swampy
The Trump administration apparently sorts government officials as either loyal or obstructionist
The White House apparently believes that if government officials aren't with President Trump, they're against him.
The Trump administration values loyalty above nearly anything else, The New Yorker reported Monday, draining the proverbial "swamp" by refilling it with employees who pledge allegiance to the president.
White House officials sought to fill empty posts, but refused to consider anyone who had opposed Trump during the 2016 election, a foreign affairs official who served under the Reagan and Bush administrations said. Trump and his allies welcome employee departures, preferring to rid themselves of any "obstructionist" who might "subvert" the president's agenda.
Agency heads, like Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke, demand loyalty as well. Employees of the Bureau of Land Management were asked to wear "vision card" badges, and one staffer said neglecting to wear the badge could mark someone as insufficiently "loyal to the flag," the magazine reported.
Employees who are seemingly demoted for their lack of devotion to the administration often complain, but the board entrusted with handling complaints has been effectively shuttered since Trump took office. Without the board, the administration has been able to bury potentially damaging information, reports The New Yorker. Officials reported "a concerted effort" to hide evidence of misconduct or corruption, saying the administration is "deliberately avoiding creating records." Read more at The New Yorker.