While president, Donald Trump complained that military officials weren’t subservient to him in the way he perceived Adolf Hitler’s generals acted in World War II, according to an excerpt from Susan Glasser and Peter Baker’s upcoming book, “The Divider: Trump in the White House, 2017-2021.”
This excerpt was published in The New YorkerThis paints a picture about a president who was easily frustrated by military officials who refused to comply with him. Trump’s exchanges with former White House chief of staff John Kelly also suggests his lack of historical understanding.
Trump complained about Kelly’s refusal to accept criticisms of the U.S. strategy and military parades in Middle East. “You f–king generals, why can’t you be like the German generals?”
“Which generals?”Kelly was reportedly asked.
Trump’s response was, “The German generals in World War II.”
Trump protested after Kelly mentioned that the same generals had attempted to assassinate Hitler at least three times. “No, no, no, they were totally loyal to him.”
In the President’s mind, the ideal dynamic between a national leader and the commanders of the armed forces was one in which the latter followed the former’s orders without question, the book suggests. Trump seems to have only remembered Hitler and the Nazis as an example of this type of relationship.
The published excerpt explains how Trump sought to reform his staff with people who would accept his suggestions without reservation rather than argue against them. “You don’t want to hire someone who’s going to be a yes-man,”Kelly informed the former president. “I don’t give a s— anymore. I want a yes-man,”Trump apparently shot back.
This excerpt shows that Trump was initially attracted to the idea of commanding U.S. Armed Forces, but soon became frustrated by the lack of control over key military officers and decisions. Because of this frustration, Trump began to look for loyal and deferential officials.
