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Articles by Matt Castelli
President Trump is right: Mamdani is not a jihadist
There is at least one area where U.S. Rep. Elise Stefanik and President Donald Trump disagree: whether New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani is a “jihadist.” Trump rejected Stefanik’s claim outright and instead praised Mamdani as “a man who really wants to see New York be great again.” Stefanik immediately doubled down, repeating that Mamdani is a jihadist — making this dangerous smear a centerpiece of her campaign for governor.
Understanding a startup’s financial health
I previously wrote an article on the ability to zoom out. I discussed using different lenses, like a camera, to zoom out of your current situation to see the bigger picture. One of the common lenses used in the workplace is at the company level to better understand high-level business decisions. To fully understand your business, you must have a good sense of how your company makes money and where it spends its money.
Beyond the Ballot: Reflections on My Race Against Elise Stefanik
Nearly two decades ago, I took an oath to support and defend the Constitution. My fidelity to that oath led me to warzones, to the White House, and ultimately to the 2022 campaign to challenge Congresswoman Elise Stefanik and the ongoing threat she and her extremist allies pose to our country and NY-21. Along the way, over the course of a year and half, our mission evolved.
Commentary: Stefanik and others who violate their oath must face consequences
Sixteen years ago, when I first joined the CIA, I took an oath. It’s the same oath each member of Congress and those who serve in our military take: to support and defend the Constitution against all enemies, foreign and domestic. On Jan. 6, 2021, however, the nation watched as lawmakers like Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-Schuylerville, violated that oath. That day, after rioters stormed the Capitol, Stefanik voted to block the certification of the 2020 election.
Opinion: The brave, fallen 'stars' that brought me to Afghanistan
Matt Castelli is a former CIA officer, serving nearly 15 years in analytic, operational and management assignments primarily covering counterterrorism -- including in Afghanistan. He also served from 2016 to 2018 as director for Counterterrorism at the National Security Council. Follow him @CastelliMatt. The views expressed in this commentary are the author's own and do not reflect the views of his employer. View more opinion articles on CNN.
Pentagon Moves Undermine Counterterrorism Strategy
by Matt Castelli and Colonel (ret.) Bob Wilson January 5, 2021 Chris Miller should know better. Before serving as acting defense secretary, he was the recent head of the National Counterterrorism Center and former special assistant to the president and senior director for counterterrorism at the National Security Council (NSC). Given this, counterterrorism strategy and objectives should be strong guiding principles for Miller in his new role leading the Pentagon.
CIA Is Losing Its Best and Brightest and Not Just Because of Trump
If you ask CIA senior leaders if they have a retention problem, they will likely point to perennial low attrition rates—as Chief Operating Officer Andy Makridis told me in his office last year. He did acknowledge, however, that what those stats won’t tell you is who is walking out the door. CIA has lost much of the post-9/11 generation of intelligence officers who played key roles in some our nation’s greatest national security successes over the past two decades.
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