The “best” people?

To the Editor,

“I’m going to surround myself only with the best and most serious people. We want top-of-the-line professionals.” Donald Trump has promised many times to hire and appoint only the “best” people. Let’s see how that’s working out. As of April of this year, seven close Trump associates have entered guilty pleas to a variety of crimes and four of them have been sentenced to prison, with more investigations ongoing. Members of the executive office of the president, the “A Team,” not including Cabinet secretaries, has experienced a huge turnover; 14 resigned under pressure or were fired; 12 resigned. Twelve Cabinet-level positions have either been fired or resigned. More than any other president in modern history. Twenty-five to 27 high level White House staff obtained their security clearances over the objections of career national security personnel. Tricia Newbold, an 18-year veteran of the security clearance process who has served under both Republican and Democratic presidents, has testified that she and her colleagues issued “dozens” of denials for security clearance applications that were later approved despite their concerns about blackmail, foreign influence, or other red flags. Donald Trump has 12 senior positions headed by “acting” heads, thereby skirting Senate confirmation. Homeland Security, Small Business Administration and the Secret Service all have heads that are leaving by May 2019. All this is confusing but begs the question: Who is running this country? The best people? The most professional people? If the Trump administration was a corporation with this kind of turnover, he would have been fired long ago. It’s still an option that voters will have soon.

Kevin Kelleher

Houston, MN