List of controversies of recent U.S. Presidents explained

List of controversies of recent presidents of the United States.

Donald Trump has been criticized for his hiring decisions, and as the first president indicted on criminal charges in 160 years.[1]

Personnel

A President of the United States hires staff for his campaign and administration, though some also hire staff for personal businesses. Some presidents have received significant criticisms about their staff due to accusations of nepotism, corruption, criminality or a high turnover rate. Some former staff or appointees have also criticized the actions of the President that hired them.

!!Major criticism of the President!Family members in major roles!Ethics / scandals!Felony Conviction!Indicted or Charged!Turnover!Unqualified or illegally appointed
BidenEric Lander,[2] Kimberly Cheatle,[3] Tyler Joseph "TJ" Ducklo,[4] A-team: 71% of first hiresCabinet: 2 left[5]
TrumpMike Pence,[6] James Mattis, Mark Milley, John F. Kelly, Don McGahn, Jeff Sessions, Stephanie Grisham, Alyssa Farah Griffin, John Bolton, Mark Esper, Bill Barr, Anthony Scarmucci, Michael Cohen,[7] Richard V. Spencer, H.R. McMaster, Tom Bossert, Cliff Sims, Omarosa Manigault Newman, Gary Cohn, Ty Cobb, Nikki Haley, Rex Tillerson, Kurt Volker, Chris Christie,[8] Paul J. Selva,[9] Dan Coats,[10] Sarah Matthews,[11] Elizabeth Neuman,[12] Miles Taylor,[13] Olivia Troye,[14] Eric Trump,[15] [16] Don Trump Jr., Ivanka Trump,[17] Jared Kushner, Lara Trump (RNC),[18] [19] Kyle Yunaska[20] Donald Trump,[21] Tom Price, Scott Pruitt, Ryan Zinke, Rob Porter, Betsy DeVos, Wilbur Ross, Steve Mnuchin, Ben Carson,[22] Kellyanne Conway, Elaine Chao, Brenda Fitzgerald, Jared Kushner, Heath Hall, Mick Mulvaney, Barry Myers, David Shulkin,[23] [24] Tony Tooke,[25] Donald Kempf Jr.,[26] Alex Acosta,[27] David Sorensen,[28] Paul Dans[29] Donald Trump,[30] Steve Bannon,[31] Roger Stone, Paul Manafort, Mike Flynn, Peter Navarro, Michael Cohen, George Papadopoulos, Rick Gates, Allen Weisselberg, Rudy Giuliani,[32] Donald Trump, Mark Meadows, John Eastman, Jeffrey Clark, Sidney Powell, Jenna Ellis,[33] Walt Nauta,[34] Tom Barrack,[35] Elliott Broidy,A-team: 92% of first hires left + 45% of second hires Cabinet: 14 left[36]

Most turnover in history

Taylor Weyeneth,[37] William Perry Pendley,[38] Chad Wolf,[39]
ObamaDavid Patraeus,[40] Terence Flynn,[41] Barvetta Singletary,[42] Martha N. Johnson,[43] A-team: 71%Cabinet: 3
W. BushDismissal of U.S. Attorneys ControversyList of federal political scandals in the United States#Executive branchScooter Libby,[44] David Safavian,[45] J. Stephen Griles,[46] Roger Stillwell,[47] Robert E. Coughlin, Horace Cooper,A-team: 63%Cabinet: 2

Nepotism

Nepotism is more often associated with dictatorships who centralize power in unqualified family members.[48]

Ethics scandals

See also: Teapot Dome scandal.

Impeachments and 14th Amendment

Donald Trump was impeached in 2019 and again in 2021 in the House. Not enough Republicans in the Senate voted to remove Trump from office after either impeachment.[49]

Discussion also swirled around Trump's eligibility to run for President in 2024 following the January 6th attack on the Capitol. In 2024, the Supreme Court overturned Colorado's interpretation of the 14th Amendment to remove Trump.

Conflicts of interest

See also: Corruption Perceptions Index and Clinton Foundation–State Department controversy.

Donald Trump

See main article: article. The tax returns of Donald Trump became an early source of interest for those concerned about potential conflicts of interest when Trump was a candidate for President.[50] [51] [52] [53] While not required, it was the norm since it leaked that Richard Nixon had underpaid some of his taxes. Nancy Pelosi raised concerns about his $400 million debt and who might own it and thus have leverage over the president.[54]

Lobbying

Trump

See main article: article.

Obama

See main article: article.

Transparency

Trump

See main article: article.

Obama

See main article: article.

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Bynum . Ross . 2023-03-30 . Among 160 years of presidential scandals, Trump stands alone . 2024-08-02 . AP News . en.
  2. News: Alana Wise . February 7, 2022 . Top White House science adviser announces resignation after reports of bullying . NPR.
  3. Web site: Barr . Luke . Katersky . Aaron . Reinstein . Julia . July 23, 2024 . Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle resigns . July 23, 2024 . ABC News.
  4. Web site: Brian Schwartz . February 12, 2021 . Biden spokesman suspended for a week after reportedly threatening reporter . February 12, 2021 . CNBC.
  5. Web site: Tenpas . Kathryn Dunn . March 19, 2024 . Tracking turnover in the Biden administration . 2024-08-01 . Brookings . en-US.
  6. News: Schlesinger . Robert . July 29, 2024 . J.D. Vance Proves It: Trump Hires the Very Worst People . 2024-08-01 . The New Republic . 0028-6583.
  7. Web site: Vazquez . Maegan . 2020-06-04 . The long list of Trump administration officials turned critics CNN Politics . 2024-08-01 . CNN . en.
  8. Web site: Mosk . Matthew . Faulders . Katherine . August 21, 202 . Trump's checkered hiring record widens as Bannon joins list of indicted insiders . 2024-08-01 . ABC News . en.
  9. Web site: Callahan . Michael . Sullivan . Kate . 24 September 2020 . Retired top general who advised Trump is among nearly 500 national security experts endorsing Biden . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20200924135059/https://www.cnn.com/2020/09/24/politics/paul-selva-general-joe-biden/index.html . 2020-09-24 . 2020-09-24 . CNN.
  10. Web site: Sforza . Lauren . July 30, 2023 . Dozens of former Trump Cabinet officials won't publicly support his 2024 reelection bid . The Hill.
  11. News: Mueller . Julia . May 16, 2024 . Here are the prominent Republicans backing Biden over Trump . May 30, 2024 . The Hill.
  12. Web site: Miller . Tim . May 7, 2024 . Elizabeth Neumann and Geoff Duncan: Republican Voters Against Trump . The Bulwark.
  13. Web site: July 27, 2023 . Ex-Trump Official Reveals What Worries Him Most About a Second Trump Term . HuffPost.
  14. Web site: Gangitano . Alex . August 4, 2024 . Harris team launches GOP group with endorsements from ex-Trump officials, key Republican voices . August 4, 2024 . . en-US.
  15. Web site: McCarthy . Bill . Fact-check: Post on Trump relatives in White House . 2024-08-01 . @politifact . en-US.
  16. Web site: Yglesias . Matthew . 2020-10-26 . Nepotism and the 2020 election, explained . 2024-08-01 . Vox . en-US.
  17. Web site: Allen . Jonathan . 2024-07-17 . The MAGA wing of the Trump family takes center stage . 2024-08-01 . NBC News . en.
  18. News: Tannehill . Brynn . March 6, 2024 . Lara Trump at the RNC: One Step Closer to Hereditary Dictatorship . 2024-08-01 . The New Republic . 0028-6583.
  19. News: Layne . Nathan . Slattery . Gram . February 12, 2024 . Trump backs North Carolina Republican as RNC chair, daughter-in-law Lara Trump as co-chair . Reuters.
  20. Web site: Mencimer . Stephanie . From "laddie mag" model to RNC co-chair—the nepo-spouse rise of Lara Trump . 2024-08-03 . Mother Jones . en-US.
  21. Web site: Scheck . Tom . 2018-02-16 . Ethics Be Damned: More than half of Trump's 20-person Cabinet has engaged in questionable or unethical conduct . 2024-08-01 . . en-US.
  22. Web site: Scheck . Tom . More than half of Trump's 20-person Cabinet has engaged in questionable or unethical conduct . 2024-08-01 . . en.
  23. News: Kheel . Rebecca . February 16, 2018 . VA secretary's chief of staff leaving amid travel scandal . The Hill.
  24. Web site: Shane . Leo III . March 29, 2018 . Shulkin out: Trump fires VA secretary after weeks of controversy . July 8, 2019 . Military Times.
  25. News: Boudreau . Catherine . March 7, 2018 . Forest Service chief resigns in wake of sexual misconduct allegations . Politico.
  26. News: Derek Kravitz, Isaac Arnsdorf and Marina Affo . August 31, 2017 . Lifting the Veil on Another Batch of Shadowy Trump Appointees . propublica.org.
  27. News: Alex Acosta resigns as labor secretary, the latest Trump official to leave amid scandal . The Washington Post.
  28. News: Viebeck . Elise . February 9, 2018 . Second White House official departs amid abuse allegations, which he denies . September 14, 2019 . The Washington Post.
  29. Web site: MacGillis . Alec . 2024-08-01 . The Man Behind Project 2025’s Most Radical Plans . 2024-08-14 . ProPublica . en.
  30. Web site: Benen . Steve . 2024-05-31 . Blog: Trump’s ‘Team of Felons’ adds the most important member of all . 2024-08-01 . MSNBC.com . en.
  31. News: Saric . Ivana . July 2, 2024 . Charted: Trump world allies sentenced to prison .
  32. Web site: Mendoza . Megan . April 11, 2024 . Trump associates who have had legal trouble of their own . 2024-08-01 . USA TODAY . en-US.
  33. Web site: 2023-08-15 . Read the full Georgia indictment against Trump and 18 allies . 2024-08-01 . PBS News . en-us.
  34. Web site: Licon . Adriana Gomez . Tucker . Erick . 2023-07-06 . Trump valet Walt Nauta pleads not guilty in classified documents case . 2024-08-01 . AP News . en.
  35. Web site: Cillizza . Chris . 2021-07-21 . Analysis: 11 Trump associates have now been charged with crimes. 11! CNN Politics . 2024-08-01 . CNN . en.
  36. Web site: Tenpas . Kathryn Dunn . January 2021 . Tracking turnover in the Trump administration . 2024-08-01 . Brookings . en-US.
  37. News: O'Harrow . Robert Jr. . January 24, 2018 . Trump's 24-year-old drug policy appointee to step down by month's end . September 14, 2019 . The Washington Post.
  38. News: Mufson . Steven . Interior secretary extends the tenure of federal lands chief — without a presidential nomination . January 14, 2020 . The Washington Post.
  39. Web site: November 15, 2020 . Judge: DHS head didn't have authority to suspend DACA . December 28, 2020 . Associated Press.
  40. News: Goldman . Adam . April 23, 2015 . Petraeus pleads guilty to mishandling classified material, will face probation . April 12, 2018 . The Washington Post.
  41. News: Greenhouse . Steven . May 27, 2012 . Labor Board Member Resigns Over Leak to G.O.P. Allies . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20170108185926/http://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/28/business/gop-labor-board-member-terence-flynn-quits-over-leak.html . January 8, 2017 . The New York Times.
  42. News: Korte . Gregory . August 10, 2015 . White House aide arrested for assault . USA Today.
  43. News: Courson . Paul . April 3, 2012 . GSA chief gone, but fallout continues in wake of lavish convention expense . https://web.archive.org/web/20130117104520/http://articles.cnn.com/2012-04-03/politics/politics_gsa-fallout_1_gsa-employees-training-conference-gsa-inspector?_s=PM%3APOLITICS . January 17, 2013 . CNN.
  44. News: Glass . Andrew . June 5, 2018 . ‘Scooter’ Libby sentenced to federal prison, June 5, 2007 . Politico.
  45. News: June 20, 2006 . Former White House Official Convicted in Abramoff Case . NPR.
  46. Web site: Schmitt . Richard B. . 2007-03-24 . Griles guilty in Abramoff case . 2024-08-03 . Los Angeles Times . en-US.
  47. Web site: 2011-02-11 . Convictions In The Abramoff Corruption Probe - CBS News . 2024-08-03 . www.cbsnews.com . en-US.
  48. News: Heer . Jeet . April 4, 2017 . The Scary Power of Nepotism in Trump’s White House . 2024-08-03 . The New Republic . 0028-6583.
  49. News: Pengelly . Martin . 2024-07-11 . New York Times editorial board declares Trump ‘unfit to lead’ . 2024-08-20 . The Guardian . en-GB . 0261-3077.
  50. Web site: Qiu . Linda . October 5, 2016 . Pence's False claim that Trump 'hasn't broken' tax return promise . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20201021054205/https://www.politifact.com/factchecks/2016/oct/05/mike-pence/pences-false-claim-trump-hasnt-broken-tax-return-p/ . October 21, 2020 . April 11, 2019 . Politifact.
  51. News: Harwell . Drew . May 21, 2016 . Trump once revealed his income tax returns. They showed he didn't pay a cent. . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20160706210006/https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/trumps-income-tax-returns-once-became-public-they-showed-he-didnt-pay-a-cent/2016/05/20/ffa2f63c-1b7c-11e6-b6e0-c53b7ef63b45_story.html . July 6, 2016 . July 18, 2016 . The Washington Post.
  52. News: Blake . Aaron . December 13, 2016 . 5 things Donald Trump promised he'd do, but hasn't . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20190419104238/https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2016/12/13/5-things-donald-trump-promised-hed-do-but-hasnt/ . April 19, 2019 . April 19, 2019 . The Washington Post.
  53. Web site: Kruzel . John . May 12, 2017 . Release his tax returns after an audit is completed – Trump-O-Meter: Broken . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20190411080402/https://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/promises/trumpometer/promise/1421/release-his-tax-returns-after-audit-completed/ . April 11, 2019 . April 11, 2019 . Politifact.
  54. News: Edelman . Adam . September 28, 2020 . Speaker Pelosi says Trump's taxes reveal 'national security' issue . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20200928210217/https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2020-election/speaker-pelosi-says-trump-s-taxes-reveal-national-security-issue-n1241255 . September 28, 2020 . 28 September 2020 . NBC News.