Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich warned the Trump administration cannot succeed if it decides to become reasonable.
"There are lots of things that are going to come up to slow them down and stop them: the bureaucracy, the regulations, the lobbyists, the news media," he told Spiegel Online.
"The total weight of everything that tries to stop them from changing things will be so great that there is a danger that the Trump administration will back up and decide to be reasonable. If they decide to become reasonable, they will have failed," he added.
"Remember, most of the bureaucrats voted for Hillary Clinton. Most of the bureaucrats deeply dislike what Trump is trying to accomplish, and most of the bureaucrats think they can't be fired, so they can outlast you."
Gingrich had strong words for Sens. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., and John McCain, R-Ariz., who have been critical of Russian interference in the presidential campaign.
"I'm a little tired of people who have very big moral positions and very small power in reality," he told Spiegel. "I think the cost for taking on the Russians would be very high. I just want to know how they're going to do it.
"I don't see that we would do more than make noise."
Gingrich took issue with those who claim the U.S. will become less tolerant and more authoritarian under Trump.
"That is irrational verging on insane," he said.
Meanwhile Gingrich told CBS News Trump should not have a good relationship with U.S. intelligence officials right now.
"I don't think there should be a good relationship right now," Gingrich said. "The very top people who are political appointees I think absolutely betrayed and undermined the intelligence community. I think they acted in ways that are totally inappropriate."
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