In the wake of President Donald Trump’s purging of government appointees, the White House is now rolling out a new litmus test playing to his ego and narcissism through the questions job applicants are being asked to answer.
Upon being acquitted by Senate Republicans in a rigged impeachment trial, Trump retaliated against witnesses who testified against him by removing them from their positions. He has also hired former disgraced White House employee John McEntee to continue the purge and install loyalists as head of the Presidential Personnel Office.
In that effort, a new questionnaire is now part of a litmus test all potential federal appointees will have to take.
According to CNN:
Like the old questionnaire, the new form asks candidates whether they have ever appeared in the media. But now, applicants are asked specifically whether they have “ever appeared in the media to comment on ‘Candidate Trump, President Trump or other personnel or policies of the Trump administration.’ “The new questionnaire also asks applicants to describe their “political evolution” and to list “thinkers, authors, books, or political leaders” who have “influenced you and led you to your current beliefs.”
“What political commentator, thinker or politician best reflects your views?” the questionnaire asks.
While the previous questionnaire also asked applicants if they have ever run for political office, the new questionnaire also asks applicants to list any political campaigns they have “ever worked on or volunteered for” and why.
In addition to asking which media personalities they like best, with the optimal answer presumably being the names of certain Fox News hosts, the questionnaire also asks applicants what aspect of Trump’s campaign messaging “most appealed” to them.
Trump’s name also appears five times, whereas it appeared nowhere in the previous questionnaire.
White House Press Secretary Stephenie Grisham, who still hasn’t done her job by holding a single press briefing since getting the job, defended the new litmus test.
“Every President has the right to appoint people who are in line with their agenda and policies,” she said.
Be that as it may, these questions make it clear that Trump is only interested in partisans who are loyal only to him, not the best-qualified people who want to serve their country and do what’s right. Just like everything else, Trump even wants these questionnaires to be about him and the new litmus test ultimately helps him tighten his grip over the government.
Image: YouTube screenshot
