Meet the Cabinet
Profiles in unintentional irony and absurdity
The longread to read on US politics this week — beyond the steady drip-drip-drip of press-agency copy on Russia-Trump campaign allegations — is undoubtedly Matt Taibbi’s “Trump the Destroyer” for Rolling Stone, which focuses on the slow dismantling of the formal bureaucracy as “special assistants” and “senior advisers” pile up in every spare corner of the administration.
As we buckle in for three-plus years of top-heavy executive rule, take a moment to re-acquaint yourself with the men and women running the show at the cabinet level. Some — like Ryan Zinke (Interior), David Shulkin (VA), Tom Price (Health and Human Services), Elaine Chao (Transportation) — could have found a home under any Republican administration, quietly and cheerfully implementing massive budget cuts.
Many of the rest, though, make for case studies in irony, absurdity, or even unexpected relief (at the thought that at least someone else who’s competent is around the place). Here, then, are the major players beyond the inner-circle advising clique — their faces, their words, and the best journalist profiles I could dig up. Learn them well.
Secretary of State
“I didn’t want this job. I didn’t seek this job.” — Rex Tillerson
Tillerson, former Chairman and Chief Executive of ExxonMobil, is overseeing the slow evisceration of US diplomatic capacity. His present schedule will see him skipping a summit of NATO allies to catch up with leaders from China and Russia.
Tillerson was most recently profiled by New Yorker writer Steve Coll.
Secretary of Defense
“We’re not in Iraq to seize anybody’s oil,” — Jim Mattis
Former Gen. James “Mad Dog”/“Warrior Monk”/“Chaos” Mattis, will have his hands full being one of the few adults in the room on national security matters. His unfortunate preference for competent staff has angered some GOP lawmakers, however.
Mark Perry covered his dislike of Iran for Politico.
Secretary of the Treasury
“ In the press it has been said that I ran a ‘foreclosure machine.’ This is not true. On the contrary, I was committed to loan modifications intended to stop foreclosures. I ran a ‘Loan Modification Machine.’” — Steven Mnuchin
Mnuchin is striving to make protectionism great again in the G20 while prepping Trump’s tax cut proposals. His “loan modifications” were scrutinized by Paul Kiel and Jesse Eisinger for ProPublica.
Department of Commerce
“There is no evidence that more regulation makes things better.” — Wilbur Ross
Ross’s $2.9 billion fortune is roughly half the net worth of Trump’s cabinet. Mac Abelson outlined his responsibilities in the new administration in a cover piece for Bloomberg Businessweek.
Attorney General
“In retrospect, I should have slowed down and said, ‘But I did meet one Russian official a couple of times, and that would be the ambassador.’” — Jeff Sessions
Attorney General and former Sen. Jeffrey Beauregard Sessions III infamously saw his 1986 nomination as a federal judge under President Reagan torpedoed by allegations of racial insensitivity and an unwillingness to enforce civil-rights laws vigorously. He no doubt looks forward to being the butt of innumerable SNL episodes mocking the South.
Helin Jung has a comprehensive listicle on the Senator for Cosmopolitan.
Secretary of Energy
“My past statements made over five years ago about abolishing the Department of Energy do not reflect my current thinking.” — Rick Perry
Former Texas Governor Rick Perry quickly got over any existential irony at being appointed to head the department he once suggested should be abolished. A campaign aficionado — as detailed by Jake Silverstein for Texas Monthly back in 2011 —, he still finds enough time in his busy (?) schedule to inject himself into Texas student politics.
Department of Housing and Urban Development
“Having me as a federal bureaucrat would be like a fish out of water, quite frankly.” — Ben Carson
Carson, who once struggled to convince media outlets that he did indeed try to stab another boy as a child, kicked off his time as HUD secretary by referring to slaves as “immigrants” and suggesting that electrodes can zap the brain into perfect recall. He “wasn’t a top target” for Senate Democrats, passing with seven of their votes.
He is now supporting President Trump in slashing programs aimed at supporting America’s urban poor. Nick Gass got an entire article for Politico out of Carson quotes in 2015.
Department of Education
“I support accountability.” — Betsy DeVos
The school-choice paladin of the Christian donor class — and laughably bereft of any experience with actually trying to run a school — DeVos was confirmed by the narrowest margin in the history of cabinet confirmations.
As Janet Reitmen reports for Rolling Stone, the jury is still out whether her appointment is intended to gut the DoE or to use it as a springboard for the privatization and Christianization of American public schools.
Andrew Leber is based in Boston. He’s currently a Ph.D. student at Harvard University’s Department of Government.
