In early Nov 2024, the American people delivered a “mandate” of leadership for the Republican party, a term that has been coined by conservative commentators and senators such as Sen. Rick Scott, R-FL due to Trump’s victory in both the electoral college and the national popular vote. Holding the “trifecta” (control of the house, senate, and executive branch), it is very likely that the next two years will be comprised of a “MAGA” legislative agenda, which is focused on policies such as universal tariffs, cutting regulatory burdens, mass deportations, etc.
As the Republican party has evolved there have been numerous shifts in ideological stances. Those who hold neo-conservative views are now being dubbed as “RINOs,” which stands for “Republican in Name Only.” Trump’s first term was constituted by individuals with such views, as Paul Ryan and Mitch McConnell, Republican leaders in Congress, who engaged in political feuds with the President-elect. Cabinet members such as Mike Pompeo, the former Secretary of State, and Nikki Haley, the former Ambassador to the UN, have been painted as “RINOs,” and will not be serving in Trump’s 2nd cabinet.
However, “Trumpism” hasn’t completely engulfed the Republican Party yet. Secret discussions regarding who will be Senate Majority leader are ramping up, with career politicians such as Sen. John Thune, R-SD, and Sen. John Cornyn, R-FL gaining widespread support among Republican senators. However, these two are both career politicians, and the MAGA world has endorsed Republican Sen. Rick Scott, a Trump loyalist who was reelected for the first time. Both Thune and Cornyn hold more bipartisan voting records, while Scott is a staunch conservative according to Heritage Action for America.
Besides endorsements and the support of Sen. JD Vance, R-OH who is now the Vice President-elect, Trump doesn’t have any direct control over this secret Senate majority vote. Nevertheless, Trump has already begun to institute a very loyalist cabinet with the help of tech tycoon Elon Musk, who was instrumental in monetary support for the former President. Mere days after being elected, Trump appointed Susan Wiles to be the White House’s Chief of Staff – she will be the first female to ever hold the position. Wiles was instrumental in Trump’s successful Florida campaign in 2020, despite the fact that Trump lost ground across the country in comparison to 2016.
Next up are Lee Zeldin and Elise Stefanik, both of whom are former Republican congresspeople from New York. Zeldin is set to head the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency), while Stefanik is set to take Haley’s former position as ambassador to the UN. Both are Trump loyalists and some of the Republican party’s young stars. Tom Homan, the former acting director of ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) has now been appointed as the “border czar,” and is a staunch supporter of Trump’s plan for the largest mass deportation operation in the history of the United States.
Regardless, not all announced appointees have supported President-elect Trump since his debut on the golden escalator or hold his exact same policy views. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-FL is suspected to be the next Secretary of State, a cabinet position that is in charge of executing the president’s foreign policy views. Unlike the aforementioned “MAGA loyalists,” Rubio has engaged in numerous political feuds with the President-elect, with heightened tensions during their respective Presidential Candidacies in 2016. Rubio called Trump a “con artist,” and warned America that Trump couldn’t be trusted with the nuclear codes. Rubio also holds a more “hawkish” foreign policy that does not represent Trump’s isolationist views, so we’ll see how that perspective evolves.
Similarly, Mike Waltz, a retired National Guard officer and three-term congressman, will likely be the National Security Advisor for the nation. Waltz also embraces a foreign policy ideology comparable to Rubio’s, as he has criticized the Biden Administration for not supporting Israel in a more fierce manner. Waltz also served with former Vice President Dick Cheney, a man vigorous in his support of the war on terror in the Middle East which resulted in the deaths of millions. But, both Rubio and Waltz have expressed their never-ending support for Trump over the past few months, with Rubio speaking at numerous “MAGA rallies.”
Thus far, Trump has anointed various nominees who are both loyalists and classic conservatives. His policy agenda has been dubbed as “radical” by some, and “necessary” by others. We don’t yet have complete clarity on how this administration will operate, but there’s one thing we know for sure. America has never been more divided, and unfortunately, we’re in for a tumultuous ride regardless of your political stance.
