(OPINION) President-Elect Trump Activates His A-Team

The opinions expressed in this post belong solely to the author and should not be construed to represent the views of Townsquare Media, News-Talk 1340 KROC-AM and 96.9 FM, or anyone else associated with the organizations.

President-elect Donald Trump’s selection of advisors and Cabinet choices of competent men and woman indicate his desire to put Populists in charge willing to confront the Deep State, Democrats, and “Mainstream Media” after surviving lies, censorship, and prosecutions. This is a revolt of regular Americans against the so-called Elites and Experts.

Democrats are still relentless and resistant, resorting to what American Thinker columnist Jack Hellner describes as their calling his picks “compromised.” Hellner wrote that Trump’s appointment of Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. to enact Health Care reforms has “Leftist media scared” of his accountability objectives.

Trump’s selection of former Florida attorney general Pam Bondi is a case in point. Bondi will head the Department of Justice and has promised to reform the politicized agency and “prosecute the prosecutors.”

Trump’s critics, Hellner writes, are accusing distinguished appointees like former Democrat Tulsi Gabbert, of being “Russian assets,” forgetting former President Obama’s appeasement of Russia, failing to give weapons to Ukraine before the Russian invasion, and telling a Russian official he would “have more flexibility” after his reelection. Recall Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s “reset button” with Russia.

Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., former Democrat and now Independent, will be Secretary of Health and Human Services, and on abortion, Fox News writer Sarah Rumpf-Whitten, who contributed several items below, writes that RFK, Jr., “is pro-choice, up to a certain point.” RFK, Jr. says he intends to hold Big Pharma and Big Foods accountable respectively for lobbying and price excesses, and the addition of harmful habit-forming ingredients and unhealthy preservatives to the food supply.

Republican Representative Lori-Chavez-DeRemer will be Secretary of Labor, with a reputation for working with labor and business groups, according to Rumpf-Whitten.

Trump’s Treasury Secretary will be investment specialist Scott Bessent. Florida Senator Marco Rubio is slated to be Trump’s foreign policy advisor as Secretary of State.

Minnesota National Guard and U.S. Army veteran, and Fox News analyst Pete Hegseth will be Trump’s Defense Secretary, according to Joe Nelson (Minnesota News). Hegseth intends to keep women out of combat roles and use his 20-year exemplary commissioned officer experience to reform Progressive military policies, increase enlistments and fitness standards, and abolish the “Woke” programs of DEI (diversity, equity, inclusion).

North Dakota governor Doug Burgum will be Trump’s pro-fossil fuel energy advocate as Interior Secretary.

The Agriculture Secretary will be Brooke Rollins, a Texas A&M University agriculture graduate who served in Trump’s first administration.. Elizabeth Weibel (Breitbart) wrote that Rollins served on Trump’s Domestic Policy Council.

Michael Dorgan (Fox News) reported former Democrat Tulsi Gabbard will serve the Trump Administration in the intelligence community. The former Army Reserve Lieutenant Colonel served in combat zones, but that does not spare her from Democrat Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz’s claim that Gabbard is “likely a Russian asset.”

Future Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, a previous Trump aide and fund raiser, will be managing trade and tariff issues.

Housing and Urban Development Secretary Scott Turner, a Trump first term veteran, is experienced in community development.

Former Wisconsin Congressman and Fox News pundit Sean Duffy was District Attorney of Ashland County and will handle infrastructure issues as Transportation Secretary.

Proposed Energy Secretary Chris Wright, a mechanical engineer and chief executive officer, will assist then President Trump in increasing oil and gas production and return the United States to energy independence.

Sports executive, Trump fundraiser and transition team leader Linda McMahon, as Education Secretary, is expected to help Trump phase out the Education Department and transfer its functions to state and local control.

South Dakota governor and former congresswoman Kristi Noem was nominated by Donald Trump to be Secretary of Homeland Security. The farmer, rancher, and author will direct the DHS over U.S. Customs, Border Patrol, Federal Emergency Management Agency, and the United States Coast Guard, a military unit responsible for national defense, search and rescue at sea, and fisheries and civilian law enforcement.

Clarice Feldman (American Thinker) traced the law-and-order track record of ICE (Immigration & Customs Enforcement) Director and Border Tsar, Tom Homan who pledged to close the Southern Border and deport criminal illegal immigrants. Homan warns that officials who try to block the process will be held accountable for breaking federal law.

Feldman described the new Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), and its co-directors Vivek Ramaswamy and Elon Musk plans to cut spending, abolish agencies, and increase government efficiency. Special interest groups are expected to resist reforms and cuts.

The electorate reelected Trump and supports his mission. The Trump Team is united and on the march to “Make America Great Again.”

Listen to Tom each Tuesday and Thursday morning after the 11 AM news as he joins Andy Brownell for Rochester Today on News-Talk 1340 KROC-AM and 96.9 FM.