ATLANTA (AP) — President Donald Trump’s brash populism has always involved incongruence: the billionaire businessman-politician stirring the passions of millions who, regardless of the U.S. economy’s trajectories, could never afford to live in his Manhattan skyscraper or visit his club in south Florida. His second White House is increasingly resembling the inside of Mar-a-Lago, with extremely wealthy Americans taking key roles in his Republican administration.
The world’s richest man, Elon Musk, is overseeing the new Department of Government Efficiency, tasked with slashing federal spending. His appointment, alongside other billionaires and mega-millionaires, has raised eyebrows and concerns about conflicts of interest.
“He’s bringing in folks who have had great success in the private sector,” said Debbie Dooley, an early Trump supporter and former national organizer for the Tea Party movement. “If you need to have brain surgery, you want the proven brain surgeons,” she added, making the case for the expertise these individuals bring.
Yet, critics like former Labor Secretary Robert Reich question how these wealthy appointees will connect with the struggles of average Americans, as the median household net worth hovers around $193,000 and the annual household income is about $81,000. “It’s hard to conceive how the wealthiest set of Cabinet nominees and White House appointments in history will understand what average working people are going through,” Reich expressed, highlighting the widening wealth gap.
Trump’s appointments include:
- Elon Musk (net worth estimated above $400 billion) as chair of the Department of Government Efficiency, responsible for cutting federal spending, amid questions about potential conflicts of interest due to his business ties.
- Linda McMahon, the former WWE executive, appointed as Secretary of Education, where she will oversee policies promoting school choice and potentially withhold federal funding from schools not aligned with White House standards.
- Doug Burgum, the former North Dakota governor and software entrepreneur, whose wealth is estimated to exceed $100 million. He has the mandate to fulfill Trump’s “Drill, baby, drill” oil policy.
- Scott Bessent, designated as Treasury Secretary, who, though not classified as a billionaire, is worth hundreds of millions and will influence tax policies benefiting the wealthy.
- Howard Lutnick (net worth $1.5 billion), nominated to head Commerce, placing him at the epicenter of Trump’s trade wars.
- Kelly Loeffler, the wealthiest member of the Senate during her brief tenure, now leads the Small Business Administration, her past facing scrutiny due to ethics complaints over stock trades related to the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Jared Isaacman, overseeing NASA, previously completed the first private spacewalk, demonstrating the trend of appointing billionaires to these pivotal roles.
These appointments reflect Trump’s inclination toward siding with the wealthy private sector, intertwining business expertise and government management. Observers note this could veer sharply from servicing the base of average workers who initially rallied behind Trump’s message of populism.
Dooley’s remarks encapsulate the administration’s potential stance: “Trump sets the agenda. If they won’t enact his policies, then they will hear him say what we hear on ‘The Apprentice’ all the time: ‘You’re fired!’” Creating tension between populist ideals and the reality of his administration’s chosen leaders may signify challenges moving forward.
The juxtaposition of the aspirations tied to Trump’s campaign promises against the backgrounds of his appointees sheds light on the inherent conflicts lurking beneath his administration's interactions with the public. Whether they will resonate with those they aim to serve remains to be seen.