The Republican Vice Presidential nominee for the 2024 election in the United States, JD Vance, who is also a Federal Senator from Ohio, stated on Friday (August 30) that if former President Trump wins the election again in November, he would appoint Democrats in his cabinet.
During an interview on Fox News Channel’s “Fox & Friends” on Friday, Trump’s running mate Vance mentioned, “In fact, we have received strong support from many Democrats, we just received the support of Robert F. Kennedy Jr., and of course, Tulsi Gabbard, who has supported President Trump in the past few days.”
Vance was referring to independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and former Democratic Federal Representative from Hawaii Tulsi Gabbard. Kennedy Jr. announced his withdrawal from the race last Friday and endorsed Trump; Gabbard, who left the Democratic Party in 2022 and registered as an independent, also endorsed Trump earlier this week.
Kennedy Jr. hails from the influential Kennedy family in American politics. In this election cycle, he first ran for president as a Democrat, then withdrew from the Democratic primaries, continuing his campaign as an independent; Gabbard, a candidate in the 2020 Democratic presidential primaries, also wields significant influence within the Democratic Party.
Vance believes that Trump has attracted a diverse range of voters, even if they do not agree with all of his policy proposals.
“If you look at the Trump movement in 2024, it is actually a big tent movement of common sense in American politics,” Vance said. “We do not all agree on everything. Of course, not everyone who votes for Donald Trump will agree on every policy issue, but we are united on core issues.”
The term “big tent” describes a political party that is inclusive and encompasses members with various beliefs.
In late February, before he became the Vice Presidential nominee, Vance praised Lina Khan, chair of the Federal Trade Commission, as one of the few “outstandingly capable” members in the Biden administration. He mentioned Khan’s work on antitrust enforcement, particularly regarding tech giants.
Vance made these statements on the day after current Vice President and Democratic nominee for the 2024 presidential election, Kamala Harris, made a similar commitment. Harris stated in an interview with CNN on Thursday that if elected president, she would appoint a Republican to her cabinet to fulfill her goal of being a president for “all Americans.”
Throughout American history, there have been instances of a new president appointing members from opposing parties to their cabinet to demonstrate unity.
Former Democratic President Obama nominated several Republicans to his cabinet, including then Illinois Federal Representative Ray LaHood as Transportation Secretary, and kept Robert Gates, a Republican who served as Defense Secretary in the George W. Bush administration, in his government.
The previous administration followed suit. After assuming office, Republican President Trump appointed Democrat Robert Work, who served as Deputy Secretary of Defense in the Obama administration, to continue in that role in his government.