I get that the media wants us to play theater critics and critique every other proposal. What I`m focusing on are my own policy proposals.

You know flexibility is a good thing but it shouldn't - you shouldn't be flexible on core principles.

Any military force should be dictated by the vital national security interests of the United States. And if and when we use force, we should use overwhelming force for a clearly stated objective. And then when we're done, we should get the heck out.

We need a president who is focused on defeating every single ISIS terrorist and protecting the homeland, which should be the first priority.

The problem we have is not Democrats versus Republicans. It is a Washington cartel. I've said many times the biggest divide we have politically is not between Republicans and Democrats. It's between career politicians in both parties and the American people.

It is true that I voted against the National Defense Authorization Act, because when I campaigned in Texas I told voters in Texas that I would oppose the federal government having the authority to detain U.S. citizens permanently with no due process. I have repeatedly supported an effort to take that out of that bill, and I honored that campaign commitment.

Politicians make promises and they don't do what they said they would do: the reason why so many politicians in Washington are unhappy with me.