Transition of Power
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The members of Trump’s cabinet have various ideologies that are hidden behind the idea of ‘America First’. Some nominees are seeking revenge, others are trying to stabilize the markets, and some are determined to reduce the number of people and budgets, even if it seems like an impossible task.
Written by David E. Sanger
David E. Sanger has reported on five different presidents during his more than 40 years of journalism at The New York Times.
The last set of cabinet picks and appointments made by President-elect Donald J. Trump were chosen to create a cohesive administration focused on the "Make America Great Again" (MAGA) agenda. However, upon closer examination, it is apparent that there are at least three separate factions within the administration, each with their own set of ideologies that are only just being kept in check during the confirmation process.
A team seeking revenge is being led by potential nominees, with a mission to dismantle the Justice Department, intelligence agencies, and Defense Department. Their goal is to track down members of the so-called deep state and individuals involved in prosecuting Mr. Trump.
Mr. Trump is assembling a team to help maintain stability in the markets, with the potential leadership of Scott Bessent, a wealthy individual from Wall Street who was selected by Mr. Trump for Treasury secretary. While Mr. Bessent is aligned with the MAGA principles of deregulation and lower taxes, he may work to prevent Mr. Trump’s more drastic measures, such as imposing tariffs that could lead to inflation, from negatively impacting the stock market’s post-election growth.
A team working to reduce the size of the government, headed by Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy, has ambitious goals. They aim to cut at least $2 trillion from the annual federal budget, which is more than the total amount spent on federal employee salaries. Just to provide context, the entire federal budget for the 2024 fiscal year was $6.75 trillion.
The interaction and potential conflicts between these missions are a major uncertainty for the new administration.
Having a variety of different beliefs and opinions is often considered a positive aspect of presidential cabinets. However, with Mr. Trump’s recent choices, it is surprising to see the diverse range of backgrounds and perspectives that may not align completely with his "Make America Great Again" slogan or loyalty to him. Some of his picks may not seem like they would fit in well at a Trump rally.
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