President-elect Donald Trump has been choosing candidates for his cabinet over the last several weeks. Though some have been generally seen as ordinary, many of Trump’s picks, particularly the most well-known ones, have elicited strong reactions from both sides of the aisle. Here’s a little background on those who might make up some of the most consequential positions within the future president’s cohort of closest advisors, and what people are saying about them.
Director of National Intelligence – Tulsi Gabbard
“Lieutenant colonel in the U.S. army reserve,” “former Democratic House representative,” and “2020 Democratic candidate for president” are not usually titles that one might expect a Trump ally to hold, let alone the Republican pick for Director of National Intelligence. Nonetheless, Gabbard occupies all three, and as such might be a familiar face for those interested in politics.
Since her nomination for the position, Gabbard has drawn ire from prominent members of both parties, largely over her perceived support of Russia’s government. John Bolton, a key member of all Republican administrations since Ronald Reagan, has since called for an FBI investigation into Gabbard, while Democratic Rep. Debbie Wasserman Shultz remarked that the nominee “is likely a Russian asset.”
Secretary of Defense – Pete Hegseth
Prior to his tenure as a Fox News host, Hegseth spent years serving in the Minnesota National Guard, including in Iraq and Afghanistan. He was then placed on Individual Ready Reserve. In 2020, Hegseth volunteered to protect the inauguration of President Joe Biden, but was one of the few turned down from the venture on account of a tattoo he has, which some say represents white nationalism.
Over the recent weeks, the host has come under fire over an alleged 2017 sexual assault. Trump’s allies have defended Hegseth against the blowback, even as some GOP members reportedly see the matter as a pesky distraction to a smooth transition to Trump.
“Honestly, it’s very unpredictable [Trump’s future presidency], so I have really no idea what’s going to happen,” said junior APUSH student Yoshi Waldron. “I’m just hoping for the best.”
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. – Secretary of Health & Human Services
A member of the Kennedy political dynasty and son to the famous Robert F. Kennedy, Kennedy spent much of his life as an environmental lawyer. Over the last two decades, however, Kennedy’s focus has shifted largely toward his views on virus-related vaccines, which some have described as conspiracy theories. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Kennedy became an outspoken critic of the federal government’s vaccine policies.
Earlier this year, Kennedy ran for president as an Independent candidate. On Aug. 23, he dropped out and endorsed Trump, reportedly in exchange for a position on Trump’s future cabinet. In 2016, the appointee criticized his potential future boss, at one point comparing Trump to Hitler. Prior to 2023, Kennedy identified as a Democrat, something that may hinder his chances of being confirmed by Republicans in Congress, especially given his views on the issues of abortion and the pharmaceutical industry.
Vivek Ramaswamy & Elon Musk – “Department of Government Efficiency”
Elon Musk, the world’s richest person and CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, became a part of political discourse after his acquisition of X (formerly Twitter) on Oct. 28, 2022. Since then, he has transitioned to the right and has become a close ally of Trump. Vivek Ramaswamy, a biotech entrepreneur and 2024 GOP presidential candidate, has gained prominence with his calls to shrink the federal bureaucracy. Together, they will lead a new “Department of Government Efficiency,” or DOGE (a play on the name of the popular cryptocurrency Dogecoin).
Though specifics of the pair’s plans are yet to be revealed, their general ideas for reforming the government include cutting different federal spending programs and firing federal employees. On Nov. 20, Musk and Ramaswamy enumerated their objectives in a joint opinion piece in the Wall Street Journal. The appointment of the two has raised concerns among critics about the potential for business-related corruption, particularly for Elon Musk, whose SpaceX works with, and whose Tesla is facing investigation by, the federal government.
“Donald Trump likes to be different and edgy, to bring attention to himself and to show that he’s a fighter,” said history teacher Pankaj Sharma. “[These] shock or outrageous picks [are] foreshadowing, maybe, how he will plan to be in his second term.”
