Make Quote by Lee Zeldin

I think that it's very important that whoever is in office can trust the U.S. military to provide him with advice in private so…

— Joseph Dunford

If you've got somebody in harm's way, you want the president being -- making advice, not -- be given advice by the military, and…

— George W. Bush

We've learned something about President-elect [Donald] Trump's choice for secretary of defense. Lawmakers in Congress intend to proper debate over whether retired General James…

— Steve Inskeep

How you staff, particularly the chief of staff, the national security adviser, your White House counsel, how you set up a process in the…

— Barack Obama

Under our Constitution, military leaders have no choice but to endorse the president's decision after giving him their best advice.

— Robert Kagan

Dear Mr. President: ... We urge you, after consulting with Congress, and consistent with the U.S. Constitution and laws, to take necessary actions (including,…

— Joe Lieberman

“had never heard a president explicitly frame a decision as a direct order. With the American military, it is completely unnecessary. As secretary of…

— Robert M. Gates

The Secretary of Defense is not a super General or Admiral. His task is to exercise civilian control over the Department for the Commander-in-Chief…

— Donald Rumsfeld

I would want to be fully informed before advising the president.

— Rex W. Tillerson

Whenever we have had a need for a national security or public safety issue, Congress has always followed the recommendations of the White House,…

— Jim Sensenbrenner

I do not recall ever receiving a suggestion, let alone an order, from the White House as to how I should make a regulatory…

— Russell E. Train

National security adviser is not a position that requires confirmation. This is a pick that like [Donald Trump] Chief of Staff, he gets to…

— Lawrence O'Donnell