Trump's security issues

[mgidm86]

Not a specific security breech, but there is this:

https://www.cnn.com/2019/09/09/politics/russia-us-spy-extracted/index.html
In a previously undisclosed secret mission in 2017, the United States successfully extracted from Russia one of its highest-level covert sources inside the Russian government...A person directly involved in the discussions said that the removal of the Russian was driven, in part, by concerns that President Donald Trump and his administration repeatedly mishandled classified intelligence and could contribute to exposing the covert source as a spy.

But, but... her emails!

One is sneaky, one is an idiot.

 

[Upchurch]

One is sneaky, one is an idiot.

Sneaky about what?

 

[Venom]

Intelligence officials rejected the claim it was Trump and said instead the agent was getting too much media exposure.

 

[WilliamSeger]

Intelligence officials rejected the claim it was Trump and said instead the agent was getting too much media exposure.

Uh huh, and NOAA officials said Trump was right about Dorian's path, and Barr said the summary of the Mueller report was "no collusion, no obstruction." If these intelligence officials weren't worried about Donald Trump's disclosures of classified information, then they should be fired for incompetence. The Trump administration has zero credibility. #MAGA

 

[jeremyp]

Intelligence officials rejected the claim it was Trump and said instead the agent was getting too much media exposure.

How would the media find out about the agent?

Of course it was about Trump.

If I were an agent working undercover in a foreign power for the USA, I'd be ******** my pants right now. In fact, if I was an agent working for any of the Five Eyes countries, ditto.

This is why the satellite photo tweet is so bad. It's not that it leaks US capabilities to its enemies. They probably already know what US spy satellites are capable of (in fact it seems like half the internet knows US spy satellite capabilities to judge from conversations on various forums and blogs).

The real problem is that this is prima facie evidence that the US intelligence agencies cannot protect top secret information. Their boss walked into a secret briefing, took a cell phone photo of some intelligence material, Tweeted it and nobody was able to stop him.

The other Five Eyes countries are going to stop sharing information with the USA in order to prevent the Tub of Lard in Chief from compromising their sources. This is catastrophic.

 

[Venom]

How would the media find out about the agent?

Of course it was about Trump.

If I were an agent working undercover in a foreign power for the USA, I'd be ******** my pants right now. In fact, if I was an agent working for any of the Five Eyes countries, ditto.

This is why the satellite photo tweet is so bad. It's not that it leaks US capabilities to its enemies. They probably already know what US spy satellites are capable of (in fact it seems like half the internet knows US spy satellite capabilities to judge from conversations on various forums and blogs).

The real problem is that this is prima facie evidence that the US intelligence agencies cannot protect top secret information. Their boss walked into a secret briefing, took a cell phone photo of some intelligence material, Tweeted it and nobody was able to stop him.

The other Five Eyes countries are going to stop sharing information with the USA in order to prevent the Tub of Lard in Chief from compromising their sources. This is catastrophic.

The NYT reports a different version in which he was spirited away after providing info about Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election.

 

[Ladewig]

I've tried putting the TV on mute when he's on. That only works as long as I don't actually look at the TV. I've found that just watching his smarmy face without the distraction of his whiny voice has its own problems: it makes me notice his little, itty bitty mouth, his raccoon eyes, his fake orange tan, and his comb over even more. Ew. Just ew.

You could use the Elvis Presley method instead.

He watched TV in the basement so when he wanted to throw a TV out the window, he shot it instead.

 

[phiwum]

The NYT reports a different version in which he was spirited away after providing info about Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election.

Far as I understand it, the CIA wanted to extract him at that point, but he chose not to leave Russia since he felt he was safe. He was extracted shortly after the Trump/Russia meeting (forget the name of the visiting dignitary).

Whether he was extracted because of Trump's behavior at that time is not entirely clear, near as I can figger.

 

[Babbylonian]

Far as I understand it, the CIA wanted to extract him at that point, but he chose not to leave Russia since he felt he was safe. He was extracted shortly after the Trump/Russia meeting (forget the name of the visiting dignitary).

Whether he was extracted because of Trump's behavior at that time is not entirely clear, near as I can figger.

Since the debasement of the presidency, I wouldn't be surprised if a lot of foreign agents asked their handlers some hard questions about who gets to know their names.

 

[Venom]

Far as I understand it, the CIA wanted to extract him at that point, but he chose not to leave Russia since he felt he was safe. He was extracted shortly after the Trump/Russia meeting (forget the name of the visiting dignitary).

Whether he was extracted because of Trump's behavior at that time is not entirely clear, near as I can figger.

No I think it was he was supposed to be extracted before 2017 or at least before it was carried out later in the year and refused because he felt safe.

Then he was extracted.

There would have been hard questions about how U.S. intelligence managed to know so much about the Russian special operation after it hit the airwaves. Risky.

 

[Segnosaur]

Ok, another possible security issue... One that the Trump administration wasn't necessarily responsible for, but one where he didn't necessarily follow up properly:

From: https://www.politico.com/story/2019/09/12/israel-white-house-spying-devices-1491351
The U.S. government concluded within the past two years that Israel was most likely behind the placement of cellphone surveillance devices that were found near the White House...But unlike most other occasions when flagrant incidents of foreign spying have been discovered on American soil, the Trump administration did not rebuke the Israeli government.
...
The miniature surveillance devices, colloquially known as “StingRays,” mimic regular cell towers to fool cellphones into giving them their locations and identity information.

Such a weird relationship between the Trump and Israel. Trump 'burns' an Israeli intelligence source by blabbing to the Russians, but then helps Israel by ending the Iran agreement and moving the U.S. embassy. Israel supposedly adores Trump but then try to spy on him. And when their plan is discovered, Trump does... nothing

Its almost like Trump is being manipulated by a foreign power.

 

[pgwenthold]

Ok, another possible security issue... One that the Trump administration wasn't necessarily responsible for, but one where he didn't necessarily follow up properly:

From: https://www.politico.com/story/2019/09/12/israel-white-house-spying-devices-1491351
The U.S. government concluded within the past two years that Israel was most likely behind the placement of cellphone surveillance devices that were found near the White House...But unlike most other occasions when flagrant incidents of foreign spying have been discovered on American soil, the Trump administration did not rebuke the Israeli government.
...
The miniature surveillance devices, colloquially known as “StingRays,” mimic regular cell towers to fool cellphones into giving them their locations and identity information.

Such a weird relationship between the Trump and Israel. Trump 'burns' an Israeli intelligence source by blabbing to the Russians, but then helps Israel by ending the Iran agreement and moving the U.S. embassy. Israel supposedly adores Trump but then try to spy on him. And when their plan is discovered, Trump does... nothing

Its almost like Trump is being manipulated by a foreign power.

It's more that he doesn't have a clue what he's doing.

 

[fishbob]

Its almost like Trump is being manipulated by a foreign power.

It's more that he doesn't have a clue what he's doing.

Why not both?

 

[Ladewig]

Since the debasement of the presidency, I wouldn't be surprised if a lot of foreign agents asked their handlers some hard questions about who gets to know their names.

I don’t think it is going to be the names. After all, no one would give Trump the names of agents. And even if they did, he wouldn’t remember them. I think it is more a matter of they’ll show Trump a stolen blueprint or photo and say they got it from a high-level mole in some country’s defense ministry. That’s the kind of thing that Trump could prevent himself about bragging about. And any diplomat worth his salt would simply respond with “You’re bluffing, Mr. President. Give me a reason to believe you.” Because the president has the emotional maturity that wavers between age 2 and age 7, he would immediately name the stolen document, which would give the foreign country more specific places to look for the spy.

 

[jeremyp]

The NYT reports a different version in which he was spirited away after providing info about Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election.

If that’s true, the rest of my post still stands. The satellite photo leak shows that the President of the United States cannot be trusted to keep secret information secret. This means that the other Five Eyes nations will be reluctant to share intel with the USA and the USA will be reluctant to let its own president see the intel he needs to make good decisions.

People may die because of what Trump did.

 

[slyjoe]

If that’s true, the rest of my post still stands. The satellite photo leak shows that the President of the United States cannot be trusted to keep secret information secret. This means that the other Five Eyes nations will be reluctant to share intel with the USA and the USA will be reluctant to let its own president see the intel he needs to make good decisions.

People may die because of what Trump did.

This assumes he would actually USE intel to make good decisions. His decisions come from his gut, remember?

 

[Mumbles]

Y'all just can't let the witch die can you? You don't think Trump is being investigated enough, is that the point?

Given that any ordinary person who knowingly gave that sort of high-level secrets to enemy states would spend a good, long time in prison, this should be considered a severe problem.

(And I wouldn't be at all shocked if those Israeli spy cells were placed around DC specifically in response to Dolt 45's giving up Israeli classified info to Russia, either - Although in truth, Israel isn't the most trustworthy ally...)

 

[Norman Alexander]

I don’t think it is going to be the names. After all, no one would give Trump the names of agents. And even if they did, he wouldn’t remember them. I think it is more a matter of they’ll show Trump a stolen blueprint or photo and say they got it from a high-level mole in some country’s defense ministry. That’s the kind of thing that Trump could prevent himself about bragging about. And any diplomat worth his salt would simply respond with “You’re bluffing, Mr. President. Give me a reason to believe you.” Because the president has the emotional maturity that wavers between age 2 and age 7, he would immediately name the stolen document, which would give the foreign country more specific places to look for the spy.

They would all be called "James Spy".

And Trump could almost certainly be talked into revealing stuff with ridiculous ease. And then not even realise he had been "spooked".

The secret document is in that drawer, isn't it, Mr Trump.

No, you're wrong! It's in that drawer, the one without the lock.

So it is, Mr Trump. Good thing too! We would never have found it.

Of course not! I'm very secure!

 

[slyjoe]

They would all be called "James Spy".

And Trump could almost certainly be talked into revealing stuff with ridiculous ease. And then not even realise he had been "spooked".

The secret document is in that drawer, isn't it, Mr Trump.

No, you're wrong! It's in that drawer, the one without the lock.

So it is, Mr Trump. Good thing too! We would never have found it.

Of course not! I'm very secure!

Trump recently said he didn't like "foreign spies". He actually believes we should only have the American James Bond be infiltrated into foreign countries. He obviously never listens to briefings. The best spies are always native.

 

[Minoosh]

Trump recently said he didn't like "foreign spies". He actually believes we should only have the American James Bond be infiltrated into foreign countries. He obviously never listens to briefings. The best spies are always native.

When I read about the mole in the Kremlin, it made me wonder who Russia has placed in the White House. Then I realized it doesn't matter, since Trump will give Russia anything Putin asks for. Actually Putin would probably not have to ask; Trump is probably bending his ear enough as it is. And having a mole in the White House might be pointless anyway. All they could report would be constant chaos, and even knowing what the president thought or said at a given moment would yield little advantage, given how often he contradicts himself or changes his mind.

I wouldn't be surprised if Russia already has Trump's tax returns. In fact I'd be surprised if they didn't. They probably have multiple people monitoring Trump to make sure the kompromat is up to date.

But maybe I am giving Russia too much credit. They probably have their share of double-dealing bunglers. Still, national security is the one area where I imagine some of Trump's Senate stalwarts might be just a bit queasy.