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Donald Rumsfeld

Donald Rumsfeld Quotes

Former U.S. Secretary of Defense

Donald Rumsfeld is a prominent American politician who served as the United States Secretary of Defense twice. Born on July 9, 1932, Rumsfeld has extensive experience in political and military affairs, leading key national security and defense policies.

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Famous Donald Rumsfeld Quotes

“I suppose the implication of that is the president and the vice president and myself and Colin Powell just fell off a turnip truck to take these jobs.”

Jobs President Vices Truck Implications Vice President Turnips

Author:Donald Rumsfeld

“Most US presidents since World War II have led military actions without a declaration of war by Congress, though most, if not all, have properly consulted and sought support from Congress. That is the wise thing to do.”

Ifs World War Action President Support Wise Military Congress Things To Do War Of The Worlds World War Ii World War I Declaration Us President Military Action Declaration Of War

Author:Donald Rumsfeld

“Every country should be tired of going to war. War is a terrible thing. If I had been in Congress, as much as I would be inclined naturally to be supportive of a president, any president, I would have voted no, had the issue come to a vote.”

Ifs Should War Country Would Be President Issues Terrible Vote Tired Congress Supportive Terrible Things Going To War

Author:Donald Rumsfeld

“Every president when he is elected has to live with the pluses and minuses his predecessor leaves, which includes benefits as well as burdens.”

Wells President Benefits Burden Predecessors

Author:Donald Rumsfeld

“A president has to provide leadership to gain support.”

President Support Gains

Author:Donald Rumsfeld

“It is worth reminding that being president is a tough job for anybody, and particularly so in the information age. There's such a glut of information. Anything a president says or does is picked up on the Internet or the 24/7 news media and criticized almost instantly. Leaders persuade through their words and as such their words need to be measured and well chosen. It is a tough job.”

Needs Wells Doe Age Jobs President Leader Media Information Internet News Tough Chosen Reminding Information Age News Media

Author:Donald Rumsfeld

“Most of the 50 or so invitations you receive each week come from people inviting the President's Chief of Staff, not you. If you doubt that, ask your predecessor how many he received last week.”

People Ifs Lasts Asks President Doubt Week Chiefs Staff Invitations Inviting Predecessors Chief Of Staff

Author:Donald Rumsfeld

“The reality is that [Barack] Obama has some 15 countries in the current Libya coalition. President Bush put together close to 50 countries for the Afghan coalition, some 40 countries for the Iraqi coalition, more than 90 countries for the Proliferation Security Initiative and over 90 countries in the Global War on Terror.”

War Country Reality Together President Security Currents Terror Barack Initiative President Bush Coalitions War On Terror Libya Proliferation Afghan

Author:Donald Rumsfeld

“Being Vice President is difficult. Don't make it tougher.”

Difficult President Vices Vice President

Book:Public Statements of Donald H. Rumsfeld, Secretary of Defense, 2001

Source: Public Statements of Donald H. Rumsfeld, Secretary of Defense, 2001

“Control your time. If you're working off your in-box, you're working off the priorities of others. Be sure the staff is working on what you move to them from the President, or the President will be reacting, not leading.”

Ifs Moving President Boxes Priorities Staff Reacting

Book:Public Statements of Donald H. Rumsfeld, Secretary of Defense, 2001

Source: Public Statements of Donald H. Rumsfeld, Secretary of Defense, 2001

“Don't accept the post or stay unless you have an understanding with the President that you're free to tell him what you think "with the bark off" and you have the courage to do it.”

Thinking Understanding President Accepting Posts Bark

Book:Public Statements of Donald H. Rumsfeld, Secretary of Defense, 2001

Source: Public Statements of Donald H. Rumsfeld, Secretary of Defense, 2001

“Know that the immediate staff and others in the Administration will assume that your manner, tone and tempo reflect the President's.”

Knows President Assuming Administration Tone Staff Tempo

Book:Public Statements of Donald H. Rumsfeld, Secretary of Defense, 2001

Source: Public Statements of Donald H. Rumsfeld, Secretary of Defense, 2001

“Walk around. If you are invisible, the mystique of the President's office may perpetuate inaccurate impressions about you or the President, to his detriment. After all, you may not be as bad as they're saying.”

Ifs May President Walks Office Invisible Impression Mystique

Book:Public Statements of Donald H. Rumsfeld, Secretary of Defense, 2001

Source: Public Statements of Donald H. Rumsfeld, Secretary of Defense, 2001

“When asked for your views, by the press or others, remember that what they really want to know is the President's views.”

Knows Want Remember President Views Presses Euthanasia

Book:Public Statements of Donald H. Rumsfeld, Secretary of Defense, 2001

Source: Public Statements of Donald H. Rumsfeld, Secretary of Defense, 2001

“In our system leadership is by consent, not command. To lead a President must persuade. Personal contacts and experiences help shape his thinking. They can be critical to his persuasiveness and thus to his leadership.”

Thinking Helping President Leadership Shapes Critical Command Contact Consent

Book:Public Statements of Donald H. Rumsfeld, Secretary of Defense, 2001

Source: Public Statements of Donald H. Rumsfeld, Secretary of Defense, 2001

“Be able to resign. It will improve your value to the President and do wonders for your performance.”

Able Values President Wonder Performances

Book:Public Statements of Donald H. Rumsfeld, Secretary of Defense, 2001

Source: Public Statements of Donald H. Rumsfeld, Secretary of Defense, 2001

“If you foul up, tell the President and correct it fast. Delay only compounds mistakes.”

Ifs President Mistake Delay Foul Compounds

Book:Public Statements of Donald H. Rumsfeld, Secretary of Defense, 2001

Source: Public Statements of Donald H. Rumsfeld, Secretary of Defense, 2001

“Make decisions about the President's personal security. He can overrule you, but don't ask him to be the one to counsel caution.”

Asks President Decision Security Caution Personal Security

Book:Public Statements of Donald H. Rumsfeld, Secretary of Defense, 2001

Source: Public Statements of Donald H. Rumsfeld, Secretary of Defense, 2001

“One of your tasks is to separate the 'personal' from the 'substantive.' The two can become confused, especially if someone rubs the President wrong.”

Ifs Two President Tasks Confused

Book:Public Statements of Donald H. Rumsfeld, Secretary of Defense, 2001

Source: Public Statements of Donald H. Rumsfeld, Secretary of Defense, 2001

“Preserve the President's options. He may need them.”

Needs May President Preserves Hype

Book:Public Statements of Donald H. Rumsfeld, Secretary of Defense, 2001

Source: Public Statements of Donald H. Rumsfeld, Secretary of Defense, 2001

“The price of being close to the President is delivering bad news. You fail him if you don't tell him the truth. Others won't do it.”

Ifs President Failing News Bad News Delivering

Author:Donald Rumsfeld

“Don't be a bottleneck. If a matter is not a decision for the President or you, delegate it. Force responsibility down and out. Find problem areas, add structure and delegate. The pressure is to do the reverse. Resist it.”

Ifs Matter Problem Force President Decision Responsibility Areas Pressure Down And Structure Add Reverse Delegates Delegation Bottlenecks

Book:Public Statements of Donald H. Rumsfeld, Secretary of Defense, 2001

Source: Public Statements of Donald H. Rumsfeld, Secretary of Defense, 2001

“Look for what's missing. Many advisors can tell a President how to improve what's proposed or what's gone amiss. Few are able to see what isn't there.”

Looks Able President Gone Missing Observation Advisors

Book:Public Statements of Donald H. Rumsfeld, Secretary of Defense, 2001

Source: Public Statements of Donald H. Rumsfeld, Secretary of Defense, 2001

“Leave the President's family business to him. You will have plenty to do without trying to manage the First Family. They are likely to do fine without your help.”

Trying Firsts Helping President Fine Manage Plenty

Book:Public Statements of Donald H. Rumsfeld, Secretary of Defense, 2001

Source: Public Statements of Donald H. Rumsfeld, Secretary of Defense, 2001

“Many people around the President have sizeable egos before entering government, some with good reason. Their new positions will do little to moderate their egos.”

People Littles Reason Government President Position Ego Entering Moderates New Position

Book:Public Statements of Donald H. Rumsfeld, Secretary of Defense, 2001

Source: Public Statements of Donald H. Rumsfeld, Secretary of Defense, 2001

“See that the President, the Cabinet and staff are informed. If cut out of the information flow, their decisions may be poor, not made, or not confidently or persuasively implemented.”

Ifs May Made President Decision Poor Cutting Information Flow Staff Cabinets Information Flow

Book:Public Statements of Donald H. Rumsfeld, Secretary of Defense, 2001

Source: Public Statements of Donald H. Rumsfeld, Secretary of Defense, 2001

“When you raise issues with the President, try to come away with both that decision and also a precedent. Pose issues so as to evoke broader policy guidance. This can help to answer a range of similar issues likely to arise later.”

Trying Helping President Decision Answers Issues Policy Raises Arise Range Guidance Evoke Precedent

Book:Public Statements of Donald H. Rumsfeld, Secretary of Defense, 2001

Source: Public Statements of Donald H. Rumsfeld, Secretary of Defense, 2001

“A few. . . critics are the only people I ever heard use the phrase 'imminent threat.' I didn't, the president didn't.”

People Use President Heard Threat Critics Iraq Phrases

Author:Donald Rumsfeld

“If in doubt, move decisions up to the President.”

Ifs Moving President Decision Doubt

Book:Public Statements of Donald H. Rumsfeld, Secretary of Defense, 2001

Source: Public Statements of Donald H. Rumsfeld, Secretary of Defense, 2001

About the Author

Born: July 9, 1932
Known for: Former U.S. Secretary of Defense
Quotes: 224

Related Topics

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Popular Topics

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Books & Sources

Public Statements of Donald H. Rumsfeld, Secretary of Defense, 2001Related source material

Known and Unknown: A MemoirRelated source material

The World According to RummyRelated source material

Known and UnknownRelated source material

Rumsfeld's Rules: Leadership Lessons in Business, Politics, War, and LifeRelated source material

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