(Ben Sellers, Headline USA) Evoking the notorious “midnight appointments” that second President John Adams used to slip Federalist judges into the government prior to Thomas Jefferson’s inauguration, President-elect Donald Trump announced eight staffing selections after business hours on Friday, including the final picks for his official Cabinet.
BREAKING: President-elect Donald Trump completes his Cabinet of 15 executive departments in historic speed.
He won the election only 18 days ago
– just over 2 weeks.
Line of presidential succession:
State: Marco Rubio
Treasury: Scott Bessent
Defense: Pete Hegseth
Attorney… pic.twitter.com/Nz0mZ5b16q— ActivistJerry💫 (@ActivistJerry) November 24, 2024
Although praised for his completion of it in record time, and for the ideological diversity of his choices, some raised eyebrows not simply among leftist media critics, but also among his MAGA supporters.
Three of Trump’s Friday nominations in particular drew apprehension, if not outright backlash, from some conservative supporters who were, at the very least, interested in understanding more about the vetting process.
Treasury Secretary-nominee Scott Bessent, Labor Secretary-nominee Lori Chavez–DeRemer, and Surgeon General-nominee Janette Nesheiwat all notably raised red flags over past work experiences, positions or statements that may warrant extra scrutiny.
Trump just picked a Labor Secretary endorsed by Randi Weingarten, a Treasury Secretary who was a partner as Soros’s firm throughout the 90s whose $2 billion anchor investment in his current fund Key Square came from Soros himself, and an FDA head who pushed masks and jabs.
Spare…
— John Cardillo (@johncardillo) November 23, 2024
SCOTT BESSENT
The biggest concern may surround Bessent who, despite being a longtime Republican donor, was also one of the top money managers for George Soros prior to Trump’s first presidential term.
“Before becoming a Trump donor and adviser, Bessent donated to various Democratic causes in the early 2000s, notably Al Gore’s presidential run,” noted the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation.
“He also worked for Soros [… and] had an influential role in Soros’s London operations, including his famous 1992 bet against the pound, which generated huge profits on ‘Black Wednesday,’ when the pound was de-linked from European currencies.”
Bessent was promoted to become Soros’s chief investment officer, filling the role from 2011 to 2015, which is when he left to form his own hedge fund, Key Square Capital Management. Soros provided $2 billion in backing for the new company.
Newsweek reported that “after leaving Soros Fund Management, Bessent maintained ties to organizations Soros supported, such as the International Crisis Group, which received substantial funding from Soros.”
Even country-music star John Rich, a staunch Trump supporter, seemed puzzled by the choice.
“I hate to keep asking questions, but WHY is a former colleague of Soros the nominee for Treasury Sec?” he posted on X.
I hate to keep asking questions, but WHY is a former colleague of Soros the nominee for Treasury Sec? https://t.co/hb81F0cfru
— John Rich🇺🇸 (@johnrich) November 23, 2024
Trump haters were equally shocked by the selection, mocking MAGA as the “Dumbest f**king cult in human history.”
Trump's pick for Treasury Secretary is a gay, Yale elite, Wall St. billionaire with Soros connections.
Exactly the kind of person the MAGA dupes howled would be running the country under Harris.
Dumbest fucking cult in human history.
— Denise Wheeler 🌊💙 (@denisedwheeler) November 23, 2024
Records from the Federal Election Commission indicate that Bessent has consistently donated to a diverse array of Republicans, from Rand Paul to Mitt Romney, with his political donations dating back to 2010.
However, he also donated $25,000 to the Ready for Hillary PAC in 2013.
Meanwhile, some in the mainstream media carped over Bessent’s potential status as the new highest-ranking gay man to be appointed—supplanting soon-to-be-former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg.
MSNBC’s Jonathan Capehart is “kind of conflicted” over Trump’s gay Cabinet nominee, Scott Bessent.
“If confirmed, would be the highest ranking out LGBT person ever to serve…” pic.twitter.com/UZ7mamu5Lv
— Julianna Frieman (@JuliannaFrieman) November 25, 2024
LORI CHAVEZ–DEREMER
Concerns over Chavez–DeRemer, who recently lost her House re-election bid in deep-blue Oregon, center largely around her union backing.
“Lori’s strong support from both the Business and Labor communities will ensure that the Labor Department can unite Americans of all backgrounds behind our Agenda for unprecedented National Success – Making America Richer, Wealthier, Stronger and more Prosperous than ever before!” Trump said in his statement announcing the pick.
Trump’s decision to choose the union-friendly Republican reportedly came at the urging of Teamsters president Sean O’Brien.
Thank you @realDonaldTrump for putting American workers first by nominating Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer for US Labor Secretary. Nearly a year ago, you joined us for a @Teamsters roundtable and pledged to listen to workers and find common ground to protect and respect labor in… pic.twitter.com/C6jZw1PqkB
— Sean M. O'Brien (@TeamsterSOB) November 23, 2024
O’Brien, who spoke at the Republican National Convention, may have played a significant part in Trump’s political success in Rust Belt states like Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin.
While reclaiming union support for his populist candidacy may be a political masterstroke on Trump’s part the real-world implications of courting Big Labor may prove to be politically precarious.
The selection elicited criticism from the Wall Street Journal editorial board, which noted in particular Chavez–DeRemer’s backing from notorious teachers union boss Randi Weingarten, the driving influence behind COVID-era school shutdowns and many of the woke curricular demands currently infiltrating classrooms.
“Why would Mr. Trump want to empower labor bosses who oppose his economic agenda and spent masses to defeat him?” asked the editorial board.
Chavez–DeRemer’s efforts could undermine Trump’s plans to reform—if not abolish—the federal Education Department under longtime backer and transition-team leader Linda McMahon.
“Teachers unions across the country could block education reforms and limit school choice via collective bargaining,” noted the Journal editorial.
JANETTE NESHEIWAT
Some of the biggest backlash on social media was directed at Dr. Janette Nesheiwat, Trump’s nominee for surgeon general. On Monday morning, “surgeon general” was still a trending Twitter topic, with some 76,200 posts reacting to the choice of Nesheiwat, a staunch supporter of controversial COVID-era vaccination mandates, shutdowns and even censorship of skepticism.
I am going to be BRUTALLY honest…
I am supremely DISAPPOINTED in @realDonaldTrump pick for Surgeon General, Dr. Janette Nesheiwat @DoctorJanette.
I am NOT going to be silent about it.
WHO the hell thought it was a good idea to suggest that a woman that praised the COVID death… pic.twitter.com/JJY0FG61Rk
— The Patriot Voice (@TPV_John) November 23, 2024
Her positions are likely to clash with those of Trump’s nominee for Health and Human Services secretary, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., whose vaccine skepticism is well known.
Confoundingly, some took to X to show that Nesheiwat had also made contradictory statements supporting natural immunity and risk-based assessments, suggesting her views on COVID may have evolved through the course of the pandemic.
Dr. Janette Nesheiwat is not the Fauci everyone is making her out to be.
Some clickbait conservatives need to slow their roll criticizing President Trump’s nominations. Just look at the clips and tweet below of her condemning vaccines, lockdowns and mandates.
Why are we helping… https://t.co/Rqr8Qm0dun pic.twitter.com/FmsBukCcBq
— Yoshi The Patriot (@yoshithepatriot) November 23, 2024
Like several other candidate selections, Nesheiwat’s main qualification for the job seems to have been her regular appearances on Fox News and her “central casting” look, along with her outspoken support for Trump.
Some pointed out the obvious snub to the eminently qualified Dr. Ben Carson, a former neurosurgeon who served in Trump’s first Cabinet.
Dr Ben Carson is a patriot and a Faithful person. He has big hopes in the MAGA team as he expresses it in this video.
I would love to see Dad having him appointed as the Surgeon General, He deserves it right?
pic.twitter.com/9cUGbQz5qe— BARRON TRUMP – Commentary (@TrumpBaroon) November 16, 2024
Ben Sellers is the editor of Headline USA. Follow him at x.com/realbensellers.
