When those 50 past Republican national security officials signed a letter declaring Donald Trump a risk to the country’s security, I’m sure they thought they could hurt his chances of being elected, but they may have inadvertently helped him.
The letter signed by the “old Washington” insiders, some with service dating back to Richard Nixon, are career government people who make up the non-elected segment of the Washington establishment as opposed to Congressmen.
Trump, who has won the Republican nomination for president largely with the help of Americans who are tired with the establishment and the inefficiency of the Obama-Clinton administration, has referred to the “50” has being irrelevant, saying they are to “blame for making the world such a dangerous place.”
The “50” are worried that the gravy train for lobbyists will be derailed should Trump be elected, and are apparently willing to see Hillary Clinton elected president.
Space will not allow me to review the current positions of each member of the “50,” but I picked eight of them at random that clearly reveal how a Trump administration could slice into their expense accounts.
John B. Bellinger, III, former legal advisor to the Department of State and the National Security Council, is now a partner with Arnold & Porter’s National Security and Public International Law practice in Washington DC.
Michael Chertoff, former Secretary of Homeland Security and former assistant attorney general for DOJ’s Criminal Division, now leads The Chertoff Group, a firm offering global security services.
Gen. Michael Hayden (Ret.), former Director of the CIA and NSC, has joined The Chertoff Group as a principal.
Carla A. Hills, former U.S. Trade Representative, is currently Chairman and CEO of Hills & Company, International Consultants, which advises on global trade and investment issues.
Peter Lichtenbaum, former Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Export Administration, now advises clients on a broad array of international regulatory compliance and trade matters as a partner with Covington in Washington DC.
Tom Ridge, former Secretary of Homeland Security and assistant to the president for Homeland Security, now chairs Ridge Global, providing clients with solutions to cyber security, international security and risk management issues.
William H. Taft, IV, former Deputy Secretary of Defense and former Ambassador to NATO, is now a counsel resident of Fried Franks in Washington DC, where he counsels on international trade.
Robert Zoellick, former U.S. Trade Representative, who later became President of the World Bank, where he supported inclusive and sustainable globalization.
Regardless of the Republican administration these individuals served, they represent the revolving door, business as usual attitude that must be changed in Washington.
Where were they when the Obama-Clinton administration foreign policy was making us the laughing stock of the world? Where were they when Ben Rhodes, a creative writer and speechwriter became Obama’s key foreign policy advisor? And where were they when Hillary Clinton was putting our country at risk with her home server?
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