The house that Trump is building. What the new appointments in the US administration are concealing.
56Pete Hegseth — Secretary of Defense
Trump has nominated Pete Hegseth for the position of Secretary of Defense, sparking a wave of criticism in Washington. Hegseth is a National Guard veteran and a prominent pro-Republican host on Fox News. He served nearly 20 years, participated in missions in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Guantanamo, and holds two Bronze Stars, along with a warning about an "insider threat."
In 2021, Hegseth was removed from the security detail for Joe Biden's inauguration due to reports of his tattoo featuring the phrase Deus Vult, which is associated with several extremist groups. Additionally, Hegseth has described the issue of extremism among the military as fabricated; he recounted allowing his unit to ignore directives on when to fire; and he secured a pardon from Trump for several military personnel convicted of war crimes. As a Fox News host, Hegseth downplayed the role of the military in the January 2021 Capitol riot.
Recently, it has come to light that Hegseth paid for a non-disclosure agreement with a woman who accused him of sexual assault in 2017. Despite this, Trump has not distanced himself from Hegseth, claiming that the police investigated the rape allegation, but charges were never brought against him.
In 2024, Hegseth stated that Putin is unlikely to go "beyond the borders of Poland," and he himself does not want any hypothetical U.S. intervention to provoke Russia into using nuclear weapons.
7Robert F. Kennedy Jr. — Secretary of Health
Kennedy Jr. is a former Democratic presidential candidate who became independent and supported Trump. He is known for his "unorthodox views" on medicine and statements that scientists have had to refute.
Specifically, he claimed that COVID-19 targets "whites and blacks," and promoted "fuflomycins". Kennedy denied being anti-vaccine, yet he simultaneously spread claims that "autism comes from vaccines."
During the avian flu outbreak among cows, he controversially drank raw milk despite public health warnings and is also known for transporting animal carcasses. In the 2000s, Kennedy Jr. allegedly cut off the head of a dead whale and took it home in his car. In 2014, he dumped a bear in Central Park, explaining that he had picked up the carcass of an animal hit by a car, intending to eat the meat, but decided to leave it in the park "as a joke" while under the influence. He also admitted to having a "brain parasite" infection and mercury poisoning, which he claims causes his cognitive issues. From Trump, Kennedy Jr. received the task to "end the epidemic of chronic diseases and make America great and healthy again."
Kennedy has repeatedly criticized support for Ukraine and has claimed that there is a "proxy war" being waged "for the geopolitical interests of the U.S."
8Matt Gaetz — Attorney General
Former Congressman Gaetz has found himself at the center of a three-year federal investigation concerning sex parties. Two women testified that Gaetz attended drug-fueled parties in 2017 with friends, where he allegedly offered underage girls money for sex. The investigation against Gaetz began during the Trump administration and expanded in 2021, but ultimately the DOJ chose not to file charges against him.
The U.S. House Ethics Committee investigated his behavior until he resigned, effectively concluding that investigation. Gaetz has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing.
The Ethics Committee is discussing whether to publish its report regarding Gaetz, which could potentially affect his support in the Senate.
Meanwhile, Trump is personally calling senators to persuade them to confirm Gaetz.
Gaetz has frequently criticized additional aid to Ukraine and even accused his fellow party member Kevin McCarthy of making a "secret deal" with Joe Biden regarding funding for Ukraine while he was Speaker of the House.
9Tulsi Gabbard — Director of National Intelligence
Another appointment that has stirred up Capitol Hill. Gabbard, a former Army Reserve lieutenant colonel who served in Iraq, is a strong supporter of Trump.
She has repeatedly echoed Russian narratives about blocking "opposition" parties, television channels, and banning the Orthodox Church in Ukraine. In February 2022, amid the Russian invasion, she urged Zelensky to agree that Ukraine would remain a neutral country. The Center for Countering Disinformation under the National Security and Defense Council stated that Gabbard is effectively working for the Kremlin.
Trump has claimed that Gabbard will bring a "spirit of fearlessness" to the intelligence community and ensure "peace through strength." However, the U.S. allies' intelligence community is worried about the worldview she will present to Trump. If appointed, Gabbard will oversee 18 intelligence agencies and be responsible for preparing the daily intelligence briefing for the president.
0Elon Musk — in DOGE
"If he loses, I'm done," joked American businessman Elon Musk. To support Trump, he created a special fund into which he actively poured his own money, not hesitating to use his media influence and even walking a fine line of legality when he raffled off money among voters in "key states."
In the final weeks leading up to the elections and afterward, Elon Musk seemed to be glued to Donald Trump. Reports indicated that he effectively moved into the Republican's residence, and Trump's grandchildren awarded him the title of "uncle."
All of this has allowed Musk to secure a position in the government. Trump did not want to entrust him with an existing department, so he announced the creation of a new one — the Department for Government Efficiency, abbreviated as DOGE. What it will focus on remains unclear. According to Trump, it will not be an official government agency but a private initiative that will advise the White House on how to cut costs and "create an entrepreneurial approach to government that has never existed before."
1Trump's Trump Card
Musk's position does not require Senate confirmation. However, other appointments will require a struggle, as not all Republicans are pleased with Trump's picks. Discontent is heightened by the fact that Trump's team skipped the standard vetting process for controversial candidates for cabinet positions by the FBI.
Thus, the newly elected Senate Republican leader John Thune has already been dubbed "a mark of reproach" to Trump by his party members. Relations between Thune and Trump have not been smooth — Thune did not support efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election results, and Trump remarked that Thune is "a Republican in name only."
To confirm candidates in the Senate, where Republicans hold 53 out of 100 seats, a simple majority will suffice. The Democrats are unable to block any candidate on their own, although they can procedurally delay the process. The newly elected president retains a significant trump card that he is prepared to use even against his own party — the ability to send the Senate on recess and make appointments unilaterally.
Trump threatened to take such a step back in 2020 and has mentioned it several times in 2024. This way, Trump could simply ignore the Senate and appoint anyone he wants — regardless of how corrupt or controversial they may be.
While past presidents have resorted to "recess appointments," this has not previously applied to cabinet positions. Experts expect that this move could lead to a confrontation that will have to be resolved in the Supreme Court.