While Donald Trump's Cabinet hasn't been officially nominated, Politico reported Wednesday it contains only three people of color, similar to his first administration. And Politico's reporting appeared to enrage an aide.
“Those agencies are not viewed as quite as historic. It’s where you historically will put minorities,” said former George W. Bush attorney general Alberto Gonzales, speaking to Politico.
“I’m of the mind that if you can find those people who can help the president achieve what he campaigned on from different … walks of life, different backgrounds,” Gonzales continued. “I think that’s a good thing.”
Among Trump's appointments is Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) as secretary of state, and he's expected to be confirmed. This would make him the first Hispanic to hold the top Cabinet post. Until that, Gonzales was the highest-ranking Latino in a presidential cabinet post.
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Politico noted that Trump's long-time hatred of DEI could have contributed to the move.
Steven Cheung, Trump's spokesperson, told his followers on X to ignore the coverage of lacking diversity.
"Pay no attention to POLITICO," he said. He then called the publication "a fourth-rate rag worse than one-ply toilet tissue."
Additionally, former South Carolina Republican Party director Alex Stroman said, “I think that’s where the country is at: we want a Cabinet that is diverse based on many different experiences and backgrounds, be it sexual or racial, economic, or cultural. But the American people don’t want diversity for the sake of diversity.”
