CNN has reported that Pentagon officials are already wargaming their plans for Trump’s second presidency. If Trump issues “controversial” orders, the Department of Defense may have a plan in place to thwart him. This would include the possibilities that Trump would deploy U.S. troops domestically or “fire large swaths of apolitical staffers.” Glenn points out how misleading CNN’s reporting on this is and asks, why is the Pentagon “having secret meanings wargaming what they’ll do against Donald Trump … All of those people should be fired.”
Transcript
Below is a rush transcript that may contain errors
GLENN: So listen to this from CNN. Pentagon officials are holding informal discussions about how the Department of Defense would respond if Donald Trump issues orders to deploy active duty troops domestically. He's not going to do that. He might call out the National Guard. With the permission of the state.
The governor.
I mean, that's what he did last time.
And fire large swaths of apolitical staffers. Well, I think -- I think he could do that. I could see that happening. Trump has suggested, he would be open to using active duty forces for domestic law enforcement. He's talking in case of mass riots all over the country.
And mass deportations. Wait a minute. Why is the Pentagon involved in mass deportations. What?
Why are they discussing this? He's indicated they want to stack the federal government with loyalists and clean out the corrupt actors in the national security establishment.
(applauding)
I don't know about you, I'm for non-corrupt actors. You know, to be in our government. Corrupt actors, to be nowhere in our government. Trump in his last term, had a fraught relationship with much of his senior military leadership, including now retired General Mark Milley, who took steps to limit Trump's ability to use nuclear weapons while he was chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. First of all, let me just say this, if you are worried at all about Donald Trump using nuclear weapons, you haven't heard a thing he said.
Second, you need to read Nuclear War by -- what's her name, Stu?
Annie Jacobson. You need to read Nuclear War by Annie Jacobson. It is terrifying. Donald Trump has read it. Donald Trump knows it inside and out. Donald Trump has said over and over and over again.
Why is nobody talking about the use of nuclear weapons? That can never happen. There's no way to win. And it will destroy all life on the planet.
He gets the use of nuclear weapons. So why is the Pentagon trying to limit his use of nuclear weapons?
If he ever asks for the football, it is your constitutional duty to give it to him.
Now, if you think he's impaired, that's when the 25th Amendment comes in.
But no one -- this is a civilian-run military. You don't have the right to subvert the president of the United States. That's not honoring the Constitution. You have -- there's no right for you to do that.
None. None.
The cabinet can. But you can't.
In fact, in Annie Jacobson's book, it's a little terrifying, because you realize, no man can make this decision in six minutes.
And you actually have only about two, once you have all the information.
There's nobody that could -- that could make this decision, wisely and completely.
Nobody!
It should -- I mean, this is what Gorbachev and Reagan came to. They both actually looked at it.
Both talked about it and said, we'll never fight this. Because we'll both lose.
Everybody will lose.
And that's where Donald Trump is!
So thank you, Mark Milley for limit Trump's ability to use nuclear weapons.
The president-elect, meanwhile, has repeatedly called U.S. military generals woke, weak, and ineffective leader. You disagree with any of that?
Pentagon leadership: Woke, weak, and ineffective leader.
STU: Now, Glenn, I want ineffective leaders.
GLENN: Especially woke ones.
STU: I want woke -- these are things that are not always easy to figure out. But if you know who they are, you get them out of there immediately.
GLENN: It's pretty easy to figure out, with the string of successes they've given us here in the last four years.
STU: Right. He's going to find the right people to replace them. Not always easy, but certainly the goal you should be aspiring to.
GLENN: Right. And, by the way, they're saying, you can't let him do this to the military.
Excuse me? What did Biden do the first few days he got into office? He told the military to stand down, worldwide. He shut them down, so they could do a witch hunt. So they could find out, who is naughty, who is nice? Who has voted for Trump? Who says popular things for Trump? And who is on our side?
And they fired those people.
STU: There are some questions on some of this stuff, as to how far executive power reaches.
The commander-in-chief of the military indicates he has the right to do these types of things pretty clearly.
GLENN: Yes. Exactly.
And I'm sorry. The mandate that he just got, also tells us, he has the right to do this.
Now, I'm not for him getting a bunch of zombies in there.
Going, yes. Donald Trump.
That's not what he's looking for.
That's not what I'm looking for.
Remember, this is a guy who doesn't want war.
My gosh, the left should be all for this guy. Anyway.
We're all preparing and planning for the worst-case scenario. But the reality is, we don't know how this is going to play out yet.
They are war gaming the next president of the United States.
Think about that!
The Pentagon is having secret meetings, war gaming what they will do against Donald Trump.
That just in and of itself, all of those people should be fired. Troops are compelled by law, to disobey unlawful orders.
Yes! I remind the troops all the time. Every time I'm with troops. I always say, thank you for your service. Blah, blah, blah. Remember, you serve the Constitution.
Not a man. The Constitution. And I stand by that today. Even with Donald Trump getting in.
STU: Of course.
GLENN: You honor the Constitution.
Troops are compelled by law to disobey. But the question is, what happens then?
Do we see resignations from senior military leaders, or will they view that as abandoning their people?
I don't think your people -- nobody -- nobody that I know, that's down -- the fighting men and women. Nobody thinks that the people at the very top, are their people.
They just don't. Those are career -- they're politicians in military outfits. That's all they are. That's all they are. And they know it.