Former Defense Secretary Mark Esper told CBS in an interview broadcast Sunday he helped prevent a series of "dangerous things that could have taken the country in a dark direction" during his time in the Trump administration.
Driving the news: When CBS' Norah O'Donnell asked Esper during the "60 Minutes" interview for examples, he cited a proposal to "take military action against Venezuela," to "strike Iran" and, "at one point, somebody proposed we blockade Cuba."
Context: O'Donnell noted during the program that Ukraine was an "early source of tension" between Esper and then-President Trump.
Zoom in: Esper said such ideas would occur at various times, "certainly the last year of the administration."
The big picture: Esper's interview follows a series of revelatory claims he makes about his time in the Trump administration, including exploring the possibility of secretly launching missiles into Mexico and asking whether people protesting the death of George Floyd could be shot in the leg.
Worth noting: During his interview, Esper also described the performance of President Biden's administration in response to the Russian military invasion of Ukraine as "mixed."
Editor's note: This article has been updated with new details throughout
