Donald Trump recently announced the nomination of two lawyers to the top of the Department of Justice, Todd Blanche as deputy attorney general and Emil Bove as principal associate deputy attorney general. These provocative choices have also sparked surprise among his advisers and some Republicans.
The new appointments have been described as a form of performance art by Michael Waldman, president of the Brennan Center for Justice. These decisions represent the tycoon’s first show of strength against the political establishment and his own party, in a context in which the Supreme Court already has a right-wing majority. With Republicans having regained the Senate majority with 53 seats, the pressure to confirm these appointments is palpable. Senators are faced with a choice: approve Trump’s choices or surrender their constitutional prerogatives. However, internal party support is not guaranteed, as demonstrated by the recent election of John Thune, considered closer to the establishment than the Maga candidate Rick Scott.
“He’s not a serious candidate,” Senator Lisa Murkowski said of the nomination of Matt Gaetz as attorney general, comparing him to George Santos, another controversial congressman. The discontent within the Grand Old Party is evident. Sen. Susan Collins has similarly expressed herself, calling herself “shocked” by Trump’s choices. Former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy has predicted that Gaetz will not be confirmed.
The appointments aren’t limited to Gaetz; Peter Hegseth at the Pentagon and Tulsi Gabbard as director of National Intelligence are also raising concerns among moderate Republicans. Gabbard, a former Democratic presidential candidate turned Trumpist, will have to oversee all 18 intelligence agencies without direct experience in the field. Hegseth, a veteran and former Fox News anchor, also appears to lack the skills needed to lead the Defense Department. But both were given the job to further Trump’s personal agenda.
Meanwhile, the first “Trump effects” are already being seen in the trials against the Capitol attackers: two federal judges have decided to postpone the criminal proceedings for some defendants involved in the January 6, 2021, raid.
With these appointments and the growing tension within the Republican Party, the future of the Trump administration appears uncertain. The political and legal challenges the president-elect will face could have significant repercussions on the system of checks and balances in the United States. As his administration seeks to consolidate power, it remains to be seen how both members of the Senate and the public will react to these bold choices.
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