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Dennis Donovan

(29,075 posts)
Mon Jan 13, 2025, 09:15 AM Jan 13

AP: Incoming Trump team is questioning civil servants at National Security Council about their loyalty

AP - Incoming Trump team is questioning civil servants at National Security Council about their loyalty

By AAMER MADHANI and ZEKE MILLER
Updated 6:27 AM EST, January 13, 2025

WASHINGTON (AP) — Incoming senior Trump administration officials have begun questioning career civil servants who work on the White House National Security Council about who they voted for in the 2024 election, their political contributions and whether they have made social media posts that could be considered incriminating by President-elect Donald Trump’s team, according to a U.S. official familiar with the matter.

At least some of these nonpolitical employees have begun packing up their belongings since being asked about their loyalty to Trump — after they had earlier been given indications that they would be asked to stay on at the NSC in the new administration, the official said, speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive personnel matters.

Trump’s pick for national security adviser, Florida Rep. Mike Waltz, in recent days publicly signaled his intention to get rid of all nonpolitical appointees and career intelligence officials serving on the NSC by Inauguration Day to ensure the council is staffed with those who support Trump’s agenda.

A wholesale removal of foreign policy and national security experts from the NSC on Day 1 of the new administration could deprive Trump’s team of considerable expertise and institutional knowledge at a time when the U.S. is grappling with difficult policy challenges in Ukraine, the Mideast and beyond. Such questioning could also make new policy experts brought in to the NSC less likely to speak up about policy differences and concerns.

White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan is making a robust case for the incoming Trump administration to hold over career government employees assigned to the NSC at least through the early going of the new administration.

/snip
39 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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AP: Incoming Trump team is questioning civil servants at National Security Council about their loyalty (Original Post) Dennis Donovan Jan 13 OP
That's not legal............... Lovie777 Jan 13 #1
I am sure law enforcement and the court system will be right on it. Irish_Dem Jan 13 #5
The Trump Ideological Purge is underway. sop Jan 13 #2
The Enshitification begins. FalloutShelter Jan 13 #3
Umm... 2naSalit Jan 13 #4
No Deep State Witch Jan 13 #15
Thanks. 2naSalit Jan 13 #19
Is the question something like this? GreenWave Jan 13 #6
"Do you accept Trump and Putin as your lord and savior?" Irish_Dem Jan 13 #9
Heil Hitler. Irish_Dem Jan 13 #7
All those competent people could team up C_U_L8R Jan 13 #8
Many of them would still like to get a paycheck, tho. erronis Jan 13 #21
The only thing they need to be loyal to is the Constitution. everyonematters Jan 13 #10
Purging our security services of those with expertise and institutional knowledge is stupid beyond belief. Lonestarblue Jan 13 #11
If this happens, johnnyfins Jan 13 #16
Replacing experts with greedy morons. yardwork Jan 13 #18
That's the whole purpose. Not even trying to hide it anymore. erronis Jan 13 #22
Project 2025 begins in ernest. speak easy Jan 13 #33
I don't feel good about this. Ferryboat Jan 13 #12
Somebody needs to leak the questions that are being asked. I'm curious. Hotler Jan 13 #13
Civil Service exams under Trump. keithbvadu2 Jan 13 #14
This is scary stuff indeed. As we've learned from past events, the pressure can be enormous. surfered Jan 13 #17
Not just those issues, but also one of "institutional memory," the experienced person who allegorical oracle Jan 13 #37
Hell is coming to America. orangecrush Jan 13 #20
Just like Adolf did it... kentuck Jan 13 #23
Do they have to tell the truth? mainer Jan 13 #24
Have a feeling that lying under oath is not an option.Especially since everything you've ever written online is availabl Hekate Jan 13 #30
Project 2025 FelineOverlord Jan 13 #25
So when we retake the White House in 2029 KS Toronado Jan 13 #26
The only thing that matters is the loyalty of these officials to the constitution and the US government LetMyPeopleVote Jan 13 #27
Terrible idea. James48 Jan 13 #28
Being loyal to the United States and the Constitution can get you fired. Turbineguy Jan 13 #29
Oh, fuck. It's starting. eom Exp Jan 13 #31
don't resign. do your job Tetrachloride Jan 13 #32
None of this will end well. Klarkashton Jan 13 #34
Their oath is to the Constitution, not a President. LetMyPeopleVote Jan 13 #35
The absence of courage in GOP Congress is astonishing. lostnfound Jan 13 #36
So why haven't the employees who have left HereForTheParty Jan 13 #38
Loyalty to Constitutional duty and loyalty to Trump are incompatible Martin Eden Jan 14 #39

2naSalit

(95,196 posts)
4. Umm...
Mon Jan 13, 2025, 09:19 AM
Jan 13

Don't some of these employees have a bargaining unit/union to protect them from this? There should be some serious litigation here.

Fight back!

Irish_Dem

(63,715 posts)
9. "Do you accept Trump and Putin as your lord and savior?"
Mon Jan 13, 2025, 09:25 AM
Jan 13

And swear your life to defend them?

Do you hate the US, democracy and all your fellow Americans except the MAGAs?

Lonestarblue

(12,215 posts)
11. Purging our security services of those with expertise and institutional knowledge is stupid beyond belief.
Mon Jan 13, 2025, 09:32 AM
Jan 13

Replacing experienced, knowledgeable staff with patronage jobs is a huge risk to national security, which will already be under threat because our allies are unlikely to share all their intelligence when they know Trump and his administration will share it with Putin, MBS, Orban, and all the other dictators he admires.

We are becoming a banana republic day by day.

Ferryboat

(1,103 posts)
12. I don't feel good about this.
Mon Jan 13, 2025, 09:51 AM
Jan 13

Just finished WAR by Robert Woodward
Behind the scenes, and in the room reporting on efforts to manage Israel and Hamas conflict.

Anthony Blinkin does amazing work in negotiations. His team is being broken up and replaced with political appointees with no skill nor the deep background of knowledge that is needed to talk freely and win the trust of world leaders.

TSF will be a bull in a China shop on the world stage.
The NSC is no place for amateurs.

Hotler

(12,647 posts)
13. Somebody needs to leak the questions that are being asked. I'm curious.
Mon Jan 13, 2025, 10:22 AM
Jan 13

Would you kill someone on 5th Ave. if he asked you to?
Would you evict your own mom so he could have the property?
Would you give the President a handy if he asks?
Is the Constitution just a God damn piece of paper?

surfered

(4,850 posts)
17. This is scary stuff indeed. As we've learned from past events, the pressure can be enormous.
Mon Jan 13, 2025, 11:08 AM
Jan 13

These professionals have mortgages, children in college, etc. Many will have no choice but to bend with the wind. A lot of Germans did not intend to become Nazis.

allegorical oracle

(3,987 posts)
37. Not just those issues, but also one of "institutional memory," the experienced person who
Mon Jan 13, 2025, 04:07 PM
Jan 13

prevents serious problems from occurring because s/he has seen them explode before.

This is probably the most dangerous aspect of this incoming collection of bumblers. And only because TSF is an idiot who will surround himself with inexperienced, inept people.

Hekate

(96,078 posts)
30. Have a feeling that lying under oath is not an option.Especially since everything you've ever written online is availabl
Mon Jan 13, 2025, 11:54 AM
Jan 13

Seriously.
The old word for this is “purge “

KS Toronado

(20,670 posts)
26. So when we retake the White House in 2029
Mon Jan 13, 2025, 11:36 AM
Jan 13

Will we need to fire all the MAGAts tsf installed so this Country can have a chance at a working
Democracy instead of a loyalty to the king arrangement?

LetMyPeopleVote

(158,007 posts)
27. The only thing that matters is the loyalty of these officials to the constitution and the US government
Mon Jan 13, 2025, 11:44 AM
Jan 13

TFG (aka The Felon Guy) is NOT above the US Constitution.


James48

(4,704 posts)
28. Terrible idea.
Mon Jan 13, 2025, 11:47 AM
Jan 13

You want all voices in the room when shit hits the fan. Whether or not you like them, they have knowledge and talent that can help the USA.
The GOP is dangerously wrong to bounce out people who gave money to democrats.

Turbineguy

(38,717 posts)
29. Being loyal to the United States and the Constitution can get you fired.
Mon Jan 13, 2025, 11:48 AM
Jan 13

Violating your Oath is mandatory.

Heil Trump, our Glorious Leader!

LetMyPeopleVote

(158,007 posts)
35. Their oath is to the Constitution, not a President.
Mon Jan 13, 2025, 02:00 PM
Jan 13

The officials/officers of our government do not owe loyalty TFG (aka The Felony Guy) but to the US constitution



lostnfound

(16,838 posts)
36. The absence of courage in GOP Congress is astonishing.
Mon Jan 13, 2025, 03:08 PM
Jan 13

They know it’s wrong. They think the world is going to hell. They want to be cushioned and rich, when the scourges begin.

HereForTheParty

(600 posts)
38. So why haven't the employees who have left
Mon Jan 13, 2025, 06:27 PM
Jan 13

Step up and identify themselves? All we have here is an official that is familiar with the matter. It would sure as hell help

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