Trump Gambles That His Most Controversial Cabinet Choices Are Immune to Scandal
A GOP senator expressed skepticism about addressing past allegations as though they are established facts, stating, “I just don't think you can deal with allegations in the past as though they're fact.”
TroibNews 
At least three of Donald Trump’s nominees will serve as a test of whether his capacity to weather sexual misconduct allegations will extend to his Cabinet selections.
The nominations of Matt Gaetz for attorney general, Pete Hegseth for Defense secretary, and Robert Kennedy Jr. for Health and Human Services secretary may indicate if the protection surrounding Trump will also benefit his nominees—and, by extension, his Cabinet.
Each of these individuals has faced allegations of sexual misconduct, yet senators appear currently inclined to defer to Trump, particularly following his significant victory on Nov. 5.
“I just don't think you can deal with allegations in the past as though they're fact,” said Sen. Kevin Cramer, noting that Trump, as a “victim of lawfare,” is especially aware of unjust prosecutions—emphasizing that Gaetz and the others have not been convicted of any crimes.
Sen. John Kennedy remarked that he wouldn’t make judgments about any nominees based on “rumor” and expressed a desire to hold hearings to review Trump’s selections. Sen. James Lankford from Oklahoma indicated he expects lawmakers will “get everybody answering questions like we always do.”
Trump’s nominees find themselves in a situation reminiscent of his own: as both the accused and the aggrieved. He has settled allegations related to extramarital relationships with figures such as porn star Stormy Daniels and swimsuit model Karen McDougal. Notably, he was recently found liable in a civil trial for sexually abusing and defaming writer E. Jean Carroll. Time and again, dating back to the October 2016 release of the Access Hollywood tape, in which he boasted about groping women, Trump has managed to avoid significant consequences or long-term political damage.
“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 said. “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 was a cultural rallying cry against “wokeness” and DEI initiatives, it also represented a defiant pushback by men who rallied behind a former president found liable for sexual misconduct. The nominations of Gaetz, Hegseth, and Kennedy resonate with men who perceive themselves as a generation wronged in the post-#MeToo environment.
Trump’s own declaration from the rally stage that he would protect women “whether women like it or not” encapsulated what Democrats view as an increasing neglect for the principle of consent, a notion Vice President Kamala Harris called “offensive.” Following Trump’s victory, a surge of sexist posts emerged on social media, notably including a post from controversial white nationalist Nick Fuentes, which stated, “Your body, my choice. Forever,” in a rebuff to #MeToo politics. This post was shared over 36,000 times and became a trending phrase.
Allies of the president-elect recognize that the current climate has been influenced by #MeToo, but in ways that run counter to the movement's original intentions. The politically charged nomination of Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh and the allegations surrounding it appear to have desensitized a large portion of the population.
“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 who was involved in Kavanaugh’s confirmation process and has advised Trump legally.
Consequently, Trump’s recent nominations reflect early outcomes of an election characterized by a significant gender divide, with men of various ages aligning themselves with the thrice-married former reality TV star, who is still awaiting sentencing for a $130,000 hush money payment connected to Daniels. This situation is further complicated by the presence of Elon Musk, who, while not subject to Senate confirmation as a co-leader of the Department of Government Efficiency, has ingratiated himself into Trump’s inner circle, despite facing employee lawsuits accusing him of fostering a harassing 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,” observed 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.”
Jessica Kline contributed to this report 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 may indicate if the protection surrounding Trump will also benefit his nominees—and, by extension, his Cabinet.
Each of these individuals has faced allegations of sexual misconduct, yet senators appear currently inclined to defer to Trump, particularly following his significant victory on Nov. 5.
“I just don't think you can deal with allegations in the past as though they're fact,” said Sen. Kevin Cramer, noting that Trump, as a “victim of lawfare,” is especially aware of unjust prosecutions—emphasizing that Gaetz and the others have not been convicted of any crimes.
Sen. John Kennedy remarked that he wouldn’t make judgments about any nominees based on “rumor” and expressed a desire to hold hearings to review Trump’s selections. Sen. James Lankford from Oklahoma indicated he expects lawmakers will “get everybody answering questions like we always do.”
Trump’s nominees find themselves in a situation reminiscent of his own: as both the accused and the aggrieved. He has settled allegations related to extramarital relationships with figures such as porn star Stormy Daniels and swimsuit model Karen McDougal. Notably, he was recently found liable in a civil trial for sexually abusing and defaming writer E. Jean Carroll. Time and again, dating back to the October 2016 release of the Access Hollywood tape, in which he boasted about groping women, Trump has managed to avoid significant consequences or long-term political damage.
“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 said. “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 was a cultural rallying cry against “wokeness” and DEI initiatives, it also represented a defiant pushback by men who rallied behind a former president found liable for sexual misconduct. The nominations of Gaetz, Hegseth, and Kennedy resonate with men who perceive themselves as a generation wronged in the post-#MeToo environment.
Trump’s own declaration from the rally stage that he would protect women “whether women like it or not” encapsulated what Democrats view as an increasing neglect for the principle of consent, a notion Vice President Kamala Harris called “offensive.” Following Trump’s victory, a surge of sexist posts emerged on social media, notably including a post from controversial white nationalist Nick Fuentes, which stated, “Your body, my choice. Forever,” in a rebuff to #MeToo politics. This post was shared over 36,000 times and became a trending phrase.
Allies of the president-elect recognize that the current climate has been influenced by #MeToo, but in ways that run counter to the movement's original intentions. The politically charged nomination of Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh and the allegations surrounding it appear to have desensitized a large portion of the population.
“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 who was involved in Kavanaugh’s confirmation process and has advised Trump legally.
Consequently, Trump’s recent nominations reflect early outcomes of an election characterized by a significant gender divide, with men of various ages aligning themselves with the thrice-married former reality TV star, who is still awaiting sentencing for a $130,000 hush money payment connected to Daniels. This situation is further complicated by the presence of Elon Musk, who, while not subject to Senate confirmation as a co-leader of the Department of Government Efficiency, has ingratiated himself into Trump’s inner circle, despite facing employee lawsuits accusing him of fostering a harassing 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,” observed 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.”
Jessica Kline contributed to this report for TROIB News
