Is Trump Sacrificing Controversial Cabinet Nominees as Pawns?
In the game of chess, there are few moves more exciting than a sacrifice. This signature maneuver occurs when one player intentionally gives up a piece to achieve a larger goal. Sacrifices are usually part of a combination of moves that result in a better or more comfortable position for the player who performs it. One of the most common types of sacrifices happens in the opening when a participant chooses to offer a pawn to gain a lead.
Controversial Cabinet Nominees Spark Speculation
The Trump transition team sent shockwaves across Washington, Wall Street, and beyond with alarming picks for key government posts. The role of secretary of defense overseeing a $900-billion budget and multiple global conflicts goes to Fox News television host and former army veteran Pete Hegseth; former Democratic congresswoman, Tulsi Gabbard, tapped to become the nation’s intelligence czar as Director of National Intelligence; Robert Kennedy, Jr. selected to head Health and Human Services; and Congressman Matt Gaetz (now sacrificed) to oversee the Department of Justice.
- Each nominee weighed down with mountains of baggage, compromising their ability to effectively lead.
- Controversial picks opposed to the very mission of the respective agency they have been chosen to lead.
- Clear and present danger to the security and health of the republic as they vie to sit atop powerful and influential agencies governing the country.
Chaos Ensues with Public Backlash
Already chaos has ensued since the picks became public. The stocks of multinational vaccine-makers cratered in the wake of RFK Jr.’s nomination. The Gaetz pick, before the withdrawal, pitted Republican against Republican. The intelligence and defense communities are in shock over the Gabbard and Hegseth nods. Moves that are inexplicable to the naked eye but no doubt meant to serve a much greater aim.
Candidates on a ‘Kamikaze Mission’
Each of the remaining picks comes with tremendous risk, even as there are no more campaigns left to run. Moreover, each nominee’s loyalties remain squarely with Trump, not the party, not the members of the Senate, and certainly not its decorum, traditions, and standards. Perhaps for Trump, that is exactly the point. Each haphazard candidate is meant to push the norms of political gamesmanship to the brink. Each a Manchurian candidate tasked with debilitating an independent branch of government (and more), one blow at a time — all on a kamikaze mission to destroy a system from within.
Prescient Moves by Trump
Ironically, the moves being made by Trump now are prescient; they were laid out in stunning detail by one of America’s ardent foes. The late Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev stated: “We will take America without firing a shot…we will bury you! We do not have to invade the United States, we will destroy you from within.”
- A Putin sympathizer to undermine the nation’s intelligence apparatus.
- The fiercest anti-vaxx proponent sent to destabilize the government’s healthcare ecosystem.
- An accused sex trafficker meant to paralyze the execution of justice.
- A suspected white nationalist that will turn the world’s foremost fighting machine on itself.
The Destruction of Democracy
Trump’s destructive impulses are now unleashed, seeking retribution for democracy holding him accountable. Aggressive opening salvos being made by an all-powerful vengeful ruler bent on eradicating this grand experiment. The system of checks and balances now teetering and the only check remaining on the soon-to-be most powerful person in the world are those within his own party.
Conclusion
Like moves on a chess board, the president-elect has opened with pawns, and one has been sacrificed. The possibility of a more dangerous nominee achieving Trump’s ultimate objective looms. Check and mate.
About the Author
Eric Ham is a bestselling author and former congressional staffer in the U.S. Congress. He served as a contributor to TheHill.com and The Washington Diplomat. He resides in Washington, DC.