The Cabinet vetting mess was turning into an early warning siren
The incoming Trump team’s refusal to fully cooperate with background-check procedures was still drawing alarm on November 28, as senators and ethics watchers braced for confirmations without the usual FBI screening. That created a self-inflicted problem: the more controversial the nominees, the more reckless it looked to treat vetting as optional. In any normal administration, that would be embarrassing; in this one, it was being sold as strength.
First recorded Nov 28, 2024·Meaningfully updated Nov 28, 2024
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The Cabinet vetting mess was turning into an early warning siren
The incoming Trump team’s refusal to fully cooperate with background-check procedures was still drawing alarm on November 28, as senators and ethics watchers braced for confirmations without the usual FBI screening. That created a self-inflicted problem: the more controversial the nominees, the more reckless it looked to treat vetting as optional. In any normal administration, that would be embarrassing; in this one, it was being sold as strength.
The incoming Trump team’s refusal to fully cooperate with background-check procedures was still drawing alarm on November 28, as senators and ethics watchers braced for confirmations without the usual FBI screening. That created a self-inflicted problem: the more controversial the nominees, the more reckless it looked to treat vetting as optional. In any normal administration, that would be embarrassing; in this one…
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