As President Trump begins the process of implementing commitments and draining the swamp through his executive orders and legislative initiatives, he needs to clearly understand that the swamp will undoubtedly fight back.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer has already slow-rolled the confirmation process of the Presidents new cabinet.
The angry left has mobilized and encouraged protestors to attempt to create the impression that his new policies lack public support.
Even some Republicans are proving to be less than helpful. These actions were all expected. Candidate Trump got a taste of this opposition during his campaign.
What is conceivably new and maybe somewhat unexpected in terms of its scale and impact is the fourth branch of the U.S. government the bureaucracy.
Perhaps the most glaring example of the power of the bureaucracy was the decision by his acting Attorney General to refuse to defend the Presidents Executive Order on a refugee pause as new enhanced vetting protocols from seven countries were developed.
The swamp now has officially claimed its first victim of the administration, Mike Flynn. Flynn made a mistake, no doubt about it. But he fell victim to the bureaucracy that was not fond of him or his reform agenda. It collected information secretively and then leaked it to a willing and eager media.
Team Trump will soon see that this is just the tip of the iceberg. The federal bureaucracy is full of employees who do not share his world view. From Foggy Bottom to NOAA to the IRS, they have become increasingly politicized. The bureaucracy would be happy to undermine and resist. Some have already begun and it will only get worse.
President Trump must recognize this threat to his agenda. He needs to gather his team and get them on the field. The president has the ability to fill roughly 5,000 positions. While that number may seem massive, it pales in comparison to the almost three million workers in the fourth estate. Many if not most of who are committed to maintaining the status quo.