Rep. Byron Donalds (R-FL) dismissed criticism that President-elect Donald Trump has yet to nominate a black person for his Cabinet, contending that the next president is focused on who will best implement “his agenda.”
MSNBC panelist Al Sharpton recently criticized Trump’s Cabinet for its lack of black nominees, stating this point “needs to be raised.” When asked about Sharpton’s comments, Donalds suggested the criticism stems from Democrats’ frustration that the 2024 election did not go “the way that they thought,” as Trump won the election against Vice President Kamala Harris.
“That being said, Donald Trump‘s Cabinet is about people who are going to implement his agenda, and he’s not done, by the way,” Donalds said on CNN’s Laura Coates Live. “You have Susie Wiles, the first woman ever to serve as chief of staff. You have Marco Rubio, a Cuban-American who’s going to serve as secretary of state, representing America across the globe when it comes to foreign policy. You have Tulsi Gabbard going to be at DNI. So many others that are coming, and there are still slots to be filled, so I think everybody needs to pump the brakes and just wait and see what happens.”
Donalds compared Trump’s Cabinet nominees to President Joe Biden‘s, saying Democrats are “absolutely” putting form over substance, whereas Trump is focused on bringing “competency and reality” back to the nation. When pressed on the matter, Donalds contended that what he wants from the incoming administration is for the nation’s agencies “to do their job.”
The Florida congressman was also asked about the possibility of working in Trump’s Cabinet, to which he confirmed Trump had not asked him about any nomination and that he was “not surprised” the president-elect had not come to him. When asked about his future political aspirations, including a possible 2026 Florida gubernatorial run, Donalds said he would not talk about this subject for the time being.
If Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) is confirmed to be Trump’s secretary of state, his Senate seat will need to be filled, with Republican National Committee Co-Chairwoman Lara Trump being a name many have floated. Donalds offered support for the president’s daughter-in-law, calling her an “excellent communicator” while also being very knowledgeable on policy.
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The president-elect’s most recent nominee is Michigan Republican Chairman Pete Hoekstra as the U.S. ambassador to Canada. Hoekstra was previously Trump’s ambassador to the Netherlands during his first administration and responded to his nomination by stating he is “honored for the opportunity to serve.”
Trump also nominated Howard Lutnick, the CEO and chairman of Cantor Fitzgerald and the co-chairman of the Trump-Vance transition team, for his Cabinet’s commerce secretary. Lutnick’s role in this administration will involve defending U.S. business interests worldwide, overseeing export restrictions, funding new computer chip factories, and releasing economic data.