(Ken Silva, Headline USA) President-elect Donald Trump announced a trio of major appointments Wednesday: Rep. Matt Gaetz to serve as next Attorney General; former Rep. Tulsi Gabbard to be the next Director of National Intelligence; and Sen. Marco Rubio to head the State Department.
MAGA diehards expressed excitement for the first two picks, while criticizing Trump’s choice to go with Rubio.
That sound you just heard is every member of the Deep State collectively passing out. https://t.co/XHfsbZWSpp
— Greg Price (@greg_price11) November 13, 2024
Trump supporters expressed particular enthusiasm for the Gaetz pick, due in large part for his potential to expose government scandals, such as the role FBI informants and provocateurs played in the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol Hill riot. For example, Gaetz revealed last year that the FBI’s Washington DC office refused to provide other field offices with Jan. 6 surveillance footage on the grounds that it could expose the identities of undercover agents and informants.
“Matt will end Weaponized Government, protect our Borders, dismantle Criminal Organizations and restore Americans’ badly shattered Faith and Confidence in the Justice Department,” Trump said in a statement.
Gabbard, too, has the potential to get to the bottom of government coverups, such as the U.S.-funded biolabs in Ukraine. In 2022, she said there are more than two-dozens bio labs conducting research on deadly pathogens in the midst of a war.
Meet your new DNI – Tulsi Gabbard
She was one of the only ones at the time saying there were US Funded Biological Labs working on Deadly Pathogens in Ukraine
Warmongers like Mitt Romney vilified her and tried to destroy her for saying there were Biolabs in Ukraine. He called… https://t.co/4WWlI5FiwF pic.twitter.com/uQDMPjN5AK
— MJTruthUltra (@MJTruthUltra) November 13, 2024
Gabbard would come to the role as somewhat of an outsider compared to her predecessor, Avril Haines who was confirmed by the Senate in 2021 following several years in top national security and intelligence positions.
Gabbard hasn’t worked directly in the intelligence community, though has served on House committees including two years on the Homeland Security Committee. Like others, she has been among Trump’s most popular political surrogates.
While the Gabbard and Gaetz picks were met with MAGA approval, that wasn’t the case with the next Secretary of State, Rubio.
Rubio detractors have noted that he supports funding the war in Ukraine, he supported Joe Biden in the wake of the 2020 election, and that his family has ties to drug dealing and criminal activity.
Marco Rubio? … Really, Mr. President? pic.twitter.com/9o1pXGE3FF
— Ron Paul (@RonPaul) November 12, 2024
Observers expect Trump’s appointments to face resistance in the Senate confirmation process—especially with Gaetz, who has many enemies due to his controversial past and the fact that he led the ouster of former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy last year, among other reasons.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Ken Silva is a staff writer at Headline USA. Follow him at x.com/jd_cashless.
