GOP insiders reveal 'surprising' and 'frustrating' changes in MAGA administration: 'Trump is the party'

26 January

President Donald Trump's new administration looks a lot different from his first. For starters, Trump's second administration is filled with MAGA loyalists who appear to be willing to back their leader no matter the consequences.

According to an exclusive Axios report, the difference "is surprising — even frustrating — some longtime friends in his second administration's early days with fewer leaks, a lack of exploitable rivalries, and tighter restrictions on access to him."

A lobbyist connected to the current administration told the news outlet, "There's a 'strong silo system' that has kept advocates and special interests from forum-shopping and end-running administration officials."

One major change, Axios reports, "is that White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles and other aides have clamped down on the ability of random friends and reporters to call Trump directly" — when, up until his inauguration last week — "if you had his phone number and called, Trump would answer and talk to you — and maybe even act on whatever you suggested."

But even before this change, the president has moved more quickly in the last six days than any other US president.

Marc Short, who served as chief of staff to ex-Vice President Mike Pence, told the news outlet, "Back then, he was trying to consolidate power in the Republican Party. Today, Trump is the party."

Still, a consultant who served in Trump's first administration told Axios, "There are more questions about how all this is going to work, and right now, there just aren't enough bodies to answer them."

The lobbyist familiar with Trump's camp told the news outlet, "It's a total black box. Nothing is leaking except what they want."

Axios' full report is available here.

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