Veteran journalist Bob Woodward said Monday that President-elect Trump appears to be trying to recreate an “imperial presidency” by appointing people with little relevant experience for the appointed positions.
In an interview on MSNBC's “Inside with Jen Psaki,” Woodward criticized President Trump's choice of Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, a former White House press secretary turned cable host. He directly asked Fox News hosts whether they thought they were capable of doing the job. .
Mr. Woodward said of Mr. Hegseth, “The position should be someone who is familiar with the military and has management experience.” “From what I've read about him, no, he's not.”
He added that he didn't think Hegseth had the management experience needed to lead the Pentagon, and suggested that Trump may have intentionally chosen the news host with that in mind.
“I've known 16 secretaries of defense in my 50 years of reporting, even before I was a reporter named Robert McNamara. And they have to know management. “They have to know what their responsibilities are. You have to know where the levers of power are,” Woodward said. And I don't see any of that in this appointee. ”
“Now, the question you have to ask yourself is, why doesn't Mr. Trump want someone with at least some experience? He's trying to recreate an imperial presidency,” he continued. I'm trying to say, “Oh, I can do whatever I want. It's up to me alone.''
When Psaki responded, “And he doesn't want them to have power,” Woodward added, “He doesn't want to share it.”
He also criticized President Trump's appointment of former Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (R-Hawaii) as Director of National Intelligence. Both candidates have been under intense scrutiny in recent days. While news has emerged that Hegseth was being investigated as part of a 2017 sexual assault case, Gabbard's pro-Russia stance is also raising concerns across the political spectrum.
“So what are the goals? What are the objectives? You know, there are all kinds of people with enough experience and different political persuasions to run the Department of Defense, but he “You're picking someone who's not even there, so you have to say, 'What's the goal?'” Woodward responded. , when asked about Gabbard.
“I've written three books about Trump and spent many hours with him, and my goal is to give Trump all the voice and power,” she continued, “why I'm doing what I'm doing. Are you asking for someone you don't know? I just went into the wrong store because the check engine light went off.
“It makes no sense. It's like giving the middle finger to the American people,” Woodward said.
