Live updates: Trump’s presidential transition, 2024 election news

Republicans on Capitol Hill are laying the groundwork to push through an ambitious agenda with President-elect Donald Trump if they have total control of Washington next January — a rare GOP trifecta that party leaders believe is now within reach.

And this time they'll be prepared to use it.

Their goal is to get to work quickly drafting big pieces of the Trump administration's agenda, starting with a major economic package centered on taxes, energy policy, border security and deregulation, according to two people familiar with discussions.

GOP leaders have been dreaming of another major tax package, as many tax provisions are set to expire at the end of 2025.

Also on the table: potentially rolling back parts of President Joe Biden's signature Inflation Reduction Act, a sweeping economic and climate bill that Democrats passed when they had unified government earlier in Biden's term, one source familiar with the discussions told CNN.

Republicans also see an opening for other big-ticket items like the House GOP's hardline immigration proposals that have been stalled since passing their chamber last year as Senate Democrats and the Biden White House had strongly opposed that plan.

Remember: With Republicans winning control of the Senate, delivering on Trump's agenda will come down to whether the GOP retains a majority in the House. CNN has not yet made a projection in the battle for control of the House. But key pickups in Pennsylvania and Michigan have party leaders hopeful that a full sweep is in sight and senior Republicans feel confident they will hold onto their slim majority.

Even with unified GOP control, there would be challenges ahead for Republicans. One issue is the political math: House Republicans believe if they do hold onto the majority, it won't be by much. Mike Johnson — who would be expected to keep his position as speaker — would only have a few votes to spare. And their current, narrow majority, has been plagued by divisions and roadblocks.

Read more about the Republican agenda

CNN's Danya Gainor contributed to this report.

Donald Trump is in an extraordinarily unique position: He has been reelected to the White House as a convicted felon who is awaiting sentencing in his hush money case in New York and still working to stave off prosecution in other state and federal cases .

Trump has said multiple times he plans to fire special counsel Jack Smith and end the federal cases against him for trying to overturn the 2020 presidential election and mishandling classified documents.

As of Wednesday, Smith is in active talks with Justice Department leadership about how to end the federal cases against Trump, a DOJ official familiar with the discussions told CNN.

Later this month, a judge in New York is set to sentence Trump after holding off on handing down the punishment ahead of Election Day to avoid any appearance of affecting the outcome of the presidential race. Whether that sentencing happens at all remains an open question.

Trump has pleaded not guilty to all charges.

Read the full rundown of what to expect.

President-elect Donald Trump announced his campaign manager Susie Wiles will serve as his White House chief of staff when he assumes office. She will be the first woman to hold the role.

Vice President-elect JD Vance said it was "great news" that Wiles has been selected for the role, writing on X that she will be a "huge asset" in the White House.

A source told CNN that Wiles had expressed certain conditions to Trump before she accepted the role of chief of staff — the top item being more control over who can reach the president in the Oval Office.

Some context: During Trump's first term, his chiefs of staff struggled to prevent a roving cast of informal advisers, family members, friends and others from getting inside the White House to meet with him. Trump is often influenced on an issue by whomever he speaks to last, a fact that is well known within his circle and one that made life difficult for his top aides.

What to know about Wiles: The daughter of the late NFL broadcaster Pat Summerall and a seasoned political operative from Florida, Wiles is one of the longest-serving advisers in Trump's orbit. After helping him win Florida in 2020, she served as his de facto chief of staff during his post-presidency and then led his campaign for the entirety of the race — a rare feat in Trump world. Wiles was widely credited for running what was seen as Trump's most sophisticated and disciplined campaign, which included keeping many of the fringe voices in his orbit at bay.

Trump credited Wiles during his victory speech, though she declined to address the crowd. Her willingness to stay in the background has endeared her to Trump and to his allies, several of whom have already endorsed her publicly for the job.

President-elect Donald Trump has promised to completely remake the US government and wield new power as president. The ambitious promises, if enacted, would transform society.

Some of his most-repeated promises on the campaign trail include:

Mass deportation of 11 million undocumented immigrants Closing the southern border and ending birthright citizenship Unprecedented tariffs on foreign goods from all countries, with the highest on Chinese goods Expansive tax cuts to benefit corporations, tipped workers, seniors on Social Security, property owners in the Northeast and many others Trillions in cuts in government spending with help from Elon Musk Reforming the country's health and food systems with help from vaccine skeptic Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Reversing regulations aimed at addressing climate change Building a new missile defense shield with help from former NFL player Herschel Walker Now Americans will find out what was hyperbole and what was real — what is achievable and what he will be able to push through by himself, with help from Congress and without interference by the courts.

His pledge to end Russia's war on Ukraine "in 24 hours," for example, seems overwrought, to say the least.

His pledge for a mass deportation effort, on the other hand, is very serious. It seems to be backed up by some clear planning but there's a lack of public details. Expect Trump to come into office with a series of executive orders already written to reinstate border policies unwound by the Biden administration.

Read the full analysis of Trump's master plan.