Engineered Incompetence: When Power Chooses Loyalty Over Capability

Every once in a while, we witness decisions that seem so unbelievably irrational that we wonder, *What’s the real strategy here?* That’s where I found myself recently, reading about Donald Trump selecting Florida attorney Lindsey Halligan—someone with relatively little federal courtroom experience—to take on one of the most complex legal battles involving former FBI Director James Comey. It’s easy to chalk it up to a mistake or arrogance. But historian Ruth Ben-Ghiat offers something deeper and more troubling: a strategy she calls **“engineered incompetence.”**

When Incompetence Becomes a Tool

Let’s be clear: this isn’t just about bad hiring choices. Engineered incompetence, as Ben-Ghiat describes it, is an authoritarian tactic. It’s deliberate. Leaders surround themselves with unqualified but unfailingly loyal individuals—not because those people are good at their jobs, but because they won’t challenge the leader’s power. Think about that. In this view, mediocrity isn’t a defect—it’s *the point*.

Trump’s pick of Lindsey Halligan isn’t about forming the best legal team. It’s about *control*. It’s about ensuring that those orbiting him will fall on the sword before they question the mission. And when the legal stakes are as high as undermining federal institutions, sabotaging former officials, or dodging accountability, having a loyal supporter is more valuable than a seasoned litigator.

It’s Not the First Time

As a veteran, this reminds me of something I saw too many times while serving—leadership promising excellence but rewarding loyalty. I’ve seen capable people sidelined because they spoke truth to power. And I’ve seen unqualified folks climb the ranks because they knew how to say “yes, sir” and keep their mouths shut. The results? Mismanagement, low morale, wasted potential—and in some cases, tragic failures.

The same dynamic played out with Ben Carson at HUD, Betsy DeVos at Education, and countless other positions during Trump’s administration. These weren’t people chosen for their expertise. They were chosen because they could be trusted to stay in line.

Why Weaponizing Incompetence Works

The truth is, people who don’t know how to do their jobs can’t resist—they don’t pose a threat to the person at the top. They depend on him for validation, direction, and continued access to power. As disturbing as it sounds, that’s exactly what some leaders want. Loyalty blinds the inexperienced, making them perform tasks they don’t fully understand with the kind of zeal only ignorance can power.

The damage of this “strategy” ripples outward. Agencies are hollowed out. Trust in institutions declines. Justice gets political. Public service becomes a joke. And frankly, a whole generation looks at government and thinks, *Why should I believe in any of this?*

Comey, the Courts, and the Bigger Picture

James Comey, whether you agree with his decisions or not, served in a time when the FBI was thrust into the political spotlight. The idea that a minimally experienced lawyer is now positioned to go after him—essentially to rewrite that history—is more than a legal quirk. It’s part of a pattern: discredit past accountability and remake the narrative through confusion, chaos, and courtroom spectacle.

Halligan’s appointment doesn’t signal strength. It’s an extension of Trump’s long record of delegitimizing opposition through loyalists. And it’s yet another crack in the wall between credible governance and outright manipulation.

Standing for More Than Titles

I didn’t serve this country just to see it handed over to con artists and court jesters. I didn’t fight for freedom only to see justice weaponized and professionalism replaced by loyalty oaths. We’ve got to start looking at more than titles and positions. We need to ask: *Who is qualified? Who stands for integrity? Who speaks truth—even when it costs them?*

Because if we don’t, we’ll keep getting people who look the part but can’t do the job—and worse, aren’t even expected to.

This isn’t party politics—it’s about survival. Of institutions. Of principles. Of community trust.

Let’s Dare to Expect More

Engineered incompetence is dangerous not because it looks obvious—but because too many of us accept it as normal. We shake our heads and scroll past it. But we shouldn’t.

Let’s start calling out leadership that chooses loyalty over skill. Let’s talk about what real leadership looks like in our neighborhoods, our courts, and our councils. We all deserve better—our veterans, our students, our families, our future.

If this hits home for you, let it stir something. Share your story. Speak your truth. Don’t let incompetence—engineered or accidental—go unchecked.