Trump Delivers First Post-Election Speech

President-elect Trump praised nominees including Robert F. Kennedy Jr. in his first public post-election speech. Trump, speaking to an America First Policy Institute gala at his Mar-a-Lago resort Thursday night, described last week's election as "the most consequential election in the last 129 years," the BBC reports.

• Trump said Kennedy, his choice for health secretary, "wants to make people healthy. It's driven him pretty wild over the last number of years," ABC News reports. "And today I nominated him for, I guess—if you like health, and if you like people that live a long time, it's the most important position." He added: I just looked at the news reports. People like you, Bobby. Don't get too popular, Bobby."

• Kennedy was at the gala, as were Trump picks including Elon Musk, Vivek Ramaswamy, and North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum. Trump announced during the event that Burgum was his choice to lead the Department of the Interior. Matt Gaetz, Trump's choice for attorney general, was also there but unlike other nominees, he didn't get a shout-out from the president-elect, ABC News notes.
• Trump praised Musk as an "unbelievable entrepreneur" and a "really good guy." "You know, he likes this place, I can't get him out of here," he joked, per C-SPAN. "He just likes this place and you know what? I like having him here too."
• Trump joked that his term should start early. "You have to start my term from November 5th, okay? Or November 6th if you want," he said, per ABC News. "November 5th, because the market's gone through the roof."

• In brief remarks on foreign policy, Trump said his administration will work "very hard on Ukraine and Russia," the BBC reports. "It's got to stop," he said.
• Other guests included Argentine President Javier Milei, who addressed the gala and congratulated Trump on his "resounding victory," the AP reports. Milei is the first foreign leader to meet with Trump since the election.
• Trump was introduced by Sylvester Stallone, who described the president-elect as a "really mythical character," reports Rolling Stone. "When George Washington defended his country, he had no idea that he was going to change the world," the actor said. "Because without him, you could imagine what the world would look like. Guess what? We got the second George Washington. Congratulations!"

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