Resolution 250021

..Title Condemning President Donald J. Trump for his selection of underqualified cabinet, subcabinet, and leadership nominees to further advance his Project 2025 agenda and undermine the integrity of American democracy, equity, human rights, and freedom. ..Body WHEREAS, On November 5, 2024, Donald Trump was elected 47th President of the United States. Trump began his transition to his second term of presidential power by filling key administration roles to execute his agenda that will fundamentally change America; and WHEREAS, President Trump's cabinet and leadership nominations have limited experience in governing or expertise in the subject matter of the departments they will oversee. These picks mark a departure from the President's first term cabinet, which was primarily comprised of traditional picks from the Republican Party; and WHEREAS, The Trump transition team deliberately delayed the fundamental process of the transition period that requires background investigations into all the presidential appointees for up to 100 key positions in order to assume their new roles; and WHEREAS, On January 20, 2025, Donald J. Trump was sworn in as the 47th President of the United States. Trump is history's first convicted felon to take the oath of office as President. During his first day back in office, he signed a series of executive orders that directly target immigrants, LGBTQ+ individuals, other marginalized communities, climate change, gender, healthcare, and more; many of the executive orders may be deemed invalid under the Constitution; and WHEREAS, President Trump's cabinet and leadership picks confirm his agenda, which includes mass deportations, retributions against political foes, aggressive tariffs on imports from allies, pardoning the January 6 insurrectionists, and more. His selections also reveal his disregard of their qualifications and character; and WHEREAS, President Trump has appointed Elon Musk to lead the newly created Department of Government Efficiency. This Commission, not established by Congress, seeks to restructure federal agencies, cut wasteful expenditures and slash excess regulations. Musk has claimed he will reduce the federal budget by five-hundred million dollars, annually. Critics fear that these spending cuts will include services that benefit low-income Americans. Musk's appointment also welcomes a slew of conflicts of interest, as Musk's ompanies, including Tesla, SpaceX and the social media company, X, are positioned to benefit from the very deregulation likely to be implemented by the Trump Administration; and WHEREAS, President Trump initially nominated former Representative Matthew Gaetz as the United States Attorney General. In December 2024, the House Ethics Committee released a report detailing Gaetz's behavior that violated multiple state laws related to sexual misconduct in the office, purchasing and using illegal drugs, prostitution, unlawful conduct with minors. That ethics report led to the swift derailment of his selection to lead the Justice Department; and WHEREAS, President Trump has nominated Tulsi Gabbard as Director of National Intelligence. Gabbard, a former Congressmember and Army National Guard veteran, unsuccessfully ran for president in 2020. Despite being President Trump's top intelligence pick, Gabbard has never worked in the intelligence field and has been accused of traitorous parroting of Russian propaganda; and WHEREAS, President Trump has nominated Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services. Kennedy's efforts to sow mistrust in the medical establishment has resulted in the dissemination of misleading and false information surrounding the safety and efficacy of vaccines, including the false claim that they cause autism in children; this skepticism has caused harm to countless children who have contracted preventable illnesses. Kennedy seeks to purge staff within the federal health agencies to rid departments of an alliance he believes exists between food companies, drug companies, and the federal health agencies that regulate them. Kennedy's approach raises concerns from critics who are focused on the country's ability to prevent future pandemics; and WHEREAS, President Trump has nominated Pete Hegseth as Secretary of Defense. Hegseth is a former Fox News host and army veteran who has never held a senior role, made policy recommendations or led a large organization. In November 2017, Hegseth was investigated for allegations of sexual assault, although he was never arrested or charged. Hegseth allegedly paid a settlement to the victim in order to keep her silent so that he would not lose his position as an anchor on Fox News. The pattern of abuse and misconduct continued, leading to an affidavit issued by Hegseth's sister-in-law, alleging abuse against his second wife; and WHEREAS, President Trump has nominated Linda McMahon as Secretary of Education. McMahon lacks expertise in education, having only served one year with the Connecticut Department of Education, where it was revealed she falsified her educational background. There is active litigation against McMahon, which alleges while leading the World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), she ignored allegations of sexual abuse of underage boys; and WHEREAS, These nominations further display President Trump's complete disregard for the qualifications and character of his nominees and his support for their immoral behavior; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, That it hereby condemns President Donald J. Trump for his selection of cabinet, subcabinet, and leadership nominees to further advance his Project 2025 agenda and undermine the integrity of American democracy, equity, human rights, and freedom. ..End