732 Quotes by Donald Rumsfeld

Don’t say ‘the White House wants.’ Buildings can’t want.

There are things that we know, and there are things that we don’t know. Then there are the things that we don’t even know that we don’t know. Those are the things that are the hardest.

Don’t necessarily avoid sharp edges. Occasionally they are necessary to leadership.

First rule of politics: you can’t win unless you’re on the ballot. Second rule: If you run, you may lose. And, if you tie, you do not win.

Make decisions about the President’s personal security. He can overrule you, but don’t ask him to be the one to counsel caution.

When surprise occurs, such as when the economy enters an unexpected recession or a conflict begins seemingly out the blue, the natural reaction is to immediately ask who made the “obvious” mistake. It is much easier to believe that our leaders are incompetent than to accept the less pleasant reality that ours is a world where uncertainty and surprise are the norm, not the exception.

Don’t be a bottleneck. If a matter is not a decision for the President or you, delegate it. Force responsibility down and out. Find problem areas, add structure and delegate. The pressure is to do the reverse. Resist it.

When someone with a rural accent says, “I don’t know much about politics,” zip up your pockets.

Look for what’s missing. Many advisors can tell a President how to improve what’s proposed or what’s gone amiss. Few are able to see what isn’t there.