By Heather Timmons and Gabriella Borter

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – As President-elect Donald Trump’s new Cabinet prepares for financial disclosures, the top U.S. ethics official faces intense scrutiny.

David Huitema, who was sworn in on Dec. 16, highlighted his readiness to collaborate with the transition team ahead of the inauguration on Jan. 20. Experts suggest that the director of the Office of Government Ethics (OGE) is always under the microscope during a presidential transition, but Huitema’s role comes with unique challenges due to Trump’s business ties and previous tumultuous ethics management.

Having served as the ethics chief at the U.S. State Department for nine years, Huitema’s main task will involve examining new Senate-vetted nominees and a multitude of political appointees for conflicts of interest. Walter Shaub, his predecessor, warned that effective compliance might lead to Huitema’s dismissal.

In his interview, Huitema emphasized the OGE’s aim: to ensure government employees act in the national interest over personal financial interests. The OGE, though small with around 75 employees, collaborates with about 4,000 ethics officials to monitor potential conflicts.

Huitema outlined immediate tasks including nominee financial disclosures, which help assess risk factors. He stated that nominees should report financial interests within five days of their nomination to facilitate Senate confirmation processes.

He reassured that public access to these financial disclosure reports allows citizen oversight in identifying conflicts. Huitema explained that while discovering conflicts on disclosed forms is crucial, the real issue arises when a federal employee’s work conflicts with their financial interests, which may prompt Department of Justice prosecutions.

Drawing from his prior experience, he noted the most government employees, regardless of their tenure, wish to adhere to the law and maintain integrity. He interpreted ethics education as vital in combatting growing distrust in government.

Furthermore, Huitema stated that while ethics rules are precise, many misconceptions exist regarding compliance. He responded to inquiries about financial interests that do not typically signal substantial red flags and discussed the challenges of instilling a different ethical perspective among those transitioning from the private sector.

Lastly, he acknowledged that while the president can grant waivers from conflict of interest laws, these must be communicated to the OGE, emphasizing the importance of oversight in ethics enforcement.