Back in the time of uncertainty, the then-president-to-be Donald Trump brought in hedge-fund CEO Scott Bessent as a treasury secretary. His other selections included Oregon Representative Lori Chavez-DeRemer as labor secretary, formative Director of the Office of Management and Budget, Russell Vought, and Dr. Janette Nesheiwat as surgeon general. Trump handed Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer the responsibility of rejuvenating the Labor department of his incoming administration. Amidst this flurry of appointments, young Americans were gearing their ideologies to become magically more conservative, an intriguing trend for sure.
Renowned Republican strategist Karl Rove released a statement saying that future President Trump would have to face the consequences of generating chaos via his Cabinet picks. On the flip side, Trump’s ex-chief of staff had alleged that Elon Musk most likely wouldn’t last long enough to see his ambitious projects come to fruition. These alarming predicaments don’t quite paint a picture of an ideal administration, do they?
Senator Mike Rounds, a Republican from South Dakota, proposed a bill to dissolve the Department of Education. Trump, then, still just a presidential hopeful, signaled his support for this dramatic move. In an abrupt transition of focus, Philippine security measures escalated after Vice President Sara Duterte threatened the assassination of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr, should her life be endangered. Across the globe, powerful people seem willing to go to extreme lengths to safeguard their own interests.
Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy found themselves deliberating over a checklist of programs with lapsed funding authorization, which included reputable agencies such as NASA and various child care grants. Rep. John Curtis, a Republican from Utah, managed to cement his influence on the Senate in merely a few weeks – well ahead of taking the oath to fill the shoes of the retiring Senator Mitt Romney. An impressive, if rather hasty achievement, don’t you think?
Musk and Ramaswamy professed their faith in the Supreme Court to empower Trump with the authority to deny the expenditure of money sanctioned by Congress. Moving north, the Canadian government, after expelling six Indian diplomat members for their alleged involvement in a plot against Sikh separatists, denied having proof that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi was tied to any acts of violence in Canada. Seems like quick political point scoring without much substance to back it up.
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, a Kentucky Republican, unveiled his intentions to undertake two pivotal offices in the upcoming Congress as he readies himself to relinquish his duties as the supreme Republican of the Senate. McConnell had previously highlighted his plans of stepping down from his leadership role in February with an announcement that he would be heading Senate committees. Meanwhile, Mexico’s president preached against treating immigrants as criminals but intriguingly was simultaneously creating plans for a wave of repatriated citizens in case Trump initiated mass deportations.
With hardly any delay on the horizon, President-to-be Trump was quick to nominate another contender for the attorney general role following Matt Gaetz’s withdrawal due to allegations of sexual misconduct. The decision to select Pam Bondi, who served as Florida’s attorney general for eight years, and who formed an integral part of Trump’s defense panel during his first impeachment trial, was shadowed with controversy due to her support of Trump’s unsubstianted claims of fraud in the aftermath of the 2020 elections.
Meanwhile, ex-Florida Representative Matt Gaetz withdrew his attorney general candidacy for the forthcoming Trump administration. This begs the question: Is it conceivable for him to revert to his original Congress role? For his part, Gaetz merely indicated he wouldn’t take the oath for the 119th Congress, which he had won reelection for and was starting on Jan. 3, 2025.
The notion of President-elect Trump forcing the Senate into an extended recess the following year to fill essential Cabinet roles bypassing the Upper House’s endorsement process encounters chilly reception amongst Republican senators. A slippery manoeuvre, but it seems that checks and balances are still alive and well.
Meanwhile, the Department statement highlighted the need to incorporate non-nuclear capabilities to enhance the nuclear deterrence mission in the US. In essence, we’re looking at a potential expansion of capability without increasing risk. A precarious balance at best and a misstep at worst.
Taking a gander at international developments, on the fringes of a South Korean industrial city, there was activity at a vast weapon manufacturing plant. Undergoing final-stage testing was a newly fabricated surface-to-air defense facility, possibly destined for Ukraine.
The AFP reported a multitude of weaponry being assembled at the production site, with various military armaments ranging from infantry armored vehicles to missile systems optimised for intercepting incoming missile threats. It provides a sharp reminder of ongoing geopolitical machinations and their potential unforeseen consequences.
As these series of events unfolded, they painted a vivid, if somewhat disjointed, picture of an evolving global political landscape, centered around the projected Trump administration and stretching far beyond its borders. Tensions, rumours, and speculation kept everyone, from ordinary citizens to political heavyweights, on their toes as they navigated these choppy waters.