President-elect Donald Trump values loyalty above all. He has never hesitated to use menace and harassment to coerce into line or if necessary purge those at every level of his own party who are insufficiently loyal. He is a master of intimidation.
He is now about to test Republican senators on their loyalty. We will see if they can put the good of their country above their fear of the bully. Will they stand firm or will they humiliate themselves?
Trump has made a number of nominations for his cabinet that the Senate cannot possibly confirm in good conscience.
Consider, for example, his choice for Director of National Intelligence, former Representative Tulsi Gabbard. She not only has no intelligence experience, she has frequently taken positions opposed to American foreign policy and national security interests, quite aside from showing sympathy for the likes of Vladimir Putin and Bashar al-Assad.
For Secretary of Defence, Trump has opted for Pete Hegseth, a co-host on a Fox News show. He has no experience in government or national defence other than as an Army infantryman in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Guantánamo Bay. He has never run a large organization and will now be expected to run one of the largest and most complex on the planet. He may even have trouble obtaining security clearance as he was removed from service at President Biden’s inauguration because of concerns that he’s an extremist.
The most egregious choice is Representative Matt Gaetz for Attorney General, the highest law enforcement officer in the nation. Gaetz once called for the abolishment of the F.B.I. and the Justice Department if they didn’t stop investigating Trump. He has denied the results of the 2020 election and praised the Capitol rioters as patriotic Americans. He has been investigated by the House Ethics Committee for allegations of sexual misconduct, illicit drug use and improper acceptance of gifts. Detested even by his fellow Republicans, Gaetz is generally considered to be the most hated man in Congress.
These three and others are manifestly unfit for office. So will the Senate confirm any of them?
They could avoid the responsibility by declaring a recess, during which the president is allowed to make appointments without their confirmation. Trump has indicated he likes this approach.
It would, however, be an incredible abdication of power and likely the subject of a lawsuit. But then the largely Trump-appointed Supreme Court has not been shy to grant power to the president.
There is also a clause in the American constitution that allows the president, in co-operation with the House of Representatives, to force a Senate recess. This authority has never been used, but then the country has never had a president like this.
So very big decisions are looming for the senators. Big decisions for them and big decisions for the country. If they don’t stand firm, Trump will be completely unleashed, and that will be very ugly indeed.