Email to a friend who supports President Trump in every element; a "True Believer." He was a very senior officer in the military, and knows his stuff; very smart person. We went to the Defense Systems Management College together, occasionally jogged together when I was Director of the Small ICBM Contracts Directorate.
Dear Friend,
President Trump is not taking care of National Security, and I do not know why anyone would expect him to be capable to do so.
Your color coding idea for National Security briefings is interesting. It recalls our DSMC training to me. Air Force generals always liked color coding in acquisition too. ; < )
Applying that scheme must have been a challenge. It surely required a lot of reading, listening, hours of Q&A, and collaboration before, during, and after. Briefer can get the criteria wrong, overlook alternatives, have inadequate info like the particular weapons test. My SICBM Public Affairs Officer earned a medal reporting our tests were 100% successful when both tests required us to blow up missiles going astray.
What would the color code be for the briefing on the potential of aircraft flying into buildings before 9-11? It had to be coded "red" because we got surprised. What evidence, what judgement is needed to get a "green?"
How would Pearl Harbor have been color coded? Another big surprise.
President Trump scare me because he says he is "smarter" than people who have been in the business decades. That is arrogant! And it is stupid! Is this bluster for effect, like, perhaps, challenging NATO to spend more on weapons (maybe less on health care and welfare as a result?)? What effect could be expected from bluster? It's a very bad tactic, blusters, trying to bully, in the national security world. It is inexperience! Lack of knowledge. Not a "stable genius."
Words have an effect. Words have an effect. The Law of Unintended Consequences can burn us.
I have heard from three President Trump supporters who are my friends that I should ignore what President Trump says. I've seen numerous TV interviews of Trump supporters saying the same. Even the so-called "fake media" says it. This is ridiculous actually.
Are we kidding saying the world should ignore what the President of the United States says?
I asked and you responded to my question, did President Trump pick a "Deep State" National Security Team? Maybe? The entire United States National Security team disagrees with Trump's positions on every threat. Who is wrong?
How is President Trump briefed? Whose advice doe he accept? Is J. Kushner his National Security guru? I hope not. Jared knows nothing! He lied on his security clearance paperwork and said he "forgot." BS!
Why does President Trump say he knows more on Iran, ISIS, nukes in North Korea, Syria, Afghanistan, domestic terror, border security, etc. than his National Security Team?
You my friend, as a 30 year military expert, could handle the color codes and the intel details, but there's no way Donald Trump can. Donald trump is too arrogant to know what he does not know. That alone makes him an unqualified "Commander in Chief" for the United States of America.
A man who admits no flaws, says he never needs to ask for forgiveness because he has never done anything wrong, says he knows more then all the Generals, in fact he knows everything better than anybody, and claims to be a "sable genius" is a dangerous, ignorant, selfish man.
President Trump agrees with his advisors on many assessments, so why does he cherry pick what was said in the Senate?
Does Trump's National Security team need to go back to school, or does he?
"In latest attack on intelligence agencies, Trump ignores where they actually agree"
"Breaking with tradition, Trump skips president’s written intelligence report and relies on oral briefings"
What am I to think of a President who doesn't read? He thought Fredrick Douglass was alive. He tweets many foolish things. Trump reacts to Fox as though they are advisors. How does he get, and understand details, from what source? How? Why? Does he listen to his expert experienced advisors, ever?
"Presidential Intelligence Briefings: The Process Is Working. But Is Trump Listening?"
https://www.rand.org/blog/2018/02/presidential-intelligence-briefings-the-process-is.html
"Intelligence Matters"
The president has neither the background nor acuity to skimp on his regular briefings.
When President Trump lies on TV, the video tells me he lies, not the so-called "fake news," it is impossible to ignore.
"Trump Renews Attacks on US Intelligence Community for Contradicting Him"
President Trump says so many things easily proven false it is maddening. In a 1984 scenario Trump says his National Security Team, he appointed, told him "They were totally misquoted." then he says, "Thy said it was fake news." It was obvious BS. They weren't quoted, they were videoed.
"President Trump Says Intelligence Chiefs Were Misquoted"
https://www.c-span.org/video/?c4777402/president-trump-intelligence-chiefs-misquoted
President Trump is spouting BS, and I need to ignore it? Am I supposed to ignore a public thrashing of the people he selected to do a job because he doesn't really mean it? That is absurd.
Am I to believe President Trump incinerates our National Security team so he can influence them to change their assessments, their conclusions IN PUBLIC?
Trump believes embarrassing and discrediting his entire national Security apparatus, all the people who work there, will make us secure? Impossible. The Security team spoke to Congress on video. It's not fake news.
Am I to believe President Trump is so good he rates a special "filter" to translate flawed communication into something sensible?
I do not believe President Trump PUBLICLY discrediting his appointed National Security team is OK. It is stupid. He might not agree, but they actually have more information than he does.
The President is not handling National Security well by any perspective. It's not even a question we should ask given his background and work style in the realm of intelligence. He talks like his source is Netanyahu or other autocratic world leaders.
I recognize President Trump admires autocrats because his transactional methods work best with them, but I worry he is going to burn us on the security side of his deals. Example: I doubt Israeli intelligence provides the President all the intel they once provided to us.
Maybe this thing called "Deep State" is conspiring to keep as much from him as possible after he literally gave classified information to the Russian Ambassador.
Everyone agrees results matter, but President Trump's poor communications ability, and weak business track record of bankruptcies, give me a sense his "results" may be short-term smoke and mirrors.
Touting President Trump's as a good business man based on a real estate fortune helped a great deal by millions from his dad, and not being sure he is as rich as he claims, conflicts with my definition of "good" businessman I have known, or studied in business school for four years. Trump University was an outright scam.
Peace,
Frank
