David Jackson

USA TODAY

WASHINGTON — Vice President-in-waiting Mike Pence will take over a Donald Trump transition team that includes high-profile advisers, donors, congressional lawmakers and three of his children, the president-elect's team said Friday.

Pence will replace New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, who will instead serve on the transition executive committee as a vice chairman.

“The mission of our team will be clear," Trump said in a statement: "Put together the most highly qualified group of successful leaders who will be able to implement our change agenda in Washington. Together, we will begin the urgent task of rebuilding this nation — specifically jobs, security and opportunity."

A day after meeting with President Obama, Trump also disclosed he would consider keeping some provisions of the "Obamacare" health care law he savaged on the campaign trail. Those provisions, he told The Wall Street Journal, include requirements for coverage of people with pre-existing conditions and allowing parents to keep young adult children on their policies.

Trump announced formation of a "Presidential Transition Team Executive Committee," a group of congressional lawmakers, campaign staff members, state officials, and the president-elect's children Donald, Eric, and Ivanka, as well as son-in-law Jared Kushner.

The transition team's "staff leadership" includes campaign officials such as Kellyanne Conway, David Bossie, Hope Hicks, and Jason Miller.

Heading up this effort is Pence, whose new title is chairman of the Presidential Transition Team.

His vice chairs are high-profile Trump backers: Retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani, retired Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn, and Sen. Jeff Sessions of Alabama will all serve as vice chairs, along with Christie.

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The New York Times, which first reported Pence's new role, said Trump "told advisers he wanted to tap Mr. Pence’s Washington experience and contacts to help move the process along."

“President-elect Trump will bring about fundamental change in Washington, and these are the right people to make that happen,” Pence said in a statement.

While Trump praised Christie's performance as initial transitional chairman, the New Jersey governor is an awkward position. Former aides were recently convicted in connection with the political motives behind a 2013 closure of lanes leading to the George Washington Bridge.

Trump also said that the transition's team executive director will be Rick Dearborn, chief of staff to Sessions.

The announcement came as Trump huddled with advisers and returned to social media while putting together a new administration.

"Busy day planned in New York," Trump wrote on Twitter. "Will soon be making some very important decisions on the people who will be running our government!"

Among the aides spotted entering Trump Tower on Friday: campaign CEO Steve Bannon, Bossie, Hicks, former campaign manager Corey Lewandowski, Miller, senior adviser Stephen Miller, and top surrogate and Giuliani.

Trump, who had been more understated on Twitter heading into Tuesday's election, also returned to social media to criticize some of the demonstrators who have taken to the streets in protest of his victory. They include huge crowds who have gathered in front of Trump Tower.

"Just had a very open and successful presidential election," Trump tweeted overnight. "Now professional protesters, incited by the media, are protesting. Very unfair!"

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He took a different tone early Friday, however, writing on Twitter that he loved "the fact that the small groups of protesters last night have passion for our great country. We will all come together and be proud!"

The president-elect continued to field congratulatory phone calls from world leaders.

They included German Chancellor Angela Merkel, whom Trump criticized during the American presidential campaign over refugee policy.

In a statement from her office, Merkel offered the incoming president "a close partnership" based on the nations' shared values of "democracy, freedom, respect for the law and human dignity regardless of background, skin color, religion, gender, sexual orientation or political conviction.”

The president-elect also used social media to send out a Veterans Day message, tweeting that "today we express our deepest gratitude to all those who have served in our armed forces."

Trump's meetings Friday took place a day after he traveled to Washington for a cordial transition meeting with President Obama.

Melania Trump also went to the White House to meet with outgoing first lady Michelle Obama.

Tweeted Trump: "A fantastic day in D.C. Met with President Obama for first time. Really good meeting, great chemistry. Melania liked Mrs. O a lot!"