When I talked to [Donald Trump] about - our intelligence…
“When I talked to [Donald Trump] about - our intelligence agencies, what I've said to him is - is that there are gonna be times where you've got raw intelligence that comes in and in my experience, over eight years, the intelligence community is pretty good about saying, "Look, we can't say for certain what this means." But there are gonna be times where the only way you can make a good decision is if you have confidence that the process is working, and the people that you put in charge are giving you their very best assessments.”
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
Effective decision‑making needs confidence in the intelligence process and trustworthy assessments from leaders.
In simple terms: Trust good processes and leaders for good decisions.
Ensure reliable intel and competent leadership.
Themes
Mood
Type
When to use this quote
- government policy
- military planning
- crisis response
- corporate strategy
Key Concepts
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you verify the integrity of intelligence?
- What safeguards ensure leaders provide honest assessments?
Intelligence can be ambiguous; over‑reliance on confidence may blind to uncertainty.