Senate GOP Elects Thune New Majority Leader, Republicans Control House as Trump Visits Oval Office

President-elect Donald Trump with President Biden in the Oval Office Wednesday, and with House GOP leaders on Capitol Hill on a day when Republicans officially maintained control of the House in the next Congress. Meanwhile, GOP Senators chose John Thune of South Dakota as the new Majority Leader.

The call for control of the House of Representatives was slow in coming, due in part to California's procedure for counting votes. However, an Associated Press tally early Thursday gave the G.O.P. 218 seats after a pickup in Arizona, enough for a majority in the incoming Congress.

Speaker Mike Johnson won President-elect Trump's endorsement and was selected by the Republican Conference to remain as the House leader.

In the Senate, Thune won a three way battle with Florida Senator Rick Scott and Texas Senator John Cornyn.

Thune's worldview is guided by his evangelical Christian faith. He and his siblings attended Biola University, a Christian college in southern California. Thune also met with Trump at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida this past spring where he sought to reconcile with the former president over past disagreements.

The selection of Thune took place as Trump was meeting with President Biden in the Oval Office and with House GOP leaders on Capitol Hill. Trump has hit the ground running after his victory, swiftly making a series of key cabinet nominations.

Biden welcomed Trump back to the White House as part of the orderly transition of power, the first face-to-face meeting since their debate in June. "The American people deserve this. They deserve a peaceful transfer of power," said White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre.

This is happening as Trump makes major announcements about his new administration. Overnight on Tuesdsay, he stunned Washington by nominating Fox News host Pete Hegseth to serve as Secretary of Defense. 

Hegseth, a veteran of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars and a graduate of Princeton and Harvard, has been vocal about reforming U.S. military leadership. However, his critics argue he lacks the experience necessary to lead such a powerful agency.

"You've got to fire the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs and obviously, to bring in a new Secretary of Defense, but any General that was involved, General, Admiral, whatever that was involved in any of the DEI woke sh*t has got to go," Hegseth said during a taping on the Shawn Ryan Show. "You have to reestablish that trust by putting in no-nonsense warfighters in those positions who aren't going to cater to the socially correct garbage."

Trump also announced that he is nominating former director of National Intelligence John Ratcliffe to head the Central Intelligence Agency.

"He will be a fearless fighter for the constitutional rights of all Americans, while ensuring the highest levels of national security, and peace through strength," Trump said in a statement.

Trump also plans to establish a new department focused on slashing government waste. Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy will run this yet-to-be-formed department, aiming to streamline the federal government and reduce bureaucracy.

JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon previously praised the idea. In a CNBC interview, Dimon said, "This idea about having an efficiency commission, I actually like the idea. I think governments have to become more efficient, more competent and look at when they take money, what do they get for it?"

Musk stated on his X platform, "Either we get government efficient or America goes bankrupt. That's what it comes down to. Wish I were wrong, but it's true."

Just before meeting Biden, Trump headed to Capitol Hill to meet with congressional Republicans. House Speaker Mike Johnson said his party stands ready to advance Trump's second-term agenda.

"On Tuesday, voters rejected what they really felt was the misery of the last four years," Johnson said Tuesday. "We're moving on and we're turning the page. And this is something that the American people, desperately need and deserve. We are going to raise an America First banner above this place."