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Trump Allies Turning on One Another 04/22 06:09
The infighting and backstabbing that plagued President Donald Trump's first
term have returned as a threat to his second, with deepening fissures over
trade, national security and questions of personal loyalty.
WASHINGTON (AP) -- The infighting and backstabbing that plagued President
Donald Trump's first term have returned as a threat to his second, with
deepening fissures over trade, national security and questions of personal
loyalty.
The latest turmoil threatens to engulf the Pentagon, where Defense Secretary
Pete Hegseth has pushed out top advisers and faces fresh controversy over
sharing sensitive information about airstrikes in Yemen outside of classified
channels. A former Pentagon spokesperson who was ousted last week wrote in
Politico that Trump should fire Hegseth for presiding over a "full-blown
meltdown."
The interpersonal drama is not -- at least yet -- a dominant plot line of
Trump's return to the White House. But its reemergence after a period of
relative discipline in his ranks reflects a turbulent management style that has
been suppressed or papered over, not reformed.
Trump's national security team was recently rattled by an Oval Office visit
from Laura Loomer, a far-right conspiracy theorist who has been questioning his
staff's trustworthiness. The Republican president fired some of the officials,
emboldening Loomer to continue scrutinizing people across the administration.
In an interview with independent journalist Tara Palmeri released on Monday,
Loomer mocked the idea that the White House is "one big happy family."
"The advisers don't get along with each other," she said. "The heads of
agencies don't get along with each other."
Tariff trouble causes friction for the Trump team
Much of the tension is connected to Trump's determination to use tariffs to
rebalance the global economy, with officials often contradicting each other and
occasionally turning to insults. Trump adviser Elon Musk, the billionaire
entrepreneur whose companies could suffer from higher costs brought on by
import taxes, sharply criticized Peter Navarro, Trump's top counselor on trade,
as "dumber than a sack of bricks."
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt dismissed the idea of growing
dissension within the administration, saying there are "far more examples of
the president's team working together enthusiastically and collaboratively to
advance the administration's goals."
"The numbers and results of this administration speak for themselves," she
said. "The president and his team are getting work done."
Trump has always had a high tolerance for chaos, shunning traditional policy
deliberations to entertain divergent opinions and viewing unpredictability as a
negotiating tool. He's spent years fostering a competitive atmosphere among his
staff members, who are often chosen for their devotion and penchant for
aggression.
But now the increasing strife underscores the risks for more turmoil in the
months ahead, as Trump presses forward with a dramatic overhaul of the federal
bureaucracy, international trade, foreign policy and more.
John Bolton, who served as national security adviser in Trump's first term
before writing a tell-all book critical of the president's inner circle, said
the drama reflects the lack of a consistent ideology and the inexperience of
many administration officials.
"The only thing they have in common is the belief that they should show
personal fealty to Trump," Bolton said. "That got them the job. That may in
fact keep them in the job. But it shows how fundamentally unserious they are."
The situation is a test for Susie Wiles, the White House chief of staff, who
helped run Trump's presidential campaign last year. She earned a reputation for
imposing an unusual level of order on Trump's chaotic orbit -- though she
carefully avoided trying to control Trump or his impulses -- and he praised her
as "the ice maiden."
During Trump's first term, he had four chiefs of staff -- one of them
serving in an acting capacity for more than a year. The second, former U.S.
Marine Gen. John Kelly, became a sharp critic of the president after he left
the job, describing him as a fascist during the 2024 election.
White House closes ranks around Hegseth
With his new administration, Trump has surrounded himself with loyalists,
and he's been reluctant to throw anyone overboard in response to negative
coverage from the mainstream media, which he considers to be an enemy. Allies
say the hesitance to make personnel changes in this term is meant to deny
giving a win to critics, even if it means leaving troubled officials in place.
On Monday, the president brushed off reports that Hegseth participated in a
second group chat to talk about pending airstrikes in Yemen last month. The
first chat, which used the encrypted messaging application Signal, involved top
administration officials as well as the editor of The Atlantic, who was
accidentally included in the discussion.
The second, first reported by The New York Times on Sunday, included
Hegseth's wife, who does not have a government job, and his brother and his
personal lawyer, both of whom work at the Pentagon.
"Same old stuff," Trump said when reporters questioned him about it during
the White House Easter egg roll. He said Hegseth is "doing a great job" and
"it's just fake news."
Leavitt, in an appearance on Fox News Channel, defended Hegseth with a swipe
at the people who work for him.
"This is what happens when the entire Pentagon is working against you and
against the monumental change that you are trying to implement," she said.
Leavitt's comment was shared by an official Defense Department social media
account.
Trump loyalists -- not just Democrats -- are pointing fingers
However, some of those speaking out were among Hegseth's top advisers.
John Ullyot, who served as a Pentagon spokesperson until he was asked to
resign, wrote in Politico that "it's hard to see Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth
remaining in his role for much longer." He added that "the president deserves
better" and "many in the secretary's own inner circle will applaud quietly" if
Hegseth is fired.
The disorder extends through the Pentagon's senior ranks. Three officials --
Dan Caldwell, Colin Carroll and Darin Selnick -- were recently pushed out, and
they issued a statement saying people "have slandered our character with
baseless attacks on our way out the door."
Hegseth did not deny the reports about his use of Signal. But he added:
"What a big surprise that a few leakers get fired and suddenly a bunch of hit
pieces come out."
Trump's tariff plans have also been a source of stress inside the
administration, often leading to mixed messages and policy confusion. Navarro
insisted there weren't going to be any negotiations, contradicting Treasury
Secretary Scott Bessent's insistence that import taxes were about strengthening
the White House's negotiating position.
The president partially retreated from his plans, but not before Navarro and
Musk began openly feuding. Navarro said Musk was "protecting his own interests"
by opposing tariffs, and he described Musk's electric automaker Tesla as a "car
assembler" that's dependent on importing parts from overseas.
Musk, who advises Trump on ways to downsize the federal bureaucracy,
responded by saying that Navarro was "truly a moron."
Leavitt downplayed the dispute by saying "boys will be boys."
"We will let their public sparring continue," she told reporters. "And you
guys should all be very grateful that we have the most transparent
administration in history."
Trump often appears more interested in fealty than veracity. During part of
last year's campaign, he traveled with Loomer, who has a history of making
racist attacks on Trump's opponents and once claimed the Sept. 11, 2001,
attacks were an inside job.
After Trump won, Loomer became frustrated that she wasn't allowed to help
vet administration personnel. She eventually secured an Oval Office meeting
with the president, bringing research on national security officials whom she
believed were disloyal.
After Trump fired some of them, Loomer has continued her work. Last week,
she accused Bessent of inviting a "Trump hater" to work with him on financial
literacy efforts.
"I am going to personally tell President Trump and personally show him these
receipts," Loomer wrote on social media, adding "shame on" Bessent.
Musk shared her post and chimed in with his support -- "troubling," he wrote.
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