Donald Trump’s cabinet heavy on business experience, fairly light on public service

While a number of Donald Trump‘s cabinet nominees bring a wealth of business experience to the table, one in three has spent no significant time in the public sector, Pew Research analysis reveals.

Trump campaigned on a promise to “drain the swamp” once he was in office and bust up the establishment.

READ MORE: President Donald Trump’s inaugural address: ‘Protection will lead to prosperity’

Trump has since recruited a slew of heavy hitters: Exxon Mobil CEO Rex Tillerson for secretary of state, Wall Street veteran Wilbur Ross for commerce secretary, and former Goldman Sachs executive Steve Mnuchin for treasury secretary, to name a few.

“Should all of President-elect Donald Trump’s Cabinet nominees eventually be confirmed, he will start his administration with one of the most heavily business-oriented Cabinets in U.S. history,” Pew Research notes.

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "Should all of President-elect Donald Trump's Cabinet nominees eventually be confirmed, he will start his administration with one of the most heavily business-oriented Cabinets in U.S. history," Pew Research notes.

READ MORE: Rex Tillerson to get $180M in ‘retirement package’ from Exxon Mobil

Get breaking National news

For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen.

Sign up for breaking National newsletter Sign Up

By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy.

Democrats have taken aim at Trump’s cabinet nominees, stating they’re evidence of serious ethics challenges.

“Never before has the Senate considered such an ethically challenged slate of nominees for key Cabinet positions,” Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer said in a statement, as reported by the Associated Press.

1:18 Tillerson not concerned by Trump’s tweets, won’t tell ‘the boss how to communicate’

• Tillerson not concerned by Trump’s tweets, won’t tell ‘the boss how to communicate’
• U.S. Commerce nominee Ross says NAFTA is Trump’s first trade priority
• Trump picks former Goldman Sachs exec. Steven Mnuchin for Treasury Secretary

Previous Video

Next Video

The backgrounds of all 589 people who have served as cabinet secretaries since George Washington were examined by Pew Research; a mere seven per cent of all former cabinet secretaries came to the table without public sector experience.

Meanwhile, 33 per cent (five out of 15) of Trump’s picks have no significant experience serving the public.

READ MORE: Here’s a look at Donald Trump’s (mostly white, male) cabinet choices

“That would be more business people with no public-sector experience than have ever served in the Cabinet at any one time,” Pew Research notes.

On the other end of the spectrum, Trump has nabbed former Georgia governor Sonny Perdue for secretary of agriculture, former Texas governor Rick Perry for energy, and retired Marine Corps general James Mattis for secretary of defense.