Barely 72 hours after his victory, Donald Trump’s team is already taking shape. Our latest reporting reveals that Brian Hook―known from Trump’s first term to be a major Iran hawk―is being tapped to run the transition at the State Department. In a follow-up report, we exposed a lobbying campaign by neoconservatives to bring war hawk Mike Pompeo, who plotted to assassinate Julian Assange during the previous Trump years, back into the cabinet.

But we also reported that he is facing fierce opposition internally, and that Trump is leaning against reinstalling Pompeo. This comes as Trump has tapped his daughter’s father-in-law, the Lebanese-born Massad Boulos, to advise on Middle East policy. Boulos says he’ll be traveling to Lebanon to seek a “just and comprehensive peace” and enter into a new nuclear deal acceptable to “the Iranians, neighboring countries, and the US.”

In other words, things are quite fluid. The Drop Site News team gathered to discuss what we know about how Trump might handle Israel and what that will mean for war with Iran; who might lead the State Department; and the broader dynamics of the Middle East.

We're a fully reader-supported newsroom, which means our journalism depends on people like you. Find all our reporting at dropsitenews.com, and subscribe to the Drop Site News channel on any podcast platform. If our work matters to you, please consider making a tax-deductible contribution today. Your support keeps us independent and investigating.

Get full access to Drop Site News at www.dropsitenews.com/subscribe

Work Smarter, Not Harder; Marketing to Your Ideal Dental Clients | Dr. Chris Phelps | The Dental Brief #170