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Trump's first full Cabinet meeting was Monday
It's not the typical way presidents have convened the top members
(CNN) —
The first meeting of President Donald Trump’s full Cabinet evolved into an unusual tribute session Monday as heads of his executive branch agencies hailed the opening five months of Trump’s administration while the President himself listened on closely.
It’s not the typical way presidents have convened the top members of their governments. Usually, a Cabinet meeting begins with short remarks from the President before more detailed talks among the group behind closed doors.
Instead, Trump opened with a lengthy statement touting his own work before having each Cabinet secretary provide their own assessment of the administration’s progress so far.
What resulted were rapid-fire plaudits from the nation’s top government officials.
“I think we’ve been about as active as you can possibly be and at a just about record-setting pace,” Trump said, even though he has no significant legislative achievements and some of his top agenda items are stalled in the courts.
Those setbacks weren’t noted Monday as Trump’s inner-circle offered their praise.
Vice President Mike Pence spoke first: “This is the greatest privilege of my life is to serve as vice president to a president who’s keeping his word to the American people.”
Next up was Attorney General Jeff Sessions, who has caught Trump’s ire of late for his recusal from Russia-related matters: “It’s an honor to be able to serve you in that regard and to send the exact right message, and the response is fabulous around the country.”
And on it went, with each official describing in glowing terms their admiration for Trump’s work.
Photos: Trump's nominees and their confirmation hearings
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J. Scott Applewhite/AP
Director of National Intelligence —
Vice President Mike Pence, right, administers the oath of office to Dan Coats, the new director of national intelligence, on Thursday, March 16. Coats was accompanied by his wife, Marsha. He was confirmed by the Senate the day before.
Photos: Trump's nominees and their confirmation hearings
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Alex Brandon/AP
Director of National Intelligence —
Coats speaks on Capitol Hill before his confirmation hearing in February. The former US senator from Indiana was the US ambassador to Germany in the first term of George W. Bush's administration.
Photos: Trump's nominees and their confirmation hearings
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BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP/Getty Images
Secretary of Energy —
New Energy Secretary Rick Perry speaks at his swearing-in ceremony in Washington on Thursday, March 2. The former Texas governor was confirmed by a Senate vote of 62-37.
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Bill Clark/AP
Secretary of Energy —
Perry is sworn in before his confirmation hearing in January. During his testimony, Perry cast himself as an advocate for a range of energy sources, noting that he presided over the nation's leading energy-producing state. He also said he regrets once calling for the Energy Department's elimination.
Photos: Trump's nominees and their confirmation hearings
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Alex Wong/Getty Images
Secretary of Housing and Urban Development —
Ben Carson is joined by his wife, Candy, and his granddaughter Tesora as he is sworn in as the secretary of housing and urban development on March 2. The renowned neurosurgeon and former presidential candidate was confirmed by a vote of 58-41.
Photos: Trump's nominees and their confirmation hearings
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SAUL LOEB/AFP/Getty Images
Secretary of Housing and Urban Development —
Carson greets Tesora prior to testifying before the Senate Committee of Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs in January. In his opening statement, he noted that he was raised by a single mother who had a "third-grade education" and made the case that he understands the issues facing the millions of people who rely on HUD programs.
Photos: Trump's nominees and their confirmation hearings
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Andrew Harnik/AP
Secretary of the Interior —
New Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke signs an official document after he was confirmed by the Senate on Wednesday, March 1. The former congressman from Montana was joined by his wife, Lolita, as well as Vice President Mike Pence, US Sen. Steve Daines and Montana Attorney General Tim Fox.
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JIM WATSON/AFP/Getty Images
Secretary of the Interior —
Zinke, a former Navy SEAL, is sworn in before his confirmation hearing in January. He pledged to review Obama administration actions that limit oil and gas drilling in Alaska, and he said he does not believe climate change is a hoax.
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Evan Vucci/AP
Secretary of Commerce —
Pence swears in new Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross as Ross' wife, Hilary, stands by on Tuesday, February 28. The billionaire was confirmed by the Senate by a vote of 72-27.
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Joe Raedle/Getty Images
Secretary of Commerce —
Ross, center, waits to be introduced by US Sen. Marco Rubio, right, at his confirmation hearing in January. At the hearing, Ross said he wants countries that resort to "malicious" trading tactics to be "severely" punished. He pointed the finger at China, which he called "the most protectionist country of very large countries."
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Carolyn Kaster/AP
Administrator, Environmental Protection Agency —
Supreme Court justice Samuel Alito swears in Scott Pruitt as the new administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency on Friday, February 17. Holding the Bible is Pruitt's wife, Marlyn, and they were joined by their son, Cade. Pruitt, the former attorney general of Oklahoma, was confirmed by the Senate 52-46.
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J. Scott Applewhite/AP
Administrator, Environmental Protection Agency —
Pruitt testifies at his confirmation hearing in January. Pruitt said he doesn't believe climate change is a hoax, but he didn't indicate he would take swift action to address environmental issues that may contribute to climate change. He said there is still debate over how to respond.
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Mark Wilson/Getty Images
Director, Office of Management and Budget —
Pence shakes hands with Mick Mulvaney after swearing him in as the new director of the Office of Management and Budget on Thursday, February 16. Mulvaney's wife, Pam, looks on. Mulvaney had been a congressman since 2011.
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Carolyn Kaster/AP
Director, Office of Management and Budget —
Mulvaney testifies before the Senate Budget Committee in January. He didn't back off his views that entitlement programs need revamping to survive -- and he didn't back away from some of his past statements on the matter. President Donald Trump, during his campaign, pledged not to touch Social Security or Medicare.
Photos: Trump's nominees and their confirmation hearings
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Carolyn Kaster/AP
Administrator, Small Business Administration —
Linda McMahon is joined by her six grandchildren as she is sworn in as chief of the Small Business Administration on Tuesday, February 14. McMahon, the former CEO of World Wrestling Entertainment, was confirmed by a vote of 81-19.
Photos: Trump's nominees and their confirmation hearings
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BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP/Getty Images
Administrator, Small Business Administration —
McMahon speaks during her confirmation hearing. She stepped down from her WWE duties in 2009 and ran for the Senate in 2010 and 2012.
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SAUL LOEB/AFP/Getty Images
Secretary of Veterans Affairs —
Pence watches David Shulkin, the new secretary of the Veterans Affairs Department, speak at his swearing-in ceremony on February 14. Shulkin was confirmed by a unanimous vote in the Senate.
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Alex Brandon/AP
Secretary of Veterans Affairs —
Shulkin speaks at his confirmation hearing. He was the VA's undersecretary for health, a position in which he oversaw more than 1,700 health care sites across the United States.
Photos: Trump's nominees and their confirmation hearings
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MANDEL NGAN/AFP/Getty Images
Secretary of the Treasury —
Trump watches as Steven Mnuchin is sworn in as treasury secretary on Monday, February 13. The Senate vote was 53-47, mostly along party lines.
Photos: Trump's nominees and their confirmation hearings
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J. Scott Applewhite/AP
Secretary of the Treasury —
Mnuchin arrives for his confirmation hearing in January. Mnuchin, a former Goldman Sachs banker, faced policy questions about taxes, the debt ceiling and banking regulation.
Photos: Trump's nominees and their confirmation hearings
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Andrew Harnik/AP
Secretary of Health and Human Services —
Pence shakes hands with Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price -- who was accompanied by his wife, Betty -- after a swearing-in ceremony on Friday, February 10. Price, a former congressman from Georgia, was confirmed 52-47 in a middle-of-the-night vote along party lines.
Photos: Trump's nominees and their confirmation hearings
PHOTO:
Carolyn Kaster/AP
Secretary of Health and Human Services —
Price testifies at his confirmation hearing in January. Price confronted accusations of investing in companies related to his legislative work in Congress -- and in some cases, repealing financial benefits from those investments. Price firmly denied any wrongdoing and insisted that he has taken steps to avoid any conflicts of interests.
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Pablo Martinez Monsivais/AP
Attorney General —
Trump watches as Pence administers the oath of office to Attorney General Jeff Sessions in the White House Oval Office on Thursday, February 9. Sessions, one of Trump's closest advisers and his earliest supporter in the Senate, was confirmed by a 52-47 vote that was mostly along party lines. He was accompanied to the swearing-in by his wife, Mary.