With the president-elect apparently an ideological blank slate, personnel could effectively become policy
Donald Trump put little emphasis on a transition effort during his idiosyncratic campaign for the White House, as even campaign insiders expected him to lose. Nonetheless, his win now presents an opportunity for a cadre of loyalists, many of whom backed him when few others would, to become some of the highest-ranking officials in the US government.
Trump is still an ideological blank slate in many ways, having shifted positions on virtually every issue. Personnel could effectively become policy. Cabinet secretaries and executive officials are likely to have a surprising amount of latitude in an administration led by a president who has shown very little interest in policy nuances.
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