The Deion Sanders-coached Colorado Buffaloes defeated Utah on Saturday to improve to 8-2 on the season.

Colorado finished with just four wins during Sanders’ first season at the helm, which was a considerable improvement over the football program’s one-win season in 2022.

Sanders faced his fair share of doubters when he made th leap from Jackson State, a historically Black college and university locked in Mississippi, to a struggling NCAA Division I FBS program. The Buffaloes got off to a 3-0 start last season, but some critics became more vocal after Colorado ended the 2023 campaign on a six-game losing streak.

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NBA superstar LeBron James has long been among the vocal supporters of Sanders, and he put the “haters” on notice as he celebrated the Buffaloes 49-24 victory over Utah.

Nov 1, 2024; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) gestures to a teammate during the first half against the Toronto Raptors at Scotiabank Arena. (John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images)

James suggested Sanders’ naysayers have gone into “hiding” this season. He also declared that Sanders has transitioned from “We coming” to “We here.”

DEION SANDERS HAS HAD NO OFFICIAL NFL CONVERSATIONS, FOCUSED ON COLORADO

“I don’t hear non of those @CUBuffFootball @DeionSanders HATERS being up front and loud! They’re in hiding now! Coach Prime said “We Coming”. Well it’s “We Here” now. Love what’s going on there in Boulder. [sic]” James wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter, on Saturday.

Sanders oversaw an aggressive roster turnover during the past two offseasons, which seems to have paid off. The approach included leaning heavily on the transfer portal and recruiting some of the best high school prospects in the nation.

Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders with son and quarterback Shedeur Sanders (2) against the Arizona State Sun Devils at Mountain America Stadium. (Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports)

Quarterback Sheduer Sanders, Deion’s son, has anchored Colorado’s high-powered offense this season and two-way star Travis Hunter continues to be one of the best college football players in the country.

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Colorado made the switch from the Pac-12 Conference to the Big 12 this season, which set up what many believed would be a more formidable schedule than what the Buffaloes contended with in 2023.

Nevertheless, Colorado has been up for the challenge and remains alive for a spot in the conference championship and even the College Football Playoff.

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A legendary gymnastics coach died Friday, according to USA Gymnastics.

Bela Karolyi, best known for training legends Nadia Comaneci and Mary Lou Retton, died at 82.

No cause of death was given.

Karolyi and wife Martha trained multiple Olympic gold medalists and world champions in the U.S. and Romania, including Comaneci and Retton.

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“A big impact and influence on my life,” Comaneci, just 14 when Karolyi coached her to gold for Romania at the 1976 Montreal Olympics, posted on Instagram.

The Karolyis defected to the United States in 1981 and, over the next 30-plus years, became a guiding force in American gymnastics, though not without controversy. Bela helped guide a 16-year-old Retton to the Olympic all-around title at the 1984 Games in Los Angeles and memorably helped an injured Kerri Strug off the floor at the 1996 Games in Atlanta after Strug’s vault secured the team gold for the Americans.

Karolyi briefly became the national team coordinator for the USA Gymnastics women’s elite program in 1999 and incorporated a semi-centralized system that eventually turned the Americans into the sport’s gold standard. It did not come without a cost. He was pushed out after the 2000 Olympics after several athletes spoke out about his tactics.

U.S. gymnast Mary Lou Retton performs in the 1980s. (Robert Riger/Getty Images)

It would not be the last time Karolyi was accused of grandstanding and pushing his athletes too far physically and mentally.

FLASHBACK: US OLYMPIC GYMNASTS SLAM NASSAR INVESTIGATION, ALLEGE FBI ‘TURNED A BLIND EYE,’ FALSIFIED REPORT

During the height of the Larry Nassar scandal in the late 2010s, over a dozen former gymnasts came forward saying the Karolyis were part of a system that created a culture that allowed Nassar’s behavior to run unchecked for years. 

Nassar, USA Gymnastics’ disgraced team doctor, was effectively sentenced to life in prison after pleading guilty to sexually assaulting gymnasts and other athletes with his hands under the guise of medical treatment.

The Justice Department agreed in April to pay $138.7 million to settle 139 claims by those who accused the FBI of mishandling sexual assault allegations against Nasar in 2015 and 2016.

Nassar worked at Michigan State University and was the team doctor at USA Gymnastics in Indianapolis. Several current and former athletes, including Simone Biles, McKayla Maroney, Aly Raisman and Maggie Nichols, testified at a 2021 Senate hearing that the FBI failed to act on their complaints against him.

Former Michigan State University and USA Gymnastics Dr. Larry Nassar appears in court for his final sentencing in Eaton County Circuit Court Feb. 5, 2018, in Charlotte, Mich. (Rena Laverty/AFP via Getty Images)

Michigan State University agreed to pay $500 million to more than 300 women who were assaulted. USA Gymnastics and the U.S. Paralympic Committee agreed to a $380 million settlement.

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Overall, $1 billion has been set aside by various organizations to compensate Nassar’s victims.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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China’s leader Xi Jinping met for the last time with President Biden on Saturday, but was already looking ahead to President-elect Donald Trump and his “America first” policies, saying Beijing “is ready to work with a new U.S. administration.”

During their talks on the sidelines of the annual Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Peru, Xi cautioned that a stable China-U.S. relationship was critical not only to the two nations but to the “future and destiny of humanity.”

TRUMP LOOMS LARGE AS BIDEN SET TO MEET CHINA’S XI DURING LATIN AMERICA SUMMITS

“Make the wise choice,” he cautioned. “Keep exploring the right way for two major countries to get along well with each other.”

Without mentioning Trump’s name, Xi appeared to signal his concern that the incoming president’s protectionist rhetoric on the campaign trail could send the U.S.-China relationship into another valley.

“China is ready to work with a new U.S. administration to maintain communication, expand cooperation and manage differences so as to strive for a steady transition of the China-U.S. relationship for the benefit of the two peoples,” Xi said through an interpreter.

Xi, who is firmly entrenched atop China’s political hierarchy, spoke forcefully in his brief remarks before reporters. Biden, who is winding down more than 50 years of public service, talked in broader brushstrokes about where the relationship between the two countries has gone.

He reflected not just on the past four years but on the decades the two have known each other.

“We haven’t always agreed, but our conversations have always been candid and always been frank. We’ve never kidded one another,” Biden said. “These conversations prevent miscalculations, and they ensure the competition between our two countries will not veer into conflict.”

Biden urged Xi to dissuade North Korea from further deepening its support for Russia’s war on Ukraine. The leaders, with top aides surrounding them, gathered around a long rectangle of tables in an expansive conference room at a Lima hotel.

They had much to discuss, including China’s indirect support for Russia, human rights issues, technology and Taiwan, the self-ruled democracy that Beijing claims as its own. On artificial intelligence, the two agreed on the need to maintain human control over the decision to use nuclear weapons and more broadly improve safety and international cooperation of the rapidly expanding technology.

President Joe Biden meets with Chinese President Xi Jinping during a bilateral meeting, Saturday, in Lima, Peru.  (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)

There’s much uncertainty about what lies ahead in the U.S.-China relationship under Trump, who campaigned promising to levy 60% tariffs on Chinese imports.

Already, many American companies, including Nike and eyewear retailer Warby Parker, have been diversifying their sourcing away from China. Shoe brand Steve Madden says it plans to cut imports from China by as much as 45% next year.

In a congratulatory message to Trump after his victory over Vice President Kamala Harris, Xi called for the U.S. and China to manage their differences and get along in a new era. In front of cameras Saturday, Xi spoke to Biden — but it was unmistakable that his message was directed at Trump.

“In a major flourishing sci-tech revolution, neither decoupling nor supply chain disruption is a solution,” Xi said. “Only mutual, beneficial cooperation can lead to common development. ‘Small yard, high fence’ is not what a major country should pursue.”

Biden administration officials have said they would advise the Trump team that managing the intense competition with Beijing will likely be the most significant foreign policy challenge they will face.

On Saturday, White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan said Biden had reinforced to Xi “that these next two months are a time of transition” and that the president would like to pass off the U.S.-China relationship “in stable terms” to the new administration.

Biden has viewed his relationship with Xi as among the most consequential on the international stage and put much effort into cultivating it. The two first got to know each other on travels across the U.S. and China when both were vice presidents, interactions that both have said left a lasting impression. They last met a year ago on the APEC sidelines in Northern California.

Chinese President Xi Jinping meets with President Joe Biden during a bilateral meeting, Saturday, in Lima, Peru.  (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)

“For over a decade, you and I have spent many hours together, both here and in China and in between,” Biden said. “We’ve spent a long time dealing with these issues.”

But the last four years have presented a steady stream of difficult moments.

The FBI this week offered new details of a federal investigation into Chinese government efforts to hack into U.S. telecommunications networks. The initial findings have revealed a “broad and significant” cyberespionage campaign aimed at stealing information from Americans who work in government and politics.

Sullivan said Biden raised the matter with Xi during their talks and that the U.S. will have more to say about the investigation in the weeks ahead.

U.S. intelligence officials also have assessed China has surged sales to Russia of machine tools, microelectronics and other technology that Moscow is using to produce missiles, tanks, aircraft and other weaponry for use in its war against Ukraine.

And tensions flared last year after Biden ordered the shooting down of a Chinese spy balloon that traversed the United States.

Biden wants Xi to step up Chinese engagement to prevent an already dangerous moment with North Korea from further escalating.

Biden, along with South Korean President Yoon Seok Yul and Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, on Friday condemned North Korean leader Kim Jong Un’s decision to send thousands of troops to help Moscow repel Ukrainian forces who have seized territory in Russia’s Kursk border region.

White House officials have expressed frustration with Beijing, which accounts for the vast majority of North Korea’s trade, for not doing more to rein in Pyongyang.

The North Koreans also have provided Russia with artillery and other munitions, according to U.S. and South Korean intelligence officials. And the U.S., Japan and South Korea have expressed alarm over Pyongyang’s stepped-up cadence of ballistic missile tests.

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Kim ordered testing exercises in the lead-up to this month’s U.S. election and is claiming progress on efforts to build capability to strike the U.S. mainland.

Xi and Biden started their day at the leaders’ retreat at the APEC summit, taking part in a photo where they all wore scarves made from vicuña wool, a symbolic animal for Peru. It’s common practice that leaders at these gatherings are given a gift — usually traditional clothing of the host country — that they don for the photo.

The market for rookie trading cards just got a little hotter, and the Pittsburgh Pirates want in. 

The team offered a sweet deal in hopes of getting its hands on a rare Paul Skenes’ rookie baseball card, which Topps released earlier this week featuring a patch from the All-Star pitcher’s jersey and his autograph. 

In a rather unusual move, the Pirates offered a trade for the lucky MLB fan who found the card. 

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The deal includes two season tickets behind home plate at PNC Park for 30 years, a softball game on the field with coaching from team alumni, a meet and greet with Skenes and two signed jerseys. 

Paul Skenes of the Pittsburgh Pirates pitches in the first inning during the 94th MLB All-Star Game at Globe Life Field July 16, 2024, in Arlington, Texas. (Sam Hodde/Getty Images)

LIVVY DUNNE REFLECTS ON ‘FULL-CIRCLE MOMENT’ SEEING BOYFRIEND PAUL SKENES PITCH AGAINST YANKEES

And if that wasn’t enough, Skenes’ girlfriend Livvy Dunne, an LSU gymnast, doubled down on that offer. 

“Let’s raise the stakes,” she responded to the offer in a post on X. “The person who finds the card can sit with me at a Pirates game in my suite.” 

LSU gymnast Olivia Dunn reacts on the field after her boyfriend, Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Paul Skenes, made his major league debut against the Chicago Cubs at PNC Park in Pittsburgh May 11, 2024. (Charles LeClaire/USA Today Sports)

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Skenes made his major league debut in May and put together one of the most impressive rookie seasons in recent memory. He was named the starting pitcher for the National League in the All-Star Game after just 11 starts and finished the season 11-3 with a 1.96 ERA in 23 games for the Pirates, meaning that rookie card could be worth a pretty penny in the future. 

The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

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San Jose State’s volleyball team hopped into first place in the Mountain West Saturday after transgender player Blaire Fleming dominated with 24 kills, including a dramatic game-winning play against Colorado State.

Fleming’s dominant performance came just days after players on the team and around the conference filed a lawsuit that alleges danger and an unfair advantage the biological male poses over other women’s volleyball players. But that didn’t stop the entire team from rushing to Fleming on the court to celebrate the player’s winning serve. 

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In the deciding fifth set, Fleming set up San Jose State for the win with a late spike. Then, Fleming made the final serve, which was mishandled by Colorado State’s Kate Yoshimoto, clinching a victory. And then, in a moment of unbridled competitive adrenaline, all of Fleming’s teammates, including players Brooke Slusser, Chandler Manusky and others listed on the lawsuit, quickly jumped into the group celebration. 

Slusser and Manusky have alleged Fleming conspired with Colorado State’s Malaya Jones to have Slusser spiked in the face in the first meeting between the two teams Oct. 3, according to the lawsuit. 

“Manusky said that at Jones’ residence Fleming had shared with Jones the scouting for the CSU-FC game and they had discussed Fleming ‘throw[ing] the game’ and how they would set up Jones to ‘blow up’ Slusser and ‘blast’ her in the face during the game,” the court documents state. 

“Manusky also said that Fleming stated, ‘I’m going to leave center court open,’ which would allow Malaya Jones to have a wide open shot to try to ‘blow up Slusser,’ i.e., to try to hit Brooke Slusser in the face with the ball.”

Slusser appeared on Fox News Channel’s “The Inghram Angle” Friday night to further speak out against Fleming’s presence on the team and the university and Mountain West for enabling it. 

“After finding out that they had planned to give each other our scouting reports and leave the block down so the ball could easily be swung at me during the game, it was astonishing for me to find that information out. It was incredibly insane,” Slusser said. 

One day later, Slusser and Fleming, two seniors, appeared on the court for the team’s senior day and played like normal volleyball teammates. Fleming was even cheered loudly by the San Jose State crowd during the senior day ceremony. 

Fans in the audience held posters that said “dare to struggle, dare to win,” and “block out the haters.” 

Despite suing over alleged danger and unfair advantages over Fleming’s presence on the team, Slusser and Manusky contributed to a game plan that was based on setting up Fleming to deliver powerful spikes. 

INSIDE SAN JOSE STATE’S POLICE BATTLE TO PROTECT WOMEN’S ATHLETES THREATENED BY A TRANSGENDER CULTURE WAR

Fleming led the game with 24 kills, 56 total attacks and 10 errors. Fleming fell one kill shy of tying a career high. 

Slusser previously joined a lawsuit earlier this year, headed by former college swimmer Riley Gaines, against the NCAA over the association’s policies on gender identity that allowed Fleming to join the team without the other players knowing the athlete’s natural birth sex.

“Brooke estimates that Fleming’s spikes were traveling upward of 80 mph, which was faster than she had ever seen a woman hit a volleyball,” Slusser’s complaint states. “The girls were doing everything they could to dodge Fleming’s spikes but still could not fully protect themselves.”

Fleming previously set a single-game record at John Champe High School with 30 kills in a match and a single-season record of 266 kills for the school’s girls volleyball team. Footage from the athlete’s Hudl page of the school-record 30-kill match in September 2019 shows how hard and fast Fleming’s spikes came down at the high school level against female opponents.

President Trump even went out of his way to comment about footage of one of Fleming’s plays in which the player spiked a ball at San Diego State player Keira Herron in a match earlier this season.

“I saw the slam. It was a slam. I never saw a ball hit so hard,” Trump said during a Fox News town hall. “But other people, even in volleyball, they’ve been permanently — I mean, they’ve been really hurt badly. Women playing men.”

The most recent lawsuit, which is filed against San Jose State and the Mountain West Conference, alleges other players were passed over for scholarships in favor of Fleming.

Fleming received a full scholarship, while a biological female, Alyssa Sugai, did not receive a scholarship and alleges she was told by coaches she was not “phyiscal” enough as a player compared to Fleming. Sugai is now part of the lawsuit and seeking monetary damages after the decision to grant Fleming a scholarship instead caused Sugai’s volleyball career to end, resulting in severe depression. 

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Former San Jose State player Elle Patterson is also part of the lawsuit and alleges she did not receive a scholarship. Patterson also played behind Fleming and alleges the university did not fulfill previous verbal offers of a scholarship to her for the 2023 and 2024 seasons. Patterson says she even paid full tuition to play in 2023 after being told she would get a scholarship for 2024. However, the program did not make good on that offer either, she alleges. 

San Jose State previously addressed the allegations in a statement to Fox News Digital. 

“The safety and well-being of our student athletes and employees is our highest priority. The university has taken and will continue to take multiple steps to provide security, support and resources to all members of the team as the program navigates this challenging time,” the statement said.

“San Jose State takes all reports and complaints seriously, but we are unable to provide any information regarding confidential complaints and reports out of respect for the parties involved and due to federal and state privacy laws. 

“The university also has concerns about a number of inaccuracies in the press but is not able to comment further on those in light of privacy rights of all involved. We will continue to honor the privacy of our employees and students. We require and expect that all of our employees abide by our standards, policies and applicable laws regarding student and employee privacy.”

The team has just one match left in the regular season with a meeting against Fresno State scheduled for Tuesday. Questions still remain about the team’s postseason prospects. 

San Jose State has had seven matches on its schedule forfeited amid the controversy involving Fleming. Southern Utah, Boise State, Utah State, Wyoming and Nevada all declined to face the Spartans. Boise State and Wyoming forfeited two matches each, taking multiple losses to avoid competition against Fleming. 

And now, standing alone in first place in the conference, the Spartans are set to have a top seed in the Mountain West tournament, starting Nov. 27.

Slusser told Fox News Digital in an exclusive interview she and her teammates are in limbo about what a potential postseason run might look like as they navigate a demoralized locker room.

“We’re just mostly wondering, are teams even gonna play us, period, if we go there? Because of just everything that’s happened this season,” Slusser said. “It seems like every few days it looks like It’ll be a fine day and everything’s normal, and then something else happens. So, I truly do think everyone’s just kind of taking things day by day and taking the punches as they come.”

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Since winning the election last week, President-elect Donald Trump has begun evaluating and rolling out his picks for his Cabinet and other top roles. 

Here’s a roundup of whom Trump has picked to fill top jobs in his administration: 

Publicly announced

White House Chief of Staff – Susie Wiles
U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations – Elise Stefanik
National Security Adviser – Michael Waltz 
“Border Czar” – Tom Homan 
Ambassador to Israel – Mike Huckabee 
Environmental Protection Agency Administrator – Lee Zeldin 
Middle East Envoy – Steven Witkoff
White House Counsel – William McGinley
CIA Director – John Ratcliffe
Department of Government Efficiency – Elon Musk, Vivek Ramaswamy 
Secretary of Defense – Pete Hegseth  
Homeland Security Secretary – Kristi Noem
Deputy Chief of Staff – Dan Scavino
Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy and Homeland Security Advisor – Stephen Miller
Deputy Chief of Staff for Legislative, Political and Public Affairs – James Blair
Deputy Chief of Staff for Communications and Personnel – Taylor Budowich
Director of National Intelligence – Tulsi Gabbard
Secretary of State – Marco Rubio
U.S. Attorney General – Matt Gaetz
Secretary of Health and Human Services – Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
U.S. Attorney for Southern District of New York – Jay Clayton
Secretary of Veterans Affairs – Doug Collins
U.S Solicitor General – Dean John Sauer
Deputy Attorney General – Todd Blanche
Secretary of the Interior – Doug Burgum
Communications Director – Steven Cheung
Director of Presidential Personnel – Sergio Gor
Press Secretary – Karoline Leavitt
Secretary of Energy – Chris Wright

White House Chief of Staff – Susie Wiles

Wiles has been widely lauded for heading Trump’s successful campaign this year, having run Trump’s campaign operations in Florida in 2016 and 2020. She maintained close ties with the president-elect throughout the Biden administration and signed on as CEO of Trump’s Save America PAC in 2021. 

“Susie is tough, smart, innovative and is universally admired and respected. Susie will continue to work tirelessly to Make America Great Again. It is a well deserved honor to have Susie as the first-ever female Chief of Staff in United States history. I have no doubt that she will make our country proud,” Trump said in a statement. 

THESE ARE THE TOP NAMES IN CONTENTION FOR DEFENSE SECRETARY UNDER TRUMP

US Ambassador to the United Nations – Elise Stefanik

Elise Stefanik, the New York Republican representative and current House GOP Conference Chair has been an attack dog for Trump in Congress. 

She is a staunch supporter of Israel, having made headlines for her combative lines of questioning of Ivy League university presidents over their handling of anti-Israel protests, some of which prompted the presidents to resign.

President-elect Trump picked Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., to be the next ambassador to the United Nations. (Angela Weiss/AFP via Getty Images)

National Security Adviser – Michael Waltz 

On Tuesday, Trump announced the Florida Republican representative and former Army Green Beret would be his national security adviser. He’s decidedly a hawk on China and Iran. 

“Mike retired as a Colonel, and is a nationally recognized leader in National Security, a bestselling author, and an expert on the threats posed by China, Russia, Iran, and global terrorism,” Trump said in a statement. 

“Mike has been a strong champion of my America First Foreign Policy agenda, and will be a tremendous champion of our pursuit of Peace through Strength!”

On Tuesday, Trump announced Rep. Michael Waltz, a Florida Republican and former Army Green Beret, would be his national security adviser. (John Nacion/Getty Images)

“Border Czar” – Tom Homan 

Homan, the former acting director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, was an architect of Trump’s zero-tolerance policy during his first administration, one that led to backlash from family separations at the border. 

Homan has served under six administrations and presidents in both parties, dating back to the Reagan era, as a rank-and-file Border Patrol agent. He was appointed to the position of executive associate director of enforcement and removal operations for ICE under President Obama.

While serving at a “czar” level rather than in an official Cabinet position, Homan will be in charge of “the Southern Border, the Northern Border, all Maritime, and Aviation Security,” Trump announced on Truth Social. 

“I’ve known Tom for a long time, and there is nobody better at policing and controlling our Borders,” Trump wrote. “Likewise, Tom Homan will be in charge of all Deportation of Illegal Aliens back to their Country of Origin. Congratulations to Tom. I have no doubt he will do a fantastic, and long awaited for, job.”

Tom Homan has been tapped by President-elect Trump to be his “border czar.” (Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)

Ambassador to Israel – Mike Huckabee 

Huckabee, the former governor of Arkansas, is a staunch supporter of Israel, prompted by his evangelical faith. 

“Mike has been a great public servant, Governor, and Leader in Faith for many years. He loves Israel, and the people of Israel, and likewise, the people of Israel love him”, a statement attached to Trump’s Truth Social post said. “Mike will work tirelessly to bring about Peace in the Middle East!”

Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee will be Trump’s ambassador to Israel. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

Environmental Protection Agency Administrator – Lee Zeldin 

Zeldin, a former House Republican from New York, had a notably strong, but unsuccessful, showing in the race for governor against Kathy Hochul in 2022. 

During that race, he called for New York to lift its ban on fracking. He also lost his House race for re-election in 2022 but has maintained ties with the Trump team.

Lee Zeldin will lead the EPA. (Lev Radin/Pacific Press/LightRocket via Getty Images)

Middle East Envoy – Steven Witkoff

Witkoff, a real estate investor, landlord, and the founder of the Witkoff Group, was tapped as Trump’s Middle East enjoy. He campaign with Trump during the campaign.

In his announcement, Trump said that Witkoff would be an “unrelenting Voice for PEACE” in the highly-contentious region.

Steve Witkoff, founder and chief executive officer of Witkoff Group LLC, speaks during a campaign event for Republican presidential nominee former President Trump at Madison Square Garden in New York City, Oct. 27.  (Adam Gray/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

White House Counsel – William McGinley

McGinley, who served in Trump’s first presidential term as White House cabinet secretary, returns to the White House for Trump’s second term. The White House Counsel conducts key behind-the-scene research into potential Supreme Court nominees.

William J. McGinley speaks at an event in Washington, D.C. (Tom Williams/Roll Call/Getty Images)

CIA Director – John Ratcliffe

Ratcliffe previously served under Trump during his first term as Director of National Intelligence (DNI). He will head the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). 

In 2020, he was awarded the National Security Medal, the nation’s highest honor for distinguished achievement in the field of intelligence and national security. 

John Ratcliffe is President-elect Trump’s pick to lead the CIA. (Getty Images)

Department of Government Efficiency – Elon Musk, Vivek Ramaswamy 

Billionaire Elon Musk and former GOP presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy were tapped to lead the Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE.

Trump said that the pair will work together to “dismantle Government Bureaucracy, slash excess regulations, cut wasteful expenditures, and restructure Federal Agencies.”

“It will become, potentially, ‘The Manhattan Project’ of our time,” the announcement on Tuesday evening said. “Republican politicians have dreamed about the objectives of ‘DOGE’ for a very long time.”

Vivek Ramaswamy and Elon Musk have been tapped by President-elect Donald Trump to lead the Department of Government Efficiency. (Getty Images/AP Images)

Secretary of Defense – Pete Hegseth  

Trump nominated Hegseth to lead the Department of Defense. He would need to be confirmed by the Senate to assume the position. Hegseth has long championed a strong military and veterans causes. 

He served in Iraq and Afghanistan as an Army infantry officer, being awarded two Bronze Stars and the Combat Infantryman’s Badge. Hegseth was a host on “FOX & Friends Weekend” and FOX Nation until his last day on Tuesday. 

“Nobody fights harder for the Troops, and Pete will be a courageous and patriotic champion of our ‘Peace through Strength’ policy,” Trump said. 

Pete Hegseth has been tapped by Trump to be his secretary of defense.  (Roy Rochlin/Getty Images)

Homeland Security Secretary – Kristi Noem

Trump announced on Tuesday that South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem is his pick for secretary of the Department of Homeland Security. Noem would need to be approved by the Senate to assume the position.

DHS oversees U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the U.S. Secret Service and the Federal Emergency Management Agency.  

“She was the first Governor to send National Guard Soldiers to help Texas fight the Biden Border Crisis, and they were sent a total of eight times,” the Trump transition team said in a statement on Tuesday. “She will work closely with ‘Border Czar’ Tom Homan to secure the Border, and will guarantee that our American Homeland is secure from our adversaries.”

Gov. Kristi Noem, R-N.D., speaking during the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, July 15.  (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

GOP REP. MIKE WALTZ TAPPED TO BE TRUMP’S NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER

Deputy Chief of Staff – Dan Scavino

Trump announced that his longtime aide Dan Scavino Jr. will return to the White House as an assistant to the president and deputy chief of staff. 

“Scavino was a Trump Campaign Senior Advisor and remains one of President Trump’s longest serving and most trusted aides,” the Trump transition team said. 

Former White House deputy chief of staff Dan Scavino arrives at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, July 15.  (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy and Homeland Security Advisor – Stephen Miller

Trump announced Stephen Miller would serve as deputy chief of staff for policy in his administration. Miller was a senior adviser in Trump’s first term. He helped craft many of Trump’s hard-line speeches and plans on immigration. 

Since Trump left office, Miller has served as the president of America First Legal, an organization of former Trump advisers fashioned as a conservative version of the American Civil Liberties Union, challenging the Biden administration, media companies, universities and others over issues such as freedom of speech and religion and national security.

Miller has advocated for mass deportations during the second Trump term. 

Stephen Miller, former Senior Advisor to President Trump, speaks at a campaign rally for Trump in Detroit, Oct. 18. (Win McNamee/Getty Images)

Deputy Chief of Staff for Legislative, Political and Public Affairs – James Blair

Trump announced James Blair would serve in the White House as an assistant to the president and deputy chief of staff for legislative, political and public affairs. 

“Blair was the Trump Campaign and Republican National Committee Political Director, managing hundreds of staff and overseeing a wide portfolio of political operations and programs,” the Trump transition team said. 

Blair was in charge of the Trump campaign’s get-out-the-vote operations in key battleground states, which Trump swept on Election Day. 

Deputy Chief of Staff for Communications and Personnel – Taylor Budowich

Trump announced that Taylor Budowich will join him in the White House as an assistant to the president and deputy chief of staff for communications and personnel. 

“Prior to joining the Trump Campaign, Budowich served in a senior role in President Trump’s Leadership PAC, Save America, and as CEO of the pro-Trump Super PAC, MAGA Inc.,” the Trump transition team said. 

“Dan, Stephen, James, and Taylor were ‘best in class’ advisors on my winning campaign, and I know they will honorably serve the American people in the White House,” Trump said in a statement announcing his senior campaign aides would be promoted to the White House. “They will continue to work hard to Make America Great Again in their respective new roles.”

Taylor Budowich, a former spokesman for President-elect Trump and founder of MxM News app.  (X)

Director of National Intelligence – Tulsi Gabbard

Tulsi Gabbard, a former Democratic congresswoman from Hawaii, is Trump’s pick for the position of director of national intelligence. The announcement was made on Wednesday.

The cabinet-level position involves overseeing the intelligence community and advising Trump and the National Security Council on intelligence matters. Gabbard is an Iraq War veteran and a U.S. Army reservist.

“As a former Candidate for the Democrat Presidential Nomination, she has broad support in both Parties – She is now a proud Republican!” Trump said in a statement. “I know Tulsi will bring the fearless spirit that has defined her illustrious career to our Intelligence Community, championing our Constitutional Rights, and securing Peace through Strength. Tulsi will make us all proud!”

Tulsi Gabbard, former U.S. Representative from Hawaii, speaks during the Palmetto Family Council’s Vision 24 national conservative policy forum in North Charleston, S.C., March 18, 2023. (Sam Wolfe/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Secretary of State – Marco Rubio

President-elect Donald Trump nominated Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., to serve as his Secretary of State. 

“It is my Great Honor to announce that Senator Marco Rubio, of Florida, is hereby nominated to be The United States Secretary of State. Marco is a Highly Respected Leader, and a very powerful Voice for Freedom,” Trump said in a statement. “He will be a strong Advocate for our Nation, a true friend to our Allies, and a fearless Warrior who will never back down to our adversaries.”

Rubio is known as an Iran and China hawk. He is a top GOP member of the Senate Intelligence Committee and ran for president in 2016.

Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., attends a campaign rally for former President Donald Trump at the Trump National Doral Golf Club in Doral, Fla., July 9. (Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

U.S. Attorney General – Matt Gaetz

Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., is Trump’s pick for attorney general. The decision was made in an announcement on Wednesday.

If confirmed, Gaetz will oversee the Department of Justice after Trump’s inauguration in January.

“Matt is a deeply gifted and tenacious attorney, trained at the William & Mary College of Law, who has distinguished himself in Congress through his focus on achieving desperately needed reform at the Department of Justice,” the president-elect said in Truth Social post. “Few issues in America are more important than ending the partisan Weaponization of our Justice System.”  

“He is a Champion for the Constitution and the Rule of Law,” the post concluded.

Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., speaks during the Republican National Convention at Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, July 17.  (Reuters/Mike Segar)

Deputy Attorney General – Todd Blanche

Trump named his personal criminal defense attorney Todd Blanche as deputy attorney general. The president-elect said that the 50-year-old lawyer has experience prosecuting gangs – as well as representing Trump in his 2024 criminal trial in New York.

“I am pleased to announce that Todd Blanche will serve as Deputy Attorney General in my Administration. Todd is an excellent attorney who will be a crucial leader in the Justice Department, fixing what has been a broken System of Justice for far too long,” Trump announced in a news release.

Attorney Todd Blanche listens as his client former U.S. President Donald Trump speaks as he arrives for his hush money trial at Manhattan Criminal Court on May 30, 2024 in New York City.  (Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images)

Secretary of Health and Human Services – Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

Trump announced he will tap former 2024 Democratic presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to lead the Department of Health and Human Services.

“I am thrilled to announce Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as The United States Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS). For too long, Americans have been crushed by the industrial food complex and drug companies who have engaged in deception, misinformation, and disinformation when it comes to Public Health,” Trump said in his announcement Thursday. 

“The Safety and Health of all Americans is the most important role of any Administration, and HHS will play a big role in helping ensure that everybody will be protected from harmful chemicals, pollutants, pesticides, pharmaceutical products, and food additives that have contributed to the overwhelming Health Crisis in this Country. Mr. Kennedy will restore these Agencies to the traditions of Gold Standard Scientific Research, and beacons of Transparency, to end the Chronic Disease epidemic, and to Make America Great and Healthy Again!” Trump added.

Kennedy dropped out of the presidential race in August and quickly endorsed the Trump-Vance ticket, and has since repeatedly vowed to “Make America Healthy Again.“

Republican presidential nominee former President Trump shakes hands with Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. at a campaign rally in Glendale, Ariz., Aug. 23. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

U.S. Attorney for Southern District of New York – Jay Clayton

President-elect Trump announced Thursday that he is nominating Jay Clayton to serve as U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York.

“I am pleased to announce that Jay Clayton, of New York, the Chairman of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission during my first term, where he did an incredible job, is hereby nominated to be the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York,” Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social. “Jay is a highly respected business leader, counsel, and public servant.

“Jay is going to be a strong Fighter for the Truth as we, Make America Great Again,” the president-elect added.

Anchor Maria Bartiromo interviews chairman of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission Jay Clayton during “Mornings With Maria” at Fox Business Network Studios on February 24, 2020 in New York City.

Secretary of Veterans Affairs – Doug Collins

President-elect Trump announced on Thursday his intent to nominate former Rep. Doug Collins, R-Ga., to serve as secretary of veterans affairs.

“Doug is a Veteran himself, who currently serves our Nation as a Chaplain in the United States Air Force Reserve Command, and fought for our Country in the Iraq War,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “We must take care of our brave men and women in uniform, and Doug will be a great advocate for our Active Duty Servicemembers, Veterans, and Military Families to ensure they have the support they need.

“Thank you, Doug, for your willingness to serve our country in this very important role,” the president-elect added.

Dean John Sauer, special assistant to the Louisiana attorney general, listens during a hearing with the House Judiciary Subcommittee in Washington, D.C., in 2023. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

U.S. Solicitor General – Dean John Sauer

Trump announced Dean John Sauer as his pick for U.S. solicitor general.

“John is a deeply accomplished, masterful appellate attorney, who clerked for Justice Antonin Scalia in the United States Supreme Court, served as Solicitor General of Missouri for six years, and has extensive experience practicing before the U.S. Supreme Court and other Appellate Courts,” Trump said in the announcement.

Sauer served as solicitor general of Missouri from 2017 to 2023, and represented Trump in his successful appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court in Trump v. United States.

Secretary of the Interior – Doug Burgum

North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum encourages voters to support Republican presidential candidate former President Trump during a campaign rally in Laconia, N.H. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

President-elect Trump announced that North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum will lead the Department of the Interior during a speech at the Americans for Prosperity Gala at Mar-a-Lago.

“He’s going to be announced [Friday]…I look forward to doing the formal announcement, although this is a pretty big announcement right now, actually,” Trump said. “He’s going to head the Department of Interior, and he’s going to be fantastic.”

Burgum, a multi-millionaire former software company CEO turned two-term governor, launched a White House bid in June 2023. The governor made energy and natural resources a key part of his campaign for the GOP nomination.

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After he dropped out of the race, Burgum became a high profile surrogate for the former president, appearing on the campaign trail and in media hits on Trump’s behalf. He was in consideration as Trump’s running mate this past summer before Sen. JD Vance of Ohio was picked as the Republican Party’s vice presidential nominee.

Communications Director – Steven Cheung

Trump announced Friday, Nov. 15, that Steven Cheung would return to the White House as assistant to the president and director of communications. Cheung previously served as communications director for the Trump-Vance campaign and was the White House director of strategic response in Trump’s first term.

Steven Cheung, spokesman for former US President Donald Trump, during a news conference with former US President Donald Trump, not pictured, at Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster, New Jersey, on Thursday, Aug. 15, 2024. (Bing Guan/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Director of Presidential Personnel – Sergio Gor

Trump also confirmed Friday that Sergio Gor will join the White House as director of the presidential personnel office. Gor, an ally and business partner of Donald Trump Jr.’s, was in charge of the pro-Trump political action committee Right For America and previously worked in Republican Sen. Rand Paul’s office. 

“Steven Cheung and Sergio Gor have been trusted Advisors since my first Presidential Campaign in 2016, and have continued to champion America First principles throughout my First Term, all the way to our HIstoric Victory in 2024,” Trump said in a statement. “I am thrilled to have them join my White House, as we Make America Great Again!” 

Sergio Gor is reportedly President-elect Trump’s choice to lead the Presidential Personnel Office in the new administration. (Andrew Kelly) (Andrew Kelly)

Press Secretary – Karoline Leavitt 

Trump announced campaign spokesperson Karoline Leavitt will serve as White House press secretary for his upcoming administration. 

“Karoline Leavitt did a phenomenal job as the National Press Secretary on my Historic Campaign, and I am pleased to announce she will serve as White House Press Secretary,” Trump said in a statement Friday evening. 

“Karoline is smart, tough, and has proven to be a highly effective communicator. I have the utmost confidence she will excel at the podium, and help deliver our message to the American People as we, Make America Great Again.”

Leavitt, 27, will be the youngest White House press secretary in U.S. history, unseating Nixon administration press secretary Ron Ziegler, who was 29 when he served in the role from 1969-1974.

Karoline Leavitt will serve as White House press secretary. (MEGA/GC Images)

Secretary of Energy – Chris Wright

Liberty Oilfield Services Inc. CEO Chris Wright has been tapped by President-elect Trump to lead the Energy Department. (Reuters/Lucas Jackson)

Chris Wright, the CEO and founder of Liberty Energy, has been picked to lead the Department of Energy, according to a statement President-elect Trump released on Saturday.

“I am thrilled to announce that Chris Wright will be joining my Administration as both United States Secretary of Energy, and Member of the newly formed Council of National Energy,” Trump’s statement read, adding that Wright “has been a leading technologist and entrepreneur in Energy.”

Wright graduated from MIT with a degree in mechanical engineering, according to Liberty Energy’s website. He also completed graduate work in electrical engineering at University of California, Berkeley and MIT.

“[Wright] is a self-described tech nerd turned entrepreneur and a dedicated humanitarian on a mission to better human lives by expanding access to abundant, affordable, and reliable energy,” the company’s website reads.

St. Louis, MO – Virtual reality isn’t just for video games. 

Some nursing students in St. Louis are using it to practice high-tech training without the need for real patients.

Goldfarb School of Nursing has integrated VR into its curriculum to give students a chance to hone skills in a different way. 

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As the demand for nurses continues to rise — McKinsey & Company projects a shortage of 200,000 to 450,000 nurses next year — this technology is helping future health care workers prepare more effectively and efficiently.

Katie Jett, program director at Goldfarb, said virtual reality not only helps students with clinical skills but also makes learning more engaging. 

“It’s the new way that people connect and communicate, and that can be offputting to someone who is older, because that’s not the way that we connected,” Jett told Fox News.

“But when you think about how people are connecting, how adolescents and young adults are connecting, a lot of it is through virtual experiences and gaming and technology.”

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In addition to medical tasks, VR simulations help students practice their communication and bedside manner. 

Zykita Deal, a nursing student at Goldfarb, shared how she practiced delivering advice to a virtual patient. 

VR simulations help students practice their communication and bedside manner. 

“I was just talking to him about eating better, how to have a better routine with his medicines … and I was giving him a recommendation on how to not be [as] lonely, since he still has his son and they can still create meals that his wife used to make,” Deal said. 

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“He could keep his wife’s memory alive” this way, she added.

Students gear up with VR goggles and controllers to perform a variety of tasks, while instructors select responses for virtual patients, creating realistic scenarios that challenge students.

A nursing student at Goldfarb School of Nursing interacts with a virtual reality simulation while wearing VR goggles, practicing clinical skills in a virtual environment. (Olivianna Calmes/Fox News)

Lesley Schwartz, another nursing student, said the technology helps her prepare for real-world situations. 

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“There’s going to be times when the vitals are going to be conveniently close to you,” she said. 

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“There’s going to be times when you’re going to have to go get a vital cart to come into the room with. And it just kind of helps with your preparedness. When you get thrown into the virtual reality, you don’t get a brief as to where everything is.”

Nursing students at Goldfarb School of Nursing use VR controllers to simulate clinical tasks as part of their hands-on training in a virtual environment.  (Olivianna Calmes/Fox News)

Research by Wolters Kluwer indicates that 65% of nursing education programs use VR in some capacity. 

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Goldfarb combines VR training with full-body patient simulators, providing an engaging learning experience.

A nursing student practices clinical skills in a simulated hospital room using virtual reality technology at Goldfarb School of Nursing. (Olivianna Calmes/Fox News)

“It brings fun to learning and that way you’re not just always sitting behind a desk and hearing someone talk,” Deal said.

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Jett plans to expand the program, incorporating more advanced nursing scenarios to further enhance student training.