They are also the most diverse cabinet Virginia has ever seen." The Democratic governor's photo and the resulting criticism follow a broader political dispute over diversity, equity and inclusion, with the second Trump administration making it a priority to dismantle DEI initiatives on the federal level. Spanberger defended her appointments in the post, writing, "Every single one of our cabinet secretaries were selected because they're the best of the best in their respective fields." She added that officials brought "invaluable perspectives from across the Commonwealth—from Danville, Hampton Roads, Richmond, NOVA, and more." However, the photograph prompted criticism from conservative figures. Miller, who served as communications director to the vice president in the first Trump administration and is married to White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller, pointed to the absence of white men among those pictured.
"30% of Virginia residents are White men. Zero represented here," Miller wrote. Census Bureau white men make up 28 percent to 32 percent of Virginia's population.
"You are utterly racist and sexist regarding White men. Shame on you," Musk, who owns X and briefly headed the administration's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) initiative, commented on Spanberger's post. Newsweek has contacted Musk and Miller for comment via email.
The criticism has drawn attention to the composition of Spanberger's Cabinet and the extent to which the photograph represents its full membership. A spokesperson for Spanberger's office told Newsweek the image was taken from a specific photo shoot for local Richmond publication Style Weekly and that "this is not a photo of her entire cabinet." Virginia's official government website lists Mark D. Sickles as secretary of finance and Nick M.
Donohue as secretary of transportation. Sickles took the oath of office on January 18, according to the Virginia Department of Finance, where he oversees four of the Commonwealth's main finance agencies. Newsweek has contacted Sickles and Donohue for comment via email.
The official Cabinet page also lists other secretaries who are not pictured, including Secretary of Labor Jessica K. Looman, Secretary of Natural and Historic Resources David L. Bulova and Secretary of Veterans and Defense Affairs Timothy P.
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