Decoding President-elect Trump's surprising personnel choices

(Dan Tri) - President-elect Donald Trump waited until he left Washington to stun the elite here with surprising personnel choices for his upcoming cabinet.

US President-elect Donald Trump (Photo: WSJ).

Hours after his intimate meeting with outgoing US President Joe Biden at the White House on November 13, President-elect Donald Trump announced his picks for his incoming administration on his way back to his Florida residence. He nominated Representative Matt Gaetz for Attorney General. Lawmakers in the House and Senate were clearly surprised by the nomination, and some senators openly questioned whether Mr. Gaetz would be confirmed by the Senate. Mr. Gaetz is under investigation for ethics misconduct by the House, which he denies. He is also disliked by some Republican colleagues for leading the effort to oust House Speaker Kevin McCarthy last year. Another surprise pick was Ms. Tulsi Gabbard, who was nominated to be Director of National Intelligence. A day earlier, Mr. Trump also announced his nomination of Fox News host Pete Hegseth, 44, to be Secretary of Defense. Many lawmakers in Washington said the nominations were "out of line." But Mr. Gaetz's nomination was the most surprising, even from those familiar with him. "He's smart. His confirmation hearing will be important. He'll face some tough questions," said Senator Lindsey Graham, adding that he "tends to support the president-elect's cabinet selection." Mr. Trump's picks show his determination to appoint people he wants to put in key positions, making good on campaign promises. The president-elect has pledged to launch a mass deportation effort and reform the Justice Department , which he accused of partisan infighting. The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) commented that most of Mr. Trump's picks show that he wants to keep a firm grip on his nominees and that he values ​​loyalty, a quality that all presidents value. The choice of Mr. Gaetz is considered helpful in promoting the "America First" policy of the President-elect. "Mr. Trump is choosing early, and all of them are people he knows well, very different from the first term when he hardly knew everyone in his cabinet," said Senator Chuck Grassley. Mr. Trump ally and former administration official, Richard Grenell, said that Mr. Gaetz "will be an Attorney General for the people, not for the power elite in Washington." "People in Washington will not be happy, but that just means that common sense has returned. This is what America voted for Mr. Trump," commented this former official. The case of Mr. Hegseth's nomination is equally surprising when there are opinions that he does not have much experience for the position of Secretary of Defense. However, Senator Mike Rounds said: "I think Pete Hegseth is surprising just because most of us do not know him. But to me, he seems to have a record." Mr. Hegseth was an infantry captain in the Army National Guard, serving at Guantanamo Bay and then Iraq. In 2012, Mr. Hegseth returned to active duty, serving in Afghanistan with the Minnesota National Guard. Senator Joni Ernst, a military veteran, said Mr. Hegseth would make “a very strong secretary of defense.”

According to WSJ/Dantri.com.vn

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/the-gioi/giai-ma-lua-chon-nhan-su-gay-bat-ngo-cua-tong-thong-dac-cu-trump-20241115150318376.htm