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Concerns Rise Over NSC Loyalty Tests in Incoming Trump Administration
Good governance advocates and members of the Democratic Party have expressed alarm following a report by The Associated Press, highlighting that senior officials from the incoming Trump administration are probing the political affiliations of National Security Council (NSC) employees. This inquiry is perceived as an attempt to ensure that NSC personnel are loyal to the president-elect’s agenda.
Max Stier, president and CEO of the Partnership for Public Service, voiced his concerns during a press briefing, stating, “The individuals working at the NSC are career professionals who prioritize national security and are fundamentally apolitical. Subjecting them to loyalty tests is irrelevant and does not truly reflect their ability or the expertise they bring to their roles.”
Mike Waltz, designated to serve as national security adviser, indicated the administration’s intent to “clear the decks.” He remarked that NSC staff will be expected to fully align with the president-elect’s America First philosophy. “We’re assembling a team of political appointees and have received the names of current staff members,” Waltz explained. “They will be asked to resign as we prepare to implement the president’s directive starting at 12:01 on Inauguration Day.”
Typically, NSC staff members are detailed from various intelligence and national security agencies. Should they be removed from their positions, they would revert to their original agencies.
Stier further cautioned that such loyalty evaluations could be part of a broader strategy by the incoming administration to disrupt the federal workforce early on. He noted, “One might observe behaviors that, while not formally altering job status, will effectively drive away talented professionals critical for delivering quality public service.”
Rep. Gerald Connolly, a Democrat from Virginia and the ranking member of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, condemned these partisan loyalty checks, asserting that they are incompatible with national security interests. He remarked, “The transition team’s actions suggest a systematic purge of non-partisan civil servants from the NSC, which undermines our national security and impairs our capacity to respond effectively to global threats.”
Neither the American Federation of Government Employees nor the National Treasury Employees Union was available for immediate comment regarding the matter.
This situation brings to mind previous events in 2019 when NSC officials Alexander and Eugene Vindman voiced concerns over a controversial phone call between Trump and Ukraine’s President Zelenskyy. Their actions contributed to Trump’s first impeachment, after which he dismissed both officials. Eugene Vindman has since been elected as a Democratic congressman representing Virginia.
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