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Trump appoints Pence as chair of transition team

New Jersey governor Chris Christie (L) and Vice President-elect Mike Pence (Photo by AP)

US President-elect Donald Trump has put Mike Pence in charge of his transition team, ousting New Jersey governor Chris Christie from the post.

“Together this outstanding group of advisers, led by Vice President-elect Mike Pence, will build on the initial work done under the leadership of New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie to help prepare a transformative government ready to lead from day one,” Trump said in a statement on Friday.

Christie is to stay as a vice chairman on the transition team’s executive committee along with  former presidential candidate Ben Carson, retired Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani and Alabama Sen. Jeff Sessions.

“I am proud to have run the pre-election phase of the transition team along with a thoroughly professional and dedicated team of people,” Christie said in a statement. “I look forward to working with Vice President-elect Pence and the rest of the leadership team.”

Pence shook hands with Trump at an election night event in New York on Wednesday. (Photo via Getty Images)

The move comes as Trump, who hammered his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton on Wednesday, is in the process of putting together a new government.

He also elevated Rick Dearborn, the staff chief of Sessions’ Washington office, to the role of transition director, sidelining Rich Bagger, who held the position for the last several months.

Bagger will remain on as an adviser, according to the Trump campaign.

Also, Bill Palatucci, the general counsel of the transition, has been appointed as an adviser to the transition team.

“President-elect Trump will bring about fundamental change in Washington, and these are the right people to make that happen,” Pence said. “This team of experienced leaders will form the building blocks of our presidential transition team staff leadership roster, and will work with elected officials and tireless volunteers to prepare our government for the transfer of power on January 20th.”

Trump has prepared a preliminary list of potential cabinet members for his upcoming administration, according to a report by Bloomberg Politics.

Several Republican lawmakers and former GOP presidential candidates are among Trump’s cabinet list, said the report.

US Senators Bob Corker and Representative Michael McCaul are in the running for cabinet positions, the report added, citing people familiar with Trump’s thinking.


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