Democrat Rep. Dean Phillips Leaves Door Open to Working in Trump Admin

Weighing in after voters overwhelmingly handed Trump a second term last week, the Minnesota congressman told NewsNation, “I am not a big fan of the president himself, but I understand the MAGA movement. I understand why people are angry.”

With Trump announcing a flurry of nominations to top Cabinet posts over the last few days, Phillips threw his own hat in the ring to change the game in Washington, saying Thursday, “If there is a job that could help the country and that my skillset would be useful for — anybody should consider that.”

“I understand why this federal government needs to be reformed,” he continued. “But then do it with people with competency and integrity to do it.” 

Phillips isn’t the only one in his party eyeing a place in the incoming administration. Several Democrats who are disillusioned with their party have already become a driving force in Trumpworld. 

Space X and Tesla CEO Elon Musk voted Democratic for years before admitting his support for limited government and free markets pushed him to endorse Trump this election cycle. The president-elect appointed Musk to help spearhead the Department of Government Efficiency, which seeks to eliminate bureaucratic waste and inefficiency.

Phillips praised the new office, adding during his comments Thursday, “For gosh sakes, it’s long overdue. Our debt is out of control.”

Former Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard left the Democratic Party in October, saying it had become “antifreedom” and the party of war, censorship, open border, and poverty. Trump nominated her this week to be his director of National Intelligence. 

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. even tried to run for president as a Democrat and challenge President Joe Biden during the primaries. After saying the party of his youth manipulated the primary rules to shield Biden from competition, Kennedy announced he would run as an independent candidate. Kennedy later dropped out of the race to endorse Trump, saying he trusted the GOP leader more than the Democratic Party to protect free speech, end the war in Ukraine, and end the chronic disease epidemic. Trump has since nominated his former rival to head the Department of Health and Human Services. 

Similar to Kennedy’s experience, Phillips launched a Democratic presidential challenge to Biden last October but also argued that party elders prohibited meaningful competition to the incumbent president. He ended up suspending his campaign in March and endorsed Biden. However, from decisions to scuttle discussions about holding primary debates to Florida and other states‘ move to effectively cancel the Democratic primary, Phillips joined Kennedy in expressing anger that party chiefs were stifling voters’ ability to assess a variety of candidates. 

“My voice, yes, was ignored, but tens of millions of Americans’ voices were ignored and suppressed and disenfranchised,” Phillips said earlier this month. 

After Vice President Kamala Harris replaced Biden at the top of the Democratic ticket and lost to Trump, Phillips reiterated his concerns that the party was out of touch with voters. 

“Those of us who had our ears to the ground and were listening and spending time around the country sensed two things,” he said during an interview with the Washington Post. “One, the growing disdain for the Biden administration — which I don’t believe was deserved. And secondly, the growing attraction to Donald Trump amongst constituencies that heretofore had been much more closely aligned with Democrats.”

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Phillips continued to extend an olive branch to Trump during his Thursday interview as he blasted Democratic partisanship he worried is alienating voters. 

“If we come to a point where no Democrat will want to serve in a Republican administration, and conversely, we are limiting 50% of the universe of potential appointees, and that’s what I am trying to overcome,” he said.