White House tries to walk back Trump attack on Pentagon chiefs as beholden to arms dealers
Source: ABC News
White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows on Tuesday tried to walk back an attack from President Donald Trump on the nation's military leaders in which he claimed "the top people in the Pentagon" aren't happy with him because he wants to get the U.S. out of wars while they are beholden to arms dealers.
Meadows told White House reporters Tuesday morning that he had spoken with Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Mark Milley, Secretary of Defense Mark Esper and other top officials, claiming they know Trump's striking comments Monday weren't aimed at them.
"Those comments are not directed specifically at them as much as it is what we all know happens in Washington, D.C. This president is consistent about one thing, if we're going to send our sons and daughters abroad to fight on our behalf, he's not going to let some lobbyists here in Washington, D.C., just because they want a new defense contract, suggest that they need to stay abroad one minute longer than they should," he said.
"That comment was more directed about the military industrial complex," Meadows continued, adding that no other president has been as good as Trump at giving "the equipment to our military men and women that need it."
Read more: https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/white-house-walks-back-trump-attack-pentagon-chiefs/story?id=72877389&cid=clicksource_4380645_1_heads_hero_live_hero_hed
(Mark Esper is a former defense industry lobbyist for Raytheon.)
EarlG
(21,974 posts)when Trump said "the top people in the Pentagon," he wasn't talking about them.
Qutzupalotl
(14,335 posts)mr_lebowski
(33,643 posts)So of course he's furiously trying to walk it back.
People like Esper are in fact exactly who this should have been directed at.
nitpicker
(7,153 posts)LOTS of O-6s and above retire and go through the revolving door into a defense industry job.
Cicada
(4,533 posts)Trump pushed arm sales to Saudi after they murdered Khasshogi.
Trump is the corrupt one.
Cha
(297,799 posts)Make7
(8,543 posts)Mr. Meadows, I'm not sure if giving the Military-Industrial-Complex more money is going to diminish their influence.
orwell
(7,776 posts)...me or your own lyin' eyes and ears.
All aboard the Gaslight Express!
Grins
(7,239 posts)We werent talking about YOU WAR PROFITEERS. It was THOSE war profiteers, waaaaaay over there...
Lock him up.
(6,946 posts)Why don't reporters go ask the orange feces what he meant by "at the top of the Pentagon" exactly?
Oh... Ok, we know. As soon as they ask him any question, he doesn't answer, then changes the subject, etc.