Trump's new cabinet picks create unexpected storm in Republican circles
Trumpʼs choices for top security positions show mix of hawks and restraint-advocates causing debate among Republicans. His picks include both traditional defense-minded officials and those who oppose military actions
President-elect Trumps national security team picks have made some party members scratch their heads - showing an interesting mix of different foreign-policy views
The selection of Marco Rubio and Mike Waltz for key positions (State Department and National Security Advisor) has created a stir among anti-war Republicans who dont like U.S military actions abroad
The MAGA-world restrainers are reeling; theyʼre dumbfounded
To balance things out Trump picked some non-intervention minded people: Matt Gaetz and Tulsi Gabbard got attorney general and intelligence director spots; this mix could create some interesting discussions about Russia policy
Mike Waltz brings his green-beret background and work with bush-era officials to the table. He wants NATO to pay more and has some out-of-the-box ideas about dealing with Mexican cartels: using tech instead of boots-on-ground
Marco Rubio has shown his hawk-like views through:
- Fighting quick Afghanistan exit about 3 years ago
- Making NATO exit harder for presidents
- Taking firm stance on Russia China and Iran
The proposed defense secretary Pete Hegseth changed his mind about U.S wars over time. He used to be pro-intervention but now questions the cost-benefit of these conflicts - though his management skills for such a big job remain unclear
These picks show how Republican foreign-policy thinking has changed: its not about spreading democracy anymore but finding a middle-ground between strength and restraint
I do think that several of them have gone through honest reevaluations of their past positions
