The DSR Network FTA: Can it Get Any Crazier Than This?
Nov 15, 2025
Rosa Brooks, a legal scholar and former senior Pentagon official, joins David Sanger, a veteran national security correspondent for The New York Times, and EJ Dionne, a political commentator for The Washington Post, to dissect alarming cabinet picks in a post-election Trump administration. They explore how unqualified nominees threaten democratic institutions, the implications of prioritizing loyalty over competence, and the resulting breakdown of governance. They also discuss potential GOP resistance and the alarming impact of these choices on public health and the military.
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Loyalty Over Competence
- Trump's early cabinet picks signal prioritizing loyalty over competence across major departments.
- That choice increases institutional risk and could hollow out executive capacity over time.
Extremist Picks As Strategy
- Appointing extremists like Matt Gaetz or Tulsi Gabbard to key posts is both provocative and strategically useful for Trump.
- These nominations telegraph an intent to politicize and reshape institutions, not merely staff them.
Senate Should Use Secret Ballot
- Senators should use the secret ballot and Senate procedures to resist unqualified nominees.
- Pushback early can protect institutional independence and avoid rapid confirmation of extremists.
