As 2024 drew to a close and Donald Trump unveiled his cabinet picks for a potential 2025 term, political commentators were left aghast. The question wasn't if the selections were poor, but which appointment was the most catastrophically unqualified. The list of contenders was long: Matt Gaetz for Attorney General, Pete Hegseth for Defense Secretary, or Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to lead Health and Human Services.
A Legacy of Failure and 'Clown Car' Chaos
Despite the White House's boast of assembling "the greatest cabinet of all time," the reality has been starkly different. Scholars and former officials now agree that, based on expertise, competence, and ethical standards, Trump's 2025 cabinet is the worst in American history. Dubbed a "clown car cabinet" by critics, its members have presided over a year of profound mismanagement and scandal.
Professor Warren Blumenfeld captured the absurdity last February, noting Trump nominated "a man who spreads vaccine conspiracy theories" to HHS and "an election denier" to run the FBI. Former Labour Secretary Robert Reich was blunter, stating the cabinet "is filled with bottom-feeders, frauds, fanatics, and fools." The consequences have been severe, with multiple members facing loud calls for their resignation less than twelve months into the job.
Spotlight on Key Culprits: Noem, Hegseth, and Kennedy
The performance of several secretaries has drawn bipartisan condemnation. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem has been accused of focusing on perks over performance. Her department spent over $200 million in government funds on two private jets after she moved into a rent-free former Coast Guard commandant's home. Republican loyalists reportedly fear she has "bungled" billions in new funding, with Democratic Congressman Bennie Thompson bluntly urging her to resign.
At the Pentagon, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has been labelled an "amateur person" by Republican Congressman Don Bacon. Hegseth has purged senior military leaders, labelling them "woke" without evidence, and overseen a controversial shift towards using the military to patrol American cities. His juvenile description of the Venezuela incursion—that Maduro "effed around and found out"—has further questioned his maturity.
Perhaps most damaging to public health has been HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.. Breaking confirmation promises, he has installed anti-vaccine advocates in key roles, dismantled the CDC's disease-tracking capabilities, and revoked $11 billion in local public health funding. Critics argue he is actively endangering the nation's most vulnerable with policies like rolling back childhood vaccination guidelines.
A Weaponised Justice Department and a Historic Low
Completing the picture, Attorney General Pam Bondi has transformed the Department of Justice into an instrument of political revenge. She swiftly indicted Trump's opponents like James Comey and Letitia James following the president's public posts, though the cases were later dismissed. Her tenure threatens to leave the DOJ less independent and more susceptible to political pressure.
While the cabinets of Warren Harding and Ulysses Grant were historically synonymous with corruption, scholars now assert Trump's 2025 selections have surpassed them. The president's explicit prioritisation of loyalty over capability has yielded a uniquely disastrous team. As 2026 begins, the lesson is clear: the composition of a president's cabinet matters profoundly, and the American public must demand accountability for the damage done.
