Republicans clinched a majority in the U.S. House of Representatives on Thursday, completing a sweep of both chambers of Congress and solidifying GOP power alongside President-elect Donald Trump. Following the final vote count, which gave Republicans at least 218 of the 435 House seats, the party also secured a Senate majority, positioning Trump to govern decisively.
With Trump set for inauguration on January 20, his transition team is actively assembling his administration, including key nominations like the new ambassador to Israel. Notably, the transition team is reportedly preparing a plan to overhaul military leadership, potentially targeting officers perceived as having resisted Trump’s policies in the past.
Mike Huckabee in a tour of the West Bank
According to Reuters, the team is compiling a list of senior officers, including some members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, for possible removal. This includes officers seen as aligned with former Chairman Mark Milley, whom Trump allies have criticized over perceived "disloyalty" following Milley’s recent comments against Trump.
The transition team’s list reportedly targets “woke” officers, referencing Trump’s criticism of leaders he claimed were promoted based on diversity initiatives rather than combat-readiness.
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Donald Trump and Mark Rubio, nominated for Secretary of State
(Photo: Evan Vucci / AP)
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While some insiders express doubts over the feasibility of these changes, pointing to the risks posed amid current global conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East, others close to Trump insist such moves are necessary to reshape the military's leadership.
The Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday that Trump’s team is even preparing an executive order to establish a committee that would identify high-ranking officials for demotion. If enacted, this would mark an unprecedented reshaping of the military leadership under the president's role as commander-in-chief.
Meanwhile, Trump has named Pete Hegseth, a Fox News commentator and former Army officer, as his choice for secretary of fefense. Hegseth, known for his calls to “clean house” at the Pentagon, has argued in recent writings that reshaping the senior ranks is crucial to ensuring U.S. defense readiness.
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