Trump, Previewing a More Disciplined Second Act, Is Refusing To Get Drawn Into Fights

President Trump is wrangling a new budget bill out of the House, contrasting with his silence as his nominees for Cabinet positions face resistance. The shift telegraphs a discipline that supporters have long urged.Trump’s first nominee for attorney general, Congressman Matt Gaetz, withdrew under withering criticism. In his previous term, the president-elect could be counted upon to launch into a self-defeating war of words in a doomed cause, taking broadsides against his pick as a personal affront.Instead, the president-elect let Mr. Gaetz sink. The president-elect’s choice for secretary of defense, Pete Hegseth, was the next target of MAGA foes. He seemed ready to follow Mr. Gaetz, but other than a post on Truth Social, the president-elect didn’t speak out or work the phones to sway senators.Senator Ernst, Republican of Iowa, told Fox News earlier this month that she had not “gotten to a yes” on Mr. Hegseth. Having suffered a sexual assault, she was troubled by allegations against the nominee.After Mr. Hegseth met with Ms. Ernst, she put out a statement saying he had pledged to “prioritize and strengthen” her efforts “to prevent sexual assault within the ranks.” Of her previous concerns, she wrote, “I look forward to a fair hearing based on truth, not anonymous sources.”Although multiple outlets reported that the president-elect ordered Newsmax not to be critical of Mr. Hegseth, two producers at the network told me that no such directive was ever given. Even private criticism would be a shift for Trump, as is the fact that he has been silent on the matter.On Wednesday, Reuters reported that eight Republican senators were “unsure about supporting” Trump’s choice for director of national intelligence, Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard. The president-elect again left her defense to others.“There is not one GOP Senator on the record that opposes Lt. Col. Gabbard’s nomination,” Trump spokeswoman, Alexa Henning, wrote in a statement. She blamed “anonymous sources” and “falsities” in the press, the kind of response that Trump slung himself in years past.Trump’s nominee to lead the Department of Health and Human Services, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., is also searching for votes. The Washington Post’s health reporter, Dan Diamond, reported on Tuesday that just 20 senators are “yes or leaning yes” and 18 are “no or leaning no,” with 62 “unclear.”Trump’s more statesmanlike stance is, in part, why Americans are giving him positive marks as president-elect. A CNN poll conducted by SSRS last week found 54 percent approve of how he’s handling his transition. In November’s CBS News/YouGov poll, the number was 59 percent.Having kept his powder dry, Trump’s objections to the continuing resolution in the House carried more weight when he condemned it. His demand for changes sent Republicans back to the drawing board where they delivered legislation more in line with his priorities.Thursday on Truth Social, Trump praised Speaker Johnson “and the House” for “a very good deal for the American people” in the American Relief Act. He said it would have kept “the government open,” and provide relief for farmers, those impacted by “devastating hurricanes,” and others.Trump, who is staying above the MAGA push for primary challenges to Ms. Ernst and other senators hedging on his Cabinet nominees, chose to apply that pressure over the budget. His displeasure was aimed at the Republican of Texas, Charles “Chip” Roy, one of 38 in the GOP who helped defeat the bill.“I hope,” Trump posted Thursday on Truth, “some talented challengers are getting ready … to go after Chip in the primary.” Trump had posted that Mr. Roy was “getting in the way” of raising the “very unnecessary” debt ceiling. The new bill would have suspended it until January 30, 2027.On Wednesday, Trump even resisted the kind of opportunity for snark that squandered goodwill in the past. Rather than revel in the defeat of Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez for ranking member on a House committee. Her loss was “really too bad,” he posted on Truth.“She should keep trying,” Trump said. “Someday, she will be successful!” What might have sparked yet another pointless feud instead passed with mirth. “You know it’s bad,” Ms. Ocasio-Cortez joked on Twitter, “when even Trump is feeling bad for me.”Trump has spent four years itching to apply what he says he learned about governing in his first term. One of those lessons is that it’s wasteful to get drawn into every fight. His newfound discipline will serve the nation well, and it’s raising America’s hopes for a strong second act.

Trump, Previewing a More Disciplined Second Act, Is Refusing To Get Drawn Into Fights

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