Chuck Hagel on What’s at Stake for The Country

CHUCK HAGEL: Well, first, the odds are not very good that he will get that money for all the reasons I think most people understand. The presidency, the executive office is but one, three co-equal branches of government. All money is appropriated first through the Congress. And I think it’s been pretty — made pretty clear by the Democratic leaders and some Republicans, by the way, in the House and Senate that they want to open the government first, which is the responsible thing to do, and then deal with this issue second. This is another example I fear of Mr. Trump’s continued way to govern distort, distract, divide, that’s dangerously irresponsible at a time in the world — when the world is so off balance and so combustible and volatile. So, where this goes, I don’t know. Christiane, I was secretary of defense the last time we had a government shutdown, 19 days. It has consequences, ramifications everywhere that ripple through our country, people, economy. And it’s a very dangerous thing to do.

CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR: So, let me ask you because clearly the president has talked about it and he said, “I was — I would declare, you know, an emergency if I can’t get a deal with people who are being unreasonable.” So, he’s obviously saying that the Democrats are being unreasonable and if you can get them to, you know, cave to his demands, he’ll do the other thing. And he said he’ll get it from the military. So, as a former defense secretary, what indeed — what impact will that have to take that money away from the military?

HAGEL: Well, legally he cannot do that, Christiane. That money was appropriated for very specific reasons. First, to the Defense Department budget. He can’t do that without authorization from the Congress, which I doubt he will get. He’s playing a dangerous game here. I don’t think he can win this game. The smart thing, responsible thing to do is to open up our government, quit holding our government and our people hostage and all the consequences flowing from that and then pursue some kind of a compromise as we go forward. That’s the way we do things in a democracy. This is not a one- way street, it’s not a one man show, which I don’t think the president has quite understood.

AMANPOUR: Well, let me let me ask you because as a former Republican senator, what would you say to the Republican leadership in the Senate right now, Senator Mitch McConnell for instance? You know, you see a mounting number of Republicans in the House and the Senate sort of breaking away or voicing concern about this continued shutdown. You know, what should — what would you do? What would you advise the leadership of the Republicans to do?

HAGEL: I would advise to say to Mitch McConnell, who I know very well, Mitch, let’s understand what we’re dealing with here.