Donald Trump Jr. reportedly had input in Trump's interior secretary decision. That makes Republicans and Democrats alike pretty nervous.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
You are now subscribed
Your newsletter sign-up was successful
Donald Trump's adult sons will run the family real estate empire while their father is in office, the president-elect tweeted Monday. But if that is indeed to be the case, it raises new questions about the muddling of the Trump Organization with operations at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. as Donald Trump Jr. reportedly helped his father choose the interior secretary, Politico reports.
Donald Trump Jr. has long held an interest in interior secretary, joking that "the only job in government that I would want is with the Department of Interior. I understand these issues … I will be the very loud voice about these issues in my father's ear." Notably, Donald Jr. is an enthusiastic outdoorsman, especially if exotic animal hunting counts as "enjoying the outdoors." People familiar with discussions surrounding Trump's interior secretary decision confirmed that Donald Jr. was involved in the interview process, made phone calls, and helped settle on the eventual nomination of Rep. Ryan Zinke (R-Mont.).
But "it's significant that Don Jr. took a hands-on role in hiring a Cabinet secretary," Politico writes. "Either Trump's boys … are running the Trump Organization, or they're helping advise their father, the next president of the United States. Doing both is exactly what Republicans and Democrats alike are worried about. If he's running the company, why is he helping his father assemble his Cabinet?"
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Trump's transition team did not respond to Politico's request for a comment about the potential conflict.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Jeva Lange was the executive editor at TheWeek.com. She formerly served as The Week's deputy editor and culture critic. She is also a contributor to Screen Slate, and her writing has appeared in The New York Daily News, The Awl, Vice, and Gothamist, among other publications. Jeva lives in New York City. Follow her on Twitter.
-
The Olympic timekeepers keeping the Games on trackUnder the Radar Swiss watchmaking giant Omega has been at the finish line of every Olympic Games for nearly 100 years
-
Will increasing tensions with Iran boil over into war?Today’s Big Question President Donald Trump has recently been threatening the country
-
Corruption: The spy sheikh and the presidentFeature Trump is at the center of another scandal
-
Judge orders Washington slavery exhibit restoredSpeed Read The Trump administration took down displays about slavery at the President’s House Site in Philadelphia
-
Hyatt chair joins growing list of Epstein files losersSpeed Read Thomas Pritzker stepped down as executive chair of the Hyatt Hotels Corporation over his ties with Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell
-
Judge blocks Hegseth from punishing Kelly over videoSpeed Read Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth pushed for the senator to be demoted over a video in which he reminds military officials they should refuse illegal orders
-
Trump’s EPA kills legal basis for federal climate policySpeed Read The government’s authority to regulate several planet-warming pollutants has been repealed
-
House votes to end Trump’s Canada tariffsSpeed Read Six Republicans joined with Democrats to repeal the president’s tariffs
-
Bondi, Democrats clash over Epstein in hearingSpeed Read Attorney General Pam Bondi ignored survivors of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and demanded that Democrats apologize to Trump
-
El Paso airspace closure tied to FAA-Pentagon standoffSpeed Read The closure in the Texas border city stemmed from disagreements between the Federal Aviation Administration and Pentagon officials over drone-related tests
-
Judge blocks Trump suit for Michigan voter rollsSpeed Read A Trump-appointed federal judge rejected the administration’s demand for voters’ personal data
