Beginning with Defense Secretary Pete Hegesth’s January 14th confirmation hearing, President Donald Trump’s Cabinet picks have been going through the process of confirmation at breakneck speed over the last two weeks. Despite the many interesting picks—including co-author of the conservative-backed Project 2025 Russell Vought, who was confirmed by the senate to head the Office of Management and Budget—cabinet picks Hegseth and Robert F. Kennedy have been dominating the headlines.
Due to a lengthy history of alcohol abuse and sexual assault allegations, Hegseth faced scrutiny over his ability to lead the defense department. Combating these claims, Hegseth dismissed the idea that his personal life had any relation to his leadership ability, stating in his hearing, “Returning the Pentagon to warfighting, that’s it, that’s my job.” When asked to name a single country in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, he listed three U.S. allies, none of which are in Southeast Asia. His response was to claim that he didn’t know because he had never held a position in the government before. This response is one of the large gaps in knowledge Democrats pointed to as evidence of Hegseth’s lack of experience and typical credentials necessary for the role. Becoming the second cabinet pick on a slim margin, Hegseth was confirmed into his position with a tie-breaking vote from Vice President JD Vance and embraced by Republicans who appreciated his support of the “warrior ethos” and his commitment to military traditionalism.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr., often referred to as RFK Jr., has also been a person of note in recent confirmation hearings. His bid for the Department of Health and Human Services has been criticized by top doctors, politicians, and even his own family members. Notably, his views on vaccines—preaching disproven conspiracies that vaccines cause autism—has led experts to fear his actions when he arrives in office. On the other hand, he has been embraced by both the left and the right for his unwavering commitment to targeting ultra-processed food. Aiming to ban and create alternatives for addictive and dangerous genres of food, RFK Jr.’s proposed policy fights processed foods, which demonstrate a strong correlation to obesity in Americans. There is no question that he is supported by Trump, who told NPR, “He’s a great guy and he really means it. [RFK Jr.] wants to do some things and we’re going to let him go do it.”
However, more worrying than these individuals is the volume of cabinet picks who fail to admit Trump’s defeat in the 2020 presidential election. Attorney General nominee Pam Bondi and FBI nominee Kash Patel both skirted around saying it outright, with Patel telling the senate committee that “President Joe Biden’s election was certified, he was sworn in, and he served as the president of the United States,” carefully avoiding saying that Biden also won the election. While these claims are not new, President Trump’s cabinet picks signal a bold change in government and raise questions to the qualifications and controversial actions of Trump’s appointed officials.
This article also appears in our February 2025 print edition.
