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The members of Trump’s Cabinet represent a variety of different ideologies, all under the umbrella of the "America First" agenda. Some potential nominees are motivated by a desire for revenge, while others are focused on stabilizing the economy, and a third group is dedicated to reducing spending and personnel, although this goal may be difficult to achieve.
Written by David E. Sanger
David E. Sanger has been a journalist for The New York Times for over 40 years, during which he has reported on five different American presidents.
President-elect Donald J. Trump has made his final choices for his cabinet and other positions, creating what his team views as a cohesive and supportive administration focused on his "Make America Great Again" agenda. However, beneath the surface, there are at least three separate groups with different beliefs and ideologies, all working together to navigate 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 "deep state" and individuals involved in prosecuting Mr. Trump.
Mr. Trump has a team in place to help stabilize the markets, with Scott Bessent possibly leading it. Bessent is a Wall Street billionaire chosen by Trump for Treasury secretary, and he supports deregulation and lower taxes. However, he may work to prevent Trump’s more extreme measures, such as tariffs that could cause inflation, from negatively impacting the stock market after the election.
A team, including Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy, is aiming to significantly reduce the size of the government. They have set a goal of cutting at least $2 trillion from the annual federal budget, which is more than the total cost of federal employee salaries. In 2024, the total federal budget was $6.75 trillion.
One of the major uncertainties for the new administration is how these missions will intersect and potentially conflict with each other.
Having a variety of beliefs and viewpoints is typically viewed as a positive aspect of presidential cabinets. However, what is surprising about President Trump’s recent cabinet selections is the diversity of backgrounds and perspectives that may not align perfectly with his "Make America Great Again" agenda. Some of his picks may not seem like they would fit in at a Trump rally despite their loyalty to him.
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