Donald Trump likely to install loyalists in White House, if elected

As the 2016 American presidential election finally winds up, a picture is emerging of what the White House will look like should Donald Trump win. 

NBC reports that the names being considered, according to three campaign advisers who requested anonymity, are Rudy Giuliani for attorny general, Newt Gingrich for secretary of state, retired Lieutenant General Michael Flynn for defense secretary or national security adviser, Trump's finance chairman Steve Mnuchin for Treasury secretary, and Republican National Chairman Committee finance chair Lew Eisenberg for commerce secretary.

NBC reports that Trump has not particiapted much in planning the transition, as he is superstitious. NBC says that Trump fears that planning before a victory will "jinx" the campaign.

Trump has openly warred with many figures of the Republican establishment, so speculation suggests that he'll promote those who remained loyal to him while the media and political opponents berated him for bragging about sexaully assualting women, stirring up xenophobia by telling lies about immigrants, spreading racist lies on social media and in campaign speeches, and more.

Salon characterises Newt Gingrich's tenure as secretary of state duringt he 90s as pushing right on a number of social, economic and foreign policy issues. Giuliani was viewed with considerable sympathy and admiration, as he was New York's mayor during 9/11, but, as Salon claims, he became notorious for "expanding policing powers at the expense of civil rights of poor and non-white citizens". He has consistently defended Trump all throughout the 2016 election. 

As a pronent of the "broken windows" theory of policing, Giuliani's guiding philosophy is that arresting everyday criminals, rather than addressing the root causes of crime, will rid the city of crime. LiberationNews reports that, citing the NYPD's own statistics, the year before Giuliani took office, 720 New Yorkers were arrested for misdemeanor marijuana-related charges. In his last year as mayor, that number jumped to 60,000. 

NBC reports that the conservative Heritage Foundation is helping to vet names, along with members of Mitt Romey's presidential run and George W Bush's administration. 

It will be interesting to note how many veteran Republicans make it into Trump's inner clique, given that the theme of his campaign has been "drain the swamp" and that he's positioned himself as an outsider without Washington inner-circle connections.

NBC reports that running mate Mike Pence is heavily involved in the selection process, and is expected to play as active a role in a Trump administration as Joe Biden and Al Gore played while they were vice presidents.

A possible barometer to tell whether Trump will strengthen or destroy bridges with established Republicans is how he will appoint the current Republican National Chairman, Reince Priebus, who is currently under consideration to be Trump's chief of staff.

Priebus didn't object to Trump, and was his dependable defender, while other Republicans distanced themselves over the course of the 2016 presidential campaign. 

(WION)