IT’S BACKFIRING FOR HIM WHEN IT
COMES TO COVID RELIEF AND ALSO
TO THE NDAA.
ON THE SUBJECT OF THE
TRANSITION, I KNOW DONALD
TRUMP’S REFUSING TO CONCEDE THE
ELECTION BUT A TRANSITION IS
STILL MOVING FORWARD.
IT WAS DELAYED TO BEGIN WITH,
BUT NOW JOE BIDEN IS SAYING IT’S
NOT GOING AS SMOOTHLY AS IT
SHOULD.
TODAY HE SAYS HE’S MEETING SOME
POLITICAL RESISTANCE WITHIN THE
PENTAGON, CLINT WATTS, AND ALSO
WITHIN THE OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT
AND BUDGET.
HE ALSO SAID THIS ABOUT HIS
CONCERN ABOUT WHERE THE AGENCIES
CURRENTLY STAND AND HOW THEY
HAVE BEEN DISMANTLED OVER THE
PAST FOUR YEARS.
TAKE A LISTEN.
>> THE TRUTH IS MANY OF THE
AGENCIES THAT ARE CRITICAL TO
OUR SECURITY HAVE INCURRED
ENORMOUS DAMAGE.
MANY OF THEM HAVE BEEN HOLLOWED
OUT IN PERSONNEL, CAPACITY AND
IN MORALE.
IN THE POLICY PROCESSES HAVE
ATROPHIED OR HAVE BEEN SIDE
LINED.
IN THE DESPAIR OF OUR ALLIANCES
AND THE DISREPAIR OF THOSE
ALLIANCES.
>> TWO PART QUESTION.
CLINT, FIRST PART IF JOE BIDEN’S
NOT GETTING THE FULL PICTURE OF
WHERE WE STAND WITH OUR NATIONAL
SECURITY FROM THE PENTAGON WHAT
IS AT RISK, NUMBER ONE?
AND NUMBER TWO, IN ORDER TO
OVERCOME THAT AND THEN ALSO TO
REBUILD AGENCIES, WHAT IS JOE
BIDEN GOING TO NEED TO DO?
>> I THINK ON THE FIRST THING,
KATEY, THAT WE SHOULD NOTE IS
THERE MAY NOT BE A PICTURE.
MEANING WE DON’T ACTUALLY KNOW
WHAT’S GOING ON IN A LOT OF
THESE.
IF YOU LOOK AT THE TURNOVER, THE
NUMBER OF FIRINGS, THE NUMBER OF
RESIGNATIONS, THE NUMBER OF
PEOPLE CURRENTLY ON VACATION, I
THINK PART OF THE PROBLEM WITH
THE WHOLE BATON HAND-OFF IS
THERE’S NO ONE HANDING THE BATON
OFF BECAUSE THERE’S NO BATON IN
SOMEPLACE.
THIS HAS BEEN PRETTY CONSISTENT
WHETHER IT’S DEPARTMENT OF
DEFENSE, JUSTICE DEPARTMENT,
OTHER PARTS OF THE GOVERNMENT.
THERE’S SO MUCH TURMOIL THERE’S
NOT REALLY A PICTURE TO EVEN BE
GRABBED ONTO.
I THINK THAT REALLY SPEAKS TO
WHAT WILL BE THE NEXT THING.
I SEE A MAJOR LULL OVER THE NEXT
6 TO 9 MONTHS WHERE IF YOU’RE A
NEW BIDEN APPOINTEE YOU’RE
COMING INTO ANY OF THESE
AGENCIES, THERE’S NOT MUCH OF A
HAND-OFF.
YOU’VE GOT TO TAKE SEVERAL
MONTHS TO REALLY GET YOUR HANDS
AROUND WHAT IS GOING ON IN THESE
DEPARTMENTS, WHAT IS GOING ON IN
THESE STATES AND TRY TO PICK UP
AND MOVE FORWARD.
I THINK IN THE SAME POINT YOU’VE
GOT A LOT OF MID-TIERED CIVIL
SERVANTS THAT HAVE BEEN THERE
FOR FOUR YEARS THAT ARE
EXHAUSTED, THAT HAVE JUST TRIED
TO GET THROUGH ON THESE JOBS.
THEY’RE GOING TO NEED SUPPORT,
AND I THINK THEY’RE GOING TO BE
LOOKING TO THESE APPOINTEES FOR
DIRECTION.
AND WE WON’T HAVE THAT LONG.
WE’VE GOT A PANDEMIC, WE’VE GOT
RUSSIA AND CHINA.
WE’VE GOT THE IRAN SITUATION IN
THE PERSIAN GULF.
WE HAVE MAJOR PROBLEMS GOING ON
IN CYBERSPACE.
ACROSS THE BOARD WHAT YOU’RE
GOING TO SEE IS A LOT OF
CHALLENGES HITTING ALL AT ONCE
AND A LOT OF PEOPLE TRYING TO
FIGURE OUT WHAT HAS HAPPENED IN
THESE AGENCIES OVER THE LAST 3
OR 4 YEARS.
>> WHAT DO YOU THINK HE WAS TOLD
BY NATIONAL SECURITY EXPERTS IN
THIS MEETING TODAY, CLINT?
>> I THINK HE WAS JUST PROBABLY
TOLD LIKE, HEY, WE NEED TO GET
OUR HANDS AROUND WHAT THE VISION
OF AMERICA IS GOING TO BE IN THE
FUTURE.
AND MY BIGGEST CONCERN REALLY
GOING FORWARD IS THAT THE NEW
ADMINISTRATION WILL TRY TO COME
IN AND REWIND THAT IT’S 2015,
MEANING THAT WE ARE SUDDENLY
GOING TO BE ABLE TO CREATE THE
WORLD BACK IN OUR IMAGE THE WAY
WE WANTED IT TO BE COME 2016,
THAT WE’RE GOING TO LOOK AT
MAYBE REBUILDING ALLIANCES.
BUT I THINK WITH OUR PARTNERS
AROUND THE WORLD, THEY WATCH
WHAT’S GOING ON TODAY.
THEY SEE PRESIDENT TRUMP, HIS
ACTIONS IN THE LAST MONTH HERE
AND WHAT WILL PROBABLY CONTINUE
POST-INAUGURATION.
AND THEY PROBABLY LOOK AT THE
U.S. AND SAY, HEY, IT’S A 50-50
CHANCE WE’LL HAVE PRESIDENT
TRUMP 2024, PRESIDENT TRUMP, JR.
OR A TRUMP ACOLYTE THAT WILL
SURFACE IN FOUR YEARS, AND DO WE
REALLY WANT TO BUILD THESE
ALLIANCES AGAIN?
IT’S GOING TO BE A TOUGH ROAD TO
GO IN TERMS OF NATIONAL
SECURITY.
AND WE DO NOT WANT TO BE ALONE.
IF YOU LOOK ACROSS THE BOARD
RIGHT NOW OUR ALLIES OF OLD ARE
WAVERING.
THEY’RE LOOKING AT NEW OPTIONS.
SOME OF THEM ARE TAKING ON
CHINESE TECHNOLOGY.
OTHERS ARE REACHING TO CHINA AND
OTHER COUNTRIES FOR HELP WITH
COVID.
THE U.S. HAS NOT HAD A STRONG
PLACE.
AND INSTITUTIONS LIKE NATO AND
THE UNITED NATIONS ARE FAR
WEAKER.
SO I THINK IN TERMS OF PLAYING
OUR CARDS AND REBUILDING OUR
STRENGTH WE ARE DEFINITELY
SAILING INTO THE WIND COME THIS
NEXT YEAR.
>> IN THIS RESISTANCE THAT JOE
BIDEN IS MEETING, JILL, ONE OF
THE POLITICAL APPOINTEES THAT’S
WEEK
BEING NAMED IS CASH PATEL WHO’S
THE CHIEF OF STAFF AT THE
PENTAGON.
WHO IS HE, AND WHY MIGHT HE BE
RESISTING A FULL TRANSITION,
FULL TRANSPARENCY WITH THE JOE
BIDEN TRANSITION TEAM?
>> THERE HAVE BEEN A LOT OF KIND
OF MIXED MESSAGES THAT HAVE BEEN
COMING FROM THE WHITE HOUSE AND
FROM THE PENTAGON PARTICULARLY.
NOW YOU HAVE TO GO BACK TO WHEN
THIS ALL STARTED AND OF COURSE
THE ADMINISTRATION DRAGGED ITS
FEET IN EVEN BEING WILLING TO
PARTICIPATE IN ANY TRANSITION
ACTIVITIES.
YOU HAD MESSAGES COMING DOWN
FROM POLITICAL APPOINTEES TO
AGENCIES ACROSS THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT SAYING DO NOT ENGAGE
WITH THE BIDEN PEOPLE.
IF THEY CALL, PLEASE REPORT IT
TO US.
WE DON’T WANT YOU HELPING THEM
OUT AT ALL, CREATING THAT
INITIAL DELAY THAT REALLY
ALARMED, YOU KNOW, BIDEN’S STAFF
AS THEY TRIED TO PREPARE TO BE
IN THERE ON DAY ONE.
AND PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, IN THIS
GOVERNMENT REMAIN VERY LOYAL TO
THE PRESIDENT, CASH PATEL FOR
INSTANCE IS SOMEBODY WHO GREW
VERY CLOSE TO THE PRESIDENT OVER
THE COURSE OF THE CAMPAIGN.
HE’S SOMEONE THE REPORTERS OFTEN
SAW, FOR INSTANCE, ABOARD AIR
FORCE ONE.
HE WAS SEEN AS VERY MUCH A
LOYALIST TO THE PRESIDENT.
AND, YOU KNOW, GOING TO THIS
HOLIDAY PERIOD AND AS WE GET
CLOSER AND CLOSER TO THE
TRANSITION PERIOD, THE FACT
THERE’S STILL COMPLAINTS FROM
THE BIDEN INCOMING TEAM THAT
THEY’RE NOT GETTING THE
INFORMATION THEY NEED AND
FEELING ALARMED ABOUT THIS IS
REALLY STUNNING GIVEN THAT THIS
ADMINISTRATION HAD CLAIMED IT
WAS KIND OF MOVING FORWARD AND
WILLING TO WORK WITH THESE
PEOPLE.
AND JUST TO KIND OF -- I ALWAYS
THINK OF THIS EXAMPLE AS WE TRY
TO EXPLAIN TO PEOPLE SORT OF
WHAT THE REAL LIFE RAMIFICATIONS
OF THIS ARE.
BUT ALWAYS THINK ABOUT THE 9/11
REPORT AND HOW THE DELAY IN THE
TRANSITION IN 2000 BETWEEN BUSH
AND GORE, THAT DISPUTE WAS CITED
IN THAT REPORT AS ONE OF THE
POTENTIAL REASONS WHY 9/11
HAPPENED.
BECAUSE PEOPLE WERE NOT FULLY UP
TO SPEED.
SO KIND OF THINK OF THIS IN THE
ABSTRACT OF PEOPLE NOT RECEIVING
BRIEFINGS, PEOPLE NOT KNOWING
WHAT’S HAPPENING.
BUT THERE ARE POTENTIAL REAL
LIFE CONSEQUENCES TO THIS KIND
OF FOOT DRAGGING THAT WE’RE
SEEING IN THE FINAL WEEKS OF
THIS ADMINISTRATION AS THE
PRESIDENT CONTINUES TO REFUSE TO
ACKNOWLEDGE THAT HE LOST THIS
ELECTION.
>> AND WE’RE AMIDST MULTIPLE
CRISES RIGHT NOW.
ALEXI, LET’S LOOK AHEAD TO
WEDNESDAY.
THE PRESIDENT’S HOLDING A SORT
OF RALLY I GUESS ON THE 6th.
THAT IS THE DAY OF THE
CONGRESSIONAL CERTIFICATION OF
THE ELECTORAL COLLEGE RESULTS.
THERE’S ALSO THIS LAWSUIT NOW BY
LOUIE GOMERT SAYING VICE
PRESIDENT MIKE PENCE SHOULD BE
ALLOWED, WHICH ELECTORS SHOULD
BE ALLOWED TO CAST THEIR VOTES.
HOW MUCH PRESSURE IS MIKE PENCE
FACING RIGHT NOW WHO I BELIEVE
IS CURRENTLY ON VACATION IN
COLORADO?
>> LOOK, SOURCES CLOSE TO THE
PRESIDENT WHO HAVE DISCUSSED
THIS WITH HIM TELL AXIOS THE
PRESIDENT USED PENCE DOING HIS
JOB, THE ROLE THAT HE IS
SUPPOSED TO DO ON JANUARY 6th AS
THE ULTIMATE BETRAYAL TO HIM.
HE’S TAKEN ISSUE WITH A LINCOLN
PROJECT AD THAT’S DEPICTED PENCE
AS BEING NOT BEING IN TRUMP’S
COURT ENOUGH.
WE’VE SEEN HOW HE’S REALLY KEPT
FOLKS CLOSE TO HIM WHO WANT TO
GO OUT AND BE FIGHTERS FOR HIM
ON PRESS TV AND CONFERENCES.
AND MIKE PENCE HAS BEEN SORT OF
BEEN BEHIND THE SCENES, STAYING
QUIET THROUGHOUT THIS PROCESS.
AND NOW HE’S GOT THIS JOB AGAIN
DESCRIBED AS THE ULTIMATE
BETRAYAL BECAUSE HE COULD BE THE
ONE TO CERTIFY THE ELECTION IN
FAVOR OF JOE BIDEN AND AGAINST
DONALD TRUMP.
AND THAT IS NOT SOMETHING DONALD
TRUMP CAN WRAP HIS HEAD AROUND.
FLAFGT
IN FACT, IT’S SOMETHING SOURCES
CLOSE TO THE PRESIDENT SAY HE’S
BEEN THINKING ABOUT FOR WEEKS.
HE’S THINKING ABOUT WAYS TO
MUDDY THE WATERS AND QUESTION
ELECTION RESULTS BY CLAIMING
VICTORY PREMATURELY.
SO THE PRESIDENT HAS BEEN
THINKING THROUGH DIFFERENT WAYS
NOT JUST THROUGH VICE PRESIDENT
MIKE PENCE BUT OTHERWISE HOW TO
MUDDY THE WATERS IN THIS
SITUATION, HOW TO PUT PRESSURE