[Trump Again] Who Will Lead the US in the Trump Era... Loyalists, Fox News, and the Wealthy

Key Appointments in Trump's Second Term:
'Loyalty' Over Experience... Unconventional Choices Spark Controversy
Concerns Over Conflicts of Interest in a Billionaire Cabinet
Tariff Advocates and China Hardliners Appointed

The second Trump cabinet advocates a strengthened version of 'America First' compared to the first term. Since the first administration experienced internal strife due to disagreements within the cabinet and policies, it is evaluated that personnel were selected based on loyalty aligned with key policies such as tariffs and anti-immigration measures.

There were unconventional appointments, including the selection of Pete Hegseth, a former Fox News host, and many figures who were mentioned as running mate candidates alongside Vice President-elect J.D. Vance, such as Senator Marco Rubio and South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem, were included in the cabinet.

Although they are prominent Republican politicians, Nikki Haley, former UN ambassador, and Mike Pompeo, former Secretary of State, were not appointed. Analysts interpret this as a result of choosing individuals whose loyalty was verified over their experience. In fact, Howard Lutnick, CEO of Cantor Fitzgerald and nominee for Secretary of Commerce, cited 'loyalty' to President-elect Trump and his policies as a personnel principle last October. Brian Ballard, a lobbyist and close associate of President-elect Trump, told The Washington Post (WP), "They are people Trump knows well" and "They will never question what the real agenda is."

Specifically, keywords such as former Fox News personnel, tariff proponents, hardliners against China, and billionaires stand out.

Notable former Fox News figures include nominees Pete Hegseth, Sean Duffy for Secretary of Transportation, and Mike Huckabee for Ambassador to Israel.

Wealthy individuals like Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla and co-head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), also stand out. The so-called 'billionaire cabinet' includes Scott Bessent, founder of Key Square Group (nominee for Secretary of the Treasury), CEO Lutnick (Secretary of Commerce), Linda McMahon, co-founder of World Wrestling Entertainment (Secretary of Education), Doug Burgum, Governor of North Dakota (Secretary of the Interior), and Chris Wright, founder of Liberty Energy (Secretary of Energy). WP raised concerns about potential conflicts of interest.

For the top two economic policy positions, tariff proponents were appointed: nominees Bessent and Lutnick. Additionally, Jamison Greer, a prot?g? of Robert Lighthizer, former U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) who led the tariff war during the first term, was appointed as USTR representative, signaling a high-intensity tariff and trade war.

The hardline stance against China is also prominent. Senator Rubio was nominated for Secretary of State, and Representative Michael Waltz was nominated for National Security Advisor, the top two positions in diplomacy and security. Senator Rubio is a leading China hawk in U.S. politics and criticized during hearings that "the Chinese Communist Party lied, cheated, hacked, and rose to global superpower status at the expense of the United States." Representative Waltz, a former Green Beret special forces soldier, stated, "The United States is in a Cold War with the Chinese Communist Party."

Concerns have also been raised that the so-called 'Axis of Adults,' including former Secretary of Defense James Mattis and former National Security Advisor Herbert McMaster, who restrained extreme policies during Trump's first term, have disappeared due to the appointment of overly loyal personnel.

Because appointments were made prioritizing loyalty, controversies have not ceased. Nominee Pete Hegseth faced continuous noise during hearings due to allegations of sexual misconduct, alcohol abuse, sexism, a history of relationships with women, and past remarks supporting the North Korean Kim Jong-un regime. Robert Kennedy Jr., nominee for Secretary of Health and Human Services, is known as a vaccine conspiracy theorist and critic of the U.S. government's COVID-19 policies, leading to evaluations that he is unsuitable as head of health. Tulsi Gabbard, nominee for Director of National Intelligence (DNI), has faced controversy over pro-Russian statements and meeting with former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, raising questions about her qualifications to lead security agencies. In fact, former Representative Matt Gaetz, who was nominated for Attorney General, was dropped due to allegations of involvement in sex trafficking of minors.