In op-ed, Jeb Bush says Donald Trump has a 'shocking lack of knowledge' about national security


The back and forth between Jeb Bush and Donald Trump on whether George W. Bush is to blame for the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks continues, this time with Bush writing an op-ed for National Review accusing Trump of having "dangerous views on national-security issues."
Last week, Trump told Bloomberg that the World Trade Center came down under George W. Bush's watch, adding: "He was president, okay?... Blame him, or don't blame him, but he was president." Since then, Trump and Jeb Bush have traded barbs on Twitter and during television appearances, with Bush's op-ed published Tuesday continuing the feud. Trump, Bush writes, is echoing "the attacks of Michael Moore and the fringe Left" against his brother, and "has expressed a willingness to allow Vladimir Putin to dominate the Middle East by aligning with Iran and propping up the ruthless Syrian dictator, Bashar al-Assad — an action that would only worsen the existing refugee crisis and endanger our national security interests and those of Israel."
By looking at Trump's previous statements about foreign policy and leaders, Bush says it's easy to see that he's in over his head. "Let's be clear: Donald Trump simply doesn't know what he's talking about," he wrote. "And his bluster overcompensates for a shocking lack of knowledge on the complex national security challenges that will confront the next president of the United States." Bush used the op-ed to share some of his ideas, writing that he will "strengthen the NATO alliance and use America's newly realized status as an energy superpower to lessen others' dependence on Russian oil and gas, and the advantage it gives Putin" and "have a strategy to defeat ISIS and Assad and protect American interests in the region." Read the full op-ed at the National Review.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.
-
President diagnosed with 'chronic venous insufficiency'
Speed Read The vein disorder has given Trump swollen ankles and visible bruising on his hands
-
'Bawdy' Trump letter supercharges Epstein scandal
Speed Read The Wall Street Journal published details of Trump's alleged birthday letter to Epstein
-
Fed chair Powell in Trump's firing line
Speed Read The president considers removing Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell
-
Trump trashes supporters over Epstein files
speed read The president lashed out on social media following criticism of his administration's Jeffrey Epstein investigation
-
Judge nixes wiping medical debt from credit checks
Speed Read Medical debt can now be included in credit reports
-
Grijalva wins Democratic special primary for Arizona
Speed Read She will go up against Republican nominee Daniel Butierez to fill the US House seat her father held until his death earlier this year
-
US inflation jumps as Trump tariffs 'bite'
Speed Read Consumer prices are climbing and the inflation rate rose to its highest level in four months
-
SCOTUS greenlights mass DOE firings
Speed Read The Supreme Court will allow the Trump administration to further shrink the Education Department