President Trump's new “America First” brand speaks volumes about the transformation of the American right

Pete Hegseth is a former soldier, but does a stint at Fox qualify him to manage the Pentagon? (Photo: AP Images)

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resident Donald Trump’s cabinet nominees are being closely parsed for clues of the administration’s direction. They come from across the political spectrum, like the coalition that elected him. President Trump’s first-term cabinet was marked by clashing and turnover, as he struggled to find a policy vision and prominent figures to carry it out. The ease with which the president has filled out this administration with robust backers of his new “America First” brand speaks volumes about the transformation of the American right he has led.

Marco Rubio,
Secretary of State

The former Florida senator is well-known as an outspoken foreign policy hawk, especially on China and Iran.

Mr. Rubio initially backed Ukraine’s war effort and called for a tough Western response against Russia. For the last year, he has increasingly called for a diplomatic solution, saying recently it had become “a stalemate war.”

He was a consistent supporter of Israel’s security needs. In response to a question on Gaza’s future at his confirmation hearing, Mr. Rubio responded, “You cannot coexist with armed elements at your border who seek your destruction and evisceration as a state.”

Following his confirmation, Mr. Rubio has pledged to eliminate leftist ideological programs such as DEI and to develop new policies that place a laser focus on advancing “national interest.”

Pam Bondi,
Attorney General

Pam Bondi has been a stalwart of the MAGA sphere since its inception.

Serving as Florida’s attorney general from 2011 to 2019, her highest-profile accomplishment was cracking down on the state’s illegal prescription drug trade.

Mrs. Bondi called for deporting foreign students who express support for Hamas, which could determine in the administration’s direction in countering campus anti-Semitism.

As Florida’s attorney general, and more recently as head of the legal division of the America First Policy Institute, Mrs. Bondi emerged as a defender of religious liberty, submitting several briefs and joining suits fighting for greater protections for faith groups and practitioners.

Pete Hegseth,
Secretary of Defense

Of all of President Trump’s cabinet nominees, Pete Hegseth had perhaps the rockiest ride on the road to confirmation. He weathered a lengthy investigation into his personal life that threatened to unearth disqualifying information, but in the end, nothing stuck.

A Princeton and Harvard alumnus and Army veteran, Hegseth rose to prominence as a television personality and critic of progressive policies in government. In particular, he highlighted examples of how US military strength has been undermined in the name of “diversity” and “equity.”

Mr. Hegseth has been a strong pro-Israel voice, saying at his confirmation hearing, “I support Israel destroying and killing every last member of Hamas.”

He said that he views China as America’s most serious foreign threat and that he would move the military’s focus away from Middle East conflicts, toward east Asia and securing the nation’s borders.

Michael Waltz,
National Security Advisor

Michael Waltz is perhaps the staidest of President Trump’s senior appointees.

A graduate of Virginia Military Institute and a decorated 27-year Army and National Guard veteran, Mr. Waltz served as a defense advisor in the George W. Bush administration and then as a Florida congressman for Florida since 2019.

Mr. Waltz is a vocal China hawk who called for the US to boycott the 2022 Beijing Olympics.

Mr. Waltz is seen as a strong Israel supporter. He recently told an interviewer that the administration is committed to “making sure that Hamas is destroyed as a terrorist organization.”

On the other hand, Mr. Waltz is increasingly skeptical of the usefulness of American support to Kiev, saying, “The era of Ukraine’s blank check from Congress is over.”

Echoing President Trump’s international vison, Mr. Waltz has tempered support for America’s role in NATO with calls for European partners to significantly step up their own defense spending.

Scott Bessent,
Secretary of Treasury

Wall Street investment mogul Scott Bessent drew fewer headlines than other Trump cabinet picks, despite the power the Treasury wields. In confirmation hearings, he called for renewing and extending the 2017 tax cuts.

Mr. Bessent made hundreds of millions with his global investment fund, and before that, working for George Soros. Trying to hedge his biography with Trump’s emphasis on working-class economic policy, he recently commented, “I believe Wall Street has done great the past few years, and that Main Street has suffered. I think it’s Main Street’s time.”

If President Trump’s tariff regime comes to pass, it would run through the Treasury. Mr. Bessent has said that he views tariffs as a sanctions tool to achieve greater parity with unfair competitors like China.

Mr. Bessent was a major contributor to Democratic presidential campaigns and continues to hold progressive social views.

Elise Stefanik,
Ambassador to the United Nations

Elise Stefanik, a former high-ranking Republican congresswoman from New York, rose to national prominence last year when she grilled three university presidents about anti-Semitism on their campuses.

A Harvard graduate, she was elected to the House of Representatives at 30, assuming a leadership position in 2022.

In confirmation hearings, Mrs. Stefanik said she wanted to counter “anti-Semitic rot” at the UN and hold the UN accountable for America’s hefty contributions.

“Our tax dollars should not be complicit in propping up entities that are counter to American interests, anti-Semitic, or engaging in fraud, corruption, or terrorism,” she said.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr.,

Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS)

Robert F. Kennedy Jr., known for promoting conspiracy theories about the links between vaccination and autism, is an unconventional member of the Trump team.

Some of Kennedy’s policy goals that have won broader acceptance include desires to cut staff in federal health agencies and to reduce the influence of pharmaceutical companies in FDA approval and other policy decisions.

Another increasingly popular cause he champions is cracking down on ultra-processed foods, which recent research has linked to a number of health risks.

Tulsi Gabbard,
Director of National Intelligence

Tulsi Gabbard, a former Democratic congresswoman from Hawaii, is part of a swath of former far-left voters who swung toward President Trump in 2024 over a shared distrust of the establishment and skepticism of America’s international role.

Mrs. Gabbard began her political career as a socially conservative Democrat, later becoming a progressive backer of Senator Bernie Sanders, then left Congress and her party, saying it was run by an “elitist cabal of warmongers.”

Her anti-war positions have led to some controversial moves, including visits to now-ousted Syrian dictator Bashar Assad. She criticized the US strike that killed Iranian general Qassem Soleimani, saying that President Trump was “pushing our nation headlong into a war with Iran.” Mrs. Gabbard was also a steady critic of the US-Israel relationship, calling it “lopsided” and that America should play a “neutral” role in the region.

(Originally featured in Mishpacha, Issue 1047)