Members of President Donald Trump’s Cabinet spend a noticeable amount of time flattering the president with praise, admiration or validation for his feelings toward his opponents, according to a new analysis by the New York Times.
In a review of Cabinet meetings, the New York Times found that, on average, one in every six sentences spoken by current members offers Trump some sort of flattery. It ranges from direct compliments and giving Trump credit to bashing his enemies.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who spoke the most often during Cabinet meetings, was found to have flattered the president the most, according to the analysis. Rubio credited Trump with helping bring an end to multiple world conflicts – a claim the president also consistently makes.
Meanwhile, Vice President JD Vance criticized Trump’s opponents most often, with one of every six sentences being an insult towards them, the analysis determined.
White House Spokesperson Allison Schuster said in a statement that Trump “has opened nearly all of his Cabinet meetings to the press, allowing his talented team to highlight the exhaustive list of accomplishments they have delivered on behalf of the American people to Make America Great Again.”
White House officials have often highlighted how the president has made his administration more transparent to the public by televising Cabinet meetings.
Cabinet meetings are historically closed-door to allow the president and his inner circle to discuss sensitive issues. But Trump has chosen to allow TV cameras and the press in the room to give Cabinet members an opportunity to explain what they’re doing and take questions from reporters.
However, the hours-long roundtable is generally filled with positive remarks about the administration and negative comments about Trump’s opponents.
Cabinet members seemingly use the meetings to flex their loyalty to Trump, who has high allegiance standards.
During a January 29, 2026, Cabinet meeting, Small Business Administrator Kelly Loeffler credited Trump with helping Americans affected by natural disasters, criticized California Governor Gavin Newsom and former President Joe Biden, parroted Trump’s claim that he ended eight wars and insisted Americans had lined up to thank Trump.
At a December 2025 Cabinet meeting, EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin told the president his team was “crushing it,” said he was grateful for Trump during the holiday season and insisted the president was “willing to take a bullet for this country.”
Many Cabinet members credit Trump’s leadership with accomplishments in their respective departments or agencies, often using the phrase “under your leadership” during sentences.
On April 30 last year, now departed Attorney General Pam Bondi raised eyebrows by claiming Trump had saved the lives of 258 million Americans – about 75 percent of the population of the United States – through the seizure by law enforcement agents of 22 million fentanyl pills.
Another former Cabinet member, ex-Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, told the president in December: “Sir, you made it through hurricane season without a hurricane. You kept the hurricanes away.”
The New York Times analysis found that Rubio often asserted Trump deserved more credit for his foreign policy agenda and that no other leader would have been able to intervene in conflicts to make peace.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent insisted Trump’s decision to bomb Iran would have a positive long-term outcome for the U.S. economy and criticized Democrats for underestimating the president during a March 26, 2026, Cabinet meeting.
Vance bashed Democrats during a December 2, 2025, Cabinet meeting, repeating various claims Trump had made about his predecessor, including that Biden had created an affordability problem.
Trump’s messaging often includes vilifying his predecessor. Despite winning the 2024 presidential election, Trump continues to compare his administration to Biden’s during Cabinet meetings, press conferences or rallies.
Members of the Cabinet often do the same.
During an April 30, 2025, Cabinet meeting, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth blamed Biden for the disastrous withdrawal in Afghanistan, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy blamed Biden for adding overhead costs to infrastructure, Housing and Urban Development Director Scott Turner blamed Biden for prioritizing migrants over Americans, and Director of the Office and Management and Budget Russell Vought blamed Biden for raising prices for families and more.
