The Guardian has published a rogues gallery of Trump administration alumni, some familiar, others not; most who were shown the door, some who just up and quit, during the turbulent administration of America's worst president ever. I was going to call it Trump's "first term" but, with any luck, it will be Trump's only term in office.
Who can forget Michael Flynn, James Comey, Reince Priebus, Sean Spicer, Tony Scaramucci, Steve Bannon, Sebastien Gorka, Omarosa, Rob Porter, Hope Hicks, Gary Cohn, Rex Tillerson, Andrew McCabe, John Dowd, HR McMaster, Scott Pruitt, Don McGhan, Jeff Sessions, Nicky Haley, Ryan Zinke, John Kelly, James Mattis, Kirstjen Nielsen, Alex Acosta, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, John Bolton, Dan Coats, Gordon Sondland and Mick Mulvaney, among others.
A few of those who got out, such as Mattis, emerged relatively unsullied. Most will carry the stains and shame for many years to come.
But what of those who are still showing up to work every day at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue or other D.C. Towers of Power? Everyone who has ever worked for the Trump administration knows their tenure and fortunes are precarious. It's a day-to-day gig. If the ogre is hungry, he takes your head.
Things aren't going well for the master these days, not at all well. There's the pandemic fiasco and the tanked economy and fingers are being pointed at Trump on both counts. The polls are lousy and all signs point to a new guy in the Oval. Even the rats, the GOP's big money donors, are deserting the presidential campaign to try to shore up the Senate instead.
Trump's staffers also know that, when the going gets tough, Trump scapegoats. As though he's appeasing some angry Mayan god, Trump goes for human sacrifice. See the list above for details.
It's an awkward time for aides and staffers. Nobody but nobody wants to be groveling for work in the holiday season. If the ship is sinking better to get out while the getting is good. It's time to update that resume and try your luck.
Face it, this is not going to be a happy place to work for the next few months and beyond that looks even worse. It's not easy to go job hunting when it's Grand Jury season and you know some of those smiling faces above are more than eager to tell what they know.
How this unfolds nobody knows but it's time to keep an eye on the hired help.
Trump is probably not familiar with Shakespeare's Julius Caesar but there's a lesson he should know. Et tu Brute?
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ReplyDeleteI left that out of this post, Toby, but it crossed my mind in the context of Congress and how Trump has soiled his own nest. From the outset Trump has demeaned GOP senators and congressmen, claiming that he was instrumental in winning their seats. He has intimidated them threatening to unleash his base on them in primaries if they didn't toe his line. He has demanded absolute loyalty while showing none to anyone else. Living in constant fear, under threat, breeds indignation. Trump has done that better than anyone in American history.
The problem for Trump is appearing vulnerable, right where he is today. If those who harbour resentments lose their fear of you it tends not to end well.