Donald Trump became the president-elect by "showing anger and being accusatory," and unless he has a meaningful conversation with the "fact-based" world's people, former CIA and National Security Agency Director Michael Hayden fears the worst.
"I fear he will act on the other set of beliefs, and that is going to be very bad for America and the world," Hayden, who was among a group of security experts opposing Trump's campaign, told CBS News anchor Charlie Rose on the "CBS This Morning" program early Wednesday.
Trump won by "not being all that fact-based and scapegoating real and imagined enemies," said Hayden, and "none of that fits into the intelligence picture. That is very alien to the way intelligence comes at an issue."
However, Hayden does not believe Trump will be able to dismantle the Iran nuclear agreement, as he's promised during his campaign, because "it's relatively locked in."
"He can be ceremonial by ripping up some sort of document but I don't think it changes a lot," said Hayden, admitting Trump had good criticisms of the current administration and how it let Iran get away with some of its actions.
Hayden also commented on Russian President Vladimir Putin's congratulatory letter to Trump, and said he agrees that it would be good to have good relations with Moscow. However, he also thinks Trump, after he takes office, should make conditions on Russia to stop some of its worldwide actions.
"I've yet to see word, in terms of what Russian behavior has to look like before we enter into this more meaningful dialogue," said Hayden. "I'd like to get there too, but it can't be cost-free for the Kremlin."
Hayden also said the United States is in a "pretty good spot" against ISIS, even though it's come slowly, but he fears Trump thinks the country has been "weak and stupid" where the fight against the Islamist terrorists is concerned.
"We are on the cusp of a significant victory in Mosul," said Hayden. "It's going to take time. And, frankly, we are beginning to tighten the vise around Raqqa as well. I think we have been slow but not weak and stupid.
"He seems to have the belief that we can get our way out of this quickly and then go home. My sense is with that formula, we get to kill our way out of this again and again."
Hayden also said Trump's stance on Muslim immigration makes national security more difficult.
"What is going on is a great civil war inside a great monotheism," said Hayden. "We can't decide the outcome of that war but they have to give them some respect because we have deep, good friends inside that belief system.
"And to take this blanket accusation, they all hate us, and now impose this restriction on all believers of that great faith, that sets us back."
Sandy Fitzgerald ✉
Sandy Fitzgerald has more than three decades in journalism and serves as a general assignment writer for Newsmax covering news, media, and politics.
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