# 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:** 43
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2025, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-new-cabinet/1009799/841 "2025-02-23T17:17:52Z")
I’m sorry if my post misrepresented you. The experience in her portfolio fits the positions needs. Those are that she is an attorney, and she kisses Trumps butt. That’s what I was talking about. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2025, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-new-cabinet/1009799/842 "2025-02-23T17:22:35Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > Dumb question; are _any_ of Trump’s Cabinet-level appointees fairly uncontroversial qualified individuals? Marco Rubio, perhaps? Perhaps I should rephrase the question. IMHO, truly qualified individuals would be ones that the opposition party would be willing and happy to confirm. ---
**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 23, 2025, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-new-cabinet/1009799/843 "2025-02-23T17:24:13Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > Perhaps I should rephrase the question. IMHO, truly qualified individuals would be ones that the opposition party would be willing and happy to confirm. That is a poor definition as no Democrat would be qualified for the Cabinet. ---
**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 24, 2025, 9:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-new-cabinet/1009799/844 "2025-02-24T09:22:48Z")
> [@Saint\_Cad](#): > > That is a poor definition as no Democrat would be qualified for the Cabinet They don’t have to be a Democrat to get votes from Democratic Senators. Even in Trump’s first term, with a senate that was 51-49 Republican-Democrat, quite a few of his nominees received a lot of votes from Democrats. Some passed with over 90 votes. The ones who only squeaked by with 51 votes were those, as we see now, who were pretty much entirely unqualified, like Betsy DeVos. > **[U.S. Senate: Donald J. Trump Cabinet Nominations](https://www.senate.gov/legislative/nominations/Trump_cabinet.htm)** > > Trump cabinet nominations ---
**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 24, 2025, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-new-cabinet/1009799/845 "2025-02-24T14:19:45Z")
> [@Horatius](#): > > They don’t have to be a Democrat to get votes from Democratic Senators. My point was Republicans will vote against Democrats just on principle. ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2025, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-new-cabinet/1009799/846 "2025-02-24T14:52:55Z")
> [@Saint\_Cad](#): > > I’m not sure why my post on that factual answer is being used as the springboard for her criminal activity like I misspoke or are defending her or am a MAGA or where ever you are going with this. Hi there, you must be new here. Welcome to the Straight Dope. Here, people sometime try to be funny. They inject attempted wit into serious discussions. In this case, someone took the phrase “criminal attorney” and made a joke about her being an attorney who is also a criminal. If you stick around you’ll see a lot of stuff like this. ---
**Author:** ![Toxgoddess](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f08c70/32.png) [@Toxgoddess](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Toxgoddess)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2025, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-new-cabinet/1009799/847 "2025-02-24T16:16:19Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > Dumb question; are _any_ of Trump’s Cabinet-level appointees fairly uncontroversial qualified individuals? Marco Rubio, perhaps? I asked this question above ([post 678](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-new-cabinet/1009799/678)). The consensus answer was “Maybe Marco Rubio but none of the rest of them so far.” Now I’m not even sure about Rubio. ---
**Author:** ![Gorsnak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gorsnak/32/7587_2.png) [@Gorsnak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gorsnak)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2025, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-new-cabinet/1009799/848 "2025-02-24T16:28:32Z")
Rubio’s a lickspittle sycophant, but by conventional standards he’s qualified to be Secretary of State. Multi-term senator who’s served on the Senate Committee for Foreign Relations and the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence. In a hypothetical universe where Jeb! won the 2016 GOP presidential nomination and nominated Rubio as Secretary of State in his second term, no one would bat an eyelash and Rubio would be confirmed with \>90 votes. ---
**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 24, 2025, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-new-cabinet/1009799/849 "2025-02-24T19:32:57Z")
> [@Gorsnak](#): > > In a hypothetical universe where Jeb! won the 2016 GOP presidential nomination and nominated Rubio as Secretary of State in his second term, no one would bat an eyelash and Rubio would be confirmed with \>90 votes. And that’s pretty much what happened now: > The [Senate Committee on Foreign Relations](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Senate_Committee_on_Foreign_Relations) unanimously approved his nomination and the Senate confirmed him a few hours later by a vote of 99 to 0.[[226]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marco_Rubio#cite_note-226)[[227]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marco_Rubio#cite_note-227) > **[Marco Rubio | Secretary of State (2025–present)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marco_Rubio#Secretary_of_State_(2025%E2%80%93present))** > > In November 2024, it was reported that Trump had chosen Rubio as United States Secretary of State in his second administration; Trump confirmed this on November 13. Unlike many of other Trump's other cabinet nominations, Rubio's attracted little controversy. He was praised by both Republicans and Democrats. Rubio appeared before the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations on January 15, 2025. During the hearing, he called China "the most potent and dangerous near-peer adversary this Trump formally... ---
**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 24, 2025, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-new-cabinet/1009799/850 "2025-02-24T20:44:49Z")
> [@Saint\_Cad](#): > > My point was Republicans will vote against Democrats just on principle. Katherine Tai was the only person who didn’t receive Republican votes: > **[How senators voted on Biden Cabinet nominees, 2021](https://ballotpedia.org/How_senators_voted_on_Biden_Cabinet_nominees,_2021)** > > Ballotpedia: The Encyclopedia of American Politics ---
**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 25, 2025, 7:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-new-cabinet/1009799/851 "2025-02-25T07:48:52Z")
> [@Sage\_Rat](#): > > Katherine Tai was the only person who didn’t receive Republican votes Yeah, when you look at the confirmation votes in 2017 and 2021, and compare them to this year, the difference is pretty stark. Even with the degree of division we saw then, most nominees got lots of votes from both sides of the aisle. But this year, the number of Democrats voting “No” is much, much higher for most nominees. > **[How senators voted on Trump Cabinet nominees, 2025](https://ballotpedia.org/How_senators_voted_on_Trump_Cabinet_nominees,_2025)** > > Ballotpedia: The Encyclopedia of American Politics ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2025, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-new-cabinet/1009799/852 "2025-02-26T21:17:56Z")
I threw up on my priest during my First Communion and really never touched alcohol since. So can someone explain to me if this is a lot of alcohol, or normal, or what? I mean, he says he has a case of Corona Light in the basement for ‘obvious reasons’ which, to me, aren’t really all that obvious? (Hegseth is discussing his drinking habits, for those of you who don’t want to click the link.) [https://x.com/highbrow\_nobrow/status/1894094986284589534?t=44gegnLPNeZSDQSh9WKIHA&s=09](https://x.com/highbrow_nobrow/status/1894094986284589534?t=44gegnLPNeZSDQSh9WKIHA&s=09) ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2025, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-new-cabinet/1009799/853 "2025-02-26T21:26:02Z")
> [@JohnT](#): > > So can someone explain to me if this is a lot of alcohol, or normal, or what? He indicated about an inch of gin in 4 inches of soda. If he’s being accurate, that is fine. What stood out to me was he said “many” such glasses. I have no idea what he means by “many” and in what time frame. It sounds like a lot. Two of those would be my evening. That’s not “many.” I also don’t know what is obvious about the Corona Light in his basement. ---
**Author:** ![Toxgoddess](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f08c70/32.png) [@Toxgoddess](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Toxgoddess)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2025, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-new-cabinet/1009799/854 "2025-02-26T21:44:17Z")
“Obvious” is kind of a red flag for me. We, too, have some beer in our fridge, but if asked why I’d say something like “Because we like to have a beer occasionally and we like to be able to offer one to guests”. “Obvious” sounds like he’s implying you need to drink beer to survive. Which is not the case for normal people. ---
**Author:** ![excavating\_for\_a\_mind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e8c25b/32.png) [@excavating\_for\_a\_mind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/excavating_for_a_mind)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2025, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-new-cabinet/1009799/855 "2025-02-26T23:11:35Z")
> [@Procrustus](#): > > I also don’t know what is obvious about the Corona Light in his basement. I’m pretty sure the ‘obviously’ is meant to highlight Corona Beer (as opposed to Bud Light) because Bud Light is Woke since they had a single can with a picture of a trans-woman on it. I know, he said his regular beer was Coors Light, but Corona became the best selling beer in America when the Nazis decided to boycott Bud Light because of their wokeness. Sometimes hate is more important. Funny thing is, both Corona and Bud are owned by a Belgian-Brazillian company called AB InBev, so the change didn’t hurt any corporate bottom lines, it just changed where the taxes and wages went (from USA to Mex). The fact that when he drinks beer, he drinks light beer tells me all I need to know. That alone should have disqualified him, ---
**Author:** ![scudsucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scudsucker/32/14101_2.png) [@scudsucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scudsucker)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2025, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-new-cabinet/1009799/856 "2025-02-27T02:42:21Z")
> [@Procrustus](#): > > I also don’t know what is obvious about the Corona Light in his basement Poor choice in beer? Corona is cow piss, and while I have avoided the light version, I cannot imagine it is any better. As a home-brewer, I impart this: never trust a beer in a clear glass bottle. There is a reason real beer is in dark coloured bottles. ---
**Author:** ![Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/q.q.switcheroo/32/5713_2.png) [@Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.Q.Switcheroo)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2025, 6:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-new-cabinet/1009799/857 "2025-02-27T06:52:14Z")
Where’s Pete? [![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1e/Beer-street-and-Gin-lane.jpg) ](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1e/Beer-street-and-Gin-lane.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![WOOKINPANUBv.2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wookinpanubv.2/32/3260_2.png) [@WOOKINPANUBv.2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WOOKINPANUBv.2)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2025, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-new-cabinet/1009799/858 "2025-02-27T19:08:25Z")
He’s the one on Beer Street, molesting the beer wench. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2025, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-new-cabinet/1009799/859 "2025-02-27T19:18:19Z")
No, that’s Kavanaugh ---
**Author:** ![aurora\_maire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aurora_maire/32/328_2.png) [@aurora\_maire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aurora_maire)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2025, 8:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-new-cabinet/1009799/860 "2025-02-28T08:25:43Z")
Steak 'n Shake is all in for Kennedy. “Fries will be RFK’d!,” the fast-food chain wrote. > [@](#): > > “Congratulations[@SteaknShake](https://x.com/SteaknShake) for being the first national fast-food chain to begin the transition away from seed oils,” Kennedy wrote on X. > > Steak ‘n Shake announced Monday in an X post that the chain’s Ohio, Colorado, Florida, Texas and Oklahoma locations started making fries with 100 percent beef tallow. [Kennedy praises fast food chain’s efforts to ‘Make America Healthy Again’ after it ‘RFK’d’ its fries - POLITICO](https://www.politico.com/news/2025/02/27/rfk-jr-french-fries-00002716) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-new-cabinet/1009799.md?page=42) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-new-cabinet/1009799.md?page=44)