- Sources are accusing President Donald Trump of mishandling the Pentagon’s transition to President-elect Joe Biden amid high tensions with both Russia and Iran.
- “We need to be fully aware of the upcoming Biden administration and be prepared to deal with these very dangerous issues against NATO security,” a senior NATO official told Insider.
- Security sources are also unaffected by some of the officials leaving behind Trump.
- The NATO official said the refusal to coordinate in handing over the world’s most powerful military force jointly and responsibly would be almost conceivable. “Except it’s about 2020 and we’re talking about a selfish, irresponsible asshole known as Donald Trump.”
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The outgoing Trump administration refused to coordinate handing over the Patagon to the incoming Biden team, as well as the last-minute stacking of civilian positions with fringe national security figures, at a critical time for U.S. national security.
The two NATO officials who contacted Insider and the Obama administration’s defense official described the tense atmosphere as the US government and its allies escalated tensions with Iran throughout the Middle East over the entire deal following the Russian hacking of US government computer systems.
“So there has been a historic historical breach of the American government’s main networks, with US troops and NATO allies fighting together in Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria and East Africa, and on the anniversary of the assassination of Soleimani that Tehran has promised. Revenge,” NATO The senior official, referring to Iranian Major General Qasem Solimani, who killed the United States in a January 3 drone strike in Iraq.
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The officer criticized the key ally and told him not to identify. As the man spoke the same day, several B-52 bombers flew to the Middle East to demonstrate the power of the U.S. to thwart Iranian action.
“The refusal to coordinate the joint and responsible handing over of the world’s most powerful military force would be almost conceivable in the net events of history,” the official said. “Except it’s about 2020 and we’re talking about a selfish, irresponsible asshole known as Donald Trump.”
‘We need to have a thorough briefing of the incoming Biden administration and be prepared to deal with these very dangerous issues.’
The official said it was important that President-elect Joe Biden’s team be briefed on the “significant security situation with Iran that could erupt at any time” and that “the safest U.S. There was a lot of computer network, ”he said. Hacked by Russian spy. “
“We need to be fully aware of the upcoming Biden administration and be prepared to deal with these very dangerous issues against NATO security,” the official said.
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U.S. The Pentagon has held several meetings with Biden’s team, according to Defense Department spokesman Sue Gough. One of those briefings – on the hacking of the highest levels of the Trump administration by Russia – took place only on Wednesday, the day an inside comment was requested.
“The Biden-Harris DOD agency review team has met with combat commanders for the US Cyber Command; US European Command, which includes NATO as an agenda item; and US Central Command, which includes discussions on Iran, as well as a deputy aide.” Secretary of Defense for Europe and NATO and Russia, Ukraine and Eastern Europe. “
“Today, the DOD briefed the ART on cybersecurity. In addition, the DOD has provided the ART with a number of information papers, including requests for information and early transition books, discussing US relations with NATO and NATO member countries.”
Fear of chaos
In addition to refusing to hold transition meetings for an organization with an annual budget of more than 720 720 billion and millions of employees, Trump also fired Defense Secretary Mark Asper in November. And Trump began appointing loyalists to key positions, including civilian oversight of special operations as well as numerous technical advisory boards. Some analysts fear that Biden intends to stack the department with loyalists to interfere in the administration.
But a former Obama-era defense official – who has served in the U.S. The Department of Defense agreed to speak on condition of anonymity to discuss internal personnel matters – saying concerns should be more focused on the threat of chaos rather than the integrated fifth column behind it. By Trump to continue his policies.
“At first Trump didn’t seem to have a defense policy, so there’s no grand plan here.” “If any of these people are loyal to Trump, it’s part of the cult’s fascination, some not ideological, because there’s no ideology.”
Needless to say, last-minute appointments – including former General Anthony Tata for the top policy post in November – do not pose a risk, the former official said.
These marginal figures like Tata – who could never get to the top jobs, because [Tata’s] The Obama-era official said that if he is completely insane – he will have the opportunity to pad his resumes with a title that could help him get a consulting job later.
Separately, the source said, a general warning sign is when “you see them suddenly adopting policies or trying lock-in policies – military shortcomings, shift from air force to naval priority – these are their personal ideological goals, or they are fundamental corruption.” . Where they are pursuing last-minute policies that will benefit the past and, they hope, future defense-contractor customers. “
Trump’s under-secretary for policy has called Obama a “terrorist leader.”
The “crazy” comment is a reference to Tata’s past. Prior to chairing the defense secretary for policy, Tata kept a live Twitter feed and appeared as a guest on Fox News, often making comments that were not in fact boring. He once called President Barack Obama, a Christian, a Muslim and argued that Obama was a “terrorist leader.” He also tweeted without proof that Obama is the “Manchurian candidate” for the White House.
An Army investigation in 2007 found that a false legal document had been filed in his child-support case, in his favor. “We’ve just cleared it,” Tata told News & Observer. An offense under martial law, he also slept with two women while marrying his wife, the News & Ser Browser reported.
Before he was first proposed for a Pentagon policy job, Tata was a minor in military matters that Sen. Jim Inhoff said fellow senators did not know so much about Anthony Tata that they would consider him for a very important position at this time. According to Defense News.
Insider called on the Pentagon and Tata to respond, and Jonathan Rath Hoffman, the Department of Defense’s assistant secretary of defense, pointed out in a statement during a July 30 press briefing: He has been effective under the Secretary of Defense’s policy. “
The White House, which had previously praised Tata, had commented to the Defense Department.
Dealing with it will draw more resources and attention to the Pentagon
The former official said that given the penny-anti nature of Tata’s mistakes, the damage would be less for most from a basic policy point of view, the former official said. But dealing with it would draw attention to more important matters and resources and attention at the Pentagon that could be dangerous, the source said.
“For the merry band of Donald Trump and his idiots to have to clean up once again, that would be a half-baked mess,” the former official said. “The real risk is everything they’re not looking at or helping to prepare the bidon team because they’re chasing after personal goals at the expense of taxpayers.”
