WASHINGTON (AP) 鈥 Near the end of President Donald Trump鈥檚 marathon Cabinet meeting Wednesday, Secretary of State Marco Rubio noted that the U.S. has brought home 47 wrongfully detained Americans so far in Trump鈥檚 second term.
鈥淔orty-seven for the 47th president in the first 100 days,鈥 Rubio said. 鈥淎nd that鈥檚 all credit to you, Mr. President.鈥
Earlier in the session, mused that 鈥渕ost鈥 of the presidents whose portraits adorn the Oval Office 鈥 which include Ronald Reagan, James Madison, George Washington and Abraham Lincoln 鈥 were mere 鈥減laceholders鈥 who weren鈥檛 鈥渕en of action.鈥
And observed that Trump was 鈥渘ot just courageous, you鈥檙e actually fearless鈥 in taking on issues that other presidents dare not touch.
鈥淎ll of us can sprint, because you鈥檙e running ahead,鈥 Burgum said.
Trump, never bashful about his achievements, But in a two-hour game of one-upmanship before the television cameras on Wednesday, top Cabinet officials took turns drenching the president with praise that went beyond even the from those who work for Trump.
The president assembled his Cabinet at the White House to celebrate the 100-day mark of his second term, and each had been presented a 鈥淕ulf of America鈥 hat, in reference to the order Trump issues to change the name for the Gulf of Mexico, although that only has authority within the United States.
Trump opened by noting that 鈥渢hings are happening that are amazing, but I would not say it if it weren鈥檛 fact.鈥
From there, the president let others do the talking.
There was Attorney General Pam Bondi, who claimed that Trump in his second term saved 鈥258 million lives鈥 due to the amount of fentanyl that his Justice Department has taken off the streets. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. thanked the president for 鈥測our vision and leadership, for giving me the 100 busiest days of my life.鈥 Rubio said the 47 wrongfully detained Americans were returned home due to Trump鈥檚 鈥渓eadership and the diplomacy that was exercised.鈥 However, the list of Americans was not immediately made public, and it was not clear which were being included in the tally.
鈥淚 just want to say thank you, as a veteran of our military, for assembling what is the greatest national security team that I have ever seen in my 27 years associated with the United States Army,鈥 said Lee Zeldin, the administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, who has served in the military for more than two decades.
Not surprisingly, the lovefest in the Cabinet Room glossed over the turmoil that has been roiling the early days of Trump鈥檚 return to the White House: the nosediving stock market and a contracting economy, revelations that his senior officials were careless, at best, with sensitive military information.
The gushing went too far even for some who otherwise back Trump鈥檚 policies and agenda.
鈥淲ould it be possible to have a cabinet meeting without the Kim Jong il-style tributes?鈥 conservative commentator Ann Coulter wrote on the social media site X, referring to the North Korean dictator.
Indeed, the praise wasn鈥檛 devoted just to the commander-in-chief. As an effusive Burgum spoke, he noted the 鈥渁mazing group of people around the table鈥 and added a quick aside to Trump: 鈥淵ou probably assembled the greatest Cabinet ever.鈥
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An earlier version of this story identified Doug Burgum as energy secretary. He is interior secretary.
