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The members of Trump’s Cabinet have different ideologies hidden under the guise of "America First." Some potential candidates seem to prioritize seeking revenge, while others aim to stabilize the markets and some are determined to reduce both staff and budgets, potentially with little chance of success.
Written by David E. Sanger
For over 40 years, David E. Sanger has reported on five different American presidents for The Times.
The last set of cabinet picks and appointments made by President-elect Donald J. Trump were meant to create a cohesive and loyal administration focused on his "Make America Great Again" agenda. However, there are actually three separate factions within the administration, each with their own range of beliefs and ideologies that are barely kept in check during the confirmation process.
A group of individuals seeking revenge is being led by potential nominees to dismantle the Justice Department, intelligence agencies, and Defense Department. They are targeting individuals associated with the "deep state" and those involved in prosecuting Mr. Trump.
Mr. Trump is looking to put together a team to keep the markets stable, with Scott Bessent possibly leading. Bessent is a wealthy figure from Wall Street who Trump has in mind for Treasury secretary. While Bessent supports Trump’s ideas on deregulation and lower taxes, he may push back against extreme measures like imposing tariffs that could cause inflation and disrupt the market’s post-election growth.
A team headed by Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy is working to reduce the size of the government. Their aim is to cut at least $2 trillion from the yearly federal budget, which is more than the total amount spent on federal employee salaries. The total federal budget in the 2024 fiscal year was $6.75 trillion.
The integration and potential conflicts between these missions are major uncertainties for the new administration.
Having a variety of beliefs and viewpoints is typically seen as a positive aspect of presidential cabinets. However, what stands out about President Trump’s recent cabinet choices is the diversity in backgrounds and perspectives that may not align directly with his "Make America Great Again" slogan or loyalty to him. Some of his picks may not seem like they would fit in at a Trump rally.
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