Summary
Lawmakers from both parties expressed outrage after The Atlantic’s editor-in-chief revealed he was accidentally included in a Trump administration Signal chat discussing Yemen airstrikes.
Rep. Chris Deluzio (D-Pa.) and Rep. Sara Jacobs (D-Calif.) called for investigations and firings, labeling it a serious security breach.
Rep. Don Bacon (R-Neb.) criticized the use of non-secure systems, warning that adversaries like Russia and China could exploit it.
Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.) condemned the administration’s mishandling of classified information, saying it endangers national security.
Devil’s Advocate Hot Take:
This is an expression of power. An intentional leak to show that “We get to break rules, and you cannot.” We see it as incompetence and abject hypocrisy, but it could be a purposeful leak because they don’t care about being seen as hypocrites, they are about showing us they can get away with it. It could also be a Trial Balloon about the kind of wars they intend to wage.
/takes off tinfoil hat
I really think they really are just this stupid, but I think its at least worthwhile to consider the alternative, because a lot of what conservatives do is about using hypocrisy as a weapon and expression of power over others. They want us getting angry about such things, so they can can be cool and collected and say that we’re overreacting because they’re so calm while chuckling and sneering at us.
“But her emails!” Yeah they don’t actually give a shit, they may just want to show they can get away with it. Much like Trump rejecting using a government issued cell phone in his first term and Bush “losing” millions of emails.
As long as we’re putting on our tinfoil hats, it’s also possible that this was an intentional action taken against The Atlantic (or against Jeffrey Goldberg in particular). Trump’s admin has plenty of reasons to want to silence that publication, and might’ve hoped that by “accidentally” giving Goldberg access, they could entrap him into committing a crime (mishandling of classified material, espionage, etc).
With a little cooperation from the AG’s office, presto! You’ve got one of your biggest critics in jail, and sent a message to other would-be whistleblowers.
Reminds me of this from the Bush II years:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Killian_documents_controversy
The Killian documents controversy (also referred to as Memogate or Rathergate) involved six documents containing false allegations about President George W. Bush’s service in the Texas Air National Guard in 1972–73, allegedly typed in 1973. Dan Rather presented four of these documents as authentic in a 60 Minutes II broadcast aired by CBS on September 8, 2004, less than two months before the 2004 presidential election, but it was later found that CBS had failed to authenticate them. Several typewriter and typography experts soon concluded that they were forgeries. Lieutenant Colonel Bill Burkett provided the documents to CBS, but he claims to have burned the originals after faxing them copies.
Anyway, interesting and worthwhile thing to consider.
Pretty good take. I agree they actually are this dumb, but not everyone involved is necessarily, so it’s wise to be aware of alternatives such as what you suggest.
It’s the Russian way. Everyone knows things are shitty but everyone also feels powerless about it. Learned helplessness as a political strategy and the basis for a society.
There is exactly one political party that cares about hypocrisy.
And it ain’t the Republicans.
Being dumb is the meta rn
This is an expression of power. An intentional leak to show that “We get to break rules, and you cannot.”
Hanlon’s razor applies I think:
“Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by incompetence or stupidity”
I really think they really are just this stupid
Yep. They fired all the adults that think things through and provide rigor for a reason so the only people left are children doing whatever they want ignorant of the consequences.
No I’d say there’s absolutely a good share of malice in the mix with incompetence and stupidity.
Exactly. If they had wanted to intentionally leak classified information in order to move the overton window or something, they would have done it differently. They wouldn’t have had the VP disagreeing with Trump. They wouldn’t have actually leaked serious classified information, including the name of an active CIA officer. They wouldn’t have leaked it to the editor in chief of the Atlantic.
They fired all the adults that think things through and provide rigor for a reason so the only people left are children doing whatever they want ignorant of the consequences.
For example, they fired anyone who would otherwise have said “Folks, this is not an appropriate communications tool for classified information. This needs to be shared in a SCIF”.
Anybody who knows better also knows to keep their mouth shut if they want to keep their job in this admin. And even if keeping their job isn’t their priority, they know that if they speak up they risk being scapegoated, hung out to dry, and possibly killed by MAGA loyalists for daring to confront the king.
The first part is purely conjecture of their intent. It is irrelevant and unknowable. The facts are they leaked this to a reporter. They should be held accountable based on the facts, not their intent.
They only have themselves to blame. If you’re actively destroying OPSEC you have no reason to fucking cry.
SLAMMED
I agree with those who think nothing will happen. Screw ups are an everyday thing for these clowns.
It’s like a bunch of stupid kids playing government.
This is surprisingly a middle ground. I’ve been seeing people on the right just as pissed off about this. They have a point too in that there can be two truths here.
He could have leaked information and needs to be held accountable.
The claim that the information leaked as stated can be exaggerated.
Just be careful out there that they don’t rope you into looking like idiots by being over dramatic.
Good ad for Signal at least?
Pro: People learn about Signal Con: People learn about Signal in the context of a leak
Trump is probably all confused because he thought it was end to end encrypted and now he can’t understand how the guy got the messages.
He pulled the ol CC/BCC mistake.
Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.) condemned it with the words “Nerf THIS!”
I agree that “heads should roll”…literally.
- Guillotines for a better America
Everyone there should lose their security clearance and be fired for such an egregious lack of OpSec.
Guy sold have kept quiet and just relayed everything straight to Yemen.
Congress: Somebody should really do something to rein this administration in!
The horrific absurdity is that even Trump was beginning sentences with “Somebody should …” AFTER he became president.
They are too used to the conspiracy-theorist, “humble-truth-finder” mindset EVEN when they are at the top.
I think Trump may do it just for the plausible deniability it implies.
Congress: why are the democrats silent?
Marco Rubio: “Alright, everybody, line up and get ready for the shooting of our own feet.”
McConnell: “Aren’t you guys going to do something about all this?”
Dems: “Like what? Go on tour?”
Dems: “Like what? Go on tour?”
Dems: “Our job is to convince American citizens that that Israel is a cool guy!”
Schumer’s just a cranky old man who still thinks bipartisanship is on the table.
Lots of petitions asking for him to resign as minority leader, and he’s so universally hated rn that he cancelled his book tour.
“should” is the key word. Trump should be in prison but he’s not.
Uh oh, they’re expressing outrage now. I’m sure someone will suffer.
deleted by creator
Really? For fucking real? This is where they draw the line?!
Its like Nixon, Watergate was one of the less egregious things he did, but it was a faux pas against the political order. The Republicans are fully on-board with the wholesale dismantling and privatization of the bureaucratic state, but they’re not ok with making the intelligence mechanisms weaker.
It’s bad, but not even close to the worst this admin has done. However, with proper screeching of NATIONAL SECURITY and shameful reminders about BUT HER EMAILS, this might be the first thing that Dems could sell to the Republican base as grounds to remove people. And let’s be honest, that’s who the Dems are really angling to persuade.
Probably not tho, lol. Nothing will actually change. 🙃
You don’t even really remind them about her emails you can just remind them about the laws they wrote making her emails illegal after the fact in a failed attempt to “lock her up.” We can scream “ILLEGAL MILITARY CHATROOMS” and “ILLEGAL ESPIONAGE”.
What line? Who? Everyone’s been angry the whole time. Still no line has been drawn. Buttery males…
The article claims that legislators on both sides were upset and I was making a joke about how the conservatives were okay with everything else up to this point.
To be clear, if 13 GOP senators and as few as 3 house reps voted to remove Trump it would be done.
