Reports of the GOP establishment’s death have been somewhat exaggerated.

In his second term, President Donald Trump has filled his administration with many hard-line ideologues, personal loyalists, and more recent converts to his cause — spurring many to conclude that this was a fully MAGA White House.

But, going against that trend, certain establishment figures continue to hold key administration posts — and their importance and influence have risen in recent weeks, as they’ve won internal battles and steered Trump’s policies in their preferred direction.

Take Scott Bessent, a financier close to Wall Street who Trump named Treasury secretary.

During and immediately after Trump’s “Liberation Day” tariffs, which made little rational sense, Bessent often appeared hapless and at a loss. But Bessent eventually convinced Trump to pause many of the tariffs and has since clearly taken the lead in the administration’s trade negotiations — sidelining hardliners like Peter Navarro, at least for now. He even........

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