Except that rejection of expertise has been building, right? To the point that people were decrying the bureaucrats as unelected, wanting to tear it all down, and here we are.

I don't think department heads were particularly technocratic, either. That was more supported by the laws/customs protecting the actual workers who didn't lose their jobs every administration. The heads were political - just political with an eye towards getting appointed/confirmed, rather than popularly elected.