Speaking at a Monday panel, former Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel delivered a very direct message to the next president: “listen.”
“I would say as someone who has walked on both sides of the street, the political side and the administration side, politicians have to listen more to our military,” noted the former Army infantryman. “And I don’t mean changing the Constitution. I mean listen to our military. They get it better than most politicians on things like this. And some of the finest statesmen I’ve ever met in my life are in military uniform.”
According to The Hill, Hagel also criticized the direct access — or lack thereof — he was allowed to President Obama during his tenure leading the DoD.
“There were times that I had called over and asked to have a private meeting with the president, and when I showed up, there were others in the room,” he added.
Back in December 2015, Hagel, in his first interview since resigning from the administration in 2014, made critical comments about the direction of the Obama Administration’s Syrian strategy. (RELATED: Hagel — Obama’s NSC Holds Rambling, Indecisive Policy Meetings)