Ron Brownstein: “Trump has shown he understands a cardinal rule of strong man dominance: constantly force your allies to defend the indefensible and to make ever greater concessions they once would have considered beyond the pale. Each surrender paves the way for the next. Gaetz just an opening bid.”
Ezra Klein: “Demanding Senate Republicans back Gaetz as Attorney General and Hegseth as Defense Secretary is the 2024 version of forcing Sean Spicer to say it was the largest inauguration crowd ever. These aren’t just appointments. They’re loyalty tests. The absurdity is the point.”