Posted on 11/01/2024 3:46:32 AM PDT by RoosterRedux
I thought this video was particularly interesting because of the discussions of how Trump actually operates in the WH and how military people like Mattis and Gen. John Kelly might have found the creative and open atmosphere confusing and unsettling.
Here's a summary (per ChatGPT):
The video transcript offers an inside perspective on working with former President Trump, challenging the notion that he is resistant to feedback or pushback.
According to the speaker, Trump welcomes input and constructive criticism, often engaging deeply with opposing views before making a final decision. His management style is described as "controlled chaos," allowing room for creative, unstructured dialogue with a variety of voices, which is uncommon in typical White House environments.
This approach led to a mix of ideologically diverse advisors, such as free-trade advocate Gary Cohn and protectionist-leaning Robert Lighthizer and Peter Navarro, especially regarding trade policy. The speaker suggests that, unlike other administrations, Trump's White House was less ideologically conformist, though conflicts arose when some advisors struggled to subordinate their views after Trump made a decision. The resignation of General Mattis is highlighted as an example: Mattis disagreed with Trump’s policy on Syria and chose to resign rather than undermine the President's directive.
The speaker respects Mattis’s decision to resign based on principle, contrasting it with others who might have undermined Trump’s authority. The discussion closes with clarification that Trump does indeed consider feedback, dispelling misconceptions that he does not take criticism well.
Since this is a short clip from a longer video, I didn’t post the entire transcript. If youse guys think the entire transcript would be helpful, let me know and I’ll post it.
I like the "controlled chaos" way of running things. I've always found that management style to be conducive to creativity. I can see why it would drive military men and bureaucrats crazy because they don't like chaos and are not often interested in creative ideas.
I made an error is describing Cliff Sims. He was Deputy Director of National Intelligence (DDNI)...not Dep. Dir. of Nat. Sec.
I would need a large supply of Red Bull.
I can deal with controlled chaos, or strict doctrine, just so long as it’s consistent. As someone who was an NCO, and someone who actually gave a crap about doing quality work to the best of my ability, I truly despise feckless, brainless, or inconsistent, direction less leadership.
Are you saying that Trump is “feckless, brainless, or inconsistent, direction less leadership”?
I can deal with controlled chaos, or strict doctrine, just so long as it’s consistent. As someone who was an NCO, and someone who actually gave a crap about doing quality work to the best of my ability, I truly despise feckless, brainless, or inconsistent, direction less leadership.
**********
Yes, I agree with you, but I as a JAG also despised leadership that wouldn’t hear dissent or see the obvious. President Trump, in seeking all the information available on a subject, makes some good decisions. His poor decisions have been his choice of craven staff members when in the Whit House. People who leaked, stabbed him in the back, played politics and got carried away with their own importance. I pray if he is elected, he will be more selective in the future.
Not at all, I’m referencing the “leadership” I have seen on the past through brain dead officers and senior NCOs during my to
E in the Air Force, and also referencing gutless management in the face of hostile, ignorant upper management in my current job.
On the subject of Donald J Trump, the fact that the he’s despised by Washington DC, and government employees at the state/local/federal levels is something that endears the man to me. The fact I voted for him again is as much of a belief in him being our best possible option right now, as it is an act of unadulterated spite towards liberals, establishment Republicans, and a glut of assorted statist ass-hats.
Gotcha. Thx.
Hahahaha...where you described that there were times Trump didn’t even seem to be listening as the arguments raged about reminded me of this hilarious story, related by Cory Lewandowski from the 2016 campaign:
There were two women in the media team of Trump’s campaign who were involved in a contentious love triangle, and things came to a head right before a campaign stop. One of the women was one of his speechwriters, I think, the other was a media person.
The speechwriter got so upset at the other woman involved with the same guy she was, that she had to leave the campaign event and didn’t see Trump give his speech. When she returned to the plane, Trump was sitting in his favorite spot they always had set up for him on the plane. It was a place where they placed a bunch of newspapers and magazines for him to read, and when he sat down, nobody would disturb him.
I guess it was his “quiet time”.
So he sits down, and the sulking speechwriter comes aboard and walks by Trump, who pauses reading asks her how she liked his speech, and without much elaboration she says she didn’t see it. Trump didn’t display much reaction, and went back to reading his newspaper, held up to hide his face.
The other woman in the love triangle boarded Trump Force One soon thereafter, and two women began to argue with each other.
The argument got louder and louder, and everyone began glancing nervously at both Trump reading his paper and the two women who were approaching the shouting stage, knowing Trump didn’t want any distractions while he read his papers.
As the spat reached a crescendo, Trump lowers the paper, peeks over the top, and yells: “Cat Fight!” And just as quickly, goes back to reading the newspaper!
(From his book: “Let Trump be Trump”)
I would like to read that book.
There are ‘Military men’ and then there are ‘Combat Solders’ for who controlled chaos is situation normal. Trump needs to look for mud on the boots of the advisers he chooses.
I just last night watched Dinesh D'Souza's EXCELLENT movie LINK: Vindicating Trump (by Dinesh D'Souza) and they make the point he is one of the funniest naturally comedic Presidents in American history.
That anecdote by Cory Lewandowski illustrates a couple of things that to me, ring true about Trump:
First, even though he is a billionaire, his grasp of humor is not much different to me than what I see from guys I know, when he dead-pans "Cat Fight!" Perhaps that comes from a lifetime of being around construction and construction workers.
Secondly, it does come spontaneously and naturally to him; he is a natural showman. Nobody wrote that for him or put it in a script!
By the way, Dinesh D'Souza put that out there to watch for free. It is HIGHLY entertaining, and very, very well done. My brother and I both enjoyed it immensely! He put skin in the game (took his own money off the table by making it free to watch before the election) and I both admire and respect him for that. EVERYONE should watch it.
I was told that was one of the reasons John Kelly was so incensed with Trump is that he wanted to meet with enlisted men in Afghanistan (with no officers around) to find out what THEY thought about the state of affairs.
Kelly didn’t like that. And I know why.
My experience has been that if you put any enlisted man (or their civilian counterpart) in a situation where they can speak freely to the big cheese without fear of reprisal, you will get an honest appraisal of affairs.
Not an appraisal from a Perfumed Prince who is interested in promotion or toeing the line his superiors drew for him.
My experience has been that if you put any enlisted man (or their civilian counterpart) in a situation where they can speak freely to the big cheese without fear of reprisal, you will get an honest appraisal of affairs.
“It’s a Cluster-____, Sir!”
Because, as you say-they will tell you if they know they won't be hung out to dry. Or even, sometimes, if they know they will.
It reminds me of the story about a general who landed at Thule AFB at night in his command plane, and the temperature was well below zero. He was impatient, as Generals often are, and when the plane sat on the runway without moving for 15 minutes, he went up to the cockpit to find out what was going on.
He was enraged when the pilot told him they had to hold there for a truck to come out to pump out the contents of the toilet before they could move the plane.
He got out of the plane, and as he fumed, pacing back and forth, he saw a truck drive slowly over, park near the tail of the plane, and a man in a parka got out and with deliberate and slow motions, began the process of hooking a tube up to the plane to empty the toilet.
Enraged and impatient, he stormed back and berated the lowly enlisted man for being so slow, and told him he was going to report him to his commanding officer.
The man, peering at the General from his fur-lined parka hood said laconically:
"Sir. I am stationed at Thule. It is after midnight, it is forty degrees below zero, and I am pumping shit out of a plane. What do think they will do to punish me that could be worse than this?"
Love that book, “Let Trump be Trump.”
I may have to read it again...:)
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