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In the aftermath of the deadly attack in New Orleans, a variety of prominent Republican voices pointed fingers in unfortunate directions, but it’d be an overstatement to suggest everyone in the party avoided constructive ideas. Some GOP officials, for example, tried to connect the violence to the cabinet confirmation process. Punchbowl News reported:
The suspected ISIS-inspired terrorist attack in New Orleans is fueling GOP calls to expedite Senate confirmation of President-elect Donald Trump’s national security nominees. ... Senate Republican leaders said the attack underscored the need to quickly confirm Trump’s nominees for national security positions, with incoming Senate Majority Whip John Barrasso saying in part: “Lives depend on it.”
The Wyoming Republican was hardly alone. Incoming Senate Majority Leader John Thune issued a related statement, pointing to the New Orleans attack as “a clear example of why the Senate must get President Trump’s national security team in place as quickly as possible.” Around the same time, Republican Rep. Mike Waltz of Florida, who’ll soon give up his congressional seat to become the White House national security adviser, appeared on Fox News, pointed to the New Year’s attack, and said, “This is why getting President Trump’s Cabinet in is so important.”
Republican Sen.-elect Bernie Moreno of Ohio added that in the wake of the New Orleans attack, “it’s even more vital that we quickly confirm all of President Trump’s nominees.”
The underlying point, obviously, was to suggest that the president-elect has chosen highly qualified, well-vetted, and widely respected professionals who are prepared to take office and address national security challenges. The sooner these prospective nominees are confirmed, the argument goes, the safer the public will be, so it’s incumbent on the Senate to move quickly.
There is reason, however, to question the premise.
If, hypothetically, Trump really had chosen highly qualified, well-vetted and widely respected professionals for his second-term Cabinet, the pitch would probably be more persuasive. But let’s not forget the folks who’ll soon face difficult confirmation hearings:
- Pete Hegseth, Trump’s choice to lead the Pentagon, is a scandal-plagued former television personality, who’s never led a large organization, who’s written bizarre and conspiratorial books, and whose highly provocative ideology will almost certainly generate significant opposition in the Senate.
- Kash Patel, Trump’s choice to lead the FBI, is a partisan operative with very little experience in federal law enforcement, who’s been condemned by some of his former Trump administration colleagues, and who’s authored a literal enemies list.
- Tulsi Gabbard, Trump’s choice to serve as director of national intelligence, has little background in intelligence work, has been accused of “repeatedly echoing propaganda spread by Russia,” and has been condemned by former national security officials. What’s more, foreign officials have reportedly expressed concern about sharing sensitive intelligence with the United States government if she’s confirmed.
- Kristi Noem, Trump’s choice to lead the Department of Homeland Security, is a problematic prospective nominee for all sorts of reasons.
My point isn’t that the cabinet confirmation process should necessarily be delayed in the aftermath of the New Orleans attack; my point is that in the aftermath of the New Orleans attack, the incoming administration has an opportunity to replace some or all of his most controversial personnel choices with more qualified, better vetted, and more serious nominees.