(Dmytro “Henry” Aleksandrov, Headline USA) Many President-elect Donald Trump’s supporters were disappointed with some of Trump’s nominations, claiming that they are “neocons” and won’t be suitable for the America First movement.
However, people close to Trump informed the Daily Caller that Trump could use those people to implement his agenda.
Among the politicians who faced the most criticism were Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., who was nominated to be Secretary of State; Rep. Michael Waltz, R-Fla., who was nominated for National Security Adviser; and Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., who was nominated for United Nations Ambassador.
The Caller reported that America First conservatives claimed that these politicians have “hawkish” beliefs, which means they would support more foreign wars.
However, national security insiders revealed that the picks align more with Trump’s agenda than many would initially expect.
“If you take a look at what Trump is doing across his cabinet picks, he’s building the MAGA movement to go well beyond his Republican base, which is why he’s plugged in Tulsi Gabbard and Robert F Kennedy Jr. He’s making a bigger tent, and that is the stuff of legacy,” Morgan Murphy, former press secretary to the Secretary of Defense during the Trump administration and National Security Adviser to Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., said.
Insiders also pointed out that Trump knows he needs the politicians who may not be isolationists.
“Trump is now savvy about how Washington works and likely knows he needs the neocons. They’re more entrenched in D.C. than America first. And there are just more of them. The only kind of foreign policy people that are harping on America first and have been consistent, there’s less than a dozen,” one former Trump national security official said, adding that Trump “may be looking at someone who speaks their language, who can help blend the two agendas.”
Some sources also stated that Rubio was chosen to be tough on China, noting that “ideology doesn’t really mean that much” and that Trump needs people who would be able to help him push back against Russia, China, Iran and North Korea.
“Based on his nominees, I think Trump is building a FAFO foreign policy,” John Noonan, a senior adviser to POLARIS National Security, said. “We want peace. But if you F around with the United States, be ready to find out.”
