the
>former is without the Possessive case? It probably should be "The decision by
>former Trump's campaign official Rick Gates to plead guilty...."

Actually, if you change it from "former Trump campaign official" to
"Trump's former campaign official," the possessive is correct.  I am not
certain what the rule is there, but that is how we were taught.

That said, there may be some other rule that makes "former Trump campaign
official" incorrect English, too.  :)  But I have never seen a possessive
used when a sentence is phrased in that manner.

Mike

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 þ SLMR 2.1a þ ...a host of holy horrors to direct our aimless dance...