Gates, who served in both Republican and Democratic administrations, said in an online speech to a Florida group that partisanship has always been part of U.S. politics dating back to founders John Adams and Thomas Jefferson, but only recently has that resulted in the government being unable to tackle major issues such as the coronavirus outbreak.
Gates, 76 and a Republican, served as CIA director from 1991 to 1993 under President George H.W. Bush and defense secretary from 2006 to 2011 under Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama.
Gates argues in his book that over the last 25 years, presidents and Congress have allowed the nation’s diplomatic strengths such as developmental assistance, communications and cultural connections wither, leaving the military with a disproportionate role in determining and executing U.S. foreign policy.
Gates also praised and criticized former Vice President Joe Biden, Trump’s presumed Democratic opponent in November’s election.
Still, Gates said despite their broad policy differences, he and Biden had a good relationship during the Obama administration and agreed on such issues as Libyan nonintervention when that country’s leader, Moammar Gadhafi, was overthrown and killed in 2011.
