Fill the Swamp?
Trump’s appointments are putting lobbyists and industry leaders into positions of immense government power.
David A. Graham
David A. Graham is a staff writer at The Atlantic. He won the Toner Prize for Excellence in National Political Reporting in 2021 for his coverage of the 2020 presidential election. Before joining The Atlantic in 2011, he reported for Newsweek, the Daily Beast, The Wall Street Journal, and The National. At The Atlantic, he covers politics and national affairs, and he previously edited the politics section. He can be reached via email here.
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Illustration by Akshita Chandra / The Atlantic. Source: Getty. The Fox News Rebound
After the 2020 elections, the network seemed in peril. Today, it’s where Donald Trump goes for Cabinet members.
Illustration by The Atlantic. Sources: David Butow / Redux; Print Collector / Getty. Donald Trump Gets Away With It
Jack Smith is dropping the charges against the president-elect for his assault on the fundamentals of American democracy.
Illustration by The Atlantic. Source: Mandel Ngan / AFP / Getty. The Cases Against Trump: A Guide
Thirty-four felony convictions. Charges of fraud, election subversion, and obstruction. One place to keep track of the president-elect’s legal troubles.
Illustration by The Atlantic. Source: Brendan McDermid / Getty. Pam Bondi’s Comeback
In 2017, Pam Bondi was passed over as too scandal-tainted. This time, she’s the safe, acceptable fallback choice.
Chip Somodevilla / Getty Trump’s First Defeat
Matt Gaetz has officially withdrawn from being considered for attorney general.
Mark Peterson / Redux Washington Is Shocked
Just shocked, I tell you.
Illustration by The Atlantic. Sources: Getty; Camerique / Getty; Lambert / Getty. The Perverse Logic of Trump’s Nomination Circus
The sheer quantity of individually unqualified selections might make blocking any of them harder.
Illustration by The Atlantic. Sources: Jennifer Kennard / Corbis / Getty; Sean Gladwell / Getty. Trump Takes Aim at Republicans
Even as he fulminates against Democrats and bureaucrats, Trump’s most radical proposals are aimed at bypassing members of his own party.
Brian Snyder / Reuters The Thing That Binds Gabbard, Gaetz, and Hegseth to Trump
The president-elect’s most controversial Cabinet picks share one crucial tie.
Illustration by The Atlantic. Sources: John Lamparski / Getty; Andrew Harnik / Getty; Eva Marie Uzcategui / Bloomberg / Getty.
