‘Not These Two!’ New York Post Doubles Down On Call For Trump To Dump ‘Dreadful Duo’ Tulsi Gabbard, Matt Gaetz
The New York Post’s editorial board urged President-elect Donald Trump to rethink his nominations and ditch the “dreadful duo” of Tulsi Gabbard, picked as national intelligence director, and Attorney General choice Matt Gaetz from his cabinet lineup.
In a scathing editorial published Wednesday, the newspaper, owned by billionaire media mogul and Trump ally Rupert Murdoch, branded the pair “distracting chaos agents” who threaten to derail his agenda.
While the editorial board praised many of Trump’s cabinet choices—such as Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) for secretary of state and Tom Homan as border czar—it made no secret of its disdain for Gabbard and Gaetz.
“Gabbard backed the Iran deal and said the [Iranian military leader Qasem] Soleimani killing undermined our national security,” the Post wrote. “She’s been sympathetic to dictators in Syria and Russia, blaming instead the victims of violence like Ukraine and Israel. She’s all speaking softly and with no stick.
The board continued: “There’s a real fear that Gabbard won’t provide President Trump with the intelligence he needs, but rather downplay threats with the intention of isolationism.”
It added: “Trump has shown that he can balance the demands of a threatening world while working to avoid dragging America into another unnecessary war. He can only do that if he’s given frank assessments by a dispassionate intelligence officer.”
Then, bluntly: “Tulsi Gabbard is not that person.”
The criticism of Gaetz was even sharper, with the Post highlighting his checkered past and lack of discipline.
“Gaetz may provide the disruption, but he has neither the ethics nor the discipline to rebuild a proper system that will pursue fair prosecutions,” the board argued.
Referencing ongoing reporting and past investigations into allegations of past sexual misconduct, the article continued: “The congressman may have convinced Trump that he is the subject of “lawfare,” but it’s obvious all he wants is an escape hatch. And Gaetz’s own run-in with the law diminishes how the Dems relentlessly hounded Trump. He resigned from Congress before the release of an ethics report that reportedly accuses him of having sex with underage girls at drug-fueled parties.”
“His own colleagues say he’s a sleaze,” the board jibed.
“There’s no need to go to the mattresses over Matt Gaetz,” the Post said, urging Trump to consider how these battles will affect his legacy.
“Cutting Gaetz and Gabbard now shows a willingness to work with allies in the Senate and saves countless headaches in the future,” the board concluded, advising Trump to focus on his broader goals rather than sparking internecine Republican battles.
