H.R. McMaster on 13 months working for Trump

CBS Sunday Morning

18 Aug 202407:21

Summary

TLDRIn this in-depth interview, former National Security Advisor HR McMaster reflects on his tenure under President Trump. He discusses the challenges of serving in a White House marked by friction, competitive sycophancy, and a president who often sought flattery over advice. McMaster details Trump's disruptive approach to foreign policy, his uneasy relationship with other administration officials, and his affinity for authoritarian leaders. The interview also touches on the president's contrarian nature and the impact of his actions on the nation's security and democratic principles.

Takeaways

🏛️ HR McMaster served as National Security Adviser for President Trump for 13 months before being fired.
🤔 McMaster faced criticism and warnings from others about serving under Trump, fearing it would damage his reputation.
🔥 He describes the White House environment as highly competitive and filled with 'competitive sycophancy'.
🗣️ Trump preferred a large audience for briefings, which McMaster found ineffective for the president.
🎭 The president sought both advice and flattery, showing a penchant for adulation from his base and those around him.
🛡️ McMaster aimed to disrupt what he saw as weak foreign policies from the Obama era.
🌍 Trump's disruptive approach was evident at his first NATO Summit, where he threatened to withhold defense from countries not paying 'dues'.
🤝 Relations between McMaster, Secretary of State Tillerson, and Secretary of Defense Mattis were strained and at times difficult.
🕊️ McMaster did not view Trump as dangerous, but was uneasy about the president's affinity for authoritarian leaders.
🎲 Trump could be contrarian, often doing the opposite of what was advised if he felt everyone agreed on a course of action.
📉 The script highlights instances where Trump's actions led to the departure of senior staff, either through firing or resignation.
🗳️ McMaster does not state his voting intentions but provides insights into his experiences that may influence perceptions of a potential second Trump term.

Q & A

How many individuals served as National Security Adviser during Donald Trump's presidency?
-Four different men served as National Security Adviser during Donald Trump's presidency.
Who was one of the individuals named as National Security Adviser by President Trump?
-US Army Lieutenant General HR McMaster was named as National Security Adviser by President Trump.
What was the duration of HR McMaster's service as National Security Adviser?
-HR McMaster served as National Security Adviser for 13 months.
What was HR McMaster's perspective on his dismissal by President Trump?
-McMaster stated that he was at peace with his dismissal and did not try to keep his job by telling the president what he wanted to hear.
How did HR McMaster describe the environment in the White House during his tenure?
-McMaster described the environment as one of competitive sycophancy, with everything being amplified to a higher level.
What was McMaster's impression of President Trump's approach to the Presidential Daily Brief?
-McMaster felt the Presidential Daily Brief was not very effective for President Trump, who preferred a larger audience and seemed to enjoy the adulation.
What was HR McMaster's view on President Trump's foreign policy?
-McMaster saw many of the existing policies as in need of disruption and appreciated the president's disruptive nature.
What incident did HR McMaster describe regarding President Trump's speech at the NATO Summit?
-McMaster mentioned an incident where Trump made last-minute changes to his speech, threatening to not defend countries that didn't pay their dues, which led to an intervention by McMaster, Secretary Tillerson, and Secretary Mattis.
How did HR McMaster characterize the relationship between President Trump and other key administration officials?
-McMaster described the relationship as less than harmonious and difficult at times, with officials viewing Trump as a danger to U.S. interests and relationships internationally.
What was HR McMaster's concern regarding President Trump's affinity for authoritarian leaders?
-McMaster was uneasy about Trump's affinity for autocrats, particularly noting how Vladimir Putin would appeal to Trump's desire for flattery and skepticism about long-term military commitments.
How did HR McMaster describe President Trump's behavior when receiving advice?
-McMaster noted that Trump could be reflexively contrarian, often doing the opposite of what was advised if he felt everyone agreed on a particular course of action.
What was the context of HR McMaster's departure from the Trump administration?
-McMaster's departure came after a phone call with Turkey's President Erdogan, during which he tried to prep Trump, who found preparation tedious. McMaster decided to quit but was fired first.
What was HR McMaster's reaction to the events of January 6th, as described in the script?
-McMaster viewed the events of January 6th as an attack on the first branch of government and the peaceful transition of power, and considered it an abandonment of responsibilities to the Constitution.
What does HR McMaster suggest about a potential second Trump Administration?
-McMaster implies that history may rhyme, suggesting that his experiences in the first Trump Administration could foreshadow what might be expected in a second term.

Outlines

00:00

😖 Turmoil in the White House: McMaster's Experience

This paragraph details the challenging tenure of Lieutenant General HR McMaster as National Security Adviser under President Donald Trump. Despite warnings from detractors, McMaster took the position, only to be fired 13 months later. He describes the White House environment as excessively competitive and sycophantic, with Trump favoring flattery over advice. The president's desire for adulation and his tendency to be contrarian are highlighted, along with his affinity for authoritarian leaders, particularly Vladimir Putin. McMaster's role was to alert Trump to potential manipulations by foreign leaders. The paragraph also touches on the strained relations between Trump and his advisors, especially regarding policy decisions and international relationships.

05:09

😡 Trump's Controversial Leadership Style and Its Consequences

The second paragraph delves into Trump's leadership style, characterized by pitting people against each other, which induced significant stress among his staff. Instances of Trump's nastiness, especially when tired or feeling besieged, are mentioned, illustrating the harsh working environment. The narrative culminates in McMaster's departure, which was precipitated by a contentious phone call with Turkey's President Erdogan. Trump's demand for only positive portrayals in McMaster's future writings reflects his concern for image over substance. The paragraph concludes with McMaster's reflections on the January 6th Capitol attack, viewing it as an abandonment of constitutional responsibilities, and his cautious stance on commenting on Trump's fitness for office, suggesting that history may rhyme with a potential second term.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡National Security Adviser

The National Security Adviser is a key position in the executive branch of the U.S. government, responsible for advising the president on matters of national security and foreign policy. In the video, Lieutenant General HR McMaster served in this role for President Trump, and his experiences and challenges in the position are central to the narrative.

💡Disruptive Nature

The term 'disruptive nature' refers to a tendency to challenge the status quo and established norms, often leading to significant changes or innovations. In the context of the video, McMaster appreciated Trump's disruptive nature as it aligned with his desire to overhaul what he saw as weak foreign policies of the Obama administration.

💡Sycophancy

Sycophancy is the behavior of excessively flattering others, especially those in power, in order to gain favor. The script describes an environment of 'competitive sycophancy' in the White House, indicating that flattery was often used to gain the president's approval or attention.

💡Adulation

Adulation is extreme admiration or respect. The video mentions that President Trump had a penchant for adulation, enjoying praise and positive attention from his political base and those around him, which influenced his interactions and decision-making.

💡NATO Summit

A NATO Summit is a meeting of the leaders of NATO member countries to discuss and make decisions on military and other defense-related matters. The script recounts Trump's first NATO Summit, where his disruptive approach and last-minute speech changes were indicative of his dissatisfaction with some members' defense spending.

💡Contrarian

Being contrarian means having or showing a tendency to oppose or contradict the majority opinion or established norms. The video describes Trump as being 'reflexively contrarian,' implying that he would often take actions or positions opposite to what was advised, seemingly to assert his independence or challenge consensus.

💡Autocrats

An autocrat is a ruler with absolute power, often characterized by centralized control and limited political freedoms. The script discusses Trump's affinity for autocratic leaders, particularly Vladimir Putin, and how this relationship made McMaster uneasy due to concerns about the influence of such leaders on Trump's policies.

💡Pitting People Against Each Other

This phrase refers to a strategy of inciting conflict or competition between individuals or groups. The video suggests that Trump enjoyed creating such dynamics, which caused tension and stress among his staff, contributing to the high turnover rate of senior officials.

💡Venezuela

Venezuela is a country in South America that has been in a state of political and economic crisis. The script mentions a situation where Trump's advisors, including McMaster, had to dissuade him from discussing military options for Venezuela, highlighting the president's unpredictable and potentially volatile approach to foreign affairs.

💡January 6th

January 6th refers to the date of the attack on the U.S. Capitol by supporters of President Trump, which sought to overturn the 2020 election results. The video uses this event to reflect on Trump's responsibility and fitness for office, with McMaster expressing concern about the implications of such actions for the American democratic system.

💡Constitution

The Constitution is the supreme law of the United States, outlining the framework of the government and protecting the rights of citizens. In the video, McMaster suggests that Trump's actions leading up to the January 6th attack represented an abandonment of his responsibilities to the Constitution, raising questions about his suitability for office.

Highlights

HR McMaster served as National Security Advisor under President Trump, but faced criticism and was eventually fired after 13 months.

McMaster describes the White House under Trump as having an unprecedented level of friction and difficulty.

President Trump was said to prefer an environment of 'competitive sycophancy', seeking both advice and flattery.

McMaster was tasked with advising Trump on foreign policy, aiming to disrupt what he saw as weak policies from the Obama era.

At NATO, Trump's disruptive approach included last-minute speech changes threatening countries not meeting defense spending requirements.

McMaster, Tillerson, and Mattis had to convince Trump not to include controversial statements in his NATO speech.

Relations between McMaster, Tillerson, and Mattis were described as less than harmonious, viewing Trump as a danger to US interests.

Trump's affinity for authoritarian leaders, particularly Putin, made McMaster uneasy due to their manipulative tactics.

McMaster's role included alerting Trump to the manipulative tendencies of leaders like Putin.

Trump was described as reflexively contrarian, often making decisions in opposition to unanimous advice.

The transcript details Trump's controversial statement on not ruling out a military option for Venezuela, against advisors' counsel.

Many senior officials in the Trump administration were fired or quit, with the environment described as 'getting used up'.

Trump was known to pit people against each other, creating an environment of angst and tension.

McMaster's departure from the administration was prompted by a disagreement with Trump over a phone call with Turkey's President Erdogan.

In his farewell, Trump instructed McMaster to only write positively about him in his future book.

McMaster now works at Stanford University, observing political events including the attack on the Capitol on January 6th.

McMaster implies that Trump's actions may have abandoned his responsibilities to the Constitution, leaving it to the American people to judge his fitness for office.

The transcript suggests that history may rhyme, hinting at potential outcomes in a second Trump administration based on the first.