Reporter | An Jing
On November 23, 2024 local time, US President-elect Donald Trump nominated Brooke Rawlings, one of the founders of the "America First" Policy Institute, to serve as Secretary of Agriculture.
At this point, all 15 ministerial candidates in Trump’s new cabinet have been finalized, and they are still announcing the candidates for other high-level officials.
During Trump’s first term, the selection of cabinet ministers took months. The choice of Secretary of Agriculture was not confirmed until Trump was officially sworn in, and former Exxon Mobil Chairman Rex Tillerson was only rumored to be nominated for Secretary of State in December after the election.
In the selection of ministers at the time, non-establishment "outsiders" had begun to occupy important positions, including Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and Treasury Secretary and former Goldman Sachs Group partner Steven Mnuchin. But these non-establishment figures are not of the same mind as Trump. Tillerson’s support for free trade is diametrically opposed to Trump’s trade protectionism.
In addition to non-establishment factions, Trump has also nominated military veterans such as former U.S. Marine Corps four-star general James Mattis as Secretary of Defense, and also appointed Republican National Committee Chairman and establishment representative Reince Trump. Libas serves as White House chief of staff.
This year, Trump completed the nomination of 15 ministers in just three weeks after the election. The candidates he nominated for the "four major cabinet positions" of Secretary of State, Secretary of Finance, Secretary of Defense and Minister of Justice are all his supporters or agree with the "America First" policy. Key positions such as White House Chief of Staff and National Security Advisor that do not require congressional approval are also selected by Trump. He is a veteran "iron fan" of Pu.
In Trump’s Cabinet 2.0, non-establishment figures once again hold key positions. Former Soros Fund Management executive Scott Bessent was nominated as Treasury Secretary, and former Fox News host Pete Hegseth was nominated as Defense Secretary. Among the key nominations announced, at least six are former commentators or hosts of the conservative media Fox News, including Tulsi Gabbard, the candidate for director of national intelligence.
Although control of the Senate fell to the Republicans after this election, not all of Trump’s nominated cabinet ministers received support from the Senate.
Supporters and hawks gathered together
During Trump’s first term, due to disagreements between ministers and Trump’s political views, key positions such as Secretary of State and Defense Secretary were replaced many times. This time, Trump chose to be surrounded by supporters.
Bessant, who was nominated as Finance Minister, was Trump’s economic policy adviser and important fundraiser in the election; Hegseth, the candidate for Defense Secretary, cheered for Trump in the 2016 election and was endorsed by Trump. A true believer in America First.
Former Florida congressman Matt Gaetz, the original choice for attorney general, is a big fan of Trump in Congress. He was one of Trump's strongest opponents when he was impeached during his first term. Gates is also a benchmark figure among the far-right hardliners of the Republican Party. Last year, Gates was responsible for the ouster of then-House Speaker Kevin McKenzie, an establishment Republican, by his fellow Republicans.
But after Gates was nominated, complaints were filed against him, accusing him of having relations with minors. Due to the huge controversy caused by this matter, Gates announced last week that he would give up the nomination for attorney general. Trump subsequently introduced a replacement, nominating former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi. Bondi was one of Trump's defense attorneys when he was impeached.
Trump’s nominee for Secretary of State, Florida Senator Marco Rubio, was not an ally of Trump’s from the beginning. He was Trump's rival within the party in the 2016 election and once attacked Trump as a "liar."
After Trump was elected, Rubio changed his attitude towards Trump and began to participate in policy formulation. As a descendant of Cuban immigrants and a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and Intelligence Committee, Rubio has participated in the Trump administration's foreign policy formulation towards Cuba and Venezuela. He also has a good working relationship with Trump's daughter Ivanka.
Rubio is a hawkish representative of U.S. diplomacy. He is regarded as an interventionist. He has long taken a tough stance against Venezuela, Iran and other countries, and has been sanctioned by China.He and Trump-appointed national security adviser Mike Walz form the core of the hawks in the Trump team. Hegseth, the nominee for defense secretary, and John Ratcliffe, the candidate for CIA director, are also hawks. group.
Rubio has shown a tough stance on Russia, criticizing Russian President Vladimir Putin as a "killer" after the conflict between Russia and Ukraine began. But now, in order to be on the same page as Trump, he agrees with Trump’s proposal that Russia and Ukraine should immediately cease fire. When congressional Republicans opposed continued U.S. aid to Ukraine, Rubio was one of the lawmakers who voted against it. After
was nominated as Secretary of State, Rubio posted on social media, announcing that he was ready to implement Trump's foreign policy agenda in his daily work.
But this does not mean that Rubio is ready to align with Trump on all issues. Trump has publicly expressed his dissatisfaction with NATO many times, while Rubio opposes the United States' withdrawal from NATO. In July this year, he and Democratic congressmen jointly prohibited the US president from withdrawing the United States from NATO without the consent of the Senate.
Rubio, Bondi, Hegseth and others are called Trump's "revenge team" against the Democratic Party and other countries by the American liberal media, while Bessant, the finance minister candidate, is divided into the "pacifying the market" camp. .
previously reported that although Bessant supports Trump’s tariffs and tax reduction plans, he pays attention to fiscal discipline. Wall Street believes he is not a radical and will prioritize economic and market stability. Bessant has previously said he would introduce tariff measures gradually.
Candidate Controversy
Among the key nominations announced by Trump, the candidate for Secretary of Defense Hegseth, the candidate for Director of National Intelligence Gabbard, and the nominee for Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert Francis Kennedy Jr. have encountered the most doubts. Nominations of ministers and ambassadors must be approved by the Senate.
Hegseth has been criticized for his lack of experience in military leadership and military policy. He served in the U.S. Army National Guard with tours to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, Iraq, and Afghanistan, earning the Army Commendation Medal and the Bronze Medal. But Hegseth has not served as a senior commander and has not been involved in formulating national security policy. Recently, Hegseth was also accused of sexually assaulting a California woman in 2017.
said last week that the accusations faced by Hegseth were "very concerning" and that the Senate would conduct a comprehensive cross-examination against him.
Gabbard was called the "number one problem" by Senate Republicans. Gabbard, a former Democrat and former Hawaii state congressman, announced her joining the Republican Party in October this year. She served in the Army National Guard for more than 20 years, including tours in Iraq and Kuwait. Gabbard quit the Democratic Party in 2022, publicly denouncing the Democratic Party as warmongers and attacking the "woke" culture promoted by the Democratic Party.
In this year’s election, she became Trump’s trainer, helping Trump prepare for the televised debate with Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris. Gabbard's nomination as director of national intelligence was criticized by Democrats.
Democrats claim Gabbard was "infiltrated" by U.S. adversaries. She traveled to Syria in 2017 to meet with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. After the Russia-Ukraine conflict began, Gabbard issued an article stating that if the United States and NATO understood Russia's security concerns, the Russia-Ukraine conflict would not occur. She has also publicly criticized Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Part she is a "Russian spy".
Another more famous defector from the Democratic Party, Robert Francis Kennedy Jr., the nephew of former President John F. Kennedy, has also caused controversy. Robert Jr. is a vaccine skeptic and has also accused the U.S. Food and Drug Administration of working for big drug and food companies. Shares of U.S. pharmaceutical companies fell after Robert Jr. was nominated as Secretary of Health and Human Services.
The candidate for director of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, former New York State Representative Lee Zeldin, triggered a collective protest by environmentalists. Zeldin has announced that he will roll back restrictive regulations imposed by the left-wing Democratic government to help businesses develop better.Like Trump, Zeldin opposes U.S. participation in the Paris climate accord.
American legal professionals pointed out that if the Senate vetoes the nomination of relevant candidates, Trump can wait until the Senate is in recess and use the "recess appointment" power granted to the president by the Constitution to appoint ministers. However, the relevant minister's appointment is only temporary and cannot last for 4 years.
During Trump’s first term, few key cabinet members were able to complete their four-year term. Chief strategist Stephen Bannon, national security advisers Michael Flynn and John Bolton, and Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, who were initially close to Trump, all left midway and turned against Trump. Bannon and Flynn were also indicted.
It remains to be seen how long the "honeymoon period" between Trump and the new cabinet members will last.
Reporter | An Jing
On November 23, 2024 local time, US President-elect Donald Trump nominated Brooke Rawlings, one of the founders of the "America First" Policy Institute, to serve as Secretary of Agriculture.
At this point, all 15 ministerial candidates in Trump’s new cabinet have been finalized, and they are still announcing the candidates for other high-level officials.
During Trump’s first term, the selection of cabinet ministers took months. The choice of Secretary of Agriculture was not confirmed until Trump was officially sworn in, and former Exxon Mobil Chairman Rex Tillerson was only rumored to be nominated for Secretary of State in December after the election.
In the selection of ministers at the time, non-establishment "outsiders" had begun to occupy important positions, including Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and Treasury Secretary and former Goldman Sachs Group partner Steven Mnuchin. But these non-establishment figures are not of the same mind as Trump. Tillerson’s support for free trade is diametrically opposed to Trump’s trade protectionism.
In addition to non-establishment factions, Trump has also nominated military veterans such as former U.S. Marine Corps four-star general James Mattis as Secretary of Defense, and also appointed Republican National Committee Chairman and establishment representative Reince Trump. Libas serves as White House chief of staff.
This year, Trump completed the nomination of 15 ministers in just three weeks after the election. The candidates he nominated for the "four major cabinet positions" of Secretary of State, Secretary of Finance, Secretary of Defense and Minister of Justice are all his supporters or agree with the "America First" policy. Key positions such as White House Chief of Staff and National Security Advisor that do not require congressional approval are also selected by Trump. He is a veteran "iron fan" of Pu.
In Trump’s Cabinet 2.0, non-establishment figures once again hold key positions. Former Soros Fund Management executive Scott Bessent was nominated as Treasury Secretary, and former Fox News host Pete Hegseth was nominated as Defense Secretary. Among the key nominations announced, at least six are former commentators or hosts of the conservative media Fox News, including Tulsi Gabbard, the candidate for director of national intelligence.
Although control of the Senate fell to the Republicans after this election, not all of Trump’s nominated cabinet ministers received support from the Senate.
Supporters and hawks gathered together
During Trump’s first term, due to disagreements between ministers and Trump’s political views, key positions such as Secretary of State and Defense Secretary were replaced many times. This time, Trump chose to be surrounded by supporters.
Bessant, who was nominated as Finance Minister, was Trump’s economic policy adviser and important fundraiser in the election; Hegseth, the candidate for Defense Secretary, cheered for Trump in the 2016 election and was endorsed by Trump. A true believer in America First.
Former Florida congressman Matt Gaetz, the original choice for attorney general, is a big fan of Trump in Congress. He was one of Trump's strongest opponents when he was impeached during his first term. Gates is also a benchmark figure among the far-right hardliners of the Republican Party. Last year, Gates was responsible for the ouster of then-House Speaker Kevin McKenzie, an establishment Republican, by his fellow Republicans.
But after Gates was nominated, complaints were filed against him, accusing him of having relations with minors. Due to the huge controversy caused by this matter, Gates announced last week that he would give up the nomination for attorney general. Trump subsequently introduced a replacement, nominating former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi. Bondi was one of Trump's defense attorneys when he was impeached.
Trump’s nominee for Secretary of State, Florida Senator Marco Rubio, was not an ally of Trump’s from the beginning. He was Trump's rival within the party in the 2016 election and once attacked Trump as a "liar."
After Trump was elected, Rubio changed his attitude towards Trump and began to participate in policy formulation. As a descendant of Cuban immigrants and a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and Intelligence Committee, Rubio has participated in the Trump administration's foreign policy formulation towards Cuba and Venezuela. He also has a good working relationship with Trump's daughter Ivanka.
Rubio is a hawkish representative of U.S. diplomacy. He is regarded as an interventionist. He has long taken a tough stance against Venezuela, Iran and other countries, and has been sanctioned by China.He and Trump-appointed national security adviser Mike Walz form the core of the hawks in the Trump team. Hegseth, the nominee for defense secretary, and John Ratcliffe, the candidate for CIA director, are also hawks. group.
Rubio has shown a tough stance on Russia, criticizing Russian President Vladimir Putin as a "killer" after the conflict between Russia and Ukraine began. But now, in order to be on the same page as Trump, he agrees with Trump’s proposal that Russia and Ukraine should immediately cease fire. When congressional Republicans opposed continued U.S. aid to Ukraine, Rubio was one of the lawmakers who voted against it. After
was nominated as Secretary of State, Rubio posted on social media, announcing that he was ready to implement Trump's foreign policy agenda in his daily work.
But this does not mean that Rubio is ready to align with Trump on all issues. Trump has publicly expressed his dissatisfaction with NATO many times, while Rubio opposes the United States' withdrawal from NATO. In July this year, he and Democratic congressmen jointly prohibited the US president from withdrawing the United States from NATO without the consent of the Senate.
Rubio, Bondi, Hegseth and others are called Trump's "revenge team" against the Democratic Party and other countries by the American liberal media, while Bessant, the finance minister candidate, is divided into the "pacifying the market" camp. .
previously reported that although Bessant supports Trump’s tariffs and tax reduction plans, he pays attention to fiscal discipline. Wall Street believes he is not a radical and will prioritize economic and market stability. Bessant has previously said he would introduce tariff measures gradually.
Candidate Controversy
Among the key nominations announced by Trump, the candidate for Secretary of Defense Hegseth, the candidate for Director of National Intelligence Gabbard, and the nominee for Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert Francis Kennedy Jr. have encountered the most doubts. Nominations of ministers and ambassadors must be approved by the Senate.
Hegseth has been criticized for his lack of experience in military leadership and military policy. He served in the U.S. Army National Guard with tours to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, Iraq, and Afghanistan, earning the Army Commendation Medal and the Bronze Medal. But Hegseth has not served as a senior commander and has not been involved in formulating national security policy. Recently, Hegseth was also accused of sexually assaulting a California woman in 2017.
said last week that the accusations faced by Hegseth were "very concerning" and that the Senate would conduct a comprehensive cross-examination against him.
Gabbard was called the "number one problem" by Senate Republicans. Gabbard, a former Democrat and former Hawaii state congressman, announced her joining the Republican Party in October this year. She served in the Army National Guard for more than 20 years, including tours in Iraq and Kuwait. Gabbard quit the Democratic Party in 2022, publicly denouncing the Democratic Party as warmongers and attacking the "woke" culture promoted by the Democratic Party.
In this year’s election, she became Trump’s trainer, helping Trump prepare for the televised debate with Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris. Gabbard's nomination as director of national intelligence was criticized by Democrats.
Democrats claim Gabbard was "infiltrated" by U.S. adversaries. She traveled to Syria in 2017 to meet with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. After the Russia-Ukraine conflict began, Gabbard issued an article stating that if the United States and NATO understood Russia's security concerns, the Russia-Ukraine conflict would not occur. She has also publicly criticized Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Part she is a "Russian spy".
Another more famous defector from the Democratic Party, Robert Francis Kennedy Jr., the nephew of former President John F. Kennedy, has also caused controversy. Robert Jr. is a vaccine skeptic and has also accused the U.S. Food and Drug Administration of working for big drug and food companies. Shares of U.S. pharmaceutical companies fell after Robert Jr. was nominated as Secretary of Health and Human Services.
The candidate for director of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, former New York State Representative Lee Zeldin, triggered a collective protest by environmentalists. Zeldin has announced that he will roll back restrictive regulations imposed by the left-wing Democratic government to help businesses develop better.Like Trump, Zeldin opposes U.S. participation in the Paris climate accord.
American legal professionals pointed out that if the Senate vetoes the nomination of relevant candidates, Trump can wait until the Senate is in recess and use the "recess appointment" power granted to the president by the Constitution to appoint ministers. However, the relevant minister's appointment is only temporary and cannot last for 4 years.
During Trump’s first term, few key cabinet members were able to complete their four-year term. Chief strategist Stephen Bannon, national security advisers Michael Flynn and John Bolton, and Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, who were initially close to Trump, all left midway and turned against Trump. Bannon and Flynn were also indicted.
It remains to be seen how long the "honeymoon period" between Trump and the new cabinet members will last.
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