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Trump’s Cabinet: Various Beliefs Hidden Beneath the ‘America First’ Slogan
Different groups of potential nominees seem to have different priorities, with some seeking revenge, others aiming to stabilize the markets, and a third group focused on reducing both staff and budgets, possibly in a challenging manner.
Written by David E. Sanger
David E. Sanger has been reporting for The Times for over 40 years and has covered the administrations of five US presidents during his career.
The last set of cabinet picks and appointments by President-elect Donald J. Trump were said to form a cohesive, loyal administration driven by the "Make America Great Again" (MAGA) motto. However, upon closer inspection, there are actually three different groups with various ideologies, kept in check during the confirmation process.
A group of individuals seeking revenge, with potential nominees at the helm, have been tasked with dismantling the Justice Department, intelligence agencies, and Defense Department. Their mission is to target the alleged deep state and individuals involved in prosecuting Mr. Trump.
Mr. Trump has formed a team to maintain market stability, with Scott Bessent being considered as the leader. Bessent, a billionaire from Wall Street, is Trump’s pick for Treasury secretary. While Bessent supports policies like deregulation and lower taxes, he may try to prevent Trump’s more drastic measures, such as imposing tariffs that could cause inflation and harm the post-election stock market growth.
A team led by Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy is aiming to significantly reduce the size of the government. Their goal is to cut at least $2 trillion from the annual federal budget, which is more than the total amount spent on federal employee salaries. (In 2024, the total federal budget was $6.75 trillion.)
One of the major uncertainties of the new administration is how these missions will come together and potentially clash.
Having a variety of beliefs and viewpoints in a presidential cabinet is typically viewed as a positive attribute. However, some of President Trump’s recent cabinet choices have surprised people because they bring a range of experiences and perspectives that may not align perfectly with his "Make America Great Again" platform. Some of these picks may not seem like they would fit in well at one of Trump’s rallies due to their differing views.
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