Former President Donald Trump’s campaign issued a statement Friday ostensibly debunking reporting from Axios about his alleged “short list” of future administration appointments.
Filed Thursday, the Axios report claimed several men and women are on the shortlist for positions in the future Trump administration, including Stephen Miller, Steve Bannon, Kash Patel, Ric Grenell, J.D. Vance, etc.
“Former President Trump, if elected, would build a Cabinet and White House staff based mainly on two imperatives: pre-vetted loyalty to him and a commitment to stretch legal and governance boundaries, sources who talk often with the leading GOP presidential candidate [said],” the report reads.
“Why it matters: Trump would fill the most powerful jobs in government with men like Stephen Miller, Sen. J.D. Vance of Ohio and Kash Patel — with the possible return of Steve Bannon. If Trump won in 2024, he’d turn to loyalists who share his zeal to punish critics, purge non-believers, and take controversial legal and military action, the sources tell us,” the report continues.
Trump’s loyalty-first cabinet. EXCLUSIVE details: 1. Melania wants @tuckercarlson for VP. 2. Stephen Miller 4 Attorney General. 3. Tucker pushing Steve Bannon as Chief of Staff. 4. JD Vance up for a big gig, on VP short list… https://t.co/5sPvaeY2tM
— Jim VandeHei (@JimVandeHei) December 7, 2023
But in a statement issued Friday through Trump’s official campaign website, campaign senior advisers Susie Wiles and Chris LaCivita called the report bull.
“Several weeks ago, Trump Campaign leadership released a memo about media speculation about Presidential transition efforts and a second Trump presidency. Despite our being crystal clear, some ‘allies’ haven’t gotten the hint, and the media, in their anti-Trump zeal, has been all-to-willing to continue using anonymous sourcing and speculation about a second Trump administration in an effort to prevent a second Trump administration,” the statement reads.
“Let us be very specific here: unless a message is coming directly from President Trump or an authorized member of his campaign team, no aspect of future presidential staffing or policy announcements should be deemed official. Let us be even more specific, and blunt: People publicly discussing potential administration jobs for themselves or their friends are, in fact, hurting President Trump…and themselves. These are an unwelcomed distraction,” the statement continues.
Notice the mention of “allies.” It appears the Trump campaign is also upset with Trump supporters who are proudly touting Axios’ reporting as a good thing.
Vice President Tucker Carlson, AG Stephen Miller, Chief of Staff Steve Brannon..,
A second Trump administration will be STACKED https://t.co/jqNeHNzi0Z
— johnny maga (@_johnnymaga) December 7, 2023
The statement concludes with Wiles and LaCivita stressing that staffing decisions won’t be based on mainstream media speculation.
“Second term policy priorities and staffing decisions will not – in no uncertain terms – be led by anonymous or thinly sourced speculation in mainstream media news stories,” the two wrote.
“President Trump is solely focused on winning the Republican nomination for president and then defeating Crooked Joe Biden in the general election. He is not interested in, nor does he condone, selfish efforts by ‘desk hunters.’ There will be an appropriate time to focus on such matters after winning next November, and it will follow President Trump’s lead,” they added.
In addition to speculating on who’s on the shortlist for Trump administration positions, the Axios report also contains a couple of other alleged tidbits.
For example, it claims former first lady Melania Trump has recommended that her husband choose Tucker Carlson as his running mate.
“She thinks Carlson would make a powerful onstage extension of her husband, a source close to Trump told us. The former first lady has made few campaign appearances this time around — but a Trump-Carlson ticket might encourage her to hit the trail,” the report reads.
Speaking of Carlson, Axios’ report further claims he has been pushing the idea that Trump should recruit Steve Bannon to serve as his chief of staff once more.
“Carlson [says] that Bannon would diligently implement promises after Trump lost interest. ‘Steve believes: If you said we’re building a wall, we’re building a wall,’ Carlson said,” according to the report.
And finally, the report makes a bunch of doomsday predictions about another Trump administration.
“They want to target and jail critics, including government officials and journalists; deport undocumented immigrants or put them in detainment camps, and unleash the military to target drug cartels in Mexico, or possibly crack down on criminals or protesters at home. They want to scrap rules that limit their ability to purge government workers deemed disloyal,” it reads.
Responding to the report, many critics couldn’t help but shake their heads and laugh at the media’s continued fearmongering:
Axios is pure DNC/CCP propaganda.
— Mr. America (@ConservativesSo) December 7, 2023
Why didn’t this happen the first time, then?
— Coomskin Cap (@coomskincap) December 7, 2023
Are you telling me there’s potential for him to lock up the likes of Biden, Hilary, etc?? Sign me up for another trump election!
— Shawn Falcon (@ShawnFalcon_) December 8, 2023
damn. Controversial military action? Like supporting the genocide of tens of thousands of Palestinians, physically blocking their neighbors from helping with US military vessels? Like a NATO proxy war for a coup’d and fascist West Ukrainian govt.? Like ground troops in Haiti?
— Will (@Wil_Im_Not) December 7, 2023
Writers and editors can be contacted at [email protected] with feedback, tips, or corrections.
V. Saxena is a staff writer with a decade of experience as a professional writer, and a lifetime of experience as an avid news junkie. He holds a degree in computer technology from Purdue University. Saxena also contributes to BizPac Review.
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