Donald Trump's Loose Mouth Is a Security Risk

[MineralMan]

For whatever reason, be it Alzheimer's or just stupidity, Donald Trump has no apparent filter between what goes on in his head and what comes out of his mouth. He has slipped a number of times and revealed information that is classified, most recently disclosing that two nuclear subs were off North Korea. Then there was his gaffe regarding classified sources, that may have threatened intelligence agents, to the Russians. He, or his staff, has also prematurely revealed the name of the Manchester bomber, annoying the British.

This must seriously bother the intelligence community, which is charged with briefing the President on highly classified matters. Anything he is told in such a briefing is likely to be blurted out by this President who does not have any idea of why information is classified in the first place.

This puts the intelligence community in a very difficult position. Do they reveal such information to that man and risk its exposure, or do they withhold the information and risk other things by keeping Trump in the dark about things and not doing their job? Apparently, there is no good answer for that question, which is a very dangerous sort of situation, overall.

[dalton99a]

1. They should have a new classification level: "Top Secret - Do Not Share With POTUS"

[MineralMan]

3. Well, no doubt such a thing exists, certainly.

I have no question about it. The IC has probably withheld all sorts of detailed information from Presidents in the past, and will continue to do so when it makes sense. For example, Trump did not need to know the location of the source of the information he revealed to the Russians. But, he was given that information. That mistake will probably not be made again.

The question of "need to know" is a very, very important one in intelligence work. Presidents need to know the results of analysis, but generally do not need to know the details of raw intelligence gathering in many cases. So, it is probably routine to withhold such details, and that reticence to reveal details has probably been reinforced with Trump.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

2. I think they'd better not tell him stuff they don't want leaked.

Kind of like an office I once worked in - there was one person you never told anything private or confidential because you just knew they'd blab. The IC better get a clue. Better yet, give him a little harmless disinformation and see what he does with it.

[MineralMan]

4. Well, I'm sure they're already doing that with Trump.

Even more so, now that he has managed to blurt out several things. It's a fine balance, though, for the people who brief the President. As for disinformation, I doubt very much that he will be given any of that, but it's very likely that he will not hear about some things a different President might.

"Don't tell Trump that! He runs his mouth."

[janterry]

5. Chiefs of Staff

I keep hoping that the Joint Chiefs of Staff will wander over to the Republican leadership and say this has just got to stop.

Those men (are they all men?) must be horrified by Chump. They know how dangerous he is, and their oath is to the Constitution - not our Idiot-in-Chief.

They could come out an oppose him. I really think it's their obligation as Americans.