Trump's controversial cabinet picks rattle Washington
With the Republican Party now in control of the House of Representatives, it has secured a sweep of the federal government, holding majorities in both chambers of Congress. This consolidation of power is a confidence boost for president-elect Donald Trump, who has wasted no time making headlines with his controversial cabinet picks.
For days, Trump’s cabinet picks were seen by Washington as rather conventional. Nominations like Kristi Noem for Homeland Security, Mike Huckabee as ambassador to Israel and Marco Rubio as secretary of states signalled tougher stances on issues such as immigration and China, but didn’t raise immediate alarm.
However, his more recent picks have sparked controversy even within the GOP. The nomination of Matt Gaetz as attorney general, for instance, has raised eyebrows. Gaetz, relatively inexperienced as a practising lawyer, is an unusual choice to lead the nation’s top law enforcement agency, which is often led by top prosecutors or judges. Adding to the controversy, Gaetz is facing ongoing investigations for alleged sexual misconduct by the same Justice department he would oversee.
"Few issues in America are more important than ending the partisan Weaponization of our Justice System," Trump posted on his social media platform, Truth Social. "Matt will end Weaponized Government... and restore Americans' badly-shattered Faith and Confidence in the Justice Department."
As attorney general, Gaetz would control all aspects of the work of the Justice department. The role will be crucial for Trump’s second term, as it will help enforce his policies on immigration, political retribution, reproductive health and more.
Media personalities
Trump has also tapped former Democratic congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard as director of national intelligence. The Democrat-turned-Republican, a staunch anti-interventionist who has criticised US support for Ukraine and defended Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad, shares Trump’s belief that the intelligence community has become weaponised against him.
For Defence secretary, Trump has selected Fox News star Pete Hegseth, underscoring his preference for media personalities and loyalists over traditional security experts.
These appointments, especially Gaetz’s, are putting immediate pressure on John Thune, the South Dakota senator who will lead the Republican majority in the Senate. Thune and his colleagues have the task of confirming the nominations, a process that will likely be marked by heated debate and intense scrutiny.
President-elect Donald Trump © ALLISON ROBBERT / AFP
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