Security Experts Fear State Secrets Won't Be Safe With Indebted Donald Trump

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Huffington Post

11/27/2020 10:16 pm ET

He may view them as a “profit center” when his debts are due, reports NBC.

By Mary Papenfuss

Security experts are raising concerns about the safety of state secrets accessible to Donald Trump, particularly as massive debts on his businesses come due.

Trump already has access to secrets that could be devastating to the U.S. if they were leaked or sold. In addition, presidents typically continue to be briefed on national security in certain circumstances even after they leave office, NBC News reports.

Trump has proven to be dangerously reckless with intelligence and confoundingly supportive of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

But classified information could also now represent a “profit center” to the heavily indebted president, according to NBC. The New York Times recently reported that Trump owes $421 million in business debt that he has personally guaranteed. Forbes investigations have indicated Trump could owe closer to $1 billion.

Read more: https://www.huffpost.com/entry/state-secrets-trump-international-businesses_n_5fc19706c5b6e4b1ea4b59be

[nebby70]

1. the only thing to make you gasp here ...

... is that this is 'just now' on their radar ...
... since he became the GOP choice and started rec'ing briefings I've been wild about this concept ...
... as well as with the dangers of Jarvanka having access security clearance only because of 45's intervention.

[Rorey]

8. Yes, we've been gasping here for four years

The so-called experts couldn't foresee this?

[mitch96]

17. I would assume that he has been funneling any requests from the kremlin to the top of his

to-do list.. He is a spy out in the open and there is nothing we can do about it.. THATS what pisses me off...
m

[mpcamb]

47. With evidence begin with TREASON charges. Ironic but we might be glad he brought back firing squads.

[Evolve Dammit]

37. Seriously. This started 4 years ago.

[captain queeg]

2. Gee, do you think? I just hope they've been keeping him in the dark about a lot of things.

[truthisfreedom]

3. Hopefully he's been monitored so far

[Squinch]

4. That's a given.

[keithbvadu2]

5. Jared thinks that a security clearance is a license to sell our country's secrets.

Eric Trump in 2014: 'We have all the funding we need out of Russia ...

https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-1-d&q=erik+trump+money+from+russia

[Retrograde]

40. Has anyone heard from him lately?

Now that Covid is turning the corner to being an even bigger disaster and Iran is pointing fingers about the killing of one of its scientists, shouldn't the Boy Blunder who's in charge of the pandemic and Middle East peace taskforces be doing, um, something?

I think he and Ivanka are the biggest leaks: him for the money, her for the chance to stay on the international stage.

[man4allcats]

6. The obvious reply would get removed. n/t

[Rorey]

9. I know.

I know.

[niyad]

15. True.

[bucolic_frolic]

7. And this hasn't been going on for 4 years?

I mean, hiding in plain sight. Has anyone seen his current tax records?

[Whiskeytide]

10. I think most of these ships have ...

... already sailed. He’s had private, unsupervised (by our side) conversations and meetings with Poot since he took office. I don’t see him as capable of keeping his mouth shut about much.

The good news is that he doesn’t read briefs, and he’s only interested in something that affects him directly. It’s entirely possible he hasn’t really learned many secrets.

[judesedit]

14. I'm hoping they planted a bug on him before allowing him out their eyesight

Like inside the hem of a coat or somewhere. His hair. With all that goop on there, anything could be hiding in there. Yes, I love "who done it"s, but this is entirely possible. Our country and the world were at stake and still are.

[Whiskeytide]

22. I hope so too, but he has ...

... done a pretty good job of neutering our intelligence abilities, along with most other government functions. There has been some reporting on this over his 4 years, but it seems most news outlets have only recently noticed this. He’s gutted the federal government, and has been doing it since January 2017.

I suspect he’s had help from Putin on the most effective ways to accomplish this. Putin must be astonished at how easily he’s manipulated due to his narcissism and damaged personality. I imagine that when Putin has cabinet level meetings, they laugh uncontrollably for an hour before they can actually get down to business.

And speaking of bugs, I hope they do a great job of sweeping the White House, Camp David, etc.... I worry that foreign interests have been able to plant bugs everywhere with Тяцмр‘s blessing.

[judesedit]

53. I agree for the most part, but still believe there's a chance someone was undercover,

completely trusted by tRump, that would and could pull it off and may have every conversation had by tRump and Putie for starters. There is so much that's going on that noone knows about. They definitely have to sweep the WH inside walls amd all, closets, every nook in every room before Biden gets there.

[modrepub]

11. Consider The Source

I'd guess the number of pages Trump has read his entire time in office is in the hundreds at best. That's considering Donnie likes one pagers filled with bullet points that he can quickly scan during his daily briefings. He probably didn't even read those and relied on someone briefing him. Given his loose lips, a lot of highly sensitive stuff probably got filtered without him knowing (or caring).

The guy is a serial liar. Anything he says is probably not true, especially if it's about himself. I'd be very hesitant taking anything this guy says seriously.

Not to say things won't leak. It will probably be stuff that embarrasses people he doesn't like or to get back at people he feels have treated him bad. Maybe the UFO folks will get something, who knows?

Either way, whatever happens to Donnie after January 20th, I'm sure there will be no serious prosecution or consequences. It's been that way for Republicans for decades. Rules are made for the other guys/gals. Strength is defined as imposing your rules on other folks and making exceptions for your tribe.

[BigmanPigman]

48. That sure is the sad truth...no justice.

[Tarc]

12. Well, it's a good thing the Trump admin just approved all those new methods of execution...

...as I'm pretty sure what we're talking about here is clear-cut treason.

[3825-87867]

13. Absolutely treason!

But any of the "new methods" of execution pale compared to the way these traitors should suffer.

Render them to one of Bush/Cheney's countries.
Put them in Gitmo.
Turn them loose in a third world country with a pork chop hung around their neck.

But first - waterboard them for a year or two.

Oh, and stream it live everywhere.

More suggestions?

[HUAJIAO]

20. He seems to have forgotten burning at the stake....

He's enough of a psychopath to enjoy something like that.


blechk.....

[NNadir]

16. There are laws against treason, and since the rule of law will again apply, and pardons do not...

...apply to crimes taking place after the pardon, it's a very dangerous game for this Russian plant to play.

In theory, and perhaps in practice, the penalty is death, now legal by firing squad.

While I oppose the death penalty, there are those who don't.

[EarthFirst]

18. He'll fuck up...

Just remember Donny; it’s your administration requesting a return to death by firing squad.

[Orrex]

19. Feed him false intel

Then, when it shows up in some foreign power’s playbook, arrest him as a spy.

[Lonestarblue]

21. This is exactly the longer term damage Trump will do.

He has never had loyalty to anyone or anything but himself. Selling secret intelligence to another country would be just part of his vindictive retribution for his loss of a second term. Unfortunately, he has his own sycophants in high place to keep giving him secrets, which may be one of the reasons he replaced some top military people so they could funnel more secrets to him. He’s known for a while that he would likely lose. I’m sure Jared has also been collecting as much intel as possible. Both are traitors.

[paleotn]

23. To be honest, he probably doesn't know much of any real value.

It would be like interrogating Fredo on the inner workings of the Corleone family business. It's the spawn and toadies I worry about. Miller would sell out his country for a free parking pass. The rest would too, and for not much more in compensation.

[twodogsbarking]

25. John Cazele

was a terrific actor and person. Died too soon.

[twodogsbarking]

26. Misspelled Cazale

Sorry.

[Rhiannon12866]

51. You can always edit your post if you make a mistake or a typo

Lower right on the post. Welcome to DU!

[twodogsbarking]

52. Thanks

for being you.

[SWBTATTReg]

45. I think you're right here...he's too stupid to know anything (rump) to convey any info. worth

anything to anybody. His spawn too (just as stupid)...

[Firestorm49]

24. Revoke his damn security clearances the minute he is out. He did to Obama.

[Roisin Ni Fiachra]

27. Intelligence agencies will be so far up his ass

he won't be able to draw a single breath or take a single step without them knowing about it.

I suspect they may go so far as to microchip him.

[bluestarone]

28. And after HE'S gone we'll have our Senate RETHUGS filling in for him!

PLUS his whole family!

[Scalded Nun]

29. I would not give him shit, but if push comes to shove

give him bad info. Perhaps even something so unique that when it surfaces it is obvious that he provided/sold the info.

He did not act on any reliable intel while in office...why should he need it once out of office.

[marble falls]

30. Lets count how his personality flaws work for us ...

1. He ignored his intelligence briefings, finally dropping them altogether.
2. State Intelligence community members edited what they told him or not.
3. If it's more than a page, he scans page one and ignores the rest.
4. His comprehension of what he does read or was told is weak tea at best.
5. A lot of what he read or heard was for the moment and is now obsolete.

Now Jared ...

[Hotler]

31. For our own and his protection we need to

lock him up in GITMO.

[Turbineguy]

32. Obviously, the US Taxpayers

must pony up the swag.

[TexasBushwhacker]

33. I don't think they mentioned Malcom Nance

He is concerned. Not Susan Collins concerned; really concerned.

WARNING: This will end badly for all of us. Trump is setting the stage AGAIN to declare the entire election a fraud. He will try AGAIN to steal it &/or invite #CivilWar. Mark. My. Words.

Malcolm Nance (@MalcolmNance) November 26, 2020

[BigmanPigman]

49. I recall reading recent warnings from Nance

as well as others who have the same concerns. When people that work in these agencies for a living have a concern, so do I.

[BobTheSubgenius]

34. Two words:

Super Max

[christx30]

35. Even without the debt,

the moron still loves to show off, and loves telling Putin everything. Things will be so much better on January 21st.

[keithbvadu2]

36. Putting money into Trump was the best investment Putin ever made.

[LudwigPastorius]

38. What do they think has been going on for the last 4 years?

Why would his removal from office now make any difference?

[onetexan]

39. After the con leaves office, they immediately need to remove his national security updates and tail

his moves. The blowhard can't keep his trap shut. Give him enough rope and he'll hang himself.

[sandensea]

41. "Can you believe it, Vlad!?"

"The schlemiel is as bankrupt as Eastern Airlines; cheats every woman, contractor and banker he's ever met - and the Americans still let him come visit us after he leaves office!"

"What a country!"

[llashram]

42. a

righteous fear. He is a seditious ex-president and has shown traitorous instincts when in the company of his BFF Putin. Remember, our intelligence services were kicked to the curb when he compared his instincts about his BFF against our intelligence services warnings. This clown deserves to be shunned until his dying day. Then Ivanka, Jarad, Stephen Miller and his two other satan spawn.

[mahina]

43. Fear means realize that.

[tirebiter]

46. Just use another of his EO outros

A firing squad sounds appropriate

[BlueMTexpat]

50. All too true!

But intelligence experts have likely been giving him the "Briefings for Dummies" version for a long time.

Here is the law regarding the Unauthorized Disclosure of Classified Information: https://criminal.findlaw.com/criminal-charges/unauthorized-disclosure-of-classified-information.html

This link states that the highest level classification is "Top Secret." In fact, there is at least one level higher than that.

[Progressive Jones]

54. There is only one way to absolutely guarantee that Trump can't

divulge any sensitive security secrets.

[bluedigger]

55. He doesn't know anything.