Trump officials, reportedly mocked by some in government as Soviet-style “MAGA commissars” have reportedly fanned out across federal agencies and asked existing staff about their political positions and whether they previously backed Trump or supported his campaigns.
“President Trump, like any president or employer, is entitled to a team that supports the mission, puts personal agendas aside, and is ready to execute the president’s agenda in line with the will of the voters,” the White House said in response to the report.
In December, nine people who interviewed for jobs in the new administration or were involved in the hiring process told The New York Times that candidates who denounced the violence on January 6, or suggested Joe Biden won the 2020 election, did not get jobs.
Candidates asked about view on January 6 riots and NATO membership.
In one case, a potential staffer was rejected for past ties to then-Representative Liz Cheney in 2017, well before she became a leading Trump critic.
