前空军部长：赫格塞斯在五角大楼制造恐惧氛围

JOB. FOR THE PBS NEWS HOUR, NICK SCHIFRIN. GEOFF: FOR PERSPECTIVE NOW WE TURN TO FRANK KENDALL. HE WAS SECRETARY OF THE AIR FORCE DURING THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION. HE'S NOW A SENIOR FELLOW AT THE CENTER FOR AMERICAN PROGRESS AND CO-AUTHOR OF THE BOOK, "LETHAL AUTONOMY: THE FUTURE OF WARFARE WHETHER WE LIKE IT OR NOT." THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. FRANK: THANK YOU. GEOFF: HOW SIGNIFICANT IS THE RESIGNATION OF THE ARMY SECRETARY AND WHAT DOES IT MEAN FOR THE INSTITUTION?

FRANK: IT'S A LACK OF CONTINUITY. PEOPLE CAN STEP IN. THE CHIEF OF STAFF OF THE ARMY IS ALSO A VACANCY RIGHT NOW. BUT THERE'S A VICE CHIEF OF STAFF THAT THE LIKELY NOMINEE. THE PENTAGON IS PRETTY GOOD AT TRANSITIONING AS PEOPLE COME AND GO. THERE WILL BE CONTINUITY. BUT THERE WON'T BE NEW STRATEGIC LEADERSHIP. THE PEOPLE ARE IN ACTING ROLES IN THE CAN'T TAKE MAJOR STEPS OR MAKE MAJOR DECISIONS UNTIL SOMEONE IS PERMANENT AND THE JOBS.

GEOFF: WHAT'S THE IMPACT OF THE LEADERSHIP VACUUM? FRANK: THE TRAINS KEEP RUNNING, BUT THE STRATEGIC LEADERSHIP TO MAKE MAJOR CHANGES IN POLICY OR ANYTHING ELSE ABOUT THE ARMY, WILL HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL REPLACEMENT. GEOFF: WHAT EFFECT DO THESE FIRINGS AND VACANCIES HAVE ON PEOPLE THAT REMAIN, ESPECIALLY WILLINGNESS TO OFFER CANDID ADVICE? FRANK: THIS HAPPENS FAIRLY ROUTINELY BUT THE SCOPE OF WHAT HEGSETH IN PARTICULAR HAS DONE IS TOTALLY UNPRECEDENTED.

I THINK OVER TWO DOZEN SENIOR OFFICERS IN PARTICULAR HAVE BEEN REMOVED WITHOUT CAUSE, THAT IS UNHEARD OF. THERE'S ALSO REPORTS HE'S TAKING PEOPLE OFF OF PROMOTION LISTS AND THAT'S UNHEARD OF. IN MY TENURE THAT'S NEVER HAPPENED. THE BOARD THAT PROMOTE PEOPLE DO A GOOD JOB. SECRETARY HEGSETH IS ATTEMPTING TO IMPOSE A NUMBER OF WHAT I WILL CALL CULTURAL WAR INITIATIVES ON THE PENTAGON TO STRUCTURE THE LEADERSHIP AND IT HAS CRATED A CLIMATE OF FEAR IN THE ENTIRE INSTITUTION.

I'VE NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE IT. GEOFF: WHAT RESPONSIBILITY TO THE MOST SENIOR MILITARY OFFICIALS HAVE WHEN ADVISING THE PRESIDENT OR DEFENSE SECRETARY? IS IT THEIR JOB TO ASK LENG WITH THE MILITARY CAN DO OR SHOULD THEY EXPLAIN WHAT THE MILITARY SHOULD DO? FRANK: AT THE MOST SENIOR LEVELS THEY SHOULD DO BOTH. DOWN THE RANKS, IT'S MORE WHAT YOU ARE CAPABLE OF DOING. THERE'S ALWAYS AN ELEMENT OF WHAT THEY SHOULD DO BECAUSE IT SHOULD BE LEGAL AND MORAL AND ETHICAL AND CONSISTENT WITH OUR VALUES VIEW SENIOR OFFICERS IN PARTICULAR WHO DIRECTLY ADVISE POLITICAL APPOINTEES LIKE THE SECRETARY OF DEFENSE OR PRESIDENT, THEY OWE THEM CANDID ADVICE THAT IS THEIR BEST OVERALL ASSESSMENT OF THE SITUATION AND WHAT SHOULD BE DONE.

THE PRESIDENT DOESN'T NEED HONEST, OBJECTIVE ADVICE FROM PEOPLE NOT TRYING TO PLEASE THEM , JUST TRYING TO TELL THEM THE TRUTH. SPEAKING TRUTH TO POWER IS A FUNDAMENTAL REQUIREMENT. GEOFF: GIVEN THE CLIMATE OF FEAR YOU DESCRIBED, DO YOU BELIEVE THAT'S HAPPENING? FRANK: I AM CONVINCED IT'S NOT. RIGHT NOW, PEOPLE ARE VERY MUCH INCLINED TO TELL PEOPLE WHAT THEY WANT TO HEAR. PEOPLE IN THE MILITARY ARE CONCERNED ABOUT NOT LOSING