CNN anchor Jake Tapper was among those to express his shock at some of the picks for Donald Trump’s coming administration, describing the top item as words he had “never contemplated using before.”
Tapper’s disbelief shone through as he kicked off Wednesday’s episode of The Lead With Jake Tapper, highlighting one of the more controversial selections by the President-elect.
“Welcome to The Lead, I’m Jake Tapper,” he said. “Let me begin the show by uttering some words that I never contemplated using together before. And those words are: U.S. Attorney General Matt Gaetz.”
The nomination of the former Florida congressman was announced by the Trump campaign on Wednesday, prompting consternation in the media and both sides of the political aisle. Many have voiced concern over the selection of candidates on the apparent basis of their loyalty to the president-elect, rather than their suitability or qualifications.
Gaetz is an attorney, but was previously at the center of a federal sex-trafficking case involving a 17-year-old girl, though charges were never brought and he insisted he had done nothing wrong. A House Ethics probe into allegations of sexual misconduct and drug use made against him effectively ended on Wednesday after he resigned from his seat in Congress.
Trump has also chosen former Democratic Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard and Florida Republican Senator Marco Rubio to join his administration, as well Fox News anchor Pete Hegseth who will be Secretary of Defense.
“If you were wondering what Trump without the guardrails looks like, well, we’re getting an idea beyond the theoretical, Tapper said on Wednesday. “We are starting with breaking news on so many fronts related to president-elect Donald Trump’s transition.”
Tapper was not alone in his incredulity. According to Axios, there were audible gasps by House Republicans at a conference meeting on Wednesday when the news broke.“I don’t think it’s a serious nomination for the attorney general,” Alaska Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski said.
Senator Peter Welch, a Vermont Democrat, told The Independent the announcement sounded like a headline in a satire publication. “That was in The Onion,” he said.