As the nation watches President-elect Donald Trump announce his cabinet picks, MSNBC hosts Rachel Maddow and Nicolle Wallace He expressed deep concern about his preference for unqualified loyalists over experienced leaders. During a frank discussion Thursday afternoon, Maddow warned that these appointments were not only surprising, they could be a calculated attempt to reshape America’s sense of normalcy.

Addressing the stark reality she believes the country must face, Maddow said, “It’s time for Americans to get real and understand that this is actually what we’re facing.” Trump’s picks for cabinet positions, including names like Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) and former Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (R-HI), have raised eyebrows and drawn criticism; Many wondered whether these controversial figures could truly meet Trump’s demands. high office

But according to Maddow, it’s not just about questionable qualifications; It is a strategy that aims to shake and destabilize. “The purpose of this is to adjust and kind of confuse us in our perception of what’s normal, what’s possible,” Maddow said. he explained. “This is a shock and awe campaign against American customs and traditions.” He said the goal of Trump’s election was to unsettle Americans, shake public expectations of government and prepare them for what he described as “the most radical statements and actions.”

Maddow believes this feeling of disbelief is no coincidence. “We need to feel the way we feel right now. “That’s part of it.” The reference to “shock and awe” intrigued Nicolle Wallace, who likened the approach to the initial strategy of the Iraq War, where an intense bombing campaign sought to overwhelm and confuse. “This does not indicate that he will succeed in successfully subverting American democracy,” Wallace said.

Trump’s Gaetz, Gabbard and RFK Jr. “But it does mean that we, as the press, are still always on the lookout for shiny objects,” he said, naming recent appointments such as those as some of these “shiny objects”. Wallace explained why names like Gaetz and Gabbard distract the media and the public. He explained that his calls were based in part on resentment of the Democratic Party and media elites and Trump’s promises on issues such as the economy and immigration.

“He’s the one responsible for these two things,” Wallace said, “one of which is an alleged child sex trafficker, and the other is, by his own account, a dog killer.” He added that Trump’s choices may be motivated by loyalty, but competence appears to be lacking. The crux of the matter, according to Wallace and Maddow, is that Trump’s cabinet picks, although highly controversial, may be shifting the media’s focus away from what really matters: the potential erosion of institutional norms.

The hosts questioned whether this selection of loyalists and controversial figures was a strategy designed to advance Trump’s agenda without scrutiny while also testing media reaction and public acceptance of these changes. In closing, Maddow emphasized that Americans must remain vigilant and engaged; He acknowledged that these choices were what he believed them to be: an attempt to redefine what was acceptable in governance.

According to Maddow and Wallace, Trump’s cabinet picks serve as a “shock and awe” strategy; not to improve governance, but to change American standards in ways that could have lasting effects. Their warnings are clear: The country must resist desensitization to these appointments, lest this new, confusing version of “normal” become a permanent reality.