'All Bought and Paid for': Donald Trump Mocked for Nominating Republican Mega Donor John Phelan as Secretary of the Navy

President Donald Trump was ridiculed for nominating John Phelan, a prominent Republican donor and art collector, to serve as Secretary of the Navy despite his lack of prior military experience.

The president-elect's nomination raised eyebrows among political leaders who typically expect high-level military posts to be filled by candidates with a background in the area.

Several vocal critics have taken to social media to mock the cabinet pick and the incoming administration for being just "a bunch of oligarchs paying for power."

Democratic pollster and strategist Matt McDermott took to X, formerly known as Twitter, and shared: "John Phelan, Trump’s nominee for Secretary of the Navy, appears to have absolutely zero relevant experience for the job — other than having hosted a fundraising dinner for Trump at his $38 million home in Aspen."

Another X user commented, "This is going to be one of the most useless administrations we've ever seen. They're all bought and paid for yes men. Trump's not draining the swamp. He's the swamp monster making it bigger."

A third person asked: "Why would Phelan want this job? What’s in it for him?"

The nominee's credentials lie in the world of private equity, having co-founded MSD Capital, a private investment firm for Michael Dell, and chaired Rugger Management LLC.

John and his wife, Amy, are well-known for their extensive art collection, owning pieces by renowned artists such as Picasso, Andy Warhol and Basquiat.

The Phelan family has been generous backers of the president-elect, with John contributing a substantial amount to the GOP leader's fundraising committee in recent months. He also donated to various GOP state parties throughout the 2024 election cycle, solidifying his ties to the Republican establishment.

The nomination comes at a time of heightened political tension, with speculation about Donald's plans for a "warrior board" to scrutinize military leadership.

This move aligns with the president-elect's pledge to remove what he perceives as disloyal elements from the military ranks, a sentiment echoed in his previous statements regarding "woke" generals.

John's nomination will be subject to Senate confirmation, where the Republican Party holds a slight majority over Democrats.

With the potential for a tie, Vice President-Elect J.D. Vance could cast the deciding vote, underscoring the political significance of this appointment.

The incoming president has made a number of questionable nominations ever since he won the 2024 presidential election.

Donald picked former NFL player Scott Turner to address the nation’s housing needs as the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development. He also nominated hedge fund billionaire Scott Bessent to be his next treasury secretary and Linda McMahon, a former wrestling executive, to lead the Department of Education.