Obama Cabinet Member: Trump Needs To Speak To Entire Nation, Not Just Base

Jeh Johnson, who served as secretary of Homeland Security under President Obama, told ABC's Martha Raddatz on Sunday's edition of "This Week" that President Trump needs to speak to all of America, not just his base, especially in the wake of divisive events like the violence in Charlottesville, Virginia, and other events involving white nationalism.

"I tell public audiences, those who know history learn from it," Johnson said. "Those who don't know the mistakes of history are bound to repeat it. And so I'm very [concerned] that this president is — frankly dividing us when he should be bringing us together. That's one of the jobs of the president of the the United States. It's part of the job description to bring people together, particularly in times like this of high anxiety. High stress. And I would encourage him, through his words, to try to do that, not just speak to his base, but to speak to all of America. He is the president for all of us in this country."

Johnson also addressed the churn among the White House staff, saying if "John Kelly, or my friend Jim Mattis, came to me and said I'm thinking about resigning from this White House, I'd say absolutely not. You have to stay." (For more national political news, sign up for the free White House Patch email newsletter.)

"As John reportedly said, it's country first," said Johnson. "And we need people like John Kelly, Jim Mattis, H.R. McMaster to right the ship."

Raddatz, filling in for usual host George Stephanopoulos, also spoke with evangelical leader, Liberty university president and Trump supporter Jerry Fallwell Jr.

Read the transcript of Sunday's edition of "This Week" and watch her interview with Jeh Johnson below.

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Photo: Former Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson testifies before the House Intelligence Committee in an open hearing in the U.S. Capitol Visitors Center June 21. Johnson answered questions about Russia's interference in the 2016 presidential elections and his department's response to the threat.