McMaster Calls Trump Comments Not Committing to Peaceful Transfer of Power ‘A Gift to Our Adversaries’

Former Trump National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster criticized President Donald Trump Sunday on Meet the Press for his comments not committing to a peaceful transfer of power.

Chuck Todd asked McMaster about reporting of military concerns about the president invoking the Insurrection Act to address potential election unrest.

McMaster said, “What’s really clear for the American people to understand is the military will have no role in a transition. In fact, even talking about it, I think, is irresponsible. And that’s maybe why, if you detect some reticence on the part of senior military leaders or those in the Pentagon to talk about it, it’s because it shouldn’t even be a topic for discussion.”

He said the clearing of protesters outside the White House before the president’s photo op months ago was “just wrong,” saying, “We can’t try to pull the military into politics. Some of the things the president said I think have been irresponsible. But often times, the reaction to what he says is equally irresponsible.”

Todd then brought up the president being directly pressed on whether he will commit to a peaceful transfer of power if he loses.

“How did you interpret that? You were in the room with him. You’ve probably heard him say some things that would shock people. How did you interpret those comments, knowing him the way you do?” Todd asked.

“Well, what I think is that it’s a gift to our adversaries,” McMaster responded, “who want to shake our confidence in who we are. Shake our confidence in our democratic principles and institutions and processes. What I write about in Battlegrounds is how Russia, for example, has engaged in this campaign of disruption, disinformation and denial. And if the Russians can just use our own words against us, that’s the best way to pull us apart from one another.”

You can watch above, via NBC.