Published November 25, 2024 by

An Open Letter To My Senators on Trump’s Nominees

Train wreck at Montparnasse 1895, a metaphor for trump's cabinet nominations.
Trump’s Cabinet Nominations

Estimated reading time: 2 minutes

I have been horrified by the train wreck of trump’s nominations for leadership positions in his future administration. While I did not expect much integrity or competence from anyone willing to work for trump, these cabinet posts nominees already exceed my expectations.

Both of my North Carolina senators are Republicans. So, I guess I shouldn’t expect too much of them. But in the fleeting hope that they have some integrity, I decided to write them a letter expressing my feelings. So, here is my open letter to my senators on trump’s nominees.

The Senators

My senators are Thom Tillis and Ted Budd. A review of the Ballotpedia shows that Thom Tillis has been in the Senate since 2015, up for re-election in 2027. Ted Budd was a member of the Congressional “Freedom Caucus” as a Congressman prior to becoming senator. He has been in the Senate since 2023, up for re-election in 2029. The text of my letter is the same to both, except I changed the year of their re-election in one paragraph.

My Letter

Dear Senator […name…],

My name is Ron Charest. I reside at […address…]. I am a Navy veteran, approaching retirement from the federal government workforce (Department of Homeland Security), and I am a new resident of this lovely state. I am writing to express my concerns with President-elect Trump’s Cabinet nominees.

I deeply disagree with every policy position of President-elect Trump. However, I think we can agree that our cabinet secretaries create the leadership team for all Americans. These cabinet members should be competent, ethical, and trustworthy, regardless of their political positions.

I feel alarmed that too many of President-elect Trump’s cabinet nominations have some or all of the following issues:

  1. No experience relevant for the position.
  2. A history as sex offenders.
  3. Obvious indicators of being foreign assets and national security threat.
  4. Openly aligned with groups the FBI considers domestic terrorist organizations.

I am especially alarmed at the nomination for Secretary of Defense, Mr. Pete Hegseth. This man has no experience relevant for managing the world’s most powerful military. He has a police record for sexual assault. In addition, he has public ties to White Supremacist organizations which forced his dismissal from the Minnisota Army National Guard. Speaking as a 22-year Navy veteran I would not even want this man in my unit, let alone in any position of leadership over professional, highly trained and well-disciplined military personnel.

I am even more alarmed that President-elect Trump is demanding Senators abandon the Constitutionally-mandated Senate confirmation process for his nominees. Why is the President-elect making these demands? Are there reasons why his nominees should not be confirmed?

I remember nominees of past presidents being rejected by the Senate for issues such as failing to pay employment taxes for their nanny. Shouldn’t the issues of lacking relevant job qualifications, being a sex offender, a national security threat, or aligned with domestic terrorists be more disqualifying than not paying a “nanny tax”?

I am asking that you, and your Senate Colleagues, to perform the confirmation process for President-elect Trump’s Cabinet nominees same as you would those of a Democratic President. I have no doubt you will experience extreme pressure if you oppose any of President-elect Trump’s nominees. You may even face a primary challenger during your next re-election, financed by the world’s wealthiest man. However, as you are not up for re-election until […year…] you still have more job security than most of your constituents.

Senator; you represent all the people of the Great State of North Carolina, and work for all Americans. I believe Americans deserve competent, ethical and trustworthy leadership. This is the time for you to put the interests of Americans over the interests of winning your next election. I ask that you do not kowtow to President-elect Trump. Please perform the job North Carolinian’s elected you to do. Properly vet these cabinet nominees, and vote to disapprove them if they fail to meet the high standards Americans expect from our leadership.

Respectfully Yours,

If these honorable senators deem me worthy of a response, I’ll be sure to post it here. Meanwhile, I guess hold onto your hats. We’re in for a bumpy ride these next four years (or beyond). I pray we survive as a viable nation.

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Ron Charest

Ron Charest

Ron is a native New Yorker and 22-year Navy veteran. He retired from active duty in 1996 as a Senior Chief Electronics Technician (Submarine Qualified) and went on to build a successful post-Navy career in logistics and information technology, focused on the shipbuilding and ship-repair industry. He currently works for the US Coast Guard at the Washington D.C. headquarters. When he's not on a boat, traveling, or working home improvement projects, he spends his time writing and building websites.

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