Donald Trump vs US intelligence services: Why the big rift?
US President accuses officials of illegally giving out confidential information 'like candy'
Donald Trump has "declared war" on the US intelligence community, accusing officials of handing out classified information "like candy".
In a series of tweets yesterday, the President tried to divert attention from the growing scandal about his former national security adviser Michael Flynn and hit out at "very un-American" intelligence officials giving out confidential information "illegally".
Trump's tweets come just 48 hours after Flynn's resignation over the misleading statements the former army general had made about conversations he had with the Russian ambassador as a private citizen. It later emerged that Trump was told more than two weeks ago that the Justice Department had concerns about Flynn's conduct, prompting more speculation about the administration's close ties with Russia.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Describing the "Russian connection" as "nonsense", he tweeted several messages attacking intelligence agencies and media outlets.
Trump has "declared war on his intelligence agencies", says the Daily Telegraph, while Time magazine says the leaks reflect uneasiness in the intelligence community about the President.
"All administrations leak and maybe particularly early on," Eliot Cohen, a counsellor at the State Department under George W Bush, told Time. "But what surprises me here is the extent with which you have people leaking against each other. This is unprecedented."
The magazine says the "leaks appear to be just the latest salvo in a long-running back and forth between Trump and the intelligence and diplomatic corps, though it's also possible that some of them came from other political and policy sources, including rivals inside the White House".
The "shaky detente" between Trump and the intelligence agencies broke down last month after he wrongly accused them of leaking the "dodgy Russia dossier", written by a former MI6 operative and containing unverified, salacious claims about his ties with Russia, says The Guardian. In one tweet, Trump likened them to "Nazi Germany", saying they should never have allowed "fake news to 'leak' to the public".
At the time Glenn Carle, a retired CIA officer, told the newspaper the intelligence agencies face an "existential crisis" prompted by the imminent prospect of serving "someone for whom the truth is irrelevant".
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
Israel's military intelligence chief resigns
Speed Read Maj. Gen. Aharon Haliva is the first leader to quit for failing to prevent the Hamas attack in October
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
Today's political cartoons - April 23, 2024
Cartoons Tuesday's cartoons - Gen Z remonstrated, plastic recycling, and more
By The Week US Published
-
New York prosecutors lay out case against Trump
Speed Read The former president's first criminal trial started in earnest Monday
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Sitting in judgment on Trump
Opinion Who'd want to be on this jury?
By Susan Caskie Published
-
How could the Supreme Court's Fischer v. US case impact the other Jan 6. trials including Trump's?
Today's Big Question A former Pennsylvania cop might hold the key to a major upheaval in how the courts treat the Capitol riot — and its alleged instigator
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
'A direct, protracted war with Israel is not something Iran is equipped to fight'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Harold Maass, The Week US Published
-
'Good riddance to the televised presidential debate'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Harold Maass, The Week US Published
-
Trump's first criminal trial starts with jury picks
Speed Read The former president faces charges related to hush money payments made to adult film star Stormy Daniels
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Why are Republicans trying to change Nebraska's Electoral College vote?
Today's Big Question It's a chance for Donald Trump to block Joe Biden's path to re-election
By Joel Mathis, The Week US Published
-
House GOP scuttles FISA vote at Trump's urging
Speed Read Right-wing lawmakers blocked Speaker Mike Johnson's surveillance bill
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
To win the election, Trump is changing how elections are run
Under The Radar While the former president campaigns for a second term in office, he and his team have quietly been working to tilt the nation's electoral rules in his favor.
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published