As the nation grapples with deepening political divisions, a former White House and Pentagon official is sounding the alarm that partisan fury is becoming a direct threat to U.S. national security. In a stark assessment, Douglas MacKinnon argues that the military and intelligence agencies are being forced to navigate a minefield of distractions and biases that could compromise their core mission.
MacKinnon points to the October 7, 2023, Hamas attacks on Israel—which killed about 1,200 people and took more than 240 hostages—as a case study in how internal political strife can blind a nation to external threats. In the months before the assault, Israel was convulsed by massive protests against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's judicial overhaul. According to the London School of Economics, between 60,000 and 400,000 Israelis took to the streets weekly, with police responding with stun grenades, water cannons, and a foul-smelling crowd-control liquid known as "the skunk."
MacKinnon, who served in both the White House and the Pentagon, contends that such hyperpartisanship is not unique to Israel. In the United States, he says, the "Age of Trump" has produced a similar dynamic where loyalty to a leader or ideology can override rational judgment. He warns that when allegiance to a political figure supersedes duty to the nation, the consequences can be catastrophic.
The article cites alarming data: a Harvard University poll found that 39% of young Americans believe political violence is acceptable under certain circumstances, and a Politico-Public First survey showed more than one-third of Americans under 45 hold similar views. MacKinnon highlights the 2025 assassination of Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk as a chilling example. He notes that thousands of posts from "professional" Americans—including college professors, doctors, and even members of the U.S. military—rationalized or celebrated the killing.
"How did our nation reach this level of depravity?" MacKinnon asks. He argues that the military and intelligence agencies have a "solemn duty" to protect the United States and its people, and that their allegiance must not be to any individual, party, or identity. They must resist bias, indoctrination, and misinformation.
The former official warns that if patriotic servicemen and women cannot rise above their personal biases, the nation's security will be irrevocably compromised. He calls for a "superhuman" effort to overcome these divides for the greater good.
This comes as other political battles rage, including threats of investigations into former officials and legal challenges over voter roll purges. The intersection of partisan politics and national security is increasingly a flashpoint, as seen in debates over intelligence sharing and support for Ukraine.
MacKinnon's warning echoes a broader concern among national security experts: that the country's internal divisions are making it harder to confront external adversaries. As hate is amplified and distractions grow, the question remains whether the guardians of the nation can stay focused on the threats that truly matter.
