The controversial people Trump has picked to form his team inside the White House
A governor accused of murdering her dog, a congressman accused of sex trafficking by his potential department and a Fox News host who doesn’t believe in germs.
These are just some of the people US president-elect Donald Trump has tapped for important roles in his looming administration, sparking fears that the incoming president is prioritising loyalty and fealty over competence and experience.
In the past week, Trump has named Matt Gaetz for US attorney-general, Kristi Noem for homeland security boss, Pete Hegseth as defence secretary and Marco Rubio as secretary of state.
Donald Trump Jr said that nobody in the cabinet, which he would be heavily involved in picking, would “know better” than his father.
“I want to make sure, now that we know who the real players are, the people who will actually deliver on the president’s message, the people who don’t think that they know better than the duly elected president of the United States,” he said.
“I want to make sure that those people are in his cabinet.”
Nine other members have been named as key members of the transition team and future administration, including Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy as heads of the newly-created Department of Government Efficiency, and Tom Homan as “border tzar”.
Musk and Ramaswamy
Named after Musk’s favourite internet meme, DOGE will be bizarrely led by him and Ramaswamy in its first act of improving government efficiency.
Ramaswamy, an entrepreneur, will offer the White House ‘advice’ alongside Musk. Photo: Getty
You might like
Musk courted Trump’s favour ahead of the November 5 election with digital and monetary support, while Ramaswamy had a tilt for the top job before coalescing behind his new president.
The pair have promised to slash government spending and streamline the US government, despite neither having any experience in governing.
Musk, once dubbed the real-life Tony Stark, has turned supervillain in recent years, having driven advertisers away from Twitter (since renamed X) by reinstating neo-Nazis, spreading misinformation about Covid-19 and being accused of sexual assault.
Matt Gaetz
Gaetz was previously under investigation by the Department of Justice for sex trafficking, but — if confirmed by the Senate — will be in charge of the department.
Gaetz is not well-liked with the Republican establishment and has frequently clashed with senior figures and his senate colleagues.
Trump and his key allies are pushing for “recess appointments”, where his appointments would be able to be pushed through without Senate confirmation.
“Any Republican Senator seeking the coveted LEADERSHIP position in the United States Senate must agree to Recess Appointments (in the Senate!), without which we will not be able to get people confirmed in a timely manner,” Trump posted on X before the Gaetz announcement.
“Sometimes the votes can take two years, or more. This is what they did four years ago, and we cannot let it happen again. We need positions filled IMMEDIATELY!”
Gaetz’s selection as attorney-general, given his prior conduct, left many watchers aghast, questioning if he was qualified or suitable for the job.
Kristi Noem
South Dakota governor Noem has been named Trump’s choice as homeland security secretary.
She was the centre of a controversy after the release of her memoir earlier in the year, where she admitted to killing her pet dog, named Cricket.
Stay informed, daily
She justified the decision as lawful in the state she governs.
“Whether running the ranch or in politics, I have never passed on my responsibilities to anyone else to handle,” she wrote on X.
“Even if it’s hard and painful. I followed the law and was being a responsible parent, dog owner, and neighbour.”
Kristi Noem admitted to killing her family dog. Photo: Getty
Homeland Security’s biggest role is in disaster management, customs and borders, anti-terrorism and cyber security, leaving Noem with a huge responsibility in the second Trump administration.
Pete Hegseth
Hegseth has been labelled the least qualified US secretary of defence in history and will his role as a host on Fox News to take up the job if he is confirmed.
He is a member of the National Guard and was removed from a mission to protect the inauguration of President Joe Biden on January 20, 2020, after he was “linked to right-wing militia groups” or had “posted extremist views online”.
He has called for a purge of generals in the military and previously claimed that he doesn’t believe in germs or washed his hands for more than a decade.
Marco Rubio
The most mainstream of Trump’s picks so far, to the discomfort of some of his supporters, Rubio is a former political rival-turned-ally who will be the next secretary of state.
The Florida senator previously called Trump “an embarrassment” and was nicknamed “Little Marco” by his leader, but has since become one of his staunchest allies.
Once a vocal advocate of interventionism, in contrast to Trump’s nativist policies, his selection was pushed by Trump’s new chief of staff.
He has a list of controversial comments and actions, including his stance on Israel, his relationship with a scandal-clad former congressman and his denial of human-made climate change.
The rest
It remains to be seen if Trump awards RFK Jr with a cabinet position, allegedly the trade for the Kennedy scion dropping out and endorsing the president-elect.
But Trump did claim that he would allow Kennedy to go “nuts on health”.
Tulsi Gabbard, the Democrat-turned-Republican, has also been named as head of national intelligence.
It is important to note that Trump’s first administration had an unprecedented turnover in staff and key personnel.
There are still more key cabinet positions left to fill, that will more than likely be given to loyal allies of the incoming president.
