Nothing to See Here...

Top of the evening everyone...

Yet again, the body politic is in a tizzy in the United States.  Apparently, President Trump revealed classified information to the Russian Foreign Minister.

And what was on page 2?

Folks, there are multiple levels of classification in the United States.  Sensitive, classified, top secret, top secret (special compartmented information), probably a few others, and President's eyes only.

In all categories of classification, the President is what we call the classifying authority.  That means that he has the authority to release any classified information at will.  That he might have shared something with a governmental representative of another nation is not at all without precedent.  It has been going on since time immemorial.  The most prominent example that comes to mind is when Prime Minister Begin directed that an assassination plot against Anwar Sadat be turned over directly to the Egyptians, instead of via the normal channels.  This led directly to President Sadat's historic visit to Jerusalem.

We can question his discretion.  We can decide that maybe we should have someone else in office come 2020.  That is perfectly legitimate.  There is virtually no crime whatsoever.

Nothing to see here.

Except that there is something to see here.  There was a crime committed, or at least a violation of trust.  How it is that a matter discussed in the Oval Office made it out to the press is of major concern.  It does mean that someone violated his/her clearance.  It means that someone within the White House just made an active effort to undermine the President.  This is major.

Mr. President, it is my strongest recommendation that you get control over the White House staff.  This is not the first unauthorized leak.  It is unlikely to be the last.

I am utterly disgusted with everyone taking every opportunity not to let this man be the President.  Get over it folks.  Like it or not, Donald Trump is the President of the United States.  You will do more to bring a bad name on the country by pouncing on every little thing he does than he will manage on his own.

Have a good night everyone.

R/SCG