President-elect Donald Trump said Thursday that he was putting together one of the greatest Cabinets in U.S. history.
“I believe we are in the process of putting together one of the great Cabinets that has ever been assembled in the history of our nation. You like it so far, everybody,” he said to cheers from the crowd at a thank-you tour stop in Des Moines, Iowa.
He made the boast despite objections from Democrats that he is filling the Cabinet with too many immensely wealthy businessmen and people who are too conservative or at odds with the agencies they are supposed to oversee.
“In filling my Cabinet I’m looking for people who fully understand the meaning of service and are committed to advancing the common good,” Mr. Trump said.
He singled out his pick of retired Marine Corps Gen. James N. Mattis for secretary of defense, saying that he was somebody “America has fallen in love with.”
Gen. Mattis was lauded on both sides of the aisle for his storied military career, judgment and leadership.
“He doesn’t lose. A great guy. A general’s general they call him,” Mr. Trump said.
The president-elect also paid tribute to former astronaut John Glenn, who died Thursday at age 95.
He described Glenn, one of the original Mercury 7 astronauts and a former senator, as “a true American legend who inspired a generations of explorers and dreamers.”
“We will honor his legacy by continuing to push new frontiers in science, technology and space,” Mr. Trump said.
• S.A. Miller can be reached at smiller@washingtontimes.com.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.