Trump had many people making personnel recommendations to him that were really trying to undermine him.
But, yeah, maybe he's learned his lesson by now.
“Trump had many people making personnel recommendations to him that were really trying to undermine him.”
Trump was ultimately the decision maker. He chose who he would listen to for advice. He made the ultimate decisions as to whom to appoint. The number of poor personnel choices were staggering and he alone is ultimately accountable. As the sign on Harry Truman’s desk stated, “The buck stops here.”
The excuse that Mitch McConnell had veto power over his choices, and therefore Trump was unable to put his own choices in place is laughable.
1) Trump never took McConnell to the mat on a personnel pick. During his term as President, Trump was overwhelmingly popular with the Republican base. If Trump wanted someone different than Wray for FBI director, and McConnell was telling him no, Trump could have called McConnell into his office and told him privately he was nominating his own person for the job. If McConnell opposed him he would take his case to the American people and would publicly oppose McConnell for reelection in 2020. There is no evidence Trump ever went to the mat with McConnell.
2) Trump’s choice of his own personal attorney (Michael Cohn) was not influenced by McConnell as it was made long before Trump took office. Cohn stabbed him in the back, violating attorney client privilege. That choice was Trump’s alone.
3) Trump chose Chris Christie (without McConnell weighing in) during the 2016 to be his transition chief in the event he won the election. The most important job of the transition chief is to identify, vet and have ready for Senate approval the key executive appointments so the administration can be fully staffed and operating on election day. Christie didn’t do his job. The day after the election Trump had to scramble to find and interview potential cabinet members. It has been reported he met for only an hour with some of the cabinet appointees he didn’t know such as Rex Tillerson (his first secretary of state and one of his failures). Trump owns the appointment of Christie as his transition chief and the resulting failure to have a fully staffed administration ready to take office on inauguration day.
4) One of the most critical roles, if not the most critical role, in the Executive Office of the President is White House Chief of Staff. The appointee does not require Senate approval and therefore is 100% the choice of the President. Trump’s first two White House Chiefs of Staff were Reince Priebus and John Kelly, both failures. Mitch McConnell could not control who Trump selected for the job.
5) It has been widely reported Trump’s daughter Ivanka and son-in-law Jared Kushner were instrumental in many of Trump’s selections for appointed positions. Trump brought them to the White House as senior advisors. Bringing them to Washington, and relying on their advise, was 100% Trump’s decision and he is solely accountable. McConnell did not vet or approve the choice of Ivanka and Jared. It was Trump’s decision alone.
Great leaders assemble a great team to execute the leader’s vision. The team works effectively because the leader makes wise choices and the team works together. When times are tough, the leader supports his or her team. When a team member is off track, the leader gives constructive feedback in private and puts the errant member on notice in private.
There is no evidence Trump has learned from his past failings in building a great team of professionals to execute his vision. If he doesn’t fundamentally change his approach to finding and selecting people, if elected in 2024 he will again be plagued by the same personnel issues he experienced during his first term. For those who wish to blame McConnell, it appears either McConnell or Chuck Schumer will be overseeing the Senate in 2024. If Trump can’t work around them, he will fail.