Donald Trump’s staff: The red thread in the appointments

Elite soldier, border police and migration ideologue.

Now it is beginning to be revealed who will help Donald Trump rule the United States.

The prediction: It will be tough for immigrants – and Europe.

– They are real tough guys, says Björn Ottosson, US researcher at FOI.

Aftonbladet has spoken to several leading US experts about the people who have been appointed to Trump’s upcoming administration in recent days, but also about the names that are being rumoured.

The common thread: loyal hardliners.

– Trump likes people who kiss his ring. All the names that have been mentioned and that have been speculated about are clear yes-sayers, says Erik Åsard, professor emeritus in North American studies at Uppsala University.

The initial appointments also point to Trump’s focus on core issues such as migration and security policy.

– He who is proposed as head of the border, he is a tough guy. Trump doesn’t want someone soft on these issues. He wants to deal with the migrant crisis and deport as many of the undocumented migrants as possible, says Åsard.

Internment camp

The proposed “border czar” is named Tom Homan, a former border policeman who, during Trump’s last term, was behind the separation of migrant families, where children were put in separate prisons.

On Tuesday night writing CNN that Kristi Noem is expected to take over Homeland Security, known for her tough stance on immigration. Yesterday it became known that immigration critic Stephen Miller is expected to become deputy chief of staff in charge of policy issues.

– “America is for the Americans” he said at one of the election meetings. He wants to build camp where to keep these people. It brings back unpleasant memories of the internment of Japanese migrants during the Second World War, but this time we are talking about ten million people, says Åsard.

Björn Ottosson, US researcher at the Total Defense Research Institute, also believes that they are real hawks on the migration issue.

– It indicates that they take the migration issue seriously and want to act forcefully, he says.

The appointments of the last few days also point to the fact that Europe will have a tougher time.

Elite soldier

Retired elite soldier Mike Walz becomes an adviser on national security issues, while speaking highly of the Florida senator Marco Rubio becomes foreign minister.

– Mike Walz is a profiled Chinese hawk, and that is a bit worrying for us in Europe. In contrast, Marko Rubio is more Europe-oriented and also signed the decision that makes it more difficult for a president to withdraw from NATO, says Ottosson.

Even if Rubio had been a positive signal for Europe, the experts believe that Trump will focus on implementing his big election promises as quickly as possible.

– There is a tendency sometimes not to take Trump at his word, but with the appointments he has made so far, you should probably take him at his word, says Adam Hjorthén, lecturer in North American Studies at Uppsala University.

In such cases, this means that Trump will want to push through his election promises about a quick peace in Ukraine, reduced involvement in NATO and Europe, and a shifted focus towards China and the Pacific.

– A majority of Americans want to see negotiations, they believe that the US has already paid too much. This means enormous pressure on Ukraine, both to make territorial concessions and perhaps to stand up for some type of neutrality, says Ottosson.

Harsh rhetoric

At the same time, he believes that one should not make too much of Trump’s harsh NATO rhetoric.

– Trump has threatened to withdraw from NATO, but at the same time he has also taken credit when various members have invested more in their defense budget. It should probably be seen more as a negotiation technique to get clear results in the defense investments, says Ottosson.

That Trump would change his foot completely and continue to support Ukraine at the same level as Biden sees Ottosson as unlikely.

– Given that he voted for the US to reduce its involvement in Europe, then he cannot go to Congress and request large sums of money to continue supporting Ukraine. In the Senate, support for Ukraine is stronger, but it is the House of Representatives that is responsible for the money, and there the support is weaker and bends more to public opinion, he says.

Can pressure Europe

An increased American focus on China can also provide unexpected challenges for Europe vis-à-vis our major trading partner in the east, according to Ottosson.

– On the one hand, it could mean that you want to move resources, but it could also mean that the US wants to pressure Europe very hard to take the same position as the US on China issues, he says.

In Europe, one has already begun to see the effects of Trump’s election victory, and his uncompromising rhetoric.

– You can already see that many heads of state are quick to congratulate. The pressure on Europe will be tough, there is nothing to signal the opposite. Many states have signaled that they want a good relationship by buying a lot of American weapons, such as the F-35 fighter jet. Then you enter into a large and joint project to get long-term guarantees, says Ottosson.

THE FACTS The persons named – and rumored to be:

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