Delayed Government Transition — The Threat to Our National Security
Carlos E. Martínez, Brigadier General, USAF, Retired
Having spent the greater part of my adult life working to defend our nation from its enemies, I am concerned with the national security implications of the removal/departure of key defense and other government officials, simultaneous with the delayed Presidential transition process. This situation weakens our national security posture and mechanisms and has the potential to embolden our adversaries.
The period of transition from one administration to another is one that our adversaries watch closely for any indication of weakness in U.S. international security posture and our ability to respond to potential threats. It is not unlike the time that a crustacean is molting — easy prey for its natural enemies. It is also a time that our allies look for indications that we will continue to uphold our international commitments. Historically, it is a time that members of the outgoing administration publicly state their commitment to a smooth transition of power — to telegraph to the world that nothing is going to change, and the U.S. remains strong.
Unfortunately, President Trump’s dismissal of the Secretary of Defense on the heels of his apparent defeat in the recent election and his replacement with a less-experienced individual signals just the opposite to our allies and potential adversaries. It lets them know that there is a gap in our security posture — one that they can exploit. Recent reports that other members of the national security establishment may also be replaced such as the Director of the FBI and the Director of the CIA, both of whom are key to our intelligence capabilities, further widens that gap. The message being widely telegraphed is that we are closing our eyes to what’s happening in the world and we are going to limit our ability to respond to anything that does. Under normal circumstances, such undesirable changes might be considered tolerable, but only if there is a clear path of transition to the new administration.
Unfortunately, these actions are currently coupled with the administration’s failure to authorize the necessary mechanisms to begin the transition process. This failure cuts off the incoming administration from the information that it needs to assume command and control of our military forces and maintain our international relations. Specific items that have been adversely affected are:
● Access to the President’s Daily Briefing (PDB) that would provide President-Elect Biden with access to top-level intelligence briefings in support of molding the composition of the next administration and preparing President-Elect Biden to assume the duties of Commander-in-Chief.
● Access to Presidential and Executive Papers and Documents, such as conversations with other world leaders. President-Elect Biden needs to know what has been talked about, agreed to, and what is pending in international interactions.
● Discussions on the transfer of operations within the large complement of Executive offices. President-Elect Biden needs to know and understand the ongoing plans across the government, and how they fit in with the policy desires of the new administration
● Discussions with the various security agencies that protect the new administration such as the Secret Service, Diplomatic Security Service, and the U.S. Marshals. President-Elect Biden needs to know what services are available to provide for the physical and cyber security of our government, and what gaps or shortfalls may exist.
Absence of immediate access to this information critically hinders the ability of the next administration to assume its leadership role and imperils the nation’s ability to maintain Continuity of Government.
The replacement of key members of the national security establishment in conjunction with failure to provide for a smooth transition of government is an immediate threat to our national security — one that signals to our adversaries that there is an opportunity to now exploit us and that our vulnerability will continue for some time to come. It is simply unacceptable to those of us who have dedicated our lives to the preservation of our American way of life.
For this reason, I call for the Trump administration to immediately authorize transition activities and publicly acknowledge the final outcome of any legal post-election proceedings whatever they may be. We must confirm that the U.S. remains strong and is committed to the preservation of all existing international security agreements. We must not allow the potential exploitation of our nation.
A native of Cuba, Brig Gen Carlos E. Martínez joined the Air Force in 1971 and served in a variety of assignments as a pilot, missile test engineer, scientific analyst, and acquisition manager. He retired in 2006 after 34 years of combined active and reserve service from his Pentagon assignment as the Mobilization Assistant to the Air Force’s Chief of Warfighting Integration. In his parallel civilian career, Gen Martínez has led numerous projects for a variety of government agencies, including the Federal Judiciary and the Departments of Defense, Commerce, Treasury, Transportation, and Homeland Security.