Trump's cabinet members
Donald Trump appointed various persons to critical posts in his government, including his cabinets in his presidency, which lasted from January 20, 2017, until January 20, 2021. The following is a list of some of Trump's notable cabinet members:
1. Vice President
Mike Pence: Served as the United States Vice President. Pence was recognized for his strong conservative ideals and was a figure in the government, including serving as the White House Coronavirus Task Force leader during the COVID-19 epidemic.
2. Secretary of State
• Rex Tillerson served as Secretary of State until March 2018 and was replaced by Mike Pompeo. During his stint as ExxonMobil CEO, Tillerson concentrated on diplomatic endeavors. • Mike Pompeo: Replaced Tillerson as Secretary of State. Pompeo was instrumental in diplomatic contacts, particularly talks with North Korea.
3. Defence Secretary
• James Mattis: Former Secretary of Defence who stepped down in December 2018. Mattis, a retired Marine Corps general, was well-known for his military prowess. • Mark Esper: Mattis' successor as Secretary of Defence. Esper prioritized military modernization and dealing with China and Russia's problems.
4. Attorney General
• Jeff Sessions: Served as Attorney General before resigning in November 2018. Sessions was for recusing himself from the investigation into Russian election meddling in 2016. • William Barr: Served as Attorney General for two terms. Barr, who previously held the position under the George H.W. Bush administration, was criticized for handling legal concerns.
5. Secretary of the Treasury
Steve Mnuchin: As Secretary of the Treasury, he was instrumental in economic policy, notably the tax reform approval.
6. Secretary of Homeland Security
John Kelly, Secretary of Homeland Security: Served as Secretary of Homeland Security before becoming White House Chief of Staff. Kelly was involved in immigration policy. • Kirstjen Nielsen: Kelly's successor as Secretary of Homeland Security. Nielsen was chastised for the administration's immigration policy, notably the separation of families at the US-Mexico border.
7. Secretary of Health and Human Services
• Tom Price: Served briefly as Secretary of Health and Human Services before resigning after a dispute over his use of private jets for government travel. • Alex Azar: Price's successor as Secretary of Health and Human Services. Azar was involved in addressing public health challenges such as the opioid epidemic.
8. Secretary of Education
• Betsy DeVos: Served as Secretary of Education, with a focus on school choice and education reform. DeVos was for her policies and judgments. These are only a few instances. More cabinet ministers and high-ranking officials played roles in many policy areas. The membership fluctuated throughout Trump's term owing to resignations, replacements, and new nominations. The policies and behavior of cabinet members were under constant political and public criticism.
Trump's thoughts on his cabinet
Trump nominated the most Cabinet members in history and hired people in lower-level agency roles who now oversee the sectors in which they previously worked. Trump hailed his administration's wealth at a campaign rally in Iowa. "I love all people, rich or poor, but in those particular positions, I just don't want a poor person," he said. President Donald Trump referred to his Cabinet as one of the finest groups of people ever assembled. He's complimented the team's "tremendous amount of talent. He promised to hire only "the best people during his presidential campaign. A district court judge dismissed the organization's December lawsuit alleging that Trump's businesses accepted donations from foreign governments. The judge rejected the complaint because he stated it was up to Congress, not citizens, to act. Cases are being heard in the courts. However, the criticism of the Trump administration's approach to ethics extends beyond one group. According to ethics experts who have served in previous administrations, Trump is conveying a message that his political appointees can likewise participate in unethical behavior.
Was Trump's appointed cabinet good or bad? Here are the answers
When assessing the success of a presidential cabinet, it is critical to include both positive and negative characteristics. Here are several counter-arguments: Here are the arguments suggesting Trump's hired cabinet was good.
Economic Policies
Supporters claim that Trump's cabinet, notably Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, played a role in implementing policies that helped economic growth, such as tax cuts and deregulation.
Deregulation and a Business-Friendly Approach
Some proponents believe that the emphasis on deregulation and a business-friendly approach in stimulating investment and job development.
National Security
Supporters may refer to Trump's attempts to bolster national security, such as the choice of James Mattis as Secretary of Defence, as a positive element. Arguments for why Trump's cabinet was bad:
Controversial nominations
Some critics claim that nominations, including those of Michael Flynn and Scott Pruitt, were contentious and raised ethical or legal concerns during their tenure.
Policy differences
Some opponents claim that certain cabinet members were not aligned with the mission of their respective agencies or took policy stances contrary to public interests.
High Turnover
Cabinet member turnover was relatively high in the Trump administration, with several individuals quitting or being replaced. Critics may interpret this as an indication of insecurity or unhappiness inside the administration.
Response to Crises
Critics may contend that the administration's response to specific crises, such as the handling of the COVID-19 epidemic, was inadequate, and they may attribute this in part to cabinet decisions and advice.
Concerns About Ethical Issues
Some critics express concern about ethical issues, conflicts of interest, or suspected corruption involving particular cabinet members, which they believe reflect poorly on the administration.
Troubles related to trump cabinets
Here are a few examples of unfavorable stories involving Trump's cabinet: Veterans Affairs Secretary David Shulkin is at odds with Trump's political appointees in his agency, infuriating Kelly by acting as his press agent and often going directly to the media to declare he can remove disloyal employees. The Shulkin scandal arose after the VA's inspector general revealed that the secretary used taxpayer funds for his wife's Europe tour. According to the New York Times, Ben Carson, Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, was "attempting to cancel a $31,000 order for a customized hardwood dining room table, chairs, sideboard, and hutch the day after the chairman of the House Oversight Committee announced an investigation." Pruitt, the EPA administrator, created an impression by flying first class on government money and, according to the Washington Post, utilizing a "military jet, for $36,068.50, to catch a plane to Rome." Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke has been criticized for charter flights and enraged Trump and senior White House officials when he announced that Florida would be from offshore drilling, which was both legally and politically problematic. (The press interpreted this as a political favor for Florida's Republican governor, Rick Scott.) Sessions, or "our beleaguered A.G." as Trump referred to him, has kept his head down and produced key policy victories, According to people close to the president, Trump would never forgive him for his "original sin" of recusing himself from the Russia investigation. Sessions' most recent transgression was caught dining with Trump's arch-enemy, Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein. Tillerson has been on Trump's side on almost every significant topic, from the removal of the US embassy to the Paris Climate Agreement to his approach to North Korea. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin is one of Trump's favorites, and he was instrumental in delivering the final policy success in tax reform. However, he has been linked to media gaffes. He has yet to name a deputy and has elicited rare on-the-record criticism from Republicans over his management of the debt ceiling. His wife, Louise Linton, recently told Elle Magazine she was "super-duper" apologetic for her public appearance gaffes. Former Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price, whom Trump previously referred to as "a star," resigned over his use of private planes.
Criticism faced by Trump's cabinet
President-elect Donald Trump and his transition team have been chastised for assembling one of the least diverse cabinets in recent memory. The cabinet is almost entirely white, male, and generally older and wealthy. According to advocates and scholars who study diversity and discussions with current and past cabinet officials, the absence of diversity in the cabinet might have tangible effects ranging from criminal justice to health care policy. "Many white men are extremely savvy, sensitive, and understanding of diversity." "There is no doubt about it," said National Urban League President Marc Morial. The question is whether people believe their voices are heard. Communities believe someone is at the table with my point of view is critical." So far, just three of Trump's 13 cabinet nominees are not white men: Ben Carson for Housing and Urban Development, Elaine Chao for Labour Secretary, and Betsy Devos for Education Secretary.
Conclusion
The Trump Administration is seeing historically unparalleled levels of senior staff turnover, which shows no signs of abating. Any organization would struggle to deal with this amount of disruption. It's important to remember that public opinion on this subject is polarised and individual assessments of Trump's cabinet will vary depending on one's political beliefs and policy interests. Evaluating a cabinet's effectiveness entails specific policy outcomes, leadership style, and the administration's capacity to overcome obstacles.
