Trump’s shock-and-awe approach to transition is both shocking and awful

President-electial picks for his cabinet and other high-ranking administration positions came at a hectic pace and with a level of provocation that made heads spin.

The choices included a Fox News host, a tech billionaire, an anti-vaccine activist, an alleged apologist for Russia ’s Vladimir Putin and a congressman once embroiled in a sex-trafficking investigation.

Trump felt betrayed by officials who slow-walked or ignored directives they saw as ill-advised.

Having beaten Vice-President Kamala Harris in the 5 November election, he is determined to avoid that mistake second time around.

His blitz of announcements this week shows the premium he places on absolute loyalty.

Some have been relatively mainstream selections reassuring to the political class.

But other picks have almost seemed to be political performance art designed to goad and outrage Democrats .

Trump named Mike Huckabee , 69 , as ambassador to Israel .

Mike Huckabee has rejected a Palestinian homeland in territory occupied by Israel .

He has also denied that the West Bank , seized by Israel from Jordan in the 1967 six-day war, is under military occupation.