How Johnny McEntee, a 'f--king idiot,' came to be known as Trump's 'deputy president'


It's now no surprise to hear how strings were pulled behind the scenes in the Trump White House. But according to journalist Jonathan Karl's forthcoming book, Betrayal: The Final Act of the Trump Show, one young staffer and loyalist to former President Donald Trump was, toward the end, pulling more of those tethers than the average American may have thought.
Johnny McEntee, a political appointee who rose in the ranks after carrying the ex-president's bags, was a Trump man "through and through," per an excerpt of Betrayal adapted for The Atlantic. But during the final year of Trump's tenure, and following a promotion to head the Presidential Personnel Office — which manages the hiring and firing of White House employees — McEntee was "willing to do anything Trump wanted," per Karl. "He became the deputy president," said one senior official. Another high-profile Cabinet secretary described him as "a f---king idiot."
When Trump alerted his team in February 2020 that he wanted to place McEntee in charge of personnel — "perhaps the most important human-resources department in the world," writes Karl — they vehemently pushed back. But Trump proceeded anyway. McEntee later said he was "the only person around here that's just here for the president."
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
When helming the PPO office, McEntee reportedly staffed his "comically inexperienced" team with gorgeous, Rockette-esque women and nerdy men, per Karl. He had his office interview "virtually every senior official across the federal government," regardless of their tenure, in an attempt to root out anti-Trump sentiment. He even supported the president's desire to overturn the election, and "helped set the stage" for Jan. 6.
Nowadays, McEntee and Trump reportedly still remain in "close contact." Should Trump run for re-election, Karl argues, the former staffer is likely to find himself in the White House again.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Brigid Kennedy worked at The Week from 2021 to 2023 as a staff writer, junior editor and then story editor, with an interest in U.S. politics, the economy and the music industry.
-
Trump’s budget bill will increase the deficit. Does it matter?
Today's Big Question Analysts worry a 'tipping point' is coming
-
Film reviews: The Phoenician Scheme, Bring Her Back, and Jane Austen Wrecked My Life
Feature A despised mogul seeks a fresh triumph, orphaned siblings land with a nightmare foster mother, and a Jane fan finds herself in a love triangle
-
Music reviews: Tune-Yards and PinkPantheress
Feature "Better Dreaming" and "Fancy That"
-
Elon Musk slams Trump's 'pork-filled' signature bill
speed read 'Shame on those who voted for it: you know you did wrong,' Musk posted on X
-
'We need solutions that prioritize both safety and sustainability'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
Depleted FEMA struggling as hurricane season begins
speed read FEMA has lost a third of its workforce amid DOGE cuts enforced by President Donald Trump
-
A running list of all the celebrities Trump has pardoned
IN DEPTH Reality stars, rappers and disgraced politicians have received some of the high-profile pardons doled out by the president
-
'The pattern is similar across America'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
White House tackles fake citations in MAHA report
speed read A federal government public health report spearheaded by Robert F. Kennedy Jr. was rife with false citations
-
Judge blocks push to bar Harvard foreign students
speed read Judge Allison Burroughs sided with Harvard against the Trump administration's attempt to block the admittance of international students
-
Trump's trade war whipsawed by court rulings
Speed Read A series of court rulings over Trump's tariffs renders the future of US trade policy uncertain