If you’re anything like me, your eyes have been glued to the news this week. President-Elect Donald Trump has been announcing his picks for his Cabinet, and like much of what Trump does, they’ve been highly controversial. While it is important to remember that these picks must be confirmed by the Senate to officially be given the job, recess appointments are also something to consider. As of Sunday, Nov. 17, President Trump has announced who would head the Departments of State, Defense, Attorney General, Interior, Health and Human Services, Energy, Veterans Affairs, and Homeland Security. Still to be named are the Departments of Transportation, Treasury, Labor, Housing and Urban Development, Education, Agriculture, and Commerce.Â
Secretary of state
First is the Secretary of State and third in line to the presidency, Senator Marco Rubio. Rubio, the son of two Cuban immigrants, grew up in Miami, Florida. He earned a BA in political science from the University of Florida, followed by his JD from the University of Miami School of Law. Rubio has been one of Florida’s senators since 2011. While he spoke against Trump in the 2016 election, a recent change of tune has proved fruitful. Rubio is an expert on Latin American policy and a consistent advisor to Trump in that area. This expertise is fitting for his new position. As the Secretary of State, Rubio would be handling matters related to international relations, as well as national foreign policy. Rubio will be succeeding Antony Blinken, the Secretary of State under Biden, who has gained a reputation for being “too nice” in that position. Issues such as the Israel-Hamas war have proved difficult for Blinken, who rarely expresses anger. It will be interesting to see how Rubio’s approach differs. In the past, he has been strong in his critiques of Russia and China, as well as agreeing with Trump that the Russia-Ukraine war must come to an end, though often vague about what that means for Ukraine’s aid. Assuming he is confirmed, we’ll see if that pattern holds.Â
Secretary of Defense
One of the most debated picks has been Trump’s selection for Secretary of Defense, Pete Hegseth. Born in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Hegseth attended Princeton University, where he received a BA in politics. He also has an MPP from Harvard. Following his time at Princeton, Hegseth was an infantry officer in the Army National Guard. He has served in places such as Afghanistan, Iraq, and Guantanamo Bay. Currently, Hegseth is a co-host of the Fox News Channel’s Fox & Friends Weekend. Part of the reason for Hegseth’s controversy has been the many claims he has made, such as questioning the role of women in combat. In a recent interview, he stated that women and men serving together creates complications, and complications create more casualties. While he complements the diversity of the military, he does not include women in that.
Hegseth has also made statements against “woke” generals, calling for the next commander-in-chief to “clean house” at the Pentagon. As Secretary of Defense, Hegseth would control America’s largest government agency, with over 1.3 million active service members, 750,000 civilian personnel, and around 811,000 National Guard and Reserve members. His predecessor, Lloyd Austin, had a 41-year career in the Army as well as experience in command at the corps, division, battalion, and brigade levels. In his time as Secretary of Defense, Austin has defended Israel’s right to defend itself but also reinforced many times that protecting Palestinian civilians is incredibly important and a moral obligation. He has also helped get aid to Ukraine, promising to “get Ukraine what it needs” in the war with Russia. With Hegseth now primed to take over the position a shakeup is imminent.
Attorney General
So far, the most controversial pick by far has been Florida Congressman Matt Gaetz. Gaetz was born in Florida and got his BS from Florida State University and his JD from William and Mary Law School. He has been involved in the Florida government since 2010 and became a member of the House of Representatives in 2017. Gaetz was tapped to lead the Justice Department, meaning he would serve as the chief lawyer to the U.S. Government in addition to overseeing the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI), Bureau of Prisons, and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). Gaetz was under investigation by the House Ethics Committee prior to his nomination. The investigation was looking into claims of violating sex trafficking laws, sharing inappropriate images/videos on the house floor of the women he was involved with, improper use of campaign funds, accepting bribes, etc. Trump’s nomination has led to Gaetz stepping down as a congressman, ending the probe by the Ethics Committee that was supposed to be made public recently. He will be succeeding Merrick Garland, a lawyer with a degree from Harvard Law School. Notably, Garland announced the appointment of a special counsel to look into the criminal investigations involving Donald Trump. Republicans criticize Garland for his handling of the inquiry into Hunter Biden’s history, but Gaetz’s nomination has caused reactions from both sides of the aisle, setting his confirmation up to be the most difficult.Â
Secretary of Health and Human Services
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. was one of the more recent picks, being selected to head the Health and Human Services Department (HHS). This department has become increasingly important since the COVID-19 pandemic nearly five years ago. It oversees public health with matters like physical fitness and opioid and other drug prevention. Sub-agencies such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) also fall under its purview. Though RFK Jr. received his undergraduate degree from Harvard University and his law degree from the University of Virginia, he does not have any medical education, which is clear through the many medical conspiracy theories he supports. His claims include saying vaccines cause autism, COVID-19 was targeted against Caucasian and Black people, wireless technology can cause cancer, AIDS is not caused by HIV, and the fluoride in the water systems causes disease, just to name a few.Â
Xavier Becerra, the current Secretary of HHS, was a member of the Subcommittee on Health during his time in Congress (over two decades). He helped increase access to Medicare and Medicaid and, as Attorney General of California, he helped lead California through COVID-19 early in the pandemic, as well as combating the opioid crisis by winning a $575 million antitrust settlement against one of the most prominent health systems in California, holding drug makers accountable. Like RFK Jr., Becerra did not receive a formal medical education, but his time in Congress and as Attorney General of California provided him with experience dealing with health crises. Believing in the importance and legitimacy of science was also a key part of Becerra’s successful tenure as the Secretary of HHS.
Secretary of Homeland Security
Rounding out the top four or five questionable picks, Kristi L. Noem, the Governor of South Dakota, was picked to head the Department of Homeland Security, the third-largest Cabinet office. This newest department was created after the Sept. 11 attacks and handles terrorism, disaster prevention, cybersecurity, and, most notably, border security and immigration. Noem has gained notoriety for championing conservative cultural views, fighting pandemic shutdowns, angering Native American Tribes, and writing in her memoir of killing a family dog because it was “untrainable.” However, most relevant to her new position are her immigration policies within South Dakota. In 2021, Noem fought against accepting Afghan refugees. She has also sent troops from the South Dakota National Guard to aid Texas in border efforts. Under the Biden Administration, Alejandro Mayorkas served in this position, which often stirred up debate. Mayorkas, a prosecutor and son of Cuban immigrants, has been the target of Republican ire regarding the border. House Republicans succeeded in impeaching Mayorkas, though the Senate rejected all impeachment charges. Many Trump voters cite border security as the reason behind their vote, so only time will tell if Noem is able to provide them with what they want.Â
Secretaries of the interior, energy, and veterans affairs
Three positions have not received as much media coverage. Doug Burgum was appointed Secretary of the Interior, Chris Wright to Secretary of Energy, and Douglas A. Collins to Secretary of Veterans Affairs. Burgum, the Governor of North Dakota, will manage the conservation and protection of national parks as well as dams, reservoirs, and wildlife. Burgum has stated a desire to “unleash American energy dominance,” which will most likely entail large drilling efforts, something he could definitely do after also being appointed to lead the newly formed “national energy council.” While Burgum does support climate action, this does not include reducing fossil fuels. Instead, he turns to carbon capture and storage technology. With no inflammatory comments or notable scandals, Burgum is much more likely to be confirmed than his counterparts. Chris Wright is an executive of a fracking company and has never worked in a government position. He does not dispute that climate change is occurring but denies it is a crisis. Wright does not see the importance of policies aimed at reducing climate change. Douglas A. Collins served as a Georgia Representative in the House of Representatives and chaplain in the U.S. Air Force Reserve as a colonel. He served two years in the Navy in the 1980s, and after the Sept. 11 attacks, he joined the Air Force Reserve Command. Collins agrees with many traditional conservative views, including those on abortion, the environment, and foreign policy.
For many Americans, the election was discouraging, and things do not seem to be getting any better. In many ways, John Thune, as the majority leader in the Senate, may have one of the most important roles in the government currently. The Senate’s “advice and consent” power will be crucial in the coming months, and while there is a chance some of these selections will get denied, it is highly unlikely that they all will. President-Elect Trump’s priorities are clear: loyalty above all else.Â