Trump's Transition So Far
Flooding the zone
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President-elect Donald Trump is flooding the zone with nominations and it can be hard to keep up.
But a few observations stand out:
The best explanation for Trump’s victory might still be that inflation is an incumbent killer. But the upheaval sweeping through Western democracies could be broader than that—rooted in the pandemic and its far-reaching consequences, with inflation as just one piece of the puzzle.
Donald Trump’s track record underscores this dynamic. He’s now run for president three times, each in an anti-incumbent environment. He won twice when the winds of discontent were at his back and lost when he was the incumbent. Political scientists might argue that this is proof that the actual candidates don’t matter that much.
Trump’s reputation as someone who disregards the rule of law is well-earned. But a more accurate framing might be that he’s spent his entire career, in business and politics, relentlessly probing the boundaries of legality. A recent example is his threat to exploit recess appointments to fill critical Cabinet positions with controversial nominees.
Recess appointments were designed for a time when Congress met infrequently, allowing presidents to keep the government running during legislative breaks. But presidents have been stretching the intent of this law for years. Where Trump differs is his willingness to weaponize it on a massive scale, aiming to install loyalists like Matt Gaetz, Pete Hegseth, Kristi Noem, Tulsi Gabbard, and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. into key roles.
A lineup of five Cabinet nominees facing widespread opposition would throw any other presidential transition into crisis. For Trump, though, it’s just another day at the office.
One final item:
Trump’s relationship with Elon Musk is a subplot worth watching. While the pairing might seem like a natural convergence of two disruptors who thrive on spectacle, early rumblings suggest the honeymoon phase could be short-lived. Reports are emerging that Trump is growing weary of Musk, a dynamic that feels familiar in the Trump orbit: allies are useful until they’re not, and egos this large rarely coexist peacefully for long. This could get ugly quickly.
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