During a Monday interview, former President Donald Trump hinted that he could potentially include three prominent national security figures in his administration if re-elected in November. In a conversation with conservative radio host Hugh Hewitt, Trump was nudged about whether he would bring back former acting Director of National Intelligence Richard Grenell, former national security adviser Robert O’Brien, and Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.).
“Oh, a lot of the people that you like are going to be there, OK?” Trump replied, teasing the possibility. “I can name all the people that you like, and I like the same people. So you’ll have those people, and you’ll have more.”
Although Trump refrained from naming specific national security picks, he did mention former U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer as a potential returnee. “I had a lot of great people, Lighthizer, I had so many great people,” Trump said, also noting, “And some of the bad ones, it’s nice, I know who they are. I know the good ones, the smart ones. I know the dummies. I know the weak ones.”
Loyalty will be a crucial factor for serving in a potential second Trump term, according to Howard Lutnick, Trump’s transition co-chair. “Those people were not pure to his vision,” Lutnick told the Financial Times, reflecting on officials from Trump’s first term like former chief of staff John Kelly and ex-defense secretary James Mattis, who later resigned. “They’re all going to be on the same side, and they’re all going to understand the policies,” Lutnick added.
During his conversation with Hewitt, Trump also discussed foreign policy, particularly the Middle East and the conflict between Israel and Iran. When asked if he would support an Israeli strike on Iran’s nuclear sites, Trump responded, “Yeah, I dealt with [North Korean dictator] Kim Jung Un. And he has nuclear weapons. And you tend to speak a little bit differently when they have nuclear weapons.”
Trump also addressed recent polling showing him in a close contest with Vice President Kamala Harris among Arab Americans, amid the Israel-Hamas war. “I want peace, and they know that. And the Jewish people know that. And both sides like it, and know that I can get peace,” Trump stated. He further emphasized, “There were no wars with Trump. People don’t realize it. I took over ISIS, and I decimated ISIS.”
