February 12, 2018
Survival at All Costs
On its face, the so-called Nunes memo regarding government surveillance of Trump campaign aide Carter Page in 2016 does little to undermine the case against President Trump and his confederates. It does not contradict the indictments against Paul Manafort or Rick Gates nor explain the plea agreements of Michael Flynn and George Papadopoulos, nor extinguish questions about the extent to which Russia interfered in the election—either in collusion with the Trump campaign or not.
What the Nunes memo does do is escalate the conflict underway between Trump and his partisans and the leaders of the American intelligence and law enforcement communities. This conflict began before Trump’s inauguration but now burns hotter than ever as Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation inches closer to the president himself. In ordering the release of the Nunes memo, Trump has signaled his willingness to betray the national security community in favor of his own interest. Whether the facts in the memo are true or not, or whether they burn intelligence sources and methods, matters little in comparison to Trump’s egregious calculus of personal interest.
Read the full article in Slate.
More from CNAS
-
Commentary
National Security Human Capital
The Kid Rock Flyby Controversy and the Erosion of Military ProfessionalismAdherence to high standards and a willingness to conduct investigations when those standards may have been violated are a feature of the American military and contribute in no...
By Dr. Jason Dempsey
-
Podcast
National Security Human Capital
Beyond the Selective Service MythsThe debate over resuming the draft often resurfaces during global tension, yet its complexities remain misunderstood. Editor-in-Chief JP Clark sits down with experts William T...
By Katherine L. Kuzminski
-
Video
National Security Human Capital
Hegseth Accused of ‘Lying to the American Public’ About War in IranPentagon chief Pete Hegseth and top general Dan Caine faced lawmakers for the first time since the Iran war began, as the Trump administration seeks a record $1.5 trillion def...
By Katherine L. Kuzminski
-
Video
National Security Human Capital
What the New Draft Registration Rule Means for YouA new rule will automatically register men between 18 and 25 for the Selective Service starting in December. How will that work? PBS News’ Tim McPhillips spoke with Katherine ...
By Katherine L. Kuzminski
