Page:CTRL0000034609 - Transcribed Interview of Kashyap Pramod Patel, (December 9, 2021).pdf/79

79 What I'm telling you is, those answers call for classified information.

So there's no unclassified answer?

Not that I recall.

So it's your understanding that Acting Secretary Miller—

Yeah.

—wanted you to be his chief of staff.

It's my understanding that he, along with the White House, asked me to serve in that role. And, as Acting Secretary Miller and I have known each other and worked together for a long time, so—

Who along from the White House asked you to take on the role of the chief of staff?

The President.

Would it surprise you that Acting Secretary Miller said it was not his idea to have you be his chief of staff?

I don't know if you're asking me whether it was his idea or not. I'm trying to answer that he asked—my recollection—if I would consider doing it. That's what I remember. I don't know whose idea it was.

But President Trump had some role in that?

He asked me as well. I don't know who asked first. I don't remember.

Did you have any interest to go to DOD prior—before you were asked?

Having previously been at DOD at JSOC as a civilian, which was one of the best tours I ever did, I was of course interested in serving in some capacity for national security. And, you know, I mean, for a civilian, you know, what could be a better job than chief of staff at DOD? So of course I was interested.

So, sorry, just to go back to kind of the origins of the appointment itself, did