Inside Donald Trump's transition as hopes flock to Mar-a-Lago

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Donald Trump's Florida residence and private club, Mar-a-Lago, is once again the winter White House – the place to see for West Wing hopefuls as the US president-elect assembles a new administration behind its opulent doors.

With President Joe Biden remaining in office until January, this part of Florida has become a rival center of political power in America.

Just two years after an FBI raid uncovered classified documents on U.S. nuclear weapons and spy satellites stored in a bathroom, an eclectic mix of insiders flock to Mar-a-Lago, which is patrolled by robot dogs and armed guards on boats.

North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum, seen as a potential energy secretary, was in attendance on election night. So was former U.S. Department of Defense Chief of Staff Kash Patel.

Elon Musk, the world's richest man, was alongside Donald Trump at Mar-a-Lago during family dinners and calls with world leaders.

Musk was photographed inside the private club with his son and on the runway at Palm Beach International Airport, as he commuted to be alongside the president-elect.

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Donald Trump seen this week with his extended family – plus Elon Musk holding his son, Techno Mechanicus

For those who haven't received an invitation to stay at Mar-a-Lago itself, the hotels and restaurants around nearby West Palm Beach are teeming with job seekers vying to influence the new administration and Supporters celebrating Trump's victory.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a vaccine skeptic and scion of one of America's most famous political dynasties, was near the Ben Hotel's swanky pool bar, where a faux ice rink and Christmas tree greet guests .

Giant, golden Great Dane dog sculptures adorn the lobby and each floor outside the elevators.

He is part of the transition team and the former presidential candidate is vying for a role to influence health policy.

Speaking even before the election, alongside former Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard, a Democrat-turned-Republican, he said: There are people of all kinds of ideologies and people we're going to have to compete against on this team. transition and fight for our country. vision.

Stephen Greaves/BBC News

Golden Great Dane sculptures watched a parade of hopeful people at the Ben Hotel

Outspoken Republican Marjorie Taylor Greene, the Georgia congresswoman who recently accused the Biden administration of causing flooding in Republican areas of North Carolina, was also spotted at The Ben. She is believed to be seeking a cabinet position.

At the Breakers, a lavish Italian Renaissance-style beachfront hotel, the young valets were particularly struck by a visit from Ultimate Fighting Championship CEO Dana White, who joined his friend Trump on stage on election night, but who claims to have no personal politics. aspirations.

The same cannot be said of others. A member of the Republican Party met by the BBC in the corridors said the transition was a free-for-all, as different factions of the party fight for dominance.

Trump loves to see people hustle and let loose.

But the insider noted with a hint of concern that some less than acceptable people are starting to say they don't want roles.

Arkansas Sen. Tom Cotton, for his part, said he was not interested in working in government and would prefer to hold a leadership position in the Senate.

Stephen Greaves/BBC News

The Mar-a-Lago resort, which includes Donald Trump's Florida home, is heavily fortified

Donald Trump should focus less on elected officials to fill leadership positions.

His son, Don Jr., said during an interview on Fox News that he wants people who don't think they know better than his father and is willing to block anyone he thinks will be a disaster.

The president-elect insisted on doing things differently this time around, saying his biggest mistake during his first presidency was hiring bad or disloyal people.

In 2016, transition plans prepared by former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie in concert with the outgoing Obama administration were unsuccessful.

Once Team Trump won what was considered an improbable victory, they opted for an unconventional approach and fired Christie.

What followed was an Apprentice-style parade to Trump Tower in New York, which took place in front of the cameras.

At the time, news crews gathered in the lobby to capture everyone heading up the golden elevator to see Donald Trump on the 26th floor.

While the world was still trying to figure out what a Trump presidency would look like, movers and shakers on Wall Street, media, politics and entertainment were all looking for an audience, including Bill Gates, Al Gore and even Kanye West.

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Media captured every visitor to Trump Tower in 2016

This time around, Trump appears to be prioritizing loyalty, counting those who have been with him since day one.

And the world's media crowds onto hotel balconies, parks and beaches surrounding Mar-a-Lago, where security is at fortress level.

The transition process is still unconventional by design, but so far it's happening much more behind the scenes than in 2016.

Trump's first nomination — Florida political consultant Susie Wiles as White House chief of staff — offers a hint that a well-built conservative Florida political operation might be ready to replicate his success in the White House.

Slater Bayliss, co-founder of a Florida-based lobbying firm, Advocacy Partners, has worked both for and against Ms. Wiles in the state's election battles and much prefers to be on her side.

I would say, borrowing a nickname from our friends across the Atlantic, Susie is the Iron Lady of American electoral politics.

He says offers have poured in from talent across the state, which has served as a bastion of resistance for smart conservative thinkers who love our country and desire to play a role in making it more representative of our electorate.

Republican political consultant Max Goodman says a Florida wave is expected to hit Washington.

He expects Trump's team to consist of mining staffers from Susie Wiless's team and State, whose congressional and Senate delegations came out early for Trump.

There is no more vibrant agricultural political system in the country than the state of Florida, where you have a president and the most prolific political consultant turned chief of staff who calls Florida home, he said. declared.

Reuters

Armed guards on boats patrol the resort

Despite having the second-largest Republican congressional delegation in the country, Goodman says Florida has notoriously been snubbed when it comes to having a seat at the leadership table.

He thinks that could change with Ms. Wiles leading the charge and with key Floridians such as Rick Scott potentially in the running as Senate majority leader and Sen. Marco Rubio vying for a top cabinet post.

Joe Gruters is one of the people who raised their hand to work on the transition. He's waiting to see how this plays out.

He served as co-chairman of the Trump campaign in Florida in 2016 with Ms. Wiles, then chairwoman of the state Republican Party, and is now a state senator.

Mr. Gruters describes himself as a loyal foot soldier, who was the only member of the Florida legislature to immediately support Trump's 2024 bid and show up at Mar-a-Lago for his announcement.

He is counting on Ms. Wiles to take her seasoned lieutenants with her to Washington to fill positions.

They know who the true believers are and probably have a clear idea of ​​who they will appoint to most of these positions, Mr. Gruters said.

Watch: Robot Dog Patrols Trump's Mar-a-Lago Residence

Palm Beach didn't exactly roll out the red carpet for Donald Trump when he arrived on the scene with the purchase of Mar-a-Lago in the 1980s.

But walking around town now, it's obvious that we are firmly in Maga country. Trump-branded bikinis and hats are commonplace.

Next week, Argentine President Javier Milei is expected to visit Mar-a-Lago to meet with Trump and Elon Musk.

Also next week, CPAC, or Conservative Political Action Conference, hosts its annual Investor Summit at Mar-a-Lago with tickets costing up to $25,000 ($19,350).

And the southward migration is unlikely to stop once Donald Trump is inaugurated and occupies the Oval Office again.

Slater Bayliss – the Florida lobbyist – thinks Trump will want to spend as much time in Florida as possible during his second term.

That will go some way, he said, in making Mar-a-Lago's 62,500 square feet the most hallowed real estate in the political universe.

With additional reporting by Pratiksha Ghildial

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