The pattern in Trump’s picks for key jobs

Trump's controversial cabinet picks reflect his distrust of defense, intelligence, and health institutions, mirroring his supporters' frustrations.

Washington: There is a pattern in President-elect Donald Trump’s appointments.

Trump has made a range of extraordinarily controversial and, from the point of view of many Americans, even dangerous choices. (REUTERS)

To understand why he has picked Pete Hegseth as the secretary of defense, Tulsi Gabbard as the director of national intelligence, Matt Gaetz as the attorney general and Robert F Kennedy Jr as the secretary of health and human services, go back to Trump’s perceived experiences with these institutions. Add to it the American electorate’s views on these institutions - partly due to Trump’s rhetoric but partly due to real