US president-elect Donald Trump has shocked even some on his own side of politics with two appointments to his new cabinet.

On Wednesday (US time), Trump announced that Florida Republican Matt Gaetz would be his attorney-general while former Democratic representative Tulsi Gabbard would take up the US’s  top intelligence job.

The appointments came hours after Trump returned to the White House for the first time since 2020 for a historic – and apparently cordial – meeting with outgoing President Joe Biden.

“Few issues in America are more important than ending the partisan Weaponisation of our Justice System,” Trump wrote in a post on his Truth Social platform.

“Matt will end Weaponised Government, protect our Borders, dismantle Criminal Organisations and restore Americans’ badly-shattered Faith and Confidence in the Justice Department.”

Gaetz, a Trump loyalist and conservative representative, resigned from Congress within hours of the announcement. On X, he wrote it would “be an honour to serve” in the role.

But not everyone is so pleased. CNN reports there was “absolute disbelief” at the US attorney’s office in Washington DC at the announcement.

“The shock is intense,” one employee said.

It will be an honor to serve as President Trump’s Attorney General! pic.twitter.com/dg0iQ0bA6Y

— Matt Gaetz (@mattgaetz) November 13, 2024

Gaetz has previously been investigated as part of a sex-trafficking probe launched by the Justice Department. He also has limited experience as a practising lawyer – and has long been a critic of the department he will take over.

Gabbard, meanwhile, has floated conspiracy theories that defy the conclusions reached by the US intelligence agencies she would oversee.

She has also espoused narratives peddled by Russia. Notably, Gabbard shared disinformation accusing Ukraine of creating biological weapons, prompting senior Republican Mitt Romney to accuse her of spreading “treasonous lies [that] may well cost lives”.

On Wednesday, Gabbard said she was honoured and “eager to get to work” as Trump’s director of national intelligence.

The cabinet picks – which follow other controversial appointments, including tech billionaire Elon Musk to co-lead a department to slash government spending – must still be approved by the US Senate.

“It’ll just be interesting to see what his organic base is,” Republican senator Thom Tillis told political publication The Hill of Gaetz.

“At the end of the day, Congressman Gaetz, he’ll have a hearing, but I’m all about counting votes and I would think that he’s probably got some work cut out for him to get a good strong vote.”

“We’re not going to get a single Democrat vote.”

But getting the choices approved will be made easier with another sweeping victory for Trump’s Republicans.

They will take control of both houses of the US Congress when he takes office in January.

According to latest counting, Republicans will have at least the 218 votes needed to control the 435-seat House of Representatives, Edison Research projected on Wednesday (local time).

Nine races are still to be called.

The party had had already secured a US Senate majority of at least 52-48, with one race still uncalled after the November 5 election.

During his first presidential term in 2017-2021, Trump’s biggest achievement was sweeping tax cuts that are due to expire next year.

That legislation and Democratic President Joe Biden’s signature infrastructure law both came during periods when their parties controlled both chambers of Congress.

By contrast, during the past two years of divided government, Biden has had little success in passing legislation and Congress has struggled to perform its most basic function of providing the money needed to keep the government open.

The thin Republican House majority has been fractious, tossing out its first speaker, Kevin McCarthy, and routinely bucking his successor Speaker Mike Johnson.

Trump’s grip on the party and particularly its raucous hardliners has been far firmer – as evidenced by his success this year killing a bipartisan deal that would have sharply stepped up border security.

His power will also be backed by a Supreme Court with a 6-3 conservative majority that includes three justices he appointed.

More immediately, the Republicans’ victory is certain to influence the House’s post-election “lame duck” session.

The current Congress faces end-of-year deadlines for funding the government to avoid shutdowns at Christmas and extending Washington’s borrowing authority to avoid an historic debt default.

One possible scenario is passing temporary patches to give the incoming Trump administration a say on these two controversial items when it assumes power from the Biden administration on January 20.

The new Congress convenes on January 3.

-with AAP