Perspective: With so many 'acting' officials, we need a president who acts like one
President Trump speaks to reporters alongside Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen in the White House Rose Garden in January after the president met with congressional leaders. By Joe Davidson Joe Davidson Columnist focusing on federal government issues Email Bio Follow Columnist April 10 at 7:00 AM With so many acting officials in the Trump administration, we should have a president who acts like a decent one.
Twenty top administration slots are vacant or have an acting official, according to the Political Appointee Tracker published by The Washington Post and the Partnership for Public Service. That’s enough for four starting basketball teams. The tracker monitors only the top four levels — secretary, deputy secretary, undersecretary and assistant secretary. These are the top slots without a confirmed official, according to the tracker:2.
DHS Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen is a loyal Trump sycophant. She embraced his family separation policy, dumping shame and disgrace on herself and the nation while doing his bidding. Yet the rising migration numbers so riled Trump that he bumped her, as he has many. Now this crucial department will soon have four top acting officials — in her job and at the Secret Service, along with the top slots at the Federal Emergency Management Agency and Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
DHS has had deep problems since it opened in 2003, formed from 22 agencies and becoming the third-largest federal department. The idea was to forge an integrated and unified command to protect the homeland on many fronts.
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