In a rare admission of fault, Donald Trump told Joe Rogan, the podcast host, last month that the “biggest mistake” of his first term was hiring “bad people, or disloyal people” to his White House team.
Despite appointing distinguished military officers such as the retired general John Kelly, business figures such as the former ExxonMobil boss Rex Tillerson and veterans of previous Republican administrations such as his national security adviser, John Bolton, Trump’s first administration was marked by public spats, chaotic policy battles and heavy turnover of staff.
This time around Trump is expected to prioritise one quality above all in the search for his new team: loyalty.
While his official cabinet will need to be confirmed by Congress, Trump has signalled that he will