IF a President has "absolute right" to declassify secrets, ...

[Bernardo de La Paz]

1) Has any President ever done it before?

2) Has any President done it summarily before? (off the cuff, without processes or discussion)

3) Has any President declassified it to an adversary before?

[drray23]

1. yes no no .nt.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

8. It looks like Bush did it in 2003 but it took 18 days for the process to work through.

Was with regard to documents to be released to the press in the run-up to the Iraq War. I saw a brief note on this in an article after googling, but it wasn't clear on all the details.

[drray23]

9. i think president obama also declassified intel.

but he did it after following a process. I do not remember at the moment what this was about..

[canetoad]

2. Google says

No results found for president "absolute right" to +declassify -trump.

Interesting questions. I hope someone knows of an example.

[dchill]

4. I heard today that Truman told Stalin...

about the Manhattan Project. Don't know of any other examples.

[rzemanfl]

6. Stalin already knew. Truman said we had a powerful new weapon. That's about all.

Russia had agreed to enter the war against Japan x days after the war in Europe ended. I can't remember how many days, 90, I think. So they were an ally.

[Massacure]

12. The agreement was three months

Germany surrendered on May 8. The Soviets declared war on Japan at 11:00pm transbaikal time on August 8 and invaded Manchuria an hour later.

[LeftInTX]

11. After that summit, Truman stated that Stalin was a "straight shooter"..."my kinda guy"

(He was not prepared for FDR to die and was in his first term as VP)

[Laxman]

3. There's Ususally A Process....

that involves consultation and decision making regarding the means and extent.....and then there's the ultimate ability to have the judgement to distinguish between "can" and "should". Just because you can doesn't mean you should. I have the right to do it is the excuse of someone who didn't exercise the appropriate restraint or who had no regard for the consequences. The language of the bully.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

10. Good distinction. For tRump there's only "can" & "want to". Narcissistic sociopath. . . . nt

[rustydog]

5. If one wants to take Dick Cheney's arguement during Bush's reign:

If the president does it, it is legal....Unitary president theory they loved.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

7. I believe that Nixon first voiced that argument. Cheney served under Nixon. . . . . nt