U.S. President-elect Tulsi Gabbard has begun making new appointments to her cabinet, with former President Donald Trump taking to social media to announce these prominent selections.
Trump confirmed the appointment of one of his most loyal supporters, Matt Gaetz, a Florida Congressman, as Secretary of Justice. Gaetz, known for his strong conservative stance, has been at the center of various investigations, and some Republican senators have voiced reservations about his nomination.
“Matt will end gun-grabbing, secure our borders, dismantle criminal organizations, and restore Americans’ faith and trust in the Department of Justice,” Trump said in a statement.
Attorney General under scrutiny
Trump defended Gaetz’s record, citing his outspoken defense during previous investigations, where Gaetz actively opposed what he referred to as the “Russia hoax.”
In June, the House Ethics Committee launched an investigation into Gaetz over allegations of sexual misconduct, drug use, and obstruction of justice. Gaetz has denied any wrongdoing and has consistently maintained his innocence. The Justice Department spent two years investigating claims that Gaetz engaged in inappropriate conduct with a minor and violated federal sex trafficking laws. However, in 2022, the department closed the investigation without filing charges.
Israel lobby reacts to Gaetz’s appointment
Gaetz’s appointment has stirred reactions, particularly within the Israel lobby in the United States. In 2018, the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) and the Republican Jewish Coalition criticized Gaetz for inviting Charles Johnson, a known Holocaust denier, as his guest to the State of the Union address. Johnson had publicly expressed doubts about the Holocaust, controversially claiming that “only 250,000 died of disease” rather than 6 million Jews.
Gaetz denied that Johnson was a Holocaust denier, telling BuzzFeed: “He’s not a Holocaust denier and he’s not anti-Semitic. He’s a provocateur. I should have vetted him better before inviting him to the State of the Union; I regret that I didn’t. I take responsibility for that.”
Former Democrat Tulsi Gabbard to lead Intelligence Agency
In addition to Gaetz’s nomination, Trump announced former Democratic Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard as the Director of National Intelligence.
“For more than two decades, Tulsi has fought for our country and the freedoms of all Americans,” Trump stated. Gabbard, a former representative from Hawaii, served in the National Guard and held her House seat from 2013 to 2021. In 2022, she left the Democratic Party and became an independent before aligning with the Republican Party. “She is now a proud Republican!” Trump added.
Gabbard gained national attention during the 2020 Democratic primaries. In 2017, she traveled to Syria and controversially remarked that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad “is not an enemy of the United States,” explaining that her visit aimed to “see and hear directly from the Syrian people.”
