Trump administration staffed by parents with big families

As President-elect Donald Trump continues to build his new administration, many have noticed a common trend among his closest advisors and Cabinet members – they are parents with families well above the national average. The current average for a family in the U.S. is 1.94, below the minimum 2.1 required to replace the population. Meanwhile, some of Trump’s picks have families well above the replacement level.

Trump himself is a father of five adult children and a devoted grandfather to his 10 grandchildren. His Cabinet members and advisors, such as Secretary of the Interior nominee Doug Burgum, Deputy Chief of Policy Stephen Miller, CIA nominee John Ratcliffe, and Secretary of State pick Marco Rubio each have three or four children. Health and Human Services nominee Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Department of Defense secretary nominee Pete Hegseth have seven children each.

Sean Duffy, Trump’s pick for transportation secretary, takes the grand prize with nine children. Duffy stepped down from his role as a Wisconsin congressperson to spend more time with his family, citing the importance of balancing his desire to serve both his family and his country.

In comparison, President Biden, with four children, is more of an exception in his administration, which is mainly staffed by individuals with two or fewer children. Vice President-elect JD Vance, who has three children, has voiced his belief in the importance of being “pro-family” and making it easier for Americans to have larger families.

The low birth rate in the U.S. has raised concerns about future population decline and its impact on the economy and social programs. Social researcher Catherine Pakaluk believes that promoting larger families and values that support family life is crucial. She applauds individuals like Vance for advocating for bigger families and sees a return to religious convictions as a potential solution to the “birth dearth.”

Pakaluk’s book, “Hannah’s Children,” highlights the experiences of mothers who chose to have five or more kids, with a common theme being a strong religious belief in children as blessings from God. She believes that a strong religious community can encourage more people to have children and ultimately address the issue of declining birth rates.

In conclusion, the emphasis on larger families among Trump’s advisors and Cabinet members, as well as the advocacy for pro-family values by leaders like JD Vance, reflect a growing awareness of the importance of addressing the declining birth rate in the U.S. through promoting values that support family life and religious convictions.