Ahead of the firing of outgoing State Secretary Rex Tillerson, President Donald Trump denounced claims by the mainstream media that the high turnover rate for high-ranking White House officials is indicative of a chaotic work environment.
In a tweet, Trump stated that the wrong people will always come and go. He also stated that he wanted to set a healthy dialogue before making a decision. He continued to say that things will always change because he is always seeking perfection in his work.
He also stated that there were going to be more staff changes in the White House. Before Tillerson was given the pink slip, the most recent was by Gary Cohn, Trump’s Chief Economic Adviser. We also witnessed the exit of Hope Hicks, the White House Communications Director who at one point was described as irreplaceable.
According to the Quartz’s calculation, the average stay of the Director of Communication has lasted for only 78.6 days, as compared to the 585.4 days during Former President Barack Obama’s administration. Of course, the revolving door seems to extend far beyond the president’s PR team.
There have also been some other high-profile defense officials who have left during Trump’s administration. Among them is the Deputy of the National Security Adviser Dine Powel. The Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price, Steve Bannon who was the White House strategists also left. Former chief of staff Reince Priebus and Rob Porter were also among the top officials who have left Trump’s administration. All these people have cited differences with the president on ideological grounds.
Trump’s next target may be the nation’s “top cop.”
In a recent tweet, President Trump accused current Attorney General Jeff Sessions of refusing to support the allegation that the federal government is undermining his administration. In response to the tweet, Sessions stated he would continue to serve the country with integrity and honor as long as he holds the office. After President Trump attacked the attorney general that night, the Sessions dined with the Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein and Solicitor General Noel Francisco as a way of showing solidarity.
Yet another official who might get the boot National Security adviser H.R. McMaster. MSNBC reported that the chief of staff and also the Secretary of Defense James Mattis might be looking for his replacement.
So, with this insanely high degree of turnover, what does this tell us about how the White Hosue works? More importantly, how does this seemingly constant revolving door of high-profile personnel affect President Trump’s stated agenda?
For one, this tells us that Trump is indeed implementing a top-down management approach — perhaps a leadership style anyone could expect from an individual who spent his entire adult life in the private sector. Now, while the turnover rate certainly isn’t good on the PR front, it is a sign that the president is placing competency over loyalty. President Trump doesn’t want to wait for his picks to become acclimated to the job — he wants results, and he wants them quickly.
This also tells us that, despite advancing some of the most conservative public policy in decades over the past few months (evidenced by the president’s moves on tax cuts and scrapping regulations), Trump remains fervently anti-ideology. The president is clearly more concerned with political strategy than he is with ideological consistency. This was on full display as the White House issued seemingly contradictory statements on guns.
Of course, the high turnover rate at the White House presents severe disadvantages. In the eyes of the public, Trump’s no-nonsense style of management may actually come off as weakness, seeing as the president’s top picks for various cabinet positions are often simply unwilling to stand behind his agenda.
While it may certainly be true that the Trump administration may netting more competent people as a result of the rapid job changes, it is imperative for Trump to stabilize the process.
~ Conservative Zone
Agreed. The wrong people always have to go. Why would an employer – especially a president with such a limited, defined slice of history – trying to accomplish his goals keep someone who isn’t the best fit?
If you can’t take the heat, get out of the Kitchen…
I would define the firings as surgical management. Those whose perspectives of Trump’s clear mission veer from that path Trump is on for whatever the reasons are released without hesitation. There is 1 leader. Trump fought for that job. He won it with his promises . He is executing his plan for success . He is the leader so follow or get out of the way. Those people in those positions would have such easy jobs if they would only do what they are suppose to do.
I don’t think Trump is out of control. It’s just his style and we need to let him be Trump, and let him know when we disagree. He has done a lot in less than 2 years, much more than Obama thought of doing.
I had command of a submarine during the Cold War. I learned from the best leaders of the day – when you go to a new assignment 1) find out who the boss is; and 2) give him what he wants. There is no doubt who the Boss is in the White House; therefor, item 2) applies.
What a freakin clown show!
Sorry, the brown clown is gone, Greg!
Whoever the POTUS initially selects as his cabinet must follow the POTUS agenda or depart. Tillerson opted to wait until he got “fired,” which was his right. Unfortunately, Tillerson became affected by the careerists in the State Department who are more biased toward leftist ideas than conservative. That’s why he tended to agree with policies and plans that were set under Obama’s administration like the Iran nuclear agreement, the global climate change agreement, and using diplomacy without military pressure with North Korea.
J.H. Mac. cold war has it!
Every Job I have ever had goes this way. And that goes for every Country too!!!!
I concur with the Conservative Zones assessment! I’m all-in for President Trump!
I like most what President Trump has done. And I agree with what he is trying to accomplish. But the one area that he has done a bad job is getting the right people for the right job in his administration. Government is not a business where someone can be hired and when they don’t work out they are just fired. In government there are consequences to this sort of thing. He has made a few good choices like Nicky Halley but they are in the minority. He needs to do a better job of vetting his nominations. This is and area where Regan excelled. Reagan for the most part had the right people in the right jobs.
Trump is out of control. Has been since day one.
Media continues to view The administration thru a political prism, & that is a fools errand. Do not expect the president to function like a politician. He isn’t a politician, he is a highly successful business executive & for that we are exceedingly glad.
The political structured approach to government is why we are in the present financial and cultural mess, and that is why Trump, an outsider, was elected to clean it up.