Public Cabinet meetings under President Donald Trump have become less about policy and more about public praise, according to a recent New York Times analysis that found roughly one in six sentences spoken by administration officials included flattery toward the president, attacks on political opponents or claims crediting Trump with major successes.

The analysis reviewed televised Cabinet meetings from Trump’s second term and found officials routinely using the nationally broadcast sessions to applaud the president’s leadership and reinforce White House messaging.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio emerged as one of the administration’s most vocal Trump allies during the meetings. According to the analysis, Rubio frequently credited the president with easing international tensions and advancing peace negotiations abroad, themes that Trump himself regularly emphasizes.

Vice President JD Vance focused heavily on criticizing Democrats and former President Joe Biden during the sessions. During a December 2025 Cabinet meeting, Vance repeated Trump’s argument that Biden-era policies worsened inflation and affordability concerns across the country.

The meetings themselves are unusual compared to past administrations. Traditionally, Cabinet discussions are held privately to allow presidents and senior officials to debate policy and national security matters behind closed doors. Trump instead has repeatedly welcomed television cameras and reporters into the room, turning the gatherings into lengthy public-facing events.

White House spokesperson Allison Schuster defended the approach in a statement, saying Trump “has opened nearly all of his Cabinet meetings to the press, allowing his talented team to highlight the exhaustive list of accomplishments they have delivered on behalf of the American people to Make America Great Again.”

Critics say the meetings often resemble political rallies more than governing sessions.

At a December 2025 Cabinet meeting, Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin praised the administration, telling Trump that his team was “crushing it.” Zeldin also said Trump was “willing to take a bullet for this country,” according to the New York Times analysis summarized by The Independent.

Former Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem sparked backlash after telling Trump during another Cabinet meeting, “Sir, you made it through hurricane season without a hurricane. You kept the hurricanes away.”

Former Attorney General Pam Bondi also drew attention during an April 2025 meeting when she claimed Trump had saved “258 million lives” through fentanyl seizures conducted by federal law enforcement agencies.

Praise for Trump often came alongside criticism of Biden and Democrats.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has blamed Biden for the chaotic U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy accused the previous administration of increasing infrastructure costs, while Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought argued Biden-era policies drove up prices for American families.

The repeated displays of loyalty reflect the political culture within Trump’s White House, where public support for the president is often emphasized alongside policy accomplishments.