In the weeks after Trump’s victory as the 47th President of the United States, he has begun to appoint members to his Cabinet. His Cabinet picks have sparked nationwide attention, bringing joy for some and disappointment for others. The Villanovan spoke to both the Democrat and Republican groups on campus to understand their general reactions to Trump’s post-election remarks and cabinet appointments.
President of the VU Democrats, Annie Curtis, reflected on her general thoughts about Trump’s victory.
“After finding out the election results, most of us in the Democrats club felt shocked and saddened by the news of Donald Trump’s victory,” she said. “There are so many vulnerable populations that he and his allies have demonstrated that they either do not care about or actively dislike.”
Curtis then spoke on the future of unified government and how this may affect certain groups.
“Now that one party has the control of both chambers of Congress and the presidency come January, how are we going to protect these vulnerable groups?” she said.
She also mentioned mental health concerns. She noted that suicide prevention hotlines for LGBTQ+ youth experienced phone call spikes in the days following the election.
President of the VU Republicans, Andrew Smith, spoke on his organization’s reactions to Trump’s victory.
“It is great to see President-Elect Donald Trump take office for a second term, leading our country back in the right direction,” Smith said.
Smith also spoke on Republican victories in statewide and local campaigns.
“Additionally, the widespread success of Republican campaigns across the country on both the federal and state level shows that the Republican Party is representing the interests of all Americans,” Smith said. “The next four years will be promising for both economic and civil prosperity.”
The Villanovan then asked both presidents their thoughts on President-Elect Trump’s cabinet appointments. Curtis spoke on her concerns for the future of the country in light of these appointments.
“As Trump begins to put together his future cabinet, our hope for the future has been even further shaken,” Curtis said. “Rather than bringing in experts to help him run the executive branch, Donald Trump has decided to reward his close allies and friends by giving them positions in his cabinet.”
Curtis spoke on active sexual assault allegations or sex trafficking investigations involving a few of Trump’s appointees. She also discussed a potential lack of experience in these selections.
“Trump has selected a Fox News host who has no military leadership experience, Pete Hegseth, to lead the Department of Defense,” Curtis said. “Dr. Oz, who already lost a Pennsylvania Senate race in 2022, was placed in charge of Medicare and Medicaid.”
Smith mentioned him and his organization’s excitement surrounding potential members of Trump’s Cabinet.
“It is exciting to see Susie Wiles picked to be President Trump’s Chief of Staff, making her the first woman ever appointed to the position,” Smith said. “Additionally, with former Representative Matt Gaetz being reasonably forced to step down as the potential nominee for attorney general, it will be interesting to see how Pam Bondi is received.”
Smith and Curtis were both asked about which cabinet position brings them the most concern or excitement. Both spoke on Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy’s appointments to the potential Department of Governmental Efficiency.
“We are curious to see how Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy will be fitted into possible cabinet positions, especially in light of their DOGE, which currently is pitched as an advisory board to reorganize bureaucratic expenditure and red tape,” Smith said.
“It feels as though Trump is not even taking these choices seriously, as he has created a whole new department headed by his close ally, Elon Musk, that is named after a viral internet meme,” Curtis said.
The Villanovan asked Smith about which issue he thinks will be at the forefront of Trump’s administration. Smith mentioned the economy and foreign policy issues.
“Trump and his staff will bring strength to the economy, making it more affordable for Americans and supporting families,” he said. “Another focus point will be bringing peace to Ukraine and Israel, as well as preventing further military conflict. Americans want peace for those nations, and to see their tax dollars staying in the states instead of going to foreign wars.”
The Villanovan asked both organizations about the likeability of Trump’s appointees being confirmed by the Senate and their overall thoughts for the future.
“Seeing as Congress will be run by Republicans, it seems unlikely that any of Trump’s picks will be blocked,” Curtis said. “We can only hope that these new cabinet nominees take their jobs seriously and with a basic understanding of empathy.”
“We expect Trump’s cabinet to champion a thorough overhaul of the departments and agencies they will each oversee, utilizing their backgrounds to accomplish goals set by the Trump campaign,” Smith said.
