WASHINGTON — A noticeable trend is emerging as President-elect Donald Trump fills the roles within his upcoming administration: a preference for individuals with a background in television. He often refers to the ideal candidates having that “central casting” appearance.
Several of his appointments, such as Pete Hegseth for defense secretary and Sean Duffy for transportation secretary, are recognizable faces from Trump’s favored network, Fox News. Mike Huckabee, selected to be the U.S. ambassador to Israel, previously hosted the Fox show “Huckabee” for several years following his governorship in Arkansas.
On Tuesday, Dr. Mehmet Oz, well-known as a talk show host and heart surgeon, received the appointment to head the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. This agency oversees health insurance for millions of elderly, low-income, and disabled Americans. He will report to Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., who has also been a frequent figure on cable news, serving as the incoming health and human services secretary.
Having once starred in a reality television program, Trump has openly stated his goal to people he trusts into key positions following his decisive 2024 election victory. This includes individuals whose qualifications have raised eyebrows among legislators, but Trump’s vision of constructing a bolder administration seems to intersect significantly with the realm of celebrity.
Democratic Representative Jim Himes from Connecticut astutely noted this trend, joking on social media following Oz’s nomination that the country seems to be transforming into “the world’s first nuclear-armed reality television show.” Himes further quipped about fantastical scenarios involving his Cabinet members engaging in octagonal cage fights, referencing Trump’s admiration for UFC fighters.
Selecting television personalities for key positions isn’t a new phenomenon for Trump; many of his appointments during his first term, including John Bolton, Larry Kudlow, and Heather Nauert, also hailed from television, particularly from Fox. Omarosa Manigault Newman, a standout from Trump’s NBC show “The Apprentice,” briefly worked in the White House until her dismissal.
Chris Christie, the former New Jersey governor who led Trump’s 2016 transition efforts until his ousting, revealed that Trump held “Apprentice-like interviews” at his Bedminster club back in 2016. In a recent call arranged by the Council on Foreign Relations, Christie indicated that while this year’s Cabinet selections differ from those in 2016, they still reflect “Donald Trump casting a TV show.”
Trump has actively emphasized the media backgrounds of those he’s announcing. For instance, he described Duffy, who previously starred in MTV’s “The Real World,” as “a STAR on Fox News.” He remarked on Hegseth’s military background and his eight-year stint at Fox, highlighting that Hegseth’s book “The War on Warriors” achieved nine weeks on The New York Times bestseller list, including two weeks at the top.
As for Oz, Trump proudly noted that he won nine Daytime Emmy Awards for his role on “The Dr. Oz Show,” where he educated millions on healthier living. It appears that many individuals aspiring for roles in Trump’s circle strategically utilize media appearances to enhance their appeal. For example, Tom Homan, chosen as “border czar,” frequently contributes to Fox, and Ohio Senator JD Vance was selected as Trump’s running mate partly due to his compelling television presence.
Brendan Carr, the appointee for leading the Federal Communications Commission, raised his profile by discussing on Fox a supposed breach of the “equal time” rule by then-Democratic nominee Kamala Harris during a pre-election appearance on NBC’s “Saturday Night Live.”
The trend of media personalities transitioning from television to government positions exists across administrations, with President Biden also having multiple MSNBC contributors involved in his transition team. However, Biden tended to seek individuals with extensive backgrounds in diplomacy, longstanding government service, and military leadership for critical roles like the Department of Defense.
Trump’s preference for Fox News has been widely noted, although his relationship with the network faced some tension when they controversially declared an early victory for Biden in Arizona during the 2020 election—an action that provoked anger among Trump and many supporters. Although the Arizona result was ultimately validated, it led to a sense of internal confusion within the network and fueled conspiracy theories that culminated in a substantial $787 million settlement over a defamation lawsuit from Dominion Voting Systems.
Nonetheless, Trump remains an avid viewer, finding Fox News a valuable lens into conservative perspectives, often featuring commentary from Republican leaders and thinkers who communicate directly with him.