In a discussion on “The View,” billionaire Mark Cuban claimed that former President Donald Trump avoided strong women, suggesting he found them “intimidating.” He stated, “Donald Trump, you never see him around strong, intelligent women ever. It’s just that simple.”

With Trump’s recent re-election—boosted by strong female support—it’s clear how incorrect Cuban’s assertion was.

Trump elevates the first woman to be White House chief of staff

One of Trump’s initial actions as president-elect was to select Susie Wiles, his campaign co-manager, as his chief of staff.

Wiles will be the first woman to occupy this vital and influential position.

“Susie is tough, smart, innovative, and is respected and admired by all,” Trump stated. “Susie will continue to work diligently to Make America Great Again.”

Clearly, Trump values those traits.

Trump’s appointments focus on merit, not gender

Throughout his campaign, Trump did not promise to choose his administration based on gender. This makes his appointment of Wiles even more significant.

Trump’s selection of Wiles was purely based on her qualifications for the job.

Wiles, a seasoned political strategist, was crucial to Trump’s prior campaigns, demonstrating Trump’s confidence in her abilities.

As Trump stated in his announcement, Wiles “just helped me secure one of the greatest political victories in American history.”

In contrast, President Joe Biden aimed to select women for his administration from the start.

During his 2020 campaign, Biden committed to selecting a woman as vice president and specified that he would nominate a “Black woman” for the Supreme Court.

I found that approach patronizing and disrespectful to the women who ultimately held those positions.

Why not simply choose the most qualified candidate, regardless of gender? If that individual happens to be a woman, that’s fantastic.

That’s the direction Trump is taking.

Many capable women back Trump

Take Nikki Haley, the former governor of South Carolina and U.N. ambassador under Trump. Cuban suggested that Trump was hesitant to involve Haley on the campaign trail.

However, Haley, who was one of Trump’s main rivals in the Republican primary, has repeatedly stated her support for Trump over both Biden and Vice President Harris.

Trump invited Haley to speak at the Republican National Convention in July, and she accepted graciously, despite their past exchanges during the primary.

Just days before the election, Haley wrote a piece in The Wall Street Journal advocating for Trump.

“I may not always agree with Mr. Trump,” she noted. “But I tend to agree with him more often than not, while I disagree with Ms. Harris almost all the time. That puts this election into perspective.”

This wasn’t a straightforward choice. Here are the key points that matter most to me.

Haley managed to set aside her feelings and personal disputes in order to make what she believed was the best choice for the nation.

To me, that demonstrates her strength as a woman.

Then there’s Megyn Kelly, who stands out as one of the most respected voices in independent media today.

Although she and Trump have disagreed publicly in the past, Kelly showed her support for him at a final rally, where he even invited her on stage.

She articulated a clear and logical reason for her endorsement.

She began with, “Proving Mark Cuban wrong is quite enjoyable for me, so here I am at a Trump rally—as a strong, intelligent woman—doing just that.”

Support for Trump wasn’t limited to famous women. Despite the often-discussed gender gap, 46% of female voters backed the Republican candidate, amounting to millions of women across the country. Even Cuban might recognize at least some of these women as strong and intelligent.

Liberal women have taken to social media to express their fears about what a Trump presidency would mean for their lives. If Trump were truly as anti-woman as they suggest, respected figures like Haley and Kelly would hardly be endorsing him.

Trump’s decision to appoint Wiles as his closest adviser also speaks volumes.