>>> AS PRESIDENT BIDEN AND HIS
ADMINISTRATION FACE THE DAUNTING
TASK OF REPAIRING AND RESTORING
AMERICA’S ROLE ON THE WORLD
STAGE, THEY ALSO NEED TO DEAL
WITH THIS.
THE GROWING THREAT INSIDE THE
MILITARY RANKS WITH THE PENTAGON
ORDERING A PAUSE FOR EACH BRANCH
TO REASSESS ON HOW TO DEAL WITH
THE THREAT OF RIGHT-WING
EXTREMISM.
REPORTING FROM ROLL CALL SHOWS
THE INROADS WHITE SUPREMACIST
AND OTHER EXTREMIST GROUPS MADE
IN THE MILITARY AND IT MAY BE
DEEPER THAN PREVIOUSLY THOUGHT.
JOINING OUR CONVERSATION, MSNBC
MILITARY ANALYST AND RETIRED
FOUR STAR GENERAL, McCAFFREY AND
THEN A RETIRED COLONEL IN THE
ARMY RESERVES.
CONGRESSMAN, I START WITH YOU.
I’M ALWAYS STARTLED WHEN I SEE
THIS REPORTING.
GENERAL McCAFFREY REMINDS ME
IT’S A SLIVER BUT BECAUSE OF THE
IMPORTANCE OUR MILITARY PLAYS,
NOT JUST HERE BUT AROUND THE
WORLD, IT SEEMS LIKE SOMETHING
THEY’RE CORRECT TO BE ON TOP OF.
HAVE YOU HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH THE NEW DEFENSE SECRETARY AND
THE NEW DEFENSE SECRETARY AND
WHAT DO YOU UNDERSTAND TO BE THE
APPROACH?
>> YEAH, FIRST OF ALL, NICOLLE,
THANKS FOR HAVING ME ON AND
COVERING THIS IMPORTANT ISSUE.
AND YES, I’VE HAD A CONVERSATION
WITH SECRETARY AUSTIN PRIOR TO
HIS CONFIRMATION.
I’VE HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH
ALMOST ALL OF THE SERVICE CHIEFS
AND IN EVERY ONE OF THOSE
CONVERSATIONS, WE TALKED ABOUT
THE RISE OF WHITE SUPREMACY AND
THE RANKS.
AND WHILE IT MAY BE A SLIVER,
IT’S A VERY DANGEROUS ELEMENT.
IT’S DANGEROUS NOT ONLY FOR OUR
MILITARY, FOR UNIT COHESION AND
READINESS AND MORALE BUT AS WE
SAW ON JANUARY 6th, DURING THAT
INSURRECTION AT THE CAPITOL
WHERE ONE IN FIVE OF THE PEOPLE
WHO WERE ARRESTED ARE EITHER
CURRENT OR FORMER MEMBERS OF THE
MILITARY, THAT IS A DANGEROUS
SLIVER THAT IS GROWING IN THE
MILITARY.
WE’VE KNOWN THIS FOR A WHILE.
THE RED FLAGS HAVE BEEN THERE.
I’VE INTRODUCED A NUMBER OF
MEASURES IN CONGRESS TO TRY TO
GET AFTER THE PROBLEM.
WE’VE GOT A LOT OF WORK TO DO.
>> CONGRESSMAN, WE KNOW THAT THE
MILITIA GROUPS NOW KNOWN TO HAVE
BEEN INVOLVED, THE OATH KEEPERS,
THE PROUD BOYS, THE CENTERS NOW
KNOWN TO PARTICIPATE IN THE
INSURRECTION, WE KNOW THEY
RECRUIT HEAVILY FROM FORMER
MILITARY.
LET ME READ YOU A LITTLE BIT OF
THIS REPORTING FROM ROLL CALL IN
CASE PEOPLE CAN’T FATHOM WHAT IT
MIGHT LOOK LIKE.
A SOLDIER IN THE FLORIDA
NATIONAL GUARD WHO CO-FOUNDED A
MURDEROUS FASCIST GROUP WAS
CHATTING WITH THE FELLOW WHITE
SUPREMACIST IN THE EXTREME IRON
FORUM.
THE GUARD MEMBER SAID HE FELT
FREE TO BE A NEO-NAZI IN THE
U.S. ARMY.
ARE YOU WORRIED AT ALL ABOUT
BEING FOUND BY YOUR MATES OR
SOMEONE, NOW BEING IN THE U.S.?
TO THAT, THE SOLDIER REPLIED,
QUOTE, I WAS 100% OPEN ABOUT
EVERYTHING WITH THE FRIENDS I
MADE AT TRAINING.
THEY KNOW ALL ABOUT IT.
THEY LOVE ME TOO BECAUSE I’M A
FUNNY GUY.
NOW, NOT TO INCRIMINATE ANY OF
THIS WHITE SUPREMACIST FRIENDS,
BUT CLEARLY, WHAT HE REPORTED
OUT IS DAMAGING IN AND OF
ITSELF, CONGRESSMAN.
>> I THINK THAT’S WHY IT’S
REALLY IMPORTANT THAT SECRETARY
AUSTIN ORDERED THE STANDDOWN
OVER THE COURSE OF THE NEXT 60
DAYS.
THAT’S NOT A MEASURE, AND I’M
SURE GENERAL McCAFFREY WOULD
AGREE IS TAKEN LIGHTLY OR
FREQUENTLY.
YOU OFTEN SEE STANDDOWNS WHEN
YOU HAVE MAJOR PROBLEMS LIKE
SERIES OF CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR OR
ACCIDENTS THAT USUALLY LEAD TO
DEATH IN THE RANKS.
SO SECRETARY AUSTIN SAYING, HEY,
STAND DOWN, I WANT COMMANDERS
INVOLVED.
WE’VE GOT TO TALK ABOUT VALUES.
WE’VE GOT TO REMIND ONE ANOTHER
ABOUT THE OATH WE’VE TAKEN AND
WHY WE’RE HERE AND TALK ABOUT
WHAT KIND OF BEHAVIOR AND
AFFILIATIONS ARE UNACCEPTABLE.
I THINK IT’S AN IMPORTANT NEXT
STEP, BUT IT’S CERTAINLY NOT IN
AND OF ITSELF GOING TO ROOT OUT
EXTREMIST BEHAVIOR IN THE
MILITARY.
THE D.O.D. IS ACCESSING THE
WHITE HOUSE DATABASE.
THERE NEEDS TO BE BETTER AND
MUCH MORE THOROUGH SCREENING
WHEN WE RECRUIT AND ENLIST
PEOPLE INTO THE MILITARY AND
THAT’S TRUE FOR OFFICERS AS WELL
DURING THE COMMISSIONING PROCESS
AND THERE HAS TO BE ANNUAL OR
REGULAR MONITORING AND