Blog Layout

Trump is 'incapable of winning elections' and gave an 'uninspiring' 2024 announcement, his former Defense Secretary Mark Esper says

Business Insider

Former defense secretary Mark Esper on Wednesday sharply criticized his old boss Donald Trump after the ex-president announced his 2024 presidential bid.


"I think he's unfit for office," Esper, who served under the Trump administration from 2019 to 2020, said of Trump on CNN. 


At his Mar-a-Lago club on Tuesday evening, Trump announced to a crowd of supporters that he's launching a third campaign for the White House. His remarks, which lasted more than an hour, "were very subdued and uninspiring," according to Esper.


"I think it's time for the Republican party, and frankly both parties, to move on to a next generation of leaders," he added. 


Republicans have been publicly rebuking Trump after the party underperformed in the midterm elections, blaming the disappointing results on the former president because many of his endorsed candidates lost in key races, including Pennsylvania, Arizona and Nevada.


Esper echoed that sentiment on Wednesday, telling CNN, "The election last week was an example of Donald Trump is incapable of winning elections."


The party lost the Senate and only narrowly won the House Votes are still being counted in less than a dozen races.

"He's done more to help the Democrats than he has Republicans," Esper said of Trump. "And there's no reason why we shouldn't have a bigger margin in the House and we should've taken the Senate, and yet we haven't."


Trump has not yet received prominent endorsements for his 2024 bid other than from loyalists like GOP Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia and Elise Stefanik of New York. Republicans in recent days have increasingly pointed to other leaders across the country, like Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, as examples of who can move the party forward. DeSantis handily won his reelection last week.


DeSantis "appears to me to be the frontrunner" for the 2024 Republican nomination, Esper told CNN.



"I think if you want to govern, if you want to govern consistent with conservative principles, then you have to win elections," he said. "And Donald Trump can't win elections."

Collapse of the Assad Regime

December 8, 2024
The collapse of the brutal Assad regime may not be the last domino to fall in this region. Iran is now the weakest it’s been in decades with the apparent loss of its Syrian client state; the collapse of its Axis of Resistance, especially Hezbollah; and the continued economic, social, and political duress the regime imposes on ordinary Iranians. Might this corrupt theocracy be the next regime to fall? Let’s hope. Watch the Interview Here .

The Fall of Damascus

December 8, 2024
As I noted yesterday, Damascus will fall if Assad flees. This morning it is believed that Assad has left the country and the rebels control the capital. The question now is “who” and “how” will Syria be governed? Right now we should celebrate Assad’s fall and this strategic defeat for Russia and Iran. Watch the Interview Here.

Never Forget

December 7, 2024
Never Forget. And let’s also not forget the key to preventing a future global conflict like WWII — a strong, modern, and capable U.S. military aligned with equally capable Allies/Partners, all of whom are committed to President Reagan’s mantra of “Peace Through Strength.” 

Syria and a new order in the Middle East

December 2, 2024
As I told Kasie Hunt, "I was a little surprised ... I think it is significant ... you can see the chessboard in the Middle East is changing around right now in front of our eyes." Watch the Interview Here .

Potential Hezbollah Ceasefire

November 26, 2024
Implementation — specifically, ensuring Hezbollah doesn’t return forces to the south of Lebanon as they did in violation of the 2006 UN resolution that ended that conflict — is critical to the success of this agreement. Glad that Israel asserted the right to enforce this agreement via the IDF if violations do occur. Watch the Interview Here.

Thoughts on President Elect Trump's Cabinet Picks

November 25, 2024
See my thoughts on two of President-elect Trump’s national security nominees, their path ahead to Senate consideration, and some of the tough questions each will face as this important constitutional process plays out between two coequal branches of American go. Watch the interview Here .
More Posts →
Share by: