Firing Line with Margaret Hoover Ret. Lt. Gen. Mark Hertling on Trump’s second-term National Security Strategy
Dec 13, 2025
Ret. Lt. Gen. Mark Hertling, a retired U.S. Army lieutenant general and expert in military strategy, discusses the nuances of Trump’s new National Security Strategy. He raises ethical concerns over military strikes on drug boats and the lack of congressional oversight. Hertling critiques the administration's values-free approach, emphasizing the need for clearer legal boundaries and accountability. He also debates the relevance of the Monroe Doctrine today and shares insights from his upcoming book, focusing on leadership lessons for future generations.
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Guardrails Have Been Removed
- The second Trump administration lacks the legal and diplomatic guardrails seen in the first term.
- Mark Hertling warns this accelerates risky actions across diplomacy, military, economic and informational tools.
The Caribbean Boat Strike Example
- Hertling describes the September strike that killed most aboard a boat and how survivors were left in the water.
- He emphasizes there was no declared war, strategy, or congressional approval framing the strikes.
Shipwrecked Targets Are Clearly Illegal
- The Law of War Manual cites firing on the shipwrecked as clearly illegal and an order to disobey.
- Hertling explains soldiers should question illegal orders, escalate, and may face moral injury if command culture normalizes them.
