How Trump plans to get his ‘mega-Maga’ team approved – and what that would mean

The Senate is currently controlled by 53 Republicans, compared to 47 Democrats.

“Gaetz has a better chance of having dinner with Queen Elizabeth II than of being confirmed by the Senate,” said Max Miller, a Trump ally and a Republican.

He added: “I think he has a zero percent chance of passing the Senate… reckless choice.”

Michael Guest, the Republican head of the ethics committee, said he was “surprised” by the decision to nominate Mr. Gaetz.

His committee is investigating the candidate for sex trafficking, allegations of illegal drug use, misuse of campaign funds and taking bribes. It would be closed if Mr. Gaetz resigns to become attorney general.

Other Republicans have described it The appointment of Mr. Gaetz as a distraction so that Trump can choose another controversial, but more acceptable candidate at a later date.

In the past, Ms. Gabbard has also faced sharp Republican criticism for her social media posts with pro-Kremlin narratives. She has been branded “treacherous” and accused of “parroting false Russian propaganda.”

Trump’s secret strategy

But Trump may have a strategy up his sleeve to ram through his nominations without any scrutiny.

The president-elect has demanded that the next Senate majority leader authorize recess appointments, which would allow him to unilaterally install members of his top team.

The power to make recess appointments dates back to the era of horse-drawn carriage travel, when the Senate was often out of action for months due to the time it took to move around the country.

To prevent important appointments from being postponed, the founding fathers wrote an exception into the Constitution that allowed presidents to fill vacancies during a recess period.

According to the Congressional Research Service, George W. Bush made 171 recess appointments, Bill Clinton 139 and Barack Obama at least 32.

The controversial tactic, which usually prompts accusations of a power grab, was not used by either Mr Trump or Mr Biden.

In 2014, the Supreme Court ruled against several of Obama’s appointments, declaring them unconstitutional.

By putting his three controversial picks in power, Trump would move one step closer to carrying out his “deep state” revenge.

The president-elect has long demonized the intelligence community, especially after Russia was accused of being behind a campaign to help him defeat Hillary Clinton in 2016. Trump later sided with Putin when asked whether he believed his own intelligence services or the Russian president. a joint press conference two years later in Helsinki.

A supportive attorney general could also agree to publish the names of the Justice Department and FBI officials behind the investigation into Trump’s alleged removal. confidential White House documentswhich ended with the misdemeanor charge.

It has unnerved many serving DoJ officials, who have spoken of their fears that Mr. Gaetz will become their boss in less than two months.

Dave Laufman, a former top official, said the Republican would turn the department into a “Trump petting zoo.”

While an anonymous official who still works at the department told ABC News that there would be “mass layoffs if he were sworn in.”