Trump’s controversial appointments: shocking choices spark bipartisan reactions

NEW YORK: President-elect Donald Trump, buovyed by his decisive electoral victory, is making appointments to key positions.

Trump, buoyed by his decisive electoral victory, is making in ways that have not only unsettled his Republican Party but also energised his defeated political opponents, the Democrats. Despite losing control of the Senate and the House of Representatives, Democrats appear prepared to mount significant resistance against Trump’s controversial choices.

While Trump has silenced or sidelined the traditional conservative leadership of the Republican Party, consolidating his grip and rebranding “Republican” ideology as “Trumpism,” his recent appointments have drawn criticism even from within his own Republican party. The president-elect’s strategy of ignoring experience and balance in favour of personal loyalty has left some Republicans uneasy. Among the critics are, Louisiana Senator (R) Bill Cassidy, Maine Senator (R) Susan Collins, and Alaska Senator(R) Lisa Murkowski, who have openly expressed their concerns.

Others within the Republican ranks remain silent but visibly apprehensive about the implications of these appointments.

With only a four-seat majority in the Senate and a slim margin in the House of Representatives, Trump’s Republican Party faces a precarious position.

Meanwhile, the Democrats, seeking to recover from their electoral defeat, are readying themselves to oppose these nominations vigorously. The mainstream American media, known for its liberal leanings and critical stance on Trump, has also started raising doubts about these choices, citing their potential implications for democracy and governance.

One of the most controversial nominations is that of Republican Congressman Matt Gaetz as Attorney General. Gaetz, who has faced allegations of misconduct and was under investigation by a House committee, resigned from Congress shortly after his nomination, reportedly to avoid the release of an investigative report.

Known for his combative style, Gaetz has fiercely attacked other Republican leaders while staunchly defending Trump, making his appointment a lightning rod for criticism.

Trump has also nominated Tulsi Gabbard, a former Democratic Congresswoman from Hawaii who recently switched allegiance to the Republican Party, to head the National Intelligence agencies. Gabbard’s past criticism of Republican leadership and her alleged ties to Russian interests have raised eyebrows within both parties. Some Republicans have even accused her of being a “Russian agent,” further fueling the controversy around her nomination.

For Secretary of Defence, Trump has tapped Fox News anchor Pete Hegseth, a former National Guard serviceman with no experience in global military strategy or defense management. His primary qualification appears to be his unwavering support for Trump.

He lashed back and even accused some Republicans in persuasion of his loyality to Donald Trump.

Another surprising pick is Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a well-known Democrat and a member of the prominent Kennedy family. He has been a close friend and supportive of late Murtaza Bhutto, during Ziaul Haque’s rule in Pakistan. He wrote an article opposing death sentence of Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto that infuriated Zialu Haque.

Robert Kennedy Junior, a Democrat turned supportive of Trump has been nominated as Secretary of Health. Kennedy, an outspoken critic of vaccines, has been entrusted with leading the nation’s healthcare—a decision that has sparked widespread debate in the media and among health professionals.