White House faces exodus of foreign policy experts ahead of Trump's arrival

[inanna]

Source: The Guardian

Sunday 18 December 2016 11.00 GMT

The White House is struggling to prevent a crippling exodus of foreign policy staffers eager to leave before the arrival of the Trump administration, according to current and former officials.

The top level officials in the National Security Council (NSC) are political appointees who have to submit resignations and leave in a normal transition. The rest of the 400 NSC staff are career civil servants on secondment from other departments. An unusual number of these more junior officials are now looking to depart.

Many are concerned by a proliferation of reports about the incoming national security adviser, Michael Flynn. On Wednesday the Washington Post reported that Flynn had improperly shared classified information with foreign military officers. On the same day, CNN reported that the former DIA chief had this week deleted a tweet he had sent out a few days before the election that linked to a fake news story suggesting Hillary Clinton took part in crimes against children.

“Career people are looking get out and go back to their agencies and pressure is being put on them to get them to stay. There is concern there will be a half-empty NSC by the time the new administration arrives, which no one wants,” said one official.

Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2016/dec/18/national-security-council-exodus-foreign-policy-michael-flynn

[machoneman]

1. Nobody wants?

I beg to differ. Trump and his idiot Flynn will likely ask for everyone to resign or they will be fired.

[DK504]

19. Of course Trump and his morons

will think they can fire all the civil servants that can not be fired.

I do wish some would stay only to try and beat the truth into this assholes head.

[deminks]

2. I am quite sure they are making lists for everyone like they did in Energy

Who would work in that environment?

[Nay]

10. Well, exactly. If you are a career civil servant, you can't afford to fait to look out

for your own career -- god knows this incoming bunch is going to be impossible to work for, and would probably love to fire people willy-nilly just to demonstrate their own power. Who needs that shit? I'd go back to my own agency, find another agency that would be more hidden from the incoming nutcases, or retire if I was old enough.

[DeminPennswoods]

3. Geez, does anyone want to work for Trump?

Can't get top acts for the inaguration parties or bands for the parade, now no WH staffers want to stay. Priebus will have field day getting his RNC hacks jobs, but wait until Pence, Ryan and him enact their agenda to make everyone in America on their own again and Trump's approval rating is in the 20s. Oh and there'll be a lot less fake news on Facebook for his minions to believe.

[cstanleytech]

4. "Geez, does anyone want to work for Trump?" Only those with bigotry and or greed in their hearts. nt

[lame54]

5. I hope the Whitehouse staff walks...

No one to clean or cook for the Orange Nightmare or President Pence

[MBS]

6. yeah, I've been thinking about that.

I would imagine that the Orange Nightmare and his entourage would have to be even more unbearable up close than in public. The White House domestic staff is a proud, loyal and loyally discreet group. But I think that even they would be broken by this crew.

[annabanana]

7. "Well, isn't that what H1B visas are for?"

Trump will NEVER have to wipe his own ass.

[mwooldri]

17. If the rumours are right...

...the Whitehouse staff won't have to worry. He won't be there much. However it's also confirmed that his spouse isn't moving to DC so that their son can finish school in NY. So to say that 1600 Pennsylvania Ave will becone the Presidential Annex to the Trump Hotel down the road probably isn't much of a stretch.

[treestar]

11. Even then, it has to be pretty awful

can only imagine the toxic work environment!

[cstanleytech]

12. I suspect the work environment would be pleasing for them if they are one of the ones who

fall into the bigotry and or greed category.

[bluedigger]

8. I think a lot of people in government service will reevaluate their careers.

Refusing to collaborate with the Trump regime might be the most patriotic action many can take.

[JudyM]

16. Except that their replacements will gladly facilitate his designs.

[BumRushDaShow]

18. They already claimed they would put in an immediate hiring freeze

<...>

What follows is my 100-day action plan to Make America Great Again. It is a contract between myself and the American voter — and begins with restoring honesty, accountability and change to Washington

Therefore, on the first day of my term of office, my administration will immediately pursue the following six measures to clean up the corruption and special interest collusion in Washington, DC:

* FIRST, propose a Constitutional Amendment to impose term limits on all members of Congress;

* SECOND, a hiring freeze on all federal employees to reduce federal workforce through attrition (exempting military, public safety, and public health);

<...>

http://www.npr.org/2016/11/09/501451368/here-is-what-donald-trump-wants-to-do-in-his-first-100-days

So there will be no "replacements"... unless they (once again) break a "promise" because they lied.

[No Vested Interest]

24. I am reminded of the inexperienced, too young civilian staffers Bush & Co.

sent to Iran to administer that country when the US had "liberated" Iran.

How did that work for us?

[JudyM]

25. You are so right. Never thought that after Obama we'd be launched back to the dark ages.

[bucolic_frolic]

9. Sound decisions

are not made in an intelligence vacuum

[Akamai]

14. Yes, but who wants to simply be a punching bag for Trump's bullies?

There is no indication that Trump will take advice from others -- except, as far as I know, his learning from General Mattis that torture doesn't work.

Why stay there and have your reputation ruined by people not interested in the facts?

Still then, I do hope knowledgeable people stay, but for them, it will be very, very difficult.

[bucolic_frolic]

15. True

I'm sure not encouraging them to stay. This is a time to evacuate assets
and redeploy strategy. The tide will turn. I actually don't think it will take
very long, April, June. Strong, sane foreign leaders sense weakness and
opportunity, they will test early and often. Deals will be reached but we'll
be giving away the store and all the equity.

[briv1016]

13. Basic job security.

If you know you're going to be fired in 2-3 months it makes sense to start job hunting early. If a position opens up, you'd be a fool not to take it.

[DeminPennswoods]

23. Staffers are on temp assignments

That's true for the political appointees, but some, probably a lot, of these staffers are career civil service. They're permanent employees of other govt agencies on temporary duty to the White House. They want to return to their agencies now.

[pbmus]

20. Probably headed for Canada ...

[Tikki]

22. Absolutely...watch where most of them go. Those places are where those who can leave

this country should follow.

Tikki

[DonCoquixote]

21. Why would they want a resume stain?

If they stay, Trump will shift all his failure on them. This is the Titanic, time to run for the lifeboats!