Republican President-elect Donald Trump's team has asked the White House to explore the possibility of getting his children top-secret security clearances, CBS News said on Monday, citing unnamed sources.

Daughter Ivanka, sons Eric and Donald Jr. and son-in-law Jared Kushner were close advisers to Trump's campaign and are part of his transition team announced on Friday. The CBS report did not specify for which Trump children top-secret clearance was being sought. </s> President Donald Trump announced Tuesday the appointment of digital guru Brad Parscale to manage his bid to win re-election to the White House in 2020.

Parscale was digital director of Donald Trump's successful campaign for the White House in 2016. He has been called the "secret weapon" of that campaign.

The Trump-Pence Campaign said Parscale and the rest of the campaign, in addition to building an infrastructure for the 2020 re-election bid, also will be involved in helping Republican candidates in the upcoming 2018 midterm elections.

Trump's son Eric Trump in a prepared statement said: "Brad is an amazing talent and was pivotal to our success in 2016. He has our family's complete trust and is the perfect person to be at the helm of the campaign."

President Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, who is also a senior advisor to Trump, in his own statement said: "Brad was essential in bringing a disciplined technology and data-driven approach to how the 2016 campaign was run. His leadership and expertise will help build a best-in-class campaign." </s> Senior staff at the White House Kellyanne Conway, Jared Kushner and Steve Bannon (L-R) applaud before being sworn in by Vice President Mike Pence in Washington, DC January 22, 2017. REUTERS/Carlos Barria

BET EL, West Bank (Reuters) - For many in the Israeli settlement of Bet El, deep in the occupied West Bank, Donald Trump's choice of Jared Kushner as his senior adviser on the Middle East is a sign of politics shifting in their favor.

They regard Kushner, whose family's charitable foundation has donated tens of thousands of dollars to their settlement, as part of a diplomatic rebalancing after what they view as eight years of anti-Israel bias under the U.S. administration of Barack Obama.

"He will stand up for our interests. I suppose he will lean in our favor," said Avi Lavi, 46, who has lived in Bet El for more than 40 years. "He'll be fair, as opposed to Obama, whose policy leaned always towards the Arabs."

New U.S. President Trump says his son-in-law Kushner, 36, is capable of brokering the "ultimate deal" to deliver peace between Israelis and Palestinians.

Roi Margalit, manager of the Bet El Yeshiva, a seminary complex with around 400 students, said Kushner, an Orthodox Jewish father of three, understood the position of Israeli settlers better than previous envoys.

"At least now we have someone who knows us," the 43-year-old added. "He will now have to study the other side (the Palestinians) and see if there is any common ground."

Trump's pick for Israeli ambassador has sparked particular enthusiasm in the community: David Friedman, who chairs the American Friends of Bet El Institutions fundraising group.

The White House did not immediately respond to requests for comment from Kushner and Friedman.

Kushner, a businessman who built his career on real estate and publishing, has said little about his views about one of the world's most intractable conflicts, either during the campaign or since Trump took office.

The big question for the Palestinians is whether he can be an impartial actor given his family foundation's past financial ties to Bet El.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has been careful to say he looks forward to working with the Trump administration, but others are less optimistic.

Wasel Abu Youssef, a senior official at the Palestine Liberation Organisation, the main Palestinian political umbrella body, said Kushner could not be a neutral envoy if he was supportive of Israeli settlements.

Hani al-Masri, a political scientist and director of the Palestinian Center for Policy Research and Strategic Studies, said Kushner would be a representative of Israel rather than of the United States.

"If he attempts to resume negotiations, he will seek to hold them at a lower level than previous negotiations. It will be more biased to the Israeli position in an era where Israel is more extreme."

Palestinians want the West Bank and Gaza Strip for an independent state, with its capital in East Jerusalem.

Israel has built about 120 settlements in the West Bank. About 350,000 settlers live there and a further 200,000 in East Jerusalem, among about 2.6 million Palestinians.

Most countries consider the settlements illegal and an obstacle to peace as they reduce and fragment the territory Palestinians need for a viable state.

Israel disagrees, citing biblical, historical and political connections to the land and security interests.

Bet El, a community of 1,300 families perched on a hillside where many believe God promised Jacob the land, has been financed in part by donations from American backers.

Among its donors have been the Donald J. Trump Foundation, which gave $10,000 in 2003, and the foundation of Charles and Seryl Kushner, the parents of Jared, which gave $38,000 in 2013, U.S. tax records show.

The New York-based American Friends of Bet El Institutions hosts dinners to raise funds for the settlement, which overlooks the Palestinian city Ramallah.

Kushner has left it up to his father-in-law to comment on what role he might play.

"Jared is such a good kid and he'll make a deal with Israel that no one else can," Trump told The Times of London newspaper last month. "He's a natural dealmaker - everyone likes him."

Middle East analysts say the settlement donations by Kushner's family foundation are not necessarily deal-breakers.

After decades of failed negotiations, the real test is whether he is prepared to rethink the way the Middle East peace process is conducted, said Hugh Lovatt, a fellow of the European Council on Foreign Relations.

"If he reverts to pushing for a process for the sake of process and diplomatic prestige, then he will prove no more successful than his predecessors," Lovatt told Reuters. "If he acquiesces to Israeli territorial demands and gives a green light to more settlement activity, he could even do irreparable damage to the prospects of long-term peace." A key diplomatic factor will be whether the Trump administration commits itself to a two-state solution - Israel and an independent Palestinian state living side-by-side. This remains firmly the goal for the Palestinians and, according to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israelis. But some of Kushner's supporters in Bet El appear to be heading in a different direction - and the political voice of hardliners could prove a significant obstacle should peace talks resume. "The two-state solution is a scam," said Shai Alon, the head of the local council, who describes himself as optimistic about the "Trump era". "It's not going to happen." </s> US president-elect Donald Trump stepped up his takeover planning with new rules governing the involvement of lobbyists in his new administration, a flurry of meetings with potential cabinet members and even a key White House role for his son-in-law.

Under Mr Trump’s plans to “drain the swamp” of Washington politics, his team said that they would only appoint lobbyists if they agreed to a five-year ban on becoming a lobbyist after leaving government and a lifetime ban on working for foreign governments.

The measures, described as “true forward-thinking change” by Republican national committee chief strategist Sean Spicer, were announced after days of upheaval and infighting within the Trump camp.

The New York Times reported that Jared Kushner (35), Mr Trump’s son-in-law and a close adviser to the businessman during his campaign, was exploring whether he could join his father-in-law as a close confidant in his White House.

Mr Kushner, husband of Mr Trump’s daughter Ivanka, consulted lawyers to see whether he would circumvent anti-nepotism rules by foregoing a government salary and placing his various business interests, including his investment, his properties and his newspaper, the New York Observer, in a blind trust.

Mr Trump’s Trump Tower headquarters in Manhattan on Thursday was a hub of activity with a strong media presence in the skyscraper’s golden lobby watching for any appearances that might offer pointers to his cabinet appointees.

Fuelling speculation that the next president may be trying to build a “team of rivals”, it was reported that former Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney, one of Mr Trump’s harshest critics, will meet him at the weekend to discuss the new administration and a possible cabinet role .

Among those meeting the soon-to-be 45th US president were South Carolina governor Nikki Haley, a one-time strong supporter of Trump presidential rival Marco Rubio, and Texas congressman Jeb Hensarling, chairman of the House financial services committee whose name has been linked to the role of US treasury secretary in the Trump administration.

Another high-profile visitor to Mr Trump was US secretary of state during the Nixon administration, Henry Kissinger, to discuss China, Russia, Iran, the European Union and other issues.

They spoke ahead of Mr Trump’s meeting with Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe, the first world leader to meet the president-elect in person and the 32nd leader that he has spoken with since the election.

Mr Abe is said to be concerned about Mr Trump’s campaign rhetoric when he raised doubts about the commitment of Japan’s most important ally to protecting its interests in Asia against a more volatile North Korea and aggressive China. The businessman suggested during the campaign that he might withdraw the 50,000 American troops stationed in Japan unless the US received more financial support from Tokyo.

At the US Capitol, House of Representatives Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi raised her party’s concerns during a meeting with vice president-elect Mike Pence over Mr Trump’s appointment of Steve Bannon, head of the “alt-right” Breitbart News, a website embraced by white supremacists, as his chief strategist.

After one of his Capitol Hill meetings, House Republicans tweeted a photograph of Mr Pence taking a selfie with them next to the word “unified” as they were in a celebratory mood after the party’s big election wins last week. US media criticised the party’s lack of diversity with only white faces in the photograph.

Still appearing to be coming to terms with her shock defeat, Hillary Clinton made her first public appearance since conceding to Mr Trump last week. In a speech at a charity gala for the Children’s Defence Fund, she made an emotional appeal to her supporters to “never give up” and to “stay engaged” in politics.

“I will admit coming here tonight wasn’t the easiest thing for me,” she said. “There have been a few times this past week when all I wanted to do is just to curl up with a good book, or our dogs, and never leave the house again.”

Ms Clinton acknowledged that many supporters were “deeply disappointed” by the election result. “I am too, more than I can ever express,” she said. “I know this isn’t easy. I know that over the past week, a lot people have asked themselves whether America was the country we thought it was.” </s> President-elect Donald Trump on Friday chose Washington insider Donald McGahn to be his White House counsel, giving him the job of untangling potential conflicts of interest that the New York businessman’s presidency may present.McGahn, a former chairman of the Federal Election Commission, had been the chief counsel of the Trump campaign and was one of the few members of the Republican establishment to embrace the candidate.

During his campaign Trump frequently promised to “drain the swamp” of the political establishment in Washington but McGahn has an extensive history in the capital, especially in conservative politics.

He served for years as counsel to the National Republican Congressional Committee, the arm of the Republican Party that oversees campaigns for the U.S. House of Representatives.

During his time at the FEC, he was an advocate for loosening restrictions on campaign spending, and was widely praised for opening up more of the committee’s internal processes to the public.

Trump, a businessman who has never held public office, has real estate and leisure holdings all over the world, sparking concerns that his investments could color his decision-making in office. He has said that he will hand over day-to-day responsibilities of running his company to his children but has resisted calls to place his assets in a blind trust.

Trump also has expressed interest in figuring out how to bypass a federal anti-nepotism law in order to give his son-in-law, Jared Kushner, a formal White House role.

When Trump met with President Barack Obama earlier this month, Obama advised Trump during their Oval Office chat that his White House counsel would be an important job.

Trump, who is spending the Thanksgiving holiday weekend at his home in Palm Beach, Florida, also continued to round out his national security team on Friday by naming Kathleen Troia “K.T.” McFarland, his deputy national security adviser.

McFarland, who served in three Republican administrations and was an aide to Henry Kissinger in the 1970s, will work with Lieutenant General Michael Flynn, Trump’s pick as his national security adviser.

Neither position requires confirmation by the U.S Senate.

The appointments came amid reports that Trump’s aides are divided about his choice for secretary of state, with some preferring 2012 Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney, who harshly criticized Trump during the campaign, and others backing Rudy Giuliani, the former New York City mayor.

Transition officials on Friday downplayed any internal tension, calling reports of discord “overblown.”

Officials said after returning to New York, Trump will meet with several more potential cabinet picks on Monday, including John Allison, the former CEO of BB&T Corp who has been mentioned as a possible choice for U.S. Treasury secretary, and Paul Atkins, a former commissioner of the Securities and Exchange Commission. </s> WASHINGTON — U.S. President Donald Trump is naming former digital adviser Brad Parscale as campaign manager of his 2020 re-election campaign.

A person familiar with the announcement confirms Parscale’s selection on the condition of anonymity because the person was unauthorized to publicly discuss the news. The conservative Drudge Report website first reported his selection.

Trump has left little doubt about his intentions to seek re-election. He filed the paperwork to organize his re-election committee on the same day as his inauguration, held his first campaign rally on Feb. 18, 2017, in Florida, and has mused publicly about would-be Democratic challengers.

Parscale, an Austin-based digital consultant and ally of Trump son-in-law and senior adviser Jared Kushner, ran the Trump campaign’s sophisticated digital operations in 2016. He previously worked for the Trump Organization.
• Ivanka Trump says question about her father’s alleged sexual misconduct ‘inappropriate’
• Donald Trump’s ‘I hear you’ cue card at gun violence meeting fuels perception he is ‘insensitive’ </s> US President Donald Trump will not be traveling to Jerusalem for the inauguration of the new United States Embassy in that city next May 14, but in his place will send daughter Ivanka Trump and her husband, Jared Kushner.

The White House said in a statement that the US delegation will be headed by Deputy Secretary of State John Sullivan, who will also be joined by US Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin. </s> Earlier today President Donald Trump announced that he’s running for re-election in 2020 and Brad Parscale has been named campaign manager.

In an announcement posted on the president’s campaign website, his son, Eric Trump, called Parscale “an amazing talent” who was “pivotal to our success in 2016.” Top Trump adviser and Trump son-in-law Jared Kushner said that Parscale “was essential in bringing a disciplined technology and data-driven approach to how the 2016 campaign was run.”

NEW YORK, NY – Today, President Trump announced the appointment of Brad Parscale as the Campaign Manager for his reelection committee as the advanced planning for the 2020 race begins. Mr. Parscale is a longtime digital marketing strategist for President Trump, first with the Trump Organization and then with the successful 2016 presidential campaign, who has continued to lead digital strategies for the campaign and the Republican National Committee.

In addition to focusing on building its infrastructure for the 2020 race, the Trump Campaign will be engaged in the 2018 midterm elections this year, providing candidates with general support, endorsements, and rallying the support of the political grassroots by engaging Trump supporters in districts and states. Eric Trump said, “Brad is an amazing talent and was pivotal to our success in 2016. He has our family’s complete trust and is the perfect person to be at the helm of the campaign.” Jared Kushner, President Trump’s son-in-law, said, “Brad was essential in bringing a disciplined technology and data-driven approach to how the 2016 campaign was run. His leadership and expertise will be help build a best-in-class campaign.” (read more)

NEW YORK, NY – On the first day in his new role as the Campaign Manager of President Trump’s reelection campaign committee, Brad Parscale announced the appointments of top leadership roles, selecting two leaders who have played senior roles in the campaign committee since it was formed in early 2017.

Michael Glassner was newly appointed as the Chief Operating Officer of Donald J. Trump for President, Inc. Mr. Glassner was the 2016 Deputy Campaign Manager starting in July of 2015 and has led the President’s campaign committee as the Executive Director since early 2017. Lara Trump, the wife of Eric Trump and the President’s daughter-in-law, will serve as a Senior Advisor to Donald J. Trump for President, Inc., the President’s reelection committee. Mrs. Trump has coordinated strategic planning and digital communications for the campaign committee since early 2017. These appointments come as the Trump Campaign builds out its long-term game plan. The campaign plans on being an important entity to help with the 2018 midterm elections including engaging in elections by supporting and endorsing House and Senate candidates, and leveraging President Trump’s vast network of supporters nationwide to encourage them to support candidates and vote. It will also involve building out an effective team for the 2020 reelection campaign. “I am honored to lead President Trump’s reelection campaign committee as the Campaign Manager and build out a first-class management team that reflects the President’s winning spirit,” said Campaign Manager Brad Parscale. “It is my pleasure to announce the first major appointments to our new leadership team as we build out the 2020 reelection campaign. Michael Glassner has been a valuable asset since the earliest days of the 2016 campaign. He will continue to provide his proven and critical leadership to the campaign as he serves as our Chief Operating Officer. Lara Trump has led the campaign’s strategic planning and digital communications since early 2017. Her advice and counsel will also be vital as we build a plan for success for the President’s reelection in 2020. I welcome the opportunity to work with two of the President’s most important campaign advisors as we build a winning team and strategy to engage in the midterm elections and then to support the President’s victory in 2020,” Parscale concluded. (link) </s> President-elect Donald Trump is potentially seeking top secret security clearances for his children, sources tell CBS News.

60 Minutes interview: President-elect Donald Trump

The Trump team has asked the White House to explore the possibility of getting his children the top secret security clearances. Logistically, the children would need to be designated by the current White House as national security advisers to their father to receive top secret clearances. However, once Mr. Trump becomes president, he would be able to put in the request himself.

His children would need to fill out the security questionnaire (SF-86) and go through the requisite background checks.

While nepotism rules prevent the president-elect from hiring his kids to work in the White House, they do not need to be government officials to receive top secret security clearances.

The issue raises another layer of questions about the unique role his children are playing and conflicts of interest with their running his network of businesses.

Mr. Trump’s children Ivanka, Eric and Donald Jr., as well as son-in-law Jared Kushner, were named to the president-elect’s transition team late last week. Though they were an integral part of his campaign team, Mr. Trump’s children have all stated that they will not hold formal roles in the government.

“No,” Ivanka told CBS News’ Lesley Stahl when asked during a “60 Minutes” interview if she would join the administration. “I’m going to be a daughter. But I’ve-- I’ve said throughout the campaign that I am very passionate about certain issues. And that I want to fight for them.”
President-elect Donald Trump appoints businessman and son-in-law Jared Kushner as his senior advisor in the White House.