Young correction: the new US administration has become the youngest in a quarter century

Donald Trump is forming the youngest US administration in the last quarter of a century. The average age of the key members of his new team is 51.8 years, Izvestia calculated. This figure not only contrasts sharply with previous governments, but also emphasizes the strategic choice of the new head of the White House: a bet on vigor, loyalty and adherence to traditional values. The last time a younger administration was formed was in 1997, when Bill Clinton began his second term. "Izvestia" also found that Trump's team members have nearly three times as many children as Joe Biden's men.

Trump was forming a young administration

Izvestia estimates that the average age of key members of Donald Trump's new administration is 51.8 years old. The sample included such crucial positions as vice president, heads of the Pentagon, the US State Department, the US Department of Commerce, the Ministry of Finance, the presidential administration, national security adviser, CIA director and White House press secretary.

According to calculations, the current Trump team is noticeably "younger" against the background of predecessors. Thus, the average age of the Biden administration (2021-2025) is 57 years. The first and second terms of Barack Obama (2009-2017) showed figures of 57.7 and 56.6 years, the period of administration of George W. Bush - Jr. (2001-2009) - 55.2 and 57.6 years. Democrat Bill Clinton, despite also having a fairly young team in his first term, still lost to the current administration with 52.6 years. However, in his second attempt, Clinton has assembled people a year younger than the current Republican's office - 50.8 years old. Compared to his first term (57.3 years), Trump "rejuvenated" his team by almost six years.

Some figures in the new president's team break historical records. For example, White House press secretary Caroline Leavitt, who is only 27, became the youngest in this position since the post was created in 1929. Her appointment has sparked controversy, with some calling it a bold move and others pointing to her lack of experience. However, Trump himself and his supporters emphasize that Livitt is an example of a smart new generation of conservatives ready for a tough media battle.

Also worth noting is 40-year-old J.D. Vance, who became one of the three youngest vice presidents in U.S. history and the youngest in 72 years. Younger than Vance was Richard Nixon, who only turned 40 before becoming Dwight Eisenhower's vice president in 1953.

Another contrast between the Trump and Biden teams is the number of children members of the administration have. While the new president's appointees have a total of 24 children, the previous president's team had only nine. This is a vindication of Trump's commitment to defending traditional and conservative values. The Biden administration, which promoted the ideas of inclusiveness and LGBT rights (the movement is recognized as extremist in Russia - Izvestia), turned out to be one of the most "childless" in history. For comparison, the new head of the Pentagon, Pete Hegseth, is raising seven children, while his predecessor, Lloyd Austin, has none.

By the way, Trump proves his commitment to the conservative course and his decrees - he canceled the so-called policy of diversity, equality and inclusion in the US government, officially in the US there are now only two genders - male and female.

The impact of the new administration on US politics

The new team has the potential to bring fresh ideas to American politics. On the domestic agenda, this could mean a focus on digitalization, the fight against the "deep state" and radical reforms in education, bureaucracy, migration and the military (Pete Hegseth). On foreign policy, a more aggressive stance toward China (Marco Rubio), skepticism about climate agreements, and an emphasis on bilateral rather than multilateral alliances. Trump has already announced the country's withdrawal from the Paris climate agreement and the WHO, and continues to criticize NATO.

Donald Trump has traditionally valued loyalty in associates. Many of the new appointees are his longtime supporters who worked with him during his first term or participated in the last election campaign. The Republican was not happy with independent figures in the past administration, so this time around, the experience-hardened Trump is really picking up a team of supporters, such as 40-year-old conservative J.D. Vance, who took over as vice president of the United States. Former Vice President Mike Pence has disassociated himself from Trump and has not endorsed his candidacy for the 2024 election. Moreover, if the new Republican administration succeeds and fulfills all of its stated promises, the vice president may aspire to the post of US president in the next election in 2028. It is possible that Trump, who will no longer be able to run for the highest office, sees him as his successor.

The Republican selects candidates for key positions in the field of foreign policy from among supporters of the idea of "America First". This is how, for example, he explained the candidacy of Fox News anchor Pete Hegseth, 44, to head the Pentagon. The media called this decision unexpected and shocking, but his candidacy was still approved. The main reason for Hegseth's appointment is the fight against corruption and inefficiency in the U.S. defense establishment, according to Vladimir Brovkin, an American historian and former Harvard University professor.

- Pete Hegseth will try to clean the Pentagon from the infestation of corrupt officials and representatives of the military-industrial complex. Lloyd Austin, for example, was a board member of the military company Raytheon Technologies, and then became Secretary of Defense - this is a normal practice. In fact, it's just normal lobbying, promoting contracts and government contracts. Hegseth can raise the prestige of the service," he told Izvestia.

We should not forget about the appointment of 53-year-old billionaire Ilon Musk as director of the new Department of Public Administration Efficiency. The relatively young entrepreneur also follows the principle of "America First". Trump wants him to implement a significant "purge" of the nomenklatura and bureaucracy. A major element of Trump's strategy is to "drain the Washington swamp" and make America more efficient and competitive.

Mike Waltz has become national security adviser. The fairly young Waltz (51) is a veteran of the U.S. Army. Although he supports Washington's assistance to Ukraine, Waltz has previously criticized the level of oversight of financial packages sent to Kiev.

It is conceivable that the new Trump administration is challenging not only political opponents, but also the system itself. On the one hand, energy and an innovative approach can revitalize the conservative agenda. On the other hand, the lack of sufficient experience of the new team members and dependence on the personality of the leader carry risks.