'Trump’s cabinet picks show stark priority shift as loyalty to the president is priority'

Donald Trump’s cabinet picks smash his campaign promise to “drain the swamp” of political elites, Instead only loyalty to their leader Is what matters

Donald Trump’s cabinet picks are as stark a contradiction as one could get to his campaign promise to “drain the swamp” of political elites.

Instead of dismantling the power structures he once criticised, the president-elect has shown already he is intent on filling the Washington Wetlands with his own loyalists, many of whom embody the elite power he vowed to challenge. Most notably, his appointment of Elon Musk - arguably the world’s most influential billionaire - raises serious questions about his commitment to reducing the influence of the wealthy in government.

Musk, whose business empire spans industries from social media to space travel, is an emblematic figure of the establishment, making his inclusion in Trump’s inner circle particularly worrisome. With still months to go before he reenters the White House, Trump has shown experience matters not for the sycophants he is now appointing. What they all must possess, above all, is ultimate loyalty to their boss.

During his first term, the former president fell out with almost every single cabinet member whose allegiance to him was not unwavering. Figures like James Mattis, John Bolton, and Jeff Sessions all departed in acrimonious splits, often citing disagreements with Trump’s policies or personal conduct. These high-profile conflicts left Trump with the impression that disloyalty, rather than a difference of opinion, was the greatest threat to his administration’s stability.

In this context, it is no surprise then that Trump is now seeking to fill his administration with figures whose primary qualification is not their expertise or political experience, but their devotion to him. Stephen Miller, one of the key architects of Trump’s hardline immigration policies, is a prime example. His views, controversial even within Republican circles, reflect his boss’s desire for unquestioned allegiance, rather than balanced governance or policy expertise.

Similarly, South Dakota Governor and famed dog killer Kristi Noem has landed a role thanks to her staunch support of her boss. What is increasingly clear is that Trump’s definition of “draining the swamp” has shifted from reducing corruption to ensuring absolute control over his administration. In this vision, loyalty is the only virtue that matters.

Expertise, competence, and even public interest take a backseat to ensuring that everyone in the administration is aligned with Trump’s personal and political agenda. Instead of reforming Washington, Trump is surrounding himself with a cadre of fan boys and fan girls willing to echo his views and execute his will without question.

His approach not only undermines effective governance but also risks further consolidating power within a narrow circle of Trump loyalists.“Of the people, by the people, for the people,” Abraham Lincoln famously proclaimed, encapsulating the essence of democracy. In Trump’s world, however, those “people” are no longer a broad, collective society - they are simply him.