Matt Gaetz, Pete Hegseth, Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., Elon Musk are all in line to function high authorities leaders.
All have confronted various levels of sexual misconduct allegations.
The president’s picks to hold out his agenda mirror an incoming administration hostile to the norms of the “Me Too” motion. Habits which may have gotten an individual fired or canceled (or not nominated to a cupboard place) over the past a number of years, seems to be much less problematic within the Trump 2.0 period.
Gaetz (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Name, Inc through Getty Photographs); Hegseth (John Lamparski/Getty Photographs); Kennedy (Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC/Getty Photographs); Musk (ALLISON ROBBERT/POOL/AFP through Getty Photographs)
To be clear: three of the lads — Gaetz, Hegseth and Musk — have persistently denied the allegations towards them.
Gaetz, Trump’s legal professional common choose, mentioned he didn’t have a sexual relationship with a minor, a 17-year-old, whereas he was a member of Congress, regardless of sworn witness testimony on the contrary. Gaetz allies additionally level to a Justice Division investigation that yielded no prices.
A 2017 sexual assault investigation into the person Trump plans to appoint to be protection secretary, Pete Hegseth, resulted in no prices, in keeping with Hegseth’s lawyer. Hegseth reached a confidential settlement with the lady concerned.
Eight staff of SpaceX filed a lawsuit earlier this yr accusing CEO Elon Musk of fostering a hostile work atmosphere that the plaintiffs say was rife with sexual harassment. The eight plaintiffs mentioned that throughout the course of their employment with SpaceX, they have been uncovered to “undesirable conduct and feedback of a sexual nature by Elon Musk that created a hostile and abusive work atmosphere,” their lawsuit mentioned. Musk denied the allegations, in keeping with the Related Press. Musk has been tapped to co-lead the Division of Authorities Effectivity, a authorities company Trump intends to ascertain.
Kennedy, Trump’s choose to steer the Division of Well being and Human Providers, is the one one of many 4 who indicated it was doable that he had acted inappropriately, apologizing to a former nanny for allegations of undesirable sexual advances within the Nineties.
He informed CBS Information that he doesn’t recall the conduct in query, however doesn’t need to “go away anyone on this planet feeling like I did one thing that was insensitive or inappropriate.”
Requested whether or not he might need to make the same apology to another person sooner or later, Kennedy replied, “It is fairly doable. I am 70 years previous. I had a really rambunctious life.”
Trump himself has been accused of sexual misconduct by at the least 15 girls. In 2023, a jury discovered him civilly chargeable for sexually abusing author E. Jean Carroll.
The Trump transition workforce has not responded to a request for remark.
Machismo was usually a centerpiece of Trump’s attraction to voters throughout the 2024 marketing campaign. He often spoke about toughness — whether or not that trait utilized to his immigration coverage, combating illicit drug commerce or surviving two assassination makes an attempt.
Wrestler Hulk Hogan delivered a primetime speech on the Republican Nationwide Conference, ripping off his shirt whereas lavishing reward on the nominee.
And Trump additionally frolicked on right-leaning podcasts with largely male audiences.
His entreaties to male tradition paid off in November. He had an even bigger benefit amongst male voters towards Kamala Harris, profitable this group by 13 share factors, in comparison with the 8-point benefit he had towards President Biden in 2020, and the 11-point margin over Hillary Clinton in 2016.
The Senate can have closing say on whether or not Gaetz, Hegseth and Kennedy grow to be confirmed cupboard secretaries. Forward of their affirmation hearings, Republican senators, who’re prone to have to supply almost all the votes for these 4 nominees, didn’t say a lot about their prospects.
Louisiana Senator John Kennedy was unsure Tuesday on whether or not Gaetz might get the 51 votes he’ll want for affirmation. “I would not wager my home on it someway. And if I have been betting your home, which might be rather a lot simpler, I might say ‘I do not know,'” he mentioned.
A number of Republicans interviewed by CBS Information had the same message: let the vetting and affirmation course of proceed, and do not leap to conclusions, even when the allegations are troubling.
“We’re going to have conversations,” Sen. Joni Ernst of Iowa mentioned.
“There must be professional vetting,” Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski mentioned. “That is what committees do. That is our job.”
