Picture : Kash Patel, Director FBI
Unpredictable…enough to describe President-elect Donald Trump as even more unpredictable are his decisions which are taking everyone by surprise! Nominating Indian origin Americans at key positions not only has taken many by surprise, but is also seen a step to keep the immigrant population well cushioned which now has a sizeable presence in the country. Before he finally makes his White House comeback, Trump a long and arduous journey ahead of him as part of the presidential transition, which requires him to plan for his new term in advance. According to the Centre for Presidential Transition, “Transition teams are responsible for organising the personnel vetting, policy planning and management agendas to turn campaign promises into governing.” As part of the crucial process, he and his allocated team will use this time to their advantage, planning for leadership positions.
To begin with his selection of officials, Trump nominated close confidante Kashyap Patel, better known as Kash Patel for the powerful position of Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, making him the highest-ranking Indian American in his incoming administration. Trump announced on Truth Social, a social media platform he owns, “I am proud to announce that Kashyap ‘Kash’ Patel will serve as the next Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Kash is a brilliant lawyer, investigator, and ‘America First’ fighter who has spent his career exposing corruption, defending Justice, and protecting the American People.” Trump said Patel played a pivotal role in uncovering “the Russia, Russia, Russia Hoax,” standing as an advocate for truth, accountability, and the Constitution. Patel had served as chief of staff to the Acting United States Secretary of Defence in the last few weeks of the Trump Administration in 2017.
Another Indian American who played a pivotal role in the recent election is the former presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy who, after dropping out of the race earlier this year, immediately endorsed the MAGA leader. Trump’s rival-turned-ally was once deemed a popular choice for his running mate shortlist roster. While reporting previously about the Indian-origin biotech entrepreneur’s position in the presidential race, Trump personally told Ramaswamy that he was considering him to lead the Department of Homeland Security.
Trump has also nominated Jay Bhattacharya as the Director of the National Institutes of Health. Bhattacharya, an economist from Kolkata with medical studies at Stanford University, was a critic of US COVID policy. He will now lead the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the primary US public funder of medical research, overseeing a budget of $47.3 billion.
The NIH has faced scrutiny from Robert F Kennedy Jr., Donald Trump’s choice to lead the Department of Health and Human Services, which oversees the NIH. The NIH director manages 27 institutes and centres focused on early-stage research, from emerging pandemic vaccines to new drug targets. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Bhattacharya along with two other academics published the Great Barrington Declaration in October 2020. The declaration called for a return to normal life for those not vulnerable to the virus. Bhattacharya later sued the government, claiming it pressured social media platforms to censor his opinions.
Jay Bhattacharya : Director of the National Institutes of Health
Trump, in a statement said Bhattacharya, a 56-year-old physician and professor at Stanford University School of Medicine, will work in cooperation with Robert F. Kennedy Jr., his pick to lead the Department of Health and Human Services, “to direct the Nation’s Medical Research, and to make important discoveries that will improve Health, and save lives.” “Together, Jay and RFK Jr. will restore the NIH to a Gold Standard of Medical Research as they examine the underlying causes of, and solutions to, America’s biggest Health challenges, including our Crisis of Chronic Illness and Disease,” he wrote.
The decision to choose Bhattacharya for the post is yet another reminder of the ongoing impact of the COVID pandemic on the politics on public health. Bhattacharya was one of three authors of the Great Barrington Declaration, an October 2020 open letter maintaining that lockdowns were causing irreparable harm.
Though the nominations have taken many by surprise, at the same time for many, it is a proud moment to see Indians are making their presence felt globally, playing pivotal role in shaping the world’s strongest economy.
