Assuming that Donald Trump loses the election, the people who work for him will soon be looking for employment. Jennifer Rubin writes that they might have trouble finding their next jobs:
First, members of this administration probably acquired bad habits (ignoring gross misconduct, lying for their boss, etc.), practiced a great deal of willful ignorance and rationalized unethical conduct. The administration, aside from its corruption and moral rot, was also grossly incompetent in its day-to-day operations. Staffers coming out of Trump’s orbit would likely have to unlearn misconceptions about how functional workplaces operate.
Second, those seen as ethically obtuse and tolerant of racism pose a business risk. Clients and customers might not want to be associated with a firm that features someone who just months ago promoted their boss’s ludicrous lies or remained silent as he winked at QAnon conspiracy theories. Alumni of the Trump administration do not suffer from a political association but rather from their willingness to enable someone who betrayed his country’s highest ideals.
In other words, these ex-Trump figures do not bring desirable skills or valuable experience; they come more as a potential liability.
Human Resources professionals operate under one basic assumption: Past performance is the best predictor of future performance. There are exceptions. But it's not wise to bet on an exception.
If the Trump alumni are seeking jobs, you might think they'd spend a little time in rehabilitation:
These Trump alumni might seek to make up for perpetuating racism and xenophobia, for their attacks on democratic institutions and norms, and for their efforts to sow division and undermine objective reality. They might consider community service. They might donate time or money to groups fighting racism, helping immigrants, defending press freedoms and teaching good citizenship.
But don't bet on that either. Because -- like their boss -- they're both incompetent and obtuse.
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