Trump transition falling short of hiring goals, sources say [View all]
Source: CBS News
Updated on: January 6, 2025 / 12:34 PM EST
A stack of employment offer letters is expected to go out Monday to political appointees in the new administration of President-elect Donald Trump, according to people familiar with the matter, with just two weeks to go before the inauguration.
The Trump transition had set a goal of bringing on as many as 2,000 political appointees on Jan. 20, Day One of the administration, but it's falling short of that target, two sources told CBS News. About 4,000 political appointees serve across the federal government currently. Around 1,200 political appointees were in place when Trump assumed the presidency in January 2017, aides estimated.
President Biden's transition chair Ted Kaufman said in 2021 his administration had 1,136 political appointees on Inauguration Day. Sources told CBS News that candidates for senior management posts want to give their private sector companies two weeks' notice before they leave for government service. Some are reluctant to resign their current roles without hiring letters from the transition.
Hiring and vetting staffers is a big lift for any incoming administration. Trump has warned against bringing in anyone who might subvert his agenda and was highly involved in selecting his Cabinet-designees and several top management posts. But he has left the decisions about the bulk of staffing for mid- and lower-level positions to those on his team who will lead departments and agencies.
Read more: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-transition-falling-short-hiring-goals/
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