Donald Trump in a second term would likely install loyalists in key positions in the Pentagon, State Department and CIA whose primary allegiance would be to him, allowing him more freedom to enact isolationist policies and whims.
Donald Trump in a second term would likely install loyalists in key positions in the Pentagon, State Department and CIA whose primary allegiance would be to him, allowing him more freedom to enact isolationist policies and whims.
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I think the difference here is who they are loyal to, and how much emphasis Trump puts on loyalty to himself.
Typically, most presidents will select individuals who are loyal to the party platform. Not that they’re not also loyal to the President, but most would be more loyal to the party platform and would presumably have other experience and qualifications that would qualify them for the position.
Trump, however, expressly wants loyalty to himself - the party be damned if it gets in the way. You can also see this in congress where the republicans basically fall all over themselves looking for his approval, and would even reject an (otherwise qualified) candidate for Speaker of the House at Trump’s behest.
Basically, loyalty to Trump is the primary qualification. If they’re not loyal, then they’re gone.
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It’s all relative to Trump.
No president is going to pick someone who they think is going to stab them in the back or go against their agenda. But most (emphasis on most) presidents are beholden to their overall party platform. Now, it can certainly be argued that President’s shape their party platform to the point there is not much difference between loyalty to the President vs the Party, but it also comes down to where their picks loyalty is actually placed: is it in the party, the president, or the nation?
An example is actually Mike Pence. While his views and politics are detestable, he did ultimately follow US political norms when Trump lost the 2020 election, even after Trump commanded him to do otherwise. He demonstrated a greater loyalty to the republican party and the nation than he did to Trump personally.
It is also important to realize that Trump is an outlier where the republican party seems to follow him wherever he goes, even if it’s against the party’s (supposed) core values. He really is more of a cult of personality than your average politician, and that’s why his picks are more dangerous than the average president; I think Trump sees Pence as a mistake, and I think he will pick someone who is much more loyal to him personally the second time around.
Basically, Trump is going to pick people who are loyal to him and the system be damned. That, combined with his agenda, is why his picks are much more worrisome.