Donald Trump's second administration appointees, centered around 'loyalists,' are not limited to former Congressman Matt Gaetz, who has been embroiled in controversy over his suitability. Pete Hegseth, a former Fox News host and nominee for Secretary of Defense, faces allegations of sexual assault, while Linda McMahon, nominated for Secretary of Education, is criticized due to a sexual abuse lawsuit, raising attention on whether more resignations will follow.
(From left) Matt Gaetz, former U.S. Congressman, Donald Trump, President-elect of the United States, and Pam Bondi, former Florida Attorney General, who was nominated as the next Attorney General following the ousting of former Congressman Gaetz. Photo by AFP Yonhap News
The main reason former Congressman Gaetz, considered the 'loyalist of loyalists,' abruptly withdrew from the nomination for Attorney General on the 21st (local time) was allegations of soliciting sex from a minor. He was investigated by the House Ethics Committee for allegedly soliciting sex from a 17-year-old minor at a party in 2017, which led to criticism that his appointment was inappropriate from the moment he was nominated. Furthermore, it was revealed that two women who recently appeared before the House Ethics Committee admitted to prostitution and secretly testified that they witnessed sexual relations with another 17-year-old woman, delivering a direct blow.
Not only Gaetz but also Pete Hegseth, the nominee to lead the next Department of Defense, is embroiled in sexual misconduct allegations. It is reported that in 2017, after meeting a woman at a Republican women’s event, he sexually assaulted her and paid her a large sum of money on the condition of keeping it confidential. According to a police investigation report, Hegseth allegedly took the woman’s phone, blocked the door to prevent her from leaving, and assaulted her. However, Hegseth currently claims through his attorney that the encounter was consensual, not sexual assault.
Linda McMahon, co-chair of Trump’s transition team and nominee for Secretary of Education in the second administration, was sued last month by former ring boys over sexual abuse allegations. Having served as Administrator of the Small Business Administration in Trump’s first term, she and her husband Vince McMahon are accused of turning a blind eye to sexual abuse of teenage ring boys by senior WWE officials while running World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE).
Meanwhile, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a former presidential candidate tapped as Secretary of Health and Human Services, faces opposition amid concerns that appointing a non-expert 'vaccine conspiracy theorist' to oversee U.S. public health policy could lead to a disaster. He has repeatedly made medically unfounded statements in public, such as claiming vaccines cause autism, artificial chemicals turn children gay or transgender, and that part of his brain was eaten by parasites. Additionally, allegations from a babysitter who claimed to have been sexually abused at Kennedy Jr.’s home have resurfaced.
Although not a cabinet member, former Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard, who requires Senate confirmation, is criticized as unsuitable for the position of Director of National Intelligence (DNI), overseeing national intelligence agencies, due to her pro-Russian remarks. She has shown pro-Russian tendencies, such as blaming NATO for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine shortly after it began. Additionally, during her time as a House member in January 2017, she visited Syria twice and met with dictator Bashar al-Assad, even claiming that Assad was not an enemy of the United States.
Some interpret Gaetz’s resignation, the first casualty of Trump’s second term, as a kind of 'strategic concession' by President-elect Trump to facilitate smoother confirmations of other nominees by giving up the most controversial figure. However, considering that Trump, who has been plagued by legal risks, agonized over choosing the most loyal loyalist for Attorney General, the impact is clear. It is also expected to affect the fate of other nominees embroiled in suitability controversies, including Hegseth.
The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) noted regarding Hegseth, "(The transition team) is increasingly frustrated by yet another case of being blindsided," highlighting the possibility of further resignations. Even within the Republican majority in the Senate, some controversial figures are not viewed favorably, and with the Democratic Party becoming the opposition in January next year and preparing for the new administration’s confirmation hearings, the possibility of additional resignations cannot be ruled out.
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