President-elect Donald Trump triumphantly returned to Washington, D.C. on Wednesday to meet with congressional Republicans right before they learned they won control of the House of Representatives for two more years. It was a busy day for Trump as he also announced more cabinet picks and attended a face-to-face fireside chat with President Biden.
The meeting between Trump and Biden appeared civil, even friendly. "Donald, congratulations and looking forward to having a, like we said, to a smooth transition, doing everything we can to accommodate what you need," Biden said.
Both men smiled and laughed at times with Trump indicating now that the election is over, it's time to lower the temperature.
"Thank you very much," Trump told Biden. "Politics is tough. And it's, in many cases, not a very nice world. But it is a nice world today and I appreciate it very much, a transition that's so smooth it will be as smooth as you can get. And I very much appreciate it. Thank you."
After the photo op, the two men continued their meeting behind closed doors for nearly two hours. The White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre later told reporters the meeting was "gracious."
"It was a substantive meeting, an exchange of views," she said. "They discussed important national security and domestic policy issues facing the nation and the world."
Republicans Set to Run the House Again
The GOP won control of the House by reaching the necessary 218-seat threshold. Nine more races are still unresolved.
The call for control of the House of Representatives was slow in coming, due in part to California's procedure for counting votes. However, an updated tally in the evening gave the G.O.P. 218 seats after a pickup in Arizona, enough for a majority in the incoming Congress.
House Republicans voted on Wednesday to return Speaker Mike Johnson to his position as leader, a move endorsed by Trump who received a standing ovation from the lawmakers. Johnson introduced Trump to the crowd, calling him "the comeback king."
Trump began his remarks by saying, "Isn't it nice to win? It's nice to win. It's always nice to win."
Senate Republicans Pick Incoming Majority Leader
In the upper chamber, Senate Republicans selected South Dakota's John Thune for Majority Leader.
He later addressed reporters at a news conference saying, "The Republican team is united. We are on one team. We are excited to reclaim the majority and get to work with our colleagues in the House and enact President Trump's agenda."
Trump Names More Cabinet Picks
The president-elect rolled out more cabinet picks Wednesday, choosing Florida Congressman Matt Gaetz for Attorney General. Gaetz has been under investigation by the House Ethics Committee over allegations of sexual misconduct and illicit drug use, which he has denied.
After his nomination, Gaetz resigned from the House. The Ethics Committee Chair, Republican Congressman Michael Guest from Mississippi, said the resignation was a strategic move. "If Matt has resigned and is no longer a member of Congress, the investigation will cease, and no report will be issued at that point," he said.
Trump also picked former Democratic Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard to be Director of National Intelligence, while Florida Senator Marco Rubio was officially nominated for Secretary of State.
The president-elect hopes the Senate will fast-track his nominees by the time he takes office January 20th.
WATCH: MAGA Unleashed! Controversial Selections By Trump | The 700 Club
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