'Despicable': Trump’s 'extremist rightward fascist march' condemned by ex-Republican staffer

25 January

After just one week in office, President Donald Trump has already followed through on many of his second-term promises, including some of his most controversial proposals. Now, a former Republican Capitol Hill staffer is urging her former colleagues to take a stand.

The Guardian recently reported on Trump's busy first week back in the White House, which was rife with sweeping executive orders (including one deemed "blatantly unconstitutional" by a federal judge) and pardons of roughly 1,500 people charged and/or convicted in connection with the January 6, 2021 insurrection. Tara Setmayer — who was a communications director for a House Republican for seven years — warned that the second Trump administration could get much worse unless he encounters more resistance from within his party.

"Folks better make a decision whether or not they’re committed to stopping this extremist rightward fascist march the country is on under Donald Trump and who he’s surrounded by," Setmayer told the Guardian.

Trump's first week also featured heated confirmation hearings for some his more high-profile Cabinet picks. On Friday night, former Fox News host Pete Hegseth was confirmed by the U.S. Senate to be the next secretary of defense, though he needed a tie-breaking vote cast by Vice President JD Vance in order to get across the finish line. Three members of the Senate Republican Conference — including former Senate GOP leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) — joined all Democrats in opposing Hegseth.

Notably, Sens. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) and Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) voted for Hegseth's confirmation despite expressing reservations about him in previous weeks. Ernst in particular was subjected to repeated death threats after questioning Hegseth's ability to lead the Pentagon in several public statements. Setmayer argued that Trump's worst impulses are aided and abetted by Republicans too afraid to challenge him.

"Frankly I blame all the people who are making excuses for him more than I blame Trump. Trump told us what he was going to do. A convicted felon pardoning felons isn’t all that surprising, is it?" She said. "It’s all the other people and elected Republicans who know better who are making excuses for it. Shame on all of them.”

Next week's confirmation hearings include FBI Director-designate Kash Patel, Health and Human Services Secretary-designate Robert F. Kennedy and Tulsi Gabbard, who Trump has tapped to be the next director of national intelligence. Assuming the Republicans who voted against Hegseth remain opposed to their nominations, their confirmation hopes could be sunk if just one more Republican joins them.

Click here to read the Guardian's report in full.

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