Donald Trump has ordered nominees for jobs in his Cabinet not to post on social media without approval ahead of their Senate confirmation hearings.
Susie Wiles, Trump’s chief of staff, made a surprising decision by instructing the incoming top officials to seek approval before making any statements on X or other media outlets.
It came after a MAGA ‘civil war’ erupted this week over the issue of visas for skilled migrants.
Emphasizing the importance of this directive, Wiles stated in a memo, as reported by the New York Post, that no one from the incoming administration or Transition team should speak on behalf of the United States or the President-elect.
‘Accordingly, all intended nominees should refrain from any public social media posts without prior approval of the incoming White House counsel.’
Senate confirmation hearings for Cabinet nominees are due to start next week.
Recently, Elon Musk, the billionaire behind Tesla, who is set to lead Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), sparked controversy by defending visas for skilled foreign workers and even threatening to engage in conflict with MAGA Republicans.
Trump sided with Musk after a fierce debate sent his supporters into a meltdown.
Trump chief of staff Susie Wiles called for nominees to get their social media posts approved
Donald Trump sided with Elon Musk in a MAGA ‘civil war’ over visas for skilled migrant workers
Meanwhile, Democratic senators are fiercely fighting some of Trump’s Cabinet picks for his second administration.
They have little power to prevent Trump’s choices from taking their new posts.
After the 2024 election the Senate flipped red giving Republicans more seats. Cabinet confirmations only require a simple majority in the 100-member chamber.
That means, as long as Republicans stick together, Trump should be able to put his team in place in the new year.
The most controversial picks include Pete Hegseth to lead the Pentagon, and Kash Patel for head of the FBI.
Also in the spotlight are Robert Kennedy Jr., who Trump wants to lead the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), and Tulsi Gabbard, who he wants as his Director of National Intelligence.
Tulsi Gabbard and other Cabinet picks have ben told to get their social media posts approved by the incoming White House counsel
Pete Hegseth will also need to get any posts approved
The row involving Musk was over his support for the H-1B visa program, which allows highly educated immigrants to work in the U.S. for up to six years.
Tech companies have used H-1B visas for skilled foreign workers and say they are a critical tool for hard-to-fill positions.
But some members of Trump’s movement have accused Musk, and others in Trump’s new flank of tech-world supporters, of pushing policies at odds with the ‘America First’ vision.
Robert F. Kennedy JR. will have to have any posts cleared by the incoming White House counsel
Kash Patel is Trump’s pick to head the FBI
They argue the system undercuts U.S. citizens who could take those jobs and have called for it to be eliminated.
Musk’s remarks about the visas came after Vivek Ramaswamy, who will co-run the DOGE with him, suggested this week that American culture was to blame for its need to hire foreign workers.
On Saturday, the president-elect praised the use of visas to bring skilled foreign workers to the U.S.
In the past Trump has criticized the H-1B visas, calling them ‘very bad’ and ‘unfair’ for U.S. workers.
During his first term as president, Trump unveiled a ‘Hire American’ policy that directed changes to the program to try to ensure the visas were awarded to the highest-paid or most-skilled applicants.
Despite his criticism of them and attempts to curb their use, he has also used the visas at his businesses in the past.
