Retired Army general: Next president should be a ‘deep expert on the global economic system’

Retired Army Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn, who has been speculated to be a foreign policy adviser to Donald Trump, said Wednesday that Americans should vote for someone who has demonstrated “leadership talent” and is a “deep expert on the global economic system.”  

“If I were advising the American public who to vote for, I would recommend they vote for someone who has equally immense and demonstrated leadership talent as well as being a first rate and deep expert on the global economic system,” he said. 

{mosads}”To stay on top over the coming years (never mind decades), the US can ill-afford to have more of the same from our current political class,” he said in the interview published Wednesday on Dispatches from Pinehurst, a blog run by retired military officer Jason Criss Howk.   

Flynn said in the interview, which was conducted Mar. 12–13, that he has met with five GOP candidates, including two who were still in the race as of that time.  

“I have personally met with them and offered my judgments and professional insights on U.S. Foreign Policy and overall National Security, as well as held discussions with the growing challenges facing the United States in the years ahead,” he said. 

Flynn, who served as Director of the Defense Intelligence Agency and as a senior military intelligence officer in the Department of Defense before retiring in 2014, has refrained from clarifying whether he has any role in the Trump campaign, but he has been complimentary of the candidate. 

In January, Flynn told Bloomberg View that Trump was a “superb listener” who asked “exceptional questions” and was interested in detail on a wide range of world issues.

“This guy is really switched on and has a strong understanding of what’s going on in the world,” he told the outlet. “I walked away with a much stronger impression of him than I had previously.”  

Trump has come under increasing pressure to name his foreign policy advisers. On Wednesday, he said on MSNBC, “I’m speaking with myself, number one, because I have a very good brain.”  

He also added, “I know what I’m doing, and I listen to a lot of people, I talk to a lot of people, and at the appropriate time I’ll tell you who the people are.” 

Trump has called for a temporary ban on Muslim immigrants, taking a tougher line with China and not being politically correct, stances that Flynn voiced as well. 

“What keeps me up at night are things like the radicalization of Islam and their dedication to their vicious and barbaric cause, using modernity to influence thousands around the world to join them,” Flynn said. 

Flynn is also coming out with a new book with conservative author Michael Ledeen this summer titled, “The Field of Fight: How We Can Win The Global War Against Radical Islam And Its Allies.”

“It is a book about my personal story of becoming an intelligence officer and why I believe my solutions must be considered as we continue to fight this never ending perpetual conflict against a political system masking itself as a religion,” he said. 

Flynn said he would also tell the next president to be “very cautious listening to those who are politically correct.”  

“We need seriously candid and meaningful advice and solutions right now. The era of this next president is going to be a sobering set of global interactions that could lead to a new and larger war or could end up in a far more stable global system,” he said. 

Flynn said he offers his advice to candidates as a “private citizen with years of experience on those topics as well as others.” 

He also said he believed foreign policy experts should feel an obligation to offer advice to candidates and not rule out working for a candidate before the election is over — possibly a reference to an open letter by over 100 leading members of the Republican foreign policy establishment vowing to oppose Trump. 

“Those with deep subject matter expertise who believe they can help our country should feel some sort of obligation to do so. … If they disagree with a particular political side, say so, but that should not stop them from offering advice,” Flynn said. 

Flynn has also called on Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton to step down during the ongoing investigation into her private email account while secretary of State.