Is President Trump draining the swamp? | The Tylt
President Trump announced he was nominating former Big Pharma executive Alex Azar to be HHS secretary. Many have criticized the president for choosing nominees that have ties to the industry they're supposed to regulate. Trump promised to "drain the swamp" on the campaign trail, but so far his cabinet picks have been swamp rats to the fullest. Others argue Trump is keeping his promise, pushing out many establishment Republicans such as Bob Corker and Jeff Flake. Is Trump draining the swamp? 🐊

President Trump announced former Big Pharma executive Alex Azar would be nominated as HHS Secretary. Azar would replace Tom Price, who resigned after he was revealed to have abused taxpayer-funded dollars on private planes.
Happy to announce, I am nominating Alex Azar to be the next HHS Secretary. He will be a star for better healthcare and lower drug prices!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 13, 2017
Many have criticized Trump for appointing nominees to regulate the very industries they have ties to. According to Lachlan Markay and Sam Stein at The Daily Beast, more than 50 percent of Trump's nominees fit this criteria. Not exactly draining the swamp.
The Daily Beast examined 341 nominations the president has made to Senate-confirmed administration positions. Of those, more than half (179) have some notable conflict of interest, according to a comprehensive review of public records. One hundred and five nominees worked in the industries that they were being tasked with regulating; 63 lobbied for, were lawyers for, or otherwise represented industry members that they were being tasked with regulating; and 11 received payments or campaign donations from members of the industry that they were being tasked with regulating.
Seth Meyers called out Trump's "drain the swamp" pledge as nothing more than an empty promise.
"Is now-President Trump draining the swamp, or stocking it with a whole bunch of new critters? [...] It seems a more accurate three-word campaign promise would have been, ‘Run! Swamp monsters!'"
But others have applauded Trump for draining the swamp. Newt Gingrich praised Trump for sticking to his promises and pushing out establishment Republicans.
"Donald Trump really is draining the swamp, and the alligators are really unhappy... This guy is actually doing what he said he would do: We're getting conservative judges nominated. We are getting regulations rolled back."After Jeff Flake and Bob Corker announced their retirement from the Senate and lambasted the president, many called this a victory for Trump, by pushing out Republicans who failed to support him.
And some blame establishment Republicans for holding back President Trump, threatening to drain them out of a job if they don't work with Trump.
Dear Mitch, Paul & GOPe in Congress,
— C3 (@C_3MAGA) November 8, 2017
We know youre playing games to obstruct Trump & really do not want to pass Tax Reform. You would rather tank the economy than let POTUS have a victory.
In 2018 we will drain the swamp.
Sincerely,
The People
Republicans were elected on the President's agenda to:
— Charlie Kirk (@charliekirk11) November 10, 2017
Drain the swamp, cut taxes, repeal Obamacare, fight special interests, and fight for the forgotten man
This is why so many people rose up & voted for the first time in 20 years for Trump
GOP congress is doing opposite
But others find Trump's actions speak volumes about his true intentions.
The Trump team built their campaign with rallying cries to ‘drain the swamp’, ‘lock up crooked Hillary’, and ‘MAGA’. The level of hypocrisy is mind numbing in light of the depth of corruption going on. Trump supporters should get a gold medal in mental gymnastics.
— Brian Krassenstein🐬 (@krassenstein) November 12, 2017
We reject Trump’s HHS nominee Alex Azar, a pharmaceutical executive who will work to undermine Medicare on behalf of corporate interests.
— Omar Vaid (@omarvaid) November 13, 2017
Fantastic Swamp Beasts and Where To Find Them: Alex Azar joins the Trump Swamp!! pic.twitter.com/lpCDaOCtAH
— #ObamaBestEver (@lordxmen2k) November 13, 2017