Donald Trump Lashes Out At Military Advisers: 'We're Losing' | The Last Word

>>> I HAVE A PLAN. I DON'T WANT TO BROADCAST TO THE
ENEMY EXACTLY WHAT MY PLAN IS. LET ME TELL YOU, IF I LIKE MAYBE
A COMBINATION OF MY PLAN AND THE GENERAL'S PLAN OR THE GENERAL'S
PLAN, IF I LIKE THEIR PLAN, MATT, I'M NOT GOING TO CALL YOU
UP AND SAY, MATT, WE HAVE A GREAT PLAN.
>> BIG SURPRISE, TRUMP VOTERS. HE HAD NO PLAN.
AND HE DOESN'T THINK HIS GENERALS HAVE A PLAN EITHER.
TONIGHT NBC NEWS REPORTS EXCLUSIVELY THAT PRESIDENT
DONALD TRUMP, QUOTE, HAS BECOME INCREASINGLY FRUSTRATED WITH HIS
ADVISERS TASKED WITH CALIFORNIAING A NEW U.S.
STRATEGY IN AFGHANISTAN AND RECENTLY SUGGESTED FIRING THE
WAR'S TOP MILITARY COMMANDER DURING A TENSE MEETING AT THE
WHITE HOUSE ACCORDING TO SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIALS.
AT ONE POINT THE PRESIDENT DIRECTED HIS FRUSTRATION AT
DEFENSE SECRETARY JAMES MATTIS, SAYING HE HAD GIVEN THE MILITARY
AUTHORITY MONTHS AGO TO MAKE ADVANCES IN AFGHANISTAN, AND YET
THE U.S. WAS CONTINUING TO LOSE GROUND.
THE PRESIDENT'S ADVISERS WENT INTO THE MID-JULY MEETING HOPING
HE WOULD SIGN OFF ON AN AFGHANISTAN STRATEGY AFTER
MONTHS OF DELAYS, OFFICIAL SAID. TRUMP COMPARED THE POLICY REVIEW
PROCESS TO THE RENOVATION OF A FAMED NEW YORK RESTAURANT IN THE
1980s. TRUMP TOLD HIS ADVISERS THAT THE
RESTAURANT, MANHATTAN'S ELITE 21 CLUB, HAD SHUT ITS DOORS FOR A
YEAR AND HIRED AN EXPENSIVE CONSULTANT TO CRAFT A PLAN FOR
RENOVATION. AFTER A YEAR, TRUMP SAID, THE
CONSULTANT'S ONLY SUGGESTION WAS THAT THE RESTAURANT NEEDED A
BIGGER KITCHEN. OFFICIALS SAID TRUMP KEPT
STRESSING THE IDEA THAT LOUSY ADVICE COST THE OWNER A YEAR OF
LOST BUSINESS AND THAT TALKING TO THE RESTAURANT'S WAITERS
INSTEAD MIGHT HAVE YIELDED A BETTER RESULT.
HE ALSO SAID THE TENDENCY IS TO ASSUME IF SOMEONE ISN'T A
THREE-STAR GENERAL, HE DOESN'T KNOW WHAT HE'S TALKING ABOUT,
AND THAT, IN HIS OWN EXPERIENCE IN BUSINESS, TALKING TO
LOW-RANKING WORKERS HAS GOTTEN HIM BETTER OUTCOME.
JOINING US NOW, PEOPLE WHO KNOW DONALD TRUMP, TIM O'BRIEN, THE
AUTHOR OF "TRUMP NATION, THE ART OF BEING THE DONALD," ALSO WITH
US, DAVID CAY JOHNSTON. YOU BOTH HAVE WRITTEN BOOKS
ABOUT DONALD TRUMP. TIM O'BRIEN, WANT TO GO TO YOU
FIRST. ON THIS MATTER OF HIS
FRUSTRATION WITH THE GENERALS, HERE HE LIED HIS WAY THROUGH THE
CAMPAIGN SAYING, I HAVE A SECRET PLAN.
DON'T WORRY ABOUT IT. THEN I'LL LISTEN TO THE
GENERALS' PLAN, AND IF I LIKE THEIR PLAN BETTER AND IT TURNS
OUT HE HAD NO PLAN. THE GENERALS HAVE A PLAN THAT HE
DOESN'T LIKE BECAUSE IT DIDN'T WORK IN, WHAT, A WEEK OR TWO.
>> AND BECAUSE HE CAN RECALL THIS LONG-AGO INCIDENT AT A
LOCAL RESTAURANT IN NEW YORK THAT GAVE HIM ALL OF THE
EXPERIENCE AND AUTHORITY HE NEEDED TO HAVE TO WEIGH IN ON
MILITARY POLICY. WE DON'T EVEN KNOW IF THE
ANECDOTE ABOUT THE 21 CLUB IS TRUE.
>> WHAT WE KNOW IS IT WASN'T CLOSED AS LONG AS THEY SAID, SO
HE EXAGGERATES THE PART OF HIS STORY TOO.
>> TO MAKE HIS POINT, WHICH IS THAT HE SHOULD BE LISTENING TO
TROOPS ON THE GROUND IN AFGHANISTAN RATHER THAN THE
MILITARY BRASS AND THAT THAT GIVES HIM THE AUTHORITY TO GO
AFTER NICHOLSON AND QUESTION NICHOLSON'S LEADERSHIP IN
AFGHANISTAN AND TAKE MATTIS TO TASK IN FRONT OF THE JOINT
CHIEFS. AND AGAIN SHOWS HIM OUT OF HIS
DEPTH WITHOUT A CLEAR PLAN OF HIS OWN AND SORT OF GRASPING FOR
STRAWS OF HIS OWN PAST. >> DAVID, OF COURSE DONALD TRUMP
GOT SOME GREAT IDEAS FROM ALL THE TROOPS IN AFGHANISTAN WHEN
HE VISITED THERE -- OH, BUT WAIT.
I'M SORRY. HE'S NEVER BEEN TO AFGHANISTAN.
HE'S NEVER TALKED TO ANYONE WHO HAS SERVED IN AFGHANISTAN.
AND OF COURSE HE DIDN'T TALK TO THE WAITERS AT THE 21 CLUB
EITHER. WE KNOW THAT.
>> RIGHT. AND DONALD HAS NO IDEA ABOUT
WHAT'S ACTUALLY GOING ON IN AFGHANISTAN, ABOUT THE CULTURAL
DIFFERENCES IN THAT COUNTRY THAT GO BACK HUNDREDS OF YEARS THAT
WE'VE INTERFERED IN. WHAT WE DO KNOW IS DONALD AS
SAID, HEY, THEY'VE GOT A LOT OF MINERAL WEALTH AND LIKE THE OIL
IN IRAQ, HE THINKS WE SHOULD GRAB IT, WHICH ISN'T SURPRISING
SINCE DONALD HAS SPENT A LOT OF HIS LIFE CHEATING PEOPLE OUT OF
THEIR PROPERTY. WHY WOULD HE NOT THINK THE SAME
THING ABOUT AFGHANISTAN? THIS IS JUST AN ABSOLUTE FARCE.
>> TIM, THERE'S A PASSAGE IN HERE IN THE NBC REPORTING ABOUT
DONALD TRUMP'S KIND OF WILD DISSATISFACTION WITH GENERALS.
THESE ARE HIS -- THIS WEEK IS THE WEEK WHERE WE'RE SEEING ALL
OF HIS PUBLIC WORSHIP OF GENERALS AND HE HIRES A GENERAL
TO BE HIS WHITE HOUSE CHIEF OF STAFF.
IT TURNS OUT HE'S GOT A LIMITED AMOUNT OF RESPECT GOING IN THEIR
DIRECTION TOO. SO IF HE'S TURNING ON THEM, YOU
KNOW, HOW LONG BEFORE GENERAL KELLY DISCOVERS THAT DONALD
TRUMP DOESN'T THINK HIS JUDGMENT IS SO GREAT?
>> POSSIBLY MINUTES. I THINK, YOU KNOW, THE ISSUE
HERE IS THAT HE ACTS AND THINKS EP SODICALLY, AND THE MAIN THING
DRIVING, I THINK, HIS LASHING OUT ON AFGHANISTAN IS HE SAID HE
WOULD FIGURE IT OUT. HE SAID HE WOULD GO IN THERE AND
SOLVE A PROBLEM NO ONE ELSE CAN SOLVE.
NOW I THINK WE'VE BEEN IN AFGHANISTAN FOR 16 YEARS.
IT'S TRAVELED AS AN ISSUE ACROSS TWO ADMINISTRATIONS, AND HE'S
NOT GOING TO FIND IT ANY EASIER TO SOLVE THAN HIS PREDECESSORS.
SO THE FIRST THING HE'LL DO IS SAY THE REASON I CAN'T SOLVE IT
IS BECAUSE I HAVE BAD GENERALS. >> DAVID, THAT WAS KIND OF THE
ESSENCE OF THE TRUMP CRITIQUE OVER THE COURSE OF THE CAMPAIGN
IS THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION USED BAD GENERALS.
I'M GOING TO USE THE GOOD GENERALS.
I CAN'T GIVE YOU ANY OF THEIR NAMES BECAUSE I DON'T ACTUALLY
KNOW ANY. BUT HE HAS GENERAL KELLY.
HE HAS JOHN KELLY SITTING THERE, BASICALLY RIGHT OUTSIDE OF HIS
OFFICE ALL DAY. THE WHITE HOUSE CHIEF OF STAFF,
WHO IS A GENERAL. AT SOME POINT, IF NOT ALREADY,
HE'S TURNING TO HIM AND SAYING, WHAT DO WE DO IN AFGHANISTAN?
AND IF GENERAL KELLY IS SAYING THE SAME THING HE'S HEARING FROM
THE OTHER GENERALS, HOW LONG DOES DONALD TRUMP RELY ON
GENERAL KELLY? >> I THINK IT WILL BE VERY
INTERESTING TO SEE HOW LONG GENERAL KELLY LASTS.
LET'S KEEP IN MIND, LAWRENCE, THOSE ARE OUR GENERALS.
THEY'RE NOT DONALD'S GENERALS. AND DONALD IS OUR EMPLOYEE, WHO
WE PUT IN THERE THROUGH THE ELECTORAL COLLEGE.
DONALD CONTINUES IN ALL OF THIS TO ACT LIKE HE'S THIS DICTATOR,
AND IF YOU'RE NOT DOING WHAT HE WANTS, OFF WITH YOUR HEAD.
>> AND, TIM, TALK ABOUT WHERE DONALD TRUMP HAD TO GET IN HIS
FEAR OF WHAT WAS COMING TO THE POINT WHERE HE GETS RID OF
REINCE PRIEBUS, HE BRINGS IN A NEW WHITE HOUSE CHIEF OF STAFF,
WHO HE DOESN'T KNOW, WHO HE NEVER KNEW DURING THE CAMPAIGN.
THIS IS NOT ANYTHING LIKE WHAT WE'VE SEEN HIM DO BEFORE.
HE DOESN'T NECESSARILY FEEL HE CAN DOMINATE HIM.
THAT'S UNCHARACTERISTIC OF TRUMP.
AND HERE HE HAS THIS NEW REGIME IN THE WHITE HOUSE WHERE, YOU
KNOW, JOHN KELLY IS BASICALLY PUTTING OUT THE WORD PUBLICLY
THROUGH THE PRESS SECRETARY, YES, THE PRESIDENT'S DAUGHTER
AND HIS SON-IN-LAW CAN ONLY SPEAK TO HIM IF THEY GO THROUGH
ME. WHAT WOULD DONALD TRUMP HAVE TO
HAVE GOTTEN TO, TO ACCEPT THAT AS THE PUBLIC VIEW OF HIS WHITE
HOUSE? >> A RAGING CONCERN THAT HIS
IMAGE AND REPUTATION WERE AT STAKE BECAUSE OF THE MOMENT OF
THE FALL OUT AROUND RYAN LIZZA AND SCARAMUCCI.
I DON'T THINK THIS IS GOING TO LAST.
IVANKA TRUMP TWEETED YESTERDAY SHE'S LOOKING FORWARD TO SERVING
ALONGSIDE KELLY. SHE DIDN'T SAY REPORTING IN TO
HIM. >> I AGREE WITH TIM.
>> AND HE SAID TONIGHT, OR IT WAS REPORTED TONIGHT THAT
SESSIONS IS SAFE NOW BECAUSE KELLY SAYS HE'S SAFE.
I DON'T THINK THAT WILL LAST FOR A SECOND.
IF DONALD TRUMP WANTS TO GET RID OF SESSIONS, HE'LL CONTINUE TO
PURSUE IT. >> DAVID, ONE OF THE OTHER --
MICHAEL DANTONIO, ONE OF THE OTHER TRUMP BIOGRAPHERS HAS
WRITTEN A FASCINATING PIECE SAYING HE BELIEVES FOR DONALD
TRUMP TO GET TO THIS POINT, HE HAD TO BELIEVE THAT THE ENTIRE
ADMINISTRATION WAS ON THE BRINK OF DISASTER, THE SINKING POLL
NUMBERS, THE FAILURE OF THE HEALTH CARE BILL, THE CRAZY
OUTBURST FROM SCARAMUCCI AND ALL OF THAT, THAT HE HAD TO BE IN A
STATE OF REAL FEAR IN ORDER TO MAKE A MOVE THAT'S SO
UNCHARACTERISTIC OF BRINGING SOMEONE IN WHO HE DOESN'T KNOW
AND CANNOT NECESSARILY CONTROL. >> AND I THINK THAT'S EXACTLY
RIGHT. I THINK MICHAEL'S RIGHT ABOUT
THAT. BUT DONALD'S FEAR AND HIS INNER
RECOGNITION THAT HE DOESN'T KNOW WHAT HE'S DOING HERE AND THESE
VIRTUALLY DELUSIONAL STATEMENTS WHERE DONALD JUST MAKES THINGS
UP AND CREATES HIS OWN REALITY, PHONE CALLS FROM BOY SCOUTS AND
MEXICAN PRESIDENTS AND THE LIKE -- ALL OF THOSE ARE STILL
BREWING INSIDE HIM. JUST BECAUSE WE'RE NOT SEEING
HIM CRAZY TWITTER STORMS DOESN'T MEAN ANYTHING HAS CHANGED ABOUT
WHO HE IS. AND AT SOME POINT, YOU KNOW, A
TEAKETTLE THAT IS STOPPED UP WILL EXPLODE.
WE'RE GOING TO SEE SOMETHING HAPPEN IN THE NEAR FUTURE, AND
THIS IS NOT A STABLE ENVIRONMENT, AND IT CAN'T BE AS
LONG AS DONALD TRUMP IS IN THE WHITE HOUSE.
>> TIM, AN INTERESTING POINT THAT DAVID JUST MADE.
YOU GUYS HAVE BOTH WRITTEN BOOKS ABOUT DONALD TRUMP, STUDIED HIM
CLOSELY. LET'S JUST ASSUME THAT GENERAL
KELLY HAS CONTAINED HIM ON TWITTER.
NO INSANE TWEETS. THERE IS AN INSANITY IN HIM THAT
WE HAVE SEEN COME OUT THROUGH TWITTER.
IF THE GENERAL IS BOTTLING ALL THAT UP, AT WHAT POINT AND HOW
DOES IT MANIFEST ITSELF? >> I THINK ONE OF THE KEY THINGS
WHY HE'S BEEN A SURVIVOR FOR DECADES AND WHY HE PLOWS AHEAD
IN THESE KINDS OF SITUATIONS IS HE CREATES HIS OWN REALITIES.
HE'S VERY GOOD AT SAYING, IF THE FACT PATTERN OUT IN THE REAL
WORLD COLLIDES WITH MY SENSE OF MYSELF, I'LL MAKE UP A NEW
STORY. I'LL INVENT A FABLE TO ALLOW ME
TO SAY THEY'RE WRONG AND I'M RIGHT.
I THINK HE CAN CONTINUE ON THAT PATH A LOT LONGER THAN MOST OF
HIS OBSERVERS CAN PROBABLY STOMACH WATCHING IT.
>> DAVID, IS THIS LIKE DONALD TRUMP ON THE VERGE OF BANKRUPTCY
AND HOW HE BEHAVES WITH BANK OFFICIALS WHEN HE'S TRYIN TRYIN
GET THEM TO JUST RELAX AND GIVE HIM A LITTLE BIT OF A BREAK ON
THE LOAN? HE GOES IN THERE AND HE'S A
REALLY GOOD BOY TALKING TO THOSE BANK OFFICIALS.
THAT'S THE WAY HE IS WITH JOHN KELLY RIGHT NOW.
>> ACTUALLY, THE BANKERS -- THE BANK LAWYERS BANNED HIM FROM THE
ROOM. THEY DIDN'T WANT HIM THERE.
WHAT HE DID IN THAT CASE WAS GOT ALLIES, THE POLITICIANS IN THE
NEW JERSEY STATE GOVERNMENT, TO TAKE HIS SIDE AGAINST HIS
BANKERS. HERE HE HAS TICKED OFF AND SENT
AWAY THE PEOPLE THAT COULD BE HIS ALLIES.
MITCH McCONNELL, THE REPUBLICANS, MANY OF THEM ON
CAPITOL HILL. HE DOESN'T HAV

Donald Trump Lashes Out At Military Advisers: 'We're Losing' | The Last Word | MSNBC

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