Trump Has Talked With 29 Different Countries but Hasn’t Talked to US State Dept. or Dept. of Defense

‘There’s Not Been Any Contact From the President-Elect’s Transition Team’ –Pentagon Spokesman

The Donald Trump transition team is under extreme criticism for the names it has leaked, primarily ones with huge conflicts f interest or ones with no relevant experience – or both – but now a growing chorus is angrily denouncing Trump’s priorities, or apparent lack thereof.

For example, an incoming president’s first meeting has historically been with leaders of England, perhaps America’s most important ally, yet Thursday afternoon Donald Trump will have his first meeting with a foreign dignitary, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. 

Trump has taken time to speak with foreign dignitaries and leaders of at least 29 countries, yet neither he nor any member of his transition team has not bothered to contact the U.S. Department of State or U.S Dept. of Justice, nor, more importantly, the U.S. Department of Defense.

James Fallows, a national correspondent for The Atlantic, Wednesday evening called the lack of attention to these two departments critical to America’s safety and security “far outside the realm of normal”:

The transition team in recent days has leaked the names of candidates for Secretaries of State and Defense, without any understanding of those Department’s greatest needs. They have leaked names of candidates for Attorney General, even names of candidates for Secretaries of Education and the head of the Dept. of Energy.

L.A. Times national reporter Matt Pearce also commented on Trump’s concerning priorities:

Trump has even had time to hang out with Floyd Mayweather, whom ThinkProgress describes as a “serial domestic abuser.”

The Pentagon sounded the alarm in the most diplomatic way possible.

“As of this moment, there’s not been any contact from the president-elect’s transition team,” Pentagon spokesman Capt. Jeff Davis told the Washington Examiner. “We stand ready to assist the president-elect’s transition team with a smooth and orderly transition in the interest of national security and for our country.”

Vice President-elect Mike Pence, the head of the Trump transition team, Thursday morning met in private with House Republicans, who tweeted this photo:

In what is being seen as a warning to the Trump transition team to move faster in building a national security team, the Director of National Intelligence, James Clapper, tendered his resignation Wednesday night.

Rather than building a team of professionals and experts, Trump and his transition team seem to be flailing about, unsure of what’s most important, and what message they are sending not only to the American public but to the world, all of whom are watching.

 

Image by Gage Skidmore via Flickr and a CC license