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Despite facing backlash from Washington, President-elect Donald J. Trump shows no signs of backing down as he continues to appoint individuals like Kash Patel as F.B.I. director who align with his beliefs, even if they are considered controversial or related to him.
Authored by Peter
Peter Baker is a journalist who specializes in covering the White House and has reported on the activities of the last five presidents, which includes Donald J. Trump.
Despite facing criticism for his previous appointees, President Trump remains unapologetic as he continues to select individuals for his new administration. Instead of choosing candidates with strong credentials and widespread respect who would have an easier time getting confirmed by the Senate, Trump is opting for individuals who are more aligned with his ideology, including conspiracy theorists and even members of his own family, at a rapid pace.
One notable decision is when he chose to remove Christopher A. Wray, the F.B.I. director he had appointed in his first term, and replace him with Kash Patel, who sees himself as fighting against the alleged "deep state." Patel, known for causing trouble, was viewed as a disruptive and potentially harmful figure by other Trump advisors who worked to prevent him from gaining significant authority during the previous administration.
While the public was paying attention to Mr. Patel, Mr. Trump made announcements over the weekend regarding the fathers-in-law of two of his children. He stated that he plans to nominate Charles Kushner, who is the father of Jared Kushner (Ivanka Trump’s husband) and was previously pardoned by Mr. Trump, to serve as ambassador to France. Additionally, he selected Massad Boulos, the father of Michael Boulos (Tiffany Trump’s husband), to be his White House senior adviser on Arab and Middle Eastern matters.
Mr. Trump is showing a strong commitment to appointing unconventional candidates who are loyal to him and can help him achieve his goals, such as seeking revenge against his enemies. He has claimed that President Biden is using government agencies to target him, despite no evidence linking Biden to recent investigations.
The controversial choices made by Mr. Trump are challenging Senate Republicans to test their willingness to oppose nominees they believe are unfit for their positions. This comes after their involvement in blocking former Representative Matt Gaetz’s nomination for attorney general.
Gregg Nunziata, a former chief nominations counsel for Senate Judiciary Committee Republicans, believes that the president is intentionally selecting nominees who may not have traditional qualifications but are loyal and confrontational in order to challenge the Senate’s ability to act as a check on presidential power.
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