President-elect Donald Trump’s nominations and appointments for key roles in his upcoming administration have prompted mixed reactions.
Trump continues to build his new team, announcing his choices this week for high-profile positions in his Cabinet and senior advisor roles.
Here are some of his picks that have gained the most attention.
Attorney General: Matt Gaetz
Trump on Wednesday tapped Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) to serve as U.S. Attorney General, calling him a “deeply gifted and “tenacious” lawyer.
Gaetz is unpopular with many fellow House Republicans for his push to oust former Speaker Kevin McCarthy.
He was the center of the House Ethics Committee’s ongoing probe into sex trafficking allegations. Gaetz resigned from Congress on Wednesday, which means that the committee’s investigation ends and the report on its probe will not be issued. Gaetz has long denied the accusations.
Other Republicans on Wednesday and Thursday said they would consider Gaetz’s nomination with an open mind or noted favorably his advocacy for Trump. Gaetz is a longtime Trump supporter and frequently campaigned for him.
Incoming Senate GOP leader John Thune (R-S.D.) said: “That’s probably a good question for the chairman of the Judiciary Committee.” Thune said confirming Trump’s nominations will be a priority next year and senators “should expect an aggressive schedule until his nominees are confirmed.”
Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), the likely next chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, said: “I suppose I’ll have to look at it. That’s all I can say at this point because I don’t know much about Matt Gaetz.”
Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas), a Republican member of the Judiciary committee, said he expects “any and all” information on the nominees will be made available.
House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) calls Gaetz “one of the most intelligent” members of Congress and “a reformer in his mind and heart.” “I think he’ll bring a lot to the table on that.”
Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla.) said “a lot of people will try to brand him [Gaetz] just as a firebrand. But the fact is that there is a lot of strategy behind” Gaetz’s effort to oust McCarthy.
Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), who was named by Trump as his nominee for the secretary of state, said: “I’ve known Matt for a very long time. We’re friends. I think he would do a very good job for the president.”
Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.) said: “Matt Gaetz and I, there’s no question, we’ve had our differences. I completely trust President Trump’s decision-making on this one. But at the same time, [Gaetz] has to come to … the Senate and sell himself. There’s a lot of questions that are going to be out there. He’s got to answer those questions.”
Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) said: “Obviously the president [Trump] has the right to nominate whomever he wishes, but this is where the Senate’s advise and consent process is so important. I’m sure that there will be many, many questions raised at Mr. Gaetz’s hearing if in fact the nomination goes forward,”
Rep. Mike Simpson (R-Idaho): “That was about as big a surprise as I’ve had in a long time. I have a really hard time believing he could get through the Senate confirmation process. You never know.”
Cameron Hamilton, former division director at the Department of Homeland Security and Navy SEAL combat veteran, thinks Trump is sending a message through this appointment.
Hamilton told NTD that Gaetz would “correct the ship” at the Department of Justice (DOJ). He is among the few legislators who have spoken out aggressively about the DOJ and questioned why it continues to be funded when it is being used to weaponize Americans, according to Hamilton.
Gaetz is a “uniquely qualified” person to hold this position because he has been a target of DOJ investigations. Gaetz would be an equal arbitrator of law because has challenged both Republicans and Democrats, Hamilton said.
Democrats in the House and the Senate have expressed concerns over the nominations and also over the independence of the Senate.
Sen. Chris Coons (D-Del.), chair of the Senate Ethics Committee, said: “He does have a mandate to make changes. The question is, how much of what kind? And I think it is exactly the Senate’s role, historically, constitutionally, to put some boundaries or guardrails around how much change.”
Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.), ranking member of House Oversight Committee, said: “I can’t imagine any Democrats supporting him. And then the question is, you know, what will they do with moderate Republicans? The Republicans have already shown that they’re willing to act independent of Donald Trump’s direct orders in the selection of John Thune as the leader of their conference. So I imagine it’s going to be an uphill fight for Matt Gaetz.”
Sen. Dick Durbin, the Democratic chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, which would consider the Gaetz nomination, called on the House Ethics Committee to “preserve and share their report” with the panel.
Defense Secretary: Pete Hegseth
Trump picked Pete Hegseth for defense secretary.
Trump described Hegseth as “tough” and “smart,” claiming that the nation’s enemies will be “on notice” under his leadership.
Hegseth, a former Army National Guard captain who served in Iraq and Afghanistan, has earned two Bronze Stars and a Combat Infantryman’s Badge. A Princeton and Harvard graduate, Hegseth spent eight years as a Fox News host and wrote the bestseller “The War on Warriors,” a critique of left-wing policies undermining the military.
House Speaker Mike Johnson praised Trump’s choice of Hegseth for Secretary of Defense, saying that he “brings a lot to the table.”
“He’s got experience and I think he’ll be reform-minded in the areas that need reform,” Johnson said.
By contrast, Rep. Adam Smith (D-Wash.), the top Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee, said he expects Hegseth’s nomination to face Senate opposition, citing limited policymaking experience for the role.
“There is reason for concern that this is not a person who is a serious enough policymaker, serious enough policy implementer, to do a successful job,” Smith said, adding that there is “no question” that Hegseth’s combat experience is a plus.
Hamilton told NTD that Hegseth is opposed to such progressive politics plaguing the upper ranks of the military community.
The military should be focused on wartime readiness and ensuring troops are ready for conflict and Hegseth is qualified to lead in that capacity, according to Hamilton.
He also said that Trump’s defense secretary pick is similar to Gaetz as they are both “fighters.”
Director of National Intelligence: Tulsi Gabbard
Trump nominated Tulsi Gabbard, a former Democratic member of Congress and presidential candidate, to serve as Director of National Intelligence.
Trump highlighted Gabbard’s military experience, having served through three deployments in war zones in the Middle East and Africa. He also cited her switch to the Republican Party.
Hamilton told NTD that Gabbard offers a more “aggressive, forward-leaning perspective on her military service” and “understands the nuances of the intelligence community.”
Gabbard has been directly targeted by the same intelligence communities that she is now tapped to lead.
“She been placed on the terror watch list, she’s been placed on the TSA ‘no fly list,’ she’s an individual that has been directly targeted by some of these intel organizations,” Hamilton said, adding that Trump is signaling for a new sheriff in town and the people who were most scrutinized will now be in charge.
While Gabbard has been praised for her military experience, some critics say Trump’s pick does not have the typical intelligence experience that past officeholders have had under their belt going into such a high-profile position.
The Associated Press and Epoch Times reporter Tom Ozimek contributed to this report.