Conservative commentator claims Trump is crippling the U.S. military and intelligence

During a recent Bulwark podcast, William Kristol argued that Donald Trump’s mass dismissals and alleged depletion of critical weapons stockpiles are eroding the military’s effectiveness. He cited conversations with service members who confirmed his concerns and pointed to the removal of four fallen soldiers from an official website as evidence of a broader cover-up. One outlet national affairs analyst John Hailemann warned that Trump’s inability to resolve the Iran war might lead him to consider drastic escalation, though the president reportedly backed away due to a shortage of bombs.

Former CIA analyst Julia Curlee, writing for Lawfare, described a pattern of politicizing the intelligence community, including public firings, revoking clearances, and reshaping assessments to support election-interference claims. Curlee highlighted the dismissal of CIA experts on Venezuela after they refused to endorse a takeover plan, and noted a request from Stephen Miller to the National Intelligence Council to assess a Venezuelan gang’s threat to the United States. Together, these remarks portray a picture of an administration undermining both military and intelligence institutions.