Matter of Opinion · New York Times Opinion

Gaetz and Gabbard and R.F.K. Jr. — Oh, My!

November 15, 2024·35 min·3 clips

A Trump advisor said Matt Gaetz was the only candidate who promised to 'go over there and start cutting heads' at the Justice Department.

Ross Douthat and David French analyze Donald Trump's initial cabinet appointments for his second term, focusing on Matt Gaetz for Attorney General and Tulsi Gabbard for Director of National Intelligence. They discuss these picks as signals of Trump's governing intentions, contrasting them with more conventional selections like Marco Rubio for Secretary of State. The hosts examine Gaetz's history, including a House ethics investigation and allegations of misconduct, alongside his limited legal experience. They reference a Trump advisor's quote stating Gaetz was chosen because he promised to "start cutting heads," unlike other candidates who discussed legal theory. French argues the Senate should reject Gaetz as grotesquely unqualified, viewing this as a test of whether Republicans will act as a check on Trump. Douthat ponders if a showman like Gaetz, bound tightly to Trump, might be less effectively dangerous than a more competent but quietly loyal Attorney General. The conversation shifts to foreign policy, where picks like Rubio and Elise Stefanik represent mainstream Republican hawks, while Gabbard and Pete Hegseth for Defense appeal to the MAGA base. French describes Gabbard as holding a worldview sympathetic to figures like Assad and Putin, far from conventional Republican thought. Hegseth is noted for his military record but lack of executive experience, seen as an avatar of "Christian MAGA" likely to fight culture wars in the Pentagon. The hosts observe this beginning differs from Trump's first term, which initially featured respected figures like General Mattis, and instead continues the chaotic style of his 2020 administration. Douthat suggests the foreign policy team may steer Trump as in his first term, but lacks a realist strategic center for global rebalancing. They briefly speculate on J.D. Vance's potential influence on economic policy rather than foreign affairs. The episode concludes with breaking news of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. being put forward for Health and Human Services, which French calls potentially worse than the Gaetz pick. The tone is conversational and analytical, blending political expertise with direct commentary on the implications of each appointment. Listeners interested in the internal dynamics of a potential Trump administration and Republican factionalism would find this episode engaging. Those seeking a policy-focused debate on specific legislative agendas might find it less directly applicable.

As heard by us

Cabinet picks become an argument about executive power, not just scandal.

This episode uses Matt Gaetz, Tulsi Gabbard, and the broader set of Trump's picks to frame a tighter argument about how much control a president should have over the executive branch, and how much an attorney general should answer to loyalty versus law.

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Why you'd press play

If you want the logic behind Trump's personnel picks, not just the headlines.

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