Five takeaways from Trump's first week as president-elect

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Donald Trump has moved quickly since his victory in the US presidential election to lay the foundations for his second term in the White House.

He made his top priorities clear — and in doing so, he stunned some in Washington and around the world.

Here's what we learned from his rollercoaster first week as president-elect.

1) He builds a loyal team to shake up the government

Trump began assembling his leadership team almost immediately, nominating cabinet picks for Senate approval and naming White House advisers and other senior aides.

But that doesn't tell the whole story.

His choices make it clear that he is considering a radical shake-up of government, eschewing more conventional and experienced choices for those who are loyal to him and share his vision of a second term that will shake up the status quo in Washington.

His choice as secretary of defense, for example, called for a purge of military leaders enforcing woke policies. His nominee for health secretary, Robert F Kennedy Jr, has said he wants to root out corruption in US health agencies and abolish entire departments of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

And that's not to mention the promise of a new department led by advisors Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy, which Trump says will focus on slashing regulations and historic cost cuts.

The big picture is that Trump's proposed team is almost universally loyal and supportive of overhauling their respective government departments.

You can take a closer look at who's in his top team's frame here.

2) He will have a friendly Congress on his side

Republicans took control of the House as well as the Senate, giving the party a crucial (albeit narrow) majority in both chambers for at least the next two years, when the usual midterm elections are held.

This is a major boost for Trump's agenda. This means he will be more easily able to pass laws and give his policy priorities a friendly path to becoming law.

What a Republican trio means for Trump's second term

3) But Senate Republicans won't always turn around

Trump's influence was tested earlier this week when Senate Republicans chose their new leader.

Although he did not directly weigh in on the race, there was a concerted effort by the president-elect's most vocal allies as well as pro-Maga media to elect the die-hard Trump loyalist, Rick Scott.

But he was defeated in the first round and Republicans opted for a more orthodox choice in John Thune, who has had a more difficult relationship with Trump.

It should be noted that this was a secret ballot and therefore far from a public rejection of Trumpworld.

Trump's power will be tested on Capitol Hill ahead, including confirmation hearings for the most controversial cabinet picks.

Some Senate Republicans, for example, have already signaled opposition to Trump's shock choice of Matt Gaetz to lead the Justice Department.

Key moments from loyal Trump supporter Matt Gaetz

4) Trump's criminal conviction could soon be expunged

Although much of the focus has been on the president-elect's nominations and appointments, we also got a reminder that his legal problems have been upended by his victory.

In New York in particular, his conviction for criminal fraud in the money secrecy case lasts at least a few more days.

But it could soon make history. Earlier this week, a judge delayed his decision on whether Trump's conviction should be overturned because of a Supreme Court ruling this summer that expanded presidential immunity.

This decision is now expected to be made next week. And while it's unclear whether the conviction will be overturned, Trump's scheduled Nov. 26 sentencing will likely be delayed regardless.

Here's a reminder of how Trump's election victory impacted his cases.

5) He has China in his sights

It's no secret that Trump sees the world differently than Biden and could dramatically change U.S. foreign policy in the coming years.

A clear theme that has emerged in recent days is the predominance of China hawks on the proposed team — those who believe Beijing poses a serious threat to U.S. economic and military dominance and want to challenge it more forcefully.

And they are present from top to bottom.

His appointment as Secretary of State – America's top diplomat – Marco Rubio, portrayed China as the most advanced adversary America has ever faced.

Mike Waltz, his national security adviser, said the United States was engaged in a cold war with China. Other candidates, like his proposed UN ambassador, Elise Stefanik, have directly accused China of electoral interference.

During Trump's first administration, relations with Beijing were strained and have hardly warmed up under Biden. With tariffs, export controls and pointed rhetoric, the president-elect appears poised to take an even tougher stance this time around.

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