Okay.
Here is the speech itself…
https://avalon.law.yale.edu/20th_century/eisenhower001.asp
As you’ll see from Eisenhower’s speech, at the core of the speech is a plea by Eisenhower to control the defense budget.
And indeed, Eisenhower - who inherited the Korean War - did reduce defense spending over his eight years by some 27%.
In this respect, Trump is no Eisenhower. Over Trump’s four years in office, he boosted defense spending from just over $600 bn to just over $700 bn.
Eisenhower was particularly concerned that military spending would overwhelm the private economy - and push the US into debt.
Even before COVID, Trump had put the US on the path to trillion-dollar deficits forever.
Eisenhower worried that an over-large defense sector could threaten American democracy - and most especially the freedom of thought of the nation’s scholars.
Trump - on the same day as he slurred the military, also announced plans to use federal money to dictate school history curricula.
Eisenhower’s farewell address urged the US to use power to build a global community of equality and respect - the very opposite of Trump’s predation upon allies and partners.
Finally, the largest beneficiaries of the extreme military spending are in fact those within this Military Industrial Complex. Companies like Raytheon and Boeing. And what does Trump do? He appoints their highest level executives as the SecDef (Esper, Shanahan) to run the entire Pentagon.
Trump could not be any further from Eisenhower when it comes to the MIC.
Does that make sense?
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