A colorful bodyguard for President Trump 2.0

Loyalty will be Donald Trump’s number one criterion for selecting his new administration, even if it means surrounding himself with controversial figures like billionaire Elon Musk or conspiracy theorist Robert Kennedy Jr. Here are some figures who will undoubtedly be part of this colorful casting .

They were fired

“There are no longer any critical voices around [Trump]. People who had contrary opinions, he either fired them or they distanced themselves from him,” analyzes Barry Eidlin, professor at McGill, specializing in political sociology.

In 2016, the first Trump administration was marked by high turnover of staff and advisors.

“He knew very little about the workings of the machine, so he initially surrounded himself with more traditional players,” recalls Pierre Martin, professor of political science at the University of Montreal.

This time, he will rather be surrounded by what we could call “yes men“, he summarizes. “People who are devoted to him and who are much less likely to stop him from doing what he wants,” he predicts.

The influential billionaire

In addition to being the richest man on the planet, Elon Musk could have a real role in the presidential team. Donald Trump has already affirmed that he intends to charge him with a “complete audit” of the government apparatus to make it more “effective”.

The boss of SpaceX and Tesla played an unprecedented role in the tribune’s campaign, spending more than $110 million of his personal fortune to get him elected.

“He is a man who has a lot of influence over Trump and towards whom [Trump] seems to have a debt,” summarizes Pierre Martin.

“It is also one of the largest contractors of the American government, in particular thanks to the space program and its satellites used in military communications,” illustrates Mr. Martin.

Already on Wednesday, Musk published a photomontage of himself in the Oval Office.

The notorious anti-vax

During the campaign, Trump also pledged to entrust an “important role” in the field of health to Robert Kennedy Jr, the nephew of the former president.

This vaccine skeptic, known for spreading conspiracy theories, was an independent presidential candidate, but withdrew from the race in favor of Trump.

We can therefore expect reforms affecting the obligation to obtain certain vaccines as routine as those against rubella or mumps, suggests Pierre Martin. “This could cause enormous public health problems,” he adds.

Potential successor?

JD Vance will enter the White House as vice president of the United States.

During this campaign, the atypical senator from Ohio was mired in a series of controversies with the resurgence of old videos, including one where he accused the Democrats of being a bunch of “unhappy cat ladies”, or still others where we see him criticizing Donald Trump, to whom he now swears absolute loyalty.

“Donald Trump seems to have affection for people who repent and therefore redouble their loyalty to him,” observes Pierre Martin.

Vance could eventually be seen as his successor as president. It is therefore in his best interest not to overshadow Trump during his mandate, supposes Mr. Martin.

Mystery cabinet

Donald Trump has so far remained mysterious about who would make up the rest of his team. The name of Richard Grenell, former ambassador to Germany and fierce defender of the tribune, is circulating for the post of national security advisor or head of diplomacy.

The architect of his comeback, political strategist Susie Wiles, could occupy the prestigious post of chief of staff.

North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum is tipped for the post of Minister of Energy and Senator Tom Cotton for Defense.

And his family?

Donald Trump did not mention what role his family, omnipresent during his first term, would play. His daughter-in-law Lara Trump also co-chairs the Republican Party.

His daughter Ivanka and her husband, Jared Kushner, have completely stayed away from the current campaign.

“It is rather Donald Jr, Trump’s eldest son, who was very active in the campaign and who risks taking his place,” suggests Pierre Martin.

– With Hugo Duchaine