It’s easy to understand why Trump has surrounded himself with military figures; like billionaire businessmen and successful athletes, they are “winners.” They kick butt, like him. Their swagger is the essence of the current version of the Republican Party.
Is this harmful to the country? Is civilian control of the military under threat?
The military figures in Trump’s cabinet are, as a whole, probably more competent than the civilians. I haven’t seen any evidence that they reject civilian control or the rule of law. And yet, I have to admit that I feel more than a little uneasy about the growing connection between the military and the Republican Party. There has always been a potential element of tension, given that our servicemen and women come disproportionately from red states, but Trump is making it worse. What happens if we go a few steps beyond where we are now, and the military start to believe that blue states and liberal democratic values aren’t really a legitimate part of the country? That’s a possibility that needs to be stopped before it gets started.