Trump rewards lawmakers who backed him during impeachment

The House Republicans who took a leading role defending President-elect Trump during his first impeachment trial in 2020 are reaping the benefits. 

Of the eight GOP lawmakers who were part of Trump’s team to push back on allegations he withheld aid to Ukraine for political reasons, three are set to join his Cabinet; one is Speaker of the House and a staunch ally; and one became Trump’s chief of staff in his first administration.

The political arc of the eight lawmakers underscores the degree to which Trump prizes and rewards loyalty, which is on display as he forms his Cabinet for a second administration. 

“He’s showing that he remembers who stuck with him, and he wants an administration that’s really going to put America first, and he’s not going to have kind of pushback from the establishment on what he wants to achieve,” said Dan Eberhart, a Republican donor.