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© Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.Loyalty tests and MAGA checks: Inside the Trump White House's intense screening of job-seekers
By MATTHEW LEE, AAMER MADHANI and JILL COLVIN WASHINGTON©2025 GPlusMedia Inc.
91 Comments
Peter Neil
every administration has yes men and yes women in their white house. i wouldn’t worry about it.
the more yes people around, the more inflated his ego will be, which leads to more nuttiness. if the u.s. can make it through four years without a nuclear armageddon, the pendulum will swing and a whole new set of yes people will be hired.
americans are always looking for a new messiah. vice presidents get elected sometimes, but they’re usually one term presidents because they’re just a continuation, and not a new messiah.
vance won’t be a shoe in. trump’s tariff war will tank the economy, and voters won’t go for that. vp’s can’t differentiate themselves from their former master.
people want someone to do something, anything. or at least say they’re going to do something. i can’t remember harris saying she was going to do anything, except platitudes.
maybe in four years, a statesman will rise up. someone with gravitas. it’s a big maybe. the population has been poisoned by years of childish bickering and division.
Asiaman7
Husbands who go grocery shopping with their wives are likely on the “Do not hire” list.
On his Thursday night show, Fox News’ Jesse Watters took exception to Doug Emhoff accompanying his wife, former Vice President Kamala Harris, to a store, asking viewers: “What kind of husband goes grocery shopping with his wife?”
Yrral
Clearly illegal and he will be impeach in 2027
Bob Fosse
So what were all those years doing The Apprentice all about?
Surely he won’t make the same mistake again this time and nobody will be thrown under the bus and turn against him during the next 4 years. Right?
Yrral
They should lawyer up
bass4funk
I disagree, Trump campaigned on an agenda for 4 years and he aims to keep those promises and he’s not going to allow any holdovers from the last administration or Obama’s administration hold him back or try and gum up his efforts, he learned and counterpunched that attempt, cut them all to the quick.
Nonsense, less chances of that happening now than under the last admin.
No, not a messiah, a President that fights for America and puts America first, something liberals know nothing about sadly.
No, but if Trump delivers on his agenda, then yes, because Vance would carry the torch and is equally politically savvy.
Well, if other nations that are threatened with it comply he won’t need to implement them.
But you are so right and that’s why she lost and the rest of her party, you just answered your own question.
Vance more than likely.
bass4funk
Rhetorical question??
If they don’t do their jobs properly, they will be fired and that’s a great thing. Something Biden didn’t do which annoyed the crap out of me. You do as the commander in chief instructs and if you don’t like it or him, resign and move out the way to let someone in that will execute the President’s agenda, it’s that simple.
Bret T
Every administration from a local Mayor to the President of the United States hires/appoints people who are considered "loyal". The liberal media is trying to use the words "loyal" and "loyalist" to try and paint Trump as a dictator.
Reporters can no longer just report on what Trump (or any conservative) is doing, you know, factually. Their articles would be thrown in the garbage by the editorial staff. Every article must be in some way at least subtly, if not aggressively, be trying to discredit the man.
Trumps doing exactly what he said he would during his campaign. Name another President who has done that.
GuruMick
First question asked of the newbies...."which butt cheek would you prefer to kiss "?
Bob Fosse
No. But you can’t answer it so I will.
He’s a phony. He hires the wrong people and goes bankrupt again and again. The art of the deal.
Do you still think he wrote that too?
Underworld
Project 2025
Tokyo Guy
What's so complex about "how deep is your throat?"
GuruMick
Bret T above...Trump discredits himself....had a lifetime to do it.
From unpaid debts, suspicious alliances with the Mob ....Trump disallowed in tendering for Sydneys first Casino after Police investigation found links....to his "grab ,em by the private part "...."If your a star they let you do it ", dalliance with porn stars, Epstein etc etc.
Trump doesnt need the Press to throw mud....he has been rolling in it for decades, quite gleefully too.
I think Trump got elected so a section of America can feel justified in their meanness
zones2surf
Elections have consequences.
Trump was elected. He is the head of the Executive Branch.
EVERY single person in that branch works for him.
Period.
He is their boss.
Don't like him or his agenda?
Quit.
That is the way it works.
bass4funk
I did
I think you just have a difficult time dealing with this new President, but I assure you, you will be ok.
Yes
He did last time, you had a lot of resistance and a lot of the swamp that didn’t want to pass his agenda, that is very true, but that’s not now, he built a strong coalition and brought on people that believed in the same things he does.
GuruMick
Bass...I ask again...isn't Trump constrained by the US Constitution ?
I believe he is.
Constitution framed in an era of power hungry overlords world wide.
Trumps first time was chaotic because he thought the Constitution did not bind him to lawful decisions.
It will be the same this time.
Yes men wont help....The US Supreme Court will intervene .
Bob Fosse
He didn’t. It was 100% ghost written by Tony Schwartz.
Now you know.
bass4funk
A lot of it came from Trump’s own memoirs, he put them down, you know the same way Obama did and then Bill Ayers wrote his. Ghost writers don’t write things out of thin air.
And now you know.
GuruMick
Bass...deflections ...and the "view the world " quote was originally attached to the US Military Heads.
Seems to have been appropriated and reversed.
But you are in your "happy place " so enjoy !
Plus you did predict the Trump win...
Blacklabel
Known in the corporate world as rounds of interviews, background checks/vetting and checking to see how a person fits in the organization.
everything has to be made to sound so ominous and sinister when Trump does it. This process for a job is quite common and regular.
Simon Foston
Of course government is different from private industry and this Cheung person is clearly a moron. In private industry there generally isn't the possibility of the executives being replaced after four years by people with totally different ideas.
Yrral
Bret T,I know a woman got a job with Social Security Administration,she did not Biden
iknowall
More positive steps forward to replacing an apathetic, inept administration America was burdened with under Biden.
bass4funk
Really? How so?
Oh, you think so?? Well, it’s a bit different for government workers
Simon Foston
bass4funkToday 08:39 am JST
Do private enterprises have elections to choose their CEOs?
bass4funk
No, they do not. But government workers get paid by whom? The taxpayer, so they are more expendable particularly if their jobs are too costly or not beneficial, pose a security risk or is not needed.
wallace
Will it include tests for alcohol and drugs?
Simon Foston
bass4funkToday 08:49 am JST
That's not the point. Adminstrations can get voted out and different ones with different agendas can get voted in, so the government employees who do stay on have to be apolitical and follow whichever agenda has been decided by the government of the day. Who's going to be interested in pursuing a long-term career in the public sector if they might get kicked out after a few years for insufficient loyalty? Perhaps though, you think the public sector will do just fine with short-term political apointees doing everything.
wallace
Public servants serve the president in office.
bass4funk
Oh, but that is exactly the point!
True, but the President can freeze and furlough these government workers, they will get paid was is owed in their contract and then will be fired once that obligation is met.
That won’t happen, you’re dealing in hypotheticals now, focus
That thought never crossed my mind actually. I never worked for the government, never would.
Peter Neil
the man gave carte blanche top secret clearances to people not vetted at all. nothing.
there’s an arrogance about maga that’s childish and distasteful to thoughtful people.
itsonlyrocknroll
There is no doubt that Donald Trump 2024 US presidential campaign agenda convincingly called out for change, the US people made a clear choice at the ballot box, like it, support it, or lump it.
However accept the outcome.
It does not mean you have to agree, democracy demands vigorous debate in all its splendour.
Also gives the democrats in opposition, the opportunity take on board US people decision at the ballot box, act accordingly or again face the same possible consequences in 2028/9.
wallace
Public servants are both Democrats and Republicans. Overnight, Trump fires 12 government watchdogs.
GuruMick
Speaking of "loyalty checks " and the like , I am reminded of one of the first scenes in Shakespeares King Lear, where the King surrounds himself with his entourage and 3 daughters , to divide his Kingdom.
He asks of the daughters...."Which of thee doth love me most "
2 daughters make syrupy confessions of love and fealty .
One daughter says "I love thee according to our bond,no more no less "
All downhill from there....
Trump needs honest , super smart people , who can confront and disagree , not more yes men and women.
Only a very fragile ego is afraid of contrary views.
bass4funk
Biden did as well and yet, the left was ok with all the radical woke changes and LGBTQ push hires and appointments
Well, just deal with it, you will be ok. All Dems have to do to get back into power is not be woke, radical and stop trying to take other people’s money from them and you are good to go.
bass4funk
Yes, they were part of the swamp establishment, they had to go, good. Promises made, promises kept.
wallace
Public Servants are not usually fired for their political views.
Blacklabel
or someone who realizes HE was elected by the people to implement HIS policies.
not unelected bureaucrats.
Dragon
What happened to the Trump idea people are hired for their abilities and nothing else?
Blacksamurai
Of course no Democrat Government including the Obama and Biden ones did the same. They were as pure as the driven snow in their political/administrative appointments at all levels and made a conscious decision to employ people with good conservative values or just neutral people to balance the big jump in left side of politics interest groups.
How dare the Trump administration fire white anters, radical social agenda pushers and people with a record of playing their brand of politics at the expense of the American people!
No social agenda picks from the top to the bottom in Obama's and Biden's governments - no sir! No rewarding left wing activists with prime positions both financially and politically, just selfless servants of the American people. Why not just write a 'news' article along these lines?
Blacklabel
you don’t have the ability to do a job well that you disagree with doing. someone else who does agree will always perform better.
Merit based.
wallace
Public servants and new hirings need to deny their political party support.
bass4funk
He also said, “common sense” don’t leave that critical part out.
That is not why they were fired. They were fired because Trump felt bad for them and wanted to keep all those holdovers, I was critical back then and thought he should purge all of Obama’s holdovers, he fired all of Bush’s and Biden dominated and got rid of Trump’s, but if Trump really wants to get at the nexus of the evil known as the swamp and corruption of these establishment cronies out of DC, he has to fire most of them, he has the absolute right and power to do that and he should, it’s long overdue. These politicians work for us, not the other way around. It’s in the name of ”public servant” don’t want to do that or be transparent, go to the private sector.
wallace
Most major companies require screening for alcohol and drugs.
Simon Foston
bass4funkToday 09:04 am JST
Not the one I was making.
Isn't it happening right now?
That would be beneath you, I suppose. I'm not interested in irrelevant tangents like your career preferences.
wallace
No government or administration has only public servants from its political party. Do you ask to prove how they voted when the vote is private?
bass4funk
Really now…
With government workers, yes..
No, I just don’t believe in spooning off the taxpayer and I like money, the public sector pays more of it.
I’m sorry, you don’t get to control the conversation. Thanks though.
I am talking strictly about government paid workers only.
Norm
It should. Look at who was just confirmed as the secretary of defense.
bass4funk
It does.
Well, the guys been sober about a decade, so I guess that qualifies him.
plasticmonkey
The watchdog groups are there to keep an eye on corruption and waste. They are nonpartisan . The law stipulates that Congress must be informed at least 30 days before firing these people, and show cause. Trump did neither. Even Grassley is upset.
It has nothing to do with the “establishment”. Trump wants to get away with stuff he shouldn’t do as President.
wallace
It should be standard procedure all cabinet nominations have a health check and are tested for alcohol and drugs.
Blacklabel
huh? You do know alcohol is legal, don’t you?
Blacklabel
And may I remind you, cocaine was found in the Biden White House.
wallace
and are tested for alcohol
But turning up for work with alcohol in your blood is not and in many companies will get you fired.
wallace
Blacklabel
Out of context. It was found in a public locker used by tour groups and had nothing to do with anyone working in the White House.
"The bag of cocaine found inside the White House complex was found inside a cubby near an entrance to the West Wing commonly used to give tours and where visitors are instructed to place phones and other belongings, photos obtained by ABC News show."
https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/photos-show-cocaine-found-inside-white-house-complex/story?id=104874539
itsonlyrocknroll
Pres. Trump: ‘My life was saved for a reason’
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7PFwxnTOI9M
President Trump 2.0, beyond any doubt is completely irreconcilable to Trump 1.0
First lady Melania Trump visible, notability more supportive. A US people, I suggest of the opinion to trust, support his agenda.
theFu
Trump wasn't to be a cult leader.
Anyone working for the US Federal govt takes the same oach of office.
That's the oath. There is not Trump oath, sorry. If you don't want to support and defend the Constitution of the United States, then you can't be in office. Lying under oath can lead to perjury charges, though I've never heard of anyone actually being charged.
Every time Trump signs an executive order that is clearly unconstitutional, he is violating his oath of office. It is fine to want to amend the Constitution. There is a process for that. Don't want birth by location anymore? Get the Constitution amended to remove those parts. Great. Good. But trying to overthrow the law when any 5th grader knows better is wrong. Trump should know better as old as he is.
iknowall
The tour group was led by an unnamed Ukrainian and the sole participant in the tour was Hunter Biden.
plasticmonkey
Always the same two arguments from our MAGA friends. 1) “Trump won so he gets to do whatever he wants—norms, rules, laws, and oversight be damned. Because landslide mandate.”
And 2) “Whaddabout “the left” doing something that seems equivalent (but isn’t).”
ArtistAtLarge
Loyalty oaths are for monarchs, dictators and despots.
All public servants, and that means specifically politicians, are sworn to uphold the Constitution of the United States and ONLY the Constitution of the United States.
bass4funk
Like in California? They did an outstanding job over the years it seems
ROFL!!!
For a different reason
It has everything to with the establishment, but anyway, that’s going away and liberals will have to deal with it. I’m good with it.
Simon Foston
bass4funkToday 09:40 am JST
If I don't know what point I wanted to make I can't imagine how you would have a chance of figuring it out. You don't appear to be all that good at reading and writing.
I was referring to government workers. Who did you think I meant?
That's what Trump's loyal appointees will be doing.
The private sector. That's what I mean about the writing.
You flatter yourself if you think I'd waste all my time even trying. I'm done. Enjoy another wasted few hours.
geronimo2006
Project 2025 without the name. Fire officials who provide oversight, accountability and transparency. Purge the government and install loyalists. Government can now be run by oligarchs. Take over law enforcement, and then muzzle the media and opposition. And you now have Trump's version of oligarchy. It will be great - a golden age in fact - as promised.
plasticmonkey
“inspector generals [sic] are expected to be independent of political pressure, independent of the head of the agency, and to make sure that the law is enforced and money spent appropriately, and there shouldn't be any political pressure against any of his work."
—Charles Grassley
(Grassley is hardly a deep state holdover. Usually more of a bendover.)
So, MAGA friends, did Trump overreach his legal authority here?
bass4funk
Same arguments by the Dems, he’s a tyrant and a Nazi, we are angry and there’s nothing we can do about it.
Because the left can’t. They had 4 years to do something good and all they did was focus on Trump. That’s on them, they had their chance.
Blacklabel
Let’s wait and see.
Biden did with student debt and what happened? Absolutely nothing. So let’s follow that precedent here.
u_s__reamer
Logic exists even if justice doesn't so Trump's violation of his oath of office by attempting to "rewrite" the US Constitution in his imagined role as "dictator for a day" as well as a host of other unpresidential ukazes he has unleashed make him singularly unfit for the job. His MAGA nepo-administration is now on course to hit a wall of domestic opposition ("tired of winning") and world opprobrium well before his first year is over.
Yrral
Bass4, Trump is the biggest loser, when he do not control the judicial system
plasticmonkey
He didn’t fire IGs. We’re talking about watchdogs against corruption and waste.
KnightsOfCydonia
I disagree, fealty is what trump is demanding but blind loyalty is a weakness, not a strength.
plasticmonkey
That’s a pretty weird attempt at equivalence, but thanks for demonstrating the truth of both of my points.
Blacklabel
and im talking about a President doing something he “has no legal authority to do” yet doing it anyway.
so Trump supposedly has no legal authority to do this but he just he did it. So now what you gonna do?
I'veSeenFootage
Yeah, remember when Trump said he had nothing to do with Project 2025? “Some of the things they’re saying are absolutely ridiculous and abysmal,” he even claimed! And people believed him. And now h'es implementing it by the letter. Which means he was... lying?! Shocking.
I'veSeenFootage
Yeah he actually had complete legal authority to di it, you can read the entirety of the arguments here:
https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/R/R48156
It's only 35 pages long, please read it and then we can debate the legal particularities if you want.
plasticmonkey
That authority was questionable. For an action which was thought to help relieve student debt. Not to save his own neck.
Trump is doing this so that he won’t face oversight on far more outrageous overreach. He wants to see how far he can exert his power. Seems to me a pretty clear violation of his oath of office.
Just a reminder. All of this is for himself. You’d have to be completely hoodwinked not to recognize that.
plasticmonkey
We now have the richest man in the world and the biggest recipient of government contracts who contributed a quarter of a billion dollars to Trump and now has an office in the WH and an outsized voice on how to spend public money. (Imagine the outrage had Zuckerberg been given such a role in the Biden admin.)
And now the firing of 17 IGs without informing congress of cause.
Nothing to worry about. Oversight schmoversight. Because “our team won” and “whaddabout Biden”.
wallace
There are brave democratic members in the military, police, security forces, and many more. Are they to be dismissed or discharged because they can’t do their duties?
Five Families
No one should be surprised that those being hired should align with the mission of the Administration.
Yeah, MAGA Ride or die in my house. You are either with us or against us.
That is how much I hate what the Democrats did to American people and country.
When was my MAGA moment? April 30th 2011. The idea was planted thanks to Obama.
June 16, 2015. A movement was born.
They laughed. They are not laughing now.
Obama concreated my distain for Democrats with this right here.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HHckZCxdRkA
The_Beagle
Required reading:
https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/01/the-first-100-hours-historic-action-to-kick-off-americas-golden-age/
asdfgtr
When did your moment of “MAGA revelation” occur?
I'veSeenFootage
Yeaaaah you know you're in for some deep and serious political action when a page on the white house official website cites breitbart as a news source.
Eat the left
yawn And so it continues... I got through the hit piece, I mean 'news article', but still not sure what I'm meant to be angry about.
I'veSeenFootage
Yeah except that never happened. Fox News and the right-wing media circus made everything about racial identity with Obama because he was black and republicans are inherently racist.
A complete buffoon even famously and repeatedly claimed Obama wasn't born in the US (and he even claimed he had proof! That will come out any day now I'm sure). That's what he based his whole future political career on.
Five Families
Help wanted.
Non MAGA members need not apply.
What ever it takes to keep the Democrats out of power to stop that group from regaining power ever again.
Legally ofcourse.
Until the Democratic party firstly, stop feeding into the narrative about the end of democracy.
Accept the lessons of defeat. When Democrats strum our “Ode to Joy,” it seems tone deaf to cash-strapped families struggling to handle everyday expenses.
Stop the divide and the gaslighting.
I praise the POTUS for wanting to vett every hire. He learned from his first term.
“Mihi vindictam ego retribuam"
I'veSeenFootage
That's actually not grammaticaly correct. In proper latin it would be "mea est ultio et ego retribuam".
Dragon
Some public servants and people in authority need to be able to question Trump without fear.
itsonlyrocknroll
I understand fully to insist upon integrity professionalism at work, does "loyalty" imply total obedience without question?
Essentially "political" allegiance?
itsonlyrocknroll
Look humour me for a moment, I do irritate, however does loyalty imply that the applicants be required to blindly follow orders?
How does an elected government attempt to test that theory?
Five Families
No. I meant it as it is written and known for centuries. And in the context ,comment from my heart.
“Mihi vindictam ego retribuam”, dog Latin for “vengeance is mine, I will repay.” Romans 12:19.
Collectively of course. If any change was to me made? Vengeance is ours. (Republican MAGA Party.)
Jimizo
Trump for all his confidence needs competent people around him ( perhaps more than any other president in recent history ) as he is working from a very low base of knowledge and is too lazy to do any homework.
Those who worked closely with him described him as essentially an idiot.
His skill set is more tuned to trolling and grifting. Not superfluous skills when running for office these days.
Five Families
Those who worked closely with him described him as essentially an idiot.
One does not build a real-estate empire and get elected to the highest office in land being an idiot.
This is the gaslighting and the insults known coming out of and from from the Democratic party.
Donald Trump did not need to run for POTUS. Heran and won twice, because he loves the American people and the country.
He is no idiot.