Members of President Donald Trump’s Cabinet spend a significant portion of their time flattering the president, according to a New York Times analysis. The study found that, on average, one in every six sentences spoken by current Cabinet members contains praise, admiration, or validation of Trump’s feelings toward his opponents.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who spoke most often during Cabinet meetings, was found to flatter the president the most. Rubio frequently credited Trump with helping end multiple world conflicts. Meanwhile, Vice President JD Vance criticised Trump’s opponents most often, with one in six sentences insulting them.
White House Spokesperson Allison Schuster defended the practice, stating that Trump has opened nearly all Cabinet meetings to the press, allowing his team to highlight their accomplishments. Officials have emphasised that televising meetings increases transparency, though the sessions are typically filled with positive remarks about the administration and negative comments about opponents.
Examples include Small Business Administrator Kelly Loeffler crediting Trump for helping disaster victims and parroting his claim of ending eight wars. EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin told Trump his team was “crushing it” and insisted the president was willing to “take a bullet for this country.” Former Attorney General Pam Bondi claimed Trump saved 258 million Americans through fentanyl pill seizures.
The analysis also noted that many Cabinet members use the phrase “under your leadership” to credit Trump for departmental achievements. Ex-Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem even thanked Trump for keeping hurricanes away during hurricane season.
