Tom Nichols

There's some other things to consider here. One is the guy who obviously should go and who's been, you know, screwing up magnificently for three months is Pete Hegseth. I mean, I think if you went and asked Republican senators, you know, what vote do you regret the most? Hegseth would be right at the top there.

There's some other things to consider here. One is the guy who obviously should go and who's been, you know, screwing up magnificently for three months is Pete Hegseth. I mean, I think if you went and asked Republican senators, you know, what vote do you regret the most? Hegseth would be right at the top there.

There's some other things to consider here. One is the guy who obviously should go and who's been, you know, screwing up magnificently for three months is Pete Hegseth. I mean, I think if you went and asked Republican senators, you know, what vote do you regret the most? Hegseth would be right at the top there.

But more to the point, you can fire Mike Waltz, replace him, and not have to go through another Senate confirmation hearing. That's a good point. Look, the National Security Advisor, as Trump learned in his first term, NSA, that's an easy kill, right? You can just push that guy out of the plane and yell next.

But more to the point, you can fire Mike Waltz, replace him, and not have to go through another Senate confirmation hearing. That's a good point. Look, the National Security Advisor, as Trump learned in his first term, NSA, that's an easy kill, right? You can just push that guy out of the plane and yell next.

But more to the point, you can fire Mike Waltz, replace him, and not have to go through another Senate confirmation hearing. That's a good point. Look, the National Security Advisor, as Trump learned in his first term, NSA, that's an easy kill, right? You can just push that guy out of the plane and yell next.

And you get another guy there the next day because they're not it is not a totally under control of office. The president is not a Senate confirmable position. It only has as much power and influence as the president ever lets it have. In theory, it has well-defined roles in the National Security Council and so on.

And you get another guy there the next day because they're not it is not a totally under control of office. The president is not a Senate confirmable position. It only has as much power and influence as the president ever lets it have. In theory, it has well-defined roles in the National Security Council and so on.

And you get another guy there the next day because they're not it is not a totally under control of office. The president is not a Senate confirmable position. It only has as much power and influence as the president ever lets it have. In theory, it has well-defined roles in the National Security Council and so on.

But the reality is the National Security Advisor is whatever the president wants it to be. If he fires Hegseth, he opens up this whole shit show. about who's going to come in, who's going to get past the Senate. Now, somebody made a – I can't remember who it was. I apologize to whoever's idea I'm stealing here.

But the reality is the National Security Advisor is whatever the president wants it to be. If he fires Hegseth, he opens up this whole shit show. about who's going to come in, who's going to get past the Senate. Now, somebody made a – I can't remember who it was. I apologize to whoever's idea I'm stealing here.

But the reality is the National Security Advisor is whatever the president wants it to be. If he fires Hegseth, he opens up this whole shit show. about who's going to come in, who's going to get past the Senate. Now, somebody made a – I can't remember who it was. I apologize to whoever's idea I'm stealing here.

But it was something to the effect of there was a way to do this quick do-si-do with Dan Cain and another nominee that you get basically a chairman and a new sec def all at once. That would have been really uncontroversial. But, of course, that would be the simple and – Scandal smothering approach, and Trump didn't take it.

But it was something to the effect of there was a way to do this quick do-si-do with Dan Cain and another nominee that you get basically a chairman and a new sec def all at once. That would have been really uncontroversial. But, of course, that would be the simple and – Scandal smothering approach, and Trump didn't take it.

But it was something to the effect of there was a way to do this quick do-si-do with Dan Cain and another nominee that you get basically a chairman and a new sec def all at once. That would have been really uncontroversial. But, of course, that would be the simple and – Scandal smothering approach, and Trump didn't take it.

So he's going to hang out Mike Waltz and Alex Wong and some other people, because that's the easy thing to do. And because, as you say, not our people, not our guys. I mean, he really, by all reports, the president really likes Hag Seth. Because Hegseth knows how to play to that gallery. Hegseth knows how to suck up to the boss.

So he's going to hang out Mike Waltz and Alex Wong and some other people, because that's the easy thing to do. And because, as you say, not our people, not our guys. I mean, he really, by all reports, the president really likes Hag Seth. Because Hegseth knows how to play to that gallery. Hegseth knows how to suck up to the boss.

So he's going to hang out Mike Waltz and Alex Wong and some other people, because that's the easy thing to do. And because, as you say, not our people, not our guys. I mean, he really, by all reports, the president really likes Hag Seth. Because Hegseth knows how to play to that gallery. Hegseth knows how to suck up to the boss.

And that, as we now know, going back to what we were talking about earlier, you know, cabinet meetings, sucking up to the boss is a core skill set here. It's how you survive.

And that, as we now know, going back to what we were talking about earlier, you know, cabinet meetings, sucking up to the boss is a core skill set here. It's how you survive.