Transition of power
Prom
Backed by
Analysis of current
The members of Trump’s Cabinet have various ideologies that are hidden under the slogan of ‘America First’. Some nominees seem to be motivated by seeking revenge, others are focused on stabilizing the markets, and a third group is dedicated to reducing both personnel and budgets, even though it may be a difficult task.
Authored by David E. Sanger
For over 40 years, David E. Sanger has reported for The Times on five different American presidents.
The last set of cabinet picks and appointments made by President-elect Donald J. Trump were said to create a cohesive and supportive administration focused on the "Make America Great Again" (MAGA) agenda. However, upon closer inspection, there are actually three separate groups with different beliefs and a variety of ideologies, kept in check during the confirmation process.
A group of individuals seeking revenge, led by potential candidates, have been tasked with dismantling the Justice Department, intelligence agencies, and Defense Department. Their goal is to target the so-called deep state and all individuals involved in prosecuting Mr. Trump.
Mr. Trump has assembled a team to stabilize the markets, with Scott Bessent, a wealthy Wall Street figure chosen for Treasury Secretary, leading the effort. Despite supporting Trump’s policies on deregulation and tax cuts, Bessent is likely to prevent extreme measures, such as imposing tariffs that could lead to inflation, from impacting 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 goals are very ambitious, with plans to cut at least $2 trillion from the annual federal budget. This amount is even more than the total cost of salaries for all federal employees. In the 2024 fiscal year, the total federal budget was $6.75 trillion.
One of the major uncertainties of the new administration is how its various missions will align or conflict with each other.
Having a variety of different beliefs and opinions within a presidential cabinet is typically viewed as a positive attribute rather than a flaw. However, the recent choices made by Mr. Trump have surprised many due to the diverse backgrounds and perspectives of some of his appointees, which may not align perfectly with his "Make America Great Again" platform or loyalty to him. Some of his picks may not seem like they would fit in well at a Trump rally.
We are experiencing difficulties in accessing the content of the article.
Kindly activate JavaScript in your browser’s settings.
We appreciate your understanding as we confirm your access. If you are currently in Reader mode, please close it and sign in to your Times account, or consider subscribing to access all of The Times content.
We appreciate your understanding as we confirm your access.
Have you already signed up to receive updates? Please log in
Interested in accessing all of The Times content? Subscribe now.
Prom
Index of the website
Navigation information on the website