Work continuously to trim the White House staff from your first day to your last. All the pressures are to the contrary.

Quote by Donald Rumsfeld

Topics: Donald Rumsfeld Quotes

Think ahead. Don't let day-to-day operations drive out planning.

Think ahead. Don't let day-to-day operations drive out planning.

Amidst all the clutter, beyond all the obstacles, aside from all the static, are the...

Amidst all the clutter, beyond all the obstacles, aside from all the static, are the...

There are known knowns. These are things we know that we know. There are known...

There are known knowns. These are things we know that we know. There are known...

Keep your sense of humor. As General Joe Stillwell said, The higher a monkey climbs,...

Keep your sense of humor. As General Joe Stillwell said, The higher a monkey climbs,...

Know that the immediate staff and others in the Administration will assume that your manner,...

Know that the immediate staff and others in the Administration will assume that your manner,...

Don't divide the world into hem and us. Avoid infatuation with or resentment of the...

Don't divide the world into hem and us. Avoid infatuation with or resentment of the...

Be yourself. Follow your instincts. Success depends, at least in part, on the ability to...

Be yourself. Follow your instincts. Success depends, at least in part, on the ability to...

Death has a tendency to encourage a depressing view of war.

Death has a tendency to encourage a depressing view of war.

Be precise. A lack of precision is dangerous when the margin of error is small.

Be precise. A lack of precision is dangerous when the margin of error is small.

Politics is human beings; it's addition rather than subtraction.

Politics is human beings; it's addition rather than subtraction.

I don't do quagmires.

I don't do quagmires.

If a prospective Presidential approach can't be explained clearly enough to be understood well, it...

If a prospective Presidential approach can't be explained clearly enough to be understood well, it...

Members of the U.S. House and the U.S. Senate are not there by accident. Each...

Members of the U.S. House and the U.S. Senate are not there by accident. Each...

You will launch many projects, but have time to finish only a few. So think,...

You will launch many projects, but have time to finish only a few. So think,...

Remember where you came from.

Remember where you came from.

Presidential leadership needn't always cost money. Look for low- and no-cost options. They can be...

Presidential leadership needn't always cost money. Look for low- and no-cost options. They can be...

Don't automatically obey Presidential directives if you disagree or if you suspect he hasn't considered...

Don't automatically obey Presidential directives if you disagree or if you suspect he hasn't considered...

In the execution of Presidential decisions work to be true to his views, in fact...

In the execution of Presidential decisions work to be true to his views, in fact...

Prune - prune businesses, products, activities, people. Do it annually.

Prune - prune businesses, products, activities, people. Do it annually.

The price of being close to the President is delivering bad news. You fail him...

The price of being close to the President is delivering bad news. You fail him...