Donald J. Trump will reclaim his spot as president of the United States on Jan. 20. By his side as vice president will be J.D. Vance rather than Mike Pence, his vice president from 2017-2021. Pence said that he “cannot in good conscience” endorse Trump.
Some of Trump’s nominations for his cabinet might be even more concerning for some.
Marco Rubio was selected to be secretary of state for Trump’s second term of presidency. Rubio has represented Florida in the U.S. Senate since 2011 and even competed with Trump in 2016 for the republican presidential nomination.
The secretary of state, once confirmed by the senate, acts as the president’s chief foreign affairs advisor. If Rubio is selected for Trump, he will carry out the president’s foreign policies by the State Department and the Foreign Service of the United States.
Last year, Rubio had 13 Rubio bills become law. This includes legislation that provides healthcare to veterans who are suffering from exposure to toxic burn pits. Rubio is ranked the third most effective senator overall by the nonpartisan Center for Effective Lawmaking, and the most effective Republican on international and environmental affairs and issues.
However, Rubio has also been sanctioned from China twice. In 2022, Rubio said, “The threat that will define this century is China.” The two sanctions come from one regarding the Uyghurs, and another for his support of the Hong Kong protests. Without China lifting these sanctions, he will become the first Secretary of State to be banned from visiting China. He has also dismissed climate change, the Covid-19 global pandemic and the left’s idea of social justice, calling it the biggest threat.
Pete Hegseth has been nominated as Trump’s Defense Secretary.
“Pete is tough, smart, and a true believer in America first,” Trump said. “With Pete at the helm, America’s enemies are on notice – Our military will be great again, and America will never back down.”
The Secretary of Defense defines the vision and tone for the department of defense, as well as helping the president develop his defense strategies, and then putting said strategy into action. He will also design and implement policies to advance the strategy and the overall national security objectives.
Hegseth has a strong military record. He is an Army combat veteran who served in Iraq, Afghanistan and Guantanamo Bay.
Hegseth is also a polarizing former Fox News host. The fact that he’s amid sexual assault allegations is making people skeptical of the future president’s cabinet.
Hegseth has said some controversial things about women in the army. “We should not have women in combat roles, it hasn’t made us more effective, hasn’t made us more lethal, and has made fighting more complicated.” He then went on to say that while diversity in the military is a strength, “it was because minority and white men can perform similarly, which isn’t true for women.”
For Secretary of the Treasury, the president elect has nominated Scott Bessent. Bessent is the founder of a Connecticut-based hedge fund, Key Square Group. Trump described him as “widely respected as one of the world’s most foremost international investors and geopolitical and economic strategists.”
The Secretary of the Treasury will be responsible for planning and recommending domestic as well as international financial, economic and tax policies. They also manage federal money, collecting taxes, paying bills, managing currency, government accounts and public debt.
With Bessent in charge of all things money, there will always be good and bad aspects of his position. Bessent has defended Trump’s proposed tariffs, which will put a 20% tariff on all goods imported to the U.S., up to 60% tariff on Chinese goods, and as high as 2,000% tariff on vehicles built in Mexico. These tariffs will most likely refuel inflation, but Bessent said, “they’re a useful tool for achieving the president’s foreign policy objectives.” He also said that they should be layered in gradually.
With all these new people entering the president’s cabinet, and a new president, there will be lots of changes within America. There will be division and arguments, but there will also be unity.
Congratulations, President Trump.
