After the confirmation of his second term, Donald Trump wasted no time in releasing his proposed cabinet and advisory picks. There have been around 87 announced picks for Trump’s cabinet and advisory group, with some early standout names including Robert F. Kennedy Jr. — former rival to Trump in the 2024 presidential election — and Linda McMahon, wife of Trump’s close friend Vince McMahon.
While sparing no time in announcing one’s picks for cabinet isn’t anything new to presidential elects, Trump’s picks are significant because of their devout loyalty to Trump and his policies. Many of his picks are familiar faces due to their friendship and defense of Trump throughout his political career.
Yet, Trump’s attachment to rewarding those most loyal to him has added concerns about his upcoming term. Trump has made it clear that his White House is one where loyalty is most valued. In doing so, he has created a dangerous roadmap for a government that will do little to check or balance his policies.
Trump’s obsession with loyalty may have been picked up from his first presidential term, where he often found himself butting heads with many of those he appointed to office. As a newcomer to the political world, Trump’s administration was formed on recommendations from political advisors and included more traditional picks. As a result, he was surrounded by an administration that did little to advance his agenda. He has even argued that picking “bad, disloyal people” for his 2016 administration was “the biggest mistake” he made, as reported by The Hill.
With hopes of avoiding the same pitfalls as his 2016 election, Trump has angled toward a much more loyal and unwavering administration. In fact, his proposed cabinet and administration are made entirely of MAGA loyalists. It’s to the extent where it seems the reward for remaining close to the future president is a seat at the table.
The reward is so far-reaching, however, that it often trumps experience itself. Kennedy is Trump’s pick for the Department of Health and Human Services. Trump has since promised that Kennedy will “ensure that everybody will be protected from harmful chemicals, pollutants, pesticides, pharmaceutical products, and food additives that have contributed to the overwhelming Health Crisis in this Country.”
However, Kennedy has a history of spreading anti-vaccine conspiracy rhetoric and has argued against their efficacy for years. Since his announcement as Trump’s cabinet pick, he has asserted that he will begin looking into vaccine safety while making promises to retain the public’s right to a vaccine. Nevertheless, his history of arguing against childhood vaccines due to his belief in their correlation with autism precedes him, and experts worry about the impact his biases may have on policy. His obsession with increasing research into vaccines, alongside making their reviewal processing more rigorous, is of most concern. Many worry he may sow doubt regarding the efficacy of vaccines while making vaccine rollout longer. The very fact that a vaccine skeptic is on the road to becoming the head of the Department of Health and Human Services is almost comically ironic.
Kennedy isn’t the only cabinet or administration pick whose efficacy has been questioned. His name has been listed alongside those of McMahone, Elon Musk and Pete Hegseth — Trump’s picks for Secretary of Education, co-head of the Department of Government Efficiency and Secretary of Defense respectively.
With large parts of his administration lacking enough experience within their respective fields for their proposed duties, they may end up relying on Trump during his upcoming presidential term. In this way, it’s as though Trump is trying to flip the issues of his past. Instead of opting to rely on others for advice, he hopes to be the beacon for his administration himself. Loyalty is a necessary factor for this goal, as he needs a cabinet willing to prioritize his agenda in order for them to rely so heavily on his own word.
However, with a cabinet more loyal than competent, Trump’s ability to effectively implement policies is under question. Even if his cabinet picks are not confirmed by the Senate, the ideas behind his picks leave a daunting shadow on anyone who makes it through. It only paves the way for a yes-man cabinet, as Trump is creating an administration he hopes is unwilling to go against the state of loyalism within the White House.
This becomes especially worrying when considering that both the House and Senate will hold a Republican majority once Donald Trump enters office. A unified government under the Republican Party will only make it easier for Trump to pass policy without dissent.
Therefore, it’s all the more important that the administration under Trump is capable of the proper balances and varied opinions necessary to keep the upcoming president in check. Trump is attempting to create a system of uninterrupted power, and he’s coming into office at the most opportune time to do so. While Congress may hold a Republican majority, it’s imperative that they scrutinize Trump’s cabinet picks as they would any other candidate and recognize the importance of checks and balances.
Layla Asgarian Nahavandi is an Opinion Staff Writer. She can be reached at lasgaria@uci.edu.
Edited by Zahira Vasquez and Logan Heine