Shafaq News/ The Trump administration is implementing newhiring criteria for key government positions, with loyalty to the presidentemerging as a decisive factor, the Washington Post revealed on Sunday.
Candidates for intelligenceand national security roles are reportedly being asked whether they believeTrump won the 2020 presidential election and how they view the January 6, 2021,Capitol riot. Citing unnamed sources familiar with the process, the newspaper statedthat “these questions serve as a litmus test for assessing allegiance to Trump.”
Applicants for intelligencepositions have been asked in direct interviews to respond “yes” or “no” toquestions such as, “Was January 6 an inside job?” and “Was the 2020 electionstolen?” Those who did not provide the desired answers were not selected,though it remains unclear whether other factors influenced hiring decisions.
This loyalty-based screeningextends beyond political appointees. Current government employees seekingtransfers or promotions are also facing scrutiny over their past statements,political affiliations, and positions on Trump’s claims about the election.Political donations, social media activity, and personal views on Trump’sleadership have reportedly been reviewed as part of the selection process.
Former officials warn thatideological tests could undermine the intelligence community’s integrity,heightening concerns over political influence. “We want career officials tointerpret intelligence and enforce the laws in a neutral way, without anypartisan preference,” John Bellinger III, a former White House NationalSecurity Council lawyer under George W. Bush, told the newspaper.
The FBI has reportedly beenordered to hand over lists of personnel involved in January 6 investigations,while senior leaders at the agency have been removed or reassigned. Similaractions have not yet been taken at the CIA or NSA, though their workforces havebeen offered voluntary buyouts. Intelligence officials are watching closely as CIADirector John Ratcliffe and DNI nominee Tulsi Gabbard, both Trump allies, takeon new roles.
At a recent Senate JudiciaryCommittee hearing, Trump’s nominee for FBI director, Kash Patel, was askedabout the future of agents involved in January 6 cases. He pledged that therewould be no retribution, despite reports of FBI leadership shake-ups alreadytaking place.
An FBI spokesperson declinedto comment on the loyalty test allegations, while an agency official stated, “Wehave no knowledge of that.”
Some intelligenceprofessionals argue that requiring loyalty to a political figure, rather thanto the nation, violates the core principles of their work. “I don’t understandhow somebody could [answer untruthfully] and do their job,” a former seniorintelligence official told the Washington Post.
Historians have compared thishiring approach to past political purges, including McCarthy-era loyaltyinvestigations. However, Yale University historian Beverly Gage noted a keydifference, “At least those investigations were about loyalty to the country,not to a particular politician.”
Concerns over politicalinfluence in intelligence agencies are not new, but experts say they haveintensified under Trump. Jeffrey Rogg, an intelligence historian at theUniversity of South Florida, pointed to a shift in public perception, “WhereasDemocrats historically were suspicious of the FBI, now it’s Republicans whoare. And it’s due to political events in the US and the perception thatintelligence agencies have taken sides.”
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