This question worries many today - and it is clear why.
First, Russian officials never tire of repeating that Moscow stands for "the territorial integrity of Ukraine." However, they have said this before.
Secondly, some political figures living and operating on the territory of the LPR or DPR directly declare that Moscow has decided to close the "Novorossiya project" and they are "forced to submit."
Thirdly, it seems that if the leaders of the DPR and LPR adhere to the maximum line on the implementation of the Minsk agreements and directly, albeit without obvious pleasure, declare that these republics are ready to remain part of Ukraine on the basis of "the broadest autonomy", then Kiev is not only does not limit itself in militant propaganda, but also builds up military preparations, and also does nothing to give Donbass any autonomy, not to mention the "broadest" one.
I will not now discuss the specifics of official and diplomatic rhetoric, which very often develops in parallel with real politics, and sometimes even disguises it. I want to say something more essential.
The "Novorossiya Project" may have existed as a "political", or more precisely, as they say now, a "political technological" project. And as such, it can indeed be "opened", "reformatted", "frozen" or "closed".
But besides politics as the activity of officials, state institutions, political technology centers, etc., there is also politics as a historical process. And in this last (and in fact - in the first and main) quality, the politician is very little subordinate to individuals and state institutions, but they are almost inevitable to her.
Let me remind you that Mikhail Gorbachev really wanted to preserve the Soviet Union. And to question this desire is stupid. However, the Soviet Union collapsed, and Mikhail Sergeevich could only remember how he “did everything to save the USSR”. However, as on another, positive, in his opinion, the same Gorbachev remarked, “the process has started” ... And the President of the USSR, as well as all other officials, state structures with loud names and ordinary well-wishers failed to do anything.
So, it is impossible to resist fundamental political, that is, historical, processes. At best, they can be saddled (led), as Yeltsin did in the late 90s, at worst, they can be slowed down.
"Project Novorossiya" as a historical phenomenon arose not by anyone's personal will, but by the will of the people of Novorossiya. And Novorossia is not a historical and political chimera, but a historical reality that has turned into a political reality during 2014. Moreover, in my opinion, into a reality and a state one, albeit not officially recognized. And even the Kremlin, not to mention the Kiev state institutions, which are often much more chimerical than Novorossia, cannot "roll back" Novorossia. Even if he abandons some "project" under this name.
I see at least the following reasons for this. And the reasons are fundamental. I will list them without referring to examples that everyone can easily pick up on their own.
Objective reasons:
1) Multiethnic countries often disintegrate and, having disintegrated, as a rule, do not recover;
2) Artificially folded countries (states) almost always disintegrate. And once the process has begun, only an extremely subtle and in no way selfish domestic policy can reverse it;
3) Ethnocracy and racism do not strengthen, but destroy the unity of the country;
4) Separated territory, especially if the separation is based on unwillingness to give up its national identity and disagreement to be a "second-class people" practice never returns.
Subjective reasons:
1) Unidirectional external pressure can force the separated territory to return to the rule of the ethnocratic regime, but only by military force; if there is no readiness to apply it (with one's own military force and one's own sacrifices to save the ethnocratic regime), it’s a matter of seams;
2) Even by friendly persuasion and friendly pressure, it is impossible to force the separated territory (the separated people) to return to where humiliation, repression and death await them;
3) Nationalist, and even more so racist regimes (the case of today's Kiev) are not able to make concessions and compromises that are contrary to their essence (racism);
4) A friendly state can de jure and temporarily refuse to support the already separated from the ethnocratic center on pain of annihilation of the people, but this cannot be done by the population of this state. All the more so when people living in the seceded territory are connected with the citizens of this friendly state by blood and family ties. As a result, a friendly state itself will not be able to refuse such support - otherwise, those who are in power in it will face internal indignation. Moreover, such a refusal, in a fairly close perspective, is likely to lead to the disintegration of the most friendly state.
All of the above (and other arguments can also be cited) in the case of Novorossiya means that, firstly, it can be retained as part of Ukraine only if the current Kiev regime ceases to be itself, which is simply unrealistic. And we see that in its radical nationalism, which is turning more and more into outright racism and Nazism, this regime is only getting stronger.
Second, the above means that between the disintegration of Ukraine and the disintegration of Russia, Moscow cannot choose the disintegration of Russia. I think there is no need to prove this.
By the way, I will note that Vladimir Putin, who himself has repeatedly said that he is in favor of the territorial integrity of Ukraine (but already withdrawing Crimea from this), at the same time clearly stated that Russia cannot even allow the destruction of the population of southeastern Ukraine.
By the way, the leaders of the DPR and LPR are more likely to preserve the territorial integrity of Ukraine if they lead the power in Kiev than Poroshenko, Yatsenyuk, Turchynov, even those who rely on the support of the West. However, this option seems to be more hypothetical than real today.
But Novorossia (in one or another geographic configuration, which is not very important at the first stage) already exists and will never disappear. Unless, of course, the Kiev regime and the West dare to destroy its population without exception and swiftly. It’s hard for me to imagine how Moscow will be “inactive” in this case.
And the last thing. There is nothing exclusive, exotic, out of the ordinary in such a statement. In the post-Soviet space, for the very same objective and subjective circumstances, the Transnistrian Republic, the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic, Abkhazia and South Ossetia exist. And the fact that “someone” or even “no one” does not recognize them does not change matters. The main thing is that they are recognized by their own peoples, who understand that the choice is simple for them: either independence or death.
And you, Western and Moscow supporters of the closure of the "Novorossiya project", what would you choose for yourself if it was about your land, about your families and your homes?
And if you are not able to persuade a couple of thousand nationalists and Nazis from Kiev to "make a real compromise", why do you think that you will be able to convince millions of absolutely healthy residents of Novorossia that death or flight from their land is a blessing for them?
A year ago, the self-proclaimed “Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics” signed an agreement on unification as part of the “state”.
Correspondent.net I figured out what was the reason for the closure of the project, and whether it can be considered a victory for Ukraine.
Failure of the project
The first to close the Novorossiya project and dismantle the relevant political technology structures, said the "Minister of Foreign Affairs" of the DPR Alexander Kofman.
According to him, the main reason for the failure of the project is that its leaders in Kharkov and Odessa were arrested, "and the republics that were supposed to be created in these regions were beheaded."
The Novorossiya project is closed for some time - until a new political elite grows up in all these regions, capable of leading the movement. Well, we have no right to impose our opinion on Kharkov, Zaporozhye, Odessa
Alexander Kofman
In other words, the separatists admitted that their idea did not take root outside the Donetsk and Luhansk regions.
This was confirmed by the so-called "chairman" of the Novorossiya movement Oleg Tsarev.
He considers the main reason for the closure of the project in its inconsistency with the Minsk agreements.
“The activities of the Parliament of Novorossiya are now frozen, since its existence contradicts the Minsk agreements, and therefore neither I nor my deputies can directly influence the situation in Donbass,” he said.
The main page of the project's website now has a message: "Maintenance of the official website of the Parliament of Novorossiya has been suspended."
Reasons for failure
Gazeta.Ru cites the version of one of the influential DNR functionaries, according to which the plan to unite several regions of Ukraine under the Novorossiya brand got out of control on May 11, 2014.
On this day, a referendum on self-determination was held not in eight regions, as expected, but only in Luhansk and Donetsk regions.
“Novorossiya's supporters were unable to organize a sufficiently powerful attack in time. Where Kiev took the fight, the pro-Russian separatists were unable to take power. For example, the proclamation of the Kharkiv People's Republic collapsed after the arrest of 60 people in the seized regional state administration, Dnipropetrovsk - after the administration of Igor Kolomoisky signed an agreement of understanding and peace with all public organizations of the city, and knocked down a wave of pro-Russian rallies with more massive Ukrainian ones, ”the functionary notes.
According to another source of the publication among the separatists, the reason for the failure was that "practically nowhere in the east of Ukraine there was no" Crimean "support from the population and analogues of the Black Sea Navy, without them everything went wrong."
Tsarev unnecessary to anyone
The parliament of "Novorossiya", although it had a largely virtual character, nevertheless included in its composition people who really influenced the situation in the republics. For example, it included the future head of the DPR, Alexander Zakharchenko, or the chairman of the People's Council of the LPR, Aleksey Karjakin.
Later they began to represent other political platforms. But Tsarev did not succeed in gaining a foothold in the leadership of the republics: in Moscow they relied on the local elites, and Tsarev, a representative of the Dnipropetrovsk clan, was unnecessary.
Tsarev from the very beginning was not associated with Donbass, explains the source of Gazeta.Ru:
“Tsarev all this time was perceived as a Ukrainian politician and tried to return to the topic of Ukraine. Publicly, he spoke more on the topic of Ukraine, rather than New Russia. For him, Novorossia was a symbol of an ideal Ukraine ”.
The parliament of Novorossiya supervised by Tsarev was formed from the deputies of the LPR and DPR. But during the elections in the “republics” on November 2, 2014, the structure turned out to be unclaimed: the expected delegation of representatives did not take place.
Parliament and other similar projects were curtailed.
After the September Minsk agreements, Novorossia as a symbol was no longer needed in the eyes of the Russian authorities. The inverse task has appeared - to integrate the DPR and LPR into Ukraine, and not to increase the territory controlled by the separatists.
Accordingly, Tsarev and everything connected with him turned out to be unclaimed. Novorossiya turned out to be an unnecessary political technology project.
This question worries many today - and it is clear why.
First, Russian officials never tire of repeating that Moscow stands for "the territorial integrity of Ukraine." However, they said this before.
Secondly, some political figures living and operating on the territory of the LPR or DPR directly declare that Moscow has decided to close the "Novorossiya project" and they are "forced to submit."
DPR: Kiev builds up forces in Donbass and prepares for battlesDPR intelligence continues to record the movement of equipment and personnel of the Armed Forces of Ukraine along the demarcation line, said Eduard Basurin, deputy commander of the DPR militia headquarters.Thirdly, it seems that if the leaders of the DPR and LPR adhere to the maximum line on the implementation of the Minsk agreements and directly, albeit without obvious pleasure, declare that these republics are ready to remain part of Ukraine on the basis of "the broadest autonomy", then Kiev is not only does not limit itself in militant propaganda, but also builds up military preparations, and also does nothing to give Donbass any autonomy, not to mention the "broadest" one.
I will not now discuss the specifics of official and diplomatic rhetoric, which very often develops in parallel with real politics, and sometimes even disguises it. I want to say something more essential.
The "Novorossiya Project" may have existed as a "political", or more precisely, as they say now, a "political technological" project. And as such, it can indeed be "opened", "reformatted", "frozen" or "closed".
But besides politics as the activity of officials, state institutions, political technology centers, etc., there is also politics as a historical process. And in this last (and in fact - in the first and main) quality, the politician is very little subordinate to individuals and state institutions, but they are almost inevitable to her.
Let me remind you that Mikhail Gorbachev really wanted to preserve the Soviet Union. And to question this desire is stupid. However, the Soviet Union collapsed, and Mikhail Sergeevich could only remember how he "did everything to save the USSR." However, as on another, positive, in his opinion, the same Gorbachev remarked, "the process has begun" ... And the President of the USSR, as well as all other officials, state structures with loud names and ordinary well-wishers failed to do anything.
So, it is impossible to resist fundamental political, that is, historical, processes. At best, they can be saddled (led), as Yeltsin did in the late 90s, at worst, they can be slowed down.
"Project Novorossiya" as a historical phenomenon arose not by anyone's personal will, but by the will of the people of Novorossiya. And Novorossia is not a historical and political chimera, but a historical reality that has turned into a political reality during 2014. Moreover, in my opinion, into a reality and a state one, albeit not officially recognized. And even the Kremlin, not to mention the Kiev state institutions, which are often much more chimerical than Novorossia, cannot "roll back" Novorossia. Even if he abandons some "project" under this name.
I see at least the following reasons for this. And the reasons are fundamental. I will list them without referring to examples that everyone can easily pick up on their own.
Objective reasons:
1) Multiethnic countries often disintegrate and, having disintegrated, as a rule, do not recover;
2) Artificially folded countries (states) almost always disintegrate. And once the process has begun, only an extremely subtle and in no way selfish domestic policy can reverse it;
3) Ethnocracy and racism do not strengthen, but destroy the unity of the country;
4) Separated territory, especially if the separation is based on unwillingness to give up its national identity and disagreement to be a "second-class people" practice never returns.
Subjective reasons:
1) Unidirectional external pressure can force the separated territory to return to the rule of the ethnocratic regime, but only by military force; if there is no readiness to apply it (with one's own military force and one's own sacrifices to save the ethnocratic regime), it’s a matter of seams;
2) Even by friendly persuasion and friendly pressure, it is impossible to force the separated territory (the separated people) to return to where humiliation, repression and death await them;
3) Nationalist, and even more so racist regimes (the case of today's Kiev) are not able to make concessions and compromises that are contrary to their essence (racism);
4) A friendly state can de jure and temporarily refuse to support the already separated from the ethnocratic center on pain of annihilation of the people, but this cannot be done by the population of this state. All the more so when people living in the seceded territory are connected with the citizens of this friendly state by blood and family ties. As a result, a friendly state itself will not be able to refuse such support - otherwise, those who are in power in it will face internal indignation. Moreover, such a refusal, in a fairly close perspective, is likely to lead to the disintegration of the most friendly state.
All of the above (and other arguments can also be cited) in the case of Novorossiya means that, firstly, it can be retained as part of Ukraine only if the current Kiev regime ceases to be itself, which is simply unrealistic. And we see that in its radical nationalism, which is turning more and more into outright racism and Nazism, this regime is only getting stronger.
Second, the above means that between the disintegration of Ukraine and the disintegration of Russia, Moscow cannot choose the disintegration of Russia. I think there is no need to prove this.
By the way, I will note that Vladimir Putin, who himself has repeatedly said that he is in favor of the territorial integrity of Ukraine (but already withdrawing Crimea from this), at the same time clearly stated that Russia cannot even allow the destruction of the population of southeastern Ukraine.
By the way, the leaders of the DPR and LPR are more likely to preserve the territorial integrity of Ukraine if they lead the power in Kiev than Poroshenko, Yatsenyuk, Turchynov, even those who rely on the support of the West. However, this option seems to be more hypothetical than real today.
But Novorossia (in one or another geographic configuration, which is not very important at the first stage) already exists and will never disappear. Unless, of course, the Kiev regime and the West dare to destroy its population without exception and swiftly. It is difficult for me to imagine how Moscow will be "inactive" in this case.
And the last thing. There is nothing exclusive, exotic, out of the ordinary in such a statement. In the post-Soviet space, for the very same objective and subjective circumstances, the Transnistrian Republic, the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic, Abkhazia and South Ossetia exist. And the fact that "someone" or even "no one" does not recognize them does not change matters. The main thing is that they are recognized by their own peoples, who understand that the choice is simple for them: either independence or death.
And you, Western and Moscow supporters of the closure of the "Novorossiya project", what would you choose for yourself if it was about your land, about your families and your homes?
And if you are not able to persuade a couple of thousand nationalists and Nazis from Kiev to "make a real compromise", why do you think that you will be able to convince millions of absolutely healthy residents of Novorossia that death or flight from their land is a blessing for them?
Trump Cabinet
Who are all these people and what to expect from them
Text: Sergey Zviglyanich
Design: Tatiana Akhapkina
Donald Trump takes power in the United States into his own hands. On January 20, the inauguration of the 45th president took place, the new administration entered the White House, and now it will have to find about 4 thousand people for various positions in the executive branch. In fact, it is not so easy, so many can remain in their places under the new government. Trump is challenged not only by a shortage of loyal cadres, but also by the need to approve government members in the Senate. Trump can only appoint to the most important government posts those who will not be rejected by senators who are mostly skeptical of the new president.
The Transitional Administration has already released a list of nearly all candidates for top government positions. The essence of Trump's personnel strategy is quite clear - these are the military, big businessmen, extreme conservatives and loyal Trumpists. It's up to the Senate now. And although all the nominations are allegedly agreed with the congressmen, there may be serious battles around some individuals during the approval process.
112.ua introduces its readers to the people who will rule America in the coming years.
APPARATUS
After winning the election, the question arose before the transitional administration - how to build a bridge to Congress, where the populist Trump will have to promote his decisions. Usually the people who lead a candidate to an election victory then become apparatchiks in the White House. Trump's victory was forged by political strategists Corey Lewandowski, Kellyanne Conway, Paul Manafort, Stephen Bannon, daughter Ivanka, son-in-law Jared Kushner and even candidate's press attaché Hope Hicks. These are what Trump himself calls the "stars" of his campaign. However, none of them could boast of ties to the establishment. But Trump has a man who has them.
RYNS PRIBUS, another "star", if you follow Trump's terminology, was one of the first leaders of the Republican Party to express support for the notorious billionaire, and during the election race acted as a liaison between the headquarters and the leadership of the Republicans. During the election campaign, Priebus created a whole network that communicated directly with voters. Under his leadership, 315 field headquarters, 7,600 employees worked, knocking on the homes of 26 million Americans. They also made over 24 million calls. Priebus, 44, has become an important asset to the Trump team. He is a prominent Republican figure, Fellow House Speaker Paul Ryan, and has a good relationship with Senate Party leader Mitch McConnell. Orthodox, with Greek roots, lawyer, moderate conservative, good party organizer. Even during the Republican election defeat, Priebus was elected three times in a row as head of the Republican National Committee, celebrating his efforts to raise funds and reform the party. Although Priebus has no education in economics, he was able to cut the party's debts and return donors. In general, a kind of rising star of the Republicans.
And although the worldview of Trump and Priebus is completely different, Rines even during the campaign criticized his boss for slogans about the deportation of immigrants, the president-elect had no choice but to appoint his technologist to the post. White House chiefs of staff... American observers note that if Priebus had not been in the White House, it is difficult to imagine how Trump would have looked for ways to cooperate with Congress. The nomination really liked the Republican bosses and traditional conservatives. “Congratulations to Trump on a great choice. This demonstrates that he is serious about running the country, ”Senator Lindsey Graham tweeted.
Unlike Priebus, STEVEN BANNON close to Trump not only because of his professional skills, but also in his outlook. He criticizes globalization, accuses the establishment of corruption and service to corporations, over-regulation of the country and the decline of America. Bannon despises both Democratic neoliberals and Republican conservatives. His views are even sharper than those of Trump, who has never been politically correct. In his opinion, the United States and Europe are entering a "very cruel and bloody conflict" against the "new emerging barbarism", which he calls Islam. The greatest achievement of the West, according to Bannon, was the "enlightened form of capitalism", which was now threatened with destruction. According to Bannon, the political force now rising to defend all of these values is the "global tea party" that links Trump, the Brexit supporters, the anti-immigrant and anti-Islamic National Front in France. Any methods are good to defeat global evil.
Bannon, 62, has worked as an investment banker and producer in Hollywood and served in the Navy. The films that Bannon produced were very conservative on the far right. In 2012, Bannon took over the Breitbart news site, which is associated with the alt-right movement, whose adherents reject both left-wing ideology and traditional conservatism. The site stands for freedom of speech and "the right to insult." Opponents call Breitbart a racist, anti-Semitic and chauvinistic resource. Stephen Bannon's ideas are at odds with those of the majority of the Republican establishment. Some party members even call Bannon a right-wing extremist and racist. Even prominent far-right activists criticize Bannon. “He is a wild horror and at the same time he is now the main adviser to the President of the United States ... Bannon has clear connections with white neo-fascists. Explicit, ”says Glen Back, author of The Blaze, the right-wing site. Bloomberg called him "the most dangerous politician in America."
It should be noted that with Trump's victory in the United States, they started talking seriously about the rise of the “alternative right”. When the billionaire decided to run for president of the United States, white nationalists accepted him as their candidate. Indeed, they have a lot in common: he opposes illegal immigration, mocks women and the disabled, Trump is a cynic who does not profess any particular ideology. During the election campaign, alt-right was filled with articles and memes on the Internet, dedicated to the problems of immigration, as well as the harm of multiculturalism and political correctness. Breitbart News has become the main source of news for white nationalists. Almost all articles appearing on it are xenophobic, racist and sexist in nature. Today, Breitbart immigrants, the same Milo Yiannopoulos, have become popular figures, although they are essentially neo-fascists. In the wake of Trump's victory, they see the possibility of some kind of coup or even destruction of the political foundations of the United States. And this is another consequence of the crisis of liberal and conservative ideas that the United States is currently experiencing.
Steve Bannon joined the Trump team in August and, with the help of thousands of internet trolls, immediately launched an aggressive media policy at the billionaire's headquarters. It is symbolic that he replaced another odious businessman Paul Manafort with Trump. Under Bannon's direction, Breitbart became almost the only notable publication that clearly supported Donald Trump, in any situation and by any means. At one time, under the wing of Bannon, a sensational book by Peter Schweizer, Clinton Cash, was created, which showed in detail and convincingly how exactly the money that Hillary and Bill Clinton receive for their public appearances can influence their political decisions. These theses were used by the Trump headquarters in the campaign.
Bannon got a post in the administration chief strategist... If Priebus’s responsibilities will include ensuring the coherent work of the new administration and the promotion of legislative initiatives of the White House in Congress, then Bannon is Trump’s strategist. American observers point out that the president trusts Steve and heeds his advice.
The problem for the new president is that there is nothing but mutual contempt between Priebus and Bannon. For Bannon, Priebus and his Senate cronies are no better than Clinton. It will be interesting to see how this team will get along under the roof of the White House.
Another prominent figure in the Trump campaign was KELLIANN CONWAY Is a distinguished strategist and opinion researcher who has worked for several party heavyweights and has hardly been involved in scandals throughout her career. Interestingly, Trump is widely described as a sexist, with 49-year-old Conway becoming the first female campaign leader for a Republican presidential candidate (when Manafort left headquarters). Hardly anyone could have expected this from Donald Trump. Conway met him in 2004. In this campaign, she initially worked for Ted Cruz. She has a reputation for being “a real expert on women voters,” and she advised Trump to stop making sexist statements. Conway has become the face of the billionaire's television campaign. After the victory, Trump decided to appoint her as his senior advisor.
Less visible but important members of the Republican headquarters during the campaign and on the transition team were media managers. SEAN SPICEER, HOPE HICKES, JASON MILLER, DAN SCAVINO... Spicer Trump has given the post of press secretary of the White House, Hicks will become the director of strategic communications, Miller - the director of communications, and Scavino - the director of social networks. All of them will also be presidential aides. DONALD MCGAN will take the post of staff attorney of the White House.
Spicer is Priebus' creature. He has served as Director of Public Affairs at the Republican National Committee since 2011, and was promoted to Chief Strategy Officer in February 2015.
An influential member of Trump's campaign headquarters was his son-in-law - a businessman (developer, owner of the New York Observer) JARED KUSHNER. He enjoys the president's unquestioning confidence, receives intelligence reports, influences personnel policy, and looks after the 45th president's motley team. Kushner's contribution to Trump's victory is invaluable. They say that it was Kushner who advised Trump to elect Mike Pence as Vice President, and also to dismiss the head of the campaign headquarters, Corey Lewandowski, after he attacked the journalist.
The influence of Kushner on Trump is also evidenced by the fact that the president's son-in-law, according to the American media, at first did not allow the Governor of New Jersey, Chris Christie, to become a candidate for vice president, and then, after the elections, he completely achieved his exclusion from the team of the elected president. ... In 2004, Christie, then Attorney General of New Jersey, sent Jared's father, Charles Kushner, to jail on a financial fraud case.
In an editorial published in the New York Observer, Kushner defended Trump against anti-Semitic accusations against the millionaire following his "tweet" of Hillary Clinton and the six-pointed star in front of dollar bills, accompanied by the text: "Most Corrupt Candidate Ever." ... Kushner also prepared the text of Trump's speech to the influential pro-Israel lobbying organization AIPAC, which was concerned about the anti-Semitic views of the billionaire's electorate.
Now Kushner has not much to achieve, not a little - peace in the Middle East. Trump has appointed him special envoy for the Middle East. Earlier, Trump said that Kushner will play a key role in his Middle East diplomacy: "He knows the region, he knows the people, he knows the players." The President considers Kouchner "neutral in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict," but it is not yet known how Palestine will react to Trump's decision. Kushner is an Orthodox Jew whose grandparents were Holocaust survivors. He will be assisted by New York lawyer Jason Greenblatt, who served as Trump's adviser on Israeli affairs during the election campaign. Many people find it hard to believe in the success of this mission.
But which of the prominent figures of the Trump campaign will remain without a post in the White House (at least for now) - these are political strategists Paul Manafort and Corey Lewandowski. Nothing is heard about the first, and the second was allegedly offered to head the National Committee of the Republican Party instead of Priebus, but he refused. Lewandowski was more involved in scandals - he fought with the Breitbart journalist (yes, the same Bannon who would later come to headquarters) to prevent her from asking Trump a question, then at the rally he grabbed one of the protesters by the collar. Trump is now still paying Lewandowski money for nondisclosure.
Peter Thiel, a Silicon Valley libertarian, co-founder of PayPal and a member of the president-elect's transition team, although he has influence with Trump, will not get a position in the Cabinet and is supposedly preparing for the election of governor of California.
And Henry Kissinger was not even offered a chair, but he got a job. Former US Secretary of State will become a mediator between Moscow and Washington after the inauguration. Allegedly, Kissinger has a plan on how to reconcile Moscow and Washington, and he will put it on Trump's table. Trump listens to Kissinger's views on foreign policy issues.
Why is so much attention paid to future apparatchiks? They will represent the White House in the coming years. In addition, the same Priebus and Kushner have influence on the formation of the Cabinet of the 45th President. The first is clearly involved in the appearance in the government of Elaine Chao, wife of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, Congressmen Tom Price and Ryan Zinke, former Texas Governor Rick Perry. The second contributed to the appearance of representatives of the business wing in the Cabinet.
An interesting story unfolded around the failed appointment of Mitt Romney to the post of Secretary of State - he was "turned down" by Conway and Bannon. Conway, in particular, made a splash in all the media, as well as on social media, saying she doubted Romney's competence. Trump ultimately abandoned the idea of inviting him to the government. This also speaks of the influence of his "old guard" on the president.
CONSERVATORS
Donald Trump may not have wanted to bring in too many prominent GOP figures on the team, but he just couldn't avoid it. Without a deal with the National Committee, there was no nomination, much less electoral victory. And then Trump (and allegedly Kushner) decided to rely not on the top of the party, but on the extreme conservatives who are closer in their outlook. Trump has actually entered the nest of the Tea Party, which, as Bannon wrote earlier, remains America's only island of traditional values.
Trump chose a guy who won't dance to Washington's tune for vice presidency - MIKE PENSA, formerly supportive of Trump's opponent Ted Cruz. The 57-year-old Indiana governor, who served 6 terms in the House of Representatives and previously worked as a radio commentator, was supposed to bridge the gap between Trump and the party, as well as help win over the voices of the Midwest, especially the Great Lakes subregion, to the billionaire's side. These states voted for Obama in 2012, and unexpectedly for Trump in 2016. It was they who brought him victory. The calculation worked. But apart from that, Pence gave Trump political support in Washington.
Pence himself is conservative and is one of the leaders of the Tea Party. He often describes himself as "Christian, Conservative, and Republican, in that order." Pence is an old-school Republican. He often speaks of his religiosity (a Catholic with Irish roots, in his youth he converted to Evangelical Christianity) and even more often explains the laws he signed with her. He managed to make problems for himself by signing two laws: on the prohibition of abortion, as well as the Act on the Restoration of Religious Freedom, which caused a lot of protests due to the infringement of the rights of LGBT people. However, he publicly parted ways with Trump when he said that women who had an illegal abortion should be "somehow punished."
Pence advocates tax cuts and reduced government control over business, and is a supporter of free trade, although Trump positions himself as a protectionist. In Indiana, Pence carried out the largest cuts in local taxes, including taxes on corporations, cut unemployment from 8.4 percent to 5 percent, and offered an alternative health insurance system. Pence has already said that the new administration will first of all cancel the Obamacare reform and another 70% of Barack Obama's decrees. The vice president is likely to be responsible for regulatory reforms as well.
During his tenure in Congress, Pence served for 10 years on the committee on international politics. In international politics, Pence's views differ from Trump's. During the debate, Pence called Putin "a little pugnacious dictator" and also said that "Russian aggression must meet American power." Trump and Pence also look at the problem of emigrants differently. In Europe, Pence supports the policies pursued by the George W. Bush administration. Its essence lies in the development of a missile defense system. Pence said the United States will support its allies in Europe under any conditions.
However, unlike Joe Biden, Pence is unlikely to receive broad powers in the foreign policy of the Trump administration. For this, Trump has another team. But in domestic politics he will definitely be a prominent player. The vice-president-elect has friendly relations with House Speaker Paul Ryan and good contacts with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. Trump hopes the intractable Congress will soften its stance a little under the influence of Pence.
Although the vice-president-elect is definitely not an obedient party member. After Obama's second victory, Pence has left Congress in a party purge to return to Indiana and has a grudge against the establishment. However, today the Tea Party supporters play the first violin in the Republican Party. And if the Republican establishment took Trump with hostility, then the extreme conservatives found a way to increase influence in him. Their candidate, Ted Cruz, lost to Trump devastatingly, and therefore it was not difficult to negotiate with the marginal billionaire. He needed a nomination, and without the support of the Republican Party, no presidency would shine for Donald. Ted Cruise played his part and faded into the background, and Mike Pence, as one of the prominent conservatives, became a bridge for the supporters of the "tea drinking" in the White House. Pence brought many Conservatives into the government with him. And although he is still perceived more as a "dark horse", he himself wants to be no worse than the influential Dick Cheney during the time of George W. Bush. Considering Trump's impeachment is predicted by many, Pence may soon lead America.
Mike Pence symbolizes that extreme conservatives, who emerged as groups only a few years ago in response to popular voter dissatisfaction with party elites, under Trump enter the big game.
Alabama State Representative JEFF SESSIONS was the first serving senator to express his support for Trump as a presidential candidate. It was he who, during the GOP convention in Cleveland, symbolically nominated Trump as the representative of the Conservatives in the presidential election. Now Trump has allocated an important post to Sessions attorney general.
Sessions is the son of a businessman who owned a shop and sold farm equipment. In 1973, the future attorney general nominee received his JD from the University of Alabama. From 1981 to 1993, he was the federal attorney for the southern district of Alabama, appointed to this position by the 40th President of the United States, Ronald Reagan. Sessions was Alabama's attorney from 1995-1997, and since 1997 he has been regularly re-elected to the Senate. His campaign donors were firms in the insurance, coal mining and legal services industries.
The Attorney General nominee is one of the most conservative senators in the United States. He is an opponent of gay marriage and Obama's health care reform, has supported tax cuts by the George W. Bush administration and is skeptical of the idea of combating global warming. Sessions not only opposed the proposals of the Democrats to determine the path for obtaining citizenship by illegal migrants, but also advocated limiting legal migration. Fully supported the war in Iraq, but was one of three senators who voted against additional funding for the medical system for war veterans.
Sessions is on the Senate Armed Services Committee. He criticized the Obama administration for a nuclear deal with Iran and attempts to build democracy in the Middle East, European states for low military spending and for expanding cooperation with China.
Since 2014, Sessions has repeatedly spoken about the need to support Ukraine and conduct a tough dialogue with Russia. In March 2014, during a speech in Montgomery, he called for international pressure on Russia over its policies towards Georgia and Ukraine. “I believe that systematic efforts must be made to make Russia suffer for this. Because if we do not act now to adopt some sanctions against Russia, then why will they believe that in the future we are going to impose sanctions or do something more aggressive if they move forward to take all of Ukraine, all of Georgia? ? ", - he said then. Sessions criticized Obama for his decision not to deploy missile defense elements in Poland and the Czech Republic.
However, during Trump's presidential campaign, Sessions' rhetoric towards Russia has softened noticeably.
The 69-year-old Sessions was in place. He worked in the Department of Justice system for almost 15 years, rose to the Attorney General of Alabama, and from there he went to serve the country in the Senate. In his new post, he is going to implement the immigration ideas of the new president. He not only supports Trump's deportation projects, but also advocates a prison sentence of at least 5 years for those who try to infiltrate the United States after deportation.
This is not to the liking of American liberals, who see in the programmatic views of the new attorney general not a desire to protect law and order, but hatred of people of a different skin color. Sessions had a reputation for being a racist, which hindered his career growth. Human rights activists are already comparing Sessions to members of the Ku Klux Klan, and congressional colleague Louise Gutierrez said that "no one fights more desperately against the aspirations and hopes of Hispanics, migrants and people of color than Senator Sessions." Although as the Alabama Sessions attorney not only fought the local branch of the Ku Klux Klan, but, according to some, contributed to the death sentence for the clan members who killed 20-year-old black boy Michael Donald. And his mother's civil lawsuit against the Clan for $ 7 million led to the bankruptcy of the Alabama cell of this group.
There are other complaints about Sessions. Democrats are outraged that the new attorney general is against reducing prison sentences for drug dealers, and may even interfere with the gradual process of legalizing marijuana at the state level. “Good people don't smoke marijuana,” Sessions said.
73-year-old former Republican Senator DAN COATES will be appointed to the post of Director of National Intelligence. Its occupant is the main adviser to the President of the United States on foreign intelligence issues and coordinates the actions of various American intelligence services. However, the potential influence of Coates on Trump's foreign policy views should not be overestimated. This man is not on his team, and came here at the call of Pence.
Coates made a political career in Indiana. He served in the Army, graduated from Indiana University School of Law, where he received a Juris Doctor. He spent all the 80s in the House of Representatives, the 90s in the Senate as the Republican Representative of Indiana. After the victory of George W. Bush in the 2000 presidential election, he was considered as a possible secretary of defense. But Bush gave preference to Donald Rumsfeld, and Coates went as ambassador to Germany. In 2010, he was re-elected as the US Senator from Indiana and served the full term of the mandate, having refused re-election in 2016.
During his time in the Senate, he served on the Armed Forces and Intelligence Committees. At one time, he supported the interception of electronic correspondence from persons suspected of terrorism, and the use of harsh interrogation methods against them, if necessary.
As stated, Coates is the creature of Mike Pence. He knows him from his work in Indiana, he, like Pence, is a member of the Tea Party in the Republican Party. Moreover, Coates is known as a man of authority among party members and Democrats. As one of the Democrats said, "Coates knows a lot about Europe and Russia, and his disagreement with Trump over Russia is very likely." According to Russian media reports, Coates' name is on the Russian list of Americans banned from entering Russia for their support of US sanctions against Russian citizens and companies involved in the annexation of Crimea and Russian interference in Ukraine's affairs. And in 2014, Coates sent a letter to FIFA President Joseph Blatter urging to exclude Russia from the participation in the 2014 FIFA World Cup, as well as to deprive it of the right to host the 2018 FIFA World Cup in connection with the then beginning process of Crimea's annexation to Russia.
A senior intelligence official said in an interview with Reuters that Trump, by appointing Coates, is trying to reconcile with the American intelligence community, which has angered the president-elect with its suggestion that the Kremlin helped him win the election. Although Trump himself believes that National Intelligence is working ineffectively, often interfering with the CIA and other intelligence services. The very post of Director of National Intelligence was created only in 2004 in response to the September 11 attacks. Over the years, there have been cases of conflicts between the leaders of the CIA and the National Intelligence Service. According to CNN, Trump is leaning towards expanding the CIA's powers, and Coates' post will shed further weight.
By the way, CIA director 52-year-old congressman from Kansas will be appointed MIKE POMPEO... This is another member of the Tea Party, an extremely conservative wing formed within the republican organization due to the dissatisfaction of ordinary voters with its work. In the House of Representatives, Pompeo served on the Intelligence Committee. Prior to being elected to Congress, he was a top manager in companies related to the aerospace sector, oil and gas industry, and also in business.
Pompeo's appointment was most likely due to his active participation in the House of Representatives Committee on Benghazi, which investigated the attack on the American diplomatic mission in 2012, during which the American military and Ambassador Chris Stevens were killed. Many Republican politicians and ordinary Americans blamed the incident on Hillary Clinton, then the US Secretary of State. As the special commission established, before the tragedy, Ambassador Stevens' numerous requests to strengthen the protection of American diplomatic missions in Libya were left unanswered.
Pompeo released his report on the events in Benghazi, stating that Hillary Clinton deliberately misled US citizens about the causes and chronology of events so as not to harm Barack Obama's election campaign. Then, in a number of media, suggestions began to appear that Stephens should have bought, seized and removed from Libya manual missile systems, which, through an oversight of the State Department and the White House, ended up in the hands of radical Islamists.
Pompeo was also criticized for his remarks about Muslim communities that did not condemn the terrorist attack in Boston in 2013. Then he called them "potential accomplices in these terrorist attacks."
Mike Pompeo opposed the closure of the Guantanamo prison and supported the electronic surveillance program of citizens, the existence of which was made public by former NSA officer Edward Snowden. According to the future director of the CIA, Russia in Syria is not fighting ISIS, but is strengthening its influence in the Middle East, which the United States must oppose. Recently, he openly ranked Putin's Russia as an adversary of the United States. “Today we all live in a world where we see villains like the People's Liberation Army of China, Iranians, Russians who have computer programs to steal email,” he said.
In 2014, Mike Pompeo, during a visit to Ukraine, criticized the Obama administration, calling his policy in our country weak, and accused the Kremlin of seeking to control Ukraine. During the election campaign for the Ukrainian president, he called Petro Poroshenko the best candidate. He talked about how Russia continues to aggression and threatens Ukraine, which could lead to further instability in the region, and accused Obama of inaction in the face of Moscow's aggression.
Minister of Agriculture Appointed former Democrat, trained veterinarian, U.S. Air Force captain and former Governor of Georgia SONNY PERDUE... For a long time he was a congressman, even in the 90s he was the leader of the democratic majority and the interim president of the Senate. But he gave up the senatorial seat for the governor's campaign, later becoming the first Republican to serve as governor of Georgia since 1872.
Purdue was a conservative governor - he opposed same-sex marriage in the state, for limiting illegal immigration. During the election campaign, he opposed the desire of his successor to change the state flag. During Purdue's term as governor, the state's economy received significant international funding. Kia Motors has built a factory in the state. The governor traveled to China, Cuba and South America. To stimulate the state's economy, the Governor signed the Entertainment Investment Act in 2008, which gives film and television companies a tax break on operations in Georgia. Thanks to this, the state budget in 2011 received an additional $ 2.4 billion. In a second term, Purdue refused to raise taxes to combat the effects of the economic crisis, opting instead to cut the state budget. He strongly opposed President Obama's economic stimulus initiatives.
Purdue was a popular governor. In addition to his economic measures, he was remembered for praying on the steps of the State Capitol during a drought, calling for rain. After stepping down in 2011, he created a successful agricultural fertilizer manufacturing and exporting firm in Houston County from scratch.
During the campaign, 70-year-old Purdue served on Trump's agricultural advisory committee. The ex-governor has worked on water management issues and has also worked on the introduction of tax incentives for farmers.
Observers expect Purdue to start cutting back on some environmental programs, as Trump complained during the campaign that environmental restrictions were "undermining farmers." A new law on agriculture is expected to be drafted. Environmentalists have already sounded the alarm, claiming that Purdue will turn America into the Gulf of Mexico, hinting at the dire pollution following the BP accident.
Renowned neurosurgeon BEN CARSON was unexpectedly nominated by Trump to the post Minister of Housing and Urban Development... Carson was expected in another position, for example in the Ministry of Health or the Ministry of Education, but the president decided otherwise. “Ben Carson has a brilliant mind and is actively working to strengthen community and family values. We had long conversations, discussing my plan for economic development and renovation of urban infrastructure. Ben shares my optimism about the future of our country, he believes that I will be the president of all Americans and is ready to do my bit, ”Trump said.
Carson devoted himself to work at the Children's Center at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore. At this renowned university hospital, he made significant progress in the field of medicine at the beginning of his career. In 1987, a team of 70 surgeons led by Carson performed the first-ever successful operation to separate the fused heads of Siamese twins - Patrick and Benjamin Binder, the operation lasted 22 hours. In 1997, he also carried out an operation to separate the Siamese twins from Zambia, Joseph and Luca Banda. In June 2002, Carson was diagnosed with cancer, which was discovered on time. In 2008, President George W. Bush awarded Carson the highest civilian honor in the United States, the Presidential Medal of Freedom. In March 2013, he announced that his work as a neurosurgeon was over. Ben Carson officially retired on July 1, 2013 after 36 years.
And last year Carson ran for the presidency, but withdrew in favor of Trump. In fact, he is the most influential African American politician in the new president's camp. Carson is a member of the Republican Party, another supporter of the Tea Party, an opponent of abortion and same-sex marriage, advocates a healthy lifestyle and the revival of Judeo-Christian values in America, criticizes liberal Republicans. He offered to solve the problem of illegal immigrants by giving them access to the guest worker program - on condition that they first leave the country, but upon their return in legal status, guaranteed jobs will await them.
Carson has been the target of ridicule on several occasions during the presidential election. He took critical arrows when he said last year that the victims of the mass shooting in Oregon reacted incorrectly to the appearance of the criminal and that they should have run, not stand still. A video in which a politician suddenly recalls during an interview that he forgot his suitcase was especially popular on the Web. At the July GOP convention, Carson accused Trump's presidential rival Hillary Clinton of worshiping Satan.
The Department of Housing and Urban Development is responsible for "national policies and programs that address America's housing needs, improve and develop national communities, and ensure equitable housing solutions." “Our city centers are in a terrible state and definitely need attention,” Carson said.
If the appointment is expected to be approved by the United States Senate, Carson will become the 17th Secretary of Housing and Urban Development and the first Seventh-day Adventist to serve at Cabinet level.
Minister of Health and Human Services Trump's team will include a member of the House of Representatives from Georgia TOM PRICE... He is an orthopedic surgeon by training, ran an orthopedic clinic in Atlanta for 20 years, then taught orthopedic surgery. He is a member of the Association of American Physicians and Surgeons, a politically conservative non-profit association founded in 1943 to "fight government takeover of medicine."
Price is a supporter of the Tea Party. Traditionally advocated for the cancellation of funding for National Public Radio (NPR), the largest non-profit organization that spreads news from hundreds of radio stations in the country. In addition, he advocated expanding the Patriot Act, lowering federal spending, banning abortion, opposing tougher gun controls, and anti-LGBT people.
Price led congressional opposition to President Obama's health insurance reform and called it a "disaster." He is a supporter of expanding tax breaks for the purchase of health insurance and is in favor of tougher liability for medical negligence.
"Price is a renowned physician who has earned a reputation for tirelessly solving complex problems and is the most competent expert on the health system," Trump said. At the same time, Democratic Senator Chuck Schumer believes that "appointing Price to the post of Minister of Health is like asking a fox to watch over a chicken coop."
Trump was also expected to reward the group of renegade Republicans who stood shoulder to shoulder with him during the presidential campaign. These are Newt Gingrich, Rudy Giuliani, Chris Christie, Bobby Jindal and Mike Huckabee - they have been widely written about as candidates for the highest positions. Also, the interim administration considered Republicans from among Trump's critics - Mitt Romney, Bob Corker, Ted Cruz - for government posts. As a result, none of them will be in the Trump Cabinet. Someone, like Christie, was "eaten" by members of the team closer to Trump (the president's son-in-law Jared Kushner), someone, like Giuliani, was too overzealous with self-promotion, and someone, like Romney, simply did not fit the ideology of the new president. ... And then Trump remembered that he had promised to "drain the Washington swamp." This is how military and businessmen appeared on the roster for government positions.... The first are used to following orders, and the second Trump knows very well to find the key to them. Trump, as a successful businessman, is used to selecting his team based on the principle of personal loyalty. Among the party establishment, he could hardly find loyal people, so he turned to those whom he respects and knows.
GENERALS
There will be three generals in the Trump administration - even during the war period, there were fewer George W. Bush. And crucially, the military will have a decisive influence on US foreign policy. The fourth general, David Petraeus, could even head the State Department, but the Republicans still persuaded Trump not to turn the government into a military junta.
Why does Trump need so many generals? There are several explanations for this. Obama has been criticized for being a Wall Street henchman, Trump wants to be the people's president, and who, if not the army, enjoys the most support among Americans. One recent opinion poll claims that 53% of voters (among Republicans, the figure reaches 82%) support the appointment of the military to high positions in the state. And only 23% are against. In addition, Trump himself is a suitable president for the military. The cuts in the Pentagon budget and the number of troops under Obama were not to the liking of the generals and defense corporations, and Trump just promised to return to the industrialization of the country, increase government orders, re-equip the army and return it to its former power. After the publication of a sensational article by Das Magazin about the technologies with which Trump came to power, many started talking, and not with the approval of the military, Trump was allowed to use them.
Whatever it was, but the defense policy passes into the hands of the hawks. General JAMES MATTIS will be headed by the Ministry of Defense. Mattis is almost a legend of the American army, and Trump himself called him a real man and a true general of generals. In some ways, he even resembles the president - the same direct and harsh in his statements, a real "mad dog".
Mattis is 66 years old. He gave 44 of them to the Marine Corps. He fought in the Persian Gulf, Afghanistan, Iraq. During the invasion of Iraq, he commanded a 20,000-strong detachment of marines. I remember, among other things, the brutal assault on Fallujah, which was the center of the rebel resistance. The suppression of the uprising in Fallujah was extremely brutal, more than 300,000 residents of the city were forced to leave, buildings lay in ruins, and the US military was criticized by the press for using white phosphorus, which many experts call chemical weapons.
Mattis is a four-star general, author of a tactics manual for the Marine Corps, served as NATO's Supreme Commander for Transformation, and was the head of the United States Central Command (USCENTCOM), which is responsible for planning and directing U.S. military operations in the Middle East. He resigned in 2013 and, according to the law, was not eligible to apply for the post of Secretary of Defense without special permission from Congress (retired military can be appointed to the government only 7 years after leaving the service). The parliamentarians granted this right to the general by issuing a special act.
Mattis will become the oldest head of the Pentagon in 50 years. Moreover, until now, only one US Secretary of Defense has been a professional military man who has received a specialized education and made service his work: this is the five-star General George Marshall, who headed the Joint Chiefs of Staff in 1939-1945 and became Secretary of Defense in 1950 (also after a special act of Congress). Mattis will be second. Although the position of the head of the Pentagon is not a military one, but rather an administrative one. Mattis will not be responsible for the planning of combat operations, but for the day-to-day operation, supply and development of the armed forces.
And here the American army needs reforms. The program to create a fifth-generation fighter F-35 has dragged on and is sucking money from the budget, the rearmament of the army is disproportionate to the tasks. The Marines, from where Mattis came out, lag behind when it comes to distributing new equipment and weapons. Since 2011, the salary of the military in the United States has grown by less than 2%, which is less than the increase in salaries in the same time in the private sector. The National Association of Military Families even sent an open letter to Trump asking him to make the issue of raising military salaries a priority.
Trump wants to increase defense spending by $ 50-80 billion a year, increase the number of US ground forces by 60 thousand people, the combat strength of the fleet by 78 ships, marines by 12 thousand people, and so that at least another 100 combat aircraft entered the US Air Force. Also in the plans of the new administration is to strengthen the grouping of American troops in the Middle East, Southeast Asia and Eastern Europe. These goals must be realized by Mattis. But Democrats have pledged to fight if Trump and his administration push for more defense spending without funding civilian programs. Trump said he wants U.S. allies to shoulder more defense spending, hinting that some overseas military bases could be consolidated or closed. After Trump's victory, shares in the leaders of the military-industrial complex have grown significantly.
Mattis has an excellent relationship with Senator John McCain, who also chairs a committee in the Senate. And similar views. The general vigorously criticized the policies of President Barack Obama's administration in the Middle East, especially towards Iran. According to him, Iran poses the most serious threat to stability and peace in the Middle East. Like Trump, he supports canceling the Iran nuclear deal.
Mattis has a clear position on the Ukrainian issue as well. The general is in favor of strengthening NATO and providing effective assistance to Ukraine. “There is a feeling that we are deviating from our obligations towards allies and partners, leaving them to their fate in a changing world. We have a strategic atrophy, ”the general said, speaking in Washington. Mattis also considers "Russia's military intervention in the affairs of its neighbors," such as the annexation of Crimea and support for the self-proclaimed republics in eastern Ukraine, "much tougher, more serious" than Washington and the EU think. According to Mattis, Putin wants to "tear NATO apart."
Mattis is a tough guy who enjoys the authority not only of Trump, but also of ordinary soldiers. He is loved both for his military talent and for his sharp tongue. Speaking in 2005 to military personnel at a base in San Diego, he said that in Afghanistan "there are guys who beat women for five years for not wearing a veil" and "shooting at that is a damn funny thing." Once he told his fighters that “when you knock someone down for the first time, it cannot be called an insignificant event”, “but at the same time there are freaks in the world who just need to be shot”. And to the enemies, he directly stated: "I beg you with tears in my eyes: do not even try to fuck me, otherwise I will have to kill you all." They say the general is fond of philosophy and carries with him a considerable library.
"General Mattis will be an excellent leader for the Department of Defense, and President-elect Trump will find his advice invaluable," Senator Lindsay Graham said recently. For Republicans, especially Conservatives, Mattis is the personification of traditional America and an important stopper of Trump's neo-isolationist plans. After all, he stands for the preservation of American leadership in the world. “The international order requires America to watch over it. America, which wisely leads the rest, strongly stands for the freedoms that we, sitting in this room, share, ”- said the general during one of his hearings in Congress.
Another general will become Trump's national security adviser. It was assumed that the former head of the Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense, retired lieutenant general MICHAEL FLYNN will lead the Pentagon, but such a controversial figure could be wrapped up in the Senate, and therefore Trump decided not to tempt fate and appointed him to the post of adviser, which does not require the approval of senators. Flynn is a former Democrat, although he worked at Trump's headquarters, he is known for ambiguous statements about Russia. Therefore, not only Democrats, but also many Republicans would vote against him. Like Mattis, he would also need a special act of Congress, since the 58-year-old general only left the service in 2014.
The Flynn family has more than one military Michael. His father served in the US Army during World War II, and his brother, a US Army Brigadier General, served in Iraq. Michael Flynn's military career began in the 1980s, immediately after graduating from the University of Rhode Island. He studied in the Corps for training reserve officers, served in the airborne troops and army special forces. Flynn received two more military degrees and became an honorary doctorate from the Washington Institute for World Politics.
During the American invasion of Afghanistan, Flynn commanded an intelligence brigade there. He served in Iraq, where he searched for Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, the leader of al-Qaeda in Iraq and the founder of ISIS. Then he was director of intelligence, first in the Joint Special Operations Command, then in the Central Command, in the General Staff and the International Security Assistance Force. In April 2012, President Barack Obama appointed Flynn director of the US Department of Defense's Intelligence Directorate. In April 2014, Flynn announced his resignation. According to some reports, he was forced to leave due to "chaotic leadership style." He himself claims to have left because of disagreements with the Obama administration on counter-terrorism issues. After service, he founded Flynn Intel Group, which provides private services to foreign governments. According to some media reports, the company works under a contract with structures close to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
In July 2016, Flynn published The Battlefield: How We Can Win the Global War Against Radical Islam and Its Allies. Flynn is convinced that the cause of the emergence of the "Islamic State" was Washington's invasion of Iraq. Rumor has it in the United States that the general is one of the authors of the point of view, which was reflected in Trump's election campaign, according to which it was Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton who created ISIS. The general at one time was against the overthrow of Muammar Gaddafi and Bashar al-Assad. He said that in 2012 his department provided the US authorities with a report that clearly predicted the emergence of the Islamic State, but the intelligence report was ignored in Washington. Then the Joint Chiefs of Staff, he said, decided "to provide US intelligence data to the armies of other countries, taking into account that they will be transferred to the Syrian army and used against a common enemy - Jabhat al-Nusra and the Islamic State." The Obama administration was not notified of this. The intelligence was allegedly passed on to the military in Germany, Israel and Russia. Flynn is confident that the US strategy in the fight against the "Islamic State" in Syria is "inconsistent", and is of the opinion that "Russia and the United States should cooperate on this issue." In his opinion, the United States needs a ground operation in Syria.
Flynn’s statements about the need to cooperate with the Kremlin in Syria are also perceived with apprehension because the media disseminated a photo in which the general at the same table with Vladimir Putin celebrates the anniversary of the Russia Today TV channel in Moscow. Flynn himself assures that he is not personally acquainted with Putin, but admitted that he receives money from Russia Today, allegedly for consultations. And for greater confidence, he called the leader of Russia "a totalitarian dictator and a bandit who does not care about our interests." “In Ukraine, he has taken actions that limit our room for maneuver, and the US and NATO response to these actions has been timid. I think Trump's strength lies in his ability to negotiate, and he needs as much room to maneuver as possible in building relations with Russia, ”says Flynn.
Like other hawks, Flynn believes the US is "waging a global war against an enemy alliance that stretches from Pyongyang to Havana and Caracas." This alliance, according to the adviser, has also been joined by radical Islamic countries and organizations, including Iran, al-Qaeda, the Taliban and the Islamic State.
The position of adviser to the president on national security issues, although not ranked among the government, is very prestigious. It involves the participation of the adviser in the meetings of the National Security Council, and, as a rule, he presides there along with the Secretary of State and the Minister of Defense. The influence and role of a national security adviser varies from administration to administration and depends not only on the qualities of the person appointed to this position, but also on the leadership style of the particular president. American observers argue that General Flynn has an unusually strong influence over the president-elect and belongs to his narrowest circle. The adviser is considered independent of the budgets of the Pentagon, the State Department and their bureaucracy, and also has a great influence on the president's policy through daily consultations. Experts say Flynn's voice in White House foreign policy will be weighty. And since victory over the Islamists is among the general's priorities, Ukraine can become a bargaining chip in the negotiations between the United States and Russia.
For the position Secretary of Homeland Security Trump nominates retired Marine general JOHN KELLY... The Department of Homeland Security was created after the September 11, 2001 attacks and is subordinate to the Border and Customs Service, Coast Guard, Immigration and Secret Services. For the first time in history, by appointing a retired general as a minister, Trump wants to demonstrate decisiveness in the fight against illegal migration and terrorism. If Trump nevertheless goes to the construction of the wall on the border with Mexico, then it will be Kelly who will control this construction.
John Kelly was drafted into the military at the age of 20, in 1970, and served in the Marine Corps. In 1976 he graduated from the University of Massachusetts and returned to the Marine Corps, where by 2003 he rose to the rank of brigadier general. During the war in Iraq, he commanded marine units, in 2008-2009 he commanded a multinational force in this country. In 2011-2012, Kelly was a senior assistant to the head of the Pentagon Leon Panetta, and in 2012-2016 he headed the Southern Command of the US Armed Forces, his tasks included combating the flow of drugs, illegal migration from Latin America to the United States, helping in training the Latin American military and eliminating consequences of natural disasters. According to The Washington Post, Kelly's leadership of the Southern Command was the reason for his nomination. In addition, Kelly himself stated that the situation on the US-Mexican border poses a threat of terrorist infiltration and criticized Obama's intentions to close the prison in Guantanamo.
The Homeland Security nominee is the highest-ranking American officer to have lost a son in the war. The junior son of the general, Marine Corps Lieutenant Robert Michael Kelly was killed by a mine blown up during the military operation in Afghanistan in 2010. Kelly's eldest son also followed in his father's footsteps and serves as a major in the Marine Corps.
WALL STREET MILLIONAIRE
Trump criticized Clinton throughout the campaign for being the Wall Street candidate. However, having won the election, he invited many people from large corporations to his Cabinet. Ministerial portfolios are claimed by people whose combined fortune is over $ 5 billion, and the fortune of their company is almost $ 4 trillion. Important in these appointments is the cognitive dissonance that continues to exist in the American public. If everything is clear with the generals, then the bankers in the highest government posts confuse voters. According to the latest polls, 39% of Americans believe that the new president should not be making such appointments. Experts say that Trump will not fight big business; on the contrary, he sees it as a help. Trump respects rich people and takes their opinions into account. In addition, he knows the approach to businessmen, which is important when the new administration is short on personnel.
It should be noted that Trump gave the multimillionaires mainly economic posts, as well as the most important post of secretary of state.
Ministry of Finance will be headed by a financier STEVEN MNUCHIN... He amassed a fortune by giving away 17 years to Goldman Sachs, where his father worked for three decades. At the bank, Mnuchin achieved the positions of Vice President and Chief Information Officer. Later there were positions in several hedge funds, and then the founding of the company Dune Capital, which in 2006 was engaged in financing the film production. She funded the creation of Avatar, some of the X-Men parts. In Hollywood, Mnuchin also had a hand in the making of Mad Max: Fury Road and Batman v Superman.
In 2009, Dune bought the bankrupt mortgage company IndyMac and renamed it OneWest, with Mnuchin becoming its chairman of the board. According to The New York Times, OneWest "has been involved in a string of lawsuits over dubious foreclosures and has profited millions of dollars from them." The borrowers accused the company of harsh mortgage conditions and held protests even near Mnuchin's house. As a result, he sold OneWest in 2015 for $ 3.4 billion. He currently serves as chairman and CEO of the private investment company Dune Capital Management. During the presidential campaign, Mnuchin headed the finance department of Trump's headquarters. Previously donated money to the campaigns of Hillary Clinton, John Kerry, Barack Obama, Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan.
Mnuchil called sustainable GDP growth at the level of 3-4% as his priority. In order to achieve this result, "our number one priority is tax reform." Mnuchin wants to cut corporate taxes by up to 15%, lower taxes for the middle class, and simplify the tax system. The future treasurer believes in trade deals with individual countries as opposed to regional trade deals. Mnuchin also welcomes the regulatory reform.
When it became known that Mnuchin would head the Treasury, the American left condemned Trump's decision, arguing that he "made aggressive money on the financial crisis, depriving tens of thousands of families of funds." Interestingly, Trump himself repeatedly stated during the campaign that Goldman Sachs and other banks simply "robbed the working class." It is this bank that is blamed for the "soap bubble" in the American real estate market that caused the 2008 financial crisis.
Still, the Goldman Sachs people are held in high esteem by Trump. Except for Steve Bannon and Steve Mnuchin, the current head of the bank GARY COON also applies for a job in the Cabinet. Trump saved the post for him Head of the Council of Economic Advisers... "It will help shape economic policies that will increase wages for our workers, stop the outflow of jobs abroad and create many new opportunities for Americans," Trump said.
The National Economic Council advises the US president on economic policy. It is a government agency that is part of the administration of the President of the United States. The agency was created in 1993 by former President Bill Clinton.
Cohn has been working at Goldman Sachs since 1990, during these 26 years he became the owner of shares worth 200 million dollars, for the last 10 years he has been the president of a financial conglomerate. Note that Cohn will join the impressive list of Goldman Sachs top managers who are moving to work in the government, and Steve Mnuchin will become the fourth top manager of the bank to head the Ministry of Finance.
Cohn's critics attribute him to an aggressive business style. Cohn published his vision of finance and business in prestigious magazines and newspapers. In March 2014, he wrote an article for the Wall Street Journal in which he proposed "The Responsible Way to Reinforce Superfast Trading."
Department of Commerce to be led by a 79-year-old billionaire WILBOUR ROSS... Ross spent 24 years at the investment bank Rothschild, gaining a reputation as the foremost expert in crisis management during bankruptcy periods. Today he is the owner of W. L. Ross & Co, a company that buys and resells companies on the verge of bankruptcy. Ross also owns textile and metallurgical companies, coal mines and even a part of the Bank of Ireland shares. Forbes magazine estimates the fortune of Ross at $ 2.9 billion.
After the appointment, Ross should be deprived of financial interests in more than 80 companies, including his shares and bonds and investment partnerships. He said he will step down from positions in the nine companies he owns. He will also have to leave posts on the board of directors and in other management positions in 22 more companies. The ministerial candidate has already announced that he is ready to sell a stake in his own private investment business in the amount of $ 250 million in order to exclude a conflict of state and business interests.
Ross has been advising Trump on economic issues for a long time, and has been cooperating with politicians for even longer. He was an advisor to the Mayor of New York Rudy Giuliani on privatization issues, and served on the board of directors of an American investment fund under the leadership of Bill Clinton, which was supposed to promote business development in Russia.
For Ross, Trump has set serious tasks - to review trade deals with a number of countries. The administration of the new president gives preference not to regional, but to deals with specific countries. This is why the revision of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) will be a top priority in the area of trade. According to Ross, the new US government should first strengthen relations with neighboring countries, then take into account the affairs in other regions of the world. Trump has repeatedly criticized the fact that NAFTA has led to the drain of US manufacturing jobs to Mexico during his campaign, promising to resume negotiations on the agreement within a hundred days after taking the presidency. According to US media reports, Ross has already informed the Canadian government of the US intention to resume negotiations on NAFTA. Also, the Trump administration wants to revise trade agreements with China, Britain, Germany and several other countries.
And they will help Ross and Trump in these matters Sales Representative ROBERT LITISER and head of the National Board of Trade PETER NAVARRO... Laitizer, a Washington-based attorney, is recognized as one of the best professionals in trade disputes. He worked in the administration of President Reagan, where he was the deputy trade representative. The competence of a lawyer in foreign trade matters is very appealing to Trump. He intends to rely on Lighthyzer when it comes to seeking the best deal on international deals.
UCLA professor of economics (the only certified economist in the Cabinet) Peter Navarro has built his entire scientific career on criticism of China. He claims that China is practicing a perverse form of capitalism that is undermining the US economy. By working hand in hand with US corporations, subsidizing its exports and restricting imports, China is playing against America's long-term interests. Achievements in this difficult field, as well as an admiration for trade policy under President Ronald Reagan, brought him closer to Donald Trump. After appointing Navarro as head of the new National Trade Council and as his assistant, Trump entrusted him with strategizing international trade negotiations and industrial policy.
Interestingly, Ross and Navarro's appointments show how different advisors Trump has. The two are in favor of protectionist trade measures. At the same time, the same Cohn, Tillerson, Icahn advocate free trade.
The head of the Small Business Support Agency will be a representative of a large business. LINDA MACMAHON for a long time she helped her husband Vincent manage the Cape Cod Coliseum company, which was involved in organizing sports events. In 1982, Vincent McMahon's father sold his company to the couple, Capitol Wrestling, better known as the World Wide Wrestling Federation (WWWF). From 1980 to 2009, Linda McMahon headed World Wrestling Entertainment, which specializes in professional wrestling events. She twice tried to become a Senator from Connecticut, but after spending tens of millions of dollars, she lost to the Democratic candidates.
Her personal fortune is currently estimated at almost $ 1 billion. Donald Trump noted that Linda McMahon "helped raise her company from the level of a firm with 13 employees to a multinational corporation with about a thousand employees." It is the creation of new jobs that will be its main task. Earlier, Trump promised that he would create several million new jobs for cadence.
Interestingly, earlier McMahon, in one of her electoral programs, called for the merger of the Small Business Support Agency with the Department of Commerce.
President of the fast food chain CKE ANDREW PASDER will lead Ministry of Labor... In his younger years, Pazder was an avid rocker, which is why he was repeatedly expelled from school. He opposed the Vietnam War, devoted more than 10 years to jurisprudence.
This drew criticism from workers' rights defenders, who are concerned about his objections to raising the minimum wage and government regulation of working conditions. The head of CKE Restaurants Inc, which owns the fast food chain Carl "s Jr. and Hardee" s, has frequently stated in the media that the increase in the minimum wage will negatively affect the workers themselves, as it will lead to the closure of many restaurants. He also criticized the Obama administration's overtime pay increase program, arguing that it was cutting labor market opportunities for wage earners, and the Obamacare health care reform (Pazder said it disrupted the country's restaurant business because people have less money left to go to restaurants).
Billionaire CARL AYKAN became Special Adviser to the President on Regulatory Reform Issues... This post will not imply formal participation in the government, so Icahn will be able to keep his business. Icahn is the founder and key shareholder of the Icahn Enterprises holding, holding majority interests in many American companies. His fortune is estimated at $ 15.5 billion. Icahn gave advice to Trump informally in the previous months of the Republican's work. The entrepreneur has already said that he supports state control of activities on Wall Street, but he hopes that the new administration will be able to stop excessive regulation in the field of business. They wrote that Icahn helped Trump's headquarters to find a candidate for the post head of the US Federal Securities and Exchange Commission.
It will be a lawyer JAY CLAYTON... This is another Wall Street man. Clayton is a partner in the law firm Sullivan & Cromwell and holds advanced degrees and diplomas from the School of Law of the University of the American State of Pennsylvania and the University of Cambridge in England. He was engaged in legal support of the initial placement on the stock exchange of shares of the Alibaba Group Holding. During the 2008 financial crisis, Clayton worked on the execution of the largest deals for such leading banks as Barclays, Lehman Brothers, JP Morgan Chase and others.
“Jay Clayton is very talented in many areas of financial and regulatory law. It will ensure the ability of our financial institutions to create new jobs, while adhering to the established rules, ”- said Trump. "We need to remove many of the regulations that hold back investment in American businesses, and re-establish financial oversight in a way that doesn't hurt American workers."
Trump wants to involve the widest possible circle of businessmen in the implementation of his "Trumponomics". Many of them, although they will not receive government positions, will influence the decisions made. Bloomberg calls them Trump's "think tank" in the economic sphere. For example, many major US businessmen are Trump's unofficial advisers - tobacco baron Howard Lorber, owner of large New York real estate Richard Lefrac, steel tycoon Dan DiMicco, financier Steven Feinberg, investor Tom Barrack. The President maintains friendly relations with them. And for the co-owner of the Chicago Cubs baseball team Todd Ricketts allegedly even reserved the position Deputy Minister of Trade... Ricketts is considered not only a staunch supporter, but also an active activist of the Republican Party. He was a major campaign donor and the Illinois voting delegate to the party convention at which Trump was nominated. Forbes estimates the fortune of the Ricketts family at $ 1 billion.
During the election campaign, Trump made it clear that Department of Education will be on the sidelines in his administration, if it exists at all. Trump even suggested that he could eliminate him altogether. However, after his victory, he decided to leave him, appointing a billionaire and philanthropist minister. Betsy DeVos.
DeVos was born into the family of billionaire Edgar Prince, who built his empire on the supply of auto parts. Her brother Eric Prince, a former Special Forces soldier, founded the private military company Academi, formerly known as Blackwater. And she is married to Dick DeVos, the son of Amway co-founder Richard DeVos.
She is currently the CEO of Windquest Group, an investment firm that invests in clean energy technologies. In the past, DeVos headed the Michigan branch of the US Republican Party. She is also called the leader of the nationwide school reform movement for more than two decades. DeVos believes that education should be open to change and calls it a "closed dead-end system." She is known as a “fierce champion of school vouchers,” which allowed students to attend publicly funded private schools. In Detroit, she developed a pilot project to supervise the school system.
According to Donald Trump, under the leadership of 58-year-old DeVos, the authorities will be able to reform the US educational system and end bureaucracy. “The current state of affairs in education is unacceptable,” the ministerial candidate said.
It is noteworthy that throughout the election campaign, DeVos criticized Trump.
Well, the crown of Trump's business appointments was, of course, the choice of the candidacy of the Secretary of State... For a long time, the elected president could not find the right candidate - so that the Senate would approve and the views would be close to the ideas of the president. A couple of dozen candidates were discussed - from Giuliani and Corker to Patraeus and Romney. They all didn't fit. Too harsh like Bolton, too odious like Patraeus, too partisan like Romney.
And then former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice advised Trump to speak with the head of the energy company ExxonMobil. REX TILLERSON... This is more than a strange candidate for such a position, but Trump liked Tillerson. He, like the president, made a fortune on serious deals, is used to playing for high stakes, and knows firsthand the political cuisine of Russia, China and the countries of the Middle East. In total, the decision on the candidate for one of the most important positions in the Cabinet was made in a few days.
Although in this case, the States are not at all sure that the Senate will approve this candidacy of the elected president. For congressmen, Tillerson is a very controversial person, and therefore at the hearings in the Senate, they gave him a real interrogation. US lawmakers fear that Secretary Tillerson will be overly dependent on the energy lobby and act at the expense of the national interest. They nod, of course, in the direction of Russia, in which the candidate has been doing business for a long time and has good connections with the top leadership of this country.
Tillerson is an old school Texan boy scout. He studied to be an engineer, after which he climbed the career ladder from an ordinary engineer to CEO of ExxonMobil. At the company, he pushed for the lifting of the decades-old ban on the export of crude oil from the United States, as well as the lifting of restrictions on the development of projects for the export of liquefied gas. Under Tillerson's leadership, Exxon generated $ 34 billion in net income in 2014 and paid $ 80 billion in taxes. In 2011, ExxonMobil signed a contract for oil production in Iraqi Kurdistan, which was in violation of Iraqi laws and also irritated Washington. In the 2000s, the company lost billions of dollars in assets in Venezuela, and as experts admit, now it will come back to haunt the poverty-stricken Latin American country.
At the end of 2015, Forbes magazine placed Tillerson in 25th place in the ranking of the most influential people in the world (at the end of 2014, he was ranked 20th). In 2015, he earned $ 27.2 million. He also owns $ 218 million in shares.
The head of ExxonMobil has never hidden his ties with Russia. Speaking early last year at the University of Texas, Tillerson admitted that he has known Vladimir Putin for over 15 years and maintains a "very close relationship" with him. Back in the 90s, he met Vladimir Putin and people who are in the inner circle of the Russian president. For example, he had such a trusting relationship with the head of Rosneft and the former head of the RF President's Chancellery Igor Sechin that the head of the Russian state-owned company even admitted that he dreams of "riding with Rex Tillerson on motorcycles across America."
In 2011, on behalf of ExxonMobil, Tillerson signed a $ 300 billion agreement with Russia on drilling in the Arctic.According to the Washington Post, Sechin and Tillerson celebrated this event with a joint dinner with black caviar at the luxurious New York restaurant Per Se. Two years later, the President of Exxon was awarded the Order of Friendship in the Kremlin "for his significant contribution to the preservation and development of Russian culture abroad." Although the company began drilling in the Kara Sea in the summer of 2014, sanctions against Russia during the Ukraine crisis halted the project in September of that year. According to the website OilPrice.com, ExxonMobil's losses due to the sanctions amounted to at least a billion dollars: the company was forced to abandon joint projects with Rosneft in Sakhalin, the Kara Sea and Siberia.
Tillerson, like many in the future Trump Cabinet, holds conservative political views. He has made numerous donations to the GOP and candidates. He donated to the campaigns of George W. Bush, Mitt Romney and Mitch McConnell, but at the same time did not give money for the Trump campaign, supporting Jeb Bush with the dollar (hence the support of Bush's associates Rice and Gates).
Tillerson opposes sanctions against the Russian Federation. He says this is an ineffective tool. Although at the hearings in the Senate, he went tough on Russia's international policy, calling it a threat to the United States. In particular, he said that the response for the annexation of Crimea should have been tougher. “I think the Russian leadership would understand a forceful response,” Tillerson said. In his opinion, Russia has no rights to Crimea, since it was a "seizure of someone else's territory." Tillerson also said that he recommends that Ukraine "put all its military forces on the eastern border," providing them with "defensive weapons" necessary to "defend themselves."
JASON GREENBLATT,
Perry openly supports the oil and gas industry and publicly opposes climate change research. He is a member of the board of directors of two energy companies - and it is not yet clear how the conflict of interests will be resolved. The future president of the country also cooperates with one of these companies, Energy Transfer Partners. In particular, we are talking about the Dakota Access pipeline, the construction of which near the Oahe reservoir was blocked by the Obama administration, which threatened the implementation of the project. According to several experts, laying a pipeline under the Missouri River could lead to its pollution, and the river, in particular, is the main source of drinking water for several Sioux Indian reservations. Trump said he would review the ban, as well as address potential conflicts of interest prior to the inauguration ceremony.
Perry's political views combine conservative and liberal ideas. On the one hand, Rick Perry opposes the legalization of same-sex marriage and marijuana, advocates the death penalty, a ban on abortion, advocates for cuts in social spending, supports the elimination of income tax in the country, the rejection of direct elections of senators, the abolition of life status for judges, a ban on deficit budget of the country, reduction of state regulation of business.
On the other hand, which is unconventional for the governor of Texas bordering Mexico, Perry supports immigration reform, the legalization of millions of illegal immigrants, and the provision of benefits and scholarships to them. Rick Perry also opposed the construction of a barrier on the border between the United States and Mexico, the introduction of mandatory electronic verification of the immigration status of workers for employers.
Perry is expected to pursue a policy of increasing hydrocarbon production, fulfilling Trump's election program. As for nuclear energy, for which the Ministry of Energy is also responsible, in this area Trump is going to explore the possibilities of restarting the program for transferring radioactive waste from various nuclear power plants to disposal in Nevada.
Daughter of Chinese Refugees ELAINE CHAO will become Minister of Transport... Born in Taiwan, she emigrated with her family to the United States in 1961. Studied at Harvard Business School. After graduation, she got a position of vice president of syndication at Bank of America, then worked at Citicorp as a representative of the international banking business. Through Citicorp's Outstanding Employee Program, she got an internship at the White House and then went into politics. In 1989-1991, she was Deputy Secretary of Transport, head of the shipyards under the Reagan administration, then worked in various positions in the Peace Corps.
As Minister of the Interior, Zinke will control all 254 million acres of federal lands plus all the resources they hold. If President Obama, through this ministry, promoted the popularization of renewable energy sources, blocked the drilling of oil and gas wells, imposed a moratorium on the opening of new coal mines, then Trump is expected to do the opposite. In states such as Pennsylvania and Ohio, Trump won the nomination, promising to change many of these measures to bring back coal mining jobs.
“I am categorically against the transfer or sale of state land,” Zinke said in the Senate. However, public activists are worried about something else - whether there will be a new wave of well drilling in protected areas.
Trump wants to see South Carolina governor as ambassador to UN Nikki Haley... Born into a Sikh family from Punjab, she later converted to Methodism, worked as an accountant, entered Congress in 2004, and served as governor for the past five years. She is credited with successfully fighting unemployment in South Carolina. Nikki Haley positions herself as a moderate conservative. Opposed to abortion, advocates traditional marriages and tougher immigrant policies. Its political patrons at one time were one of the leaders of the Republican Party, Mitt Romney and the former governor of Alaska, Sarah Palin.
Some experts saw Haley's candidacy as a sign of Trump's readiness to fulfill his promise and begin to actively cooperate with Moscow. Haley is moderate and lacks significant foreign policy experience, which means she is likely to follow Trump's course. Explaining his choice, Trump called Haley a "deal-making specialist" and added that "we have a lot of deals to do."
Hailey faces difficult trials at the UN. The United Nations is one of the main venues for the confrontation between Russia and the United States. Haley's predecessor Samantha Power failed to persuade Russia to cooperate in the Middle East, and the skirmishes between her and the representative of the Russian Federation, Vitaly Churkin, were fierce. With Haley at the UN, Washington is likely to be more peaceful towards Moscow and try to interact with the Kremlin.
However, under Trump, the US mission to the UN, led by Haley, may see America's interests differently than under President Barack Obama. And this applies not only to relations with Russia. Many in the UN are already preparing for new clashes between the organization and Washington. On issues such as corruption at the UN, as well as the need to save money and cut bureaucracy, the Trump administration may be much tougher than the Obama team. Trump has already said that everything will be different with him at the UN.
Although Hailey's appointment is still a concession for the UN bureaucrats. They wrote that the organization had already prepared to meet someone from the entourage of John Bolton, who was the US representative to the UN under George W. Bush and was famous for his hostility to the organization. It was rumored that the candidacy of the highly aggressive Twitter former spokesman Richard Grenell was being considered.
The candidacy appealed to many congressmen and former members of the Bush administration, who described Bossert as an expert on potential threats to the country.
Trump intends to appoint SCOTT PREWITT- Opponent to the Obama administration's climate change program - for the post heads of the Environmental Protection Agency.
Oklahoma attorney general Scott Pruitt, whose state is the main producer of oil and gas in the United States, challenged in court President Barack Obama's first-ever climate change policy, which called for power plants to switch from coal to natural gas and other clean energy sources.
“The American people are tired of seeing billions of dollars flowing out of our economy because of unnecessary EPA regulations, and I intend to lead them in a way that protects the environment and helps American businesses flourish,” Pruitt said in a statement.
Regulations for the operation of power plants and thermal power plants in the United States, as well as regulations that strengthen fuel efficiency standards for vehicles, are central to Obama's plan to comply with the Paris Agreement on climate change. During the presidential campaign, Trump announced that he would withdraw the United States from this agreement, but since the election, observers note, he has shown restraint on this issue.
Study affairs of veterans Trump called, oddly enough, the current deputy minister DAVID SHULKINA... Barack Obama appointed him to the ministry in 2015, now Shulkin will be promoted.
In recent years, Shulkin's agency has been at the epicenter of a number of scandals. Journalists unearthed secret lists that revealed the veterans' true medical queues. Trump has pledged to overhaul the second largest federal agency. There are 10 points on how to make the agency “healthy again”. They propose to allow the dismissal of employees who "endanger the health, safety or well-being of a veteran," and allow veterans to seek free help at any clinic.
If approved, Shulkin will become the first secretary of the agency, who is not himself a veteran.
To the post Director of the Office of Management and Budget a conservative Republican congressman from South Carolina and longtime Bitcoin supporter MIKE MALVANEY.
He adheres to a conservative approach in matters of finance, has repeatedly advocated aggressive cuts in federal spending, which Donald Trump promises not to do.
The main characteristic of the Trump cabinet is the administration of compromise, when both the party is full and Trump is calm.
The new president wants to restore momentum to the economy, while removing the excessive involvement of the state in its affairs. Analysts are already calling the Trump government "deregulating", and he himself has pledged to stick to the rule "you introduce one regulation, cancel two." And the composition of the cabinet suggests that they intend to cancel a lot here. The new education minister is a consistent critic of federal educational standards. The head of the Ministry of Labor is against raising the minimum wage. The head of the Environmental Protection Agency is not convinced that it needs to be protected, and the Minister of Energy believes that the Ministry of Energy controls too much. Good or bad, time will tell. But many are already unhappy and anxiously awaiting the start of the work of this team.
The Trump team's biggest concerns are about foreign policy. Generals and a multimillionaire are too toxic a mixture for America.
Who Will Enter Donald Trump's Administration? Analysts predict the unpredictable Republican billionaire's new cabinet will be the most eclectic in US history.
One thing is clear: Trump will bet on those who went through the election campaign with him, and primarily on his closest aide, Rudolph Giuliani.
Donald Trump is the best choice for U.S. President: https://t.co/q2Di5M2iMQ- RudolphGiuliani (@RudolphGiuliani) 8 avril 2016
The former mayor of New York is tipped for the post of attorney general.
The most likely candidate for the post of secretary of state is considered to be veteran Newt Gingrich, ex-speaker of the House of Representatives of the Congress and former rival of Trump in the Republican primaries. He promised this at one of his meetings no less than the Moon: "By the end of my second term, we will have a permanent base on the Moon."
The candidacy of the former US ambassador to the UN, John Bolton, is not excluded, who is distinguished by a tougher stance towards Moscow than Gingrich. Also mentioned is Bob Corker, chairman of the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
Among the candidates for the post of Secretary of Defense is Stephen Hadley (he was Bush Jr.'s assistant on national security). The names of Alabama Senator Jeff Sessions, former Alabama Senator John Kyle and former Chief Intelligence Officer Michael Flynn are also named. In Flynn's case, the head of state will have to seek special congressional approval.
Former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin, who has supported Trump from the first day of the election campaign, is tipped for the seat of Interior Minister. Very popular among right-wing radicals, she has repeatedly become the object of jokes and caricatures for her statements, which even provoked several scandals. So, Palin called Africa "a country", and the DPRK - "an ally of the United States." She considers herself "the best expert on US-Russian relations, because she sees Russia from the window of her house in Alaska." And recently, citing Brexit as an example, Palin recommended that the US authorities withdraw from the UN.
Sarah Palin just topped everyone for the most insane Brexit comment https://t.co/QJjRUx5Imo pic.twitter.com/YG4rAUpCfN- Mother Jones (@MotherJones) 24 June 2016
The only African American in Donald Trump's team so far is his other rival in the primaries, Ben Carson. He can become minister of health or education. A brilliant neurosurgeon, nicknamed "the man with golden hands" for his skill, the author of several discoveries that became revolutionary in his field, Carson denies the theory of evolution. In his opinion, "the emergence of such a super-complex and intelligently created Universe can only explain the existence of a wise Creator."
Two appointments are almost confirmed - Donald Trump spoke about them personally. The head of the Republican National Committee, Raines Pribas, will become the head of the presidential administration. And Steve Bannon, publisher of the Breitbart News website, which is popular with American radicals, will take over as senior adviser to the White House host. Bannon, who spearheaded Trump's campaign in its final phase, has been called "America's most dangerous political strategist."
Who Will Enter Donald Trump's Administration? Analysts predict the unpredictable Republican billionaire's new cabinet will be the most eclectic in US history. One thing is clear: Trump will rely on those who went through the election campaign with him, and first of all on his closest aide Rudolph Giuliani. pic.twitter.com/GKT2EZV27b- RudolphGiuliani (@RudolphGiuliani) 13 ...
