# 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:** 5
**Author:** ![Buck\_Godot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/buck_godot/32/6573_2.png) [@Buck\_Godot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Buck_Godot)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2024, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-new-cabinet/1009799/81 "2024-11-13T01:09:00Z")
He’s going to be working with Musk on the “Department of Government ~~Destruction~~ Efficency”. I wonder how Musk feels about being forced to share power, with a swarthy person no less. > **[Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy will lead new ‘Department of Government...](https://www.cnn.com/2024/11/12/politics/elon-musk-vivek-ramaswamy-department-of-government-efficiency-trump/index.html)** > > President-elect Donald Trump announced Tuesday that Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy will lead a new “Department of Government Efficiency” in his second administration. ---
**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:** [November 13, 2024, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-new-cabinet/1009799/82 "2024-11-13T01:09:00Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > He just named a Fox News host as Secretary Of Defense-Pete Hegseth. And thus Leonard Bernstein’s prophecy\*\* came to pass: > For just a hundred dollar bill and no more > We’ll open any penitentiary door > For twenty-five, you’re Secretary of War \*\* “The Grand Old Party,” from _1600 Pennsylvania Avenue_ ---
**Author:** ![Crafter\_Man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crafter_man/32/458_2.png) [@Crafter\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crafter_Man)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2024, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-new-cabinet/1009799/83 "2024-11-13T01:14:04Z")
It’s scary his only requirement is _loyalty_, and not competence, merit, or experience. ---
**Author:** ![flurb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/51bf81/32.png) [@flurb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flurb)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2024, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-new-cabinet/1009799/84 "2024-11-13T01:31:34Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > He just named a Fox News host as Secretary Of Defense-Pete Hegseth. This one may actually run into problems getting confirmed – there are still some Republican Senators who take defense seriously, and Hegseth has no serious qualifications for the job. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2024, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-new-cabinet/1009799/85 "2024-11-13T01:33:06Z")
They will cave. ---
**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:** [November 13, 2024, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-new-cabinet/1009799/86 "2024-11-13T01:48:14Z")
Herschel Walker as Secretary of Offense? ---
**Author:** ![SunUp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ea5d25/32.png) [@SunUp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SunUp)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2024, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-new-cabinet/1009799/87 "2024-11-13T01:58:33Z")
If you had a Department of Government Efficiency, headed by two people, isn’t the first thing they would have to do is eliminate the redundancy by firing one of the department heads? The irony, it burns… ---
**Author:** ![Lightnin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lightnin/32/180_2.png) [@Lightnin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lightnin)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2024, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-new-cabinet/1009799/88 "2024-11-13T02:08:50Z")
> [@Crafter\_Man](#): > > It’s scary his only requirement is _loyalty_, and not competence, merit, or experience. Hey, it seems to work for Putin… ---
**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:** [November 13, 2024, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-new-cabinet/1009799/89 "2024-11-13T02:13:10Z")
I prefer “_Cack_istocracy”(cack is Brit slang for shit). ---
**Author:** ![TheTooth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/919ad9/32.png) [@TheTooth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheTooth)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2024, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-new-cabinet/1009799/90 "2024-11-13T02:15:50Z")
I’m more floored, if one can be more floored than floored, by Musk having a government role than by this Fox News guy. ‘Better the devil you know’ my foot. ---
**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:** [November 13, 2024, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-new-cabinet/1009799/91 "2024-11-13T02:18:18Z")
Trump can’t just unilaterally create a new Cabinet department, can he? ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2024, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-new-cabinet/1009799/92 "2024-11-13T02:20:37Z")
> [@Crafter\_Man](#): > > It’s scary his only requirement is _loyalty_, and not competence, merit, or experience. In a CNN interview with Kaitlin Collins, John Bolton described Trump’s only requirement not as _loyalty_, but rather as _fealty_. ---
**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:** [November 13, 2024, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-new-cabinet/1009799/93 "2024-11-13T02:22:10Z")
> [@Buck\_Godot](#): > > He’s going to be working with Musk on the “Department of Government ~~Destruction~~ Efficency”. I’m willing to bet that Elon came up with that - DOGE. He probably giggled like a school girl and Trump had no idea why. At some point in the future, I expect Elon to float the idea of changing the name of the country to X. Well, maybe AmericaX. XAmerica? ---
**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:** [November 13, 2024, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-new-cabinet/1009799/94 "2024-11-13T02:23:55Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > Trump can’t just unilaterally create a new Cabinet department, can he? I asked this years ago and IIRC it is up to Congress to create new departments through funding. ---
**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:** [November 13, 2024, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-new-cabinet/1009799/95 "2024-11-13T02:28:49Z")
> [@aurora\_maire](#): > > I’m willing to bet that Elon came up with that - DOGE. You win. > ---
**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:** [November 13, 2024, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-new-cabinet/1009799/96 "2024-11-13T02:29:44Z")
> [@SunUp](#): > > If you had a Department of Government Efficiency, headed by two people, isn’t the first thing they would have to do is eliminate the redundancy by firing one of the department heads? That’s a question for the Department of Redundancy Department. ---
**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:** [November 13, 2024, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-new-cabinet/1009799/97 "2024-11-13T02:39:06Z")
> [@flurb](#): > > This one may actually run into problems getting confirmed – there are still some Republican Senators who take defense seriously, and Hegseth has no serious qualifications for the job. Can he just name him as “Acting” Secretary of Defense, like he did with so many appointments in the last years of his first term? Why bother with senate approval. > [@Smapti](#): > > You win. Jesus. It’s all just a game to him. ---
**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:** [November 13, 2024, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-new-cabinet/1009799/98 "2024-11-13T02:41:12Z")
> [@aurora\_maire](#): > > Can he just name him as “Acting” Secretary of Defense, like he did with so many appointments in the last years of his first term? Why bother with senate approval. AIUI, you can only serve as an acting Cabinet secretary if you’ve previously been appointed to another position that requires Senate approval, which does reduce the job pool somewhat. ---
**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:** [November 13, 2024, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-new-cabinet/1009799/99 "2024-11-13T02:46:05Z")
> [@aurora\_maire](#): > > It’s all just a game to him. Considering his beliefs about reality being a simulation and most people being “NPCs”? President Musk literally believes he is the main character of the universe. ---
**Author:** ![flurb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/51bf81/32.png) [@flurb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flurb)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2024, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-new-cabinet/1009799/100 "2024-11-13T02:58:13Z")
Correct. That’s why Trump is insisting that Senate Republicans allow him to make recess appointments, which would allow him to appoint anyone he wants although they could only serve through the end of the current Congress. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-new-cabinet/1009799.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-new-cabinet/1009799.md?page=6)