General McMaster's searing portrayal of the Trump Administration's inner workings
In his explosive narrative of his time within Trump's presidential cabin, McMaster labeled the Oval Office gatherings as "competitive flattery sessions," where advisors would kiss Trump's ring by stating things like, "Your judgments are always on point," or "The media has never treated anyone as terribly as you." On the flip side, Trump would spout off "ridiculous" statements such as, "Why don't we just bomb the drug dealers?" in Mexico, or "Why don't we wipe out the entire North Korean military during their show parades?"
McMaster's publication, concentrating on Trump's command leadership, is particularly poignant at a time when people start to deeply scrutinize whether Trump or Vice President Kamala Harris would excel as commander-in-chief.
During her acceptance speech for the presidential nomination at the Democratic National Convention, Harris aimed to showcase her national security experience. She brought up the Gaza conflict, declaring as future president, she would uphold the American alliance with Israel to assure its defense capability. Harris also expressed that the Palestinians deserved "dignity, security, freedom, and self-determination." Harris endeavored to walk a tightrope between those strongly against the conflict (much of them in her own party) and those who wholeheartedly support Israel.
McMaster exceedingly delves into Trump's foreign policy techniques and, much like his predecessor in that role, John Bolton who harshly criticized Trump in a 2020 book, McMaster's account will likely not ease US allies' apprehensions regarding a second Trump term.
Besides being a highly decorated war hero, McMaster also boasts a doctorate in history. His earlier book, "Dereliction of Duty: Johnson, McNamara, the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and the Lies that Led to Vietnam," documented the sordid history of how top American generals only echoed what Johnson wanted to hear about the Vietnam War, rather than offering their honest military evaluations about the war's status and policy options.
McMaster didn't intend to repeat the same mistake after Trump appointed him as national security advisor in February 2017. In his memoir, he explains, "Knowing that I had a duty to execute, I would have to share with Trump what he wouldn't want to hear." This explains why McMaster only held onto the job for about a year.
Russia was a tender subject for Trump, and McMaster perceptively observes, "I hoped that Trump could distinguish the matter of Russian election interference from the validity of his presidency. He could have said, 'Yes, they interfered in the election. But Russia does not care who wins our elections. What they seek is to sow discord among Americans...' However, McMaster notes that the fragility of Trump's ego and "his profound sense of grievance" would never allow him to draw such a distinction.
McMaster felt it his "duty" to remind Trump that Putin was not – and never would be – his friend. McMaster warned Trump that Putin is "the best liar in the world" and would manipulate him with "ambiguous promises of a 'better relationship.'"
The final straw appears to have been when McMaster publicly stated at the Munich Security Forum on February 17, 2018, that the indictment of a group of Russian intelligence officers for interfering in the 2016 U.S. presidential election was "unequivocal" proof of Russian meddling in that election.
Subsequently, Trump lashed out on Twitter, "General McMaster forgot to mention that the results of the 2016 election were not influenced or altered by the Russians..." Once the commander-in-chief began publicly reprimanding him on Twitter, it was clear that McMaster would not remain in the White House for much longer.
McMaster's representation of the Trump team is by no means flattering. Steve Bannon, Trump's "chief strategist" in the early presidency, was depicted as a "sycophantic court jester" who fueled Trump's anxiety and sense of persecution with stories about who was out to get him and what he could do to "counterpunch."
Meanwhile, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and Secretary of Defense James Mattis often clashed with Trump, according to McMaster. Tillerson is portrayed as virtually unreachable to top officials in Trump's administration, while Mattis is depicted as an impediment. McMaster writes that Tillerson and Mattis saw Trump as "dangerous" and seemed to perceive their roles as if "Trump was an emergency, and anyone aiding him was an adversary." Trump even contributed to the chaos in the White House and the administration as a whole, according to McMaster, who declares that Trump "enjoyed and played a significant role in the discord present in the White House and throughout the administration."
McMaster had some disagreements with Trump on certain foreign policy matters. He listed these points as "allies, authoritarians, and Afghanistan." Trump viewed American allies as freeloaders, favored authoritarian rulers that McMaster disliked, and believed Afghanistan was a lost cause. However, McMaster believed there was a potential solution for Afghanistan and wanted a more substantial US involvement there. He also opposed Bannon's notion to hand over the Afghan war to private military contractors.
Regarding Syria and China, McMaster recognized Trump's effective decisions. Trump took swift action against Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad after the use of chemical weapons against civilians. In terms of China, McMaster praised Trump for his tough approach in the 2017 national security strategy document, which faced China for intellectual property theft and military funding.
The Capitol riot on January 6, 2021, seemed to strain Trump's relationship with McMaster. Although he had avoided direct criticism in his 2020 book "Battlegrounds: The Fight to Defend the Free World," McMaster accused Trump in his new book of prioritizing his ego over his duty to defend the Constitution after his 2020 election loss.
If there's a second Trump term, Project 2025 proposes replacing numerous career foreign service officers and intelligence officials with Trump loyalists. These loyalists would likely provide Trump with favorable assessments rather than an honest assessment of national security challenges. Despite Trump's denial, CNN found at least 140 individuals who worked for him involved in Project 2025. This project aims to replace up to 50,000 federal workers with Trump supporters.
Paraphrased:
McMaster and Trump had differing perspectives on a few foreign policy aspects. These key concerns were alliances, authoritarians, and Afghanistan. Trump perceived allies as beneficiaries and saw authoritarian rulers positively. However, Trump considered Afghanistan a lost cause while McMaster believed there was a viable path forward for the country, advocating for increased US commitment. He also opposed Bannon's idea of letting private military contractors manage the Afghan war.
On Syria and China, McMaster acknowledged Trump's smart decisions. Trump took prompt action against Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad after the chemical weapons attack on civilians. Moreover, McMaster admired Trump's challenging stance on China in the 2017 national security strategy document, condemning them for intellectual property theft and massive military funding.
January 6, 2021's Capitol riot seemed to cause a rift between McMaster and Trump. Although he refrained from direct criticism in his 2020 book "Defending the Free World: Battlegrounds," McMaster accused Trump of prioritizing his ego over defending the Constitution. Trump had failed to fulfill his obligation to uphold and defend the Constitution following his 2020 electoral loss.
If there's a second term, Project 2025 plans to substitute existing foreign service officers and intelligence officials with Trump's supporters. These supporters would offer Trump favorable opinions instead of presenting an accurate appraisal of national security challenges. Although Trump denied his association with Project 2025, CNN found at least 140 individuals who worked with him involved in the project. Project 2025 targets replacing up to 50,000 federal workers with Trump's supporters.
In light of McMaster's revelations about Trump's foreign policy decisions, discussions on politics surrounding a potential second term for Trump or Vice President Harris as commander-in-chief are becoming increasingly crucial.
Furthermore, the proposed Project 2025, which aims to replace key foreign service officers and intelligence officials with Trump loyalists, raises concerns about the objectivity of national security assessments if Trump wins another term.
