Mike Flynn Says He Helped Shape Trump’s Views on NATO

“I believe that the president-elect would be best served by a national security adviser who brings a steady and thoughtful demeanor to the Oval Office and can help offset the potentially impulsive nature of the next president”, said House Intelligence Committee chair Adam Schiff, citing Flynn’s closeness to Russian Federation and inflammatory remarks on Islam.

Donald Trump has made several appointments, at least three of whom have denigrated Muslims or African Americans.

CNN reports that Pompeo supported Florida senator Marco Rubio during the Republican primaries and was critical of Donald Trump’s campaign but later supported Trump in the general election against Hillary Clinton.

Since his stunning victory over Hillary Clinton last week, Trump has spoken with Russian President Putin, British Prime Minister Theresa May and almost three dozen other world leaders by telephone.

Flynn, a former head of the Defense Intelligence Agency, advised Trump during the campaign on national security issues and often served as an introductory speaker at campaign rallies. His designated position in the Trump administration does not require Senate confirmation.

While his picks suggest he is adhering to far-right positions, Trump made efforts to send reassuring signals about stability and continuity regarding America’s place in the world. For America in August, Lt. Gen. Flynn said, “Islam is a political ideology, it is a political ideology”.

All three have been fierce critics of President Barack Obama’s handling of terrorism and national security, and their selection likely signals a sharp shift in USA policy.

“President-elect Trump promised during his campaign that he would ‘drain the swamp, ‘ but his top national security advisor is Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn, whose firm is reportedly being paid to lobby the U.S. Government by a close ally of Turkey’s president”, the Maryland Democrat wrote.

Flynn raised eyebrows when he travelled to Moscow and dined alongside Russian President Vladimir Putin.

“President-elect Trump is carefully curating a senior team that seem to have one thing in common: a deep seated animosity against Islam and Muslims”.

Flynn’s hardline stance on Islamic extremism has rankled many. Tweeting last February, fear of muslims is rational. He served several tours in Iraq and Afghanistan, for a total of nearly five years in combat, and was a senior military intelligence officer in the Department of Defense.

Flynn’s appointment is not subject to Senate approval. Figures said that Sessions had once warned him to be careful about what he said to “white folks”. “I don’t remember being criticized for it”, he wrote.

As a current member of the Senate, it’s unlikely that Sessions’ Republican colleagues will try to block his nomination.

He has clashed with the past two Democratic attorneys general on whether terrorism suspects deserve American constitutional rights in civilian court and on the planned closure of the Guantanamo Bay detention facility.

Flynn will follow in the steps of such previous national security advisers as Susan Rice, Condoleezza Rice and Henry Kissinger. In an op-ed in (where else?) the New York Post promoting the book, Flynn stated his belief that the United States is in “a global war, facing an enemy alliance that runs from Pyongyang, North Korea, to Havana, Cuba, and Caracas, Venezuela”.

He was asked the question in the context of Trump’s scheduled meeting this weekend with 2012 Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney, who earlier this year was a harsh critic of the real estate mogul. In 2012 Romney described Russian Federation as the top geopolitical threat – a sharp contrast to Trump, who has exchanged compliments with President Vladimir Putin. “We think it’s a victory for everybody”. “He will do a great job for the American people”. Trump said on Twitter. Both Romney and Haley have been mentioned as possible contenders for Secretary of State.

And unlike the position of national security adviser, the director of the Central Intelligence Agency does require Senate approval – though with Republicans in control of the chamber, it’s unlikely that Pompeo’s confirmation will be blocked.