When Donald Trump entered the White House in 2017, he came with a team of veteran Republicans, conventional politicians and celebrated generals, as well as the odd Trump ideologue or family member.

As Guardian US political correspondent Lauren Gambino explains to Michael Safi, it was often a bad fit – marked by a record churn of senior staff.

This week, as Trump again prepares a cabinet for office, he is doing things differently, valuing loyalty above all, and – from the Department of Defence to Justice to Homeland Security – nominating a series of extreme figures for his next government.

Will the Republican-controlled Senate still wave them through? And what effect will the appointments have on Trump’s four years in power if it does?