After Donald Trump made a promise to “drain” the swamp, Donald Trump ended his presidency by revoking his own rule that was intended to prevent White House staff from lobbying.
Shortly after taking office, Trump signed an executive order banning nominees for five years for lobbying activities related to their agency, in addition to a lifelong ban on lobbying for a foreign government. Every Trump appointment had to sign a pledge that agreed to the rules. But at one last minute early on Wednesday, Trump reversed the order and allowed the revolving door in Washington to continue to swing.
When Trump signed his executive order in 2017 with great fanfare, he joked that some of his assistants “would not be able to go to work” after leaving his administration. But the reversal of Trump’s executive order on the last day in office appears to be some relief from his staff after appointments made it difficult to find work in a democratic capital.