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Trump expected to name Kevin Hassett to lead National Economic Council

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President-elect Donald Trump is expected to name Kevin Hassett to lead the National Economic Council in his second administration, according to four people with knowledge of the transition.

Hassett, 62, served as chief economist during Trump’s first term. Now, he would take on an expanded role as the president’s top adviser on economic matters and play a key part in coordinating policies and strategy across the government.

One of the main orders of business for the new NEC director will be serving as an emissary in negotiating an extension to the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, legislation that Hassett has spent years touting.

His addition to Trump’s team would be a sign that the president-elect is favoring more established names — rather than disrupters — for top roles that will be tasked with enacting a sweeping economic policy agenda that will include high tariffs, major tax legislation and the unwinding of Biden-era regulations.

Wall Street and business leaders have responded favorably to Trump’s selection of hedge fund executive Scott Bessent to serve as Treasury secretary and Cantor Fitzgerald CEO Howard Lutnick to lead Commerce — both pending confirmation.

The NEC is part of the executive office of the president, and the director does not need to be confirmed by the Senate.

Transition spokesperson Karoline Leavitt said decisions on who will serve in the administration “will continue to be announced by [Trump] when they are made.” The president-elect has been known to change his mind on personnel appointments at the last minute. The people who said Hassett was the expected pick were granted anonymity to discuss a decision that is not yet final.

Hassett could not be reached for comment.

Bloomberg News earlier reported the news.

If ultimately named to the role, Hassett would be one of only a handful of alums to return to the White House for Trump 2.0. He will also be among the most established Republican economists in Trump’s camp, having previously worked at the Federal Reserve and as an adviser to the presidential campaigns of George W. Bush, John McCain and Mitt Romney.

He has written that he “didn’t have the DNA of a Trump advisor,” but Hassett was a major defender of Trump’s agenda during both the first administration and the presidential campaign. That included helping Trump’s team shape its attacks on Vice President Kamala Harris as she rolled out her economic policies this summer.

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Congress

Senate GOP ready to move on elections bill

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Senate Majority Whip John Barrasso told reporters Monday the chamber will vote Tuesday to take up a House-passed elections bill known as the SAVE America Act.

The Wyoming Republican, whose job it is to help round up support, said he is “doing everything I can to make sure we get on this bill tomorrow.”

Republicans will need a simple majority to begin debate on the partisan legislation; they can lose three members and still let Vice President JD Vance break a tie.

So far, Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) has said he’s a “no,” while Republicans are also watching GOP Sens. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Mitch McConnell of Kentucky.

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Jesse Jackson’s family withdraws posthumous endorsement in Illinois Senate primary

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The family of the late Rev. Jesse Jackson walked back a posthumous endorsement of Illinois Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton’s Senate campaign on Monday, after the family said Jackson’s endorsements for Tuesday’s primaries were not completed before his death.

On Saturday, Stratton’s campaign touted an endorsement from Jackson, who died last month, and his son Yusef. The announcement came after Stratton saw Rainbow PUSH Coalition, the Jackson family’s organziation, passing out sample ballots — which were also obtained by Blue Light News — that recommended Stratton.

“[Jackson’s] example has been a north star for me, and I’m deeply honored to have received his trust, support, and endorsement before his passing,” Stratton said in a statement on Saturday.

But on Monday, Yusef Jackson, who is the organization’s COO, said the draft sample ballot was “released without authorization” and that the Jackson family and Rainbow PUSH Coalition are not making political endorsements this cycle.

His father “began the process of reviewing candidates and identifying those he intended to support in the upcoming primary election,” Yusef Jackson said in the statement. “However, given his passing just over a month ago, the process was never fully completed. Out of respect for my father, we decided not to publicly release his intended selections given the process had not been finalized.”

The Stratton campaign said on Monday that officials with Rainbow PUSH Coalition said she had been endorsed by Jackson.

“Juliana spoke on Saturday at Rainbow PUSH for a Women’s History Month event and officials told her she received the endorsements. Organizers shared the sample election ballot that was already being distributed and encouraged her to share the news,” the Stratton campaign said in a statement.

The endorsement mix-up draws further scrutiny on the split among Black Democrats in Illinois between Stratton and Rep. Robin Kelly (D-Ill.), who are both seeking to succeed retiring Sen. Dick Durbin. Some Democrats in the state have expressed concern that Stratton and Kelly could split the vote in Tuesday’s primary, creating a path for Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-Ill.) to win the nomination.

Rep. Jonathan Jackson (D-Ill.) told Blue Light News prior to the family’s statement that his father “never got in on Black-on-Black fights.”

Jonathan Jackson added that the races the late Jesse Jackson “was excited about” were himself and former Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr.’s comeback bid.

“He wouldn’t do that. He was always pushing the community forward,” Jackson said. “This smells of desperation.”

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Johnson on Trump’s Hormuz plan

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Speaker Mike Johnson said he supports President Donald Trump’s effort to build a global coalition ensure safe passage of commerce through the Strait of Hormuz — even if Trump “didn’t anticipate it” being necessary before launching airstrikes against Iran.

Speaking to reporters after attending a Washington event with Trump, Johnson said the president told him that “he anticipated the strait of Hormuz would be closed.”

“I don’t know that he didn’t anticipate it in the front end, but now it’s necessitated,” Johnson said. He added that the coalition is “a reasonable thing” for other countries to assist with and “it would be helpful.”

Asked about how much a potential supplemental package to fund the military action would cost, Johnson said, “We don’t know yet.” Estimates for the cost of the war have exceeding $1 billion per day.

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