While we should, at this point, be inured to the misadventures and general incompetence of the Trump Administration, last night’s news is still horribly striking.
First, the Washington Post reported that President* Trump shared highly classified information with Soviet Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. On cue, Trump’s spokespeople were out in force last night denying this was true.
Trump, in one of his truest showings of loyalty (to himself, natch), then knee-capped all his surrogates while on a Tweetrage this morning:
Today, it’s being widely reported that not only was the intelligence based upon ISIL, but the intelligence was provided by Israel. This is the same Israel that, earlier this year, was concerned about Trump improperly sharing intelligence with…Russia.
Knowing what we know about Trump’s narcissism, his constant need for reinforcement, and his temperament like that of a small child with no ability to self-regulate, I think we can re-create with a high level of accuracy and confidence what happened with Lavrov.
Trump was likely bragging about how he gets the best intelligence. Lavrov gives an example of the intelligence he receives, but Trump, not one to lose a boasting competition, must one-up Lavrov. Probably remembering the last striking item of his most recent intelligence briefing, Trump likely bragged about this piece of intelligence from Israel he received to Lavrov.
Beans: spilled.
Anybody out there believe this isn’t a highly likely scenario? I didn’t think so. Unfortunately, there are real-life consequences due to Trump’s inability to act like an adult regarding intelligence.
If Israel indeed had a valuable asset placed within ISIL in a position to gather highly valuable intelligence–a scenario that seems likely–this asset may be exposed. Israel has then lost an asset to help the entire world in the fight against ISIL, an asset that may not even be alive at this point.
Who is going to share intelligence with the United States now? Fighting ISIL is a world-wide battle. It’s of utmost importance countries work together to dismantle ISIL, and Trump’s behavior undermines the work of intelligence agencies all over the world.
All because this man-child of a President* had to one up the Russian Foreign Minister.
Update: As I conjectured, an intelligence asset is now at risk because of President* Trump.