Rogers is first and foremost a polished squid with a lifetime in Naval Intelligence. He's always going to come off looking like a pro calm cool and collected. Things get slimy when you get up that high in the IC, and he made a bad judgement call, because I really don't think people fully understand the Clinton Mafia and how powerful they are.
The Bush's and the Clinton's run pretty deep in DC. People act like Barry was a real threat, and maybe in a way he was, but Barry Soltero was a puppet to the big machine. Hillary wasn't going to walk into the WH with just being the first lady on her resume, so she ran for the Senate where she new she could buy the seat and hold it without worry until they could build their warchest and she could get them back in power. Barry threw a wrench in her plans but you can be rest assured she was told she was next, so she got the next best thing and kept the part in power and the money flowing.
Trump came in a wrecked the place and caught them all off guard. Rogers knew the best way to survive was come clean with the new POTUS elect and come in bearing gifts. That's the only move he had left. DJT and company were rookies in DC and were looking for any loyalty that had boots on the ground in the swamp they could get. Priebus was a disastrous CoS choice. Had the POTUS chosen Kelly upfront things would be way different right now, in the West Wing. The homeboys from the campaign weren't ready for the Potomac Two Step.
But DJT has been building in Manhattan for years. You don't operate as a builder on that island and in NJ without dealing with some seriously connected people. The mob runs everything, and when is the last time you ever saw the unions turn their backs on the Dems since Joe Kennedy sold his soul to put his kid in the WH? DJT may be a lot of things, but he's not stupid and he's greased a lot of palms in NYC including politicians and "family" members. He was the one person that could withstand the headwinds and the corrupt system and win. Ted Cruz would have been eaten alive.
Never take a hostage you aren't willing to shoot,
Remember, America doesn’t negotiate with terrorists.
Code 7 10-42