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.
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.
-
YouTube to pay Trump $22M over Jan. 6 expulsion
Speed Read The president accused the company of censorship following the suspension of accounts post-Capitol riot
-
Oregon sues to stop Trump military deployment
Speed Read The president wants to send the National Guard into Portland
-
Trump declares new tariffs on drugs, trucks, furniture
Speed Read He's putting tariffs of 25% on semi trucks, 30% on upholstered furniture, 50% on kitchen and bathroom cabinetry and 100% on certain drugs
-
Amazon reaches ‘historic’ $2.5B Prime settlement
speed read The company allegedly tricked customers into signing up for Prime membership that was then difficult to cancel
-
Trump DOJ indicts Comey, longtime Trump target
Speed Read The president is using the Justice Department to prosecute his political enemies
-
Gunman kills 1 detainee, wounds 2 at ICE facility
Speed Read A sniper shot three detainees at an Immigration and Customs Enforcement field office before fatally shooting himself
-
Trump DOJ reportedly rushing to indict Comey
Speed Read Former FBI Director James Comey oversaw the initial 2016 investigation into ties between the Trump campaign and Russia
-
Man convicted of trying to assassinate Trump
Speed Read Ryan Routh tried to shoot President Donald Trump at his West Palm Beach golf course last September