美国国家公共电台 NPR Why Donald Trump Likes To Surround Himself With Generals

 

AILSA CHANG, HOST:

President Trump¹ goes back and forth² on using the U.S. military. He used to advocate pulling out of Afghanistan, for instance, and now he's committing additional forces there. But he's clearly a big fan of using men with military experience for top positions in his administration. NPR's Jim Zarroli reports on how military leadership translates.

JIM ZARROLI, BYLINE³: When White House chief strategist Steve Bannon was fired last week, the decision was announced by Trump's chief of staff, former Marine⁴ Corps⁵ General John Kelly. And it was senior military officers that Trump turned to this week when he made his Afghanistan speech. Here was U.N. ambassador Nikki Haley on CNN yesterday.

(SOUNDBITE OF TV SHOW, "NEW DAY")

NIKKI HALEY: He listened to his generals. He saw what they were saying.

ZARROLI: As a teenager, Trump attended a military academy. And he's made clear he reveres⁶ the toughness and discipline of military life. He's appointed four generals to top positions. Tom Kolditz is a retired⁷ brigadier general.

THOMAS KOLDITZ: I think that he likes the idea of military leadership because military leadership is very decisive and audacious at times. And, you know, general officers are very good at simplifying problems and then getting the job done.

ZARROLI: In the military, promising⁸ recruits are taught how to inspire and lead, and those skills can make a difference later. Former VA secretary and Procter & Gamble CEO Bob McDonald knows that firsthand. He went to West Point and spent five years in the Army. Then he went into the corporate⁹ world. He had to make adjustments. Army life is regimented. You even get a manual telling you how to organize your desk.

ROBERT MCDONALD: So when I got to the Procter & Gamble company, I went to my boss. And I said, you know, where's the field manual that tells you how to organize your desk? And of course, they thought I was crazy.

ZARROLI: The leadership skills McDonald learned in the military stayed with him throughout his career. He mentions some words in the West Point prayer.

MCDONALD: Those words are, help me to choose the harder right rather than the easier wrong. And it's remarkable¹⁰, but in business, as in life, the easier thing is usually the wrong thing to do.

ZARROLI: Northwestern finance professor Carola Frydman looked at the track record of CEOs who were in the military.

CAROLA FRYDMAN: We found pretty striking evidence that CEOs with military background are much less likely to commit corporate fraud. There is a sense that being ethical¹¹ is really important.

ZARROLI: Frydman says veterans don't tend to do any better than other CEOs, but they're good in a crisis. And it's this ability to bring order by cracking the whip that seems to appeal to President Trump. But retired General Kolditz says today's military officers are taught to lead by inspiring trust and respect. They don't just bark orders. Kolditz says there's something else Trump may not understand.

KOLDITZ: Donald Trump's grown up in a scrappier place, where it was pretty much about making money for yourself. And, you know, he is brand-new to public service.

ZARROLI: It's not hard to imagine generals who were taught this ideal of public service clashing with a president who prizes personal loyalty¹². But people such as Kelly and national security adviser¹³ H.R. McMaster bring something else to the table that Trump may come to appreciate. They are savvy¹⁴ insiders with track records on policy matters. That could benefit a White House where political experience is in short supply. Jim Zarroli, NPR News.

1 trump   

n.王牌，法宝；v.打出王牌，吹喇叭

参考例句：

• He was never able to trump up the courage to have a showdown.他始终鼓不起勇气摊牌。
• The coach saved his star player for a trump card.教练保留他的明星选手，作为他的王牌。

2 forth   

adv.向前；向外，往外

参考例句：

• The wind moved the trees gently back and forth.风吹得树轻轻地来回摇晃。
• He gave forth a series of works in rapid succession.他很快连续发表了一系列的作品。

3 byline   

n.署名；v.署名

参考例句：

• His byline was absent as well.他的署名也不见了。
• We wish to thank the author of this article which carries no byline.我们要感谢这篇文章的那位没有署名的作者。

4 marine   

adj.海的；海生的；航海的；海事的；n.水兵

参考例句：

• Marine creatures are those which live in the sea. 海洋生物是生存在海里的生物。
• When the war broke out,he volunteered for the Marine Corps.战争爆发时，他自愿参加了海军陆战队。

5 corps   

n.(通信等兵种的)部队；(同类作的)一组

参考例句：

• The medical corps were cited for bravery in combat.医疗队由于在战场上的英勇表现而受嘉奖。
• When the war broke out,he volunteered for the Marine Corps.战争爆发时，他自愿参加了海军陆战队。

6 reveres   

v.崇敬，尊崇，敬畏( revere的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• Confucian philosophy reveres the teacher above all. 儒家哲学最讲究尊重师长。 来自互联网
• Group's idea: Have in mind gratefully, the heart checks and reveres, sincerity serve, fulfil one's duty. 团队理念：胸怀感激、心存敬畏、诚信服务、尽职尽责。 来自互联网

7 retired   

adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的

参考例句：

• The old man retired to the country for rest.这位老人下乡休息去了。
• Many retired people take up gardening as a hobby.许多退休的人都以从事园艺为嗜好。

8 promising   

adj.有希望的，有前途的

参考例句：

• The results of the experiments are very promising.实验的结果充满了希望。
• We're trying to bring along one or two promising young swimmers.我们正设法培养出一两名有前途的年轻游泳选手。

9 corporate   

adj.共同的，全体的；公司的，企业的

参考例句：

• This is our corporate responsibility.这是我们共同的责任。
• His corporate's life will be as short as a rabbit's tail.他的公司的寿命是兔子尾巴长不了。

10 remarkable   

adj.显著的，异常的，非凡的，值得注意的

参考例句：

• She has made remarkable headway in her writing skills.她在写作技巧方面有了长足进步。
• These cars are remarkable for the quietness of their engines.这些汽车因发动机没有噪音而不同凡响。

11 ethical   

adj.伦理的，道德的，合乎道德的

参考例句：

• It is necessary to get the youth to have a high ethical concept.必须使青年具有高度的道德观念。
• It was a debate which aroused fervent ethical arguments.那是一场引发强烈的伦理道德争论的辩论。

12 loyalty   

n.忠诚，忠心

参考例句：

• She told him the truth from a sense of loyalty.她告诉他真相是出于忠诚。
• His loyalty to his friends was never in doubt.他对朋友的一片忠心从来没受到怀疑。

13 adviser   

n.劝告者，顾问

参考例句：

• They employed me as an adviser.他们聘请我当顾问。
• Our department has engaged a foreign teacher as phonetic adviser.我们系已经聘请了一位外籍老师作为语音顾问。

14 savvy   

v.知道，了解；n.理解能力，机智，悟性；adj.有见识的，懂实际知识的，通情达理的

参考例句：

• She was a pretty savvy woman.她是个见过世面的漂亮女人。
• Where's your savvy?你的常识到哪里去了？