Former US defence secretary calls Trump 'an embarrassment'

After 'shit hole countries' comment, Chuck Hagel says, Trump 'intentionally dividing the country and world'

Former US Defence Secretary Chuck Hagel called US President Donald Trump "an embarrassment" saying the president "is doing great damage to our country internationally", in an interview to Lincoln Journal Star.

Hagel a former two-time Republican senator from Nebraska and a decorated Vietnam veteran said that the US and the world have entered "a defining year, a year of volatility and uncertainty and great danger."



His embarrassment remarks come after the US president reportedly made a racist remark in a closed door meeting, referring to Haiti, El Salvador and nations in Africa being 'shithole' countries.

According to the ex-defence secretary, Trump is "intentionally dividing the country and the world" with his remarks and by pulling out of alliances and deals such as the the Trans-Pacific Partnership.

Hagel served as the secretary of defence under former US President Barack Obama. According to him, not only is Trump withdrawing from the world, his attacks on his own country's intelligence community are damaging.

"The country has a President who minimises his own intelligence community, and that is quite astounding," he said.

When asked about the situation in North Korea, Hagel encouraged dialogue. "Dialogue is the only responsible way forward," he said.



"We have to sit down and try to work our way through this. And I don't think you can expect any kind of engagement by demanding preconditions," he added further.

Referring to the US leader's recent tweet aimed at North Korean leader Kim Jong-un Hagel said "'My button is bigger than yours' is irresponsible kind of talk."

This story originally appeared on Lincoln Journal Star