That was then, this is now.
News outlets ran a spate of articles and columns in recent days reflecting a level of anxiety over President-elect Trump choosing a number of retired generals for top positions in his White House.
But in January 2009, President Obama appointed the same number of retired high-ranking officers to posts that Trump has so far.
Trump has reportedly named retired Marine Gen. John Kelly as his secretary of homeland security, which brings the number of retired generals to three. Kelly would join retired Army Lt. Gen. Mike Flynn as national security adviser and retired Marine Gen. James Mattis as secretary of defense.
After the Kelly news, the Washington Post ran a story Wednesday headlined, “Trump hires a third general, raising concerns about heavy military influence.”
The story said Trump’s pick had “intensified worries among some members of Congress and national security experts that the new administration’s policies may be shaped disproportionately by military commanders.”
The Wall Street Journal similarly said Trump’s “Choice of Generals for Top Posts Raises Concerns.”