Despite new accusations against Trump allies Matt Gaetz and Tucker Carlson, the former president continues to support them, as seen in his recent "Morning Joe" interview.

Taking a few steps back can help you comprehend Donald Trump's actions.

What was the reason for him to intentionally spark a controversy by nominating Matt Gaetz, Pete Hegseth, Tulsi Gabbard, and RFK Jr.?

The president-elect is not eligible to run again and wants his nominees to disrupt or even destroy the departments they would be responsible for managing. Even if they lack the typical qualifications, such as experience running large organizations, he is unconcerned.

Wouldn't it be more beneficial for his goals to appoint Cabinet members who are as disruptive as Matt Gaetz, but who have a proven track record of unwavering loyalty?

Despite doubts from even his closest advisors, Trump remains true to himself.

If Gaetz were appointed attorney general, he could dismiss FBI chief Chris Wray instead of Trump being the one to do it.

In Trump World, it is believed that the Senate will not reject more than two of his nominees. Even if Gaetz and Hegseth are not approved, the rest of the nominees, including Kennedy and Gabbard, will still be accepted.

Wouldn't it be challenging for the Republican Senate to approve Trump's replacement nominees after such rejections, given the magnitude of his victory? Is this a 4-dimensional chess game?

Susie Wiles, the White House chief of staff, was on the plane with Gaetz when Trump offered him the AG's job. Despite Wiles' tight organization skills, she had no control over the situation.

Some Trump advisers privately oppose the most radioactive picks, but they also know the boss ultimately gets his way.

John Thune, the incoming Senate majority leader who is not a fan of Trump and was opposed by him, is unlikely to approve of recess appointments, which would undermine the chamber's constitutional duty of providing advice and consent.

The new reporting has made things more complicated for Gaetz and Hegseth, who were chosen to lead the Pentagon as an Army combat veteran and former Fox weekend host.

The Washington Post's report that Hegseth's lawyer admitted he paid off a female accuser who claimed Hegseth raped her in 2017, under a non-disclosure agreement, would likely sink any other president's nominee. Despite appearing visibly intoxicated, Hegseth maintains that the encounter in his hotel room was consensual, with the 30-year-old woman present with her husband and small children at a conservative conference.

If this was a Democrat, would Johnson take the opposite stance and denounce the nominee as a pervert?

A lawyer representing several women accusing Gaetz of sexual misconduct disclosed to ABC that two of his clients claim Gaetz paid them for sex. He intends to conduct additional interviews.

During their House ethics testimony, staffers displayed Venmo payments on the screen and inquired about them. My clients consistently testified, "What was this payment for?" and "That was for sex."

One of Gaetz's clients had previously watched him have sex with a minor, according to Leppard.

Another lawyer for the woman who alleges Gaetz had sex with a minor in high school, John Clune, described the Gaetz nomination as a perverse development in a series of dark events.

According to her testimony, one of the underage girls claims to have had sex with Gaetz on an air hockey table, as reported by CNN.

Trump remains committed to supporting both nominees and will not waver.

If Kamala Harris had won the election, I would have scrutinized her nominees in the same way. Several pro-Trumpers online accused me of Trump Derangement Syndrome for covering the most controversial nominees, which is amusing because the president-elect granted me two interviews in 10 months, one just a couple of weeks before the election, and told me that both were fair.

Trump's decision to meet with Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski, who have consistently criticized him for the past seven years, was a smart move. Both requested the meeting, and Trump was gracious enough to grant them an audience at Mar-a-Lago - a remarkable turn of events.

As they explained yesterday on "Morning Joe:"

Scarborough stated that they discussed numerous topics, including abortion, mass deportation, and political retribution against opponents and media outlets. He added that they spent a considerable amount of time discussing these issues.

"It's no surprise to anyone who has watched this show for the past year or decade that we didn't agree on many issues and we made it clear."

Brzezinski stated that the point of agreement among them was to reestablish communication.

She observed that her father, the deceased Zbigniew Brzezinski, frequently engaged in discussions with world leaders with whom he and the United States held significant differences. This is a responsibility that both journalists and commentators share. We have not communicated with Trump since March 2020, except for a personal phone call that Joe made following the assassination attempt in Butler, Pennsylvania.

Trump appeared "cheerful and upbeat" and "eager to find common ground with Democrats on some of the most divisive issues."

Mika defended her meeting with a man she described as a fascist by asking, "Why wouldn't we?"

Trump later revealed to Fox's Brooke Singman that they discussed various topics and he appreciated their willingness to communicate openly. He lamented that it would have been better if they had done so earlier.

"To make America great again, it is crucial to have a free, fair, and open press."

Trump stated that he received congratulations from the MSNBC husband-and-wife hosts for his "great and flawless campaign," which he believes was one for the history books. However, he also acknowledged the immense effort he put into the campaign, possibly working harder than any other presidential candidate in history.

"We discussed various Cabinet members, both announced and to be announced, and found that while some were highly favored, not all were. The meeting concluded on a positive note, and we agreed to meet again in the future. Additionally, I anticipate that this discussion will occur with other media outlets, even those that have been highly critical."

Trump stated that he has a duty to the American public and to the country itself to be transparent and accessible to the media.

"If not treated fairly, however, that will end."

So there you have it, a carrot and a stick.

The denunciations came fast and furious.

"Annals of shamelessness: Despite calling Trump a fascist and attending a 'Nazi-like' rally, the leaders flew to Florida for an audience just 22 days later. Afterward, they claimed they didn't agree on many issues but wanted to 'restart communications.' What?"

Mika & Joe have been vocal for months that Trump is a fascist who would end democracy. However, now that he has been elected and is popular, they visit him as if it's just a casual coffee meeting with an opposing party politician.

I couldn't disagree more. The meeting, which may not be unrelated to ratings, means they will have some access to their onetime friend and, they claim, criticize him when they believe he's wrong.

I hope the truce with hostile outlets lasts, as Trump has vowed to reach out to them and report what the next president says.

As Transportation secretary, Trump has appointed former Congressman Sean Duffy, who co-hosts "Bottom Line" on FOX Business.