Trump administration’s personnel selection has had a turbulent start: From the Politics Desk

Welcome to the online version of From the political deskan evening newsletter bringing you the latest reporting and analysis from the NBC News political team from the White House, Capitol Hill and the campaign trail.

In today’s issue, we report on the impact of Matt Gaetz’s withdrawal as a candidate for the next attorney general. Additionally, senior political reporter Jonathan Allen puts the former Florida congressman’s downfall in historical context.

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President Trump’s ‘revenge’ campaign hits harsh reality of governing in Washington

Written by Henry J. Gomez, Olympia Sonnier, Jake Traylor, and Julie Tsilkin

Matt Gaetz’s withdrawal from the attorney general nomination on Thursday is a sign of the possibilities that President-elect Donald Trump faces as he tries to transform his “revenge” campaign into a coalition that can function within the realities of Washington. indicates a certain disorder.

Mr. Gaetz, most recently a Florida congressman, embodies Mr. Trump’s policies based on grievance and revenge, like most others. He has been one of Trump’s most punitive defenders and has been at the forefront of MAGA resistance in Congress, even against his own Republican leadership.

But from the moment President Trump announced Gaetz as his nominee eight days ago, it was a tough sell. The nomination shocked much of Washington.

The Justice Department, which President Trump had wanted Gates to lead, had previously investigated Gates in a sex-trafficking case that ended without charges. Meanwhile, an unpublished report from a separate House Ethics Committee investigation also troubles Gaetz, detailing what two women who say Gaetz paid for sex told the committee. It started to become clear little by little.

Gaetz’s hasty withdrawal is also emblematic of how the president-elect and his team often defy convention on Capitol Hill. Gaetz’s liability and legal issues are well-documented, but a deeper investigation by Trump’s team could have revealed the details of the ethics investigation sooner. And until President Trump surprised the political world with his announcement last week, there was little effort to take senators’ temperatures.

At least five Senate Republicans plan to vote against Gaetz, telling other senators and those close to Trump that they are unlikely to budge, according to people with direct knowledge of the matter. It is said that he was “No” votes included Sens. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, Susan Collins of Maine, Markwayne Mullin of Oklahoma, and Sens. Also included was Senator-elect John Curtis.

And at least 20, perhaps as many as 30 Senate Republicans were extremely uncomfortable about having to vote for Gaetz on the Senate floor, one person said.

Read more →

Putting Gates’ withdrawal into historical context

Written by Jonathan Allen

It is rare for a newly elected president to lose selection for a cabinet position, much less attorney general. The last time the Senate actually rejected a nominee was in 1989, when George H.W. Bush appointed longtime Texas senator John Tower to run the Pentagon.

But it’s not even Thanksgiving and Donald Trump is already searching for a backup top law enforcement officer after Matt Gaetz withdrew his bid for AG on Thursday. Republican senators appear to have decided that the latest round of glamorous discomfort has less impact than the years-long campaign to discredit Gates and the sexual misconduct allegations against him.

Gates has not yet been formally nominated and Trump will not take office until January, but they have hired Zoe Baird and Kimba Wood, both of whom Bill Clinton nominated. He is the first candidate to be removed from consideration for attorney general since 1993, when he was removed from consideration following revelations. Illegal immigration.

New presidents typically draw up their cabinet list with at least an eye on the chances of winning confirmation. Gates didn’t fit that mold.

On a broader level, Trump has had more fights with the Senate than most presidents. And he may find that the country’s Republican majority is not as flexible as he would like.

His choice for defense secretary, former Fox News personality Pete Hegseth, encountered early resistance. The same goes for Tulsi Gabbard and Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the president’s nominees for Director of National Intelligence and Secretary of Health and Human Services, respectively. Their fate has not yet been decided.

But President Trump is not off to a good start. He will need to be more thoughtful about nominating someone who can win confirmation on his own or cross the finish line with senators. Otherwise, he risks repeating the mistakes of Barack Obama’s cabinet, or worse. In 2009, Tom Daschle (Health and Human Services), Bill Richardson (Commerce), and Judd Gregg (Commerce) all resigned for different reasons.

Last time, Trump lost only one of his original Cabinet nominees, when Andrew Puzder withdrew his candidacy for Secretary of Labor in February 2017.

Details of Trump administration transition

• In addition to Gaetz, President Trump’s cabinet picks Hegseth and Kennedy also face serious allegations of sexual misconduct, which both deny. A newly released police report details the charges Hegseth faces.
• President Trump plans to take a flurry of executive actions within hours of taking office, imposing more socially conservative health care policies on the U.S. military and beginning large-scale deportations of illegal aliens.
• Dr. Mehmet Oz, whom President Trump nominated to head the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, has evolving views on Obamacare and Medicare over the years, including advocating for a “one-size-fits-all” plan.

That’s all from the political desk. If you have any feedback, whether you like it or not, please email us at: politicsnewsletter@nbcuni.com

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