Donald Trump’s junk drawer

| 7:29 pm EST December 7, 2024
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Likely one of the best digs about Donald Trump’s cabinet picks came courtesy of Jim McGovern (D-MA) when he called the picks a “junk drawer” on the House floor. McGovern said: “I mean, it looks like the requirements to be in the Trump White House are that you either abuse women or you’re an out-of-touch billionaire.” He left out “have a drinking problem,” which very recently came out about Pete Hegseth. According to a site called CoinDesk, Hegseth “vows to stay sober if confirmed as Secretary of Defense.” If an alcoholic can stay sober without help, there would be no need for AA. The outlet said that Hegseth’s drinking concerned his colleagues at Fox News, and the New Yorker dropped a bomb of a report on Hegseth that involved “financial mismanagement, sexist behavior, and being repeatedly intoxicated on the job.” Trump wants this lush to run the Pentagon. No thanks. The New Yorker went farther into details about Hegseth, and there’s no way the Senate should allow this man to run the military.

Hegseth ran two nonprofit groups: Veterans for Freedom and Concerned Veterans for America. He was forced to step down from both because of financial mismanagement, sexual impropriety, and personal misconduct. Clearly, this man should oversee nothing. His vow to “not drink on the job” is not enough. Nominating this man is a farce, and McGovern is right to talk about it on the floor. Perhaps a Republican or two will regain their senses. McGovern then asked: “What’s next? Are they going to replace FBI background checks with a Fox News screen test?” Not only are Trump’s choices off key, but it appears that Republican focus is similarly off key. Instead of grocery prices, they’re fighting over trans bathroom use. According to McGovern and HuffPost, Nancy Mace (R-NC) made hundreds of social medial posts about anti-trans bathroom use in 72 hours. Obsessed? Sure sounds like it.

McGovern is right. Republican priorities are screwed up. Trump has chosen the most ridiculous people to serve in his cabinet, people who have no idea how “the other half” lives. How can they possibly come up with policies to serve people about whom they have no knowledge? Trump doesn’t care. He’s paying his debts to all the people who stood by him. As usual, the presidency is all about Trump. All of Trump’s choices are bad, but most politicians in Washington are fixated on Hegseth. According to the Hill, Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) said that he has talked to multiple Republican colleagues who shared that they are simply “waiting for the right moment” to reject Hegseth. Blumenthal said that Republicans are afraid to come out publicly because they don’t want “to defy Donald Trump,” but he believes things will be different behind closed doors. Frankly, Blumenthal believes they will no longer be discussing Hegseth by next week. We will see what happens, but Hegseth is only one of bad choices from Trump. Someone needs to talk him out of Kash Patel and let Christopher Wray serve out his term. The world doesn’t revolve around controversy, even though Trump loves it.

Dear Palmer Report readers, this is an uncertain time so I'm asking for your help. If you can each contribute $5 or $25 or $75 – whatever matches your budget – to help with Palmer Report’s ongoing operating expenses, it’ll help a lot. Thank you so much. Contribute here. Much thanks, Bill Palmer