President-elect Donald Trump’s Cabinet picks represent an assemblage of leaders with troubling stances on everything from anti-vax positions to so-called “anti-woke” curriculum and business practices to cruel separations of migrant families at the border. If confirmed, this collective’s policy actions could pose significant risks to marginalized communities.
Here’s what you need to know:
Anti-vax leadership may deepen health policy mistrust
Trump’s choice of anti-vaccine conspiracist Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as the head of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the agency that oversees the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), raises concerns about how his health policies might impact communities of color historically impacted by racism.
Kennedy is a staunch opponent of vaccines, falsely claiming on a Lex Fridman podcast in July 2023, “There is no vaccine that is safe and effective.” He also, on multiple occasions, incorrectly attributed various medical conditions to vaccines, according to the New York Times.
Health experts worry Kennedy’s rhetoric and policies could undermine trust in science and health care systems.
“RFK Jr. represents a huge risk to our public health. His continued attacks on immunizations worries me as an elected health care worker,” U.S. Rep. Oye Owolewa of the District of Columbia, a pharmacist who administers vaccines, told The Emancipator in a statement. “Immunizations have been key to preventing pandemics and widespread diseases. Trump’s lack of attention and preparation cost us American lives during the COVID-19 pandemic.”
According to a report from the National Library of Medicine, “the coronavirus killed more Black people than other racial groups.” It is also a group that was particularly susceptible to harmful disinformation about COVID-19 and vaccine efficacy. Many Indigenous Americans were also disparately impacted “due to (historic) social, economic, and healthcare disparities,” which further led to mistrust of vaccines, according to the report.
Additionally, communities of color already receive life-saving vaccinations at lower rates for viruses like the flu. The CDC reported that “Less than 43% of Black, Hispanic, and American Indian/Alaska Native adults were vaccinated during the 2021-2022 flu season.”
Research also shows that compared to White children, a statistically lower proportion of Black, Hispanic/Latino and children of other or multiple races received recommended vaccinations. For example, from 2019-2021, White children were 75.5% more likely to get the needed recommendations for vaccinations than Black children, who were 66.5% more likely to get the recommendation for vaccines, according to data from the State Health Access Data Assistance Center.
Owolewa said Kennedy’s Senate confirmation and the spreading of conspiracy theories about the lack of efficacy of vaccines, “absolutely will” harm communities of color who are already hesitant about vaccines.
“Conspiracy theorists in office will certainly dissuade vaccine-hesitant communities from protecting themselves,” Owolewa said. “RFK Jr.’s appointment may increase health disparities. If someone is feeding into skepticism from a leader, it will be less likely for them to get the vaccine or take necessary public health measures to protect themselves and their families,” he added.
So-called anti-“woke” education efforts could leave students of color without vital protections
The appointment of Linda McMahon to head up the Department of Education, could signal a potential shift in how Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) policies are handled at the federal level.
“From what we know thus far, Trump’s new Secretary of Education nominee, Linda McMahon, approaches DEI issues through a corporate lens,” said Jonathan Collins, associate director at The Center for Educational Equity at the Teachers College at Columbia University. “Corporate executives argue that DEI prevents them from hiring the best candidates, and it creates a false dichotomy between diversity and high quality.”
Collins added: “Most importantly, it blocks many qualified Black folks from opportunities that could change their lives and the lives of their families and communities.”
McMahon, the former CEO of World Wrestling Entertainment and former administrator of the U.S. Small Business Administration, would be charged with carrying out Trump’s Agenda 47 plan to eliminate “wokeness” in school curriculums, which he describes as “left-wing indoctrination.” The president-elect has long been against critical race theory and diversity, equity and inclusion policies. Republican lawmakers have been outspoken about how they view DEI as preferential treatment for people of color.
An example of how this could unfold can be seen in how Florida governor Ron DeSantis took up the charge of blocking diversity initiatives in the state by signing the Stop WOKE Act into law to halt DEI consideration in schools and in hiring. Though a federal judge blocked a portion of the law, the incoming administration could likely follow suit, stripping away protections that have served communities of color.
“These initiatives exist because these higher education institutions, just like corporations, have extensive histories of racial discrimination and bias,” Collins said, adding that he hopes “Secretary McMahon sees that, much like her company’s wrestling matches, the game is rigged.”
The Commerce Department’s Minority Business Development Agency could be in the crosshairs
Wall Street executive Howard Lutnick, Trump’s pick to lead the U.S. Commerce Department, could shape how the Minority Business Development Agency operates.
As a Cabinet member, Lutnick would be expected to align with the president’s agenda, which includes his stance on diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives.
The agency came under fire earlier this year when a group of White business owners filed a lawsuit alleging racial discrimination when applying for financial assistance from funds used to aid applicants of color. A judge ruled in the plaintiffs’ favor, requiring the agency to give assistance to applicants of all races.
As conservatives continue striving to end DEI, Trump administration officials and judges could continue to rule in favor of dismantling access to funds that aim to support business owners of color as it did with the Fearless Fund.
That fund was targeted by the American Alliance for Equal Rights, a conservative group started by Republican activist Edward Blum, who believes funds that leave out White people are discriminatory. Lawsuits against the Fearless Fund and similar entities signal a more assertive conservative strategy aimed at eliminating race-conscious programs in various fields.
Lutnick’s prospective leadership may place the agency at the center of this ideological conflict. This change presents challenges for businesses owned by people of color, especially those owned by Black entrepreneurs, who experience disproportionately higher rates of difficulty in securing capital, contracts and opportunities, according to research from the Brookings Institution.
If Lutnick becomes Commerce secretary, the Minority Business Development Agency’s mission may hinge on how he balances loyalty to the president with the agency’s foundational purpose of promoting equity. His actions will likely serve as an indicator of the future direction of diversity, equity and inclusion in federal programs, potentially affecting business owners of color nationally.
The deputy undersecretary of the Minority Business Development Agency, Eric Morrissette, who worked on the Minority Business Development Act of 2021, told The Emancipator in a written statement that the agency’s efforts have been codified into law, and he trusts that it will do what it was intended to do even if Lutnick is confirmed.
“With the support of the Biden-Harris administration and of diligent career staff,we faithfully implemented the law and enshrined accountability mechanisms to ensure the agency is upheld to the standards that the American people deserve and expect,” he said. “It is my sincere hope that those with authority over MBDA uphold the letter and spirit of the law. Our economy and our country are counting on it.”
Hard-line, pro-Israel approaches to international policy could ignore human rights abuses in Gaza
Trump’s pick as United Nations ambassador, Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-NY, has been vocally pro-Israel, a stance that worries some human rights scholars.
Stefanik was appointed by Trump to be “Israel’s cheerleader into the United Nations,” Diana Buttu, who also specializes in international law and peace negations in the Middle East, told The Emancipator, adding that the congresswoman called the United Nations a “cesspool” in an op-ed for the Washington Examiner.
Stefanik will do “her best to serve as Israel’s cheerleader and an attack dog, [she’s] the person who will just go after anybody who in any way criticizes Israel or wants to hold Israel accountable,” Buttu said.
The humanitarian crisis in Gaza has intensified significantly, impacting hundreds of thousands of civilians, according to the United Nations. The ongoing conflict started on Oct. 7, 2023, after Hamas attacked Israel, killing 1,200 people, and has led to widespread displacement. Palestinian health officials put the death toll at more than 44,000 killed in the fighting between Israel and Hamas.
Trump also tapped Sen. Marco Rubio, R-FL, as the secretary of state. Rubio has taken a less diplomatic approach to foreign policy in the past, working to weaken China’s influence globally through legislation. He has also supported Israel in the fight against the “Iranian regime,” and has doubled down his support for the nation in a “Meet The Press” interview about his support for Israel against the now-deceased Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah.
“This is the part that’s so alarming, is that you have this Israel-first Cabinet showing that what they intend to do is further that ideology of supremacy, of superiority, rather than actually believe in a system of law, of human rights, of international law and of ending genocide,” Buttu said.
Mass deportations could impact thousands of migrant families
Trump has taken a strong stance on immigration by threatening mass deportations early in his second presidential term. He has tapped Tom Homan as “border czar” and tasked him with overseeing the southern and northern U.S. borders. Homan’s role doesn’t require Senate confirmation.
Homan formerly led Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) during Trump’s first term in office, an agency that separated an estimated 5,000 families who illegally crossed the border into the United States from Mexico under a “zero tolerance” immigration policy.
“Trump’s Cabinet choices are deeply concerning and should worry all of us,” said Raha Wala, vice president of strategic partnerships and advocacy at the National Immigration Law Center. “Tom Homan was one of the chief proponents of the first Trump administration’s disastrous policy separating children from their parents, the pain of which families are still experiencing to this day.”
Wala also condemned South Dakota governor Kristi Noem, whom Trump selected to lead the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). If confirmed, Noem would work hand-in-hand with Homan.
“Kristi Noem has little experience in immigration. These picks should disturb anyone who cares about the functioning of the United States government,” Wala said.
“Communities of color will face significant harm at the hands of these appointees,” he added. “The truth is Trump’s draconian immigration policies would have a devastating impact on all of us because immigrants are deeply rooted community members across the country, and it’s not possible to target immigrants without harming U.S.-born residents, too.”
“It’s in our collective interest to make our voices heard against racist scapegoating and in favor of policies that recognize the humanity and contributions of immigrants,” he added.
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