Trump's return to the White House for the traditional transition meeting with Biden marked a significant departure from 2020's contentious transfer of power. The morning began with cabinet announcements: Pete Hegseth for Defense and John Ratcliffe for CIA, followed by the creation of a Department of Government Efficiency led by Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy. By afternoon, Republicans secured both chambers of Congress, with John Thune elected Senate Majority Leader over Trump-allied candidates. The evening brought more controversial appointments: Marco Rubio for Secretary of State, Tulsi Gabbard for Director of National Intelligence, and Matt Gaetz for Attorney General - the latter generating immediate resistance from Senate Republicans. International developments included European allies considering Ukraine land-for-peace negotiations and Israel preparing a Lebanon cease-fire plan as a "gift" to Trump. A CIA official's arrest for leaking classified information about Israel's Iran strike plans added complexity to the transition's foreign policy implications.