Dysfunction by Design: Trumpism as Administrative Doctrine

• Published date: 01 January 2021
• Author: Donald Moynihan,Alasdair Roberts
• Date: 01 January 2021
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.1111/puar.13342

152 Public Administration Review • Januar y | Fe brua ry 202 1

Dysfunction by Design: Trumpism as Administrative

Doctrine

Abstract: The administration of President Donald Trump caused widespread damage to administrative capabilities

of the American federal government. Actions of the administration can be attributed to several causes, including

character weaknesses of the President himself, the disadvantages of a political insurgent, and the challenges faced by

every president in an era of divided government. The actions of the administration also reflect a governing strategy we

categorize as Trumpism. Important elements of Trumpism will continue to have political force in the coming years.

Attempts by the Biden administration to restore administrative capabilities will be constrained by these political

realities.

Evidence for Practice

• Trumpism was a governing strategy that was associated with a distinctive approach toward the reconstruction

of federal administrative capacities.

• Trumpism revived and reinvented old strands in American political thought, such as populism, conspiracism,

isolationism, and white nationalism.

• Trumpism as an administrative doctrine included delegitimization of the public service, a politicized and

personalized management of the executive branch, a demand for loyalty over competence among public

servants, a blurring of roles between Trump and the office of the President, and a disregard for traditional

forms of accountability.

• As a means of managing public services, Trumpism could be judged a failure. Mismanagement of the

COVID pandemic likely cost Trump his re-election. However, his attacks on public service itself drew broad

support.

• While Trump is a unique political figure, elements of Trumpism will remain influential in American politics.

Attempts to reconstruct and expand federal administrative capacities will be constrained by this political

reality.

The Trump Legacy

The Trump presidency has ended. What should

specialists in public administration make of

it? An early advisor to Trump, Steve Bannon,

promised that Trump would “deconstruct the

administrative state,” and the executive establishment

of the American federal government has indeed been

badly damaged since 2017.1 The Biden administration

has signaled its intention to repair some of this

damage. But its ability to make repairs will be

limited by underlying political realities. American

politics remains polarized, and many voters still

adhere to Trump’s ideas about the role of the federal

government.

For advocates of good government, the Trump record

is appalling. Trump ignored, insulted, and dismissed

experts. He gave key posts to family members,

cronies, and amateurs. Many positions were not filled

at all. Trump stonewalled Congress and attacked

whistleblowers. He flouted the law and issued

executive orders that were arbitrary and cruel. He

endorsed crank conspiracy theories and undermined

the merit-based civil service. He assaulted the integrity

of the Justice Department and other institutions.

Good people were driven out of government. Trust in

federal agencies declined. Trump disputed the results

of a free and fair election, causing his supporters to

lose confidence in democratic processes. And the

dysfunction of the federal response to the pandemic of

2020 saw thousands of Americans die needlessly.

President Tr ump’s record results from a combination

of factors. Some decisions reflected character

deficiencies of the President himself, such as

impulsivity and vengefulness. Mistakes were made

because Trump was an insurgent, lacking experience

in government, and a strong connection to the old

Donald Moynihan Alasdair Roberts

Georgetown University University of Massachusetts Amherst

Public Administration Review,

Vol. 81, Iss. 1, pp. 152–156. © 2021 by

The American Society for Public Administration.

DOI: 10.1111/puar.13342.

Alasdair Roberts is a professor of public

policy and director of the School of Public

Policy at the University of Massachusetts

Amherst. His most recent book is Strategies

for Governing: Reinventing Public

Administration for a Dangerous Century

(Cornell University Press 2019).

Email: asroberts@umass.edu

Donald Moynihan is the McCourt Chair

at the McCourt School of Public Policy

at Georgetown University. His research

examines government performance, and

citizen experience of government.

Email: Donald.moynihan@georgetown.edu

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Stephen E. Condrey

andTonya Neaves,

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