes to those things. there's always some desire. keep in mind, my all stated views, trump is a crippled narcissist. nothing happens that's not in his self-interest or in an effort to accumulate self-esteem, praise, glorification and wealth. the idea of power to him is like a narcotic. if trump could run again for a third term and the constitution permitted it, he would do it. i don't think that's a possibility, i don't think there's anything congress can do other than pass a constitutional amendment, which is not going to happen. i think trump would certainly love to be a dictator for life but that's not going to happen. but yes, i don't think it was

a joke. i think trump would love that and he was signaling that. that's not going to happen. >> i appreciate you. thank you. >> nice being here with you. take care. >> you too. next, a republican civil war breaking over matt gaetz. one republican warning their careers will be over if they stop this nomination. where is milani a quick she was not there at the warehouse today. we are learning she does not have any intention of moving back to washington.

breaking news, blindsided. that's how many senate republicans feel about the choice of matt gaetz to be attorney general. cnn says there were audible gasps as the announcement was popping up on their phones . here's how republican senator susan collins felt when she heard the news. >> i was shocked that he has been nominated . if the

nomination proceeds sure that there'll be an expected opuses expensive background check by the fbi. in public hearings. a lot of questions asked. >> kramer also raising the issue very explicitly of the background check from the fbi. many , perhaps, feel that they will block it before they deal with it. we were out front live on capitol hill. you have been trying to talk to republicans tonight there. you were there witnessing those audible gasps. what are they telling you? >> it's very clear that this is going to be a rocky road to confirmation. a lot of republicans are concerned about a number of things that was said . try to oust kevin mccarthy , the fact that he's facing a house ethics investigation into sexual misconduct. something that he denies, as well as has

defensive donald trump in the aftermath of january 6th. really goes down the line. it does not align with a lot of the views of the republican senators that have the votes to confirm it. now that doesn't mean everyone wants to talk about it. in fact, i tried to talk to a lot of senators tonight about matt gaetz being nominated to the post. they were not ready to engage. >> what about matt gaetz? >> i don't know yet. i'll have to think about it. >> any concerns? >> we will see pick >> you think that gaetz is confirmable? >> we will find out. what we? >> senator kennedy, what do you think of matt gaetz as attorney general? >> happy thanksgiving. >> several those members on the judiciary committee, which of course played a key role in deciding whether or not to advance the nomination. some of those numbers including -- both of them had concerns but did

not say that would back the nomination. also, the new senate majority leader, the incoming senate majority leader, senator john thune, indicating today that this would be going to the regular set process. not saying he believes that gaetz could be confirmed to the post. >> thank you very much. out front now, k, it asserts what the republicans that they spoke to. you want to talk but at this point when it comes to matt gaetz. others have been very open. what do you think happened here? you can have a big firestorm and then eventually people just get on board. i mean, that's what history which shows going to happen. that's the president. but here we are. you think this will actually be a bridge too far for enough republicans to block a nomination? >> look, time and again we have seen trump say or do things

that we expect senate republicans would not fall in line behind and they inevitably have. past president, plus the combination of trump's overwhelming political victory last week , suggests that , ultimately, if trump is really serious about putting muscle behind this nomination and getting it over the finish line, will probably get there? probably. but the big questions are , as we alluded to what comes up. are there things that come up that are just so appalling and unacceptable that enough republican senators walkway? i think the other big question here, is this a genuine nomination? or is this an exit ramp for matt gaetz to leave the house, to have the oversight ethics investigation into closed, which happened effectively when he resigned today. if this is trump giving him a graceful exit. i think we

actually don't know the answer to that yet. it's going to be really interesting to see how this develops. >> earlier today republican senator mark: was on with my friend jake tapper. he said gaetz will have to sell himself. lots of questions. right? the reason that mullen's comments stood out is because he has spoken out about matt gaetz before. here's what he told -- >> he was accused of sleeping with an underage girl. there's a reason why no one in the conference came and defended him. because we had all seen the videos he was showing on the house for that all of us had walked away, of the girls he had slept with. he would brag about how he would crush ed medicine and chase it with an energy drink so he can go all night. >> again, it's like here we are, we got to hear the stuff and talk about all the stuff. frankly, it's beneath everybody. this is the situation that we are in. do

republicans get past all of that? do they get past the house ethics? >> look, i want to approach this from two different perspectives. procedurally, you can't afford to lose three republicans. you lose three or four and you can't get confirmed. from the president-elect's perspective , i think you want someone to come in as a wrecking ball. and i say this based upon his experiences with the doj, based upon his experiences with prosecutors at large. i think he will argue that prosecutors have too much power, too much discretion and he wants someone that, he believes, would be loyal to him, sort of dismantling that prosecutorial state, if you will. and i think from the president-elect perspective, gaetz is the best individual to accomplish that. again, everyone has to go through the confirmation process. can't afford to lose too many of them in order to get confirmed. >> and of course gaetz has denied any wrongdoing. he was charged by the doj. the investigation was going on

until he resigned a few minutes ago. one of trump's most loyal allies to the senate, obviously he supports this. he made that clear because he had a warning for any republican who would consider opposing the nomination. here's what he said. >> at the end of the day, president trump was elected by an enormous vote. he deserves a team around him that he wants. it's not us to determine that. vote with president trump. this the last chance we are going to have of saving this country. if you want to get in the way, fine. but we will try to get you out of the senate too if you try to do that. >> how serious of a threat is it, kate? >> i think it's probably pretty serious. again, the victory that trump notched on tuesday, you know, a lot of support. we sizable increase in states across the country where these senators are going to be looking at their own backyards and saying , you know, do i really want to pick this fight was donald trump right out of the gate? it's such a shame

that trump chooses to surround himself with people like this who have such appalling character and ethics . it's unfortunate. there are many brilliant conservative minds in this country who would be qualified. unfortunately, trump has chosen to do this. i suppose it's always possible . he throws gaetz out there is kind of chum in the water. it's often true in a transition and in confirmation that somebody becomes the lightning rod and sort of makes it easier for everyone else to get confirmed. maybe that's what trump is doing here except i would say, trump hates to lose. so not sure if that's a strategy that he will be trying to employ here. >> i want to ask you about something else, until 3:30 today , we were all planning to lead our show with this. i thought that was very significant. you had the trump pick. clearly the supported pick for majority leader. scott

, backed by everyone from tucker carlson and on, lose. lose to john thune. john thune and his establishment republican. not the maga choice at all. and he won. and he won in a secret ballot because the republicans, nobody was going to know who they voted for it so they can vote what they wanted to do. and when trump was looking and couldn't identify and they didn't vote for the guy they wanted. they jolted -- voted for john thune. is there anything to read into that? or do we just take away from it, that's what happens in a secret ballot and that's the only time you'll ever get one. so that's last time you'll see something like this. >> look, if it were a public ballot they would have voted for rick scott, if i'm honest. i just have to be candid here. noon is an institutionalist. he's been there long time. when you have been there long time you pretend a lot of folks there. i'm not surprised that many of them stood with him. rick scott sort of had some disagreements with members in the past when he and mitch mcconnell had some back and

forth about a year ago. so i wasn't necessarily shocked by the ultimate outcome here. look, i think the senators are looking at the mandate that the president-elect has. i think they're going to give him as much leeway as the possibly can and i think you are going to see a little pushback here and there. i think the president-elect like that battle in politics . he said, look, it can be a rough sport. i think he enjoys that a little bit. >> thank you both very much. i appreciate it. next, would you say the former president, the current president, president-elect, they are all -- today. and one person out there was the former and future first lady, melania trump. we learned she does not plan to return to the white house full-time. we are reporting on that today. and then, quote, a nightmare. stunned by the -- that trump is tapped to run the pentagon. we have new details today, digging into who pete hegseth is and what he believes in.

tonight the incoming first lady, melania trump, has not been seen in a week, declined an invitation to join her husband at the white house. first lady joe biden gave a letter to pass along to her on her behalf. cnn is reporting that melania trump is not expected to live at the white house full-time during her husband's second term. chris holmes is out front with this report. >> reporter: president-elect and donald trump back in washington for a triumphant return. among his small entourage, a slate of advisors and billionaire elon musk. notably absent, former first lady melania trump. despite an invitation from current first lady joe biden. in a statement, trump's team not giving a reason for her absence. instead, writing, quote, her husband's return to office is encouraging and she wishes him great success. after carving

out her own approach to being first lady during trump's first term sources telling cnn melania trump's absence is likely to be a staple of trump's second term in the white house. with mrs. trump unlikely to move back to washington full-time. she herself indicating she has a better understanding of the role and how to handle it this time around. >>, anxious because this time is different. i have much more experience, much more knowledge. i was in the white house before. when you go in you know exactly what to expect. >> discussions about when and how the next first lady will spend most of her time are ongoing. so, she is expected to split her time between palm beach and new york, where her son will be attending college. the decision, unsurprisingly on the campaign trail the former first lady was rarely seen by her husband's side, appearing

only a handful times, including his announcement. and the convention, early speaking her husband's madison square garden rally. >> lettuce charged together with a shared vision that builds on american greatness. let's create -- for tomorrow, the future that we deserve. >> before appearing again on election day after his victory. in a series of interviews promoting her memoir, the incoming first lady said this about her husband's presidency. >> would you have mary donald trump if you had a kristi paulus that he would be president? >> that's an interesting question. >> and a very interesting answer there, aaron. we obviously know that she was not super happy being in the spotlight. but one thing i will know is i talked to a number of people close to her and the

former president say that lonnie trump will still be present at the white house for big events, including things like state dinners. she will also still have a platform even if she is not physically in the white house full-time. >> kristin, thank you very much. staff writer at the new yorker, author of many must-read books , including the biography of joe biden. so let's start with this, with millennia trump skipping the traditional white house meeting. and we are now learning not going to live in washington full-time according to her current plans. how rare is that for first lady? >> it's completely rare. lesson first lady hasn't lived in the white house was bess truman, and that's only because they were renovating the building. before they go back to the 1800s. i think some people might say, look, is this trivial? why does it matter? and the point is that this is a reminder of something in a preview of a kind of disregard for the institution of the presidency that the trump family has. the sense that, look, not everything is in the

laws. all codified in the rules. some of this is about the ritual, the public demonstration of what it means to be in this office. >> right. the circumstance. and when you put it that way. so today she obviously did not come back for the visit. but biden invited trump and trump came. they had a very cordial meeting. i have to say, you look at them sitting together and i don't think there's anyone that is a go, wow, i can't believe that they are sitting there like that. no signs of bitterness from biden, despite the fact that trump has said many things about it. i will play a few here. >> joe biden was the worst president in the history of our country. we are going to knock off the biden crime family. >> we have a man who can put two sentences together. we have a man that doesn't know he's alive. >> having spent extensive time with biden, when you saw them together today , what do you think was going through joe biden's head? >> i think there needs to be a new academy award for a presidential performance. look, the reality is joe biden has a

deep and very personal disdain for donald trump. not only for refusing to accept the loss of the 2020 election. it's even more than that. as for mocking paul pelosi what he was attacked by an intruder in his own. his level of real personal contempt. however, teddy roosevelt said that the presidency was about disinterested service for people all over the nation. meaning, you have to be able to pull yourself out of it. and joe biden has 60 days, in effect, to project to americans that this is larger than him and donald trump. >> right after the meeting trump announces that he had not announced at that point, tulsa gabbard or matt gaetz. i wonder if joe biden would have behaved that way if that had happened. i'm curious what you think about that. what you make of trump's timing? he waited until after that meeting. >> it's probably the meeting. it may also be affected donald trump had just lost something, which is in the senate, johnson

was elected. not the person that donald trump wanted in a job. and really, a reminder for all of us, that the senate is becoming more and more an essential institution in putting up the guardrails around donald trump's presidency. >> and of course we were saying the great irony, that it's a secret ballot. a secret ballot, of all of this when you talk about democracy, it was a secret ballot that enabled the gop to do that. >> done in public, we don't know what they would have done work >> we can make our guesses but we don't know. thank you very much, evan. new reporting today on the former fox host, trump's pick to lead the pentagon and why officials are setting an alarm.

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tonight , baffled responses from current and senior military officials calling this election of former fox news host pete hegseth ridiculous. and a nightmare, that's what they tell joe. but who is he? we are out front. >> reporter: it's among the most surprising of donald trump's pics so far. pete hegseth, a fox news host expected to run at the tent again. the 44-year-old veteran, a stunning choice for defense secretary, after trump named several more classic experienced national security

hands to other posts. >> i'm straight up to sing, we should not have women in combat roles. >> he is someone that has flooded his controversial views point >> men in those positions are more capable. >> and railed about what he sees as a, woke, realtor. as he did in the -- interview last week. >> any general that was involved, any admiral that was involved in the di and woke stuff needs to go. >> -- appears to be what he has most a call -- common with trump. >> the woke generals should be fired immediately. >> trump's decision was met with shocked by current and former military officials, a choice seeming to come out of left field pete hegseth has been a weekend host to fox and friends after serving in the military for nearly 2 decades . he did tours in iraq and afghanistan. while in the national guard he claims he was barred from serving at president joe biden's inauguration because of the cross tattoo that the guard found extremist. >> it's the crusaders. it's long been a christian symbol. so they used as an excuse to frame me as an enemy of the state effectively. >> pete hegseth served at

guantanamo bay and has defended waterboarding. he also advocated for three u.s. troops accused of murder, including former navy seal eddie gallagher, who post for trophy photo with a corpse of an isis detainee. >> murder of an ice egg. >> trump went on to re-promote gallagher and part of the two others. pete hegseth has cast doubt on the 2020 election and priest the january 6th insurrectionist. >> these are people that understand principles. they freedom in the with free markets. >> pete hegseth moved to tennessee with his third wife and seven children , where he says he now lives on the form. after the initial shock of pete hegseth and out -- announcement, defense officials who i were speaking with were critical of this pick. one senior military official telling me today that it's not a serious choice . other top former pentagon official highlighting pete hegseth's lack of any executive experience, working and defense policy. you have to remember that this is a massive bureaucracy. the defense department is the biggest employer the country with a global presence of some 3