On more than one occasion, the president-elect Donald Trump has been criticized for his misogynistic comments against women, and now it seems he is selecting men with a similar profile for his cabinet. His nominations for top government positions are under scrutiny, fueling controversy over the appointment of officials with a history of offensive and demeaning statements against women.
Some people believe that Trump toned down his misogynistic rhetoric during the campaign, but now that he has won the election, he is shedding those restraints with a cabinet that many believe to be misogynistic.
One of the controversial appointments is that of Fox News host, Pete Hegseth, a combat veteran of the Army who served in Afghanistan and Iraq, and who has been outspoken in stating that women are not fit for combat. Although some consider him misogynistic, Trump refers to him as "tough, smart, and a true believer in America first."
“I am direct in saying that we should not have women in combat roles. It has not made us more effective, it has not made us more lethal, it has made the fight more complicated,” Hegseth said last week on the 'El Shawn Ryan' podcast, as reported by Newsweek.
He emphasized that women are "great," but they should not hold positions that have "traditionally" been held by men, as "men in those positions are more capable."
He stated that putting women in combat changes "the capability of that unit" to which they belong.
"And if you say you haven't done it, you're a liar. Because everyone knows, between bone density and lung capacity and muscle strength, men and women are simply different... I agree with the idea of keeping the standards where they are, for everyone, and if there is a tough woman who meets that standard, great," he stated.
Matt Gaetz, a misogynistic pawn of Trump in his cabinet
Another one of Donald Trump's nominees is Matt Gaetz, whom he presented for the position of attorney general. The Daily Beast referred to the Florida congressman as "a big slap in the face for women" and as "one of the most extreme members of the House of Representatives." It emphasizes that he has never practiced as a lawyer or judge, so he is not suitable for the position. It states that his only qualification is his loyalty to Trump.
The aforementioned media outlet reported that the House Ethics Committee investigated him for sex trafficking and for having sexual relations with a minor under 17 years old. The Department of Justice also investigated him, but the case was closed without charges. Gaetz has always denied the accusations.
The nominee for attorney general has referred to women as “fat and ugly” in relation to marches for reproductive rights, and has also marginalized the female vote. On one occasion, he told Newsmax that “for every Karen we lose, there is a Julio and a Jamal ready to sign up for the MAGA movement.” He used a derogatory term for middle-aged white women and two stereotypical names for Latino and Black men.
The aforementioned media outlet recalled that after a leaked decision from the Supreme Court suggesting that the court should overturn Roe v. Wade and women protested for abortion rights, Matt Gaetz expressed in X: "How many of the women gathering against the overturning of Roe are overly educated and unloved millennials who sadly return from the protests to a lonely microwave dinner with their cats, and there are no bumblebee matches?"
The 42-year-old congressman is a staunch defender of the right to abortion and advocates for government funding of contraception methods in clinics.
“If he becomes the attorney general, he will have the power to reduce the full weight of the federal government on abortion service providers, abortion rights activists, doctors, and women seeking abortions,” says The Daily Beast, highlighting that an attorney general like Gaetz would further favor abortion, with assistance and abortion pills, and could also go against the LGBTQ community, as he has mocked trans individuals and opposed bills against discrimination towards this group.