The White Home’s new federal hiring pointers, issued final week, reek of a loyalty take a look at, based on Axios.
It’s the clearest signal but that the Trump administration is shifting to completely politicize the civil service—bulldozing greater than a century of authorized protections and norms meant to maintain profession authorities work nonpartisan.
Notably, these new exams aren’t only for appointees or senior officers, both. Engineers, nurses, attorneys, surgeons—even janitors—nearly anybody interviewing for a job throughout the federal authorities will now be requested to show their patriotism and present they help President Donald Trump’s agenda earlier than they’re allowed to serve.
In line with Axios, one of many obligatory questions candidates should reply, in 200 phrases or fewer:
How would you assist advance the President’s Government Orders and coverage priorities on this function?
One other asks:
Determine one or two related Government Orders or coverage initiatives which are important to you, and clarify how you’d assist implement them if employed.
Candidates additionally should certify that their solutions weren’t generated with the assistance of synthetic intelligence, as a result of apparently, what actually issues is that your suck-up essay is written authentically.
Consultants say these questions don’t have anything to do with {qualifications} or advantage. They’re political, plain and easy. They usually’ll additionally seemingly gradual the hiring course of. However that’s the purpose.
That is all a part of Trump’s recreation. He’s been stacking the federal government with diehards since earlier than Day One, usually choosing folks laughably unqualified for the roles they’re given. Lately, one of the best ways to land a Cupboard seat is to be a billionaire, an election denier, a Fox Information pundit, considered one of Trump’s private protection attorneys, or a podcaster.
However this goes past putting in MAGA cronies. It’s about purging the remainder. Trump isn’t simply in search of yes-men—he needs solely yes-men.
One official from the Workplace of Personnel Administration defended the transfer to Axios, saying, “The President has the power of superintendence over the Executive Branch and clear statutory authority to ask these questions of prospective employees. He is not imposing a loyalty test by doing so.”
In addition they claimed it’s cheap to ask candidates what they’re enthusiastic about, on condition that their job is to advance the president’s agenda. Apparently, that features janitors.
Technically, companies have discretion over how—or whether or not—to make use of these questions. The sample, nonetheless, is unmistakable. And this isn’t the primary loyalty screening of Trump’s second time period.
In January, civil servants on the Nationwide Safety Council had been reportedly grilled over their political donations, social media exercise, and who they voted for in 2024.
And again in December, The New York Occasions reported that Trump appointees had been requested whether or not they thought the 2020 election was stolen and what they believed in regards to the occasions of Jan. 6. In line with the report, those that mentioned former President Joe Biden received legitimately—or who disavowed the Capitol riot—had been rejected for roles.
Associated | Wanna work for Trump? There’s a loyalty take a look at for that
“The sense they got was that there was only one right answer to each question,” the Occasions famous.
This newest transfer comes after the administration has already pushed out swaths of the federal workforce by attrition, threats, and outright cuts. Since Trump took workplace, the Occasions discovered roughly 59,000 employees have been fired, whereas 76,000 accepted buyouts. (Some had been later reinstated by courtroom order.)
Now, it appears to be like just like the White Home needs to fill the gaps with ideological loyalists.
The message is evident: In Trump’s authorities, there’s no room for neutrality, professionalism, or nonpartisan public service. You’re both with him otherwise you’re out.
