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The members of Trump’s Cabinet have various beliefs and motivations that are hidden behind the slogan of ‘America First’. Some potential nominees are driven by a desire for revenge, others are focused on stabilizing markets, and another group is dedicated to making significant cuts to both staff and budgets, even though their efforts may not be successful.
Written by David E. Sanger
David E. Sanger has reported on five American presidents during his career as a journalist for The Times, spanning over four decades.
The last selections for President-elect Donald J. Trump’s cabinet and other positions were chosen to create a cohesive and loyal administration focused on the "Make America Great Again" (MAGA) agenda. However, beneath the surface, there are at least three separate groups with differing ideologies that are only just being held back during the confirmation process.
A group of individuals seeking revenge, headed by potential nominees, has been tasked with dismantling the Justice Department, intelligence agencies, and Defense Department. Their goal is to target the so-called deep state and individuals involved in prosecuting Mr. Trump.
Mr. Trump has a team dedicated to calming the markets, with Scott Bessent, a Wall Street billionaire who Trump wants to lead the team. Bessent is knowledgeable about Trump’s policies on deregulation and lower taxes, but he may work to prevent Trump’s more extreme measures, such as imposing tariffs that could cause inflation and disrupt the post-election stock market growth.
A team, headed by Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy, is working to significantly reduce the size of the government. Their goals are very ambitious, aiming to cut at least $2 trillion from the annual federal budget. This amount is even larger than the total cost of salaries for all federal employees. (For reference, the total federal budget in the 2024 fiscal year was $6.75 trillion.)
One of the major uncertainties of the new administration is how their missions will align and potentially conflict with each other.
Having a variety of beliefs and viewpoints is often considered a positive aspect of presidential cabinets. However, what stands out about Mr. Trump’s recent appointments is the diverse backgrounds and perspectives that may not align completely with his "Make America Great Again" agenda or personal loyalty to him. Some of his choices may seem out of place at a Trump rally due to their differing views.
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