It isn’t just Hillary supporters who reject Donald Trump’s policies.
Trump won the keys to the White House with bold claims of torture, immigration, climate change, terrorism and foreign politics. The “greater America” that Trump is aiming for might never come to fruition, as his own cabinet stands in his way.
This is the best outcome for a Trump presidency; people around him, in powerful government positions who disagree with him.
The most recent nominee to break from Mr. Trump is his pick for Secretary of the Interior, Ryan Zinke.
During his confirmation hearing, Zinke separated himself from the president-elect’s claims on climate change being a hoax and a scam.
When asked about his views on climate change, Zinke said, “I don’t believe it’s a hoax” and “man has had an influence, that is indisputable.”
Trump is finally opposed by people who can possibly rally to persuade the businessman-turned-president to flip his nonsensical, opinionated rants into actual policies.
General James Mattis, the pick for defense secretary, said during his hearing that the United States should uphold the Iran nuclear deal and work with our allies, while Mr. Trump said the Iran deal was “the dumbest deal I’ve ever seen.”
The New York Times also quotes Mattis as being a longtime adversary of torture while Mr. Trumps says that “torture works.”
This is a blunt polarity that is not only refreshing but a necessity. If the president only surrounds himself with a cabinet of echoing ideas, it wouldn’t be a total democracy. Democracy thrives on diversity and a variance of views.
Other nominees diverged from Trump on NATO not being obsolete, on Russia’s threat to the U.S. and the intelligence agencies accusing Russia of interfering with the presidential election.
Hopefully, these men and women who Trump has brought under his wing can steer the president in the right direction. We need the cabinet to keep Trump accountable to the American people and the entire world, just as every other president has had to do.
Unfortunately, this can’t be said for all of Trump’s future cabinet. Perhaps, those people won’t pass the test of their confirmation hearings. But this election taught us that even if you are unqualified for a job of momentous responsibility, you can still get voted in.
Susan Whaley can be reached at [email protected] or @TheOrion_News on Twitter.