"I’m going to surround myself only with the best and most serious people." — Donald Trump, August 8, 2015
Donald Trump spent nearly two years on the campaign trail promising to only hire the “best and most serious people” in his administration. Now more than a year into his term, his administration has been nothing but an embarrassing string of staff departures for everything from racism to spousal abuse. Now we can add “serious financial crimes” to the list. From CNN:
President Donald Trump's longtime personal aide John McEntee was fired because he is currently under investigation by the Department of Homeland Security for serious financial crimes, a source familiar with his firing told CNN.
The charges are not related to the President, the source said.
What kind of financial crimes would the Department of Homeland Security be responsible for investigating? Their website seems pretty specific:
Criminal Investigations
The Secret Service has evolved into an agency recognized worldwide for its investigative expertise and for its aggressive and innovative approach to the detection, investigation and prevention of financial crimes. Every day, the Secret Service conducts investigations to identify, locate and apprehend criminal organizations and individuals targeting the nation’s critical financial infrastructure and payment systems involved in:
Those seems very serious, no? Nevertheless, immediately after confirming McEntee had been escorted out of the White House by security, where he wasn’t even allowed to collect his jacket, Trump announced he was the newest hire on this 2020 campaign. You can’t make this up:
Trump reelection campaign manager Brad Parscale announced McEntee's hire alongside that of Katrina Pierson, a Trump campaign spokesperson in 2016 who will join the 2020 campaign as a senior adviser.
"As we build out our operations for the 2018 midterm elections and the 2020 reelection campaign, we are pleased to welcome back two outstanding members of our 2016 team," Parscale said in a statement. "We need the help of proven leaders such as Katrina and John to promote the President's growing portfolio of achievements across the country."
So he was fired for being under investigation for serious financial crimes, and immediately rehired by the Trump campaign. McEntee joins Katrina Pierson in that announcement. In the year of the gun reform movement and the growing outrage from survivors and millions nationwide, Trump has rehired someone who is such a gun nut, she has been known to wear a necklace made from high caliber bullets for her media appearances.
The Trump campaign crime network is off to a great start for 2020.