After celebrating an easy victory over Vice President Kamala Harris in Tuesday’s election, President-elect Donald Trump has less than three months to organize a new cabinet and foreign policy team before entering office next year.
Trump said during his victory speech that the his decisive win gave him the right to carry out his policy promises as soon as he gets into office. “America has given us an unprecedented and powerful mandate. We have taken back control of the Senate. Wow. That’s great,” Trump said.
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He repeated that he would “stop war,” a claim he has made about Ukraine on several occasions without offering details on how he could single-handedly end Russia’s occupation. “We want a strong and powerful military and, ideally, we don’t have to use it. You know, we had no wars for years. We had no wars,” Trump said. “They said, ‘He will start a war.’ I’m not going to start a war. I’m going to stop wars.”
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“But this is also a massive victory for democracy and for freedom. Together, we’re going to unlock America’s glorious destiny. We’re going to achieve the most incredible future for our people,” he added.
Hundreds of foreign policy officials, several of whom have worked with the President-elect in the past, have warned of the perils of another Trump White House. Over 700 national security officials endorsed Harris due to the former President’s foreign policy past actions and future proposals in an open letter in September.
“We do not agree on everything, but we all adhere to two fundamental principles,” the National Security Leaders of America (NSL4A) wrote.
“First, we believe America’s national security requires a serious and capable Commander-in-Chief [which in the US is the president]. Second, we believe American democracy is invaluable. Each generation has a responsibility to defend it. That is why we, the undersigned, proudly endorse Kamala Harris to be the next President of the United States.”
Half of Trump’s former cabinet members had spoken out against the convicted felon by Election Day 2024 too. The 45th president oversaw one of the most tumultuous cabinets in American history, with several roles changing hands multiple times throughout his presidency.
Trump’s first Defense Secretary, James Mattis, resigned in December 2018 a day after Trump announced the abrupt withdrawal of US troops from Syria. He publicly criticized Trump’s handling of the Black Lives Matter protests, saying: “Donald Trump is the first president in my lifetime who does not try to unite the American people – does not even pretend to try. Instead, he tries to divide us.” He’s said Trump makes a “mockery of our constitution.”
Mark Esper served as Defense Secretary under Trump from July 2019 until November 2020, when Trump fired him with a tweet. He repeatedly and publicly clashed with the then-President. Trump “has [fascist] inclinations,” he said. “I think it’s something we should be wary about.”
The upcoming US president has not yet officially declared who will make up his next foreign affairs team – namely the secretary of state, secretary of defense, and national security adviser – but a few loyal candidates are likely to make the cut.
Who will get each role is still anyone’s bet. Here are a few possible scenarios.
Secretary of Defense – Richard Grenell
The secretary of defense heads up the Department of Defense and a congressionally allocated budget worth hundreds of billions of dollars. They are considered the top official on defense policy and oversee the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
Four-star general and Marine Jim Mattis held the role of Secretary of Defense for most of the first two years of Trump’s time in office. He clashed with the then-president and resigned after Trump announced the US withdrawal from Syria.
Mark Esper, an Army veteran and tech executive, took up the mante next. His relationship with Trump frayed over the 45th president’s announcement about the withdrawal of American troops from Afghanistan. Trump fired Esper the day after the 2020 election for saying that there was no basis for challenging the results.
Richard Grenell has been one of Trump’s closest aides on foreign policy for decades and reportedly advised him during his recent campaign, according to Foreign Policy magazine. He served as the former president’s Director of National Intelligence in 2020, becoming the first openly gay cabinet member in US history. Previously, Trump appointed Grenell ambassador to Germany and in charge of Serbia and Kosovo peace negotiations. He was also the spokesperson for the UN in the George W. Bush administration.
The veteran is believed to be heavily influential in Trump’s Ukraine and Russia policies. He has floated the idea of establishing an autonomous zone in eastern Ukraine to end the war, an idea that Kyiv has repeatedly rejected as unacceptable.
Other contenders for secretary of defense include: Waltz, Pompeo, Hagerty, and Arkansas Senator Tom Cotton.
National Security Adviser – Michael Waltz
The National Security Adviser is a senior member of both the National Security Council and Homeland Security Council. Although the nat sec adviser is appointed by the president instead of the Senate, they are considered the primary policy liaison between the president and lawmakers on national security issues at home and abroad.
Trump rotated through several National Security Advisers during his first term in office. Michael Flynn, a retired Army Lieutenant General and a former director of the Defense Intelligence Agency (until fired by President Obama, reportedly for some bigoted remarks he had made), served first. His tenure was the shortest in history for the position – he resigned after less than a month. Flynn ultimately took a plea deal from the FBI for lying about his relationship with the Russian ambassador – a crime he was later pardoned for by Trump.
He was soon replaced by H. R. McMaster, another retired Army Lieutenant General with extensive overseas experience. After about 13 months in office, McMaster abruptly resigned along with a slew of other officials. He appeared to leave on good terms with the president.
John Bolton took center stage next, lasting about a year and a half in the role – longer than any other adviser in the position during Trump’s first term. He served as ambassador to the UN under Bush and the assistant attorney general under Reagan. Robert O’Brien, an attorney and strategist, became Trump’s final National Security Adviser for about 16 months.
None of these former cabinet officials are expected to make a comeback in Trump’s next government.
Instead, another hot pick is likely to fill the slot – Michael Waltz, a Florida representative, army veteran, and former Green Beret. He has experience in both the Pentagon and the White House and has advised Trump on national security issues in the past, according to Politico. He is a vocal China critic who has showed continued support for funding for Ukraine with increased taxpayer oversight. He has loyally backed many of Trump’s foreign policy stances.
“I think we do need new leadership. We need a culture change,” Waltz told NPR after Trump’s victory was announced. “We need to focus the Defense Department on being the meritocracy that it has always been, where we just simply have the best of the best.”
More known contenders for National Security Adviser include Pompeo and Grenell.
The Rest of the Team
Several other well-established Republicans are also being considered for top foreign policy positions in Trump’s next government. Multiple former national security advisers and lawmakers are already being vetted for several roles.
Here are over a dozen high-ranking conservatives who are likely to make an appearance in Trump’s next FP team:
Stay tuned for more updates from Kyiv Post on the development of Trump’s foreign affairs team and policy initiatives – especially as they relate to Ukraine.
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