CNN political commentator Van Jones has warned that “the worst of the worst” are “lining up” to serve in President-elect Donald Trump’s second administration.
Trump secured his return to power on Tuesday in a landslide election win over Vice President Kamala Harris. Republicans also took control of the U.S. Senate and may hold onto power in the U.S. House, setting conditions that could allow Trump to make sweeping changes to the federal government.
The president-elect’s transition team has already started preparations for Trump’s return to office, including working issues like the selection of potential Cabinet members and White House staff, before the expected transfer of power on January 20.
Jones, ex-adviser to former President Barack Obama, warned during a CNN broadcast on Wednesday night Trump might choose “the worst” to serve under him despite his decisive victory, meaning that “the best of the best” would be available.
Chip Somodevilla; Paras Griffin/Getty Images
“The people who have to go before the Senate, even just from a point of view of public embarrassment, those people are usually halfway decent,” Jones said. “But as you start drilling down … there are a layer of people that are frightening, that are lining up to come into the government.”
“This historic level of victory for Trump … Everybody’s going to be willing to go and serve,” he continued. “So, he could pick from the best of the best. But the worst of the worst are lining up. And that’s a concern.”
Newsweek reached out for comment to Trump’s office via email on Wednesday night.
During an early Wednesday morning broadcast just before the election was called for Trump, an emotional Jones expressed concerns for Americans “hurt” by Trump’s return to power, while rejecting the notion that the outcome amounted to a blow against the “elite.”
“People who are not a part of anybody’s elite are hurting tonight,” Jones said. “There are African American women who know a little bit about being talked down to, and know a little bit about having their economic dreams crushed, who tried to dream a big dream over the past couple of months. And tonight, they’re trading in a lot of hope for a lot of hurt.”
“It’s easy to blow this off, ‘oh look, the elites, they’ll get their comeuppance,'” he added. “It’s not the elites who are gonna pay the price. It’s people who woke up this morning with a dream and are going to bed with a nightmare … Those are the people who are gonna pay the price for whatever Donald Trump is going to do.”
Over the summer, Jones praised the energy of the Republican National Convention while comparing it to Obama’s 2008 Democratic National Convention, which preceded what was likely an even larger presidential election landslide by Obama.
Jones also offered criticism of the Harris campaign before Election Day, saying during an appearance on Real Time with Bill Maher last month that the short-lived campaign was “more fun” when it first launched but quickly “went from brat to flat,” referring to a campaign meme inspired by pop singer Charlie XCX’s Brat album.
