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For almost two years, J.D. Vance’s presence in the Senate went largely unnoticed. As a freshman Senator from Ohio, the Republican who journeyed from the finance sector to bestselling author and then to a supporter of Trump often found himself in the background. However, this week marked a shift as Vance took center stage, moving through the Senate on Wednesday to rally his colleagues to set aside significant concerns regarding one of Trump’s contentious Cabinet nominees. He returned on Thursday to support a different nominee facing similar challenges.
Vance’s critical mission was to salvage the nominations of former Representative Matt Gaetz for Attorney General and Fox and Friends weekend host Pete Hegseth for Secretary of Defense. Both nominees were embroiled in serious allegations, including sexual misconduct, and their backgrounds would have made their nominations unthinkable in a pre-Trump political environment.
Thus far, Vance’s attempts have shown mixed success—he’s managed one nomination through. Despite claims of constructive talks from Trump’s team, the resistance against Gaetz proved overwhelming. On Thursday, Gaetz announced he was stepping back from the nomination, which could indicate limits to Trump’s sway over Senate Republicans, who might not always comply with the President-elect’s push to endorse seemingly unsuitable candidates. The fact that Gaetz didn’t even receive a hearing suggests he could be one of the first casualties among Trump’s initial selections, as Senators reveal their patience with Trump’s approach has its boundaries.
Gaetz’s nomination for the nation’s top law enforcement position was as predictably doomed as it was backed by Trump. He is under investigation by former House colleagues over allegations related to sex, drugs, finances, and minors. In an effort to stop the ethics panel’s inquiry, he resigned just days before a report was due. Lawmakers are still weighing the panel’s findings; they convened on Wednesday with Gaetz present but reached no conclusion, intending to reconvene in December, although the urgency may have waned with his nomination collapse. The Department of Justice also looked into Gaetz on similar allegations but opted not to bring charges against him. Moreover, even some Republican senators have expressed doubts about whether Gaetz, known for his provocative pro-Trump stance and lack of experience managing large organizations, would be fit for the role of chief law enforcement officer.
Yet, this defiance seems to resonate with Trump’s criteria for his Cabinet in a potential second term. Long critical of traditional qualifications, Trump appears resolute in challenging norms and asserting that nothing is off the table—at least until it is.
Consider the following:
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Pete Hegseth, who has nearly two decades of service with the Army National Guard in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Guantanamo Bay, has acknowledged paying a woman who accused him of sexual assault during a 2017 meeting of the California Federation of Republican Women in Monterey, California. A police report suggests the accuser feared she had been drugged, as reported by The Washington Post. Hegseth has denied the allegations and has never faced criminal charges. Additionally, concerns exist about his capability to lead the largest institution in the world, employing 3 million military and civilian personnel, amid criticisms regarding tattoos that some critics link to white Christian nationalism and his advocacy for pardoning military personnel accused of war crimes.
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Linda McMahon, Trump’s nominee for Secretary of Education, is contending with a civil lawsuit alongside her husband, Vince McMahon, alleging their WWE organization failed to protect teenage “ring boys” from sexual abuse. Though the McMahons deny these allegations dating back to the 1970s and early 1990s, concerns have emerged regarding her qualifications to lead the U.S. Department of Education, which Trump has vowed to dismantle. Notably, she inaccurately claimed to have a degree in education in 2009, while she only holds a teaching certificate.
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Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a politically polarizing figure, is being evaluated for the position of Secretary of Health and Human Services, giving him significant authority over public health despite his long-standing skepticism of vaccine science and alignment with various conspiracy theories. He has also faced accusations of sexually assaulting a family nanny in the 1990s. In response, he stated he had no recollection of the incident but later apologized via text. “I mentioned in my announcement speech that I have numerous skeletons in my closet; if they could all vote, I could run for king of the world,” Kennedy remarked over the summer. Additionally, he has reportedly had an affair with a journalist.
Additionally, there’s Elon Musk, the wealthiest man globally, highlighted in our latest TIME cover story. Although Musk doesn’t hold an official role in the upcoming administration, he remains a significant figure in Trump’s ever-evolving circle of loyalists. He, too, faces a slew of allegations, from wrongful terminations due to hostile work environments to claims of offering a horse in exchange for an erotic massage. Numerous reports detail alleged sexual encounters between Musk and his employees.
It’s essential to recognize that the remainder of Trump’s potential Cabinet isn’t notably more qualified; they simply aren’t as mired in personal controversies. For instance, former Representative Tulsi Gabbard, a veteran, has perplexed intelligence experts with Trump’s interest in naming her as his top intelligence adviser. Her prior sympathetic comments about Russia and Syria have raised alarms about her judgment, with Hillary Clinton previously accusing her of being a “Moscow puppet.” Former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley, who served during Trump’s initial term, labeled Gabbard a “Russian, Iranian, Syrian, Chinese sympathizer” just this Wednesday.
Moreover, Dr. Mehmet Oz is considered for overseeing the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, a vast agency responsible for significant entitlement programs and public health initiatives. The former television host, who ran unsuccessfully for the Senate in 2022, lacks the experience required to manage a large bureaucracy like CMS and has seen his medical reputation tarnished after years of promoting products and advice deemed unsupported by scientific evidence. Yet, like others on this list, he excels at presenting himself on camera, as demonstrated by his televised “physical” exam of Trump in 2016.
In summary, this group appears ill-equipped to help Trump maintain a slim governing majority in Washington. The GOP-controlled House might hinge on a handful of votes, while the Senate offers Republicans only a narrow margin for nominations. Major legislation requiring 60 votes will demand the backing of seven lawmakers who typically align with Democrats. Presenting nominees with accusations of sexual assault, allegations of misconduct, or extreme ideologies is unlikely to sway hesitant lawmakers—be they part of the President’s team or his administration.
This scenario feels reminiscent of previous experiences. In 2018, Trump successfully nominated Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court, igniting a fierce battle in Washington in the wake of the #MeToo movement. The Senate ultimately confirmed him by a narrow 50-48 vote despite allegations of sexual assault from his high school years. This conflict underscored the minimal progress made in addressing the treatment of women and the consequences some men face for their actions.
It is notable that the President who championed Kavanaugh’s nomination, remaining steadfast despite the surrounding controversies, is the same individual who rose to power following the release of a tape in which he bragged about his own sexual assaults.
Now, six years later, Trump is on the verge of reclaiming power as the first incoming President with criminal felony convictions, having been found liable for sexual abuse in a civil case and facing several indictments. He seeks individuals who mirror his persona: charismatic in front of the camera, skeptical of facts, and comfortable dismissing their own questionable pasts. In this light, Vance’s allies in the Capitol may align perfectly with Trump’s vision, though they may not serve the best interests of their fellow Republicans, as shown by the outcome of Gaetz’s nomination, hinting that Senators might be becoming increasingly aware of this reality.
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