Smearing Trump’s nominees thwarts the will of the people

OPINION:

November’s election was historic by every measure. Donald Trump will be only the second U.S. president to serve nonconsecutive terms, a feat achieved last by Grover Cleveland. But this election represents far more than a historical footnote. It reflects the cultural, economic, and political mandate delivered by the American people in re-electing Mr. Trump. The effects of this mandate are already rippling across the national and geopolitical stage.

Mr. Trump’s landslide victory reaffirmed the public’s desire for a clear and promising future over one defined by economic instability, antiscience gender ideologies, and political persecution of dissenting viewpoints. Yet, this mandate faces persistent roadblocks erected by bureaucrats and partisans determined to undermine the will of the people — even on seemingly straightforward issues like telework’s impact on government efficiency.

These roadblocks take many forms, from relentless media smear campaigns to political efforts to preserve the Biden administration’s destructive policies. Most concerning is the coordinated assault on Mr. Trump’s nominees for key federal positions, an effort designed to impede the implementation of the America First agenda.

This is why I am leading Confirm 47 — to ensure the American people’s mandate is fulfilled.

Take Kash Patel, who Mr. Trump has nominated to lead the FBI. Mr. Patel’s credentials are impeccable: A former federal prosecutor at the Department of Justice, chief of staff to acting Defense Secretary Christopher Miller, and senior adviser to acting Director of National Intelligence Richard Grenell during Mr. Trump’s first term. Mr. Patel’s commitment to reforming the FBI has understandably unsettled unelected bureaucrats and their media allies who thrive without accountability.

The Washington Post — always a bastion of unbiased journalism — has already published hit pieces targeting Mr. Patel for his advocacy of investigating lawmaker and police involvement in the Jan. 6 committee. Meanwhile, the Los Angeles Times ran an article sensationally branding him as someone who would transform the agency into the “Federal Bureau of Retribution.” These baseless claims are designed to stoke fear and obstruct necessary reform. Mr. Patel’s goal is to restore transparency and accountability to an agency where unelected bureaucrats have overstepped their bounds and disregarded elected officials’ mandates.

Similarly, we see a coordinated effort to discredit Pete Hegseth, Mr. Trump’s nominee for secretary of defense. As a decorated combat veteran, Mr. Hegseth brings leadership, accountability, and firsthand military experience to the role — qualities sorely needed after the catastrophic Afghanistan withdrawal under Mr. Biden’s defense secretary, Lloyd Austin. Instead of recognizing his qualifications, the left has mobilized its media allies to attack Mr. Hegseth at every turn.

The media drumbeat against Mr. Hegseth has been relentless, seizing on fabricated controversies and exaggerating benign processes like FBI background checks. One outlet even tried to push the narrative that Mr. Hegseth “appears to be in some trouble” over his background check — a process transparently requested by Mr. Trump’s transition team. Meanwhile, the military has muddied the waters further, with U.S. Military Academy officials allegedly lying to ProPublica about Mr. Hegseth’s nomination to the academy. When Mr. Hegseth posted his acceptance letter on social media to disprove the claims, West Point offered no apology.

This playbook is all too familiar. The left smears a duly-elected president’s nominees, attempting to discredit them and sow chaos before a conservative administration takes power. They portray Mr. Patel as a tyrant weaponizing the FBI against political enemies, while painting Mr. Hegseth as a fraud to undermine his military service. These attacks are not about the individuals — they are about obstructing the America First policies that the Left fears and opposes.

The double standard is glaring. The media protects Mr. Biden’s failures while manufacturing scandals around Mr. Trump’s nominees. Where is the accountability for Mr. Austin’s role in the Afghanistan debacle? Or the collective coordination to obscure Mr. Biden’s cognitive decline? For four years, we’ve had a commander-in-chief who can barely complete a coherent sentence. Yet, the media persists in painting Mr. Trump’s nominees as unqualified while shielding Mr. Biden’s administration from scrutiny.

It’s time to enact the Trump mandate. The American people spoke loudly and clearly in November, and their voices must not be silenced by partisan roadblocks. Confirm 47 will stand against these smears, defend Mr. Trump’s nominees, and ensure his administration has the leaders it needs to secure our nation’s future.

Whether the left likes it or not, it’s time to confirm the Cabinet of the 47th president of the United States.

• Camryn Kinsey is a communications strategist, former Trump administration official and former White House Correspondent with expertise in public relations and media strategy. She currently serves as the Executive Director of Confirm 47, a 501(c)(4) organization dedicated to defending the integrity of President Trump’s nominees and advancing the America-First agenda.