Donald Trump’s win in November means not only that the former president will once again be living in the White House, but that dozens upon dozens of the most consequential positions in the federal government affecting every walk of life in America will be staffed by cronies of his choosing.
Trump has been on nomination tear since defeating Kamala Harris, tapping what seems like just about everyone in his orbit to join his administration — whether it be vaccine conspiracy theorist Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to lead the nation’s health services, or failed Georgia senatorial candidate Herschel Walker to serve as ambassador to The Bahamas. Trump is rewarding his most ardent supporters, regardless of whether they are beset by scandal or have any qualifications whatsoever for the role the president-elect has selected them to fill.
It’s been a disorienting few weeks, but certain themes have emerged around Trump’s selections. Here are a few that we’ve noticed.
FAMILY
From early in his political career, Donald Trump made clear that he considers governance to be a family affair. The children of the president-elect have always been a force in his political world. His sons, Don Jr. and Eric Trump, enjoy prominent positions as surrogates. During his first term, his daughter Ivanka Trump and son-in-law Jared Kushner served as senior advisers to his administration. This time around, the familial sphere of influence is being expanded.
Trump has appointed at least three individuals with close ties to his family to government posts. The first is Kimberly Guilfoyle, who may or may not still be Don Jr.’s fiancé, who was tapped to serve as ambassador to Greece. The president-elect has also nominated Charles Kusher, the father of Jared Kushner, as U.S. ambassador to France. Billionaire Massad Boulos, the father-in-law of Tiffany Trump, was appointed a senior adviser on Arab and Middle Eastern affairs.
Outside of direct nomination and appointments, Trump also may be trying to elevate Lara Trump, the wife of Eric Trump, into Congress (although Trump has denied this). Lara Trump, who served as co-chair of the RNC in the 2024 election cycle, has been floated as a candidate to replace Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) should be be confirmed as Trump’s secretary of state.
TV PERSONALITIES
Trump loves watching his programs, and it’s no secret he takes the words of his favorite television personalities to heart — and to his policy portfolio. That’s probably why his proposed Cabinet is crammed with enough TV hosts and talking heads to start his own cable network.
Pete Hegseth, the embattled former Fox News host whose nomination is hanging by a thread, has been nominated as Secretary of Defense. Sean Duffy, a former Real World: Boston cast member, turned congressman, turned Fox News talking head has been tapped to serve as Trump’s Secretary of Transportation.
Several prominent TV hosts and commentators will be taking up public health posts in the incoming administration’s health care apparatus. These include TV presenter and snake oil salesman Dr. Mehmet Oz, who if confirmed will take up the role of administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. Fox News contributor Dr. Janette Nesheiwat has been nominated for the position of surgeon general.
Former Fox News host and cable news personality Monica Crowley has been tapped for senior leadership at the State Department. Newsmax host and former Trump official Sebastian Gorka will reprise his former role as a deputy assistant to the president in his second term.
Perhaps the most bizarre television appointment of them all is Trump’s decision to name World Wrestling Entertainment co-founder Linda McMahon as Secretary of Education. One struggles to see what sort of qualifications McMahon has for the role, besides the use of desks as props in Wrestlemania.
PROJECT 2025
Trump has long insisted that he has nothing to do with Project 2025, and knows nothing about its contents. Yet a significant swath of his administration picks have connections to the sprawling policy package, and seem extremely inclined to implement its provisions.
Russ Vought, who authored Project 2025’s chapter on the expansion of presidential and executive authority, has been tapped to lead the White House Budget Office. Trump’s incoming “border czar” Tom Homan, who has promised to deport entire families, is credited as a contributor to the project. So is Stephen Miller, soon to be White House Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy, who was featured in videos produced by The Heritage Foundation promoting the project. Karoline Leavitt, the incoming White House Press Secretary, also appeared in promotional materials for Project 2025.
Peter Navarro, another convicted felon who has been tapped to serve as Trump’s top trade adviser, authored the project’s chapter on “Fair Trade.” Incoming FCC Chair Brendan Carr wrote the chapter detailing proposed reforms to the commission he is not set to lead.
Securities and Exchange Commission nominee Paul Atkins, CIA Director nominee John Ratcliffe, and incoming State Department Director of Policy Planning Michael Anton are all credited as contributors to Project 2025.
Trump may pretend he doesn’t know what’s in the 887-page document, but the people who will staff his administration sure do.
CONSPIRACY THEORISTS
Donald Trump has packed his new administration with conspiracy theorists, as one of his primary loyalty tests is whether one believes that the 2020 election was rigged against him. The conspiracy theory that it was is now a tenet of the Republican Party.
There are plenty of other false beliefs that could soon be ushered more directly into the mainstream, based on some of Trump’s appointments. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. subscribes to several health-related conspiracy theories, most notably that vaccines cause autism. Trump tapped RFK Jr. to lead the Department of Health and Human Services, and promised that he will give the Kennedy scion free rein to remake the nation’s health systems. Trump has publicly entertained the idea that vaccines are not safe since making the pick.
Trump has also tapped conspiracy theorists to lead the FBI and serve as the Director of National Intelligence. Kash Patel not only believes Trump won in 2020, he has cozied up to QAnon while repeatedly pushing the idea that the government is controlled by a nefarious “Deep State.” Tulsi Gabbard, Trump’s DNI pick, has pushed conspiracy theories about Ukraine, including that the United States is developing biological weapons in laboratories in the nation. The conspiracy theory has also been pushed by Russia, and ABC News reported earlier this month that Gabbard’s former aides said she regularly consumed and promoted Russian state media.
BILLIONAIRES
The United States is turning into an oligarchy. The incoming administration is expected to prioritize giving the wealthy a tax cut while threatening entitlements. The two men tasked with reshaping the government are billionaires. One of them, Elon Musk, is the richest man in the world. Donald Trump’s world, and his United States, revolves around keeping the rich as rich as possible, so it’s no surprise that he is stocking the government with billionaires and conservative megadonors.
ABC News notes that the wealthiest official in President Joe Biden’s administration is White House Chief of Staff Jeff Zients, whose net worth ranges from $90 million to $443 million, according to disclosures. Trump, meanwhile, has tapped a motley crew of billionaires to man key administration roles. Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy will head the Department of Government Efficiency — which isn’t technically part of the government. Howard Lutnick is his pick for Commerce Secretary. Linda McMahon will be Education Secretary, after Trump tapped Betsy DeVos, also a billionaire, to occupy the role during his first term. Scott Bessent will lead the Treasury Department. Steve Witkoff will be a special envoy to the Middle East. Musk pal Jared Isaacman will lead NASA. Frank Bisiganaro will lead the Social Security Administration. Charles Kushner, Tom Barrack, Leandro Rizzuto Jr., Frank Bisiganaro, and Warren Stephens will all be ambassadors.
Trump has also given roles to several other super wealthy donors. The combined net worth of his picks is close to half a trillion dollars.
CONVICTS
Donald Trump is a convicted felon — and will stay one after Judge Juan Merchan ruled December that presidential immunity does not apply to his hush-money case in New York. The prescient-elect has tapped two fellow convicted criminals to join his administration: Peter Navarro, who recently finished a prison stint for contempt of Congress, will serve in the White House as a senior trade adviser; and Charles Kushner, Jared Kushner’s father who was convicted of illegal campaign contributions, tax evasion, and witness tampering before Trump pardoned him in 2020, will serve as the U.S. ambassador to France.
FAILED GEORGIA SENATE CANDIDATES
Donald Trump has appointed four Republicans who have lost Georgia Senate races since 2020. Doug Collins, a former House member who lost his Senate bid in 2020, is Trump’s pick to head the Department of Veteran Affairs. Kelly Loeffler, who lost a runoff election to Sen. Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.) in 2021, will head up the Small Business Administration. David Perdue, who lost a runoff election to Sen. Jon Ossof (D-Ga.) in 2021, will be the U.S. ambassador to China. Herschel Walker, who ran a failed and scandal-laden campaign to unseat Warnock in 2022, will be the U.S. ambassador to The Bahamas.
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