Twenty of President Donald Trump’s twenty-two Cabinet picks have now been confirmed by the U.S. Senate, with final votes on the remaining two – Secretary of Labor nominee Lori Chavez-DeRemer and U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations nominee Elise Stefanik – expected in the coming weeks. While elected Democrats and the media have spared no effort disparaging every one of President Trump’s picks, his Cabinet reflects the broad coalition of voters who elected him last November.
Take, for instance, Chavez-DeRemer’s nomination. As a former Republican U.S. House member from Oregon, she has taken a number of pro-union stances—most notably, her support for the PRO Act—that are out of step with GOP orthodoxy and have raised eyebrows among even some Senate Republicans.
But working-class voters – many of whom are in unions – have been a core component of President Trump’s coalition going back to his first run in 2016. In 2024, several major unions with long histories of endorsing Democrat candidates, including the International Association of Firefighters and the Teamsters International, declined to endorse a candidate in the presidential race.
Among rank-and-file union workers, Trump enjoyed significant support, which helped him win the critical Rust Belt states of Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Wisconsin.
Trump’s choice of Chavez-DeRemer is a recognition of the fact that union workers, many of whom already agree with Republicans on social and economic policies, are an important part of the emerging “new right.” While Chavez-DeRemer may not please anti-union absolutists, she represents a middle ground that balances the rights of workers with the rights of businesses.
But Trump’s appointments aren’t just some basic political calculus. They reflect the president’s deeper understanding that effective governance requires diverse perspectives united by common goals and a commitment to core principles.
Perhaps no appointment better illustrates this approach than Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s confirmation as Secretary of Health and Human Services, which sent liberals into a tailspin.
Despite his Democratic pedigree, including running as a Democrat in the 2024 presidential election before launching a campaign as an Independent, Kennedy was narrowly confirmed by the Senate 52-48 without a single Democrat vote, signaling Trump’s willingness to prioritize shared policy goals over party lines.
While Kennedy differs from Trump and conservatives on issues like climate change and abortion – which Trump himself has acknowledged – Kennedy’s crusade against Big Pharma and battle for health freedom closely align with Trump’s efforts to “drain the swamp.”
Rather than a “Republican” or “Democrat” pick, Kennedy is an anti-establishment pick who has made clear that he cares first and foremost about encouraging better health outcomes for the American people, not partisan ideology.
Similarly, the confirmation of former Democrat firebrand Tulsi Gabbard as Director of National Intelligence marks another crossing of traditional party lines. While Gabbard’s positions on foreign policy and surveillance reform have alienated some Republican hawks, they align perfectly with Trump’s crusade to dismantle the Deep State — making her an ideal choice for an administration that has long been plagued by concerns about transparency and accountability.
But Trump’s Cabinet isn’t just outsiders and reformed liberals. The president has also tapped more established political figures like Florida Sen. Marco Rubio for Secretary of State, who was confirmed with unanimous support, and Wall Street veteran Scott Bessent for Treasury Secretary, who was likewise confirmed with strong bipartisan support.
While the mainstream narrative among political pundits is that Trump “blew up” the Republican Party when he stormed to the nomination in 2016, his Cabinet picks show that analysis is not quite right. Instead, Trump took a party that had just been walloped twice by Barack Obama and added new constituencies that have not only landed him back in the White House but also put the GOP in a much better position to win elections long-term.
In the process, Trump indeed alienated some establishment figures – the so-called “Never Trump” Republicans. But while this noisy minority has drawn plenty of attention to itself, it is just that – a minority.
In a video posted to X late last month, Senator Markwayne Mullin (R-OK) explained how President Trump’s Cabinet reflects this important political development. “This is a new coalition that President Trump has put together,” Mullin said. “I mean, you think about Bobby, you think about Tulsi, now you think about Lori. President Trump has been really unique in expanding our party.”
Mullin highlighted major voting shifts in the 2024 election, including President Trump’s historic gains with Black voters, Native Americans, Hispanic voters, and young voters, that were all thanks to Trump’s ability to find common ground to the benefit of the country. He argued that Democrats, despite their claims of inclusivity, reject those who don’t fully embrace their platform — pointing to unions as a prime example.
“While [Chavez-DeRemer] may not be ideal for all of us, it represents a negotiation that’s taken place inside our party that’s saying we can set some differences aside,” Mullin said.
The broadening of the Republican coalition under President Trump isn’t happening because conservative leaders are abandoning their principles. Rather, it reflects a fundamental shift in how the movement applies those principles to address kitchen-table issues. What President Trump recognized and capitalized on was that core conservative ideals resonate with voters of every background.
This is a significant advantage that Republicans have over Democrats, who remain tethered to a rigid progressive orthodoxy. As Mullin has noted, the strength of the emerging Republican coalition does not come from absolute uniformity but from its ability to unite diverse voices under the banner of American renewal.
The result is a more dynamic conservative movement that maintains its integrity while expanding its appeal. Trump’s Cabinet choices signal that the future of American conservatism lies not in ideological purity tests but in a sincere commitment to one uniting creed: America First.
Sarah Katherine Sisk is a senior at Hillsdale College pursuing a degree in Economics and Journalism. You can follow her on X @SKSisk76.
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