In Washington under Trump, allegations of sexual misconduct might not disqualify candidates
A GOP senator expressed skepticism about how past allegations are handled, stating, “I just don't think you can deal with allegations in the past as though they're fact.”
TroibNews 
At least three nominees from Donald Trump will explore whether his ability to endure sexual misconduct allegations will also extend to his selections for the Cabinet.
The nominations of Matt Gaetz for attorney general, Pete Hegseth for Defense secretary, and Robert Kennedy Jr. for Health and Human Services secretary might reveal if the protective shield that surrounds Trump will also apply to his nominees and, ultimately, to his Cabinet. All three individuals have encountered accusations of sexual misconduct, yet senators seem to be publicly inclined, at least for the moment, to defer to Trump following his significant victory on November 5.
“I just don't think you can deal with allegations in the past as though they're fact,” remarked Sen. Kevin Cramer, noting that Trump, as a “victim of lawfare,” understands unjust prosecutions — emphasizing that Gaetz and the others have not faced criminal convictions.
Sen. John Kennedy stated that he won’t evaluate any of the nominees based on “rumor” and seeks hearings to thoroughly vet Trump’s choices. Sen. James Lankford from Oklahoma shared that he anticipates lawmakers will “get everybody answering questions like we always do.”
Trump’s nominees find themselves in a situation that mirrors his own: both the accused and the aggrieved. He has spent money to conceal extramarital affairs with individuals such as porn star Stormy Daniels and swimsuit model Karen McDougal. Recently, he was found liable by a federal jury in a civil trial for sexually abusing and defaming writer E. Jean Carroll. Despite multiple controversies, Trump has largely managed to avoid enduring consequences or sustained political damage since the October 2016 release of the Access Hollywood tape, where he boasted about groping women.
“I support all of Trump's Cabinet picks. That's a whole part of the process — there'll be a Senate confirmation, public hearings, the DOJ,” Rep. Nancy Mace explained. “The DOJ decided not to pursue charges against our colleague. And so, there's the media — you guys want to make him guilty, hook line and sink or be judged during an execution of a guy who's never been charged with a crime.”
While Trump’s 2024 campaign has been a cultural crusade against “wokeness” and DEI initiatives, it also embodies a defiant response from men who propelled a former president with a history of being found liable for sexual abuse back to power. The nominations of Gaetz, Hegseth, and Kennedy resonate with men who have positioned themselves as a generation feeling aggrieved in the wake of the #MeToo movement.
Trump’s declaration from the rally stage, where he vowed to be a protector of women “whether women like it or not,” captured what Democrats perceive as an increasing disregard for the concept of consent, a sentiment Vice President Kamala Harris deemed “offensive.” Following Trump's victory, a surge of sexist posts emerged on social media. A notable post on X from controversial white nationalist Nick Fuentes — “Your body, my choice. Forever.” in rejection of #MeToo politics — garnered over 36,000 shares, showing the phrase trending for days.
Allies of the president-elect acknowledge that the current climate has been influenced by #MeToo, albeit in ways that diverge sharply from what the movement aimed to achieve. The highly politicized confirmation of Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh and the surrounding allegations of sexual misconduct seem to have desensitized a significant segment of the public.
"The president of the United States is elected by all Americans. The Senate should presumptively vote to confirm his qualified nominees unless they have disqualified themselves with misconduct. And after the Kavanaugh confirmation, the presumption of guilt is out the window," said Mike Davis, a former GOP Senate aide involved in Kavanaugh’s confirmation and a legal adviser to Trump.
A new wave of Trump's nominations represents an early outcome of an election marked by a striking gender gap, with men of all ages rallying around a thrice-married former reality TV star who is still facing sentencing over a $130,000 hush money payment made by his former lawyer Michael Cohen to Daniels. This is in addition to the notable presence of Elon Musk, who, although he will not be subjected to Senate confirmation as co-leader of the Department of Government Efficiency, has integrated himself into Trump’s inner circle, despite facing lawsuits from employees for allegedly fostering a harassment-laden work environment.
“We’re in a different era. Part of that is, we’ve seen behavior that has otherwise been disqualifying that hasn’t been,” remarked Douglas Heye, a former Bush administration official. “The Access Hollywood tape being a perfect example of it. And Bill Clinton being on the campaign trail so prominently. There was a time when Bill Clinton was sort of canceled, and that’s gone.”
Eli Stokols contributed to this report.
Ian Smith for TROIB News
The nominations of Matt Gaetz for attorney general, Pete Hegseth for Defense secretary, and Robert Kennedy Jr. for Health and Human Services secretary might reveal if the protective shield that surrounds Trump will also apply to his nominees and, ultimately, to his Cabinet. All three individuals have encountered accusations of sexual misconduct, yet senators seem to be publicly inclined, at least for the moment, to defer to Trump following his significant victory on November 5.
“I just don't think you can deal with allegations in the past as though they're fact,” remarked Sen. Kevin Cramer, noting that Trump, as a “victim of lawfare,” understands unjust prosecutions — emphasizing that Gaetz and the others have not faced criminal convictions.
Sen. John Kennedy stated that he won’t evaluate any of the nominees based on “rumor” and seeks hearings to thoroughly vet Trump’s choices. Sen. James Lankford from Oklahoma shared that he anticipates lawmakers will “get everybody answering questions like we always do.”
Trump’s nominees find themselves in a situation that mirrors his own: both the accused and the aggrieved. He has spent money to conceal extramarital affairs with individuals such as porn star Stormy Daniels and swimsuit model Karen McDougal. Recently, he was found liable by a federal jury in a civil trial for sexually abusing and defaming writer E. Jean Carroll. Despite multiple controversies, Trump has largely managed to avoid enduring consequences or sustained political damage since the October 2016 release of the Access Hollywood tape, where he boasted about groping women.
“I support all of Trump's Cabinet picks. That's a whole part of the process — there'll be a Senate confirmation, public hearings, the DOJ,” Rep. Nancy Mace explained. “The DOJ decided not to pursue charges against our colleague. And so, there's the media — you guys want to make him guilty, hook line and sink or be judged during an execution of a guy who's never been charged with a crime.”
While Trump’s 2024 campaign has been a cultural crusade against “wokeness” and DEI initiatives, it also embodies a defiant response from men who propelled a former president with a history of being found liable for sexual abuse back to power. The nominations of Gaetz, Hegseth, and Kennedy resonate with men who have positioned themselves as a generation feeling aggrieved in the wake of the #MeToo movement.
Trump’s declaration from the rally stage, where he vowed to be a protector of women “whether women like it or not,” captured what Democrats perceive as an increasing disregard for the concept of consent, a sentiment Vice President Kamala Harris deemed “offensive.” Following Trump's victory, a surge of sexist posts emerged on social media. A notable post on X from controversial white nationalist Nick Fuentes — “Your body, my choice. Forever.” in rejection of #MeToo politics — garnered over 36,000 shares, showing the phrase trending for days.
Allies of the president-elect acknowledge that the current climate has been influenced by #MeToo, albeit in ways that diverge sharply from what the movement aimed to achieve. The highly politicized confirmation of Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh and the surrounding allegations of sexual misconduct seem to have desensitized a significant segment of the public.
"The president of the United States is elected by all Americans. The Senate should presumptively vote to confirm his qualified nominees unless they have disqualified themselves with misconduct. And after the Kavanaugh confirmation, the presumption of guilt is out the window," said Mike Davis, a former GOP Senate aide involved in Kavanaugh’s confirmation and a legal adviser to Trump.
A new wave of Trump's nominations represents an early outcome of an election marked by a striking gender gap, with men of all ages rallying around a thrice-married former reality TV star who is still facing sentencing over a $130,000 hush money payment made by his former lawyer Michael Cohen to Daniels. This is in addition to the notable presence of Elon Musk, who, although he will not be subjected to Senate confirmation as co-leader of the Department of Government Efficiency, has integrated himself into Trump’s inner circle, despite facing lawsuits from employees for allegedly fostering a harassment-laden work environment.
“We’re in a different era. Part of that is, we’ve seen behavior that has otherwise been disqualifying that hasn’t been,” remarked Douglas Heye, a former Bush administration official. “The Access Hollywood tape being a perfect example of it. And Bill Clinton being on the campaign trail so prominently. There was a time when Bill Clinton was sort of canceled, and that’s gone.”
Eli Stokols contributed to this report.
Ian Smith for TROIB News
