Inside Trump's White House loyalty tests for job seekers

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Associated Press
26 Jan 2025 09:02

The rigorous screening process has raised concerns among some federal workers, who question whether Trump’s team values loyalty over competence.

Listen

The White House is seen on January 20, 2025, in Washington. (AP)

Job-seekers aiming to join the new Trump administration are undergoing rigorous loyalty tests, with White House screening teams checking government agencies for "Make America Great Again" credentials and scrutinizing applicants' politics and social media activity.

President Donald Trump has often stated that his biggest mistake during his first term was hiring what he considered to be "the wrong people". To avoid repeating that, his aides are working diligently to ensure only loyalists fill government positions.

In some cases, negative social media posts have led to the rejection of applicants. Those seeking jobs are required to demonstrate their "enthusiasm" for advancing Trump's agenda and are even asked when they experienced their moment of "MAGA revelation." One federal worker confessed to briefly considering buying Trump's crypto meme coin in case the team inquired about their voting history.

Why it matters

The rigorous screening process has raised concerns among some federal workers, who question whether Trump’s team values loyalty over competence. There is growing apprehension that his administration may be sidelining foreign policy experts, national security diplomats, and others with essential expertise and institutional knowledge, especially during a time of global conflict.

Trump's officials have been open about their goal to fill the administration with staffers who share the president’s vision. Screening for potential hires began shortly after Trump launched his campaign and has continued since his victory.

For example, an application form on the Trump transition website asks candidates, “What part of President Trump’s campaign message is most appealing to you and why?” The form also inquires about how applicants supported Trump in the 2024 election, offering choices like volunteering, fundraising, door-knocking, and making phone calls, and requests a list of their social media handles.

“We are interviewing every single one of these individuals. If you are working in the federal government in a political appointee position, that comes through the White House now,” White House personnel director Sergio Gor said Thursday on Fox News.

Gor emphasized, “Trump has been very clear about who he doesn’t want to include in this administration. And so those are clear guidelines that we adhere to. And we bring the best people possible into the White House and into every department across this land.”

Trump’s screening teams target loyalty over expertise in federal agencies

Screening teams have been deployed across federal agencies, with some officials derisively referring to the newcomers sent by the White House as "MAGA commissars," drawing a comparison to Communist Party officials from the former Soviet Union.

These individuals are typically young and, according to three US officials who spoke anonymously due to fear of reprisals, often lack significant expertise or background in the specific areas of the agencies where they are placed.

The screeners appear to be scrutinizing even the smallest deviation from Trump’s MAGA movement and “America First” policies. In some cases, a negative social media post or a photo with a Trump opponent has led to the rejection or further review of applications.

One official stated that he and several colleagues from different agencies were informed that, even if they passed the initial vetting process to join the applicant pool, they would still need to prove their credentials and demonstrate their “enthusiasm” for implementing Trump’s policies. This would include providing references from individuals whose loyalty had already been established.

At the State Department, which has been a particular focus of Trump since his first term, current officials have described the environment as “tense” and “glum.” Career civil and foreign service officers are reluctant to express opinions on policy or personnel matters, much less politics, for fear of retaliation from their new political superiors.

Two long-serving department officials pointed out that while transitions always bring some uncertainty, the current shift toward a group committed to making sweeping changes to the department's management and operations is unlike anything they’ve experienced before.

A veteran government employee recalled meeting a senior Trump administration official in December, who explained that Trump’s team would take a more careful approach in vetting appointees and even detailees. Detailees are nonpolitical, career experts from various fields, such as counterterrorism and global climate policy, who are temporarily assigned to the White House from other agencies. The official mentioned that all appointees would be required to complete questionnaires to confirm their full commitment to Trump’s agenda.

In his Fox interview, Gor stated that, alongside hiring efforts, the White House personnel office is focused on removing those disloyal to Trump.

“We’re also cleaning house. And so we started the process of terminating a lot of positions...It's time for a fresh start” he said.