It's a mixed bag. Here's what we know:
Neocons:
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Secretary of State - Marco Rubio. Supports Ukraine in essence, but wants clearly defined objectives and more action from Europe. Voted against Ukraine aid Supplemental in April 2024. Experienced politician, supported by traditional Republicans but not MAGA Republicans.
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National Security Advisor - Mike Waltz. An ex-Green Beret, he mostly supported providing Ukraine with weapons, though criticized "lack of oversight" and the lack of action from Europe. Voted against the Supplemental. There was a
interview with him last month where he spoke a lot about Ukraine.
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CIA Director - John Ratcliffe. There's not much about John Ratcliffe and Ukraine, except this
policy paper he wrote together with General Kellogg in late 2022:
It's very inline with Mike Waltz's and Marco Rubio's views; The US should stand with Ukraine, but Europe should be doing more, clear policy objectives should be stated, and without it aid should not be provided.
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Special envoy for war in Ukraine - Brian Hook, lawyer who served in the Republican administrations of George W. Bush as Assistant Secretary of State for International Organization Affairs, under Donald Trump as Special Representative for Iran, and was a senior adviser to Mitt Romney's foreign policy campaign.
MAGA:
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Director of National Intelligence - Tulsi Gabbard.
Gabbard is a Putin and Assad apologist.
???
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Secretary of Defense - Pete Hegseth. There's limited information about his views on Ukraine, in part because he's a news anchor rather than a politician. We do know that he has been dismissive of supporting Ukraine though:
1,
2. He has minimal experience and the off-the-record reaction from Republicans to his nomination was shock. He's very strange and inexperienced.
Cabinet positions need to be confirmed by the Senate. Both Pete Hegseth and Tulsi Gabbard might run into difficulties, especially now that voting has finished and the Senate Majority Leader is McConell's protege John Thune.
