The transition team has recruited dozens of Republican public relations veterans and policy experts to help sell the public and the Senate on Trump’s selections, according to sources close to the transition. Their task will be to convince Americans that the billionaires, generals, donors and CEOs chosen by the president-elect have the expertise to manage the federal government — even if they have no Washington experience.
“One of the things Americans wanted was a change election, so you have some unconventional candidates,” said a senior transition official.
Several of those candidates are expected to come under intense scrutiny for their policy views or potential conflicts of interest. While top transition officials say they’re confident that a Republican-controlled Senate will greenlight all of them, they’re taking pains to make the confirmation process as smooth as possible — and to shoot down problems quickly, especially after several early missteps
“With a couple of the nominees, they made sophomoric mistakes,” said a Republican Senate aide, who asked to remain anonymous so as not to anger the incoming administration. “Like [retired Army Lt. Gen. Michael] Flynn’s son being on the transition payroll, or [Steven] Mnuchin going on CNBC the day after he was nominated. They will have a harder time getting confirmed because of it.”
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