Why Trump is trying to anger Washington with his controversial Cabinet picks

CNN
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Donald Trump’s increasingly provocative gubernatorial choices have left some Republican senators appalled and Washington in shock.

But they really shouldn’t. Because the outrage is the point.

The president-elect reached a new level on Wednesday, announcing Florida Republican Matt Gaetz — one of his most ardent agents of disruption, who, like him, was once investigated by the Justice Department — as his pick for attorney general.

Tulsi Gabbard, the former Democratic presidential candidate who now shares Trump’s belief that the intelligence community has been weapons against himwill be America’s new top spy if he is confirmed as Director of National Intelligence.

The latest picks for Trump’s MAGA dream team caused such a stir that they nearly overshadowed the selection of Fox News anchor Pete Hegseth to serve as secretary of defense on Tuesday night.

But they are perfectly in tune with Trump’s promises on the campaign trail and political project. The consternation that engulfed the establishment elite contrasted with the euphoria that blasted through conservative networks and social media among Trump fans. The president-elect draws political strength from his position as an outside scourge on the establishment, and if his pick is confirmed by the Senate — a big one, in the case of Gaetz — they will be tasked with carrying out his mission of defending the government and running out. those Trump sees as enemies.

Trump won the election and has a mandate for change. And these and other elections are evidence of a president-elect who is increasingly powerful and cares little about the critics who warn that his second term poses a threat to the rule of law.

Trump’s short-lived former communications director Anthony Scaramucci told CNN’s Jake Tapper that the president-elect’s staff picks were intentionally meant to “own the liberals.” Paraphrasing Trump’s intent, he added: “‘Let’s pick some trigger people.’ And those are the trigger people.”

Pennsylvania Democratic Sen. John Fetterman agreed, telling CNN’s Manu Raju of the Gaetz selection, “It’s like a god-tier, kind of trolling, just to trigger a meltdown.”

Gaetz – who had been under investigation by the House Ethics Committee – resigned from Congress on Wednesday in the wake of Trump’s announcement. The committee, which had investigated allegations that he “engaged in sexual misconduct and illegal drug use, accepted inappropriate gifts, extended special privileges and favors to individuals with whom he had a personal relationship, and attempted to obstruct government investigations into his conduct” – were to meet this week to vote on releasing a report, potentially as soon as Friday, CNN reported. But with Gaetz leaving, it’s unclear if the information will ever become public. The Florida Republican has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing, including ever having sex with a minor or paying for sex. The Justice Department, which had pursued a yearlong sex-crime investigation into him, decided last year not to pursue criminal charges against Gaetz.

Millions of the president-elect’s constituents agree that his own legal troubles are the result not of criminal wrongdoing, but of years of victimization by the Justice Department. They believe the Russia investigation during his first term was hatched by the intelligence services to destroy him. Trump voters want entire layers of government bureaucrats fired, believe regulations contribute to their own economic problems, worry about millions of undocumented migrant crossings and oppose Pentagon diversity programs. Trump is their agent of change. And his lightning strikes for top government jobs are his lieutenants in that effort.

Hegseth, Gaetz and Gabbard are raising questions about Trump’s motives and the direction of his second administration, which begins on January 20, not least because of their professional, ethical or experience qualities, or lack thereof.

Is Trump looking for an attorney general to ensure justice is served? If so, would he have chosen Gaetz, who had been under investigation? But the president-elect’s intentions were clear in his announcement of his intention to nominate him: “Few issues in America are more important than ending the partisan weaponization of our justice system.” Trump’s statement appears to play into his long-term ambition to find an attorney general who will defend him and target his enemies.

Gaetz was a leading proponent of Trump’s attempt to steal the 2020 election and has called for the abolition of the FBI, DOJ and other agencies unless they “come to heel.” In this light, the Gaetz selection seems more like a gesture of contempt for the Justice Department, the prosecutors who work there, and the rule of law.

“This is an outrageous choice. There is no way around it,” said CNN legal analyst Elie Honig, a former assistant US attorney, on CNN International.

News that Hegseth had been tapped to lead the Pentagon rocked Washington the night before the Gaetz election and sparked similar questions about Trump’s motives. The Fox News star has a military record marked by bravery, having served in Iraq and Afghanistan. But he has little of the deep experience in high-level strategy, international diplomacy and national security normally required of those in charge of the planet’s most powerful military. He therefore risks being outmatched on a call with a murky Russian or Chinese defense minister if asked to resolve a sudden crisis. But Hegseth’s years at Fox demonstrate that he is highly qualified to lead a culture war at the Defense Department, given his condemnation of diversity programs, women serving in combat and advocacy for Trump to free service personnel accused of war crimes.

Gabbard also has a distinguished military record. But she appears to have been chosen to head the DNI because of her suspicions about the secret society as Trump seeks to purge what he calls “corrupt actors” he views as disloyal. Among the former Hawaii congresswoman’s many clashes with US intelligence is her doubts that Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad was guilty of war crimes after a chemical weapons attack. And she was accused of “parroting” false propaganda from America’s leading espionage adversary, Russia, by none other than Utah GOP Senator Mitt Romney.

Not all of Trump’s choices are controversial. Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, his choice for secretary of state, has drawn skepticism about his conversion to Trump’s America Firstism, but many of his fellow senators regard him as a serious thinker on foreign affairs, especially on China. And the president-elect has earned the right to choose who he wants to help him fulfill his mandate.

But like most of Trump’s other staff picks, Gabbard, Hegseth and Gaetz share several things in common. They are unfailingly loyal to the president-elect. They are all ardent advocates of the stunt politics he pioneered as a social media provocateur. And if, as he says, the 45th and 47th presidents are keen on another term of “retaliation” – they look like they might be willing to respect his orders.

There was a growing sense in Washington Wednesday night that with the Gaetz election at least, Trump may have overreached for the first time as president-elect, even with normally supportive Republicans.

One of his few GOP critics, Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski called the Florida Republican a “nonsense candidate” when asked by CNN about his chances for confirmation. Maine Sen. Susan Collins, another rare Republican Trump critic, said she was “shocked” to hear the news and noted that there would be an extensive background check by the FBI on the impending nomination. Iowa Republican Sen. Joni Ernst said Gaetz “will have a lot of work to do.”

The Gaetz selection created an immediate crisis for South Dakota Senator John Thune, hours after he won the leadership of the incoming Republican majority. Thune will certainly come under heavy pressure from the newly elected president to ensure that Gaetz sits in the Ministry of Justice.

Allies of the former and future president were already rallying around Gaetz, warning of the consequences if he were to be blocked by the Senate, which fulfills its constitutional role of advice and consent. “I love Matt Gaetz,” Alabama Sen. Tommy Tuberville said, warning that it would be risky for senators to vote against him. He added: “We have all 53 Republicans — you’re going to tell me one Republican is going to vote against one of Trump’s teams? If that happens, it should blow us all up. It’s crazy,” Tuberville said. (CNN has yet to predict the Senate race in Pennsylvania, which is headed for a recount, leaving the GOP at 52 seats.)

A president-elect, feeling unfettered by his election victory, may not yet be done rocking the boat with yet-to-be-announced positions, including secretaries of the Treasury and Health and Human Services. It’s no wonder Trump started this week by demanding GOP senators agree to his demand for recess appointments for nominees if they can’t win quick confirmation.

Trump has set the first test of whether there will be any pushback from a new Republican Senate majority against a president who believes he will be all-powerful once sworn in.