Trump's Second Term Administration is a 'Vice Presidential Administration'

Already Verified... Loyalty Proven, Low Possibility of Controversy
Record-Breaking Speed... Axios "5 Times Faster Than Biden"

As President-elect Donald Trump continues to unveil his new administration, it has been revealed that many of those selected were individuals previously considered as vice presidential (running mate) candidates.

According to the U.S. political media outlet Politico on the 17th (local time), among the cabinet members announced by Trump so far, five were individuals who had been considered for the vice presidential candidacy.

Donald Trump President-elect of the United States Photo by Reuters-Yonhap News

Ellis Stefanik, a member of the House of Representatives, was nominated as the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations (UN), and Senator Marco Rubio, nominated for Secretary of State, was a leading candidate who competed closely with Vice President-elect JD Vance until the final stages.

Governor Kristi Noem of South Dakota was appointed Secretary of Homeland Security, former Representative Tulsi Gabbard was named Director of National Intelligence (DNI), and Governor Doug Burgum of North Dakota will serve as Secretary of the Interior and head of the newly established National Energy Council.

Politico noted that while it is not unheard of to appoint vice presidential candidates to the cabinet, appointing a large number of them from the outset is unusual. The most important point is that they have already proven their 'loyalty,' which is the most critical criterion in Trump's world. Sources revealed that Representatives Stefanik and Rubio were once moderate mainstream Republicans but have recently become loyal Trump supporters.

Last month, Trump appeared on Joe Rogan's podcast and cited his biggest mistake during his first term as appointing individuals who lacked loyalty. The transition process eight years ago was chaotic, and key high-level appointments were delayed; it appears he wants to avoid repeating such a situation. Kevin Cabrera, who participated in Trump’s re-election campaign, referenced his interview with Joe Rogan, saying, "This time, he chose people who showed that they were his priority."

Sean Spicer, who served as White House Press Secretary during Trump’s first term, said, "The reason they were initially considered as vice presidential candidates is that Trump believed they were not only loyal but also effective in passing his policies."

Appointing vice presidential candidates to the cabinet is advantageous because they have already undergone a form of vetting. This helps avoid new controversies during the congressional confirmation process. For example, Governor Noem was dropped from the vice presidential candidacy after it was revealed she had shot her own dog, but this is no longer a new controversy.

Including this appointment, Trump has announced 12 cabinet members within 12 days of the election day. Axios evaluated this as a record-breaking rapid pace in government formation. This is four times faster than during Trump’s first administration and five times faster than President Joe Biden. Biden began announcing his cabinet appointments 16 days after election day. Compared to predecessors, former President Barack Obama announced his cabinet nominations three weeks later, and former President George W. Bush only began announcements in December due to lawsuits.