Critics sound alarm over transformational tone of Trump transition strategy

Every presidential transition period brings with it speculation -- and sometimes worry -- about what the next administration will bring, but the impending tenure of President-elect Donald Trump is sending shivers down the spine of many in D.C., given his promises of sweeping -- and unprecedented -- reforms.

Amid his selection of a host of arguably unconventional and often controversial names for top Cabinet-level roles, concerns and power struggles are emerging about the overall thrust of Trump's plans to rework the federal government, as the Wall Street Journal reports, while others are heralding the next four years as a potential golden age for the country.

Trump pics alarm Dems, others

Now that Trump is well into the process of making picks for his Cabinet, the startling nature of some of his choices have sent Democrats in and out of the capital reeling.

Whether by tapping Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. to lead the Department of Health and Human Services, choosing Pete Hegseth to helm the Defense Department, or opting for Tulsi Gabbard to serve as Director of National Intelligence, Trump's latest moves have sparked something akin to panic across D.C.

Trump's nomination of now-former Rep. Matt Gaetz as attorney general has only added fuel to the fire, spurring many to wonder whether the president-elect's transition strategy is poised to yield not just change, but radical transformation of the government the likes of which has never been seen.

Critics such as Democrat and former Senate aide Adam Jentleson opined, “It's impossible to look at the big picture here and not see a president who is intent on seizing an unprecedented level of control.”

Former Sen. John Danforth agreed, stating of Trump, “Clearly he wants power for the purpose of overthrowing the established practices of government,” noting that rumors of circumventing Senate confirmation norms, if true, “would be a violation of the Constitution -- the glue that keeps us together as a country.”

Supporters endorse strategy

Not everyone is alarmed by the steps Trump has taken thus far, however, with Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) commenting on the president-elect's desire to reshape and shrink the permanent bureaucracy, “Our government's way too big, and our government needs to be a lot smaller.”

Florida voter Brian Kozlowski explained to the New York Times that Trump's revolutionary approach to D.C. is precisely what the electorate wanted.

He said that the Cabinet choices alone are “an actual fulfillment of a politician dispensing with the norms. The No. 1 thing to me, and a lot of Trump voters, is getting rid of the swamp. This is what is shocking some people – it may actually be happening.”

Though Trump is likely to encounter a fair amount of resistance not just to his Cabinet picks, but to other initiatives such as the creation of the Department of Government Efficiency, slated to be helmed by Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy, former aide Sean Spicer says that the team is ready for the fight.

“I think the transition is in obviously a much better place than it was in 2016, because four years in the wilderness wasn't wasted. The plans, the personnel, the process were all thought about, and the people that he is surrounding himself with now are all committed to advancing the agenda. He doesn't have to wonder anymore about their commitment to the agenda,” said Spicer, but whether that is enough, only time will tell.