It’s been less than two weeks since the world learned that former President Donald Trump would return to the White House, and the President-elect has wasted no time in rolling out a list of cabinet and administration leaders, a number of which were met with bipartisan concern.

Some of Trump’s announcements, like that Campaign Manager Susie Wiles would become his White House Chief of Staff — though newsworthy for any number of reasons — haven’t rocked the boat much, while his decision on others had led to pushback from lawmakers and experts and even caused some pause for a few of the Republicans who will take the majority in the U.S. Senate in early January.

“I do respect President Trump’s right to appoint these individuals,” and they’ll get a fair confirmation process, Oklahoma’s U.S. Sen. Markwayne Mullin told NBC News on Sunday, before adding the caveat that “underneath Article II, Section Two, Congress has to advise and consent.”

While they can let some appoints go — like Elon Musk’s new gig at the “Department of Government Efficiency” — Senators will have a lot to consider in the months ahead.

Make America Healthy Again

Former Democratic presidential contender turned independent candidate turned MAGA surrogate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has been rewarded for his late-stage Trump advocacy with a position leading the Department of Health and Human Services.

That department, which oversees Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Food and Drug Administration, the National Institutes for Health, and the entire Medicare system, has a more than $1.7 trillion annual budget.

Kennedy, an environmental law attorney, has no professional scientific, medical, or health administration background, and “is not remotely qualified for the role and should be nowhere near the science-based agencies that safeguard our nutrition, food safety, and health,” according to Dr. Peter Lurie, president of the public health watchdog group Center for Science in the Public Interest.

Kennedy is a noted vaccine skeptic, who spent the end of the 2024 election cycle proposing to “make America healthy again” should Trump win. Trump, who had promised to let Kennedy “go wild on health,” says as HHS Secretary he “will restore these Agencies to the traditions of Gold Standard Scientific Research, and beacons of Transparency, to end the Chronic Disease epidemic, and to Make America Great and Healthy Again.”

Pushback to Kennedy’s appointment from the left has been over his inexperience and unscientific stance on a number of issues like vaccine safety and efficacy and milk pasteurization.  Pushback from the right has come due to his shifting often pro-choice stance on abortion.

Gaetz-gate

Former U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz, Trump’s pick for Attorney General, turned heads on both the left and right due to his inexperience as a prosecuting attorney and the long-standing sexual scandal allegations hanging over his head.

A congressional ethics committee investigating whether Gaetz had sex with a minor while serving in Congress was due to release a report over any alleged misconduct, but his nomination was followed by his sudden resignation from Congress. That stopped the investigation, but not the accusations.

Mullin, on Sunday, said the report should be made available to Senators. House Speaker Mike Johnson has called for it not to be released.

U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, a Texas Republican who sits on the Judiciary Committee, suggested late last week that information should be considered during Gaetz confirmation hearings.

Republican U.S. Sen. Susan Collins of Maine said Trump is free to pick who he wants for the role, but that the Senate still must still “advise and consent” to the nomination.

“I’m sure that there will be many, many questions raised at Mr. Gaetz’s hearing if in fact the nomination goes forward,” she said.

According to Trump, Gaetz will “end Weaponized Government, protect our Borders, dismantle Criminal Organizations and restore Americans’ badly-shattered Faith and Confidence in the Justice Department,” capitalization his.

From DNC to DNI

Former U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, a National Guard officer and ex-Democratic Party member, will lead the nation’s intelligence apparatuses under the 47th President as Director of National Intelligence, if she can convince lawmakers her frequent seeming support of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s global agenda is coincidence and not collusion.

The DNI, which was elevated to the Cabinet during Trump’s first term, oversees 17 intelligence agencies responsible for monitoring hostile foreign actors which might threaten U.S. interests.

Gabbard has faced criticism from both sides of the aisle over frequent repetition of pro-Russian talking points said to originate from the Kremlin, including in the lead up to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine which she blamed on NATO and President Joe Biden’s apparent failure to recognize “Russia’s legitimate security concerns.”

Her remarks have made Gabbard a frequent feature on Russian state sponsored television, where hosts have said — one hopes jokingly — that she’s a state asset. U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz said Gabbard is “likely” working for Russia.

Former Trump national security adviser John Bolton, now a Trump critic, said “Gabbard, like Gaetz, is like a hand grenade ready to explode.”

Cornyn suggested he’s going to want to ask about any Russia connection.

Trump said she’ll “bring the fearless spirit that has defined her illustrious career to our Intelligence Community, championing our Constitutional Rights, and securing Peace through Strength.”

Herald wire services contributed.

Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla. (AP Photo/Nathan Howard, File)
Former Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (R-HI), speaks at a Trump campaign rally in Pennsylvania earlier this month. (Photo by Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images)