Donald Trump Jr. has emerged as the family’s most influential adviser of the moment as his father builds the most controversial Cabinet in modern American history, sources close to Donald Trump’s eldest son say.
Trump Jr. has in some cases promoted inexperienced loyalists over more qualified candidates for top positions in President-elect Donald Trump’s new administration.
Related: Trump’s Cabinet and White House picks – so far
During Trump’s first administration, as the 45th president, his eldest daughter, Ivanka Trump, and her husband, Jared Kushner, were top-level political advisors, while his sons Don Jr. and Eric were mainly appointed to manage the family business.
Ivanka and her husband took a major step back from politics after Trump lost to Joe Biden in the 2020 presidential election and during Trump’s subsequent descent into a tangle of civil and criminal cases against him, though they have been more present since his victory in the elections earlier this month.
Now sources have told Reuters that Don Jr. is currently the leading voice in his father’s ear and that the newly elected president has become especially dependent on his son for advice on White House strategy.
But at least two of the more controversial picks championed by Don Jr face stiff challenges for Senate confirmation – vaccine skeptic and conspiracy theorist Robert F Kennedy Jr, of the mainly Democratic Kennedy political dynasty, for Secretary of Health and former Democratic Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard as director of national intelligence, facing bipartisan concerns about her Russian interests and a lack of experience in the intelligence community.
Scheduling for appointments continued on Sunday, the Washington Post reported, with the likely appointment of Jay Bhattacharya, a Stanford-educated physician and economist, as the next director of the National Institutes of Health.
Reuters spoke to half a dozen sources, including donors, political allies and friends, who assessed Don Jr.’s influence. when pitching names for appointments, including inexperienced loyalists. Don Jr was credited with making JD Vance his father’s vice presidential choice, helping propel Cabinet nominees to prominence and keeping former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo from joining the Cabinet.
“The reality this time is that we really know what we’re doing,” Don Jr. said. to Fox News earlier this month. “And it’s about surrounding my father with people who are both competent and loyal.”
Kushner, a former senior adviser to Trump who focused on the Middle East, told Reuters he is briefing real estate investor Steve Witkoff about his new job as special envoy to the region.
“I have worked with Witkoff to brief him on Trump’s past efforts,” Kushner said through a spokesperson.
A source close to the transition said Trump does not appear to need his family for advice as much as in the past because of aides like Susie Wiles, who helped run the most disciplined election campaigns yet and who are will be chief of staff. .
“Things are really buttoned up,” the source said of Trump’s current team. “He may not need the family this time like he used to.”
