All the up-to-date Trump Transition Team details are revealed HERE, including:
“Prior
to Trump's return to his private residence at Trump Tower around November 10,
the United States Secret Service initiated "unbelievable security measures", including:
- closing
East 56th Street to all traffic
- reinforcing
a cordon of sand-laden dump trucks that had been placed around the building the
night
before to defend the site from being rammed with a car bomb,
- deploying
New York City Police Department tactical teams around the skyscraper, and
- the
FAA, meanwhile, ordered a flight restriction over midtown Manhattan.”
Security arrangements around Trump's "log cabin" frays New Yorkers. Look Trump owns the street. He's a Billionaire, its HIS Tower and he's the Next Prez. Respect!
---
Defense-Navy
Related Transition Team Structure and Staff
The
Transition Team is divided the work into two areas: "agency action" led
by Ron Nicol (a former
nuclear submarine officer) and "policy implementation"….The
agency side, which oversees appointments, is divided into six arenas. Three relevant
to Submarine Matters are:
- National Security, led by former Rep.
Mike Rogers [former Chairman
of the Permanent
Select
- RobertSmith Walker - former member of Congress from Pennsylvania and chair of the Hydrogen
and Fuel Cell Technical
Advisory Committee of the U.S. Department of Energy, is advising the
transition
on space policy"
Pete
Pete,
ReplyDeletehttp://foxtrotalpha.jalopnik.com/inside-donald-trump-s-defense-plan-1789000504
FYI
KQN
Mr. Rogers is ousted from the transition team
ReplyDeleteKQN
Thanks KQN
ReplyDeletehttp://foxtrotalpha.jalopnik.com/inside-donald-trump-s-defense-plan-1789000504 shows how contradictory Trumps defence declarations are, so far.
Making the policies work together will require huge readjustments in policies.
Very telling that US bases in NE Asia are "dual-use". They help defend the countries they're in, but also project power into China's, Russia's and N Korea's backyards. Trump removing such bases would remove US power projection capabilities.
Regards
Pete
Hi KQN [at 16/11/16 7:44 AM]
ReplyDeleteRogers hasty appointment then departure might indicate a pattern emerging from Trump's underdeveloped policy directions or Trumps mercurial personality. This bodes ill for the future when Trump is actually Pres.
Maybe Trump family members on the Transition Team (TT) didn't like Rogers. Rogers in Canberra, on old business, big guy in a one-toner in 2011?
Regards
Pete
Newspapers report that Rogers was ousted by influential Trump's son in law as Rogers was close to NJ governor Christie (who was also ousted from the Transition team). Christie was a former NJ prosecutor and he made his fame by putting the son in law's father in jail for tax evasion, illegal campaign contributions and witness tampering.
ReplyDeleteKQN
Pete,
ReplyDeleteI do not see Trump closing ROK and Japan bases. It is pure simple economics. ROK and Japan are already paying for part of those expenses, essentially putting US personnel on ROK and Japanese payrolls. If these bases are closed and those troops are moved back to the US, Mr Trump has to pay those troops out of his own DOD budget, budget that he hardly has the room for since he wants to increase Army and USMC troop strength, buy new ships and new planes, etc.. And then there is this $500B++ infrastructure to pay for as well. Throw in the tax cuts for the wealthy, I say even the printing presses cannot run fast enough to cover. No doubt he wants ROK and Japan to pay more since there is already insufficient funds back home.
KQN
Twists and turns. Now the rumors are flying that Nikki Haley, the current 2 term governor of South carolina is a candidate for the post of secretary of state in a Trump administration. Governor Haley is a rising star in the Republican Party. She is of Indian descent. If Mrs.Haley is chosen, this hiring clearly sends a strategic reassuring signal which could be good news to PM Abe. India would be ecstatic. Mrs Haley will also meet Mr. Trump on the same day PM Abe does.
ReplyDeleteKQN
Hi Pete
ReplyDeleteAccording to various Japenese sources, the Japanese government is relieved to President-elect Trump.
After Mr. Trump critized security free ride of Japan, Japanese ambassador, Mr.Sasae promptly met US Senator Mr. Jeff Sessions and explained contribution of Japan in detail. Then, Trump stopped to criticize Japanese government. Japanese government learned that Mr.Jeff Sessions were influential person for Mr. Trump, and that Mr.Trump was logical and listened to others. [1]
Initially, time of Trump-Abe meeting in NY was set for two hours, but the White House requested for one hour meeting. Then, Mr. Trump accepted the request and stopped lunch meetin with PM Abe. Japanese government understood that Mr. Trump judges things properly [2].
I do not think PM Abe trusts completely Japan Ministy of Foreign Affairs (MOFA), because of defeat in Hague and misjudgement of US Presidential election. According to [2], MOFA believed winning of Ms. Clinton, but PM Abe suggested possibility of winning of Mr. Trump. Now, President-elect Trump manifested withdrawing of TPP, and Presdent Putin showed hard-line stance on issues of northern territories. Judging from past behavior of PM Abe, he may take these matters into consideration.
[1] Weekly Bunshun, Nov/24/2016, page 23.
[2] http://www.j-cast.com/tv/2016/11/18283765.html?p=all
Regards
S
HI KQN [on Trump Admin appointments 17/11/16 6:08 AM and 17/11/16 3:31 PM ]
ReplyDeleteI think rapid changes and replacements will continue.
- Trump has not settled the basic political complexion of a future Trump Administration:
= Rightwing OR Centrist,
= Intervention in the Foreign Dealings of American companies OR Free Market.
- Also I think the Trump Team's relative inexperience with governance and Trump's shoot from the Lip leadership style will also make for a constant turnover of office holders before and after his Inauguration.
Pete
Hi again KQN [at 17/11/16 6:13 AM]
ReplyDeleteYes I think Trump may also note the high economic value of ROK and Japan to US trade. Such valuable economic assets will continue to need US military protection.
Also if Trump wants to expand the fighting strength of the Marine Corps and boost Navy ship numbers he will need to justify these defence investments by maintaining or expanding existing US bases in ROK and Japan. Expanded US forces cannot hang around bases in thee continental US.
Yes Trump may well ask ROK and Japan to increase funding for these resident troops and sailors.
Regards
Pete
Hi S
ReplyDeleteI think it likely Trump's pattern of saying strange foreign policy statements (about Japan) for a domestic US audience was Trump's way a getting elected.
Foreigh and Defence policy realities will limit Trump's freedom to change policies. Again Trump may risk upsetting US trade with Japan if Trump sharply altered defence/foreign policy regarding Japan.
Poorer US relations with Japan (and ROK) might mean the US has to rely more heavily on trade with China. I don't think Trump wants to favor reliance on an increasingly economically powerful China.
Regards
Pete