Article Summary –
President-elect Donald Trump plans to appoint several controversial figures to key positions in his administration, including Matt Gaetz as attorney general, despite his resignation from the U.S. House amid an ethics investigation, and Tulsi Gabbard as director of national intelligence, despite accusations of spreading Russian propaganda. Trump appears to prioritize loyalty and right-wing ideology over qualifications, with choices like Pete Hegseth for Defense secretary, who lacks government experience but has lobbied for war crime pardons, and Elon Musk for a government efficiency department, despite his lack of governmental experience and history of amplifying misinformation. Other notable appointments include Kristi Noem, who resisted COVID-19 precautions, for Homeland Security, and Marco Rubio for secretary of State, despite his past criticisms of Trump, highlighting a trend of selecting individuals with controversial pasts and extreme views.
Donald Trump, after previously appointing individuals he deemed incompetent to key roles, plans to appoint more right-wing figures to his upcoming administration.
Trump initially promised to fill his administration with top talent during his first presidential run, stating on Facebook in 2016, “I am self-funding and will hire the best people.” His initial Cabinet included an attorney general with a controversial history, an Education secretary supporting private school funding, a Housing secretary lacking qualifications, and others with ethics issues. Trump later criticized some appointees as “dumb as a rock” when they opposed him, as reported by sources.
Currently, Trump surrounds himself with loyalists. Mike Davis, a friend of Trump, told Reuters, “Political appointees require both competency and loyalty.”
His current selections include:
Matt Gaetz for attorney general
Gaetz, a Florida Republican, resigned from the House on Nov. 13 before a report on his alleged misconduct, including sexual and drug allegations, was to be released. In 2017, he cast the sole vote against an anti-trafficking law, advocating for less government involvement.
Gaetz has advocated violence against protesters and harshly criticized abortion rights activists. He co-sponsored a six-week abortion ban and opposed contraception rights.
Tulsi Gabbard for director of national intelligence
Gabbard, a former Democratic representative, left the party in 2022, accusing it of “anti-white racism.” In 2017, she met with Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad and claimed he was “not the enemy” of the U.S. Gabbard has been accused of spreading Russian disinformation.
She criticized Trump’s 2020 drone strike on Iranian General Soleimani for lacking congressional approval, as reported by NBC News.
Pete Hegseth for Defense secretary
Hegseth, a former Fox News host, has no government experience since serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. In 2019, he lobbied for pardons for war crimes and has criticized U.S. support for Ukraine. Hegseth said women shouldn’t be allowed in combat roles and opposed military inclusivity.
He was investigated for a 2017 sexual assault allegation but not charged. Hegseth denied any wrongdoing.
Elon Musk for co-leader of a new government efficiency department
Musk, who invested $200 million in Trump’s 2024 campaign, has no government experience. He runs Tesla, SpaceX, and X (formerly Twitter).
Musk has spread debunked conspiracy theories and censored critics on X. The company lost significant value since Musk’s acquisition.
Kristi Noem for secretary of Homeland Security
Noem, South Dakota’s governor, gained attention for refusing COVID-19 restrictions and supporting a superspreader rally.
As an anti-abortion absolutist, she backed restrictive abortion laws. Noem also admitted to killing her pets in her memoir.
Vivek Ramaswamy for co-leader of a new government efficiency department
Ramaswamy, a biotech executive, also lacks government experience. He opposes secularism and “wokeism,” calls abortion “murder,” and supports raising the voting age.
Marco Rubio for secretary of State
Rubio, a Florida senator, once ran against Trump, calling him a “con artist.” Despite past criticisms, Rubio supports abortion bans and the 2003 Iraq invasion, which Trump falsely opposed.
Elise Stefanik for ambassador to the United Nations
Stefanik, a New York representative, shifted from moderate to right-wing, supporting Trump and criticizing the 2020 election results. She has minimal foreign experience and criticized the UN for “antisemitic rot.”
Lee Zeldin for Environmental Protection Agency administrator
Zeldin, a former New York representative, had low pro-environment votes, opposing fracking bans and supporting fossil fuels. He opposed the Inflation Reduction Act and environmental protections in Congress.
—
Read More Pennsylvania News
