Feel strongly about these letters, or any other aspects of the news? Share your views by emailing us your Letter to the Editor at [email protected] or filling in this Google form. Submissions should not exceed 400 words, and must include your full name and address, plus a phone number for verification Leadership is about judgment – choosing the right people and the right actions for the right reasons. But when loyalty takes precedence over competence, failure is inevitable.
United States president-elect Donald Trump’s recent endorsements and
nominations follow this dangerous pattern. J.D. Vance, who in 2016 called Trump “cultural heroin” and a “total fraud”, now defends him at every turn. In Trump’s circle, loyalty is not just valued – it is demanded.
This approach undermines institutions. Groupthink replaces dissent. Flawed decisions go unchallenged, leading to systemic failures.
In government, the stakes are even higher. Leadership that rewards loyalty over expertise corrodes institutions and weakens democracy. The 2024 Edelman Trust Barometer shows that 60 per cent of Americans distrust their government. When unqualified individuals are chosen for their loyalty, public confidence collapses, institutions falter and divisions deepen.
During Trump’s first term, this pattern weakened critical institutions. Agencies including the Department of Education,
Department of Energy and the
Environmental Protection Agency saw experienced professionals replaced by loyalists, leading to inefficiency, policy failures and a loss of public trust. Challenges such as climate change and public health grew harder to address. His recent nominations – including
Robert F. Kennedy Jnr for Health and Human Services and
Linda McMahon, former head of the Small Business Administration and co-founder of World Wrestling Entertainment, for Education, to name but two – do not inspire confidence.
