Late Tuesday, “officials” leaked to the Washington Post that President Donald Trump was briefed, in all-caps writing no less, to “DO NOT CONGRATULATE” Vladimir Putin on his election “win” this week. Since the president did, according to reports, congratulate Putin, the blue-check mob jumped all over it:
NEW: WaPo: Trump did not follow specific warnings from his national security advisers when he congratulated Russian Pres. Vladimir Putin on his reelection, including a section in his briefing materials in all-capital letters stating “DO NOT CONGRATULATE” https://t.co/gMgdBy3HVC
— Evan Rosenfeld (@Evan_Rosenfeld) March 20, 2018
This is a major, major leak that never should have happened:
https://twitter.com/jonathanvswan/status/976275497096302592
We’re seeing reports that chief of staff John Kelly — rightfully so — is royally pissed about it:
https://twitter.com/abbydphillip/status/976427208192520192
Which brings us to Ari Fleischer, who is taking some heat for this tweet pointing out the disloyalty involved with the leak:
Who leaks this stuff? This WH still is disloyal to the president and to each other. What a mess. https://t.co/COnvU4MjKT
— Ari Fleischer (@AriFleischer) March 20, 2018
Some of the pushback to Fleischer:
Imagine thinking the leaks are the mess. https://t.co/ks7kHDBqoU
— Jon Lovett (@jonlovett) March 21, 2018
Yes clearly the most concerning thing here is the leak. https://t.co/pZThQEplWp
— Ben White (@morningmoneyben) March 21, 2018
Ari, aren't they patriots? https://t.co/HtSI2lVvjc
— rolandsmartin (@rolandsmartin) March 21, 2018
But it’s not just pro-Trump folks who think the leak is a big deal. Here’s Tom Nichols, who’s no fan of the president, on the magnitude of what just happened:
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Every president, even including one as bad as this one, has the right to confidential communications with his assistants. If you all start arguing that leaking at will is fine, you're going to create a precedent you will regret.
On that, this subject is closed.— Tom Nichols (@RadioFreeTom) March 21, 2018
And:
I'd argue that those communications are classified, or should be, but as a matter of principle, the relationship between a principal and his aide is a default setting of "not telling the press what we talk about privately." This is Aide School 101.
— Tom Nichols (@RadioFreeTom) March 21, 2018
Nichols’ advice for the leakers: Resign and go public:
If you're the aide to a politician you feel is an actual danger to the country, then don't leak. Resign, and tell your story publicly. https://t.co/9Xo3fHbQhr
— Tom Nichols (@RadioFreeTom) March 21, 2018
If you think the country is in peril, tell your story and accept the consequences.
— Tom Nichols (@RadioFreeTom) March 21, 2018
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