NALEO: Trump’s Lack of Latinos in Cabinet Is ‘Historic and Alarming Step Backwards for America’

Dec 20, 2016
10:36 AM

President-elect Donald Trump (Gage Skidmore/Flickr)

Remember when we asked last week if anyone cared that President-elect Donald Trump’s cabinet appointees will not have any Latinos on it? Well, it looks like the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials (NALEO) Educational Fund is starting to care (just a little), as it shared the following statement on Tuesday morning:

“For the past 29 years, both Republican and Democrat Presidents alike have tapped Latinos to put their skills and expertise to work on behalf of the nation by serving as cabinet members. Latinos have been up to the task, serving at the behest of each President since Ronald Reagan in a variety of cabinet posts, ranging from U.S. Attorney General to U.S. Secretary of Labor to U.S. Secretary of Energy.

“With four weeks to go before President-elect Donald Trump is sworn in as the nation’s 45th President, we are deeply concerned at the lack of Latinos being considered for positions within the cabinet. Failing to have representation in the cabinet from the deep bench of talent that exists among the nation’s second largest population group would mark an historic and alarming step backwards for America.

“We stand ready and willing to work with President-elect Trump and members of his transition team to identify Latino leaders from diverse backgrounds who have the experience and drive needed to help move the nation forward in the coming four years. We call on President-elect Trump to assemble a cabinet that fully reflects the American people by looking at Latino candidates for the remaining cabinet level positions in his administration in the coming days and weeks.”

We will see where this goes, if it goes anywhere. Stay tuned if you care.