Trump's Presidency Fuels 'Incompetence-Corruption Singularity', Say NYT Columnists

New York Times panel discusses how Trump's leadership has led to a hollowing out of ethical and competent officials in the administration.

Published on Feb. 14, 2026

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

A New York Times panel, including columnists David French, Jamelle Bouie, and Michelle Cottle, discussed how President Donald Trump's fondness for yes-men and lack of ethical standards has created a 'incompetence-corruption singularity' in his administration. They cited the example of Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi's testimony, where she tried to dodge questions about her handling of a federal investigation into associates of convicted sex-trafficker Jeffrey Epstein. The columnists argued that Trump's leadership has led to the departure of ethical and competent officials, leaving behind those with 'ethical flexibility' who are beholden to Trump's political whims rather than upholding the law and Constitution.

Why it matters

This analysis highlights the broader implications of Trump's leadership style, which prioritizes loyalty over competence and ethics. The hollowing out of the administration's ranks with ethically-challenged officials raises concerns about the government's ability to effectively serve the public and uphold the rule of law.

The details

The New York Times columnists discussed how Trump's fondness for yes-men has created a 'Geiger counter' that identifies and promotes officials who are willing to disregard reason, logic, morality, and decency in order to carry out the President's political agenda. They cited the example of Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi, who tried to avoid questions about her handling of a federal investigation into associates of convicted sex-trafficker Jeffrey Epstein by instead talking about the Dow Jones reaching 50,000. The columnists argued that this type of behavior is emblematic of the 'ethical flexibility' Trump seeks in his administration, as he prioritizes loyalty over competence and integrity.

  • The New York Times panel discussion took place on February 14, 2026.

The players

David French

A columnist for The New York Times who participated in the panel discussion.

Jamelle Bouie

A columnist for The New York Times who participated in the panel discussion.

Michelle Cottle

A columnist for The New York Times who participated in the panel discussion.

Pam Bondi

The former Attorney General of Florida who was cited as an example of an ethically-challenged official in the Trump administration.

Jeffrey Epstein

The convicted sex-trafficker whose associates were the subject of a federal investigation that Pam Bondi was accused of mishandling.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“The most telling moment [in her testimony] was when she tried to stop questioning about Epstein, which was ostensibly the subject of the testimony, by saying the Dow was at 50,000 … which is about as relevant as saying, 'Why are we talking about Epstein when the Knicks won last night?'”

— David French, Columnist (The New York Times)

“Pam Bondi, [who is] not known for running a clean A.G. office in Florida, right? She's not known for being a super scrupulous person. So, she's primed to do exactly what Trump wants her to do.”

— Jamelle Bouie, Columnist (The New York Times)

“The practical purpose is that when you're asking the attorney general to do things like prosecute members of Congress, or asking the attorney general to do things like investigate the partners of people killed by your government — as was the case after Renee Good was killed — what will happen is that the good faith, highly competent, patriotic prosecutors that work for you will quit.”

— Jamelle Bouie, Columnist (The New York Times)

“Well, you do wind up with this cycle where … people who have a moral core or who have a respect for our kind of government and the Constitution [leave]. And then the Trump administration continues its hiring of people who, let's just say, have a certain ethical flexibility, and whose guiding star is the political whims of an autocratic leader, as opposed to any kind of actual values.”

— Michelle Cottle, Opinion Writer (The New York Times)

“I mean, the incompetence that we're dealing with here, it's not just corruption — it's corruption plus staggering levels of incompetence. And when you combined them all, you reach almost the incompetence-corruption singularity, with the effort to indict the six Democratic members of Congress. I mean, that was impeachable stuff. That is absolutely impeachable stuff. It's not just a direct attack on a competing branch of government. It's also a direct attack on free speech, just basic free speech. I mean, this is about as core of speech as you can imagine.”

— David French, Columnist (The New York Times)

What’s next

The New York Times panel discussion highlighted the broader implications of Trump's leadership style and the need for further investigation and oversight of the administration's actions.

The takeaway

This analysis underscores the corrosive effects of Trump's preference for loyalty over competence and ethics, which has led to the hollowing out of the administration's ranks with ethically-challenged officials who are more beholden to the President's political whims than to upholding the rule of law and the Constitution.