# Trump's new cabinet **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Tags:** trump\ **Created:** [November 6, 2024, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-new-cabinet/1009799 "2024-11-06T16:52:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 41
**Author:** ![Toxgoddess](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f08c70/32.png) [@Toxgoddess](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Toxgoddess)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2025, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-new-cabinet/1009799/801 "2025-02-13T17:59:40Z")
I can’t even. I really hoped he would be the one they would hold the line on, that he’d join the Matt Gaetz team as too vile even for Republicans. How can they in good faith confirm a mentally ill inexperienced moron as head of the county’s health care team? Goodbye health care, clean air and water, worker protections, science and history education, medical research and (my prediction), social security. I have paid into it since I was 14 and I doubt I will see a dime. Musk will determine it’s waste and fraud. ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2025, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-new-cabinet/1009799/802 "2025-02-13T18:48:53Z")
> [@RitterSport](#): > > He also just voted against confirming Brain Worm. I would be willing to bet quite a bit that, if he were the deciding vote for either, he would have voted to confirm. Probably. You shouldn’t necessarily take any particular vote of a Congressperson at face value - not on either side of the aisle. ---
**Author:** ![wguy123](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wguy123/32/3161_2.png) [@wguy123](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wguy123)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2025, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-new-cabinet/1009799/803 "2025-02-13T18:51:19Z")
> [@Toxgoddess](#): > > that he’d join the Matt Gaetz team as too vile even for Republicans. Matt Gaetz is probably regretting dropping out. It’s looking like he was a shoe-in to a confirmation from the spineless, brow furrowing Republicans. ---
**Author:** ![Horatius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/horatius/32/3572_2.png) [@Horatius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatius)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2025, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-new-cabinet/1009799/804 "2025-02-13T18:57:42Z")
> [@EddyTeddyFreddy](#): > > Saw the news, said yup, expected that. What next? > > All my outrage is exhausted Yep. Hegseth was the bellwether. Once he got confirmed, I figured it was 99% certain the rest of the clown car would be confirmed. ---
**Author:** ![RitterSport](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rittersport/32/6326_2.png) [@RitterSport](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RitterSport)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2025, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-new-cabinet/1009799/805 "2025-02-13T19:03:16Z")
> [@Horatius](#): > > Hegseth was the bellwether. Yeah, he’s not just unqualified, but his personal issues should really be disqualifying also, much more so than the other unqualified folks. Although Brain Worm is kind of anti-qualified, as is Gabbard, I guess. They’re all bad. ---
**Author:** ![Sherrerd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sherrerd/32/8_2.png) [@Sherrerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sherrerd)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2025, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-new-cabinet/1009799/806 "2025-02-13T23:36:21Z")
> [@Toxgoddess](#): > > How can they in good faith confirm a mentally ill inexperienced moron as head of the county’s health care team? One who, moreover, has been vocally pro-choice for decades. It’s happy-time for Donald who has (virtually) every Republican in Congress lining up to smooch his rancid rump. The thing is, they will gain nothing from this. Now that Donald doesn’t need them for ANYTHING, he will be disbanding the useless body (Congress) at his earliest opportunity, which may come when an Iranian terrorist “tries to kill him” just before the State of the Union Address. With so many Congress members dead, it just makes sense to close down the whole thing! ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2025, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-new-cabinet/1009799/807 "2025-02-13T23:52:32Z")
> [@Sherrerd](#): > > The thing is, they will gain nothing from this. Now that Donald doesn’t need them for ANYTHING, he will be disbanding the useless body (Congress) at his earliest opportunity, which may come when an Iranian terrorist “tries to kill him” just before the State of the Union Address. With so many Congress members dead, it just makes sense to close down the whole thing! Perfect idea! Then the blue states can follow the Constitution and hold special elections and appoint new senators, and since the red states won’t participate, Democrats will have a majority in the new Constitutionally legitimate Congress, which will then be free to impeach and remove Trump from office. Masterful gambit, sir. ---
**Author:** ![Sherrerd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sherrerd/32/8_2.png) [@Sherrerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sherrerd)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2025, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-new-cabinet/1009799/808 "2025-02-14T22:29:25Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > Then the blue states can follow the Constitution and hold special elections and appoint new senators, and since the red states won’t participate, Democrats will have a majority in the new Constitutionally legitimate Congress, which will then be free to impeach and remove Trump from office. About as likely as you believing that Trump would okay a fake attack. (Because he’s such a man of conscience!) ---
**Author:** ![Aspenglow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspenglow/32/76_2.png) [@Aspenglow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspenglow)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2025, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-new-cabinet/1009799/809 "2025-02-14T22:49:39Z")
Moderating: > [@Smapti](#): > > Perfect idea! Then the blue states can follow the Constitution and hold special elections and appoint new senators, and since the red states won’t participate, Democrats will have a majority in the new Constitutionally legitimate Congress, which will then be free to impeach and remove Trump from office. > > Masterful gambit, sir. > [@Sherrerd](#): > > About as likely as you believing that Trump would okay a fake attack. (Because he’s such a man of conscience!) Both, please stop making this quite so personal and get back on to the topic at hand. It’s not about disbanding Congress or Trump ordering a fake attack. It’s about his cabinet. ---
**Author:** ![Sherrerd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sherrerd/32/8_2.png) [@Sherrerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sherrerd)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2025, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-new-cabinet/1009799/810 "2025-02-14T22:53:40Z")
Okay. Here’s a point that does seem to indict Americans who’ve accepted the kakisto-Cabinet without much objection: none of the Cabinet nominees have given a straight answer to the question ‘what will you do if Trump instructs you to do something illegal?’ > [@](#): > > … highlighting a series of confirmation hearing answers. > > - Ahead of her confirmation, Attorney General Pam Bondi said, “I will never speak on a hypothetical, especially one saying that the president would do something illegal.” > - Ahead of her confirmation, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard also said Trump wouldn’t give her an illegal order. > - Ahead of his confirmation, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said, “I reject the premise that President Trump is going to be giving illegal orders.” > - Kelly Loeffler, Trump’s choice to lead the Small Business Administration, said, “The president is not going to ask me to do [anything illegal].” > - Howard Lutnick, Trump’s choice to lead the Department of Commerce, said the president “won’t” give an illegal order, adding, “It just won’t happen.” > **[The one easy question Trump’s Cabinet nominees keep flubbing](https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/maddowblog/one-easy-question-trumps-cabinet-nominees-keep-flubbing-rcna192248)** > > It's a simple question for a Cabinet nominee: "What would you do if directed by the president to ignore the law?" Trump's picks keep getting it wrong. ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2025, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-new-cabinet/1009799/811 "2025-02-14T23:20:06Z")
> [@Sherrerd](#): > > Here’s a point that does seem to indict Americans who’ve accepted the kakisto-Cabinet without much objection: How is that an indictment of Americans and not just The Senate ---
**Author:** ![Sherrerd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sherrerd/32/8_2.png) [@Sherrerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sherrerd)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2025, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-new-cabinet/1009799/812 "2025-02-14T23:21:23Z")
> [@Saint\_Cad](#): > > How is that an indictment of Americans and not just The Senate Well, the Senators are Americans. (Or so we assume.) But yes, GOP Senators do deserve the brunt of our scorn. ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2025, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-new-cabinet/1009799/813 "2025-02-14T23:41:38Z")
> [@Sherrerd](#): > > none of the Cabinet nominees have given a straight answer to the question ‘what will you do if Trump instructs you to do something illegal?’ I believe that, if pressed, they would say that if the president orders it, it is legal. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2025, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-new-cabinet/1009799/814 "2025-02-15T02:56:35Z")
> [@Sherrerd](#): > > none of the Cabinet nominees have given a straight answer to the question ‘what will you do if Trump instructs you to do something illegal?’ A good follow-up question, from a Democratic senator, would have been, “to the best of your understanding, do you believe that it is even possible for a President of the United States to give an illegal instruction or order to a Cabinet member?” (To which there would undoubtedly still not have been straight answers.) ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2025, 12:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-new-cabinet/1009799/815 "2025-02-15T12:23:13Z")
Yeah - long time ago - likely in the context of a Supreme, maybe Thomas - I realized those confirmation hearings were just a show, mainly for Senators to preen for their bases. And the most despicable nominees would openly lie. So you ask a question, and the answer is later shown to be a lie. So what? I just get tired of so much performance over substance. ---
**Author:** ![Sherrerd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sherrerd/32/8_2.png) [@Sherrerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sherrerd)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2025, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-new-cabinet/1009799/816 "2025-02-15T22:02:39Z")
> [@Dinsdale](#): > > I believe that, if pressed, they would say that if the president orders it, it is legal. Yes, Nixon has a lot to answer for. > [@kenobi\_65](#): > > A good follow-up question, from a Democratic senator, would have been, “to the best of your understanding, do you believe that it is even possible for a President of the United States to give an illegal instruction or order to a Cabinet member?” (To which there would undoubtedly still not have been straight answers.) Agreed on both counts. > [@Dinsdale](#): > > I realized those confirmation hearings were just a show, mainly for Senators to preen for their bases. Appallingly true. Once in a while you do see a Senator make an effort, but it’s rare. ---
**Author:** ![Irishman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b487fb/32.png) [@Irishman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Irishman)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2025, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-new-cabinet/1009799/817 "2025-02-17T00:05:05Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#): > > A good follow-up question, from a Democratic senator, would have been, “to the best of your understanding, do you believe that it is even possible for a President of the United States to give an illegal instruction or order to a Cabinet member?” _Lead-in_ question. Get then wish- washing on that, then hit them with what will you do. ---
**Author:** ![Horatius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/horatius/32/3572_2.png) [@Horatius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatius)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2025, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-new-cabinet/1009799/818 "2025-02-19T14:24:27Z")
So, we might be seeing the limits on what nominees the Republican party will actually support. A significant number of GOP senators are expressing concerns about this nominee, because of her troubling history of _\>checks notes\<_ supporting Pro-union legislation. > **[Why this Trump nominee’s confirmation could go down in flames](https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2025/2/18/2304593/-Why-this-Trump-nominee-s-confirmation-could-go-down-in-flames?pm_campaign=front_page&pm_source=top_news_slot_9&pm_medium=web)** > > Lori Chavez-DeRemer, Oregon’s first Republican congresswoman and President Donald Trump’s pick for labor secretary, could be the president’s first Cabinet pick to not have enough congressional ... Let’s just hope she doesn’t also support puppies and kittens. That would sink her for sure. ---
**Author:** ![Idle\_Thoughts](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/838e76/32.png) [@Idle\_Thoughts](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Idle_Thoughts)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2025, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-new-cabinet/1009799/819 "2025-02-20T21:45:23Z")
Kash Patel is now the leader of the FBI. Again, I’m surprised I seem to be the first mentioning this… but I haven’t seen it ranted about yet in any other topic despite it happening about an hour or two ago now. Crazy that all three of the controversial ones got in, Tubbi, RYFKM, and Krash. ---
**Author:** ![Idle\_Thoughts](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/838e76/32.png) [@Idle\_Thoughts](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Idle_Thoughts)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2025, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-new-cabinet/1009799/820 "2025-02-20T21:47:49Z")
Sorry, those are just what I call them in my private space. Pet names, if you will… for awhile now. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-new-cabinet/1009799.md?page=40) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-new-cabinet/1009799.md?page=42)