Trump’s Cabinet appeared quite standard until Matt Gaetz entered the scene.
Trump’s selection of Cabinet members, packed with loyalists, has taken Washington by surprise — including some of his own supporters.
TroibNews 
For days, Donald Trump’s choices for key positions in his administration received praise from conventional figures in Washington for being particularly typical.
Susie Wiles as chief of staff was seen as someone who would keep everything in the West Wing organized. Marco Rubio was expected to prevent international disasters. Meanwhile, Tom Homan, the former head of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, was designated to oversee the president-elect’s strong border policy.
Then, within a 24-hour timeframe, Trump unveiled a series of Cabinet appointments that not only raised eyebrows but also sparked fear among many in Washington — including some within the GOP.
The situation peaked when Trump announced Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz as his attorney general, choosing one of the House's most incendiary members, who is currently under investigation by the chamber's ethics committee. He also selected former congresswoman and 2020 Democratic presidential candidate Tulsi Gabbard as his director of National Intelligence, along with Fox News host Pete Hegseth as Defense secretary. Although both Hegseth and Gabbard have military experience, they are better known as media figures than for their impact on national security issues.
One senior Republican Hill official described the Gaetz appointment as an “absolute gut punch.”
Trump ally and former political strategist Roger Stone, who posted Trump's statement about Gabbard's appointment before Trump did, had recently claimed that “they won’t be able to get the clown car into the White House” with Wiles managing operations.
This perception seemed to shift dramatically by Wednesday, particularly among established party insiders who had hoped Trump's assertions about drastically altering the federal government were more metaphorical than literal.
The developments have left many in Washington — including some of Trump's own supporters — bewildered and dubious about whether the second Trump administration would be more streamlined than its predecessor, a hope sparked by the highly disciplined campaign Wiles and co-campaign chair Chris LaCivita ran.
Moreover, this situation is likely to test the relationship between Trump and the new Senate Republican Leader John Thune, as the president-elect is not only urging the Senate to utilize recess appointments to fill his Cabinet but is also challenging them to oppose his selections.
“We went from some solid picks, to some interesting wildcards, to some that are more than controversial, no way confirmable,” stated Matthew Bartlett, a GOP strategist and Trump appointee from his first term. “This is Trump daring the U.S. Senate. This is Trump potentially usurping the U.S. Senate and going to try to put people in place through recess appointments, which could mean we’re at a Constitutional crisis from the start of Trump’s second term.”
Some in Trump's circle noticed that Gaetz joined Trump on his trip to Washington, D.C., on Wednesday. The night before, several in Trump's camp believed that Missouri’s attorney general Andrew Bailey and Robert Giuffra, head of Sullivan and Cromwell, were among the leading candidates for attorney general, according to one informed source.
Not everyone in Trump's inner circle was enthusiastic about Gaetz's selection. One individual familiar with the situation noted that, ultimately, the decision lay with Trump. Senator Lindsey Graham, a close ally on Capitol Hill and ranking member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, expressed uncertainty, stating, "Yeah, I don't know. I'm going to have to think about that one."
In the days prior, many of Trump's supporters praised his extensive list of appointees so early in the transition as a reflection of the groundwork laid by transition chairs Howard Lutnick and Linda McMahon, along with the disciplined operation Wiles was overseeing.
“To me, what I see is decisiveness. They’re moving quickly. I think they’re not really struggling to find talent. They’ve got a deep bench here and a lot of people who want to serve and are excited to serve. I like the decisiveness of it,” remarked Scott Jennings, a GOP strategist and former aide to President George W. Bush. “It signals to me they’re going to hit the ground running.”
“You ought to be looking forward to a pretty hopping winter,” he added.
Yet, there were indications that Trump is prioritizing loyalty over qualifications for his new Cabinet roles, a common thread among his appointments during the first week of his presidency.
“President Trump is picking his most competent loyalists first — as he should,” stated Mike Davis, a former GOP Senate aide and conservative lawyer who had been considered for the attorney general role.
The selection of South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem as secretary of the Department of Homeland Security raised eyebrows, as she had been sidelined early in Trump’s search for a running mate and wasn’t seen as a leading figure in immigration policy.
Former Representative Lee Zeldin, newly appointed as Trump’s Environmental Protection Agency administrator, is respected across the party spectrum but lacks specific experience in environmental issues, including from a deregulatory standpoint. Officials from Trump’s first administration had anticipated an announcement later—potentially in December, similar to the timeline for the last EPA appointment—but Zeldin's name was unexpected.
Although Hegseth has military experience, having served three tours in Iraq and Afghanistan, critics pointed out that he lacks defense policy experience, which raised alarms among national security officials and defense analysts.
“I would say that the No. 1 way to make our government more efficient is to choose leaders in the agencies that know how to run large organizations and can do that as a priority,” said Max Stier, president and CEO of the nonprofit, nonpartisan Partnership for Public Service, which oversees presidential transitions. “So far, the people they are choosing do not have that experience. It is a very different proposition to be in the news business, as opposed to running a multi-trillion dollar, many million-person organization — to take the most obvious example.”
Trump has already surpassed his previous record from 2016, when a flurry of November Cabinet appointments put him ahead of other recent presidential transitions. President Joe Biden didn’t announce his first Cabinet-level appointments – Alejandro Mayorkas and Antony Blinken for Homeland Security and State, respectively – until Thanksgiving week in 2020.
However, some, like Stier, are concerned that Trump is sacrificing quality for speed.
“They are fast and furious right now with naming names,” Stier remarked. “Now, the question will be, do they appreciate how important the process is? Not only the back end, in terms of confirmation, but on the front end, in terms of the kind of vetting that ought to occur before you nominate folks.”
“They’re picking people quickly. That could be efficient but not effective,” he added.
Karoline Leavitt, a spokesperson for the transition, stated this week that Trump’s selections are aligned with his “America First” agenda.
“The American people re-elected President Trump by a resounding margin, giving him a mandate to implement the promises he made on the campaign trail,” Leavitt said. “President Trump will continue to appoint highly-qualified men and women who have the talent, experience, and necessary skill sets to Make America Great Again."
By selecting Gaetz — who was investigated but not charged by the Justice Department under both the Trump and Biden administrations for alleged sexual encounters with teenage girls — for attorney general, Trump aims to place one of his staunchest defenders in charge of, as he has put it, “ending the partisan Weaponization of our Justice System.”
Nevertheless, Trump may face a challenging confirmation process for Gaetz, especially if it adheres to conventional procedures. Democrats quickly expressed disapproval of his choice, meaning Gaetz could afford to lose only four GOP votes in such a scenario. However, with Republicans holding a new majority, even rejections from moderate GOP Senators Lisa Murkowski and Susan Collins wouldn’t necessarily be enough to derail him. Collins has already voiced her unease about the nomination, as reported by Punchbowl News.
“I thought it would be hard for Trump to continue to surprise us. Certainly it’s a surprise. But it shouldn’t be,” said Ryan Williams, a GOP strategist and former aide to Mitt Romney. “It’s clear he wants loyalists in these Cabinet positions. He wants to rat out the ‘deep state’ and use the DOJ as headquarters to rat out the ‘deep state,’ and Gaetz is the ultimate pick to do that.”
Adam Wren and Alex Guillén contributed to this report.
Max Fischer for TROIB News
Susie Wiles as chief of staff was seen as someone who would keep everything in the West Wing organized. Marco Rubio was expected to prevent international disasters. Meanwhile, Tom Homan, the former head of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, was designated to oversee the president-elect’s strong border policy.
Then, within a 24-hour timeframe, Trump unveiled a series of Cabinet appointments that not only raised eyebrows but also sparked fear among many in Washington — including some within the GOP.
The situation peaked when Trump announced Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz as his attorney general, choosing one of the House's most incendiary members, who is currently under investigation by the chamber's ethics committee. He also selected former congresswoman and 2020 Democratic presidential candidate Tulsi Gabbard as his director of National Intelligence, along with Fox News host Pete Hegseth as Defense secretary. Although both Hegseth and Gabbard have military experience, they are better known as media figures than for their impact on national security issues.
One senior Republican Hill official described the Gaetz appointment as an “absolute gut punch.”
Trump ally and former political strategist Roger Stone, who posted Trump's statement about Gabbard's appointment before Trump did, had recently claimed that “they won’t be able to get the clown car into the White House” with Wiles managing operations.
This perception seemed to shift dramatically by Wednesday, particularly among established party insiders who had hoped Trump's assertions about drastically altering the federal government were more metaphorical than literal.
The developments have left many in Washington — including some of Trump's own supporters — bewildered and dubious about whether the second Trump administration would be more streamlined than its predecessor, a hope sparked by the highly disciplined campaign Wiles and co-campaign chair Chris LaCivita ran.
Moreover, this situation is likely to test the relationship between Trump and the new Senate Republican Leader John Thune, as the president-elect is not only urging the Senate to utilize recess appointments to fill his Cabinet but is also challenging them to oppose his selections.
“We went from some solid picks, to some interesting wildcards, to some that are more than controversial, no way confirmable,” stated Matthew Bartlett, a GOP strategist and Trump appointee from his first term. “This is Trump daring the U.S. Senate. This is Trump potentially usurping the U.S. Senate and going to try to put people in place through recess appointments, which could mean we’re at a Constitutional crisis from the start of Trump’s second term.”
Some in Trump's circle noticed that Gaetz joined Trump on his trip to Washington, D.C., on Wednesday. The night before, several in Trump's camp believed that Missouri’s attorney general Andrew Bailey and Robert Giuffra, head of Sullivan and Cromwell, were among the leading candidates for attorney general, according to one informed source.
Not everyone in Trump's inner circle was enthusiastic about Gaetz's selection. One individual familiar with the situation noted that, ultimately, the decision lay with Trump. Senator Lindsey Graham, a close ally on Capitol Hill and ranking member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, expressed uncertainty, stating, "Yeah, I don't know. I'm going to have to think about that one."
In the days prior, many of Trump's supporters praised his extensive list of appointees so early in the transition as a reflection of the groundwork laid by transition chairs Howard Lutnick and Linda McMahon, along with the disciplined operation Wiles was overseeing.
“To me, what I see is decisiveness. They’re moving quickly. I think they’re not really struggling to find talent. They’ve got a deep bench here and a lot of people who want to serve and are excited to serve. I like the decisiveness of it,” remarked Scott Jennings, a GOP strategist and former aide to President George W. Bush. “It signals to me they’re going to hit the ground running.”
“You ought to be looking forward to a pretty hopping winter,” he added.
Yet, there were indications that Trump is prioritizing loyalty over qualifications for his new Cabinet roles, a common thread among his appointments during the first week of his presidency.
“President Trump is picking his most competent loyalists first — as he should,” stated Mike Davis, a former GOP Senate aide and conservative lawyer who had been considered for the attorney general role.
The selection of South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem as secretary of the Department of Homeland Security raised eyebrows, as she had been sidelined early in Trump’s search for a running mate and wasn’t seen as a leading figure in immigration policy.
Former Representative Lee Zeldin, newly appointed as Trump’s Environmental Protection Agency administrator, is respected across the party spectrum but lacks specific experience in environmental issues, including from a deregulatory standpoint. Officials from Trump’s first administration had anticipated an announcement later—potentially in December, similar to the timeline for the last EPA appointment—but Zeldin's name was unexpected.
Although Hegseth has military experience, having served three tours in Iraq and Afghanistan, critics pointed out that he lacks defense policy experience, which raised alarms among national security officials and defense analysts.
“I would say that the No. 1 way to make our government more efficient is to choose leaders in the agencies that know how to run large organizations and can do that as a priority,” said Max Stier, president and CEO of the nonprofit, nonpartisan Partnership for Public Service, which oversees presidential transitions. “So far, the people they are choosing do not have that experience. It is a very different proposition to be in the news business, as opposed to running a multi-trillion dollar, many million-person organization — to take the most obvious example.”
Trump has already surpassed his previous record from 2016, when a flurry of November Cabinet appointments put him ahead of other recent presidential transitions. President Joe Biden didn’t announce his first Cabinet-level appointments – Alejandro Mayorkas and Antony Blinken for Homeland Security and State, respectively – until Thanksgiving week in 2020.
However, some, like Stier, are concerned that Trump is sacrificing quality for speed.
“They are fast and furious right now with naming names,” Stier remarked. “Now, the question will be, do they appreciate how important the process is? Not only the back end, in terms of confirmation, but on the front end, in terms of the kind of vetting that ought to occur before you nominate folks.”
“They’re picking people quickly. That could be efficient but not effective,” he added.
Karoline Leavitt, a spokesperson for the transition, stated this week that Trump’s selections are aligned with his “America First” agenda.
“The American people re-elected President Trump by a resounding margin, giving him a mandate to implement the promises he made on the campaign trail,” Leavitt said. “President Trump will continue to appoint highly-qualified men and women who have the talent, experience, and necessary skill sets to Make America Great Again."
By selecting Gaetz — who was investigated but not charged by the Justice Department under both the Trump and Biden administrations for alleged sexual encounters with teenage girls — for attorney general, Trump aims to place one of his staunchest defenders in charge of, as he has put it, “ending the partisan Weaponization of our Justice System.”
Nevertheless, Trump may face a challenging confirmation process for Gaetz, especially if it adheres to conventional procedures. Democrats quickly expressed disapproval of his choice, meaning Gaetz could afford to lose only four GOP votes in such a scenario. However, with Republicans holding a new majority, even rejections from moderate GOP Senators Lisa Murkowski and Susan Collins wouldn’t necessarily be enough to derail him. Collins has already voiced her unease about the nomination, as reported by Punchbowl News.
“I thought it would be hard for Trump to continue to surprise us. Certainly it’s a surprise. But it shouldn’t be,” said Ryan Williams, a GOP strategist and former aide to Mitt Romney. “It’s clear he wants loyalists in these Cabinet positions. He wants to rat out the ‘deep state’ and use the DOJ as headquarters to rat out the ‘deep state,’ and Gaetz is the ultimate pick to do that.”
Adam Wren and Alex Guillén contributed to this report.
Max Fischer for TROIB News
