Axios

President-elect Trump's vow to overhaul the Justice Department is often cast in sweeping, ominous language: He'd seek retribution against his enemies, back deportations of millions of undocumented immigrants, and more.

Driving the news: But Republicans have been dropping hints — some conflicting — with more details about Trump's plans once he takes office Jan. 20. Beyond Trump's campaign rhetoric, those clues have come from:

The Biden administration warned Israel that their decision to stop issuing administrative detention orders against Israeli settlers suspected of attacking Palestinians in the occupied West Bank could increase violence in the Palestinian territory, two U.S. officials told Axios.

Why it matters: Israeli security forces mostly use administrative detention against Palestinians, but the measure is also used to counter Jewish terrorism against Palestinians.

Axios CEO Jim VandeHei inspired and energized a National Press Club gala with a passionate, ad-libbed defense of free and fearless reporting, warning that "everything we do is under fire."

• "I hate this damn debate about: Oh, we don't need the media," he said Thursday night as he and co-founder Mike Allen accepted the Fourth Estate Award for lifetime achievement. "It's not true."

Nothing captures the dramatic ideological transformation of the Republican Party more vividly than President-elect Trump's proposed cabinet.

• A pro-abortion-rights Kennedy running HHS (RFK Jr.).
• A pro-union centrist running Labor (U.S. Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer of Oregon).
• A former elected Democrat as director of national intelligence (Tulsi Gabbard).
• A former George Soros adviser, who now promises Trumponomics will turn around the economy, running the Treasury (Scott Bessent).

Hostage families and deal-minded Israeli officials are now placing their hopes in President-elect Trump to succeed where President Biden has so far failed: Convincing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to end the war in Gaza in exchange for freeing the hostages held by Hamas.

The big picture: Less then two months before Trump's inauguration, a hostage-release and ceasefire deal looks unlikely to happen anytime soon.

When President-elect Trump moves from Mar-a-Lago to Pennsylvania Ave., he'll bring a gaggle of fellow Floridians with him.

Why it matters: Florida has become the epicenter of Trump's political movement and the state that is shaping the modern Republican Party.

Real estate commissions aren't the only industry practice under fire.

Why it matters: Critics have pushed to end an optional but widely followed National Association of Realtors policy, arguing it hides certain listings from online home shoppers.

President-elect Trump on Friday selected Johns Hopkins professor Marty Makary to lead the Food and Drug Administration.

Why it matters: Makary has long advocated for reforms to the health care system and gained prominence during the pandemic for his criticisms of parts of the federal response. He has recently been supportive of Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s nomination to become HHS secretary.

President-elect Trump announced a slew of nominations to lead health agencies Friday.

State of play: He will nominate doctor and former Rep. Dave Weldon (R-Fl.) to head the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Dr. Marty Makary for FDA Commissioner and Dr. Janette Nesheiwat for Surgeon General.

President-elect Trump will nominate Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer (R- Ore.) for Labor secretary.

The big picture: The one-term Oregon Republican lost her reelection bid this month to a Democratic state lawmaker.

President-elect Trump announced Friday that he is naming Russ Vought to serve as director of the Office of Management and Budget.

Why it matters: OMB, which Vought also led during Trump's first term in the White House, is the government's central regulatory gatekeeper, exerting significant influence over the executive branch's agenda, which includes developing the president's budget request.