Topping off a 7 day period when the Associated Press interviewed him, President Trump made some incredible statements about how totally clueless he is about NATO and government.
Among other horrendous things he said was that, unlike business, he just learned the government could hurt real people which is a good guide to his brand of business ethics. Apparently, he never felt bankrupting small businesses or closing down three of his own casinos would harm anyone. He also told the AP that he was surprised to learn that missiles he ordered fired into Syria could malfunction and harm people.
In the last few days, President Trump also hinted that he may have a secret recording system in the White House in a blatant attempt to bully former FBI head Comey.
Meeting With Russian Spymaster
At the request of Russian President Putin on May 10, President Trump hosted the Russian spymaster Ambassador Sergey Kislyak and Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in a meeting so confidential that even the U.S. press photographers were banned. However, the Russian government Tass photographer was invited into the Oval office and took a photo showing either the Ambassador congratulating Trump or vice versa and both with huge grins.
But now the Washington Post is reporting that in that meeting President Trump disclosed highly classified information to the Ambassador and Foreign Minister.
What Secret Information and What Harm Was Done?
The information in question came not from a U.S. source, but some foreign government which works (perhaps that should be DID WORK) with the U.S. intelligence community sharing highly classified information. That makes it even worse because he has the legal authority to unclassified U.S. information, but not that of our partners.
Even if the information is not used by Russia to harm anyone and causes no further damage it will probably stop cold any really high-level cooperation between the U.S. intelligence community and that of any of our partners, even the British. They won’t risk sharing the most sensitive information knowing it might be passed on, even to potential or actual enemies.
It is likely that some extremely critical information will continue to be shared but U.S. agency heads won’t risk passing the information to The White House.
Codeword Classified Information
In the intelligence community, there are various classifications for the importance and classification level of information.
Top Secret is widely believed by the public to be the highest level, but it isn’t. The highest classification for the most secret and sensitive information is termed Codeword. Some Codeword information is limited to only a handful of people.
The CIA classifies the most sensitive information as SCI or Sensitive Compartmented Information, often referred to as Codeword because it is only supposed to be seen by someone with both secret or top secret clearance AND the specific word assigned to the information or document.
SCI information is often classified that way because if the information got out it would possibly permit the targets (such as ISIS) to learn the identity of the person who is telling their secrets, normally followed by a long torture session followed by an execution of the person and often their close relatives.
Having disclosed that information to the Russians means that they now have more information even than our allies.
Tapes or no tapes?
Whether Trump’s threats to the former head of the FBI about having recorded conversations is a mere bluff or is true, Congress, including Republicans are demanding that if such recordings exist they be turned over to congressional committees.
This latest bombshell is only going to increase demands to know whether there really are recordings and just what is on them.
Presidential spokesperson Sean Spicer again today refused to clarify the situation.
(NOTE: your NewsBlaze reporter was formerly with Post-Newsweek when based in Washington.)
