This CIA veteran has had it with Trump, quits agency with epic burn
➜ UPDATE: Another CIA vet weighs in ominously on Trump. Details here.
Wow. Big hat tip to TBogg over at Raw Story for this:
In a blistering piece written for the Washington Post — with accompanying video — a CIA veteran went public with his resignation from the agency saying he could not see himself working for President Donald Trump.
In a rare public admission, analyst Edward Price, who recently served as the spokesperson for the National Security Council, claimed that Trump’s conduct — as well as his treatment of the intelligence agency — forced him to conclude that the newly-elected president is either “deceitful or delusional.”
According to Price, he had made plans to make a career at the agency and has served under Presidents from both parties, but he said Trump presents insurmountable problems.
Here’s part of what he wrote in WaPo:
Nearly 15 years ago, I informed my skeptical father that I was pursuing a job with the Central Intelligence Agency. Among his many concerns was that others would never believe I had resigned from the agency when I sought my next job. “Once CIA, always CIA,” he said. But that didn’t give me pause. This wouldn’t be just my first real job, I thought then; it would be my career.
That changed when I formally resigned last week. Despite working proudly for Republican and Democratic presidents, I reluctantly concluded that I cannot in good faith serve this administration as an intelligence professional. …
Trump’s actions in office have been even more disturbing. His visit to CIA headquarters on his first full day in office, an overture designed to repair relations, was undone by his ego and bluster. Standing in front of a memorial to the CIA’s fallen officers, he seemed to be addressing the cameras and reporters in the room, rather than the agency personnel in front of them, bragging about his inauguration crowd the previous day. Whether delusional or deceitful, these were not the remarks many of my former colleagues and I wanted to hear from our new commander in chief. I couldn’t help but reflect on the stark contrast between the bombast of the new president and the quiet dedication of a mentor — a courageous, dedicated professional — who is memorialized on that wall. I know others at CIA felt similarly.
The final straw came late last month, when the White House issued a directive reorganizing the National Security Council, on whose staff I served from 2014 until earlier this year. Missing from the NSC’s principals committee were the CIA director and the director of national intelligence. Added to the roster: the president’s chief strategist, Stephen K. Bannon, who cut his teeth as a media champion of white nationalism.
The public outcry led the administration to reverse course and name the CIA director an NSC principal, but the White House’s inclination was clear. It has little need for intelligence professionals who, in speaking truth to power, might challenge the so-called “America First” orthodoxy that sees Russia as an ally and Australia as a punching bag. That’s why the president’s trusted White House advisers, not career professionals, reportedly have final say over what intelligence reaches his desk.
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Copyright 2017 Liberaland
By: dave-dr-gonzo
David Hirsch, a.k.a. Dave "Doctor" Gonzo*, is a renegade record producer, video producer, writer, reformed corporate shill, and still-registered lobbyist for non-one-percenter performing artists and musicians. He lives in a heavily fortified compound in one of Manhattan's less trendy neighborhoods.
* Hirsch is the third person to use the pseudonym, a not-so-veiled tribute to journalist and author Hunter S. Thompson, with the permission of his predecessors Gene Gaudette of American Politics Journal (currently webmaster and chief bottlewasher at Liberaland) and Stephen Meese at Smashmouth Politics.
13 responses to This CIA veteran has had it with Trump, quits agency with epic burn
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dewired4u February 20th, 2017 at 23:19
My uppermost respect this man who stands by his principles.
labman57 February 20th, 2017 at 23:59
One month in, and Donnie’s “fine-tuned machine” is already in need of an overhaul.
dogsRgoodpeople February 21st, 2017 at 05:56
It’s not just the thousands like this that the country will lose under The Punk, but who will be hired to replace them. The damage done by Bannon/Trump will be permanent and far reaching.
Gina Bousquet February 21st, 2017 at 08:14
I hope many others will speak out loud against this administration the way he did, with courage and integrity.
mea_mark February 21st, 2017 at 08:33
It’s not just tRump that’s incompetent, it’s the GOP for allowing this farce to go on. I don’t understand how anyone that cares about the US can approve of or tolerate this level of incompetence.
bpollen February 21st, 2017 at 15:19
Yeah, we mustn’t forget that Viktor Frankenstein created the monster.
Jungle_Bhoy February 21st, 2017 at 17:30
Correct, and its getting to be a bit of a theme – blame Trump and let the Republican Party off the hook. No way – they own this axxhole and they are responsible for what he says and does.
William February 21st, 2017 at 10:45
“he seemed to be addressing the cameras and reporters in the room, rather than the agency personnel in front of them, bragging about his inauguration crowd the previous day”
. I can’t wait for memorial day. Donald will surely lay a wreath at the tomb of the unknown soldier and talk about his harrowing days in private military school, and his big hands. https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/6d0d11a31c69a01ba9989ae01a034b6e97f34a4bb22f63670acdfa8a1dc7e8c0.jpg
granpa.usthai March 2nd, 2017 at 17:51
he forgot to mention that Hillary’s 3,000,000 vote POPULAR WIN was approximately 25 times more than the turn out for his installation ceremony.
amersham1046 February 21st, 2017 at 10:59
A lot of good people are leaving,
but Trump has more the enough bad people to replace them with
granpa.usthai March 2nd, 2017 at 17:48
somehow, I just can’t picture a stupid racist LIAR trump deplorable as being a member of the agency. For one thing, they could never remember their 1 digit code for gaining entry to their office.
Maxx44 March 2nd, 2017 at 12:58
This is the Teflon Administration. Nothing sticks. They’re the most despicable bunch of miscreants ever to reach such a level of power. With control of all three branches, they are doing whatever they want without fear of being held accountable.
granpa.usthai March 2nd, 2017 at 17:45
as long as the anti American republicans hold congress, then I would tend to agree.
the possible placement of Chinese and/or DPRK missile launch platforms on leased training grounds in the northwestern parts of Mexico could make a positive statement by those nations, plus entice the anti American republicans to review their goose stepping stances however.