It was only Donald Trump’s fifth cabinet appointment – the billionaire Betsy DeVos to Secretary of Education – and it’s likely her family donations over the years worth two hundred million dollars to the Republican party played a role.<br /><br /> The Senate had never been so divided in approving a cabinet nomination, in fact it came down to 50 votes for and 50 votes against her appointment. The Vice President then added his vote to call it in her favour.<br /><br /> DeVos is known for her positions in favour of private and religious schools as well as her lack of experience in public education policy. <br /><br /> During her hearing in the Senate, she said she was in favour of weapons in some schools to protect against grizzly bears.<br /><br /> Before her the new US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson was approved by a majority of 56 votes to 43 in the Senate, one of the narrowest for a Secretary of State in history.<br /><br /> He is the former CEO of Exxon oil company and is known for his business links with Russia.<br /><br /> Donald Trump is finding it more difficult than any other president to get his nominations to the cabinet approved.<br /><br /> Almost three weeks after Trump’s inauguration and as of Wednesday afternoon there are only five confirmed cabinet positions.<br /><br /> It is a disgrace that my full Cabinet is still not in place, the longest such delay in the history of our country. Obstruction by Democrats!— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 8, 2017<br /><br /> Both Obama and Bush in contrast managed to have their cabinets confirmed in a week.<br /><br /> Jeff Sessions is likely to be confirmed as the new Attorney General on Wednesday evening, making him the sixth.<br /><br /> His career has been dogged by allegations of racism and dubious comments he has made about the the Ku Klux Klan.<br /><br /> For now Donald Trump is filling much of the political vacuum in Washington, an unheard of scenario almost three weeks into a president’s term of office.<br /><br /> But there is a right-hand man who is very much in evidence, Steven Bannon, the ultra-conservative and ultra nationalist who is special advisor to the president.<br /><br /> He has not been vetted by a Senate committee yet right now many analysts view regard him as extremely influential and powerful.<br />
