As The Post reports:
Credentialed
candidates have had to prove loyalty to the president, with many still being
blocked for previous anti-Trump statements. Hundreds of national security
officials, for example, were nixed from consideration because they spoke out
against Trump during the campaign. But for longtime Trump loyalists, their
fidelity to the president is often sufficient, obscuring what in a more
traditional administration would be red flags.
There is one
thing that gets checked thoroughly:
Since the
early days of the presidential transition, however, the Trump team has been
especially thorough in vetting job applicants for their loyalty to the
president and his policies, with their social-media profiles and writings
scoured for anti-Trump posts.
Even tepid
comments in opposition could torpedo nominees, current and former officials
said. Trump himself would sometimes ask if candidates were “Never Trump” or if
they supported him during the general election, officials said. Having posted
on social media with the hashtag “#NeverTrump” or having signed a public letter
in opposition to his candidacy made the nomination a non-starter.
Any casual look at the literature
studying autocracies demonstrates the degree to which this sort of behavior is
one of their hallmarks. Autocratic leaders prioritize loyalty over competence,
rewarding subordinates and others who demonstrate fealty with plum positions,
access and multiple opportunities to profit, while turning a blind eye to
blatant corruption. Those who are deemed disloyal are not just banished but
jettisoned in humiliating rituals.
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