Michigan’s U.S. Senators have serious concerns about President-elect Donald Trump’s cabinet nominees so far.
Senators Gary Peters and Debbie Stabenow said they will work with the new administration regardless of who is appointed, but they also believe it will be difficult to get support from Trump’s current nominees.
Peters said the cabinet picks don’t make much sense to him.
“It seems as if many of the folks that he’s appointing to these positions actually don’t believe in the mission of the department in which they are being nominated to,” Peters said. “Think of the EPA and what has happened in Flint and this environmental crisis.”
Peters said given the one year anniversary of Flint's emergency declaration over the city's water crisis, the idea that someone who wants to fight environmental protections being the head of the EPA is "troubling."
“The person [Trump] has nominated has basically tried to fight the EPA, tries to weaken environmental regulations, he doesn’t believe in climate change,” he said. “He’s not going to be a champion for the environment.”
While Peters didn't say exactly which cabinet position he is most critical of, Stabenow is most concerned over Trump's pick for secretary of state, Rex Tillerson.
“It’s very concerning to have someone being proposed for secretary of state who not only has been in a public role in this country in the past, but [who also] has close ties with Russia and to Exxon Mobil,” Stabenow said.
Stabenow is also worried that the progress she feels was made under Barack Obama's presidency will largely be erased by the new administration.
“Gas prices have been down so low under President Obama, I’m very concerned about what happens with gas prices under a new secretary of state with a different focus,” she said.
Trump still has five cabinet positions to fill before he takes office next month. Many of his choices will need to be confirmed by the senate.
