Trump shocks even Republicans. Minister picks for loyalty, not ability, Czech news headline proclaims. And thousands of other articles around the world say something similar.
Translated into the language of normal people, this means: Donald Trump is doing his job, doing it well and doing exactly what his voters have entrusted him with.
Of course, Donald Trump – like all other politicians – has a choice. He can assemble his team from proven members of the bureaucratic machinery, who will continue to defend the interests of that machinery, and the media will refer to this as “expertise”. That’s what he did in his first presidential term.
Or he can call in people who will carry out his political agenda. Maybe they can’t pick the right tie color, maybe they can’t handle some bureaucratic procedures, maybe they can’t smile properly for the camera. Maybe they can’t or won’t parrot the platitudes expected of people in such positions. What else is the required expertise? Even if they lack some technical expertise, they can learn it on the fly or take a consultant.
By the way, try to imagine if thousands of university-educated employees of the Czech Ministry of Industry and Trade were replaced by garbage men and milkmaids. Would that lead to more expensive energy? Would businesses start going out of business?
(Explanation for foreigners: in the last three years, Czech government policy has led to multiple energy price increases and the bankruptcy of hundreds of companies).