Veteran journalist Bob Woodward mentioned Monday that President-elect Trump seems to be making an attempt to recreate the “imperial presidency” by choosing appointees with little related expertise to their nominated posts.
Woodward criticized Trump’s choice of Pete Hegseth for Protection Secretary, in an interview on MSNBC’s “Inside with Jen Psaki.” The previous White Home press secretary-turned-cable host requested him instantly whether or not he thinks the Fox Information host was outfitted to do the job.
“Somebody should get that job who knows the military and has had also management experience,” Woodward mentioned of Hegseth. “From what I read about him, no, he doesn’t.”
He added that he didn’t suppose Hegseth had the required administration expertise to guide the Pentagon, and he prompt Trump deliberately picked the information host with that in thoughts.
“I have known, over the reporting time I’ve had for five decades, 16 secretaries of defense, going back even before I was a reporter, Robert McNamara. And they have to know management. They have to know what the responsibility is,” Woodward said. “They have to know where the levers of power are. And in this appointee, I see none of that.”
“Now, you have to ask yourself, why wouldn’t Trump want somebody who at least has some experience? He’s trying to re-create the imperial presidency,” he continued. “He is trying to say, Ah. I can do whatever I want. It’s up to me alone.”
When Psaki responded saying, “And he doesn’t want them to have the power,” Woodward added, “He doesn’t want to share it.”
He additionally criticized Trump’s appointment of former Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard — who lately joined the Republican Occasion — to be director of nationwide intelligence. Each nominees have drawn scrutiny in latest days. Whereas information has surfaced that Hegseth was investigated as a part of a 2017 sexual assault incident, Gabbard’s Russia-aligned positions have generated concern throughout the political spectrum as nicely.
“Well, what’s the goal? What’s the purpose? You know, there are all kinds of people with various political persuasions who have enough experience to run the Pentagon, but he picks someone who isn’t even near it, and you have to say, ‘What is the goal?’” Woodward replied, when requested about Gabbard.
“Having written three books on Trump, spent hours with him, the goal is to give him all the say, all the power,” he continued, including, “Why would you like anyone who would not know what they’re doing? Examine engine mild has simply gone off, and we pulled into the flawed retailer.”
“Makes no sense, and it is a form of giving his middle finger to the American people,” Woodward mentioned.
