Pundit George Conway, an outspoken Republican critic of President-elect Trump, said the recent Cabinet picks are “truly as bad as you can imagine.”
He singled out the nominations of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. for Health and Human Services (HHS) secretary, Tulsi Gabbard as national intelligence director and former Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) as U.S. attorney general.
“These three picks are truly as bad as you can imagine. If you were actively trying to do harm to the country, to destroy the country, these are the kinds of people, if not the people, you would pick,” Conway told CNN’s Wolf Blitzer on Thursday.
Trump has faced some backlash for some of his Cabinet picks this week.
His choice of Kennedy, an anti-vaccine activist and environmental lawyer, to head the HHS has sparked concern among Democrats and public health experts, who worry Kennedy could meddle with key government agencies, amplify vaccine hesitancy and direct agency funding to favor his preferred views.
Gabbard, a former lawmaker from Hawaii whom Trump tapped to serve as director of national intelligence, could face obstacles for confirmation to the role, given criticism over being too aligned with Russian talking points.
Gaetz’s nomination as attorney general, another unexpected pick from Trump, could also face an uphill battle in the Senate as the choice also shocked some members of Congress.
When asked about whether Republicans will “defy Trump” on any of his choices, Conway seemed hesitant to say either way.
“I can’t say that with confidence. I wouldn’t bet that all three of them would go through, but I don’t think you can lose money betting on the spinelessness of Republican senators,” Conway said.
Earlier this week, Alabama Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R), an ardent Trump ally, warned his Republican colleagues that “we’re gonna try to get you out of the Senate” if they oppose Trump’s picks and legislative agenda.
