Progressives Outraged as Democrats Yield to Trump’s Corporate-Controlled Cabinet

On Monday, the watchdog organization Revolving Door Project criticized Democratic senators for their minimal opposition as they prepare for the confirmation hearings of President-elect Donald Trump’s cabinet picks. The group pointed out that top Democratic figures seem ready to let controversial right-wing candidates secure high-ranking government roles without substantial challenge from an effective opposing party.

Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) commented to NOTUS on Monday that while some of Trump’s nominees are “objectionable,” others “will receive bipartisan support.”

Jeff Hauser, the executive director of the Revolving Door Project (RDP), noted that the Republicans’ 53-seat majority in the Senate compared to the Democrats’ 45 seats means “Democrats don’t have the votes to block any of these nominations.”

“However, they can start highlighting the favoritism that’s likely to emerge from the Trump administration. Unlike the current stance of the party, being able to say ‘I told you so’ later is actually beneficial for future success,” Hauser stated.

Democrats seem to be missing the chance to utilize that strategy, Hauser cautioned, as they show little opposition “to those Trump nominees whose controversial stances have resulted in nearly universal skepticism.”

“For all the Trump nominees not directly accused of extreme misconduct like animal cruelty or violent crimes, Democrats appear reluctant to even mildly oppose them, regardless of their qualifications,” Hauser added.

“Democrats need to rediscover their populist roots and consistently engage in these fights, even if they seem destined to lose.”

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) convened a discussion on Monday with Democratic members of the Senate Armed Services Committee about the upcoming interrogation of defense secretary nominee Pete Hegseth, emphasizing that Tuesday’s hearing is an opportunity to challenge the Republican narrative. Hegseth has denied accusations of sexual assault.

Yet, the party has not spotlighted issues with nominees like Scott Bessent, Trump’s choice for treasury secretary, or Chris Wright, a fracking CEO who has dismissed the climate crisis and is nominated to lead the Department of Energy (DOE).

“Senate Democrats have not questioned how Scott Bessent’s background of managing a mediocre hedge fund with shrinking assets qualifies him for one of the most influential economic positions in the world,” Hauser commented. “Nor have they explored how Chris Wright’s stance as a detached tycoon ignorant of scientific consensus fits him to oversee some of the planet’s most significant laboratories.”

Senator Cory Booker (D-N.J.) told NOTUS that during the confirmation hearings, Democrats aim to address whether the nominees “are fighting for the American public, or are advocating for the type of cronyism that has damaged this institution.”

“I am inclined to support nominees who will genuinely advocate for the public interest, not special interests, the wealthy, or policies that undermine our freedoms,” Booker explained to NOTUS.

Yet, with nominees like hedge fund manager Bessent, former corporate lobbyist Pam Bondi for attorney general, cryptocurrency advocate Howard Lutnick for commerce secretary, and Medicare Advantage supporter Mehmet Oz for head of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, Hauser believes Democrats should not treat the nominees’ conflicts of interest and allegiances as open questions.

“Every senior official in the Trump administration will have the power to use presidential authority to favor corporate interests, detrimental to the average American. Workers, consumers, and those breathing air—every typical American is endangered by what may be the most corporately compromised group of nominees in U.S. history,” Hauser stated. “Democrats should be telling this story now, not just to sound early alarms before the inauguration, but to be able to articulate what went wrong and why when conditions inevitably worsen across various important sectors in the coming years.”

However, Booker told NOTUS that the party “is not looking to make this about partisanship or tribalism.”

Senator John Fetterman (D-Pa.), who recently met with Trump at Mar-a-Lago, told NOTUS that his approach to the confirmation hearings is “to listen.” He has shown support for secretary of state nominee Marco Rubioubio, United Nations ambassador nominee Elisa StefanikStefanik, and transportation secretary nominee Sean Duffy.

“Senate Democrats are opting for strategic withdrawal wherever feasible, convinced that ‘opposition’ is a poor strategy for the opposition party,” Hauser cautioned.

In a post on RDP’s Substack newsletter, research assistant KJ Boyle criticized the approach of Booker and Fetterman, noting “Trump’s picks are partisan, selected for their allegiance to him and the financial interests they are supposed to regulate. Now is not the time to sit back and listen. It’s time to raise serious concerns about how unqualified and hazardous these nominees are, and to explain how this will translate into real-world consequences that harm ordinary people.”

The group plans to publish suggested questions for Democrats to pose at the confirmation hearings soon; Boyle started with Wright, interior secretary nominee Doug Burgum, and Office of Management and Budget director nominee Russell Vought.

He suggested senators ask Wright about his past company, trade association Western Energy Alliance, and its public opposition to energy efficiency standards for gas stoves.

“The public comment falsely claimed the DOE’s rule was ‘intended to ban new gas stoves and force a transition to electric,’ instead of a practical rule to cut carbon dioxide emissions and save consumers money,” Boyle wrote in a suggested question. “Moreover, are you aware that around 13% of childhood asthma cases are linked to nitrogen dioxide exposure from gas stoves? Do you believe the federal government has no role in protecting our children from these dangerous airborne pollutants?”

Boyle suggested senators ask Vought about his history of budget reductions that have negatively impacted low-income families, and ask Burgum why he opposed a regulation requiring coal plants to reduce mercury emissions, which are associated with heart attacks, cancer, and developmental delays in children.

“Why do you think the coal industry should receive subsidies and be allowed to harm people’s health?” Boyle proposed senators ask.

Hauser stated that following their electoral loss in November, Democrats are “doubling down on an ostrich-like strategy of burying their heads until Donald Trump disappears.”

“But the MAGA movement won’t just disappear; it needs to be actively defeated,” he emphasized. “Beating the MAGA movement doesn’t need clever theories; it requires hard, consistent opposition on behalf of the millions who will suffer under Trump’s corporate cabinet. Democrats must tap into their populist instincts and fight tirelessly, even in battles they are likely to lose.”

“There’s never a better time to find an opposition’s voice,” he concluded, “than when a would-be populist president appoints a cabinet dominated by corporate interests.”