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After Matt Gaetz’s selection fell through, President-elect Donald J. Trump is standing firm in his decision to appoint Kash Patel as F.B.I. director, showing that he is not backing down in the face of opposition from Washington. Trump continues to appoint individuals who share his ideology, including conspiracy theorists and even family members.
Written by Peter Baker
Peter Baker is a journalist who specializes in reporting on the White House and has followed the actions of the last five presidents, including Donald J. Trump.
Despite facing criticism for his previous appointees, President Trump is continuing to show defiance by selecting controversial and unconventional individuals for his new administration. Instead of choosing more experienced and respected candidates who would have an easier time getting confirmed by the Senate, Trump is rapidly appointing individuals with strong ideological views, belief in conspiracy theories, and even some family members to key government roles.
One notable move he made was to remove the F.B.I. director, Christopher A. Wray, who he had appointed in his first term, and replace him with Kash Patel, who sees himself as a fighter against the perceived "deep state." Patel, known for causing trouble, was viewed as a troublemaker and a potential threat by other Trump advisors who worked to prevent him from gaining authority during the previous administration.
While everyone was talking about Mr. Patel, Mr. Trump also made significant appointments over the weekend. He revealed that he planned to appoint Charles Kushner, the father of Ivanka Trump’s husband Jared Kushner, who had been previously convicted of a crime and pardoned by Mr. Trump, as the ambassador to France. Additionally, he selected Massad Boulos, the father of Tiffany Trump’s husband Michael Boulos, to serve as his White House senior adviser for Arab and Middle Eastern matters.
Mr. Trump’s continued push for non-traditional appointments shows his strong desire to have loyal supporters around him who will help him achieve his goals, such as seeking revenge against those he sees as his enemies. Despite Mr. Trump’s claims that President Biden is using the Justice Department and F.B.I. against him, there is no proof that Mr. Biden has been involved in recent legal cases.
Mr. Trump’s controversial choices are also a challenge to Senate Republicans to test the limits of their opposition to nominees they believe are not qualified. This comes after they successfully opposed former Representative Matt Gaetz’s nomination for attorney general.
Gregg Nunziata, a former chief nominations counsel for Senate Judiciary Committee Republicans, believes that by selecting nominees who lack traditional qualifications but exhibit strong personal loyalty and a willingness to engage in confrontation, the president is purposely challenging the Senate’s ability and willingness to fulfill its constitutional duty as a check on the executive branch.
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