Republican president elect Donald Trump ran his election campaign promising to “drain the swamp;” figuratively speaking of the Washington establishment that has long (by its own actions) built an animosity for itself in the hearts and minds of the American people. Concerns were raised recently by several news agencies reporting that Trump had filled his presidential transition team with Washington lobbyists and insiders from the very swamp he promised to drain. Fortunately, Donald seems to be paying attention to the reactions of his supporters, and has adjusted course — appointing vice-president elect Mike Pence as head over his transition efforts (displacing Chris Christie). Fox News reports:
“Lobbyists are being purged from official roles in President-elect Donald Trump’s transition team, sources told Fox News late Tuesday. The move to get rid of lobbyists in key roles was one of the first decisions made by Vice President-elect Mike Pence in his role overseeing the construction of a Trump administration … One source said the decision to remove the lobbyists ‘makes good on [Trump’s] vision of how he wants his government constructed … Among those who departed Trump’s transition team Tuesday was former Rep. Mike Rogers, a Christie recruit and a respected Republican voice on national security issues.”
Concerns were also raised from other outsiders within the Republican party, including seminal defender of the Constitution, Senator Rand Paul, about Trump’s short list for Secretary of State (which purportedly includes warhawks like former U.N. Ambassador John Bolton and former New York Mayor Rudy Guiliani). Trump’s move here with Pence seems like it could be the first step in dealing with these attempts at infiltration by the GOP establishment.
What do you think? Is Trump trying to make good on his “drain the swamp” promises? Or will his administration be filled with the same old establishment gremlins that walked the halls of the Bush administrations? Let us know on Facebook or in the comments below.
