That’s what’s happening as Senate confirmation hearings continue for Trump appointees, Noel Fritsch, a GOP strategist and publisher of National File, said on American Family Radio Wednesday.
"America First" policies and the end of woke practice in the military came shining through as senators grilled Pete Hegseth, Trump’s pick for defense secretary.
But there’s too little attention being paid to others whose background raises question about their level of commitment to the cause, Fritsch told show host Jenna Ellis.
“There’s a long list, sadly, of swamp infiltration on the Trump transition,” Fritsch said.
At age 82, an ailing Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Kentucky) stepped down in November as the GOP leader in the Senate but continues to serve and continues to wield influence, Fritsch said.
McConnell, known for being a wily politician, has often been at odds with Trump, criticizing him in the wake of the Jan. 6 demonstration at the Capitol and for his repeated claims that the 2020 election was stolen.
Last March, McConnell announced his endorsement of Trump even though the two men did not speak before that announcement, according to The Associated Press.
They got some big things done together during Trump’s first term with a tax cuts package and the confirmation of three Supreme Court justices.
Possible obstruction for Trump is being led by “McConnell swamp creatures” evidenced by the handling of the leader vote that produced John Thune of South Dakota.
“That happened in total darkness. There was a secret ballot vote for the head of your Senate that happened 12 days ago on Friday the 3rd of January,” Fritsch said.
House Speaker Mike Johnson could be a problem as well, Fritsch said.
Trump never made a public endorsement of Thune thought he did of Johnson on multiple occasions.
“Mike Johnson, of course, reintroduced Nancy Pelosi's House rules. Nancy Pelosi got rid of the one-vote motion to vacate. She had five votes to vacate, and actually Paul Ryan kept those Nancy Pelosi rules. It’s important that we look at this all in a totality style ecosystem here,” Fritsch said.
Bessent and the Soros connection
Among Trump appointees, Fritsch is particularly concerned with ties of Treasury hopeful Scott Bessent to billionaire Democrat donor George Soros.
Bessent was a partner at Soros Fund Management. When he later founded Key Square Group, a global macro investment firm, he received a $2 billion anchor investment from Soros.
Bessent eventually turned Republican and was a major fundraiser and economic advisor for Trump last year.
His confirmation hearing is set for Friday at 10:30 ET.
“Scott’s story is that of the American Dream. He has long been a strong advocate of the America First Agenda,” Trump has said.
But his background bears close scrutiny, Fritsch says.
“This man is openly homosexual. He was George Soros’ top investor, his chief investment officer. That’s who’s going to head up your Treasury.”
These are real concerns that are being ignored by conservative media, and Trump supporters are being intentionally distracted, Fritsch said.
“Folks just aren't talking about this stuff in conservative press," he warned, "because there is a very proactive effort to mislead our good conservative folks, the great Americans that are going to work every day and raising their kids. They’re being largely really kind of hoodwinked with a diversionary operation, and that starts at the top of X with guys like Elon Musk.”
Musk’s Christmas Day rant on X, in support of H-1B visas, was part of this plan, Fritsch said.
Fritsch says Elaine Chao, who was Secretary of Labor under George W. Bush and secretary of Transportation under Trump – and is also Mitch McConnell’s wife – is another swamp influencer.
Former Rep. Sean Duffy, of Wisconsin, is Trump’s Transportation pick for this term, but Chao is still around, too, Fritsch says.
“She’s a shipping heiress and she’s got very close ties to China," he warned. "What could go wrong with the same globalists who in charge of global shipping? Imagine supply chains and imagine some of the issues that go along with human trafficking, labor trafficking?"
Watch out for Trump’s opposition
Conservatives need to stay alert and not assume that Trump won’t face opposition in his efforts to enact to policies that got him elected.
Trump supporters need to avoid the idea that “Trump’s got this.”
“You know what? Paul Ryan and Mike Pence made very sure that Trump did not ‘get this’ the first time, all of 2017 and 2018, and I hate to say this, but it looks to me like we are getting ready for another repeat of 2017-18 before the Democrats come in and take charge again,” Fritsch said.
