Chapter 276: Reorganizing the Cabinet (Part I)
The President's New Power
Will the cabinet be reorganized?
The answer is yes. New ruler, new court—that's how it works everywhere. However, choosing the cabinet members is a major issue.
The previous cabinet was appointed by Joel Nash under semi-coercion from the Senate, Department of Defense, and Congress. There was no choice; his approval rating was so low that the Senate had many ways to force him out of the White House if he refused.
After four years, Joel Nash had accumulated considerable ill will with the cabinet members. The Secretaries of Justice, Defense, Homeland Security, the Treasury, the CIA, the FBI, and many others were at odds with him. In essence, during the years possessed by the demon Ghast, Joel Nash was a puppet not only in soul but also in body.
Fortunately, Adam's arrival changed things. With his extremely high approval rating, Joel Nash no longer had to bow to the Senate and could exercise presidential authority without restraint.
The Metropolis Fortress
On his first day back in Metropolis, Luke went to the Coast City villa that had been under construction for months. Thanks to three construction companies working overtime, the place was finally habitable.
The villa is located on a hillside two kilometers west of the Metropolis coast, only a half-hour drive from the city center. With mountains to the north and a forest to the south, the scenery is stunning. The total area of the villa is about 4,000 square meters; it is the main base Luke built for himself at great expense.
The main building has seven levels—four above ground and three below. Basic construction is complete, but for furniture, and the next step is fully installing the AI system.
Luke toured the villa, walking from the first floor to the fourth, and back again. He stood at the window, gazing out at the distant sea. As the sun set, the magnificent ocean view was right before his eyes.
Money truly is a wonderful thing!
After silently marveling, Luke turned around and asked,
"Well, how's the house?"
Linda, who was following him, shook her head. "It's too basic. There's nothing in it."
"The furniture hasn't been installed yet, so of course it's basic. Pick a room. I'll have Ava decorate it according to your preferences. You can return here whenever you like."
The girl pouted. "Master said I shouldn't be alone with you."
Despite her words, her body language was honest. On the third floor, she chose the largest, most spacious, and best-lit bedroom as her temporary residence.
After touring the upper floors, Luke went to the basement. The basement walls were made of high-strength concrete mixed with various composite materials, giving them extreme seismic and defensive capabilities.
These three floors were just the start. Luke planned to hollow out the adjacent hill to build a much larger underground base, but that was a future project.
After inspecting the Coast City manor, Luke returned to his temporary residence in Metropolis and waited.
Time passed until the clock struck midnight.
A blue light screen appeared on the smooth wall, and a figure materialized: Adam, in the guise of the President.
"Young Master."
Luke acknowledged him. "How is it? Are you adjusting?"
Adam replied coldly, "I do not like this life."
"This is your task, and it is my command."
"Understood, Young Master. I will complete it."
Seeing his "blunt" manner, Luke shook his head. He had hoped that a few days of playing the President would bring about some change, but Adam was still so "direct."
"What is the reaction to the cabinet reorganization?"
"They gave me a list."
"Who gave it to you?"
"The campaign staff, some Republicans, and Kate Nash."
"Specific names."
"Chief of Staff Owen Horace, Republican Senators Ambot and Charles, and several other people whose names I can't recall. They jointly provided a list of personnel."
"Send me the list."
Adam placed a sheet of paper on the screen. Ava extracted the names and simultaneously collected and organized all associated personal files, information, and data.
Luke reviewed the list carefully and shook his head in frustration.
"When you get back, find a way to fire your Chief of Staff. I don't know what Ghast was thinking to appoint such an idiot as his Chief of Staff."
"Understood, Young Master. I will make him leave."
Luke looked over the list again, crossing out nearly four-fifths of the names. He then crossed out half of the remainder, leaving only one-tenth of the original list.
"These people can stay. The rest are either useless or are pawns planted by others. You can't use a single one of them."
Adam asked, confused, "If they ask, how should I answer?"
Luke smiled slightly and shook his head.
"Remember, Adam, you are now the President of the United States, one of the most powerful people in the world. You do not need to explain the formation of your cabinet to anyone."
Adam nodded expressionlessly, though it was unclear whether he truly understood. After a pause, he continued,
"How should I fill the remaining positions? Kate says I need many trustworthy people, since the former officials cannot be used."
"The last part is correct; the former personnel are mostly unusable, but not completely. Do not touch the people in the Department of Defense, and do not touch the people in the Senate. At the very least, you must maintain the current stability."
"Why?"
Luke spoke firmly. "They hold leverage against you. They are only holding back from revealing the Ghast incident due to concerns about national security. But don't forget that cornered dogs will jump, and cornered rabbits will bite. If you push them too far, they will absolutely try to take you down with them."
"You need to appropriately co-opt and divide those two departments. Especially Norman Gant, the Secretary of Defense. He is a key figure. Not only must you keep him, but you must find a way to forge a good relationship with him."
"Forge a good relationship?"
"Yes."
Luke nodded seriously. "Norman Gant is a pure patriot. He is willing to sacrifice everything for the security of the country. This means that as long as he remains, the military won't rebel. Even if the top brass know you were possessed by a demon, they won't act up. As long as the military does not oppose you, your government is secure."
"The same logic applies to the Senate. Aside from those two departments, you must replace the heads of the FBI, CIA, Department of Justice, Department of Homeland Security, Director of National Intelligence, White House Chief of Staff, Department of the Interior, and Department of Commerce with absolute confidants. The others can be handled as appropriate."
"I don't know who to choose."
"You don't need to worry about that; I will make the arrangements. What you need to do now is quickly familiarize yourself with the President's daily duties and then hold a press conference to announce an open recruitment for White House officials."
Adam was puzzled. "Kate said that White House officials must be absolute confidants, and we cannot let outsiders infiltrate."
Luke smiled.
"She's not wrong. She just overlooked one crucial detail: you are not a normal person."
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