Emerging right-wing venture capitalist Donald Trump Jr. has asserted himself as the foremost member of the Trump family within his father’s close advisers during the transition to the presidency.
According to multiple sources speaking with Reuters, the eldest son of President-elect Donald Trump has played a pivotal advisory role as his father has nominated a controversial lineup of cabinet members, some of whom he has championed personally.
Trump, who vocally supported his close friend and Ohio Senator JD Vance as a potential running mate, has reportedly blocked former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo from rejoining the cabinet, the news agency relayed.
Additionally, he is notably advocating for the anticipated nominations of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as Health and Human Services Secretary and former Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard as Director of National Intelligence.
Kennedy, a prominent anti-vaccine advocate and the unconventional member of the well-known Massachusetts political family, has seen three generations produce Democratic leaders. Gabbard, once a Democratic figure, has become a staunch MAGA supporter, surprising Trump Jr.’s father by announcing her switch to the GOP at a rally in North Carolina last month.
Both Kennedy’s spread of debunked theories and Gabbard’s tendency to minimize alleged actions by Russian President Vladimir Putin and Syrian President Bashar al-Assad have rendered them divisive choices.
Don Jr. is known for prioritizing loyalty to his father and holds an anti-establishment perspective, which encompasses a preference for protectionist economic policies and a reduction in overseas military involvement, according to reports from Reuters.
Nevertheless, Trump hasn’t completely embraced Don Jr.’s advice. The President has selected Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL), whose foreign policy aligns more closely with traditional Republican views, as his choice for Secretary of State.
Don Jr.’s preferred pick was his friend Ric Grenell, a former ambassador to Germany, as a source informed Reuters.
Don Jr. is expected to join the right-wing venture capital firm 1789 Capital and has been designated as a “Web3 ambassador” for World Liberty Financial, the Trump family’s cryptocurrency initiative.
Although he intends to keep offering guidance to his father upon his return to the White House, it will not be on a daily basis, and he has no plans to cease his podcasting endeavors.
This suggests he will likely continue to be the most dynamic and influential member of the Trump family in the president’s close circles.
In the previous term, that influential position was held by Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner and daughter Ivanka, who both served as presidential advisors.
Sources indicate that Kushner will play an informal role in the forthcoming Trump term, providing insights on Middle East policy. He has reportedly already begun briefing real estate investor Steve Witkoff, whom Trump intends to designate as his special envoy to the region.
Kushner, Ivanka, and sibling Eric Trump, the executive vice president of the Trump Organization, have no intentions to be part of the new administration.
Teenage son Barron—who provided his father with recommendations on which popular podcasts to guest on during the campaign—continues to focus on his studies at New York University.
While Don Jr. has stepped into an influential role, he is not currently providing full-time advice to his father, and a source mentioned to Reuters that Trump’s upcoming term may involve him relying less on family support than in the past.
They emphasized Susie Wiles, Trump’s co-campaign manager, who is likely to become his Chief of Staff, as the architect of a structured organization capable of functioning efficiently without the family’s assistance.
“Things are really organized,” the source remarked to Reuters. “He might not need the family in this term like he did earlier.”
