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Unveiling the Many Faces of Trump’s Cabinet: Ideologies Behind the ‘America First’ Facade

In Citizen
November 25, 2024

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The members of Trump’s Cabinet have different ideologies that are hidden under the guise of putting ‘America First’. Some potential nominees seem to be seeking revenge, others are focused on stabilizing the markets, and some are dedicated to cutting costs and reducing the number of employees, though it may be a difficult task.

Written by David E. Sanger

David E. Sanger has been a journalist for The New York Times for over 40 years, reporting on five different US presidents during his career.

President-elect Donald J. Trump has made his final cabinet picks and other appointments, creating an administration that his aides say is unified, loyal, and focused on "Make America Great Again" ideals. However, upon closer examination, it is evident that there are at least three different factions within the administration, each with varying ideologies that have been kept in check to navigate the confirmation process.

A group seeking revenge, led by potential candidates, has been given orders to dismantle the Justice Department, intelligence agencies, and Defense Department. They are targeting the deep state and individuals involved in prosecuting Mr. Trump.

Mr. Trump is looking to put together a team that will help keep the markets stable, with Scott Bessent likely being chosen to lead it. Bessent, a wealthy Wall Street figure chosen by Trump for Treasury secretary, supports deregulation and lower taxes but may push back against Trump’s more drastic ideas, such as tariffs that could lead to inflation and harm the stock market’s post-election growth.

There is a team led by Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy who are 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 salaries for all federal employees. Just to give some context, the total federal budget for the 2024 fiscal year was $6.75 trillion.

One of the major uncertainties of the new administration is how these missions will work together or clash with each other.

Having a variety of beliefs and opinions is often viewed as a positive aspect of presidential cabinets, rather than a flaw. However, what stands out about President Trump’s recent cabinet choices is the diverse backgrounds and perspectives that some of them bring, despite their outward display of loyalty to the "Make America Great Again" slogan and to Trump himself. Some of his picks may not fit in well at a Trump rally, based on their differing views.

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