Last updated on July 17th, 2023 at 10:52 pm
During a White House meeting with House Republicans, President Trump vowed to find leakers and make them pay. Trump is so gripped by paranoia that he is obsessing over leakers while ignoring the collapse of his presidency around him.
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Trump was asked at the end of what appeared to be a House Republican pep talk to boost his fragile ego, if he was going to find the leakers. The President answered, “We’re going to find the leakers. We’re going to find the leakers, and we’re going to make them pay a big price for leaking.”
The Republican Party led by the White House is trying to change the subject away from the Trump campaign’s contacts and activities with Russia to the leaking of Trump’s behavior by those in the White House and the intelligence community.
The pursuit of leakers is all about protecting the President, and his collapsing administration. The problem isn’t the leaks. Whistleblowers who are coming forward to let people know what is going on inside the government. Trump is trying to limit the information that is available to the American people.
If the Trump administration were more transparent and honest with the release of information, leakers would not have to turn to the media to get information to the American people. Fundamentally, all administrations, elected officials, and candidates hate leaks. The hatred of leaks knows no partisan label, but Trump’s paranoia is taking over.
The President is ignoring the political realities of his failing presidency, and instead focusing on an obsessive hunt for leakers. When presidents go down this rabbit hole, it never leads to a good place.
The Russia/Trump scandal is what has the country moving towards a constitutional crisis. The leaks are a distraction, not the real problem.
Jason is the managing editor. He is also a White House Press Pool and a Congressional correspondent for PoliticusUSA. Jason has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. His graduate work focused on public policy, with a specialization in social reform movements.
Awards and Professional Memberships
Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and The American Political Science Association
